20th century drama Essay

As head of court Danforth also holds pull within Salem and is able to make his views known and perhaps persuade a few to adopt them. He is a figure of authority yet shows much prejudice and allows no one to change his mind. Proctor and Danforth, two men of unmistakable force face each other in court when John is charged with witchcraft. Many of those charged with witchcraft within The Crucible admit to the crime even though they did not commit it and blame others in order to save themselves, however John Proctors honesty and values lead him to tell the truth in court and admit that he believes the whole situation to be a scandal. His truth telling eventually leads to his death however if this would prove his and his friends innocence then this is a price he feels he has to pay. His motivation is his pride and his morals and to show he community the ridiculousness of the situation. He wishes to combat Abby’s revenge. In order to prove Abigail Williams is not to be trusted and has merely set out to punish him he tells the court that she is a whore and that they had an affair together. When asked about this Elizabeth goes against every moral fibre and lies saying that he did not commit adultery to the court in order to save her husband against charges of lechery, or so she believes. This is dramatic irony as the audience knows this is far from the truth and by lying she is in fact ultimately sentencing him to death. Proctor is angered and frustrated by the behaviour of the community and the court and he declares that â€Å"God is dead†. The court and majority of the community take this as an admission of guilt, and that this proves he is at one with the devil; however the audience know that it is to the contrary. It means that there can be no God if there is such injustice in the world. Both Danforth and Hale wish Proctor to confess but for very different reasons. Danforth wishes to be branded a hero for rooting out those involved in witchcraft and getting to the bottom of the situation and ceasing all panic where as hale feels guilty that his teachings have lead to many innocent men’s lives being taken and he wishes to prevent this from happening if possible however he cannot prevent the other prisoners from sacrificing there lives in order to retain there self respect. Before Proctors sentence, those put to death were of a low class and seen as socially unimportant yet this did not matter to Proctor as every life taken was a travesty to him and this contributes to the fact that he denies involvement in witchcraft after consideration. Elizabeth is distraught that proctor will hang, they have an understanding that this is the only was forward for them. All they wish for is forgiveness from one another before the deed is done. ‘I have deeds of my own to count. It needs a cold wife to prompt lechery’ Elizabeth is finally taking some of the blame for Johns adultery. They wish to clear the air before he is put to death. Elizabeth also wishes for Proctor to forgive himself also. ‘it comes to naught that I should forgive you if you not forgive yourself. ‘ Proctor love for his family and wife leads him to sign the paper of admission and live for them however he realises he cannot go through with it and go against his own morals. ‘How can I live without my name? I have given you my soul, leave my name! ‘ This shows that he believes if he lies he would be sacrificing his name which all he has left of his pride and it would be tainted, and thus in his eyes, unworthy of life. The fact he is sacrificing his life in order to show the ridiculousness of the whole situation is heroic even though he has partially upon himself as his intimidating status and admission of lechery lead the community to expect the worst of him. Throughout the play Arthur Miller is trying to address the issues of McCarthyism and human weakness. He is attempting to show how small incidents can be blown out of proportion if jealousy and other human weaknesses are involved. He shows the human tendency to conform and how this can lead to downfall. He emphasises the importance of truth and loyalty as through death proctor gains respect for himself and saves the community from even more widespread destruction. These issues are still important in contempory situations.

Decision-Making Case Study Health Care Management Essay

Stoddard County Public Health Clinic is located on Highway 25, North of Bloomfield, Missouri. The clinic provides services to infant and child; young and middle aged adults; older adults; environmental services; and group/community services. When the 2009 budget cuts were distributed among the different departments, the manager of the Young and Middle Aged Adult Department noted a 15% budget cut. This paper is a case study of how the Young and Middle Aged Adult Department Manager will decide what tools she will use to decide which clinical service should be eliminated or introduced to better serve the Medicaid population at while at the same time make a 15% cut in its budget. Clinic Services Available and StaffingThe services available for the Young and Middle Aged Adult Department includes: breast and cervical screening project, anemia screening, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy testing, immunizations, nutrition education, W.I.C, women’s health screenings, high risk pregnancy counseling and case management for prenatals (Stoddard County, 2008). Staffing for the department includes: Department Manager; 2 full-time LPNs to perform screenings, draw blood samples and administer immunizations; 1 full-time nutritionist for the nutrition education; and 1 RN Case Manager to manage the women’s health screenings, high risk pregnancy counseling. The clerical staff is shared among the entire clinic. The Department Manager looked at the year-to-date information for each service provided under her department with the thought of possibly eliminating a service to make up for the 15% budget cut. Upon reviewing the all statistics concerning frequency of use and after surveying all staff members within the clinic, it was determined that each service was very important to the Medicaid recipients of Stoddard County. One suggestion from a staff member was to convert one of the full-time LPN positions to a part-time position and starting a clinical volunteer program. Another position that could be changed from full-time to part-time is the Nutritionist. Statistics have shown that her services are only needed 4 hours a day instead of the full 8 hours. The volunteers would be clinically proficient and could conduct the screenings that are very popular within Stoddard County. In order for the decision to be made, the Department  Manager will need to make a decision to use a decision making analysis tool. The Informed Decisions ToolboxOne option for the department manager can use to make a decision on how to manage a 15% budget cut for her clinic, is to use The Informed Decisions Toolbox developed by Thomas G. Rundall, PhD and his associates (University Of Phoenix, 2008). The toolbox is divided into six steps to help managers make an informed decision. The six steps include: Step 1: Framing the question behind the decision; Step 2: Finding sources of information; Step 3: Assessing the accuracy of information; Step 4: Assessing the applicability of information; Step 5: Assessing the actionability of information; Step 6: Determining if the information is adequate (University Of Phoenix, 2008). Step 1: Framing the Question Behind the DecisionBefore making an informed decision, the manager must formulate a research question out of the management question. In this case study the management question is â€Å"How will the Young and Middle Aged Adult Department operate with a 15% budget cut?† The research question is â€Å"What clinical services should be eliminated or added to allow for the 15% budget cut within the Young and Middle Aged Adult Department’s and how will it affect the profitability and quality of care outcomes during the 2009 budget year within the Medicaid population?† (University Of Phoenix, 2008). Step 2: Finding Sources of InformationStep 2 of The Informed Decisions Toolbox discusses different avenues of researching the management question. These avenues include, but are not limited to: healthcare organization libraries, webmasters intranet information and in-house support systems; and the Internet. Step 2 also describes search tips that were very useful (University Of Phoenix, 2008). Step 3: Assessing the Accuracy of InformationStep 3 guides the user to asking the following questions to help ascertain whether the information is accurate: â€Å"Is the information valid and reliable? Is the information comprehensive? Am I missing important perspectives or aspects of my decision?† (University Of Phoenix, 2008). Step 4: Assessing the Applicability of InformationThis step guides the user to decide if all the information accessed was applicable to making a decision. Step 5: Assessing the Actionability of InformationStep 5 will guide the user to determine if the information collected will provide useful recommendations to be implemented, what the expected effects may be of the decision and what are the possible effects that were not expected (University Of Phoenix, 2008). Step 6: Determining if the Information is AdequateThis last step will guide the user in making the determination as to when there has been enough information gathered to make a decision (University Of Phoenix, 2008). After reviewing the information on The Informed Decisions Toolbox, the Department Manager decided this tool wasn’t useful for the type of decision that needed to be made. There are four key strategies that have been recommended for use that affects an organization when the toolbox is used:1.†Strategy One: Recognize and Respond to the Growing Demand for Accountability as a Strategic Issue† (University of Phoenix, 2008). 2.†Strategy Two: Establish Organizational Structures and Processes for Knowledge Transfer† (University of Phoenix, 2008). 3.†Strategy Three: Build a Questioning Organizational Culture† (University of Phoenix). 4.†Strategy Four: Build Organizational Research Capabilities† (University of Phoenix, 2008). By using these strategies, an organization will be able to ensure that have all the research information at hand to help them stay accountable for their  actions. It is also a way for sharing of knowledge and always questioning so as to build a stronger organization. Devil’s Advocate TechniqueDevil’s Advocate is a technique that is used in gathering the positive and the negative aspects to a decision that needs to be made (Liebler & McConnell, 2008, p. 159). In this case, the Department Manager assigned the 2 LPNs and Case Manager the task of brainstorming and writing down the negative aspects of her proposal and all the positive aspects to the proposal. Negative AspectsThere were some strong negative aspects that the team was able to verbalize during the brainstorming session. Some of the stronger comments were:1.A full-time staff member will be required to have a change of status from full-time to part-time. This could cause the staff member make the decision to resign and find a position elsewhere. This will cause the Department to incur the expense of recruiting and training a replacement. 2.Cost of recruiting and training volunteer staff to make up for the  ½ FTE position lost. 3.Loss of expertise from taking already fully training long-time employee out of the full-time position and replacing them with an inexperienced volunteer. Positive AspectsThere were some strong positive aspects that came from the brainstorming as well. Some of the stronger comments/aspects are:1.Cost savings from using volunteer services. The LPN is making an hourly wage of $17.50 per hour equates to approximately $36,400 annually. By using the volunteer for part-time, there will be a savings of $18,200 annually. 2.Cost savings for changing the dietician to part-time would be $22,500, which is half of the $45,000 annual salary paid. The total budget from previous year was $154,800. The new budged, which excludes the 15% cut is $131,580, which equates to a total $23,200 difference. If the decision was made to change the two positions to  part-time, there would be a cost savings of $40,700.00. In conclusion, the decision-making tool that best suited the Department Manager of the Young & Middle Aged Adult was the Devil’s Advocate. By allowing those who the decision was going to affect the most have a part in the decision making process ensured better understanding of budget cuts. The Informed Decisions Toolbox is an excellent tool for those decisions requiring a lot of research data; however, not best suited for this Department Manager. The final decision was made to proceed with changing 1 FTE LPN to Part-time and 1 FTE Dietician to Part-time, which will create a total budgeted savings of $40,700.00. References Liebler, J., & McConnell, C. (2008). Management Principles for Health Professional (5th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Stoddard Conty. (2008). Stoddard County Public Health Center. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from http://www.stoddardcountyhealth.com/ServicesAvailable.htmUniversity Of Phoenix. (2008). The informed decisions toolbox: Tools for knowledge transfer and performance improvement. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from University of Phoenix, Week Two, Resource HCS 514 – Managing in Today’s Health Care Organizations Web site.

Changes to the GED More High School Equivalency Exam Options

Changes to the GED & More High School Equivalency Exam Options In 2014 the GED exam was overhauled for the first time since 2002. Since the change, the National GED Testing Service saw a significant decrease in graduates. As a reaction to the decrease in grads, many states began researching and implementing alternative equivalency exams. The numbers were nothing to sneer at. Whereas in 2012 401,388 people passed the GED test, only 58,524 passed it in 2014. Some reports said that even high school graduates couldn’t pass the new GED. Changes included computer only administration, and more writing and critical thinking components. Designed to mirror high school curriculum changes and to mimic the skills required in a changing workforce, the GED was due for an update. Since the government created the GED in 1942 for the young men and women returning from World War II, the test has been updated five times. The upgrades usually result in drops in participation the following year, as test takers elect to wait until they have a better handle on what the new test will look alike before signing up. Some see this latest update as an unnecessary barrier for people who are already at a disadvantage. By increasing the test’s difficulty, increasing the cost, and requiring computers, they say people who are already struggling are being put at a disadvantage. Proponents for the changes to the test argue that the changes were needed in order to keep it relevant for employers who rely on the GED to measure skills comparable to those a high school graduate would have. In today’s technological world, it’s rare to find a workplace that isn’t mostly digitized. Alternative high school equivalency exams include the HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) or the TASC. Those opposed to the difficulty level of the GED say that the HiSET and TASC are fairer to students and less expensive. The alternative tests were actually created in the face of concerns that the GED was becoming more profit driven. Some say that it’s good to have alternatives but others argue that the increase in options may confuse test takers and may defeat the purpose of standardization inherent in the GED. In many states, the response to the more difficult GED was to lower the score needed to pass the test. In Michigan and 32 other states, the passing score for the GED was lowered from 150 to 145. The change was recommended by the GED Testing Service after the changes were implemented and fewer people started passing (and taking) their exam. In 2015, the exam had a 73% pass rate. Aside from the lower passing score requirement, in some states, test takers with scores between 165 and 174 are categories as ready to enter credit-bearing college courses and those who receive a score between 175 and 200 qualify for up to ten hours of college credit. These changes demonstrate an effort by the GED Testing Centre and local governments to improve the GED program while also attempting to stay relevant in a world where high school dropouts are finding they have increasing options.

Personal reflection paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Personal reflection - Term Paper Example Studying deeply about leadership skills and characteristic allow a person to transform into a dynamic personality with a solid business goal. The learning course which I have studied has all the elaborate information on the qualities one need to imbibe to promote their leadership status. According to (Murthy,2005)â€Å"A leader is an agent of change, and progress is about change. Leadership is about raising the aspirations of followers and enthusing people with a desire to reach for the stars†. A leader is a person who possesses a unique quality indifferent from others. The information that I have collected during my study about leadership will enable me to grow as a strong leader in future. The understanding of leadership qualities and characteristic is essential for an individual to transform into a dynamic leader .A true leader is evolved after passing through much positive and negative experiences. Here, the learning of the course material has provided me with enormous information and suggestion about the way in which, I can upgrade my mental and physical capacities. I believe that understanding the issue related to the individual differences and uniqueness of my personality goes a long way in acknowledging my personal strength and weaknesses. I have been studying the different personality like Type A and B which has the ability to teach a person the category of personality type he fall into .As I categorized my personality; I acquired a basic foundation on which I can built my leadership personality. Moreover, the personality test like Myers Brigg test and HPI has the core potentiality to educate a person about his natural skills and versatility. Being a leader is not an easy task, for this one must have the enormous quality to manipulate one’s emotional behavior. This is where the Emotional intelligence which I studied will come into play. Emotional

Sensation and Perception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sensation and Perception - Essay Example Take note of the subjects’ responses. After conducting your experiment, answer the following questions: In the process of having three people observe a room, it was interesting to note how the type of person observing was impacted what was observed. The first individual was hampered by a limited amount of color blindness. This person could see some colors, but not others. Blue was the control color. When asked about the other objects in the room, he had a relatively detailed list that was not impacted by color. A female observer listed out the objects in the room that were a bright pink that stood in strong contrast to the blue of the walls and other objects in the room. The most interesting observer was a man who is a police officer. He was able to list the objects in great detail regardless of color. His observation of the room was very complete with details such as â€Å" a white planter hung from a tarnished brass hook with pink and yellow flowers†. The observations seem to be impacted by the nature of those participating. The man who had the difficulty of some color-blind issues is a very practical individual who is about function over form. In this process, the function of the items he listed were in order of importance to the function of the room. He listed only one decorative item - undoubtedly because it was a very large item - and remembered the pieces that were useful within the space. The woman listed few of the practical items, but took notice of the most colorful of the decorative items. She is involved in an aspect of interior design and seemed more affected by color than by importance of function. Of course, the police officer was generally observant, putting no stronger emphasis on the function or the form, but rather the details that completed the entirety of the room. In conducting this

Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example   Engaging in CRM allows company employees, who work in various customer contact departments such as customer support, marketing and sales, to become better placed and able to make rapid and well informed decisions on every aspect of the business ranging from competitive positioning tactics to up-selling and cross-selling opportunities. According to CRM Magazine, although it was once thought to be a type of software, CRM has gradually evolved and has now become a customer-centric philosophy that most organisations are adopting and developing various policies that help it permeate throughout the various organisations. CRM is seen to encompass a set of three key elements that play an important role in the success of a well formulated CRM program. These three elements are basically technology, people and process (destinationcrm, 2010). Customers have long been considered as being the biggest asset to any business enterprise and more often than not, this definition is seen to specially apply to those customers who will continue engaging with the business and hence remain its customers in the future (Rust, Lemon and Zeithami, 2004). Customers are usually perceived as the main reason for which companies as well as business enterprises exist. The value of a given customer can be calculated so as to show the customer lifetime value. The customer lifetime value (CLV) is commonly defined as the current value of the entire. The value of a given customer can be calculated so as to show the customer lifetime.

Most-Favoured-Nation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Most-Favoured-Nation - Essay Example MFN is regarded as an important standard code of international commercial transaction. It has been said that MFN clause is one of the commonly adopted principle in the international investment2 domain. The definition of Most favoured-Nation is3 well explained in Article 5 of International law commission Draft Articles4, Treatment accorded by the granting State to the beneficiary State, or to person or things in a determined relationship with that State, not less favoured than treatment extended by the granting State to a third State or to person things in the same relationship with that third state. The scope of Most Favoured nation is a two way sword creating controversies related to whether the international investment treaties covers jurisdictional or procedural matters. The inclusion of MFN clauses became a general practice in the numerous bilateral, regional and multilateral investment-related agreements till 1950. The aim of MFN clause is to reiterate the importance of equality of treatment irrespective of the nationality of the investors5 and eliminate the discriminative forces.MFN clause had a variant approach towards different treaties leading to more problems in identifying the scope and extend protections based on different treaties and their conditional clauses. Thi... There are 2 differing hypothesis raised by experts on the scope of MFN clause such as MFN clause could be extended to cover jurisdictional matter. The scope of application of the MFN clause concerned does not cover procedural or jurisdictional matter.The above hypothesis involves 2 conditional clauses to facilitate the jurisdiction concept. First clause is that the starting point of interpretation process should be a MFN clause. Second clause assumes that the MFN clause allows the incorporation of the provisions of the dispute settlement mechanism included in third-party BITs8. Overview of Recent Arbitration Cases Among the numerous cases brought to ICSID9 in recent years, two cases, Maffezini v. Kingdom of Spain10 and Tecnicas MedioAmbientales Tecmed S.A. v. the United Mexican States stand out as raising issues concerning the MFN clause. In Argentina and Spain treaty(hereinafter BIT) ,the claimant can avoid stipulations in the absence of the a friendly settlement and negotiation within six months period, the host state has eighteen months trial period to work on the dispute as the disputes are first filed at the local courts of the host state. Host state should make an attempt to resolve the dispute before the claimant approaches tribunal arbitration as the next step. The invoking of MFN clause by the claimant refers the Article IV (2) of the Argentina-Spain BIT that. In all matters subject to this, treatment shall be no less favourable than that extended By each Party to the investments made in its territory by investors of a third country11. The above article guarantees a fair and equitable treatment for the claimant and there can be a replacement

The Impact of Globalization on Labour Markets with a Focus on the Gulf Dissertation

The Impact of Globalization on Labour Markets with a Focus on the Gulf Area - Dissertation Example Presentation and Analysis of Data---------------------------------------------p.39 6. Scope and Limitations-------------------------------------------------------------p.57 7. Summary and Conclusions------------------------------------------------------p.58 "The impact of globalization on labour markets with a focus on the Gulf area including Saudi Arabia" Introduction Statement of the problem Labour is an important component of the economic fabric of a society, the other major components being, capital, market, and the state that monitors them (Jessop, 2002, p.11). Jessop (2002) has also come forward to remind the crucial fact that there are also â€Å"non-market mechanisms of various kind† that have a role to play in the inter-relationships between these four components. And any study of any of the components involved has been becoming more complex in the context of globalization. This is so because globalisation is politically, socially, economically and culturally redrawin g national boundaries. Jessop (2002) has described the basic cause of the complexity of globalisation as a social phenomenon in the following lines: â€Å"As capital accumulation expands on an increasingly global scale, its dynamics become more ecologically dominant in shaping the overall evolution of social systems and the life world† (p.11). ... Topics which have an integral connection with labour but neglected until then, came to the fore after the formation of ILO. This also necessitated a new legal framework to be built as well. Such topics include: Fundamental rights (freedom of association, collective bargaining, equality in employment), conditions of work, child labour, protection of women workers, hours of work, labour inspection, vocational guidance and training, social security protection and occupational health and safety (Craig and Lynk, 2006, p.19). From the above discussion, it can be seen that labour, which is a social system by itself, also will not go unaffected by its environment. And labour being a crucial component of the economy, it will need to have a close encounter with globalisation, which is mostly the globalisation of the economy. According to International Labour Organisation, two major concerns in connection with labour and globalisation have now arisen-how mobility imparted by globalisation affec ts labour across national boundaries, and â€Å"whether existing labour institutions would be sufficient to safeguard ...[the]...fundamental rights† of the trans-national migrant labourers (qtd. In Stalker, 2000, p.11 of the foreword). The practical way to address these two concerns is by reforming labour laws and this process has been going on by taking the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, which was â€Å"promulgated† in 1998 (Craig and Lynk, 2006, p.19). Some interesting questions in this context can be, is labour making use of new communication technologies to consolidate itself internationally, is domestic and international labour laws really being

INFORMATION SYSTEMS PROPOSAL Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INFORMATION SYSTEMS PROPOSAL - Assignment Example This helps to ensure that orders from customers are hence met in due period, and that the shareholders and the suppliers are settled and hence can make their payments by following proper procedures. Hence, the transaction-processing arena has now grown and become a very important aspect of better commercial management. The term enterprise resource planning also summarised as ERP, is that process or aspect which tries to merge all of a firm’s departments, objectives and the various functions, into one existing computer system. This also services every department’s requirements by virtue of being specific. It merges by bringing together persons, software and the crucial hardware, into an effective service and an efficient delivery and production system. This hence generates profit for the firm (Peter, 1992). Even though this idea has the ease to be explained theoretically, its truth has been of a varied nature. Most firms do conglomerate varied systems and processes for meeting their own requirements. Office automation system does refer to the different machinery of a computer and its software that is utilised to make, make a collection, store, carry out manipulation of data, and finally convey office information required for the purpose of finishing tasks and objectives that are of a basic nature (Peter, 1992). For example, storing data in raw form, transferring electronically, and the prior managing of e-commerce information, does constitute the activities that relates to office automation system The term management information systems, is a set of commands and procedures that carries out the function of collecting, processing, storing and conveying the vital information to the support part of decision making and the control system. Mostly, information systems do appear to be of a formal nature that is only involved in playing the integral task in firms. Although these systems are

Effective vs. Ineffective Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Effective vs. Ineffective Language - Essay Example Ineffective language happens as a result of failure of attainment of certain goals set, as a result of stress and pressure in the process of work. Such stress leads to use of a communal language that develops in the setting where there is stress. Language and euphemism develop in form of group terms from group thinking such as ‘credibility and cultivating a ‘you attitude.’ In organizations, the jargon is useful for developing motivation among workers to work toward a certain cause and goal. It is an effective language in creating motivation among workers. Such jargons are useful for stirring self-drive in places of work. They are especially effective where users and learners of language are involved. Creating a ‘you attitude’ may serve in more than one field as means of development. Use of language like this and jargon among a group of people creates a communication platform for the workers and new users of a language to develop unity and understanding among themselves. The jargon develops into other modes of language that acts like the first language for the group involved. It provides authenticity and as sense of belonging and extends further to the use of aid in achieving communication through language different from the norm but which is understood among peers, colleagues or other groups that need to communicate amongst

Social Work in Evidence Based Practice Essay Example for Free

Social Work in Evidence Based Practice Essay Mining Report: Social Work in Evidence Based Practice The purpose of social work is to demonstrate to society the necessary appropriateness of social welfare. Society operates from a capitalist standpoint, which in turn establishes a hierarchy within economic class, race, and gender. Social work is a profession that addresses social problems with empathy, empirical knowledge, and respect for humanity. Furthermore, the orientation of the core values of the social work profession was designed as an instructional tool and requires that social workers meet specific requirements that follow the direction of the social work profession. Social workers are expected to provide services to help clients function in society, and are also required to put effort into social justice and practice awareness concerning integrity and competence. Expectations are highly placed on social workers displaying dignity and worth and understanding the value of human relationship. One of the main purposes of social work is providing service. Regardless of what the action may be one will still be providing some kind of service There are negative aspects that could result in a social worker not being effective. Without respecting clients, being aware of personal biases, and setting realistic goals social workers. Such actions may have sanctions as results of these actions. The first definition of sanction as it applies to social work is the approval to perform certain tasks that are outlined by the social work profession. The second definition of sanctions is intended to impose negative consequences on the social worker who fails to comply with recommended corrective actions or who has committed serious violations of the NASW Code of Ethics (National Association of Social Workers, 2005). According to Sheafor Horejsi (2004) there are four main sources for providing social work sanctions. Government agencies authorize legislation that creates social programs, provide funding for social work activities, and licensing of orga nization that employ social workers, as well as the licensing and regulation of individual social work practitioners. Next there  are the private human services organizations they sanction with their hiring practices of a social worker. Third, is the National Association of Social Workers sanction includes demanding social workers compliance to the code of ethics. Lastly, sanction will occur through clients. Clients that seek the services of social workers demonstrate sanctions (Sheafor Horejsi, 2006). Individual social workers are sanctioned with two methods. The first method of sanction for a social worker is to acquire licenses from the Academy of Certified Social Workers. Social workers must be current NASW membership and possess a master’s degree in social work from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Next, two year documentation two years of postgraduate social work employment and professional supervision by an MSW credentialed supervisor must be acquired. Then the social worker must provide professional evaluations that validate their knowledge, under standing, and application of social work principles and values from an MSW supervisor and two social work colleagues. Lastly, social workers need verification of 20 hours of relevant continuing education; and agreement to adhere to the NASW Code of Ethics and NASW Standards for Continuing Professional Education, and are subject to the NASW adjudication process (National Association of Social Workers, 2008). According to the National Association of Social Workers 2005 individual social workers that are being penalized are sanction by the NASW through Publication in the NASW NEWS and/or the Chapter newsletter of the adjudication findings, conclusions, and sanctions imposed. Sanctions include suspension of membership or expulsion from membership in NASW and the ACSW standing or other NASW issued credentials, including forfeiture of dues or fees paid. Also, individuals are sanctioned through revocation of ACSW standing or other NASW issued credentials, including forfeiture of dues or fees paid. Sanctions can occur with notification to state regulatory boards, of adjudication findings, conclusions, and sanctions imposed and removal from the Register of Clinical Social Workers. Individuals can be sanction with notification to credentialing bodies, societies, and specialized practice groups in which the individual may hold membership, of adjudication findings, conclusions, and sanctions impose d. Lastly, sanctions can occur with a Letter of censure, notification to Respondent’s malpractice insurer of findings and conclusions and notification to the Disciplinary Action  Reporting System (administered by the Association of Social Work Boards) of findings and conclusions (National Association of Social Workers, 2005). References National Association of Social Workers, (2008). Academy of Certified Social Workers New Applicants Only. Retrieved August 28, 2008, Web site: http://www.socialworkers.org/credentials/credentials/acsw.asp National Association of Social Workers, (2005).NASW procedures for professional review. Sheafor, B, Horejsi, C (2006). Techniques and Guidelines for Social Work Practice.Boston: Pearson Education Inc. National Association of Social Workers, (2008). Evidence-Based Practice. Retrieved September 1, 2008, Web site: http://www.socialworkers.org/research/nasw/Research/0108EvidenceBasedPractice/default.asp

Wieden and Kennedy Essay Example for Free

Wieden and Kennedy Essay Chapter 1: The agency and how it fits within the context of the industry W+K Inc. is an independent, full service, creatively driven advertising agency based in Portland, Oregon. W+K was founded by Dan Wieden and David Kennedy in 1998. Upon working together, the duo recognized great similarities in their advertising philosophies and nurtured a strong business relationship that led them into creating their own advertising agency. Since the establishment of W+K on April 1st, 1982, the company has grown to become one of the world’s leading creative agencies with offices in the United States (Portland and New York), Amsterdam, London, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Shanghai and Delhi. W+K has been built around the founders’ common tendency to break from the status quo advertising with intention of creating a firm and solid relationship between their clients and their customers. The business structure was formed around the ambition to provide an environment where employees would be able to produce their best work, and in turn offer a diversity of talent unparalleled by any other agency. Till this day the company continues to acknowledge and give credit to its staff for the agency’s superb creative reputation, as its shows below of some of their most prestigious and prized awards that have allowed them to propel the agency and therefore becoming a tough competitor to compete with, within the industry. Few factors that sets them apart from their competitors, are show below: The picture on the left shows â€Å"the 2012 Creativity awards report†. You can clearly see that the most successful creativity agency is W+K, Winning the Best Creative director of 2012, the best campaign along with best advertising agency in the world, compared to some of their competitors such as ServicePlan Munich, BBH and BETC EURO RSCG. Furthermore to prove why they are the top competitor within the industry; they’ve recently been voted by ‘ADWEEK’ the â€Å"Agency of the year† and from the picture on the left you can see some of the many awards they’ve won due to their innovative and creative work. What makes W+K so successful compared to other competitors, is arguably a result of the companys arcane understanding of current trends and, as of more recently, digital media such as ‘Social networking’ websites. The agency has latched onto the idea of making advertisements for its major clients that go the distance. For example, More recent success for the agency can be found in their current Old Spice campaign titled, ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,’ which recently won the 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial. This campaign featured former professional football player Isaiah Mustafa to rebrand your grandfathers cologne into a modern mega-b rand beloved by young and middle-aged men alike. Isaiahs swagger and strange but enticing acting captivated the country by means of the agencys knowledge of the digital marketing. The campaign generated more than 94 million views for the brands YouTube spots, over 90,000 additional Twitter followers, and up to 675,000 Facebook fans. Another reason for W+K success is down to the co-founder and global president Dan Wieden attributes that creative consistency to building a culture that’s â€Å"just more fun than you can believe and harder than hell. That generates ideas, great enthusiasm and new ways of looking at old issues.† They hire some of the most talented people from around the world, where they are trained by experienced ad gurus and moulded around the agencies goals, to ensure they come up with the most innovative, unique and outstanding advertising campaigns for their clients. Although they can come-up with the most unique and the most creative ideas; but what they do better than anyone else, according to Ian Armstrong- Honda, is that they: â€Å"Truly ‘understand’ who we are as a client, to a point where they feel more like long-standing Honda employees than an agency. It is wonderful to see them truly immersing themselves in our business, even if that does mean racing cars around the track most of the time!’ – This is the main reason why W+K stands out from the crowd as they have a strong desire to protect the truth in communicating the brand values and objectives, whilst keeping a unique voice in a crowded market. W+K uniqueness in the industry, their success and the reason why they’re the top competitors, can be seen below through the eyes of their clients: Chapter 2: The different roles within the agency: The process of creating a TV ad for Honda The first stage of the process starts when the Client calls and asks to arrange a meeting with the Account management of W+K. The account management of W+K are responsible for getting their clients messages across the public and they act as the main point of contact between the agency and the client. More importantly, Account management will ensure that project are completed on time, and within budget, whilst ensuring they create a sociable and friendly relationship with the clients. The strategic planner will than consult work with the client, to discover what the real business problem is that they’re trying to solve. The planner would also find and draw conclusions from factors such as the consumer wants, needs , behaviours, that are then conducted through exhaustive market research and testing. For example the strategic planner of W+K was given a brief from Honda which was to: With this in mind, the strategic planners must incorporate research from focus groups, survey’s, questionnaires, in order to aid them, in development of the overall advertising strategy. From their in-depth research on Honda they discovered that: Based on the research shown above the planner than concludes by detailing how the goals will be achieved. When the communication brief is created, it would outline and instruct the W+K creative team on where they need to advertise, who they need to be targeting and the message that they want to send. The communication brief states: With the needs understood, the strategic planners of W+K would then travel to the headquarters of Honda, in japan in order to gain insight to what this car manufacturing company is all about and also to help them generate a marketing strategy. With strategy in place and the client’s approval of the strategy, the next step of the process would be providing down all these valuable information about Honda to the creative directors and designers of W+K. Tony Davidson: Executive Creative directorKim Papworth: Executive creative director The main roles of creative directors within W+K, are to be responsible for the overall supervision of the agencies creative products, meaning they will be monitoring progress, discussing ideas and suggesting changes. The directors will than arrange a meeting, where they would be presenting the client’s needs and wants to the design directors and then pass down through to junior designers, in order for them to generate some creative ideas. The creative minds of W+K were than able to turn the â€Å"The power of dreams† and â€Å"telling the truth about Honda† marketing strategy into cleverly thought out campaign called â€Å"Hate something, Change something†. The overall Honda communications strategy is about simply getting the truths of Honda out there. This strategy led them into discovering an interesting truth; the diesel engine from the company that hated diesel engines. During the two years that W+K having been working with Honda, sales have consistently beaten industry expectations and brand tracking has been incredibly satisfying. Thanks to creative minds of W+K, Honda beat brands like Ford, VW, Renault and Toyota. Honda’s voice is now in the public domain, and they’re starting to mean more than small, dull, reliable cars. Most of this was down to a fantastic client and agency team and some inspired creative thinking. But I believe the new ways they’ve invented to integrate strategic and creative thinking made a significant contribution to their success. Chapter 3: The agencies clients and case study of a client and campaign of your choice with critical analysis According to Nike company lore, one of the most famous and easily recognized slogans in advertising history was coined at a 1988 meeting of Nike’s ad agency W+K and a group of Nike employees. Launched in August of 1988, Nikes â€Å"Just Do It† tagline was conceived by W+K. â€Å"Just Do It† is without a doubt one of the most Powerful lines in marketing, which Dan Wieden credits the inspiration for his â€Å"Just Do It† slogan to Gary Gilmores last word, â€Å"Let’s Do it†. â€Å"After stumbling badly against archrival Reebok in the 1980s, Nike rose about as high and fast in the ‘90s. It took on a new religion of brand consciousness and broke advertising sound barriers with its indelible Swoosh, â€Å"Just Do It† slogan and deified sports figures. Nike managed the deftest of marketing tricks: to be both anti-establishment and mass market, to the tune of $9.2 billion dollars in sales in 1997.† —Jolie Soloman â€Å"When Nike Goes Cold† Newsweek, March 30, 1998 From the above source you can see that before the creation of the â€Å"Just Do It† Campaign, Nike was losing ground to Reebok and other competitors, therefore something had to be done to get them back on track. With the help of W+K and its â€Å"Just Do it† Campaign and Nike’s strong products, they were able to increase its share of the domestic sport-shoe business from 18 % to 43 %, from $877 million in worldwide sales to $9.2 billion in the t en years between 1988 and 1998. Thanks to the creative mind of W+K Nike were able to gain a stronger brand to expand their market share, command higher prices and generate more revenue than its competitors. The main message behind this campaign is to get everyone urgently too loose weight by either: running miles, joining a sports team and basically not being lazy and being productive in their lives. What Just Do it, means is that they want you to ‘Just do it!’ don’t think twice and don’t have second thoughts start exercising!. The main success of the â€Å"Just Do It† campaign was the timing, when Nike was able to tap into the fitness craze of the 1980’s, by releasing a tough, take-no prisoners ad campaign that practically shamed people into exercising, and more importantly, to exercising in Nikes. They propelled their campaigns by endorsing celebrities such as Michael Jordan, who is considered the best basketball player of his time. Nike were than able to cleverly use the success of Michael Jordan, to create a whole new line of Nike apparel coined, â€Å"Air-Jordan†, which persuaded the customers into believing that his shoes were performance enhancers. In their TV advertisements with the basketball star, there were several instances where at the end of the ad, they concluded, â€Å"It must be the shoes† that makes his success. Along with Jordan’s rise to fame, Nike was able to tap into the spot light. Where ever Jordan succeeded, Nike was close behind offering the swoosh and the healthy saying of â€Å"Just do it.† Celebrity endorsement also helped to forge a relationship with the consumers, whilst also appealing to their sense of belonging and â€Å"hipness†. Nike went on to become a self-fulfilling image prophecy: meaning if you want to be hip, wear Nike; if you are hip, you are probably wearing Nike. The â€Å"Just Do It† campaign was able to turn sweaty, pain-ridden, time-consuming exercise in Nike sneakers into something sexy and exciting. Perhaps most importantly, even those who were not in fact exercising in Nikes (the vast majority) still wanted to own them. By focusing on the aura and image conveyed by the fitness culture, Nike was able to attract those who wanted the image without incurring the pain. Chapter 4: The agency as a Brand and rational for why it fits to you as brand The company’s personality, culture, and style resonate greatly with me; it’s about thinking outside the box, forgetting the rules, and bringing out the best in its team. ‘Thinking outside the box’ is one thing that I try to apply in life, as it allows me to think differently to others, see things from different prospective and not being afraid to try something that seems different. From the in-depth research that I’ve completed, there is a little doubt remaining that W+K has proven itself continuously throughout the past three decades as a leader and bar setting agency in the advertising world across the globe. W+K attention to detail and their commitment to hiring only the best employees comes through strongly in their work. While modern marketing expects an understanding of digital media and popular culture, to truly push the boundaries of what is achievable, a deeper current understanding is needed. As an agency, its collective critical eye into the vortex of technology, commercial art, and all types of media gives Wieden + Kennedy the advantage of foresight into campaign ideas that otherwise would go undiscovered by their competitors. Bibliography/reference Berry, Matt. Making of Honda Diesel Ad. Http://wklondon.com. N.p., 12 Oct. 2009. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. http://wklondon.com/general/about/further-reading/Making-of-the-Honda-Diesel-ad.pdf. Daniel Seijo , (2006), http://www.motorpasion.com/videos-de-coches/otro-precioso-anuncio-de-honda-impossible-dream [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.motorpasion.com/videos-de-coches/otro-precioso-anuncio-de-honda-impossible-dream [Accessed 13 December 12]. Ed Cotton, (2010), Goodby talks to weiden and kennedy [ONLINE]. Available at:

Case Study of PTSD in Ghana Armed Forces Personnel

Case Study of PTSD in Ghana Armed Forces Personnel CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Study According to The League of Nations was the first major organisation established after the First World War for conflict resolutions. Following the failure of the League of Nations to avert the Second World War, the United Nations Organisation (UNO) was established in 1945 to replace it. The United Nations (UN) is an international organisation, which among other things, aims to maintain international peace and security and to take collective and preventive measures to ensure global peace ( Rikhe, 1983). The need for peaceful co-existence and resolution of conflicts and wars necessitated the introduction of third party involvement in conflict resolution mechanisms in the nineteen century. The third party approach to settlement of conflicts and wars is practiced primarily by the UN, regional and sub-regional organisations through Peacekeeping Operations (PKO). Peacekeeping is defined as â€Å"the process of mediation, conciliation, negotiation and the management of conflict in a bid to bring peace in an area of conflict, violence or hostilities†. Peacekeeping involves the deployment of a neutral force (UN, Regional or Sub-regional body) in the field, with military, civil police and civilian personnel, in order to stabilize or dampen a conflict situation and provide viable opportunities for pacific resolution of conflicts. It entails peace-making and peace-building (Maj Agyemang-Bioh, 2000). In peace-making, an effort to settle the conflict through mediation, negotiation, concil iation and other forms of peaceful settlement is made using diplomatic action. Peace-building on the other hand, is â€Å"action-like†; it includes the identification and support of all measures and structures which will promote peace and build the needed trust and healthy interactions among former enemies; in order to avoid a relapse into conflict or recurrence of the hostilities. Thus peace-building is a social change through socio-economic development, rehabilitation and reconstruction; it actively seeks to eliminate the likelihood of direct or indirect violence in the conflict area, with the object of preventing further war and then to obviate any distress signal in the community (Ibid). The complex nature of modern conflicts and approaches to dealing with such conflicts gave birth to the term Peace Support Operations (PSO). Peace Support Operations are multifunctional operations in which impartial military activities are designed to create a secure environment and to facilitate the efforts of the civilian elements of the mission to create a self sustaining peace (Institute of Security Studies, 2000).  Ã‚   The concept of PSO refers to ‘the military, diplomatic, economic and humanitarian activities carried out in order to achieve long-term peace settlement and reinstate political and socio-economic stability to   a conflict or disaster situation (United Kingdom Joint Warfare Publication, 3-50). The terms Peacekeeping and Peace Support Operations are however, used interchangeably in this paper since both terminologies refer to the same concept. Additionally, the role of the peacekeeper has not changed significantly with the shift from PKO to PSO.   The first UN conflict resolution in Africa was in 1960 following the crisis in the Congo, now Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).   Thereafter, the UN focused attention on all troubled spots in order to check crises before they escalated. It also encouraged the formation of regional and sub-regional bodies such as the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) to complement her efforts. This is in line with Article 53 of the UN Charter on regional organisations, which states that, ‘the Security Council should encourage associations or agencies that promote peace at regional level (Rikhe, 1983). Since its initial intervention in Congo in 1960, the Ghana Armed Forces has been involved in complex peacekeeping operations; from the civil wars in Rwanda, the Liberian and Sierra Leonean conflicts and the Ivorian conflicts, almost all commencing within the 1990s. All these conflicts were characterised by extreme cases of human rights violations and other violent crimes which have claimed so many lives and caused so much pain and suffering. In Liberia, Ghana was among the five leading member states of ECOWAS which deployed troops before the UN Security Council belatedly sanctioned it (Erskine (Lt Gen), (2000). Currently, the Ghana Armed Forces is providing contingents for United Nations peace support operations in Cote dIvoire, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Lebanon.   A total of 3,250 troops are deployed for peace support operations in the five listed missions. As at 2008, Ghana was the sixth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping (Un ited Nations Factsheet, 2008). Participation in these operations exposes military personnel to traumatic incidents. Since the twentieth century, a lot of changes have taken place in both the manner in which peacekeeping operations are executed and the circumstances to which the peacekeeping soldier is exposed to risk. Firstly, not only has peacekeeping operations increased in terms of frequency but they have also undergone a metamorphosis with regard to the manner in which they are conducted. It has been argued that previously peacekeeping soldiers were responsible for monitoring and observing cease-fire agreements between formally belligerent states (Liebenberg et al, 1997). Others contend that the 1990s witnessed conflicts where parties did not comply with peace agreements and/or disobeyed the rules of war (Olonisakin, 1998). He also refers to situations where peacekeeping soldiers themselves were viciously attacked. The nature of conflict also changed. In the pas,t conflict was characterised by being mainly inter-state, but today intra-state conflict is more prevalent (Nkiwane, 2000; Cilliers, 1999). Another indication of the changing nature of peacekeeping is illustrated in the roles that todays peacekeeping soldiers have to fulfill. The classic roles of the peacekeeping soldier to monitor the implementation of an honourable agreement between two or more parties in conflict; to act unarmed and guard a distinctly marked observation post, or to patrol a demilitarised cease-fire line, have become the exception rather than the rule (Potgieter, 1995). Thus, the evolving nature of peacekeeping duty in itself suggests that today peacekeeping soldiers are faced with new psychological challenges (Litz et al, 1997), and that it is no longer unusual for contemporary peacekeeping missions to include exposure to traditional war-zone experiences (Orsillo et al, 1998). The above conditions have the effect of increasing the stress levels of the peacekeeper. The ability to cope with stress is intrinsically related to psychological and material resources (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984), which are likely to be adversely affected by repeated traumatisation experienced during conflicts. Experience and appraisal of trauma tends to be related to both poverty (Muldoon, 2003) and social identity (Haslam et al, 2004). The most common psychological consequence of war and conflict is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The resulting stress has beenassociated with reduced cognitive, emotional, and behavioralperformance (Mitchell and Dyregov, 1993) and may negatively affect work performance (Paine, 1992).These findings have implications for both the career path ofthe worker and the efficiency and productivity of organizations. From the social identification perspective, the world may appear to be a frightening place and the trauma victim can feel powerless, helpless and incompetent. But in the interpersonal realm, the family is really affected. Post-t raumatic stress can cause the sufferer to become emotionally withdrawn and distant from family members. People affected can become overly needy and dependent, or outrageously demanding and impatient. Most of them can revert back to old habits like smoking or drinking, or become a newly hatched adolescent and engage in reckless, sometimes life threatening hobbies. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened (Muldoon, (2003). Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat. These traumatic experiences could be caused by reasons such as near-death, serious physical injury, serious accident, violence, war, torture, any event that causes extreme fear, a horrifying event, or when one feels an extreme sense of helplessness (Ibid). PTSD can be categorized into four types depending on the length of time it takes for the disorder to appear and the amount of time it is present. These include; firstly, Acute Stress Disorder, symptoms of these occur within four weeks of the traumatic experience and lasts between two days and four weeks; secondly, Acute Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, with symptoms lasting for more than four weeks; thirdly, Delayed Onset Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, where symptoms appear years after the traumatic experience; and finally Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder where symptoms last for over three months with the symptoms disappearing for a few days and then reappearing. The major symptoms of PTSD include: exaggerated startle response, loss of memory (forgetfulness), sleep disorders (nightmares and waking up suddenly during the night), flashbacks or images of the traumatic incident that keeps coming back to haunt you, hyper vigilance (very similar to, but not paranoia), hypersensitivity, extreme irritability, anger over petty issues with violent outbursts, possessiveness, extreme nervousness and anxiety, muscle aches and pains for no apparent reason, unexplained fear, low self-esteem and lack of confidence (Mitchell and Dyregov, 1993). PTSD is categorized as Intrusion when the symptoms appear suddenly and happen when memories of a past traumatic incident keep coming back as flashbacks. These flashbacks could be induced by a variety of triggers such as smell, sight, or sound. Once the flashback is triggered, it is almost impossible to stop because the incident seems real with all the emotions involved. Nightmares are a good example of this. PTSD is categorized as Avoidance when a PTSD sufferer consciously or unconsciously tries to prevent remembering anything related to the traumatic experience. This may involve avoiding those close to you, or those you work with, causing misery to yourself and those close to you. PTSD is categorized as Hyper arousal when the symptoms are as a result of stimulated nerves and hormones. One could experience severe insomnia, and not remember the entire traumatic experience. During this phase one will have very poor concentration and will get irritated easily (Thompson and Gignac, 2000a ). PTSD can be treated. However, if left untreated, PTSD could remain lifelong, damaging ones relations with others and causing one several ailments, both physically and mentally (Solomon et al, 1996). 1.2 Statement of the Problem Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is common among people who have served in the military or any of the security or law enforcement agencies. The involvement and exposure of military personnel to combat and combat related situations expose them to risks which tend to affect them physically, mentally and emotionally. Some military occupations are more likely to witness traumatic events than others and thus be at greater risk. These occupations include frontline combat unit, combat engineers and medical personnel. It is often these same professionals or trades that are tasked repeatedly for peace support operations (Gignac, 2000). The fundamental components of combat power of the Armed Forces include the equipment and the personnel who carry out the combat roles. Therefore, it is important that all armed forces maintain a high state of personnel readiness (United Kingdom Doctrine for Joint and Multinational Operations-JWP 0-10). However, participation in combat and combat related activities exposes the military to stressful conditions. Over the years, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have been exposed to battlefield hazards through their participation in peace support operations including the   Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) operations in Liberia, The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), the United Nations Mission in La Cote IVoire (UNOCI), and until recently, the United Nations Mission in Chad (MINURCAT). Exposure to such hazards of war in most cases result in mental and emotional tensions, injuries and death.   These situations usually result in what is referred to as stress on the part of the service personnel. It is therefore necessary that serious attention is paid to the problem of stress among participants of peace support operations. This research will therefore investigate and examine so cial identification and post-traumatic stress symptoms among participants of peace support operation, with the GAF as a case study. 1.3 Justification of the Study The military plays an important role in a nations development. They provide a congenial atmosphere for the overall development of a nation. Military personnel as a core element of the security services therefore need sound mind and body to be able to perform their duties effectively and efficiently. It is therefore important that attention is paid to the psychological and emotional needs of the military. Effective handling of post-traumatic stress related problems among personnel of the GAF will enhance their efficiency and productivity both at home and during peace support operations outside the country.The study will help come out with relevant information and recommendations that will help in assisting personnel who are affected by post-traumatic stress in the course of discharging their duties. It will also help reduce the incidence of PTSD among peacekeepers. This will help boost the morale of the personnel of the GAF both at home and on international peace support operations. 1.4 Research Questions The study will attempt to find answers to the following questions: What are the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders among personnel of the GAF? What are the effects of peace support operations on post-traumatic stress disorder and social identification? Which are the populations that are affected by post-traumatic stress disorders in the GAF? Is there a relationship between post-traumatic stress and the strength of social identification? 1.5.Methodology This research which is a case study of Social Identification and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms among personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces is a   qualitative research project hence the researcher largely employs the use of qualitative research design to include both primary and secondary data. Qualitative research is exploratory in nature and encompasses a range of philosophies, research designs and specific techniques including in-depth qualitative interviews; participant and non-participant observation; focus groups; document analyses; and a number of other methods of data collection (Pope and Mays, 2006). The primary data was collected from live interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaire administration. A total sample size of two hundred (200) was used for the study.   This comprised of interviews with thirty individuals, thirty persons in focus groups of six and one hundred and forty questionnaire which were administered to randomly selected personnel of the Ghana A rmed Forces. The secondary data were gathered from books, journals, articles, dissertations, and published and unpublished thesis.   1.6 Objectives of the Study The study has four-fold objectives. These are to: Identify and examine the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders among personnel of the GAF; Examine and analyze the effects of peace support operations on post-traumatic stress disorder and social identification; Examine and analyze the prevalent group of post-traumatic stress disorders in the Ghana Armed Forces; and Examine and analyze the relationship between post-traumatic stress and the strength of social identification. 1.6 Hypothesis The research hypotheses used in this study is tailored to suit a qualitative methodology that is interpretative rather than statistical. 1.6.1 Alternative Hypotheses There are symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders among personnel of the GAF. Peace support operations have effect on post-traumatic stress and social identification. Post-traumatic stress disorders affect people of a particular group in the GAF. There is a relationship between post-traumatic stress and the strength of social identification. 1.6.2 Null Hypotheses There are no symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders among personnel of the GAF. Peace support operations do not have effect on post-traumatic stress and social identification. Post-traumatic stress disorders affect every group in the GAF. There is no relationship between post-traumatic stress and the strength of social identification. 1.5 Limitations The research was limited in terms of data collection. Military personnel are generally sceptical about accepting their stress situations, largely due to the existing stigmatization associated with combat stress and PTSD. Nevertheless, the researchers status as a member of the GAF provided an insight into some of the issues relating to social identification and PTSD. The researcher further interacted with colleagues and other military personnel involved in post peace support operations to gain further insights into issues raised in the research. 1.6 Organization of Study The study is organized into five chapters. An introduction of the entire study is captured in Chapter one. Chapter two presents a review of the relevant literature. Chapter three outlines the methods of data collection while an analysis and interpretation of data and results is covered in chapter four. The fifth chapter is devoted to the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations. CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1Introduction This chapter provides the theoretical framework for the research.   It considers the views of some writers on Peace Support Operations and how they impact on social identity, stress and related concepts.   The study of these concepts will help in understanding the social identification and post-traumatic stress symptoms in post peace support operations among Ghanaian peacekeepers. 2.2 Social Identification and related Theories 2.2.1 Social Identification Social identification is the process by which an aspect of self- image is developed based on in-group preference or ethnocentrism and a perception of belonging to a social or cultural group. (APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 8th ed). 2.2.2 Theories of Social Identification Several theories have been formulated to explain how threats or stress affect social identification. Three of the well known theories are explained below: 2.2.2.1 The Integrated Threat Theory The theory of Integrated Threat was first identified by Walter and Cookie Stepan, when they attempted to explain how a groups prejudiceswere created by threats from other groups. These threats are said tobe present anytimeone groups actions, beliefs, or characteristics challenge the goal attainment or well being of another group (Riek, Mania, Gaertner, 2006).An individual group may feel threatened by another which is utilizing resources it needs to achieve its goals or to sustain its status as a group. These resources may be tangible, such as money or materials, or intangible, such as status, power or knowledge (Ibid). When resources are scarce, the group whichis threatened by the lack of resources finds itself motivated to compete for the resources in order to maintain its identity as a group or to achieve its goals (Ibid). This competitionpromotes negative attitudes towards those in the group utilizing the resources (Aberson Gaffney, 2008). The two groups in competition over resources can be described as the in-group and the out-group. The in-group can be described as the group of people with whom an individual categorizes himself/herself with. Members of an in-group feel a sense of commitment to the group and gain greater esteem from their sense of belonging to the group (Redmond, 2010). The out-group can be described as any group outside of an individuals in-group and a group that can be a potential rival/competitor for resources (Ibid). The in-group is the group which feels threatened, and the out-group is the group which is posing a threat to the in-group (Kendall, 1998). Intergroup threats contribute to conflict because they influence behaviors, perceptions, and emotions. An appraisal of threat can evoke strong negative emotions, including that of fear, rage, anger, resentment, frustration, contempt and insecurity. In addition, perceptions of threat reduce emotional empathy for members of the out-group. All of these negative emotions combined with the lack of empathy felt for the other group, can literally bring people to a breaking point. 2.2.2.2 Social Identity Theory Social Identity Theory focuses on the relationship between self-concept and group behavior (Hogg and Terry, 2001). The social identity theory was proposed by Henri Tajfel as a result of work he was doing in the 1970s concerning categorization and social perception, intergroup behavior, and the pursuit of social psychological understanding of the causes of prejudice and intergroup conflict (Abrams and Hogg, 1999). He believed that there was discontinuity between how people behaved when they related to others on an intergroup basis as opposed to an interpersonal or individual basis and sought to explain the behavior of people in group situations (Abrams and Terry, 2001). Tajfel identified three components of social identity, self-conceptualization, group self-esteem, and commitment to the group, which when met, lead a person to feel connected to their in-group. As a result, all other groups become out-groups and are rivals for status and resources as well as a source for comparison. Th is can lead to discrimination in favour of the in-group or against other out-groups as well as stereotyping and prejudice when a perceived threat occurs (Redmond, 2009). According to the Social Identity Theory, social identity and intergroup behavior is guided by the pursuit of evaluative positive social identity through positive intergroup distinctiveness, which in turn is motivated by the need for positive self-esteem (Hogg Terry, 2001). In other words, a persons behavior will be affected by their positive association with their in-group, when their self-esteem and/or status are elevated by that association. Central to this theory are three components identified by Tajfel: self-categorization, group self-esteem, and group commitment. 2.2.2.2.1 Self-Categorization Self-categorization refers to a persons belief that he/she belongs to a group. A person must categorize or identify him or herself as a member of a group in order to have their self-esteem elevated through association with the group. According to this theory, categorization sharpens intergroup boundaries by producing group-distinctive stereotypical and normative perceptions and actions and assigns people, including self, to the contextually relevant category (Ibid). In addition, self-categorization can reduce uncertainty about themselves and others and about how they and others may or ought to behave in specific social contexts (Ibid). The core of an identity is the categorization of the self as the occupant of a role (Stets Burke, 2000). By assigning roles to individuals that are self-categorized as being part of a group, individuals can derive meanings and expectations associated with their roles, and as a result, are able to create values based standards that motivate and guide b ehavior. 2.2.2.2.2 Group Self-Esteem Group self-esteem refers to the positive self-esteem or self-identity gained through membership in a group. In order to categorize ones self as a member of a group, membership in the group must hold some value for the person such as improvement in their status or positive personal identity through the association with the group. The theory suggests that people have a need to see themselves in a positive light in relation to relevant others (Hogg and Terry, 2001) and that this can be achieved in a group context through making comparisons between in-group and relevant out-groups in ways that favour the in-group (Ibid). 2.2.2.2.3 Group Commitment Group commitment refers to the strength of the commitment a person feels to their in-group. This is important because if an individual believes they can move into a higher status group, this person will be unlikely to show much solidarity or engage in much direct intergroup competition and will instead attempt to disidentify and gain psychological entry to the dominant group (Ibid). When a person identifies him or herself with a group, gains a positive self-esteem through the group, and feels committed to the group, the person will be motivated to maintain the group and their memberships in the group (Redmond, 2009). There can also be adverse consequences, however, to an individual over-identifying with a group. When a person becomes too attached to a group, it can lead to stereotyping and the degradation of out-groups as well as overdependence, antisocial behavior, decreased creativity, and a decreased sense of self for the individual (Hogg Terry, 2001). As a result of being too attached, the lines that once separated the individual identity from that of the group may become blurred. If this loss of individuality takes place, it may result in a decreased ability to create an independent self concept apart from the group. 2.2.2.3 Social Dominance Theory The Social Dominance Theory originated in an attempt to combine the more classical theories of social behaviour such as Marxism, and more contemporary theories such as Social Identity Theory into a unified behavioral model to explain bias in group behavior (Sidanius Pratto, 1999).The Social Dominance Theory is based on the idea that in virtually all societies, group-based hierarchies are formed in which both dominant and subordinate groups co-exist. As is naturally the case, the dominant group(s), referred to as having positive social value in the group structure; has access to rights and privileges that are denied to subordinate group(s) because their (negative) social value and ability to bring to bear power and resources are limited (Ibid). A principledistinction between Social Dominance Theory and similargroup-based social theories, such as Social Identity Theory, is that group members are not only motivated to protect the group to preserve their social status, but feel compelled to justify their group behavior (dominant or subordinate) through ahierarchicalsystem represented through the following omponents:Legitimizing Myths, Trimorphic Structure, and Social Dominance Orientation (Redmond, 2009). 2.2.2.3.1 Legitimizing Myths Dambrun, et al.(2009)upholds Sidanius and Prattos contention that both dominant and subordinate groups strive to sustain group-based hierarchies by the development of opposing ideologies that promote, or attenuate group inequality and domination; otherwise referred to as legitimizing myths. In other words, social groups play off each other through social policies to maintain the group hierarchy but are motivated to do so for different reasons. The differences between these reasons are referred to as behavioral asymmetry (Redmond, 2009). Asymmetry occurs when the dominant group wishes to maintain their positive social status, yet the subordinate group wishes to climb the proverbial ladder and participate in the myriad advantages of the dominant social group. As selfish as we are, social groups are not fully inclusive. These groups seek to maintain their social status by justifyingbehaviors through mitigating perceived gaps in social status. This is accomplished through legitimizing myths in the form of perceived negative stereotypes, values and beliefs against the opposing groups. â€Å"Legitimizing myths consist of attitudes, values, beliefs stereotypes, and ideologies that provide moral and intellectual justification for the social practices that distribute social value within the social system† (Sidanius and Pratto, 1999). Legitimizing myths can be broken down into two distinct groups: hierarchy-enhancing legitimizing myths (HELM) and hierarchy-attenuating legitimizing myths (HALM). HELMs not only organize individual, group, and institutional behavior in ways that sustain dominance, they often lead subordinates to collaborate with dominants in the maintenance of oppression (Pratto et al, 2006). 2.1.2.3.2. Trimorphic Structure of Group-Based Hierarchies Our predisposition to join groups is an essential element of Social Dominance Theory that assumes a trimorphic structure of group-based social hierarchy in which members are stratified into social groups based on characteristics related to the following three structures (Sidanius and Prato, 1999): Age A biologically-based system where adults are classified as socially higher (valued) than younger people. Gender Another biologically-based system in which males are classified as socially higher than women. Arbitrary set -Group-based hierarchies determineits orderbased on a virtually limitless set of factors including personal preferences, religion, beliefs, class, ethnicityor values.The age and gender systems are fixed in terms of their applicability to social groups. In other words, these stratification systems extend to all social systems as members invariably fall into a range of either group. The inclusion (or exclusion) of membership within the arbitrary set system however, is dependent upon the factor(s) applied to the group. For example, a social group based on ethnicity or religion will include a very specific subset of participants to the exclusion of all others. For these reasons, the arbitrary set system represents the most dynamic group-based social hierarchy. This system has the potential to be the most inclusive (and positive) in terms of being socially constructive, as well as the most exclusive, or socially destructive. 2.1.2.3.3.Social Dominance Orientation To better predict social group bias, Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) was developed to measure the extent to which individuals manifest discriminatory behaviors(Sidanius and Prato, 1999). SDO is defined as the degree to which individuals desire and support group-based hierarchy and the domination of inferior groups by superior groups (Ibid). 2.2. Concepts of Stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 2.2.1. Combat/Traumatic Stress Stress is a word that is often used to cover a whole range of feelings and emotions. There are many varying definitions of stress. Some researchers distinguish between eustress (when something changes for the better) an

Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Love, affair, disowning! One may think that this is a soap opera, but one is fairly mistaken. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter written by, Nathaniel Hawthorne, love, lies, mistrust are a few of the many situations that confront his characters. In Boston Hester Prynne commits a sin of adultery landing her the punishment of wearing the scarlet letter â€Å"A† for the rest of her life. The man whom with she has an affair with is Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Roger Chillingworth is Hester’s husband, and he will do anything in his power to make Dimmesdale repay for what he has done. The physical and metal guiltiness that Dimmesdale undergoes for not confessing the truth of being Pearls father leads him to death. The theme of the novel is sin, isolation, and reunion. Through out the novel Nathaniel Hawthorne uses setting, plot, and the characters to develop these themes. Hawthorne uses the setting to develop the theme of sin, isolation and reunion. In the market place one of the guards opens the jail cell and announces to all the spectators and to Hester shouting, â€Å"Open a passage; and I promise ye Mistress Prynne shall be set where man, woman, and child may have a fair sight of her†¦ Come along! Madam Hester and show your scarlet letter in the marker place† (Hawthorne 52). Hester is being displayed on the scaffold, which Hawthorne uses to show sin. While Hester is walking out of the jail a woman murmurs to one of the other women, â€Å" This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die!† (Hawthorne 49) This scene clearly shows isolation between Hester and the community. The setting of the scaffold scene also illustrates the reunion between Dimmesdale, Hester and Pearl. When Dimmesdale admits on being the father of Pearl to all the townspeople, this scene reunites Pearl with herself by making her normal. The forest is as well as a major setting that instigates sin. Isolation in the forest occurs when Hester meets Dimmesdale to achieve some reunion, but instead drives them selves further into isolation. The use of the settings greatly structures how the theme of sin, isolation and reunion came about. The plot is utilized to support the three themes. There are five basic parts to the plot: conflict, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. On top of the scaffold Dimmesdale interrogates Hester’s in revealing the identity of Pearl’s father.

Adolescence Development Essay -- Adolescent Behavior

Adolescence is a period of physical and psychological development from the onset of puberty to maturity. The adolescent is no longer a child, but they haven’t yet reached adulthood. Adolescence is considered people between the ages of 13 and 21. Puberty is the physical maturing that makes an individual capable of sexual reproduction. Puberty is important to adolescence because when a child hits puberty, that’s when the child is becoming an adolescent. Puberty is a big part of an adolescent’s life. Adolescence is not cultural universal. In some societies, young children go straight from childhood to the adult life once they have done the necessary puberty rites. Puberty rites are formal ceremonies that mark the entrance of young people into the adult life. People at the age of 13 to 14 that completed these puberty rites can become accepted into the adult society. Three factors are important in the development of adolescence as a distinct stage of the life cycle. The first factor is education. Young children are required to spend many years in school and state laws make education mandatory up to the age of 16. The second factor that separates young people in a different type of group is the exclusion of youth from the labor force. In many states, child labor laws keep people from going to the labor force until they hit the age of 16. Adolescents usually work part time while still going to school. The third factor is the rise of adolescence as a distinct stage of the ...

William Faulkners A Rose for Emily is a Gothic Horror Tale :: A Rose For Emily, William Faulkner

William Faulkner is widely considered to be one of the great American authors of the twentieth century. Although his greatest works are identified with a particular region and time (Mississippi in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries), the themes he explores are universal. He was also an extremely accomplished writer in a technical sense. Novels such as The Sound and the Fury and Absalom, Absalom! feature bold experimentation with shifts in time and narrative. Several of his short stories are favorites of anthologists, including "A Rose for Emily." This strange story of love, obsession, and death is a favorite among both readers and critics. The narrator, speaking for the town of Jefferson in Faulkner's fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, tells a series of stories about the town's reclusive spinster, Miss Emily Grierson. The stories build up to a gruesome revelation after Miss Emily's funeral. She apparently poisoned her lover, Homer Barron, and kept his corpse in an attic bedroom for over forty years. It is a common critical cliche to say that a story "exists on many levels." In the case of "A Rose for Emily", this is the truth. Critic Frank A. Littler, in an essay published in Notes on Mississippi Writers regarding the chronology of the story, writes that "A Rose for Emily" has been read variously as ". . .a Gothic horror tale, a study in abnormal psychology, an allegory of the relations between North and South, a meditation on the nature of time, and a tragedy with Emily as a sort of tragic heroine." These various interpretations serve as a good starting point for discussion of the story. The Gothic horror tale is a literary form dating back to 1764 with the first novel identified with the genre, Horace Walpole's The Castle of Ontralto. Gothicism features an atmosphere of terror and dread: gloomy castles or mansions, sinister characters, and unexplained phenomena. Gothic novels and stories also often include unnatural combinations of sex and death. In a lecture to students documented by Frederick L. Gwynn and Joseph L. Blotner in Faulkner in the University: Class Conferences at the University of Virginia 1957-1958, Faulkner himself claimed that "A Rose for Emily" is a "ghost story." In fact, Faulkner is considered by many to be the progenitor of a sub-genre, the Southern gothic. The Southern gothic style combines the elements of classic Gothicism with particular Southern archetypes (the reclusive spinster, for example) and puts them in a Southern milieu.

Pancreatic endocrine hormones Essay

Energy, in the form of sugar, is transported in the blood. It is carried throughout the body and into all cells to produce ATP. ATP is needed for all cellular activity of the body. It is essential that the blood can maintain the body’s fuel at a constant level (homeostasis) regardless of how long it has been since the last meal. There are three main organs that regulate the control of blood sugar: the pancreas, the liver and the adrenal glands. The pancreas produces hormones called insulin and glucagon. These hormones work antagonistically to maintain blood sugar levels that are neither too low or too high. The adrenal gland plays a key function in making sure blood sugar levels are high enough. The liver helps with sugar metabolism by creating insulin receptor sites. After a meal, insulin directs the flow of nutrients. This promotes fuel storage in the liver, adipose tissue and in muscles. The flow of nutrients during fasting is influenced by glucagon. Once glycogen stores are depleted, muscle protein is degraded, and amino acids are used for gluconeogenesis in the liver. Triglycerides stored in adipose tissue are broken down under the fasting condition. The concentration of glucose in the blood rises rapidly after the ingestion of glucose ( in a high carbohydrate meal). Insulin carries out its function and starts to bring blood glucose concentrations back down to normal, then this removes the stimulus that tells the beta cells to secrete the insulin in the first place. As a result, the beta cells become less and less stimulated and so the rate of secretion of insulin declines in parallel to the rate of decline in blood glucose concentration. This mechanism is referred to as negative feedback.

Deities and Lesser Spirits Essay

Deities and Lesser SpiritsGods represented in mythology get assorted characteristics. Lesser divinity fudges or deities may have last-ditch power, finitude, considerably, or worthless tied to the stories that say about their lives and existence. The adjudicate of this paper is to define the terms crowning(prenominal) power, finitude, good and ugliness and identify cardinal mythological deities that personify these terms.Apollo, who is also referred to as Apollon, was a Hellenic Olympian god. His thaumaturget out was Leto, a bride of Zeus. Apollo was a god of prophecy, healing, unsoundness and plague, music, song and poetry, archery and he protected new-fangled life. He had ultimate power as a god. Ultimate power is delimit as Gods are considered immortal and in control of lesser life forms (Theoi Hellenic Mythology, 2000-2007). Apollo had invented the flute and the lyre. Suprisingly, he had built the walls of troy while simply playing the lyre. The Theoi Greek Myt hology (2000-2007) stated, Apollo guarded the cattle of Laomedon in the valleys of Ida. In these two typefaces, it appears he in occurrence was the god of music, song and protection of issue life.Finitude means macrocosm finite. Therefore, a god that personifies finitude is one whom only(prenominal) existed for a limited time (Language of ordinary Glossary, n.d.). The god that was chosen that represents finitude is deliverer. christ represented God during his tenure on earth and all the finite limitations that reality, created by God, face. Life with its choices puts a black or white finish on an individuals lesson standing. Death representing the end of the opportunity to sustain those choices was experienced by deliverer himself. Christ while interacting with both the Jews and Gentiles admonished individuals for a form of sins and life styles that were uncharacteristic of a inspired life. Measures were not utilise to actions (i.e. tithing) but standards were applied to acts (the act of giving). The life Christ lived provided an example of finiteness people live with during their scam lives but the reward as seen through with(predicate) Christs resurrection is infinite life in the earth of heaven.The definition of good as it relates to the gods is sometimes hard to define. Good is defined as having sought-after qualities, kind, merciful, highmorale values, religious, successful, fair to mention a few. With regard to the gods, a good god represented the positive, non-evil powers. Having a bountiful harvest, producing many children, finding love, and universe successful in business could be tied to a god defend the people. Although when researching good gods there seemed to be a shortage as compared to the gods associated with power or evil.A god that represented good was the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, who was one of many gods in the Aztec belief system. Quetzalcoatl is reported to have given up man the science of agriculture and written mate rial as well as being the god of the morning and evening star and the wind. Quetzalcoatl was considered a hero among those who worshiped him and he fought with former(a) gods for what he thought was right.Evil is defined by one source as morally bad or misuse (WordNet Search, n.d.). An evil graven image is therefore, one whose actions are morally reproach. An example of a divinity that personifies evil is the Devil. The Devil is a deity in Christianity that is described as a fallen angel who rebelled against God. The Devil best(p) represents the term evil because of his hatred for valet and all things created by God. According to playscript stories, throughout the history of mankind, the Devil has tempted public to rebel against God and follow him. To carry through that end, the Devil is said to tell to tell lies and intentionally deceive people. The Devil promotes of deceit, sin, and otherwise morally wrong behaviors. In fact, the amaze is said to be the cause of legiti mate sin, which is the reason for the Apocalypse, or the second climax of Christ. The Devil rewards those who turn against God with infinity in Hell.In conclusion, the gods of mythology possess different characteristics. The story of Apollo is example of a god with ultimate power as he had healing power and could protect new(a) life. Quetzalcoatl shows us good as he was considered a hero and worshiped for fighting for what was right. Christ represented God during his tenure on earth and all the finite limitations that humans face, such as death. The Devil is the ultimate example of evil as he intentionally deceives and promotes deceit, sin, and other morallywrong behaviors. Stories tell about the existence and lives of deities and lesser gods and from those stories, one must decide which powers they possessed.ReferencesDavies, N. (1973). The Aztecs. Norman, Oklahoma, University ofOklahoma PressLanguage of get off Glossary. (N.D.). Retrieved November 4, 2007 from http//www.goddirec t.org/glossary/f.htmTheoi Greek Mythology. (2000-2007). Apollon. Retrieved November 2, 2007, from http//www.theoi.com/WordNet Search. (n.d.). WordNet Search. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from http//wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=evil&sub=Search+WordNet&o2=&o0=1&o7=&o5=&o1=1&o6=&o4=&o3=&h

ICT †Business Use Essay

Abtaboo the BusinessIll wont Ki for hair as a basis of my exteriorise. This is a hairdressing salon in Camden Town, where Myra Ferreira keeps her own business. She is the music director of the salon, although there ar 2 more workers (stylers). I worked there last summer (2002) and I see how they manage their entire work out on write up base. She started with a sm tout ensemble business two old age ago and still keeps all her income and expenses manually. either hairdresser has a minimum of three clients per twenty-four hours usually, which performer about 270-300 clients per month.The situation nowTo keep all the paper work, safe and in distinguish they rent a separate room. It takes a day for two people to produce the periodical reports, which style they overleap about 6 clients a day (12 clients any month). The monthly report itself is working out the income and expenses and therefore the profit and producing it clearly for e really single month. Although it is press release fine, the business is getting bigger and needs a body, which straighten outs the budget more favorable, produces clear reports for the tax purposes and takes slight time to be done.How the ICT can helpComputers wee many applications in the 21st century. Specific software program much(prenominal)(prenominal) as selective informationbases and spreadsheets are designed to help, im substantiate, stimulate up and reduce the workload of certain tasks. In order to help them Ill routine the ICT (Information conference Technology) to create a clay, which lead work out the budget easily, volition be more admittanceible and pass on take less(prenominal) place, as healthy as time to be managed. ICT develops every day and replaces more and more the manual work. As everything else it has its expediencys takes less space, time (one person bequeath need about half an hour to do all the work, which means more clients and more income) and effort to be accessed. The di sadvantages are that only people with certain skills can do the work. Ill try to transfer this disadvantage into advantage for the routiners, as they get out ingest how to manage a computer arranging.The SolutionsOne of the solutions is using just a word processor for producing the information, and calculating the budget separately. Thats is waiver to work perfectly fine, but will take much time.Other solution is to utilization just Microsoft Excel to work out the budget quicker, although it cannot present the literal info, as well as the numerated one.So my solution is to purpose Microsoft Excel for the chief(prenominal) job, which is to work out the budget and therefore to transfer the data to Microsoft Word to produce the reports.I say this is the most efficient way of doing this project, beca expenditure it will satisfy the needs of the potential substance ab exploiters and Ill prove it at the end. I chose Microsoft Excel because I intrust tools such(prenominal) as macros, what if statements and pivot tables would ease the use of the formation and will make it more perceivable and drug user social.What are the users requirements?In order to consider the users requirements I did a questionnaire (see below)Questionnaire1.) What is wrong with the current transcription and why do you need a new computer-based system?2.) What do you command from the system?3.) What IT skills do you think you shoot? (e.g. can you work with the operating system, do you know how to use Microsoft blot, etc.)4.) What do you want the system to look like?I also asked the coach what her expectations were As we are not familiar with ICT our primary(prenominal) requirement is that the system should be user friendly and belatedly to follow. The only data that will get under ones skin to be entered into the new system will be the assigned item number. When more than one of an item is inevitable it will be entered twice, as this will be quicker. The rest of the i nformation will be worked out by the system. Good luckMyra Ferreira double-decker of Ki for HairWhat do I expect from the system?The system must be easy to understand and use, so that any user with no computer knowledge could easily make use of the system. Much time will be protected as the computer will automatically brand up the layout and the users will only have to stimulant the demand data.* First every user is dismissal to have his/her own ID and password* Once the users logged on, he/she is going to have access to the main directories, which are the prices, the customer accounts and the monthly reports* Every user will have the priority to cast information, excluding editing the prices* The change (editing) of the prices can only be done by the manager* The design of the system is going to come across the colours of the salon.* To ease the use of the system Ill use different tools such as macros (program that stores Microsoft Excel commands and eliminates the need of re peating serial of calculations), pivot tables (allow you to easily sort and view data), what if statements ( adjudicate mobile phone contents and help you make decisions based upon them) and data filters (a method of sorting which hides information that does not match your criteria).* It must also be easy to update and edit, and most importantly easy to use.To make my project easier to read and understand, Ill use different fonts and sizes as well as colours. In order to use the system as much as possible, the users system must includecomputer hardware requirementsThe hardware requirements must meet those set by Excel and Windows 95+* IBM compatible PC* Pentium one C, K6-2 100 or above* 32Mb of RAM* 1GB Hard consume space* PrinterThe above requirements or those required by both Excel and Windows 95 or above. The printer is required when a hard facsimile of the programs output is required.Software requirements* Windows 95/98/98SE/2000/XP* Microsoft Office (depends on the operati ng system, e.g. Microsoft Office 97/2000/XP)The system itself will be developed in MS Excel. Excel will also be required to run and use the system. The developer/user must have running a version of Microsoft Windows 95 or later. As Microsoft dominates the software market and MS-Excel will not run on other operating systems such as Linux, Unix, and Solaris etc. However in this pillowcase the system is aimed at the average user who will only be using a MS Windows environment.What skills and knowledge will be needed for the user to manage working with the system?* First, he/she will need to know how to work with the operating system* He/she should have staple knowledge of how to use Microsoft Office and particularly Microsoft Excel.* He/she should have basic thinking skills such as knowing how to learn and seeing things in the minds midriff and personal qualities such as self-management and integrityTo make my system work and be more efficient, I will* Consider the users requirements very carefully, e.g. the layout, appearance, colour restrictions and the paper size, while Im carrying out the design* Prepare a test strategy and test plan* Evaluate the terminal solution* Write user manuals on how to use the system Id have created.Input, suffice and OutputInput-Process-Output. These are the basic functions of a computer. entropy must be fed into the computer ( scuttlebutt), which is therefore analysed and reorganised (process), and then it is displayed or printed (output).Input- its the data the user will be putting in, in my case the number of haircuts, blow-dries, etc. In order to make my system work more expeditiously Ill use data validation such as putting certain letters or numbers in certain cells.The process- its the process of the initial data put by the user and done by the system.The output- this is the final result of the input and the process in my case the output is going to be a hard copy of the monthly reports.