Managing Employee Misbehaviour for Promoting Business Ethics

Managing Employee Misbehaviour for Promoting Business Ethics Workplace misbehaviour: Any intentional action by members of organizations that defies and violates Shared organizational norms and expectations, and/or Core societal values, mores and standards of proper conduct (Vardi and Wiener, 1996, p. 153). Misbehaviour in this sense is also said to be about breaching broader, yet far from clearly defined or fully shared societal norms or moral order. In industrial sociology key writers on misbehaviour – Ackroyd and Thompson (1999, p. 2) – borrow Sprouse's (1992, p. 3) definition of sabotage – â€Å"anything you do at work you are not supposed to do† – to define misbehaviour, although questions remain about how useful this definition is. Perspectives on misbehaviour Misbehaviour is also a phenomena discussed in several other academic disciplines. For instance, in gender studies, we see quite a distinct dimension of misbehaviour emerging. Misbehaviour in gender studies tends to concern males defending masculine identities in an organizational context and how masculinity is in reality a crucial, yet often hidden dimension of a broader organizational identity (Collinson and Collinson, 1989; DiTomaso, 1989; Levin, 2001). An account of men trying to preserve the dominance of a masculine identity, sponsored implicitly by senior management, is outlined in the following passage taken from ethnography of a trading floor of a large, American commodities exchange: When the working environment becomes less active, the more overtly sexualized repertoire of joking and getting along emerges. Men and women use jokes to pass time, fit in and relieve tension, but a direct result of men’s sexual banter is to facilitate group solidarity among men to the exclusion of women. Strong heterosexual joking is predicated on men being the sexual agents of jokes and women being the objects (Levin, 2001, p. 126). Further dimensions of gender-related misbehaviour include women subverting dominant masculine identities (Cockburn, 1991; Game and Pringle, 1983; Gutek, 1989; Pollert, 1981), women taking advantage of their sex appeal to get around male supervisors (Pollert, 1981) and female flight attendants feigning responses to lurid comments from male passengers (Hochschild, 2003). Further details of Gutek’s (1989) research highlights the many ways in which sexuality can be the spur for a range of misbehaviour: More common than sexual coercion from either sex are sexual jokes, use of explicit terms to describe work situations, sexual comments to co-workers, and display of sexual posters and pictures engaged in by men at work (Sex and sports, some observers claim, are the two metaphors of business. ) The use of sex can be more subtle than either hostile sexual remarks or sexual jokes. Although this tactic is often assumed to be used exclusively by women, some men, too, may feign sexual interest to gain some work-related advantage (1989, p. 63-64). Commentary on what could be interpreted to be misbehaviour is also a feature of industrial relations research. In industrial relations theorists seem to view misbehaviour as a lesser version of strike action, or action short of strike action (Bean, 1975; Blyton and Turnbull, 2004; Hyman, 1981; Nichols and Armstrong, 1976). From this perspective, misbehaviour is taken to represent the actions of unorganized employees. In effect, misbehaviour is synonymous with a widespread and increasing inability of employees to offer a coherent and organized response to management strategies (Beynon, 1984). As such, industrial relations theorists link misbehaviour to record low levels of strike activity (Hale, 2007). Moreover, some theorists believe acts such as sabotage – in the form of grievance bargaining or deliberate poor workmanship – are intimately bound up in the labour process (Zabala, 1989). Research work in Ethics: 2008 NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ETHICS SURVEY in US: National Government Ethics Survey Shows Employee Misconduct is High Key Findings On all levels of government, there is a lack of programs and incentives to encourage ethical behavior, the report says †¢Six in 10 government employees saw at least one form of misconduct in the last 12 months. †¢One in 4 employees work in an environment conducive to misconduct. According to ERC, this includes strong pressure to compromise standards, a presence of situations which invite wrongdoing, and a culture where employees’ personal values conflict with their values at work. †¢Overall strength of ethical cultures is declining. †¢Almost one-third of employees do not report misconduct. More than one-third of government employees believe government does not demonstrate its values through socially responsible decision-making. Levels of Government Federal Level – The number of incidences of misconduct observed is slightly lower, but reporting is still comparatively low. Only 30 percent of federal government organizations have ethics and compliance p rograms, and only 10 percent have strong ethical cultures. State Level – Workers are most vulnerable to ethical risks as there are more reports of employees who have observed misconduct multiple times. Still 30 percent do not report misconduct to management. Local Level – Employees are the least likely to know the ethical risks since fewer resources are put in place to encourage ethical behavior. Local government organizations have the lowest levels of reporting misconduct, only 67% are reporting. â€Å"In order to encourage high ethical standards within our organizations, we first have to provide an environment that is conducive to ethical behavior,† says Sharon Allen, chairman of the board at Deloitte & Touche. However, management and leadership have a huge responsibility in setting examples for their organizations and living the values they preach if they want to sustain a culture of ethics. † The report, â€Å"2007 Deloitte & Touche USA LLP Ethics & Workplace,† is based on responses from 1,041 U. S. adult workers. Harris Interactive conducted the research in February on behalf of Deloitte & Touche. The top two factors contributing to the promotion of an ethical workplace are the behavior of management and direct supervisors, as chosen by 42% and 36% of respondents, respectively. More surprisingly, emphasis of criminal penalties doesn’t seem to do much to deter unethical behavior, nor does ethics training. There is, however, a strong relationship between ethical actions at work and a healthy level of work-life balance. In fact, 91% of those employees surveyed agreed that workers are more likely to behave ethically at the office when they have a good work-life balance. Allen explains why this may be so. â€Å"If someone invests in all of their time and energy into their jobs, it may have the unintended consequence of making them depend on their jobs for everything – including their sense of personal worth. This makes it even harder to make a good choice when faced with an ethical dilemma if they believe it will impact professional success. † Categories of Employee Misbehaviour: a. Production deviance – includes behaviors that waste time and resources. b. Property deviance – involves either theft or destruction of facility or residents’ property. c. Normative deviance – generally involves talk that hurts or belittles others. d. Personal aggression – mostly involves hitting, fighting, or sexual harassment. Common Employee Misbehaviour: Fighting Theft from the employer or colleagues Fraud or falsifying work documents Accessing and/or distributing pornographic emails or websites Deliberately damaging company property Serious bullying or harassment Bringing the employer into serious disrepute Serious infringement of health and safety rules Serious failure to follow reasonable instructions. Causes of Employee Misbehaviour: Poor Employee selection and orientation procedures Poorly defined employee expectations Poorly understood employee expectations Improperly selected and trained supervisors Incorrect philosophy of discipline Effects of Employee Misbehaviour: oInefficiency oIncreased costs oUnhealthy and unsafe work environment Employee Misbehaviour – To be Punished or leaving it ignored: Handling employee misconduct is a very critical task to be performed by the senior managers. Misconduct and other offensive behaviors often lead to decreased levels of productivity as they affect the individual performance of the employees. To manage discipline among employees, every company opts for a discipline policy which describes the approach it will follow to handle misconduct. When dealing with employee misconduct, companies must keep careful mind of the legislative and common law legal framework that governs the employment relationship. Regard must be made to relevant legislation such as the Employment Standards Act 2000, Ontario Human Rights Code, Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act (reprisal provisions) and to principles such as constructive and wrongful dismissal. To effectively manage the employment relationship and deal with potential misconduct, employers are well advised to develop and maintain reasonable rules of conduct and performance expectations. Communicate these to employees and ensure consistent application and enforcement. Provide appropriate counseling and training to your workforce. Carefully consider each incident of misconduct and the appropriate reaction. Avoid knee jerk instantaneous reactions. These only serve to increase potential employer liability. Management needs to conduct a preliminary investigation. Once the company has completed the investigation, the manager should make the employee aware of the findings. Once again, the manager can ask for the employee's side of the story. Using this evidence, management, with the help of a Human Resources representative, must decide what to do. They must decide how they should discipline the employee or whether they should fire the worker. To conclude, Very surely an action is required quickly if left unattended; misconduct will quickly demoralize the other employees too. While everyone reacts differently, even the top performers are usually going to be the first casualties of demoralization. Dealing with Employee Misbehaviour: The employer must investigate the matter fully (speak to witnesses, collect documentary evidence etc). The employer must also give the employee an opportunity to explain himself. The employee should sufficiently know what the case and evidence is against him before any hearing. Prior warning of the hearing date and that the disciplinary action is under consideration. Give the employee the opportunity to call witnesses. Inform the individual he has the right to be accompanied by a colleague (or a trade union official). Inform the employee he has the right of an appeal. Employee's rights If an employee has been with the employer for over a year they have unfair dismissal protection. Although employees have the right not to be dismissed for an unfair reason, the conduct of an employee is expressly stated to be a potentially fair reason to dismiss. Employees also have the right not to be discriminated against on the grounds of their sex, race or disability. This would include being singled out for a warning about their conduct or receiving harsher penalties than other employees would receive. Employees have the right not to be dismissed in breach of their contractual terms. For example, failure to follow a contractual procedure may result in a claim of breach of contract. Employees are entitled to be dismissed on notice (unless for gross misconduct). Failure to do so entitles the employee to claim damages for breach of contract. This type of claim is also called ‘wrongful dismissal'. Employees should be made aware, either in their contract of employment or in disciplinary procedures what are the likely consequences if they break the guidelines the company has laid down in relation to their conduct. Employers must be consistent. If other employees have previously committed the same offence but have not been dismissed it may be difficult to justify dismissal on a subsequent occasion. Certain offences are contrary to acceptable conduct that discipline is readily accepted or justified upon review regardless of whether there was any prior communication or warning to the employee. Theft Intentional destruction of company property Total refusal to perform safe work Gross or intentional endangerment of the safety of coworkers. Excessive absenteeism is another factor that can lead to termination only after a series of lesser penalties. Dismissal for misconduct to be reasonable: Even though an employer may have strong suspicions that an individual is guilty of misconduct, this may not be enough. Although an employer does not have to show an employee committed the offence â€Å"beyond all reasonable doubt†, there is a threshold that must be reached. In particular: †¢The employer must believe that the employee is responsible for the conduct in question. †¢The employer must have reasonable grounds for this belief. †¢The employer must carry out as much of an investigation into the matter as is reasonable. Charging an Employee with a criminal offence: †¢The employer does not have to wait for the outcome of police investigations or criminal trial. †¢The employer should hold its own investigation into the matter. †¢The employee's rights to have this matter investigated by his employer and to present his side of the story remain regardless of the fact that he is charged by the police. Out of office misconduct: †¢Generally, employees will only be subject to the company's disciplinary rules and procedures during their office hours or when they represent the company. †¢In certain circumstances an employee's behaviour may be subject to the employer's scrutiny if it is deemed to be likely to impact on the performance of his contract or the reputation of the employer. Out of office misconduct must be particularly serious to warrant disciplinary action and the behaviour should also relate to the employee's ability (or perceived ability) to do his job. Disciplinary action The type of disciplinary action that is taken will depend on the employer's disciplinary procedures and the circumstances surrounding the misconduct. The employer will have to follow its written guidelines regarding certain types of misconduct. If historically an employer has always been lenient on a particular matter an Employment Tribunal is likely to find the employer has acted unreasonably and unfairly dismissed an individual if it suddenly decides to invoke its disciplinary procedures in disciplining individuals without warning. Warning tiers in a disciplinary procedure †¢Usually employers will decide to issue a first warning orally. This is appropriate if it is a minor infringement that cannot be dealt with on an informal basis. The employee should be told that this is the first step in the disciplinary procedure and why he is receiving the warning. At this point he should also be informed of his right of appeal against the decision. Although oral warnings will be kept on an employee's personnel file, they should be disregarded for further disciplinary purposes after a specific period of time. †¢If an employer regards an infringement as being more serious then the employee should be given a formal written warning. Again an employee should be given details of the reason for the warning as well as what is required from the individual in the future and the allotted time scale for improvement. Employees should have a right of appeal. Employees also must be warned what penalty there will be if after the allotted time the employer does think there has been a satisfactory improvement. The written warning should also be kept on the employee's personnel file but cannot be considered for disciplinary procedures after a specific period of time. A final written warning is appropriate if there has been a failure to either improve or change conduct while the earlier warning is still ‘live'. This type of warning can also be used if there is a one-off occurrence of misconduct that is deemed by the employer to be sufficiently serious. As always the final written warning should provide details of the misconduct, warn that failure to rectify the situation may lead to dismissal or some other disciplinary ac tion which is short of dismissal (which is explained below). Again employees must be told of their right to appeal. The written warning can only remain live for a specified period of time after which point it must be disregarded, no matter how serious the misconduct. †¢Disciplinary action short of dismissal may include a transfer, demotion, loss of seniority, suspension without pay or loss of increment. An employer cannot take these sanctions unless there is a specific provision in the employee's contract. †¢If an employer decides to dismiss (either because of gross misconduct or failure to rectify behaviour following a final written warning) the employee should be informed as soon as possible of the decision, as well as the reasons for the dismissal. He should also know the date their employment will terminate and the period of notice. An employee should also be told of the fact that he has the right to appeal as well as how he can make that appeal and to whom. Employers should also confirm the decision to dismiss in writing. If an employee has at least one year's continuous service they can request a written statement of particulars of reasons for their dismissal. †¢General considerations for employers when disciplining †¢A good disciplinary procedure will enable an employer to take appropriate steps in the event of misconduct of an employee. The disciplinary procedure should be in writing Consequences of Disciplinary actions: Union Grievance Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Complaint (EEOC) Law Suits Employee Buyouts Having to Reinstate Employee Embarrassment to Leadership Leadership Looses Credibility Employees Don’t Respect the process Creating an Ethical climate in the Organization to avoid Misconduct : The ethical climate of an organization is the shared set of understandings about what is correct behavior and how ethical issues will be handled. This climate sets the tone for decision making at all levels and in all circumstances. Some of the factors that may be emphasized in different ethical climates of organizations are (Hunt, 1991; Schneider and Rentsch, 1991): * Personal self-interest * Company profit * Operating efficiency * Individual friendships * Team interests * Social responsibility * Personal morality * Rules and standard procedures * Laws and professional codes As suggested by the prior list, the ethical climate of different organizations can emphasize different things. In the Johnson & Johnson example just cited, the ethical climate supported doing the right thing due to social responsibility–regardless of the cost. In other organizations–perhaps too many–concerns for operating efficiency may outweigh social considerations when similarly difficult decisions are faced. When the ethical climate is not clear and positive, ethical dilemmas will often result in unethical behavior. In such instances, an organization's culture also can predispose its members to behave unethically. For example, recent research has found a relationship between organizations with a history of violating the law and continued illegal behavior (Baucus and Near, 1991). Thus, some organizations have a culture that reinforces illegal activity. In addition, some firms are known to selectively recruit and promote employees who have personal values consistent with illegal behavior; firms also may socialize employees to engage in illegal acts as a part of their normal job duties (Conklin, 1977; Geis, 1977). For instance, in his account of cases concerning price fixing for heavy electrical equipment, Geis noted that General Electric removed a manager who refused to discuss prices with a competitor from his job and offered his successor the position with the understanding that management believed he would behave as expected and engage in price-fixing activities (Geis, 1977, p. 24; Baucus and Near, 1991). Pressure, opportunity, and predisposition can all lead to unethical activities; however, organizations must still take a proactive stance to promote an ethical climate. The final section provides some useful suggestions available to organizations for creating a more ethical climate. PROMOTING AN ETHICAL CLIMATE: Ethical Philosop hies and Employee Behavior: Recent literature has suggested several strategies for promoting ethical behavior in organizations (Adler and Bird, 1988; Burns, 1987; Harrington, 1991; Raelin, 1987; Stead etal. , 1990). First, chief executives should encourage ethical consciousness in their organizations from the top down showing the support and care about ethical practices. Second, formal processes should be used to support and reinforce ethical behavior. For example, internal regulation may involve the use of codes of corporate ethics, and the availability of appeals processes. Finally, it is recommended that the philosophies of top managers as well as immediate supervisors focus on the institutionalization of ethical norms and practices that are incorporated into all organizational levels. The philosophies of top managers as well as immediate supervisors represent a critical organizational factor influencing the ethical behavior of employees (Stead etal. , 1990). Research over a period of more than twenty-five years clearly support the conclusion that the ethical philosophies of management have a major impact on the ethical behavior of their followers employees (Arlow and Ulrich, 1980; Baumhart, 1961; Brenner and Molander, 1977; Carroll, 1978; Hegarty and Sims, 1978, 1979; Posner and Schmidt, 1984; Touche Ross, 1988; Vitell and Festervand, 1987; Worrell etal. 1985). Nielsen (1989) has stressed the importance of managerial behavior in contributing to ethical or unethical behavior. According to Nielsen, managers behaving unethically contrary to their ethical philosophies represent a serious limit to ethical reasoning in the firm. Much of the research cited in the above paragraph implicitly and explicitly states that ethical philosophies will have little impact on employe es' ethical behavior unless they are supported by managerial behaviors that are consistent with these philosophies. Managers represent significant others in the organizational lives of employees and as such often have their behavior modeled by employees. One of the most basic of management principles states that if a certain behavior is desired, it should be reinforced. No doubt, how ethical behavior is perceived by individuals and reinforced by an organization determines the kind of ethical behavior exhibited by employees. As a result, if business leaders want to promote ethical behavior they must accept more responsibility for establishing their organization's reinforcement system. Research in ethical behavior strongly supports the conclusion that if ethical behavior is desired, the performance measurement, appraisal and reward systems must be modified to account for ethical behavior (Hegarty and Sims, 1978, 1979; Trevino, 1986; Worrell et al. , 1985). According to Nielsen (1988, p. 730): In many cases, mangers choose to do, go along with or ignore the unethical†¦ because they want to avoid the possibility of punishments (or) to gain rewards. Ethical Culture: Organizations and their managers must understand that the above recommendations are key components in the development and maintenance of an ethically-oriented organizational culture. Organizations can also enhance an ethically-oriented culture by paying particular attention to principled organizational dissent. Principled organizational dissent is an important concept linking organizational culture to ethical behavior. Principled organizational dissent is the effort by individuals in the organization to protest the status quo because of their objection on ethical grounds, to some practice or policy (Graham, 1986). Organizations committed to promoting an ethical climate should encourage principled organizational dissent instead of punishing such behavior. Organizations should also provide more ethics training to strengthen their employees' personal ethical framework. That is, organizations must devote more resources to ethics training programs to help its members clarify their ethical frameworks and practice self-discipline when making ethical decisions in difficult circumstances. What follows is a useful seven-step checklist that organizations should use to help their employees in dealing with an ethical dilemma (Schermerhorn, 1989; Otten, 1986): Helping employees in dealing with Ethical Dilemma: (1) Recognize and clarify the dilemma. (2) Get all the possible facts. (3) List your options–all of them. (4) Test each option by asking: â€Å"Is it legal? Is it right? Is it beneficial? † (5) Make your decision. (6) Double check your decision by asking: â€Å"How would I feel if my family found out about this? How would I feel if my decision was printed in the local newspaper? † (7) Take action. An effective organizational culture should encourage ethical behavior and discourage unethical behavior. Admittedly, ethical behavior may â€Å"cost† the organization. An example might be the loss of sales when a multinational firm refuses to pay a bribe to secure business in a particular country. Certainly, individuals might be reinforced for behaving unethically (particularly if they do not get caught). In a similar fashion, an organization might seem to gain from unethical actions. For example, a purchasing agent for a large corporation might be bribed to purchase all needed office supplies from a particular supplier. However, such gains are often short-term rather than long-term in nature. In the long run, an organization cannot operate if its prevailing culture and values are not congruent with those of society. This is just as true as the observation that, in the long run, an organization cannot survive unless it produces goods and services that society wants and needs. Thus an organizational culture that promotes ethical behavior is not only more compatible with prevailing cultural values, but, in fact, makes good sense. Although much remains to be learned about why ethical behavior occurs in organizations and creating and maintaining organizational cultures that encourage ethical behavior, organizations can benefit from the following suggestions: Maintaining organizational cultures that encourage ethical behavior: ** Be realistic in setting values and goals regarding employment relationships. Do not promise what the organization cannot deliver. ** Encourage input throughout the organization regarding appropriate values and practices for implementing the cultures. Choose values that represent the views of employees at all levels of the organization. * Do not automatically opt for a â€Å"strong† culture. Explore methods to provide for diversity and dissent, such as grievance or complaint mechanisms or other internal review procedures. ** Insure that a whistle-blowing and/or ethical concerns procedure is established for internal problem-solving (Harrington, 1991). ** Provide ethics training pro grams for all employees. These programs should explain the underlying ethical and legal (Drake and Drake, 1988) principles and present practical aspects of carrying our procedural guidelines. Understand that not all ethical situations are clear-cut. Like many basic business situations, the organization should recognize that there are ambiguous, grey areas where ethical tradeoffs may be necessary. More importantly, some situations have no simple solution (Cooke, 1991). ** Integrate ethical decision-making into the performance appraisal process. Responsibilities of Employers in accordance with managing the behaviour of Employees: †¢treat all employees equally; †¢give consideration to the employee's general work record including their length of service, position and whether there are any special circumstances; †¢ensure incidents are dealt with without undue delay; ensure the proceedings (including any statements from witnesses and records) be kept confidential; †¢specify what disciplinary sanctions the company may take; †¢state who has authority within the company to take each level of disciplinary action; †¢ensure employees are informed of the allegations against them as well as any relevant documenta tion before the date of any hearing; †¢ensure that employees have the right to state their case before any decision is reached; †¢allow employees to be accompanied either by a colleague or if appropriate, a trade union official; †¢ensure that the sanctions are proportionate to the misconduct; †¢ensure that allegations will be carefully investigated; †¢ensure employees are given an explanation of any sanction; and †¢Specify that there is a right to appeal as well as how and when this must be taken. Finally†¦To conclude†¦ Ethical behavior among the employees can be inculcated by adopting the following principles of ethical climate. oMake the expectations clear oTreat the people employed as if they are adults, which they are. oSpend time meeting with staff members regularly oSevere discipline procedures may back fire. oMake all policies and procedures available to all employees. oEncourage open communication between you and the people who report to you. Human beings prefer to follow their own doctrines- therefore management should be aware that difficulties may crop up and should formulate friendly implementation of policies. â€Å" No man is fit to command another that cannot command himself† – William Penn References: 1. http://www. ethicsworld. org/ethicsandemployees/nbes. php 2. http://www. michaelpage. co. uk/content. html? pageId=15676 3. Managing misconduct By Rob Eldridge of Berwin Leighton Paisner 4. http://www. employeeterminationguidebook. com/ 5. http://www. lbwlawyers. com/publications/employeemisconduct. php 6. http://www. slideshare. net/meetsantanudas/managing-employee-discipline 7. http://www. fsa. usda. gov/FSA/hrdapp? area=home=mgrs=dem 8. http://www. employeemisconduct. com/ 9. Edward J. Tully December 1997 Misconduct, Corruption, Abuse of Power– What Can the Chief Do? 10. http://www. streetdirectory. com/travel_guide/20341/corporate_matters/how_employee_misconduct_affects_all_worker_productivity. html 11. Belt Tightening Tactics Linked to Increases in Employee Misconduct April 27, 2010 by Amy Coates Madsen 12. http://standardsforexcellenceinstitute. wordpress. com/page/2/ 13. W. Edward Stead, Dan L. Worrell and Jean Garner Stead An integrative model for understanding and managing ethical behavior in business organizations Journal of Business Ethics Volume 9, Number 3, 233-242 14. Ethical behavior starts at the top By Amy Schurr, Network World April 24, 2007 12:05 AM ET

Leaders Who Changed Society Essay

All around the world, leaders and philosophers have changed nations and regions with their ideas and beliefs. Two of these people were John Locke and Mohandas Gandhi. John Locke believed the every person had natural rights, which were the right to life, liberty, and property and these rights could never be taken away. Mohandas Gandhi believed that violence was no the answer to problems, but peaceful protesting was, and so he was able to bring independence to India. Heir beliefs have changed societies for the better. John Locke was born on August 29, 1632 in Wrington, Somerset, England. He was an English philosopher who unlike other philosophers had a more positive view of human nature. He believed that all humans have the potential to do good in society. One belief that Locke had that has shaped society was his belief of natural rights. He believed that all humans are born free and equal, with three natural rights, the right to live, liberty, and the right to own property. This belief has shaped the governments everywhere. Societies with a democracy follow these laws and they are given to every individual and it can’t be taken way. Places like the United States follows natural rights and it is given to everyone. Another person whose ideas changed society was Mohandas Gandhi. He was born on October 2, 1869. He was a political and spiritual leader during the movement for India’s independence. He believed in non-violence and believed that every person was equal, regardless of race, ethnicity, or background and they should all be treated the same way. Before coming to India to protest against British rule, he was a lawyer in South Africa. When he returned to India in 1914, he protested British rule. Gandhi didn’t use brute force, but peaceful protests against the British. He got arrested many times for this. One of his most famous acts of defiance was the Salt March on March 12, 1930. Gandhi and the oppressed stopped buying British goods. One of these goods was salt. What they did was go to the ocean and get their own salt to defy the British. The British violently reacted and attacked them. This caused outrage all over the world and British goods were neglected by everyone. This forced the British to give India their independence. These two people have changed societies with their beliefs. John Locke’s belief of natural rights shaped governments. Mohandas Gandhi’s belief of non-violence led to the independence of India. They both helped change society for the better.

A Discussion on Iron Deficiency

A Discussion on Iron Deficiency To be honest, I’m quite shocked that despite the very fact that iron deficiency is seen thus oftentimes, amazingly few individuals grasp pretty much concerning it. First of all, whats iron deficiency? because the name would counsel, it means the body doesn’t have enough of the mineral, iron, to try and do it’s job properly. Generally, the primary proof of this is often an occasional haemoglobin level, which suggests that the body doesnt have as several red blood cells because it is meant to own, or the quantity of haemoglobin in them is low. Not enough red blood cells or haemoglobin is termed anemia. Since there area unit variety of causes of anemia, tests area unit then run to rule out the a lot of frequent ones, and if they are available back with an occasional protein level (a check of body iron stores), we all know that theres a deficiency of iron, and that we decision the condition iron-deficiency anemia. Why is that this important? the work of your red blood cells is to move O from the lungsto each single cell within the body. thus if there’s not enough haemoglobin, then basically we’re depriving our bodies of O. O is important for life; its wont to convert fuel (food) into the energy required for each perform within the entire body. thus low haemoglobin = low O = suboptimal activity in each cell. Is it any marvel that symptoms of iron deficiency embrace fatigue, weakness, dizziness, issue concentrating, and a bunch of alternative potential problems? And what causes iron deficiency? Since iron is thus crucial for all times, the body doesn’t surrender th e mineral simply. the first reason for a deficiency is blood loss: menstruum, blood donation, injury, and gi hurt, which can occur with regular salicylate use or ulcers or for variety of alternative reasons. accumulated blood volume will increase desires for iron: pregnant ladies, athletes, and youngsters and teenagers having a growth spurt all have bigger blood volume and consequently have higher desires for iron. Another reason for iron deficiency is reduced absorption. There area unit some conditions which can cause reduced absorption, like Crohn’s or celiac disease; enteric surgery like viscus bypass; or taking medications that scale back abdomen acid, that is required for iron absorption. Another one, which can in all probability surprise, is high consumption of tea. Not coffee, just tea. All teas, black or flavoring, with the exception of Aspalathus linearis and Honeybush, contain tannins, and tannins interfere with iron absorption. As funny aside, throughout the time after I was learning bioscience in Washington, DC, my father was diagnosed with a iron deficiency anemia; he was shuttled around between doctors and blood specialists to undertake and puzzle out the reason for the deficiency to no avail. after I later detected of the case, the primary issue that popped into my mouth was â€Å"dad! You drink such a lot tea, after all you’re iron deficient.† He would simpl y drink 8-10 tiny (6oz) cups of tea throughout the day frequently. afterward day, he created a degree of not drinking tea for a time unit before or associate hour once his meals, and has not been anemic since. Finally, what does one do if you have got associate iron deficiency? you would like to dine in such some way that initial, youre overwhelming a lot of foods with iron, and second, that you just area unit increasing it’s absorption. Iron from animal sources is absorbed higher than iron from feeder sources. a number of the simplest animal sources embrace clams, liver, oysters, lean beef and turkey (dark meat). Of feeder sources, the simplest embrace soy merchandise (tofu, soybeans), white beans, lentils, fortified breakfast cereals, and roast pumpkin and Sesamum indicum seeds. To enhance absorption from feeder sources, its best to incorporate a supply of antioxidant within the same meal, as this victuals converts the iron to an improved. Examples embrace citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, bell peppers, kiwi, and lots of others. Another tip to urge a lot of iron in is to cook in forged iron kitchen utensil. particularly once you’re preparation one thing acidic (like p asta sauce), iron is leeched out of the pan into the food. Instant iron-fortified food! So iron is clearly necessary, however that actually doesn’t mean that everybody ought to begin supplementing his or her diets with iron. As i discussed before, the body doesn’t wish to get eliminate iron, thus if you’re not in an exceedingly deficiency state, taking associate iron supplement will simply cause iron-storage disease and toxicity. So, if you’re taking a multivitamin pill, it’s in all probability an honest plan to require one that doesn’t embrace any extra iron unless you recognize you would like it.

China's economic discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

China's economic discussion - Assignment Example It has taken many decades for Chinese companies to compete on a national and global stage, but an increasingly educated workforce has helped to contribute to this. Before, the working Chinese population was not highly educated and thus could not perform technology intensive jobs. Another thing that MNCs will have to watch out for is labor shortages. Because of China’s one-child policy in the 1970’s and 80’s, there will be fewer young workers available for jobs in the future. In addition to this, labor costs will rise as the standard of living increases in China. As Chinese workers are becoming more skilled, they will demand pay that appropriately matches their skills. Finally, MNCs will need to change their focus to countryside Chinese cities, which are expected to experience huge growth in the not too distant future. Many MNCs are based in major cities in the eastern part of China, but this area has already experienced major

Are the virtues of justice, prudence, and beneficences suffient for a Essay

Are the virtues of justice, prudence, and beneficences suffient for a good life - Essay Example Secondly, it leads people to become biased to the attitudes and interests of the society rather than helping them to act impartially with all human beings. Lastly, the view of Adam Smith is unclearly justified. This essay will analyse Adam Smith’s views about living a good life and its criticisms. First, the essay examines Adam Smith’s view on the issue and its strengths and weaknesses. The essay will also highlight the criticisms of Smith’s view and their strengths and weaknesses. Lastly, it will provide my position about the issue. In this essay I will conclude that the virtues of justice, prudence, and beneficences are very essential; but they are not sufficient for a good life. Other considerations that need to be observed include rationality, human development and scientific approach of solving problems. These additional factors work with the moral virtues suggested by Adam Smith to enable the society achieve good life while meeting the interests of human beings without bias. Being happy is enhanced by living morally and having enough resources to support individuals and societies to solve their problems and resources. Therefore, human development in terms of soci al, economic and political advancement supports human life and enables people to live morally and happily. In the book The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith attempts to explain the source of morality, and why people exhibit virtues and decency even if they may conflict with their self-interest (Roberts, 2014). In the opening sentence of the book, Smith argues that even though human beings may be selfish, they still care about the happiness of other people (Roberts, 2014). Although one may not benefit from the happiness of others, they are usually pleased to see that they are happy. Smith argues that a human being should be totally virtuous in order for the economic system to function in such a way that it can maximize wealth. As a philosopher, Smith argues that there

The Masterpiece in Public Enemys Hip Hop Track Essay

The Masterpiece in Public Enemys Hip Hop Track - Essay Example The essay "The Masterpiece in Public Enemy’s Hip Hop Track" discusses the Public Enemy’s Hip Hop Track â€Å"Fight the Power†, one of the greatest musical works in history. The track features a hard, intense sound – one that is clearly different from the other hip-hop songs produced earlier. Produced in June 1989 as a single, at the request of Spike Lee, the track was to be used as the theme song to the movie ‘Do The Right Thing’. The movie focused on the racial tension that was then being experienced in Brooklyn, New York and in the rest of the United States of America. Contrary to what the title of the song literally suggests, â€Å"Fight the Power† was not about fighting the authorities that reigned at the time but rather it had all to do with fighting the abuse of powers by them. The abuse of power by white authorities led to oppression and violation of human rights. This song came at a very significant point in the history of the black people in America. Because after the Civil War of the 1960s that were believed to have ended racism, the song revealed the situation on the ground. It was believed that racism did not exist in the 1980s - a notion that is very far from the truth as racism had only taken another form. During the 80s, racism hurt mor e because most of the black people knew their rights and still experienced its harsh effects. According to the song, being black made one an enemy of the public. If a crime was committed in the U.S. during the 80s, the first suspects were the African Americans. Accusations against people were simply based on their race. The blacks were effectively considered to be guilty until proven innocent in spite of the fact that the law stated that one is innocent until proven guilty. The song urged people to talk against racism and make use of their right to freedom of speech (Lyrics Depot par. 1). The song noted that it was time to do the right thing; talk against all forms of racism. The right to freedom of speech for the black community had long been a foreign concept. The song urged the blacks to fight for their constitutional right to be respected unto death. The lyrics of the song state that â€Å"Our freedom of speech is freedom or death† (Lyrics Depot par. 1). The song also vie wed everybody as equal regardless of race, age and neighbourhood. The song â€Å"Fight the Power† addresses the issue of Blacks’ history. For a long time, it had been assumed in the U.S. that Blacks did not have a history, this in spite of the fact that they had been in existence for a long time. The heroes that were being recognized in one way or another and their pictures featuring on the stamps are the very ones that the Blacks could not relate with. In the song, one example of such heroes is Elvis who was considered to be the king of rock and roll (Lyrics

Service firm Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Service firm Management - Essay Example One, because professional services in business have increasingly become very important. Additionally, businesses require professional service firms in their efforts to attract and retain employees, motivate them, and give the knowledge they require (Rose & Robinson). The main concern of this article is to show how leading professional service firms are managed to overcome their challenges and still emerge profitable. Rose and Robinson affirm that by performing the best does not mean they do not have challenges; it only portrays how they effectively manage their challenges. He tries to list some of the key challenges faced by these firms such as staff satisfaction, client service balancing and partner profitability. Moreover they need to provide insights on things like leverage (partners’ ratio to fee-earners) and analyzing how busy the fee earners are (Rose & Robinson). This article emphasizes the importance of creating a favorable environment for both employees and clients in a company. According to Rose, personal engagement is the most appropriate way to lead a professional service firm. As a manager, one needs to be fully engaged in the company in order to realize good results. In a service company like this, its performance is not evaluated by the amount of products produced but rather the quality of services that it offers. As a manager of a service industry, one is required to be in constant assessment of the customers and employees needs (Rose & Robinson). The manager should device ways of getting feedback from the customers on the services offered. In addition, the manager should also be in close contact with the employees; asking them what they feel about the firm and be ready to incorporate their views to the running of the company. Another factor of good management is staff motivation. Rose & Robinson first highlight the main importance of recruiting competent individuals to the firm and then explain how creating a good environment for them

Organizational Change Plan- Part III Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organizational Change Plan- Part III - Essay Example Introduction Electronic Medical records (EMR) enable health institutions to manage medical and clinical data more efficiently, thus, improving the patient care (Laing, 2002, p. 41). Some of the benefits of implementation of EMR in health organizations include the easy access and retrieval of patient information, reduction in medical errors and improvement of the patient care delivery processes (Hakes & Wittington, 2005, p. 235). Some of the determinants of effectiveness of the implementation of the EMR include the quality of patient care delivered, the reduction in the operating costs in the organization related to patient information storage and retrieval, and the level of patient satisfaction with the health care (Laing, 2002, p. 43). The commitment and user-friendliness of the EMR to important stakeholders like the clinical staff and patients will also be utilized to access the effectiveness of the implementation of the change (Laing, 2002, p. 44). Another metric that will be util ized to access the effectiveness of the change is the degree of patient privacy and confidentiality protection. EMR will assist the clinical staff to access huge volumes of patient information in real time such as the laboratory tests, prior drug prescription and medical diagnosis. The quality, cost and satisfaction outcomes of the EMR change will have to be measured in order to ascertain the effectiveness of the organizational change. Some methods of measuring the costs of EMR include the systems maintenance costs, procurement costs and clinical staff training costs. The quality of the change can be measured through observation of the reduction in medical errors will be patient satisfaction outcomes will be measures through patient surveys and increase in patient numbers in the health organization (Laing, 2002, p. 43). Effectiveness of EMR Organizational Change Electronic medical records implementation will lead to improvement in patient care. The change will also lead to improveme nt in the patient satisfaction and reduction in costs of managing patient information. EMR will enable the clinical staff the access large amount of patient information from a central database, thus, improving the workflow efficiency in the health organization. The effectiveness of the EMR implementation will also be determined by the improved reputation of the health organization in the community and increase in the patient numbers. The effectiveness of the change will be also be determined by the improvement in patient safety and reduction in medical errors such as wrong diagnosis or unnecessary drug prescription to the patients (Hakes & Wittington, 2004, p. 237). The effectiveness of the change will also be determined by the reduction in billing errors and cost savings in clinical processes. Another determinant of the change is the degree of change acceptability by the workers which will be determined by the morale of clinical staff and ability to use the EMR in their work activi ties. The improvement in communication among the various departments in the health organization such as the laboratory, pharmacy and cardiology department will also determine the effectiveness of EMR implementation. Another determinant of the effectiveness will include the coordination of the patient care process from

Visual Arts Analysis of Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints Essay

Visual Arts Analysis of Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints - Essay Example The contour and definitiveness of the black veil which highly contrasts the mild flesh suit of her child indicates how the Madonna, in the simplicity of her aura and strength in character as a mother, manages to secure the innocent even to beyond a physical warm keeping. The delicate treatment given to the shapes, especially of the painting’s chief concerns and the shades cast about the throne seemingly manifest gradual departure from the Byzantine standards so as to entertain a style which takes to greater consideration keen details of human sentiment. This naturalist approach may be observed to have been pioneered by Giotto Di Bondone in the way he worked with colors and symbolic arrangement of figures in space which chiefly acquired a linear perspective to serve his purpose of radiating inner human experience. Such modifications in the convention of Western art can be attributed to the essence of marking a transition from the grieving centuries of the Middle Ages to the muc h sought-after tranquility in the time of Renaissance by which intellectual restoration in arts, sciences, and humanities flourished. Since this period entailed new hopes for the European nations waiting for enlightenment to be ushered back in full measure, Giotto took the opportunity of getting critical attention in his involvement with artistic reformation which may be perceived in most of his murals and frescoes (â€Å"Giotto-The Inventor and Innovator†). The undertones of past suffering during the Dark Ages through the chosen mood of shades and the artist’s strokes of varying sharpness or lightness signify Giotto’s innovative contribution in allowing discernment of certain relevant human emotions flow out of the general impression the enthroned structure makes. It particularly responds to the summon of Renaissance for people to obtain back their religious faith and reverence toward the church and its superior role of resolving medieval lack of spiritual vita lity as one further understands the painter’s idea of substantial expansion when Giotto seated the Madonna and child on the throne for which he provided a generous portion of space which likely represents the continuous sensibility of religion and the adherence to the struggling progress of Christianity. The ‘rebirth of learning’ during the Renaissance period had truly shed light of regaining profound interests in several disciplines, especially in the fields of fine arts and architecture where the beauty of intellect flourished back to heights after the Dark Ages among the European nations. As the increasing pursuit for artistic excellence vividly reflects in the exquisite creations of genius artists like Giotto, others were equivalently inspired to develop art forms based on their revolutionary capacity. The ability to achieve prominence and the desired stimulus in the simplicity of style or in less intricate patterns may have influenced the 15th century contem poraries of Giotto Di Bondone to acquire similar interest of attaining to flexibility of form. As such, the three-dimensional persuasion of Leonardo Da Vinci in ‘The Virgin of the Rocks’, c. 1491-1508, made central the well-lighted faces to locate emphasis upon a sublime moment of holiness and humility in the manner

The Internet and the Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Internet and the Law - Essay Example If we look at the traditional model, those are more focused on the producer and distributor of the content. However, in the regulation the law has been amended in such a way that it holds the end user also accountable for any illegal content. The main aim of this article is to bring out the clear picture and the reason for which the regulation of the pornography has been made. This article is written in order to analyze the basis of the regulation of pornography. Though with the regulation the end users are also liable to possess illegal content or pornography, the legal regulation of the extreme pornography still lies with the producer and distributor of the content. In today's world of information technology and internet pornography has reached every nook and corner of the world. Every person is in the easy access of the pornography - whether it is online or offline. If we look at pornography from a different perspective, one question that comes to our mind is if it harmful or not. In some countries pornography is illegal. However, in some countries, possession of the same is not illegal but the distribution or publication is.2 In some countries possession is also illegal for certain types of pornography - like child pornography. In today's world there are various channels through which the pornographic contents are being circulated. The traditional delivery channels are print materials, DVDs, videos, CDs, TV. In the modern times internet, mobile phones, PDAs are also being included as the channel for the transmission. Censorship in the United Kingdom If we look at the censorship in the United Kingdom, there are many stringent laws that are applicable to varied arena. Since our core topic is related to the laws and regulations in the cyber or internet laws, let us straight away head towards the topic. The cyber law in the United Kingdom is very stringent. In the United Kingdom, the internet traffic is being passed through a service called Cleanfeed. The sole purpose of this procedure is to filter out the content that contains the indecent photographs of children of varied ages.3 Since there is a filter or check point being introduced, if there are any such pages that come up in the internet, the page is not delivered to the end user. Instead of that it shows an error stating "URL not found". There are many internet service providers who use WebMinder as well.4 There are few questions that we need to have clarify. Under the English Law, what is called as obscenity? This one question is very important to know. Along with that, to what extent can the obscene be distinguished from the pornographic? Look at the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, s62. How does this UK statutory provision compare with the relevant provision elsewhere internationally? Does extreme pornography regulation merit a different treatment in comparison to child pornography? What alternatives might there be for the regulation of undesirable online content? Could such altern atives provide a better solution to legal intervention? A Multi-Layered Approach Before we talk about the multi-layer approach of governance of pornography and child pornography, we need to know the processes by which pornography and child pornography can be regulated. The regulation of pornography is a controversial topic and the same is arisen in the recent years in relation with the Internet. In the recent days, the

Lab - Risk Essay Example for Free

Lab Risk Essay Name and Number: CIS 333 LAB#6 Instructor Name: Professor West Lab Due Date: 19 May 2013 1. What is the difference between a risk analysis (RA) and a business impact analysis (BIA)? Risk analysis is often identifying the potential threats and the associated vulnerabilities to the organizations . Risk analysis doesn’t view the organization from the mission critical Business Process point of view. More over BIA perceives the organization from the impact that is going to occur for an organization if the critical business processes are interrupted or tampered What is the difference between a Disaster Recovery Plan and a Business Continuity Plan? Disaster recovery is the older of the 2 functions. DR planning is an essential part of business planning that – too often – gets neglected. Part of this has to do with the fact that making a Disaster Recovery plan requires a lot of time and attention from busy managers and executives from every functional department within the company. Business continuity is a newer term which was first popularized as a response to the Y2K bug. In order to stop your company from bleeding money in these situations, you need a plan that will allow the organization to continue generating revenue and providing services – although possibly with lower quality – on a temporary basis until the company has regained its bearings. 3. Typically, a business continuity plan is also a compilation or collection of other plans. What other plans might a BCP and all supporting documents include? Technical backup Plan: How can you recover smoothly from technical glitches. Communications Plan: What communication will facilitate this recovery. Why is it important to have detailed backup and recovery steps within your disaster recovery plan (DRP)? 5. What is the purpose of a risk analysis? What is the purpose of a business impact analysis? Why are these an important first step in defining a BCP and DRP? The purpose of a Business Impact and Risk Assessment is to determine the approximate business value of IT assets, to assess the impact the loss of those assets would have on business units, and to assign recovery priorities to the assets. 6. How does risk analysis (RA) relate to a business impact analysis for an organization? The purpose of a Business Impact and Risk Assessment is to determine the approximate business value of IT assets, to assess the impact the loss of those assets would have on business units, and to assign recovery priorities to the assets. 7. Given the list of identified mission critical business functions and processed, what kind of company would you say this organization is, and what do you think are its most important business processes and functions? It Company; Risk Analysis Disaster Recovery Plan to get the business up and running on the web 8. Given the prioritization list provided for the organizations identified business functions and processes, write an assessment of how this prioritization will impact the need for IT systems, applications, and data access? Recovery strategies should be developed for Information technology (IT) systems, applications and data. This includes networks, servers, desktops, laptops, wireless devices, data and connectivity. Priorities for IT recovery should be consistent with the priorities for recovery of business functions and processes that were developed during the business impact analysis. IT resources required to support time-sensitive business functions and processes should also be identified. The recovery time for an IT resource should match the recovery time objective for the business function or process that depends on the IT resource. Information technology systems require hardware, software, data and connectivity. Without one component of the â€Å"system,† the system may not run. Therefore, recovery strategies should be developed to anticipate the loss of one or more of the following system components: * Computer room environment (secure computer room with climate control, conditioned and backup power supply, etc.) * Hardware (networks, servers, desktop and laptop computers, wireless devices and peripherals) * Connectivity to a service provider (fiber, cable, wireless, etc. ) * Software applications (electronic data interchange, electronic mail, enterprise resource management, office productivity, etc. ) * Data and restoration Some business applications cannot tolerate any downtime. They utilize dual data centers capable of handling all data processing needs, which run in parallel with data mirrored or synchronized between the two centers. This is a very expensive solution that only larger companies can afford. However, there are other solutions available for small to medium sized businesses with critical business applications and data to protect. 9. For the top identified business functions and processes, what recovery time objective (RTO) would you recommend for this organization and why? The RTO must match or be shorter than the MTD 10. Why is payroll for employees and Human Resources listed as a co-number 1 business priority? It is listed as a number one because it is highly what runs the office and something very important for these to parts to be correct.

Role Of The Nurse In Safe Administration Of Oral Medication Nursing Essay

Role Of The Nurse In Safe Administration Of Oral Medication Nursing Essay Administration of medicines to adults who are physically ill or injured is part of the adult nurses responsibility to provide holistic care and promote health (Veitch Christie 2007). Medicines are manufactured in several forms and can be administered by different routes. According to the form of the medications there are different requirements and equipment for their administration and storage (Burton and Donaldson 2007). This essay will focus on the administration of oral medicines, the standards and the legal requirements for their safe administration. The essay will also look at areas where problems are most likely to arise and will describe the measures which nurses can take to ensure patients safety when administering oral medicines. The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) defines patient safety as a process which involves identification, analysis and management of risks and incidents, including medication errors so potential or actual harm to patients can be prevented or minimised. Medication errors have a significant impact on patients, their families and health professionals involved. They can compromise patients safety and result in actual harm to patients. A total of 72,482 medication errors of which 14,111 caused harm of various extents to patients and 37 resulted in death were reported to the NPSA (2009) in one year. The same report showed that nearly half of the incidents were concerned with administration of medicines. Another report by the Department of Health (2004) estimated the cost of medication errors in NHS hospitals between  £200-400 million per year. Therefore it is vital that nurses adopt safe, methodical and skilled approach to administration of medicines. LEGAL The management of all medicines in the United Kingdom is governed by several legislations, the Standards for Medicine Management (2008) and the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics issued by the NMC (2008). The Standards outline the nurses responsibilities in relation to the current UK legislations. Burton Donaldson (2007) summarise these legislations in the latest edition of the Foundations for Nursing Practice. The Medicines Act (1968) regulates the requirements by which medicines are manufactured, prescribed and administered. The Medicines Act (1968) also classifies medicines into four categories which are Prescription only medicines (POMs), Pharmacy only medicines (Ps), General sales medicines (GSLs) and Control drugs (CDs).The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations (1985) provide the legal framework for the management of the controlled drugs and differentiate medicines according to the level of harm they may cause. The Mental Capacity Act (2005) provides the foundations for care delivery including medicine administration to people who lack the ability to make informed decisions. For Scotland these foundations are contained within The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act (2003) and The Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act (2000). These regulations are in place to assist and guide nurses and are fundamental in protecting patient safety. Anex1 of the Standards for Medicine Management (NMC 2008) specifies the nurses responsibility to comply with these regulations. However the administration of medication is not solely a mechanistic task to be performed and requires more than just following written instructions (NMC 2004). In respect to oral medicines and their administration the nurse should take a person centred approach and assess and assist each patient individually according to patients general condition. Kelly and Wright (2009) draw attention on the high number of medication administration errors in patients with swallowing difficulties, where physiological abnormalities can lead to difficulties in swallowing of liquids or tablets. Griffith (2005) suggests that alternative form of medicines should be considered if patients have difficulties swallowing tablets. The nurses responsibility in this respect is to perform the initial and ongoing assessment of patients condition to establish the suitability of certain type of oral medicine and the ability of the patient to take this medicine (NMC 2008). Physical or mental health conditions could also have an impact on the medication compliance by patients leading to crushing, mixing or disguising medicines in food or drink (Kelly Wright 2009). The Department of Health (2010) and The National Prescribing Centre (2010) outline the parameters and principles for safe mixing of medicines and the nurses role in this relation. Following these principles when nurses consider mixing of medicines they should always act in line with local policies, consult a pharmacist and obtain written instructions and also obtain consent from patients. Crushing and mixing of medicines without a careful assessment and justification could present safety risks for patients and nurses (Paparella 2010) because of their chemical formulations. Examples of these are the enteric coated tablets, slow released formulations and products containing carcinogenic substances. Crushing or splitting of these medicines may lead to undesirable effects for example unintended rapid absorption. Griffith (2005) points out the legal consequences of crushing tablets. If crushing of oral formulation results in harm for the patient the nurse responsible will be liable for negligence. Paparella (2010) suggests simple steps such as careful consideration whether a tablet is safe to crush and consultations with pharmacist could significantly minimise the risk for patients and nurses. It is also essential that nurses have a sufficient level of knowledge of how medicines interact with the human body in order to be able to observe if they achieve the desired therape utic effect and to avoid any adverse reactions (NMC 2008). Covert administration of medicines represents not only safety risks to patients but also has legal and ethical aspects which nurses have to consider before making a decision for such action (Griffith 2007). Although most of the nurses do not prescribe medicines it has been found that the administration of a wrong dose of medicine causes the largest number of deaths and serious harm to patients, followed by the administration of wrong medicine and omitted or delayed medicine (NPSA 2009). Subsequently, administering wrong dose of medicines has been linked to poor mathematical skills (Pentin Smith 2010). The nurses responsibility in connection with administering correct doses of oral medicines is outlined in the Standards for medicine administration (NMC 2008) which states the nurses must be aware of the patients care plan, check prescription and dosage before administering medicines. Administering of a wrong oral medicine is often associated with similar medicine or patient names, packaging, labelling or poor storage systems (NPSA 2009). This is particularly common issue in nursing and care homes where no wrist bands for identification are used (Pountney 2010). CONCLUSION Safe administration of medicines requires a methodical approach that follows local policies (Burton,C Donaldson,J 2007).

Lake Conservation And Urban Water Management Environmental Sciences Essay

Lake Conservation And Urban Water Management Environmental Sciences Essay Water is one of the most important substances on the earth. Water generates the hydrosphere, circulates in the atmosphere, and infiltrates deep into the ground and moves through the lithosphere and sustains the biosphere. Fresh water source like lake is a renewable resource following the hydrological cycle, it is not evenly distributed on the earths surface. Lakes are large water bodies, which have an important impact on human emotions such as security, happiness and creative aspects of behavior. These are not mere decorative bodies but are biological and psychological necessities. Environmentally lakes are one of the important ecosystems. They play a significant role in recharge and maintenance of ground water table. They have a great recreational potential in the form of water sports, boating etc. in todays fast and stressful life style. In case of emergency, they can serve as source of water for fire fighting etc. They can also be used for Aquaculture as a source of income. They a dd to the beauty of the city promoting tourism. The lakes and reservoirs, all over the country are facing degradation. The degradation is due to encroachments and eutrophication (from domestic and industrial effluents) and silt accumulation. There has been a considerable increase in urban population especially after industrial revolution. The human settlements have taken place in and around the ponds and lakes to mitigate their demands, resulting in contaminating the water sources. The need of Conservation and Management of Lakes is therefore rightly understood by the world community and the issues relating Conservation of lakes are on the anvil. In Lentic or lake ecosystems, the aging process is just the reverse of lotic or river systems. Where as streams tend to get wider and deeper as they age, lakes tend to get shallower and the banks extend into what was originally open water. Natural filling is generally due to wind blown materials (soil, leaves, etc.) entering the system, sediment input by terrestrial run off, aquatic plant and animal debris and eutrophication. Eutrophic lakes When the balance is upset between photosynthesis and decomposition due to enrichment of water by inorganic plant nutrients, either too much organic material accumulates without getting decomposed adequately or too many bacteria are present and an overabundance of decomposition occurs, the lake is classed as Eutrophic. They are considered to be middle aged systems. They are relatively shallow in comparison to Oligotrophic lakes. They have a silty or mud bottom and have sufficient nutrients to support a large population of animals. The accelerated or cultural eutrophication of several waterbodies is caused by human activity. Large quantities of mineral nutrients and organic matter are added to the waterbodies in the form of sewage effluents, organic wastes, agricultural run-offs, excreta and The Process of Eutrophication fertilizers sewage (liquid domestic Industrial waste) minerals esp. nitrates minerals esp. nitrates eutrophication algal bloom competition for light consumers canà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t consume fast enough dead plants dead algae detritus more decomposers use up oxygen by aerobic respiration (increased BOD) aerobes die invertebrates, fish etc. anaerobic bacteria thrive, release NH4,CH4,H2S exudates of animals and humans etc. These provide plenty of phosphates, nitrates (mostly of fertilizers applied to agricultural lands, domestic sewage etc.) which lead to exuberant growth of algae and other water plants. A rich microbial and animal population also develops. The process of natural Eutrophication which is generally very slow , thus gets accelerated. Silt and organic debris accumulates at the bottom and the system turns into a shallow muddy pond, then to a marsh and finally into a dry land. Thus a waterbody which could have been useful as a reservoir of fresh water and could have helped the growth of fish etc. for hundreds of years becomes totally useless within a span of few years only. Sources of Lake Pollution: The sources of Pollution can be classified as fixed point sources and Non-point Sources EFFECTS OF EUTROPICATION Undesirable effects of Eutrophication Algal blooms: The decaying algae, fish, planktons and other organisms cause foul smell. On depletion of oxygen level and on exhausting nitrate oxygen, sulphates are reduced as a last resort to yield hydrogen sulphide which results in bad smell and putrefied taste of water. The lakes become aesthetically unpleasant. Plant growth and silt hinder recreation activities. Rate of sedimentation increases, which shortens the life span of lakes. Mosquito nuisance increases causing health hazards to nearby residents. Steps to Control Eutrophication Preventive Measures Effective waster water treatment and removal of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous before discharging the sewerage into waterbodies. Controlling the recycling of nutrients through harvest. Effective disposal of organic matter as sludge. Developing phosphate-free detergents for domestic use. Adopting effective Physico-chemical methods for removal of dissolved nutrients such as nitrogen phosphorous compounds. Overcoming the temptation of over-fertilization. Remedial Measures for Eutrophication: Controlling eutrophication by applying algaecides such as copper Sulphate, chlorine etc. on susceptible surface waterbodies. Removal of the algal bloom by dredging mechanical means.. Underwater weed cutters mounted on boats can be used to remove rooted aquatic plants. Dredges can be used to remove sediments to prevent recycling of nutrients and also for deepening of the lake. Sealing of Lake Bottom with polythene sheeting to prevent release of nutrients from sediments. Providing aeration artificially to increase the DO levels in the lake water. Diluting and or flushing the lake with water from Oligotrophic source. Using Bio remediation techniques. Arresting of nutrients: Biological removal using the ability of some microorganism to take up phosphorous in excess of their immediate nutritional requirements and store it within the cells in the form of polyphosphates. The sludge thus formed can be removed from the system. Water Quality Network Central Pollution Control Board started national water quality monitoring in 1978 under Global Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS), Water Programme. Monitoring, Programme was started with 24 surface water and 11 groundwater stations. Parallel to. GEMS, a National Programme of Monitoring of Indian National Aquatic Resources (MINARS), was started in 1984, with a total of 113 stations spread over 10 river basins. The present network comprises of 870 stations on rivers, lentic water bodies and subsurface waters are elaborated. The number of locations on mainstream of the major river and their tributaries, medium and minor rivers, lakes, ponds, tanks and other water bodies is given in parenthesis. It is estimated that there is about 45,000 riverine length in India out of which about 6500 km length is having BOD higher than 6 mg/1 and can be branded as polluted, another 8500 km length is moderately polluted having BOD in the range of 3 to 6 Mg/l, and remaining about 30,000 km is relativ ely clean having BOD of 3 or Management of lake Trophic State Index in Conservation of Lake Ecosystems. When faced with challenges of trying to describe and organize what is known about the many varied diverse waterbodies, scientists have developed the Trophic State Index (TSI) Classification. This requires minimum data and is generally easy to understand. In the Index total chlorophyll indicates algal biomass and biological productivity: and water clarity is determined by Secchi disc, which indicates the level to which light can penetrate; and algae can photosynthesize. TSI is the best and easy method. The range of the index between 40-50 is usually associated with mesotrophy (moderate productivity); values greater than 50 are associated with eutrophy (high productivity), values less than 40 are associated with oligotrophy (low productivity). Thus, the Trophic State Index (TSI) can serve an important tool in conservation of Lakes. Assessing the Hydrologic Characteristics of Lake Catchment Using GIS Land use change is a dynamic process and if anthropogenic it has most often adverse effects on ecological hydrological processes. For better understanding the impacts of changing physical characteristics on the hydrologic process, geospatial tools like remote sensing and GIS have been found useful. World Lake Vision The key to sustainable use of our lakes and wetlands lies in finding a balance between the water needs of human beings and the ability of nature to meet same over the long term. The WLV has articulated the basic action plan for sustainable use of lake and wet land resources in the form of seven basic principles. Seven Principles for the sustainable lake management are related with:- Harmony between Nature Man. Drainage Basin. Preventive approach to problem solving. Policy based on sound Science. Conflict Resolution. Stake holderà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s involvement. Good governance. If future water security is to be achieved, there is an urgent need to initiate steps for protection, conservation and sustainable use of precious water resources in general and lakes in particular. Powai Lake A Case Study The Powai Lake of Mumbai Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) is located about 27 Km. away in the North East of Mumbai City. It is an artificial reservoir formed by constructing a masonry dam between two hillocks across the Powai basin in the year 1891. The watershed area of the Powai Lake is 661 hectors. The top level of dam is 58.5 Mtrs. THD (Town Hall Datum), length is about 110 mtrs. and height is varying from 3mtrs.(Min.) to 6.00 Mtrs(Max.).The lake deteriorated due to accelerated growth of residential and commercial premises around the lake and quarrying activities in the catchments area. Also there was no proper control on surrounding. Thus, there was an urgent need to evolve the strategy to improve and maintain the Powai lake surroundings. In the year 1995, under the national Lake Conservation Plan of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) Government of India, the Powai Lake of MCGM was reviewed and identified for revival and improvements. The Powai Lake of Mumbai which was deteriorated due to eutrophication is now recovered using bioremediation and aeration technique. Observations before the start of revival work and after the completion of the same. Sr. Parameter Units Required value for Eco balance Value before the start of Work (March 2002) Values after Completion of the work (April 2003) Top Bottom Top Bottom 1 D.O. mg/L 52 2.87 1.3 6.05 5.45 2 C.O.D. mg/L 10 to 30 57.5 103.9 20.7 28.9 3 Phosphate mg/L 0.01 to 0.035 3.971 5.618 0.0188 0.0178 4 Nitrate/Nitrogen mg/L 0.1 or less 2.063 3.1 0.0727 0.0692 5 pH No. 7 to 8.5 7.73 6.98 7.6 7.88 6 Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen mg/L N.P. 8.91 2.5 2.18 2.02 7 Total Suspended Solids mg/L 10.00 or less 65.00 131.50 8.3 8.2 8 Turbidity in NTU NTU N.P. 103.5 404.3 9.3 7.9 9 Chlorophyll-A mg/m3 8 to 25 28.72 0.022 23.91 7.9

Matilda Essay -- essays research papers

Matilda   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Too smart for her own good, is a legendary saying used for people that are so smart that at the end of their life it can be dangerous for them. In the fantastic story Matilda written by Roald Dahl, the author describes a young girl's life that is affected by lack of love and affection and her being too intelligent for her age and time. It was the beginning of summer in 1993 the climate was starting to get hot and the Wormwood family didn't pay much attention to Matilda and her incredible abilities. The local color and verisimilitude of the setting consists in the typical modern-day English village, lots of houses with gardens full of flowers infront of each house, people walking their dogs in the street, cars passing by, kids laughing, happy people all over the place, Matilda's friends running around following their lost red ball. Matilda Wormwood, a remarkably bright little girl, had taught herself to read at the age of three; by the age of four she had pored a dozens of times over the only book to be found at her parents house, Easy Cooking. While her mother was playing bridge all day and her used car salesman father was at work, Matilda walked to the public library and read books all afternoon. Matilda's parents were both so warmless and so wrapped up in their own silly little lives that they failed to notice anything unusual about Matilda. Afterward, Mr. Wormwood decided to take Matilda to school; in school Matilda found lots of ...

Neuropsychologist Essay -- Neurology Psychology Medicine Papers

Neuropsychologist A neuropsychologist is a professional in the field of psychology that focuses on the interrelationships between neurological processes and behavior. They work as a team with neurologists, neurosurgeons, and primary care physicians. Neuropsychologists extensively study the anatomy, pathology, and physiology of the nervous system (http://www.tbidoc.com/Appel2.html). Clinical neuropsychologists then apply this knowledge to the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and/or rehabilitation of patients across the lifespan with medical, neurodevelopmental, neurological and psychiatric conditions, as well as other cognitive and learning disorders (http://nanonline.org/content/text/paio/defneuropsych.shtm). A clinical neuropsychologist uses behavioral, cognitive, neurological, physiological, and psychological principles to test and evaluate the patient’s behavioral, neurocognitive, and emotional strengths and weaknesses (http://nanonline.org/content/text/paio/defneuropsych.shtm). The neuropsychologist also compares the patient’s relationship to normal and abnormal central nervous system functioning. Then the clinical neuropsychologist uses this information along with information provided from other healthcare and/or medical providers to identify and diagnose neurobehavioral disorders. After identifying and diagnosing the patient, the clinical neuropsychologist will plan and implement intervention strategies. Patient Himself or Herself Just ventral to the thalamus, near the base of the brain is where the hypothalamus is located. The hypothalamus is relatively small (peanut-sized) but extremely complex structure. It is intimately involved in the control of... .... Definition of a Neuropsychologist. Retrieved April 29, 2005, from http://nanonline.org/content/text/paio/defneuropsych.shtm. Carlson, Neil R. (1994). Physiology of Behavior 5th Edition. Massachusetts: Paramount Publishing. Gordon, Christopher J. (1993). Temperature Regulation in Laboratory Rodents. New York: Cambridge University Press. Kalat, James W. (2004). Biological Psychology 8th Edition. Canada: Thomson Learning, Inc., Wadsworth. Morgane, Peter J., & Panksepp, Jaak (1980). Handbook of the Hypothalamus Volume 2: Physiology of the Hypothalamus. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc. Reber, Arthur S., & Reber, Emily (2001). The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc. Wiederholt, Wigbert C. (2000). Neurology for Non-Neurologists 4th Edition. Pennsylvania: W.B. Sauders Company.

Abortion: Women Must Be Given A Choice Essay -- Freedom of Choice, Pro-

This is paper is about the issue of Abortion. I think the discussion of this issue is important because, I think women should have the choice whether to continue with a pregnancy or not. There are a lot of reasons why women have abortions. Here are a few reasons why, rape, or physically not able to carry the pregnancy to full term, or genetic defects. Abortion is a tough decision in its self, women should not have to deal with the worry of the being convicted or condemned because of her choice. There also have been studies done involving â€Å"unwanted children† they end up suffering from physical and psychological damage done by the parent. There is also the issue of the relationship between a husband and wife, especially if the woman was raped, the husband has a hard time dealing with the pregnancy itself and once the child is born the husband does not treat the child as if it was his. Then you have the psychological damage to the woman after being raped, itself. Some may argue that it is morally wrong to have an abortion and a crime. It is considered to be murder. A few years back, it was considered a crime for a woman to have an abortion. Since this was considered a crime many women would seek out â€Å"back alley† doctors to perform an abortion. These were done in unsanitary conditions, sometimes the â€Å"back alley† doctor would mess up the procedure and the woman would either die from this or be unable to conceive later in life. Some would even consider drinking a mixture that would induce a miscarriage, and would end up dying from the mixture. Some women would even cause injury to themselves to induce a miscarriage of the unwanted pregnancy, with metal and wooden objects. Then there is the argument of the church it is... ...rious physical defects. B. Women should have abortions when they want to terminate an unwanted pregnancy and the fetus has serious physical defects. A rule utilitarian would try to answer the same question, which rule will produce more total well-being? In conclusion, a choice needs to be available to prevent the birth of unwanted children, to avoid damage to the child as well as the well-being of women. Preservation of life seems to be a slogan for anti-abortionists. If we turn our backs on women now, it would bring more deaths and illegal and self-induced abortions. Anti-abortionists do not know what it is like to have to make the decision of having an abortion; they have not experienced the situation that some women had to go through. There are arguments on both sides and judgment against people needs to be stopped. Abortion should remain legal,

Women in Advertising

Women in Advertising Irwin Allen Ginsberg; an American poet once said, â€Å"Whoever controls the media, the images, controls the culture. † The media constantly expresses images of the ideal female body. All women have their own individual set of attributes and characteristics, however, the media continuously tries to spread what they feel is the universal standard of what a woman should look like. One might argue, that the images put out by the media strongly affect our generation and the way in which we perceive ourselves. Ginsberg’s statement reminded me of a television advertisement produced by Carl’s Jr.This advertisement featured swimsuit model Kate Upton eating a burger in the backseat of an old school looking car. The advertisement was exceedingly sexually suggestive and showed a substantial amount of unsuitable sex appeal. Carl’s Jr. has acquired quite the reputation of producing these overtly sexual advertisements. Advertisements such as this ar e damaging today’s generation’s mental and physical state of being. In America, we are surrounded by a society that is primarily consumed by sex. With that being said, there are thousands of companies that produce risky advertisements to compete for the attention of viewers such as Carl’s Jr.With regards to the Kate Upton advertisement, the first thing that caught my eye upon viewing this ad is Upton wearing lace under garments scantily covered by a short polka dot dress. The revealing dress shows off her legs and hangs loosely off her shoulder ultimately exposing her bra and cleavage. The range of positions she lies in throughout the ad goes from innocent to offensive. Upton begins removing the South West Patty Melt from its wrapping and starts to slowly consume the burger in her car. After taking the first taste, Upton starts her high-speed strip tease.For the remaining thirty seconds, the camera moves up and down the parts of her body that are revealed by her dress. She unexpectedly begins sweating all over her body, which makes a direct reference to sex. Upton’s elusive hip movements add to the theme of sex, and serve to sidetrack the viewer from the actual burger itself. Upton’s face looks incredibly pleased as if she is fulfilled with the burger she is advertising but upon close examination, you see that the burger has not been bitten into. Furthermore, this indicates that the intent of this Carl’s Jr. advertisement is to sell sex in addition to the burger itself.The content in this advertisement implies that women cannot only be healthy but also sexually fantasized individuals by purchasing the southwest patty melt. In actuality, the opposite of that implication is often true. The obvious issue in this advertisement is that women rarely consume burgers the size of the one Upton is advertising. More importantly, eating a burger of that size is filled with calories and will not make those women who do resemble Upt on physically. Women are incredibly sensitive to their body image and easily perceive the body images media creates. Therefore, this advertisement may be perplexing to female viewers.In the journal Adolescent Evaluation of Gender Role and Sexual Imagery in Television Advertisements authors Donna Rouner and Michael Slater provide readers with insight on a study they conducted; the results portion states, â€Å"Exposure to advertising with idealized images of physical attractiveness will at least temporarily lower female viewers’ self perceptions of physical worth and self being. †(438) With that being said, adolescent females and adult women viewing this advertisement compare themselves to this excessively sexy yet highly idealized model and begin to feel dissatisfied with their own physical appearance.Furthermore, the fact that the feeling of temporary self-loath takes place when viewing advertisements such as the one produced by Carl’s Jr. is chilling. Many ado lescent females sit in front of their television screens and are bombarded with hundreds of advertisements each day. When advertisements like this appear, the message getting out to them is, in order for you to be desirable or considered beautiful you must reveal certain parts of your body and act in an incredibly sexual manner. This corrupts the minds of young women. Thus, one might say that the targeted audience for this advertisement is men or male adolescents.According to Carol M. Sheperd, a professor at National University, â€Å"Sexiness of an advertisement causes viewers to remember the ad, and thus the product. †(2) With that being said, though Upton’s advertisement stirred up quite the controversy last year, it was successful in getting people to talk about the ad due its extreme sexual content. More importantly, it got people to go out and buy the Southwest Patty Melt. Nonetheless, Carl’s Jr. uses the pathos rhetorical appeal in this advertisement to e voke certain feelings out of viewers.Upton’s sexually suggestive actions induce emotional responses from her predominately male audience, such as feelings of arousal and even desire. The use of pathos in this ad can go either way when it comes to its effectiveness. When viewing this advertisement a consumer could be paying attention to the high levels of sex appeal and disregard all other elements of the ad, like the actual burger Upton is advertising. Conversely, the appeal of sex can heighten the chance of an advertisement succeeding because it attracts the customer's attention.In the journal Ethics in Advertising: Sex Sells, but should it? Author Jessica Dawn Blair states: â€Å"The use of sexual appeals in the study seemed to detract from the processing and retention of message arguments. However, it did appear that the recipients would focus their attention more on the execution of ads using the type of appeal. † (112) It is our human nature to be curious about se x. Sex in addition to attractive women in advertisements often sells more than advertisements that do not use this appeal. What does that have to say about our society?The objectification of women in sexual advertisements does nothing but teach the youth of this generation that it is okay to overly sexy and in fact, it is encouraged. That is where the problem lies. These companies want to desperately appeal to their viewers and majority of them do not care if they are sending out the wrong message as long as the product gets sold. Overall, our country has based a vast majority of advertisements on sex appeal to sell their products to the targeted audience of predominately males.For the most part, women have been subjected to the role of playing â€Å"pieces of meat† to men. The objectification of women in advertising has extreme physiological consequences. It has the potential to make women think of themselves in the way in which they are portrayed and it causes them to engag e in self-loath or depression. Advertisements such as Kate Upton’s put out a negative viewpoint on women. It is crucial that we reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. Change starts from within and we have to step up as women, take the lead and reach as high as feasibly possible.Works Cited Blair, Jessica Dawn. â€Å"Ethics in Advertising: Sex Sells, but Should it? † Journal of Legal Ethical and Regulatory Issues 9. 1 (2006): 109-18. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 3 Mar. 2013. Carl’s Jr. Advertisement. New York Daily New. N. p. , 1 Mar. 2012. Web. 3 Mar. 2013 Rouner, Donna, Michael D. Slater, and Melanie Domenech-Rodriguez. â€Å"Adolescent Evaluation Of Gender Role And Sexual Imagery In Television Advertisements. † Journal Of Broadcasting ; Electronic Media 47. 3 (2003): 435-454. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3 Mar. 2013.

Internet Activities 9.1 and 10.2 Essay

1. What are the key benefits of implementing a supply chain solution such as SAP? The key benefits that any company would achieve from using systems typically like the SAP supply chain solutions include the following: †¢ A quicker response for changes occurring in the market †¢ Having higher margins than the competitors by saving on operational costs †¢ Transparency of information in the business which would lead to a smaller cash recover cycle †¢ Increased synchronization in the business and its operation. The business will be able to set it priorities in an organized fashion †¢ The ultimate result of using such systems would be an increase in the satisfaction of the customers as the system can provide for customization. †¢ The company will also be able to track and monitor the compliance of the company with the regulations in the markets it is operating in. In short the business is able to synchronize the supply of the company with the demand in the market, be more responsive to the changes in the market pertaining to price and supply/ demand fluctuations as well as have a reliable and efficient network which can monitor the supply chain 2. What are the likely challenges in implementing a supply chain solution? The biggest challenge faced by the company in implementing a supply chain solution is to integrate it with the existing business processes at the company. All business tend to be somewhat different in their operation and the business language, but when using a software solution for the supply chain, then the business processes relating to the supply chain activities have to be exactly the same as required by the software. Otherwise the business would have discrepancies existing between the supply chain activities and the supply chain reporting and records stored by the software. In this case the efficiency of the system and the process is sacrificed. Exercise 10. 2: 1. In what ways does Volkswagen’s website illustrate the characteristics of integrated marketing communications? The characteristics of an integrated marketing communication are that it is coherent, consistent, has continuity and is complementary. The website for Volkswagen shows that the different methods of communication like, getting a quote online, emailing the company, registering for a certified car, finding the nearest show room etc, all is integrated on the website and communicated to the customer. Similarly all the messages on the website about the uniqueness of the cars are not contradictory and therefore supporting consistency in communications. The WebPages are continues in their format and play on the same message again and again which is â€Å"when you are in a Volkswagen, it is in you†. The color scheming, the format of the WebPages and the messages and content displayed on the site supports each other and is complementary in nature 2. How does Volkswagen go beyond its own communications to create its unique identity? Volkswagen has been able to differentiate itself from its competitors by handing the design board over to the customer. Using the website the customers can design their own personalized VW and Beetle cars. This provides for extensive customization to the products. The company also invested in a transparent manufacturing plant in Dresden to show the customers how their automobiles are made. The company has also advanced in the R&D function by inviting customers to come to the factory and design the car they want. This interactive and two way communication through the website as well as on location has enabled the country to establish its unique spirit while going beyond the scopes of an automobile manufacturer. References 1. SAP Supply Chain Benefits, available at: http://www.marketing-online.co.uk/ch8.pdf