Mathematical Interpretations of Keynes’s General Theory

IntroductionMany changes had occurred in the last century in every science. Economics was not the exception and a transformation into the theoretical approach took place in the 30s. In 1936 Keynes published â€Å"The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money†. Its main ideas set the foundations of macroeconomics and had influenced economics since.Unfortunately, Keynes had (and has) a bad reputation as a writer, because of this there has been constant analysis and interpretations of what he meant. Economists affirmed that Keynes’s innovating work, as any new approach, had some â€Å"inconsistencies†. Further, the book had small use of mathematics and, thus, had small proof of what it stated. Therefore, these ideas need interpretation and testing into the â€Å"real world†.Keynes Main IdeasKriesler and Nevile (2000) define the book’s main points as follows:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"†¦in a capitalist economy employment, and hence unemployment, is determin ed by effective demand [†¦] decisions about production and investment are made on the basis of expectations†, and â€Å"monetary variables influence real variables such as output and employment and real variables, in turn, influence monetary ones.†One of the most daunting tasks was to set up a mathematical foundation of the cited Keynes’s works. The most important economists who performed this job were, in a â€Å"crossed fertilization process† as Heller (2000) points it, Roy Harrod, James Meade and mainly John Hicks. In fact, in 1937 Hicks published an influential article, â€Å"Mr. Keynes and the Classics: A suggested interpretation† that rapidly became the standard of Keynesian economics theory.Mathematical FoundationsThe Keynes’s ideas stated in the paragraphs above turned â€Å"into simple mathematical models of the macro-economy; [and] the most long-lived and flexible, the â€Å"IS-LM model†, came from John R. Hicks† (Morgan 2001). Despite that, some authors suggest that Harrod and Meade had inspired the IS-LM model proposed by Hicks (Young, qt. in Heller, 2002)[1]. Others suggest that Champernowne and Reddaway also had some contribution into the model’s formalization (Barens 1998, qt in Heller, 2002)Besides the multiple interpretations of Keynes’s work, Hicks’ one remains as one of the most important.As pointed by Heller (2000), the models proposed as explanations had similar expressions which are systems of simultaneous equations. And the mathematical formulation’s success of Keynes’s General Theory is because of the â€Å"mathematical elegance† and the exact nature of systems of simultaneous equations, which many consider alike; and particularly to Hicks who was the only one in representing the theory through diagrams. (Heller, 2002)As pointed, Harrod was another economist who performed a mathematical foundation for Keynes’s work. According to him, Keynes system corrects the traditional theory; allowing the Income level to be not given, the price level does not depend on the money, and money demand is divided in two. Due to all of this Harrod states that Keynes system is better than the traditional one. Keynes had a very positive view of Harrod’s development of his own work, which Harrods presented in the same conference where Hicks did. Hence, Keynes thought that Harrod works interpreted correctly his own ideas.But these authors’ success in interpreting Keynes’s ideas is not free of detractors. Kriesler and Nevile (2000) made a clear stand of this: economists reject the â€Å"IS-LM framework as being neither a valid simplification of the arguments in the General Theory nor a reliable model for analyzing macroeconomic issues.† Economists think the IS-LM model ignores expectations and it is not useful to analyze a particular economy beside the static equilibrium[2]. They also affirm that Hicks t ook Keynesian macroeconomics to another direction from the one intended by the work’s author.   The same authors assert that Keynes’s own vision on Hicks model â€Å"did have the faults that post Keynesians typically ascribe to IS-LM.†[3]ConclusionKeynes’s work and the posterior mathematical development gave, to governments and to economists, answers that can be easily explained and understood by everyone only using analytical tools as diagrams or simple mathematics. What is more, those ideas were beyond the economic â€Å"common sense† of the time: governments can spend during depressions.  Affirming if these formalizations of the model are what Keynes’s work pointed might be intimidating. Regardless of this and the different views, Hicks simplification and formalization of the model is useful, and catches the spirit of the work. As any first interpretation improvements were (and still are) made but the first task was accomplished.Refer encesHeller, Claudia, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money According to Brian Reddaway Economia em Revista, Vol. 10, pp. 15-32, 2002Heller, Claudia, The ‘General Theory' Synthesis According to Roy Harrod in ‘Mr. Keynes and Traditional Theory’, Revista de Economia (Curitiba), Vol. 23, pp. 27-49, 2000Keynes, John Maynard, The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (New York: Prometheus Books, 1997).Morgan, Mary, The formation of â€Å"Modern† Economics: Engineering and Ideology, Department of Economic History, London School of Economics, May 2001, Available at ;http://www.lse.ac.uk/economicHistory/home.aspx;[1] Young proposed that to call it the â€Å"IS-LM Harrod-Meade† model. [2] It is important to make clear that many have pointed rational expectations as one of the inconsistencies in Keynes’s work. [3] Post Keynesian economists main critic to the IS-LM model is its static equilibrium nature, thus has no means to de al economy’s path of adjustment.

My Adventure

My Traveling Adventure The wind hummed past my head, and I noticed off to my side that the sky was starting to clear and that the water surrounding me was becoming a brighter shade of blue. The features of my destination were quickly becoming more distinguishable with each second that passed. Only fifteen minutes before, the features coming into view had appeared as small white dots across the horizon. Looking at my small digital watch, I noticed that the time was 3:45 p. m. , five minutes away from the island of Islesboro. The voyage across Penobscot Bay to Islesboro was one of excitement for me.The excursion to Islesboro started in the coastal town of Lincolnville, Maine. Waiting in the parking lot of the Lobster Pound Restaurant, I frequently saw young children frolicking across the sandy Lincolnville Beach off of Route 1. The smell of freshly cooked seafood and salty sea air mixed together while I sat on one of the bucolic wooden benches along the shore. The Margaret Chase Smith, the Maine State Ferry Service's ship that ventured to Islesboro and back, quickly docked at the end of a long wooden pier strewn with barnacles.The ferry navigated back and forth between eight monstrous black rubber pads jutting out from the water until it finally halted. The rusty metal ramp lowered onto the deck of the ship as cars started their loud engines, intruding upon the tranquility of the scene. My grandfather and I cautiously walked onto the ship after all the outgoing cars had departed. We gave the attendant our tickets and then watched the cars behind us drive onto the ferry like young children following their grade school teacher.After rushing up the water-coated staircase to the observation deck, I instinctively ran over to one of the large, four-foot windows in the observation room. My grandfather approached me and lifted up the heavy glass window. I loved feeling the cool sea breeze rush past me. As a child, I adored scavenger hunts, and the zenith of my voyage was when I rushed up to the ship's fire plan document displayed for general viewing above the ship's main water fountain. I searched the ship with my grandfather for all of the fire extinguishers, returned to the map to observe if there were any that I ad missed, and then journeyed again to find the unnoticed extinguishers. I proceeded to do the same for the life preservers, life jackets, and even the water hoses. My grandfather, waiting at the front of the observation room, assisted me up the stairs to the upper deck; by that time, enough time had passed so that the trip was almost complete. The top level of the ship was less active than any other place on the ship. Few people had the courage to stay on the windy, cold deck above the observation rooms. The only sound on the third level was the rumbling thunder of the electrical motor escaping from the captain's chamber.An unpleasant metal chain bearing the simple â€Å"CREW ONLY† sign guarded the white cabin. I had found it to be an ideal location to take panoramic pictures of the surroundings. Focusing on the horizon, one could obtain a perfect picture of nearby Mt. Battie in Camden or the Islesboro lighthouse. It was also an outstanding place to grasp the railings and look over the side of the ship, noticing an occasional whitecap or piece of driftwood floating in the overall calm sea. Another of my favorite locations on the ship was standing at the bow of the ferry, clutching in my hands the rusty metal chain barricading the exit.From this site, I was able to see everything directly in front of the ship and view the entire Islesboro dock as it rapidly approached. It had been from this location where I spotted a porpoise emerging from the bright blue ocean depths; I had also observed an enormous oil tanker voyaging up the bay to its port in the town of Searsport, fifteen miles north. The tanker's figure loomed like a rain cloud over the horizon in front of the boat; as we approached, we were able to ide ntify the major features of its cargo.Nearing the port at Islesboro, I smiled as I looked up at my grandfather. The first landmark I noticed was the Grindle Point Lighthouse. We had made a pledge to each other to see as many Maine lighthouses as possible during our years together. The green and red Grindle Point Light attracted visitors who could journey up the stairs to the source of the light. Continuing to stand at the bow of the ship, I saw the residents and visitors to the island desiring a ride back to the mainland. The large rubber hands of the dock led the boat into its proper position to unload.The ride over to the island of Islesboro had been exciting for me throughout my life. It was very meaningful to me because it had always been something I enjoyed doing with my grandfather. Of the many voyages we had embarked upon, the Islesboro trip epitomized all of the experiences we enjoyed doing together. I have traveled on many boats as I have become older, such as the Bluenose to Nova Scotia and the Steamship Authority's ferry to Nantucket Island, but none have had more of an impact on me than my first ferry ride on the Margaret Chase Smith.

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 22

Chapter 22 A PERFECT LONESOME CHRISTMAS The archangel Raziel hovered outside the Santa Rosa Chapel's big cathedral window, looking through a small pane of pink glass that formed Saint Rosa's cheek. He smiled at his handiwork, then beat his great wings and flew off to find some chocolate to sustain him on his trip home. Life is messy. Would that every puzzle piece fell into place, every word was kind, every accident happy, but such is not the case. Life is messy. People, generally, suck. This year, however, the Lonesome Christmas party in Pine Cove was coming off with clarified joy, an infectious goodwill, and a general harmony of spirit that shone in the guests with a smooth, high polish – a no-mess affair. â€Å"Theo,† Molly said, â€Å"can you grab the other lasagna pans out of the back.† She was carrying two of the long stainless-steel pans herself, and she was careful to bend at the knees as she set them down on the buffet table to keep the back of her short cocktail dress in the realm of decency. It was a plunging neckline LBD (little black dress) she'd borrowed from Lena just for the party – the first low-cut thing she'd worn in years. â€Å"We could have barbecued after all,† Theo said. â€Å"I told you fucksticks that the storm would turn south,† Mavis Sand growled as she sawed the end off a baguette like the moyl at a titanic bris. (Some people's goodwill shines differently than others'.) Molly set down her lasagna and turned around into the arms of her praying mantis of a husband. â€Å"Whoa, sailor, Warrior Babe's got work to do.† â€Å"I just wanted to tell you,† Theo said, â€Å"before everyone gets here, that you look absolutely stunning.† Molly brushed her hand across her neckline. â€Å"Scars don't do that, do they? They don't just disappear overnight like that, right?† â€Å"Doesn't matter to me,† Theo said. â€Å"Never mattered. Wait until you see what I got you for Christmas.† Molly kissed him on the chin. â€Å"I love you, even if you have mutant tendencies; now free me, Lena needs help with the salad.† â€Å"No, I don't,† said Lena, coming out of the back room carrying a huge salad bowl. Tucker Case followed close behind with a stainless caddie of dressings. â€Å"Oh, Theo,† Lena said, â€Å"I hope you don't mind, but Dale is going to come by in his Santa suit tonight.† â€Å"I thought you guys were in combat,† Theo said. â€Å"We were, but he surprised me a couple of nights ago when I was stealing some of his Christmas trees, and was just losing his temper when Tucker happened along and popped him in the nose.† Tucker Case grinned. â€Å"I'm a pilot, we're used to handling tense situations.† â€Å"Anyway,† Lena continued, â€Å"Dale was drunk. He started crying, getting maudlin, talking about how he was having trouble with his new girlfriend, saying how he hated that everyone saw him as the evil developer, so I invited him here. Thought maybe if he could do something nice for the kids, it would make him feel better.† â€Å"No problem,† Theo said. â€Å"I'm glad you two are getting along.† â€Å"Hey, Theo!† yelled Joshua Barker as he ran across the chapel floor toward them. â€Å"Mom says Santa will be at the party.† â€Å"A quick appearance, Josh, then he has to get on his route,† Theo said. He looked up to see Emily Barker and her boyfriend/husband/whatever Brian Henderson coming across the room. Brian was wearing a red Star Fleet Command shirt. â€Å"Merry Christmas, Theo,† Emily said. Theo hugged Emily and shook Brian's hand. â€Å"Theo, have you seen Gabe Fenton?† Brian asked. â€Å"I wanted to show him the shirt, I think he'll get a kick out of it. You know, nerd solidarity.† â€Å"He was here a little bit ago, Brian, but then Val Riordan arrived and they were talking. I haven't seen them for a while.† â€Å"Maybe they went for a walk. Beautiful evening, isn't it?† â€Å"Isn't it,† said Molly, coming to Theo's side. â€Å"He said he was good with weather,† said the Narrator. â€Å"Shhhhhhh,† said Molly. â€Å"Pardon?† Brian said. Out behind the chapel, the dead were feeling festive as well. â€Å"He's going to do her right here in the graveyard,† said Marty in the Morning. â€Å"Who would have thought a shrink could moan like that. A little carnal scream therapy, huh, doc?† â€Å"No way,† said Bess Leander. â€Å"She's wearing Armani, she's not going to mess up that outfit.† â€Å"You're right,† said Jimmy Antalvo. â€Å"They'll just suck face and take the party home for makeup sex. But how do you know she's wearing Armani?† â€Å"You know what?† said Bess. â€Å"I have no idea. Just a feeling, I guess.† â€Å"I do hope they sing ‘Good King Wenceslas, † said Esther, the schoolteacher. â€Å"I just love that song.† â€Å"Has anyone seen the biologist's dreadful dog?† asked Malcolm Cowley, the dead book dealer. â€Å"Last year the beast urinated on my headstone three times.† â€Å"He was sniffing around a minute ago,† said Marty in the Morning, â€Å"but he went inside when they started to bring the food out.† Inside, Skinner was sitting under the Christmas tree, looking at the strangest creature he'd ever seen. It was hanging from the lower branches, but it didn't look like a squirrel, or smell like food; in fact, it had a face that looked like another dog. Skinner whimpered and sniffed the air. If it was a dog, where was its butt? How could he say hello if he couldn't sniff its butt? He took a tentative step back to study the thing. â€Å"What are you looking at?† said Roberto.

Essay Topic 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Consumer's Shopping Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Consumer's Shopping Experience - Essay Example Thus from the discussion we can arrive at the definitions of the three types of purchases. The low involvement purchase implies the buying process where the purchasers do not perceive the product to be crucial enough and do not relate with it strongly (staff.uny.ac., n.d.). In this type of purchase decision the customer puts the least effort in browsing, comparing and selecting activities. Example of low involvement purchase could be purchasing casual daily wear t-shirts. The medium involvement purchase implies the purchase of products like the grocery items like toothpaste and newspaper etc. that requires medium level of information gathering endeavor and the buyer attaches themselves with the product to a medium level. For a medium level product the buyer puts a moderate level of effort towards the browsing, comparing and selecting procedure. The high involvement purchase deals with high level of involvement of the customer with the product or service they are planning to purchase. These types of products or services are way more expensive than the medium and low involvement products. The time spent on the decision making process is the longest for the high involvement products. ... Among these categories chocolates, dairy products and ice-creams will be categorized as the high-involvement products, while the Purina pet care will be considered as the medium involvement purchase and the bottled water will be the low involvement purchase. Marketing strategies undertaken by the makers of Nestle would encourage the consumer to search for all the information regarding low involvement purchases, medium involvement purchases and high involvement purchases since the operations and activities of Nestle are quite transparent and all the information are available online. The consumers have the option to make the purchase online through the Nestle nutrition store. For a high involvement purchase the marketer must present some information regarding the product or service which the help the creation of an encouraging attitude for the brand that will consequently result in a purchase. The advertisements in this case should be focused on the factual significance. The problem re cognition state in this case reflects the doubt in the mind of the consumer regarding the purchase decision which can only be answered by the availability of detailed information related to price, quality and material of the product. The problem in the case of medium involvement purchase requires an adequate amount of information and a good amount of time for comparing the similar products. In this case the marketer must come up with effective promotional campaigns to influence the decision of the purchasers. The low involvement purchase decision gives rise to the issue of lack of loyalty. In this case the marketer requires creating and maintaining brand reliability among

Causes of income inequality in the UK and evaluate the measures that Coursework

Causes of income inequality in the UK and evaluate the measures that could be used by the UK government to achieve a more equal distribution of wealth - Coursework Example income may involve engagement in jobs resulting to wages and salaries, self-employment, benefits accruing from welfares as well as incomes emanating from asset ownerships (Anderton, 2008, 38). On this perspective, it is significant to mention that there exists a notable difference in the structural division and distribution of income on global perspective. However, concerning the United Kingdom, it is evident that the issue of income inequality may feature in the poverty perspective. This involves absolute as well as relative poverty. The issue of income inequality in the United Kingdom has taken greater heights. There are several causes of such income inequalities evidenced in the United Kingdom. Some of these include the issues regarding employment of individuals in certain sectors of work in the United Kingdom. It is a fact that there exists a significant pay differentials amongst those people under employment schedules in all the countries in the world. This significant pay differential is also evident in the United Kingdom. This has led to difference in wages as well as salaries earned by the employees. This causes a significant inequality in income experienced in the United Kingdom (Anderton, 2009, 67). The difference in wages and salaries experienced by the employees follows the levels of differential in kills and expertise that each employee possesses. However, other reason that may lead to income inequality relevant to employment includes employee discrimination in the companies in which they are employe d. This leads to differences in payments thereby translating to income inequality. The other reason behind the inequality of income in the United Kingdom is associated with the differences in wealth amongst the individual members of the country (Harjes, 2007, 57). It is true that a wealthy person can rent his possessions to other prospective individuals and get huge amounts of income as opposed to the less wealthy individuals. This brings in the issue of

Financial analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Financial analysis - Essay Example It serves government consumers, individual consumers, small and midsized businesses, and education enterprises. Apple’s financial year ends on the last Saturday of September and has an approximate period of 52 or 53 weeks. In connection to this, the main aim of this paper is to take out Apple Inc. financial analysis. Financial Analysis refers to the assessment of the profitability, stability and viability of a business entity or project. It is based on information derived from the financial statements including the Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash flow and the Income Statement, a single financial statement cannot give full information about the firm but together they give useful information (Gibson 2012, pg. 6). It is useful in benchmarking that majorly involves comparison of different companies’ performance comparison or comparing the company’s performance over time. The information is also used by management and investors in decision making and forecast future performance. We analyze data as revealed by Apple Inc.’s annual Reports and also carry out ratio analysis that helps us discover more information about the business (Michelle 2012, pg. 45). Apple operates in different geographical areas including the Americas, Japan, Europe, Asia Pacific and retail operations, it is hence involved in segment reporting and all the information from various sources is consolidated and used as the company’s financial information from which the company’s performance is analyzed (Brooks 2012, pg. 86). This paper aims to analyze the financial statements of Apple Inc from 2011 to 2013 to determine which year was more profitable, that is, time series analysis. The results could also be useful in performing industrial analysis which involves comparing one company’s performance to another in order to determine which one is doing better. Measure the ability of

3 to Choose From Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

3 to Choose From - Essay Example The recent nuclear energy agreement (1-2-3 agreement) signed between India and America is the best example for the interests in nuclear energy by developing countries like India. Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion are the two scientific processes used to liberate energy from the nucleus of an atom. Both these processes have its scientific base in the famous relativity theory formulated by the well known scientist Einstein. The equation E = mc2 (E-energy, m- mass of the matter and v – velocity of light) formulated by Einstein serves as the base for these two processes nuclear fission and fusion. Through this equation Einstein established that matter can be converted to energy and vice versa. Nuclear fission is a process of splitting up of a heavy nucleus by a fast moving neutron. Mostly one of the isotopes of Uranium, U235 is used for the fission purpose. When U235 is bombarded with a neutron, it will be accepted by the U235 nucleus and becomes U236. But U236 is This reaction was first studied by Enrico Fermi and his colleagues. But they failed to interpret the results properly. They could not identify the reason for the formation of two new elements when Uranium nucleus was bombarded with a neutron. But German scientists Otto Hann and Fritz Strassmann were successful in explaining the process. They have concluded that â€Å"if a massive nucleus like uranium-235 breaks apart (fissions), then there will be a net yield of energy because the sum of the masses of the fragments will be less than the mass of the uranium nucleus.† (Nuclear Fission) Nuclear fusion is the reverse process of nuclear fission. Here two light nuclei were combined to form a single heavier nucleus. It is a process in which both energy absorption as well as energy liberation takes place. It occurs naturally at stars. The Sun is able to produce huge amount of heat only because of the fusion reaction happening in it. Unlike

Partnership between Department Manager and Human Resources Essay

Partnership between Department Manager and Human Resources - Essay Example Besides, they are best suited to give a critical assessment of each candidate. Departmental managers are essential in recruiting employees in many ways. Firstly, they understand existing knowledge or skill gap within the organization at a better level, besides those stipulated for recruitment. Secondly, they handle the staff at department levels and are best suited to identifying best specific criteria in selection stage among a pool of qualified candidates (Buller & McEvoy, 2012). Also, they are a linkage to the overall organizational management and its strategic plans. Besides, they are involved in drafting organizational goals at the departmental level. Because of their expansive knowledge on strategic planning within a department and the entire organization, they are therefore best suited for selecting prospective employees (Oyer & Schaefer, 2011). While HRM typical role of planning and coordinating workforce is driving force in hiring, the input from departmental heads is highly helpful (van Donk & Esser, 1992). Together with the HRM, departmental chairs are useful in matching employees skills to the job. Moreover, departmental heads understand dynamics and work-related issues. They are best suited for designing interviews guidelines and areas to assess knowledge and experience for a particular job in the department. To recruit best-suited staff, the input from departmental heads cannot be overemphasized. They are best acquainted with operational management and specific skills needed for particular jobs from their departments. Building partnership helps tap the best staff for existing opportunities. Van Donk, D.-P., & Esser, A. (1992). Strategic human resource management: A role of the human resource manager in the process of strategy formation. Human Resource Management Review.

Cost Club Scenario Essay Example for Free

Cost Club Scenario Essay Introduction Every employee has fundamental rights in the workplace that include their right to privacy, fair compensation and free from discrimination. Even applicants have rights before they are hired as an employee. Some of those rights include discrimination that is based solely on a person’s race, gender, age, religion, national origin, or during the hiring process (FindLaw, 2014). Employee Privacy * Employees have the right to privacy with regards to their personal possessions * This includes their purses, handbags. Briefcases, lockers.* Employees have limited rights with respect to e-mail messages and internet usage while using Cost Clubs computer system * Employers do not have the right to conduct a credit checks or background checks on an employee or perspective employee without the express written permission of the employee (FindLaw, 2014). Employee Unions Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), employers are forbidden from interfering in an employee’s right to organize, or to join or assist in a labor organization for collective bargaining purposes, or prohibit working together to improve terms and conditions of their place of employment. Union employer’s may not coerce their employees in exercising any of their rights such as (National Labor Relations Board, 2014): * It is illegal for an employer to threaten their employees with the loss of their jobs or benefits if they choose to join or vote for a union or participate in protected concerted activity. * Threaten employees with plant closure should their employees choose to have union representation. * Employers are not to question employees about their union activities or sympathies * Promise employees benefits in order to discourage union support * Punishing  employees for engaging in union or protected concerted activity * Retaliating against an employee by transferring, laying off, terminating, assigning employees to more difficult work task or for filing an unfair labor practice charges or participating in an NLRB investigation (National Labor Relations Board, 2014). Occupational Safety and Health Administration Under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (,OSHA) employers have a responsibility to their employees to provide a safe environment for their employees. Employers are responsible for providing their employees with a workplace free of serious hazards and must follow all OSHA safety and health standards as well as identify and correct any safety or health problems found. It is also the employer’s responsibility to (United States Department of Labor, 2014). * Keep employees informed about hazards through the offering of training, labeling, alarms, systems that are color coded, material safety data sheets that pertain to chemicals and other methods. * Employees are to be trained in a manner in which they can fully understand * Employers are to maintain accurate and complete records of any work-related injuries or illnesses that may occur in the workplace. * Employers are to post any citations, injuries and illness data where is it easily viewed by employees. * OSHA is to be notified by the employer within eight hours should there be a workplace fatality or when three or more workers have been injured or hospitalized due to an accident. * Display the official OSHA poster that describes the rights and responsibilities in plain view for employees to read per the OSHA Act (United States Department of Labor, 2014). Employee Retirement Income Security Act Compliance assistance under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) sets the minimum standards for retirement and health benefit plans in private industry. Although ERISA does not require an employer to provide a retirement plan or to provide benefits it only requires those who have established plans meet and follow a level of standards. ERISA covers retirement, health, and other welfare benefit plans. (United States Department of Labor, 2014): * Meet ERISA standards of conduct * Employers are to assure that the funds of the plan are protected and that  participants who qualify will receive their benefits. * Employers are to include new health laws * Employers are to provide a continuation of health care coverage for an employee that due to certain events would result in a reduction ,in their benefits. * The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) amended ERISA to make health care coverage available for employees that have either been terminated or have quit (United States Department of Labor, 2014). Fair Labor Standards Act The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is responsible for setting and establishing a minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards that affect employees in the private sector andFederal, State and local governments (United States Department of Labor, 2014). * The wage for covered nonexempt workers is $ 7.25 per hours * Overtime pay to be at the rate of one-half times their regular pay after a 40 hour workweek. * There is no limit to anyone 16 years or older to the amount of hours they may work. * FLSA does not require Cost Club to pay overtime for weekends, holidays for an employees, regular days off, unless overtime is typically worked on those days. * Employers are required to display the official poster of the FLSA. (United States Department of Labor, 2014). Conclusion In order to ensure and maintain a high moral level of employee behavior. Employees of Cost Club must fully understand the ethical and legal implications of their decisions. As they relate to their employees personal and professional values. This should be reflected at every level upper, and lower management included. Cost Club needs to develop and implement a Business Code of Ethics that can be reviewed with all employees at all Cost Club locations. By implementing a Business Code of Ethics, Cost Club will weave together not only the legal principles of employment, but the moral issues that commonly arise in employment issues. These ethical behaviors are vital to Cost Clubs overall success. The stakeholders of Cost Club are able to take direction from Cost Clubs, Business Code of Conduct. And when an ethical dilemma occurs the code will become one of the employee’s best tools for dealing with the dilemma. When Cost Club chooses to engage in employee monitoring, this practice will be posted and announced to all employees.  Employees need to understand the laws and Cost Clubs corporations, policies along with the Business Code of Conduct. Cost Club also needs to exercise restraint in looking over their employees shoulders when it comes to use of the internet and email. (Mujtaba, 2014). When everyone understands all the ground rules then the workplace environment at Cost Club will be fair. If Cost Clubs employees are being ethical and following the policies he or she should not be concerned with monitoring and at the same time Cost Club should conduct their monitoring of employees within the guidelines of the law (Mujtaba, 2014). References FindLaw. (2014). Employee rights 101. Retrieved April 13, 2014, from http://employment.findlaw.com/employment-discrimination/employees-rights-101.html. Mujtaba, B. G. (2014). Ethical implications of employee monitoring: What leaders should consider. Retrieved April 13, 2014, from http://www.huizenga.nova.edu/Jame/articles/employee-monitoring.cfm. National Labor Relations Board. (2014). Employer/union rights and obligations. Retrieved April 13, 2014, from http://www.nlrb.gov/rights-we-protect/employerunion-rights-and-obligations. United States Department of Labor. (2014). Employee retirement income security act ERISA. Retrieved April 13, 2014, from http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/erisa.htm. United Stated Department of Labor. (2014). Employer rights and responsibilities following an OSHA inspection. Retrieved April 13, 2014, from https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3000.html#12. United States Department of Labor. (2014). Wage and hour division. Retrieved April 13, 2014, fro m http://www.dol.gov/whd/flsa/.

Concepts and Definitions of Mental Illness

Concepts and Definitions of Mental Illness INTRODUCTION The conceptualisation and definition of what is meant by the term ‘mental illness’ is not a straight forward task. This is because of two key reasons. Firstly, a given definition of mental illness will be significantly affected by the specific characteristics of the source of the definition. For example, a member of the general public would be likely to provide a definition which is significantly different from a person who worked within the legal profession. The perceptions of the member of the general public are likely to have been influenced by factors such as the media and their experiences involving people who are viewed as being mentally ill. In contrast, the legal profession would be influenced by the guidelines and recommendations set out by law (e.g. the Mental Health Act 1983 and subsequent amendments). The definition used within the health care profession is likely to differ again from these alternative approaches Such differences are likely to exist within th ese categories. For example, the definition used by a Psychiatrist may not be the same as that which is used by a General Practitioner. Therefore, whenever one is discussing ‘what is meant by mental illness’, it is important to note the significant impact which is made by the perspectives and experiences of those providing the definition. For the purposes of the following discussion, the definitions which are employed within the health care industry will be predominantly focussed upon but references will be made to the perceptions of other relevant groups. The second reason why the definition of ‘mental illness’ is not a simple one is because of the wide range of different symptoms, behaviours and personal characteristics which may be perceived as signs of mental illness. A person may be perceived as mentally ill if they claim to hear voices, experience prolonged episodes of depression, are addicted to drugs or even because they are extremely scared of spiders. These wide range of symptoms ensure that it is difficult to derive a definition of mental illness which encompasses all of the relevant aspects and issues. In terms of behaviours, a person who is going through a period of extreme optimism may be viewed as being a very positive person by some and as experiencing a manic episode by others. Therefore, it is difficult to clearly define the boundaries as to when behaviour moves into the realm of being a sign of mental illness. Finally, the personal characteristics of the person being observed are likely to influence whet her or not they are perceived as being mentally ill. For example, a young person who is forgetful may be viewed as simply having a poor memory. However, if an elderly person was to perform the same episodes of memory loss, they may be more likely to be viewed as suffering from the early signs of Alzheimer’s Disease. Therefore, the definition of mental illness is made more difficult by the range of applicable symptoms, the problems associated with clearly defining boundaries and the effect of the personal characteristics of the person being observed. The following review will discuss these relevant issues and highlight the key elements of the debate regarding ‘What is Mental Illness?’ THE CONCEPT OF MENTAL ILLNESS This section will consider the statistical approach to mental illness along with the importance of social desirability. The roles played by cultural and societal factors in determining what is labelled as mental illness will then be discussed. Finally a theoretical definition of what is meant by mental illness will be provided. 2.1 THE STATISTICAL APPROACH TO MENTAL ILLNESS The more traditional approach to mental illness was based on the concept of how rare a given person’s characteristics, thoughts and behaviours were viewed as being. Somebody who is acting very differently and in a way which is rarely seen, had the potential to being perceived as mentally ill. For example, the extreme behaviour and actions performed by Adolf Hitler would lead many to claim that he was ‘insane’ However, This statistical approach to mental illness can be criticised in two ways. Firstly, the extreme behaviours of somebody like Picasso are viewed as talent and ability rather than as being a sign of mental illness. Rarity, it could be argued, is only relevant when it is combined with behaviour which is socially undesirable. The statistical approach can be criticised in a second way. There are certain categories of mental illness which are not that rare. For example, a significant number of people in the world suffer with depression. One could not argue that depression is not a mental illness merely based on the theory that there are too many people suffering with it. Thus the traditional statistical approach was shown to not be a comprehensive and appropriate conceptualisation of mental illness. 2.2 CULTURAL AND SOCIETAL FACTORS IN MENTAL ILLNESS Subsequent approaches to mental illness have focussed on the concept of ‘deviance’ (Maher 1966). This highlights the key role which is played by cultural and societal factors in determining what is labelled as mental illness. The case of homosexuality provides a good demonstration of this point. In previous centuries, performing homosexual acts was seen as a sign of mental illness by both society and the mental health profession. However, over subsequent years homosexuality has become a more accepted form of sexual behaviour. Although some people would still view it as a mental illness, a societal shift appears to have taken place relative to the historical treatment of homosexual people. Heather (1976) argues that there is a moral aspect to mental illness as well as the underlying medical condition. The case of homosexuality outlines this point of view and shows that the concept of mental illness is not a fixed one but rather has the capability to change over time. Szasz (1962) also supported this view and argued that mental illness is as ‘real’ as witch craft was in the past. It is the way in which society perceives mental illness which has a significant impact on what is actually labelled as mental illness. Other cultural aspects have a part to play. Cultural norms regarding a situation are important. For instance, undressing is an acceptable behaviour if one is just about to have a shower However, if one was to undress in the middle of the high street then it would not be seen as acceptable. Similarly there are developmental norms within given cultures. Temper tantrums are expected when a child is around two years of age. However, if the same behaviour was performed by a 30 year old then it is likely that this would be seen as unacceptable and potentially viewed as a sign of mental illness. This section has shown that cultural and societal factors have an important influence on what is seen as mental illness. A given behaviour i n one community may be acceptable but the exact same behaviour in a different community may be seen as a sign of mental illness. 2.3 DEFINING MENTAL ILLNESS Johoda’s (1958) Framework of mental illness will be outlined here as well as the importance of distress and consequences. CATEGORIES OF MENTAL ILLNESS This section of the review will outline three of the more prevalent categories of mental illness. This discussion will enable a more comprehensive understanding of what is meant by mental illness. Within each category, an example of a mental illness will be provided as a further illustration. The first category is Psychosis. A definition of psychosis will be given and the case of Schizophrenia will be discussed as an example. The second broad category to be considered is Substance Abuse.. The case of people being addicted to recreational drugs will be provided as a modern example. The third and final category is Depression. Bipolar Disorder will be discussed as another example of mental illness. For each of these examples, both the causes and different treatments will be briefly outlined. 3.1 PSYCHOSIS The first category of mental illness to be covered in this discussion is Psychosis. The term ‘psychosis’ has been defined as a range of symptoms that can be found within the diagnostic categories of Schizophreniform illness[1] (Gregory 1987). A variety of different experiences can be described as psychotic symptoms. They can be viewed as ‘highly convoluted expressions of everyday experiences (Beck Rector 2000). They include auditory hallucinations (e.g. the patient may hear a voice instructing them to perform certain behaviours), disturbing thoughts (e.g. the patient may become paranoid that they are being targeted by someone) or a distressing inability to distinguish what is ‘reality’. Combinations of these psychotic symptoms are associated with different forms of psychosis, including both Acute and Chronic Schizophrenia. The mental illness which is labelled as ‘Schizophrenia’ will now be outlined in more detail. The symptoms associated with this illness will be outlined along with the different possible causes and treatments. 3.1.1 SCHIZOPHRENIA The term Schizophrenia was first used by Bleuler (1911). It was intended to mean ‘Split Mind’ or ‘Divided Self’. Clare (1976) stated that a person can be said to be suffering from Schizophrenia if they have at least one of the ‘first rank’ symptoms, outlined below, and do not suffer from a diagnosed brain disease. The ‘First Rank’ Schizophrenic symptoms were outlined by Schneider (1959). They are: Passivity experiences and thought disturbances Auditory hallucinations in the third person Primary delusions or false beliefs The potential consequences for a person suffering with Schizophrenia are both serious and wide ranging. One of the most significant problems can be social exclusion. This has the potential to cause great distress on the part of the patient and may lead to a relapse and or increase in their psychotic symptoms. Therefore it is an important issue to consider and one which needs to be carefully addressed by the mental health nurse. 3.1.2 CAUSES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA Information regarding the different causes of Schizophrenia will be added here. 3.1.3 TREATMENTS Many different approaches to the treatment of Schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms have been taken over the past fifty years. These have ranged from Neuroleptic medication and Electro-Convulsive Therapy through to Social Support and Family Therapy. The 1960s witnessed the introduction of Phenothiazine as a medication for treating psychotic symptoms (Fenton 2000). Subsequent research evaluating a purely drug-BASED approached suggested that it may be somewhat limited. For example, research has revealed that between 25 and 50% of patients ON medication still experience persistent psychotic symptoms (Garety et al 2000). Furthermore, even when the patients strictly adhere to their medication regime, they still can experience difficulties (Hogarty Ulrich 1998). Other research has supported the view that patients suffering from psychotic symptoms who are on medication still experience residual symptoms as well as social disabilities such as having difficulty with interpersonal skills (Sand ford Gournay 1996). Such social disabilities can negatively effect the patient’s ability to socially interact and to form relationships. This in turn may help to reinforce the stereotypes that people have regarding the mentally ill and hence contribute to the stigmatisation which they have to suffer. Other alternative and supplementary approaches to the treatment of psychotic symptoms have been offered. For instance, based upon Social Learning Theory, Social Skills Training was developed. This involves training and re-training the motor and interpersonal skills of the patient. However, evaluations of this approach have suggested that any positive effects were short term and that rather than dealing with the psychotic symptoms Social Skills Training merely allows the patient to disguise them and to avoid talking about them (Bradshaw 1995). It may be the case that such training needs to be provided via the mental health nurse and this could be one way in which they could help a patient who is suffering from Schizophrenia. Other treatments based on a psychodynamic approach have also been tested and evaluated in terms of their effectiveness and efficacy for the treatment of psychotic symptoms. It was found that there was no significant effect (Malmberg Fenton 2002). However, other s imilar research suggested that approaches which emphasise problem-solving seem to be more effective than those which simply focused on analysis (Fenton 2000). Such findings have led people to advocate the psychological management of psychotic symptoms whilst also emphasising the possible role that could be played by the mental health nurse in addressing problems which are not effectively overcome by the treatments which are presently given for Schizophrenia. 3.2 SUBSTANCE ABUSE Another major area of mental illness concerns addiction. It has been included here as it is not generally perceived as being a mental illness by the public although it is included within the DSM-IV classification framework. Humans can become addicted to a wide range of different stimuli from gambling and sexual behaviour through to drugs and alcohol consumption. As a result of the prevalence of such addictions, and the potentially serious consequences for the sufferer, the topic of addiction has attracted a considerable amount of research projects and theories from a variety of different theoretical perspectives. The case of people being addicted to recreational drugs will now be provided as an example which is of particular relevant to the modern debates within this field. 3.2.1 ADDICTION TO RECREATIONAL DRUG USE The system within the brain which is activated by the consumption of water and food, as well as during sexual activity, can also respond to the taking of drugs. This is associated with an increase in the release of dopamine from the nucleus accumbens within the brain. This effect has been seen with amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine, PCP, opiates and cannabis. Recreational drugs are primarily taken by individuals because of the feelings of euphoria, alterations in sensory perception or to experience an increase in their perceived mental or physical abilities. The issue of recreational drug use has seen a significant amount of coverage within the UK media over the last decade. Through a combination of the prevalence of recreational drug use, the reporting of drug-related deaths and the Government’s deliberations over the relevant legal considerations, a growing interest in the topic has been facilitated. The Government and researchers in the field are working to gain an understand ing of the drugs which are being used, who is using them, how addictive behaviour can develop and what interventions can be taken in order to ensure the safety of those at risk. Research has been conducted which has attempted to quantify the extent to which recreational drugs are used within the United Kingdom. For instance, Wadsworth et al (2004a) conducted a postal survey which revealed that 12% of the respondents had taken elicit recreational drugs within the last year and 7% had done so within the last month. For respondents under the age of 25, it was found that 34% reported having taken recreational drugs in the last year and 19% in the last month. It appears that these figures are increasing and that they have been increasing for a number of years. Bauman Phongsavan (1999) performed a review of the epidemiology of drug use and found that it had been steadily increasing since 1990. They also note, however, that it is difficult to collect accurate data regarding the true extent of recreational drug use as people may be reluctant to admit using drugs and to report the amount that they usually take. 3.22 CAUSES OF ADDICTION An addiction involves a person having a compulsion to take a given substance or perform a specific behaviour. They also have an inability, or find it very difficult to limit their in-take of the substance or to control their performance of the given behaviour. Explanations for the development of an addiction have been proposed from a number of different theoretical perspectives. Some of the more prominent approaches will now be outlined. The biological approach, often cited as ‘the disease model’, suggests that a person has a pre-disposition to becoming addicted to a specific stimuli. This does not necessarily mean that they will become addicted, just that they are vulnerable to it and that the onset of any addiction may occur more easily or rapidly. The Genetic approach suggests that people may inherit addictions from their parents through their genetic make-up. Therefore, the children of a person who is addicted to a specific stimuli are said to be more vulnerable to becoming addicted to that stimuli than would normally be expected. The Sociological perspective emphasises the role played by societal factors in the development of addictions among its members. For instance, within a society which creates a stressful environment, high levels of conflict and which allows significant advertising of products to which people may become addicted, more people with addictions may exist relative to another less s tressful society with lower levels of conflict and advertising. Other explanations have been offered which are fundamentally based on psychological principles. It is these approaches which are being proposed as most appropriate for understanding recreational drug addiction. This approach is fundamentally based on the assumption that human behaviour is learned. Such learning is said to be shaped by positive and negative reinforcements which are associated with performing the behaviour. A negative reinforcement may come in the form of information regarding recreational drugs. Such information may be provided by family members, a friend, the media or through the education system. Through emphasising the potential health-related consequences of recreational drug use, the likelihood of an individual taking recreational drugs should be reduced. Negative reinforcement could also occur through an individual experiencing or witnessing an unpleasant event regarding drugs and involving themselves or their friends. Positive reinforcement regarding recreational drug taking could also be provided by an individual’s friends. It could also occur through witnessing other people taking recreational drugs and focussing on the positive consequences of such behaviour. Perhaps the most powerful positive reinforcement, however, occurs when an individual takes recreational drugs and experiences positive feelings as a result. These positive feelings are likely to go beyond the actual physical reaction to include potential factors such as the individual’s acceptance into a social group or scene and a significant rise in their reputation. All of these positive reinforcements are likely to combine, to varying degrees, to encourage the individual to repeat the recreational drug taking behaviour in the future. The addiction can begin when they become tolerant to such positive feelings. This psychopharmacological approach suggests that this tolerance takes two forms. Firstly, the individual can become Contingency Tolerant This relates to their behaviour after the stimuli and it is this which they become tolerant of rather than the stimuli itself. Therefore, to continue with the recreational drug-taking example, the individual may become tolerant of the positive feeling experienced when taking a drug and hence they go in search of a larger effect by taking more of the same drug or by experimenting with other substances. The second form of tolerance is Conditioned Tolerance This relates to the environment in which the behaviour is performed. The drug taker may experience a positive response when they walk into a night club or to a friends house where drugs are usually taken. It is suggested that the individual with the addiction can become conditioned to consuming the given substance or performing the specific behaviour when in a given environment or situation. 3.3 MOOD DISORDERS The two major conditions which are included within this category of mental illness are Depression and Bipolar Disorder. They are both amongst the more common forms of mental illness. As an example of this kind of mental illness, the case of Bipolar Disorder will now be outlined in more detail. 3.3.1 BIPOLAR DISORDER Bipolar Disorder is a form of psychotic illness which involves the patient experiencing episodes of mania and depression. The periods of mania may involve the patient being in extremely high spirits and exhibiting high levels of optimism. In contrast, depression may witness the patient feeling very low and even suicidal. These extreme moods will be separated by times in which the patient is in a ‘normal’ mood. This cyclical pattern of moods can become more rapid over time (Goodwin Jamison 1990). A distinction can be drawn between two forms of the disorder. Bipolar Disorder 1 is the classic form in which the patient experiences recurrent episodes of mania and depression. Bipolar Disorder 2 involves milder episodes of hypomania and depression. If the patient is witnessed to go through four or more episodes in a year then they can be categorised as suffering from Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder. It has been estimated that around 1% of people who are over the age of 18 can suffer with Bipolar Disorder in any one year (Regier et al 1993). As a result of the prevalence of this illness, combined with the potential for it leading to suicide (Brent et al 1993), research has been conducted in order to gain an understanding of the causes and the most effective treatments for Bipolar Disorder. This field of investigation has attracted theorists and researchers from a psychological and sociological perspective. This move has been facilitated by the findings of research which has demonstrated that the traditional approach of medication may not address all of the relevant issues. For example, Ameen Ram (2001) suggest that only 60% of patients respond to Lithium and other Anti-Convulsion medication. Furthermore, they also suggest that just 40% of sufferers remain without relapse for three years after initial treatment despite adhering to their medication regime. Such statistics have ser ved to highlight the potential role that could be played by people working from a psychological and/or sociological perspective. The following discussion will now consider and critically review these perspectives with reference to the causes and then the treatment of Bipolar Disorder. 3.3.2 CAUSES OF BIPOLAR DISORDER A significant amount of research has been conducted to investigate the underlying causes of Bipolar Disorder. The role played by genetics and biological factors does appear to be a significant one. Research has demonstrated that one identical twin can suffer with Bipolar Disorder where as the other identical twin may not. However, they are significantly more likely to suffer with the illness relative to another sibling (Genetics Workgroup 1998). Therefore genetics seem to have a significant impact but it is not the only potential contributory factor. Other psychological and sociological factors have been offered as possible explanations for the development of Bipolar Disorder. These will now be discussed with reference to three key areas, the individual, their family and environmental factors. The psychological perspective would highlight the potential causal factors which relate to the individual sufferer themselves. Factors such as substance abuse and alcoholism have been linked with Bipolar Disorder (Winokur et al 1996). A number of psychological issues could under-pin such behaviour and these need to be addressed if a comprehensive understanding of Bipolar Disorder is to be gained. For example, the individual may not be equipped with sufficient coping skills or an ability to manage stress which in turn leads to their use of alcohol or drugs which then contributes to their Bipolar Disorder. The psychological perspective emphasises the influence of factors relating to the individual’s characteristics which cause or contribute to their illness. The second key area which relates to the psychosocial perspective is the family. The interactions between family members during a person’s developmental years appears to have a significant impact on the onset of Bipolar Disorder. Research has been conducted which has assessed what sufferers of Bipolar Disorder view as the main causes of their illness. Lish et al (1994) found that sufferers believe that their illness started in their childhood. The way in which parents act towards a child in forming their behavioural patterns is an important consideration. This is of particular importance when the parents themselves suffer with Bipolar Disorder (Grigoroiu-Serbanescu et al 1989). The child will observe the behaviour of their parents and this in turn will play a significant part in developing their behaviour in given situations. The learning of social skills and the interactions which take place within the family are viewed by those from a psychosocial perspective to be an import ant consideration in understanding the causes of Bipolar Disorder. As well as family related issues, general environmental factors are also advocated by the psychosocial perspective as a cause of Bipolar Disorder (Pike Plomin 1996). The social environment in which an individual lives and the events which they experience may contribute to the development of their illness. The social support which a person has when they are first experiencing a manic or depressive mood can significantly impact the course of the mood and potentially facilitate the development of a more serious problem. Furthermore, the general lifestyle of the individual, and the social settings which this puts them in, will be another influencing factor. If they live or work in an environment which facilitates significant high and low periods then this could facilitate the onset of a psychotic symptom. Therefore, if an individual lives in an environment which encourages alcoholism, provides no real social support and incurs significant episodes of highs and lows, then the environment may lead to them suffering with Bipolar Disorder. Thus far the discussion has demonstrated that those coming from a psychosocial perspective would argue that individual, family and environmental factors all have a part to play in causing, and contributing to, Bipolar Disorder. The empirical evidence, however, for such assertions is somewhat limited and hence the argument exists mainly from a theoretical perspective. It is difficult to conduct experiments which control for all of the potentially confounding variables and because of the relevant ethical considerations involved. Research generally focuses on people with Bipolar Disorder and tries to identify the causes of their illness. Having said this, the relevant research which has taken place involving identical twins would lead one to conclude that psychological and sociological factors do merit consideration when assessing the onset of Bipolar Disorder. The remainder of this discussion will now address the treatment of Bipolar Disorder from a psychosocial perspective. Again the categories of the individual, the family and the environment will be used to structure the discussion. 3.3.3 TREATMENT OF BIPOLAR DISORDER Although Bipolar Disorder is a serious illness, it can be successfully treated (Sachs et al 2000). Due to the fact that the traditional medication-based approaches have significant side-effects (Vainionpaa et al 1999), and because they are not always fully effective, psychosocial treatments have been proposed. These approaches will now be discussed with reference to individual, family and environmental methods as these were the areas addressed in terms of the causes of Bipolar Disorder. Fundamentally based on psychological principles, therapy has been offered as a possible treatment for Bipolar Disorder. For example, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been used to treat mild episodes of depression and post-manic dysphoria (Leahy Beck 1988). This approach aims to foster an improvement in the patient’s coping skills, self control technique and on their ability to manage stress. Also the patient can be taught useful strategies such as combining the taking of medication with a routine task. In evaluating this approach Satterfield (1999) used an empirical case study to demonstrate that it can enhance the treatment of rapid cycling. Therefore, CBT is a possible approach for treating the individual factors associated with Bipolar Disorder. An alternative individual approach comes from the psychodynamic perspective. It focuses on abandonment fears, repressed rage, manic defences and the need for engagement through the testing of limits. Limited evaluations of this approach have been made. Early research indicated that there are some long term benefits (Scott 1963). However, this research only used a small sample and hence the extent to which these findings can be generalised is questionable. Much of the research in this area involves single case studies (Kestenbaum Kron 1987). Therefore this approach is predominantly supported by theory rather than sound scientific research. Therefore therapy based on a psychological perspective has been advocated as a method by which individual factors can be addressed. Indeed the Expert Consensus Guideline Series (1996) recommended the use of psychotherapy alongside medication so that a more comprehensive treatment programme can be achieved. Conflict within the family can result from the patient’s desire for the situation to ‘go back to normal’ after an episode, their dependency on a family member for medication and because the family become concerned at the first signs of anger or sadness. Such conflicts can be addressed with therapeutic programmes like that which is proposed by Miklowitz Goldstein (1990). Family Focussed Therapy (FFT) involves assessing and educating the family as well as providing training in communication and problem-solving skills. Evaluations of this approach for treating Bipolar Disorder have shown that it significantly reduces relapse rates whilst improving communication (Miklowitz et al 2000). A key element of approaches within this field is education. Information and hence improved knowledge can help to enhance the patient’s illness management skills. Spouses, other family members and care-givers all need to be involved within this process. Honig et al (1997) found t hat a psycho-educational family approach can reduce relapse rates, increase social support and significantly improve a family’s expression of their emotions. Therefore Family Therapy can be used to help address some of the causes of manic and depressive episodes whilst also improving the family’s ability to cope with them if and when they do occur. The third and final area of treatments of Bipolar Disorder from a psychosocial perspective concerns environmental factors. By manipulating the environment, it should be possible to both reduce the number of manic or depressive episodes whilst also reducing the negative consequences of them should they happen. For example, Frank et al (2000) proposed Social Rhythms Training. This aims to stabilise a patient’s social rhythms, such as sleeping patterns, and their patterns of behaviour. It also aims to identify the factors which disrupt a person’s social rhythms. Similarly, Wehr et al (1998) advocates the creation of an environment which facilitates regular and healthy sleepi

My Experience with Biology :: Personal Narrative Writing

My Experience with Biology To all who know me, they know how I can’t stand anything that is gross and slimy, or possibly get me in any way, shape, or form dirty. (I can’t stand to be dirty at all!) When I go to the doctors, I can’t even stand to see the nurses poke my arm with a long, cold, sharp needle, so they can get a blood sample. I can’t even stand to watch the shows on the Discovery channel where they are operating on any part of the human body and there is blood oozing from the open flesh of a human being. I find it very hard to swallow when I even get a glimpse of it on television. This has always been my feeling ever since I was little, but when I entered high school and took a College Prep Biology course my feelings on things that are gross and slimy changed quite a bit. In high school I took a Biology class as every high school student has to do. I felt a little smarter than some of the others, because I was not only taking Biology, but I was taking college prep Biology. The only drawback to the class was I was going to have to a lot of dissecting to do. Now, I know in Biology everyone had to dissect the traditional earthworms and frogs, which I can handle without any problems. The problem I encountered after I entered the Biology class was not the fact that I had to dissect worms and frogs, but I had to actually dissect a fetal pig. I was not looking forward to this part of the class; I was even considering transferring into the normal, calm Biology class every one of my sane friends had done, but it was too late to turn back now. I vividly remember my teacher passing out the syllabus of his course and talking in a very excited manner about the dissecting of the fetal pig. â€Å"Now class, I know the tradition is to just dissect earthworms and frogs, which we will do, but I am anxious to get to the dissection of the fetal pig section of the class.

Aust Prohibition Act :: essays research papers

Various international treaties and conventions (e.g. International Narcotics Control Board), has provided Australia with guidelines and regulatory measures that the Commonwealth government must put into action within the criminal justice system. Australia became a part of significant treaties and conventions to uphold strong alliances with other nations (Such as the U.S.). The preparedness of Australian Governments to sign these various treaties, and modify domestic drug laws accordingly, seems largely to have been a function of the country’s subordinate status on the world stage, and its desire to be seen as a good ‘international citizen’, rather than being driven by concern within Australia about the problems posed by illicit drugs (Brereton, D. 2000:90). The Act or drug laws within particular treaties and/or convention was based on basic offenses such as (to name a few), cultivation, possession, trafficking, and supply. The need for such drug laws was however, a consequence for external development, not so much required in Australia. Countries such as the U.S. prompted such regulation and seem to hold greater power in pushing these developments forward. A number of concerns have arisen over the last decade into reasons why certain drug policies have been passed within National and International boarders. To help and explain how prohibition became the only means of limiting drug use and regulation of drugs. Drug use was seen to increase public costs and deduct time and profit from employers and within society according to certain governments. The economic argument centres on the profits to be made by the sellers on the one hand and the losses sustained by employers of users and/or society in general (Brown, Farrier, Egger and McNamara. 2001:1070). This suggests that not only would drug use be seen as a problem within State and National boarders, but also internationally. Therefore it was believed that if all Commonwealth government were under the same treaties and/or convention this would decrease the use of Psychotropic substances, and also, deter drug trafficking, supply and demand. Another important factor that increased prohibition of only certain drugs within Industrialized Western Countries was argued by Brown et al (2001:1071) we can derive a powerful and historically sustainable argument that those drugs which are currently legal in Western Countries are those in which there is an indigenous history both of use and capital investment, while those which are illegal are those which are produced in Third World Countries, where the costs of use exceed the profit to be to be made.

The Steps Which America Should Take to Reduce Our Dependence on Foreign

It is important that America should take immediate action to reduce its dependence on foreign oil. If America continues to have a great demand for it, it will create a threat to the country’s economy and national security. There are three primary actions that America might take in order to reduce its dependence on foreign oil: Alaskan oil drilling, off-shore oil drilling, and natural gas drilling. America’s dependence on foreign oil is a threat to its economy. Per minute, America wastes $200,000 and per hour, $13 million by relying on it (Natural Resources Defense Council, p. 1). Gasoline consumption has led to an increase of costs of oil which is passed on to consumers at the pump, through more expensive goods and services, and in a weaker job market and lower stock prices (Natural Resources Defense Council, p. 3). Therefore, if current trends in oil demand and prices continue, economic impacts for the U.S. will intensify. It is possible for America to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, but the petroleum industries and other monopolies have paid Congress to take out the competition (Worthington, p. 1). Legal monopolies are targeting the market effects of foreign oil, which increases profits, while America’s government obliges them. Unfortunately, these de jure monopolies have kept America in a dirty fuel monopoly that has been arranged to terminate its o nly competition to create a government-granted monopoly (Worthington, p. 1). As for the national security, by importing more and more oil each year, there is an increase of demand and a decrease in domestic production. The United States can become more secure by enforcing the work on farms and factories to reduce our thirst for foreign oil (Natural Resources Defens... ...es revenue from the sale of offshore charters and helps win political support for energy and climate legislation (Broder, p. 2). The political response to off-shore drilling is positively approved. The Offshore oil drilling plan is considered to be a new chapter in the nation’s search for an approachable energy policy that can release new areas to oil and gas enlargement. Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, has said that he hoped to rebalance the nation’s oil and gas policy to block oil exploration beneath virtually all public lands and waters (Broder, p. 3). An option, that was introduced, other than depending on foreign oil and reducing oil imports was the use of biofuels. This can lead to an increase of the purchase of hybrid cars for the motor industry. Off-shore drilling is an appropriate action that can reduce the amount of foreign oil imported by America.

Identity and the Life Cycle

In Erikson’s famous book, Identity and the Life Cycle, the author takes a close look at the development of the human personality across time, focusing on elements of human development as they relate to the psychosocial sphere of study. The three sections of this book are three famous writings from Erikson, entitled, Ego Development and Historical Change, Growth and Crises of the Healthy Personality, and The Problem of Ego Identity.The first section, Ego Development and Historical Change, deals with the idea that the ego is a present yet also ever evolving part of humanity, that the ego shifts within the personality, surfacing healthily in times of wellness and separating the person from the leader led mob, balanced out between the super ego and the id, one might say.Into the second part of the book, Growth and Crisis of the Healthy Personality, the reader gets a better idea of what Erikson means when he speaks about psychological and social interactions and milestones, develop mental levels, which arise as the organism of the human person blossoms and changes naturally through various stages from conception until death. In the final pages of the book, the last paper, entitled, The Problem of Ego Identity, Erikson delves deeper into the meaning of human psychosocial development as it relates to both biological development as well as modern society.Here he asks the burning question, do we prepare ourselves as human beings for the life cycles which we experience? A look at modern society shows the pitfalls for people who are not developed in mind, spirit, and body together and how people would benefit from being socially, cognitively, and physically adept at certain life stages, primarily at the transition from adolescence to adulthood. References Erikson, E. (1980). Identity and the Life Cycle. W. W. Norton & Company.

Modest Mussorgsky and His Sunless Song Cycle

Modest Mussorgsky and his Sunless Song Cycle Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky was one of the biggest innovators in Russian music during the Romantic Period. Constantly striving to achieve a distinctive Russian musical identity, he never once hesitated to defy the orthodox qualities and trends of western music. Born March 21, 1839, into a wealthy family living in Karevo, Russia, it was not long before Mussorgsky discovered his love for music. He began playing piano at the age of 6 and showed promising development. However, he was obliged to take on the family tradition of serving in the military, and was sent to cadet school when he was 13.After 4 years, he successfully graduated and was sent to serve at a military hospital in Saint Peterburg. Here, he became close with several other composers including Mily Balakirev, who heavily influenced Mussorgsky to learn more about music. The two worked together over the next few years developing his musical intelligence. After only several months, in 1858, Mussorgsky suffered from an emotional crisis, forcing him to resign from his commission, and devote his time entirely to music composition. He began to develop as a composer but was unfortunately preoccupied as his family’s fortune began to dwindle.He was forced to accept a low-level civil service position in order to help manage his family’s estate. In 1863, Mussorgsky returned to Saint Petersburg and began composing his first opera. During this time, he was exposed to a heavily creative and intellectual atmosphere where a variety of artistic and scientific ideas were brought to his attention. He soon came to embrace the ideal known as musical realism. With this mind set, Mussorgsky sought to depict life through music as it was truly lived. He rejected the repetition of symmetrical musical forms just as life itself is completely unpredictable.His style came to be known as erratic and exhibited a raw sense of individuality. Unfortunately, this concept of †˜real life’ hit him especially hard when his mother passed away in 1865. This was a profound moment in Mussorgsky’s life, one that may have pushed him into the downward spiral saturated with alcohol, depression, and hopelessness that would eventually follow. By the late 1860’s, his music had circulated well enough to earn him the right of being grouped with Balakirev, Cui, Rimsky-Korsavok, and Borodin as a part of Russia’s â€Å"Mighty Handful†.However, he had yet to compose a successful opera. In Autumn of 1868, after abandoning his two previous attempts at Salammbo and Marriage, Vladimir Nikosky suggested that he compose an opera for Alexander Pushkin’s drama, Boris Godunov. Mussorgsky gladly accepted the challenged and began almost immediately. Despite the opera being rejected by the State Censor (arguably not once but twice), nearly 6 years later, his masterpiece was ready to be shared with the world. The premier took place January 27, 1874, but to his dismay, it received a number of hostile and negative reactions.Even his good friend and fellow â€Å"Mighty Hand† member, Cesar Cui, was unimpressed and proceeded to minimize his accomplishment with a scathing review describing it as an â€Å"immature work†, and that it â€Å"trespassed against the conventional musical grammar of the time†. Mussorgsky was deeply impacted by the public reaction. It nearly destroyed his self-confidence, and summoned what I believe to be the dark and pessimistic force that inspired his song cycle entitled â€Å"Bez Solnsta†.Literally meaning â€Å"sunless†, or â€Å"without sun†, Bez Soinsta was a series of 6 songs Mussorgsky composed to accompany a variety of poems written by his close friend and part-time roommate, Arseni Golenishchev-Kutuzov. As the name implies, the overall mood of Sunless is rather bleak. Its music and lyrics especially evoke a continuous feeling of loneliness, hopelessnes s, insomnia, and boredom. From a psychological standpoint, one could say that this entire song cycle is a direct representation of the mental state associated with depression and its symptomatic effects.I believe Mussorgsky chose to compose these songs when he did to reflect his degrading mental state of mind, which ultimately led to his demise. The first song of the cycle, consisting of only 17 bars, is entitled â€Å"Within Four Walls†. With its sparing accompaniment, this musically subtle piece tends to center around pedal D (first in the bass, later in the mid range, and then returning back to the bass). The melody blends a combination of recitative and aria with arching lines of infinite yearning and at times fierce dissonances.These unexpected harmonies are inevitably brought back to the unyielding D, all the while saturated with irregular phrase length and fermatas to perhaps allude to the unpredictability of life. Deceptive cadences of endless misery, combined with so mber poetic lyrics such as â€Å"†¦an impenetrable darkness, irresponsive darkness†, this song seems to radiate a sense of profound pessimism that can only be explained by the mental condition of Mussorgsky at the time. Though only lasting a mere 11 bars, Mussorgsky’s second song of the cycle, â€Å"Thouh Didst Not Know Me In The Crowd†, goes further harmonically than any other composer would be capable of.Frequently ending in foreign, unresolved chords, this perfect blend of heightened recitatives and fervent melodies do justice to the associated lyrics provided by Kutuzof. The poetry seems to express and bewail the indifference of the world as personified in the disinterest of a former lover. The brief poetic phrasing is as follows: You have not recognized me in the crowd. Your glance did not say anything, but I felt wonder and fright when I caught it. It was only a moment, but believe me, within it I re-lived again, all the delights of past love, all the bitterness of oblivion and tears!Details regarding Mussorgsky’s love life are sparse, but one can only assume that such words drenched in hopeless bitterness and overwhelming sorrow pertained some relevance to his current love affairs at the time. Mussorgsky’s third song in the cycle is entitled â€Å"The Noisy Festival Day Is Ended†. At the time, he was working in the forestry department of The Russian Government as a clerk. Earning little income, and being constantly preoccupied with pointless tasks, his frustration grew, as he was increasingly distracted from his real life as a composer.One of the more expansive Sunless songs, this 40 bar piece exhibits a variety of textures and gestures. Opening with a recitative, Mussorgsky continues to a lyrical middle section, where falling modal sixths are introduced. Finishing with an aria like finale, the song seems to convey no other emotions than hopeless longing and passionate despair. He expresses yet another day wasted, â€Å"over is the idle and idle and clamorous day† and another night sleep deprived, â€Å"but sleep escapes from my eyes†. But what has brought about this dissatisfaction? Could it be his unfulfilling job that distracts him from his true passion of music composition?Or perhaps it is a woman who disturbs him so, â€Å"I am bored with this dead crowd†¦ Only one shadow, the only one of all, appeared to me, breathing with love†. â€Å"Boredom† is the fourth song in Mussorgsky’s Sunless song cycle. As the name suggests, throughout the 29 bars, he repeats the opening statement a total of three times (making it a strophic song). However, it would not be very stylistic of Mussorgsky to restate this initial melody without some sort of change or variation. For each repetition, he modifies the music slightly to appropriately reflect the changes in the text.During the third repetition, the music seems to take a more fierce and tragic approach tha n that of the first and second phrases. The lyrics here also seem to indicate a powerful sense hopelessness and despair as Kutuzov writes, â€Å"Be bored. From birth to the grave your path is written beforehand: Drop by drop you’ll waste your powers. Then you’ll die. † Talk about depressing. At this point in time, Mussorgsky was drinking heavily, and seemed to idealize his alcoholism, perhaps viewing it as an ethical or aesthetic habbit. This of course led to increased isolation and depression, which is undeniably presented through songs such as this one.His fifth song, â€Å"Elegy† appears to be related in some way to the negative reaction of the public in response to the recent premier of his opera, Boris Godunov. As discussed earlier, even his close friend and respected fellow member of Russia’s â€Å"Mighty Handful† betrayed Mussorgsky with a brutal review of the piece. â€Å"Elegy† begins nicely as the fluttering piano gently com pliments and symbolizes the â€Å"Silent star flickering, lonely, through the veil of clouds†. Arguably, this represents Mussorgsky’s opera at the time of its approval, waiting for the â€Å"veil of clouds† to be lifted in order to shine for all of the world to see.Later, the music changes drastically as a series of angry, dissonant and chromatic octaves relentlessly pound away as the poetry describes what I believe to be the public’s reaction to his take on Boris Godunov. â€Å"†¦And I hear in the distance life’s discordant noise, laughter of the soulless crowd, the muttering of treacherous feuding†. Mussorgsky’s anger and frustration in response to the premier of his opera are clearly and effectively depicted here through his music. The last song of his Sunless cycle is entitled â€Å"By The River†. Throughout the piece, a stationary bass line with its insistent half step supports a eries of extreme chromatic harmonies. There is a strange contradictive sense of stability and illusion to the piece, something which becomes even more prominent when compared to its poetry. Throughout the text, the line between sanity and madness and crossed, and you find yourself at the threshold of death. The poetry seems to essentially be a suicide note. The river acts as a means to an end, possessing â€Å"†¦magical secrets in them† (what happens after you die). â€Å"When it calls into the depths, I want to jump without hesitation† (suicide).The hopeless yearning and disheartening lyrics correspond with music nearly as dark and mysterious as the river portrays. In the years that followed, Mussorgsky’s mental and physical decline only worsened. The inability to resist drinking, combined with a series of deaths among his closes friends caused him great pain and sorrow. In 1880, he was terminated from the governmental service, and in 1881 he declared to a friend that there was, â€Å"nothing left but begging†. It seemed as though Mussorgsky had given up: on music, on himself, on life. Sure enough, not long after the fact, he suffered from a series of seizures and was hospitalized.An impoverished son of nobility, Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky died on March 28, 1881, just a week after his 42nd birthday. His unfortunate struggle with alcohol, and criticisms from the public eye, inspired a dark and despairing approach to music during his final years. Additionally, his interest and devotion to musical realism led to an unorthodox and controversial style, the critical reaction to which, he was unable to cope with. Sunless, with the help from Kutuzov, remains one of the bleakest works in the art song repertoire. Bibliography: Articles: http://www. recmusic. org/lieder/assemble_texts. tml? LanguageId=7&SongCycleId=60 http://www. allmusic. com http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Boris_Godunov_(opera) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Modest_Mussorgsky http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki /Sunless_(song_cycle) Songs: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CKZwPYhXbbA http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=8KOvp0ienUI http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=tUXZ59hs2l8 http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=YU481pqyo54 http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ym367Z_XJ-k http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Raqo8RQL9i0 Scores: http://www. musicaneo. com/sheetmusic/sm-4310_sunless_without_sun. html (^yes, I bought it†¦)

Reaction Paper Example

REPORT on FEASIBILITY STUDY Summary: A Feasibility Study (FS) is a method of operation employed to precisely describe what a project is and what strategic issue need to be considered to assess the probability of gaining success. The following are the different types of FS: technical, economic, cultural, legal/ethical, resource, operational, marketing, real estate, and comprehensive feasibility. FS are done by companies whenever there is a new project to deal with.It is also used as a basis for an investment decision, whether to pursue or not on a particular project or business, or to make sure that there will be a return on investment (ROI). Reaction: FS is a necessity in the Philippine setting in the sense that in this unstable economy of ours, investing in something which does not promise any substantial returns is deemed to be a suicidal act. We do know that monetary remuneration is not the only important thing that any of our investments expect in return but it is what fuels our endeavors to continue to be of service to others and give our clients what is due them.A comprehensively conducted FS will help us determine the strengths and weaknesses of any project we are about to execute which in due course will save us money, time and effort. REPORT on SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS Summary: Situational Analysis is the step in the formulation of a plan, formulation of objectives and targets, formulation of policies and strategies, identification of programs and projects and last is investment programming or budgeting. Problem identification identifies the issues and problems that need to be solved.The framework for analyzing social outcomes include: outcomes, resources, services and facilities, access and utilization of services and facilities and environment. The profile of the target population describes the context which involves physical, economic, social, cultural and political environment where the population subsists. Reaction: The process of making a Situational Analysis is complex. It has a various components which need to be analyzed. Adequate time is very much needed to make sure that the end-result is not half-baked and clearly states the reason for engaging in such study.Collective effort of those who are involved should also be urged to arrive at a solid decision and basis for engaging regularly in the planned activity. REPORT on TECHNICAL ANALYSIS Summary: Evaluating technical feasibility has to do with a large part of determining needed and existing resources. Technical Analysis should be done to conclude whether current technical resources can be upgraded in a manner that fulfills the demand. If existing systems cannot be upgraded, then considerations on whether there is such an existing technology that meets the specifications should be the next alternative.Technical Analysis enables to uncover the method of production to be employed, equipment and tools, site development, amenities, factory building among others. Reaction: The p racticality of a proposed or an on-going project can be measured through Technical Analysis. It is the skeleton in which your business will stand and operate. It determines if a certain business venture possesses the necessary materials for it to be operational. Also, it makes sure that even if the materials are available, it has the capacity to handle or sustain the project at hand.Finally, it evaluates the capability of the workforce if they have the required skills needed to make the project possible. Technical Analysis encompasses the assessment of the structural components and technical aspects in running a business or sustaining a project. REPORT on ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Summary: Environmental Analysis is the study of the threats and opportunities that may affect the Marketing Plan. It is a fundamental marketing operation used to identify outside forces that may affect the success or failure of a certain product or service.It includes the identifying, scanning, analyzing and forecasting of the ever-changing business environment. The internal factors of environment that affect the business must first be identified, which can be done at different levels – the company, regional, domestic and global levels, making use of SWOT and PESTEL, however it can also be achieved through a very significant brainstorming assembly. Reaction: Environmental Analysis is very much helpful in understanding the ambiance in the business arena. It enables to identify factors that greatly affect the operation and the triumph of the business venture.Scanning is the process of recognizing which of the identified factors have the most effect because it will aid in giving back a path for improvement. Analyzing and trailing the steps will arm one with the necessary and appropriate tools to start a business of his desire. Forecasting should also be considered for it furnishes a rational basis for certain strategies to be employed which is beneficial to the business. REPORT on F INANCIAL ANALYSIS Summary: Financial Analysis is an assessment of the viability, stability and profitability of a business, sub-business or project.It is performed by professionals who prepare reports using ratios that make use of information taken from financial statements and other reports relative to it. These reports are usually presented to top management as one of their bases in making business decisions. The following are examples of reports and documents necessary in making a sound analysis: (a) Financial statements report the company’s financial status to interested parties; (b) Balance sheets show a corporation’s financial status at a certain point in time; (c) Income statements show a corporation’s profits and losses for a fixed eriod; (d) Cash flow represents the flow of cash over a fixed period, by how much cash on hand at the start of the period and how much is left at the end. Reaction: No business entity will materialize without appropriate fundi ng and financial back-up. Although there is enough monetary capital maintained by the company, it will gradually collapse when there is no proper financial accounting. Financial Analysis guarantees the realization of your ultimate goal in starting up a business venture that is to earn profit. With proper financial assessment, the business will definitely survive the competition.REPORT on ECONOMIC ANALYSIS Summary: Economic Analysis is examining in detail the economy. The objective of which is to assess the over-all impact of a project on improving the economic welfare of the citizens of the country concerned. It is for the national economy rather than for project participants. The objectives of economic analysis are to bring out a better allocation of resources that leads to increased incomes for investments or consumptions and to choose the means using the least resources for a given output.The Project Framework is of great importance because both the directly productive and indire ctly productive projects are analyzed, it aids to prevent misallocation of resources. It is also an appraisal tool to examine the implementation efficiency, operational effectiveness, testing and impact significance. Reaction: Understanding economic analysis entails a careful system of study to ensure the sustainability of a particular project and its success.Two components that should complement with each other are the Financial and Economic analyses to uphold the goal of sustaining the project. It should also be in consonance with the national objectives of economic recovery for it to be truly feasible in uplifting the country’s economy and national development. REPORT on CULTURAL and SOCIAL ANALYSIS Summary: Cultural Analysis is the study of people’s way of life intended to gather date on remarkable fact or event to obtain new knowledge by way of analyzing the given data. The main subject to cultural analysis are adaptation and change.Social Analysis, on the other h and, is the study of the development and structure of society and relationships. This has direct bearing on social theories which are used to study and interpret social phenomena within a particular school of thought. Reaction: Taking into consideration the cultural background of the people or the society, makes an entrepreneur sensitive to the needs of the clients and helps in determining what is appropriate and what is not to be pursued in order to push through the business without predicament.Also, it is very interesting to note that people comprising a society are involved in remarkable or outstanding events, how human behavior or discipline affects relationships, economics and politics. Therefore, understanding the society and its culture will develop a harmonious interaction between and within people involve. REPORT on POLITICAL ANALYSIS Summary: Political Analysis the study of the state, government and politics and its relation to the business community. It is about the wide scope of theory and practice of politics and the study of political systems and political behavior.It has three fields – Political Philosophy, Comparative Politics and International Relations. Political Science uses methods and techniques that connect to the kinds of questions which are tried to be obtained or achieved. Reaction: Considering the kind of political scenario prevailing in this country, it is of great importance to consider political analysis, an in-depth treatment will enable you to deal with circumstances which are within the bounds of political concerns of the nation nowadays.Economic stability rest on the pillars of political stability as well and it will be of major importance to study the predominant political science your are in to blend in and be on safe grounds. REPORT on PROJECT APPRAISAL and PROJECT IDENTIFICATION Summary: Project Appraisal is a process of assessing the case for proceeding with a proposal or a project itself. It includes six (6) major points which starts with Project Identification process wherein collection, compilation and analysis of data to locate potential opportunities to start and development opportunities are done.Defining Project Goals and Objectives relate two (2) different ideas. Goals serve as the â€Å"what† in the process and objectives serve as the â€Å"how†. Project Appraisal also consists of financial assessment – money, profitability and eligibility while technical assessment includes whether a project is keeping with its objectives or is strategic in nature. Reaction: Clearly defined goals and objectives is what really count in pursuing a remarkable project. The formulation of the said goals and objectives should be given enough time and thinking before a project is to be undertaken.The success of any project or business endeavor lies in a well-defined and factual goals and objectives. REPORT on CONTEMPORARY ISSUES in PROJECT MANAGEMENT Summary: The first thing to do in pu tting up as business is deciding what kind of business you are going to venture in. And it will be normal to think of a business that will be patronized strongly by the masses. Considering the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that you might encounter in the process will help you deal with the future issues and potential problems you might encounter on the way.Some of these problems are the following: low capital, limited resources, shift in consumer behavior, availability of raw materials, transportation, labor, marketing, location, laying the ground work, and branding. But despite all these, solutions can be applied in order to avoid encountering the said problems in running a business. Some of these precautionary measures are as follows: establishing a realistic mission, picking a business that is in demand, committing to running business, having enough working capital, and finally, choosing the right marketing campaign.Reaction: It may be said that we can all be business owners but not all of us will succeed in the business endeavors we ought to put up and operate. There are many factors to consider during the process of planning your desired business venture, running it, and maintaining its superiority over the market. It may be deduced that to be able to attain success, one must have the passion and dedication in what he/she is doing. The desire to always to better will make sure that you are on the right track. REPORT on PROJECT MONITORING and MONITORING TOOLSSummary: The primary purpose Project Monitoring is to compare the way things are actually planned to the way things are actually done in a specific project. Employing the use of Project Monitoring Tools like performance indicators, logical framework approach, theory-based evaluation, formal surveys, rapid appraisal method, participatory methods, public expenditure tracking surveys cost-benefit and cost effectiveness and impact evaluation will give project managers the essential info rmation to continue, improve or terminate a certain project.Such monitoring and evaluation of development activities will provide them with better means to improve service delivery, planning and allocating resources and demonstrating results as part of accountability to key stakeholders. Reaction: Project Monitoring is very indispensable in any and every project to engage with. It all starts with cautious planning associated with proper execution of established goals and objectives and close supervision and monitoring which will determine the success of any project. The use of the project monitoring tools will alleviate the burden of handling projects.Proper utilization of tools suitable for the project is vital to the fulfillment of the project goals and will eventually generate prolific results. REPORT on DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION Summary: Diagnostic evaluation is administered not only to identify problems or deficiencies, but also to identify strengths and special talents of students . It also determines the readiness of a student to begin school and if a student in any level of the curriculum has mastered some or all of the objectives he is about to take.The need of the students, especially those disadvantage ones, to acquire first some prerequisite skills is determined through diagnostic evaluation. Proper placement of students is another reason for the need to administer diagnostic evaluation because it will help eliminate boredom for those who have already mastered a certain objective and can avoid discouragement for those lacking them. Diagnostic evaluation makes learning easy for the learners to acquire. Reaction: Good diagnostic is a must because it helps teachers to place students properly in the instructional sequence and to identify causes of repeated failure to learn.But making an appropriate and sound diagnostic material should be taken into consideration because it will make or break the true essence of giving diagnostic evaluation. Teachers should make the implicit assumption that all students bring similar cognitive and affective skills, prerequisites and experiences to their class or subject at the beginning of each year. A teacher should really take time and effort in identifying the presence or absence of prerequisites skills, attitudes, and habits; those students who have already mastered some or all of the objectives; and those gifted or talented individuals who need special attention.The success of learning depends on the accuracy and depth of the diagnosis administered to students. REPORT on FORMATIVE EVALUATION Summary: Formative evaluation is said to be useful not only for curriculum construction but also for instruction and students learning. Formative assessments are focused on the learning process as well as the learning progress. While other assessments may only focus on the end result, formative assessments check the student’s progress consistently so that adjustments can be made to reach learning goals. Both teachers and students participate in formative assessment while learning is taking place through things such as informal observation, immediate feedback and student self-assessment. A formative assessment is consistent and ongoing throughout the learning process. It also provides immediate feedback to both teachers and students due to ongoing assessment practices. Reaction: Formative evaluations is important to meet the goals of a particular educational institution. It provides a venue for the goals to be shared and observations and feedbacks are used by both students and teachers to improve the teaching and learning process.It also gives an opportunity for teachers and students to make adjustments to the teaching and learning strategies uses so learning will ultimately take place. The experiences the students have encountered can also serve as a motivating factor for further learning to ensue. REPORT on EVALUATION TECHNIQUES for KNOWLEDGE and COMPREHENSION OBEJECTIVES Summary: Knowledge objectives imply recall and recognition of the specific elements in a subject area. The two main classes of knowledge items are supply and choice.Examples of supply items are completion item, definition of terms, identification, enumeration, and essay. The following can be administered in using choice items – multiple choice, true or false, and matching type. Comprehension objectives are widely accepted since they indicate understanding, described in terms of the three levels of operations, namely; translation, interpretation, and extrapolation. Reaction: Knowledge is important for the development of ideas and learning to recall or recognize during formal instruction. It should go hand in hand with comprehension because it entails understanding.For teachers to be sure that learning took place in a particular teaching/learning scenario, formulation of evaluation materials which both uses knowledge and comprehension objectives is a must. Another thing which can be in corporated during the construction of the said evaluation materials is the technical know-how of the teacher making the test questions, be it knowledge or comprehension. The â€Å"art of question† should be taken into consideration which will eventually result to a valid and reliable test material. REPORT on ITEM WRITING and SELECTION Summary:Item writing and selection aims to determine what the students learn from teachers; look for different resources to know the topic where will the item came from. There are different kinds of items to construct. These are supply items like essay and short answered item, selection type such as true or false, matching type, multiple choice among others. Item analysis is a process of examining a class who perform individually in a certain test item. Difficulty index is the calculation of proportion of students who got an item correct. Discrimination index is to know the ability to discriminate between high and low performance of the students .Analysis of responses helps the teacher to know what item or topic do students find hard in answering. Reaction: Item writing and selection is an important part of evaluation. It is a process of creating and selecting a set of test to be utilized to determine the learners’ status after the learning process. Items may vary depending upon the lesson or subject taken. It must really test the skills that were taught appropriately so it will be valid. Suggestions given must be followed to achieve the desired result. This will also help the teacher to teach easily and give the appropriate approach to the students based from the results acquired.REPORT on NATURE of SMALL BUSINESS Summary: Businesses touch our lives on a daily basis. We meet them anywhere we go. We are confronted by their outputs every time we move. All of them affect our economy in one way or another. Their success of failure spells growth or decline in the economic well-being of our country. This very important se ctor of our economy is of various kinds. They may be classified according to products sold, activity, or size. According to size, they may be further classified as small, medium, or large. In many ways, they complement each other.Among the three, it is small business that is most readily seen although in some ways, it may not be so. A small business is one which is â€Å"independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of operation. † The term â€Å"independently owned† means ownership is by a private individual, a partnership, or a corporation. The term â€Å"not dominant† indicates that a small business does not control a sizeable share of its market. Reaction: Business, may it be small or large scale is very helpful in our economy. They are like the backbone of the economy. They support the country in many ways like giving employment.Business can be classified into different types. Each type provides different assistance not only to the economy but to the country. Putting up a business needs a careful planning because it involves investments. REPORT on ANALYSIS of ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES to EVALUATION Summary: Evaluation is systematic study that is designed, conducted and reported in order to assist a client group to judge and/or improve the worth and/or merit of some object. Using the proposed definition, the study types presented in this book was examined to see whether it fitted into one (or perhaps more) of three broad distinct groups.Covert investigations are the first type is labeled â€Å"covert evaluation,† although it might just as well be called politically controlled evaluation. Its advance organizers are implicit or explicit threats faced by the client for evaluation money. Public-relations inspired studies is a similar case of pseudo evaluation is the study that is planned, conducted, and used to serve public-relations purposes. The purpose of the study is to help the client to create a positive image for an institution, program, process, and the like. Reaction:In business, everything can happen and can be done. One kind of evaluation that caught my attention is the pseudo evaluation among other kinds of evaluation discuss. It is a kind of evaluation that gives false results just for the business to survive. People should really be aware of this because it may affect other business. REPORT on SUCHMAN and the SCIENTIFIC APPROACH to EVALUATION Summary: Suchman and the scientific approach to evaluation have three main aspects such as conceptual, methodological and administrative aspects.Suchman supported the purposes of evaluation listed by Bigman (1961) which are to discover whether and how well objectives are being fulfilled, to determine the reasons for specific successes and failures, to uncover the principles underlying a successful program, to direct course of experiments with techniques for increasing effectiveness, to lay the basis for further research on the reasons for the relative success of alternative techniques and to redefine the means to be used for attaining objectives, and even to redefine sub goals, in the light of research findings.The types of evaluation are ultimate evaluation, pre-evaluative research and short term evaluation. Categories of evaluation are effort, performance, and adequacy of performance, efficiency and process. Reaction: Suchman’s scientific approach to evaluation focuses on the conceptual, methodological and administrative aspects. It is a process that is scientifically design to have a reliable and valid outcome. REPORT on PROJECT EVALUATION Summary: Project is an investment activity where we expand capital resources to create a producing asset from which we can expect to realize benefits over an extended period of time.Evaluation is a step by step process of collecting, recording and organizing information about project results including short-term outputs and immediate and longer term project outcomes. There are many reasons why we perform evaluation, here are some: selection, monitoring, justifying, validating, improving and research. Purposes of evaluation are: to find out how well community or participants needs were met, to improve the initiative, to assess the outcomes or impacts, to understand why it does or does not work, to find out how it is operating, to assess whether its objectives were met and to assess its efficiency or cost-effectiveness.There are two types of evaluation which are formative and summative. Evaluations in relation to education are oral quizzes, written tests and performance tests. Guides in making an evaluation report are executive summary, tables of contents, background, project description, evaluation designs and methods, analysis, limitations, results and discussions and recommendations. Reaction: Project evaluation is necessary because it diminishes errors in your project.It refines your project in a way that if the results or evaluation fails due to uncertainties, you can go back to your objectives or processes and make some pencil pushing to achieve the desired outcomes. In relation to education, if the teacher, at the end of the lesson and evaluation of students, found that the results of the evaluation through examination or quiz fail, she can make some revisions perhaps in her procedure, teaching style or objectives that had been set if the learners cannot achieve it. If changes have taken place, it is for the achievement of the better outcomes.REPORT on STUFFLEBEAM’S IMPROVEMENT-ORIENTED EVALUATION Summary: Stufflebeam’s improvement-oriented evaluation has a CIPP model. The basic framework of the CIPP was: Complete Evaluation, Input Evaluation, Proper Evaluation, Product Evaluation Symptomatic Illness of Educational Evaluation by the PDK ( Phi Delta Kappa) Committee, Avoidance, Anxiety, Immobilization, Skepticism, Lack of guidelines, Poor advice, Problems that needed to addressed in improving the conceptu al base for evaluation work are definition, values, level, research design.Evaluation is the process of delineating, obtaining, and providing descriptive and Judgmental information about the worth and merit of some object’s goals, design, implementation, and impacts in order to guide decision making, serve needs for accountability, and promote understanding of the involved phenomena. The relevance of four evaluation types of decision making are context, input, process and product.An overview of the CIPP categories is the primary orientation of context evaluation is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of some object, such as an institution, a program, a target population, or a person, and to provide direction for improvement. Reaction: Stufflebeam’s improvement-oriented evaluation is a process of evaluation that follows a CIPP model or Complete, Input, Product, and Process approach. This aims to guide the implement evaluation.