Physical Activity intervention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Physical Activity intervention - Essay Example A search of the references used in related studies shall also be conducted in order to consider related studies. Related studies shall then be set aside and critically assessed based on relevance in this study. In a paper by Nelson, et.al., (2010), the authors sought to come up with recommendations on the various kinds and amounts of physical activity required in order to improve and maintain the health of older adults. The study covered respondents who were skilled in public health, behavioral science, epidemiology, exercise science, and gerontology (Nelson, et.al., 2010). The authors reviewed evidence from various articles and came up with recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association in order to structure a final recommendation for physical activity among older adults. After reviewing evidence from the ACSM and the AHA, the authors came up with their recommendations for older adults, including: recommended intensity of physical activity based on older adult’s fitness; recommended activities are those which maintain or increase flexibility; and activities which improve balance are also recommended (Nelson, et.al., 2010). The author s also recommended that an activity plan which integrates preventive and therapeutic recommendations should also be conceptualized. In effect, physical activity for adults is recommended to focus on moderate intensity aerobic activity, muscle strengthening activities; and activities which minimize sedentary habits and those which reduce risk for falls and injuries (Nelson, et.al., 2010). Based on the ACSM, (1998) the combined frequency, intensity, and duration of chronic exercise can effectively create a training effect. These factors all contribute to the overload stimulus and the lower the stimulus, the lower the training impact, and the higher the stimulus, the higher the training impact (Pollock,

Philosophy of Life Essay Example for Free

Philosophy of Life Essay The hardest part of any journey is the first step. Human life would be so much easier if we were born into it with a roadmap and a flashlight some say we actually were, but we forgot where we put them. Nonetheless, part of life is clearing your own path, making your own map, finding lifes meanings, and defining your philosophy or world view, the next hardest part of the journey, once youve found your truth, is living it every day walking your talk. I believe we are each here for a purpose and everything happens for a reason. We chose who we are physically, when and where we were born, and the life circumstances presented to us. Why nobody really knows. There are many possibilities. To learn lessons, like a school to be part of the overall evolution of human consciousness , to atone for karma, make up for errors and omissions in past lives, to play a role in a universal game or dramatic production, to satisfy spiritual cravings for the sensual, tactile pleasures of human life. I even read/heard someplace that Earth is the penal colony of the Universe . Hell on Earth, the place where sinners do badders have to work out their sentences for their evil deeds. I also heard recently that human life on earth is like a vacation: leave home, travel to wonderful new places, experience the joy and awe, then return home. I must admit that at times it feels like the vacation from hell car gets a flat tire or two it pours rain every day at the beach or worse, while camping intestinal illness on a cruise ship. Could be any of these things, could be all. I tend to lean toward the evolving karmic classroom approach. But the ultimate truth is that we are born to die. Our physical human lives are temporary, blips on the screen, a dash between the date of birth and the date of death on your tombstone. But while we are here, anything can occur, there are no accidents, nothing is impossible, miracles happen.

Custom Essays: Hamlet’s Ghost -- GCSE English Literature Coursework

Hamlet’s Ghost      Ã‚  Ã‚   The plot development of Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, revolves about the initial apparition of the Ghost and his revelations to the hero of the play. Gunnar Boklund’s   â€Å"Judgment in Hamlet† introduces the Ghost in terms of the dilemma of the protagonist:      It is a commonplace to refer to Hamlet’s â€Å"dilemma† and a critical problem to explain in what this dilemma consists. A natural way to come to terms with the problem is obviously through the character that forces the dilemma upon Hamlet, that is to say, the Ghost. This is a particularly attractive approach, since it promises to bring the findings of modern research into Elizabethan demonology to bear directly upon the question of the nature of the Ghost and its message. It was apparently generally believed, among Catholics and Protestants alike, that a ghost could be dispatched into this world by either God or the devil, and consequently it became the duty of the receiver of its command to test it conscientiously before acting upon it. This is what we see Hamlet do when, in spite of his immediate conviction that it is an honest ghost he has seen, he arranges a trial of its veracity in the form of the play within the play. (117)    Thus is explained the rationale of the â€Å"play within a play† which is seen as necessary for the climax of the drama. To begin consideration of the Ghost, let it be said that the Ghost makes his appearance even before the play has opened. Marchette Chute in â€Å"The Story Told in Hamlet† describes the ghost’s activity prior to the opening scene of Shakespeare’s tragedy:    The story opens in the cold and dark of a winter night in Denmark, while the guard is being changed on the battlements of the royal castle o... ...: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare’s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.    Rosenberg, Marvin. â€Å"Laertes: An Impulsive but Earnest Young Aristocrat.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masks of Hamlet. Newark, NJ: Univ. of Delaware Press, 1992.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html    West, Rebecca. â€Å"A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1957.    Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt. â€Å"Shakespeare.† Literature of the Western World. Ed. Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1992.   

Forces Keeping Romeo And Juliet Apart in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet are madly in love with each other and will go to any lengths to be together. To support my thesis that the conflict between the heads of the Montague and Capulet families are responsible for Romeo and Juliet's death, I quote from Romeo and Juliet (V, iii, 291-293) Prince: "... Capulet! Montague! See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate, that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love! What the Prince is saying is that, see what dreadful punishment has been laid upon your hatred. Heaven finds a reason to kill your joys with their love!" There are many forces in the tragic play of Romeo and Juliet that are keeping the two young, passionate lovers apart, all emanating from one main reason. In this essay I will discuss these as well as how love, in the end, may have been the cause that led to the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Their strong attraction to each other, which some call fate, determines where their forbidden love will take them. The leading force, in my opinion, that led to Romeo and Juliet's death is the conflict between the two fathers, Capulet and Montague. It's because of this conflict that Romeo and Juliet feel they must hide their love which, in the end, is the cause of their deaths. Because of this conflict, confrontations occurred and insults were thrown. Hatred is bred which is evident when Tybalt, who is Lady Capulet's nephew, joins the fight against the Montague family. Tybalt hates Romeo and doesn't hesitate to let it be known. The next force is hatred and it is widespread and commonplace in this play, it sometimes seems necessary for others to join the fight in order to portray loyalty for a particular person. Romeo wanted the fighting to end so he could announce his love and marriage to Juliet so he wasn't happy when his best friend, Mercuto, decided to stick up for him against Tybalt. In desperation, Romeo intervenes between the two, which in turn breaks Mercuto's concentration and allows Tybalt to stab him. Like any good friend, Romeo now has to challenge this death and fight Tybalt. Romeo kills Tybalt, which ultimately leads to his banishment. Romeo spent one night of passion with Juliet before going into "hiding" after killing Tybalt. He chose to hide in the Mantua countryside where nobody would recognize him.

Back to the Future and Idioms Sabrina Ramos

Clean up the air- To get rid of doubts or hard feelings. All right, let's discuss this frankly. It'll be better if we clear the air. 2. Keep at arm's length- To keep at a distance; not to allow to come into close contact. 3. Have ones back on the wall- to have very serious problems which limit the ways in which you can act. With rising labor costs, industry has its back to the wall. 4. Bend over backwards- To betray someone.I wish you would not gossip about me. There is no need to stab me in the back. 5. Kill two birds with one stone- To solve two problems at one time with a single action. John was killing two birds with one stone while he learned the words to his part in the play while peeling potatoes. 6. Bite the hands that feed you- to treat someone badly who has helped you in some way. Leaving the company atter they've spent three years training you up – i biting the hand that feeds you. 7. Once in a blue mood- very rarely.My sister lives in Alaska, so I only get to see h er once in a blue moon 8. Break the ice- To attempt to become friends with someone. He tried to break the ice, but she was a little cold. . Out on a limb- If you go out on a limb, you state an opinion or you do something which is very different to most other people. I dont think we're going out on a limb in claiming that global warming is a problem that must be addressed. 10. My lips are sealed- I will tell no one this secret or this gossip. I promise I won't tell anyone, my lips are sealed. 1 . Read between the lines- to infer something; to try to understand what is meant by something that is not written explicitly or openly. After listening to what she said, if you read between the lines, you can begin to see what she really means. 12. Have two left feet- to be very awkward with one's feet. (Often refers to awkwardness at dancing. ) I'm sorry, I can't dance better. I have two left feet. 13. With no strings attached- Unconditionally; with no obligations or conditions attached.My pa rents gave me use of their car without any strings attached. 14. A drop in the ocean- a very small amount in comparison to the amount that is needed. A hundred thousand may seem a lot but it's a drop in the ocean compared to the millions that need to be spent. 15. Turn the tables- To change a situation so that someone's position is the opposite of what it was She urned the tables by playing a better game and recently has won most of her matches. 16 Hold ones tongue- To refrain from speaking; to refrain from saying something unpleasant.I felt like scolding her, but I held my tongue 17. Steal (someone's) thunder- To do something that takes attention away from what someone else has done I kept quiet about my pregnancy because Cathy was getting married, and I didn't want to steal her thunder. 18. Know the ropes- knowledge of how to do something; how to work something I'll be able to do my Job very well when I know the ropes. 19. Call the shots- To decide on the course of action; to be i n charge. Sally always wants to call the shots, and Mary doesn't like to be bossed around. 20.

Confederate Ironclad essays

Confederate Ironclad essays The Confederate Ironclad Virginia was a compelling read to say the least. The subject of this book is the origin of the Ironclad battleships in the Americas, specifically relating to the ships Virginia and the Monitor in the beginning of the U.S. Civil War. The book also is about, although much more subtly, how the South had the North extremely fearful of the Souths capabilities for 2 months of this conflict. The author, Trexler, uses this book to focus on the Virginia and the circumstances regarding her invention, implementation, and destruction all in a relatively short time period. Prior to the civil war, all navies throughout the world were of a wooden variety. Ships had been built using wood for hundreds of years and this was common practice amongst shipyards. Beginning with the late 1830s however, both the French and the British, the long-time naval power of the world, began putting iron on the outsides of some of their warships. This was done without the immediate threat of battle, and thus these ships were never tested in actual combat situations so nobody really knew the effectiveness of them. In Virginia, in 1860, the Gosport Yard was the best shipyard the Americas had built, and was home to a dry-dock and 3 shipbuilding warehouses. It was home to the ship Merrimack, a five-year-old vessel that was one of the largest in the Navy. The ship was also retired, have spent a few uneventful years patrolling the West Indies. As the Merrimack sat rotting away in the shipyard the United States was in a state of upheaval, with the southern states South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas all seceding from the Union. With Virginia in constant deliberations over whether to secede or stay loyal to the Union, President Lincoln and his cabinet were forced to make a decision. Should they stay com...

Black Watch Essay Essays

Black Watch Essay Essays Black Watch Essay Essay Black Watch Essay Essay A watch is nothing more than a time keeper or a fashion statement, but my watch is something important to me. It was a gift from my dad to keep track of time during the SHSAT. When I took the SHSAT it felt like my dad was with me throughout the test. I had it for almost a year now. I don’t leave my house without it. I remember when I was taking the SHSAT, I was really nervous. There were a lot of students around me and a teacher at the front of the room. There were a lot of questions I got stuck on; it was like my mind suddenly went blank. So I looked at my watch and thought about what my dad would say if he was here. Now I look back and say that I couldn’t pass the test if it wasn’t for the watch. This watch has been a part of my life ever since. My watch is black like a storm night and it has a metal ring around its face. On the shiny black face behind the glass cover there is a hour hand and a minute hand. The hands move slowly like a snail. On the bottom of the face there are two grey circles with digital interface. The middle circle has a digital clock and the other two circles keeps track of the seconds, which ticks constantly. The bumpy band has 11 small holes to assist in locking the watch to your wrist. There are also 4 buttons that looks like square erasers, the light button turns on the light immediately. The blue light of the watch is as beautiful as the color of the ocean.

Free Essays on The Colors Of My Language

in the Latin and various Germanic languages. In heraldry, where it is called or (for gold) the color yellow stands for the positive virtues ... Free Essays on The Colors Of My Language Free Essays on The Colors Of My Language The Colors of My Language The colors of a language can mean a million things, from different ways to say the same thing, to more than one definition for a word, to the different uses of a language. Language can be taken literally or figuratively. For example, the title is ‘The Colors of My Language’, this can mean the above described, which is a metaphorical meaning, or as I am going to write about, very close to the literal meaning, how different colors are used in our language to have different meanings. Red was used in the knowledge of ancient medicine and in the superstitions of modern times. Red represents the color of health. Red wool was used to relieve sprains in Scotland, sore throats in Ireland, and to prevent fevers in Macedonia. The ruby was worn in China to encourage long life. The color red has also been a representation of love. A red rose, given to the bearer's lover or mate has always been known as a symbol of love. As well as the ever-popular red heart on Valentine’s Day. Orange is the only color of the spectrum whose name was taken from an object, the well known and popular fruit called the orange. The fruit come from an evergreen tree, Citrus aurantius, and the word "orange", comes from the Old French orenge. Since about 1300 it has used as part of the English language. Because the tree is evergreen and everbearing, the color orange became associated with fruitfulness. On the visible spectrum this reddish-yellow color lies between, red and yellow the two colors that when blended together are the creators of the color orange. In folklore the color orange stands for fire and flames, lust, vigor, excitement, adventure and wholesomeness. Since about A.D. 900 the color yellow has been integrated into the English language, stemming from closely related words in the Latin and various Germanic languages. In heraldry, where it is called or (for gold) the color yellow stands for the positive virtues ...

Critical review of the patient's rapid response to the team policies Essay

Critical review of the patient's rapid response to the team policies of Riyadh Military hospital - Essay Example 5 b.1 Early Signs of Patient Deterioration †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 b.2 Strategy Used in Activating the Rapid Response Time and Time Spent to Activate Response †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 b.3 Time taken to Transfer Patients from Ward to ICU and Emergency Cases wherein the Hospital has No Available Bed †¦. 9 b.5 Application of the SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendations) when Treating Acute Patients †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10 b.6 Clinical Issue related to DNR (do not resuscitate) in case the Patient is Suffering from Physical Deterioration †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 12 III. Conclusion and Recommendations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 13 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 Appendix I – Summary of Signs and Symptoms wherein the Rapid Response Team should be Deployed ........................................................................................ 22 Introduction To avoid a sudden cardiac arrest or death, healthcare professionals should not delay the provision of life support and other related health care needs of the patients (Williams et al. 2011; Hillman et al. 2005). Published back in 2007 in an article entitled â€Å"Safer Care for the Acutely Ill Patient†, the National Patient Safety Agency (2007) reported that 576 out of the 1,804 hospital deaths were due to diagnostic errors, unrecognized patient deterioration that were left untreated, and problems with resuscitation aft er a sudden cardiac arrest. Based on the most recent accident and emergency report coming from the Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) in England, the number of patients admitted for accident and emergency between April 2009 to March 2010 was 15.6 million (NHS 2011). In Scotland alone, the NHS reported that the number of admitted patients who were given accident and emergency services last December 2011 was 129,100 (NHS 2012). As a common knowledge, accident and emergency cases includes not only life-threatening scenarios but also some minor injuries which could be easily treated by the health care professionals. Because of the daily inflows of emergency cases received by each of the local hospitals each day, the standard waiting time in UK before the patient could receive health care intervention was 4 hours (NHS 2012). Considering the average waiting hours before each patient could receive health care intervention, this study will focus on discussing clinical strategies used in UK and Riyadh Military Hospital (RMH) to ensure that its health care professionals are able to deliver quality care and treatment to each patient on a timely basis. In relation to the significance of rapid response team in saving the lives of the patients who were admitted in emergency department, this study will compare and contrast the rapid response team policies for acute patients in UK and the Riyadh Military Hospital. Established on December 1978, Riyadh Military Hospital (RMH) also known as the â€Å"Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital† is a tertiary healthcare facility in Riyadh City in Saudi Arabia (RMH 2012). To enable the readers gain better understanding with regards to the effectiveness and differences between the ICU rapid response team in both countries, this report will first discuss the main purpose of rapid response team. As part of critically reviewing the effectiveness of

The way play-based approaches to teaching and learning impact in the Research Proposal

The way play-based approaches to teaching and learning impact in the quality education - Research Proposal Example trategies are areas presented in the National Curriculum's framework as highly structured, which in turn allows them very little space for creativity. Therefore, young children in year one are asked to sit down, listen, and follow directions most of the time. Unfortunately, in this way they are being offered little encouragement and suppport to develop their learning dispositions (Broadhead, 2003). This appears to be the key to the problem. Judging by the circumstances, it seems very difficult for early years practitioners in the UK, particularly those working in reception and year one classes, to create a positive environment to facilitate children's learning through play, as the majority of theorists state. Anyway, it is well known that begining primary school entails a transition into a more formal curriculum. Therefore, we believe that finding a balance between play-based activities and more specific tasks would be a good way of considering children's needs and interests. Hopefully, this less structured and moer informal way of proceding, will facilitate teachers' job when they have to plan what they aim children to learn in relation to the National Curriculum requirements (Palmer and Pettitt, 1993). Aims Research in the early years education is considered essential and can generate data that can be applicable for further research, policy modification, as well as for the improvement of practice (Pascal, 1993) . The aim of the present study is to discover UK's primary teachers in year one understandings of play, and how this impacts on their practice, as they have to contemplate the National Curriculum's statuory demands. Answers to the following questions were sought: 1) To explore the understandings of play currently held byUK's primary teachers in... The study will consist in a small-scale survey to investigate year one teachers understandings of play and believes about the primary National Curriculum, and how these impact on practice. In addition, will investigate if year one children consider they get to play in the classroom. Robson explains that small-scale surveys are one of the traditional qualitative research strategies, as they are suitable for studies that seek to describe and analyse some aspect or situation. He also states that a disadvantage in the use of questionnaires and/or interviews is that respondents will not necessarily report their understandings and believes, for a number of reasons. Therefore, a type of external validity is necessary if the purpose of the study is to seek if their is a line between what people say and do. In this way, as the behaviour of teachers’ is an essential aspect in the study as well, observation techniques will be also included to learn about teachers practice in the classroo m, and then to describe, analyse and interpret what was observed.

Computer Software Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Computer Software - Essay Example The ultimate objective is to get ordinary persons to be able to use the computer for their requirements. The nature of software divides it into three portions - operating systems, languages and applications. The first of these is the operating system which sets down the laws for exchange of information between men and the machine. This is taken by users as being part of the machine and is generally seen by individuals when they first switch on their computers. In many cases, for individuals using a computer at home, this is Windows. Till the system becomes functional and the loading of Windows stops, the user will not be able to start using the machine. Anything that is typed by the operator before Windows is ready for taking instructions will only result in the computer just clogging up and stopping operations. At the same time, Windows is not the only possible operation for a computer, as it may also have "UNIX, Apple Mach, Ban, VMS, RS, OS2, Irix, AIX or HP-UX" among others. (Comp uter Software) However, the operating systems lead to files being written in particular languages, and thus it is difficult for information to be exchanged between computers which have different operating systems. This is very important today in view of the high usage of Internet and sending of mail across the world. That is made simpler as the language for sending information is generally Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. Files in these languages are accepted by all operating systems so that communication is not interrupted. In the same machine also it is possible to have more than one language like having both Windows and Linux, though Windows does not recognize the existence of Linux as it is viewed as a competitor. The next question is of languages used for writing instructions for the operation of the computer. This is the language used by programmers so that the computer itself can translate their instructions to machine language for the operation of the computer. It is important to know that the operations of the computer are carried out in machine language and that is in the simple method of off or on. Off is viewed as zero, and on is viewed as 1. Thus 2 are written in machine language as 10, and three is written as 11, and four as 100. Similarly, there are also codes for the alphabets, and for every character, there are 16 bits or 32 bits being used now. This also results in large sizes for files in computers. One page of typed matter has a size of over 20,000 units of bits. This makes it essential that computers have large storage capacities, presently over 80 gigabytes or 80 trillion bytes. Coming back to the point that we were discussing, some common languages are "C, C++, FORTRAN, COBO L, Pascal, Perl and Java". (Computer Software) Presently, the language popular among programmers is Java, as the instructions in that language can be the shortest. However, the ultimate language for passing on all instructions to the computers is machine language, and

Strategic Alignment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Alignment - Assignment Example Hong Kong is the heart of for the group with three properties in this city. These include the Landmark, Excelsior, and Mandarin Oriental. These properties have registered a greater performance despite the competition in the hotel segment in Hong Kong. Landmark, Excelsior, and Mandarin Oriental generate 38 percent of the total revenues of the group. Mandarin Oriental performs best and utilizes well the market space in Hong Kong contributing an approximate of 15 US dollars per square meter. The group has witnessed a heavy growth of visitors from the mainland China to Hong Kong. In the year 2011, China attracted about 28 million of visitors to Hong Kong. Mainland China recorded 28,100,129 in 2011 and 22,684,388 in the year 2010 (Group Communication 2). It was 67 percent of the total clients of the Mandarin Oriental. Relaxation for individual Visa Scheme in China to people visiting Hong Kong will benefit Mandarin Oriental in its ambitious project of investing in branded residences. This is the principal value driver, which will support Mandarin Oriental competitive method in the hotel industry in Hong Kong. The competitive method capitalizes on the growth of tourism industry in Hong Kong. Tourism industry contributed to growth of Hong Kong GDP by 15.2 percent. There are projections that GDP in Hong Kong will increase by 2.4 percent in 2012. The rate of visitors’ expenditure is favorable for this future and ambitious project of Mandarin Oriental. In 2011, the visitors’ spending was 6,094 US dollars. This was approximately 21 percent increase of the record of 2007 (Group Communication 1). This consistent growth in tourism expenditure will be an advantageous to Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. Currently, the Mandarin Oriental uses creative marketing strategy that lays a lot of emphasis on the strengths of the group. The marketing plan addresses a comprehensive set of factors that influence the marketing for the hotel. Sound

Religion and Spirituality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion and Spirituality - Essay Example Religiousness can be described as having a personal belief or faith in God and the values levied down by a certain sect or a school of thought, performing activities i.e. rituals that demonstrate alliance to a certain religion (e.g. church memberships or alliances etc), adhering to a belief-based system of life and following God’s will (Zinnbauer et al. 557). On the other hand, a research conducted by Zinnbauer et al. indicated that spirituality is an outcome of a scared experience. Some of the definitions of spirituality include being connected with God or any other form of almighty power, belief in transcendence, integrating certain beliefs into a system of life, demonstrating God’s love to others, focusing on gaining inner stability and personal growth. Other definitions of spirituality are â€Å"an ultimate concern, an integrating or unifying factor within the personality, authenticity, a source of yearning, a meaningful identity and purpose, a union with God. It c an be seen that the definitions of religion mainly surround existence of God. Hence, it accepts the fact that there is a supreme power who has defined certain rules and principles which are meant to be followed if one wishes to have indemnity. These religious morals and values define an institutional system of life in various forms. Taking example of Christianity, there are various sects that have their own set of doctrines which are reflected in their lifestyle as well as in their manner of praying. Hence, religion defines a rather concrete set of beliefs, accepting existence of God and its supremacy giving it an outlook of obligations that one has to follow in order to be associated with a certain religion. On the other hand, spirituality is a matter of choice. It concerns personal experiences and feelings that surround the existence of a superior power. It is important to note that other than accepting presence of God, some may find spirituality in a non-sacred phenomenon as well . The later concept relates to karma or an output of one’s deeds and nature’s responses to them. A critical analysis of these two definitions may indicate that where religion can be a heart less observance of certain principles, spirituality is more about gaining inner peace and inspiration through nature, other humans and different phenomenon of life. Also, where religion can lead to association with different derivative social functions, spirituality can make one opting for isolation in order to find self-actualization and inner stability. 2. Spiritual assessment allows one to be aware of their stimulants that inspire them spiritually. There are various tools that can be used to asses one’s spiritual alliances. One of the most common tools that are used mainly in palliative, elderly and end-of-life care is FICA spiritual assessment tool. FICA stands for faith (or beliefs), importance and influence, community and address (Borneman 2). The tool has been designed to assist physicians and various healthcare professionals to consider spiritual needs of their patients in order to give a holistic treatment and also of themselves while providing services in their respective fields. This tool assesses how one perceives himself to be religious or spiritual (â€Å"FICA Spiritual Assessment Tool† n.p). Also, it defines the things that give meaning to the phenomenon of life and life after death. Second important component of this assessment is how one incorporates such religious or spiritual values into their life and how it influences their behaviour during illness and role of these beliefs in regaining health. Third part of assessment concerns the environment or community

Strategic Alignment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Alignment - Assignment Example Hong Kong is the heart of for the group with three properties in this city. These include the Landmark, Excelsior, and Mandarin Oriental. These properties have registered a greater performance despite the competition in the hotel segment in Hong Kong. Landmark, Excelsior, and Mandarin Oriental generate 38 percent of the total revenues of the group. Mandarin Oriental performs best and utilizes well the market space in Hong Kong contributing an approximate of 15 US dollars per square meter. The group has witnessed a heavy growth of visitors from the mainland China to Hong Kong. In the year 2011, China attracted about 28 million of visitors to Hong Kong. Mainland China recorded 28,100,129 in 2011 and 22,684,388 in the year 2010 (Group Communication 2). It was 67 percent of the total clients of the Mandarin Oriental. Relaxation for individual Visa Scheme in China to people visiting Hong Kong will benefit Mandarin Oriental in its ambitious project of investing in branded residences. This is the principal value driver, which will support Mandarin Oriental competitive method in the hotel industry in Hong Kong. The competitive method capitalizes on the growth of tourism industry in Hong Kong. Tourism industry contributed to growth of Hong Kong GDP by 15.2 percent. There are projections that GDP in Hong Kong will increase by 2.4 percent in 2012. The rate of visitors’ expenditure is favorable for this future and ambitious project of Mandarin Oriental. In 2011, the visitors’ spending was 6,094 US dollars. This was approximately 21 percent increase of the record of 2007 (Group Communication 1). This consistent growth in tourism expenditure will be an advantageous to Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. Currently, the Mandarin Oriental uses creative marketing strategy that lays a lot of emphasis on the strengths of the group. The marketing plan addresses a comprehensive set of factors that influence the marketing for the hotel. Sound

Who Defines Beauty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Who Defines Beauty - Research Paper Example According to Newman, goodness as the moral equation of beauty were also used by philosophers (1) while others described beauty according to the modern definition of the dictionary which expresses beauty as â€Å"qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit.† (Merriam-Webster). The contemporary understanding of beauty is subjective or that any standard of beauty must be relative (Vacker) and is largely related to the maxim â€Å"beauty is in the eye of the beholder†. It explains that a thing of beauty for a person may not simply appear as equally pleasing to another. Nature - Biological and EvolutionarySymmetry has been scientifically proven to be inherently attractive to the human eye (Feng). Biologists have long utilized symmetry - the extent to which a creature's right and left sides match - to gauge what is referred to as developmental stability (Cowley). The sense of attraction for symmetry is not only res erved for adults, infants were also found to demonstrate this trait as well. Infants have the innate ability to spend more time staring at pictures of symmetric individuals than they do at photos of asymmetric one (Feng). Scientists believe that preference for symmetry is linked with having a strong immune system. Thus, beauty is associated with more robust genes, increasing the chances that an individual’s offspring will survive (Feng). The idea and preference for beauty differs from culture to culture (Cowley). Aside from symmetry, males in western cultures.

Development of Children and Young People Between Birth to 19 Essay Example for Free

Development of Children and Young People Between Birth to 19 Essay From six months onwards a child learns to sit up using support until they can manage without any support and eventually learning to crawl or shuffling on their bottoms. They are able to rollover from their tummies on to their backs and vice versa. They start to hold on to furniture learning how to walk along or by using the aid of a baby walker, up until they gain the confidence to walk alone. Their hand and eye coordination improves as they learn to pass an object from one hand to another, and begin to show preference for one hand. They learn to play with bricks. Firstly banging them together to being able to build towers, eventually building larger towers. By the age of two children will have learnt how to sit, walk, feed themselves and they will have moved from eating soft mashed food to eating solids, as sign of their teeth will be clearly visible. They will have learnt to kick and throw a ball. They will be able to grasp a pencil to make scribble on paper. From three to seven a child is more independent. Learning how to jump, climb, catch and walk up and down stairs confidently. They learn to pedal and eventually ride a bike without support. Using their fine motor skills to hold and use a pair of scissors, able to gain control of a pencil. Increasing in their writing skill. Can also fasten and undo buttons and shoe laces. From the age seven to twelve years a child will progress in running, jumping skipping and enjoying playing games as a team, even though they may misjudge their ability until the age of nine. Between twelve and nineteen a child goes from childhood into adulthood. This is referred to the adolescences stage. This starts from the age of 11 up until the age of 19 or 20. It’s the stage that teenagers learn to detach from their parents and become more independent. Every child rate of growth is different. Boys normally begin adolescence around the age of 14 year, which is later than girls, even though by the end they are usually bigger than girls. They will develop body hair as their body shape changes, their muscles begin to grow, increasing their strength. Their voice will change and become deeper. In the early stages to mid stages of puberty testicles and scrotum will begin to grow. Penis growth starts later but continues for longer. Girl’s breasts start to swell from around the age of 10. They will also develop hair in the pubic region that will become dark and curly. Their body shape will change. Some girls may be physically mature by the age of 13. This is dependent on the age at which she begins puberty, which varies, ranging from 8 until late teens. The average age for girls of menstruation is around 13. Social and emotional development. From birth to about one year old a child mainly communicates through facial expressions such as smiling at familiar faces. A child of this is very dependant and requires comfort from an adult. They recognise familiar faces and get distressed when separated from a parent. They enjoy interacting and playing games such as peek-a-boo and they gradually develop a sense of identity and want to do things for them self. They easily get jealous when attention is not given to them and try to please adults. Temper tantrums start when not being given what they want or not wanting to share toys. From three to four years a child is more self-motivated and is able to cope with unfamiliar settings and adults. They know how to share, becoming considerate and caring of other feelings. They enjoy playing with other children. Between four and seven a child is able to make friends but still finds it difficult to take turns and needs help resolving problems. By this age a child should have a stable environment and routine, they need to have limits set. By the age of seven a child becomes less dependant. Starting to enjoy playing with other children. They become aware of their gender and develop understanding between right and wrong. By the age of eight they develop a close friendship and enjoy playing with the same sex. By twelve they can start to show arrogance and bossiness and are uncertain sometimes. By the time a child reaches the teenage years they are very self-conscious. As their body shape is changing and odours make occur, acne may develop due to oily skin. They begin to follow peer groups in the way they dress having labelled clothing, collecting the same things playing the same games. They turn to their friend and not to their parents for approval. They begin to question certain aspects of life such as parental and community values and beliefs. Intellectual development A child between the ages of birth to three is more confident but still needs an adults support. They enjoy copying others and trying out different ways of behaviour in play. They realise that others are spate people from themselves. From three to four a child learns to understand two or three simple tasks that they are given to do such as pick up the toys put them in back in the box and put the box where it belongs. They begin to realise the difference between objects, size and type and are able to group these together. From five to seven they learn to understand that there is differences and sameness in various aspects in life and that differences can co exist side by side and are able look at things from different perspectives. By the age of seven, children are able to read to themselves and will take a lively interest in certain subject by the age of nine. During the adolescence stage the mind is maturing as young people begin to develop a sense of responsibility for their thoughts, words and actions. They begin to plan about their future and what line of work they want to be in? If they want to get married and have children? They gain the ability to make a link between different pieces of knowledge and the ability to make links of these with the world from their perspective. This stage depends on the guidance given to young people in respects to helping the brain. A young person learns to take the responsibility for his or her own fiances, accommodation, employment and personal realationshops. This reaches completion as the responsibility from parent transfers to the young person. Language development From the early stages in life a child is able to make a lot different sounds. They begin to babble. Laughing and squealing when they are happy and cry to show emotion. They respond to music and sounds. Trying to imitate a parents face especially the mouth. Between one and two years a child learns to use single words to joining them up to make phrases. They begin to understand parents and try and copy them. By the age of two a child’s vocabulary can be anything from 30 to 150 words. By the time they are three a child can use words to form a sentence and begin to ask questions. They are able to memorise rhymes and songs and are able to join in and are able to scribble on paper. From three to four a child starts to use past tense and is able to use a different pitch or tone of voice. Their vocabulary extends between 1000 to 1500 word. From five upwards their questions become more complex as they use language to communicate their ideas. The pencil control improves. As they copy shapes and letters. By the age of seven they are able to speak fluently and make up stories. They begin to understand letters and link them to sounds. A child of twelve years is able to describe complicated scenarios. They need help in tackling complex spellings and learning the different tense of grammar. They are able read out aloud. From twelve on to nineteen years a young person begins to use sarcasm, joking and mockery as it is new and sophisticated language for them. They are maturing and enjoy using their thought to debate whether it is formal or informal.

Skills Development and Team Work Analysis

Skills Development and Team Work Analysis Effective organizational performance is an aspect that every organization would like to achieve but how those organizations can generate a high performance. Teamwork must be one of the answers. This assignment provides some information and points out that why team work is important more than group work, and also demonstrates the way which team members interact in order to make their work process flow smoothly. Being a good team member, skills requirement is considered because personal skills can be useful in terms of develop a teams performance. Due to this consideration, this is my good chance to improve my skills by identifying some skills which need to be improved. Creating the personal development plan and doing a skills audit are tools which can help me to achieve my goal. As I am currently in the last term before doing my dissertation of the MBA course this assignment will show what I have developed so far and show how much I achieve my goals. This assignment is divided into th ree tasks as follows: Describe the different between team and group and Identify and critically reflect on the relationship between the objectives of significant operational task and my individual role and objectives. Moreover, this task will demonstrate and evaluate how I interacted with my colleagues and show my opinion in what I would do if I look back on the significant task and why I would do that. This part shows how I have developed my skills over the course through my personal portfolio This part shows the reflection on the process of my skills development 1. Working with a number of colleagues on a given project or significant operational task 1.1 The differences between team and group The word group and team usually are used interchangeably, but there are actually a number of differences between a team and a group depends on which part you have considered. Longman dictionary defined both words base on the word meaning : group defined as several people or things that are all together in the same place and team defined as a group of people who have been chosen to work together to do a particular job. Besides you can consider a difference between group and team by focusing on a relationship among members in group or team. Usually, members in a team are close to each other and their individual tasks are related to one another. Significantly, team donates more than one individual involve in goal-oriented joint action while group refer to informal clustering of more than one individual (Wilson A. 1998) and it goes beyond individual accomplishments. (Ruth Herman G.1940). In a group, members they are grouped together for administrative purpose only, some members might no t know each other before but working as a team, they work together because they got a team goal which is best accomplished with manual support and the relationship across individuals is obvious. (RDI handbook, 2009) The important factor which differentiates team from group is the interdependent among the team member in performing the team task (Saiyadain M.S, 2003) The team members are diverse in terms of various perspectives, personalities, status and role. 1.2 Significant operational task During my previous job, I was working in the hospitality sector, (In the small size hotel sector), as a general assistant in a hotels restaurant. On my operational task within the hotels restaurant, all staff were gathered to do our own individual task. As the explanation about team and group above, I think working with my colleagues on the significant operational task is close to a team concept. According to the team concept, goal-oriented joint action is a key point which indicates that we were working as team because we had a goal which we wanted to achieve by working together because our individual tasks are linked. Significantly, my team goal was to make sure that we satisfy customer needs and expectations with a high quality of service. In my team, there were thirteen staff who had a responsibility concern to a whole process of service delivery (e.g manager, kitchen staff, waiting staff,) As I mention above, having the same goal is the key which pulling all team members togethe r because all tasks in the whole work process are linked. In order to achieve the goal, we needed to go towards the same direction because teamwork is a joint action of a group member and each team members have to contribute their skills and opinion toward the team goal. Therefore, our team member, firstly, had to be aware and clear about the goals and understand individual roles and tasks. My main role was dealing with customers and make sure that they got the best service and other team members also got their particular task but every tasks were linked to one another. Working as team, leadership skills is very important. Leadership can be defined as the process of influencing and persuade others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it.(Gary Yukl, 2006) In the team we needed someone who can motivate and lead team members in to the right direction without any fear of any problems. Besides, working as team, we had to interact among members all the time to make our process flow smoothly in the right direction. 1.3 Interaction among team members Significantly, Interacting among team members is the key aspect which can affect to a whole performance because it helps the team to achieve the goal effectively. According to Longman dictionary, Interaction is defined as a kind of action which two or more objects can affect to each other. The contribution from members such as exchanging opinion, idea or knowledge can help the team perform more effective. (Beyerlein M. et al,. 2000) Generally, every team member develop the ways of interacting among members over the time, especially interpersonal communication among members because the effectiveness of a whole performance always depends on how well team members interact to one another. Often, autonomous teams are presented the best practice for increased performance (Hellenthal A. and Molleman E. 2008) because working as team, there exists no single in order to bring the best solution. The interaction such as how a team makes decisions, assigns work, and holds members accountable dete rmines team success, these are very important to consider in any team work. According to my work experience, all of the team members had to clear in mind and understand the teams goal, otherwise we might have been gone in a different direction. In our day-to-day job, we were assigned a task by a team leader. Basically, team leader was not the same member all the time, it depends on the situation. And in any decision making, there was always interaction among team members because in any decision-making everyone had to hold the responsibility for the decision which was finally made because we were working as team. All team members reserved a right to agree or disagree and showed our opinion directly towards our leader. Moreover, because of our tasks were linked and would have been effected to one another, therefore staff meeting which was hold every two week in order to give a chance for staff to apprise our performances and tried to find a solution for any particular problems. 1.4 Significant operational task and the real situation in my work place According to the theory of communication, (RDI hand book, 2009) effective communication within any organization is an aspect that organizations have to concern. Bad communication will inevitably lead to loss of income or worse. Basically, there are three basic types of communications; two-way communication is the one which is highly effective because both sender and receiver can give their feedback directly. Compare with my work experience, my team goal was meeting the customer expectation by delivering a good service. In day-to-day task, good communication skills would be very useful for working as team because in the whole process of working, we had to communicate with the team members all the time to make sure that we reached all customers expectation in terms of service quality. Generally, team members were assigned a task and address a daily goal by a leader every morning and the leader also allowed us to present our idea which might be useful for the team if there was a special event such as private party. During any day working, the most difficult situation was, when there was a special order and waiting staff had to transfer that order to a chef. We had to make sure that we meet the customers expectation. Apart from the day-to-day task, every two weeks, there was a meeting which made for all team members to discuss a whole performance in the past two weeks. Every team member would have got all information which was useful for improving the team performance such as feedbacks from customers which were collected directly from customers. We also got a chance to present our point of view and share our ideas and find the areas of agreement as the basis for collaboration. Personally, I think the way that the operational task was managed was reasonable and efficient, because good communication among team member was very important for working as a team. If I could manage this task, I would still maintain this good point about two-way communication but I would th ink more about staff commitment issue because all staff members were a part of the success and we should return some benefits back to staff for their hard work by appealing to them in terms of reward package such as salary, bonus, status and recognition. If we could win the staff commitment, staff would be happy to work towards the operational task and we would get the best performance from them. 2. Personal Portfolio Personal Development Plan is a tool which contains actions or aspirations oriented towards any of the following aims and it should be seen as a constant process involving enhancement and development of abilities, skills and knowledge (RDI handbook, 2009). Apparently, skills audit is important for everyone who would like to set up PDP. Skills audit is a tool which is designed to help you to identify your strengths, weaknesses and areas for development within various skills areas. (RDI handbook, 2009) Before I set up my PDP, I did a skills audit and four of important skills were chosen to be improved as the table below. Skills Audit According to the skills audit above, I identified my skills which needed to be improved and chose some activities to support me to improve my skills. There are four skills which I think they will be useful for my future career. Those skills are : 1. Leadership skills From my skills audit above I gave myself in a low rating and I thought I needed to improve this skill because this skill is very important skill for a manager. In the workplace manager should have an ability to motivate a team member to work toward a common goal and get the job done in order to make the over performance more effective and successful. For improving this skill, I set some activities such as participating in any group task (classroom) , reading a book Leadership skills for managers . During six months for improving leadership skill, I have been gaining a lot of knowledge and I got many chance to practice this skill. Significantly, I have leant how to persuade group members to agree with my idea and also learn how to be good leader in the group when we were assign the group task such as teams discussions and presentations during class assignments. I also learn from reading books which contain leadership articles. These books helped me to understand the differences betwee n manager and leader; how the leader is so important to very work project and it also teaches me how to be a good leader. 2. Prioritizing skills Prioritizing skills is important for manager because good manager is a person who manages to plan the schedule and divide time equally between tasks can be an asset for the organization. This skill basically was the skill which I gave myself a highest rating among all skills. In the past six months, I improve this skill a lot especially during the MBA course. Generally, there were many assignments which had to be submitted on time, therefore, this skill is very useful for me because I could prioritize all my works and working on the most important at each moment and could submit all my assignment on time. 3. Communication skills Communication skills are very important for working as a team. Working as a team, Bad communication will inevitably lead to loss of income or worse. My communication skills at the beginning of the course were not good enough. Language was my barrier because English is not my first language. Therefore, participating in any group task (classroom) was the activity which useful for improving these skills. During my course, I got many chance to improve my communication skills such as discussion class, work as a group and communicate to other group members. Furthermore, I have learnt a lot form the books about communication. In order to become a more effective communicator, I have learnt many different communications channels such as memos emails meetings teleconferencing instant messaging 4. Planning skills Planning skill is one of those skills which allows a manager to anticipate such issues and be prepared should they arise. My action plan for improving this skill were reading and researching articles or books which are related to an assignment. Over the past six months, I read a lot of books which were useful to my assignment such as the book about Human Resource Management, Managing Change, Marketing, Finance and operational management. Apart from reading, I did practice some exercises before the 24 hours assessment in Finance management. 5. Information technology (IT) Skills Not surprisingly, IT skills are very important in most parts of every workplace because IT skills are still in demand and IT may be the most important factor for long-term career success. From my skill audit above, I gave myself low rating because I got only basic ability about IT. Therefore, I planned to improve these skills by doing a lot of practicing in some computer applications which I already got the basic knowledge about such as Microsoft Excel, internet application. Furthermore, I have leant more about some computer applications which I had never used before such as Autofill with Formulae and functions. From the activities above which were use to help myself to improve my skills in many areas. After my plan reached the target date which was on April 2010, I will review the skills which were developed over the period of time by this following table : From the table above which it shows how much my skills have developed over six months. Basically, I divided my self- assessment into two periods (three months in each period). According to the first period of my self-assessment, I realized that all of those skills were developed gradually. It was because I had to adjust myself into new environment such as educational system and language which different from my country. Leadership skills- in the first period, I rated myself only 3 because I think I need more practicing and need more time to gain some experiences and after six months was over I rated myself 4 which is reasonably confident but need more practicing. Frankly, I think to be a good leader with a lot of confident, I need to keep practicing and leaning from mistakes in the past. Prioritizing skills- Before I started to improve this skill, I rated myself quite high (4) but after the first period was over, I still thought that my prioritizing skill did not improve much because I had to adjust myself to the new educational system. When the self-assessment was over, I think this skill was developed successfully. Communication Skills- These skills was difficult to be improved for me regarding to a language barrier. For the first period, therefore, I needed to practice very hard in both English skills and communication skills because both are linked. After the whole period was over, I think my communication skills were developed reasonably and I would like to practice and learn more to pull these skills to be my strength. Planning skills Although, this skill is quite simple and easy to succeed but being in MBA cause, planning skills was turned to be a bit difficult for me. Nevertheless, keeping myself on track and always focusing on the goal of my study, these made me improved this skill quickly. Therefore, I think this skill was developed successfully. IT skills Frankly speaking, I think these skills are the most difficult to be improve because there are many computer applications which take time to be understood. For the first period, I did not improve much on these skills because it was difficult to learn how to use some computer application by myself but within the second period, I got a chance to practice this skill more often with my classmate due to the financial management module. After six months were over, I think that even though I have improved this skill but I need more practicing and need more time to gain some experiences. According to my self- assessment for all of the skills above, I think I have developed those skills reasonably and successfully and those need to be practiced continuously in order to make them to be my strength and be useful for my future career 3. Reflection on the process of skills development According to the personal development plan, I chose five skills which I need to develop over my course. Firstly, leadership skills are the main skills which I need to develop. Leadership is defined as the process of influencing and persuade others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it.(Gary Yukl, 2006) and it is about persuading people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen (Kuozen J. et al., 2007). Leadership skills are very important for any teamwork because reaching a team goal needs someone who can lead and persuade team members through the right way whether it is difficult or not. As far as I am aware, my leadership skills have been improving because these skills need time to practice. Apparently, group work in the class helps me a lot by building my confidence and I am also learning form the many books about leadership such as Leadership skills for managers which help me to understand more about why leadership skills are important for manager job and how I can become a good leader. Secondly, Prioritizing skill, personally I thought this skill was very easy to be developed but in fact being in MBA course made me realized that there were many obstacles which prevented myself to achieve my goal such as being in a different educational system and language barriers. These obstacles made some of my work delayed but unfortunately, I am still on the track and be able to improve this skill successfully. Thirdly, Communication skills, well communicate among team members is a part of generating an effective team performance. As I have learnt so far during my class period, two-way communication is apparently more effective in practice because discussion in a classroom needs everyone in the class to be participated by sharing our ideas and I definitely got a chance to share my opinion and learn how to be a good listener at the same time. And I always use some techniques form the book, Stepladders to success for the professional which help me to perform in my class more efficiently because difference of ideas or opinion might lead us to groups conflict and it happened to me many times but these experiences help me to learn how to handle the problem. Fourthly , planning skills, according to the fact that I have to submit all of my assignments on time, therefore, planning such as what I had to do, which book I had to read etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦these help me to submit all of my assignments on time and I got a reasonable marks for all of them. This skill can apply to any activities which need to be done in a certain time. Lastly, IT skills which are important for a manager job in terms of using it to generate organizational reports. As far as I am concern, the spreadsheet (Excel software) is very important computer application which simulates a paper, accounting worksheet. According to the complication of the program, it has been taking me long time to learn and understand how it works, but practicing can help me to use this program more effective in the future. Conclusion In any areas of any business, person who has a potential skill is always required. Therefore, skills development is very important for any person who would like to get a good job. Generally, not only for a job seeker but it is for someone who needs to improve his/her skills in order to perform his/her task more effective. Personally, this personal skills development helps me to identify my ability and skills which I need to improve and motivate myself to achieve my goal by setting an action plan. Although, I have not achieved all my plans at this moment but I believe that if I keep follow my action plan, I will definitely reach my goal in the future. Appendices Personal Development Plan My Goal Which skills I need to improve? Actions Required Who or What Can Help Me? Target Date for Action To gain diversified business knowledge and expertise in order to be a potential manager in the future by Improving Some skills which are related to my goal 1. Leadership skills Participating in any group task (classroom) Reading a book Leadership skills for managers Classmates and a tutor By April 2010 2. Prioritizing skills Prioritize all my works, working on the most important at each moment. By April 2010 3.Communication skills Participating in any group task (classroom) Classmates and a tutor By April 2010 4.Planing skills Reading and researching article or book which are related to an assignment Tutor Submit Date 5. IT Skills Learning Some computer Applications which are related i.e. spreadsheet By April 2010 Skills Audit Knowledge and skills which I consider to be important for future job Ability Rating (1-5) Typical Description Tutors Comments 1.Leadership skills 2 Manager should have an ability to motivate a team member to work toward a common goal. Suthira has lead her teams discussions and presentations during class assignments and proved to be good team leader. 2. prioritizing skills 4 Good manager is a person who manages to plan the schedule and divide time equally between tasks can be an asset for the organization. During the course, Suthira has appreciated the importance of prioritizing in the achievement of assignments and tasks. 3.Communication skills 3 Working as a team, Bad communication will inevitably lead to loss of income or worse. Suthiras commands of spoken and written English have improved since starting the program. 4.Planning skill 3 Planning allows a manager to anticipate such issues and be prepared should they arise. Suthira has developed good planning skills. That appeared clearly during her preparations before classes commenced. 5. IT skills 2 IT skills are still in demand and IT may be the most important factor for long-term career success. TitleThe Interaction Between Task and TeamAuthorsAlex Hellenthal, Eric MollemanPublisherVDM Verlag, 2008

Abortion :: essays research papers

DOES ABORTION SANCTION EVIL? By Joseph Kellard from Capitalism Magazine/Feb.98 This interesting article written by Joseph Kellard is a pro-choice article that examines the issue of abortion from a moral perspective. He comments on the opinions of Christian Conservatives and compares their thinking to Adolph Hitler’s feelings on abortion. Kellard points out the irony of anti-abortionists when they say that â€Å"all life is precious†, when they actually discount the life of the pregnant woman. Conservative syndicated columnist, Cal Thomas is quoted as saying that â€Å"abortion’s legalization is a goose-step toward Nazi concentration camps.† He said that pro-abortionists are creating a â€Å"culture of death†, much like the Nazis did. He goes so far as blaming the violent acts of criminals on people who support abortion. Other conservative anti-abortionists call the legalization of abortion â€Å"the American Holocaust.† Kellard quoted Adolph Hitler in Mein Kampf, as saying â€Å"I put an end to the idea that a woman’s body belongs to her...Nazi ideals demand that the practice of abortion shall be exterminated with a strong hand.† Hitler sentenced Aryan women who had abortions to hard labor after the first offense, and to death after the second offense. Kellard goes on to say that Conservative Christian anti-abortionists have similar beliefs to Adolph Hitler. He actually feels that in some ways Hitler was more lenient because some anti-abortionists believe that a woman should be executed after her first abortion, not her second! Kellard believes that Hitler and anti-abortionists both deny individual autonomy and â€Å"render people submissive†. He goes on to criticize the idea that â€Å"all life is precious†, because in fact the woman’s life is not considered as important as the embryo or fetus. This makes a woman no more important than a ‘farm cow’, who is demanded to breed whenever she gets pregnant. This is the way Nazi youth were trained.

Addiction: A Desease Or A Choice? :: Drugs Alcohol

People argue whether drug addiction is a disease or a choice. Today, I will be discussing this argument in hopes to have a better understanding as to why this topic is so controversial. Throughout my research, I easily found information on this topic and I am still not sure I have found any answers. The biggest argument is that addiction is a choice not a disease. For those on the other side of the argument they claim just the opposite. According to a source on the Internet entitled Alcohol and Drug Treatment: The Disease Concept Of Substance Abuse and Addiction, the idea of drugs and alcohol being a disease is a â€Å"very controversial and debated topic.† For the purposes of this essay, I am forced to agree that drug addiction is a choice. People get high and drink because they want to and if they are not careful they can become an addict. The research I found on this particular topic seemed to have the most support and facts to dismiss the idea that addiction is a disease. I also beeivle if there was enough evidence to support the idea of addiction being a disease it would not be such a controversial topic. According to a Website entitled â€Å"Saint Jude Retreat House,† alcoholism and drug addiction are not diseases because those types of behaviors can be avoided and there is help available to change these behaviors. Although it has been found true that drug and alcohol dependency can be passed down through hereditary there is no concrete evidence I have found that proves that this is a disease. In a book entitled Treating Substance Abuse, Theory and Technique 2nd edition, says â€Å"This first and probably least controversial of the disease models can be termed the â€Å"medical consequences model.† (Page 11). This statement seems to be saying that because this topic is so controversial and not enough medical proof is available it has been given a generic name. It is true that drugs and alcohol can cause diseases, but does that make the addiction problem a disease? Perhaps this topic is so controversial because of the lack of knowledge or understanding of drug addiction. On a Website entitled â€Å"Addiction is a Chronic Disease,† the source was comparing diabetes and cancer to support their idea that drug addiction to is a chronic disease. The Website did not give any additional support and provided no examples. Addiction: A Desease Or A Choice? :: Drugs Alcohol People argue whether drug addiction is a disease or a choice. Today, I will be discussing this argument in hopes to have a better understanding as to why this topic is so controversial. Throughout my research, I easily found information on this topic and I am still not sure I have found any answers. The biggest argument is that addiction is a choice not a disease. For those on the other side of the argument they claim just the opposite. According to a source on the Internet entitled Alcohol and Drug Treatment: The Disease Concept Of Substance Abuse and Addiction, the idea of drugs and alcohol being a disease is a â€Å"very controversial and debated topic.† For the purposes of this essay, I am forced to agree that drug addiction is a choice. People get high and drink because they want to and if they are not careful they can become an addict. The research I found on this particular topic seemed to have the most support and facts to dismiss the idea that addiction is a disease. I also beeivle if there was enough evidence to support the idea of addiction being a disease it would not be such a controversial topic. According to a Website entitled â€Å"Saint Jude Retreat House,† alcoholism and drug addiction are not diseases because those types of behaviors can be avoided and there is help available to change these behaviors. Although it has been found true that drug and alcohol dependency can be passed down through hereditary there is no concrete evidence I have found that proves that this is a disease. In a book entitled Treating Substance Abuse, Theory and Technique 2nd edition, says â€Å"This first and probably least controversial of the disease models can be termed the â€Å"medical consequences model.† (Page 11). This statement seems to be saying that because this topic is so controversial and not enough medical proof is available it has been given a generic name. It is true that drugs and alcohol can cause diseases, but does that make the addiction problem a disease? Perhaps this topic is so controversial because of the lack of knowledge or understanding of drug addiction. On a Website entitled â€Å"Addiction is a Chronic Disease,† the source was comparing diabetes and cancer to support their idea that drug addiction to is a chronic disease. The Website did not give any additional support and provided no examples.

Hantavirus

Disease is common throughout the world and can spread at a fast rate. It is spread very often by animals other than humans and is often spread through person to person or animal to person contact. The small deer mouse can infect a human with a disease named the Hantavirus from the family Bunyaviridae. Hantavirus is a deadly disease that has shocking causes, dangerous effects and also has preventions and treatments. The causes of Hantavirus are shocking. Hantavirus starts when a contaminated deer mouse’s droppings or nest are inhaled. The disease is also not contagious because it is only spread by the deer mouse. Once the disease is inhaled it goes straight to the lungs or kidneys and infects them. A person that contracts this disease will not know that they are infected until the effects of the disease are almost in its worst stages. Therefore, immediate medical attention needs to be given to the infected person. Hantavirus is caused by the deer mouse which then leads into some very deadly effects. The disease enters the body and targets the respiratory or urinary systems. The disease goes into the lungs or kidneys which are vital organs in anyone’s body. As a fact, half of all patients treated with Hantavirus in the U. S have survived the disease. Other effects include kidney failure, lung failure, and rapid shallow breathing. The effects of Hantavirus are killer but there are preventions and treatments for it. At this time, there is no cure for the lungs but the kidneys are easier to treat. The doctors will try to use oxygen therapy for the lungs to help the patients breathing. Any person can prevent the Hantavirus by setting mouse traps or by simply calling an exterminator for a check of your house. In conclusion Hantavirus has shocking causes, effects that may lead to death and has preventions and treatments. Hantavirus is a deadly disease caused by a small deer mouse. This treatable disease has also been the cause of some deaths around America. The disease was first seen in the United States in a village called Four Corners Arizona in 1993. Hantavirus may be part of the reason why many people have a phobia of mice.

Historical Theory Essay

What is nursing Science? According to Barnett, nursing science is an identifiable with distinct knowledge that comprise of frameworks, theory and paradigms. In order to understand nursing science, I will discuss the historical development and explain the relationship between nursing profession and nursing science. Also, I will discuss how other disciplines can influence nursing science. This will help understand how theoretical thinking has evolved. Theory development and theory thinking was first intiated by Florence Nightingale. She presented the first nursing theory, the environmental theory. Her theory focused on the physical environment such as air, light, and warmth to restore the individuals health (George, 2011). Her work directed nursing practice for over a hundred and fifty years. As we jumped to the 1950’s, graduates from Columbia University developed the first concept of nursing theory. Theorists such as Hildegard E. Peplau, Faye Abdellah, and Lydia Hall are one of many theorists who used the biomedical model. This model focuses on what nurses do and their functional role (George, 2011). Hildegard Peplau focused on the professional relationship between the patient and nurse by focusing on the patients needs, feelings, problems and ideas. Faye Abdellah, however, focused on patient-centered care (George, 2011). While Lydia Hall uses the circle of care, core and cure. She uses the three circles to involve nurses and patients to care for illness. In the 1960s, theorists such as, Virginia Henderson, Ida Jean Orlando, and Ernestine Widenbach focused on nurse-patient relationship. Their theories focused on what nurses do and how patients perceives them (Walker and Avant, 2011). In 1965 the American Nurses Association (ANA) recommended two levels of education, the baccalaureate degree (the professional nurse), and the associated degree (the technical nurse). As a result of this, doctored prepared nurses became the next wave of nursing theorists (Walker and Avant, 2011). As we look into the 1970’s, this was an era were many theorists were first  presented, including Dorethea Orem, Jean Watson, and Patricia Benner. During this time, the understanding of research and knowledge of development increased. There was an understanding that research and theory together were required to produce nursing science. In the mid 1970s, the National League for Nursing (NLN) required all nursing schools to meet the accreditation standards by chosing, developing and implementing a conceptual framework. (George, 2011). This allowed students to apply theory to his/her nursing education (Walker and Avant, 2011). Towards the late 1970s, the first published journal, Advances in Nursing Science focuses on theory building, analysis and theory application. This journal was used as a forum for debate and discussion about theoretical thinking in nursing (Walker and Avant, 2011). This journal gave awareness of the need for concept and theory development. In the 1980s many theories were being reviewed and expanded. This was a period of major developments in nursing theory from the pre-paradigm to the paradigm period. To further the development of nursing, paradigms (models) provided perspectives in nursing practice, administration, and research (Alligod, 2011). This includes the work of Patricia Benner, Madeline Leininger, and Martha Rogers. There theories focused on the body of theoretical thought in nursing. As we get to the 1990s numerous nursing theories expaned and research studies were being tested. Middle-range theories guides clinical practice, while the circle of theory-research-practice provides the foundation of evidence-based and best practices(George, 2011). Theorists such as Martha Rogers, Ida King, and Patricia Benner, made revisions and refinements of their theories to implicate practice, research, education and the future. Now in the 21st century, nursing theory became more diverse. Diversity is now being accepted and embraced after many years of struggling with theories (George, 2011). The discipline of nursing now focuses on the humans, health, illness, relationships, therapeutics, caring, interactions, ethics and diversity, to provide a fertile ground for the development of research and evidence-based and research practices (George, 2011). Now that I have discussed the historical perspectives in nursing science, there is a relationship between nursing science and the profession. The goal of nursing science is to gain knowledge about human experiences through creative conceptualization and research. By applying nursing framework and theories will provide the foundation for professional nursing practice (George, 2011). It guides nurses in procedures, interpersonal engagement and value of professional practice. Also, Nursing theories will implement the critical thinking structures to direct clinical decision making for professional nursing and nursing practices (George, 2011). As we discussed the relationship between nursing science and the profession, theorists are influenced by other disciplines. Disciplines that theorist used are anthropology, philosophy, religion, education, social sciences and psychology. Madeline Leiniger used anthropology, philosophy, social science, religion and education to develop a discipline in transcultural nursing also known as culture care theory. Sister Callista Roy and Betty Neuman provided conceptual framework for nursing education and science (Eun-Ok,&Ju, 2012). In psychology, Nola Pender developed the Health Promotion model with the goal of achieving outcomes of health promoting behavior (George, 2011) By adapting these disciplines it allows theorists to build theories and framework in order to enhance nursing practice (George, 2011). I have explained the historical development of nursing science and the relationship between nursing science and the procession. As well as, the influences of anthropology, philosophy, psychology, social science, religion and education on nursing science to provide us and guide us in nursing practice.

Performance Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Performance Management - Term Paper Example The basic similarity between all the three books is that all of them provide practical examples and implications of the studies carried out in the workplaces. However, discussing the differences, the book, â€Å"Motivating Human Service Staff† written by Reid and Parsons the focus is on increasing motivation through supervisory control where authors have the view that employees should be made to work hard, but at the same time, they should enjoy their work because they are either given good incentives or are acknowledged, recognized and praised for performing well. In this regard, Reid & Parsons provided an example stating that in service industries most of the employees are seen having low morale or reduced levels of motivation, the reason being that the nature of such industries lacks clear incentives. Moreover, it is seen that even the workforce itself carries such de-motivating traits because either their organizational structure is autocratic, or they may not have a histo ry to work in the same profession before. Thus, as per the authors, during these situations, motivation becomes the responsibility of the management, and it is necessary for them to identify ways to support diligent workforce.Such examples given in the book show that Reid and Parson feel that the changes in behavior, as well as, skills can be carried if the employees are given a clear set of goals to accomplish along with key drivers that provide support for them to accomplish their goals.

McDonaldization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

McDonaldization - Essay Example One of the fundamental concepts of McDonaldization is spatial expansion, otherwise known as globalization. From its beginnings as a fairly limited phenomenon, McDonaldization has begun to pervade every aspect of our existence, and even though it does not fit the model of globalization outlined by theorists, it is most definitely a global process. McDonalds restaurants themselves can be found all over the world, and many other countries have introduced their own variants of the fast food restaurant, including France, India, and Lebanon. More importantly, the qualities of the McDonalds brand as outlined above are being adopted by institutions and systems throughout the world that are unrelated to the fast food industry. The globalization of these concepts can be attributed to a number of factors, the most obvious being the profit motive. The growing world-wide fascination with American culture, together with changes occurring in American society, and the lack of an alternative to McDonaldization, are also important factors. There is little to stand in the way of the globalization of either the McDonalds franchise or the McDonalds culture. One of the biggest impediments is that many developing countries either have little to offer McDonaldized systems, or simply lack the funds needed to implement such changes. Local culture is also an important factor, in that McDonaldization is unlikely to be capable of changing an entire culture, and also that McDonaldized systems will likely have to adapt somewhat to the customs of local cultures. In addition to cultural factors, there are environmental concerns. McDonaldized systems often have associated health or environmental risks and many groups of people are opposed to such systems on these grounds. Safety on the Sidewalks Jane Jacobs' essay entitled The Uses of Sidewalks: Safety discusses how a community of people in any given area contributes to the safety of that area by activities they may or may not carry out on the streets. Jacobs argues that a street or area is not intrinsically safe or dangerous because its location, but because of the attitudes and habits of the people who live there. According to Jacobs, the public peace of city streets is kept not by police or other authorities, but by "an intricatenetwork of voluntary controls and standards among the people themselves, and enforced by the people themselves". In places where such a network does not exist, the keeping of order is left to the police, and such places are not safe because citizens are not policing themselves. Jacobs cites three main qualities a street must have in order to be safe. First, there should be a "clear demarcation between what is public space and what is private space" This means, for example, that private business between individuals is not carried out on the street or in stores, and that private homes are not left open for the public to enter. Second, there should be "eyes upon the street", that is, the buildings of the street must be oriented so that their windows face the street. Lastly, the sidewalks should be continuously inhabited, both to increase the number of people on the street watching the

The relation between assessment practices and outcomes of students in Essay

The relation between assessment practices and outcomes of students in foreign language learning - Essay Example The importance of assessment in the process of education cannot be overemphasized (CERI, 2008). Although prior knowledge affects students’ performance positively, yet the effects primarily depend upon the way they have been assessed (Dochy, Segers, and Buehl, 2010). Ensuring equity in the assessment of students’ performance and its interpretation is fundamental to getting the students motivated to achieve high standards in education (ncrel.org, 1997). To identify the performance assessment methods commonly used by teachers for foreign language learning, first a thorough review of literature would be done. Students would be required to mark the importance of the identified performance assessment methods in determining best learning outcome on a scale of 1 to 5 where the values represent â€Å"not important†, â€Å"less important†, â€Å"important†, â€Å"very important† and â€Å"most important† respectively. The performance assessment methods would be classified using the relative importance index. This research would produce useful results both for the teachers and the students. The teachers would be able to identify and implement the best performance assessment method according to the students’ perception whereas the students would be able to optimize on their academic performance. between Classroom Activities, Motivation, and Outcomes in a University Language-Learning Environment. Carnegie Mellon University. Dietrich College Honors Theses. Paper 74. Retrieved from

Project Statistics Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statistics Project Example The main procedure utilized in this study was regression analysis. It was utilized to explain the total variation of the dependent variable, the price of housing. The dependent variable was accompanied by 5 variables, which were tested against the dependent variable to determine how much of the total variation is explained. The analyses also discussed the comparison of the different regression models, and determine which model is the most effective. In regards to the regression analysis results, it is clearly evident that model 4 and 5 are the strongest model and model 1 being the weakest. Model 2 and 3 does not apply because of the reasons given. The first regression analysis step was to input all the collected data from the surveys into a spreadsheet. This process allows efficient running of regression models. After all the data was entered, there was formulation of the initial regression model. The analysis was done as in the next section. In summary, basing on the multiple regression above it is observed that the cost of construction, inflation rates, interest rates and real property gains tax influence negatively the price of housing. On the other hand population influences positively the price of housing. The analysis of this model can be further analyzed to ascertain the strength of the influence as seen in the next section. This first regression analysis shows a relatively weak model. The coefficient of Determination(R squared) shows that only 4% of the total variation is explained by the cost of construction factor. The standard error is 22.39, determined by the low R squared. In regards to the hypothesis testing, by considering an alpha of 0.05, the results indicate that this age variable is to be rejected. The independent variable of cost of construction demonstrates that the higher the cost of construction is, the less the price of housing and this is in line with several studies done. Thus the performance is less by -0.46633.

Book Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Book Report - Assignment Example McCarthy observed how some of the state’s top and influential people and their children had shamelessly betrayed America. He contends how â€Å"young men who are born with silver spoons in their mouths are the ones who have been worst†¦.† Therefore, according to McCarthy, the state government â€Å"is thoroughly infested with communists† (238). This was like allowing the adversary to invade the state via â€Å"dealing with a far more sinister type of activity because it permitted the enemy to guide and shape our policy† (p. 238). This has led to inequality, especially among those participating in legal processes, which is evident in the McCarthy’s argument where initially he claims to have a list of 205 traitors in the government; during his speech, however, the number turns to be 57 people. Besides, power concentration has acted as a freedom barrier where few people, despite their sobriety, manipulate it, which limits the liberty of the population. For instance, this is evident in the President Kennedy’s statement: â€Å"ask not what the country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country† (256). This implies that â€Å"Neither half of the statement expresses a relation between the citizen and his government that is worthy of the ideals of the free men in a free society† (256). This affirms how the people are the state’s servants while the beneficiaries constitute few persons who are influential and capable of manipulating power to suit their interests. Free people normally utilize the government as a tool where individuals, despite their status, normally unite as compatriots for the benefit of all, which is safeguarding their freedom. Therefore, a free man usually inquires â€Å"what can I and my compatriots do through gov ernment to help us discharge our individual responsibilities, to achieve our several goals and purposes, and above all, to protect our freedom?†

My Idea of a Professional Teacher Essay Example for Free

My Idea of a Professional Teacher Essay A student is nothing without his/her teacher. Without them we would know nothing and be nothing. The teacher is the one that helps the student understand everything around him/her. The teacher’s pride and glory is to know that he/she helped create a student that would someday live a successful life. When the word â€Å"professional teacher† was said, Sir Camacho comes to my mind. Even though there are a lot of great teachers in Regional Science High School, I chose him because he is a teacher that everyone likes, he is a teacher that is strict but very fun to be with, and he is a teacher that turns something so hard to something very understandable, he is a teacher that understands his students, and helps them in times of need. I remember the first day of being a junior; Sir Camacho was our first subject teacher, I thought he was a very strict teacher that wants every lesson he teaches to be understood by the students immediately, but I was proven wrong. We got along very well and he even shared his experiences to us—his students. Aristotle loves him, he gives us some advices, and we share some secrets with him. I consider Sir Camacho as one of the great teachers that taught me. He is a man that can be a teacher at the same time a friend. Words can’t be enough to describe how much I’m thankful of him and the great knowledge he shared us. Sir Camacho should really be called Superman.

Impact of Consumer Credit Laws

Impact of Consumer Credit Laws In today’s consumer based society, the need for credit is undoubted. More and more individuals and organisations are reliant upon credit to undertake their day to day activities, thus the role of credit in society has magnified in unmeasurable amounts. There are also more personal credit products available on the market than when the original Consumer Credit Act 1974 was drawn up, thus there is more of a need to regulate these products and the relationships between creditor and debtor in order to avoid any unfair conduct on the part of either party. As the Government White Paper suggests: The laws governing this market were set out a generation ago. In 1971, there was only one credit card available; now there are 1,300. 30 years ago,  £32m was owed on credit cards; now it is over  £49bn. The regulatory structure that was put in place then is not the same as the regulatory structure required today. As the credit market has developed, reforms have become necessary to modernise the current regime and update it for the 21st century.[1] This evidence clearly supports the idea that the previous rules governing consumer credit relationships are significantly outmoded and outdated, and are in dire need of updating and reworking to meet the needs of a modern society. The nature of the relationship between a debtor and their creditor or supplier has subsequently become more complex and legalistic, and requires rules that govern these specific relationships without relying upon the general principles that can be found in, say, the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, which will be discussed in more detail in due course. This brief intends to consider the new provisions of the Consumer Credit Act 2006 and determine whether this legislation goes too far in protecting the rights of debtors, as opposed to the rights of creditors and suppliers. These conclusions will be drawn based upon consideration of the primary legislation, including the previous Consumer Credit Act 1974, as well as the apparent diverse and conflicting nature of secondary sources on this issue. It appears that a number of viewpoints could be explored, and this brief intends to do just that in order to arrive at the most appropriate conclusion. The Government had already completed a review of the 1974 Act in its White Paper, which will be discussed shortly. This Paper identified key areas where the law was not protecting the rights of consumers, and often allowed credit companies to take advantage of vulnerable individuals in order to rise to the top of what has effectively become a crowded and cut-throat marketplace. Each company is trying to sell its product to consumers, each trying to maximise the revenue it can make from it. In order to avoid innocent Britons from being exploited by unregulated corporations, the Government commission its review into the Consumer Credit Act 1974 before drafting the Consumer Credit Act 2006, in order to ensure that the new law was going to address the most salient of concerns of con sumers. It was also important to define who should be afforded protection under the new law. Should it be aimed at the general British consumer, or should it have specifications that restrict who could rely upon these provisions based upon certain socio-economic factors? This is where this report will begin. Perhaps the best place to begin would be to continue considering the DTI’s White Paper on consumer credit in the 21st century. While it does not consider the current Consumer Credit Act 2006 in express terms due to its publication several years before its enactment, it does highlight the perceived inadequacies of the then existing consumer credit protections of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Firstly, it appears that the Government is concerned with establishing a transparent marketplace that prevents debtors from being taken advantage of by creditors and suppliers. It plans to accomplish this by having clear and effective regulations in place to govern the use of advertising in selling credit products.[2] This intends to address the inadequacies provided not only by the 1974 Act, but also by the Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 1989 due to the recently explosive nature of consumer credit products and contracts. The rationale behind such a move by the government can only be suggested to attempt to protect the consumer against any deceptive or misleading conduct by creditors through advertising promotional campaigns that could unduly influence them into entering into consumer credit contracts which do not specifically cater for their needs or financial situations. This would be consistent with the notion that the intention of the 2006 Act is to protect the consumer/debtor more so than the creditor, due to their more vulnerable position in the marketplace. Quite obviously, disparity does exist between the negotiation and contractual powers of debtors and creditors, and thus the intention of the Government is to create a more level playing field, allowing them to do business in a manner which is not only legal, but also moral and ethical. Another way the Government claimed this will be done in its White Paper was through standardisation of the form of consumer credit contracts.[3] This would, theoretically, ensure that there are minimal difference s between the standard terms of a consumer credit contract regardless of who the credit provider was, and regardless of what the actual lending product was. Again, this clearly is intended to protect the debtor more so than the creditor, given the disparity in contractual and negotiation abilities and resources available to the two parties. The Government even intends to reflect the changes in the way we contract that have come into existence since the 1974 Act, including online contracts. The rationale behind this is that the use of the internet in contractual dealings can often lead to an increased possibility of fraud on the part of either party.[4] What this means is that one could quite possibly enter into a contractual agreement through an online method without going through the full stringent identity criteria as they might be required to if they were personally entering into this agreement at, say, a bank. Normally a 100-point ID check, or similar procedure, may be used or r elied upon by a creditor in order to ensure that they were dealing with the person whose name appears on the contractual documents. However, this may also extend to a debtor where the reliability of the credit provider could not be ascertained. This protection would then effectively protect both the creditor and debtor to ensure that the contract was reliable, and that the correct person or entity was included as a party to the agreement. Perhaps the most important aspect of the Government White Paper regarding consumer credit contracts is the introduction of more stringent licensing criteria for credit providers. The Government’s hope, in 2003, was that the reform to the consumer credit laws would give the Office of Fair Trading more power to investigate credit providers to ensure that they were complying with the terms of the license granted upon them. Previously, the DTI claimed that the tests that a credit provider was required to pass to gain a license only determined whether they initially met these criteria, and did not illustrate whether they continued to meet the criteria, and thus remain fit to provide credit to consumers.[5] This would, theoretically, maintain the integrity of the consumer credit industry, making it much safer for consumers to deal in the sometimes overwhelming credit market. Again, this appears to be protecting the consumer’s interests more so than those of the credit supplie r. The DTI has identified a number of areas that the Consumer Credit Act 1974 was lax in upholding and protecting in the interests of consumer credit, and it would appear that, based upon the general consensus of this White Paper (a fundamental research document that highlights the Government’s intention in reforming particular laws) that the DTI is more concerned about consumers being taken advantage of due to developments in the credit market that tend to fall outside the scope of the 1974 Act. This is mainly due to social and technological advances that were not within comprehension at the time the 1974 Act came into enforcement and a lack of reform since that time. However, while the shortfalls of the Act have been duly illustrated by the DTI, what if a consumer continues to have a problem with a credit contract? To what institution do they turn to exercise their right of redress? The DTI uses its White Paper to harangue the idea of the Financial Ombudsman Service being e mpowered to investigate contractual dispute involving consumer credit. This would create an alternative dispute resolution pathway that may ultimately avoid the pomposity, risk and financial burden that was previously required in order to take a matter to court. Rather, this would make the dispute resolution procedure much more appealing and affordable to a consumer, giving them more opportunity to vindicate their legal rights where they might otherwise be precluded from doing so due to pressing financial commitments. This does gear itself towards the consumer more so than the creditor, as a credit providing company would presumably have a greater access to legal expertise and resources by comparison to the individual person, thus the DTI found it prudent to address the shortfalls of the 1974 Act in protecting individual debtors. While these have all been appropriately illustrated by the DTI’s White Paper, it is important to note that this was simply and analysis of the 1974 Act in conjunction with today’s developing credit-based society, and does not in itself give rise to any legal effect. It does, however, point out the reasons behind the Government’s wish to reform consumer credit laws, and gives one a way to measure the effectiveness of the now enacted Consumer Credit Act 2006 by applying these criteria. It is now important to consider the express provisions of this Act in order to determine whether these shortfalls identified by the DTI have been adequately addressed and protected by the new Act. Before considering the possible codification of the DTI’s discussion in the Consumer Credit Act 2006, it is important to establish the scope of application for this Act. It does not apply to businesses or corporations who enter into consumer credit contracts solely for business purposes. Rather, it serves to protect individuals that may be at less of a negotiation or contracting position than what a business would which may have access to virtually unlimited capital. The 2006 Act defines an ‘individual’ as: (a) a partnership consisting of two or three persons not all of whom are bodies corporate; and (b) an unincorporated body of persons which does not consist entirely of bodies corporate and is not a partnership.[6] The inclusion of these two categories as ‘individuals’ for the purposes of the Act gives more people protection under the Act than what may have been afforded otherwise under the 1974 Act, thus ensuring more consumers are protected. It clearly precludes large businesses and corporations from seeking protection under the Act, thus ensuring that only those who may not necessarily be able to provide their own legal protection are protected by law from being taken advantage of. Additionally, section 2 of the 2006 Act removes the previously existing financial limits for protection under the Act ( £25,000)[7] thus broadening the scope of application, however section 3 excludes consumers with a ‘high net worth’ from also obtaining protection under the Act, which subsequently re-limits the scope of application to those consumers who really are in need of consumer protection. The presence of these provisions in the 2006 Act suggests that the intention of the Act is to provide protection for those that may otherwise be at a disability to do so of their own will and accord. One of the most important changes that the 2006 Act has made to consumer credit regulation is the ability of a court to now hear matters relating to unfair credit relationships. The powers of the court in such circumstances have been defined, as have the procedural requirements for bringing such a matter before a court.[8] Under the newly amended sections of the 1974 Act, a court must have regard for the following factors when adjudicating on the issue of an unfair relationship: (a) any of the terms of the agreement or of any related agreement; (b) the way in which the creditor has exercised or enforced any of his rights under the agreement or any related agreement; (c) any other thing done (or not done) by, or on behalf of, the creditor (either before or after the making of the agreement or any related agreement).[9] Additionally, the remedies available to the court include: (a) require the creditor, or any associate or former associate of his, to repay (in whole or in part) any sum paid by the debtor or by a surety by virtue of the agreement or any related agreement (whether paid to the creditor, the associate or the former associate or to any other person); (b) require the creditor, or any associate or former associate of his, to do or not to do (or to cease doing) anything specified in the order in connection with the agreement or any related agreement; (c) reduce or discharge any sum payable by the debtor or by a surety by virtue of the agreement or any related agreement; (d) direct the return to a surety of any property provided by him for the purposes of a security; (e) otherwise set aside (in whole or in part) any duty imposed on the debtor or on a surety by virtue of the agreement or any related agreement; (f) alter the terms of the agreement or of any related agreement; (g) direct accounts to be taken, or (in Scotland) an accounting to be made, between any persons.[10] Essentially these provisions allow a debtor to challenge a consumer credit contract on the basis of it being ‘unfair’ to them, and empower a court to take remedial action where the law was previously vague and uncertain. It affords the debtor further protection from a creditor, given them a clear indication of their rights where they believe they have fallen victim to unfair conduct. It may serve to exonerate them from a contract they were having difficulty to adhering to because the terms were quite clearly outside their ability to keep to, or similar arguments. While this does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman, which will be discussed shortly, it still allows a debtor to seek protection from the law from a consumer credit contract that they must have otherwise been contractually obliged to perform. This does not suggest that avoidance of a contract under these provisions is easier by any means as just cause still needs to be shown pursuant to the rules a nd principles of evidence and court, however there is no disputing the fact that this statutory remedy is available to those who are in dire need of exercising it where a contract can be construed as being unfair. Unfairness may result from the terms of the contract itself, or from any conduct by the creditor arising after the commencement of the agreement, thus this legislation appears to be catering more for the debtor than the creditor. These provisions specifically cover, in their express terms, any unfairness arising from the conduct of the creditor, as does not relate to the debtor as such. When viewed in conjunction with the application and definition provisions outlined above, it is clear that this law only intends to serve the individual, and not the creditor. In addition to the ‘unfair relationship’ protection through the courts afforded to debtors by the introduction of the 2006 Act, it also contains an alternative dispute resolution pathway that can often avoid a long and arduous litigation process. Sections 59-61 of the Consumer Credit Act 2006 confer powers upon the Financial Services Ombudsman to hear any disputes that involve licensed persons (i.e. a credit provider company licensed under the 2006 Act, which will be discussed shortly), and will also bind these license holders to abide by any decisions made by the FSO in accordance with Schedule 2. Section 59 of the Act requires that any person holding a license to provide consumer credit must submit to the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service in order to resolve any disputes which the FOS is empowered by the Act to hear. In order for the dispute to fall within the scope of the jurisdiction of the FOS, it must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the new section 226A of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (inserted by the 2006 Act), which are: (a) the complainant is eligible and wishes to have the complaint dealt with under the scheme; (b) the complaint falls within a description specified in consumer credit rules; (c) at the time of the act or omission the respondent was the licensee under a standard licence or was authorised to carry on an activity by virtue of section 34A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974; (d) the act or omission occurred in the course of a business being carried on by the respondent which was of a type mentioned in subsection (3); (e) at the time of the act or omission that type of business was specified in an order made by the Secretary of State; and (f) the complaint cannot be dealt with under the compulsory jurisdiction.[11] Essentially, if the complaint is one that falls under the compulsory jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service that is granted under section 226 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, then it will not fall under the new consumer credit power. The presence of these provisions makes it more effective and less costly for an aggrieved person to raise a dispute with a consumer credit contract that they have entered, which can (and most likely will) avoid the matter proceeding before a court. This makes the dispute resolution process more accessible for individual persons that may not have otherwise had the available funds to commence a legal action in court. Finally, the other main practical change that the Consumer Credit Act 2006 has made to credit law is the introduction of more stringent licensing criteria for businesses and companies wanting to enter the market to sell credit products to consumers. Section 38 of the 2006 Act inserts a provision in the 1974 Act at section 33A which empowers the Office of Fair Trading to make regulations that will govern the distribution of licenses to these parties. This allows the Government the flexibility to adapt the regulations to address the changing social climate in a way that the broad framework of the 1974 Act could not. This would, then, allow the Government to impose regulations on advertising and other consumer interaction which may otherwise escape the broad legal framework of legislation. Additionally, section 44-46 of the 2006 Act specify requirements in relation to the provision of licensing assessment information (and changes thereof) by license applicants to the OFT, which allows t he OFT to make a continual assessment as to the fitness of a party to hold a credit provision license. This was one of the key shortfalls that the White Paper suggested, and appears to have been addressed adequately in the new law. Civil penalties of up to  £50,000 now apply if a licensed person or business fails to comply with the conditions of its credit provision license.[12] Finally, an appeals system has been established by sections 55-58 of the 2006 Act which allow for appeals against a decision by the OFT to grant a license to an applicant, which gives rise to a method of review via the newly established Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal. This provides for an administrative review of the decisions handed down by the OFT in relation to their licensing and regulative powers within the Act, which may be able to be judicially reviewed by the Court of Appeal with the leave of the Court (on questions of law, not fact).[13] This appeal procedure again appears to be consistent with the notion that the rationale of the Consumer Credit Act 2006 is to protect the rights and interests of debtors as opposed to those of creditors and suppliers. It appears that the idea of this Act is to saturate the market with new regulations that control the way creditors enter into consumer credit contracts with their debtors, and does not necessarily cater for the needs of creditors as such. In conclusion, it would appear that the Consumer Credit Act 2006 caters more so for the rights and interests of debtors than those of creditors, however it would be difficult to maintain an argument to suggest that the law goes too far in protecting these rights. The Government White Paper identified a number of salient points that the 1974 Act did not address, and the Government has appeared to have legislated accordingly. Given that the previous 1974 Act was significantly outdated and not particularly relevant to modern society in both a social and legal context, there was a real need for this law to be updated in order to afford consumers maximum protection against otherwise unfair conduct that was not recognised in law. The law was updated more out of necessity than out of spite for consumer credit providers. The application of these laws does not generally appear to infringe on the rights of credit providers, it merely suggests that the market needs more stringent controls to av oid certain parties taking advantage of otherwise vulnerable individuals. The rationale behind the introduction, as the White Paper suggests, was to create a fairer and more transparent consumer credit market, which gave the individual more competitive and legitimate rights that they are now able to exercise in an attempt to remove the disparity between consumers and credit providers in terms of their negotiation and contractual abilities. There appears to be no malice or ill-will by the Government towards credit providers, rather just a desire to exercise control in an area of commerce that has expanded exponentially since the law was last reviewed more than a generation ago. The flexibility provided under the new Act through delegation of regulative powers to the OFT and Ombudsman also allows the law to be updated as society dictates, which ensures that the law will always be given the opportunity to reflect the needs of consumers as the market changes. This means that this debate will continually be revisited as the market expands and changes and, if there is a need to review the law in the future, there is no need to go through the lengthy legislative process which has dragged this legislation through 18 months of parliamentary delays, especially due to the calling of the 2005 General Election after the Bill was only passed its Commons stages. This law appears to be perfect for the current socio-economic climate of the British consumer credit market, and to argue that it goes too far in protecting consumer’s rights is simply untenable. Bibliography Legislation Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 1989 Consumer Credit Act 1974 Consumer Credit Act 2006 (also, explanatory notes) Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 Government Publications Department of Trade and Industry, Fair, Clear and Competitive: The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century (2003), Journal Articles/Other Sources John, C, ‘Consumer Credit – The New Landscape’ (2006) 18 Compliance Monitor 9 Singleton, S, ‘In Focus: Consumer Credit Act 2006’ (2006) 29 Consumer Law Today 8 Smith, J, ‘Practice Points: Credit Where Credit Is Due’ (2006) 103.25 Law Society Gazette 34 Unknown, ‘Consumer Credit: A New Age But Old Problems’ (2004) 6 Finance and Credit Law 1 Footnotes [1] Department of Trade and Industry, Fair, Clear and Competitive: The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century (2003), 4. [2] Ibid, 30-33. [3] Department of Trade and Industry, as above n 1, 33-36. [4] Ibid, 37-40. [5] Ibid, 45-48. [6] Consumer Credit Act 2006, s 1. [7] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 8. [8] Consumer Credit Act 2006, ss 19-22. [9] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 140A(1). [10] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 140B(1). [11] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 226A(2). [12] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 39A (as amended). [13] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 41A (as amended).