Party Press Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Party Press - Essay Example Mass media refers to the transfer of knowledge and information to an unlimited mass audience. Phones or cell phones may not usually be considered as a mass medium; this is because telephones are the device meant for only two way communication between two or more than two people. Previously there have been only six categories of mass media; that is, Print, Recordings, Cinemas, Radio, Television and the Internet. Now a new category has been introduced in the mass media, which are cell phones. Cell phones are now being considered as the seventh mass media channel; also called as digital media. Cell phones are the only mass media that are always carried by the user. They also provide nearly 100% accuracy regarding the audience and that every content that has ever passed through the device could be traced back; whether it is calls, messages, or any other media content such as movies, videos, or music. In ancient times the Church was the sole source of information for the people. The Churc h had the complete power over the minds of the citizens and was very powerful. They were the ones responsible to disintegrate the information in whatever form and style that suits them. After the Gutenberg’s invention of metal movable type, books became widely available. They were then the source of knowledge and information. ... The 1960s saw the first innovation in the form of open reel audio tapes; then came the C-cassettes and music cartridges in the 1970s and later in 1990s the MP3 files were the new digital storage medium for music. The records were not only limited to music storage but also provided storage for videos and movies. In the 1970s, movies started appearing in video cassettes. Later recording also expanded to include categories such as computer programs, video games and TV shows. Due to these advancements the music industry also evolved to include the pop music, besides the orchestra. Cinemas were introduced in the 1910s as the third mass media channel. Watching a movie in cinemas is an exhilarating experience for many. Movies were the first mass media that involved moving images and pictures. The visual effect they created was unmatched by any other mass media. At first movies were thought as means that could diminish the value of books. But this was not the case. Some of the best sellers w ere converted into movies, while in other cases the best of the Hollywood movies were written in print. Not only books and novels, but comics were also made into super-hit films, such as Superman, Batman, and Spiderman etc. The radio became the next mass media. With the invention of radio, came a concept of broadcast schedule and audience were required to listen to the shows when they were aired, and not just as they wished; as was the case in all the previous mass medias. It became the channel for commercial communication and brought its audience a wide range consisting of news, information, dramas, music, debate etc. Radio first brought the concept of breaking news; disseminating news and information as it is happening. Radios were sustained by

Analysis Of A Balanced Scorecard In Dell

Analysis Of A Balanced Scorecard In Dell Dell is a computer vendor operating online but utilising a retail presence. Their strategy involves specialising in giving the users a choice in what software and specifications they want on their computer. Their target customers are mainly home and business users as they specialise in business laptops as well as home media laptops. Their market segment is the computer vendor market. This segment is occupied by companies such as HP, Lenovo and Acer. In terms of market position, Dell is ranked around third in the PC vendor market with a market share of 10.5%. Competitors Lenovo and HP currently lead Dell in the market with 15.7% and 15.5% respectively (Gartner, 2012). Customers Appendix A. is the customer section of the scorecard Dell wants to become the biggest vendor of computers in the market and the only way theyre going to achieve that is by increasing their market share. Offering discounts would increase their sales and pricing their products more competitively would a similar effect; however this would adversely affect their per unit profit. On-time deliveries relates directly to the customers experience when ordering with Dell. If their computer arrives a week later than expected, theyll leave Dell negative feedback which will affect their customer service reputation, so its vital that they improve their delivery system as much as possible. Although its motivational, offering cash incentives for staff increases the staff expenditure for the year. I chose the number of customer returns to measure the quality of their products because well made products wont result in excessive customer returns. Improved staff training will result in less errors and better product reliability. The only faults in the products would be coming from the specific components, which can be replaced. The number of customer complaints relates to the quality of their customer service. This measure can also be used in conjunction with product launches to find faults in these products. There are limitations on how much they can improve their customer service. Staff retraining (whether its in customer service or in sales) costs a lot of time and money which could affect their financial statements. Financial Appendix B. is the financial section of the scorecard I chose sales growth by segment because it links in with Dells overall plan to take advantage of potential sales in different segments by enabling us to find out where specific sales patterns are occurring. An improvement of 10% seems a bit high but that takes into consideration the anticipation for Windows 8 as well as Dells plans to introduce new touch screen devices. Residual income is the difference between the companys profits and the charge for the use of capital within the business. It represents a good measure of the profitability of the company because it takes the cost of capital into account, something which gross profit margin wouldnt do. Inventory turnover is the rate at which inventory is sold and replaced over time. The target for this figure should be high because Dell specialises in using Just in Time production techniques to minimise their inventory holding, selling it more quickly. A limitation is that production could yield a higher error rate. This could result in more customer returns which would reflect negatively on their customer service. I chose return on invested capital as the performance measure for capital utilisation because it calculates the level of profit their investments generate. It also takes long term debts into account which gives us a better idea of how the profits cover those long term debts. Learning and Growth Appendix C. is the learning and growth section of the scorecard If Dell spends more money on their staff training then the staff will feel more invested than if they were trained for a short period of time. This would link in with their objective of making sure the employees are well trained and professional in their jobs. The only problem with implementing this is that it could easily run up the cost which could adversely affect their financial performance. In order to measure job satisfaction, Dell can use employee turnover which would give them a target to work towards (reducing employee turnover). By offering incentives such as bonuses or perks of the job they can reduce employee turnover however that runs the risk of increasing the cost of their employee wage and salaries budget. Customer surveys would be useful for finding out what new features are desired, whats wrong with the old products or product pricing. Surveys are cheap and cost effective, however they need to offer an incentive otherwise people wont do the survey. Changes to the market mean that Dell need to introduce new available technologies. Reviews and ratings are a suitable measure for this because of their critical nature. However they have to increase the RD budget in order to find out what technologies are practical. Internal Business Processes Appendix D. is the internal business process section of the scorecard Creditor days is a useful measure of improving credit terms with their suppliers since it shows us how long they have to pay them. The target to increase this amount was chosen because Dell is experiencing a low point in sales (during the last month or two). So improved credit terms can help them while theyre experiencing this difficulty. The problem with increasing creditor days is that doing this over a long term will result in working capital problems for them. By measuring the CO2 emissions, Dell can find out how well theyre doing in their global emission reductions. Utilising renewable energy sources can help towards this and improve their reputation. The only limitation is that the transition to renewable energy is a slow process which is contrary to the usual short term-ism of objectives. Energy efficiency is a good measure for how energy efficient the businesses operations are and using a survey to find out how to improve the business operations isnt going to pose a problem. In order to measure the level of recycled products, the rate at which they recycle and reuse (Dell, 2012) products is a useful tool for this purpose. With a 100% rate they can improve their environmental impact and appeal to more green-conscious customers. Critical Analysis of the Balanced Scorecard Benefits The balanced scorecard doesnt solely focus on short term goals in the business; its used to measure the success of a business in achieving long term objectives. This is good because it gives them a long term goal to work towards, taking into account all the other aspects of the business. As stated by Kaplan and Norton (1992) the scorecard puts strategy and vision, not control, at the center. It establishes goals but assumes that people will adopt whatever behaviors and take whatever actions are necessary to arrive at those goals. The measures are designed to pull people toward the overall vision. It measures performance as a whole instead of measuring performance on a departmental level. This is better than traditional management tools because it highlights what parts of the business are linked with each other. If one side is performing badly then all sides (and their goals) will suffer. Difficulties NÃ ¸rreklit argues: During the planning stage the measure variables may be benchmarked against those of the competition, but the scorecard does not presuppose any continuous observation of competitors actions and results or the monitoring of technological developments, which means that the focus of the model is static rather than dynamic (NÃ ¸rreklit, H. 2000). This poses a problem to Dell as theyre in a highly technological sector where they have to stay on top of new developments, so having a strategic model which is too static is counterproductive. The model also focuses on external commitment with employees. NÃ ¸rreklit states that: the employees will try to reach good results in the areas measured, but this will be to the detriment of other elements which may be important, too. It should be noted, however, that this problem is even greater if, as has traditionally been the case, only financial measures are used. (NÃ ¸rreklit, H. 2000). If the employees are focused on meeting the targets set out by the measures, theyll become too goal orientated and wont see the bigger picture of an objective. Conclusion The Balanced scorecard is an effective tool for setting strategic goals and finding out how we can measure their achievement. The problem with the static nature of the table is fairly significant however I believe that this can be rectified by keeping track of technological changes and monitoring competitors strategies. This can be done by studying their product releases or by looking at their expansion into other territories. The scorecard has its advantages in the sense that it avoids the typical short term goals that most managers aspire to achieve. With a focus on long term goals it allows the business to predict future changes to the market, changes that theyll have to adapt to. Word count: 1,500 References Bowhill, B. (2008) Business Planning and Control: Integrating Accounting, Strategy and People. Chichester: John Wiley Sons Ltd. Dell. (2012). Dells Commitment to Zero Waste. .Available : http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/d/corp-comm/cr-earth-reduce-reuse-recycle.aspx. Last accessed 09th Nov 2012. Forbes. (2012). DELL INC (NASDAQ:DELL) Ratios and Returns. Available: http://finapps.forbes.com/finapps/jsp/finance/compinfo/Ratios.jsp?tkr=DELL. Last accessed 09th Nov 2012. Gartner. (2012). Gartner Says Worldwide PC Shipments Declined 8 Percent in Third Quarter of 2012 as the Market Prepares for the Launch of Windows 8 . Available: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=2194017. Last accessed 09th Nov 2012. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (1992). The balanced scorecard-measures that drive performance. Harvard business review, 70 (1), 71-79. Norreklit, H. (2000). The balance on the balanced scorecard a critical analysis of some of its assumptions. Management accounting research. 11 (1), 65-88.

Grandpas House Essay -- Observation Essay, Descriptive Essay

Grandpa's House As I walk in through the door, I begin to sense the feeling of warmth come over me. This is the feeling I get every time I arrive at my Grandpa's house in Price, Utah. It's where I spent the first five years of my life. This is my second home. My family and I live about four hours away from Price, but that still doesn't stop us from going to visit as often as possible. The drive there is rather boring, but it's worth being able to see the familiar landscape of my past. After driving through a small town known as Wellington, I know that I am within minutes of being able to glance at my second home. I wait with anxiety as the car makes its way ever closer to the bridge that crosses the river, which runs right by the property of my Grandpa. Ahead I can see the old house and all the rickety, old buildings and corrals surrounding it. The excitement mounts inside as I let myself out of the car and make my way up toward the front porch. As I gently touch the cold, handmade iron railings that line the wooden steps, I know I've reached my destination. As I stand in front of the dark brown, wooden door with its small, yet beautiful etched glass window, I remember all of the times that I have passed through this portal and entered the warm, comforting rooms inside. Before entering, I take a step back to admire this old, stubborn house. It's a two-story, white house with a three-car garage attached to it. My grandpa built the entire house from the foundation up and a lot of the items in it. After observing this scene for a few minutes, I continue to enter the house. I slowly turn the brass knob of the door and anticipate the feeling of acceptance inside. As I open the door, a flood of warmth passes over and through... ...e property. There are corrals and sheds, which are beginning to show the effects of deterioration. Several fruit trees stand in a small orchard, which is next to a garden plot. My Grandpa's shop can also be seen from the window. This is where my Grandpa likes to spend most of his time creating new inventions or fixing old items. As I depart from the kitchen, I walk into the living room. There is a terrifying ugly brown couch with a crocheted throw draped over it. Two more Lazy-Boy chairs sit by it. On the opposite side of the room from me is a stone fireplace with shelves built on either side of it. These shelves are filled with books on every topic one can think of. Subjects range from the Civil War to cooking and mechanics. Above the fireplace rests an old, dependable clock. As it strikes the hour with its dings and dongs, I know I am where I belong. I am home.

The Balanced Scorecard Approach

Coca-cola Company (hereafter referred to as â€Å"the Company† or â€Å"the Organization†) is the owner of four of the world's top five nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands known to almost every American. Coca-cola was established in 1886 and presently, it is operational in at least 200 countries having at the minimum 90,500 associates worldwide and serving â€Å"1. 5 billions† ( The Coca-cola 2008 p. 1 )of customers each day .The Company’s overall goal, which is its mission is to â€Å"refresh the world in body, mind and spirit, inspire moments of optimism through their brands and actions and to create value and make a difference in all their engagements† ( Mission, Vision, 2006) The Company is a manufacturer and seller of soft (carbonated) drinks with various brands, the most popular of which is the banner brand, Coke. In assessing its success, the Organization does not only count its monetary sales and profits but as well as its effect to the w orld in general.Coca-cola Company tries to be open and accessible to everyone who needs information on anything it does. Financial records, company information, customer-goal, investor values and press releases are all accessible at the Company’s website, www. thecoca-colacompany. com. Aside from the abovementioned mission, the Organization’s vision include the following (Mission, Vision, 2006): ? People: Being a great place to work where people are inspired to be the best they can be. ? Planet: Being a responsible global citizen that makes a difference.? Portfolio: Bringing to the world a portfolio of beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy peoples' desires and needs. ? Partners: Nurturing a winning network of partners and building mutual loyalty. ? Profit: Maximizing return to shareowners while being mindful of our overall responsibilities Moreover, the Company’s strategies are incorporated in its values which include the following: ? Leadership: â€Å"Th e courage to shape a better future† ? Passion: â€Å"Committed in heart and mind† ? Integrity: â€Å"Be real† ? Accountability: â€Å"If it is to be, it's up to me† ? Collaboration: â€Å"Leverage collective genius†? Innovation: â€Å"Seek, imagine, create, delight† ? Quality: â€Å"What we do, we do well† SLP II. Indeed, customer is very important. Without a customer, any financial organization would not survive As Coca-cola’s way to retain existing customers and to encourage potential ones they have the following guidelines: Vision: Bringing to the world a portfolio of beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy peoples' desires and needs. Mission: Refresh the world in body, mind and spirit. Strategy: â€Å"What we do, we do well† To follow the guidelines and achieve what it wants, a set of very specific objectives must be met.The achievement of customer level objective, which includes â€Å"the satisfaction of custome rs, their retention, and larger market share† (The Balanced Scorecard) makes the business perform better. Why is the customer very important? Because there is a â€Å"direct correlation between financial results and customer. †(Shaw, 2000, p. 37) The Company, to satisfy its mission and vision, through its strategies for its existing and potential customers, the following objectives are setul: ? To satisfy customers with the gratifying taste of high quality products;? The introduction to customers of products with diverse and fortified products that are healthier. ? Production of healthy beverages lines which are tasty yet they are not damaging to health. The three objectives above are very important. The Company has acknowledge that â€Å"obesity and other health problems† (The Coca-cola, 2008, p. 12) may endanger the potential income of the Company as well as its name, which can be fatal to a company that† established reputations world-wide, and branding h as enabled international reputations to be created† (Kay, 1995, p. 15).Looking from these objectives, it can be seen that the third one is the most specific of the three. â€Å"production of healthy beverages lines which are tasty yet they are not damaging to health† would result to the â€Å"introduction of products taste diversity and fortification making them healthier† that would make customers satisfied with gratifying high-quality (healthy) beverages. This achieves the strategy of the Company stating, â€Å"What we do, we do well† and also its mission stating. â€Å"Refresh the world in body, mind and spirit†: an unhealthy drink would not satisfy the mind and spirit.

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Expansion of ideas – No Pains, No Gains No Pains, No Gains We cannot achieve real success in any field without great efffors and plenty of sacrifice. No pain, no gains is very true in case of education. Those who aspire to reach the top of the academic ladder must work very hard. Scholars are not born scholars but made with hard work and perseverance. What a student needs the most is concentration and perseverance. We must always imbibe into us the three D's – Devotion, Dedication and Determination. These three D's have help cricketers, painters, writers, actors,  scholars, dramatists and world leaders.These three D's will help us to  succeed in our  life. ————————————————- ————————————————- No Pain, No Gain Families everywhere deal with great challenges. With each obstacle they face generally the outcome will make each individual a little bit stronger. With these experiences our perspective in life changes and we become more knowledgeable. â€Å"Girl† and â€Å"Tiger Mending† are two stories that I believe reflect this in two very different ways.Jamaica Kincaid’s â€Å"Girl† is a story about reflection. It is about a girl reflecting back upon the past. Maybe she just lost her mother or maybe she is grown and finally realizes why her mother told her all of these things. At the time, I’m sure she thought her mother was always on her and barking orders at her. She grew up in a different era. Times were different obviously then based on the way they washed their clothes. â€Å"Wash the white clothes on Monday and put them on the stone heap,† and â€Å"soak your little clothes right after you take them off. All of the things the mother said were to mold her daughter into a good stron g woman. The reference the mother makes to the daughter on not becoming a slut is kind of odd and disturbing. â€Å"On Sundays try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming,† and â€Å"this is how to behave in the presence of men who don’t know you very well, and this way they won’t recognize immediately the slut I have warned you against becoming. † This maybe the mother’s way of reverse psychology. By putting hese thoughts and references in the girl’s head, she will think twice about things she does. The girl will not want to give the wrong impression and will strive to rise above her mother’s expectations. This story refers to growth and even though it seems to be somewhat harsh, the mother is really striving for a smart productive daughter. A daughter she is proud to have raised and one who will also set a good example for her own children. Aimee Bender’s â€Å"Tiger Mending† is a story ab out change and growth. This story is about two sisters who have lost their parents and†¦ [continues]

ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) - Statistics Definition

ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) - Statistics Definition Many times when we study a group, we are really comparing two populations. Depending upon the parameter of this group we are interested in and the conditions we are dealing with, there are several techniques available. Statistical inference procedures that concern the comparison of two populations cannot usually be applied to three or more populations. To study more than two populations at once, we need different types of statistical tools. Analysis of variance, or ANOVA, is a technique from statistical interference that allows us to deal with several populations. Comparison of Means To see what problems arise and why we need ANOVA, we will consider an example. Suppose we are trying to determine if the mean weights of green, red, blue and orange MM candies are different from each other. We will state the mean weights for each of these populations, ÃŽ ¼1, ÃŽ ¼2, ÃŽ ¼3 ÃŽ ¼4 and respectively. We may use the appropriate hypothesis test several times, and test C(4,2), or six different null hypotheses: H0: ÃŽ ¼1 ÃŽ ¼2 to check if the mean weight of the population of the red candies is different than the mean weight of the population of the blue candies.H0: ÃŽ ¼2 ÃŽ ¼3 to check if the mean weight of the population of the blue candies is different than the mean weight of the population of the green candies.H0: ÃŽ ¼3 ÃŽ ¼4 to check if the mean weight of the population of the green candies is different than the mean weight of the population of the orange candies.H0: ÃŽ ¼4 ÃŽ ¼1 to check if the mean weight of the population of the orange candies is different than the mean weight of the population of the red candies.H0: ÃŽ ¼1 ÃŽ ¼3 to check if the mean weight of the population of the red candies is different than the mean weight of the population of the green candies.H0: ÃŽ ¼2 ÃŽ ¼4 to check if the mean weight of the population of the blue candies is different than the mean weight of the population of the orange candies. There are many problems with this kind of analysis. We will have six p-values. Even though we may test each at a 95% level of confidence, our confidence in the overall process is less than this because probabilities multiply: .95 x .95 x .95 x .95 x .95 x .95 is approximately .74, or an 74% level of confidence. Thus the probability of a type I error has increased. At a more fundamental level, we cannot compare these four parameters as a whole by comparing them two at a time. The means of the red and blue MMs may be significant, with the mean weight of red being relatively larger than the mean weight of the blue. However, when we consider the mean weights of all four kinds of candy, there may not be a significant difference. Analysis of Variance To deal with situations in which we need to make multiple comparisons we use ANOVA. This test allows us to consider the parameters of several populations at once, without getting into some of the problems that confront us by conducting hypothesis tests on two parameters at a time. To conduct ANOVA with the MM example above, we would test the null hypothesis H0:ÃŽ ¼1 ÃŽ ¼2 ÃŽ ¼3 ÃŽ ¼4. This states that there is no difference between the mean weights of the red, blue and green MMs. The alternative hypothesis is that there is some difference between the mean weights of the red, blue, green and orange MMs. This hypothesis is really a combination of several statements Ha: The mean weight of the population of red candies is not equal to the mean weight of the population of blue candies, ORThe mean weight of the population of blue candies is not equal to the mean weight of the population of green candies, ORThe mean weight of the population of green candies is not equal to the mean weight of the population of orange candies, ORThe mean weight of the population of green candies is not equal to the mean weight of the population of red candies, ORThe mean weight of the population of blue candies is not equal to the mean weight of the population of orange candies, ORThe mean weight of the population of blue candies is not equal to the mean weight of the population of red candies. In this particular instance, in order to obtain our p-value, we would utilize a probability distribution known as the F-distribution. Calculations involving the ANOVA F test can be done by hand, but are typically computed with statistical software. Multiple Comparisons What separates ANOVA from other statistical techniques is that it is used to make multiple comparisons. This is common throughout statistics, as there are many times where we want to compare more than just two groups. Typically an overall test suggests that there is some sort of difference between the parameters we are studying. We then follow this test with some other analysis to decide which parameter differs.

Microtheme essays

Microtheme essays At many bars they usually have some form of live entertainment. At Jimmys Bar and Grill the live entertainment was us. Thats right, my band and I were going to play in front of about 80 to 90 drunk (or working on it) people. This was the first night that Ryan, James, and I had ever played in front of anybody. I remember it like it was yesterday, the night had started well, a few beers and, a quick chew before I was supposed to go up on stage. The transition of just two feet from the floor to the stage hit me like a brick. My legs didnt work and suddenly I felt all warm. What the hell was wrong with, I thought it must be the beer. Anyway as we tuned up it felt like my throat had cinched up and my hands wouldnt work. I didnt think I was going to be able to play. As the tuning ended they announced our name, and the first chord was played with a deafening low sound from my bass. All the nervousness was gone! it was like I had been playing in front of people for my whole life. Since the playing was going well I just assumed the singing would be fine. But when the time came for me to sing the harmony parts with my guitarists Ryan, I almost pissed my pants. It was like I couldnt hear the note in my head, but when it came out, it was right on key. Oh, thank God! The rest of the night was a blur, the two hour set was over before we knew it, but we were not done playing and since the crowd wanted more, we started to play covers off of Godsmack (One of my favorites). And since we were playing other peoples music anyway we decided to do cover Johnny Cashs Ring of Fire. Except instead of a nice slow and low song it was replaced with screams and horrific chords that just infiltrated your ear drums so that no other noise would enter while the band was playing. When the final song was played and the people started clapping i ...

IRS No Longer Sending Paper Tax Forms

IRS No Longer Sending Paper Tax Forms They say the only things certain in life are death and taxes. That might be true. But the way you pay your taxes is certainly changing. Key Takeaways The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officially stopped mailing annual tax return forms to individual taxpayers at the end of 2010.The IRS estimated at the time that the change would, in fact, save taxpayers over $10 million a year in printing, postage, and processing costs.Paper tax forms and instructions can still be ordered from the IRS or picked up at local IRS assistance centers or participating post offices and public libraries.Electronic filing or â€Å"efiling† is now the predominant method of filing tax returns, with over 56 million taxpayers having prepared and efiled their federal tax returns since the IRS stopped mailing paper tax forms in 2011 The Internal Revenue Service announced that it will no longer mail out paper tax forms to Americans, effective 2011. The move is designed to save everyones favorite government agency a little cash - about $10 million a year. With the continued growth in electronic filing and to help reduce costs, the IRS will no longer mail paper tax packages that typically arrive in January of each year, the agency said in a postcard mailed to taxpayers. The IRS will save money by not having to print and mail the thick, 44-page packet of information, tax tables and Form 1040s. If you dont want to file electronically, here are your options for getting paper tax forms: Log onto IRS.gov, where you can download and print the latest tax forms.Drop by your local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center.Go to your local post office or library if they participate in the federal tax products program.After Jan. 1, you can also dial the IRS toll-free hotline and ask them to mail you the paperwork. The number is (800) 829-3676. The IRS has been encouraging taxpayers to file electronically for years. About 96 million taxpayers filed electronically in 2010, and another 20 million submitted their forms to the IRS through professional tax preparers, according to the agency. By comparison, only about 11.5 million taxpayers who filed paper tax forms had received them in the mail. Electronic Filing Now Dominates Figures released by the IRS in 2019 show that the agency’s 2011 decision to â€Å"go paperless† was a wise and popular one. According to the IRS, the number of tax returns that are filed electronically- efiled- has grown every year since. By the end of May 2019, for example, more than 127,939,000 million tax returns for Tax Year 2018 had been efiled. Taxpayers who self-prepare and efile their own tax returns have continued to grow. In 2019 (for Tax Year 2018), over 56,214,000 million taxpayers have prepared and efiled their federal tax returns themselves as of May 2019. In addition, as of May 2019, over 86,965,000 million taxpayers had received faster federal tax refunds via direct bank deposits into bank accounts through electronic bank transfers (EBT). The average tax refund received by direct deposit was $2,868. The option to file tax returns electronically has actually been around for 25 years. The practice of efiling began in 1986 as a small test program in 1968, when only 5 tax IRS-selected tax preparers from Cincinnati, Raleigh Durham, and Phoenix agreed to participate. Since then, efile has grown to become commonplace, serving millions of taxpayers every year. Updated by Robert Longley

Environmental Health Job Opportunities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Health Job Opportunities - Essay Example A. It is a fact that 60-90% of the population spend a substantial amount of their time indoors, which can be in private or public buildings like offices, restaurants and schools. Indoor air pollution is responsible for many chronic diseases, which include respiratory diseases and some types of cancer (Jantunen, Oliveira Fernandes, Carrer, & Kephalopoulos, 2011). B. A research on fungi contamination was done in elderly care centres in Portugal; because of elderly people spend a lot of time indoors. Therefore, they are highly influenced by indoor air pollution, which involves the use of substances like bioaerosols. The Bioaerosols were evaluated before and after fungi was measured in the microenvironments; fungi load was high in bedrooms and storage areas (40 different fungal species were isolated). Penicillium and Aspergillus were the most common fungi isolated during the study, the living room registered the lowest fungal concentration as opposed to the storage area that had the highest fungal load (Viegas, Almeida-Silva, Gomes, Wolterbeek, & Almeida, 2014) The research was done by administering questionnaires and measuring and determining the content of indoor air in public places like restaurants. The research aimed at evaluating the smoke free law regarding the quality of indoor air, which was introduced by the Portuguese government in 2008. The study registered a very significant decrease in CO, methane, TO and RSP concentrations after the ban had been passed. The study provides foundational data on smoke free law and its effects on indoor air quality in public places (Madureira, Mendes, & Teixeira, 2013). 5. The cost of living refers to the minimum amount of money that one requires to cover expenses on food, housing, clothing, taxes and healthcare (Bertolazzi, 2007). The cost of living is affected by factors

Levi Strauss & Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Levi Strauss & Company - Case Study Example This approach is not static by nature and its frameworks usually comprise of feedback loop so as to evaluate or monitor performance. In this particular study different strategic frameworks shall be included and applied on Levi Strauss & Company. This brand is known to be number one amongst cloth manufacturing company. The company was founded by Levi Strauss in 1853. Over the years, Levi Strauss & Company has brought forth certain changes as per changing market trends. It markets and manufactures non-work and casual work sportswear and jeans. Their products have been able to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction and are presently known for greater degree of comfort. In earlier years Levi’s jeans was considered to be a staple product for every teenager. The company in the present scenario has lost its close connection with customer’s hidden demand. There has been continuous struggle from company’s perspective in context of achieving right combination of stra tegies. Current mission statement of the firm will be analyzed along with some proposed recommendations. There are certain theoretical frameworks included in this study like CPM, EFE, IFE, Space Matrix, Grand Strategy Matrix and QSPM. All these models will be evaluated with respect to widespread operations performed by Levi Strauss Company. The company is externally surrounded by many competitors who have retained their brand image from past many years. In this case the major strategic challenge for the firm is to reformulate their brand image and sustain it for many years. It is indeed a challenge to keep blue jeans within their famous jeans sector. There would be four major aspects of the firm which shall be monitored like marketing, production, financial position and company culture. In overall context the firm has to adopt market oriented approach so as to remain competitive in the market place. Levi Strauss & Company was initially founded in 1853 and later in 1860 the famous Levi’s

The International Covenant On Civil And Political Rights Essay

The International Covenant On Civil And Political Rights - Essay Example With regard to the exercise of the cultural rights protected under article 27 [of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights], the Committee observes that culture manifests itself in many forms, including a particular way of life associated with the use of land resources, especially in the case of indigenous peoples. Discuss whether Article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which New Zealand is a signatory, is effective in protecting the right of MAORI to enjoy Maori culture in New Zealand. Article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights gives to the Maori culture the right to engage in fishing activities and it reiterates its obligations to ensure that these rights are recognized. The Fisheries Settlement has achieved this to a large extent in as much as it gave them the right to revenue through quota together with Maori participation in the Sealords deal in what may be called as the modern day embodiment of Maori claims to the commercial fishery. In this way, Maori exercises effective control in a company through their shareholding and their representatives on the Board of Directors and has placed them in an unprecedented position to expand their presence in the market through the acquisition of further quota and fishing assets as well as through diversification in international catching processing and marketing. Its implementation is ensured and protected by the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission and its companies as well as individual tribes. Apart from this, the Fisheries settlement has come a long way in protecting non-commercial fishing i.e. for customary food gathering and a successful attempt has been made to recognize the special relationship between Maori and places of importance for customary food gathering. It may be noted that the right of minorities under Article 27 is not unlimited. They are subject to reasonable regulation provided these measures have a reasonable and ob jective justification and are consistent with the other provision of the Covenant and most importantly do not result in a denial of right. In Re Mahuika V New Zealand, it was held by one of the committee members that as far as in relation to Article 27 of the Covenant, an overall settlement of fisheries claims is found to be compatible to Article 27 provided that the conditions of effective consultation and securing the sustainability of culturally significant forms of Maori fishing are met. The Human Rights Committee was of the view that there is no breach of any article of the Covenant. In pursuance of the protection of the rights of the Maoris under Article 27 of the Covenant, the State has ensured that through a tedious and complex process of consultation with the various Maori groups it has attempted to secure broad Maori support to a nationwide settlement and regulation of fishing activities. It was only when there was substantial Maori support that the Settlement was enacted. It would not be out of place to mention that the consultation process gave special attention to the cultural and religious significance of fishing for the Maori inter alia to securing the possibility of Maori individuals and communities to engage themselves in non-commercial fishing activities. In this way, the State has taken necessary steps to ensure that the Fisheries Settlement and its enactment through legislation including the Quota Management System are in line with article 27.

The cost of the modern Olympics far outweighs the benefits. Argue your Essay

The cost of the modern Olympics far outweighs the benefits. Argue your position - Essay Example Indeed, one may definitely identify some economic benefits that are a result of the Games. These include employment of workers who will work at construction sites; the Olympics attract numerous people from across the globe that will predictably buy lots of thing, etc. At the same time, there are others that criticise the Olympics because of large amounts of public money spent by local governments to host them. While the latter may sound a bit pragmatic, yet theirs is the point. THESIS STATEMENT: The benefits of the Olympic Games do not outweigh their cost since the expenditures on construction are not remunerative, substitution spending takes place, misplacement is often the case, employment opportunities are temporary, and hopes for visitors’ excessive spending and attendance do not realize. To support this statement, this paper refers to the latest data on the Olympics and their benefit analysis done by scholars who research the issue. BODY PARAGRAPH 1: First, the cost of th e Olympic Games considerably outweighs its benefits because expenditures on construction of new world-class facilities require excessive funding which will not be remunerative in the long run. Charles Santo in his article â€Å"Economic Impact of Sport Stadiums, Teams, and Events†, observes that Olympic spending is higher than any other spending on sporting events. He cites the following data: the 2004 Summer Olympics which were held in Athens incurred $12.8 billion; the Chinese government invested up to $43 billion to host the Beijing Olympic Games back in 2008. However, the sporting facilities do not yield sufficient returns on the public money invested in their construction and maintenance. The long-term fate of Olympic facilities in Beijing built before 2008 Olympic Games well illustrates this statement. As Demick (2009) observes, the National Stadium in Beijing, also called the Bird’s Nest, was supposed to host only one event in 2009. That was an opera performance of Turandot scheduled to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the ceremony of opening of the Olympics. Ironically, the leading soccer club in China had withdrawn from the deal to play at the stadium, since it found it embarrassing to utilize a 91,000-seat facility for soccer games that typically attracted not more than 10,000 visitors. BODY PARAGRAPH 2 Second, it is possible to say that the cost of the Olympic Games considerably outweighs their benefits because of the phenomenon known as substitution spending. Substitution spending with regard to the Olympics takes place when an anticipated tourism boom proves not profitable enough in real life: in fact, a tourism boom for one city means a slum for others. For example, hotel occupancy during the time of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia was related to substitution spending. The Olympics were held in Sydney between September 16 and September 30. For those two weeks, hotels in Sydney had nearly 100% occupancy, yet in other marke ts Australian hotels had considerable demand shortfalls compared to the first half of September and to the same time period a year ago. Specifically, hotel occupancy dropped by 17% and 19% during the period of the Olympics in Brisbane and Melbourne (Andersen 2000, p.1). Hence, the substitution spending was fixed during the 2000 Olympics. It leads to the conclusion that the economic gains brought by the

Issues in accounting for R&D investment - a perspective from the Dissertation

Issues in accounting for R&D investment - a perspective from the pharmaceutical industry - Dissertation Example The companies operating in the pharmaceutical industry spend millions of dollars each year in the research and development expenditure so that they are able to devise new methods and medicine that are able to cure and provide sustenance to the human body from deadly diseases. From the financial perspective, the research and development expenditure forms an integral part of the financial statements of any pharmaceutical company. Over the years, a debate has been going between the financial managers and the economists regarding the fact pertaining to the accounting treatment of the research and development expenditure in the financial statements of the pharmaceutical companies. ... This particular, in addition to providing a brief historical background of the R&D accounting treatments, highlights the following main R&D accounting issues and their most prudent accounting treatment in the financial statements of a pharmaceutical company: Goodwill accounting during merger and acquisition transaction between multinational Exchange of intangible assets with continuing involvement Upfront payments to conduct research with access to the research Payments made to conduct research Upfront payments received to conduct development: Interim recognition Upfront payments received to conduct development: Completion Donation payment for research Loans received to fund research and development purposes Segmental reporting of internal research and development Treatment of development supplies Advertising and promotional expenditure Accounting for the cost of free samples Line extension development costs The paper also presents the linkage between the research and development exp enditure and financial viability. For this purpose the last three financial years of AsteraZeneca is used. Introduction The top of the worldwide pharmaceutical market is the US and it is expected to hit almost $345 billion in 2014. The second largest market is the Japanese market and then the European market including Germany France, and Chinese market (Market line industry guide, 2012). However, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (IFPW) shows that growth rates in developed and developing markets based on their capability to recover from the economic crisis is significantly inconsistent. According to the research of Urch Publishing (2012), the global pharmaceutical industry in 2014 is expected to be worth over $1 trillion with a 5% compound annual growth

HS630 Week 8 Conference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HS630 Week 8 Conference - Essay Example Likewise, the Catastrophic Incident Annex also clearly indicated the Federal Response procedures, in conjunction with responsibilities of coordinating and cooperating agencies that could be contacted by the public to facilitate response, as required. Another chosen annex, the Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex (NRIA), is likewise found to be useful since it contained concise, yet in-depth information on roles and responsibilities of federal agencies with various cooperating agencies; and the procedural guidelines on â€Å"notification, coordination, and leadership of Federal activities† (National Response Framework, 2008, p. 1). As such, the viewing public’s awareness would be enhanced on policies, planning and preparedness issues, and even the materials and facilities involved with corresponding coordinating agencies for specifically identified incidents. The NRIA is a significant informative document that highlights critical areas and the response procedures, together with the authorized governing agencies to contact â€Å"for incidents involving release of radioactive materials to address the consequences of the event† (National Response Framework, 2008, p. 1). As such, the public would be guided through the appropriate courses of action and measures that must be instituted in cases where incidents such as this happen. 2. CPG 101 provides Content Guides for functional annexes in Appendix C, pp. C-12 through C-27. From the checklist for ESF #3 Public Works and Engineering Critical Infrastructure and Key Resource Restoration, pick 1 item and write it up as if you were a municipal emergency planner. One of the items noted from the ESF #3 Public Works and Engineering Incident Actions include â€Å"Providing coordination and technical assistance (to include vessel removal, significant marine debris removal, and hydrographic survey) to effect the rapid recovery and reconstitution of critical waterways, channels, and

Issues in accounting for R&D investment - a perspective from the Dissertation

Issues in accounting for R&D investment - a perspective from the pharmaceutical industry - Dissertation Example The companies operating in the pharmaceutical industry spend millions of dollars each year in the research and development expenditure so that they are able to devise new methods and medicine that are able to cure and provide sustenance to the human body from deadly diseases. From the financial perspective, the research and development expenditure forms an integral part of the financial statements of any pharmaceutical company. Over the years, a debate has been going between the financial managers and the economists regarding the fact pertaining to the accounting treatment of the research and development expenditure in the financial statements of the pharmaceutical companies. ... This particular, in addition to providing a brief historical background of the R&D accounting treatments, highlights the following main R&D accounting issues and their most prudent accounting treatment in the financial statements of a pharmaceutical company: Goodwill accounting during merger and acquisition transaction between multinational Exchange of intangible assets with continuing involvement Upfront payments to conduct research with access to the research Payments made to conduct research Upfront payments received to conduct development: Interim recognition Upfront payments received to conduct development: Completion Donation payment for research Loans received to fund research and development purposes Segmental reporting of internal research and development Treatment of development supplies Advertising and promotional expenditure Accounting for the cost of free samples Line extension development costs The paper also presents the linkage between the research and development exp enditure and financial viability. For this purpose the last three financial years of AsteraZeneca is used. Introduction The top of the worldwide pharmaceutical market is the US and it is expected to hit almost $345 billion in 2014. The second largest market is the Japanese market and then the European market including Germany France, and Chinese market (Market line industry guide, 2012). However, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (IFPW) shows that growth rates in developed and developing markets based on their capability to recover from the economic crisis is significantly inconsistent. According to the research of Urch Publishing (2012), the global pharmaceutical industry in 2014 is expected to be worth over $1 trillion with a 5% compound annual growth

Fertility decline has repercussions far beyond those of changing Essay

Fertility decline has repercussions far beyond those of changing population growth rates. Discuss - Essay Example the current situation of Iran and Saudi Arabia as it pertains to the decline, and will also contrast the situation in these countries in respect to demographic behaviour and specific repercussions. Fertility decline has repercussions far beyond those of changing population growth rates. Already clear is the increasing influence of the media in Islamic countries. This is quite obvious from role the media played in Iran’s family planning. It is due to the media’s influence that smaller families became more popular in the first place. Thus, it is quite simple to see that Muslims are becoming more focused on the media, especially as it pertains to family and social developments. Saudi Arabia is another Middle Eastern country that is situated across the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia has also experienced a recent decline in fertility, but for different reasons, and there are contrasting political, social, and economic situations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. During the seventies and early eighties, the Islamic Republic of Iran had a pro-natalist policy, meaning that it encouraged families to have larger families. In the late eighties, the Iranian cities began to be seriously overpopulated. This problem directed The Islamic Republic of Iran to take action by way of family planning in 1989, which led to a dramatic drop in fertility. Saudi Arabia has been influenced by economic hardship as well, and the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has recently begun to decrease. Politically, the Saudi Arabian government has not directly influenced fertility rate in any way, however, indirect political influence is a possibility The increasing education of women in Islamic countries seems to play a large part in the fertility decline. The more educated the woman, the fewer births she is likely to have. Iran has recently begun to increase the amount of education available to women. As the amount of education rises, less births occur. In Arabia, the educational status of women has

Position of FE Line and IS Curve Analysis

Position of FE Line and IS Curve Analysis The employees choose to work when the organizations offer high wages to them and on the other hand organizations have a preference to hire employees while the wage rate is low, the labor market equilibrium is to balance out the contradictory needs of employees and organizations and find out the wage rate and the employment examined in the labor market. The labor market equilibrium find out an amount of labor, and that amount of labor through the production function determines full employment level of output. As the level of output does not rely on the rate of interest the full employment line would be plotted as a vertical line in the graph. The first example of change in economy that would shift the FE line to right is the increase in labor supply, when the labor population increases the equilibrium employment also increases which in turn increases the full employment output and shifts the FE line to right. The second example of the change in economy is the increase in capital stock when the capital stock increases the additional output can be produced with the same number of labor and that would shift the FE line to right. Q2) What relationship does the IS curve capture? Derive the IS curve graphically and show why it slopes as it does. Give Two examples of changes in the economy that would cause the IS curve to shift down and to the left. The IS curve illustrates the correlation between the real interest rate and income for which investment is equals to savings. The graphical representation is based on the dependent variable which shows the income level and the independent variable which is rate of interest. The IS curve is drawn as down-ward sloping with the rate of interest (r) on vertical axes and the level of income (Y) on horizontal axis. Is curve represents the equilibrium point where total investment equals to total savings. Derivation of IS curve The saving curvature incline upward as the high rate of interest increases savings whereas an increase in income shifts the saving curvature to the right, because people save more when their income is more and the investment curvature slopes downward as the high rate of interest decreases the preferred capital stock which in turn decreases investment. At the higher level of income the saving curvature shifts to the right comparatively when level of income is low. The interest rate is lower at the increased level of income due to which the IS curvature slopes downward. The first example of the change in economy that would cause the IS curve to shift down and to left is due to taxes when consumer without considering future tax cut decreases the consumption it increases the savings and decreases the rate of interest that clears the good market. The second example of the change in economy is when due to the effective tax rate on capital investment decreases which also decreases the rate of interest and shifts the IS curve down and to the left. Q3) What relationship does the LM curve capture? Derive the LM curve graphically and show why it slopes as it does. Give two examples of changes in the economy that would causes the LM curve to shift down and to the right. The LM curve illustrates the relationship between rate of interest and income for which the asset market is in equilibrium. Like the graphical representation of IS the LM s graph also has two variables; the independent variable is income and the dependent variable is rate of interest. The LM curvature is upward sloping and characterizes the amount of money demanded which is equal to the amount of money supplied. Derivation of LM curve The LM curvature can be derive by projecting demand of money for different levels of income and the resulting equilibrium. If we talk about equilibrium it says that when income rises the demand for money increases and when the demand for money increase it makes people to sell their fixed assets so the cost of those assets decreases and the rate of interest increases. As the rate of interest increases the money demand decreases till the equilibrium is achieved and due to this the LM curvature slopes upward from left to right. The first example of the change in economy that would cause the LM curve to shift down and to the right is due to increase in nominal money supply, when money supply increases, it decrease the rate of interest and achieve the point of equilibrium where money supplied equals money demanded. The other example of the change in economy is when there is increase in expected inflation the money demand increases as well as the rate of interest increases and achieve the equilibrium that causes the LM curve to shift down and to the right. Q5) Define general equilibrium and show the general equilibrium point in the IS-LM diagram. If the economy isn t in general equilibrium, what determines output and the real interest rate? What economic forces act to bring the economy back to general equilibrium? The general equilibrium is when FE line, IS curvature and the LM curvature intersects. It is indicated that outside variations are quite sensitive to the perseverance of interest rate and the output. The economic forces such as price adjustments in IS-LM model in terms of increase in government purchases and real money supply will work to bring back the economy back to general equilibrium. Q7) What two variables are related by the aggregate demand (AD) curve? Why does the AD curve slope downward? Give two examples of changes in the economy that shift the AD curve up and to the right and explain why the shifts occur. The two variables that are related to aggregate demand are price and income. The AD curve slopes downward because the AD curve considers the IS-LM illustration in which the LM curvature is drawn for fixed level of prices if price changes then LM curvature also shifts. At different levels of prices the IS-LM junctions determines the income level with various prices. The income and price on the graph gives the aggregate demand. For example any variable like the rate of interest or income except price that moves IS or LM from their original position it would also shift aggregate demand, the way of movement is determined by identifying the change in IS-LM model like if there is an increase in income level it shows the movement in IS-LM graph. Therefore IS and LM meet at higher income level, then the aggregate demand curvature moves to the right.

RSA encryption :: Mathematics Math

RSA encryption All over the world there are millions of people use credit card and on-line shopping. Every individual gets different numbers for credit card and for transcription of on-line-shopping. Where did all this number come from? Are the numbers in order? No, those numbers are made by RSA algorithm. RSA encryption is the foundation of public key cryptography security products. For example, credit card companies use the RSA algorithm for customers’ individual online WebPages. The credit card companies publish a big number on WebPages, which is made by big prime numbers using the RSA algorithm. Since neither computers nor people can factor such big numbers, the RSA encryption system has secured many customers’ information. The RSA encryption is related to the cipher of Julius Caesar (1300s) that shifts three letters to encode messages. The cipher of Julius Caesar was used in war to send messages securely. Here is how Caesar encodes his message using the cipher. First Caesar assigned A through Z to 0 through 25. For instance A is zero. Second, add three to each numbers. Then, Caesar changed number into Alphabet again. The problem of the cipher of Julius Caesar is that it can be easily decoded by anyone because shifting three letters is not that hard to decode. However, the RSA system is much safer than the Caesar system because the RSA system uses huge numbers made by two big prime numbers using a special formula. RSA is named after three researchers( Ronald Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adelman) from MIT. They searched for implementation to complete PKC system and found the RSA system among 40 candidates of formulas. PKC is the enabling technology for all Internet security and the increasing use of digital signatures, which are replacing traditional signatures in many contexts. However, RSA is better than PKC because RSA doesn’t need digital signature. As a result, the RSA algorithm turned out to be a perfect fit for the implementation of a practical public security system. In 1977, Martin Gardner first introduced the RSA system. After 5 years, company RSA used secure electronic security products. Nowadays many credit companies of all over the world use the RSA system or a similar system based on the RSA system. Why is the RSA system considered to be secure? As I mentioned before, neither computers nor people can factor really big numbers. Although the computer is suitable for calculating huge numbers, computers can’t factor numbers made by the RSA algorithm.

Dwight Eisenhower :: essays research papers

Dwight D. Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas. His parents, David Jacob Eisenhower and Ida Stover Eisenhower, were a deeply religious couple who belonged to a Protestant sect called the River Brethren. Dwight had two older brothers, Arthur and Edgar, and three younger ones, Roy, Earl, and Milton. As a baby, his family moved to Abilene, Kansas where Dwight’s father worked in a creamery. During that time, the sons raised and sold vegetables and found a variety of other jobs to contribute to household expenses (2, Ambrose). Dwight, often nicknamed “Little Ike'; to distinguish him from “Big Ike';, his brother Edgar, impressed his fellow students. Predictions that appeared in their high school yearbook saw Dwight becoming a history professor and Edgar, interestingly, President of the United States (146, Richardson).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After high school, Dwight worked full-time at the creamery and helped pay for some of Edgar’s college expenses (12, Ambrose). Dwight never thought about a higher education until a friend persuaded him to apply to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He received an appointment to the academy by Senator Joseph Bristow of Kansas where later he played for the academy’s football team (16, Ambrose). A knee injury forced him to quit and end his hopes of being a star halfback. In 1915, Eisenhower graduated from the academy and the Army assigned him to Fort Sam Houston, where he held the rank of second lieutenant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While coaching sports teams when off duty at Fort Sam Houston, he met Mamie Geneva Doud, a visitor from Denver, and started taking her to social gatherings at the base. On July 1, 1916, the day of his promotion to first lieutenant, Dwight and Mamie were married. The young couple had their first son, Doud Dwight Eisenhower, died of scarlet fever at three years old. Later, the Eisenhowers had a second son, John Sheldon Doud Eisenhower who later became an Army officer and diplomat (147, Richardson).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Eisenhower’s commission, he directed tank training programs for officers and recruits at Camp Colt, located at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. After World War I, Eisenhower served as one of Brigadier General Fox Conner’s staff officers. Conner’s self-discipline and attention to detail impressed Eisenhower. Conner supported Eisenhower in his admission to the Army’s “leadership factory.'; In 1926, Eisenhower graduated first in his class of 275 top Army officers who survived a highly demanding training in tactics and various other military skills.

Katherine Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory Essay

Katherine Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory fits best with my philosophy of nursing and my current work environment. As a hospice nurse comfort is the top priority. The goal of hospice care is to provide comfort and dignity at the end of life. The technical term for comfort for health care is the immediate state of being strengthened by having the needs for relief, ease, and transcendence addressed in the four context of holistic human experience: physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environment. The change goal would be to implement Kolcaba’s taxonomic structure of comfort as a way for the hospice unit staff to measure comfort. Katherine Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory Kolcaba was born as Katherine Arnold on December 8th, in Cleveland, Ohio. She received her diploma in nursing from St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1965. She graduated from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University in 1987. She graduated with a PhD in nursing and received a certificate of authority clinical nursing specialist in 1997. She specialized in Gerontology, End of Life and Long Term Care Interventions, Comfort Studies, Instrument Development, Nursing Theory, and Nursing Research. She is currently and associate professor of nursing at the University of Akron College of Nursing. She published Comfort Theory and Practice: a Vision for Holistic Health Care and Research (Nursing Theories, 2011). Description  Comfort Theory is a middle range theory for health practice, education, and research. Comfort is viewed as an outcome of care that can promote or facilitate health-seeking behaviors. Increasing comfort can result in having negative tensions reduced and positive tensions engaged. Kolcaba (as cited in McEwin & Wills, 2011) defined comfort within nursing practice as â€Å"the satisfaction of the basic human needs for relief, ease, or transcendence arising from health care situations that are stressful† (p. 34). Purpose According to Kolcaba, (2010) â€Å"the overall purpose of Comfort Theory, was to highlight the importance of comforting patients in this high tech world. It is what they want and need from us. † Origin. To describe the origin or development of Comfort Theory, Kolcaba conducted a concept analysis of comfort that examined literature from several disciplines including nursing, medicine, psychology, psychiatry, ergonomics, and English. First, three types of comfort (relief, ease, transcendence) and four contexts of holistic human experience in differing aspects of therapeutic contexts were introduced. A taxonomic structure was developed to guide for assessment, measurement, and evaluation of patient comfort (Nursing Theories, 2011). Major concepts. Major concepts described in the Theory of Comfort include comfort, comfort care, comfort measures, comfort needs, health-seeking behaviors, institutional integrity, and intervening variables (Kolcaba, 2010). Propositions. Kolcaba (as cited in McEwin & Wills, 2011) defines eight propositions that link the defined concepts: * Nurses and members of the health care team identify comfort needs of patients and family members * Nurses design and coordinate interventions to address comfort needs * Intervening variables are considered when designing interventions * When interventions are delivered in a caring manner and are effective, the outcome of enhanced comfort is attained * Patients, nurses and other health care team members agree on desirable and realistic health-seeking behaviors * If enhanced comfort is achieved, patients, family members and/or nurses are more likely to engage in health-seeking behaviors; these further enhance comfort * When patients and family members are given comfort care and engage in health-seeking behaviors, they are more satisfied with health care and have better health-related outcomes * When patients, families, and nurses are satisfied with health care in an institution, public acknowledgement about that institution’s contributions to health care will help the institution remain viable and flourish. Evidence-based practice or policy improvements may be guided by these propositions and the theoretical framework (P. 234). Population According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, (NHPCO, 2012) in 2011, an estimated 1. 65 million patients received services from hospice and an estimated 44. 6% of all deaths in the United States were patients under hospice care. In 2001, an estimated 36. 6% of cancer patients accessed three of more days of hospice care. The median length of service in 2011 was 19. 1 days. 56. 4% of hospice patients were female and 43. 6% were male. 83. % of hospice patients were 65 years of age or older, and more than one-third of all hospice patients were 85 years of age or older. 82. 8% of hospice patients were white/Caucasian. Patients of minority (non-Caucasian) race accounted for more than one fifth of hospice patients. Today cancer diagnoses account for less than half of all hospice admissions (37. 7%). Currently less than 25% of U. S. deaths are now caused by cancer, with the majority of death due to other terminal diseases. The top four non-cancer primary diagnoses for patients admitted to hospice in 2011 were debility, dementia, heart disease, and lung disease (NHPCO, 2012). Level of care  There are four general levels of hospice care: routine home care, continuous home care, general inpatient care, and inpatient respite care. The facility where I currently work is a unit for general inpatient care. General inpatient care is care received in an inpatient facility for pain control or acute or complex symptom management which cannot be managed in other settings. In 2011, 2. 2% of hospice patients received general inpatient care. The percentage of hospice patients receiving care in a hospice inpatient facility increased from 21. 9% in 2010 to 26. 1% in 2011 (NHPCO, 2012). The main reason for a general inpatient admission is for comfort care that cannot be achieved at home or in another setting. Nursing Role  My current role at the hospice unit is one of a staff nurse. I work three, twelve hour shifts on the dayshift. My responsibilities include the day to day care of the patients that I am assigned. I provide the patients with comfort care and symptom management based on the physicians orders. I do have certain standing orders that can be put in place without making a call to the physician and using my nursing judgment alone. I report directly to the unit manager on my unit. Power I feel that I have informal power at my facility. I have been there the longest of all the nurses, including the manager. I am the person that all the nurses turn to when there is a question regarding policy and procedure. I am the person that others seek out for advice and unfortunately the person that most nurses vent to. I am always willing to pick up extra shifts without complaining. I continually hear from the other nurses, â€Å"you never complain. † I love what I do! I love providing comfort care for patients in need. Are there days when things get crazy? Are there things I wish I could change? Absolutely, but complaining doesn’t change anything and I feel that being around someone that complains all the time bring others down as well. I always try to stay positive and encourage others. The management team comes to me as well to ask me my opinion about certain changes. I feel that I could be a positive influence for change, but ultimately the decision would not be mine to make. Any decision has to go through my unit manager and then up the chain of command to the clinical director, and executive director. Comfort Theory â€Å"Best Fit† for Hospice According to Kolcaba, (2010) health is considered to be optimal functioning, as defined by the patient, group, family, or community. There are several major assumptions in Comfort Theory. Human beings have holistic responses to complex stimuli. Comfort is a desirable holistic outcome that is germaine to the discipline of nursing, human beings strive to meet, or to have met, their basic comfort needs. It is an active endeavor. When comfort needs are met, patients are strengthened (Kolcaba, 2010). The mission statement of the company that I work for includes: * Recognize that individuals and families are the true expert in their own care; * Support each other so we can put our patients and families first; * Find creative solutions which add quality to life; * Strive for excellence beyond accepted standards, and; * Increase the community’s awareness of hospice as a part of the continuum of care. I feel that the mission of my company falls in line with the assumptions of Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory. The main goal of hospice care is comfort care. Currently we assess pain using a number scale or a face/FLACC cale depending on if the patient is able to verbally respond. The majority of our patients are unable to communicate. Pain using a face or FLACC scale can vary from nurse to nurse. The FLACC scale measures pain using face, legs, activity, cry, and consolability. Kolcaba’s taxonomic structure would be an excellent way to measure comfort on a hospice unit such as the one where I work. Development. Katherine Kolcaba developed an interest in the concept of comfort during her practice as the head nurse of a dementia care unit. Her understanding that comfort lead to optimal functioning of the dementia patients, was the beginnings of her comfort theory. Kolcaba realized the relationship between behaviors such as aggression, fighting with others, refusal to cooperate, or tearing up the environment and a patient’s comfort level. Interventions to reduce these behaviors were called comfort measures (Kolcaba, 2003). Since that time, the theory has been utilized in the fields of hospice (Kolcaba, Dowd, Steiner, & Mitzel, 2004; Vendlinski & Kolcaba, 1997), orthopaedic care of adult patients (Panno, Kolcaba, & Holder, 2000), pediatrics (Kolcaba & DiMarco, 2005), and perianasthesia nursing (Kolcaba & Wilson, 2002). Kolcaba (1994) stated, â€Å"the first dimension of the theory of comfort consists of three states of comfort called relief, ease, and transcendence† (p. 1179). Relief is having a specific comfort need meet. An example would be relief from pain. Ease is the state of calm or comfort (Kolcaba, 1994). Individuals who feel ease are in a relaxed state. Ease can add to an individual’s health seeking behavior. Transcendence is each individual’s ability to rise above one’s pain or trouble (Kolcaba & Kolcaba, 1991). The second dimension of the theory consists of the contexts in which comfort occurs. This is a holistic concept. It can be examined in the physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environmental perspectives. Physical comfort pertains to the body. Musculoskeletal pain, urinary discomfort, gastrointestinal upset would fall into this category. Psychospiritual comfort pertains to self-esteem, the meaning of one’s life, and one’s connection with a higher power. Sociocultural comfort pertains to family, personal relationships, and one’s cultural background. Environmental comfort pertains to the external surrounding (Kolcaba, 1994). The theory consists of three parts. Part one describes how comfort needs are assessed, appropriate nursing interventions are implemented, and the patient experiences increased comfort. The second part of the theory describes the relationship between comfort and health seeking behaviors. Kolcaba reports that patients whose comfort needs are meet are better able to participate in positive behaviors, which promote health and well-being. The third part of the theory describes the relationship between client’s health seeking behaviors and the integrity of the institution (Kolcaba, Tilton, & Drouin, 2006). Outcome measures for institutions can be improved when staff utilizes comfort measures. It is desirable that nurses caring for hospice patients are skilled in the art of comfort. Providing physical comfort such as managing pain, positioning an individual with advanced musculoskeletal problems, keeping bowel patterns regular, assisting residents in a toileting program to avoid incontinence, and protection fragile skin are skills used on a daily basis. Nurses in hospice care must address psychospiritual concerns such as depression, the loss of physical functioning, as well as the loss of loved ones and friends. Most patients in hospice care have been forced by illness and debility to give up their homes and independence. Sociocultural comfort is provided when nurses understand a person’s cultural background. Encouraging family support and understanding a resident’s background and accomplishments assist nurses in developing interventions to support comfort. The environment also plays a part in an individual’s comfort and well-being in the long-term care environment. Providing a home-like, active, and joyful environment filled with children, animals, and treasured items from home are very important. Comfort theory has been utilized as a framework for hospice nursing (Vendlinski & Kolcaba, 1997).

Juvenile Justice Essay

The Juvenile Criminal Justice System and Adult court system have many simalities and differences. While the Juvenile Justice system is more concerned with rehabilitation of the Juvenile so he wont contine with more crime when he become an adult , the adult court sytem is looking look to punish the adults with more harsh time, and consequences. They share similarlites such as procedural safeguards to protect their rights and also they both have the right to councel to help defend they self. Even though both court system are ment to rehabilate and punish or detour criminal from more crimal behavior we need they both to keep America safe and to contine our pursuit of happiness. The juvenile justice system and the adult justice system share their commonalities and differences. For example, the juvenile justice system makes it the point to rehabilitate instead of punishing juvenile delinquents. However, one must take into consideration that punishment is still a feasible concept within th e juvenile system, but it is used prudently as a â€Å"last resort.† In instances of punishment for a teenager who is accused of an atrocious crime, he or she may be tried as an adult (Goldstein, 2007). According to Dr. Goldstein (2007) there are some similarities between the two justice systems as he states that â€Å"the police, judiciary, and corrections have discretion relative to decision making in both systems.† For those adults and juveniles that admit guilt there is a system of procedural safeguards to protect their rights. Additionally, other commonalities between the age separated groups include plea bargaining, as well as the right to hearings and appeals. However, when adults are tried for crimes, they are tried in the adult court, while juveniles are tried in the juvenile court. Other differences exist, as Goldstein (2007) further states that â€Å"juvenile proceedings are not viewed as criminal,† and that â€Å"juvenile records, court hearings, etc. are confidential and not normally accessible; adult records are public.â⠂¬  Most juveniles receive probation after conviction and the juvenile system in total is much like the intermediate sanctions of adult corrections. Once a juvenile offender is placed on probation he/she will be ordered to participate in some educational, counseling or restitution programs while on probation. Probation officers attend the schools the juveniles attend, to minimize the potential for more criminal activity (Clear T. Cole G. Reisig M. 2009).The juvenile correctional system warrants and receives more attention than the adult systems. Why not nip crime in the butt when it is present in younger offenders to minimize the potential of future criminals? When young children see that they have time to reform and live a better life, I believe for the most part they will. Both juveniles and adults have the right to counsel in court proceedings. Nevertheless, juveniles may be represented by court appointed advocates who look out for the juvenile’s â€Å"best interest,† as a parent would for his or her child; with right ways to help the child rehabilitate. In the case of adult trials, court appointed advocates may be representing the accused, but the â€Å"best interest† lies in reducing or foregoing the sentence, not rehabilitate (Goldstein, 2007). In the cases of both groups, a â€Å"traditional† counsel may be hired to represent the individual While due process is given to all (juveniles and adults alike), juvenile offenders seem to be helped out more than adult offenders. Also, children tried as juveniles cannot be sentenced to adult jails or prisons. There are many debates over these and the other aforementioned practices, with critics and proponents on all issues, but I personally think the system is good and it can only get better with time.

Nepal Unity in Diversity Essay

As we all know that Nepal is worldwide known as the only Hindu Nation and it is a matter of Pride to all Nepali’s living in the Country and to those too who have migrated to another Country for Business, Work and other related reasons. I my-self being a ‘Nepali’ had to stay out of Nepal from my childhood for Better Education and better living, This is the reason i don’t know much detail about NepaliSamaj and other cultural History’s of this Great Land. Many of us who stay in other country are called as Nepalese but when i came back home, I have learned that Nepalese are for people who stay in Nepal such as people from India are called Indians. As my days past in Nepal i came through many people who are Nepalese but they also have a sub-caste for e.g., Magar, Tamang, Sherpa, Newar, Gurung and many such more who share equal rights. In one line they are called as â€Å"Indigenous Nationalities† of Nepal. As per the last decade sensex came to know that Magar’s are the maximum habitants living in all over Nepal. I was happy to know this as I, myself belong to Magar sub-caste. Further to my knowing i came across places where there were churches and mosques and Gurudwara’s made and I also saw people going to these holy places to worship. At first I was astonish to find these holy places located in Nepal but then I could also figure that we are no more living in 20th Century but have widened are vision’s and respect other religions too†¦. After all it is a matter of individual choice whether he prefers to practice his religion by birth or he wishes to convert. I do understand how difficult it is to except the facts but I also feel that Nepal is growing and the public awareness about respecting each other’s religion is must. The conclusion of my article ends with one line which we have already studied in our respective schools â€Å"UNITY IN DIVERSITY†. â€Å"unity without uniformity and diversity without fragmentation†[5] that shifts focus from unity based Unity in diversity (also commonly rendered as united in diversity) is a concept of on  a mere tolerance of differences towards a more complex unity based on an understanding that difference enriches human interactions. â€Å"Unity in diversity† is a popular motto within and among nation states, and also in political and social movements. The idea and related phrase is very old and dates back to ancient times in both Western and Eastern Old World cultures. The concept of unity in diversity was used â€Å"in non-Western cultures such as indigenous peoples in North America and Taoist societies in 400-500 B.C.E. In pre-modern Western culture it has been implicit in the organic conceptions of the universe that have been manifest since the ancient G physical, cultural, linguistic, social, religious, political, ideological and/or psychological reek and Roman civilizations through medieval Europe and into the Romantic era.

Textual Analysis of Los Vendidos Research Paper

Textual Analysis of Los Vendidos - Research Paper Example The drama revolves around stereotype and prejudice towards the Mexicans in America. The writer of the play, Valdez has used humor and entertainment most probably to shun affronting any race. Racism is a big issue and no one would like to be stigmatized or treated differently because of their race, color, religion or gender (Vogelmann 1-4). This play has served the purpose of making light with intention of making people understand racism and prejudice without intending to hurt anyone at the end (Mc Parland's 3). This is helped by the fact that it is a comedy play. There are several themes evident in this play and they are prejudice, racism, social injustice, social identity, Marxism and Hispanophobia. The Mexicans-Americans in this play faced challenges as they were discriminated against. The play humbled the audience instead of inciting confidence in those that were not victims in the play. As a representation of the American society at the time, theatre as a weapon is a term that co mes in several parts of the play. This play has been used to enlighten people on the various issues that encompass prejudice towards the Latin Americans. And it was and is not a small issue because it has been recognized over the years as a vice against the Mexican Americans that had taken toll over the years (Carl et al 13-16). Even the Mexican government mentioned it at one time and said that, â€Å" the government of Mexico, opposes any form of discrimination institutionalization or otherwise, as well as the new forms of discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance that emerged in several parts of the world , particularly in the developed countries†. The fact the play has one of the major themes as racism among the ethnic groups of American society is a clear indication that it is a vice that existed for a long time basing on the fact that it was written a very long time ago. The characters in the play have brought out this main theme. At the end of the play t he revolucionario states that robot Sancho â€Å"is the best model we got†. This indicates that the Mexicans are fed up of being discriminated and stereotyped against. The secretary in her description wants an American who is black and fits in all her other descriptions of being ‘hardworking’, ‘debonair’, ‘sophisticated’ and ‘American-made’. After just a short while of sampling the models she disregards them at says they do not meet her requirements. She refuses each of the models presented to her by finding flaws in each one of them. This points out how people are always so quick to judge and have objections so easily when they are prejudiced against someone. It is a common thing for people to form some sort of attitude when they hear an accent or see a skin color that is different from theirs giving them an impression that they do not belong., Most of the Mexicans who live in America are discriminated and become treated as second class citizens. An example in the play is by the farm worker who comes to America once a year. He is a migrant worker. â€Å"One plate of beans and tortillas will keep him going all day†. Pachuco is a Mexican gangster who is feared a great deal by the Americans. It is normal for any human to fear a harmful person but in Pachuco’s case this fear has been heightened because of his being a Mexican. Revoluncionario is the typical man in western movies that women want to be with, he is always drinking, rides over the plains

Assessment of organization culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assessment of organization culture - Essay Example Thus, in the organization there is a powerful force that determines individual and group behavior of the personnel. Risk taking or innovation is a controversial issue for the companies and the resolution depends on people’s perception (Ben 2015). McDonald’s is oriented on external innovation and it is a client-oriented company. Thus all the innovations are made if clients demand them. The technological and menu innovations affect the work of personnel, which should be always ready for the new and sustainable to stress. However, the principles set by the founder of the company are still thoroughly followed (McDonald’s — Company Overview). Attention to details is a criterion that evaluates how employees are accurate in their work. McDonald’s pays much attention to this aspect of the organization culture, because it is extremely important. Therefore McDonalds’s is focused on this cultural aspect and employees’ performance is mainly examined for their attention to the detail in their work. Accuracy and precision in work is core characteristic of this organization. This characteristic of the organization demonstrates how the employees in organization are result-oriented and focused on the achievements. McDonald’s is a highly result-oriented organization, which measures employees’ performance by the targets the company has achieved People play a very important role in the technology of McDonald’s as a computer, or information system can’t work as quickly as a brain of a person. The majority of information in the kitchen of McDonalds is transferred by people, and computers only provide some help, because data should be transferred very quickly. This aspect refers to organizational culture where activities are organized around team rather than individuals (Ben 2015). The work of McDonald’s is posible only in team, every employee is a part of this team and has his own role. Aggressiveness is

Research Strategy-Qualitative and Quantitative Aspects Paper

Strategy-Qualitative and Quantitative Aspects - Research Paper Example The subjective and quantitative methodology of the examination is essentially useful for the specialist to get assorted and multi-directional data on account of the Libyan Red Crescent. As per the examination proposition, semi-structured interviews, and contextual analysis methodologies have been chosen as the systems for directing subjective exploration. In connection to the quantitative measurement, a poll methodology has been chosen. Research tools such as questionnaires are powerful for leading quantitative surveys. It is efficient in both time and cost. Using semi-organized interviews may assist the analyst to delve into the perspectives of the representatives of the Zintan branch, Red Crescent Libya. Aside from the over two strategies contextual investigation system gives the functional situation to the examination process. This strategy helps the analyst to obtain the constant photo of an examination issue. This technique gives adequate data to the analysts. A pre-set of the s tudy design must be discussed in depth having in mind the expected end result to acquire an organized examination derivation. With the assistance of diverse examination methodologies examined above scientist can gather the imperative information which is totally fundamental for the finish of this exploration. Testing is additionally an essential part of the exploration strategy. An exploration is comparable to its systems are. It is critical to choose the systems in a suitable way. In this exploration paper, the specialist has picked both subjective and quantitative strategies. As per the exploration targets, top to bottom examination of the examination wonder is altogether critical.

One article analyses and make the Recommend marketing strategies to

One analyses and make the Recommend marketing strategies to the relevant cloths industry on your analysis of the chosen phenomenon - Article Example nds’ End were rated the best by the respondents primarily because these online retailers provided precise descriptions of the apparel and correct sizing information. Equally important in the superior ranking of these clothiers was the fact that they had an easy to browse, informative website. Majority of the respondents also felt that they got true value for money spent on online clothes-shopping. The survey also revealed the flip side of online clothes-shopping. There were major issues with size accuracy of the clothes, which impeded customers intending to buy clothes online. Returning clothes and costs associated thereon was considered a huge disadvantage by many respondents. 72 percent of the respondents complained about the lack of transparency in divulging shipping costs by online retailers. There were certain instances of billing mistakes and wrongly filled orders. In addition to these problems, consumers refrain from online shopping because of privacy concerns and issues regarding security of financial transactions. Some customers find online shopping very confusing (Colberg 2002). The analysis of the survey reveals that customers are not satisfied, among other things, with the process of exchange of goods purchased online. The online clothing retailers should make the process of returns trouble-free for the consumers. A straightforward and transparent policy regarding this aspect will provide a huge boost to their sales (Rosencrance 2000). Many consumers would be tempted by a generous returns policy that promises to exchange the item or simply return the item and take the refund of its purchase price. The retailers can provide the consumers prepaid U.S. Postal Service labels which are valid for a certain period of time. The customers can use these labels for returning the apparel with which they are not satisfied. This will make the process of returns simple and inexpensive for the unsatisfied customer. With an easy returns policy in place, customers

Summarizing experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summarizing experience - Essay Example For example, my personality profile is 42 percent extroverted and 58 percent introverted. Here, I was able to pinpoint useful information such as my ability to concentrate for long periods of time, my independence and ability to pursue self-guided projects. Then, I was also classified as Intuitive and Perceiver and was given several pointers in regard to maximizing such nature. Another important feature of the assessment test was the comprehensive outline of careers that matched my personality - from the job description, related occupations, job requirements, salaries, video presentation, to important pointers. These variables were specifically tailored not only on my educational background, but also on my temperaments, motivation, interest and character. All in all, the website was straightforward and easy to use. I was able to peruse the content I was given and I was satisfied. The experience was helpful in the sense that I learned more about myself in the context of embarking on a career, which was my objective in using the

Age of exploration Essay Example for Free

Age of exploration Essay Which term best describes the period? God,Gold, and Glory European adventures explored North America with the motivation of God,Gold, and Glory This alone tells you that this was an age of exploitation. I believe it was Hernan Cortez who told the Aztec natives that his men suffered from a disease that could only be cured by Gold. Let us not forget that at this time Spain was trying to become a world Power. After Columbuss first voyage in 1493 Spain sent out ships to the Pope demanding rights to Columbuss discoveries. The Pope agreed and Spain was entitled to any non-christian western Lands discovered but only if the native population were converted to Christianity. At these times religion was used as a form of control.. Many can argue that the Pope could have also benefited from letting the conquistadors explore the western lands and convert the natives to Christianity. Many European countries were expanding and exploring for several reasons..By claiming more Territory and resources,A country would become more wealthier. And powerful. After Cortez conquered Mexico all there natives were used as slaves and Most of the valuable riches were transported back to Spain. All natives were killed by disease or slave work and the few that survived were forced to convert to Christianity. What once may have started as exploration would soon get consumed by Greed,power,and Exploitation. Many European countries were expanding and exploring other countries for several reasons many European countries were expanding and exploring other countries for several reasons

Postcolonial literature

Postcolonial literature Postcolonial Literatures in English Title: What do you understand by the term postcolonial within the field of literary studies? You should refer to at least two texts you have read on the course. ‘Without responsibility, straddling Nothingness and Infinity, I began to weep. This comment of Fanons about the frustration of the inability to free ones black self from the oppressive aspects of racism and colonisation echoes through much of the postcolonial literature that has been studied throughout the course. Postcolonial literature refers to texts written about the effects of colonial rule after ‘the very first moment of colonial contact. Postcolonial authors often originate from colonised countries and, it seems to be the case that those writing about the consequences of colonisation have themselves encountered existence at the hand of the colonisers however; this is not always the case. What I aim to accomplish in this essay is to reveal the varied effects of colonisation on the colonised people in two of the texts that I have read on the course. I will be relating the experiences of those in Nervous Conditions, written by Tsitsi Dangarembga, alongside the occurrences in Miguel Street, written by V.S Naipaul. Although these two books are written by different authors and relay vastly contrasting happenings, there are significant similarities in both books which cannot be overlooked. Themes of childhood, education and struggle inevitably communicate through both novels in similar ways. What is most remarkable however is the method different characters in each narrative use in response to the strains caused, inevitably, by colonisation. Nervous Conditions, set in Zimbabwe around the 1960s or 1970s, portrays the developing life of a young female, also the narrator of the book, named Tambu. This coming-of-age novel reveals not only the trials and tribulations of the main female character but, it shows the ordeals suffered by her surrounding family. Likewise the narrator in Miguel Street also takes on the persona of a child however, this novel is set in Trinidad and the narrator is unnamed. The reader is aware that the unidentified speaker is male and this fact presents interesting contrasts between the two Bildungsroman novels with relation to male and female experiences under colonisation. The weight of Miguel Street conveys the lives of the unnamed storytellers friends and neighbours, rather than his direct family. That said, both of the postcolonial authors disclose their narratives directly from the focal point of colonised communities, coincidently both of which have political conflict in their back-drops. I found the theme of childhood very prominent throughout my reading of both Dangarembgas and Naipauls novels. Both authors use of children as narrators created a sincere naivety something which I do not feel would have been achievable through more experienced relaters. However, I am not suggesting that everything related in the narratives is entirely impartial. Both children, Tambu and the unnamed narrator, encounter, and illustrate to the reader, their lives after the initial occurrence of colonialism on their very different countries. Both young people also experience extreme poverty but, of course whilst Tambu is initially raised on the homestead, the latter develops in to an adult in a much more industrial area. These contrasting, yet ironically similar, lifestyles in the texts reveal the collective impact that colonisation can have on citizens oppressed by colonial rule, irrelevant of their precise locations. Although there are definite similarities between the experiences of Tambu and the unnamed narrator, womanhood serves as an extremely prominent theme in Nervous Conditions. Miguel Street, on the other hand, focuses the readers main attention on the experiences of male hood. This is not to suggest that the women in Naipauls novel do not encompass a purpose, I am merely implying that, through my reading of the text, the male occurrences in the novel are at the forefront of the readers attention. The opening line of Dangarembgas novel, ‘I was not sorry when my brother died. immediately insinuates that the novel will contain some aspects of struggle and resistance. What is most remarkable however is the fact that this powerful statement is declared by a female character, a character that is of a young age at the death of her sibling. Tambu is clearly seen to suffer at the hands of her brother, right up until his death. The narrators destitute parents use what little income they obt ain to send Nhamo to school. This lack of money for educational means highlights the inability of poor, black families, living in colonial areas, of ever ridding themselves from such their current situations. However, the narrators destitute parents decision to provide schooling solely for the male child of the family reveals an awfully apparent situation of female inequality. Nhamos harsh words towards Tambu, after her attempts to grow maize in order to send herself to school, provide a fine example of the oppression felt by the women in the novel. Nhamo uses Tambus femaleness to belittle her when he remarks, ‘Did you really think you could send yourself to school? This satisfactory tone in Nhamos words, as well as his unkindness in stealing Tambus maize, reveals the double struggle experienced by the women in text. MaShingayi, Tambus mother, poignantly highlights the situation of black women when she informs her daughter that life for her, ‘with the poverty of blacknes s on one side and the weight of womanhood on the other, will not be trouble-free. The women in Nervous Conditions endure domination in two different ways; not only are the females in the novel subjugated for being black, they are also repressed for being women. Further evidence in the novel of female strain is through the use of Nyasha and her mother, Maiguru. Although both women are black, they are educated and are reasonably wealthy in comparison with Tambus direct family. Nevertheless, Maiguru and her daughter inevitably still suffer nervous conditions. Nyashas personal toil becomes extremely apparent when she brawls with her father, Babamukuru. Babamukura, the head and main provider for his entire family is highly educated and greatly respected. On Babamukurus return from England with his family, Jeremiah, Tambus father, repeatedly refers to his brother as ‘Our returning prince. There is a great family celebration and the entire family is relieved at their ‘returning hero [s] homecoming. The obvious reason for the admiration of Babamukura is his educative status. Tambu, later in the novel, relates her uncles education with his superiority when she remarks, ‘he had made himself plenty of power. Plenty of power. Plenty of money. A lot of education. Plenty of everything. Unfortunately however, Babamukurus educated daughter and wife do not experience equivalent praise and control. Nyasha and her father, after a continuing conflict of principles, furiously exchange physical blows. Babamukuru scolds her daughter for defying his morals and eventually ‘condem[ns her] to whoredom. In contrast to Nyashas weighty presence in the novel is the heavy absence of her brother Chido. For example, Chido does not attend the Christmas celebrations with his family at the homestead. Unlike Nyasha, Chido is given full reign to do whatever he pleases and go wherever he desires. Although Babamukuru is ‘disappointed that his son will not be accompanying his relatives, there is no transference of harsh words between the two males. It seems to be the case that Babamukuru is gloomy at his sons absence not for the reason of dissatisfaction but for the loss of well-educated male company. The aspect of female inferiority is all too obvious through the contrasting attitudes of Babamukuru towards his son and daughter. Nyasha, according to Tambu, is ‘a victim of her femaleness, a ‘Femaleness as opposed and inferior to maleness. Evidence of the accuracy poignant comment about female suffering in the novel is not sparse. Nyashas development of an eating disorder, along w ith her mental breakdown later in the novel, reveals that not only is Nyasha affected psychologically by her suppression but her physical self is also jeopardised. It is clear that Nyasha loses her sense of self through visiting England and then returning to her country of origin, Zimbabwe. Nyasha confesses her personal damage to Tambu when she claims that she and her brother are ‘hybrids. Tambu also experiences her cousins alter ego when she is searching for Nyasha shortly before leaving to attend Sacred Heart. Tambu sadly finds Nyasha ‘reminding her of the closed girl who had come from England in a pink mini-dress, not the cousin and friend she had mellowed into in the three years since then. The extremity of Nyashas condition becomes clear on Tambus return from the convent school. Tambu describes Nyasha as ‘grotesquely unhealthy from the vital juices she flushed down the toilet and, she gives the reader a commentary of her nervous breakdown. After Nyasha ‘ rampaged, shredding her history books between her teeth, breaking mirrors, her clay pots, and jabbing the fragments viciously into her flesh, her parents finally realise that their daughter is genuinely suffering. Nyashas uncertainty about where she belongs and, according to Tambus mother, ‘the Englishness, ultimately leads to her downfall. Similar to the frustrations felt by Nyasha, although not to the same extremity, are the hardships experienced by Maiguru. Maiguru, although educated, does not receive comparable respect to Babamukuru, from Tambus direct family. Whilst Tambus uncle is welcomed home with an almost royal status, Maiguru attracts little of the praise given by the relatives. Maiguru is belittled by Babamukurus family and Babamukuru provides her with no real support For example, Lucia remarks to Maiguru, ‘Dont worry yourself, Maiguru. The matter concerns Babamukuru. This dismissal by Lucia, along with constant disagreement with Babamukuru about the running of her own household inevitably causes Maiguru to leave her family however she is never really able to escape her situation. Nyasha solemnly claims that her mothers homecoming is ‘such a waste with regards to Maiguru having the possibility to better her lifestyle. Maiguru obviously feels that inevitably she should be at home with her family h owever, it is clear that this believed duty is at the expense of a career of her own. Although the educated Maiguru does have an opportunity for escape, the restraints of her family life are holding her back from a desired profession. It seems to be the case that for the women in Nervous Conditions, to escape from colonial lands and male oppression, one has to leave their family life behind them. By exploring the life experiences of Nyasha and her mother, it can without doubt be supposed that education for women does not offer the same power that it puts forward for men. It would seem that for women, irrelevant of their schooling, there really is no real escape from colonialism or their own men. Fanon, although a highly influential writer, does not tend to regard femaleness in his writings. Fanon claims, ‘My blackness was there And it tormented me, pursued me, disturbed me, angered me. Although these aspects are extremely apparent to the black men in Miguel Street, Nervous Conditions reveals Fanons experiences being largely dedicated female characters. However, as we have already seen, Dangarembgas women are not only imprisoned by their black but also by their femaleness, by men. Nervous Conditions, its title being taken from the introduction by Jean-Paul Sartre to Frantz Fanons The Wretched of the Earth, is unmistakably a feminist re-writing of Fanon.[1] Contrasting with the women as the main focal point in Nervous Conditions, it is the mens experiences and struggles in Miguel Street which makes up the bulk of the novel. Although some of the women in Naipauls novel are seen as victims at the hands of men, the males in the book are often seen as equally foolish, if not more so than the women. Whilst Babamukuru is highly respected by most in Nervous Conditions, Naipauls George is seen as extremely idiotic and compared to a ‘donkey. After the death of Georges wife, whom the reader is led to assume died at the hands of her husband, the unnamed narrator remarks how George ‘went about crying in the streets, beating his chest. This mocking, monkey-like image is far from the genteel representation of Babamukuru. Another illustration of male mocking in the novel is through the use of Man-man. Laughter is a substantial theme in Miguel Street and almost everyone in the novel, at some point, laughs or is laughed at. Man-man is no exc eption. After it is revealed that Man-man always receives ‘exactly three votes when he puts himself ‘up for every election, Hat remarks that ‘Perhaps [it] is two jokers that have voted for Man-man, as well as himself. The idea that this male figure only obtains electoral support from two people who are ultimately ridiculing his sense of self emphasises male weakness in the novel. The scorning towards Man-man continues when he is illustrated as the ultimate irrational fool. After deciding to ‘crucify his-self, Man-man remarks to the surrounding people, â€Å"Stone, stone, STONE me, brethren! Although this behaviour is absurd, I as a reader could sympathise with Man-man for his attempt at escape from the confines of his life. However, as soon as the male extremist shouts, ‘I go settle with that son of a bitch who pelt a stone at me., the bafflement simply conveys Man-man as ludicrous. Inevitably, the contempt shown towards many of the male figures in the novel could be due to Naipauls own personal hatred of Caribbean people. Naipaul was treated extremely badly by his Afro-Caribbean neighbours, which inevitably led to an acquired detestation for them that still remains to this day.[2] Some postcolonial countries go so far as to view Naipaul as a racist.[3] On the other hand, the use of characters such as George and Man-man may be for sympathetic devises. Man-man is conveyed as a pathetic character however, his search for a sense of self echoes the behaviour of Nyasha in Nervous Conditions. The narrator remarks, ‘The authorities kept [Man-man] for observation, Then for good. This occurrence highlights a double oppression. Not only is Man-mans sense of self trapped by colonialism but it is also confined by law enforcement. Similarly, Nyasha is trapped by her femaleness as well as by colonialism. Both characters produced in me a sense of pity; both individuals act irrationally to attempt to free themselves from their surrounding restraints however there is no escape for either. Although most of the male figures in Nervous Conditions are revealed as ridiculous, Elias, the son of the detested George, makes real attempts at bettering his life, and inevitably escaping from life in Miguel Street, through schooling. The narrator claims, ‘I was prepared to believe that [Elias] would become a doctor some day. Unfortunately however, the young man is unable to achieve the desired grades and is destined to life as a cart driver. The inability to escape from his disheartening destiny, without appropriate qualifications, highlights further the importance of education. Without education, men in the novel have no choice but to exist in poverty in colonial lands. Due to Naipauls negative judgements of Caribbean people there is some ambiguity in the narrative about whether Elias situation is presented by the author to generate sympathy or scorn. The fact that Elias has lost his mother generated compassion however, the use of other characters in the novel that reveal wasted chances due to lazy and brainless suggests that Elias exists in the novel just as another dim-witted black man. Another possible case of Naipauls contempt is through the use of Titus Hoyt. Although Titus Hoyt is shown as reasonably intelligent and is regarded with an evident admiration, mainly by the narrator, his achievements do not compare with those of Babamukuru. Although both Babamukuru and Titus Hoyt eventually run schooling institutions, the latter is made to seem like a fool in front of his students. For example, when Titus Hoyt battles to teach his associates Latin Boyee remarks, ‘Mr Titus Hoyt, I think you making up all this, you know, making it up as you go along. The accusative statement ultimately disparages Titus Hoyt and reflects the lack of achievements of some of the more obviously senseless characters in Naipauls novel. Even when Titus Hoyt finally gets recognition through having his photograph placed in the local newspaper, there is a suggestion that through the anonymity of the student who apparently wrote the correspondence , he composed a letter to himself praising his own ‘virtue. Even the description of Titus Hoyt as ‘pop-eyed in the photograph makes the teacher appear as a counterfeit of success. Recognition is an important factor for most of the men in Miguel Street however it seems that there is always some underlying factor which is preventing them from succeeding. Whilst the struggle of colonised lands is extremely apparent throughout this novel, it cannot be ignored that perhaps Naipaul is prohibiting the triumph of the Caribbean male figures for his own satisfaction. Although the men in Miguel Street are shown as foolish and disaster-prone compared to Babamukuru, some of the male figures in Nervous Conditions are also portrayed as idle. Tambus father, Jeremiah, for example, is shown as an extremely futile man, depending on the successes of his brother to support him and his family. It emerges that whilst ‘Babamukuru had defied ‘the weight of his poverty., Jeremiah had merely ‘cringed ‘under the evil wizards spell, the spell that is inevitably colonial rule. The use of Jeremiah as a character may be for the purpose of a mocking devise by Dangarembga to highlight Tambus success as a woman in comparison with her fathers failure as a man. Conversely, Dangarembgas use of a character like Jeremiah may also be to highlight the importance of education and, to reveal that men can suffer frustration just as women can. It becomes clear that nobody in either novel really escapes the oppressions of colonialism. Whilst the failures in Miguel Street are all too apparent, Nervous Conditions promote more subtle disappointments, mainly through women. Although the unnamed narrator gets away from Miguel Street at the end of the novel, it is only through his his mothers bribing that he is able to do this. Furthermore, although Tambu physically breaks away from her toils through genuine personal achievement, there is a psychological part of herself that remains with her previous life. Fanons comment at the opening of the essay cleverly fits in to both Dangarembga and Naipauls novels, as well as much of the other postcolonial texts I have encountered on this course. The frustration Bibliography 13 [1] [2] [3]