Friday, September 6, 2019
The Cold War of the Middle East Essay Example for Free
The Cold War of the Middle East Essay Nuclear weapons: these are tools capable of massive destruction and death. If the wrong people obtain such weaponry, it could lead to catastrophic consequences worldwide. As of right now, Iran is developing weapons grade uranium. The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, gave a speech to the United Nations in which he presented the progress of Iran’s uranium enrichment program to the General Assembly. Netanyahu was quoted in the Weekly Standard saying, â€Å"Wheres Iran? Irans completed the first stage. It took them many years, but they completed it and theyre 70% of the way there; it is only a few months, possibly a few weeks before they get enough enriched uranium for the first bomb. †Iran’s development of nuclear weaponry is a threat to Israel and therefore the United States. Israel must take all precautionary measures to prevent Iran from finishing its nuclear program and this includes military action. If something were not done to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, then the US would be pulled into a gruesome war with nuclear weapons. Currently, Israel is the only country in the Middle East to have nuclear weapons. However, this could all change by 2013. Iran has been enriching uranium and is seventy percent of the way to making a nuclear missile capable of destroying Israel. Iran’s current leader, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has been previously been quoted in the Jerusalem Post saying that Israel has no place in the â€Å"Holy Land†and that Israel is a â€Å"fake regime†that â€Å"must be wiped off the map†. If Iran obtains enough enriched uranium, Ahmadinejad’s statement may become a gruesome reality. Now one may wonder where the USA plays a part in this standoff in the Middle East. When Israel was created by Britain in 1948, its first ally was the US, and since then, their relationship has tremendously strengthened. Now, Israel is more than an ally to the US; it is a true friend. If Israel were to take military action, it would most definitely get backing from the USA. Now one might argue that the that attacking Iran enables too many risks. Casualties would be high, Iran is a very formidable opponent and also, sanctions against Iran are in place, and all the US and have to do is be Patient However, Israel has already fought multiple wars against numerous countries in the Middle East, and it has one of the strongest militaries in the world. The country with the strongest military in the world happens to be Israel’s long time ally; the US. Thus the US and Israel combined would be more than capable to fight against Iran. If something is not done beforehand to stop Iran’s nuclear program, the consequences will be cataclysmic. Also, even though the sanctions have crippled Iran’s economy, according to the BBC, these have not even delayed Iran’s nuclear program. The global community has drawn a clear red line for Iran, and Iran is inches from crossing that red line. Action must be taken to stop Iran in its tracks. The consequences of not acting far outweigh the risk of war.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Correlates of criminal behavior
Correlates of criminal behavior Introduction Factors that correlate with crime are those, such as economic deprivation, that demonstrate a relationship with the incidence of criminal behavior. It is crucial to remember that correlations only tell us that there is a relationship between one variable and another they do not tell us what is causing what. For example, there is an association between failing at school and juvenile delinquency but we cannot say that low school achievement necessarily cause delinquency (Dwyer, 2001). It is possible that once an individual becomes involved in delinquent behavior, their school work suffers and grades begin to deteriorate. Alternatively, there may be a third factor, perhaps the attitude of the family towards school work and offending that causes both of the other factors (Dwyer, 2001). It is important, though, to recognize that a relationship does have a cause and this is what researchers are trying to uncover, but at no time should we jump to superficial conclusions about the exact direction of the cause. Case Study A: DV a 36-year-old, Single Black Male DV, a 36-year-old, single Black male was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. During formal interviews, DV was initially uncooperative with the evaluators. He pretended not to understand what was asked of him. He was strongly encouraged to cooperate with the evaluation. After a period of observation and initial psychological testing, it was explained to him that his report of experiencing auditory hallucinations was unlikely to be true (Heilbrun, Marczky DeMatteo, 2002). DV was administered psychological testing on three separate occasions. Initial test results clearly demonstrated DV intended to represent himself as mentally ill and confused. After further counseling, he was re-administered two tests, which he appeared to complete in a cooperative fashion. DVs responses on a structured interview of symptoms of mental illness were consistent with those of someone intending to put on psychotic mental illness (Heilbrun et al., 2002). DV began smoking marijuana as a teenager and has continued to use it throughout adulthood. Selling illicit drugs eventually became his primary source of income through the years. Prior to his arrest, he used marijuana on a daily basis and drank alcohol much less frequently, primarily on the weekends or when it was available (Heilbrun et al., 2002). DV has been arrested at least 20 times throughout adolescence and adulthood. He has been incarcerated in state prisons twice, both for felony convictions. The only previous mental health treatment he has received was during his incarceration in a state prison. He had been experiencing nervousness, tremors, and what he referred to as depression. This condition was reportedly treated with antipsychotic medication for a period of six months. His reports of past mental health symptoms were vague, and he indicated that he has never sought mental health treatment when out of prison (Heilbrun et al., 2002). Criminal Behavior: Mental Disorder         According to Bartol and Bartol (2011) mental illness is a disorder of disease of the mind that is judged by experts to interfere substantially with a persons ability to cope with life on a daily basis. It presumably deprives the person of freedom of choice, but it is important to note that there are degrees to this deprivation. The term mental disorder, however, need not imply that a person is sick, to be pitied, or even necessarily less responsible for his or her actions. Psychological Theory         Psychology is the science of behavior and mental process. Psychological criminology, then, is the science of the behavior and mental process of the person who commits crime. In the psychology of crime, both social and personality influences on criminal behavior are considered, along with the mental processes that mediate that behavior.         It is hard to specify typically the psychological theories of crime. Psychological theories centers on the influence of individual and family factors on offending. Psychological theories usually develop and attempt to explain offending on an ongoing project thats starts from childhood to adulthood (Bartol Bartol, 2011). Correlates and Developmental Risk factors The parental and family risk factors led DV to become deviant at a very young age. During a conducted interview, DV stated that he lived at home with his mother, father, and two brothers until the age of eight, when his mother was killed in a car accident. After his mothers death, he began living with an aunt, who raised him until he left home at the age of 14. He attended school through the eighth grade and was expelled from school after the eighth grade, partly because of his poor attendance and partly because of his involvement in two fights (Heilbrun et al., 2002). He described school as being difficult for him because he never had any family support. After his mother died, nobody really cared whether he went to school. It was the loss of his mother that triggered his criminal behavior. Is this Person a Criminal? In summary, DV manifest a personality style and behavior pattern that is characterized by dislike towards authority and violation of social norms and laws. He was diagnosed with malingering (resolved) cannibus abuse and antisocial personality disorder. DV can be held accountable for his actions. He knew that the current adjudication constitutes his third felony conviction, and he knew the sentencing mandates associated with a third felony conviction. Specifically, DV was aware that he could have received a very lengthy sentence for his third conviction and knew his plea carried the probability of a relatively short sentence. He knew that his plea agreement called for his full cooperation in the resolution of his case (Heilbrun et al., 2002). DV was deemed competent to stand trial based on his ability to comprehend what he did and he knew this. Case Study B: 24-Year-Old John D. John is a 24-year-old Caucasian male who was convicted of Sexual Battery, which occurred on February 10, 1998, and is awaiting sentencing. John D. was an only child born to unwed parents on February 9, 1975. He grew up in an unstable environment and his father was a drug addict who neglected to care for him. He recalls no memories of his father prior to the age of eight (Heilbrun et al., 2002). At eight years old, John D. recalled playing with and smelling someones feet. He cant remember exactly what happened at the moment but recall it was really scary. He remembers his fathers hands pulling his knees apart. That was all he can remember about the incident (Heilbrun et al., 2002). Criminal Behavior: Sex Offender (Sexual Battery)         Sex offenders often commit a variety of crime beyond sexual offenses, although this is more likely to be the case with rapists than the child molesters. There is no single profile that encompasses a majority of sex offenders. The features of their crimes also differ distinctly among offenders, including time and place, the gender and age of the victim, the degree of planning the offense, and the amount of violence used or intended (APA, 2000; Bartol Bartol, 2011). Sociological Theory         The sociological approach examines underlying social conditions that may influence criminal behavior by focusing on how social structure and processes contribute to crime. Life course criminology focuses on life tragedies or paths that may lead to lifelong or repeated criminal behavior. The Sociological theory of criminal behavior is the way people look at their environment. Sociologically, a person will be overwhelmed by closeness, the imitation and behavior of those they look up to, as well as their understanding of what is right and what is wrong (Bartol Bartol, 2011).         People are not born with a predisposition to violence or lack of power; rather they become that way as a result of social experiences. Furthermore, criminal behavior, again like all behavior, is an individuals way of adapting to his or her environment. Correlates and Developmental Risk factors         Examples of social risk factors are parental and family risk factors including faulty or inadequate parenting, sibling influences, and child maltreatment or abuse. A wide variety of circumstances can lead to a single-parent home. John D.s father died when he was nine years old. He is unable to recall any memories of his father prior to age eight. His parents never married but after his fathers death, his mother married a man that told John D. someday he would burn in hell (Heilbrun et al., 2002).         His mothers parental styles were inappropriate. John D. loved her because she could be fun to be with, and she was proud of him. At the same time he hated her because of the way she treated him. He described her as very moody, at times she would be nice and at other times she lashed out and smacked him in the face. John D. also stated that he often felt like a surrogate husband to his mother, because whenever it was time to kiss her goodnight, she would stick her tongue out (Heilbrun et al., 2002).         John D. spent most of his time living with his maternal grandparents. His grandmother would walk in on him when he was changing his underwear and would always find an excuse to come into the bathroom and wipe him after he was done. He didnt realize his grandmothers behavior was inappropriate until later (Heilbrun et al., 2002).         Models are those significant persons in the social environment that provide cues for how to do something (Bartol Bartol, 2011; Jackson, 2008). For example, a child may learn how to shoot a gun by imitating television or video characters. The child then will rehearse and fine-tunes this behavioral pattern by practicing with toy guns. John D.s behavioral patterns are the outcome of the models he had in his life. Is this Person a Criminal?         John D. is responsible for his actions and should be held criminally liable for what he did. He shows no remorse for his victims. He kills his victims and plays with their feet. He has a tendency to act upon his fantasies. He has a high potential for dangerous behavior inflicted against self and others. Case Study C: 21-Year-Old Jimmy M. The defendant in this case, Jimmy M., was charged with aggravated murder in the shooting death of a police officer in November of 1997. Jimmy M. has an extensive criminal record and a history consistent with an antisocial personality disorder. Antisocial personality disorder is not usually considered to be a mitigating factor. In addition to the antisocial personality disorder, Jimmy M. had suffered from a serious head injury, resulting in the request for a neuropsychological evaluation (Heilbrun et al., 2002). Jimmy M. was born to Darlene M (who was 15 years old when she got pregnant) and Bob Hoover on September 21, 1976. Jimmy M. only saw his father twice, once in fifth or sixth grade and the second time was last year while he was incarcerated. He primarily raised by his foster grandmother, Martha Washington; Ms. Washington was Jimmy M.s mothers foster parent. Jimmy M.s mother was a drug addict and alcoholic who was arrested and spent time in jail and prison before dying of a drug overdose in 1989 (Heilbrun et al., 2002). On one occasion, when Jimmy M. was eight years old, his mother used him to hide stolen money. Jimmy M. developed significant behavioral problems following his mothers death. He subsequently had numerous contacts with juvenile authorities and was placed with the Department of Youth Services on several occasions. He encountered numerous conflicts with his grandmother. Although things have not always been stable with his grandmother, Jimmy M. stated that they remain close today (Heilbrun et al., 2002). Criminal Behavior: Murder (Aggravated Murder)         The term murder is reserved for the unlawful killing of one human being by another with malice aforethought, either expressed or implied. Malice aforethought refers to premeditation, or the mental state of a person who thinks ahead, plans, and voluntarily causes the death of another, without legal excuse or justification. However, premeditation can occur in a very short period of time (even a minute); it does not require weeks of planning (Bartol Bartol, 2011). Biological Theory         Historically, neurological impairment, whether by heredity, injury, or disease, has been thought to coincide with criminal behavior. For example, head injury and violent behavior are found to coexist in criminals at a higher than average rate. Though a direct link cannot be determined between the two, researchers observe that neurological problems, in combination with environmental and social risk factors, interact to influence criminal behavior (APA, 2000; Bartol Bartol, 2011; Raine, 2002). Biological theories have a misunderstanding stereotype that if a person is a criminal then that person was born a criminal. Biological theories are only one interpretation of criminality (Rafter, 2008). Biology has an effect on our social and emotional lives that would be categorized as biological influences on our behavior. Some examples would be menstruation affects some women more than others, but many have more mood swings during, and just before, menstruation. Pregnancy also affects hormones and therefore emotions. In many cases, a women seems calmer than usual when pregnant, not reacting as she normally would to the stresses of work and life. Hormones in pregnancy have a lot of functions, including effects on mood and puberty is another example with which everyone is familiar. During the transition from childhood into a sexual world, teenagers go through some profound emotional and behavioral changes usually suffered along with them by their parents, other relatives, and teache rs (Raine, 2002). Eventually they mature and become adults; but in the years of puberty, the change in outlook and disturbance of behavior can be profound. But again, the environmental influences are crucial in how puberty, a biological change, is realized. Correlates and Developmental Risk factors Jimmy M.s mother was 15 when she was pregnant and 16 when he was born. Given her own drug, alcohol, and legal problems she was clearly unable to provide adequate parenting. His foster grandmother was, at best, inconsistent in her ability to provide for Jimmy M. and the other children within her care, who included Jimmy M.s mother. Following his mothers death, Jimmy M.s behavior showed clear signs of deterioration, and he joined the local gang (Heilbrun et al., 2002). As a result of Jimmy M.s early childhood experiences, he has bonded to no one, has little capacity for empathy, and has shut off his emotions from the rest of the world. Is this Person a Criminal?         Therefore, Jimmy M. is responsible for his actions and should be held criminally liable for what he did. However, based on his past, Jimmy M. should undergo treatment to eliminate harm to him and to others. Jimmy M. demonstrated a capacity of attachment. Once his mother passed he began to seek support by associating with the local gang. There is a possibility that through treatment and rehabilitation Jimmy M. can do better for himself. Conclusion According to Bartol and Bartol (2011) Crime, like all behavior, is complex and varied, and there are no simple answers regarding its causes. This is hardly surprising considering the great variety of crimes and offenders. Different theories put the emphasis on different causal factors: biology, personality, unconscious conflict, social learning, to name but a few. It is still by no means clear whether or not biological factors are implicated in antisocial behavior but, even if they are, most researchers acknowledge that the environment in which children are reared can either stimulate or inhibit any inborn tendency is criminality. The type of environment most conducive to delinquency is one of poverty, deprivation, a stressful family life and lack of educational opportunities. These factors are inextricably inter-related and the more of these that a child endures, the greater the likelihood of them committing criminal acts. Nevertheless, many individuals exposed to all of these risk factors do not embrace a life of crime. Perhaps we need to take a more careful look at protective factors such as personal disposition, loving relationships, social support systems and, indeed, gender, in order to more successfully address the problem of crime. References American Psychological Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) (4th ed., vol. Text Revision). Arlington, VA: Author. Bartol, C .R. Bartol, A. M. (2011). Criminal behavior: A psychosocial approach (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Dwyer, D. (2001). Angles on criminal psychology. United Kingdom: Nelson Thornes, Ltd. Heilbrun, K., Marczyk, G. R., DeMatteo, D. (2002). Forensic mental health assessment: A casebook. New York: Oxford Press. Jackson, R. (Ed.). (2008). Learning forensic assessment. New York: Routledge. Rafter, N. (2008). The criminal brain: Understanding biological theories of crime. New York, New York: New York University Press. Raine, A. (2002). Biosocial studies of antisocial and violent behavior in children and adults: A review. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 30(4), 311-26.
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
The History Of Absenteeism Management Essay
The History Of Absenteeism Management Essay When employees intentionally make absence from work it is known as absenteeism. In todays working organisations everybody misses a day of work now and then. But when an employee misses too many days of work it can be a big problem for the organisation and this can cause serious problems when all other employees have to cover for the missing worker or in worse cases the work simply doesnt get done, which can cause low productivity or non availability of requested services, leading to bad impression on companys position and name. People often tend to have different perspectives or attach different meanings when viewing the topic of employee absenteeism. Absenteeism occurs when the employees of a company do not turn up to work due to any scheduled time off, any illness, any injury, or any other reason. If we look back the history, there is only a small written history of absenteeism in business literature, apparently because until the 20th century businesses had a clear rule, No work: no pay. Then labour unions forced the companies into agreements to allow employees to take time off from work for illness or vacations and the practice of offering paid sick days become widespread. These practices still vary among companies and union contracts and normally there is an average of four to ten sick days per year is standard. Companies have realized that human absence management policies are cost effective; even many companies were unwilling to off paid leave to their employees. In fact, there is an estimate in the current studies regarding absenteeism that those company who have effective employee absence strategies can reduce their overall payroll costs by atleast 10 percent. ABSENTEEISM COSTING THE BUSINESSES Most recent studies on absenteeism have claimed that missing employees cost companies millions of pounds in lost revenue each year. We know that absenteeism can be quite costly. It has been estimated that in the United States alone, absence causes a loss of 400 million workdays per years. Based on this estimates, several researchers have attached a dollar value to this of between $26 and $46 billion per year (Steers and Rhodes, 1978; Goodman and Atkin, 1984a). In Canada, this figure probably approaches $8 to $10 billion. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI, 1999) has carried out a survey and used its membership base to survey both private and public sector employers. This survey showed that the average number of working days lost per employee in the UK in 1998 was 8.5 days, which represented 3.7% of all working time available. Another important correlation showed that absence was positively associated with the size of the organisation, that is absence rates were higher in large organisations than in small organisations. In calculating time lost as a percentage of actual working time available, the survey was based on a 228 days working year. This figure is derived from taking out of 365 days, 104 days for weekends or rest-days, 8 public holidays and 25 days annual leave. For many organisations the figures of 228 would be reasonably proximate, but for others, a revised base would need to be used, for example within the education service. Table 1.1 Absence rates for manual and non-manual employees 1998 (1997 figures in brackets) Average Best performing quartile Employees Days lost % of working Days lost % of working time time Manual 9.4 (10.8) 4.1 (4.7) 5.5 2.4 Non-manual 7.6 (6.8) 3.3 (3.3) 3 1.4 All 8.5 (8.4) 3.7 (3.0) 4.1 1.8 Source: CBI, Focus on Absence, 1999. The other most recent survey on the common causes of absenteeism by BBC has revealed that within the UK 93% of workers cite cods and flu as their common reason for being away from their work. Recently BBC has reported that absenteeism is costing  £10.2bn a year and that is mainly through employees minor illness, stress and family responsibilities. A survey of more than 530 firms for the Confederation of British Industry estimated that 200m days were lost through sickness absence last year, an average of 8.5 days per worker. According to an annual survey report of CIPD in 2009, it is stated that the annual cost of absence, is highest in the following sectors of different organisations within UK: Average  £ per employee/year Public Sector  £784 Manufacturing and production employers  £754 Non-profit organisations  £698 Private services organisations  £666 However, the conclusions showed that there are only 41% of employers who are monitoring the cost of employee absence, a figure which has remained persistently low over the past few years. Another company Hewitt Associates which is based in Lincolnshire, Illinois is a global human resources (HR) outsourcing and consulting firm which delivers a wide range of integrated services to help companies manage their total HR and employee costs and improve their workforces has confirmed that absenteeism is costing the organisations in UK more than  £1000 per employee almost every year. INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS International comparison of absence rates is equally useful and informative. The title sick man of Europe was once given to Britain because of apparently poor industrial relations record. This title can be given to any other country now as absence rates in the UK are among the lowest of any EU member country. Table 1 illustrates this point: Country Short-term Absenteeism rate Long-term Absenteeism rate Denmark UK Austria Sweden Ireland Norway Netherlands France Germany Belgium Italy Portugal 3.5 3.6 4.1 4.4 4.5 5.0 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.8 6.9 8.0 9.1 5.5 12.7 3.0 10.4 13.3 11.1 6.5 6.6 5.5 11.2 Source: Adapted from CBI, Focus on Absence, 1989 THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF ABSENCE There are two different classes of employees, manual and non-manual and the most common main causes of sickness absence for both of these classes have been identified as: Manual Non-Manual Minor illness (cold, flu, stomach upsets headaches) Minor illness (cold, flu, stomach upsets headaches) Back pain Stress Musculo-skeletal injuries Musculo-skeletal injuries Home/family responsibilities Back pain Stress Home/family responsibilities Recurring medical conditions Recurring medical conditions Injuries/accidents not related to work Other absences not related to ill-health The latest studies and surveys have revealed that an increase in stress related absence is continuing in number of employers these days. For both manual and non-manual workers, employers perceived that minor illness is the major cause of absence from the workplace. THEORIES RELEVANT TO ABSENTEEISM Over the past many years, there have been many studies and surveys conducted to discover what motivate people. The most recognised theories are Taylor (1856-1917), Mayo (1880-1949), Maslow (1908-1970), McGregor (1906-1964) and Herzberg (1923-2000). Because motivation is very much important not only at work but almost in all part of life too, there are so many new theories which are constantly being developed. MOTIVATION THEORY The word motivation is used to describe certain sorts of behaviour. The purpose of motivation theories is to predict behaviours. Motivation is not the behaviour itself, and it is not performance. Motivation concerns action and the internal and external forces which influence a persons choice of action (Mitchell 1987). Motivation encourages people happily to put more effort into doing something. Well-motivated employees will always feel fulfilled and happy in their respective workplace. Furthermore, the employees are to be expected to be more productive and generate work of a higher quality with lower rate of absenteeism. EXAMPLE A recent case study shows that Siemens, a well known company worldwide, believes that well motivated employees can add extra power into work in order to accomplish the necessary outcomes because they believe that their work is extraordinary. The motivated workforce is more confident to take pride in what they do and off course there is low rate of absenteeism because employees are happier to go to work. HERZBERGS TWO FACTOR THEORY Herzberg used the critical incidental method and his original study was chosen because of the growing importance in the business world and his study was consisted of interviews with 203 accountants and engineers from different industries in the Pittsburgh area of America. The responses to these interviews were generally consistent and revealed that there were two different sets of factors affecting motivation and work. This led to the Two Factor Theory of motivation and job satisfaction. On the basis of his survey, Herzberg reported that employees tended to describe satisfying experiences in terms of factors that were intrinsic to the content of the job itself. These factors were called motivators and included such variables as: Achievement Recognition The work itself Responsibility Advancement and growth According to Herzberg theory these motivators who also can be known as satisfiers were associated with long-term positive effects in job performance while the hygiene factors (dissatisfiers) consistently produced only short-term changes in job attitudes and performance, which quickly fell back to its previous level. In summary, satisfiers describe a persons relationship with that she or he does, many related to the tasks being performed. On the other hand dissatisfiers have to do with a persons relationship to the context or environment in which she or he performs the job.  The satisfiers or motivators relate to what a person does while the dissatisfiers relate to the situation in which the person does what he or she does. So in summary according to Herzberg if the basic needs of an employee are being met at an organisation, the employee will always be willing to come to work and will be happy doing his job. Herzberg argued that extra compensation only work in the short term and other hygiene factors only avoid dissatisfaction and that satisfaction comes from intrinsic motivators. EXAMPLE Royal Bank of Scotland has implemented Herzberg Two Factor Theory and its working successfully at the bank. RBS has put the following few factors from Herzberg theory: The good work by employees gets recognition The employees at RBS have a combined logic of success when the whole business does well They get extra responsibility and progress through regular performance reviews RBS rewards their employee when they do well in their work RBS also introduced flexible working for its all employees and these are adapted to suit the local needs of each RBS centre. Through its right to work flexibly theory RBS is continuously motivating its employee as if they are unable to come to the work on time due to an appointment, they always can come late and can cover their work through job sharing, home working or variable working hours. ATTRIBUTION THEORY Attribution theory suggests that we observe a persons behaviour and then try to establish whether internal or external forces caused it. If it is judged to be internal, it is seen as being under the persons control; if it is judged to be external, it is seen as a result of the situation. Attribution is said to be subjected to a number of considerations, because we judge actions in a context. For example, we judge how distinctive behaviour is and whether behaviour is unusual for a particular person. Attribution theory is very much relevant to absenteeism as for example the employee is absent from work and the circumstances are that his or her attendance record is exemplary, then the behaviour could be considered unusual and an external cause (that is, that the behaviour is outside the control of the individual) will be attributed. If the absenteeism fits in with the general pattern of behaviour, then an internal attribution will be attached (that is, it will be seen as being under the persons control). EQUITY THEORY The Adams Equity Theory is a simple theory which differentiates an employees inputs and the outputs. According to the theory, the judgment to this fair sense of balance serves to make sure that a strong and useful connection is achieved with the worker, with the overall result being satisfied and motivated workers. This theory states that optimistic outcomes and high levels of enthusiasm are likely only when employees recognize their behaviour to be fair. The thought behind Adams Equity Theory is to hit a strong balance here, with outputs on one side of the level and inputs on the other both weighing in a way that seems reasonably equal. If the balance is in favour of the employer then few employees may work to bring balance between inputs and outputs on their own, by asking for more reward or recognition. Others will be demotivated, and still others will look for substitute employment. DOUGLAS MCGREGOR THEORY X THEORY Y According to Douglas McGregor there are two different views of human beings. He described under his Theory X, that workers come to work to do the work and raise no questions and receive their pay. While in his Theory Y he believed that workers are dedicated and want responsibility. McGregor strongly recommend that employers should treat all the workers as Theory Y because they will be more efficient. EXAMPLE Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in UK has implemented McGregors Theory Y, as NDA wants its employees to be self-directed in their work and are always ready to accept high levels of responsibilities. NDA claims that with the help of this theory their employees absenteeism level is very low as everyone loves their work and they are more responsible to be at work on regular basis. ABSENTEEISM MEASUREMENT To measure worker absenteeism the most obvious way is to record how many days have employees not come in to work. The companies should have some sort of clock-in or accountability set-up making this step relatively simple. Once the numbers are available, surely it would be interesting to know how many of those workers were genuinely ill. Measuring absenteeism can serve as many as four purposes for organisations, which includes the following: Administering payroll and benefits programs Planning human resource requirements for production scheduling identifying absenteeism problems measuring and controlling personnel costs (Gandz and Mikalachki, 1979) Actual assessment and analyzing is a key aspect of managing absence effectively. Organisations must assess if they have complications with absenteeism, its extent and find out the best way to handle it. In the latest Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) absence survey, there were only a less than half of employers who monitor the cost of absence of their employee, and there were just under half of organisations who have set a target for reducing absenteeism and the only 38% of organisations benchmark themselves against other employers. To analyse particular arrangement of absenteeism and underlying the basis, employers should acquire and use data, for example, the management approach of an appropriate manager or an increase in workloads. This can also provide the evidence of how absenteeism impacts on the bottom line and why it value investing in an effective absenteeism management programme. MEASURE TIME LOST To evaluate absenteeism there are a number of different measures that can be used, each of which can gives information about the different aspects of absenteeism. Some of the factors are described as under: LOST TIME RATE Lost time rate measure articulate the percentage of the total time available which has been lost due to absence: Total absence (hours or days) in the period x 100 Possible total (hours or days) in the period For instance, if the total absence of the employees in the period is 155 person-hours and the total time available is 1,950 person-hours, the lost time rate will be: 155 x 100 = 7.95% 1,950 This can also be calculated separately for the individual departments of different groups of employees to uncover particular absence problems within an organisation. FREQUENCY RATE The frequency rate method shows an average number of absences per employee, which is expressed as a percentage. This does not give any indication of the length or duration of each absence period, nor any indication of employees who take more than one spell of absence and it is calculated as under: No of spells of absence in the period x 100 No of employees For example, if an organisation employed on average 110 workers in one month, and during this time there were a total of 24 spells of absence, the frequency rate will be: 24 x 100 = 21.82% 110 To find out the individual frequency rate, we have to count the number of workers who take at least one interval of absence in the period, rather than to total number of intervals of absence. BRADFORD FACTOR This method expresses the persistent short-term absence for individuals, by measuring the number of spells of absence, and is therefore a useful measure of the disruption caused by this type of absence. It is calculated using the formula: S x S x D S = number of spells of absence in 52 weeks taken by an individual D = number of days of absence in 52 weeks taken by that individual For example: 10 one-day absences: 10 x 10 x 10 = 1,000 1 ten-day absence: 1 x 1 x 10 = 10 5 two-day absences: 5 x 5 x 10 = 250 2 five-day absences: 2 x 2 x 10 = 40 The trigger points will differ between organisations. The underlying causes will need to be identified for all unauthorised absence. ABSENTEEISM CONTROL POLICIES The companies should have clear policies in place which support their business objectives and culture and this is the first step to managing absenteeism efficiently. Under the current legislation employers are required to provide their staff with knowledge on any terms and conditions relating to inadequacy for work due to the sickness or injury, including any arrangement for sick pay. Effective absenteeism policies must spell out clearly employees rights and responsibilities when taking time off from work due to sickness or any other reason. These policies should include: A clear idea of what absence is, how it can be defined and how it might be measured. An indication of the scope and scale of absence in the UK and elsewhere by sector, region and industry type An account of the likely causes of absence and how they relate to individuals, jobs, organisations and wider factors. Consideration of the legal environment within which absence must be managed. Examination of the equal opportunities implications of absence management, which particular regard to the Employment Relations Act 1999. Discussion of the ways in which work might be made more flexible to suit the needs of both the employer and the employee. Consideration of how a strategy for managing absence might be developed. Examination of the range of tactics that an employer might employ for the management of absence. HOW TO MANAGE ABSENTEEISM Before we discuss how to manage absenteeism we look the types of absenteeism. There are many other reasons why people take time off from work. These can be categorised as under: Non permitted absence or continuous lateness Long-term sickness absence Short-term sickness absence (uncertificated, self-certificated, or covered by a doctors fit note which replaced the sick note from April 2010) Other authorised absences: for example, annual leave; maternity, paternity, adoption, or parental leave; time off for public or trade union duties, or to care for dependents; compassionate leave; educational leave. Other than these above categories of absenteeism there are two main types of absenteeism, know as short term absenteeism and long term absenteeism. We discuss in detail how to manage these two main types of absenteeism: MANAGING SHORT-TERM ABSENCE Temporary absence is also known as absence interventions. The most effective interventions in managing short term absence include the followings: A proactive absence management policy Return-to-work interviews Disciplinary procedures for unacceptable absence levels Involving trained line managers in absence management Providing sickness absence information to line managers Restricting sick pay Involving occupational health professionals The most common method which is currently being adopted by many organisations is return-to-work interviews which can help identify short-term absence problems at an early stage. These return-to-work interviews provide an opportunity to managers to start a dialogue with staff over underlying issues, which might be causing the absence. Tim Holden, the Managing Director of FLUID, draws on more than 10 years experience as an award-winning recruiter and trainer. FLUID works with organisations to enhance their attractiveness to both current and future employees. Holden suggests that: The use of disciplinary procedures for unacceptable absence may be used to make it clear to employees that unjustified absence will not be tolerated and that absence policies will be enforced. According to CIPDs recent survey it has been revealed that, only 12% of organisations use attendance incentives or bonuses as a tool of absence management according to our latest absence survey. MANAGING LONG-TERM ABSENCE The current studies and researches on long term absence have shown that absence of eight days or more justify about one third of total time lost through absence and absence of four weeks or more accounts for more than 15%. Consequently it is very vital that organisations have an approved strategy in place to help their employees to get back to work after a continuous period of sickness or injury-related absence. The knowledge of potential disability discrimination claims is also critical these days. LINE MANAGERS ROLE To control and reduce the causes of absenteeism, line managers have a substantial role to play, either directly or indirectly. How managers behave is very important because it has a significant effect on employee health and comfort. Many recent researches show that line managers are the type of employees most likely to be reported as bullies within organisations. Management style within an organisation is also one of the top causes of stress at work.  The role and responsibilities of the line manager in the management of absence should be clearly defined. However, these days the role of line managers is paramount. It is the line managers responsibility to manager his or her department or unit. Therefore it is his/her responsibility to see that these resources are used as effectively as possible. This means that levels of attendance should be good and absence kept to a minimum. The line managers should follow the companys approach to management style, organisation and allocation of work, as this will be a vital part of any strategy to control absence. In addition it is his/her responsibility to follow the company absence polices and procedures to staff. In any organisations the managers need good communications skills to encourage employees so that they can feel free to discuss any problems they may have at an early stage so that they can be given support or advice by the managers before matters escalate. According to all the recent studies and surveys it is stated that despite of all the importance of line manager/supervisor involvement, there are only 50% organisations are training their line managers to get the skills needed to do this effectively. The organisations should train their line managers to get the following skills to handle the absenteeism properly and they should have a good knowledge of: Their companys absence policies and procedures What is their role in the absence management programme How to act upon any advice given by the doctor to the employee. All the related legal and disciplinary aspects of absence including potential disability discrimination issues How to maintain absence record-keeping and understanding facts and figures on absence The role of occupational health services The proactive measures to support staff health and wellbeing Operation (where applicable) of trigger points Development of return-to-work interview skills Development of counselling skills. In addition, the line manager will be one of the main influences on an individuals view of the company attitude to absence. It is therefore important that the actions and words of line manager support the companys position. It a difference attitude is being taken on the management of absence, whether more strictly or leniently, it will cause problems for the individual manager and for the organisation. Line managers must be able to rely on the support of senior management for decision they take in line with the companys policy, their responsibilities are as under: To effectively organize and allocate work; To use an appropriate management style; To ensure that all staff are adequately trained for their role; To communicate the absence policy and procedures to all subordinates; To apply policy and procedures in a consistent and fair manner; To deal with requests for prior approved absence; To keep accurate and up-to-date records of absences; To investigate reasons for unexplained absences; To carry out return to work interviews; To instigate disciplinary procedures, when required; To provide adequate feedback to senior management; To ensure adequate personal development and training to be able to meet these responsibilities effectively. To support staff health and wellbeing by taking proactive measures for occupational health involvement To be a part of the absence management programme By restricting sick pay To changes work patterns or environment To induct rehabilitation programme There are also four typical components in the recovery of absence and return-to-work process, which are discussed as under: An up-to-date contact with sick employees The line manager should ensure that a regular contact is maintained using both sensitive and non-intrusive approaches with the employee. This approach must be agreed with the member of staff and management and, also where appropriate, with the union or employee representative. Workplace controls or adjustments There can be some obstacles which may cause delay, interruption or difficulties to an employees return to work. A risk appraisal can analyse measures or adjustments to assist workers return and stay in work. For example: Allowing a steady or step-by-step return-to-work, for example, promoting an employee from part-time job to full-time job over a period of weeks To change work arrangement or management style to reduce work pressure and to give the worker more control Modifying the employees working hours, for example allowing flexible working hours to accommodate his/her family demands Co-coordinating the employees mobility. The use of professional advice and treatment These days there are many occupational health professionals in every country, they can be consulted because they can play a major role to evaluate the reason for absenteeism, and also can carry out employees health assessments, and can assist the managers in preparation for a return to work. Return-to-work planning The management should have a return to work plan agreed by the employee and the line manager, and any other staff which is likely to be affected and this plan needs to include: The goals of the plan, alternative working hours, or a alternative job role The time period of the plan Information about the new working arrangements The reviews that will need to be made to make sure the plan is put into practice The dates when the plan will be reviewed This can be helpful if the management appoint someone who can coordinate the return-to-work process. This also can include the colleagues of the absent worker who can inform him/her of the progress, so that everyone appreciate the situation, as well as easing the alterations back to work and maintaining working relationships. TACTICS FOR CONTROLLING ABSENTEEISM There are many tools that can be used as a part of a structured plan of absenteeism. We discuss some of the tools to control absenteeism. In practice, these tools will be used in isolation but more probably several will be used in combination. PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING: All reasonable steps should be taken to ensure that the employed staff is likely to be good attenders. One of the best indicators of likely future attendance rates is past attendance rates as many employers believe that pre-employment screening is a vital tool in absence management. There are number of simple steps that an employer can take to reduce the risk of employing a poor attender: Ask for information about absence on the application. For example, How many days absence have you had over the last two years? Ask about absence on reference requests. Ensure that those invited for interview are made fully aware of the expectations of the job. This would include duties, hours of work, work environment, standards of performance and conduct. Avoid the temptation to oversell the job at interview as this will result in disappointment and disillusioned employees and they will be more likely to be absent. Use pre-employment medical examinations to identify any potential problems. Note that disablement is not a reason not to employ an applicant, and employers must take great care to observe the terms o
Stonehenge Essay -- essays research papers
     There are few ancient structures in the world that captivate the imagination and the critical mind of both the scholarly and ordinary individual as Stonehenge. This intriguingly mysterious Neolithic monument is located near Amesbury in Wiltshire, England and draws thousands of spectators to its arena each year. The oldest part of Stonehenge, called Stonehenge I (constructed ca. 3100 BCE), consists of little more than a circular ditch dug in the soil of the Salisbury plain, with the excess soil piled up to make an embankment approximately six feet tall. This area is approximately three hundred thirty feet in diameter, and encompasses â€Å"Stonehenge proper†– the familiar circles of massive stones that once stood upright as well as the large horseshoe arrangement of standing stones near the center of Stonehenge. (Trefil 48) The outer ring of Stonehenge proper, also known as the â€Å"sarsen circle,†consists of several upright sarsen (gray sandstone) stones. According to the text of Art History, each stone in this circle weighs up to fifty tons and stands up to twenty feet tall, and was once â€Å"capped by a continuous lintel.†To accomplish this architectural structure, the builders used the technique of mortise-and-tendon joints to join and ensure the security of the lintel sections. With this technique, a projecting pin (tenon) located on a lintel fits tightly into a hole designed for it (mortise) on an upright stone. (Stokstad 59) Inside the sarsen circle was once a ring of bluestones. These special stones consisted of various grades of bluish dolerite, which (many individuals conclude) were only found one hundred fifty miles away in the mountains of southern Wales. The inner horseshoe arrangement of five paired lintel-topped uprights, or trilithons, dominates the center of Stonehenge. These sandstone trilithons range in height of up to twenty-four feet, weigh up to forty-five tons, and radiate the mysterious majesty of the megalithic structure. (Stokstad 59) Whatever the method by which the stones arrived on Salisbury Plain, they were apparently set up in about 2800-2700 BCE in either the unfinished circle or the incomplete horseshoe open to the south-west. A century or so later, (ca. 2500 BCE) the great sarsen circle was constructed, and the bluestones were dragged from their holes only to be returned some centuries later to form the i... ...few miles from Stonehenge where there was a convenient glacial deposit of the only stones used for Stonehenge. (Burl 22) However, the view remains that the massive stones of Stonehenge were, indeed, transported hundreds of miles to Salisbury Plain. Assuming that the bluestones were brought from Wales by hand and not transported by glaciers as Aubrey Burl has claimed (or moved by the magical hand of Merlin), various methods of moving them relying only on wood and rope have been suggested. During 2001, in an exercise of experimental archaeology, an attempt was made to transport a large stone along a land and sea route from Wales to Stonehenge. Volunteers successfully pulled the massive stone on a wooden sled over land, but it was ultimately lost in rough seas after being moved to a replica prehistoric boat for its journey across the Bristol Channel. (Burl 21) As we have observed, legends about the origin and purpose of Stonehenge are many in number. It is quite possible that we may never discover the truth behind the mysterious circles of stones on Salisbury Plain, yet it is also true that the intrigue and fascination that accompanies the existence of Stonehenge will surely remain.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Character Analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: English Literature Essays
Character Analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Depiction of a believable character has always been a difficult task for any writer. A true character must evoke emotions and make the readers want to learn more about him or her. The appearance, acts, words and nature of this character must be vivid and understandable by the audience. In medieval England, Arthurian literary works, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight or "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell," describe the character of Sir Gawain as a noble hero, having chivalrous and virtuous attributes. Sir Gawain is said to be the nephew of Arthur: "His parents are Lot of Orkney and Morgause (though his mother is said to be Anna in Geoffrey of Monmouth). Upon the death of Lot, be becomes the head of the Orkney clan, which includes in many sources his brothers Aggravain, Gaheris, and Gareth, and his half-brother Mordred" (Legends, online). He is also the youngest of the knights of the Round Table. Besides being the nephew of Arthur, he is one of his closest companions and an active participant in the numerous adventures which they encounter. Sir Gawain is a protagonist or a main hero in the earlier Arthurian legends, but he is often included in later stories of the fifteenth century as a confidant or a secondary character. For example in Morte Darthur, by Sir Thomas Malory, Gawain is a secondary character, and the main hero is Sir Lancelot. In the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight written by an anonymous author, we are given a description of Sir Gawain's appearance, as he is preparing to go on a quest to find the Green Knight and complete the yearlong beheading game (Norton, 215). His armor, clothing and horse all suggest that he is not a poor knight. His helmet is decorated with gems and embroidered with parrots and turtledoves; his shield has image of Virgin Mary on the inside and an "endless knot"(Norton, 215) or a pentangle on the outside. This figure is a star with five points that is drawn in an unbroken line, which also happens to be a symbol of Gawain's five virtues.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Critique Of Research Article Essay
The nursing profession comprises of various dimensions. These dimensions however have not been appreciated by the society by understanding the complexity of the nursing profession. The role of nurses has changed over times and is dynamic. To many, nursing profession is solely for physical health provision. This is not exactly the case as nurses are also involved in provision of other aspects of care such as social and spiritual care. The role of nurses as care givers is unique and needs to be appreciated. Nurses all over the world are connected by the technical skills that they posses. These professional goes beyond the mare health care provision by the technical skills only. (Nieswiadomy, 1998 pp. 97-135) This paper is a critique of the article â€Å"Dimensions of caring: A qualitative analysis of Nurses’ Stories’’ by Sharon Hudacek. In this article Hudacek has written on a research conducted carried out in a qualitative manner to identify the dimensions of nursing profession. The research focused at analyzing the stories that were obtained from nurses around the world where analysis was done using Giorgis methodology which assisted in deducing the multidimensional and complex of the roles of nurses in provision of care. This essay consists of two major parts in criticizing the article. The first part of the paper will criticize the significance of the research to nursing and the clinical practices in general. It will also examine the reason as to why the research was based on qualitative methodological approach. (Streubert & Carpenter, 1999 pp 67-89) In the second part of the essay, the research will be criticized in details through qualitative research critique methods. This critique will look on both the weakness and the strengths of the research based on the following components: ? Definition of the research problem ? Literature review ? The research design ? Data collection strategies ? Data analysis strategies ? Interpretation of the result finding ? Ethical consideration PART ONE Rationale for research area Nurses are entrusted in the provision of health care and are available to assist the sick in their most needy times. This unique responsibility brings about a unique relationship between the nurse and the patient. Hudacek’s article is on research about the stories of nurses in their day to day duties which are of different nature and challenging. The nurse plays the role of a life saver yet nurses also witness their patients pass inevitably. In establishing what the nurses have to say to the public and to other professionals in their work of care giving. Hudacek collected stories from nurses from various parts of the world about the uniqueness of their job through experiences in care provision. These stories are an important base in understanding the role of nurses and appreciating the multidimensional complex essential care provided by the nurses. The work of nurses should be acknowledged and through their stories it is easy to understand the specialty of this profession in the society. (Beanland et al. 1999 pp 57-107) Leaders in nursing stress on nurses telling on their stories to better understand the practice of nursing. It is obligatory and persuasive to share and the human experiences in daily life activities. In nursing telling stories of personal encounter with patients is a reflection on clinical practice and the essence of working at the bedside. The essence of this research is to encourage nurses to tell there stories through written or oral means to the public and to the professionals. This is necessary in generating critical thinking and review which connects and illuminates the complexity and great inherent within the nursing profession. The narrative stories of nurses about their experiences in bedside care with their patients take the nurses back to a deep etched memory at one time in their care giving activity. This is necessary in motivating the nurses in the provision of care that constitutes more than health care provision as the research identified. The stories enhance the relationship between nurses and their patients through touching of each others life. (Polit, & Hungler, 1997 pp 102-156) There are times when the nurse may touch the heart of a patient and make a change to their lives and the patients also may touch the life of a nurse and bring about change which improves the provision of health care and other services in the care giving practice of nurses. According to Crookes and Davies 2005, it is the story of the nurses which unfold the trusting relationships between nurses and their patients. This research is also important in revealing of the unique nature of nursing profession which can create a good public relation. The care giving practice of nurses is special and innovative which integrates analysis, interpretation and the technical skills possessed by nurses. The research identified seven dimensions care giving in the nursing practice which helps us to appreciate the critical contribution of nurses in the society. These dimensions are as follows. ? Compassion ? Caring ? Community outreach ? Providing comfort ? Crisis intervention ? Spirituality and ? Caring the extra distance. This research assisted nurses to break the silence after many years of service which is more personal and meaningful. It has brought into light the true aspect of nursing through the written narratives they provided for this research to be able to come out with conclusive results of the various dimensions of care giving in the nursing practice. (Parahoo, 1997 pp 56-114) The research is also helpful for further research in the care giving practice of nurses. The finding of this research are useful and can open further research studies in the field of nursing by assimilating theories and the results of this research in conducting useful research that brings the true meaning of care giving within the nursing profession as well as improving the relationship between nurses and patients in all aspects of care giving established in this very research by Hudacek. Methodological approach Research is essential in every aspect of life. In nursing various researches have been carried out in improving and demystifying the care provision in the nursing profession. Various research methods are applied depending on the type of research and the aim of the research. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods have been widely used in research in nursing. These two methods of research can contribute to useful knowledge in nursing. In research it has become useful to use multidimensional research that includes both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Therefore the polarization of this two research methods is no longer in existence and one cannot entirely work on its own. In the research article by Hudacek, qualitative research was used and analysis performed through Giorgi’s methodology for existential methodology which is a qualitative research design. This research method is focused on the experiences of people in their day to day activities. (Giorgi, 1985 pp 111-142) This research allows individuals to describe their experiences. In the research by Hudacek, questionnaires were sent through mail to different individuals in different countries serving in the nursing profession. The question was not open ended question as it directed the nurse on the type of response one was required to provide. The stories collected all were expected to tell of an experience in care giving that touched the life of the nurse or that of the patient. This is one of the weaknesses of this research methodology which uses closed ended questionnaires as it limits the nurses on telling stories about the challenges they face in providing care to their patients which also may touch their lives or change the life of the patient. However qualitative research is appropriate in the study of human behavior through experiences. It involves interactive process instead of linear. This is essential in asking a general question which refines the intended meaning of results of the research as the research continues. The qualitative research tries to understand the whole phenomenon in the context of the research field. This is done through inductive reasoning with no preconceived ideas about the study outcomes as it involves the investigation of individual experiences of the nurses in a naturalistic setting that put meaning to the theory and practice of nursing and for further research work. (Streubert & Carpenter, 1999 pp 80-165) The qualitative phenomenological research is common and is interested in descriptive data rather than numerical data. The phenomenological qualitative research is flexible and people centered which enhances the respondents in the research to be true to their story, that is, it increases the credibility of the data obtained through questionnaires. Considering that the nurses are emailed from a foreign country and are given a guideline question is important in producing reliable research result. Qualitative research is holistic and has continuous analysis of data to invent successive strategies. The quantitative research however has strengths over qualitative research as it applies deductive reasoning. It offers numerical data that allows the researcher to reject or accept the data in relation to the formulated hypothesis. In the research article by Hudacek, there was no null hypothesis to guide the information collected during the research. The questionnaires sent to Australia, Argentina, United States, Slovakia, Cuba, Tekrik, Tokyo and other parts of the world including Africa may have been taken in a different way. Considering that the different nurses come from different societies and have differing personal attributes could have brought about controversy in answering the question. This might be the reason unto why out of all the sent mails to the respondents; only two hundred were mailed back. (Burns and Grove, 2007 pp 90-198) Qualitative research fails to give an analysis of the real data. It does not break down data into meaningful conclusion. Out of the two hundred responses or stories that were received, they are not specified where they came from. There is a possibility of the responses coming from one region or state which can not be reliable for drawing out a general conclusion. Quantitative research and analysis of data could have been applied in this research article to address such shortcomings that the article failed to consider. In quantitative research data is numerical and therefore statistical data analysis methods are deployed to come out with a information emphasizing objectivity. In the research article by Hudacek, qualitative research has been singly used in establishing the role of nurses in health care provision in the named countries. The response obtained within twelve months time span from two hundred nurses was used to determine the heights of care giving practice of nurses. The Giorgi’s phenomenological research analysis was applied to give meaningful evaluation of the two hundred stories received. This qualitative method of data analysis used four major steps that helped in giving meaning to these stories in connection to the research topic. (Giorgi, 1985 pp 34-102) These steps assisted in the study of data obtained and were applied as follows; ? The general reading of the narrative stories for general sense of the whole work. ? The re-reading of the narratives to filter the meaningful section ton be used in the drawing conclusive meaning to research. ? The reflection and focusing of each story to the phenomenon under investigation. ? The final synthesizing of meaning units into reliable structure of learning. Generally the qualitative research used in this research were appropriate to the investigation of the phenomenon of care giving by nurses and helped in deducing seven dimensions of care giving by nurses who share a common technical skill despite the boundaries, race, religion, gender age and most important the level of development of the countries they live or give services in. PART TWO Problem definition Research in the field of nursing is endless and is important in filling in gaps in knowledge that is needed for care giving in nursing practice. The purpose of a research is a clear and concise statement of a specific goal, aim or objective of the research study generated from the research problem. There are three major characteristics which a good problem should hold; ? The problem statement should clearly identify the variables under consideration. ? Should specify the group of population to be studied ? Should involve the possibility of empirical testing. The article by Hudacek the statement of the problem in the research is clearly stated in the very first paragraph of the article in the abstract. It has also been expounded into more than just a problem by describing the methodology of research that would be applied in the research. The problem states, â€Å"The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study is to describe dimensions of caring as they relate to and clarify the practice of professional nursing†This definition of the research problem is descriptive of the nature of research that one expects and the purpose of carrying the research is vivid to the reader. In fact the articles abstract is a summary of every aspect of the research which puts the reader toes. The reader also gets to know the extent at which the research goes into investigation of the problem. (DePoy, & Gitlin, 1994 pp. 58-94) The statement of this problem is clear and eliminates the possibility of ambiguity to the reader. The statement gives the summary of the article. The article puts it clear of the nurses stories obtained telling of the great experiences the nurses encounter in their day-to-day activities of health care provision. The article also explores the fact that nurses have not been telling their stories about their unique care giving practice. Literature review In research, literature review is usually a written summary of the position of the existing knowledge on a research problem. Literature review is the use of theoretical and empirical sources to form a clear picture of what is known and what is not known in regard to the statement of the problem which gives the basis of the conducted study. In simple terms, literature review is the process by which the researcher takes account of the known knowledge about a given research topic. In the present research by Hudacek, the scope of the nursing profession in health care provision has been screened and analyzed deeply from different sources. These sources include both secondary and primary sources. The research problem of the nurses’ silence about their daily experiences has been supported from other works. Hudacek has also used evidence of other available knowledge about the leaders in nursing encouraging nurses to give narrative stories in written form to express their day-to-day experiences in care giving practice. He uses evidence from books of various writers that the use of story telling to understand the nursing practice of care giving has been endorsed. Of all of the articles and books used are current. The research used very recent scholarly works in the literature review which gives the research a sense of validity. (Hudacek, 2005 pp 89-153) Research design Research design is the recipe for conducting a research study and is responsible for optimizing control over factors that could get in the way with the validity of the findings. The research design controls and guides planning and implementation of a research study in order to achieve the desired results and findings. (Crookes & Davies, 2004 pp 89-130). In Hudacek research, the research design used is too weak to draw out conclusions. The mailing of questions to nurses was not random in the first place. The names were provided from the University for the Research Group. This could have led to biasness of the respondents in writing their stories. The time span given to the respondents was quite enough in the research and amazingly only a small number of two hundred out of over thousand were received. The study design was not efficient in conducting this research and could not be valid to conclude the research. The narratives were not controlled from the place of source. That is, there was no criterion for picking up stories for example at least ten from each state as most of them could have come from the same state. Therefore in the current research by Hudacek, the research design is generally poor. Sampling Sampling is the selection of the elements from the entire population to be studied. These elements can be people, behaviors or events among any other element that can be researched on. (Beanland et al. 1999 pp 45-123) In Hudacek article, a global database was used to provide names of nurses to be invited in the research. The participation was also voluntary. In this non probability non purposive sampling, results are credible and fit for research study. Here the subject is not hand picked by the researcher. Data collection strategies This is the process by which information to be used in study of the research problem is gathered. The method of data collection is determined by the research method or the aim of the study. In the article by Hudacek, self report data was found appropriate. Structured self report data was collected by means of written form in stories that were mailed to the respondents. The respondents sent back the written stories via mails. In the research study by Hudacek, the question was formed to guide the respondent on the orientation of the study by just writing a narrative story on ones experience with a patient who changed the life of the nurse. Approval was sought from the University of Scranton nursing department review board which approved the study. Data analysis strategies This is the systematic organisation and synthesis of research data. It is aimed at giving meaning to the data or information collected. In the current article Giorgi’s phenomenological methodology of data analysis was used. The stories were read and interpreted to give meaning to the research problem using the three steps reviewed earlier in this essay. Interpretation of findings, Conclusion and Recommendations Findings of a research are the result of the analyses of the study information obtained from the research question. Conclusion on the other hand is the synthesis and explanation of the research findings. Result interpretation takes into account the objectives or goals of the study and the existing body of knowledge related to the research study. In the research by Hudacek it was found that practice of nursing is meaningful to them and goes beyond the health care provision, i. e. , care giving practice is a multidimensional practice. From the findings seven dimensions of care in nursing practice were identified. These are, Caring, compassion, spirituality, providing comfort, crisis intervention, community outreach, and going the extra distance. (Parahoo, 1997 pp 98-134) Hudacek also encourages more research in his article on matters pertaining care provision by nurses. The research helped in liberating nurses from the traditional restraints that may have caused them to feel unappreciated. Ethical issues Every research should be guided by ethical principles which ensure respect for person, beneficence and justice. Beneficence is entails the protection of the participant from harm which can either be psychological or physical. Ethical considerations in a research study outweigh the possibility of risks to the participants. In the research by Hudacek, ethical issues were considered in the best way. The mailing of the questions was personal and never involved a third party. In giving information, anonymous was used to ensure that the stories were neutral and safe to be published in the article by Hudacek. Participants were not named neither did there stories were published with names of the patients. Professional code of ethics has been respected in the Hudacek research article i. e. Privacy, anonymity and confidentiality were observed during the research. (Roberts & Taylor, 2002 pp 34-69) The essay criticized the article on the dimensions of nursing: A qualitative analysis of nurses’ stories by Hudacek. In the critique all aspects have been looked into clearly and weaknesses and strengths pinpointed during the critique. The abstract of the article defines the research problem statement and gives a summary of the whole article at a glance. The research was effective in achieving its goals all the same despite the pinpointed methodological shortcomings in the research. References Bailey, P. H. , & Tilley, S. (2002). Storytelling and the interpretation of meaning in qualitative research. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 38, 574-583 Burns, N. & Grove, K. (2007). Understanding nursing research: Building an evidence-based practice. (4th ed. ). Philadelphia: WB Saunders. Burns, N. & Grove, K. (2007). Study Guide for understanding nursing research – building an evidenced-based practice. (4th ed. ). Philadelphia: WB Saunders. Beanland, C. et al. (1999). Nursing research methods. Critical appraisal and utilisation (1st Australian ed. ). Sydney: Mosby. Burns, N. & Grove, S. (2005). The practice of nursing research, conduct, critique and utilisation. Missouri: Elsevier Saunders. Crookes, P. & Davies, S. (2004). Research into practice: Essential skills for reading and applying research in nursing and health care. Sydney: Balliere Tindall. DePoy, E. & Gitlin, L. (1994). Introduction to research: Multiple strategies for health and human services. Sydney: Mosby. Giorgi, A. (1985). Phenomenology and psychological research. Pittsburgh, PA: Duquesne University Press. Hudacek, S. (2004). Making a difference: Stories from the point of care (Vol. 2). Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International. Hudacek, S. (2005). Making a difference: Stories from the point of care (Rev. ed. , Vol. 1). Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International. Maher, J. (2003). The use of narratives in nursing. Whitireia Nursing Journal, 10, 11-16 Nieswiadomy, R. (1998). Foundations of nursing research (3rd ed. ). Connecticut: Appleton & Lange. Parahoo, K. (1997). Nursing research: Principles, processes and issues. Basingstoke: Macmillan. Polit, D. & Hungler, P. (1997). Essentials of nursing research: Methods, appraisal and utilisation (4th ed. ). JB Lippincott. Roberts, K. & Taylor, B. (2002). Nursing research processes: An Australian perspective. Victoria: Nelson. Streubert, H. , & Carpenter, D. (1999). Qualitative research in nursing: Advancing the humanistic imperative (2nd ed. ). Philadelphia: Lippincott.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Bio Architecture Research Paper
THE PONTIFICAL AND ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS College of Architecture DESIGN 1 Research Paper July 17, 2012 1. Biotecture †¢ Biotecture is the term used to define architecture that is influenced by biology. Biotecture makes use of organic materials such as plants, minerals, and organisms. In biotecture, nature itself is the ideal architectural construct. 2. Sustainable Architecture †¢ Sustainable means something that can be maintained at a certain rate or level. It can also be upheld and defended. Sustainable architecture is the term used to describe architectural designs that have environmentally conscious techniques.In sustainable architecture, the following aspects of building should be considered: atmosphere, longevity, energy, interface, and equity. 3. Zoomorphic †¢ Zoomorphic is the adjective form of the noun zoomorphism, which means â€Å"the use of animal forms in symbolism, literature, or graphic†. Following this definition, zoomorphic architecture is a new wave of contemporary architectural designs based on animals. In some designs, the animal stands as a symbol while in other structures, the design shares some elements of an animal in a more functional manner. 4. Biomorphic Biomorphic architecture is the architecture that has the form of a living organism. Biomorphic architecture uses nature as a model, and designs that are influenced by the structural principles and decorative motifs found in nature. 5. Nanoarchitecture †¢ Nanotechnology is the study of the control of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Given this definition, nanoarchitecture is the integration of nanotechnology in architecture. Nanotechnology can be integrated into architecture by the use of nano-products, nano-materials, nano-telecommunication, or even nano-shapes. . Biomimicry †¢ Biomimicry simply means to imitate life. This is a new discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. Architecture that involves biomimicry is the architecture wherein the designs are inspired by nature. 7. Biomimetic Design †¢ Biomimetic Designs are biomimicry. These designs mimic biologic structure and processes. In scaffold design, biomimetic refers to scaffolds that copy bone structure and function. 8. Organic Architecture The great architect Frank Lloyd Wright was the first person to use the term Organic Architecture. Organic architecture promotes harmony between the man-made structures and the nature that surrounds it. This can be achieved through design approaches which are well integrated making the buildings and surroundings part of a unified and interrelated composition. 9. Biostructural †¢ Biostructural is defined by nature doing the actual construction work and makes direct use of natural systems for architectural purposes.
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