Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Talent Management In Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) Dissertation

Ability Management In Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) - Dissertation Example The exploration found that ADAT utilizes Talent Management, however the procedure is in an incipient stage where the comprehension and mindfulness about it is amazingly low, particularly among the talked with representatives. ADAT has presented a few activities toward Talent Management which included building up the Center of Excellence for Recruitment and Oracle Performance Management, yet the association seems to need an incorporated and smoothed out methodology toward Talent Management. In addition, the focal point of the association was uncovered to be on enlisting outer ability for its basic positions, which thus prompted representative disappointment and demotivation †along these lines invalidating the very point of Talent Management. The examination suggests that ADAT build up an extensive system for Talent Management that considers authoritative structure and occupation positions, business objectives and future possibilities, and representative relations into account. Li st of chapters Chapter 1: Introduction I.1 Background and Research Overview 1.2 Research Questions 1.3 Research Methods 1.4 Research Significance 1.5 Dissertation Outline 1.6 Conclusions Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Definition and Overview of Talent Management/Human Capital Management 2.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Talent Management 2.4 Talent Management Models 2.5 Factors affecting Talent Management 2.6 Best Practices identified with Talent Management 2.7 Challenges in Talent Management 2.8 Technical Talent Management and Airlines Industry 2.9 Future Outlook and Conclusion Chapter 3: Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Research Philosophy 3.3 Research Approach - Inductive 3.4 Research Methods - Qualitative 3.5 Research Design 3.5.1 Sampling 3.5.2 Data Collection Method 3.5.3 Data Collection Instrument 3.5.4 Method of Data Analysis 3.6 Reliability and Validity 3.7 Ethical Considerations 3.8 Conclusions Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Findings and Discussion 4.3 Conclusions Chapter 5: Conclusions and Discussions 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Summary of Findings 5.3 Recommendations 5.4 Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research List of Figures and Tables Figure 1: Basic Model of Source: Chaudhry, 2006 Figure 2: Factors Involved in Talent Management Figure: 3: High effect Talent Management Figure 4: Competency Model of Talent Management Figure 5: Talent Management Blueprint Figure 6: Types of staff engaged with ability the board exercises, CIPD, 2006 Table 1: Management’s Perception of Performance and Potential Table 2: Employee Perception of Talent Table 3: Talent Management Program at ADAT Table 4: Employee Awareness of Career Progression at ADAT Table 5: Success Factors for Effective Talent Management Table 6: Effective Assessment of Talent Management Table 7: Current Status of Talent Management at ADAT Table 8: Challenges Faced by ADAT in TM usage Table 9: Employees’ Perception of Talent Mana gement List of Appendices Appendix A: Research Questionnaire References Chapter 1: Introduction I.1 Introduction This section gives a diagram of the exploration and its experience and builds up the examination questions. It talks about the exploration strategies used to accomplish the

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Develop the film Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright, 2007) Essay

Build up the film Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright, 2007) - Essay Example Simon Pegg, just as, Edgar Wright has likewise acted in a few movies, in this manner contributing towards illuminating the network through formation of mindfulness, training, just as diversion in worldwide levels. The film stars Pegg just as Nick Frost. In association with the abovementioned, it is likewise of fundamental significance to recognize different characters who added to the foundation of the film entitled Hot Fuzz. Other than the recorded over, the others who added to the foundation of the film called Hot Fuzz incorporates Nira Park. It is of urgent criticalness to recognize the way that Nira Park was the primary maker of the film. Other than Nira Park, the other co-makers of the film entitled Hot Fuzz contained both Tim Bevan, just as, Eric Fellner (Stevenson, 12). Note that these are additionally among the top positioning characters in the shooting business. Therefore, they have had noteworthy effects in the film business in the United Kingdom, in this way contributing towards illuminating the entire world through diversion just as mindfulness creation through the film activities. It is of urgent noteworthiness to comprehend the way that the film entitles Hot Fuzz discusses two cops who endeavored to offer an answer for a progression of social ills, including offering answers for a progression of passings that occurred in secretive habits in the English town. In the film, the English town has been delineated as one of the most threatening situations, brimming with lawbreakers who can the degrees of others in baffling habits. The individuals occupying certain segments in the town are infamous lawbreakers in the general public, in this way connected to the reasons for the puzzling passings. Because of the abovementioned, it was the duty of the police to decide the concealed data that shaped the standard of such strange passings. Applicable to the abovementioned, the cops did the much they could as saw in the film.

Sunday, August 9, 2020

How to Manage Time With 10 Tips That Work

How to Manage Time With 10 Tips That Work “Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week.”  Charles RichardsWhat comes into your mind when you think of the most precious thing in the world? For some it is diamonds. Yet for others it is gold. Some think of their home, wife and children.However, very few people manage to answer the question correctly. The answer to this question is time. Time is the most precious commodity in the world despite the fact that it is the most commonly available. What makes it precious is our tendency to waste it. It is important for everyone in this world to manage time regardless of whatever you do. It is the secret to success and the most successful men in the history were able to open this secret. You have exactly the same amount of time as did Sir Isaac Newton, Tesla, Mother Teresa, Muhammad Ali, Bill Gates, Einstein, Leonardo di Vinc i and Michelangelo etc.What you need to do is to manage your time properly just like all the people who have successfully left their mark on the history.Unfortunately, time management is a skill very few people succeed in mastering. That being said, you actually need to structure your life rather than trying to manage time, especially if you are running a business. It is also a fact that some of the most experienced businessmen or professionals struggle badly when it comes to time management.However, it is the most important skill to have in both business and life. And if you are able to optimize your time properly, you will get an unprecedented success in both professional and personal life.Here are top 10 time management tips that actually work. You can use them days in and days out and the results will always be the same.KNOW YOUR OBJECTIVESFirst and foremost, you need to identify your business as well as life goals. If you are totally unaware of what your targets are, you can ne ver optimize your time accordingly.The lack of life goals will only result in the waste of precious time. Without the set targets and goals, everything you do is a potential time waster only.Therefore, your daily routine should consist of activities and task which directly relate to your goals and help you achieve them in the short and long run.It is also advisable to set daily goals in order to fully optimize the 24 hours available to you every day.Similarly, decide early in the morning what results you want to attain from each of the activity you are going to engage in the day. For instance, decide why you are going to meet someone in the evening? What is the purpose of the meeting you have called? It is also imperative to take 5 minutes after every task you complete and determine whether you have achieved your desired results or not.By performing this ritual daily, you will have an initial idea of what time management looks and feels like. Ultimately, you can implement your time management strategy on bigger scale as well.PRIORITIZATION IS THE KEYThere are two types of tasks in the world, the urgent tasks and the less urgent tasks. It is an open secret that you should always tackle urgent tasks first. However, this is not always the case.Most people keep on wasting time on trivial tasks like checking their Facebook and Twitter status, texting aimlessly, watching Game of Thrones over and over again and of course, just procrastinating. You should not do that. If you don’t prioritize your tasks, you are not going to make most of the time available to you.Task prioritization is the most important aspect of time management. First Things First by Steven Covey, one of the most popular books on time management, offers a very effective tool for organizational time management.It helps you create a to-do-list depending upon the importance and urgency of your daily business tasks. In this regard, you can categorize your tasks into following groups.Important and Urgen t. These are the tasks which need your immediate attention. You should do them right away without any delay.Important but not Urgent. Initially, these tasks look important but become less important after closer inspection. It is up to you to decide what you need to do with them.Urgent but not Important. These are the tasks which create a lot of hassle but do not offer any real value after completion. You better delegate these tasks to someone else.Not Urgent and not Important. These tasks have the lowest priority. You normally do them to look busy. It is better to perform them at some free time if you have any.You should always have a list of the most important tasks you need to do every day. Check them of your list one by one as you complete them. Keep repeating the process and you will become adept in prioritizing your tasks. PLAN IN ADVANCE“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.”   Pa ul J. MeyerA planned life is always better than an unplanned life. There is no other opinion about it. Nothing can be worse than having no idea of what you have to do to put your life back on the right track. Similarly, running an unplanned business is a proven recipe for a disaster.If you do not plan your tasks and activities in advance, you will not only waste a lot of precious time but your business will eventually go to the ruins. Therefore, every business expert asserts on the importance of planning your business activities in advance.As a matter of fact, you spend more time performing your tasks haphazardly as compared to time spent on actually planning and prioritizing them. Jumping aimlessly from one desk to another will not only make you lose time but you won’t be able to accomplish anything. Most successful people do two things to plan their daily activities.They Plan a Day or Night beforeThey spare 15 to 30 minutes at the end of the everyday to make a list of the tasks they have to do first thing in the next morning. Another great decompression technique is to clean your desk before leaving.You will feel relaxed and better just by looking at the clean table the next morning, helping you focus on the more important tasks at hand.Plan in the MorningYou can also compile your to-do list by arriving 10 minutes early in the morning. In most cases, the tasks you assemble in the morning are actually the most important and urgent tasks of the day.DON’T FOSTER DISTRACTIONSThe modern world is full of distractions most of which are related to technology such as social media, gaming and watching TV for hours.For example, smartphone is one of the biggest inventions of the 21st century but it is also the most deceptive time waster in the modern world as well. You need to get rid of all these distractions if you want to optimize your time properly and focus on your life and business.You also need to identify all the self-induced distractions and try to indulge in them only when absolutely necessary. You might also want to minimize the human-induced distractions from your life and work as well. Askothers, no matter who they are, not to interrupt you when you are performing an important task. It is easier said than done but this is what you have to do.It is very difficult to break a bad habit or recover from an addiction.But when there is a will there is a way. Yes, you do need a lot of will power and determination to remove all the unwanted distractions from your life. You have to switch off your phone for a while and concentrate on your tasks. It is also important to meet family, talk to your staff, response to your emails or answer calls.But you don’t need to do all this when you are in the midst of something important.For instance, accomplish all these missions before starting your day, by planning a break in the day or after finishing your work when you have nothing else to do.DELEGATE YOUR DUTIES QUITE OFTENYou may be a very hard wo rking person.Similarly, you may by expert in multitasking or do not have enough manpower to delegate you duties. All these things compel you to do all the work yourself. Whether you realize it or not, it is one of the biggest methods of wasting your time. Besides, multitasking is never going to produce the desired results you want.So what should be the best course of action for you? You should probably try to delegate your duties as often as possible. You should probably start by hiring more employees if you can afford of course. These employees can carry some of your burden and take some of the work of your desk.You should not overly indulge yourself in trivial day to day matters if you want to be a successful businessman. You should focus on the future and long term goals. One way of doing this is to pass some of your responsibilities to others. USE CALENDARS AND SET TIME LIMIT FOR EVERY TASKIf you want to manage your daily activities in the best manner possible, start using calen dars at the earliest. Some of the most important mailing software such as Lotus and Outlook come with the calendars, making things even more convenient for you.Similarly, Google Calendar is one of the best online calendars available to you right now. Just sync it with any of the hardware you commonly use such as your smartphone or tab and you are good to go. It also helps you access your calendar wherever you are.All online calendars have more or less the same functions. They basically help you make three types of appointments that are general appointments, self-appointments and team appointments.Furthermore, they also remind you of your appointments a day or two in advance, enabling you to schedule your tasks more effectively.It is also imperative for you to set a time limit for every task and try to finish it within the deadline. For instance, if you want to complete a presentation before 10 AM, you must finish it before 10 AM.As a result, you will not linger on and consume the ti me reserved for other tasks, improving your productivity and effectiveness in the process.LEARN TO SAY NOYou cannot please every person in this world. It is a universal truth and there is no denying of it. You can manage your time by making a lot of commitments and shuffle between them as the need arises. It is a great time optimization technique to say the least. However, it does not always work. Sometimes, you do need to say no.Taking every opportunity that comes knocking at your door can also complicate matters for you. It will not only overburden you but can also result in entrepreneur burnout.Similarly, it is not always possible to honor multiple commitments or give your full time and energy to multiple projects at the same time. In the end, it can result in utter waste of time and sheer disappointment.Therefore, it is better for you to only take those opportunities you really care about and have reasonable amount of time for. If you cannot deliver in the end or you are too muc h stretched out already, you must pass on a project.There is no point of taking an opportunity if you are not interested in it or cannot give it your best. If you take it, it will only add to your frustration and physical exhaustion.FOCUS ON JOB AT HANDIf you are doing a job or completing a task, try to concentrate solely on that task. You can get best out of your time if you focus on one job at a time. Again, keep all unnecessary distractions such as smartphones, television and gaming consoles out of your sight. It is even better if you can find a solitary place so you can focus wholeheartedly on the job.You need to immerse yourself in that one task you are doing. Just imagine that nothing else exists in this world.Moreover, try to complete a task once you start it. There should ideally be no breaks other than emergencies until you have finished your work.Once again, it is important to block all the distractions and spend all your energies on completing the task.However, you can de finitely listen to your favorite music while working if that helps you. IDENTIFY YOUR PRIME TIMEIt is difficult to maintain same level of productivity all day long. Some people are more productive in the morning while others like to work during the night.Therefore, it is imperative for you to find the time when you happen to be most productive. It can be the morning, afternoon, evening or night. Identify your prime time and try to perform the most important or complex tasks during that time.Similarly, you also need to identify the time when you are least productive. Most people tend to lose focus in the afternoon. Obviously, you should never schedule your important tasks or client meetings during this time of the day. If you do, you will not only lose time but also your productivity and in some cases, trust of your clients.SWITCH OFF WHEN YOU MUST AND TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELFConstant work and no rest make everyone tired. You can actually burnout physically and mentally if you neve r take a break. You cannot keep on working without taking any rest. If you do, you will inflict irreparable damage to your mind and body.It is also almost impossible to recover from emotional and physical burnout you suffer due to overwork. In fact, one of the biggest reasons businessmen fail is that they are unable to stop or switch off when they must.You should always add necessary breaks and distractions to your daily, weekly and monthly schedule. Always take small breaks after completing a task and freshen up your mind. You can even interrupt a meeting if you don’t feel you are fully into it.Also try to take biannual and annual vacations whenever you can. You just need to keep in mind that you cannot continue forever. There will always be a time when you have to stop and when the time comes you must stop.CONCLUSIONTime is the most valuable asset we have in this world. You can only be successful if you are able to increase your productivity and maximize your effectiveness. It c an only be possible if you optimize your time properly.If you are struggling with time management, you can take help of abovementioned tips to effectively manage your time and transform your life.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Michel Trudeau Killed by Avalanche in 1998

Michel Trudeau, the 23-year-old son of former Canadian Prime Minister  Pierre Trudeau  and Margaret Kemper and younger brother of current Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was killed by an avalanche in British Columbias  Kokanee Glacier Park  on November 13, 1998. Three other skiers also present on the slopes were rescued by a national park service helicopter from the provincial park in the wilderness area northeast of Nelson, B.C., where the young Trudeau was presumed to have been pushed off the ski trail by the avalanche and swept down into Kokanee Lake, where he was believed to have drowned. A private memorial service for family and friends was held on Friday, November 20, 1998, in Outremont, Quebec, though his body was never recovered from the lake. After the Incident Nearly ten months after the avalanche that killed Michel Trudeau, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (R.C.M.P.) sent a dive team into Kokanee Lake to search for his body, but a long winter, cold summer, and snow in the Rockies hampered search efforts. Before beginning the search, the R.C.M.P. cautioned that it was possible young Trudeaus body may never be found because divers could only go down to a depth of 30 meters (about 100 feet) while the lake is 91 meters (close to 300 feet) deep at its center. After nearly a month of searching — largely due to the limited number of days of open waters on the lake and the high altitude that prevented deep diving — Trudeaus family called off the search without recovering the body and later erected a chalet nearby as a memorial to Michel. More About Michel Nicknamed Miche by Fidel Castro (of all people) during a visit with his grandparents to Cuba in 1976, Michel Trudeau was born only four months before on October 2, 1975, in Ottawa, Ontario. Upon retiring from politics, Michels father Pierre moved the family to Montreal, Quebec, where the 9-year-old Michel would spend the rest of his childhood. Michel attended the Collà ©ge Jean-de-Brà ©beuf before pursuing a graduate degree in microbiology at Nova Scotias Dalhousie University. At the time of his death, Michel had been working at a mountain resort in Rossland, British Columbia for about a year.   On November 13, 1998, Michel and three friends set out on a backcountry skiing trip in the Kokanee Glacier Park, but the avalanche separated the group from Michel as he was swept downhill into the lake.   After his death, a newly discovered varietal of rose was named after him, dubbed the Michel Trudeau Memorial Rosebush, with proceeds from sales of the new flower benefitting the Canadian Avalanche Foundation, which helps survivors and victims of Canadas many avalanches recover after getting caught in one of natures most destructive natural disasters.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

American Ideology By Benjamin Franklin - 1084 Words

Ever since settlers arrived in America, American ideology began to form and has expanded since. American ideology simply cannot be described in a mere few words, but in Benjamin Franklin’s â€Å"Information to Those Who Would Remove to America† and Washington Irving’s â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† utility plays a part and impacts the building up of American ideology by not only forming the basis for success in the colonies, but even in the present day. In Benjamin Franklin’s â€Å"Information to Those Who Would Remove to America,† Franklin introduces the idea of utility in American ideology. Franklin describes this when he describes the qualities needed to thrive in America: â€Å"Most people cultivate their own lands or follow some handicraft or merchandise† (Franklin ##). Franklin says that if a person wants to come to America, he or she have the will to work. Franklin also reinforces the ideology of utility when he describes America: â€Å"American is the land of labor† (Franklin ). Franklin states that in order to succeed and prosper in America, one must want to work. If one does not want to work, then he or she cannot succeed in America because in America an individual must do his or her own work. Franklin reinforces the idea of utility through the speckled axe example. Franklin states that even though a speckled axe does not look as sharp or as clean as a new axe, the speckled axe still displays more utility because the speckled axe has worked before as compared to the new axe because the nex axeShow MoreRelatedThe American Intelligence Community Essay955 Words   |  4 Pagesactivities during America’s revolution. Benjamin Franklin is known as a big contributor in the processes and use of intelligence activities. He became known as a master of covert action (Central Intelligence Agency 2009). Franklin initiated his covert action skills when he was named Ambassador to France. 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Though many people to this day may still argue their understanding of these idealistic views, there is an ideniable truth that it was two most influential figures in history from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Benjamin Franklin and JohnRead More46 Pages and Common Sense Analysis and Review Essay examples1301 Words   |  6 Pagesable to poignantly illustrate the colonies metamorphosis from a dependent arm of the English Empire to an independent country, the catalyst for which was Thomas Paines Common Sense. Liell is able to not only articulate the turning point of the American consensus towards independence, but he also very intelligibly depicts the sentiments of all facets of colonial dogma and the torrential effect that Common Sense had in loosening the cement that held those beliefs. Using fantastic examples of the

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Rkot1 Oraganizational Systems and Quality Leadership Free Essays

RKOT 1 Organizational Systems and Quality Leadership Western Governor’s University Leadership Strategies Leadership is, first and foremost, a stance—an attitude. A leader faces the problem and says what we can do to address it. Leaders take responsibility for problems. We will write a custom essay sample on Rkot1 Oraganizational Systems and Quality Leadership or any similar topic only for you Order Now (L 101: So You Want to Be a Leader in Health Care ) Two strategies a nurse might use as an informal leader on an interdisciplinary team are form a clearer picture of the real situation and start looking for ideas of how to solve the problem. L 101: So You Want to Be a Leader in Health Care ) As a nurse on an interdisciplinary team you could start by gathering information regarding the situation to form a clearer picture. Often time’s members of the team only look at what is affecting their individual work flow. As a leader a nurse should put the patient at the center of the picture and investigate how the roles of the individual team members affect the patient as a whole. People often look only at how a situation will affect them and their workflow and do not look at the situation as a whole. Instead of just complaining about a situation the can take a leadership role by gathering information from all members of the team and piecing this information together as to form a clearer picture of the situation. To become an effective leader the nurse must not only gather the information to form a clearer picture but also work with the team to look for and offer ideas to solve the problem. As a leader, a nurse would not just join in on the complaining. Once the information is gathered and the problem is clearly identified; to be a true leader, the nurse would look for creative solutions possibly initiating changes in workflow to alleviate the problem. A leader goes the extra step to implement change. Active Involvement Two ways a nurse can take an active, contributing role within the interdisciplinary team are identifying quality issues or concerns and ensuring there is open active communication between members of the team as well as the patient. As a nurse you should be a strong patient advocate. During interdisciplinary rounds you should bring up concerns that may affect patient care. If there is uncertainty regarding the scheduled treatments or procedures and timing of those interventions the nurse should advocate for the patient in order for the patient to receive the best possible care. Nurses must ensure patient safety by asking questions if they are no sure as to whether the right procedure or treatment is being ordered or carried out. It is the nurse’s job, while overseeing the care of the patient, to report any unsafe or potentially unsafe acts in order to advocate for the patient and develop best practices. As an advocate for the patient you should also speak up if the patient has unmet needs such as inadequate pain control or if timing of procedures prevents patients from obtaining uninterrupted sleep. The nurse can also take an active role in the interdisciplinary team by ensuring there is open two way communication between members of the treatment team and also the patient. Patients are generally more compliant with treatment plans when they have active participation in the development of the treatment plan. An example of open communication and team work make be the nurse coordinating with therapy in order to ensure the patient is medicated prior to undergoing therapy in order to increase participation by the patient and therefore allowing the patient to become more engaged in their treatment secession. Teams work more efficiently when they have open communication. The nurse can lead the team by ensuring that all members communicate and are on the same patient in regards to patient’s care plan and goals. By ensuring the lines of communication or kept open and aligning workflow the ultimate winner is the patient due to better coordination of care. Culture of Safety Psychological safety, active leadership, transparency and fairness are four characteristics used to create a culture of safety. (PS106 Introduction to the Culture of Safety) There are many ways that you can promote a culture on safety in your workplace. When someone initially starts a position they are often assigned a buddy or preceptor. In order to create a culture of psychological safety people need to know they can speak up without being judged. One organization has taken steps to stand up to doctor’s if they are being derogatory to nurses or other staff. The nurses can actually call a code in which people stop their work follow and physically stand behind the nurse if she feels she is being spoken to in an inappropriate or unprofessional manner. Spirit on the spot is another example of creating an environment of psychological safety. By enabling anyone to report when someone is caught doing something right such as stopping to give directions to a visitor when someone appears lost it creates a positive environment to work. Active Leadership can be observed in organizations that have open forums in which leaders meet with front line staff and encourage questions regarding workflow or any ideas or suggestions for improvement. Monthly leadership rounding is where leaders walk around on units and stop to speak with the staff asking how their day is going and if there is anything that their leader can do to make a difference in their work environment. This is an excellent example of active leadership. These leaders come to the staff one on one and encourage open discussion. Transparency occurs when there is a system in which when errors are reported or near misses are reported action is taken to investigate the error or near miss and change is initiated that will decrease the likelihood of the error reoccurring. An example of transparency occurred within an organization by the change in national patient safety standards requiring two patient identifiers when working with a patient. To create an environment of fairness an organization needs to act when errors are caused by system errors. Nurses often find system errors when procedures are changed or modified. People too often just thing of how the change will affect their own discipline and not how it will affect patient care or the system as a whole. The staff needs to know that if a change is implemented that creates errors instead of decreasing errors they will be able to speak up and a new course of action will be taken. An example of culture of safety occurred when my hospital first implement EMR’s. The order sets were written where inpatient and observation could both be ordered on a patient at the time of admission. The utilization nurse felt comfortable addressing the issue with her leader and was encouraged to speak with not only her leader but also administration regarding the possible conflict in orders. The nurse was rewarded for speaking up and the organization quickly worked to determine the best way to change the order sets in order to avoid the conflicting orders. The organization then took steps to be transparent by admitting there was an error in the original order sets and doing educational seminars for the admit staff, physicians, nurses and coders regarding the conflict in orders. If there had not been a culture of safety and the nurse had not spoken up the error in orders may have continued for months resulting in incorrect or non payment for the facility and errors in co-pays for the patients. REFERENCES L 101: So You Want to Be a Leader in Health Care . (n. d. ). Retrieved March 8, 2013, from Institute for Healthcare Improvement: http://app. hi. org/lms/lessonpageworkflow. aspx? CatalogGuid=6cb1c614-884b-43ef-9abd-d90849f183d4CourseGuid=c1164ba8-5af1-438b-8a1f-d409911a4948LessonGuid=b9a441cc-d2af-4211-8ba8-5359c06a8cb6 PS106 Introduction to the Culture of Safety. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 8, 2013, from Institute for Healthcare Improvement: http://app. ihi. org/lms/lessonpageworkflow. aspx? CatalogGuid=6cb1c614-884b-43ef-9abd-d90849f183 d4CourseGuid=789d9cbb-7dd3-4fe9-8df2-e0c63725b350LessonGuid=4b250d37-cf44-4561-b830-53ed5865c6b8 How to cite Rkot1 Oraganizational Systems and Quality Leadership, Papers

Saturday, May 2, 2020

The Odd Man Out Essay Example For Students

The Odd Man Out Essay The Odd Man OutFifth Business, by Robertson Davies is a great piece of literature. Though the story was not always interesting to me, it is apparent that the author is talented. The story begins in 1908 in a small fictional Canadian village called Deptford. I think this village is very important to the story. The author describes everything one could possibly need to picture Deptford in his mind. This helped a lot in showing what the main characters childhood was like. Later in his life, the main character traveled a lot, so many other places were described. I dont think these places are as important as Deptford. It seems that the author thought this also, for he didnt use as many details to describe these places as he did with the village. The main character is Dunstable Ramsey, Dunny for short. He is a very real character to me. The whole book is a letter that the old Dunny is writing to someone about his life. The way the author writes as Dunny is great. I can picture an old man sitting at a desk writing the letter. For parts of the story that have lots of detail, I imagine that the old Dunny remembers these parts of his life because they were important to him. For the parts he is vague about, Dunny writes that he would write more if he remembered more clearly. I think those are the times in his life that were not very important to him. A character that stands out a lot for me is Dunnys mother. She seemed like a very kind and strong woman at the beginning of the story. She kept their neighbors preborn baby alive when the town doctor said he would die. She was committed to that baby with all her heart. Another time, Dunny took an egg from his house so he could try to learn magic tricks with it. His mother noticed it was missing, and when he would not say why he took it, she flipped out. She beat him to pieces with a whip for an hour, screaming the whole time. In my mind she went from being a kind woman to an hysterical fool of a mother. She seems as though she could not be related to this old man reflecting on his life. I think the author is showing how different children can be from their parents. As I said, Dunny is writing a letter. It is for the headmaster of a school he taught at for forty-five years. It seems that his reason for writing this letter is because of a farewell article in the College Chronicle writt en for him. He is deeply offended by it and thought it to be idiotic. He said that the person who wrote the article could never understand what it is like to be cast with the role of Fifth Business. It seems that the Fifth Business has something to do with the baby his mother nursed to health. When he was ten years old, he and his friend were in a fight. Dunny dodged an icy snowball that was thrown by his rival and it ended up hitting a woman walking down the village street. Mrs. Dempster was pregnant, and the fright and shock of being hit in the head sent her into labor. Therefore Dunny believed that because that snowball was mean for him, it was his own fault that Paul Dempster was ever born. At sixteen Dunny left Deptford and joined the army. He is very vague about his horrifying time at war. During one battle he had his leg blown off and then wakes up in a hospital six months later. Right here in the story I think the author is stretching the truth. Could a man be in a coma for half a year just because he lost a leg? I am not a doctor, but it seems strange. .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e , .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e .postImageUrl , .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e , .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e:hover , .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e:visited , .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e:active { border:0!important; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e:active , .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub0b3c497f2d0920135902d1291d7dd4e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The New World Order EssayDunny goes many places after he is healed, even with his wooden leg. He only goes back to Deptford twice. In one of his travels he encounters Paul Dempster who had become a very talented magician. A woman working with the magic show first told Dunny about his role in life. He had related much about his life to her, and she said he sounded like a Fifth Business. She explained this by comparing it to a play. There is always a heroine and her lover. Then there is the rival to the heroine, a sorceress or something. Also there is the villian who threatens the lover. But one cannot make the plot work without an odd man out. This man may know the secret o f the hero, or assists the heroine when she has given up hope. He is the Fifth Business. At the very end Dunny writes about the death of his lifelong friend, the one who threw the snowball. The book ends with And that Headmaster is all I have to tell you. The ending doesnt really satisfy me. It just ends. I dont think there is enough explanation to why Dunnys part as Fifth Business should make him so angry about the article written for him. The beginning half of the book was more interesting for me because it was more about Dunnys childhood and young adulthood. I found that more interesting than his later years. Because I didnt find the latter half of the book too exciting, I guess I didnt expect the ending to be anything special. It was just the ending of a letter. I couldnt think of a different ending to suit this story. Despite the fact that this book was not extraordinary, the author did an amazing job of creating a mans whole life in which many events happened. Davies, Robertson. Fifth Business. Toronto: The Macmillan Company of Canada Limited, 1970. 266 pages

Monday, March 23, 2020

Portfolio Instructions Essays - Education, Knowledge, Writing

Portfolio Instructions English 101 Fall 2016 Overview As part of an ongoing assessment of a student's ability to progress as a writer, each student enrolled in English 101 will submit a portfolio of work at two separate times. The first submission will be a work-in- progress to be turned in along with the Midterm. The second submission will be the final submission, to be turned in along with the Final. The portfolio assignment is worth 15% of the student's final grade. Expectations Students must write an essay specifically for the portfolio that will introduce the portfolio to their readers and demonstrate that they have achieved the required competencies of the course. Students should write a reflective essay in which they argue for their accomplishments on the writing tasks listed below, using their compositions as evidence. This essay is typically read first, giving the readers of their portfolio insight into their thinking about their writing. Students will have chosen the work and provided some information about the assignments, but only they can explain how their portfolio demonstrates their accomplishments as a writer. This essay will not count toward the total number of pages (10-30) or papers (3-5) for the portfolio itself. Other Requirements 1. At least three compositions that illustrate work in more than one genre (ex. a proposal, a profile, a narrative, an academic argument, etc) which are preceded by an introduction explaining the assignment and why the student chose to include it in the final portfolio. 2. At least one composition that demonstrates the student's ability to use writing for reflections. 3. At least one composition that demonstrates the student's ability to use writing for explanation. 4. At least one composition that demonstrates the student's ability to use writing for analysis. 5. At least one composition that demonstrates the student's ability to use writing for persuasion. 6. At least one composition that demonstrates the student's ability to use write according to an audience. 7. At least one composition that demonstrates the student's ability to integrate their own writing with the writing of others, effectively using appropriate sources, properly documented. 8. At least one composition that demonstrates the student's ability to articulate and support a thesis-driven argument. 9. Evidence of engaging in the writing process through multiple drafts. 10. Evidence that the student has worked collaboratively with peers. 11. Evidence that the student can edit their work for mechanical errors to the extent that, while perhaps not "perfect", surface features of the language do not interfere with communication. Advice Do not panic! Some essays can count for multiple requirements, and we'll make sure each requirement is covered. To help, keep EVERYTHING we write, not just final drafts. Also, keep anything that has received peer or instructor feedback. Keep these in a folder that you can bring with you every day.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Interpreting Trends in ACT Science Relationships Between Data Points

Interpreting Trends in ACT Science Relationships Between Data Points SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Interpreting trend questions can sometimes feel like looking into a crystal ball and predicting the future.Thankfully, no psychic powers are necessary to answer these questions.These questions do require you to interpret the data you are given, going beyond the basic factual questions. Interpreting Trends questions only appear in Data Representation and Research Summaries Passages.For more information about these types of passages and the other types of questions, check out the 3 types of ACT Science passages. Interpreting Trends questions ask you to evaluate graphs, tables, and/or scatterplots to decide if there is a relationship.Is it increasing or decreasing?Is there an inverse relationship or direct relationship?I'll go into more detail on this throughout this article.In this article, I'll transform you in a data interpreting whiz! This is what I have in store for you: Types of Interpreting Trends Questions: 3 Kinds of Correlations tested on the ACT Science Ranking Lists ACT Science Practice Questions and Solutions Types of Interpreting Trends Questions 3 Kinds of Correlation Direct Correlation As one increases, so does the other, as one decreases so does the other. One direct relationship that most people have experienced is time sitting in the car on a road trip and the needto pee. The longer you drive, the larger your need to use the bathroom grows. Here is a sample graph of a direct relationship: While direct relationships are not always a line, it can be helpful to think of direct relationships as lines with a positive slope.As one increase, so does the other. Inverse Correlation As one increases, the other decreases. Shopping is a simple example, as you purchase more items, the amount of money you have decreases. Here is a sample graph of this inverse relationship: No Direct or Inverse Relationship Here is a graph of data with no direct or inverse relationship: For this graph, try to describe this relationship in one word.You can’t.As you follow the trend, as temperature increases, density increases, but then it starts to decrease rapidly.So temperature and density are not inversely nor directly related. We will practice several ACT Science questions addressing these 3 types of relationships in the sample question section below, but first, let’s talk about the one other types of interpreting trends question. Ranking Lists Sometimes the ACT will ask you to put data in increasing or decreasing order based on some criteria like height or mass.See a real ACT Science question below: I'll share my step by step thinking as I solve this question. To answer this question, you need to start by analyzing the question. What is the question asking you to find? These questions require extra analysis because you do not accidentally want tolist the answers in decreasing order when they asked for increasing.In this question, they ask you to list the foods in INCREASING order for the amount of heat released per gram of food. Now, we need to figure out which figures to use; the question says Tables 1 and 2. But which do we start with?This question actually requires you to look at the answer choices to figure out exactly what foods you are ranking. Note: on rankingquestions, you do want to look at the answer choices before trying to solve the problem.The answer choices have useful clues.For this question, by looking at the answer choices, we know that we need to rank the four foods listed in Table 1 and sucrose (which is shown in Table 2).I would start with ranking the four foods in Table 1. Make sure you are looking at the correct column!The question asked about heat released per gram of food.We can see the mass is 1.0 g for all foods in Table 1.So we just need to look for heat released, which is the final column of the table.Ignore the column on change in water temperature; if you use it, you will possibly get the problem wrong. Now, double-check the ranking system, whether increasing or decreasing.The question said increasing order, so start with the smallest. According to Table 1, the increasing order should be potato, egg, bread, cheese.Knowing this, we can eliminate answer choices B and C because it ranks cheese before the other 3, which we know is wrong.To decide between A and D, we need to look at Table 2. This is where mention of the heat released PER GRAM in the question becomes very important.This entire table analyzes heat released by glucose, but the amount of grams changes.Locate 1 g in the amount of sucrose column (it is the 3rd value from the top).The heat released by 1 g of sucrose is 16 kJ.Now, you need to place this in the appropriate location in the current rankings: potato, egg, bread, cheese. Looking back at Table 1, see where 16 kJ fits in the heat released rankings.1g of bread released 10 kJ and 1 g of cheese released 17 kJ.So, sucrose fits right in between.The final rankings should be potato, egg, bread, sucrose, cheese. The answer is A. This is one of the more detailed ranking questions that I’ve ever come across in my teachings.It required you to synthesize two different visuals that were set up in very different ways. When approaching these questions, Start by analyzing the question. What is it asking you to find? What order? Increasing or decreasing? Look at the answer choices for clues about what values you need to rank. Based on this information, decidewhich Figure you need to use. Make sure you are looking at the correct Figure. Use process of elimination. Make sure you have ranked the answer choices in the correct order, whether increasing or decreasing. If you mastered thisranking question, you will be able to master any ranking problem!Let’s tackle some more interpreting trends AT Science practicequestions: ACT Science PracticeQuestions and Solutions Relationship ACT Science Practice Question #1 To answer this question, start by figuring out what is asked of you, as we did in the ranking question. As the distance from the urban site increases, the question wants to know how the annual wet deposition changed for Cu and Zn.Now, let’s figure out which figure we need.The question said Study 3, so we need to use Figure 4 that accompanied Study 3: The key mentions 3 sites, but nowhere in Figure 4 does it list the distances. We have to skim for this information.In the last sentence of the paragraph above Figure 4, it says that Rural Site 1 is 50 km from the urban site and that Rural Site 2 is 100 km from the urban site. Since the question wanted you to evaluate the annual wet deposition as distance from the urban site increased, start by ranking the sites in terms of increasing distance from the urban site: Urban site (0 km since it is the site), Site 1 (50 km), Site 2 (100 km). Now, let’s start with one ion, Cu.As we progress from the urban site to site 1 to site 2, the bars get smaller, so the annual wet deposition decreases.So, for Cu as distance increases, annual wet deposition decreases.Knowing this, we can eliminate answer choices A, B, D. This only leaves us with C, which I think is the answer, but will double check by looking at Zn.As we progress from the urban site to site 1 to site 2 for Zn, the bars get smaller again, so the annual wet deposition of Zn does decrease also.The answer is definitely C. So the relationships in question are both inverse. As distance increases, annual wet deposition decreases for both Cu and Zn. RelationshipACT Science Practice Question#2 Some relationship questions will work backwards. Take for instance this question: This question asks you to evaluate the relationship that is given in a table and make it into a graph. Start, as always, by figuring out exactly what you are being asked, and in this case, it is to illustrate the relationship between heat released and change in water temperature. Answer choice B shows a direct relationship, answer choice C shows an inverse relationship, and answer choices A and D show relationships that are neither inverse nor direct. When you are asked to evaluate relationship, based on a table, I recommend first reordering the table in chronological order, see below: This allows you to better see the relationship.I also encourage you to draw arrows to indicate increasing or decreasing such as I’ve done below: I now know that it is a direct relationship,as change in water temperature increase, so does the heat released. I know the answer has to be B. RelationshipACT Science Practice Question#3 Let’s check out a question with a very tricky graph: As always, start by analyzing the question. Does S â€Å"depend† on frequency at a â€Å"given† wavelength?†Depend† is a fancy word that simply meansare the variables related? Do they have a definable relationship, either direct or indirect?†Given† is a fancy word to say across all values. So, the question is asking you to evaluate if S has a relationship with frequency across all intensity values? The next step is to make sure we are looking at the right figure, in this case, there was only one, so phew that was easy. Here it is: Now, we need to locate S, and compare it to frequency.In such a complex graph, circling is your friend. See my artwork below: You'll notice all of the S values are vertical lines.What this means is as frequency changes, the intensity of S at any value (S 10^-8%, S 10^-2%, S 10^-1%, S 100% - it is fine to not understand what these values mean) remains the same.So we can eliminate, F and H because we know S does not increase, it stays the same.Now to decide between G and J, does S depend on frequency, well since it doesn’t change when frequency does, the answer is No.So, J is the answer. Major takeaways, make sure you know what you are being asked, make sure you look at the right part of the graph, circle for clarity, and graphs of vertical or horizontal lines mean there is most likely no direct or inverse relationship. Recap There are 2 Types of Interpreting Trends Questions Relationship based questions Ranking questions For both question types, Always make sure you understand what relationship the question is asking about. Look at the answer choices for clues about what values you are looking for. Based on this information, decidewhich Figure you need to use. Make sure you are using the right Figure(s) Make notes or drawings at each step if that helps you Use process of elimination Double-check your work if you have time What’s Next? I hope you feel ready to interpret any trend (except personal trends because then you’d be psychic)! For future ACT Science study, I recommend checking out our other articles onthe 3 Types of ACT Science passages to learn more about the other types of questions asked on the ACT Science section,factual questionstolearn more about this question type and to practice your visual reading skills, andthe best way to study and practice for ACT Science to make the most out of your limited study time. Like this article? Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Sciencelesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. 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Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Write a response to the film Supersize Me by Morgan spurlock. What was Movie Review

Write a response to the film Supersize Me by Morgan spurlock. What was new to you What surprised you Did you agree with the arguments presented - Movie Review Example His practical demonstration was appreciated by people at large and the ones who wanted to take a leaf out of his book by a lesson gained also did so. The thing which was new to me was his desire to defy the odds and do the same thing again, and again for a period of more than a month. I actually seem to agree with the arguments that have been made within the movie itself because Morgan had a point which he wanted to convey. Also the manner in which he stuck on to his chosen diet for over 30 days showed his persistence and resilience which was there to prove a point. Morgan was successful in telling all and sundry how fatal these foods are their avoidance can mean immensely fit health domains for the people at large. I appreciate the task undertaken by Morgan to shoot this documentary as he had a solid case which he wanted to

Monday, February 3, 2020

Nuclear Power Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nuclear Power - Assignment Example Nuclear power and hydropower are also used to supplement the fossil fuels. Oil is another source of energy that is presently used for running automobiles and for transportation purposes. While taking into consideration other sources of fuel, research has proven that the nuclear power is cleanest and safest source of energy and has the least adverse impact on the environment. In addition it uses uranium, which is more plentiful than the fossil fuels. Nuclear energy does not emanate any toxic gases or metals into the environment. It affects the ecosystem like the hydropower. Empirical research has proven that the nuclear wastes have less negative impact when compared to those caused by the silt in dams or produced by coal. More so, a pound of uranium can produce more than 20,000 times more power than that produced by a pound of coal (Miller, 2004). The nuclear plants produce by far less wastes than those produced by coal of the same quantity. The fossil fuels emit wastes in the atmosphere whereas nuclear wastes are disseminated into the non-radioactive synthetic rocks that are buried underground in remote areas, hence having limited chances of harming any living thing . The amount of nuclear power is unlimited when compared to other sources of fuel due to the big volume of uranium in the earth’s crust. Other sources of fuel like oil are likely to get exhausted, more so, most of the oil reserves are located at the golden triangle in the Persian Gulf. The area of the Persian Gulf is faced by many conflicts including the terror groups hence making extraction of oil very expensive and unreliable. When compared to the nuclear power, the solar power requires tax credits and government subsidies to make its power production viable. The wind power unfavorably affects the ecosystem by killing birds and other flying animals. Despite many people advocating for the use of wind power and solar power, they cause more harm to the environment than the nuclear or the

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Accounting Conservatism and Risk Taking Decisions

Accounting Conservatism and Risk Taking Decisions Introduction Manager is in a position of Captain in Charge in ship of the Organization, so that to make organization more beautiful Manager has duty to make an important decision on Corporate Investment. These types of decisions create Agency Problems because of the time interest differences between manager and shareholder. This research is carried out to understand how conservatism accounting reduces agency problems, and examines the effect of conservatism on manager’s high risk investment decision. This research also examine that whether accounting conservatism solves the misalignment of interest between managers and organization through increasing hurdle rates used by managers during project selections, and sheds lights on literature attempting to identify the relation between accounting conservatism and manager’s investment decisions. Motivation A study was conducted by Givoly and Hayn (2000), Beatty et al. (2008), and Khan and Watts in 2009, to measure accounting conservatism and firm’s characteristics such as size, leverage, and market-to-book ratio. They found evidences to support their hypothesis that accounting conservatism improves firms’ investment efficiency. According to Khan and Watts managers’ investment hurdle rates and induces conservative investment decisions are significantly increase under conservatism accounting, even when the agency problems are more severe this effect is more pronounced. According to the positive accounting theory accounting conservatism plays very effective role in the roll contracting process. Corporate investment is an important decision, but this decision are not always made in the best interest of shareholders, so many time manager invest in a risky and even negative net present value projects just because of their personal interest in of investment. Accounting conservatism is a reporting mechanism which reflects accountant’s trend to require lower threshold to recognise bad news than good news. Accounting conservatism helps to improve corporate investment by preventing investment in high risk or unsuccessful investment projects by early terminations of such projects. This early terminations of projects reduces managers compensation and increases managers interest of job turnover. If manager is rational to predict the accelerated recognition of losses, and the timely termination of unsuccessful projects, they will be more cautious to make the investment decisions. (Francis and Martin (2010) and Bushman et al. (2007)) The increased cautiousness to invest will be reflected in the hurdle rate, which used to evaluate an investment project. In theory, hurdle rate is as equals as the cost of capital; managers should not take decision to invest in a project if the return is lower than the cost of financing. Indeed hurdle rate is observed to be either lowers than the cost of capital in practice, because of managerial discretion. The result of the study state that Corporate governance role have established the roll of accounting conservatism in resolving information asymmetry, reducing agency costs, and improving debt contracting efficiency. (Ball (2001), Ball and Shivakumar (2005)) Literature Review There are many research has been carried out in about the relation of the accounting conservatism and manager’s risk taking decision. Ahmed and Zhang, 2009 found that accounting conservatism reduces information imbalance between lenders and borrowers, and also reduces cost of capital for borrowers. They also found that if conservatism cause financially constrained firms to under investment than the relation between conservatism and firm’s future performance will negative. On the other hand reduce overinvestment problem for financially constrained firms, than the relation will be expected positive. Another research carried out by Leuz (2001) and Guay and Vierrecchia (2006) and found that accounting conservatism force manager to avoid positive NPV projects, because Impaired incentives created for managers if gains not recognize timely untimely gain recognition, and manager force to avoid those types of positive projects. In particular, if gains are not recognize timely than manager will responsible for investment for those project, and may no longer be in the office by the time gains are realized. This is because always expect their future incentive rate higher in long term, than the firms required rate of return. If gains recognise by timely than even positive NPV for shareholder became negative for manager. Accounting conservatism increases corporate investment efficiency in two ways. First is, by timelier incorporating bad news into earnings, accounting conservatism inform the board’s investigation of the unsuccessful investment project that may lead to its early abandonment, saving shareholders from unexpected future losses (Watts 2003). On the other hand, the expected personal costs related to project such as compensation, reputation and career concerns would increase managers’ cautiousness in choosing investment projects at the outset. Extant studies by Ball and Shivakumar, 2005; Francis and Martin, 2010 believe that accounting conservatism can restrain managers to investing in negative NPV projects by accelerated loss recognition. In addition, if managers recognise ex ante about failure of particular project, they should record losses timely, because it will affect to their reputation and income as well, so manager should postpone investing in those project. Furthermore, Roychowdhury (2010) found that risky projects are mostly become negative projects, therefor managers try to avoid risky projects due to timely loss recognition, because it creates also risk-averse, even if the projects have profitability to shareholders. If managers know that the project is have many risks of failure, manager have to write losses more timely before failure of project, because manager’s reputation income linked with compensation will be affected by it, so that manager avoid to involve to invest in those projects, even though projects are profitable. Smith and Watts 1992; Kwon and Yin 2006 found that, firms with higher growth opportunities prefer to assets have higher contracting costs, because growth opportunities are often intangible in nature, so that information related to them are likely less verifiable. Therefore, managers have greater unrestricted power, and are more likely to manage earnings through accruals, so that agency costs are higher in high-growth firms. Furthermore high growth firms are more likely to have more volatile returns and higher probability of lawsuits, which creates a higher demand of accounting conservatism (Khan and Watts, 2009). Empirically, we use book-to-market ratio (an inverse measure of growth opportunity) to measure the growth opportunity of firms. Driver and Temple (2010) found that, if the manager is aware of the embedded risk a hurdle rate that is higher than the cost of capital will be used by the irreversibility of the investment project. Corporate investment is efficient in the situation where internal funds flow gives the highest returns from investment project. However, managers deviate from the optimal level of investment, because of dysfunctional investment incentives (Stein et al. 2003). These dysfunctional incentives can be reflected in the hurdle rates used to select projects. Finance textbooks state that managers should benchmark the investment return to the cost of capital, so that with the project with lower returns than the cost of capital are rejected. In addition, managers use hurdle rates which sometimes higher or lower against the cost of capital, it depends on the managerial incentives invest. Consistent with Hayn (2000),andWatts (2003), They found that both not only firm with goodwill purchased but also without goodwill have increasing trend in conservatism over time. Indeed He argue that lach of information will limit managers to random affect to recognize impairment losses agains their advantage timely. The following hypotheses are proposed for this study: H1 Accounting conservatism improves firms’ investment efficiency. H2 Accounting conservatism helps manager to recognize bad news timely. H3 Accounting consarvitism accelerates terminations of successful projects. H4 Accounting conservatism can restrain managers to investing in negative NPV projects by accelerated loss recognition. To testing hypothisese Basu’s (1997) used measure of conditional conservatism, because of theverification standerds of the hypotheses of recognizing bad newsand good news assumsions. (Richardson, 2006; Denis and Sibikov, 2010) they also examine relation between accounting conservatism with the component of investments by ussing total investments and changes in firm capital. This study conclued that accounting conservatism is an important monitoring and contracting mechanism, and its helps manger to recognize bad news timely,so that manager could increase their managerial interest regarding project. Indeed accounting conservatism accelerates terminations of unsuccessful projects, also study found that conservative accounting increases hurdle rates, in addition conservatism changes hurdle rate because it reducing the future financial cost rather than by increasing the efficiency of contracting with the managers. We also find conservatism adds value to firms. This study also sheds lights on relation between accounting conservatism and managers’ investment decisions. The study also show that the accounting conservatism negatively correlate investment and firms future operating performance.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Innovation and Change Management

| Companies that successfully innovate also successfully manage change | INNOVATION & CHANGE MANAGEMENT MHN221935-12-A| Malgorzata Glowacka S0915718 International Tourism & Hospitality Enterprise | Innovation and change management have been and continues to be an important study on a number of levels. It plays significant part in economic growth as well as it is vital for firms’ survival and development. New ideas, new approaches and new products become critical guidelines in organisational strategy, especially for managers and business leaders.According to The Boston Consulting Group (2010) employers’ ranked innovation as a strategic priority with 26% citing it as a top priority and a further 45% ranking it as a top-three priority. Organisations such as Apple or Google adapted this tactic and thanks to their right management of change, now are recognized as one of the most revolutionizing and prosperous companies in the world (Business Week, 2010). It proves that succe ssfully innovating companies are the winners and they play major role in industry market.Therefore, this essay aims to critically evaluate the connection between innovation and change management. The term of innovation is hard to define as it can mean different things for different people. According to Druker (1985) innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit changes as an opportunity. West and Farr (1990) pointed out that organizational innovation can be characterized as a tangible product, process or procedure within company and something what is new to the social setting within which it is introduced although not necessarily new to the individual introducing it.They also exanimated innovation being more intentional rather than accidental, mainly aimed at producing benefit to the organization. Traditional categorizations of innovations divide them into four types (Tidd and Bessant, 2010, Fig1): -product innovation can be a change in the functi on or feature of a product such as Window Vista replacing XP. This kind of innovation is intended to improve the function of the offering to make sales more likely -process innovation is based on transformations in the ways products/ services are created and delivered like for e. g. nline banking system which allows customers to manage their finance. This kind of invention introduces new, or significantly improved, method for production or delivery of output that adds value and better performance -position innovation target changes in market or customer base for a product or service. This kind of strategy change meaning of a product in customer’s eyes like for e. g. four-wheel cars which originally were used for off road work became fashionable family car -paradigm innovations are based on changes in how companies frame what they do; for e. . Air Canada (the largest airline of Canada with scheduled and charter air transport) launched a discount, new low-cost international car rier in Vancouver (The Globe & Mail,2012) Fig 1. Types of innovation. Adapted from Tidd and Bessant, 2010 Innovations are often classified as either radical or incremental (Gallouj and Weinstein, 1997). Radical innovations are generally based on a big change in development that modifies the competitive market and it may results in new markets and product opportunities.Good example of radical innovation is Apple with their first PC Lisa which had graphical interface. The innovation, despite its limited success, was universally recognised as being far ahead of the competition and it took years for some of the advanced features of its operating system to be incorporated in competitors’ operating system (Rayna and Striukova, 2009). An incremental innovation is a term used when there was a minor change to an existing technology like for e. g. in case of Apple and their iPod.MP3 players had been present in the market before Apple introduced iPod but the company still succeed becaus e they made better product, which was easier to use, looked more solid and more appealing compared to other MP3 players (Rayna and Striukova, 2009). Organizational change, like innovation, is hard to specify. It can be described as any alternation or modification, which occurs in the overall work environment of an organization. Moran and Brightman (2000) defined it as the process of continually renewing an organization’s direction, structure, and capabilities to serve the ever-changing needs of external and internal customers.It tend to focus on the management of formally planned changes and it is indicating a macro- level approach, which is concerned with organisation as a whole (King and Anderson, 2002). Due its complexity, many researchers categorised organizational change in different ways, for e. g. Pettigrew (1987) separated it into strategic and non-strategic change while Goodstein and Warner (1995) divided it into incremental and radical change. However the starting p oint for discussing variations of change is Grundy’s (1993) three variations of change. The first, smooth incremental change changes slowly in a systematic and predicable way.The second variety of change Grundy terms ‘bumpy incremental change’. This is characterized by periods of relative calmness disrupted by rushing in the pace of change. Grundy’s third variety of change is ‘discontinuous change’, which he defines as ‘change which is marked by rapid shifts in strategy, structure or culture, or in all three’. There are several drivers and models which clarify the need for change. Most of them are grouped into external drivers or internal drivers (Proehl, 2001). External are those forces that are outside the organization, usually it is an economic, political, socio-cultural or technological driver.The internal drivers are those forces within the organization, which may include finance, limited skill level of employees, changes in leadership etc. Another example, presented by Anderson and Ackerman Anderson (2001) describes seven main drivers of change, which move from what is external (environment, marketplace, organization) to what is internal (culture and people). This model mainly focuses on leaders and management role as they are clearly more aware of external domains and thy play the most important part in internal domains.This is their job to implement any changes in culture, behaviour and mind-set within their company and if they will fail in that, the change will also fail. It can be assumed then, that change is about innovation and innovation is about change. Williams (2006) stated that to successfully manage innovation, company need to be good at managing source of innovation and managing innovation during discontinuous and incremental change. Once again Apple is the perfect example of company effectively handling innovation and change at the same time. They do it for e. g. y managing leadership wit hin organization. Tidd and Bessant (2005) noted that leadership strongly influences the success of change and innovation. For Apple the key role in the company played Steve Jobs and his visionary leadership: My passion has been to build an enduring company where people were motivated to make great products. Everything else was secondary. Sure, it was great to make a profit, because that was what allowed you to make great products. But the products, not the profits, were the motivation. Sculley flipped these priorities to where the goal was to make money.It’s a subtle difference, but it ends up meaning everything—the people you hire, who gets promoted, what you discuss in meetings. Isaacson, 2012 According to Hughes (2006) leading change is fundamentally about influencing groups and individuals, therefore leaders of change need to understand people. And that is what Jobs could do. He understood that customers don’t know what they want until it is shown to them. H e implemented among his employees the desire of perfect design as to him ‘’†¦nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is a fundamental soul’’ (Isaacson, 2012).To conclude, the concept of innovation and change is fundamental to business success. It is viewed as being extremely important for company survival and future development. Organisations such as Apple can prove the point that companies which successfully innovate also successfully manage change. References Anderson, D. , Ackerman Anderson, L. , 2001. Beyond Change Management: Advanced Strategies for Today's Transformational Leaders. USA: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer Drucker, P. F. , 1985. Innovation and entrepreneurship: practice and principles. New York: Harper ; Row Gallouj, F. , Weinstein, O. , 1997. Innovation in services.Research Policy 26, 537–556 Goodstein, L. D. and Warner, W. , 1995. Creating Successful Organization Change. In: Managing Organizational Change. Warner (e d. ). pp. 7-9. New York: American Management Association Grundy, T. , 1993. Implementing Strategic Change. London: Kogan Page Harsh, P. , 2011. Organizational Change. India: Dorling Kindersley Hughes, M. , 2006. Change Management: A critical perspective. CIPD. King, N. , Anderson, N. , 2002. Managing Innovation and Change: A Critical Guide for Organizations. Singapore: Seng Lee Press Isaacson, W. , 2012. The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs. [online] Available from: http://www. atheeqa. com/App_Themes/watheeqa/pdf/The%20Real%20Leadership%20Lessons%20of%20Steve%20Jobs%20-%20HBR%20l%20Apr-2012. pdf [Accessed 15th October] Moran, J, W. , Brighman, B. K. , 2000. Leading organizational change. In: Journal of Workplace Learning: Employee Counselling Today Vol. 12 (2), pp. 66-74 Pettigrew, A. M. , 1987. Context and action in the transformation of the firm. In: Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 24 (6), pp. 649–70 Proehl, R. A. , 2001. Organizational Change in the Human Service s. USA: Sage Publications Ltd. Rainey, D. LA. , 2005. Product Innovation: Leading Change through Integrated Product Development.UK: Cambridge Rayna, T. , Striukova, L. , 2009. The curse of the first-mover: when incremental innovation leads to radical change. In: Int. J. Collaborative Enterprise, Vol. 1(1) The Globe and Mail. Air Canada shuffles small-plane fleet, adds wide body jets. [online] Available from: http://www. theglobeandmail. com/globe-investor/air-canada-shuffles-small-plane-fleet-adds-widebody-jets/article4580211 [Accessed 15th October 2012] Tidd, J. , Bessant, J. , 2011. Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological, Market and Organizational Change. England: John Wiley ; Sons Ltd. The Boston Consulting Group, 2010.Innovation 2010. A Return to Prominence – and the Emergence of a New World Order. [online] Available from: http://tobiaslist. files. wordpress. com/2010/06/innovation-2010-bcg. pdf [Accessed 15th October 2012] The Business Week, 2010. The 50 Most Inn ovative Companies 2010. [online] Available from: http://www. businessweek. com/interactive_reports/innovative_companies_2010. html [Accesses 15th October 2012] West, M. A. and Farr, J. L. , 1990. Innovation at work. In: Innovation and Creativity at Work: Psychological and Organizational Strategies. UK: Chichster Williams, Ch. , 2006. Management. Canada: Thomson South-Western

Friday, January 10, 2020

Impact of Culture on Health Essay

* What do we mean by culture?   * Culture is one of those concepts that most people seem to intuitively grasp, yet cannot define clearly. * The process of categorizing groups of people as others (other than one’s own group) is a common feature of the way human beings think, and it forms a part of the whole phenomenon we think of as culture. * There other uses of the term culture that can confuse the situation – for example, saying someone is more cultured than the other, referring to some concept of high/elite culture, expressed through personal manners, education and knowledge, involvement in or familiarity with artistic activities such as opera, modern art, calligraphy, dance or theater – that is contrasted to pop culture. * Definitions they share the basic components, existing as a kind of whole and links many kinds of aspects of life and social structure within a group or society; it refers to the relationship between what people know and believe and what t hey do; it is acquired and shared, more or less, among members of the group or society and transmitted to members of the group/society over time. * The Classic Definition: Cultures is said to be that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society (E.B Taylor, 1871) * The Symbolic Definition: Human culture is a kind of symbolic text, in which behavior, objects, and belief interact together in a kind of ongoing dramatic production that represents issues and concepts of meaning fr a particular society * Members act as characters in this grand drama and what goes on (plot) only makes sense in reference to an underlying interpretive framework. * Culture as an Ideology: Equate the concept of culture to a kind of dominant ideology or to beliefs, social institutions, practices, and media representation associated with particular configurations of power. * Discourse at any point is linked with a configuration of power and the rules for interpreting what is or is not a valid statement. * Culture Materialist Definitions. Viewing culture primarily as a system of belief, practice, and technology directly tied to economic activity or to the adaptation of a people to a particular physical environment. * Linguistic Definition: thinking of a culture as a type of language. Speakers of the language may use differently, to create slang, irony, humor, or even poetry OR they make break the rules to create a particular effect. BUT it is still the same language and underneath the language is some shared base of understanding about the nature of existence and day-to-day life. * Mental or Cognitive Definitions: Construct of culture as something primarily in the mind of people within a particular group, a kind of shared conceptual framework that organizes thought and behavior. From this perspective, culture is not so much about what people do, but abo ut what they think and how that determines what they do. * Culture and Biocultural: Think of culture in relation to the human condition is to understand humans as biocultural. It is something that is imposed on the biological world by a society or group of people who have, over many years, developed a system of beliefs and practices. * How can we define the people who share a particular culture? * Is it a political definition? (most cases no) Is it a geographic boundary? A social boundary? Is it religion? * Culture is not fixed but evolves as people from one society or group come into contact with other people or as they change over time, their culture changes. * What do we mean by health? * Free of disease – absence of pathogens and healthy immune system * Body functions normally – organs, nervous and other systems function as they should * Free of injury and other problems * Eats healthy foods – food that provides essential nutrients and is free of substances that cause damage to bodily functions. * Engage in healthy, preventive behavior – basic hygiene, immunizations, sees a doctor * Avoids risky behavior * To be in reasonable physical shape. * To be in a stable mental state to be happy, satisfied with life, get along with people * General well being * In some parts of the world, criteria defined by other cultures can interfere with biomedical standards. * To obese can be a sign of wealth or in the case of females, fertility, maternal capability and warm personality. * Rites that often involve what we might call â€Å"health risks† yet they are understood to be good and absolutely necessary to proceed to the next life stage. * To understand diverse concepts of health and healthy behavior, it is necessary to think of health in a broader way, beyond biomedical. * Health is often very close to ideas within that culture about being well. Chapter 3: Ethnomedicine I: Cultural Health Systems of Related Knowledge and Practice. * An ethnomedical system can be defined as: an applied cultural knowledge system related to health that sets out the kinds of health problems that can exist, their causes and (based on their causes) appropriate treatments – as an interrelated system of belief and nature. * It is of key importance when thinking about the cultural aspect of ethnomedical system is that across cultures there are different answers to all of these questions, from the range of potential health problems, to causes, to treatments, as well as the closely related question of what kinds of individuals are qualified to provide treatment * Human beings are biocultural some theorists have found it useful to make a distinction between disease (abnormal biomedical state caused by pathogens or physical anomalies) and an illness (a culturally defined state of not being well, with many culturally defined causes including biomedical). * Disease and illness may or may not refer to the same phenomenon. * Functionally, both systems have the same kinds of elements and in both cases there is a linkage between the elements. The differences have to do with the specific content, and the means by which cause is determined (with respect to cause – in the biomedical case, that includes both research and clinical diagnosis.) * Where the biomedical system categorizes unwell states based on physical symptoms linked to biological causes, the nonbiomedical system may have its classification on combinations of emotional and physical manifestations links to the spiritual causes, disruption in harmony, imbalance in a person’s lifestyle or an improper mix of substances and forces. * Personalistic system – disease is due to the â€Å"active, purposeful intervention of an agent† where the ill person is the object of action by a sorcerer, spirit or supernatural force. * The general pattern of treatment is to block/counter the spiritual agent with spiritual forces in support of the patient. The center of action (in terms of cause or treatment) is not necessarily within the patient, but in the supernatural world. * Naturalistic system – disease is explained by the impersonal actions of systems based on old historical systems of great civilizations. Illness arise when people are out of balance physically, spiritually, or in some other way. * The pattern of treatment is to restore balance through various combinations of herbal medicinal, meditation, diet, lifestyle changes, or other actions. * A very important principle to remember is that a given social or cultural group will rarely operate in reference to a single ethnomedical system. The norm for most people is multiple and coexisting ethnomedical systems of some blending of elements from various types of systems. One system may be dominant, but aspects of other systems are also likely to be included. * The Placebo Effect and Role of Belief – placebo effect the tendency for treatments and pills to have no biochemical or biomedical effect to cause improvement in patient health symptoms. This occurs because of the belief that the treatment or pill has curative properties or because of the ritual process of going to a doctor itself. * Ethnomedical Systems: Non-Western Examples * Ayurvedic Medicine (India) * Originates with ancient Vedic culture in India and focues on prevention and a holistic concept of health accomplished through the maitenence of balance in many areas of life, including thought, diet, lifestyle and the use of herbs. * Body is comprised of 3 primary energy types called dosha each represents characteristics derived from the 5 elements of space, air, fire, water and earth. * Vata subtle energy associated with movement * Pittaconnected to the body’s metabolic system * Kapha associated with body structure * Cambodian/Khmer Health Belief Systems * The traditional system shares some aspects in common with Chinese and other Asian systems in the emphasis on balance. Illness may be attributed to imbalance in natural forces. This is often symbolized or expressed as the influence of wind or kchall on blood circulation illness * South African Health Belief Systems * Among the Shona and other peoples, one aspect of a naturalistic system is understood to be related to the presence of a nyoka or snake in the body. Movement of the nyoka is related to many diseases, including diarrhea, stomach ailments, sexually transmitted infections, epilepsy, mental retardation and others. * Health Belief Systems in Latin America and the Carribbean * Espiritismo common in Cuba and Puerto Rice, synthesis of Afro-Caribbean, French, and possibly U.S. spiritualist. The belief system is that there is both a supreme being and a world of spirits with influence on health that can be accessed through a medium, typically in a group sà ©ance-like setting. * Santeria also found in Cuba and Puerto Rico, blend of West African and Catholic traditions. It is based on the idea that there are many spirits called â€Å"orishas† who are connected to the supreme being and who can be appealed to help in various dimensions of life. * Curanderismo founded in many parts of central/latin America; a healer or curandero makes a diagnosis using tarot-type cards or by sweeping a broken egg or other object across the body of the patient. The idea is that there is a supremem/higher power that is the source of energy, and the curandero is the instrument of that higher power. * Western Example – the biomedical system is primarily based on a classification system tied to biological phenomena – the action of pathogens (viruses, bacteria), cellular or other biomechanical malfunctions, injuries/system damage, and others. Treatment is, of course, directly connected to generalists or specialists trained to address specific kinds of biomedical phenomena. Chapter 4: Ethnomedicine II: Cultural Systems of Psychology and Mental/Emotional Health The Cultural Construction of Mental/Emotional Illness * Anything defined as an abnormal mental/emotional state is also likely to involve a cultural judgement and therefore may say a lot about cultural values and beliefs as a whole at particular moments in history * Ex. drapetomania – the disease causing negros to run away. It was thought to be a curable disease of the mind, involving sulkiness and dissatisfaction prior to running away, that could be brought on when white slave owners trated slaves too much like human beings, or on the other hand when they were overly cruel and brutal. * Ex. dysaethesia aethiopica – characterized by a state of half-sleep and a physical or nervous insensibility that caused them to behave like â€Å"rascals† * DSM – reference book for mental conditions that are viewed in Western/biomedicine as abnormal, with detailed descriptions of the etiology, symptoms and treatment for each condition. While it is based on scientific/clinical research, the symptoms and descriptions for many c onditions offer a fascinating glimpse of the way in which such conditions can be shaped by cultural expectations and changes in such expectations. * Ex. Antisocial Personality Disorder the symptoms seem to outline a kind of personality that could be viewed as troublesome if not criminal but the picture changes when context and culture are added. * Ex. ADHD according to the DSM IV, this disorder is characterized by two sets of symptoms – inattention and hyperactivity impulsivity. This is a condition that can cause difficulties and impairs appropriate functioning. But there is room for interpretation. Some elements of hyperactivity and are subjective and depend on culturally related standards for appropriate behavior. The Question of Universal vs. Culture-Specific * Do all humans beings experience the same mental health phenomena or emotional phenomena? * The universalist position would argue that human beings have essentially the same psychological makeup – a position often referred to as â€Å"psychic unity† * The cultural relativist perspective cultures entail unique patterns of thought and behavior. * Combination of both perspectives cultures shape how emotions and mental experiences are constructed, named, and given meaning, and the living patters of specific cultures tend to accentuate particular stressors that may result in mental health issues. * There do appear to be some mental health conditions that occur in some form across cultures, and so could be seen as universal conditions (ex. depression). * Mental conditions that appear unique to one or a few cultural groups can be thought of in 2 ways * culture bound syndromes defined as any form of disturbed behavior that is specific to a certain cultural system and does not conform to western classification of diseases * Many of these patterns are considered to be â€Å"illnesses† and have local names. * Problems with culture-bound syndromes: no suggested steps for how a provider should incorporate cultural factors into the diagnosis or learn what those factors are; overlap between some conditions across cultures; the process of selecting the culture bound system is unclear * Conditions that are prompted by specific patterns of social stress and/or ecological contexts * Ex. In the Saora tribe in India there is a peculiar condition among young men and women who cry and laugh at inappropriate times, experience memory loss and feel like they are being bitten by ants. These young people are considered misfits and are not interested inpursuing the traditional subsistence of farming life. For this, they are under considerable stress due to social pressure from relatives and friends. To solve this problem, a marriage ceremony is carried out in which the disturbed person is married to the spirit. Young person becomes a shaman. * Anorexia/Bulimia in the United States * Fear of weight gain and distorted view of one’s body. This causes people to restrict their eating or binge eat/purge. One of the key contributing factors is the combination of weigh gain during puberty set against perceived social pressure to conform to culturally specific ideals of beauty * Historical Trauma * American Indian/Alaska Native populations have long experienced a range of disparities in health. These peoples suffer from a collective, psychological scar resulting from the experience of violence, culture loss, land loss, discrimination and eventual marginalization that resulted from European colonialism and conquest in the Americas. * Immigrant/Refugee Mental Health Syndromes * Many immigrants and refugee populations coming to the United States and other host countries from civil disasters and other traumatic situations experiences psychological consequences in addition to the stress of acculturation itself. * Emotions and Culture * Lutz and the Ifaluk found that emotions are culturally constructed. Emotions are a daily working phenomenon. Chapter 5: The Moral Dimension: The Relationship of Etiology to Morality in Cultural Beliefs and Practices Related to Health * Cross Cultural etiologies of illness can range from those that seem neutral, like pathogens or genetics, to those that don’t like sorcery or family disharmony * In other words, there appear to be some causes for which no judgment can be made or blame assigned, and some that can be blamed on somebody or something, whether the person who is ill, or another person, or another social institution or group. Culture, as reflected in ethnomedical systems, involves socially produced definitions of what is normal vs. not normal. * When a person experiences some abnormal phenomenon (illness) it could be thought of as: * Abnormal but morally ok not your fault * Abnormal but not morally ok your fault or somebody’s fault. Can result from stigma. * The moral connection to illness is very much related to several kinds of factors: * Cultural conceptions of the individual and the degree to which individuals are viewed as responsible for their condition and their behavior * Most western societies are typically viewed as individual-centric * The degree to which external forces are viewed as responsible for their condition and their behavior * In many cultures, what you do and what happens to you may not originate with you but with other forces. These forces could be attributed to one or more gods, to broader natural forces, to specific spirits, or to sorcery ad witchcraft. The moral source, so to speak, may in part be related to individuals but indirectly. * The kinds of social divisions that exist in a particular society and what those social divisions are held to mean – social class/social stratification, gender, race/ethnicity, religion and other divisions. * Refers to a moral source that is society itself the way in which society creates conditions that make some peole more vulnerable to disease than others or that forces some people into choices (with health consequences) that others do not have to make. * Physical Symbolism of the Disease * If the appearance of the disease looks like the embodiment of a culturally defined malevolence of some kind, people may react to it regardless of whether or not the victim is initially held to be at fault. Alternatively, the appearance of the disease may be seem like evidence that the person must be at fault or is some way selected for punshement, triggereing a kind of after-the-fact blame. * All of these can lead to the stigmatization of people with a particular illness or disease. * Stigma: the discrediting, social rejection or staining of types of people who are viewed as blameworthy in one way or another. It is the social construction of spoiled identity for classes of people viewed as undesirable by some social standard. The exclusion and abuse caused by stigma may even be sanctioned by law. * Illness Behavior * Two kinds of sick roles:   * A set of roles for people who are ill * A set of roles for the other people who interact with the sick person, whether as a healer or family member or even a classmate. * Illness behavior is produced or socially constructed within the framework of a culture. It involves an entire production, in which many players act out their roles and in doing so, work together to produce a result that comes out as the way of a particular illness takes form, and the consequences of that, in a given society. An important result of this and other culturally shaped interactions is to reproduce the culture.