Was Mary Mallon a victim or villain free essay sample

Mary Mallon was a woman of Irish descent who came to the United States as an immigrant to start a new life in 1886. She worked as a cook in a house where wealthy families came to celebrate their vacation. She was a healthy carrier of typhoid and made the guests sick and they died because of her. Although science had not been developed enough yet and she was tried unfairly it did not make her only a victim. Mary Mallon transformed from victim to villain. When she decided not to report to the police and return to cooking. Mary Mallon was a victim when she was quarantined for the first time. Science had not been developed enough yet to prove and explain what healthy carriers really were and if they existed at all. She believed that she could not be a carrier without being sick. At the time she was asked by George Soper, a researcher who specialized in investigating where diseases come from, to cooperate to do a test with him, which she did not want to do. We will write a custom essay sample on Was Mary Mallon a victim or villain or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Soper implied that she might carry the bacteria and be the cause of the vacationers in the house getting sick. But because she was not sick herself she did not believe a word he said and ignored him. Mary had no reason to believe she could be a typhoid carrier. At the time the theory was; you either have typhoid and are really sick or you do not. The same applies to spreading it. She at least would have to be very sick in order to spread it. No one knew about healthy carriers, who like her, were healthy and yet carried the disease with them their whole lives and could also spread it. They did not get sick themselves because their immune system had beaten the bacteria. Therefore, when police officers came to arrest her and put her in quarantine without trial, she really did not know what was happening to her and why. They told her that she was a healthy carrier and had made people sick, but why would she believe this? It was a really novel idea and people were still under the assumption that typhoid was spread by lack of hygiene. So was she. â€Å" Message to good Housewives† with the warning that the house might look clean, â€Å"but don’t get the idea that you can judge simply by the appearance of things†. â€Å"Wherever there is dirt, germs can breed; and flies and vermin will come† (Tomes Reading, p 165). People also did not know that typhoid could be spread by uncooked food like ice cream. If science had been developed more they could have maybe used Mary to find a cure or at least it would probably have given her a better trial in the first place. Now everyone was thinking she had typhoid, so let us just lock her up. Maybe they could have thought of better solutions if they had known more. However, Mary Mallon became a villain after she was released from quarantine, because then she knew she was not allowed to go back to cooking and she did anyway. As a result, many people in the hospital where she worked became sick and died. I have to believe that when she was in the hospital and all of the papers were written about her and cartoons were published she had to know she was carrying it. They would not have kept her in quarantine for so long if she had not been a threat to civilization. Also given the fact that the people in the house where she had worked at first had all become sick must have proved a point to her. They did multiple tests on her as well that proved she carried it. She might still have been thinking that it could not be true but that would have been really ignorant. The facts speak for themselves. When she got out of quarantine and had to obey the rules that they had given to her, and did not obey them she had transformed in to a villain. She knew she was not allowed to cook again because she could spread the disease that way. She had to inform the government where she was and did not do that either. The fact that she went back to cooking for me proves she turned into a villain, because that made many innocent people sick and caused many of them to die. And the worst thing is that of all places she did it in a hospital. She knew she was not allowed to do it but still did it with huge consequences. When she did not know what she was doing she was a victim of her own medical condition, once she knew what she was doing she had become a villain. The fact that after she came out of quarantine she had to work extremely low- paid and bad jobs did not give her the right to go back to cooking and make innocent people sick and die.

Human Resource Management and Organizational Change

Human Resource Management and Organizational Change Introduction The human resource management is responsible for managing the human resources of an organization. The HRM aims at improving the performance of an organization through effective management of human resource. It is involved in job description in an organization, planning and recruitment of employees.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Human Resource Management and Organizational Change specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Risher (23), strategic human resource management involves merging the corporate strategy and the HRM strategy. The policies of HRM should be well defined for intended outcome to be realized. This study aims at examining the importance of human resource management with regard to change in organizations. The study will focus on change process and would highlight a case of successful change process that involved human resource management in Ford Motors Corporation. Human Resource Manag ement Employees are the most valued asset of an organization. According to Greer (21), human resource management is â€Å"a strategic and coherent approach to the management of the most valued asset of an organization.† Not all the management staffs of an organization are concerned with the firm. The HRM is concerned with managing the workforce in the organization. The strategy involves policies laid down by the organization with a philosophical and ideological underpinning. HRM is mainly made of four component that include beliefs, information on people management, involvement of line managers and shaping of the employment relationships through set levers. A HRM system comprises of HR philosophies, strategies, policies, processes, practices and programmes. According to Becker and Gerhart (792), the components can be categorized into three groups that are the HR system architecture, policies and processes (practices). HRM emphasizes that firm workers are important in achievin g the mandate of the organization through sustainable competitive advantage. There is need for integration of HRM strategy with the corporate strategy of the organization. HRM helps the organization attain the necessary integration. Managing employees is not different from managing other resources of the organization. However, the differences arise in the nature of the resources being managed, i.e. people. Since the behaviour and the performance of the human resource depends on factors such as motivation, ability, perception of roles and situational contingencies, HRM is concerned with ensuring the resources are productive by providing necessary support (Zheng Yand and McLean 33). The human resource of an organization is involved in various activities such as staffing of employees and enhancing their training. This involves recruitment of new company employees by selecting knowledgeable and skilled individuals with experience to fill up vacant positions in the firm. The success of a recruitment exercise depends on planning, analysis of the job, recruitment and selection of the required staff (Risher 26).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other duties of the HRM is offering rewards to motivate employees, developing employees through education and training, maintain employees in the organization through proper administration and enhancing employee management relations. Under employee relations, HRM is responsible for spearheading participation of employees in trade unions through negotiations. In spite of all these roles, the activities that the human resource management is involved in vary from one organization to another. Moreover, HRM emphasizes on high employee commitment, workplace learning and enlightened leadership in an organization. There are several HRM models. The Fombrun, Tichy and Devana model give emphasis to interrelatedness and co herence of GRM activities. In this model, HRM is made of four components that are employee selection, appraisal, development and their rewards. The four components aim at increasing the performance of an organization. The Harvard HRM model has six components that include evaluation of situational factors, taking into account the interests of the stakeholder, HRM policies, and the outcomes of HR activities, long-term consequences and utilization of the feedback by the firm. Similar to the Harvard HRM model, The Warwick model has five components that include the analysis of the organization’s environment internally and externally, business strategy and HRM content. All those internal or external factors that affect effectiveness of the human resources are usually considered under this model (Risher 27). International Human Resource Management As explained above, globalization has is a common of the modern business environment as businesses are able to conduct business globally. Countries have opened up their borders for international trade and companies are able to operate in different markets other than their domestic markets. Many organizations have ventured into other global markets by establishing subsidiaries across the globe in different regions. Apart from the ability of firms to operate globally, globalization has enabled mobility of factors of production including labour. Employees could move from one country or region to work and operate in another. Due to mobility of labour, firms must adjust their human resource policies from the local or country of origin policies to international HRM that incorporates international regulations concerning employee relations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Human Resource Management and Organizational Change specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the international HRM, multinational organizations manage their employees in different countries of o peration based on the country or region’s employee relations. The international human resource management incorporates all aspects of managing human resources at the global level including use of employee databases that are managed using information systems. An organization utilizing IHRM usually ensures to comply with HRM and legal regulations applied in the country of operation. Therefore, IHRM could be said to be applied by multinational corporations operating at a local level while observing international regulations governing HRM. Strategy and International HRM The word strategy was added to HRM to indicate the need to establish a relationship between the external strategy of an organization and the internal Human resource strategy. According to Armstrong (121), the HRM policies and practices must fit into the company’s strategy as applied in the external business environment. The immediate business condition faced by the organization in the external environment m ust be taken into consideration in order to attain the necessary competitive advantage. Bratton and Gold (93) adds that strategic planning as applied in the normal HRM only considers quantitative aspects of finance, marketing and productivity in the organization with less attention being given to the qualitative dimension such organizational culture, the value system of the firm and power depicted by company management. In addition, unless the human resource section of the firm is involved in the strategic planning of the organization, it is difficult to achieve the strategic plans. Strategic HRM involves cohesiveness of HR policies and practices, internalization of the role played by HR in the firm and employee integration. Cohesiveness is concerned with ensuring that HRM practices complement the company’s practices and policies. The integration of workers ensures that there is identity of interest for the firm and its human resources. The matching model is used to describe the nature of any element of integration and the strategic planning and HRM link (Armstrong 123). The Matching Model Under this model, it is assumed that countries that experience high wages for employees are able to gain a competitive advantage through utilization of Porter’s generic strategies of cost effectiveness and differentiation of products. However, each of Porter’s strategy requires a unique set of responses from employees in order to reinforce the behaviour pattern. HRM is responsible for matching the reciprocal employee behaviour to the application of generic strategies of Porter to organizations.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To achieve this, HRM begins by matching the philosophy, policies, programs its practices and the five P’s so that the outcome stimulates and motivates the behaviour of employees towards each individual competitive strategy. Rynes et al. (382) postulates that the HRM practices and policies of an organization should be configured and managed in a manner that is congruent to the particular strategy of Porter. Thus, the HRM practices should match the strategies of an organization in order to gain a competitive advantage and performance. In summary, the basic of the matching model is the fit between the external strategies of the firm and the internal strategies that include HRM strategies. In spite of the benefits of the matching HRM model, Bratton and Gold (99) argues that the matching model is based on a rational view of strategic decision making that is also based on predispositions and planning actions. Moreover, it is argued that the strategic decisions (both the firmâ€℠¢s and for HRM) are affected by organizational politics hence lack of clarity in terms of environmental influences. Resource based Model of International HRM This model calls the attention of the strategic nature of employees of an organization and the importance of learning at the work place. Organizations possess unique competencies in their employees that enable them gain a competitive advantage over their competitors in an industry. The competitiveness of employees is depicted by their knowledge and skills that ensure an organization lead in innovative products. The resourcefulness of employees can be increased through work place learning and education. According to Bratton and Gold (102), it is not possible to achieve the competitive advantage of an organization by analyzing the external environment alone, but by including the analysis of the company’s skills and capabilities carefully. Therefore, in terms of a SWOT analysis, the matching model emphasized on the opportun ities and threats facing the firm from the external environment while resource approach emphasizes the examination of internal strengths and weaknesses of a firm to form a competitive advantage. Strategy in IHRM and Organizational Performance According to Armstrong (127), most HRM models make an assumption that an alignment between the strategies of the organization and HRM strategies could improve the competitiveness of the organization hence improved performance. The resource-based model indicates that there exists a causal chain of policies of team empowerment, education and learning at work, commitment of employees, synergy and improved performance of an organization. The cycle is called involvement – commitment cycle. According to Sims (376), it is important that employees be committed to the organization because through commitment, they will share the goal and objectives of the organization. The employees will then be loyal hence improving the performance of the firm. T hrough commitment, workers can show dignity, self worth and psychological involvement n the activities of the organization (Rynes et al 374). According to Rogers and Wright (1998), HRM assumes that employees are an important resource to an organization and the performance of the firm depends on them. The positive impact of HRM on the performance of the firm depends on formulation of appropriate policies and processes and their effective implementation. In a study conducted by Farnham (56) to find out the existing relationship between HRM and organizational performance, it was established that it is not easy to measure the impact of HRM practices on the performance of an organization. Doubts have been made concerning the validity of some studies. According to Armstrong (159), surveys that only ask about the number of the extent of HR practices are not sufficient to understand the existing link between HRM and performance of a company. Change Management The improvement of business pro cesses in an organization has not been smooth for most firms. As the management of an organization introduces change in the company, there is always resistance to change with most employees opting to remain with the current processes of the firm. Change Management Process In order to apply the required change, an organization needs to identify the problem it is facing in order to find and develop the best solution to the problems. According to Brown and Kusiak (77), lack of proper diagnosis of the problem could lead to implementation of the wrong process in the organization. The outcome could worsen performance rather than improve the performance of the organization. The problem identification process involves various steps as outlined below. Problem Identification Organizations face many issues some of which are complex while others are simple. The identification of problems of the firm needs to be followed by prioritizing the issues so that the company can make decision on which issues to be solved first. Symptoms: the establishing of the issues affecting the organization needs to be followed by diagnosing the features or symptoms of the problem. The symptoms of the problems of the firm should be distinguished from the causes of the problem. According to Brown and Kusiak (82), business analysts usually hear many issues affecting, the firm and they give many solutions. It is important that the firm does not ignore any solution given. However, the solution provided should be argued out with the management of an organization in order to establish its effectiveness (Boeker 155). Alternatives: after serious analysis of a given situation in an organization and hearing possible solutions from a business analyst, it is important that the organization develop alternatives for its problems. The approaches that could solve the problem of an organization could come with different consequences and costs that make it necessary for the management to discuss each alternat ive exclusively. After discussion of each alternative, it is important that the management make a decision regarding the best solution to fix its issues. The decision should be based on the best approach that solves the problem affecting the firm while leaving it with the least negative effects. The decision made should be followed by implementation and follow up of the effectiveness of the approach. According to Brown and Kusiak (83), follow up is important for organization to ensure that the approach follows the set guidelines and that it has no side effects. In the process of solving an issue that affects an organization and effects change in the firm, firms do use various methods. Some approaches include cause effect approach and business process reengineering. Reengineering According to Hammer and Champy (2), process improvement in organization requires reengineering, which is defined as the ability of an organization to disregards all its assumptions and traditional way of doi ng business and instead developing and adopting a new process centred business organization. The adopted new process should help an organization improve its performance. In order to achieve the required process reengineering for an organization, an organization needs to adopt a fresh perspective and approach. In order to acquire change through process reengineering, it is necessary that an organization rethink and establish radical redesigning of its processes in order to generate the required dramatic improvements. The process could be well illustrated in the figure below. As indicated in the above diagram, Hammer and Champy (3) notes that reengineering requires starting over for an organization. In order for an organization to succeed in the modern environment, there is need for its processes to be fast, of high quality, flexible and of low cost. The initial phases of organizational change began long time ago with Adam Smith who proposed labour specialization, followed by establi shment of infrastructure, the assembly line and hierarchical structure of the firm. In spite of the importance of these principles, their application in the modern business environment could result in delays, rigidity and high overhead costs in the production process. The first step of reengineering begins with the focus on the fundamentals of the company. The fundamentals of an organization relate to the main activities of the firm, why they are done the way they are and the tacit rules and assumptions of present activities. According to Hammer and Champy (4), reengineering concentrates on what ought to be or should be done and ignores what is done. The radical redesign phase is concerned with the reinvention of the organization. This does not involve making of superficial changes or marginal enhancements to the firm but changes and designs that enhance new features of the organization. The potential dramatic result is the phase that the firm realizes the outcome of reengineering. According to Piderit (202), reengineering leads to quantum leaps in the performance of an organization rather than incremental improvements. Business process orientation involves evolving of the firm around its business processes. The processes undertake inputs in order to generate valuable outputs to the customer. In order for a business process to work, it must produce added value rather than internal activity. Successful Reengineering Process: Ford Motor Corporation Ford Motor Corporation applied the process analysis and problem solving in the 1980s by examining its employee accounts of about 500 employees. After a careful examination of the accounts payables, it was revealed that the company took much of the time in the department to track down discrepancies between orders that were purchased, shipping receipts and invoices. The realization of the problem led to a rethink of possible solutions and reengineering was the only viable solution (Ford Ford and D’amelo 372). The company took various steps as explained below. The management began by establishing an online database mainly for the purchase orders whereby all orders issued by buyers were recorded in the database. Goods were received at the dock while there was an individual to check in the database. The match of the shipment and what is in the database led to the reception of the goods and vice versa. This eliminated possibilities of any discrepancies between orders that were made and received. Once the shipment is received, the database is updated immediately to reflect the change. In addition, a check was generated automatically and issued to the vendor in time. The process improvement applied by Ford Motor Corporation was a success. This is because the head count people in the purchasing department reduced drastically from 500 to 125 employees with efficiency in time management being improved dramatically. According to Piderit (785), the reengineering process as applied at Ford Motor Corp oration is a lesson to be emulated by many firms wishing to reengineer their processes. The changes that the company implemented could not have been achieved without the aid of the modern information technology. The process reengineering reflects old processes that have undergone new wrinkles. Conclusion The modern business environment is dynamic and full of many challenges that organizations needs to develop different mechanisms of solving their issues. The process of solving a problem involves first identifying the issue affecting the corporation and determining possible ways of solving the issues. Out of the many alternatives, the management could choose one. Process improvement and reengineering is one of the many methods of solving issues affecting the firm. The reengineering process is vital since it helps an organization develop new processes and frameworks of the firm. Ford Motors in the 1980s in which it introduced new process of recording purchases thereby ending up cuttin g down its costs dramatically conducted one of the successful reengineering. Reengineering process could be accompanied by knowledge and innovation. Armstrong, Michael. A Hand Book of Human Resource Management Practice. 10th ed. London: Kogan Page. 2006. Print. Becker, Brian, and Gerhart, Barry. â€Å"The impact of human resource management on organizational performance: progress and prospects.† Academy of Management Journal 39.4 (1996): 779–801. Print. Boeker, Warren. â€Å"Strategic change: The influence of managerial characteristics and organizational growth.† Academy of Management Journal 40.1 (1997): 152-170. Print. Bratton, John, and Gold, Jeffery. Human Resource management: Theory and Practice. 2nd ed. New Jersey, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers. 1999. Print. Brown Derrick and Kusiak, Jan. Problem Analysis Techniques. London: IRM Training Pty Ltd. 2007. Print. Farnham, David. Employee Relations in Context. 2nd ed. London: Institute of P ersonnel and Development. 2000. Print. Ford, Jeffery, Ford, Laurie and D’amelo, Aangelo. â€Å"Resistance to Change: The rest of the Story.† Academy of Management 33.2 (2008): 362-377. Print. Greer, Charles. Strategic Human Resource Management. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 2001. Print. Hammer, Michael, and Champy, James. ‘Reengineering the Corporation: A manifesto for business revolution’, 2000. Web. Piderit, Sandy. â€Å"Rethinking resistance and recognizing ambivalence: a multidimensional view of attitudes toward an organizational change.† Academy of Management Review 25.4 (2000): 783-794. Print. Risher, Howard. â€Å"Re-focusing performance management for high performance.† Compensation and Benefits Review 35.5 (2003): 20–30. Print. Rynes, Sara. et al. â€Å"The importance of pay in employee Motivation: discrepancies between what people say and what they do.† Human Resource Management 43.4 (20044): 381â€⠀œ394. Print. Sims, Ronald. â€Å"Human resource management’s role in clarifying the new psychological contract.† Human Resource Management 33.3 (1994): 373–382. Print. Zheng, Wei, Yand, Baiyin and McLean, Gary. â€Å"Linking organizational culture, structure, strategy, and organizational effectiveness: Mediating role of knowledge management.† Journal of Business 63.7 (2009): 30-39. Print.

How to Format Captions

How to Format Captions How to Format Captions How to Format Captions By Mark Nichol Captions, like other display copy, are generally styled in contrast to the running text for aesthetic and practical reasons: The appearance of display type offers a change of pace from the uniform appearance of running text and makes it easier for readers to distinguish it from the default content. The font size should be the same as the running text, or smaller. Captions come in several forms, and they can vary to some extent within a print publication or on a website according to function. At their simplest, captions can consist merely of the name of the person pictured, or can identify, in a few words, an object or a location. A longer phrase, in the form of an incomplete sentence and without punctuation, might describe whatever is pictured. Or the caption might consist of one or more complete sentences that explain the contents of the photograph or illustration. Occasionally, a brief article is itself formatted as a caption. (Be cautious about not overwhelming readers with information, however. Caption copy can be redundant to a passage in the running text but should not go into excessive detail.) It’s best to minimize the different forms a caption can take in one publication. When captioning a headshot photograph of a person, for example, be consistent about whether you simply label the photo with the person’s name or whether you provide additional information. Because such photos tend to be small, printing the subject’s name alone is recommended. But a caption for a larger candid photo, as opposed to a posed headshot, for example, should provide some context. Choose between using incomplete sentences or complete sentences when providing more detail; it’s better form to be consistent with one approach or the other. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureWork of Art TitlesDozen: Singular or Plural?

$787 Billion Economic Stimulus Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

$787 Billion Economic Stimulus Plan - Essay Example The $787 billion stimulus bill passed by Congress will not quickly solve the historic problems besetting the economy, but it could reduce the damage, while providing relief for the unemployed and the uninsured. Moodys Economy.com chief economist Mark Zandi says the bill could help end the economic slide. He warns, however, that the stimulus spending will likely be too small, given the size of the economic decline, and suggests Congress may have to revisit the issue (Kirchhoff) The plan we passed tonight will strengthen our economy by creating millions of good-paying jobs here at home; deliver tax relief for 95% of workers and invest in Americvas future by fixing our communities roads and bridges, improving our childrens education and making our country more energy independent. While House Democrats said the bill is needed to create or save 3.5 million jobs, Republicans countered the proposal would leave future generations saddled with debt. Republicans also noted they had little time to read the massive bill, which was released late Thursday night (Wolf) The crisis is so deep that only the economic reform policies alone may not bring the desired results. Many economists believe that the current recession may continue longer than anticipated. In my opinion, the life styles of the American public need to be fine tuned based on the realities. The greedy public accepted the offers (loans) from the financial institutions with both hands without properly evaluating their financial capabilities. They have approached the banks for everything and the banks were ready to help them without even assessing their backgrounds or financial strengths.The financial institutions miscalculated that the global economy will never exhaust and whatever the goods and services sold in the market will bring profit. Such irresponsible allocation of resources

Fair Payment System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fair Payment System - Essay Example A rapidly growing body of literature and research indicates that flexibility and equity have now come to occupy a vital place in remuneration schemes and the inability of strike a balance might results in breach of psychological contract. This brings us to some relevant concepts in the discussion of fair pay system today. First we need to understand that when an employee starts working for an organization, it establishes a relationship between the employer and the employee. We call these exchange relationships since employee promises to offer something for the payment he hopes to receive. His services include loyalty, dedication, commitment and good performance. In return he hopes to be paid in a way that would match his talents and his input. One very important concept in this regard is that of equity theory that helps us to see why we need flexibility and fairness while creating a remuneration strategy. Equity theory studies the psychological acknowledgment of being treated equally. This is a very relevant concept and one that is being used increasing in developing fair pay system. Equity theory states that employees must feel that they are being treated fairly when they compare their pay with those of their counterparts at the same position. This is where inputs and rewards are closely studied. Employees would want to make sure that their input, if it is equal, must follow equal rewards. Adams (1965) explained that equity theory studies the ingrained mental process that allows a person to see how are efforts being rewarded and whether or not same efforts are being rewarded with similar returns. Equity theory further states that if people experience inequity, they will change their behavior in order to attain the feelin g of equity or remove the tension that arises from the feeling of inequity. If they feel that their ratios are lower when compared to those of their colleagues in the same position, they will start behaving in a negative fashion to bring their ratios at par with their efforts. Some will start coming late to work, or decrease their inputs or not meet deadlines etc. Psychological contract is another important concept which has been helpful in developing fair pay systems. Argyris (1960) who coined this term describes it as a 'set of practical and emotional expectations of benefits that employees and employers can reasonably have of each other.' Since that time, the term has been defined and redefined a number of times with Rousseau's definition becoming most influential: 'An individual's belief regarding the terms and conditions of a reciprocal exchange agreement between the focal person and another party A psychological contract emerges when one party believes that a promise of future returns has been made, a contribution has been given and thus, an obligation has been created to provide future benefits'. (Rousseau 1989) Pay is generally the most important part of the contents of a psychological contract. In a UK study conducted by Herriot et al. (1996), it was found that employees used fairness and pay most frequently when work environment was discussed. It was the two things that topped the list of things that employees paid attention to when discussion of work environment came up. Pay for performance is the third most commonly discussed concept in development of fair pay system. Recent developments in the field of management and performance-based evaluation systems provide conclusive evidence of the fact that the understanding of

Evaluating Compliance Strategies Essay Example for Free

Evaluating Compliance Strategies Essay The compliance process is critical when it pertains to the billing and coding process. It is imperative for Medical Insurance Specialist to remain current on the patient’s participation in contract as well as the medical insurance policies, so there will not be any billing errors. Maintaining a communication with the payer will also prevent billing errors. Such regulations and laws are in place for to protect the patient’s financial state, prevent errors of billing and coding, and to link procedures and diagnoses correctly. Becoming knowledgeable of the billing rules should also help prevent billing errors as well. In this assignment, I will discuss how important it is for medical staff to be knowledgeable of the billing and coding compliance strategies. The first strategy to compliance is to carefully define bundled codes and know global periods. This is important, medical insurance specialist must be knowledgeable of what global periods are for surgical procedures and what specific procedure is included in the bundled codes. The second strategy is to benchmark the practice’s E/M codes with national averages. This strategy helps when conducting comparisons with the national averages, because it helps to monitor upcoding. The third strategy is the use of appropriate modifiers. This strategy helps prevent double billing or unbundling. Modifiers such as -25, -59, and -91 are most important when billing in compliance. The fourth strategy is becoming clear on professional courtesy and discounts to uninsured/low income patients. Unfortunately, providers can no longer provide professional courtesy to patients per OIG’s Compliance Program Guidance for Individual and Small Group Physician Practices. However, if the patient may qualify for discounts if they are either uninsured or has low income. According to textbook Medical Insurance: An Integrated Claims Process Approach, â€Å"The practice’s method for selecting people to receive discounts should be documented in the compliance plan and in its policies and procedures information (Valerius, 2008). Lastly, maintaining a compliance job reference aid and documentation template can help with compliance. In other words, having a cheat sheet of commonly used CPT codes or diagnoses codes could help smooth the billing process. There are establishments in place to ensure that there is correct and appropriate coding. Programs such Medicare’s national Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) Policy Manual for Medicare Services provide manuals to help correct improper coding when billing for Medicare services.

Your life according to shakespeare :: essays research papers

In Act II, scene VII, of the play As You Like It, a disheartened Jacques takes a long look at life:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All the worlds a stage,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and all the men and women, merely players;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts(1-4) It is a line that is as simplistic as it is complicated, comparing the cycle of life to that of a play. This quote, pulled from the play As You Like it, a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare, has been repeated and analyzed thoroughly throughout the years by poets and philosophers alike. This set speech, spoken by Jacques, takes a seven step look at the aging process of man: infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, pantaloon, and second childishness. With such visual dialect Shakespeare metaphorically compares the seven stages of aging, to the multiple acts of a play and the plot’s ascending and descending order much like that of life’s from infant to second childishness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The language that Shakespeare uses for this set speech is remarkably modern. Shakespeare uses a language that is so modern for his time yet so simple for present day dialect that the set speech is often taken out of the play’s context and has achieved a reputation as a poem and has been able to remain such a popular work for so long as well as still carry meaning. For instance, Shakespeare refers to the infant as â€Å"mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.†(6). When Shakespeare wrote this, it was the first recorded use of â€Å"puke† meaning â€Å"to vomit†, before then the word had been used to mean a dignified dark brown color, according to the Oxford Dictionary(Shakespeare 2). Anyone in any time period could picture an infant curled up and spitting up on a nurses shoulder, which is what makes the language he uses so interesting. Shakespeare is able to use such vivid words that are able to reach so many different walks of lif e and still convey a deeper meaning. He also uses a few that are a little out dated in today’s society: Bearded like the pard; Capon; Wise saws; and Pantaloon. Each having its own meaning and making perfect sense in the context of the poem, if used today you would be laughed at.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Of the seven stages Shakespeare refers to, infancy is the first then he develops into the whining schoolboy.

Valkyrie Case Study

Valkyrie Lighting is facing a new challenge within its current operations. This challenge comes in the form of expanding and improving its current supply chain management system. In this new implementation, the Valkyrie management team will need to incorporate three vital concepts to achieve success in the highly competitive market of technical lighting. With this new supply chain management focus, Valkyrie will experience many issues that will need to be addressed to minimize the time it takes to get its expanded supply chain up and flowing smoothly. A number of the issues that Valkyrie experiences can be summarized into three main issues that are currently holding up Valkyrie’s success in this new endeavor. The main issues that Valkyrie faces include: product accessibility, limited communications, and current barriers to its global expansion strategy. With this new focus on supply chain management, Valkyrie must decide between implementation of a production line within Sunshine Product’s facility, or establish a legal binding agreement with Sunshine Products to act as their sole supplier. Currently there is a lack of an integrated computer system that prohibits both Valkyrie and Sunshine to adequately respond to each other’s product demand needs. Due to communication being vital to any business’s success, Valkyrie must look to integrate with Sunshine products to improve communications and information sharing to combat inventory issues and spikes in customer demands. Due to increasing competition within the technical lighting industry, Valkyrie has the opportunity to expand its operations throughout two potentially lucrative markets. Valkyrie must analyze the Southeast Asian market and the European market; the two primary global opportunities. Both options have advantages and disadvantages; which Valkyrie must analyze to achieve global success. Our first recommendation is to establish a legal agreement with Sunshine Products to become our sole supplier. The second recommendation is to establish an integrated computer system between Valkyrie and Sunshine. Our final recommendation is to focus on entry into the European market through a third party contractor. These recommendations will allow Valkyrie to maximize its supply chain, effectively communicate between all supply members and expand its market share; while maintaining its core competency of producing aesthetically designed lighting products. Company Overview Valkyrie Lighting is a manufacturing company with operations mainly in North America. The company’s primary focus is the production and delivery of technologically advanced industrial lighting. Valkyrie Lighting operates in a supply chain with many tiers working together to create a product that serve a number of customers. The majority of their parts come from tier-one suppliers, such as Sunshine Products, that are sent to a manufacturing plant in Denver. In this plant, the products are assembled, stored, and delivered to customers who place orders. The tier-one suppliers contract the manufacturing of parts from tier-two suppliers that are located throughout the world; such as Sunshine Products who contracts in Taiwan. Valkyrie Lighting gained market share in the technical lighting industry due to integrating advanced technology which was superior to the competition.       This technology led to the creation of superior products and the abilityto create custom products that serve different customer needs. Valkyrie Lighting also held a competitive edge with the product design and looks that were more desired than that of the competition. This is currently Valkyrie Lighting’s main competitive edge in the industry. Valkyrie Lighting’s operations are based on a push system that follows forecasts which are revised every quarter. This push system has led the company to produce in batch processes. The constant demand from customers for unique designs requires that Valkyrie Lighting create a certain amount of one product, then switch to create another similar product with minor design differences. The type of operations performed at the Denver plant is completed in two stages. The first stage represents a repetitive operation because the core pieces of the product are assembled by workers to complete only the technical assembly. There are eight different basic assemblies that are created and then the product is moved to the second stage. The second stage is considered more intermittent because the basic assembled products are then finished to customer style preferences and is the source of the variety among customers. Once the product has been completed, the product is stored into stock located in the Denver plant and shipped based on customer orders. This operation represents a make-to-stock strategy where the product is produced based from forecasts; which are held as inventory until the customer demands a product. Valkyrie Lighting is in an industry that was highly competitive until a few major companies dominated the majority of the market. The technical lighting industry is a slow-growing market where the order winners are based on superior technology, product variety, and timely delivery. Pricing and customer service are important factors in maintaining the competitive edge along with having advanced technology. The main trend in this market is the moving away from standard designs and being flexible to create a number of products that serve different needs based from the customer. This is important for any company in this industry because the market consist of primarily of large buyers that could have a significant impact on the market share a company possesses. Currently Valkyrie and two other firms control the majority of the market share. The current market that Valkyrie Lighting operates in is the North American market. This is where Valkyrie operates strongly and is the most competitive. Other markets of interest include Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Each market has its own unique situations and barriers that affect Valkyrie Lighting. Currently, Valkyrie Lighting is taking advantage of the European market by exporting from the USA through a Dutch istributor, but future growth and market power will require manufacturing and distribution in Europe rather than exporting directly from the USA. The Southeast Asian market is difficult because of the strong competition among Asian companies and their ability to provide low costs, a core priority that Valkyrie cannot deliver at this time. The Latin American market is still untouched by Valkyrie Lighting and no long-term operation plans have been developed. Valkyrie Lighting has man y strengths with the current operation model. Their technology is strong enough that they can create a number of superior products and make custom changes to satisfy the customer demands. This is important because the market demands that companies have a wide variety of products to meet customer preferences. Another strength of Valkyrie Lighting is the aesthetics of their products. In the technical lighting industry, products need to be unique and Valkyrie Lighting achieved success by getting their products put into trade shows. This led to a strong following and more business. Another main strength for Valkyrie Lighting and their operation design is the make-to-stock. With customers demanding that companies hold products until orders are placed, Valkyrie Lighting continues to deliver customer satisfaction and is flexible. Despite some of the strengths of the current operations, Valkyrie Lighting’s current operation model contains many disadvantages. One of the biggest disadvantages is that the company is erratic with delivery times. Because the company continues to use a push system and quarterly forecast, they cannot handle on-time delivery for large orders or higher than expected orders from their larger customers. Valkyrie Lighting has tried to offset this problem by using the make-to-stock process, but this leads to the company holding onto large amounts of inventory that is costly to the company and uses space in the Denver plant. Another disadvantage Valkyrie Lighting faces is the lack of a standard line of communication among the different tiers of suppliers. The suppliers use different forecasts and rely on a push-system. Valkyrie Lighting utilizes a forecast that does not anticipate last-minute changes in demand and this leads to erratic delivery times to customers. Valkyrie’s communication technology is not compatible with its suppliers, which leads to a lack of closeness in communication. These issues affect the supply chain with suppliers running out of materials, Valkyrie Lighting not producing enough products, and customers waiting longer to receive orders. The last issue Valkyrie Lighting is faced with is penetrating new markets in different countries. With the lack of solid communication in the supply chain and the inability to deliver just-in-time, Valkyrie Lighting faces issues in setting up operations in Southeast Asia. Because the company does not directly operate in Asia, it cannot compete with the local firms that can provide products at a lower price. In Europe, Valkyrie Lighting understands their current operation is short-term. To continue to grow and expand market share; Valkyrie understands they must consider expansion into the global market. Current Problems: Although the business has been an industry leader and successful in the past, the Valkyrie management team is challenged to improve their supply chain management as they move forward. This project, supply chain management, is a new concept to Valkyrie. Although the management team has little experience in supply chain management, Rob Brown is confident that his team members are up for the challenge as they all have a stake in the survival and prosperity of the business. The team comes together in this project with various expertise and qualifications, which will allow them to face many challenges that are to come. These challenges range from decisions that will ultimately change Valkyrie’s way of doing business, and quite possibly even the entire technical lighting industry. This will require a new way of thinking and managing to remain successful as they move forward. Valkyrie is currently in a highly competitive industry where until recently there were very few major innovations. Valkyrie moved early to gain a competitive advantage. With this shift to improving their supply chain management, Valkyrie must act in the best interest of its stakeholders, which includes: owners, suppliers, manufacturers, vendors, employees, customers and the competition. Valkyrie must be methodical about the procedures it takes as they need to remain true to their core competency of providing superior technically advanced products with an aesthetic design, which is their top advantage over the competition. Before moving forward too quickly, Valkyrie must identify current problems and potential supply chain hindrances to minimize the frequency of false starts, fully utilize its capacities, and maximize productivity to ensure their product is still a viable and desirable choice for its end users. Major goals that Valkyrie seeks to achieve are to provide better delivery times to their customers, maintain well designed aesthetic products, and regain market share that has been lost due to price wars of the industry’s customers. There are three problems that Valkyrie needs to address initially in order to make their supply chain successful. The first problem Valkyrie must address is its current relationship with Sunshine Products. Sunshine plays a significant role in Valkyrie’s success because of its unique technology. Sunshine provides components to Valkyrie, but due to Sunshine’s production planning procedures, Valkyrie is unable to increase order quantities in fear that Sunshine is operating near capacity. Valkyrie and Sunshine’s current relationship is solid, but informal. Brown, as leader of this project, needs to identify that an informal relationship will hinder his attempts to make the supply chain management successful. Brown needs to look for ways to work jointly with Sunshine in hopes of making Sunshine their sole supplier. A sole supplier relationship will help Sunshine with inventory issues, inventory planning and production forecasts. In today’s business world, the internet is a very useful tool and virtually has very few limitations. Currently, Valkyrie and Sunshine do not have a compatible system, which hinders planning, inventories, and production plans. Both businesses plan production based on their inventory and production schedules, and Sunshine operates on a two-month planning horizon. This current system does not provide either company flexibility with production runs and prohibits them from accommodating spikes in product demand. If this is not resolved, the companies may experience the bull-whip effect and implore tactics that will lead to excess inventories. Valkyrie and Sunshine need to share an integrated system which allows visuals on both companies inventory and re-order points. By addressing the first two problems, Valkyrie will enable itself to take on its major competition by streamlining its components and production plans. To remain competitive, Valkyrie must improve lead times and flexibility to meet market demands. In addition, with the demand possibly stretching globally, Valkyrie needs to determine their expansion strategy based on which markets are most lucrative. The two possible markets that are promising to Valkyrie at this time are the European and Southeast Asia markets. By expanding to one or both of these markets, Valkyrie will be able to change its marketing and sales strategy from a push concept to a pull system due to the ability to fill orders upon the ever changing demands of their product. Valkyrie has alternatives to choose from to resolve these three major issues. By solving these issues first, Valkyrie sets itself up for success. Issue 1: Product Accessability To better understand the problem with Sunshine, we will first look at the present situation. Sunshine serves two other customers in non-competing fields other than Valkyrie and its production facility operates near capacity. The informal relationship between Valkyrie and Sunshine is sufficient when the two companies’ managers adhere to their hand-shake commitment and no competitor steps in. As Valkyrie loses ground in the U. S. market to its two major competitors, Valkyrie’s priority level in Sunshine may not remain if demand drops. Once the company engages in overseas production, Sunshine will not be able to manufacture the additional needed components under the current terms and Valkyrie may need to develop new suppliers. It is obvious continuing with the current informal handshake agreement is not an option for Valkyrie and Sunshine in the long run. In addition, as Valkyrie is exploring market expansion, this action will further necessitate an improved supply chain with Sunshine. Two possible solutions are: †¢ Alternative 1: Place a dedicated production line in Sunshine’s production plant. †¢ Alternative 2: Negotiate a formal contract with Sunshine and make it Valkyrie’s sole supplier. Both proposals will be analyzed in terms of feasibility, cost, and benefit in the section below. Alternative 1: Dedicated Production Line Proposal A dedicated production line proposal suggests Valkyrie place a dedicated production line in Sunshine’s facility. The production line will be provided by Sunshine and paid for by Valkyrie, as it will be exclusively used for Valkyrie’s production needs. The benefit of a dedicated production line is Valkyrie will have flexibility in its production planning and a just-in-time system can be implemented. The new line will provide extra capacity to satisfy Valkyrie’s increasing production need. Production equipment will not be a problem for the dedicated production line proposal since Sunshine either has enough room or it could expand its plant. All costs that occur during the setup of the production line will be covered by Valkyrie. The real problem is in the production and management of the dedicated line. Who should be responsible for the new line? How should wages and pricing be determined? If Sunshine were to provide the front line production workers and administration, they may charge a price premium. An agreement with Sunshine will need to be established for Valkryie to ensure the dedicated line in Sunshine’s facility will become the priority. Alternative 2: Formal Contract and sole supplier Proposal Compared to the dedicated production line, a formal contract is simpler and easier to implement. The contract needs to address the concept of sole supplier and the external factory. By creating a formal contractual relationship with Sunshine, Valkyrie guarantees Sunshine will be its sole supplier. In this contract, Sunshine will need to adjust its production planning procedure to make Valkyrie’s demand their first priority. A formal contract also builds up long-term relationship between the two companies rather than the two managers. With a formal contract, Sunshine becomes a guaranteed service provider. The benefit of such a relationship is information sharing, which is vital to the success of supply chain management. With an open information flow system, Sunshine can respond to production changes faster and reduce lead time. Another benefit of contractual agreement is it provides greater incentive for continuous quality improvement, which benefits both Valkyrie and Sunshine. The most important benefit of a formal contract is the elimination of uncertainty, the risk of losing a strategic partner. Recommendation The absence of a formal contract between Valkyrie and Sunshine places a huge risk on Valkyrie’s long-term success. With its unique technology, Sunshine plays a critical role in Valkyrie’s supply chain. It is clear that Valkyrie needs to include Sunshine in order to implement improvements in the supply chain. Considering both proposals’ pros and cons, we determine that a dedicated production line is neither feasible nor cost effective. The formal contract and external factory proposal fit into the supply chain management requirement and is much easier to implement. Thus, the formal contract and external factory proposal is recommended. Issue 2: The Lack of Computer Integration System Communication is the key to any business’s success. Due to Sunshine’s resistance to computer integration, both companies are experiencing communication problems. An integrated system will increase the productivity of the companies’ information systems, order entry and production system. Information Systems Information systems play a prominent role in any company’s supply chain. Valkyrie needs to share data, such as purchase orders, invoices, and payments, along with information about common information and financial records with all chain members. Sharing systems speeds up the flow of materials, payments and information. It allows companies to reduce the effort and cost of processing such transactions, and enables all members of the supply chain to know expected completion dates and availability of the products. Sharing a computer system allows all members to know when demand changes from the forecast. Any problems encountered that affect availability quantity or delivery time of the products allows the chain members to respond to problems and react to meet delivery commitments. Sharing information, analyzing market feedback and trends between chain members is critical to be successful in today’s dynamic global market. Order Entry Many companies and retailers are using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and/or Point-Of-Sale (POS) systems because it is very convenient for buyers and sellers. By using EDI, the form of computer-to-computer communication is standardized to share business documents such as invoices, purchase orders, shipping bills and product stocking numbers. This helps both buyers and sellers reduce logistical and labor costs and get products to market faster. For example, when suppliers transmit an advance shipment notice to the company for each inbound shipment, EDI systems can be effectively implemented. This notice provides a purchase order number, vendor identification number, product identification number and carton counts for each item in the shipment. The EDI data flows directly from the suppliers’ computers into companies and retailer’s warehouse management system. With this information, Valkyrie’s distribution center can anticipate inbound volume, prepare for receiving, and schedule the appropriate number of warehouse workers. EDI advanced shipment notification is sent from a shipper to a receiver with detailed information about the contents of the shipment. The process mentioned above also eliminates the need to schedule and stage the shipment later, which saves on labor costs. Through the EDI system, suppliers get paid accurately and on time. Furthermore, EDI can eliminate order batching. Companies typically use large order batching because of the relatively high cost of placing an order. Supply chain partners can reduce ordering cost by using electronic data interchange to transmit information. Lower ordering costs eliminate the need for batch order. Similarly, when the retailers use Point of Sale (POS) systems, the information collected by POS allows both Valkyrie and Sunshine to know the product demand information when making replenishment decisions. In addition, EDI and POS are very helpful to counteract the bullwhip effect of erratic replenishment of orders placed on different levels in the supply chain that have no apparent link to final customer demand, and as a result, manufacturers inventory does not coincide with demand. Production system By integrating the two companies’ computer systems and sharing relevant databases, Valkyrie and Sunshine Product can both benefit with a production system that determines what is needed, how much is needed and when it is needed. From Valkyrie’s standpoint, having its orders completed and shipped to the distribution center on time is the vital to maintain customer satisfaction and market share. From Sunshine’s view point, switching from traditional system-push system to a pull system would be a good strategy because it reduces inventory on production and materials. Thus, it helps Sunshine Product to solve the problem on material shortages or production planning system. The disadvantage of combining two companies’ computer system is that data exchange might create some problems in payment process or information flows between two companies. This computer integration also requires the internal consistency and discipline to ensure the process is integrated and information flows accuracy, otherwise it will create errors that bring problems to both companies in the short-run. Issue 3: The Entry to the Global Market At the core of Valkyrie’s global corporate strategy is the need to make a significant lucrative entry into the global market. Rapid expansion into a segment of the global market will make up for the mature market conditions in North America. Alternative 1: The Southeast Asian Market Southeast Asia is identified as a promising market but this market does not share the need for Valkryie’s unique, aesthetic design element. Valkryie’s technical lead is already being eroded boy Alpha products, leaving only the aesthetic design advantage which is not an order winner in Southeast Asia. Valkyrie has an opportunity to leverage the relationship with Sunshine’s established contract manufacturing in Taiwan. This liaison could transition into an opportunity to pursue moving into the Southeast Asia market. Valkyrie will have to establish its own communication and control systems to monitor their third party. They will need to monitor and evaluate the third party’s level of customer service, the efficiency of their operations and inventory investment. Alternative 2: The European Market. Valkyrie’s main competitive advantage is their design element known to be essential to market success in Europe. By moving into the European market, Valkyrie will be able to get a faster response to new customers, provide better service and increase market share. This solution requires learning about the European market and the European custom rules. Profits will be higher and Valkyrie will not suffer a loss of control which might result in poor market performance as opposed to simply licensing in Europe. This alternative helps overcome high fix cost and high tariff duties. A third party contractor will have a European market awareness of customer’s product needs and will be knowledgeable about the competition. The third party contractor would understand the customer service requirements which vary considerably from northern to southern Europe and will assume the responsibility for providing communications. A third party contractor can be counted on to know their local market’s suppliers capabilities and performance. As these other suppliers are less critical to Valkyrie’s success than Sunshine, they could be substituted if they do not perform to standards. Recommendation Our recommendation is for Valkyrie to establish local production, under Valkyrie’s name, by contracting with a third party to manufacture and distribute in Europe. The justification for choosing the European market is this market will require a unique styling of lighting products which is Valkyrie’s primary competitive advantage and core competency. This design element is essential to Valkyrie’s market success in the European market. The commitment to this strategic plan would negate an entry into the Asian market at this time. The third party contractor will need to be an experienced operator who can handle both the manufacturing and distribution. As Sunshine Products will be contractually bound as a single source supplier, their Taiwan plant will transmit orders electronically to the third party contractor who will work with regional suppliers to provide the remainder of the components. Factors to consider when identifying potential third party contractors will include: the company’s ability to partner with Sunshine Products, the ability to identify regional suppliers to provide the remainder of the component parts and the facility’s proximity to customers. The European single point distribution system will be essentially parallel to the US market. In order to meet product demand and service requirements Valkyrie knows that a single point distribution system and negotiating service contracts with carriers to provide distribution is effective. The company knows from experience at their Denver location that deliveries can be made to most major markets even by surface carriers. CONCLUSION: Valkyrie Lighting is venturing into new but potentially lucrative concepts. This new supply chain management will allow Valkyrie to remain competitive in the highly competitive technical lighting industry. By focusing on members of the supply chain, Valkyrie can utilize its resources to compliment its current strengths in creating better business relationships with its supply chain members. To ensure that Valkyrie succeeds in this new endeavor, there must be a formal contract between Valkyrie and Sunshine to ensure that Valkyrie’s demand will be met. Playing into the success is also the implementation of a integrated computer system between its supply chain members. This allows all members of the supply chain to readily see the inventories that are needed to sustain, while minimizing the bullwhip effect. Finally, Valkyrie must focus on its core competency, by manufacturing products that are preferred for the aesthetic design. This focus is one that suggests that expanding into the European market should be the sole focus at the current time. By following our three recommendations, Valkyrie will improve product accessibility, improve communications within the supply chain and increase market share with expansion into the European market.

Investigation into temperature change Essay

Introduction. The following is an experiment into temperature change in an exothermic reaction taking place between Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and Hydrochloric acid (HCl) and also how the concentration of the acid will vary these results. The characteristics of the reaction feature a neutralisation, an energy change (shown as a temperature change) that is usually exothermic (gives out heat). The reaction of neutralisation is exothermic because of the bonds being broken and made in the reaction. When bonds are broken, energy in those bonds are taken in, and in this case, are noted as a temperature change, the temperature increasing. If it were an endothermic reaction, the temperature would lower, because the reaction is using up more energy breaking the bonds, this is noted and a temperature change, this time, showing how temperature decreases. The acid and alkali compounds dissolve into water, acid into hydrogen ions, and alkali in hydroxide ions. Neutralisation with hydrogen and a hydroxide, at the end, the product is water (also with left over sodium chloride). There is energy released in kilojoules when a reaction takes place. The main aim is testing the effect of different concentrations and the effect it has on temperature. Variables. To make this test fair, we must only change one variable, that being the concentration of the hydrochloric acid, but we must also make sure, that the alkali concentration is constant. Also, for the sake of fair testing, the room temperature must stay the same, as is will vary results greatly on day to the next. Trial run. The trail run was to determine a number of details; The first, being the correct ratio of concentration, what I mean to say is, how many cubic centimetres the solution of acid and water will vary each time we do the experiment. We have decided to each time, keep the volume constant at 25cm cubed, but diluting the acid by 5cm cubed each time. Also, we decided that the use of polystyrene insulation was not needed as in the trail run; it had no real effect on the end temperature. Apparatus. The following is a list of apparatus we used with the experiment: 1) Burette 2) Measuring cylinder X 2 (0-50cm3) 3) Digital thermometer (with a temp range of -50 degrees Celsius to 150 degrees Celsius.) 4) Beaker Safety. Within safety, basic labs rules apply, these include, clear workstations and no loose clothing, but special safety rules must be out in place for this, as the use of acids and alkalis, safety goggles need to be worn. Step by step plan. First, gather up all equipment needed in experiment, then, measure volumes and concentrations that are needed in the experiment. Then, record the start temperature, after that, mix together the acid and alkali in the beaker, and wait until its peak temperature, then record it. Repeat this three times in order to check for reliability. Use exact guidelines on this to repeat experiment for different concentrations. Accuracy. In accuracy, we use the preset variables we also make sure that volumes and concentration are constant and accurate. Prediction. My prediction of what will happen is that when the acid is added to the alkali, the reaction will cause the temperature to go up, but with each concentration the temperature rise will go up, but not to the same extent of what is was beforehand. This prediction was come to with collision theory in mind; the double the temperature the double the amount of successful collisions, meaning double amount of heat being given off. Once the acid is in excess there will be no further temperature rise. Results Table Conclusion In conclusion, I conclude that my graph follows the directly proportional trend because the science in my prediction was correct (higher temperature, more collisions, more heat given off). This shows my prediction was correct, and that all the science within this experiment in. Evaluation My repeats in the experiment were close, and that would mean that they were, and still are reliable. Also, within these repeats there were no anomalous  results, this again showing a well carried out experiment. My method worked extremely well, and I feel it is the best possible method to use in further experiments. But if needs be to change the experiment in some way, perhaps difference in the concentration of the alkali instead of the acid, may alter the results in someway. Even the use of either more controlled conditions or different insulation is something to look into. Choosing another variable to control is also a feasible option.

Solar Energy essays

Solar Energy essays About 47 percent of the energy that the sun releases to the earth actually reaches the ground. About a third is reflected directly back into space by the atmosphere. The time in which solar energy is available, is also the time we least need it least - daytime. Because the sun's energy cannot be stored for use another time, we need to convert the suns energy into an energy that can be stored. One possible method of storing solar energy is by heating water that can be insulated. The water is heated by passing it through hollow panels. Black-coated steal plates are used because dark colors absorb heat more efficiently. However, this method only supplies enough energy for activities such as washing and bathing. The solar panels generate "low grade" heat, that is, they generate low temperatures for the amount of heat needed in a day. In order to generate "high grade" heat, intense enough to convert water into high-pressure steam which can then be used to turn electric generators there must be another method. The concentrated beams of sunlight are collected in a device called a solar furnace, which acts on the same principles as a large magnifying glass. The solar furnace takes the sunlight from a large area and by the use of lenses and mirrors can focus the light into a very small area. Very elaborate solar furnaces have machines that angle the mirrors and lenses to the sun all day. This system can provide sizable amounts of electricity and create extremely high temperatures of over 6000 degrees Fahrenheit. Solar energy generators are very clean, little waste is emitted from the generators into the environment. The use of coal, oil and gasoline is a constant drain, economically and environmentally. Will solar energy be the wave of the future? Could the worlds requirement of energy be fulfilled by the "powerhouse" of our galaxy - the sun? Automobiles in the future will pro...

cannabis and psychosis

cannabis and psychosis The association between substance misuse (cannabis however they impose a considerable personal and public health burden (Degenhardt Regier et al. 1990). This Comorbidity as a result largely enhances cost associated with treatment, predominantly in relation to hospital and other institutional services. The majority of the evidence regarding prevalence of substance use and mental illness comes from the United States, though European standpoint on prevalence is rapidly rising. One of the first and most famous US study is The Epidemiological Catchment Area study conducted by Regier et al. 1990 across 5 US sites, which involved over 20.000 participants. This study tried to measure how common dual diagnosis was and stated that 47% of the participants they surveyed with schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder also met the criteria for substance use disorder/dependence at some point in their life. Furthermore, the likelihood of having substance use disorder amongst patients with psycho tic illness was notably higher compared to those in the general population without a psychotic illness (Kessler et al. 1994; Regier et al. 1990). In sharp contrast, studies that have been conducted in the UK have reported more moderate rates of substance misuse amongst those with psychotic disorders. For instance, Cantwell in 2003 undertook a study with 316 patients with schizophrenia and only 7% had stated that they had a problem with substance misuse in the previous year, and 21% had reported problematic use some time before that (Cantwell, 2003). Similarly, Wright and Colleagues identified patients with psychotic illnesses who had been in contact with services in the London Borough of Croydon and reported that prevalence rates of dual diagnosis were 33% for the use of any substance and lifetime history of any illicit drug use was 35% of the sample (Wright et al. 2000). Cannabis is the most frequently used substance in patients with psychotic disorder (Van Mastrigt et al. 2004; Ba rnett et al. 2007) and the literature indicates fairly consistently the association between regular uses of cannabis and developing first-onset psychosis[1] (Grech et al. 2005). However, the causes for the links are still hotly debated. Nevertheless, cannabis has damaging effects on the course of the illness on top of being an economic burden on health services (Atakan, 2009). More specifically, estimates of frequency of cannabis abuse amongst patients with first-episode psychosis is said to range from 20% to 70% (Miles et al. 2003; Isaac et al. 2005). A systematic review of 53 treatment samples and 5 epidemiological studies looking at the prevalence of cannabis use and misuse among those with psychotic illnesses stated lifetime use in 42% and lifetime misuse in 22.5% of the sample while current use was 23% and misuse 11.3% (Green et al. 2005). Furthermore, epidemiological studies also have shown that cannabis is the most frequently abused substance amongst younger people (Van Mastr igt, 2004; Addington Wade et al. 2007) with lower educational background (Mueser et al. 1990) and it is more common in men than in women amongst first-episode psychosis patients (Barnett et al. 2007; Addington Barnes et al. 2006). Inevitably, cannabis abuses among youth experiencing a first-episode psychosis results in negative consequences for prognosis and relapse and therefore complicate treatment and impair recovery (Archie et al. 2009). It is constantly reported in the literature that patients with first-episode psychosis who abuse cannabis had considerably more hospital admissions rates as well as more psychotic symptoms compared to first episode psychosis patients who do not abuse cannabis (Wade et al. 2006; Negrete et al. 1986; Turkington et al. 2009)

Art history summary and answer question Assignment - 1

Art history summary and answer question - Assignment Example Moreover, he spelled out that Vasari could sing divinely without any preparations. Through outrageous incredible attributes of Leonardo, Vasari is able to capture people’s attention towards Leonardo’s life. Another factor that Vasari points out is that Leonardo was a ‘multi-player’; he was able to perform numerous tasks interchangeably and easily. He did not give up on drawing and relief workings despite doing other things such as playing lyre, doing arithmetic and singing. Overall then Vasari was able to influence Leonardo’s fame after his death through the style of oratory, hyperbole and idealistic comments. Vasari’s oratory praise style was very instrumental in elevating the life of Leonardo. To begin with he argued that Leonardo’s fame was great when he was still alive and enhanced when he passed on. He expounded on this view holding that the heavens, in seldom times, sent people some individuals who represented both humanity and divinity. This, Vasari believed was important to people such that it enabled them to view it as a model and imitate it so as to approach the heavenly highest parts with their mind and with the intellect excellence. Through this explanation, Vasari is able to capture people’s emotions such that Leonardo, with his impeccable attributes, was a real role model for many people and hope for them that they could reach far. Besides, Rubin (pg. 97) adds that individuals who wish to follow Leonardo’s footsteps of such admirable attributes via studying, even when not helped by nature to realize such magnitude; could at least embrace the works of divine of those who play a part of the divinity. From these comments of Vasari, enormous praise was notably laid on Leonardo before people intentionally. In fact Rubin (pg. 97) argues that Vasari was deliberate by using unique terms and metaphors in describing Leonardo’s ‘wondrous and divinity’ characteristics. Rubin argues