18th Century English Poetry Essay

Eighteenth century poetry consisted of several types of literature including ode, elegy, epistle, verse tale, hymn, song ballad and epigram. This period is frowned upon by critics who compare the context of this era to that of another. They claim Eighteenth century poetry is considered frivolous because often times the content lacked a true essence that poetry upheld for many centuries. Perhaps this is true, for the times of this period were changing and people were facing greater hardships in their daily lives. Melancholy plagued those who were greatly concerned with social ills which may explain the presence of abstract and satiric themes that were heavily prevalent. Perspectives evolved from the Renaissance period into Neoclassicism where individuals became secondary and a greater emphasis on the straight forward mechanics of poetry existed ( Rowles). Although there were many artist noted among this genre of poetry, William Blake established himself as a simple yet dramatic writer who used irony, naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve subjects, and traditional ballad structure to baffle the many readers to come( Norton p. 2264). William Blake wrote â€Å"The Chimney Sweeper† of â€Å"Songs of Innocence† in 1789. This poem is about young children who whose families were unable to care for them financially, therefore sent to work in English mines during the 18th century. These boys were often sold to master sweepers and in turn were treated inhumanely ( Arp and Johnson p.117). Blake took this harsh treatment of human life to reveal serous social criticism of his European society. Their heads were shaved bare to prevent black soot from soiling their hair and often suffered from serious diseases. Now, one can understand why Blake’s work was frowned upon by aristocracies and often viewed as insane as he strongly disapproved and openly dissented the social welfare programs in his country (Norton p.2268). There is no identifiable audience except for those that hear the third line of the first stanza, â€Å"‘weep! ‘weep! ‘weep! ‘weep!† in the streets of England. This is interpreted as a child’s attempt to sing â€Å"Sweep! Sweep!,† which was the chimney sweeper’s street cry. There are two ideas which evolve throughout â€Å"the Chimney Sweeper†. Depending on one’s outlook, the first possibility is that Blake is stating no matter how detrimental life becomes, no matter how bad the church (government/law) is; one will be with God after death. Sadly children are celebrating the morality of this concept. The idea is if these children continue to work hard, eventually life will resume in the peaceful heavens. This is revealed through a dream the little boy had when, â€Å"an Angel who had a bright key†¦opened the coffins and set them all free.† The last stanza completes this thought by stating, â€Å"Though the morning was cold, Tom was happy and warm, so if all do their duty they need not fear harm.† The other possibility is a negative-toned belief that children are conned into accepting their lives as slaves for adults. Either way, these boys are mocked by their naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve states (Arp 117). Blake’s use of dramatic irony is shining bright as he deliberately creates a cheerful sound for six stanzas while simultaneously developing a drastically different meaning. Ironically, this poem shows that children succumb to a positive perspective on life and do not fear death for they are too young to understand the realm of the situation. In the first two lines, Blake gives us an image of a child in a state of agony or even in a state of corruption as he is left all alone with no parents. However, after a night full of merry dreams the boy wakes up feeling â€Å"happy and warm.† This leads the reader to believe life continues with no worries instead of completing the story with a boy whose future is bleak and laborious. Perhaps, although I doubt, Blake would desire the reader to believe that anyone has the ability to be content with a depleted life so long as his/her dreams fulfill that empty space. Blake uses the image of two colors to represent the simplicity of this picture. The color black which holds significant importance as it is used to represent death and corruption. Black is the color of the boy’s coffins in the little boy’s dream. The color black is also referenced to the soot which is filth that covers the boys as they perform their daily chores. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the color white represents purity and angelic-like spirit. The eighth line, Tom’s hair is white before his head is shaved. At this point, Tom is compared to feeble lamb, a symbol of the ultimate sacrificial animal, as he cries when his head becomes bare. And similar to biblical stories, Tom is â€Å"naked and white† when the angels carry him off to heaven where God will be his father. Blake creates an allusion by giving the reader a peace of mind while using God as a symbol for safety and care (Norton p. 2268). There is no discernible meter for the poem, the beats jump anywhere from eight to twelve, with no repetition or pattern found. The â€Å"Chimney Sweeper† tone sounds very much like a nursery rhyme. Similar to â€Å"Rock-A-Bye-Baby†, the sounds are sweet an innocent, but if you read the words, â€Å"when the bow break, the cradle will fall† the words are quite disturbing. Like the dramatic irony established in this poem, tone presents itself as two-dimensional, sounding soft but actually disheartening. Williams Blake writes an excellent poem in my opinion; he used terms and ideas that we have studied in this course such as irony, symbolism and allusion. Although his language is simple rather than manipulating complicated words that Shakespeare prefers, I find his style easier to evaluate. Please do not get the wrong idea, by easy I mean a better understanding. Old world writers are fascinating, but often times are too difficult to comprehend, much less interpret. Not only did I learn about 18th century poetry, I also gained knowledge of Europe social ills of the time. Woks Cited Arp, Thomas, and Greg Johnson. Sound and Sense: An introduction to Poetry. 10th Ed. Heinle & Heinle: Boston, MA, 2002 Hugo, Howard, and Patricia M. Spacks. â€Å"Revolution and Romanticism in Europe and America.† The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Maynoard Mack. New York City, NY: W.W. Norton & Co. 1997. 2264 & 2268. Rowles, Kelly. â€Å"Overview of 18th Century Poetry.† New Jersey, 2004. Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Aug. 2004

Love at First Sight Essay

Love at First Sight Writing Sample Once upon a time there was a girl. One day she saw a boy she’d never met across a crowded room. Their eyes locked: she froze in her tracks, her face stuck in awe. Her blood ran cold; her fingers began to tingle as a shiver ran through her entire body. 8.2 seconds later the boy flashed her a beaming smile. His expression injected a flood of warmth into her fragile heart and her mouth involuntarily turned up to return the gesture. She didn’t know how or why but she knew at that moment that this boy was the one. This is the true and universal story of a phenomenon known as love at first sight. When I was a child I used to shamble after my mom around the house asking her â€Å"Mommy, what’s it like to be in love?† she always sat me down and answered â€Å"It’s nothing I can explain, sweetie, you’ll know it when you feel it†. How could this be? How could an experience be so complex it can’t be described in words? How on earth could this happen with one look? Science says it’s simple: it’s all in our biological makeup. In a recent article published in Psychology Today; John R. Buri, Ph.D. describes that when we experience an â€Å"instant attraction† neurotransmitter chemicals are released into our nervous system stimulating a powerful â€Å"physiological arousal†. But how far does this stimulant take us? We all know what it’s like to encounter a â€Å"hot† boy or girl on any regular day but this exciting meeting is usually easily forgotten and rarely affects us in any way besides providing topic of conversation among friends (â€Å"Have you seen that new cashier? He is fine! And he totally checked me out today†). Some may say that this brief glitch of pleasure is all that will ever result from a first meeting, but stories all around us attest to something greater. A submission to the PBS segment â€Å"American Love Stories† reads â€Å"I met my husband in an emergency room while he was doing a medical school rotation. I was being  treated for a migraine headache. From twenty-five feet away and despite numerous interruptions, including my pain, our eyes locked, and we married a little over a year later.† This is just one of the tales that pop-up all around us converting the emotionally willing to hopeless romance. The question we must ask, though, is how much of this phenomenon is rooted in fairytales and how much is it rooted in science? In an experiment recently conducted by Cornell University on a sample of fruit flies, female fruit flies were able to sense, upon first encounter, males of the same species that were genetically capable of producing more offspring with them than other males that weren’t. The scientists explained this result by concluding that the female flies were innately â€Å"wired for love† and â€Å"the chemicals and proteins needed for their response [were] already in place, without the need for new genes to be activated†. Though there are differences between the genetics in humans and fruit flies, the same principles may apply. Clara Moskowitz, author of the article â€Å"Love at First Sight Might be Genetic†, refers to an experiment where humans were more attracted to the scents emitted from T-shirts that were not of those who were genetically related to them, proving that human bodies have a natural instinct that prevents inbreeding and is able to â€Å"senseâ₠¬  their better match. It’s hard to imagine the amazing complexity of the human mind and feelings but a lot of people put all of their faith or belief into something they can’t even see or understand. In the article â€Å"Love at First sight† Psychology today reveals that approximately 60% of Americans believe in love at first sight. This might be due to the fact that over 50% said they have experienced it. Whether or not one â€Å"believes† in love at first sight, it’s no question that humans are scientifically capable of it. Our culture is surrounded by the magical idea of true love and impossibly romantic fairytales that seem too good to be true; but maybe the reason these stories seem so out of reach is because they have an outrageous take on relationships and the circumstances in which they develop. So what is love? A romantic duet in a pond under a star-sprinkled sky? A brave, handsome prince rescuing a gorgeous, innocent damsel in distress from a fire-breathing dragon? A happily ever after? Most would have a hard time defining something as mysterious as love, but with the burst of technology in the last decade, scientists have uncovered explanations for more than ever thought possible. Judith Newman investigates her heart out in the Parade Article â€Å"The Science of Love†, breaking down the concept into three chemicals in the brain that each contribute to a different piece of the love puzzle. The first, dopamine, is connected to the addictive feeling of pleasure one may feel around someone they love. Norepinphrine, the second neurotransmitter released, causes the jitters and nerves that result from being in love. The third, Serotonin, balances out the norepinphrine by releasing a calming chemical into the brain. These three transmitters release enough â€Å"mix of emotions† into the body to cause the sensation we know as love. As scientists discover more and more about humans, more and more is revealed about how we were biologically constructed to find a life-long partner. And if love really is just a release of fancy brain chemicals, it’s likely that they can work fast enough to be triggered at first sight; we are pretty smart after all. To make the claim that love is all mental is, well, plain mental; yet to say it is scientifically impossible is just as crazy. It’s plain to see that love happens all around us and most importantly when we’re not expecting it. Not everything can be explained by science, even when it comes to biological instinct, but sometimes a simple meeting of the eyes or a flash of a genuine smile explains it all. Works Cited 1. Love, Home /. â€Å"Love at First Sight, Blind to the Future.† PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. . 2. Moskowitz, Clara. â€Å"Love at First Sight Might Be Genetic | LiveScience.† Live Science. 08 Apr. 2009. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. . 3. Buri, Ph.D, John R. â€Å"Love At First Sight.† Psychology Today. 16 Feb. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. . 4. Newman, Judith. â€Å"The Science of Love.† Parade 12 Feb. 2012: 9+. Print

Statement of Purpose for TESOL Master's degree Essay

Statement of Purpose for TESOL Master's degree - Essay Example These are the primary reasons for my selection of this noble and important field. Certainly, I have a great vision for the future. I envision the world where all students would be able to communicate effectively in a standard language. Therefore, my ultimate goal is to become an efficient and effective teacher primarily for students learning English as a second language. I was lucky to have been born in U.S and therefore, my language foundation is good. However, I have experienced the challenges of second language learners when I went back to my native country. The teachers could not teach effectively since they had problems in pronunciation due to poor background in English. I have invested a lot in my education and my graduate qualifications can attest to that. I still wish to continue investing in myself until I become nurtured enough to impart the knowledge to others. I am deeply motivated and encouraged to achieve my objectives of making English easy and interesting to learn for second language learners. Although there are many challenges along the way, I have not relented on pursuing my dreams. I have worked in a bank as a banker. Actually, I got a promotion to a well-paying position within the bank but declined the offer and came back to U.S to realize my objectives. Education is not primarily about money but an inner and strong drive to make life simpler and easier for the society. Therefore, I am not driven by money but by a strong passion. I believe that the gratification that comes with assisting students in learning cannot be quantified with anything. My parents have been a great motivation and have accorded me all the support I need. They are still willing to support me to the end since they believe in me and believe that I have what it takes to realize my noble dream. Needless to say, my professional aspirations are indeed great. Therefore, I need a good university that will equal my passion

Environmental economics. Article review 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Environmental economics. Article review 4 - Essay Example This was done by monitoring their presence in automobile filters. Furthermore, it is checked using rain water which may contain the isotopes. It has been a great worry to most researchers, scientists and writers at large. Therefore thorough checking in all possible components in the environment that can be contaminated is analyzed. Food is one such an area of major concern to these interested parties (Smith1 et al, 2014). Analysis of the samples suspected to contain heavy metals and isotopes is done using spectroscopy techniques. During analysis of the dangerous rays and substances, safety measures are taken into account to avoid accidents. For instance, shielding against cosmic rays is done. Air sampling is carried out using an air sampler to assist in determination of gamma emitting fission products from the site of occurrence. This is done with high efficiency while observing safety. Filter exchange is also done after a period of about twenty four hours. First findings indicated that Half-life of Iodine isotopes were 8 days for that with atomic number 131 and for that with atomic number of 132 took 2.3 hours. These findings were essential for establishment of a sample gamma spectrum that could give a good visual representation of findings. However, that alone is not sufficient and other sources of samples have to be considered. Therefore automobile air filters come into play. Priority is given to analysis of sample deemed to release radio isotopes that have the capability to harm or affect people. The technique aims at measuring airborne contamination degree (Smith1 et al, 2014). Samples up to about one thousand two hundreds are used to ascertain the level of available radio isotopes. They are estimated using an odometer or through monitoring of fuel consumption of the vehicles. Screening helps the researchers to get alerts of any possible contaminants. This sets the area apart and gives a

Obesity is increasingly referred to as a global epidemic. Discuss the Essay

Obesity is increasingly referred to as a global epidemic. Discuss the causes and consequences of, and possible solutions to this - Essay Example The BMI of an individual is calculated from the proportion of their body height and weight. It’s a statistical calculation that can be done even with the use of a calculator as long as you have your exact height and weight information. A BMI reading of above 25 is also an indication of overweight that if not looked at may develop into obesity. The point of accessing the information about your body weight as easily as through dialing a calculator is to help people get easy access and use the information effectively. Obesity is an epidemic that is at a very fast rate spreading throughout the world. The first study to calculate the impact on the environment of growing waistlines has estimated that the adult human population weighs in at 287 million tons, 15 million of which is due to the overweight and 3.5 million due to obesity (Gray 2012). Thus a lot of emphasis should be put in addressing this epidemic before the condition gets worse. This paper therefore examines this global epidemic; the causes and consequences, and possible solutions. CAUSES Obesity occurs when energy intake from food and drink consumption is greater than energy expenditure through the body’s metabolism and physical activity over a prolonged period, resulting in the accumulation of excess body fat (Public Health England 2013). It, just like any other condition or disease has its causes that can be looked into and avoided or precluded in our day to day lives. Such a risky health condition if not well treated and addressed can be fatal and even lead to death. Its causes are; too much eating of high calorie food, living in too much comfort with little physical exercise, medical reasons and lifestyle choice (NHS Choices 2013). This are causes that can be avoide since they involve our day to day lives and activities. They are actions that an individual can make do with or without as long they have the will and motivation to always keep fit and healthy. Eating too much food that has high callorie is a habit that is developed as people grow. Callories are the energy content that is available in a specific diet and measures its value thereof. Foods such as hamburger, fries can add a lot of calories to the body if consumed in large amounts, and it is therefore paramount that they are kept in check. The average physically active man needs 2,500 calories to maintain a healthy weight, and the average physically active woman needs 2,000 (NHS Choices 2013). The large amounts should be distributed among the different food types that have the different nutritious values, and not to just starch or protein foods alone. Lifestyle choice is also another cause of obesity and can as easily be kept in check to avoid this condition just like the others. People tend to envy and enjoy lives that are to the human eye perfect but in actual sense not balanced at all. Obesity depends of fat deposits that take quite some time to accumulate is hence it develops gradually in a person and not in one day. Living a lifestyle that is stylish of; fast food regularly, too much alcohol, too much sugary food and dessert eventually leads to increase in weight (NHS Choices 2013). This is especially if these are taken in large quantities and in almost every meal of the day. The excess that is in the body and of no nutritious value get deposited to the adipose tissues in the body and become fats that bring about overweight and then obesity. Such a lifestyle

Strategies for People Management Case Study Essay

Strategies for People Management Case Study - Essay Example The immediate problem concerns a production worker who was found inebriated (in a drunken state) in the locker room during her Friday night shift. The supervisor was not sure whether she could ask the nurse to request the employee to submit to a test for alcohol but the problem was solved when the employee said that she had taken a coffee flask filled with Vodka into the factory and had, progressively as the night shift wore on, drunk her way through its contents until she was no longer capable of standing. Luckily she had lain down on a bench in the locker room and fallen asleep; where her supervisor had found her. The consequences of the production worker falling whilst on the production-floor were unthinkable. Her supervisor had dealt with the immediate problem proficiently; calling in the duty nurse who made sure the employee was safe and stable in the company infirmary before arranging transport home. The production worker was handed over to her partner as dawn was breaking and a letter was left advising her, the production worker, not to return to work on her normal Monday morning early shift but to report to the Production Manager’s office at 3 p.m. this afternoon. Clearly the production manager wishes you to advise her on how she should handle the immediate situation but there is also a wider concern because you are aware that the company does not have either a strategy or policy on alcohol or similar abuse in the workplace. Your task is to: a. Decide how you will advise the production manager how she would proceed when she meets with the employee this afternoon. b. Prepare a paper which addresses the longer term strategy and policy issues which the case has brought to light. You are shocked when some initial research from a CIPD report on Drugs and Alcohol abuse highlights that: â€Å". . . The bare facts on alcohol consumption and drug use in the UK are

Civilization and Its Discontents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Civilization and Its Discontents - Essay Example This shows that Civilization and its Discontents is a great contributor to the Western culture’s literature. Freud commences his reflections with ruminations based on religious values, and tries to bring out responses to the question as to why human beings are possessed with the feeling of being with the passion of construction, oceanic feelings. An in-depth understanding of the reasons as to why Freud describes this type of feeling as oceanic gives two separate explanations: he intended to establish the view of the superstitions, infantile and mystical religious ways which civilization defines as valuable while based on religious thought, and; the scientific, analytic, and rational ways. An assumption made by Freud in this situation is that the entire method of civilization is based on human’s conscious analyses of the motives of human life that are not trustworthy, and that people do adopt analytical attitudes and methods which as a result lead to a truer, a healthier understanding of the motives, high levels of consistency, and a summary giving a brief on why and how people do it. The common human characteristics is that people have the notion of religion which they hold so dearly and use it to organize their actions and value-systems, though their grounds for this religion value, based on scrutiny, resulted into being explicable through unconscious psychic drivers and processes. Chapter two of the same book shows how the fact that religion exists is an illustration and a manifestation of infantile origins of human beings in the seeking of a father figure to secure them against the world’s pains and depression. Further still, this depicts that civilization has an immensely deep and systematic discontents in the human life, for without them, region would not be a thing of practice since there would be no need for it in eternity. On the contrary, though, there is need for religion since life as it is found by human is quite hard as it brin gs too much pain, impossible tasks, and disappointments. Therefore, for the purpose of keeping by it, human cannot dispense with such palliative measures (Freud, S., 2002, p. 23). These measures are threefold; deflection of needs, intoxicants, and substitutions for needs. To expound on this, Freud moves on to elaborate on the main purpose of life, overhauled in religion. He, in his own perspective, sees no cosmic purpose to the human life but sees an internal psychic purpose upon which anyone’s psychic economy is based, as the pursuit of happiness or experience of pleasure. Pleasure principle is denoted by an individual’s imperative towards the pursuit of pleasure, but the minds pursuit of happiness being in loggerheads with the entire world’s happenings. Religion plays an important role of trying to restrict people’s efforts by continuously imposing its moral codes upon people who are naturally characterized to have different ways of trying to negotiate their ways to happiness, even though, the project may entirely experience drawbacks.  

Persuasive presentation against capital punishment Essay

Persuasive presentation against capital punishment - Essay Example However, while serving the cause of justice in such cases, it would be utterly inappropriate for a society to momentarily do away with the set social, moral, ethical and religious values accrued over centuries and generations, to turn into some sort of a collective predator, savagely taking the life of a culprit in the name of justice. Society has to punish crime, but it ought to do so without tempering with the quintessentially human values and aspirations (Bedau, 1977). Capital punishment do punishes a criminal, but at the same time it also deprives a society with a measure of its humanity and restraint. Capital punishment is based on the principle of â€Å"an eye for an eye†, which is totally savage, anachronistic and inhuman in its approach and scope. Society should punish the hardcore and incorrigible criminals, but for doing so it does not need to stoop to the level of the murderers in intends to punish. There is no denying the fact that capital punishment is usually awarded to deviant people guilty of committing the rarest of the rare crimes. In that context, the capital punishment is not pragmatic in the sense that it extends to a criminal an easy way out (Zimring, 2003, p. 145). The pain inflicted by capital punishment on a criminal is only momentary. In contrast, the saner substitutes like life imprisonment are more stringent and rigorous in their practical implications (Zimring, 2003, p. 145). The torture of being deprived of one’s liberty, comfort, rights and social support system for years is certainly a worse torture for a hardcore criminal than the clean break allowed for by a death sentence. Thus, life imprisonment, realistically speaking is more potent and valid a deterrent to crime and a suitable expression of social repudiation for a serious crime, as compared to a capital sentence. Besides, life imprisonment and

Is There One Best Way to Structure an Organisation Essay Example for Free

Is There One Best Way to Structure an Organisation Essay Organisation is an entity in which people work together to accomplish a set of goals. Organisations have certain pattern of activities, that is, structures. There is no best way to structure an organisation, since the structure is always adapted to best serve the functions of the organisation. The optimal organisational structure is contingent upon both internal (such as strategy, size, and technology) and external situations (such as external environment) – this is referred to as ‘Contingency Theory’. Based on the academic articles as well as the empirical evidence provided, four contingency factors are covered to justify my position, including strategy, technology and innovation, environmental uncertainty, and size. Firstly, strategy is an important contingency of organisational structure. One of the most important features of an organisation is the goal. Organisations utilise different strategies to accomplish their goals, and a variety of organisation structures are adopted to best serve the strategies since an appropriate structure is critical to the effective strategy implementation. In the early 1960s, Chandler developed the contingency model which research on the strategy-structure relationship within companies (Qiu Donaldson 2010), he suggested that the optimal organisational structure is contingent on various factors, including the strategies (Pertusa-Ortega, Molina-AzorÄ ±n Claver-Cortes 2010). In the 1970s, the structural contingency model was extended to multinational corporations (MNCs) (Qiu Donaldson 2010). Based on the research since then, Qiu and Donaldson (2010) constructed the Cubic Contingency Model which incorporates the previous models to propose the structure-strategy fits for nine MNC structures. The nine structures fit for different levels of contingent strategies which mean that the design of the structure of an organisation is highly contingent on the organisation’s strategies. Since the organisation’s strategies are never stagnant and are always adapt to accomplish its goal, there can never be a best structure for an organisation. Pertusa-Ortega, Molina-AzorÄ ±n and Claver-Cortes (2010) approached the relationship between strategy and structure from a different angle – resource-based view (RBV). They argued that organisational structures should be considered as a resource for the development of strategies and a source of competitive advantage. Although this approach differs from Chandler’s, it reinforces the strong connection between strategy and structure that organisational structure influences the competitive strategies. As competitive strategy is constantly adapted to the latest goals of the organisation, the structure needs to be varied accordingly, thus there is not a best structure. Technologies and innovations are important to the organisational process of converting inputs into outputs, thus it is also an important contingency of the organisational structure. Firms adapt their structures to the technology or innovation activity they utilise. Leiponen and Helfat (2011) conducted studies to examine the relationship between the innovation activity and the organisational structure of a company, namely, RD. They examined the two conflicting perspectives on the best structure (centralisation or decentralisation) under which RD was able to achieve greater innovation output. According to knowledge-based view, decentralisation is more effective for updating existing technology as well as acquiring new sources of knowledge. On the other hand, organisational economics argues that centralisation reduces the cost of communication and coordination, thus improves the innovation output. Leiponen and Helfat (2011) incorporated both literatures and concluded that decentralisation served imitative innovation better, whereas centralisation led to greater new-to-market innovation output. Leiponen and Helfat’s research effectively proves that the organisational structures are contingent on technology and innovation; since organisations’ technology and innovation activities differ by their degree of standardisation, there is no best way to structure an organisation. Another contingent factor of organisational structures is the environment. â€Å"Contingency theory holds that individual organisations need to adapt to their internal and external environments in order to survive and thrive† (Qiu and Donaldson 2010, p. 81). Managerial discretion is highly dependent on the organisation’s environment and its level of uncertainty (Ferner et al. 2011). The uncertainty of environment requires high level of flexibility within an organisation. Ferner et al. (2011) examined the relationship between span of control and the organisation’s external and internal environment. Based on the empirical data collected, they made several observations. One of the observation stated that variables such as nationality (external environment) and product standardisation (internal environment) affect the degree of central control in multinational companies. US ownership features with relative centralised control of HR in subsidiaries and standardisation of product tend to cause less subsidiary discretion. These studies reflect the close relationship between external and internal environment and the organisational structure. Furthermore, a research conducted by Nandakumar, Ghobadian and O’Regan (2010) indicated the relationships between the environmental dynamism and the business strategy as well as the organisational structure. They observed that highly dynamic environment favoured the cost-leadership strategy with organic structure whereas lower dynamism favoured the differentiation strategy with mechanistic structure. Thus the structure of an organisation is always adapted to the environment, and there is no best structure. Moreover, the size is another contingency variable influencing the design of organisational structure. Organisations with smaller size tend to be more organic and flexible whereas those with large size have more bureaucracy involved (Bradshaw 2009); larger organisations usually have mechanistic structure with more specialisation, centralisation and departmentalisation. Bradshaw (2009) examined several contingency factors of non-profit organisational structure, including age, size, strategy, environmental stability and so on. Based on the empirical data collected, the size along with organisational age is identified as factors to determine the organisation lifecycle (from founding to mature). Generally, the greater age means greater formalisation and the larger size means a more elaborate organisation structure. Thus, it can be concluded that the organisational structure is also contingent on the organisational size. As size varies according to the companies’ type and strategy, there is no best way to structure an organisation. In conclusion, there is no best way to structure an organisation. The optimal organisational structure is contingent upon various factors including strategy, innovation, environment and size. Due to the variance among organisations in terms of these contingency factors, the structures of different organisations vary. Furthermore, the dynamic nature of the internal and external environment of organisations means that the structure of any organisation is always adapted to best serve its goals. Bibliography Bradshaw, P. 2009, ‘A Contingency Approach to Nonprofit Governance’, Nonprofit Management Leadership, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 61-81, viewed 18 March 2012, [EBSCO host / Business Source Premier]. Ferner, A., Tregaskis, O., Edwards, P., Edwards, T., Marginson, P., Adam, D., Meyer, M. 2011, ‘HRM structures and subsidiary discretion in foreign multinationals in the UK’, International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 483-509. Leiponen, A., Helfat, C.E. 2011, ‘Location, decentralization, and knowledge sources for innovation’, Organization Science, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 641-658. Nandakumar, M.K., Ghobadian, A., O’Regan, N. 2010, ‘Business-level strategy and performance: The moderating effects of environment and structure’, Management Decision, vol. 48, no. 6, pp. 907- 939, viewed 18 March 2012, [ProQuest Central / Business Source Premier]. Pertusa-Ortega, E.M., Molina-Azorin, J.F.; Claver-Cortes, E. 2010, ‘Competitive strategy, structure and firm performance. A comparison of the resource-based view and the contingency approach’, Management Decision, vol. 48, no. 8, pp. 1282-1303. Qiu, J. Donaldson, L. 2010, ‘The Cubic Contingency Model: Towards a more comprehensive international strategy-structure model’, Journal of General Management, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 81-100.

Influence of Childhood Aerobic Fitness: Learning and Memory

Influence of Childhood Aerobic Fitness: Learning and Memory STUDENT NAME: Saghar Ahmadi DIRECTIONS: Please follow the Assessment 2 instructions carefully. Type your answers straight into this document. USE APA STYLE REFERENCING TO PROVIDE DETAILS OF YOUR ARTICLE HERE (2 MARKS): Raine, L. B., Lee, H. K., Saliba, B. J., Chaddock-Heyman, L., Hillman, C. H., Framer, A. F. (2013). The Influence of Childhood Aerobic Fitness on Learning and Memory. PLoS ONE, 8(9). Doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0072666 DESCRIBE THE MAIN PURPOSE OR PROBLEM PRESENTED IN THIS ARTICLE (5 MARKS): The main purpose of the article was to determine whether aerobic fitness enhances learning abilities, specifically memory, on a task where participants were asked to remember and recall fictitious names and locations on a map (Raine et al., 2013). Multiple strategies and procedures were implemented to better see and understand how fitness affects learning (Raine et al., 2013). This purpose was brought about through research which indicated a link between physically inactive children and certain health issues, such as being overweight, as well as decreased cognitive abilities, in terms of tasks pertaining to perception, memory and cognition (Raine et al., 2013). LIST THE HYPOTHESES OR RESEARCH QUESTIONS (5 MARKS): It was hypothesized that, in difficult situations, children who took part in physical exercise would have enhanced memory and learning (Raine et al., 2013). Also, the researchers proposed that the results would show when the enhancement of memory and learning occurs; it could either be during initial learning, retention or both (Raine et al., 2013). DESCRIBE WHETHER THIS RESEARCH COULD BE CLASSIFIED AS â€Å"LABORATORY† OR â€Å"FIELD† RESEARCH (3 MARKS): Field research entails research taking place in a more uncontrolled ‘real world’ environment such as a zoo. For this reason, this research cannot be reasonably classified as field research and is therefore, laboratory research because it was conducted in controlled conditions in a facility (Raine et al., 2013). This can be seen through tests which participants underwent, such as the VO2max test which required a motorised treadmill (Raine et al., 2013). It can be assumed that the treadmill was used safely inside a facility. DESCRIBE THE SAMPLE THAT WAS USED IN THIS RESEARCH (5 MARKS): The sample originally consisted of forty-nine children, aged 9-10 (27 participants were females), however, one participant was excluded from the analysis so the number of participants in the end was forty-eight (Raine et al., 2013). DESCRIBE THE TYPES OF METHODS THAT WERE USED (5 MARKS): On day 1, after giving consent, the legal guardians and participants completed a series of questionnaires, including the: Pre Participation Health Screening, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Rating Scale IV, health history questionnaire, a demographics questionnaire and the Modified Tanner Staging System (Raine et al., 2013). The last test the participants completed is the maximal oxygen consumption test which tested their fitness levels and determined if they qualified for the study (Raine et al., 2013). The data was then compiled and evaluated relative to the age and gender of participants (Raine et al., 2013). If participants scored above the 70th percentile for their respective age and gender then they were classified as HF – High Fit, and those below the 30th percentile were considered LF – Low fit (Raine et al., 2013). Participants scoring in between those two scores were excluded from the study (Raine et al., 2013). On day 2 learning occurred (Raine et al., 2013). The participants were to remember the four letter names of 10 regions on two different fictitious maps (20 regions across both maps), using two different learning strategies – study only (SO) and test study (TS) (Raine et al., 2013). The participants were randomly placed in the four groups and explanations were provided regarding each learning strategy (Raine et al., 2013). The participants were allowed to practice on a separate sample map (using an iPad) and ask any questions (Raine et al., 2013). The SO group began by looking at the names of the regions on the map for 3 seconds each, then trying to remember whatever they could (Raine et al., 2013). After this, the SO learning strategy occurred wherein participants had 6 seconds to tap on the region name located correctly on the map (Raine et al., 2013). This was done for all the regions 6 times (Raine et al., 2013). Each time, the participants were asked to remember the region names for the upcoming blocks and for the next day (Raine et al., 2013). The TS group, were also exposed to the region names for 3 seconds and asked to remember what they could of the map (Raine et al., 2013). They then went through the 10 regions 6 times, as the SO group did (Raine et al., 2013). Each time, the region names were displayed for 6 seconds, including a 4 second test phase and a 2 second study phase (Raine et al., 2013). In the test phase the participants were asked to tap on the map regions which corresponded to the region names, as the names were located outside of the regions (Raine et al., 2013). After this, the correct region name was displayed in the right location for 2 seconds—the study phase. Participants were asked to remember what they could regarding the region names for the next day (Raine et al., 2013). On day 3 the participants attempted to recall the region names through either undergoing a free recall test or a cued recall test (Raine et al., 2013). A free recall test included the participants being shown a blank map, on an iPad, with textboxes on each region which they were to name (Raine et al., 2013). Cued recall consisted of participants being shown the same blank map, however, they had the region names listed, like a word bank (Raine et al., 2013). The participants then wrote the region name in the textboxes on the map (Raine et al., 2013). DISCUSS THE RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THIS RESEARCH (5 MARKS): The results showed that firstly, in the test study (TS) condition, with every block, high fit (HF) participants had an increased accuracy percentage, in terms of correct answers as opposed to the low fit (LF) participants (Raine et al., 2013). Also, the TS condition yielded the most correct answers when recalling regions on the map, as opposed to the SO condition (Raine et al., 2013). In the TS condition, the HF group scored higher than the LF group (Raine et al., 2013). Also, HF and LF participants in the TS condition with cued recall proved to be the most efficient method which got the most percentage of answers correct on recall day (Raine et al., 2013). Therefore, based on these results it can be concluded that physical exercise does improve learning abilities as the HF participants scored on average higher, in both SO and TS conditions, than LF participants (Raine et al., 2013). However, the learning strategy as well as the type of recall also heavily impacts whether the participants will score better (Raine et al., 2013). In this particular case the test study strategy with cued recall produced a higher percentage of accurate answers (Raine et al., 2013). DESCRIBE YOUR OPINION OR REACTION TO THIS RESEARCH- BE CRITICAL IN AN OBJECTIVE AND SCIENTIFIC WAY (5 MARKS): Overall, I think it is a sound research paper. Firstly, in terms of ethics, the researchers obtained consent from the legal guardians of the children as they were underage and seeing as they may not have understood many of the questionnaires, the researchers made sure that their guardians completed them. Also, the researchers implemented particular methods so that that harm is minimised to the participants and so participants are able to better understand the research. For example, the OMNI scale was implemented whilst the children completed the VO2max test which allowed them to indicate to the researchers how tired they were based on pictures and participants were allowed to ask questions about anything they did not understand (Raine et al., 2013). Although the research stands to simply prove yet again that aerobic exercise is beneficial for learning and memory, it The only negatives are that in the sample size there is an uneven ratio of females to males and the age is restricted only to 9-10 year olds. This indicates that the results cannot be strictly generalised to the public because of the limited size and representation, however the basis of the results can be applied to those who are physically active.

Background To Spain And Sector Focused Tourism Essay

Background To Spain And Sector Focused Tourism Essay Spain is located in South-western Europe; Spain borders the North Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and Pyrenees Mountains. Spain is famous for its spectacular festivals for example, Bull fighting, carnivals, fiestas, delicious food, stunning beaches and glorious weather. Spain has the fifth largest economy within Europe and being the twelve large economy in the world. (Spain Country Brief) Spain is the biggest producer of Olive Oil and third biggest producer of Wine. Spain has also got the second biggest tourism industry in the world, which is Spains main source of income in terms of economics, which contributes nearly 11% of Spains GDP and employing around 2million people (Economy Watch). A definition of tourism is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environments for personal business/professional purposes (UNTWO: Understanding Tourism). Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world. Due to the development of jet aircraft this has allowed destinations in many countries to be developed across the globe, allowing tourism to grow significantly. Today people have more spare leisure time so people place much more value on holidays, travelling and experiencing visiting new destinations. (S, Page J, Connell, 2006). Definition of Tourism Demand: A definition of tourism demand from an economic approach is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The schedule of the amount of any product or service that people are willing and able to buy at each specific price in a set of possible prices during a specified period of time (Cooper, et al, 1998). It is important to monitor tourism demand because it is what can make a business suffer. For example, it is the total amount of people which stay in accommodation, how many people book flights, tickets into attractions, car hire, insurance and other ancillary service. If the demand is low and organisations dont monitor the demand then the tourism organisation can suffer. An example, is the tour operator Thomas Cook when they had to close around 200 stores and cut fleet because they had a net loss of  £521(million) (Bloomberg), Thomas Cook has also had to cut fleets to several destinations and cut five Spanish Hotels so they have had to buy thousands of seats and link with Easy Jet to make profit, they didnt mon itor the demand of tourist therefore are suffering now. Environment Analysis (PEST): The term PEST analysis has been used to describe the MACRO environment the PEST analysis includes political, economic, social-cultural and technological factors (D, Jobber), these factors are uncontrollable within organisations and the demand for travel. For example, political factors can determine whether people travel such as, foreign currency restrictions, regulations including paid holidays, pensions and working hours. Some economic factors that may result in demand for travel to be decreased include disposable income and employment, social-cultural factors include, cultural differences, social/cultural class and some technological factors include improvements in transport, online on how people now book holidays. These factors determine whether a tourist will want to travel, which again they may have no say in whether they can travel. An example from the PEST analysis that can determine whether a tourist travels to Spain is exchange rates and recession (under economics). The recession has recently been in the media about the recession in Spain. Spain and Greece are upon the countries in Europe that are being affected by the recession the worst which are leading to riots in many towns/cities within Spain. According to (The Money Updater Article), people in Spain have been forced to sell their homes or being evicted due to people of Spain not paying their bank loans due to rising unemployment and a reduction in benefits. In Spain it is said that 38 people have been arrested and 64 seriously injured. (The Money Updater). With riots occurring frequently this is going to put many tourists off travelling to Spain as it may be seen as a dangerous place to visit. Tourism is Spains second biggest industry accounting for 11% GDP, so Spain has to try and minimise political issues, so tourism can still be an appeal for inboun d tourist. Another reason which can determine whether tourist demand will increase or decrease is exchange rates. As many countries suffer due to the recession, many people do not have much disposable income than before so therefore exchange rates can determine whether a person will travel to Spain. In this economic climate the pound/euro against the dollar is weak, so this may put people of travelling to Spain and will opt to travel to America where they will get more value for money. When the pound and Euro are weak prices in everyday items increase including food/drink and people dont want to pay over the odd prices. When the pound and Euro are strong then people will travel to Spain because things become cheaper and it will make people want to travel. If people from the UK want to travel to Spain and exchange GBP and Euros of  £250.00 this will be converted to 307 Euros (XE: Currency Converter) the pound and euro is weak but travelling to Spain you still get more than you would travelling to the UK for a holiday where if you convert 250 Euros to GBP you will only get  £203 back which will not be appealing for tourist as they have lost money, so this may well be appealing for tourist wanting to travel to Spain because there money will go further. Key Determinants of Tourism Demand to Spain: There are many different types of determinants that determine whether a tourist will travel that link to the PEST analysis these include, price such as, recession, disposable income, inflation and exchange rates, transport development, online development, cultural factors, government restrictments such as VISA policies. The higher the product/service is the consumer is not likely to purchase and the lower demand is to travel, but the lower the price of the product the higher the demand will determine travel to that Spain. There are different types of demands which can determine whether a person will travel to Spain these include; effective or actual demand, these are tourists that actually do travel and can easily be measured. There is also supressed demand it is section of the population that do not wish to travel for some reason, even in the 20th century few people do not travel to international destinations but many people do participate in domestic tourism. There are two different types of elements these include potential demand; this could be mean that a person will want to travel to Spain or other destinations but due to different circumstances such as, not as much disposable income or work commitments they will opt to travel in the future and make plans for the future, but if circumstances change where they may get paid holidays and therefore opt to travel they may go into the effective demand category. Another category can include deferred demand, this considers environmental issues in a desti nation such as, lack of accommodation, weather conditions or terrorist activity, and those in the differed demand may opt to travel elsewhere or in the future. Finally, there is a demand called; no demand, where people just dont have no desire in travelling at all now or in the future, this can link to different social classes on for example the older generation may not have no desire to travel because of the cost of travel insurance and other expenses. (Cooper, et al, 1998) Recession is a key determinate that determines whether a person will travel to Spain. Why this effects people to travel or not to travel is because this may cause a person to be made unemployed or salary cuts or inflation rates (everyday items increasing) If the recession is effecting a person they may make future plans to travel when more paid holidays will be given or they have more disposable income. According to (ETN Global Travel Industry News), in 2009, Spains tourism declined by 10% and in 2008 30.2million people visited Spain but this decline by 10.3million in 2009 due to the recession and people not have any spare disposable income. Domestic tourism did increase, with more people taking frequent holidays and not travelling abroad, this may also be to do with recession too. Another factor that can determine whether a tourist will travel is weather conditions in Spain. The recession has hit people hard around the world, but luckily Spain has good weather, in the Spanish Islands such as Lanzarote where the weather is good all year round, because Spain has a good climate reaching highest temperatures of around 27-30 degrees in some parts of Spain which is appealing to tourists coming from countries with cold climates such as the UK, so they will pay for tourism product because of the climate. Another reason that can determine whether a tourist will travel to Spain is Travel TAX, this links to political factors on the PEST analysis. According to (BBC News, 2012), Tourist travelling to Spain may face extra Airport TAX, passengers have been emailed which say they have to pay extra additional costs even if they paid for their holiday well in advance. Spain have done this to cut deficit, but this is a factor that is definitely going to put tourist of travelling to Spain, airport tax is already expensive, tourist will opt to travel to Spain in the future or travel elsewhere. The budget airline Ryan Air is also considering cutting fleet to some of Spains airports. Another factor that determines whether a tourist will travel to Spain is transport development. The development of budget airlines has allowed people from all walks life rich or poor to travel there preferred destinations extremely cheaply. This will appeal to tourist as they can get flights extremely cheap to luxurious locations in Spain. Motivation of Demand to Spain: nzte: Spains Country Brief. Available: http://www.nzte.govt.nz/explore-export markets/europe/doing-business-in-spain/pages/spain-country-brief.aspx.Last accessed 3/12/12. Economy Watch: Tourism Industry. Available: http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/spain/industry-sector-industries.html.Last accessed 3/12/12. UNWTO: Understanding Tourism. Available: http://media.unwto.org/en/content/understanding-tourism-basic-glossary.Last accessed 3/12/12. S, Page and J, Connell (2006). Tourism a Modern Synthesis. 2nd ed. London: Cengage Learning EMEA. 4 C, Cooper, J, Fletcher, A, Fyall, D, Gilbert S, Wanhill (2004). Principles and Practises of Tourism. 2nd ed. London: Prentice Hall. 38 [A] C, Cooper, J, Fletcher, A, Fyall, D, Gilbert S, Wanhill (2004). Principles and Practises of Tourism. 2nd ed. London: Prentice Hall. 39. [B] This is Money Reporter. (2012). Book with Thomas Cook, fly with Easy Jet struggling package holiday giant to buy thousands of seats from budget airline. Available: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-2200617/Thomas-Cook-buy-thousands-seats-easyJet.html.Last accessed 4/12/12. Clementine Fletcher Armorel Kenna. (2011). Thomas Cook to close 200 U.K stores, cut fleet after loss. Available: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-14/thomas-cook-to-close-200-u-k-shops-cut-fleet-after-loss-2-.html. Last accessed 4/12/12. David Jobber (2007). Principles and Practises of Marketing. 5th ed. Berkshire: McGraw-Hil. 77. Jennifer. (2012). The Euro Zone Erupts with Rioting in Spain and Greece. Available: http://themoneyupdate.com/tag/riots-in-spain/. Last accessed 4/12/12. XE: Currency Converter. Available: http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert/?Amount=250From=EURTo=GBP. Last accessed 4/12/12 ETN Global Travel News. (2009). Spain Projects 10% Decline in Foreign Visitors. Available: http://www.eturbonews.com/11458/spain-projects-10-decline-foreign-visitors.Last accessed 4/12/12. BBC News. (2012). Tourist to Spain face extra airport TAX. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18720587.Last accessed 4/12/12.

F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

Crossing the porch where we had dined that June night three months before, I came to a small rectangle of light which I guessed was the pantry window. The blind was drawn, but I found a rift at the sill. Tom and Daisy were sitting across one another at the kitchen table. They were engaged in a conversation. Tom was talking intently across the table to Daisy with his hand covering her own, as she stared at the cold chicken that lay on the table. â€Å"Daisy, are you okay?† Tom asked her in a gentle tone. â€Å"Yes, I’m fine Tom. Why wouldn’t I be?† she replied after a moment. â€Å"Daisy, I saw some trouble on the road. George Wilson’s wife was killed. You know the fella that owns that garage? A car killed her. They described it as a new big yellow car. It was Gatsby’s car.† Daisy’s face was filled with fear as she slowly stood up and walked around the room. â€Å"She was†¦she was killed?† Daisy questioned in a trembling voice. After a moment, Daisy went to sit back in her chair and stared at the cold chicken that lay on the table again. She then faced Tom with a struggle to keep a convincing face. â€Å"Tom, it was an accident,† she finally said. â€Å"Now listen Daisy, I don’t want you seeing this Gatsby fella anymore. The coward didn’t even stop his car.† There was a sense of sadness in Tom’s eyes as he had said those words. Although Myrtle was killed, Tom was still very concerned about Daisy and Gatsby’s affair. â€Å"Daisy do you want to tell me what has been going on with you and Gatsby all this time?† Tom asked her. Daisy suddenly turned sharply at Tom, â€Å"speak for yourself Tom. What about your little affairs? How many times have you gone on one of your sprees?† I saw Tom as a hypocrite. Even though he was off having a shameless affair with Myrtle, he still condemns Daisy for having an affair with Gatsby. Daisy turned from Tom and began to sob, â€Å"did it ever come to your mind Tom that I need a little some love too?† Tom’s enormous masculine body rose and moved closer towards her. His powerful arms touched her affectionately and he said, â€Å"Daisy, you know that I love you. You’re worth a three hundred thousand dollar pearl necklace to me.† I could see that Tom and Daisy weren’t happy, but yet they weren’t unhappy either, and maybe they really did love each other.

The Pathogenesis of Down’s Syndrome Essay -- Science Medical Genetics

The Pathogenesis of Down’s Syndrome Down’s syndrome (DS) is the most common cause of mental retardation in the United States. It occurs with a frequency of one in 700 live births. The disease is caused by the presence of three copies of chromosome 21 as a result of chromosomal mutation (95% nondisjunction, 5% translocation) during cell division, leading to a total of 47 chromosomes instead of the normal number, 46. There are no individuals with the clinical signs of DS who do not have at least partial trisomy of chromosome 21. Conversely, there are no cases of people with trisomy 21 who do not have DS (Patterson, 1987). Patients suffer from a variety of physical and mental problems. Physically, the disease manifests itself in epicanthic folds of the eyes, flattened facial features, unusual palm creases, muscular flaccidity and short stature (Patterson, 1987). Many are born with congenital heart defects and increased risk for cataracts, leukemia and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to the anatomical abnorm alities, DS patients suffer from biochemical imbalances including elevated levels of purines - a condition that can by itself lead to neurological impairment, mental retardation, and immunodeficiencies. The life expectancy for DS patients is approximately 30 years. However, with advancing medical care and therapy more patients are living to the age of 50. All individuals with DS over the age of 35 develop the same kind of abnormal microscopic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain as people who die from Alzheimer’s disease, the major cause of presenile dementia. Although a vast amount of literature exists on DS, little is known about why the presence of an extra chromosome causes mental retardation. In addition to ... ...ogy and Experimental Neurology, 49: 509-518. Ferrer, I., Gullotta, F. (1990): Down’s Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease: Dendritic Spine Counts in the Hippocampus. Acta Neuropathol, 79: 680--685. Mann, D. M. A., Brown, A., Prinja, D., Davies, C. A., Landon, M., Masters, C. L., Beyreuthers, K. (1989): An Analysis of the Morphology of Senile Plaques in Down’s Syndrome Patients of Different Ages Using Immunocytochemical and Lectin Histochemical Techniques. Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology, 15: 317-329. Patterson, D. (1987): The Causes of Down Syndrome. Scientific American, 255: 52-60. Takashima, S., Ieshima, A., Nakamura, H., Becker, L. (1989): Dendrites, Dementia and the Down Syndrome. Brain Development, 11: 131-133. Wisniewski, K., Bobinski, M. (1991): Hypothalamic Abnormalities in Down Syndrome. The Morphogenesis of Down Syndrome., 153-167. The Pathogenesis of Down’s Syndrome Essay -- Science Medical Genetics The Pathogenesis of Down’s Syndrome Down’s syndrome (DS) is the most common cause of mental retardation in the United States. It occurs with a frequency of one in 700 live births. The disease is caused by the presence of three copies of chromosome 21 as a result of chromosomal mutation (95% nondisjunction, 5% translocation) during cell division, leading to a total of 47 chromosomes instead of the normal number, 46. There are no individuals with the clinical signs of DS who do not have at least partial trisomy of chromosome 21. Conversely, there are no cases of people with trisomy 21 who do not have DS (Patterson, 1987). Patients suffer from a variety of physical and mental problems. Physically, the disease manifests itself in epicanthic folds of the eyes, flattened facial features, unusual palm creases, muscular flaccidity and short stature (Patterson, 1987). Many are born with congenital heart defects and increased risk for cataracts, leukemia and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to the anatomical abnorm alities, DS patients suffer from biochemical imbalances including elevated levels of purines - a condition that can by itself lead to neurological impairment, mental retardation, and immunodeficiencies. The life expectancy for DS patients is approximately 30 years. However, with advancing medical care and therapy more patients are living to the age of 50. All individuals with DS over the age of 35 develop the same kind of abnormal microscopic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain as people who die from Alzheimer’s disease, the major cause of presenile dementia. Although a vast amount of literature exists on DS, little is known about why the presence of an extra chromosome causes mental retardation. In addition to ... ...ogy and Experimental Neurology, 49: 509-518. Ferrer, I., Gullotta, F. (1990): Down’s Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease: Dendritic Spine Counts in the Hippocampus. Acta Neuropathol, 79: 680--685. Mann, D. M. A., Brown, A., Prinja, D., Davies, C. A., Landon, M., Masters, C. L., Beyreuthers, K. (1989): An Analysis of the Morphology of Senile Plaques in Down’s Syndrome Patients of Different Ages Using Immunocytochemical and Lectin Histochemical Techniques. Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology, 15: 317-329. Patterson, D. (1987): The Causes of Down Syndrome. Scientific American, 255: 52-60. Takashima, S., Ieshima, A., Nakamura, H., Becker, L. (1989): Dendrites, Dementia and the Down Syndrome. Brain Development, 11: 131-133. Wisniewski, K., Bobinski, M. (1991): Hypothalamic Abnormalities in Down Syndrome. The Morphogenesis of Down Syndrome., 153-167.

“Good for the economy bad for the environment” Assessing the statement with two contrasting leisure activities

In June last year, the football world cup finals were held in Japan and Korea. What did this mean for Japan? Well the arrival of so many people from outside Japan presented many opportunities and also caused problems. Hosting the World Cup Finals gave Japan and Korea a superb opportunity to boost their tourism figures. At that moment, Japan was 36th on the global tourist list (based on the number of tourists who visit each year). The Japan National Tourist Organization felt that this didn't match the country's economy and population. Pictures of the two host countries were going to be on TV screens around the world for the duration of the tournament and both Japan and Korea hoped that this would boost their numbers for annual visitors. It was anticipated that around 365,000 spectators (Japan Times, July 26 2001) were going to travel to Japan from overseas to attend the tournament. Most of them were going to travel by air. An idea to ease congestion was that Tokyo's main international airport Narita was to have a new runway built, so that two planes would be able to take off simultaneously. Because the finals were going to be held in Japan and Korea, the number of flights between the two countries was going to increase. Spectators may have needed to get from one country to another as their team progressed through the tournament. The matches were being played in ten different cities all over Japan. So rail, road and air links between these cities had to be able to cope with an increase in traffic. The areas surrounding the stadiums also had to be able to cope with the huge number of people attending the games – over 40 000 for each. This meant that road access had to be improved, and in some cases, as in Shizuoka, a new railway station had to be built near the stadium. The more direct impact for so many people was litter, and waste disposal, with such a large increase in visitors into the two countries the amount of litter and waste disposal was also going to increase by a large amount. And what about hooliganism? One company, Yokohama Nisshin Fire & Marine Insurance Co. in Japan offered to sell insurance against hooliganism. This also was a major issue that the two countries faced. Japan and Korea world cup organizers had to prepare for hooliganism. The World Cup Safety Countermeasure Headquarters had compiled a database on known foreign hooligans to prevent them from entering Korea. It deployed squads of riot police at every stadium to promptly quell possible disturbances. At the same time, they had to seriously consider prohibiting sales of alcohol at the matches. What will be the economic effects of hosting the World Cup? Well it was also possible to turn a profit on the event? The far-reaching economic effects of hosting the World Cup can be largely divided into two – a direct and an indirect effect. Far Reaching Economic Effects of the World Cup Unit: US$ 100 million won, 1,000 persons Classification Details Expenditure volume Economic effects Value added Job creation Investment expenditures Construction of stadiums, surrounding roads 23,882 36,023 220 Consumption expenditure Ordinary expenditure by the organizing committee Tourism spending by foreigners 4,000 6, 825 17,334 130 Total 34,707 53,357 350 The direct effect covered the boosts to the economy created by the construction of infrastructure such as stadiums and the access roads, expenditures by the organizing committee to run the event and spending by foreign tourists. In a report, the Korea Development Institute (KDI) predicted that the event would create 350,000 jobs and raise industrial production by 11.48 trillion won ($8.82 billion). The income derived from spending by the 400,000 foreign visitors was estimated to reach 682.5 billion won ($525 million). In particular, it forecasted that it would create 5.34 trillion won ($4.10 billion) in value added, amounting to more than 1 percent of GDP in 2000 (517 trillion won, $397 billion). The report concludes that the overall value added created would surpass the total expenditure of 3.47 trillion won ($2.67 billion), resulting in a â€Å"surplus† of 1.87 trillion won ($1.44 billion). The indirect effect covered the benefits that became apparent in the post-event period. They were associated with improvements in the external images of the host country and its corporations and were measured through increases in exports and the volume of inbound foreign investment. It was no exaggeration to say that prime attraction of any government in hosting the World Cup is to maximize such intangible publicity effects. The contrasting leisure activity that I had chosen is skiing in the French Alps. Ski tourism has prospered and grew since the 1060's in the French Alps, and as a result, a large number of resorts have been developed to cope with the high demand. There has been a lot of heavy investment, which has been put into the expensive infrastructure, such as the creation and construction of new ski lifts, the creation of new ski runs, and the maintenance of the resort. But this continued growth of ski tourism in the Alps is having its turn of serious negative effects on the physical environment. The main negative effect on the mountain environment, caused by ski tourism and the resort, such as â€Å"Serre Chevalier† is that its starting to scar the landscape, and with deforestation occurring where ski runs are and have been created on the wooded mountain sides, it's resulting in the increase of run-off, erosion and the potential for environmental hazards, such as flooding to occur. The effects of the skiing industry on Mont Lozere can also be investigated. Heavy ski-traffic after good winter snow conditions leaves its mark on the landscape for many years. The ski tows on Mont Lozere operated for 85 days during the 1998/1999-ski season. The 1999/2000 Season was poor, with the ski tows only open for 5 days. Skiing on Mont Lozere is at best of times unpredictable! Since the 1960's, local and regional authorities have encouraged the development of downhill skiing in the Massif Central in an attempt to bring some of the economic benefits associated with this huge growth industry, to the area. Unfortunately, due to the rather unreliable snow conditions in the southern part of the Massif Central, not all the ski developments have become commercially successful. There are also many environmental issues associated with alpine skiing, such as gulling, deforestation and the positioning of unsightly ski tows in the core zone of the Cevennes National Park. Another case study would be â€Å"Ski Chalet du Mont Lozà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½re†. The on-piste and off-piste transects are used to assess the damage caused by skiing to the physical environment. The visual impact of the ski chalet and the resort infrastructure are assessed, and the attitudes of a cross section of people are included, for example those employed in the industry, tourists, and local people, to assess the impact of the skiing industry on the local economy. The Creation of Ski Resorts-The creation of such ski resorts, in scenic and un-spoilt environments, has placed great pressures on the physical landscape with large numbers of tourists using the mountain ski slopes each year, not always in ideal snow conditions, creating stresses on these unique alpine environments, due to tourism. Problems Created by Ski Tourism-Ski tourism creates many problems, such as increased traffic, problems with access, congestion and pollution. Increased numbers of people result in the need for more houses, hotels, and facilities to be constructed, causing problems with water demand, waste disposal and visual intrusion. Ski tourism has ecological impacts on the environment and physical landscape, with erosion of soils, depopulation of plant species and deforestation, leading to increased erosion and probability of hazards occurring. The Environmental Impacts-The environmental impacts of ski tourism in the ski resort of â€Å"Serre Chevalier† can be clearly seen. The scars that are created by ski runs are visible in all seasons. It does not just affect the aesthetic quality of the area, but more important are the resulting consequences. Such devastation of forest, in large paths and swoops, across the mountainsides, causes soil degradation, erosion, landslides and increased run-off leading to flooding. Deforestation and Erosion-Deforestation due to ski run development can cause an increase in erosion due to increased run-off. Deforestation in effect, removes the protection of the canopy and as a result, the soil underneath that was previously protected, is then susceptible to the effects of raindrop impact and increased amounts of run-off, which would have been previously stopped or delayed by the trees. As a result erosion takes hold and more importantly the rate and amount of run-off increases, causing potential hazards to occur such as flooding, especially in these high mountain areas, where sudden downpours of rain, with snow melt can cause surges of water to be sent down the tributaries over a very short period of time.

Globalization and Implementation Plan Essay

This report will provide business and demographic information to determine a platform of business strategies and alternatives for Home Depot to re-enter or abandon the Argentinian retail market for home improvement centers. Home Depot must be very specific and strategic to try to re-enter the market due the abject failure in entering the market in 1997 and existing the market in 2001 from the lack of profits and community acceptance. Home Depot cannot afford another failure in Argentina or South America. (Home Depot. 2013). Home Depot: Home Depot is the 4th largest retailer in the US, the 5th largest retailer in the world and ultimately the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer. In 35 years, Home Depot operates 2,257 retail stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Canada, and Mexico. The foreign locations (294) generate just 12% of Home Depots’ total revenues. They have engineered entry and expansion into foreign markets through acquisition of smaller retailers and expanded upon their success. The Home Depot, Inc. operates as a home improvement retailer. It sells building materials, home improvement products, and lawn and garden products, as well as providing installation, home maintenance, and professional service programs to do-it-yourself, do-it-for-me, and professional customers. It serves home owners, professional remodelers, general contractors, repairmen, small business owners, and tradesmen. From the beginning, The Home Depot has developed strategic product alliances directly with leading manufacturers delivering the most exclusive products and national brands. They also provide a combination of proprietary products like Ryobi ® tools, RIDGID ® tools, BEHR ® paint, LG ® appliances, and Toro ® lawn equipment. Home Depot has set the standard for innovative merchandise for the do-it-yourselfer and the professional contractors. In addition, they can provide exporting servicing for products worldwide. (Home Depot. 2013). Argentina: This portion of the report will review the demographics, economic markets, income levels and currency values, culture and along with the legal and political environment in Argentina and South America for Home Depot reentrance. The total population of Argentina is just over 42 million people covering 2.8 million square kilometers (km). It is the 8th largest country in the world and speaks primarily Spanish and Italian along with English, German and French. The population is primarily located among five largest cities of the country in northern 30% of the country and within 600 km of the capital Buenos Aires with 13 million citizens. It has less than 1% population growth and the average age is 30 years old with a 98% literacy rate and 16 years of formal education. Regretfully, the average unemployment rate is estimated to be 10.2 and higher for females. The income level for individuals per capita is $18,820 and ranks 73rd in the world. The labor force is comprised of 17M workers and ranks 36th in the world. The percentage of the population below the poverty line is 30%. Between the poverty line and the percentage of unemployment and contraction in the economy is does not provide a lot of discretionary money to be used for purchasing homes, maintenance, and remodeling. The culture of Argentina is based upon traditional Roman Catholic values (92% membership) centered upon family values and 100’s of years of religious beliefs, values, dependence and fostering upon local relationships. The culture is also driven by personal relationships with the expectation of working with you to find solutions to consumer needs. Many Argentinians do not like the big box impersonal retail stores that do not have the personnel to spend time creating trust and loyalty with customers. (CIA Factbook. 2013). International Considerations for Argentina and Home Depot: The economy of Argentina is the 22nd largest in the world with a growth rate of 2.6% with a GDP of $475B in 2012. It has a diversified economy due to the many natural resources available to them. Manufacturing is the largest segment of industry with 20%; agriculture with 5% and the remaining in the services and tourism sector. The currency in Argentina is based upon the peso and the current exchange rates ranges for US dollars range from 1 peso to 4.1 to 4.6 dollars. Argentina is a member of Mercosur with Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay implementing a Common External Tariff (CET) for non-members to pay tariffs up to 35%. This was implemented to protect those economies from the dumping of cheaper foreign goods. Argentina defaulted on its debt in 2002 leading foreign investors to flee and take their investments elsewhere. Since then, Argentina nationalized the $24 billion pensions fund and limited the amounts of foreign purchases of land. Argentina has not been able to pull out if the economic slump and economic growth has completely stalled. The optimistic view point for economic growth in Argentina in 2013 will be less than 3.5% for consumer demand, industrial production and exports. This will apply additional economic pressure for homebuyers to make purchase homes and banks willing to lend. They have implemented a number of measures to keep dollars in the country restricting foreign currency exchanges and debt obligations in defending the value of the peso. These restrictions have effectively made it almost impossible to obtain US dollars for the purposes of real estate purchases. The federal tax agency’s authorization is now required before making any foreign exchange purchase. The implementation of these tight policy measures has the real estate activity in 2012 fell approximately 40%, making it one of the sector’s worst performing years in the country in a decade. â€Å"The number of commercial real estate transactions in Buenos Aires fell 46% to 6,315 and residential transactions fell 15% in 2012. (Bifani. 2013) The legal system for Argentina has become very restrictive over the years to protect their business and economy from inflation and currency issues. They have the Argentina’s Customs Code (DGA), which registers all foreign importers and exporters. They apply import duties and taxes to all imports along import duties, statistical taxes, value-added taxes and excise duties. Argentina has strict regulations and fees regarding the purchasing of property by foreign interests, which limits the potential for revenues and growth. (CIA Factbook. 2013). Market Considerations for Argentina and Home Depot Is Argentina, the best possible country for Home Depot to reinvest into? Argentina ranks in the bottom 10 countries in the world for foreign businesses to do business in. Specifically for Home Depot, it takes 12 months for a construction company to obtain a construction permit, which double what it takes throughout the rest of South America. This would greatly impact Home Depot ability to build stores and expand within Argentina. The majority of businesses hours operate between 9am – 7 pm and can run to 9 or 10pm for retail stores. The business hierarchy is top down with ideas and instructions come from the top. They are very respectful of business protocol and will not break those social norms or status structure. With these facts in mind, it demonstrates Argentinians require time to develop trust and familiarity, especially for foreigners. Negotiations will take a considerable amount of time and you must be willing to argue and debate to get their support and consensus. They will not hesitate to interrupt and argue for the finer points of agreements before proceedings to the next step. (Communicaid. 2009). The following are business points regarding the desire to potentially expand into Argentina. They have a value added tax (VAT) across the economy and a wealth tax. These taxes discourage both internal and external business to invest in larger business ventures due the country’s desire to confiscate profits from business people from investing. The government has huge political swings of ideology and purpose. This creates an environment that can propagate corruption, bribery and short term political or economic decisions to encourage voting support. They are a 60% tax evasion rate, which is triple that of US citizens. For many of the key economic indicators, Argentina ranks the bottom 25% in the world for doing business, economic freedom, human rights, taxes, and corruption. The inflation rate is about 10% and outside economists are reporting about 20%. Credit cards have low credit limits restricting higher purchases and up to a 45% interest rate. This does not encourage businesses to take any risks or initiatives for business growth i.e.: construction businesses. (Chafkin, M. 2001). Overall according the financial reports, Argentina is now considered a third world country due to its difficulty with globalization and working with foreign countries. * They have established strict foreign investment guidelines prohibiting foreign ownership. * They have restricted construction companies for building and developing business areas. * They have high tax rates and low reinvestment rates back into their country. * They have problems with government corruption, bribery and ethics. Entry Modes (Globalization & Implementation Plan) This portion will cover the various possibilities for establishing the Modes of Entry for Home Depot to reenter Argentina. Home Depot’s expansion in foreign markets has been less than successful such as the ones in South America, China and Southeast Asia. They have had some success in Canada and Mexico due to being substantial trading partners in the NAFTA agreement and similar ideology of home ownership and access to credit, Exporting: This mode of business entry will not effectively work for expanding and opening home improvement stores in Argentina at this time. Local competitors will prefer to source construction products from local suppliers rather than to purchase from foreign suppliers. They have implemented restrictions for international trade with tariffs and entrance barriers, which will increase the possible competitive pricing to become less attractive for Home Depot. Turn-Key Operations: This mode of entry will not be a viable alternative due to the fact that Home Depot does not provide any explicit technology over the local DIY businesses such as EASY. This mode could damage Home Depot by training and possibly improving competitor’s ability to compete with Home Depot in other markets in South America like Mexico. Licensing: This mode of entry is similar to Turn-Key due to the lack of control over the foreign business and again Home Depot cannot provide any real production improvements other than economies of scale to existing or new business. It would only provide royalty fees to Home Depot and would not warrant the business investment. Franchising: Franchising is similar to licensing. It works when companies have a strategic production process like such as mentioned in the text with Fuji-Xerox or even McDonalds. Home Depot does not provide the specialized processes or supply chain to support the development of franchising into foreign markets. Wholly Owned Subsidiary: This is the method and mode of entry Home Depot tried before and failed. At that point in time, Argentinians ability to own and purchase property was very restrictive for a majority of the population. Argentinians are not accustomed with reinvesting into their homes or dwelling. They did not have the incentives to reinvest or the desire to learn how to perform the tasks that it would take to complete a successful DIY project. Also, Home Depot is not an Argentinian or Latin American business, which creates a lack of respect and loyalty. The Easy company growth is due to Home Depot building the model and Easy taking them and restructuring them for Latin American consumers. (Hill, C. 2011). Joint Ventures: This is the only method or mode of entry that makes sense for Home Depot to pursue. In the textbook, there are examples of Tesco and Jollibee competing with bigger more entrenched businesses by using joint ventures and investments to establish a foothold. For Home Depot to renter the South American market and specifically Argentina, I believe the only choice Home Depot has is to engage in joint ventures with smaller DIY businesses in Argentina and gain some traction similar to Tesco in Europe and Asia. Also, EASY is now the big player in the market with 49 DIY stores. It is doubtful they would entertain any joint ventures without the ability to be the controlling partner or give up its majority interest. Monetary Systems: This portion will evaluate Argentina’s history of monetary policy and its effect upon the potential desire or ability for Home Depot to reopen home improvement retail stores there. Argentina history relating to financial and monetary policy has been turbulent and at a crisis stage numerous times. Argentina is working hard to revamp their economy and currency ratings. It has a GDP of $475B ranking 22nd in the world and one of the largest economies in South America. In 1998 Argentina entered a four year depression resulting from governmental tax increases, devaluing of its currency, freezing bank deposits, defaulting on foreign debt up to $93B, and finally removing the linkage between the peso and the US dollar. Some of international issues relating to Argentina’s reputation have been reducing the international trade/currency exchanges have been their protectionist’s policy and rated the worst in the world by the World Bank. They have seized control over the largest oil and airline companies in the country. They are also being censured by the IMF for dishonest reporting of national statistics specifically inflation rates. (Singer, H. 2013). Argentina has attempted practically every single monetary system known today to their economy and all have failed resulting in financial crisis over the last 35 years. The flexible exchange rate system led to a hyperinflation and the currency board has led to dramatic recessions. During the first three crises, Argentina was using a fixed exchange rate to allow government control. The first crisis was in 1975 with the collapse of that stabilization plan resulting in the devaluing of their currency by 100% and more than a dozen followed the next year. The second crisis was to the Tablita plan in 1981; the Tablita plan was to reform banking regulations and capital account restriction affecting its currency and exchange rates. It still ended with an 82% devaluation of its currency in one year. The third crisis occurred within 12 months in 1982 with Alemann Plan. This plan was designed around the banking and insurance industries connected to foreign currency exchanges. At this time, Argentina abandoned the fixed exchanges for a floating exchange system. The next strategy Argentina attempted was after the 2001 crisis and implemented a dual exchange rate system to manage and control their economy and currency values. This allows them to use both fixed and/or floating system with the ability for different fixed and floating rates during the same period of time. The fixed exchange rates are used for essential imports and exports account transactions. The floating exchange rates are used for capital account transactions determined by the market critical to providing foreign cash reserves for the country. Usually, countries implementing dual exchanges rates are using protectionist control to protect their economy and financial markets such as China. (Investopedia. 2013) Business Strategy for Home Depot to enter Argentina This portion of the report is to provide a platform of business strategies and alternatives for Home Depot to re-enter the Argentinian retail market for home improvement centers. Home Depot cannot afford another failure in Argentina or South America. From the beginning, The Home Depot develops strategic product alliances directly with industry-leading manufacturers to deliver the most exclusive products assortments to customers. Home Depots expansion strategies have been very successful throughout North America when they have used acquisition strategies. Their expansion in Argentina did not produce the same results due to the lack of a substantial home improvement company to purchase. They chose to organically grow the market in Argentina. This strategy failed due to many different situations occurring during the same time frame: political failure of the government and presidential resignations, huge drop in their GDP, default on the foreign debt, currency failure, widespread unemplo yment and public riots. It was like the perfect storm for the country and Home Depot. (Home Depot. 2013). In reviewing the many strategies that are available for Home Depot to re-enter the market in Argentina, there are many limitations based upon the history of Argentina and Home Depot. They definitely have the ability to leverage economies of scale for providing home improvement products at almost any price point that the consumers is willing to pay. These economies of scale would be too large for any competitive business to ignore. Their major competitor, Cencosud is the company they sold their four stores to in 2001. It is the largest retailer in South America with over 1,045 retail store in a variety of markets. It is a $19B company with 125,000 employees. Home Depot is a $70B corporation with 331,000 employees in about 2,294 stores. This would be an extremely difficult acquisition and inevitably against their acquisition strategy of buying smaller businesses and expanding through gradual growth. This also limits the amount of exporting potential to Argentina through Cencosud due to the lack of exporting profits. (Cencosud. 2013). Recommendations All of these factors leave The Home Depot with a limited amount of possibilities to re-enter the Argentinian market. The best possibility is to partner with Cencosud in a strategic alliance or find smaller specialized retailers that are currently competing with Cencosud in Argentina and offer them very attractive distribution, pricing and profit sharing. I would find it difficult to invest in this country’s economy due the protectionist ideology of the government. Their policies have not created real economic growth and restrict the ability for foreign companies to invest without excessive tax on profits. The current business environment, banking system and construction restrictions are not conducive for foreign involvement or investments. Home Depot has already attempted once, I believe it would take an even larger investment to overcome the negative perception in 2001. Also, they have a major competitor Sodimac in place and have had double digit growth since 2005. Their best expansion strategies for Home Depot to get back into go into Argentinian markets would be establishes strategic alliances with the smaller retailers for exportations, joint ventures directly with Fallabella and foreign direct investments to invest with either of the businesses if available depending upon the political complexity of the government. (Forbes. 2011). References: Bifani. (2013). Argentine Real Estate Activity Sharply Falls. Retrieved from http://www.homechannelnews.com/article/hd-expounds-plans-mexico-latin-america Castro, G. (2012). Chile’s new Sodimac home improvement store continues to break ground underground. Retrieved from http://blog.kimcorealty.com/2012/02/chiles-new-sodimac-home-improvement-store-continues-to-break-ground-underground/ Cencosud. (2013). Our Company. Retrieved from http://www.cencosud.com/nuestra-empresa/descripcion/?lang=en Chafkin, M., (2001). Inc. magazine. A Constant Feeling of Crisis. Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/magazine/201106/doing-business-in-argentina_pagen_5.html CIA Handbook. (2013). Argentina. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ar.html Communicaid. (2009). Doing Business in Argentina. Retrieved from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Argentina.pdf Easy. (2013). Easy Argentina. Retrieved from https://www.easy.com.ar/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/es/easyar/information-pag e?identifier=mapa_locales.html Encyclopedia of Business. (2013). Joint Ventures and Strategic Alliances. Retrieved from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Int-Loc/Joint-Ventures-and-Strategic-Alliances.html#ixzz2SRvvAulT Forbes. (2011). Home Depot Remodels Its Growth Plans. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/2001/11/30/1130homedepot_print.html Global Property Value. (2013). Argentina. Retrieved from http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Latin-America/argentina/Price-History Hill, Charles W. L. (2011). Global Business Today. (7th ed.). New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. ISBN: 978-0-07-813721-1. Home Depot. (2013).About Us. Retrieved from https://corporate.homedepot.com/OurCompany/History/Pages/default.aspx Kaminsky, G., (2009). Thirty Years of Currency Crises in Argentina. External Shocks or Domestic Fragility?. George Washington University. Retrieved from http://home.gwu.edu/~graciela/HOME-PAGE/RESEARCH-WORK/WORKING-PAPERS/argentina.pdf Isora, M., (2009). Importan ce of Strategic Alliances in Company Activity. Retrieved from http://www3.mruni.eu/~int.economics/5nr/Isoraite.pdf Sprawl Busters. (2008). Argentina. Adios, Home Depot!. Retrieved from http://www.sprawl-busters.com/search.php?readstory=821

Identify the Individual at Risk of Skin Breakdown and Undertake the Appropriate Risk Assessment Essay

Upon arriving at the care home, I shut the door behind me, clocked in using my time card and signed the staff log book which is a requirement of the fire safety policy. Prior to starting my shift, I attended the hand over held in the staff office with closed doors to maintain confidentiality and privacy of the residents. The hand over gives me important changes in the resident’s health and social care needs, requirements and procedures that need implementing during the shift. One of the residents I usually care for is Mrs H who has just come back from a hospital admission. According to her care plan Mrs H was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 4 which are predisposing factors for pressure sores. She is bed bound, cannot weight bear and had just undergone Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF) for fracture on her left tibia fibula which left her immobilised. She is also incontinent of urine and faeces which are all predisposing factors to sore development. As one of her primary carer, I was assigned to carry out a risk assessment for skin breakdown with the use of the Waterlow Scale. I knocked on Mrs H’s room before entering as a sign of respect for her privacy and greeted her good morning. I asked how she is and she smiled which means she is fine as she has difficulty speaking. I asked her if she would like to have her bed bath and she said â€Å"yes please†. I informed her that I also need to carry out a risk assessment for skin breakdown to identify if she is at risk of developing a pressure sore. I explained the procedures that she will expect, the reasons behind these and I asked for her permission to carry on. She obliged by softly saying â€Å"ok† in a very low voice. Before starting the assessment, I gathered all the things that I need. I observed standard precautions for infection control by washing my hands with soap and water and drying them with disposable paper towels. I wore a disposable plastic apron and donned a pair of disposable gloves to prevent the spread and transfer of infection from one person to another. With the help of my colleague, I gently and carefully took off Mrs H’s night dress informing her every step that I make to make her aware and to encourage her cooperation. I kept it in yellow laundry bag as per organisational policy on infection control and prevention. I covered her body with bath towels to maintain her privacy and keep her warm. I washed her face and body with the use of disposable Mediwipes with soap and warm water. I dried her up using the towel to keep her from freezing. I took off her nappy pad and washed her private front part properly and dried her afterwards. Then I informed Mrs H that I need to turn her on her side so that I can wash and examine her back. With coordinated movements from my colleague, we gently and carefully turned her on her side, taking special care not to put any undue pressure on her bad leg to prevent any further injury. I examined her back side taking note of pressure points or bony prominences on her shoulders, sacrum, elbows, ankles and heels. Her skin on her shoulders, spine, elbows and heels look fine but there is a redness on her sacral area which feels hotter than other areas of her skin. I asked Mrs H if she feels any pain in her bottom and she said â€Å"yes† in a very low voice. On her left heel is an abrasion which she developed while she was in the hospital. I washed her back and her bottom gently and dried them up properly as excess moisture can aggravate her skin condition. I put her soiled nappy pad in a plastic bag to be disposed of in the clinical waste bag. I applied aqueous creme on her skin especially on bony prominences to prevent drying. I applied sudocrem on her sacral area to soothe and to protect and help heal her skin. I put on a clean nappy pad on her, put on clean clothes and positioned her on her right side to relieve the pressure on her sacral area, using cushions to make her comfortable. The nurse-in-charge came inside the room to check on her left heel wound and I asked her how to clean it and what dressing should I use for it. She said I can clean it with sterile water and sterile gauze, dry it up and apply Versiva dressing for protection as advised by the tissue viability nurse. I disposed of my gloves and donned on a clean pair. I washed Mrs H wound on her heel with sterile water and sterile gauze, dried it up and applied Versiva dressing. I put on a pressure relief cushion on her left foot to relieve pressure, kept it supported and in a comfortable position. I thanked Mrs H for her cooperation during the procedure. I informed her about the condition of her skin and reassured her that it is well taken care of. I disposed of my apron, gloves and soiled dressings in the plastic bag, tied it and disposed it in a clinical waste bag. I washed my hands with soap and water again and dried it up to prevent the spread of infection.