The Influence of Art on Common People

The Influence of Art on Common People Art is a medium of self-expression; it can also be a challenge that intimidates people. Art can influence common people in many ways: â€Å"It could be a source of inspiration for people with hidden artistic skill; it could ignite the passion to create something of beauty; it could unblock fears and insecurities,† wrote author Molly Prather in her article, â€Å"How does art influence people? † Or it could easily be ignored. Dr. Margarita Cole, an art appreciation instructor at HCC, defines common people as those who are not exposed to art or those who are not familiar with visiting museums.This includes people who consider art alien. She talked about the influence of art on common people saying, â€Å"Some people ignore art or consider it weird. Others ask themselves what is this for? Many of them do not find answer. But for some people who find in art an answer, it is a discovery. † Sharon Hendry, a graphic designer, artist and HCC instructor, has another point of view: â€Å"Artists have two main objectives when they do art: One is to put something in a visual format to express a message; and second is that they use art as a medium of communication. Art can communicate without words,† she added.Common people are affected by art in different ways. Hendry said, â€Å"People react when they look at an artwork filtering their emotions through their personal experiences, their personal history. † â€Å"The way people are affected by art,† Dr. Cole said, â€Å"depends a lot on their upbringing — the amount of exposure to art that they have and what is their conception of beauty. † Art is a medium of communication and it can have a deep impact, or be very tenuous. â€Å"If we are open to art, we can take advantage of it; if we are closed to it, there is no way,† Dr. Cole commented. She added, â€Å"Deep (art’s communication) as you allow it to go.If you allo w yourself to feel the soul of the artist you are going deep. † Hendry made an example about communication â€Å"When you text a message in your cell phone, you are trying to communicate with somebody. The other person could receive or deny your message. If the person that you are trying to communicate with sends you a response, you are establishing communication. The only way that an artist knows if his artwork communicates a message is when he receives feedback,† she added. Some people are reluctant to engage with art maybe because they do not want to allow a communication with it.Dr. Cole talked about a case: â€Å"A student came to me after class and told me about a collage assignment; he was trying to work on it but it was very difficult to do and he could not finish it. Actually, he was not scared about the work otherwise; he was showing his insecurity to do the task. We can put people in front of a challenge and some will say: ‘Okay let’s do it. â⠂¬â„¢ Others will react the opposite way, refusing to do it when in fact, they are reacting to their fears. † â€Å"Art can serve as inspiration to awaken the imagination, talent and skill hiding in someone.It can unlock your fears and insecurities about creating,† Prather wrote. Hendry corroborated this, saying, â€Å"This is why art is important to me in my life. All those thing —inspires creativity, discovers hidden talent and unlocks fears and insecurities — have helped me and helped my students. † Anna Reyner, an art therapist, wrote the article â€Å"Art Influences Learning† in which she said, â€Å"Much has been written about how art enhances creativity, imagination, and self-esteem, but far less is said about how art encourages cognition, critical thinking, and learning. † She mentions the U.S. Secretary of Education report, â€Å"The Value Added Benefits of the Arts,† which states, â€Å"Studies have shown that arts te aching and learning can increase student’s cognitive and social development. The arts can be the link for students in developing the crucial thinking skills and motivations they need to achieve at higher levels. † In the same article Reyner wrote, â€Å"Our current education system places great emphasis on academic development. As a result, arts programs are being reduced or even eliminated from classrooms to accommodate more didactic teaching methods. Broadly speaking, are common people aware at the importance of art as a part of children’s education? Dr. Cole opined, â€Å"If they are not exposed to art, they are not going to be able to do anything. † Dr. Cole said, â€Å"My students have to go to museums as a part of the class requirements, but a lot of them are not interested and are reluctant to do the assignment. If you are not exposed to art, it is likely the next generation will not be exposed to art either. † â€Å"Politics is more advoca tes trying to make money,† Hendry commented. Consequently, art is not a priority in the line of their funding. † Art is present in everyday routines in many ways. Many people are aware of it while others are not; still others are indifferent. Promoting the benefits of art could be a difficult task. â€Å"To promote art,† Dr. Cole said, â€Å"we have to expose people to art, encourage them to visit museums, and also educate gallery personnel to bring friendly treatment. Some people go to museums and get out angry because of the bad treatment by the personnel.Educating gallery personnel is very important if you want to promote art. † â€Å"Parents have to encourage children to be involved in art,† Hendry commented, â€Å"but many times they are very busy or they do not know how beneficial art is on their children’s educational process. † â€Å"Children learn best when both sides of their brains are stimulated,† writer Kevin Crocket t said in the online article â€Å"How Art Influences Childhood-Development? † â€Å"This occurs when the learning environment is both participatory and interactive.The modern classroom does have a participatory side but it is sorely lacking in interactivity. Drawing and art is one of the best ways to bring interactivity into your child’s life. † â€Å"Art has to be included in the raising of child,† Dr. Cole stressed. â€Å"It is very important to encourage trips to museums, developing child interaction with artworks. † â€Å"Do not under estimate the importance of creativity, the ability to think abstractly (out of the box). The best thinkers, inventors, and entrepreneurs of our time have a healthy dose of right brain influence,† wrote Crockett.

Lady Macbeth Character analysis Essay

Lady Macbeth Essay â€Å"A dynamic character is an individual that undergoes a drastic character change or revelation.†[1] Lady Macbeth is an ideal example of this kind of character. At the beginning of the play Macbeth, written by Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth can be perceived as a manipulative and deeply ambitious person, which implies an overall sinister-like quality. However, as the play progresses, Lady Macbeth’s character changes to one that seems deeply regretful for her actions. Through Lady Macbeth’s interactions and statements the reader views her transformation from a sinister being into a remorseful soul. In the opening of the play, Lady Macbeth is an extremely manipulative individual that essentially has the power to control her husband’s actions. This is evident through the plot and ultimately the death of King Duncan. Lady Macbeth insulted her husbands manhood stating: â€Å"What beast was’t then that made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (I, VII, 52-64). This statement reinforces her manipulative manner, which provides crucial and important information about Lady Macbeth’s character. In essence, this attack towards Macbeth introduces a pivotal theme of the play: the relationship between gender and violence. Lady Macbeth links masculinity to violence and thereby she has to resort to influential measures in order to achieve her goals. She claims that he is not manly enough because he is hesitant of performing the violent deed of murdering the King. Her mockery of her husband serves a dual purpose of developing her as well as Macbeth’s character. The sarcastic tone reveals the dominating personality of Lady Macbeth, which is significant in influencing Macbeth during later part of the play to succumb to darkness of treachery and bloodshed. Which also intensifies her fiendish attributes. Lady Macbeth has the ability to override all her husband’s hesitation and manipulate him into undertaking these murderous acts. Thro ugh persuasion and criticism she was able to manipulate her husband thereby suggesting elements of evil and sinister-like qualities in Lady Macbeth. There is a defined relationship between manipulation and ambition in this play. That is, Lady Macbeth’s ambition drives her to persuade her husband into the murdering of innocent people. The first example of her determination is apparent in her  soliloquy, which is started off with a tone of certainty and conviction. â€Å"Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be what thou art promised.† (I, V, 14-29) Ironically, this tone does not alleviate the strength of her character but instead makes the reader wary of her. This draws the reader’s interest and creates a feeling of the oncoming evil that seems inevitable. Hence, the reader can indicate the instrumental role that Lady Macbeth is going to play in the build up of darkness later on. But the primary example of her ambitious behaviour is evident in the plot for her husband to become king. As claimed by the witches, Macbeth would be king, however the means of how this would become was never discussed until Lady M acbeth is introduced. When the reader is first introduced to her, she is asking for spirits to â€Å"unsex me†(I, V, 44). â€Å"The language suggests that her womanhood, represented by breasts and milk, which are usually symbols of a nurturer, prevents her from performing acts of violence and cruelty, which she associates with manliness.†[2] This also reinforces the link between gender and violence. This statement displays the immense ambition she has to become queen, demonstrating she will go to any lengths in order to accomplish her goal. The devised plan by Lady Macbeth further shows her great ambition to become Queen of Scotland. Lady Macbeth states to Macbeth: â€Å"O, never shall sun that morrow see!† (I, V, 67-68) referring to the murdering of King Duncan providing evidence of her great ambition. Lady Macbeth is so blinded by her ambitions that she neglects to ponder the potential consequences her actions may have on her and Macbeth himself. This intense and unwavering ambition of what might be to come forces her to place whatever values, morals and good judgment on hold, however it is also her blind ambition that leads to her fast approaching downfall. Aside from Lady Macbeth’s sinister tendencies, there is proof that suggests that there is a compassionate and guilty feeling individual buried inside. The first piece of evidence, which suggests of a remorsef ul Lady Macbeth, is apparent through her statement: â€Å"where out desire is got without content.†(III, II, 7). This passage refers to the lack of fulfillment the role of queen posses, and hints that all her actions were meaningless thereby implying remorseful feelings. Another crucial indication of her guilt is visible in Act Five, Scene 1 when Lady Macbeth is wondering around in a trance state appearing to be sleep walking. It is at this point in time where we indisputably learn of her deepest  regrets and guilt. This is evident when she is heard saying: â€Å"Out, damned spot† (V, I, 32) suggesting that she is unable to wash the blood off her hands. These actions play a central role in the reinforcement of another theme: appearance versus reality (Lady Macbeth appears to be wide-awake, however, she is in a state of near unconsciousness revealing the reality of her thoughts). These regretful feelings inherently lead to her downfall through her suicide. By dying by her own hand she is paying the greatest cost for the consequences of her actions. Here underlies the truth to her character, she inherits a change of heart resulting in indisputable evidence that Lady Macbeth is a dynamic character. In conclusion, through Lady Macbeth’s interactions and statements the reader gains tremendous insight into her true character. As the play progresses and character revelation occurs, we see her change from an individual that is deeply ambitious and persuasive to a regretful and remorseful s oul. This thereby provides as adequate proof that Lady Macbeth is a dynamic character. This change creates a sense of sympathy in the eyes of the reader; and consequently it is her actions that cause her own ultimate death. Sources: http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/ladymacbeth.html http://www.shmoop.com/macbeth/lady-macbeth.html [2] http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/canalysis.html [1] Dynamic character defined by (www.dictionary.com)

Ethical Theories

Ethical Theories ETH/316 April 9, 2013 Ethical Theories Introduction Ethics is system of moral principles, the way individuals conduct themselves with respect to the right and wrong of their actions and to the good and bad of any motives and ends of such actions. Ethics are instilled in individuals since they were children by parents, teachers, and loved ones. This paper will show the similarities and differences between virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics. Similarities and Differences Understanding the similarities between virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics, they first must be defined.Boylan (2009) stated, â€Å"Virtue ethics is also sometimes called agent based or character ethics. It takes the viewpoint that in living your life you should try to cultivate excellence in all that you do and all that others do† (p. 133). Individuals who judge others by his or her character rather than his or her actions, exemplifies the virtue theory of ethics. Utilitarianism is defined as a theory that an action is morally right when that action is for the greater good of a group rather than just an individual (Boylan, 2009).Utilitarianism theory is based upon creating the greatest good for a number of people. An individual can be overlooked in order to achieve a greater goal for all individuals involved. Deontology ethics is a moral theory that suggests that an individual’s duty to do a certain task because the action, itself, is right, and not through any other sorts of calculations—such as the consequences of the action (Boylan, 2009). Basically the theory suggests that individuals have a moral obligation to follow certain rules that are deemed unbreakable.Virtue theory determines the good and bad traits of a person over a long period of time. Utilitarianism theory also finds the good in a person – provides guidance for behavior and enables people to know what differentiates as a good moral choice. Deontol ogy recommends an action based upon principle. Utilitarianism is the end justifies the mean while deontology is the end does not justify the means. Virtue theory is a broad term that relates to the individuals character and virtue in morals rather than doing their duty or acting to bring about good choices. Personal ExperienceFrom the time we are able to walk and talk we are given rules from our parents. Those rules are not given as punishment, but to guide us in life to know what is right from wrong. We are taught morals on how to act, how to treat others, not to lie or be disrespectful. We are taught virtues that were instilled in our parents from their parents and passed on from generation to generation in hopes that we learn from their past mistakes. They place values in us that we will grow up to do the right things in life and teach others and to lead by example. ConclusionEthics is something everyone learns from a young age and individuals either grow with it or they choose t o follow another path in life that may not be as good as it should have been. Ethics is learned it is not something that is already in place. Some people go above and beyond, why others falter. People all have a choice in life as the path they travel down. Every individual should instill some form of ethics within them so the world could be a better place to live in. Reference Boylan, M. (2009). Basic Ethics: Basic ethics in action (2nd ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Ethical Theories Morals define our character; ethics dictate the working of a social system. Ethics point towards the application of morality. In the wake of this understanding, national, social and workplace ethics are based on the abstract moral codes adopted and adhered to by each member of the group. Ethics lay down a set of codes that people must follow. Ethics are relative to peers, profession, community, society and nation. Morals are and are dependent on an individual’s choice or beliefs or religion and can mean doing the right or wrong thing.An example to help you understand the difference would be: Abortion is legal and therefore medically ethical, while many people find it personally immoral. Ethics can be relatively simple to follow, while applying morals can be decidedly tougher. There can be a moral dilemma, but not an ethical one. While good morals represent correct and upright conduct, ethics act more as guidelines. Ethics are applicable or adhered to by a group or community or society, whereas morals relate to individuals.As we can see from the above discussion that ethics and morals may seem similar, but are in fact rather distinct. While morals constitute a basic human marker of right behavior and conduct, ethics are more like a set of guidelines that define acceptable behavior and practices for a certain group of individuals or society. Deontological theories: Deontological theories are the category of normative ethical theories. It is a form of moral philosophy centered on the principles of eighteenth century philosopher Immanuel Kant. Its name comes from the Greek words Deon and logos, meaning the study of duty.Deon means duty. Actions are morally right are those in accordance with certain rules, duties, rights and maxims. Deontological theories hold that an action’s tightness or wrongness depends on its conformity a certain moral norm regardless of the consequences. Actions can be morally permitted, required or forbidden. Consequences of the activities are not important according to deontological theory. The basis of deontology is to assess a person’s character by how well he or she follows moral rules, even if by doing so, tragic results occur.Deontology always advocates the Right over the Good. The deontological model of ethics determines the correctness of a moral action by determining if it follows moral norms. For instance, Kant gave the example that it is wrong to lie even if it could save a person’s life. The agent-centered theory of deontology: focus on the duties of the moral agent (the person acting); rather than the rights of person being acted upon (patient centered theory). Act only according to that maxim where by you can at the same time as an end and never merely as a means to an end.Lying is forbidden, because if lying is a universal action, society would be undermined. Also it is states that people’s moral choices are determined by personal obligation and permission. For instance, a parent is obligated to treat his or her child as more important than other people; however, other adults have no obligation to treat that parent’s child any differently than anyone else. Since people can have personal obligations that are different from other people, they also have permission to protect their obligations at the expense of others.In this theory, a parent has permission to save his or her own child even if it means causing negative or tragic consequences for other people’s children. The patient-centered theory: that deal with rights, it means an action is wrong if it violates a person’s right (life, liberty, property/ the pursuit of happiness) or against being used only as a means for producing good consequences without one’s consent. It centers on the rights of individuals rather than personal duty. It states that individuals have the right to not be used for moral good against their wills.For instance, a murderer cannot be killed witho ut his or her permission even if it would save several lives. The Advantages of Deontological Theories Deontological morality leaves space for agents to give special concern to their families, friends, and projects. At least that is so if the deontological morality contains no strong duty of general generosity or, if it does, it puts a stopper on that duty's demands. Deontological morality, therefore, avoids the overly demanding and excluding aspects of consequentialism and accords more with traditional notions of our moral duties.The Weakness of Deontological Theories Paradox of deontological theories: We are for forbidden from violating certain duties and rights even to prevent more violations of certain duties and rights. Deontological theories have also weak spots. First and most important of all, is the seeming irrationality of the having duties or permissions to make the world morally worse. Deontology is and will always be paradoxical, unless a nonconsequentialist model of ra tionality is created; deontologists need to defuse the model of rationality that motivates consequentialist theories.The Golden rule: is known as the ethic of reciprocity, this famous cross-culture maxim states: â€Å"Do to others as you want them to do to you†. Humanists try to embrace the moral principle known as the ‘Golden Rule’, otherwise known as the ethic of reciprocity, which means we believe that people should aim to treat each other as they would like to be treated themselves – with tolerance, consideration and compassion. Humanists like the Golden Rule because of its universality, because it is derived from human feelings and experience and because it requires people to think about others and try to imagine how they might think and feel.It is a simple and clear default position for moral decision-making. Sometimes people argue that the Golden Rule is imperfect because it makes the assumption that everyone has the same tastes and opinions and wan ts to be treated the same in every situation. But the Golden Rule is a general moral principle, not a hard and fast rule to be applied to every detail of life. Treating other people as we would wish to be treated ourselves does not mean making the assumption that others feel exactly as we do about everything.The treatment we all want is recognition that we are individuals, each with our own opinions and feelings and for these opinions and feelings to be afforded respect and consideration. The Golden Rule is not an injunction to impose one’s will on someone else! Trying to live according to the Golden Rule; means trying to empathize with other people, including those who may be very different from us. Empathy is at the root of kindness, compassion, understanding and respect – qualities that we all appreciate being shown, whoever we are, whatever we think and wherever we come from. Consequentialism:Hold that; this action’s rightness or wrongness depends on consequ ences it causes (happiness or pain). Consequentialist theories say that; the moral rightness of action can be determined by looking at its consequences, if the consequences are good, the act is right. The right act produces greatest ratio of good to evil of any alternative. If the consequences are bad the act is wrong. Lying generally is bad according to ethics, but if we don’t say that her illness to woman with cancer may be it will be better. Consequentialism is a moral theory, which stands under the normative ethical theories.It can be used as guidelines to enlighten on how to resolve moral issues. This specific moral theory focuses on the consequences of one’s actions, rather than looking at the rightness and wrongness of an act. Therefore a morally right act is an act that creates a good result or consequence. According to this theory the ethically correct decision is the one that produces the best consequences: â€Å"The end justifies the means†. Consequen tialists realize and accept the fact that difficult moral choices sometimes injure others. Thereby they are more flexible than duty-based theorists.It is most important to look at consequences and analyze the results’ impact on other people. Thereby this theory is good in ethical dilemmas, because it concentrates on the impact of our behavior on others. There are two types of consequentialist theories: 1- Egoism 2- Utilitarianism 1- Egoism It contends that an act is moral when it promotes the individual’s best long term interests. If an action produces or is intended to produce of greater ratio of good to evil for the individual in the long run than any other alternative, then it is the right action to perform.Ethical egoism claims that it is necessary and sufficient for an action to be morally right that it maximize one's self-interest. Egoism: The view that morality coincides with the self-interest of an individual or an organization. Egoists: Those who determine the moral value of an action based on the principle of personal advantage. An action is morally right if it promotes one’s long-term interest. An action is morally wrong if it undermines it. There are two types of egoism: a- Personal egoism: You pursue your own best interest, but don’t care what others do.Personal egoists claim they should pursue their own best long-term interests, but they do not say what others should do. Personal egoists pursue their own self-interest but do not make the universal claim that all individuals should do the same. Personal Egoism is a view according to which an individual claims that he/she ought do what is in his/her long term self-interests but cannot tell others what they should do. b- Impersonal egoism: You believe everyone should be an egoist. Impersonal egoists claim that everyone should follow his or her best long-term interests.Impersonal egoists: Claim that the pursuit of one’s self-interest should motivate everyone’ s behavior. Impersonal Egoism requires that each person act in his or her own self-interest regardless of the interests of others (unless it so benefits him/her). This does not prevent people cooperating with each other even when there are different self-interests. Misconceptions about egoism: Egoists do only what they want, not true. Egoists don’t possess virtues like honest, generosity and self-sacrifice, not true. Egoist can possess all of these virtues, as long as they advance long term self-interest.Egoism can’t resolve conflict of egoistic interest. Egoists only do what they like, not so. Undergoing unpleasant, even painful experience meshes with egoism, provided such temporary sacrifice is necessary for the advancement of one’s long-term interest. All egoists endorse hedonism (the view that only pleasure is of intrinsic value, the only good in life worth pursuing) although some egoists are hedonistic, others have a broader view of what constitutes self-in terest. Egoists cannot act honestly, be gracious and helpful to others, or otherwise promote others’ interests.Egoism, however, requires us to do whatever will best further our own interests, and doing this sometimes requires us to advance the interests of others. 2- Utilitarianism: Originally formulated Jeremy Bentham in 18th century and developed by J. Stuart Mill in 19th century. Greatest good is the foundation for morality. Determinations of morality are based on the application of the moral law to an action. Principle of Utility or GHP (Greatest Happiness Principle) is the moral law. GHP states that an action is right in proportion to its ability to promote pleasure/happiness.It is wrong in proportion to its ability to promote unhappiness/pain. Right action = pleasure/happiness Wrong action = unhappiness/pain According to Mill; Satisfaction depends on the attainment of pleasure, and pleasure depends on right action. Right action has to conform to the GHP. Satisfaction ha s to conform to the GHP. GHP is moral, greatest happiness principle refers to collective happiness not individual happiness. Standard of morality govern human conducts. If my action conforms to the standard of morality then my action is moral.Happiness of community is more important than personal happiness. You should sacrifice your personal interest for community happiness. Sacrifice is always done some end. Sacrifice for the greater good is the highest virtue. Utilitarianism is based off of the Greatest Happiness Principle which states that actions are considered moral when they promote utility and immoral when they promote the reverse. Utility itself is defined by Mill as happiness with the absence of pain. The main elements of this philosophy are one's actions and their resulting utility.A person is considered moral when their actions tend to promote utility of the general public in accordance with the Greatest Happiness Principle. However, just an action increasing utility does not necessarily imply a moral action. In order for the action to be moral it must be the optimal choice in increasing utility and minimizing pain. Since it is difficult to determine the superior of two vastly different results, Mill provides us with a system to determine which choice would have the higher quality. This system has the proper judges of the actions determine which they prefer.Whichever is preferred by a majority is considered the action with a higher quality result and thus would be more moral to perform than the action with a lower quality result. In the result of a tie, both choices are considered equally moral. The Greatest Happiness principle also allows for us to cause pain to others as long as a majority of the people becomes happier. We could essentially just steal resources from smaller foreign countries and drive them to poverty as long as more people benefit than lose. Things such as slavery, bullying, rape, racism, and murder could be justified under Utilit arianism as long as the majority prefers it.Murderers could justify their action by simply killing all of those who opposed them. Once their numbers became the majority, murdering became justifiable as moral. Lastly, the Greatest Happiness principle eliminates the usage of the laws provided  by our government. As long as the person's actions increase general utility, then it does not matter how many laws are broken in the process. We could all go speeding down roads and ignoring traffic signals/signs to our full enjoyment despite there being speed limits as long as few people cared and most people would be having a blast.Following examples are used to illustrate the concept of utilitarianism. Say that one has promised to a friend to meet up at six o'clock. Is it acceptable to break this promise in order to rescue someone from a burning building? Consequentialist is only concentrating on the consequence. Therefore, when looking at the result a consequentialist might say â€Å"noâ €  as the consequence would be breaking a promise and in this way it could harm the friendship. On the other hand a consequentialist might say â€Å"yes† if the result might be saving another person’s life, even though it would demand breaking a promise.In utilitarianism it depends on the one making a decision. Therefore one could justify the killing of a homeless if his organs could be used beneficially, saving for example four other peoples’ lives, who have jobs and family (Frost, 2007: 15). Utilitarianism has many flaws. One of the biggest problems with it is that measuring and comparing happiness among different people is impossible in practice as well as in principle. Shareholder theory: It says that one and only obligation of business is to maximize its profits while engaging open and free competition without fraud.According to shareholder theorists such as the Nobel winning economist Milton Friedman, managers should inly focus on serving the interests of the firm’s shareholders. Therefore business executives are obligated to follow the wishes of shareholders while obeying the laws and ethical customs of society. On one hand, it is correct to say that the main focus of a business should be to make profit. Without profit, a business cannot survive. In a way, Friedman’s theory does promote social responsibility to society.The increase of profits in a company benefits the economy which benefits the citizens of the economy. Friedman also believed that social responsibility should not be forced by the government. Responsibility to stakeholders can still be achieved while helping to strengthen the community. For example, companies can conduct research to provide a safer product to consumers. Shareholder Theory, on the other hand, focuses strictly on those who have a monetary share of the company. According to this view, a firm’s only purpose is to serve the needs and interests of the company’s owners.In many industries there are companies that seem to follow a stakeholder theory framework while guiding the majority of interests towards the shareholders and ultimately enforcing a shareholder theory framework. An analysis of shareholder theory applied to the management styles found in major league baseball has revealed such a conflict of interest. According to shareholder theorists such as the Nobel winning economist Milton Friedman, managers should only focus on serving the interests of the firm's shareholders.In an article he published in the New York Times, The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits, he states, â€Å"Responsibility is to conduct the business in accordance with their [shareholder’s] desires, which generally will be to make as much money as possible while conforming to the basic rules of the society, both those embodied in law and those embodied in ethical custom. † (Friedman, 1970) Stakeholder theory: Freeman; who has contributed a lo t to this approach, he defines stakeholders as â€Å"any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organization objectives.Normative stakeholder theory contains theories of how managers or stakeholders should act and should view the purpose of organization, based on some ethical principle (Friedman 2006). Another approach to the stakeholder concept is the so called descriptive stakeholder theory. This theory is concerned with how managers and stakeholders actually behave and how they view their actions and roles. Stakeholder theory is a theory of organizational management and business ethics that addresses morals and values in managing an organization. It was originally detailed by R.Edward Freeman in the book Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach, and identifies and models the groups which are stakeholders of a corporation, and both describes and recommends methods by which management can give due regard to the interests of those groups. In short, it attempts play to address the â€Å"Principle of Who or What Really Counts. â€Å"[1] In the traditional view of the firm, the shareholder view, the shareholders or stockholders are the owners of the company, and the firm has a binding fiduciary duty to put their needs first, to increase value for them.However, stakeholder theory argues that there are other parties involved, including governmental bodies, political groups, trade associations, trade unions, communities, financiers, suppliers, employees, and customers. Sometimes even competitors are counted as stakeholders – their status being derived from their capacity to affect the firm and its other morally legitimate stakeholders. The nature of what is a stakeholder is highly contested (Miles, 2012),[2] with hundreds of definitions existing in the academic literature (Miles, 2011). 3] The stakeholder view of strategy is an instrumental theory of the corporation, integrating both the resource-based view as well as the market-based view, and adding a socio-political level. This view of the firm is used to define the specific stakeholders of a corporation (the normative theory (Donaldson) of stakeholder identification) as well as examine the conditions under which these parties should be treated as stakeholders (the descriptive theory of stakeholder salience). These two questions make up the modern treatment of Stakeholder Theory. Who are stakeholders?A very different way of differentiating the different kinds of stakeholders is to consider groups of people who have classifiable relationships with the organization. Friedman (2006) means that there is a clear relationship between definitions of what stakeholders and identifications of who are the stakeholders. The main groups of stakeholders are: * Customers * Employees * Local communities the main groups * Suppliers and distributors * shareholder * The media * The public in general * Business partners * Future generations * Past generations (founders of organizations) Academics * NGOs * Stakeholder representatives such as trade unions or trade associations of suppliers or distributers * Government, regulators, policymakers Primary: a firm cannot exist without their continuing participation. Primary stakeholders include: shareholders & investors, employees, contractors, customers & suppliers. Secondary: those who influence or affect or are influenced/affected by, the corporation, but they are not engaged in transactions with the corporation or essential for its survival. Secondary stakeholders include: media, action groups, government agencies, trade unions, regulatory authorities.Non-social stakeholders do not involve human relationships, which may also be divided into primary (direct) and secondary (indirect), for example, natural environment, nonhuman species, future generations and their defenders in pressure groups. They are neither influenced by nor a factor in the survival of the organisation (Wheeler & Sillanpaa (1998): p205, Vandekerckhove & Dentchev (2005): p222). Freeman (1984) argued that it is easy but extremely detrimental for managers to assume that stakeholders who oppose them are irrational and irrelevant.Additionally, this issue is further reinforced by arguing that there is wide variation in stakeholder claims, interests and rights (Hall & Vredenburg, 2005:p11). Internal stakeholders are those in the management, marketing experts, designers, purchasing, manufacturing, assembly and sales, while external stakeholders are the users/customers, distributors, governments, suppliers, communities, laws and regulations. Political stakeholders can be divided into 2 different sub-group; ‘national stakeholders’ and ‘international stakeholders’ (Holtbrugge, Berg & Puck, 2007).National stakeholders include governmental actors such as central government, state government, local authorities and also non-governmental organizations or NGOs. On the other hand, internation al stakeholders are those supranational organizations which constituted by national government (IMF, WTO) and also NGOs (Greenpeace, international association of trade unions, international media). Both governmental actors and supranational organizations are classified as ‘public stakeholders’ while NGOs are classified as ‘private stakeholders’.Hillman & Hitt (1999) proposed a typology which distinguishes between 3 different strategies of political stakeholders: 1. Information strategy: – Seeks to affect the actions of political stakeholders by providing them specific information about preferences for policy or political positions. 2. Financial incentives strategy: – Aims to influence the actions of political stakeholders through financial inducements which may include hiring personnel with direct political experience such as managers or consultants, providing financial support or community bribery of decision makers. . Reputation-building str ategy: – Tries to influence political stakeholders indirectly through stakeholder support. The main instruments to achieve this goal are public relations and codes of conduct. The idea of grouping the different types of stakeholders is a noble one. It helps to improve the understanding and appreciation in managing stakeholders. For this, Kolk & Pinkse (2006:p62) came out with the grouping of stakeholders into two groups, based on potential for threat and for cooperation and, based on concomitant strategies, as shown in Figure 4.Briner et al (1996) indicated 4 different sets of stakeholders namely: client project leader’s organization, outside services and, invisible team members. In the case of corporate and business environment, Colacoglu, Lepak & Hong (2006: p211) cited that there exist three primary groups of stakeholders that exert distinct pressures on organizations and are directly impacted by the performance of organizations. 1. Companies must attend to the need s of capital market stakeholders-shareholders and major suppliers of capital such as banks. 2.Companies must consider the needs and demands from product market stakeholders-the primary customers, suppliers, unions, and host communities with whom organizations conduct business 3. Companies must consider the needs of organizational stakeholders, the employees and managers within the organization. IDENTIFYING The first Step in the mapping process is to understand that there is no magic list of stakeholders. The final list will depend on your business, its impacts, and your current engagement objective—as a result it should not remain static.These lists will change as the environment around you evolves and as stakeholders themselves make decisions or change their opinions Action: Brainstorm a list of stakeholders without screening, including everyone who has an interest in your objectives today and who may have one tomorrow. Where possible, identify individuals. Use the following list to help you brainstorm: * Owners (e. g. Investors, shareholders, agents, analysts, and ratings agencies) * Customers (e. g. direct customers, indirect customers, and advocates) * Employees (e. g. urrent employees, potential employees, retirees, representatives, and dependents) * Industry (e. g. suppliers, competitors, industry associations, industry opinion leaders, and media) * Community (e. g. residents near company facilities, chambers of commerce, resident associations, schools, community organizations, and special interest groups) * Environment (e. g. nature, nonhuman species, future generations, scientists, ecologists, spiritual communities, advocates, and NGOs) * Government (e. g. public authorities, and local policymakers; regulators; and opinion leaders) * Civil society organizations (e. . NGOs, faith-based organizations, and labor unions) To facilitate important stakeholder mapping, Freeman suggests the following questions: In 1984 Edward Freeman offered questions th at help begin the analysis of identifying major stakeholders: * Who are our current and potential stakeholders? * What are their interest/rights? * How does each stakeholder affect us? * How do we affect each stakeholder? * What assumption does our current strategy make about each important stakeholder? * What are the environmental variables that affect us and our stakeholders? How do we measure each of these variables and their impact? * How do we keep score with our stakeholders? Stakeholder versus Shareholder? According to stakeholder theory, the very purpose of the firm is to serve and coordinate the interests of its various stakeholders. These stakeholders can include employees, suppliers, customers and the communities in which the firm operates. It is the moral obligation of the firm’s managers to maintain a balance among these interests when directing the activities of the firm. Shareholder theory, on the other hand, focuses strictly on those who have a monetary share of the company.According to this view, a firm’s only purpose is to serve the needs and interests of the company’s owners. The Corporate Social Responsibility The way business involves the shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations and other stakeholders is usually a key features of corporate social responsibility concept. CSR involves a commitment through the on-going engagement of stakeholders, the active participation of communities impacted by company activities and public reporting of company policies and performance in the economic, environmental and social arenas.Corporate social responsibility (CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship, social performance, or sustainable responsible business/ Responsible Business)[1] is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international norms.CSR is a process with the aim to embrace responsibility for the company's actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere who may also be considered as stakeholders. The term â€Å"corporate social responsibility† came into common use in the late 1960s and early 1970s after many multinational corporations formed the term stakeholder, meaning those on whom an organization's activities have an impact. It was used to describe corporate owners beyond shareholders as a result of an influential book by R.Edward Freeman, Strategic management: a stakeholder approach in 1984. [2] Proponents argue that corporations make more long term profits by operating with a perspective, while critics argue that CSR distracts from the economic role of businesses . Others argue CSR is merely window-dressing, or an attempt to pre-empt the role of governments as a watchdog over powerful multinational corporations. CSR is titled to aid an organization's mission as well as a guide to what the company stands for and will uphold to its consumers.Development business ethics is one of the forms of applied ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that can arise in a business environment. ISO 26000 is the recognized international standard for CSR. Public sector organizations (the United Nations for example) adhere to the triple bottom line (TBL). It is widely accepted that CSR adheres to similar principles but with no formal act of legislation. The UN has developed the Principles for Responsible Investment as guidelines for investing entities.

Crown Prosecution Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Crown Prosecution Service - Essay Example From the report it is clear that CPS as a body has its beliefs. It operates by helping to deliver justice across England and Wales. It ensures that it prosecute crime independently and effectively. The body is charged with guidance and leadership provision within a criminal justice system especially due to the radical changes the system may be undergoing. The organization maintains a mission statement that states its’ first and foremost priority . It believes in delivering justice through the independent and effective prosecution of crime. It also fosters a culture of excellence through initiating support and fostering better results every time. The organization has some set of maintained values. The values include being independent and fair hence the organization aims at prosecuting crime independently, without bias. As the dicussion stresses CPS is charged with four main duties since its inception. These duties include making decisions on what offences should be charged. The y are also responsible for reviewing cases. Case review is done in order to ensure that there is sufficient evidence in order to carry forward with the case presentation . They are also charged with being responsible for the cases. These cases are passed to them from the police for further action. The final responsibility is conducting the prosecutions of cases in the magistrates and Crowns courts . The creation of CPS aimed at ensuring that an independent body was put in place to present all the evidence collected by police in courts.

Operation Overlord D Day Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Operation Overlord D Day - Essay Example alysed the Allied military planning for Operation Overlord are blessed with the gift of hindsight, they know that Operation Overlord was a success that contributed to eventual Allied victory. The Second World War was after all the conflict in which Air power came to the fore, military and naval operations launched when air superiority was held were far more likely to succeed than operations carried out whilst an enemy power held air superiority. When a combined military, naval and air operation was as large and as extensive as Operation Overlord, its planners had to consider any potential threats to its success and the Air threat could be considered to be one of the most significant single obstacle to success. It could be argued that Allied over - estimations of the Air threat posed by the Luftwaffe did have a serious effect on the Operation Overlord planning. The Allies believed that the Luftwaffe remained a formidable opponent and therefore a serious and potent Air threat to the successful execution of the plans for Operation Overlord. The Luftwaffe in numerical terms still had thousands of operational aircraft, even if before Operation Overlord was launched, the majority of those aircraft were used upon the Eastern Front and in defending the Third Reich from the Allied strategic bombing campaign.1 For the Allied military planners tasked with making Operation Overlord a successful reality it was worth ensuring that the Allied Air Forces had enough operational aircraft available to establish air superiority over the projected landing areas to avoid a disastrous repulsion of Operation Overlord. Although the warships that were tasked with protecting the troop ships would carry a large complement of anti-aircraft guns they would have found it very difficult to overcome German air strikes against the invasion fleet without their own aircraft providing cover. Besides the landing craft that were needed to ferry the Allied troops to the beaches were the parts of

Journal ad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal ad - Essay Example o the importance of the journal, its outspoken authority among world economy contributors who use the journal to reach the world in various economic topics makes it a popular tool on the shelf, table and mailbox in different publication formats. Its editorial environment has a consistent theme that captures the business world as a rare spectacle worth a keen following. This journal has a consistent package of features in terms of its coverage which is mainly focused on business and economy. However, a number of topics presented in the journal are highly varied. To illustrate this point, the above advert contained in the Wall Street Journal aims at reaching the properties market for possible buyers of the property named therein. Property market is a discrete segment with a highly competitive environment, perhaps making the reason why the advert features in a leading journal in the US and world market. In this advert, the reader is convinced to consider buying the house with a brightened exterior, indoor pool, good floors and space at only $639,000. In the wall Street journal, there are a number of related offers worth looking at for comparison since it is a competitive platform. It is a good investment by the owners since it has captured the market in a significant way across the globe. Cheema, Sushil â€Å"House of the Day: Massachusetts Colonial Holliston, MA† Wall Street Journal, 9 July 2011. Web. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904537404576554651535585940.html?mod=WSJ_RealEstate_LEADTopNews (accessed 8 September

Clinical immunology lab report (ELISA) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Clinical immunology (ELISA) - Lab Report Example iagnose for certain diseases such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and prostate cancer among many others as well as to measure certain hormones such as the human chorionic gonadotrophins. These tests capitalize on the fact that that many viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic illnesses generate established antibody reactions. Therefore, the recognition of antibodies specific to infectious agents in patients’ samples aids in the identification of infections such as influenza, HIV and hepatitis (Estridge & Reynolds 2011). In some instances such as syphilis, it is impossible to separate actual disease-causing organisms. Therefore, immunological tests find immense relevance in the diagnosis of these infections. Contemporary immunoassays have advanced from the need to identify and measure multifaceted biological molecules in situations where physical and analytical chemical techniques are not feasible (Bonwick & Smith 2004). In the early stages of immunoassays, the workers were restricted to using simple techniques that quantified the precipitation that occurred as a less important event after the binding of a number of antibodies to several antigens. This technique was difficult and had numerous limitations that restricted its use. Advances on improving the method led to the development of enhanced ways of identifying antigen-antibody reactions. The first method was radioimmunoassay by Berson and Yalow, which enabled the identity of the putative molecules by measuring radioactivity (Gan & Patel 2013). However, the problems associated with the disposal of radioactive waste led to the need for safer alternatives. In addition, radioimmunoassay required sophisticated equipment to obtain measur ements. ELISA became the most suitable alternative for detecting and quantifying antigens and antibodies ELISA is among the most common immunological tests in modern use. It entails the addition of an antigen or antibody to a firm surface, which in most instances is usually a polystyrene

Service Quality for Retail Banking in the UK Research Proposal

Service Quality for Retail Banking in the UK - Research Proposal Example In a series of papers presented by Parasuraman et al., they propose the model for measuring the quality of service rendered using the five factors or dimensions. These dimensions include tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance and empathy. While tangibles is a measure of the facilities, assets, personnel and other materials in the bank that add to the service provided to the customer, the reliability is the ability to perform the way it was promised. Responsiveness is a measure of the willingness to help customers and provide them with prompt service. Assurance measures the competence, courtesy, credibility and security of the service provided, while the empathy is about the caring and individualised service that the bank provides to its customers. This would help the bank in realising whether its customers are satisfactory on all grounds and whether there are any gaps in the satisfaction level. The metrics would follow the same standard set by the previously referred autho rs. The Gap method of questionnaire will be adopted to measure the service quality of the bank. The objective of the project is to study the existing service levels in the bank and to quantify them by assigning appropriate metrics. This project will be carried out using the following methodology: 1. 1. A detailed literature review will be done initially to understand and assimilate the importance of using Servqual is a measure for measuring service quality. For this extensive reading will be done of papers and books on the subject. This information will be organised to identify the best metrics that could be employed to measure every one of the dimensions listed in the above list. In addition to this, the literature review will also help in identifying the various analysis methods that were employed by various people during their own research activities. The ideal one suited for banks will be identified and marked out for later usage. 2. The literary review will also provide information on the analysis or research done by others in the same area of work. The responses that they obtained and the conclusions that they drew will also be identified and listed. In order to identify these appropriate journals and books will be taken up and the articles, papers and texts will be noted down for reference. Ideas and concepts introduced by them will also be noted down to match with the technique adopted in this program. This will be finally verified while cross checking the results of the program and the reasons for deviation, if any, will also be identified. These justifications will also be listed in the results of the project. 3. In line with the analysis methodology chosen and the metrics identified, a questionnaire for the survey will be framed. This would provide qualitative as well as quantitative data for further analysis. The questionnaire will be framed in such a way that both the customers and the employees are

Joan durrant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Joan durrant - Essay Example The significant research of Durrant concentrates on various dimensions such as cultural, legal and psychological frameworks of corporal punishment of children in Canada and worldwide. Moreover, the research works of Dr. Durrant emphasizes upon prohibiting physical maltreatment of children. The research also provides an adequate support within the context of disciplinary approach that is taken into concern towards preventing the children from any sort of physical maltreatment. The studies of Durrant are applied in different parts of Canada, Sweden and Germany that provides elimination of corporal punishment of children by a significant level (University of Manitoba, 2012). The paper intends to discuss the detailed research works that conducted by Dr. Joan Durrant. Moreover, the linkage of the research of Dr. Durrant with the developmental health perspective and certain recommendations that would enhance the quality of care children will also be depicted in this paper. Explanation of t he Research Conducted By Joan Durrant The dimensions relating to physical punishment or maltreatment of children have been observed from previous few years and are regarded to be an important concern in the context of international affairs. According to various researches, it has been noted that physical or corporal punishment has been raised considerably in the year 1990. The research works of Dr. ... Moreover, it has also been viewed that the physical punishment or maltreatment of children belonging to the age group of six to nine years result increased levels of antisocial behavior with the application of different controls. In this regard, the controls may include family or socio-economic status and emotional support levels among others. The aforementioned study further indicates that physical punishment is a major factor of jeopardy for rising aggression in children that compels them to perform antisocial behaviors (Durrant & Ensom, 2012). The research works conducted by Durrant & Ensom are related to the significant aspect of child aggression. The works in the research observes connectivity between physical punishment and psychological aspects. It has been viewed that physical punishment is related with wide ranging mental health related difficulties of children, youths and adults that include sadness, grief, anxiety, use of drugs and alcohol among others. Moreover, the resea rchers also observed that physical punishment or maltreatment is mainly connected with mental development of children that ultimately affects in the educational development of the individuals or rather the children. From the perspective of the development of children, it has been observed that the studies relating to neuroimaging played an imperative part. In this regard, the studies linked with neuroimaging suggest that physical punishment can lessen the volume of grey matter of brain in relation to different development areas of children. It can be stated that physical punishment can cause significant changes in dopaminergic regions that are related with susceptibility towards the ill-treatment of drugs and alcohol. On the basis of the

Marketing plan ( market the city of toronto) Assignment

Marketing plan ( market the city of toronto) - Assignment Example This has the effect of improving on their revenue base. At the same time, companies want to gain global recognition. In essence, this is something, which is rather beneficial when it comes to business (Crouch, 2011). Various cities use different approaches in the course of their marketing. It is imperative to note that the method, which is to be used, is largely dependent on the expansive market. The financial outlay is something, which will influence the methods of advertising and marketing. The first thing, which is rather noteworthy, is to gain an understanding of these international markets. Thorough analysis has to be undertaken before the firm can even think of venturing into these markets. A feasibility study regarding the success of the business has to be done. This is particularly pertinent, as it will serve to point out whether the business will stand a chance of success in the new market. This is as opposed to going blindly into these markets without prior knowledge (Pepal l et al. 2005). The city, which is in perspective, in this case is Toronto. Toronto is a city, which is considered to be rather tech-savvy. At the same time, it is also considered as one of the best cities in North America when it comes to jobs that are related to Information technology. The environment in the city is one, which has attracted several major global firms. These firms have set up offices in the city. These include Xerox and General Motors just to mention a few. These developments put Toronto at a rather significant place when it comes to the developments that are attributed to jobs and employment opportunities. The city is also very flexible in the sense that it easily adapts to the changes that are happening in the world and picking up the latest trends that come by. One of the things, which seem to be rather influential in attracting people into the city, is to do with the good reputation, which the country has on a global platform. It is worth noting that people wil l always want to associate themselves with desirable things. The name and reputation of the city is already established. For this reason, the main thing, which should be focused on, is the development of the industries and institutions, which are existent in the city. For example, the educational institutions ought to be developed and marketed even more. This is because they are the primary institutions, which serve to attract foreign individuals into the city. The museums and art centers that are in the city are also important for attracting tourists into the city. The infrastructure which is in the city is significant and is in a position to support the number of people who might flock the city from foreign countries (Bunting & Filion, 2000). The other issue, which comes into perspective aside from the place, is the price. This price is in relation to the cost of living and that to do with other elements within the city. On average, the cost of living in the city is rather encoura ging (Lee & Lovekin, 2009). This is something, which is even pointed out by the average wage rate in the city. This is in the region of $24 per hour. There is quite a significant stability when looking at the economic condition in Toronto when comparing it to other major cities. The instances of price fluctuations are at a minimal. There is a significant promotion of the city and its associated elements. This is

Johannesburg Sustainability Essay Example for Free

Johannesburg Sustainability Essay The purpose of this report is to advise the Johannesburg City Government on ways to reduce carbon emissions within the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. Johannesburg City (Joburg) is listed as a participant with the C40 Cities initiative, in an effort to tackle the environmental issues of global warming and climate change. This initiative was established as a leadership programme from representatives from major cities around the world, and aims to be at the forefront in encouraging sustainable practices in our urban areas (c40cities online, 2011). It is important then to clearly define what sustainability is. From information provided in the Open University course material, a sustainable city is an urban environment in which its inhabitants lead fulfilling lives and are able to meet their material and social needs without damaging the environment it co-exists with (The Open University, Block 6, 2010. p 22-23). Further to this a sustainable city should have a long-term perspective which allows it to produce its own resources. With this being said, Joburg finds itself faced with many, unnecessarily high, carbon producing activities such as a high volume of personal cars users and obtaining energy from older technologies and non-renewable sources just to name a few. These practices are typical of major cities across the planet and represent the unsustainable development of human activities without regard for the environment we live in. Taking action to promote sustainability, like the C40 Cities initiative, is the reason why this report has been drafted for Joburg. In particular this report will focus on carbon emissions, their sources within the Joburg boundaries and effect on global warming, and then present ways in which to combat the currently inadequate carbon producing activities that Joburg is experiencing. Finally the report will conclude with a summary of the key points discussed in the making the case and the proposal sections. Recommendations on the information presented will be put forward which is in alignment with the purpose of this report: sustainability through reducing carbon emissions. Making The Case: Joburg has an important role in making itself a sustainable city because of its influence, not only on the surrounding environment, but as a leading city in gold production in South Africa. The large population of nearly 3.9 million inhabitants means the carbon footprint that Joburg produces will have a significant value and hence add to the issues of global warming and climate change. In a report published by a South African company, Metorex Ltd., the CO2 equivalent will not only minimise the effect of Joburgs carbon footprint on a global scale, but also act as a role model for other cities in Southern Africa. Cities like Joburg facilitate enormous flows of both people and material within them. These flows of people and material contribute to the character of the city and its ability to adapt to change. It is this ability to adapt to change which will be the greatest obstacle in combating global warming and climate change, as reluctance to take the necessary steps in securing our future will lead to devastating consequences. Consequences, as suggested by Block 6 could involve heat waves, flooding, and rising sea level. Creating cities which are flexible, as sustainable cities are, and which can cope with these environmental scenarios will undoubtedly go along way to sustaining quality of life in not only Joburg, but around the planet too. What better place to encourage change than to start with the economic institutions which pull people from across the country in search of better earning opportunity. In South Africa Joburg is such a city and is seen as the economic hub of South Africa, contributing to over a third of the countries Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 11% of Africas GDP ( South Africa Online, 2011). According to Block 6 Open University course material, encouraging activities which would lead to sustainability in Joburg could lead to the following results: Improved energy efficiency leading to lower bills and lower demand for power; Development of new a new market in the midst of a lively economic market; Better quality of life for inhabitants owing to reductions in pollution (air, water and waste) and finally more efficient production of goods and services for domestic consumption as a result of innovative technologies. These are just a few of the more obvious advantages of creating a city with sustainabl e practices. So where does one start when implementing eco-friendly strategies? Why not with the authority in which the inhabitants of the city put their trust the Johannesburg City Government. As the leading authority in making decisions which directly affect the daily running of the city, Joburg will be following other leading cities, like London, in gaining the political support it needs to back the changes it wishes to make. Its no surprise that political support will be needed in gaining momentum to implement and manage Eco-legislature. When the City Government puts its political weight behind notions like sustainable building designs, renewable energy sources, heavier car tax for large motor vehicles and more efficient waste management, then the mind-set of the consumer, business man, company, conglomerate, institution or society as a whole changes and realises that these regulations will come into affect and its best to get onboard, or suffer the consequential penalties. Therefore as a leading decision-maker, the Johannesburg City Government should be best placed to initiate schemes and programs that effectively lead to gaining momentum needed in providing the tools for â€Å"greener living†. The proposal addresses 4 key areas which I believe are fundamental starting blocks to creating a sustainable Joburg. There are many more concepts or ideas which would further decrease CO2 emissions, hence contributing to sustainability, however I will be submitting just 4 key concepts that in my opinion should be put into action immediately. Firstly, the City Transport commuter system needs development. Currently Joburg offers its inhabitants transportation in the form of busses and city trains. In a statement by Flora Mokgohloa, the Executive Director of Environment in the City, she says that the Bus Rapid Transit (BRP) scheme introduced in 2008, was introduced in an effort to reduce carbon emissions by up to 1.6million tons by 2020 (Flora Mokgohloa, 2010). The fact that commuters are only offered this form of transport within the city, apart from the trains which take it passengers to scattered stations, based too far away from each other to be an effective commuter transport syst em, forces commuters to seek other forms of more efficient transport – like using multi people carrier taxis. This in effect, fore-gos the CO2 emissions saved because of the excess taxi emissions caused in response to the search for an affordable transport service. A solution to this could be an incorporation of the the â€Å"City Bike† scheme that major cities such as Amsterdam, Paris and London have taken on. With specific stations positioned in the central business district within of Sandton, Alexandra and Randburg this could cut down congestion of traffic and therefore also make it more efficient. Not to mention the reductions in CO2 emissions will also lead to a healthier, cleaner environment. Joburgs physical landscape is flat, thus use of a central City Bike scheme combined with â€Å"Car-Free† Zones or Zero-CO2 emissions zones could booster a walking, riding or electric personal transport commuter system within the city itself. Laying infrastructure such as bike pathways or electric motorised vehicle lanes would not be too much of a hassle as the reduction in traffic wo uld lead to the the use of one of the numerous multi-lanes available from the current transport infrastructure. City Structure is another important key development area. As suggested in Block 6 by the Mayor of London, Mr Boris Johnson, all new building greater than a certain size needs to obtain its right to be built after scrutiny by the Mayor himself (Course DVD Mayors Speech, 2008). In his scrutiny, the building should pass a number of prerequisites before being given the thumbs up to advance. Among these requirements are the ability of the building to produce 10% of its energy from a renewable source above others. If introduced in Joburg, this could lead to further development of renewable resource suppliers who look to supply the demand for energy from a renewable source. Alternatively the new building could use its own form of energy creation through Solar or wind power. These are 2 greatly abundant sources of energy not yet fully tapped by the South African market. The technology exists, is in use in Joburg already in the form of the â€Å"Cosmo City† scheme, essentially a solar water heater system however the demand has lacked and thus not supported further development (Joburg Online, 2011). With the enforcement of more rigid building requirements and energy management supply and manage- Further to this, Joburgs current city structure is the dictionary definition of urban crawl. Put simply, the city has stretched out horizontally and not utilized its potential space in the 3D arena. By this I refer to the large area it occupies (it is the largest city in South Africa) and with this lateral extension come greater energy consumption, as suggested by Richard Register in Block 6 (Block 6, 2010. p 129). By setting a required height limit that guarantees a building height and minimalises developments which simply occupies horizontal space. Adding to this could be â€Å"green† incentives like vertical farms for example. Also by narrowing the spaces between building structures, less distance is travelled by commuters, more shade is provided and the opportunity for wind to be tunneled throughout the city arises, leading to even less energy consumption by use of air conditioner on hot summer days. This also answers to the logic of access by proximity. Thus in using the natural landscape the city itself can be evolved, as likened to a living Eco-system in Block 6, to produce natural ways to regulate Joburgs temperature. Joburg gets its power from the only energy producer in South Africa, Eskom. This company as the only supplier with a national grid, controls the energy market as a monopoly. However there are renewable energy opportunities in available in South Africa. Firstly, sitting just outside the tropics, South Africa sees enough sunshine a year to promote the efficient use of solar power. Combined with this the terrain of the country itself is conducive to use of wind-turbine farms. The problem lies with the fact that these are relatively new technologies which are more expensive and which have little demand in South Africa. Cities like Joburg do not have the need for a more expensive energy supplier when there is a cheaper form through Eskom. Government subsidies, as used in the UK with Natural Gas Installations (Course DVD Mayors Speech, 2008), and more rigid requirements for use of renewable sources of energy, could as stated above promote growth in a clean energy supplier market. Initially this is expensive, as subsidies provided by the government will mean cuts elsewhere to eco-projects, however in the long-run (as stated, with the intention of a long-term prospect) the cost of supplying renewable energy will decrease as new technologies become available. In the mean time, using decentralised combined heat and power plants will offset the extra CO2 emissions caused by unnecessary heating in nearby establishments when heat can be harvested and distributed locally from the production of power (Block 6, 2010. p 80). Finally the Education of city dwellers/businesses and role of the media is an important factor in the regulation and management of all â€Å"green† initiatives. This is because it helps build the momentum needed to gather support from the state, market and society spheres. Local inhabitants want to feel like what they have to say matters and is taken into consideration when plans for green-initiatives are implemented, and rather a part of the solution. Educating the inhabitants, by holding regular conferences, exhibitions, information evenings in low-income household areas will go a long way to gaining support and ease the process of implementing larger scale initiatives. The role of the media in the development of London shows that even laws can be influence when enough support is gathered and represented (Block 6, 2010.p 54). Conclusion: In summary, the Johannesburg City Government has been presented with information on why Joburg needs to be a sustainable city. Adding to this, what it means to be a sustainable city and hence its importance for Joburg as an economic hub was highlighted. Following this, 4 key concepts to the future initial development of Joburg were discussed. Each highlighted the need for a commanding authority who: has weight with legislation, a decent budget to throw towards greeninitiatives and the governing and management power to regulate and these initiatives. When an educated society gathers momentum, with the help of the Joburg market and the endorsement of Local Government (the state), it is then that Joburg will start to realise its â€Å"green† potential. References The Open University (2009) U116 Environment: journeys through a changing world, Block 6, Ê »Cities and sustainabilityÊ ¼, Milton Keynes, The Open University. U116 DVD; Block 6, Part 2; Role of political leadership: Mayors Speech c40cities Online, 2011. â€Å"About the c40 †, http://www.c40cities.org/about/, [Accessed: 05/06/2011]. Metorex Ltd Online, 2011. â€Å"Metorex Carbon Footprint Report†, http://www.metorexgroup.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/20110509_MtxCarbonFootprintAnaly sis.pdf , [Accessed: 07/06/2011] http://www.southafrica.to/provinces/Gauteng/towns/Johannesburg/Johannesburg.htm , [Accessed: 05/06/2011] Naidoo, R. 2010. â€Å"Plan to cut gas emissions†, http://www.joburg.org.za/index.phpoption=com_contentview=articleid=4922catid=1 20Itemid=201 , [Accessed: 06/06/2011] Khalianyane, L. 2011. â€Å"Energy Effiency in Spotlight†, http://www.joburg.org.za/index.phpoption=com_contentview=articleid=6713catid=8 8Itemid=266 , [Accessed: 06/06/2011]

Abul Kashem Haider Essay Example for Free

Abul Kashem Haider Essay Early life Abul Kashem Haider, Chairman of the Youth Group was born in Mogdhara Union, Thana, Shandip, Zilla, Chittagong in 1st April 1954. His father Alhaj Sekander Hossain was an educationist and his mother Shafia Khatoon was a housewife. At that time, the education environment Of Shandip was very much discouraging. In most cases, schools colleges were far away and there were no regular means of transport. This had negative influence among the students making high rate of drop outs. He was the 4th issue of his parents. His father was very much conscious about the children’s education. For this reason, all the brothers sisters of Mr. Haider had to get themselves admitted into the schools and all of them were regular in their studies. Mrs Shafia Khatun like her husband was careful for the education particularly religious orientation of the children. Education life In 1959, Mr Haider was in the Daiter Goo Government Primary school which was two miles away from his house. He secured scholarship in the talent pool scheme for class V and was admitted into the Sandip High School. From this Mr. Raider passed the SSC examination in First Division with four letters. Alter that, in 1969 he was admitted in HSC class in science group in the Chittagong College. He was staying in a college hostel and was enjoying 3 stipends/scholarships at a time including the one from the Board. Though due in 1971, he appeared at the HSC final examination held delayed for the war of the liberation, in the year 1973 and was placed in First division with 3 letters. In the same year, he was admitted into the Dhaka University to study honours in Soil Science. In 1979, he passed the honours final examination and in the year 1981, [exam of 1980] he secured first class in his MSc examination in Soil Science. Service life Mr. Raider started his practical life with a Government job as a customs Intelligent Investigation Officer in the Anti- Corruption department of the GOB. He succeeded in arresting a big black marketer smuggler during a few months of his job. This made many of his colleagues angry and they had been non cooperating with him in the discharge of his duties. He, therefore, left the government job in 1982 and managed another job as an administrative officer in the Rabeta Vocational Institute with a monthly salary of Tk.1500/. Conjugal life While in Raheta service, he married in 1983 in Dhaka. His wife Mrs Afroza Khanam, D/o Mr Asaduzzaman, Headmaster of the Munshigonj Academy did her Hons. Masters degree from the Dhaka University. Mr. Raider is blessed with one son and two daughters. Business life He started his business life from 1982 when he was employee of Rabita. He jointly started a supply business with one of his friends named Mr Altaf. After some time from this business, he succeeded in saving some money. With the money that he saved from the supply business, he hired a shop in Kalyanpur. Income from the shop and salary from the job made him somehow maintain the family. Meanwhile, a stranger who introduced himself as Feroz came to meet Mr. Haider in an evening. Mr. Feroz intimated that three of them including Razzaqul Billah recently returned from Germany. They planned to begin a garments business but their saved money appeared to be inadequate for the purpose. Mr Feroz further told that he had heard of Mr Haider from some of his relations about Mr Haider’ good connection with the Islami Bank Bangladesh limited [IBBL] from which they might have approached for required investment opportunity. That was how Mr. Haider made a Group with Mr. Firoz, Mr. Rezzaqul, Mr. BiIlah and started garments business with 31 machines only. The three started their business which was named as the Youth Group [YG] in 1985 was at 29 Air Port Road. As the size of the YG was small it was difficult to secure orders from the big parties. It is therefore, YG was looking for subcontract from some big suppliers. The first of the subcontracts was had from Mr Musa, proprietor of the Bon Garments [BG]. Seeing satisfactory transaction, BG offered the YG or the first time a L/C facility of $25 000. YG thus entered in the export market and earned substantial confidence. Mr. Raider thus with greater courage wanted to expand the group to supplement their own resources, Mr Raider of YG planned to approach the IBBL for an investment facility of Tk 11 lac. IBBL without mortgage refused to extend the facility. But none of the four partners at that time had any urban land to offer to the IBEL as mortgage. It could be remembered at some point that Razzaqul’s brother-law Mr Nur Safa at that time stayed in Dhanmondi and he had some urban land. All the four partners then went to him and requested Mr Nur Safa to become their partners and to offer his land as mortgage to manage an investment facility of tk 11 lac. from the IBBL Mr Nur Safa gladly gave the land documents to offer as mortgage but he refused to become one of the partners of the YG. That was how; YG expanded its business with IBBL’s investment facility of tk 11 lac. Thus, larger number of machinery and workforce could be arranged which enabled the YG to have bigger exports. YG was then desperately looking for reliable foreign buyers. In the process, a Korean company known as Kion Trading Co. Ltd. [KTCL] appeared as the first direct foreign buyer from the YG. Since then till writing this report, Mr. Raider and their YG, was continuously expanding the volume of both production and exports without a major failure. In 1984, YG established Dewan Garments in Fatullah and also in the same year bought Chowdhury Apparels (Pvt) Limited. In 1985, YG set up Panorama Printers which afterwards with the assistance advice of the KTCL converted into Kion Trading Packaging Industry in 1986. As there was no such industry in the country then this unit was making very satisfactory business with monopoly. In 1988, Mr. Haider’s YG managed to buy the South East Fabrics [SEE] that was located in Tangail. With aggressive efforts, the SEF was converted into 100% export oriented Towel Factory. Three years after in 1991, YG purchased the Kanchpur, Sonapur,Narayangonj Impact Thread Ltd which was exporting its 100% threads outside the country. Two years after in 1993, YG was able to buy three more industrial units; [i] the Unicom Textile Mills Limited; [ii] Dewan Apperals and the [iii] Youth Fashions limited. In the same year [1993], YG set up a buying house under the style Fair Deal Enterprise. In the year following [1994], YG bought a piece of land in Sewrapara and succeeded in building its own 10-storied building known as the Youth Tower in which the Group Head Office and gradually other units of the Group were transferred. All the units of the YG since 1996 have been engaging in 100% export business. YG succeeded in exporting goods to the tune of tk. 145 crore in the financial year 1999-2000. In 1998, YG set up the Global Beverage Company Limited [GBCL], the factory of which is located in Gazipur. The GBCL was developed in collaboration with the Virgin Group of the U K- the later allowing the former in producing marketing four types of drinks in the local market, Virgin Cola, Virgin Orange, Virgin Lemon and Virgin Diet, YG since 1999, has been marketing these brands of beverages in the local market. YG is planning to make further access to a number of sectors like: food, medicine and mediaand the like. Hurdles Faced Overcome: Mr. Haider indicated with irritation that currently, there is the need for bureaucratic formalities of loitering in 17 points to secure licenses for a factory. Frequent changes in GOB policies with regard to import- export besides industrial matters cause the entrepreneurs face newer problems. He also indicated the non-cooperation of the public offices, corruptions, bribes kick-backs required to make the files move, political instability, poor law order situations, the need for making regular forced subscriptions, labor troubles, port troubles, transport communication inefficiencies as the main hurdles standing in the way of smooth industrialization of the country. Factors that made the YG and Mr Haider Succeed: Mr. Haider sincerely admitted that the group of four their YG succeeded primarily because of two reasons: [a] tax- holiday organized assistance allowed by the GOB and [b] sympathetic liberal investments provided by the IBBL.Mr. Raider confidently said that YG never failed in making timely repayments to the IBBL, never waited for reminders and undue adjustments. A number of both internal as well as external factors were also hinted by Mr. Haider for his rise as an entrepreneur: (i). Unique trusts, confidence understanding among the partners; (ii). Austerity in using business resources by the partners rather unfailing emphasis on the continuous ploughing back of the surplus in the business; (iii). All the partners maintained cautiousness to stay away from avoidable political involvements; (iv). Maintaining a simple life style with religious flavor. (v). Careful and calculated attempts avoiding restless desire to become rich over night

Wound care essentials summative assignment

Wound care essentials summative assignment Module Code: Wound Care Essentials Section 1. Search strategy Describe the strategy you used to retrieve the right resources to help you write your assignment. You must include the key words you used, the sources of your literature, the years searched and the type of literature you were looking for. Harvard (2007) stated that a well-structured literature search is an effective way to get reliable evidence on the topic being searched. The intended sources that will be use are healthcare databases, systematic review libraries and specialist organisations. In searching, keywords were created using Boolean logics AND, OR, NOT and phrases with quotations. The following are the list of keywords: Foot ulcer* CINAHL- retrieved 1842 records -COCHRANE lib retrieved 3 records PubMed retrieved- 1770 records diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL- retrieved 844 records COCHRANE 2 records Cochrane reviews PubMed 46 records diabetes mellitus* CINAHL 54940 records PubMed 32863 records COCHRANE 0 record diabetic neuropathy* CINAHL 1003 records PubMed 802 records COCHRANE 0 IJDDC 76 records assessment tool* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 24 results PubMed 2 results COCHRANE 0 International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries 0 manage* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 216 results PubMed 24 results COCHRANE 0 IJJDC 0 manage* OR intervention* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 224573 results PubMed 24 results COCHRANE 1131 results IJJDC 0 prevalence AND diabetic foot ulcer*- CINAHL 64 results PubMed 9 records COCHRANE 0 record IJJDC 11 records treatment* OR intervention* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 316806 PubMed 33 records COCHRANE 39911 records IJDDC 5 records cost* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 97 records PubMed 4 records COCHRANE 0 evidence base* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 73 records PubMed 1 record COCHRANE 0 care guideline* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL- 3 records COCHRANE 0 PubMed 0 Eligible studies were identified by searching the Cochrane Library (November 8, 2010), Cochrane Wound group (2000 to November 1st week 2010), PubMed (2000 to November 1st week 2010), EBSCO CINAHL plus (2000 to November 2nd week 2010). Furthermore, reliable websites and links were used also such as www.intute.ac.uk, www.boperis.ac.uk, www.dh.gov.uk, www.library.nhs.uk, Wound Care Alliance, World Wide Wounds Electronic Journal, the Tissue Viability Society, and the International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries or www.ijddc.com. Peer reviewed and published journals were used which are reliable and reviewed by other authors. There was no restriction on language of publications. All publications were no more than 10 years old. Section 2. Wound aetiology Select a common wound type (e.g. diabetic foot ulceration, pressure ulcer, leg ulcer, fungating wound, dehisced surgical wound), which you have cared for in your role as a qualified nurse. It may help to reflect on a patient you have cared for with this type of wound. Using contemporary literature to support your work, discuss: What your chosen wound type is How this type of wound develops (including contributory factors) How this type of wound is recognised (common characteristics) Who it affects Prevalence in UK and home country Approximate word count: 800 _______________________________________________________________________________ Your answer here: One of the common types of wounds is diabetic foot ulcer. International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (2010) defined diabetic foot ulcer in their research system as a full-thickness penetration of the dermis of the foot in a person with diabetes. According to Jeffocoate and Harding (2003) diabetic foot ulceration is a common complication of diabetes and it is disabling and frequently leads to leg amputation. It usually occurs as a result of neuropathic, vascular changes of a diabetic foot, foot deformities, plantar callus and smoking (NICE, 2010). Even though the cause of diabetic peripheral neuropathy is uncertain, it is known that the nerve function of a diabetic patient degenerates in response to metabolic changes, pressure and ischaemia (Alexander, Fawcett Runciman, 2000). On the other hand, the presence of high sugar level in the blood such as sorbitol can cause osmotic swelling and subsequent damage to the nerve cell, increase the risk of vascular disease and can also give rise to neuropathy and increase the risk of infection (Falanga, 2005; Watkins, 2000). Pendsey (2010) stated that the neuropathy in diabetic patients is manifested in the motor, autonomic and sensory components of the nervous system. In motor neuropathy, the innervations of the intrinsic foot muscles are damaged that leads to an imbalance between flexion and extension of the diabetic foot. It also affects the muscles required for normal foot movement altering the distribution of forces during walking. This creates anatomic foot deformities that make abnormal bony prominences and pressure points and causing skin reactive callus at the sites of abnormal load. It then gradually causes skin breakdown and ulceration (Pendsey, 2003). In sensory neuropathy, it affects the peripheral sensation, subsequently loss of sensation that makes the patient unable to feel trauma to their lower extremities. Patient will also feel heaviness, insensitivity to heat, cold and pressure. It is estimated that 45-60% of all diabetic ulcerations are due sensory neuropathy (Frykberg, Zgonis, Armstrong et al., 2006). According to Alexander et al (2000) when mechanical forces continue to be applied on the affected area, it leads to inflammation, abscess formation and, eventually, ulceration. This is also the reason many wounds go unnoticed and get worse progressively since the affected area is continuously subjected to repetitive pressure and shear forces from ambulation and weight bearing without noticing it. In autonomic neuropathy the peripheral nerve function is affected, which controls the distribution of blood through arteriolar vessels. One of the signs and symptoms is decreased perspiration in the lower extremities which make the skin becomes dry and increasingly prone to fissures (Alexander et al. 2000). Moreover, poor blood supply to the foot or ischaemia is another significant risk factor for diabetic foot ulceration, which according to Frykberg et al. (2006) it often occurs in combination with loss of sensation and the researchers also said that an estimated 45% of diabetic ulcers are due to ischaemia and neuropathy. Diabetic foot ulcer is commonly found in areas where the abnormal pressure distribution arises from disordered foot architecture. It is usually located on hallux, first metatarsal and fifth metatarsal heads, and under the heel (Grey, Enoch Harding, 2006). The precipitating causes of foot ulceration and infection are friction in ill fitting or new shoes, untreated or self treated callus, foot injuries, burns, corn plaster, nail infections and heel friction in patients confined to bed (Watkins, 2003). According to International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) diabetes is global epidemic with devastating human, social and economic consequences. The disease claims many lives and places a severe burden on healthcare systems and economies everywhere, with the heaviest burden falling on low and middle income countries such as Philippines. It is estimated that 250 million people worldwide have diabetes, equating roughly 6% of the adult population with the age group 20-79 years. The number is expected to reach about 380 million by 2025, representing 7.1% of the adult population. This is due to the current lifestyles which is lack of exercise and not having a proper diet. A survey conducted by Morgan, Currie, Smithers, Butler and Peters (2000) revealed that foot problems occur in nearly 20% of diabetic patients. Two-thirds of lower extremity amputations are performed in diabetic patients alone, and a majority of these are preceded by a foot ulcer. Nwabudike and Ionescu-Tirgoviste (2008) set out a study to identify the clinical parameters associated with foot ulceration in diabetic patients. The study suggested that older age diabetic patient poses the risk of developing foot ulcer because of decreased ability to self care, including personal daily foot examinations. This is also a result of poor vision and impaired mobility which also predispose patients to trauma. The study also shows that most patients with ulcer were type 2 diabetic patients and this correlates with the age of the patient group. The average duration of diabetes the patients have was of 11.5 years. It is twice more common in males may be due to the active nature of the activities th at men are engaged compared to women, increasing the likelihood they may suffer from trauma. In Nwabudike (2008) research, it also showed that lack of awareness of the disease process and personal care increasing the likelihood that the ulcers may degenerate and leads to gangrene and amputation. Section 3. Wound Assessment Identify features of your chosen wound aetiology (wound type) that are commonly identified during the assessment process. Now select one of these features and critically discuss different ways of assessing this problem. You must link your discussion to the contemporary wound care literature. Here is a list of wound features commonly identified during assessment: Odour Exudate Infection Wound bed tissue e.g. slough, necrotic tissue Your discussion must make clear which aspect of wound assessment you have chosen and include an exploration of the different options available for measuring, describing and documenting it. Approximate word count: 500 Your answer here: Accurate wound assessment is essential for the appropriate and realistic planning of goals and interventions for patients with wounds (Collier, 2003). Diabetic foot wound has two classifications, the neuropathic foot ulcer and neuroischemic foot ulcer. Differentiating between these entities is essential because their complications are different and they require different therapeutic strategies (Pendsey, 2007). Neuropathic wound has no sensation and foot is warm to touch with intact pulses. The ulcerations are usually located on tips of toes and plantar surfaces under metatarsal heads. It also shows oedema, local necrosis and sepsis. On the other hand, ischaemic ulcer is painful upon rest and usually diminished sensation over period of time. Moreover, the foot is not warm to touch and has no pulse. The ulcerations are often located on margins of foot especially on the medial surface of the first metatarsophalangeal joint and over the lateral aspect of the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint. They also develop on the tips of the toes and heels. Signs of sepsis, necrosis or gangrene are also noted. An established clinical tool TIME which is adapted from Watret (2005) is being used for assessing the wound bed. The acronym stands for tissue, infection, moisture balance and advancing or undermining epithelium. Necrotic tissue, slough and eschar are non-viable tissues that can be found on diabetic ulcer that needs to be removed through debridement while the presence of epithelial tissue and granulation tissue in the wound suggests healing. The unhealthy granulation tissue often dark in colour and frequently bleeds on contact are signs of infection. Moisture in the wound bed needs to be assessed too. Moist is known to stimulate healing by promoting granulation and encouraging debridement, nevertheless, moisture balance should be maintained to prevent the wound from becoming too dry and too moist which could delay wound healing. In addition the wound edges and environment will be assessed for migrating epithelial cells which is a good sign of healing or maceration which suggest poor care. Infection is a major factor that affects the time healing of all wounds. Jeffcoate and Harding (2003) said that infection can cause substantial deterioration and delay wound healing. Infection is an invasion and growth of pathogenic microorganisms in the body. Diabetic foot infection is divided in three categories: superficial and local, soft tissue and spreading or cellulitis, and osteomyelitis (Jeffcoate Harding, 2003). The classic signs of infection are: heat, redness, swelling and pain. Other signs such as increase exudates, delayed healing, odour, and abnormal granulating tissue are also suggesting infection (Grey et al, 2006). Cutting et al (2005) and Edmonds (2005) used a checklist for identifying infection in diabetic foot ulcers. In the checklist, there are four areas; under it are the signs and a box opposite to it to check if certain signs are present. Clinical signs of infection: Cellulitis- acute inflammation of tissue lymphangitis phlegmon- purulent exudate pus/abscess crepitus in the joint erythema increase in exudates volume localised pain malodour probes to bone. Systematic signs of infection: Nausea Fatigue Vomiting Fever chills Probe to bone test: bone palpated no bone involvement Wound culture: wound swab required wound biopsy required. Furthermore, the wound infection continuum of Gary, White, Cooper and Kingsleys (2005; 2010) is also use to measure the extinct of infection. It is also a useful adjunct in identification of treatment objectives. The scoring is from 3-0; score of 3 means spreasing infection and 0 is colonised. Moreover, Gray et al (2010) also have the wound exudates continuum; it identifies presence of infection since excessive exudates suggest infections. Section 4. Wound Management Using the same wound feature that you identified in Section 3; critically discuss the different ways there are of managing this problem. Your discussion must include: The different types of wound care dressings, products and treatments that could be used to manage this problem Other appropriate/related aspects of patient care such as nutrition and positioning How the patient experience can be improved Now select one of your identified dressings and answer the questions in the product information table below: Product information table Name of dressing (the company name) AQUACEL Ag Hydrofiber (Convatec, Hull, UK) Category of dressing (the generic name) Hydrofiber Wound Dressing with Ionic Silver Indications for use Use on acute and chorin wounds, including burns, surgical wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, and leg ulcers Contra-indications Aquacel Ag Hydrofiber should not be used on individuals who are sensitive to or who have had an allergic reaction to the dressing and its components such as Na Carboymethylcellolose and silver. Its not compatible with oil-based products, such as petrolatum jelly. Sizes available 2x 2, 4x4.7, 6x6, 8x12, 75x18, 39x18 Adhesive or non-adhesive? Non-adhesive dressing Secondary dressing needed required Moisture retentive dressing such as DuoDERM Extra Thin or Versiva Approximate word count: 1000 Your answer here: Management of diabetic foot ulcers are removal of callus, eradication of infection, and reduction of weight bearing forces, often requiring bed rest with the foot raised (Alexander, Fawcett Runciman, 2000). A large proportion of patients with diabetic foot ulceration will develop infection, including osteomyelitis or bone infection and gangrene (OMeara et al, 2006; McIntosh, 2007). An infected diabetic ulcer needs immediate medical attention. Jude (2007) stated that infection is a major factor that delays wound healing of a diabetic ulcer. It may be necessary to undertake surgical debridement and drainage of pus. Then a wound swab will be taken from the floor of the ulcer after the callus has been removed. A culture of the excised tissue may provide more accurate information (Watkins, 2003). This will help identify the infective microorganisms and the appropriate antibiotic therapy to be given (Alexander et al., 2000). According to Watkins (2003) patients with superficial ulcer infection can be treated with oral antibiotics such as amoxicillin, flucloxacillin and metronidazole. Since the most likely organisms to infect superficial ulcer are staphylococci, streptococci, and sometimes anaerobes. For patients with deep infections should be hospitalised and started on broad-sprectrum antibiotics. Surgical debridement should then be carried out, which should include all the devitalised tissues, sloughed tendons, and infected bones. Jude (2007) said that diabetic foot ulcers generally have multiple organisms isolated from within the wound and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important vancomycin and teicoplanin can be given to patients infected with MRSA. Anyhow, linezolid can be an alternative which can be administered orally. Furthermore, various topical antimicrobials, antiseptics, and antibiotics have been used also in treating infected diabetic foot ulcer. Topical antibiotics like neomycin, bacitracin, neomycin, gentamycin, polymyxin B, mupiricin, fusidic acid, and topical antiseptics are also used in infected foot ulcers. Although antiseptics and antibiotics are widely used, there is insufficient evidence for their use in diabetic foot ulcers (Jude, 2007). Lipsky, Holroyd Zasloff (2008) studies showed that pexiganan cream can be used as an effective alternative to oral antibiotic therapy in treating mildly infected diabetic foot ulcer and might decrease the risk of selecting antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Dressings also play an important role in managing infected diabetic foot ulcers. There are various dressings available in the market nowadays. The selection of a dressing will depend on the condition of the ulcer. Most infected diabetic foot ulcers produce copious amount of exudates and pus. Dressings are used to control exudates, maintain a moist wound healing environment and eradicated the microorganisms that cause infection. The appropriate dressings for infected wounds with exudates are foam, alginates, hydrofiber, and hydrocolloids that are combined with silver ion. Silver has been shown to have bactericidal properties and has been used in wounds as an antimicrobial for more than century. It acts by impairing the bacterial electron transport system and some of its DNA function. It kills the microbes on contact through multiple mechanism of action, such as inhibiting cellular respiration, denaturing nucleic acids, and altering cellular membrane permeability. Nowadays, Silver ions have been incorporated in hydrofiber, foam, hydrocolloid, and alginate dressings (Bergin Wraight, 2006). Concreet Foam dressings with silver can be used during inflammatory phase following debridement and desloughing. It also kills microorganisms on the wounds. It is very absorbent that can be left undisturbed for 3-4 days. However, it can cause a drying effect on the wound if there are too little exudates. Hydrofiber dressings such as Aquacel Ag absorb the exudates, protecting the edges of the wounds from maceration at the same time kills the bacteria in the wound. Alginate dressings is use as a primary dressing and for packing wound, it is good for deeply ulcerated wound with high exudates. Another dressing is hydrocolloid; it is best use on wounds with granulating and epithelialising wounds that with low to moderate amounts of exudates. The primary dressings therefore should be either foam-based such as Contreet foam (Coloplast;Humlebaek, Denmark) or hydrofiber AQAg (Aquacel Ag; Convatec, Chester,UK), both of which will absorb the exudates. A moisture retentive dressing can be used as a secondary dressing such as DuoDERM Extra Thin or Versiva. One advantage with the hydrofiber dressing is its capacity to hold wound exudates and microorganisms within its fibres where the bacteria are then eradicated by the ionic silver (Jude, 2007). In addition, the used of hydrofiber dressing in exudating wounds has been proven with research. Jude also implied to improved outcomes in infected diabetic foot ulcers and ulcers that are colonised, one should consider silver dressings as an essential adjunct to wound care to improve its wound bed and to facilitate healing. Studies also revealed that patients treated with AQAg primary dressing showed improved healing and more overall ulcer improvement with less deterioration in the ulcer. Once the acute situation has resolved it will be necessary to ensure redistribution of the weight-bearing forces on the vulnerable foot by the use of specially constructed shoes or moulded insoles. Application of a total contact plaster cast, lightweight scotch cast boot, or air cast boots may help healing. These conform to the contours of the foot, thereby reducing shear forces on the plantar surface. Great care must be taken, especially with the fitting of plasters, to prevent chafing and subsequent ulcer formation elsewhere on the foot or ankle (Watkins, 2003). If recurrence of neurophatic ulceration is to be avoided, regular follow-up by a chiropodist will be required. An ongoing podiatry to remove excess callus and provide nail care regular assessment, look for active lesions and treat immediately, detect and manage deformities, callus, skin cracks, and discoloration, simple sensory test, examine pulses such as dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial, assess ankle reflex and assess other sensory modalities (Alexander, Fawcett Runciman, 2000). The patients experience will be improved by having a highly structured care. The patients infected ulcer shows healing improvement and prevent from amputation. Understanding the diabetic foot, the proper examination of the patients feet, investigations to classify the foot ulcers, and proper management techniques using a team approach, along with preventive steps, will go a long way in limb salvage and prevention of foot amputation (Pendsey, 2010). Section 5. Evidence based guidance Identify a contemporary source of evidence based guidance (i.e. a clinical guideline) which could be used as a basis for providing a high standard of care to patients with this type of wound. Critically discuss how the guidance given in this document might influence your nursing practice including whether you believe there are any omissions or recommendations made that would be difficult to manage in your own clinical setting (Phillipines). You must clearly state the full reference of your chosen guideline document and link your work to other healthcare literature where appropriate. Approximate word count: 500 Your answer here: