Improving diversity in hospital boards Research Paper

Improving diversity in hospital boards - Research Paper Example As a nation, the U.S is a melting point of multiple ethnic and racial subgroups thus, ensuring workplace diversity is essential in order to meet the various needs and demands of the diverse population. There is a need for workplace diversity as according to statistics the number Hispanic population by 2050 is expected to triple while that of the blacks is expected to double, as the white remains the same yet workplace diversity is an important challenge. The Hispanics constitute 12 percent of the American population and only 2 percent of nurse’s work as healthcare providers, and the same case applies to the black Americans. Diversity in the health care delivery system is important as it improves the access to care among the racial and ethnic small groups; it enhances a greater patient satisfaction and a better patient communication. Moreover, it enhances the cultural competence of the health care personnel that is associated with greater health care outcomes (Rosenbaum & Leona rd, 2013). The effective running of hospitals and other healthcare institutions will largely be determined by an effective cooperation between the hospital management and the board in the governance. Hospital boards play an essential role in ensuring that there is diversity in the workforce as part of their support in hospital setting. A diverse hospital board will ensure that all the needs of the different groups of people are met in an effort of reflecting and responding to the different patient’s needs. In ensuring that there is an improvement in the hospital board’s diversity, it is important for healthcare organizations to act in accordance with the diversity, policies and legislation stipulated to protect individuals from discrimination (van Knippenberg & Schippers, 2007). Thus, the health institutions need to obey the laws to ensure that there is diversity in the hospital workforce to meet the diverse needs of the patient’s population. Being aware of the

Predicting Crime with the Uniform Crime Reporting System Assignment

Predicting Crime with the Uniform Crime Reporting System - Assignment Example It is also possible to tell which states and cities are the most dangerous in terms of prevalence of crime, in particular violent crimes like murder, robbery with violence and forced rape. It must be acknowledged that nowadays data is everything regardless of one’s profession or inclination. The most important attribute of UCR is its richness in terms of data; with this data prediction becomes a walk in the park for public safety officials and law enforcement organizations. UCR also facilitates the presentation of crime rates to the American public since public safety officials and law enforcement organizations have crime information at their fingertips. Whenever it is needed they can retrieve and present it (Lynch & Addington, 2006). Question 2 In this section, I will forecast criminal activity for the country, the state of California and the city of Los Angeles. The Country In order to forecast criminal activity for the nation, I examined tables 1 and 1A. ... This shows that there has been a marked reduction in both statistics. Between 2001 and 2010, for example, the percentage change in the volume of violent crime was -13.4, while the percentage change in the violent crime rate was -20.0. A look at other crimes also shows the same trend. My forecast for the nation is therefore that the volume and rate of criminal activity will continue to reduce in the coming years (U.S Department of Justice & the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2004). The State of California Data for criminal activity in California displays similar attributes to that of the country. Between 2009 and 2010, the percentage changes in criminal activity (ranging from violent crime to motor vehicle theft) were negative; this is a pointer to a reduction in criminal activity. As a result of this, I also forecast a continued decline in criminal activity in the state of California as years go by. The City of Los Angeles In 2010, the city of Los Angeles had high volumes and rates of criminal activity compared to other cities in California. The reason for this is that Los Angeles is the largest city in California both by area and population, and therefore statistics like these are expected. However, since the state is showing steady reduction in criminal activity, I predict that the criminal activity rates and volumes in Los Angeles will also keep reducing, even though they might still be considered high. It is worth noting that this is a common attribute in large and populous cities (New York, Chicago, Detroit, etc). Question 3 In 1950, the murder rate in the United States was 4.6 while the volume of murders was 6,932. In 2010, the murder rate was 4.8 while the volume of murders was

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Renewable Energy Environmental Sciences Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Renewable Energy Environmental Sciences Essay This work will represent opinions and thoughts of different scientists, sociologists and politics related to the most discussing topic now days, renewable sources of energy. Lets go back in time hundred thousand years ago when our yet not developed ancestors noticed that fire can be used in many purposes. It was the first energy source. Fossil fuels are the main representative of non-renewable energy group and wind, water, solar power is renewable group, because they are unlimited and can be easily recycled. Major concern in the world is that fossil fuel usage produce dramatically huge emission. President of the United States claimed in his speech to United Nations that Were investing billions to capture carbon pollution so that we can clean up our coal plants(President Obama, 2010). Many debates have occurred since people started to think about future and became threatened that fossil fuels can just go out of stock one day, more over such things as wind miles, solar power panels wer e represented to the world, so the solution is already exist for problem of pollution and destroying environment due to the incredible industrial consumption of energy. However economical question has arisen. This type of technologies is very expensive now, but on other hand the price on them would never be reduced without using it. At present days it is possible to see how this usage of these technologies started to accelerate. Many people and different companies started to apply green energy technologies in their life. For example here in Dubai 80% of the water heated ether by natural sun light, heating the tank on the roof or again by the power of sun light but now, recycled in to the pure electric energy using solar power panels installed on the top of the roof. Consequence of this is that emission made to the air is reduced, in addition once this panel is installed company or person can save money because it has its own resource of hot water. However there is a bad side of any good. Wind mile is dependent on wind and solar power is dependent on sun. Yet it is decidable question which can easily be solved by accumulating energy in battery packs in case of emergency, or transferring energy from sunny and windy regions to others. How sad president of Russia Medvedev: The environment and the economy do not contradict each other. A properly functioning economy is an environmentally friendly economy. (President Medvedev, 2010) WIND POWER The most important characteristic that determines the energy value of wind it is speed. Due to a number of meteorological factors (disturbance of the atmosphere, changes in solar activity, the amount of heat energy reaching the Earth, and other causes) and also due to the influence of relief conditions continuous duration of the wind in the area, its speed and direction vary randomly. Therefore, the power that can produce wind-setting at different times, one can predict with a very low probability. At the same time, the total production of the unit, especially over a long period of time can be calculated with high accuracy, since the average wind speed and frequency of the velocity distribution within a year or season change little. Airflow, as well as any moving body, has the energy of motion, or the reserve of kinetic energy. The latter with wind turbine or other working body is transformed into mechanical energy. Depending on the purpose of wind turbine mechanical energy by means of actuators (generators, compressors, electrolytic, etc.) can be converted into electricity, heat or mechanical energy, as well as the energy of compressed air. The principle of wind power is simple: the wind turns the blades of a windmill, driving the shaft generator. The generator in turn produces electrical energy. It turns out that wind power work, how toy cars on batteries, only the principle of their action is opposite. Instead of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy, wind energy is converted into electrical current. SOLAR POWER Solar energy the use of sunlight to generate energy in any form. Solar power uses a renewable source of energy and the potential to become environmentally friendly that is not generating hazardous waste. The advantages of using solar energy: 1) Accessibility and inexhaustible source (the sun). 2) Theoretically, the complete security to the environment (but currently in production of solar cells and in themselves harmful substances are used). Now solar energy is widely used in cases where the inaccessibility of other energy sources combined with an abundance of solar radiation justifies its cost. Sun. Source of life and hard killer, giving the chance to be born and grow up every living organism on Earth for several billion years. Seriously about technology taming of sunlight people began to think only in the last century. Currently, solar power plants are built mainly of two types: Solar power tower and solar power distributed (modular) type. In the solar power tower central receiver used with a field of heliostats, provides a degree of concentration in a few thousand. System for tracking the sun is much more complicated since it requires rotation around two axes. The system is controlled by the computer. As a working body in the heat engine is commonly used steam temperatures up to 550  ° C, air and other gases up to 1000  ° C, low-boiling organic liquids (including freon) up to 100  ° C, liquid metal coolant up to 800  ° C. DISADVANTAGES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY Solar power: Because of the relatively small magnitude of solar constant for solar energy requires the use of large areas of land for power plants (for example, 1-GW power plants it could be several tens of square kilometers). However, this drawback is not so great (for example, hydropower output from the use of much larger tracts of land). In addition, photovoltaic cells on the large solar power plants installed at a height of 1,8-2,5 m, which allows the use of land for power plants for agricultural purposes, such as for grazing. The problem of finding large areas of land for solar power is solved in the case of the solar balloon stations, suitable for both terrestrial and maritime and for high-rise home. The flow of solar energy on Earths surface is strongly dependent on latitude and climate. In various places the average number of sunny days per year can vary greatly. Technical problems: 1) Solar power does not work at night and not effectively work in the morning and evening twilight. The peak power consumption falls on the evening. In addition, power plants can dramatically and unexpectedly fluctuate because of changing weather. 2) The high cost of solar cells. Probably with the development of technology will overcome this shortcoming. In 1990-2005 prices for solar cells decreased on average by 4% a year. 3) Lack of efficiency of solar cells. 4) The surface of the graphic panels should be cleaned from dust and other contaminants. With their area of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹several square kilometers of it can cause difficulties. 5) The efficiency of photovoltaic cells decreases significantly when heated, so there is a need to install cooling systems, usually water. 6) After 30 years of operation, the efficiency of photovoltaic cells begins to decline. Wind power: Wind energy plants produce two types of noise: Mechanical noise noise from the operation of mechanical and electrical components (for modern wind power is virtually absent, but is significant in the older models of wind turbines) Aerodynamic noise the noise from the interaction of wind flow with the blades installed (amplified during the passage of blades past the tower of wind turbines) In the vicinity of wind turbines in the axis of wind turbine noise level are sufficiently large wind turbines can exceed 100 dB. An example of such design errors is a wind turbine Grovian. Because of the high noise level setting worked about 100 hours and was dismantled. Laws adopted in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, restrict the noise level of running wind power plant of up to 45 dB in daytime and 35 dB at night. Minimum distance from installation to homes 300 m. Low frequency vibrations transmitted through the soil, causing significant jitter windows in homes at a distance of 60 m from the megawatt-class wind turbines. Population of bats living near the wind farm on the order of magnitude more vulnerable than the population of birds. Near the ends of turbine blades, a region of reduced pressure, and a mammal which has got into it, gets barotraumas. Over 90% of the bats found near wind turbines find signs of internal hemorrhaging. According to the explanation of scientists, the birds have a different structure of the lungs, and therefore more resistant to sudden changes in pressure and suffer only from a direct collision with the blades of wind turbines. In contrast to conventional thermal power plants, wind farms do not use water that can significantly reduce pressure on water resources. Metallic structures wind turbines, especially items in the lobes, can cause significant interference to radio reception. The larger the wind turbine, the more noise it can create. In some cases, to solve the problem have to install additional repeaters. CONCLUSION Undeniable role of energy in maintaining and further follows the development of civilization. In modern society it is difficult to find at least one area of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹human activity sequence, which is not required to directly or indirectly tively more energy than it can give a human muscles. During the existence of our civilization many times a change of traditional energy sources for new, more sophisticated. And not because the old source was exhausted. The sun shone and warmed man always: and yet once people have tamed the fire began to burn wood. Then the wood has given way to the stone coal. Timber resources seemed limitless, but steam engines required more nutritious food. But this was just a stage. Coal will soon yield its leadership in energy markets petroleum. And here is a new milestone in our days leading fuels are still oil and gas. But for every new cubic meters of gas or a ton of oil to go farther north or east, dig deeper into the ground. It is no wonder that oil and gas will be from year to year cost us all more expensive. In pursuit of an excess of energy a person deeper into elemental world of natural phenomena and to some pores are not really thought about the consequences of their deeds and acts. But times have changed. Now new significant step the earths energy. There was energy, gentle. Constructed so that people do not cut down the branch on which it sits. Concerned about the protection of already heavily damaged biosphere. Undoubtedly, in future, in parallel with a line of intensive energy development will have extensive rights of citizenship and an extensive line of: non-point sources of energy are not too much power, but with high efficiency, environmentally friendly, easy to handle. Energy accumulates very quickly, assimilates and incorporates all the newest ideas, inventions and scientific achievements. This is understandable: energy is associated with literally everything, and all drawn to power, depends on it. Labyrinths of power. Mysterious passages, narrow, winding trail. Full of puzzles, obstacles, unexpected insights, wailing grief and losses, joys and triumphs of clicks. Thorny, is not easy, continuous energy path of humanity. But we believe that we are on the way to an era of energy abundance, and that all the hurdles, obstacles and difficulties will be overcome. The story of energy may be infinite, innumerable alternative forms of its use, provided that we have to develop that are effective and economical methods. Not so important, what is your opinion about the needs of energy, sources of energy, its quality, and cost? We probably should just accept the fact that the scientist said the sage, whose name remains unknown: There are no simple solutions, only intelligent choices.

Reform Movements :: reformations

Reform movements including religion, temperance, abolition, and women's rights sought to expand democratic ideals in the years 1825 to 1850. However, certain movements, such as nativism and utopias, failed to show the American emphasis on a democratic society. The reform movements were spurred by the Second Great Awakening, which began in New England in the late 1790's, and would eventually spread throughout the country. The Second Great Awakening differed from the First in that people were now believed to be able to choose whether or not to believe in God, as opposed to previous ideals based on Calvinism and predestination. According to Charles G. Finney, the role of the church is to reform society (Doc. B). In 1834, he said, "When the churches are...awakened and reformed, the reformation and salvation of sinners will follow." Finney had been influenced by Second Great Awakening ideals. He goes on to say that "drunkards, harlots, and infidels" would also be converted do to reform by the church. In this sense, the Second Great Awakening helped expand democratic ideals by bettering the moral standards of the common man. In 1835, Another example of democratic growth can be shown by Document C, where Patrick Reason created an engraving depicting a black female slave in chains and shackles. Above her is the quote, ‘Am I not a woman and a sister?' This reflects how the abolition and women's movements often tied into one another since both of these movements helped expand democratic ideals in that they desired increased rights, such as suffrage for minorities. For example, The Grimke sisters, Angelina and Sarah were southern abolitionists who also played a role in the Women's Movement. Susan B. Anthony who was a Quaker, was therefore opposed to the immorality slavery but also played a role in the movement calling for equality and rights of women. Anthony was inspired by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who was also active in both movements, but very famous for her aggressive action in the Women's Movement, which can be shown by Document I. Elizabeth Cady Stanton played a very important role in The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. This convention also sought to expand democratic ideals, and more radically than perhaps any other event of any movement. They produced a declaration which stated that all men and women are created equal, and should therefore be treated equal. Stanton believed that women should be equally "represented in the government" and demanded for the right to vote.

Divine Roles Across Cultures Matrix Essay

Select one common divine role that recurs in world mythology. Possible options of divine roles include the following: father or mother divinities, divinities of war, home or hearth divinities, divinities of love, divinities of wisdom, divinities of medicine or health, divinities of the wind, divinities of agriculture, divinities of the sky, ruler of all the gods, and so on. Identify the role in the title of your matrix. Select two myths, each from a different culture, in which the divine role appears. Identify the divinity names and cultures in columns A and B. Complete the matrix by answering each of the five questions for both selected divinities. Title: Divinities of Love and Beauty Column A Divinity Name: Aphrodite Culture of Origin: Greek Column B Divinity Name: Freyja Culture of Origin: Norse 1. How is this divinity portrayed? Describe the divinity’s role within the myth. She was portrayed to be the goddess of love and beauty often shown smiling. She is the daughter of Zeus. Some myths also say they daughter of Uranus (Aphrodite, 2002). One of the more known and told myth is her helping Paris to abduct his love Helen of Troy. She was the goddess of love, lust, fertility and magic. According to Freyja (1996), she is believed to be the  daughter of the sea god Njord and the earth-goddess Nerthus. She had a twin brother named Frey. Some believe that she was married to Od and once he passed away she never married again and used her powers to have sex with gods, mortals, dwarfs, giants and dwarfs. Others say that she is the same person as Frigg who is wife to Odin (Freyja, 1996). 2. Is the divinity male or female? What function does this gender play? Aphrodite is female. Her gender function would be the sexual aspect of the myth surrounding her because she is known for seduction. Freyja was a female who was the goddess of lust and love. 3. Within the myth of origin, how does this divinity compare with other divinities? How does this divinity interact with or compare to divinities of the same gender and to divinities of the opposite gender? Aphrodite is one of the twelve great Olympians. Aphrodite was able to make all the gods and mortals fall in love or be overcome with desire, except Athena, Artemis, and Hestia (Aphrodite, 2002). She is known to have had many affairs against her mortal spouse with other gods and mortals. Aphrodite was equally quarrelsome and manipulative to both genders of divinities. If anyone wronged her she would make them fall in love with whomever or whatever she pleased. Freyja is one of the most respected of the goddesses. She is very well respected by the female gender of goddesses. She is the goddess of fertility and it was said that if a female wanted children they just needed to call on her and just being in her presence would become with child. The male gender is most lustful after Freyja. She was able to manipulate any male sexually. 4. What are the divinity’s attributes, such as divine powers or characteristics? What objects does the divinity possess, such as a weapon or animal, that assist him or her? She was able to make anyone fall in love. She could seduce anyone she wanted. She was able to encourage sexual desire, the care of women in child birth, magic, and she helped half the mortal heroes killed in battle to Valhalla. She was known to ride a board or be in a chariot pulled by cats. 5. Identify one character from contemporary culture that shares characteristics of each divinity and explain why you chose each character. What real-life ideals  does this divine role represent? How attainable are these ideals? For Aphrodite I think of the vampire characters from the television show and book series of True Blood. They are able to compel people to do whatever they want by either being lustful or on humans by hypnotizing them to do what they want. I think it shows that even in the beginning sex was still the key to being able to manipulate to get what you want. I don’t completely agree with these ideas. I think depending on who you are these ideals can be easily attainable. For Freyja I am going to use True Blood again but with the character of Sookie Stackhouse. She was lusted after from most males that came around her and she was magical because of being a fairy. Again, depending on the type of person you are some of the ideals are great. I know for women who have difficulty becoming pregnant would love to have her divine power of fertility. Scientifically there are ways to help women become pregnant but still not everyone is able to bear a child. Summary: Write a 150- to 350-word short essay addressing the following: Why do so many cultures have divinities in similar roles? I feel that as a human the thirst for knowledge is why many cultures have divinities with similar roles. I think that a lot of these mythological divinities were created as a way to explain why things are the way that they are. There as to be a reason why things are this way and before modern science finding the exact reasons were next to impossible. There are also people out there that believe the reason that all of these divinities are so similar is because they gods are actually aliens from other planets visiting our world. I don’t know whether any of the stories told have any semblance of truth, but it does make you think of the possibilities. In many religions they believe that there is only one god that created everything. There is no right or wrong answer at this point because I believe that until we find a way to travel back in time we can’t know exactly why these mythical divinities are so similar. REFERENCES Aphrodite. (2002). In Who’s who in classical mythology, Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.credoreference.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/content/entry/routwwcm/aphrodite/0 Freyja. (1996). In Bloomsbury dictionary of myth. Retrieved from http://search.credoreference.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/content/entry/bloommyth/freyja/0

The Battle of Vicksburg

The object of contention in the Vicksburg campaign was the Mississippi River, which bore the same relation to the seceding Southern States that the Hudson bore to the rebellious Thirteen Colonies in the Revolutionary War; it divided them into two parts (Ballard(1) 3-5). If the Union forces could get control of this river they would split the Confederacy in two, and stop the passage of supplies and men to the Confederate armies in the east from Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas (Ballard(1) 72). This was a purely military consideration, but there was also a political and commercial consideration.The Mississippi was the great highway of trade between the Northwestern States and the outside world; so long as any part of it was controlled by Confederate batteries the highway was closed (Ballard(1) 8). The Confederates in the first year of the war controlled the middle portion of the river by the forts at Columbus, New Madrid and Island No. 10, Fort Pillow and Fort Randolph (Ballard(1) 18). C olumbus was evacuated a short while after the fall of Forts Henry and Donelson (Ballard(1) 27). General Pope, with the help of Foote's fleet, captured New Madrid and Island No. 10, in April, 1862.The victory at Shiloh (April 6 and 7, 1862) advanced the Union line southward to the Memphis and Charleston Railway, Fort Pillow was abandoned by the Confederates on the 4th of June, and Fort Randolph the next day (Ballard(1) 42-43). At this time the Federals and the Confederates both had fleets on the river. Foote's fleet, now commanded by Commodore Davis, Foote being still disabled by the wound he received at Donelson, pushed on down the river, as one Confederate post after another was evacuated or taken. On May 10, 1862, the Confederate flotilla had attacked the Union fleet at Fort Pillow and been defeated (Shea and Winschel 10).On June 7 the Union squadron attacked the Confederate fleet at Memphis, destroying three of its vessels, damaging others, and driving the fleet southward. The Ma yor of Memphis immediately surrendered the town to Davis. The river was now open southward as far as Vicksburg (Shea and Winschel 11-12). On the 25th of April, 1862, Farragut's fleet had arrived at New Orleans and taken possession of that city; in May the fleet moved up the river and took Baton Rouge and Natchez, and, with the assistance of a small detachment of land troops, tried to take Vicksburg, but failed (Shea and Winschel 35-37).The Confederate authorities, now appreciating the importance and the peril of Vicksburg, had it strongly garrisoned and provided with batteries to command the river. By direction of the authorities at Washington, Farragut, with his fleet of ships and gunboats, and General Williams, with a small force of artillery and infantry, made another unsuccessful effort against Vicksburg, toward the end of June, 1862 (Ballard(2) 16-17).Vicksburg was now the only point of the river held by the Confederates, but in August General Breckinridge garrisoned Port Hudso n, two hundred miles below Vicksburg, and began setting up heavy batteries there to command the river. Thenceforward this point, also, was occupied by the Confederates until after the fall of Vicksburg. The Confederates also regained control of the river as far northward as Helena, Arkansas. (Ballard (2) 45-47). Such was the situation along the Mississippi in September, 1862.Halleck, having captured Corinth and dispersed his army, had gone to Washington to assume the office of Generalin-Chief, leaving Grant â€Å"in command of all troops in the vicinity of Memphis and Corinth and as far back as Columbus, Ky† (Ropes 35). Buell and Bragg were in their race for Kentucky, and Grant's forces had been drawn upon to reinforce Buell's; Grant now had only about 42,000 men. With these he was required by Halleck to guard the railway from Memphis to Decatur, two hundred miles, and keep open communication with Buell. This constrained him to a passive defensive attitude for the time (Balla rd (2) 186-87).The Confederate troops in Mississippi composed two independent commands, each about 16,000 strong. One force under Van Dorn; the other under Sterling Price. On the 2nd of September Price received word from Bragg that Rosecrans, whose â€Å"Army of the Mississippi† formed the left of Grant's line, was about to march to Tennessee in order to join Buell. Bragg asked Price to prevent this movement. Accordingly, Price asked Van Dorn to join forces with him to attack Rosecrans. Van Dorn agreed to join him, but replied that he should not be able to assemble his scattered forces before the 12th of the month.Fearing that this would not be early enough to catch Rosecrans, Price moved out without waiting for Van Dorn. On the 14th he occupied Iuka. About the 18th Price and Van Dorn arranged to join their forces at Rienzi for an advance against Corinth (Shea and Hess 303-113). Meantime Grant had been watching the movements of Price and Van Dorn, and had resolved to attack P rice at Iuka, before he and Van Dorn could unite their forces. To this end he assembled Rosecrans's command and Ord's division at Corinth, and started them toward Iuka.Rosecrans took the roads by way of Rienzi and Jacinto, and was to approach Iuka from the direction of the south. Ord marched by way of the railway, and was to attack at the same time from the north and west. The combined attack was to drive Price against the Tennessee River. As usually happens with marches of concentration, this one miscarried. The upshot was, Rosecrans approached by one road only from the south, and attacked the Confederates without Ord. Darkness ended the combat, and during the night Price slipped out by the other road [the Fulton road] to the south (Ballard (1) 75-77) .Rosecrans and Ord returned to Corinth. Van Dorn and Price met at Ripley on the 28th of September, and Van Dorn took command of their combined force by virtue of his rank. Van Dorn marched the united force by way of Pocahontas and Che walla, and formed line of battle to the northwest of Rosecrans's position, near intrenchments at Corinth, on the morning of October the 3rd. The Confederates attacked, and by sunset had driven the Federals into the redoubts at the edge of the town. The next morning Van Dorn renewed the assault.The combat was ferocious; but by noon it was over, and the Confederates were retreating from the field. Rosecrans made no pursuit until the next day. Van Dorn made good his retreat to Holly Springs. Rosecrans and Hurlbut pursued to Ripley and were then recalled by Grant to Corinth and Bolivar. General Pemberton was now sent to Mississippi to take command of all the Confederate forces in the State; Rosecrans was called from Grant's army to relieve Buell of the command of the Army of the Ohio. Grant was promised by Halleck a â€Å"large body of new levies,† and he purposed taking the offensive without delay (Reed 88).Meantime McClernand was in Washington working out a secret scheme with t he President and the Secretary of War, by which he was to raise a volunteer army in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, and lead it down the Mississippi to capture Vicksburg. No intimation of this project was given to General Grant, but Halleck, of course, was informed of it. The result was that when Grant first wrote to Halleck (October 26) asking leave to move against Vicksburg, he received no reply to his letter. Then followed several contradictory and vague dispatches from Halleck, which kept Grant for some time guessing what he was expected to do.At last, however, it was arranged that Grant should move with the main army from Grand Junction to Holly Springs, and be joined by Sherman with the troops from Memphis, on the Tallahatchie River. A force from Helena was to move across the Mississippi and threaten the Confederate rear at Grenada (Reed 92-95). At this time Van Dorn commanded the Confederate forces about Holly Springs-some 24,000 men, formed in two divisions, under Price and Lov ell. Vicksburg was garrisoned by 6,000 Confederates, and Port Hudson by 5,500. Pemberton had his headquarters at Jackson.By the 5th of November Grant had reached Oxford with the main body, and Sherman was at College Hill, a few miles northwest of that place. The force from Helena had carried out its part of the plan and had returned to Helena. Van Dorn had fallen back, before Grant's advance, to Grenada. Up to this time Grant had advanced with no very definite plan, except to attack the enemy if he overtook him. But Van Dorn, by Pemberton's order, had kept falling back. As Grant's line of communication was now more than 200 miles long-a single-track railway back to Columbus, Kentucky,-Grant established a secondary base at Holly Springs.After considerable correspondence with Halleck, and the discussion of several plans with Sherman for the capture of Vicksburg, it was finally arranged, with Halleck's approval, that Sherman should return to Memphis with one division. There he was to p ick up all the newly arrived troops, and, with the troops under Steele from Helena, he was to organize an expedition to move by transports, under escort of Porter's fleet of gunboats, to Vicksburg, while Grant marched his army along the left bank of the Yazoo against the same objective. Sherman was back at Memphis by the 12th of December, and set out for Vicksburg on the 20th (Reed 104-106).But events occurred which prevented Grant from carrying out his part of the plan. As a consequence of raids Grant was forced to place his army on short rations, fall back to the Memphis and Charleston Railway, and open communications with Memphis. No supplies were to be had in the country; it had been stripped. Sherman, in the meanwhile, had gone down the Mississippi. He had a force of 32,000 men and sixty guns, which he organized into four divisions. His division commanders were M. L. Smith, A. J. Smith, G. W. Morgan, and Fred Steele.The expedition reached Miliken's Bend, twenty-five miles above Vicksburg, before daylight on Christmas day (Simon and Grant 98-100). Vicksburg stood 250 feet above the waters of the Mississippi, and from there a line of cliffs, known as Chickasaw Bluffs, ran northward twelve miles, to Haynes's Bluff on the Yazoo River. The space between the base of the bluffs and the rivers was a wooded swamp cut up by bayous and creeks (Ropes 71). Pemberton had learned of Sherman's expedition, and had hurried reinforcements to Vicksburg; so that 12,000 Confederates were now intrenched upon the bluffs, awaiting Sherman's attack.This expedition was also to have received the cooperation of an expedition under Banks from New Orleans. Banks, however, got no farther than Baton Rouge Sherman landed his troops, on the 26th of December, at Johnson's plantation, and his columns, on the 27th and 28th, meandered across the swamps and bayous toward the foot of the bluffs. Only one of the columns had a bridgetrain. On the 29th Sherman assaulted the Confederate position, bu t was unable to carry it. He remained in position two or three days, vainly trying to find some way by which to dislodge the Confederates.On the 2nd of January he reembarked his men, and, without opposition, returned to the mouth of the Yazoo. Here he was met by McClernand, with an order assigning that general to command the expedition. The order was dated about the 17th of December (Ropes 74-76). Thus ended in failure the project of a combined movement against Vicksburg by land and water. Works Cited Ballard, Michael B. (1) Vicksburg: The Campaign That Opened the Mississippi. University of North Carolina Press, 2004. Ballard, Michael B. (2) Civil War Mississippi: A Guide. University Press of Mississippi, 2000. Shea, William L. and Hess, Earl J.Pea Ridge: Civil War Campaign in the West. University of North Carolina Press, 1992. Shea, William L. and Winschel, Terrence J. Vicksburg Is the Key: The Struggle for the Mississippi River. University of Nebraska Press, 2003. Simon, John Y. a nd Grant, Ulysses S. The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: April 1 – July 6, 1863 Vol. 8. Southern Illinois University Press, 1979. Reed, Samuel R. The Vicksburg Campaign, and the Battles about Chattanooga under the Command of General U. S. Grant in 1862-63; a Historical Review. Cincinnati: R. Clarke, 1882. Ropes, John Codman. The Army in the Civil War. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1881.

Financial Management of Healthcare Organizations

Financial Management of Healthcare Organizations Introduction The term financial management refers to organization of monetary resources to achieve desired objectives and maximize companys worth while ensuring positive growth. This paper seeks to highlight the four elements of financial management and explain the generally acceptable accounting principles and financial ethical standards. It is evident that the need for proper financial management and adherence to sufficient financial reporting is vital for every organization irrespective of the industries in which they operate.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Financial Management of Healthcare Organizations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Financial management Financial management entails planning, organizing, directing and controlling of financial processes in a firm. Financial resources in the enterprise are therefore managed using generally accepted principles to promote transparency and accountability. It takes into consideration investment decisions by defining allocation of financial resources, e.g. capital budgeting. Financial management deals with issues pertaining to raising finances or capital from a variety of sources for purposes of expansion, growth and new investments. Objectives of financial management Control and efficient allocation of resources is aimed at the following: Ensure the company invests in safe endeavors. Strike a balance in capital structure (i.e. there should be a capital balance between debt and equity). Ensure efficient use of financial resources with minimal wastage. Elements of financial management The four elements of financial management include planning, controlling, organizing (and directing) and decision making. Planning ensures that finances are available at the required time to satisfy organization needs as they arise periodically. Planning requires that the company draws up short term as well as long term needs. Short term needs include employee re munerations, payment of utilities, purchases and others. Long term needs include opening new outlets or investing in new options. Financial objectives are also defined in planning. In controlling, the immediate objective is to ensure that financial goals are being achieved. This is done to identify areas that need monitoring and attention within the organization. Controlling seeks to measure efficiency in the use of assets while determining security of these assets. It also entails examining whether all activities undertaken are as per the organizations policies and procedures. Organizing and directing involves deciding how resources will be allocated having identified the most feasible or viable investment options. Directing ensures that the results of organizing are efficient. Decision making is parallel to planning, organizing, directing and controlling. It allows organizations to choose among available investment options based on specific criteria. Decision making relies on info rmation and mostly relates to issues pertaining financing and investment (Baker Baker, 2009).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Accepted financial principles and ethical standards Generally accepted accounting principles include competency, integrity, objectivity and confidentiality. Financial management calls for integrity in terms of honesty and accuracy in disclosure of financial reports. This implies that professional responsibilities must be carried out without prejudice. Confidentiality means that employees should maintain confidential information and should not disclose any information unless legally required to. Competency is with respect to professional skills and knowledge required to execute financial processes effectively. Professional duties must be executed while exercising technical, legal and regulatory measures. Furthermore, personnel must be contin uously trained to sharpen their skills in the relevant knowledge area (which is financial management). Objectivity calls for responsibility to present reports fairly and objectively while disclosing financial information fully to relevant stakeholders. Objectivity is supported by factual evidence. Financial ethical standards are vital in guarding a company from financial mismanagement issues. Independence should be observed by employees by ensuring that they are unbiased, objective and display impartiality in all forms of financial reporting. Activities undertaken must not be subjected to managerial pressures which may negatively affect financial management. Conflict of interest and dealing in deceptive investments should equally be avoided. Financial ethics calls for adherence to regulations established within the financial markets. Financial responsibilities should be carried out with diligence, care and professional competence. Examples of ethical standards of conduct (from real entities) Several companies have upheld ethical standards in their financial dealings. Lenovo is one such firm which has drafted and enforced ethics and integrity in the workplace, accuracy of business records and rules pertaining to insider trading and conflict of interest. They have defined financial obligations to comply with laws and regulations, engage in honesty in contracting, fair competition and protection of privacy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Financial Management of Healthcare Organizations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lenovo’s management reveres integrity which in turn is replicated by employees. Amazon has defined its corporate governance by incorporating aspects of insider trading, conflict of interest, record keeping, reporting and financial integrity. Microsoft has equally enforced a standard of financial ethics that ensures employees exercise integrity and compliance in their duties (Code of Conduct, 2008). Lenovo is a success story that depicts the need to incorporate financial standards in an organization for the purpose of ensuring productivity and efficiency in company processes. This provides employees with a proper understanding of the need to exercise acceptable financial ethics and follow guidelines provided in policies and procedures. As a result, the work force feels involved and growth is inevitable. Amazon’s policies reflect the need for conformity to laws and applicable rules. It ensures that internal controls within the company are consistently monitored thereby eliminating the possibility of financial disclosure issues. This ensures reporting reflects a true and fair position of the firm. Employees of Amazon cooperate with set procedures religiously. Conclusion In conclusion, organizations must work towards inculcating ethics and acceptable morals in employees to strengthen adherence to set codes of conduct. This ensures that employees exe rcise responsibility in their dealings with the company. Companies must specify codes and ethics of conduct to govern employee behavior. They should also carry out frequent compliance checks to keep financial management employees on their toes. References Baker, J. Baker, R.W. (2009). Health Care Finance. London, United Kingdom: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Code of Conduct: Ethics in our New World Company. (2011). Retrieved from https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/about/

Logistics Issues Facing Both Easyjet and Ryanair

Logistics Issues Facing Both Easyjet and Ryanair Free Online Research Papers 1. INTRODUCTION After the deregulation of the airline industry in Europe which became fully effective in April 1997, one of the main and most interesting aspects of the free market has been the entry in the industry of Low Cost Airlines (LCA). Taking their business model from American air carrier Southwest, Ryanair and its Luton-based rival EasyJet are by far the largest low cost airlines in Europe. Even though the two firms have slightly different strategies the competition between them is extremely intense. This paper will be made up of three parts: first a general description will present some interesting figures of both companies EasyJet and Ryanair followed by a more accurate explanation of their strategies and eventually logistics issues will be discussed. 2. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION LCA fly to short-haul destinations and use only one or two types of aircraft. Most competitors have chosen the Boeing 737 to have large flexibility, fewer stand-by crews, and lower training and maintenance costs (Cranfield University Report, 2000). 2.1 Fleet Headquartered in Luton, UK, EasyJet is one of the leading low fare airlines in the European airline market, with a fleet of 122 aircrafts in 2006 from which 35 are Boeing 737 and 87 are Airbus A319s (see Appendix, Table 1).The age average of the aircrafts being 2.2 years. Meanwhile Ryanair’s fleet is made of 120 Boeing 737 with a capacity of 189 passengers each. 2.2 Employees On the 30th of September 2006, EasyJet employed 4,859 people. Among them were cabin crew, pilots, baggage handling agents and others. Meanwhile, Ryanair employed 3,453 people. 2.3 Route Network Both firms have high frequency daily flights (which correspond to â€Å"product availability† for Kasilingam, 1998). Ryanair has even â€Å"been voted as the airline with the best punctuality and highest frequency† (Ryanair Holdings PLC Datamonitor Report, 2007). It operates between 133 airports across 24 countries on 436 routes, carrying approximately 45% of all scheduled travellers traffic between Dublin and London (Ryanair Holdings PLC Datamonitor Report, 2007). Regarding EasyJet, it flies between 74 key European airports providing a transportation service for leisure and business customers on 289 routes in 11 countries which are UK, France, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Czech Republic, Greece, Germany, and Portugal (see Appendix, Map 1 and 2). 2.4 Passengers According to their respective websites, in 2000 EasyJet transported annually 5.996 million people while Ryanair carried 7.002 million passengers. Last year, in 2006, EasyJet and Ryanair transported respectively 32.953 million and 42.500 million customers (see Appendix, Chart 1). 3. TWO COMPANIES, ONE STRATEGY: COSTS REDUCTION According to Proussaloglou and Koppelman (1999), when passengers choose a flight, they try to maximise their â€Å"air travel utility†. In their analysis, the elements that influence the choice of travellers are â€Å"the market presence, quality of service, frequent flyer membership, fare levels and travel restriction, and schedule convenience offered by each available flights†. Do EasyJet and Ryanair meet travellers’ requirements? Ryanair’s Chief Executive Michael OLeary is obsessed about keeping costs down and said We want to be known as the Wal-Mart of flying (Maier, 2006) In order to be competitive and be able to offer low fare airline services, LCA try to cut all unnecessary costs so that they can boost their tight profit margins. Regarding the â€Å"placement of facilities†, EasyJet flies mainly to leading airports while Ryanair uses far more secondary airports; In so doing, they reduce costs as secondary airports are generally â€Å"less congested than major airports and can be expected to provide higher rate of on-time departures† (Ryanair Holdings PLC Datamonitor Report, 2007). O’Leary wants to make air travel free (free as in zero cost). By the end of the decade, he promises, more than half of our passengers will fly free (Maier, 2006). EasyJet gains efficiencies through rapid turnaround times (30 minutes and below) and progressive landing chares agreements with the airports. Free seating which is offered by both airlines, contributes to the rapid turnarounds. The use of an innovative distribution system such as the Internet enables EasyJet and Ryanair to reduce their distribution costs. Over 90% of all seats on EasyJet’s flights are sold over the Internet, making them one of Europe’s biggest Internet retailers. â€Å"Ticketless† travel reduces costs as it eliminates the cost of issuing, distributing, processing and reconciling millions of tickets each year. Furthermore the Internet allows travellers to book; change and view flights 24 hours a day which is referred to, by Kasilingam as â€Å"accuracy of filling an order† (Kasilingam, 1998). LCA do not, in general, provide loyalty cards to attract frequent flyers, thereby avoid the setting up and maintenance costs of the service. Other ways in which EasyJet and its main rival reduce costs include not serving meals to passengers on their flights, which reduces the cleaning fee. It also means charging passengers for practically every amenity they might consume. 4. LOGISTICS ISSUES Kasilingam (1998) defines logistics as the â€Å"process of moving, storing and retrieving material, people and information efficiently and economically†, then goes on to divide its system into major planning areas: 4.1 Customer service levels â€Å"Product availability† and â€Å"accuracy of filling an order† have already been mentioned in sub-sections 2.4 and 3.1 respectively. ? Regarding staff language skills we can say that English being one of the most popular language worldwide, staff members from United Kingdom are advantaged. But, it is not enough. Both companies require their cabin crew to be fluent in written and spoken English. No other languages are required and no language training is conducted. According to Ryanair and EasyJet passengers’ comments, staff language skills are respectively â€Å"very poor† and â€Å"poor† (Skytrax). This could be a major problem for both airlines as globalisation is expending very fast. Wanting to avoid language training costs or not hiring enough qualified staff could make them lose customers as it diminishes the quality of the customer service provided. ? This lack of skills can also result in complaints. EasyJet and Ryanair had to face lot of complaints regarding the fact that there is no information about compensation for missing a flight and no attempt to provide alternates solutions to travellers. Some passengers put forward the fact that it is cheap but the cheap prices do not in any way make up for the lack of services (Skytrax). The fact that these companies are viewed as â€Å"money grabbing tactics† users is damaging both companies’ brand image and reduces their competitiveness. 4.2 Location decision The competitive advantage taken from â€Å"Placement of facilities† has already been discussed in sub-section 3.1. 4.3 Transportation Management â€Å"Transportation mode, fleet size, route selection and just in time† have been examined in section 2. But we can also point out that the creation of new route networks leads to another logistics issue. More routes imply more flights and consequently more planes. This means that, the more routes companies take on, the more planes they will have to purchase. Apart from Kasilingam major planning areas, companies like airlines have to face other issues related to logistics: 4.4 Petrol We all know that petrol is one of the commercialised goods that suffer fluctuation nearly everyday. It affects not only direct consumers in gas stations (car/motorcycle owners) but also airline companies who generally augment ticket prices to cover the rises. Ryanair remains one of the only airlines to guarantee no fuel surcharges ever, prompting even more passengers to flock to their lowest fares. This marketing strategy allows the firm to keep the same price range whatever the variation of petrol price. In doing so, its customers will not be affected and thus not disappointed by the petrol fluctuation. 4.5 Airlines and the Nature 4.5.1 Environment By owning young fleet and flying to short haul destination, with an average of 954 kilometers in 2006, EasyJet was able to reduce CO2 emissions and fuel burn per passenger kilometre. Ryanair has as well achieved to reduce fuel consumption and emissions of almost 52% between 1998 and 2006 (Ryanair). Both airline companies deliver travellers directly to their destination, it is to say with only one flight (point-to-point).This avoid passengers to take connection flights which necessitate two take-offs and two landings, in so doing both airlines limit emissions. This concern for environmental issues does not go unnoticed by clients and, like for the petrol issue, it permits both companies to gain new clients and/or keep their customers. 4.5.2 Climate Bad weather is a big worry for airlines, and LCA are well known for their lack of organisation when it happens. Kevin Shanahan, an EasyJet client, witnesses on the 20th March 2007 on a Skytrax passenger forum: â€Å"Inbound flight to Geneva couldnt land due to bad weather late at night. Found out by phoning home before EasyJet told us at the airport. No help from EasyJet staff to find a hotel for the night (Too late for tourist information), no help to get transport to the hotel. Insufficient places on flight next day [†¦]†. Once again disappointment is present. 5. CONCLUSION â€Å"The traditional low-cost model has been that of the charter or non-scheduled airlines which have been such a success in Europe. But the second model introduced into Europe in the late 1990’s is that of the point-to-point, low-cost, no-frills scheduled airlines like EasyJet and Ryanair† (Doganis, 2001). Europe’s LCA models are without a doubt EasyJet and Ryanair, but as every other firm, they have to cope with logistics issues. In this report we have tried to examine them at a strategic level, not focusing on what they do and how, but on WHY. 7. REFERENCES ? Cranfield College of Aeronautics, 2000. Europe’s Low Cost Airlines. An Analysis of the economics and operating characteristics of Europe’s charter and low costs scheduled carriers. Air Transport Group, Cranfield University, Cranfield. ? Doganis, R. (2001) The Airline Business in the 21st Century. New York: Routledge ? Easyjet, About us (2006) Information pack. [Cited 20th March 2007]. ? Kasilingam, R.G. (1998) Logistics and Transportation: design and planning. Kluwer Academic. ? Maier, M. (2006) A radical fix for airlines: Make flying free. Business 2.0 Available on CNN Money website ? Proussaloglou, K. and Koppelman, F. S., 1999. The choice of air carrier, flight, and fare class. Journal of Air Transport Management. 5: 193-201. ? Ryanair, About us (2007). [Cited 21st March 2007]. ? Ryanair Holdings PLC Datamonitor Report, 2007. ? Skytrax, Airline Ranking (2007). [Cited 26th March 2007] ? Yahoo, Finance UK (2007) Investing. [Cited 15th March 2007] Research Papers on Logistics Issues Facing Both Easyjet and RyanairNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaTwilight of the UAWDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Project Managment Office SystemInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe

Assureâ€I Mean, Ensureâ€Good Writing

Assure- I Mean, Ensure- Good Writing Assure- I Mean, Ensure- Good Writing Assure- I Mean, Ensure- Good Writing By Mark Nichol Once upon a time, professional and amateur writers alike could count on books and publications to help guide them in writing clearly, coherently, and concisely. They knew that when they opened a book, a magazine, or a newspaper, they could generally be assured that they would find carefully crafted prose that adhered to principles of proper grammar, syntax, and usage and would not only enhance comprehension of the content but also serve as a model for their own effective writing. Unfortunately, that assurance has long since ceased to exist across the board. Over the last quarter-century, socioeconomic forces have eviscerated the editorial infrastructure in the publishing world. Into the late twentieth century, at least most book publishers were assiduous in making sure not only that fiction and nonfiction narratives were well constructed but also that attention was paid to the mechanics of sentence structure. In the periodical world, veteran magazine and newspaper editors passed their skills in telling stories (and finessing them down to the detail of using just the right punctuation for the job with each keystroke) to younger editorial staff members, preserving a tradition of editorial excellence even for niche magazines and small-town papers. Not every publication adhered to such high standards, of course, and objectivity was not always maintained (or sought), but readers usually could count, at least, on being exposed to good, clean writing. Those standards have now eroded, thanks in large part to budget cuts in editorial departments and a deterioration in the informal newsroom mentor-protà ©gà © tradition, in addition to a growing indifference in our society to excellent writing. Some publications keep the bar high, but the general readership is exposed to much mediocre writing in print and online media alike, and sloppy prose from one writer infects other writers like a virus, passing on clichà ©s, errors, and poor habits. One recent example stood out for me- perhaps a persnickety detail, but symptomatic of an erosion of precision in usage that encourages lazy writing. In a local metropolitan newspaper, an editorial about the crisis of homelessness misused assured not once, not twice, but thrice: 1. The city needs to evaluate and track people in homeless programs to assure that they are put in the most suitable settings. 2. San Francisco needs to work together with Oakland and San Jose, which are experiencing their own struggles with homelessness, to assure that they are not merely shifting the burden to one another. 3. It would be a colossal waste of money to make the necessary investments in supportive housing and other services without a commensurate commitment to assure that the people who are offered this array of assistance are no longer afforded the option to flout the law with impunity. Careful writers know that assurance does not occur in isolation; it is given. (One would say, for example, â€Å"I assured them that they are not merely shifting the burden to one another.†) The proper word for this context is ensure. (Insure, meanwhile, is best confined to matters of indemnity.) In popular usage, these words are used interchangeably, and historically, they have not always been employed distinctly even by more erudite writers, but preserving such distinctions helps us maintain a rich, diverse language. I’m all for relaxed, flexible usage in in appropriate contexts, but maintaining a firewall between ensure, insure, and assure, or between eager and anxious or between enormity and enormousness, or any such fraternal twins or triplets, helps writers produce and readers consume high-quality prose. If so many book and periodical (and online) publishers have abandoned their traditional role as standard-bearers for good writing, where does the developing writer (read: every writer) go for guidance? Some publishers still strive to deliver well-written content, and many corporate and organizational websites are impressively edited, but ultimately, the careful writer will consult writing guides such as this site and the many excellent writing manuals available in print and sometimes online. (Search for â€Å"book reviews† on DailyWritingTips.com for recommendations- or cautions.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†7 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewAffect vs. Effect

Politics since Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Politics since - Movie Review Example But America feels that while Iran’s help was great in some fields, it lacked substantially in others. The US believes that Usama bin Laden2 and other important leaders of Al-Qaeda escaped to Iran. Therefore, they demanded Iran to turn them over for investigation but Iran denied their presence in their country which is not believed by the US. Things took a pivotal turn from then on. George W. Bush3 called Iran a member of the Axis of evil4. This caused Iran to stop their supportive role in Iraq. There were a huge number of protests in Iran against America. Their national flag was disrespected and trampled on. George Bush was burned in effigy on several occasions. Mohammad Ali Abtahi5 calls this one of the biggest political blunders of George Bush. Iran was branded as a terrorist nation at a very crucial time by the US. Such remarks are an attack on the nobility and pride of a nation and any country in the world would have responded in a similar way. The US efforts to install democracy in Iraq have served the Iranian interest according to US because of the fact that Iran wanted Saddam Hussein6 to fall. The army that Iran fought for 8 years was subdued in just a few weeks as a result of US invasion of Iraq. For US, this is a great benefit to Iran but Iran is not content with just that. Iran indeed wanted Saddam to fall but not the way he did. For them, one enemy is replaced by an even bigger enemy. They are worried about the US encirclement of Iran. US efforts of democracy in Iraq mean the creation of a Puppet State controlled by the US. Iran also feels that it has been a home outside home for many Iraqi politicians through history. Therefore, they have a right to be consulted when a new government is being set up in Iraq. Iran helped to get the votes out in the first elections and many of their allies were elected in southern Iraq. Iran wanted participation in the overthrowing of

Sales Force Compensation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sales Force Compensation - Term Paper Example As such, the use of total rewards program as a way of attracting, retaining and motivating employees involves the extension of what an employee perceives as being of value to that employee. The need for an effective Total rewards program is underscored by firms being solely dependent upon it for growth, stability and overall success. Likewise, the success of a firm that wants to have an effective sales force must use total rewards program, the size of that firm notwithstanding. 1. Six Features of an Effective Total Rewards Program In order to motivate the sales force to produce the highest number of clients, there are six features of an effective total rewards program that should be put to use. One of the features that of an effective total rewards program that will help is compensation. Compensation is the pay that is extended to an employee for the services that the employee renders. Compensation should not only include both short and long-term rewards. Fair and effective compensat ion is that which supports the organization's goals, mission and business objectives. It is against this backdrop that Nike Inc. provides its personnel with very competitive salary that totally complements employees' duties, roles and responsibilities. Another feature of an effective total rewards program that should be put to use is the definition and moderation of work-life. Work-life comprises a particular set of organizational policies, practices, programs and philosophy which actively sustain and support efforts to help employees attain success both at the workplace, and at home. Some of the examples and facets of work-life include job sharing, telecommuting, sabbaticals, flexible work hours, compressed workweek, and continued education. Nike Inc allows sabbaticals for its employees annually. Employees who have worked with Nike Inc. for five years are entitled for two-week rest while those who have worked with the firm for more than six years are entitled for a one-month's leav e. Nike Inc's sales and marketing department and employees are the best paid in the sportswear industry, according to Borgardus (2006). Failure to observe proper work-life easily paves way for dissatisfaction and de-motivation among employees. In another wavelength, Nike Inc or any other organization that is serious about its effective total rewards program must factor its benefit program into consideration. Benefits refer to programs that an employer dispenses to supplement monetary emoluments that are given to employees. Aspects of these benefits include income protection, retirement programs, health and savings. Cichelli (2010) divulges that a well-designed program may not be generic, but needs to customize the diverse workforce which makes up Nike Inc.'s retail and organization. Nike Inc.'s benefit program will help its selling and promotion undertakings since Nike Inc. provides health insurance, disability insurance, life and accident insurance, paid sabbaticals, tuition assist ance, product discounts, transportation allowance and discount.

Google glass Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Google glass - Essay Example In addition, new applications and updates to the operating system that were not available during the time of the launch make today’s Google Glass explorer edition a tempting thing to acquire and buy (Furlan, 2013). Google glass was made up by a facility within Google that is dedicated towards the direction of advancing the technology that cycle within the organization like the driverless cars. The facility that developed the technology is known as Google X. Google glass has been designed to be slimmer and smaller compared to the displays that have been circulated to the market by the company previously (Campesato, 2014). The prototype of the glass looked very similar to the standard eyeglasses with its lens being replaced by a heads-up display. In 2011, the company came up with a prototype of the Google glass that weighed around 3,600grams that was made to be lighter than the average sunglasses later in 2013. The explorer edition of the glass was produced and made available to the company’s I/O developers in the US for a price of 1,500 dollars (Furlan, 2013). There developed a partnership between Google and some Italian eyewear companies so that they could be provided with additional designs of glass frames. The Nepal Government in 2014 adopted Google glass in a move to bring solutions to the problem of poaching in the countrys national parks and reserves. The glass has also been used by the Gurkha military in tracking animals and birds in the forest that geared the latest development in the military venture (Campesato, 2014). Google glass is made up of flexible titanium headband that tends to remain durable as it stretches from one ear to the ear. The flexible band is combined with a covering that is made of plastic that covers the Glass’ major gears and it gives it a general clean outlook. Google glass is made up of a cube-shaped glass prism that is located just above the

Teaching Staff and Students Well-being Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Teaching Staff and Students Well-being - Essay Example The independent nature of FE is potentially under threat as institutions are held to similar account as schools. Further to not creating negative situations for staff and students, well-being is increasingly being represented as ensuring conditions for staff or students. Throughout this assignment, it is argued that well-being is a series of balances which is difficult to achieve and must be addressed on an individual basis within a broadly supportive system of management. It is argued that well-being as a philosophy or policy has the potential to be more effective than existing deficit models where issues such as low morale, high workload and excessive stress are viewed simply as problems to be solved or obstacles to be removed. Teaching staff face constant pressures to perform, and it is commonly accepted as a highly stressful job. As part of the debate over pay and conditions, the National Union of Teachers was potentially embarrassed in the media by the finding that the total work hours of teachers was less than an average worker when taken across the year and accounting for holidays (Baker, 2002). This effectively ended the debate over hours (that administration and marking was largely unpaid work), and focussed on more qualitative issues. These issues are related to well-being. For example, research commissioned by the National Union of Teachers found that the intensity of work was such that a teacher's blood pressure only returned to normal levels during the longer holidays (BBC News, 1999). Issues of stress and intensity had come into focus, and so the debate on pay and conditions was much less about the work teachers did and more about the effect that the work has on them. Cooper and Weinberg (2007) introduce their book with an argument which relates to this idea. Assuming that virtually every worker would leave their job if they were financially independent (e.g. won the lottery), Cooper and Weinberg then pose the question of whether one would swap some of that lottery cash for an extra ten years of life. This is the issue of well-being, that stressful employment can be viewed as selling your life away in two ways. Firstly, the time spent at work is so intense that there is no time for social activities or other enjoyment on workdays (and possibly a lot of leisure time is given over to recovery rather than leisure). Secondly, and less directly, the stress of working has a negative impact on one's health and can shorten life expectancy. In a world where everybody has not just won the lottery, this argument is still relevant. Life would equally be shortened and leisure opportunities impinged by a lack of money. As Cooper and Weinber

The Cold War Doctrines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Cold War Doctrines - Essay Example It was caused by political and economic differences between the United States and the USSR (Posen 98). President Harry S. Truman reigned in the United States during the cold war. He faced a lot of internal challenges during the cold war. The United States faced severe shortages in housing and consumer products, many strikes and widespread dissatisfaction with the level of inflation. Turman used certain tactics to dominate the United States during the cold war. He signed the National Security Act 1947 as part of the world war strategy. He also reorganized armed forces by merging the state of war and the department of the navy into the National Military Establishment. He also created the United States Air Force, CIA and the National Security Council (Bostdorff 28). He used administrative commands to stop ethnic prejudice in the military forces. He dismissed a bunch of communists’ supporters from office by the creation of loyalty checks. He bitterly fought the republican leaders on foreign policy. Through his belief against communism, he protected Turkey, Greece and Iran by making a peaceful solution, not sending United States troops to war, and prevention of soviet penetration. He came up with the Fair Deal program which involved anti-union Taft-Hartley Act and vigorous civil rights program (Bostdorff 14). He also made a commitment to recognize the institution of the state of Israel. This was made to sustain the formation of a motherland for the Jewish people. Turman’s presidency was extremely active in foreign policy, which was containment of Soviet expansion as the cold war unfolded. It is necessary to note that Turman authorized the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs which killed thousands of people in Japan. He used nuclear weapons against Japan as the Japanese government refused the terms of Potsdam Declaration (Bostdorff 160). This made the Japanese surrender on the 14th of August; 1945. The atomic bomb scene was revisited in the cold war and was recognized to have rendered convectional forces largely irrelevant to the modern battlefield. Corruption was a key issue in Turman’s government which runs through individual members of the cabinet and the senior white house staff. He relied distinctly on his cabinet and popularized such phrases as ‘The buck stops here’. Turman initiated the Berlin Airlift. This was a strategy that delivered meals and other supplies using military airplanes to people. Turman also used the strategy of rapid demobilization, which involved sending the veterans home. This policy was primarily financial since it involved funding domestic spending requirements. President Eisenhower was the thirty fourth president of the United States. His presidency was dominated by the cold war which begun during Turman’s reign. He was popular for ending the Korean War and presiding over eight years of peace. He signed peace treaties with South Korea and the republic of China. He expanded t he National Security Council which was initiated by president Turman. He was the first president to conduct televised press conferences. Just like Turman he was an anti-communist, and through this, he developed a marketing and armed coalition with the Spain through the Pact of Madrid. Signing the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization alliance, was another strategy to prevent communism. He accepted the principle of containment which sought

Principles of Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Principles of Marketing - Case Study Example With these features of hypercompetitive business arena, the role of marketing in the operation of the businesses becomes more pronounced. Marketing information can be efficiently utilized to cope with competition as well as win the patron age of buyers. In the case of Bottle Brothers, the use of marketing information to adapt to the current business environment is imperative. The pressure from competitors as well as buyers necessitates them to seek for relevant information about their market. Looking at the company scenario, the marketing information which will bring benefit to Bottle Brothers include: customer information like buyer behaviour, consumer preference, perceived customer value, customer profile, and buyer receptiveness to marketing campaigns; competitor information like pricing, brand image, value chain and other strategies; trend in the external environment like technological advancement, cultural preferences, social trends, economic developments, political factors, and others. This paper recommends that Bottle Brothers concentrate on two marketing information namely, consumer preference and marketing technology. ... In satisfying customers, businesses should gain an in-depth knowledge of their specific markets. Companies need to be acquainted with the buyer's preferences. Customer preference tells a company the needs that they want to be satisfied as well as how they want these needs to be provided. It is essential that Bottle Brothers conduct a thorough research on the preference of the customers. This is highlighted by the changing business sphere that the company is operating in. The company needs to know if clients really derive value from purchasing a well-known brand. In its current situation, Bottle Brothers is required to decide how to create a brand image for its products. At the same time, the manufacturer also needs to know the appropriate products that it should sell in the market. The proliferation of other competitors with their own products necessitates an investigation to generate the products which really creates value for its customers. It is extremely important the company focus on designing and producing clothing that suits the requirements of its market. Bottle Brothers can thoroughly outline the preference of its buyers by conducting an intensive market research. However, it is important that the company starts by defining its target market. Doing this as a starting point helps the company in generating the appropriate information. The company can then draft a survey which aims to answers the question discussed above. Bottle Brothers should be able to prepare questions which looks at the major motivation of buyers in their purchases. This can include price, place, quality, comfort, convenience and other relevant factors which are often incorporated in buying decisions. However, the company should focus on

The Cold War Doctrines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Cold War Doctrines - Essay Example It was caused by political and economic differences between the United States and the USSR (Posen 98). President Harry S. Truman reigned in the United States during the cold war. He faced a lot of internal challenges during the cold war. The United States faced severe shortages in housing and consumer products, many strikes and widespread dissatisfaction with the level of inflation. Turman used certain tactics to dominate the United States during the cold war. He signed the National Security Act 1947 as part of the world war strategy. He also reorganized armed forces by merging the state of war and the department of the navy into the National Military Establishment. He also created the United States Air Force, CIA and the National Security Council (Bostdorff 28). He used administrative commands to stop ethnic prejudice in the military forces. He dismissed a bunch of communists’ supporters from office by the creation of loyalty checks. He bitterly fought the republican leaders on foreign policy. Through his belief against communism, he protected Turkey, Greece and Iran by making a peaceful solution, not sending United States troops to war, and prevention of soviet penetration. He came up with the Fair Deal program which involved anti-union Taft-Hartley Act and vigorous civil rights program (Bostdorff 14). He also made a commitment to recognize the institution of the state of Israel. This was made to sustain the formation of a motherland for the Jewish people. Turman’s presidency was extremely active in foreign policy, which was containment of Soviet expansion as the cold war unfolded. It is necessary to note that Turman authorized the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs which killed thousands of people in Japan. He used nuclear weapons against Japan as the Japanese government refused the terms of Potsdam Declaration (Bostdorff 160). This made the Japanese surrender on the 14th of August; 1945. The atomic bomb scene was revisited in the cold war and was recognized to have rendered convectional forces largely irrelevant to the modern battlefield. Corruption was a key issue in Turman’s government which runs through individual members of the cabinet and the senior white house staff. He relied distinctly on his cabinet and popularized such phrases as ‘The buck stops here’. Turman initiated the Berlin Airlift. This was a strategy that delivered meals and other supplies using military airplanes to people. Turman also used the strategy of rapid demobilization, which involved sending the veterans home. This policy was primarily financial since it involved funding domestic spending requirements. President Eisenhower was the thirty fourth president of the United States. His presidency was dominated by the cold war which begun during Turman’s reign. He was popular for ending the Korean War and presiding over eight years of peace. He signed peace treaties with South Korea and the republic of China. He expanded t he National Security Council which was initiated by president Turman. He was the first president to conduct televised press conferences. Just like Turman he was an anti-communist, and through this, he developed a marketing and armed coalition with the Spain through the Pact of Madrid. Signing the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization alliance, was another strategy to prevent communism. He accepted the principle of containment which sought

Cost Information for decision making Essay Example for Free

Cost Information for decision making Essay Two common costing systems used in business are traditionally cost accounting system (job costing, process costing and operating costing) and activity-based costing system (ABC). There are some similarities and differences between these systems. Regarding the similarities, both accumulate product costs throughout the production process and assign those costs to individual units of production. Additionally, product cost under two costing systems consists of direct materials, direct labor and manufacturing overhead. In terms of differences, they are different in the way how the overhead costs are allocated. For conventional costing, it assigns manufacturing overhead based on a single volume based cost driver such as direct labour hours. In contrast, ABC approaches cost from the perspective that products do not cause costs. It requires activities which are the causes of all costs incurred so it allocates manufacturing overhead according to the activities needed to produce the products. Therefore, it highlights the existence of non value added activity which is not existed under traditional method. ABC also differs from conventional costing in the use of several cost pools when allocating the overhead costs. For instance, traditional costing uses only one cost pool to distribute the overhead whereas there are many cost pools involved under ABC. Furthermore, ABC employs both volume-based and non-volume-based cost drivers while conventional costing utilizes only volume-based cost drivers. Another difference is that conventional approach complies with the GAAP so it can be used to satisfy conventional financial reporting requirements. On the other hand, accounting standard board does not accept ABC to prepare financial statements so it can be useful for internal management decision. Under conventional system, there are similarities between job costing, process costing and operating costing. Firstly, they accumulate product costs throughout the production process and assign those costs to products. Secondly, these costing systems calculate the product costs which comprise direct material, direct labour and manufacturing overhead. Lastly, the cost flows for three systems is from raw material to work in process to finished goods and then to costs of goods sold. These first two systems can be distinguished by the following differences. First, job costing system is used by the company which produces unique products or products based on customer orders. Conversely, process costing is for the firms which produce one or a few homogenous products and often have continuous mass production. Second, each individual product costs are traced easily under job costing while process costing makes no attempt to track individual product costs. Thirdly, under job costing, the transfer from one job to another does not take place whereas the production from one process is transferred to next one till the product is full completed under process costing. Next, process costing accumulates product costs in each production department throughout the period while job order costing accumulates product costs to specific units. Operating costing for company which has a mix production system that produces in large quantities but then is customized the finished product. Therefore, operating costing is a combination of process costing and job costing. However, it differs from job and process costing which includes more than two types of cost pools in overhead allocation process. The cost pools are designed to match the separate processes that may be allocated to batches of products. Comment about the quality of your work: According to the assessment criteria, my answer for the question should be marked 7. This is for the following reasons. Firstly, the answer is well-organized into five paragraphs which consist of differences between conventional costing and ABC costing. For instance, the first and second paragraphs demonstrate the similarities and differences between conventional costing and ABC. Apart from this, the answer also points out the similarities and differences between job costing, process costing and operating costing.

Key Communication Issues Of Interracial Relationships Cultural Studies Essay

Key Communication Issues Of Interracial Relationships Cultural Studies Essay What are some key communication issues of interracial friendships? Interracial friendships provide a context of equality in which intergroup differences may be addressed to reduce prejudice and conflict. Measures of the extent of interracial friendships also reflect the state of race relations in a society, capturing the positive feelings between group members rather than the negative sentiment so often emphasized in studies of racial attitudes. When friendships cut across racial lines, they represent a form of bonding capital and a form of bridging capital (Samovar Porter, 1994). There are several communication issues which arise in interracial friendships, and these may cause communication barriers among friends (Samovar Porter, 1994). The first issue is language, and this may prove to be a communication barrier if interracial friends do not adequately understand each others language. This may serve to affect the friendship, as they will not be able to understand each other. Another issue that may arise relates to culture. Differences in perception of culture, especially if friends see issues from different viewpoints, may be a barrier to communication. This issue is more pronounced when there are inherent differences in religious views, by friends from different religions. Finally, differences in ideologies of perception of life between interracial friends may act as a barrier to effective communication. Some people are conservative while others are liberal, and when such friends are having conversation, this might degenerate into conflict due to different views and opinions. This happens if the friends are not accommodating the other person s opinions. 2. What are some key communication issues of interracial romantic relationships? Although interracial and intercultural romantic relationships have been present throughout history, they have rarely been culturally encouraged or even accepted. In fact, these relationships have often been prohibited. Ultimately, however, an increase in racial and/or ethnic diversity within the United States should cause a corresponding increase in interracial and intercultural dating and marriage, eventually promoting greater acceptance of these relationships (Gudykunst Kim, 1992). There are several communication issues which arise in interracial relationships , and these may cause conflicts among couples (Gudykunst Kim, 1992). Similar to interracial friendships , language can prove to be a communication barrier if interracial couples do not adequately understand each others language . They may be unable to communicate effectively , and this may harm their relationship . Similarly , differences in perception of culture may be another communication issue in interracial romantic relationships. Although many communication issues are the same across all romantic relationships, these relationship must also contend with issues of discrimination and identity. In interracial romantic relationships, the partners are aware of social disapproval. In some instances they are alienated from friends and families. They are required to consider social and historical forces concerning race and sexual identity in ways that other couples are not. Their communication behaviors reflect these concerns. Romantic relationships and the communication that occurs within them vary widely. Cultural scripts guide how people conduct conversations in romantic relationships, too. The factors include individual differences like love style and the degree of security or certainty about the relationship, as well as contextual considerations like geographic distance and social sanctions. 3. How can computer mediated communication (CMC) can both facilitate and hinder intercultural relationships? Computer-mediated communication (CMC) refers to human-human interaction via the computer. Some of the popular applications of CMC are email, instant messaging (IM), chat rooms, bulletin boards, and newsgroups. Compared to face-to-face (FtF) communication, CMC liberates communicators from the need to be physically co-present and thus from the consequent influence of nonverbal cues. Although some theorists and researchers argue that CMC-based intercultural relationships cannot be as rich as those formed in FtF encounters, others have identified ways in which CMC can actually increase intimacy among intercultural relationships. Research findings suggest that under Computer-mediated communication (CMC), intercultural contact can lead to reduced prejudice and positive attitude change (Klak Martin, 2003; Rubin Lannutti, 2001). These kinds of discussion facilitate person to fully describe and interpret the intercultural world and experiences in which they live. online discussions can provide a dialogic starting point for connecting with persons lived experiences- their own and others. online discussions facilitate dialogic learning is that they provide a comfortable venue in which people can explore controversial and/or ambivalent feelings about intercultural topics. People may not offer their true voices and experience on these issues in face-to-face discussions due to the fear of creating incommensurable or irreconcilable differences or because of a social desirability issue. However, the filtering out of nonverbal cues, not being able to see the reactions of others, or the identity characteristics (age, gender, race etc) that may hinder communication-makes everyone feel more at ease. 4. Define popular culture. Popular culture could be defined as sets of values, beliefs, trends or modes of symbolic expression readily available to and acknowledged by the masses (McCluskey, 2006). Popular culture is opposite from high culture which is widely accepted by high class and usually considered of great value and does not attempt to appeal the crowds attention. on the contrary, popular culture is wildly liked and propagated by the public, with the aim of attracting publics attention and making profits. As Williams (1976) expounded, popular means being seen from the point of view of the people rather than from those seeking favour or power over them. In addition, popular culture is different from folk culture which is more ethnic and traditional while popular culture usually has nothing to do with outmoded and it only deals with what is in fashion. Popular culture was spread by commercial need. The products from popular culture such as films, magazines and fashionable dress are all goods merchants use for profit-making. From this point of view, commercial destination is a distinct from other forms of culture among popular cultures identities. Since popular culture was born, an indispensable friend of it which is so-called mass media has been accompanying with it, including newspapers, television, radio and internet. obviously, people have to use, at least one kind of mass media when they feel like learning news, searching something in the latest fad and keeping in touch with others. It infers that mass media is something like ligament and support of popular culture. Another characteristic of popular culture is that it is often adopted by young people, almost the monopoly of the youth. Consequently expressions of popular culture in everyday life are always exciting and fashionable, such as Hip-hop and Bungee jumping. Also, most enthusiasts of fast food, short text message and rock n music are youth. Young people enjoy themselves in popular culture with no doubts. 5. How can cultural group portrayals in popular culture forms influence intercultural communication? In the international arena, scholars have turned to the notions of cultural imperialism developed in 1920s in the critique of popular culture, especially U.S. domination of the resources and media market in the world and its implications on intercultural communication (Condon Yousef, 1975). These scholars believe that people are informed about other cultures from popular media and cultural products. The media representations of other cultures can be used to remove the misconceptions and stereotypes of other cultures. one of the incredible uses of popopular culture as medium of intercultural communications is hidden behind its own cultural icons. The cultural role-models, could be distinguish to be based on two types real and fictitious (Gudykunst Kim, 1992) Popular culture icons can penetrate in the cultural communication on a multi-ethnic multi-cultural level. The first level is the representation of the real life, success stories, of a few dozens of people who are incredibly blessed and through their work and dedication had managed to achieve an international fame and glory. The vast wealth that they had acquired in the process is there just there to complement their stardom stature. Their real power, at lest in the context of pop-culture, is their ability to communicate and moreover to reach their followers through the world, a loyal army of supporters ready at all times to spend parts of their often moderated income on products or memorabilia with which to add to the financial wealth of their role-models, celebrities of different status ex: actresses musicians etc. The perfect example of the popular icons could be the one of the most controversial celebrities Madonna. She had undergone, different image transformation, form a boy-toy playgirl in the 80s through a flamboyant queer/gay culture supporter to a loving and down to earth mother in a matter of few decades. However, throughout all stages of her constant image change she had mange sharply to influence cultural change trough out the globe and to raise and promote and established new ideas and social values. The role of the popular icons as a role models, should not been underestimated, as that power is by far the most useful tool which the pop culture posses as the means of intercultural communication. 6. How does the media portray racialized others? Through media people are taught and reminded of their social position by all three kinds of representation-race, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality. Gender, race, and sexuality are all part of an interlinked system of representation that helps describe and define who has power in relationship to others. In this interlocking system, some are constructed as having power and dominance, and others are depicted as being powerless and submissive, and sometimes subservient. The subordination of some is requisite for the empowerment of others. In this world of media representations, visible differences are highlighted and some time accentuated so as to clarify who has power and who does not. Whiteness comes to having meaning in relation to the representation of racialized others. As the late Ruth Frankenberg suggested, whiteness is a product of negative difference; people come to understand themselves as white through a process by which they know who they are by what they are not. Another way of saying this in relation to Asia and Asian Americans is that whiteness becomes meaningful when contrasted to Asianess. Whiteness is therefore a default racial identity, an identity that does not come from the inside so much as being define by what is not observed to be constitutive of the other. 7. What are some recommendations to increase diversity in media, particularly according to gender, race, ethnicity, and physical ability? Historically, the media relied on stereotypes to attract the largest possible audience, thus they reinforced rather than challenged the attitudes of society. The left maintains stereotypical depictions and coverage emphasizing minorities are problems that remain. Studies show African Americans and Hispanics are still more likely to believe the media are biased in their coverage of race and ethnicity than whites, supporting the notion the media are skewed right (Gonzalez et al., 2004). Native Americans are often portrayed as stoic warriors. News and entertainment coverage of Native Americans reinforces the notion that their cultures are almost dead, as current issues are rarely addressed and they are often depicted in traditional garb. Asian men are most often depicted as martial arts experts, while Asian women suffer from too-frequent portrayals as geishas. Women in all media are portrayed as being in relationships rather than careers and as seeking romance more frequently than male characters on television and in film; in essence, the media stresses their domestic interests. The dominant ideology of gender coverage is patriarchal. Today, the representation of many minority groups in media remains small for the population and representation of all groups remains somewhat inaccurate or restricted but strides continue. 8. What are the characteristics of intercultural conflict? Intercultural conflict occurs because of an individuals lack of knowledge regarding external cultural norms and values. Neither of these individuals communicated effectively with each other and the messages conveyed were not as the communicator intended. This created a sense of vulnerability and frustration for both the parties involved (Jameson, 2007). The major characteristics of intercultural conflict are the following: (1) conflict involves intercultural perceptionsperceptions are filtered through our lenses of ethnocentrism and stereotypes, and perceptions color our conflict attribution process; (2) conflict involves interactionconflict is sustained and managed via verbal and nonverbal behaviors, and verbal and nonverbal behaviors are culture-bound concepts; (3) conflict involves interdependencefor a conflict to arise, the behavior of one or both parties must have consequences for the other, for otherwise the conflict parties can walk away from each other easily; (4) conflict involves both self-interest and mutual-interest goalsconflict is a mixed-up and incomplete jigsaw puzzle, both parties needing something from each other in order to complete the entire picture; and (5) conflict involves the protection of intergroup imagesin an intercultural or intergroup conflict situation, conflict parties have to worry about protecting b oth individual and group-based images. 9. What are the contextual sources of interracial/ethnic conflict? Interracial/ethnic conflict is a dynamic process; any one episode is typically the result of multiple sources of conflict (Hall and Mildred, 1987). In other words, conflict can simultaneously involve personal and cultural issues. In order to provide insight into how conflict often becomes racialized, we describe various sources of interracial/ethnic conflicts. Improper communication is a key source of intercultural anxiety and disagreement. The communication process is quite different among other cultures by how, when and why something is said. Communicating to one group may have different meaning to another based on tone, facial expression or nonverbal indicators. These ideas consist of a persons communication style. Miscommunication can happen when an individual communication styles are unique from someone else. In todays diverse workplace, we may have to deal with a co worker whose communication style differs from ours. Learning effectively to communicate among all different cultures is essential regardless of our line of work. For example, arguing, in some cultures is normal, others it is an unfriendly behavior, and for some the argument is highly emotional. Some cultures characteristics might be more reserve while another tends to be more forward in communication. In some cases, a cultures frankness, and values, such as telling it like it is while other groups maintain harmony. A persons accent varies greatly especially within the same language. We should not pre judge ones accent and make assumptions about that persons background. 10. What is the relationship between ethnicity, gender, religion, and conflict communication? Conflicts often arise in any form of relationship. Whether be in an intimate relationship between a husband and wife, employee with a co-employee, superior officer and employee, friend and friend, parents and children, teacher and student, brother and brother, and so many other relationships. In our lives, we often face many conflicts and disagreement on certain issues (Gudykunst and Young, 1992). These conflicts and disagreement are often based on different ethnicity, gender or religion. But even with the existence of conflicts, there are good ways for conflict communication resolution. Conflict communication does not mean that you have to sacrifice your principles; it simply requires one to come to a point to recognize the other persons view, respect it and to further avoid another conflict communication in the future. Any conflict communication must be resolved at the earliest time to prevent further injury to both parties. Although at times, this is not easy for either party, it is still the best way to do it. When there is an impending conflict communication, the best remedy is to talk and not to wait for any future time to settle a conflict. Because of the busy lives of most persons today, conflict communication is often times unavoidable. However, this could be solved and apprehended immediately as long as you keep an open mind to it. Conflict communication should be seen as a means to enhance relationships by finding out a conflict, giving solutions to it and building stronger and better relationships between two different ethnicities, genders, religions.