Friday, September 6, 2019
Inferior quality Essay Example for Free
Inferior quality Essay Group decision making is a valid procedure that most of the times ensures that the answers and decision provided are of high quality as compared to individual decision making. It nevertheless is highly dependent on the technique of group decision making that was applied. The obvious assumptions to support this claims is that many people have the ability to bring more information to the table and explore various alternatives from different perspectives therefore living little room for mistakes. The end product of their critical evaluation of information more often than not results to creative ideas. In fact the more diverse the group is the better the ideas (Viteles 1953, 7). Mostly group decision making comes in to play when the option available necessitates inputs and opinions from more than one person. Even then it should be noted that as much as the answers from a group may be of high quality there no two groups that will function similarly while in the decision making process. The implication is therefore that one group may be proactive and others might require a facilitator in order to function effectively (Kerr King 1984, 17). The process is therefore a complex one and is achievable through various methods: Authoritarian Style The authoritarian style functions like a dictatorship. In this method the power to make the ultimate and final decision rests on one person. This person usually dictates the entire process and has the greatest say in the final outcome. Mostly this method is applied in cases where a powerful person and a key decision maker in the company is present. As much as the final answer may be of high quality many people are usually against this method especially those whose ideas were not incorporated in the final outcome. The minority control method has often been used to try and counter the negatives of this style (Rollison 2008, 14). Brainstorming Another method that a group can use to reach a quality decision is by the use of brainstorming. The method is mostly useful when the decision making process is starting from scratch. It mostly entails creating a variety of options and then weighing them before choosing the one that best fits. It is a popular method because of the fact that it gives each member of the group complete freedom. In some cases brain storming sessions have facilitator who has the function of ensuring that the group does not deviate. The facilitator also has the responsibility and the freedom to start the discussion, probe, and even provide some useful hints subtle (Griffin 1993, 56). This method of group decision-making is very effective because it puts value on every participant’s point of view and the final outcome is usually by consensus. Voting based method The voting based technique is often used when a group is presented by a set of defined alternatives and yet they are required to pick one that they think will ensure maximum value. Participants in this case are given the option of choosing the alternative they think is best. Unlike brainstorming this style puts little value on each individual’s opinions (Gordon 1983, 32). Basically the quality of the answer provided in a group discussion is also highly dependent on the style the group used to make their final decision. The assumption is that the authoritarian style may not provide the same quality of answers as brainstorming and voting. But generally a quality outcome is to be anticipated because the members are able to combine their individual strengths while offsetting their weaknesses. A set of different competence and skills is applied on the problem at hand before a solution is reached (Hogan 2003, 15). The group process also eliminates the chances of a biased answer as would be the case in individual decision making. Group decision making additionally embraces and evaluates an idea from broader perspective which is a result of the various unique perceptions of individuals in the group. In the case of an individual, the final outcome may easily be an influence of a preconceived idea or notion. It is therefore difficult for the person to be able to single handedly critic his views and therefore change direction because he already has a fixed picture in his mind of how things should be done. The wrong option therefore may be for example based on religious affiliation, cultural differences, or social status and therefore the outcome may in fact not be rational (Schwarz 2002, 53-52). Individual’s answers most of the time occur by default and no other alternatives are usually brought in to play for evaluation before the conclusion is made. The surrounding circumstances additionally tend to influence the final outcome therefore events will sometimes overpower the person’s ability to make a rational decision. This probably may not have great implication when for example you want to buy cologne but may mean a lot of deficits if the decision to be made is meant for a commercial entity. Decisions made by a lot of individuals are of quality because they have a higher chance of being implemented than individual decisions especially when it comes for example at the company level. This is simply because as the group discusses the individuals are able to comprehensively grasp the weight of the decision and understand the course of action needed to implement it. It is also the result of the boosted team spirit brought about by the consideration of each person’s idea and therefore greater commitment to achieve the goals is gained (Kroon 1995, 10-12). Gordon (1983, 37) observes that the results of a group can be homogeneous depending on various factors. In the case of a multi cultural group for instance the answers are bound to be of even better quality considering that the individuals have different diverse backgrounds therefore the strategies for decision making will definitely be different. Conflicts may arise because of the different perceptions but the group in itself has the power to look for means to deal with those conflicts and thereby presenting an appropriate and quality decision. Additionally members in the group that is making a decision are usually interested in making an appropriate decision and have little consideration for the kind of relationships that exist between the individuals. Furthermore compromise that occurs during the whole process may serve to enhance the coming up of creative solutions. But the decision making in highly cohesive groups may not necessarily result into a quality decision. This may be first and foremost because of groupthink. Groupthink describes the tendency of people in a group that is highly cohesive to seek consensus so strongly such that their ability and willingness to critically evaluate each others ideas is lost or weakened. Groupthink is mostly a result of the group collective rationalization or overestimating its ability to make decisions in the face of extraordinary risks. With such a mindset it becomes very hard for the group to spot or identify any loopholes in the answers given during their discussion session. The other cause for groupthink could be the closed mindedness of the group. This is because while they are making an effort to conform they assume that their exists inherent morality. Therefore conviction that all the decisions made will be correct is developed making them less conscious of any questionable ethical outcomes of their answers. Moreover groupthink can simply be the result of the pressure to ensure uniformity is achieved. This pressure could be direct on dissenters to force them to conform maybe with a consequence of a reward or punishment. Mind guards also force members to uniformity because they discourage members from taking different perspectives and basically filter what is right and what is wrong for the discussion (Straub 1999, 73). Additionally the urge to maintain their status aspirations and social status may make a highly cohesive group to make very irrational and therefore not quality decisions. The two are very important ingredients for any group and may influence the level of their integration into the society. And as a matter of fact the members that feel that they are of a lesser status may perceive the views of those members with a higher status in society as ‘rational’ even though they might harbor doubts concerning the outcomes. Additionally still some of the ‘classy ‘members may discredit the views of others or better still a member with inferiority complex may shy away from giving his opinion that would have greatly assisted in making the appropriate and effective decision. In conclusion a group decision-making process may only guarantee limited rationality and quality in outcomes. From the discussion above it might be quiet unrealistic to expect total quality of answers. This is because among the other issues there are a lot of emotions involved before a consensus is made and therefore some people views might have to be compromised yet their could be a probability that the forgone perception could have led to a better answer. Word Count: 1487 References list Gordon, J. , 1983, A diagnostic approach to organizational behaviour. Allyn and Bacon, United States. Griffin, R. , 1993, Management. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Hogan, C. , 2003, Practical Facilitation: A Toolkit of Techniques. Kogan Page Publishers, United Kingdom. Johnson, D. Pierce, F. , 1991, Joining together: group theory and group skills. Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Kerr, K. King, H. , 1984, Procedures for meetings and organizations. Taylor Francis, United Kingdom. Kroon, J. , 1995, General management. Pearson, South Africa. Rollinson, D. 2008, Organisational behaviour and analysis: an integrated approach. Financial Times Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Schwarz, R. , 2002, The skilled facilitator: a comprehensive resource for consultants, facilitators, managers, trainers, and coaches. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Banking fraud
Banking fraud Presentation of the Issue Banks are not being prepared for their clients online bank accounts to under come frauds. Not all banks have good security systems and blame their clients with the benefit for thief.                An opportunistic thief who stole  £ 14,000 from a womans bank account after she failed to log out of a public computer has avoided a jail term. ¹ When the woman complained to the bank, they refused to reimburse her because of her negligence in failing to log off. ¹                The negative impact of this issue shows that, online banking fraud increased 55 percent to  £39 million in the first six months of the year compared to the same period a year ago, said Financial Fraud Action U.K.(FFA). ² The main issue consumers have with online banking is security. ³ The head of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has stopped banking online after nearly falling for a phishing attempt.4                Positive impacts of using online banking are; elimination of paper ³, cheaper than traditional methods, available 24/7 without the need of going out from home, fast payment for delivery services. Technology Background of the Issue E-banking includes the systems that enable financial institution customers, individuals or businesses, to access accounts, transact business, or obtain information on financial products and services through a public or private network, including the Internet.5 Hundreds of financial institutions offer online banking services, making it possible to pay bills, check account balances, and transfer funds using software.6 Customers access e-banking services using an intelligent electronic device, such as a personal computer (PC), personal digital assistant (PDA), automated teller machine (ATM), kiosk, or Touch Tone telephone.5 While the risks and controls are similar for the various e-banking access channels, this booklet focuses specifically on Internet-based services due to the Internets widely accessible public network.5 Failing to log off in public places, leads to online banking fraud. Only with the help of the court people can get their money back. The court heard that the woman had used the internet banking computer to transfer  £ 1,000 from her account, then left believing she had logged out correctly. ¹ A widely know online banking fraud is phishing. In phishing scams, criminals send spam e-mails to their victims, hoping to track them into entering sensitive information such as usernames and passwords at fake Web sites.4 Phishing has evolved into a big problem, not just for banks, but for online retailers and even providers of consumer Web applications such as Facebook and Yahoo.4 Nonetheless, most bank security measures are defeatable if a person fails victim to a phishing scam and sends a fraudster their authentication credentials. ² Impact of the Issue                Online fraud increased very much over the last year. The rise in banking fraud comes as U.K. banks have taken more rigorous measures to combat online fraud. ² While U.S. banks have often only require a log-in and password to get access to online banking, U.K. banks often have several more steps. ²                The most known fraud is phishing. It has become widely popular not only present in online banking. People lose a great amount of money with this fraud, due to the fact that they are not aware there are the victims of phishing. If the fraud is small usually clients to do not recognize it, and it is harder to get their money back from the bank. Only if the phishing is done for a big scale of consumers, it can be identified by the bank software. FBI Director Robert Mueller said he has recently came just a few clicks away from falling into a classic Internet phishing scam after receiving an e-mail that appeared to be from his bank.4 Far too little attention has been paid to cyber threats and their consequences, Mueller said.4 Intruders are reaching into our networks every day looking for valuable information.4 Unfortunately theyre finding it.4                Another fraud connected with online banking is the usage of online banking on public computers. This increases the probability of online banking fraud. This was the case of the woman, whose money have been stolen by Max Glover, who observed her and transferred money from her account onto his. She later discovered that her account was overdrawn and that money have been transferred without her knowledge. ¹ But data such as log-in can be saved on the computers web site history in form of a cookie. A small data file created by a Web server that is stored on your computer either temporarily for that session only or permanently on the hard disk (persistent cookie).7 Cookies provide a way for the Web site to recognize you and keep track of your preferences.7 Although online banking should be secure it still contains many positive impacts. It is very ecological, due to the fact that paper is not used. It is cheaper than the standard bank account because the customer does not pay for the worker as he does everything by himself. It is easier and faster for buying products from the Internet. Online banking is available from every place on earth, 24/7, so the client does not need to look for his bank on holidays, but he can easily transfer the money. Solutions to the Problem Arising                The problem of the woman in my article can be easily eliminated by not using online banking in public places. If there is such need, the customer should remember to log out and clear the history and the Internet.                The solutions arising from my issue, should be implied by banks. They should install better security software, so that online banking fraud will be eliminated or at least reduces. A U.K. security company is giving to banks, for free, security software that it says can block malicious software from manipulating online banking transactions or stealing data, even if the computer is infected.9 Online banking should be fast, easy and secure.8 Firstly and foremost, the site should be secure with strong validation process and data encryption.8 For example, NatWest- owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group- requires customers to enter their birth date plus a unique four digit code. ² During the second step, a person is prompted to enter some digits of a separate four-digit PIN (Personal Identification Number), which is not the same as the persons at ATM card. ² Even if banks install new security software, it wont eliminate online banking fraud completely. This can only cause reduction, because hackers will unlock the codes to the online bank software. This will take time but as the new security system is created by human it can be unscrambled by them. Bibliography  ¹ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8017138.stm  ² http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/173267/online_banking_fraud_in_the_uk_hits_a_new_high.html  ³ http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/BetterBanking/TheTop10OnlineBanks.aspx 4 http://www.pcworld.com/article/173319/citing_cybercrime_fbi_director_doesnt_bank_online.html 5 http://www.ffiec.gov/ffiecinfobase/booklets/e_banking/ebanking_00_intro_def.html 6 Tomorrows Technolgy and you pg.164 7 http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=cookiei=40334,00.asp 8 http://www.moolanomy.com/1817/best-online-bank-for-savings-and-checking/ 9 http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/181310/software_shields_online_banking_on_infected_pcs.html
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Orthopaedic Management Of Cerebral Palsy Health And Social Care Essay
Orthopaedic Management Of Cerebral Palsy Health And Social Care Essay The condition of cerebral palsy refers to a varied group of permanent disorders of movement and posture caused by injury to the immature brain in utero, at birth or in the first years of life. These lesions are static not progressive and can be caused by a wide variety of factors such as intrauterine infections, trauma, neonatal stroke and genes, often in combination. Reflecting the varied aetiology and sites of injury cerebral palsy is often accompanied by neurological disturbances in cognition, behaviour, sensation and epilepsy. Most significantly from the orthopaedic perspective is that it leads to a progressive musculoskeletal pathology and abnormalities of muscle strength, tone and joint movement. These tend to be hidden at birth and are only revealed during the rapid growth of childhood as spasticity leads to abnormal posturing and thus secondary contractures and impaired torsional bone remodelling. Eventually this process leads to problems such as scoliosis, hip dislocation an d the development of fixed contractures.1 It is here that orthopaedic surgery can intervene by correcting fixed deformities leading to improved function and appearance. Cerebral palsy is the most common cause of referral to elective paediatric orthopaedic units.2 This essay will discuss the various surgical techniques that can be employed to tackle the musculoskeletal problems caused by cerebral palsy. Classification Cerebral palsy is classified based on the type of movement disorder present. The spastic form is the predominant type and can be divided into the subcategories of hemiplegic, diplegic or quadriplegic depending on topography. Appropriate management varies between these forms based on the level of functional outcome that can be expected; the most significant factor being whether the child is ambulant or not. It was the advent of gait analysis in the 1990s that revolutionised treatment of ambulatory cerebral palsy. Prior to this surgical intervention to improve gait was a matter of opinion, and often led to unexpected new problems which were even more intractable. The systematic empirical approach of gait analysis, however, enabled both more targeted and precise interventions and also critical evaluation of the outcomes of surgery.3 http://www.cpl.org.au/images/default-source/research/cp-body-map-graphics.jpg?sfvrsn=2 [Image 1: Distribution of symptoms in subtypes of cerebral palsy. Source: Cerebral Palsy League4] Modern gait analysis takes place in a specialised laboratory and includes a standardised physical exam, video recording, kinematic and kinetic measurements, electromyography, pedobarography and estimation of the energy consumption of walking.5 Age Generally speaking surgery for ambulant CP is not attempted until after the age of 7 by which time a mature gait pattern has developed. Between this age and the onset of the growth spurt in adolescence bone surgery is sometimes required in order to stabilise the bony levers of progression in the leg. These include femoral or tibial derotation osteotomies, intertrochanteric derotation of the femur and stabilisation of the subtalar complex.6 It is between the ages of 8 and the main adolescent growth spurt (12-13 in girls, 13-14 in boys) that soft tissue surgery is undertaken, the ideal timing remaining contentious.7 Increasing maturity and awareness allow for more complex surgeries that require strict compliance with rehabilitation programmes to succeed. Yet this must be balanced against the effects of the rapid growth of bone and muscle that may exacerbate and complicate deformity. Surgery for spastic diplegia Despite advances in the usage of botulinum toxin A, intrathecal baclofen and selective dorsal rhizotomy to reduce spasticity most children with cerebral palsy still develop progressive musculoskeletal deformities as they grow. These include fixed joint contractures and bony deformities collectively referred to as lever arm disease and which can only be treated effectively surgically.8 In the past a child with spastic CP typically presented with toe-walking and was managed by lengthening of the tendo Achillis. Although this procedure successfully levelled the foot it often led to a crouch gait as contractures of the knee and hip developed progressively in late childhood. Nowadays there is a strong consensus that the best approach is to gait correction is to address all deformities simultaneously in what is known as single-event multi-level surgery.9 Correcting fixed contractures is achieved by either fractional lengthening or muscle-tendon recession. Established procedures include tenotomy (lengthening) of the psoas muscle at the pelvic brim, rectus femoris transfer to semitendinosus or sartorius and fractional lengthening of the medial hamstrings. To correct bony torsional abnormalities necessitates rotational osteotomies. For femoral anteversion and concomitant hip internal rotation, femoral derotation osteotomy has proven to produce very effective and durable results.10 In order to correct a valgus foot deformity there are two options; a lengthening osteotomy of the os calcis or more commonly an extra-articular subtalar joint fusion utilizing an autogenous graft of bone from the iliac crest combined with a screw fixation .11 Spastic hemiplegia The most common joint deformities in the upper limb include internal rotation of the shoulder, elbow flexion, forearm pronation, wrist flexion and ulnar deviation, and swan-neck and thumb-in-palm deformities in the digits .12 Muscular injection with BTX-A can be useful in managing stiffness and increasing range of movement but is not effective at improving function.13 As with gait correction deformities in the upper limb are treated in a one-stage multilevel operation combining muscle releases and tendon transfers. The most common procedures are biceps aponeurosis and pronator teres release for pronation of the forearm, tendon transfers to extensor carpi radialis longus or brevis for ulnar deviation/wrist flexion (with first web z-plasty) and first dorsal interosseous and adductor muscle release with tendon transfer for thumb-in-palm.12 Patterns of gait in spastic hemiplegia have been classified comprehensively by Winters et al. and can be used to plan surgical management. In groups I and II the primary abnormality is drop foot due to equinus contracture which can be treated by lengthening of the gastrocsoleus muscle and appropriate orthosis. The situation is more complex, however in groups III and IV which require multilevel surgical intervention and gait analysis due to the involvement of proximal muscles leading to jump knee gait and in the case of group IV fixed hip flexion on top of equinovarus. These can be managed in the same way as soft tissue deformities in spastic diplegia by fractional lengthening or muscle-tendon recession.14 [Image 2: Saggital gait patterns in hemiplegia: classification and management. For each group: contractures shown in orange text, orthoses in green, surgical correction in red. Adapted from Winter et al.14] Tendon transfers to correct muscle imbalances are also employed in hemiplegia. This is most useful for equinovarus deformity, which is treated with split tendon transfer of the tibialis posterior (useful in the younger patient with more flexible deformity) or anterior combined with lengthening of the gastrocsoleus and tibialis posterior (better for older children with stiffer deformity).15, 16 Another possible problem in hemiplegia is limb shortening, presenting most commonly in the tibia and ranging from 1-3 cm. If necessary operative correction can be achieved by epiphysiodesis at the end of growth plates proximal to the knee at the appropriate age.7 Spastic Quadriplegia Surgical management of a child with spastic quadriplegia is particularly challenging owing to the presence of multiple co-morbidities such as epilepsy, osteopenia, respiratory disease and nutritional deficiencies. As such it requires the close co-operation of a multi-disciplinary team to manage possible complications as well as follow-up in terms of pain and intensive care. A variety of tests are important to help assess suitability for surgery. Lung function tests are used to evaluate the likely necessity of protracted assisted ventilation after the operation. Testing serum total protein and albumin levels is used to spot malnutrition associated with poor wound healing and infection. Detection of osteomalcia due to anti-epileptic medication is important and must be treated, and improving general nutritional state through supplementation is often desirable. Finally, identification of the degree of osteoporosis due to disuse is relevant in assessing the stability of any surgical fixat ion desired.7 Hip Management Hip displacement is rarest in spastic hemiplegia at 1%, uncommon in spastic hemiplegia at 5%, but much more common in spastic quadriplegia with an estimated incidence of 35-55%.17 If left untreated it may lead kyphotic sitting posture and pelvic obliquity increasing the risk of spinal deformity as well as chronic hip pain and increased difficulties in activities of daily living. In hemiplegia and diplegia the gait is so severely impacted that subluxation is identified early due to rapid orthopaedic referral. In quadriplegia, however, due to the higher visibility of issues such as seizures and feeding difficulties and the fact hip displacement is hidden in the early stages, it often can go undetected. Thus systematic radiographic screening is vital to detect it early with one study recommending commencing at 30 months and following up every 6 months thereafter.18 When abnormality is detected it is best to intervene early to try to prevent dislocation. The favoured soft tissue surgical approach is adductor and psoas tenotomies.19 If dislocation has already been established more drastic intervention is required with a single-stage open reduction of the hip, combined with a varus shortening derotation osteotomy of the proximal femur, which relieves pressure from the rim of the acetabulum stimulating growth and balancing the soft tissues by re-tensioning the hip abductors and relaxing the adductors, and a pelvic osteotomy to improve the shape and coverage of the acetabulum.20 Although this procedure offers the best long-term prognosis in terms of stability, further dislocations are not infrequent.21 Scoliosis Scoliosis in cerebral palsy can be non-structural secondary to femoral and pelvic muscular spasticity or structural secondary to contractures of the intrinsic spinal muscles. In non-ambulant patients it often extends to the sacrum and is associated with poor sitting posture, pelvic obliquity and hip dislocation. Prevention of these is thus vital to reducing the risk of distortion of the spine. Surgically the established management of severe scoliosis is instrumented posterior fusion along the length of the spine to the pelvis.6 Conclusion As surgical techniques for correcting deformities have proliferated and been refined in recent decades so the orthopaedic management of cerebral palsy has progressed from art to science. We are now in the pleasing position of having a tried and tested toolbox of procedures to deploy in the common musculoskeletal pathologies induced by diplegia, hemiplegia or quadriplegia. Yet a tool is only useful if it is used in the right place and so it is arguably the standardised assessment provided by gait analysis as well as improved understanding of the development of gait that has made the most difference by allowing clinicians to target interventions precisely temporally and anatomically to ensure the best outcomes. Although validated evaluations exist for the upper arm they have yet to reach the same level of reliability and universality as gait analysis, a desirable goal for future research. It is also important to remember that orthopaedic interventions can only ever ameliorate rather than solve the lifelong disabilities caused by cerebral palsy. For this reason it is vital that management first and foremost takes into account the desired outcomes of patients and carers including concerns such as cosmesis and independence. Likewise it is important to emphasise functional outcomes rather than abstract measures of deformity as these are in the end more important to patients.
Cal Ripken :: essays research papers
The relationship that this book has with psychology is a very familiar one. One would not expect to look at this book with a psychological view, unless you look into the deeper meanings of Ripken and what his thought process is. The book allows you to see what a boy’s point of view of a family that grew up in a modest fashion, with baseball being prevalent throughout his life. Â Â Â Â Â After reading the book and asking myself what Mr. Ripken was thinking during his life and the content of the book I find myself relating it to Psychology. You can see how Ripken developed into a player from his point of view and how he handled himself mentally. You can see how he his family, mostly his dad has influenced him throughout his younger days and all the way through his professional career. By reading of what his mind interpreted and the sights and sounds of the way he perceived things made this a highly psychological book. You can almost analyze Ripken by reading through the book and seeing first hand what he was thinking and personal details to what he thought was important. Â Â Â Â Â The thesis of the book lies directly in the title. I remember reading through the whole book, wondering what the whole purpose in writing, or what was the motivation for the book other that to better understand the consecutive game streak that Ripken now holds. Doing the only thing that I know how to do. This simple statement is the thesis of the book. At first this is hard to believe, but the whole book describes it perfectly. Â Â Â Â Â While growing up Ripken only two things: baseball and traveling. Hard work and games were part of his life. Ripken learns at an early age that he is not rich, not specifically talented, but a hard worker. He takes this attitude and applies it to baseball, following the example of his father. The simple for reason, which is also the thesis, is because this is the only way that he knew how. Â Â Â Â Â The treatment that Ripken gets is a very familiar one. He is the oldest of four children, so this automatically put him in leadership role. This derives from his father being gone so often playing in the extensive list of minor leagues that Cal Ripken Sr. played up and down the East Coast. Since his father was away many times, this put Jr.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
The Nature of Evil Essay -- Morality
Evil is the violation of a moral code. Evil is the dualistic opposite of good. Evil causes harm. While scattered dictionaries may offer these clear-cut definitions, in reality a theme so prevalent in all spheres of life from the dawn of man takes on limitless forms. The word itself has come to symbolize the dividing line between regular people and callous monsters; demonic criminals who show no sign of compassion and no adherence to virtue. Ideas concerning evil have been strung along through the schools of theology, the minds of society, and the theories of philosophy throughout the history of mankind. The dichotomy between the opposing ideas of good and evil sets apart a gray area ignored by the black and white view of morality. In this gray area, reason, incentive, and relativism come into light. It is only when one investigates the meaning of evil from religious, social, and philosophical vantage points that they may truly discover the nature of evil. In religion, the concepts of good and evil refer to a range of objects, desires, and behaviors which constitute morally positive and morally negative consequences on a spiritual level. Good is a broad concept typically comprised by associations with charity, happiness, love, and prosperity. Evil, on the other hand, can represent deliberate wrongdoing, actions designed to harm others, humiliation of people with the intent to diminish their needs and dignity, and acts of violence. Although each major religion varies in its distinctions of the two conceptions of morality, good and bad are cultural universals originating from Pre-Socratic philosophical notions. Morality in its absolute sense can be traced back to the dialogues of Plato. Book IV of Plato’s â€Å"Republic†... ...ed on their experiences. Works Cited Eagleton, Terry. "The Nature Of Evil." Tikkun 26.1 (2011): 80-94. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. Formosa, Paul. "Kant On The Radical Evil Of Human Nature." Philosophical Forum 38.3 (2007): 221-245. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. Thomas Aquinas, SUMMA THEOLOGICA, translated by the Fathers of the English Dominician Province (New York: Benziger Brothers, 1947) Volume 3, q. 72, a. 1, p. 902 Hans Schwarz, Evil: A Historical and Theological Perspective (Lima, Ohio: Academic Renewal Press, 2001): 42–43 Gaymon Bennett, Ted Peters, Martinez J. Hewlett, Robert John Russell (2008). "The evolution of evil". Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. p.318. Parry, Richard D. "Morality And Happiness: Book IV Of Plato's Republic." Journal Of Education 178.3 (1996): 31. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Dec. 2011.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Health Care Reform Recommendations Essay
The topic of heath care reform is a highly debatable one. Many different organizations have diverse ideas on what is essential to ensure a successful healthcare system is developed in the United Sates. After reading recommendations to advance health care reform from the Mayo Clinic’s (2008), The Wall Street Journal’s Health Care CEO Council (2008), consisting of CEO’s from multiple different medical organizations, and America’s Health Insurance Plan (AHIP)(2007), the following is a list of three recommendations considered by all to be valid ideas for healthcare reform: 1. Access: Universal Health Insurance A. A comprehensive health care reform recommendation of providing universal access to affordable, guaranteed, quality insurance plans for those not covered by employer-based programs. This plan would require individuals to buy insurance, giving them choice, accessibility, control, and peace of mind. B. This reform would require adults to purchase private health insurance for themselves and their families. Employers could continue to participate by buying insurance for their employees or giving them stipends to purchase it. However, the individual would own the insurance. C. Appointing and independent agency to provide coordination, oversight and education for individuals choosing insurance options. 2. Quality: Reform the Payment System A. Change the reimbursement system to reward preventive care and evidence-based care, and extend government efforts to no longer reimburse inappropriate, unsafe or wasted care. Define and measure desirable outcomes for most common diseases. B. Payment to providers should be changed in order to improve health and minimize waste. Create payment systems that provide incentives for various providers to coordinate care, improve care, and support informed patient decision-making. Models of payment should be developed based on the success of chronic care coordination, care coordination teams, shared decision-making and episode-based payment. C. Change Medicare to a pay-for-value model. Redistribute Medicare payments to favor physicians who perform well, as opposed to the current system that rewards volume not value. Paying providers based on value can help produce desired results such as: great outcomes, safety, and service at an affordable cost over time. 3. Affordability: A. Poorly coordinated care also drives up costs when individuals seeing several health care practitioners receive the same diagnostic tests and procedures multiple times because one physician did not know that the other already had conducted them. Access to information that compares the effectiveness and cost of treatments: give providers, patients and purchasers access to a trusted source where they can find up-to-date and objective information on which health care services are most effective and provide the best value. B. Provide positive personal health habit incentives. Lifestyles characterized by smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise leading to obesity are key contributors to high health care costs in the United States. Childhood obesity significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood (CDC, 2006) and according to a study done by the Office of the US Surgeon General (2007), the complications from obesity: cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer are estimated to cost $92 billion (Finkelstein, 2003) in lost productivity per year whereas estimates suggest that the health consequences of smoking may lead to more than $75 billion per year in medical expenditures. C. Provide tax credits to individuals, families for the purchase of insurance, and to small business owners that provide medical coverage to employees. On January 24, 2007, while speaking about healthcare at Families USA, a healthcare advocacy group, then Senator Obama said â€Å" The time has come for universal health care in America [†¦ ] I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal health care in this country. †(Wikipedia, n. d). Senator McCain however, proposed tax credits and open-market competition as opposed to government funding control (Wikipedia, n. d. ) In comparison, President Obama and Senator McCain, had similar plans in regards to cost and quality improvement. Both parties suggested the adoption of medical malpractice reforms, allowing drug re-importation, focusing on healthcare costs as a reflection of quality service, prevention and care of chronic conditions, and development/deployment of HIT. In addition to similarities in cost and quality improvement, both also believed that prevention is the key to creating a healthier population. Senator McCain focused more on individual responsibility in maintaining and healthy lifestyle whereas President Obama supported increased funding to community based preventive interventions. Overall, a comparison of both parties preliminarily health reform plans reflect multiple similarities in general ideas of needed reforms to the United Sate’s current healthcare system. Whether by adopting a universal healthcare system or implementing changes to the current system; extending coverage, lowering costs, and improving quality of care are all issues agreed upon by both parties as needing attention. References America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)(2007). Guaranteeing Access to Coverage for all Americans. Retrieved 26 January 2009, from http://www. ahipbelieves. com/media/AHIP%20Guarantee%20Access%20Plan. pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2006). National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved 26 January 2009, from http://www. cdc. gov/nchs/data/hesate/preliminarydesths05_tables. pdf. Finkelstein E. , et al. (2003). National medical spending attributable to obesity: How much and who’s paying? Health Affairs. W3: 219-226. The Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center (2008). Building Upon the Cornerstones: Recommendations, action steps and strategies to advance health care reform. Retrieved 26 January 2009, from http://www. mayoclinic. org/healthpolicycenter/recommendations. html The Wall Street Journal (2008) CEO Council: Shaping The New Agenda, Health Care. Retrieved 24 January 2009, from http://blogs. wsj. com/ceo-council/2008/11/23/health-care/ U. S. Surgeon General (2007). Overweight and Obesity: Health Consequences. Retrieved 26 January 2009, from http://www. surgeongeneral. gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_consequences. htm. Wikipedia (n. d. ). HealthCare Reform in the United States. Retrieved 26 January 2009, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Health_care_reform_in_the_United_States#cite_note-152
Sunday, September 1, 2019
The effect of inadequate protection of migrants in the food
The research paper critically analyses the effect of inadequate protection for migrant workers in the food and beverage industry. The research identifies the lack of adequate shelter, anti-immigration laws and lack of basic citizen’s rights. A critical analysis of the data sources and methods applied is considered. The Literature review section highlights the work of other researchers with respect to the research question â€Å"What exactly does it mean to say that migrant workers lack adequate protection in the food and beverage industry†A further analysis on the methodology is conducted which includes: Evaluation of housing conditions, the impact of staffing, animals salary and the â€Å"No- Match†analysis. The research paper is then conducted by highlighting the fact that there are labor shortage in the industry, therefore there is an increased dependency on migrant workers. Despite this fact, migrant workers are left without good conditions of service and ultimately lack of adequate protection especially with the anti-immigration laws in place. The paper then concludes by proposing better rights and protection for migrant workers in the food and beverage industry. Purpose The purpose of this research is to critically assess and analyse the effect of inadequate protection of migrants in the food and beverage industry. Scope This research identifies the lack of housing, anti- immigration laws and basic citizen’s rights in the food and beverage industry. Data, sources and Methods applied. An assessment of the housing conditions of the migrants was evaluated. The Sonoma and Napa counties of California was studied. The total numbers of the combined work force was determined and thereafter the percentage and number of migrants that have a shelter was then evaluated. A survey of the impact of staffing and plant services as a result of anti-immigrant laws was carried out. Annual salary and the job satisfaction was surveyed among the migrants. Finally, the use of the â€Å"NO -MATCH†data in the enforcement of immigration laws evaluated to show the effect of incorrect earning and information of migrant workers in the food and beverage industry. Limitations Certain limitations were encountered in this research. The effect of improper medical service and due compensation have not be considered in detail due to the lack of relevant data. LITERATURE REVIEW Robert Mondavi has often mentioned, â€Å" California has the soils and climate. California along with Australia, has led the wine world in technical advance in the winery and now in the vineyard- although there is still work to be done there. California can compete with other wine producing regions at almost every price level. From $5 a bottle to $100- plus,† (Mondavi, October 2002). Over the pact fifty years, national surveys of Americans  (NORC 1947,1972-98; Harris 1973,1981) Shows consistently that California has one advantages over the competition: the vineyard workers. There isn’t another vine growing region that workers with the worth ethnic the ability to rapidly learn necessary skills and the joy of life that California has with its Mexican and other Latin American field workers. They are an asset that can hardly be measured in dollars. The Sonoma and Napa counties alone have a combined harvest workforce of 16,000. there are only a few hundred beds for migrants on the entire North coast workers sleep in churches, crawled into single rooms, under bridges and wherever they can find room for a blanket. The vineyard workers, both migrants and permanent, documented and undocumented, are the most precious commodity California vine growers have. (FirstenFeld, 2002). Amelia Morgan Ceja put it well (Morgan, A.C., 2002) when she said that without the Mexican workers, there would be no California wine industry. The workers are responsible adults, supporting familiar back in Mexico. They deserve to be treated as such and allowed the refreshment and relaxation that comes from a cold or (why not?) a glass or two of wine. It is bitterly ironic that wine generous should enforce prohibition on their own workers. Over the past two decades researches have increasingly investigated the determinant of the effect of larger staff (Kearl, Harris 1981) on the food and beverage industry. They postulated that the larger the staff and the better the welfare, the more efficient and productive the industry becomes. Requests for supplementary personnel were followed by wishers for more communication and better directions, better or updated equipment and computer technologies, more training and the availability of proper resources. While doing more with less has been an issue for years in most industrial especially the food and beverage (Harper, February 2004), pending anti-immigrants laws may have a huge impact on the operating efficiency and staffing in industry. When asked to described what, if any impact on staffing and plant services might occur as a result of anti-emigrants laws, Nancy Cruzan, stated that â€Å"one hundred percent of plant hourly workers are migrants, so we would be grateful affected by anti-emigrants labor initiatives (Cruzan, 2004). However, some researchers are more optimistic. â€Å"Industry will experience a period of labor shortage, but these problems will diminish over time as the migrants work force learns the proper process to gain employment†(Doyle, 2005) and â€Å"It should improve staffing by providing a system to get manual labor to do unskilled job through a documented controlled process. â€Å" (Doyle, 2005 Accordingly to Joy LePree, food and beverage workers find their jobs satisfying, but say there’s room for improvement ( LePree, December 1, 2006) Peter Wellington, a wine maker wrote a letter decrying the treatment received by the migrants workers He stated â€Å" This is not a problem of illegal immigrants, it’s a problem of homeless immigrants that creates a problem both for the community and the workers who don’t have decent facilities, (Wellington 1991). He relates â€Å"If you’re going to go out and pick group 10hours a day and have to cook over an open fire and not have a toilet or a place to take a shower or a dry place to sleep when it rains, that’s in human†In mainland China, there is and enormous floating population moving into the industrial towns cities. Their hands have helped build the cities high-rises, and their blood and sweat has paved the enter-city highways. The toil over 10 hours a day producing a range of goods in the manufactureing industry. Let they do not even have basic citizens rights. (Chen K.K, 2002). Migrants workers may be workers, but the industry in only interested in exploring their most productive years. They are not given adequate shelter, not insured against unemployment or old age, they are still denied pensions overtime pay, and working hours may as well not exist. Underlying every theory in the issue of inadequate protection. What exactly does it mean to say that migrant workers lack adequate protection in the food and beverage industry?. This is because migrant workers constitute the majority work force and are essential to the growth of the industry. They lack adequate protection, yet they are indispensable. METHODOLOGY Evaluation of housing conditions. An evaluation of the housing conditions of the migrants workers was conducted. The study considered the case of Sonoma and Napa countier of California. The total number of the combined workforce is 16,000. Only 500 beds are for migrants workers on the entire North cost. Workers sleep in churches, crowed into single rooms, under bridge and wherever they can find room for a blanket. Impact of staffing As surveying was carried out on the impact of staffing and plant service as a result of anti-immigration laws. Some of the employers in the industry were 100% of the result showered that â€Å"immigrants. This could lead to a huge effect on the productivity in the food and beverage sector. Another 50% of the work force could be lost. Still, others fear it would shut down operations entirely. However, some were more optimistic that the industry will this problem will diminish over time as the migrant workforce learns the proper process to gain employment. Immigration issues ranked among the top five most important workplace issues companies face today. When respondents were asked in a open ended question about the most important workplace issues faced today, safety was cited most often retaining trained staff and a qualified workplace was the second most significant issue with competition and the labor shortage tying third, communications ranked fourth and finally, immigrants taking fifth place. Annual Salary The annual salary of migrants workers shows that 90% of migrants workers are under paid, 10% still make good money ($75-$100) a ton). Most of them come back year after year. Job satisfaction in good but can be better No- Match data The use of SSA’s â€Å" No-match data with respect to immigration laws was analysed. A survey shows that employers used the same SSN for as many as 10 different workers in the same tax year as many as 308 times over a 16-year period studied. The result showed that employers used the same SSN for more than 100 earnings reports. Employers most frequently associated with incorrect earnings reports belonged to industry groups historically known to employ illegal immigrants such as agriculture, food and beverage industry. Employers in these industries are most likely to file earnings reports with incorrect information. CONCLUSION For decades, the most labor-intensive sectors of American agriculture have been dependent on alien workers to meet basic workforce needs. In recent years almost all sectors have dealt with labor shortage by employing alien workers. The food and beverage industry is no exception. Unfortunately, these migrant workers are given inadequate protection in terms of housing wages pension and anti-immigration laws. Despite the fact that the contribution of these workers in the industry cannot be quantified, they are not given better conditions of service. Better rights for alien workers is therefore proposed. References REFERENCES 1.Chen K. K, 2002,†Unprotected Migrant workers†. Wines and vines Publishers 2.Cruzan, 2004, â€Å"Effect of anti- immigrant laws†. Evans Publishers. 3.Doyle, 2005, : â€Å"Labor Shortage and the Food Industry†. Chicago Press. 4.Firstenfeld, 2002, â€Å" What Wine Growers Have†. Heineman Publishers 5.Harper, February 2004, â€Å"Alien workers and anti- immigrant laws â€Å" Wines Vines. 6.Kearl; Harris 1981, â€Å" Adequate Compensation for Migrants workers†New York Press. 7. Le Pree December 1, 2006, â€Å"The joy of Food and Beverage workers†. Mcgraw hill Press 8. Mondavi R, October 2002, â€Å" working in wine and vines†. New York Press. 9. Morgan. A. C, 2002 â€Å"California’s secret Weapon†, Wines and Vines Publishers. 10.  NORC, 1947, 1972-79, Harris 1973, 1981, â€Å" National Survey of Americans†. New York Press. 11.Wellington 1991, â€Å" Treatment received by Migrant Workers†. Retrieved the pick of the crop.    Â
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