Marketing research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing - Research Proposal Example As an organization that targets products and services regular research is always necessary (Zeithami et al 1990, p. 53). The research will inform of the interests of customers and the situation within the relevant market (McQuarrie 2006, p. ix). With the decline in sales, market research is particularly important as there is uncertainty relative to the market situation and customer interests and habits increases (McQuarrie 2006, p. ix). Market research will determine the utility of introducing new products or for changing existing products or services so that they correspond with customer trends, interests and preferences (Bartels et al 2002, p. 285). Stephen’s management will have to make a research design that corresponds with budget and within their restrictions (Avasarikar et al 2007, p. 2.24). It will be necessary to negotiate for a practical budget in advance of the marketing research. However, the research problem must be unambiguously identified before negotiating for a workable budget. When the research problem is defined clearly, researchers, management and marketing consultants can more clearly define and assign roles prior to the start of research and this will reduce the obstacles implicit in conflicting goals, strategies and approaches relative to the research (Avasarikar et al 2007, p. 2.24).

Quality Philosophy Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Quality Philosophy Evaluation Essay Focus Paper on Quality Philosophy Evaluation Focus Paper on Quality Philosophy Evaluation Edward Deming led the quality revolution and defined it from the customer’s perspective. He argues that the customer’s definition of quality is the only one that matters (Dale van Iwaarden, 2007). He defined quality as the extent by which the performance meets the expectations of the customer. He also argued that quality is the responsibility of management. Deming conveyed the importance of leadership in the cultivation of a culture of quality. The principles that underpin his philosophy also indicate that workers were to be trained and introduced to spirit of quality. He argued that employees should play a key role in the transformation of the organization. He proposed the 14 point philosophy of quality. 1. Create a perpetual drive towards improvement or plan for quality in the long term. 2. Embrace the new philosophy and adopt quality in the whole organization 3. Constant and perpetual improvement 4. Organizations should not rely on inspections 5. Rely on a single supplier for one item in order to ensure consistency 6. The elimination of management by objectives 7. Unclear slogans should be removed 8. The barriers which exist between departments should be broken 9. The transformation to quality should be everyone’s job 10. The removal of barriers which prevent pride of workmanship 11. The implementation of education and self improvement 12. Instill confidence and eliminate fear in job performance 13. Training should be used to remove variations 14. The organization should have quality leadership Joseph Juran Joseph Juran has also published a vast amount of literature on the topic of quality. Juran has two definitions of quality. The first defines quality as the features of products that meet the needs of the customers and which then allow for customer satisfaction (Juran, 2003). The second definition defines quality as the freedom from errors and freedom from deficiencies which necessitate the redoing of work. Juran came with a trilogy philosophy of quality management. This philosophy included: * Quality improvement-this is the process by which originations experience breakthrough in quality * Quality control-this involves the detection of the difference between actual performance and the set goals. * Quality planning-this involves developing processes and products which meet the expectations of the customer. * The above three dimensions of quality were seen as a prerogative of management by Juran. Quality control defines the standard of measure by which quality is determined. Juran saw workers as the implementers of quality. Philip Crosby Philip Crosby had a zero defects philosophy on quality management. He defined quality as being the conformance to requirements. He saw zero defects as the performance standard. He argued that everyone should do things â€Å"right the first time.† Therefore, according, to his philosophy, workers play a fundamental role in promoting quality (Oppenheim, Oppenheim Levine, 2005). Lewis Ireland He defined quality as the totality of characteristics and features of a service or product that enable it to meet the stated or the implied needs. Lewis Ireland focused on quality in projects. In 1991, Lewis wrote Quality Management for Projects and Programs and stated the importance of integrating quality in projects (Rose, 2005). He has a project management quality philosophy. He argued that quality planning should be used to identify quality standards which are relevant for the project. Project managers have a critical role to play in managing quality. Recommendation The philosophy espoused by Edward Deming holds more water in the current competitive business environment. Deming views quality as a change management initiative which is permanently existent in the methods, systems and processes. He provides the principles which should be followed by management in order to cultivate a culture of quality. In addition, his philosophy is more comprehensive and flexible and therefore easily applied by today’s managers. References Dale, B. G., van Iwaarden, J. (2007). Managing quality. Blackwell Publishing Juran, J. M. (2003). Juran on leadership for quality. Simon and Schuster. Oppenheim, A. J., Oppenheim, R., Levine, D. M. (2005). Quality management (pp. 75-76). McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Rose, K. (2005). Project quality management: why, what and how. J. Ross Publishing.

Symbols and Characters of Bread Givers. Essay -- Essays Papers

Symbols and Characters of "Bread Givers". One of the significant features of Jewish history throughout many centuries was migration. From the ancient pre-Roman times to medieval Spain to the present days the Jews were expelled from the countries they populated, were forced out by political, cultural and religious persecution, and sometimes were motivated to leave simply to escape economic hardship and to find better life for themselves and for their children. One of the interesting pages of Jewish history was a massive migration from Eastern Europe to America in the period between 1870 an 1920. In that period more than two million Jews left their homes in Russia, Poland, Galicia, and Romania and came to the New World. The heaviest volume of that wave of Jewish emigration came between 1904 and 1908, when more than 650 thousand Jewish emigrants came to the US. The Eastern European Jews fled from pogroms, religious persecution and economic hardship. We can learn about those times from history text books, but a better way to understand the feelings and thoughts of the struggling emigrants is to learn a story from an insider, who herself lived there and experienced first hand all the challenges and hardships of the emigrants' life. Anzia Yezierska's novel "Bread Givers" is a story that lets the reader to learn about the life of Jewish Emigrants in the early Twentieth Century on Manhattan's lower East Side through the eyes of a poor young Jewish woman who came from Poland and struggled to break out from poverty, from tyrant old traditions of her father, and to find happiness, security, love and understanding in the new country. The book is rich with symbolism. Different characters and situations in the novel symbolize different parts of the emigrants' community and challenges that they faced. The characters range from the father, the symbol of the Old World, to the mother who symbolizes struggles and hopelessness of the women of the Old World, to the sisters and their men, who together represent the choices and opportunities that opened before the young generation of the Jewish emigrants in the New World. The father of the storyteller, Sarah Smolinsky, is an orthodox rabbi, Mosheh Smolinsky, with rigid old-fashioned conceptions, who cannot or simply does not make an effort to realize himself in America and spends his days poisoning lives of his ... ...e them. And they, with all their education, are under my feet, just because I got the money." Through the lives of different characters the author tells about struggles and sacrifices that any emigrants have to face when they come to a new country and try to get on their feet. The first generation usually gains the least, because older people already have deeply rooted cultural traditions and language barrier that do not let them to assimilate and to feel fully at home in the new place. Just like Sarah's parents in "Bread Givers" the majority of first generation older emigrants that I know feel somewhat alienated and disadvantaged in America. Many of them were naà ¯ve and thought that America was a Golden Amadina where "money grows on the trees". Many were intelligent enough to realize that they were going to a tough land of opportunities where they would have to fight and struggle for a spot under the sun. But those who were realistic came here anyway, because they hoped for a better future for their children who could fully benefit from new opportunities, ethnic equa lity, and democracy that the New World had to offer. Bibliography: "Bread Givers" by Anzia Yezierska

Article Review Gill, Valerie Essay

In the article â€Å"Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Architects of Female Power† by author Valerie Gill, Ms. Gill attempts to bridge the gap between what appears to be two powerful women of their time with two totally different opinions of the American woman and the type of life they should lead. The author points out the obvious differences of opinions in the writings of the two women, who are related by the way, and the different era in which they write. Catharine Beecher was the great aunt of Charlotte Perkins Gilman and lived and wrote during a time when  a woman working in any other place besides the home was not something that happened often. A woman’s job during this time was to raise children and make the home a warm, inviting space that had functionality that would allow for â€Å"separate spheres† for the men and women, allowing the men to have a place to discuss outside ventures and women to have a place to deal with domestic matters. Charlotte Perkins Gilman on the other hand, lived during a period where productivity was happening in factories all over the country. Her feminist attempt to undo her  great aunt’s idea that women should be assigned to only the home made it appear that the two women had absolutely nothing in common when it came to the ideas on how women should be viewed socially. Gill points out how the two very different opinions actually have many things in common. Both women agree that the role of women is very important to the health of society, even though they disagree on what their roles should be. By suggesting that each writer knows what is the best arrangement for women to experience shows another similarity between the two writers. As  pointed out by Gill, â€Å"Both writers conceptualize the identity of women in spatial as well as socioeconomic terms, assuming that the fulfillment of their own sex can be quite literally mapped out†. The author makes a point that even though their opinions of what is ideal are very different, the idea that there is one way to make women live a full life is exactly the same. Both women also had the common conclusion that the woman’s place, whether it is in the home working or in the factory working, would make a great impact on the society. Architectural ideas as to better society are another thing these two authors had in common, as  pointed out by Gill in the article. The elder author Beecher would make drawings in her articles about staging the home and using dividers as a way to make more areas in the home, and Gilman, being concerned about the lives led by farmer’s wives, included drawings of a farming community shaped like a pie that had common areas to share, as to make life easier for them. Interesting enough, Gill included in her article a picture of a drawing done by Beecher, along with her sister Harriet Beecher Stowe, later in life of a block of houses with common areas used  to house the â€Å"homeless, helpless, and vicious† which very much resembled Gilman’s block community idea where people shared common spaces and so that some women could take care of the children and household duties while others went out in the community to work. This is an excellent example of Beecher thinking like Gilman in the mixing of public and private space. It is my opinion that the aging Beecher was beginning to think out of the box. This article was insightful and gave a great example of how people with a difference of opinion can actually be thinking the same. If one just read the two women’s writings without an open mind, one would think they were completely different and had totally different ideas. Valerie Gill allowed the reader of the article to view a situation such as this one in a different way and to keep an open mind and read between the lines of any writings. I would have liked to have seen her go on and discuss the idea that some women may belong at home and some may belong in the workforce. I believe that every woman has a different situation to consider and what is important to one woman may not be important to another.

Miss Greenford

Miss Greenford sat behind her 95 years old typewriter she inherited from the father to type down a letter to her only son who serves with the US army. She said, †Dear John, I miss you so much, my second baby. Daddy hasn't being feeling well for the past three months and he is worried he wouldn't make it before you return from the war. His wish is to see you before going home. Please do come quickly when you get this letter. Grandma sends her greetings, and Doggy your cat too. While she sat typing, John, in the silence of an explosion from the enemy's camp, swallowed a bullet. †Retreat everyone†, the General shouted. Lieutenant Jamal from Afghanistan carried his friend on his shoulder and ran into the tent where the nurses tended the wounds of the injured soldiers. †Johnny, Johnny please speak to me. Open your eyes† he solemnly requested but John quietly was giving up the ghost. The only word that came out of his mouth was ‘mama'. Lieut. Jamal cried! He has lost the only friend in the army that cared for him.He remembered how he used to play basketball with John alone as all the guys refused his company and called him names. One day at assembly, it was announced a war has broken up between the US and Russia and all males were entreated to enlist in the army asap. Jamal was frightened to death because he never liked the sound of a gun. Growing up in a ghetto where the father was a warlord, he was called Ja, the whimp. He always hides under the bed during a fight of guns on the streets but John encouraged him that they can do it. He will be there for him anytime and protect him against the bullies. John was the brother Jamal never had. And now he doesn't know how he can manage without him.Back home, Miss Greenford bought a stamp at the post office, sealed her letter and posted it to his loving son. She can't wait to see him after eight solid months of separation. This war has had a toll on everyone. Miss Greenford herself has been feeling a severe ache in her left breast lately. Scared of the worst, she has refused to visit the hospital for a checkup. †I need to be strong to take care of my two boys, John and his father†, she always whispers to herself. Three weeks later, on the day Miss Greenford had planned on passing by the post office to check if her son has replied, there was a loud knock on the door which startled even the flower pot on the window pane and it came crushing on the floor.'Who is there?' she shouted from the kitchen. ‘Friends of John, the voices echoed. Miss Greenford dashed out of the kitchen like a flash of lightening only to get to the door to see men dressed in uniform carrying a coffin. Immediately, she collapsed. She woke up to the news of her husband passing out of cardio attack when he wheeled his chair to the door because he also heard the shout of †friends of John† from his room.†Both my boys had left me, she cried. What does it profit me to be alive and not happy? The two things that gave me joy have been snatched from me, mama†. Old mama Gracie was there to console her daughter. She told her not stop crying. She should spit every phlegm of bitterness out, then she can have her peace. †I have been here before and I know how it feels but don't worry it will make you stronger. It always does† Your daddy died in the war too. The only man I have ever known tasted death while in an amour defending his country. But he died a happy man. He died knowing that at least he paid his dues to his country. So sad he was before he died when I was pregnant with you for two weeks that the doctor said it is a girl. We had both been praying for a boy, but he prayed more fervently because he wanted his son to be a soldier, a protector of the state and dreams of America. Though disappointed, he loved you so very much, my baby. Be glad you gave daddy a soldier, now his soul will rest in peace.

The Battle of the Seelow Heights in World War II

The Battle of the Seelow Heights in World War II The Battle of the Seelow Heights was fought April 16-19, 1945, during World War II (1939-1945). Part of the larger Battle of the Oder-Neisse, the fighting saw Soviet forces attempting to capture Seelow Heights to the east of Berlin. Known as the Gates of Berlin, the heights were assaulted by Marshal Georgy Zhukovs 1st Belorussian Front. Lasting three days, the battle saw extremely bitter fighting as German troops sought to defend their capital. The German position was finally shattered on April 19, opening the road to Berlin. Background Since fighting began on the Eastern Front in June 1941, German and Soviet forces were engaged across the width of the Soviet Union. Having halted the enemy at Moscow, the Soviets were able to slowly push the Germans west aided by key victories at Stalingrad and Kursk. Driving across Poland, the Soviets entered into Germany and began planning for an offensive against Berlin in early 1945. In late March, Marshal Georgy Zhukov, commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, traveled to Moscow to discuss the operation with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. Also present was Marshal Ivan Konev, commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, whose men were positioned to Zhukovs south. Rivals, both men presented their prospective plans to Stalin for the capture of Berlin. Listening to both marshals, Stalin elected to back Zhukovs plan which called for an assault against the Seelow Heights from the Soviet bridgehead over the Oder River. Though he supported Zhukov, he informed Konev that 1st Ukrainian Front should be ready to strike against Berlin from the south should the 1st Belorussian Front become bogged down around the heights. With the fall of Kà ¶nigsberg on April 9, Zhukov was able to rapidly redeploy his command to a narrow front opposite the heights. This corresponded with Konev shifting the bulk of his men north to a position along the Neisse River. To support his build up in the bridgehead, Zhukov constructed 23 bridges over the Oder and operated 40 ferries. By mid-April, he had assembled 41 divisions, 2,655 tanks, 8,983 guns, and 1,401 rocket launchers in the bridgehead. German Preparations As Soviet forces massed, the defense of the Seelow Heights fell to Army Group Vistula. Led by Colonel-General Gotthard Heinrici, this formation consisted of Lieutenant General Hasso von Manteuffels 3rd Panzer Army to the north and Lieutenant General Theodor Busses 9th Army in the south. Though a sizable command, the bulk of Heinricis units were badly under strength or composed of large numbers of Volksturm militia. Colonel-General Gotthard Heinrici. Public Domain A brilliant defensive tactician, Heinrici immediately began fortifying the heights as well as constructed three defensive lines to defend the area. The second of these was located on the heights and featured a variety of heavy anti-tank weapons. To further impede a Soviet advance, he directed his engineers to open dams further up the Oder to turn the already soft floodplain between the heights and the river into a swamp. To the south, Heinricis right joined with Field Marshal Ferdinand Schà ¶rners Army Group Center. Schà ¶rners left was opposed by Konevs front. Battle of Seelow Heights Conflict: World War IIDates: April 16-19, 1945Armies Commanders:Soviet UnionMarshal Georgy Zhukovapproximately 1,000,000 menGermanyColonel-General  Gotthard Heinrici112,143 menCasualties:Soviets: approximately 30,000-33,000 killedGermans: approximately 12,000 killed The Soviets Attack At 3:00 AM on April 16, Zhukov commenced a massive bombardment of the German positions using artillery and Katyusha rockets. The bulk of this struck the first German defensive line in front of the heights. Unknown to Zhukov, Heinrici had anticipated the bombardment and had withdrawn the bulk of his men back to the second line on the heights. Surging forward a short time later, Soviet forces began moving across the inundated Oderbruch Valley. The swampy terrain, canals, and other obstructions in the valley badly impeded the advance and the Soviets soon began to take heavy losses from German anti-tank guns on the heights. With the attack bogging down, General Vasily Chuikov, commanding the 8th Guards Army, attempted to push his artillery forward to better support his men near the heights. Soviet artillery during the Battle of Seelow Heights, April 1945. Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-E0406-0022-012 / CC-BY-SA 3.0 With his plan unraveling, Zhukov learned that Konevs attack to the south was having success against Schà ¶rner. Concerned that Konev might reach Berlin first, Zhukov ordered his reserves to move forward and enter the battle in the hope that added numbers would bring a breakthrough. This order was issued without consulting Chuikov and soon the roads were jammed with 8th Guards artillery and the advancing reserves. The resulting confusion and intermixing of units led to a loss of command and control. As a result, Zhukovs men ended the first day of battle without achieving their goal of taking the heights. Reporting the failure to Stalin, Zhukov learned that the Soviet leader had directed Konev to turn north towards Berlin. Grinding Through the Defenses During the night, Soviet artillery successfully moved forward. Opening with a massive barrage on the morning of April 17, it signaled another Soviet advance against the heights. Pressing forward throughout the day, Zhukovs men began to make some headway against the German defenders. Clinging to their position, Heinrici and Busse were able to hold until nightfall but were aware that they could not maintain the heights without reinforcements. Though parts of two SS Panzer divisions were released, they would not reach Seelow in time. The German position at the Seelow Heights was further compromised by Konevs advance to the south. Attacking again on April 18, the Soviets began to push through the German lines, though at a heavy price. By nightfall, Zhukovs men had reached the final line of German defenses. Also, Soviet forces were beginning to bypass the heights to the north. Combined with Konevs advance, this action threatened to envelop the Heinricis position. Charging forward on April 19, the Soviets overwhelmed the last German defensive line. With their position shattered, German forces began retreating west towards Berlin. With the road open, Zhukov began a rapid advance on Berlin. Aftermath In the fighting at the Battle of the Seelow Heights, the Soviets sustained over 30,000 killed as well as lost 743 tanks and self-propelled guns. German losses numbered around 12,000 killed. Though a heroic stand, the defeat effectively eliminated the last organized German defenses between the Soviets and Berlin. Moving west, Zhukov and Konev encircled the German capital on April 23 and the former began the final battle for the city. Falling on May 2, World War II in Europe ended five days later.

Zionism essays

Zionism essays For at least two thousand years Jews were dispersed all over the world. Some of them inevitably assimilated with other nations. Yet many kept their identity as a nation by staying loyal to their religious faith and by their desire to survive as one people preserving common racial features and cultural traditions. Some European anti-Jewish tendencies and the suspicious attitude to Jews in oriental cultures contributed to their solidarity. For centuries Jews cherished the idea of returning to their native land. But it was only in the 19th century that the idea developed into a political movement called Zionism. At first the movement was not very popular among Jews. There were supporters, but most rabbis considered the concept of restoring Israel possible only after the coming of the Messiah. The movement started in Russia and spread to other countries. The idea was elaborated first in the book by German socialist Hess who tried to prove that the Jews could create a socialistic state in Israel. Much more popular was another book by Z. Pinsker called "Auto-Emancipation" and published in 1882. The book revealed the fact that the lack of Jewish own state accounts for social and psychological discomfort experienced by them. Under the influence of this publication clubs and study groups appeared in Russia, Where Jews were mostly persecuted. Russia was the first country from which Jews began to emigrate to Palestine for settling down. Despite the help from several powerful Jewish institutions in Europe, they faced many obstacles and hardships, in the first place because the country was ruled by the Turkish Government hostile to Russians. Enthusiasm of early Russian Zionists was mostly romantic and probably doomed to failure. The basis for mature political Zionism was created by Herzl, who wrote the work "Jews' state" in 1896. He was a recognized author who summarized and explained the ideas of early Zionists to thousands of ...

Brief Summary of French History

Brief Summary of French History France is a country in Western Europe that is roughly hexagonal in shape. It has existed as a country for a little over a thousand years  and has managed to fill those with some of the most important events in European history. It is bordered by the English Channel to the north, Luxembourg and Belgium to the northeast, Germany and Switzerland to the east, Italy to the southeast, the Mediterranean to the south, southwest by Andorra and Spain and west by the Atlantic Ocean. It currently has a president at the top of government. Historical Summary of France The country of France emerged from the fragmentation of the larger Carolingian empire, when Hugh Capet became King of West Francia in 987. This kingdom consolidated power and expanded territorially, becoming known as â€Å"France†. Early wars were fought over land with English monarchs, including the Hundred Years War, then against the Habsburgs, especially after the latter inherited Spain and appeared to surround France. At one point France was closely associated with the Avignon Papacy, and experienced wars of religion after the Reformation between a twisting combination of Catholic and Protestant. French royal power reached its peak with the reign of Louis XIV (1642 – 1715), known as the Sun King, and French culture dominated Europe. Royal power collapsed fairly quickly after Louis XIV and within a century France experienced the French Revolution, which began in 1789, overthrew Louis XVI and established a republic. France now found itself fighting wars and exporting its world-changing events across Europe. The French Revolution was soon usurped by a general called Napoleon, and the ensuing Napoleonic Wars saw France first militarily dominate Europe, then be defeated. The monarchy was restored, but instability followed and a second republic, second empire and third republic followed in the nineteenth century. The early twentieth century was marked by two German invasions, in 1914 and 1940, and a return to a democratic republic after liberation. France is currently in its Fifth Republic, established in 1959 during upheavals in society.   Key People from the History of France King Louis XIV (1638 - 1715): Louis XIV succeeded to the French throne as a minor in 1642 and ruled until 1715; for many contemporaries, he was the only monarch they ever knew. Louis was the apogee of French absolutist rule and the pageantry and success of his reign earned him the epithet ‘The Sun King’. He has been criticised for letting other European nations grow in strength.Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 - 1821): A Corsican by birth, Napoleon trained in the French army and success gained him a reputation, enabling him to get close to the political leaders of late-revolutionary France. Such was Napoleon’s prestige that he was able to seize power and transform the country into an Empire with himself at its head. He was initially successful in European wars, but was beaten and twice forced into exile by a coalition of European nations.Charles de Gaulle (1890 - 1970): A military commander who argued for mobile warfare when France turned instead to the Maginot Line, de G aulle became the leader of the Free French forces during the Second World War and then Prime Minister of the liberated country. After retiring he came back to politics in the late 50s to found the French Fifth Republic and create its constitution, ruling until 1969

Nursing Program-Ethical Dilemma Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nursing Program-Ethical Dilemma - Research Paper Example Within the health care provision, there is the nursing profession that deals with the care that is provided to the individuals, communities, and families in a bid to make them attain, recover, and maintain a quality life with optimal health. There is, however, a clear differentiation of nursing from other health care providers through several criteria that revolve around their approach to the patient in providing care, practice, scope as well as the training (Guido 62). It will be appreciated that most of the nurses only provide care with the directive of the physician, and this is probably why nursing profession is referred to as care providers. The assignments undertaken by nurses are challenging, and they usually strive to offer the best out of their capacity. Despite this, they encounter a challenging and ethical dilemma and meet varied reaction from the parties involved. In this regard, there have been cases that nurses made decision which were not welcoming to a selected group of persons. Nevertheless, nurses are also allowed to independently practice and make jurisdictions based on their level of training. Due to the technological advancement in various fields, nursing has faced several evolutions and is diverting rapidly to accommodate areas that traditionally were not observed to be valuable. According to the American Nursing Association (ANA), nursing is referred to as a profession that takes the responsibility of providing protection, optimizing health, promoting those skills that will enhance a healthy living and alleviating suffering inflicted through unrelenting diagnosis and treatment (Bishop and Scudder 54). They are also believed to be the advocates for the families, communities, population and individuals so that the latter can embrace a healthy living life. With reference to this, it is unfortunate that nurses are faced with several issues during the discharge of their duties, and this is impairing their abilities to take full responsibilities in the wor k that they should do. Nurses are also faced with a plethora of ethical dilemmas that need to be adequately addresses to allow them have courage and take charge for their duties. When encountered by an ethical dilemma, the decision one makes may have severe consequences, which may be beyond his/her capacity. In this regard, several nurses have been charged for action that they have done while providing care for the patients, and this has attracted a divided opinion on the same. In this regard, careful consideration of all aspects of an activity should be done to ensure that the right course of action is taken. Nurses have the responsibility of providing the best service to their clients (patient), in a bid to ensure that their recovery is quick. Despite this, it is also agreed that the recovery of a patient is to some extent beyond the capabilities of nurses. There are the proponents of the opinion that nurses have to be charged in case of deteriorating health of the patient which c an be attributed to them. On the same breath, there are those who believe that nurses are supposed to be cushioned by the law under such circumstance that a dilemma arises and not be liable for any prosecution in a given case. The opponents of the nurses’ prosecution believe that there is no justification to file a suit for a nurse who is discharging a mandate, and resolving a dilemma, opt for a course that dissatisfies other parties. They propose that in the case of a dilemma, the nurse should remain supreme and be insulated against any form of prosecution. Moreover, no matter how direct the solution to a problem appear, any decision made meet mixed reactions, and thus it is impossible to meet the expectation of all persons. In this regard, provided that the

Accounting Cash Flow Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Accounting Cash Flow - Coursework Example The more cash associated with Pepsi’s depreciation means that the company had deducted from more from their assets. Further, for both 2011 and 2012, Coca Cola did not have any changes in liabilities, inventories or cash receivables, while Pepsi had all of the above. This affected Pepsi’s cash flow used in its business’ operation as compared to Coca Cola’s. Further, Coca Cola experienced more cash flows provided by adjustments in income as compared to Pepsi, which used more in the adjustment of its net income. Pepsi used 88000 (2012) and 250,000 (2011) in changes in accounts receivables while Coca Cola did not spend or received from this variable. For Pepsi the cash spent reduces from 2011 to 2012, implying that the company collected more revenues as compared to the cash collected. Further, Pepsi also experienced a decrease of the cash provided by changes in inventories from 144,000 to 4000 (2011 to 2012 respectively). This indicates more revenue as compare to cash collected by the company. For Coca Cola, there was no change recognized in its inventories and account receivables meaning the company did not experience any changes in their current assets. There could be no comparison of revenue and cash collected, which equates to management of working capital. Indifference to Pepsi, which makes use of account receivables and inventories, this implies that Coca Cola relied on other operating activities to manage its working capital. c. Analyse and explain the Financing Activities of each company in the two consecutive operating periods. State with reasons which of the two companies faces lower risk for their long-term funding policy in the most recent year. Both of the two companies witnessed the same trend throughout the two operating periods, for the cash flows used in financing activities, except for the other cash flows. For pepsi there was an increase in the money used for payment

Advertising,Sales and Promotion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Advertising,Sales and Promotion - Assignment Example e border and the Welsh Development Agency says this will ensure businesses will benefit from some of the billions it costs to stage the event.A spokesman for the London Olympic bid said that facilities including Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, the National Velodrome in Newport and the National Pool in Swansea would be ideal bases for athletes to acclimatize ahead of the games.Many small businesses, especially micro businesses of fewer than five employees, and new businesses struggling to start and to grow, did not always know a lot about what IT could do for them or how to use it to best effect.The programme is in three sections. One is about emails, scanning documents and using email rather than fax. Ecommerce is about doing more business using a website, for example enabling billing and payment to be done online. Those who don't have websites can be shown how to set them up."Initial estimates suggest the Games will attract additional spending by visitors of 187 million in London. A L ondon Games will require a workforce of 67,000 and approximately 3,500 "job years" would be created during the event itself"1. There is no doubt that the staging of the Olympic Games in London in 2012 will lead to a major capital programme as well as

Executive Remuneration Principles and practice Coursework

Executive Remuneration Principles and practice - Coursework Example There was a big financial crisis in 2007. The remuneration practices for the executives in large financial institutions and industrial firms played a large role in that crisis.1 The main slogan of these debates was "there should be a fair compensation". The meaning of this line can be implied in the following ways 2 : For gaining a big profit, the managers or the agents interest does not necessarily match with that of the shareholders.3 They run the show according to their convenience and satisfaction, even if that hurts the shareholders sentiments. This can cost the firm to lose a strategically important acquisitions offers and even a takeover decision as well. This might increase the value of the shareholders but the position of the managers will be at stake. If we look into the matter in this aspect, then a fair remuneration is that which is given as per the market condition and value. This should be decided by a healthy negotiation. The second important factor in this regard is disclosure or precisely a better transparency.4 This is also important as far as the accounting is concerned. This acts as an important monitoring tool that deals with the fairness of remuneration. This is beneficial for the company as well as the market authority and the stakeholders that help them put forward a stren uous auditing activity. The people who are in charge of remuneration decision, decide on the remuneration that may not be a fair one and also it lacks transparency. Improvement of the corporate governance policies makes the task of decision-making easier. Promoting fair regulators, negotiations and also few best practices act as boosters to this step.5 There are chances that new and improved decision steps are being added. The purpose of this is not only limited to the creation of an independent board that has an internal remuneration committee, but also to allow the shareholders to be an important part of the remuneration process.6

Ratio analysis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ratio analysis - Coursework Example Assets turnover ratio measures the amount of revenue generated from assets owned by the company. A decreasing trend because of reducing sales implies that promotions and advertising of sales must be done (Gibson and Gibson 187). The debt to income ratio measures the level of total income to that of total assets of the company. The company’s increasing ratio of 0.01% means that the both assets and sales are on the rise. Debt to equity ratio increases in the current year which means a lesser risk to the potential shareholders of the company. The investment potential of the company is safer for the likely investors. Competitors in the same industry are competing fairly with the company. The higher the higher the interest cover means improved ability of the company to pay its obligations. The company has enough chance to bear the amount of its prevailing finance cost. From its assets turnover ratio, the company is not optimizing the use of its assets. The company cannot generate more sales with any fewer assets. Decreasing asset turnover ratio means a negative impact on the return on equity (Gibson and Gibson

Executive Remuneration Principles and practice Coursework

Executive Remuneration Principles and practice - Coursework Example There was a big financial crisis in 2007. The remuneration practices for the executives in large financial institutions and industrial firms played a large role in that crisis.1 The main slogan of these debates was "there should be a fair compensation". The meaning of this line can be implied in the following ways 2 : For gaining a big profit, the managers or the agents interest does not necessarily match with that of the shareholders.3 They run the show according to their convenience and satisfaction, even if that hurts the shareholders sentiments. This can cost the firm to lose a strategically important acquisitions offers and even a takeover decision as well. This might increase the value of the shareholders but the position of the managers will be at stake. If we look into the matter in this aspect, then a fair remuneration is that which is given as per the market condition and value. This should be decided by a healthy negotiation. The second important factor in this regard is disclosure or precisely a better transparency.4 This is also important as far as the accounting is concerned. This acts as an important monitoring tool that deals with the fairness of remuneration. This is beneficial for the company as well as the market authority and the stakeholders that help them put forward a stren uous auditing activity. The people who are in charge of remuneration decision, decide on the remuneration that may not be a fair one and also it lacks transparency. Improvement of the corporate governance policies makes the task of decision-making easier. Promoting fair regulators, negotiations and also few best practices act as boosters to this step.5 There are chances that new and improved decision steps are being added. The purpose of this is not only limited to the creation of an independent board that has an internal remuneration committee, but also to allow the shareholders to be an important part of the remuneration process.6

Experiemntal Video Art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Experiemntal Video Art - Research Paper Example There is debate surrounding the importance of audience understanding the message of the video art. The genre, style and intent of the filmmaker is the major factor here. Some films are deliberately made in an abstract fashion, whose beauty lies in its ambiguity. This is the modernist direction in film and cinema where narrative forms have undergone experimentation. A discussion of French cinema is relevant here, as it offers a rich repository of filmmaking for over a hundred years. French directors, screenwriters and cinematographers have influenced or initiated various ‘waves’ of cinematic style over this period. French New Wave cinema is especially influential in this regard, which gave rise to truly modernist interpretations of cinematic art. Auteurs like Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, Jacques Rivette, Alain Resnais, etc have pushed the boundaries of narrative form and content. In the case of Godard, the break from conventional cinema or cinema du qualite is so c omplete that his works have eschewed narrative story-telling altogether. Instead, in the highly experimental ‘attempts at cinema’ (as Godard refers to his works) the emphasis is on constructing essays. This is a sharp deviation from the traditional preoccupation with storytelling. Godard can be credited with pioneering the ‘video essay’ format, an experimental genre that is marked by its artistic, theoretical, and political perspectives. It is a format that is not easily accessible to the lay audience. The video essay marks â€Å"a distinct aesthetic strategy, one that is premised on a mode of relationality. According to Ursula Biemann, the video essay as a genre, situates itself between documentary film and video art. Considered too experimental, self-reflexive and subjective for

The Game of Baseball Essay Example for Free

The Game of Baseball Essay Baseball is one of Americas favorite past times, as well as mine. There are many different sports for boys to play, however, baseball was the only one my heart got attached to. It has always given me that adrenaline rush that made me want to continue playing even up to today. Baseball is one of my fondest memories because it was a huge part of my childhood, it introduced me to some of my best friends, and helped mold into the person I am today. The baseball field brings back the best memories. Baseball is in my genes. When I would run onto the baseball field it’s like I just got hit with adrenaline. I played soccer and basketball also, but as I got older I felt that if I focused on one sport I could make myself great. I’ve been playing ever since I was able to throw and catch, and I am still playing in college. When I was younger it started with playing recreation sports. Playing for the recreation department wasn’t the greatest experience, but everyone made the team and everyone was out there to have fun. -16 Once I turned eleven I joined a travel team. On the travel team we traveled to Baton Rouge or Gulfport every weekend. We qualified for a chance to go play a week in Cooperstown, New York. We then got on a plane and flew to South Carolina, which we were supposed to switch planes to go to New York. When we got to South Carolina we found out that the plane we were supposed to get on left early so we had to take a charter bus the rest of the way and it took forever. We didn’t win the tournament; it was a great experience to play teams from all over the United States. After that tournament that team split up, and I joined a different team, which we played for a few years and won many tournaments. When I was fourteen, we qualified to go to the World Series in Liberty, Missouri. We won our first four games in pool play. We ended up getting second seed going into double elimination. Then we lost our first elimination game. If we lost any more games we were finished. When the team got back to the hotel we had a team meeting with all the parents. That meeting had everyone thinking and saying, â€Å"We aren’t losing the World Series. † We came out playing teams that also had one loss that were in the losers bracket, ten run ruling almost every team. We were dominating after our pep talk from the parents. When we made it out the losers bracket, we had to play the first place team that everyone was talking about the whole tournament. We had to beat them twice because they were undefeated and had to lose two games. The first game was a breeze, we won twelve to three. Then the final game we came out hitting and beat them again like it was nothing, twelve to two. We dog piled on the field, and after we stripped down to our sliding shorts then ran and jumped into the pond behind the center field fence. Winning the world series in a different state was the best baseball experience at the age of fourteen. Since I started playing at such a young age it got me prepared for middle school, in which I played both years. Then came high school, in which the fields were much bigger and bigger crowds. My senior year in high school was a year that I will never forget. I played five different positions, contributing my skills everywhere to help the team out in any way. I was First Team All-District Utility Player of the Year and had the second best batting average in district. We had a great season going undefeated in district. We were upset when we ended up losing in the second round of the playoffs to Central Baton Rouge 3-1. I was shocked when they got the last out of the games, I didn’t know what to do. After we went shakes hands the team just walked to the outfield and just sat down. It was a very emotional time because we were expected to win state. I walked to center field and just sat down and started tearing up. Some of the younger players didn’t know what to do but it helped a lot when everyone started giving out hugs. Then after a while we got into a circle and the coaches said a few words, but it was hard for them to talk. That was probably the hardest to ever leave a baseball field. Once we walked back to the dugout the parents were waiting for us to try to cheer us up. The seniors stayed in the dugout for probably an hour just realizing that was the last game we would play together on the same team. The baseball field looks amazing when the grass is freshly cut and the infield dirt is freshly dragged on game day. The night games are the ones that get your heart pumping when the lights come on and the field is lit up. It makes you feel like yopur invincible.

Proactive Network Defence Techniques in Security Attacks

Proactive Network Defence Techniques in Security Attacks 1. Introduction Network Security in the twenty-first century is one of the critical aspects for the effective management and protection of the enterprise data alongside its sustained operations (Stallings, 2007[1]). This is naturally because of the fact that the threat for network security has increased from passive attacks to active breach of the security through exploiting the vulnerabilities of the network and its set-up as argued by McClure et al, 2007[2]. This makes it clear that apart from the traditional security measures in and organization, it is essential to launch a pro-active approach to identify and prevent attacks on the network. In this report a critical review on the application of proactive network defence techniques to help identify and prevent security attacks to enable network defence is presented to the reader. 2. What is Proactive Network Defence? The proactive network defence strategy as opposed to the traditional network security differs mainly in its application within a given network. This is because of the fact that the proactive network defence strategy is predominantly involved in the process of analysing incoming communication and data transfer within the organization’s network to identify patterns for virus attack or security breach outside the purview of the virus definitions that are normally handled by anti-virus software used. This makes it clear that the application of the pro-active network defence strategy in an organization mainly focused on identifying and preventing new virus patterns, Trojan programs, etc., as opposed to handling the existing virus definitions (Todd and Johnson, 2001[3]). Todd and Johnson (2001) further argues that the network attacks by hackers and other unauthorised users is mainly through exploiting the vulnerabilities in the existing set-up of a network and the programs used for communication etc., This makes it clear that the use of the proactive network defence strategy is a key requirement to assess the communication infrastructure and the protocols used on a regular basis to identify potential vulnerabilities through constant analysis in order to help prevent malicious attacks exploiting such vulnerabilities (McClure et al, 2007). Some of the key proactive network defence strategies are discussed with examples in the subsequent sections of this report. The application of proactive network defence can be accomplished through implementing a set of applications that are targeted to perform network data analysis and performance analysis on the network as well as the computers connected to the network. This strategy will help feed the network security definitions with potential threats to the network thus enabling the organization to update the network security policies by an organization. Another critical factor associated with the network security and proactive defence approach is the increasing need for sustainability over disaster recovery for uninterrupted operations of the core business processes. This makes it clear that the implementation of proactive network defence strategies through continuously monitoring the network traffic will help achieve the desired level of network defence against external attacks. The level of threats faced by a network varies with the extent to which its vulnerabilities are visible to the hackers and the nature of the information being handled. 3. Event Correlation This is deemed to be one of the key elements of proactive network defence as the events leading to the security attack like a Denial of Service (DoS) Attack when analysed online can help prevent the attack rather than repair the damage post-recovery of the attack (Hariri et al, 2005[4]). This process is mainly the ability to use the proactive network defence system to analyse the network data and the events handled by an application as part of the network communication in order to identify patterns of unusual nature that can affect the network defence as argued by Todd and Johnson (2001). One of the key areas where event correlation online is necessary would be the ICMP attacks and the DoS attacks mentioned above. In these cases the major vulnerability of the network is the ability of the attacker to exploit the basic nature of the protocol architecture and logical conditions that lead to the handshake and subsequent communication between the parties involved. The spoofing and flooding attacks that exploit the network layer protocol communication vulnerabilities associated with the handshake process. The sequence of events that lead to the successful attack are mainly associated with the network switch or the hub failing to recognise the malicious user in the handshake process resulting in the transfer of data to the unauthorised user. The events correlation at the network level on the hub will help analyse the series of events in the handshake process raised by the unauthorised user just by identifying the level of communication ports dedicated to the channel for communication thus helping prevent such an attack at the network level. Apart from the case of spoofing and flooding at the network layer protocol attacks, the process of event correlation is one of the critical components of proactive network defence owing to the fact that the communication vulnerabilities is evident at all the communication layers of the TCP/IP model as well as the applications using them for communication as argued by Conway (2004) (2004)[5]. This is naturally because of the fact that the event correlation is one of the major elements that help identify new Trojan programs that have infiltrated the firewall. Once the events are recorded, a correlation either linear or non-linear would help identify potential threats to the network by identifying Vulnerabilities in the network The programs that have exploited such vulnerabilities The events leading to the threat Upon identifying the above, a network administrator can successfully prevent the attack by updating the security policies and virus definitions of the network’s anti-virus program. Another example for the case above will be the Pine e-mail program in UNIX and Linux Machines that generated temporary file a user was editing an e-mail message (Howard and Whittaker, 2005[6]). The event correlation process can help identify the sequence of events associated with the access of the temporary files by unauthorised users. The above example also justifies that the communication level security vulnerability is not the only issue but also the actual software application that is utilising the communication protocol (Conway, 2004). 4. Real-time Analysis and Event logging The process of real-time analysis is deemed to be one of the key aspects of proactive network defence. This is necessary because both the software application vulnerability and the network vulnerability. The real-time analysis as argued by Hariri et al (2005) is mainly performed as a listener service that is dedicated to capture the events as they occur whilst analysing them against the logged events from either a database-based application or the event logs that are generated by the operating system. This is the process that can help control the network attacks as the comparison with the historic events is one of the key aspects associated with identifying planned attacks on a network as argued by Hariri et al (2005). The use of the real-time analysis of the events along with using the existing set of events is indeed a memory rich and processor demanding process. Hence the implementation of this procedure across a wide network would require effective configuration of the available resources in order to optimize the network performance for running the enterprise applications. The implementation of the real-time analysis strategy as part of the proactive network defence is deemed to be an advanced level of security implementation purely due to the fact that the resources consumed and the nature of the requirement to prevent the slightest attack on the network. This makes it clear that the real-time analysis with correlation to the archive events in either the event logs or database is not an option for small and medium enterprises whilst the real-time analysis in itself is a powerful tool that can help fend the network attacks effectively in a proactive manner. One of the major areas where the real-time analysis is applicable is the case of spyware (Luo, 2006[7]). The case of spyware is predominantly dependant on the ability to mask the events and listen into the target computer/network without the knowledge of the user. The use of the real-time analysis of the events will help identify patterns that can be assessed in order to identify potential spyware that are running in the computer. The use of real-time analysis as part of the proactive network defence will also help identify critical issues associated with the network performance as the primary aim of attackers is the de-stabilise the network. The use of the real-time analysis to review the network performance will help prevent the infiltration of hackers through the use of listeners programs on the transport layer and network layer protocols either through opening an additional communication port or through flooding the communication ports with malicious handshake requests. Attacks like Tiny Fragment Attack which is targeted on the TCP protocol through exploiting the filtering rules of the protocol algorithm can be identified effectively using the real-time analysis. The use of appropriate conditions on identifying the filtering rules’ manipulation in the real-time analysis will help achieve the desired level of network defence whilst preventing the exploitation of the TCP protocol rules. Spyware related attacks that threaten the corporate environment heavily as argued by Lou (2006) can be identified and prevented effectively using the proactive network defence strategies. The real-time analysis strategy of proactive network defence will help accomplish the desired level of network defence whilst continuously analysing the data transferred across the network. 5. Access Control and Network Immunity The use of the access control and network immunity in a network defence strategy is one of the major areas where the network security can be maintained whilst preventing the unauthorised access to the network/network resources as argued by Hariri et al (2005). The proactive network defence strategy in an organization though event correlation and real-time analysis can be achieved effectively through enabling a robust access control policy across the network as argued by Conway (2004). This owing to the fact that the code hacking targeted on the TLS and SET protocols of the TCP/IOP protocol stack can be identified through analysis through the effective use of the access control policies as argued by Conway (2004). This is plausible by integrating the real-time analysis with the access control policies of the network thus providing the ability to handle exceptions and violations to the network access for a given user registered with the network. It is further critical to appreciate the fact that the major vulnerability within a network is the access control which when not implemented effectively will provide room for the registered users to exploit their network access rights. Role-Based Access control that is deemed to be a logical and proactive measure to prevent the malicious access to the information whilst enabling robust access control policy is one of the strategies that can help achieve proactive network defence. The combined use of the real-time analysis and the Role-Based Access Control methodology will help accomplish proactive network defence against external as well as internal attacks on the network. Application penetration as argued by Howard and Whittaker (2005) is one of the major areas where the network immunity strategy can help achieve proactive network defence against malicious attacks on the network. As the inherent weaknesses of the application when identified by the hacker to use for his/her benefit will result in the network being attacked from the core through the application, it is necessary to implement strategies like the aforementioned in order to enable reliable network security. This process is also evident in the case of throughput-based attacks on the communication protocols like the Blind-Throughput reduction attack which can be used by the attacker to reduce the amount of data transferred on purpose when using ICMP protocols. The use of the network immunity through real-time analysis and the use of access control strategies will help draft a better appreciation of the issue faced by the network and the cause for the performance reduction. This when identifie d can be integrated to the existing security policies of the network in order to prevent abuse of the vulnerabilities within the network. The case of through reduction attacks also accompany the threat of forcing the server computer to re-send the same message multiple times with reduction in the packet size owing to the inability of the destination to receive the packet. This strategy popularly known as the performance degradation attack by the hackers can have serious impact on the server performance due to the lack of the server to cater for more number of users can be identified through the use of proactive network defence strategies like real-time analysis and network immunity to ensure that the performance of the network as well as the computers connected to the network are not affected. The use of event correlation and real-time analysis strategies will help identify the critical issues associated with the communication port related attacks on server computers like the TCP port 80 attacks can be identified and prevented effectively. As the port 80 is one of the key communication ports for TCP protocol in external communication, the exploitation of this vulnerability will affect the overall performance of the server computer being attacked thus resulting in performance degradation. The use of the proactive monitoring methods for network defence can help overcome these issues by identifying patterns through running correlation (linear or non-linear) to prevent new attacks targeted on such communication ports. The HTTP protocol which is a critical element in the Web-based applications for electronic commerce is another key application layer protocol that is targeted by hackers on specific communication ports of the computers involved in the communication. 6. Applied Proactive Network Defence and Protocol Attacks’ countermeasures The countermeasures for protocol attacks specific to the vulnerability in each network communication protocols used for communication over the Internet are mainly reactive in nature. This is because of the fact that the countermeasures Port Randomization for Blind Connection Reset Attack etc., were set in place following an attack but not prevented through assessing the network communication architecture beforehand. In case of the use of the proactive network defence strategy, the key advantage is to use specific software algorithms to assess the existing network and perform a vulnerability check in order to identify the key areas where there will be potential external attacks. This approach will help prevent new attacks through enabling new virus definitions that handle exceptions raised through these attacks. The applied proactive network defence strategy is deemed to be a continuously evolving strategy that can help identify and handle vulnerabilities in the network as well as the applications used in the network. This makes it clear that the effective use of the applied proactive network defence strategies will help realize the desired network security at an on-going basis as opposed to the traditional countermeasures approach which is mainly reactive in nature. 7. Conclusion From the discussion presented above it is clear that the proactive network defence when applied across a given enterprise network will help achieve a dynamic network security management. However, the key element that must be appreciated is the fact that the network security must be enabled for the existing security threats using the security definitions and policies defined by the organization alongside the commercial software used for the network security. The continuous update of the virus definitions alongside the firewall configuration and security updates from the security software vendor is critical for the network security. The major advantage of the use of the proactive network defence strategy is the ability to identify patterns that may have been missed by the definitions from the security software vendor. The configuration of proactive network defence system to the security requirements specific to the organization’s network will help implement a layer of security o ver the otherwise reactive network security strategy. It is also critical to appreciate that the proactive network defence in an organization will help address not only the security related aspects of the network but provide a comprehensive support strategy by analysing the performance of the network and the server/nodes comprising the network. The applied proactive network defence strategy is thus a layer of security that can help effectively use the security software and network resources in an integrated fashion. Footnotes [1] Stallings, W. (2007), Cryptography and Network Security: 4th Edition, Prentice Hall [2] McClure, S.; Kurtz, G.; and Scambray, J. (2005), Hacking Exposed – 5th Edition, McGraw-Hill [3] Todd, C. and Johnson, N. L. (2001), Hack Proofing Windows 2000 Server Security, Syngress Publishing [4] Hariri, S.; Guangzhi Qu; Modukuri, R.; Huoping Chen and Yousif, M.; (2005), Quality-of-protection (QoP)-an online monitoring and self-protection mechanism, Selected Areas in Communications, IEEE Journal on Volume 23, Issue 10 [5] Conway, R. (2004), Code Hacking : A Developers Guide to Network Security, Charles River Media [6] Howard, M. and Whittaker, J. A. (2005), Application Penetration Testing, IEEE COMPUTER SOCIETY, 1540-7993/05/$20.00 [7] Luo, X. (2006), A Holistic Approach for Managing Spyware, E D P A C S, VOL. XXXIII, NO. 11

Ethics :: Informative, Good, Evil

Ethics is defined as the knowledge of the principles of good and evil. Sensitivity to ethical issues should be prerequisite for any profession that holds public trust. Nursing holds a public trust and therefore we must be aware of ethical concerns when dealing with patients (Barry, 2002). Ethical dilemmas such as consent force nurses to decide on possible actions to take. By discussing the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence and non-maleficence and applying the ethical theories I hope to make it clear how nurses justify their actions. My understanding of ethical accountability is that I am answerable to myself; I must always be truthful, fair and respectful and I believe I must treat others as I would like to be treated. Nurses faced with an ethical dilemma have to decide which possible action is the right action to take and how choice of this action over others is justified (Singleton and McLaren, 1995). During the module we have looked at various ethical models including Seedhouse’s Ethical Grid (1998) and Curtin’s Ethical Decision Making Model (1982) which provide guidance toward the resolution of clinical dilemmas; some of the aspects of these models will be evolved in the next section of this assignment. Rumbold (1999) insists that respect for a person’s autonomy is one of the crucial principles in nursing ethics and ethical models. Gillon (1986, pp.56) defines autonomy as â€Å"the capacity to think, decide, and act on the basis of such thought and decision, freely and independently and without let or hindrance†. Therefore, it can be said that patients can expect to be fully informed of any methods of treatment available to them, in order to exercise their rights to consent to or refuse such treatment. In order for a nurse to fully respect patients autonomy, she must respect whatever decision the patient makes, and to act otherwise is to disregard the patient as an autonomous being (Fletcher et al., 1995). Fletcher, Holt, Brazier et al. (1995) discuss that when considering patient well-being, nurses may demonstrate paternalism towards their patients. Paternalism is to believe that it is right to make a decision for someone without taking into consideration those person s wishes, or even to override their wishes; therefore overriding autonomy. This happens all the more in Mental Health and Learning Disability services because people assume that they may not have capacity to make decisions for themselves. Singleton and Mclaren (1995) suggest that justification for nursing interventions rest on the concept that the principle of beneficence and non-maleficence takes precedence over considerations of respect for the patient’s autonomy.

Conflict, Decision Making, and Organizational Design Essay

1. Discuss how you could apply negotiation strategies to address potential conflicts in the workplace. The primary focus at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is patient/Veteran care and establishing new Veteran enrollees. This is done by direct marketing among other forms of outreach. For VA, negotiation will be important in not only establishing a new enrollee, but keeping that enrollee as well. According to Hellriegel and Slocum, integrative negotiations are used to â€Å"achieve results that benefit both parties† (2011, p.397). By consistently explaining and showing Veterans the benefits, they gain by maintaining their health care through VA, and how the outcome will benefit them, VA will continue to receive the federal funding to continue sustained operations for the coming years. According to Hellriegel and Slocum in order for integrative negotiations to be successful, VA should follow these principles: * Separate the people from the problem- VA’s staff must not allow their personal issues with Veterans to interfere with the negotiation process instead focus on the issue at hand. * Focus on interests, not positions – Understand the needs and interests of the clients instead of being concerned about title. * Invent options for mutual gains- This is where creative decision making comes into play. By presenting the client with several alternatives to meet their needs, Winston has a better chance of finding one that the client finds appealing. * Insist on using objective criteria – When dealing with marketing, it is imperative that goals are measurable and obtainable. 2. Determine how evidence-based management could be applied to the work environment you researched. Evidence-based management is defined by Hellriegel and Slocum as â€Å"the premise that using a better, deeper diagnosis and employing facts to the extent possible enable managers and leaders to do their jobs better† (2011, p.425). Hellriegel and Slocum also outline five diagnostic questions to be used to help leaders avoid â€Å"simpleminded quick fixes† (2011, p.425) which address how assumptions are used, if the assumptions are reasonable, and what alternatives could address the same issue more consistently. At Winston there are a few areas where evidence-based management could apply, specifically human resources and scheduling. The human resource department at Winston is responsible for recruiting talent and developing training. Both these tasks are found in almost all organizations, therefore extensive data about how to best approach them is available. In such an instance, utilizing tried and true techniques for evaluating prospective employees and training them to properly do their job saves Winston time and money because they do not have to risk failure trying to develop their own techniques. Scheduling is also an area where there is extensive data that supports how to properly schedule employees to ensure that all client goals are met in the predetermine time frame. In fact, scheduling is one of the major components of Operations Management. 3. Analyze the blocks, stages, and methods of creative decision making to determine the best approach the employer you researched should follow when making managerial decisions. The very nature of the business at Winston lends itself to creative decision making since all the tasks involve the use of some form of creativity. From packaging design to visual stylists, the team at Winston is constantly using their creativity to meet client expectations. As a result of the artistic environment, using creativity when making managerial decisions comes naturally at Winston. There are several blocks, stages and methods of creative decision making yet only one approach would work the best at Winston, Osborn’s Creativity Process. Creative decision making involves several things, but before beginning the process it is important to recognize the blocks that can it from working properly. Perceptual blocks happen when one does not interpret a problem correctly based on a limited scope of understanding. When applied to the type of work done at Winston this can happen if an Account Manager incorrectly stereotypes the target demographic based on their personal experiences. Cultural blocks happen when one has a desire to conform to societal norms, avoid conflict, be practical, and believe that open-ended exploration is a waste of time (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011, p. 431). The staff at Winston must not be held back by cultural blocks because often the brands they work for are being marketed to an extremely diverse customer base with no clearly defined culture. In fact, part of what Winston does is create the brand’s culture so that like-minded individuals feel a sense of connection and will purchase the products . The final block, emotional, is most often seen as the presence of fear. Whether it is fear of failure, fear of others, or fear of making a mistake this emotion is a strong deterrent to the creative process. According to Hellriegel and Slocum, â€Å"For many organizations, fostering creativity and innovation is essential to their ability to offer high-quality products and services† (2011, p. 432). For Winston’s continued success, creativity and innovation must occur with every client on a consistent basis or they will lose business. For a brand to stand out in the increasingly crowded retail environment, their marketing efforts must be memorable and identifiable. This holds especially true when Winston designs the space a client will occupy in a brick-and-mortar retailer where brands are often thrown together based on functionality. If the space looks like something that has already been done, chances are customers will overlook it and go for something else that catches their eye. Once the three blocks are addressed, the creative process can begin. There are five stages to the creative process that are similar to the phases that are a part of Osborn’s creativity process. The first and second stages of the creative process, preparation and concentration, is similar to Osborn’s first phase, fact-finding. All three focus on identifying/defining and investigating the issue or problem. It is important to note that identifying the problem must be followed by â€Å"gathering and analyzing relevant data† (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011, p 434) so that there is a solid base to build upon during the following stages/phases. For Winston this may mean discovering that a problem with accessibility and visibility, not the product itself, are the reasons why buyers were not interested in a particular brand at a trade show (supported by sales data). The team at Winston can then use pictures and diagrams of the last trade show booth and layout to create new des igns for the next one during the incubation stage or idea-finding phase. The incubation stage is the third of five stages in the creative process and is similar to the idea-finding phase of Osborn’s creativity process. During this stage/phase, management brainstorms alternative solutions to the problem or issue identified in the previous stage/phase. In order to come up with the best solution possible, no idea should be rejected during this stage and team members should let their imaginations run wild since this is the perfect opportunity to be innovative and separate the client’s brand from competitors. This stage/phase is the most important to a creative services firm such as Winston because the generation of several ideas gives the Account Manager several options to pitch to the client. With a variety of options it is more likely that the client will find one they like and decide to do business with Winston instead of another firm. The fourth stage in the creative process is the illumination stage which â€Å"is the moment of discovery† (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011, p.432). Similarly, Osborn’s creativity process has the solution-finding phase which involves generating and evaluating possible courses of action and deciding how they should be implemented (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011, p.435). During this stage management must come to a consensus about which of the ideas generated during the previous stage/phase would best address the problem or issue identified at the beginning of the process. At Winston this would mean narrowing down the ideas generated to the top two or three, pitching them to the client, and then working with the client to implement the one chosen. Verification, the final creative stage, has no counterpart in Osborn’s creativity process. According to Hellriegel and Slocum, this stage â€Å"involves the testing of the created solution or idea† (2011, p. 432). At Winston this may mean building a small version the revamped trade show booth and using it at a few minor shows as a test run before unveiling it at the industries larger trade shows such as WWD MAGIC in Las Vegas. Testing is important because it allows the kinks to be worked out before producing something on a large scale which could mean a huge financial loss if done improperly. Although there are other creative decision making methods, Osborn’s creativity process works best for Winston because it is straight-forward and simple to execute. The other models of creative decision making are electronic brainstorming and De Bono’s lateral thinking. Electronic brainstorming is also not a good option for Winston because the software required to correctly utilize this method is an expense that such a small firm cannot afford when trying to keep their prices competitive. Also, the artistic aspect of the work done at Winston is best collaborated on in-person so that drawings and models can be seen by all involved. De Bono’s lateral thinking method involves the usage of techniques such as analogy, cross-fertilization, and reversal. This method is not the best for Winston because the techniques used to foster the development of new ideas are not feasible for the type of work done at Winston. For instance, the cross-fertilization technique requires the use of outside experts from other fields which means additional expenses that a small firm such as Winston may not be able to afford. The analogy technique requires specific and concrete analogies, whereas the nature of the messages and work done by Winston are abstract. Finally the reversal technique â€Å"involves examining a problem by turning it completely around, inside out, or upside down† (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011, p. 433). This is the one technique that may work for Winston, but it is a more complex process than Osborn’s and therefore harder to follow. 4. Discuss the environmental and strategic factors that affect the organizational design of the company you researched. Winston utilizes a decentralized network design to ensure efficiency and profitability. According to Hellriegel and Slocum, â€Å"Decentralization is the delegation of authority to lower level employees or departments† (2011, p.460). Decentralization relies upon upper management delegating certain tasks which allow lower level employees to make decisions within predetermined constraints. For instance, Winston’s field merchandisers often need to make changes to their schedules. There are a number of Staffing Managers who are able to review and approve these changes, thus allowing the Senior Manager of Staffing and Analysis to focus on more important tasks. Winston’s horizontal organizational design type is a network. â€Å"Organizational design is the process of selecting a structure for the tasks, responsibilities, and authority relationships within an organization† (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011, p.446). In the case of Winston, although there are two main offices, New York and San Francisco, a large portion of the work is done by independent contractors throughout the nation in the field. According to Hellriegel and Slocum this is a network design, meaning an organizations â€Å"subcontracts some or many of its operations to other firms and coordinates them to accomplish specific goals† (2011, p. 467). There are several environmental factors that affect organizational design including suppliers, distributors, competitors, and customers (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011, p448). The first environmental factor to be considered when developing an organizational design is suppliers. Although Winston does not use raw materials to create a product, they still need suppliers to provide office goods and technology. Office goods are used at Winston for basic needs such as printing, taking notes, etc., but also for industry specific tasks such as preparing storyboards and interior space design drawings necessary to acquire and service clients. Technology suppliers are needed for things such as phone and internet service as well as cell phones, analytical software, and computers. As a mid-sized company, Winston must ensure that they work with suppliers that are not only reliable, but also cost-efficient. To guarantee a streamlined ordering process, Winston employs a full-time Purchaser whose sole task is to negotiate with and order from suppliers. The second environmental factor that affects organizational design is distributors. Hellriegel and Slocum define distributors as â€Å"the various organizations that help other organizations deliver and sell its products† (2011, p.449). As a provider of a service, Winston has a small distribution channel in terms of tangible goods, but a large one in terms of intangible service providers. To deliver materials such as tags, name badges and other marketing goods to their network of field merchandisers Winston has a business account with FedEx. Within the organization the Account Managers are responsible for getting material to their subordinates get in a timely manner so that goals are met in the required timeframe. On the intangible side, Winston’s nation-wide network of independent contractors is responsible for delivering the in-store services that clients rely upon Winston to deliver. Competitors are the third environmental factor to be considered when determining organization design. Hellriegel and Slocum wrote, â€Å"Competitors can also influence the design of an organization because they drive the organization to become more productive† (2011, p.449). As a mid-sized company, Winston must work extremely hard to ensure they remain cost competitive against larger retail marketing firms. To do so, Winston needs to utilize a design that is â€Å"simple and easy to manage† (Hellriegel & Slocum, 201, p. 449). One way major way Winston does this is by keeping their employee count low. Account Managers handle several accounts at once, decreasing the need for a large number of employees on this level. Also Winston uses part-time independent contractors in the field instead of full-time staff to make the payroll process simpler as it does not include tax or benefit deductions. The final environmental factor that influences organizational design is customers. At Winston the customers are the retail companies that hire them to do a wide variety of marketing tasks such as merchandising, brand promotions, environmental design, etc. To develop and maintain accounts with valuable clients and remain competitive, Winston offers personalized services with an eye for detail. As mentioned in paragraphs above, Winston works hard to ensure that overhead remains low so that they can offer competitive pricing. References Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J. W., Jr. (2011). Organizational behavior: 2011 custom edition (13th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Krivis, J. (2006). Can we call a truce? Ten tips for negotiating workplace conflicts. Employment Relations Today (Wiley), 33(3), 31-35. doi:10.1002/ert.20115 Supplier Relationships.(2012). Retrieved September 7, 2012 from http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/term/82658.html

Effect of Light Color on Plants

Introduction Living organisms have been classified by humans according to several different characteristics, one of them being the manner in which they obtain nutritive organic molecules (1), in other words, their food. Plants are denominated as autotrophs, organisms that can produce their own food from abiotic sources surrounding them, such as light, carbon dioxide and water (2). Plants use these three factors in photosynthesis to convert light energy into chemical energy, which is then stored until the plant needs it, or used right away (3). The process of photosynthesis takes place on organelles (substructures inside eukaryotic cells) called chloroplasts, more specifically, on the membrane of the thylakoids inside the chloroplasts, where protein complexes known as photosystems are situated. It’s these complexes that are responsible for the photosynthetic processes. Because this is the main way in which plants obtain their food, and light energy is the base of said process, light is absolutely essential for their growth. Sunlight contains many different wavelengths which, when isolated, present different colors of visible light. Plants cannot use all wavelengths of light, however, because the different chlorophylls (pigments in the plants’ chloroplasts, also responsible for photosynthesis) absorb and use only certain wavelengths of light ; the rest is reflected back out, unused (4). Exposed to sunlight, plants have available to them, a range of wavelengths wider than the light spectrum visible to us, from which they utilize only a select range for photosynthesizing. This essay will investigate the effect light color/wavelength has on plant germination and rate of photosynthesis. Cellophane sheets of different colors (red, yellow, blue, green) and clear plastic wrap were used to provide these limited wavelengths . The experiments dealing with germination consisted of different seeds being planted separately from other species and being covered by the different colored cellophane or the clear wrap; they were then watered and monitored for a week, taking note of any growth. The plants used were the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), brown mustard (Brassica juncea), and common oats (Avena sativa). For the photosynthesis rate experiment, same sized Brazilian waterweeds (Egeria densa) were inserted in eudiometer tubes filled with water and then placed in a beaker half-filled with water. Each test tube was wrapped with a different color, and the volume of oxygen produced, through photosynthesis, by each of the plants was compared. Beans, specifically all the plants under the genus Phaseolus, are amongst the fastest growing plants and are said to germinate within a week. To make them germinate faster, it’s usually recommended to soak them in water before planting because hydrating the seeds stimulates germination. (5) They also benefit from warm temperatures because they are native to more tropical climates (6). They need to be planted in well drained soil because they aren’t tolerant to water excess. Mustard is also among the fastest sprouting plants, but its growth afterwards is relatively slow as it’s meant to grow flower buds five weeks later. It does better in cool conditions than warm and can usually withstand short periods of mild drought with little to now consequences. In addition, it too, is not tolerant to water clogging in the soil (7). Oats are native to warm, sub-tropical regions and can manage well in poor soils (8) but they also require good water draining . The Experiments Germination Fifteen equally sized plastic containers (cylindrical in shape, approximately 8cm in diameter and 6cm in height) were filled with the same amount of soil. Five of them were allotted to each plant species; making sure to add the same amount of seeds in each segment (comparing to the same species, since the size of the beans and oats is much greater than the brown mustard seeds and would therefore be unreasonable to compare their numbers). Each of the containers was covered with cellophane of a different color (red, blue, yellow, green, or clear plastic wrap) and secured with a rubber band so that each species had a sample exposed to each different light color. They were watered with normal tap water, placed next to the same windowpane for a week and monitored every day. The cellophane secured with the rubber band created a seal that was too tight, preventing excess water from evaporating which overloaded the plants with water and deprived them of enough oxygen. Towards the end of the week, the plants were left covered by the cellophane, but unsecured by the rubber band so that the water was able to evaporate, to provide the dry mass of the samples, which were on average 0. 06g lighter than at the beginning of the week, when they were planted . The mass measured included the seeds, soil and plastic container. Even though an unknown type of fungus started growing in the containers because of the high humidity and warm temperature, some shoots were visible (Table 1). Cellophane ColorQualitative Data Red Some oat and mustard shoots, fungus growth Yellow Fungus growth, no shoots visible Green Oat and some mustard shoots visible, some fungus growth Blue Some oat and few mustard shoots, fungus growth Clear Fungus growth, no shoots visible These samples were discarded and a new method was devised: A cardboard egg container was cut into fifteen separate segments (for the five colors for each of the three species) which were to be used instead of the plastic containers to allow excess water to evaporate through the porous walls and bottom of the cardboard. These segments were then loosely filled in with cotton-wool. After the first experiment, where seeds drowned and fungus started to grow instead because of the excess of water, cotton seemed the best substitute for soil; it would allow for even dispersal of water, a lot of more light would be able to reach the seeds, it would be easier to observe the germination process, and since the cotton didn’t weigh practically anything, it would be easy to measure the change of plant mass on a scale. The segments were weighed once they had the cotton and seeds in them; their mass was noted down individually. A thin layer of cotton was placed on top of the seeds so they would retain moisture above them as well as below, but still allowing light to reach them. Then, the segments were watered with a handheld sprayer until the cotton was thoroughly moist and then were weighed again. To provide the different light coloring, one sample of each species was placed underneath a handmade cover fashioned out of bamboo and cellophane. These covers (Figure 1) provided the needed space for the plants to grow, free flow of air, and control of light shining on the plants. The cotton wool wasn’t a good substitute for soil since it retained little water and evaporated too quickly for the plants to take it in; it mostly bled into the cardboard, which, because of its porous nature, allowed for further evaporation of water. The results are shown in the following table: Color of CellophaneQualitative Data Red Few mustard shoots + very few oat shoots Yellow Very few mustard shoots Green Mustard shoots* + oat shoots ~4cm Blue Mustard shoots* + oat shoots ~3cm Clear Mustard shoots* + oat shoots ~6cm New cardboard segments were cut out and filled in with soil this time. Care was taken to add the same amount of soil (~ 4. 25g) and water (2. 0g) to each container at the beginning of the experiment. The following three days, the amount of water was altered from day to day to find the adequate amount of water that could be retained by the soil without too much bleeding into the cardboard container (since this would weaken its structure and remain unused by the plant); the conclusion was derived that the amount of water should be of the same mass as half of the soil in the container in order to maximize water intake by the plant: about 2. 5g. The results can be seen in Table 3 on the following page. Color of CellophaneQualitative Data Red Mustard sprouts* Yellow No growth Green Mustard sprouts * + oat shoots ~5cm Blue Mustard sprouts* + oat shoots ~8cm Clear Mustard sprouts* + oat shoots ~8cm Photosynthesis Rate The rate of photosynthesis was measured through the volume of oxygen produced in a set amount of time. To do this, six eudiometer tubes were wrapped with different color cellophane (one was left bare, to be the control) and filled with tap water. Next, six strands of Brazilian waterweeds were cut to the same size, each inserted into an eudiometer tube and then placed in a half filled beaker. The eudiometers were held with clamps on a stand and left next to wide windows to photosynthesize at their own rate. The oxygen produced by the plants floated to the surface creating bubbles that could then be measured and compared to each other. The sunlight provided was insufficient however, and the oxygen produced was too little to be measured accurately, but there were clear differences between the different samples; the waterweed in the red light was the one the produced most oxygen, followed by the green, then the blue, yellow, and clear. The control, the one without any cover, was the one that produced the least oxygen. After the experimentation, the data collected was reviewed to determine the most beneficial color for plant germination and photosynthesis rate. Taking the data from each week, the cellophane colors were arranged in order of effectiveness, to make it easier to compare the results (Table 4). Germination Photosynthesis Rate Week 1 Week 2Week 3 Red Green* Clear* Blue* Green Red* Green* Clear* Blue Blue* Blue* Green* Yellow Clear Red Red* Clear YelllowYellow Yellow No cover

Organizational Communication

Shockley-Zalabak (2009) suggests the major characteristics of the scientific management school are carefully developed chains of command and efficient division of labor† (p. 68). The netmba. com (2010) website, which cites Taylor (1911), suggests the following four major characteristics of the scientific management school: * Replace the rule-of-thumb work methods based on a scientific study of the tasks. * Scientifically select, train, and develop each worker rather than passively leaving them to rain themselves. Cooperate with the workers to ensure that the scientifically methods are being followed. * Divide work nearly evenly between managers and workers, so that the managers apply scientific management principles to planning the work and the workers actually perform the tasks. (p. 1) The scientific method implication on communication is manifested in management controlling the chain of communication. Shockley-Zalabak (2009), who cites Faylor (1949), suggests â€Å"orders should come from only one superior and that a bypass of the chain of command would be a source of problems† (p. 9). I believe this suggest that communication is organized from the top down. In addition, I believe this communication method does not afford any input form subordinates or other stakeholders. I believe it assumes that management is always right and is the only source of solutions. Thereby, I believe subordinates are somewhat disenfranchised. Shockley-Zalabak (2009) suggests, â€Å"The human behavior [school characteristics] assumes that work is accomplished through people and emphasizes cooperation, participation, satisfaction, and interpersonal skills† (p. 72). Therefore, I believe this theory encourages open, participatory communication between management and subordinates at all levels. In my organization, I believe our school based management and planning team utilizes this management style in making decisions. The worldbank. org (2007) website suggests school-based management â€Å"is the decentralization of authority from the central government to the school level† (p. 2). Our school based planning management team encourages cooperation, shared decision-making, and participation among all stakeholders, which are tenets of the human behavior theory. Shockley-Zalabak (2009) suggests, integrated perspectives characteristics â€Å"attempt to explain how people, technologies, and environments integrate to influence all that happens in organizations† (p. 77-78). I believe this theory, as Shockley-Zalabak (2009) suggests, affects â€Å"the effectiveness of communication [not only] within the organization, but also to how the organization communicates with its environment, its customers, and community† (p. 88). In my organization, technology is used to communicate real-time attendance, schedule, and grading data to parents and students through a system called SchoolMax. The K12progrms. com website suggests, SchoolMax is one of the most technologically advanced web-based student information systems available on the market today that addresses the broad needs of today's K-12 school districts with a fully integrated and feature rich solution for the management of student information. In final analysis, I suggest scientific method, human behavior, and integrated perspectives influence organizational communication. References http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EDUCATION/Resources/278200-1099079877269/547664-1099079934475/547667-1145313948551/what_is_SBM.pdf Organizational Communication Shockley-Zalabak (2009) suggests the major characteristics of the scientific management school are carefully developed chains of command and efficient division of labor† (p. 68). The netmba. com (2010) website, which cites Taylor (1911), suggests the following four major characteristics of the scientific management school: * Replace the rule-of-thumb work methods based on a scientific study of the tasks. * Scientifically select, train, and develop each worker rather than passively leaving them to rain themselves. Cooperate with the workers to ensure that the scientifically methods are being followed. * Divide work nearly evenly between managers and workers, so that the managers apply scientific management principles to planning the work and the workers actually perform the tasks. (p. 1) The scientific method implication on communication is manifested in management controlling the chain of communication. Shockley-Zalabak (2009), who cites Faylor (1949), suggests â€Å"orders should come from only one superior and that a bypass of the chain of command would be a source of problems† (p. 9). I believe this suggest that communication is organized from the top down. In addition, I believe this communication method does not afford any input form subordinates or other stakeholders. I believe it assumes that management is always right and is the only source of solutions. Thereby, I believe subordinates are somewhat disenfranchised. Shockley-Zalabak (2009) suggests, â€Å"The human behavior [school characteristics] assumes that work is accomplished through people and emphasizes cooperation, participation, satisfaction, and interpersonal skills† (p. 72). Therefore, I believe this theory encourages open, participatory communication between management and subordinates at all levels. In my organization, I believe our school based management and planning team utilizes this management style in making decisions. The worldbank. org (2007) website suggests school-based management â€Å"is the decentralization of authority from the central government to the school level† (p. 2). Our school based planning management team encourages cooperation, shared decision-making, and participation among all stakeholders, which are tenets of the human behavior theory. Shockley-Zalabak (2009) suggests, integrated perspectives characteristics â€Å"attempt to explain how people, technologies, and environments integrate to influence all that happens in organizations† (p. 77-78). I believe this theory, as Shockley-Zalabak (2009) suggests, affects â€Å"the effectiveness of communication [not only] within the organization, but also to how the organization communicates with its environment, its customers, and community† (p. 88). In my organization, technology is used to communicate real-time attendance, schedule, and grading data to parents and students through a system called SchoolMax. The K12progrms. com website suggests, SchoolMax is one of the most technologically advanced web-based student information systems available on the market today that addresses the broad needs of today's K-12 school districts with a fully integrated and feature rich solution for the management of student information. In final analysis, I suggest scientific method, human behavior, and integrated perspectives influence organizational communication. References http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EDUCATION/Resources/278200-1099079877269/547664-1099079934475/547667-1145313948551/what_is_SBM.pdf