Social media for business communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Social media for business communication - Essay Example This year the amount generated on the single day is $816 million becoming the heaviest online sales volume received in a single day (Diers, 2012, p. 23). The overall U.S. retail e-commerce spending for the month has increased by 15 percent. There is greater access to online shopping on Cyber Monday. This is a marketing term developed in 2005 by online retailers that define the increase of online shopping activities on Monday. Approximately 50 million Americans visited online retail sites on a black Friday representing a 35 percent increase from the previous year. The number of customers accessing the top five retail sites namely: Amazon, Walmart, BestBuy, Target, and Apple increased by double digits. This result shows that multichannel retailers recorded strong growth in visitors’ access. The increased use of online retailing has greater marketing implications to marketing principles. The need for change in the marketing strategy to absorb the increasing online visitors is ess ential for any firm because it leads to greater sales volume. The success for any company lately is based on the focus on the customer and commitment to market change. Globalization affects marketing in a drastic way by affecting marketing. Use of World Wide Web in marketing and online shopping is the next revolution. The data obtained for visitors to the online sites depict the success attainable by venturing in it. Consequently, the need for strategizing and formulating of online strategy in ensuring increase in sales volume is essential. Product innovation is powered by the consumers. Therefore, marketing of the products must ensure correct feedback is obtained from consumers to facilitate understanding of new product development. Driven by the need of simplicity, consumers need must be catered for. For instance, online shopping is a product

Differentiating Between Services and Goods Marketing Essay

Differentiating Between Services and Goods Marketing - Essay Example tics of services, to wit: (1) intangible, (2) inseparability in terms of delivery and consumption, (3) heterogeneous in kind, and (4) perishable as it cannot be saved, stored, or returned. Having delineated services, goods naturally are services’ antithesis, meaning, they are tangible, are distinctly separate in kind, and can be stored, saved, and returned as needed. The intangibility of services simply describes their quality of not being able to touch and thus cannot be evaluated in terms of its physical availability prior to purchase. Services are inseparable that the organization offering it needs the assistance of a customer representative as contact to provide explanation and detailed information on the offered service. Likewise, the characteristic of inseparability takes into account its inability to cater to the specific needs of the customer. Services are also considered heterogeneous in kind since they are highly variable with dissimilar parts or elements. Finally, the perishability characteristic of services implies that they can not be stored, saved, or returned. The fast pace of technological developments in the last century drastically influenced diverse facets of customer service. With the predominance of business organizations using the internet, more organizations have resorted to a mobile workforce where customers’ needs are being serviced by electronic means. As technological improvements continue, more service features are offered through the internet, through virtual teams, teleconferencing, and the like. The benefits of technology are: unlimited time to access service providers regardless of location of the customers, queuing time is eliminated, more secure in terms of doing business at the convenience of one’s home. On the other hand, technology has totally eradicated the concept of direct reciprocity in soliciting immediate response to inquiries and transactions. Also the element of differences in time across the globe could delay

Structural characteristics of a marketing orientated business

Structural characteristics of a marketing orientated business There are many definitions of marketing. The better definitions are focused upon customer orientation and satisfaction of customer needs. Marketing is the social process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others Marketing is the management process that identifies, anticipates and satisfies customer requirements profitably The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). The CIM definition (in common with Barwells definition of the marketing concept) looks not only at identifying customer needs, but also satisfying them (short-term) and anticipating them in the future (long-term retention). The right product, in the right place, at the right time, at the right price Adcock. This is a snappy and realistic definition that uses McCarthys Four Ps. Marketing is essentially about marshalling the resources of an organization so that they meet the changing needs of the customer on whom the organization depends Palmer. This is a more recent and very realistic definition that looks at matching capabilities with needs. Marketing is the process whereby society, to supply its consumption needs, evolves distributive systems composed of participants, who, interacting under constraints technical (economic) and ethical (social) create the transactions or flows which resolve market separations and result in exchange and consumption. Bartles. Question 1. Enlighten the company on the marketing concept and process, to include a) characteristics of marketing oriented company including structure and culture, b) explain the various elements of the marketing concept, c) access the benefits and costs of a marketing approach. Answer: Structural characteristics of a marketing-orientated business A business that has a marketing orientation sees the needs of customers and consumers as vital. As it develops and markets products to meet those demands, certain structural characteristics become apparent in the business. Structure: Every organization made up of more than one person will need some form of organizational structure. An organizational chart shows the way in which the chain of command works within the organization. The way in which a company is organised can be illustrated for a packaging company. The company will be owned by shareholders that choose directors to look after their interests. The directors then appoint managers to run the business on a day-to-day basis There are different kinds of organizational structure. The most common organizational structure are: -tall -flat Culture: The culture within the organization is known as corporate culture. A market oriented company like Paper Chase Ltd, will have to develop an attitude and way of doing things such that the whole organization embraces the concept that the customers are the key to the companys success and their wants and needs should be satisfied at all times. A corporate culture towards customer orientation and satisfaction should involve providing prompt valuable service. The Marketing Concept The marketing concept is the philosophy that firms should analyze the needs of their customers and then make decisions to satisfy those needs, better than the competition. Today most firms have adopted the marketing concept, but this has not always been the case. The marketing concept has 3 key elements. A customer orientation The customer is always right when they believe they are right.   They may be dead wrong.     But if by their understanding of the situation they believe they are right, then you need to acknowledge their belief.   Only after you have honored that belief and acknowledged that it can you begin to present a different way of looking at the situation.   That takes time and effort.   Seldom is it worth skipping that process An integrated company effort The all structure of the organization must work together to fulfil customers needs and wants. If any section of the organization fails to meet the requirements of the customer, it will result in lost opportunities or dissatisfied customers. A profit-goal rather than just a sales-goal Every company want more profit. This is the one another concept. On the othe hand customers want good product in best price. That means both wants to be satisfied. This satisfaction may well be the result of negotiation where the customer has accepted on alternative product or organization has had to accept lower profit. But they (Both) must be satisfied with the exchange. Otherwise, it will not be marketing. Benefits of Strategic Interactive Marketing * More affluent customers: Those customers that acquire the various interactive technologies are more affluent and value their time more highly. They will pay for responsive service and for having their particular needs met. * Accurately targeting promotions: Personalized and animated illustrations could be electronically delivered regularly or on special occasions (e.g. birthdays, anniversaries, car renewal). * Higher sales conversions through raising customer confidence, and inducing buy-in: Complex offering, whereby a number of different product benefits are inter-linked, could more easily be comprehended through graphics and animation. Using interactive software, including simulation techniques, the customer is able to involve themselves in the development and exploration of various options and see real life illustrations. * Product Awareness: Customer (or sales representative) can have access comprehensive product information to address a wide range of needs (one-stop shopping). Lower Costs * Distribution and sales costs are much lower (see the Booz-Allen Hamilton example banking transaction costs). There are no sales persons to employ, no expensive premises, and customers even perform the data entry! * Servicing costs: Besides the obvious e-mail type links to customer services, customers could directly view or enquire on their product portfolio. * Promotional costs: Electronic delivery is substantially lower, especially when media rich formats are involved. When products or services change, there are no wasted brochures etc * Product retention: Customer (or sales representative) can have access comprehensive product information. In the case of investment products it is imperative that correct advice is given in order to comply with the Financial Services Act. Market Exploitation * Market responsiveness: In response to competitor actions or legislation, etc., changes can be quickly made to products and services and then distributed to customers and suppliers. * Cross-selling: By linking into other companys delivery medium, one companys products can be cross-sold to another, and the linking reciprocated. * Differentiation: A go-ahead insurer has the ability to present a lively and innovative image and to break away from the traditionally stuffy image of the insurance industry. Promotion * Promotion needs to direct customers to different access points according to their capability and inclination to design their own product or service. See Design. Design * Products and services need to be design and made available at a component level under construction together with business rules under construction that define the possible combinations and limits. * Quite often there will be a base (or core) component to which further components are added. * Starter products and services of pre-built components will be available to help customers into the design process. * Product information needs to be available at the component level as well as for any base product. Pricing * Products and services need pricing at a component level and to take into account the distribution method (customer self service, agent or sales person, face to face, via the telephone or the Internet, etc.). Production * Production systems need to assemble the components according to the unique customer design. * A detailed record of the product or service will need to be kept so that it can later be serviced or amend (see Servicing). Servicing * Profiles of individual customer products as well as profiles of the individual customers need to be available to support staff and the customer throughout the life of the product or service. Question 2. Explore the concepts of segmentation, targeting and positioning with reference to Paper Chase Ltd a) Identify and explain the macro and micro environment influencing Paper Chase, b) propose segmentation criteria for any 2 products from the brain storming sessions c) which markets Paper Chase should target and factors influencing their choice d) How buyer behaviour affects the marketing of Paper Chase products. Answer: Marketing environment The term marketing environment relates to all of the factors (whether internal, external, direct or indirect) that affects a firms marketing decision-making or planning and is subject of the marketing research. A firms marketing environment consists of two main areas, which are: Macro environment On the macro environment a firm holds only little control. It consists of a variety of external factors that manifest on a large (or macro) scale. These are typically economic, social, political or technological phenomena. A common method of assessing a firms macro-environment is via a PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Ecological) analysis. Within a PESTLE analysis, a firm would analyze national political issues, culture and climate, key macroeconomic conditions, health and indicators (such as economic growth, inflation, unemployment, etc.), social trends/attitudes, and the nature of technologys impact on its society and the business processes within the society. Micro environment A firm holds a greater amount (though not necessarily total) control of the micro environment. It comprises factors pertinent to the firm itself, or stakeholders closely connected with the firm or company. A firms micro environment typically spans: * Customers/consumers * Employees * Suppliers * The Media By contrast to the macro environment, an organization holds a greater degree of control over these factors. Market segmentation Market segmentation pertains to the division of a market of consumers into persons with similar needs and wants. As an example, if using Kelloggs cereals in this instance, Frosties are marketed to children. Crunchy Nut Cornflakes are marketed to adults. Both goods aforementioned denote two products which are marketed to two distinct groups of persons, both with like needs, traits, and wants. The purpose for market segmentation is conducted for two main issues. First, a segmentation allows a better allocation of a firms finite resources. A firm only possesses a certain amount of resources. Accordingly, it must make choices (and appreciate the related costs) in servicing specific groups of consumers. Furthermore the diversified tastes of the contemporary Western consumers can be served better. Market segmentation can be defined in terms of the STP acronym, meaning Segment, Target and Position. Segment Segmentation involves the initial splitting up of consumers into persons of like needs/wants/tastes. Four commonly used criteria are used for segmentation, which include: * Geographical (e.g. country, region, city, town, etc.) * Psychographic (i.e. personality traits or character traits which influence consumer behavior) * Demographic (e.g. age, gender, socio-economic class, etc.) * Behavioural (e.g. brand loyalty, usage rate, etc.) The two products, from the brain storming session, selected for criteria Paper Chase Ltd are: Tea Tea Cup Tea and Tea Cup has three different Segment Tea Cup Large Medium Small Tea Milk Tea Green Tea Red Tea Target Once a segment has been identified, a firm must ascertain whether the segment is beneficial for them to service. The DAMP acronym, meaning Discernible, Accessible, Measurable and Profitable, are used as criteria to gauge the viability of a target market. DAMP is explained in further detail below: * Discernable How a segment can be differentiated from other segments. * Accessible How a segment can be accessed via Marketing Communications produced by a firm. * Measurable Can the segment be quantified and its size determined? * Profitable Can a sufficient return on investment be attained from a segments servicing? The next step in the targeting process is the level of differentiation involved in a segment serving. Three modes of differentiation exist, which are commonly applied by firms. These are: * Undifferentiated Where a company produces a like product for all of a market segment. * Differentiated In which a firm produced slight modifications of a product within a segment. * Niche In which an organization forges a product to satisfy a specialized target market. Position Positioning concern how to positions a product in the mind of consumers. A firm often performs this by producing a perceptual map, which denotes products produced in its industry according to how consumers perceive their price and quality. From a products placing on the map, a firm would tailor its marketing communications to suit meld with the products perception among consumers. Buying behaviour A marketing firm, in the course of its operations, must ascertain the nature of buying behaviour, if it is to market properly its product. In order to entice and persuade a consumer to buy a product, the psychological/behavioural process of how a given product is purchased. Buying behaviour consists of two prime strands, namely being consumer (B2C) behaviour and organizational/industrial behavior (B2B). B2C buying behaviour This mode of behaviour concerns consumers, in the purchase of a given product. The B2C buying process is as thus: * Need/want recognition * Information search * Search for alternatives (to satisfy need/want) * Purchase decision * Post-purchase evaluation As an example, if one pictures a pair of sneakers, the desire for a pair of sneakers would be followed by an information search on available types/brands. This may include perusing media outlets, but most commonly consists of information gathered from family and friends. If the information search is insufficient, the consumer may search for alternative means to satisfy the need/want. In this case, this may be buying leather shoes, sandals, etc. The purchase decision is then made, in which the consumer actually buys the product. Question 3. Identify and analyse the individual elements of Paper Chase marketing, to include product, price, promotion, place, people, process and physical evidence. Answer: Marketing mix In the early 1960s, Professor Neil Borden at Harvard Business School identified a number of company performance actions that can influence the consumer decision to purchase goods or services. Borden suggested that all those actions of the company represented a Marketing Mix. Professor E. Jerome McCarthy, at the Michigan State University in the early 1960s, suggested that the Marketing Mix contained 4 elements product, price, place and promotion. Product The product aspects of marketing deal with the specifications of the actual goods or services, and how it relates to the end-users needs and wants. The scope of a product generally includes supporting elements such as warranties, guarantees, and support. Pricing This refers to the process of setting a price for a product, including discounts. The price need not be monetary; it can simply be what is exchanged for the product or services, e.g. time, energy, or attention. Methods of setting prices optimally are in the domain of pricing science. A number of modes of pricing techniques exist, which span: * Elasticities (whether Price Elasticity of Demand, Cross Elasticity of Demand, or Income Elasticity of Demand) * Market skimming pricing * Market penetration pricing Elasticitys are a microeconomic concept, which gauges how elastic demand is for a given good/service. In a marketing context, its usefulness relates to the suitable level at which a product can be priced, in accordance with price, a products complements and substitutes, and the level of income a consumer possesses. Market skimming pertains to firm releasing a good in a first to market scenario. As an example, picture a company which releases a new type of personal media playing system. It may set the good at an initially high level, but reduce it over time, once the level of demand gradually rises. Market skimming is best operable within a first to market scenario, since there would be few competitors within the companys industry. Market penetration concerns pricing policies for late entrants to a market. Placement (or distribution) This refers to how the product gets to the customer; for example, point-of-sale placement or retailing. This third P has also sometimes been called Place, referring to the channel by which a product or service is sold (e.g. online vs. retail), which geographic region or industry, to which segment (young adults, families, business people), etc. also referring to how the environment in which the product is sold in can affect sales. Promotion This includes advertising, sales promotion, including promotional education, publicity, and personal selling. Branding refers to the various methods of promoting the product, brand, or company. These four elements are often referred to as the marketing mix, [5] which a marketer can use to craft a marketing plan. The four Ps model is most useful when marketing low value consumer products. Industrial products, services, high value consumer products require adjustments to this model. Services marketing must account for the unique nature of services. In order to recognize the different aspects of selling services, as opposed to Products, a further three Ps were added to make a range of Seven Ps for service industries: * Process the way, in which orders are handled, customers are satisfied and the service is delivered. * Physical Evidence is tangible evidence of the service customers will receive (for example a holiday brochure). * People the people meeting and dealing with the customers. As markets have become more satisfied, the 7 Ps have become relevant to those companies selling products, as well as those solely involved with services: customers now differentiate between sellers of goods by the service they receive in the process from the people involved Question 4. Select any 2 products from the brain storming session and elaborate on the application of different marketing mix (to include extended marketing mix elements) to different markets segments and context. Briefly discuss the areas that need consideration, should Paper Chase consider foreign expansion in the future. Answer: Marketing mix for Coffee: Product: Paper Chase Ltd have different kind of Coffee for customers Price: Price are very reasonable for Coffee. So that people can purchase easily Promotion: This company give different kind of advertisement. Place: Paper Chase always find new and comfortable places for the customer. Marketing mix for Clock Product: This company has different type of clock for the customers. Price: Price of the clock always are in customer budget. So that customer can purchase easily. Place: Paper Chase should seek a comfortable place. The atmosphere should be nice. Promotion:Paper Chase provides different kind of promotion. Like advertising, discount, coupon etc. Mr. Smith will think what types of product need for customer. Then those products are supply for the customer. They need widely marketing and more communicate with the customer. Then customer will be attractive for product line or company. Paper chase provide special supply some product. As for example Pens with company logos because whose company ordered the product their company logo will be printed pens body.

Charter Schools in Arkansas :: Teaching Education

Charter Schools in Arkansas Charter Schools Introduction charter schools have become a common site in many states today. Currently, there are over 24 states with charter schools established and many other states have passed legislation for the creation of charter schools. Arkansas passed legislation in 1996 that would allow for the creation of charter schools in the state. Governor Mike Huckabee made it a priority in his educational agenda in 1997 to allow a pilot program of 15 schools to be implemented statewide (Cohen, 1998). Even though Governor Huckabee and legislation is supporting this idea, there have been no successful applications so far. Charter applicants seek approval of the state department of education for the charter school but have meet with resistance so far. Fourche Valley School District in Yell County was the first to apply for charter school status in 1996, but was quickly turned down. The school has yet to reapply for the status. No other school districts in the state have attempted to file as of yet. Statement of the Problem. What is a charter school and what are the financial implications of creating a charter school? Review of Literature Charter schools are public schools but with a twist. They are created and operated by the educators, parents, community leaders, and others. The school must be sponsored by a designated local or state educational organization that monitors the school's progress, but that is as far as it goes. The school is free from the traditional bureaucratic red tape and policy makers from the state level. The school is basically governed at the local level. Some people view them as a local business meeting the demands of the community. The product they produce are educated children. If the quality of service is not being meet, the school answers to the community. This concept has high levels of accountability being placed on the school. As successful businesses know, if you produce a high quality product, the business will grow and succeed, if you produce anything less, you go out of business. Opening a charter school also brings with it the ability to choose the school where you want your children to go. The center for education reform has taken a strong view on the subject of choice with charter schools. They believe that if the students choose to attend a certain school and the teachers choose to teach at a certain school, then the chances of success are more likely because both have chosen to be there (Center for education reform, 1999).

Location Decisions Essay

Deciding on the best location for a new business or relocating an existing one is often crucial to its success. Location decisions choosing new sites for expansion or relocation of the business are some of the most important decisions made by management teams. Selecting the best site will have a significant effect on many departments of the business and, ultimately, on the profitability and chances of success of the whole firm. Location decisions have three key characteristics: They are strategic in nature as they are long term and have an impact on the whole business. †¢They are difficult to reverse if an error of judgment is made due to the costs of relocation. †¢They are taken at the highest management levels and are not delegated to subordinates. An ‘optimal’ location decision is one that selects the best site for expansion of the business or for its relocation, given current information. This best site should maximize the long-term profits of the business. The optimal site is nearly always a compromise between conflicting benefits and drawbacks. For example: †¢A well-positioned high-street shop will have the potential for high sales but will have higher rental charges than a similar sized shop out of town. †¢A factory location which is cheap to purchase due to its distance from major towns might have problems recruiting staff due to lack of a large and trained working population. So an optimal location is likely to be a compromise one that balances: †¢high fixed costs of the site and buildings with convenience for customers and potential sales revenue †¢the low costs of a remote site with limited supply of suitably qualified labor †¢quantitative factors with qualitative ones Factors influencing location decisions †¢Site and other capital costs such as building or shop-fitting costs These vary greatly from region to region within a country and between countries. The best office and retail sites may be so expensive that the cost of them is beyond the resources of all but the largest companies. The cost of building on a Greenfield site one that has never previously been developed must be compared with the costs of adapting existing buildings on a developed site. †¢Labor costs The relative importance of these as a locational factor depends on whether the business is capital or labor intensive. An insurance company call center will need many staff, but the labor costs of a nuclear power station will be a very small proportion of its total costs. The attraction of much lower wage rates overseas has encouraged many European businesses to set up operations in other countries – for example, bank and Insurance Company call centers. †¢Transport costs Businesses that use heavy and bulky raw materials such as steel making will incur high transport costs if suppliers are at a great distance from the steel plant. Goods that increase in bulk during production will, traditionally, reduce transport costs by locating close to the market.

Information system development life cycle models Essay

Health information managers must understand the components of information systems and how information systems affect the organization, individuals within the organization, and interested publics outside the organization. Information systems provide opportunities to improve internal operations, create competitive advantage in the marketplace, improve patient-care delivery, enhance research, and provide better service. Information system risk occurs when the systems are not well integrated, are poorly managed, or do not support the goals of the organization. In order to exploit information system opportunities and minimize threats and risks, a thorough understanding of information system components and how these relate to the organization is necessary. An information system is composed of a group of components (people, work processes, data, and information technologies) that interact through defined relationships to accomplish a goal. Information systems must be able to adapt to environmental change. A good example of a health-related information system is an order entry system. The goal of the system is to process physician orders. The system is composed of a group of components including people (nurses, physicians, unit secretaries, laboratory personnel), data, work processes, and information technologies. Each of these components interacts through defined relationships. fails to accommodate the environment or if the interactions among its component parts fail, the system becomes nonfunctional and disintegrates. Thus, a system must be composed of a group of components that: ï‚ · Interact through defined relationships ï‚ · Work toward accomplishing a goal ï‚ · Self-adapt and respond to environmental changes Figure 2-1 provides an example of the relationship of these characteristics. An information system is composed of a group of components (people, work processes, data, and information technologies) that interact through defined relationships to accomplish a goal. Information systems must be able to adapt to environmental change. A good example of a health-related information system is an order entry system. The goal of the system is to  process physician orders. The system is composed of a group of components including people (nurses, physicians, unit secretaries, laboratory personnel), data, work processes, and information technologies. Each of these components interacts through defined relationships The peoples enter orders in a predefined way through a data entry terminal (hardware) and through interaction with software. Through the predefined interactions between the hardware and software, the order is processed. The order entry system is self-adapting and able to accommodate environmental changes such as order volume. The example depicted in Figure 2-2 demonstrates the characteristics of a system as applied to an information system: component parts working in predefined relationships that can self-adapt to environmental changes to accomplish a common goal. As the bidirectional arrows depict in Figure 2-2, at any given time there is a potential three-way interaction between all system components. People interact or are affected by work practices, data, and information technologies. Work practices affect people and may be impacted by data availability and information technologies. Information technologies may affect work practices, people, and the input, processing, or dissemination of data. Thus, we see that information components are highly interrelated. Recognizing these interrelationships is very important, since a problem with one component will likely adversely impact all other components within an information system. When information system problems arise, it is crucial that all information system components and their relationships be examined System Elements Systems have three principal elements: inputs, processing mechanisms, and outputs. Figure 2-3 depicts their simple relationship. In the order entry example given previously, inputs include physician orders such as laboratory, radiology, or pharmacy orders that are entered in a computer terminal on the patient-care unit. The orders are subjected to several processing mechanisms that check their consistency and completeness before they are routed to the appropriate department. The output of the system is a requisition for a specific type of test, procedure, or pharmaceutical. In addition to inputs, processes, and outputs, most systems also have a  feedback loop. Feedback provided by the system influences future inputs. In the order entry example, feedback regarding nonavailability of an ordered drug in the pharmacy department inventory might be provided to the physician. In this case, the system might suggest what alternatives or substitutes are available Information System Components All definitions of an information system must embody the essence of the four system characteristics that were previously presented. Thus, an information system is a group of interrelated and self-adapting components working through defined relationships to collect, process, and disseminate data and information for accomplishment of specific organizational goals. The components of an information system should be broadly interpreted. For example, information system components should be viewed to include people, work procedures, data, and information technologies (Alter, 1992). Although organizational goals may not be specifically included in the components of an information system, they must be viewed as the driving force for the development, design, implementation, and evaluation of information systems. Each information system must be evaluated in terms of its contribution to meeting the goals of the organization Information System Types In Chapter 2, six types of information systems are discussed: transaction processing systems (TPS), management information systems (MIS), decision support systems (DSS), executive information systems (EIS), expert systems (ES), and office automation systems (OAS). Early systems in health care were principally transaction processing systems. These systems automated operational functions such as accounting, payroll, inventory, and admission/discharge systems. Later, other transaction systems, such as order entry, were added to the capabilities. Management information systems emerged in the late 1970s and gradually became more sophisticated during the 1980s. One factor influencing the growth of MIS during this period was the introduction of the national prospective payment (diagnostic-related groups or DRGs) system for Medicare patients. Because of DRG implementation, hospitals needed information systems that provided better filtered and formatted data for making managerial and strategic decisions. The  implementation of DRGs also revealed the weaknesses of current information systems in linking and integrating data. Weaknesses associated with the proliferation of stand-alone systems and the historical emphasis on financial systems became magnified during the 1980s coiera When the same kind of decision is made on a regular basis, it will require access to the same kind of data and may use the same knowledge. In these circumstances, one can develop a regular process or information system to accomplish the task. An information system could thus be anything from the routine way in which a clinician records patient details in a pocket notebook, the way a triage nurse assesses patients on arrival in an emergency department, through to a complex computer-based system that regulates payments for healthcare services. An information system is distinguished from other systems by its components, which include data and models. Recall from the last chapter that there are several different kinds of information model, including databases and knowledge bases. These different information components can be put together to create an information system. For example, consider a calculator that can store data and equations in its memory. The data store is the calculator’s database, and the equation store is its knowledge base. The input to the calculator becomes the equation to be solved, as well as the values of data to plug into the equation. The database communicates with the knowledge base using a simple communication channel within the device, and the output of the system is the value for the solved equation (Figure 3.6). There are many potential internal components that could be included within an information system, including a database, a knowledge base, an ontology, and decision procedures or rules of inference. The different components of an information system are connected together with input/output channels, which allow data to be shifted between the components as needed. A patient record system is a more complex example of an information system. Its purpose is to record data about particular patients in some formalized fashion to assist in the control Wager2009  An information system (IS) is an arrangement of information (data), processes, people, and information technology that interact to collect, process, store, and provide as output the information needed to support the organization (Whitten & Bentley, 2005). Note that information technology is a component of every information system. Information technology is a contemporary term that describes the combination of computer technology (hardware and software) with data and telecommunications technology (data, image, and voice networks). Often in current management literature the terms information system and information technology are used interchangeably. 6.1.1 What Is a System?shortliffe Until now, we have referred informally to health information systems and computer systems. What do we mean when we refer to a system? In the most general sense, a system is an organized set of procedures for accomplishing a task. It is described in terms of (1) the problem to be solved; (2) the data and knowledge required to address the problem; and (3) the internal process for transforming the available input into the desired output (Figure 6.1). When we talk about systems in this book, we usually mean computer-based (or just computer) systems. A computer system combines both manual and automated processes; people and machines work in concert to manage and use information. A computer system has these components: ââ€"  Hardware: The physical equipment, including processing units (e.g., the central processing unit (CPU)), data-storage devices, comunication equipment, terminals, and printers ââ€"  Software: The computer programs that direct the hardware to carry out the automated processes—i.e., to respond to user requests and schedules, to process input data, to store some data for long periods, and to communicate informative results to the users; at times the software will prompt the users to perform manual processes System Design and Engineering in Health Care 235 ââ€"  Customers: The users who interact with the software and hardware of the system, issue requests, and use the results or forward them to others; there will be other users who are concerned with providing input, system operations, backup, and maintenance The role of a computer is, broadly speaking, the conversion of data into information. Every piece of data must be supplied by a person, by another computer system, or by data collection  equipment, as seen in patient monitoring (see Chapter 17). Information that is output is delivered to health care professionals or becomes input to another computer system. In other words, a medical computer system is a module within the overall health care delivery system. The overall health care system not only determines the need for the computer system (e.g., which data must be processed and which reports must be generated) but also the requirements for the system’s operation (e.g., the degree of reliability and responsiveness to requests for information). Acquisition and operation of a computer system has implications for the organization of an institution. Who controls the information? Who is responsible for the accuracy of the data? How will the system be financed? The installation of a computer system has sociological consequences as well. The introduction of a new system alters the work routines of health care workers. Furthermore, it may affect the traditional roles of health care workers and the existing relationships among groups of individuals—e.g., between physicians and nurses, between nurses and patients, and between physicians and patients. Important ethical and legal questions that arise include the confidentiality of patient information, the appropriate role of computers in patient care (especially in medical decision making), and the responsibility of developers and users for ensuring the correct operation of the system (see Chapter 10). Although the technical challenges in system development must be met, organizational factors are crucial determinants of the success of a computer system within the institution. These factors can differ greatly among institutions and can make the transfer of a well-functioning system to another site difficult. 6.1.2 Functions of a Computer System Computers have been used in every aspect of health care delivery, from the simple processing of business data, to the collection and interpretation of physiological data, to the education of physicians and nurses. Each chapter in Unit II of this book describes an important area for the application of computers in biomedicine. The unique characteristics of each problem area create special requirements for system builders to address. The motivation  for investing in these applications, however, is the computer’s ability to help health professionals in some aspect of information management. We identify eight topics that define the range of basic functions that may be provided by medical computer systems: 1. Data acquisition and presentation 2. Record keeping and access 3. Communication and integration of information 4. Surveillance 5. Information storage and retrieval 6. Data analysis 7. Decision support 8. Education .

Attempts At Poetry Explication Essays - Aesthetics, Poetic Form

Attempts At Poetry Explication Essays - Aesthetics, Poetic Form Attempts at Poetry Explication Death, be not proud (P 596) Death, be not proud is the unusual portrayal of Death as a bringer of deliverance "...rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be..." rather than a figure of hell, torment, and punishment, "Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery." through a fourteen-line sonnet (written in iambic pentameter). The speaker emphasizes the inevitability of death through its personification which allots death a more formidable role through characterization. "...we wake eternally..." is an allusion to heaven, accentuating death's role as deliverer rather than a persecutor. As a servant, a deliverer of souls, Death paradoxically dies at the end of the poem creating an effectual loop; the circle of life is seen even in death. The description of "soul's delivery" adds a light connotation to the apparently bright future of the afterlife. The poem is driven by a sonnet's abbaabbacddc rhyme pattern ending with the death of Death himself to emphasize the termination of the poem. At this death, the speaker feels sympathy, "...poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me." for the plight of an entity portrayed as not truly malicious, but which merely brings peace to the living. The Pulley The Pulley, written with each stanza according to its own rhyme pattern (ababa 2 cdcdc) to distinctly mark four separate events, is the speaker's observations regarding the operation of God in his or her world. Strength, Beauty, Wisdom, Honor, and Pleasure are all personified to emphasize their importance as the speaker's values. The speaker says that these values allow a person to surmount life's great obstacles which lend them their significance. The poet has enjambed each stanza, "If goodness lead him not, yet weariness / May toss him to my breast." to emphasize continuity of experience, and the oneness of the good which may bring salvation. The last line details the suggestion that the damned may find salvation not through their direct efforts but as a last resort. A pulley is a device that eases lifting; the title suggests that life's sequence of events are set up for the best through the powers that be. Storm Warnings This unrhymed poem, with each stanza composed of seven lines, compares the ravages of weather to the ravages of a tumultuous relationship. "...glass has been falling..." may be applied to both a barometer and broken expectations, as well as frustrations with a lover. "...a silent core of waiting..." compares the eye of the storm with the speaker's nervous tension. "...secret currents of the undiscerned..." can be applied to rising storm winds or the passive-agressive actions in a dysfunctional relationship. Weather becomes a reference to both weathered and internal violent feeling. "...Weather abroad/ And weather in the heart alike come on / Regardless of prediction." refers to an inability to select with whom one falls in love; love is spontaneous and uncontrolled. "Time in the hand is not control of time" relays to the reader a basis for the speaker's sense of helplessness when trapped in an unfavorable relationship. "We can only close the shutters." is the speaker's presenting the need to protect herself from the society which presents a danger to her because of her love. "These are the things that we have learned to do / Who live in troubled regions." ends with a note of resignation, seeing the necessity to disguise her life even should it mean living with unhealthy relationships. Morgan Glines February 17 1997

Gel Electrophoresis Lab Report Essay Example

Gel Electrophoresis Lab Report Essay Example Gel Electrophoresis Lab Report Paper Gel Electrophoresis Lab Report Paper To examine DNA and RNA, the fragments are placed in the garage wells and an electrical charge is sent through, pushing the negatively chi argued molecules towards the positive side. The smaller the molecule, the less res stance it will face when hitting the pores of the gel, and the farther it will travel. Restriction enzymes are short nucleotide sequences used to cut DNA into o segments, separating the fragment into pieces. When cut, two different ends will be produced, a sticky end or a blunt end. When a sticky end is created, it makes the double helix staggered, one end chills with an over hang above the other. These ends can connect to an identical sequence cut y the same restriction enzymes or a very similar end. Blunt ends are created when a restriction enzyme cuts the double helix evenly. Materials One will need buffer solution, pipettes, an electrophoresis chamber, agrees, and three DNA samples consisting of an uncut sample, and a sample cut with Score and one cut with Handbill to complete this lab. Methods To start things off, the gel must be created. The mold has two open ends, thereof must be taped tightly and repetitively. After pouring the agrees liquid into t he mold, it is mandatory that a comb is placed in the mold to create the w ells as the liquid solidifies. After 20 minutes, it has solidified, remove the c mob and the tap and place the gel in the chamber. The buffer solution is used to deliver the current to the agrees gel. Pour the buffer solution so it covers the gel. : Add one of each sample of DNA to separate wells using a pipette. Cover the chamber and make sure the negative side o f the circuit is on the same side as the wells. After two hours of sitting in the electricity, remove the gel and stain it. Rinse the gel thoroughly and let it sit in water for a day. Results My petting must have been atrocious for only one of our t ere DNA samples, the uncut sample, was visible. The UNC UT strand traveled two centimeters, forming no bands as it was uncut. Discussion Our attempt at gel electrophoresis showed unbelievable potent al, though I would describe it as feeble at best. In comparison w tit the lab manuals, our wimpy sample conquered a whopping . 65 CM less than the average uncut bacterial DNA. We lacked results from the E COIR and Handbill samples altogether. The uncut sample was large, no doubt, as it traveled 14th of the entire gel. Of the numerous places we could have made mistakes, there are three that wow d have created the most devastating end results. First off, we left Eleanor in c hare of sealing the ends of the mold and placing the comb. Had the comb not been cleanly drawn out of the gel it could have damaged the wells. Second, who en petting the DNA in, the genetic ooze may have been drawn out of the we II by the current created when pulling the insertion device out. Rendering that well and sample a bust. Third, and least likely, the gel may have been shocked for too long. I repeat, this is very unlikely as our wonderful and beautiful teacher conducted this part of the experiment.

Case for Legalizing Marijuana Essays - Herbalism, Medicinal Plants

Case for Legalizing Marijuana What Is Marijuana? Marijuana, a drug obtained from dried and crumpled parts of the ubiquitous hemp plant Canabis sativa (or Cannabis indica). Smoked by rolling in tobacco paper or placing in a pipe. It is also otherwise consumed worldwide by an estimated 200,000,000 persons for pleasure, an escape from reality, or relaxation. Marijuana is known by a variety of names such as kif (Morocco), dagga (South Africa), and bhang (India). Common in the United States, marijuana is called pot, grass, weed, Mary Jane, bones, etc. The main active principle of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol. The potency of its various forms ranges from a weak drink consumed in India to the highly potent hashish. The following consists of pure cannabis resin. Marijuana is not a narcotic and is not mentally or physically addicting drug. One can use mild cannabis preparations such as marijuana in small amounts for years without physical or mental deterioration. Marijuana serves to diminish inhibitions and acts as an euphoriant. Only once in a while will it produce actual hallucinations. More potent preparations of cannabis such as hashish can induce psychedelic experiences identical to those observed after ingestion of potent hallucinogens such as LSD. Some who smoke marijuana feel no effects; others feel relaxed and sociable, tend to laugh a great deal, and have a profound loss of the sense of time. Characteristically, those under the influence of marijuana show incoordination and impaired ability to perform skilled acts. Still others experience a wide range of emotions including feelings of perception, fear, insanity, happiness, love and anger. Although marijuana is not addicting, it may be habituating. The individual may become psychologically rather than physically dependent on the drug. Legalization Of Marijuana Those who urge the legalization of marijuana maintain the drug is entirely safe. The available data suggested, this is not so, Marijuana occasionally produces acute panic reactions or even transient psychoses. Furthermore, a person driving under the influence of marijuana is a danger to themselves and others. If smoked heavily and a great deal of consistency, its use has been clearly associated with mental breakdown. In many persons who smoke chronically, the drug reinforces passivity and reduces goal-directed, constructive activity. The chronic use of pure resin (hashish) has been associated both with mental deterioration and criminality. One of the major complications of marijuana use is the tendency on the part of some users to progress to more dangerous drugs. Users in economically deprived areas usually go on to heroin, whereas more affluent individuals tend to move from marijuana to more potent hallucinogens such as LSD. There is no established medical use for marijuana or any other cannabis preparation. In the United States, its use is a crime and the laws governing marijuana are similar to those regulating heroin. Many authorities now urge that the laws be modified to mitigate the penalties relating to conviction on marijuana possession charges. The Case For Legalizing Marijuana Use The United States stands apart from many nations in its deep respect for the individual. The strong belief in personal freedom appears early in the nation's history. The Declaration of Independence speaks of every citizen's right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." The Constitution and Bill of Rights go further, making specific guarantees. They forbid the government to make unwarranted entry into dwelling places. They forbid seizure of personal property, except when very clear reasons are approved by the courts. They allow every citizen to remain silent in court when accused of a crime. Legal decisions have extended these rights, so that every citizen may feel safe, secure, and sheltered from public view in the privacy of his or her home. The Right To Privacy In recent years, Americans have referred to privacy as one of the basic human rights, something to be claimed by anyone, anywhere. United States citizens feel strongly about this and often tell other countries that they must honor their people's claims to privacy and personal freedom. Foreign leaders often disagree. They resent what they deem arrogant meddling by the United States. Leaders of the Soviet Union, for example, regard individual privacy as trivial when compared to the needs of the state. If the United States is

Fast food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fast food - Essay Example This also applies to those foods that have preheated and precooked ingredients hence can be taken away or eaten from the customers’ comfort zone. These foods can be purchased from kiosks or many a times fast food outlets and most these outlets may or may not provide sitting space. Everyone is responsible for their daily calories intake, hence, it is the personal responsibility for everyone to cut down on fast foods and invest in low fat foods. There is no need to blame fast food restaurants for the obesity issues, since; nutrition is a mandatory requirement for everyone who desires good and perfect health. The obesity crisis can be blamed largely on the sedentary lifestyle that most of us have adopted. Nowadays, you will not find anyone participating in agriculture, as it is enough exercise to keep the body lean. Our diets are composed of high calories and fast foods, which only add to our crisis. Additionally, we live in a cyber-world society whereby, we spend long hours seat ed in the office and mostly operate from the house to our office and mostly drive. This leads to the high deposition of fat and calories in our bodies, which contributes to obesity. Rather than blaming it on fast foods, we need to invest in low fat diets and also have a proper exercise plan that will enable us to burn out all the accumulated calories. Unfortunately, our sedentary lifestyle has been passed on tour offspring’s, who mostly spend times indoors. They mostly ingest high calorie diets that often lead to the having childhood obesity and associated disorders like diabetes. They can barely run or even jog, and are not competent at all. There is the need for nutritional education to invest in a healthy and lean body that will ensure that we remain productive no matter the circumstance. Our diets need to be reviewed, such that we feed more on low fat foods and also eat more fruits and drink plenty of water. This will help in alleviating the obese population and reducing on the obese crisis (Ditmier 14). It is everyone’s personal responsibility to check on whatever amount of calories they ingest. This will help in reducing the calories and fat intake in the body; it will also reduce the proportion sizes of food to a minimum. This will give a sound check to the amount of calories that we burn daily. Most people do not put into consideration the portion sizes, they often eat to be satisfied, rather than to keep them going, ignorant that most of the extra food is stored as fat and contributes to obesity and overweightness (Lu?sted 33). On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that fast foods do not cause obesity, most recent obesity cases especially in children and pregnant women have been caused by the consumption of fast food from restaurants. The situation is made worse by the sedentary lifestyles that have been adopted, hence, the obesity crisis. Proper care and concern needs to be taken while coming up with menus and nutritional diets so t hat they put into consideration the calories needed and still the minimum fat requirements of the body. Ingesting fast foods without moderation coupled with the sedentary lifestyles reduces the rate at which calories can be burned from the body and this leads to obesity (Schlosser 2). Lack of exercising and weight reduction mechanisms often leads to magnification of the status quo. Activities that enhance the burning of calories such as walking, jogging and digging need to be practiced so that the extra calories

Juvenliles Committing Violent Crimes Research Paper

Juvenliles Committing Violent Crimes - Research Paper Example In most jurisdictions this means they cannot be tried as adults and put in jail. However, in other areas, new laws indicate that they can be prosecuted and executed for the crimes they commit (Diane Publishing Company, 1997). As times change, under age offenders have to pay the price for the crimes they commit. In some instances the punishment is very harsh. This essay will give a summary of juveniles committing violent crimes and how the youths end up in prisons. Introduction A juvenile is a minor who has committed criminal offences either against the state or other individuals. The crimes committed by juveniles are real menace to society. Juveniles are held responsible for the crimes they might have committed in a juvenile court. During the recent past, juveniles have been getting away with light sentences over the crimes they have committed. However, recently they are being tried and persecuted as adult criminals who have broken the law. It is assumed that if they are old enough t o commit some crimes, then they are liable to face the law as any other party doing a crime. The rise in violent crimes has seen them being executed since the magnitude of these crimes is heavy. These crimes are mostly done to their peers or other juveniles (Diane Publishing Company, 1997). ... It is quite clear that minors who commit serious crimes, for example, a murder, do not fully understand the value of life. They often think that since they are minors, the punishment against them will be light. This, as earlier seen, is not always the case nowadays. Juveniles are often given lighter sentences since they are not held eligible for punishment that is accorded to their adult counterparts. Gone are the days where this would be true. A number of juveniles are facing the death sentence due to crimes they committed in their teens (Cassel & Bernstein, 2007). According to some law enforcement agencies, violent crimes include: aggravated assault, rape, robbery and homicide. Juveniles committing or thinking of committing a crime will have to think twice because of the possibility of harsh sentences that can be imposed on them. Juveniles are now being given death sentences due to the violent crimes they commit. This has led to a sharp decrease in crimes like murders being committ ed by juveniles. It can be assumed that they are afraid of the consequences once they are caught (Cassel & Bernstein, 2007). The homicide cases that involve minors have also recorded a significant decrease due to this. It is sometimes assumed that all those involved in crimes as minors are as a result of broken homes, abusive parents and difficult childhoods. This assumption may bear some truth in it. These are the factors that come into play that need to be focused on when thinking of prosecuting a juvenile (Diane Publishing Company, 1997). The fact that juveniles have to grow up with survival instincts they might have picked while growing up end up being the cause of their troubles. This is because they

Assisted Suicide - Ramon Sampedro Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assisted Suicide - Ramon Sampedro - Essay Example He jumped into the sea and struck his head on the bottom of the sea, making him paralyzed. Ramona Maneiro was involved in the last step of the process of assisted suicide that led to the death of Ramon Sampedro. It is evident that Maneiro had a role and ethical right to facilitate Sampedro’s assisted suicide. In as much as the concept of assisted suicide presents several challenges, it is crucial to acknowledge the importance of adhering to the needs of the victims while adhering to the tenets of the law. Maneiro acted based on love by agreeing to participate in assisted suicide. She noted 7 years later that she acted based on love. Maneiro had a relationship with Sampedro that lasted for many years. After living a bedridden life, Sampedro began struggling for his right to end his life. The only person who could understand his situation and challenges was Maneiro. It is essential to note that Sampedro could not commit suicide by himself because of his quadriplegic condition (M anning 21). Maneiro acted by following the utilitarian and Kantianism principles. The principles of utilitarianism dictate that human actions should lead to happiness (Manning 41). By assisting Sampedro in committing suicide, Maneiro was accomplishing her obligations of ensuring that her fellow human was relieved of pain and suffering that he was experiencing. For 29 years, Sampedro lived a life of suffering following his paralysis. He had to depend on other people for basic human activities and needs. He lived a bedridden life afflicted with an excruciatingly painful and terminal condition that left him permanently incapable of living a dignified human life. In order to assist Sampedro in committing suicide, Maneiro was accomplishing her obligations under utilitarianism. Sampedro looked forward to a life of satisfaction and minimum suffering. However, his quadriplegic state could not let him live such a life. Having lived with Sampedro for many years, Maneiro understood his situati on and experiences. Additionally, Sampedro mercifully begged for an end to his painful life. Maneiro could not turn down these pleas given the fact that she knew him and understood his suffering. It would have been cruel and inhumane for Maneiro to turn down such pleas from a suffering man. According to the requirements for compassion, an individual should cooperate and comply with the pleas of a suffering person. Additionally, Sampedro has moral rights to ask for an end of his life. Additionally, Maneiro has the moral right of helping somebody overcome the suffering in his life. The two individuals have a right to choose freely and not inflict harm in each other’s life. Sampedro indicated expressly that he wanted an end to his life. The right of free choices included the right to end one’s life when necessary. Additionally, a person needs to opt to end his life (Manning 17). In my opinion, Maneiro chose to respect the wishes of Sampedro to end his life. Opponents of t he actions taken by Maneiro argue that the society has a right to protect the life of anybody. This means that Maneiro failed to protect the life of Sampedro. Additionally, they state that Maniero should have played a role in preserving the life of Sampedro. Therefore, assisting Sampedro in committing suicide violates the fundamental roles and duties of respecting and preserving life.  This means that a society committed to protect and preserve life should not destroy it (Manning 21).     Ã‚  

Arts and Urban Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Arts and Urban Life - Essay Example Punch's versifier detailed 'The muck and mud that still our movements clog', while Conrad made the same point more sonorously in describing 'the enormity of cold, black, wet, muddy, inhospitable accumulation of bricks, slates, and stones, things in themselves unlovely and unfriendly to man." (Freeman, 89). The city of London is perhaps one of the oldest yet also one of the most powerful cities in the world. This account speaks about the atmosphere, weather, but not the people. All urban histories states about the city in terms of physical structures and ultrastructural layouts. When the reality is that the people of the city and their lives day in and day out constitute the core of urban life, which embodies their struggle, aspirations, and moments of heightened awareness, then art in the urban life in any form will also express those. In the detective fiction of Arthur Conan Doyle or Richard Harding Davis, fog underlay or encouraged the city's criminal associations, with Sherlock Holmes speculating as to how the 'thief or murderer could roam London' 'as the tiger does the jungle', since figures are but 'dimly seen, then blend once more into the cloud bank' (Doyle, CA, 913). The question arises, what is a city, is it the demonstrable difficulties of urban life, its malign incompatibility with human wishes, or entirely something else arising out of it. In some cases, the metropolis itself has been assigned a character in itself, which responds enthusiastically to the process of transformation in the city space and the ways it is perceived by the individual. Radical artists such as Whistler and Monet were exploring similar possibilities during the 1870s. Such figures moved away from the particularization of realist art and conventional topographic painting, concerning themselves with atmospheric evocation. James's immersion, in all senses, in London's fog was therefore something he shared with its most famous visual chroniclers, impressionist painters, even though he initially had little obvious sympathy for their art (James, 219). Accounts of London by Dickens, and, even more so, by Gissing, repeatedly emphasized the city's aromas and the tidal roar of its 'flaring and clamorous' streets where 'the odors of burning naphtha and fried fish were pungent on the wind'. To judge from The Princess Casamassima, the Thames is equally noisy and smelly, with Hyacinth (Gissing, 111), Robinson observing the 'grinding, puffing, smoking, splashing activity of the turbid flood', but in his own trip down river, James concentrates on the tonal limitation s of the scene, its blacks and sables, silvers and grays (Jackson, 277). Baldwin's "Another Country" is a novel, but more of an essay on love. Love on the backdrop of a city, where life at least takes the form of impressionist art. Love is a theme that the author had explored both on homosexual and heterosexual perspectives. On closer examination, there is another theme in this novel, racialism. While love is a necessity and is utterly constructive, hate is terribly destructive, and this theme is core concept

Data collection are concerned that this practice violates the privacy Essay

Data collection are concerned that this practice violates the privacy of individuals - Essay Example It is therefore due to this fact that this study is aimed at analyzing whether it is morally permissible for data companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles . According to Solove (2011), data and statistics have become integral part of organizational growth. Due to increased market competition across the world, companies and business organizations are ever carrying research and collecting data on how they should improve quality of products or services which they offer. However, the process of data collection is currently becoming very expensive. As a result, people are looking for cheap alternative means through which they can obtain data so that they can improve quality of their goods or services. There are many rules and regulations that govern data collection. Means of data or information collection are supposed to be ethical and acceptable by all parties involved. Depending on the means, and terms and conditions used to collect inf ormation, data collection companies are allowed to sell information or data which they have acquired legally with permission of all parties involved (Jinbonet 2013). ... According to rules and regulations governing research and data collection, all participants or people being studied are supposed to be aware of the aim of the study, transfer of information collected and the maximum number or people or groups who will see. This will enable them to accept or decline, and even to choose the type of information they should offer or not. However, when an individual is creating a profile on social media, he/she limits people who can view and read the information provided. It is therefore, immoral, illegal and unconstitutional for data collecting companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles without their awareness. Regardless of whether information collected from social media profiles will have positive or negative impacts on the companies which buy it, it is morally unacceptable for data companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles. This is not only because it af fects their privacy but also because it is equally to stealing just like in the case of NASSCOM (A Big Brother 2013). With modern technological advancements, companies which buy data from data collection companies can use this information to fraud people whose information was collected it (Jinbonet 2013). There have been many cases where people have lost millions of money and properties through online fraud. This is because the information collected from profiles can be used to borrow loans or other issues that will leave many people with losses. A Big Brother (2013) asserts that however, it is morally permissible for data companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles provided that they have consulted

Assisted Suicide - Ramon Sampedro Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assisted Suicide - Ramon Sampedro - Essay Example He jumped into the sea and struck his head on the bottom of the sea, making him paralyzed. Ramona Maneiro was involved in the last step of the process of assisted suicide that led to the death of Ramon Sampedro. It is evident that Maneiro had a role and ethical right to facilitate Sampedro’s assisted suicide. In as much as the concept of assisted suicide presents several challenges, it is crucial to acknowledge the importance of adhering to the needs of the victims while adhering to the tenets of the law. Maneiro acted based on love by agreeing to participate in assisted suicide. She noted 7 years later that she acted based on love. Maneiro had a relationship with Sampedro that lasted for many years. After living a bedridden life, Sampedro began struggling for his right to end his life. The only person who could understand his situation and challenges was Maneiro. It is essential to note that Sampedro could not commit suicide by himself because of his quadriplegic condition (M anning 21). Maneiro acted by following the utilitarian and Kantianism principles. The principles of utilitarianism dictate that human actions should lead to happiness (Manning 41). By assisting Sampedro in committing suicide, Maneiro was accomplishing her obligations of ensuring that her fellow human was relieved of pain and suffering that he was experiencing. For 29 years, Sampedro lived a life of suffering following his paralysis. He had to depend on other people for basic human activities and needs. He lived a bedridden life afflicted with an excruciatingly painful and terminal condition that left him permanently incapable of living a dignified human life. In order to assist Sampedro in committing suicide, Maneiro was accomplishing her obligations under utilitarianism. Sampedro looked forward to a life of satisfaction and minimum suffering. However, his quadriplegic state could not let him live such a life. Having lived with Sampedro for many years, Maneiro understood his situati on and experiences. Additionally, Sampedro mercifully begged for an end to his painful life. Maneiro could not turn down these pleas given the fact that she knew him and understood his suffering. It would have been cruel and inhumane for Maneiro to turn down such pleas from a suffering man. According to the requirements for compassion, an individual should cooperate and comply with the pleas of a suffering person. Additionally, Sampedro has moral rights to ask for an end of his life. Additionally, Maneiro has the moral right of helping somebody overcome the suffering in his life. The two individuals have a right to choose freely and not inflict harm in each other’s life. Sampedro indicated expressly that he wanted an end to his life. The right of free choices included the right to end one’s life when necessary. Additionally, a person needs to opt to end his life (Manning 17). In my opinion, Maneiro chose to respect the wishes of Sampedro to end his life. Opponents of t he actions taken by Maneiro argue that the society has a right to protect the life of anybody. This means that Maneiro failed to protect the life of Sampedro. Additionally, they state that Maniero should have played a role in preserving the life of Sampedro. Therefore, assisting Sampedro in committing suicide violates the fundamental roles and duties of respecting and preserving life.  This means that a society committed to protect and preserve life should not destroy it (Manning 21).     Ã‚  

Data collection are concerned that this practice violates the privacy Essay

Data collection are concerned that this practice violates the privacy of individuals - Essay Example It is therefore due to this fact that this study is aimed at analyzing whether it is morally permissible for data companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles . According to Solove (2011), data and statistics have become integral part of organizational growth. Due to increased market competition across the world, companies and business organizations are ever carrying research and collecting data on how they should improve quality of products or services which they offer. However, the process of data collection is currently becoming very expensive. As a result, people are looking for cheap alternative means through which they can obtain data so that they can improve quality of their goods or services. There are many rules and regulations that govern data collection. Means of data or information collection are supposed to be ethical and acceptable by all parties involved. Depending on the means, and terms and conditions used to collect inf ormation, data collection companies are allowed to sell information or data which they have acquired legally with permission of all parties involved (Jinbonet 2013). ... According to rules and regulations governing research and data collection, all participants or people being studied are supposed to be aware of the aim of the study, transfer of information collected and the maximum number or people or groups who will see. This will enable them to accept or decline, and even to choose the type of information they should offer or not. However, when an individual is creating a profile on social media, he/she limits people who can view and read the information provided. It is therefore, immoral, illegal and unconstitutional for data collecting companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles without their awareness. Regardless of whether information collected from social media profiles will have positive or negative impacts on the companies which buy it, it is morally unacceptable for data companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles. This is not only because it af fects their privacy but also because it is equally to stealing just like in the case of NASSCOM (A Big Brother 2013). With modern technological advancements, companies which buy data from data collection companies can use this information to fraud people whose information was collected it (Jinbonet 2013). There have been many cases where people have lost millions of money and properties through online fraud. This is because the information collected from profiles can be used to borrow loans or other issues that will leave many people with losses. A Big Brother (2013) asserts that however, it is morally permissible for data companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles provided that they have consulted

Armitage and praise song Essay Example for Free

Armitage and praise song Essay In both poems, a sense of nostalgia and reminiscence is conveyed; they are written in the past tense which leads to a state of reflection and acknowledgement. As a reader, one can immediately capture this notion, when reading Praise Song for My Mother, as the title itself has very traditional African connotations it marks a celebration or tribute of someones life. Whereas Armitage titles his poem Harmonium which is what the poem is physically about but also is symbolic of the relationship between him and his father. Armitage introduces the poem with an anecdote; this evokes a feeling of reminiscence. It contains very physical descriptions Shadowy porch of Marsden Church this establishes the setting for the reader and perhaps portrays Armitage as being entranced by the church; he appreciates very minute details. However, when describing the Farrand Chapelette, it was described using the idiom gathering dust which has a double meaning it was physically accumulating dust but also it was coming of age. In addition, Armitage describes his ultimatum; it could be bundled off to the skip or could become his for a song this suggests the church organ is not in satisfactory condition as the idiom bundled of to the skip indicates it would have been thrown out. More importantly, Armitage explains how the church organ could be his for a song which is an interesting play on words as the purpose of the harmonium is to play songs but also this idiom suggests it could have been purchased cheaply which leads the reader to assume the harmonium has lost its functionality and is impractical, similar to the freight of his father. In Praise Song for My Mother, Nichols uses You, a second person pronoun, which introduces a sense of intimacy and makes the poem very personal. This is followed by were, a past tense verb, which indicates the poem is addressed to someone who cannot hear her or maybe is no longer alive. This idea correlates with the concept of a praise song a traditional African tribute to someone no longer alive. Nichols describes her mother using a metaphor; you were water to me. Water is regarded as precious, particularly in African culture but it is also an essential element of sustaining life which leads the reader to deduce the extent of the impact the mother has had in this person. The water is then described as deep and bold with regards to the mother, one can interpret this to mean the water is a large store of knowledge that cannot be accessed as physically humans cannot survive; it is very mysterious and also it shows the great expanse of her motherhood. Fathoming derives from the Anglo Saxon era and means to embrace the water embraces many sea creatures and therefore sustains life which is essentially a quality of her mother. But it can also mean to reason out problems this relates to the idea of a store of knowledge. Armitage gives sunlight agency as it can beatify saints and raise the dead. This catholic connotation brings about positivity to the church as images of saints are lifted above ordinary people. However, this is contrasted by the destructive power of the sunlight as it weathers the aged wooden case of the harmonium and the fingernails of its key. Armitage personifies the keys to draw a parallel with his dads smokers fingers. Further damage included one of the notes lost its tongue which means sound is lost. Armitage then paints an image of a traditional organist who wears grey, woollen sock. This inspires an idea of how old the harmonium and its battle with time. Armitage describes the motion of pedalling and uses repetition to support the onomatopoeic effect/. Nichols also uses repetition as she starts the second stanza with You were. This maintains the intimate and personal element to the poem. She describes her mother as the moons eyes. Historically, the moon represents strength and an icon of femininity. By personifying the moon, it shows that whilst her mother may not be on walking earth, she is looking over her this adds a transcending aspect to her mother. References made to the moon are pull and grained which can suggest to the reader the gravitational attraction between mother and daughter is similar to that of the earth and moon and how her mother had suffered a lot through her life and was left scarred. When using mantling, it evokes an image of being covered or wrapped up to protect. Moreover, Nichols lack of apostrophe in the third stanza, fishes, suggests her breakdown in emotion. The third stanza is different from the first two as here Nichols begins to list metaphors describing her mother. She once again makes the poem more personal through the reference of crabs leg/the fried plantain smell which is a delicacy central to her tradition. Furthermore, Armitage displays his emotions coming to a breaking point in the third stanza. This is achieved through his use of but which indicates a shift in tone. He uses alliteration, hummed harmonics, to increase the pace imitating his release of emotion. Also there is an onomatopoeic aspect which denotes the sound. This allows the reader to appreciate how engaged Armitage is with the harmonium. His use of the idiom struck a chord has a double meaning it can mean to physically play a sound but more importantly it means to provoke an emotional response to something. As the stanza continues, Armitage makes reference to father and son and is talking about him and his father this increases the feeling of nostalgia as it was him and his father who had sang as choir boys. It is in the fourth stanza where Armitages emotions become apparent. He makes very delicate comparisons with his father and the harmonium dotted thumbs. After this, Armitage how him and his father would cart it away in doing so, the harmonium is described as a valueless item. He personifies the harmonium by describing its back similar to how a person would be placed in a coffin. Armitage mentions how his dad belittles his own death. His dad describes his body as freight which is monosyllabic and brings heaviness to the comical aspect of his dad. Armitage cannot respond to his dads cynical humour and has lost his tongue. This represents the difference in character between the two. In contrast to the sad mood conveyed in Harmonium, Nichols ends the poem with words of wisdom from her mother Go to the wide futures, she said. This reinforces the idea the mother is looking over her and is wise.

Examining The Crimes Of The Powerful Offenders Criminology Essay

Examining The Crimes Of The Powerful Offenders Criminology Essay Corporate crimes have 3 problems according to Muncie and McLaughlin, there is the problem of definition where if crime would to expand to cover corporate offences then the definition of crime itself could be totally different, Sunderland researched this by committing false advertising and food adulteration which were not covered by law at the time, he argued that they were just as serious as other crimes but was attacked by criminologists for researching acts which were not or should be crimes. secondly there is problem of social context which asks what is the relationship between white collar crimes and market forces/profit motive, and lastly is the problem of regulation which asks if corporate crime could be controlled by informal mechanisms or be enforced by criminal sanctions, many offences are not controlled by the police and instead of being punished the offender/offenders will be either forced to comply with regulations or be put in an educational program for advice, prosecution is a last resort, as Hazel Croall  [3]  points out A different language surrounds these regulatory offences (e.g.) regulation rather than policing, wrongdoing rather than crime and sanctions rather than punishment. The main problem of white collar crime is that although some involve what would be called typical crimes such as fraud and insider dealing, corporate crime can include breaches of health and safety which can endanger human lives, in this aspect; corporate entrepreneurs may be s ued for damages and subjected to various financial sanctions (and) are unlikely to face criminal prosecutions no matter how serious the consequences of their actions  [4]   This why white collar crime is on the margins of criminological inquiry, because most of the time they never actually break the law, the crime itself is almost always classed as an accident Even though Corporate crimes are more dangerous, expensive and violent than regular crimes i.e. theft, assault, murders etc. According to William J Chambliss in his book Power, Politics and Crime written in 2001, the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S Congress estimated that $4 Billion was lost from street crimes while $200 billion was lost by corporate crime, 50 times more, although there is huge uncertainty in to white collar crime, the extent of the crimes have to be estimated, Levi  [5]  estimated in 1985 that fraud alone was worth  £2,133 million Another reason for corporate crime being in the margins is the separation of ownership of the company especially with a large amount of shareholders, it is almost impossible for one person to take control of a business dealings, with different levels of hierarchy, departments and regulating bodies, this can tempt corrupt executives to commit crime by offering big rewards with very little risk: large corporate crime i.e. crimes by large companies which effects many can affect many people such as employers, consumers, the environment etc., large scale criminal corporations I.e. fraud, money laundering etc., small scale criminal firms i.e. pretty crimes by small business such as dealers and tradesmen, occupational crime I.e. an employer committing crime, the important the employee the bigger the crime and finally other white collar crime which is individuals committing crime outside of the work place such as tax evasion. However as Croall points out, the attention seems to be on the off enders rather than the crime they commit, she asks How can the rather vague terms high status and respectable by defined and operationalized?are only some to be counted as white collar offenders?. These types of crimes have many characteristics: Offences are invisible, they are very hard to detect, this also makes them hard to be prosecuted , offenders are often legitimately present at the scene of the crime and mostly the victims are slow to realise wrongdoing has been caused, the crimes are carried out under the cover of a legitimate company; the crimes are very technical and complicated, many offenders may be involved and it is very hard to pinpoint who caused the offence; a diffusion of responsibility (in a large group, responsibility is not assigned) is rife in these cases, employees can blame employers for not preventing incidents and not setting regulations while the employers cab blame the employees for ignoring instructions etc.; also, victimisation can be diffused, in some cases there is no relationship between the offender and the victim i.e. an employers failure to check the safety of the safety of apparatus and causes and injury. All these categories result in the ambiguous criminal status  [6]  of white collar crimes. There are many problems in researching white collar crime, as Edwin Sunderland found out first hand, he could not publish the names of the companies in his studies in fear of being prosecuted himself for libel, there is the argument for this reason, it cannot be defined as crime seeing as criminologists cannot research it properly and efficiently. Statistics are very hard to find, seeing as most go undetected and do not fit legal offences, also victim surveys are almost non existent. As Croall points out, because there are so many offences hidden, it is very hard to get a sample of offenders for research, a large knowledge of the market and legal terms, the easiest way to conduct research is through individual case studies, investigative journalism, court observation and reports, cases reported in the mass media and interviews with enforcers. All the above is a huge contributing factor in why the crimes of the powerful are in the margins of criminological inquiry, if a criminologist cannot conduct and valid, reliable study then these types of crimes will always stay outside of criminological inquiry. However, as mentioned earlier, white collar crime is very diverse, and is, in many cases, extremely destructive and serious and should be in the centre of criminological inquiry. To begin with is offences against employees by employers, according to Muncie and McLaughlin, many employers will breach health and safety regulations for the employees just to meet deadlines and increase profits, 400 people a year in Britain die as a result of and accident in the workplace, in 1992 alone 28,000 people suffered serious accidents and 140,000 suffered minor ones. According to Croall two-thirds of fatal accidents involved some management violation of the Health and Safety at Work Act and three quarters were blamed on management, yet less than 40 per cent of workplace deaths resulted in prosecution This is a heft amount of deaths, and with such little amount of prosecutions, it does seems that business; can get away with wrongdoings. The main example for this is a string of disasters on oil rigs , in 1965 13 people died on the Sea Gem rig, followed by the Alexander Kielland rig which killed 123, yet lessons were never learnt from these and in 1988 168 people died aboard the Piper Alpha oil rig which was owned by Occidental Oil. It was put down to failure of safety regulations and their enforcement In November 1990 Lord Cullens criticised the safety features, after a civil action over insurance payments in 1997 two workers who had died were found to be negligent. Next is offences against consumers, these can range from fraudulent advertising to inferior design of products and defying regulations surrounding the products. The main example of this is the Zeebrugge disasters in 1987 involving the capsize of the ferry Herald of Free Enterprise which killed 154 passengers and 38 crew members. The owners P O Ferries international were blamed for not applying a safe operating system and for letting a deckhand fall asleep on the job. The families of those who suffered pressed the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge them with corporate manslaughter but it never happened. An investigation found that it was the companies fault for not giving clear instructions about safety procedures. After a second disaster involving the Estonia which killed 850 people, new safety measures were brought in 1997. New safety measures were finally brought into effect in 1999 following a second ferry disaster. The Estonia sank in 1994 with the loss of 850 lives. Offences against the public is a very serious category, with the huge rise in industrial development such as the use of coal, gas, oil and nuclear power, the risk of damage to the public and the environment has increased. The main example of this is the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal in 1984 where a huge gas leak in a chemical plant let to approximately 15,000 deaths although the government claim 3,787 deaths, this is considered to be the worst industrial disaster in the world and possibly the worst corporate crime to date. The company who owned it, Union Carbide, were blamed for poor design of the plant, its placement near a shanty town housing thousands of people, its faulty safety devices and its awful condition generally. Pearce and Tombs conclude that Union Carbide created or allowed to develop the conditions whereby and accident was possibleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (The company) had not taken the steps necessary to migrate the effects of the accident to this day thousands of families have not received compensation, in 1991, the Indian government charged the CEO of union Carbide Warren Anderson with manslaughter. He never faced trial and evaded an international arrest warrant while Union Carbide was charged with homicide, yet these charges never followed through. Another type of corporate crime is offences against other firms where one company will try to sabotage another company to maximise profits, and example of this is the case of Guinness takeover of Distillers in 1986. Guinness bid was contested by a bid from the Argyll group, to strengthen its bid, Guinness spent  £25 million on letting friends and associates by its own shares to increase its share price, they also bought a huge share in Distillers at an inflated price which it could honour its shareholders. The chief executive at the time Ernest Saunders and two other associates where found in breach of the Stock Exchange regulations and of criminal law and were prosecuted. Finally are offences against the state, this can include corporate tax invasion or bribery. An example is a scandal that the surrounded the sales of engineering equipment from the British company Matrix Churchill to Iraq that could have been used by Britain just before the Gulf war in 1990. Ministers secretly encouraged them to do so while they used official secrecy regulations to avoid being punished. These are all relevant examples to why criminology should focus more on white collar crime as a real crime, the examples given are huge crimes on a wide scale, they cannot compare to a petty theft at a newsagent, but there are worse cases, some companies main objective will be for crime, such as fraud, using the company as a disguise. The main example of this so-called mega fraud is the case of The Bank of Credit and Commerce international (BCCI) which was closed down in 1991 with  £10 billion worth of debts and 300,000 creditors world wide. The bank itself had very close links to Abu Dhabi. The bank would use the money deposited to estimate the stock markets and make loans to people, often fake, who lacked collateral to back them, and the losses were then concealed by taking out fake loans and raised $600 million. According to the media they were involved with tales of drug-money laundering, bankrolling of Middle East terrorists, underwriting of Saddam Husseins quest for a nuclear bomb, etc. Yet there is such thing as petty frauds, which can occur outside the work place and outside the big corporations, this can include the sale of defective goods and providing unsatisfactory services e.g. illegal street traders selling counterfeit DVDs. Another is occupational crime where an individual takes advantage of his/her position as an employer, the greater the responsibility borne by any particular employee, particularly in handling the money, the greater the scope of negligence or criminality (McLaughlin and Muncie 1996; 240). Finally is middle class crime where crime is committed outside of employment, notably tax evasion or insurance fraud conclusion, the main reason that white collar crime is on the margins of criminological inquiry is because society does not expect powerful respectable people to criminals, even though it occurs frequently the fact that it is so undetectable can make it hard for criminologists to even class it as a crime. The main reason this occurs is because of market forces and the desire for profit, something that does not affect average criminals. The difficulty of differentiating between the pursuit of legitimate commercial advantage and rule-breaking profiteering goes some way towards explaining the differential response of the authorities and public opinion towards white-collar and ordinary crime (McLaughlin and Muncie 1996;262) added to the trouble in regulating the crime and its inclination to use sanctions rather than punishment, white collar crime at present cannot be central in criminological inquiry, perhaps in the future the justice system will realise this, most probably after a big disaster has occurred.

A Portrait of Modern Life in Carnal Knowledge :: Carnal Knowledge Essays

A Portrait of Modern Life in Carnal Knowledge T. C. Boyle's "Carnal Knowledge" is a very funny, and at the same time truthful portrayal of some of the things which are going on in the world today. His description of the narrator and the way he thinks, as well as his portrayal of Alena Jorgensen, leaves the reader wondering if they have ever believed so strongly in something or acted the same way to help reach their goal. What makes this story so unique and is that takes place in our world, in a world were some people are "fond of Kentucky Fried Chicken or Chicken McNuggets" (245) and others "don't eat meat or fish or milk or cheese or eggs, and they didn't wear wool or leather or fur" (248). T. C. Boyle uses his sarcastic, yet at the same time believable, style to make the reader feel as if he was in the main character's shoes. The author guides the reader through the different stages of the character's evolution and shows how different aspects of society influence his thinking. In the end, the character concludes, just as I ha ve, that no matter what people say "it's only meat" (257). The story begins with the narrator being a man in his mid-thirties, with a stable job, and a normal life. The only thing missing in his life seems to be a female companion. He wants to find somebody he likes, understands and has something in common with, and he is sick of making the "acquaintance of a divorced computer programmer in her mid thirties with three kids and bad breath" (246) and her like. Thus when he meets Alena Jorgensen he becomes bewitched and begins to try to impress her, and establish common interests. He becomes almost totally submissive as their relationship grows and unconsciously begins to do things he never thought of or cared about doing before. T. C. Boyle shows this progression in the narrator's character by describing the character's changing behavior and aspirations. Thus he shows how a normal man with "twentieth century urban American sensibility" (Utley) becomes a radical activist for animal rights. "Something was happening to me I could feel it in the way the boards shifted under me, feel it with each beat of the surf and I was ready to go along with it." (249).