Short Story Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Short Story Assignment - Essay Example Bang! Just another intimate encounter between the local paid escort in tiger print and her stupefied benefactor. Looking out on the morning rain had a deeper sentiment to Martin Black as it was commonplace to witness syringes, yesterday’s snack cake from the rundown community convenience store and a mish mash of broken child toys streaming down the thoroughfare in a mad torrent of rainwater beside this Los Angeles tenement. Yes, Martin Black understood mourning rain, with the delight of an angry black widow and the stamina of a legless cheerleader. â€Å"Martin Black!† The shout echoed through the decrepit corridor leading into the ramshackle family room where his mother spent so many of her waking hours. His mother was a real hospitality chef, just a drizzle of her favorite afternoon soaps and a pinch of cheap cologne that stunk up the staunchly decaying household interior like a sweetened dose of rotten flesh. â€Å"Martin Black! Mama needs a foot rub. These damn cor ns be killin’ my tired feet. Get your rump out here and help Mama right now!† The sound of her liquor-induced garble was barely coherent while the echo of her ignorance pounded against the paint-deprived walls. Mama, as she demanded he call her since as long as he could remember, had dropped out of middle school at age 13 in order to pursue a romance with an older high school sophomore. After Jimbo (that’s what the neighborhood gangs had labeled her first husband) received a single gunshot wound to the chest, Mama not only lost the love of her life, but was forced to take employment at the local hair salon since the local school board considered her a high-risk distraction to the educational process. Of course, Mama lasted only two months before striking a red-headed regular boasting a stylish bouffant (and a disrespectful mouth, Mama had said) with a bottle of AquaNet, plucking out her left eyeball. What’s in a name?, Martin suddenly asked himself as he g rabbed the dull scissors and a bottle of peroxide from the dispirited bathroom shelf and hurried down the hallway to play master surgeon to a foul-smelling bump of foot fungus. Welfare, it seemed, was timid about providing sustenance for toe jam. â€Å"Coming, Mama.† The sound of it was self-demeaning. As Martin glided slowly underneath her lifted foot, ready to tackle the hideous project of removal, Mama rambled on about her son’s lethargy and lack of value to the household, demanding he pursue a job at the local convenience store. â€Å"It’s high time, Martin Black, that you start earnin’ some ya keep around here!† â€Å"Mama, you know the neighborhood links my name to Daddy’s. Nobody wants me working in their businesses. I’ve been thinkin’, Mama, about takin’ the Greyhound to Colorado and getting me a job on the pipeline.† Martin suddenly felt the piercing ache of a blunt wound to the palm of his hand as Mama v iolently swung her feet out of the creaking and hideous flowered recliner. Her abrupt and unusually adept motion caught him completely by surprise as he tumbled backwards viciously, tipping over her life’s blood in the process: the 18 inch black-and-white console set that regurgitated her worthless dramas all the day long. â€Å"You’re gonna gimme 40 bucks for that boob tube, you ungrateful, selfish little heathen!† Mama concerned herself not with Martin’s gaping flesh wound, instead lurching to the fallen console to rectify her welfare-induced playwrights that brought her such sustenance for her lifestyle of sloth.

My Vocational Profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Vocational Profile - Essay Example No one else can set the principles of one's ethics other than oneself. I give respect to people irrespective of their social standings and demand the same from others; though not in a reciprocative manner. Another thing is that I value work no matter however small and whatever kind it might be. Presently I am working part time as a waiter in a restaurant because it helps in getting some income and gives me a new opportunity to meet new people all the time. The activities of my interests might sound to be somewhat common but this is what they are. I like to visit new places and meet new people; especially people who are unlike me in thinking, in behaviour and in lifestyle. I try understand why they are what they are. I like to travel to different places, possibly alone, which gives me enough time to think and digest what I see. I like to learn new things from different sources. Reading also interests me a lot. The kind of readings includes current affairs, business trends, readings about various personalities and science related readings regarding latest discoveries and inventions. My dreams are the biggest source of my motivations. I am ambitious by nature.

Problems In Joint Ventures Commerce Essay

Problems In Joint Ventures Commerce Essay As the whole world is running in the race of globalisation, avoiding the concept of joint venture is not favoured by business world. Joint venture is the contribution of two or more organisation for achieving a particular goal. Working in joint venture at international level is not that easy because of cultural barriers. Hofstede (1993) believe that extend of business onto the worldwide step bring the concern of nationwide and area difference to the front. There is something in all countries called management, but its meaning differs to a larger or smaller extent from one country to another (Hofstede, 1993). In this report it is mentioned negative and positive views of joint venture in clothing sector. And also describe the solution and suggestions for a successful joint venture with the help of pest analysis. In joint ventures when a business enters into international market many factors comes up and it is necessary to remind these factors before starting any business internationally. The main factors are:- Cross-cultural awareness. Sound knowledge of political and legal system in other countries. Varied negotiation skills Multi-language skills Global strategic consciousness i.e. Early mapping of opportunities and threats involved This report also gives information about the different problems and issues which China zone can face in future in the developing of the business. With the help of Professor Geert Hofstede the 5d model of cultural dimension is also mention in this report. And with these help China Zone can think and take proper decision in joint venture and also in the future. TERMS OF REFERENCES As a business consultant in Radhe Consultancy our firm provides services from the last 25 yrs to the clients who are looking for joint ventures in different fields like trade, industry, services, manufacturing, distributorship, housing, hotels, hospitals, amusement parks, HR and any other viable venture. My office is Located in California, USA. This is easily access by all transports. Our clients are in all over the world. Our main market is Africa, Middle East, Asia, Europe and China. And my client is a China company :- China Zone Established in 1999, manufacturer and exporter design development and production of wool clothing located in china main land with convenient transportation access. All of the company products comply with international quality standard and are greatly appreciated in a variety of different market through out the world. Have over 800 employees, boast an annual sales figure that exceeds US 10000000 $ and currently export 85% of our products to worldwide places. Our well equipped facilities and excellent quality throughout all stages of production enable us to guarantee total customer satisfaction. China Zone is a big manufacturing and export house in china but now China Zone wants to enter in United States to expand his business and also in USA there are many big opportunities for the growth of the business. With the reference of his business partner he selects our consultancy to know more about the country in which they want to invest. OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION In joint ventures mainly two or more companies are involved and shared their resources, rewards and risks and other following points which are clearly mentioned in agreement. The reason why joint ventures are necessary is:- Business expansion Development of new products or moving into new market Particularly overseas Also there are many other problems are there when anyone want to do business internationally. Legal problems Cultural aspects To describe the differences between United States and china we take Hofstede five cultural dimension. Data Source http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php Hofstede defines culture as a Collective programming of the mind, which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another (Hofstede, 1980). After comparing Chinese and western countries there are some conclusion is shown :- (data source: Hofstede, 1991) First, western countries give the impression to be on average lesser (United States of America 40, Canada 39, United Kingdom 35, Germany 35, and France 68 than China 80 in power distance. Second, in individualism, western countries are normally much higher (United States of America 91, Canada 80, United Kingdom 89, Germany 67, and France 71 than China 20. Third, western countries look like to have interim oriented at the same time as China is judge towards be present as long-term orient. Western countries, America are repeatedly investigated in cross-cultural study, because of economic power, and civilizing representativeness. In short we can say that the United States is indicating the so called western culture in between USA and China seems to be help and clarify all the civilizing differences. Data Source http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php Data Source -http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php USA and China has been significantly differ as their financial system, political systems, societal values and law in spite of the significant changes that have done for the current duration of years in China. The civilizing measurement score of USA and China (data source: Hofstede, 1993). There are some differences that can be found. First, power distance, the China is scoring twice comparative to USA, this shows that China is centralised while USA is relatively decentralised. Second, USA shows the 1st rank in individualism and other side China is showing low score in individualism. Thirdly, USA scores higher than China in masculinity, its mean that USA has average masculinity whereas China is showing medium femininity. Fourth, China scores higher values in uncertainty avoidance than USA, which indicates that Chinese are moderately risk-avoiding but at the same time Americans are quite risk-taking. And also USA has an interim orientation while China has a long-standing orientation. It has been broadly accepted by all that cultural differences deeply affect human behaviour and thinking. Geert Hofstede shows that only seven countries having the highest Individualism (IDV):- USA 91, Australia 90, United Kingdom 89, Netherland and Canada 80, and Italy 76. Types of Joint Venture There are basically two types of joint ventures mentioned below:- First option is to be in agreement to collaborate with another company in a partial and particular way. Secondly is to plan another joint venture dealing probably a new company, for handling a particular contract. Joint Venture Benefits and Risks A small business can also use joint venture for increasing long term relationship. A successful joint venture can provide: Right of entry to new markets and circulation network Better capacity Contribution of risks Entrance to bigger resources, which can include particular staff, skill and finance The Risks of Joint Ventures To make the right relationship and to do business with others probably many problems are arise if:- The main prospect of the joint venture is not clear and discussed with everyone who is involved. All the partners have their own opinion for the joint venture. Difference in the level of sharing like assets, investments and other things which are bringing by all the partners into joint venture. Belongs to different cultures and handling the different management can show the non co-operation. In the joint ventures the partners are not interested to give full support and control. A successful joint venture can depend upon the investigation and achievement thorough examine and learning of the objectives and main aim of the venture. Choosing the Right Joint Venture Partner Success of any business depends on taking right decision. Same happens with joint venture, success depends on some important points like with which you are going to deal with, what are the goals of joint-venture, other party is financially strong or not, what are their resources, etc. Joint-venture in which two organizations are merged for achieving some particular objectives and before choosing a partner every organization must see that the other party is capable of bearing expenses and losses at some extent or they are on whom you can trust, same objectives are shared, credit ability of both, resources, etc. these are pointed below- Financial position Credit ability Availability of resources Shared objectives The suitable partner in joint venture is the partner who has its own resources, asset etc. For better starting it is understood to choose the convenience of customers and suppliers. In this the company must have also think about the existing competitors and other associates. But company have to review the following: Client can choose his partner according to their performance, reputation and reliability. He has also to access their attitude to group efforts or association and what are their business objectives. Partner should be financially safe and sound. Identify that have they other business partners and what type of relationship do they have with them. You should also recognise customers view about your partner and how strong is their management. Legal analysis of the International Joint Venture There are also some Americans legal issues which are also essential after analyzing the other business and other issues. Controls on Export Antitrust laws of United States parliamentary reporting needs of United States overseas barrier to Americans venture Accounts and Taxes issues To create a lawful composition Recruitment Credentials of the global Joint Venture ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION PEST ANALYSIS Pest means:- The pest analysis is a wonderful tool for understanding the position, growth as well as direction of the business. It can be used for marketing and business development. Political factors Immigration control Govt. Rules and regulations for NRI Economical factors Low inflation and unemployment Very high spending in government. Very much concentration about the growth of economy Social factors Variety of religions Mixtures of Indians, British and many other countries Equality in mens and womens. Technological factors Many ISP and airports available. International and national lines are good. A couple of TVs stations. Political factor: Political factor is a big issue for regulating the business. There are many factors like stability of political environment, government policies and tax laws, government policies which come under economy, culture and religion, trading agreements for e.g. Nafta, EU etc. Economical factors: There are some factors are there when anybody is planning to start business internationally:- Inflation level Rate of interest Gdp growth rate Gdp Growth Rate Gdp is an essential part of the UK national accounts which can provides concise explanation of the total economic activities in a county. Presently 3% is the Gdp growth rate because of the economic crisis and excluding this development of the world economy, UK is also representing positive numbers of 10 (Data Source http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=56 ) Social factors: These factors vary from one country to another country. And it is useful to take these factors. These are:- Religion, foreign products and services, language impact, mens and womens roles in society, stability of population and wealth about older generation, opinion about green issues from young generation. Technological factor: Everyone knows that if technological factors are strong than its a strong tool is there with any country for globalization. There are also some points which can be considered:- Does technology allows for products and services to make more cheaply and to a better standard of quality. Do the technologies offer consumers and business more innovative product and services such as internet banking, mobile services, etc? How is distribution changed by new technologies? E.g. Books and Flight tickets purchases via the internet. Does technology offer companies a new way to communicate with consumers e.g. banners, CRM (customer relationship management). SOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS In overseas market the most common and favorable way to do business is joint venture. Also we can say that the perfect source for growing in international market is joint venture. There are many problems comes there which are already discussed above like political, economical, technical, environmental, cultural, legal, and many more. It is the best option before entering in foreign countries to do business is to go through these issues because either these factors can affect the company in the future. According to pest analysis and also there are some other solutions are available which are given below. :- To finding appropriate market. Prelaunch studies Lack of infrastructure Management Customs and taxation policies Credits and capitals Markets Comfort with agreements Choosing a reliable partner Interest in community In terms of to finding a suitable market If you are thinking about to business in overseas then u have firstly to choose the market where from the long term the growth rate is growing or high. Also examine the rate of interest, market demand/supplies and inflation rate. In this prelaunch survey or study It is very much important to do this before thinking a business in overseas because its gave information about the market, political factors, economical factors, legal issues, technology and much more. And after taking this survey u can examine that the market chosen by you is favorable for you in the future or not. Lack of infrastructure Includes the advantages of technologies and environmental issues like pollution, transportation. Because if the transportation is not available nearby than its a big problem for doing business globally. Management A success is depends upon that how is your management works. And it is recommended that before entering into a joint venture just meet the management peoples and assure that the company has its own sufficient management force. Customs and taxation policies Before entering into joint venture its also important to check the taxation and customs policies and after that compare its with the profit margins. Capital and credit Before entering into joint venture or to do business internationally evaluation of the sources which already have and the required capital which we have required to the growth of business in the future and then compare the costs and returns Comfort with agreement While entering in the joint ventures it is important to check the contract because it is better to explain everything in the contract so after that everyone knows there responsibilities and not a single misunderstanding happen. Suitable and reliable partner In the selection or choosing a partner just remember that the partner is reliable and having good image in the market and already have some future plans for the growth of the company. Interest in community Means that the both partners should have responsible and these all responsibilities are written in joint ventures. FORECAST AND OUTCOMES It is analyzed that the joint ventures between China Zone and Radhe Consultancy there are some data is suggested before regarding many futures aspects which are beneficial in Joint Venture In this paper it is mentioned the purpose which is required for joint ventures internationally. Also suggest the recommendation of PEST analysis and Hofstede five dimension theories. In this the main aspects is culture as well as economic conditions. After describing this it is assumed that this joint venture will be going on accurately right because the capital of the company is good and having good management. With the Joint Ventures of companies and as per the Solutions and suggestion and Pest analysis and other factors that are given in this report it is assumed that the Chinese company will achieve its expected growth and work smoothly in the future as it wants with the USA based company. Now a day there are many businesses and account related reasons for entering in joint ventures. In this partnership both partners have ability and resources like distributor, technology, finance, man force, management which makes a strong venture. In a joint venture two or more parties are engaged to do business for a specific project. And in a partnership partners are involved to do a continuous business or long term relationship. In this case study there are a Chinese company which wants to establish its business in USA. And it has identified with the help of Hofstede and PEST analysis which problems are there for entering and doing business in USA for a Chinese company. After discussing the problems of joint venture at international level, solutions and recommendations are also given.

The Great Expectations of Human Nature Essay -- Great Expectations Es

The Great Expectations of Human Nature Charles Dickens used Great Expectations as a forum for presenting his views of human nature. This essay will explore friendship, generosity, love, cruelty and other aspects of human nature presented by Dickens over 100 years ago. Friendship was one of the human characteristics Dickens enjoyed. Herbert was a true friend to Pip. Moving to London would have been stressful if Herbert had not eased Pip's transition into the city. Herbert informed Pip of Miss Havisham's story when no one else would tell it. When Magwitch arrived and mortified Pip, Herbert was there discuss what was to be done. Herbert was an integral part in the design and implementation of Magwitch's escape. Herbert even saved Pip's life from Orlick's powerful grasp. By associating fellowship with good characters and deeds, Dickens made it known that he admired friendships. Another human characteristic which Dickens appreciated was generosity. This trait appeared in Magwitch and Pip. Magwitch , the starved convict, was forever grateful to Pip for bringing him food in the opening of the book. Magwitch repaid Pip's kindness by opening a door to the young man's dreams. Pip suspected his dear friend, Herbert, would never become prosperous so Pip took some of the money he was receiving from Magwitch and used it as a stipend in Herbert's behalf. By doing this, Pip precipitated Herbert becoming a partner in a prosperous business. Having characters donate money and benefit from it, Dickens conveyed the goodness of generosity. To Dickens, the most noble of human characte... ...me to visit Pip in London, Pip was embarrassed to know him. If Pip "could have kept him away by paying money, [Pip] certainly would have paid money." After years of Joe's friendship and loving care, Pip thought of paying him not to visit. At the end of the novel, Pip learned what an unappreciative person he had been to Joe and asked his forgiveness. Dickens presented this piece of human nature well enough to create sympathy for Joe and all parents who receive ingratitude from their children. Dickens used his characters to convey his thoughts of human nature - good and bad. Dickens believed if he could present both sides of humanity to the public, people would try to better themselves. Dickens hated the Victorian society in which he was bound, and he turned to the pen to alter his bete noire.

Vying for Patients, Hospitals Think Location, Location.

INTRODUCTION. Hospitals are health care institutions that are normally located in areas that are densely populated. There are over 17,000 hospitals in the whole world. In accord with the original meaning of the word, hospitals were originally â€Å"places of hospitality†, and this meaning is still preserved in the names of some institutions such as the Royal Hospital Chelsea, established in 1681 as a retirement and nursing home for veteran soldiers. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Hospital#General) In general, hospitals are normally located in areas where they are other major hospitals as a way to acquire materials at low transportation costs. Unlike other businesses like franchises like McDonalds that would prefer to be in an area where there are no other fast food outlets, hospitals enjoy the benefits of being near other hospitals not only in terms of supply of raw materials but also to acquire bigger market shares. Most hospitals are specialized to include trauma centers, rehabilitation hospitals, children's hospitals, seniors' (geriatric) hospitals, and hospitals for dealing with specific medical needs such as psychiatric problems, certain disease categories such as cardiac, oncology, or orthopedic problems, and so forth. A hospital may be a single building or a number of buildings on a campus. Many hospitals with pre-twentieth-century origins began as one building and evolved into campuses. Some hospitals are affiliated with universities for medical research and the training of medical personnel such as physicians and nurses, often called teaching hospitals. Worldwide, most hospitals are run on a nonprofit basis by governments or charities. Within the United States, most hospitals are nonprofit. (http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Hospital#General)? 1. How can sales market share and profit be optimized for entire set of locations? A sale is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other compensation. Market share is the percentage of a market (defined in terms of either units or revenue) accounted for by a specific entity. Optimized is to make the best or most effective use of (a situation, opportunity, or resource). Sales market share can be optimized through both internal and exter nal adaptations which would include; I. Benefits of the location of competitor’s proximity. Hospitals unlike other franchise companies enjoy many advantages of competitors being located near each other like; a. Reduced transport cost by suppliers. Medical supplies companies are normally located near hospitals and the proximity between hospital and supply reduces transport costs which in turn reduces the over roll costs. This advantage can help the hospital optimize sales through reduced prices for medical care and also maximize profits through reduced costs. b. Specialization. Hospitals normally specialize for example trauma centers, rehabilitation hospitals, children's hospitals, seniors' (geriatric) hospitals, and hospitals for dealing with specific medical needs such as psychiatric problems (see psychiatric hospital), certain disease categories such as cardiac, oncology, or orthopedic problems, and so forth. In cases where a patient needs to be transferred from on medical facility to another unlike other franchise companies can share patients and proximity between hospitals helps with that especially in emergency cases. This helps in sales market share and optimization of profits. c. Facilities. Proximity of hospitals helps hospitals share facilities like operating theaters, x-rays which in turn helps in minimizing of costs. This is unlike any other business and this benefits the patient in terms of reduced prices for treatment and reduced costs for the hospital that the helps them increase sales and optimize profits. II. Internal adaptations and their benefits would include upgrading facilities like; a. Improvement of the quality of services by hiring of the best doctors and equipment can help in the optimization of market share, sales and profits due to the loyal customers that keep coming back for more services. . Accessibility. Easy access of the hospital in terms of near main transportation routes and stations improves on sales and profit optimization because patients are able to be delivered to the hospital easily especially in times of an emergency. c. Customer friendly. The friendliness of the doctors, nurses and staff to patients not only helps in the sales market s hare and profit optimization but research shows that friendly doctors and nurses helps in the faster recovery of patients. d. Advertising. Research shows that the more advertising is done for a service or product provider the more increase in sales there is. This in turn leads to the increase in the market share and optimization of profits. e. Avalabitility of parking is one of the most important facts for any company especially hospitals because when there is an emergency ambulance cannot be bothered on finding parking and need places with enough parking space. f. Building and leasing costs. This is an important factor for most companies to minimize overall cost to offer lower prices to customers and also optimize profits but for hospitals this is of little relevance because good qualities building in good locations don’t come cheap. g. Upgrading facilities in hospitals can include acquiring of newer equipment like imaging equipment, physical therapy equipment, and so on. Now updated medical equipment is most important in the health care business because as patient needs keep changing so does the equipment. Unlike other businesses like food businesses, the health care business is one of those businesses that require constant upgrading especially when it comes to the equipment. h. Expanding some sites of hospitals requires expanding the services to provide more health care services like dental care, Optic care, and physiotherapy and so on. This will help in the handling of a wider range of patients with different health care needs which will help in the acquiring of a larger market share and optimize profits. 2. What potential sales do you believe can be realized from each solution suggested? a. Emergency patients are some of the potential sales that could be realized from both enough parking space and accessibility proved by good location near major transport stations and major roads. b. Loyal customers and patients can be realized from friendly doctors and nurses and also high quality services provided by the staff. . Advertising can help in the making of potential clients who in case of hospitals are virtually human being aware of the services the hospital provides for example; American Hospital in Dubai that advertises in Dubai international airport making all the passengers who go through Dubai airport know about their services. 3. Where, in each case, should outlets be located to optimize market share, sales and profits without negatively impacting on other outlets? a. In some cases hospitals lose market share when there are too many hysicians, medical suppliers and other healthcare providers within the community, and for that reason one may even pay top dollar for a less competitive environment especially in a community with no duplicative services. This can help in the easy domination of the market share especially if it’s the only hospital providing those services which will in turn optimize profits. In some other cases locating near other hospitals as discussed earlier helps in the reduction of transport cost. So with this factor one must weigh the benefits of locating away from other hospitals versus locating near other hospitals. b. The physical facility in terms of building is an important aspect in consideration of the location of a hospital. Depending on the kind of services the hospital wants to provide the building facilities must be conducive enough to accommodate the equipment to be used in the providing of those services. This will greatly impact the quality of services provided by the hospital that will help in the acquiring of larger market share and optimize profits. . The geography and demographic of the hospital’s location may plays an important role in market share and profit optimization. The hospital industry is highly regulated and as such is vulnerable to government reimbursement. For this reason, a highly profit hospital will likely have a growing pool of commercially insured patients. So a hospital may rather locate itself in neighborhoods’ of high incom e earners because they are the ones who are likely to have both the money and the insurance to pay the medical bills. This will greatly help in profit optimization because this will mean less patients receiving services on credit but rather more patients paying cash at hand. d. Traffic volumes are also an important factor in locating of hospitals. The less traffic an area has is an added advantage in the location of a hospital because of the need for emergency clients to be able to reach the hospital for a required service in the least time possible. This will help in the securing of the market share that has emergencies hence optimizing profits. e. Customer access in terms of a hospital being located near bus stations and main transport routes is another important factor because it helps customers to reach the hospital for the services it has to offer easily. This will help the securing of a larger market share hence optimizing profits. f. Big enough parking is also an important factor in locating of hospitals because in cases of emergencies ambulances need to have ready parking at all times in order to minimize the time in takes to take the clients to inside the hospital to receive their required services. In cases of mass accidents or hazards the state or district normally has recommended hospitals in such cases because of some of these factors. 4. What probable effects would there be on market share, sales and profits if a competitor located nearby? a. If the competitors are providing the same service for example child pediatrics, dentistry plastic surgery and so on, it can be a negative impact. This is so because if a hospital is located in an area where other hospitals are all providing the same service that would mean a reduced market share for each hence a reduction in sales and profits. b. In cases where hospitals in the area are providing different services is can be an added advantage because of the proximity between supplier, customer and service provider. Some hospitals recommend other hospitals in case a customer needs another service that hospital doesn’t offer. In that way proximity is important for both the hospital in terms of maximizing sales but also for the customer in terms of reduced transport costs to go and receive that service. CONCLUSION. Location, location, location is a very important or if not the most important factor in the success or the failure of a business. The factors that will determine the success or failure of a business will depend on what kind of business, whether is profit or nonprofit business one wants to set up and the kind of service or product that business intends to provide. Some businesses require being located near the customer, for example fast food franchises while other donot even need to be located near the customer like communications service providers. For hospitals location is important depending on what kind of service they plan to offer and what target market is intended. Is it a charity hospital for low income earners or is it a profit hospital for high income earners. But the reputation of a hospital is also a very important factor for example ‘JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL’ where with such a high demand for their very high quality specialized medical services, they can afford to provide both charity services to low income earners and also exclusive services for high income earners. So in efficient location of a hospital they many factors to be examined but even more importunately the aim of the hospital.

Morality in Politics Essay

Civic virtue is the formation of habits of personal living that are claimed to be important for the success of the community. This term was important to Aristotle’s theories on politics. He felt that all humans should take pleasure in civic virtue and that it was essential for living â€Å"the good life†. Today, our democratic government is well-suited to promote civic virtue and participation of all people in the country. Although times have changed since Aristotle’s days, this ideology can be seen actively in our society. One of the main ideas in Aristotle’s philosophy was teleos, or the purpose or goal of something. To fully understand something, we must also understand its teleos. For example, I have an apple. I know that it is red, kind of round, and grows on a tree, but the real purpose or teleos of that apple to me is food. As far as humans go, Aristotle says that humans are meant to be happy. To be happy, humans must live a life of virtue, which means they always choose what is morally good. Humans have the abilities to think and speak, and therefore decide what is good and bad, right and wrong, etc. People that may think they are living a good life but are not making moral decisions are not truly happy in Aristotle’s eyes. Politics provides a place for people to interact with each other, talk about what is right and wrong, just or unjust, and to make laws reflecting these things. It allows people to participate in their lives, make ethical decisions, and fulfill their happiness potential. Politics is dynamic, unlike math or science that are concrete and unchanging. People can work with each other in politics and work for the greater good. The development of civic virtue allows for a person to relate to their community. It helps them understand their ties to the community and responsibility within it. It helps them see beyond their own personal interests. Some examples of civic virtue would be voting, volunteering, or going to a town meeting. Today, anyone can participate in these things, but Aristotle believed differently. He held that women and slaves were not eligible to participate in politics, and very young men were not ready to participate because they did not understand how the society worked yet. Because of this, a small number of people in his time actually participated in politics compared to today. The American democratic government is well suited for civic virtue. The first reason is that everyone can participate, which means that everyone has the opportunity to become happy people living their life to the fullest. Anyone, provided they are 18 and a citizen, can vote. They can vote for the candidate they feel will represent their moral views and put them into action. People can run for office and put their views to work. Another reason is freedom of speech. Americans have the opportunity to speak freely about issues and share their opinions with others. This helps them create those habits of morality that become a part of their civic virtue. A third reason is the freedom to assemble. Any person can start a club or a group to meet with others. Active participation in public life is essential to civic virtue. A group may be a philanthropy group aimed at helping others. Reciprocity or giving back to the community is another key element of civic virtue. Virtue is closely related to free will. Through active participation, people develop their moral compass and they develop their ideas of what is right and wrong, and their habits of how to react in situations accordingly. People develop their own morality. How can one legislate free will? You cannot. But the legal system can shape morality. By setting laws in certain ways, people will develop their moral views around them. Laws can shape habits by reducing the frequency of certain acts. Giving prison time, fines, probation, and so on can help people learn that they do not want to do the things that caused those punishments. Laws can shape morality as well because people naturally draw influence from other sources. Some may create their moral background on the basis of religion or their family, but the law can be one of those influences as well. The legal system is important for developing morality in society and promoting civic virtue. Civic virtue is important in society. By actively participating in the community, Aristotle believes that people will be ultimately happy. The true purpose of humans is to be happy, and civic virtue is the pathway to this happiness. The American government gives many opportunities for people to participate in both politics and the community, which promotes civic virtue.

Analysis of Margaret Atwoods Siren Song Essays

Analysis of Margaret Atwoods Siren Song Essays Analysis of Margaret Atwoods Siren Song Paper Analysis of Margaret Atwoods Siren Song Paper She is assigned by gods to stay on a secluded island along with two other Sirens, with nothing to do but Obey her duty of enchanting sailors over and over again. Deprived of liberty to break free from this restraining position, the Siren expresses her exasperation and frustration, and requests help from the reader. However, as the poem unfolds, her cry for help turns out to also be a trick to lure unassuming men to her rescue. At the end of the day, she is unable to leave her designated role. Through the depiction of a desperate Siren, the writer is hinting at the difficulties faced by women in real life as well. Women are constrained by plenty of societal expectations and roles imposed upon them, just like the Sirens. For instance, in the workplace, it is less common and expected for women to take on advanced or managerial positions; in the household, they are the housekeeper and caregiver; in a romantic relationship, they are expected to be submissive and visually pleasant, etc. It can be difficult and frustrating to break free from these expectations. The poem is about the distress a woman experiences about being stuck in a designated role and trying to break free. This distress is caused by the reluctance of having to give up the mental comfort provided by following her ole, the fear of betraying her group, and the lack of ability and means to break free from her designated role. Firstly, although part of the speaker wants to be liberated from her fixed role, she is reluctant to abandon the sense of comfort and fulfillment she feels from excelling at her job. On one hand, she yearns to rebel against societal expectations in pursuit of individuality and freedom, protesting against looking picturesque and mythical (1 S). The word picturesque (15), meaning visually charming and suitable for a painting, shows that she doesnt ant to be evaluated based on her outward appearance like a painting and that she detest being stationery and silent, unable to act upon her free will, but can only be subject to other peoples judgment like a decoration. Moreover, looking mythical (15) means being perceived as mysterious and fictitious, like a myth. It shows the speaker is irritated that people perceive her as just a typical character from a myth, instead of a real person with real emotions and desires. She also feels that her struggle is dismissed and invalidated by others as if it is fictitious and unreal. As a result, she lets out a cry for help (22), a fertilization that indicates severe mental distress and the need for help. It shows she is determined and willing to actively seek help from others in order to break free. She demands the reader to take her away from her job, where her opinions and desires go unheard, and her individuality unappreciated. However, she also finds satisfaction in the fact that she never fails to do her designated job. One can detect a hint of pride and delight when she declares that her song is one that everyone would like to learn (1, 2), one that is irresistible (3). Being irresistible means that song is overpowering and difficult to resist from, and shows that the speaker is confident about her strong capabilities at doing her job. Irresistible can also mean lovable and provoking protective love, showing that she is confident about being able to summon such feelings from others. By fulfilling her assigned duty, the speaker finds a sense of purpose and self-worth. This mental comfort is indispensable to the speaker, when we consider that she lives in a very isolated and depressing environment. She becomes dependent n the mental comfort resulted from fulfilling her duty according to societal expectations, making it more difficult to challenge these expectations. Her reluctance to challenge conformity is also related to the nature of her job: she lures the men to death by persuading them they are unique. The speaker wants to believe that she is different and able to achieve things that are not expected of her, but she is also aware that this self-complacent belief is exactly what leads her victims to their demise. Consequently, the speaker is troubled by the desire to be different and the reluctance to do so, and eventually remains haunted by agony. Secondly, the Siren in the poem is constrained by a fear of betraying her group, despite her desire to break free from her role. According to the original Greek tale, the Sirens are instructed to stay on a desolate and secluded island amidst the vast ocean, with no visitors other than the sailors whom they are required to drown. The Sirens only have each others company in such a lonesome place. The speaker is aware of her position as a group member and the importance of her role by acknowledging that she is a part of a trio (18). A trio is a musical composition of three voices or instruments. To form such a composition, different voices or instruments are required to cooperate with each other and perform according to the music score so as to create one coherent, harmonious sound. This can be a metaphor for womanhood, where women with different abilities and wishes feel the necessity to adhere to a certain pattern of behavior, so as not to disturb the overall impression women as a group is expected to present. The speaker also calls the trio fatal and valuable (18). Fatal means deadly, implying the power possessed by the speaker. It also means vitally important, showing the importance of behaving as a part of a large group. The word valuable means both having qualities worthy of respect and being able to be valued. This word shows that the trio, the expected image of women as a whole, is held in great esteem and importance. It is also subject to other peoples evaluation. If the speaker escapes, she will risk destroying the established image of her group and bring disturbance. Therefore, the speaker chooses inaction out of fear of the consequences her rebellion will bring upon ere group. Besides, throughout the poem there is no mention of the other Sirens feelings and thoughts. The speaker is unsure or even doubtful of her companions stance, and implies their mindset is different from hers by calling them maniacs (16). A maniac can mean an insane person. In this case, the speaker shows that she fails to comprehend the intentions of her peers and resorts to calling them insane. The word maniac can also mean an overly enthusiastic person, meaning that the speaker thinks her peers are too zealous in fulfilling their roles and she secretly condemns them for it. Under this circumstance, she is unable to voice her discontent without risking being rejected and isolated by her companions. F-righted by the prospect of further isolation from her peers, the speaker chooses not to rebel, and thus remains in a state of despair. Thirdly, even if the speaker resolves to leave her designated role and seek other opportunities, she lacks the ability and means to do so. She does not know, and is not expected to know, anything else apart from the one song (1) that she uses to lure men. The emphasis on the one song, instead on ailing it the song, implies that there is only one single song that the speaker can use. She cannot choose which song to sing because she only knows one. She also finds the song boring (26). Boring means dull and tediously repetitive. The speaker repeats her song so tediously to the point it fails to impress her anymore. It is also implied that she has already fully mastered what she is supposed to perform through repetition, however there is nothing else for her to learn to do, otherwise she would not be complaining about having to sing the same old song all the time. Moreover, the speaker ever refers to the song as my song, but the song (4, 7) even though it is she who sings it, as if distancing herself from it, implies that the speaker did not decide what to perform herself. Someone else decided what she should do, and she is trapped in the misery of repeating the same routine with nothing else to learn. This is similar to the situation faced by plenty of women. For example, many women are deprived of advanced education as girls by their parents because of the traditional belief that girls do not need as much education as boys, since girls are expected to become housewives one day.

4 Components to an Award-Winning Resume

4 Components to an Award-Winning Resume Last Monday, Career Directors International (CDI) announced the winners of their 17th annual Toast of the Resume Industry (TORI) award competition. TORI award winners are truly outstanding writers. I am very proud and excited that two members of The Essay Expert’s resume writing team won two awards each! Following the awards announcement, TORI judge Gillian Kelly wrote an article on What the Best Resume Writers Are Doing in 2016. The actual resumes will not be released until next month. In the meantime, Ms. Kelly’s observations serve as valuable advice for resume writers, as well as for job seekers writing their own resumes in 2016-2017. Here are the four main areas where the TORI-award-winning resumes stood out: 1. Storytelling Top-level resumes don’t rattle off boring job duties in long blocky paragraphs. While job duties might be covered in a winning resume, they are connected with a story or accomplishment. Great resumes don’t stop at results. They also explain how that result was achieved, what transformation was necessary to achieve it, and what was unique about the solution. These succinct narratives keep the reader engaged and illustrate the job seeker’s unique brand. Here’s an example from an Essay Expert resume that illustrates story-telling. The following paragraph is the opening paragraph to a position description – a paragraph that often is relegated to a list of job duties: Led largest dollar volume division in country to record sales volume, managing four General Sales Managers and 43 Sales Representatives. Transformed division’s approach to competitive data and market analysis while monitoring lot mix, phasing, new starts, lot premiums, specifications, and promotions. Notice how job duties and scope are covered in this paragraph, but they are made more engaging by wrapping in results and transformative results. 2. Visuals TORI award winners used graphics and other images in their resumes, avoiding the text-heavy look and feel of more traditional resumes. Tools like color, infographics, and text boxes served to accentuate the content of the resume. It’s important to note that if you choose to represent an accomplishment using a graph, you must also write about that accomplishment in a bullet. There are two reasons for this duplicative effort: 1) Since not everyone is visually oriented, they might not even look at the details of the image to understand what it represents, and 2) If the resume gets submitted through an Applicant Tracking System, the data in the graph or image will be lost. Here are just a few examples of graphics used in executive resumes by The Essay Expert: Tools used to create these graphics include basic text boxes, borders, SmartArt, and Excel. You can see how they add pop and interest to what could otherwise be a visually bland resume. 3. Succinct Writing As pointed out by Ms. Kelly, less is more when it comes to resume writing. The best bullets are tightly written, getting each point across in as few words as possible. The fewer words on a resume, the more white space there can be – which is a good thing! White space allows the content to be more easily absorbed. Stay away from densely written, text-heavy resumes, which risk losing the attention of your reader. Here are a couple of examples of tightly written resume bullets: Realized three monthly closing projections in a row, a feat never before achieved in division history. Took one of least profitable divisions and achieved #3 ROI, ranking #2 for lowest overhead and #3 for asset turn. Notice how every word counts! Are your resume bullets this concise, and do they show the true impact you made on your organization? 4. Quantifiable Achievements The best resumes use metrics to nail down achievements, avoiding generalities about a person’s greatness. Buzz words like â€Å"results-oriented† will not fly. And don’t wait to convey your greatest achievements; showcase them in the top 1/3 of the resume! One technique used by TORI award winners was to write â€Å"reverse CAR stories† which state a result, followed by the challenge and action that got the result. Here’s an example of a highlight from the top 1/3 of a resume by The Essay Expert: Built intuitive, interactive user interface for Java web-based delivery system, increasing Java technology downloads by 112% in 3 months. Used Java FX to build Oracles showcase Advanced Results website for 2010 Winter Olympic Games, accessed by 1.2M unique users. Notice there are no generalities in this paragraph; it’s all concrete, factual, quantifiable information. That’s what makes good resume material. Did you learn something from the observations of a TORI judge? How might you change your resume based on her advice and The Essay Expert’s samples? For more examples and tips on how to write a top-notch resume, check out How to Write a WINNING Resume and How to Write a STELLAR Executive Resume, both written by me, Brenda Bernstein. The most current versions of the books are available in PDF through The Essay Expert’s website. Save

Analysis Of Crm In Media Saturn Holding Marketing Essay

Analysis Of Crm In Media Saturn Holding Marketing Essay Whereas Media Markt is present in fifteen European countries with its stores, and it is operating also online nearly in all countries (exept Turkey, Russia and China).In all other country markets, the company’s homepage in the respective country only gives product information and refers consumers to the local outlet. (Reference) prices are not indicated, because, as already indicated, they are calculated locally and thus are not valid nationally within the context of retail store business.The entry into e-commerce was combined with the market entry in Italy in 1999. In the course of the takeover of Media World, the online shop Media World.it started at the beginning of 2000 with 500 articles. Logo and design were adapted to Media Markt, but with orange, green and yellow, they were flashier. Later on, it was adapted gradually and since January 2000, the company belongs to the Media-Saturn Holding. Under company law, it had been a direct affiliate of Metro Italia up to that tim e. On the homepage of Media World.it, the button â€Å"Compro online† (online shop) used to be somewhat hidden between job advertisements and the repair service.However direct access is now possible on the homepage, enabling the customer to visit the online shop independently of visiting the homepage itself.On the shop’s main page, it was not very clear at the beginning how large the product assortment really was: apparently, about 500 electrical equipment articles in welve groups, from car radio to washing machine. By the end of 2000, the product range had been increased to 1,500 products, with the aim of ultimately having a shop with an assortment of 5,000 articles. At the beginning, the prices of the Internet shop represented an average of the prices offered at all 23 Italian outlets at that time. Media World stores were not yet represented in the South of Italy or in Sicily. However, deliveries from the online shop were possible to all of Italy from the central war ehouse in Monza.Today, prices are calculated on the basis of comparisons with those of domestic online competitors are indicated on the homepage at the respective product description and are communicated aggressively (Hedewig Mohr 2000). From thebeginning,Media World has guaranteed delivery within five working days, but freight costs depended on the weight of the goods.Up to the present, payment is mostly made with credit cards. Other countries did not meet with online shop that early unfortunately. Metro and Media Saturn management had a long discussion time about the current market requirements of the sector. Metro Group managed to convience the Media Saturn Holding by 2011 for multichannel and Media Markt went online in 2011 in Austria first. End of 2011 Saturn opened its online store in Germany. Media Markt Germany followed in early months of 2012. By then all counties launched their online operations one by one. Only Turkey,Russia and China not operating in online channel yet. But preparation are ready for Turkey and Russia. It is expected to have online channel in these countries soon. China is not yet clear.

Information Communication Technologies Strategies Essay

Information Communication Technologies Strategies - Essay Example Management Information System is the solution to streamline a business through effective information management and decision making. The aim of this project is to design and implement a new improved management information system to serve Chelsea Hotel is owned by Crimson Hotels, which is a fast-growing hotel group, with properties in key locations in the UK, Portugal and UAE currently encompass a prototype management information system, however, its not as effective and efficient as it should be. There are many faults for instance; it doesn't provide all required information and documents, and inefficient data storage space. In addition Chelsea Hotel is finding difficulties in upgrading and solving solutions faced with the software due to its prototype nature Chelsea's current management information system doesn't contain a help wizard to assist in tasks and problem solving. In an environment of increasing regulation and litigation establishing transparent, reliable and complete information management practices and quality information is critical for business success and sustainability Computers are probably the most efficient and effective place to store and manage information. Managing information effectively is a powerful strategy for businesses to perform effectively and successfully. When information is managed in a strategic manner, they enhance the process of streamlining business and improve chances of successfulness. For instance, it enhances decision making, allows coordination, stores files and data in an effective manner which is time efficient whilst accessing required data, and it ensures all data is saved and backed up. The management of such system is referred to as 'Management Information System (MIS)'. Furthermore, Management Information Systems enhance organization performance in numerous ways that will be discussed throughout further chapters of this project. To achieve my project objective of designing a Management Information System for Chelsea Hotel, I had to research and obtain maximum knowledge regarding Management Information Systems. This was initially done, through researching the background and purpose of Management Information Systems and its advantages. Subsequent to my first research, I viewed Chelsea Hotel's current Management Information System and attended several meetings with managers throughout the company, to obtain knowledge regarding their problems and requirements. Finally I researched several methods and softwares to deploy, in order to find the most suitable software for my current project.After meeting with Chelsea Hotel Co. managerial personnel, and proposing several proposals regarding system deploying, we came to a conclusion of using popular market software called Clarity Professional, which will be discussed in further chapters of this project. 2 Information Communication Systems 2.1 Background of Management Information Systems Management Information Systems (MIS) were introduced in the 1640's, with the intent to process data and provide information. In the 1960's Management Information system started to become visible and gained popularity within the business world to

What works in Security laws (Summary) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What works in Security laws (Summary) - Essay Example The author further argues that these laws do not favor any particular party. One significant strategy that the laws apply to ensure equality in public offering is the use of supervisors. Supervisors are agents who ensure the security laws are adhered to. The laws requires of all supervisors not to be biased or influenced by power or any other factor. Another significant content of the security laws is regulating the depth at which shareholders are exposed to company figures. Every company is required to expose its figures to shareholders before placing their shares at public offerings. However, the depth of knowledge is also regulated in favor of companies. The laws protect companies from exposing all information on the company before its public offering (LaPorta, Lopez-de-Silanes & Shleifer, 2004). From the journal by LaPorta, Lopez-de-Silanes & Shleifer (2004) the need to bridge the gap between countries with strong and weak investor protection strategy is sensitized. In his recommendation, legal laws and reforms to support financial development are

Historical Essay for DREAM Act Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Historical for DREAM Act - Essay Example Reports show that California has the largest population of illegal immigrants compared to other states. The act poses an economic threat since the immigrants demand goods and other services that affect the economic growth while receiving various government benefits. The immigrants also reduce the wages paid to lower income and the less educated workers with a reduction in employers companies that employ them (Hanson, p.14). The Dream Act is a proposal by the American Legislative introduced on 1st August 2001 in the Senate. The Act introduced in the Senate for several times but failed to pass and proposed a multi-phase for the undocumented immigrants in the United States granting conditional residency upon meeting further qualification (Durbin, p.22). The development and relief of Dream Act of 2005 amends the illegal immigration reform and authorizes the Homeland Security to cancel the removal and adjust to conditional permanent resident status. In the year 2005, Margaret Stock, a retired Colonel in the U.S pointed out the potential beneficiaries of the Dream Act more so in the military field. She opposed the deportation law of the young people claiming that it makes no sense. She instead proposed that the young men would be recruited in the military, and thus the nation security in the country would increase. The Act continued to attract support in 2007 when Senator Richard Durbin proposed that the imm igrant students with great potential could be allowed to contribute to the society and the security. Jim Edgar, former Illinois Governor expressed his support towards the Dream Act claiming that a kind nation like the U.S should not turn their back on the young generation brought by their parents suggesting that they should join the colleges and finally qualify for a permanent citizenship (Durbin, p.15). In the recent years, the Act failed to pass in 2009 even though the Senator

The Lowest Moment in Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Lowest Moment in Advertising - Essay Example While motion picture companies all over the world use this advertising tool to advertize the favorable reviews their movies received, Sony Pictures went ahead of the game. They invented their own critic by the name of David Manning and under this name wrote fake favorable reviews for not just the Knight’s Tale but also for Hollow Man, The Animal, The Patriot and the Vertical Limit (Lawrence and Webber, 2010). Sony Pictures Entertainment Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment was found in 1987 in California. SPE is subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. Sony Corporation of America is further a subsidiary of Sony Corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. This multinational media conglomerate produces and also distributes motion pictures and television serials. SPE is one of the biggest media and technology conglomerates that provide entertainment in the form of movies, television, and technology to more than 140 countries around the wor ld. It reported total revenue of more than seven billion in 2010 (Sony Pictures, 2011). Where Sony failed With an organization as big and as established as Sony Pictures, this kind of advertising was not expected. The use of David Manning in numerous such advertising projects led Sony Pictures to incur a fine of 1.5 million pounds (BBC News, 2005). While Sony Pictures can easily recover from the financial aspect of the situation, it is the resulting brand value that creates challenges for the company. This particular advertising approach has affected Sony Pictures on different scales and aspects. Social, Ethical, Regulation aspects   Advertising has quickly become one of the five largest industries of the world. We are constantly exposed to advertising. Even when we do not realize it, advertising moulds our lives in such a manner that we are being constantly hypnotized with it. This has raised concerns among various critics who demanded the need for regulatory practices on adverti sing. The government was forced to take notice to protect the interest of the consumers against false advertising. However, even when the government has posed sanctions on certain types of advertising, social and ethical issues still arise which are outside the boundaries of these laws and here companies must take on their corporate social responsibility to ensure good practices. On the social level, advertising interacts with the consumers to educate them, create a feeling of happiness and generally improve on the standards of living (O’Guinn, Allen and Semenik, 2008). However, the use of David Manning’s review created the opposite effect. It misled the consumers through wrong information and those who went to watch the movie based on the review did not receive the level of satisfaction that they expected from a movie that was favorably liked by a critic. From an ethical stand point, advertising is supposed to be honest, fair and sensitive. Even if we often assume cre ative license to sell products through advertising, ethically we are required to ensure that the advertising is not deceiving. The use of David Manning was particularly deceiving since no such review was written and no such critic even existed at The Ridgefield Press. Such practices in advertising are called deceptive

Assessment in the Mental Health Setting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assessment in the Mental Health Setting - Essay Example Assessment is the first stage of the nursing process and begins with the collection of information about a patient (Hinchliff et al, 2003). In a broad sense, assessment is the foundation of nursing care and is a continuous process that nurses apply in their delivery of care (Ryrie and Norman 2010). Barker (2004) also identifies assessment as an estimation of a person’s character, and as a â€Å"decision making process based upon the collection of relevant information, using a formal set of ethical criteria, that contributes to an overall estimation of a person and his circumstances†. However it has been suggested that mental health nursing profession should integrate the broad principles of recovery approach into every aspect of nursing practice including that of assessment (DH 2006). Furthermore, a number of standardised assessment tools has been developed to support nurses further in fulfilling their professional task in clinical measurement and also in providing â₠¬Å"a general outline or the presentation of the person at a particular point in time† (Barker 2004). This essay will now identify, using evidence-based practice, a formal assessment tool used in the assessment of a patient in an acute inpatient assessment ward during a recent clinical placement. Relevant references will be cited to support statements and conclusions; appendices will also be provided to give a sample of the assessment tool used during the placement. In accordance with the Nursing & Midwifery Council’s Code of Professional Conduct (2002) guidelines, certain parts of this original essay such as the patient history will be omitted to maintain confidentiality and protect anonymity. The setting is an acute inpatient ward and a mixed gender unit. It provides a safe environment for assessment, treatment and therapeutic work helping to secure the full spectrum of mental health conditions designed to promote recovery as stated by the Department Of Health (2006). In this essay, I will pay attention to the use of the assessment instrument: Becks Depression Inventory (BDI). This inventory is basically composed of a series of queries conceptualized to measure the intensity and severity of patients with a diagnosis of mental health disorders (Polgar, 2003). The long form covers 21 questions which are meant to evaluate a specific symptom manifest among people with depression. The shorter form is composed of seven questions and is meant to be carried out by primary care givers (Polgar, 2003). This assessment tool was originally meant to evaluate and monitor depression among patients in the mental health setting and is now widely used as a measure and evaluation tool for patients with potentially depressed symptoms. I am fully aware of ethical issues on consent and so I gained a valid and informed consent of the patient in accordance with the NMC provisions (2002, section 3). The patient was made aware that this work would be confidential (NMC, 200 2, section 5). To protect her identity, she will be referred to as Helen in this paper. Helen is 65 years old and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She is currently in the acute mixed gender ward for assessment and treatment. For the past several years she has been admitted on and off into the ward similarly for depressed symptoms, and sometimes for manic symptoms. Rationale in selecting one type of assessment tool Using one type of assessment tool is crucial to the delivery of nursing care. The single assessment process applied to the patient helps to ensure that â€Å"older people’s needs are accurately assessed without needless duplication across different agencies†

Historical Essay for DREAM Act Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Historical for DREAM Act - Essay Example Reports show that California has the largest population of illegal immigrants compared to other states. The act poses an economic threat since the immigrants demand goods and other services that affect the economic growth while receiving various government benefits. The immigrants also reduce the wages paid to lower income and the less educated workers with a reduction in employers companies that employ them (Hanson, p.14). The Dream Act is a proposal by the American Legislative introduced on 1st August 2001 in the Senate. The Act introduced in the Senate for several times but failed to pass and proposed a multi-phase for the undocumented immigrants in the United States granting conditional residency upon meeting further qualification (Durbin, p.22). The development and relief of Dream Act of 2005 amends the illegal immigration reform and authorizes the Homeland Security to cancel the removal and adjust to conditional permanent resident status. In the year 2005, Margaret Stock, a retired Colonel in the U.S pointed out the potential beneficiaries of the Dream Act more so in the military field. She opposed the deportation law of the young people claiming that it makes no sense. She instead proposed that the young men would be recruited in the military, and thus the nation security in the country would increase. The Act continued to attract support in 2007 when Senator Richard Durbin proposed that the imm igrant students with great potential could be allowed to contribute to the society and the security. Jim Edgar, former Illinois Governor expressed his support towards the Dream Act claiming that a kind nation like the U.S should not turn their back on the young generation brought by their parents suggesting that they should join the colleges and finally qualify for a permanent citizenship (Durbin, p.15). In the recent years, the Act failed to pass in 2009 even though the Senator

Assessment in the Mental Health Setting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assessment in the Mental Health Setting - Essay Example Assessment is the first stage of the nursing process and begins with the collection of information about a patient (Hinchliff et al, 2003). In a broad sense, assessment is the foundation of nursing care and is a continuous process that nurses apply in their delivery of care (Ryrie and Norman 2010). Barker (2004) also identifies assessment as an estimation of a person’s character, and as a â€Å"decision making process based upon the collection of relevant information, using a formal set of ethical criteria, that contributes to an overall estimation of a person and his circumstances†. However it has been suggested that mental health nursing profession should integrate the broad principles of recovery approach into every aspect of nursing practice including that of assessment (DH 2006). Furthermore, a number of standardised assessment tools has been developed to support nurses further in fulfilling their professional task in clinical measurement and also in providing â₠¬Å"a general outline or the presentation of the person at a particular point in time† (Barker 2004). This essay will now identify, using evidence-based practice, a formal assessment tool used in the assessment of a patient in an acute inpatient assessment ward during a recent clinical placement. Relevant references will be cited to support statements and conclusions; appendices will also be provided to give a sample of the assessment tool used during the placement. In accordance with the Nursing & Midwifery Council’s Code of Professional Conduct (2002) guidelines, certain parts of this original essay such as the patient history will be omitted to maintain confidentiality and protect anonymity. The setting is an acute inpatient ward and a mixed gender unit. It provides a safe environment for assessment, treatment and therapeutic work helping to secure the full spectrum of mental health conditions designed to promote recovery as stated by the Department Of Health (2006). In this essay, I will pay attention to the use of the assessment instrument: Becks Depression Inventory (BDI). This inventory is basically composed of a series of queries conceptualized to measure the intensity and severity of patients with a diagnosis of mental health disorders (Polgar, 2003). The long form covers 21 questions which are meant to evaluate a specific symptom manifest among people with depression. The shorter form is composed of seven questions and is meant to be carried out by primary care givers (Polgar, 2003). This assessment tool was originally meant to evaluate and monitor depression among patients in the mental health setting and is now widely used as a measure and evaluation tool for patients with potentially depressed symptoms. I am fully aware of ethical issues on consent and so I gained a valid and informed consent of the patient in accordance with the NMC provisions (2002, section 3). The patient was made aware that this work would be confidential (NMC, 200 2, section 5). To protect her identity, she will be referred to as Helen in this paper. Helen is 65 years old and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She is currently in the acute mixed gender ward for assessment and treatment. For the past several years she has been admitted on and off into the ward similarly for depressed symptoms, and sometimes for manic symptoms. Rationale in selecting one type of assessment tool Using one type of assessment tool is crucial to the delivery of nursing care. The single assessment process applied to the patient helps to ensure that â€Å"older people’s needs are accurately assessed without needless duplication across different agencies†

Monterey, Ca Essay Example for Free

Monterey, Ca Essay Whenever I tell someone that I am from California I am automatically asked about palm trees, the sun, hot weather, tanning, the beach, richness, etc. However, it’s not like that for me, I’m not from San Diego or Santa Clara, I’m from a small town in Central California with a population of about thirty thousand people, Monterey and it is a popular tourist attraction. The weather is about the same year round, between 60-70 degrees. It is rare the day we get up to 90 to 95 degrees. On those days it is as if I did life in San Diego. When we get out of school, everyone goes to the beach. We spend hours there, girls mainly tanning while the boys skim board, surf, swim, or play beach volleyball. At night we’ll set up a bonfire. We don’t do this only on the hot days, it does not matter what day of the season it is well set up bonfires all the time. It was a great thing to do at night, laying by the fire, drinking, smoking, eating, making smores, etc. Monterey is mainly known for its marine life. It has one of the biggest aquariums in North America. Monterey Bay Aquarium gives many scientists access to different marine life for research. It just opened a new Jellyfish exhibit and a year or so ago remodeled the Open Sea. The aquarium has two main parts, the open sea and the ocean’s edge. In the open sea you can see the Puffins, the Jellies Experience, The Secret Lives of Seahorses, and an Auditorium. Where as in the Ocean’s Edge part of the aquarium you can see the Kelp Forest, the Habitats, Penguins, and even the Touch Pools. There is no student in the Monterey County who has not been to this aquarium, I know this for a fact because every first grader goes to the aquarium as a field trip. The teacher gives each student a clipboard with a worksheet on it. Then he class is broken up in to groups and each has a chaperone and an aquarium guide. As everyone walks around, the students must fill out the work sheet. Every student covers every inch of the aquarium, from the otters to the roof, and even to the lab rooms. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is located at the end of Cannery Row. Cannery Row was named after the novel by John Steinbeck that took place there. In high school, we were obligated to read John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row in order to get an idea of how it was in his time. There, I can promise you that you will be trampled by tourists. There are tourist everywhere, because Cannery Row is literally right next to the beach is has a very strong smell of fish and sea water, combined. On the both sides of the street you will see restaurants after restaurants, like Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, El Torito, Fish Hopper, Johnny Rocket’s, and Sly McFly’s. There are also many souvenir shops and a Starbucks and a Dip-n-Dots, and also a few clubs and bars. One street up from Cannery Row, a block away from the aquarium, is the American Tin Cannery. Years and years ago it used to be a world wide famous sardine factory which ending because the sardines disappeared tragically. Now, it is an outlet store and it has a couple of restaurants, my favorite bei ng First Awakenings. It is a breakfast, lunch diner, I used to go every Mondays before school with my family for breakfast. Walking past Cannery Row is a bike path, which has always been on of my favorite things to do. The bike path goes on for a couple of miles, a few feet from the edge of the ocean and on the other side are magnificent houses, hotels, the lighthouse, and a small golf course. It eventually leads into Pacific Grove and then Asilomar Beach, the dog beach. This is where most high school students go for their Winterball or Prom pictures. If I were to walk the opposite way of the path I would be going back to Cannery Row, passing Cannery Row I would end up at San Carlos Beach. San Carlos Beach is nothing big, a very small, private beach. I hardly ever see anyone there. Back on the bike path, passing San Carlos Beach I am heading toward the Old Fisherman’s Wharf, another very touristic destination. This Wharf has three major owners, one owns the front part, the other owns Old Fisherman’s Grotto, and the third owns most of the other shops, and restaurants at the end of the wharf. I worked at Gilbert’s on the wharf on summer and part of the school year. I was the ‘clam chowder girl’. That summer I just stood there, serving chowder to all these tourists from all over the world; Italy, France, Mexico, Spain, the Middle East, etc. I would get in trouble every now and then if I would socialize with them. At the end of the wharf there is always either a man or a women who draws caricatures and on the bottom adds a whale, ocean or the wharf. The reason why he or she does a whale is because right next to the booth is another booth for whale watching. I did it once and I did not see whales but others have said they have seen them. One the other side of the Old Fisherman’s Wharf is another wharf. That wharf consists mostly of parked cars, a couple of small restaurants and a fish market at the end. At the fish market they sell fresh fish. They will go fishing and keep the fish alive, one a customer comes in and orders whatever they please, the fishermen will kill the fish right in front of you so you know that it is fresh. Every now and then I see a big ship on the dock. In-between these two wharfs is filled with sail boats, yhats, house boats, fishing boats, etc. Walking on the bike path next to this part of the dock, if I were to look down to the ocean, you can see otters, hundreds of otters, crying, sleeping or just playing around. Across from Old Fisherman’s Wharf is a path that leading into Downtown Monterey. Alvarado Street is at the heart of Downtown and it’s one the places teens and adults are seen at a lot. There are approximately seven to ten clubs and bars on this street, so its hardly ever empty. About two years ago we got a Myo there. Myo is equivalent to a Pink Berry, only better in my opinion. You’re able to get your own serving but keep in mind that you’re being charged 65 cents per ounce. I believe it is owned by two Monterey firefighters. On Tuesdays, the city closes the street to vehicles because there is a Farmer’s Market. There are food stands, fruit/vegatable stands, handmade jewelry sellers, CHOMP blood drive, to clothing vendors. A street up from Alvarado is the Monterey Police Station, Monterey Fire Department, and the Public Library. A few streets down from Alvarado is the first church built in California, San Carlos Church, formally known as San Carlos Cathedral. Next door to the church is a private Catholic school, San Carlos School. I attended this school for elementary and middle school. It is a very small school, one class for each grade. We had a uniform, therefore, the elementary girls had to wear plaid dresses with a white or navy blue polo and the boys had to wear navy blue pants and a polo. The middle school girls couldnt wear the dresses anymore so we had to wear plaid skirts with the polos and the boys had the same uniform as the younger boys. My graduating class only had 20 kids because we were such a small school, our class was very close and most of us went to the same high school after. Monterey has four high school, Santa Catalina, York, Trinity, and Monterey high school. The Del Monte Shopping Center is where students mainly hang out because of the restaurants, stores and the movie theater. Century 21, is the only movie theater in Monterey. The mall is not very big but it has the main things people go to buy like, Starbucks, Jamba Juice, HM, Forever 21, Victoria Secret, Cold Stone, etc. The crime violence is very high in the city’s around Monterey but in Monterey itself is not to bad. We don’t hear about shooting or murders. However, it has been getting high in the cities around Monterey, and it worries some of the residents. It was disappointing to learn that crime violence in now creeping into Monterey. One thing that keeps the residence calm is that the Monterey Police Department do not rest with crime and they do, do something about it, immediately. In Seaside, and or Salinas it is a harder for them get the criminal. Monterey has and always will be my home. I grew up there, I lived there, I love it there, it is a place where I can feel at ease. It makes others feel at home. I have been told, and heard that tourists, celebrities, and residents all think that this is on of the prettiest places in California and of the world. It makes me feel proud to be part of the Monterey community, to be a part of something that others wished they could be a part. I recommend that everyone should see Monterey, at least once in their lifetime.

Airports Are Perfect For Green Roofs Environmental Sciences Essay

Airports Are Perfect For Green Roofs Environmental Sciences Essay Because they occupy large amounts of space with huge expanses of pavement for parking, runways, and storage, and because they have many flat-roofed buildings, airports are natural choice for green roofs. Many major European airports have a tapestry of green roofs over terminals, concourses, parking buildings, maintenance buildings, and others structures. (Cantor, 2008). These green roofs provide benefits and respond to all of the environmental problems without jeopardizing airport security and passenger safety. Despite the network of green space that comes with these installations, there has been no increase in problematic bird populations or other animals that might interfere with aircraft operations or personnel. This achievement is due to careful initial selection of the plant materials, monitoring of the results, and adequate maintenance. Airport feature unique site design challenges that affect animal populations. Typically, airport surroundings include large areas of undeveloped lands. These areas, if not carefully managed, can come semi-natural and attract large birds, which can be sucked into jet engines with potentially disastrous results. Land use policies over many years have been developed to discourage animal populations from settling in these buffer areas. For examples, plants are selected that do not produce flowers, berries, fruits, or seeds that attract animals. Grass height is carefully regulated, as tall grass attracts rodents, which, in turn, attract birds of prey. Grass cut too low attracts birds such a geese. Furthermore, animal populations are dynamic, no static, and in the last several decades species such sea gulls and pigeons have increase dramatically, so that measures must be taken to discourage them. The design of green roofs at the airports must respond to all these concerns. Opinions in Europe regarding the implementation of green roofs at airport are not unanimous. Some experts are cautions, worrying , for examples, about the impact of large populations of sea gulls, as has occurred in urban areas of London. Some are concerned that plants species over a certain height are too welcoming to birds. A greenroofed building recently opened at the Copenhagen airport. Roofs spread with gravel seen to be more attractive to birds, particularly large species as gulls, than green roofs with low to medium-height vegetation. In the United States, more than 75% of recorded bird strikes causing damage to civil aircraft are waterfowl (32 percent), gulls (28 percent) and raptors (28 percents). One area of current research in London is focused on determining the minimum gravel size that can be used as substrate, but is too heavy for gulls to pick up. Carefully designed green roofs at airports present opportunities for mitigating many environmental problems without increasing the risk of bird collision. The Schiphol International Airport from Amsterdam have three buildings with extensive green roofs and two buildings with intensive green roofs. This network of green roofs has responded to the environmental challenges in differences ways, even with specially trained teams of dogs, which are used to chase away the birds (Cantor, 2008). Accidents: Birds are often sucked into jet aircraft engines, something that causes aircraft accidents resulting [in waste of economic resources and, sometimes,] in deaths (Hawthorne, 1980; Shaw, 1985). Similar to any airport landscaping, green roofs on buildings in the airport environment might attract wildlife hazardous to aviation and could increase the risk of birds-aircraft collisions. The OHare International Airport consisted of Sedum spp. for vegetation and birds were observed using the green roof itself. However, bird use of the green roof was minimal and appeared to be similar to use of adjacent buildings with traditional roofs. Although green roofs with vegetation types that offer forage and/or cover to birds might be attractive, the Sedum spp.-vegetated green roof in this study did not attract wildlife hazardous to aviation or increase the risk of bird strikes (Swearingin et al., 2008).[5] Large-scale green roofs are currently being planned and implemented at OHare International Airport (Chicago). [5] One of the largest green roofs in Spain, 54.000 m2, covers the parking area at Barajas Airport in Madrid. http://www.triton-chemicals.co.uk/prode1.php At the airport in Frankfurt (Germany), a 10-cm-deep green roof reduced noise levels by 5 dB (Dunnet and Kingsbury, 2004). (Velazquez, 2005): Airports occupy and consume huge areas of land mass, destroying ecosystems and creating massive urban heat islands of impermeable, hot surfaces. The resulting loss of natural greenspace greatly impacts stormwater management, loss of habitat and biodiversity, creates noise, air and water pollution, and on a large scale, contributes to global warming. Numerous ecological advantages of extensive greenroofs could help to mitigate each and every one of these environmental problems. [security and safe concerns]. The recreated and natural areas of runways and surrounding fields are designed to avoid attraction of birds, which many times get drawn into jet engines creating a potentially hazardous and life threatening situation. To date, airport authorities outside of Europe have been hesitant to consider vegetated roofs mainly for fear of attracting birds. However, many airports in Europe have successfully constructed greenrooffs atop parking garages, hangers, and even ter minal building, without increasing their yearly number of bird strikes. This paper attempts to address some of the potential barriers to greenroofs, in particular the real dangers of attracting birds. International airports having greenroofs: Schipho (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Frankfurt (Germany), and Kloten (ZÃ ¼rich, Switherland). *** Most public-use airports have large tracts of open, unimproved land that are desirable for added margins of safety ad noise mitigation. Birds use airfields as a biotope for habitat, nesting and finding food and different species will dictate different habitat preferences. Bird strikes on airfields may only be minimized by identifying the ecological conditions that attract birds to an airfield and then using habitat deterrence methods to make the airfield less attractive for species relevant to flight safety. Even given greenroofs ability to reduce stormwater infrastructure and other concerns, to date airport authorities outside of Europe have been hesitant to consider vegetated roofs mainly for fear of attracting birds. However, many airports in Europe have successfully constructed green roofs atop parking garages, hangers, and even terminal buildings, without increasing their yearly number of bird strikes. In Germany there are thousand of square meter of green roofs on airport buildings. Within Germany are various airport greenroofs at Stutgart the new airport of MÃ ¼nich, Bremen, and DÃ ¼sseldorf. France has greenroofs at Charles De Gaulle in Paris, Paris Orly International Airport and Bordeaux. I have also seen and airport terminal greenroof in Milan, Italy and more exist. [more] After security issues, noise abatement, air quality, and preservation of greenspace are the top environmental concerns of area residents and airports management. Schiphol IA, Amsterdam: Total airport area greenroofed at AMS and Schipholrijk neighbourhodd: 93,730 m2. Number/area of extensive greenroofs: 3/13,330 m2. Because airports occupy large quantity of space with huge expanse of pavement for parking, runways, and storage, and because they have many flat-roofed buildings, this installations are natural choice for green roofs (Cantor, 2008). Many major European airports have a tapestry of green roofs over terminals, concourses, parking buildings, maintenance buildings, and others structures. (Cantor, 2008).

The New Deal :: essays research papers

During the 1930's, America witnessed a breakdown of the Democratic and free enterprise system as the United States fell into the worst Depression in history. The effects of the depression were being felt everywhere in the United States. In 1933, sixteen million people were unemployed. Americans wanted and needed a change. They proved this by electing Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. This was the beginning of a new period in time for Americans, as Roosevelt would introduce his course of action with the New Deal. Would Roosevelt’s New Deal be what Americans needed to counteract the effects of the depression? In Roosevelt’s first inaugural address he declared, â€Å"†¦In the event that Congress hall fail to take these courses and in the event that the national emergency is still critical I shall not evade the clear course or duty that will then confront me.† Roosevelt’s course of action came to be known as the New Deal. The New Deal describes the innovative measures that President Roosevelt took to try to restore the American economy, give Americans pride again, and have faith in the government. The New Deal started in 1933 and lasted until 1938. The New Deal was based on relief, recovery, and reform. The New Deal included federal action of unprecedented scope to stimulate industrial recovery, assist victims of the Depression, guarantee minimum living standards, and prevent future economic crises. Many economic, political, and social factors lead up to the implementation of the New Deal. In the first two years, the New Deal was concerned mainly with relief, setting up shelters and soup kitchens to feed the millions of unemployed. On March 6, 1933 Roosevelt called a nationwide bank holiday, and on March 9 Congress passed the Emergency Banking Act, which provided for federal bank inspections. In the summer of 1933, the Glass-Steagall Act set much more stringent rules for banks and provided insurance for depositors through the newly formed Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). These acts helped to restore the confidence in the wake of widespread bank failures. Two acts, one in 1933 and one in 1934, required detailed regulations for the securities market, enforced by the new Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several bills provided mortgage relief for farmers and homeowners and offered loan guarantees for home purchasers through the Federal Housing Administration, or FHA. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration expanded existing relief grants to the states and resulted in assistance for more than 20 million people. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) provided work relief for thousands of young men under a type of military discipline. The CCC emphasized reforestation, among

Education Beyond Undergraduate Essay -- Masters Graduate School Essays

Education Beyond Undergraduate Graduate or professional education is an often-debated topic for a large number of University seniors. Regardless of the undergraduate degree many students must decide whether to enter the job market or go to school for another couple of years. When these students are faced with this decision it is important to look at what they consider. Is it job satisfaction, future pay, or the mere fact that they want to spend a few more years in college? These issues are all very important to students in very different manners. An important reason students consider continuing their education beyond their undergraduate degree is job satisfaction. Through my marketing classes, I have learned that my generation (generation X) is more concerned with their job satisfaction than compensation or benefits. Was job satisfaction a motivator in my decision to continue my education beyond graduate school? Definitely, I feel that with the graduate degree I plan to receive will enable me to attain a job that will make me happy. I think that this is something all college students think about when they try to pick a major in college. If I am satisfied with my job when I get into the â€Å"real world,† it will not matter to me what pay I receive. Is it possible that there are students who decide to continue their education just for the difference in pay they receive? I truly think it is. It is important to consider how students that go beyond an undergraduate degree pay for their schooling. As a person who is planning to go through Law School, I think that whether or not a person goes beyond undergraduate depends on how hard they struggled financially during their undergraduate schooling. I feel that if th... ...hings are very important to a lot of people. A large number of people want to receive an education that gives them a better shot at being economically stable in the future. It is very important for students to consider an education beyond undergraduate. I believe that many students are faced with this decision at the end of each school year. It is also viable to believe that these three items in this essay are of great significance to these graduating seniors. When a student spends four to five years in undergraduate school, they feel worn out and feel that school is the last place that they want to be. But, after considering some of these facts, they may feel that a graduate or professional education is exactly what they should do whether they look at future job satisfaction, future compensation, or just want to spend a few more years with their friends.

European television Essay

Reality TV is a huge success to the television industry in the 1990s. As a genre description, reality TV is widening its usage from ‘news magazine programmes based round emergency service activities’ to ‘talk shows, docusoaps’ and a variety of ‘first-person’ programmes (Creeber, 2001: 135). ‘Reality TV’ with extensive meaning becomes popular to describe ‘any factual programme based on an aesthetic style of apparent â€Å"zero-degree realism† – in other words a direct, unmediated account of events, often associated with the use of video and surveillance-imaging technologies’ (Creeber, 2001: 135). While Barnfield has criticized ‘the loose usage of the term, suggesting that over the last decade such a wide range of productions have been categorized as â€Å"Reality TV† that one wonders if the term is too general to be helpful'(Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 3). It is true that ‘reality TV’ is not explicit enough in meaning. However, it is the best word applicable to all situations and never unilateral. It gives producers more space to innovate new programmes as to prosper this genre. Reality TV evolves with the development of new technologies. New sub-genres emerged as the hybrids of established genres. It challenges traditional documentary and changes the serious content to more entertainment elements. Every format is close to everyday life to convince the audience as ‘real’ programming. In the short history of only two decades, reality TV has evolved into various formats. I will focus on five main forms which have either had a remarkable effect on television history or unprecedented audience ratings with reference to relevant representative programmes of British television. Contested Generic Identification: Definition of Reality TV It seems difficult to issue a particular definition of ‘reality TV’ to attest to debates over it. As Su Holmes and Deborah Jermyn point out: Producing a particular definition of Reality TV is nevertheless complex. This is partly because of the fundamentally hybrid nature of the forms in question. Yet it is also because of the range of programming to which the term ‘Reality TV’ has been applied, as well as the extent to which this has shifted over time with the emergence of further permutations in ‘reality-based’ texts. (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 2). Jon Dovey characterised this genre by ‘reference to the dominant and original forms of Reality TV that feature police and emergency service work’ (Dovey, 2000: 80). In his opinion, as form and construction, reality TV should be: i camcorder, surveillance or observational ‘actuality footage’; i first-person participant or eye-witness testimony; i reconstructions that rely upon narrative fiction styles; i studio or to-camera links and commentary from ‘authoritative’ presenters; i expert statements from emergency services personnel or psychologists. (Dovey, 2000: 80) These elements are helpful in interpreting the origins of reality programmes and in understanding its sub-genres and new development. Only by bearing these elements in mind can we make reference to relevant programmes when we trace back history to discuss the evolution of reality TV. Is it American Innovation? : Historical Precedent of Reality TV There is no consensus about the first reality programme. Jon Dovey thought that ‘Reality TV is generally historically located as beginning in the US with NBC’s Unsolved Mysteries in 1987’ (Dovey, 2000: 81). While Bradley D. Clissold considered that ‘during the years that it aired, Candid Camera (US, 1948- ), arguably the first ‘Reality TV’ programme, proved itself to be one of US TV’s most memorable, enduring and popular shows’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 33). There is a consensus that the earliest reality programme came out in America. In addition to these mentioned above, other commentators like Richard Kilborn, Chad Raphael and Gareth Palmer all agreed with this conclusion (Kilborn, 2003: 55; Palmer, 2003: 21). In the commercial environment in America, technologies like cable, satellite and digital prospered reality programmes in television market. However, reality TV as a television genre has evolved into ‘a very strong Eurpoean form with regional variations in each country’ (Dovey). In mid-1980s, when surveillance technology such as CCTV (closed-circuit television) became accessible, Britain produced its own reality programmes, which revealed real accidents, crimes and emergencies. By using CCTV footage, these reality programmes departed from traditional documentary and were quickly accepted by the curious audience because of their witness techniques. They were real shows without actors and noted for low-cost which was attractive to most programme-makers. Among these early reality programmes, Crimewatch (BBC, 1984- ) was most influential. Jon Dovey said it ‘has been seen as central to the development of the form, particularly in respect of debates around criminology and the media’ (Creeber, 2001: 135). Deborah Jermyn, who is experienced in studying television crime appeal, commented on Crimewatch: Promoting the growth of crime-appeal programming in Britain – with a format where serious unsolved crimes are reconstructed, police and victims’ families interviewed, images of suspects publicized and the public encouraged to phone in and volunteer information – by this time the series had comfortably established itself as Britain’s foremost crime-appeal programme. (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 71) The effectiveness of Crimewatch as a detergent to crimes has been under much debate. It entertained the audience, but it was weak as a warning to the criminals. As Jermyn commented: ‘indeed some criminals have claimed that the poor-quality CCTV footage they witnessed on Crimewatch actually gave them an incentive to commit crime’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 82). ‘The use of CCTV conspicuously enhances the programme’s claims to authenticity and underlines its sense of a privileged relationship with real crime and actuality, qualities which programme-makers evidently believe to be ratings winners’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 83). In this case it is exciting for the audience to see the ‘raw’ footage without caring much about its effect of crime appeal. These early reality programmes about crime appeal, accidents and emergencies formed a new documentary format, which was the precedent of a new genre-reality TV. Later popular factual entertainment programmes are based on these elements to innovate. Their effect is remarkable in a long term. ‘Fly-Off-the-Wall’: Video Diaries Known as Access TV The 1990s was a golden era for the prevalence of reality TV. Jon Dovey points out: ‘it seems that â€Å"ordinary people†, non-professional broadcasters, have never been more present on our screens’ (Dowmunt, 1993: 163). Camera is no longer simply ‘fly-on-the-wall’ to observe and record, but closes to the object to become active ‘fly-off-the-wall’. For a long time, access TV, as new reality television, has been in a great demand. According to Jon Dovey, ‘there are some fundamental principles that identify access programming; they centre around control and power over the programme-making process’, especially ‘the authors should have control over the whole process of representation’ (Dowmunt, 1993: 165). Camcorder and video technology opened up expansive space for access TV. ‘Non-professional broadcasters’ became a leading role in making these programmes. As Patricia Holland commented on this innovative style: The video diary style, in which programmes are made with domestic video equipment by members of the public rather than by television professionals, has introduced a new way of making programmes. Low-tech, with a less polished appearance, they seem to bring the audience even closer to the realities they show. (Holland, 1997: 158) Video Diaries, produced by the BBC Community Programme Unit from 1990-1999, was a representative of access TV. From these series of programmes, Jon Dovey noted: the Unit solicits and researches ideas from potential diarists with a compelling story to tell. Once chosen, the diarist is trained in the use of an S-VHS camera and packed off to shoot their story, with support from the Unit should it be needed. In this way the diarists are given not only editorial control but also control over the means of production. They return with anything up to 200 hours of material and attend all the edit sessions, from an initial assembly which is viewed and discussed at length to the offline and online edit processes. (Dowmunt, 1993: 167) The format of Video Diaries is a development of documentary. Gareth Palmer has explained that it ‘imported the authorizing and legitimizing discourse of documentary into the personal, and in doing so it imported also documentary’s ordering principle into individual lives’ (Palmer, 2003:168). It was popular to the audience and also gained acclaim from the critics because of its flexibility in recording reality. Nevertheless there were debates that the producers had already controlled the programme by selecting the diarists, and there were also problems of quality and legality. New Observational Documentary: Emergence of Docusoap Docusoap is one form of the new observational documentary and one sub-genre of reality TV. It is a hybrid of documentary and soap-opera. It improves from serious documentary to emphasize on entertainment, especially everyday lives. ‘Developed in the UK in the mid-1990s, the docusoap enjoyed unprecedented success for roughly a four-year period (1996-2000)’ (Kilborn, 2003: 87). Docusoap combines documentary and drama. There are elements of narration, interviews and background music, and similar sequences as soap-opera. Each episode has a certain title and focuses on character, personalities, plot or situation. Technological advances promote the development of new observational documentary. New technologies like lightweight cameras, ‘portable sound equipment’ and ‘non-linear editing system’ accelerate editing process with better quality and effect. Besides, financial benefits also attract producers to choose new technologies. ‘As Paul Hamann has commented, docusoaps already cost on average only a third of the price of the equivalent in light entertainment or sitcoms’ (Bruzzi, 2000: 77). The entertainment factor of docusoap makes it popular with audience. Driving School ‘peaked at 12. 45 million’ viewers (Bruzzi, 2000: 86). It ‘focused on the trials and tribulations of people preparing for their driving test’ (Kilborn, 2003: 96). Compared to the core character of reality TV, docusoap is blamed to be less factual with aesthetic reconstruction. According to Bruzzi: The sequence most frequently cited is that in which Maureen Rees, on the eve of another attempt at her theory exam, wakes in the middle of the night and asks her husband Dave to test her on the Highway Code. The sequence is a reconstruction, and Jeremy Gibson (head of BBC Television Features, Bristol) and others have gone on record exonerating themselves from blame, commenting that, having gleaned that Maureen did get up at night ghrough panic, it was perfectly legitimate to recreate such a sequence without the film crew having to camp out in her bedroom for an entire night. (Bruzzi, 2000: 87) The producers’ intervention revealed obvious dramatic skills, which aimed at telling a complete story. In any case, under these circumstances one can never expect a totally natural performance from the character with the presence of camera.