Literary Theories A Sampling of Critical Lenses Flashcard

Literary Theories: A Sampling of Critical Lenses

Suicide Solution Essays - Suicide, Assisted Suicide, Free Essays

Suicide Solution Essays - Suicide, Assisted Suicide, Free Essays Suicide Solution I'm about to take up a position which is going to be deamed by some, if not all, as a terrible stand to take. As a matter of fact, if anyone were to agree with me on ths subject, I'd be surprsed. For you see, rather than arguing from the postion of suicide being an unjustified and inane way to die, I shall argue the other point. That being suicide does have its merits. Before you people start screaming, hear my case out. Most people argue that nothing justifies the taking of someone's life. Yet what makes life so valuable? Why do people cling to it so? All we consist of is a bunch of carbon atoms, bound together to form an exoskeleton, organs, and tissue. In this light, there really is not much to life. Out of the 5 billion who inhabit the planet, very few of them shall emerge to be true world leaders. The rest will just lead a mediocre life of work and little play. The taking of ones life can be argued from a populistic view as well. It makes little sense to preserve life in an over populated world. True, one less person here on there will not make a large dent. Yet if everyone who attempts or had attempted suicide were not stopped, the impact would be noticed. Another popular argument for stoppers, people who want to prevent suicide, is that nothing can be bad enough. Yet how do they know this? They do not have to put up with the same stuff the suicide victim does everyday. How could they possibly know what the potential suicide victim feels. Just as a severely burned victim may wish to be allowed to die in peace, the suicide victim wishes the same. To die in peace with no argument from others. The argument of look at the people you will hurt also does not hold. Imidiate family members will be the only ones to suffer any great pain. Friends will go on with thier lives and in time forget about the death. Imidiate family too will forget the loss in time. Although it will take most considerably longer for them than it will for friends. Finaly, the argument of suicide being selfish is hard to grasp. Selfish in whose eyes? Certainly not the eyes of the victim. To them, they consider it selfish of others to try and preserve their life. Again, the argument of the stoppers don't know what the victim has to go through. They are not the ones enduring the pain. Religious people also crop up into the debate. Catholics claim that for someone to committ suicide sneds their soul straight to Hell. In many religions, suicide is considered taboo. However why is this so? Why should it be looked upon as disgracefull, when some religions claim death the be the reward for people after their time on earth is done. Suicide is an issue which should be examined at by all angles. Not just from the angle that it is wrong. End of debate. Rather it should be looked at from the point of view that yes for some people, they should be allowed to die in peace.

Nursing -improper identifacation of non pressure wound Research Paper

Nursing -improper identifacation of non pressure wound - Research Paper Example Nurses often fail to recognize non-pressure ulcers and document them as pressure ulcers, thus leading to confused and suboptimal treatments and devastating consequences to the patient. In diabetic ulcers, delayed and inappropriate treatment increases the risk of amputation. Thus, it is very important to identify and documents ulcers appropriately. In this essay, improper identification of non-pressure wounds will be discussed through review of appropriate literature. Evaluation and improper identification and documentation of non-pressure wounds The first step in the evaluation of a patient with ulcer is taking appropriate medical history and hence this aspect is very important to ascertain whether the ulcer is pressure or non-pressure type. History should include age and sex of the patient and presenting complaints. The chronology of events, whether the onset of the wound was traumatic or spontaneous, the treatments taken for the wounds and the outcomes of the treatments must be enq uired. The history should also include whether the ulcer is associated with pain and if present, whether the pain is sudden in onset, and whether it is nocturnal or present when the leg has been in the dependent position for a long time. Other details to be included in the history are history of any chronic disease like diabetes and hypertension, occupational history, history of varicose veins, previous history of lower limb wounds/ulcers/gangrene, history of amputations and history of any other surgeries. Family history of similar ulcers also must be enquired into (Kunimoto, 2001). Influence of biological and social factors also must be assessed. The next step in assessment is to determine the etiology and risk factors of the wound. Age, malnutrition, collagen disease and drugs like steroids inhibit wound healing (Kunimoto, 2001). After medical history, physical examination of the wound must be undertaken. Physical examination gives valuable information especially in the elderly wh o cannot recall history details. One of the aims of physical examination is to differentiate between venous leg ulcers and non-venous leg ulcers. Venous leg ulcers occur in the distal medial third of the lower extremity and they are shallow without punched margins. The amount of granulation tissue and its color must also be assessed. Nurses are often confused here. Differences in documentation of the quantity and color of granulation tissue by the nurses have been reported (Frank-Stromborg et al, 2001). Decreased granulation tissue or bluish hue color of this tissue are indicators of bacterial infection. The drainage from the wound must be examined as to whether it is serous, purulent or serosanguinous. There is evidence that there is no homogeneity among nurses and other health professionals in ascertaining the type of secretion from wound (Stremitzer et al, 2007) and this aspect plays a very important role in wound evaluation and diagnosis. Purulent discharge is an indicator of ba cterial infection. The length, depth and width of the ulcer must also be assessed. Surrounding skin examination gives a valuable clue to differentiate between venous and non-venous ulcers. Peripheral arterial circulation assessment is a must in ulcer evaluation. Palpation of the dorsalis pedis artery is useful for this purpose. However, it is absent in about 10% of people. Color and perfusion are other markers for arterial sufficiency. Nurses must be aware of

Management skill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management skill - Essay Example A part of the preparation process would also include elements such as preparing refreshments, making child care arrangements, ensuring adequate supplies of stationary and water and similar aspects. The third element is the actual meeting Process. This would involve the need to strike a balance between the (a) task dimension, which means what needs to be done in order to go through the necessary business for the meeting and (b) the maintenance dimension, which involves paying attention to the needs of those who will be present at the meeting and the interrelationships between them. The last element is the actual Practical action that is taken and the recording and evaluation of the outcomes of the meeting, through the inclusion of the minutes of meetings. This would also involve evaluating how people feel about the meetings and whether group problems have been identified and solved appropriately by the group. The Johari window of self images is a square containing 4 windows. Out of th e four windows, the one titled â€Å"My secrets† is the area that only the person concerned knows, while the window marked â€Å"my unconscious self† is the area that can be seen by no one, but which nevertheless, influences the individual’s personality. The window marked â€Å"my areas of ignorance† are those which cannot be seen by the person but can only be seen by others. Since this is an area that can only be seen by others, it is important that other people tell us about them in order for us to improve. Since the window marked â€Å"my unconscious self† is not visible to anyone, self disclosure is very important in order to illuminate this area through psychometric testing in order to illuminate what may be present in this window. The Myers Briggs test is the best indicator of personality type and is based upon self assessment that is derived from the inner mental processes. The five major mental processes are perceiving, judging, sensing, fe eling, thinking and intuition. Although all of the mental processes are used, most people tend to use one or the other to a greater or lesser extent and the degree to which the mental processes are used would constitute the kind of personality that the person has. Disclosure is very important in order to arrive at an evaluation and assessment of one’s inner traits and personality and to illuminate those areas which are not easily visible or evident to others. Since these are extremely private areas of one’s personality, it is not easy to extract pertinent information in this regard and people may be especially reluctant to disclose such information to others within a team context. One of the ways in which this process of disclosure can be facilitated is through explaining the relevance and importance of the Johari window testing. Individuals can build trust between themselves through the process of disclosing information about themselves, which would help them to learn more about themselves and build more trusting relationships with each other. The difficulties inherent in self disclosure are that it is difficult for individuals to divulge personal and uncomfortable details about themselves to other people. Disclosure in team settings can be

Burberry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Burberry - Essay Example The presentation then focuses on the ‘soft strategies’. The company has initiated many new technology led measures to interact with their customers. This part of the presentation deals with Customer Relationship Management. Burberry hosts a fully choreographed live webcast. Emails are used. Internal website is used to ensure that internal customers are fully away of runway shows, editorial coverage and new store events. Travelling road shows are organized. Round table conferences are conducted with senior managers around the world. The company is dedicated on building an excellent brand image. She says that they want to be known as a brand that is simply great. For this purpose Burberry recruits likeminded people. Its employees are its customers also who buy their company’s products and love them intensely. The presentation then moves towards CRM again. The company has its own social media website. Burberry is followed by two million people on Facebook. There are live stream shows around the world. The highlight of CRM is organizing 25 events around the world and using a new Ipad based purchasing technology. Headquarter of Burberry is also state –of-the-art. The presentation then finishes by Angela saying that it is only 4 years since she and her team started their work and so ‘it is still early

Gerotranscendence as an alternative ageing theory

Gerotranscendence as an alternative ageing theory The theory of gerotranscendence has been chosen for the purpose of this essay as it represents an alternative ageing theory and can be useful when planning to carry out a research project in a nursing home with the aim to find out how elderly people experience their daily life in an institution. The theory of gerotranscendence may help provide a more balanced understanding of the quality of life of the older adult living in a nursing home (Tornstam, 1989: Tornstam, 1997b). A brief description of the theory of gerotranscendence follows. Fawcett (2000) argues that the theories on human ageing may be divided into two main categories: biological ageing theories, and  the psychological and social ageing theories. This essay aims to describe, analyze and present a critique of Lars Tornstams theory of Gerotranscendence. According to Tornstam (1992, 1994, 1996a) human ageing is characterized by a general process towards gerotranscendence. Gerotranscendence is a shift in meta-perspective, from a materialistic and rational view of the world to a more cosmic and transcendent view. It is a natural and individual process that leads to maturity and wisdom in old age (Tornstam, 1996b). Within this essay, the basis of this theory will be explored, together with the analysis of its development. Moreover, the theory of gerotranscendence will be viewed in the light of the nursing science and whether it is easy and logical to comprehend. Values and assumptions will also be reviewed. These are the topics that this essay will attempt to discuss in relation to the nursing practice, education and research. 2.0 Description of the Theory of Gerotranscendence The theory of gerotranscendence was developed by Lars Tornstam, professor of sociology at the University of Uppsala in Sweden. This theory has been developed as a reaction to the prevailing ageing theories within gerontological nursing (Tornstam, 1992). Tornstam (1992, 1994, 1996a) states that human ageing, i.e. living into old age, is characterized by a general process towards gerotranscendence. This process involves a change in the way individuals perceive basic concepts, and it occurs after a certain point in life. The definition of reality also changes as a result of this. In a normal ageing process this shift is made from the middle-aged persons definition of reality based on a materialistic and rational vision, to the ageing persons more cosmic and transcendent vision. Tornstam turned to eastern cultures and religion, in the form of Zen Buddhism in order to formulate his theory (Tornstam, 1992, 1994, 1996a). According to Tornstam (1994), a transcendent vision of life involves a change in the perception of time, so that the boundaries between past, present and future are erased. In the same way the boundaries between the self and other individuals may also become diffused. These boundaries between past, present and future, and between self and others, which in a materialistic and rational way of thinking are so important, become superfluous in old age (Tornstam, 1992, 1994, 1996a). As a consequence, the individual with a transcendent perspective experiences in old age a need to spend more time on meditation and less on material things and superficial social relations. The material world is avoided, whilst the older adult turns to spirituality a more important concept in life. A person who has experienced gerotranscendence view the younger generation as captured in a materialistic conception of the world, spending their time on superficial relationships and things (Tornstam, 1989). Thus, as Tornstam sustains, after mid-life there is a new conception of life, which in turn brings a change in how we look at life i.e. a shift in meta-perspective, as Tornstam labels it. This new meta-perspective provides the individual with an easy way to understand what to value in old age (Tornstam, 1994). The shift in meta-perspective is normal for all individuals according to Tornstam, since it is genetically conditioned. Gerotranscendence is the end result of a natural process towards maturation and wisdom in which reality is defined differently than in mid-life. Due to its natural origins, gerotranscendence lead the older adult to have an increased life satisfaction after mid-life (Tornstam, 1994). The progression towards gerotranscendence may be hindered or accelerated by cultural characteristics. The presence of predominant values of effectiveness, materialism and independence in Western culture may obstruct or retard such process (Tornstam, 1997c). Tornstam suggests that the theory of gerotranscendence is one of several valuable theories on ageing (Tornstam, 1994). Other theories, such as the social breakdown syndrome, may be relevant for some elderly people (Fawcett, 2000). This theory is meant as a supplement which represents another paradigm. However, Fawcett (2000) suggests that two paradigms may be valid at the same time, it is only necessary to know what they represent. 3.0 -Theory of Gerotranscendence: An Analysis 3.1 Concept Analysis No definition of the concept behind gerotranscendence is provided by the author (Thorsen, 1998). Rather than providing a definition, the author of this theory chooses to describe the concept by an analysis of social values combined with a portrayal of the distinctive features of gerotranscendence (Thorsen, 1998: Gamliel, 2001). One may argue that the lack of a direct definition of the concept behind this theory may itself cause vagueness in its usage both in education and practice. Within practice nursing, there is a general agreement within the literature that signs of gerotranscendence are often interpreted as pathological rather than a natural process (Gamliel, 2001: Wadensten Carlsson, 2000: Wadensten, 2007). Wadensten and Carlsson (2000) argued that a lack of a clear definition of the concept behind gerotranscendence may result in an incorrect and/or absent theoretical framework to relate to, influencing both nursing in practice and nursing research (Meleis, 1991). Perhaps Torn stam has chosen not to define the concept because he thinks that a brief description would only serve to narrow down the understanding of the concept (Fawcett, 2000: Watson, 1997). One may also argue that the lack of concept definition can be used as an advantage both in nursing research and practice as it will unconsciously increase its applicability in different contexts (Meleis, 1991). Is the Concept logically derived? The concept of gerotranscendence is in many respects a logical one since it is intuitively easy to understand as it may make the readers recognize their own ageing process and their experiences with older adults (Meleis, 1991: Wadensten, 2006). Within an academic point of view, this type of intuitive feeling for a concept is not considered very scientific, but is probably important since it makes it easier to grasp the general idea of  the theory. On the other hand, the lack of definition makes it more difficult to understand. Secondly, Tornstam derives the concept of gerotranscendence from concepts present in Eastern cultures and eastern Philosophy, such as Zen Buddhism which are rather unfamiliar and unscientific from a Western cultural and logical point of view. Concepts such as mystical, meditation, cosmic communion and especially his description of diffuse borders in time and between objects, makes the concept of gerotranscendence hard to understand in a logical sense both in nursing education and nursing practice (Thorsen, 1998: Wadensten, 2007a). The shift in meta-perspective i.e. past, present and future become diffused, whilst the self and others become indistinct are often denominated to be pathological in Western cultures (Wadensten, 2007a). From this perspective the concept of gerotranscendence may appear illogical. In line with these arguments, Wadensten and Carlsson (2000) investigated whether nursing staff in Swedish nursing homes could recognize signs of gerotranscendence. Qualitative interviews and an interview guide based on the theory of gerotranscendence were used. Findings showed that staff noticed signs of gerotranscendence; however most of these signs were interpreted as pathological sustaining previously raised arguments (Wadensten and Carlsson, 2000). If the theory of gerotranscendence is used to provide an interpretative framework, these signs would be seen as normal aspects of ageing. 3.2 Theory Analysis The basis of the Theory of Gerotranscendence Tornstam (1992 and 1997a) argues that within gerontological research there is a prevailing research paradigm which negatively affects nursing and gerontological research and alternitavely health care distribution. He (Tornstam, 1994) states that gerontology is encapsulated in a natural science paradigm, entailing that research is primarily focused on the behavior of the elderly, where the individuals are regarded as research objects only, discarding experiences, attitudes and behaviors. This research paradigm generally states that the researcher shall assess and analyze the actual facts concerning a phenomenon in an objective and unbiased manner. Tornstam (1992 and 1997a) argues that within this prevailing gerontological research the latter is not achieved. Gerontological and nurse researchers can modify the paradigm by asking the elderly themselves about their understanding and experience of their own situation, in other words a more phenomenological approach. Wadensten (2005) conducted a qualitative descriptive study in order to introduce the theory of gerotranscendence to older people. Participants were invited to participate in group sessions at a day centre during which they discussed their ageing process. A video on the theory of gerotranscendence was shown, and participants were asked to discuss the description of the ageing process described in the video with their own personal experiences. From this study, Wadensten (2005) concluded that involving the elderly in their own care is an opportunity to use aspects of the theory of gerotranscendence as an intervention in nursing. Wadensten (2005) argued that nurses are in an ideal position to improve the quality of life for the older adult and to promote health using a phenomenologic al approach, through discussions about ageing. Furthermore Tornstam (1992) claims that the anthropological research tradition may be useful in this respect. An immediate reaction in the nursing literature (Thorsen, 1998: Gamliel, 2001: Wadensten, 2007a; Roy, 1984 consider referencing actual article) proposes the following questions: Does Tornstam himself consider this criticism when formulating his own theory? Does reversing the prevalent paradigm mean that one is assuming the perspective of the elderly? Isnt it a researcher in mid-life who is performing this reversal? Does turning to Eastern religion and philosophy mean that the elderly in Western cultures are not being taken seriously? It is conspicuous that Tornstam, who criticizes gerontological research and theory development, appears to fall into the same trap as the other theoreticians. Some authors argue that the basis of the theory of gerotranscendence is acquired only from a little number of elderly. Others argue that such theory should be developed by asking elderly populations within a Western culture. However Tornstam (1989) justifies the latter as he thinks that they are captured in a materialistic and rationalistic world. Tornstam reverses the values he claims are predominant in the West, stating that they are the real values of the elderly. Tornstam also does not ask the elderly from a Western culture about their vital spiritual values. Most of the elderly in the West have their spiritual roots in this religion. Perhaps nursing practice, research and education would have felt more familiar with Tornstams ideas if he had based his theory on Christian philosophy and Western Cultures. What Kind of Theory and at Which Level is it Valid? Tornstam recounts his own increasing feeling of doubt when the theory of disengagement was rejected by the gerontological community. He had first agreed that the theory should be rejected, but later he felt intuitively that this theory had an explanatory force which gerontological researchers were unable to achieve. Tornstam thus used logical reasoning combined with his own feelings when formulating the theory, which indicates a theory based on deduction (Tornstam, 1989). On the other hand, empirical data have evidently been vital to the formulation of the theory. Tornstam reacted to the many myths on ageing that persisted even though empirical research proved the opposite (Tornstam, 1989). He also noted that the elderly themselves reported being very satisfied with their lives, even though they had evidently reduced their social activity, and also did not feel lonelier in old age than earlier in their lives (Roy, 1984). These empirical findings clearly contributed to the formulation of the theory of gerotranscendence. Moreover, it provides a new understanding of what is called passivity of the elderly (Tornstam, 1989). The theory of gerotranscendence is mainly developed through deduction, but also with input of empirical data, and hence is doubtless quite typical. It is hard to define the theory as either deductive or inductive, but it is probably primarily deductive (Gamliel, 2001: Wadensten, 2006). Generalisation Potential of the Theory? The theory states that all humans will naturally develop towards gerotranscendence, that this is a universal phenomenon. In other words, the theory aims to apply for all individuals (Wadensten, 2006). What about the difference between Eastern and Western values? The theory also includes strategies to explain why the expected development towards a transcendent existence does not occur. These explanations state that cultural characteristics may prevent such a normal development. On the other hand Thorsen (1998) argues that in Western post-modern cultures the ageing processes are becoming manifold, often contradictory. Elderly present versions of the selves that are becoming complex, multiplied (multiple selves), acting at different scenes, stamped by varied cultural values, presenting mixed versions of activity and passivity, engagement and retractment, wordliness and transcendence (Thorsen, 1998). This in turn sheds further doubts on the ageing process and how such process should be v iewed by the healthcare workers, nurse researchers and the elderly themselves. Redfern and Ross (2006) argue that despite numerous theories of ageing, interpretative frameworks and guidelines of care, the ageing process and the care involved cannot be standardized into one single definition and/or guidelines of care. What is the Aim and Intention of the Theory? The theory of gerotranscendence attempts to explain why a transcendent form of life is the most natural one. His explanation is that this is a biological necessity for everyone. Tornstam also explains why we dont see so much transcendence among the elderly in our Western culture (Wadensten, 2006). He claims that this is because our culture does not allow or appreciate transcendence, and instead regards such phenomena as unnatural and irrational. It may also be discussed whether the theory presents predictions about a positive old age. The theory states that a transcendent old age is positive and this may be understood as a normative prediction on old age. On the other hand, Thorsen (1998) warns that Tornstams theory should not be viewed as a universal process, applicable for every human being. Thorsen (1998) narrates that old age and its process are embedded within society as the latter contains notions about normative appropriateness to various age groups. 4.0 Critique of the Theory Is the Theory Coherent and Consistent? The theory is predominantly coherent, for a reader it is easy to understand what Tornstam means when he describes the ageing process as a development towards a more contemplative form of life. Thorsen (1998) highlights some unclear arguments from the theory presented by Tornstam. Thorsen (1998) argues that the theory of gerotranscendence points out that throughout mid-life an individual is more materialistic and rational. If it is true that we are more materialistic and rational in mid-life should that not apply to everyone, also those people living in the East? If this is a genetic factor it should apply to all people. Or do cultural characteristics take precedence over biological factors? (Thorsen, 1998). Thorsen (1998) considers this part of Tornstams theory to be somewhat vague and inconsistent. In line with this perspective Thorsen (1998) argue that old people, like young people, are undergoing an individual and social process of change. At the same time individuals of all ages are influenced by changes in the spirit of the age. Thorsen (1998) argues that irrelevant from the age group; changing cultural characteristics leave their stamp both on the individuals world-view and his/her perception of self. The main argument of Thorsen (1998) is that he rejects the notion proposed by Tornstam that transcendence is determined by intrinsic genetic factors. In fact Thorsen (1998) states that self is neither cultural, ahistoric, bodiless and genderless in the ageing process. This argument puts more doubts on how the older adult and the ageing person should be viewed within the society, more precisely within the healthcare system. Furthermore, one may question whether there is consistency between Tornstams own paradigm and his theory. According to his research paradigm the values and opinions of the elderly themselves shall form the basis of theories on ageing which in turn provide an interpretative framework in health care education and practice settings. The theory of gerotranscendence is logically derived from another theory and is based on empirical research with the elderly as research objects. One may argue that it is hard to find the consistency here between Tornstams theory and his paradigm. Likewise, the consistency becomes somewhat ambiguous between Tornstams research paradigm and his own research to verify his theory as the author applies the survey method (Tornstam 1994) to verify his own theory, which may seem rather peculiar viewed in the light of his severe criticism of the natural science paradigm. Tornstam (1996b) also states that phenomenological philosophy and anthropology may be useful poin ts of departure for approaching the theory. It can hardly be said that Tornstam himself employs such a theoretical basis; it was not before the qualitative study in 1997 that he introduced this approach. The implications of the above argument on nursing education involve that further research is required in order to test the validity of the theory of gerotranscendence, as research on the latter is limited. This is also sustained the nursing literature reviewed for the purpose of this essay (Gamliel, 2001: Wadensten and Carlsson, 2002: Wadensten and Carlsson, 2000). Within the practical settings, the implications of the above argument involve the revising of the practical guidelines provided by Tornstam, based on his theory (Wadensten and Carlsson, 2002). Although these guidelines provide an interpretative framework for nurses within nursing practice, when viewed in the light of lack of rigorous nursing research about the topic, one needs to consider their specificity and sensitivity to identify the signs of gerotranscendence in the older adult. Is the Theory Useful for Nursing? The theory of gerotranscendence is formulated in a gerontological research community and is not specifically linked to nursing (Gamliel, 2001: Tornstam, 1997b). Will the theory of ageing in general and this theory in particular be useful for nursing? In order to answer this question one must first explain what is meant by useful. Theory may be useful both for developing the theory structure of an academic subject and for the practical exercise of a profession (Meleis, 1991). In terms of theory structure this theory may lead to a more balanced understanding of the old patient. The theoretical bases that have been predominant within nursing are role theories and the activity theory. Role theories, such as the theory of the social breakdown syndrome, explain the withdrawal of the elderly as loss of role in society (Redfern Ross, 2006). The passivity of the elderly in institutions has also been interpreted with similar theories. Thus, there are grounds for stating that the theories which have so far been employed in nursing are based on one paradigm and mainly on one explanatory strategy loss of roles (Fawcett, 2000). When the withdrawal of the elderly is only considered a disadvantage and is explained to be caused by loss of roles, it is logical that activation is chosen as a means to curb a negative development. The theory of gerotranscendence may provide another interpretation and explanation of the withdrawal of the elderly (Wadensten, 2006: Wadensten and Carlsson, 2002). For practical nursing a new perspective may have concrete consequences, both for the occupation itself and for the nurse personally. Nurses, like other occupational groups, perform their occupation on the basis of theoretical knowledge, intrinsic values and practical skills. A practicing nurse is many years younger than the old patient and will probably be influenced by those values that Tornstam calls Western and which are predominant in mid-life. Because of all these factors the nurse may easily find that the old person has a passive and pathetic form of life, and consider the right remedy will be to activate the patient (Wadensten, 2006: Wadensten and Carlsson, 2002). Nurses have till now been trained to, and been socialized into a role in which everybody thinks that all elderly are to be activated whether they want to or not. Nurses have learnt that activity is healthy and we know that activity may prevent social isolation, physical decline and complications (Redfern and Ross, 2006). Thus, the nurse feels that her knowledge of this phenomenon gives her a right and duty to activate the old patient. The nurse can motivate and defend her choice of action by a theory which states that it is good for people, including the elderly, to be active. In this perspective one may argue that Tornstams theory may be a useful supplement. If his theory is emphasized as much in practical nursing as the above mentioned theories have been, the nurse will be entitled to let the patient choose what many of us would call passivity. The nurse will be able to explain on the basis of a theory why the patient has been given such a choice (Wadensten, 2006: Wadensten and Carlsson, 2002). Secondly, the nurse will have a better conscience while performing her job. Many nurses find they are forcing the elderly to be active. This type of coercion is against ethical principles such as the autonomy principle, and serves to give the nurse a bad conscience. The nurse is in an awkward position, between the benevolence principle based on the paradigm that Tornstam criticizes so heavily and the autonomy principle. The theory of gerotranscendence may help to lessen the conflict between these two principles. 5.0 Conclusion Tornstams theory of gerotranscendence introduces a completely new method of interpreting old age. What makes this theory special is his new interpretation of the withdrawal and passivity of the elderly as another form of activity. This activity is qualitatively different from the visible activity that we have focused on so far, in the form of social activity and engagement. Tornstam labels this form of activity transcendence and says that it helps to enhance the experience of a good life. Tornstam contributes to a balanced understanding of living into old age, and is obviously right in his criticism of how we have transplanted mid-life values into old age. His theory may to a large extent provide a new understanding of life in old age, for example old people who refuse to extend their social sphere, or who do not find activities in institutions meaningful. Tornstams theory is interesting and exciting to read and is extremely relevant for nursing. It can offer new ideas to nursing and insights into ageing and into those values and theories that influence the exercise of a practical occupation.

Economic Causes of Poverty Essay

Poverty is the deprivation of necessities that that determine the quality of life. These necessities comprises of the basic human needs and better education which directly influences the type of employment and income earned and enable one to fight poverty. In October 2008 World Bank revised the poverty line to 1. 25 US dollar per day from 1 US dollar per day. After revision of the poverty line measure, an estimated 1. 4 billion people were found to live at this poverty line or below (Otlin, 2008). There is an upward poverty trend; for instance in 2004, 984 million people were living on or below the line of measure i. e. 1 US dollar whereas in 1981, 1. 9 million were living on or below the poverty line (Weaver & Park, 2007). Among other causes of poverty, economic causes which include capital flight, unemployment, low income, unfair property laws and unfair trade has really made poverty alleviation in developing countries a complicated issue despite the efforts of these countries to fight against poverty. Rapid flow of money outside a country or any other assets commonly known as capital flight is a major economic cause of poverty. In most cases the movement is due to instability and reduced returns. Investors move their money from one investment to another, either within the same country or to a different country to avoid high inflation and search for stability and increased returns. Capital flight is mostly witnessed in a country with currency instability and sometimes the outflows are intensive thus affecting the whole financial system of the country (Epstein, 2005). The loss of confidence and devaluation of the affected country burdens the citizens and their properties lose the nominal value. This resorts to reduced purchasing power of assets of a country making it very expensive to import goods. Due to devaluation of the economy’s currency, inflation comes in. Consequently, the currency unit can only purchase fewer goods thus accelerating poverty. Capital flight also hampers investment which may reduce economic growth of the developing economies. Unemployment is another economic cause of poverty. It usually occurs when one is ready and able to work but there is no work for him/her. The inadequacies of basic human needs and better education are normally as result of un-employment. A country where there is a higher rate of unemployment, the Growth Domestic Product (GDP) is low since most people are not working. According Epstein (2005), unemployment is a primary cause of temporal poverty. The moment people get job, they supplement their incomes and thus reduce poverty levels. Sounder further says that poverty increases with increase in unemployment duration. People without jobs can be having skill which can improve production, but since they have not been employed, their skills may not be utilized. This can result is low productivity in the country. In other cases, un-employment can be a social cost to the society. Issues like crimes, terrorism and drug abuse which may be as a result of poverty, marginalization and unemployment are costly to eliminate. Money which can be used to alleviate the living standards is used for fighting crimes instead. Unemployment brings income inequality which widens the gap between the rich and the poor. Winefield (2002), points out that unemployment leads to delay in experience gain which reduces productivity. Moreover, in countries which provide job search allowance, the government expenditure goes high because more people are entitled to these allowances. This can force the government to reduce money given to other crucial sectors for example agricultural sector which can be a source of livelihood to the country’s population. Taxes may also increase due to high government expenditure resulting to increase in prices of commodities. Low income means that people will have a limited purchasing power. Winefield (2002) points out that, low income earnings place people near or on at the poverty line. He further argues that, raising the incomes by increasing the wages without dismissing their job opportunities has historically minimized poverty rates. According to his research findings, increasing minimum wage will help reduce poverty levels, however minimal. Small household budgets experience the greatest impacts since they have a limited purchasing power. This has facilitated poverty in developing countries. Increases in food prices and an instant steep rise in agricultural commodities is another economic cause of poverty. The rise in food prices can be attributed to increased demand of staple commodities, higher energy prices especially fuel and electricity which affects transportation and production costs of agricultural products and farm inputs e. g. fertilizer and pesticides. Food prices may also rise due to lack of alternative market outlets for agricultural product and low yields of cereals (Anker, 2006). Competition between industrial commercial organizations is healthy and encouraged by market economies. However, unfair property laws by competitors and use of malicious ways to gain business mileage e. g. making false and direct attack to a competitor may scare away potential investors. At times it happens despite the fact that a code of conduct has been set to guard against this behavior. Unfair competition which comprises of all acts and practices during industrial and commercial transactions which are contrary to honest practices may hamper selling and buying of good and services. Unfair competition may include confusion caused in relation to another enterprise’s products or its activities, acts that are misleading for instance, false implications of a competitor’s product, and damaging the goodwill of the competitors. All this may lead to unfair competition which causes decline in sale of goods or services. Eventually, this will translate increased levels of poverty in the affected economies due reduced sales, exports and other losses that may arise from unfair trade. In conclusion, poverty alleviation is a complex issue to deal with. It requires that all relevant stakeholders get rid of their selfish interest so that they can deal with the root causes of poverty. All causes of poverty ranging from economic, governance, demographic and social factors, environmental factors, if looked into by good governance, transparency in public expenditure, strengthening of management capacity and improvement of the public service delivery will help in promoting a competitive private sector environment for development and trade regime liberalization. This can contribute greatly to poverty alleviation in the world and especially in developing countries in Africa, Latin America and East Asia. A fair trade between developed and developing countries is fundamental if the question of poverty in developing countries is ever to be addressed. For instance, disruption of trade in Africa has greatly affected the process of integration in business. As a result poverty levels have increased undermining and lowering the livelihoods of small scale farmers and producers as well as depriving the young people their rights. References: Anker, R. , (2006); Poverty Lines around the World: A New Methodology and Internationally Comparable Estimates. International Labor Review Journal, Vol. 145 Epstein, G. A. , (2005); Capital Flight and Capital Controls in Developing Countries. ISBN 184376931X, 9781843769316, Edward Elgar Publishing. Otlin, J. , (2008); The Causes of Poverty: Thinking Critically about a Key Economic Issue. Journal of Social Education, Vol. 72 Weaver, C. & Park, S. , (2007); The Role of the World Bank in Poverty Alleviation and Human Development in the Twenty-First Century: An Introduction. Global Governance Journal, Vol. 13 Winefield, A. H, (2002); Unemployment, Underemployment, Occupational Stress and Psychological Well-Being. Australian Journal of Management, Vol. 27

Supply and Demand and Barr S Product

Analysis the advantages and disadvantages to Barr’s of its product mix. (10’) A. G. Barr is a traditional company mainly operated soft drinks. Product mix of A. G. Barr can be categories into two parts: one is Barr’s Own Brands and one is Barr’s Franchise Brands. Advantages of Barr’s Product Mix: Through the case study, A. G. Barr Company has suffered fierce competition and finally becomes a historied company. It has sophisticated distribution channel which can help company save the cost and easier to gain economics of scale. b) the demand for barr’s product is probably price elastic. Explain how this may influence the way in which barr’s markets it product. (5’) Definition of â€Å"the price elasticity of demand†: price elasticity is a kind of measurement which used to measure sensitivity of changes in quantity demanded in response to the changes of price. And for A. G. Barr, the main product, Irn-Bru, is a kind of produ ct which its price elastic to demand, in other word means coefficient elastic > 1. We find that few companies are involved in soft drinks industry. So A. G. Barr is in oligopoly market.Due to the special character of oligopoly market, Irn-Bru is a convenient product, easily influenced by price factors and sensitive to the changes of price, either competitor’s price or itself. Market activities: Pricing activities: price policy: due to the character of Irn-Bru, price elastic to demand, using lower price strategy to enhance the sale could help company to increase turnover. Through the case study, during 2001 and 2002, the rate of exchange between Euro and Pound has changed. The Euro has depreciated which made import becoming cheaper than buy local products. The A. G. Barr Company reduced 30% of price for the wholesalers.Though the appendix six, the turnover of 2002 is higher than turnover of 2001. This action has efficient increase the turnover and makes the market share ste ady. Promotion: A. G. Barr Company has large investment focus on promotion. Through the case study: Robin Barr said: â€Å"we remain convinced, however, that the continuing investment in our brands will produce for A. G. Barr the optimum long term growth. † This shows that company pays more attention on building brand awareness and loyalty, try to make product different from others, known as differentiation. It would decrease the elasticity of demand. Benefits of reducing elasticity: Company could reduce uncertainty of Irn-Bru demand and risk, such as influence caused by external factors especially price factors. * Maintain the market share and freedom in setting price. Chance of using high pricing policy For instance: Irn-Bru sponsors the Xmas and New Year Carnival at the SECC in Glasgow. In 2002, this attracted over 140,000 people. This action could enlarge the brand influence and build its own brand awareness, more than that, with the development of promotion, company decr eases the elasticity of demand potentially. it will help company to void the uncertainly risk and when elasticity

Corax the Sophist essays

Corax the Sophist essays In antiquity, the sophists were people who were very influential to public speaking, relevant even in todays day and age. The term "sophist" comes from the Greek sophos which means wisdom. This being stated, a sophist was a person who used and taught wise things (Reinard). A sophist by the name of Corax made many contributions to public speaking which are quite useful to us today. Corax was a sophist who appeared at the beginning of ancient history when there were land disputes in ancient Greece which also led to legal disputes. Land disputes in ancient Greece were often murky, the records disputed, the facts hard to determine (Osborn 5). Corax examined the fact that certainty is hard to establish in disputes, and therefore speakers must seek to establish probabilities and to reconstruct plausible accounts of reality (Osborn 5) which would help to administer the truth. Corax invented the study of rhetorical speaking and defined it as the craftsman of persuasion (Reinard). The name Corax in Greek means crow (korax) which suggests that he must have suffered from bad puns throughout his life. In fact, Corax accused his student, Tisias, of not paying for his instruction in public speaking and brought charges up against him. In the end, even though Corax seemed to be more persuasive, the jurors dismissed the case altogether (Osborn 5-6). Corax gave us the revelation that reality is often the projection of our own interpretations, expectations, and fantasies (Osborn 6). This was not Coraxs only major contribution to public speaking. He also developed a four-part pattern for the organization of forensic speeches. The four essential parts were: the introduction, narration, argument, and conclusion or peroration. The introduction is where the speaker identifies with his or her audience. After identifying with the audience...

Sales Performance Management essay

Sales Performance Management essay Sales Performance Management essay Sales Performance Management essayThe experience of large corporations, such as IBM, is very helpful in terms of the development of new and prospective products, like Afrezza, a new inhaled insulin medication. In this regard, the experience of IBM uncovers challenges the company may face, while introducing its product in the market and expanding its business and sales of the product internationally. The experience of IBM shows that the organization developing its new product and expanding business should focus on three major issues: organizational hierarchies, account assignments and sales crediting rules.As the organization expands its business international or even if the organization is just growing due to the introduction of new product that expands its marketing opportunity, the organizational hierarchy grows more and more complex that sets new challenges in face of the organization as was the case of IBM. The organizational hierarchy grows more and more complex that forces the company to change its organizational structure and relations to make them more efficient. The introduction of the new product, Alfrezza, can raise the problem of the growing organizational hierarchy due to the growth of the company, in case of the marketing success of the new product. Therefore, the company should come prepared to possible changes. In this regard, the experience of IBM shows that employees should have the possibility to operate autonomously to increase the effectiveness of their performance and speed up the decision making process.The growing complexity of the organizational hierarchy raises the problem of the accountability within the organization. As was the case of IBM, the growing organizational complexity has triggered the bureaucratization of the organization that has caused the deterioration of the organizational performance and the poor accountability of professionals working in the organization. The lack of accountability increases the risk of the lack of t ransparency and the overall deterioration of the organizational performance. The accountability is very important for the successful organizational development because the lack of accountability leads to irresponsible policies and decisions taken by professionals within the organization. In case of Afrezza, the new product may raise the problem of the deterioration of the accountability caused by the growing complexity of the organizational hierarchy. As a result, the company should come prepared to deal with possible changes and maintain the accountability. In this regard, the autonomy of units of the organization and its employees along with the regular monitoring and auditing of those units can help to keep their accountability high.Furthermore, sales are crucial for the successful introduction of the new product and the fast market expansion. In this regard, the experience of IBM shows that the sales crediting rules can play the determinant part in the maintenance of the steady growth of the company’s sales. In this regard, the company introducing the new product, such as Afrezza, should maintain flexible sales crediting rules which allow adapting the price of the new product to the particular marketing environment. The flexibility of sales crediting rules contributes to the flexibility of prices of the new product.In such a way, the experience of IBM turns out to be very helpful in terms of the revelation of strategic ways to the successful introduction of the new product, Alfrezza. In this regard, the company introducing Alfrezza should focus on then maintenance of transparency, in spite of the growing complexity of the organizational structure, and the price flexibility.

MBTI - Teams and Leadership (Management and Leadership - A Continuum) Essay

MBTI - Teams and Leadership (Management and Leadership - A Continuum) - Essay Example In teams people work together, attempting to maximize each team member’s special talents, thereby minimizing gaps in knowledge and skills. CURRENT STUDY In the current study, the group supervisor/ leader type is ESFP. The ESFP, i.e. me, is a salesperson manager at the Qatar National Bank (QNB). The team/group that I am leading as a supervisor is termed as the ESTJ. ESFP’s are energetic and highly enthusiastic leaders. Talking about ESFPs Myers (1993) is quoted as saying, â€Å"They live in the present moment and extract every joy they can get from it, whether it is in case of interacting with people or animals, activities or world around them, etc.† (p.17) At their best ESFPs are excellent team players, motivated to get the task done with a maximum amount of fun and a minimum amount of fuss. This is just the way I, being a leader, am. As an ESFP I am interested in people and new experiences. Because I learn more from practical tasks rather than from studying or r eading, I tend to plunge into things, learning along as I go. Being a supervisor I appreciate my possessions and take pleasure in them. Generally, ESFPs make decisions by using their personal values. Therefore, I also use my internal Feeling of judgment to make decisions by identifying and empathizing with others. I am good at interpersonal interactions and often play the role of peacemaker. (Myers, 1993) When looking at a larger perspective, ESTJ teams have impulsively energetic environments. This is similar to the team working under me. As ESFP leaders lead teams in a comfortable way because of their dominant feeling I feel very comfortable in controlling my ESTJ team. As an ESFP leader I look for practical solutions. Being a leader I am quick enough to analyze the current requirements and then assess what is coming just next. It is convenient for me to it blended with my ESTJ team’s clear performance expectations. My EDTJ team is good at achieving practical results, and ke eping the core issue in sight. This strengthens the overall team performance of my ESTJ team and also our supervisor/team relationship. This, in turn, helps to achieve the sales targets for QNB. Communication may be more flexible and interactive beneficial for both the supervisor, i.e. me, and the team as on one hand ESFPs can easily be distracted by any new piece/s of information and on the other ESTJ teams reject new ideas and are not inclined to accept new trends. This results in a more focused communication that assists in decision making process as well. The above scenario may lead to negligence of important facts, thus, resulting in failure to consider important stakeholders. This indicates a possible blind spot in case of failure to achieve the desired results. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Team Report (1994) states, â€Å"Type theory predicts that when teams solve problems, they tend to rely on their favorite preferences more than on the others. ESTJ team’s problem-sol ving process may, therefore, look something like this: Thinking first, Sensing next then Intuition and Feeling least. The T helps to analyze, dissect, debate, create or apply

Enterprise Resource Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Enterprise Resource Planning - Essay Example Finally, a key goal for the use of the ERP by the army is to help the army streamline its operations, practices and process, making them more efficient (Real-World Case, 183). The key implementation considerations made include the sources of failure in the process of transformation. The failure by an institution to forecast and thus plan for the likely organizational and cultural changes that comes with the transformation, which entails the introduction of the ERP in the army can easily cause a failure to the implementation process (Real-World Case, 184). Leadership and sponsorship consistency is also a major consideration, since the introduction of ERP requires the consistency of leadership and supervisors, which is rarely the case in the army. Stakeholder alignment is also an essential consideration, since all the stakeholders in the army should be aware and supportive of the transformation. Cost considerations should also be made, since the implementation of ERP requires substantial resources, which should always be supplied, for the success of the process (Real-World Case, 184). The change management was incorporated in the process through the change of the army process into business-like, since the ERP could not fully address the army system, which is quite different from the normal business transactions and processes. These changes entail the incorporation of some traditional aspects of the army systems such as cost and performance measures into the ERP system, while introducing new concepts such as the measurement of effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction, both internal and external (Real-World Case, 185). Additionally, the change management process was incorporated into the system through the reconfiguration of the ERP, to include a new code, other than change the existing one, a process known as extension. This is essential to include some of the army processes, which cannot