Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Ads

Ads ADS "Advertising's fifteen basic appeals," by Jib Fowles talks about how advertisers use all sorts of subjects to grab ones attention. Advertisiers communicate to the reader by using selected images, which is designed to stimulate the reader. Many ads say,"if you have this need then this product will help satisfy it." Most advertisements have two orders of content; the first one is to have ones mind deep-driven toward the product. The second is all the good things about the product. Advertisiers also try to appeal to all emotional appeal one may have, such as the need of attention or the need to feel safe. There have been 15 appeals found that advertisiers uses to get ones attention. The following are the fifteen appeals that are found that advertisements use. The first appeal is to those who have a need for sex. In these advertisements there are sexy women and men.Images of pretty women often appear in ads even wi...The need for affiliation is to appeal to those who need to associat e with others. These ads often have a male and women by each other and the male is always has his head higher then the female. The need for nurture is shown in ads as the mother or father comforting their children. The need for guidance is shown in ads by selling products that have been around for years. The need to aggress is shown by advertisers trying to sell a product that some people disagree with. The need to achieve is shown in ads by having sports heroes in the ads. The need to dominate is shown in ads by using a product, such, as beer will make a man be the king. The need for prominence is shown by products that will make one think that if they get that product they will...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Rhamphorhynchus - Facts and Figures

Rhamphorhynchus - Facts and Figures Name: Rhamphorhynchus (Greek for beak snout); pronounced RAM-foe-RINK-us Habitat: Shores of Western Europe Historical Period: Late Jurassic (165-150 million years ago) Size and Weight: Wingspan of three feet and a few pounds Diet: Fish Distinguishing Characteristics: Long, narrow beak with sharp teeth; tail ending with diamond-shaped skin flap About Rhamphorhynchus The exact size of Rhamphorhynchus depends on how you measure itfrom the tip of its beak to the end of its tail, this pterosaur was less than a foot long, but its wings (when fully extended) stretched an impressive three feet from tip to tip. With its long, narrow beak and sharp teeth, its clear that Rhamphorhynchus made its living by dipping its snout into the lakes and rivers of late Jurassic Europe and scooping up wriggling fish (and possibly frogs and insects)much like a modern pelican. One detail about Rhamphorhynchus that sets it apart from other ancient reptiles is the spectacularly preserved specimens discovered at the Solnhofen fossil beds in Germanysome of this pterosaurs remains are so complete that they display not only its detailed bone structure, but the outlines of its internal organs as well. The only creature to have left comparably intact remains was another Solnhofen discovery, Archaeopteryxwhich, unlike Rhamphorhynchus, was technically a dinosaur that occupied a place on the evolutionary line leading to the first prehistoric birds. After nearly two centuries of study, scientists know a lot about Rhamphorhynchus. This pterosaur had a relatively slow growth rate, roughly comparable to that of modern alligators, and it may have been sexually dimorphic (that is, one sex, we dont know which, was slightly larger than the other). Rhamphorhynchus probably hunted at night, and it likely held its narrow head and beak parallel to the ground, as can be inferred from scans of its brain cavity. It also seems that Rhamphorhynchus preyed on the ancient fish Aspidorhynchus, the fossils of which are associated (that is, located in close proximity) in the Solnhofen sediments. The original discovery, and classification, of Rhamphorhynchus is a case study in well-meaning confusion. After it was unearthed in 1825, this pterosaur was classified as a species of Pterodactylus, which at the time was also known by the now-discarded genus name Ornithocephalus (bird head). Twenty years later, Ornithocephalus reverted to Pterodactylus, and in 1861 the famous British naturalist Richard Owen promoted P. muensteri to the genus Rhamphorhynchus. We wont even mention how the type specimen of Rhamphorhynchus was lost during World War II; suffice it to say that paleontologists have had to make do with plaster casts of the original fossil. Because Rhamphorhynchus was discovered so early in the history of modern paleontology, it has lent its name to an entire class of pterosaurs distinguished by their small sizes, big heads and long tails. Among the most famous rhamphorhynchoids are Dorygnathus, Dimorphodon and Peteinosaurus, which ranged across western Europe during the late Jurassic period; these stand in stark contrast to pterodactyloid pterosaurs of the later Mesozoic Era, which tended to larger sizes and smaller tails. (The biggest pterodactyloid of them all, Quetzalcoatlus, had a wingspan the size of a small airplane!)

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Nursing Care in Patients with Brittle Asthma Essay

Nursing Care in Patients with Brittle Asthma - Essay Example These circumstances influenced the creation of this paper where the author will discuss chronic asthma, emerging issues relative to the disease, and nursing approach to the identified issues to facilitate nursing care. Asthma attacks take the life of over 1,100 patients every year (Anderson 2007) and 0.05% of this population comprises of patients who suffered from brittle asthma (Ayres 1998). Brittle asthma is a phenotype classification of asthma coined by Turner-Warwick in 1977 as an asthmatic condition with maintained wide variation in peak expiratory flow (PEF) despite high doses of inhaled steroids. After Turner-Warwick’s revelation sprung several more definition from authors who aims to give the condition a more precise identity. Garden and Ayres (1993) claim that a more concise manner to define it would be â€Å"patients with a defined and persistent marked diurnal variation in PEF despite multiple drug treatment.† Nevertheless, this implies a chronic illness with no effective treatment available leaving the patient filled with pain and suffering from dyspnoea. Ayres (1998, p.315) classified brittle asthma into two. The first one is Type 1 brittle asthma, which is characterised by a sustained wide PEF variability over a period of at least 150 days regardless of extensive medical treatment. The other one is Type 2 brittle asthma considered as abrupt acute attacks taking place in less than three hours. This type may occur even on a seemingly normal airway function or a well-controlled asthma. Between the two, Type 1 patients are more likely to be on emergency and admitted on hospitals due to its severe acute attacks and its need for a more intensive treatment. This group of patients with brittle asthma requires greater amounts of medications compared to the other forms of asthma. Most needs prolonged oxygen therapy and higher doses for steroids and bronchodilators. Biomedical management mostly involve steroids, subcutaneous ?2 antagonist, long acting inhaled ?2 antagonist, and adrenaline, which are all costly if given in a longer period and higher doses. On the course of therapy, the patients often suffer from the effects of prolonged drug exposure such as osteoporosis, weight gain, and oesophageal reflux to name a few (Ayres 316). Physical morbidity is tantamount to all chronic illness and its psychosocial counterpart is always present too. Garden and Ayres (1993, p.503) discussed the psychosocial effects of brittle asthma to a person. They suggested that prolonged chronic illness develop traits such as anxiety, nervousness, sensitivity, denial, lower self-esteem and obsession. These trait alterations acclaimed to be due to extremely difficult management. Many of them have run out of therapeutic options and patience and eventually stop seeking medical consult from their physicians. Poor compliance and worsening condition follows from these actions of hopelessness. Studies found out that these patients lacks self confide nce in managing attacks, believes their doctors less, and has an increased feeling of disgrace. Another testified that patients with highest morbidity from asthma often time hesitate in seeking help from clinicians during acute attacks while others do not strictly comply on usage of bronchodilators or still continue to do prohibited habits such as smoking or exposure to allergens (Smith, et al. 2005). â€Å"

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Research Proposal (general research proposal for doctoral thesis to Essay

Research Proposal (general research proposal for doctoral thesis to the graduate department) - Essay Example My research during the first year of my master's program at the University of Victoria covered multiple topics within non-photorealistic rendering (NPR), graphics, and animation. During the course of my research, I completed a class on perception and graphics that resulted in a project that will be submitted this month for the _(name of journal)____, a reputable __enter subject__ journal . The project involved the study of human vision and perception and prompted me to expand my topic of NPR with perception into the formation of my master's thesis. My master's thesis titled, "Perceptual Imitation of Human Drawn lines" involved study within the areas of Newtonian Physics, Image Processing, and Artificial Intelligence. From my research and findings with this thesis, I intend to publish two papers in NPAR'08 and CAE'08. Therefore, for my doctoral study I wanted to get more in depth in my research in these particular topics. First, I would like to expand on the subject of lines to full animated cartoon character images. Image processing is naturally an essential field of study in NPR and will play a major role in my thesis. Also, image processing will lead to more critical study of perception. The study of perception falls into the area of psychology. Surprisingly, psychological research on NPR is limited. It was briefly discussed in my master's thesis.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Nature versus nurture Essay Example for Free

Nature versus nurture Essay â€Å"While each child is born with his or her own distinct genetic potential for physical, social, emotional and cognitive development, the possibilities for reaching that potential remain tied to early life experiences and the parent-child relationship within the family† (Weissbourd, 1996). When a baby is born, that child already posses something in common with every other person in the world, a genetic gene pool. Just like anything else in life, when something is given to a person, the way that person displays what they are given depends on a variety of things. One aspect of human development that has been long debated in the history of psychology is the concept of â€Å"nature vs. nurture. † This phrase, first initiated by Sir Francis Galton in 1874 (S. Wood, 2011; E. Wood, 2011; Boyd 2011, p. 223), refers to the elements of heredity (nature), and the effects of the environment (nurture). I will briefly discus the various arguments for the primacy of nature or nurture in personality development, intelligence, and creativity. Personality is, â€Å"a persons characteristic patterns of behaving, thinking and feeling† (psych book, 352). Heredity may in fact play an important role in the development of an individual’s personality. On the other hand, most psychological theories, including analytical theory, give more emphasis to interpersonal influences. In kindergarten, learning to share is just as important as learning to write. Learning core values at a young age may have more impact on a child’s individuality than any specific genetic code. When growing up, children always look up to someone older than themselves. A child’s mind is like a sponge, gathering up other people’s actions and words. That is how children learn to share, talk and work well with others. Depending on the stimulation a child gets from others will alter the way that child’s personality is in the future. If a child grows up with parents giving them a positive message (lots of attention, giving positive feedback, showing love and affection on a regular basis) they have a more likely chance of being friendly, outgoing, empathetic and curious. When a child grows up with parents, who do not demonstrate a positive message, the child is more likely to have limited social skills, poor self-esteem, and less curiosity. Along with parental influence, there is also the influence of one’s surroundings that can alter ones personality. A child, who is brought up in a desolate area, with little or no violence, is going to have a vastly different demeanor then a child who is brought up in a densely populated city, with a high crime rate. The probability that a male who is raised on a farm in Lancaster County will become a farmer is a lot more likely then a male raised in north Philadelphia. Children raised on farms learn the importance of a good work ethic and determination, because the child understands that if they don’t work hard in the fields, their family won’t survive. Children raised in north Philadelphia (also known as the bad lands) learn the importance of hard work, family, street smarts and grit. These children understand that because of where they live, they will need to learn these life lessons in order to only way of survive or and better themselves. Nurture isn’t the only thing that influences a person’s personality. Everyone has heard the sayings, He acts exactly like his father! or He behaves like that because this is how he was brought up! (Lupu, 2006, sec 1. 3). This is where the controversy comes into play. Psychologists have been debating the theory that heredity influences personality development. Psychologists at the University of Edinburgh carried out a study of more than 800 sets of twins found that genetics were more influential in shaping key traits than a persons home environment and surroundings (Archontaki, 2012; Lewis, 2012; Bates, 2012; sec 1. 2). The traits most commonly found between the twins were self-control, decision-making and sociability, but heredity only develops a person’s personality to a point. According to psychologists, the most reasonable answer of all is neither one, nor the other, but the interaction of the two the genetic and the environmental/educational/experience factor (Lupu, 2006, sect 1. 4). Therefore, heredity establishes the limits of ones personality traits that can be developed, while the environment represented by the cultural, social and situational factors influence the actual development within the limits (Lupu, 2006, sect 1.5). Another area of study that many psychologists have been debating on weather or not is the result of heredity or ones environment is intelligence. Psychologists like Sir Francis Galton and Thomas Bouchard have done studies to figure out weather or not intelligence is genetic or developmental. In 1874, Englishman Sir Francis Galton, studied a number of prominent females in England. Galton attempted to apply Darwins evolutionary theory to the study of human abilities. Galton concluded that intelligence was inherited from genetics. Another psychologist who studied this field was Roger J. Sternberg. In 1988, Sternberg argued that there are a number of ways to demonstrate intelligence or adaptive functioning (â€Å"Psychology 101, sect 4. 5). He suggested a model of intelligence referred to as the triarchic theory. According to this model there are three types of intelligence. The first type was analytical, or the ability to solve a problem by looking at its components. The second was creative, which is the ability to use new ways to solve problems. The third was practical, referring to common sense. While most IQ tests measure only analytical intelligence, they fail to include practical intelligence which is the most understandable to most of us (â€Å"Psychology 101†, sect 4. 5). This test did. Another study conducted was by the Minnesota Center for Twin and Adoption Research. Sense the 1980’s, this research center has been recruiting fraternal and identical twins to participate in research projects examining genetic and environmental influences on a variety of psychological variebles, including intellagents (S. Wood, 2011; E.Wood, 2011; Boyd 2011, p. 224). In 1997, the center’s director, Thomas Bouchard, summarized all of the studies of intelligence that had been done at the center up that point (S. Wood, 2011; E. Wood, 2011; Boyd 2011, p. 224). What the data showed was amazing. Bouchard reported that the identical twins that had been reared apart at birth were closer than identical twins reared together, and brother and sister reared together. Their research using the adoption study method helps to support the conclusion that genes strongly influence IQ scores.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Role of Loneliness in James Joyces Ulysses Essay -- Joyce Ulysses

The Role of Loneliness in James Joyce's Ulysses Have you ever had one of those days when the world seems cold and unfeeling? Where the people that surround you are far away and uncaring? Ulysses is about one of those days, and two people who are stuck within it, searching desperately for a way out. Loneliness runs like a thread through Ulysses, a novel by James Joyce. It constantly tugs at the character's minds, and drives their lives in subtle ways. Joyce drives the point home by giving a drab, grey description of the character's lives. Ulysses is set in 1904, Dublin, Ireland. Joyce's book was first published in 1922. The plot of Ulysses is fairly simple. The novel re-creates the days of two Irishmen, Leopold Bloom, the main character, and Stephen Dedalus, the son of Bloom's good friend, Simon Dedalus. The story starts with both characters waking up, and follows their lives through a single day. Stephen is a school teacher, and Leopold works as an advertizing canvasser for the local newspapers. For Stephen, it's only a partial day of school, so after receiving his pay, he goes and visits a nearby relative and then goes for a walk on the beach. Meanwhile, Leopold has woken up, and prepared breakfast for himself and his wife. After going to the butcher's and the post office, he goes to the funeral of an old friend, Paddy Dignam. After the funeral, he goes about business in town, and comes across Stephen twice. Finally, as Bloom visits a friend in the hospital, he sees Stephen, extremely drunk with a group of medical s tudents. All of them go to a pub. At the pub, they all get bombed, and Bloom takes Stephen on a drunken rampage through town. When Bloom realizes the state Stephen is in, he takes him home, and offers to let Ste... ...death of Stephen's mother is still filling his mind - during his drunken spree, Stephen actually thinks that his mother had come back to haunt him. Bloom, on the other hand, after subconsciously searching through Dublin since his son's death, has found someone to help, and be a father figure for them. Although Bloom's gesture of kindness is rejected by Stephen, Bloom has taken the first step out of the dark grip of loneliness by trying to help another. James Joyce's Ulysses is a story that conveys the drab lives of two miserable Irishmen. The setting portrayed in this book is bleak. Both characters are absorbed in their own loneliness, and lack the perspective to see beyond it. Although Ulysses may seem long and extremely confusing, Joyce creates a thorough depiction of this human condition. Works cited Joyce, James. Ulysses. New York: Random House, 1961.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Managing Effective Labor Relations

MANAGING EFFECTIVE LABOR EMPLOYEE RELATIONS Abstract Labor relations refer to the relationship between corporate management and the unionized workforce. Administering the best practices along with the current developments in labor relations is contingent on labor management relations. In addition, the legal framework for collective bargaining and negotiations need to be examined. Knowledge of the history of the relationship between labor unions and management is fundamental in effective labor relations management today. What is a labor union?A labor union is a group of employees, who are organized by the specific job that they do. They come together to form units that bargain with their employer regarding working issues and conditions. Union workers are referred to as â€Å"blue-collar workers† because the majority of people who hold that job specification are also union members. The majority of union members work in the public sector. These are jobs where the funding source c an be national, state, or local. These types of jobs include: postal service jobs, teachers and police officers.Jobs in the private sector have no involvement with the government and are run by private citizens or groups. These types of jobs could be found in: restaurants, retail, or corporations. There are many more union members in the public sector than the private sector. Just under half of all employees in the federal, state, and local government are union members. Public school teachers, police, and firefighters hold the highest number of union workers in the local government. The second largest groups on the list of union members are protective service workers in private industry.In the private sector, union members make up about a quarter of the size of the public sector, in transportation and utility positions. Other major private industries with above-average union membership percentages are construction and manufacturing, where in each case thirteen percent of the employe es are in unions (Sloane & Witney, 2011). All union members have legal workplace rights that must be respected by their employers. Some rights are provided by federal or state statutes, hile others are inherent in specific union-employer agreements. If a union member feels that his rights have been infringed, in addition to taking legal action, charges can also be filed against employers through the National Labor Relations Board for violation of collective bargaining agreements. The NLRB is responsible for the prevention and resolving of unfair labor practices under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). They also guarantee the rights of employees to organize and bargain collectively with their employers.Another feature that union members have that non-union members don’t is a grievance procedure. This is an official complaint from the union member when they believe their contractual rights have been violated. The steps of the grievance procedure are outlined in the co llective bargaining agreement. Collective bargaining is the process whereby unions and management negotiate and administer labor agreements (Sloane & Witney, 2011). Labor union officials enjoy many special powers and immunities that were created by legislatures and the courts.Union officials claim to rely on the support of members of a political organization of workers who are exclusive of their leadership. In â€Å"Special Privileges†, (2010), the following list of special privileges reveals the rights union members have in their favor: Privilege #1:| Exemption from anti-monopoly laws. The Clayton Act of 1914 exempts unions from anti-monopoly laws, enabling union officials to forcibly drive out independent or alternative employee bargaining groups. Privilege #2:| Power to force employees to accept unwanted union representation. Monopoly bargaining, or â€Å"exclusive representation,† which is embedded in most of the country’s labor relations statutes, enabl es union officials to act as the exclusive bargaining agents of all employees at a unionized workplace, thereby depriving employees of the right to make their own employment contracts. | Privilege #3:| Power to collect forced union dues. Unlike other private organizations, unions can compel individuals to support them financially.In 27 states under the NLRA (those that have not passed Right to Work laws), all states under the RLA, on â€Å"exclusive federal enclaves,† and in many states under public sector labor relations acts, employees may be forced to pay union dues as a condition of employment, even if they reject union affiliation. | Privilege #4:| Unlimited, undisclosed electioneering. The Federal Election Campaign Act exempts unions from its limits on campaign contributions and expenditures, as well as some of its reporting requirements.Union bigwigs can spend unlimited amounts on communications to members and their families in support of, or opposition to, candidates for federal office, and they need not report these expenditures if they successfully claim that union publications are primarily devoted to other subjects. | Privilege #5:| Ability to strong-arm employers into negotiations. Unlike all other parties in the economic marketplace, union officials can compel employers to bargain with them.The NLRA, FLRA, and RLA make it illegal for employers to resist a union’s collective bargaining efforts and difficult for them to counter aggressive and deceptive campaigns waged by union organizers. | Privilege #6:| Right to trespass on an employer’s private property. The Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932 (and state anti-injunction acts) give union activists immunity from injunctions against trespass on an employer’s property. | Privilege #7:| Ability of strikers to keep jobs despite refusing to work. Unlike other employees, unionized employees in the private sector have the right to strike; that is, to refuse to work while keeping thei r job.In some cases, it is illegal for employers to hire replacement workers, even to avert bankruptcy. | As you can see, the privileges of the union may seem unfair to non-union members. This can create a lot of mixed emotions and tension in the workplace. Although the rate of unionization has declined, its effects on the workplace are still existent. When you are non-union, it’s understandable to be complacent about union issues. Non-union employers must be aware of a number of other policy and practices that can lead to allegations of unfair-labor practices against them.To uphold a fair work environment, management looks to form new relationships between both non-union and union members. In order to prepare for issues that may occur between both parties, it is the company’s responsibility to be fully informed and aware of union laws and precedents. The focus of the traditional law of unions makes up the major part of the labor law. It is based on workers collectivel y and their rights as a group. It is different from employment law which focuses more on issues relating to the rights of individual employees.The body of law of which labor law is comprised is significant for the importance of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRA is codified at 29 U. S. C.  §Ã‚ § 151-169 and purports to serve the national interest of the United States regarding labor relations within the country (Cornell, n. d. ). When periods of widespread strikes occur, uneasy relations can very quickly and severely have an adverse effect on the entire country. A clear policy regarding labor and management encourages the best interests of the employer, which is to maintain full trade and industry production.It is essential to maintain peace in the workplace not just between employees, but employers as well. The NLRA attempts to limit industrial conflict among employers, employees, and labor organizations since the friction could affect full production which can the n result in a series of even bigger problems. Unfair labor practices Union or not, when someone is treated unfairly at work, it can destroy morale. Sometimes the unfair treatment is done accidentally, but most of the time, the unfair treatment is a very deliberate act on the part of the management.In some cases, the unfair treatment can actually be illegal. What is always true is that unfair treatment at work makes more problems than it solves, breeds animosity and distrust among employees, and creates an extremely uncomfortable work environment (Thorpe, 2008). These practices are referred to as unfair labor practices and have been singled out for their potential to harm the general welfare of employees. Through the NLRA, employees are guaranteed the right to organize and to bargain collectively with their employers through representatives of their own choosing.If they choose not to exercise these rights, they are also guaranteed the right to refrain from them. The NLRA establishes a procedure by which employees can exercise their choice whether or not to join a union in a secret-ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board. When and at whose discretion a secret-ballot election may be exercised as opposed to other election procedures is currently a matter of contention between employers and labor groups (Cornell, n. d. ). For those who belong to a union, they have some protection against unfair treatment at work.Union members have the right to work free of the pressures of unfair labor practices, as defined by the NLRA. Members also have the right to file claims regarding unfair labor practices with the NLRB. According to union-organizing. com, examples of unfair labor practices include: coercion to join or refrain from joining a union; threats to close facilities in retaliation for union activities; bribes directed at employees for any reason; personal inquiries concerning union sympathies; refusal to consider grievances (Ingram, 1999).Unio ns and the United States Labor movement have continued their historic decline in terms of membership and density, in today’s economy. Unions have emerged from a period of economic growth and prosperity to becoming smaller and weaker. Having missed an incredible opportunity to grow in a time of prosperity, labor must now figure out how to build numbers and strength in face of economic uncertainty, a Republican President, war, budget deficits, public service cuts and the continued exporting of union manufacturing jobs (Lerners, 2002).The unions of the United States have huge resources: millions of members, billions of dollars in dues, and hundreds of billions in pension capital, as well as political power and the leverage of collective bargaining. These resources offer the potential and the opportunity to organize millions of workers and rebuild the labor movement. The AFL-CIO has documented that the US economy is growing away from the labor movement, growing fastest where unio ns are weakest, where only one out of ten new jobs is union. Private sector unions are losing density in the traditional unionized sectors of the economy (Lerners, 2002).The weakness of labor unions is becoming increasingly evident in the low statistics in most sectors. Supporters of union workers can see in those same numbers the potential for huge growth, with millions of non-union workers coming into those sectors. In general, it is legal for employers to try to persuade employees not to unionize. However, it is illegal for a company to attempt to prevent employees from unionizing by promises of violence, threats or other intimidating actions. It is also illegal for unions to use lies or threats of violence to intimidate employees into joining a union (Silverman, n. . ). Opponents of unions believe that labor unions are bad for business. They feel that labor unions have too much power for their size. They also feel that labor unions use this power as blackmail against companies, by causing labor monopolies. Some feel that they ask too much of companies, causing either the company to shut down, or to supply more money for their employees. Union members are generally Democratic, and are certain that Republicans believe that labor unions lead to recession because they cause wages to go up, and that causes prices to go up, which leads to lower production.For many business managers and owners who are striving to keep their firms strong in a competitive marketplace, the thought of a labor union entering the workplace and organizing the employees can be a source of headache (Hall, 1999). Although employers cannot prevent unions, they can take steps to make unionization less attractive to their non-union employees. According to some human resource professionals, the best defense against union organizing may be a good offense (Lerners, 2012).This can be obtained in a non-aggressive manner such as managers having an â€Å"open-door† policy with their subordina tes and answering any questions and concerns they may have. Human resources play a big role also, since they handle the employee benefits and relations. Keeping a good working relationship will promote effective communication, thus reducing the risk of unhappy employees who may seek to unionize. WHY DO EMPLOYEES JOIN UNIONS? 1. Failed to keep up with job rate and benefit package. 2. Rule by fear. 3. Win/Lose Philosophy of labor relations. 4. Favoritism. 5. Little, if any, personal recognition. . Lack of fair and firm discipline. 7. No input into any decision-making. 8. No career advancement available. 9. Little job security. 10. No complaint procedure, no support by employees for complaint procedure. 11. Failure to have personnel policies and benefits in writing. 12. Lack of recognition for length of service. http://www. d. umn. edu/umdhr/Policies/grievance. html In the work place, union members have the benefit of negotiating with their employer as a group. This basic right gives t hem much more power than if they were to negotiate individually, as non-union employees do.On average, union employees make 27 percent more than non-union workers and ninety-two percent of union workers have job-related health coverage versus 68 percent for non-union workers (Silverman, n. d. ). Union workers also have a great advantage over non-union workers in securing their pensions. Through their collective bargaining agreements and the grievance and arbitration processes, unions help to protect their employees from unjust dismissal. As a result, most union employees cannot be fired without â€Å"just cause,† unlike many non-union employees who can be fired at any time and for almost any reason.The use of the term â€Å"union steward† is not universal. It is, however, the most common designation given to a representative of the union whose role is to represent employees in a certain work area (Sloane & Witney, 2011). Stewards or union representatives are select ed by the union. Some unions elect their stewards while others are appointed by the union officers. No matter how they are selected, the union notifies the company of the employees who are stewards for specific work areas.Due to the size or location of the departments, they may have several stewards while other departments may have one steward who is responsible for several departments. Whatever the case, the union internally determines this and notifies accordingly. The supervisor does not have a role in the selection of the steward. Stewards are persons who are responsible to the union for performing many functions. The steward represents employees in the bargaining unit and can also recruits new members, handle communications between the union and management, and interpret the contract to employees. Most importantly, they represent the union.Supervisors should recognize and respect the steward's role. If a supervisor thinks that a steward is not successfully doing his or her job as a steward, it is not the responsibility of the supervisor to give any advice or make recommendations. The supervisor must remember that the steward is a company employee. Essentially, the steward is chosen because he or she is the most competent to represent the employees. However, it is important, that the supervisor accept the steward in good faith. It is the company’s obligation to give stewards the sincere and careful consideration to which they and the employees they represent are entitled.It is crucial that the supervisor and the steward develop a good working relationship. If both individuals can recognize their respective roles, they can form an understanding. In other words, the steward can be a friend or an enemy. As in any working relationship, time and experience will define it. A supervisor who treats a steward fairly will most likely receive fair treatment and respect from the steward. Another powerful union tool is the strike. A strike is when a group of wor kers stops working in protest to labor conditions or as a bargaining tool during negotiations between labor and management.This may not always be the most effective plan of action, but the law entitles union members the right to strike when they feel that it is necessary. Employers fear the possibility of a strike since production stops while the strike is in effect. Strikes can last anywhere from hours to weeks and the longer they continue, the more disastrous they can become for the company. While labor unions are not as prominent today as they were in the past, they still play a vital role in protecting and representing America’s workforce.As the supervisor in a union environment, the most critical relationship in a working environment is the one between employees and their immediate supervisor. To the employee, the immediate supervisor becomes the â€Å"face† of that jurisdiction's management (Karon, 2010). The responsibilities that management represents are critic al to the successful supervisory interface with employees. In a union environment, a third party (the bargaining unit) would be put into this relationship. The membership of a workforce that is represented by a union are called a bargaining unit.Employees can choose to join the union or refrain from joining; nevertheless, all are subject to the working conditions or agreement agreed to by the jurisdiction and the union (Karon, 2010). Although negotiations of these agreements can take a while to establish, the critical aspect of the process is in the administration of that contract. The supervisor is the key link in a relationship between labor and management. Each supervisor has a responsibility to ensure that the labor agreement is enforced. As a result, many supervisors will be involved in the mandated grievance process.Because supervisors generally know more about the employee than top management does, there are additional burdens placed on these supervisors. To the average emplo yee, the supervisor is management. Due to this, a supervisor must understand his or her role and responsibilities in the organization that he or she represents. Most important is the supervisor's ability to get along with employees. While close personal involvement with employees is frowned upon, the supervisor should be friendly and concerned about the welfare of those that he or she supervises at work.When a person is appointed to a supervisory position, they must realize the fine line in relationships between themselves and their employees. Providing an environment where all employees are comfortable, while remaining pro-active with full awareness of policies that apply to either union or non-union members, or both. By remaining approachable and understanding, employees will be more open to discussing concerns, thus reducing the urge to join the union for increased benefits. The introduction of the labor agreement adds a new dimension to the multi-faceted role of the supervisor.T he institution of a grievance procedure in addition to the presentation of the union representative and steward or union official, makes it even more critical for supervisors to understand that to accept the responsibility of a supervisory position means supporting and advocating management's position (Karon, 2010). The supervisor who cannot support supervisory and management in a policy does a disservice to everyone at the company. For this reason, supervisory training should be heightened to guarantee that they respond properly whenever allegations of contract violations have occurred.Enforcing company policies as well as obeying the collective bargaining agreement does not take the supervisor’s right to their own opinions away. In fact, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to pass their opinions on to other levels of management and communicate results to other employees. Since the supervisor has the most contact with the employees, it is usually the supervisor who be comes the â€Å"middleman† when disputes arise. For this reason, good communication skills and understanding the importance of the supervisor's role in your organization is essential to the success of every supervisor.Employers that have become somewhat complacent with respect to union organizing must become more active in reviewing their human resource policies and practices. Some may be surprised to find out their companies are unionized, or have union members affiliated. Often times, organizations have standard accustomed rules that their members follow. These may have been established â€Å"through the grapevine† or accepted as common knowledge. To ensure compliance with the work rules, manuals and handbooks should be reviewed regularly to evaluate whether they do or do not violate the NLRA.Furthermore, there are many resources within the administration of a company that can be employed. These include human resource programs, policies, and procedures that are infre quently utilized, as well as complaint procedures and establishing an open-door policy. Policies that require employees to first bring complaints to their immediate supervisors should also be thoroughly reviewed to verify that both union and non-union issues are handled properly. Being a supervisor is not an easy task.The supervisor is entrusted with accomplishing the work of his or her unit through the efforts of their employees within that unit. Keeping the employees informed of what their jobs are and how they are to accomplish their tasks are just a small part of the supervisor's overall responsibilities. Administering standards and expectations, developing methods to motivate and increase productivity, and ensuring compliance to all policies through open communication with all employees will promote effective labor relations within the company.Running head: MANAGING EFFECTIVE LABOR EMPLOYEE RELATIONSReferences Cabot, S. (1997). â€Å"How to avoid a union† Retrieved from: https://www. nlrb. gov/national-labor-relations-act Hall, S. (1999). How to stop union organizing. Retrieved from: http://www. ehow. com/how_7986074_stop-union-organizing. html Ingrim, D. (1999). â€Å"Union members’ rights†. Retrieved from: http://money. howstuffworks. com/labor-union5. htm Karon, J. (2010). â€Å"Discipline and Grievance†. Retrieved from: http://www. d. umn. edu/umdhr/Policies/grievance. html Lerners, S. (2002). Labor Notes â€Å"Three steps to reorganizing and rebuilding the labor movement†. Retrieved from: http://labornotes. org/node/575 â€Å"Big Labor’s Special Privileges† (n. d. ). Retrieved from: http://www. nrtw. org/d/big_labor_special_privileges. htm Sloan, A. & Witney, F. (2011). Labor Relations, 13th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Learning Solutions. Thorpe, J. (2008). Employment Law: Unfair treatment at work. Retrieved from: http://www. helium. com/items/801741-employment-law-unfair-treatment-at- work | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Saturday, November 9, 2019

My First Real Experience With Biometrics

My first real experience with biometrics occurred when my son purchased a new cell phone nearly two years ago. During the initial setup, he selected an iris scan as his passcode. I was a little surprised by the technology and skeptical of the convenience and security. My first question to him was, â€Å"What if someone needs to get in your phone?†. He quickly replied, â€Å"That is what the security feature is for, so they can't get in. If I want them in it, I'll open it and hand it to them.† He is an active duty Navy sailor. He explained to me that he felt more secure knowing that no one could break into his phone because of this passcode. I observed him over the next two weeks while he was home on leave. Each time he accessed his phone, he simply looked into the screen and instantly he had access. He has shared that when others see that his passcode is an iris scan, they realize they cannot hack into the phone. Most never attempt anything at this point. Those that do are not successful. To this day, he has not had any security issues with his phone. Watching the success and ease at which biometrics worked with a cell phone, I moved to a biometrics passcode when I purchased a new computer earlier this year. My new computer came with FastAccess Facial Recognition. After initial setup which included some training to recognize my face, I no longer had to enter a password or PIN. .There are advanced features that turn off the webcam, enable parental controls, and enable an automatic login feature that make FastAccess safe and user-friendly. When someone else tries to access my computer, access is denied because FastAccess does not recognize them. I've been told for many years that my daughter could pass as my twin, but the computer knows better, it would not unlock for her. Lighting can affect the process, the system does not work in poor lighting conditions. In these cases, I am prompted for a second form of authentication, a PIN or password. Other than this, I have been very pleased with not having to use a password to access my system and knowing my data is secure. Now that I was familiar with biometrics in â€Å"my† environment, I wanted to learn more about biometrics in the area of health information, an area I have worked in for nearly thirty years. According to Whitman and Mattord (2018), biometric access control refers to physiological characteristics used to authenticate identification that has been provided. This control relies on recognition, comparing an actual image to a stored image. Fingerprints, palm prints, hand geometry, facial recognition, retinal prints, and iris patterns are types of biometric authentication technologies. The three characteristics in humans that are generally considered unique are the fingerprints, the retina, and the iris (pp 334-335). Iris recognition provides the highest level of accuracy of all biometric markers. According to Katz, the algorithms used in iris recognition are so accurate â€Å"that the entire planet could be enrolled in an iris database with only a small chance of false acceptance or false rejection† (2002). Concerns in the area of biometrics are â€Å"false negative† and â€Å"false positive†. When an individual has a false negative their identity is registered within the system but for some reason, the system does not recognize them. A false positive is the larger concern. This rating means the individual is not registered within the system, yet the system is recognizing them as another registered user and providing access to them based on that recognition. Facial recognition technology opens the door to many possibilities in healthcare, particularly in the area of health information management. This technology has been widely discussed as part of the national patient identifier initiative. Facial recognition is a preferred technology over other biometric techniques because it does not require direct contact with the patient and it is easily deployed. Some of the uses for facial recognition in the health information management area allows for authentication of proper security clearance for employees to grant or deny access within the EHR to staff without a password or PIN. By authenticating your employee, you are maintaining the confidentiality of the protected information. The same technology can be used to verify or authenticate the identity of a provider when they access controlled substances. Facial recognition is the preferred technology because â€Å"some areas within a hospital zones require clinicians to wear surgical gloves and masks, thereby prohibiting the use of fingerprint authentication† (Callahan, 2017). Another option is a feature where â€Å"a patient's image can bring up their file in the EHR using facial recognition software† (McCleary, 2016). This security feature allows the healthcare provider to compare their patient to the stored patient image. Authenticating the patient allows you to maintain the integrity of your data, minimize medical mistakes and improve patient safety. Additional bonuses will be cost savings by reducing fraud, and improved protection or security of confidential patient heath information. There are yet additional benefits of facial recognition to the medical arena. One benefit is the prevention or reduction of medical identity theft. Medical identity theft occurs when someone uses another individual's information to obtain medical services for personal or financial reasons. If the individual presenting for treatment had to be identified by facial recognition, their identity would be authenticated or denied. This could prevent someone from trying to use your insurance benefits or obtain access to your demographic or financial information. Again, this protects the security of confidential patient data. Facial recognition is also an important authentication feature in the healthcare field to establish the identity of patients, particularly those that are unresponsive. Early identification of these patients in emergency situations within an integrated EHR can give healthcare providers instant health information about medical conditions, medications, and allergies. Facial recognition provides a better alternative for identification than fingerprinting for burn victims those patients who have experienced amputations. Some genetic conditions allow diagnosis via facial recognition according to a study at the National Human Genome Research Institute. One provider of facial recognition software, Nextgate, â€Å"claims to simplify registration, flag fraudulent activity, and eliminate the creation of duplicate records† (McCleary, 2016). We may be able to eliminate duplicate records if this software meets its expectation. Duplicate records are a data quality issue that result in compromised â€Å"patient safety, medical care, data accuracy, and reimbursement† (Harris and Houser, 2018). Duplicate records occur for a variety of reasons, primarily human error due to transposing of letters and/or numbers during data entry, the use or non-use of middle names, and abbreviations. As we see more and more organizations merge or become part of a larger healthcare organization, the opportunity for duplicate medical records increase. â€Å"Duplicate records have caused negative outcomes in the discovery phase of the litigation process because there will be discrepancies with diagnoses, medications, and allergies† (Harris and Houser, 2018). Maintaining a single, confidential patient record ensures the availability and integrity of the patient data. Organizations are beginning to turn to biometrics to eliminate their duplicate records. The three possible methods include iris, palm vein, and fingerprint scanning. Iris scanning is the preferred method because it â€Å"supports hospital infection control initiatives and is very effective in preventing duplicates as there is a low occurrence of false positives and extremely low (almost zero percent) false negative rate† (Harris and Houser, 2018). With iris scanning, the technology never has to touch the patient whereas, palm vein and fingerprint scanning technology requires a physical contact between the patient and the technology. This increases the opportunity for infections to be spread. Organizations with an advanced enterprise master patient index (EMPI) are those that often contain patient information for multiple locations within one health system. The EMPI integrates data from the various systems forming an â€Å"overarching technology umbrella, resolving and synchronizing data issues and providing a single patient view that can be accessed across the enterprise. The EMPI resolves data quality issues and synchronizes back to enable accurate patient identification and matching that minimizes duplicates records† (Harris and Houser, 2018). The EMPI provides a level of confidentiality and security throughout the organization. When biometrics are implemented at the registration process and integrated into the EHR, health information professionals and providers can view and authenticate the patient information while working with the patient and within the EHR. Members of a data integrity team can verify patient records are properly integrating into the EHR as the patient moves through the health system. In areas where a facial recognition or fingerprint cannot be captured but a barcode can be scanned, the integration provides the patient's image for a comparison prior to medication administration or other service. This form of authentication provides an added security and safety feature. While all of this technology sounds like a win for the patient and the healthcare system in general, we must also consider the law. According to Hedges, three states (Illinois, Texas, and Washington) now have legislation that regulate how biometric information is collected and used. More states are expected to follow suit. The Illinois Biometric Privacy Act (BIPA), â€Å"defines biometric information to mean â€Å"any information, regardless of how it is captured, converted, stored, or shared, based on an individual's biometric identifier used to identify an individual.† (Hughes, 2018). BIPA does not include information captured in a healthcare setting or collected for treatment, payment, or healthcare options under HIPAA. It is uncertain how the Department of Health and Human Services will address biometric information at this time. One area that healthcare organizations should start to consider is how their business associates may interact with any biometric information they collect. The changing pace of technology is trying to keep up with the pace of today's security challenges. It seems as if each day we hear of another security breach or security issue almost daily. There are tools for the health information professional to address or combat areas information security issues. Two of the most powerful tools are iris scanning and facial recognition. These tools can authenticate employee and patient identification. By authenticating the employee, you maintain confidentiality of information. By authenticating the patient, you maintain patient safety and the integrity of your data.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Essay on 30125427_Task1_

Essay on 30125427_Task1_ Essay on 30125427_Task1_ The New-Product development process is a method of designing a new product so that it will be successful. The first of eight steps in this process is the new-product strategy, where the company makes a connection between new products and the objectives of the company, this is part of the company’s overall marketing strategy. The second stage is idea generation, this is the process of gathering ideas for potential products, these ideas can come from various sources including, customers, employees, distributors, competitors, research and development, and consultants. The third stage is idea screening, this is where products that either don’t go with the company’s new-product strategy or are obviously inappropriate are rejected. The fourth stage is business analysis, this is where the figures such as demand, cost, sales and profitability are calculated, and any product that would not be profitable to the company would be removed in this process. The fifth stage is development, this is when the product prototype is created by research and development, lab tests would be carried out, and the marketing team would at this time start planning the products packaging, branding and labelling. The sixth stage is test marketing, this is when a product is released to a small population to give the company some insight into the reactions of the customers when the product is released, this can prevent failed products from averting their larger market. The seventh stage is commercialisation, this is when the new product is considered ready for rel ease, in this stage production commences and training is implemented ready for release of the product. The final stage new product is when the product is released to for the customers

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Kingdom of Mali and the Splendor of Medieval Africa

The Kingdom of Mali and the Splendor of Medieval Africa Because the world has another faceOpen your eyesAngelique Kidjo1 As an amateur medievalist, I have become keenly aware of how the history of Europe in the middle ages is often misunderstood or dismissed by otherwise intelligent, educated individuals. The medieval era of those nations outside of Europe is doubly ignored, first for its disreputable time frame (the dark ages), and then for its apparent lack of direct impact on modern western society. Africa in the Middle Ages Such is the case with Africa in the middle ages, a fascinating field of study that suffers from the further insult of racism. With the unavoidable exception of Egypt, the history of Africa before the incursion of Europeans has in the past been dismissed, erroneously and at times deliberately, as inconsequential to the development of modern society. Fortunately, some scholars are working to correct this grave error. The study of medieval African societies has value, not only because we can learn from all civilizations in all time frames, but because these societies reflected and influenced a myriad of cultures that, due to the Diaspora that began in the 16th century, have spread throughout the modern world. The Kingdom of Mali One of these fascinating and near-forgotten societies is the medieval Kingdom of Mali, which thrived as a dominant power in west Africa from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century. Founded by the Mande-speaking Mandinka2 people, early Mali  was governed by a council of caste-leaders who chose a ​mansa to rule. In time, the position of mansa evolved into a more powerful role similar to a king or emperor. According to tradition, Mali was suffering from a fearful drought when a visitor told the king, Mansa Barmandana, that the drought would break if he converted to Islam. This he did, and as predicted the drought did end. Other Mandinkans followed the kings lead and converted as well, but the mansa did not force a conversion, and many retained their Mandinkan beliefs. This religious freedom would remain throughout the centuries to come as Mali emerged as a powerful state. The man primarily responsible for Malis rise to prominence is Sundiata Keita. Although his life and deeds have taken on legendary proportions, Sundiata was no myth but a talented military leader. He led a successful rebellion against the oppressive rule of Sumanguru, the Susu leader who had taken control of the Ghanaian  Empire. After the Susu downfall, Sundiata laid claim to the lucrative gold and salt trade that had been so significant to Ghanaian prosperity. As Mansa, he established a cultural exchange system whereby the sons and daughters of prominent leaders would spend time in foreign courts, thus promoting understanding and a better chance of peace among nations. Upon Sundiatas death in 1255 his son, Wali, not only continued his work but made great strides in agricultural development. Under Mansa Walis rule, competition was encouraged among trading centers such as Timbuktu and Jenne, strengthening their economic positions and allowing them to develop into important centers of culture. Mansa Musa Next to Sundiata, the most well-known and possibly the greatest ruler of Mali was Mansa Musa. During his 25-year reign, Musa doubled the territory of the Malian Empire and tripled its trade. Because he was a devout Muslim, Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, astonishing the peoples he visited with his wealth and generosity. So much gold did Musa introduce into circulation in the middle east that it took about a dozen years for the economy to recover. Gold was not the only form of Malian riches. Early Mandinka society venerated creative arts, and this did not change as Islamic influences helped to shape Mali. Education was also highly valued; Timbuktu was a significant center of learning with several prestigious schools. This intriguing blend of economic wealth, cultural diversity, artistic endeavors and higher learning resulted in a splendid society to rival any contemporary European nation. Malian society had its drawbacks, yet it is important to view these aspects in their historical setting. Slavery  was an integral part of the economy at a time when the institution had declined (yet still existed) in Europe; but the European serf was rarely better off than a slave, bound by law to the land. By todays standards, justice could be harsh in Africa, but no harsher than European medieval punishments. Women had very few rights, but such was certainly true in Europe as well, and Malian women, just like European women, were at times able to participate in business (a fact that disturbed and surprised Muslim chroniclers). War was not unknown on either continent just as today. After the death of Mansa Musa, the Kingdom of Mali went into a slow decline. For another century its civilization held sway in West Africa until Songhay established itself as a dominant force in the 1400s. Traces of medieval Malis greatness still remain, but those traces are fast disappearing as the unscrupulous plunder the archaeological remains of the regions wealth. Mali is just one of many African societies whose past deserves a closer look. We hope to see more scholars explore this long-ignored field of study, and more of us open our eyes to the splendor of Medieval Africa. Notes 1 Angelique Kidjo is a singer and songwriter from Bà ©nin who mixes African rhythms with western sounds. Her song Open Your Eyes can be heard on the 1998 release, Oremi. 2 A variety of spellings exist for many African names. The Mandinka are also known as the Mandingo; Timbuktu is also spelled Tombouctou; Songhay may appear as Songhai. In each case I have chosen one spelling and stuck with it. Guides Note: This feature was originally posted in February of 1999, and was updated in January of 2007. The links below will take you to a site where you can compare prices at booksellers across the web. More in-depth info about the book may be found by clicking on to the books page at one of the online merchants. by Patricia and Fredrick McKissackA good introduction for younger readers that offers enough detail to interest older students. Edited by Said Hamdun and Noel Quinton KingWritings by Ibn Battuta that detail his journeys south of the Sahara have been selected by the editors and presented in this volume, which provides a fascinating firsthand look at Medieval Africa. by Basil DavidsonExcellent general introduction to African history that breaks free of the Eurocentric viewpoint. by Joseph E. HarrisConcise, detailed, and reliable overview of the complex history of Africa from prehistoric times to the present.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Ethics and Issues Of International Football Term Paper

Ethics and Issues Of International Football - Term Paper Example There is an enormity of researches and theoretical work written on the subject of ethics.   Accordingly, depending on the writer, schools of ethical thought differ from each other.   Some aver that there are two (2) schools of thought for ethics and others say that there are three (3) schools of thought.   Still, other references have more schools of thought that one can imagine.   According to De Foe, there are three (3) main schools of thought as detailed below The people's good is the highest law. The aim of deontological ethics is to find the most moral behavior and to make that a law or a set of rules for others to follow. The use of deontological ethics is extensive in our world, observed most as laws, rules, and ethical codes. Theories of deontological ethics might suggest that it would be possible to create a complete and comprehensive law that would prevent all negative behavior for all people who follow that law. That which  is evil to one at one time becomes good at another time to someone else. The consequential might state that  in most circumstances  it is wrong to push another human being or to shoot another human being. However, if someone is about to walk in front of a speeding car then through consequence it becomes ethical to push that person out of the path of getting hit. Likewise, if a person is about to detonate explosives inside a building it becomes ethical to shoot them according to consequentialism. This seems to suggest that how ethical the action becomes irrelevant†¦ the results of the action in preventing harm and promoting the most happiness for the most number of people becomes the single benchmark for ethical behavior. I must find a truth that is true for me †¦ the idea for which I can live or die. Moral individualism suggests that a person cannot know what it is to be moral without first discovering what it is within themselves that determines certain behavior be linked to moral or immoral acts. Likewise, he or she must also give others the freedom to undergo this process within them to find their own moral center. Â