Killing Cleanses and Contaminates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Killing Cleanses and Contaminates - Essay Example Killing contaminates the killer because it is an immoral and irretrievable act. Killing is immoral because it is not easy to justify the act of taking another person’s life. After Frank is brutally murdered, Matt feels more vulnerable, especially when he sees his wife suffering, since the killer, Richard, freely roams around the town. He confides in Willis and tells him that â€Å"she sees him all time. It makes her cry† (Dubus). Willis helps Matt plan the murder of Richard. Together, they justify murder based on the nature and past of Richard. Ruth says: â€Å"Dubus invites his readers to ponder the disparity between people’s ethical responsibility to society and the primal urge to protect and avenge their loved ones† (2). Dubus, nevertheless, indicates that killing the killer is not always a moral choice, because it still means that one forcefully takes another person’s life. ... His murders surpass what Matt did because he orders the murder of two children and a baby, as well as their mother and father. In fact, he executes a massacre to replenish his resources, as he runs from the law. In addition, killing is an irretrievable act with permanent consequences. Matt already performs an illegal and immoral act that will hunt his conscience for life. He will feel guilty, even when he can justify his actions. The Misfit has ruined the future of a family. Bailey, his wife, and their children will no longer live and share each other’s dreams and frustrations in life. Like Richard, they are all also buried away somewhere, with no one to cry for them and pay respect to their deaths. These stories, however, imply the possibility that killing also purifies the killers and their victims. Killing results in a â€Å"revised moral awareness† of the main characters, although with some differences (Bonney 347). Matt feels redemption as a man. He may not have be en able to protect Frank from Richard, but he has defended his wife from Richard’s intrusion on their peace of mind and happiness. Though Matt is tarnished and broken after killing another human being, he is also cleansed from the guilt of not being able to entirely protect his family, especially when he is the â€Å"fearful father† (Dubus) type. The killing also cleanses the Misfit, because, for some reason, he receives the grace of understanding that his life is meaningless. Initially, he blames everyone else for his crappy life, since he says that he calls himself the Misfit because: â€Å"I can't make what all I did wrong fit what all I went through in punishment† (O’Connor). But his short conversation with the grandmother reveals that he is not a good man. He recounts some of his crimes and

Analysis Of Internet Banking

Analysis Of Internet Banking The definition of Internet banking varies in many ways. Basically, Internet Banking can be understood as the new means to provide information related to banks and their services via an online homepage (Mahmood and Steve, 2009; Ongkasuwan and Tantichattanon, 2002). Daniel (1999), Arunachalam Sivasubramanian (2007) also defines Internet Banking as the delivery of banks information and services to customers via different delivery platforms, such as computer or mobile phone. Via the Internet using PC or mobile phone and web-browser, a banks customers can request information and carry out most banking services (Daniel, 1999; Mols, 1998; Sathye, 1999). Ongkasuwan and Tantichattanon (2002) defined Internet banking service as banking service that allows customers to access and perform financial transactions on their bank accounts from their computers with Internet connection. Some researchers defined Internet Banking based on which services it offers to customers. Internet Banking is delivery channel of banking services which allows both private and corporate customers to use different banking transactions such as new account opening, payment, loan application and approval, cash management, etc. (Pikkarainen, Karjaluoto, and Pahnila, 2004). Internet Banking is also an electronic connection between the bank and the customer with the aim of preparing, managing and controlling financial transactions for both parties (Burr, 1996). Pikkarainen et al (2004) define internet banking as an internet portal, through which customers can use different kinds of banking services ranging from bill payment to making investments. With the click of a mouse, Internet Banking can help banking customers to access to almost any type of banking transaction (De Young, 2001). Other researchers define Internet Banking based on its benefits brings to banks. Pikkarainen et al, (2004) considered Internet Banking as one of the cheapest delivery channels for banking products. Despite high starting-up costs of Internet Banking channel, Internet Banking still can become profitable when achieving a critical mass (Mahmood and Steve, 2009). Additionally, the use of the internet is seen as a new alternative channel for the distribution of financial services which offer competitive advantage (Flavià ¡n et al, 2004; Gan and Clemes, 2006). Because the needs of todays customers are more sophisticated and demanding in the banking industry, branches alone are no longer sufficient (Mahmood and Steve, 2009). Internet Banking has provided an alternative means to acquire banking services more conveniently and become ideal for banks to meet customers expectations. Thanks to Internet Banking, banks can use information and communication technology to provide services and manage customer relationship more quickly and most satisfactorily (Charity-Commission, 2003). Internet Banking has become the main means for banks to market and sell their products and services help banks stay profitable and successful (Amato-McCoy, 2005). This electronic distribution of services offers various benefits which will be discussed in the next section. Additionally, the main characteristic of Internet Banking is that Internet Banking brings the differences between traditional, physical market place and the virtual one (Rayport and Sviokla, 1994). Customers conduct banking transactions using online electronic channel instead of bank branches. Without visiting a brick and- mortar institution, through Internet Banking, a customer may perform banking transactions electronically (Al-Abed, 2003). In conclusion, for the purpose of this research, the researcher defines electronic banking as the new delivery of banking services and products through the use of electronic means such as mobile phones, or computers which connected to Internet in all the time and in all places. Such products and services can include deposit-taking, lending, account management, the provision of financial advice, electronic bill payment, and the provision of other electronic payment products and services such as electronic money. 2.1.2 Internet Banking Advantages and Disadvantages 2.1.2.1 Internet Banking Advantages 2.1.2.1.1 Customers Convenience Customers enjoy the conveniences of internet banking services since Internet Banking makes banking transactions faster, easier and more efficient. Convenience has been identified by a number of studies as an important adoption factor (ACNielsen, 2005; Pew, 2003; Ramsay and Smith, 1999; Thornton and White, 2001). For customers, the benefits are more choice; greater competition and better value for money; more information; better tools to manage and compare information; and faster service (Sergeant, 2000). With the provision of Internet Banking services, customers can possess convenience in terms of 24/7 access (Pew, 2003). Traditionally, visiting a physical branch is the only way for customers to do banking transactions which require security and privacy. Without Internet Banking, bank transactions are only implemented within office hours. On the other hand, banks which offer Internet Banking are open for business every time and every place with Internet connection. Therefore, Internet Banking users are able to save time and transportation expenses, waiting time as well. When accessing the Internet connection, via phones or computers, customers can do banking transactions without any efforts. Internet Banking enables users to have mobility since transactions can be performed in any time and at any place. Customers are increasingly mobile and demand for flexible services, as a result, they prefer quick delivery of products and services. Additionally, Internet Banking also provides paper free, complete and up-to-date transactions (Wright and Ralston, 2002). Internet Banking users are easy to know all details of their current and past financial data and banking transactions. Any inquiry or transaction is processed online without any reference to the physical branch at any time. Instead of filling out application form and sign many papers, or use ID card for security, consumers just log in their account and type account password, they get the accurate and updated financial data. Real-time account balances and information are available. For example, customers always update the information about interest rates and money-spending options. Compared with traditional over-the-counter banking, Internet Banking quality is not influenced by personal contact between customers and banks (Lu Nancy Zheng, 2010). Banking transactions with the provision of Internet Banking can be automated. When banks do not offer Internet Banking, any banking transactions need the involvement of bank employees. Although human communication plays an important role in marketing, this can be considered as a double-edged sword. The quality of services depends on attitudes of bank employee. Moreover, Internet Banking benefits banks for minimizing the likelihood of committing errors by bank tellers (Jayawardhena and Foley, 2000). To some extent, not offering face-to-face contact can be seen as one of the advantages of Internet Banking. 2.1.2.1.2 Increased Profits Firstly, Internet Banking helps improved profits by lowering operation costs. Expanding geographically by opening new branches requires high starting-up cost and maintenance costs. With the help of Internet Banking, banking transactions do not require a physical presence. As a result, Internet Banking enhances reduction of overhead costs of physical channels, which require expensive buildings and a staff presence. Additionally, all banking transaction of Internet Banking is largely automatic which enables banks to reduce the workload of branch staff. Also, Internet Banking helps avoid errors related to data entry and personal communication mistakes. Indeed, banks not only save costs but also easier expand the traditional customer bases. Internet Banking replaces some of traditional bank functions to reduce significant overheads related to bank branches, as a result, Internet Banking is considered as one of the cheapest delivery channels for banking services (Arunachalam and Sivasubra manian, 2007). Moreover, Internet Banking helps banks in cutting cost, improve market share, maintain various E-business services, extend marketing and communication channel, search for new innovation services, and improve cross-selling opportunities (Ongkasuwan and Tantichattanon, 2002). Secondly, another reason why Internet Banking improved economic returns for banks is that Internet Banking allows banks to diversify their value creation activities. While doing transaction banking online, users easily approach with many other cross-selling banking services with details. Selling an additional product or service to an existing customer is called cross-selling. The profits can be gained not only based on current offered services but also other cross-selling activities (Arunachalam and Sivasubramanian, 2007). According to Mahmood and Steve (2009), the higher than average income and education levels are more attracted by Internet Banking is high profit customers. Based on detailed data about customers financial profiles and purchasing behavior, banks which possess detailed understanding of customers create customized advertising, customized products for bank users. By this way, not only current services banks offer but also other services can be sold. Internet Banking pr ovides faster delivery of banking services to a wider range of customers (Oghenerukevbe, 2008). Not only did the number of its online customer grow very quickly, but the new customer base was also very profitable. 2.1.2.1.3 Competitive Advantage The use of Internet Banking can gain competitive advantage to deal with globalization and fiercer competition (Flavià ¡n, Torres, Guinalà ­u, 2004). Firstly, Internet Banking enables banks to achieve competitive advantage since having a large online and physical branch network. Operation cost per Internet Banking transaction is much lower than for other service delivery channels (Shah et al., 2007). Jayawardhena and Foley (2000) reported that the transaction cost for non-cash payment at a branch relative to the internet can be 11 times more than online transaction. By lower operation cost, Internet Banking enables a bank to survive the economic pressures and down-turns. Secondly, Internet Banking helps banks to gain competitive advantage since it is seen as one of those innovative ways to meet customers expectations (Mahmood and Steve, 2009). In this customer-centered business, customers are more demanding for products or services with high-quality, sold at less cost and delivered quickly. Thanks to its characteristics, Internet Banking is one of the best options. Internet Banking helps banking users can access any transactions in all time and everywhere with the lowest costs. Thirdly, Internet Banking is considered as a key in both keeping customers loyal and accessing new markets. Apart from expansion by selling products or services for new customers, maintain existing ones is equally important, especially in current difficult economic situation. There is more and more pressure on banks to diversify their products to create value. Otherwise, banks are likely to drag behind competitors and new entrants in financial sectors lose important current customer segment. For example, Woolwich Bank in the UK, compared with traditional banking customers, Internet Banking customers hold more number of financial products on average (Mahmood and Steve, 2009). 2.1.2.1.4 Enhanced Image Internet Banking helps to enhance the image of the organization since banks is seen as innovative organization offering innovative products. This image also helps banks more effective at e-marketing. Internet Banking enables customers to access internet bank all the time and in all places which means that there is no boundary of spaces and time brings more opportunities to extend their relationship with the customers Robinson (2000). More effective marketing and communication at lower costs will not only improve market image but also prepare banks to have better and quicker response to market evolution (Jayawardhena and Foley, 2000). Offering extra service delivery channels means wider choice and convenience for customers, which itself is an improvement in customer service. Internet Banking can be made available 24 hours a day throughout the year, and a widespread availability of the Internet, even on mobile phones, means that customers can conduct many of their financial tasks virtu ally anywhere and anytime. 2.1.2.2 Internet Banking Disadvantages 2.1.2.2.1 High costs Although Internet Banking saves infrastructure costs for banks as above mention reasons, banks introducing Internet Banking just made little savings (Young, 2007). The reason is that any savings are offset by above average wages and benefits per worker. Internet Banking needs a more skilled labor force to run the more sophisticated delivery system. Moreover, costs related extra security measures need taken into consideration. 2.1.2.2.2 The negative effects on banks and customers relationship The traditional channels of offering banking services strongly focus on personal relationships. It is essential to maintain the human touch in customer services (Avkiran, 1999). Customers might be satisfied with the greeting, politeness, neatness of bank employees, ability to express concern for customers needs, apologize for customers complaints. The way of staff members serving customers are likely to influence customer satisfaction directly. Internet Banking completely changes this aspect of customer and bank relationship since it is fully automated. A traditional bank provides the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with that bank. At a local bank branch, employee can make a conservation to ask their customers demand or help them to solve their problems, consult their financial decisions. It is increasingly personal contact with customers. The banker also will get to know the customer and his unique needs. Meanwhile, Internet Banking just performs common transactions without any face-to-face contacts (Cho et al. 2007). According to Broderick and Vachirapornuk (2003:333), customers do not have interaction with employees in person. 2.1.3 Internet Banking Barriers 2.1.3.1 Accessibility to the Internet Wireless communications enables Internet Banking become more and more accessible. Although the growth of the Internet has been very fast, there is still a large population who do not own computers or mobile phones connect to the Internet. For example, different from developed countries, Internet connectivity is still a problem in some rural areas and several developing countries. Lack of computer literacy is one of the reasons Internet Banking is less developed (Walczuch et al., 2000). 2.1.3.2 Consumer Behavior As above mentioned, convenience is not only a key determinant of consumer satisfaction (Yang et al., 2003) but also one of the dominating factors in transaction channel preferences (Ramsay and Smith, 1999). In the field of Internet Banking, this is one of the most cited beneficial features because it offers more leisure-time when doing banking transaction (Devlin, 1995; Daniel, 1999; Liao and Cheung, 2002). Despite the awareness of Internet Bankings benefit, users are still reluctant to use Internet Banking. It is very common in developing countries to physically transfer money. The minority of customers are willing to use Internet Banking, whereas a large number of consumers of financial services are still uncomfortable to conduct their financial management online. The reason is that the use of new technology depends on the technology acceptance of customers and the consumer habits in each country. 2.1.3.3 Security Issues Security challenges banks to deal with customer fears in perform financial transactions using website as a channel (Aladwani, 2001; Sathye, 1999; Gerrard and Cunningham, 2003). In the first quarter of 2005, 80% of global online attacks towards the financial services sector (IDC, 2005). Customers tend to lack confidence in technology-based services delivery systems (Walker et al., 2002). For example, they are unsure that the transaction was completed or the transaction is delayed or not. Also, they are afraid that slow response time after completing leads to a delay of service delivery. This can result in transaction risk (Westland, 2002). This concerns mainly because of the quality of online services systems. Reputation of the bank also significantly affects customer adoption of new technology-based service delivery (Aladwani, 2001). Interestingly, other researchers found that consumer is very much confident about their bank but they have less confidence in technology (Howcroft et al., 2002). Consumers express their concern that online banking is not likely to keep their information of transaction secure and private (Belanger et al., 2002; Salisbury et al., 2001). Therefore, it is essential for Internet Banking banks provider higher degree of security that enables customers to trust internet banking at all times and places (Daniel, 1999, Black et al, 2001; Polatoglu and Ekin, 2001; Suganthi et al, 2001; Gerrard and Cunningham, 2003). 2.2 Understanding of Customer Satisfaction Both business practitioners and academic researchers pay more and more attention to customer satisfaction (Bolton and Drew, 1991; Christian Bettina, 1999). Jamal and Naser (2003) emphasized the importance of customer satisfaction for marketers and researchers as well when stating that it is an important theoretical and practical issue. Thus, from the past on, customer satisfaction is defined by different studies in different ways which brings a diversity of definitions for customer satisfaction. Firstly, customer satisfaction can be basically defined by using its determinants. Many researcher used expectation and disconfirmation (Kang, Nobuyuki and Herbert, 2004), or expectation and performance (Johnson, Anderson and Fornell, 2001), or quality and disconfirmation (McQuitty, Finn and Wiley, 2000), or expectation and quality (Giese and Cote, 2002) as customer satisfactions determinants to define customer satisfaction. Meanwhile, Prabhakar (2005) found customer satisfactions factors include the price factors, product or services quality, customers expectations. Secondly, customer satisfaction can be defined based on two different conceptualizations, namely Transaction-specific satisfaction and Cumulative-specific satisfaction (Boulding, 1993). Transaction-specific satisfaction is a customers evaluation, based on both experience and reactions, towards a particular service encounter (Cronin and Taylor, 1992; Boshoff and Gray, 2004). Cumulative-specific satisfaction is defined as customers overall evaluation based on total purchase and consumption experience (Johnson, Anderson and Fornell, 1995). While transaction-specific satisfaction provides specific transactional information about specific purchase occasion (Anderson, 1994b), cumulative-specific satisfaction refers to customers experience with past, current, and future performances. Thirdly, customer satisfaction is the gap while comparison between pre-purchased expectation and post purchase (Barsky, 1992; Oh and Parks, 1997; McQuitty, Finn and Wiley, 2000). This conceptualization is called the expectancy disconfirmation theory which developed by Oliver (1980). According to this theory, customers experience satisfaction when product or service is better than expected. Otherwise, if the performance is worse than their expectations, negative disconfirmation or dissatisfaction occurs. Customer satisfaction is a highly personal assessment which consists of not only cognitive element but also emotional element. Customers buy products or services because the benefits products or services offer. Hanan, Mack and Karp, Peter (1989) stated that customers receives significant add-value is satisfied customers. Therefore, customers always expect products possess benefits they need. Apart from other above mention definitions, more definitions of customer satisfaction are presented in following Figure 2.1. Figure 2.1 Customer Satisfaction Definition No. Author Definition 1 Olshavsky Miller (1972) The consequence of the confirmation or positive disconfirmation of expectations, which means that the perceived performance is equal to or better than the expected outcome 2 Churchill and Surprenant (1982) An outcome of purchase and use resulting from the buyers comparison of the rewards and costs of the purchase in relation to the anticipated consequences 3 Woodruff et al. (1983) An emotional feeling in response to confirmation/disconfirmation 4 Peter Olson (1996) The degree to which a consumers pre-purchase expectations are fulfilled or surpassed by a product 5 Oliver (1997) Satisfaction is the consumers fulfillment response. It is a judgment that a product or service feature, or the product or service itself, provided (or is providing a pleasurable level of consumption-related fulfillment, including levels of under or over fulfillment 6 Andreassen Lindestad (1998) The accumulated experience of a customers purchase and consumption experiences Definition of customer satisfaction and debates relate to this definition is widely discussed. On the other hand, in this study, customer satisfaction can be simply understood that customer satisfaction is the customer pleasure when products or services meet customers demand. 2.3 The relationship between Customer Satisfaction and its antecedents Due to the importance of customer satisfaction, a variety of research has been done to determine the factors influencing customer satisfaction (Churchill and Surprenant, 1982; Oliver, 1980; Barsky, 1995; Zeithaml and Bitner, 2003). According to Oliver (1980), there are three factors influencing Customer Satisfaction: Service Quality (1), Price (2), Privacy and Security (3). Figure 2.1 Factors influencing Customer Satisfaction 2.3.1 The relationship between Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction Concepts of Service Quality The most important component affecting customer satisfaction is Service Quality (Shelly Gandhi et al; Cronin and Taylor, 1992; Oliver, 1993; Spreng and Machoy, 1996). Similarly with customer satisfaction, many academic researchers paid attention to service quality since it is a means of creating competitive advantages and customer loyalty (Dawn et al., 1995). Generally, service quality measures whether services meet customers needs and expectations or not (Lewis and Booms, 1983). Cronin and Taylor (1994) defined service quality as a long-run overall evaluation of products or services whereas Bitner, Booms and Mohr (1994) defined service quality as the overall impression of the organization and its services. Similar to customer satisfaction definition, according to Parasuraman et al. (1985), service quality can be defined as the consumers comparison between pre-purchase service expectation and actual service performance. Since Parasuraman et al. (1985) proposed their conceptual model of perceived service quality, more and more attention has been paid to services quality. On the other hand, the research conducted by Parasuraman et al. (1985) is mostly recognized. Table 2.2 Dimensions of Service Quality Author Dimensions of Service Quality Gronroos 1982 Technical quality Functional quality Corporate image Zeithamls (2002) Efficiency Reliability Fulfillment Privacy Responsiveness Compensation Contact Jun and Cai (2001) Reliability Responsiveness Competence Courtesy Credibility Access Communication Understanding Collaboration Continuous improvement Yang et al. (2004) Reliability Attentiveness Ease of use Access Credibility Garvin (1988) Besterfield (2003) Performance Features Conformance Reliability Durability Service Response Aesthetics Reputation After researching different types of services, such as long-distance telecommunication companies, credit card companies, motor repair shops and banking industry, Parasuraman et al. (1985) stated that there are ten determinants of Service Quality as follows: Reliability: The ability to perform services to customers right the first time and provide reliable and accurate services as promised. Tangibles: Physical evidence of the services (neat appearance of employees, modern equipment and facility). Security: Providing services without any risk or danger. Access: Easy to approach with services and contact with employees for request. Communication: Understanding and listening ability to customers, knowing what customers want to help. Courtesy: Respect customer, being polite and friendly to customers, express the concern related to customers problems. Credibility: Building and achieve honest and trustworthiness towards customers. Understanding: Knowing the customer what is customers needs. Competence: Possession of the required skills and knowledge to perform the service. 10. Responsiveness: The willingness or readiness of employees when interact with customers requests. However, later in 1988, these above mentioned ten dimensions were cut down to fives by Parasuraman et al. (1985): Tangibility: the appearance and availability of physical equipment, appearance of personnel. Reliability: the ability to perform the service promptly with high quality in the dependable and accurate way. Responsiveness: the readiness to help customers. Assurance: includes four elements, such as Competence, courtesy, credibility and security. The ability to communicate with customers in the knowledgeable and understandable way to persuade customers and convey trust and confidence to them. Empathy: includes access, communication, and understanding the customer. The ability to express the concern with customers, pay attention to their needs and problems in a caring and individualized way. The relationship between Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction Various academics have studied service quality and customer satisfaction in order to understand customer evaluation (Bitner Hubber, 1993; Boulding, Staelin, Kalra, Zeithaml, 1993; Oliver, 1993; Parasuraman, 1985). In many study researching on customer evaluation, quality and satisfaction are used interchangeably since they both presents the comparison of customer expectiation and actual service performance (Lowis and Boom, 1983; Parasuraman, 1985). On the other hand, there is still difference between two concepts. Customer satisfaction is more specific, short-term evaluation while service quality is more general and long-term evaluations (Dabholkar, 1993 and Gotlieb, Grewal and Brown, 1994). In contrast, according to Wilson et al. (2008), customer satisfaction is more permanent than service quality since it generally is a broader term, some dimensions of customer satisfaction are specifically focused on by service quality. As defined above, customer satisfaction has two definitions as transaction-specific and cumulative-specific customer satisfaction (Boulding, 1993). Regardless of whether customer satisfaction has been defined by transaction-specific or cumulative-specific definitions, service quality is one of the most important antecedents of customer satisfaction (Oliver, 1993; Anderson Sullivan, 1993; Fornell et al., 1996; Spreng Macky, 1996). The higher service quality is, the higher satisfaction is (Parasuraman et al., 1985). From the past on, service quality and customer satisfaction is highly related which proved by many studies with practical examples. For instance, Brady et al., (2001) used SERVQUAL in examine the relationship between customer satisfaction and service quality in fast-food restaurants in America and Latin America. SERVQUAL model includes ten aspects: responsiveness, courtesy, communication, reliability, security, competence, access, understanding the customers, credibility and tangibles. Additionally, LISREL was used to conduct the test the same positive relationship in a health care service in Ruyter et al. (1997). Based on the research conducted by Yang et al. (2004) related to E-Service, the study will focus on five Service Quality Dimensions as follows: Reliability: Accuracy and prompt of transaction performance. Attentiveness: Availability to serve customer, willingness to help customer, pay individualized attention and personal contact to customers. Ease of use: Easy to remember URL address, well-structured web-design, easy-to-follow, update information, concise, simple and understandable contents, terms and conditions. Access: Accessibility of different transaction services, availability of communication channels such as chat rooms or emails, details contact of service personnel. Credibility: The reputation of service providers. Based on the above discussions, the hypothesis (H1) is formulated. H1: Service quality has a significant relationship with customers satisfaction in Internet Banking. 2.3.2 The relationship between Price and Customer Satisfaction Concept of Price Price plays an important role in the survival of the company since it decided the competitiveness and revenue of a company. According to Price Theory, price reflects interaction between supply and demand in the market. In other words, price is determined by what a customer is willing to pay and what a seller is willing to accept. With this agreement, both customers and sellers get mutual benefits because customers take advantage of the product usage while sellers get their economic returns. Similarly with Price Theory, Stanton (1985) defined price as the amount of money or goods needed to acquire some combination of another goods and its companying services. These findings are also consistent with other research findings. For example, Kotler (2002) defined price as the total amount customer needs to exchange in order to obtain a benefit of the products or services price is the amount of money charged for a product or service. In order to achieve marketing objectives, The Marketing Mix is essential for firms and includes four P (Product, Price, Promotion, Place) creating general and specific marketing strategies for the whole company (Kotler, 2002). Price is one of the four P in The Marketing Mix which developed by Philip Kotler. The relationship between Price and Customer Satisfaction There is a clear link between customer satisfaction and price perceptions (Kyriazopoulos, 2007). Numerous studies discussed the relationship between price and customer satisfaction. For example, this relationship is proved through the study conducted in German car dea

Stereotyping of the Native Americans in the 1820s and 1830s Essay

Stereotyping of the Native Americans in the 1820's and 1830's For Americans moving west in the 1820's and 30's there was little firsthand knowledge of what the frontier would be like when they arrived. There was a lot of presumption about the Indians. Many felt, through the stories they heard and read, that they had sufficient information to know what the Indians would truly be like and how to respond to them. Unfortunately, as is described in James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales, white settlers stereotyped the Native Americans as savage, heartless beasts. There was a rushing out of men, women, and children, with the cracking of rifles, the crashing of hatchets, the lunge of knives, with yells and shrieks such as would turn the spirit into ice and water to hearI saw the weakest of them all- the old grandma, with the youngest babe in her arms, come flying into the cornwhen the pursuercaught up with her and struck her down with his tomahawk. Then friend, he snatched the poor babe from the dying woman's arms and struck it with the same bloody hatchet. (qtd in Myers 48) Cooper's romanticizing of the Old West, created an inaccurate picture of Native Americans, but he was not the only one. Eighteenth and Nineteenth-century literature shows us many incorrect representations of Native Americans. With passages like the one above, captivity narratives, and the descriptions of Indian wars, is it any wonder that people were afraid of the Indians they would encounter out west? When people moved out into the frontier all the biased opinions they had been fed went with them. They took the mental pictures that the media of the day proposed and made them real in their minds eye. But the fear they took with them was almos... ... Shoe String Press Inc., 1977. Frizzell, Lodisa. Across the Plains to California in 1852. New York: New York Public Library, 1915. LeBeau, Sebastian (Bronco). "The Good River Reservation." April 2002. The Great Sioux Nation Website. Myres, Sandra L. Westering Women and the Frontier Experience 1800-1915. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1982. "Noble savage." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 4th ed. 1999. Scheckel, Susan. Desert, Garden, Margin, Range: Chpt. 6: Mary Jemison and the Domestication of the American Frontier. Ed. Eric Heyne. New York, NY: Twayne Publishers, 1992. Seaver, James E. A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison. ed. June Namias. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Publishing Division of the University, 1992. Shaw, Anna H. The Story of a Pioneer. New York, NY: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1915.

Population Explosion in India Essay

Population explosion is a problem which is faced by the country at an alarming state. The way at which the population of the country is increasing is a cause of concern and so me of the causes of population explosion are: High birth rate which is caused by: Universal marriage system where everyone necessarily needs to get married in the country. Early marriage where the average age of marriage is extremely low as compared to other countries of the world. Illiteracy is a problem which is facing the country and the low literacy rates lead to traditional, superstitious and ignorant population. Poverty is another issue which faces the country and needs to be solved. Poor people are illiterate and see a child as a â€Å"gift of God† which indirectly leads to population explosion. Tropical climate of the country leads to girls and boys attaining puberty at an early age which is also one of the reasons for a huge population. The joint family system also leads to a division of socio-economic responsibilities among everyone in the family which leads to Women are given a low status in the society and are seen as a person for cooking and begetting and are not free to speak up for their rights. Along with this the decreasing death rate is also one of the reasons for population explosion. India’s population has already crossed the billion marks. Thus, the country having only on 2. 4 per cent of globe’s area has come to hold 16 per cent of globe’s human beings. Its current annual increase at 16 million is the highest in the world. Soon we may achieve the dubious distinction of becoming the most populous country in the world. The debate about population explosion in India is now over half a century old. It acquired a new perspective when the 2000 National Population Policy (NPP) was drafted. There was a marked shift from the target-oriented approach of the 70? s and 80? s to the one that envisioned the ‘development is the best pill’ outlook. The demographics experts, women’s groups, health organisations, social activists and academicians were able to convince the policymakers that in order to achieve the socio- demographic goals of the reduction of inequalities, provision of education, services and creation of awareness were to be taken on a priority. The main causes of big size and high growth of population can be broadly categorised into social and economic causes which are as below: i) Marriage is almost inevitable among men and women; (ii) Motherhood is nearly universal among married women; (iii) The custom of early marriage followed since many centuries has facilitated a wider range of reproductive period; (iv) The Net Production Rate (NPR) is greater than one, which means that women replace themselves by giving birth to more than one daughter which leads to constant rise in birth rate; (v) Wide ¬spread illiteracy among people, especially woman is also a major contributor.  It has been proved that there is a direct relation between illiteracy and fertility; (vi) Superstitious beliefs and myths that a male child is a must for salvation, social security and continuation of the family tree; and (vii) Misconceptions that the use of birth control measures lead to diseases, defects or general weakness. The economic causes include (i) Children are considered to be an asset not a liability by the poor who look at them as source of income; (ii) Statistics also prove that the cost benefit ratio for a child is favourable to the poor; (iii) Lack of proper medical facilities and high mortality rate of infant to want more children; and (iv) There is also total lack of economic security for widows and elderly people which makes people go for children as economic security. There are other reasons which cannot be classified as either social or economic reasons like lack of proper family planning techniques and facilities, high birth rate and low death rate. Overpopulation has far-reaching consequences on every aspect of life of a country. These consequences will have to be studied in length before we can find appropriate measures to stem the root. Overpopulation not only leads to but also perpetuates poverty. The economists are of the opinion that there are four main factors that make a country rich or poor: 1. National factors like location features and mineral resources available in the country. 2. Historical factors, i. e. whether a country has remained a colony of some other country and has suffered long economic exploitation, e. g. India under British rule. 3. Demographic factors, i. e. the size and growth of population. 4. Economic factors, i. e. availability of capital, technology, infrastructure, etc. The demographic factors assume greater importance because natural factors remain constant and history cannot be changed. The large size of population means employment of lion’s share of the resources for the production of goods for the satisfaction of the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. The high rate of growth of population means continuing additional burden on these resources. It is only due to unfavourable demographic factors that poor countries remain in perpetual poverty. The per capita income which is the indicator of richness of a country does not increase even with an increase in total income because the population which is a divisor in this equation also increases. The economists affirm that the sure way for a poor country is to increase its productive capacity by producing more capital goods like machinery. But as the overpopulated countries need consumer goods in large quantities to satisfy people’s wants it becomes difficult for them to employ their resources for the producing ‘producer’ goods and thus they remain under the vicious circle of poverty. Another drawback of population explosion is that it makes all plans made for development of the country go haywire. Our own country created an autonomous Planning Commission and started a series of Five-Year Plans from the year 1951-52. But we have not been able to bring rapid development because our population which was 36. 1 crore in 1951 has grown about three times today at approx. 108 crores. Naturally any development plan made for one person cannot be adequate for three. The age composition of our population is also not favourable. It has been found that the working age group constitutes 60% of the total population falls in the dependent age groups of a high dependency ratio of 67% calculated as follows: If we take into account the unemployment disguised unemployment and quasi unemployment into factor this would present a gloomier picture of our economy. Still further, if we consider that a high portion of those who are engaged in some type of work or the other are not technically trained and fall in the category of unskilled labour, we shall realise that our productive capacity is quite low. Under such conditions a high growth of population adds to the burden of our economy. The large size of population also has an adverse impact on our natural resources. Coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals and forests are being excessively used to set up more industries to manufacture various consumable articles to satisfy ever- increasing wants. As these resources are limited and exhaustible, they have been dwindling so drastically that soon they would exhaust completely. Forests are being cleared to bring more land under cultivation to provide food for increasing population and to make more settlements for their living. Burning of fossil fuels in factories, vehicles and households has created another menace of environmental pollution. Injudisions use of water resources like rivers like, ponds, wells, streams and even oceans has caused water pollution. Many diseases have arisen to afflict human beings and affect vegetation as it is, the deforestation is likely to continue unabated which would further aggravate the problem. Yet another problem is the migration of rural people to urban areas in search of better earning opportunities. The statistics show an alarming increase of 57% from 34% after independence. The crowding of urban localities demand more infrastructure, civic services, transport, health, sanitation and educational facilities providing which is not only a challenging task but also means an additional burden on the already inadequate economic resources. As the stabilisation of population is the most significant task ahead of us, stringent measures are required in this direction. Some countries have sought to enforce legal remedies for this chronic malady. For example, China has applied the one child norm lay law. Some Indian states have barred the candidates having more than two children from any election. Such strict measures may work but their side effects may outweigh their benefit to society and country. We need to address the problem of overpopulation in the broader sense and in a socially controlled way. This an be done by creating awareness among people and providing them the required means. India’s population has already crossed the billion marks. Thus, the country having only on 2. 4 per cent of globe’s area has come to hold 16 per cent of globe’s human beings. Its current annual increase at 16 million is the highest in the world. Soon we may achieve the dubious distinction of becoming the most populous country in the world. The debate about population explosion in India is now over half a century old. It acquired a new perspective when the 2000 National Population Policy (NPP) was drafted.

Praise Song for the Day – Interpretation

Praise Song For The Day November 26, 2012 This poem, Praise Song for the Day by Elizabeth Alexander, is one of the most memorable poems that have been recited within the last 20 years. Immediately after President Obama was sworn into office, Elizabeth Alexander recited her poem to the masses that had gathered on that cold winter day in January. The piece is full of symbolism, with the tone being hopeful, inspiring and thankful.The poem begins with a description of daily life which is filled with the daily grind of hard working individuals, often doing the work that drives this great nation of ours†¦small businesses, blue-collar laborers, honorable professions such as teaching. The possibility of coming together as a people in spite of our differences is expressed in terms of our words (â€Å"spiny or smooth†¦words to consider, reconsider†). From will to words to concrete results (e. g. , highways), we interact with each other–past and present.The boundary of a highway may inspire someone today to go further and see what else is possible, keeping hopeful aspirations alive by â€Å"see(ing) what’s on the other side. At the same time that we fear the uncertainties of the future (which also divides us), we can envision it in terms of its possibilities (â€Å"We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see†). I think she is trying to say that we should also honor the sacrifices of poor, immigrant laborers of the past who made our present reality possible as well as the modern immigrant laborers who continue to build upon the dreams of their ancestors. â€Å"Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of†) The resolution of conflicts between people has many routes. Fo r families it may be â€Å"figuring it out at kitchen tables† while other conflicts require political movements, struggle, and protest. This poem is a song of praise for such peaceful resolutions and for this historical inaugural day which would not have been possible without the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.The religious belief systems of different peoples that allow us to get along with other peoples differ in degree. The poem presents an even stronger concept of love that goes beyond â€Å"Love thy neighbor as thy self†, and even beyond â€Å"marital, filial, national. † Some believe the way to unity is to avoid being selfish, not hurting others, and treating others as you would your compatriots, your kin, or yourself. This poem suggests there is a love that extends beyond those whom we are familiar with to include â€Å"a widening pool of light. Finally, in relation to the present day, there is a sense of the immense possibilities (â€Å"anything can be made, any sentence begun†). This is contained in the words that may inspire others to action that may bring such a love closer toward reality. From disunity (â€Å"walking past each other†) to blindly â€Å"walk[ing] into that which we cannot yet see,† this poem now suggests the alternative of â€Å"walking forward in that light† guided by a new vision of a love that may unite us. I focused on the symbolic element of the poem, because I liked the presentation and how it flowed.It made me think about how far we’ve come in this country. I believe that Elizabeth draws the reader into the poem just I was drawn, by suggesting that we as a nation that was literally built off the labor of slave labor and indentured servants, has evolved into a country that elected its first African-American President. Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each other’s eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues.Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair. Someone is trying to make music somewhere, with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum, with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice. A woman and her son wait for the bus. A farmer considers the changing sky. A teacher says, Take out your pencils. Begin. We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed, words to consider, reconsider. We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of some one and then others, who saidI need to see what’s on the other side. I know there’s something better down the road. We need to find a place where we are safe. We walk into that which we cannot yet see. Say it plain: that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked th e cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of. Praise song for struggle, praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign, the figuring-it-out at kitchen tables.Some live by love thy neighbor as thyself, others by first do no harm or take no more than you need. What if the mightiest word is love? Love beyond marital, filial, national, love that casts a widening pool of light, love with no need to pre-empt grievance. In today’s sharp sparkle, this winter air, any thing can be made, any sentence begun. On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp, praise song for walking forward in that light. Alexander, E. (2009, Feb). Retrieved Nov 26, 2012, from Poetry Foundation. org: http://www. poetryfoundation. org/poem/244896

Romeo and Juliet Commentary Essays

Romeo and Juliet Commentary Essays Romeo and Juliet Commentary Paper Romeo and Juliet Commentary Paper There are different aspects in Romeo and Juliet, which have to be covered in a creative writing theme. One of the main factors, which needs to be illustrated in whatever form, is the fate of Romeo and Juliets relationship which had uncertainty surrounding it from their first meeting. No matter how many steps they take to aid their relationship, it seems that the sinister air, which has been present between the two families for years, will shroud Romeo and Juliets relationship. I tried to express this point in my creative writing by emphasising Romeos disbelief in the situation, however also stressing the strength of his love for Juliet. We are the most unlikely people to ever have feelings for one another I do realise that, but whoever rules this planet wants to detach Juliet from my grasp, heart and whatever is connected to my heritage. This quote reflects Romeos understanding of the whole situation and how he falters under the pressure of the environment that he is in. He accepts the circumstances in the diary entry and seems to be apprehensive about pursuing the relationship with the knowledge of his family. This idea of secrecy seems to be apparent throughout his relationship with Juliet, however it is an idea that turns out to have lethal consequences. Juliets elegance is the character, which manipulated Romeos mind into an odyssey. In the script the use of the light in dancehall is used to express Romeos thoughts about Juliet. In my diary, Romeo talks about Juliets beauty shaping it into a detailed account on paper. It seems as though the world has relented allowing Romeo to study Juliet for a short time. I feel it was essential to use such vivid detail about Juliets beauty for Romeo would not have wanted the moment to endure if the woman had the looks of a crow. At this point in my diary, I relate back to the act of true fate, therefore I feel that it is necessary for Romeo to comprehend his fortune once he has met Juliet and perhaps thank the stars for their work, which would contrast with his sudden death. My mind misgives Some consequences yet hanging in the stars. Shall bitterly forgive his fearful date With this night revels This quote relates back to how the stars seem to control our destiny in life, however it depends on your belief in this theory. The planetary aura is felt throughout the script of Romeo and Juliet and the great faith in the theory is a downfall for Romeo and Juliets relationship. In my diary entry Romeo does not compare what consequences the stars might hold to the idea of a relationship with Juliet, however he constantly refers back to the hatred between the two families which will be a constant burden upon their relationship. He also refers to a ruling spirit who wants to detach Juliet from him in every possible way. The fact that Romeo senses a being that does not want him to form a relationship with Juliet should cause concern for him for the spirit who he is aware of is possibly having preconceptions of a unexpected ending for both of them. The last two lines of the quote that I am writing seem to understand the importance of Romeos endearment for Juliet, however they are still shrouded with confusion by the star theory. The last two lines translate in my eyes as the stars will bitterly give way to Romeo and Juliets love for each other, however they will have to live with the outcome of not being conscious of this warning. So show a snowy dove trooping with crows The quote emphasises diverse appearances and how the two combined show opposite qualities. The idiosyncrasy and purity of a doves features is compared with Juliets beauty and the mass number of trooping crows are compared with the women in the hall. I notice how Shakespeare stresses that the crows are in a group where as the dove is solitary in beauty. This quote describes feelings for Juliet for he seems to filter out any other disturbances in the room and manages to concentrate on only Juliet. In my diary entry, Romeo commits his writing to Juliet and becomes annoyed if any other object gets in his way; therefore his actions are somehow dividing the two groups apart from one another. This relates to the quote that I have presented and my diary entry has expressed its meaning in another form. Juliets elegance is the character, which manipulated Romeos mind into an odyssey. In the script the use of the light in dancehall is used to express Romeos thoughts about Juliet. In my diary, Romeo talks about Juliets beauty shaping it into a detailed account on paper. It seems as though the world has relented allowing Romeo to study Juliet for a short time. At this point in my diary, I relate back to the act of true fate, therefore I feel that it is necessary for Romeo to comprehend his fortune once he has met Juliet and perhaps thank the stars for their work. My lips two blushing pilgrims ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. Romeo describes his lips as two blushing pilgrims, A pilgrim is the word used to describe a person that visits a holy place to worship. For example, pilgrims visit Bethlehem to worship Jesus. So in this quote, Romeo is the pilgrim who is devoted to Juliet. By saying that his lips are two blushing pilgrims, Romeo is using a metaphor. In my diary Romeo is desperate to touch Juliet, as if he is insecure of how her heart is going to dictate, therefore Romeo feels that he needs to place his mark on he, like any sick catholic pilgrim would thirst for the holy water in Lourdes. It is simply a passion and many pilgrims feel they need to manipulate and contribute to this certain sacred place. You kiss by the book Juliet expresses this poetic emotion after their first kiss at the dance. The quote You kiss by the book means expertly as though the person in question has studied the subject in a book, yet she maybe implying that while proficient, his kissing lacks originality Finally I will discuss the background of the play. The play is a tragedy. The idea of tragedy originates in Greek drama. For such a play to fulfil its definition it must have a tragic hero who is of high but not perfect standing. In the Romeo and Juliet script, Romeo is from a high calibre family, however he is not the highest member in his family. A tragic flaw leads to a downfall. Juliet drinks a time delaying poison, which Friar Laurence has given her, however due to the untimely arrival of a letter informing Romeo of the situation. Romeo does not know about the plan for them to spend their lives together therefore when Romeo finds her body entombed he too drinks a poison and kills himself. When Juliets potion wears off, she awakens to find her lovers corpse. She then proceeds to stab herself with Romeos dagger. The tragedy was a defect sparked off by their sentimentality for one another. The two deaths led to their families collapsing with sadness for the losses however I fear that it was a rectified solution for the two lovers. For the Capulet and Montague families the tragedy acted as a cleansing of emotions and they managed to share their sorrow, which leads them to make peace with one another.

The Social Consequences Of Divorce In Canada Social Work Essays

The Social Consequences Of Divorce In Canada Social Work Essays The Social Consequences Of Divorce In Canada Social Work Essay The Social Consequences Of Divorce In Canada Social Work Essay Divorce or disintegration of matrimony refers to the concluding expiration of a lawful matrimony through the cancellation of the legal duties and responsibilities of matrimony and besides disintegration of the bonds of marriage between married people. Chiefly, divorce requires a canonic legal procedure either through a justice or other related governments. In most of the European states a divorce is non perceived to be a declaration that a matrimony is void and null or as an revocation but as a cancellation of the matrimonial position of the concerned people or twosome. In states where monogamousness is a jurisprudence, the divorced spouses have the authorization to hold or get married another individual but in the states where polygamy is permitted the divorced adult female has the right to acquire married by another. This research paper is traveling to discourse on how divorce has affected the life opportunities and chances of the Canadian kids and young persons who have had the di vorce experience. The factors to be discussed include the offense or delinquency, limited educational attainment ( school dropout ) jobs associating to socialisation, or other societal jobs ( substance maltreatment ) . Parental divorce causes delinquency or offense behaviour in the affected kids. As we all know that many kids get their behaviours largely from friends or parents. Again kids have a natural attractive force to their parents since birth. Divorce means that a kid may non acquire a corporate parental attention from their parents because they ( parents ) may be excessively busy to pay attending to their kids. Most divorced parents tend to be drowned into the divorce instances of depressions thereby go forthing their kids to make what they want and to be in the company of whoever they please. Lack of parental counsel can motivate kids to deviate from the required societal behaviours hence prosecuting in some juvenile Acts of the Apostless such as maltreatment, hooliganism and larceny in the adjacent places. There are assorted divorce factors that contributes to offense and delinquency besides deficiency of parental counsel, attention and love. One of the factors is the economic conditions which are ever associated with a individual household and which places the kids at greater hazards. This is because kids who do happen their parental fiscal aid unsatisfying may make up ones mind to fend for their ain therefore acquiring involved to the offense state of affairss. It is believable to state that along with the deficiency of stuff ownerships it can do the young person to skid down the slippery incline into the life of delinquency. The other factor is socialisation. This is because the kids shacking with individual parents may non be willing to mix with others and even the parent. This is unlike the kids who are populating with their both parents. Again, some of the parents may be delinquents and their kids will copy from them therefore going delinquents excessively. Another factor is bad vicinities. This is propelled by the fact that many individual parents are non really affluent or even financially stable and they hence end up shacking in low cost ghetto countries wh ereby their kids may be forced by fortunes to be involved in delinquency and offense Acts of the Apostless. The other factor is the ways in which the functionaries and systems from some of the formal establishments such as the constabulary, tribunals and schools respond to the kids from the individual parents households. This is because they tend to comprehend them negatively therefore placing them as delinquents and some so may make up ones mind to be what they are being associated with. The delinquency behaviours in kids from divorced households may be caused by the violent and aggressive behaviours experienced by the kids if the divorce procedure or their parental matrimony was marred by violent and aggressive behaviours ( Kulla, 2006 ) . There is one country which is chiefly affected by divorce and it is evidently the kid s instruction. These effects are chiefly characterized by a kid s bead in public presentation and the kid may besides get down moving out in category. Children exposed to divorce are besides likely to reiterate class at least twice and besides have the likeliness of acquiring expelled or expelled from school at least five times. These two features signify that the kid is holding troubles in get bying with the dislocation of a parent s matrimony. Harmonizing to the survey which was carried out by two Canadian universities ( Alberta and Manitoba ) , the effects of parental divorce could lend to greater school bead out prevalence amid the kids whose parents are acquiring divorced as compared to those whose parents live together. The research depicted that the effects of divorce were much far worse for the childs who went through two or more parental alterations as a consequence of decease, remarriage, divorce and even another divorce. It was estimated that these childs have merely 40-50 % possibility of successfully finishing high school instruction as compared to their opposite numbers from the stable households. Harmonizing to the university research workers 78.4 % of kids who did non undergo parental divorce or rupture completed their instruction in front of their equals who experience a alteration in the household family. The research besides showed that there was no important difference between the childs who experienced the loss of one parent and the 1s experienced one divorce ( Enotalone.com, 2009 ) . The consequences besides indicated that in these two groups around 60 % received high school sheepskin although merely a few kids who experienced more than two divorced families received high school sheepskin. Lack of academic public presentation and deficiency of schooling brings down the kids s ability to go future professional whereby some may stop up going stealers and ev en manual labourers. Another ground as to why kids from divorced households do no run into their academic ends is the economic strain of the divorcing parents and particularly the tutelary female parent who frequently face post divorce effects. Custodial female parents normally face dramatic economic losingss following divorce that lead to the feelings of emphasis which adversely affect rearing. The divorce is chiefly riotous to the kids because the tutelary parent normally faces a important sum of emphasis in the clip period instantly after the divorce. Economic loss of the tutelary parent affects the instruction of the kids because the kids may alter school may be from good to hapless schools which are associated with poorness and hapless classs. A school that has low criterions of instruction normally produces hapless pupils. Some tutelary parent may even miss adequate money to take their kids to schools and this may be really destructive to the future employment chances of the kid for what office wor k can any one bash without academic documents. Again a kid shacking with the tutelary parents my dislike the sort of new school they have now been moved or transferred to and they therefore can make up ones mind to drop out of school therefore going one of the illiterate people in the society. It should be noted that kids who are sing parental divorce are more likely to drop out of school particularly when there is no communicating between the school and place so that there can be a good coordination if the kid is traveling to be assisted in get bying with the dislocation of the parent s matrimony. Children from the divorced households may besides neglect to make up to their academic ends because some of the kids maintain laughing or even looking down at them. This brings approximately reduced concentration whereby the kid ends up executing ill academically ( Theparentreport.com, 2010 ) . Divorce dramatically affects the socialisation of the several kids. It is tantamount to the hurting of decease of a parent. Divorce ever creates a great loss, unhappiness, confusion and heartache for the kids. For case they hate themselves and the people around them because they believe that they are the cause of the divorce and that their parents do non love them any longer. These kids besides have jobs in school and other societal countries for some have a really low regard to a point that they do non desire to be associated with other kids. Again, they think that are worthless and bad. Some kids tend to dislike association with their parents since they feel that they have let them down and others wish that they were born in stable households. Divorce can impact the kid and the effects may travel up to her maturity impacting countries such as employment relationships or even future matrimony. For case in Canada, teenage and young person females who experience divorce are associated with low regard, promiscuous behaviours such as harlotry, greater delinquent behaviours and normally have troubles in keeping the long- term relationships. They besides experience the great loss of their male parents both personally and emotionally for they feel that they ( male parents ) abandoned them because they are non fond plenty, reasonably adequate and smart plenty. Many kids from the divorced have socialisation jobs because they may miss adequate installations and resources which they used to hold. They may therefore stop up losing their long clip friends therefore missing adequate company to socialise with. There are some societal jobs which are associated with divorce. These include drug maltreatment due to the stressing experiences the kids go through as a consequence of parental divorce. Again, many end up taking drugs because they find them to be better sympathizer to their jobs compared to the people populating around them. Young females may besides prosecute in harlotry where the tutelary parent is incapable of supplying the basic demands. Other male childs and misss will prosecute in some of the activities like delinquency and offense for illustration larceny and hooliganism so that they can make full the shortage of the demands and things that their tutelary parent is unable to supply and which they were used to hold when their household was stable. Some kids may besides copy the violent and aggressive behaviours and utilize them in hassling some of their friends during some of the societal activities for illustration in school, churches and even at cantonments. Divorce can besi des take to decease through self-destruction particularly where the kids fail to get by with the station divorce results. Conclusively, I feel that kids from divorced households may on mean experience more major behavioural and psychological jobs than those kids in the integral households. The troubles that the young person and the kids experience as a consequence of the parental divorce are chiefly contributed by the loss of contact with the parents, emphasis, economic troubles, parental accommodation, interparental struggle and competency. Many divorces hamper the ability of the kids to to the full realize their ends in life due to economic jobs which bar them from progressing their faculty members to the needed criterions. Parental divorce can besides take to offenses and delinquency particularly where the kids do non hold the basic demands which they used to hold. Divorce can besides convey societal jobs such as drug maltreatment, disaffection and harlotry. Parents should guarantee that appropriate steps are taken so that kids are assisted with the station divorce results so that they may non stop u p being lifetime failures.

10 Reasons Dinosaurs Make Good Pets

10 Reasons Dinosaurs Make Good Pets Tired of the same old, same old dogs, cats and parakeets being offered for adoption by your local animal shelter? Well, dinosaurs also make wonderful pets, provided you treat them right and know what youre getting into. Here are the top 10 reasons in favor of keeping a pet dinosaur. (Not convinced? See 10 Reasons Dinosaurs Make Bad Pets.) A Pet Dinosaur Will Keep Your Home Safe... Theres nothing like a Beware the T. Rex sign out in your front yard to deter potential thieves, especially if they can glimpse your ravenous pet frosting up your bay window with its breath. Even better, you can simply underfeed your Deinonychus and tie him to a stake by your mailbox. Not only will this scare away miscreants, but youll never receive another bill again. ...and Youll Never Have to Deal with Pesky Salesmen If you live out in the burbs, youve probably seen your share of Electrolux huckstersyou know, those snappy-suited guys who barge into your home, spill a pile of dirt on your Persian carpet, and plug in their favorite appliance. You know how dogs go nuts when they see a vacuum cleaner? Well, imagine how your short-tempered Spinosaurus is likely to react. Purebred Dinosaurs Are Worth a Lot of Money True, youll have to shell out a pretty penny to buy a registered, credentialed Stegosaurus from your local dinosaur breeder. But if you manage to breed Butch with an equally impeccable female, every egg in the resulting clutch will potentially be worth thousands of dollars (assuming, of course, that your windfall isnt gobbled up by the hungry Oviraptor next door). A Pet Dinosaur Will Keep You Warm at Night Whats better than a pillow stuffed with feathers? Why, a dinosaur covered with feathers, the thicker and fluffier, the better. The trouble is, most feathered dinosaurs tend to be petite in size, so youll have to accumulate anywhere from eight to 10 Khaans to keep extra-cozy. Just pretend that youre a crazy cat lady, and keep plenty of litter nearby. Youll Earn Back Your Investment with Movie and TV Spots Hollywood casting agents are always on the lookout for the next Barney or Dino. If your pet dinosaur is cute, even-tempered and only slightly smarter than a lamppost, dont be surprised if you land a multi-episode sitcom deal. Just be sure to stay away from vehicles involving Tom Green, Pauly Shore or any ex-cast-members from Seinfeld. You Can Train Your Pet Dinosaur to Perform Various Tasks Okay, lets be realistic: theres no way youre going to teach your pet Apatosaurus to answer the phone or do your laundry. However, with intensive effort, you may be able to train your dinosaur to impersonate a piece of furniture, a la The Flintstones. (Were not talking complicated furniture, like a reclining chair; think more along the lines of a giant beanbag.) Youll Have Tons and Tons of Fertilizer Some time around late middle age, most people are inclined to take up gardeningeither in their backyards, on their windowsills or in high-tech hydroponic nurseries. Well, just imagine the beets, cucumbers, and tomatoes you can grow once you fertilize your garden with fresh Triceratops droppings. Youll have so much poop, you can even sell it to (or throw it at) the neighbors! A Pet Dinosaur Will Make You Look More Manly... Are you a gentle, tweed-wearing ectomorph who frequents smoke-free coffee houses and only drinks fair-trade coffee? Well, when youre out on the town with your pet Allosaurus, women will look at you like youre the reincarnation of Patrick Swayze. (In order to maintain this illusion, though, you should try not to let your pet dinosaur eat you or drag you along on its leash.) ...While a Smaller Breed Will Accent Your Feminine Wiles Even the frumpiest Kardashian turns positively glamorous when shes toting a poodle in her backpackso just imagine the pose youll strike with a Compsognathus stuffed in your Dooney Bourke handbag, or an Archaeopteryx perched on your shoulder. Just try to avoid wee ectomorphic PhDs being dragged by their leashed Allosauruses, lest the feathers fly. You Can Keep Your Pet Dinosaur Safely Outside One hundred million years of evolution have made dinosaurs remarkably self-sufficient, to the extent that you can keep your pet Iguanodon in the backyard almost indefinitely, provided you feed it every now and then. Dont have a backyard? Just knock on your neighbors door and introduce him to your pet Utahraptor; nature will take care of the rest.

Holistic - Concept Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Holistic - Concept Analysis - Essay Example The American Holistic Nurses’ Association (AHNA), 1994, explains health as â€Å"the maintenance of harmony and balance among body, mind, and spirit† (White, 2005, p.32). Through a process of continuous adaptation, the body endeavors to achieve balance or stability termed as ‘homeostasis’ among these factors. Internal physiological homeostasis is a balance of the body’s fluids. It is crucial for nurses to understand how the combining of all aspects of a person’s life help clients through healing processes. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper to undertake a concept analysis of the term ‘holistic’ through an integrated literature review, by identifying the attributes of the concept, and by illustrating the concept through a model case with supporting rationale. The Concept of ‘Holistic’ The holistic approach involves the whole picture. The Merriam-Webster (2011) dictionary defines holistic as concerned with whol es or complete systems rather than with the analysis, treatment, or separation into parts. Thus, holistic medicine relates to the treatment of both mind and body, while holistic ecology views humans and the environment as a single system. Further, the complete wholeness of something is much greater than the total sum of its component parts, and cannot be explained by examining each of its separate parts (Encyclo, 2011). The use of a holistic approach to treatment is gradually being used in combination with mainstream methods of patient care. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) to examine holistic modalities of treatment and patient care. According to the National Institutes of Health, holistic care takes into consideration the whole person â€Å"including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects† (White, 2005, p.32). The main purpose of examining holistic care is to facilitate the integration of validated therapies into general patient care. The nurse using the holistic approach enables the patient to attain the optimal state for healing to take place. Further, as an instrument of healing, the holistic nurse healer facilitates the patient’s growth towards wholeness of mind, body and spirit. Holistic nursing calls for â€Å"deeper levels of commitment, compassion, love, and caring† (Dossey & Keegan, 2009, p.xv). According to Guzzetta (1998), holistic nursing is composed of caring, spiritualit, synchronicity, expanded consciousness, culture, environment and several other factors. Holistic care aims to heal the whole person using art and science to activate the innate healing potential within individuals, thus empowering the patient (Dunning, 2009). The Attributes that Define the Concept of ‘Holistic’ The holistic means of patient care that are used in nursing include biofeedback, exercise and movement, goal-setting, humor and laughte r, imagery, journaling, massage, play therapy, prayer, and therapeutic touch (White, 2005). The holistic model of nursing also has other attributes including a search for patterns and causes instead of treatment of symptoms of any disease; patient care is integrated and related to the entire patient, rather than specialized care. The emphasis is on human values rather than on efficiency (Dossey, 1997). Further, the nurse’s caring forms an essential component of healing; pain and disease are considered to be valuable signals of

Law and the Media Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law and the Media - Case Study Example The reason that was given for this was that it seemed that these file-sharing companies were not innocent by reason of lack of knowledge as they had, The court unanimously agreed that "distributors of technology that enables copyright infringement can be found liable for their users' actions, but only if a plaintiff can point to evidence that the distributor took "affirmative steps" to foster infringement."4 The court also said that actual knowledge was required to prove that these ISPs (Internet Service Providers) were liable for the copyright infringement. It is misleading to call this case "Grokster" because this company and the other jointly accused companies opted for an out of court settlement with the plaintiffs and Steam Cast was the only company that decided to go on to contest the case. This company then moved for a summary judgement at the US District Court for the Central District of California, and was not allowed to keep its communications and business plans privileged and confidential. It was found that Stream Cast was guilty of devising the Morpheus software and the Open Nap network to find itself the same consumer base as Napster. Its open advertising to promote its business and blatantly allowed its users to infringe copyrights of Music companies and was even guilty of encouraging and assisting them in such means. The whole business model was based on copyright infringement according to the presiding Judge Wilson5 .The Company was freely distributing this software and relying on sponsor revenues. The fact that it took no "meaningful" steps to halt its activities or prevent its customers from doing so . The only flimsy excuse that the company had was that it had given a warning to its customers in its user-agreement, yet it did little to enforce this agreement. Judge Wilson said in his concluding speech that, "This court finds that no reasonable fact finder can conclude that Stream Cast provided Open Nap services and distributed Morpheus [software] without the intent to induce infringement".6 Legal issues and academic opinion arising from the case The age of information technology has made the internet the copyright infringer's playground. The convenience and low cost at which this has been done has prompted the law enforcement authorities to stand up to the challenges of the protection of intellectual property rights .This problem arose in the case of peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing. This judgement has given a new dimension to the law of Copyright.

Motivational Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Motivational Plan - Research Paper Example This is based on the identification of the factors that are in correlation to values, emotions and attitude of the team members. The paper also offers a summary of the different modes of identifying the factors and providing conclusions that are overtly related to influencing the performance of the team positively. There has been a focus on business design as a necessary component of motivating a team in an organization. In order to achieve motivation, performance and satisfaction, every organization needs to have a working design. Through having a working design, there is a boost to the effectiveness of a given team. However, the behavior of the term is shaped by the individuals’ values, personalities, emotions and attitudes. Working as a mentor that manages a Shipping Department for Athletic Equipment, there is a need to have a grip on these matters and get to understand, evaluate and analyze the different attributes of each and every team member. This is the means through which effective work design and efficient team layout can be put in place. Moreover, having individuals with different personalities, attitudes and emotions mean there is s need for the establishment of a comprehensive motivational plan. For instance, at the department, there are three individuals with different per sonalities (Keller, 2009). Pursia and Cleveland are impressed while Lydia is an interactive person. This, therefore, implies a need for a comprehensive motivational plan if the potential of the team members is to be exploited. Worthy to note is the fact that those team members who seem not too ecstatic about their work are more often not comfortable with the concept of the team. In order to build a progressive team, one needs to use personalities, values, attitudes and the emotions of the employees in order to motivate the performance of the team. Attitude refers to the perception of an individual with regards to other people, items or events. Attitude can

Economical Impacts of Earthquakes on Society Annotated Bibliography

Economical Impacts of Earthquakes on Society - Annotated Bibliography Example By outlining the factors according to the importance, the authors have been able to discuss the involvement of community in the whole process of re-building and constructing the society in broader manner to tackle the issues like massive destruction that can be faced when an earthquake hit the country. This website discusses the Hazard US model for estimating the various impacts of earthquake including the economic impact of the same. This model is a unique model as it can allow to estimate the impact if earthquake happen in future including assessing the structural damage that can happen as a result of any earthquake. This book basically discusses the scientific analysis of the earthquakes from geological point of view and attempt to outline the various scientific tools and methods available that can be utilized to study the various impacts of earthquakes on the society. Discussing purely from the point of geology, this book also narrates the various economic implications of the earthquake on the society. This book also discusses the historical perspectives of the earthquakes and their overall impacts on the society as and when such large catastrophic events took place. This webpage discusses very thoroughly the various scientific basis of the earthquake, how happens and what are the different internal processes that actually happen within the crust of the earthquake to cause the damage. This webpage also discusses the societal impact of earthquakes including discussing as to how society and individual perceive the earthquakes and its dynamic impacts on the society. This study outlines the overall preparedness of the society in the wake of earthquake by studying the San Francisco earthquake. The results of this survey indicate that the overall preparedness of the individuals is at its minimum and authorities need to create a strong awareness regarding the potential impacts of the earthquake on the society and what should be the

Changes in Intercollegiate Athletic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Changes in Intercollegiate Athletic - Assignment Example The participation of gaming at colleges has to lead to the formation of national teams taking part in Olympics, tournaments, and creation of professional leagues. The paper dwells on the discussion on changes that have taken place in the intercollegiate athletic. Introduction of athletic scholarship among universities has seen many students discover and nurture their talents besides seeking education. The opportunity has improved sports activities among students, encouraging more female scholars to take up athletic practices. Arianne & Zullo estimates that 78 percent of athletics in universities enroll on scholarship from research done in Penn State. School sports help in achieving education mission as the team such as basketball, hockey development innovative programs that aid in instilling discipline and hard work among scholars. Provision of incentives to athletics and distribution of funds to institutions belonging to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has resulted in the commercialization of sporting activities. Lavish spending is among the main problems facing college sports because many universities pour a large amount of money on types of equipment and facilities in order to produce excellent players in soccer, basket ball forgetting to adhere to the institution’s budget. Failure to plan sports’ events has seen colleges run in sports deficit because funds are to cater for scholarship as well as support sporting, forcing the state and donor to offset the debts even worse use fee levied from all students. In the recent past, athletic achievement has been recognized in the job market thus creating an opportunity for the participants rather than dwell on academics performance alone. The experience both educational and athletic earned during the tenure is essential in the everyday life.

The Importance of Developing and Using Cultural Stereotypes to Improve Essay - 1

The Importance of Developing and Using Cultural Stereotypes to Improve Cross-Cultural Communication - Essay Example Throughout history, humans have experienced both fascinations with and trepidation towards the other - understood as different nationalities, but also [as] any group of people perceived as different - perhaps in terms of so-called ethnicity, religion, political alignment, class or caste, or gender (Eunson, 2005). Thus, communication techniques should be based on certain cultural stereotypes, which should be taken into account in intercultural communication. The given paper will prove that learning and developing cultural stereotypes will help improve intercultural communication. It is determined that individual from a certain state may apply his own communication techniques during business negotiations or simply communicating with people from the foreign country he visited on vacation (Carbaugh, 1990). His behavior may not be typical for the country he arrived in. This atypicalness may cause difficulties or even frustration. In negotiations, for example, there can be dramatic differences in the way people define their opening positions, use tactics, persuade and listen. Even the practice of haggling over a price is an integral part of some cultures - which many revel in and Thus, the study of cultural stereotypes is necessary for effective cross-cultural communication. If one makes attempts to generalize about the behavior of people from the certain culture, he may need to identify, which age or society group of that particular culture he analyses. The region of the country a person came from should be also taken into account (York, 1994). Though it is necessary to learn and develop cultural stereotypes, this process contains a lot of difficulties that should be overcome. Scientists create special models to help overcome these difficulties (Mearns, 2009). When the primary variant of Hofstede's model of culture was introduced in the 1980s, it drew the attention of many scientists at once. The approach of the model is unique, and it is significant not only because of considering definite cultures but for making comparisons (Fishburn, 1995).

Changes in Intercollegiate Athletic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Changes in Intercollegiate Athletic - Assignment Example The participation of gaming at colleges has to lead to the formation of national teams taking part in Olympics, tournaments, and creation of professional leagues. The paper dwells on the discussion on changes that have taken place in the intercollegiate athletic. Introduction of athletic scholarship among universities has seen many students discover and nurture their talents besides seeking education. The opportunity has improved sports activities among students, encouraging more female scholars to take up athletic practices. Arianne & Zullo estimates that 78 percent of athletics in universities enroll on scholarship from research done in Penn State. School sports help in achieving education mission as the team such as basketball, hockey development innovative programs that aid in instilling discipline and hard work among scholars. Provision of incentives to athletics and distribution of funds to institutions belonging to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has resulted in the commercialization of sporting activities. Lavish spending is among the main problems facing college sports because many universities pour a large amount of money on types of equipment and facilities in order to produce excellent players in soccer, basket ball forgetting to adhere to the institution’s budget. Failure to plan sports’ events has seen colleges run in sports deficit because funds are to cater for scholarship as well as support sporting, forcing the state and donor to offset the debts even worse use fee levied from all students. In the recent past, athletic achievement has been recognized in the job market thus creating an opportunity for the participants rather than dwell on academics performance alone. The experience both educational and athletic earned during the tenure is essential in the everyday life.

Individual Analytical Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual Analytical Report - Essay Example The internet pluralizes and expands the public sphere in various manners. The paper then moves on forward to the dimension of interaction in the public sphere, with emphasis on how public sphere internet deliberation proceeds in the political communication’s contemporary environment. Deliberative democracy is then examined in the analytic category. Civic cultures offer an alternative to the comprehension of online discussion of politics significance. The internet continues to have an enormous informational role in political communications. Public sphere is a constellation of a society’s communicative spaces, which allow the circulation of ideas, information, and debates, which are delivered in an unfettered manner. It also allows for the formation of political will and public opinion. These spaces, in which both the more recent interactive media and the mass media are prominently figured, serve as communicative links facilitators between the societal power holders and t he citizens (Alasuutari, 1999 p98). The term is utilized in singular form, although the plural form is pointed at by sociological realism. In differentiated large-scale societies, in the late modern era, especially in societies penetrated by globalization, the public sphere is understood as constituted of numerous different spaces. It constitutes of three main dimensions; representation, structures, and interaction. Structural dimension consists of formal institutional features (Anderson, 2003 p134). These include media organizations and their ownership, political economy, control, legal frameworks, regulations, and issues affecting financing. The dimension of representation is referent to the media’s output including that of the mass media and â€Å"minimedia† that have small groups as their target, especially promotional material and newsletters. All the familiar criteria and questions can be raised here concerning media output for political communication (Asen, 2001 p 109). These include fairness, completeness, accuracy, setting of agenda, pluralism of views and ideological tendencies. For the interaction dimension, there exist two aspects (Asen, 2001 p109). First is the encounter of the media with the citizens, and the process of communication that makes sense, interprets and uses the output. The second part has to do with the interaction between the citizens. This could include large meetings or two-way conversation. Contemporary democracies have been facing difficulty, with the evidence showing that issues regarding public sphere’s representations, structures and interaction modes (Baker, 2002 p 78). Democracy’s poor health came into sharp focus at the same time as the internet’s rapid leadership of media revolution. These two phenomena were connected optimistically. Traditional political communication systems were destabilised by late modern societal changes. This was attributed to an increase in socio-cultural heterog eneity, massive increase in channels and media outlets, an increase in political mediators and political advocates like consultants and experts, growing disengagement and cynicism among citizens, and the emergence of cacophony due to media abundance (Beck, 1997 p178). Citizens belonging to more than one culture or group must find spaces for meaningful participation (Bennett, 2003a p199). This is due to the current trend for pluralism and the

Implementing A Nursing Dementia Care Bundle Tool Nursing Essay

Implementing A Nursing Dementia Care Bundle Tool Nursing Essay The purpose of this paper is to complete a diagnostic assessment and analysis to determine organisational readiness for an evidence-based service change linked to an action plan within Outer North East London Community Services (ONEL CS) Inpatient Unit within the London Borough of Havering. This paper will discuss how change can be achieved through completion of a diagnostic analysis. The evidence based change to be implemented and discussed in the paper, is the introduction of a Dementia Care bundle to improve dementia nursing care on the inpatient wards within Havering ONELCS. Through the use of a service improvement audit conducted within the Inpatient Unit; this paper will reflect upon the application of research methodologies that can support the diagnostic analysis; and the development and implementation of the action plan developed to achieve service innovation. The paper begins by giving the background information on the area of health care selected for review and service innovation. This will include the rationale for choosing this area, it importance and the explanation and definition of the key terms that will be used throughout the paper. The process by which the literature review was conducted will be detailed so that it could be replicated by the reader where necessary. Following on from this, the evidence pertaining to the chosen area of health care will be critically appraised to identify its merit in informing the diagnostic analysis assessment. Diagnostic analysis is the process of gathering information prior to the implementation of change, and is designed to identify the barriers and facilitators for change within an organisation; assessing organisational readiness for change (Hamilton, McLaren and Hamilton 2007). Theories and models relating to organisational change will be discussed; with the aim to informing and developing a strategy or action plan tailored to the local context for implementation. Background Dementia care is generally often overlooked on the acute inpatient hospital wards (Leung and Todd 2010). Up to 70% of acute hospital beds are occupied by older people (Department of Health (DOH) 2001; Alzheimers Society 2009). It is estimated that up to a of these patients, up to half of these patients in general acute care at any one time may have cognitive impairment including delirium and dementia (Royal College of Psychiatrists 2005). The unacceptable variation in the quality of dementia care provided on general wards in hospitals across England is well documented in numerous reports such as the Counting the Cost: Caring for people with Dementia on Hospital Wards report(Alzheimers Society 2009). The Healthcare for London: A framework for Action document (2007) and the National Audit Office report Improving services and support for people with dementia (2007), highlight the fact that services were not provided consistently well across London for people with dementia and their care rs; that people with dementia in general hospitals have worst outcomes in terms of length of stay, mortality and institutionalisation. Patients with dementia and their carers experience, have confirmed the above reports: patient feedback has highlighted an urgent need for research into care for older persons in general hospitals as is recently reported in media reports and Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman(2011) report investigating ten complaints into National Health Service(NHS) care of older people. Furthermore the National Audit Office(NOA) report (NOA 2007) provides potent evidence of the current costs of care for those with dementia diagnosis in the hospital setting; and highlights that acute general hospitals are not delivering a value for money service. As results of all this evidence the National Dementia Strategy (DOH 2009) (- a five year plan to transform dementia care) was developed by the Department of Health. It is against this backdrop that this paper was developed; to focus on the improving dementia nursing care provided on the inpatient wards by implementing a dementia nursing care bundle.. Definition of key terms: For the purpose of this paper key terms have been defined in particular the meaning of Dementia and care bundles. What is Dementia? The term dementia is used to describe a collection of symptoms, a syndrome which includes changes in memory, reasoning and communication skills, with a gradual loss of ability to carry out daily activities (Alzheimers Society 2009, Commissioning Support for London 2009; DOH 2009 NDS-a/b). There are a number of different types of dementia; with the most common being Alzheimers disease that accounts for about 60% of cases (Gupta, Fiertag and Warner 2009). The different types of dementia are outlined in Appendix one. Dementia in Havering- the local picture Dementia presents a unique challenge for London; with estimates of around 65000 people over the age of 65 in London diagnosed with dementia(Commissioning Support for London 2009); projections suggest that the number of people over 80 in London with dementia can be expected to rise by almost 50 per cent to 96000 by 2030(POPPI 2010). Dementia is an under-diagnosed condition in the London Borough of Havering. This paper focuses on improving inpatient nursing care delivered for dementia patients at St Georges Hospital. St Georges Hospital is a community hospital within Havering. Predominately for patients aged 65 and over it consists of a day hospital and 45 in-patient beds across two wards. There is one rehabilitation/assessment ward; and a stroke unit. In common with all members of the community, people with dementia can become physically unwell and require general hospital care. St Georges Hospital admits patients with dementia from the neighbouring acute hospital, Barking Havering and Redbridge University Hospital NHS Trust. Demographic changes and an ageing population in Havering mean there will be a disproportionate increase in the common conditions of old age, such as cancer, stroke, and dementia. A Freedom of Information (FOI) Request revealed that the estimated number of people with dementia is 1015. this represents 0.4% of all registered General Practitioner population and is below the national average of 1.1%. This figure is anticipated to rise and as is outlined by Appendix two. The evidenced based change to be introduced is a nursing dementia care bundle with the aim of improving the nursing care provided on the inpatient wards. What Is A Care Bundle? A care bundle is an evidence based protocol (Resar, Pronovost and Haraden, Simmonds, Rainey and Nolan 2005). Successfully used in Critical Care; it is a collection of interventions (usually three to five) that may be applied to the management of a particular condition (Fulbrook, and Mooney 2003, Resar, Pronovost Harden et al 2005; Belt 2006). The theory behind care bundles is that when several evidence-based interventions are grouped together in a single protocol, it will improve patient outcome (Resar, Pronovost and Haraden, et al 2005). The concept of care bundles was introduced by the NHS Modernisation Agency (DOH 2004) and continues to be fully supported by the Department of Health. A heavy reliance on the use of care bundles is evidenced the development and recent review of High Impact Interventions in reducing Healthcare Associated Infections by the Department of Health(DOH 2010). Although most specialities are using care bundles for the dementia care they are relatively a new concept. It is expected that by grouping dementia related evidence based practices or interventions together, within a single protocol that guides patient management, the overall quality of care nursing care delivered to dementia patients will improve. A dementia nursing care bundle has been developed by the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, through a freedom of Information (FOI) Request (Appendix three); a copy was requested and was to be locally adapted for the inpatient unit at St Georges Hospital ONELCS-Havering. Method of Searching for Literature An electronic search of the literature was undertaken on dementia care on hospital wards on the 30th of January 2011. Using an Athens NHS Log in details and advanced search of healthcare databases using the  Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) was completed. Appendix four outlines how literature was identified and selected for appraisal. Literature Review: The evidenced based change to be introduced is a nursing dementia care bundle with the aim of improving the nursing care provided on the inpatient wards. The current health care policy context and recent national reports along with initiatives, have recognised the need to improve care in hospitals on general wards; these include the Lord Darzi report, High Quality Care for all (DOH 2008); the National Service Framework for Older People'(DOH) and the National Institute of Clinical Excellence(NICE) dementia clinical guidelines(NICE/Social Care Institute of Excellence(SCIE) 2006). Increasingly there has been a move towards a more focused attention on dementia care in the acute setting (Alzheimers Society 2009). Delivering nursing care for people with dementia is a challenging (Borbasi , Jones , Lockwood and Emden 2006) and stressful task (Cunningham and Archibald 2006). Behaviours associated with dementia include wandering, agitation, aggression and resistance to care (Prtichard and Dewing 2001, Cunningham 2006, Cordwell 2010). It is expected that these behaviours will change with time however this is dependent on the type of dementia (Insel and Badger 2002). As a patients dependency increases, their care becomes more complex and demands more direct nursing time for both patients, relatives and or carer(Cunningham 2006). Given the challenges of caring for patients with dementia and their at most time their inability to communicate care needs or report concerns about care, they are at risk of suboptimal care, neglect, or abuse(Ballard, Fossey, Chithramohan, Howard, Burns, Thompson, Tadros and Fairbairn 2001, Ouldred and Roberts 2004, Sturdy 2010). This can leave nurses experiencing stress wh en trying to respond to such behaviour (Burgess and Page 2003). Following on from this, researchers (Cunningham and Archibald 2006, James and Hodnett 2009) write that the rapid nature and capacity demands of general hospital care; the focus of care is strongly geared towards treating acute medical problems, discharging patients and meeting the demands of the service such as staffing levels, fast turnover of patients; these alone present challenges to nursing staff in the hospital environment. Patients with dementia may find this difficult to conform and adapt to rapid treatment protocols and to a dominant culture of curing the patient(Archibald 2002, 2003); for example they may find the regular ward moves confusing; the busy, noisy clinical wards frightening and stressful for people with dementia; adversely affecting how they behave (Schofield and Dewing 2001, Cunningham and Christie 2009, Dewing 2009). Cunningham (2006) goes so far as to suggest that dementia patients can feel disempowered, infantilized and intimidated; and the likelihood of thi s increases in busy hospital settings. What is clear is that the hospital staff; faced with the challenges of decreasing length of stay statistics, creating capacity, meeting other performance targets dementia patients present a challenge to nursing staff; leaving them at risk of receiving sub-optimal care. Sub-optimal care- for someone who is frail and vulnerable with a dementia diagnosis, and needing additional time and support from nursing staff, with perhaps displaying behavior which is not perceived as normal by staff, can be seen as difficult(Cunningham 2006). Norman (2006) found that nurses perceptions of the person with dementia were central to whether their experience was positive or negative in hospitals settings. A study conducted by the Alzheimers Society (2009) reported that almost nine out of ten respondents working with dementia patients do not have enough time to spend with patients and provide one to one care. Nolan (2006, 2007) and Cordwell(2010) recognize that although nurses strive to provide optimum care they find that practically day to day- this is not always achievable. It is interesting that Archibald (2006a, 2006b) in his work noted that outcomes for dementia patients are usually poor, they note that nutrition, hydration, pain management, communication needs a re often overlooked. Other studies confirm that dementia patients have the worst outcomes in relation to length of stay and mortality(Sampson, Gould and Lee 2006, Sampson, Blanchard and Jones 2009) Whilst this is not surprising, the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman report (2011)Care and Compassion found similar outcomes for in their report on ten investigations into NHS care of older people. Fennessy (2007) writes that this should be expected as dementia care is often carried out in general hospital settings and not in designated dementia units where specialist knowledge is available to help manage these challenges effectively. Furthermore, a lack of knowledge and understanding among nurses on how to respond to dementia-related challenging behaviour is also likely to contribute to the provision of sub-optimal care (Fennessey 2007). Packer (2001) suggests that few staff understand what dementia is and how to cope with the behaviour that can ensue. The primary aim of this work is to support frontline staff in changing practice-improving dementia care delivered within the inpatient unit by introducing a dementia care bundle. Completing a diagnostic analysis will identify barriers and facilitators to implementing this tool. METHODOLOGY NICE (2007) guidance on changing practice, suggests that a number of methods can be used to assess barriers to change. They suggest that a choice of methods should be based upon local context, resources and the number of staff(NICE 2007). Previous studies (Pollock, Legg, Langhorne and Sellars 2000; Davis, Jamison , Brumley, Engu and Danos 2006; Solomons,and Spross 2011) in their work exploring barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence based change; utilising diagnostic analysis identified a mixed methods approach to be of benefit in planning for successful implementation of the planned change. Following on from this Solomons and Spross (2011) write that the chosen method should be valid and reliable; the choice of model will depend mostly on what the target for change is and the group involved in changing (Lewin 1951, Bennis, Benne and Chinn 1985, Haffer 1986). The mixed method approach was therefore chosen for this diagnostic analysis. The premise behind the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods would allow the researcher to best answer the research question or problem(Andrew and Halcomb 2009); specifically for this paper, it would allow the researcher to capture the multiple realities and the various individual staff perspectives that made up the social situation of dementia care at the Trust. The notion of multiple realities was important in this work (Lincoln and Guba 1985), the use of a mixed methodology, would allow the researcher to capture the views of both the powerful stakeholders/decision makers as well as the frontline staff. Furthermore it had the potential to add breadth, rigor and credibility (Cresswell 2002/2009). Cresswell, Vicki and Clark (2011) write that mixed method designs combine the benefits of qualitative methods and quantitative methods to create a more complete picture. The study received Audit approval from the ONEL CS Audit department as well as sign off by the Associate Director of Operations Havering. Three data collection methods were used: as part of the triangulation of data, documentary analysis was conducted; focus groups was held along with a questionnaire, that was circulated to all staff involved with dementia care at the 2 inpatient wards at St Georges Hospital Documentary analysis: Documentary analysis was completed on six authentic, verifiable Trust documents in the public domain to obtain evidence on supporting evidence-based practice, clinical effectiveness, organisational priorities and quality outcomes. The range of documents analysed included the ONEL CS Monthly Board report for December 2010, ONELCS Trust profile online, Havering Primary Care Trust (PCT) Human Resources and Organisational development strategy(2005-2008);ONELCS Clinical Audit and Policy strategy(2009), Havering PCT Education Training and Development Strategy( 2008-2011) and the ONEL CS five-year vision for health service delivery-Intergrated Business plan(2009-2014). Documentary data was abstracted and analysed thematically. Focus groups: Focus groups were used to elicit the views and experiences of professional staff who would be affected by changes in implementing the dementia care bundle. Andrew and Halcomb(2009) write that focus groups can capture the particularities and breadths of opinions about a particular topic; and are useful as they provide the social context of how opinions are formulated. The participants, eight staff with strategic or operational accountability for aspects of inpatient care were purposively sampled. In attendance was a Ward Manager, Modern Matron, Medical Senior House Officer, Practice Development Lead, Physiotherapist and 3 ward- based staff nurses. The focus group focused on organisational culture, dementia assessment, and documentation. The focus group schedule was semi- structured, containing sequential questions exploring staff experiences caring for dementia patients from the time of admission to discharge, focusing on care processes, satisfaction with care delivered, activities of daily living, physical problems/challenges encountered, and the awareness of these potential problems on assessment. The focus group was tape-recorded and transcribed with the permission of the participants, and analysed thematically. Questionnaire The study population consisted of 90 staff members who regularly participated in the care of dementia patients. This included registered nurses, nursing health care assistants, clinical administration staff and inpatient therapy staff. The questionnaire chosen for this work used was the approved Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire developed by Lintern, Woods Phair (2000); a Likert-type instrument with 19 items. The ADQ measures hopefulness and person-centered approaches. The ADQ questions were graded on a Likert scale of response alternatives including: strongly agree, agree, uncertain, disagree and strongly disagree. A copy of the questionnaire is included in appendix five. The ADQ is made up of two domains: the hope attitude items and the person -centred attitude items (Lintern 2001). The hope attitude items were measured with eight questions, whereas the person-centred caring attitude items were measured with 11 questions. The dimension of hope is made up of questions relating to the participants thoughts about characteristic disease-related features, for example there is no hope for people with dementia, or dementia sufferers are sick and need to be looked after. A person-centred attitude was indicated by a response in the positive to questions such as It is important for people with dementia to have stimulating and enjoyable activities to occupy their time and people with dementia are more likely to be contented when treated with understanding and reassurance. Questionnaires, with an accompanying memorandum, were then sent to the Ward Managers to distribute the memorandum to staff, who were directly involved in the daily care of persons with dementia; including administration staff. The memorandum outlined the aim of the project, provided brief information about the aims of the questionnaire. The questionnaires were collected after two weeks. Reminder letters were sent to non-respondents with another copy of the questionnaire. Results Data Analysis The researcher took an interpretative approach to analyse the data for themes (Grbich 2007). Following verbatim transcription of the focus groups, each transcript was read several times to determine what is going on here. That is, what meanings, values and intentions were coming through and what competing or alternative perspectives are being put forward? The Data were then classified into themes. Results Documentary analysis: three themes were identified: 1. Innovative forward thinking organisation 2. Staff training, development and empowerment 3. Improving patient health and care Theme one Innovative forward thinking organisation The ONELCS Trust Profile on online provides a clear and concise vision; ONELCS clearly pride themselves as forward thinking and innovative; this is noted in their Integrated Business Plan and online profile, so much so that the organisation is described as: In our view ONEL CS is an exemplar of a community provider organisation. It is believed that this ethos benefits both patients and staff; with delivering quality care to patients at the heart of the organisation. Theme two Staff training, development and empowerment A strong emphasis on staff training and development was identified in all the documents analysed, explicit commitment to training and development was demonstrated in all documents reviewed. A high profile was given to education as part of continuing professional development, and explicit links were made between education and improved patient care. Education was also presented as creating a positive environment that would improve staff recruitment. ONELCS is committed to involving staff engagement in shaping the organisation and ensuring improvements in patient care. Valuing people involves developing education, training and career pathways that focus on individual as well as organisational need and demonstrate an appreciation of the staff and the vital role they have in ensuring quality services. (Organisational Development and Human Resources Strategy 2005-2008) Strategically the Trust publicly shows its support from board level to ensuring all staff have equal access to training and development opportunities to meet the requirements of the Knowledge and Skills Framework. This commitment to the ethos of lifelong learning is demonstrated in their Training and development policys the online Trust profile. Again staff development is linked to delivering and developing a quality service for patients: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ It should enable the Trust to deliver its strategic aims and objectives, through a workforce and organisation that is competent, motivated and confident to continuously learn, change and develop in order to deliver high quality and responsive patient care and services. (Education, Training and Development Strategy 2008-2011) While there was clear support for education and training none was demonstrated for research and research development. Theme three Improving patient health and care The Integrated Business Plan (2009-2011) ONELCS shows a commitment to Improving patient health and care; it hasà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ always been our priority. Our vision is that ONELCS will be an independent organisation that delivers consistent and excellent healthcare, proven to be safe and effective. The organisation emonstrates that it supports evidence-based practice and initiatives identifying opportunities to change practice and to improve the quality of patient care. The Clinical Audit Policy (ONEL CS 2009)is concise in describing the organisations objectives: It is the responsibility of all health professionals to critically review their work to ensure care is given according to the best available evidence. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.The Objectives for 2009-2011 are: Ensure that audit results lead to changes in clinical practice and inform policy and training needs. Focus groups Four themes were identified: dementia knowledge and skills, attitude towards dementia patients and organisational change- constant change at the Trust Theme one: dementia knowledge: skills and assessments Lack of knowledge and understanding about dementia and the needs of dementia was strong theme. Both qualified and unqualified staff (HCSW and RGN) expressed: I am not even sure what having dementia meansà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.are there different types of dementia Staff commented that they had not received dementia specific training The assessment of dementia patients was fragmented, separately documented, and lacked cohesion. Medical staff in their patient clerking- noted a diagnosis; nursing and therapy staff in their individual initial assessments noted dementia diagnosis. One Registered Nurse asked the following: do we actually provide personalised dementia care that we can evidence; for example in our care plans? Currently the teams have no specific dementia documentation such as care plans for dementia care. The medical teams utilise The Abbreviated Mental Test( Hodkinson 1972) whilst the therapy teams utilise the Mini Mental State Examination(Folstein, Folstein and McHugh 1975) validated assessment tools Furthermore the staff felt that the teams could have specialist links with the community mental health teams to obtain specialist training and assessments and to develop dementia champions. Theme two: Multidisciplinary working Staff expressed the multidisciplinary team working was not working well and would impact on improving dementia care. Staff present at the focus group, acknowledged that comprehensive multidisciplinary working did not occur, The level of multidisciplinary working varies, they could work better on the for dementia patients'(registered nurse) Lack of communication was highlighted as a major issues as part of multidisciplinary working, with mixed views expressed :the nursing staff expressed that .. Its hard keeping track of patients, theres no dedicated Dementia care pathway, thats the problem, if there was a specific pathway/guidance it would be so much easier for all staff to liaise with therapists and other professionalsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Theme three: Organisational change Participants expressed that organisation changes were most recently frequent and difficult to understand; the concept of Change fatigue came to mind. Currently the organisation has a new management structure, at present the inpatient wards are participating in an consultation with reduction in substantive posts Staff do not feel they are involved in current management decisions Staff expressed that there was limited communication and moral amongst staff was very low; furthermore, shortages of nursing staff were evident. we do not know what is going on Too many changes at present and these are poorly communicated first TUPE transfer to NELFT, then Reducing managing costs consultation, now inpatient reduction beds consultation all within 3 monthsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. No one listens to usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦staffing levels are being reduced and we cannot provide the care we want to The general consensus from participants was that the Trust responded positively to change and that this was a constant feature of working in the NHS. Staff are open to change and understand that change is the nature of the NHS Many exemplars of well-managed change were cited, including the implementation of the Productive Ward Series, where staff were fully involved in the programme. Key characteristics of these changes were good communication, planning, involvement of staff, and training provided prior to implementation. Questionnaires: A total of 90 questionnaires were distributed. Initially, there were 33 respondents (36.7%), however, this rose to 43.3% after the reminder memorundum was sent (n = 39). Hence, a total of 39 (43.3%) respondents were included in the study. Thirty of the respondents (76.9%) were clinical staff, 4 (10.3%) were Non clinical administration staff and 5 (12.8%) respondents did not identify their role. . Hope attitude Items Where the positive hope attitude was obvious, more staff members selected it and this is evident in the response to statement 5- Nothing can be done for people with dementia, except for keeping them clean and comfortable where 62.9% of the respondents strongly disagreed. However when it was not so obvious, there emerged a variety of responses. Consider the statement People with dementia are unable to make decisions for themselves; a variety of responses are obtained. People with dementia are unable to make decisions for themselves Answer Options Response Percent 1 strongly disagree 25.7% 2 disagree 25.7% 3 neither agree nor disagree 25.7% 4 agree 14.3% 5 strongly agree 8.6% dont know 0.0% answered question skipped question This is a similar outcome for the remaining 7 hope attitude questions. With the remaining 7 of the questions, almost equal numbers of respondents agreed or disagreed with hope and non-hope approaches. Consider the question Dementia sufferers are sick and need to be looked after- are dementia sufferers sick? And in what sense are they sick? Those questions pose a dilemma and therefore it is not surprising that the respondents show this in the data below. Dementia sufferers are sick and need to be looked after Answer Options Response Percent 1 strongly disagree 17.1% 2 disagree 17.1% 3 neither agree not disagree 20.0% 4 Agree 14.3% 5 Strongly agree 31.4% dont know 0.0% answered question skipped question This again demonstrates the lack of consistency in the choices of approach, with some choosing the best considered approach and some not. It also highlights a need for further development of understanding and knowledge of the best available approach to caring for those with dementia as almost half the respondents agreed or strongly agreed the non-hope items for each of these questions. This indicated that staff have some knowledge and ability in delivering dementia positive care, but that this is usually only evident where this is a clear option. When it is a less obvious choice, some dilemmas are raised. The hope attitude items are characteristics of disease related features;, the responses suggest that indeed, some staff may have limited specific dementia care awareness and skills or perhaps there are areas of practice or experience that gives them some understanding of the dementia; it is remains clear that there is a gap in their knowledge. This supports the premise that more learning is required. Person Centred Attitude Items Responses to 9 out of the 11 person centred attitude items were strongly positive; and as they were obvious the responses were selected by most staff members. The questions raised issues of trying to maintain independence, choice and dignity while attending to physical care needs and managing the care. The responses suggest that as these were standards of caret hat healthcare staff strive for, in their day to day practice; however these are aspects of