Genocide in Bosnia Essay

The Bosnian genocide is often referred to as the hidden genocide, yet it had catastrophic effects on humanity. Over 100,000 people were killed and it displaced millions of people. The genocide occurred between 1992 and 1995. The Social Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was made up of six nations under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito. Once Tito passed away in 1990, there was a power vacuum, and politicians began a nationalistic campaign pitting Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks against each other. Hence, the beginning of an â€Å"ethnic cleansing† war (Campbell, 2003 p.511). Once Milosevic was the President of Republic of Serbia, he encouraged formation of violent uprisings by Serb nationals. Milosevic was interested in creating an ethnically pure Serb nation. Milosevic’s ambition worried the nations in the federal government; hence Croatia and Slovenia declared themselves independent from the republic. However, Croatia was not allowed to leave because it had 12% of the Serbian population. Hence Croatia became a battlefield between 1991- 1996. Bosnia-Herzegovina watched the horrors in Croatia as they worried about themselves being the next victim. Bosnia-Herzegovina held a referendum in 1992 and declared itself free from the republic. The Serbs in Bosnia were not happy about it, and they began fighting with the support of the Yugoslavian National Army. Bosnia and Croatia lacked weapons to defend themselves because the UN had enacted an embargo, thus they were victims of an endless cycle of violence, displacement and death (Schott, 2011 p.19). Serbian plan of attack entailed the following steps; concentration, decapitation, separation, evacuation ad liquidation. During concentration stage, Serbian soldiers would warn Serbians to leave the town they were about to attack and surround the city with artillery fire. The second stage involved execution of the town’s leaders, military and intelligence. On the third stage, Serbian soldiers would separate women, children and old people from â€Å"fighting group†. Women, children and old people would be taken to concentration camps, while the young people were executed. This brings me to the subject of this essay. Women were targeted in specific ways when compa red to men. Unlike, the young male soldiers who were executed, women lived longer to and experience  untold suffering under the Serb soldiers. Women were interchangeably used by soldiers as sexual trophies (Lentin, 1997). This essay analyses the genocide on a gendered frame, so as to shine light on the awful atrocities women faced in the hands of Serbian militia. From a gender frame, sexual violence in war cannot be reduced to psychological attributes of the perpetrators. Genocidal rape has to be analyzed in terms of social structures. Rape in Bosnia was systematic, since it was planned. Bosnian genocide is the only genocide that women bodies were used as a battlefield. This genocide trampled upon all women rights. The Serbian militants lacked respect and sympathy for women. The Yugoslav army, Bosnian Serb forces and Chetniks came up with a sexual violence campaign against Croats and Muslim women. They killed, imprisoned, terrorized and raped women in the hope that they would leave and never come back. The attack on women was not an accident. It was premeditated as a lot of soldiers took part in sexual violence campaign. Th eir commanders were aware of what was going on, and they turned a blind eye. The attackers used the Ram & Brana plan of attack (1991). The plan said that successful attacks should be the one carried out on the enemy’s weakest point. The weakest point during wars is usually women and children. By attacking the weakest point, they were able to spread panic and fear in the population hence Croats and Bosnians could only run away for safety (Abreu, 2005 p.5). Since this was an â€Å"ethnic cleansing war†, the Serbian armed forces believed that sexual violence against women was an act of tainting the bloods of the Croats and Bosnians (Allen, 1996 p. 23). Culture and religion played a big part in this war; hence the attackers believed that they were annihilating their culture through sexual violence. The Serbians waged a psychological warfare on their enemies, such that they believed that by raping women, impregnating them and forcefully aborting their fetuses they were cleansing them. The Serbian armed forces also carried out sexual assaults against men. Serbia, Bosnia and almost all Balkan nations are lawfully heterosexual nations. Hence by raping men, they were degrading them or feminizing them and making them powerless. By raping their victims, the victims were gendered as feminine or attached with feminine qualities of vulnerability. Apart from the psychological effects of sexual violence on women, women faced a lot of physical suffering in the â€Å"rape camps†. The Serbian forces had created rape camps as a substitute for  concentration camps, so that they would use them to sexually violate women. In fact the Serbian forces had a modus operandi for sexually assaulting women (Abreu, 2005 p.11). The modus operandi was characterized by three patterns; public rape of children and women in their villages, sporadic rape of women and children in concentration camps and lastly rape in death/ rape camps. During the three stages women were subjected to all kinds of violence. Women went through gang rapes, sexual mutilations, forced impregnation and childbirth, sexual abuse with foreign objects and family me mbers were forced to rape their women. The extreme sexual violence was meant to defile, destroy the community and to make them leave. It is obvious that the war was motivated by nationalistic intentions, but the way the war was carried out, misogyny is another probable cause of the war. Most atrocities that took place in Bosnia genocide have been termed as â€Å"femicidal† (Turpin 1998 p. 67). Bosnians and Croats have traditional cultures. Women are supposed to be pure, and when they are not pure they are ostracized from the society. After the genocide, women who were victim of sexual violence were avoided. The tainted women were no longer acceptable by their friends and families, and this was the goal of the Serbian perpetrators. This justifies the fact that misogyny could have been another reason for the war. In a gendered frame analysis, it is clear that there was feminization of the genocide (MacKinnon, 2006 p.18). In genocide, women are usually seen as universal victims. Sexual violence against women is seen as a mortal sin against motherhood. The notion of ‘combat’ and battlefields are constructs of masculinity. The Serbian armed forces believed that through sexual violence campaign, they would turn their victims powerless (Femininity) analysis of war is often carried out from a masculine point of view. However, Bosnia genocide is gendered, as it represents women as victims, sexual objects, symbolic of their nation and repositories of their families. The Serbs militia believed that by defiling the women, they would be defiling the nations (Bosnia and Croatia) Collins (1996) attempts to explain genocidal rape from a feminist perspective, he says that women are the ones who hold families and the community. Their physical and emotional destruction through rape is a symbol of destruction of the social and cultural stability of a nation. The sexual violence involved heightened sadism, for instance forceful rape with family members. The sexual violence  aimed at destroying the victims emotionally, destroying the community and imposing restrictions on women so as to control births. The sexual genocide did not only target the individual victim, but it targeted the group too. Rape as a genocide strategy destroys women’s role as mothers and caregivers, hence the pivotal source of the life to the community is destroyed. According to Mc Kinnon (2006, 187), sexual campaign was used by the Serbian military as a tool for political campaign, soldiers were to rape under orders. The sexual violence campaign was characterized by forced rape and forced impregnation. After the Croatian and muslim women were sexually abuse, they were denied abortions so that they would give birth to â€Å"Serb† babies. Forced impregnation was seen as a way of destroying the maternal community as they gave birth to the child of the enemy ( Allen, 1996 p.76). The rapists violated the rights of women through forceful procreation, which is a deliberate and a sadist act. The children of the rapists often stigmatized or abandoned as they brought negative memories to their mothers. The forced pregnancies on rape victims were seen as a way of preventing births among the Croats and Muslims. The perpetrators of rape believed that they were producing â€Å"Little Chetniks†. From a feminist perspective, the act of forced imp regnation is like imposing a social death on the victims. The women were tortured, and they did not want those children. It turned Croatian and Muslim women as gestating beings for the enemy. Stories from the war show a lot of women who recounted how they were raped repeatedly until they were pregnant, and the women wanted nothing to do with the children. Another explanation of forced rape is the fact that rape was used as a tool of biological warfare. Forced rape and impregnation meets the requirement of biological warfare according to international law (Seifet, 1996 p.42). MacKinnon also analyzes Bosnian rape by comparing it with pornography. In the 1990s, pornography was very common in Yugoslavia. When porn is common in a society, the whole population learns to dehumanize women and inflict sexual assault. Pornographic materials provided the need motivation and materials for Serbian forces. In the rape camps, women were ordered to perform for men; in fact some rapes were filmed and sold as pornographic products since they could not be differentiated from actual pornography. The films were even released in the media so as to amass popularity for Bosnian war. The dialogue s in the pornography were used to  implicate Croatian soldiers. According to MacKinnon (2006), sexual violence was used so consciously and cynically in a way that destroyed people. Once pornography was released, more Serbian forces were encouraged to continually assault women. Genocidal rape in Bosnia was seen as an ethno marker. Ethnic markers are things such as dressing, lifestyle and language. The Serbians, Croats and Bosnians had almost similar ethnic markers. Since they were a part of Yugoslavia republic, the ethnic lines had been blurred. Rape was used by the Serbs to act as a moral ethno marker, as it separated them from the Croats and Muslims. They felt that it created cultural superiority of the Serbians. In fact Serbian law was amended to include ethnic rape, and they believed that the differences in ethnicity aggravated the crime. The mass rapes occurred in places where Serbs were a minority when compared to the size of Croats and Muslims (Allen, 1996 p.19). This was a way of asserting their superiority in the region. Sexual violence was also used to socialize new military recruits. Rape isolated the new recruits from the community and prepared them for battlefield. In Bosnia, sexual violence perpetrated by new recruits occurred in front of other soldiers and the victims even know their perpetrators. The Bosnian war was used by the Serbs to renegotiate their relationship with the other Balkan nations. Rape was seen as a way of establishing new boundaries, as they felt that they were the superior ethnic group. From a gender based analysis it is evident that the legal framework did not address the sexual violence against women in Bosnia well (MacKinnon, 2006 p.89). The law blamed the genocide on ethnicity, and disregarded the fact that it was sex based. The Serb military attack on women was premeditated and executed in three stages. The creation of rape camps shows that the intent was sexually based, in as much as it was ethnically motivated. Failure by the law to acknowledge this is a huge set back on women rights. The law perpetuates patriarchy in legal constructs in violation of women rights. Failure to acknowledge it also prevents the law from addressing the genocidal rape adequately. The law is ignoring the existence and horrifying effects of genocidal sexual terrorism to women (Abreu, 2005 p. 16). This is quite cowardly as the law uses ethnicity to cover the severe harm that women suffered in the hands of Serbian militants. The law enables the perpetrators to hide under ethnic crimes, yet they committed more inhumane atrocities. The law usually acknowledges sexual  crimes, but sexual crimes during genocides were only termed as other inhumane acts. This is blatant sex discrimination propagated by the law. In conclusion, analyzing genocide on a gender framed perspective gives various explanations and perspectives on the violence against women in Bosnia. The sexual violence against women in Bosnia genocide is distinct. Many women can recount the horror they went through in the hands of the Serbian perpetrators. The violence against women was planned as a war strategy. International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) should recognize genocidal sex terrorism, rather than hiding it under ethnic-based persecutions (Campbell, 2003 p.509). Serbian militants reduced women as a means of achieving their goals for the genocide. Addressing this problem will help the victim feel like they have achieved some semblance of justice, though nothing can compare to what they went through. Genocide sexual terrorism should be acknowledged by the law, and the legal elements regarding it should be outlined. Using a gender frame to analyze genocide helps us learn about the psychological and soc ial reasons for rape during genocides, rather than just saying that they were raped because they belonged to the enemy’s side. References Abreu, Veronica. (2005) Women’s Bodies as Battlefields In The Former Yugoslavia: An Argument For The Prosecution Of Sexual Terrorism As Genocide And For The Recognition of Genocidal Sexual Terrorism As A Violation Of Jusc Cogens Under International Law. The Georgetown Journal of Gender and Law, Vol. V1:1 Allen, B (1996) Rape Warfare: The Hidden Genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Campbell, K., 2003, â€Å"Rape as a ‘Crime Against Humanity’: Trauma, Law and Justice in the ICTY†, Journal of Human Rights, 2(4): 507–515. Caringella, S., (2008) Addressing Rape Reform in Law and Practice, New York: Columbia University Press. Jones, Adam (2006) Genocide: A Comprehensive Introduction. New York City: Routledge, 2006. MacKinnon, C., (2006) Are Women Human? And Other International Dialogues, Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. Ringelheim, J.M. (1997) ‘Genocide and gender: a split memory’ in R. Lentin (editor) Gender and Catastrophe. London: Zed Books. Schott, R. (2011), â€Å"War Rape, Natality and Genocide†, Journal of Genocide Research, 13(1/2): 5-21. Seifert, R., (1996), â€Å"The Second Front: The Logic of Sexual Violence in Wars†, Women’s Studies International Forum, 19(1/2): 35–43. Turpin, J. (1998) ‘Many faces: women confronting war’ in L.A. Lorentzen and J. Turpin (editors) The Women and War Reader. New York: New York University Press.

Funny Ads

â€Å"Humour certainly succeeds in getting people’s attention and is the most effective advertising strategy of our time. † Advertisement is one of the important things for a company’s marketing. It can say that in today’s modern life advertisement plays a key role in order for any company or product to succeed the advertisement must deliver a powerful message which attracts the consumer’s attention (Creativenerds 2010). That is because â€Å"advertising can achieve communications object such as informing people about brands, it can create awareness and it can move people closer to choosing one brand rather than another. (Blithe 2009) Humour has become a mainstay of advertising campaigns and has proven to be one of the most effective methods ever devised for selling products and creating a positive brand image (Clayton n. d. ). That is because Funny advertisements are a way to make sure they provide something different to the eyes of customers to s tand out in the crowd of products of services (SloDive n. d. ). Advertising is defined as a paid insertion of a message in a medium, and it is probably the most prominent of all marketing activities.Non-marketers often think that advertising is all that marketers do, which is of course not case the definition specifically excludes anything that is not paid for, or anything that does not pass through a medium, or anything that does not convey a message (Blithe 2009). However, it is true that using humour in advertisement can get people’s attention but it is not the most effective advertising strategy of our time. This essay will firstly show the disadvantages of using humour in advertising with some examples, and secondly, it also mentions some benefits of funny advertisement together with an example.The last thing is the recommendation about an advertising strategy. It is clear that the most obvious advantage of funny advertisement is that it does get more attention from cons umers and is better like. That is because humour is not only one of the best ways to captivate your audience’s attention but it also makes a product or service easier to recall or remember. People will probably love to  remember things  that make them smile or laugh and making people recognize a product is the most important thing for company’s marketing. The quote from presidiacreative is the good example. Humor is the best medicine, and this holds true in advertising as well, humor is one of the best ways to captivate your audience’s attention. Whether the humor is blatantly obvious, or a subtle joke, funny advertisements are always appreciated by the public, which is why so much effort goes into Superbowl ads. † (presidiacreative 2011) Furthermore, funny advertisement can get more attention because most people like funny things and it put them in a good mood. People love to be entertained that is why laughter has an enormous power when it comes to  advertisements.If asking some people about any advertisement that they seem to remember up to this day, more than 80 percents of them will think about  advertisements  that made them smile or laugh. They will relax and pay more attention when they know that advertisement has a sense of humor. Also, it create a more comfortable atmosphere and positive image for the company as Mr. Daboll, CEO of Ace Metrix, said â€Å"If you're equal on relevance and information, almost always funny will win over unfunny ads because it drives the other scores like likability and attention. (Neff 2012) Another advantage of using humour in advertising is that it can persuade people to buy products. Many people decide to buy the product because they like the advertisement. That is why the advertisement has a lot influence on circulation. According to Bhatti’s survey (2012), more than 50% of the current Vodafone customer is the result of effective funny advertisement created. Moreover, for a dvertisement, creativity is most important, and funniness is an extra added bonus for success. The Huggies advertisement is the very good example. It was successful funny advertisement because it conveys the message that a kid with a serious bladder problem can be contained. † (Hollis 2011). From two reason mentioned above it can understand that the advantages of using humour in advertisement are that people tend to enjoy it more, remember it, talk about it and then ultimately purchase a product. If a brand manager or a marketer always remembers that as long as people smile, they will surely buy. On the other hand, trying to use some serious approach in advertisement can make people find it boring and they will skip your advertisement (Sterling 2012).Although funny advertising has some advantages, it also has a lot disadvantages. The first one is that it can make consumers laugh but do not make them buy and the worst thing that could happen, and does happen, is for people to n otice the advertisement and remember the joke, but not the business (Theselfemployed n. d. ). It is true that funny advertisements are useful for entertaining viewers, but are not the most effective way for advertisers to convince those viewers to buy the product. There was a report about this point from Ace Metrix.It presented that â€Å"Funniness had little correlation with effectiveness in a scoring system that incorporates watchability, likability and persuasion among other factors. In fact, funny ads were slightly less likely to increase desire or purchase intent than unfunny ones. † (Neff 2012) These means that perfect ad is one that is appealing and memorable and effective all in the same breath (Pride et al. 2007). As Mr. Peter Daboll, CEO of Ace Metrix, said â€Å"Just being funny doesn't make an ad better, but being funny, relevant and informative are the things that really make an ad work† (Neff 2012).Secondly, some viewers cannot understand what those ads w ant to advertise. That is because there are a lot of jokes, slangs and spoken language in funny ads, so some people can understand but some people cannot. Nigel Hollis (2011), chief global analyst at Millward Brown, a global market research company, said that â€Å"Humor is culturally specific. Subtle references and puns tend to travel badly. † This is the example of one of the viewers’ opinion on the incomprehensible funny advertisement. I'm confused by the latest TV commercial for Adidas running shoes. The one that has the guy running through the city, and everything gets disrupted when he runs by it. Waterbeds explode, tractor trailer tires blow out, balloon floats deflate, a kid gets knocked off a pogo stick. At first I thought it was because the guy's feet smelled so bad he was causing all of this to happen, but the commercial is for a running shoe, so they wouldn't do that. † (Sassone 2005) This will make the company lose the group of people who cannot unde rstand he advertisement. A lot of people simply do not have a sense of humours, so if they think that the advertisement is not fun or they do not understand it, the company will lose these people immediately, and the potential size of the market will shrinks (Professional Advertising n. d. ). Thirdly, not all ads can be funny. It is believed that advertisement is a representative of company so if companies use funny things in ads that should not be funny, it will provide bad effect to companies’ images. In addition, advertising humor can backfire.If companies make a joke at the expense of any one group, they will surely alienate them. For example, many years ago, in Thailand, there was disrespectful act toward Buddha in one restaurant’s poster to make people fun. As a result, a lot of Thai people blamed on that restaurant and were banned it. This is because Buddhists who see a Buddha image placed in an improper place will feel very unhappy and may become subject to con flict arising from such situations. (Knowingbuddha n. d. ). Finally, some people cannot get any information from funny advertisement while some get bored with the same jokes.As the Professional Advertising said â€Å"The first time we see it we may laugh out loud. But after a while, although we still may smile at the joke, it’s not so funny anymore. Funny ads need to be replaced periodically. † (Professional Advertising n. d. ) Generally, when someone got the jokes, those jokes are not funny anymore. In the same ways as a funny advertisement, the first time people see the advertisement they will feel fun and interested, but they will find it not funny anymore when they see it again and again.Additionally, some advertisements have a lot of funny things but less information. In fact, giving information about a product is the most important of advertising and using humor is a supplement. Although funny advertisements drive the great advertising attributes such as attentio n and likeability, low information and relevance on many funny ads results in creating lower desire for the advertised products than non-funny advertisements (Tuttle 2012).This is the same concept as Michael Curran, Resource Manager at Capgemini, that â€Å"If an ad is merely funny and does nothing to bolster the featured product’s attributes, however, it’s probably a failure, no matter how funny the ad is. † (Tuttle 2012) In conclusion, Funny advertisement can get attention from viewers but it not always makes them buy a product. Besides, some people cannot understand what the ad wants to advertise and they sometimes cannot get anything about the product but fun. Also, not all ads can be funny.As a result, using humour in advertisement is one advertising strategy but it cannot be used with all advertisements and it is not the best way. It is recommended that companies should take care in considering what’s best for their brand. Don’t just jump on the funny band wagon because everyone is doing it. Every product must have its own proper way to advertise, so if a company can find that proper way, it will succeed in advertising. Some products are suited for funny advertisement but some are not, so companies should think carefully before advertising their product. Word count: 1670

Types And Causes Of Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay

Pollution is the beginning of a waste into the ambiance doing it impossible to do life on Earth possible to prolong. Pollution is the debut of a contamination into the environment. It is created largely by human actions, but can besides be a consequence of natural catastrophes. Pollution has a damaging consequence on any living being in an environment, doing it virtually impossible to prolong life. Pollution harms the Earth ‘s environment and its people in many ways. Presence of affair ( gas, liquid, solid ) or energy ( heat, noise, radiation ) whose nature, location, or measure straight or indirectly alters features or procedures of any portion of the environment, and causes ( or has the possible to do ) harm to the status, wellness, safety, or public assistance of animate beings, worlds, workss, or belongings. The debut of contaminations into a natural environment that causes instability, upset, injury or uncomfortableness to theA ecosystem i.e. Physical systems or populating organisms.A Pollution can take the signifier ofA chemical substancesA orA energy, such as noise, heat, or visible radiation. Pollutants, the elements of pollution, can be foreign substances or energies, or of course happening ; when of course happening, they are considered contaminations when they exceed natural degrees. Pollution is frequently classed asA point sourceA orA nonpoint beginning pollution. There are two types of the cause of pollution, natural and man-made. Natural pollution occurs of course and wo n't do inordinate injury to our lives due to its regeneration ability. While the semisynthetic pollution is caused by human activities, and hard to acquire rid of. The anchors of semisynthetic pollution are human population and engineering. Naturally human needs contact to the environment, we get resources fro m nature. This is for the interest of life. By the addition of human population, the contact is acquiring more intensive, because demands are increasing. And by the findings and development of new engineerings, human can use them to acquire the resources. And it ‘s common that new engineerings would convey their several side effects besides their advantages.TYPES OF POLLUTIONAIR POLLUTION WATER POLLUTION NOISE POLLUTION LIGHT POLLUTION LAND POLLUTION MARINE POLLUTION THERMAL POLLUTION SHIP POLLUTION RADIATION POLLUTIONAIR POLLUTIONAir pollution is the accretion of risky substances into the ambiance that danger human life and other life affair. Air pollutionA is the debut ofA chemicals, A particulate affair, orA biological materialsA that cause injury or uncomfortableness to worlds or other life beings, or amendss theA natural environmentA into theA atmosphere. The ambiance is a complex dynamic natural gaseous system that is indispensable to back up life on planetA Earth.A StratosphericA ozone depletion due to air pollution has long been recognized as a menace to human wellness every bit good as to the Earth'sA ecosystems. Air is the ocean we breathe. Air supplies us with O which is indispensable for our organic structures to populate. Air is 99.9 % N, O, H2O vapour and inert gases. Human activities can let go of substances into the air, some of which can do jobs for worlds, workss, and animals.There are several chief types of pollution and well-known effects of pollution which are normally discussed. These include smog, acerb rain, the nursery consequence, and â€Å" holes † in the ozone bed. Each of these jobs has serious deductions for our wellness and wellbeing every bit good as for the whole environment. This type of pollution is sometimes referred to as â€Å" black C † pollution. The fumes from firing fuels in cars, pla ces, and industries is a major beginning of pollution in the air. Some governments believe that even the combustion of wood and wood coal in hearths and barbecues can let go of important quanitites of carbon black into the air. Another type of pollution is the release of noxious gases, such as S dioxide, C monoxide, N oxides, and chemical bluess. These can take portion in farther chemical reactions once they are in the ambiance, organizing smog and acerb rain.Major primary pollutants produced by human activity include:Sulfur oxidesA ( SOx ) – Sulfur dioxide is a chemical compound with the expression SO2. SO2A is produced by vents and in assorted industrial procedures. Since coal and crude oil frequently contain sulfur compounds, their burning generates sulfur dioxide. Nitrogen oxidesA ( NOx ) – Nitrogen dioxideA are emitted from high temperature burning. Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the expression NO2. It is one of the several N oxides. This red-brown toxic gas has a characteristic crisp, seize with teething olfactory property. NO2A is one of the most outstanding air pollutants. Carbon monoxideA – It is a colourless, odourless, non-irritating but really toxicant gas. It is a merchandise by uncomplete burning of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular fumes is a major beginning of C monoxide. Carbon dioxideA ( CO2 ) – It is aA nursery gas which isA emitted from burning but is besides a gas critical toA life beings. It is a natural gas in the ambiance. Volatile organic compoundsA – VOCs are an of import outdoor air pollutant. In this field they are frequently divided into the separate classs of methane ( CH4 ) and non-methane ( NMVOCs ) . Methane is an highly efficient nursery gas which contributes to heighten planetary heating. Other hydrocarbon VOCs are besides important nursery gases via their function in making ozone and in protracting the life of methane in the ambiance, although the consequence varies depending on local air quality. ToxicA metals- such asA lead, A cadmiumA andA Cu. ChlorofluorocarbonsA ( CFCs ) – It is harmful to theA ozone layerA emitted from merchandises presently banned from usage. AmmoniaA ( NH3 ) -Ammonia is emitted from agricultural procedures. Ammonia is a compound with the expression NH3. It is usually encountered as a gas with a characteristic pungent olfactory property. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritionary demands of tellurian beings by functioning as a precursor to groceries and fertilisers. Ammonia, either straight or indirectly, is besides a edifice block for the synthesis of many pharmaceuticals. Although in broad usage, ammonium hydroxide is both acerb and risky. OdorsA – such as from refuse, sewerage, and industrial procedures Radioactive pollutantsA which are produced byA atomic detonations, warA explosives, and natural procedures such as theA radioactive decayA ofA Rn.Secondary pollutants include:Smog is a sort of air pollution ; the word â€Å" smog † is a blend of fume and fog. Authoritative smog consequences from big sums of coal combustion in an country caused by a mixture of fume and S dioxide. Modern smog does non normally come from coal but from vehicular and industrial emanations that are acted on in the ambiance by sunshine to organize secondary pollutants that besides combine with the primary emanations to organize photochemical smog. Photochemical and chemical reactions affecting it drive many of the chemical processes that occur in the ambiance by twenty-four hours and by dark. At abnormally high concentrations brought approximately by human activities ( mostly the burning of fossil fuel ) , it is a pollutant, and a component of smog. Peroxyacetyl nitrateA ( PAN ) – likewise formed from NOxA and VOCs.Minor air pollutants include:A big figure of minorA risky air pollutants. Some of these are regulated in USA under theA Clean Air ActA and in Europe under the Air Framework Directive. A assortment ofA relentless organic pollutants, which can attach to particulate affair. Persistent organic pollutants ( POPs ) are organic compounds that are immune to environmental debasement through chemical, biological, and photolytic procedures. Because of this, they have been observed to prevail in the environment, to be capable of long-range conveyance, bioaccumulate in human and carnal tissue, biomagnify in nutrient ironss, and to hold possible important impacts on human wellness and the environment.Beginnings OF AIR POLLUTIONAnthropogenetic sourcesA ( human activity ) largely related to firing different sorts ofA fuel â€Å" Stationary Beginnings † include fume tonss ofA power workss, fabricating installations ( mills ) and waste incinerators, every bit good as furnaces and other types of fuel-burning warming devices â€Å" Mobile Beginnings † includeA motor vehicles, Marine vass, aircraft and the consequence of sound etc. Exhausts fromA pigment, A hair spray, A varnish, A aerosol spraysA and other dissolvers Waste deposition inA landfills, which generateA methane. Methane is non toxic ; nevertheless, it is extremely flammable and may organize explosive mixtures with air. Methane is besides an asphyxiant and may displace O in an enclosed infinite. Asphyxia or asphyxiation may ensue if the O concentration is reduced to below 19.5 % by supplanting. Military, such asA atomic arms, A toxic gases, A source warfareA andA rocketryNatural beginningsDustA from natural beginnings, normally big countries of land with small or no flora. Methane, A emittedA by theA digestionA of nutrient byA animate beings, for exampleA cowss. RadonA gas from radioactive decay within the Earth ‘s crust. Radon is a colorless, odorless, of course happening, radioactive baronial gas that is formed from the decay of Ra. It is considered to be a wellness jeopardy. Radon gas from natural beginnings can roll up in edifices, particularly in confined countries such as the cellar and it is the 2nd most frequent cause of lung malignant neoplastic disease, after coffin nail smoke. SmokeA andA C monoxideA fromA wildfires. VolcanicA activity, which produceA S, A Cl, and ashA particulates.HOW TO CONTROL AIR POLLUTIONThe undermentioned points are normally used as pollution control devices by industry or transit devices. They can either destroyA contaminantsA or take them from an exhaust watercourse before it is emitted into the ambiance. Particulate control Mechanical aggregators Electrostatic precipitators A An electrostatic precipitator ( ESP ) , or electrostatic air cleansing agent is a particulate aggregation device that removes atoms from a fluxing gas ( such as air ) utilizing the force of an induced electrostatic charge. Electrostatic precipitators are extremely efficient filtration devices that minimally impede the flow of gases through the device, and can easy take all right particulate affair such as dust and fume from the air watercourse. Baghouses These areA designed to manage heavy dust tonss, a dust aggregator consists of a blower, dust filter, a filter-cleaning system, and a dust receptacle or dust remotion system Particulate scrubbers Wet scrubber is a signifier of pollution control engineering. The term describes a assortment of devices that use pollutants from a furnace fluke gas or from other gas watercourses. In a wet scrubber, the contaminated gas watercourse is brought into contact with the scouring liquid, by spraying it with theliquid, by coercing it through a pool of liquid, or by some other contact method, so as to take the pollutants. Scrubbers Baffle spray scrubber Cyclonic spray scrubber Mechanically assisted scrubber Spray tower Wet scrubber NOx control Low NOx burners Selective catalytic reductionA Selective non-catalytic decrease NOx scrubbers Catalytic convertor Acid Gas/SOHYPERLINK â€Å" hypertext transfer protocol: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur_dioxide † 2A control Wet scrubbers Dry scrubbers Do n't smoke Keep your auto care up-to-date Do n't purchase merchandises that come inA aerosolA spray tins Avoid utilizing lighter fluid when barbecuing outside When you drive accelerate easy and utilize sail control Always replace your auto ‘s air filter Use a push or electric lawnmower instead than a gas-powered 1 Do n't utilize rough chemical cleaners that can breathe exhausts Inspect your gas contraptions and warmers on a regular basisFacts about Air PollutionAbout 232 million different types of vehicles are driven by U.S. citizens every twenty-four hours, adding nursery gases into the air. U.S. vehicle emanations contribute 45 % to planetary heating The mean grownup consumes 3,000 gallons of contaminated air every twenty-four hours Vehicle fumes contributes to 60 % of C monoxide emanations in the U.S. and up to 95 % in big metropoliss Every twelvemonth 335,000 Americans dice of lung malignant neoplastic disease, which is a direct consequence of air pollutionBeginnings OF AIR POLLUTIONSome of the chief subscribers to H2O pollution are: Factories Refineries Waste intervention installations Mining Pesticides, weedkillers and fertilisers Human sewerage Oil spills Failing infected systems Soap from rinsing your auto Oil and antifreeze leaking from autos Family chemicals Animal wasteWATER POLLUTIONWater pollution is the debut ofA chemical, biological and physical affair into big organic structures of H2O that degrade the quality of life that lives in it and consumes it. Oil spills, family chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers are the major beginnings of H2O pollution. The best manner to forestall H2O pollution is to non throw rubbish and other harmful chemicals into our H2O supplies because it causes injury to the rivers and lakes. Water pollution affects workss and beings populating in theseA organic structures of H2O ; and, in about all instances the consequence is damaging non merely to individualA speciesA and populations, but besides to the naturalA biological communities. Water pollution occurs whenA pollutantsA are discharged straight or indirectly into H2O organic structures without adequateA treatmentA to take harmful compounds. Water pollution is a major job in the planetary context. It has been suggested that it is the taking worldwide cause of deceases and diseases, A and that it accounts for the deceases of more than 14,000 people daily.A An estimated 700 millionA IndiansA have no entree to a proper lavatory, and 1,000 Indian kids dice of diarrhoeal illness every day.A Some 90 % ofA China ‘s metropoliss suffer from some grade of H2O pollution, A and about 500 million people lack entree to safe imbibing water.A In add-on to the acute jobs of H2O pollution in developing states, A industrialized countriesA continue to fight with pollution jobs every bit good. In the most recent national study onA H2O qualityA in theA United States, 45 per centum of assessedA streamA stat mis, 47 per centum of assessed lakeA estates, and 32 per centum of asse ssedA bayA and estuarineA square milesA were classified as polluted.Facts about Water PollutionOver two-thirds of U.S. estuaries and bays are badly debauched because of N and phosphoric pollution Every twelvemonth about 25 % of U.S. beaches are closed at least one time because of H2O pollution Over 73 different sorts of pesticides have been found in the groundwater that we finally use to imbibe 1.2 trillion gallons of sewerage, stormwater and industrial waste are discharged into U.S. Waterss every twelvemonth 40 % of U.S. rivers are excessively polluted for aquatic life to last Americans use over 2.2 billion lbs of pesticides every twelvemonth, which finally washes into our rivers and lakesHow to Prevent Water PollutionThe best manner to forestall H2O pollution is to non throw rubbish and other harmful chemicals into our H2O supplies. Here are a few more ways you can forestall H2O pollution: Wash your auto far off from any storm H2O drains Do n't throw rubbish, chemicals or dissolvers into cloaca drains Inspect your infected system every 3-5 old ages Avoid utilizing pesticides and fertilisers that can run off into H2O systems Brush your private road alternatively of hosing it down Always pump your waste-holding armored combat vehicles on your boat Use non-toxic cleansing stuffs Clean up oil and other liquid spills with kitty litter and sweet them up Do n't rinse pigment coppices in the sinkNOISE POLLUTIONNoise pollutionA ( orA environmentalA noise ) is displeasing human, carnal or machine-created sound that disrupts the activity or balance of human or carnal life. The wordA noiseA comes from the Latin wordA sicknesss, intending mal de mer. The beginning of most out-of-door noise worldwide is chiefly building A andA transit systems, includingA motor vehicleA noise, A aircraft noise andA rail noise. PoorA urban planningA may give rise to resound pollution, since side-by-side industrial and residential edifices can ensue in noise pollution in the residential country. Indoor and out-of-door noise pollution beginnings includeA auto dismaies, exigency serviceA Sirens, mechanical equipment, A fireworks, compressedA air horns, evidences maintaining equipment, barking Canis familiariss, contraptions, A lightingA busyness, audio amusement systems, electric A megaphones, and loud people. The fact that you ca n't see, gustatory sensation or smell it may assist explicate why it has non received every bit much attending as other types of pollution, such as air pollution, or H2O pollution.A The air around us is invariably filled with sounds, yet most of us would likely non state we are surrounded by noise.A Though for some, the persi stent and intensifying beginnings of sound can frequently be considered an annoyance.A This â€Å" irritation † can hold large danger.MITIGATION AND CONTROL FOR NOISE POLLUTIONHere are a assortment of schemes for mitigatingA roadway noiseA including: usage ofA noise barriers, restriction of vehicle velocities, change of roadway surface texture, restriction ofA heavy vehicles, usage of traffic controls that smooth vehicle flow to cut down braking and acceleration, and tyre design. An of import factor in using these schemes is aA computing machine modelA forA roadway noise, that is capable of turn toing localA topography, weather forecasting, traffic operations and conjectural extenuation. Costss of building-in extenuation can be modest, provided these solutions are sought in the planning phase of a roadway undertaking. Aircraft noiseA can be reduced to some extent by design of quieterA jet engines, which was pursued smartly in the 1970s and 1980s. This scheme has brought limited but noticeable decrease of urban sound degrees. Reconsideration of operations, such as alteringA flight pathsA and clip of twenty-four hours track usage, has demonstrated benefits for residential populations near airports.A FAAA sponsored residential retrofit ( insularity ) plans initiated in the 1970s has besides enjoyed success in cut downing interiorA residentialA noise in 1000s of abodes across theA United States. Exposure of workers toA Industrial noiseA has been addressed since the 1930s. Changes include redesign of industrial equipment, daze mounting assemblies and physical barriers in the workplace. Noise Free America, a national anti-noise pollution organisation, regularly anterooms for the enforcement of noise regulations at all degrees of authorities.LIGHT POLLUTIONTheA International Dark-Sky AssociationA ( IDA ) definesA light pollutionA as: Any inauspicious consequence of unreal light includingA sky freshness, A blaze, A light trespass, A light jumble, decreased visibleness at dark, and energy waste. Such an attack confuses the cause and its consequence, however.A PollutionA is the adding-of/added visible radiation itself, in analogy to added sound, CO2A etc. Adverse effects are multiple, some of them may be non known yet. Real definitions are to be, hence, like: Change of natural visible radiation degrees in the out-of-door environment owing to unreal light beginnings. Light pollution is the change of light degrees in the out-of-door environment ( from those present of course ) due to semisynthetic beginnings of visible radiation. Indoor light pollution is such change of light degrees in the indoor environment due to beginnings of visible radiation, which compromises human wellness. Light pollution is the debut by worlds, straight or indirectly, of unreal visible radiation into the environment. In malice of the scientific attack, The U.S.A National Park Service, whose Night Sky Team determined that about every park that it surveyed has noticeable light pollution, A defines the term still as: Chiefly, the light of the dark sky caused by unreal visible radiation beginnings, diminishing the visibleness of stars and other natural sky phenomena. Besides includes other incidental or noticeable facets of out-of-door illuming such as blaze, trespass into countries non necessitating illuming, usage in countries where or at times when illuming is non needed, and perturbation of the natural nighttime landscape. Light pollution obscures the stars in theA dark skyA for metropolis inhabitants, interferes withA astronomicalA observatories, and, like any other signifier of pollution, disruptsA ecosystemsA and has inauspicious wellness effects. Light pollution can be divided into two chief types: ( 1 ) raging visible radiation that intrudes on an otherwise natural or low-light scene ( 2 ) inordinate visible radiation ( by and large indoors ) that leads to discomfort and inauspicious wellness effects. Since the early 1980s, a globalA dark-sky movementA has emerged, with concerned people runing to cut down the sum of light pollution. Light pollution is a side consequence of industrial civilisation. Its beginnings include edifice exterior and interior lighting, advertisement, commercial belongingss, offices, mills, street lamps, and illuminated featuring locales.WAYS TO REDUCE LIGHT POLLUTIONReducing light pollution implies many things, such as cut downing sky freshness, cut downing blaze, cut downing light trespass, and cut downing jumble. The method for best cut downing light pollution, hence, depends on precisely what the job is in any given case. Possible solutions include: Using light beginnings of minimal strength necessary to carry through the visible radiation ‘s intent. Turning visible radiations off utilizing a timer or tenancy detector or manually when non needed. Bettering illuming fixtures, so that they direct their visible radiation more accurately towards where it is needed, and with less side effects. Adjusting theA typeA of visible radiations used, so that the light moving ridges emitted are those that are less likely to do terrible light pollution jobs. Measuring bing illuming programs, and re-designing some or all of the programs depending on whether bing visible radiation is really needed.LAND POLLUTIONLandA pollutionA is pollution of the Earth ‘s natural land surface by industrial, commercial, domestic and agricultural activities. Land pollutionA is the debasement of Earth ‘s land surfaces frequently caused by human activities and their abuse of land resources. It occurs when waste is non fain decently. Health jeopardy disposal of urban and industrial wastes, development of minerals, and improper usage of dirt by unequal agricultural patterns are a few factors.A UrbanizationA andA industrializationA are major causes of land pollution. The Industrial Revolution set a series of events into gesture which destroyed natural home grounds and polluted the environment, doing diseases in both worlds and other species of animate beings.Beginnings OF LAND POLLUTIONSome of the chief subscribers to set down pollution are: Chemical and atomic workss Industrial mills Oil refineries Human sewerage Oil and antifreeze leaking from autos Mining Littering Overcrowded landfills Deforestation Construction dustFact ABOUT LAND POLLUTIONEvery twelvemonth one American produces over 3285 lbs of risky waste Land pollution causes us to lose 24 billion dozenss of top dirt every twelvemonth Americans generate 30 billion froth cups, 220 million tyres and 1.8 billion disposable nappies every twelvemonth We throw off plenty trash every twenty-four hours to make full 63,000 refuse trucks Every twenty-four hours Americans throw off 1 million bushels of litter out their auto window Over 80 % of points in landfills can be recycled, but they ‘re nonHow to Prevent Land PollutionThe best manner to forestall land pollution is to recycle. Here are a few other ways you can cut down land pollution: Reuse any points that you can Buy biodegradable merchandises Store all liquid chemicals and waste in spill-proof containers Eat organic nutrients that are grown withoutA pesticides Do n't utilize pesticides Use a trickle tray to roll up engine oil Buy merchandises that have small packaging Do n't dump motor oil on the landMARINE POLLUTIONMarine pollutionA occurs when harmful effects, or potentially harmful effects, can ensue from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, A atoms, industrial, agricultural and residentialA waste, noise, or the spread of invasive beings. Most beginnings of Marine pollution are land based. The pollution frequently comes fromA nonpoint sourcesA such as agricultural A runoffA and windblown dust. Many potentially toxic chemicals adhere to tiny atoms which are so taken up by A planktonA and benthosA animate beings, most of which are either sedimentation orA filter feeders. In this manner, the toxins areA concentrated upwardA within oceanA nutrient ironss. Many atoms combine chemically in a mode extremely depletive ofA O, causingA estuariesA to becomeA anoxic. When pesticides are incorporated into theA Marine ecosystem, they rapidly go captive into marineA nutrient webs. Once in the nutrient webs, these pesticides can do mutants, every bit good as diseases, which can be harmful to worlds every bit good as the full nutrient web. Toxic metalsA can besides be introduced into marine nutrient webs. These can do a alteration to weave affair, biochemistry, behavior, reproduction, and suppress growing in marine life. Besides, manyA carnal feedsA have a highA fish mealA orA fish hydrolysateA content. In this manner, Marine toxins can be transferred to land animate beings, and appear subsequently in meat and dairy merchandises.TERMAL POLLUTIONThermal pollutionA is the debasement ofA H2O qualityA by any procedure that changes ambient waterA temperature. A common cause of thermic pollution is the usage of H2O as aA coolantA byA power plantsA and industrial makers. When H2O used as a coolant is returned to the natural environment at a higher temperature, the alteration in temperature ( a ) DecreasesA oxygenA provide ( B ) AffectsA ecosystemA composing.SHIP POLLUTIONShip pollutionA is the pollution of air andA waterA byA transportation. It is a job that has been speed uping asA tradeA has become progressively globalized, presenting an increasing menace to the universe ‘s oceans and waterways asA globalizationA continues.RADIATION POLLUTIONRadiation pollution is any signifier of ionising or no ionizing radiation that consequences from human activities. The most well-known radiation consequences from the explosion of atomic devices and the controlled release of energy by nuclear-power generating workss ( see atomic energy ) . Other beginnings of radiation include spent-fuel reprocessing workss, byproducts of excavation operations, and experimental research research labs. Increased exposure to medical X beams and to radiation emanations from microwave ovens and other family contraptions, although of well less magnitude, all constitute beginnings of environmental radiation. Public concern over the release of radiation into the environment greatly increased following the revelation of possible harmful effects to the populace from atomic arms proving, the accident ( 1979 ) at the Three Mile Island nuclear-power generating works near Harrisburg, Pa. , and the ruinous 1986 detonation at Chernobyl, a Soviet atomic power works. In the late eightiess, disclosures of major pollution jobs at U.S. atomic arms reactors raised apprehensivenesss even higher.REFRENCESPollution causes consequence and control By Roy M.Harrison Air Pollution By Jeremy Coils Global consequence of environmental pollution By Siegfied Fred Singer Water Wars By Vandana Shiva Pollution By Christiane Dorion www.google.com Wikipedia.org

Healthcare Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Healthcare Marketing - Essay Example This paper outlines the marketing plan of Adalp Insurance Medical Agencies. This paper analyzes the target market of the agency, and the products that the agency offers. This paper gives out the SWOT analysis of the organization, but in different sections. This paper will also identify the marketing and financial goals of the organization, and how the organization intends to achieve these goals. This plan will also give out the methods in which the organization needs to follow for purposes of ensuring that it fully implements its marketing strategy. Introduction: Health care marketing is a new strategy in public health that uses the traditional principles of marketing, as well as the science based strategies of marketing for purposes of preventing diseases, and promoting health. It is through health care marketing that various advances in medicine are made known to the public. It is also through health care marketing that the public gets to know the various medical services that an i nstitution offers, such as health care insurance and circumcision services. This is a health care marketing plan for Adalp Insurance Medical Agency. The company offers medical insurance services to the poor, and mostly patients who are admitted into the hospital. The diseases that the insurance policy of the company covers are all manner of chronic diseases. This includes diabetes and cancer. Market Analysis: This section provides information on the organizational and product overview of Adalp Insurance Agency. This section explains the various insurance policies that the agency offers. It also identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the agency. This section also explains in detail the target market for the Insurance agency. This section also explains the target market for the insurance agency. The target markets for the services of the insurance agency are the poor and the rich. i. Organization and Product Overview. The company offers insurance policies on all manner of chronic diseases, and this includes diabetes, all types of cancer and HIV AIDS. There are two main types of insurance policies that the organization offers, and they include the high end insurance policy, and the low end insurance policy. The high end insurance policy has two sections. The first section covers children, while the second section covers adults. This policy covers all manner of chronic diseases, and it is very expensive, since it offers specialized treatment. The second type of policy that the agency offers is the low end insurance policy. This policy only offers insurance medical cover to certain chronic diseases, such as diabetes. It does not cover the treatment of cancer, and it is only available to adults. In order to offer these services in an efficient and effective manner, Adalp Insurance Company liaises with the following public hospitals, Cleveland clinic, National Institute of Health, Mayo clinic, and John Hopkins institute of health. In case of a health issue, the a gency would pay the down payment for the treatment of its customers to these institutions. The agency will also carter for all the accommodation costs of its customers, in case they are not able to easily access these medical institutions. ii. Organizational strengths and weaknesses. One of the major strengths of Adalp Medical Insurance agency lies on its diverse workforce, and products. The company has Asians, African American and Caucasians working in it. On this basis, they are able to

Compare and contrast types of feedback Research Paper

Compare and contrast types of feedback - Research Paper Example The primary aim of providing formative feedback is to update the employees about their work and performance in a timely basis so as to ensure proper completion of the assigned tasks and duties by the employees (Judson & Harrison, 2009). Formative feedback can help an employee to focus on his/her on their weaknesses and further provides platform to work upon this limitations to enhance and improve their performance. This type of feedback can be implemented to all levels of the organisation. On the other hand summative feedback is also widely used in the organizations as a tool for improving the performance of employees. Summative feedback reflects the level of excellence that the employees demonstrative while meeting with the requirements of the organizations. It also helps the employees to understand their level of performance and also helps them in analyzing those areas where they can improve (White, 2009). As per the learning, it is identified that formative feedback offers timely update about the employee’s performances and is generally concern with identifying weaknesses whereas summative feedback primarily emphasise s on the level of excellency demonstrated by employees while they meet with the organizational goals and objectives. Nonetheless, it can be argued that both the types of feedback are delivered for the sole purpose of educating the employees and thereby intending to improve their individual

Effect of a Brief Seminar on Retirement Planning for Senior Dental Article

Effect of a Brief Seminar on Retirement Planning for Senior Dental Hygiene Students - Article Example rences in relative risk aversion, a variable that derives its theoretical relevance and explanatory power from the life-cycle hypothesis of consumption and saving (Jefferson, 2007). These studies would be a back ground in the investigation of the knowledge and attitudes of senior dental hygiene students in regard to personal financial investing and retirement planning for their future through a brief pre-test survey. However a number of literatures are available inquiring into the factors affecting the decisions differentiating consumption and saving. An individual’s holdings might be influenced by the asset holdings of other household members and thus portfolio composition appeared to be affected by factors that go beyond an innate gender difference in approaches to risk. Other relevant institutional factors might include the workplace and peer groups (Clark-Murphy and Gerrans P, 2001). In the analysis of information on pension coverage and pension plan characteristics in the 1992 and 1995 Survey of Consumer Finances, indicated that both gender and marital status affected the way individuals chose to allocate their retirement investments across different assets and the investment behavior of married men and women was significantly different from that of single men and women. (Lyons A & Yilmazer T, 2004). Studies by Sunden A & Surette B(1998) also had suggested similar impact of gender and marital status on retirement investment. Further, Lundberg and Ward-Batts (2000) had studied the effect of age and education on the saving behavior of individuals and families. The household decision taking process was further added as a factor affecting the investment decision as collective modeling study done by Lyons A & Yilmazer T (2004) assumed that whoever controlled the resources within the household had a greater impact over the financial decisions within the household However the relevance of retirement planning has been reiterated by a number of literatures

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

Response - Essay Example One can feel Mrs. Mallard’s sentiments of relief and liberation when reports of her husband’s death finally dawn on her. Although she openly weeps in the presence of her sister Josephine, she locks herself in her room and all of a sudden feels relieved from her husband’s death. According to Chopin, Mrs Millard kept whispering â€Å"free! Body and soul free!† as a show of exhilaration (Chopin 13).Mrs. Millard openly questions the meaning of love in human life. She claims it is meaningless if one only loves unwillingly. She wonders, â€Å"What could love the unsolved mystery count for in face of this possession of self-assertion† (Cunningham & Reich 725). In addition, Mrs. Millard terms this as the strongest impulse of her being. She goes on to wish she that could have existed a bit longer life now that her companion was supposedly dead. The author cites the main proponent’s fancy was running towards the days ahead of her. This is a clear indication of how unwillingly married she was to Brently and wished they could separate because this will add meaning to her life. Her husband had been silencing her will since she married him and his death adds meaning to her life, as she felt free from a authoritarian husband. I believe the kind of marriage that individuals involve themselves in highly determines the kind of life the individuals lead and their attitude in general. In many instances, when ones marriage is not comfortable and the person has an oppressive spouse, he or she has a negative attitude towards several things. Freedom plays a vital role in a human being’s attitude and in marriage, it is essential that each spouse is free to express their views and ideas. Ones nationality also influences someone’s attitude in diverse ways. For instance, when one identifies him or herself to a certain nation that has done well, the person is more confident in the midst of other and proud. Race plays an essential role in either

The Role of Women in Science Fiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Role of Women in Science Fiction - Essay Example Even in television, science fiction programs such as Star Trek Voyager have been shown with a female captain of the ship and strong female characters such as Seven of Nine and Lieutenant Torres. In fact, the show itself can be seen as a feminist interpretation of the Star Trek universe which was dominated in the 60s by swaggering captains such as James T. Kirk who thought it was their duty to kiss every alien female they could find. Undoubtedly, the times have changed and with them, the notion of science fiction has also developed. In this regard, two novels stand out in terms of how they treat femininity, masculinity and the relationship between the male and the female. These are The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin and He, She and It by Marge Piercy. A deeper examination of these novels and their treatment of gender is necessary to gain a better understanding of gender and the role of women in modern science fiction. The first novel which raises some interesting questions about gender and the idea of masculinity is also the novel which deals directly with the idea of androgyny. While we know that stories about titans, giants, and dragons can easily be considered as fiction, we also know that legends are often based on facts. The legend of King Arthur and his knights of the round table is one such instance where the historical fact was distorted to an extent that the fiction became more popular than the facts of history. Nevertheless, the basis of the story was a historical character. In a similar manner, the stories about the future may also be based on developments that are taking place here and now.

Stress Management in the RN Role Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stress Management in the RN Role - Essay Example According to Taylor and Barling (2004), career stress or simply burnout is a threat to the well-being of health workers. Career strain has been defined by Farrington (1997) as bleeding oneself for the benefit of others. Symptoms of burnout are evident on these individuals' emotional, cognitive and physical facets (Taylor & Barling, 2004). These symptoms described by Farrington (1997) include: lower level of energy, pessimism, feelings of helplessness, depersonalization, lowered self-esteem and even cynicism. Mental health nursing has been closely connected in dealing with burnout and stress on the nursing field (Taylor & Barling, 2004). Rees & Smith, in their 1991 article, has provided a documentation of the stress order of National Health Service professionals in the United Kingdom. It shows that community mental health nurses (CMHN) occupied the top place alongside speech therapist followed by general nurses and mental health nurses who are ward-based both in the third position. Another survey by Nolan (1995) on mental health nurses used the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) in measuring caseness. Caseness is a name pertaining to the probability of acquiring a psychiatric disorder. The GHQ created by David Goldberg is available in 4 different versions with varying number of items-12, 28, 30, and 60 item Likert-type (with 4 choices) scale. Since the GHQ is a screening measure to identify trivial psychiatric problems, the questionnaire items aim to know the general health of the respondents over the recent weeks. It can be used with the general public but mostly used with health care professionals. Higher scores in the questionnaire imply psychological distress of the individual (General Health Questionnaire, n.d.). The GHQ was also used by Brown et al (1994) and Fagin et al (1995) to measure the psychological distress of health workers. Results indicated that CMHN have the highest psychological distress among the nursing sample. Ward nurses were also seen to have high levels of depersonalization. This was backed up with the researchers by the explanation that ward nurses have lower levels of empathy towards their patients. Stress in psychiatric nurses has been identified with their interaction to mentally ill patients (Melchior et al 1996). Different sources of stress include the patients tended to by the nurses, the co-nurses and doctors they are working with, the facilities in the hospital and the work itself (Taylor & Barling, 2004). Specifically, the researchers cited examples of stressful activities by CMHN nurses. Usually, they are stressed when in contact with the nerve-racking conditions of the work place-long waiting lines of patients, suicidal patients who can be very emotionally stressful, violent patients and hazardous work areas in different communities (Taylor & Barling, 2004). Some of these conditions were also true for ward-based nurses. The literature has wide accounts of different nursing fields as having specific types of stressors (Farrington 1995; Leiter & Harvie 1996; Mcleod 1997; Wheeler 1998a). Stress indicators in general have been identified in the literature. These include dealing with different types of patients (Haynes, LaCroix, & Lippin, 1987), doing the same work over and over again (Haynes et al., 1987; Karasek, 1979), the educational attainment of the individual needed in the job

Cultural Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Cultural Anthropology - Essay Example Social settings have adopted new and universal similarities owing to the increasing state of media and interstate’s education systems. Hence, via knowing diverse languages, it has prompted students to seek both education and employment in other regions, hence becoming international students as well as cosmopolitan citizens especially via intermarrying (Kuran & Sandholm 204). The global integration of people’s lives descends from the economics’ universal consumer market and need to advance. This is especially from the global states’ strong motive to equal the already developed partners, hence result to adopting and utilizing diverse market strategies that will facilitate trade with them besides strengthening their currency. Additionally, the states’ dissimilarity in productions and need to have access to other products from diverse regions, has also yielded them to network with other regional states besides adopting some economic practices/strategies meant to improve their fiscal stability. Production is an economic practice that ensures the existence of humanity in the face of the earth regardless of the level of technology, which each society might adopt. Mainly, this aligns with the culture, which each society esteems, and best fits their region or the general expertise it possesses. For illustration, production globally assumes the forms of agriculture, industrial and foraging, where the latter entails communities emanating from the third world states, which have not embraced new technology effectively (Kuran & Sandholm 212). However, this has changed with time in comparison to the past century where in the current foraging it is about 1%. Foraging among other forms of productions has actually shaped diverse aspects of culture especially among the communities that utilize foraging method. These

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

Personal statement - Essay Example The second main attribute that grasped my attention, was the association of this school to moral and religious values. The values of this school, J-CHIEFS, hold every possible element that a human needs to flourish in a career like pharmacy, which requires brilliance in order to serve mankind. I feel it is the spiritual aspect incorporated in the curriculum of this establishment, which is makes it stand out from all other pharmacy institutions. For me, it is not just strict pharmaceutical education that I would like to learn about, but also the fundamentals a human need to make him kind and modest. Besides the religious portion, the excellence in teaching pharmacy provided here will help me develop into the pharmacist I dream to be. Being a nurse, every single day I deal with people who have injuries, which sometimes can be cured and are sometimes disabling for life. No matter how much property, finances or education you have, sometimes it is just one miracle that saves your life. When no medicine or cure is available for a disease or condition, it is our prayers and faith that help so many among us to survive. Being in a medical care profession, I have seen people, with all the privileges in the world, dying in a single instant. On the other hand, I’ve witnessed many survive miraculously; in that very miracle, I have seen a glimpse of God, and no doubt it has been one of the most moving experiences of my life. And it is with that spirit and emotion in my mind and heart that I’ve chosen Pharmacy through which I can be a part of this miracle; I can save a life. Working in the profession of nursing, I developed a sense of wanting more for myself and others. It was the passion and the drive to do more, to serve more, that my interest in the field of Pharmacy grew stronger. I have seen many patients go through pain and suffering, and ultimately dying because there was no cure or medication for the illness

I.T. Project - Converting a Card Index System to a Database Essay Example for Free

I.T. Project Converting a Card Index System to a Database Essay The present system is based on the manual card index system so most of the work is done by hand, however due to the ever increasing growth of technology, and the internet, a wide range of resources are now being made easily accessible. British Airways has recently introduced booking online, where customers can book a flight and accommodation all over the Internet. Being such a big company as British Airways, most of their bookings are made through travel agents who book the flights and pass the information on to them. Question 1 Could you describe the current system being used by Question 2 How are these cards stored? Question3 What problems do you encounter at the moment? Software Available MICROSOFT OFFICE 2000 WORD PROCESSOR MICROSOFT WORD 2000 A word processing package is a program or set of programs used to edit, format, store and print documents. Word processors have many important unique features: * Spelling and Grammar Checker Misspelt words, or grammatical errors can be identified and corrected by the words in the computers dictionary. Correct words, identified by the spell check as wrong can be added to the dictionary. * Automatic creation of index and table of contents Any word in the text can be marked for inclusion in an index. Headings and subheadings in a given style can be included automatically in a table of contents, which can be updated at any time. * Import Files Tables, photographs, graphics, video and sound files can be imported from other sources and inserted in a document. * Mail merge A document and a list of names and addresses can be merged to produce personalised letters. * Creation of templates with preset text styles. Margins, formatting, letterheading etc. * WYSIWYG This stands for What You See Is What you Get, and refers to the ability to display on the screen. And enables the user to see their work on the screen exactly as it will be printed. SPREADSHEET MICROSOFT EXCEL 2000 Spreadsheet packages allow a user to create worksheets (spreadsheets) representing data in column and row form. Spreadsheets are used for any application that uses numerical data, such as budgets, cash flow forecasts, profit and loss statements, student marks or results of experiment. Spreadsheet features: * Format cells, rows and columns, specifying for example, the alignment of text, number of decimal points, height and width of cells. * Copy cell contents to other locations, with automatic adjustment of formulae from an area to another location. * Determine the effect of several different hypothetical changes of data; this facility is called what-if calculation. * Insert, move or delete rows and columns. * Use functions such as sum, average, max, min in formulae * Create a simple database and sort or query the data to produce a report of, say for example, all males gaining over a C grade, for a list of students. * Write macros to automate common procedures * Create templates Spreadsheets with formats and formulae already entered, into which new figures may be inserted. * Create multi dimensional spreadsheets using several sheets, and copy data from one sheet to another * Create many different types of chart and graphs DATABASE MICROSOFT ACCESS 2000 A database is a collection of data. It may be something as simple as a list of names and addresses or details of the CDs in your personal collection, or it may contain details of all the customers, products, orders and payments in a large organisation. When made reference to, the word database is assumed to be data held on a computer, but manual databases also exist. Some smaller business (a garage) may hold a card index file with details about a customer and their car. The main difference between a manual and computerised databases is the speed at which data can be accessed. PRESENTATION GRAPHICS MICROSOFT POWERPOINT 2000 Presentation graphics software such as PowerPoint is useful for putting together a presentation which can be delivered using a computer attached to a projection device, using transparencies and an ordinary overhead projector or as a self-running presentation in, say a shopping centre or cinema. The software allows the user to quickly create slides combining text, graphics and pictures and to create animation or sound effects and transition effects between slides. OPERATING SYSTEM MICROSOFT WINDOWS 98 Hardware Available These are the specifications of the PC I am using at Home: OPERATING SYSTEM WINDOWS(r) 98 PLUS! CPU INTEL(r) CELERONTM / 333MHZ RAM 64MB FOR WINDOWS(r) 98 SCREEN DISPLAY 800 BY 600 PIXELS TRUE COLOUR (32 BIT) CD-ROM SPEED 32-SPEED AVAILABLE SPACE ON HARD DRIVE 2.4GB AUDIO 16-BIT SOUND CARD OTHER LOUDSPEAKERS These are the system specifications for the systems at school: OPERATING SYSTEM WINDOWS(r) 98 CPU 433MHZ RAM 32MB FOR WINDOWS(r) 98 SCREEN DISPLAY 640 BY 480 PIXELS 256 COLOURS CD-ROM SPEED 24 SPEED AVAILABLE SPACE ON HARD DRIVE 10MB AUDIO 8-BIT SOUND CARD PRINTER HP LASERJET All systems should have Microsoft Office 97/2000. All systems must have Microsoft Excel 97/2000. End Users IT Literacy The end user of my system will already have basic IT skills and will have already had experience with the Microsoft Office Package. As they are working for a big trans-national company, they would have already undergone training in the secretarial sector, of which IT skills are a key part. To even have the job, they would have to be able to type quickly, answer calls and transmit data efficiently. Therefore, training costs will be kept to a minimum. Final Choice Having looked at the current system and the software and hardware available, I have decided to use Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet program to design my booking system. Spreadsheet packages allow a user to create worksheets (spreadsheets) representing data in column and row form. Spreadsheets are used for any application that uses numerical data, such as budgets, cash flow forecasts, profit and loss statements, student marks or results of experiments. Spreadsheets offer a wide range of facilities making the task easier to perform. SKILLS: Current/To be acquired I have a good understanding of the Microsoft Excel package. I have done quite a few calculations and performed basic macros. Having looked through the coursework of former students, and reading through the coursework guide, I realise that I need to improve my knowledge of Excel. Excel is a powerful package and can carry out many tasks easily if instructed correctly. I have already started to go through sample projects showing me how to go about certain tasks with a book titled Successful I.T. Projects in Excel, written by P.M Heathcote. End User Requirements Provide detailed reports showing customer booking for every working day. Produce summary reports for flight bookings in order of popularity. Allow data entry for new customers. Provide easy access for amendments to customer details and flight details. Automatic backup for all centralised records daily and weekly. Provide an exception report for outstanding customer debts or extreme bank credit limits. The system should record financial details concerning money in/outstanding. Allow queries on the current flight availability. Quantitative Criteria Printed tickets are to be generated within 15 minutes. Accessing and amending customer/Fight/Airport details should be instantaneous. Queries are processed promptly on customer request. Backup should occur automatically every 24 hours. Flight details processed every Friday (1 hour max) Exception reports are produced quickly on demand within a minute. Qualitative Criteria The system should provide a workable Human Computer Interface system according to different users, i.e. simple menu selections or buttons The company logo is consistent on all forms and reports. Amount of available screen data is kept to a minimum (increase usability) Help systems are easily accessible.

confounding factor or lurking variable

confounding factor or lurking variable Confounding variable, also known as confounding factor or lurking variable can be defined as an undesirable variable that has an influence on the relationship between the variables of an experiment. Although they are not the variable of actual interest (i.e. the independent variable), they can influence the outcome of an experiment and they are considered to be undesirable as they could add error to an experiment. A proper designed experiment should aim to decrease or control the influence of such confounding variables in order to avoid type 1 error; an error that raises a false positive conclusion that the independent variables have a casual relationship with the dependent variable. The relationship between the two observed variables is called a spurious relationship, hence a confounding variable is a threat to the validity of inferences made about cause and effect, i.e. the internal validity because the observed effect should be attributed to the independent variable rather than to the confounding variable. An example can be illustrated by the relationship between ice cream sales and drowning deaths. When these variables are entered into a statistical analysis, they may show a positive and potentially statistically significant correlation. However, it is a mistake to infer a causal relationship (i.e., ice cream causes drowning) because an important confounding variable which causes both ice cream sales and an increase in drowning deaths has not been accounted for: i.e. summertime. Although there is a body of literature of criteria for causality, Pearl claimed that confounding variables cannot be defined in terms of statistical notions alone; some causal assumptions are sometimes necessary. For example, when causal assumptions are being defined in the form of causal graphs, a simple criterion called backdoor will identify sets of confounding variables. Types of confounding variables Confounding variables may also be categorized according to their source: the choice of measurement instrument, situational characteristics, or inter-individual differences. Solution There are several ways to combat confounding variables in an experimental design by excluding or controlling it. Here is the following: Case control studies: by assigning the same confounding variables to both the experimental and control group can control for such confounder, for example, if the cause of multiple infarct dementia is being studied, age and sex could be the confounding variables, therefore these factors should be matched paired between the two participant groups. In addition, randomization is also another solution as having all confounding variables (whether known or unknown) will be equally distributed across all groups. Cohort studies: this is done by admitting a specific group of participants into the sampling population, for example a specific age range that may affect multiple infarct dementia, therefore only a certain group is chosen for the study design such as male aged 45-50 years old. This would limit the degree of matching between the groups and also cohorts can be comparable in regard to the possible confounding variable. Stratification: in the example of multiple infarct dementia study, physical activity is hypothesized to be a variable that can prevent this dementia from happening. With age as a possible confounder. The sampling data will then be stratified by age group so that the association between physical activity and dementia can be analyzed per age group. If different age group yields different risk ratios (this can be analyzed by statistical tools called Mantel-Haenszel methods), then age is seen as a confounding variable. Despite solutions for the controlling and limiting confounding variables, these strategies have limitations too. For example if a participant in the case-control study is a 47year old African-American from Alaska, avid tennis player, vegetarian, working as an engineer and suffer from multiple infarct dementia. Proper matching would require a person of the same characteristics but with the sole difference of being healthy. This is extremely difficult to achieve and there is a risk of over- or undermatching of the study population. Additionally, in a cohort study, too many people may be excluded with this criteria, and in stratification, single strata can get too narrow and contain only a small, non-significant number of samples. Randomization One of the most common reasons for the existence of confounding variable is when the experimental design does not randomly assign participants to groups or some types of individual difference such as ability, extroversion, height and weight. For example, studies involving a comparison between men and women are inherently plagued with confounding variables since the social environment for males and females is very different to start with. However, this does not mean that there is no value in gender comparison studies or other studies that does not employ random assignment but it implies that results interpretation should be done cautiously. In sum, random assignment is a useful and powerful tool in experimental design. Although it does not minimize the overall amount of extraneous variable in an experiment, it aims to equalize the error that may occur as a result of extraneous variable, therefore it can greatly decrease systematic error: error that varies within the independent variab le. Multivariate analyses Another method for controlling confounding variable is by the use of covariates in multivariate analyses. However, this only gives little information about the strength of the confounding variable compared to stratification methods. Furthermore, confounding variables are not always known or measurable which means residual confounding (term for incompletely controlled confounding) may appear. In an experimental design, covariate adjustment can help to reduce the noise in an outcome variation whilst enabling the manipulation effect to be performed. In sum, successful randomization can minimize confounding variables by bother measured and unmeasured factors, whereas statistical control addresses only confounding variables that have been measured and can introduce more confounding variables and other biases through inappropriate control. Mismeasurement and mis-specification Although it is important to spot confounding variables in a study there is often a risk of having a statistically controlled but imperfectly measured factor that may confound an association of the variables. This is termed residual confounding which describes the mismeasurement and an example is given to illustrate this. In a study example, it was found that people with higher rate of vacation is correlated with lower risk of mortality. Several explanations can account for this as vacation mitigates stress, diminishes anger and encourage more exercise. On the other hand, healthier people might be more likely to travel so vacation may not be a genuine causal factor but only a marker of initial health status that naturally predicts longevity. Consequently, vacation may remain to be a significant predictor even after adjusting for baseline health status as the covariate. It is therefore easy to construct a series of potential confounders but many would lack plausibility. For example, pe ople with more friends may have more vacations and friend was indeed the predictor variable instead, low-stress working environment and wide range of food (I.e. completeness of diet) may all attribute to prolong life too. However, because plausibility is a highly subjective factor for considering whether enough potential founders are included. To identify confounders Priori knowledge of the likely causal pathways are required. The major drawback of this is that observational studies imply that the strength of any causal inference will depend on the biologic plausibility of the putative factor, and the implausibility of uncontrolled potential confounders. In addition, observations contain some judgmental component which varies from experimenters. For example, vacation may prolong longevity because sick people tend to travel less, to deal with this. Measurements of participants initial health may be used as an adjustment but this however cannot be assessed without error. Moreover, hea lth can be measured in so many different ways and not all can be included and controlled for. This raises more and more questions such as: can the use of initial stress test be used to capture aspects of health confounded by vacation? Is body mass index relevant? Consequently, even if the optimal measure of confounder is used it is measured with error and adjustment for it may not eliminate the effects of vacations. From the statistical analysis perspective, poorly measured confounding variables causes more problems as its effect may not be linear, by assuming linearity on the outcome as specified by the model by entering confounding variables as a covariate in standard regression models may not fully adjust for the confounder effects are not linear on that scale. Mediators and confounders There is a common conflict that different causal explanations can be possible when adjustment is used to reduce or eliminate the predictive power of the independent variable. For example, a confounding variable may sometimes be a marker of some causal factors but it is not directly involved in the causal chain from one variable to another and there is a problem of over-adjustment. Considering an example on the hypothesis that high blood pressure (BP) reaction to stress causes Hypertension. To test this hypothesis, a longitudinal study should be conducted where BP reactivity and resting BP levels of a large group of participants should be measured. Result findings should report that excessive reactivity to be the risk factor for later hypertension but the problem is reactivity may just be a marker for elevated BP resting level and it is not important per se. consistent with this problem, those participants with higher resting BP may correlate with high BP reactivity scores. To control for the current confounding variable, the initial resting BP levels should be adjusted by regression analysis which llustrates whether BP reactivity is attributed to any predictive information beside just the initial resting BP level. This may show that reactivity is no longer a very predictive factor and most of the variation in the follow-up BP levels may be accounted for by the initial resting levels. However, this does not mean that reactivity is not causally related to future BP status, i.e. if increased reactivity preceded initial increase in resting BP level, it could also be responsible in part for the initial increase in resting BP level. This is a situation whereby a single variable may have both confounding and mediating roles simultaneously. The example of vacation and mortality is used to illustrate this: assuming that people who go on more vacations are less likely to die over a 5-year longitudinal study, including a factor: initial health status in the regression mod el could eliminate this association. Alternatively, if people in poor health take fewer vacations then this elimination may reflect the removal of a confounding variable by health status. However, if the participants tendencies to go on vacation are constant over the 5 year period then health status will reflect the cumulative health impact of a lifetimes vacation habits. This shows that health status will contribute partly as a mediator of vacationing effects. This confusion between a mediator and a confounder will be less apparent if the risk factor is not stable over time. For example if the participant has only just started having vacations, then these will not be reflected in the initial health status and may have higher opportunity to predict subsequent health with initial health status as a covariate in the analysis. However, if these changes become out of control, it can create a quasi-experimental design. For example, if people take vacations due to change in their company policy rather than the reason of making friends or have spare time, and other group have less vacation for the same reason. Then in this case, it is possible to assess the effect of vacation independently of initial health status. In sum, indiscriminate adjustment of covariates may result in erroneous conclusions and many socialdemographic variables can be mediated by other factors such as low income, unfulfilling jobs, no friends etc. moreover, there may also be other intermediate variables like self-determinations and release of stress hormones that may affect the results. Considering the wide range of variables listed, any inaccurate measures of them may lead to a reduction or elimination of predictive power. Moreover, by controlling a mediator may produce further confounding variables, which will then increase or decrease the associations of the independent and dependent measures. Furthermore, it may even create a new spurious association when in fact no effect is present. In sum, despite the number of limitations discussed in this critical review, they have an important role in behavioural research as randomized trials are sometimes found to be impractical and unethical. In spite of the hazardous statistical control of confounding variables will gain insight into special cautions in drawing conclusions and writing research in the future.

Report of Strategic Management Process practiced at Jusco

Report of Strategic Management Process practiced at Jusco The strategic management process aims at delineating the organizations strategy. It is defined as the process by which managers make a choice of a set of strategies for the organization to achieve efficient functioning and higher accomplishments. It is a continuous process that appraises the business and industries where organization is involved, evaluates its competitors, defines targets to meet all the present and future challenges and finally assesses each strategy periodically  [1]  . Strategic management is a particular course of action that is meant to achieve a corporate goal. By and large, the owners, founders of the company take the first step of the process. They lay down the structure responsible for carrying out several functions such as providing direction and guidance to the employees, setting up measurable goals with defined time spans and designated duties. Planning, budgeting, acquiring resources, maintaining resources and using follow-up techniques to resolve key issues are key elements for managers to know in the strategic management process. Strategic planning came into being years ago as an alternative to then popular tradition of long-range planning. Long-range planning was based on pooling historical data and several market assumptions to chart the direction that an organization should take. Strategic planning on the other hand is more leadership driven and vision-based; leaders decide on principles that guide the organization toward established goals  [2]  . Strategic management process is defined by four major steps which can be defined as follows  [3]  : Environmental Scanning-  Environmental scanning refers to a process of collecting, scrutinizing and providing information for strategic purposes, analysing the internal and external factors influencing the organization. After gathering the required data, management evaluates it on a continuous basis and strives to improve its resource database. Strategy Formulation-  Strategy formulation is the process of deciding best course of action for accomplishing organizational objectives and hence achieving organizational purpose. After conducting environment scanning, managers at this stage formulate corporate, business and functional strategies. Strategy Implementation-  Strategy implementation implies making the strategy work as intended or putting the organizations chosen strategy into action. Strategy implementation encompasses designing the organizations structure, distributing resources, developing decision making process, and managing human resources. Strategy Evaluation-  Strategy evaluation is the final step of strategy management process. The key strategy evaluation activities are: appraising internal and external factors that are the root of present strategies, measuring performance, and taking remedial / corrective actions. Evaluation makes sure that the organizational strategy as well as its implementation meets the organizational objectives. These components are chronologically carried steps while creating a new strategic management plan. Firms with existing plan in use revert to these steps as per the situations requirement, so as to make essential changes. Components of Strategic Management Process Components of Strategic Management Process 1.1 Environmental Scanning: Internal External Environment Organizational environment consists of both external and internal factors which need to be continually monitored to determine development and forecasts of factors that will influence organizational success.  Environmental scanning refers to possession and utilization of information about occasions, patterns, trends, and relationships within an organizations internal and external environment  [4]  . It helps the managers to decide the future path of the organization. Scanning must comprehensively identify the threats and opportunities existing in the environment such that efficient strategy which takes advantage of the opportunities and minimize the threats can be formulated. Internal analysis of the environment  is the first step of environment scanning. This primarily includes interaction of employees with other employees, management, manager interaction with other managers and shareholders, access to natural resources, brand awareness, organizational structure, main staff, operational potential, etc  [5]  . Internal environment analysis helps identify strengths and weaknesses within the organization. Most commonly used instruments used for assessment include interviews, surveys, discussions etc. While in  external analysis, three correlated environment are studied and analysed Immediate / Industry environment National environment Broader socio-economic environment / Macro-environment Examining the  industry environment  involves survey of the competitive structure of the organizations industry, emphasising competitive position of the organization with respect to its main rivals. This includes assessment of the nature, stage, dynamics, history of the industry and the effect of globalisation on competition within the industry. Analysing the  national environment  involves appraisal of efficacy of national framework in achieving competitive advantage in the global environment  [6]  . Macro-environment  analysis includes exploring macro-economic, social, government, legal, technological and international factors that may influence the environment. The analysis of organizations external environment reveals opportunities and threats for the organization  [7]  . As business becomes more competitive, external environment fluctuates rapidly hence, information from external environment adds crucial elements to the effectiveness of long-term goals and strategies. It becomes indispensable to identify competitors moves and actions in the dynamic environment such that organizations can amend their core competencies and internal environment as per external environment. Strategic managers must not only recognize the present state of the environment and their industry but also be able to predict its future positions. 1.2 Strategy Formulation Strategy formulation refers to the process of choosing the most appropriate course of action for the realization of organizational goals and objectives to fulfil organizational vision.  The process of strategy formulation involves six main steps which can rationally be followed in the following order  [8]  : Setting Organizations objectives   The key component of any strategy statement is to set the long-term objectives of the organization. Objectives specify the desired end state while strategy stresses upon the means of achieving it. Strategy encompasses both fixation of objectives and definition of the medium to be used to realize those objectives. Thus, strategy is an extensive word which is based on manner of deployment of resources to achieve desired goals. While fixing the organizational objectives, it is essential that the factors which influence the selection of objectives must be analysed before the selection of objectives. Evaluating the Organizational Environment   The next step is to evaluate the general economic and industrial environment in which the organization operates highlighting its competitive position. This generally involves a qualitative and quantitative review of organizations existing product line.  [9]  The aim is to ensure that factors important for competitive success in the market can be discovered such that management can identify and exploit its strengths and weaknesses against those of its competitors. Setting Quantitative Targets   In this step, an organization must fix desired quantitative target values for certain objectives. The idea behind this is to compare with long term customers, so as to evaluate the contribution that might be made by various product zones or operating departments. Aiming in context with the divisional plans   In this step, the contributions made by each department, division, product category within the organization is identified and accordingly strategic planning is done for each sub-unit. This requires a careful analysis of macroeconomic trends. Performance Analysis   Performance analysis includes discovering and analysing the gap between the planned and desired performance. A critical evaluation of the organizations past performance, present condition and the desired future conditions must be done by the organization. This critical evaluation identifies the degree of gap that persists between the actual reality and the long-term aspirations of the organization. An attempt is made by the organization to estimate its probable future condition if the current trends persist. Choice of Strategy   This is the ultimate step in Strategy Formulation where the best course of action is selected after considering organizational goals, organizational strengths, potential and limitations as well as the external opportunities. 1.3 Strategy Implementation Strategy implementation is the translation of chosen strategy into organizational action so as to achieve strategic goals and objectives. Strategy implementation is also defined as the manner in which an organization should develop, utilize, and amalgamate organizational structure, control systems, and culture to follow strategies that lead to competitive advantage and a better performance. Organizational structure allocates special value developing tasks and roles to the employees and states how these tasks and roles can be correlated so as maximize efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction-the pillars of competitive advantage  [10]  . But, organizational structure is not sufficient in itself to motivate the employees. An organizational control system is also required. This control system equips managers with motivational incentives for employees as well as feedback on employees and organizational performance. Organizational culture refers to the specialized collection of values, attitudes, norms and beliefs shared by organizational members and groups. Following are the main  steps in implementing a strategy  [11]  : Developing an organization having potential of carrying out strategy successfully Disbursement of abundant resources to strategy-essential activities Creating strategy-encouraging policies Employing best policies and programs for constant improvement Linking reward structure to accomplishment of results Making use of strategic leadership Excellently formulated strategies fail if not properly implemented. Also, it is essential to possess stability between strategy and each organizational dimension such as organizational structure, reward structure, resource-allocation process, etc to ensure efficient strategy implementation. Strategy implementation poses a threat to many managers and employees in an organization as new power relationships are predicted and achieved. New groups (formal as well as informal) are formed whose values, attitudes, beliefs and concerns may not be known. With the change in power and status roles, the managers and employees may employ confrontation behaviour  [12]  . Following are the main differences between Strategy Formulation and Strategy Implementation  [13]   Strategy Formulation Strategy Implementation Strategy Formulation includes planning and decision-making involved in developing organizations strategic goals and plans. Strategy Implementation involves all those means related to executing the strategic plans. In short, Strategy Formulation is  placing the Forces before the action. In short, Strategy Implementation is  managing forces during the action. Strategy Formulation is an  Entrepreneurial Activity  based on strategic decision-making Strategic Implementation is mainly an  Administrative Task  based on strategic and operational decisions Strategy Formulation emphasizes on  effectiveness. Strategy Implementation emphasizes on  efficiency. Strategy Formulation is a  rational process. Strategy Implementation is basically an  operational process. Strategy Formulation requires co-ordination among few individuals. Strategy Implementation requires co-ordination among many individuals. Strategy Formulation requires a great deal of  initiative and logical skills. Strategy Implementation requires specific  motivational and leadership traits. Strategic Formulation precedes Strategy Implementation. Strategy Implementation follows Strategy Formulation. 1.4 Strategy Evaluation Strategic Evaluation is the final phase of  strategic management. Strategy Evaluation throws light on the efficiency and effectiveness of the comprehensive plans in achieving the desired results as stated during strategy formulation. The management assesses the validity of current strategy in existing environment with respect to dynamic socio-economic, political and technological innovations. The significance of strategy evaluation lies in its capacity to co-ordinate the task performed by managers, groups, departments etc, through control of performance. Strategic Evaluation is significant because of various factors such as developing inputs for new strategic planning, the urge for feedback, appraisal and reward, development of the strategic management process, judging the validity of strategic choice etc  [14]  . The process of Strategy Evaluation consists of following steps  [15]  : Fixing benchmark of performance   While fixing the benchmark, strategists answer questions such as what benchmarks to set, how to set them and how to express them. In order to determine the benchmark performance to be set, it is essential to discover the special requirements for performing the main task. The performance indicator that best identify and express the special requirements might then be determined to be used for evaluation. The organization can use both quantitative and qualitative criteria for comprehensive assessment of performance. Quantitative criteria include determination of net profit, ROI, earning per share, cost of production, rate of employee turnover etc. Among the Qualitative factors are subjective evaluating factors such as skills and competencies, risk taking potential, flexibility etc. Measurement of performance   The standard performance is a bench mark with which the actual performance is compared. The reporting and communication system help in measuring the performance. If appropriate means are available for measuring the performance and if the standards are set in the right manner, strategy evaluation becomes easier. But various factors such as managers contribution are difficult to measure. Similarly divisional performance is sometimes difficult to measure as compared to individual performance. Thus, variable objectives must be created against which measurement of performance can be done. The measurement must be done at right time for evaluation to meet its purpose. For measuring the performance, financial statements like balance sheet, profit and loss account must be prepared on an annual basis. Analysing Variance   While measuring the actual performance and comparing it with standard performance there may be variances which are further analysed. The strategists must mention the degree of tolerance limits between which the variance between actual and standard performance may be accepted. The positive deviation indicates a better performance but it is quite unusual exceeding the target always. The negative deviation is an issue of concern because it indicates a shortfall in performance. Thus in this case the strategists must discover the causes of deviation and must take corrective action to overcome it. Taking Corrective Action   Once the deviation in performance is identified, it is essential to plan for a corrective action. If the performance is consistently less than the desired performance, the strategists must carry a detailed analysis of the factors responsible for such performance. If the strategists discover that the organizational potential does not match with the performance requirements, then the standards must be lowered. Another rare and drastic corrective action is reformulating the strategy which requires going back to the process of strategic management, reframing of plans according to new resource allocation trend and consequent means going to the beginning point of strategic management process. 2. Strategic Planning Vs Strategic Thinking There has been a lot of research done on strategic planning and strategic thinking but seldom is the contrast explained well enough. Strategic thinking is about coming up with the next big idea. This is not the sole responsibility of any one person. Everybody in the organization from the salesperson who suddenly discovers an untapped market for the product to the business level head who can come up with product modifications and product innovations should ideally be a part of strategic planning process. This process involves intuition and understanding about the process. The outcome more often than not is a vision of direction and not a concrete plan. The strategic planning is a natural progression step after this as explained below. Strategic Planning is articulation, elaboration of strategies that already exist. Planning essentially breaks down an idea or a broad vision into smaller more concrete and clear steps that can be implemented almost automatically. Formal planning is very analytical and depends on rearrangement of established strategies, products and structures. Too much reliance on planning impedes organizational change. We then begin to experience only incremental changes and will miss out on many good opportunities. As a result people have become disillusioned with Planning. Also planning tends to impose too many restrictions on the working of lower level managers by defining everything very precisely. These factors along with the ones listed below led to downfall of strategic planning in its current form. Deterministic Framework Planning borders on being an exact science. It assumes many simplifying assumptions which generally do not hold true in real life. The planning process requires estimates within a very narrow band for it to have any considerable accuracy. But in todays fast changing world it is the one luxury that we do not have. There are too many factors that are changing ranging from technological breakthroughs to governmental regulations to entry of new and powerful competitors. The Silo Syndrome Strategic Planning was generally carried out in the management by exception mode. The top management basically got information from the ground level and developed strategies without consulting anybody at the ground level. This approach generally lacked the soft insights that people in the field develop when they deal with the product which are far more valuable than general theories espoused by the management. The other drawback was the resistance it faced from the lower levels of the organization. They felt that these decisions were being forced on them by the top management and did not like the autocratic form of decision making. Formalization Fallacy Formalization implies a rational sequence from analysis through administrative procedure to eventual action. But good strategies are not always formulated in that order. Most of the radical ideas were stumbled upon by accident. Many times we try things and those experiments that work gradually converge into viable patterns that become strategies. Formal procedures will never be able to predict discontinuities or create novel strategies. These shortcomings led to the decline in popularity for the practice in this form. 2.1 Modus Operandi Based on the above discussion we can broadly divide strategy formulation into two parts namely strategic thinking and strategic planning. The business level managers are ideally positioned to take up the role of strategic thinking because they have the access to soft information from informal sources mostly like grapevine, informal talks with the people on the field. They also have the suitable authority derived from their position to take decisions and provide directions. Once the rough plan has been outlined the planners can take over. This method has some distinct advantages. The planner has the analytical tools and the abilities to give proper shape and form to the outline. The manager also does not generally have the time to break down a plan into finer and actionable sub-plans. 2.2 Advantages of highly evolved plans A well articulated plan can ensure coordination among the various parties involved. This will also help clarifying the roles, responsibilities and interdependencies present. These plans can also be used to gain tangible support from outsiders. Written plans can also be used to inform financiers, government and other stakeholders about the current state of the company. 2.3 Roles of Planners Strategy Finders It is basically the responsibility of the mangers to find out and formulate new strategies. Planners can help the mangers in this regard. Planners can snoop around places to find patterns while eliminating the noise from the data. They could discover new ways of doing things like finding out new markets and also coming up with new products for the existing markets. Analysts Planners also have the responsibility of carrying out analyses of specific issues. Planners are an obvious choice for studying hard data and ensuring that managers consider the results in strategy-making process. This may include industry analyses, competitive analyses, and internal analyses among other things. Catalysts When the planners are donning the role of catalysts they are not a part of the decision making process but they ensure that the right kind of people line managers, business level managers are in charge of this process. Planners in this role help mangers get out of ruts and help them think out of the box. This could be achieved by challenging the conventional wisdom and practices by asking uncomfortable questions about the status quo. Overall strategic management is a process by which the managers along with planners come up with new ideas that help the firms chart their future course of action and stay ahead of the curve. 3. Strategy Development Process at JUSCO The Strategic Planning Process (SPP) at JUSCO is led by the Managing Director along with Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the purpose of which is to collectively establish directions for future success through: Evolving analysis-based Long Term/Short Term plans Setting measurable goals Setting review mechanism to monitor progress and take corrective action SPP has a flow which is aimed at ensuring focus and action ability of strategy. SPP is an enterprise level process comprising of four basic steps: Plan-Develop-Deploy-Review (shown in figure on next page along with the key steps, participants, outputs and timelines). The process includes revisiting Vision, identification of Strategic Direction / Challenges / Advantages / Objectives and Long Term / Short Term plans followed by deployment through Balanced Score Card (BSC) and review. It is supported by data / information gathering and analysis including comparisons with benchmarks / competitors / past performance / targets. Strategy development is a continuous process with strategic directions being reviewed by the Board. In order to formalize directions, SPP is followed annually with inputs, schedule and participation across levels. SPP utilizes inputs from promoters expectations, external environment, other stakeholders, strategic challenges and advantages identified by each businesses / functions, aspirations for each business, process reviews and feedback of internal and external assessments. Through collective discussion in strategy workshops involving SLT, corporate level strategic challenges and advantages are identified. Challenges posed to the organization by various stakeholders are identified collectively in the strategic planning sessions. From the list, strategic challenges are identified which are likely to exert most decisive influence on companys future success. Principle Success Factors (PSF) are then identified which can help the company overcome the strategic challenges. From list of PSFs, competitive differentiators, strategic advantages, core competencies and likely future core competencies. As part of SPP, formulated strategy is syndicated with strategic advisors, consultants and sectorial experts. Strategy is also presented to the Board for its inputs and approval. This brings external perspective, utilizes market standards and helps in validation of potential blind spots identified during SPP. Short-term and long-term planning horizons are 1 year and 4 years respectively. JUSCOs major businesses (Water Services, Power Services, Municipal Solid Waste Management, etc.) are primarily in domain of government and semi government bodies. Reforms have begun in these sectors and are expected to translate into business opportunities. In such a reforming sector, a 4-year time frame allows appropriate assessment of ever-changing market and evolving regulations. First years plan of 4-year horizon is the short term plan, which forms the basis for Annual Business Plan (ABP), thus integrating short-term and long-term planning horizons. These time horizons are reviewed continuously for their adequacy in addressing needs of planning process. SPP has undergone several rounds of Evaluation Improvement (EI) based on the changing environment and needs of the organization. 4. Inputs to Strategic Planning Process Environment Analysis: Environment scanning is done throughout the year, which incorporates analysis conducted by businesses/functions and discussions in reviews. Performance reviews, ABP sessions and Business Excellence assessment feedback help in identifying industry attractiveness, companys SWOT and competitors strength and weaknesses which are used to modify strategies, BSCs and targets. SPP captures information on various factors from internal as well as external sources. Strengths and weaknesses: Gaps in capabilities of resources are assessed to identify training and development, recruitment and organization change needs, IT initiatives, new business opportunities, procurement of equipment, etc. JUSCOs major strength lies in its ability to manage water on river-to-river basis, its understanding of municipal water market which helps in taking risk in emerging market and bidding competitively, urban power distribution and Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management. These strengths are used in SPP to identify competitive position leading to direction for growth. Changes in Regulatory Environment: The sectors JUSCO operates in are expected to be under continuous regulatory scrutiny at all times. Interaction with regulatory bodies and consultants, participation in conferences, legal and internal audits help in identifying statutory shifts and legal requirements and ensuring compliance. At the business levels, changes in regulations are closely monitored to enable quick reaction. Opportunities and threats: SPP captures information on emerging opportunities and threats while deciding strategic challenges and accordingly plans are made for timely preparation of organization and capturing these opportunities. Opportunities arising out of reforms in power sector had been exploited by JUSCO previously by acquiring license for Saraikela-Kharsawan district as first parallel power distributor in the country and more such future endeavors are planned. Major shift in Markets Customer preferences: These are identified through interaction with potential customers during business development, industry meets, conferences, customer satisfaction surveys, customer feedbacks, etc. Analysis of marketplace shifts provides inputs for innovating business models, identifying strategic objectives and Long Term/Short Term plans e.g. identifying partners, targeting new market segments and geographies, etc. PPM and SWOT analysis deal with customer, market needs, expectations and opportunities. At business/ functional level, inputs from Customer Complaint Handling Process (CCHP), Customer Satisfaction Survey (CSS) and Customer Visit Report (CVR) are used to evaluate and improve operational effectiveness parameters like cycle time, response time and service quality and also to align capabilities like IT system, HR skills, etc. Major shift in Competitive Environment: As integral part of SPP, information on competition is captured through internal market surveys, win loss analysis, various professional bodies, conferences, publications etc. Information is analyzed to assess competitive strengths, weaknesses, strategies and capabilities and prepare pricing and positioning strategies. This information is also utilized to identify new opportunities and partnership requirements. Major Technological shifts: At corporate level, SPP utilizes analysis of technological shifts to enhance competitiveness, improve services, and identify partnership and competency needs. Recent significant shifts in technologies have been reuse of waste water and desalination of sea water for potable needs. At business/functional level current performance is evaluated for potential improvements through technological up gradation. IT infrastructure improvement/up gradation is based on scalability, responsiveness, accessibility, productivity improvement, etc. Human resource capabilities: HR strengths and weaknesses are evaluated through analysis of employee mix, engagement survey results, leadership perception survey results, skill gap, attrition, etc. Redeploying resources, creation of bench strength, Rewa