Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Essay

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Essay Example As the intake of cannabis has become very much common, one might wonder the rate at which people are hospitalized for it. It has been found out that the trends in hospital separations related to drug-induced psychosis in Australia for cannabis have reduced. The high intake of cannabis can lead to intoxication as a result of which there are accidents. Hospitalization rates have increased due to the accidents that have occurred due to the intake of the drug. An astonishing case of hospitalization has been in the case where a toddler was admitted because he had accidentally consumed the cannabis of his parents. Moreover, hospitalizations were more frequent within the group of indigenous people of Australia.Cannabis when taken on a regular basis and in huge amount in can lead to several problems and lead to different diseases including mental. Children who are addicted to it find themselves performing poorly in schools. In fact, a positive correlation is seen between the use of cannabis and its detrimental effect on education. Cannabis increases the poor performance of the students and ultimately they leave school. Thus it creates a population of uneducated people with severe addiction to cannabis (Lynskey & Hall, 2000). There is a lot of health effects that are associated with the consumption of cannabis. Consumption of cannabis leads to intoxication which affects behavioral skills. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of accidents of those who intake cannabis. Further, continuous consumption of cannabis creates dependence on it which is very hard to leave. Cannabis smoking is â€Å"

The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Discuss the importance of London in the novel Essay Example for Free

The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Discuss the importance of London in the novel Essay In this novel there are several themes, however the theme of London is one of which is key importance and significance. London is the setting of the story, and to an extent it is the foundation or basis from which the rest of the story evolves. The focus of the story is on the duality of Jekyll and Hyde. Jekyll represents the everyday rational thinking, well-mannered, respectable middle class citizen. However, Hyde represents and symbolises the inner side to most humans, he is the evil inside of Jekyll. I noticed that there were hints to this at various stages in the novel, however I believe a key one is on page 31 where it says, Now that the evil influence had been withdrawn, a new life began for Dr Jekyll. This phrase gives emphasis to the facts the Jekyll is also Hyde, but at the same time showing their differences. Even though they are physically the same person they are two separate entities. This is a connective to the theme of London as this city is one of which has respect both internally and externally of Britain, in the Victorian day and age. This refers to the figure of reputable Dr Jekyll. None the less London also has the element of being a ruff, dangerous and gloomy city that symbolises the evilness of Mr Hyde. Due to the fact that Jekyll is seen to be respectable, well liked and warming we never really look for the Hyde beneath his surface. Hence we do not try to find the evil in something, which seems so indefinably good. Again this is relative to London because when people visit London they go to the nice, indulging places and do not see the grim side of things. London is used as a foundation to the novel as is enables readers to feel a sense of emotion, tension and tone. This builds up the atmosphere and we get a feel for the mood and characters feelings as a result, for example on page 23 it says, The dismal quarter of Soho seen under these changing glimpses like a district of some city in a nightmare. This gives the reader a chilling affect and allows them to almost feel as though they are present. This is a reflection on the dark and grim side of this huge city. A quote which shows Dr Jekyll had a reasonably good standard of living comes from page 16, Round the corner from the bystreet, there was a square of ancient handsome houses a little further on it continues at the door of this, which wore a great air of wealth and comfort. This builds up Jekylls profile before we are even introduced to him as a character and puts into our minds that this is a man who is known only for good. From this we can see that you are partly judged and viewed on your assets and the location in which you live. Another reason why London is so essential to the reader is given a profile partly due to the way the environment looks. For example; the difference in the appearance of buildings in London helps to create an idea of what a specific place is like. I.e. the Victorian London with two very different sides. This once again relates back to the idea that London symbolises the characters of Jekyll and Hyde. Jekyll is supposedly has decent looks whilst Hyde is defined as being pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation (16). Hence this shows how the duality of humans can also be reflected by a location, in this instance I refer to Jekyll and Hyde in London. I believe that the author Robert Louis Stevenson used London as the setting of the story for a couple of reasons. I think that the first reason is that Stevenson was aware of Victorian London and what it was like. The second reason is because Stevenson knew that many people could relate to London as it is widely visited and talked about. This in affect is a writers tool, which helps to draw the reader into the novel. It also helps because it means that the writer does not have to set the scene himself, it has already been done. Settings help to identify what the story is about, along with the way in which it is written. Overall I believe that London is a key element to this tremendous novel, and if the story was based on any other city I do not believe that it would have had the same impact on the readers. In conclusion London is the spine to this book, which helps emphatically because it gives a good base for the theme of duality, which another key part of the novel.

Essay --

The Strategies of Victims Faulkner’s short story â€Å"Barn Burning,† captures the intensity and dynamics of a father and son relationship. The story is set in the Old South, where the dry farming grounds of the plantations are the only places that promise hardworking men a means to support their families. Though Faulkner presents these two man characters as vastly different, the father, Abner, and the son, Sarty, share a striking similarity. They both see themselves as victims and display the traits of a victim’s status. The father is a victim of social injustice and poverty. The son, on the other hand, is a victim of child abuse at the hand of his controlling and impulsive father. Faulkner sets the tone of the story by displaying the strategies of the victims and the complexity of their abuse through the narrator’s voice. In "Barn Burning," Faulkner portrays a boy, very nearly moral awareness, who ends up cut off from the modern world of which he is beginning to understand. The boy, Sarty begins to feel his alienation take root in connection with his father, who ought to be his moral compass and lead Sarty into this new modern society. On account of his father's criminal impulsiveness and a knack for starting fires, Sarty ends up, in the beginning of the story victimized and insulted by a kid, who he attacks back. His father has taught him to see others as the "enemy" (X.J. Kennedy). When Sarty’s father is charged with arson by Mr. Harris, he consequently labels him as "our enemy . . . hisn and ourn† (X.J. Kennedy pg. 147). The story closes with Sarty alone on at night on a hill viewing the stars. Faulkner depicts the Sarty’s loneliness, learned through his years of abuse and neglect. Yet on this hill, he has a moment of clarity and... ...nd a source and cause for his family’s poverty, and unhappiness. Abner is in denial that his circumstances are mostly a direct result of his decisions. Instead, he hates society and the educated man. Therefore, Abner directs his anger towards them, fighting to regain his pride and idea of justice. Through the support of the narrator’s tone, these two diversely different characters are brought together because they go through the same strategies and expressions of pain, unhappiness, injustice and abuse. Faulkner’s brilliant writing style and tone through the voice of the narrator creates a dynamic story that discusses several critical points, such as the struggles of victims and their strategies. Through two characters the author was able to describe the different reactions of victims, as well as, allow the audience to form and label the antagonist and protagonist.

Is Online Social Networking Building Social Capital Essay

This is an argumentative research paper that examines Robert Putnam’s definition of Social Networking and provides arguments that Social Networking Sites are building Social Capital as Putnam intended its definition. First, this paper will explore Putnam’s definition of Social Capital as well as its alternate definitions. Second, it will explore the definition of Social Networking according to Putnam as well as other comparable definitions. Third, it will distinguish certain distinctions in the concept of Social Networking, Social Networks, and Social Capital. Fourth, it will examine Putnam’s thesis that Social Capital has been declining due to the growing popularity of electronic appliances, computers, and henceforth, Social Network Sites. Fifth, it will examine alternate arguments that other researchers have made in contrast to Putnam’s key arguments. Sixth, this paper will evaluate all of Putnam’s key arguments compared to arguments directly in contrast with Putnam’s thesis. This paper will likewise provide personal insights and assessments that existing body of knowledge in this area has not yet covered. Finally, seventh, this paper will conclude that contrary to Putnam’s thesis that Social Capital has been declining due to the growing popularity of Social Network Sites, Social Capital has in fact been growing at a very rapid pace. Introduction Robert Putnam’s most influential work Bowling Alone, which appeared in 1995, signaled the major changes that the Internet Age has brought about in the daily lives of Americans. Since then, the virtual community has grown in leaps and bounds as rapid technological advances and innovations radically changed American life. Putnam laid the groundwork for his arguments in Bowling Alone with Alexis de Tocqueville’s observations of American life during the 1830s (65). Note that Toccqueville’s era basically covered the economic transition of America from the Agricultural Age to the Industrial Age. This was an age where the exodus of rural Americans into American cities to work in factories and financial centers represented mass migrations as well as increased productivity. Putnam continued laying the groundwork for his arguments as he described the shift from the industrial age to the Computer Age through a growing body of research on the sociology of economic development (66). Since Putnam’s ‘Bowling Alone’ appeared in 1995, Putnam’s Computer Age has already quickly shifted into the Internet Age starting in 1997 as Boyd and Ellison represented in their timeline ending 2006 (212). Note also that the Internet Age signified the start of a worldwide trend in globalization where offshore manufacturing plants and the off-shoring of many American jobs created a great impact on American lives and local communities as well as certain ways of doing work. In this light, this paper will now explore Putnam’s perception of American Society through the concepts of Social Capital and Social Networks or Social Networking. Definitions Putnam provided a definition of ‘Social Capital’ through an analogy with physical and human capital as the social scientists of the Industrial Age perceived the phenomena (67). For Putnam, physical and human capital pertain to â€Å"tools and training that enhance individual productivity† while social capital â€Å"refers to the features of a social organization such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit† (67). Putnam’s central premise on social capital is that a person’s public and private life is heavily and immensely influenced by social connections and civic engagement (67). In support of this definition, Barish aptly provided a simplified and paraphrased version: †¦[I]t makes sense to understand Putnam’s techniques for describing and evaluating the American community†¦ His argument goes†¦ like this: A screwdriver is a valuable thing. It can help me build a house, or fix a car, and so it increases both my individual productivity and the collective productivity of my community. Similarly, any social connections that I have, whether with members of my bowling team, friends from the bar, co-members of the local Rotary club, or congregants from my synagogue increase my personal productivity and the productivity of my group. Just as the screwdriver is a piece of physical capital, the social contacts that I maintain constitute ‘social capital’ and are beneficial to both myself and bystanders in the community. † In another light, a literature review provided a more thorough definition of social capital in its broad, elastic, and indicative terms covering both its positive and negative indications (Ellison, Steinfield & Lampe 1145). Broadly speaking, a 1988 definition of social capital refers to the accumulation of resources via the relationships among people (1145). It has also been noted that social capital has an elastic definition relative to the field of study it is being used in (1145). In such different fields, social capital is generally seen as both a cause and effect or more elaborately in a 1992 definition, as a sum of â€Å"resources, actual or virtual, that accrue to an individual or group by virtue of possessing a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition† (1145). Social capital is usually equated to beneficial results like â€Å"better public health, lower crime rates, and more efficient financial markets† (1145). Meanwhile, indicators of its decline are the following negative outcomes: â€Å"increased social disorder, reduced participation in civic activities† and escalating distrust among members of the community (1145). Having established the framework for understanding Putnam’s social capital, the next exploration will be on Putnam’s perspective on ‘Social Networks’. Amusingly, Putnam did not provide a formal definition of social networks but rather discussed or described its context as follows: 1. Vitally important â€Å"for job placement and many other economic outcomes;† 2. Highly efficient, highly flexible ‘industrial districts’ based on networks of collaboration among workers and small entrepreneurs;† and 3. â€Å"The consolidation of country post offices and small school districts†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (66). With this context, it can now be discerned that Putnam’s focus on social networks is work-related or those that pertain to economic value or productivity. Additionally, since Putnam’s influential Bowling Alone in 1995, social capital and social networks have produced conceptual offshoots as Boyd and Ellison show in their 2008 definition of ‘Social Network Sites’ and its difference with ‘Social Networking Sites’ (211). In simple terms, Boyd and Ellison define social network sites as web-based services that enable people to show and tell about their social networks resulting in connections that will otherwise not happen among people with existing as well as previously existing offline connections in their line of work, schooling, community, family, former community and other specialized social groups (211). While Beer makes a fine argument on the broadness of Boyd & Ellison’s definition and that there is a need to classify and categorize Social Network Sites or SNS (517-9), it is evident that aside from the people that are involved in an existing social network, interests like bowling (Putnam) or content like videos in the case of YouTube (Beer 519) can bond together strangers with similar interests. These make the boundaries between social network sites versus social networking sites confusing as Boyd and Ellison attempted to differentiate (211). Distinctions With the above definitions, clear-cut distinctions are now discernible from the available body of work pertaining to social capital, social networks, and social networking compared with Putnam’s concepts. Firstly, social capital according to Putnam are built from an individual’s public and private life as shown by a person’s productivity through social connections and local community involvement. Quan-Hasse and Wellman also note that Putnam’s social capital is essentially limited to a neighborhood, city or a country. Moreover, Quan-Hasse and Wellman distinguishes Putnam’s concept of social connections as â€Å"interpersonal communication patterns, including† physical visits, face-to-face physical â€Å"encounters, phone calls and social events. † In addition, Quan-Hasse and Wellman distinguishes Putnam’s local community involvement, which is usually termed civic engagement, as the â€Å"degree to which people become involved in their community, both actively and passively, including such political and organizational activities as political rallies, book and sports clubs. In this regard, Putnam’s concept is distinctive mainly as geographically-knit in nature rather than geographically-dispersed. Secondly, from Putnam’s point of view, social networks are usually work-related or community-related where mutual benefits are produced as results or positive outcomes of a group activity or group activities involving physical actions or efforts. In this regard, Putnam’s concept is distinctive mainly as physical rather than virtual. Thirdly, based on Putnam’s perspective, social networks involve social bonds among people who see eye-to-eye, face-to-face, and physically in a geographically-knit location while social networks or social networking is social bonding and bridging among people who knew each other or even strangers in a geographically-knit or geographically-dispersed location. In this regard, Putnam’s concept is distinctive mainly as an interaction between people with prior connections versus total strangers. Social Capital’s Decline Putnam presented a doom and gloom scenario with the advent of the Electronic and/or Computer Age and its manifestations like the mailing list and television. He skillfully used facts and figures to illustrate that Social Capital has declined through the following manifestations: 1. low voter turnout and substantial statistical differences since the 1960s compared with the 1990s (67); 2. lower public meeting attendance in a town hall or in school (68); 3. lower trust in government (68); 4. ower membership in workers’ unions, parents-teachers associations, fraternities, religious organizations and other mainstream organizations (68-70); and 5. lower membership in organized bowling leagues and the unprecedented rise in solo bowling (70). Putnam argued that the decreased sales of pizza and beer among bowling lane proprietors is a fitting example of a negative economic trend due to the decline of social capital, when certain groups of people who bowl ed together now prefer to bowl alone. Noteworthy of Putnam’s five indicators that supported his argument is item 3. lower trust in government. All other indicators involve some form physical action or effort while trust is basically an abstract concept. Social Capital’s Rapid Growth Quan-Haase and Wellman carefully noted Putnam’s thesis about Social Capital’s decline and likewise identified C. S. Fischer’s counter-arguments against Putnam’s that: 1. Putnam’s measures of social capital’s decline are invalid and unreliable; and 2. he amount of decrease appeared to be substantial from the point of view of Putnam while Fischer argued that it is negligible and short-term. While Fischer’s counter-arguments against Putnam’s are not taking a 360 degree turn to illustrate the contrary, Fischer’s arguments subsequently fueled other arguments against Putnam’s contentions that showed the other side of the fence. Quan-Haase and Wellman insightfully observed: â€Å"The Putnam-Fischer debate is a continuation of a 150-year long tradition in the social sciences to see if community is declining or flourishing since the Industrial Revolution. In short, the economic changes brought about by technology like machines and electricity for the industrial revolution or television, electronic components and computers for the Electronic/Computer Age are quite moot and academic. Quan-Haase and Wellman are essentially saying that there will be a natural decline in the railroad business when automobiles replace the old mode of transport just like when trains replaced horses, and horses replaced walking. The natural decline in the older technology as it is replaced by a newer technology does not necessarily represent a decline in social capital rather it simply represents a decline in an old technology. Meaning, new measures are simply needed to accurately determine social capital’s decline or growth. And most likely, social capital has grown rapidly due to the newer technology rather than its opposite or contrary perspective whether these are supported with figures or not. Quan-Haase and Wellman are basically saying that Putnam’s facts and figures didn’t fit when social capital is evaluated from a historical perspective. Another worthy contention is that Social Capital has, on the contrary, rapidly grew. Since Putnam’s concepts are too focused on the adult population, Putnam failed to foresee a growing trend among the younger population getting involved in social network sites (Hargittai 280) and technological advancements providing suitable substitutes to face-to-face contact like the web-camera, online team gaming across different geographic locations, broadband, etc. Comparative Evaluations and Insights Putnam’s definition of social capital and his concept of social network are essentially encapsulated within a by-gone age. First, face-to-face encounters, physical activities, geographic cohesion and the nature of jobs and hence, productivity, have changed and are constantly changing. Second, Putnam’s view that only the adult population is capable of building social capital could be very limited. Third, social connections and civic engagements could have had transformed into a different form. Putnam laid the groundwork for his thesis with great leverage on Tocqueville’s observation of the Industrial Revolution in America. This groundwork has made his argument shaky and his definition of social capital quite narrow, failing to recognize that societies, hence social capital, in fact evolve as new technologies appear from the Stone Age, to the Iron Age, to the Bronze Age and so forth. Cooperation, collaboration and productivity normally improve as new technologies appeared throughout history. Hunting bands now became metropolitan cities with millions of residents. Caves now became mega-structures of skyscrapers that house thousands of humans. The examples would be endless. First, face-to-face encounters are now possible across great geographic distances through video conferencing, net meetings, and the like as teams of people work together across different time zones and different countries. Social Networks and Social Networking are not necessarily limited to websites but could also include the other technological tools that would facilitate communication, collaboration and cooperation. Thus, Putnam’s social network, which has a local flavor, has now become global. Moreover, various workers across the different U. S. States can now work collaboratively and cooperatively. Moreover, leisure time has also taken new dimensions. While bowling leagues may no longer be in fashion because bowling is in fact an individual sport rather than a team sport, new forms of recreation that encourage teamwork are now available as online games. Physical activities have likewise taken a new and robust meaning. Individuals now have a wider range of options when, where, and with whom they are going to spend their time with. Ticket reservations for vacations and other leisurely activities with groups of people now take lesser time to execute. Of course, Putnam’s argument that trust in government has declined, and this appears to be strong, exemplifies a decrease in social capital,. Yet from a different angle the same facts and figures would actually prove the contrary. Social Capital would have had in fact increased because greater civic engagement is now possible through the power of television and the media. That the low trust in government is simply saying that society is now more aware of what government is doing through television rather than through an actual attendance in a town hall. Moreover, society has become more efficient through the membership dues derived from mailing lists because these huge funds can finance professional lobbyists that would maximize a person’s civic engagement. A highly paid professional lobbyist with huge funds representing a huge membership can do more compared to a group of individual amateurs representing a small group of people in a community. Second, exactly because of social networks and social networking, the youth are now actively involved in a variety of social activities online including collaborative projects, group assignments, net events, and online team sports. Third, social connections and civic engagements have now transformed into a different form. Group chats through the Internet are now possible among friends that are located at great geographic distances where they can view each other’s faces. Downloading forms and information from a government website is now more efficient compared to actually attending a town hall meeting. Moreover, social network sites are actually populated by people who have prior physical connections with one another rather than total strangers. Conclusion Putnam appears to have overlooked the effects of the various economic transformations brought about by technology that transforms society during the course of history. Thus, making his definition of social capital unresponsive to the changing times. However, this paper finds that Putnam’s general definition of social capital as referring â€Å"to the features of a social organization such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit† is accurate and sound. The finding of this paper is that Putnam’s drawback appears to have occurred in his exposition of the general definition. This exposition provided metes and bounds that are geographic in nature, physical in nature, and pits people who have already established prior social connections versus total strangers. Migrations due to the nature of jobs, the highly evolved efficiency of transport systems, academic choices and suburban development have essentially dispersed people geographically. Social Network Sites basically strengthens these former social bonds. Most noteworthy also is that technological advances are now providing suitable substitutes that solve geographic and physical limitations making productivity more efficient through better communication, cooperation, and collaboration. The best evidence in terms of facts and figures that social capital has indeed been built up by online social networking is the phenomenal growth and popularity of social network and networking sites. Another is the exponential trade volume growth on Ebay. Of course, the only difference in these observations with Putnam’s definition is on how Putnam elaborated his ideas. He built his groundwork and framework of understanding on a local and physical aspect that ultimately made him unable to foresee the economic, and thus social, transformations taking on a global flavor: that somehow, everyone is connected and affected with and by another. This is the same reason why civic engagements have also likewise taken a worldwide scope in such organizations as Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund and even through international causes like the fight against global warming and world hunger.

Dubai Crisis

http://hubpages. com/hub/FINANCIAL-CRISIS-IN-DUBAI-REASINS-AND-EFFECTS FINANCIAL CRISIS IN DUBAI-REASONS AND EFFECTS Dubai-economic position That is Dubai-sky piercing towers, rotating buildings, spectacular architectural designs,flow of petro-dollers,broad and clean road notworks, etc,etc. Businessmen, investers, and lusury-seekers, used to visit Dubai with all zeal. Some weeks ago, Dubai had issued to international investers, bonds worth $1. 9trillion,whiched sent the message that its economic position is unshakable! But now that foundation has shaken! inability to rapay loan instalments All these indicate that Dubai's financial foundation is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ SHAKING! Reasons Dubai, unlike other six emirates of UAE is not a country rich with oil resources. This city state is purely a business city wholly depending upon tourism and other businesses. Dubai World, in a haste to attract world enterprenuers started spending more and more on building fine roads, star hotels,etc. Foreign institutional investers also invested much here, especially during the last four years. But, for some reason, may be due to economic crisis mainly, FIIs didnot turn to Dubai for investment.. AS a result, real-estate businessin Dubai suddenly collapsed. This made an impact on other businesses also. Effects Dubai world, has business tie-ups in different countries including India. Thes projects, may be delayed( resulting in cost increase), or dropped, or prolonged. Unemployment problem may arise in Dubai. Enterprises may have to retrench a portion of their employees.! 0 lakh Indians are working in Dubai and other UAE countries. Foreign Institutional investers, who have business ties with Dubai World, may face loss. 70 financial institutions have lent credits to Dubai world. Banks in Duabi may face crisis. When the world is recovering from last year's economic recession, this may push it back to same position. Ray of hope. Inspite of all these, experts hope that it is possible to recover. It comes out of past experience. Dubai had faced similar economic crisis in 1999. Then Abudhabhi, another emirette in UAE, had helped Dubai by lending a loan of $1,00,000. Abudhabhi is a financially stable country.. It can help. But the quantum of need this time is muchmore than it was in 1999. Just on 29th,November,Abudhabhi has announced that it would concider the financing aspect,item wise, taking each main transaction on merits. It has also clarified,it is not going to take full responsibility of all loans. †¢ Top ten financial institutions of the world By greater optimism and assurances by America, major part of the world succumbed to globalization and WTC agreements. American companies, for their profit, encouraged the buying habits of people in the globe,†¦ †¢ Finance and gold stock The economic powers in the world were amazed last week when India purchased 200 tonnes of gold from International monetary fund(IMF). This purchase needed an investment of Rs. 35,000 crores. India also announced†¦ ABU DHABI, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) — The financial crisis sweeping the world that emerged from Wall Street has taken its toll on the United Arab Emirates (UAE), sending the Gulf oil producing country's economy into an uncertain path. In the first half of 2008, the world saw a steady rise in oil prices, which climbed to a record high of 147. 27 U. S. dollars a barrel on July 11. However, the soaring oil prices did not get a firm footing since then, with the supply and demand factors remained in a balance, as top officials of the oil cartel Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) had said repeatedly. After the speculative factors gave way to the fundamentals in the market, oil prices began a journey of correction, declining below 60 dollars a barrel, which represented a drop of more than 60 percent compared with the peak in July. The decline of oil prices was no good news for the UAE, for the oil sector accounted for about 35. 9 percent of the country's GDP in 2007. Local newspaper Gulf News estimated in July that the oil revenue of Abu Dhabi whose production accounts for nearly 94 percent of the UAE's crude oil output, would reach 100 billion dollars if the price remained on high level. But the figure seems impossible now. In addition to oil prices, the UAE is facing a reverse in its property market which has been booming since the government allowed foreign investors to buy property on a freehold basis in 2002. A report released by Morgan Stanley in August predicted a decline of 10 percent by 2010 in the property market of Dubai, the UAE's commercial and financial hub. But the correction of prices in the UAE's property market came earlier than Morgan Stanley predicted. In November, HSBC said in are port that property prices fell in October by four percent in Dubai and five percent in Abu Dhabi, which is the first ever since2002 and may be a turning point of the six-year bull market. In the stock markets, the UAE has been suffering a free fall this year, a similar experience that some emerging markets had during the same period. On Nov. 16, the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) index closed at 1,981. 4 points, falling by 68. 51 percent from the year's peak of 6,291. 87 points on Jan. 15 with a loss of 4. 67 billion dirhams (1. 27billion dollars) in market value. On the same day, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) also fell to its lowest point this year, with its general index hitting2,755. 62, down 46. 48 percent from 5,148. 49 points on June 11 with a loss of 1. 52 billion dirhams. BANKS' TIGHTENING PURSE STRINGS The UAE Central Bank held a meeting with representatives from all banks operating in the country on Sept. 8, three days after the U. S. investment bank Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, to assess the status of the UAE banking system. A statement released by the Central Bank after the meeting said that the UAE banks had no exposure to Lehman Brothers and there was no systemic risk in the UAE. But the statement also revealed that the country's banking system was also facing a lack of liquidity by saying that â€Å"various suggestions for boosting liquidity of banks were also discussed. † On Sept. 2, the Central Bank announced the establishment of an emergency lending facility worth 50 billion dirhams for banks operating in the country, marking the first move to inject liquidity since the Wall Street meltdown emerged. After that, the UAE government took more steps to shore up the banking system. The Central Bank announced on Oct. 8 a two-percentage-point cut in its lending rate to 3 percent in a bid to boost liquidity of local banks. It also lowered the rate on its repurchase of certificate of deposit (REPO) from 2 percent to 1. percent with effect from Oct. 8. In mid-October, the UAE cabinet said that it decided to take preventive measures to support the banking system. Under the measures, the government will provide a three-year guarantee to deposits and savings in all national banks and foreign banks with â€Å"significant operations† in the country. In addition, the government will also guarantee all inter-bank lending operations between banks operating in the country and inject sufficient liquidity in the financial system if and when necessary. The government also decided to inject another 70 billion dirhams into the banking system. Despite the measures taken by the government, the lack of liquidity has made banks operating in the UAE tighten their purse strings. HSBC raised its minimum salary requirement for a personal loan from 5,000 dirhams to 10,000 dirhams in October and doubled it again in November to 20,000 dirhams. Another major foreign bank operating in the UAE Lloyds TSB decided in November to stop lending to customers who wanted to buy apartments. In the meantime, the bank lowered its loan to value ratio on villas to 50 percent from 80 percent in October. The UAE's national banks, including the country's largest bank Emirates NBD, were also reportedly tightening their credit. UNCERTAIN PROSPECT OF MEGA PROJECTS In the past few years, the UAE has witnessed a boom in its property market, with prices quadrupled. The property sector became an important contributor to the country's efforts to diversify its economy so as to reduce the dependence on the oil industry. Property developers in the UAE launched a series of iconic projects during the boom, including the three Palm Islands and Burj Dubai, the highest architecture to date in the world. The success of those iconic projects in promoting themselves and their developers and the continuous upturn in the property market have encouraged developers float more mega projects. In October, Nakheel, the developer of the Palm Islands, announced a new project named â€Å"Nakheel Harbor & Tower. † The project, which will cover an area of more than 270 hectares and accommodate over 55,000 people, will include a tower more than 1,000 meters high. If completed, the Nakheel Tower will take Burj Dubai's title of the world's highest building, whose current height stands at 688 meters. According to Nakheel, the Nakheel Harbor & Tower will take more than 10 years to complete. Now, with the credit squeeze and a possible bear market for the property sector, the project's fate seems uncertain. In fact, Nakheel said in mid-November that it will reassess its â€Å"immediate business objectives to accommodate the current economic climate. †¦ The next few months will see a scaling back of activity around some of our projects. â€Å"

The Different Cultural Viewpoints

The Different Cultural Viewpoints Introduction Culture is one of the major factors that dictate the way in which people act under given circumstances. Vance Paik (2006) define culture as â€Å"a system of values and norms that are shared among a group of people and that, taken together, constitute a design for living. The influence of culture on life is all encompassing and culture impacts on all relationships, be they personal or professional. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why People May Not Appreciate the Cultural Point of View of Others? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper shall begin by stating and analyzing the reasons why people may not appreciate the cultural point of view of others. It shall then proceed to discuss how appreciating cultural diversity affects peoples ability to communicate effectively in the context of a multinational corporation. Reasons why People may not Appreciate Different Viewpoints One of the reasons why pe ople may not appreciate the cultural point of view of others is because of the differences in cultural values. This is contrary to the fact that for people to peacefully coexist with each other, they have to have a uniform sense of what is acceptable. This sense of shared moral and social values† according to which the members of the community are expected to behave is the defining characteristics of a community. Bridgeman, Lind and Keating (2008) state that this shared morals and values are learnt from the unique society in which one comes from. Another reason for lack of appreciation is because different cultures lay emphasis on different values. For example, in the Chinese culture, values such as modesty and cooperation are held in high esteem (Singelis Brown, 1995). The Western world on the other hand places greater value on individualism and personal ambition and success. A person brought up in a highly collectivist culture (such as the Chinese) will not relate with the person from the individualistic culture. There exists some competition between cultures and this may cause people not to appreciate the culture of others. This competition may lead people to see their own traditions and roots as being better than those of others. Kuran Sandholm (2008) rightfully reveal that in all interactions, individuals face tradeoffs and a person has to contend with competing needs. A person from one culture may therefore fail to appreciate the views of another person since they see their culture as the â€Å"right one†. Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This rigid stance will result in a breakdown in communication relationships since effective communication demands that all parties to the communication effort appreciate each others views (Tourish Hargie, 2004). One can only overcome this by learning to adjust their behavior so to accommo date the cultural systems of others. Culture dictates the roles that different people have to play in the society. These roles may include into categories such as gender or even age. In Western cultures, gender does not play an important role in business relationship where equality is encouraged (Novinger, 2001). In this setting, the inputs of all members of the organization are equally appreciated. In contrast, paternalistic cultures which are highly masculine view women as being second to men. In such a setting, the opinion and view of females may be disregarded by the male. How Appreciating cultural Diversity Affects communication Effective communication is deemed as the corner stone on which any successful relationship, be it business or personal, is built (Adair, 2009). Intercultural interactions if not properly handled may result in a breakdown of communication. Multinational Corporations are one of the places where a lot of intercultural interactions have taken place. In thi s context, an appreciation of cultural diversity may aid in the achievement of organizational goals and objectives. This is because cultural diversity calls for the respecting and acknowledging of differences among people in relation to their age, sex, ethnicity, abilities and beliefs (Hankin, 2008). People from different cultures may develop different and unique interpretations to a similar message (Rosenbloom and Larsen, 2003). Without this understanding, a person may take it for granted that his/her message has been well received by others. This may result in miscommunication which may have huge negative repercussions for the organization. A person who appreciates cultural diversity will take into consideration the cultural context both when sending and receiving messages in the multicultural setting (Gudykunst Mody, 2002). The time consciousness of a person is influenced by their culture. Katsioloudes and Hadjidakis (2007) reveal that the sense of time differs by culture and w hile some cultures favor exactness, others are more relative. For the individual from the exact culture such as Germany, time is viewed as a tangible asset and timeliness and promptness is rewarded.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why People May Not Appreciate the Cultural Point of View of Others? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In cultures such as the Latin American, time is stated in relative terms. Phrases such as some time in the future are therefore commonly used as opposed to giving exact times. A person who appreciates these cultural differences will avoid the conflict and frustration that may arise as a result of differing concepts of time among cultures. Conclusion This paper set out to analyze the reason why people may fail to appreciate the cultural view points of others as well as discuss how appreciating cultural diversity may result in effective communication in the context of a multinational corporat ion. From the analysis herein, it is clear that culture impacts on how we relate with other people. Culture may cause one to disregard the opinion and views of other people. Appreciating cultural diversity offsets the negative results of intercultural interactions. This results in effective communication which is necessary for the achievement of organizational goals. References Adair, J. (2009). Effective Communication: The Most Important Management Skill of All. New York: Pan Macmillan, 2009. Print. Bridgeman, J., Lind, C., Keating, M. (2008). Responsibility, Law and the Family. USA: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Hankin, H. (2005). The New Workforce: Five Sweeping Trends that will Shape your Companys Future. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn Gudykunst, WEB, Mody, B. (2002). Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication. Sage.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Katsioloudes, M.I., Hadjidakis, S. (2007). International Business: A Global Perspective. Butterworth-Heinemann. Kuran, T., Sandholm, W.H. (2008). â€Å"Cultural Integration and Its Discontents.† Review of Economic Studies, vol. 75, pp. 201 – 228. Novinger, T. (2001). Intercultural Communication: A Practical Guide. Texas: University of Texas Press. Rosenbloom, B., Larsen, T. (2003). â€Å"Communication in International Business-to-Business Marketing Channels does Culture Matter?† Industrial Marketing Management, 32 (2003) 309– 315 Singelis, T. M., Brown, W. J. (1995). â€Å"Culture, self, and collectivist communication: Linking culture to individual behavior†. Human Communication Research, 21, 354-389 Tourish, D., Hargie, O. (2004). Key Issues in Organizational Communication. Routledge.

Leadership Styles Case Study Essays

Leadership Styles Case Study Essays Leadership Styles Case Study Essay Leadership Styles Case Study Essay Leadership Styles Case Study The type of leadership practiced at the NCF was, transactional leadership. â€Å"In Transactional leaders are focused on creating a bargain for individual interests who eventually go their separate ways, rather than the mutual effort of people who are interested in collective interests and have a common purpose† (Manning, 2003, p. 50). The leader at the NCF engages the employees to comply with the values regarding dual relationship by bargaining with them using something they value. The leader at NCF states that dual relationships could be grounds for employee termination thus bargaining with them to comply using their job as the valued thing with the employees. The type of leadership practiced at the SSS was, transformational leadership. â€Å"Transformational leadership focuses on engaging people through relationship; leaders and constituents, through the pursuit of goals, raise each other to higher levels of motivation and morality. This engagement is directed toward achieving a particular end or purpose, but the process of working toward the purpose also has the potential to achieve individual ends as well† (Manning, 2003, p. 52). The leader at the SSS holds at meeting to discuss organization’s role and purpose in the community, and what he learned at the conference. The leader at the SSS then engages the employees by asking for their input and participation in overcoming obstacles. The leadership style I would recommend for a human service organization is the transformational leadership style. â€Å"The values relevant to transformation are what Burns (1978) refers to as â€Å"end-values. † They include liberty, justice, equality, peace, and humanitarianism. These values appeal to a collective purpose: the common good;† which relates more closely the values of today’s human service organizations. References Manning, S. S. (2003). Ethical leadership in human services. Boston: Allyn and Bacon

Used Transitively, Avail Is a Reflexive Verb

Used Transitively, Avail Is a Reflexive Verb Used Transitively, Avail Is a Reflexive Verb Used Transitively, Avail Is a Reflexive Verb By Maeve Maddox I noticed the following sentence in a travel blog. It refers to the availability of rental lockers in French railway stations: [Travelers] can therefore once again avail of these services particularly in main train stations in France. In this sentence, avail requires an object: avail themselves of these services. Avail can be used intransitively (without an object). Here are some examples of the intransitive use of avail from Websters Unabridged: Heroism could not avail against the enemy fire. The wall could not avail to protect the town against cannon. No comparison would avail; he was one of a kind. When used transitively, the object of avail is usually the reflexive form of the subject: I availed myself of the library facilities. He availed himself of the free lunch. They availed themselves of the coupon. We availed ourselves of the use of the neighbors lawnmower. Here are some quotations from newspapers: (It seems George over-cheered at their gathering two years ago when the New York Giants won the big game, then availed himself of the toilet in their master bedroom.)Newman shows up near the end, toting a box (www.usatoday.com) the ability to live and work throughout the EU in exchange for a cash investment. We know that among those who have availed themselves of this right are billionaire Russian oligarchs and Ukrainians accused of corruption. For the financial (www.theguardian.com) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Cost-Effective vs. Cost-Efficient16 Misquoted QuotationsNominalized Verbs

Foundation of Criminal Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foundation of Criminal Law - Assignment Example Recklessness may constitute offenses that involve considerable danger to another person or against property. N.P. Metcalfe and A.J. Ashworth, in their case commentary, Arson: mens rea - recklessness whether property destroyed or damaged’ (2004) Crim L R 369, analyse and critically evaluate the decisions of the House of Lords in R v G [2003] UKHL 50; [2004] 1 A.C. 1034 and R. v Caldwell (James) [1982] A.C. 341. This paper will briefly identify the key arguments that were advanced in the commentary and discuss whether Metcalfe and Ashworth’s critical evaluation of the tow decisions is persuasively argued. In the case of R v Caldwell, Metcalfe and Ashworth comment that throughout the judgement of R v Caldwell, Lord Diplock appeared to only address his mind to the class of defendant who would normally have the capacity of foreseeing the risk. They thus argue that this narrow focus in the case is what subsequently led to the arising of the problems in this case. They further comment that the House of Lords did not consider particular classes of defendant who would not be able to foresee any risk, even though they could have been asked to think about foreseeing. Metcalfe and Ashworth also made a commentary in the decision of the House of Lords relating to mens rea and which was quite related to the case of R v Caldwell; this was the case of R v G. In this case, the issue was whether the children of eight or more years are able to have an understanding of the difference between right and wrong, and if the test of â€Å"obviousness† might operate fairly for the defendants who were of 11 and 12 years age if they were held to similar standard as reasonable adults. 4 The House of Lords in this respect stated that a person can be considered to act â€Å"recklessly† if: he is in a circumstance that he is aware that a risk will or exists; in a result when he is aware that a risk will happen; and if it occurs to him that it is unreasonable to take risk, in circumstances that are known to him.5 Moreover, in their commentary, Metcalfe and Ashworth noted how the House of Lords in R v G departed from the House of Lords’ decision in R v Caldwell. Metcalfe and Ashworth argue that Lord Diplock’s ruling in R v Caldwell could not be supported by statutory interpretations, as both Lord Bingham and Lord Steyn clearly spelt out in R v G. Besides, they comment that the considerations in R v Caldwell not only misinterpreted the statute, but also went against the principle that require subjective mens rea for serious crime conviction, and which led to unfair results that may not be either just or moral. They also point out how application of the decision in R v Caldwell would amount to injustice as it violates the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.6 Metcalfe and Ashworth acknowledge in their commentary that the meaning of â€Å"recklessness† cannot only be applied in the Criminal Damage Act as had seemed to be implied in R v Caldwell. They note that Lord Bingham in the case of R v G though that Lord Diplock and other majority members in R v Caldwell were so set in the course to an extent that they cou ld not have reached a different outcome regarding the case involving the capacity of children and young persons. Metcalfe and Ashworth argue that their was stubbornness in the interpretation of â€Å"reckless† in R v Caldwell and other similar cases in 1980s, a

Nike Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nike Analysis - Case Study Example For fiscal year May 31, 2009, the company has reported revenues of more than $19 billion. These figures include sales for affiliate businesses such as Converse, Umbro, Cole Haan and Hurley International. While the company has recorded a 6% drop in its return on investment (ROI), Nike’s performance between 2005 and 2009 is so much better compared to the top 500 S&P companies. Nike’s success may be traced back to capacity to tap into the international market, which accounts for more than half of the company’s sales. Aside from this, Nike has chosen various Asian countries for their contract manufacturing base, allowing them to take advantage of low operational costs and even lower wages. Known best for its â€Å"Just Do It† Campaign which started in 1988, Nike has struggled with issues involving violations of human and labor rights, and deficiencies in health and safety conditions (Ferrell et al., 2011, p. 387). Like most companies that had to face human rig hts allegations, Nike’s response was slow and ineffective. According to an Amnesty International (AI) report, the company’s response may be summarized in four stages: denial, blame others, damage control, reassert control over damaged corporate image, and give appearance of compliance (Avery, 1999). At the beginning, Nike reiterated the efforts the company is making to improve working conditions and raising wages in countries where their factory is located. In a statement, Philip Knight said, â€Å"every Nike subcontractor is subject to systematic, unannounced evaluation carried out by Ernst & Young and that our own reviews†¦have shown that the Code [of conduct] is complied with in all material means† (as cited in Avery, 1999). Unfortunately, the review evaluation carried out by Ernst & Young did not reveal how may factories were actually audited and what tools were used to carry out its evaluation. Moreover, hiring its own evaluators to assess the companyà ¢â‚¬â„¢s operational practices was counterproductive, according to the company’s detractors. For one, how can a company release a negative report against the same people who are providing them with business? Moreover, as a growing company, Nike was too busy fulfilling client orders, its hiring and standard operating procedures were not yet a subject of scrutiny – until the Asian employees started their strike, that is. With thousands of people in their employ and hundreds of factory locations around the world, Nike failed to institute an internal auditing system (and an internal auditor) which could have helped them ensure the highly viable working conditions they wanted to provide. Another issue that led to Nike’s failure to address corporate responsibility earlier is the presence of a contract manufacture base denuded the company’s ability to monitor the activities in all its subcontracting plants. In addition, because many of the contracting plants wer e located in Asian countries, Nike should have installed an in-house representative who is tasked of ensuring that the new manufacturing plant has adopted the Code of Conduct. Transitions should have been made, and regular audit should have been scheduled to monitor the plant’s performance and adherence to the Code. Aside from its labor issues in the Asian territories, Nike has also earned the disagreement of several thousand people who were formerly employees

Macro9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macro9 - Essay Example ‘Store of value’ is a term that intrinsically refers to an instrument which can be saved today with the faith that a commodity of equivalent value could be obtained in lieu of the sum at some future period. In other words, possessing a fixed sum of money X today would mean the possessor’s purchasing power amounting to X, as long as she keeps it to herself, i.e., the value of this amount X is assumed not to depreciate (Hirshleifer, Glazer & Hirshleifer, 2005, p. 442). However, post the tumultuous phase of the global financial community, such a term is no longer applicable as money saved today is seldom expected to possess the same value tomorrow. This is especially so due to the policies of the central bank of any economy that brings changes to the value of money according to the demands of the prevailing economic situation. During recessions, value of money is found to grow higher while it deteriorates during times of inflation. In the latter phase for instance, t he same amount of money X can buy a much lower quantity of goods than it could have during the earlier period. In such a scenario, it is safer for the economists to assume a definition of money that hints towards the inclusion of relatively illiquid assets, i.e., those which cannot be circulated as smoothly as others and not readily accepted as modes of payments. In such cases, there longer exists any motive behind increasing the supply of money. According to the identity underlying the Quantity theory of money, Normally, during times of inflation, purchasing powers of people fall, so that T falls in value. On the other hand, recessions enhance the purchasing power of people so that T rises. Hence, assuming the product of P.T to be constant, movements in V are bound to be reflected through inverse movements in M (Minsky, 2008, p. 125). Thus, it is safer to include those goods within the sphere of money which have a low velocity (V), since they also ensure a more-or-less constant supply of

Business Combination Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Combination - Research Paper Example Thus they manufacture petroleum products to a market which is characterized by few firms. Valero experiences a net growth of by 53.21 percent with net revenue $125987 while Marathon Corporation on the other hand has a growth rate of approximately 25.86 percent with a revenue of $78709. As per the financial data, it clearly shows that Valero’s revenue almost doubles the marathon and of the same amount by growth rate. With a $ 15 million in the good will for the CEO to make investments, the company can acquire the services of the marathon to increase their productivity in the market (Hove, 2006). The company should acquire a firm which is in similar line of production as it would be easy to integrate it with ease in the system as the employees can be retained or the existing workers will perform the tasks without difficulty saving the management a lot of cash. This represents a form of diversification in the related fields. Diversification in the unrelated is usually complicated as the organization will have to expand every unit in the system so as to accommodate the new venture. Labor will have to be increased, new units brought and the company missing out on the opportunity to use the economies of scale provided by the existing employees. This would increase the cost of production of the outputs which may result in the high prices making the corporation make losses since prices are determined by the market as the industry is quite competitive. Hence it would be only rational if the management invests in the same line of production since there would be minimum risks involve d. By acquiring marathon corporations, there would various synergies that would help the firms to maximize the profits. The two companies will have a reduced cost of production as there would be sharing of costs. This would make the organization to manufacture at relatively lower costs which will increase the units of output for the market. This will

Social Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Marketing - Essay Example In this "Social Marketing" essay, the author chose and researched two most relevant in order to study their social marketing campaign. Social marketing refers to an approach that is used to cultivate those activities of which the primary aim is to maintain or change the behavior of people for the benefit of society or individual. In Thailand, every can tell that using cell phones has become a big problem. Almost every teenager owns a cell phone and hardly puts it down.. The issue exists there, everyone is aware that it is a big problem, yet no one takes an initiative about it. Being a foreign company, Telenor took a wise move. Telenor employs a prudent approach through an advertising agency located in Thailand, known as Y&R Thailand. It was responsible for handling ads for DTAC because only natives can understand the psyche of their audiences and the way they respond. In order to do so, DTAC composed an ad in order to address the issue of extra ordinary mobile usage and ignoring love d ones while using mobile phones. The slogan of the social marketing campaign of DTAC was named as ‘Disconnect to Connect’. The purpose of this ad was to encourage people to put down their cellular devices for face time with their family and friends. This spot showed users of mobile with invisible parent/child/companions/friends as they play guitar/drove or stand at bus stop with them. As soon as the person puts the device away, their child, loved one, or friend appear, adding warmth in their very moment as well as in their lives. Nowadays, addiction of mobile phones and Internet are leading to neglecting loved ones, family, and friends beside us. The message that the ad coveys is that while using mobile phones, not to forget loved ones that are present around. The ad of Thailand’s DTAC tells us to cherish the persons that are besides us. When using mobile phones, we forget the most important people that are in our surroundings but DTAC, despite of being a largest telecommunication company, teach us to STOP doing it, and make these beloved people feel how important they are. In true meaning, this advertisement complies with corporate social responsibility. Actors featured in this advertisement are what the target audience of DTAC is. They are more like upper middle class and middle class people. In addition, the actors are not extra ordinary good looking and are like those people that one sees in real on streets. These two elements of this advert make it easier for target market to relate them to this s pot. The usage of aria helps in creating suspense and building climax of the advert. The ad did not include a well-known popular song that may steal the attention of the core message. Instead, the music serves as a tool for aiding additional communication. This campaign is a great example for tech companies in order to teach how to ‘De-tech’. Instead of being exhausted by the over usage of technology, people now should spend more mindful and meaningful time offline. Nike’s ‘Find your Greatness’ Campaign The slogan of Nike’s social marketing campaign read as ‘Find Your Greatness’. This ad was composed and launched during London Olympics 2011. In this ad, Nike is taking advantage of Olympic coverage and alert television audience. The fitness brand was not an official sponsor of Olympics but their well-placed and well-timed ads stood at the top of the viral chart whereas Adidas, the

Business Combination Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Combination - Research Paper Example Thus they manufacture petroleum products to a market which is characterized by few firms. Valero experiences a net growth of by 53.21 percent with net revenue $125987 while Marathon Corporation on the other hand has a growth rate of approximately 25.86 percent with a revenue of $78709. As per the financial data, it clearly shows that Valero’s revenue almost doubles the marathon and of the same amount by growth rate. With a $ 15 million in the good will for the CEO to make investments, the company can acquire the services of the marathon to increase their productivity in the market (Hove, 2006). The company should acquire a firm which is in similar line of production as it would be easy to integrate it with ease in the system as the employees can be retained or the existing workers will perform the tasks without difficulty saving the management a lot of cash. This represents a form of diversification in the related fields. Diversification in the unrelated is usually complicated as the organization will have to expand every unit in the system so as to accommodate the new venture. Labor will have to be increased, new units brought and the company missing out on the opportunity to use the economies of scale provided by the existing employees. This would increase the cost of production of the outputs which may result in the high prices making the corporation make losses since prices are determined by the market as the industry is quite competitive. Hence it would be only rational if the management invests in the same line of production since there would be minimum risks involve d. By acquiring marathon corporations, there would various synergies that would help the firms to maximize the profits. The two companies will have a reduced cost of production as there would be sharing of costs. This would make the organization to manufacture at relatively lower costs which will increase the units of output for the market. This will

Ardiff - Regeneration of cardiff, what it offers to business Essay

Ardiff - Regeneration of cardiff, what it offers to business - Essay Example The paper will discuss how culture and heritage is developed for purpose of tourism activities. Another important area analysed is role of culture and diversity for an organization like Motorpoint arena Cardiff. The report will shed light on ethical considerations while conducting tourism activities at Motorpoint Arena Cardiff and how it affects all stakeholders. Since every business does lack challenges, the report will also examine management challenges in operating business in leisure industry. An appropriate conclusion and recommendations are also provided. Cardiff and Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Cardiff remains to be one of the most vibrant cosmopolitan European capitals that are regenerating at a fast rate in economic, social and in infrastructural development. Its location provides it the best opportunity of being accessible within a few hours from London. It is connected by train to London. Reflecting on the growth of Cardiff as capital city of Wales it has an enthralling past a nd an exciting future. It has conserved its history in the great museum and various attraction sites like Roman fortress. It is a country filled with the history of Romans, Normans and Victorians who were a great help in shaping Cardiff city. Cardiff castle and Cardiff bay which is considered as meeting place and where the city comes to rest. The city hosts several international games including inshore race and harbour festivals (Kim & Robert, 2002, pp.45-49). Motorpoint Arena Cardiff is located at the centre of Cardiff. It was usually known as Cardiff International Arena before it was bought by Motorpoint. It provides the largest exhibition space in Cardiff and has a capacity of over 7,500. Its ability to hold international events, comedy performances, sports and concerts gives it the attraction that motivates tourists into visiting it. Its location is one of its advantages in that it is located within commerce centre of Newport and a shot walking distance from the Millennium Stadi um. It is located at entrance of Wales giving it a chance to be accessed by M4 motorway. It provides all catering services including 24 hour lounge menu for hotel residents. Regeneration of Cardiff and what it offers to business Economically Cardiff city provides almost 20% of GDP of the country. Regeneration of Cardiff was due to increased demand in coal which was a necessary raw material in production of steel and iron. It has attracted foreign direct investment and hence stabilizing its economic standards. Since it is a country that conserves its history it attracts tourists into the city who come to study their culture and way of existence. They have made it possible for construction of accommodation facilities hence increasing standard of economy in the country (WTTC, 2002, np). Infrastructure development is one sector that Cardiff has invested in. This ranges from transport sector, sports and communication development. It is one of the best transport links indicating its good location for business. Location of the city close to M4 motorway and the junction improved its

Humans and machines Essay Example for Free

Humans and machines Essay The interesting feature about discussing the interactions of humans and machines is the inadequacy of language describing these interactions or the ambiguity of the connections between humans and machines. What is really at the center of the debate is how society should view the place of machines or non-human elements within human society. In addition, the application of the technological use of non-human elements in the modern machinery of war exposes the problem of how humans have changed the practice of warfare starting in WWI and how it made war evolve from a â€Å"human† experience to an â€Å"inhuman† experience instead of a â€Å"non-human† experience. The scope of this paper is to analyze the relationships of humans and machines in general as well as in the context of war. Discussion What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be non-human? According to Casper, the human identity is not a natural state of â€Å"being†, rather it is a constructed identity in relation to the context that society gives it. (Casper, 1994) In fact, the recognition of human social identity and the positions or functions attached to it are based on our interpretation of where these elements should be placed, for example, in order to understand or define something, we place it in ‘mental boxes’ that simplify our recognition of identity and function within society. However, Casper argues that we cannot fully justify why we assign human identities to non-human elements or vice-versa. (Casper, 1994) In order to illustrate the lack of consistency as to what we call human or non-human, she uses the example of the fetus that is considered alive for surgery, â€Å"a potential human† with human qualities but also a non-human agent for medical research using fetal tissue (p. 843). Casper mentions The Actor Network Agency (ANT) movement who finds that we should do away with natural/technical and social/cultural labels, which confuses our notions of what is human and what is not. However, this â€Å"analytical symmetry† treatment forgets to explain how we interpret the identities of agents and assign labels. Understanding how and why we label humans and non-humans may help diffuse the confusion over agent identities that bother sociologists and society so much since they cannot seem to make sense of it, for example, some people talk to their car like it was a person but a car is not a person but why do some people have the need to anthropomorphize their car whereas they would call their dog â€Å"it†? Some people would insist that animals are living beings therefore that they deserve to be referred to as he or she. (Casper, 1994) Another example in our technological society is the factory worker who gets laid off and replaced by a robot. The worker knows that he or she is better than a robot. Yet, the robot does his or her job consistently, faster, and without breaks. So, is the worker a sophisticated robot or is the robot a sophisticated worker? Bruno Latour would agree on that ambiguity because of our inadequate handling of situations in which non-human entities are mixed with human agents, especially from the perspective of sociologists. (Latour, 1988) Latour deals with this debate skillfully using an illustration to make his points: the door in a wall, opening and closing thanks to hinges (non-human element) and a human door keeper who has been assigned to close the door each time it is opened. He argues that ‘the hinge always does its work’, precise and consistent while at some time, the human doorkeeper may falter. So, the door keeper could be replaced by a non-human element the ‘door keeper number 2’ to prevent the faltering. The fact that we call the non-human element the door keeper even though it is not human, shows that we do not have ascribed what Latour calls â€Å"a coherent vocabulary† to distinguish humans from non-humans. Thus, his conclusion (p. 310) is that the reason why we have not done that is because â€Å"the delegation of competences and our social interactions imply the participation of non-humans. † The confusion is that non-humans exist within a context of figurative/non-figurative speech, not a human/non-human context. In essence, that is why we anthropomorphize our car. (Latour, 1988) Consequently, it seems that our lives are intimately intertwined with the use of technology, machines, and other tools, including robots as well as computers that all are non-human agents indispensable to our way of life. In fact, one particular illustration of such a reasonable conclusion can be found with computer hackers who, for the most part, are not considered part of ‘normal functioning society. ’ Sherry Turckle investigated MIT A. I. lab students who also are considered hackers. The main recurring idea among these students (almost exclusively male) is the fear of social interactions with other people due to a lack of trust or understanding of social interactions. Hackers are known to be loners and self-admittedly feel in control of their computer and its actions. In fact, on p. 212, this one student states: â€Å"computers have become an extension of my mind. † (Turckle, ) Their self-esteem, their existence become defined only through their medium, resulting in a gradual elimination of life experiences that paralyze them, adding to their needs to mask their personal fears of the world that exists beyond their machine. (p. 208) In contrast, there are people who even today cannot use a computer because they are afraid of revealing to others their lack of computer knowledge that has become essential in our modern society. Some may get help to improve their computer skills whereas others become so angry with the machine, taking their anger, originating from their own lack of confidence in learning new things, onto this ‘stupid’ machine; some may even become technophobic. Unfortunately for our society, science and technology have been used for warfare. Historically, wars always needed improvement in their methods of killing. As a consequence, the development of technology became a part of warfare while its propaganda glorified science and technology as the agents of victory. (Virillio, 1988) (Delanda, ) This became especially true as scientific knowledge evolved in physics, engineering, and chemistry. When WWI broke out in 1914, the weapons available then were the first of their kinds, the most inhuman of their kinds, killing many soldiers remotely: either gassing soldiers with the deadly gas phosgene or using machine guns or canons with an extended range to kill as many enemy soldiers as possible. (Visvanathan, ) In WWII, planes, tanks, and ships became more and more sophisticated with technological advances like radar and sonar. The advent of using nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki horrified the scientists who naively believed that their work would be used to deter, not to destroy. (Kaempffert, 1941) â€Å"Fat Man† and â€Å"Little Boy† were dropped on these two Japanese cities; ironically, these two deadly bombs were named as if they were human themselves. To the Japanese, the nuclear catastrophe and its aftermath on the population promoted the creation of the character â€Å"Godzilla†, a pre-historic mutant monster. With the Cold War, more weapons gradually became stealth weapons instead of ‘front’ weapons. Nowadays, machines have turned into non-human extensions of their makers or rather their military masters, for example, long-range surveying equipment on satellites allowing spying activities on neighboring nations. Yet, is it appropriate to say ‘non-human’ when modern weapons like continental missiles can kill so horribly and from the comfort of a military base on the other side of the world? The military is relying on technology more than ever by using computers, artificial intelligence research, simulation modules that mimic a battlefield or even war video games whose graphics have been rendered so life-like that video gamers who are soldiers may not know reality from fiction, killing enemy soldiers without any care, as if they were video game characters, non-human or human? In conclusion, the relationship between human and non-human agents is complex but not impossible to characterize if the realization is made that non-human agents are part of our environment and society. In fact, they occupy a greater place today than 10 years ago (computer technology, for example). The key to their seamless integration in our society is the figure/non-figurative reference style proposed by Latour as it is already used unconsciously by many of us. References Casper, M. (1994).Reframing and grounding non-human agency: what makes a fetus an agent? The American Behavioral Scientist, 37(6): 839-856. Delanda, Latour, B. (1988). Mixing humans and non-humans together: the sociology of a door-closer. Social Problems, 35(3): 298-310. Kaempffert, W. (1941). War and Technology. The American Journal of Sociology, 46(4): 431-444. Turckle, S. (n. d. ) The new computer cultures: the mechanization of the mind. Book? , publisher, year? Virillio, P. (1988). War and Cinema. Visvanathan.

Philosophical Basis Of Occupational Therapy

Philosophical Basis Of Occupational Therapy This paper aims to explore the defining of occupational therapy together with its philosophical basis, discussing the relationship between the philosophy of occupational therapy and practice, including the role of the College of Occupational Therapists (COT) and the Health Professions Council (HPC). This paper is going to be structured in essay form, beginning with a discussion of definitions of occupational therapy and the development of occupational therapy as a profession. Also discussed will be the roles of the COT and HPC with regards to occupational therapy training and practice. The HPC is the regulating body of occupational therapists, as well as fourteen other health professions such as speech and language therapists, biomedical scientists and practitioner psychologists. The HPCs primary function is to protect the public by dictating standards which the health professions must meet in both their training and practice (HPC, 2010a). The COT (also referred to as the British Ass ociation of Occupational Therapists or BAOT) is the professional body for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in the United Kingdom (COT, 2010b). It is important to define occupational therapy and have a broad knowledge about the profession as there has been a lot of role blurring and ambiguity with other health professions such as physiotherapists (De Wit et al 2006) particularly since occupational therapy gained interest in the area of psychosocial rehabilitation in the late 1980s/early 1990s (Sà ¶derback, 2009). This role blurring means occupational therapy as a profession is in danger of being seen as surplus to health authority requirements. With the current economic climate in a state of uncertainty it has been reported that the Government plans to cut funding to the National Health Service by  £20bn (Borland, 2010). If frontline staff are being cut, allied health professionals who cannot justify and defend their profession are at risk of being seen as expendable. Alternatively, role blurring can also mean occupational therapists are at risk of being utilised as more than one profession, for example a social worker (H olosko Taylor, 2006). The COT website clearly states the need for its members acting as ambassadors of the profession (COT, 2010b) implying the need for justification of occupational therapy is widely felt. This role blurring and ambiguity could be seen as both a cause and effect of the profession lacking a single, clear definition from which all bodies can explain occupational therapy. A single definition that encompassed all merits of the profession could give a clear justification of what therapists do and could be used to support their practice. However, there are many different definitions and newly qualified occupational therapists find it hard to explain to carers what their profession involves (Williams Richards, 2010). The COT itself changes the definition it releases over the years. The current BAOT definition encompasses the ideas of health and wellbeing obtained through occupation (COT, 2010a). This COT definition has no mention of occupations being meaningful or purposeful which is a core concept in occupational therapy. The idea of giving people meaningless tasks is outdated in modern theories so this definition has limitations. The COT (2009a) released a much broader def inition which encompasses a lot more of the theory of occupational therapy and more of the basis in which it is rooted. However, the terms used in this definition are very specific to occupational therapy and if someone outside of the profession were to read it, many of the terms would read as jargon, rendering the definition incomprehensible. On a positive note, this definition does mention fulfilling a persons potential and their quality of life which is an idea central to the philosophy of occupational therapy which many other definitions omit. The Committee of Occupational Therapy for the European Committees (1990) definition talks predominantly of preventing disability and promoting independent function. Even though this definition is fairly broad and encompassing, these two terms rule out a certain number of clients that an occupational therapist could work with. This definition implies that only people whose disability can be prevented and people with the potential to functio n independently would be assisted by occupational therapy. However this is not the case, occupational therapy has been applied to many areas of severe disabilities such as advanced HIV infection (Parutti et al, 2007). Other definitions incorporate ideas of competency and satisfaction (Knecht-Sabres, 2010) analyzing qualities of activities (Larson Von Eye, 2010) and everyday activities and subjective and objective aspects of performance (AOTA, 2002). So with so many differing ideas about what should be in a definition of occupational therapy, what important points should a good definition cover? Reed Sanderson (1999) outlined the criteria a definition should meet in modern occupational therapy. These included the unique feature of occupational therapy, major goals, outcomes, the population served, a summary of the service programmes and the process in which the service is delivered (Reed Sanderson, 1999, pp. 6). One reason occupational therapy may be difficult to define as a profession worldwide is due to the cultural differences. Occupational therapy is important in certain life aspects to a particular population and this may not be generalisable. For example, in Belgium the Fà ©dà ©ration Nationale Belge des Ergothà ©rapeutes (FNBE) has a definition which focuses in part on professional occupation, as well as activities of daily living and leisure (FNBE 2010). The Bangladesh Occupational Therapy Association (BOTA) incorporates the ideas of therapeutic exercise, special equipment and special skills training into its definition (BOTA, 2010). The Occupational Therapy Africa Regional Group (OTARG) is largely focused on the rehabilitation of disabled people in Africa (OTARG, 2010) but has recognised the need to apply culturally correct interventions to their clients dependent on what that specific region requires as many of the countries that are part of OTARG are poverty-stricken and there is a significant lack of resources available (Crouch, 2010). These cultural differences are indicative of the breadth to which occupational therapy can be used yet how it can make finding a single definition for the profession practically impossible to pin down. Finding a definition that utilises all of the concepts inherent in occupational therapy is also difficult due to the fact that the profession is ever changing and evolving. George Barton encapsulated one of the earliest definitions of occupational therapy in its history: OT is the science of instructing and encouraging the sick in such labours as will involve those energies and activities producing a beneficial therapeutic effect. (Barton, 1919, pp.62) Although this definition was over eighty years ago, much of what was in this definition is still applicable to occupational therapy today, however the profession has been through some major transitions since. The foundations were grounded in a number of historical influences such as the arts and crafts movement, the influence of the Quakers and the mental hygiene movement, amongst others (Reed Sanderson, 1999). One of the most influential however was the moral treatment movement, borne out of the humanistic frame of reference which introduced the concept of work having a positive effect on health (Sà ¶derback, 2009). The first paradigm of occupational therapy reapplied the moral treatment ideals in caring for ill and disabled people. The core beliefs of this paradigm focused on the occupational nature of human beings and the interrelationships between the body, mind and environment (Kielhofner, 2009). Some of the core skills and processes of occupational therapy that are used today could have been inherent in the profession since the very first paradigm such as using activities as therapeutic interventions and assessments of the occupational performance of clients (COT, 2009b). In the late 1940s occupational therapy was swept into reductionist ideals and a need for a theoretical rationale. This new paradigm is referred to as the mechanistic paradigm and using the biomedical frame of reference focused largely on what could be measured quantitatively and scientifically, particularly with; the systems in the body, the neuromotor control and muscuoskeletal performance (Kielhofner, 2009). Some core skills of occupational therapy are rooted in the main ideas of the mechanistic paradigm such as enablement and environmental adaptations (COT, 2009b). Certain stages of the process of occupational therapy could have been developed through the beliefs of the mechanistic paradigm too, in particular the assessment stage which involves assessing clients strengths, weaknes ses, environments and support systems. Another stage which could be linked to the mechanistic paradigm is the intervention stage. This involves engaging in activities that have been analysed, graded and sequenced (Larson Von Eye, 2010) which is also a quantitative and reductionist ideal. The scientific aspect of the paradigm did better establish the profession with the World Federation of Occupational Therapists being inaugurated in Stockholm in 1952 (Sà ¶derback, 2009). The mechanistic paradigm, however, lost sight of the origins of occupational therapy; that occupation was central to the profession and that engagement in occupation can be beneficial to health and wellbeing. Mary Reilly, a fundamental figure in the profession in 1962 gave a seminal lecture and definition that was to change the outlook of the profession once again: Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energised by his mind and will, can influence the state of his own health. (Reilly, 1962, pp. 2) This direct quote encapsulates the change that ended the mechanistic paradigm of occupational therapy and recognised the need to return occupation to the centre of occupational therapy (Molineux, 2004). Following the mechanistic paradigm, a new paradigm emerged which Kielhofner (2009) coined the contemporary paradigm. This paradigm is that in which occupational therapy is practiced today. This focuses on the belief that occupation is central to health and wellbeing and the profession should focus on occupational needs and how neuromotor and musculoskeletal limitations affect a clients occupational performance, as opposed to what the limitations are. This paradigm focuses on the interrelationships between a person, their environment and their occupation (Kielhofner, 2009). There are, however, some new ideas that were not inherent in the original paradigm such as the client-centred frame of reference and the use of client-centred practice. In 1919, Barton wrote that the patient cannot be trusted to select his own occupation (Barton, 1919, pp. 20). In the contemporary paradigm, client-centred practice defines the client as having more of a choice and more power in the client-therapist relationship (Sumsion, 2006) and Bartons ideas would not be acceptable. There are three main roles that have been identified as important for occupational therapists; the therapeutic role, the consulting role and the team member role (Sà ¶derback, 2009). These roles are fairly modern ideas that are borne out of the beliefs of the latest paradigm. The COT became a member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists in 1952 (WFOT, 2010) when it was first set up during the mechanistic paradigm. The role of the COT is to set professional guidelines which occupational therapists and students must adhere to in practice, with regards to service user welfare, provision of the service, personal and professional integrity, competence, continual professional development and developing the evidence base of the profession (COT, 2010a). The HPC state they protect the public by having professional standards and guidelines that must be met by the professions that they govern (HPC, 2010a). They have a register of all of their health professionals which members of the public can check to make sure any professional working with them is registered, qualified and competent (HPC, 2010b). The HPC also deals with all disciplinary matters and has three different committees for dealing with fitness to practise hearings with registered profession als; the conduct and competence committee, the health committee and the investigating committee (HPC 2010c). As well as protecting the public against incompetent practitioners, the guidelines put in place could also be to protect the profession against scrutiny or disrepute. The COT and HPC are an integral part of practising as an occupational therapist and students are provided with their own copy of the COT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct to read and digest. However, a big problem of the students of occupational therapy and other professions once qualified is the theory/practice divide; a student can have all the theoretical knowledge needed but lack the ability to effectively apply that knowledge to practice. Core areas in occupational therapy that are limited due to a lack of practice experience include client-centred care, enhanced clinical reasoning skills, the development and use of a therapeutic relationship and a deep appreciation of the person, environment and occu pation impact (Knecht-Sabres, 2010). It may be said that this lack of practical experience is due to the strict guidelines of education in the COT. A large body of knowledge has to be understood in order to qualify and register as an occupational therapist. However the COT also have guidelines about how much clinical experience a student needs before they can qualify so they do recognise the need for practice-based learning and incorporate it as much as possible. Once qualified, the COT and HPC guidelines on continual professional development state that a registrant must continue learning and be up to date with policy, guidelines and research. This aims to ensure that practices do not become outdated which would widen the divide between core theory and practice. The Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (COT, 2010a) being handed out to all students and professionals is a good basis for students to start from before their practice placements, yet it may be hard to practically apply what is in the Code until it is ingrained in ones knowledge of how to apply it in practice. One way suggested in which to bridge the theory and practice divide whilst learning in an institution with limited clinical experience is a good use of reflective practice. Reflecting in action during an intervention as well as reflecting on action (Schà ¶n, 1983) can enhance advanced clinical reasoning skills which would help bridge the divide (Knecht-Sabres, 2010). In conclusion, occupational therapy is a valid and important practice when used in accordance of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and the HPC guidelines. These guidelines are in place to safeguard clients and also the therapists themselves against practicing at an incompetent standard. These guidelines make it possible to further, justify and develop the profession and provide a definition or definitions in which to explain occupational therapy. There are, however, a large amount of standards to consider which one can read but will not become ingrained unless returned to repeatedly or learned and used in context. The true benefit of occupational therapy can get lost amongst the standards and guidelines as they can lead to a lack of clinical experience, a lack of reflecting in-action and perhaps issues of client-centred practice. One example is: if a client wants to work on their planned interventions late but it would interrupt with record-keeping due to time restrictions a therapist would have to refuse as record-keeping is an important part of COT guidelines, but this would not be strictly client-centred practice. Also a clients idea of a good quality of life may be different to that of the COT and HPC and it is the responsibility of the therapist to set out guidelines of what is acceptable, regardless of client choice. The profession, as shown in this paper is also ever-evolving and developing. It could be difficult to abide by the standards if the standards themselves are ever-changing. This is where continual professional development is a beneficial practice in overcoming this issue. The COT also sends out free copies of the British Journal of Occupational Therapy and the OT News, enabling all members to keep up to date with modern ideas and research.

Free Essays - Memories and Motherhood in Landscape for a Good Woman :: Landscape for a Good Woman Essays

Memories and Motherhood in Landscape for a Good Woman The relevance and subsequent interpretation of memories as they relate to one's desire to mother ". . . refusal to reproduce oneself is a refusal to perpetuate what one is, that is, the way one understands oneself to be in the social world." -- pg. 84 In reading Carolyn Kay Steedman's Landscape for a Good Woman, two themes took center stage: Memories and Motherhood. As the book unfolds Steedman repeatedly points out that childhood memories are used by individuals for various purposes; rather than objective recollections dominated by facts, she proposes that they are more subjective in nature, likely to alter with time or as circumstances dictate. Thus, fact has very little relevance, taking a back seat to the history we create for ourselves. ". . . childhood is a kind of history, the continually reworked and re-used personal history that lies at the heart of each present" -- pg. 128 Though she examined sociological, political, economic and psychoanalytic issues, one aspect Steedman fails to address is the biological, as in the so-called "biological clock". Frankly, her argument may benefit from this phenomena. Though women in their teens and early twenties frequently express an emphatic lack of desire for children, citing specifics of their personal histories to support these decisions, years later the same memories are given an opportunity to soften, recede or even disappear altogether. Thus, in light of this altered history, the individual in question feels more at ease reassessing her choices (in light of these memories) and considering motherhood a viable alternative. "We all return to memories and dreams . . . again and again; the story we tell of our own life is reshaped around them. But the point doesn't lie there, back in the past, back in the lost time at which they happened; the only point lies in interpretation." -- pg. 5 Another point Steedman only touches on lightly is her sister's interpretation of the past. Personally, I find it fascinating to discuss childhood events with siblings who participated in the same events. The significance of seemingly unrelated experiences, occurring after the occasion in question, together with personal feelings, frequently cause siblings' recollections of the same events to differ. In light of Steedman's work, it is easier now to understand how children, raised by the same parents, offered the same opportunities and sharing the same historical events, may end up with radically different memories.

Psy/265 Sexuality at Different Life Stages Essay

There are changes in every stage of life including sexual changes that follow us as we grow older. With the following scenario’s that talk about the different points of our awareness and stages of sexual relationships, I will suggest from a counselors perspective ways to help each person in the settings presented. The first case is Anna, an adolescent girl, is very much in love with her boyfriend who is three years older than she. He is putting a lot of pressure on her to have sex. At the same time, she is anxious about her parents’ attitude towards her boyfriend. Her mother constantly warns her about dating an older boy and assumes that he intends to take advantage of her. The first thing I would go about is setting a relaxed and comfortable exchange to allow Anna to express her own opinions, in doing so I would simply ask her what she feels about having sex with her boyfriend, not how her parents feel, not how her boyfriend feels, but how does she feel about it. I would then ask her is she was prepared to have sex, has she discussed with her boyfriend what precautions they would take, and what they would be prepared to do if something happened and she became pregnant. Some of the questions would be directed towards her once I could visually observe her, I would ask her if she was feeling peer pressure to have sex, or if her boyfriend was pressuring her to have sex. I would also explain that sometimes it is okay to say no to sex and just because her friends say they have or are encouraging her to have sex does not necessarily mean it is the right decision for her. I would also enter into a discussion of what sex means to her, and bring about the questions to see if she feels if she does not have sex with him she would perhaps loose him. I would recommend to her that she see a gynecologist or her family doctor to further explore all the birth control options and make sure she understands that even though it is a shared responsibility with her and her boyfriend, she should make sure she is practicing safe sex. For me I would also mention that her mother is concerned, because Anna is her daughter. I would ask her if she had any questions for me, and then assure her that what ever we discuss is between us and she can feel free to come to talk with me at anytime. I would also tell her to take all the time she needed to come to her decision, and make it because it is what is right for her. I am a realist, and all we can do is provide the kids with good information and hope that we have given them enough of it for them to make a decision that is right and safe for them. Tom and Susan are an elderly couple. Tom has been retired for several years, and Susan is more recently retired. She has shown a renewed interest in sexual activity. Tom has not reciprocated Susan’s interest as he is anxious about his sexual ability at this age. I feel it would be best to first address some issues with Tom and see if he felt there was a possible physical reason that perhaps he had not brought up prior to this. Several factors may play a role in sexual inactivity including declining activity, physical problems, boredom, and attitudes about sex among older people. If he was having physical issues I would suggest to him that perhaps he should see his physician about some of the things that may help in this area. Many men have problems with erections due to stress and other factors, and when you can get to the cause of it, there is often help for it. I would discuss with them about Susan’s recent retirement and see if that change has triggered her to have some extra energy and less stress from not having a regular scheduled job. I would suggest that they try date night, or think about activities or things that used to make them feel more romantic, and suggest that they try to stop thinking about it and just let it naturally occur. Go out and do things that make you both happy, couple things, individual things, get to know each other again because in a sense that is what they are doing, getting to know each other again. I would encourage them to communicate and talk about things, not turn the television on or the phone on when they go to bed, and discuss their needs openly with each other and figure out what will meet both of their needs. Bill has been paralyzed from the waist down since he was a child. He is involved in a romantic relationship and wishes to be intimate with his partner but is unsure how to express his interest. Bill becomes very nervous and uncomfortable when talking about this subject Sex and the ability to have sex with a partner and have a long term intimate relationship is desired as much by people with a disability as it is with most people. The amount of physical sexual function and ability to feel pleasure or pain sensation is often the first thing they think of, raising fear and anxiety. Yet it is something we all desire because sex enriches our lives and brings us to understanding and closer relationships with our partners. People with a physical disability often have a poor self body image, thinking they are damaged goods, broken, somehow less than. These feelings are normal you should talk about them with your partner, but don’t dwell on them. Healthy love making is about pleasing your partner. Often people in Bill’s situation find excitement and release simply from the closeness of pleasuring their partner. Healthy sexuality involves warmth, tenderness, and love, not just genital contact, so I would encourage Bill to step outside of his comfort zone and talk to his partner about how he feels. I recommend that Bill seek his physician’s medical opinion and assistance to see if one of the clinical treatments for erectile dysfunction, such as Viagra could improve the quality of erections and sexual activity with him. I would also remind him that orgasm after paralysis is possible for some men but it is often not the same as it is usually defined. It can become less physical, less focused on the genitals and more about his state of mind. It is important Bill comes to understand that the loss of sensation does not rule out loss of sexuality. In conclusion, we all experience sexual awareness and activity during all ages of our lives. So we all need to take a moment to just breathe and know we are not alone. Talk to our partners, talk with our physicians/counselors and learn what will work for you in your own situation. Take control of your life and learn to understand your own body. References Rathus, S. A. , Nevid, J. S. , and Fichner-Rathus, L. (2011). Human sexuality in a world of diversity. (8th ed. ) Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.