Why student athletes should be drug tested Essay

Why student athletes should be drug tested - Essay Example According to ESPN, the University of Oregon has decided to implement drug tests for its athletes on random basis right after a research conducted by ESPN proved that football teams that play at University level have forty to sixty percent of the total players who are involved in the act of abusing marijuana (ESPN, 2012). Similar kind of random and announced drug activities have been implemented by several universities. These tests have gained immense amount of criticism as these tests have failed to achieve the objective for which these tests were being conducted and have ended up being counter productive. These tests have been criticized because these tests do not reduce drug abuse, these tests can result in loss of trust and these tests are against individual’s constitutional rights. The drug tests conducted on random basis among athletes are conducted because educational institutes believe that these tests will decrease the probability of athletes using drugs and since athl etic students are popular, other students will follow their lead. The universities even believe that students will fear the tests and due to the fear that these results will be informed to parents, athletic students will not abuse drugs. Two studies conducted during 2003 reported that drug tests never reduce consumption of drugs and these tests may lead to increase in consumption.

Importance of Effective Staffing Processes

Importance of Effective Staffing Processes Going global was considered to be a great achievement few years ago, but today, it is part of a companys survival strategy and rather an essential element to de-risk the business from a single country shock. Going global has become an increasingly important business strategy because of that most businesses face challenges of localized economic policies and competition. The advances in information technology and telecommunication that scholars consider it as second revolution have caused tremendous changes in global business and increased the volume of trade between nations. Multinational companies have been playing major role in the process of moving goods and services around the globe. When companies go global and operate in different countries, policies relating to employee hiring, training, compensating and maintaining are largely affected and human resource managers are required to have a global perspective of business to effectively formulate and implement human resource policie s. This piece of research paper addresses the importance of effective staffing process for a company when operates in other countries and explains main elements of international human resource management in relation to hiring, training and compensating the employees. This paper explains main modes of global staffing in relation to managing expatriates and analyzes various selection factors for global operation. Need for effective Staffing for Global Operation In recent days, managers of large multinationals have been realizing the significance of human resource practices to ensure the profitability and competitive advantages of their business. Human resource management has become more involved in helping international organizations and these organizations necessarily require to develop global strategies with major focus to hire, manage and retain best employees in order to ensure competitive advantages. As Briscoe, Schuler and Claus (2008) stated that the impact of a companys international activity on human resource varies according to various factors like stages of internationalization, the global nature of the particular industry and specific choice of the firm etc (p. 29). Large companies that have been operating in its home country often suddenly become global and as a result its existing human resources start working in different conditions with no previous experiences in international operation. Likewise, companies need to hire, train maintain and retain talented employees to be able to work in multinational conditions. Stahl and Bjà ¶rkman (2006) stressed that global staffing has become a critical issue in international management for the following reasons:- There has been growing awareness that the success of international business mainly depend on recruiting the qualified senior and other managers. Staffing is more complex in international contexts, The performance of expatriates has become a problem and empirical evidences have shown that poor performance of expatriates in international firms are more costly in both human and financial terms. Global staffing has become important due to the need for MNCs to develop multicultural international workforce (p. 141). Staffing for Global Operation In global staffing, companies need to choose from various types of global staff members and need to have specific approaches and strategies to global staffing. Global staff members are selected from among three different types: expatriates, host-country people and third-country nationals. Expatriate is a person who belongs to the country in which the organization is headquartered and not a citizen of the country in which the company operates. A host-country national is a citizen of the country in which the subsidiary company is located. A third-country national is a citizen of a country, but works in another country and employed by an organization headquartered in a third country (Mondy, 2008, p. 150). As Deresky (2011) pointed, a firms managerial staffing in other countries, depending on its stage of internationalization, and situational factors falls in to one or more of the basic four staffing modes, namely ethnocentric, polycentric, regiocentric and global approaches (p. 329). Each staffing modes present different and unique HR management challenges as well as opportunities. More specifically, when an organization uses citizens of different countries for its staffing, different tax laws and other significant HR-related factors may apply and therefore it highly recommended that HR professionals need to be knowledgeable about the laws and customs of each country that its workforce belong to. The four different modes of international staffing are detailed below: Ethnocentric approach When companies hire expatriates to staff their high-level foreign positions, it uses ethnocentric approach. The company focuses on using home-country nationals to staff most of its senior managerial positions for its global operation. The basic perception of this approach is that home-office perspectives and issues are likely to take precedence over local perspectives and issues and therefore these expatriates will be more effective in representing the views of home-office (Steers and Nardon, 2006, p. 277). Deresky (2011) emphasized that ethnocentric approach is more likely to be used when an organization is at its internationalization stage or at strategic expansion. It is used mainly for filling the key managerial positions with people from headquarters, who are known to be parent-country nationals (p. 329). In the ethnocentric organization, home based policy, practice and even employees are viewed as superior and same time foreigners are often viewed as second class citizens. This approach is very appropriate when the company is in its early stage of setting up foreign subsidiary and there is greater need for control (Scullion, 2006, p. 18). Parent-country nationals are well familiar with companys specific goals, policies, technology and operation and they now the procedures to get things done from the headquarters. It is one of the major advantages of ethnocentric approach. More over, this approach is normally used when a company faces inadequate local-skilled managers. This approach is a strategy to fill this gap and develop international managerial skills (Deresky, 2011, p. 329). This approach requires relatively little effort by headquarters to monitor and recruit home country people for filling higher managerial positions. This approach provides quite broad experience for home country managers in relation to improving their long term career. This approach has many disadvantages as well. It may inhibit the opportunities and development of the talent of local managers as they have less up-ward mobility and this causes decrease to their loyalty to the subsidiary (Deresky, 2011, p. 329). More over, employee commitment to the organization may be negatively impacted as local managers feel they are trapped under a glass ceiling and with less chances of moving to the top of the firms managerial positions (Steers and Nardon, 2006, p. 277). Expatriates in foreign countries have been found to be less effective as well (Deresky, 2011, p. 329). Polycentric Approach A polycentric approach staffing policy and management philosophy oriented toward staffing positions with local talent. A polycentric-oriented firm staffs its foreign subsidiaries with host country nationals and its home office with parent-country nationals (Gary, p. 379). Deresky (2011) noted that polycentric approach, in which local managers from host-country nationals are hired to fill important positions in their own country, is more applicable when implementing a multinational strategy (p. 329). As these managers are normally familiar with local culture, competitive demands of the local market, the major foreign subsidiary is usually some what independent. Local managers are its major advantages. The major advantages of this approach includes a strong familiarity of business operation and management with local social custom and culture, language fluency and costs that are relatively less than in an expatriate assignment. There wont be foreign adjustment problem for an employee or his dependent family members. Though it is a multinational country, the heavy use of host-country nationals throughout the countries it operates from top management to lower positions can significantly win the support and confidence of local government and people because they see that its operation is benefiting its people (Vance, Charles and Paik, 2010, p. 173). This approach is good in those countries that have a policy and legal requirement that a firms employees must be comprised of a specific proportion of its citizens (Deresky, 2011, p. 329). When a firm takes polycentric approach, it is found that the business faces difficulty in coordinating activities and goals between subsidiary and parent company. another disadvantage is that the managers ion headquarters of the multinational companies will not gain necessary overseas experience required for higher positions in the firm (Deresky, 2011, p. 330). Regiocentric Approach With regiocentric approach, a firms recruitment for its international operation is done on a regional basis (Deresky, 2011, p. 331) and the managers are selected on the basis of the best in the region with international transfers that are restricted to regions (Scullion, 2006, p. 23). Bogardus (2004) stressed that regiocentric approach takes a somewhat larger operational view than that of polycentric approach as it covers a trade region like European Union and allowing managers to move between business units in various countries of the same region (p. 235). In this staffing approach, a mix of Parent-country nationals, host-country nationals and third-country nationals can be used depending on the specific needs of the company. The regiocentric approach has recently become more popular as many multinational companies are choosing to organize in regional basis. One of the main advantages of this approach is that it reduces the need for costly duplication of support services (Scullion, 2006, p. 23). Wood (2009) argued that most multinational companies regiocentric rather than truly international and majority of their sales and operations are concentrated on the region (p. 300). When it comes to the corporate level, the regiocentric approach is may be limiting as ethnocentric approach as multinational companies are failing to understand the features of the regions outside of their home-region. The regional structure may also lead to the mergence of silo-mentalities as regional managers will be trying to hold and protect their top talent within the region rather than allowing them to develop outside their region (Wood, 2009, p. 300). Geo-centric Approach- Global Approach The geo-centric or global approach to staffing is method by which the firm seeks to place best-qualified person in to each position regardless of the country they belong to. The business thus focuses on building an international management team and its members are free to move in to the geographic area (Bogardus, 2004, p. 235). As Peng (2008) noted, the geocentric approach can be said to be Color-blind because the color of the passport of the manager doesnt matter. This approach focuses on finding the most appropriate and efficient managers from Parent, or Host or Third country nationals (p. 440). In geocentric approach, the firm requires to consider various important factors like cost, foreign business practice and cultural variations. The global staffing approach considers best managers and they are recruited within or outside of the company. Their nationality is never considered. The main advantages of geocentric approach include its provision of greater pool of qualified managers and this in turn helps develop global executive base. When third-country nationals are staffed, they cause bringing more cultural flexibility and are likely to be skillful in more than one language than parent-country nationals. One of the main advantages is that the company can reduce its expenses by recruiting managers and employees from a country where normal pay is relatively less than some other countries (Deresky, 2011, p. 330). Selection Process for Global Assignments Cultural Adjustments Cultural awareness Cultural adaptability Diversity acceptance Global experiences Personal Characteristics Emotional stability Ambiguity tolerance Risk taking Stress coping Organizational Requirements Organizational knowledge Technical abilities Job-related skills Communication skills Language capabilities Non-verbal awareness Coaching and listening Conflict-resolution skill Personal/family concerns Personal life demands Family considerations Financial economic concerns Career development Selection factors for Global Employees Source: Mathis and Jackson, 2007, p. 250 The selection process for an international operation must provide real pictures of the working conditions to which the employees are to be sent. In international staffing, the HR managers thus require to prepare a comprehensive analysis of the job to be done in relation to the skills and talents of the employees to be recruited and selected. Some of the more significant factors to be considered in analyzing the suitability of an employee for a given task or job are his ability, personal characters, communication, ethical and moral perspectives etc. The multicultural perception of the managers or employees to be selected are also highly important. The figure above depicts main factors to be considered in selecting global staffs. Mathis and Jackson (2007) emphasized that cultural adjustments, personal characteristics, organizational requirements, communication skills and personal or family concerns are key competencies for successful global employees (250). Many companies in recent days focus on pre-employment screening to ensure their knowledge in the specified area and to know their experience in the same field. Training and development for expatriates Expatriation alone may not yield success, but they are to be trained and developed. Employees at all levels and at all field almost require training to improve their knowledge and enhance their work-experiences. When it comes to international staffing, training is more critical element to the organizational success. Expatriates inevitably experience unique cross-cultural encounters that they were probably not prepared by any pre-departure training. Pre-departure training helps expatriates foresee various cross-cultural encounters and prepare accordingly (Kà ¼hlmann, 2001, p. 12). Expatriate-managers and employees are found to have multiple relationships and they require to maintain relationships like family relation, internal relation, relation with host government, relation with headquarter, local and global relation etc. Because of these factors, it is important that expatriates need to be trained with cultural training, language instruction and getting accustomed with every-day life (Deresky, 2011, p. 337). Cross Cultural Training Cross-cultural training is perhaps more complicated than language or instructional training. The cross-cultural training is aimed at helping the expatriates improve their skills and ease adjustments to the new cultures and customs by making them able to reduce culture-shock. Some expatriates experience anxiety and despair about their un-knowingness of behaving to an unfamiliar culture. This culture-shock can be overcome with the help of cross-cultural training. Mead (2005) detailed that a cross-cultural training aims to teach a) what values are important within other culture, b) how that particular culture is being reflected in history, politics and economics and c) how such cultural values can be expressed in behaviour and attitudes (p. 400). The expatriates who attended cross-cultural training will be able to improve their social relationship, management styles, managing structures, strategic planning and management skills, knowledge in newer technology use etc. Conclusion This piece of research work has highlighted the importance of global staffing and analyzed four basic modes of internal staffing, namely ethnocentric, polycentric, regiocentric and geocentric. Advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches are detailed. This paper has addressed basic factors that can determine how successful are international employees and are required to be considered in selecting international employees. training and development, especially with cross-cultural training are more critical factors when it comes to the employee-development of the expatriates. This paper has highlighted the importance of training and development to the expatriate employees and managers.

Critical Review of Helping Students Meet the Challenges of Academic Wri

‘Helping students meet the challenges of academic writing’ by Fernsten and Reda is an interesting study how reflective writing practices can be useful for marginalized students, who are struggling with â€Å"negative writer self-identity. The possible causes according to Fernsten & Reda are, â€Å"issues such as race, class and gender that are marginalized factors for many basic writers†, in addition to the expectations of the dominant academic culture. However, even though Fernsten & Reda illuminated the ‘potential conflicts’ within the academic world, they have failed to provide conclusive evidence that supports their argument regarding their solution. Their reliance on dated research that provides a one sided historical perspective, may no longer accurately reflect current socio/economic issues. In addition, education has been evolving to an inclusive curriculum approach, as immigrated children enter the school system in record numbers. à ¢â‚¬Å"Persons obtaining legal permanent status in the U.S from the year 2000-2010 are roughly eleven million† (Homeland Security,pg.10/2010). Fernsten & Reda’s confidence of their own limited teaching practices without legitimate comparables from an empirical study leads to their underlying assumptions about the true effectiveness of reflective writing strategies and the causes they believe are associated to a student’s socio/economic background. Evidence given in Fernsten & Reda’s article, lists the numerous barriers students endure academically due to their socio/economic background. Factors include â€Å"negative self-identity of believing they are ineffectual and inept writers and internalize aspects of negative instructor discourses†. (Fernsten & Reda). Additional confirmation under the ... ... practices could be put into action, to build towards an anti-biased curriculum and inclusive environment. Works Cited 1) Carbone II, Steven A. (2010). Race, Class, and Oppression: Solutions for Active Learning and Literacy in the Classroom. Student Pulse, 2.01. Retrieved from: 2) Routio,Pentii. (2007). Planning an Empirical Study & Normative Point of View. http://www2.uiah.fi/projects/metodi 3) Kenneth Tyler | Ruby Stevens | Aesha Uqdah. (2003-2009). PREVALENCE OF CULTURAL BIAS EDUCATION. The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved http://www.education.com/reference/article/cultural-bias-in-teaching/ 4) Homeland Security. (2010) 2010 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. Office of Immigration Statistics. http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/yearbook/2010/ois_yb_2010.pdf Critical Review of Helping Students Meet the Challenges of Academic Wri ‘Helping students meet the challenges of academic writing’ by Fernsten and Reda is an interesting study how reflective writing practices can be useful for marginalized students, who are struggling with â€Å"negative writer self-identity. The possible causes according to Fernsten & Reda are, â€Å"issues such as race, class and gender that are marginalized factors for many basic writers†, in addition to the expectations of the dominant academic culture. However, even though Fernsten & Reda illuminated the ‘potential conflicts’ within the academic world, they have failed to provide conclusive evidence that supports their argument regarding their solution. Their reliance on dated research that provides a one sided historical perspective, may no longer accurately reflect current socio/economic issues. In addition, education has been evolving to an inclusive curriculum approach, as immigrated children enter the school system in record numbers. à ¢â‚¬Å"Persons obtaining legal permanent status in the U.S from the year 2000-2010 are roughly eleven million† (Homeland Security,pg.10/2010). Fernsten & Reda’s confidence of their own limited teaching practices without legitimate comparables from an empirical study leads to their underlying assumptions about the true effectiveness of reflective writing strategies and the causes they believe are associated to a student’s socio/economic background. Evidence given in Fernsten & Reda’s article, lists the numerous barriers students endure academically due to their socio/economic background. Factors include â€Å"negative self-identity of believing they are ineffectual and inept writers and internalize aspects of negative instructor discourses†. (Fernsten & Reda). Additional confirmation under the ... ... practices could be put into action, to build towards an anti-biased curriculum and inclusive environment. Works Cited 1) Carbone II, Steven A. (2010). Race, Class, and Oppression: Solutions for Active Learning and Literacy in the Classroom. Student Pulse, 2.01. Retrieved from: 2) Routio,Pentii. (2007). Planning an Empirical Study & Normative Point of View. http://www2.uiah.fi/projects/metodi 3) Kenneth Tyler | Ruby Stevens | Aesha Uqdah. (2003-2009). PREVALENCE OF CULTURAL BIAS EDUCATION. The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved http://www.education.com/reference/article/cultural-bias-in-teaching/ 4) Homeland Security. (2010) 2010 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. Office of Immigration Statistics. http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/yearbook/2010/ois_yb_2010.pdf

Ambulatory Care Essay

Ambulatory health care has definitely been a type of health care that has benefited a lot of Americans since it became of existence. There are several health care clinics available in every city that helps the people on a daily basis. Its not as costly as the ER and you can receive just about the same kind of service as if your were going to the Hospital just in a faster time in some cases. There is a need to sometimes get further assistance, meaning that the particular outpatient service was not able to assist the patient fully and needs some additional help in diagnosing the problem. A visit to the doctors office provides someone with a sense of calmness to be able to have a one on one relationship with their private doctor, as opposed to going to the a large place like the hospital to see a doctor, any doctor at that. When I think of Ambulatory care I think of a one and done type of scenario, in some cases. The patient is able to see the doctor get a diagnosis and prescription at one time, without the need of visiting several doctors. In most cases, now there are times when the patient would need to visit different specialists for their care. With the upbringing of ambulatory care systems, there is a less need for someone to have to be in the ER waiting for hours unless it is a real emergency and the regular office is closed.

Quality of Care in Health Care Settings Essay

Questions Answered: What is the problems with quality care today? Why is quality of care lacking in areas? Quality of care plays an important role in assuring the standards of nursing performance. By providing specific performance requirements, standards of nursing performance can improve and provide quality of nursing care in health care settings (Scope & Standards, pg 33). Quality care is one of the most significant nursing standards of modern time. This particular standard must be implemented by nurse’s everyday. One of the main concerns in nursing practice today, is quality of care in the health care setting (iom.edu). Recent reports from the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the Institute of Medicine’s Quality Initiative (IMQI) brought immediate attention to the public on the collapse of quality of care. The reports focused on the need to recognize, develop, evaluate, and ensure the quality of health care in the United States (nursing world.org). Both the ANA and IMQI represent a systematic effort to advance health care quality and patient safety concerns. Many other institutions have felt the need for further disciplinary actions to improve quality of care in healthcare settings. Organizations such as the American Heart Association and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality have also recommended that the healthcare system launch a systemic proposal to increase the quality of care. The American Heart Association has made the Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Interdisciplinary Working Group (QCOR IWG) to provide quality care to heart patients (americanheart.org). The QCOR IWG is a multidisciplinary group committed to making a significant contribution to improving patient outcomes and healthcare quality. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality developed a National Healthcare Quality Report to facilitate the needs of patients around the United States. By doing so, they are raising awareness to healthcare institutions for the improvement of quality of care (ahrq.gov). Private groups such as the National Quality Forum (NQF), Leapfrog group, and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)  made recommendations and efforts to ensure healthcare quality. All of the organizations are trying to make an attempt to lower client dissatisfaction, identify specific quality indicators, and increase the quality of care in every health care institution in the United States (ahrq.gov). A 2004 study, done by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, concluded that 45.1 percent of people were not receiving the care they needed (ahrg.gov). Healthcare systems are now aiming at quality improvement, education, and implementation of quality care (ahrq.gov). The ANA gives reasons for the lack of quality care in institutions today. One of these reasons is the lack of professional care. The registered nurse (RN) has one of the lowest censuses of the healthcare professionals and highest in demand. RN’s are now faced with an enormous amount of patients, little time to care for their individual needs, and long strenuous work hours. Longer hours from the nursing shortage lead to RN burn-out. This burn-out creates decreased quality of care, medications errors, and an increase of patient safety risks (nursingworld.org). A nurse, D. Thomas, from the local Nursing Home discussed her time of burn-out. She states,One day, I had thirty patients to care for all by myself. I had two nursing aides that did everything except medications. The whole day I passed out dozens of meds. They didn’t have anyone for the next shift and my manager asked if I could work some over time. I worked sixteen hours that day. I made three medication errors and two patients had new pressure ulcers, but there was no one else to care for these individuals. The bad thing was, I didn’t even care for them, I just handed them their meds. The aides did all of the work because I was so pressured for time. That’s the way it is now, more nursing aides and less nurses. No one wants a nurse’s job because it is not what it seems (D. Thomas, personal interview, October 31, 2007). Some healthcare facilities have instituted more unlicensed personnel to take place of the professional nurse. This is thought to be a way of quickly saving money for the institution. Staff substitutions have become major  issues for patients today. In 1996, the ANA conducted a survey examining the concern of the quality of care in health systems. Out of all the adult clients polled, three-fourths indicated a serious concern that good quality of care is harder and harder to find. Thy also concluded that substitutions can be a â€Å"quick fix† to save money, but in the long run, they will minimize the quality of care for the patient (nursingworld.org). Another major issue that limits quality of care is insurers. Insurers are tearing down refund rates and decreasing the number of services covered (Scope & Standards, pg 18). I found this statement to be true when I interviewed a patient, C. Erlain, who is a Blue Cross Blue Shield health plan member. He states,My insurance does not cover all of my procedures and tests. I am mad because I pay a lot of money each month to have good coverage and I don’t get the care that I need. One time I was at the doctors and he said that he could only spend fifteen minutes with me because my insurance does not allow me to go over that amount of time. I was so frustrated. How would I get the care I needed? Even if I got another plan, they would also have restrictions, so I don’t get the care that I want or need. If I could say anything to those insurance people, it would be why am I paying for something that doesn’t care about my health? Those people only care about the money, not the people. It’s unfortunate (C. Erlain, personal interview, November 2, 2007). From my own experience in home healthcare, I was only allowed a limited amount of time to spend with the patient depending on their insurance. It was either fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, or one hour. Sadly, this was no always the best scenario for the patient. Although the patient was getting care, it wasn’t the care that they would have liked. One patient said to me, â€Å"Do you have to go already?† I was so busy that I could not stay and I knew no one could cover for me, so I left. It saddened me to feel that I hadn’t done my job to its full capacity. I had too many patients and too little time. An insurer made my patient visits more of a â€Å"hello† and â€Å"goodbye.†Americans are limited when it comes to healthcare benefits and insurers are escalating insurance premiums (Scope & Standards, pg 18). The estimation of uninsured individuals in the U.S. reached forty-five million  in 2002 according to the American Hospital Association. Forty-five million Americans will not even have the opportunity to receive any healthcare, let alone have quality healthcare (aha.org). To expand the seriousness of the recommendation for quality of care, quality initiatives are going to large and small institutions to implement these suggestions. The government had made the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to bring about issues in the quality of care in healthcare settings (ahrq.gov). Implementing this task force helps to improve the quality of healthcare. It also better insures the health client that they will be provided with adequate care for their healthcare needs. Improving quality of care is a team effort. The government bureau, healthcare agencies, and many other organizations are working vigorously to take an active role to enhancing the quality of care in healthcare settings. By doing so, this team effort will reach its goal to help patients to receive the quality of care they deserve. Reference List Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2007). Guide to Healthcare Quality. Retrieved October 29, 2007, from http://www.ahrq.gov/American Heart Association. (2007). Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Interdisciplinary Working Group. Retrieved October 29, 2007, from http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3016540/American Hospital Association. (2002). Medical Liability: A Looming Crisis? Part I& II. Retrieved November 2, 2007 from http://www.aha.org/aha/research-and-trends/AHA-policy-research/2003-or-earlier.htmlAmerican Nurses Association. (2007). ANA’s Safety and Quality Initiative. Retrieved October 28, 2007, from http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursing/PatientSafetyQuality/NDNQI/Research/QIforAcuteCareSettings.aspxAmerican Nurses Association. (2004). Scope and Standards of Practice. Silver Spring, MD: ANA. Institute of Medicine’s Quality Initiative. (2007). Health Care and Quality. Retrieved November 2, 2007 from http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3718.aspx

The Difference Between Phonics and Phonetics

The Difference Between Phonics and Phonetics The Difference Between Phonics and Phonetics The Difference Between Phonics and Phonetics By Maeve Maddox Reader Ali Abuzar wonders about the difference between phonics and phonetics. In popular usage the words are often used interchangeably, although phonics [fÃ… nÄ ­ks] is the term usually employed when speaking of a method of beginning reading instruction. In this use, phonics is regarded as a simplified form of phonetics [fÉ™-nÄ•tÄ ­ks], which is the scientific study of speech sounds. NOTE: Although phonics and phonetics end with s, they take singular verbs: Phonics is the most effective way to teach reading. Here are definitions from the OED: phonics The branch of linguistics concerned with spoken sounds; phonetics The correlations between sound and symbol in an alphabetic writing system; the phonic method of teaching reading. phonetics The study and classification of speech sounds, esp. with regard to the physical aspects of their production; the branch of linguistics that deals with this. Using phonics to teach reading involves teaching the beginner the sounds associated with the letters of the alphabet before introducing written words. The beginner learns to analyze words by comparing the letters in them to the sounds they represent. NOTE: Early practice is confined to words in which the letter/sound correspondence is regular. Once the beginner has established the habit of expecting letters to represent spoken sounds, words containing one or more non-phonetic elements are introduced. Another term, phonology [fÉ™-nÃ… lÉ™-jÄ“, fÃ… -], refers to the study of speech sounds. Phonology encompasses rules governing pronunciation in a given language. phonology n. Originally: the science of speech sounds and pronunciation, esp. as they occur in a particular language. Now: the branch of linguistics concerned with the study of phonological relationships within a language or between different languages; the system of contrastive and phonotactic* relations among the speech sounds of a particular language. OED *phonotactics The branch of linguistics concerned with the rules governing the possible phoneme** sequences in a language or languages; these rules as they occur in a particular language. **phoneme A unit of sound in a language that cannot be analysed into smaller linear units and that can distinguish one word from another (e.g. /p/ and /b/ in English pat, bat). English Spelling Not Total Chaos Learn To Spell By Phonograms, not Letters Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Types and Forms of HumorConfused Words #3: Lose, Loose, LossAffect vs. Effect

When and How People Learned to Make Cloth

When and How People Learned to Make Cloth Textiles, to archaeologists anyway, can mean woven cloth, bags, nets, basketry, string-making, cord impressions in pots, sandals, or other objects created out of organic fibers. This technology is at least 30,000 years old, although preservation of the textiles themselves is rare in prehistory, so it may be quite a bit older still. Because textiles are perishable, often the oldest evidence of the use of textiles is implied from impressions left in burned clay or the presence of weaving-related tools such as awls, loom weights, or spindle whorls. Preservation of intact fragments of cloth or other textiles has known to occur when archaeological sites are in extreme conditions of cold, wet or dry; when fibers come into contact with metals such as copper; or when textiles are preserved by accidental charring. Discovery of Early Textiles The oldest example of textiles yet identified by archaeologists is at the Dzudzuana Cave in the former Soviet state of Georgia. There, a handful of flax fibers was discovered that had been twisted, cut and even dyed a range of colors. The fibers were radiocarbon-dated to between 30,000-36,000 years ago. Much of the early use of cloth began with making string. The earliest string-making to date was identified at the Ohalo II site in modern Israel, where three fragments of twisted and plied plant fibers were discovered and dated to 19,000 years ago. The Jomon culture in Japan - believed to be among the earliest pottery makers in the world - shows evidence of cord-making in the form of impressions in ceramic vessels from Fukui Cave that are dated to roughly 13,000 years ago. Archaeologists chose the word Jomon to refer to this ancient hunter-gather culture because it means cord-impressed. The occupation layers discovered at Guitarrero Cave in the Andes mountains of Peru contained agave fibers and textile fragments that were dated to about 12,000 years ago. Thats the oldest evidence of textile use in the Americas to date. The earliest example of cordage in North America is at Windover Bog in Florida, where the special circumstances of the bog chemistry preserved textiles (among other things) dated to 8,000 years ago. Silk making, which is made from thread derived from insect cases rather than plant material, was invented during the Longshan period in China, ca 3500-2000 BCE. Finally, one extremely important (and unique in the world) use of string in South America was as quipu, a system of communication composed of knotted and dyed cotton and llama wool string used by many South American civilizations at least 5,000 years ago.

Steps to a Successful Family Reunion

Steps to a Successful Family Reunion With some creativity and advance planning, you can organize and plan a memorable family reunion that everyone will talk about for years. Who Is Family? It may seem obvious, but the first step for any family reunion is to decide who is family. Which side of the family are you inviting? Do you want to include only close relatives or all descendants of Great Grandpa Jones (or another common ancestor)? Are you inviting only direct-line relatives (parents, grandparents, grandkids) or do you plan to include cousins, second cousins, or third cousins, twice removed? Just remember, every step back on the ancestral tree adds a ton of new potential attendees. Know your limits. Create a Guest List Start by assembling a list of family members, including spouses, partners, and children. Get in touch with at least one person from each branch of the family to help you track down contact information for each person on your list. Make sure to collect email addresses for those that have them - it really helps with updates and last-minute correspondence. Survey Attendees If youre planning to include a lot of people in your family reunion, consider sending out a survey (by postal mail and/or email) to let people know that a reunion is in the works. This will help you gauge interest and preferences, and ask for help with the planning. Include possible dates, proposed reunion type, and a general location (discussing possible costs early on can discourage a positive response), and politely ask for a timely response to your questions. Add the names of interested relatives who return the survey to your reunion list for future mailings, and/or keep them up-to-date on reunion plans via a family reunion Web site. Form a Reunion Committee. Unless this is a get-together of five sisters at Aunt Maggies house, a reunion committee is almost essential to planning a smooth, successful family reunion. Put someone in charge of each major aspect of the reunion - location, social events, budget, mailings, record-keeping, etc. Why do all the work yourself if you dont have to? Select the Date(s) Its not much of a reunion if no one can attend. Whether you plan your family reunion to coincide with a family milestone or special day, summer vacation, or a holiday, it helps to poll family members to avoid time and date conflicts. Since family reunions can encompass everything from an afternoon barbecue to a large affair lasting three or more days, youll also need to determine how long you plan to get together. A good rule of thumb - the farther people have to travel to reach the reunion location, the longer the reunion should last. Most importantly, remember that you wont be able to accommodate everyone. Choose your final date(s) based on whats best for the majority of attendees. Pick a Location Aim for a family reunion location that is most accessible and affordable to the majority of people you want to attend. If family members are clustered in one area, then select a reunion location thats nearby. If everyones scattered, then choose a central location to help cut down on travel expenses for far-flung relatives. Develop a Budget This will determine the scale of the food, decorations, accommodations, and activities for your family reunion. You can choose to have families pay for their own overnight accommodations, bring a covered dish, etc., but unless you have another source of income, youll also need to set a per-family registration fee to help with decoration, activity, and location costs. Reserve a Reunion Site Once youve chosen a location and set a date, its time to select a site for the reunion. Going home is a big draw for family reunions, so you may want to consider the old family homestead or other historic site connected to your familys past. Depending on the size of the reunion, you may be able to find a family member who will volunteer to have it at their home. For larger reunions, parks, hotels, restaurants and community halls are a good place to start. If youre planning a multi-day reunion, then consider a resort location where people can combine reunion activities with a family vacation. Choose a Theme Creating a theme for a family reunion is a great way to interest people and make them more likely to attend. It also makes things more fun when it comes to being imaginative with food, games, activities, invitations, and just about every other aspect of the reunion. Family history themes are especially popular, as are reunions which celebrate a very special family members birthday or anniversary, or the familys cultural heritage (i.e. Hawaiian luau). Determine the Menu Feeding a large group of people with different tastes is perhaps one of the trickiest parts of planning a reunion. Make it easy on yourself by selecting a menu that relates to your theme, or perhaps one that celebrates your familys heritage. Organize a group of family members to prepare the food for the family reunion or, if you have a large group and your budget allows, find a caterer or restaurant to do at least part of the work for you. A tasty menu makes for an unforgettable family reunion. Plan Social Activities You dont need to occupy everyone all the time, but planned activities and ice-breakers at your family reunion will provide an easy way for people who do not know each other well to comfortably spend time together. Include activities that will appeal to all ages and further family knowledge of shared heritage. You may also want to award prizes for special distinctions such as oldest family member or longest distance traveled to attend. Set the Stage Youve got a bunch of people, now what do you plan to do with them? Its time now to make arrangements for tents (if an outside reunion), chairs, parking decorations, programs, signs, t-shirts, goodie bags, and other reunion-day requirements. This is the time to consult a family reunion checklist! Say Cheese! While many family members will no doubt bring their own cameras, it helps to also make plans to record the overall event. Whether you designate a specific relative as the official reunion photographer or hire a professional photographer to take photos or videos, you should prepare a list of the people and events that you want to be recorded. For spontaneous moments, purchase a dozen disposable cameras and hand them out to volunteer guests. Dont forget to collect them at the end of the day! Invite the Guests Once you have most of your plans in place, its time to invite the guests by mail, email and/or phone. Youll want to do this way in advance to make sure and give everyone time to get it on their calendar. If youre charging admission fees, mention this in the invitation and set an advance deadline by which at least a percentage of the ticket price is required (unless youre wealthy enough to cover all of the costs yourself and can wait until the actual reunion for reimbursement). Tickets purchased in advance also means people will be less likely to cancel at the last moment! This is also a good opportunity to ask people, even if they cant attend the reunion, to provide family trees, photos, collectibles and stories to share with other family members. Fund the Extras If you dont want to charge admission fees for your reunion, then youll need to plan for a little fundraising. Even if you do collect admissions, fundraising can provide money for some fancy extras. Creative ways for raising money include holding an auction or raffle at the reunion or making and selling family hats, t-shirts, books, or reunion videos. Print up a Program Create a program that outlines the lineup of scheduled reunion events to provide to family members as they arrive for the reunion. You may also want to send this out via email or your reunion Web site in advance of the reunion as well. This will help serve as a reminder to people of activities which may require they bring something with them, such as a photo wall or family tree chart. Decorate for the Big Day The big day is almost here and now its time to make sure it goes smoothly. Create catchy, easy-to-ready signs to point arriving guests to registration, parking, and important locations such as bathrooms. Purchase or make a guest book to collect signatures, addresses, and other important information, as well as serve as a permanent record of the reunion. Purchase pre-made name badges, or print your own, to facilitate mixing and mingling between unacquainted family members. Family tree wall charts are always a big hit as reunion attendees always want to know where they fit into the family. Framed photos or printed posters of common ancestors or past family reunions are also popular. And, if you want to know what everyone thought of all your reunion planning, print up some evaluation forms for people to fill out as they leave. Keep the Fun Going Designate a volunteer or volunteers to create and send out a post-reunion newsletter with stories, photos, and news items from the reunion. If you collected family information, send along an updated genealogy chart as well. This is a great way to get people excited about the next reunion, as well as include less fortunate family members who were not able to attend.

Examination skills- preparation and technique Assignment

Examination skills- preparation and technique - Assignment Example Firstly, it cannot be under-emphasized the one of the most effective techniques is to prioritize the study material. For instance, far too many people engage in the process of revising and devote equal amounts of time to each facet of the information that they might be tested upon. This is a flawed strategy due to the fact that certain parts of the information will come cleary and as second nature to the student; by means of comparison, other aspects of the information may be much harder to understand and require a more thorough approach. Similarly, the setting of revision is oftentimes overlooked. For instance, studies have proven that 1 hour of quality and uninterrupted study time is more effective than many hours of continual interrupted study time and/or distractions (Hing Sun, 2005). As such, a particularly useful technique that I have employed in the past is to set aside a give portion of time as a means of studying. In much the same way that other aspects of the day are planned out, revising can be accomplished within a similar technique. A further technique that should be employed is to resist the pitfall of seeking to memorize everything. Even if one has an exceptionally good memory, this particular approach is pointless as it creates little understanding and does not further the educational achievement of the student beyond merely regurgitating information back onto the page. Finally, and perhaps most obviously, the temptation of cramming for exams must be resisted at all costs. Although many students swear by their ability to procrastinate until the very last minute and then stay up for days at a time as a means of rapidly understanding and memorizing key information, studies and research into these techniques have definitively proven that this approach is fundamentally flawed and ultimately leads to a lower overall score as compared to those students that were able to set aside a given amount

Benfits of a universal bar exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Benfits of a universal bar exam - Essay Example The second common bar exam is the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) that covers seven areas of law and it is used by 48 states and the district of Columbia. The Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) is used to test the ability of the students to use complex answers to difficult questions, the state that does not apply MEE use a state precise edition that focus on the laws of the state. The Multistate Performance Test (MPT) is used to test the ability of a law student to perform the basic duties of an attorney such as writing memos to clients or judges and writing judicial opinions and it is used in 33 states (National Conference of Bar Examiners, 2007). These variations of the bar exams in the state make law practice exceedingly difficult for law graduates to work in different states from the ones they graduated in, this essay will therefore try to look at some of the advantages of using an universal bar exams in testing law students from all the states and other American territories. Universal bar ex ams, since they will be uniform, will enable the students in the various states and American territories to be able to get employment easily in any of the state. This is because universal bar exams unlike the state specific ones which test the students using some of the state’s law uses laws that are applicable to all the states hence the standards will be much or less the same for all attorneys that sit the exams countrywide. In addition, this will give the Bar examiners a much simpler task of setting and marking these exams as the questions are standardized. Bar exams such as the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, which test the conduct of attorneys in regard to their peers in the law profession, their clients and the courts limit how and where attorneys handle cases. This is because, although the multistate professional responsibility exam is conducted in almost all the states, the remaining states have their own version of the same, which may differ with other s tates depending on what the professional conduct, and ethics of attorneys in the respective state dictate. This may bring conflict where an attorney from one state with a different code of conduct goes to practice in another state, which has different code of conduct and expectations from him. In addition, the MPRE is usually done three times a year, in different states; the timing of the exams may be different which may therefore lead to leakage of the exams spreading from the states that did it earlier to those states that do it at a later time, which goes to undermine the integrity of the exams. With different bar exams, the quality of law graduates that are produced from these exams differ, in one state, the exams might be very hard and which require a lot of extensive reading and research, while in another state. An equivalent version of the exam may require little effort from the students in order to pass them therefore the levels of preparedness of graduates from these two st ates will be different although their bar examination results will be showing they all passed. Universal

Advertisements to compare Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advertisements to compare - Term Paper Example Considering that this product is made for babies, parents (particularly mothers) are likely to be the major target audience for this product. Since cleaning the baby gently is a basic need and protecting the baby in the mother’s hands is also a need, the motivations behind buying this product are likely to be psychological(emotional) rather than functional. The baby’s desire to belong to the mother by staying in her hands even while washing is a social need. Therefore, the mother is likely to make the purchase of such a product that satisfies her baby the most. Parents want the best for their child (Daniels, 2009); hence, they are highly moved by television ads, word-of-mouth referrals as well as direct mail to decide the final product. Colors, texture and the brand’s connotations play a much more significant role than functional attributes such as durability and value for money (Daniels, 2009). Various communication strategies could be used here. Considering tha t mothers (particularly housewives) are likely to buy this product, the ad would be aired on local television channels during a slot between 8-10 p.m. when mothers usually wind up their household chores and watch the television. It would also be aired on channels such as Baby TV since mothers are likely to watch this channel while sitting with their babies. Furthermore, the ad copy reads â€Å"first bath† which hints at first time parents who have a vague idea of the differences between various brands of baby products (Daniels, 2009). Product differentiation would be an important consideration; therefore, the ad must be placed immediately before or after the ad of another similar brand on television so that the audience can differentiate between the two. Next, marketing would be done via word of mouth (WOM) referrals since parents tend to learn a lot about baby products from other parents’ experiences. Although WOM operates spontaneously, the company can use popular ce lebrity moms or expecting moms (such Kim Kardishan) to become trendsetters for others to follow. Finally, search engine optimization (SEO) for this product’s website shall ensure that mothers who surf the web are lead to this website immediately compared to others. The budget that SEO takes up is relatively very small compared to the customer traffic it generates (Miller, 2012). Therefore, using SEO to communicate the ad could be cost-effective. However, the response rate is relatively slow for SEO advertising and investment takes a long time to realize. The unpredictability owing to little control over algorithm means that there is no certainty as to when the results will materialize. Furthermore, this is a supplementary strategy and does not serve as a holistic strategy in itself due to limited reach and scope. The second ad selected in Exhibit 5-11 from Chapter 5 of the book. This ad depicts the marketing strategy of Heinz ketchup which has made repetitive claims in order to ‘remind’ its audience about the product. Considering it’s a low-involvement product, therefore, no lengthy information is put in the ad; rather, the ad is simple and uses the tomato red color along with tomato slices shaped into a bottle to indicate the freshness and taste of the ketchup. The product is not new and already has several loyal buyers. Hence, the ad is merely reinforcing the brand image that has already been so strong along the years. The target audience of this product is likely to be everyone and anyone who enjoys using ketchup including housewives,

Art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Art - Assignment Example This is just one detail that illustrates the more rugged lifestyle that he lives. His clothing also shows that he is not a well-dressed, civilized man of the eastern states, but instead wears leather and rough cloth as well as a beaten hat in a mixture of white man’s fashion with more Indian-style garb. He is not dressed for comfort or good looks, but rather for utility and difficult terrain and weather. The emotion in the picture has two polar ends. The rider is relaxed and wears an expression of serene dismay and his gaze is drawn to some object of concern. His horse, in contrast, is in a position of motion and exhaustion. The horse’s visible eye is bloodshot and wide-open, and also focused on something to the left that seems to be alarming. To add to the scenario, the rider clutches a rifle in his right hand. The overall idea seems to be that his life is a struggle, and that he lives dangerously. The painting is not so much detailed as blurred, and again suggests motion rather than stillness. Thus, Deas conveys an image of a man who lives on the go and is constantly looking over his shoulder while armed, representing the man of the Rocky Mountains and his daily

Violation of Patient Consent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Violation of Patient Consent - Essay Example Though the meeting at the doctor’s office was held in dispute being the point of divergence from the two statements, the hearing managed to establish that at least both the doctor and the patient accurately identified each other due to recollected encounters at the hospital’s ER. Apparently, the violation indicated that no authorization to examine was given to the defendant by the plaintiff such that factual details of results may not be divulged to the third party – company or employer of the patient – unless her full consent was granted. To help settle the issue, it was found that a form from the side of the third party had been signed by the patient worker and it particularly reflected that â€Å"she understood her medical record would form part of the company’s permanent record of her employment (Can. Fam. Physician, 790).† Her decision to have done so by signing was taken into account as a proper authorization and as an additional relief to the direction of the case, the doctor presented evidence wherein the medical documents handed over to the employer merely consisted of the information on the normal x-ray which the patient herself supplied the physician with. Moreover, the defending party proved innocence toward the allege d breach of confidentiality by showing the court an available note which manifested the patient’s written compliance to be examined by the physician. A portion of the defendant’s query about â€Å"indigestion† was responded to with â€Å"not now† by the plaintiff and this served another indispensable proof of the event of their conference within the doctor’s premise (Can. Fam. Physician). The judge, accordingly, recognized that there emerged a cause of action when the plaintiff conveyed upset feelings on the basis of her misguided understanding of the breach of trust which she suspected to have occurred between her and the defendant.

Advance project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advance project management - Essay Example There have been billion dollar resources, media infiltration in addition to celebrity supports, all in excess of what may possibly be illustrated as the effervescent water, by way of flavoring in addition to coloring. Nevertheless this list is not in excess of the product, however above the brand name. The reflection, the links, in addition to the standards that the brand corresponds to. As and when the customers tend to decide a well-known soft drink, they are not simply purchasing the element of refreshment, they are trading into the brand's individuality, in addition to what that brand signifies for. It was during the mid 0f 1990s that Diet Pepsi launched one of those refreshers within its artificial sweetener. In addition to that the market share set out up from an average 4.3 percent to an approximate 7 percent , towards the South of the boundary, Pepsi-Cola US was bundling up all their efforts , energy and creativeness up to inaugurate a new-fangled Diet Pepsi brand, Pepsi One. If Pepsi-Cola around the globe could not perk up the Diet Pepsi Cola business, they would have had to seize the costly stride of introducing Pepsi One. Coming face to face with this challenge, the Pepsi cola brand squad was stimulated to position a David in opposition to Goliath intention. This implied them to turn into the number one diet cola brand within the past few years. Not straightforward, at all. Pepsi Cola went ahead towards toiling to comprehend what may conceivably be giving life to the point of brand stagnation. While doing so, there had been more than a few viewpoints that were demystified. On the other hand, Pepsi-Cola around the globe has established a lot many times that they are capable of looking after their brands. Pepsi cola along with this had been assuming that Diet Pepsi, in addition to being a very well maintained as well as grown-up brand name, may perhaps position on its own grounds by way of its individual descriptions, looking all the more interesting to the more old-fashioned diet cola drinkers. Moreover, Pepsi cola had not been wrong in judging some major factions of the above expressions and statements. Whenever the consumers were requested to attribute brand distinctiveness to the Diet Pepsi, the customers resorted time and time again to expressions that explained Regular Pepsi. These similes had been weaseled to be able to be a focus for the youthful, open intellect Pepsi drinker moreover this was perceptibly quite attractive to the target market .at the same time as this was an acknowledgment to the efficiency of the customary Pepsi's advertising, it fashioned a genuine matter for Diet Pepsi (Vasconcellos, 2007, pg 218). There had been two foundations from which a relocated Diet Pepsi may perhaps resource the sales volume. The most significant was the Pepsi Transistioners, regular Pepsi drinkers on the verge of changing to a diet Pepsi cola. The additional was a subdivision of Diet Pepsi drinkers who felt less associated to the conventionality of the Diet carbonated drinks world. Pepsi put these objectives beneath the magnifying glass. Pepsi cola on the entirety of it had the demographic outline of consumers majorly in between the age of 20 to 40 year olds, although the consumers furthermore collectively were going through comparable modifications within their everyday lives. Despite the fact that Pepsi colas board acknowledged as well as established this growing, they in addition encompassed a common sense of failure. The

Violation of Patient Consent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Violation of Patient Consent - Essay Example Though the meeting at the doctor’s office was held in dispute being the point of divergence from the two statements, the hearing managed to establish that at least both the doctor and the patient accurately identified each other due to recollected encounters at the hospital’s ER. Apparently, the violation indicated that no authorization to examine was given to the defendant by the plaintiff such that factual details of results may not be divulged to the third party – company or employer of the patient – unless her full consent was granted. To help settle the issue, it was found that a form from the side of the third party had been signed by the patient worker and it particularly reflected that â€Å"she understood her medical record would form part of the company’s permanent record of her employment (Can. Fam. Physician, 790).† Her decision to have done so by signing was taken into account as a proper authorization and as an additional relief to the direction of the case, the doctor presented evidence wherein the medical documents handed over to the employer merely consisted of the information on the normal x-ray which the patient herself supplied the physician with. Moreover, the defending party proved innocence toward the allege d breach of confidentiality by showing the court an available note which manifested the patient’s written compliance to be examined by the physician. A portion of the defendant’s query about â€Å"indigestion† was responded to with â€Å"not now† by the plaintiff and this served another indispensable proof of the event of their conference within the doctor’s premise (Can. Fam. Physician). The judge, accordingly, recognized that there emerged a cause of action when the plaintiff conveyed upset feelings on the basis of her misguided understanding of the breach of trust which she suspected to have occurred between her and the defendant.

Business strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business strategy - Essay Example The country has high political stability. However, the government has imposed certain trade regulations. For example, there is a strict restriction on the import and export of raw materials used for automobile manufacturing. Economical Factors: - The economic factors play an important role in the success of an industry. The economy of Japan is said to be highly stable and the country is currently witnessing an economic boom. The current GDP of the country is $5.984 trillion and the per capita income is $36,200 (CIA, 2013). The figures clearly reflect the robust nature of the economy of the country. The strong economy of the country is a positive indication of further growth of Honda in Japan. Social Factors: - The total population of the country as of 2012 is 127,368,088 (CIA, 2013). The major religion of the country is Shintoism which nearly accounts for 83.9 %, while Buddhism and Christianity accounts 7.14% and 2 % respectively. The major language is Japanese. The literacy rate is 99 %. In addition studies suggest that people of Japan are extremely passionate about cars. Hence the societal factors of Japan are extremely favourable for Honda’s business. Technological Factors: - Technology is a crucial factor for every business. The importance is more when it comes to the automotive industry. Honda depends heavily on technology to manufacture its products and market its products. In addition, technology is playing a critical role in the research and development function of the company. However, the favourable factor is that Japan is a technologically developed country and offers a strong technical infrastructure for the companies doing business in Japan. Environmental Factors: - With increasing awareness of environmental sustainability, car manufacturers are forced to come up with products which are eco friendly. Moreover, due to global warming, the Japanese government has imposed several restrictions on the use of petroleum products. This is why Honda h as come up with eco friendly cars such as Honda Hybrid. Japan has a different weather pattern and climate, which can negatively affect the engines. Hence, the weather of Japan can be a possible threat to the company. Legal Factors: - There are strict regulations imposed by the Japanese government on the automobile industry. Most of them are related to the safety of passengers, and welfare of the employees. In addition, there are some restrictions with import and export products to USA. Porter’s 5 Force Analysis Porter’s 5 forces model is another strategic management tool used to analyze the attractiveness of an industry. In this context of the study, Honda belongs to the automobile industry of Japan; hence the automobile industry of Japan will be evaluated. The analysis is presented below: - Force Density Properties Bargaining Power of Buyers High The principal reason behind this is the availability of a large number of car manufacturer and marketer in Japan Bargaining Power of Suppliers Low Suppliers of raw materials of the automobile industry are in large numbers. However, there are certain accessories which can be imported from some other parts of the world but due to stringent trade regulations; companies are bound to dependent on local suppliers. Threat of New Entrants Low The initial investment required to set up an automobile business is very

Case study on hypertesion and chest pains.

Case study on hypertesion and chest pains. History of Present Illness: Mr. AS, an 85 year old, Caucasian male, with a history of hypertension and chest pain presents today not knowing how he got to the assisted living facility. The patient states he arrived at the facility 3 years ago, unaware of how he got there or why (the chart states his arrival as April 28, 2009). Mr. AS states that he was told he had a stroke, and was aware that his legs were not working correctly. He doesnt remember having the stroke, but states that he was 83 years old when it happened. He now has lost the ability to walk and has also given up trying. His legs and arms feel weak. His arms hurt from trying to use his walker. He currently does not lift weights to strengthen his arms so that they dont get as exhausted when using his walker. Patient denies any prickling or tingling sensations. He also only exercises with his walker when he is made to, once a day during physical therapy. He states that he would rather use his wheelchair. He states that he has accepted the fact that h e will not walk again, but is content just breathing and talking. He is not in any pain currently, still has feeling in his legs, but cannot move them. He also states that he was diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimers 30 years ago. His chart states that he was diagnosed with dementia at 55 years old. Patient is oriented to time and place, however, he has trouble remembering what he did yesterday. He can recall memories from years ago. He also states that he spends most of his day sleeping, but doesnt feel tired, rather feels rested. Mr. AS also complains of coughing, that sometimes produces a clear sputum. He states that he was a smoker 20 years ago, for 40 years, with a 160 pack year history. He occasionally wheezes. Past Medical History: Current Medication List: Mirtazapine 15 mg tablet PO once at bedtime for depression. Namenda 10 mg tablet PO every 12 hours for Alzheimers. Allopurinol 300 mg tablet PO 1 daily for hyperuricemia. Aspirin single tablet chewable PO 81 mg to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, and pain relief. Certavite antioxidant tablet 18 mg PO 1 daily as multivitamin and mineral supplement. Loratadine 10 mg 1 tablet PO 1 daily for rhinorrhea/allergies. Nifedipine 90 mg tablet PO 1 daily for chest pain and hypertension. Metoprolol tartrate 25 mg PO 1 tablet daily for chest pain hypertension. Nasal decongestant 0.05%SP 2 sprays per nostril 2 times a day for rhinorrhea/allergies. Omeprazole 20 mg 1 table PO 2x a day for ulcers/ GERD. Aricept 10 mg 1 tablet PO at bedtime for dementia. Tamsulosin HCL 0.4mg capsule 1 PO at bedtime for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Zolpidem tartrate 5 mg tablet 1 PO at bedtime as a sleep aid. Acetaminophen 500 mg tablet give 2 tablespoon PO every 6 hours as needed for high temperatures. Patient diagnosed with hypertension when he was 40 years old (currently controlled with medication). Patient states that he had a pace maker put in when he was 45 years old, and thinks it was to relieve chest pain. Patient thinks that he has been told he has high cholesterol, but he is unsure. Patients chart states that he has a history of hypertension, respiratory treatment, and chest pain. Patient was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 55, and had a stroke at 83 years old. Patient also had appendectomy due to appendicitis and an inguinal hernia repair when he was 10 years old. Patient has no known allergies. Family History: The patient states that he has one living adult son who calls often, but doesnt visit much as he is overweight and has back pain. He remembers that one of his grandmothers passed away from TB, but he could not recall when. He has no grandchildren, and does not recall how anyone else in his family passed away. He states that he has no family history of hypertension, cancer, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, or psychiatric disease. He was married twice, and both wives are now deceased, but he does not remember when or the cause of death for either wife. No other information could be appreciated from the chart or patient, so a family member will need to be contacted to assess his risk for diseases. Social History: He currently has a girlfriend who lives in Miami Beach. The patient states that he currently is not sexually active, does not drink, do drugs, or smoke nicotine. He stopped smoking 20 years ago, but before that he smoked for 40-50 years, 4 packs a day (160 pack year history). Currently he does not follow a diet at the ALF, but eats what they feed him every day. He states that he builds clocks during the day as a hobby, and this keeps him happy. Review of Systems: General: Patient denies any fatigue, weight or appetite changes. Skin: Patient denies any changes. Head: Patient denies headaches, bumps/bruises, or dizziness. Eyes: Patient states that he no longer needs to wear glasses since the stroke, as he can now see. Ears: Patient cant hear out of the left ear, but states that his right ear is fine. Nose/Throat/Mouth: Patient denies any changes in smell or taste, or problems swallowing. He feels tickling in his throat when he talks too much. Respiratory: Patient states that he has a constant cough, which sometimes produces clear sputum. He also occasionally wheezes and states that he had asthma as an adult and has used an inhaler. Cardiovascular: Patient denies any pain, but states he has a pace maker. He denies palpitations as well. Gastrointestinal: Patient denies any pain or cramping. Patient has been constipated for the past 20-30 years, only defecating once a month. Genitourinary: He urinates 2-3 times a day, but has no control, and must wear a diaper. Patient denies polydipsia or hematuria. Neurologic: See HPI Musculoskeletal: See HPI Endocrine: Patient denies any excessive thirst, changes in appetite, or weight changes. Hematopoetic: Patient denies any skin color changes, easy bruising, or bleeding. Psychiatric: SIGECAPS negative, and patient denies depression, fluctuating moods, or suicidal thoughts. See HPI Physical Examination: Vital Signs: Temp afebrile to touch, BP 132/72, pulse 60 bpm, RR 16 bpm, BMI 29 General: Overweight male currently not in respiratory or cardiac distress. Skin: Darker brown discolored non-raised plaques on both arms, skin dry and warm to touch. Ulcers present on right ankle (2 cm wide, circular, and 1 cm above medial malleolus) and left shin (3 cm wide, circular, and 6 cm below tibial tuberosity). Left leg is erythematous, at the mid-tibia region. HEENT: No icterus and no jaundice present, head is normocephalic, with normal hair distribuition. No lymphedenopathy present in occipital, periauricular, postauricular, tonsilar, submandibular, subtonsilar, anterior chain, posterior chain, and supraclavicular lymph nodes. Patient cant hear out of left ear. Both ears have compacted cerumen present. Patient does not wear corrective lenses, and could not see the eye chart to assess visual acuity. His eyes react slower than normal to light, but EOM are bilaterally intact. Patients mouth is moist, with a few teeth missing on top and bottom, and no signs of central or peripheral cyanosis. No carotid bruits, no jugular venous distention, and the trachea is midline. The thyroid is non-papable. Lung: Chest is symmetrical, with diaphragm excursion 6 cm bilaterally. Left lung field breath sides decreased compared to the right lung field. There is also wheezing heard in the right lung field. Right lung field is resonant to percussion, but the left lung field is dull to percussion. Vibrations felt throughout for tactile vocal fremitus. No crackles or rales heard. Heart: No thrills, murmers, bruits over the carotid, or extra heart sounds heard. Rate and rhythm are regular, and also symmetric at radial, femoral, dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses. S1 and S2 heard in all regions. Abdomen: Scar preset from a stomach tube that was placed for feeding. Patient doesnt recall when or why the tube was placed. Chart did not specify why either. No bruits heard over the abdominal aorta, renal, or iliac arteries. Borborygmus present. No tenderness, guarding, or rigidity present. There are bulging flanks and spider nevi present. Liver span is 6 cm. Spleen and kidneys non-papable. i Extremities: Patient has weak dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses present (1+ bilaterally). Ankles are swollen, there is no pitting edema present. Musculoskeletal: Lower extremities have normal passive ROM present, but decreased active ROM. Normal passive and active ROM present in upper extremities. Motor strength is decreased in upper(4/5) and lower limbs(3/5). Nervous System: Mental Status: Patient is alert and oriented to place and time, but cannot remember events from yesterday. He can remember events from years ago, and is aware that he is forgetful now with memory loss. Cranial Nerves: Intact, no facial dropping or weakness on either side. Sensory: Lower extremities showed pain sensation and proprioception intact, but no vibration sense present. Reflexes: Lower extremity reflexes were not assessed as patient could not move his legs. Upper extremity reflexes intact. Cerebellar: Babinski intact. Patient could not get out of bed to assess gait. Laboratory Data: Labs taken Dec. 31, 2010 Glucose elevated 122 (normal 70-105 mg/dL) BUN/Cr elevated 1.35 (normal 0.7-1.3 mg/dL) Problem List: 1) Dementia 2) Chest pain 3) Wheezing and Cough 4) Depression 5) Leg/Arm weakness 6) Preventative medicine- routine physical exam, mini mental status exam, psych evaluation, colonoscopy and rectal exam, pneumovax vaccine, influenza shot Assessment: Dementia: Dementia is an impairment of cognitive function, affecting memory, attention, language, and/or problem solving. This impairment has to be lasting 6 months or longer. The first sign of dementia is usually short term memory loss, progressing to memory forming impairment, and later an inability to learn new things. Usually the patient is aware of the memory loss. Eventually the memory loss is too great, and there is a loss of personal hygiene, eating, and other activities of daily living. This also affects mood, and there can be fluctuations between happiness, sadness, and anger. There can be sleep disturbances and personality changes. Depression is one of the major illnesses that can present with dementia. Lastly, there is a complete dependence on others, as the patient can no longer take care of themselves, is disorientated, has memory loss, and in many cases, cannot swallow properly. There are many types of dementia, and once a person has met the requirements to be diagnosed with dementia, the type must be determined. Each type is caused differently, so treatment can vary slightly. The most common type is Alzheimers dementia. Patients with Alzheimers can be differentiated from other types, as these patients are more likely to get lost in familiar places, try to leave home, have difficulty communicating, and have memory problems. This can occur from tau neurofibrilllary protein tangles in the brain and plaque formation. Also there can be a loss of acetylcholine in the brain. Patients with multi-infarct dementia can be differentiated based on a history of smoking, stroke, atherosclerosis, and hypertension. Multi-infarct dementia occurs from many small strokes affecting the brain. Patients with vascular-type dementia usually have aphasia, apraxia, a difficulty learning math skills, and often present with neglect. This type of dementia occurs due to cerebrovascular d isease or stroke. Lewy-Body dementia presents with recurrent visual hallucinations, motor impairments similar to Parkinsons disease, and varying levels of attention throughout the day. This can occur due to Lewy bodies (abnormal protein) deposits in the brain, and sometimes a loss of dopamine too. Currently, our patient has been diagnosed with dementia. He meets the criteria for this diagnosis: he has memory loss, is aware of his memory loss, has lost the ability to care for himself, has lost some autonomic function and must wear a diaper, and has been having sleep disturbances. Mr. AS does not recall how he got to the facility, and states that he cant remember what he did yesterday, but can remember stuff from years ago. He no longer can live alone at home without someone to care for him, and has been living at the facility since April 2009. He also states that he sleeps more than he used to, sleeping now for most of the day. A family member must be contacted to assess the changes that have occurred prior to his admittance to the facility, as our patient is unable to tell us of any changes in his status. We also need to contact his family to narrow down which possible type of dementia the patient has based off of his previous behavior prior to entering the facility. If he was experiencing getting lost in familiar places, it could be Alzheimers; he has the risk factors of multi-infarct dementia, especially if he has had more than one stroke; lastly we would need to assess his function before and after the stroke to determine if it was vascular type dementia. He currently has no signs or symptoms of Lewy- body dementia. Our patient is also on medications for Alzheimers type of dementia: Mirtazapine, Namenda, Aricept, and Zolpidem tartrate. These medications help relieve some of the symptoms that our patient has, such as depression and sleep disturbances, and can increase the acetylcholine levels in the brain. Chest Pain: Chest pain can be caused by angina, coronary spasm, MI, pericarditis, gastroesophageal reflux, aortic dissection, and many more causes. Our patient is not currently in any chest pain, but he does have a pace maker. He states he does not know why he was given a pace maker, but states that he has never had any problems or complications with it. A family member needs to be contacted to find out why the pace maker was placed. His chart did not state a reason for the pace maker or state why he was having chest pain. The most common reason for a pace maker is to regulate an arrythymia. An EKG record prior to his placement of his pace maker, can help to determine if an arrhythmia was the reason he had one inserted. A recent EKG will tell us if his heart rate is normal, and if there are any associated pathologies. His medications include: Nifedipine, Metoprolol tartrate, and aspirin, which are all given for chest pain, usually angina and hypertension. He is also taking Omeprazole for GERD. Wheezing and Cough: The most common cause of wheezing is due to a constriction of the airways. This can be an inflammatory response, such as with asthma. Asthma, however, would also cause shortness of breath, which our patient is currently not experiencing, and would be bilateral (unlike only in one side as with our patient). COPD, emphysema, or a lung tumor could be possible causes for his wheezing and coughing. Smoking is a risk factor for all 3, and our patient has a 160 year pack history. It needs to be determined if his wheezing is occurring in the expiratory phase or the inspiratory phase. During the expiratory phase would indicate bronchial disease, but during the inspiratory phase would indicate a foreign body (such as tumor) or scarring. Wheezing heard in both phases could indicate a collapsed lung or portion of lung. Unilateral wheezing also would be more indicative of a lung tumor. There also are no crackles or rales heard in our patient, so fluid in the lungs or turbulent flow does not seem to be the problem. Depression: The cause of depression is unknown, but it is known to be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. It can also be caused from stress, or a life changing event, such as death of a loved one or social isolation. Depression can present with a number of symptoms such as: fatigue, lack of energy, feelings of worthlessness, feelings of hopelessness, anger, discouragement, irritability, changes in appetite, changes in weight, sleep disturbances, and thoughts of death or suicide. Although our patient has had sleep disturbances, a SIGECAPS interview was negative. His sleep disturbances can be due to dementia. Currently our patient is on medication for depression, Mirtazapine, and should remain on it, so that he does not become depressed. Arms and Leg Weakness: Arm and leg weakness can be caused by a number of things, such as stroke, infectious disease, amputations, and trauma. Our patient suffered a stroke, after which he states he has not been able to use his legs anymore. His legs may be weak, as the nerves may have been damaged from occlusion, and are not able to send complete signals anymore. His arms may be weak from overuse, as he has been learning to use a walker as part of his physical therapy. His arms have to hold up his body now, as his legs cant. Preventative Medicine: Our patient needs to have continuous routine physical exams to assess his ever changing status. A mini mental status exam also should be performed to monitor any changes, or the rate of progression of his dementia. A psych evaluation is needed to determine the extent of his depression and if it is getting better from his medication, or if he is having a more positive outlook on life. Our patient is at the age where a routine colonoscopy and rectal exam should be performed to monitor for colon cancer, prostate cancer, and BPH. Currently our patient is on Tamsulosin for BPH, so it is essential to continually monitor him. Additionally, our patient is elderly and should have a pneumovax vaccine and an influenza shot as prevention for illness. Plan: In addition to the preventative measures listed, in order to assess the patient fully, we will need to contact his family and inquire about if there were any changes in the patients mood, demeanor, physical abilities, and mental status before he was admitted to the facility. His family will also be questioned about their family history of disease, as the patient could not recall how most of his family passed away. To prove our diagnosis, brain scans (CT and MRI) should be performed on the patient and assessed for changes, loss, or infarcts. The patient is also experiencing a constant cough, with a 160 pack year history of smoking so pulmonary function tests should be performed. A chest xray should also be performed to determine if there are any pathological changes within his lungs (such as a tumor) that are causing his wheezing and decreased lung field sounds. This xray can also be used to assess if there have been any cardiovascular changes. Due to the patients past history, he wil l need to be continually monitored for changes. He will also need a CBC to monitor these changes. The patient also will need to have his medication list continually reassessed (additions or deletions) with changes. Currently he is on medication for allergies or rhinorrhea, but he is not experiencing any symptoms of allergies or rhinorrhea, so Loratadine and his nasal decongestant may be removed.

Pure Competition Essay -- essays research papers

There are many industries. Economist group them into four market models: 1) pure competition which involves a very large number of firms producing a standardized producer. New firms may enter very easily. 2) Pure monopoly is a market structure in which one firm is the sole seller a product or service like a local electric company. Entry of additional firms is blocked so that one firm is the industry. 3)Monopolistic competition is characterized by a relatively large number of sellers producing differentiated product. 4)Oligopoly involves only a few sellers; this â€Å"fewness† means that each firm is affected by the decisions of rival and must take these decisions into account in determining its own price and output. Pure competition assumes that firms and resources are mobile among different kinds of industries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No single firm can influence market price in a competitive industry; therefore a firm’s demand curve is perfectly elastic and price equals marginal revenue. Short-run profit maximization by a competitive firm can be analyzed by comparing total revenue and total cost or applying marginal analysis. A firm maximizes its short-run profit by producing that output at which total revenue exceeds total cost by the greatest amount. A complete firm maximizes profit or minimizes loss in the short run by producing that output at which price or marginal revenue equals marginal cost, provided price exceeds minimum average v...

Pornography †Government Censorship Will Never Promote Equality :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

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Coach Carter Essay

I believe that this will be easier for me to understand what Is happening In the film and I think I will be able to understand the personalities of the characters whilst watching a film rather than reading a novel. I find that they are easier to analyze. Coach Carter Is based on a true story, Samuel L. Jackson portrays Ken Carter who has a legend status at Richmond high.At the beginning of the film Carter was offered a job at the school as head coach of the basketball team. He accepted the Job to attempt to bring change into the or neighborhood and to the student athletes who played for the basketball team. One theme that the film uses is teamwork, at the beginning of the story the team weren't playing as one unit but as a group of individuals, this resulted in the team losing most of their games in the previous years.When Coach Carter took over he taught them that teamwork will always beat a team of individuals, he taught them to pass the ball to each other rather than continuously shooting, he also punished the team as a group rather than singling out each Individual. This made brought the team closer and taught them some discipline. Another theme was winning Isn't always everything, this theme Is shown when Coach Carter locks up the gym, he does this because the team break their contracts with not all of them achieving a or higher after they promised they would all get their act together and pass their classes.He shows that he cares more about the boys passing their classes than winning which his main goal was to try to ensure a successful future for these students rather than winning championships, proving that he values education and a successful life over winning games. This theme is also shown in the last game where he team comes up short in the final, obviously them team was shattered but after the game they were in the change rooms singing because they were proud of their achievements. The boys were all proud of how far they had come and were very appr eciative of what the Coach had done for them and getting their lives back on track.One really big theme Is respect from one of the very first scenes the Coach talks about respect and how the team should refer to him as â€Å"sir† and vice-versa, In that same scene he talks about the â€Å"n-word† and how it is a derogatory term and he does not want to hear it anymore. At first the team didn't respect the Coach, but once they realized what he was trying to do and saw that he was respecting them they eventually showed respect back by sticking by him when his job was on the line after complaints about his coaching methods.During the team's first few game the boys would continuously taunt their opponents as they began to get overly cocky due to their winning streak, Carter then punished them as he did not want his boys to be perceived that way and wanted the boys to win graciously. Throughout the course of the film there were a few characters who developed their personalit ies, one being Time Cruz, at the beginning of the film he was a no good street thug who was a menace to society and was In a gang and he had no purpose In life, Coach Carter opened his eyes and showed him that there Is more to life than being a thug.In a later scene there was a drive by shooting in which his cousin was involved in, upon Carter for guidance. Cruz went on to follow Coach Carter's advice and he went on with his study and continued to play basketball. In the end this led to Cruz going to college and earning a degree. Coach Ken Carter is shown as highly unorthodox high school basketball coach. Coach Carter took the coaching Job and made his own rules.He believed that everyone in the team must receive a good grades and form a strong bond in the team or they would not play and he had everyone in the team sign a contract stating that they would get good grades or else not be able to play. The team was undefeated and on its way to the Championship, when Coach Carter received the low grades of his players he locked the gym and benched the team for not getting good enough grades. Coach Carter received some praise but much more criticism for his decision. Coach Carter taught his players that they must be committed and work art to excel.Whilst watching the movie I noticed that there were not many moments when the whole team was in the shot, instead the director really wanted to focus on one person at a time. They focus on individuals which shows their attitudes and expressions really well. However on the occasions that they were shown together they look like a united team, this shows the viewer the bond that they have created. This movie was filled with lots of Urn style music which fits well with a movie about basketball, this satisfies most viewers as many basketball players stereotypically sites to this music.Depending on the scene the music was more up-tempo or was slowed down, during a game the music was used to pump the viewer up whilst the sadder pa rts of the movie had slow emotional music, for example music about losing people was played when one of the players relatives died. In the end Richmond lost in the championship final, the players were distraught but shortly after they realized that they had won in another way, the players made friendships, learnt respect, got their lives back on track, earned college scholarships and ultimately became better people.

King Lear and a Thousand Acres

King Lear and A thousand acres comparison The one social issue that hasn’t evolved since the 17th century is the ever present schisms between families. People have always cheated, parents have always chosen favorites, and the struggles for wealth and power have always torn families apart. Most notably, these conflicts have been portrayed in Shakespeare’s King Lear and Romeo and Juliet, but the theater of family argument has also shone through in modern works such as Jane Smiley’s A Thousand Acres.Both King Lear and A Thousand Acres are enduring pieces of literature that have redefined the family complex, portrayed the death of families through jealousy and greed, and examined the reoccurring theme of fate versus free will. Both King Lear and A Thousand Acres focus on the patriarch of a family and how he decides to distribute his assets. King Lear focuses on how Lear, the King of England, will distribute his kingdom amongst his three daughters, Cordelia, Regan, an d Goneril.A Thousand Acres, on the other hand, takes a much more modern approach by detailing the life of Larry Cook, a successful Iowan farmer, and how he attempts to evade inheritance taxes by dividing his farm amongst his daughters, Caroline, Rose, and Ginny. In both literary works, the father distributes his holdings before his death, which, while at the time seems like a savvy tactic, ends up having detrimental repercussions for both men. To highlight the actions undertaken by the main characters, both authors also develop a subplot focusing on a friend of the respective fathers and how he deals with his two sons.In King Lear, Lear’s friend, Gloucester, debates upon the merits of his two sons, Edmund and Edgar, wavering in his decision on which of his sons is loyal and which son will inevitably betray him. Similarly, in A Thousand Acres, Smiley develops the subplot of the tensions between Harold and his two sons, Loren and Jess. A major theme in both pieces is the issues of love, family relationships and the loyalty that can either be steadfastly present or blatantly nonexistent. In King Lear, Lear must decide how to distribute his kingdom.Instead of dividing it equally among his heiresses, he relies on superficial declarations of love from his daughters. Regan and Goneril flatter their father claiming unyielding love, while Cordelia, the daughter that Lear previously held closest to his heart, doesn’t quite flatter her father so blatantly. While Lear takes this as an insult, Cordelia is simply sure that her â€Å"love’s/ More richer than [her] tongue,† so there is no reason to even attempt to articulate her unabiding love for her father (I. i. 81-82).Lear’s egotism, however, prevents him from realizing that Cordelia actually does love him the most, so he capriciously disowns and banishes her from his kingdom. While King Lear’s naivete makes him disown a daughter that does love him more than the others, the distin ction in the quantity of how much a daughter loves her father is not nearly as evident in A Thousand Acres. In the novel, Caroline warns her father against incorporating the farm prematurely, which is shown in this dialogue between herself and Ginny: ‘He’s handling over his whole life, don’t you understand that?We have to receive it in the right spirit. And Rose and Pete and even Ty are ready to receive it. Just do it this once. Last time, I promise. ’ ‘That’s another thing. I’m not ready to receive it. I think it’s a bad idea for him, and it’s certainly a bad idea for me. Frank was appalled when I told him. ’ (Smiley 34) Like how Cordelia will take no part in complementing her father, Caroline refuses to go along with the transfer of the farm, citing that it will not only have deleterious effects on Cook, but herself as well.In A Thousand Acres, it doesn’t seem like Cook chooses how to distribute his farm ba sed on how much each daughter loves him, but the extent to which each daughter will stand up to him. Rose and Ginny go along with the farm transfer, but when Caroline stands up to her father, he â€Å"took the door in his hand and slammed it shut in her face† (39). So while Larry’s motives for why he disowned his daughter are slightly different, it doesn’t change the fact that out of rage and lack of thought he whimsically disowns a loving daughter.In both King Lear and A Thousand Acres, the concept of loyalty is ever present in regards to how the daughters treat their father once he no longer is in control. In King Lear, Lear chooses to divide his kingdom amongst his daughters Goneril and Regan. While initially doing so has no negative effects for Lear, eventually his daughters begin to treat him with uttermost disrespect. The below excerpt from the play depicts the turning point when Regan and Goneril begin to try to manipulate their father and remove every ou nce of his previous power: Goneril: Not only, sir, this your all-licensed fool,But other of your insolent retinue Do hourly carp and quarrel; breaking forth In rank and not-to-be endured riots. Sir, I had thought, by making this well known unto you, To have found a safe redress; but now grow fearful, By what yourself too late have spoke and done. (I. iv. 191-197) In this section, Goneril is complaining to her father about his contingent of knights that have been causing distraction and disaster at Goneril’s palace. While her complaints are somewhat sensical, this shows the turning point where Goneril and Regan begin to no longer care about Lear’s own personal mental standing.The continued enlistment of Lear’s knights represent the last remaining token of Lear’s kinghood. By attempting to, and later succeeding in, disbanding Lear’s knights, the daughters take away the one thing that Lear still controls. He no longer rules over his kingdom, or even h is own house for that matter. This really shows how the daughters seem to care only for themselves and place little thought on Lear’s perspective. By contrast, in A Thousand Acres, Rose and Ginny don’t take away Cook’s power, but he actually forfeits it.Instead of staying active in the farm, Cook seems to be willing, on the surface, to take a backseat in the farm’s operation. Ginny describes Cook’s mentality accurately in the below quote: I paused at the kitchen door and watched the unyielding back of his head for a few seconds. When I drove past the front of the house again, he hadn’t moved. I couldn’t shake the sense that his attention menaced Ty, the guiltless cultivator, concentrating innocently on never deviating from the rose laid out before him. The green tractor inched back and forth, and my father’s look followed it like the barrel of a rifle. 67) While Cook may wish to be involved in the farm, he seems content sitting in his chair gazing over the fields that were previously his. Unlike Regan and Goneril, Rose and Ginny actually want their father to be more involved. When Cook drives under the influence and crashes his car, Ginny is incredibly upset with her father, saying that â€Å"They aren’t preventing him from working. He doesn’t want to do anything. He never goes out to the barn even to stand around. They do everything now, and that isn’t easy either† (116).So while Regan and Goneril want their father to become less active and be completely complacent, Rose and Ginny are urging their father to help with the farm and be a more active farmer. A major contrast in the two pieces is the differing motives fueling the daughter’s actions. In King Lear, Goneril and Regan’s actions seem to be empowered by greed and the accumulation of power. The daughters could care less about their father, but they dote him with complements because they know it will help the m gain control over more of the kingdom.In A Thousand Acres, on the other hand, it seems that Rose and Ginny want what is best for their father and the farm. While it is indisputable that their own interests are also at heart (due to the fact that the incorporation of the farm does leave Rose and Ginny with significant holdings), the character’s initial empathy for their father shows that unlike Goneril and Regan, the Cook daughters do care for their father’s best interest. Caring for their father’s standing shows that they are still loyal to him; unlike Regan and Goneril, Rose and Ginny do not betray their father, but their father betrays them.The characterization of the dramatis personae in King Lear, and especially how his daughters treat him, paint the character of Lear as a tragic hero. We feel for Lear and his tragic circumstances, while in A Thousand Acres, readers feel very little empathy for Larry Cook. Instead, Rose and Ginny act as the tragic heroes, who must face their father’s wrath and their sister’s frivolous demeanor. As with the main plots, the subplots in both pieces discuss the relationships between family members and the presence of loyalty versus betrayal. In King Lear, we note great loyalty in the character of Kent.Kent is the only character who stands up for Cordelia, and is the only character to warn Lear against her banishment. When Lear banishes Kent as well, Kent returns in disguise and acts once again as a loyal servant. This loyalty is repaid by Lear at the end of the play, when Lear decides to reward loyalty by passing the throne to Kent and Edgar. Conversely, the subplots in King Lear also show elements of betrayal, specifically in the relations between Gloucester and his two sons. Gloucester initially damns and mocks his illegitimate son, Edmund, and praises his legitimate son, Edgar, as is typical in the natural order.Edmund schemes against his brother, and eventually convinces his father that Edgar is in fact the one scheming against Gloucester. By turning in Gloucester to Cornwall, Edmund creates the situation that leads to Gloucester’s blindness, ultimately betraying him to the utmost degree. In addition to the concepts of loyalty and family relations, both authors breach the topic of women’s role in society. As an example, both the authors disrupt the natural order. Traditionally, kingdoms (and farms for that matter) would transfer from fathers to sons, not fathers to daughters.In both King Lear and A Thousand Acres, the male patriarch decides to pass on his land to his daughters. While it would be custom for the female heir to forfeit power to their husbands, neither Goneril or Regan allow their husbands to take control. In the following quote, Goneril debates with her husband on the merits of his passivity: Milk-livered man! That bear’st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs; Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning Thine honor from thy suffe ring; that not know’st Fools do those villains pity who are punishedEre they have done their mischief. Where’s thy drum? France spreads his banners in our noiseless land; With plumed helm thy slayer begins threats; Whiles thou, a moral fool, sit’st still, and criest ‘Alack, why does he so? ’ (IV. ii. 55-64) In this excerpt, Goneril is asserting herself against her husband, Albany. While Albany sympathizes with Lear, Goneril argues that all sympathy towards Lear and the French will end the â€Å"noiseless† state of the English kingdom. Goneril, the wife, is standing up to her husband and telling him how things should be done.Finally, Goneril ends the argument by saying â€Å"Marry, your manhood now† (IV. ii. 75). By saying this, Goneril is essentially asserting herself as the man in the relationship who will be making all future decisions. In A Thousand Acres, Smiley also touches on the theme of feminism, but more specifically womenâ₠¬â„¢s independence. Similar to the circumstances in King Lear, Rose and Ginny take over their father’s farm. Instead of the girls taking over the daily running of the farm, their husbands handle all of the farming and the women revert to their original roles: cooking, cleaning, and homemaking.When Pete dies, Ginny runs off, and Ty eventually leaves for Texas as well, Rose is left to handle many of the daily farming tasks herself. At one point, Rose is the only person farming their thousand acre farm, which is undoubtedly an arduous task. By ending the novel in this manner, Smiley is showing that while women in the sixties still had a demeaned role in society, they did have the ability to match or even supersede their male counterparts’ actions. A final theme present in both pieces is whether fate or free will dictate our daily actions and routine. In King Lear, the prevailing life force is definitely free will.All of the characters, even Lear, make numerous decisions ( note: these are decisions made by the characters, not decisions thrust upon the characters) that determine their final circumstance. An example would be how Goneril and Regan chose to treat their father. Their poor treatment of their father leads to a family schism, a war between nations, and their eventual death. Lear’s opinion of fate versus free will is also rather interesting. You see me here, you gods, a poor old man, As full of grief as age; wretched in both! If it be you that stir these daughters' hearts Against their father, fool me not so muchTo bear it tamely; touch me with noble anger, And let not women's weapons, water-drops, Stain my man's cheeks! (II. iv. 294-300) While Lear’s actions seem to fall under the category of free will (for he chose to disown Cordelia and to distribute his kingdom), his above statement makes it seem like he places merit with the Gods. He says to the Gods that if it is in fact them who have been meddling with his daughtersâ€℠¢ hearts, then they should just put him out of his misery by ending his life. In A Thousand Acres, by contrast, the bulk of the characters’ lives seem to be guided by fate.Rose didn’t choose to get cancer, Ginny didn’t bring on her miscarriages, and judge’s decision was out of the daughter’s hands. Similar to how the patriarchal figure has opposite beliefs as the majority of the other characters in King Lear, Cook seems to believe in free will. Ginny, describing her father’s beliefs: â€Å"The lesson my father might say they prove is that a man gets what he deserves by creating his own good luck† (137). Cook’s thought is that waiting for fate to act in your favor will do nothing for you, but instead, you need to make your own luck, which is a major concept in free will.Many people believe that A Thousand Acres is simply a copy piece of Shakespeare’s King Lear, but in fact, many elements give autonomy to Smiley’s n ovel. A Thousand Acres is a unique piece, with unique characterization, unique circumstances, and unique narration. In King Lear, Lear is the tragic hero and Goneril and Regan are the antagonists. In A Thousand Acres, however, Larry’s abuse of the daughters make him much more of the antagonist, with Ginny and Rose as the tragic heroes.While the reader’s alliances change between literary works, both pieces show the necessity of loyalty and the consequent disaster of betrayal. Additionally, the thematic value of both pieces at points can differ greatly; while King Lear focused on women’s independence, A Thousand Acres takes on a more modernistic approach by discussing what women must do to gain this independence. Overall, while the pieces do have many similarities, when read congruently, the contrasts only further enhance the overarching themes and morals of both works.