A Interview With The Criminal Justice System - 1654 Words

Field Assignment Ye Zhou Interview with Officer July 27, 2016 Growing up in an upper-middle-class and relatively conservative family in China, I have yet to have the chance to personally meet or talk to anyone who has been or currently is incarcerated. Also, I had no prior experiences of discussing criminal behaviors with someone that is involved in the criminal justice system. This was my first time interviewing a police officer, and it was through this interview that I fully understood and experienced the complexity of crime. While China has a completely different political ideology that leads to a different criminal justice system from the United States, similar theories of criminology still apply to the explanation of criminal behaviors. Moreover, crime is a complicated matter that can be associated with social, cultural and political events. In the interview, Officer Z offered his opinions on criminal behaviors and what motivates people to commit the crime, which could lead to incarceration, torture and even death penalty. As a police officer of the same city for over two decades, he concluded that crimes, including theft, rape and assault, were often drug related. Besides his views on criminal behaviors, Officer Z also revealed the corruption in China and how these corruptions affected the system in catching criminals. This article focuses on my interaction with Officer Z and applications of the theories on criminal behaviors that he described to me.Show MoreRelatedA Interview With The Criminal Justice System2507 Words   |  11 Pagesmen. In a interview with the Independent, Carol Hedderman, professor of criminology at the University of Leicester, said â€Å"looking at the growing number of women in jail could eventually help lower the prison population overall† (Branagh, 2010). In response to the growing number of female imprisonment in this assignment I will analyise the key weaknesses in the criminal justice system stating why women end up in prisons, and when they do what disadavatages to they face by being in the system. There areRead MoreThe Community Of The Deaf1147 Words   |  5 Pagesin Washington. Populations of Deaf individuals in prisons are very small, so it will be necessary to interview all those whom consent. Purposive Sampling The most appropriate form of sampling is purposive, the specific need for this study is Deaf individuals who have or currently facing or have faced obstacles in the criminal justice system. A random sample would not fill this need. An interview to perform the survey was chosen because some Deaf individuals have other disabilities that would makeRead MoreInvestigation Of The Criminal Justice Essay1571 Words   |  7 Pagesthe overview of the criminal justice, especially in America. The result from the interview of one of the fractioned for instance, the attorney in the criminal justice will be the cornerstone of this report. In this case, the Attorney’s view about criminal justice will be thoroughly analyzed and compared with other sources to bring out the bright image of the criminal justice in America. The arguments of whether there is the efficient administration of the criminal justice system, their methodologiesRead MoreCriminal Justice Ethics675 Words   |  3 Pageskl zxcvbnm CRIMINAL JUSTICE ETHICS Ethical amp; Legal Issues in Professions 6/2/2013 Crystal Lynn Hunt | Criminal Justice Ethics After reviewing the tutorial on criminal justice ethics, my answer on the case would have to be Report the incident to your supervisor. I choose this answer for the following reasons: 1. Partner did not use prudence when making the decision to interview the minors alone, with no parental contact and choosing not to videotape the interview/confession. EthicalRead MoreCriminal Justice Majors1105 Words   |  5 PagesContrary to popular belief the life of a criminal justice major is not all about being a hardboiled cop or a living a black and white noir film, there is actually quite a bit of disciplinary literacy in the background. People looking forward to a career in criminal justice should be able to write up investigation reports, reports to be used in trials, and documents relating to various types of criminal offenders. For a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice 120 credits including some general electiveRead MoreThe Effectiveness of the Criminal Justice System in Dealing with Young Offenders1162 Words   |  5 PagesAustralia Criminal Process. Including the introduction of the theory known as Doli Incapax meaning the age of criminal reasonability, the Young Offender Act 1997 NSW as well new law regarding the rights of a child once they have been arrested. It is evident that these while some of charges are still ineffective in dealing with Young Offenders within the Criminal Justice System the majority of them are in place for the greater good and are assisting young offenders when it relates to the Criminal JusticeRead MoreThe Jurisprudence And Qualitative Media Analysis963 Words   |  4 PagesThe number of interviews and focus groups combined with the jurisprudence and qualitative media analysis is designed to ensure a sufficiently robust sample within Spain and Australia. It will also enable me to conduct comparative analysis. Thanks to the work for my MA at Utrecht University, I know high-profile individuals within the Spanish and Australian criminal justice system that can act as gatekeepers, granting me access to each of my target populations as well as relevant documentation. IRead MoreThe Community Of The Deaf935 Words   |  4 PagesPenitentiary in Washington. Populations of Deaf individuals in prisons are very small so it will be necessary to interview all those whom consent. Purposive Sampling The most appropriate form of sampling is purposive, the specific need for this study is Deaf individuals who have or currently facing or have faced obstacles in the criminal justice system. A random sample would not fill this need. An interview to perform the survey was chosen because some Deaf individuals have other disabilities that would makeRead MoreAn Examination Of Post Event Information ( Pei )1545 Words   |  7 Pagesa confederate provided their own answers (Goodwin, K.A. pg. 97). Thus, there is a benefit to conformity in that the amount of accurate information increases, however, the increase of misinformation is a significant downside. What Can the Criminal Justice System Do to Increase Witness Reliability? †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"In 2011, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that if a defendant can show evidence that suggestive police procedures may have influenced the statements of an eyewitness, a pretrial hearing must be heldRead MoreResearch Process and Terminology Paper1069 Words   |  5 Pagesresearch fraud, or as simple popular car color. However, in research it can be very intensive when the research involves people lives through crime. In this research and terminology paper, will examine the process of research and how it targets the criminal justice. To begin, lets us examine the terminology needed to understand how the research process flows and works. The process of collecting and analyzing data has become a work of art when compared to 100 years ago, when research was not even in the

Ernest Hemmingway Research Paper - 1127 Words

Steven Glansberg English Comp II Research Paper 3/28/12 Every writer has his or her own unique style of writing. Writing is such a personal matter that authors have no choice but to get creative. One of the most famous, classic American writers and journalists was Ernest Hemmingway. Ernest Hemmingway had one of the most unique writing styles of all time. His distinctive writing style, characterized by economy and understatement, influenced 20th-century fiction, as did his life of adventure and public image. Ernest Hemingways fictional style of writing was successful due to the fact that the characters he presented exhibited authenticity that resonated with his audience. He created characters that would directly relate and grow upon†¦show more content†¦Many literature analysts believe that his writing style was influenced by his time spent in World War I. It is also thought that while at war Hemmingway lost his faith in the central institutions of Western civilization. Hemmingway created his own style of writing that reacted aga inst the elaborate style of 19th century writers. By creating a style in which meaning is established through dialogue, through action, and silence he was able to create a fiction in which nothing crucial is stated explicitly. He said everything while keeping â€Å"under the radar† per say. That is how the Iceberg Theory came into place with Hemmingway’s writing style. The Iceberg Theory, also know as the Theory of Omission, was a theory that was all about how Hemmingway kept the he facts floating above the â€Å"water† but keeps the supporting structure and symbolism operate out-of-sight just like the structural view of an iceberg. In other words the meaning of a piece is not immediately evident, because the crux of the story lies below the surface, just as most of the mass of a real iceberg similarly lies beneath the surface. In Hemmingway’s novel The Art of the Short Story, he explains, A few things I have found to be true. If you leave out important things or events that you know about, the story is strengthened. If you leave or skip something because you do not know it, the story will be worthless. The test of any storyShow MoreRelatedTaking a Look at Ernest Hemingway1167 Words   |  5 PagesErnest Hemingway Research Paper Ernest Hemingway was an extraordinary individual. There was a lot more to his life than most readers know about. His writing was influenced by the lifestyle that he led. Hemingway was an adventurous person that liked to live life to its fullest. Just like everyone, he made decisions that were both good and bad, and his decisions and actions shaped his writing style. Hemmingway found a great deal of success and his career was topped off with him being awarded theRead MoreEssay on Biographical References in and Hemingways Male Characters3950 Words   |  16 PagesThroughout the Nick Adams and other stories featuring dominant male figures, Ernest Hemingway teases the reader by drawing biographical parallels to his own life. That is, he uses characters such as Nick Adams throughout many of his literary works in order to play off of his own strengths as well as weaknesses: Nick, like Hemingway, is perceptive and bright but also insecure. Nick Adams as well as other significant male characters, such as Frederick Henry in A Farewell to Arms and Jake Barnes inRead MoreLost Generation2335 Words   |  10 PagesJack Kerouac and Ernest Hemingway represent their inner state and feelings at the time they lived through their novels. Ernest Hemingway corresponds to the â€Å"Lost Generation† of 1920’s and Jack Kerouac corresponds to the â€Å"Beat Generation† of 1950’s. Both of these generations were after wars. It is not coincidence, wars make people devastated and lost. People tried to overcome problems and pain through literature and music. Writers put all their emotions on the paper, musicians wrote songs, which describedRead More Allen Ginsbergs Poetry and Psychiatry Essay2833 Words   |  12 PagesGerman doctors and psychiatrists for the Nazi War Crime tribunals, Leo Alexander would return to the United States to continue his work in the field of ECT. He would lead the United States Electroshock Research Association in 1951 and 1952 ( Eastgate 29). In 1961, suffering from depression, Ernest Hemingway, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, was placed on a regimen of electroshock treatment twice a week by his doctors (Ferrell 214). Complaining about electroshock therapy ruining my head and erasing

Assessing and Exploiting Internal Security †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Assessing and Exploiting Internal Security. Answer: Introduction The objective of this report is to understand the security risk in teh IT space and explore various mitigation strategies to gain a professional experience of risk management field. The report includes the critical analysis of the various IT security risks and risk mitigation approaches such as detection systems, firewalls and vulnerability scanners(Marinos, 2012). The security risks are evaluated in terms of the vulnerabilities of the systems while mitigation strategies are evaluated on the basis of their potential to reduce these vulnerabilities. The report would also explore the feasibility of using cyber-insurance as a risk mitigation strategy. The report is divided into three sections that include discussions of the concept of IT security in technology space, exploration of IT security and access control models and assessment of threat. Cyber security is crucial to every organization in the connected world today. Daily occurrences of exposures and risks raise concerns with increasing number of cyber attackers. They utilize new and advances strategies to launch attacks leaving organizations vulnerable to threats. While technologies provide support for core business processes of the organization, the focus on it is not sufficient to get an organization secure such that an informed business vulture has to be created that is both aware of security risks and is capable of dealing with them when exposed(Barlock, Buffomante, Rica, 2014). Organizations build security management capabilities in three areas that include prevention, detection and response. Prevention is achieved by implementing governing procedures which involves creation of awareness of security risks in staff through training and building accountability as well as responsibility in them to operate in a secure manner(NIST, 2014). Detection involves monitoring of events and incidents that suggest risks with strange patterns of usage caused by cyber attackers. When an evidence of attack is received, a pre-planned response is used for responding to attacks through deactivation of exploited technologies and use of a recovery procedure(Stephanou, 2001). At this stage, management may use forensic analysis skills to understand attacks and respond to them(Marinos, 2012). Some common cyber security mistakes that companies can do leaving their systems insecure and unprotected were observed in the study of IT security and these included: Companies want to gain 100% protection which is not feasible in reality but this tendency makes them do mistakes as they implement all possible solutions and assume that security is achieved. Instead organizations need to develop a defensive posture and work on each of the areas including prevention, detection, and response sufficiently(Intuit QuickBooks, 2014). Companies investing in best technology solutions often assume that they are also protected but cyber security actually does not depend on the technology used and thus, they need to still use sufficient protective measures(CenturyLink Solutions Consulting, 2014). With advanced security measures implemented, companies assume that they have better tools than the hackers or attackers which may not be the actual case and thus, can put the companies to risk(Bayne, 2002) When it comes to compliance with the cyber security procedures, companies usually assume that it is only about monitoring but the actual motive behind these procedures is not to just monitor but help companies achieve a better level of protection which is only possible when the companies use the procedures to understand the evolution of threats and ensure that appropriate lessons are learnt from their evaluation(Barlock, Buffomante, Rica, 2014). IT Security Models Access Controls IT security involves dealing with prevention, detection and response to the security risks. Access control mechanisms are the methods that are used for prevention of security threats. The objective behind implementing access control mechanism is to take care of three categories of security categories including confidentiality, integrity, and availability(ISC, 2010). The information of the users has to be kept private to maintain confidentiality. This information must also be protected such that it can only be used by authoritative people to maintain integrity. The information has to be made available sufficiently and on time to the users(IBM Global Technology Services , 2011). Access control deals more with the preservation of confidentiality and integrity and it provides protection against information disclosures and internal attacks(DHS, 2009). There are several access control models that are used by organizations to establish access control mechanisms in their organizations such as Lampsons Matrix and Discretionary access control, Bell-LaPadula, Lattice-Based and Mandatory Access Control, and Role-based access control (RBAC)(JIRA Security and Privacy Committee (SPC) , 2007). Lampsons Matrix: In this model, a matrix of operations and resources is created and whether they should have the read or write control over specific resources is determined. The matrix contains a list of capabilities in rows and permissions in columns. This is a very basic model that serves as a foundation for other models(Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2015). Discretionary access control: It is similar to the Lampsons matrix but it also identifies ownership relationships between subjects such that permissions are granted at discretion. However, this model has some drawbacks. Users can at times opt for insecure rights like 777 if they are given these description rights. Further, a discretionary user can copy the data of another user(ESET, 2016). Bell-LaPadula, Lattice-Based and Mandatory Access Control: This mechanism is designed to work with classified documents in the computer systems. In this system, access is given based on a classification that is done considering object classification and users clearance. These classifications are categorised into unclassified, confidential, secret, and top-secret. This mechanism is most effective in maintaining confidentiality of a system as it involves effective user classification(MYOB, 2016). Role-based access control (RBAC): RBAC provides a family of classification which associates permissions with roles. Permissions are not directly assigned to users. This model is very useful in overcoming administrative difficulties of the organization. It can reduce complexity as well as cost to the company. An interesting feature of this model is that roles are hierarchical which means that they can inherit permissions from their parents. The model identifies core concepts, role hierarchy, and constraints between concepts. All models have different ways of classification of access controls and have different benefits and thus, appropriate model may be chosen based on individual requirement of an organization(Thion, 2007). IT Security Threat and Risk assessment There are several risk and threat assessment methodologies that exist today. Some of them are open source while others are proprietary technologies. All these technologies have similar objectives to fulfil and that is to identify what requires protection, what are the threats, what are vulnerabilities, what are implications of exploitation of these vulnerabilities, and what can be done to minimize the impact or loss. The outcome of any risk assessment process must be recommendation of methods that can increase the level of protection concerning availability of data, integrity and confidentiality of systems while at the same time maintaining usability and functionality of the systems intact(Xero, 2016). Scope: The assessment scope is identified at the beginning of the assessment process to help an analyst understand what is needed to be covered in the assessment, what needs protection, and what the level of protection required is. The scope would also help an analyst identify systems or applications that can be used in the assessment. The scope must have both internal and external perspective presented and the level of details should be provided based on the needs of the intended recipient of the assessment. Data Collection: Once the scope is determined, the next step is to collect data on all procedures and policies used in an organization for risk management. Surveys or interviews maybe used in addition to direct data collection from organization documentations at this point involving the users to collect data about the systems. The information that is collected at this stage may include details of service levels, running services, wireless leakages, operating systems, intrusion detection systems, port scanning, phone systems, network applications, firewall tests, physical system locations, access control mechanisms, and identified vulnerabilities of network. Policies and Procedures Analysis: The policies and procedures of the company are reviewed and analysed to understand if they comply with the security baselines defined by the IT industry such as ISO 17799, BSI 7799 and ISO 15504. Any non-compliance must be reported at this stage if the company is needed to comply with it to ensure required level of protection(Engine Yard, Inc., 2014). Vulnerability Analysis: Vulnerability analysis involves detection of false positives, penetration testing, and grading of vulnerabilities for severity and exposure. The objective of vulnerability analysis is to understand if the organization has the right protection measures for the current level of exposure to risks such that confidentiality, availability and integrity of IT systems are safeguarded. There are a variety of tools that can be used for carrying out this analysis such as Nessus, Sara, Whisker, and SAINT. With these applications used, companies are able to identify false positives in their security risk assessments. However, before selecting any tool for vulnerability analysis, it is important the reliability of the tool is accurately determined(Forrester Consulting, 2015). The table presented below illustrate how the grading system of risk assessment works at this stage: Severity of Risk Risk rating Exposure Minor Severity Risks with small loss if exploited 1 Minor exposure which does not cause additional vulnerabilities Moderate Severity Risks which causes moderate loss if exploited 2 Moderate exposure can affect more than one system components if exposed High severity risks that can cause major damage(HP Enterprise, 2015) 3 High exposure can put major components of the system to risk(Herzog, 2001) Based on the considerations given in the table above, risks are graded in the assessment in the following ways: A minor exposure with minor severity would be reflected by the rating 1 A minor exposure with moderate severity or minor severity with moderate exposure would be counted as 2 Highly exposed systems with minor severity or high severity with minor exposure would make it to the grade 3 High exposure with moderate severity or moderate exposure with high severity would be given a rating of 4 Risks that pose highest exposure and highest severity to the IT system are given highest rating of 5(Bayne, 2002) Threat Analysis: Next, a threat analysis would follow in which various types of possible threats that can cause damage to the IT system of an organization are analysed. Threats to IT systems can be split into human and non-human elements. Human elements include physical theft, hacking, and accidental mistakes, inadequate training on security aspects, backup operators posing risks, and other human interventions from technicians or electricians. Non-human elements include natural disasters like floods, earthquakes and lightning strikes, viruses, fire, electrical issues, heat control problems, dust, and plumbing(Symantec, 2002). Acceptable Risks: A final assessment step is to analyse risks on the basis of their acceptability without suffering a significant loss. The decisions are not taken at the assessment level for the acceptability but what level of risks can be acceptable to the organization can be highlighted such that the level of protection needed by the organization can be gauged without risking over-protection which can waste resources(Stephanou, 2001). From the steps, it can be concluded that risk assessment is not a solution that would end the risks to the company but it is only a source for understanding threats and implementing protective mechanisms. The assessment is not a one-time process but has to be continually reviewed by the organization to understand change security requirements of the organization(Herzog, 2001). However, the security assessment techniques identified here are sufficient to assess the risks and explore solutions for prevention, detection or response to the threats to IT systems(Ferraiolo, Kuhn, Chandramouli, 2003). Conclusion This report was made to explore the security risk in the IT space and explore various mitigation strategies to understand how companies use security systems and mitigation measures and to assess their potential in providing protection to the company using security risk management strategies. It was found that protection is dealt with at three levels that include prevention, detection and response. The security majorly deals with protection of confidentiality, availability and integrity. Some models of access control were identified that provided support for integrity and confidentiality. Different models had different benefits and thus, can be used selectively based on individual requirements of an organization. It was found that security risk assessment is used by organizations for assessment and planning risk control measures. A few steps were identified in the risks assessment that were effective in dealing with the need for identifying threats, assessing risk potential and identi fying possible areas that need to be protected. References Barlock, S., Buffomante, T., Rica, F. (2014). Cyber security: its not just about technology. KPMG. Bayne, J. (2002). An Overview of Threat and Risk Assessment. SANS Institute. CenturyLink Solutions Consulting. (2014). CenturyLink Assessments: seCurity,infrAstruCture And disAster reCovery. CenturyLink Technology Solutions. DHS. (2009). A Roadmap for Cybersecurity Research. DHS. Engine Yard, Inc. (2014). Security, Risk, and Compliance. Engine Yard. ESET. (2016). Trends 2016 (IN) Security Everywhere. ESET. Ferraiolo, D. F., Kuhn, R., Chandramouli, R. (2003). Role-based access control. Artech House. Forrester Consulting. (2015). Security: The Vital Element Of The Internet Of Things. Cisco. Herzog, P. (2001). Open-Source Security Testing Methodology Manual. OSSTMM. HP Enterprise. (2015). Cybersecurity Challenges, Risks, Trends, and Impacts: Survey Findings. MIT. IBM Global Technology Services . (2011). Security and high availability in cloud computing environments. IBM Corporation. Intuit QuickBooks. (2014). Security you can trust7 reasons to believe. Intuit QuickBooks. ISC. (2010). The Pursuit of Integrity, Honor and Trust in Information Security. ISC. JIRA Security and Privacy Committee (SPC) . (2007). Information Security Risk Management for Healthcare Systems . MITA (Medical Imaging Technology Alliance) . Marinos, L. (2012). Consumerization of IT: Risk Mitigation Strategies. Enisa. MYOB. (2016, September 13). Protecting your confidential information. Retrieved from MYOB: https://myob.com.au/myob/australia/myob-security-recommendations-1257829253909 NIST. (2014). Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. (2015). Is a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Program the Right Choice for Your Organization?: Privacy and Security Risks of a BYOD Program. Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Stephanou, T. (2001). Assessing and Exploiting the Internal Security of an Organization. Sans Institute. Symantec. (2002). Vulnerability Assessment Guide. Symantec. Thion, R. (2007). Access Control Models. France: University of Lyon. Xero. (2016, September 13). Your data is safe with multiple layers of security. Retrieved from Xero: https://www.xero.com/accounting-software/security/

Black Cat Essay Example For Students

Black Cat Essay The author of this short story is Edgar Allan Poe. Im not sure to where he lived, but I do know he lived in America. He wrote about this subject probably because of superstitions, and how they could make you go crazy. I dont think he conducted any research; it might have been an actual experience for. Well never know. This story was about him, his wife, and their pets. It mainly focused around the companionship of his black cat that he kills. I believe it reflected life in his time; there wasnt any evidence showing a time period. The character has a cat that follows him everywhere and he starts to get moody and driven by anger. One day he gets so mad and drunk that he takes the cats eyes with a pin knife. Later in the story he hanged the cat in a tree. A few nights later his house burns down. When the find a new place to live he finds a new black cat with a white of fur on its chest and it too is missing an eye. The same thing happens this time too. The cat drives him to madness some how and he tries to kill it with an axe but his wife stops him and he ends up killing her. He hides her corpse in the wall and once people notice she is missing the cops show up to his house. Right before they leave he gets arrogant and then out of nowhere a cry of sorts comes from the wall. The cops knock down the wa ll and find her decaying corpse and the cat sitting above her. I really liked this short story. I couldnt put it down. I enjoyed reading it so much that I read it twice. I would recommend this story to anyone who likes to read.

The Role of Training Professionals in Organizations

Introduction The ever changing global economy calls for new innovations and strategies in organizations in order to maintain competitive advantage. These include training and development of the human resource to enhance productivity and overall business performance (Cappelli 2000).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Training Professionals in Organizations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Organizations are taking huge risks by investing heavily on human resource training and development. Business executives view innovation as one of their top most challenges. Many studies have found out that training and growth is the main tool for breaking new ground bringing changes in an organization (Gronn 2002). Discussion High performing organizations nowadays are acknowledging the significance of using best training and development systems to improve their competitive advantage in the industry. Training and develop ment of the human resource is a critical factor in any organization if the value and potential of the human resources are to be harnessed and grown. Many studies have underscored the apparent correlation between a soundly designed and strategic training and the overall success of the organization (Cappelli 2000). The general image of the industry and workers is also influenced by the level and quality of training and development. In our contemporary business climate most companies are faced with stiff competition for their quality staffs (Gronn 2002). Human resource experts asserts that companies which invests heavily training and development benefits from enriched working environment with low level of staff exodus as well as enhanced productivity and organizational performance (Kuchinke 2001). The intention of this essay is to examine the role of training professionals in today’s business, to deliver innovations. The study also explores how Australian organizations have deve loped innovations in their training and development programs to maintain organizational success and competitive advantage in the industry.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Training professionals and development of the human resources ensures sustainable competitive advantage and retention of high quality personnel in an organization (Wexley Latham 2002). Professional training guarantees stability and productivity in a company. It achieves this by helping employees to improve on their capacity and helps them adapt to new technologies and organizational changes (Wexley Latham 2002). According to Miller (2010), training professionals assists in changing employee’s behavior and competency in their work. Willingness of the employees to embrace changes in an organization is influenced by numerous factors such as organizational structure, performance evaluation system, and organisation’s culture among others. Integration of the above elements and change initiatives can easily be achieved through professional training (Miller 2010). According to Langbert (2005) expertise acquired through professional training not only helps in getting accustomed to the new technology but also contributes to new innovations. Professional training facilitates the acquisition of new ideas and solutions to organizational challenges. Training team during the early stages of initiative is always capable of advising the top management on the best possible solutions to the current or looming problem (Kuchinke 2001). Training professionals also helps to prepare workers for the change. Most of the activities carried out in the training department are parallel with the change team. By the time the executives make an announcement about the change, those who have undergone professional training would already be familiar with it. This gives workers confidence, trust and belie f (Miller 2010). Training professionals improves vision of the top management. Most managers are great visionaries except that they do not translate their visions into observable variables. Professional training thus plays an important role in articulating goals and objectives of an organization by acting as a vehicle for communication and leading change (Gronn 2002). In addition, this training professional ensures top management remains visible in an organization. They become visible by participating and involving themselves in the training activities and programs of an organization (Kuchinke 2001).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Training Professionals in Organizations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the major obstacles to innovations and change in many organizations is complacency by top management. They usually turn to training department only in the times of emergencies and after making major decisions. Training professional ensures continuity by integrating training with daily operations of the organization (Gronn 2002). These helps employees to understand markets dynamics, identify major obstacles and opportunities, and encourage sustainable solutions to the organizational problems. Training professionals applies top-down approach to leadership, which has been proven to be most effective in the contemporary businesses. Each and every members of an organizations is given chance to participate in the training process and implementation of organizational goals and objectives (Gronn 2002). A study conducted by Scully (2005) found out that small firms are more likely to conduct training in an informal technique with larger companies applying a well-designed and strategic approach on training. Training professionals are strategically aligned with the overall mission and goals of the company. Training takes place in a framework of corporation between all the stakeholder s in an organization. These trainings are designed and delivered with the objective of helping the employees achieve organizational as well as personal goals. This type of training increases involvement of the management and the general employees in organizational matters thus creates a sense of ownership of the training and learning among the staff (Scully 2005; Cappelli 2000). Strategic approach used in professional training and developments are more targeted, quantifiable and effective. Increased flexibility in terms of delivery of training accommodates participant’s different styles of learning as well as their lifestyles. Training professional assesses the reaction, learning, behavioral change and valued added to the organization. Evaluation of the training interventions helps organization to establish the strength weaknesses of the training development approach used in an organization (Cappelli 2000). National Australia Bank is the largest financial institutions in the country and has massive market capitalization and customer base. National Bank of Australia is based in Melbourne and has in excess of 25000 staff in eight hundred branches, one hundred and eighty business banking centers, and over a hundred of agribusiness sites, and three main contact centers. The bank has developed an integral infrastructure to support self-driven, staff development initiative. National Australia Bank in collaboration with the Microsoft Company built a portal known as Academy Online, which has helped the bank to deliver virtual learning and human resource development. Academy online is inline with the banks new approach to professional training. Academy online offers courses that are directly related to the bank’s strategic plans and human capital programs (Blount, Tanya Paula 2002).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Academy online has created a legacy where employees take individual responsibility for their own development and ambitions. Academy online recognizes the fact that employees’ level of training and development varies considerably in accordance with each and every individual. Therefore, Academy online ensures equity in access to formal and informal training among the bank’s employees. This online solution to professional training and human resource development has also enhanced communication and collaboration among the staff (Blount, Tanya Paula 2003). Common wealth Bank of Australia is the second largest Bank in Australia. This bank operates beyond the borders of Australia and is found in other Asian countries in Europe. The bank is offering numerous financial services ranging from asset management, financial transactions, broking services, superannuation among others (John 2001). Initially, the bank used to rely on leadership seminars or retreat to improve the skills and competence of its professionals. Currently, the bank has blended its formal and informal learning including off-site seminars and retreats with on the- job training and coaching (Blount, Tanya Paula 2002). Common wealth Bank of Australia has also not been left behind in the use of technology in training and development of its human capital. The bank embraced a blend of DDI web based classroom training and OPAL for on the job training and coaching. The bank embarked on this blend of training to economize use of funds in training, minimize employee’s time off the job, and to acclimatize employees to learning through self directed technological methods. The challenge posed by the use of technology in training professionals is that learner needs to put more effort in order to learn, relate and use the new skills and concepts acquired during the training (Blount, Tanya Paula 2002;Scully 2005). The two major financial institutions in Australia have embraced new technology in their training approaches and human resource development programs. This is because of their massive number of human capital and extends of operations. Use of technology has significantly reduced budgetary allocations for training in the two financial institutions and employees’ times spend off the job. The only difference in the approach between the two institutions is that National Australia Bank is focused more in online training while Common Wealth Bank of Australia blends its approach to achieve optimal results (Zuboff Maxmin 2002). Australian financial institutions on the other hand have developed a technological infrastructure to support self-driven, staff development initiative. These institutions operate beyond the border and have massive human capital. Use of technology training and human resource development not only saves money but also the time off spend by workers off the duty. Online training portal used by these organizations ensures that individual employees take responsibility for their own development and personal ambitions. Use of technology guarantees equitable access to training among the employees and also improve on the communication and collaboration among the staff. The challenge posed by the use of technology in training professionals is that learner needs to put more effort in order to learn, relate and use the new skills and concepts acquired during the training. Conclusion Training professional plays an integral role in the new innovation and overall organizational change. New innovations and strategies are the major tools in achieving competitive advantage in the ever-dynamic global economy. However, professional training designs and approaches have to be in line with the organization’s vision and mission. Approach used should also take into consideration the views and opinions of all the stakeholders in an organization. Strategic approach used in professional training and developments are more targeted, quantifiabl e and effective. Increased flexibility in terms of delivery of training accommodates participant’s different styles of learning as well as their lifestyles. References Blount, Y., Tanya, C., Paula, S., 2002. Implementation of Electronic Commerce and Human Resource Management Strategies in an Australian Retail Banking context. Proceedings of the Seventh Collector Conference on Electronic Commerce. Melbourne, VIC; Faculty of Informatics, University of Wollongong. Blount, Y., Tanya, C., Paula, S., 2003. Employee development strategies in the b2cbanking environment: two Australian case studies. Melbourne: Deakin University press. Cappelli, P., 2000. A market-driven approach to retaining talent. Harvard Business Review. Gronn, P., 2002. Distributed leadership as a unit of analysis. The Leadership Quarterly. John, Q., 2001. The ‘People’s Bank’: the Privatization of the Commonwealth Bank and the Case for a New Publicly-Owned Bank. Australian Options. Miller, N. , 2010. Leading workplace innovation and change. Brave new role. Scully, M., 2005. Bystander awareness: Skills for effective managers. In Ancona, D., Kochan, T., Scully, M. Van Maanen, J. Westney, and D.E. Managing for the future: Organizational behavior and processes. Cincinnati, OH: Southwestern. Wexley, K., Latham, G., 2002. Developing and training human resources in organization, 3rd Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Zuboff, S., Maxmin, J., 2002. The Support Economy why Corporations are Failing Individuals and the Next Episode of Capitalism. New York: The Penguin Group. This essay on The Role of Training Professionals in Organizations was written and submitted by user Milo Higgins to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

buy custom Cluttering a Condition essay

buy custom Cluttering a Condition essay Auditory processing disorder is closely associated with cluttering a condition which is characterized by persistent word repetitions. The continuous researches that have been done by specialists have indicated that this condition can be greatly improved by persistent practice or auditory training. Phonemic or relating awareness strategies can also cause an improvement in meaning procession. Training that is meant for auditory integration may be very beneficial to a child with auditory processing disorder. The clear treatment for this disorder is still unknown and most of the times it might be misdiagnosed with SLI. Other times a person may have both auditory processing disorder as well as specific language impairment disorders. Auditory processing is basically the ability to respond, listen and comprehended to the particular information that has been spoken. In order for proper detection to be done one needs to clearly understand what auditory processing is all about. Other aspects that are related to sound procession include sound detection by the outer ear and proper transmission of the captured sound by the brain. One of the aspects that are important in successful detection of this order includes proper understanding of the existing differences between perception and procession of sound and speech in a given individual. Its important to detect the capacity that one has in processing the perceived speech or sound. The reason why this is emphasized is because they are children who can perfectly hear whatever has been spoken to them and completely fail to understand the meaning of those words. Processing disorders have not been given much attention by professionals (Bellis, 2003). This is because auditory processing disorders have been recognized in the recent past. Many people realize that they have the disorder when they have grown up. This so because such people tend to assume that other people are well equipped tohandle issues like noise well than others. Others assume that its normally to fail to grasp some concepts that are spoken by others because of the different abilities in mastering cognitive skills. Children born with auditory processing disorders are more likely to have learning difficulties in elementary schools because the main form of communication is auditory or verbal. Other children may fail to develop utterance though they have perfect cognitive skills. Parents are recommended to take their children to an audiologist if they suspect that the child has auditory processing disorder. This is necessary for proper diagnosis of the disease because it has similar characteristics with other related disorders (Bellis, 2003). Forms of Auditory Processing Disorder Its also important for such a parent to visit a speech language pathologist because auditory processing disorders can affect a child with a proper hearing capacity as well as a child who has lost his hearing capabilities. Its recommendable for children with hearing issue to undergo auditory processing tests. Auditory Processing Disorder is divided into a number of parts for instance retention deficit where the ability to process the given information decrease with decrease in the stimulus length. In this case the length of the spoken statement determines the capacity in which that information will be processed. Another part of the disease is the deficit in the capacity of the information. This simply refers to the difficulties that one have in processing and perceiving information spoken simultaneously. Such an individual will need to be given time after passing a particular information for procession of the information before another message is spoken. People with such a complicatio n usually get their meaning from the perceived sound therefore they have to reason out before speaking anything (Hughes and Pensak, 2007). Another formm of Auditory Processing Disorder is indicated by the buildup of noise meaning that procession of information worsen when more information is given at the same time because its perceived as noise. When this happens the system processing the information in the brain might shut down because of the overload. Children with such problem can be helped because they can be taught to signal in case they lose track of what was being communicated to them. This can be of much help in learning because the child will at least receive the chance to catch up from where they lost track of that which was being spoken. Other people with this disorder may automatically lose the first half of the information that was being communicated. Therefore such people are in apposition to hear the second part of the information only. This part is basically referred to as slowed tune in; for instance if its a child they will only have a clue of whatever information that was being communicated. This is risky because the whole concept of that information is not grasped and this can affect learning negatively. Such children or people can be assisted by being informed that the speech is about to start prior to the exact speech. This helps a lot because the brain will have been signaled in advance that communication is about to take place (Hughes and Pensak, 2007). The last form of Auditory Processing Disorder is the intermittent auditory perception. In this case the processing system of the affected person is usually on and off. The person appears to grasp concept at a given time and at other time they completely f ail to process the spoken information. In such a scenario the affected personal is taught to change the seating position whenever that happens. They can also move the body slightly because it can help rescue the current situation. People with such issues are recommended to visit a neurologist because such complications may be an indication of some serious complications like seizures or even epilepsy. Buy custom Cluttering a Condition essay

Critically review an assessment process of your choice and determine Essay

Critically review an assessment process of your choice and determine whether or not it is fit for purpose - Essay Example .................................................. 5 b.1 Question ............................................................ 7 b.2 Fill-in-the-Blank Questions ................................ 8 c. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Short Answer Question Technique in terms of assessing the Students’ Knowledge in Nursing and Medical Education ................. 10 c.1 Advantages ........................................................ 10 c.2 Disadvantages ................................................... 11 d. Comparison between Short Answer Questions and the Different Educational Assessment Techniques used in Nursing and Medicine Courses ......................................... 12 d.1 Multiple Choice Exams vs. Short Answer Questions .................................... 12 d.2 Essay Exam vs. Short Answer Questions ........... 13 e. Strategic Ways on How Assessment Using Short Answer Questions can be Measured ............................................. 14 III. Conclusion and Recommendations ................................................. 17 Appendix I – Summary of Cognitive, Affective, and Psycomotor Domain . 18 References ............................................................................................. 19 – 22 Chapter I – Introduction Educators are highly accountable for the quality of education they provide to the students (Oermann and Gaberson, 2009, p. 3). In measuring the learning outcome of the students, educators should carefully select the most appropriate and effective assessment technique to improve the teaching and learning process between the educators and the students. Based on the assessment results, educators will have a basis on how they can modify the course curriculum for nursing- and medicine-related subjects (Oermann and Gaberson, 2009, p. 4). For several years, I teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), advanced life support (ALS), immunizations and vaccinations, and nurse prescribing in one of the local universities in UK. With regards to unfair student evaluation, educators should be aware that each type of assessment method has its limitations in terms of assessing the students’ overall learning outcome (McDonald, 2002, pp. 4 – 5). As part of teaching nursing- and medicine-related subjects, this study will briefly discuss the importance of educational assessment. After going through the different educational assessment techniques used in nursing and medicine courses, ways on how assessment can be measured will be tackled in details followed by determining whether or not the use of short answer questions is a suitable method to assess or examine the learning outcome of nursing and medical students. Aside from describing short answer questions and the assessment process of short answer questions from an objective point-of-view, the advantages and disadvantages of using short answer question technique in terms of assessing the students’ knowledge i n nursing and medical education will be identified, analyzed and interpreted based on the past and current research studies that were conducted on this matter. Based on the secondary research findings, the final stage of this study will conclude whether the use of short answer questions is considered an effective tool in measuring the students’ knowledge. Chapter II – Literature Review Importance of Educational Assessment Educational assessment or diagnostic testing aims at gathering information concerning the learning outcomes of the students. In line with this, educational asses

Human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6

Human resource management - Essay Example Management theories appeared around 1920. With the development of technology and various social developments, the management is subdivided into many categories that involve a particular process. In today’s world, with many things changing around us, every process has its own management methods and personnel for managing that process. Although the basic principle remains the same; planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling to achieve the goal by using the human, financial and material resources. Ultimately the goal of any organization remains the same, that the Human Resource Management department should recruit the most suitable people in the best of their ability to meet the organization’s goal aligned with the vision, mission and goal of the organization. Careful attention to HRM issues is crucial in achieving positive outcomes from their employees, as well as keeping fair and balanced treatment for the employees which could be affected by management decisions. Firstly the organization should start with a "Situation Analysis" of the existing systems and procedures in the organization like; what are the current recruitment structures in operation. Who is the selection authority; what are the existing norms of the target organization. Does the decision lie with the HRM personnel or the organizational managers or would they like to formulate a committee who would tackle with the final decision legalities. The next step would be to identify the gaps in the current framework of the HR. A "Gap Analysis" would help, like; what are the constraints, implications occurred due to these existing systems, what are the merits/ demerits? how these affect the organizational culture. Then in the light of the identified gaps/ constraints, the recruitment and induction strategies should be formulated to address the problems. This would further help in defining the steps in

Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Research Methods - Essay Example This would enable profiling the stress factor among the various groups. Since the impact of stress levels on family life and health is being studied, the employees with more than 3 years of work experience would ideally be considered for the interview. Those from both government and private organizations will be included in the interviews. This makes the sample representative (Ejaz et al., 2008). Since the respondents are busy, they would be approached after the office hours and their appointment would be obtained keeping their convenience in mind (The Wallace Foundation Knowledge Center, 2013). An orientation regarding the subject, time requirements and general outline of the questions will also be given to the respondent, prior to getting their consent for the interview. This drives away the fear of unknown from the respondent and also helps in establishing a rapport with the interviewee (Megafon, 2013). The purpose and idea will be explained and confidentiality of data would be assured to them. This step would ensure honesty of responses. Their permission would be sought to record the interview (Crawford, 1997). The topic of study is sensitive. So, the respondents will be interviewed individually, outside their office premises. 5. Have you ever experienced any of these problems recently: memory problems, anxiety, inability to concentrate, loneliness, depression, dizziness, mood swings, short-temper, insomnia, lack of interest in food, overeating, unexplained aches and pains? The Wallace Foundation- Knowledge Center (2013). In-depth Interviews. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/after-school/collecting-and-using-data/Documents/Workbook-E-Indepth-Interviews.pdf. [Last Accessed 26 February

Threat Of New Market Entrants Management Essay

Threat Of New Market Entrants Management Essay For this assignment, we have chosen Rehm Grinaker Construction Company Ltd and have identified its strategic marketing strategies. The Construction industry plays a major role in transforming the wants and needs of people into reality; they are realised through construction projects which includes infrastructure such as roads, schools, houses, hospitals, airports, factories and dams. At present, the Construction industry in Mauritius is booming; many construction projects are being developed. Rehm Grinaker is considered as one of the leading construction company in Mauritius. Companys Profile REHM-Grinaker Co. Ltd is a renowned construction company in Mauritius and it was founded in 1991. Over the years, REHM-Grinaker has grown from modest beginnings into being a well-recognized, leading multi-disciplinary construction company reputed throughout Mauritius for delivering quality work on time.  REHM-Grinaker has a permanent workforce of over one thousand five hundred well qualified Mauritian staff.  In its 20 years of operation REHM-Grinaker has played a role in all sectors of the thriving Mauritian economy through the construction of commercial and office buildings, hotels and leisure facilities, stadia, luxury villas, industrial buildings, roads and bridges, healthcare facilities, the renovation of historical buildings, the construction of golf courses, marine works, water and sewage treatment plants, power plants, pipelines, and all types of major infrastructure and building works. REHM-Grinaker is a majority Mauritian shareholder company, with the added advantage of being able to access the expertise and resources of shareholder Aveng Grinaker-LTA, one of the largest Construction companies in Africa. Research Methodology The Construction industry has been facing a lot of issues, particularly when it comes to the marketing of their products because of the little significance given to the Marketing philosophy. Hence, the research methodology has helped to gather the required data for the research in order to better understand how REHM-Grinaker designed its marketing strategies to better sell its products. In an attempt to analyse the Strategic Marketing Management of REHM-Grinaker, an appointment was made with Mr P. Moothien Pillay, HR Manager at REHM-Grinaker in Arsenal on Monday 27th September 2012 at 10.00 a.m at the headquarters itself. All members of the group attended the in-depth interview. The latter covered various areas of the Strategic Marketing Management process, namely: Business Definition, Mission, Vision and Goals of REHM-Grinaker Marketing Audit: Internal and External Audits Marketing Objectives Marketing Strategies Marketing tactics/mix decisions Marketing Ethics and Social Responsibility Strategic Planning Evaluation and Control processes A short questionnaire (see Appendix 1) was designed as a guide in order to establish a flow in the way the questions were asked to the interviewee. The interview lasted for one hour and thirty-seven minutes and was recorded. From this interview, a proper analysis of REHM Grinakers marketing strategies was possible. Analysis of Findings The analysis and findings part will enable describe the information gleaned at REHM-Grinaker during the interview. All relevant data pertaining to the marketing strategies of this company will be studied thoroughly and commented on. Business Definition, Mission, Vision and Goals of REHM-Grinaker Business Definition Rehm Grinaker is a well known company in Mauritius providing construction services to firms and the government. It is among the leading companies in Mauritius since it has gained the reputation for delivering quality work on time.   Therefore, Rehm Grinaker particularly deals with big companies who can have the means to pay for the premium services it offers and hence the projects on which the company has worked are important ones and it uses the latest technology available to facilitate construction. For example, building the biggest shopping mall in Mauritius, that is, Bagatelle, on the Ring Road Phase 1 and the overlaying of the runway at the SSR International Airport. Mission Rehm Grinaker has five core values and for the company abiding by these is fundamental. The five core values are listed below: Safety Accountability Integrity Client satisfaction Employee fulfilment Hence, by implementing these values the company has been able to have a clear insight to develop its mission efficiently. Rehm Grinaker focuses immensely on providing quality service on time to its clientele to gain client satisfaction. However, achieving client satisfaction for Rehm Grinaker also means that this is done in accountability and integrity whereby its employees are safe and they are satisfied with their work. Thus, employees of Rehm Grinaker know these values and its importance and abide by them. Vision Build a better future. Rehm Grinaker has the above as its vision and this means the company wants the countrys advancement and by providing premium construction services it is contributing towards achieving its vision. Converting Environmental Opportunities into Organizational Opportunities This refers to fulfilling the unmet or changing customer needs; satisfy the unsatisfied buyer groups or using new means or technology for delivering value to prospective buyers. At Rehm Grinaker, the service that they provide to their customers is always up to date since they focus on delivering quality service. For instance, the company tries to minimum damage as much as it can pertaining to the environment and also tries to use eco friendly materials. Hence, its clientele are satisfied and the case whereby there are unsatisfied customers is quite rare. Nevertheless, if it happens then the company tries to find out the reasons which has caused dissatisfaction and takes the necessary actions to remedy the situation. As well, Rehm Grinaker uses the latest technology regarding its machines and equipments to facilitate the tasks of its employees and also to deliver premium construction services. Hence, the company invests in technology so that it is able to use the most efficient means in construction. Additionally, Rehm Grinaker is known to deliver quality service on time; this means the company respects the deadline given to complete its work and the latest technologies as well as the qualified labour force helps to achieve this goal. Marketing Audit Swot analysis of Rehm Grinaker Strengths The Rehm Grinaker has trained and motivated staff to serve its customers. This can benefit the organization in terms of greater productivity and serving customers better. It helps to improve the organisations image when dealing with customers. Rehm Grinaker offers specialized construction schemes to its customers. Therefore customers are now faced with greater choice and may customize what they want to build. in this context Rehm Grinaker is more customer focused. The organization operated in an environmental friendly way. The quality of service is provided at its highest. Since the organisations main motto is Quality on time, the organization makes sure that any project is being delivered on time with the highest quality. Weaknesses The cost of production is increasing every day. The cost of materials such as cement and iron bars are examples amongst others. It is difficult for the company to keep in touch with technological advances due to high cost of investment. Opportunities Rehm Grinaker can take advantage of government projects such as the building of new road networks and other projects. Expatriated labour is available at cheaper rates from countries like China and India. This can bring a decrease in the labour cost resulting in lower costs of production. Financial support is provided by banks. This can be used to improve the companys financial position. Threats There is existence of other competing firms in the construction industry such as Gamma Civic, Padco, and General Construction amongst others. Internal Audit of Rehm Grinaker This includes the objectives of Rehm Grinaker that is, it has evolved to become one of the leaders in the multidisciplinary building and civil engineering construction services. Structure of Rehm Grinaker: The management team comprises of the following: Managing Director Executive Director Financial Director Construction Manager Commercial Manager Rehm Grinaker has achieved many successes for instance it is known to have built Bagatelle Mall, and Caudan Phase II. It is presently involved in the construction of Ring Road Phase I, overlaying of the runway at SSR International Airport among other projects.  Moreover, it also provides a quality service to its clients on time and it is also considered to be a profitable and well known construction company since it originates from one of the largest construction companies in South Africa. External Audit of Rehm Grinaker The external audit comprises of the following: Micro environment-Consists of employees, customers, suppliers, competitors, intermediaries who are involved with production and sales. Employees-Rehm Grinaker Construction Ltd provides its employees the necessary tools and equipment for them to carry out their tasks effectively and efficiently. For instance, the workers wear reflective vest, hard hat, gloves, safety glasses and security shoes. Safety and security facilities are provided to the workers and in order to motivate them to work in difficult conditions incentives are also given to them. Customers-Rehm Grinaker delivers its projects on times to satisfy its customers and to maintain a good Customer Relationship Management. It also makes follow ups with its clients due to the rising customer expectations and increased competiveness has become a key feature of the construction industry. Suppliers-Rehm Grinaker buys construction components from Gamma Civic Ltd and Betonix Ltd. The company focuses on quality and prompt delivery in order to meet customer expectations that is raw materials need to be provided on time and it also believes in maintaining good Supplier Relationship Management. Competitors-The competitors in the construction industry are differentiated in terms of brand name, quality, and price and among others. They influence the factors when making tenders and bids to obtain a construction contract. Intermediaries- Rehm Grinaker engages only in offering construction services to clients. Hence, when Rehm Grinaker needs to buy construction materials for its construction projects it negotiates directly with Gamma Civic Ltd. External audit Porters Five Forces Model The importance of designing competitive strategy is to relate REHM-Grinaker to its environment in which it is operating. The strategic marketing manager seeking to develop an edge over rival firms can use the Porters model to better understand the industry context in which the construction firms operate in Mauritius. Michael Porter provided a framework that models an industry as being influenced by five forces: Threat of new market entrants The barriers to entry into the current Mauritian construction markets is not high, because there are common technology used, access to distribution channels and low scale investment. The only possible barrier is the goodwill that the current companies have established. Hence, the corporate image in the construction market is one competitive advantage. With the development of the current economic globalisation, more and more foreign companies are entering the Mauritian construction market. Furthermore, Mauritius forms part in the World Trade Organisations, SADC, and COMESA. These multinational organisations, either developed countries (e.g LAXCON Construction from Kenya) or from industrialized countries such as Colas Ltd is from France; these companies have an upper hand in terms of technology, management skills or capital as well as costs. This will bring a serious threat to the current companies, including REHM Grinaker. Threat of substitute products In the construction industry, the threat of the substitute can be assumed not existent, because of the non-substitutional nature of products or services provided by the industry, for instance there will be the absolute use of cement, rock sand, hollow concrete blocks, aggregates, iron bars and other such materials during the construction of any building, and so the question of having close-substitutes does not arise as such. Bargaining Power of Buyers In the construction industry, customers choose the contractor through a tender system. For instance, they will prefer the contractor offering the lowest price for its service and as REHM Grinaker wants to position its service as a quality service rather than relying on a penetration pricing strategy to win a bid. It somehow wants to differentiate itself from competitors like IREKO which offers a poor service at a much lower cost. Therefore, to REHM Grinaker, customers satisfaction is very important to build its repute across Mauritius and will hence comply with each and every of their exigencies (for instance, changing the whole architecture while construction is already underway, short notice deadlines) to avoid switching to competitors. Bargaining power of suppliers REHM Grinakers main suppliers are Gamma Materials Ltd, UBP. The latter are well known for providing quality products and have a considerable impact on the final delivery of REHM Grinaker to its clients. So, REHM Grinaker has no other choice but rely on these specific suppliers. Unlike Gamma Civic, it does not have the possibility of cutting on the buyer by going forward vertical integration that is produce its own raw materials itself. Hence, it is compelled to keep a good relationship with its suppliers. Existing competitive rivalry between competitors As in any industry in Mauritius and abroad, there is rivalry among competitors and the construction industry is not left out. For instance, the main rivals of REHM Grinaker are: General Construction Co Ltd, Gamma Civic, PAD Co., and BCE. So according to the strategies used by its main competitors, REHM Grinaker has to tailor-make and thus differentiate its strategies in order to outmatch them and be a leader of this market. PESTLE Analysis of REHM GRINAKER Political and Legal factors According to the manager of REHM Grinaker, the government focuses heavily on foreign contractors which impacts negatively on REHM Grinaker in the form of competition. Moreover, certain companies in the construction sector are more privileged when compared to Rehm Grinaker since they got high political background. On the other hand, for the legal factors, REHM Grinaker needs to agree upon several binding laws such as the labour laws and safety laws impose by the government. For example according to the safety law, it is recommended to have one full time registered safety officer and for REHM Grinaker it employs one senior safety manager, two safety managers and six trainee safety officers. Economic factors For the economic factors, the manager of REHM Grinaker believes that the construction sector in Mauritius is fluctuating. The demand is falling and according to him investors also are not investing their money as they are looking for the stability of the Mauritian economy. He also mentioned that due to the recent downturn, the economic situation is unstable for the construction industry as a whole. Social and Environmental factors As for the social factors, 2% of REHM Grinaker profits go for the CSR fund where the bulk of the money goes mainly for the unprivileged and disable children. For example they donate funds to APEIM and to several schools for disabled children. On the other hand, for environmental factors, the manager believes in building what is designed. He pointed out they do care for the environment when they are undertaking construction work and for each project they undertake, an environment management plan is prepared whereby according to him it consists of how to promote a safe environment that is not to harm the environment. A plan for management of waste also is prepared and strategies on how to avoid less pollution such as noise and air pollution while working. Technological factors Nowadays REHM Grinaker is engaged into the construction of huge buildings such as Bagatelle and SIT business and knowledge centre with the help of new and modern equipments. According to the manager, REHM Grinaker makes use of big cranes to facilitate and makes it easier to work. They also make use of reusable equipment, such as metal which is more flexible instead of wood which were used long ago. Moreover, one example of new equipment that was used in the construction of Bagatelle is the post tension cables. THE BCG MATRIX In the light of the information obtained from the interview with Mr Moothien Pillay, it could be deduced that REHM Grinaker is found in the Star segment of the BCG Matrix. The organization is one of the market leaders in the construction sector with so many outstanding projects in the pipeline. THE ANSOFF MATRIX As from the Ansoff Matrix, and according to the interview, it could be deduced that REHM Grinaker is actually in the Market development section. Since its 21 years of existence, it has not quite diverted from its main activity which is the construction of infrastructures. However, this company has been trying to capture new markets at all times. It is going for more prominent projects. From the extension and renovation of small buildings, it has of late been involved in the construction of Bagatelle and Cascavelle Malls, which are, if not, the biggest projects REHM Grinaker has ever embarked on. Marketing Ethics and Social Responsibility One of the most important marketing assets of REHM Grinaker, according to the Manager, is its corporate image. As far as ethical considerations are concerned, integrity is one of the main core values of REHM Grinaker. Personal relationships with suppliers, clients and project managers are always managed in an ethical manner and the organization does not run on bribes. There is no preference for family members of employees in the organization and a decent salary is given to all employees. No one worker on sites is exploited. Therefore, REHM Grinaker makes it an adage to work in the cleanest environment. And if anyone is aware of any unethical behaviour, it is the onus of that person to report it. Therefore, REHM Grinaker wants live up to its good reputation and this is the best marketing strategy it can possibly flaunt. Furthermore, as any organization, REHM Grinaker does not fail to contribute 2% of its profits to the CSR Fund. Nonetheless, it has also engaged itself in many social work activities. Since its headquarters is found in a poverty-stricken area, REHM Grinaker has chosen to help the underprivileged children living in the vicinities. The company namely invested in education training as well as in organizing events for them during the festive season. Again, through this endeavour, REHM Grinaker wants to differentiate itself and improve its corporate image. STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS In todays highly competitive business environment, organisations must engage themselves in strategic planning that clearly defines the mission, objectives and assesses both the internal and external situation to formulate strategy, implement the strategy, evaluate the progress and make adjustments as necessary to stay on track. THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS Mission Objectives Situation /Strategic Analysis Strategy Formulation/ Strategic Choice Strategy Implementation/Control Strategic Analysis/Situation analysis The environment Pestle analysis of Rehm Grinaker Strategic Capabilities Swot analysis of Rehm Grinaker Stakeholders expectations The stakeholders of Rehm Grinaker expects that the management and the employees perform their duties conscientiously, honestly and in accordance with the best interests of them and the company. Moreover, Rehm-Grinaker is a preferred contractor for most of the major stakeholders in the industry because the company has built its success on achieving quality on time not only to the final construction product but when dealing with partners in the construction process as well. Organisational Culture The organisation culture of Rehm Grinaker is to deliver quality work on time. Strategy Formulation/Strategic Choice Given the information from the environmental scan, the firm should match its strength to the opportunities that it has identified, while addressing its weaknesses and external threats. In addition to that to have superior profitability, firms seek to develop a competitive advantage. In the case of Rehm Grinaker, it can be seen that the company has competitive edge in providing sustainable construction works and the most important competitive advantage that the firm has over its competitors is the accessibility to the expertise and resources of shareholder Aveng Grinaker-LTA, one of the largest Construction companies in Africa. Strategy Implementation/Control The selected strategy is implemented by means of programs, budgets and procedures as well as the implementation of the strategy must be monitored and adjustments made as needed. In the case of Rehm Grinaker, the company must assess their actual performances and have detailed specifications on contracts completed such as Bagatelle Infrastructure, La Croisette Bulk Earthworks, Terre Rouge Verdun, and among others.

Igor Stravinsky Essay -- Music

Igor Stravinsky In the passage by Igor Stravinsky, he uses not only comparison and contrast, but also language to convey his point of view about the conductors of the time and their extreme egotism. Stravinsky believes that conductors exploit the music for their own personal gain, so rather, he looks on them in a negative light. To show his aggravation and irritation, Stravinsky uses the rhetorical device of comparison and contrast to convey his opinion of conductors. He compares the "great" conductors to "great" actors in that "[they] are unable to play anything but themselves". Moreover, being unable to adapt, they have to adapt the work to themselves, not themselves to the work, which is obviously offending to a notable composer such as Stravinsky. In addition, he attributes the egocentric view of the conductors to the attention of the public who make more of the conductor's gestures and appearance than the music quality. The public is then compared to the reviewers and critics, who also "habitually fall into the trap of describing a conductor's appearance rather than the way he makes the music sound." Furthermore, Stravinsky goes on to say, for a public that is incapable of listening, the conductor will tell them what to feel through his gestures. He notes that these people, the conductors, have a high i ncidence of "ego disease" which "grows like a the sun of a tropical weed under pandering public" illustrating that the conductors perform for and are inspired by th...

How might ‘Naturlism’ be defined within theatrical context

How might ‘Naturalism' be defined within theatrical contexts? Movement in theatre developed late 19th century, presenting ordinary life as accurately as possible, influenced by novelists and playwrights such as Ibsen and Emile Zola. The idea of naturalistic plays was to portray harsh and gritty subject matters, which would emphasize the wrongs in contemporary life which would often be frowned upon and alienate 19th-century audiences. However, by seeing the wrongs in society there is a believe that people will try and better themselves. Naturalism existed only in it's historical momentsTheatre imitating life. Naturalism brought science into the game, with more electricity in theatres, removal of audience, putting them in the dark as if they were eavesdropping. Importance of everyday and ordinary. Potential tool for improving humanity by showing the wrongs. Brought in the fourth wall, analytical distance. extending the idea to the imaginary boundary between the audience and the s tage. Character is more important than plot/action. The model of theatre as scientific ideas and the idea that human beings are distinguished by society, like showing the ubject as a product of social forces.Playing around with that idea, like Emile Zola did in his play â€Å"Miss Julie† dropping a high class girl into a test tube with a servant (lower class) of particular type/ character and see what happens. Playwrights tried to get as far away from the theatrical side of plays, by using techniques such as making real time and fictional time the same. It would always be very accurately documented, especially social detail. Lineage or Heredity always played a big part and were controlled by the environments which would explain the ehavior and status of the characters.Naturalism showed a slice of life as it really is, without putting up a show for the audience you see a gritty unpleasant side of life which pays very close attention to detail and behavior, often including batt le of sexes, Heredity or Lineage and lots of psychological detail about why the characters are doing what they are doing taking their past and course through life to this point in time into consideration. Which leaves the audience to study the characters outside of what they see in front of them. Reveals the private side of life.Naturalism played a great role in later theatre evolving to Hypernaturalism and symbolism. Theatre of Naturalism will open up new perspectives for anyone interested in theory or theatre, whether scholars or the wider theatre-loving or performing public. Naturalism is a torm ot Realism, but was a more scientific approach than realism which is interested in cause and effect – both inherited and environmental Human psychology Has true view of the outside world but only focuses on what's going on the inside even though characters come and go

Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis 6 Care Plans for Any Patient

Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis 6 Care Plans for Any Patient SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is an issue that affects millions of people around the world. If not properly treated, hypertension can lead to serious issues, including heart attack or stroke. That means it’s imperative to have an accurate nursing diagnosis for hypertension as well as an effective care plan. After explaining what hypertension is, what causes it, and what common symptoms are, this guide explains six key hypertension nursing diagnoses. For each diagnosis, the NANDA definition, potential evidence, and desired outcomes are explained, as well as steps to take for the nursing intervention. Nursing Diagnosis for Hypertension: What Is It? Normal blood pressure is when blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mmHg most of the time. A patient is diagnosed with hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, when their blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg most of the time. There are several levels of hypertension: Normal Blood Pressure: Lower than 120/ 80 Prehypertension: 120-139/80-89 Stage 1 Hypertension: 140-159/90-99 Stage 2 Hypertension: 160+/100+ Hypertension can be dangerous because it can make the heart work harder to pump blood to the body, which can increase the risk of heart failure, stroke, and hardening of the arteries. What Causes Hypertension? The exact cause of hypertension is not often known. Primary (or essential) hypertension is when hypertension has no known cause, or there is no evidence to link it to a specific cause. Primary hypertension makes up about 90% of all hypertension cases. Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure that does have an identifiable cause. Potential causes of hypertension (primary or secondary) include: Being overweight or obese Smoking Genetics/family history of hypertension A diet high in salt Consuming more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks a day Stress Old age Lack of exercise Sleep apnea Kidney disease Thyroid disorders Signs and Symptoms of Hypertension Hypertension does not always cause symptoms; in fact, about a third of people who have hypertension don’t know they have it because of no or few symptoms. Below are some of the most common symptoms of hypertension: Headache Ringing or buzzing in the ears Fatigue Irregular heartbeat Confusion or dizziness Nosebleed Blurred vision Difficulty breathing Chest pain Blood in the urine Nursing Care Plans for Hypertension Once a patient is found to have high blood pressure, it’s important to follow the appropriate nursing diagnosis and nursing care plan for hypertension in order to reduce the effects of hypertension and keep the patient’s health and quality of life high. Below are six nursing care plans for hypertension. These six care plans cover the main issues associated with hypertension. Each one includes its own nursing diagnosis, NANDA definition, possible signs of evidence, desired outcome, and nursing interventions. Use the NANDA definition and potential evidence to determine the correct nursing care plan for hypertension. Some patients may require multiple care plans. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #1: Risk for Decreased Cardiac Output NANDA Definition: Inadequate blood pumped by the heart to meet metabolic demands of the body. Possibly Evidenced By: N/A. This intervention is used to in order to prevent decreased cardiac output from occurring. Desired Outcomes: Show stable cardiac rhythm and rate. Maintain blood pressure within an acceptable range. Participate in activities that lower blood pressure and cardiac load. Interventions: Check patient’s lab data (cardiac markers, blood cell count, electrolytes, ABGs, etc.) to determine contributing factors. Monitor and record blood pressure in both arms and thighs Measure blood pressure in both hands. Auscultation of breath sounds and heart rhythm. Observe patient’s skin color, temperature, and capillary refill time. Advise the patient on reducing sodium intake, if needed. Administer medication, if needed. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #2: Acute Pain (Typically Headache) NANDA Definition: Pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever the person says it does; an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience arising from actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage sudden or slow onset of any intensity from mild to severe with an anticipated or predictable end and a duration of. Possibly Evidenced By: Patient reports throbbing pain in head, most often upon awakening. Changes in appetite. Patient reports neck stiffness, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, and/or vomiting. Desired Outcomes: Patient states they are no longer suffering from a headache and appear comfortable and pain-free. Interventions: Determine the specifics of the pain, such as intensity, where it is located, and how long it has been going on. Note the patient’s attitude towards pain and any history of substance abuse. Encourage rest during severe pain episodes. Recommend methods of relief, such as neck and back rubs, applying cool cloths to the forehead, and avoiding bright lights. Limit how much the patient moves around. Provide medication, if needed. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #3: Activity Intolerance NANDA Definition: Insufficient physiological or psychological energy to endure or complete required or desired daily activities. Possibly Evidenced By: Patient reporting weakness or fatigue. Abnormal heart rate as a result of activity. Exertional discomfort or dyspnea. Electrocardiogram (ECG) changes reflecting ischemia; dysrhythmias. Desired Outcomes: Patient participates in necessary and/or desired activities. Uses identified techniques to enhance activity tolerance. Reports a measurable increase in his/her tolerance for activity. Demonstrates a decrease in noticeable signs of intolerance. Interventions: Note each of the factors that contribute to fatigue (age, health, illness, etc.). Evaluate the patient’s degree of activity intolerance and when it occurs. Monitor how the patient responds to activity (pulse, heart rate, chest pain, dizziness, excessive fatigue, etc.). Explain energy conserving techniques (shower chairs, sitting to brush teeth, etc.). Assess any emotional factors that may be contributing to activity intolerance (such as depression or anxiety). Encourage the patient to engage in self-care and progressive activity when possible. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #4: Ineffective Coping NANDA Definition: Inability to form a valid appraisal of the stressors, inadequate choices of practiced responses, and/or inability to use available resources. Possibly Evidenced By: Patient states he/she is unable to cope; patient asks for help. Worry, irritability, anxiety, and/or depression as a result of hypertension diagnosis. Destructive behavior such as overeating, lack of appetite; excessive smoking/drinking, and/or alcohol abuse Desired Outcomes: Patient can identify his/her ineffective coping techniques and their consequences. Verbalizes awareness of own coping abilities. Identifies potentially stressful situations and takes steps to avoid or modify them. Shows the use of effective coping skills. Interventions: Determine what specific areas the patient has difficulty coping with. Assess the effectiveness of the patient’s current coping skills and where improvements can be made. Help the patient identify specific stressors and how to cope with them. Work with the patient to develop a care plan, and encourage participation in the plan. Help the patient identify and begin planning for necessary lifestyle changes. Encourage the patient to evaluate his/her priorities and goals in life. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #5: Imbalanced Nutrition (More Than Body Requirements) NANDA Definition: Intake of nutrients that exceeds metabolic needs. Possibly Evidenced By: Patient’s weight is 10%–20% more than ideal his/her height and frame. Reported or observed dysfunctional eating patterns. Desired Outcomes: Patient understands the relationship between hypertension and obesity. Initiates/maintains an appropriate exercise program. Shows changes in eating patterns, such as food choice and/or quantity, to attain a healthier body weight. Interventions: Assess the patient’s understanding of the relationship between hypertension and obesity. Discuss the relationship between hypertension and obesity with the patient. Discuss the need for a decreased caloric intake, as well as a limited intake of salt, sugar, and fat. Determine the patient’s desire to lose weight. Help the patient establish a realistic exercise plan. Help the patient establish a realistic nutrition plan. Refer the patient to a nutritionist, if needed. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #6: Knowledge Deficit NANDA Definition: Absence or deficiency of cognitive information related to a specific topic. Possibly Evidenced By: Verbalization of the problem. Patient requires information or more information, or he/she doesn’t understand the information given. Patient inaccurately follows instructions. Patient appears agitated, hostile, or upset when the condition and ways for managing it are discussed. Desired Outcomes: Patient can express his/her knowledge of the management and treatment of hypertension. Patient correctly uses the drugs they are prescribed and understand their side effects. Interventions: Determine what information the patient currently understands. Assess readiness and blocks to learning. Include the patient’s partner, if possible. Describe the nature of hypertension, how it affects different parts of the body, and how it can be treated. Avoid using the term â€Å"normal BP†. Instead use the term â€Å"well-controlled† to describe patient’s BP within desired limits. Discuss with the patient changes he/she can make in order to manage hypertension. Discuss the importance of maintaining a stable weight. Discuss the need for low-calorie diet, low in sodium to order. Help the patient create a schedule for taking medications. Direct the patient to other resources that can be used to better understand and manage hypertension. Review: Diagnosing and Treating Hypertension Hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, is an issue that can have serious and long-term health effects if it isn’t properly managed. Therefore, having an effective nursing care plan for hypertension is important. While it’s often difficult to pinpoint the cause of hypertension, high blood pressure may be caused by the weight, smoking, high sodium intake, and/or genetics, as well as other factors. Some symptoms of hypertension can include headache, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and/or chest pain, although some patients with hypertension don’t show any symptoms. There are six key nursing diagnoses for hypertension. Risk for decreased cardiac output Acute pain (typically headache) Activity intolerance Ineffective coping Imbalanced nutrition (more than body requirements) Knowledge deficit For each nursing diagnosis for hypertension, it’s important to know the NANDA definition, possible signs of evidence, desired outcome, and nursing interventions. What's Next? Thinking about exploring a career in healthcare administration? Read our complete guide to getting a healthcare administration degree, with explanations for what levels of qualification you need for different careers.

Media and Adolescent Sexuality Essays

Media and Adolescent Sexuality Essays Media and Adolescent Sexuality Essay Media and Adolescent Sexuality Essay The media has undergone a great transformation over the past 15-20 years and there are numerous sexually charged forms of media that target our younger generation. Part of the adolescent development is the formation of sexual beliefs and patterns of behavior. During this development period the adolescent is very impressionable and the information they receive from various means (parents, family members, friends, teachers, the community and the media, etc. ) is what the adolescent uses to develop their personal sexual beliefs and personal patterns of behavior. With all of the media readily available, adolescents are exposed to sexual content at a much earlier age then previously. The impact of this exposure will be discovered and reported in this research paper. The topic that I have researched is â€Å"Media and Adolescent Sexuality†. For the purpose of this paper â€Å"media† will entail television, music, magazines and the World Wide Web. I have seen a great transformation of media over the years and have noticed the numerous sexually charged forms of media that target our younger generation. Often these forms of media contain homosexual, bisexual and heterosexual references and sexually explicit references. With all of the media readily available, do the media have an impact on adolescent sexuality? Part of the adolescent development is the formation of sexual beliefs and patterns of behavior. During this development period the adolescent is very impressionable and the information received is what is used to develop their personal sexual beliefs and personal patterns of behavior. The information they receive may come from their parents, family members, teachers, the community, the media, etc. As a senior high school Sunday school teacher at my church, I often times lead discussions to provoke the youth to think critically about their experiences and the choices that they make. The discussion is always supported biblically, as the bible is the reference used to support why certain choices should be made or not. I find it interesting to hear from the youth during these discussions because they share exactly what they feel and also what they experience. These discussion are very open and leads many of them to ask questions that they may not feel comfortable asking their parents. Many of the discussions involve the various forms of media they watch and listen to and their thoughts of these forms of media based on the bible lessons we review. In taking a close look at the impact of television, the fist form of media to be discussed, I found interesting information documented from surveys which depict the time spent watching television by adolescents. â€Å"In the United States, young people spend 6 to 7 hours each day on average with some form of media. A national survey in 1999 found that one third of young children (2 to 7 years old) and two thirds of older children and adolescents (8 to 18 years old) have a television in their own bedroom. Many of those televisions also are hooked up to cable and a Videocassette Recorder (VCR)† (Roberts, 2000). The time reported, on the survey, that adolescents watch television is high. This amount of time watching television exposes these adolescents to age inappropriate content. Also, with cable television being a constant and always available, this too increases the exposure to age inappropriate content. There are parents who do not monitor what their children watch on television, thus many parents are unaware of the potential harm exposed to their children. Even the channels that are supposed to be age appropriate, such as Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel contain questionable content. Both Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel have programs that contain dating and kissing scenes. Typically young adolescents (8-12) are not interested in the opposite sex but still consider them gross or view them as possessing â€Å"coodees† or germs. The television programs today are not as they were when I was an adolescent. I can remember watching programs like â€Å"Happy Days†, â€Å"Laverne and Shirley† and â€Å"Good Times†. Figure 1 depicts three programs from another television era. Figure 1: Laverne Shirley, Three Company and Good Times â€Å"Happy Days† and â€Å"Good Times† where programs that contained the traditional family unit (Male/Father and Female/Mother). These shows portrayed the everyday lives of the typical family. There were no sexual scenes and if I remember correct, the only type of kiss displayed was between the husband and the wife and was a â€Å"lip touch† kiss not a French kiss. Laverne and Shirley† was a show that portrayed two young women as roommates that hung out with two male friends. These two programs portrayed the everyday lives of the traditional family and young adults. Another program that I remember watching that was the first of its kind; was â€Å"Three’s Company†. This program went against what was considered â€Å"the norm† at that time and for some people was considered â€Å"radical†. The radical tag was due to the storyline. The storyline was a male that was a roommate with three attractive women. The landlord would not allow the group to rent the room together because they were not the same gender so the male in the group, â€Å"Jack Tripper†, pretended to be gay. This was the first portrayal that I can remember of a gay person on television. There are no programs today which air at prime time, that are suitable, based on age appropriateness, for children to watch. The programs today contain profanity, sexually explicit scenes, same gender relationships, children out of wedlock and other forms of human sexuality that are not age appropriate for adolescents. For families that do not monitor what their children watch on television, the adolescents are exposed to content that may impact their decisions on human sexuality. â€Å"One content analysis found that sexual content that ranged from flirting to sexual intercourse had increased from slightly more than half of television programs in 1997-1998 to more than two-thirds of the programs in the 1999-2000 season. Depiction of intercourse (suggestive or explicit) occurred in one of every 10 programs† (Kunkel et al. , 2001). With all of the sexual content aired on television, â€Å"only about 1 in 10 of the programs on television that include sexual content mentions the possible consequences or the need to use contraceptives or protection against STDs. Unintended pregnancies rarely are shown as the outcome of unprotected sex and STDs other than HIV/AIDS are almost never discussed† (Kunkel et al. , 2001). â€Å"Abortion is a taboo topic, too controversial for commercial television and magazines (Walsh-Childers et al. , 2002). † With the number of hours reported that adolescents watch television on a daily basis, a great deal of sexual content is viewed. Without having full understanding of their human sexuality, adolescents often times are misconstrued and make inappropriate choices. In addition to the programs that are aired on television, there are a host of advertisements by means of commercials. Commercials are used to advertise products and services and many of these advertisements employ sex to sell products. I have witnessed how advertisements for selling toilet paper have even become sensual. The use of animals is one example of how advertisements lure the adolescent in to watch the commercial while sending subliminal sensual messages. The types of products advertised on television are more sexual now than when I was younger, as there were no products for sex on television. Today, there is a commercial that airs quite often, and not always during primetime, that advertises lubricant used for sex. In the commercial there is a couple (probably not married) in bed. The music used in the commercial is used to create the imagery of â€Å"intense sex†. This commercial is too sexual for television but yet it is aired without the thought that adolescents may view it or is it? The second form of media is music. Music today is twofold, as it is heard and can also be viewed on television music channels. Adolescents are drawn to music so channels such as VH1 and MTV are watched mostly by adolescents. Music videos portrayal of women is very negative, as women are portrayed as sex objects, are usually provocatively dressed and perform lewd sexual dances. Some of these entertainers are minors themselves marketing to those who are both younger and older than them. The impact of the music videos shown on television has is immense on the adolescent mind. The power of influence is great and is a danger to adolescent girls who aspire to be like their favorite music stars. The impact of the power of influence these entertainers have on adolescent girls is seen in their behavior and dress. The adolescent girls dress is more sexual; make up is worn at a much younger age and the age of their first sexual encounter is younger than previous years. â€Å"One fifth to one half of music videos, depending on the music genre (e. g. , country, rock, rap) portray sexuality or eroticism† (DuRant et al. , 1997). This exposure depicts sex as a way to be popular and happy. However, this exposure has the potential to permanently impact the adolescent as they grow up thinking that sex is something that everybody does if they are to fit in. Sexually explicit videos create imagery in the minds of the adolescent so it is not a surprise when young people act out what they have been exposed to on television. Experimenting with sex has become a rite of passage for many adolescents and not just heterosexual sex but bisexuality is on the rise in both genders. Sex is no longer viewed as sacred but casual sex is portrayed as the way to live and not the â€Å"wait until you are married† phrase that was taught. Casual sex is viewed as something that â€Å"everyone† is doing, especially with the common break ups of couples in the music (and entertainment) industry. What was once thought to be â€Å"out of the ordinary† is now viewed as the social norm amongst society. Television music channels air commercials for condoms, STDs, HIV, etc. , however do not equally air commercial for abstinence. Sexually explicit programming and advertising is a detriment to the self-esteem of the adolescent. Young girls and boys strive to attain the bodies of their teen idols (entertainers, models and actresses) and many of those that are idolized have undergone cosmetic surgery, thus making it impossible for the youth to have these perfect bodies. Seeing idols like Brittney Spears dating different men, being married, dressing like a vixen, being photographed by paparazzi wearing no underwear and the list goes on- young girls see this as positive because Brittney Spears is in a position of influence. The picture below of Britney Spears depicts an example of the provocative dress of a â€Å"teen idol† that many adolescent girls admire and want to be like. The third form of media is the magazine. Some of the popular women magazines are now crafted for the adolescent girls and there are magazines that originated with the adolescent girl in mind. When paging through the magazines, some of the same sexual ads are in the women magazines as in the magazines for young girls. Also found are articles about sex. Although teen girls and womens magazines, such as Seventeen and Glamour have increased their coverage of sexual health issues over the past decade, the majority of advertising and editorial content in these magazines remains focused on what girls and women should do to get and keep their man† (Walsh-Childers, Gotthoffer, Lepre, 2002). The clothing advertised is very grown up looking and most of the print advertisements contain models posing in sexual poses for the came ra. Sometimes girl models are positioned very close to one another, which make wonder if they are homosexual. Perhaps this is considered suggestive advertisement. Magazine ads and covers contain provocative poses and some nudity. Magazine covers like this are intentional, as â€Å"sex sells†. Parents waiting to check out in the supermarket may be embarrassed when their children are present, if there has not been open communication regarding sex. Below is an advertisement for Calvin Klein and two magazine covers which clears depicts sexual content on the magazine cover and in the advertisement. Figure 3: Sexual Messages in Advertising Sexual content in mass media has been around as long as mass media itself,’’ Arizona State professor Mary-Lou Galician, a researcher, author and media literacy advocate says. The difference is the proliferation of it. We live in a 24/7 media world now. Take, as an example, the exploitation of Britney Spears, who is literally pulling off her clothes during her performances. Her real talent lies in being an objectified image. And it is an imag e, by extension, of our country around the world. ’’ (Galician, July 17, 2010) The final form of media to be discussed is the World Wide Web. Easy access to the World Wide Web or the internet, as most say, has increased â€Å"access† to inappropriate forms of media. Incredibly, all forms of media may be accessed by way of the internet. Although sexually explicit forms of media have been in existence years, the propagation of this type of has changed, as it is easily accessible through the internet. Adolescents using the internet to conduct research for school projects may, at times, lead to unwanted advertisements or inappropriate pictures. This is exploiting adolescents to unwanted content. An interview was conducted with three people asking the following five questions. Do you see a change in the sexual content of the media today compared to 10-15 years ago? If yes- then what kind of a change? What do you think about the sexual content of media? Do the media impact adolescents? If yes, how do the media impact adolescents? Below is a summary of the responses: After interviewing a select group of people, 100% say that there is a change in sexual content of the media today in comparison to 10-15 years ago. The kinds of changes reported in response of the survey question are as follows; Television commercials are now aired for medicines to treat sexual dysfunctions Television commercials for sexual enhancement products (KY-Gel) Television commercials that use sensuality to sell toilet paper There is more homosexual character on television shows Television reality shows have explicit sexual content and sexual scenes Television prime time is no longer family time due to sexual content on programs Daytime soaps contain high sexual content Disney and the Nickelodeon channels have more boy/girl dating. It seems like most of the shows are about girls thinking about boys. There is also a lot more hugging and kissing. Music videos today are very sexual. Some of the dancing resembles strip dances and the dress is too provocative for the young entertainers performing the dances. The sexual content of the media is too much for average viewing/listening. Some of the sexual content is too explicit. The music videos no longer sell music but it sells sex. Magazines for adolescents contain too many ads that are sexually laden. Internet is too easy to inadvertently access sexual content and allows sexual content to be available instantly. The overall thought about sexual content in media is that there is far too much. All survey participants agreed that media impact adolescents negatively. One of the participants shared that sometimes exposure is the only teacher and in this case, adolescents being exposed to sexually explicit music videos and television shows that contain a sex scene every few minutes or characters having sex with different partners is a bad example of how they should behave sexually. Adolescents deal with peer pressure from their friends. The more adolescents are exposed to, the more likely they will experiment in order to fit in with their peers. Based on my interviews and the following studies that have been conducted, the sexual content in the media is not only impacting the adolescents, but it also impacts society. â€Å"According to Cultivation Theory, television is the most powerful storyteller in the culture, one that continually repeats the myths and ideologies, the facts and patterns of relationships that define and legitimize the social order. According to the cultivation hypothesis, a steady dose of television, over time, acts like the pull of gravity toward an imagined center. This pull results in a shared set of conceptions and expectations about reality among otherwise diverse viewers† (Gerbner, Gross, Morgan, Signorelli, 1994). â€Å"Tests of the hypothesis have found, for example, that junior and senior high school students who frequently viewed daytime soap operas were more likely than those who watched less often to believe that single mothers have relatively easy lives, have good jobs, and do not live in poverty† (Larson, 996). â€Å"Exposure to stereotypical images of gender and sexuality in music videos has been found to increase older adolescents acceptance of nonmarital sexual behavior and interpersonal violence† (Greeson Williams, 1986; Kalof, 1999). â€Å"Heavier television viewers also have been found to have more negative attitudes toward remaining a virgin† (Courtright Baran, 1980). â€Å"Others have shown that prolonged exposure to erotica leads to exaggerated estimates of the prevalence of more unusual kinds of sexual activity (e. g. group sex, sadomasochistic practices, bestiality), less expectation of sexual exclusivity with partners, and apprehension that sexual inactivity constitutes a health risk† (Zillmann, 2000). â€Å"In one experimental study, college student who were exposed to about 5 hours of sexually explicit films over 6 weeks were more likely than a control group to express increased callousness toward women and trivialize rape as a criminal offense† (Zillmann Bryant, 1982). â€Å"Two correlational studies have found relationships between the frequency of television viewing and initiation of intercourse in samples of high school students. However, because these were only cross-sectional analyses, it was not possible to say with certainty which came firstthe TV viewing or the sexual behavior† (Brown Newcomer, 1991; Peterson, Moore, Furstenberg, 1991). Adolescents are easily influenced and unfortunately many adolescents have entertainers as their idols. Unfortunate again, is that many of the teen idols have sold out to the entertainment industry and promote their sexuality in order to sell their product. The type of sexual behavior exhibited by the music industry has great potential to influence the adolescent that is being overly exposed to this type of media. The media has taken an aggressive form of sexual explicitness. The adolescent of the past is no longer the adolescent of today. In the fact, that the adolescent of today is exposed to sexual content in a myriad of media. Adolescents that are exposed to media infiltrated with sexual content may tend to act out what they see. The social norm for sexuality has shifted and desensitization is occurring. This is evident based on the high sexual content in today’s media. Adolescents are challenged with their hormones and peer pressure. They do not need to be exposed to sexual content and further add to their challenges. One of the motives for intercourse in the adolescent is peer pressure, in the form of wanting to be recognized and wanting to be like their peers. With these motives, more pressure from the music videos, television, magazines and the internet are a detriment to the adolescent. It is imperative the parents keep an open line of communication with their adolescent, as it has been proven that the more the adolescent is informed about their sexuality by their parents, then the less likely the adolescent will fall prey to negative sexual behavior. I have friends that are about my age that have three children. They had their children earlier in their marriage, thus their children are older than mine. In sharing, the couple told me that they talk to their kids about everything including sex. They have shared their personal dating experiences with their children. What was interesting to me is that the husband shared that he showers his daughters with love, gifts and takes them on dates. He explained that with the way the world is today and the way young boys are not being taught how to treat a young lady, he wanted to be sure that he personally showed his daughters how they should be treated. His demonstration is first with his wife and then with them in conversation and taking them out. He opens the doors for them and points out how they should not allow themselves to be treated by a man. This was interesting to me because my thought is that if adolescent daughters had a father or male figure in her life exemplifying how a man should treat women, she would be confident as she got older and be able to easily identify the young men who were only interested in her only for sex. When his oldest daughter was a senior in high school, he purchased her a diamond ring and placed it on her wedding ring finger. He explained to her that whoever proposes to her had to at least match what he put on her finger. The wife told me that she explained to both of their daughters how precious they are. She explained to them that diamonds are precious and forever and that what was between their legs was â€Å"better than a diamond†. She told them that the person they chose to give their â€Å"better than a diamond† to should know how to take care of a precious gem and that it should be forever. This is one example of how communication can take place with adolescents to assist them with their self esteem and self worth. Communication is essential to combat the pressures experienced by adolescents. Having high self esteem and self worth will assist in transforming the mind of the adolescent into knowing that being exposed to the media’s high sexual content is not conducive to staying above the teen sexual statistics. Communication was a key factor in the interviews I conducted. In conclusion of â€Å"Media and Adolescent Sexuality†, part of the adolescent development is the formation of sexual beliefs and patterns of behavior. During this development period the adolescent is very impressionable and the information they receive from various means (parents, family members, friends, teachers, the community and the media, etc. ) is what the adolescent uses to develop their personal sexual beliefs and personal patterns of behavior. There have been research and studies conduct to show that media impacts adolescent sexuality. In my opinion, children have greater opportunity of being influenced to whatever they are exposed to, be it positive or negative behavior. In the bible Proverbs 22:6 says â€Å"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it† (Nelson, Thomas Inc. (1997). What we teach our children is the way they should go, thus it is imperative to teach the adolescent what is right and maintain open communication with them ensuring that the right information regarding human sexuality is shared, otherwise the adolescent will form their behaviors based on the information they receive and with media being a large part of our society they will be exposed to sexual content in a large amount of their everyday lives.