Library management system Essay

1. 1 Background of the study With diminishing finances, it is rarely possible for a library or information center to have enough resources to fulfill the needs of its clients. What is being delivered is only a portion of what their clients actually need (Ramos & Mohd Ali, 2005). Collaboration is widely recognized as the best way for libraries to cope with the ever increasing challenges: volume of information resources; nature and quality of information; user needs and expectations; information and communication technology competencies and infrastructure; inflated cost of information resources; and staffing needs. However, although these challenges have continued to prevail, libraries working under collaborative initiatives like the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) have registered tremendous success. This thesis reports the findings of a thorough study to establish the factors that have led to the success of CARLI and how such success factors can be applied in libraries of developing countries like Uganda. Emphasis is placed on the establishment of CARLI leadership, the sharing of responsibility and decision making processes as well as sources of funding for the consortium. Also central to the research study is exploration of the role and responsibility of participating member libraries and their contributions to and expectations from the consortium. I contend that lack of funding to facilitate consortium activitiesis not the central factor in the failed progress of the planned consortium activities in Uganda, rather it is the lack of committed leadership and cooperation among participating libraries that is responsible for the lack of progress. In any kind of organization or cooperation like a library consortium, funding has never been enough due to ever changing technologies and continuous demands from library patrons. However, good leadership and cooperation among membership plays a bigger role in achieving a common goal. Having and working towards a common goal, under dedicated, dynamic and faithful leadership with an active and energetic membership plays a great role in the success of a consortium. 2 To assist in the possible improvement of consortium operations in Uganda, I need to understand the leadership, responsibility, staffing, collection, policies and procedures, funding and structure of academic libraries in the participating membership of CARLI in comparison with those of Uganda. My research has incorporated interviews with CARLI staff and a questionnaire survey to all the participating CARLI membership. 1. 2 Problem statement. There is now ample research on the benefits of library collaboration mainly in developed countries (Kaul 2001, Riley 2006, Wright 2006, Bennett 2007, Foulonneau et al. 2007, Williams 2008, Feather, Bracken & Diaz 2008, Butler 1998, Domatob, 1998). In Africa, a lot of research has been devoted toward the need for collaboration (Musoke 2008, Paulos 2008, Kinengyere 2007, Ibeun & Obasuyi 2007,Amaeshi (Ed. ) 2003, Kaul 2001, Rosenberg 2001, Ade Ajayi, Goma & Johnson 1996) and a few registered successes (Musoke 2008, Paulos 2008, Rosenberg 2001, Kinengyere 2007, Ibeun & Obasuyi 2007, Amaeshi (Ed.) 2003, Kaul 2001). However, no research has been reported on how to apply identified success factorsfrom developed countries in order to bring a change in developing countries. Developed countries have registered tremendous success stories compared to less developed countries; failure in developing countries has been attributed to poor funding without looking at other factors like committed leadership and cooperative membership. The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) (2007) indicates that there are six public and twenty-four private universities giving a total of thirty registered universities in Uganda. Of these, only twenty-one universities and two research institutions are actively and currently participating in the Consortium of Uganda University Libraries, (CUUL) (2008). It is clear, however, that most of these universities do not have adequate resources to support certain, if not all, areas of their academic and research programmes. Since 2005, access to computer facilities, books and other learning materials has improved; still many are farfrom reaching ratios comparable to world standards; and, unfortunately, the student tobook ratio dropped from twenty-three books per student to nineteen in 2006 (NCHE, 2007). The NCHE 2006 (2007) study further shows that there has been a 9. 4% increase in the total number of students that enroll in the universities from 124,313 in 2005 to 137,190 in 2006 without an increase in 3  the number of information materials in most of these universities. Although there is evidence of no increase in the number of information resources to be used by students in these universities, NCHE instead attributes the low level of research across the higher education spectrum to inadequate funding; more so, the student to book ratio stated above is far below the set standards and NCHE does not suggest for these universities to participate in resource sharing as a way of bridging the student to book ratio. The NCHE (2007) acknowledges the usefulness of the library, stating that â€Å"the library†¦ is the heartbeat of an academic institution†. However, its 2006 study indicates that universities have continued to reduce the amount of money spent on books (0. 1% in private and in 2. 5% in public universities) and that library space is being converted to student instruction classrooms. This is an indication of low spending on library books; much as these universities are still working harder to acquire information materials, space to store them is also becoming another challenge. One of the important things I have learned all through the time I have worked at Makerere University Library’s outreach programme inpartnership with CUUL as Deputy Country Coordinator for E-resources, on top of other significant institutional challenges among African universities, a committed leadership and membership was noticed as still lacking among CUUL membership. While there are already tangible successes registered by CUUL, still much has not been achieved, like spearheading resource sharing as one of its objectives since inception. This study begins to address issues that are surrounding the inefficiency involved in partnership, networking and collaboration among university libraries in Uganda. This includes how universities with far better information resources like Makerere University can share with newly established universities lacking sufficient library resources. More particularly, the study directly addresses consortium issues like leadership, communication and membership contribution as key factors in this kind of collaboration. 1. 3 Objectives of the study. †¢ Study the consortium history among academic and research libraries in the state of Illinois 4 †¢ Identify the factors that influence libraries to join and continue to participate in a consortium †¢ Determine how consortium values affect participating libraries †¢ Determine the effectiveness and extent of resource sharing among CARLI member libraries †¢ Identify factors that lead to the success of a consortium other than money †¢ Suggest practical ways for resource sharing in developing countries like Uganda 1. 4 Limitations of the study. Any comparison of differing societies, or search for causal relationships must be conducted within dimensional identities (Amaeshi (Ed), 2003); meaning, a perceived need to understand the economic, political, educational and sociological factors that affect information sharing among universities in both developed and developing countries. While the majority of the developments are standard practice in academic libraries in the developed world, many of these issues are relatively new to us in developing countries, and we have had to contextualize them by finding practical but local ways of addressing some of them (Musoke, 2008). In this study therefore, I do fully understand the dimensional identities that exist among CARLI and CUUL; I try to contextualize identified success factors by finding practical but local ways of applying these factors that have led to CARLI advancement putting into context the economic, political, educational and sociological environments of operation between the two consortia. 5 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW. 2. 1 Introduction In my literature review, I have found a good representative literature discussing the need for collaboration among Uganda’s universities and research institutions and a few outlines of the benefits so far registered in these universities. However, little is written in detail about resource sharing as a way to bridge the shortage of information resources among these universities. I am grateful to some authors (Musoke 2008, Paulos 2008, NCHE 2007, Rosenberg 2001, Kaul 2001) who identified some of the factors that have hindered collaboration in Africa, although their discussions outline funding as a major factor in this progress as opposed to good leadership, effective communication and responsive membership. By studying the relevant literature, it will help me understand more fully how other factors play a big role in the development of consortium in developing countries. 2. 1. 1 State of higher education in Uganda. To date, the existing physical resources of higher education institutions are quite inadequate. Past political instability, lack of financial resources and the general lack of a culture that values maintenance have combined to cause gross negligence in the maintenance of physical infrastructure including laboratories, seminar rooms, libraries, research facilities and staff offices (Musisi, 2003). Higher education received about 10 percent of a total Ministry budget of UGX 619. 93 billion in the 2004/05 budget year (Ministry of Education and Sports,  2005), a rate that has remained more or less constant since the mid 1990s. The implementation of cost sharing in institutions of higher learning has increased revenue generation to supplement transfers from the government. In addition to cost sharing, funds are generated internally through private sponsorship of students, consultancies, sales of services and contributions from donors, (Musisi, 2003). However these sources have not beenable to accommodate the ever increasing budget needs. Due to such poor funding, much has been left undone. 2. 1. 2 Structure of academic libraries in Uganda According to the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act of 2001, with reference to Makerere University library structure (Makerere University Library, 2007), 6 the overall administration of libraries is vested in the office of the University Librarian who reports to the Vice-Chancellor through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in Charge of Academic Affairs (DVC-AA). The University Librarian is a member of Makerere University Top Management and Senate. Within the library, the University Librarian and deputies form the Library’s Management team, which works with heads of sections and branch libraries to implement University Library policies and programmes, and enforce library rules and regulations. The policy making body of the University Library is the Academic Programmes and Library Committee, which is a senate committee chaired by the DVC-AA. It is composed of members of Senate representing the sciences, arts and humanities, library, students and other relevant stakeholders. 2. 1. 3 History of consortium in Uganda To strengthen the network of librarians, researchers and academics in developing countries and Uganda in particular, the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) encouraged librarians to form national consortia. During a workshop on the topic of library cooperation for effective provision of information in Uganda and beyond, CUUL was established in 2001. Areas of cooperation include resource mobilization and sharing, and training and marketing of member libraries (Kinengyere, 2007). One of the challenges being addressed by CUUL is the sustainability of e-journal subscriptions atthe end of donor funding. In November 2005, CUUL decided on the mechanism of cost-sharing the e-resources, starting in 2006. Out of the 43 registered Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information institutions-(PERI)-Uganda, only 11 (25%) responded to the e-resources sustainability initiative in time for the 2007 subscriptions and this trend has not changed to date (Kinengyere, 2007). The networking and collaboration of CUUL has not yielded good results as outlined in its objectives and thishas been blamed on the lack of funds without looking at other factors like the commitment of its membership, and trust from its leadership. Both CUUL and CARLI which began in July 1, 2005, do have a lot in common in their formation. Like UIUC for CARLI, Makerere University Library is the coordinating institution for CUUL under the PERI programme. The current establishment of CUUL as per its constitution (2001) is composed of a five member elected executive committee (Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary, 7 Publicity) who conduct CUUL activities in addition to their institutional responsibilities; and a committee of representatives from actively participating institutions called ‘Functional committees’ who help to coordinate CUUL activities in their respective institutions. It is interesting to note that the ‘Functional committees’ referred to by CUUL are never as active as they should be. 2. 1. 4 The need for collaboration A perceived need for collaboration among the African university libraries was stated as early as 1990 (Ifidon, 1990); and was outlined in the Carnegie meeting of 2004, which identified the ability to participate in a global economy that is increasingly centered on access to knowledge as a critical key in solving the problems of the African nations. One of the goals of the conference was to develop partnerships between libraries and donors, and establish a platform on which future consortia and agendas could be built. During the meeting, many problems faced by African university libraries were discussed, such as poor networks, little cooperation between institutions that create their own databases of local materials, and very few digitization programs to increase African content on the Web and respond to the thousands of different cultures and languages across the continent. The benefits of collaboration, consortia, networks and peer support have been emphasized in information science literature for a long time. Most of the success stories reported by African University Librarians revolve around collaboration and networking within institutions to lobby policy makers, within the country to form consortia and share the subscription of e-resources, build capacity andget professional support. The actual and potential of networking, cooperation and digitization is to modify the functions of acquiring, storing and disseminating information and knowledge, hence the need to be supported (Musoke, 2008). Because of limited resources there is, therefore, need to build on the achievements, share experiences and best practices through collaboration and networks. 2. 1. 5 Resource sharing The concept of resource sharing has been used in the developed countries as a means to alleviate the resource inadequacies of individual libraries. In Africa, it has been seized upon as a way of sustaining informationservices. Rosenberg (2001, p. 14- 8. 15) in her paper â€Å"The sustainability of libraries and resource centers in Africa† quoted a Kenyan librarian who concluded that â€Å"there is no doubt that resource sharing programmes have a significant role to play in developing countries, given the problem of scarce resources† and â€Å"if libraries are to continueto meet the demands of other users, increased cooperation and resource sharing are vital†. Rosenberg (1993) continues to note that on the ground there is little in the way of resource sharing. In some ways the situation has deteriorated, as systems that used towork (like the East African Literature Service) have collapsed. The survey (Rosenberg, 2001) of University libraries in Africa found that interlibrary lending (the main, if not the only, form of resource sharing practiced), was minimal, especially in-country and within Africa. Such evidence suggests that there is a lot that needs to be done in order to bring a change about the idea of resource sharing among universities and research institutions. Even though these universities have little to share, even a little sharing may help future sharing of acquisitions in the most demanding subject areas. 2. 1. 6 Research and research paradigms In her paper â€Å"Strategies for addressing the university library users’ changing needs and practices in Sub-Saharan Africa†, Musoke (2008) states that there is drastic change in the methods of conducting research and research paradigms. For example, the demand for a multidisciplinary approach to research has meant that a research project in the Medical School, which would ordinarily require medical literature now also requires some social science and ICT components. Such approaches put further demands on the already meager information resourcesin our libraries, hence the need for sharing. The diversity of research methods is an indicator of the complexity of research and the challenges of meeting the information needs of human beings conducting research. Such challenges call for immediate revival of resource sharing among these universities in order to meet the changing needs. The presence and advancements in information technology can also help in this process. 2. 1. 7 Policy formation and leadership The Association of African Universities (AAU) emphasizes that the way ahead for the development of research and postgraduate capacity in African universities is through selective concentration of resources within the university system, and the 9  achievement of collaborative links among African universities, and between African universities and research institutions (AAU, 2009). In order to achieve that goal, AAU suggested that providing effective leadership to facilitate meaningful regional interuniversity cooperation among African universities may help to ease the resource constraints and to build a viable educational enterprise in Africa capable of meeting the challenges ahead (Ade Ajayi, Goma & Johnson, 1996) 2. 1. 8 Consortium membership. Among the most serious problems of Uganda’s libraries is the low level of and response rate towards collaboration and consortium in a number of library and information science activities. According to Paulos(2008), the most successful libraries in southern Africa, like in Botswana and South Africa, have been able to form strong alliances. Developing complex and strong links and partnerships facilitates the utilization of information resources. An example of a successful regional network is the Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa (AHILA). In addition to its international connections, AHILA has two internal concerns—sharing scarce resources through interlibrary cooperation and developing systems for improved bibliographic control of the health literature produced in Africa (Kinegyere, 2008). Such strategies if applied at the national level will not only strengthen regional networks, but also work as satellite communication networks for international organizations to overcome the problems of lack of physical infrastructure and as a basis for enhancing access to information among university libraries with fewer resources. 2. 1. 9 Library funding The importance of government support towards consortia is elucidated in the plan of the United Nations (UN) World Summit on theInformation Society. This body acknowledges the significance of addressing fundamental issues of development in universal access, infrastructure, information and communication technologies, literacy, skills and training, E-learning, and E-Agriculture (Ibeun & Obasuyi, 2007). If Uganda is a signatory, it should join other countries in the attempt to support libraries and archives. Lack of funding has been a bigger issue among university libraries and has been attributed to lack of understanding of the role of libraries in an institution of higher 10 learning by university and political leaders as it emerged from the Carnegie conference (2004) and mentioned by many other writers (Musoke 2008, Ade Ajayi, Goma & Johnson 1996, Paulos 2008, Rosenberg 2001). However, not all African countries are dependent on external funding. Libraries in Botswana and South Africa are examples where funding is internally generated and the quality of library resources is very high, (Paulos, 2008). As a source of funding for libraries in Africa, including Uganda, Paulos (2008) in his paper â€Å"Library resources, knowledge production, and Africa in the 21 st century† suggested the need for funding from African governments; the importance of proactive approaches on the part of academic librarians in Africa – including the importance of identifying unique materials in the collections and seeking collaboration to digitize them; and the importance of outreach, in particular, seeking the support of Africans in the diaspora. 2. 1. 10 Increasing number of library users The growing number of university students, the increase in study programmes coupled with paradigm shifts in curriculum and research, the increase in research and the rapid ICT developments have all changed the routines of traditional academic librarianship (Musoke, 2008). The demand for information resources has increased, with diminishing budgets, resulting in a poor service to library users. This is further evidenced in the NCHE report of 2007 as outlined above. 2. 2 Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) CARLI is an unincorporated association, with a total of 153 member institutions all over the State of Illinois (CARLI, July 2009). 2. 2. 1 History July 1, 2005 saw the merging of three Illinois academic library consortia to a consolidated consortium called CARLI; the merged  consortia include: Illinois Cooperative Collection Management Program (ICCMP), formed in 1986 and provided statewide collection studies and grants; Illinois Digital Academic Library (IDAL), formed in 1999 and provided centralized electronic resource licensing; and Illinois Library Computer Systems Organization (ILCSO) formed in 1980, provided the shared integrated library system Illinet Online which became I-Share in the consolidation. The merging of these three consortia was aimed at improving the efficiency and cost 11  effectiveness of services, increasing the effectiveness of consortial and member library staff efforts, and creating opportunities to pursuenew programs and services that the three constituent consortia would not have been able to provide on their own. CARLI has continued to add new products, services and programs including: The I-Share integrated library system, E-resources licensing, digital collections and statewide collections awards and programs. 2. 2. 2 Strategic plan, values, and goals CARLI remains fully committed to fulfilling its established mission: The Consortium leads Illinois academic libraries tocreate and sustain a rich, supportive, and diverse knowledge environment that furthers teaching, learning, and research through the sharing of collections, expertise and programs  and attaches great importance to cooperation among academic and research libraries of all types, sizes and missions; respect for the diverse missions and populations served by member institutions; recognition of each member institution’s autonomy; Sharing the full range of academic library resources effectively and economically; free and open access to all intellectual resources; excellence in providing services and programs; innovation in identifying and implementing collaborative solutions to shared challenges; responsiveness to member needs; cost-effectiveness in the delivery of programs, services, and products; careful stewardship of all CARLI resources; protecting the privacy and security of library records; supportingintellectual freedom; and advocacy for academic and research libraries at the local, state, regional and national levels. Furthermore, the consortium reaffirms its commitment to resource sharing, through the continued maintenance and development of its integrated library management system, and the provision of meaningful electronic resources, through brokering, subsidization and cost-sharing agreements as outlined in its four broad strategic priorities: Collaboration and Leadership, Innovation, Resource Sharing, and E-Resources (CARLI, 2007). 12 2. 2. 3 Membership 2. 2. 3. 1 How to become a CARLI member All higher education institutions in Illinois that are recognized by the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and are members of the Illinois Library and Information Network (ILLINET) are eligible for membership in CARLI; andwill agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the CARLI Membership Agreement and any other subsidiary agreements governing participation in a specific CARLI service. However individual member libraries retain autonomy over their own operations. CARLI membership includes three categories each with a different entitlement and responsibility, and different annual membership fees. As of the fall of2009 there were 107 Governing, 30 Associate and 16 Basic members. 2. 2. 3. 2 Membership categories and obligations Governing membership is entitled to participate in all CARLI products, services, and programs at the fullest level of central support; participate in all CARLI committees, task forces, and user groups; receive priority status on waiting lists to join I-Share and other premium services like enrollment in training sessions. Associate membership is eligible for most services and programs, and participates in CARLI governance as a group represented by a single voting member on the CARLI Board of Directors. Basic membership qualifies for selected services and programs, and does not participate in CARLI governance or voting. CARLI member institutions may upgrade to a higher or move to a lesser membership level by following the CARLI Bylaws. Eligible institutions that have not joined CARLI may participate in CARLIemail discussion lists, and may attend CARLI training events and workshops at a feesometimes higher than that of the three membership categories. 2. 2. 3. 3 Membership benefits. CARLI serves over 98% of Illinois higher education students, faculty and staff at 153 member institutions of which 76 institutions benefit from I-Share; E-resources brokering with over 1,000 discounted subscriptions to electronic journals and other resources; a 24-hour delivery by Illinois Library Delivery Service (ILDS) to 141 CARLI libraries and all the state’s regional library systems; the Book Digitization Initiative for Illinois academic and research libraries; in-house development of VuFind an open 13 source front end to I-Share catalog; and participation in the University of Rochester’s Extensible Catalog project. 2. 2. 3. 4 Funding sources CARLI’s sources of funding include annual subscription membership fees where Governing membership contribution ranges from a minimum of $1000 to a maximum of $10,000 and is calculated by student Full Time Equivalent (FTE) enrollment and institution type, Associate members pay $500, and Basic membership is $100. Other funding includes contributions towards e-resources brokering, development of library systems like I-share catalogue and VuFind, support for digitization projects and the Open Content Alliance, through conducting workshops where each membership contributes different fees to participate in any activity, and grants from the state and federal governments. The CARLI financial year runs from July 1 – June 30. 2. 2. 4 Governance CARLI operates under the direction of the CARLI Bylaws 2008 (CARLI, 2008, 2006). The University of Illinois serves as CARLI’s fiscal and contractual agent under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and CARLI Board of Directors. CARLI operates as a unit of the University Office for Planning. and Administration, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 2. 2. 4. 1 Board of Directors and committees CARLI Board of Directors oversees the affairs of CARLI except those reserved for the entire membership; sets strategic directionof the consortium; oversees all CARLI committees; reviews and approves the detail and thetotal organizational budget each year; advises and gives recommendations on the hiring and evaluation of the Assistant Vice-President for Planning & Administration/ CARLIExecutive Director; and provides advice and input to the University of Illinois in matters relating to the Consortium. The Board meets regularly throughout the year. In addition to the Board of Directors, there are several committees, working groups, user groups, and task groups established to support the Board in carrying out operational and programmatic activities of the consortium; assist the Board in the development, implementation, operation, and evaluation of programs and services; provide the Board with advice and recommendations related to policy, management, fiscal, and on other matters that 14 require the Board’s attention. Each committee or group has CARLI liaison fulltime staff who works as a focal point for a designated committee; committees meet quarterly with CARLI Board of Directors or as required. The committees and groups are required to present reports at the end of each task assigned tothem; the reports are published and made public online on the CARLI web page. 2. 2. 4. 2 Board committee organization Board committees are of two categories, standing (permanent) committees referenced in the CARLI Bylaws and temporary â€Å"ad hoc† groups established to carry out a specific task and then discharged. All committeesreport to the Board on a schedule established by the Board. Each Board committee has a CARLI staff liaison. Ad hoc groups have sunset dates at which point the group will be discharged. 2. 2. 4. 2. 1 Standing (permanent) committees There are five permanent committees established by the CARLI Bylaws. Executive committee: The officers of the CARLI Board of Directors shall constitute the Executive Committee. The Committee is advisory both to the Chair and to the Board of Directors on scheduling agenda topics and preparing information for the Board of Directors’ review and action. The Executive Committee is authorized to act on behalf of the Board of Directors on any urgent matter requiring Board approval, unless a regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors is scheduled to take place within 48 hours. The CARLI Board elects its own Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect each year to join the current Chair, Past Chair, and CARLI Executive Director in forming the Executive Committee and will meet as needed to update the Board on their plans and actions. CARLI Executive Director is the Staff or Board liaison. The finance committee provides the Board with recommendations related to annual budget requests, the annual budget, the annual financial performance report, and any other financial matters that require the Board’s attention. It’s composed of four Board members, one each from public institutions, private institutions, community colleges, and one at large. The Past CARLI Chair isthe chair of the committee. The Finance committee reports to the CARLI Board of Directors, on a quarterly basis. CARLI Staff or Board liaisons are the CARLI Executive Director, and CARLI Director for Business and Financial Services. 15 The personnel committee provides the Board with recommendations and input into the recruitment, compensation and evaluation of performance of the Assistant VicePresident and Executive Director. The Board, in turn, provides its recommendations to the University of Illinois. The Committee may also provide the Board with recommendations and input into any other personnel matters that require its attention. The Personnel Committee is composed of four Board members, one each from public institutions, private institutions, community colleges, and one at large. The ViceChair/Chair Elect is the Chair of the Committee. The group reports to the CARLI Board of Directors and University of Illinois Associate Vice President for Planning and Budgeting on an annual basis. The CARLI Board liaison is the University of Illinois Associate Vice President for Planning and Budge.

Journal of Operation Management Essay

A critical review using P.S. Adler, Mary Benner, David James, John Paul MacDuffie, Emi Osono, Bradley R. Staats, Hirotaka Takeuchi, Michael L. Tushman and Sindey G. Winer, Journal of operation management: Perspectives on the productivity dilemma The article focuses on the critical issue in the areas of operations management, strategy, product development and international business. Taylor and Deming had operation research on an organisation that can increase efficiency by adhering strictly to the proven templates. While Abernathy and March also research how efficiency can impose cost. March and Simon suggest an organisation solve problems but acquiring knowledge that can be reused to solve similar problems in the future. Further on to say knowledge captures the essence of what worked in the past enabling organisation to take short-cuts and avoid deadens, thereby abridging the problem solving. Abernathy also suggested a firm focus on productivity gains inhibited its flexibility and ability to innovate. He observed that the automobile industry, a firm’s economic decline was directly related to its efficiency and productivity efforts. He also suggested that a firm’s ability to compete over time was rooted not only increasing efficiency. Readability Apple Company shows a greater productivity in their creativity and innovation, but has been some critical issue emerging with the new CEO of the company, which have been a mass suicide threat, posed an ethical dilemma facing Apple and its new leader and the employees. Practical application The ethnical issue hit Apple’s new leader, showing a great crisis, workers threaten recklessness in protest over their working conditions where workers can have a safe work environment free of discrimination, and they can earn competitive wages and can voice their concerns freely. Apple’s suppliers must live up to this to do business with Apple. Reflective comments – Evidence of evaluation and critical thinking, i.e. ways in which you understand the academic/practical aspects of the paper (you may use additional pages) The journal describe the different component of work with evaluates evidence. It suggests a good example with Toyota having a good appreciation of different type of evidence and what is offered. Using (Abernahty) research as an evidence measures with the increase in efficiency and (David James Brunner, Bradley R. Staata and Michael L. Tushman) with practical evidence where I think organisation often finds them undecided between contradictory and conflicting goals regarding the issue about foxcoon increasing the monthly wages of employees making it difficult for Apple to deal with then on an agree based while such issue can be resolve with (David James Brunner, Bradley R. Staata and Michael L. Tushman) evidence and will come on good term to do business. Productivity dilemma highlights the tension between a particular pair of widely held goals: efficiency and adaptability. As in the article, the nature of such tension and approaches for handling situation with the employees in Apple wi ll be a constrcutive approach for Apple to resolve conflict to attain efficiency for the growth of the company. Adler argues that the structuring, systematizing and rationalizing associated with bureaucracy can enable creativity and innovation. However creativity and innovation such a tightly coupled systems required cooperation among interdependent participants, which depends in turn on a foundation of trust. This trust is always threatened by the possibility that profit pressure may undermine this cooperation by turning the tool of enabling bureaucracy into a coercive weapon. The CEO of apple can use the official procedure to fight against the workers and also gain trust in the working conditions. The conflict between apple and Foxcoon can refine efficient routines providing the building blocks for innovation. (Brunner and Staats) prose threat organisation can reconcile exploitation with exploration by intentionally destabilising their own processes through deliberate perturbation and by ensuring that disruptions are translated into learning and knowledge creation through exploratory interpretation. These arguments may help Apple and Foxconn suggest that dynamic conservatism identified by (Tushman and Benner) may be at least in part a property of inferior administrative technologies, rather than an inevitable consequence of disciplined processes.

Abandoned Dog’s 3-Year Wait for Owners Ends in Finding a New Home

†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ENG 101H December 2, 2012 ABANDONED DOG'S 3-YEAR WAIT FOR OWNERS ENDS WITH NEW HOME The story that I want to share today is regarding an abandoned dog that waited three years for his owners to return to their house. When moving to another town, Chen was left abandoned in the house. He wondered around the property for three years, waiting for them to come back, sleeping in the carport and scavenging food scraps from a nearby grocery store. After years of waiting, a neighbor told Lisa Rendstrom from Chap’s Chow Rescue Foundation what was happening to Chen.She came to the site and bit by bit gained the dog’s trust and affection. She took him the their shelter where she started searching for a new owner to adopt the wonderful animal. It didn’t take long, because Ben Rupp saw his photo online, immediately felt a connection between them and flew to Georgia to take him. Chen is happy now, having a new home in Ohio, with an owner who f ell in love with him the moment he saw him. This story reminds me of a movie that is one of the most emotional movie that I have even seen : â€Å"Hachi, a dog tale†.Based on a true story from Japan, Richard Gere stars this great movie as a college professor who finds an abandoned dog and takes the poor lost animal in. The film follows the two as the man and animal soon form a strong and unexplainable bond. Every morning, the dog used to walk his owner to the train station and expect for him to arrive back from work, in the afternoon. But when, one day, the owner doesn’t arrive, having suffered a heart-attack and died at work, the dog keeps waiting in the train station for him.Days pass and the animal would not leave, even though his owner’s family put efforts in getting him home. The dog kept returning in the morning and in the afternoon, waiting for the train to arrive and his owner. After nine years of waiting in the same place, he dies in the train station. Hachi is a film about loyalty and the rare, invincible bonds that occasionally form almost instantaneously in the most unlikely places. Although most people are aware that there are more dogs and cats being born than there are people willing to adopt them, the actual number of unwanted dogs and cats is staggering.About 62 percent of all households in the United States have a pet and about 78. 2 million dogs and about 86. 4 million cats are owned in the United States. (ASPCA. org) Approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). (AnimalWorldNetwork. com) The connection that forms between a human and his pet animal cannot be described in words.But the question remains: Do our dogs feel the same things that we feel? In â€Å"The Botany of Desire,† author Michael Pollan observes that there are tens of millions of dogs in North Ame rica and only ten thousand wolves. He asks, â€Å"So what does the dog know about getting along in this world that its wild ancestor doesn’t? † The best explanation for everything canine, from the evolution of the wolf to the domestication of the dog — to the incredible emotional relationship that has emerged between the modern pet and its owner — is that dogs feel what we feel.Dogs have long been considered â€Å"man's best friend,† and they have certainly earned the title. The bond between humans and canines is unmistakable. Since the domestication of the dog, people have been drawn to them (and they to us). Dogs have helped us in so many ways and expect little in return. They have hunted with us, kept vermin and pests away, served the military and police, assisted the disabled, and faithfully remained our loyal companions. In turn, we care for them and maintain good quality of life.This is more than a fair trade. The bond you have with your dog begins the moment he comes into your life and never stops growing. And the two materials presented above prove that this is a â€Å"till death do us part† bond! The link to the web-material is: http://www. mnn. com/family/pets/stories/abandoned-dogs-3-year-wait-for-owners-ends-with-new-home Works Cited AnimalWorldNetwork. com. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. animalworldnetwork. com/bsurpetstat. html ASPCA. org. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 2, 2012, from www. apsca. org Abandoned Dog’s 3-Year Wait for Owners Ends in Finding a New Home †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ENG 101H December 2, 2012 ABANDONED DOG'S 3-YEAR WAIT FOR OWNERS ENDS WITH NEW HOME The story that I want to share today is regarding an abandoned dog that waited three years for his owners to return to their house. When moving to another town, Chen was left abandoned in the house. He wondered around the property for three years, waiting for them to come back, sleeping in the carport and scavenging food scraps from a nearby grocery store. After years of waiting, a neighbor told Lisa Rendstrom from Chap’s Chow Rescue Foundation what was happening to Chen.She came to the site and bit by bit gained the dog’s trust and affection. She took him the their shelter where she started searching for a new owner to adopt the wonderful animal. It didn’t take long, because Ben Rupp saw his photo online, immediately felt a connection between them and flew to Georgia to take him. Chen is happy now, having a new home in Ohio, with an owner who f ell in love with him the moment he saw him. This story reminds me of a movie that is one of the most emotional movie that I have even seen : â€Å"Hachi, a dog tale†.Based on a true story from Japan, Richard Gere stars this great movie as a college professor who finds an abandoned dog and takes the poor lost animal in. The film follows the two as the man and animal soon form a strong and unexplainable bond. Every morning, the dog used to walk his owner to the train station and expect for him to arrive back from work, in the afternoon. But when, one day, the owner doesn’t arrive, having suffered a heart-attack and died at work, the dog keeps waiting in the train station for him.Days pass and the animal would not leave, even though his owner’s family put efforts in getting him home. The dog kept returning in the morning and in the afternoon, waiting for the train to arrive and his owner. After nine years of waiting in the same place, he dies in the train station. Hachi is a film about loyalty and the rare, invincible bonds that occasionally form almost instantaneously in the most unlikely places. Although most people are aware that there are more dogs and cats being born than there are people willing to adopt them, the actual number of unwanted dogs and cats is staggering.About 62 percent of all households in the United States have a pet and about 78. 2 million dogs and about 86. 4 million cats are owned in the United States. (ASPCA. org) Approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). (AnimalWorldNetwork. com) The connection that forms between a human and his pet animal cannot be described in words.But the question remains: Do our dogs feel the same things that we feel? In â€Å"The Botany of Desire,† author Michael Pollan observes that there are tens of millions of dogs in North Ame rica and only ten thousand wolves. He asks, â€Å"So what does the dog know about getting along in this world that its wild ancestor doesn’t? † The best explanation for everything canine, from the evolution of the wolf to the domestication of the dog — to the incredible emotional relationship that has emerged between the modern pet and its owner — is that dogs feel what we feel.Dogs have long been considered â€Å"man's best friend,† and they have certainly earned the title. The bond between humans and canines is unmistakable. Since the domestication of the dog, people have been drawn to them (and they to us). Dogs have helped us in so many ways and expect little in return. They have hunted with us, kept vermin and pests away, served the military and police, assisted the disabled, and faithfully remained our loyal companions. In turn, we care for them and maintain good quality of life.This is more than a fair trade. The bond you have with your dog begins the moment he comes into your life and never stops growing. And the two materials presented above prove that this is a â€Å"till death do us part† bond! The link to the web-material is: http://www. mnn. com/family/pets/stories/abandoned-dogs-3-year-wait-for-owners-ends-with-new-home Works Cited AnimalWorldNetwork. com. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. animalworldnetwork. com/bsurpetstat. html ASPCA. org. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 2, 2012, from www. apsca. org

The Homeless Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Homeless - Assignment Example In addition, homelessness can be caused by mental disorders, drug abuse and discrimination by the society due to certain reasons like sexual orientation. Some other people find themselves homeless owing to domestic violence, mortgage foreclosures, eviction by tenants and forced expulsion by government in order to set the land aside for other developments. The problem of homelessness was not existent in pre-historic times. Initially, human beings lived in traditional shelters such as caves, huts, and tents. Building these structures was easy and everyone could afford a dwelling because natural building materials were readily available and almost everyone knew how to build. However, during the modern times, the art of building became professional and expensive. Many individuals migrated to urban areas during the industrial revolution. Increased homelessness occurred because of higher land and house prices and strict housing codes. People who were unable to pay the exorbitant rental fees were evicted and, therefore, became homeless. Around 1500s, the homeless in England were punished because they were seen as unauthorized beggars. However, in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, they provided them with housing and training for jobs, instead of punishment in order to prevent them from over-relying on the state. The homeless people on the s treets in the United States increased after the American civil war (Bloom, 2005). More people were left homeless in the 1930s because of the Great Depression, which also resulted in increased poverty. In the 1970s, the homeless population increased due to de-institutionalization of people with mental illnesses. The psychiatric, outpatient, and social services that were promised to these people were not provided and, consequently, most of them ended up being homeless. In the 1980s, the number of homeless people increased

STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example This paper will discuss the human resource management within the Coca-Cola Company. It will analyze in detail their recruitment and selection procedures, and their training and development program. Coca-Cola is an international beverage manufacturer that was started in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton (The Coca-Cola Company, 2015, retrieved from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/history/ ). It manufacturers more than 500 brands and has managed to expand into about 200 countries and serves 1.6 billion people daily (The Coca-Cola Company, 2015, retrieved from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/history/ ). The company’s success has occurred due to their devoted employees. Their human resource management department is very effective in terms of ensuring that the employees work to the standards set by the company. Coca-Cola’s success is grounded in the policies and cultures that have been developed by their HRM (Bell, 2004, p.176). Recruitment refers to any activity that an organization carries out in an aim to identify and attract potential employees (Still, 2006, p. 12). The main aim of the recruitment exercise is to attract qualified applicants to an available vacancy. Selection is the process of choosing the best applicant and offering them the job. It involves different forms of interviews, exercises, presentations and can also include a psychometric test. This paper will source information on recruitment and selection from the Coca-Cola’s website, written literature and interviews with employees working for the company. Coca-Cola values this role of the organization since it creates the first contact between them and their employee. For them to attract the best employees, the company advertises any vacancies on newspapers, their website, and other employer-employee platforms. The company website being the major and first-hand vacancy advertiser has an easy to use portal where interested people

Bureacracy and Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Bureacracy and Democracy - Essay Example The goal is to establish a decision that is either rational or efficient in attaining the desirable goal. The goal revolves around ensuring the organization survives and the self –interests of an individual. This Theory is neo classical in nature .It connects politics and microeconomics by looking at the complaints of individuals like public servants, and citizens as similar to what self interested producers and consumers do. This theory can be traced back to the times of Adam Smith .He reasoned that when people act on self interest they may end up engaging in acts that ultimately benefit the whole society .Taking an example of a business man seeking to enrich himself. He have to make good Quality goods that are cheaper than competitors so as to increase sales and maximize revenue. In turn the society benefits from cheaper goods of better quality. From this we see that common benefit and social order are obtainable from market mechanism as opposed to the government being stron g and centralized .The elements of the market being unregulated to some degree, participants having self interest and the producers being competitive constitute the aspects of this theory. For rational choice, the drive is self interest .It influences our actions and also decisions. From this we can develop the notion of how market for goods that are public operate .People will purchase services and also goods that they prefer. Producers in this scenario are competitive, having self interests tied to responding to the demands of the consumer .We need to examine how this theory relates to authority. It goes against the public administration theory stating the people (authority eg government) are responsible for public service provision and how they should work towards it .This role becomes a function of the market forces of demand and supply and how the interact in the market. Rational choice impacts public administration in two ways. a) It has an impact on organizational behavior an d serves to explain Bureaucratical behaviors as put forth by Max Weber (Weber & Andreski, 2009). b) How public services are delivered. It encourages reforms in the public sector c) It pushes rationality in choice as the new way as opposed to Max Weber s theories on decision making (He encouraged bureaucracy) It is worth noting that rational decision making is also viewed as a normative approach to decision making 2) The simple decision making Theory This is the second theory on decision making. It explains on how decisions are actually made. It is also referred to as the descriptive approach to decision making. .To understand this we look at examples of institutions and how they are managed, Policy makers and administrators of public institutions fail to utilize scientifically obtained knowledge .Their reason at times science demands the problems to be put into fragments .This fragmentation makes it difficult to obtain quick insight into the problem .Knowledge for rational decision is not perfect as argued by scientists. Another key aspect of decisions made under this theory is that their very nature call for the authority to reach a decision .The public willingly takes the consequences resulting from them .In cases like this it becomes paramount for citizens to understand that their interests are at heart Question 2 According to Kirlin, there are seven major questions that by addressing them we get an insight into public

A literature review paper on adoloscent suicide. The paper needs to Essay

A literature review paper on adoloscent suicide. The paper needs to have an argument that perfectionism is the primary factor and then there needs to be an arg - Essay Example rticle written by Fleischmann, Bertolote, Belfer & Beautrais, 2005 they reexamined past research that showed the presence and distribution of mental disorders in cases of completed suicide among young people worldwide. A second research study was investigated that performed longitudinal studies to see if traits in adolescents and adults were similar to one another pertaining to suicidal behavior. The research was completed in a five-year span. In the research study performed by Goldston, A third research study by Douglas, Belfrage, Edens, Herbozo & Poythres (2006) was completed to investigate if specific behavioral aspects of psychopath, such as interpersonal-affective, manipulative ness and lack of remorse, are related to suicidal behavior. Adolescent Suicide has been an increasing health problem throughout the world. In many countries, suicide rates have been gradually increasing. Since the 1950s, adolescent suicide has tripled. Multiple factors seem to be related to self-harm in adolescents. Some examples include depression, hopelessness, psychological pain, aggression, and anxiety. In this paper, the task of finding common personality traits is investigated. It is hypothesized that there are certain personality characteristics in adolescents that are contributing factors when the adolescents attempt to self-harm or commit suicide. The following three research studies attempt to illustrate and support this hypothesis. In a research article written by Fleischmann, Bertolote, Belfer & Beautrais, 2005 they reexamined past research that showed the presence and distribution of mental disorders in cases of completed suicide among young people worldwide. The authors studied information received from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, from 1982 to 2001. The authors reviewed 894 cases and found that 88.6% of the subjects had a

Information interview for a job Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information interview for a job - Assignment Example Sukirti: MKSK features a humble beginning in planning and urban design as a product of a merger in 2011. The company has worked for private and public clients under the parent companies namely KKG and MSI Design (Mkskstudios.com). The company prides itself in exceptional planning and design, and that is where I derived my inspiration as an urban designer and planner. Sukirti: Currently the company has an open position for outstanding six principals and associates following promotion in the recent past. The positions will be advertised soon through local dailies and company website. Sukirti: It took me several weeks to figure out the perfect plan for getting a subordinate role at MKSK. You must have excellent skills in designing, passion and talent in urban planning to become a part of the MKSK team. The current leaders in our team consist of exceptional figures from different countries who have experience in accounting, grant writing and geography among others. Therefore, you must have a unique quality and extra skills besides urban design and planning to become a part of MKSK. Sukirti: The Company does not look into unique skills in a prospective employee but the requisite knowledge on urban design and planning. However, your individual abilities and contribution to the team will propel your career further. Sukirti: Personally, I invested in teamwork and an inquisitive nature because I did not have deep knowledge in the work. The company expects you to take up challenges from private and public entities and look for a mentor from the executive level. Interacting with Sukirti at a personal level opened a new chapter in urban planning career. Gaining a foothold in a profession demands passion, talent and an experience other career fields besides urban planning. Mentorship is an inevitable need when you join an international team that serves communities and private entities. The company awards its principals and associates who offer a valuable

Industry report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Industry report - Research Paper Example While the concerted push by the UAE government towards these targets is quite new, initiatives for local employee preference were first started in 1994 by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Since then there has been increasing need for and interest in the exploration of the subject, and the government recognized the field as part of the national agenda for 2009 allocating a large part of the developmental budget to it. The scope and importance of the industry. Until a few years ago by far the largest part of the make-up of Emiratisation drive used to come solely from direct governmental action. However because of the strategic approach to Emiratisation since 2008, the secondary routes to the objective are starting to take hold and private and public corporate entities now govern about half of the initiatives of Emiratisation (Al-Ali 365). As an industry Emiratisation programmes have now spread across a plethora of industrial sectors with the leading sectors for Emiratisation being po rts and shipping, oil production, banking and teaching. The target company of this project, DP World, comes from the ports and shipping industry. While the private companies are now starting to induct Emiratis as part of their Emiratisation schemes the huge majority of related schemes still lie with the public sector. The Industry is vital to the central long-term target of UAE administration which is post-oil and non-trade economic stability of the country. In this regard it is imperative that the government takes steps, much like the Saudi administration (Mashood et al.) to cause a cultural change in society and work out as a nation to transcend from a population of ‘takers-to-makers’. While the industry could also serve as a launching pad for the government for exporting indigenous talent to all over the globe after specialization of the training machinery, it will inevitably be hard for the state to entice non-governmental organisations and for-profit corporations i nto inducting untrained and under-qualified staff as that would adversely affect the productivity of the companies. Objectives and scope of this report. The report covers all the major aspects of the industry in an overall qualitative fashion. This report is intended to serve as an insight to the atmosphere, magnitude and nature of the industry in which the target company of this project, DP World, operates. The utmost specific objective of this report is the enlightenment of the reader and the researcher with regards to the stability, progress and spread of the Emiratisation sector. The researcher should know about the characteristic trends of the industry, factors affecting it and its impact on the local, national and global scales. Special emphasis is paid on the economic and employment impact of the progress of the Emiratisation sector with support for the analysis using interpretation of statistical data. Methods Brief description. The methods for carrying out the investigation are both primary and secondary research; however no quantitative data has been collected using the primary approach. In terms of the primary research, government officials were contacted via email and phone to describe

Role Of Values Based Education In the Global Society..Possible title Essay

Role Of Values Based Education In the Global Society..Possible title - Essay Example Certainly, enabling one to make a living by one’s knowledge and skills is an important aspect of education; yet, education is something more than that (Stafford, 2003). Definitively, building of character stands to be and should be the top priority of any academic institution. Grand Canyon University is just the kind of institution that not only stimulates its students to develop a rock solid character, but, rather approaches the task of character building in a much holistic way, touching varied facets of human personality. Truly speaking, the four pillars of Grand Canyon University stand to constitute the most fool proof and sufficient program for developing a character and personality that is just the right mix of ethics and pragmatism. The first pillar committed to academic advancement not merely implores the students to gain knowledge, but rather nudges them to evaluate the imbibed knowledge in the laboratory of critical thinking and analytical evaluation. Mere knowledge makes a well informed person, but, approaching knowledge with a critical bent of mind makes a creative and original personality. At Grand Canyon University, the learning styles resorted to are such that they push a student to extend one’s intellect and ingenuity to its limits, thereby shattering all preconceived notions and challenging the inherent biases, prejudices and myths. The outcome of such an approach appears in the form of students who possess an open and inquisitive attitude towards life, resting securely on dependable and time tested spiritual and moral foundations. Grand Canyon University encourages its students to develop a personality that is just the right blend of grass root practicality and an essentially Christian vision. The second pillar that is Christian camaraderie not only intends to facilitate an interactive and friendly mindset towards

Creation of Israel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Creation of Israel - Essay Example made to Israel’s birth. The shared and self imposed responsibility of these nations had serious political, emotional and cultural implications on a world population still fresh from the horrific effects in the aftermath of WWII. Arab countries maintain that this is stolen Palestinian land and has opposed the objective from its inception, as they do today and probably always will. However, this paper focuses on the western countries, their historical and their continual involvement in the process of Jewish Statehood. For many centuries, those of Jewish heritage have felt a desire to return to what they consider their rightful native soil. â€Å"This was first articulated during the Babylonian exile and became a universal Jewish theme after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D† (Wolffsohn, 1993, p. 5). In the last quarter of the 19th century Jews in Europe were generally treated as second-class citizens particularly in Eastern European countries. They were increasingly being subjected to persistent oppressions such as the series of state organized persecution of Jews in Russia during 1881. These actions caused many Jewish populations to begin plans for their escape back to their ancestral holy lands (Taylor & Francis Group, 1983, p. 468). In the 1880s, European Jews immigrated to Palestine to escape the pogrom, the massacre of Jews in Russia and Poland. In 1896, Theodore Herzl began the Zionist movement incorporating support from Jewish idealists in order to create a homela nd for Jews. He felt that Jews always had been and always would be victimized and could effectively make a collective stand against oppression only by creating their own nation. He stated, â€Å"We shall create in Palestine an outpost against Asia. We shall be the vanguard of the civilized world against barbarism† (Abrahams,

In Search of Dibs Essay Example for Free

In Search of Dibs Essay No one is born a parent; no one really is a perfect parent. Dibs: In Search of Self is a perfect example of this as both parents had no idea how to raise a child in a loving, compassionate home. Dibs’ mother stated from the get go that the boy seemed to have it out for her and he was responsible for ruining her and her marriage. The father was completely wrapped up in his work and studies and made sure he’d made no time for his children. Additionally, his children had been instructed to stay out of his room while he was home. Once Dibs’ sister is born, he is again pushed further away as their mother spoils the little girl. Eventually, however even the sister is sent away to a boarding school. I am not so sure I enjoyed this book as I felt rushed reading it (by the author) and that it were too abbreviated in its entirety. I have read other case studies through my child development studies, and those works were much more detailed. This book felt more like a story being told, instead of in-depth observations. I was expecting the author to elaborate on the issues surrounding Dibs’ behavior, rather than just explaining them away as the mother and father. Dibs was lost in his world with very little connection to any other human beings. His parents’ lack of parenting and nurturing caused his internalization where he couldn’t control his feelings because he could not understand them. Through play therapy, Dibs learned he could control the tap water in the play room sink, he could control who was buried in the sand, he could find himself by working out what his feelings were and what they really meant. However, he couldn’t get the nipple back on the baby bottle. He’d splash in the water, turn it down to a slow trickle, turn it on full force and he would sing to it, yet he repeatedly asked Miss A to replace the nipple on that bottle. (Axline, 1964, p. 159) This showed me that he indeed was an adolescent who desperately needed support, which he was not getting from home. The father’s response to Dibs’ chattering after his Thursday session really bothered me. Instead of interacting with his son, he shut him down, effectively causing Dibs to react negatively. Dibs screamed at his father that he hated him. (Axline, 1964, p. 80) I had my mom read this book to give me some feedback and about half way through it, she’d stated that she’d read it once before. She was about 16 years old in 1978 and her mother was reading it for a college class. They would read it aloud to her and her siblings after dinners during her semester. She recalled how uncomfortable she felt hearing the book. â€Å"In those days, you didn’t talk to people who had children like Dibs. You didn’t look them in the eye, you didn’t ask them anything. You avoided them like a disease, because that’s almost what they were. When people would converse about them, it was always in hushed tones. We would always hear how bad people felt becau se the child was retarded or manic.† During the interview of Dibs’ mother, she stated: â€Å"There was no place we could send him.† (Axline, 1964, p. 87) This intrigued me because it seemed very cold for her to want to just get rid of her child, but again in talking to my mom, that was how it was in that time period. It was standard practice to send problem children off to boarding schools or private practices to keep peace in well to do families. Again, Dibs’ sister was eventually sent to a private boarding school herself, even though she was labeled as â€Å"a perfect child†. â€Å"When I was a child, a problem child or one with disabilities or with any behavior problem was taken out of public schools. We grew up with them for a time, then one day they were gone. We were scolded if we talked about them or asked about them in public. I can remember a little girl I was in Girl Scouts with until we were 12 years old. When we started the 6th grade, she had to go to another school because she couldn’t read or write like she was supposed to. I never saw her again and I remember my mother telling me not to talk about her anymore. I didn’t understand it until I was in my late 20’s. She was dyslexic and had severe learning disabilities. The school passed her up until the 6th grade, when the school system decided she needed more help than they could offer.† (Interview quote from Roberta Baldwin, 04/21/2013) I think it’s interesting how far we’ve come and how much procedure has changed for helping children with disabilities, abuse, emotional issues, etc. I am absolutely relieved  that the change was for the better since I have a nephew with physical disabilities who will have all of the support he will need to become successful in his world!

Role of Public Sector in Modern Economies

Role of Public Sector in Modern Economies Forces of demand and supply control prices in modern capitalist economies, government intervention has been limited to provision of social services. Prices of goods and services as well as cost of production are determined with minimal government intervention. A perfect capitalist economy can only exist in an ideal situation and since there is no ideal situation, there are always some government controls, rules and regulations in an economy (Pigou, 2006). In general, government controls the performance of an economy through fiscal and monetary policies. These policies are aimed at changing or controlling certain factors in the economy to enhance or limit production. Government participation varies among countries were developing countries need a higher involvement than developed countries (Ceccacci, Marchesiani and Pecchi, 2007) This paper discusses the role of the public sector in modern economies and factors public sector consider when making financial decision. Political stability The government is made up of political class, who control the economies of a country, they play the role of politicians and economic drivers, and however, political situation in the world is not stable. There have been changes and uncertainty in different countries. A country like Kenya in East Africa underwent tribal crashes in 2007 after a disputed election. The crisis affected the economy of the country. In November 2010, Ivory Coast in Central Africa had disputed election a move that have affected the countrys economic performance. In civilized countries like the United States of America, which is the worlds largest economy, the performance of the ruling class affects the economy positively and negatively. A country as China, which has the highest economic growth in the world, has a stable government (Dalton, 2003) from the above discussion, it is clear that one major functions of government is to ensure there is political stability in the country. If the political class maintain s political harmony in an economy then growth and stability in the country is possible. One of the most surprising thing is that to destroy an economy that had been built for many years can take a matter of weeks in case of political unrests. For example, Zimbabwe was among Africans best performing countries, when there were disputed presidential economies in 2009; the country is now ranked as the poorest in the world. Other than local politics, international politics affects country economic, social and political performances. International policies and relations affect how economies conduct their business. There are times that goods from a certain countries have been limited to enter in the international market through tariff and non-tariff barriers (Buchanan, 1987). Maintaining good International relations Foreign ministry in different countries is given the responsibility of maintaining good international relations with different countries. Globalisation and international trade has opened the international market, assisted by transport and communication networks (Quigley, 2000). To ensure that a country participates in international trade effectively and reduce chances of international rivalry, it should ensure that there are good international relations. Switzerland has managed to be the world largest tourism country because of its political neutrality and maintaining of good relations with other countries. Sometime to be competitive, countries engage in economical alliances to be able to negotiate for better teams in the world markets. Such integration includes European Union, East African Community, and Pan African among others (Dietmar, 2000). Other than having a good international relations, it is the role of the government to ensure that its country have a good reputation. It sh ould not be known for negative things like poverty, corruption and inequality. Such reputations are not built by word of mouth by through actions undertaken by the government. Protection of citizens The government has the mandate of ensuring that the constitutional rights of every human being are respected. These rights include rights to protection, where the government provides security to its citizens. Security is from foreign and internal attackers. There are times that the government sets minimum or maximum prices of goods to ensure that consumers are not exploited. On the other hand, the government also sets standards required in a country; this is in the move to ensure that it has protected its consumers against substandard goods and services provided by businesspersons. There was another move made by Chinese government, which has been seen as a new government move where the government aims at reducing the rate of economic growth in the country (Edward, McCaffery and Joel, 2006) Infrastructures The government has the mandate of providing infrastructures like roads and communication networks, which cannot be left in the hands of individuals. These infrastructures ensure that an economy has social resources that can be used by society members without paying for them directly. In time of disaster, the public sector is called upon to assist. This is in case of terror attacks, drought and floods. The government should have adequate machinery and mechanisms to ensure that in case of a disaster, it has assisted its own citizens and sometimes extend the help to other nations. Other social economic factors affect an economy. They include inflation and deflation. The government has the mandate of ensuring that its economy has neither excess funds (inflation) or has limited funds (deflation) (Gabriele, 2009). Leadership and strategic decision-making The government is expected to make strategic decisions, which define the pathway that the country aims to follow over a certain period. This can be yearly or take a couple of years. Every year, governments make financial budgets to be followed when financing various projects in the country. These budgets contain yearly, monthly or projects that take more than one year. Such policies are the ones, which attract international investments in a country. In the 1990s, many countries had Vision 2000, which they wanted to have attained certain economic, social and political goals. In the current 20th century, there are calls to Vision 2020, Vision 2015 and visi0n 2030 among others depending with a country and the goals it has for the economy (Wildasin, 2008) Issues a government need to take into account when financing the activities adopted to fulfil the role set out in (a) above The government control an economy using fiscal or monetary policies. They can be either direct or indirect. The kind of financing adopted, depends with the goal and objective the government want to attain in a particular time. To control the economy effectively, consideration must be made to ensure that the most appropriate measure is taken (Reed and Swain, 1997). Generally, there are factors that government need to consider when financing different projects in the economy they are: The level of economic development in the country or locations The government has the role of setting up infrastructures to be used by the public and private sectors in their efforts to grow the economy. Before certain infrastructures are made, the government need to analyse the project and ensure that it is economically viable. Priority should be given to those places that have potential yet the exploitation of such potential is hindered by lack of infrastructures like roads and communication networks. Investments in infrastructures is an expensive exercise where the government spend public resources to make such infrastructures, they should thus benefit the greatest majority in the country. In developing economies, the government has a more active role where it is expected to make a platform that international and national inventors can built on. Such infrastructures include electricity production plants, transport networks, taxation incentive and communication networks. Some countries like China have had the government cut down its public fin ance expenditure to ensure that the economic growth rate in the country slows down. It has opted to have higher taxation to companies and individuals to ensure that they have low income to spend in economic development (Schulte, 2000). Countries competitive advantage sectors Different countries have different economic potentials; the kind of products that can be produced effectively by a nation varies among different nations. There is need to understand the potential that a country has and investments should be skewed to that direction. For example is a country has a potential in natural resources like oil reserves or good climate, then the government should direct most of its finances to these sectors. This will ensure that high levels of efficiency have been attained for economic development. Absolute and competitive advantages are important when deciding the countries to make economic integrations. There are times that countries produce the same commodities, in such cases such countries can make good economic blocs to negotiate for better prices for their products. They though cannot make good trading partners since they make more the same products (Schumpeter , 1994). The rate of inflation/deflation The rate of inflation in country affects expenditure decision by the government. When an economy is facing high rate of inflation, then the government has the mandate of controlling the economy. Controlling inflation and deflation are monetary issues where the government devises measures to reduce money in circulation (in the case of inflation) or increase money in circulation (in the case of deflation). In inflation, the government can decide to sell government securities like bond and bills at an attractive interest rate where investors will be attracted to buy them and the money in circulation is reduced. On the other hand, it might decide to increase the lending rate to banks through central bank, which will be transmitted, to consumers making the cost of lending money expensive. This reduces the rate of money attractiveness thus, the growth of money in the economy reduces (Sheila, 2004). In the case of deflation, the government devises measures to increase the flow of cash in the economy. If the government decides to reduce central banks lending rate, then banks will be more willing to lend money. This increases the money in circulation curing the deflation (Tresch, 2002). Living standards Different countries have different living standards. It is the dream of leaders to have citizens who have high living standards. To attain this need, the government takes deliberate measures to increase the living standards of its people. Such measures include wide investment in social facilities like public hospitals, building of roads, communication networks and education facilities. There are countries, which have opted to offer free medical and educational facilities to their citizens in the move to have increased living standards. Countries with high living standards do not require much invention of the government in their affairs but those that are underdeveloped and have reduced living standards the government intervention is highly required (Shinnick, 2008). Some government have national libraries, some even mobile ones to ensure that its population has access to information for personal empowerment. Adoption of technology in different sectors has enabled a countries population have higher living standards as people are more informed of their rights that they can fight for (Shoup, 2006) Resources distribution Resources in a country are not equally distributed; there are some parts, which have higher allocation of natural and manmade resources in a country. The in-equally bring about difference in social, economic and sometimes political. The government should ensure that its country have well distributed resources for a harmonious growth in all regions of the country. The differences make the government direct most of its resources to areas that are disadvantaged (Musgrave, 2008). They are given priorities in the efforts to see whether they can catch up with other areas. A country that has high levels of inequality is most likely to be in political disputes from time to time. This is when some people feel oppressed by the system. In the past, social rivalry in countries for example in French revolution, were brought about by inequality and oppression in the economy. To avoid a repeat of such things in an economy, the government should ensure there is equality in the economy. Equality can be brought through indirect measures like education, social amenities, and employment (Moore, 2009). Unemployment level Government has a role in creating employment in its country. If the economy is facing high levels of inflation, then the government must put on measures to ensure that the economy produces job opportunities. For an increased employment creation in country, the government should create an atmosphere where local and international investors feel attracted (Minea and Villieu, 2009). Such measures include reduce taxation, offer incentives to investors like tax holidays , investments deductions and offering land for factory settlements. Other than focusing on international and local major investors, the government can undertake different measures to facilitate small-scale investments through small traders and artisan. Finances can be directed to the areas where the government offer loans to deserving population to starts up their own business . Other than business, there are other individual talents that can be tapped and still create employment. This includes sporting activities and enter tainment industry where the government can support youth to engage in such activities (McGee, 2004). Security situation It is the role of the government to ensure that its citizens are protected from internal and external security threats. The state of security in a country will determine the amount of investment that will be directed to this task. There are times that a country may be threatened of an attack, or the security system in the country is not good. In such cases, the budget for security should be increased appropriately. Different times require different security levels, for example, in times of political unrests, high security is required than in times of harmony in a country, so the amount of investment that a country makes in investment is determined by security level in the country (Martin, 2005). Global environment The international community affects the trend of spending in a government. There are times that international relation and trade may require a government to spend higher than in normal circumstances. Currently with globalisation, the world is facing an increased trade among countries. The trade calls for improved infrastructures, communication systems and security along borders. Although these factors benefit an economy, they require the government to make investments in the economy. To facilitate international trade, the government need to invest in good roads to transport goods produced within the country to the departure ports and those coming from abroad to their destinations (Kabelo,  Khalo and Mafunisa, 2007). Communication is crucial in making trading negotiations and contracts where the government should lay good communication systems. International trade does not just happen without government intervention, there is need to control the flow of goods. Through customs depart ment, the government imposes custom duties and tariffs to some imports and exports in its move to collect revenue and protect internal industries. Through borders, some goods that are harmful to a population can get their way; it is the role of the government to ensure that borders are free from such goods. For border security, revenue collection and national companies protection to be effective, the government has to make massive investment in detecting tools like scanners, personnels to patrol the borders and revenue collection officers. Making of ports is capital intensive and thus before such an investment is made the government should ensure that it has analysed the economic benefit of such a move. For example, the decision to make Suez Canal was for trading purposes, it has assisted North African countries like Egypt, however, maintaining high standards in such an entry is an expensive practice (Jà ¼rgen and Wagner, 2004) Technology Scientific innovation and inventions have resulted to an increase in technology in the world. Efficient technology assists a county to produce goods and services effectively with maximum utilisation of resources. The government has a role to play in technological development and adoption in the economy. This can be through its own adoption of technology in its systems or it can be creating an environment that enables companies to adopt technology. There are times that the government controls the rate of technological adoption in its economy. For example in Kenya, the government is opposing the use of tea plucking machines by tea growing factories since it believes that the number of jobs that will be lost as a result are going to harm the economy. To enhance adoption of technology, the government have sometimes offered incentives to those companies with high technology like tax incentives to facilitate further technology use (Hyman, 2007) Environmental concerns The world is having increased concerns about environmental damage. International bodies have enacted rules and regulations to be followed in its efforts to reduce environmental damage. Such international regulations include Kyoto protocol on green gas emission where signatories were expected to reduce their production of green house gasses (Howard, 1992). To facilitate moves that protect the environment, the government is involved in different activities that aim at corporate and to individuals. It has put on measure that reduces the amount of emission from industry. Such measures include taxation on carbon emission, having national environmental control policies and programs, offering tax incentive and facilitating technology adoption (Bradford, Auerbach and Shaviro, 2000). The rate of investments in a country The investment environment in countries determines the rate of investment in a country. When the environments are not attracting investments, then the government has to undertake strategic measures to ensure that it has facilitated investments. This can be through targeting certain industries, which are crucial for investment decisions in a country, and enhancing their capabilities in attracting investments (Gstoettner and Jensen, 2010). For example, the energy sector is important for economic development and attracting investment. The government can control prices in such an industry and cover the deficit. This will make investors attracted by the low rate of production cost offered by such moves. In countries like China, the government have used this consideration to devise measure that reduces the rate of investment. There are times that the government becomes the investor in come strategic industries, which are considered low income generating. This is in the move to ensure that all essential products and services are available in a country (Blanca and   Wodon, 2006) Economic deficits and Balances of payments There are times that a country may be facing economic and balance of payments deficits. The deficits harm an economy, the government requires to take strategic decisions to ensure these deficits are cured. In cases of economic deficits, it means that a government will not be able to finance all budget activities in a particular year or periods. It may be forces to offer some government bonds and bills, which are offered at a cost to the public. It may also decide to sell its products to raise money to finance its deficit. The right move to make in such case is determines the decision made by the government (Bastable, 2003) International trade brings about balances of payments (B.O.P.). For a healthy economy without a deficit in balance of payment, then imports should be of a lower cost than exports. To facilitate an increase export, or reduce importation, the government have a role to play. In facilitation of exports, the government offers incentives to exporters to increase their exportation. These incentives may be subsidies in production. To discourage importation, the government can increase taxes charged to imports and empower local companies to produce goods that were otherwise imported. When a country has a healthy balance of payment, its currency is strong making its goods and services competitive in the international markets (Arye, 2003) Conclusion Modern economies are mostly capitalists, where forces of demand and supply determine prices. Government intervention in these economies is minimal but important. Government intervenes in economies to facilitate an appropriate economic growth rate and protect citizens from violation of their constitutional rights. It uses monetary and fiscal policies to control the economy. Before making an investment decision, government consider economic, political, social, global and environmental implication of such decision. Maintain political stability in a county is an important role of the government. The right decision to make is one that results to increased welfare of majority in the country.

Professional Discourses in the Nursing Career

Professional Discourses in the Nursing Career Discourses Communication Terminology Abstract There are discourses in the nursing career that one must possess in his or her nursing ability. These discourses include communication, medical terminology, patient care, patient confidentiality, and proper hygiene. The listed discourses are only a broad spectrum of the skills needed in the nursing profession. One has to be a committed individual who wants to help people. He or she cannot just go through the motions and expect to keep a job, which is why the discourses of the nursing profession are crucial to know. Professional Discourses in the Nursing Career Discourse Once a person becomes adapted to his or her own professional community, he or she has become involved, learned the language, practiced the proper mannerisms, and developed a familiarity with the surroundings. In the profession of nursing, a person must learn all this and more. He or she should become familiar with the medical terminology, recognize the required hygiene, and know how to care for patients in a respectable and caring way. Discourse is important in every aspect of life, but when it comes to the profession of nursing, knowing the discourse is key for success. Types of Discourse Communication The most important discourse in the profession of nursing is communication. It is crucial to be able to communicate properly with doctors as well as other nurses; it could be the difference between life and death. A way doctors and nurses communicate with each other is through documenting patient information. A nurse must always remember to read as well as document patient information with every visit. Within an article out of the Journal of Advanced Nursing, 15-20% of the time working as a nurse is spent documenting patient information (Butler, Hyde, Irving, MacNeela, Scott, Treacy, 2006). Not only is it important to communicate through patient information, but it is also essential that a nurse understands the terminology used in patient documents. Medical Terminology The second most important discourse in the nursing profession is being able to understand the terminology that is used between the medical staff. Not only the ability to understand, but to also be able to pronounce the complicated words that can be used is also very important. The word hepatocholangitis can be a very difficult word to say and to understand. A strategy a nurse would use to recognize what the word means is to break apart the word into word roots and suffixes. A word root gives the fundamental meaning of the word and a suffix modifies its meaning (Brooks, 2005). The word contains two word roots, which are hepat (liver) and cholang (bile duct). The â€Å"o† between the two word roots is called a combining vowel and is used to ease pronunciation (Brooks, 2005). Lastly, the suffix is itis (inflammation). When starting with the suffix, the term hepatocholangitis is defined as an inflammation of both the liver and the bile ducts (Mosby’s Dictionary, 2006). In order for a nurse to distinguish between what the words are as well as their meanings is to understand the meanings behind the words that are used within the medical language. If the terminology used within the medical field is understood completely, then it is easier to communicate with other medical staff and more importantly, the patients. Patient Care How to talk to patients as well as helping patients understand how to comprehend what may be wrong with them is important in the medical field. Doctors tend to give the specific terminology that many patients do not understand, whereas nurses are the ones who explain what the doctor has said in simpler terms. Another discourse that can be included in the nursing profession is the ability to communicate with patients directly and to comfort patients as well as their family and friends. Nurses must be alert and quick to respond because they are usually the first people in a patient’s room. According to Tarlier (2004), building responsive relationships with patients will gain the respect, trust and mutuality from the patient. This can provide the framework of caring relationships between nurses and patients. If a nurse is alert and able to communicate with patients on a level that they understand, then that nurse has become more than just a nurse; he or she has become a person with morals. Tarlier states â€Å"for each one to take on the needs, wishes, desires of others and make them into his goal is the beginning of ethical† (p. 233). To be able to put aside the needs or wants of oneself can be a hard thing to do for some people. To be a nurse, a person has to be willing to care for a patient not to follow the rules, but by explaining things, making small talk with them, being responsive, and to be their friend. The kind of trust a patient has towards a nurse can alter that patient’s attitude towards that hospital, which is why gaining the trust of patients is key. It all starts with patient confidentiality and if patients can actually trust the hospital with their most personal information, they will have more confidence in their nurses as well as their doctors. Patient Confidentiality A nurse has to make sure that patient documents do not fall into the wrong hands. The misplacement of one chart could cost not only the trust of the patient and the patient’s family, but the hospital’s reputation as well as thousands of dollars. There are certain regulations that control what can be shared outside of the patient’s room. A person must value the desires of patients who do not want certain information shared unless it is information that would put others at risk of serious harm or death (Beech, 2007). Patient confidentiality is an important discourse in the profession of nursing because of the personal information that is shared between a patient and his or her nurse. Patient confidentiality is important in all health care facilities and a nurse should know the proper ways in how everything is documented as well as who is authorized to view those documents. Not only should a nurse know the appropriate ways of where to put documented information, but a nurse should also be familiar with the hygiene required in heath care facilities. Proper Hygiene Hospital acquired infections are some of the leading causes of illnesses in today’s world. It is important to know the proper hygiene in caring for patients. Bacteria such as Staphylococcal aureus, commonly known as Staph infections, can by transmitted very easily from direct contact. Staph infections are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. A new known â€Å"super bug†, called MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureaus), has been known to take more American lives each year than the AIDS virus; that is 19,000 people each year (Bloice, Hallinan, 2007). The most important aspect when it comes to proper hygiene is hand washing. It is crucial for nurses to wash their hands each time they enter and exit a patient’s room. Hand washing is the best habit a nurse can get into. It is one of the many helpful routines in preventing the spread of MRSA (McDonnell, 2007). There are also many other helpful ideas when it comes to the prevention of spreading infection. These ideas need to be known by nurses everywhere no matter if they are working in a hospital, nursing home, or even in schools. Interview Prioritize In an interview with a registered nurse, Jacklyn Brambrink was able to give some useful information about what she thinks is the most important discourse out of the ones that have been discussed. She believes that communication is the most important because in order to do anything in the nursing career, a person has to be able to communicate with the staff as well as the patients no matter what. She also believes that a nurse must be able to prioritize as well as be able to make judgment calls when it comes to tough situations (personal communication, February 13, 2008). There are everyday jobs a nurse has to know how to do. When Jaclyn made the point about prioritizing, she really stressed the idea. It is key for a nurse to know when a job needs to be done and when a different job is not as critical. Just like communication, it could be the difference between life and death. Conclusion There is much more to the profession of nursing than to just be able to communicate, know the terminology, and know the proper ways in preventing the spread of infection. The discourses that have been listed are the basis of being successful in the profession of nursing, but there is much more to know. Just knowing these discourses is not going to help a person get through nursing school. A nurse has to be dedicated and has to be willing to learn new things. New discoveries are being found almost every day in the medical field and a nurse has to be eager to want to continue his or her education throughout his or her entire nursing career. A nursing student should be aware of all this information and more, so they know what to expect. By going through the motions will not work in the nursing profession. If a committed, caring and knowledgeable individual wants to enter the nursing field, he or she has to be prepared for all of the challenges that medical professionals face every day. Once that person is ready and aware of those challenges, he or she will make a great nurse. References Beech M. Confidentiality in heath care: conflicting legal and ethical issues. Nursing Standard. 2007;21:42-46. Bloice C, Hallinan C. The Return of Germ Welfare. Registered Nurse. 2007;103(9):12-13. Brooks ML. Exploring Meidcal Language. 6th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2005. Butler M, Irving K, Hyde A, MacNeela P, Scott A, Treacy M. Discursive practices in the documentation of patient assessments. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2006;53(2): 151-159. McDonnell P. Don’t forget to wash your hands. Ophthalmology Times. September 15, 2007;32(18):4.