Data Collection and Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Data Collection and Analysis - Essay Example Depending on the need, availability of information and expected outputs one or combination of more than one methods for data collection and analysis needs to be adopted. Following are some of the methods for data collection - 1. Primary Research - this method involves collecting information from first hand research done by other individuals / teams / groups and using it to draw inferences with due references to the original research work. 2. Secondary Research - this method involves collecting information which has been derived or inferred from some other primary research work. This may involve articles, secondary research reports, published opinions, etc. among others. 3. Survey - this is a widely known method of data collection by conducting a survey over a sample target population and analyzing the results in order to get first hand information on the research work. 5. Interviews - interviews are another form of collecting information from relevant target population and use the information captured to satisfy the research objectives. Interviews can be structured or unstructured and can be conducted in person or on phone or video conference. 6. Delphi Method - this is a method for collection of expert opinion in the area in which research is being conducted. Experts consulted should be credible and knowledgeable people in the area of the research. For each of the data collection met... However, the above list captures the most commonly used data collection methods. Pros and Cons For each of the data collection methods stated above, there are pros and cons of adopting them in a research project as well as appropriateness for specific type of research projects. Following is a brief discussion on the same - 1. Primary Research - this is a good method of data collection as it provides valuable data points for the research without actually conducting a firsthand research. This method is useful where there are constraints on either time or resources for conducting fully fledged research activities. However, this is still a substitute for actual research. Information available may not exactly match the conditions needed for the research. Hence, there may be compromises or assumptions to be made while using this form of research. This may lead to inaccuracies in research results. 2. Secondary Research - similar to primary research, secondary research may also used in cases of constraints on resources or time. Many times, this form of research is used as a literature review for first step in a research project to provide rough idea on the research topic. This provides important data points which may be useful for designing the actual research, tools used and analysis of data. Again, the disadvantages are that the secondary source information may have inherent inaccuracies introduced while drawing inferences and conclusions from the primary research sources. 3. Survey - this is a popular data collection tool used while conducting business research or market research. The survey results and their analysis provide first hand information directly from the main sources and are not dependent on inferences or

WEEK 8 journal 6500 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

WEEK 8 journal 6500 - Essay Example n for errors to occur during practice, but failure to report these errors could lead a habit that may end up causing serious problems in the future especially when patient safety is concerned. When the nursing students were checking blood sugars, the nurse on the hall wanted them to dry their finger that had been wiped with alcohol by fanning it finger using their hand. According to patient safety, procedure in preventing that would be a wrong technique. The finger should air-dry. The nursing students did it the way the nurse wanted them to even though it was wrong so as not to upset the nurse on the hall. Nursing students need to understand that patient safety comes first, and it is okay to report an error or raise concern if they notice an error being committed by a senior nurse or physician. Having an error-reporting system is one important strategy for improving the healthcare system. Apart from offering safety through reporting and tracing underlying causes, it further offers information about potential future errors and problems (Kim, Kim, Kim, & Kim, 2007). According to Wolf & Hughes, (2008) â€Å"ethical principles of beneficence (doing well) and non-maleficence (preventing harm) are violated when errors are not reported or disclosed†. The situation I observed at the practicum site mirrors what research has found to be key reasons that lead to medication administration errors, which is a real world problem. A study carried out to identify barriers to the reporting of medication errors found â€Å"Administrative barriers and fear were found to be the top two reasons for not reporting medication administration errors among nursing students† (Koohestani & Nayereh, 2010). Kim, M.-S., Kim, J. S., Kim, Y. H., & Kim, H. J. (2007). The effectiveness of the error reporting promoting program on the nursing error incidence rate in Korean operating rooms. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, 185-191. Wolf, Z. R., & Hughes, R. G. (2008). Chapter 35. Error Reporting

The wide use of CCTV and effects on the Public

The wide use of CCTV and effects on the Public In the year 2000, Philips reviewed the studies that evaluated the effectiveness of closed circuit television (CCTV) in reducing crime, disorder and the fear of crime in a variety of places by using a guiding procedure from Tilleys model (1993a), which focused on the operational mechanisms used in closed circuit television. After his review, he then concluded that CCTV can be very efficient in deterring property crime, but his findings were more restricted to personal crime, public offences and the fear of crime. He also examined the public attitudes towards the use of CCTV in public places. Armitage (2002), in his own review of recent researches into the effectiveness of CCTV on community safety and the practitioners, he observed that CCTV was not always as successful at reducing crime as it was claimed to be. Although he confirmed that CCTV coverage and the governments funding of new systems have increased dramatically over the previous decade, in his findings, he strongly believed that CCTV has been more effective in deterring crime rather than being crime preventive. On the whole, he strongly believed that very little substantial evidence would suggest that CCTV worked. Short and Ditton (1998) noted that researchers in Scotland had concluded that CCTV cameras work to prevent criminality most of the time, unless the offenders were under the influence of alcohol. Obviously, alcohol would hinder proper reasoning and correct decision options. Some CCTV evaluation workers e.g. Gill et al (2005) have interviewed offenders regarding their attitudes towards the installation of CCTV cameras and the possible effects on crime. Although in those studies Gill et al (2005), many offenders felt that CCTV installation has been beneficial to the society, a few people still believe that it was a waste, failing to acknowledge its effectiveness at reducing crime. It was then speculated that offenders would normally wait for the CCTV cameras to move away from their direction before committing the intended crime. It was concluded therefore, that CCTV might have little or no effect in preventing the offenders from committing a crime but rather it would make them aware tha t they were being watched, thereby rendering them to be more careful when committing crimes. 2.2 CCTV and the CCTV Operator. But from the operators perspective according to Smith (2004), limited empirical research has been carried out on the dynamics and social interactions that make up a typical CCTV control rooms operational routine. He believed that the human element has been completely ignored and neglected. His study questioned the accuracy of a central assumption made in most of the written literatures on CCTV (Gill et al 2005). He believed that surveillance cameras were not only controlled and monitored constantly, but are also handled effectively and efficiently by the operators. In order to reduce the effects of tiredness and boredom, the operators often result into extra-curricular activities such as game playing while on duty. Indeed, the findings from the research of Smith (2004) suggested that the operators often felt imprisoned by their job within the confines of the CCTV control room. Based on these findings, he concluded that the human factor has undermined the effectiveness of CCTV surveil lance system. 2.3 CCTV and transport Regarding traffic accidents, Conche and Tight (2006) in their recent research, assessed the potential use for images collected through the increasingly use of CCTV cameras in urban areas as a means of understanding the causes of road traffic accidents and ensuring public safety of all road users. However, they thought that apart from CCTV being used to ensure public safety, it also provided records of accidents which could be used by safety researchers to increase both the quality of life and safety of road users. An area in central Leeds, which was studied showed that an existing CCTV camera network, used for monitoring urban traffic and managing surveillance, has the potential of recording about a quarter of the accidents which occured in the area. This was based on the pattern of past occurrences. Furthermore, majority of the High Streets in the United Kingdom will possibly have more camera set-ups placed in strategic places in order to reduce traffic accidents. The study also con sidered how resourceful the camera and video records could be as a means of collecting contributory factor information on a camera-captured accident. It was expressed as a general belief that the effectiveness of CCTV can only be assessed in terms of how visible each of the factors was likely to appear on video and its relative frequency of occurrence as well as how many crime issues it could resolve. The report concluded that CCTV has a high potential in providing adequate evidences about many of the most commonly occurring factors that contribute to traffic accidents, and in throwing further light on the causes of traffic accidents ( ). 2.4 CCTV and Crime. In the field of environmental criminology, we can not but mention Paul and Patricia Brantingham (2003) who studied extensively the models of crime with theories of the spatial and temporal patterns of human activities to predict the patterns and likelihood of criminal events. By modelling the movement patterns of offenders and the victims, in relation to the distribution and concentration of other people, criminal targets can make it possible to anticipate patterns in the potential displacement of crime from one location to another. The analysis of the movement patterns of criminals utilizing particular crime attractors can provide information on likely crime locations. The behavioural pattern of criminals can be used to predict their activities and the environments of crime, as well as their next-line of actions. Their opinion was that crime prevention and intervention, undertaken in displacement areas, bearing in mind the times and situations that stimulate the occurrence of crime, could have the potential of increasing any crime preventive measure. That article explained how the development of a conceptual model can be used to quantify and predict crime displacement within the concept of time and space. 2.5 Crime Indicators and Attractors The threat of crime to the community is threat to the safety of the society and the sense of security of the residents; and it is also believed to have major impacts on neighbourhood stability, urban and economic development, education, social integration and the perceived quality of life. Today, crime and disorder are often viewed as the main cause of the declining effect of many inner city neighbourhoods. The Fear of crime is sometimes regarded as being detrimental to the society as crime itself. Most crimes can be prevented if the signs are clearly understood and read, and indeed all crimes show crime indicators and signs before they occur. Some of the known crime indicators include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Level of crime. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fear of crime. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Crime victims as per cent of population. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The safety of pedestrians walking alone at night. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Crime rate. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Property crimes. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Percentage that decreased park use due to fear. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Number of Neighbourhood Watch groups. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Domestic assault reported per 100,000 populations. (http://www.sustainablemeasures.com/Database/PublicSafety.html) The above are just a few crime indicators; crime indicators are also influenced by location, economic activities, weather conditions and the level of security, etc. According to Spellman (1993), in an economically distressed neighbourhood, the abandoned houses and apartments can become hangouts for thieves, drug dealers, and prostitutes. Inquisitively, does CCTV surveillance recognise these indicators? 2.6 CCTV and the fear of crime. Gafarole (1981), in a paper presented more than twenty years ago supporting Furstenberg (1972), made an observation that has proven to be the understatement of the decade for researchers studying the fear of crime. It was observed thatthe relationship between a crime and its consequences is neither obvious nor simple. His observation was more correct than it was twenty years earlier, despite the fact that the knowledge about the causes and consequences of fear of crime has increased steadily over the years. Every advance that was made, whether by refining concepts, specifying and testing relationships, obtaining more comprehensive data or by some other means, seemed to generate more questions than it answered. After a preliminary discussion of concepts and indicators, a model of the causes and consequences of fear of crime was presented while the components of the model were described in the light of what was already known about the fear of crime. Although the question about the fear of crime has been a major issue with the policy makers and the public (Farrall et al. 2000). The concept of safety can be influenced by a range of different factors so is it with the fear of crime .e.g. Sarno et al., (1999) stated that the presence of CCTV does instil an atmosphere of safety while Ditton (2000) found that one of the positive impact of CCTV is linked to the positive views about CCTV (e.g. Spriggs et al., 2005) Surette (2004) reviewed and discussed the shift to computer enhanced self-monitoring CCTV surveillance systems of public spaces and the social implications. His findings showed the main differences between the first and second generation surveillance i.e. the change from a dumb camera (requiring the human eye for evaluating its images) to a computer-linked camera system which evaluates its own video images. Second generation systems therefore would reduce the human factor in surveillance and address some of the basic concerns associated with the first generation surveillance systems such as data swamping, boredom, voyeurism and profiling. Although additional research is needed to assess CCTV surveillance, the adoption of computer-enhanced CCTV surveillance systems should not be an automatic response to a public space security problem neither should their deployment be decided simply on the availability or cost. In summary, the report has provided a concise overview of the concerns associated with the first generation CCTV surveillance and how the evolution of computer-enhanced CCTV surveillance systems will alter and add to these concerns before a system adoption or installation. 2.7 CCTV Evaluations. Welsh and Farrington (2009) gave a recent review and analysis on the effectiveness of CCTV on crime in public spaces. He evaluated forty-four cases which met the inclusion criteria and the results showed that CCTV caused 16% decrease in crime within the experimental areas when compared with the control areas. The research was motivated by the quest to measure the effectiveness of CCTV schemes in car parks, which caused a 51% decrease in car park crime. CCTV schemes in most other public areas had a small but non-significant impact on crime with a 7% decrease in the city centres and in public houses. Public transport schemes had greater effects with a 23% decrease in total, but these were relatively insignificant. Conclusively, the evaluation showed that CCTV Schemes in the United Kingdom were more effective than other countries such as the USA, based largely on the studies in the car parks. Although Tilley et al (2004) suggested that the use of CCTV increased the risks of being identified and captured as a criminal, Wright and Gibson (1995) added that having the local police and CCTV operators working hand in hand would further help in tracking down suspects and offenders. In the Early years, Ekblom (1986) emphasized that CCTV should be targeted on craved items and pocket-able goods in retail stores to supplement the effort of store detectives. Using the HMV store in Oxford Street as a case study, he discovered that store detectives can cub store theft with the joint effort of CCTV operators. Several studies noted that crime often declined in the months prior to the installation of cameras. After cameras were fully operational, crime might continue to drop for a period as long as two years ( ). Crime would then begin to increase again. As suggested in the literature, this phenomenon is due to publicity or a lack of publicity. The greatest amount of publicity often occurred prior to the installation of the cameras. This was the time when crime levels begin to drop. If CCTV programs were continuously publicized, their effect on crime would remain steady otherwise crime and criminal behaviors would begin to increase as the effect of CCTVs disappeared. According to a brief on the effect of CCTV in 2002 at the Parliament Office of Science and Technology, there was a debate on the changes in recorded crime before and after CCTV camera installation. It was concluded that CCTV was unlikely to reflect crime accurately since not all offences are reported to or recorded by the polic e. Local surveys of crime may provide more accurate measures. 2.8 CCTV and crime displacements. Repetto (1976) speculated that one or more displacements can occur together at the same time while he identified six types of displacements (tactical, situational, spatial, temporal and perpetrator). He defined spatial displacement as the movement of the same crime from one location to another. This is quite different from his definition of tactical displacement when an offender uses a different strategy to commit the same crime. He also defined temporal displacement as when the same offence is committed in the same area but at a different time. This type of displacement is time-oriented. Target displacement was explained when an offender becomes selective in choosing different victims within the same area. Finally, functional displacement operates when the offender changes from a particular crime to another within the same area. Reppetto (1976) then concluded that Displacement refers to the shift of crime either in terms of space, time, or type of offence from the original targets o f crime prevention or interventions. Weisburd et al (2006) argued that crime has the potential to occur when three factors suitable for a crime are present within the available time and space (Cohen and Felson, 1979). However to further expatiate; neglecting the causes of crime such as unemployment and illegal drug would render any intervention ineffective. On the contrary, if the issues of unemployment and drug misuse are addressed, offenders may look elsewhere for a different target area in most cases areas without interventions and thereby leading to crime displacement. Alternatively however, diffusion of benefits to surrounding areas may occur as a result of the intervention. This would depend on the success of the intervention in apprehending offenders. Young et al (2006) researched into crime displacements in Kings cross where views from the streets were used to highlight the impacts of CCTV and policing activities on visible street behaviours. The presence of CCTV surveillance cameras created the fear of being caught on camera thereby contributing to a change in street behaviours by the pedestrians. The data used in this research reflected the cessation of criminal behaviours on the streets. However, the presence of blind spots (areas not accessible to CCTV) are often the areas with high rates of anti-social behaviours. It was concluded that CCTV surveillance cameras do not actually deter crime but rather they are more effective in providing visual evidences in the prosecution of criminals. Such information is handled by law enforcement agencies. Gill and Turbin (1999) studied the effect of CCTV and its effectiveness in a retail store, concluding that this may lower the attitude and vigilance of shop staff where CCTV is seen as th e all- perfect panacea against shop theft or crime, as further buttressed by Beck (2006) on reduction in the degree of vigilance within the store. Nevertheless, the absence of CCTV in local areas was a pre-requisite for crimes such as stealing (Beck, 2006). Gill and Spriggs (2005) wrote a review on the significant crime movements that could be observed clearly from the report on the evaluation of 13 out of the numerous CCTV projects that were put in place by the Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) initiative. The focus was to identify any form of spatial displacement in the schemes that were evaluated. Two techniques, which involved an experimental approach and GIS in assessing any changes in crime trends. The primary aim was to identify any form of displacement and if any could it be as a result of CCTV intervention?. The results showed little proof of displacement. Getis et al (2000) however reviewed the modern techniques of crime analysis with regard to the research and educational challenges outlined by the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science. More attention was devoted to the role that crime analysis currently and potentially played in reducing crime and improving the efficiency of police activities. The main aim w as to stimulate an interest in promoting crime analysis in the advancement of crime mapping and visualization. 2.9 CCTV and Geographical Information System (GIS) Williamson et al. (2000) took an experimental approach and regression analysis as a statistical procedure for analysing temporal crime trends over different periods. Few years later, Ratcliffe (2005) used the nearest neighbour test to identify crime pattern movements between two periods. Both scholars, Williamson et al (2000) and Ratcliffe (2005) used GIS and statistics in their research to provide a powerful tool for understanding the spatial characteristics and the impact of crime reduction measures. Levine (2008) added some other techniques based upon the analysis that could be valuable in hotspot detection. Generally therefore, it appeared that some crime types were predicted more successfully by using the Kernel density which was used for predicting crime hot spots (Chainey et al.,2008a). General comments Note that et al is always written in italics 2. Note that any significant result statement must have the appropriate reference(s) quoted against it Note that person pronouns (I or We) are rarely used in dissertation reports, this is often avoided by employing indirect tenses, e.g. the CCTV coverage zones were studied on two consecutive days should be written instead of I studied the CCTV coverage zones on two consecutive days See under your Introduction: consider whether it was wise to have introduced cctv at all. Has it removed th anxiety of 1980s that originally necessitated cctv era? You can discus your personal opinion from your findings Gather from your literature review the main findings of previous workers that closely resemble your work and identify and relate their own achievements to clearly bring out what you have contributed to the literature of this field. Discuss the appropriateness of the methodology you adopted in comparison with similar others (if any) from your literature review and why you chose it and not the others. You may talk about what you would have better achieved if all the camera spots data were released to you by the Sheffield Information Dept. What else can you discuss from your own intelligence and as a UK licensed driver on cctv traffic offences. Find relevant references that you can use within your results and discussion section to support your findings e.g. on the crime displacements from central /darnall wards 7/9 to wards 6, 13, 2, etc., or deprivation-linked crime environments, etc. Well-done and good luck, my dear; dont look at the work but focus at the Glory-to-God praises on that day and the peace-covenant future awaiting you and your family. 1.3 Closed Circuit Television in Sheffield. The first cameras were installed in 1996 prior to the Euro 96 football competition for which Sheffield was a host city; the cameras were primarily installed to monitor transport links within the city centre rather than to monitor crime scenes. It was not until four years later that more cameras were installed to help prevent and detect crime, in consultation with other services such as the South Yorkshire Police (SYP) and the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport (SPT). They were installed in areas that were potential crime hotspots. It is also clear that the major camera network is extensively installed in the city centre and along the major transport links into the city. Presently, Sheffield City Council has 133 Cameras as at the 1st of July 2010 compared with only 60 cameras in July 2000 indicating an increase of 73 cameras installed in 10 years. In 2001and 2003, 11 Cameras each were installed while in 2002, 26 Cameras were installed at each tram stop; in 2004, only 1 Camera was ins talled in Burn greave while in 2005, 5 Cameras at Eyre Street were installed and in 2006, none was installed. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, a total of 17 cameras (10, 4 and 3 Cameras, respectively) were installed at Millennium Square/ Bus Lane/ Exchange Gateway, Ring Road Urban Traffic Control (UTC), and Granville Square/Bus Lane respectively. Currently in 2010, a few more cameras were installed using funds from the Governments Street Crime Initiative (Devonshire Green/The Wicker), the New Deal for Communities Board (Burn greave), Manor/Castle Development Trust (Park Hill) and Charter Row in the city centre (Single Regeneration Budget, Round 6). And cameras were also installed at Super tram stops from the city centre to Meadowhall terminus, parts of Tinsley and parts of Darnall and the city centre (Sheffield City Council, 2010). More developments are expected in Eyre Street and Sheaf Square. The cost of maintaining and monitoring these cameras are ridiculously high, a summary is detailed below; The total Monitoring Costs =  £474,600.00 The total Maintenance Costs =  £198,037.00 Therefore the maintenance Costs per Camera is  £1,489 per year i.e. each camera costs  £3,568.42 to monitor per year. Despite the high cost of maintenance of CCTV, one of the most sophisticated and digital closed circuit television system in Sheffield is known as Sheffield Wide Image Switching System (SWISS), shown in Fig 2 which is still being used at an advantage in crime reduction. Fig. 2: SWISS IN ACTION IN SHEFFIELD. (Courtesy Sheffield Town Hall). Although the objective of creating SWISS , some of which include the prevention of crime and the provision of evidences against offenders to support crime tracking and prevention and then to help the traffic management or assist in the Automatic Number Plate Recognition initiatives to track vehicles used in criminal activities. However, in view of the cost of maintaining and monitoring these CCTV cameras, incorporated into a system known as SWISS, it would be useful to know if the Big Brother is actually watching the streets. 1.4 Crimes in Sheffield. It was recorded that there was approximately 90% reduction in the number of steel workers employed between 1971 (45,100 workers) and 1993 (4,700 workers). According to Taylor et al (1996), about 10, 000 jobs were lost into the mining industry between 1994 and 1996. With this rapid increase in unemployment, crime rate has increased in certain areas in and around Sheffield , already identified by the SYP force as High Intensity Crime Areas, largely more to the part of the northeast of the city. It is estimated that about 60 000 people live in this area which includes the wards of Manor, Darnall, Brightside, a large area of Burngreave, and parts of Castle, Firth Park, Intake, and Nether Shire. These are, in fact, some of the most deprived wards in England. These wards are known to lack good health, educational awareness, and lack good housing facilities. Notwithstanding the presence of High Intensity Areas, according to Simmons et al. (2003), Sheffield is still believed to be one of the safest areas in the United Kingdom. (National Statistics, 2003). 1.5 Crime Indicators and Attractors. The threat of crime to the community is threat to the safety of the society and the sense of security of the residents; and it is also believed to have major impacts on neighbourhood stability, urban and economic development, education, social integration and the perceived quality of life. Today, crime and disorder are often viewed as the main cause of the declining effect of many inner city neighbourhoods. The Fear of crime is sometimes regarded as being detrimental to the society as crime itself. Most crimes can be prevented if the signs are clearly understood and read and indeed all crimes show crime indicators and signs before they occur. Some of the known crime indicators include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Level of crime. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fear of crime. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Crime victims as per cent of population. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The safety of pedestrians walking alone at night. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Crime rate. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Property crimes. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Percentage that decreased park use due to fear. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Number of Neighbourhood Watch groups. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Domestic assault reported per 100,000 populations. (http://www.sustainablemeasures.com/Database/PublicSafety.html) These are just a few crime indicators mentioned above; crime indicators are also influenced by location, economic activities, weather conditions and the level of security, etc. According to Spellman (1993), in an economically distressed neighbourhood, the abandoned houses and apartments can become hangouts for thieves, drug dealers, and prostitutes. Inquisitively, does CCTV surveillance recognise these indicators? 1.6 CCTV Surveillance and the Human Error. However, to start with, does CCTV identify crimes? The long hours spent monitoring CCTV surveillance cameras and reviewing the tapes allow the human error factor to set in. No one seems to be an exception to the vulnerability of the unconscious influences and causes of a tired eye. Fig.3 shows a CCTV operator gazing consciously on a camera at close range. For how long can he gaze without missing the most vital indicator to show a crime as just occurred? Fig. 3: CCTV OPERATOR IN CCTV CONTROL ROOM. (Courtesy, Google Images, 2010). Heather (2005) has explained that the police rarely use the Public CCTV to immediately react to crime but only use it as hard evidence for prosecution and prediction. At the Urban eye expert conference few years ago, it was clear that the UK police officers had other priorities than reacting to CCTV nuisance calls for antisocial behaviours. The huge number of cameras in the UK and the broadcasting of these images on television have made petty crime and antisocial behaviours visible to the public. However because most criminal behaviours were recorded and made live, they became impossible to ignore. However Virilio (1998) explained that visual image is easily forgotten due to the speed of the visual image and the excitement of visual information and acquisition. The use of CCTV by the Police is for evidence collection and to search relevant clues for other crimes committed in the area e.g. suspects arriving and parking their cars or other movements linked to another neighbouring crime. As the police employ CCTV image for prosecution, others are exploring how CCTV can be linked into a predictive or preventive system, which is beyond the established practice of making a video camera visible for deterrence. It is correct to say that mobile CCTV has been very useful in acquiring hot spots images. Though it has been assumed that CCTV displaces crime, it is quite subjective if we could base our facts on mere assumptions (Surveillance-and-society,2010).

Physics of Dipnetting :: physics dip net netting

The Physics of Dip Netting Introduction to Dip Netting Dip netting for salmon in the Copper River is a lot of fun but is also a lot of work.ï ¿ ½ During the summer months salmon will leave their home in the ocean and travel upstream in the Copper River to spawn in its many tributaries.ï ¿ ½ Near the small town of Chitna the Copper River flows through a narrow canyon which greatly increases the speed of the river.ï ¿ ½ This makes it harder for the salmon to swim upstream.ï ¿ ½ However the canyon also creates back eddies near the shore in which the river will actually flow the opposite direction.ï ¿ ½ This is good and bad news for the salmon.ï ¿ ½ Good news because the back eddies are flowing the direction the salmon want to go which makes their trip a lot easier.ï ¿ ½ And bad news (from the salmons point of view of course), it makes the salmon easier to catch because the water is flowing the ideal direction for dip netters as shown in the pictures below. ï ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½ Notice that the back eddie makes it really easy for the dip netter.ï ¿ ½ If there was no back eddie the current would push the net the other direction, which makes dip netting a lot harder. The Physics The physics of dip netting is really quite simple.ï ¿ ½ All a person has to do is find a back eddie with a nice constant current and hold the net underwater in the hopes a salmon will swim into it.ï ¿ ½ The physics then becomes a static equilibrium problem which means that none of the parts are moving in any way either in translation or in rotation (applies only to reference frame used) (Halliday 307).ï ¿ ½ This is illustrated in the picture below. The dip net pole can be compared to a lever of class 1 and the lever principle can be applied, similar to the applet at http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph11e/lever.htm.ï ¿ ½ As stated in the applet from the Contemporary College Physics Simulation Library a lever is in balance if the total left side torque is equal to the total right side torque.ï ¿ ½ Applying that statement to the picture above the person must apply a much greater force on the pole in order to maintain torque equilibrium because the distance from the pivot point is much less than the distance from the force of the current to the pivot point.ï ¿ ½ This can be expressed mathematically. ï ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½ F1D1 = F2D2.ï ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½ ï ¿ ½(where F is each force, and D is the distance each force is from the pivot point)

Middle East Democracy

The idea of installing a full scale democratic government in Iran is something that has undoubtedly crossed the mind of many prominent American politicians, but it has yet to come to fruition because of a number of reasons. For the most part, the promotion of democracy in the Middle East has been a well tried, but failed venture. While many nations in other parts of the world have been especially quick to pick up democracy, those people in Iran and other parts of the Middle East have not been so willing to embrace the idea yet. This has occurred because of the fundamental problems that seem to get lost in translation when western nations try to impose a government on the people in the Middle East. In order for democracy to ever work in Iran or elsewhere in that area of the world, these basic, fundamental differences must be addressed appropriately and ultimately be bridged, so that a common accord can be reached in the best interests of the Iranian people. The primary obstacles to democratic reform in Iran are many and they are tall obstacles. In short, these are basic problems that the people of Iran have with western governments and they are the sort of problems that will keep democracy from coming to Iran at this point. The main thing standing in the way is a difference in religious theory. Though democracy itself purports to support all religions and in effort to promote religious freedom, it is built upon Christian principles and has been a primarily Christian outfit since its inception. When the founding fathers designed the documents that started the nation, they opened up their Bibles for consultation. This is not a fact that is lost on the Iranian people, nor is it lost on the Iranian government. According to NationMaster.com, the statistics on religion in Iran are staggering. According to that website, 98% of the people in Iran are practicing Muslims (NationMaster.com). This in itself is something that creates major issues with democracy and stands as a barrier in the way of every having an active democracy in that country. Of that 98% clip, more than 89% of the Muslims are Shi’a, which creates an added problem. That sect of Islam has been particularly harsh in regards to American policy and democracy. In addition to the problem surrounding religion, there is a problem that exists over control of the country. The controlling party in Iran worked very hard to gain control of the country and they now have a system in place that rewards those who support them and cracks down on those that oppose them. This is done because the country is set up to allow this theocracy to have full and complete control over just about every aspect of the country, including the economy. Since their control is so widespread, there is lots of vested interest in keeping the controlling party in office. If they were to be booted out of office in favor of some new leaders, lots of angry people would be missing out on the benefits that they were used to receiving. According to MapsoftheWorld.com, â€Å"The chief of the state is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khomeini. The head of the Iran government is President Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad. The Cabinet consists of Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval† (MapsoftheWorld.com). This alone shows the near complete control that the leader of the government has over the country. Though the head of the government is an elected official, there is little to suggest that any elections are conducted in a fair manner. Though the government in Iran is technically considered a democracy because of the fact that they hold elections, one would be hard pressed to find anyone that would consider their system a clear representation of the people’s rights. A former American government official has even said in the last month that the democracy effort in Iran is one that will be tough to come by given the current state in the country and America’s current relationship with the leaders of that country. In a New York Sun article by Eli Lake, a former presidential assistant is quoted as saying, â€Å"There is not the expertise, there is not the energy for it. The Iran office is worried about the bilateral policy. I think they are not committed to this anymore† (Lake). If that quote is any indication, then the democracy effort in Iran has a tough future ahead of it. Overcoming the barriers to democracy will not be easy in Iran, but they are doable with the right policy. One thing to consider is that the religious preferences of the Iranian people are longstanding and they are not likely to change any time in the near future. As such, Western nations must understand that they are going to be dealing with an Islamic nation and they must make allowances for that. Though pure democracy in an American sense will never come off as being an Islamic idea, the proponents of such an Iranian democracy movement must make sure to bridge the gap that exists within perception between the two nations. They must paint democracy in its most positive light to the people of Iran, to make them understand that it is not something to be feared, but rather something to be embraced. If the basic differences in religious preference are going to be conquered, then democracy must appear to them as something that can be incorporated with their Islamic values. Having them adopt Judeo-Christian values is not an option, so if democracy is going to head to Iran, then it must be taken closer to their preferences. As far as power is concerned, this looks like a problem that might not have a solution. Given the fact that the controlling party is not likely to give up any of their stake in the nation regardless of what the American government has to say, a new democratic creation must take this into account. Though there is no way to truly overcome this obstacle, some progress can be made by insuring that the people in control right now understand that they will not be thrown to the dogs in a new democracy program. They will still have the chance to be in power if they are elected fairly by the people of their country. This will not likely be enough to pacify those in power, but that might not be possible in the long run. The primary supporters of democratic reform in Iran are mostly from Western nations and their interest is two fold. For American leaders, the establishment of democracy in Iran helps promote that sort of movement all over the world, and it helps to protect American interests abroad as much as possible. The hope of such a government would ultimately be to get rid of the tyrannical leader that runs that government. When tyrants are eliminated from office, the entire world is better off for it, according to American policy. According to a 2005 New York Times article, the American government is taking great measures to help this happen. They are being helped by leaders in other democratic governments. In an article by Steven R. Weisman, it is stated, â€Å"The Bush administration is expanding efforts to influence Iran's internal politics with aid for opposition and pro-democracy groups abroad and longer broadcasts criticizing the Iranian government, administration officials say† (Weisman). This widespread support from the American government has been continued, although it has been reformed since to meet its goals more effectively. The main opponents of democratic reform in Iran are fairly predictable, given the current set of circumstances in that country. The controlling party that runs the government has no interest in changing their ways, as it was the old system that allowed them to gain power and influence. They are the most powerful and influential group standing in the way. Almost as important in this stance against democracy are the religious leaders in Iran. They have a huge measure of control over the population since it is their job to give clarity on religious matters. Under the current theocracy, which is run with a great deal of religious emphasis, they have lots of control and economic swing in the country. This group is probably more important to influence, since it is their interpretation of the Islamic gospel that helps create the prevailing thought of the Iranian people. Given the fact that the deep rooted Christian values in democracy are no secret, it is highly unlikely that the Islamic leaders of Iran are going to relent on their position. In order to influence these political leaders in Iran, there is only one real solution that the American government can use. Since economic sanctions and threats of war do not seem to be working, the U.S. government has to take the initiative to establish some rewards for the leaders if they were to go along with democracy. Economic rewards are very powerful bargaining tools, because the Iranian leaders can get rich if they play their cards right. If the Western governments made it clear that they would provide clear support to any democratic reform, it may influence the Iranian leaders to make some changes to their current working system. Though the basic premise of democracy would indicate that any group should be allowed to jockey for position atop the government, Iran has to be handled somewhat differently. Given the previously mentioned statistics on religion in the country, it would be extremely unwise to allow any anti-Islamic groups to push for control of the nation. It would be unwise for a couple of different reasons. On one hand, they would have no chance of gaining control of the country and would therefore just be stirring the pot. This leads to the second conclusion, which indicates that such pot stirring would only have a negative impact on the reception of democracy. Since democracy has to be brought to Iran in conjunction with Islam, this is a recipe for disaster. One thing that must be considered when a person thinks about American influence in Iran is what kind of broad impact it will have on a number of different people. If America and other western nations were to make a push for democracy in Iran, it might endanger those people in the country that are there in order to do other good in the country. According to an article in the Washington Post by Karl Vick and Daniel Finkel, â€Å"Prominent activists inside Iran say President Bush's plan to spend tens of millions of dollars to promote democracy here is the kind of help they don't need, warning that mere announcement of the U.S. program endangers human rights advocates by tainting them as American agents† (Vick, Finkel). This means that the mere announcement of any such effort would immediately put people in danger within Iran. This is not important on the basis that it would endanger a few human rights workers. It is important on the basis that if such widespread distaste for America exists among the people, then there is virtually no chance of American-led policy to stick in the country. Other factors must be considered, though. If America wants to keep Iran from becoming the next big Middle Eastern super power, then something must be a done. While the foreign policy of the United States should not include the right and prompting to go to war on a whim, it should help protect American interests. The United States has spent countless dollars and thousands of lives in establishing a semblance of normalcy in Iraq. According to some people, any action in Iran would destroy the work already done in its neighboring country. A United Press International article by Claude Salhani reads, â€Å"However, any attack on Iran would reverse any gains made in Iraq. This point was repeated to the U.S. secretary of defense by various Gulf officials† (Salhani). The government of the United States has to be very careful in this case, as they are playing with fire, to an extent. The only way that the American government should put dollars and effort forward in an attempt to reform Iran is if they have a clear idea of how to get things done. Any plan that is devoid of such a clear objective would fail miserably. The objectives must be to help end tyranny in Iran and to protect American interests on a security level. They must be handled diplomatically, as a military conflict in Iran at this time would be a recipe for disaster, given the nuclear implications that exist. A Steven Erlanger article in the New York Times indicates the thinking of Israel on the matter of nuclear weapons in Iran. In his article, Erlanger writes, â€Å"Israel thinks that an American National Intelligence Estimate about Iran's nuclear weapons program, published in an unclassified version last week, is unduly optimistic and focuses too narrowly on the last stage of weapons development – the fashioning of a bomb out of highly enriched uranium† (Erlanger). This means that some uncertainty exists over whether or not the country has any real, threatening weapons. If they were to possess advanced nuclear capability, then America and other nations must make sure to tread very lightly in enemy territory. Works Cited Erlanger, Steven. New York Times. Israelis Brief top U.S. Commander on Iran’s Nuclear Activities. 11 December 2007. http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2007/12/11/israelis_brief_us_commander_on_irans_nuclear_activities/ Lake, Eli. The New York Sun. ‘This Pretty Much Kills the Iran Democracy Program’. 8 November 2007. < http://www.nysun.com/article/66065> Maps of the World. Iran Government. http://www.mapsofworld.com/iran/about-iran/government.html Nation Master. Iran: Religion. < http://www.nationmaster.com/country/ir-iran/rel-religion> Salhani, Claude. United Press International. Analysis: Iran is Still a Threat for U.S. 10 December 2007. < http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Emerging_Threats/Analysis/2007/12/10/analysis_iran_is_still_a_threat_for_us/3136/> Vick, Karl, & Finkel, David. Washington Post. U.S. Push for Democracy Could Backfire in Iran. 14 March 2006. < http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/13/AR2006031301761.html> Weisman, Steven. The New York Times. U.S. Expands Aid to Iran’s Democracy Advocates Abroad. 29 May 2005. < http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/29/international/middleeast/29iran.html>   

The Rainforest

Rainforest's are a tropical forest that are found around the earths equator. The rainforest is found in Idonesia, South America and west and central Africa. The average temperatures are about 25-30 degrees. The rainforests are important because they provide homes for animals, plants and human, they also stabilise the climate by absorbing carbon dioxide. However in the 21st century they are under threat because of logging for timber, mining, road building, pasture for cattle ranching, crops and settlements. This essay will be researching 4 statements on the valuable resources that the rainforest offers and if sustainable devlopment can truly be introduced in the rainforest. â€Å"The rainforest is a valuable resource and its preservation is important to us all† The rainforest provides homes for about 70 million people, it also provides habitats for over 50% of the earths species of plants and animals. It also contains many plants which could provide new drugs and medicines in the furture e.g. Curae is a poison on Waorani hunting arrows which we also use as a relaxant in modern surgery. The rainforest also stablise's the climate by absorbing carbon dioxide this also helps reduce the rate of global warming and they reduce soil erosion by intercepting the rainfall and also keep water courses free from sediment. If deforestation was to continue millions of animals and plants would lose their habitats and possibly become extinct. Thousands of indigenous people of the rainforest would lose their homes and their way of life. We would also lose many cures for dieases and medicines that we could discover in the furture. Lots of damage to the climate and the enviorment could also mean that global warming would increase at a quicker rate. â€Å"The indigneous people of the rainforest respond positively to the challenges of their natural enviorment and act as stewards of the forest† Their are about 250 million indigenous people and about 5 thousand tribes, two of the tribes are Maorani and Kayapo. They live of the forest by using it to make food medicines and products to sell to make money such as brazil nuts. The indigenous people should be stewards of the forest because they live there, it is their home and they lived there for thousands of years which gives them historical rights to the Rainforest, they also want to protect it from damage and the dieases people have brought in. â€Å"There are some people who wish to exploit the rainforest. Explotation of the forest has positive and negative effects.† Explotation of the rainforest can be negative and positive. Cattle ranching is positive because it helps feed the countrys own people and they can sell it to other countrys to make money, the negative side of it is the grass that grows in rainforest area is of poor quality and cattle do not thrive, also milk yields tend to be low and after a few years the land is no good. Logging is good because it gets us useful materials such as mahogany, sapele and lauan, which grow no where else in the world, the negative of this is one hactare of rainforest is cut down just to log one mahogany tree. The positive of mining is that we get many good and useful metals such as gold, silver, aluminium, iron ore, copper and zinc. The negative of it is many trees get chopped down and mercury which is used in gold mining causes contamination. Road building does not cause much deforestation but the settlements in its way do get destroyed, it does do a lot of good it allows people to get in and out of the forest easily and quickly. Oil exploration does alot of damage to the forest, many trees have to be chopped down for the pipe lines and disturbs the wild life. The toxic chemicals do alot of contamination to the rivers and soil. the positive of it is oil is a very useful resource. Farming is one of the largest causes of forest loss. Huge plantations of banana and African oil palm now stand where rainforest once did, often farmers form other places who do not the farming techniques needed for forest enviorments, which means the soil soon becomes depleted, requiring further forest to be cleared. Hydro-electric dams are enviormentally friendly but to build them a lot of forest is destroyed. The positive of all these things is that it means money for the devloping countries and also opens up lots of jobs for the local people. The negative of these things is that they all do at least some damage to the rainforest. â€Å"A balance can be achieved between sustained devlopment and conservation of the rainforest† National park areas would make money from visiting tourists and would protect an area of the rainforest. Brazil nut trade is a good way for the indigenous people to make money, they pick them with out harming the trees and then turn them into an oil, which they sell to the body shop and the body shop turns the oil into a conditioner. Rubber tapping is where a liquid called latex is extrated from plantation trees, the latex is then processed to make a solid material called rubber, it is then sold and exported to other countrys. Enviormentally friendly logging is where only the trees that they want are cut down with out damaging the surrounding enviornment. The definition of eco tourism is â€Å"responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.† there are seven principles to this: * Minimize impact * Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect * Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts * Provide direct financial benefits for conservation * Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people * Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate * Support international human rights and labor agreements Eco tourism is something everybody can participate in. Bibliography Bunce-Contexts Arnell-Geography Worksheets given to me by teacher

Positive Degree of Adjectives and Adverbs in English

Positive Degree of Adjectives and Adverbs in English In English  grammar, the positive degree is the basic, uncompared form of an adjective or adverb, as opposed to either the comparative or superlative. Also called the base form  or the absolute degree. The concept of positive degree in the English language is one of the simplest to grasp.    For example, in the phrase the big prize, the adjective big is in the positive degree (the form that appears in a dictionary). The comparative form of big is bigger; the superlative form is biggest. C. Edward Good notes that the raw adjectivein its positive statemerely describes the noun modified; it doesnt care about how this particular person or thing stacks up against other members of the same noun class (Whose Grammar Book Is This Anyway? 2002) Etymology From the Latin, to place Examples and Observations Yertle the turtle was king of the pond.A nice little pond. It was clean. It was neat.The water was warm. There was plenty to eat.(Dr. Seuss,  Yertle the Turtle. Random House, 1958)There were three nice, fat little pigs.  The first was  small, the second was smaller, and the third was the smallest of all.(Howard Pyle, The Three Little Pigs and the Ogre. The Wonder Clock, 1988)It was a large heart with lots of hearts growing smaller inside, and piercing from the outside rim to the smallest heart was an arrow.(Maya Angelou,  I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Random House, 1969)Few  things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a  good  example.(Mark Twain,  Puddnhead Wilson, 1894)The tone of the trombone is allied in quality to that of the French horn. It also possesses a noble and  majestic sound, one that is even larger and rounder than the horns tone.(Aaron Copland,  What to Listen For in Music, 1939)Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been  sober, responsible, and  cautious, but because it has been  playful, rebellious, and  immature.(Tom Robbins, Still Life with Woodpecker. Random House, 1980) Marys parents  traveled far  to trade and to search for food.(Shannon Lowry, Natives of the Far North. Stackpole, 1994)The inspirational value of the space program is probably of far greater importance to education than any input of dollars.(Arthur C. Clarke,  Profiles of the Future: An Inquiry into the Limits of the Possible,1962) Three Degrees to Consider   Adjectives change form to show degree of comparison. There are  three degrees of comparison: positive, comparative, and superlative. . . .The  positive degree  describes one item or one group of items. The positive form is the form used in dictionary definitions. (A.C. Krizan et al., Business Communication, 8th ed. South-Western, Cengage, 2011)Adjectives change form or add more or most to show comparison. Almost all one-syllable adjectives- as well as many of two syllables- add er to their positive (noncomparative) form to show comparison with one thing; this form is called the comparative form. To show  comparison  with two or more things, these adjectives add est; this is called the superlative form. Some two-syllable adjectives and almost all adjectives with three or more syllables show comparison with one item by placing the word more before the adjective; they show comparison with two or more items by placing the word most before the adjective.(Peder Jones and Jay Farness, College Writing Skills, 5th ed. Collegiate Press, 2002) Pronunciation: POZ-i-tiv

PEOPLE and DISASTERS essays

PEOPLE and DISASTERS essays PEOPLE AND THE DISASTERS THEY ARE NOT AFRAID OF FOR YEARS, GEOLOGISTS HAVE BEEN PREDICTING THAT A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE WILL OCCUR IN CALIFORNIA. IN OCTOBER 1989, A 7.1 QUAKE HIT THE SAN FRANCISCO AREA. FIVE YEARS LATER, NORTHRIDGE AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCED AN EARTHQUAKE OF SIMILAR MAGNITUDE. WHY TOO MANY PEOPLE IS STILL COMING TO PLACES LIKE CALIFORNIA WHERE EARTHQUAKES AND NATURAL DISASTERS ARE PREDICTED? IN MY POINT OF VIEW, THESE ARE THE STRONGEST REASONS: THE MOST POPULAR PLACE TO EMMIGRATE, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND BETTER SCHOOLS, EDUCATION, AND SYSTEMS. CALIFORNIA IS THE MOST POPULAR PLACE TO EMMIGRATE BECAUSE IT HAS A GREAT WEATHER, THERE ARE TOO MANY TOURISTIC ATRACTIONS, MANY DIFFERENT PLACES YOU CAN GO TO, AND THERE IS TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT COME FROM THE SAME PLACE YOU CAME FROM. I WANT TO USE MEXICAN PEOPLE AS AN EXAMPLE, THEY ALL COME FOR ONE REASON, SUCCED. THEY ALSO KNOW THEY WILL FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM MEXICO IN CALIFORNIA, SPECIALLY IN LOS ANGELES.THEY ALSO KOWN THAT PROBABLY ABOUT HALF OF THE PEOPLE CALIFORNIA WOULD TALK SPANISH SO I WONT BE REALLY HARD FOR THEM TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS. JOB OPPORTUNITIES IS ANOTHER REALLY STRONG FACTOR THAT INDUCES PEOPLE TO COME AND LOOK FOR A BETTER LIFE. THERE ARE SO MANY JOBS IN CALIFORNIA THAT IS ALMOST A SURE THING THAT ANYONE WOULD GET A JOB, EDUCATED OR NOT EDUCATED PEOPLE, OR EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT LEGALLY ABLE TO WORK IN USA YOU WILL STILL GET A JOB. YOU CAN EASILY SUPPORT YOURSELF WITH A MINIMUN WAGE, BECAUSE YOU WILL PROBABLY GET ABOUT 45 OR 50 DOLLARDS A DAY WHEN IN PLACES LIKE MEXICO YOU WILL JUST GET FIVE DOLLARDS FOR THE WHOLE DAY AND DOING A REALLY HEAVY JOB. ALSO RELATIVELY SPEAKING, EVERYTHING IS EXPENSIVE IN MEXICO, I MEAN, HERE YOU CAN GET OR BUY WHATEVER YOU NEED FOR A LOW PRICE, AND YOU WILL STILL HAVE SOME MONEY LEFT, BUT IN MEXICO, YOU WILL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH MONEY UNLESS YOU ARE IN THE HIGH CLASS. ...

The Best IB Economics Notes and Study Guide for SL

The Best IB Economics Notes and Study Guide for SL/HL SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you taking IB Economics but feel you aren't learning enough from your class alone? Maybe you need more explanation of certain economics topics? If you need some help in your IB Economics SL/HL class, this study guide is for you. I’ve gathered all of the best free IB Economics study guides and notes into one useful article. This IB Economics study guide is organized according to the IB Economics Syllabus. How to Use TheseIB Economics Notes and Study Guide If you are looking for help with one topic, use the Command + F function on your keyboard to search this article for that topic. For instance, if you want to learn more about Markets, use Command + F to bring up the search function. Type in â€Å"Markets† and it’ll bring up all of the study materials for Markets. I separated the resources into: Quick reference: one-page summary of material if you just need a quick refresher. Longer notes: notes (generally 3-10 pages) if you need more of an in-depth explanation. How Should You Use This Article During the School Year? If there are any subjects that you feel youdon'tcompletely understand after learning them in class, use these notes to review them and fill any knowledge gaps. You should also use these notes to regulary review past topics you covered in class to be sure you don't forget earlier topics and have to cram right before the exam. To score well on the IB Economics exam, you should be studying and reviewing the topics you cover in class throughout the year. This will help you cement this information in your mind so you're not struggling for answers on test days. In addition to these notes, you should also take several practice tests. This will help you test your knowledge and get a better idea of how well you'll score on test day.FindIB Economics HL and IB Economics SL past papers, Free and Official, in our other article. Common Study Mistakes for IB Economics SL/HL It's important to avoid falling behind in IB Economics SL/HL; there's just too much material to learn easily if you get significantly behind. You need to master the topics during the school year to ace your IB Economics papers. Some common mistakes are: Avoiding topics you don’t understand in class. If you didn’t learn it in class, you need to look for help elsewhere whether through this IB Economics study guide or tutoring. Waiting to study until a week or two before the papers. There are a lot of concepts to master. A week or two is not enough time to learn them all (that is why IB Economics is taught over 1 to 2 years). Learn the topics as you’re supposed to learn them in class. Use this study guide if you need extra help. Want to get better grades and test scores? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. Section 1: Microeconomics Longer notes: Basic Definitions Longer notes: PPF and PPC Longer notes: Free Market vs. Planned Economy 1.1 Competitive markets: demand and supply (some topics HL only) Quick reference: Markets Longer notes: Markets Quick reference: Demand Quick reference: Supply Quick reference: Market equilibrium Quick reference: The role of the price mechanism Quick reference: Market efficiency 1.2 Elasticity Longer notes: Elasticities Quick reference: Price elasticity of demand (PED) Quick reference: Cross price elasticity of demand (XED) Quick reference: Income elasticity of demand (YED) Quick reference: Price elasticity of supply (PES) 1.3 Government intervention (some topics HL extension, plus one topic HL only) Quick reference: Indirect taxes Quick reference: Subsidies Quick reference: Price controls 1.4 Market failure (some topics HL only) Longer notes: Market Failure Quick reference: The meaning of market failure Quick reference: Types of market failure 1.5 Theory of the firm and market structures (HL only) Longer notes: Theory of the Firm (HL) Section 2: Macroeconomics Longer notes: Measuring National Income Longer notes: Introduction to Development Longer notes: Unemployment and Inflation Longer notes: Distribution of Income 2.1 The level of overall economic activity (one topic HL extension) 2.2 Aggregate demand and aggregate supply (one topic HL only) 2.3 Macroeconomic objectives (some topics HL extension, plus one topic HL only) Longer notes: Macroeconomic Models 2.4 Fiscal policy 2.5 Monetary policy 2.6 Supply-side policies Quick reference: Evaluation of supply-side policies Longer notes: Demand-side and Supply-side policies Section 3: International Economics 3.1 International trade (one topic HL extension, plus one topic HL only) Longer notes: Reasons for trade Longer notes: Free trade and protectionism Longer notes: World Trade Organization (WTO) 3.2 Exchange rates (some topics HL extension) Longer notes: Exchange rates 3.3 The balance of payments (one topic HL extension, plus some topics HL only) Longer notes: Balance of payments Longer notes: Balance of Payment problems 3.4 Economic integration (one topic HL extension) Longer notes: Economic integration 3.5 Terms of trade (HL only) Longer notes: Terms of trade Section 4: Development Economics 4.1 Economic development 4.2 Measuring development 4.3 The role of domestic factors 4.4 The role of international trade (one topic HL extension) 4.5 The role of foreign direct investment (FDI) 4.6 The roles of foreign aid and multilateral development assistance 4.7 The role of international debt 4.8 The balance between markets and intervention Longer notes: Sources of Economic Growth and/or Development Longer notes: Consequences of Growth Longer notes: Barriers to Economic Growth Longer notes: Growth and Development Strategies Longer notes: Evaluation of Growth and Development Strategies What’s Next? Learn more about IB Economics: Want some more IB Economics study materials?Check out our guide to every IB Economics past paper available, including free and official papers. Looking for more info on what IB Economics covers?Read our complete guide to the IB Economics syllabus to learn every topic that will be covered in the course. Wondering which other IB classes you can take?Take a look at the complete list of IB courses to see what your options are. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Poverty and the Development of Adolescence Research Paper

Poverty and the Development of Adolescence - Research Paper Example The current study examines the previous research studies on four domains of adolescence development namely, physical, cognitive, social and emotional with special emphasis on household poverty. The specific objectives of the current study are to identify the concepts which are useful for measuring poverty and adolescent development and their association to investigate the impact of poverty on four domains of adolescent development. The paper is organized as follows. The first chapter presents the models, indicators and statistical concepts useful for measuring the household poverty level, adolescence development processes and the factors which influence the adolescence development. Second chapter on literature review describes the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of the adolescents in poor families by reviewing the literature. Finally the conclusions are drawn relevant to adolescent development and poverty. Concepts The distinguished physical developmental charac teristics such as development of breasts for girls and the deepened voices and broadened shoulders for boys are probably the most prominent characteristics of the adolescent development. ... In the proceeding chapter, these domains are discussed in detail with reference to relevant research literature. Literature Review Physical Development The lower socio economic status in the family can result in impaired development and poorer health of children and increased mortality and morbidity of adults (Emerson et al., 2005). Purchasing power of the poor families is low. Limited access to foods and nutrients is a common problem faced by the third world countries. It is also well established that social support and health beliefs play an important role in physical activity level of the adolescence. These have been recorded as inadequate even among the poor youth in the USA (Debbie et al. 2008). In the US more than 25 percentage proportion of the adolescents are also overweight. More than 11 percentage proportion of the adolescents are obese which cause long term physical and mental health consequences in individuals. Wickrama et al. 2006, revealed that poverty, single parenthoo d and most of the racial minority statuses (African American, Hispanic American, and Native American racial/ethnic groups) are positively associated with obesity and overweight among adolescents in the USA. Asian American status however was found negatively correlated with these health problems. Emerson et al. 2005, used the statistics of National Statistics survey of the mental health of children and adolescents in Great Britain to study the health status of the adolescents and household income. Sample consisted of 10,438 children between the ages of 5 and 15. In the above study the physical development of the adolescents were measured in terms of nine categories namely, current

Familial Hypercholesterolemia Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Familial Hypercholesterolemia - Term Paper Example The remaining cases of FH is caused by a mutation in the gene encoding for apolipoprotein B-100 (ApoB-100), located at the short arm of chromosome 2, which reduces ligand affinity for the normal receptors. As a result, plasma concentration of LDL-C increases (Al-Allaf, et al., 2010). The more common heterozygous FH is diagnosed by an average LDL-C level of greater than 160 mg/dl for two measurements (Jacobson, 2007). It is said that 1: 500 individuals suffer from it, more than those who have homozygous cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia. Typically, serum cholesterol is at 250-450 mg/dl (6.5-11.6 mmol/L) and LDL-C is at 200-400 mg/dl (5.2-10.4 mmol/L) (Al-Allaf, et al., 2010). Early intervention only warrants lifestyle changes, while therapeutics are needed in late cases where lifestyle modifications are already ineffective (Jacobson, 2007). On the other hand, the rare homozygous FH is characterized by total serum cholesterol levels of greater than 500 mg/dl (13 mmol/L) and LDL-C levels of greater than 450 mg/dl (11.7 mmol/L). It occurs in 1: 1, 000, 000 individuals. As a result of hypercholesterolemia, xanthoma on the tendons of the distal extremities and premature development of corneal arcus exist among individuals with homozygous FH. In addition, they develop cardiovascular diseases earlier relative to those with heterozygous FH (Al-Allaf, et al., 2010). FH carriers, on the other hand, are much more difficult to detect as they present with a wide variety of signs and symptoms (Broekhuizen et al., 2010). . There is no current treatment for the genetic mutation in FH, since studies on the effectiveness of gene therapy with surgical intervention are still ongoing (Al-Allaf, et al., 2010). However, if the signs and symptoms of FH are ignored, it can lead to premature fatal cardiovascular diseases, stroke and myocardial infarction (Daskalopoulou, Doonan and Mikhailidis, 2010). It increases the risk for hastened arterial plaque development, which normally begi n in early childhood and peak during adolescence (Jacobson, 2007). It is thus important to prevent these cardiovascular changes from happening so that better physical and social outcomes can be achieved and healthcare costs are minimized (Al-Allaf, et al., 2010; Broekhuizen et al., 2010). SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Approach on patient with hypercholesterolemia A person with high lipid levels is worked-up based on the stage of the disease at which presents. Hyperlipidemia in an otherwise healthy patient without family history of early myocardial infarct, stroke or peripheral vascular disease, only warrants basic lifestyle patient education regarding proper diet, exercise, and smoking prevention. Diet diary, food frequency questionnaire, and inquiries on usual food intake during the interview can illicit points at which dietary restrictions can be focused on. Meanwhile, if family history is present, fasting lipid profile is needed to determine whether average LDL-C is greater than 160 mg/dl, in which case the target LDL-C is set at below 130 mg/dl and therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) are advised (Jacobson, 2007). Non-pharmacological management In managing patients with FH, it is important to prioritize risk factors and to intervene them in a step-wise manner. In dietary modifications, decreasing intake of sources

Capital Investment Proposal of Mineral Plc Essay - 8

Capital Investment Proposal of Mineral Plc - Essay Example The objective of this report, therefore, is to consider the soundness of the proposed capital investment from the angles of financial feasibility, country risk of Medco Republic and the foreign exchange risk in undertaking transactions in the currency of Medco Republic as against the British Pounds as the investments the commitment of substantially larger sums by the Company to be recouped over a longer period. The analysis is based on a review of the net cash flows from the project using the recognized capital budgeting evaluation methods of Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR), taking the weighted average cost of capital of the Company of 15% as the hurdle rate and the rate for discounting the present value of future cash flows from the project.Financial Feasibility The financial feasibility of any capital investment proposal can be judged based on the ability of the project to enhance the shareholders’ wealth by contributing positive net cash inflows from the proposed investments. Just any other domestic capital project is being evaluated, for the international investments can also be evaluated by calculating the ‘Net Present Value’ (NPV) future cash flows expected out of the project. The NPV of the project depends on the initial investment or initial cash flow, expected future cash flows and the cost of capital. Based on the comparison of the NPV of the future cash flows with the proposed capital investment the feasibility of the project can be established. While working out the NPV the effect of the factors like Sales creation (additional sales), cannibalization (loss of sales), opportunity cost, transfer pricing and fees and royalties on the future cash flows should be taken into account. The Internal Rate of Return (IRR ) is the other criterion that needs to be carefully looked into while deciding on the capital investment.In the case of the proposed capital investment proposals, the NPV and IRR from the projects have been worked out and exhibited in the Appendix. From the NPV calculations, it is observed that the project has a negative net present value which implies that the project is not acceptable.

Advances in asthma management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Advances in asthma management - Research Paper Example Most of the patients develop symptoms in early childhood. 80-90 percent of them experience symptoms before 6 years of age (Morris, 2014). But, the clinical presentation can occur at any age. If left unattended and in the presence of severe symptoms, asthma can contribute to morbidity and mortality. Asthma is an incurable disease and individuals with this condition will need regular follow-up and monitoring of symptoms. In this essay, advances in asthma will be discussed with reference to a case scenario. The most common symptoms of asthma in an adult are are wheezing, cough, nocturnal or exercise-induced cough, breathlessness, tightness of chest and sputum production (Morris, 2014). The symptoms may be perennial or seasonal, continuous or intermittent, or during the day or night. Some of the precipitating or aggravating factors include viral infections, intense emotions, environmental irritants, exercise, pets or carpets at home, drugs like aspirin, additive foods, weather changes, stress and certain diseases like gastrointestinal reflux, sinusitis and rhinitis (Morris, 2014; Hamilos, 1995). Many patients have a family history of asthma or other allergy conditions. Based on the history of frequency and the severity of acute exacerbation, asthma is classified into four types. They are mild intermittent asthma, mild persistent asthma, moderate persistent asthma and severe persistent asthma. It is important to ascertain the severity of asthma in a patient because; treatment of asthma is based on the severity and frequency of symptoms. In mild intermittent asthma, the symptoms occur less than twice a week. The flare-ups are brief and the intensity vary. Night symptoms occur less than 2 times a month and no symptoms occur in between flare-ups. FEV1 is atleast 80% of normal values. The variability of peak flow is less than 20 % (SIGN, 2009). In mild persistent asthma, the

International Business - Global Marketplace Case Study

International Business - Global Marketplace - Case Study Example Going international at times looks logical when we look at these pull factors. Economists are not in agreement as to a common definition of multinational or transnational enterprises (MNE/TNC). Multinational corporations have many dimensions and can be viewed from several perspectives (ownership, management, strategy and structural, etc.) (Root. 1994, Hill, 2007). According to Hill (2007), a global enterprise (or transnational corporation) is a corporation or enterprise that manages production establishments or delivers services in at least two countries. Most multinationals have budgets that exceed those of many countries (Hill 2007). This paper is aimed at analyzing and discussing the potential impacts of globalization on a chosen multinational. The first part of the paper presents activities of Tesco, the second part looks on the positive impact of globalization on Tesco, the third sections focuses on the negative impact of gobalisation on Tesco while the last section presents the conclusion. 1.1 Overview of the Company in Question-Tesco Founded by Jack Cohen in 1919, Tesco Plc has come a long way and has established itself as the largest super store in Europe. At the turn of the century, Tesco became very proactive in coming up to the requirements of the new ear and tesco.com was launched, followed by aggressive entry into international markets like Malaysia, Japan & Turkey, China & the US. Today, the international operations of Tesco yield more profit as compared to the profits in the Europe market. More than half of Tesco's selling space is in markets outside Europe (Tesco Review 2007). The Tesco Plc website states "shareholders. Today the Group operates in 12 markets outside the UK, in Europe, Asia and North America. Over 160,000 employees... As the report declares recent changes in the international market scene, politics and environment have forced companies in the quest and optimisation of various options. With the rational ranging from optimisation of resources, being more responsive with the various stakeholders and keeping the pace of learning and employees development in their world wide operations. According to the report findings it is clear that moving global, shouldn’t be an overnight decision in multinational enterprises. Such a move should be carefully given a second thought, as it involves not only a total strategic reorientation but a major change in an organisations capabilities, resources and challenges. Companies going global should be able to face the challenges of thinking globally and implementing locally. There is no doubt operating internationally rather than domestically presents organisations with many new opportunities. From access to new markets, tactical and strategical positioning to a pool of information for subsequent product development. Going international at times looks logical when we look at these pull factors. Tesco denotes its success to an aggressive global strategy of geographic diversification. In its attempt to renew the brand and keep it in sync with changing customer tastes and keeping up the growth figures in future, Tesco follows various strategies including international diversification, providing value to customers, product diversification, innovation, and umbrella branding.

Would legalize Medical Marjuana help the ecomony in New York Research Paper

Would legalize Medical Marjuana help the ecomony in New York - Research Paper Example Much of the current debate on whether to legalize marijuana is based on its medicinal properties. Once this is accepted (that it is indeed medicinal), the debate shifts to the possible abuses for which it is used by some people, particularly the fear of getting addicted to it just like nicotine. However, much of the controversy stems from the wrong notions of what marijuana is and is not. For one, people mistakenly think it can cause accidental deaths due to smoking or ingesting the seeds. But no one had died of an overdose from marijuana use. Advocates claim smoking it does not cause any serious side effects, unlike alcohol or tobacco. Marijuana does not cause liver damage, cancer, heart disease, birth defects or emphysema. All it can do is to induce lethargy, short-term memory loss, mild hypotension (low blood pressure), ataxia (walk or gait that is staggering), light headedness and a temporary loss of concentration. Marijuana is the third most-consumed drug in the world (after alc ohol and tobacco). It is therefore very timely to review the possible legalization of marijuana as a major source of new revenues, similar to the so-called sin taxes imposed on alcohol and cigarettes. This short paper examines the possible ramifications of legalizing marijuana for medical use since it has been proven to cure a number of ailments but without any serious side effects. Discussion Several states have already legalized the medical use of marijuana, among them New Jersey, Arizona and Washington, DC (passed their laws only last year). There are now a total of 16 states which had legalized marijuana but they had imposed restrictions on its use such as requiring registry ID cards before allowing a purchase. Moreover, these states already derive a substantial amount in taxes which they collect based on the number of usable ounces or on the number of mature and immature plants a person is allowed to plant and raise in his place. The growing consensus is now to allow marijuana use because most of the claims against its use are often grossly exaggerated, sensationalized and found to have no basis by research. With this in mind, the focus of this proposed research paper will be on the economic benefits that the state of New York can potentially derive from the legalization of marijuana. It will not discuss the pros and cons of whether people will abuse it once it is legalized but more on what the potential economic benefits will be to the state coffers of New York. New revenue streams, like the sin taxes imposed on alcohol and tobacco consumption, will prevent raising new taxes or increasing existing taxes. As an aside, it is quite surprising that tobacco is legal although it is confirmed to be very addictive due to the nicotine content in it while marijuana is illegal but has no addictive qualities. New York state is contemplating new budget cuts. Research Variables This section discusses some of the variables that will be tackled during the research. It w ill delve more into the economic variables to quantify the research problem and also give a good feedback on the success of the proposed solution (legalization of marijuana). Moreover, the focus will also deal with the operational concerns once legalization is achieved (assumed). The later portions of this paper will likewise explore the possible research questions, a brief time-line for completion of this project and the major topics of the main data sources. Potential Market Demographics –

International Business - Global Marketplace Case Study

International Business - Global Marketplace - Case Study Example Going international at times looks logical when we look at these pull factors. Economists are not in agreement as to a common definition of multinational or transnational enterprises (MNE/TNC). Multinational corporations have many dimensions and can be viewed from several perspectives (ownership, management, strategy and structural, etc.) (Root. 1994, Hill, 2007). According to Hill (2007), a global enterprise (or transnational corporation) is a corporation or enterprise that manages production establishments or delivers services in at least two countries. Most multinationals have budgets that exceed those of many countries (Hill 2007). This paper is aimed at analyzing and discussing the potential impacts of globalization on a chosen multinational. The first part of the paper presents activities of Tesco, the second part looks on the positive impact of globalization on Tesco, the third sections focuses on the negative impact of gobalisation on Tesco while the last section presents the conclusion. 1.1 Overview of the Company in Question-Tesco Founded by Jack Cohen in 1919, Tesco Plc has come a long way and has established itself as the largest super store in Europe. At the turn of the century, Tesco became very proactive in coming up to the requirements of the new ear and tesco.com was launched, followed by aggressive entry into international markets like Malaysia, Japan & Turkey, China & the US. Today, the international operations of Tesco yield more profit as compared to the profits in the Europe market. More than half of Tesco's selling space is in markets outside Europe (Tesco Review 2007). The Tesco Plc website states "shareholders. Today the Group operates in 12 markets outside the UK, in Europe, Asia and North America. Over 160,000 employees... As the report declares recent changes in the international market scene, politics and environment have forced companies in the quest and optimisation of various options. With the rational ranging from optimisation of resources, being more responsive with the various stakeholders and keeping the pace of learning and employees development in their world wide operations. According to the report findings it is clear that moving global, shouldn’t be an overnight decision in multinational enterprises. Such a move should be carefully given a second thought, as it involves not only a total strategic reorientation but a major change in an organisations capabilities, resources and challenges. Companies going global should be able to face the challenges of thinking globally and implementing locally. There is no doubt operating internationally rather than domestically presents organisations with many new opportunities. From access to new markets, tactical and strategical positioning to a pool of information for subsequent product development. Going international at times looks logical when we look at these pull factors. Tesco denotes its success to an aggressive global strategy of geographic diversification. In its attempt to renew the brand and keep it in sync with changing customer tastes and keeping up the growth figures in future, Tesco follows various strategies including international diversification, providing value to customers, product diversification, innovation, and umbrella branding.

Using the Writing Process Essay Example for Free

Using the Writing Process Essay In the article that researcher Deborah Tannen wrote entitled ‘How Male and Female Students Use Language Differently,’ she relates her experiences about linguistic research and then indicates that, in the different regional, ethnic, and class backgrounds, there is great difference with the way males and females use their own languages. This paper revolves around the article written by Deborah Tannen, which was originally published in the Chronicle of Higher Education in the year 1991. In the end, it proves how males and females differ in their use of language, and that males tend to speak more when in public, while females speak more when in private. Thus, open class discussions are more apt to the male gender, while small group discussions are more apt to the female gender. Females are more shy and withdrawn when drawn to the public. Main Body Summary In the article, Tannen (1991) distinguishes some of the apparent differences when it comes to males and females’ use of language. One of the differences is that, females who come from single-sex schools â€Å"do better in later life† (Tannen, 1991, p. 38). Apart from that, males usually talk more whenever they sit next to females in classrooms. Tannen (1991) also relates how sociologists J. Lever, M. H. Goodwin, and D. Eder proves that both males and females learn to use language differently in their peer groups. Tannen (1991) recalls, Typically, a girl has a best friend with whom she sits and talks, frequently telling secrets. It’s the telling of secrets, the fact and the way that they talk to each other†¦ For boys, activities are central: their best friends are the ones they do things with. Boys also tend to play in larger groups that are hierarchical. (Tannen, 1991, p. 38) Males have a lot of experiences being with larger crowds and this entails them to talk more. Tannen (1991) mentions how males and females around the world differ in linguistic styles, their verbal rituals usually engage males in a contest or war of words, while females usually engage in ritual laments through rhyming couplets that express their feelings (p. 39). In American conversation, however, Tannen (1991) relates her teaching experiences, and comes to the conclusion that male teachers do â€Å"verbal sparring† (p. 39); female teachers, however, usually do verbal touching that makes the discussion more hospitable to many students in the class. The latter, however, appear to be uninteresting and boring to the males. Tannen (1991) mentions three reasons on why males speak more in class than females: first is because the setting appears to be public, which males find more interesting; second is because the setting is more conducive to debate-like communication; third and final is because the setting reflects different attitudes toward speaking, which males have had more experiences with (p. 40). Females appear to be more shy or withdrawn, as compared to males. Response In relation to the main topic that is: there is a great difference with the way males and females use their own languages, I personally agree to this because I always experience what she just mentioned about male students speaking more in class. In most of the classes that I attended to, it is always the male side that opens up new topics to discuss, for example, and then the females are usually the ones that stretch the topic to new horizons or angles of discussion. This makes it more lively and entertaining. However, I do not agree about what Tannen (1991) mentioned about females that come from single-sex schools doing better in life. In fact, my experiences relate that females that come from single-sex schools appear to be more withdrawn and shy when mixed in classes that are composed of both males and females. It appears that they are more apt only in communicating with females, which is opposed to what they should have learned in school. Thus, what Tannen (1991) finds, that based on her experiment in class it is better to put males and females in smaller groups, females that come from single-sex schools are more apt to this type of discussion style. There are certain styles that this type of females find obscure and incomprehensible, since they are more comfortable only with their own gender. About male teachers doing verbal sparring, while female teachers do verbal touching, this is not always the case. I have had teachers that do the opposite thing: males that do verbal touching and females that do verbal sparring. It is always better to mix male and female teachers because it makes the class more rounded when talking of discussions. Females stretch out to new horizons, while males make the topic more interesting: one that would stick to the mind of the students. Yet, as a whole, I personally agree that more females are shy and withdrawn when compared to males that are more adventurous and daring. Lastly, in relation to the three reasons that Tannen (1991) mentioned that are the following: first is that male students speak more in class because they have had more experiences to public speaking. In relation to this, it is true that speaking in class is speaking in public, especially if the class is new and the students have not yet known one another. The second reason that Tannen (1991) mentioned, about male students speaking more in class because they are more conducive to debate-like communication, in general this may be true although a lot of females also tend to debate with other students, so this is not yet closed as it is. With the third reasons that Tannen (1991) mentioned, about males speaking more in class because they have had more experiences with dealing with different attitudes, this is also not closed as it is, since there are lots of males that do not have much experiences being with the public, such as one of my associates in class. He is a male; yet, he is shy and withdrawn. Conclusion In the different regional, ethnic, and class backgrounds, Tannen (1991) finds that there is great difference with the way males and females use their languages. Nevertheless, it is never good to put both genders in closed doors. There are always exceptions to the case. Reference Tannen, D. (1991). How male and female students use language differently. In Learning at school (pp. 38-43). Place: publisher.

Transformational Leadership: The Best Leadership for Healthcare

Transformational Leadership: The Best Leadership for Healthcare This paper is an examination of the methods and practices of transformational leadership. The theory behind transformational leadership is discussed. An explanation of how transformational leadership is practiced is also included. Finally, a discussion of the current state of the health care industry is initiated, with a look at how transformational leadership is the best leadership style to transform this industry for the better. This persuasive paper focuses on change leadership in the healthcare industry. The purpose of this paper is to persuade the reader that transformational leadership is the best type of change leadership for the healthcare industry. Transformational Leadership: The Best Leadership for the Healthcare Industry Change leadership is just what its name implies-a type of leadership that is devoted to guiding an organization through positive changes, and it dynamic in making those changes happen. This is a popular leadership style nowadays. Moving into the 21st century has forced many businesses and organizations to realize that they must change to keep up with the times, that technology and new ways of relating to others and doing business mean that business as usual in no longer acceptable. In order to be competitive in this new century, businesses must change their practices to be cohesive with the new business environment. For a business to be successful in making this adjustment, a strong, specific style of leadership is required to guide the organization through the change (Change Leadership, 2003). This is the purpose of change leadership. Within the area of change leadership, there are several sub-areas of change leadership specialization. One of these sub-areas of change leadership is transformational change. Transformational change is defined as patterns of actions contained within an organizations culture (Transformational Leadership, 1998). These actions include such behaviors as clarifying goals, communicating, taking consistent action, caring, and creating opportunities for development (Transformational Leadership, 1998). By carefully cultivating transformational leadership in the chosen leaders of a company or organization, leaders will be produced who can adapt and deal with organizational members, define, prioritize, and communicate a strategic mission, coordinate and design work systems to promote cooperation, and utilize multiple supporting mechanisms (Transformational Leadership, 1998). In laymans terms, transformational leadership is the process of perceiving when change is needed and influencing the organization by such non-coercive means as persuasion and being an example to the organization in the efforts of goal-setting and goal-achievement (Wonacott, 2001). In transformational leadership theory, four factors motivate employees to perform beyond expectations. These factors are promoted and put into effect by transformational leaders who develop, intellectually inspire, and inspire them to work toward a collective purpose, vision, or mission (Wonacott, 2001). The first of these four factors is charismatic leaders who earn respect, trust, and confidence and who transmit a strong sense of vision and mission (Wonacott, 2001). The second factor is leaders who intellectually stimulate their employees and encourage them to question the status quo and to critically examine their own assumptions and beliefs and those of their leaders (Wonacott, 2001). The third factor i s leaders who show individual consideration in personalized attention to every employees needs so that each employee feels valued (Wonacott, 2001). The fourth factor is leaders who give inspirational motivation that communicates a vision as well as the confident, optimistic belief that the vision is obtainable (Wonacott, 2001). It can be seen then that the common factor in all four of the motivating factors of employees is their leader. Because of this, transformational leadership has the potential to be a dynamic force in an organization. Transformational leaders have the ability to change their employees from self-serving individuals in the organization, only looking out for their own good, into community-minded individuals who are working toward the common good of the whole organization. Transformational leaders have a clear collective vision and are able to communicate it effectively to all employees (What Is?, n.d.). They act as role models for employees, stimulate employees to be more innovative, and are not afraid to take risks or to use unconventional methods to attain their collective vision (What Is?, n.d.). In this way, transformational leaders leave room for their employees and the organization as a whole to breathe and grow (What Is?, n.d.). Transformational leadership is very different from the other main sub-area of change leadership. This other sub-area is known as transactional leadership. In this form of leadership, managers have a very hands off approach to employees (Full Range, 2000). They do not take stands on issues, do not emphasize results, do not take action when issues arise, and are generally unaware of employee performance (Full Range, 2001). These sorts of managers only take corrective actions. They set standards but wait until problems arise before doing anything about them, they stress only what people are doing wrong, and they make it a point to enforce rules, disliking any change in the status quo (Full Range, 2001). On the other hand, these types of managers do have a clear system for handing out rewards. In transactional leadership, there are often clearly stated expectations for employees, and clearly stated rewards for meeting these expectations. However, this is the only positive thing this type of leadership has going for it. In general, transactional leadership causes fear and mistrust of management among employees, and fosters a stressful us vs. them environment. This type of environment is not conducive to positive change. In contrast to transactional leadership, there are many positive elements that transformational leadership can bring to an organization. Numerous studies have shown that transformational leadership does such wonderful things as:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Increase organizational performance and customer satisfaction.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Increase employee commitment to the organization.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Increase employee trust in management.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enhance employee satisfaction with their jobs and their leader.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reduce employee stress and increase well-being. (What Is?, n.d.) Transformational leadership is of particular importance to the health care industry. In todays world of a health care industry with a reputation as being cold and uncaring toward patients, a new model of leadership is greatly needed. People today are not only frustrated with the impersonal and often harsh treatment they get from people in the health care industry; they feel like just a number to health care professionals rather than a person. This is not just problem in patient perception. A larger number of medical mistakes are being made today than ever before, and health care professionals are working longer hours and reporting more stress. These long hours and stressful working conditions are having an obvious effect on the quality of care patients receive, and patients are noticing it. A new model of leadership for the health care industry is required. Transformational leadership is just what the health care industry needs. In the health care industry, physicians are normally looked to as the leaders in any health care facility. Physicians are, after all, the ones with the most education and training in the industry, and the ones who make diagnoses and perform the most intricate work. Therefore, it falls to the physicians to take a look at their leadership styles and learn to make the necessary adjustments in order to improve the morale of their subordinates and thereby increase the quality of patient care. Since physicians are very busy people who dont have much time to study leadership styles, the health care industry has continued to be operated by an outmoded hierarchical system (Schwartz, 2002). This outmoded system has caused the health care industry to stagnate while other industries that have updated their management styles and changed with the times have flourished (Schwartz, 2002). Since transformational leadership is most effective in energizing and mobilizing individuals within organizations , the physicians of the health care industry would do well to take a moment or two, or even take a week and go on a retreat, to learn about the styles and benefits of transformational leadership. There are three stages that a medical office or institution must go through in order to instigate a change to transformational leadership. The first stage is to wake up the office, letting the others who work there know that they must improve or perish (Smith, 2003). Most businesses are slow to recognize the need for this important first step, and are hurt in the marketplace before they see the need to wake up; the same is true of medical practices, as patients can always go to the doctors office or the hospital around the corner where transformational leadership is practiced. Resistance to change needs to be guarded against; this is especially true in medical offices that are already successful and so see no reason to change (Smith, 2003). Stage two is to create a vision of the preferred practice paradigm for the office (Smith, 2003). The type and size of these paradigms need to be very specific. If a physician is able to give his or her patients clear picture of what is going to happen and why, those people will be more likely to go along with it. This stage is very important as without a clear picture, no one will understand what is being done (Smith, 2003). The clearer the picture the physician is able to paint, the better response he or she will have (Smith, 2003). Stage three is the actual re-working of the office (Smith, 2003). The stage involves re-training workers and developing new procedures to fit the new paradigm the physician has created. For most physicians, this is a fun stage, as it is very hands-on, challenging, and exciting. This is the stage where the physician gets to see his or her plan in action and can see how it is working; most often, a physician will notice a tremendous change for the better coming over the practice, and patients will report a greater degree of satisfaction with the service received there. After this, the only thing left for the physician to do is to continue to practice transformational leadership and to engage in ongoing development of the practice (Smith, 2003). With this type of leadership, physicians are better able to get people from where they are to where they need to be (Smith, 2003). Leadership is about the future (Bujak, 2001). In order to be effective and competitive, all businesses must embrace the changes that the future will bring. Micromanagement is an all-too-common management practice in the health care industry, and it belongs in the past (Bujak, 2001). Physicians have typically been some of the biggest practitioners of micromanagement, wanting to be involved in every aspect of running their practices, right down to the billing procedures. This causes stress not only for their employees, but for the physicians themselves. This is not effective leadership. However, imagine what could happen in the health care industry if physicians (and hospital administrators, as well) embraced a model of transformational leadership. A transformational leader in the health care industry would celebrate the workforce at his or her office or institution, and would revel in the diversity there; this diversity would not only be in race or gender, but also in style of working, personalities, and methods of learning. A transformational leader would embrace all of these things as each contributing something unique and important to the practice. By maintaining this attitude, the transformational leader would naturally reach out to and encourage all employees in their individual endeavors at the practice, thereby motivating them to do better and to achieve greater things than they could have achieved before. A transformational leader in the health care industry would also endeavor to remove any perceived barriers between employees and himself or herself. This would mean tearing down old hierarchical structures that made the physician leader unapproachable or intimidating to employees, By removing this barrier, the physician leader will succeed in making the practice a more open and hospitable place for employees, one in which they can feel comfortable expressing themselves, asking questions, clarifying objectives, and asking for help if they need it. A practice without institutional barriers between the physician leader and the employees is a relaxed, yet happier and more effective organization. A transformational leader in the health care industry trusts his or her employees and gives them the room they need to do their jobs in their own way. This is very important. Every person has a unique and different way of doing things, and what may work wonderfully for the physician leader may not work so well for a nurse or a receptionist. Under older ways of doing things, the physician leader would force those who worked in his or her office to conform to their method of doing everything, from organization to time management to how to greet a patient. For those employees who were not comfortable with this method of operation and who had different ways of doing things that they knew were just as effective, this sort of management created a stressful, almost hostile environment. By allowing employees the freedom to get things done in the way that suits them best, the physician leader is encouraging greater efficiency, fewer mistakes, and greater employee loyalty. A transformational leader also encourages innovation and allows his or her employees to take risks. Given the right circumstances and having the liberty to try, ordinary people will accomplish extraordinary things (Bujak, 2001). The transformational leader creates these circumstances. Without being given the freedom to take risks, employees will continue to perform in the same old ways, and this can be detrimental to the health care industry, especially now, when it is in such a great need of change. When given freedom to experiment with innovations, employees in the health care industry will often come up with wonderful solutions to long-standing problems. Even when a new innovation from an employee is not working out in the parameters of the practice, the transformational leader will offer encouragement to the employee who instigated it and guide him or her in a direction that may be better suited to the practice, allowing that employee to come up with the details on his or her own , and giving that employee the freedom to try. Environments such as these create the best sort of changes, and the ones that do the most good to the industry as a whole. A transformational leader will stop trying to manage other peoples problems. My being a sorter and not a savior and by making time for the important before the non-urgent, the transformational leader focuses on what is truly important in the organization and encourages a sense of responsibility in managing their own issues among employees. A transformational leader establishes the minimum standards that they will accept, and allows employees the freedom to determine how they will meet those standards; often, when left to their own devices, employees will exceed those standards many times over. Finally, a transformational leader prioritizes the values of the practice. In other words, a transformational leader establishes priorities for the practice and allocates resources to these priorities based on their importance. By making these priorities clear to employees and by backing that up with the allocation of resources, the transformational leader makes employees aware of what the objectives are for the practice and what the most important objectives are. By knowing this information, employees are better able to organize their time and focus their efforts. Prioritizing the values of the practice makes for a better, more tightly run practice all around and created happier employees and patients. In conclusion, transformational leadership is a leadership style that is dynamic and energetic, compassionate and trusting. Transformational leadership is the kind of leadership that makes organizations grow and thrive because the employees of those organizations are in a supportive environment that encourages them to take initiative and express their individuality, while at the same time providing them with clear objectives to aim for. A business that is operated with a transformational leadership style is one that is embracing the 21st century; such a business is giving itself every chance of not only succeeding but thriving. Transformational leaders use compassion and trust to build a sense of community in their workplaces. This sense of community motivates employees to be their best and to work toward the common good of the organization. With a transformational leader, no longer will employees be self-serving and only putting their most minimal effort out that it will take them to get by. When inspired by a transformational leader, employees come to have a sense of pride and purpose in the organization which employs them, and this breeds loyalty in employees. Loyal employees look out for the best interests of the organization because they feel connected to the organization. This kind of loyalty is one of the best investments a business can make in itself. Transformational leadership is especially needed in the healthcare industry. The healthcare industry is suffering from a lot of bad press at the moment, and a lot of patient dissatisfaction with the quality of care they receive. The people who work in the healthcare industry are suffering from stress and burnout. A lot of these problems are due to the stagnation of the healthcare industry. The healthcare industry is still mired in an old-fashioned system of hierarchy and protocol and proper channels to follow. Its system of operation is still very rigid, as far as its work environment goes. This rigid system is putting a lot of stress and strain on employees, and as a result, the quality of patient care is suffering. Transformational leadership has the possibility to change all of that for the health care industry. Transformational leadership would allow physicians, who are the usual leaders in a healthcare environment, to get closer to their employees on a professional level, which would bring about more openness in the workplace. This openness would lead to dialogues between physicians and employees as to what everyone involved envisions the practice to be and what each person sees their role in the practice to be. This meaningful dialogue would lead to a more relaxed atmosphere in the workplace, and this is only a start. In addition to fostering a more open working environment, transformational leadership in the healthcare industry would lead to a breaking down of the traditional hierarchical system that has kept physicians so removed from their employees. When physicians begin showing their employees individual compassion and concern, and begin celebrating the differences among them, employee satisfaction will rise. This will result in greater loyalty from employees, which will in turn lead to physicians being able to give employees greater trust and more freedom in taking initiative and risks in the workplace. This initiative and risk being taken will naturally lead to many improvements in the overall operation of the practice. In addition, physicians using a transformational leadership approach will be able to communicate a clear picture of the objectives of the practice, which employees will be happy to follow, as they will be given the room they need to be individuals in the operating of the pra ctice. This will lead to not only greater employee satisfaction, but to greater patient satisfaction as well. This, of course, is the main need of the healthcare industry currently. Transformational leadership, when used in its true form, has the power to transform the healthcare industry for the better.