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Monday, September 30, 2019
Experiential Leadership Essay
Executive Summary  The researchers’ aim is to point out to the effect of Experiential Leadership in the selected company liked Barras Home Improvements. Background:  The Progress Report Name of the Business Manager of Barras Home Improvement Company is Mike Allen. He supervised 16 employees. Eight of them were assigned in office and eight were outside in the field. Nature of business/service market Barras Home Improvements was formed in 1987. During the past year, the company has positioned itself as a leader in the sales and home improvement. Home Improvement is the field of expertise in fact customer can easily choose their desired lay out for their home improvement, guided by the advice support to meet the great improvement of the home. In addition, they are now celebrating a twenty years in service. Barras Home Improvements Company is classified as family Business. They have large selection of Kitchens, Bathrooms and Bedrooms gallery lay-out or so called showrooms. Their mission statements are choice and value for money, service and quality product, and first class workmanship. The purposed of the operation of the company is to provide customer with highest standards of quality and service. Their products are sinks, taps, wall and floor tiles, Amtico flooring and shower enclosures and etc. They are also specialised in the complete installation service covering every aspect from plumbing and electric’s, plastering and minor building work and tiling to maintenance free ceilings. Insurance work is also undertaken and a 12 month written guarantee is given on all our work. We are both CORGI and NIC EIC registered. They also have a promotion of  £50.00 deposit only for the customers instillation fee Customer scope and demographics The informational data that the company can offer to the customer is as follows: Local: This Company is situated at the top of Clay Lane, off Ball Hill Shopping Centre on the Walsgrave Road. M6 –  Heading South: Leave M6 at Junction 3. Follow A444 towards Coventry. Turn           left into Mercer Avenue and the showroom is at the top of this road, which is at           the junction of Clay Lane. M6 – Heading North: Leave M6 at Junction 2. Follow signs for the A4600 heading towards Coventry City centre. At Ball Hill shopping centre on the Walsgrave Road turn right into Clay Lane and our showroom is at the junction with Barras Green and Mercer Avenue.  Organizational Structure of the Barras Home Improvement Company Organization’s Workforce The Barras Home Improvement Company was subdivided into two groups of 8 in the office and 8 in the out field for installation and contractors. The people in office were responsible for customer service and do some paper works and entertain clients or customer. And in addition they lead the customer on the computer lay outing for the home improvement processing. Presentation Situation; The current situation of the organization is very exciting. Recently, business has relocated to a larger and more efficient facility. This move will enable the company to streamline its method of operation and increase its bottom line. Market environment; The market place is undergoing tremendous technological change. New Technologies of Home improvement and materials are making products increasingly attractive stronger and less costly. The business is poised now to take advantage of these changes, and expect to become an important supplier of home appliances and home improvement installation. Products and Services; The raw material and other home appliances that we are using were the latest awith high quality materials. This is primarily due to the strong influence of committed manufacturers and the demands of the appliances and raw materials. Gathering and Collection of Data: This investigation adopted the descriptive method of research as this is the appropriate way in evaluating the manager of the Barras Home Improvement Company in relation with his experience in Leadership Management style and behavior. This will be viewed from the responses of his 16 employees in the company. The descriptive method is also defined as studying components to serve as direction in reaching the goal. Its purpose is to tell what exist or what is about a certain business phenomenon, predicting and identifying relationships among and between the variables describe. The data and information was gathered through interview of some customers of Barras Home Improvement Company, employees and through internet the profile of the company has been gathered and studied.  Facts: The company is still a leading company in terms of home improvement because of the experienced manager of the company. The trend of the company was remarkably improving because of the good feedback and referral of the customer. They have the additional benefit of being able to provide a computer aided photo-realistic image that can even show the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom in the finish of their own choice. The Actual Report  Executive Summary  This paper studies the company named Barras Home Improvements (BHI). The purpose of this study is to evaluate effectiveness of the Experiential Leadership Manager to the Business Flows specifically in family business like BHI. This study was conducted to enlighten other businessmen in the market place to exercise Experiential Leadership Management. Background: Barras Home Improvements was formed in 1987. During the past year, the company has positioned itself as a leader in the sales and home improvement. Home Improvement is the field of expertise where a customer can easily choose their desired lay out for their home improvement, guided by the advice support to meet the great improvement of the home. In addition, they are now celebrating a twenty years in service. Barras Home Improvements Company is classified as family Business. They have large selection of Kitchens, Bathrooms and Bedrooms gallery lay-out or so called showrooms. The purpose of the operation of the company is to provide customers with highest standards of quality and service. Their mission statements are choice and value for money, service and quality product, and first class workmanship. Their products are sinks, taps, wall and floor tiles, Amtico flooring and shower enclosures and etc. They are also specialised in the complete installation service covering every aspect from plumbing and electric’s, plastering and minor building work and tiling to maintenance free ceilings. Insurance work is also undertaken and a 12 month written guarantee is given on all our work. They are both CORGI and NIC EIC registered. They also have a promotion of  £50.00 deposit only for the customer’s instillation fee Definition of the Problem   The objective & goal of this research is to evaluate the strength and weaknesses of experiential leadership management in business. The Barras Home Improvement is the company that will be treated on this study. Initially, a simple random sample of 16 employees will be given a baseline test organized by the researcher. The results will be compiled for later comparison with the research results, and those initially tested will no longer take part in the study. Questionnaires are one of the most popular ways in which data may be collected. These are used for a range of purposes and will often be the tool used to collect quantitative data. But it is worth mentioning that although this may be classified as mostly a quantitative process of collecting data it may also be a qualitative method, depending on the number, depth and style of the questions. Research questions This study sought to evaluate the Business Manager of Barras Home Improvement Company. Specifically, it aimed to answer the following questions: How to determine the degree that the person like working with task and people? What is the Leadership dimension of the Business Manager of Barras Home Improvement Company possess? What practice of leadership style does the Business Manager of Barras Home Improvement Company have? Is there a significant effect on experiential leadership management to the Barras Home Improvements company employees?  HYPOTHESIS: Ho      :  There is no significant effect on experiential leadership management to the Barras Home Improvements employees.        THEORETICAL Framework            the theoretical framework adopted for this study may be reflected in this model below. Input                                             Process                         output  Figure1. This paradigm was used to determine the effect on experiential leadership in the Barras Home Improvements.           This model suggests that Leadership behavior and leadership style survey questionnaire may be anchored on the manager of Barras Home Improvement Company who is Mike Allen. The conceptualization of this study revolved around the notions clearly represented by this model. The paradigm of the study consists of the inputs that contain all those which have been studied in this research. The process consists of the survey questionnaires that were used to analysis the company data. The output consists of the effects of Experiential Leadership Management to the company performance. Analysis of Variance was also used to treat the data statistically. Research design  Sample Size: All the employees were included in the sample and then the researcher calculated the weighted mean of the survey questionnaire to determine the effect of experiential leadership. Sample selection: Employees of Barras Home Improvements company were selected as sample selection of this study Instrument used: This study used a survey questionnaires of leadership behavior and leadership style  Editing of data: Standard editing and coding procedures with MS-EXCEL program. Analysis of data: Simple tabulation and cross-tabulation used. RESULTS: The following results were gathered and tabulated with the use of leadership survey questionnaire: This study reveals that the Manager of Barras Home Improvements Company has a characteristic of a Team leader. This is because the score 6.9 in the people section and a score of 7.3 in the task section revealed it. The quad where the two lines intersect is the leadership style in case of Team Leader quality. The manager used delegative and democratic leadership style. Sometimes he also used autocratic leadership style may be because it is necessary and it is revealed in the scores that 26 means being autocratic. This means that the style was used in some cases where the problem arises or decision making is required in the process for humanitarian sake. Conclusions: From the results of the experiential leadership management evaluation the following conclusions were drawn: The more experience the manager have the more effective and organized the business is. Experienced manager has more wisdom than an autocratic manager or even none experienced leader. Managers need to be team leaders for building much effective and successful business. A Team leader is the most ideal manager a company needs. Recommendation: This study suggests every businessman to undergo on the survey questionnaire to identify if their characteristics are autocratic, democratic or free reign. The new public relation officers must widen the scope and topics. Leadership Questionnaire Questionnaire Below is a list of statements about leadership behavior. Read each one carefully, then, using the following scale, decide the extent to which it actually applies to you. For best results, answer as truthfully as possible. Never         Sometimes         Always                                           0      1     2       3         4          5 _______ encourages team to participate when decision making time comes and also attempts to implement ideas and suggestions. _______ â€Å"Nothing is more important than accomplishing a goal or task†. _______ closely monitor the schedule to ensure a task or project will be completed in time. _______ enjoy coaching people on new tasks and procedures. _______ â€Å"The more challenging a task is, the more he enjoys it. _______ encourages employees to be creative about their job. _______ seeing a complex task through to completion, he ensures that every detail is accounted for. _______ found it easy to carry out several complicated tasks at the same time. _______ enjoy reading articles, books, and journals about training, leadership, and psychology; and then putting what have been read into action. _______ when correcting mistakes, he do not worry about jeopardizing relationships. _______ He manages time very efficiently. _______ He enjoys explaining the intricacies and details of a complex task or project to my employees. _______ breaking large projects into small manageable tasks is second nature to me. _______ nothing is more important to him than building a great team. _______ He enjoys analyzing problems. _______ He honors other people’s boundaries. _______ He Counsels his employees to improve their performance or behavior which is second nature to me. _______ He enjoyed reading articles, books, and trade journals about my profession; and then implemented the new procedures he learned.   Scoring Section Put your answers on the spaces provided for every question. PEOPLE TASK  Question 1.______ 4.______ 6.______ 9.______ 10.______ 12.______ 14.______ 16.______ 17.______ TOTAL ________ X 0.2 = ________  Question 2.______ 3.______ 5.______ 7.______ 8.______ 11.______ 13.______ 15.______ 18.______ TOTAL ________ X 0.2 ________ Leadership Style Survey Directions: This questionnaire is about leadership style ideas. Please encircle any of the number provided for at right-end of each item/statement to express your honest judgment by using the following code: Category                                                    Weight Almost Always True                                          5 Frequently True                                               4 Occasionally True                                            3 Seldom True                                                    2 Almost Never True                                           1 1. I always retain the final decision making authority within my department or team. 5 4 3 2 1 2. I always try to include one or more employees in determining what to do and how to do it. However, I maintain the final decision making authority. 5 4 3 2 1 3. I and my employees always vote whenever a major decision has to be made. 5 4 3 2 1 4. I do not consider suggestions made by my employees as I do not have the time for them. 5 4 3 2 1 5. I ask for employee ideas and input on upcoming plans and projects. 5 4 3 2 1 6. For a major decision to pass in my department, it must have the approval of each employee or the majority. 5 4 3 2 1 7. I tell my employees what has to be done and how to do it. 5 4 3 2 1 8. When things go wrong and I need to create a strategy to keep a project or process running on schedule, I call a meeting to get my employee’s advice. 5 4 3 2 1 9. To get information out, I send it by email, memos, or voice mail; very rarely is a meeting called. My employees are then expected to act upon the information. 5 4 3 2 1 10. When someone makes a mistake, I tell them not to ever do that again and make a note of it. 5 4 3 2 1 11. I want to create an environment where the employees take ownership of the project. I allow them to participate in the decision making process. 5 4 3 2 1 12. I allow my employees to determine what needs to be done and how to do it. 5 4 3 2 1 13. New hires are not allowed to make any decisions unless it is approved by me first. 5 4 3 2 1 14. I ask employees for their vision of where they see their jobs going and then use their vision where appropriate. 5 4 3 2 1 15. My workers know more about their jobs than me, so I allow them to carry out the decisions to do their job. 5 4 3 2 1 16. When something goes wrong, I tell my employees that a procedure is not working correctly and I establish a new one. 5 4 3 2 1 17. I allow my employees to set priorities with my guidance. 5 4 3 2 1 18. I delegate tasks in order to implement a new procedure or process. 5 4 3 2 1 19. I closely monitor my employees to ensure they are performing correctly. 5 4 3 2 1 20. When there are differences in role expectations, I work with them to resolve the differences. 5 4 3 2 1 21. Each is responsible for defining their job. 5 4 3 2 1 22. I like the power that my leadership position holds over subordinates. 5 4 3 2 1 23. I like to use my leadership power to help subordinates grow. 5 4 3 2 1 24. I like to share my leadership power with my subordinates. 5 4 3 2 1 25. Employees must be directed or threatened with punishment in order to get them to achieve the organizational objectives. 5 4 3 2 1 26. Employees will exercise self-direction if they are committed to the objectives. 5 4 3 2 1 27. Employees have the right to determine their own organizational objectives. 5 4 3 2 1 28. Employees seek mainly security. 5 4 3 2 1 29. Employees know how to use creativity and ingenuity to solve organizational problems. 5 4 3 2 1 30. My employees can lead themselves just as well as I can. 5 4 3 2 1 Scoring Section Put your answers on the spaces provided for every questions. Item Score Item Score Item Score 1 ______ 2 ______ 3 ______ 4 ______ 5 ______ 6 ______ 7 ______ 8 ______ 9 ______ 10 ______ 11 ______ 12 ______ 13 ______ 14 ______ 15 ______ 16 ______ 17 ______ 18 ______ 19 ______ 20 ______ 21 ______ 22 ______ 23 ______ 24 ______ 25 ______ 26 ______ 27 ______ 28 ______ 29 ______ 30 ______ TOTAL _______ TOTAL ________ TOTAL ________  Authoritarian Style  Participative Style  Delegative Style  (autocratic)  (democratic)  (free reign)         References:  Covello, Joseph and Hazelgren, Brian, (1998). Your First Business Plan.Sourcesbooks 3rd Ed., Inc.USA Culp, C.(2001), The Risk Management Process: Business Strategy and Tactics, Wiley, New York, 60 -75. Gardner, Lawrence , (2006) Why businesses fail: †¦ and strategies for a successful turnaround, Detroiter, retrieved July 3, 2006, Kiyosaki, Robert T. and Lechter, Sharon L. (2002) Prophecy. Rich Dad’s.Warner Business Books, Inc. USA Spindler, A.,(1984) Publication Information: Book Title: The Politics of International Credit: Private Finance and Foreign Policy in Germany and Japan, The Brookings Institution, Washington, DC., P. 37-50. Vlieghe, G.(2001) Corporate Liquidations in the United Kingdom, Bank of England Financial Stability Review Weygandt, Jerry J., Kieso, Donald E. and Kimmel Paul D. (1998) Financial Acounting, John Wiley and son Inc. Canada Yoder James, (2004) Time diversification and changing volatility in an options pricing framework, Journal of Academy of Business and Economics  Unpublished Book: No author, (2007) My firm, Business Resource Services, has developed a process that I call â€Å"Profit Mastery.†, At the risky end of finance – Credit derivatives, Economist Â
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Primary and Secondary Data Essay
1. PRIMARY ANDSECONDARY DATA We explore the availability and use of data (primary and secondary) in the field of business research.Specifically, we examine an international sample of doctoral dissertations since 1998, categorizingresearch topics, data collection, and availability of data. Findings suggest that use of only primarydata pervades the discipline, despite strong methodological reasons to augment with secondary data. INTRODUCTION Data can be defined as the quantitative or qualitative values of a variable. Data is plural of datum which literally means to give or something given. Data is thought to be the lowest unit of information from which other measurements and analysis can be done. Data can be numbers, images, words, figures, facts or ideas. Data in itself cannot be understood and to get information from the data one must interpret it into meaningful information. There are various methods of interpreting data. Data sources are broadly classified into primary and secondary data.Knowing how the data was collected allows critics of a study to search for bias in how it wasconducted. A good study will welcome such scrutiny. Each type has its own weaknesses andstrengths. Primary Data is gathered by people who can focus directly on the purpose in mind.This helps ensure that questions are meaningful to the purpose but can introduce bias in thosesame questions. Secondary data doesnt have the privilege of this focus but is only susceptibleto bias introduced in the choice of what data to reuse. Stated another way, those who gatherPrimary Data get to write the questions. Those who gather secondary data get to pick thequestions. IMPORTANCE OF DATA AND DATA COLLECTION Data is one of the most important and vital aspect of any research studies. Researchers conducted in different fields of study can be different in methodology but every research is based on data which is analyzed and interpreted to get information. Data is the basic unit in statistical studies. Statistical information like census, population variables, health statistics, and road accidents records are all developed from data .Data is important in computer science. Numbers, images and figures in computer are all data . DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES There are two sources of data collection techniques. Primary and Secondary data collection techniques, Primary data collection uses surveys, experiments or direct observations .Secondary data collection may be conducted by collecting information from a diverse source of documents or electronically stored information, census and market studies are examples of a common sources of secondary data. This is also referred to as â€Å"data mining.†PRIMARY DATA Primary data means original data that has been collected specially for the purpose in mind. It means someone collected the data from the original source first hand. Data collected this way is called primary data .Primary data has not been published yet and is more reliable, authentic and objective .Primary data has not been changed or altered by human beings; therefore its validity is greater than secondary data.The people who gather primary data may be an authorized organization, investigator, enumerator or they may be just someone with a clipboard. These people are acting as a witness so primary data is only considered as reliable as the people who gathered it. IMPORTANCE OF PRIMARY DATA Importance of Primary data cannot be neglected. A research can be conducted withoutsecondary data but a research based on only secondary data is least reliable and may havebiases because secondary data has already been manipulated by human beings. In statisticalsurveys it is necessary to get information from primary sources and work on primary data: forexample, the statistical records of female population in a country cannot be based onnewspaper, magazine and other printed sources. One such sourceis old and secondly theycontain limited information as well as they can be misleading and biased. Validity Validity is one of the major concerns in a research. Validity is the quality of a research thatmakes it trustworthy and scientific. Validity is the use of scientific methods in research tomake it logical and acceptable.Using primary data in research can improves the validity of research. First-hand informationobtained from a sample that is representative of the target population will yield data that willbe valid for the entire target population.AuthenticityAuthenticity is the genuineness of the research. Authenticity can be at stake if the researcherinvests personal biases or uses misleading information inthe research. Primary research tools data can become more authentic if the methods chosen to analyze and interpret data arevalid and reasonably suitable for the data type.Primary sources are more authentic because the facts have not been overdone. Primary sourcecan be less authentic if the source hides information or alters facts due to some personalreasons. There are methods that c an be employed to ensure factual yielding of data from thesource. Reliability Reliability is the certainty that the research is enough true to be trusted on. For example, if aresearch study concludes that junk food consumption does not increase the risk of cancer andheart diseases. This conclusion should have to be drawn from a sample whose size, samplingtechnique and variability is not questionable.Reliability improves with using primary data. In the similar research mentioned above if theresearcher uses experimental method and questionnaires the results will be highly reliable.On the other hand, if he relies on the data available in books and on internet he will collectinformation that does not represent the real facts. SOURCES OF PRIMARY DATA Sources for primary data are limited and at times it becomes difficult to obtain data fromprimary source because of either scarcity of population or lack of cooperation. Regardless ofany difficulty one can face in collecting primary data; it is the most authentic and reliabledata source. Following are some of the sources of primary data. Experiments Experiments require an artificial or natural setting in which to perform logical study to collectdata. Experiments are more suitable for medicine, psychological studies, nutrition and forother scientific studies. In experiments the experimenter has to keep control over theinfluence of any extraneous variable on the results.SurveySurvey is most commonly used method in social sciences, management, marketing andpsychology to some extent. Surveys can be conducted in different methods. Questionnaire is the most commonly used method in survey. Questionnaires are a list ofquestions either an open-ended or close -ended for which the respondent give answers. Questionnaire can be conducted via telephone, mail, live in a public area, or in an institute,through electronic mail or through fax and other methods. Interview is a face-to-face conversation with the respondent. It is slow, expensive, and theytake people away from their regular jobs, but they allow in-depth questioning and follow-upquestions.The interviewer can not only record the statements the interviewee speaks but he can observethe body language or non-verbal communication such as face-pulling, fidgeting, shrugging,hand gestures, sarcastic expressions that add further meaning to spoken words and otherreactions to the questions too. A problem with interviews is that people might say what they think the interviewer wants tohear; they might avoid being honestly critical in case their jobs or reputation might suffer.And the respondent deliberately hides information otherwise it is an in depth source ofinformation. So this enables the interviewer to draw conclusions easily. Observations can be done while letting the observing person know that he is being observedor without letting him know. Observations can also be made in natural settings as well as inartificially created environment.Primary data can be relied on because you know where it came from and what was done to it.Its like cooking something yourself. You know what went into it. ADVANTAGES OF PRIMARY RESEARCH Targeted Issues are addressedThe organization asking for the research has the complete control on the process and theresearch is streamlines as far as its objectives and scope is concerned. Researching companycan be asked to concentrate their efforts to find data regarding specific market rather thanconcentration on mass market.Data interpretation is betterThe collected data can be examined and interpreted by the marketers depending on theirneeds rather than relying on the interpretation made by collectors of secondary data. Efficient Spending for Information Unlike secondary research where the marketer may spend for information that is not needed,primary data collections’ focus on issues specific to the researcher improves the chances thatresearch funds will be spent efficiently. Decency of Data Usually secondary data is not so recent and it may not be specific to the place or situationmarketer is targeting. The researcher can use the irrelevant seeming information for knowingtrends or may be able to find some relation with the current scenario. Thus primary databecomes a more accurate tool since we can use data which is useful for us. Proprietary Issues Information collected by using primary research is their own and is generally not shared withothers. Thus, information can be kept hidden from competitors and potentially offer anâ€Å"information advantage†to the company that undertook the primary research. This gives anedge over competitors replying on secondary data. Addresses Specific Research Issues Carrying out their own research allows the marketing organization to address issues specificto their own situation. Primary research is designed to collect the information the marketerwants to know (Step 2) and report it in ways that benefit the marketer. For example, whileinformation reported with secondary research may not fit the marketer’s needs (e.g., differentage groupings) no such problem exists with primary research since the marketer controls theresearch design.Greater ControlNot only does primary research enable the marketer to focus on specific issues, it also enablesthe marketer to have a higher level of control over how the information is collected. In thisway the marketer can decide on such issues as size of project (e.g., how many responses),location of research (e.g., geographic area) and time frame for completing the project. DISADVANTAGES OF PRIMARY RESEARCH High Cost Compared to secondary research, primary data may be very expensive since there is a greatdeal of marketer involvement and the expense in preparing and carrying out research can behigh and has to design everything. Time Consuming To be done correctly primary data collection requires the development and execution of aresearch plan. Going from the start-point of deciding to undertake a research project to theend-point to having results is often much longer than the time it takes to acquire secondarydata, which can be collected in much lesser time duration.Inaccurate Feed-backs In case the research involves taking feedbacks from the targeted audience, there are highchances that feedback given is not correct. Feedbacks by their basic nature are usually biasedor given just for the sake of it. More number of resources is required Leaving aside cost and time, other resources like human resources and materials too are needed in larger quantity to do surveys and data collection. SECONDARY DATA Secondary data is the data that has been already collected by and readily available from othersources. When we use Statistical Method with Primary Data from another purpose for ourpurpose we refer to it as Secondary Data. It means that one purposes Primary Data is anotherpurposes Secondary Data. So that secondary data is data that is being reused. Such data arecheaper and more quickly obtainable than the primary data.These secondary data may be obtained from many sources, including literature, industrysurveys, compilations from computerized databases and information systems, andcomputerized or mathematical models of environmental processes. IMPORTANCE OF SECONDARY DATA Secondary data can be less valid but its importance is still there. Sometimes it is difficult toobtain primary data; in these cases getting information from secondary sources is easier andpossible. Sometimes primary data does not exist in such situation one has to confine theresearch on secondary data.Sometimes primary data is present but the respondents are not willing to reveal it in such casetoo secondary data can suffice: for example, if the research is on the psychology oftranssexuals first it is difficult to find out transsexuals and second they may not be willing togive information you want for your research, so you can collect data from books or otherpublished sources. SOURCES OF SECONDARY DATA Secondary data is often readily available. After the expense of electronic media and internetthe availability of secondary data has become much easier.Published Printed SourcesThere are varieties of published printed sources. Their credibility depends on many factors.For example, on the writer, publishing company and time and date when published. Newsources are preferred and old sources should be avoided as new technology and researchesbring new facts into light. Books Books are available today on any topic that you want to research. The uses of books startbefore even you have selected the topic. After selection of topics books provide insight onhow much work has already been done on the same topic and you can prepare your literaturereview. Books are secondary source but most authentic one in secondary sources. Journals/periodicals Journals and periodicals are becoming more important as far as data collection is concerned.The reason is that journals provide up-to-date information which at times books cannot andsecondly, journals can give information on the very specific topic on which you areresearching rather talking about more general topics. Magazines/Newspapers Magazines are also effective but not very reliable. Newspaper on the other hand is morereliable and in some cases the information can only be obtained from newspapers as in thecase of some political studies. Published Electronic Sources As internet is becoming more advance, fast and reachable to the masses; it has been seen thatmuch information that is not available in printed form is available on internet. In the past thecredibility of internet was questionable but today it is not. The reason is that in the pastjournals and books were seldom published on internet but today almost every journal andbook is available online. Some are free and for others you have to pay the price. E-journals: e-journals are more commonly available than printed journals.Latest journals are difficult to retrieve without subscription but if your university has an e-library you can view any journal, print it and those that are not available you can make anorder for them.General Websites; Generally websites do not contain very reliable information so theircontent should be checked for the reliability before quoting from them.Weblogs: Weblogs are also becoming common. They are actually diaries written by differentpeople. These diaries are as reliable to use as personal written diaries. Unpublished Personal Records Some unpublished data may also be useful in some cases. Diaries: Diaries are personal records and are rarely available but if you are conducting adescriptive research then they might be very useful. The Anne Franks diary is the mostfamous example of this. That diary contained the most accurate records of Nazi wars. Letters: Letters like diaries are also a rich source but should be checked for their reliabilitybefore using them. Government Records Government records are very important for marketing, management, humanities and socialscience research. Census Data/population statistics Health records Educational institutes records Public Sector Records NGOs survey data Other private companies records ADVANTAGES OF SECONDARY DATA Ease of AccessThere are many advantages to using secondary research. This includes the relative ease ofaccess to many sources of secondary data. In the past secondary data accumulation requiredmarketers to visit libraries, or wait for reports to be shipped by mail. Now with theavailability of online access, secondary research is more openly accessed. This offersconvenience and generally standardized usage methods for all sources of secondary research.Low Cost to AcquireThe use of secondary data has allowed researchers access to valuable information for little orno cost to acquire. Therefore, this information is much less expensive than if the researchershad to carry out the research themselves. Clarification of Research Question The use of secondary research may help the researcher to clarify the research question.Secondary research is often used prior to primary research to help clarify the research focus. May Answer Research Question The use of secondary data collection is often used to help align the focus of large scaleprimary research. When focusing on secondary research, the researcher may realize that theexact information they were looking to uncover is already available through secondarysources. This would effectively eliminate the need and expense to carry out their ownprimary research. May Show Difficulties in Conducting Primary Research In many cases, the originators of secondary research include details of how the informationwas collected. This may include information detailing the procedures used in data collectionand difficulties encountered in conducting the primary research. Therefore, the detaileddifficulties may persuade the researcher to decide that the potential information obtained isnot worth the potential difficulties in conducting the research. DISADVANTAGES OF SECONDARY DATA Quality of Research There are some disadvantages to using secondary research. The originators of the primaryresearch are largely self-governed and controlled by the marketer. Therefore, the secondaryresearch used must be scrutinized closely since the origins of the information may bequestionable. Moreover, the researcher needs to take sufficient steps to critically evaluate thevalidity and reliability of the information provided.Not Specific to Researcher’s NeedsIn many cases, secondary data is not presented in a form that exactly meets the researcher’sneeds. Therefore, the researcher needs to rely on secondary data that is presented andclassified in a way that is similar to their needs.Incomplete InformationIn many cases, researchers find information that appears valuable and promising. Theresearcher may not get the full version of the research to gain the full value of the study. This is because many research suppliers offer free portions of their research and then chargeexpensive fees f or their full reports. Not Timely When using secondary research, one must exercise caution when using dated informationfrom the past. With companies competing in fast changing industries, an out-of-date researchreports many have little or no relevance to the current market situation. EVALUATION OF SECONDARY DATA Because of the above mentioned disadvantages of secondary data, we will lead to evaluation of secondary data. Evaluation means the following four requirements must be satisfied:- 1. Availability- It has to be seen that the kind of data you want is available or not. If it is not available then you have to go for primary data. 2. Relevance- It should be meeting the requirements of the problem. For this we have two criterion:- a. Units of measurement should be the same. b. Concepts used must be same and currency of data should not be outdated. 3. Accuracy- In order to find how accurate the data is, the following points must be considered: – a. Specification and methodology used; b. Margin of error should be examined; c. The dependability of the source must be seen. 4. Sufficiency- Adequate data should be available.Robert W Joselyn has classified the above discussion into eight steps. These eight steps aresub classified into three categories. He has given a detailed procedure for evaluatingsecondary data. 1. Applicability of research objective. 2. Cost of acquisition. 3. Accuracy of data. CONCLUSION Primary research entails the use of immediate data in determining the survival of the market.The popular ways to collect primary data consist of surveys, interviews and focus groups,which shows that direct relationship between potential customers and the companies.Whereas secondary research is a means to reprocess and reuse collected information as anindication for betterments of the service or product.Both primary and secondary data are useful for businesses but both may differ from eachother in various aspects. In secondary data, information relates to a past period. Hence, it lacksaptness and therefore, it has unsatisfactory value. Primary data is more accommodating as itshows latest information.Secondary data is obtained from some other organization than the one instantaneouslyinterested with current research project. Secondary data was collected and analyzed by theorganization to convene the requirements of various research objectives. Primary data isaccumulated by the researcher particularly to meet up the research objective of the subsistingproject.Secondary data though old may be the only possible source of the desired data on thesubjects, which cannot have primary data at all. For example, survey reports or secret recordsalready collected by a business group can offer information that cannot be obtained fromoriginal sources.Firm in which secondary data are accumulated and delivered may not accommodate the exactneeds and particular requirements of the current research study. Many a time, alteration ormodifications to the exact needs of the investigator may not be sufficient. To that amountusefulness of secondary data will be lost. Primary data is completely tailor-made and there isno problem of adjustments.Secondary data is available effortlessly, rapidly and inexpensively. Primary data takes a lot oftime and the unit cost of such data is relatively high.Often secondary data have been pre-processed to give totals or averages and the original details are lost so you cant verify it byreplicating the methods used by the original data collectors.In short, primary data are expensive and difficult to acquire, but they are trustworthy.Secondary data are cheap and easy to collect, but must be treated with caution. REFERENCES 1. http://www.ianswer4u.com/2012/02/primary-research-advantages- and.html#ixzz2B6ioqOwT 2. http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/impact/methods/datacoll.htm 3. Bryman, A. and E. Bell: 2003, Business Research Methods (Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York). 4. Dillman, Don A. Mail and Telephone Surveys: The Total Design Method. New York, John Wiley and Sons, 1978. 5. Galpin, T. The Use of Mail Questionnaires as a Method of Data Collection. (Sept, 1987) 14 of 15
Saturday, September 28, 2019
The Cell Cycle
The cell cycle is a sequence of events in the life of a cell, including cell division. Cell division distributes identical sets of chromosomes to daughter cells. This process is used for reproduction, growth, and repair in the body. The cell cycle can be broken down into two parts: interphase and the mitotic (M) phase. Interphase, a growth period, alternates with mitosis and accounts for 90 percent of the cell cycle. During interphase, the cell grows, duplicates its DNA, and prepares for mitosis. This phase can be broken down into 3 sub phases: G1, S, and G2. During the G1 or first gap phase, the cell grows and performs normal metabolic roles, including producing proteins and organelles. During the S phase, which stands for synthesis of DNA, the cell’s chromosomes are copied. Lastly, in the G2 phase, the cell continues to grow and prepares for cell division. This phase of the cell cycle is regulated by stop and go signals called checkpoints, which are located between G1 and S, G2 and M, and M and G1. These make sure that the cell cycle can proceed and is being performed correctly. The hallmark of this phase is that the DNA appears as loosely packed chromatin and the centrioles are together. Centrioles play an important role in animal cell division. They are composed of microtubules which become spindle fibers that guide the movement of chromosomes in mitosis. Mitosis is the division of the nucleus, which accounts for only 10 percent of the cell cycle. Mitosis can be broken down into five sub phases: prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase; cytokinesis takes place last. In prophase, the chromatin condenses to chromosomes and the two sister chromatid are joined at the centromere. As the centrioles begin to separate, the mitotic spindle, made of microtubules, begins to form and the nucleolus disappears. In prometaphase, the nuclear membrane dissolves, which allows the spindle to interact with the chromosomes, although the spindle isn’t fully formed yet. The sister chromatids of the chromosomes develop proteins within the centromeres called kinetochores. These allow the chromosomes to attach to the microtubules of the spindle, which are called kinetochore microtubules. Nonkinetochore microtubules aren’t connected to chromosomes, but they interact with other microtubules rom the other pole of the cell. By metaphase, the centrioles are at the opposite poles of the cell and the spindle is fully formed. The chromosomes, attached to the spindle, move to the middle of the cell and line up at the imaginary metaphase plate. Anaphase begins when the centromeres of the chromosomes split and the chromatid is now a chromosome. The chromosomes begin to move to ward the opposite poles of the cell and the poles move farther apart. In telophase, two daughter nuclei form at the poles of the cell, the nucleolus and nuclear membrane reappears, and the chromosomes unravel. Cytokinesis, the splitting of the cytoplasm, occurs simultaneously as telophase. Two daughter cells appear by the creation of a cleavage furrow, which pinches the cell in two. After mitosis, the cell can grow and mature to divide again like epithelial, blood, and stem cells, or grow and mature to never divide again like brain, nerve, and muscle cells. These cells go to the G0 phase, a non-dividing resting period. Liver cells can be called back from the G0 phase to divide again, which makes the liver the only organ to regenerate. This demonstrates the importance of the cell cycle.
Friday, September 27, 2019
Mastectomy for Ductal Carcinoma insitu, impact on patient Essay
Mastectomy for Ductal Carcinoma insitu, impact on patient - Essay Example In fact, DCIS accounts for approximately 20% of all new breast cancer and precancerous condition diagnoses (Clause Stowe & Carter 2001). With or without treatment, DCIS patients have a very high survival rate; and, for most women diagnosed with DCIS, it is not considered to be a life-threatening condition. Mastectomy is the preferred, and most effective, treatment option for DCIS patients (Katz et al. 2010). However, there is currently very little research regarding how patients are actually affected by choosing mastectomy to treat DCIS; and, since the number of new DCIS diagnoses is continuing to increase, much more research is needed. DCIS, also called intraductal carcinoma, is a condition whereby the cancer cells develop in the milk ducts of the breast and have not moved out of the duct into any of the surrounding tissue (National Institute of Health 2009). As mentioned above, there is disagreement as to whether or not DCIS should be called cancer; and, some experts often refer to it as "stage zero breast cancer" ( Harris & Morrow 2009). Even though DCIS itself is not considered to be harmful, it is a known risk factor for invasive breast cancer (Zuckerman 2009). While most DCIS patients do not develop invasive breast cancer, approximately two percent (2%) of DCIS cases show evidence of metastases and an even smaller percentage of cases do actually develop into invasive breast cancer (Cornfield et al. 2004). Certain biomarkers may help to identify whether DCIS patients are at high or low risk of developing invasive breast cancer; however, more research is necessary to make more accurate risk predictions (Welch et al. 2008). Currently, however, there is no way to determine or predict which DCIS cases will in fact develop into invasive breast cancer. This paper will try to determine the available information on the rationale for selecting this modality; explore literature regarding the physiological/biological basis of the treatment or how the treatment manage s the disease, critic the impact this treatment had on the individual and the nurses’ role in addressing this, and consider how the patients’ experience could have been improved. Discussion Overview: Even without treatment, most women diagnosed with DCIS do not go on to develop invasive breast cancer. DCIS patients that do opt for treatment have surgical options, the most common being lumpectomy (with or without radiation therapy) and mastectomy. Lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy and mastectomy have the same high survival rate of 96% and above; however, mastectomy does have a slightly lower recurrence rate than lumpectomy with radiation which has a lower recurrence rate than lumpectomy alone (Holmberg et al. 2008; Hughes et al. 2009). Other factors have been found to affect DCIS recurrence rates
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Weighted Avarage Cost of Capital Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Weighted Avarage Cost of Capital - Research Paper Example In other words, WACC also indicates about the minimum required return on the total project outlay. The cost of equity is directly proportional to its return. That means higher the return on equity; the greater will be the cost of equity. In other words, higher return will increase the weighted average cost of capital. The calculation of WACC often helps to determine the economic feasibility while undertaking any mergers of the two different entities or expanding existing business activities. WACC is the actual cost that takes into account both equity and debt based on their actual proportion involved and that is why it is the most appropriate rate while doing capital budgeting exercise. When an organization raises any long-term capital, the WACC cost will get altered as per the new proportion of equity and debt. Initial public offering is made to raise the capital (equity) required for the project. When the promoter of the project is unable to finance the project fully through their own resources, they go to public and issue part equity and thereby raise the capital required for the project. Thus, depending upon the confidence levels shown by the public in the promoter and their project, the required amount in the form of the equity can be raised. This additional capital raised from the public completes the minimum requirement of the equity as proposed by the institutions. Usually, the financial institutions appraise the project and provide the necessary debt necessary to meet the entire financial needs of the project. Each time, when funds are needed for expansionary purposes, the financial needs are met through equity and debt components derived in an appropriate proportion. Mergers and acquisitions are done to take advantage of synergy in the operations. In mergers, two organizations merge and form a single organization. Shareholders of the
Analyis of financial objectives. financials projecttions and Essay
Analyis of financial objectives. financials projecttions and investment decisions - Essay Example Being employed in the finance department at Aztec Catering, this report analyses the tasks that Ms. Field, the Chief Financial Officer at Aztec Catering, has given and this report is aimed to review the three current objectives of the company, prepare and analyse the three year financial plan of Aztec Catering as well as evaluate the capital investment decision that the company can take and how this decision can add the value to the company. The report has been divided into three sections and each section aims to accomplish the three tasks that have been provided. The first section of the report critically evaluates the suitability of the current objectives of Aztec Catering. Moreover, this section analyses and compares the objective of the competing firm, Compass with the Aztec’s objectives. The second part of the report analyses and predicts whether the company would face any financing problem in the next three years. Moreover, this section also justifies the solution that t he company can implement in order to help itself from such problems. The third section of the report analyses and evaluates the capital investment decision that the company can take. This section analyses how this investment decision can be helpful in increasing the wealth of the shareholders of the firm and different investment appraisal techniques have been used in order to analyse whether investment should be made or not. Some of the techniques that have been used in order to analyse the investment decisions are: Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Accounting Rate of Return (ARR), and Economic Value Analysis (SVA). Section 1: Critical Analysis of the objectives of Aztec Catering and Compass Group The first section of the report cortically analyses the objectives of Aztec Catering and its competitor Compass Group. It is important to know that Compass Group is an international brand and it is not only operating and serving the clients of United Kingdom but it ha s presence in different parts of the world. Therefore the objectives of Compass Group should be considered as the benchmark and the company should and can use the objectives of Compass Group to achieve more success in United Kingdom and even then expand its offerings to other parts of the world. The current objectives of Aztec Catering that have been decided at the end of 2012 board meeting are as follows: a. To maintain a profit margin of around 24% b. To ensure the current strong financial position is maintained c. To satisfy the shareholders by maintaining a dividend payout ratio of 50% It can be found that all the three objectives of Aztec Catering have been focusing and emphasizing on profitability and financial position of the company. The first objective of the company focuses on maintaining a minimum profit margin (Tucker, and Lean, 2003). Profit margin of the company is the ratio of net profit after to sales. Or it is the ratio that the company earns after deducting all the expenses and paying of interest expense as well as taxes to the revenue (Cravens, and Piercy, 2008).. Therefore, the first objective encourages the management to focus on achieving higher profitability regardless of how it has to be done. In order to meet the first objectiv
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Identify the key elements which allows precedents to work in English Essay
Identify the key elements which allows precedents to work in English court - Essay Example One interesting fact about the UK judicial system is that UK does not have one unified judicial system. There are three different systems can be witnessed one for England and Wales, one system for Scotland and one system for Northern Ireland (Hart & Hart, 2012). The judicial precedent of Northern Ireland is somewhat similar to that of England and Wales but the precedent in Scotland shows a quite different system altogether. As far as the English law is concerned depending upon the type of the case whether a criminal case or a civil case the hearing is conducted in different courts. The doctrine of judicial precedent is the base for the common law system. The principle of stare decisis is the base for the system of precedent. The inner meaning of this that the lower court has to take into account and follow the decisions of the higher courts where the facts of the cases are generally same. Thus this statement supports the need of understanding the hierarchy of the courts and their inter-relationship, which will help in understanding the development of the common law (Jacob, 2012). The hierarchy of the courts is as follows: When the precedent is set by the court at the same level, it is mandatory the court is bound by the previous decision. However, this particular rule is subject to exceptions (Baker, 2000). There are various considerations that can be applied depending upon the level of the court, which will determine if the court can depart from an earlier decision of a court at the same level. This court does not generally recognize the doctrine of precedent and has the freedom to depart from its own earlier decision. But the decisions from the European Court of Justice are bound to all courts in England & Wales. The Supreme Court replaced the House of Lords on 1st October 2009. The jurisdictions of the Supreme Court are same as that of the House of Lords and the Justices of the Supreme Court will take up the
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Foreigners Changing China, 1850-1980 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Foreigners Changing China, 1850-1980 - Essay Example This particular frame of mind can be considered as the main cause of their resistance in adopting other cultures and their values for millennia. They assumed that they are self sufficient in all forms of society and do not require foreign intrusion. But in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century China has undergone various changes in many parts of their core infrastructures that include politics, language, economics, culture and society. This is believed to be largely under the influence of the foreign countries such as USA and Britain. So what are the basic forms of modifications that have been implemented and what has caused these changes to take place that was resisted before for such a long time? Answer to this question is the main notion of this discussion. Among all the considerable changes that were brought up by the foreign influence, changes in the politics are most important and should be emphasized in detail. Ancient Chinese Society: To understand or clearly apprec iate any change we need to view the original form that was present before that modification was made. As we know from history that China was considered as a kingdom led by the emperors. These emperors and their dynasties were not chosen on their relationship to the people of China but their origin was more religious and mythical (Foster 2010). Any ruler or dynasty corrupted with the evil will be reflected upon by the nature’s anger in the form of earthquake floods or droughts indicating the change were imminent (Kornberg et al 2004). This was in contrast to the west where democracy was laying foundation of a strong government bodies. Despite China’s ruling being based on such religious foundations, it continued for a very long time. Starting from the Hans dynasty in 206 BC it remained intact until Qing dynasty collapsed in 1911 (Zinzius 2004). Arguably there needs to be a solid bond that united this nation on single platform. By looking at a bigger prospective it can b e concluded that the main reason for sustenance of such establishment can be traced back to the strong social values that hold the structure together for centuries. No other nation has ever been close to signify the theme of middle kingdom like Chinese did for centuries. They were proud of their existence in the middle while the rest of the humanity revolves around them and learn from them (Ford 2010). There is no doubt that the social system in these ancient dynasties was more localized on the families and tribe as a distinct entity rather than on a single individual. So there was a strong concept of nuclear family and relationships were given highest regards. From the economic point of view China was a self sufficient civilization. Most of the Chinese emperors were not open for trades with the western world because of the hierarchical system in China. The theme of middle kingdom were so deep rooted that they considered that no one else is worthy of given an equal status to them. A lthough in the nineteenth century there was a great demand of China’s silk, spices and other items among the western consumers. Similarly westerns also wanted to introduce some of their unique items and offered many trade agreements to the emperors during that time but all were put down. As we know that trade creates a great influence on any society but China was virtually immune to it. Therefore, no significant foreign influence was detected in the Chinese empire due to their isolation from the rest of the world. Foreign Penetration and changes in the Politics: The difference between China’
Monday, September 23, 2019
Strategic Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words
Strategic Group - Essay Example Geographic coverage: They are primarily UK based retail chains eventually branching out to different parts of the world. The four companies enjoy the top four positions in the market with Tesco on the top followed by , Sainsbury's and Morrison. Commitment to quality and offering value for money: While , Tesco and Morrison have undertaken vertical integration to cut down expenses and increase reliability, Sainsbury believes in integrity of sourcing to ensure quality. Ans. An organization cannot be free of the macro environment that persists and has to be resolved each time. The strategic group in consideration faces threat from the environment. Some of it is high impact some is not. Nonetheless, there exists and environment that needs to be analyzed and lived with. One needs to be in the good books of the government. There are influences the management needs to create through indirect lobbying. Forms of sponsorships, grants, political donations, etc. are to be made to keep the balance. The retail chain has to be a member of various lobbies, for instance Freight transport association, British retail consortium, Institute of grocery retailers, confederation of British industry, labor groups, etc Changing economy is the bi... Political factors: One needs to be in the good books of the government. There are influences the management needs to create through indirect lobbying. Forms of sponsorships, grants, political donations, etc. are to be made to keep the balance. To get an easy access to the govt. former govt officials are hired by the retail chains. The retail chain has to be a member of various lobbies, for instance Freight transport association, British retail consortium, Institute of grocery retailers, confederation of British industry, labor groups, etc Environment issues need to be taken care of-proper recycling of waste, use of recyclable poly bags, and no harm to the ever depleting natural resources. Any changes in the govt/EU policies have to be addressed. Economic Environment Changing economy is the biggest affecting factor. Consider the present situation where there is a worldwide slump and the market is seeing trends of salary cuts, the purchase power of the buyer goes down and hence the revenues of the retail are getting affected. The changing exchange rates affect the imported product price. Needless to say the buyer looks for value for money in the retail chains and thus will not be pleased with an expensive product. Raise in global price for fuel affect transportation cost and in turn the cost price of the product. Increase in real estate increases the fixed cost thereby affecting the revenue model. Social Issues: Lifestyle changes will demand need for greater product categories. People will demand more of functional food rather than fad foods. The shifting demographics, the young buyer will have different demands from the ageing population of U.K. With increasing competition, the consumer wants the best
Sunday, September 22, 2019
The federal budget and the state Essay Example for Free
The federal budget and the state Essay The main difference between the federal budget and the state and local budgets is the issue of a monetary deficit, in which expenditures in the budget exceeds revenues that were estimated. State and local governments are required to balance their budgets. The federal government is allowed to borrow money to meet its obligations and have a deficit. The federal government collects the most tax revenue, but state and local governments have a greater range of revenue options for funding their budgets. The federal government relies mainly on income taxes, capital gains and Social Security taxes. State and local governments collect sales taxes, taxes on fuel, property taxes and fees from special licenses and permits. Also, many state and local Governments collect funds from state lotteries and taxes on alcohol and tobacco. When comparing Federal, State and Local Budgets, each one is slightly different. Each budget has its own goals and direction that they are moving toward. On the internet site: http://www.usgovernmentspending.com I was able to obtain several pie charts that breaks down the 2012 fiscal year budget for Federal, State and Local governments. These pie charts give a basic breakdown of the budgets for each level. Figure 1: Federal Budget (Federal Budget Site). This budget shows that the largest portion of the federal budget is for Defense. This includes military spending for the troops in the Afghanistan and Iraq and Homeland Security. Since 200,1 this portion of the budget has increased from $297 billion to $740 billion in 2011. The next largest portion is both Health Care and Pensions at 22% of the federal budget each. Health care constitutes Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Social Security was established in the 1930s and was created to help older Americans. Before Social Security the responsibility of their well being was the responsibility of the community and the family. While the individual was working, they paid a small portion into a federal fund so they would be able to receive benefits when they were older. Medicare benefits are sometimes considered part of the Social Security benefits but are actually a separate program. Medicare was established in 1965 and is available for people 65 and older, people under 65 that have disabilities and people that have permanent kidney failure that are in need of a transplant and receiving dialysis (Medicare Site). Medicare comes in two portions. Part A includes hospital expenses that normally cost the Medicare holder nothing out of pocket. Part B covers the cost of doctor visits and other medical care but cost the Medicare holder a small monthly charge (Medicare site). Medicaid is an insurance covered by the federal government for people that have lower incomes and cannot afford health insurance (Medicaid site). Next on the pie chart show that 12% is spent on Welfare. This would include Unemployment, Workers Compensation and food and nutrition assistance. The fifth largest portion on the federal budget is the money paid back due to interest. The federal government must make payments on the interest on the money it has borrowed, which is now the National Debt. The amount of the interest only is approximately $230 billion of around 6% of the federal budget (Policy Basics). Figure Two: Georgia State Budget (Georgia Budget Site). This budget shows that the largest portion of the Georgia budget is for Education, at over half of the budget. Education would include an increase of $188.5 million from previous years. This is because of the increase in k-12 students and an increase in the college system and the state making the required payments into the Teachers Retirement System (Georgia Budget). The next largest portion of the Georgia budget is regarding Healthcare. In Georgia they face several different challenges when it comes to health care; Infectious diseases, obesity and low birth weights are just a few of these problems. Georgia’s public health challenges such as obesity, infectious disease and low birthweight continue to increase in importance, but Georgia’s per-capita investment in public health programs has declined in recent years due to a shrinking state funding commitment coupled with a growing state population. The next largest portion at almost 10% of the budget is allotted to Criminal Justice. In the state of Georgia we have 159 state funded prisons that house over 57,000 inmates (Ga Prison Fact Sheet). This also includes over 13,000 state employees that run these facilities (AJC Prison). Each inmate takes approximately $51 a day. This includes housing, meals and general day to day activities (Ga Prison Fact Sheet). Forth largest in the Georgia budget is for Debt Services. Debt services include the payments of the principal and interest of any general or long term obligation that the state has accrued. This amount is over $64 million in 2012. Lastly, the fifth largest budget allocation is for transportation. Transportation encompasses road repair, improving the efficiency of the movement of goods, construction of new roads and Highways and reducing congestion within the state. Along with these services, the salaries and benefits of their employees are figured into this section of the b udget (Georgia Budget site). Figure 3: Local Budget (Cobb County Budget). This budget shows the breakdown on the spending in Cobb County Georgia. Cobb County includes portions of Atlanta and is just north of Fulton County, which contains the largest portion of the city of Atlanta. The largest portion of the Cobb County budget goes toward Education. In Cobb County there are 4 Universities, 64 Elementary Schools, 25 Middle Schools and 16 High Schools (Cobb County School Site). The Cobb County school system is the 2nd largest system in the state and 24th largest in the country (Cobb County School site). With the large amount of Schools in the County come a large number of employees at 13,551. This portion of the budget includes keeping up with technology, salaries, maintenance of older schools and the construction of new facilities. The Next largest is listed as Other Spending. Other spending would include things like waste management, water treatment, and agriculture and community development. Each area has its own operating expenses, salaries and new projects. The third largest budget expense in the Cobb County Budget is for Protection. This would include things like the jail and court system, Sheriffs Office, Police Departments, Fire Department, 911 services and Ambulance services. Just like each other portion of the budget it contains operating expenses and salaries of their employees. The fourth and fifth largest portion of the Cobb County Budget, at 8% is for Transportation and Health Care. Transportation in Cobb County would include things like public transit system, operation of the Department of Transportation operation and the school bus department. Health care in Cobb County maintains a Public Health Department and two separate hospitals. When comparing the different budgets, each one has a much different focus on their expenditures. Some portions of each budget in the top five are shared by each level in some sort of fashion. The number one expenditure for the Federal Government is Defense. Number three for the State of Georgia is Criminal Justice and number three for Cobb County Georgia is Protection. Comparatively so, all three items are very much alike. The federal government is concerned with National Security and based 24% of its budget on its funding. The State of Georgia spends 9.4% of their budget toward state prisons and their state police. Cobb County spends 11% of their budget to protect their citizens by pre-trial housing, local law enforcement and emergency medical services. Another large expenditure for the federal government is health care at 22% of their budget. This is only slightly higher than the State of Georgia spends on health care at 20.5%. Cobb Countys Health Care budget comes in at the 5th highest expense at only 8%. When looking at the different budgets I started trying to compare all three of them and decided that the best way to look at the different spending is with a graph that give a visual element to better describe the scope of their spending. Based on each group of budgets, these graphs show the comparative relationship between the top five expenditures. This first graph shows that the top five budget expenses for the federal government is much different when compared to the State of Georgia and the Cobb County Government. The federal government spends 24% of its budget on national defense and 22% each on Health Care and Federal Pensions. Looking at the top five budget items for the federal government uses 86% of their available funds. This graph shows the State of Georgia top five budget items. The majority of the budget for Georgia is allocated to Education at 51.8% of their funds. The top five budget items for the State of Georgia uses 92.2% of the $19.2 billion budget. This graph shows the top five budget items for Cobb County Georgia. It shows a drastic difference in the second largest budget item, Community Development at 20%.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Barriers and Methods for Inter-Professional Healthcare
Barriers and Methods for Inter-Professional Healthcare Understanding inter-professional healthcare In the field of healthcare, inter-professional healthcare is important while facing every patient. In this report, it will list out what is inter-professional healthcare, methods to implement and consider the benefits and the barriers to the implement. Definition of inter-professional healthcare Inter-professional healthcare seems to be a hard term; in fact, it is used to refer to â€Å"two or more professions working together as a team with a common purpose, commitment and mutual respect†(Freeth et al. 2005, cited in Dunston et al., 2009, p. 6). In a simple explanation, inter- professional healthcare is a group of medical professions work as a team and request teamwork to achieve their goal, as known as cure the patients. The definition of teamwork is Interdependent performance become possible which according to actual behaviors, cognitions and attitudes. (Sallie et al., 2013) Methods used to implement inter-professional In teamwork, three essential, overlapping jobs are need, which is coordination, communication and shared responsibility (Hayes, 2014). Here are some methods can be do during inter-professional healthcare. Team discussion Problem solving through a team discussion is one of the methods. During discussion, defining problem and goals decision is needed which making a clear direction for the team for follow and achieve it. Also, opinions seeking about the problem form appropriate profession may help the team to discuss and expand the problem. Each member contribute their own unique professional perspective may make the problem become easier to solve. After giving opinions and advices, it is possible to plan out some possible solutions or patient handling plans. Giving opinions about each solution then evaluate them and choose the best one to process. At the end, summarize the plan and agree on distribution of tasks across team members (Hayes, 2014). Conflict management Another method can be apply on inter-professional healthcare is conflict management. No matter in any discussion, conflict may be occur and disturb the progress of problem solving. The meaning of professional diversity is â€Å"the conflict is inevitable, but also necessary†(Hayes, 2014, p.9). According to helpguide.org, the ability to successfully resolve conflict as follow: manage stress as soon as possible while people still remain alert and calm, self-emotion and behavior management, the feelings which people being expressed has to be careful, also be aware of and respectful of differences. (Conflict resolution skills, n.d., para.9) Benefits of inter-professional healthcare For benefits, it can be divided into four groups: patients, health care professional, educators or students, and health care delivery system. Patients With healthcare professional applied inter-professional healthcare, the outcomes of patient are improved. Also, the patient will have an effective care and reduce in costs and mistakes form the professional (Menken, 2011). Health care professional In health care professional, continuous interaction, coordinated efforts and knowledge sharing among the professionals is needed during work (american speech-language-hearing association, n.d., para.1). With inter-professional healthcare applied, the professional may improve the skills which mention above. Furthermore, according form world health organization, it point out that each professional may learn about, with and from different professional members (world health organization, 2010) Health care delivery system According to American speech-language-hearing association, it point out that the health care system are facing an impact on several problem, such as the health care practitioners requirement increase, the number of health care practitioners having retirement in increase, greater demands being placed on existing health care professional by increasing complexity of patient care, ETC.(American speech-language-hearing association, n.d., para.2).With inter-professional healthcare, the human resources can be used to move toward optimal health-services and better health outcomes (world health organization, 2010). Barriers to inter-professional healthcare implementation Difficulty may appear while doing inter-professional healthcare. Here are some examples which may cause it hard to proceed. Miscommunication Quoting the words form a physician leader at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, â€Å"the communication line just wasn’t there. We thought it was, but it wasn’t. We talk to nurses every day but we aren’t really communicating.†(gittell, 2009, p.5). Communication is the main part in inter-professional healthcare. it is needed in every case, which helps the healthcare professional to understand the problem, doing discussion and plan a solution. When communication is misleading, problem solving will be disturb and hard to process. Miscommunication may occur in these situations: things happen in high frequency of changing and working with different professional. Things in rapid changing Things happen which rapidly changing may lead to miscommunication. Quoting the words from a nurse administrator at Massachusetts General Hospital â€Å"miscommunication between the physician and the nurse is common because so many things are happening so quickly.†(gittell, 2009, p.5). Giving an example, the patient in and out of the hospital is so quick. Working with different professional Every patient is a unique case, the need of the patients are different. As a result, the healthcare professional needs to work with different professional with different background. Giving an example, caring a diabetes patient in general needs a dietitan, oral health, podiatrist, GP, physiotherapist, MRS, OT and optometrisits. With different professional background, each of the professional has different level of understanding in the problem. The hardest part is let the team member understand other professional view. Quote back the physician leader from about, they seem to be communicating with nurses every day, but they cannot understand their words (gittell, 2009, p.5). For suggestion, different professional have to explain to the team member their wording because some of them may not appear in other field. Conflict management Good management of conflict may improve the effectiveness of the team, in opposite, bad conflict management may become a barrier to implement inter-professional healthcare. According to helpguide.org, one or both parties feel a dangerous in a situation is a conflict (Conflict resolution skills, n.d., para.6). in a simple way to express, two members of the team arguing the treating method for a patient and both members don’t give off their opinion. If the conflicts cannot be solved, it continues to fester (Conflict resolution skills, n.d., para.6) and have a possibility of harming the health of the patient. Clam the member down, discuss the problem again and finding the most suitable solution is the idea of solving a conflicts. Conclusion In conclusion, due to the problem we are facing in healthcare industry, such as healthcare professional loss, funding in medical field, ETC., inter-professional healthcare may become more important and be the best way to use most of the human resource, But there are some difficulty to proceed. In most of it, explain and conflict control are the solution. References: Dunston, R., Lee, A., Lee, A., Matthews, L., Nisbet, G., Pockett, R., Thistlethwaite, J., White, J. (2009).Interprofessional health education in Australia: The way forward.Retrieved from http://www.rilc.uts.edu.au/pdfs/wayforward.pdf Weaver S. J., Feitosa J., Salas E., Seddon R., and Vozenilek J. A. (2013), the theoretical drivers and models of team performance and effectiveness for patient safety. In Eduardo Salas, Karen Frush (Eds.), Improving patient safety through teamwork and team training (pp. 4). New York,NY: Oxford university press. Hayes M. (2014). Inter-professional Teamwork in Healthcare [PDF]. Retrieved from https://uonline.newcastle.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-2233251-dt-content-rid-6106527_1/courses/CRS.107575.2014.S1/Interprofessional%20Teamwork%20in%20Healthcare.pdf Segal J., Smith M. (2014). Conflict Resolution skills. Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eq8_conflict_resolution.htm Menken M. (2011). Interprofessional Healthcare Education Means Better Patient Care. Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/issues/news/Article/252/Interprofessional_Healthcare_Education_Means_Better_Patient_Care World Health Organization (2010). Framework for action on interprofessional education and collaborative practice. Retrieved form http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2010/WHO_HRH_HPN_10.3_eng.pdf?ua=1 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2008), Why is greater emphasis being placed on interprofessional education in health care? What impact will it have on the education of audiologists and speech-language pathologists? Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://www.asha.org/academic/questions/Interprofessional-Education/ Jody Hoffer Gittell (2009). High Performance Healthcare. The United States of America: McGraw-Hill.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Types of Exercise in Sports
Types of Exercise in Sports Sport was known as part of exercise where most people used to stay in healthy lifestyle. Exercise is the bodys physical exertion. The main function of exercise is to achieve a higher level of fitness and health, for both physically and mentally. Sport is an competitive,organized, skillful, and entertaining physical activity. To be the winner, the player requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play that can be defined by objective means. Sport was divided into few categories where it divided into different categories age and gender. This arrangement usually helps them in order to give a comfortable exercise to certain people. There will be not a old man are doing heavy exercise like going gym. Of course only to those who young want who they are full energetic. Human being will destroys the good condition for lack of activity, to save it and preserve it do some movement and methodical physical exercise. Sport exercise gives so many health advantages to people who take advantage from i t. Participating one on physical activities can add further years into yourself, and the more you will exercise, the more benefits that you get. You will also get to avoid health diseases and also delay our death when you regularly engage yourself upon physical activities as well as sport exercise. Light sport also known as simple exercise, were usually use by most people when they are having little time to exercise and have a problem of doing heavy exercise. It commonly practices by elder people, pregnant woman, patience and young children. This is the opposite of when a person is having an active lifestyle and exercising.  This study focused on the important of doing somethings to breaks throughout the day to stand up and move around. Step out from the environment you are, take quick walk outside, and walk up and down the stairs few times around the building. A light exercise involves small movement, time and energy to perform. Light exercise is a kind of exercise that usually causes less energy and stamina. It is also make the person less sweat and dehydrate too. Although to some people who is in this range feel that it make cause less tiredness, but it work within long term effect rather than do nothing. This exercise actually creates a light movement between the ank le, muscle joined and heartbeat. The moment when they do a walk, it takes a 3 combination and less energy to perform. The longer the person walks, the more tired they will be. This is because the effect of doing light type exercise in a long term. It also giving another long term effect is they will slowly overcome the matter of leg pain for long walk exercise. This exercise usually did not require any special attention and can be perform at any time as they wish. From home to office, from young to old doesnt give any problem. But it recommended for the person who listed earlier to perform for their capability over to stay in health. Here is some few example of light exercise which is categories of light exercise. They are walking, stretching body, Chinese Tai-chi, gardening, cycling, dumb bell and much more. The second type of exercise is so called medium exercise are usually perform for moderate person at different age. It doesnt care any of the gender arrangement or requirement. This medium exercise usually performs in small amount in time and to those loves to save time. This medium exercise requires an amount of concentration, energy or stamina, time and place. It also can be perform by a group of people and solo. It train a lot of body part and cause performer to sweat a lot dehydrate even much more compare to the light exercise. It might be also need some specified skill to perform on the right way because once they perform it on the wrong way, it may cause muscle cramp. For the short term effect, it may reduce smoker to smoke. This is because they might exhaust but only exercise reduces the chances of taking any nicotine and tar in their body. This will make the smoker not to take any cigarette as their throat is drying and if let say they smoke, this person might be in very high chance for getting throat cancer. In the long term effect of this medium exercise, it may bring a healthy lifestyle and physical attitude as well. The long term effect usually takes time to as to the person especially in their daily mood. The person who less exercise, their face is pale or looks tired but if compare with the person who do exercise, they have more energetic and confident looks. This effect also will bring close relationship and build up strong neighborhood if they done it together. But to some people who are disable, they also can perform sport as the part of their exercise. They perform in sport like track sport, field sport like futsal and more according to their convenience. It is proven where the is special sports day were introduce just for them. There are few example of medium type of exercise that practice by most people. They are cycling, walking uphill, jogging, Tae Kwan Do, swimming, running, and much more. This some part is actually providing sufficient li festyle to avoid any of negative impact or disease. Hard or professional type exercise is another kind of exercise where this involves to active people and to people loves diet. This type usually takes a lot of concentrations as to prevent any side causes or muscle injured too. Plus this exercise requires all of energy and full stamina. It also have to be assisted by professional incase of not clear or not sure about it. This exercise performs by athlete and to all active people. It takes all the energy and power to perform while it also takes a full concentration to play the sport. If suddenly the player lost concentration, it may cause a major injury and might be cause paralyze too. The physical activity involves the movement of people, animals and/or a variety of objects such as balls and machines or equipment. This professional exercise, usually require a place that suit to the sport like stadium, or gym center. It also can be perform on the game court too as to a game like basketball or tennis. This game gives everyone a chance t o practice on how to work with team and think a strategy to win the game. Like basketball, from what we see is a 3 versus 3 games. But in the three people they need teamwork so that they can pass the ball and score. Besides that, they also need to think a strategy on breaking through opponent defenses and score without playing fault. In gym, they will train in specified machine to help them in body building. This training in gym is especially in abdomen and shoulder where they are 85% chances in use of the body part. They also have a chance on meeting new people to train human skill and share their experience together. Whenever you indulge yourself into sports, you were even meeting new people. Apart from being an exciting and joyful activity, sports give a lot of various advantages to our character. It can serve as a good source of pleasure. Sport is a fantastic physical activity, and this may also develop a better physical image than these persons who do not do it. Training is als o give a chance to provide them more time to be control the stage of games too. With a fully all strategy, teamwork, training, concentration and full energy, there is no way for other to any change to stop them from growing. Plus physical activities can significantly help from the decline of ones depressive symptoms. Persistent health problems are usually preventable with routine exercise. When you make this a habit to workout daily, you will be able to avoid unsafe health problems from any kind of cause. Exercise forms is resistance for the body, also it functions on strengthening your muscles. Sports, one of the most active activities compare to other where it cause the heartbeat and sweat part of the entire body toxin out. Plus it reduces chances of getting sick or even flu. In every minute the heartbeat, the body pulse is double than usual where it give chance to human to breath twice as fast to capture the oxygen the blood cell. Every human pulse requires a full concentration where it helps to keep on line of the body blood cycle. If let say they over the limit of one minute heartbeat, they might get faint as also heart shock and body cramp. This are often happen to some of the athlete where they push up the maximum limited of their body level. There are also can possibility cause of easily broken bones if they did not train. This effect actually related to calcium consumption and exercise training. In research of health central, there will be long and short term effect. In the short term effect, it increases the flexibility of the bones and strengthens the bones and joint especially when playing an outdoor sport. But in long term of sport, this will reduce the chances of broken bones, delaying muscle loss, and reduce risk of loosen the bones and joint. Therefore, sport does play an important role in humans life as they bring a healthy life to even live longer.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Free Gullivers Travels Essays: Hypocrisy in Government Exposed :: Gullivers Travels Essays
Free Gulliver's Travels Essays - Hypocrisy in Government Exposed Corruption of political systems in one of the primary themes in Gulliver's Travels. This corruption is a result of selfishness as well as the inability to see things from any other perspective rather than one’s own. The first voyage of Gulliver takes him to the isle of Lilliput. There, he must play to a petty and ineffectual government. Swift uses several devices to highlight the Lilliputian stupidity. First, they are physically agile and graceful in comparison to Gulliver, who is portrayed as cumbersome and brutish. When I found myself on my Feet, I looked about me, and must confess I never beheld a more entertaining Prospect. The Country round appeared like a continued Garden, and the inclosed Fields, which were generally Forty Foot square, resembled so many Beds of flowers. These Fields were intermingled with Woods of half a Stang, and the tallest Trees, as I could judge, appeared to be seven Foot high. I viewed the Town on my left Hand, which looked like the painted Scene of a City in a Theatre. This passage is quickly followed by one expressing Gulliver's needs to "disburdenth" himself: I had been for some Hours extremely pressed by the Necessities of Nature; which was no Wonder, it being almost two Days since I had last disburthened myself. I was under great Difficulties between Urgency and Shame. The best Expedient I could think on, was to creep into my House, which I accordingly did; and shutting the Gate after me, I went as far as the Length of my Chain would suffer, and discharged my Body of that uneasy Load. By setting up this contrast (it is interesting to point out that this is the only time that Swift makes any reference to Gulliver's "needs") the reader begins to expect the Lilliput to have a higher form of society. When, later in the book (that is the first book of four), the Lilliputians show their true selfish nature it is more of a surprise to the reader because of the great buildup. The very fact that this book is put into an adventure format is to lull the reader into believing Gulliver... of course, because Gulliver is Gullible this takes the reader straight to insanity at the end. Swift challenges the reader to make their own decision by taking them from right to wrong and asking them to, at some point, begin disagreeing with Gulliver.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
The Consequences of Drinking And Driving Essay -- Alcohol, drunk drivi
Driving under the influence has affected many people's lives and families. Today I would like to talk to you about the problems of drinking and driving, and why it is a concern for all of us. Driving under the influence is one of the most common and dangerous situations you can put yourself or someone else in. The fact is that drinking and driving is a huge deal and can leave a long trail of broken dreams and hearts. If you drink and drive, not only are you putting yourself at risk, but your passengers and the pedestrians outside of your vehicle. According to the most recent statistics by the National Commission Against Drunk Driving states that 17,000 Americans die each year in alcohol- related traffic crashes and 600,000 Americans are injured (NCADD). That's is and average of one fatal accident every thirty minutes. Every thirty minutes someone's life has ended and his or her family and friends left to weep. Anyone of these accidents could easily be a family member, relati ve, or neighbor. Most of these alcohol-related crashes are not just cuts and bruises. People are paralyzed, severely disfigured, or have lost the ability to live out a normal life with work and having fun are now activities that now rely on the aid of others. There is plenty of reasons alcohol and driving does not mix. The body is a very complicated organism with everything needing to go just right for it to function properly. Alcohol only affects how your body functions negatively. Alcohol is a downer that reduces activity in the central nervous system. The person exhibits loss muscle tone, loss of fine motor coordination ( Net Biz Mentor). Depression and alcohol also do not mix. When people get depressed from everyday life they have the ten... ...up in jail because they are one tenth of a point over the legal limit. So try to manage your life, by not drinking and driving. If you do go out for a drink, try to go somewhere that you can reach either on foot or by public transportation. Think about sharing the driving and on different days with a group of people so that you can take turns at driving. If you do drink even though you meant not to, and you went out with your vehicle, consider taking a taxi and leaving your vehicle behind. This is a whole lot better than living with the guilt and shame of having killed a person or even a friend. Do you really want to be known as the person who has killed someone because of your stupidity? Work Cited -Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. Drinking Driving and Other Drugs. Homepage. 20 June 2003.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Commercialization of the Navajo Sand Painting Practice
For the West, art has traditionally been considered as the mark of civilization, in so far as humanity is able to capture and render the essence of beauty and preserve this through their â€Å"artwork.†( Gilbert, 1982; Errington, 1994; Witherspoon, 1977)  Indeed, art may even be a purely Western construct â€Å"since textiles and jewellery, clothing and cosmetics (to mention only a few of the contexts where aesthetic choices operate) are not usually considered by us to be Art with a capital ‘A'.†(Gilbert, 1982: 168) The understanding and appreciation of non-Western â€Å"art†has therefore been problematic for many scholars, given that branding such cultural products and practices as such carries with it the enthnocentric connotations of the Western definition which usually defines â€Å"art†based on the value system of Western culture (Gilbert, 1982: 167-168; Errington, 1994: 203; Clifford, 1988:221) that, as Robbins (2005) points out, has become more and more concerned with the accumulation of material wealth and the derivation of fulfillment from the consumption of products (Robbins 2005:20) and where the perception of beauty is lamentably static. (Witherspoon, 1977:152) Critics have likewise noted that â€Å"art†in the West has often connoted being â€Å"art by intention,†which are produced and valued to be perceived for their beauty and for the monetary value that they carried.(Errington, 1994: 201) This is distinguished from what is considered as â€Å"art by appropriation†or the things that were produced for purposes other than art but are appraised to be of high value with antiquity or the possession of an indigenous or unique identity, thereby alienating them from the culture that produced them. Witherspoon (1977), for instance, emphasizes the importance of defining indigenous behavior, institutions, and practices within the context of their culture or at the very least, â€Å"against the backdrop of their view of the world or their ideological frame of reference.†(Witherspoon 1977:4) This includes confronting the fact that these cultures often evolve or even change with their exposure to other cultures and vice versa. The dilemma over the treatment and definition of non-Western art is illustrated, for instance, in efforts to preserve Navajo sand paintings so they could be sold and collected (Errington, 1994: 203). The sand paintings which were originally used in Navajo religious rites and healing ceremonies have been described as â€Å"true masterpieces of art†for their â€Å"instinctive awareness of the basic principles of design, colour harmonies, and contrasts.†(Foster, 1963:43) Ironically, the sand paintings were created by the Navajo not for art’s sake but as an integral part of religious healing ceremonies to locate and reestablish of an individual in his or her right place in the the universe and thus cure his or her illness. These paintings often utilized colored sand, cornmeal, and other bits of material to depict the Navajo’s vision of the cosmos and to symbolize their socio-economic life and other cultural elements.(Robbins, 2005: 14; Foster, 1963: 43) Foster (1963) notes that the Navajo was able to make over a thousand designs from symbols and patterns that were unique to them, and how, after the sand painting had been painstakingly drawn, the shamans would proceed to rub parts of the design on the individual who was to be cured while praying through chants. For the Navajo people, the sand paintings were indeed relevant not only as a religious tool but also as a source of magic. Horrified by the fact that these intricate sand paintings were often destroyed by being sat on or rubbed off during the healing process and thrown out afterwards, â€Å"concerned†individuals found ways to keep these intact using glue and other materials. (Errington, 1994: 203) This concern to preserve the end product of a cultural practice for its artistic or aesthetic value, however, contrasts sharply with the Navajo’s concept of beauty that lies more in the creative process that is inextricably linked with their way of life itself. Thus, beauty for the Navajo lies not in the sand painting that has served its purpose in curing a community member’s illness but in the entire religious ceremony where the sand painting is but a small component. The careless tendency to preserve or collect â€Å"art†from other cultures therefore engenders the superimposition of  another culture’s value systems and assumptions of meaning on the cultural practices or even the products of cultural practices (Errington, 1994: 205). This is especially true in the case of the sand paintings, where the preservation enabled them to become â€Å" durable and portable, able to be moved to new locations, and hung on the walls as â€Å"art††(Errington, 1994:205). With this transformation from a religious and highly significant part of Navajo tradition to a home or museum artifact, the Navajo sand painting tend to lose its significance as it became divorced from the culture that produced it. Thus, the Navajo sand painting seem to have lost its meaning as it became more and more commercialized. Approriated as art, the practice became insignificant insofar as the culture and the community that practiced it disintegrated, devoiding sand painting of its ritual meaning and significance. Works Cited: Clifford, J. (1988). The Predicament of Culture. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Errington, S. (1994). What became authentic primitive art? Cultural Anthropology, 9(2). Foster, K. (1963). Navajo sand paintings. Man, 63. Gilbert, M. (1982). Art: the primitive view. The British Journal of Aesthetics, 22(2). Robbins, R. H. (2005). Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Witherspoon, G. (1977). Language and Art in the Navajo Universe. Michigan: University of Michigan Press.             Â
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