Relationship Analysis Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Relationship Analysis - Research Paper Example Although these numerable theories are not a â€Å"how to† manual, but a means of getting deeper understanding into the natures of relationships between human beings. Three of these theories, offer interesting approaches as to how to understand romantic couplings and how and why people participate in interpersonal relationships. Firstly, Social Exchange Theory, as well as, two of the conceptual theories that fall under the umbrella of Social Exchange Theory, Equity Theory and Interdependence Theory. History Social Exchange Theory became popularized in the 1960s and 1970s. It works under the principle that all of human relationship behaviors are based on an exchange process. Through this they each can work to maximize rewards and avoids or minimize costs. This mental, and unconscious, a process allow the partners to measure whether their time, energy, money, and efforts balance with what they receive (Cherry, 2013). This theory has been influenced and enhanced by behavioral psyc hology, which explains that human being will repeat the behaviors that have resulted with rewards in the past. As well, as supported by Utilitarian logic, that if one receives more than the other, one will inevitably take advantage of the other (Plunkett, 2013). Simply meaning that one partner in a relationship becomes the primary giver and the other the primary receiver. Once these behaviors become habitual it will likely, not change. Equity Theory is based on the belief that people are innately drawn or desire to be treated well and valued fairly within the relationships they participate. Now, this does not necessarily mean that each partner will contribute in the same ways to the relationship, but as long as the parties involved find the relationship agreeable the a sense of balance, fairness, and equality that people wish. Unfortunately, we all do not necessarily agree on the definition of fairness is. This is when perceived imbalance can occur. When one member is not receiving positive reinforcements they may abandon the relationship. In turn, it is, also, possible for a partner who feels that the other gives much more than they do they may feel distress or guilt about this imbalance, even when that imbalance is in their favor (Deshmukh, 2011). â€Å"†¦Interdependence exists when the accomplishment of each individual’s goals is affected by the actions of others† (qtd. in Johnson & Johnson, 2013). In other words the personal successes and failures of each partner can be intertwined with one another. The theory explains that there are two types of Interdependence, positive, or cooperative, and negative, or competitive. Positive and cooperative interdependence is reflected in relationship where both partners feel that they cannot reach their goals without their partner, also, achieving their goals. Many might consider that the exact example of a committed, dedicated and equal relationship. The successes and failure are intertwined. Negativ e interdependence occurs when the partners in a relationship are competitive. One’s success can only be achieved by sacrificing the best interests of the other (Johnson & Johnson, 2013). Interestingly enough, if one partner is seeking positive interdependen

Ferguson & Son Manufacturing Essay Example for Free

Ferguson Son Manufacturing Essay Ferguson Son Manufacturing company is attempting to increase efficiency and reduce cost by introducing monthly performance reports for each department. Robert Ferguson Jr is trying to introduce this new type of accounting system and when you try something like this you will always run into some problems, but Robert is creating a culture of resentment. Robert Ferguson is using a static planning budget to analyze the performance of each department. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) define a planning budget as a budget â€Å"prepared before the period begins and is valid for only the planned level of activity (p. 385)† Robert is using a budgeted level of activity and comparing it to the actual level of activity as the basis for the evaluations. The information that is received from an evaluation done in this manner is going to be misleading. The budgeted level of activity is not always going to be the same as the actual level of activity, so a true comparison is impossible. For example my company manufactures safety belts for motor vehicles and the budget is based on an activity level of 5000 units for the period. The actual level of activity for the period is 4000 units and in result costs and revenue are lower than the budget amount. If our company compared the costs are going to be different simply because the activity level is different then the unchanged planned amount and the results will not provide conclusive data for performance and efficiency because there is no true controlled factor. Garrison, Noreen Brewer describe this as comparing apples to oranges. This type of system is going to provide incorrect data for performance, in result the company will not be able to understand their costs and true revenue potential. The planning budget system is going create discrepancies in the spending variance. According to Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) the spending variance is â€Å"the difference between how much a cost should have been, given the actual level of activity, and the actual amount of the cost (p. 91)† The spending variance can be evaluated as favorable or unfavorable, and this could effect how the product is priced or even purchasing new high tech equipment. You can not effectively utilize a spending variance in a planned budget system because you do not use the same activity level to compare cost. These are big decisions that can make a big impact on a companies revenue and if the system is not using the actual activity level and costs and comparing to the actual levels, the spending variance will be evaluated incorrectly. The planning budget system is going to effect the morale of the supervisors and employees dramatically. Robert Ferguson Jr is evaluating the performance of the supervisors and departments monthly based on amounts and activities that they have budgeted. This budget could be completely unrealistic and this will cause the entire staff to feel hopeless and bitter. Once people begin to feel hopeless, their work performance will fall, production and efficiency will naturally follow. Their work performance will take into consideration the quantity of their work, but more importantly the quality of their work. If your employees feel they have to cut corners to meet budget to keep their jobs, they will do so and the company could begin to alienate their customers. To continue the seat belt example, if my company had to produce 5000 units and this was impossible unless the workers cut a few corners; now the company has faulty seat belts going to car companies. This could cause a large recall on the cars that our clients produce and those clients are going to find a new company to work with for these products. In this example, my company just lost a tremendous amount of money due to an accounting system that demands so much of their workers that the quality of their work has to be sacrificed. This is all due to notion of increasing efficiency without comparing the activity levels and costs in the same manner. Ferguson Son Manufacturing should adapt a flexible budget system to improve efficiency. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) define a flexible budget as â€Å"an estimate of what revenues and costs should have been, given the actual level of activity for the period(p. 385). Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) go on to say that â€Å"when a flexible budget is used in performance evaluation, actual costs are compared to what the costs should have been for the actual level of activity during the period rather than to the static planning budget (p. 385). † The activity level will change each period, through out the period as the business activity increases and decreases. Emory says, â€Å"those reports dont tell the whole story. We always seem to be interrupting the big jobs for all those small rush orders. All that set up and machine adjustment time is killing us. This is an example of the type of activity that is going to happen and needs to be taken into consideration when one is evaluating efficiency. The flexible budget will take into consideration this activity and compare the costs to the same level of activity. The current planned budget does not take this into consideration and these are issues that the supervisor has no power over. With the knowledge from the flexible budget, Robert Ferguson Jr may decide that if they purchase a new machine they could complete these rush orders, not have any idle time and in result increase efficiency. In the flexible budget system, Robert will be able to effectively evaluate the spending variance and assess the performance of his workers. The flexible budget is going to make the supervisors and other workers feel they are being measured fairly and can have a positive sense of accountability. During each accounting meeting supervisors like Tom and Jim will be able to walk in confidently, look at the activity of their departments, what their costs should have been based on the activity, what it was actually and see where they can improve. Tom and Jim have been working at Ferguson Son for a very long time and understand what they and their teams can accomplish. They have been praised for the quality of their work by Robert Ferguson Sr and their expertise can be the most efficient tool Robert Ferguson Jr has in the factory. Flexible budget system will create realistic goals for the workers and in turn relieve the negative stress being placed on them. The quality of work will not be sacrificed to cut costs, Tom and Jim will incorporate new work practices to increase efficiency. Activity-based costing could be a great tool for Ferguson Son Manufacturing f used properly. Activity-based costing is defined by Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) as â€Å"a costing method that is designed to provide managers with cost information for strategic and other decisions that potentially affect capacity and therefore â€Å"fixed† as well as variable costs. Activity-based costing is ordinarily used as a supplement to, rather than as a replacement for, a companys usual costing system (p. 273). † Activity-based costing takes into consideration all different types of costs as they relate to the activities, so managers can make more effective decisions. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) state the implementation process for activity-based costing breaks down into five steps and these steps are define activities, activity cost pools, and activity measures; assign overhead costs to activity cost pools; calculate activity rates; assign overhead costs to cost objects using the activity rates and activity measures, and finally prepare management reports. The first step is going to require the company to interview supervisors of each department to understand the activities, activity cost pools and activity measures. This will involve the supervisors and give the company a better grasp of the activity, but make the supervisors feel they are a part of the process and team. This will in turn improve their confidence and overall morale. Once they have interviewed the supervisors and understand the activities, they will be able to assign overhead costs to activity pools such as the rent for the factory to production or the salaries of the marketing managers to the marketing department. The next steps will have them assign rates and costs to certain objects. Activity-based costing will allow Ferguson Son Manufacturing to become more efficient by giving them the ability to see what areas need the most improvement. Activity-based costing breaks down the costs for each department and activity in a way that Robert Ferguson Jr can assess the report and use the theory of constraint to locate the department that needs to improve and effectively take the steps to improve that department. As the system is continued to be used the company will see their efficiency rise and in results so will the company profits. Individuals are always working towards a purpose or some type of goal and that is what a budget can provide. I would utilize a budget to create a sense of urgency, competition and direction in the work place. I would utilize a responsibility accounting system. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) define responsibility accounting as â€Å"a system of accountability in which managers are held responsible for those items of revenue and cost—and only those items—over which they can exert significant control. The managers are held responsible for differences between budgeted and actual results (p. 337). † This type system will allow the managers to be held responsible for the items they can directly control, by involving them in the process and not automatically penalizing them for not meeting their goals immediately. Everyone wants to feel there are part of a team and involved in the process of creating their own goals. I would implement a self-imposed budget system to help create a sense of control for all workers and managers of the organization. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) define a self-imposed budget as â€Å"a method of preparing budgets in which managers prepare their own budgets. These budgets are then reviewed by higher-level managers, and any issues are resolved by mutual agreement (p. 338)†. I would create a budget committee that includes the managers to provide everyone in the organization this sense of unity. Once a budget is created and the workers have a sense of control and unity I would create an incentive program to encourage workers to accomplish and exceed their goals. I would implement a bonus incentive plan for my workers. This system would utilize the budget created by the organization and further inspire the workers to excel. People are motivated by many different things and most of them involve factors that are not directly related to the work place. People work to provide financial security for their family, prestige outside of work and pride for the work they do. A bonus program will give each individual the opportunity to accomplish any or all of these personal goals and contribute to the success of the organization. If each person in the organization is striving to surpass their goals, the organization will do the same and the results will be evident to the shareholders. Garrison, Noreen Brewer (2012) define return on investment as the â€Å"net operating income divided by average operating assets. It also equals margin multiplied by turnover (p. 475). † The return on investment is the profit of the organization. Activity-based costing allows larger companies to understand what their costs are, where they are coming from and how to effectively reduce them to create the largest return possible. Activity-based costing systems do have start up costs associated with them. The organization must train personal to understand the process and systems in order to properly accomplish these activities. The organization must interview staff to research their departments properly to get the accurate information vital to the success of activity-based costing. These costs are the reason many smaller organizations can not apply this system. Activity-based costing provides the organization with the ability to dissect their departments activities and costs. This will allow the organization to see what areas need improvement, what costs can be avoided, in result increase profits and free cash flow for possible expansion or upgrades. If Robert Ferguson Jr can see what departments are costing the company excessive amounts of money, he can lower or eliminate those costs. Once Robert reduces the cost of production, the revenue will rise and the return on investment will grow.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Essay -- To Kill a Mockingbird Essa

To Kill A Mockingbird Courage, the mental or morale strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty, is displayed in many different ways throughout Harper Lee ¹s only published novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. To some, the courage manifested by the characters in this book is either offensive, or frivolous, but to those who realize the true meaning of this word, the fortitude and bravery exhibited by certain individuals is considered uncustomary. In fact, To Kill A Mockingbird revolves around courage, as the author of this book describes Jem and Scout ¹s (the two main character ¹s in the story) childhoods living in Maycomb County, and how, as they grow older , they learn to realistically define heroism. To distinct courage in this book however, is not an easy task to accomplish, for typically, courage is displayed in the smallest or most unnoticeable fashions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus, a man who provides the morale guidelines in the story, and also Scout and Jem ¹s father, demonstrates courage in a variation of different ways, but the biggest of all the tasks that he had to overcome was when he was given the opportunity to defend Tom Robinson in court. Atticus did not treat this litigation such as any other case that he had ever dealt with before, for he new that this one would most likely change his life. The reason: Tom Robinson was a Negro. At the time, segregation was very common among the citizens of his town, and therefore he knew that he stood no chance in winning this indictment, especially based upon the fact that Robinson was charged with a transgression such as rape. Atticus was courageous in this situation for many different reasons, but mainly because he stood up for what he believed in; in this case it was that blacks should have equal rights as whites in a court of law. A quote that fascinated me while reading this book was:  ³Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win. ²(p76) Atticus was the one to have said this, showing his acknowledgment of the fact that he was going to be on the losing end of the lawsuit. Still, he prepared for this case, willingly putting his heart into it, disregarding the insults and attacks thrown in his direction by white supremacists. Although he lost, he came out victorious in the end, as he receiv... ...asing the amount of time that she was spending without taking the drug. Eventually, by the time that Jem was no longer obligated to read, she had accomplished her goal; she was going to be free when she died, as she did kick her habit. A suffering and feeble woman going a month without consuming a drug that she has been addicted to for over five years is undeniably courageous. Mrs. Dubose could easily have died taking morphine to soothe her pain, but instead she did what in her mind was right, suffering for a month on earth, permitting her to be untroubled for eternity in heaven.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Defending a Negro, resisting the temptation of fighting, and kicking a morphine addiction. All three of these acts of courage can somehow relate to the quote:  ³Real courage is when you know you ¹re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. ²(p112) This quotes continues, implying that you rarely win, but sometimes you do, such as in Mrs. Dubose ¹s case. In both Atticus and Scout ¹s cases though, they lost, but neither winning nor losing is important, as long as inside you know you have done the right thing.

Marketing as a Career

A career in marketing is spontaneous and an enjoyable one. Most people who work in the field of marketing will tell you it provides them with the challenge they have always wanted. Marketing is sporadic and always changing; there are always new and unique techniques to learn, cases to study, and strategies to research. Most companies have been successful with the help of great marketing people. Due to the fact that marketing involves coming up with an idea and realizing it, this is evident in every business. It will take determination and persistence, but it can be done. You will find that a start in marketing will normally put you in an entry position as a market research assistant, print buyer, general management trainee, or you can enter a program as a graduate trainee. A career in marketing will give you broad horizons to explore. This is the reason why marketing major is considered a jack-of-all-trades because of the reason that a marketing person is not limited by his academic performance but complemented by his innate creativity and innovative aspirations. Advertising, for most of its part, is the core of how marketing people do their jobs in a spontaneous yet creative manner. Unlike management which uses Management by Objectives (MBO) which is quite mandatory, marketing is very subjective in nature, which will give you the chance to speak your mind and materialize your ideas. A marketing person should be able to do the fundamental requisites of marketing which is to have an idea on how to build a SWOT analysis for a company. A SWOT analysis involves creating and scrutinizing ideas for the company’s progress. Each aspect of it is crucial for the growth of the company. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses opportunities, threats analysis. Here are some pointers for you to find out if you are a marketing person at heart: Are you able to recognize problems and devise an appropriate plan of action to resolve that problem? Can you organize and interpret complex data? Are you good at generating new ideas? Can you then take and organize those ideas and communicate them verbally? If you possess the qualities above then you could be a good candidate for entering and being successful in the career of marketing. Marketing offers various career opportunities, so it's easy to choose one that reflects your interest, values, and personal style. As a marketing major you can gain experience in your chosen career by participating in an internship or volunteering in service learning and community projects (Laura Lake, marketing.about.com/cs/marketingjobs). Â  Samples of potential experiences include: Conducting Market Research for a Fortune 500 Company. Promoting products through development of Point-of-Purchase displays. Spending time reviewing potential cost, price, and market research for service programs. Learning how to research customer base potential using available data. Designing an advertising or promotional campaign to promote new services. Developing a marketing plan for a global business. Reference: (Laura Lake, marketing.about.com/cs/marketing)

How to challenge discrimination Essay

You should always challenge discrimination, but to do this it is essential that you can recognise anti-discriminatory practice. Your role is to protect children from discrimination. If you ignore it when it happens, this will be regarded as tolerating discrimination. Consider how a child may feel if they experience discrimination which is then unnoticed by a member of staff who is there to support them. The child could feel that you share the view of the guilty party or believe that the way they are being treated is ‘normal’. They may feel that they are in some way substandard. At the very least, they will feel let down that you did not protect their rights. It can be difficult to challenge discrimination, particularly if it is institutional or practised by a colleague, so it is important that you consider how to deal with different and often difficult situations. To be able to challenge discrimination you require knowledge of policy, procedures and practice. If you feel confident about what is good practice, you will be able to deal more effectively with incidents that arise. When discrimination happens it may be intentional, but it can also be because of inexperience. It is not easy to change the views of others but you must challenge discriminatory comments and actions. It is important to learn assertiveness strategies that can help when you recognise discrimination. When challenging discrimination, you should: 1. Explain what has happened or what has been said that is discriminatory 2. State the effect of this on the individual, group and others 3. Suggest or model ways to ensure anti-discriminatory practice. When you are concerned about anti-discriminatory practice, whether by staff or pupils in the school, you should speak to your manager or supervisor at the school. You must also be aware of the school’s policy when racism is happening.

The importance of health assessment in understanding patients The WritePass Journal

The importance of health assessment in understanding patients The importance of health assessment in understanding patients IntroductionCase scenarioAdvanced nursing health assessmentHealth historyPhysical examinationBody mass indexCOPD assessment testMedical Research Council( MRC) Dyspnoea ScalePhysical examination of ChestInspectionPalpationPercussionAuscultationMental stateConclusionReferenceRelated Introduction As stated by Weilitz Potter (2007), â€Å"Health assessment is the process of gathering, verifying, analyzing, and communicating data about a patient.† (p. 5). This sentence shows that health assessment is essential for fully understanding the situation of a patient. In the following passage, there is a case study to discuss which kind of health assessment can be used in order to provide a better nursing care for a patient. Case scenario Mr Wong, aged 58, arrived at my ward with his wife. He was sweating and coughing. He had a difficulty of breathing and a wheezing sound was heard. After 15 minutes of rest, he felt better. He explained that while he was chasing a bus with his wife, he felt breathlessness and dizzy. He did not recovered after resting for awhile on the street so his wife brought him to the hospital. Mr Wong was a retiree for a year and he was a constructive worker before. He explained that retirement was because of not enough energy for daily work. He had smoked for over 30 years, one and half pack of cigarette per day, and had 5 cans of beer every week. He was obese and had medical history of hypertension for 5 years with own medicine. He was married and lived with his wife in an old building. He was fatigued when climbing up the stairs as well as walking for awhile. Due to the fatigue, he reduced the social activities and stayed most of his time at home. He complaint of not having a good sleep because of night cough (on-and-off for a year) and kept coughing with production of sputum for a year. Besides, he had respiratory track infection more frequently in this year. In recent 2 months, he had poor appetite and lost 8 pounds. During the conversation, Mr Wong usually needed a rest for answering every 3 questions. He looked tired and had deep circles under his eyes. His lip was dry. He was upset about the fatigue and felt useless of himself. He said that his quality of life was affected and lost interest of his previous hobbies. He did not have any social activities in this year nearly. Mr Wong had a low grade fever and blood pressure was around 145/90. His pulse was around 110. He had taken a chest X-ray after admission and the result was pending. He took the test of spirometry and FEV1 was between 40-50%. His 12-lead ECG was normal. 2-liters of oxygen was given through nasal cannula. He always sat up and seldom leaving the bed. Mr Wong was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). When Mr Wong arrived, I took vital signs of him as a baseline. His weight as well as height were recorded. Then I took the health history by an interview. The interview was started with the main complaint of Mr Wong. After that I took the past health status. They were medical history, done surgery, medication history, food and drug allergy. The lifestyle and health practice of Mr Wong were also asked. It included different areas. Smoking and drinking must be included as both were the risk factors of COPD. From his diet, hobbies and activity level, I needed those information for discovering the reasons of weight loss and obesity of Mr Wong. I also asked Mr Wong if he had constipation while if he felt breathless during passing stool and bathing. After the interview, I held a physical examination for Mr Wong. There were 2 parts, inspection and auscultation. I measured the respiratory rate and rhythm and observed the shape of his chest and any central or peripheral cyanosis. Auscultation was followed. I recorded the abnormal sounds like wheezing. Advanced nursing health assessment In the case of Mr Wong, a very simple and brief health assessment was done. It was unsatisfied because the health assessment was not completed and informative. The following passage is going to provide more health assessment and methods which can improve the case of Mr Wong. Health history The interview of Mr Wong was too brief. More questions should be asked. First of all, Mr Wong’s family history should be reviewed as COPD can be inherited (CMP Medica, 2007). More information of his blood relatives such as patients, grandparents and children has to be obtained. Nurse can find out any rare illness among the families which may relate to respiratory disease (Barnett, 2006). Secondly, Mr Wong work history should be also assessed. Since he was a constructive worker, he usually exposed to the chemical irritant. The nature and the environment of his work directly regard to COPD. Nurse needs to identify any personal protective equipment he used as well (Weilitz Potter, 2007, p.157). Thirdly, information regarding home conditions is important to establish how Mr Wong coped at home. As he was living in an old building, the building may be without a lift or with many stairs. It is possible for Mr Wong having difficulty to go out or it may be the reason of reducing social activities (Barnett, 2006). Fourthly, nurse has to question Mr Wong’s sleeping pattern as he did not sleep well because of night cough. Nurse should document how many hours he slept and why he could not sleep well. Sleeplessness or limited sleep may lead to tiredness and inability to cope with daily activities. By knowing the cause, doctor and nurse can treat the night cough of Mr Wong to deal with the insomnia. And they can prevent giving treatment with night sedative due to the side effects, which may depress the respiratorycentre(Barnett, 2006). Physical examination The physical examination includes different parts which can give a complete picture of Mr Wong’s condition. They will be introduced one by one, from simple to complicated. Body mass index From the article of Shepherd (2010), it states that â€Å"Nutritional depletion in patients with COPD is common and has negative impact on respiratory and peripheral muscle function.†(p.559). As Mr Wong had poor appetite and lost 8 pound in 2 months, the body mass index (BMI) should be recorded for follow-up. Nurse has to find out causes of weight loss and deals with those problems efficiently. COPD assessment test COPD assessment test is a simple questionnaire. It is used to measure the impact of COPD on the life of patient, and how this changes overtime. By this test, nurse takes it as a reference to improve the treatment. The test contains 8 questions. They are the frequency of coughing, if he feels any mucus in his chest, if his chest feels tight, if he feels breathless when climbing up hills or stairs, if he is limited doing any activities at home, if he is confident leaving his home despite his lung problem, if he sleeps soundly, if he has lots energy(GlaxoSmithKline, 2009). Medical Research Council( MRC) Dyspnoea Scale Measurement of breathlessness is essential for a COPD patient. The Dyspnoea Scale of MRC allows patients to grade their breathlessness on a scale of 1-5 according to activity carried out. The degree of breathlessness related to activities is from grade1-5 which means from mild to severe. It acts as a baseline and is useful for monitoring purposes for nurses and doctors (Barnett, 2009). Physical examination of Chest Through the process mentioned in above passages, nurse can receive higher proportion of basic information about Mr Wong’ condition. In the coming passages, several techniques which focus on chest are going to introduce. There are 4 physical respiratory examination, inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation. Although inspection and auscultation were applied in the case of Mr Wong, they were imperfect. Inspection Inspection consists of several parts. For the case of Mr Wong, nurse mainly focus on the inspection of breathing pattern, use of accessory muscles and positioning (Weber Kelley, 2010). Nurse needs to observe the rate, depth and rhythm of respiration. If these factors are abnormal, they represent the increasing workload of breathing. The pattern of respiration should be recorded if there is any special such as tachypnoea, hyperventilation, Cheyne-Strokes respiration, Biot’s respiration†¦etc. It allows the doctor giving particular treatment (Massey Meredith, 2010). Abnormal posture shows the patient may have difficulty in breathing. Mr Wong always sat up or leaned forward because he can better tense the respiratory muscle and contractility (Massey Meredith, 2010). In addition, using of respiratory muscles (trapezius, or shoulder) helps inspiration especially chronic airway obstruction (Weber Kelley, 2010). Nurse should pay more attention and provide suitable nursing care (such as oxygen supply, suction, removing tight clothes†¦etc) when above symptoms occur. Palpation Palpation for tenderness and sensation can determine whether there is inflammation, muscle sore or infection. It can be performed by one or both hands following the sequences. It should be started towards the midline at the level of the left scapula then the nurse moves her hand from left to right. The moving is systematically downward and out to cover the lateral portions of the lungs at the bases. The nurse should compare the finding bilaterally. The nurse can also check if there is mass or tumor (Weber Kelley, 2010). During the palpation, a crackle sensation may be sensed which means crepitus. This sensation is because of air passing through fluid and exudates in the lungs. Fremitus should be assessed. It is a vibration of air movement through the chest wall. It can be increased, decreased or absent which represent different lung problem like consolidation or bronchial obstruction, pulmonary edema, pneumothorax†¦etc (Weber Kelley, 2010). Percussion Percussion has 2 main functions, determining the tone as well as the diaphragmatic excursion. When nurse percusses the chest wall, the sound produced can show whether lung tissue is filled with air, liquid or solid. Same as palpation, a sequence of percussion should be followed. The process is started at the apices of the scapulae then across the top of both shoulders. Next, nurse percusses the intercostals spaces across and down. Finally, she moves from the lateral aspects at the bases of the lung (Weber Kelley, 2010). By comparing the sound of percussed areas, nurse may discover the lung mass or other respiratory problems (Weilitz Potter, 2007). Measuring the diaphragmatic excursion is also important. Emphysema may be a cause of limited diaphragmatic descent. Auscultation For auscultation, breathing sound is not the only element to assess. The voice sound can also be assessed. It is easy that nurse auscultates the chest wall while she asks the patient to repeat pronouncing â€Å"ninety-nine†. This is the way to identify if there is consolidation from pneumonia, atelectasis, or tumor (Weber Kelley, 2010). Mental state For the patient with CODP, they usually reduce the daily activities like Mr Wong did. The patient may not use to the changes of the quality of life( é† «Ã©â„¢ ¢Ã§ ® ¡Ã§ â€ Ã¥ ±â‚¬,2010). Closely observation and listening to the patient are the easiest and useful ways to assess the mental state of the patient. If there is any abnormal, the condition should be recorded and report to the senior nurse. Conclusion In this article, some health assessment tools and techniques are suggested for a CODP patient, Mr Wong. There is no traumatic procedure involved. However, the results of different examination can give large amount of information of the patient’s body condition. And this is essential for the clinical staff to improve the clinical decision making in order to provide better treatments for the patient. Reference Barnett, M. (2009). An overview of assessment and management in COPD. British Journal of Community Nursing, 15(5), 195-201. Retrieved March 12, 2010, from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ouhk.edu.hk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=104sid=ada13567-52a0-4268-b952-fd290eadc7a3%40sessionmgr104vid=3 Barnett, M. ( 2006). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care. United Kingdom: New York John Wiley Sons, Ltd. CMP Medica (2007)。《ç„ ¡Ã¨  ²Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¦ ® ºÃ¦â€°â€¹Ã¥Å¡ ´Ã©Ëœ ²Ã¦â€¦ ¢Ã©Ëœ »Ã¨â€š ºÃ§â€"…》〔å ° Ã¥â€ Å Ã¥ ­ Ã£â‚¬â€¢Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ© ¦â„¢Ã¦ ¸ ¯Ã¯ ¼Å¡CMP Media Pacific Limited。 GlaxoSmithKline. (2009). COPD assessment test. Retrieved March 12, 2010, from catestonline.co.uk/test/index.htm Massey, D, Meredith, T. ( 2010). Respirator assessment 1: Why do it and how to do it?. British Journal of Cardiac Nursing, 5(11), 537-541. Retrieved March 12, 2010, from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ouhk.edu.hk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=17sid=ada13567-52a0-4268-b952-fd290eadc7a3%40sessionmgr104vid=4 Shepherd, A. ( 2010). The nutritional management of COPD: an overview. British Journal of Nursing, 19(9), 559-562. Retrieved March 12,2010, from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ouhk.edu.hk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=104sid=ada13567-52a0-4268-b952-fd290eadc7a3%40sessionmgr104vid=3 Weber, J, Kelley, J. (2010). Health assessment in nursing(4th ed.). New York: Lippincott Williams Wilkins Weilitz, P. B., Potter, P. A. (2007). Pocket guide for health assessment(6th ed.).Missouri: Mosby Elservier.

Youth -the Bearers of Change Essay Example

Youth Youth -the Bearers of Change Essay Youth -the Bearers of Change Essay Human history has witnessed many innovations, technological progress, and revolutions. Youth is the first to bring such a change. Youth is the greatest wealth and strength of any country. Who can forget the great sacrifices made by the youth in the Freedom struggle of India? The soldiers at boundaries fight for security of their nation without being selfish . Steve Jobs , the founder of the APPLE and the NeXT (who was an undergraduate ) is the great example of youths intelligence .Youth have played central and leading role in recent revolutions in Tunisia ,Egypt and other Arab countries . The Marathi newspaper Maharashtra Times has awarded Adhik Kadam, Chairperson Of Borderless World Foundation It works for the children in Jammu and Kashmir. These show youths awareness towards their social and political responsibilities. Mark Zuckerberg has discovered the most famous social networking site , Facebook and Mr. Uday Kumar from IIT ,Bombay gave new symbolic identification to Indian Rupee (: ).Examples tell us about the great potential of youth. In India, the movement of the Lokapal Bill led by Anna Hazare succeeded due to the participation of youth from the whole country and also from the world. Indian Constitution has given Right to Vote to its every citizen. Not only about voting, but also youth must contest elections and give well-educated and qualified representatives to the People Of India . Really, youth is the ray of hope for the transforming the political scene of India and making it more and more transparent.In last decade, India was facing the problem of ’brain-drain . But now their is a trend of brain-gain’. This trend is the positive sign for developing India. Youth is working for betterment of villages as well as for achieving the scientific, economic, social, technological, etc. growth of nation. Truly, youth is the keystone in making India superpower in 2020’. Therefore, the future of any nation lies in the hands of its youth. Th e quality of its youth determines the kind of future, the nation will have.If we want to ensure a bright future for our country, we first need to empower our youth. The right kind of education is key for it . Unless we mold the tremendous energy of youth in right direction, it can become destructive and dangerous for nation. It is well said that change is never complete. Hence, years after years, generations after generations, and centuries after centuries change is the only constant . And youth is the soul for every change and every transformation .

How to Spend Valentines Day If You Are Single

How to Spend Valentines Day If You Are Single Love it or hate it Saint Valentines Day is looming closer by the minute. While couples are convulsively trying to get perfect gifts for their soulmates and ordering tables in restaurants, singles are looking for places where they can hide from all those sentiments, chocolate, teddy bears, proposals and other stuff. Heres a survival guide for singles. There are many benefits of being alone on Valentines Day, check them out! What to Do? #1 Visit Spa Take rest from disturbing thoughts that bother you on this day. Take a bath, light the candles, go to a masseuse. Hot water, massage, the fragrance of aroma oils will help you reach deep relaxation. Believe that youll forget about all your worries. # 2 Go to the Party Are some of your friends having a party? You should definitely be there. If none of your friends are throwing a party, you can attend some public event and meet new people there. Drinking, dancing and chatting will improve your mood, but dont forget that its Wednesday and tomorrow is a weekday 🙂 #3 Spend Time With a Single Close Friend Buy some tasty food you usually refuse from, put on comfy sleepwear, find a good comedy on Netflix and invite your friend to share all that with you. Laugh or cry – its up to you, but dont be alone. #4 Visit Your Family Being with your family and loved ones will help you to get distracted from the feeling of loneliness if it takes place. If you live with your parents, just spend time with them – watch movie or TV comedy, cook dinner or do something of this nature. #5 Get on a Short Trip Trips are usually full of adventures. Buy a ticket to a place that is not far from your city, book the hotel room and have dinner in a restaurant. Invite a friend or several friends (not the couples) to join you. A trip will inspire and bring some new thoughts to your mind. #6 Go to the Restaurant There could be some difficulties with booking a table on Saint Valentines Day, but you can try. Give yourself a permission to taste anything you want despite the calories. Choose the place where you can taste something new and delicious. Who knows, maybe your soulmate will be sitting at the neighboring table. #7 Cook If you like cooking, but usually dont have time for that, this is your opportunity. Try to get home earlier to have more time for cooking. Find a recipe to prepare a difficult dish that you usually dont have time for. If you cope with this (and you surely do), you will feel inspired and proud of yourself. #8 Visit a Specific Class Remember that time you wanted to attend painting/ latin dance/DIY class? Its time to do that now! The first reason is that you will feel you do something useful for you, the second – you wont be alone and the third – its just fun 🙂 #9 Workout at the Gym One of the best ways to relieve stress is to workout. Go to the gym and let you body get rid of accumulated negative emotions and calories. One more advantage of going to the gym is that its a nice place for meeting someone. What Not to Do 1. Dont text or call exes. You will regret. Definitely. If you didnt call them before, there was a reason. Remember it. 2. Dont be the third wheel. Its pathetic. Sorry. Even if you are very good friends with a couple, you wont be happy feeling that you are a bit unwanted at the celebration of their love. 3. Dont be too dramatic. Maybe a bit, but not too much. The fact that you dont have a date this year, doesnt mean that you have some flaws or something. You just didnt find someone who you are interested in enough to go on date. 4. Dont refuse from visiting events. Do you really think you are the only single in the city? Dont refuse from visiting parties only because you dont want to see many couples around you. Many of them will be sitting at home or in restaurant. Parties on Saint Valentines Day are mostly for singles. 5. Do not drink alone at home. First of all, its harmful for your physical health, secondly, its not good for you emotional health too. Alcohol will boost the feeling of loneliness and urge you to do stuff youd regret later. Saint Valentines Day can be a torture for some single people especially if they are surrounded with happy couples. If it is your case, you can get through it and the best way is to cooperate with other singles and spend good time together.

Volkswagen in China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Volkswagen in China - Research Paper Example In order for MNCs to operate effectively and gain a competitive advantage it is important to assess the competitive position and the relationship between success and strategies. In a highly competitive market it is very important for companies to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. This can be achieved by either cost advantage or offering differentiated product. Hills work suggests that the differentiation strategies in the automobile sector in China can be beneficial because of many reasons like Chinese automobile is an expanding market and is the world’s second largest automobile industry, therefore has a lot of potential for business. Automobile industry in general has a lot of potential for differentiation strategies and gaining market through it which is evident by the lavish expenditure done on the promotion of these cars. (Chen, J., & Yao, S. 2006; Barrow, C. 2009) This paper will focus and discuss Volkswagen’s globalization strategies for internalization, how it formed strategic alliances globally and how it positioned itself for global competitiveness through its formulated strategies and built strategic ventures and alliances. VOLKSWAGEN INTERNATIONAL Volkswagen dates back to 1937, was founded by Ferdinand Porsche who started it as an automobile advisory company. Being unsuccessful in selling his proposed model he collaborated with Nazi Government to setup a factory and produce the cars of his proposed model. In the post World war period, VW made the most selling car of the 1950s the Beetles. It was then that VW gained recognition throughout the world. In 1960s it opened a plant in Mexico which produced cars on new lines and technology and with time strengthens its position all around the world. (Rana et al.2005) Volkswagen started off with its two joint ventures in China. Its first project was a 50% venture with local leading brand Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC). The other venture was another 50% joint venture with First Auto Works (FAW) in 1991. Initially the company struggled to gain market but later in 1990s its brand Santana ruled the market. These joint ventures together occupy almost half of the market shar e in Chinese market and have a 70% annual growth rate. China is Volkswagen’s second largest market in the world after German market. (Chen, J., & Yao, S. 2006; Barrow, C. 2009) Volkswagen since its start in its Shanghai joint venture in 1985 was considered to be one of the leading the carmaker in China and occupied an eminent position in the market. The emerging Chinese automotive market was a threat for Volkswagen dominant market and soon it faced severe competition with companies like Toyota, Suzuki and General Motors in Chinese markets. One of the head of VW China commented in 2005 that suddenly China has become the toughest market. (Thun, E. 2006) Not even foreign, local market players like Cherry and Geely also competed and tried to win the market by aggressive pricing strategies. In a research of 2002 Volkswagen occupied the largest market share in China, the details of top 5 market share holders are given below: Manufacturer Sales (units) Market Share Shanghai Volkswag en 301,095 23.8 FAW-Volkswagen 207,858 16.4 Shanghai GM 110,763 8.8 FAW Toyota 95,433 7.5 Dongfeng Citroen 85,088 6.7 The table shows Volkswagen in combination with both its ventures SVW and FAW-VW have been the leading automobile company in China with largest market share in 2002. (Chen, J., & Yao, S. 2006; Barrow, C. 2009) SVW initially competed with minimal investment in China, it was able to capture high market share in the early days but soon it faced competition by the modern foreign and

Community Involvement in Construction Dissertation

Community Involvement in Construction - Dissertation Example The involvement of the community benefits both the community and the economy. The research is made to enhance the economy and to attain advantages from the community. Different books, literary articles in different magazines, newspaper and journals are utilized for the collection of data and information (Groat & Wang, 2002). However, interviews and questionnaire were also adopted for the collection of data. The construction publications and governmental publication are also considered important for the research. The government publications are important in determining the legal situation of the subject. Methodology In order to research the hypothesis, two research methodologies can be adopted (Groat & Wang, 2002). One method is to simply collect the data with relevance to the statement and then prove the hypothesis through the observation and with the help of available information. The collection method should involve the relevant books, journals, literature, etc. The method is often called as the qualitative research method. However, proving the hypothesis by utilizing the scientific tactics or scientific methods, which involves the practical behavior and responses from the people that are influencing the research directly. The method may not involve the collection of data through books, journals, etc. Such research method is known as quantitative research method. ... Secondly, utilization of the questionnaire and interviewing also help community development and fight legal and formal issues. Qualitative and Quantitative Research methods: Qualitative research approach involves the collection of data by researching and exploring the subject of subject without utilizing the principles and laws. The information explores the subject corresponding subject and its constituent parts. The attained information is carefully studied and conclusion is drawn with relevance to the collected information (Groat & Wang, 2002). The information is collected from the books, journals and other such sources that cover the subject. In a quantitative research method, an experimental method is utilized, which follows the scientific methods. In a scientific methods, a sequence of procedures are followed and then according to the finding evaluated through the steps, conclusion is made. The research method involves the collection of data through experimentation and directly consulting the persons that are directly involved (Groat & Wang, 2002). Interviewing or questionnaire is a part of the quantitative research method. Data collection: The information is gathered from various sources and thus it is not in the form that is required. The gathered information required editing. Editing of the information involved the selection of appropriate content and discarding the inappropriate information that is irrelevant to the subject of the research (Groat  & Wang 2002). Secondary Data Collection: In the qualitative research method, primary as well as secondary information sources are searched. Secondary information sources include the previous researches and information available in

Whistle Blower Articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Whistle Blower Articles - Essay Example The case had sparked enormous doubt among the public towards hospitals and the credibility of medical practitioners. The case was an eye-opener to the extent of extortion occurring at local hospitals and the perennial risk incurred by patients undergoing unnecessary surgeries and admission. According to Elin Baklid-Kunz, the hospital allegedly admitted thousands of patients unnecessarily between year 2000 and 2011. Her position as director of physical services enabled her to expose the compensation agreements to doctors that violated kickback laws. Additionally, 90% of all the spinal fusion procedures conducted were unnecessary, hence the doctors did not value the patients’ safety (Orlando Sentinel, 2013). On a positive note, the large remuneration of Baklid-Kunz and also the whistleblower protection laws encourages more whistle-blowers to come out and reduce fraudulent activities in organizations both government and private. According to (Turner, 2014) whistle-blowing protection laws such as the whistle-blowing protection Act and the Ethics in Government Act guarantee the freedom of speech for workers. An piece by R. Robin McDonald, on the month of March 12, 2014, the lead attorney Marlan Wilbanks indicates that whistleblowers can claim for over 25% of what the government receives as compensation. However, the majority of whistle-blowers receives over 16.5% of the compensation. Baklid-Kunz won 20 million dollars that were 25% of the government compensation. She received her share under the provisions of the Federal False claim Act. The Act encourages private citizens to bring information in the structure of a civil action aligned with the company suspected of fraud. The attorneys went on and litigated against Halifax on the allegations that the hospital unlawfully boosted their revenue at the expense of the Medicare program by admitting patients unnecessarily for

Compare and contrast two Middle Eastern civil wars, such as Lebanon, Essay

Compare and contrast two Middle Eastern civil wars, such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, or Libya - Essay Example Through associate degree analysis of various cultural constructions, the conflict that passed off throughout the war has helped in Lebanon’s healing method (Horowitz 2008, 217). In Syria, President Bashar Al- Assad took power in the year 2000 immediately after the death of his father Hafez that had dominated Syria right from 1970. President Assad hastily dotted hopes of political reforms, as the power remained targeted within the ruling family, and therefore the system of one party gave few avenues for political opposition. With lack of nonviolent transfer of leadership since the Fifties, amendments will only happen solely through a military coup or a well-liked struggle. This report, will explain the similarities and differences of the civil wars in Lebanon and Syrian states in the Middle East and their roles in bringing political reforms in the respective nations. The vicious loop of enhanced sectarian attitude, escalating sadism and out of doors support has up to now, prevented any serious attempts to resolve the conflict between the war-ridden factions in the Syrian nation (Leenders & Heydemann 2012, 142). The government and the opponent deny one another as conflict partners in an exceedingly competitive struggle however regard each other a vital enemy to tumble or destroy. Anassessmentof Lebanon provided that sectarian as well as ethnic identities had changed into settled markers for violence and thrown the nation into a destructive war (Sambanis 2004, 823). The main issue is if a power-sharing approach that resembles the one efficiently employed in Lebanon can be suitable in making sure the war in Syria is ended. Opponents to the idea the application of the Lebanon model to Syria argue that the two nations that are characterized by social compositions of a sectarian nature have administrative arrangements that are incommensurable (Ghosn & Khoury 2011, 381). The area is the foundation of the three most

The impact of advertising in our daily life Essay

The impact of advertising in our daily life - Essay Example This essay "The impact of advertising in our daily life" outlines the importance, functions, and advantages of the print advertisement over the ad on the Internet. The print ad of Coca-Cola Company published in 1969 presents the image of the chilled Coca-Cola bottle and a glass filled with coke and ice placed with some fruits and other food stuff. The body copy of the ad written at the top left side of the image conveys the message that coke goes with everything that people eat because it is a real thing that gives them a real taste and real satisfaction. The same message is also written at the bottom of the image that Coke is the real thing. This advertisement has been created with attractive visuals and balanced combination of text and images. This print ad is based upon explicit claim because it directly makes the claim that coke is a real thing just like all the other things people use to have in their lives. The ad places coke with the natural things to make audience believe that coke is not an artificial thing and they could be sure about its real taste and satisfaction. The explicit claim made in the ad is an example of fallacy because it tries to position a carbonated drink like the natural things that is not true. Coke unlike the natural edibles has several health effects and could not be regarded as a real or natural thing like apples, grapes and oranges etc. The ad effectively communicates this idea by making claim about coke as a real thing. There is another print ad published in 2008 by McDonald that promotes McDonald’s Drive. ... The ad conveys implicit meanings because it gives the message indirectly that people can enjoy McDonald’s product alongside all their routine activities by visiting Drive-Thru. The ad claims that in the multitasking world McDonald does not interrupts the activities of the people but it gives people benefit that that they can continue with their activities and can still enjoy McDonalds. The ad makes the implicit claim by showing a real newspaper article coming out along with the fries. The claim could not be regarded as fallacy but it is an intelligently created ad that very well demonstrates the brand benefit and convince people come at McDonald’s drive through even if they have no time to sit and eat the meal at the restaurant. The ads informs about the option of eating out while the other tasks would also be carried out and so separate time would be required to go for meal. There is another very interesting print ad with funny appeal created for EPhone 900 that shows a snake ready to bike a person and the person is searching Google to know how to dodge a snake bite. The ad makes the explicit claim about the fast internet access at any place and time when the user need and for making this claim more interesting and real they have shown a real life problem that any person might face anytime. However, the ad has a fallacy because the tough situation shown in the ad could not really be handled in a way shown in the ad. The ad basically aims to make audience imagine that the EPhone 900 allows them such fast access to internet anywhere and anytime that they can reply upon the EPhone for the solution of their problems. The problem shown in the ad is very serious needs urgent solution. Likewise, the ad claims that the

Dam paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Dam - Research Paper Example Remediation of Gorge Dam will involve; revitalizing its catchment area, that is the river Cuyahoga to ensure constant supply of water to the dam and reduce the flow of sediment. The decision to remediate a dam is based on various ecological, economical and human considerations in terms of impacts and risks associated with it. According to the American White Water organization, the Gorge Dam is roughly 57feet tall (approximately 17.4 meters), with a current average flow rate estimated at approximately 522 cubic feet per second (approximately 14.8 cubic meters per second). Remediation processes in the United States are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency and it is executed in stages. The Gorge dam was built in 1912 on the Cuyahoga River between Cuyahoga Falls and Akron Ohio. Vast deposits of metal waste from industries were dumped into the Cuyahoga River between 1912 and 1926, which over time have converted into free flowing sediment. Also from 1926 to 1978, coal combusted products were also laid in the river as waste. The dam was built for the generation of hydroelectric power for the local street car public transportation systems and to provide cooling water storage for a local coal burning power plant. Removing the dam will cost approximately 50 to 70 million dollars and over a year to finish the process depending on how the funds are distributed and consumed. With these figures, it’s better to leave the dam alone since in removing or ignoring the dam doesn’t solve the problem of pollution as the sediment has to be removed even after the dam is removed. Sediment is a naturally occurring material produced by the forces of erosion and weathering and is transported downstream through the water. After removal of the dam, the large amount of polluted sediment on the base of the dam and the river also needs to be taken out to avoid allocating itself downstream. The operation is a major component of the cost consideration and time taken in removing the dam. Ignoring the dam means continued build up of sediment and water quality declination. The solution for the dam is remediation. Currently, the dam has a potential of generating approximately 2526 kilowatts. Considering its situation, this is a good amount of power and this means once the dam is remediated, power generation efficiency will increase. The generated power will be viable for feeding into the national grid. The cost incurred in remediation and upgrading the hydroelectric plant will be recovered in a few years, which is better than spending 50 to70 million dollars in removing the dam and over a year to do so, or incurring an annual expense of 1224 dollars in ignoring the dam to maintain it without any economic benefits. From the calculations in the appendix, Gorges dam can generate up to 2021017 watts of power assuming its efficiency is 80%. Hydroelectric power generation of a typical dam ranges from 70-90 %. When remediated, the fountainhead of the dam wil l be increased and a higher head implies more potential to generate power. The result is a cheap and readily available power for factories and to the local communities. Cheap and readily available power encourages local investment. Industries will develop which will create employment, and improving the standards of living. Remediating the dam removes the sediment accumulated over the years

The impact of advertising in our daily life Essay

The impact of advertising in our daily life - Essay Example This essay "The impact of advertising in our daily life" outlines the importance, functions, and advantages of the print advertisement over the ad on the Internet. The print ad of Coca-Cola Company published in 1969 presents the image of the chilled Coca-Cola bottle and a glass filled with coke and ice placed with some fruits and other food stuff. The body copy of the ad written at the top left side of the image conveys the message that coke goes with everything that people eat because it is a real thing that gives them a real taste and real satisfaction. The same message is also written at the bottom of the image that Coke is the real thing. This advertisement has been created with attractive visuals and balanced combination of text and images. This print ad is based upon explicit claim because it directly makes the claim that coke is a real thing just like all the other things people use to have in their lives. The ad places coke with the natural things to make audience believe that coke is not an artificial thing and they could be sure about its real taste and satisfaction. The explicit claim made in the ad is an example of fallacy because it tries to position a carbonated drink like the natural things that is not true. Coke unlike the natural edibles has several health effects and could not be regarded as a real or natural thing like apples, grapes and oranges etc. The ad effectively communicates this idea by making claim about coke as a real thing. There is another print ad published in 2008 by McDonald that promotes McDonald’s Drive. ... The ad conveys implicit meanings because it gives the message indirectly that people can enjoy McDonald’s product alongside all their routine activities by visiting Drive-Thru. The ad claims that in the multitasking world McDonald does not interrupts the activities of the people but it gives people benefit that that they can continue with their activities and can still enjoy McDonalds. The ad makes the implicit claim by showing a real newspaper article coming out along with the fries. The claim could not be regarded as fallacy but it is an intelligently created ad that very well demonstrates the brand benefit and convince people come at McDonald’s drive through even if they have no time to sit and eat the meal at the restaurant. The ads informs about the option of eating out while the other tasks would also be carried out and so separate time would be required to go for meal. There is another very interesting print ad with funny appeal created for EPhone 900 that shows a snake ready to bike a person and the person is searching Google to know how to dodge a snake bite. The ad makes the explicit claim about the fast internet access at any place and time when the user need and for making this claim more interesting and real they have shown a real life problem that any person might face anytime. However, the ad has a fallacy because the tough situation shown in the ad could not really be handled in a way shown in the ad. The ad basically aims to make audience imagine that the EPhone 900 allows them such fast access to internet anywhere and anytime that they can reply upon the EPhone for the solution of their problems. The problem shown in the ad is very serious needs urgent solution. Likewise, the ad claims that the

Philosophy Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophy Assignment - Essay Example In such extreme expression this relativism may dangerously threaten the efficiency of international law and international remedial systems which had been created during many decades. If the observance of international standards will be regulated by extremely cultural tradition, large-scale disrespect, violation and infringements of human rights will become consecrated by the law. In â€Å"The Challenge of Cultural Relativism† Rachels attacks the trendy idea of cultural relativism: Undoubtedly, this argument is unacceptable because the principle is right, but the conclusion is wrong. So, it does not follow from the simple fact of difference that there is no real truth regarding the matter of incongruity. In process of interaction and mix of cultures the culture of the personality also changes. This process may both enrich and disorient people. Present instability of cultural aspect of the personality reflects fundamental changes in how we today perceive and express themselves. According to Rachels there are three consequences of cultural relativism. He states that if relativism were true â€Å"we could no longer say that the customs of other societies are morally inferior to our own†. Also â€Å"we could decide whether actions are right or wrong just by consulting the standards of our society.† Moreover â€Å"the ideas of moral progress and social reform would be meaningless†. However, many of us don’t want to recognize these consequences. So the conclusion of Rachels is the following: â€Å"cultural relativism is not true†. 2. In â€Å"Active and Passive Euthanasia’† Rachels argues the distinction between two kinds of euthanasia and focuses on the moral difference between killing the patient and letting him die. He discusses the difference between two kinds of euthanasia – the first, so-called â€Å"active†

Croatia Pest Analysis Essay Example for Free

Croatia Pest Analysis Essay Material quality (the hotels’ interior design and entertainment activities) Immaterial quality (quality in services and organization) (www. oecd. org) Pure service performance would diminish the profit. Therefore, the organization provides staff training, job security and high supervision in order to maintain quality human resource management. Technology such as OnQ forecast management System is implemented. (www. microsoft. om) Through this system the organization becomes precise in pricing and financing strategies and meets the customer preferences. (Ganesh D. at al. , 2001) Given that the company belongs to the tourism industry, the remaining value chain is: Principles Intermediary Customers Hamilton Hotels build vertical integration with their principles which provides additional activities. (Smeral, 1998) The cooperation includes arrangements with restaurants, leisure, recreation centers and banks and insurance companies. This vertical integration is expanded with airlines, rent a car and credit card companies. (www. oecd. rg) As far as the geographical expansion and the promotion of the Hamilton Hotels are concerned, intermediaries perform as major device. The most appreciated influencers are travel agencies. (Smeral, 1998) According to the management of Hamilton hotels, services after the accommodation could only increase the cost. In order to maintain low prices and meet the standards of customers, unnecessary services have been removed (Smeral, 1998) 3. PEST analysis 3. 1 Political analysis Croatia is constitutionally parliamentary democratic country. Signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995, brought high level of security and protection. (www. state. ov) Though, corruption is awkward issue that remains. In addition, the political forces in the country, in 2004 outlined a Commission that will prevent conflicts of interests and legislation that will stop money laundering. (www. buyusa. gov) In orde r to secure the success of transition into a market economy, Croatia implements reforms in legal institutions, policy development and investment plans. While being influenced by the requirements from the EU membership, Croatia has executed several projects for harmonization. (Strategy for Croatia, 2005) First step was to prepare the legal Croatian system according to the EU norms and rules. According to Anon (2005) â€Å" EU policies, as well as the obligations from its IMF stand-by arrangement, World Bank structural adjustment loans and WTO membership- commit Croatia to increase transparency and to equitable application of laws to both domestic and foreign business†. Thus, Croatia maintains good connections with many significant EU political and financial institutions and its neighbors. The market economy involves implementation of government anti-inflationary policy and progress of the private sector through privatization. Priority Action Plan (PAP) was the result of the government aim. Strategy for Croatia, 2005) 3. 2 Economic analysis Under the tight fiscal and monetary policy, Croatia had 4. 3 % growth of GDP in 2005 ( 30 950 million â‚ ¬). (www. shelter. incom. hr) The forecasting predicts continuously improvement since increased personal consumption and service growth, especially in the tourism industry, will occur. (www. balcanionline. it) Croatia appl ies its monetary policy to maintain price stability and stable value of national currency. (www. hgk. hr) The inflation rate in 2005 was 3. 3. The impact of unemployment in Croatia can’t be evaluated because of grey economy. However, the unemployment rate for persons older than 15 years in 2005 was 12. 7. During the last period, banks improved their performance through loan activities. Loans for personal consumption dominated in 2000-2001, thus nowadays, corporate loans indicate the boosting investment activities. (www. balcanionline. it) According to the Global Competitiveness Index in 2006 , Croatia is ranked on the 51st place, which is 13 places up from the previous year. (www. apin. hr) 3. 3 Social analysis Researches show that Croatian consumers prefer the domestic product if it has equal price and quality as foreign products. Also, they prefer easy available, attractive, intensively advertised and products with good value for money. (www. croatiasa. com) The population is ageing and the standard of living in Croatia rises with small step. Thus, people between 20 and 55 years have the highest disposable income. The consumer lifestyle is influenced by the Italian model of healthy, sport life. (www. hrcak. hr) Consequently, investing in sport centers, summer resorts, spa and ski resorts are the main investing attraction nowadays. (www. croatiasa. com) Croatian are aware of green issues and put effort to protect the environment. Major issues for Croatia are waste management, water treatment and sewerage. Since tourism is the main investing attraction, Croatia implemented project for 177 coastal towns in order to find adequate protection. (www. croatiasa. com) 3. 4 Technological analysis Croatian Program for Innovative Technological Development is established in order to reinforce the RD activities. (www. unpan1. un. org) According to Anon (2004 p. 17) RD is reinforced since â€Å"the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports (MSES) appoints councils for specific areas of science like natural, technical, biomedical, bio-technical, social science and the humanities. In 1975 Croatian IT Society was established. This organization uses IT and enables easier communication in Croatia through: organizing research and development projects and providing services, information and advice, especially for interdisciplinary activities. (www. ifip. or. at) One recent activity is installation of ECDL. Another advanced technology program is E-learning academy (ELA) that provides learning at a distance. (www. e-mentor. edu. pl) 4. Entry mode Given that Hamilton Hotels intend to expand the business, adequate entry mode would be acquisition. Alvarez-Gil at al. , 2003) Acquisition is less risky since the company will operate with familiar operations. Additionally, income will increase by using the already existing skill force, technology, capacity and easy available local capital and market research. (Hereemann, 2006) Croatia with 4. 5 million population, Slovenia as neighbor and direct access to Adriatic Sea, has convenient attractions. Skilled labor, developed transport infrastructure and easy communication are another advantages. (www. croatiaproperty. rg) According to the Investment Promotion Law level foreign and domestic investors are delighted with equal incentives. (www. croatiaproperty. org) With only 1 month required to register the business, Croatia proposes several incentives: 1)corporate tax Companies that invest approximately 700 000 $ and will create 10 new jobs, have 10 ? corporate tax level. 30 jobs and investing 1. 8 million $ brings 7 ? tax. 3 ? tax level is for 3. 5 million $ invested with 50 jobs and 0 ? tax level is for 10. 6 million $ and 75 new jobs. (www. mingorp. hr) 2)Property ownership rights Foreign company in Croatia established for business activities is registered as domestic legal entity (www. croatiabiz. com ) 3) Repatriation of profits Foreign investor can relocate the earnings without legal restrictions according to the Foreign Exchange Transaction and Trade in Gold Act (www. croatiabiz. com ) 4) Free zones Free Trade Zones are built in the area affected by wars. The government offers 50 % deducting of corporate tax if operations are launched there. Those companies that are involved in building the infrastructure in the free zones, don’t pay corporate tax.

A Slaves Soul Runs Deep Essay -- essays papers

A Slaves Soul Runs Deep A Slave’s Soul Runs Deep The poem ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’ by Langston Hughes is about a man with a vast knowledge and understanding of rivers. The first two sentences of the poem are similar, as in both Hughes states, ‘I’ve known rivers’. From this the reader gathers that this man has been around rivers and probably lived around rivers. He talks about different experiences he has had on four different rivers. For example he says, ‘I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young’ and this gives the impression that he was around long ago when the river was just starting to form. Another quote, ‘I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans’ shows a passage of time from the first quote as this historically places him in a much more modern time frame. On an unobjective level I think that this is a poem about different rivers that Hughes feels attached to for some unexplained reason. However, based on a close read ing I would argue through the explication approach that this poem can be seen in a different light. While some may argue otherwise, I believe that on an explicative level Hughes is creating a comparison between his soul and the rivers. In taking a closer look at many different aspects such as genre, my close reading interpretation, and outside research I have reached a conclusion. I have discovered that Hughes did a wonderful job of describing the slave experience as seen through his soul and the souls of all others who have experienced slavery. I believe that Hughes’ poem is oral. It seems to read as if he is passionately reciting to some fictional audience. It makes sense for his presentation to be oral as he is describing his history as well as the... ...eaks of Rivers’. This clearly demonstrates how truly important the issue of slavery was to him and how his life had become symbolized by the poem. This poem at first seemed straightforward to me. As I read it more closely and thought about it more I began to put bits and pieces together. I think Hughes has done a wonderful job of describing the slave experience, from the beginning of his narrative to the end, which is when he starts to realize that a brighter future might exist. The way it was written made me really think about what it was Hughes was trying to say. This poem made me realize that a great many people suffered as slaves. These people lived their whole lives in this capacity, most without hope of any change of status. I felt like I was putting together a jigsaw puzzle and it was a good feeling when I finally saw what I believe Hughes wanted me to see.

Use of Biblical Imagery in Margaret Laurences The Stone Angel :: Stone Angel Essays

Use of Biblical Imagery in Margaret Laurence's The Stone Angel In the novel The Stone Angel, Margaret Laurence introduces a character who seems to evolve her life around biblical imagery. Hagar Shipley, a ninety year-old woman, does not accept things easily, like life. Hagar is recognized as a biblical imagery because of her name. "Hagar" is introduced and recognized in the Old Testament as the Egyptian hand-maiden of Sarah, the wife of Abraham. By reason Sarah was unable to provide offsprings for Abraham. Since Sarah could not concieve, she gave her servant, Hagar, to her husband, so she can produce heir under Abraham's name. And Sarah said unto Abraham, Behold now, the Lord that restained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that i may obtain children by her. And Abraham hearkened unto the voice of Sarah... And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceieved, her mistress was aespised in her eyes". (Genesis 16, 2-4) Symbolically, Hargar Shipley became a house keeper in her younger years. Hagar has always felt that she was to take care, nurture, serve others, it bacame her natural positon. Hagar saw herself as the "chatelaine," or possibly an outcast when she was married to Bram. The Shipley house was square and frame, two-storied, the furniture shoddy and second-hand, the kitchen reeking and stale, for no one had scoured properly there since Clara died. Yet seeing it, I wasn't troubled in the slightest, still thinking of myself as a chatelaine. I wonder who I imagined would do the work? I thought of Polacks and Galicians from the mountains, half-breeds from the river valley of the Wachawa, or the daughters and spinster aunts of the poor, forgetting that Bram's own daughters had hired out whenever they could be spared, until they married very young and gained a permanent employment." (p. 50-51) Hagar is feeling like a prisoner in her own habitat, that she is not "free" in spirit; "I was alone, never anything else, and never free, for I carried my chains wihin me, and they spread out from me and shackled all I touched" (pp. 292). The imagery that Hagar is enslaved like the prisoners in the early era's, B.C.-A.C., she became a slave of her own emotions which is strugggling within her. Also noted, Hagar also was seen and explained as "a creature of wilderness". Like the pharaoh's daugheter, she left the security of her father and went to explore the wilderness.

Career Goals Paper Essay

Understanding family behavior and the dynamics of the working relationship would be keys in this field. Also, helping the less fortunate and guiding them through tough times would make a huge impact in today’s society. Plus, making the world better for children, and making sure children are fed and educated would be wonderful. Figure 1. 1 Key factors in my scores (refer to figure 1. ) to multiple pathways of learning include the following that will prove helpful in my studies at University of Phoenix: 1. Bodily Kinesthetic: I scored a 20 on this scale. Being able to use my hands when learning will be most beneficial for me throughout my studies. For instance, writing down key terms and walking around when reading my textbook would be my ideal study situation. Moving fingers under words while reading will assist me in comprehending the material. Also, learning by doing would also be preferable in this type of intelligence. Applying the concepts learned to real life situations would make learning more enjoyable for me. 2. Verbal-Linguistic: Scoring a 19 on this scale references my ability to learn through communication through language (listening, reading, writing, and speaking). Reading text and limiting highlighting would create an active learning environment when studying. Rewriting notes will help me remember what is being learned throughout the course. Also, being able to remember terms easily will help me gain a larger vocabulary of psychological terms. Discussing topics that interest me, such as abnormal psychology, will also play a huge part in my learning the discipline. 3. Intrapersonal: This was the highest scoring intelligence being a 21. Having a quiet place to study and think with no interruptions is a beneficial learning environment for me. This tells me that I prefer to think about issues before discussing them. Being interested in self improvement is a factor in this scale; improving me is my number one goal. 4. Interpersonal: My score for this intelligence was a 19. Knowing when enough is enough, and to step away from the situation is essential. * Attitude: Keeping a positive attitude never hurts anyone. Being confident in my ability to earn this degree will keep me on track. * Staying Motivated: Never lose sight of my main motivators. Knowing that a good career is possible after obtaining my degree keeps me focused. * Prioritizing: Never wait till the last minute to finish a project/assignment. Keeping on track with my assignments is essential for my success. Working on projects a little bit each day reduces stress. Procrastination is the enemy! Going back to school later in life is a huge challenge; however, I feel that the dividends will pay off in the long run. My ultimate goal is to be a lifelong learner. When your brain rests; it rusts. Learning does not have to stop after obtaining a degree; learning goes on throughout your entire life span. Becoming a college professor is my ultimate goal; giving back the gift of knowledge and making an influence is my dream. Actually, this paper taught me a very important lesson: You get out of education what you put into it. Never take a good education for granted and never stop learning.

Philippine History Essay

I admire what Jose Rizal did in helping and gaining the liberty and freedom of our country. What he did was heroic because he fought for freedom in a silent but powerful way. He did not form and train soldiers and use swords and guns in fighting for democracy. He did the very effective tactic in inspiring and educating his fellow Filipino. His writings were very powerful that had opened the eyes of millions of Filipinos in that time. It serves as their encouragement during their very disappointing situation. Jose Rizal awakened the Filipino’s hopes and dreams to have freedom and peace for every while living under the abusive and corrupt Spaniards. He expressed his love to the people through his inspiring novels, essays, articles and poems rather than a force of aggression. Rizal’s great love and sensitivity to the needs of the people especially to the misfortune ones was overwhelming as evidence by his sincere services to the people as doctor, engineer, teacher, artist, farmer, and the like. His impressive intelligence made a great impact to all and that’s what makes him the Philippine Hero.This is just some of Rizal’s traits that prove his heroic deeds to our country. His honoring deeds has to be followed and live by everybody. His example is exceptional and worthy to be called a Hero. I am convince that such act may seem unattainable but it starts with doing the right thing in some little ways may a big difference and impact to the society. Being a teacher was one of Rizal’s profession and if all teachers would have the same passion as of Rizal, surely a small town, city and country would also produce great students and/or citizens of our country. The Philippine revolution led by Andres Bonifacio was fueled by the writings of Jose Rizal, the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, which made a more lasting impression. This is one of the best arguments of those who believe that Rizal is rightfully the national hero. Rizal was truly an inspiration to many Filipinos during the Spanish period. According to the historian Rafael Palma, Rizal was more deserving of the national hero title. Rizal was even thought to have suggested that Antonio Luna lead the revolutionary  forces since Luna has studied military science which was a brilliant idea to lessen casualties against the powerhouse Spanish militia. Rizal believed that only an army that was well prepared and had enough arms would ensure victory .

Human Rights in North Korea

DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR EXTERNAL POLICIES POLICY DEPARTMENT POLICY BRIEFING Human rights in North Korea Abstract The human rights record in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea) has been widely condemned by the international community, including by the EU and the European Parliament. The ascension of the latest ruler of the Kim dynasty, Kim Jong-un, in December 2011 has not brought tangible change. Since the country is practically closed to foreigners, the human rights situation can only be evaluated based on the testimonies of refugees and defectors.Their reports consistently reveal blatant and unrepentant violations of human rights, which aim to elicit the total submission of the country's citizens to the regime and its ideology. While the majority of North Koreans suffer from permanent hunger, those who try to leave the country face harsh punishment upon repatriation. Citizens suspected of being disloyal to the regime and their families are placed, witho ut trial, in prison camps with abhorrent conditions. North Korea is among the countries carrying out the highest numbers of executions in the world.FOR EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT INTERNAL USE ONLY DG EXPO/B/PolDep/Note/2012_265 PE 491. 441 September 2012 EN Policy Department, Directorate-General for External Policies This Policy Briefing was requested by the European Parliament's delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand. AUTHOR: Anete BANDONE Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union Policy Department WIB 06 M 85 rue Wiertz 60 B-1047 Brussels Feedback to anete. [email  protected] europa. eu is welcome. Editorial Assistant: Pia VANNESTE LINGUISTIC VERSION: Original: ENABOUT THE PUBLISHER: Manuscript completed on 17 September 2012.  © European Union, 2012 Printed inBelgium This Policy Briefing is available on the intranet site of the Directorate-General for External Policies, in the Regions and countries or Policy Areas section. To obtain paper copies, please send a request by e-mail to: [email  protected] europa. eu. DISCLAIMER: Any opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament.Reproduction and translation, except for commercial purposes, are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and provided the publisher is given prior notice and supplied with a copy of the publication. 2 Human rights in North Korea TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Overview Human rights violations International treaties Reactions of the international community Annexes 4 5 10 10 14 3 Policy Department, Directorate-General for External Policies 1. Overview The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is an authoritarian state that emerged after the Second World War and has been ruled by the Kim dynasty ever since.The latest national elections, held in March 2009, were neither free nor fair. North Korea's human rights record is based principally on the testimonies of refugees and defectors. North Korea’s human rights situation is difficult to assess: the access of foreigners to the country is restricted and those who do enter are under close surveillance. North Koreans are not allowed to leave the country, which means that reports are mainly based on the contributions of refugees and defectors.Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) report that North Korea commits blatant human rights violations: arbitrary and indefinite imprisonment, political prison camps, torture, public executions, suppression of workers’ rights, and prohibitions on freedoms of expression, media, movement, association and religion 1 . North Korea's human rights violations have been widely condemned, including by the United Nations General Assembly and Human Rights Council, which have adopted several resolutions.Nevertheless, the North Korean government insists that there are no human rights issues in the country, arguing that its system has bee n chosen by the people: ‘The words â€Å"human rights† sound absolutely nonsensical in the DPRK where the dignity and independent rights of the working masses are fully guaranteed legally and institutionally. ‘ 2 No tangible changes have been seen since Kim Jongun assumed power in December 2011. The ascension of Kim Jong-un after the death of his father Kim Jong-il in December 2012 has hardly changed the grim situation, although Kim Jong-un has spoken about improving people's lives.As recently as December 2011 DPRK authorities issued a statement indicating they would ‘annihilate' up to three generations of a family if a family member fled the country during the 100-day period of mourning following the death of Kim Jong-il Border controls were also intensified 3 . 1 2 US State Department Korean Central News Agency 2012 3 ICNK, Kim Jong Un Tightens Grip along Border , 16 January 2012 4 Human rights in North Korea 2. Human rights violations 2. 1. ExecutionsNort h Korea's criminal code foresees the death penalty for more than 20 crimes, including smuggling and dealing narcotics, stealing state property and counterfeiting currency. The code also allows for arbitrary decisions by the authorities, who can determine ‘the gravest cases' or ‘extremely serious cases' 4 . In 2011 North Korea executed 30 or more people, placing the country among the ranks of those carrying out the greatest number of executions in the world, according to Amnesty International 5 . 2. 2. Torture and ill-treatmentPersons who are accused and arrested are often subjected to torture to enforce obedience and obtain bribes or information, despite the fact that North Korea's criminal code prohibits torture or inhuman treatment. According to Human Rights Watch, common forms of torture include sleep deprivation, beatings with iron rods or sticks, kicking and slapping, and enforced sitting or standing for hours. A study conducted in 2010 found that 60 % of previously imprisoned refugee respondents had witnessed a death due to beating or torture 6 . . 3. Some 200 000 people live in prison camps; incarcerated with their families and without trial. Prison camps According to Amnesty International, around 200 000 prisoners (about 0. 85 % of the population) are held in six large political prison camps (gwalliso). People who are suspected of not being loyal to the regime are sent to these camps without a trial, often with three generations of their family — spouses, children and parents — and mostly without any hope of release.The prisoners may have committed ‘crimes' such as not dusting a portrait of the leader or being Christian 7 . North Korea has never recognised 4 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in The Democratic People's Republic of Korea 5 Amnesty International, Death Sentences and Executions 2011 6 Human Rights Watch (HRW) World Report 2012 7 The Economist, The gulag behind the goose-steps, 21 April 2012 8 The Situation of Detainees in Gulag System 5 Policy Department, Directorate-General for External Policies that these camps exist.Conditions in the camps approach those of slavery, with starvation and no medical treatment. Prisoners, including children, are forced to work in conditions approaching slavery, e. g. , mining, logging and farming, seven days a week for twelve hours or more per day. They are frequently subjected to torture and kept on the verge of starvation. A defector has described the daily ration as approximately twenty grains of corn per prisoner. Convicts search through cow dung for undigested grain. No medical treatment is provided in the camp.Pregnant women are subjected to forced abortions or forced to give up their babies upon delivery to be murdered or abandoned. 8 . In 2011, Amnesty International said it believed North Korea's prison camps were expanding. The organisation based its findings on satellite pictures 9 ; prison camps can be seen on Google Earth. 2. 4. Food shortages North Korea has been dependent on food aid since famine in the mid1990s. In March 2011, the UN estimated that more than six million vulnerable persons in North Korea needed immediate international food aid 10 .With food shortages reaching more than one million tonnes, the World Food Programme called it the worst famine in a decade. Among the causes are floods, an extremely harsh winter; discriminatory food policies that favour the elite, and the economic mismanagement of a monetary devaluation scheme in November 2009 that wiped out many peoples’ savings. In his February 2012 report, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur Marzuki Darusman called on the DPRK government to allocate more resources to agriculture than to its military sector 11 .At the same time, he emphasised that food ‘should never ne used as an instrument of political and economic pressure' (referring to a 1999 General Comment on the right to food by the UN Committee on E conomic, Social and Cultural Rights) 12 . Nevertheless, the U. S. suspended its plans for food aid to North Korea after the announcement of a new rocket launch in March. In June 2012, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Coordinator in Pyongyang, Jerome Sauvage, reported that one in two children in North Korea is stunted due to malnourishment 13 .The year 2013 could be particularly difficult for North Koreans as the 9 Amnesty International, Amnesty International Report Exposes North Korean Gulags, June 2011 10 HRW World Report 2012 11 Report of the Special Rapporteur 2012 12 Report of the Special Rapporteur 2012 13 Reuters, U. N. optimistic on U. S. aid for North Korea, food still a problem, June 2012 6 Human rights in North Korea country may face a new famine due to losses of up to 13 % of its grain harvest this year, according to a recent report by a South Korean official 14 .Losses result from a drought that followed widespread flooding this summer and that ob liged the country to request immediate food assistance. The regime has announced that it has set a goal for 2012 — the centenary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the first leader of the DPRK — to develop its economy, improve its people's lives and attract foreign investment 15 . In August 2012, the uncle of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, Jang songthaek, met China's President Hu Jintao to explore ways to revive North Korea's decimated economy and advance beyond the Marxist economic model 16 .There are also reports of plans for financial reform 17 . 2. 5. Media and internet Kim Jong-II’s death clearly demonstrated how tight the government's grip remains on the media and information: the news was broadcast on North Korean state television only two days later 18 . All sources of media, such as radio and television, are strictly controlled by the government and heavily censored. The contents of national media almost entirely consist of political propaganda and the pro motion of the leaders' personality cults. Internet use is limited to the political elite.Mobile phone access is limited to an internal network (one million users or 4 % of the inhabitants), and international calls can only be made by foreigners and the political elite 19 . Fines for making an international call can be as high as KPW 1 million (about USD 1 100), coupled with one week of detention 20 . North Korea is ranked second-to-last out of 179 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, before Eritrea 21 . 2. 6. Freedom of expression The government regularly evaluates its citizens' loyalty to the regime with the help of a large network of informants.Persons considered subversive are punished; disloyal inhabitants of Pyongyang are expulsed from the capital 22 . 14 15 Reuters, Destitute North Korea's grain harvest seen falling sharply, 4 September 2012 CIA World Fact Book 16 Reuters, China's Hu gives show of support for North Korea, 17 August 2012 17 ICNK, The Signs of Financial R eform in North Korea, 28 August 2012 18 Reporters Without Borders: North Korea 19 US State Department 20 Reporters Without Borders: North Korea 21 Reporters Without Borders: World Press Freedom Index 22 HRW World Report 2012 Policy Department, Directorate-General for External Policies 2. 7. Freedom of assembly and association The country's 1992 constitution includes provisions for freedom of assembly and association, although this is not respected in practice. All organisations are created by the government 23 . 2. 8. Freedom of religion The DPRK is officially an atheist state. Autonomous religious activities are almost non existent, although the government sponsors some religious groups to create the illusion of religious freedom 24 .The constitution foresees freedom of religion, while specifying that ‘no one may use religion as a means by which to drag in foreign powers or to destroy the state or social order† 25 . In 2009, the South Korean Investigative Commission on Crime Against Humanity reported on the public execution of a Christian woman accused of distributing the Bible. The Bible is banned in the North 26 . 2. 9. Freedom of movement: refugees Leaving the country without state permission is a crime in North Korea.Those who leave — most often to go to China — face harsh punishment if repatriated. Moreover, as mentioned above, DPRK authorities issued a statement in December 2011 indicating that they would ‘annihilate' up to three generations of a family if a family member fled the country during the 100-day period of mourning for the death of Kim Jong-il 27 . Border controls were also intensified last year 28 . Over the years, up to 400 000 North Koreans have fled the country, and many are living in neighbouring China as illegal immigrants.They are routinely repatriated, despite China's obligation to offer protection to refugees under international law, the Refugee Convention of 1951 and the Convention's 1967 Protocol, to which China is a state party 29 . In March 2012, at least 41 North Korean refugees were forcibly repatriated by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the DPRK 30 . In June four of them were executed 31 . Up to 400 000 North Koreans have escaped. Those who are repatriated face harsh punishment. 23 US State Department 2011 Human Rights Reports: Democratic People's Republic of Korea 24 25 CIA World Fact BookMinority Rights Group International: North Korea Overview 26 BBC, North Korea ‘executes Christians' , July 2009 27 European Parliament Resolution, 25 May 2012 28 Report of the Special Rapporteur 2012 29 HRW World Report 2012 30 UN Human Rights Council 31 ICNK, North Korea executes 4 defectors sent back from China 8 Human rights in North Korea 2. 10. Labour rights North Korea is one of the few countries that have not joined the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The ruling Korean Workers’ Party controls the only authorised trade union organisation, the Ge neral Federation of Trade Unions of Korea 32 . 2. 11. Minority rightsThere is no specific provision regarding the protection of minorities in North Korean legislation. North Korea is one of the world's most homogeneous countries in linguistic and ethnic terms: almost all 23 million inhabitants are ethnic Koreans whose ancestors have been living there for thousands of years. There is only one, very small Chinese minority of around 50 000. 33 2. 12. Rights of disabled people Although North Korea participated in the 2012 Paralympics in London, there have been reports in the past of disabled newborns being killed and of disabled people being sent to special camps and banned from the capital 34 .A 2003 law stipulates equal access for disabled persons to public services but has not been implemented. 35 2. 13. Abductions In the past, the DPRK has been involved in the abduction of foreign citizens, mainly South Korean and Japanese individuals. More than 500 persons have reportedly been kidn apped. However, no progress has been made with investigations into such abductions or the release of abductees since 2002, when two Japanese nationals were returned to Japan 36 . The DPRK had promised to reopen the investigation into the cases of suspected abductions of Japanese nationals in 2008 37 . . 14. Rule of law And independent judiciary and individual rights do not exist in North Korea, although, according to the country's constitution, courts are independent 32 33 HRW Report 2012 Minority Rights Group International: North Korea Overview 34 ICNK, Disability, the Paralympics, and Ji Seong Ho, 30 August 2012 35 US State Department 2011 Human Rights Reports: Democratic People's Republic of Korea 36 Report of the Special Rapporteur 2012 37 US State Department 2011 Human Rights Reports: Democratic People's Republic of Korea 9Policy Department, Directorate-General for External Policies and judicial proceedings must strictly follow the law. 3. International treaties North Korea is party to four international human rights treaties: ? ? ? ? the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). 4. Reactions of the international community 4. 1. UNIn March 2012 a UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution expressing concerns about the ‘ grave, widespread and systematic human rights abuses human rights violations' in North Korea. The resolution deplored the refusal of the government to ‘allow [the Special Rapporteur on human rights] access to the country† 38 . For the first time, North Korea’s allies in the Council (including China and Russia) did not call for a vote, but instead allowed the resolution to pass by consensus 39 . This sort of resolution has, in the past, had little impact on North Korea.When a previou s resolution on human rights condemned the situation in the North, the country's state news agency, the Korean Central News Agency, ran the following response: As already reported, the ‘resolution on human rights' against the DPRK was railroaded through the 60th UN General Assembly due to the pressure and the lobbying operation of the U. S. , Britain, Japan and other hostile forces. The â€Å"resolution† is peppered with lies and fabrications defaming the advantageous Korean-style socialist system centred on the popular masses.That was why it failed to get the approval of many member nations at the general assembly as it was a controversial one which clearly indicated the politicization of the human rights issue, selectivity and double standards 40 . In March 2012, a UN resolution about human rights in North Korea was passed by consensus. 38 39 Report of the Human Rights Council on its nineteenth session, unedited version HRW, UN Human Rights Council: North Korea Condem nation Goes Unopposed , 23 March 2012 40 Korean Central News Agency 2005 10 Human rights in North KoreaDespite the efforts of the UN the Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur, the DPRK ‘continues to be late in reporting to the treaty bodies or uncooperative with the special procedures' 41 . There have, however, been some signs of cooperation with other UN bodies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Health Organisation and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. In October 2011, the UN's Emergency Relief Coordinator visited the DPRK to assess the humanitarian situation 42 .In July 2012, a UN mission was granted access to the country to evaluate the damage caused by the floods. 43 In 2013, Special Rapporteur Darusman, is due to report to the Human Rights Council. North Korea will prepare its next periodic review for the same time 44 . There are small signs that the country is beginning to cooperate with some UN bodies. 4. 2. ICNK The International Coalition to Stop Crimes against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK), established in September 2011, is the first international coalition that brings together human rights organisations from around the world 45 .Some 40 organisations have joined the coalition. On April 2012 the ICNK submitted a petition to the special procedures of the United Nation Human Rights Council calling for the UN to help shut down North Korea’s vast gulag system. 46 Delegates of the ICNK met Members of the European Parliament and EU officials in Brussels on 7 June 2012 to persuade them to support the establishment of a UN commission of inquiry into human rights abuses in North Korea. 4. 3. Six-party talksThe ‘six-party talks', which include China, the United States, North and South Korea, Japan and Russia, are aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program through a negotiating process. Although human rights are not one of the topics of discussion for the talks, the Special Rapporteur believes that progress in these negotiations will assist discussions on other issues, such as the human rights situation 47 . Six-party negotiations have not taken place since December 2008. 41 42Report of the Special Rapporteur 2012 Report of the Special Rapporteur 2012 43 UN to assess North Korea floods as more rain falls 44 Report of the Special Rapporteur 2012 45 The International Coalition to Stop Crimes against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK) 46 ICNK press relase, 3 April 2012 47 Report of the Special Rapporteur 2012 11 Policy Department, Directorate-General for External Policies 4. 4. The EU and its Member States engage in regular political dialogue with North Korea, including through the UN. European Union The EU conducts regular political dialogues with the DPRK.The European Union established diplomatic relations with the DPRK in May 2001, and the majority of EU Member States have diplomatic relations with the DPRK. These contacts provide an opp ortunity to discuss human rights. The EU has also regularly raised the issue of the North Korean human rights situation in discussions at UN bodies. Since 1995, the EU has been involved in various assistance programmes and cooperation activities with the DPRK. Since then, over EUR 366 million in aid has been provided in the form of food aid, medical, water and sanitation assistance and agricultural support 48 .The EU supports, however, the Special Rapporteur's ‘call to rectify flaws in production, distribution and trading systems and to stop the misallocation of resources for military purposes' 49 . A Country Strategy Paper was adopted in March 2002, but its implementation has been suspended. There are currently no plans for a new Country Strategy Paper or for development cooperation, although this remains open for the future 50 . As part of the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur, the EU has encouraged ‘the DPRK’s new eadership to use its next univer sal periodic review in 2014 as an opportunity to enhance its dialogue with the international community and to provide undisclosed information of its criminal code', including subsequent revisions and addendums 51 . The EU is also involved in a number of assistance programmes. EEAS: North Korea EEAS, HRC19 – Interactive dialogues on Syria, Iran, Burma/Myanmar, North Korea , 12 March 2012 50 EEAS: North Korea 51 EEAS, HRC19 – Interactive dialogues on Syria, Iran, Burma/Myanmar, North Korea 49 48 12 Human rights in North Korea 4. . 1 European Parliament The European Parliament has adopted several resolutions on North Korea, the latest in May 2012 concerning the forced repatriation of North Korean refugees in China 52 . In July 2010, the Parliament called on the EU ‘to appoint an EU special representative on the DPRK to ensure persistent attention and coordination' 53 . Following the death of Kim Jong-il, Parliament's former President Jerzy Buzek issued a statement c alling on the North Korean authorities ‘to make concrete and tangible steps towards improving human rights conditions'.He called ‘on the authorities to allow inspection of all types of detention facilities by independent international experts and to allow UN Special Rapporteurs to visit the country'. He also urged the country ‘to engage constructively in human rights dialogues with the EU' 54 . A public hearing organised by the Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights took place in May 2012 with the participation of a former prisoner, the brother of a Japanese abductee and the US Special Envoy Robert King. 52European Parliament resolution of 24 May 2012 on the situation of North Korean refugees 53 European Parliament resolution of 8 July 2010 on North Korea 54 Buzek on the death of Kim Jong-il, 19 December 2011 13 Policy Department, Directorate-General for External Policies 5. Annexes Figure 1: Map of North Korea Source: United Nations Table 1: Data Basic informat ion on North Korea Population Capital Life expectancy 24 589 122 (July 2012 est. ) Pyongyang 66 years for men, 72 years for women (UN) 14