Public Health And Health Assessment - 1108 Words

The issue of public health is one of great importance because it affects every person on this planet in some form. In this essay I will explore the various aspects of public health; including the advantages of public health assessments and how public health assessments can be used to for public health policies. I will also discuss the health concern regarding the use and legalization of marijuana and the implications of how it may impact the community. Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of families and communities through promotion of healthy lifestyles, research for disease and injury prevention and detection and control of infectious diseases (CDC Foundation, 2015). Those who invest maintaining and improving public health ultimately improve the quality of life for individuals by ensuring their health and safety. Public health differs from personal health in the sense that personal health is more focused on the decisions and choices that an individual makes about their own personal health and well-being. In order to analyze and identify the needs for that particular community, public health assessments are performed. Public health assessments are beneficial because they explore what is health issues need to be addressed and prevented. There are many different types of assessments that are used to analyze and identify public health needs. The assessments are classified in five groups: social, epidemiological, behavioral/environmental,Show MoreRelatedPublic Health Assessment Essay1090 Words   |  5 Pagesto define public health and compare it to personal health, also a discussion of benefits and disadvantages of public health. The following questions will also be answered: What are the benefits of public health assessments? What are the disadvantages, if any? Give an example of a potential conflict within the community that could arise as a result of public health assessments. How can public health advocates and policy makers prevent and/or manage such a conflict? How can public h ealth assessmentsRead MoreAssessment Of Health Protection As Part Of A Public Health1719 Words   |  7 PagesWithin this essay appraisal of health protection as part of the ‘bigger picture’ of Public Health will be explored. A Deeper exploration of Measles will be evaluated along with an appraisal and analysis of an environmental hazard, The impact of communicable diseases and environmental hazards within public health and the factors that determine the severity of that impact will also be discussed. Public Health (PH) Wales was established as a National Health Service (NHS) in October 2009. One of itsRead MoreLocal Public Health Systems Assessment844 Words   |  4 PagesLocal Public Health Systems Assessment (LPHSA) in San Joaquin County Public Health Services (SJCPHS) SJCPHS hosted external stakeholders to evaluate the strength of the public health systems as a step towards accreditation. Many different organizations contribute to the structures that influence public health. I compiled the contact information into a database for invitations. During the actual evaluation, I assisted in the preparation of the event. Throughout the day, I co-facilitated discussionsRead MoreA Public Health Assessment ( Pre Pha )1819 Words   |  8 PagesINTRODUCTION In this Preliminary Public Health Assessment (Pre-PHA), we evaluated exposure of the Milneburge neighborhood community to contaminants in response to their public health complaint with the City of New Orleans. . The homeowners in the neighborhood started to complain of nausea, headache, and dyspnea when they work in their back yards and reported water runoff and soil erosion from the waste management site. So, they were really concerned about their children health because they used to playRead MoreThe Development And Assessment Of A Major Public Health Problem1529 Words   |  7 PagesDescribe the development and assessment of a proposed intervention for a major public health problem, including how best to evaluate its effectiveness. Addiction is the term used when a person takes part in an activity, or ingests a substance that gives them pleasure, but then the continuous use of it becomes compulsive and starts interfering with their everyday life. The behaviour of an addict can easily be recognised as it represents confusing human activity. (Shaffer, 1996). These behaviours canRead MoreCase Study Part Two. Ceirra Knight. Mha 624: Continuous934 Words   |  4 PagesCeirra Knight MHA 624: Continuous Quality Improvements Risk Management Instructor: Rhonda Hatfield May 2, 2017  From the perspective of a health care administrator, I will identify, develop, and discuss strategic issues in planning a model by prioritizing issues facing a community when dealing with a natural disaster using the four MAPP assessments that align with the shared community mission. Lastly, I explain how you would promote collaborations among clinical professionals, explain methodsRead MoreMobilizing For Action Through Planning And Partnerships1582 Words   |  7 PagesUniversity Executive Summary of the Assessment Plan (Atlantic County) Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) is a community strategic plan to improve community health. Atlantic County Department of Public Health used MAPP for creation of a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). The MAPP process is done by three committees: 1-MAPP Core Committee: a public health professional’s team and their responsibility is daily monitoring for activitiesRead MoreThe Affordable Care Act1208 Words   |  5 Pagescollection actions against the individual; and conduct a community health needs assessment (CHNA) and adopt an implementation strategy at least once every three years, which are effective for tax years beginning after March 23, 2012† (New Requirements for 501(c)(3) Hospitals Under the Affordable Care Act, 2010). The National Association of County and City Health Officials analyst Julia Joh Elligers defines a community health assessment as â€Å"a process that uses quantitative and qualitative methods toRead MoreObama Secretary Representative Department And Prepare For An Appearance Before The House Health Committee1621 Words   |  7 Pagesbefore the House Health Committee, one must be able to exhibit a concise understanding for the department as the selected secretary representative. Through class discussions, it is possible to identify health care as one of the most important aspects in the public sector. With the committee also revolving around the overall welfare of our youth, makes this particular topic more delicate and demanding. In the public administration field, there is not only a priority for the public first but also anRead MoreHealth Impact Assessment : The Health Of A Population And The Distribution Of Those Effects1342 Words   |  6 Pagesplan, program, or project on the health of a population and the distribution of those effects within the population. HIA provides recommendations on monitoring and managing those effects (Health Impact Assessment, 2015)† Healthcare providers counsel their patients on ways to keep in good physical health. Similarly, Health Impact Assessments (HIA) offers the same guidance to communities. This information helps societies make educated choices about refining public health by means of community planning

E Commerce and Business Start Up Free Essays

E commerce and Business Start up Throughout the evaluation process of a potential new idea and in the development of new marketing strategy E-Commerce needs to be continually assessed. E-Commerce offers the entrepreneur the opportunity to be very creative and innovative; its importance is indicated in the continually increasing amount of both business to business and business to costumer e-commerce sales. It increase on the annual basis, according to com Score Networks, total Internet business reached to $214. We will write a custom essay sample on E Commerce and Business Start Up or any similar topic only for you Order Now 4 billion in 2008, an increase of 7% in internet business as compared to 2007. The $214. Billion was composed of $130. 1 billion Non travel spending and 84. 3 billion Dollars travel spending. Video games, consoles and accessories together was the fastest growing categories constituted of 29%, sport and fitness items 29%, event tickets, 13%, consumer electronics 9%, apparel and accessories 4% and travel spending increase by 7% as compared to 2007 over 2008. Factors that facilitated the growth of e-commerce are wide spread use of PC’s, the adoption of intranet in companies, the acceptance of internet as the business communications platform and faster and more secure systems. Numerous benefits such as Access to broader customer base, lower info dissemination cost which expand the volume of E commerce. Using E-commerce Creatively: E-commerce is mostly use by most corporations to increase their marketing and sale channels. The internet is especially for small and medium size companies as it enables them to minimize the marketing costs while reaching broader markets. An entrepreneur starting an E commerce venture needs to address the same strategic and tactical questions as any other entrepreneur, but some new specific issues are faced because introduction of new technology used in E-commerce. An entrepreneur should decide whether should do in house or out sourcing for an inter business. In case of in house operations there are computer servers; hardware, software as well as support services are included. And in case of outsourcing entrepreneur can hire web developers to design the company’s web pages and upload them on the internet through ISP. In this case the entrepreneur main task is to regularly update the information on the web pages; another option is that to purchase the software from the local market. The correct decision b/w in-house or outsourcing depends on the size of the business. The 2 major components of internet business are Front end or Back end operations. Front end operations are the websites functions, search options, secure payments, shopping cart. The biggest mistake usually make by the companies is that they believe that the attractive website secure their business, which leads them to underestimating the back end operations. The integration of back end and front end operations represents the greatest challenge for doing internet business and at the same time provides an opportunity for developing a sustained competitive advantage. Websites: Entrepreneurial firms mostly use websites, about 90% of small businesses today have operating websites, but majority of them are not capable of operating new websites. A good website should be easy to use. In developing a website one should keep in mind that; who is the audience? What are the objectives of the site? What do you want to costumers when they visit the site? In addressing these questions one should effectively organize the website. This requires that the material should be fresh and updated on regular basis. Another most important feature of the website is the search capability; it should be easy to find information about the products and services, which can be accomplished by advance search tools and subject browsing. Other functions that should be available are shopping cart, secure server connection, credit card payments and customer feedback. Speed is the characteristic of a successful website. Tracking costumer information: The motivation for tracking costumer information is to capture costumer attention; care must be taken in doing so to follow the laws protecting the privacy of individuals. Doing E-commerce as an Entrepreneurial Company: For online business one should take care of several factors; first the product should be delivered economically and conveniently. Fresh fruits and vegetables for individual consumers are not appropriate for long distance deliveries and online sales. Second the product should be interesting for larger no of people. Thirdly online operations should reduce the cost. And the 4th one that company can easily draw costumer to its website. How to cite E Commerce and Business Start Up, Papers

Ambition in Macbeth examples Essay Example For Students

Ambition in Macbeth examples Essay In the play of â€Å"Macbeth†, Shakespeare gradually and effectively deepens our understanding of the themes and most importantly the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The main theme of Macbeth is ambition, and how it compels the main characters to pursue it. The antagonists of the play are the three witches, who symbolise the theme appearance and reality. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relation is an irony throughout the play, as most of their relation is based on greed and power. This is different from most of Shakespeare’s other plays, which are mostly based on romance and trust. There is also guilt that leads Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to the final consequences of the play. As the progresses, the constant changes in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are exposed. The relation of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth takes a few turns throughout the play. It starts with Lady Macbeth being in control and dominating Macbeth. Then suddenly Macbeth turns into an unhesitant man, who gets accustomed to killing and getting his own way. The dire changes in the characters affect the couple’s relation extremely. Shakespeare introduces the protagonist of the play as a valiant and a prominent character, even before the audience meets him. Macbeth’s fellow soldiers give us a view of his bravery and courageous manner. In order to prove his loyalty towards his king, Macbeth had won the appalling war against Norway, and became a hero: â€Å"For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name – Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution.† Shakespeare’s effective use of word choice in ‘brave’ makes the audience understand the protagonist deeply. Ironically, later in the play, Macbeth’s ambitions take over him and become the antag. . ave died hereafter; there would have been a time for such a word.† Macbeth cold-heartedly states that Lady Macbeth would have died sooner or later, and that this news was bound to come someday. This behaviour of Macbeth’s startles the audience, as how can one be so remorseless. Shakespeare has changed the character of Macbeth as a tyrant, who only cares about his power and nothing else. In trying to achieve everything possible, the Macbeths’ tragically lose everything instead. Shakespeare has effectively showed us the consequences of murder and power. The main symbolic signs of blood, murder and guilt throughout the play, gave the changes of the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth efficiently. What once started as a dominating relation and taking decisions together, turned into a relation in which neither Macbeth or Lady Macbeth cared for one another.

Public Relation Essays - Public Relations, Communication, Marketing

Public Relation What Is Public Relations? Public relations is the management function that identifies, establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organisation and the various publics on whom its success or failure depends - Scott Cutlip Public relations, byname PR, is an aspect of communications involving the relations between an entity subject, to, or seeking public attention of the various publics that are, or may be interested in it. The entity seeking attention may be a business corporation, an individual politician, a performer or author, a government or government agency, a charitable organisation, a religious body, or almost any other person or organisation. The publics may include segments as narrow as female voters of a particular political party who are between 35 and 50 years of age or the shareholders in a particular corporation; or the publics may be as broad as any national population or the world at large. The concerns of public relations operate both ways between the subject entity, which may be thought of as the client, and the publics involved. The important elements of public relations are to acquaint the client with the public conceptions of the client and to affect these perceptions by focusing, curtailing, amplifying, or augmenting information about the client as it is conveyed to the publics. Public relations encompasses a variety of marketing activities that strengthen organisations credibility, enhance organisations image and develop goodwill. These are usually targeted directly at an audience, such as speeches, special events, newsletters, and annual reports. A public relation involves communicating who you are, what you do, why you do it, and how you make a difference. The difference between publicity and public relations The terms public relations and publicity are often misused. They are not interchangeable. Publicity is only one function of public relations. It is media coverage i.e. news stories, feature articles, talk show interviews, editorials and reviews. Other commonly confused terms are publicity and advertising. The key distinction is you pay for advertising. Because publicity is free, it is more credible and more likely to have an impact on the reader or viewer. Advertising is generally not considered a public relations function. According to the Public Relations Institute of America: Public relations is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain understanding between an organisation and its public (Malan and L'Estrange, 1981). PR is a broad and complex activity although its basic objective is simple: to communicate in order to achieve understanding through knowledge. Consequently, PR exists, liked or not, and all modern organisations, because of their size and complexity, need and are concerned with PR. Good PR with the conscious effort to inform and be informed provides knowledge, understanding, goodwill and a good reputation. PR exists to keep institutions alert to an ever-shifting environment of circumstance and public opinion. PR is an on-going activity, hence the word sustained in the definition. It must anticipate problems and eliminate causes before problems arise. It is not there to rescue an operation or to apologise for it (Malan and L'Estrange, 1981). PR is essentially concerned with communication: between people, between people and organisations and within and between organisations. Activities and Methods Public relations activities in the modern world help institutions to cope successfully with many problems, to build prestige for an individual or a group, to promote products, and to win elections or legislative battles. The majority of public relations workers are staff employees working within a corporate or institutional framework. Others operate in public relations counselling firms. In industry, public relations personnel keep management informed of changes in the opinions of various publics (that is, the groups of people whose support is needed): employees, stockholders, customers, suppliers, dealers, the community, and government. These professionals counsel management as to the impact of any actionor lack of actionon the behaviour of the target audiences. Once an organisational decision has been made, the public relations person has the task of communicating this information to the public using methods that foster understanding, consent, and desired behaviour. For example, a hospital merger, an industrial plant closing, or the introductions of a new product all require public relations planning and skill. Public relations also play an important role in the entertainment industry. The theatre, motion pictures, sports, restaurants,

Biography of Father Miguel Hidalgo, Mexicos Founder

Biography of Father Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico's Founder Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (May 8, 1753–July 30, 1811) is today remembered as the father of his country, the great hero of Mexicos War for Independence. His position has become cemented in lore, and there are any number of hagiographic biographies available featuring him as their subject. The truth about Hidalgo is a little more complex. The facts and dates leave no doubt: his was the first serious insurrection on Mexican soil against Spanish authority, and he managed to get quite far with his poorly armed mob. He was a charismatic leader and made a good team with the military man Ignacio Allende despite their mutual hatred. Fast Facts: Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Known For: Considered Mexicos founding fatherAlso Known As: Miguel Gregorio Antonio Francisco Ignacio Hidalgo-Costilla y Gallaga Mandarte Villaseà ±orBorn: May 8, 1753 in  Pà ©njamo, MexicoParents: Cristà ³bal Hidalgo y Costilla,  Ana Marà ­a GallagaDied: July 30, 1811 in  Chihuahua, MexicoEducation: Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico (degree in philosophy and theology, 1773)Publications: Ordered the publication of a newspaper,  Despertador Americano  (American Wake Up Call)Honors: Dolores Hidalgo, the town where his parish was located, is named in his honor and the state of  Hidalgo  was created in 1869, also in his honor.Notable Quote: Action must be taken at once; there is no time to be lost; we shall yet see the oppressors yoke broken and the fragments scattered on the ground. Early Life Born on May 8, 1753, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was the second of 11 children fathered by Cristà ³bal Hidalgo, an estate administrator. He and his elder brother attended a school run by the Jesuits, and both decided to join the priesthood. They studied at San Nicols Obispo, a prestigious school in Valladolid (now Morelia). Hidalgo distinguished himself as a student and received top marks in his class. He would go on to become rector of his old school, becoming known as a top theologian. When his elder brother died in 1803, Miguel took over for him as the priest of the town of Dolores. Conspiracy Hidalgo often hosted gatherings at his home where he would talk about whether it was the duty of the people to obey or overthrow an unjust tyrant. Hidalgo believed the Spanish crown was such a tyrant: a royal collection of debt had ruined the finances of the Hidalgo family, and he saw injustice daily in his work with the poor. There was a conspiracy for independence in Querà ©taro at this time: The conspiracy felt that they needed someone with moral authority, a relationship with the lower classes and good connections. Hidalgo was recruited and joined without reservation. El Grito de Dolores/The Cry of Dolores Hidalgo was in Dolores on September 15, 1810, with other leaders of the conspiracy, including military commander Allende, when word came to them that the conspiracy had been found out. Needing to move immediately, Hidalgo rang the church bells on the morning of the sixteenth, calling in all of the locals who happened to be in the market that day. From the pulpit, he announced his intention to strike for independence and exhorted the people of Dolores to join him. Most did: Hidalgo had an army of some 600 men within minutes. This became known as the Cry of Dolores. The Siege of Guanajuato Hidalgo and Allende marched their growing army through the towns of San Miguel and Celaya, where the angry rabble killed all Spaniards they could find and looted their homes. Along the way, they adopted the Virgin of Guadalupe as their symbol. On Sept. 28, 1810, they reached the mining city of Guanajuato, where the Spaniards and royalist forces had barricaded themselves inside the public granary. The battle, which became known as the siege of Guanajuato, was horrific: The rebel horde, which by then numbered some 30,000, overran the fortifications and slaughtered the 500 Spaniards inside. Then the town of Guanajuato was looted: creoles, as well as Spaniards, suffered. Monte de Las Cruces Hidalgo and Allende, their army now some 80,000 strong, continued their march on Mexico City. The Viceroy hastily organized a defense, sending out Spanish general Torcuato Trujillo with 1,000 men, 400 horsemen, and two cannons: all that could be found on such short notice. The two armies clashed on Monte de las Cruces (Mount of the Crosses) on Oct. 30, 1810. The result was predictable: The Royalists fought bravely (a young officer named Agustà ­n de Iturbide distinguished himself) but could not win against such overwhelming odds. When the cannons were captured in combat, the surviving royalists retreated to the city. Retreat Although his army had the advantage and could easily have taken Mexico City, Hidalgo retreated against the counsel of Allende. This retreat when victory was at hand has puzzled historians and biographers ever since. Some feel that Hidalgo feared that the largest Royalist army in Mexico, some 4,000 veterans under the command of General Fà ©lix Calleja, was nearby (it was, but not close enough to save Mexico City had Hidalgo attacked). Others say Hidalgo wanted to spare the citizens of Mexico City the inevitable sacking and plunder. In any event, Hidalgo’s retreat was his greatest tactical error. The Battle of Calderon Bridge The rebels split for a while as Allende went to Guanajuato and Hidalgo to Guadalajara. They reunited, although things were tense between the two men. Spanish General Fà ©lix Calleja and his army caught up with the rebels at Calderà ³n Bridge near the entrance to Guadalajara on Jan. 17, 1811. Although Calleja was vastly outnumbered, he caught a break when a lucky cannonball exploded a rebel munitions wagon. In the ensuing smoke, fire, and chaos, Hidalgos undisciplined soldiers broke. Betrayal and Capture Hidalgo and Allende were forced to head north to the United States in the hope of finding weapons and mercenaries there. Allende was by then sick of Hidalgo and placed him under arrest: he went north as a prisoner. In the north, they were betrayed by local insurrection leader Ignacio Elizondo and captured. In short order, they were given to Spanish authorities and sent to the city of Chihuahua to stand trial. Also captured were insurgent leaders Juan Aldama, Mariano Abasolo, and Mariano Jimà ©nez, men who had been involved in the conspiracy since the start. Death All of the rebel leaders were found guilty and sentenced to death, except for Mariano Abasolo, who was sent to Spain to serve a life sentence. Allende, Jimà ©nez, and Aldama were executed on June 26, 1811, shot in the back as a sign of dishonor. Hidalgo, as a priest, had to undergo a civil trial as well as a visit from the Inquisition. He was eventually stripped of his priesthood, found guilty, and executed on July 30. The heads of Hidalgo, Allende, Aldama, and Jimà ©nez were preserved and hung from the four corners of the granary of Guanajuato as a warning to those who would follow in their footsteps. Legacy After decades of abusing Creoles and poor Mexicans, there was a vast well of resentment and hatred that Hidalgo was able to tap into: even he seemed surprised by the level of anger released on the Spaniards by his mob. He provided the catalyst for Mexicos poor to vent their anger on the hated gachipines or Spaniards, but his army was more like a swarm of locusts, and about as impossible to control. His questionable leadership also contributed to his downfall. Historians can only wonder what might have happened had Hidalgo pushed into Mexico City in November 1810: history certainly would be different. In this, Hidalgo was too proud or stubborn to listen to the sound military advice offered by Allende and others and press his advantage. Finally, Hidalgos approval of the violent sacking and looting by his forces alienated the group most vital to any independence movement: middle-class and wealthy Creoles like himself. Poor peasants and Indians only had the power to burn, pillage, and destroy: They could not create a new identity for Mexico, one that would allow Mexicans to psychologically break from Spain and craft a national conscience for themselves. Still, Hidalgo became a great leader: After his death. His timely martyrdom allowed others to pick up the fallen banner of freedom and independence. His influence on later fighters such as Josà © Marà ­a Morelos, Guadalupe Victoria, and others is considerable. Today, Hidalgos remains lie in a Mexico City monument known as the Angel of Independence along with other Revolutionary heroes. Sources Harvey, Robert. Liberators: Latin Americas Struggle for Independence. 1st Edition, Harry N. Abrams, September 1, 2000.ï » ¿Lynch, John. The Spanish American Revolutions 1808-1826. Revolutions in the modern world, Hardcover, Norton, 1973.

Bootstrap Time

Bootstrap Time This essay is not about the whipping kind of bootstrap, but the kind you pull yourself up I received an anonymous request on my website, but I replied, wanting so badly to help this person get centered in his fight to be a writeror his enlightenment that maybe he isnt cut out to be a writer. Yes, there are some of those out there, and believe it or not, they never recognize themselves. I will not quote the person because the grammar was poor, but it went something like this: I have written a book. A well-known publisher wants to publish it. The publisher said it needed lots of work. They will not publish it on their own because of the work it needs. If I still want it published, theyll do so for $2,000. I want this book to reach people. Can you help me get money to make it happen? This is how many books on Amazon, Barnes Noble, Kobo, and more become published. This poor individual thought that paying the money would get someone to look at the book, fix it, and put it out there. I wrote him back and told him to forget about publishing and start learning how to write. If a vanity press tells him that the book needs work, dangthe book needs work. Time to suck it up and face the fact that his writing needs serious attention over a serious period of time until the book is as good as it can be. In other words Anyone can publish a book. Only good books sell. Only well promoted good books sell well. And you control it all. Nothing will make you feel more accomplished than to sweat blood and learn: 1) how to write 2) how to edit 3) how to publish (all methods) 4) how to sell There are too many tools and resources out there not to educate yourself. Yes, it takes time. All good things in life take time and dedication. My wish for you is to feel the fire to make your writing work well.

Personal Statement Apply to UK Universities (Postgraduate Degree) Essay

Personal Statement Apply to UK Universities (Postgraduate Degree) - Essay Example good grades he had received in his initial year of his undergraduate course and his continued studentship in the organization has been based on his good academic showing. We understand that his performance during his course was above average and placed him amongst the upper bracket of the students in his class. His language of instruction, which was English, was another asset for us. At the time of his studentship the organization was in the process of re-organizing its use of information and communication technology in its business activities. Mr. Janny ---- was given the responsibility of planning the required changes, implementing the required changes and evaluating the impact of the changes, under my guidance over the many years of his studentship with us. We are pleased to confirm his ability for planning changes, leading and executing the changes and evaluating the changes. The end result of these activities of his has been that we find effective use of information and communication technology in our business operations, particularly with regards to our international trading activities and our attempts at remaining competitive and expanding our markets. He had indicated that he would like to pursue a post graduate course in information and communication technology and we believe he has made the right choice taking into consideration his undergraduate program, abilities and aptitude. It was this desire of his and the discussions with him that made us provide him with an opportunity to experience the field of information communication and technology during his studentship with us. The work experience that he gained with us in revamping our use of information and communication technology should stand him in good stead during his post graduate course in information communication and technology at the London School of Economics and Political Science. It is our experience of his nature of working hard with diligence, abilities and his analytical and

Chinese Environmental Programs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chinese Environmental Programs - Essay Example In this report we assess the tremendous environmental impact that industrialization has caused in the People’s Republic of China and how the Chinese government has concentrated on getting regulations and enforcement in place to reduce the extreme degradation that industries were bringing about in the environment. Here is a quick review of the nature of regulations that the Chinese government has been employing recently. The air was found to have heavy precipitation and highly convectional temperature swings in all parts of China. This was a direct result of the obnoxious gases that are released to the environment in the form of factory and automobile exhausts. The use of smoke filters was the very first regulation that China imposed on its automobile users, which was also accompanied by the restriction of ammonia rich fuels and raw materials in factories. This has helped reduce the level of precipitation to a great extent, although acid rains are reported in parts of the country still (MEPPRC, 2009, 56). The release of gases like sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide has been controlled by applying strict regulations to papermaking, steelmaking, power supply industries. This has led to the reduction of their content in the atmosphere by millions of tons. The country is full of rivers and it has been noticed that industrial releases like the ammonium and manganese wastes have caused enough harm to the flora and fauna found in the rivers. There is no doubt that, the river waters have turned poisonous not just for these creatures, but also for us. The governmental bodies have tested water of all the major rivers and have devised a national monitoring system that assesses the quality of water in each river and grades it. Grade V which is the highest order in terms of drinking safety is found in only a meager 2.3% of the river water that is found in China (MEPPRC, 2009, 26). Since the river water is undergoing extreme

Tourette Syndrome Essay Example for Free

Tourette Syndrome Essay Tourette syndrome (TS) is a chronic, familial, neurobiological disorder with its   onset in childhood and is marked by presence of involuntary motor movements and sounds, known as motor and vocal tics respectively (Bagheri, Kerbeshian Burd, 1999). According to Lingui-Systems (1999, cited in Prestia, 2003), approximately 1 in every 2,500 individuals suffer from TS, with boys being diagnosed more frequently than girls. Tourettes syndrome also known as Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (after its discoverer Georges Gilles de la Tourette, a French neurologist), can be considered to be the most complex and severe manifestation of the spectrum of tic disorders (Kwak Jankovic, 2002). Etiology and Pathogenesis The exact cause of TS is not known. TS is supposed to have a multifactorial etiology with, genetic and environmental factors playing an important role in its development. Concordance rate of about 60% in monozygotic twins and 10% in dizygotic twins suggest genetic basis behind TS (Bagheri et al, 1999). The mode of transmission of Tourettes syndrome is controversial. Though the exact patho-physiological mechanism underlying the disease has yet not been discovered, abnormalities in basal ganglia (shown in figure 1) and frontal cortex have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Tourettes syndrome (Bagheri et al). Abnormality in secretion of neuro-transmitters especially dopamine is also thought to be associated with TS (Bagheri et al). Figure1. Brain Structures Involved in Tourette Syndrome Source: John Henkel, J. (2006). Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved on 21 April 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Brain_structure.gif Symptoms Tourettes syndrome follows a fluctuating course in most children. Symptoms   usually appear at about 6-7 years of age.   Many factors like anxiety, stress, substance abuse etc can intensify tics. Presence of tics (both motor and vocal) is characteristic of TS. According to American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition- text revision. (DSM-IV-TR, 2000), tics are defined as sudden, rapid, purposeless, repetitive, non-rhythmic, stereotyped movements or vocalizations. Tics in TS are not constantly present (except in extremely severe cases) and occur on a background of normal motor activity (Kwak Jankovic, 2002). This disorder usually begins with simple tics which progress over time into more complex ones.   Different types of simple and complex tics as described by Bagheri et al (1999) which can be seen in patients with TS have been enumerated in table 1. Besides TS, tics can be seen associated with other neurologic disorders like (encephalitis, Huntington’s disease etc). These secondary tics, not associated with Tourette syndrome are commonly referred to as tourettism ((Bagheri et al, 1999). Table 1.Common Types of Tics Seen in Patients with Tourette Syndrome. SIMPLE TICS COMPLEX TICS Motor tics Vocal or phonic tics Motor tics Vocal or phonic tics Eye blinking Throat clearing Flapping arms Talking to oneself Sticking tongue out Sniffing Facial grimacing Assuming different intonations Head turning Barking Adjusting or picking at clothing Coprolalia: blurting out obscene or socially inappropriate words or phrases Jerking of head or shoulders Coughing Complex touching movements Echolalia:   involuntary repetition of the words of others Muscle tensing Yelling Jumping Palilalia: involuntary repetition of ones own words Flexing fingers Hiccupping Shaking feet Kicking Belching Poking and pinching Producing animal sounds Copropraxia: involuntary performance of obscene gestures Kissing self or others Spitting Source: Bagheri, M.M. Kerbeshian, J., Burd, L. (1999). Recognition and management of Tourette’s Syndrome and tic disorders. American Family Physician, 59 (8). Retrieved on 21 April from http://www.aafp.org/afp/990415ap/2263.html Motor tics Motor tics can be described as brief movements which occur due to   involuntary muscle contraction. Motor tics can be simple or complex in nature (see table 1). Tics usually occur as an involuntary movement or as a response to an involuntary urge to perform the movement (Kwak Jankovic, 2002). These involuntary movements are often perceived as voluntary by the patient and he tries to suppress them. Suppression of tics results in building up of an inner tension or a feeling of discomfort. This leads a further burst of tics which is relieved after performance of the movement (Kwak Jankovic, 2002). Vocal tics Vocal or phonic tics represent involuntary sounds produced due to contraction of   nasal or oro-pharyngeal muscles (Kwak Jankovic, 2002). Like somatic motor tics, vocal tics can also be divided into simple and complex tics (shown in table 1). Coprolalia once thought to be characteristic of TS is present in about 8-25% cases (Bagheri et al, 1999). Another type of speech disturbance present in some patients is ‘blocking tics’. They are manifested by either hesitancy in starting the speech or sudden interruption in the flow of normal speech (Kwak Jankovic, 2002) Developmental stuttering is also sometimes seen in patients with TS (Kwak Jankovic, 2002). Tourette’s syndrome is often associated with other co-morbid conditions like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavior problems and learning disabilities (Prestia, 2003). Diagnosis Diagnosis of TS is usually made clinically based on recognition of tics. The Diagnostic criteria for TS as defined by American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition- text revision. (DSM-IV-TR), 2000 is shown in table 1. Table 1. DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic Criteria for Tourettes Disorder A Presence of both motor and vocal tics at some time during the illness, although not necessarily concurrently. B The tics occur many times a day (usually in bouts) nearly every day or intermittently throughout a period of more than 1 year, and during this period there is never a tic-free period of more than 3 consecutive months. C The onset of symptoms is before the age of 18 years. D TS is diagnosed after ruling out the presence of symptoms due to direct effect of drugs of abuse or general medical conditions (e.g., Huntingtons disease or post viral encephalitis). Treatment      Ã‚  Ã‚  Treatment of TS may require a multi-disciplinary team approach involving   neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, educators etc. (Kwak Jankovic, 2002).An algorithm for management of TS as described by Bagheri et al (1999) is shown in figure 2. Pharmacological therapy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Medical therapy should aim at the treatment of most disabling symptom. Tics   (both vocal and motor) respond best to dopamine blocking drugs (Kwak Jankovic, 2002). These can include conventional neuroleptics like haloperidol and pimozide and the atypical neuroleptic agents like risperidone. Neuroleptic agents are associated with numerous side effects like sedation, weight gain, impaired academic performance, in children and extra pyramidal movement symptoms (like tardive dyskinesia). Since TS is frequently associated with other co-morbid conditions like OCD, ADHD etc, pharmacotherapy should be tailored to treat these conditions as well (Kwak Jankovic, 2002). For e.g. Central nervous system stimulants (amphetamines and dextroamphetamine) can be used for treatment of ADHD and anti-depressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) for management of OCD, if present. Injections of botulinum toxin can be used for tics isolated to one body region such as the eyes, neck, or vocal cords. Non-Pharmacologic interventions Since TS most commonly affects children in the age when they are attending school, symptoms of TS can affect their academic performance, cause inference with their social-emotional development, and impose limitations due to physical disabilities produced as a result of tics (Prestia, 2003). It is the duty of educational providers, school personnel and parents to keep these limitations in mind and to draw out an adequate plan incorporating carefully thought out interventions and adaptations, in order to enhance the success and performance of children suffering with TS, at school (Prestia, 2003). Behavior treatment and counseling can be used to promote development of social and academic skills in children and to prevent exacerbation of symptoms related to TS, by modifying their behavior (Bagheri et al, 1999). Source: Bagheri, M.M. Kerbeshian, J., Burd, L. (1999). Recognition and management of Tourette’s Syndrome and tic disorders. American Family Physician, 59 (8). Retrieved on 21 April from http://www.aafp.org/afp/990415ap/2263.html Prognosis TS is a lifelong disorder with an unpredictable course (Prestia, K. (2003). The   clinical course of TS as described by Bagheri et al (1999) is shown in figure 3.   As shown in figure 3, symptoms of TS diminish during and after adolescence in about 85% of patients. About 5 to 10 % of patients may show no improvement. Most patients with TS require medication for up to one to two years. About 15 % of patients may require long-term medication for tic control.                Figure 3. Clinical Course of Tourettes Syndrome Source: Bagheri, M.M. Kerbeshian, J., Burd, L. (1999). Recognition and management of Tourette’s Syndrome and tic disorders. American Family Physician, 59 (8). Retrieved on 21 April from   http://www.aafp.org/afp/990415ap/2263.html Conclusion TS is not an uncommon problem and can be often encountered in school children. TS is a multifactorial neurological disorder requiring an integrated treatment approach targeting at the other co-morbid conditions associated with TS, as well. Treatment must also incorporate an effective multi-disciplinary team approach aiming at treatment and recognition of underlying complex mechanisms, solving speech and language problems and promoting socio-emotional and academic development to substantially improve the quality of life and performance of individuals with TS. Article Review The article by Prestia, 2003 focuses on need of educators to understand the special academic, social-emotional, and physical needs of the children suffering from TS. Educators need to make use of simple interventions to help these children overcome their illness and achieve best possible performance at school. TS can cause significant academic, social-emotional, and physical challenges for the child as described below: Academic Challenges TS does not directly affect intelligence, and many students with TS have average or above average IQs. Still approximately 40% of individuals with TS can have learning problems. This is so as many individuals with TS have associated comorbid disorders like learning disabilities, OCD, ADHD, Asperger syndrome etc. Assistance can be provided through special education services or individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 Plan. If the student does not qualify for either, classroom teachers can make use of simple interventions and plans by using available resources and their own knowledge .For e.g. if the child is having trouble with writing, teachers can make use of alternatives like using oral assessment tests instead of written assignments, using multiple-choice questions etc. Since stress can precipitate tics, teachers should take steps to eliminate any source of stress for the student. Social-emotional Challenges Children with TS tend to have problems in interacting with and being accepted by their peers due to abnormal behavior produced as a result of motor and vocal tics. Such children may become isolated and depressed and are at risk for developing poor self-esteem and self-confidence. They are also easy targets to bullying. Educators should take steps to encourage acceptance and support of such students by their peers. Physical Challenges Underlying physical problems accompanying the disorder often go unaddressed. Educators should properly assess these problems by consulting a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) involving a physical therapist, occupational therapist, and adapted physical education teacher in order to determine the students motor strengths and areas of need. For e.g.   Impairments in sensory processing or motor planning may interfere with normal day to day non-academic activities like toileting, eating lunch, etc. Simple solutions can be offered by the MDT to facilitate independence and to prevent self-harm during the period of tic release in such children.   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In my view this article provides helpful suggestions that can be utilized in school settings. In order to achieve optimal development and performance of these students, educators must make use of simple and carefully thought out interventions. They should find out ways to promote social-emotional development and also help them in coping with learning and physical disabilities, imposed by the tics. References American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental   disorders, fourth edition- text revision.   (2000). Retrieved on 21 April from http://www.behavenet.com/capsules/disorders/touretteTR.htm Bagheri, M.M., Kerbeshian, J., Burd, L. (1999). Recognition and management of   Tourette’s Syndrome and tic disorders. American Family Physician, 59 (8). Retrieved on 21 April from http://www.aafp.org/afp/990415ap/2263.html Kwak, C. Jankovic, J. (2002). The Neurology of a Tic: From the Point of View   of the Scientist. Retrieved on 21 April 2007 from http://www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2002/q3/020806a.htm Prestia, K. (2003).Tourettes syndrome: Characteristics and interventions. Intervention   in school and clinic, 39(2), 67. Retrieved on 21 April 2007 from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=37did=443394391SrchMode=1sid=2Fmt=4VInst=PRODVType=PQDRQT=309VName=PQDTS=1176684625clientId=18091

Respect for All Natural Living Beings: An argument to Acknowledge All

Respect for All Natural Living Beings: An argument to Acknowledge All animal Rights in Society Throughout history, societies have been faced with many social issues affecting their citizens. Martin Luther King Jr, a civil rights leader for African Americans, was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement, a movement that fought to undo the injustices African Americans endure by American society in the 1960s. Martin expressed his disgust with the social inequality among citizens when saying â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere† (PETA). Taking the prominent leader’s words into consideration, we should progress as a society by participating in the animal rights movement that strives to extend the same compassion, felt by Martin Luther King Jr, to all living things (PETA). Popular criticisms report that animals are inferior to humans because they are a source of food, but I will argue that they are victims of social injustice. Validity for my animal rights argument will come from individual and organizational expert accounts and by Bioethicist Pe ter Singer, Author Francis Fukuyama, New York Time’s Mark Bittman and also Animal Rights organizations, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and Animal Equality, to help prove my argument. Animals are silent victims who are loudly crying out for someone to stand up for their rights; rights that can no longer be disregarded by being overlooked. It is my belief that animals should be respected, and afforded ethical and human treatment by society instead of being looked at as a source of food. In a society where animals have no voice, it is everyone’s civic duty to participate in the animal rights movement and acknowledge animals as living beings, which... ...g: Contemporary Readings for Writers. By Barclay Barrios. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. Print. "Natural Selection." BioWeb. Web. 06 Apr. 2012. . Peta. "Civil Rights Leaders' Words Still Ring True." People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. . Peta. "Why Animal Rights?" People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. . Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation: The Definitive Classic of the Animal Movement. New York: Harper Perennial, 2009. Print. Wyckoff, Jason, and M.A Bertz. "The Animal Rights Debate: Abolition or Regulation? - By Gary L. Francione & Robert Garner." Journal of Applied Philosophy 28.4 (2011): 414-16. Print.

Detailed Guidance Essay

The key to doing well on this task is detail. Several sections require that you analyze information. This requires that you read carefully, think deeply and show your insight that you gained from the information provided in the case study. A1. Utah Symphony Strengths and Weaknesses When picking out the strengths and weaknesses of symphony there isn ¿t a list to which you can refer. Rather, you will want to read the case study carefully and to use your insight to discover indications of strengths and weaknesses in the data provided in the case. Be sure to cite examples and to address all four required areas including: financial strengths/financial weaknesses & leadership strengths/leadership weaknesses of the symphony. The key will be to think deeply about the facts of the case and to provide insightful responses. When considering financial strengths and weaknesses some items that you might consider include: profitability, stability, capital availability, reliance on revenue streams, fundraising, endowment sizes, expenses structures, policies that effect finances etc. and anything that you believe would affect the finances of the firm in a positive or negative way. When considering leadership strengths and weaknesses your focus should be on the leaders of the symphony, Keith Lockhart. What his strengths that you can make a case would improve is effectiveness as a leader? What are his weaknesses that would lessen his effectiveness as leader? Another thing to consider would be if there are any vacant key positions that would influence the leadership of the organization. Be sure to expound upon each strength and weakness. For a hypothetical example; if I were to indicate that the opera had a profit I would further indicate whether this was a strength because it was significant or I could as easily support that it the profit was so small in relation to its expense structure that the level of profitability was actual a financial weakness.  Now that I had made a general claim I would bring in the numbers from the case study to support my claim and then move on to the next strength or weakness. The key will be to discuss each strength and weakness enough to establish that it is, in fact, a strength or a weakness. A1a. Steps for Utah Symphony Now you ¿ve provided some really good insight in your discussion about weaknesses for the symphony and in doing so you have identified a number of weaknesses. The evaluators will be looking to see that you ¿ve provide recommendations of key steps that Anne can take for each of the weaknesses that you identified in your discussion. Also, with regard to key steps you will want to identify specific actions that Anne can take. For examples if one of the weaknesses is poor fundraising you might suggest that Anne sets aside a period of time each week during which she can employ her fundraising skills to improve fundraising. The recommendations of steps that she can take can be common-sense, basic steps (nothing fancy) but that would be effective in dealing with the weaknesses. A2. Utah Opera Strengths and Weaknesses Review the case study carefully to find examples of the strengths and weaknesses in the financial and leadership aspects of the symphony. Be sure to cite examples and to address all four required areas including: financial strengths/financial weaknesses & leadership strengths/leadership weaknesses. The key will be to think deeply about the facts of the case and to provide insightful responses. When considering financial strengths and weaknesses some items that you might consider include: profitability, stability, capital, liquidity, revenue streams, fundraising, endowment sizes, expenses structures, policies that effect finances etc. When considering leadership strengths and weaknesses your focus should be on Anne Ewers. What are her leadership strengths? What are her strengths that you can make a case for would assist her ability to lead? What are her leadership weaknesses? Does she have any personal liabilities that would  weaken her ability to lead. Be sure to expound upon each strength and weakness. For a hypothetical example; if I were to indicate that the symphony had a profit I would further indicate whether this was a strength because it was significant or I could as easily support that it the profit was so small in relation to its expense structure that the level of profitability was actual a financial weakness. Now that I had made a general claim I would bring in the numbers from the case study to support my claim and then move on to the next strength or weakness. The key will be to discuss each strength and weakness enough to establish that it is, in fact, a strength or a weakness. A2a. Steps for Utah Opera Now you ¿ve provided some good insight in your discussion about weaknesses for the Opera and in doing so you have identified a number of weaknesses. The evaluators will be looking to see that you ¿ve provide recommendations of key steps that Anne can take for each of the weaknesses that you identified in your discussion. Also, with regard to key steps you will want to identify specific actions that Anne can take. For examples if one of the weaknesses is poor fundraising you might suggest that Anne sets aside a period of time each week during which she can employ her fundraising skills to improve fundraising. The recommendations of steps that she can take can be common-sense, basic steps (nothing fancy) but that would be effective in dealing with the weaknesses. A3. Scorecard Aspects Find and download the Balanced Scorecard document given to you in Task Stream. The balanced scorecard is not covered in your book. Look at the book from SkillPort  ¿ Performance Drivers: A Practical Guide to Using the Balanced Scorecard. This is where the template came from. Read chapter 1, 2 and 3 to best understand it.  ¿Compare the information in the current scorecards for each company to the cultures you can discern from the case study. Do you think the scorecards adequately address the strengths and weaknesses? Why or why not? B. Merged Company Balanced Scorecard (Create a Balanced Scorecard for the merged company using the strategic goals. These goals are given to you in the directions for the task (see information above the questions).  ¿Don ¿t just combine the symphony and opera goals, CSF ¿s and measurement.  ¿Use the strategic goals to develop a goal for each of the four aspects. Now, be creative, what should the critical success factors and measurements be?  ¿Make sure to create and include a vision statement and a business model statement (you can use the ones on the symphony and opera balanced scorecards as a model). When creating the goals for the individual sections of the balanced scorecard you will want to create goals that are specific to the section (finance, customer, internal etc.) but that, if achieved, would help the company to achieve the five first-year strategic goals that are identified at the top of the task. C. Merged Company Strengths and Weaknesses The key here is to analyze the company utilizing the balances scorecard as an analytical tool. In earlier sections you had to analyze strengths and weaknesses as you pull them out of the facts of a case study. However, now you have been introduced to a new analytical tool; the balanced scorecard and you will need to analyze each element of the balanced scorecard. You should analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the merged company addressing each section of the scorecard e.g. financial customer, internal process & learning and growth. D. Issues From reading the case study and after reading about change management in Chapter 18 of the Kreitner and Kinicki, discuss an issue in each of the 3 areas (finance, human resources, and customer satisfaction) then include good mitigating steps that Anne could take to prevent the problem.†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨D1. Mitigating Actions This section requires that you identify 3 actions that Anne can immediately take to mitigate the three issues you identified above. (You should provide one recommendation for each of the issues that you identified in part D.) You should not only identify, but should also  explain, exactly what Anne should do for each of the three recommendations that you provide. †¨E. In-Text Citations and References in APA Format Every reference that is listed on the Reference list should have been cited in-text in your response. If you did not cite something in-text it should be taken off of this reference list. However, at minimum you should cite the case study and the course textbook and there should be corresponding in-text citations within your response.

Expanding Nation Essay

In the 1830’s and 40’s the westward movement of population left the valley of the Mississippi behind and penetrated the Far West all the way to the Pacific. Pioneers pursued fertile land and economic opportunity beyond the existing boundaries of the United States and thus helped set the stage for the annexations and international crises of the 1840’s. Some went for material gain, others for adventure, and a significant minority sought freedom from religious persecution. But whatever their reasons for migrating, they brought American attitudes and loyalties into regions that were already occupied or at least claimed by Mexico or Great Britain. Whether they realized it or not, these pioneers were the vanguard of American expansionism. The domestic controversies aroused by the Mexican War and the propaganda of Manifest Destiny revealed the limits of the mid-nineteenth century American expansionism and put a damper on additional efforts to extend the nation’s boundaries. Concerns about slavery and race impeded acquisition of new territory in Latin America and the Caribbean. Resolution of the Oregon dispute clearly indicated that the United States was not willing to go to war with a powerful adversary to obtain large chunks of British North America, and the old ambition of incorporating Canada rapidly faded. After 1848, American growth usually took the form of populating and developing the vast territory already acquired. The expansionists of the 1840’s saw a clear link between acquisition of new territory and other forms of material growth and development. In 1844 Samuel F. B. Morse perfected and demonstrated his electric telegraph, a device that would make it possible to communicate rapidly over the expanse of a continental nation. Simultaneous, the railroad was becoming increasingly important as a means of moving people and goods over the same great distances. Improvements in manufacturing and agricultural methods led to an upsurge in the volume and range of internal trade, and the beginnings of mass immigration were providing human resources for the exploitation of new areas and economic opportunities. After gold was discovered in newly acquired California in 1848, a flood of emigrants from the East and several foreign nations arrived by ship or wagon train, their appetites whetted by the thoughts of striking it rich. The gold they unearthed spurred the national economy, and the rapid growth of population centers on the Pacific Coast inspired projects for transcontinental telegraph lines and railroad tracks. When the spirit of Manifest Destiny and the thirst for acquiring new territory waned after the Mexican War, the expansionist impulse turned inward. The technological advances and population increased of the 1840’s continued during the 50’s. The result was an acceleration of economic growth, a substantial increase in industrialization and urbanization, and the emergence of a new working class (Billington, 1956). The first movement west aimed not for the nearby plains but for California and Oregon on the continent’s far shore. It started in the 1849 Gold Rush to California and in the next three decades perhaps as many as half a million individuals made the long journey. Some walked; others rode horses alone or in small groups. About half jointed great caravans, numbering 150 wagons or more, that inched across the 2000 miles between the Missouri River and the Pacific Coast. More often than not men made the decision to make the crossing. Wives either went with their husbands or faced being left behind. Four out of five men on the overland trail had picked up stakes and moved before, some of them several times. People moved west for many reasons. Some sought adventure; others wanted to escape the drab routine of factory or city life. Many moved to California for their health. What ever the specific reasons most people moved west to better their lot. On the whole their timing was good, for as a nations population grew, so did the demand for the livestock and the agricultural mineral and lumber products of the expanding West. Opposite to older historical views the West did not act as a major safety valve or an outlet for social and economic tensions. The poor and unemployed did not have the means to move there and establish farms. Most people moved West in good times, in periods of rising prices, of expanding demand, when the prospects for making money from this new land looked brightest; and this aspect characterized the whole pattern of settlement and greatly improved the whole of the economic growth for the U. S. In the last three decades of the nineteenth century a flood of settlers ventured into America’s newest and last west (Jones, 1960). The West became a great colonial empire, harnessed to eastern capital and tied increasingly to national and international markets. Western economies depended to an unusual degree on the federal government, which subsidized their railroads, distributed their land, and spent millions of dollars for the upkeep of soldiers and Indians. Regional variations persisted and Westerners remained proud of their hardy, individualistic traditions. Yet they imitated the East’s social, cultural, and political patterns. By the 1890’s the West of the buffalo and Indian was gone, and instead there were cities and towns, health resorts, Paris fashion and the latest magazines. The frontier line had reached the edge of the timber country of Missouri by 1840. Beyond lay an enormous land of rolling prairies, parched deserts, and rugged, majestic mountains. Emerging from the timber country, travelers first encountered the Great Plains. These lands were treeless, nearly flat, and an endless sea of grassy hillocks. The Prairie Plains, the eastern part of the region, enjoyed rich soil and good rainfall; it included parts of present day Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. To the west covering Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona were called the High Plains. They were rough, semiarid, rising gently to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains (Faragher, 1979). The original incentive to mechanize northern industry and agriculture came in part from a shortage of cheap labor. Compared with the industrializing nations of Europe, the United States of the early nineteenth century was a labor-scarce economy. Since it was difficult to attract able-bodied men to work for low wages in factories or on farms, women and children were used extensively in the early textile mills, and commercial farmers had to rely heavily on the labor of their family members. In the face of such limited and uncertain labor supplies, producers were greatly tempered to experiment with labor saving machinery. By the 1840’s and 50’s industrialization had reached a point where it could readily absorb a new influx of unskilled workers. Factories required increasing numbers of unskilled operatives, and railroad builders needed construction gangs. The growth of industrial work opportunities helped attract a multitude of European immigrants during the two decades before the Civil War (Fishlow, 1965). Between 1820 and 1840 an estimated 700,000 immigrants arrived in the United States, mainly from the British Isles and German-speaking areas of continental Europe. During the 1840’s this substantial flow suddenly became a flood. No less than 4,200,000 crossed the Atlantic between 1840 and 1860, and about 3 million of these arrived in the single decade between 1845 and 1855. This was the greatest influx in proportion to total population that the nation has ever experienced. The largest single source of the new mass immigration was Ireland, but Germany was not far behind. This massive transatlantic movement had many causes; some people were pushed out of their homes, while others were pulled toward America. The great push factor that caused a million and a half Irish to forsake the Emerald Isle was the great potato famine. Escape to America was made possible by the low fares then prevailing on sailing ships bound from England to North America. The million or so Germans who also came in the late 1840’s and early 50’s were somewhat more fortunate. Most of them were also peasants, but they fled hard times rather than outright catastrophe. What attracted or pulled most of the Irish, German and other European immigrants to America, was the promise of economic opportunity (Jones, 1992). By 1860 industrial expansion and immigration had created a working class of men and women who seemed destined for a life of low paid wage labor. This reality stood in contrast to America’s self image as a land of opportunity and upward mobility. Wage labor was popularly viewed as a temporary condition from which workers were supposed to extricate themselves by hard work and frugality. According to Abraham Lincoln in 1850 of the North’s free labor society, â€Å"there is no such thing as a freeman being fatally fixed for life, in the condition of a hired laborer. This ideal still had some validity in rapidly developing regions of the western states, but it was mostly myth when applied to the increasingly foreign born industrial workers of the Northeast. Both internal and external expansion had come at a heavy cost. Tensions associated with class and ethnic rivalries were only one part of the price of rapid economic development. The acquisitions of new territories became politically divisive and would soon lead to a catastrophic sectional controversy. From the late 1840’s to the Civil War, the United States was a divided society in more than one sense, and the need to control or resolve these conflicts presented politicians and statesmen with a monumental challenge (Gutman, 1976). Many have searched for the underlying causes of the crisis leading to the disruption of the Union but have failed to agree on exactly what they were. Some have stressed the clash of economic interests between agrarian and industrializing regions. But this interpretation does not reflect the way people at the time expressed their concerns. The main issues in the sectional debates of the 1850’s were whether slavery was right or wrong and whether it should be extended or contained. Disagreements over protective tariffs and other economic measures allegedly benefiting one section or the other were clearly secondary. It has never been clear why the interests of northern industry and those of the South’s commercial agriculture were irreconcilable. From a purely economic point of view, there was no necessity for producers of raw materials to go to war with those who marketed or produced them. The critical period of Civil War diplomacy was in 1861 to 1862 when the South was making every effort to induce foreign powers to recognize its independence and break the Union blockade. The hope that England and France could be persuaded to involve themselves in the war on the Confederate side stemmed from the fact that these nations depended on the South for three quarters of their cotton supply. In the case of Britain, the uninterrupted production of cotton textile appeared essential to economic prosperity (Stampp, 1950).

The eNotes Blog Edgar Allan Poe Un-Masqued 10 Things You Didnt Know About the GothicWriter

Edgar Allan Poe Un-Masqued 10 Things You Didnt Know About the GothicWriter Youd be hard-pressed to find a student that doesnt enjoy (or, at the very least, find interesting) one of Edgar Allan Poes short stories- even if you polled  the most literature-hating students, theyd  still be able to quoth the raven everslightly. Poes stories and poems  have  a unique staying power with many readers, whether theyre  keen on  his Dark Romantic writing or  hungry to latch  onto anything taught in class to  fuel angst-ridden high school  years (*cough* totally was me *cough*).  If the  questions we get on are any indication  of  readers endless fascinations of Poeit holds  completely true. Our Homework Help content library is chock full of interesting questions that delve into Poes  writing style, explain his important influences, and reveal some  quirky bits of trivia. They are asked by students seeking  essay help  and by  casual readers looking to expand their  knowledge alike. Did you know that Poe had his own Sherlock-esque character, or  that gifts mysteriously appear on his tombstone? If not, read on. Here are ten fascinating Homework Help questions to help you learn  a little bit more about the man behind the masque. 1. What inspired Edgar Allan Poe to write? Poe probably considered himself primarily a poet, and he wrote poetry to express his feelings. There never has been much money in poetry, and Poe was alwayscontinue  reading  Ã¢â€ â€™ 2.  Is it true that Edgar Allan Poe did not suffer from mental illness or drug addiction? According to Poe’s bitter enemy Dr. Thomas Dunn English, Poe did not have a drug addictioncontinue reading  Ã¢â€ â€™ 3.  In Poes literary works, how does he generally create mood? The mood in a story is the atmosphere that pervades the work with the intention of evoking a certain emotion or feeling from the reader. Edgar Allan Poe evokes specific moods in his short stories in several ways.   Most of his stories are gloomy, horrific, and eeriecontinue reading  Ã¢â€ â€™ 4.  How did Edgar Allan Poes work reflect white American culture? Part of the point of this question is to make you apply some version of what critics call critical race theory or whiteness theory to Poecontinue reading  Ã¢â€ â€™ 5.  What was Edgar Allan Poes signature writing style? Edgar Allan Poe wrote short stories and poems. His stories are of two types: horror stories, which are his most distinctive, and detective storiescontinue reading  Ã¢â€ â€™ 6.  Do Edgar Allan Poes stories provide any information about his personal life? While it is tempting to want to read many of Poes works as being about his own personal life, or even to assume they are autobiographical, generally this is known to be untruecontinue reading  Ã¢â€ â€™ 7.  Did Transcendentalism affect Edgar Allan Poes writing? Transcendentalism affected Edgar Allan Poe’s literature because he abhorred it. Poe’s writing, considered part of the American Romantic period, was Dark Romanticcontinue reading  Ã¢â€ â€™ 8.  Someone has left a bottle of cognac and roses on Edgar Allan Poe’s grave since 1949. Has anyone ever discovered who it is and why? Any ideas? As the 207th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe falls on the 19th of January, 2016, speculation again revolves around the identity of the individual or individuals responsible for a decades-long tradition of placing three roses and half-empty bottle of cognac on the late poet and author’s gravecontinue reading  Ã¢â€ â€™ 9.  What are the similarities and differences between Edgar Allan Poe and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle when it comes to their writing styles, themes, and their  method of â€Å"crime-solving† Arthur Conan Doyle did not shy away from acknowledging the influences upon his own writings- notably his American predecessor Edgar Allan Poecontinue reading  Ã¢â€ â€™ 10.  Was Edgar Allan Poe insane? Is Stephen King insane? Or any other author of horror and/or gothic fiction? Despite the dark nature of his poems and short stories, we dont have the evidence to say whether he was mentally illcontinue reading (multiple answers!)→ Homework Help is a great way to get homework help (its in the name!) or to simply learn something new. Read  more of our answered Poe questions and his bio and works, and, as always,  remember to ask your own questions to our team on any subject matter. Happy learning!

Animals Intentional Literary Effects In Miss Julie

Animals Intentional Literary Effects In Miss Julie In Miss Julie, Julie’s dog, Diana, serves as an embodiment of Julie’s fate. Diana gets into an affair with a pug of lower standing, the â€Å"gatekeeper’s pug†. Through the use of antitheses- purebred bitch and gatekeeper’s pug it foreshadows the future dualism- aristocrat and commoner where Julie transcends her social boundary by having a sexual affair with Jean. This parallelism follows that just as Diana faces severe consequences for her actions â€Å"that Miss Julie won’t allow†Ã‚   [ 2 ]   , Julie’s sexual folly has dire consequences. Julie in demanding Christine prepares â€Å"some filthy muck†Ã‚   [ 3 ]   for an immediate abortion conjures ideas of death, termination and annihilation engendering in readers an ominous, apocalyptic mood which foreshadows Julie’s termination of her own life. Coupled with the sensual engagement with the use of an olfactory imagery in â€Å"the [abortion potion] smellâ€⠄¢s infernal†Ã‚   [ 4 ]   , it has overtones of fiendish punishment creating an image of hell, invoking in audience the wrathful punishment for follies such as these, heightening the foreboding sinister horizon ahead. After Julie’s sexual folly later on in the play, audiences are once again reminded â€Å"She, who all but had poor Diana shot for running after the gatekeeper’s pug!†Ã‚   [ 5 ]   , provoking heightened apprehension of Julie’s punishment as has been prescribed to Diana. Miss Julie then â€Å"enters in travelling clothes with a small birdcage.†Ã‚   [ 6 ]   By engaging audience with a visual image, it explicitly shows Julie is trapped just like the bird in a small birdcage. The bird’s confinement in this tiny cage is symbolic of Miss Julie being trapped by the consequences of her action for which there is no absolving. This parallels Julie’s anguish at recognizing her actions are unforgivable and would not be pa rdoned. Eventually, Jean snatches the bird from Julie, â€Å"takes it to the chopping block and picks up the kitchen axe†Ã‚   [ 7 ]   . This act of snatching the bird from Julie is symbolic of Jean taking control of Julie and Julie losing control over her own being. The killing of the greenfinch foreshadows Julie’s eventual suicide. Like the Finch who dies at the hands of Jean, Julie’s eventual suicide death is dictated by Jean and is emblematic of patriarchal society. Preceding this, arising from her aristocracy, Julie asserts dominance over Jean who belongs to the working-class. Contrastingly, this very act of snatching the bird and Jean â€Å"bringing down the axe† signifies the reversal of roles on grounds of the more dominant sex regardless of economic position.   [ 8 ]   Jean’s act, true to social Darwinism, clearly show that it is the male that defines the female, it is he on whom she will hinge her existence into, her existence is lar gely defined by how he allows [or not] it to be.   [ 9 ]   Like the Greenfinch, Julie succumbs to her own ruin, analogous to female sensibility succumbing to the male, phallic, patriarchal order, reaffirming man’s control over human affairs.   [ 10 ]    Similarly, like the death of the greenfinch which cannot survive outside, and who is saved through Jean’s brutality, Julie’s death is an escape. Julie’s eventual suicide dictated by Jean is the fulfillment of the sado-masochistic ritual where the victim desires her fatal end, the consummation of her masochistic fantasy.   [ 11 ]

IOM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

IOM - Essay Example her, this report will highlight some ways Redgate can attain best results by improving the culture of organization and methods of motivation of employees. Redgate Software has been selected for this analysis report because it is a highly advanced and state of the art technology company in the world it was founded in 1999 in England by Neil Davidson and Simon Galbraith. It is based (headquarters) in Cambridge, England and its motto is â€Å"ingeniously simple tools†. At the end of 2012, the number of employees of Red Gate Software was 290. Red Gate Software was named after Via Porta Rossa (Red Gate Street) situated in Florence (Italy). The name of this place was selected because Neil Davidson was used to live in that street. In 2010, Redgate Software acquired HyperBac from Quest Software. Simple Talk is a famous online technical journal of Redgate and it provides support to MS .NET and MS SQL Server developers. There are a lot of products of Redgate Software. The main objectives of this report are to shed light on the importance of motivation skills and culture of organization to get best results. Moreover, another objective of this report is to study the motivation style and culture of Redgate in detail. Then in the end of the report we would like to relate the theory with practice by combining the important of motivation skills and culture of an organization with the motivation skills and culture of Redgate. It is important to discuss the importance of motivation and culture for an organization before we discuss the problems related to motivation and culture in Redgate. In analysis part we will discuss motivation and culture in general and then we will discuss the motivation and culture related problems at Redgate. Motivation is a very important tool for a manager or supervisor. Motivation is necessary to get best results from employees. Motivation is a important to make sure the right way to address an issue is adopted. Motivation can be defined as a

Week 1 discussion 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 1 discussion 2 - Essay Example For example, pronunciation of words with /s/ or /z/ requires one to keep the tongue locked behind the teeth. Use of symbolic sound: this refers to one syllable words or sounds that are easy to produce; for example, â€Å"moo† or â€Å"woof†. Using symbolic sounds encourages vocalization and allows children to relate words with similar sounds; hence, pronounce them in the same way. Observation skills: comprise of skills that require children to focus on a specified task. In relation to pronunciation difficulties the instructor might assign a simple observation task to the student. This task will require the child to observe the instructor’s mouth as he/she pronounces different sounds. Activities and strategies to help develop Speech and Language Skills. (2013, January 15). Retrieved from i Communicate: http://www.icommunicatetherapy.com/child-speech-language/child-speech-language-development/activities-strategies-help-develop-speech-language-skills/ Gagen, M. R. (2007, January 13). Addressing Speech Difficulties During Reading Instruction Tips for Helping a Child Pronounce Specific Sounds. Retrieved from Right Track Reading:

Health Promotion Activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Health Promotion Activity - Essay Example Also the organization would have low employee turnover as the employees appreciate the organization’s concern about their wellbeing (Infinite Wellness Solutions, 2008) At present numerous health issues need to be addressed and selecting one among those is a challenging task. However, in recent times obesity has garnered the attention of everyone as this medical condition leads to many complications such as cardiac problems and diabetes. There have been a lot of studies which have demonstrated the prevalence of the condition in most of the families in America. Statistics reveal that in 2003-2004, the risk of overweight percentage in children and adolescents was 33.6% with the percentage of overweight children being 17.1%. This is a considerable increase when compared to the results of the year 1999-2000 (Ortiz, 2006). The prevalence of the condition has increased in the recent times due to the fast pace of life, increased consumption of junk food and lack of physical activity. However, this condition can be brought under control with lifestyle changes and support and would offer a lot of positive outcomes for both the employee and the organization. After identifying the problem that needs to be addressed the next step is to garner the support of the management. The organization should understand the significance of the health promotion activity and should be able to allot adequate funds for the implementation of the same. The next step would be to set goals for the activity and then form a health promotion team or a planning committee (Infinite Wellness Solutions, 2008). Goals need to be established in order to proceed and accomplish what you hope the program will do. It serves as a sort of framework identifying the current situation and the future course after the implementation of the program. A person would head the committee and would focus primarily on the activity, strategies for making the program work and to meet the

A Business Plan of Medical Services Marketing Essay

A Business Plan of Medical Services Marketing Essay The medical tourism industry is in a rapid state of growth, both in Singapore and globally. Growth in consumer demand for health services delivered by foreign medical professionals continues to grow for a variety of reasons, including insufficient regional health care systems and the growing expense of performing domestic procedures in their countries of origin. Sometimes, booking a medical tourism package is simply an excuse to visit a foreign land whilst also to consolidate their travel interests and save costs. This growth in medical tourism provides enormous opportunities for launching Singapore MedTours and ensuring it can grow and be sustained. Medical Services Tourism is not without many business risks, including high levels of competition from intermediary companies designed to help consumers plan itineraries for medical services. There are also risks to the client that must be considered, including ensuring that they fully understand their own health risks so as to secure liability factors for the business itself. In terms of strategic objectives, a comprehensive risk management system must be developed. However, outside of these risks, profit potential is quite considerable due to the large customer demand that exists in many different foreign countries. Singapore was chosen as the country to launch the new Medical Services Tourism Company because of its award-winning infrastructure, the ability to raise new capital through a variety of means and even for the education system that can provide quality employment for the business by skilled professionals. Singapore is ideal for Medical Services Tourism and this business plan provides a comprehensive plan for the launch of the company. 2.0 Business description Medical tourism involves availing medical procedure in a foreign country. Westerners form a large segment of medical tourists who are attracted to quality healthcare and large savings as compared to the medical costs in their own countries. The patients then can take a vacation in the host country after receiving their medical treatments. Often patients can cover their surgery expense, flight and hotel accommodation charges for quarter of the operation cost they would have paid in their country (Puah, 2008). The Company would be named Singapore MedTours and it will be a Private Limited Company (See Appendix 1). The firm will act as an agent that facilitates tourism of international citizens looking for quality and affordable health care that they might not be able to achieve in their home country. It will be a start-up company with an onsite facility for receipt of travellers and to satisfy their inquiries on medical tourism. The agency will make profit by charging commission on these transfers and any additional profitability received from supplementary, non-medical tourism that might be booked through the agents or its online website. Mission Our mission  is to provide Safe, Affordable and Quality health care options to our customers through world class health care system of Singapore. Source: Author 2.2 Industry background The medical tourism market has nearly doubled in recent years, and is currently valued at over $20 billion every year (Gaddum, 2010). This makes medical tourism ideal as a profit-generating business with huge growth potential. Medical tourism fills a valuable niche that is desperately needed in countries with bureaucratically flawed or unaffordable healthcare (discovermedicaltourism.com, 2008, p.2). One of the reasons that make foreign travel so appealing to a variety of international tourists is in areas of cost. For example, in the United States, it might cost approximately $30,000 for a knee replacement surgery, where in Singapore these costs will be much less at only $18,000 (placidway.com, 2010). It is largely this cost difference, for the same medical expertise, that is making medical tourism such a booming business not just in Singapore. Some of the major countries that are offering Medical Tourism in the world are: Countries Medical Inbound Tourists 2002 2004 2005 2006 Thailand 390,000 520,000 Malaysia 210,000 320,000 374,000 410,000 Singapore 117,000 179,000 India 100,000 150,000 Source: http://www.ihf-fih.org/pdf/25-28.pdf Singapore is among the most attractive destinations for health care travelling. The country has been awarded as the Best Medical/Wellness Tourism Destinationin 2007 and will be the Leading Destination for Health Care Service in Southeast Asia (MedTourismReview, n.d). 2.3 Goals and Potential of the Business According to Singapores minister of trade and industry; Singapore is a good place to raise funds, both equity and loans, including venture capital. (Satapathy, 2003, p.1745). Singapore was chosen as the start up location because of the ease of access for funds related to the launch as well as securing future loans or capital for improvement and expansion of the business. Because of the quality availability to investment funds and other loan-generating entities in Singapore, the business has several goals for short term gain: Source: Author A long term goal of Singapore MedTours is to create an internationally-recognised name in medical tourism that outperforms competition. There is massive potential for creating a strong marketing presence internationally based not only on growing consumer demand, but because of the systems already in place in Singapore to assist in developing a sound advertising programme with higher global exposure. 2.4 Uniqueness of service Singapore MedTours will have several unique features designed to make it outperform competitive entities in this industry. Singapore MedTours would offer a low-risk guarantee to enable the customers in moving forward with their medical tour with strong faith. In any case if after arriving at the destination, the conditions of treatment seem unacceptable to the client, we will give the liberty to cancel the surgery. The only charge the client will be responsible of is the air fare and accommodation. To our knowledge, were the only medical tourism company  that  offers this type of protection in Singapore. Also MedTours would be unique in supplementary services related to medical tourism that will improve profitability and improve the word of mouth reputation for the business. Offers the founder of Scotland-based Company Globe Health Tours; This is a huge word of mouth business (Crawford, 2006, p.1). Therefore, Singapore MedTours will be equipped with high quality service dimensions that please the travelling tourist and also improve customer relationships using advanced CRM systems (Customer Relationship Management software). 3.0 Marketing Marketing will be crucial to the success of this new business launch because of the importance of word of mouth to the company. With high levels of competition in this industry, an improved and superior marketing presence must be available and the funds needed to make this a reality will be allocated to this effort. 3.1 Target market identified There is no one, singular market available to this business because of the ability to capture the attention of many different consumers hailing from many international locations. No two patients are the same, either in their needs or the type of journey they either want or require (newsweekshowcase.com, 2010, p.1). This means that it would be quite difficult for the business to isolate a single target market strategy that would fit the needs of the majority of travellers who look toward our services. However, despite these unique consumer needs, medical tourism industry is dominated by patients from United States. In 2008 alone estimates put that more than 1.3 Americans travelled abroad for the exclusive purpose of seeking medical care (Health-Tourism.com, 2008). The marketing strategy should take into consideration the high volume of customers that will come from this region and use communications strategies that fit the needs of this high profit-generating customer client. Other international customers will be measured using software and database tools to determine which international location brings the highest volume of customers, and ongoing, future research methods will be used to determine their needs as they arise. Market Survey Research Objectives To analyze the growth potential for the business. To analyze the consumer needs according to their relative priority. To analyze the level of favourable consumer expenditure. Customer Profiling and Characteristics Customer profiling is important as it aids in identifying and catering to customers in every possible way (Anderson, 1997, pg 71). Based on the market survey conducted, most of the respondents show favourable response for medical tourism. A majority of respondents with negative response towards medical tourism shifted to need more information aspect when medical tourism benefits were mentioned. However the two main factors motivating respondents to be favourable to medical tourism are cost savings and high quality healthcare from internationally accredited hospitals. The most preferred service attribute is high standards of service with considerable savings indicating that not all consumers bargain hunters. It also indicates that respondents are not willing to compromise on quality for cost reduction. Determining the critical factors for success majority of respondents preferred English speaking population and highly accredited hospitals. The most influential means of promotion is word of mouth followed by hospital referrals and company website. In addition, with the various competitors positioning and competitive comparisons, most consumers decisions are influenced by Brand equity and awareness play an important role. Target market Based on the Market Survey conducted, Singapore MedTours will focus on target markets which are of high growth potential. The market is divided into the following segments which in turn will provide the company with clear focus to direct its marketing strategies Geographic segmentation: North American Citizens. Demographic segmentation: Age: 45-65 Income: U.S $24000- $70000 Psychographic segmentation: Customers keen on quality of service and interested in good savings while not in favour to comprise on safety. US Medical Tourism Market According to the Market indicators United States medical tourism has got good prospects in coming decade and beyond. In the United States, medical surgeries are very expensive, and every year millions of Americans default to pay for the health care expenses they require they are either uninsured, uninsurable or underinsured. According to a study in 2007 50% of personal bankruptcies are related to medical crises (Star Health Vacations, 2010). 3.2 Market size and trends In 2006, Singapore drew 410,000 international customers that received medical services primarily in form of Liver Transplants, Cardiac Surgery, and Joint Replacement (Hadi, 2009). And this number of inbound patients will exceed 1 million by 2012, with forecasted value of 3 Billion USD (The Internet Journal of healthcare Administration, 2010). Scotland-based Globe Health Tours experienced a 600 percent increase in business only after six months of operations (Crawford, 2006). In all, Singapore Medical Tourism is aiming to become a leading health care destination in all Asia and it witnessed a steady growth of 11.9% per year from 2004 to 2008 (prlog.org, 2009). 3.3 Competition Intensive competition exists in medical tourism, both internationally and in Singapore itself. Therefore, the company must create strong marketing presence and advertising know-how to make the business outperform competition step by step or service by service. Within the country, there are currently 29 hospitals that already provide health services to foreign travellers, with services being performed by over 7,000 physicians and 15,000 registered nurses (health-tourism.com, 2010). Because these hospitals already have contracts and/or relationships with other health tourism agents, there is a great deal of marketing work that needs to be performed by the business to make it stand out and be the preferred agency for these profitable customer groups. This well-developed network of physicians and agencies can be quite risky to the business model and require competitive focus to ensure improved customer preferences for the company. U.S agencies operating in Singapore: There are several U.S based medical tourism agencies, like Health Base Medical Tourism Agency, Planet Hospital, which are providing health tourism services in Singapore to patients of America. The companies are similar to each other only differing in the fact that they are tied up with different hospitals in different locations. U.S Agencies operating in other medical tourism countries: These agencies are tied up with budding medical tourism countries such as India, Thailand, etc. Key players include World Med Assist, Indus health, Quest Tourism, Med Journeys, Med Retreat SWOT Analysis of Singapore MedTours Strength Well trained staff with heavy focus on building customer relationship before and after their stay in Singapore. Creating an easy to use Website and employing advance Customer Relationship Software to attract and retain clients interested in Medical Tourism. Singapore is ranked 6th in world for the quality of health care provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). Medical tourists should not be able to witness chaotic events during their stay in comparison to the other Asian countries as Singapore is urbanized and clean country. JCI-certified hospitals and healthcare facilities are found in abundance throughout Singapore. English is one of Singapores official dialects. Though the cost of healthcare in Singapore is not as low as India or Thailand but they are still lower in comparison to Western Europe and the USA. Weakness The cost expenses in medical processes and treatments in Singapore are relatively high when compared to other Asian medical tourism countries like Thailand, Malaysia and India. The geographical location of Singapore is such that the climate is rather hot and humid which maybe a hindrance to the westerners especially during the post procedure and recovery stages. Accommodation, transportation and the cost of goods in Singapore is more expensive as compared to other Asian countries The travel times to Singapore are considerably very lengthy for the US medical patients. Opportunities World-class tourism service industry present in Singapore can help in recruiting best talent for the Medical Tourism. High market Growth Healthcare services from countries with aging population increasingly seek medical tourism. U.S. workforce is seen to be increasing more in context to globalization Low-cost global air travel had made Singapore all the more accessible for inbound patients. Employers and health plans targeting commercial populations have become accepting of the various benefit of medical tourism. Threats There is seen to be fierce competition posed by other Asian medical tourism countries like Malaysia, India and Thailand. Popularity of Medical Tourism may encourage more competition to open business in Singapore. New technological breakthroughs can make previously very expensive healthcare affordable in the clients home country. Global endemic outbreaks like H1N1, SARS, and Bird-flu etc in western countries can inhibit travel of foreign travellers to Singapore as government may impose restrictions. Source: Author 3.4 Estimated Market Share In order to estimate the market share few of the assumptions has been taken into account: That the rate of people seeking foreign medical services continues to grow at the same pace, with 1 million people entering Singapore in 2012 for this purpose. Very High volume of competition present in the country. Based on the above two considerations the firm is taking the minimum target of just 0.1% Market share, i.e., 1000 customers for the 1st year which it plans to grow to 1,500 in 2nd year and by 2013 the target is to reach 2,000 customers. The firm believes that this extremely low market share can be easily achievable by utilizing good marketing and promotion strategy and following best practices in the business. 3.5 Market strategy Positioning MedTours intends to work on a clear positioning statement of Quality, You can be Assured off which encourages customers to have complete faith in the company. The company will position itself as a reliable and friendly agency with utmost importance given to customer safety. The point of difference which separates the company from its competitors is the Quality Guarantee what the company provides and the idea of personalization of medical tours. This will help the company stay competitive while being positioned as a differentiated medical tourism agency. To be able to live up to the positioning the company will tie up with best in class hospitals and service providers with highest priority given to details of service dimensions. The company will purchase advanced CRM systems to improve overall delivery of customer services. The business will use, as one, marketing strategy, advanced training for its employees related to customer service to make the short encounter with the company one that is remembered and would help in creating good word-of-mouth publicity. Product Singapore MedTours will offer best of the medical services present in the Singapore by getting tie-ups with world-class hospitals of Singapore. Specific focus will be made on JCI-Accredited (Joint Commission International) hospitals like Alexandra Hospital, Changi General Hospital, Raffles Hospital, Parkway Group etc; so that inbound patients from US and other countries are assured that they are getting best quality service in a very safe environment. Services Offered By Singapore MedTours The following are the exact nature of services being offered by Singapore MedTours. Personal  preferences of patients would be given priority to select best hospitals and doctors. Source: Author Place Singapore MedTours will have a dedicated well-furnished office from where its entire staff can operate. Also in this office the customers would be received first and will be given initial briefing about the Medical Services they would be going through as well as general information about Singapore, its culture, famous tourist attraction etc. The main purpose of the office would be to make sure customers have one single easily identifiable and approachable location from where they could satisfy all their queries and solve their problems during their stay in Singapore. Promotion Approximately 78 percent of all medical travellers use the World Wide Web as their first choice for booking medical tourism (medicaltourism.com, 2010). Because of this high volume, market strategy will include a strong Internet presence that will require the expertise of information technology specialists to give the business a colourful, interactive and engaging online booking experience. The majority of the business will likely come from Internet exploration, therefore the budget must be allocated to a web design that outperforms competition and has the necessary information to make Singapore MedTours their first choice in booking their travel needs. The first publication of choice to improve visibility and awareness in customer groups will be the Medical Tourism Magazine, a bi-monthly publication that is distributed in a variety of international countries. Costs for these ads are $4000 for a full page ad and $2000 for a half page ad (medicaltourismassociation.com, 2010). This is a respected and well established advertising publication that will give Singapore MedTours better marketing presence. The company will purchase half page ads several times yearly to update its literature based on consumer research and success with other marketing formats. Additionally, web-based advertising will be part of the ad strategy that includes links to visit our business website on partnership or contract agreements with different hospitals, travel agencies, and physician websites. The goal of this rather inexpensive advertising method is to simply give the company more ad presence and ensure budget needs are met. Since most customers will not visit the business location prior to making their travel needs, web presence is vital to building higher profit and consumer demand. 3.6 Pricing Cost of Medical Treatment in Singapore If the procedure would cost $6000 in the U.S. financial savings might not be realized by the patients even if the same surgery costs $1500 in other country. By the time the airfare, accommodation and stay charges are covered patients may only realize a break-even scenario (Med Retreat, 2010). Hence with careful consideration the following procedures would be offered by Singapore MedTours. Comparison of cost between Medical procedures in USA and Singapore Source: http://www.health-tourism.com/singapore-medical-tourism/ Although the industry standard is 15% (See Appendix X) for each referral to the hospital by an agency but the firm would initially keep the commission fee at minimum 12% in order to gain competitive edge while start-up. This also aligns with our market survey where cost saving has been attributed as most important consideration for the customers. People Since this is highly service-oriented industry and the mission of Singapore MedTours is to have best customer experience as possible, so Singapore MedTours will make sure that it will hire competitive employees. Furthermore sufficient training would be given so as and when needed in order to cope up with market demands and competition. Lastly special packages and policies will be design to reward and retain the best employees of the firm. Process Process is extremely important part of any Service-oriented industry. Hence Singapore MedTours will make sure that its process is as efficient and as customer-friendly possible. Quality Control would be done regularly to identify and improve any bottlenecks and promote the best practices. Reviewing and Approving Online Membership Forms: Once an application is filled, detailed information based on the customer requirement will be provided allowing customers to make an informed decision. Assignment of an U.S Consultant to the patient: The consultant would cater to patients medical needs by designing a health tour plan. Informing the Medical Doctor: By sending digital copies of clients medical transcripts to the affiliated doctors for their approval to receive patient. Arranging for a Facilitating interaction between the Client and Surgeon: The process will be coordinated via email, teleconference etc. in this stage. Collection of Expectations Form and Desired `Travel Dates: To plan for exact tour plan. Checking Hotel Reservation at desired dates: The information will be obtained in this stage in order to be able to provide price quotations to the clients. Submitting the final price quotation for the health tour to the client: This is to avoid any further confusion and also to provide relevant information to the client. Deposit of necessary funds for health tour by client into Singapore MedTours bank account. These next few processes occur simultaneously: Finalize Clients medical consultation and surgery dates with the preferred doctor and hospital. Assisting clients in acquisition Passport/Visa Book clients Air Travel Itinerary which best suits their preferences. Reservation of accommodation for client Sending the booked travel and hospital information back to client: Now the client will make the trip from his or her own country to host country (Singapore). Assigning Destination Program Manager (DPM) to the client: Upon arrival of client in Singapore a DPM will be assigned permanently to client and the person will be their Personal assistant throughout the visit. This person will accompany the client to all their doctors appointments and medical treatments. Arranging for Pre-Surgery consultation with the surgeon: This process would be completed within 24 hours of clients arrival. The surgeon would review medical transcripts and tests to ensure that procedure can be performed on the specified dates. Assistance to client during surgical procedure and post surgery recuperation: After the client would be discharged from the hospital they would be accommodated in resort or hotel to begin recuperation process. Arranging for Post treatment vacation: After obtaining an authorization letter from surgeon, an enjoying vacation would be arranged for in Singapore. Assisting for Safe Return home of the clients: At the end of the tour the client will be send back to home country and the assigned US consultant would assist in any post-medical needs. 4.0 Operations Operational aspects of how the business is managed and structured will be key to its success. 4.1 Identify location The main requirements of indentifying the location for our business are: Low cost per square feet, large pedestrian volume and easy access to transportation (Abrams Kleiner 2003, pp67-68). Thus, after searching on the internet and checking the reality of the information with the agent, following address can be an alternative to the location of our business. Source:http://www.singaporeexpats.com/housing-in-singapore/singapore-property/code4349017-commercial-industrial-buy-FRONTIER.htm This location, compared with other places, satisfies the above requirements. The charge for buying this office is expected at around 570,000 SGD, and by using the yellow line MRT routine, the dense population of UBI become bigger and bigger. Also two MRT stations (Tai Seng and Macpherson) are very near to the location (gothere.com). The business prefers to buy the office instead of renting because in 3-4 years time the amount of rent paid would be equal to the total value of the office and since Singapore MedTours is looking for long term viability of the business hence it is buying the office. Source: http://www.gothere.sg/maps#q:52%20ubi%20avenue%203 4.3 Zoning Various Districts of Singapore: Source: http://www.propertyhub.com.sg/images/M_images/singapore_district_map.jpg The Zoning of the office was carefully selected while keeping the following considerations: The office should have as low as possible per square feet cost. It should be present in or near the heart of the city. Also the office should be near the Changi International Airport. The current identified location of the office is in district 14 which is quite near the Central Districts 6 12 of the Singapore. Simultaneously the location is near the District 17 in which the Changi Airport is located. It is very important for the office to be near airport as majority of its firms clients would be international medical tourists who would be arriving via air-travel. 4.4 Taxes The low tax rates and positive and encouraging business policies give Singapore a reputation of attracting FDI. The taxes in Singapore are much lower than most others developed countries and regions (Asia Biz). Whats more, the tax rates have continued to decline significantly over the years (Appendix 2). Therefore, from the tax perspective, Singapore is an attractive nation to do the business. Overall, to our service business, the following kinds of taxes are needed to be considered before starting the business: Income Tax: The amount of Income Tax is based on the income of our companies, and according to Appendix 1, the income tax rate is 17% and as a new start business, some partial tax exemption will be applicable to us. Goods Services Tax GST, also known as VAT, is a broad-based consumption tax levied on the  import of goods, as well as nearly all supplies of goods and services in Singapore. And the rate of GST is 7% (IRAS 2008). Only the sales and leases of properties and financial services need not to pay GST. Therefore, our company needs to pay 7% GST. Stamp Duties Stamp duty is a tax on executed documents relating to properties or interest in properties and shares or interest in shares. Documents such as a lease, sale and purchase, or mortgage of property need to pay stamp duties (Appendix 3). Thus, our company needs to pay this kind of tax. 4.5 Proximity to supplies There will be little concern over supply chain issues because of the quality distribution system that exists in Singapore. But also, the business will only need access to marketing literature and internal office/software support systems that can be easily procured with its renowned infrastructure for these tools. If the need arises for additional supplies, there are 3,000 logistics and supply chain companies operating in Singapore to assist with these needs at no risk to the business (worldcustomsjournal.org, 2007). All supplies needs can be easily satisfied. 4.6 Access of transportation Singapore has a well developed transportation network consisting of Metro Rail Transport (MRT) systems, Bus systems and Taxi Services that are all air conditioned. As it can be found in the location map, the location of our company near to two MRT stations, which provides convenience to our customers to reach our company. The mass rapid transit system in place is comprehensive and connects to almost all parts of the country (Lim, 2008). It is also considered among the best in the world (app.www.sg, 2009). Also with one of the world best airports, Changi International, the access of transportation to other nations is unobstructed (Changi). Transport is no risk to the business and can sustain all traveller needs. 5.0 Management 5.1 Management Team and Key Personnel Singapore MedTours being a private business therefore Management team would initially be comprises of the primary investors of the organization. The following will be the structure of the Management Team: Source: Author Deep Kamal Agarwal (CEO / Financial Director): Deep Kamal Agarwal is successful Information Engineer from an Internationally Accredited College in India. His both parents are respected doctor with over 25 years of experience and hence he has natural affinity and knowledge about the Medical Service Industry. He posses 2 years industry experience as an operational manager in Sunrise Naturopathy Health Resort in India. His forte lies in encountering any business problem and working out prompt solution for it. He believes in holistic business approach and is critical person for the firm to provide vision