Capital Punishment Just or Unjust Essay - 1927 Words

Capital Punishment: Just or Unjust? Can you imagine knowing the exact day, time, and place you were going to die, not to mention how your death was to come about? Day after day of mental pain just knowing that days, hours, minutes and even seconds from now you are going to be killed. The night before, tossing and turning, playing through your head just the way you imagine your death is going to be, asking yourself heaven or hell, suffering or short? If only you can take that one moment of sin back or maybe there was never a moment of sin at all. After what seems like a hundred of years, the day finally arrives. You slowly walk into the chamber, your heart is racing, your hands are clammy, and you are shaking not because it is†¦show more content†¦The gas chamber, first used in Nevada in 1921, was located in an airtight room with a chair into which the accused was strapped. Death was then caused by an exposure to cyanide gas. As noted in the article Debate Over Capital Punishment-A Pro Stance, the suffering cau sed is easy to see; the prisoner is writing, vomiting, shaking and gasping for breath for many seconds (â€Å"Debate Over†). Lethal Injection, another form of execution, was introduced in 1977 and is now used in twenty-three states. This is the most widespread method and believed to be the most humane. The convicted is strapped to a table and injected with sodium thiopentone, loosing consciousness in ten to fifteen seconds. This is then followed by pancuronium bromide, which blocks respiration, and finally potassium chloride to stop the heart (â€Å"Debate Over†). In the 1930’s there were more executions than any other decade. The average executions were one-hundred and sixty-seven per year, which is an incredibly high number of deaths(â€Å"Amnesty Facts†). During the 1960’s people began challenging the legality of the death penalty. Many people said that it was â€Å"cruel and inhumane† and it violated the Eighteenth Amendment(â€Å"Amnesty Facts† ). In 1972 the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty was cruel and inhumane which is unconstitutional according to the Eighteenth Amendment. The United States reversed this decision when a â€Å"cleaner† way to bring about death wasShow MoreRelatedCapital Punishment: Just or Unjust?953 Words   |  4 Pagesmarksmen, seated 10 feet away behind a canvas curtain, fired at a black target pinned on his chest, and Gilmore died, the first man in the United States to be put to death following the ten-year moratorium on capital punishment ended by the Sup reme Court in 1967. (Mill 57) Capital punishment does not only lower the murder rate, but it s value as retribution alone is a good reason for handing out death sentences. Support for the death penalty in the U.S. has risen to an average of 80 percent. Read MoreRacial Discrimination And Capital Punishment1682 Words   |  7 Pagesand capital punishment has been a heated topic discussed ever since the 1972 case Furman v. Georgia. In the article, â€Å"Does Racial Discrimination Make Capital Punishment Wrong?† by Stephen Nathanson, his position in this argument is affirmative as he argues that racial discrimination makes capital punishment wrong since death penalty is administered in an arbitrary manner. Arbitrariness is the quality of being determined by chance or impulse, and not by reason or principle. He claims capital punishmentRead MoreAnnuling Capital Punishment Essay602 Words   |  3 PagesHomicide is unjust. Since youth we have been taught this unquestionable truth. Ask yourself, then, what i s the death penalty? In its easiest structure, the death penalty is characterized as one individual taking the life of another human. Incidentally, that is the meaning of homicide. There are 36 states with capital punishment, and they should change. These states need to get rid of it because it conveys a perilous danger of disciplining the innocent, is unjust and primitive, and is an insufficientRead MoreThe Deterrence Theory Vs. Deterrence853 Words   |  4 Pagesrewards and punishments that would result from such actions. Which has led many theorists to believe that the proper to punish, a defiant act is by severe, certain, and swift punishment was the key to deterrence. The deterrence theory relies on three individual components: severity, certainty, and celerity. It is thought severe penalties, will desist from criminal acts, which thus prevent crime. However, if the sentence believed to be too harsh would be considered unjust. While, punishments not severeRead MoreThe Death Pe nalty Is A Morally Appropriate Punishment846 Words   |  4 PagesHowever, times have changed and most of society relegates this â€Å"ultimate penalty† to the most heinous of crimes such as capital murder. There is much debate about the ethical nature of the death penalty with contrasting arguments on both the far left and far right. Nonetheless, I believe the Death penalty is a morally appropriate punishment only when the legal system is just and imposes strict scrutiny in giving/applying the penalty. It can be argued that society gains no utility by providing heinousRead MorePersuasive Essay : Capital Punishment1200 Words   |  5 Pages2015 Capital Punishment Capital punishment, which is also known as the death penalty, is the punishment of a crime by execution. This extreme retribution is reserved for those who have committed heinous, or capital crimes against society, therefore considered an ongoing threat. Capital punishment was abolished from the Canadian Criminal Code in 1976. It was substituted with a compulsory life sentence without possibility of parole for 25 years for all first-degree murders. However capital punishmentRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is A Capital Punishment1271 Words   |  6 Pages What is the death penalty? The death penalty is a capital punishment that is punishable by death or execution. This is usually given to people that have committed serious offences or capital crimes. There are 31 states in the United States that are for the death penalty. Crimes that are punishable by the death penalty, vary from state to state. Examples of such crimes are; first degree murder or premeditated murder, murder with special circumstances, such as: intended, multiple, and murder whichRead MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty1106 Words   |  5 Pages Jesse Jackson once said, â€Å"Capital punishment turns the state into a murderer.† Capital punishment has been around for several hundred years, the first documented execution in America taking place in 1608, but more recently this form of punishment has been raising questions on its morality. While the form of execution has changed over the years, from firing squad to lethal injection, all forms succeed in their purpose: to kill. Support for capital punishment is still very strong in America, the reasonsRead More Capital Punishment Essay1685 Words   |  7 PagesCapital Punishment Works Cited Not Included Capital Punishment was basically thought of for the good of society. The objective of Capital Punishment is to stop people from committing violent and offensive acts. Capital Punishment or the death penalty has failed however, to prevent or discourage crime. Moreover, it is cruel and gruesome. At present there are five methods of execution. The most commonly used form of execution is by lethal injection. In this method the convict is first injectedRead MoreA Look on the Impact of Capital Punishment in Canada1240 Words   |  5 PagesCapital punishment was the most severe punishment within the Canadian Justice system before it was abolished in the 1970’s. It is still used in many other countries around the world such as the United States, China and India, as it is believed to lower the crime rate within their country. Capital punishment was basically a form of torturing the suspect, but to their death as a consequence of their heinous crime. Many believe that capital punishment should be reinstated into Canada, while others are

Coca Cola External Environmental Factors Free Essays

During the strategic marketing management process, there are many external forces that any company must be aware of in order to be profitable. These very important factors to be considered come in the form of technology trends, economic and government trends, consumer trends and innovations. It is very important to become aware of all of the potential opportunities and threats that may arise from these trends. We will write a custom essay sample on Coca Cola External Environmental Factors or any similar topic only for you Order Now I believe that for Coca-Cola, there are external forces in all of these areas that they must be aware of and incorporate into their planning if they are to continue to be successful.When it comes to technology, in recent years there are many emerging trends that I feel that Coca-Cola could use to their advantage. The popularity of services such as Twitter and Facebook may give Coca-Cola the opportunity to spread the word about their products to territories that haven’t yet been reached by their competitors. Since the majority of people use these services all over the world, we feel that it is a great place for them to advertise.While it is still very important to have advertisements on television, more and more people are using the internet, and we feel that by collaborating with internet companies, they would be able to increase their profits. In addition to the increased use of the internet, another technology trend that Coca-Cola should be aware of is the production of bio -degradable bottles. Today’s plastic bottles are very bad for the environment and people are aware of this. Until recently, there was only technology to produce plastic that was made from petroleum.Now though, in the year 2010, there is technology to produce plastic that is made from plants. This plastic, also known as PLA or polylactide, emits fewer greenhouse gases, uses less energy than other plastic bottles and is also recyclable and compostable. We believe that since the environment is such a high priority in everyone’s minds, they should take advantage of this technological development. Economic and Government trends are an extremely important part of the external environment. Since consumers are directly affected by the status of n economy, a company should always be aware of the economic conditions in the countries in which they operate. Currently, all over the world, we are dealing with a recession. The unemployment rate is very high, and as a result, consumers have decreased buying power. When consumers have less income, the first thing that they stop buying are luxury goods. In my opinion, Coke is a luxury item and not a necessity. I feel that if Coca-Cola wants to continue to be successful in the current economic conditions, they must begin to produce goods that people must buy. An example of such a product would be dairy products, like milk.While a consumer who has a strict budget may skip purchasing Coke, they will not skip on purchasing milk. While technological and economic factors are extremely important to Coca-Cola, we feel that currently, the most important factor that needs to be addressed are changing consumer trends. Today, consumers are becoming more and more health conscious. When people purchase a food or drink, we think that they would ideally prefer something that has some health benefits to it. Coke has always been criticized for being bad for your health due to the food coloring, carbonation and high-fructose corn syrup.While we don’t believe that it is likely that Coca-Cola will lose much business to other cola competitors such as Pepsi, I do feel that they will lose business to companies that are producing healthy alternatives to cola, such as fruit drinks. I feel that Coca-Cola should be innovative and possibly consider changing some of the ingredients in Coke, such as using natural sugar instead of corn syrup and natural sources of food coloring rather than chemicals. Another very important cons umer trend that should be noticed by Coca-Cola is the increasing population of Hispanics in the United States. Hispanics make up a very large part of the population, and Coke isn’t marketed specifically to this ethnic group. We feel that if Coca-Cola marketed more directly to Hispanics, they would increase their profit. Lastly, a very important consumer trend is being â€Å"green†. As previously mentioned, consumers in the United States, as well as the majority of other countries in the world, are very concerned with the effects of pollution and the general well being of the planet. Coca-Cola’s biggest competition is Pepsi. In the past year, Pepsi has introduced the â€Å"Pepsi Refresh Project. †This program awards funding to people in America who have come up with great ideas on how they can improve their community. Some of the ideas that have been funded by Pepsi so far are making school buses more eco-friendly, growing fresh produce at schools to fight childhood obesity and making buildings in cities more energy efficient. In 2010, the Pepsi Refresh Project will give away more than $20 million to people with similar ideas. Each month, Pepsi will accept up to 1,000 new ideas every month and will award up to $1. 3 million in grants to the ideas who have received the most votes by other consumers.We feel that this is a very effective way of bettering the world that we live in and that Coca-Cola should do something very similar. Pepsi has so far only implemented this program in the United States, so this gives Coca-Cola the opportunity to use this idea on a global scale, and extend the benefits to other countries. We feel that being â€Å"green† is a very important consumer trend, and if Coca-Cola used a similar program across the world, they would begin to develop an image where they have the environment’s best interest at heart, and will gain the support of people all over the world as well as increasing their profits. How to cite Coca Cola External Environmental Factors, Papers

The Human Genome Project (Hgp) and Bioinformatics free essay sample

Its goals were to identify  all the approximately 25,000-30,000 genes in the human genome, to determine  the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up the human genome, to store  the information that resulted from the project in databases, to improve  tools for data analysis, to transfer  related technologies to the private sector, and to address  the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project. As researchers learn more about the functions of genes and proteins through the results obtained from the project, it will have a major impact in the fields of medicine, biotechnology, and the life sciences. For instance, the genetic sequences recorded by the project will aid in the identification of genetic diseases. Once the causes of those diseases are discovered and understood, there is hope that defective genes may be repaired and the disease cured by establishing new drugs based on the DNA base sequences of those genes or the structure of proteins coded for by them. We will write a custom essay sample on The Human Genome Project (Hgp) and Bioinformatics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Already, the genes responsible for cystic fibrosis, breast cancer, colon cancer, and sickle cell anemia have been found, making genetic tests for carriers of the disease a reality. In addition to this, the sequencing of the entire human genome will give us new insights into the origins, evolution, and migration of humans. The need for bioinformatics capabilities has been precipitated by the explosion of publicly available genomic information resulting from the Human Genome Project. Bioinformatics is a field that deals with the  application of computer technology to gather, store, analyze, and integrate mainly molecular biological information. Using this information in a digital format, bioinformatics can solve problems of molecular biology, predict structures, and even simulate macromolecules. Its ultimate goal is to enable the discovery of new biological insights that could have profound impacts on fields as varied as human health, agriculture, environment, energy, and biotechnology. Bioinformatics is essential as its approaches are used to understand the function of genes, the regulation of cells, drug target selection, drug design, and disease. The most well-known application of bioinformatics is sequence analysis. In sequence analysis, DNA sequences of various organisms are stored in databases for easy retrieval and comparison. The Human Genome Project  is an example of a sequence analysis. Using massive computers and various methods of collecting sequences, the entire human genome was sequenced and stored within a structured database. DNA sequences used for bioinformatics can be collected in a number of ways. One method is to go through a genome and search out individual sequences to record and store. Another method is called the shotgun sequencing, which is to grab huge amounts of fragments of DNA and compare them all, finding whole sequences by overlapping the redundant segments. Shotgun sequencing is currently the most popular because of its ease and speed. By comparing known sequences of a genome to specific mutations, much information can be gleaned about undesirable mutations such as cancers. With the completed mapping of the human genome, bioinformatics has become very important in the research of cancers in the hope of an eventual cure. There are many other applications of bioinformatics, including predicting entire protein strands, learning how genes express themselves in various species, and building complex models of entire cells. As computing power increases and our databases of genetic and molecular information expand, the realm of bioinformatics is sure to grow and change drastically, allowing us to build models of incredible complexity and utility.

Spain (All In Spanish) Essays - DraftFranklin Marshall College

Spain (All In Spanish) Espa?a se localiza el este de Portugal y el oeste del sur de la Francia. Es el oeste del Mar y el sur Mediterr?neos de la Bah?a de Biscat. Es el este del Oc?ano Atl?ntico y el oeste de las Islas de Balearic. Espa?a es separada de la Francia por las monta?as de Pyrenees. M?s que la mitad del pa?s se compone de monta?as. All? desiertos de seres y wetlands en Espa?a. Es generalmente un clima caliente aunque las monta?as puedan obtener la nieve. Espa?a tiene una monarqu?a constitucional. El Rey sirve como jefe del Estado. El no tiene un papel directo en las operaciones del gobierno pero ?l tiene un papel en normas de gobierno. El primer ministro es llamado al presidente del gobierno en Espa?a. El parlamento de marcas de Espa?a las leyes de pa?ses y la legislatura tienen m?s de 500 miembros. Espa?a tiene tambi?n dos sistemas del tribunal, civil y militar, los Jueces deciden todos casos. Juan Carlos lleg? a ser Rey de Espa?a en 1975 y ?l jugaron un papel magn?fico al cambio Espa?a de una dictadura a una democracia Durante los d?as tempranos de Espa?a Liberians ocup? mucho del pa?s. Ellos cultivaron y construyeron las aldeas y los pueblos. Algunos de estos pueblos desarrollados en las primeras ciudades en Espa?a aprecian Cartagena. Phoencians comenz? a establece las colonias y llev? un comercio que prosper?. Celtic's y los romanos vinieron tambi?n a Espa?a. La conquista romana de Espa?a comenz? durante las guerras de Punic y les tom? 200 a?os a conquista Espa?a. Roma conquist? tambi?n Portugal. Los alemanes invadieron tambi?n Espa?a as? como tambi?n Muslims. La invasi?n comenz? en 711. Muchas gente espa?ola lleg? a ser Muslim como resultado de la orden de Moorish. El Muslims influy? en Espa?a magn?ficamente y se puede ver en el trabajo de la arquitectura y la arte de Espa?a. Ellos construyeron muchos palacios del anuncio de mezquitas llamaron alocazars. En 1978 Espa?a aprob? una constituci?n nueva basada en principios democr?ticos. . La poblaci?n de Espa?a es 39.2 millones. Se compone de gente espa?ola, y ellos hablan Castilian el espa?ol. La religi?n primaria de Espa?a si Cat?lico de romano. La gente ha vivido en Espa?a para m?s de 100,000 a?os. Muchos grupos vinieron a Espa?a inclusive Celts, los griegos, LOS romanos, y los alemanes. Acerca de 90% de la poblaci?n vive en las ciudades. Estas ciudades son Madrid y Barcelona. La Capital de Espa?a es Madrid y la poblaci?n hay 2,984,576 personas. En las f?bricas de la ciudad, las tiendas, y las oficinas cierran para una tres interrupci?n del almuerzo de hora y permanecen abre hasta acerca de siete. Esto es una costumbre espa?ola vieja que tranquilo contin?a a?n en las ciudades modernas. La moneda de Espa?a es la Peseta. El cambio es un d?lar americano para 144 pesetas. Espa?a es uno de Europa's m?s pa?ses mas barato. Una persona famosa de Espa?a es el escritor de Don Quixote de la Mancha, que fue escrito por Miguel de Cervantes. Don Quixote es el cuento de un hombre viejo exc?ntrico que vive en un castillo en Barcelona. El ha estado leyendo los cuentos de caballeros y maidens y ha llegado a ser so?ar de delusional de uno de las hero?nas de cuentos, Dulcinea. El embarcar a salva Dulcinea, su maiden imaginario en la pena. El re?ne a una chica joven Kitri que ?l piensa es Dulcinea. El cuento est? acerca de c?mo cazas de Don despu?s que Kitri y eventualmente Don los sale al hallazgo su Dulcinea una vez m?s. Esto es uno de los pedazos m?s grande de la literatura espa?ola y se sabe mundo lejos tambi?n. EL Paintor m?s famouso espa?ol es Pablo Picasso. El es considerado al artista m?s grande del siglo 20th. El tuvo un estilo extraordinario que cambi? como ?l obtuvo m?s viejo. El nac?a en Malaga en el octubre 25th 1881 el hijo de Jose Ruiz Blasco, que era un maestro de la arte, y Maria Picasso. En la edad de diez ?l hizo su primera pintura y por el tiempo que ?l ten?a quince a?os de edad ?l entr? en Barcelona Escuela de bellas artes. El se asent? en Par?s en 1904. El tuvo muchos estilos

Performance appraisal Essay Example

Performance appraisal Essay Example Performance appraisal Essay Performance appraisal Essay The success behind for all multination companies, team work is playing an important role. Multinational team can provide a perfect development opportunity for an organisations future leaders. Experience of working on effective global team help the team member to increase their management skillness, make them able for facing the challenges for developing and employing the knowledge and skill that are necessary for leading global organizations (Maznevski and DiStefano, 2000). In the company like Hume and Co, there is hardly any team work practised among the consultants. Young consultants are working individually rather collectively by diverting clients from other colleagues. By ensuring strong support to IT consultants from Human Resource professionals will definitely increase their effectiveness, enhanced their knowledge and skill required for building global team effectiveness (Canney Davison Ward, 1999). However, other multinational companies can be mentionable who succeed in using global team appropriately. General Motors has used its global teams in its Research Development (RD) activities for examining the feasibility of producing global cars. Since globalized Coopers Lybrand has been using global teams successfully in serving customers, that finally seen rapid growth in production (Jackson Schuler, 2000: 146) Global leaders have to be experts in learning and adapting their thinking in new paths. Martha L. Maznevski and Joseogh J. DiStefano have identified three key areas where global leaders need to establish their strong efficiency. 1) learning and adapting 2) managing relationships 3) managing ambiguity (2000). In Frankfurt office, Germany the manager used to work in a local company before taking charge of the office. He does not have international managerial experience which is normally required for successfully running company which is looking for expanding its presence globally. In question of managing relationship, the local manager does not have knowledge in corporate culture which means basic assumptions and beliefs held by employees about the enterprise they work for (ucs. mun. ca). Lack of expertise in international managerial experience is another hr issue which creates problems in developing brand, not only for the clients but for the staff as well. On going projects is suddenly postponed following consultants quitting the office. Failing to comply close relationship with the Head Quarter, is revealing lack of managerial efficiency of the manager. Besides, having lack ness of knowledge in company policy and strategy regarding globalisation, local staff are deprived of gaining knowledge in company policies. On the basis of case study, Hume Co. does not posses any definite hr planning that they can enforce in other areas of the world where their business is in operation. Each of the strategic type of firm is required to formulate different types of hr strategy regarding their business structure (Miles and Snow cited by Guest, 1997:264). Companies adopting business strategy and human resource strategy will have superior performance (Guest, 1997).

The Important History of Cellophane

The Important History of Cellophane Cellophane film was invented by Jacques E Brandenberger, a swiss textile engineer, in 1908. Brandenberger was seated at a restaurant when a customer spilled wine onto the tablecloth. As the waiter replaced the cloth, Brandenberger decided that he should invent a clear flexible film that could be applied to cloth, making it waterproof. Brandenberger experimented with many materials, including applying liquid viscose (a cellulose product known as rayon) to cloth, however, the viscose made the cloth too stiff. The experiment failed, but Brandenberger noted that the coating peeled off in a transparent film. Like so many inventions, the original use for Cellophane film was abandoned and new and better uses were found. By 1908, Brandenberger developed the first machine for the manufacture of transparent sheets of regenerated cellulose. By 1912, Brandenberger was making a saleable thin flexible film used in gas masks. La Cellophane Societe Anonyme Brandenberger was granted patents to cover the machinery and the essential ideas of his manufacturing process of the new film. Brandenberger named the new film Cellophane, derived from the French words cellulose and diaphane (transparent). In 1917 Brandenberger assigned his patents to La Cellophane Societe Anonyme and joined that organization. In the United States, the first customer for Cellophane film was Whitmans candy company, who used the film to wrap their chocolates. Whitmans imported the product from France until 1924, when Dupont started manufacturing and selling the film. DuPont On December 26, 1923, an agreement was executed between the DuPont Cellophane Company and La Cellophane. La Cellophane licensed to the DuPont Cellophane Company the exclusive rights to its United States cellophane patents and granted to the DuPont Cellophane Company the exclusive right to make and sell in North and Central America using La Cellophanes secret processes for cellophane manufacture. In exchange, the DuPont Cellophane Company granted to La Cellophane the exclusive rights for the rest of the world the use of any cellophane patents or processes DuPont Cellophane Company might develop. An important factor in the growth of Cellophane film production and sales was the perfection of moisture-proof cellophane film by William Hale Charch (1898-1958) for DuPont, the process was patented in 1927. According to DuPont, DuPont scientist William Hale Charch and a team of researchers figured out how to make cellophane film moisture-proof, opening the door for its use in food packaging. After testing more than 2,000 alternatives, Charch and his team devised a workable process for moisture-proofing Cellophane film. Making Cellophane Film In the manufacturing process, an alkaline solution of cellulose fibers (usually wood or cotton) known as viscose is extruded through a narrow slit into an acid bath. The acid regenerates the cellulose, forming a film. Further treatment, such as washing and bleaching, yields Cellophane. The tradename Cellophane is currently the registered trademark of Innovia Films Ltd of Cumbria UK.

Shock Advertising and High Fashion Brands Essay

Shock Advertising and High Fashion Brands - Essay Example The paper "Shock Advertising and High Fashion Brands" talks about High Fashion Brands and Shock Advertising. Shock advertising, sex and high fashion brands make an irresistible mix. Over half a century of research has proven to be in favor of sex in advertising as Wikipedia (2005) suggested: â€Å"Further evidence comes from Gallup & Robinson, an advertising and marketing research firm which reports that in more than 50 years of testing advertising effectiveness, it has found the use of the erotic to be a significantly above-average technique in communicating with the marketplace, "although one of the more dangerous for the advertiser. Weighted down with taboos and volatile attitudes, sex is a Code Red advertising technique . . . handle with care . . . seller beware; all of which makes it even more intriguing."† Lately the trend has continued with a lot of strength: â€Å"In recent years ads for jeans, perfumes, and many other products have featured provocative images that we re designed to elicit sexual responses from as large a cross section of the population as possible, to shock by their ambivalence, and often to appeal to repressed sexual desires, which are thought to carry a stronger emotional load†. So shock advertising with a sexual appeal in high fashion brands, mostly in magazines in the United Kingdom, is a hot topic that has been around since the development of Marketing. As Advertising is the communication medium of Marketing, it is not strange that this communicative tool. has been widely used to convey messages of a shocking sexual nature in the high fashion branding efforts of many marketers along the years. This field of study offers multiple, complex and controversial dimensions to be researched. 2.- Research Problem To what extent shock advertising has been applied to high fashion brands. 3.- Research Aim The value of shock advertising to high fashion brands and consumers. 4.- Research Objectives 1.- To study the impact of shock advertising in magazines with a sexual appeal in high fashion brands in the United Kingdom. 2.- To study the relevance of value marketing through the use of shock advertising to enhance the branding image. 5.- Research Area Marketing area: - Advertising - Marketing Research - Product and Brand Management - Consumer and Buyer Behavior 6.- Rationale of the research This study enables the audience to understand the role of shock advertising in the high fashion industry. Also, it allows the viewers to have a comprehensive knowledge with regard to the public attitude towards this advertising strategy. Moreover, this research project helps to find out how shock advertising could be adopted appropriately. (Separate out the usefulness to myself personally and practically, and also to the world in general) 7.- Usefulness of the research By getting into the secrets of value marketing via shock advertising using sexual appeal we can improve our brands in the marketing arena as knowledgeable marketers. It is not easy to decide when to choose shock advertising and to what extent. We have to take into account the context and the medium, among many factors. By studying this topic we can learn a lot about human nature and the consumer's tastes and preferences when it comes to high fashion products. This kind of research is

DIAGEO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

DIAGEO - Essay Example 8,090. The operating profit of the company was ?2,443 million during FY2009, an increase of 3.1% over FY2008. The net profit was ?1,621 million in FY2009, an increase of 2.1% over FY2008 (Diageo - Annual Report, 2009). Diageo was created in 1997 as a result of the merger of Guinness and GrandMet (Diageo - Our History, 2011). Diageo rapidly expanded in next few years through both organic and acquisition channels. In 2001, Diageo also acquired the spirits and wine business of Seagram. In 2004, the company acquired Ursus Vodka. In 2005, Chalone Wine Group was acquired. Later, the company also acquired Bushmills Irish whiskey which included Bushmills' Distillery, which is amongst the oldest licensed distillery in the world. In 2006, the company made its first acquisition in China. The company bought a 43% stake in Sichuan Chengdu Quanxing, parent of Swellfun (Diageo - Our History, 2011). In January 2007, Diageo Asia Pacific was created to target a new geographic location. January 2007 ma rked the trial of new Guinness Red brand in 142 pubs in Great Britain. In February 2007, Diageo invested ?100million in expansion of its Scotch whisky operations in Scotland, in order to meet its future demand. In April 2007, as a part of brand extension, the company launched Johnnie Walker Blue Label and King George V Edition in duty free channels of Europe, the Americas & the Middle East. As a part of its global innovation strategy, the company made minor investment in Nuvo (brand), a new ultra-premium effervescent blend of fine French vodka, French sparkling wine, and exotic fruit nectar created by LLC (Diageo - Our History, 2011). In May 2007, the North American division of the company launched Smirnoff Source, a new premium malt beverage that combines pure spring water with alcohol. In Oct 2007, Diageo announced strategic alliance between Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Ciroc vodka. Under the terms of the deal, Combs and Sean Combs Enterprises took the lead on all brand management decis ions for Ciroc, while sharing in the future profits of the growth of the brand. In November 2007, Diageo invested ?5 million in J&B brand's package redesign to give it a more contemporary look. The new pack highlighted the brand's role as the ultimate party whisky with a design to party goers (Diageo - Our History, 2011). Diageo acquired Rosenblum Cellars in early 2008. In February 2008, Diageo and the Nolet Family formed a 50/50 company which owns the perpetual exclusive rights to sell market and distribute Ketel One Vodka (Diageo - Our History, 2011). In March 2008, Diageo, Heineken and Namibia Breweries reached agreement to form a new joint venture for their combined beer, cider and ready-to-drink (RTD) businesses in South Africa. In May 2008, Diageo reached an agreement to buy all the Constellation Brands' distillery and bottling facility at Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada. In the same month, Diageo made a capital investment of E650 million in a new brewing centre in Ireland to supp ort the growth and development of its global beer business (Diageo - Our History, 2011). Diageo also underwent a brief period of divestment, like that in 2003, which resulted into the selling of its Czech division, Diageo Ceska Republika, to Global Spirits. It also shut down its marketing subsidiary Nightfly (Diageo - Our History, 2011). SWOT ANALYSIS OF DIAGEO Strengths Weakness Wide range of Products Continuously Declining margins Market Leader    Opportunities Threats Ever growing presence in Asia-Pacific region Litigations

Corporate Governance Essay Example for Free

Corporate Governance Essay ABSTRACT This paper examines whether the remuneration of the Chief Executive Officer position in Hong Kong public firms is affected by board composition, given the influence of family control on the boards of many Hong Kong companies. It is hypothesized that I) in family-controlled boards, Chief Executive Officers receiver higher compensation and II) Chief Executive Officers in family-controlled boards serve as Chief Executive Officer positions longer. In family-controlled boards, corporate governance is of very high importance as the independent non-executive directors can exert less influence over the board, compared to non-family-controlled boards (â€Å"dispersed boards†). Keywords: Board composition, Remuneration, Corporate Governance. 1.INTRODUCTION The economic turmoil in Asia in 1997 has led to a wider recognition of the importance of corporate governance. In line with global trends towards higher standards of corporate governance, the duties and liabilities of the directors of the listed companies have therefore become more stringent. It follows that many corporate governance mechanisms designed to monitor board members may be less effective for family-owned and family-controlled firms. However, to attract outside investors, family-owned and family-controlled firms tend to encourage greater independence and monitoring from the board. For the purposes of the study, family-owned and family-controlled are used interchangeably. The reason is that actual family ownership is difficult to ascertain due to various shareholdings and special purpose vehicles that are used, and cannot be deduced from annual reports. Thus, in this study we classify family-control and family-ownership when the board is made of a majority of related family members as a â€Å"family-controlled board†. When it is not, we classify it as a â€Å"dispersed board†. In practice, there are instances where the family owns the majority of a company but comprise of a minority of the board, and it is possible that the family is able to exert influence via other avenues, however, this study will not be examining such. Family-owned firms are common throughout Asia. Studies show that, family-owned firms hold more than 20 percent of the equity of listed companies in Asia, and more than 60 percent of the listed companies have connections with family-owned groups (Bebchuk Fried, 2006). Family-owned businesses represent the predominant form of listed companies in Hong Kong (Standard Poor’s, 2002). Such family ownership structure implies the strong influence of dominant shareholders and provides limited voice for minority shareholders. Compared to the Anglo-American environment, where ownership blocks are less concentrated but institutional investors are more prevalent, in Hong Kong, there is less of a culture for non-executive directors or minority shareholder activists to challenge. Variations in ownership structure may lead to differences in the nature of agency conflicts, the roles of directors may vary in accordance to the ownership structure. For family-owned firms, Shleifer and Vishny (1997) argue that the primary agency conflict is between a family owner and non-family owners. Meanwhile, for widely held firms, Berle and Means (1932), and, Jensen and Meckling (1976) argue that the primary agency conflict is between executives and shareholders. As a consequence, tying remuneration to performance of executives may prove the most efficient way to mitigate this agency conflict. To date, a vast of literatures published in recent years show the growing recognition of influences of family-owned firms and executive remuneration on corporate governance. Many studies have tended to focus on the use of remuneration contracts to align interests of executives with owners in family-owned firms. The rise in executive remuneration in recent years has been the subject of public criticism, which further intensified corporate governance scandals. Therefore, the question whether a correlation exists between remuneration and family-control in board composition at Hong Kong-listed companies. 2.OBJECTIVES In 1994, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited introduced rules that require listed firms to disclose the remuneration of directors. Before 2004, there was no requirement to disclose the names and remuneration of directors (Cheng Firth, 2005). The Disclosure of Financial Information rule under Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited’s Listing Rules was amended on 31 March 2004 to require full disclosure, on an individual and named basis, of directors’ fees and any other reimbursement or emolument payable to a director. In addition, Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standard 2 requires listed firms to disclose directors’ share-based remuneration. The Code on Corporate Governance Practices forms part of the Listing Rules and came into effect on 1 January 2005. According to the Code on Corporate Governance Practices, Hong Kong’s listed firms should be overseen by an effective board, which should assume responsibility for the leadership and control of the listed firm, and the members of which should be collectively responsible for promoting the success of the firm by directing and supervising its affairs. Directors should make decisions objectively in the best interests of the firm. In regards of remuneration policy for firms’ directors, the Code on Corporate Governance Practices requires the disclosure of information related to the firm’s directors’ remuneration policy and other remuneration-related matters. There should be a formal and transparent procedure for setting policy on executive directors’ remuneration. The Chief Executive Officer, a director in the board of company, will hence have his/her full remuneration disclosed. It is recommended that remuneration should be set at a level sufficient to attract and retain directors of the caliber required to run the company successfully, but companies should avoid paying more than is necessary. However, it is argued that many corporate governance mechanisms designed to monitor board members may be less effective for family-owned firms. However, to attract outside investors, family-owned firms tend to encourage greater independence and monitoring from the board. In Hong Kong, there are quite a number of listed companies have a high concentration of family ownership. It is common for the top executives of family-owned firms in Hong Kong to be family members. The rise of remuneration of family executives in family-owned firms has been the subject of public criticism. Recognizing this, the purpose of this research is to find out whether there is any relationship between family-board-control of firms and remuneration of Chief Executive Officers. To summarize, this study revolves around the following major objectives. †¢ To test whether there are significant differences in Chief Executive Officers’ remuneration for family-controlled and non-family-controlled firms (specifically firms with family-controlled boards and firms without family-controlled boards); †¢ To find out whether â€Å"Family Chief Executive Offices† (cases where the Chief Executive Officer are family members of the family-controlled boards) are awarded excessive compensation, compromising standards of corporate governance; †¢ To examine the tenure of Chief Executive Officers for family-controlled firms vs non-family-controlled firms, given that there may be differences in the board’s ongoing approval and demand of the results delivered by the Chief Executive Office; and †¢ To test whether there are significant differences in corporate governance structure of family-controlled and non-family-controlled firms. 3.LITERATURES REVIEW, HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT 3.1 Agency theory It is commonly acknowledged that ownership structure, the basis of corporate governance, is important to the overall performance of firms. While there are a large number of literatures discussing ownership structure, agency theory is frequently cited as a foundation. In modern corporations, the separation of ownership and control leads to agency conflicts that can be alleviated through various corporate governance mechanisms (Fama and Jensen, 1983). As one such mechanism, compensation schemes are designed to provide incentives that align the behavior of agents to act on behalf of principles (Jensen and Meckling, 1976). This relationship between executive compensation and firm performance has received considerable attention from the general public and academics. One of the issues in the field of management is the impact of family influence (Mishra et. al., 2001; McConaughy et. al., 1998) and corporate governance on the value of a firm (Khatri et al., 2001; Kwak, 2003; Black et al., 2003). There are various studies in diverse areas like accounting, economics, finance, law and management have been conducted to study such impact (Mishra et al., 2001; Kwak, 2003; Blacket al., 2003; Andersen and Reeb, 2003). These studies have resulted in interesting and useful observations. According to Alchian and Demsetz (1972), the principal agent problem comes from hidden action due to asymmetric information. The essence of a firm is that, it permits people to work as a team. It is the cooperation of a team that leads to a firm’s output. Thus, the agency problem inevitably arises in corporate governance. According to Jensen and Meckling (1976), agent problem arises from the conflict of interests between shareholders as the principals and the executives as the agents. Consequently, residual control rights fall into the hands of management instead of the residual cash flow claimants. As a result, the sum of monitoring expenditures be incurred by the principal, bonding expenditures incurred by the agent, and the value of the lost residual borne by the principal are included as the cost of agency. In general, when ownership of a firm becomes more dispersed, the agency problem will be deteriorated due to the inability of the relatively small shareholders to monitor the behavior of management. The monitoring of managers by shareholders is also weakened by free-rider problem. To mitigate the problem of agency, Ang (2000) and Denis and Sarin (1999) suggested the shareholding of management to be increased in order to make the executive a significant claimant. An inverse correlation exists between the dispersed ownership and firm performance (Berle and Means, 1932), because executives’ interests do not coincide with the interest of shareholders so that corporate resources are not used for the maximization of shareholders’ wealth. This view has been supported by many scholars. Shleifer and Vishny (1986), McConnell and Servaes (1990), and Zingales (1995) found a strong positive relationship between ownership concentration and corporate performance. In transitional economies, Xu and Wang (1999) and Chen (2001) found a positive relationship between actual firm performance and ownership concentration for a sample of listed Chinese companies. 3.2Ownership Structure It is common in Hong Kong, that ownership structure is characterized by single dominant owners (Chau Leung, 2006). A report of the Corporate Governance Working Group of the Hong Kong Society of Accountants in 1995 indicated that a high concentration on family-controlled listed firms is highly entrepreneurial and opportunistic in their business strategies, however, the report also indicate that these firms with single dominant owners lack resources and corporate culture to maintain strong internal corporate control. The 2001 Review on Corporate Governance by the Hong Kong Standing Committee for Corporate Law Reform, as well as a report from Standard Poor’s, indicated that family ownership structures present particular challenges. Theoretically, there is a major puzzle regarding the role of family in large firms (Bertrand Schoar, 2006; Villalonga Amit, 2006). In family-controlled firms, threatening factors may negatively influence the firms’ value (Demstez, 1983; Demstez and Lehn, 1985). Table 1 as below lists positive and negative factors affecting the relationship between family control and firm value. It shows that there is still difference of opinion among researchers on this topic of importance. 3.3â€Å"Family† Chief Executive Officers In this study, whether a person belonging to the family acts as a Chief Executive Officer is taken into account. We classify family-control and family-ownership when the board is made of a majority of related family members (â€Å"family-controlled board†). When it is not, we classify it as a â€Å"dispersed board†. Family Chief Executive Officers have substantial stockholdings of 5 percent or more (Daily Dollinger, 1993), with such given bargaining power, can be expected to influence the size and structure of their remuneration packages to their own benefit. Thus, for the purposes of this study, Chief Executive Officers with stockholdings of less than 5 percent are not counted as â€Å"Family Chief Executive Officers†. There are differing opinions on whether such Family Chief Executive Officers have higher or lower remunerations at such family-controlled firms. Some believe that such Family Chief Executive Officers are receiving above-average compensation due to the family-controlled board, as well as their strong ability to influence remuneration committee. Oh the other hand, others take the opposite view and see that Family Chief Executive Officers should be receiving below-average compensation. There is several reasons for this expectation. First of all, both anecdotal (Applegate, 1994; Kets de Vries, 1993) and empirical (Allen Pamian, 1982; Gomez-Mejia et al., 2001; Schulze et al., 2001) evidence suggest that incumbents with family ties to owners enjoy high employment security. As argued by Beehr (1997), the Family Chief Executive Officer inherently plays two overlapping and interdependent roles: a work role as steward of the company, and a non-work role as fulfillment of family obligations. In reciprocity for this role duality, the Family Chief Executive Officer is rewarded with a relatively assured job (Allen Pamian, 1982; Kets de Vries, 1993; Gomez-Mejia et al., 2001). Moreover, some literatures suggested that evaluators are more likely to make positive performance attributions to employees when there are emotional ties between monitoring and those being judged (Cardy Dobbins, 1993). It is expected that in family-controlled firms, board members in their role as monitors may be less inclined to attribute disappointing results to the Family Chief Executive Officer, giving the benefit of the doubt to the incumbent when interpreting ambiguous performance data. Agency theory suggests that there are inherent conflicts between shareholders and executives. Applying agency theory’s logic, the above scenario suggests that in family-controlled firms, risk adverse agents would trade higher job security for lower earnings if they are related to principals. Family Chief Executive Officers mitigate usual agency costs because of their aligned interests with the owners (Anderson Reeb, 2003). The information asymmetry problem in agency relationships may also be reduced given the close ties between Family Chief Executive Officers and the owners. Since they hold high ownership stakes, Family Chief Executive Officers have sufficient incentives to place family welfare ahead of personal interests, thus may perform better than firms with non-family Chief Executive Officers. Barney (2001) suggested that appointing family members as Chief Executive Officers may be beneficial. Tradition, loyalty, and bonding relationships determine how resources are deployed in family firms. Family Chief Executive Officers build common interests and identities (Habbershon Williams, 1999) and play a dual role by being both owners and executives (Chang, 2003; Yiu, Bruton, Lu, 2005). Through social relationships with managers and employees, Family Chief Executive Officers may help to obtain intangible resources such as goal congruence, trust, and social interactions, providing valuable, unique, and hard-to-imitate competitive advantage (Chu, 2011; Liu et al., 2011; Luo Chung, 2005). The Code on Corporate Governance Practices recommends remuneration committee to seek advice from the Chief Executive Officer on the matter of directors’ remuneration. Executives in firms controlled by a large shareholder receive more compensation for performance, than executives in firms lacking a controlling owner (Gomez-Mejia et al., 1987). Mehran (1995) examined the relationship between executive remuneration, ownership structure and firm performance. The results indicate that firms, which have more outside directors, have a higher percentage of executive remuneration in equity-based form. Moreover, the percentage of equity-based remuneration is inversely related to the outside directors’ equity ownership, i.e., the executive’s equity-based remuneration rose if the outside directors’ owned less of the company, and vice-versa. Next, Mehran (1995) turned to firm performance, and its relationship to executive remuneration and ownership structure. He used Tobin’s Q and return on assets as measures of firm performance. He found firm performance to be positively related to the percentage of executive remuneration that is equity-based. However, Mehran (1995) no relationship between firm performance and ownership structure. He concluded that the results support the notion that executive remuneration should be tied to firm performance. There is a vast amount of literature on turnover of the Chief Executive Officer position (Furtado and Karan, 1990; Kesner and Sebora, 1994; Finkelstein and Hambrick, 1996; Pitcher et al., 2000). However, according to Finkelstein and Hambrick (1996), the relationship between remuneration and turnover has not been subjected to rigorous empirical examination, even given the emphasis on retention as a justification for high remuneration of Chief Executive Officer. The following hypotheses are framed: Hypothesis 1: In family-controlled boards, Chief Executive Officers receive higher compensation. Hypothesis 2: Chief Executive Officers in family-controlled boards serve as Chief Executive Officer positions longer. 3.4Board Composition The role of the board is expected to represent shareholders, provide strategic guidance to and effective oversight of management, foster a culture of good governance, and promote a safe and healthy working environment within the company. In accordance to Hong Kong Stock Exchange Listing Rule 3.10, the board of directors is required to have at least three independent non-executive directors. The presence of â€Å"truly† independent non-executive directors in the corporate governance regime is seen as one way of mitigating agency problem associated with concentrated family ownership. In family-owned firms, given the influence of family control on the remuneration and performance relationships exists, where the majority of shares are in the hands of family members, under this circumstance, the executive and risk-bearer functions are merged and more of the wealth consequences of the executives’ decisions are internalized. In other words, there is less separation of ownership and control and thus lowering agency costs, which in turn leads to less cost for monitoring by outside directors. Therefore, firms closely controlled and managed by family members are expected to use lower proportion of outside directors compared with firms with disperse ownership. In widely held firms, with ownership dispersed among many investors, investors are often small and poorly informed to exercise even the control rights they actually have. Moreover, the free-rider problem faced by individual investors makes them uninterested in expending effort to learn about the firms they have financed, or even to participate in the governance (Shleifer and Vishny, 1997). As a result, the larger degree of separation of ownership and control in widely held firms leads to greater conflicts. The use of outside directors by widely held firms is expected to be more. 3.5Remuneration Committee In 1999, remuneration committees were uncommon in Hong Kong, with only few firms reporting their existence (Cheng Firth, 2005). Since 2006, Hong Kong Stock Exchange proposes a rule to require issuers to set up a remuneration committee, with the committee chairman and a majority of the members being Independent Non-executive Directors. In family-owned firms, the positions of the Chief Executive Officer are usually held by family members, who can influence the level of remuneration paid to directors. The Code on Corporate Governance Practices recommends remuneration committee to seek advice from the Chief Executive Officer on the matter of directors’ remuneration. The Code on Corporate Governance Practices recommends that the majority of remuneration committee members be Independent Non-executive Directors. The presence of Independent Non-executive Directors on the remuneration committee is supposed to be used as monitoring mechanism that prevents excessive remuneration for executive directors (Basu et al., 2007), including that of the Chief Executive Officer. The role of independent non-executive directors and large institutional shareholders becomes crucial to curtailing the possible self-serving behavior of top managers (HKSA, 2001). Studies of firms in other countries show conflicting results on the relationship between remuneration and remuneration committee. Some findings show that remuneration committees tend to reduce remuneration, whereas others report the opposite (Conyon Peck, 1998; Ezzamel Watson, 1998). However, in practice it is highly likely that the Chief Executive Officer has some influence over the compensation decision (Murphy, 1999). An important question relating to the composition of remuneration committee concerns the ideal combination of outsiders and insiders. Insiders may face distorted incentives due to their lack of independence from the Family Chief Executive Officer (Bushman et al., 2004). 3.6 Components of Remuneration The basic components of remuneration of Chief Executive Officer are similar, however, the relative level and weights on the components differ (Abowd and Kaplan, 1999, and Bryan et al., 2006). Generally, remuneration of Chief Executive Officer can be divided into four basic parts: a base salary, an annual bonus which is tied to some accounting measure of company performance, stock options, and long-term incentive plans, such as restricted stock plans and multi-year accounting-based performance plans. †¢ Base salary: is the fixed part of remuneration of Chief Executive Officer, causing risk-averse executives to prefer an increase in base salary rather than an increase in bonuses. Most components of remuneration are specified relative to base salary. †¢ Bonus: in addition to the base salary, most companies offer their executives an annual bonus plan based on a single year’s performance. The purpose of such bonuses, as well as options, is to align the incentives of the Chief Executive Officer with that of the shareholders. †¢ Stock options: are contracts, which give the owner the right to buy shares at a pre-specified exercise price. Stock options reward stock price appreciation, not total shareholder return, which includes dividends. In this study, stock options are excluded, as full details of such information would not be retrievable from annual reports. †¢ Other forms of compensation: restricted stock to be received by executives, it is restricted in the sense that shares are forfeited under certain conditions, which usually have to do with the longevity of employment. Many companies also have long-term incentive plans in addition to the bonus plans, which are based on annual performance. Top executives routinely participate in supplemental executive retirement plans in addition to the company-wide retirement plans. Most executives have some sort of severance arrangement. Finally, executives often receive benefits in the form of free use of company cars, housing, etc. Based on the various conceptual and empirical evidences presented above, this study aims to understand whether the remuneration of a Family Chief Executive Officer is influenced by the board composition, i.e. whether it is family-controlled or not. This ties into the original Hypothesis 1, thus, the further hypotheses is framed as follows: Hypothesis 3: The higher the proportion of independent non-executive members on the board of directors at family-board-controlled firms, the lower the Chief Executive Officer remuneration.

Functionalist and Marxist Approaches to Education and Economy Essay

Functionalist and Marxist Approaches to Education and Economy Functionalist and Marxist perspectives differ considerably in the way they view the relationship between education and the economy. Both perspectives agree that the educational system provides society with certain functions, but they disagree about the purpose of these functions and more importantly who benefits from them. Functionalists see the educational system as providing a positive educational experience, which benefits the children and society. Whereas, Marxists claim that the system oppresses and harms people, and that it only benefits the powerful. Functionalists believe mass formal education is an essential part of industrial society, and that the expansion of industrial economies brings a corresponding expansion in the educational system. They also see the introduction of mass education in Britain during 1870, as a response to the increasing demand of industry, for a literate and numerate workforce. Many Functionalists, such as Durkheim, claim that education performs two central functions, which relate to social cohesion and the division of labor. Durkheim (1961 'Moral Education') argued that education transmits the norms and values of society to the next generation. It therefore reproduces social solidarity, which according to functionalism, is needed in order for society to exist. Durkheim offered an explanation of how social solidarity is reproduced by the educational system. He said that school creates a miniature model of society, where the child interacts and cooperates with other pupils whilst following a set of fixed rules. In this way, the ch... ...basic level, on some sort of conspiracy between employers and teachers. To conclude, the Functionalist perspective views education as a vital part of society, which turns pupils into model citizens and has a positive impact on the economy and society as a whole. Education also produces a diverse workforce, in a way that is fair to everyone, and it compliments the requirements of the economy perfectly. The Marxist perspective views education as a part of society that is vital for the ruling class, because it reproduces the unequal distribution of wealth and power, by turning working class pupils into conformist workers. It therefore sees education as an ideological tool, used by the upper classes to exploit the working classes. Ref: Haralambos and Holburn (2000) Sociology: Themes and Perspectives (fifth edition)

Kentucky Fried Chicken IMC approach Essay

INTRODUCTION Markets throughout the globe have become more complex and sophisticated, and it has become complicated for marketers to reach their target markets through direct traditional marketing. Thus, organisations have acknowledged the increasing importance of applying the integrated marketing communication (IMC) approach in their marketing strategy. The effective implementation of the IMC approach can facilitate and enhance an organizations communication based on its product offerings whilst simultaneously taking advantage of the various available promotional tools to strategically reach its target audience. Many South African companies have decided to utilise the IMC approach to maximize their return on investments in marketing and promotion. The objective of these organisations is to effectively and efficiently apply the promotional tools of the IMC through increased understanding of its customers while powerfully communicating its product offerings and thus yielding a positive response with the modern customer to choose its products/services. The IMC process requires marketers to be creative in their approach to communication. Marketers need to think critically of the messages they want to communicate through integrating the elements of the promotional mix which are advertising, direct marketing, interactive marketing, sales promotion and personal selling. The aim of this critical evaluation of the IMC campaign is to determine the use of Integrated Marketing Communications being used at Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in order to create brand equity within KFC. This objective can break down into five objectives as follows, To understand the nature of KFC’s market, To determine the need for and the benefit of IMC in KFC, To determine the important aspects of IMC in KFC, To determine the barriers in applying IMC in KFC, To study the situation of KFC in the South African market, To analyze and define the significant role of KFC as executed in sales promotion strategies in the fast food South African market. The fast food market is seen with strong exponential growth. The challenge is to develop a competitive edge based on an old need, introducing new and innovative marketing ideas to better the competition. One of the concepts  used by KFC is the â€Å"Add Hope marketing campaign†. Also, with very intense competition, KFC needs to cut through the clutter using this campaign as a point of difference. The negative stigma on fast foods, regarding health related issues is also a challenge to be addressed. The communication objectives are identified as to cut through the clutter of brands and create a product that is better than the rest by being different and creating campaigns that go further than just the quality of food being sold. The â€Å"Add Hope marketing campaign† of KFC will include a thorough discussion of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), a brief background of KFC, a description of the â€Å"Add Hope marketing campaign†, and a critique of the campaign. BRAND BACKGROUND â€Å"KFC launched their Add Hope marketing campaign in October 2013, to highlight World Hunger Relief Month and is still running until today due to the immense success. KFC encourages the general public to make a personal contribution toward alleviating hunger in South Africa by adding just two rand to your KFC meal. The money obtained from the Add Hope campaign is used in feeding schemes to reduce hunger in all parts of South Africa.† TARGET MARKET – KFC’s Add Hope campaign targets all age groups. When one walks into a KFC store, the Add Hope campaign is advertised everywhere, from in-store counter strips , boards, posters, staff t-shirts, caps, badges to serviettes and even an in store porcelain dolly with a money box at the entrance. This encourages all customers to literally add hope. KFC also allows you to add two rand or more to your meal which goes to the add hope campaign. This is directed to the person paying for the meal usually an adult whereas the little dolly with the money box is directed to children as they may find it entertaining to drop a coin or two in the box. The marketing strategy of using the dolly at the entrance of a store in my  opinion is brilliant, as it makes one sympathetic towards a barely real child. COMPETITORS – KFC’s competitors is every other food outlet. KFC’s is by far the first to think of such a campaign. This campaign does not only benefit them with sales but also benefits the entire nation. It’s difficult to get actual competitors in this case as most businesses compete with others for their own benefit. PERFORMANCE IN ITS MARKET – The KFC Add Hope campaign is very successful as it is running from October 2013. â€Å"Consumers have donated over R6 million in R2 coins at KFC restaurants nationwide.† This shows that the campaign’s performance all over the country was a success and is still striving towards success. MARKETING OBJECTIVES – KFC’s objective is not to only increase sales but also to help their community and the under privileged through their feeding schemes. Every six seconds a child dies of hunger. KFC’s objective is to reduce hunger and poverty nationwide. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS OBJECTIVES – KFC’s marketing objective is to make every customer aware of the Add Hope Campaign. This is achieved by advertising the campaign everywhere possible. KFC advertises for the campaign through mass media which is television and radio as well as print media such as billboards, on the serviettes, in store advertising, on the receipt a customer receives after their purchase their meals and as well as the t-shirts and caps that their staff may wear. They also use personal selling, for example when you at the till the cashier may tell you more about the Add Hope campaign or ask if you wish to add R2 to your meal for the Add Hope campaign. IMAGE – KFC’s image has been improved due to this campaign. Consumers now see KFC as a franchise that is not only concerned about their success but also the well being of the community. Consumers find it more overwhelming to purchase their meals from a franchise of this type as they may feel that they are indirectly making a difference and helping their community in the long run. POSITIONING – â€Å"Positioning is defined as the art and science of fitting the product or service to one or more segments of the broad market in such a way as to set it meaningfully apart from its competitor.† (Book-pg55) KFC achieved this by changing their cultural symbol, Colonel to a child to show that all proceeds from the Add Hope campaign goes to feed a hungry child. REFERENCING We Can Change. 2011. KFC highlights World Hunger Relief Month. [Online]. Available: http://www.wecanchange.co.za/Editors/Articles/tabid/55/itemid/57/amid/376/kfc-highlights-world-hunger-relief-month.aspx. [Accessed: 1 September 2014]. KFC. 2012. kfc would like to thank you for adding hope. [Online]. Available: http://www.kfc.co.za/zone/post/kfc-would-like -to-thank-you-for-adding-hope/. [Accessed: 1 September 2014].

Drawing Blood

Drawing blood is not as challenging as you may think. When I started my job at the hospital, I had no previous experience in drawing blood. They put me through a training that lasted about five days, eight hours per day. There are many simple steps to drawing someones blood. The three biggest steps are waiting for a requisition to print off, preparing all of your equipment, and finally draw the blood. Step one is to get the requisition and take it into the patients room, you use this to verify the patient. You first identify yourself and indicate the procedure that is about to take place. Check the date and order time on the requisition form. Verify their name, date of birth, and sex. You have to verify the patients allergies to make sure they are not allergic to latex or any of the antiseptics or adhesives that are to be used. If patient is unresponsive you are not allowed to draw the blood unless they have a patient sticker on their armband. You have to verify who the person is. You then check the requisition form for what tests are being requested so you will know what and how many of each tubes to draw blood into. Step two is to prepare your equipment that will be used in this process. The number one item would be gloves, you use these to not only protect yourself but also the patient. You will need to have a tourniquet, 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes, gauze sponge, to apply to site after needle is withdrawn, an adapter to use with the evacuated collection system, needles, adhesive bandage, to protect site after collection, and tubes to place the blood into. After getting all of this together properly you move on to the final step. Step three, this is the final process, the actual blood draw. First tie the tourniquet about 3 inches above the site you are wanting to withdraw blood from. Have the patient make a fist but do not have them pump their first. Then palpate and trace the path of the vein with the index finger. The vein should feel cord-like and it should roll easily. When you find the vein you are wanting to draw blood from you then prepare the site. Using an alcohol pad, clean the site in circular motion. Let the site air dry. Next, grasp the patients arm firmly. Place needle in a fifteen to thirty degree angle with the arm. Swiftly insert needle through the skin into the vein. Then fill the required tubes. In the meantime of you filling the last tube you will remove the tourniquet from the arm. You then swiftly remove the needle from the arm and safely lock the needle. Immediately following, apply the gauze to the site with addequette pressure to avoid a hematoma. After applying pressure for approximately fifteen seconds you bandage the site. Then dispose of the needle in a sharps container and throw contaminated materials in their proper containers. Mix blood in a shaking motion. Then label all tubes of blood in the patients room. Finally you are ready to deliver it to the lab.

Edith Wharton Books

Edith Wharton Books Edith Wharton wrote several books between 1900 and 1938. Wharton travelled extensively during the World War I and assisted war victims in Paris. Her novel, The Age of Innocence won the Pulitzer price. Critics and readers considered this novel to be the best literary work of Edith Wharton.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Edith Wharton Books specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The novel reflects the desire and betrayal in the old city of New York. Several works of Wharton show extensive use of dramatic irony. Her works reflect the lives of American upper class through the use of humor and empathy in describing their lives, and changes in New York towards the beginning of the 20th century. This essay shall analyze two short stories (Roman Fever and The Other Two) of Wharton in terms of themes and stylistic features. Feminist critics have looked at the works of Wharton in relations to prevailing social and political circums tances with regard to acceptance of women. The social aspects focused on marital duties and responsibilities of women, particular in The Other Two and Roman Fever. Wharton looks at the social prejudice against women at her times. For instance, she discusses issues of sexual gratification men derived from women, marriages for convenience, malicious divorce, and professional working relations. She sees sexual identity of women as suppressed by men, and women submissively accepted and internalized their roles in a patriarchal society as the other sex. Women believed lies of men in reference to their sexual and responsibilities in society. It is the social hegemony that creates the otherness in women. Feminists believe that men wish to control women because of their efforts for sexual dominance. Wharton addresses social challenges and advantages women derive from being wives of socially and financially advanced men. Wharton shows that women value social status rather than love. In Roman Fever, Alida Slade derives her happiness from social advantages she gets from Delphin as a wife. For instance, the author notes that â€Å"It was a big drop from being the wife of Delphin Slade to being his widow. As the wife of the famous corporation lawyer, always with an international case or two on hand, every day brought its exciting and unexpected obligation: the impromptu entertaining of eminent colleagues from abroad, the hurried dashes on legal business to London, Paris or Rome, where the entertaining was so handsomely reciprocated; the amusement of hearing in her wakes: What, that handsome woman with the good clothes and the eyes is Mrs. Slade- the Slades wife! Really! Generally the wives of celebrities are such frumps† (Wharton 83). On the other hand, in The Other Two, Wharton looks at the role and status of women, challenges of married women, children and parent relationship, divorce issues and the dynamic social society with a critical perspective on love affair s outside marriage. The author notes that every woman must choose what works for her in social context.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, some women decide not to marry, but choose to face the social risk by using a temporary liaisons build on sexual desires and mutual trusts. Conversely, in Roman Fever, Mrs. Slade views marriage as a means of achieving social success. These thoughts create bitter rivals among the women fighting for the same man. Wharton’s The Other Two demonstrates how women have used divorce and remarriage to advance themselves in the social ladder. This is what Alice Waythorn does. Alice has been able to attain and adapt to new marriages and expectations. Alice considers herself to be at the highest point of success when she is Waythorn’s wife. After the honeymoon, Mr. Waythorn must face the reality and acknowledge the fact that Alice has changed, but he must accept her the way she is. Wharton tries to show how men have always defined women. In the eyes of men, women have always been objects of sexual gratification and possessions. At the same time, men have used women to make their social interaction easy and provide a touch of comfort to their ego and competitive instinct. Alice does not change outwardly, but in the eyes of Waythorn she goes through a series of changes. Waythorn likes the girlish traits in Alice. This is also a trait Waythorn likes because he feels that it makes him look young. Waythorn sees Alice as having the right to divorce in both her marriages. He feels that Alice was the wronged party. During the beginning of the story, Waythorn can only see the positive sides of her lover. However, at the end of the novel, Waythorn also begins to see Alice mistakes. This creates discomfort in Waythorn, but he recognizes the fact that Alice is a mixed being just like himself. The social w orld has created women into what they are. These creations and transformation of women are the products men like Waythorn desires and crave to get. Alice knows that her body is her only resource. Therefore, she must use it to her advantage. In this regard, a woman becomes a product who can only be acquired by the highest bidder. Roman Fever looks at the illicit sexual content in society. Grace shares an illicit and secret love with Delphin Slade. Wharton notes that â€Å"Alida feels a bit remorseful for a moment, but her animosity returns when she considers that Grace harbored secret love for her husband over the years and had been living on that letter† (Wharton 86). Therefore, to Grace, Roman Fever does not only mean catching cold, but also the burning fever of secret love at the Colosseum. Slade influences women with his possessions and wealth. On the other hand, Horace remains sterile and contributes nothing to the story. Horace also has no sexual fever to sire children. Therefore, Roman Fever becomes a symbolic way of fulfilling sexual desires.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Edith Wharton Books specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Wharton shows that women are capable beings just like men. Women are able to adapt to any situation and progress socially. For instance, Alice is able to adapt to her divorces and move on the social ladder. Alice further fits into different situations by becoming an actress. Wharton purposefully makes men the audience at the show. Waythorn does not like several sides of his wife, but he must accept her as a performer. Wharton reveals the negative attitude society or men have towards female performers. Men look at actresses as women of loose morals. However, they fail to appreciate the difficult tasks of performing. Men feel that women have abandoned their privacy in order to satisfy public demands for shows. Though men are unappreciative, they must progress towards accepting diverse women’s roles in society as Waythorn does. This point enables readers to see Alice as a capable woman, gifted as an actress and able to overcome the challenges of life. Roman Fever shows that women may reject domestic gestures, and opt for other social context in society. For instance, Grace Ansley prefers to confront others, particular Alida Slades. Alida demonstrates the resistances to male dominance that has affected women as a fever. Grace rejects the social notions of paternity and leaves her daughter for any suitor and even hints that the two daughters (Barbara and Jenny) shall be rivals for the same love. This is a character that puts the whole idea of paternity and patriarchal in America at stake. These have been the conventional reference point for women during times of Wharton. Social lives are full of deconstructive passions. There are passions Wharton portrays as love, vengeance, enmity, jealousy and fear. These strong passions permeate t he relationship between Grace Ansley and Alida Slade. There is a strong passion growing between Grace and Delphin (Alida’s fiancà ©). Consequently, fear of losing her fiancà © and desire for revenge consumes Alida. She then hatches a plot to expose Grace to a chill that will make Grace sick and remain isolated from Delphin. The next twenty-five years contain growing hatred Alida has for Grace. Alida also does not like Barbara (Grace’s daughter) because she is superior to her own (Jenny). Grace must also live with a sterile Horace while Delphin, the father of her daughter, lives with Alida in the neighborhood.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Wharton is a writer gifted with the use of language in expressing the social context of Americans changing society. She uses language artistically to attack social and sexual prejudices against women. Wharton uses symbols in Roman Fever to refer to several aspects of the story. For instance, the title of the story Roman Fever shows Grace’s sexual attraction towards Delphin. This leads to siring of a love child, Barbara. This also creates hatred between Alida Slade and Grace Ansley. The knitting symbolizes the challenges joining the social and marriage lives of Grace and Alida. Crimson silk represents the passionate love Alida, and Grace probably have for Delphin. As Grace drops her knitting, a destroyed relationship comes to display between the two characters. Evening darkness shows the discovery of dark secrets between Alida and Grace. On the other hand, The Other Two shows use of symbolism through both male and female characters. Waythorn represents male figures under the i nfluence of patriarchal and economically depended society. Male figures in the changing society have their eyes focused on advancing their social status in society at the expense of their marriages. Waythorn is unable to understand his wife, Alice. Wharton shows the destructive effects on wives and marriages of a society too depend on material wealth. Just like material wealth, society also sees a woman as a possession of a man. Through the troubled and divorced marriages of Alice, Wharton shows the readers the consequences of such acts on both the wife and subsequent husbands, who fail to see any other adorable features in their wives, and concentrate on their wives past experiences with their former husbands. We must understand the psychological and social implications of divorce. Wharton offers readers various perspectives to analyze the consequences of divorce and marriages. Wharton also presents her works through the use of irony. For instance, Alida Slade tell Grace that †Å"I was wondering, ever so respectfully, you understand wondering how two such exemplary characters as you and Horace had managed to produce anything quite so dynamic† (Lewis 120). Alida refers to Barbara. Horace is sterile and incapable of fathering children. This irony confirms doubts Alida has been having regarding the paternity of Barbara. The setting of the story is a Colosseum. This is damp and cold place. Colosseum served as a fighting place for gladiators. Unknowingly, Grace and Alida have used all the tools in their lives to fight as gladiators. They have used their husbands, bodies, daughters and lives to settle twenty-five years old rivalry. They also have explored both literal and figurative means of killing each other (Killoran 98). Conversely, The Other Two reflects instance of irony in the manner Alice relates with her daughter. The relationship between mother and daughter shows no paternity connections. Alice shows lack of concern for her sick child. Instead, s he is more worried about the impending visit of her ex-husband than her daughter’s well-being. Once the Waythorns have settled the issue, Alice relaxes, but the health condition of her daughter has not changed. During periods of Wharton, typhoid was a serious illness, which mothers could not ignore to concentrate on a visit of an ex-husband. Wharton shows that not all women can rise to the motherly roles society expected of them. This reveals a low opinion of her character, Alice as a mother. The two stories, The Other Two and Roman Fever show that being self is weak and marriage affects everyone to the very core. When we look at the two stories together, we see that marriage is a slippery and even dangerous involvement. This is because individual characters change. This makes married couples find their lives changing beyond their control. For instance, Waythorn wonders how Alice could adapt to three different men after divorce as Alice Haskett, Alice Varick and now Alice Way thorn. This leads him to conclude that Alice is as easy as an old shoe. She had left her a little emotion, privacy, personality and unknown self in every marriage. Divorce exposes the manners and stern attitudes that couples choose to conceal or express about the nature of their sexual affairs, both social and psychological torture, and prejudice couples endure after divorce (Haytock 133). The Other Two gives Wharton an opportunity to present her central female character, Alice through the eyes of a man, Waythorn. She lets the readers see the mistakes of Waythorn judgment regarding her wife. Readers wonder whether Waythorn could have been able to adapt with different women as her wife did. By choosing female characters to be the protagonists of the two stories, Wharton highlights that women are equally superior to men as their roles demand. Wharton also portrays the issues of moral standards society expects from both men and women in order to rise above the social ladder and avoid t endencies of savagery. Wharton lets readers see a different Alice from the one Waythorn knows. Wharton shows readers the strength in women and struggle they experience in order to perform the ever-changing and difficult tasks of pleasing men. The Other Two and Roman Fever have their secret aspects. For example, characters are in dismaying situations, particular the rivalry, marriage and divorce issues, but we must see the humorous sides of the story. These stories present no comical or tragic ending but Wharton allows the stories to social challenges in marriage and modern society. Haytock, Jennifer. Edith Wharton and the Conversations of Literary Modernism. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. Print. Killoran, Helen. The Critical Reception of Edith Wharton. Rochester, NY: Camden House, 2001. Print. Lewis, Nancy. The Letters of Edith Wharton. New York: Collier Books, 1988. Print. Wharton, Edith. Roman Fever. New York: Liberty Publishing, 1934. Print.

Cancer

Cancer Essay The problem is cancer. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world and my interest in the subject is simple. My mother is the most resilient person I have ever met. Any time I need any kind of inspiration, I need only to think of her. When she was eighteen she was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease. The doctors gave her a less than thirty percent chance of living. Since then she has had cancer three other times. Breast cancer twice in 85 and 90, and most recently, colon cancer two summers ago. She has had many different treatments including chemo and radiation therapy as well as surgery to remove lumps in both breasts and her colon. What is cancer? There are more than 100 different types of cancer. It occurs when cells become abnormal and divide without control or order. Normally, cells divide in an orderly way to produce more cells only when the body needs them. If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms. This mass of extra tissue, called a growth or tumor, can be benign or malignant. (National Institute of Health) Benign tumors are not cancer. They do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Benign tumors usually can be removed and are seldom a threat to life. Malignant tumors are cancer. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer can also break away from a malignant tumor and enter the bloodstream and lymphatic system. Through the lymphatic system is one of cancers best modes of transport for spreading to form new tumors in other parts of the body. The spread of cancer is called metastasis. Malignant tumors must be treated or will be fa tal. There are many treatments for cancer. Among these are radiation, chemotherapy, surgery and the rapidly growing field of genetic therapy. It was discovered that when radioactive waves were directed on human cells, the cells would be destroyed. The idea of using this technology on cancer was a good one but was unsuccessful at first due to the damage caused to surrounding tissues. Then the analogy drawn from a simple story gave insight on how to focus the rays on the cancer and not harm the surrounding tissues and organs. The story goes like this. A small country was ruled from a strong fortress by a dictator. The fortress was situated in the middle of the country, surrounded by farms and villages. Many roads led to the fortress through the countryside. A rebel general vowed to capture the fortress. The general knew that an attack by his entire army would capture the fortress. He gathered his army at the head of one of the roads, ready to launch a full-scale direct attack. However, the general then learned that the dictator had planted mines on each of the roads. The mines were set so that small bodies of men could pass over them safely, since the dictator needed to move his troops and workers to and from the fortress. However, any large force would detonate the mines. Not only would this blow up the road, but it would also destroy many neighboring villages. It therefore seemed impossible to capture the fortress. However, the general devised a simple plan. He divided his army into small groups and dispatched each group to the head of a different road. When all were ready he gave the signal and each group marched down a different road. Each group continued down its road to the fortress so that the entire army arrived together at the fortress at the same time. In this way, the general was able to capture the fortress and overthrow the dictator. READ: Picasso Persuasive EssayThis simple story was the basis for intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). This is a technique used to treat cancerous tumors on which a removal operation could not be performed. Interesting dose distributions generated by IMRT allow a better sparing of normal tissues with decreased acute and late toxicity, and offer a window for further dose escalations. (De Neve W; Claus F; Van Houtte P; Derycke S; De Wagter C) In order to get a radiation beam of high enough intensity to hit

Complex Care Assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Complex Care Assignment - Case Study Example The impulse produced is then represented by a pattern that shows the dysfunction ie whether it is total obstruction (Mi) or partial (angina).for many angina patients, the ECG is usually normal.ECG is only carried out on patients with stable angina. Echocardiogram is where sound waves are utilized to check for the condition of the heart. The waves produce images that are then used to visualize whether there are blockages or damages to the heart arterials. This depends on the x ray imaging. It is part of cardiac catheterization used in checking for blood vessels in the heart. This has also been used in evaluation of the lungs where there is accumulation of fluids in chest cavity. Measures flow of blood to myocardium at rest and during stress. This resembles regular stress test but in nuclear, a radioactive component is injected to the bloodstream (Mommersteeg et al., 2013). A scanner is used for detecting and creating images of the heart muscle. Deficient flow is indicated by light spots on the images. Beta blockers block the effects of hormone epinephrine such as adrenaline while prasugrel and ticagrel prevent blood from clotting, On the other hand, statins cholesterol levels in blood. Calcium channel blockers which relax and widens blood vessels (Mommersteeg et al., 2013). How Myocardial Infarction might progress to Acute Pulmonary Oedema. Acute pulmonary oedema is caused by high hydrostatic pressure in the capillaries as a result of increased pulmonary pressure in the veins. Myocardial infarction causes accumulation of fluids in the alveoli of the lungs. These fluids have low concentrations of proteins and can also be found in the interstitium. There is always frequent complaint of cough as well as pink, frothy sputum. Moreover, there may be hoarseness caused by recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy from mitral stenosis and perhaps chest pain that alerts physicians to the likeliness of acute myocardial infarction. In addition, there may be other

Pathophysiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pathophysiology - Essay Example This can be as a result of consumption of poor diets or unhealthy lifestyle (Timby & Smith, 2005). Disorders leading to left-sided congestive heart failure can be seen in both children and adults. In children, it can be caused by birth defects involving the heart and heart muscles such as abnormal heart valves or blood vessel connection. In adults, such disorders include hypothyroidism and other inherited heart conditions that can lead to cardiomyopathy. High blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, obesity and coronary artery diseases are other risk factors for left-sided congestive heart failure (Hobbs & Boyle, 2014). According to Robinson, N. E., & Sprayberry (2009), the most common symptom for left-sided heart failure is fatigue, weakness or faintness as a result of insufficient supply of oxygen to the body. Other symptoms include shortness of breath due to excess fluid accumulation in the lungs, decreased urine production and abrupt weight gain due to excessive fluid retention and cough that contains frothy or bloody mucus. Right ventricular systolic dysfunction could occur as a result of left-sided congestive heart failure

What colleges should teach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

What colleges should teach - Essay Example Burke-Vigeland concluded that the current fixed forward step-sitting arrangement of lecture halls is unsuitable for interactive learning as it prevents students from expressing their individuality. He advocates for a flexible classroom which allows professors and students to restructure the classroom to allow team discussions, reversible writing on the walls, incorporation of technology that enables communication with other students around the world, and adaptation of the room for different course work (Burke-Vigeland, n. p.). In the article, What Should Colleges Teach? Stanley Fish raises concern regarding a recent trend whereby college courses are increasingly diverting from their main discipline of focus into other unrelated disciplines. He focuses on the discipline which he teaches, literature, and points out an observation he made whereby writing courses in colleges nowadays tend to focus on analysis of various social issues such as globalization, racism, and sexism instead of f ocusing on writing. As a result, few students taking writing courses in college are able to write a clean English sentence. The author asserts that writing courses should focus exclusively on writing and teach nothing other than grammar and rhetoric (Fish, n. p.). In the article, Rethinking the Way College Students are Taught, Emily Hanford asserts that the traditional method of teaching in colleges whereby students learn through non-interactive lectures is no longer effective since most students are not able to absorb most of the information that is usually disseminated in a single lecture. The author advocates for the peer-instruction method of teaching in colleges and provides proof of its effectiveness by referring to the success of a number of professors who use this method to teach their students. These include Joe Redish, a physics professor at the University of Maryland, Brian Lukoff, a researcher in education at Harvard University, and Eric Mazur, a professor of physics at Harvard University (Hanford, n. p.). In Rethinking the Way Colleges Teach Critical Thinking, Scott Johnson laments the way through which colleges teach critical thinking. He asserts that current practices whereby students are taught through lectures to memorize information is not achieving one of its aims of developing student critical thinking skills. He uses his specialty discipline of instruction, Earth Science, as an example to demonstrate how students can be taught facts while simultaneously gaining crucial critical thinking skills. Johnson asserts that the best way to achieve this purpose is to dedicate a significant portion of the course teaching students how the factual information of the course was gathered through logical and critical evaluation of available information (Johnson, n. p.). In the article, Colleges Should Teach Intellectual Virtues, Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Sharpe underline the importance of helping college students develop intellectual virtues in addition to the traditional roles of teaching them the skills of their discipline, literacy skills, and critical thinking. The authors assert that colleges should help students develop intellectual virtues so as to mold them into all-rounded human beings (Schwartz and Sharpe, n. p.). From the five articles analyzed, it is evident that the education students acquire in colleges does not completely suit their needs and requirements for both professional and personal development. Technology and globalization have

Levothyroxine: The Importance of RDH Familiarity

Levothyroxine: The Importance of RDH Familiarity Jessica Jarrard As a registered dental hygienist, there are health concerns to remain aware of when providing care to clients, specifically health conditions that the client may or may not be aware of, and more importantly any medications that may affect dental care in general as well as in the office. As a RDH, one should be able to recognize signs and symptoms and be knowledgeable about how the care being provided to the client may be affected by medication and the health conditions associated with its use as it relates to dental health. The top medication prescribed to individuals is Levothyroxine. The use of this medication is common, and it is important for the RDH to be aware of the conditions associated with its use, the effects this medication may have on the care provided or vice versa, as well as how to direct the client for providing aftercare once they have the left the office. Any possible health concerns the RDH may recognize in regards to the use of Levothyroxine are especially import ant if the client has signs of a possible condition that may be associated with its use or if the client may be suffering an adverse effect resulting from a medication interaction that the client may be unaware of. Being familiar with the medication as it relates to the care provided will help the RDH recognize if referring the client to seek further care from their primary medical provider is necessary. Levothyroxine is a synthetic hormone medication used for the treatment of hypothyroidism, a condition associated with underproduction of hormones secreted within the thyroid gland. Thyroxine, the T4 hormone, is indirectly responsible for regulating many metabolic processes within the body and when deficient or absent can cause a number of health concerns including lethargy, low body temperature, myxedema, intolerance to cold, and weight gain among other, more serious complications (Weinberg, Westphal, Fine, 2008). Although Levothyroxine can regulate the symptoms associated with this health condition, there are also risks involved with long term use of the drug such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and atrial fibrillation, especially among individuals with thyroid cancer (Nelson, 2017). Therapeutically this medication is utilized as a replacement hormone in the absence of Thyroxine (Vallerand, Sanoski, Deglin, 2013). Although there are other treatments available for hypothyroidism , there is no evidence they are better options, and Levothyroxine remains a common treatment and has been proven to work well (What is T4, n.d.). Levothyroxine C15H11I4NO4 is commonly known as Synthroid but is also known by other names such as Eltroxin or Euthyrox in Canada and Levo-T, Levothroid, Levoxyl, T4, Tirosint, and Unithroid depending on the manufacturer marketing the drug (Hopkins, 2006). Although most commonly used to treat hypothyroidism it is also used as a treatment for suppression of euthyroid goiter as well as thyroid cancer which is often directly related (Vallerand, Sanoski, Deglin, 2013, p. 779). Levothyroxine is absorbed through the GI tract and metabolized by the liver and other body tissues by being converted to Triiodothyronine, the T3 hormone, which regulates metabolism in the body as well as other body functions (What is T4 , n.d.). Levothyroxine can be taken intravenously and intramuscularly, although it is commonly prescribed as a single dose, oral medication. Dosages of this medication are determined by many factors including age, weight, severity of the condition being treated, and other present health conditions. As with all medications, individuals with certain health conditions should use caution while taking Levothyroxine. These include individuals suffering from cardiovascular disease, renal insufficiency, and uncorrected adrenocortical disorders as well as pediatric and geriatric patients who should be monitored especially close as they are more vulnerable to complications or risks associated with any medication or illness (Vallerand, Sanoski, Deglin, 2013). Dosages are increased at regular intervals, usually bi weekly and should be taken in the morning, as the risk for insomnia is increased with its use. It is important that this medication is taken at the same time daily and should not be stopped wi thout consulting the prescribing physician, as it may result in negative health consequences (Vallerand, Sanoski, Deglin,2013). When taking this medication, it is important that patients understand that treatment with Levothyroxine is not a cure for hypothyroidism and should be considered a lifelong therapy. Patients should also understand that it may have an effect on other body systems, resulting in undesirable symptoms such as headache, insomnia, irritability, angina pectoris, arrhythmias, tachycardia, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, hyperthyroidism, menstrual irregularities, heat intolerance, weight loss, and accelerated bone maturation in children. These adverse effects are usually only seen when excessive doses of the medication cause iatrogenic hyperthyroidism (Vallerand, Sanoski, Deglin, 2013, p. 780). Some other medications have been known to interact in conjunction with Levothyroxine and should not be taken together unless directed by a physician. These medications include Warfarin, some diabetic medications, and Estrogen, which may increase the effects of Levothyroxine. Other supplements or foods which contain calcium, iron, and zinc prevent absorption of Levothyroxine and should also not be taken in conjunction. If these medications or supplements are needed, it is best to do so under the care of a physician who can monitor any potential risks or effects and make adjustments in health care accordingly (Vallerand, Sanoski, Deglin, 2013). The use of Levothyroxine is increasingly common in individuals and can cause undesirable effects if not considered when providing dental care as well as any other care to clients. For instance, a common side effect of this medication is xerostomia. This side effect can cause a number of risks to clients as the mouths essential, protective enzymes, which are provided and carried through saliva, are depleted or completely absent. Without this level of protection, the teeth and gums become weak and vulnerable to excessive damage from routine dental care as well as other normal activities, such as eating. It has been reported that there is almost four times greater prevalence of xerostomia in patients taking medications (28%), compared with those not taking any (7.5%) (Risk factors, hyposalivation, 2017). If the RDH is aware of this side effect, whether or not it is a result of the medication, adjustments in dental care can be made preventing further damage. The RDH can also provide repl acement therapy for the missing enzymes by offering products or medications that supplement these enzymes to prevent further dry mouth. All RDH should be educated and aware of the signs and symptoms of disorders or health conditions associated with Levothyroxine and the possible risks involved when providing dental care for a client taking this medication. Understanding how the medication works and the effects it has in conjunction with other medications, supplements, or medical/dental treatments will not only serve to protect the client from any further risks or complications regarding care, but will also allow the RDH to perform client services more effectively and with greater success to the clients well-being. References Flaitz, C., Shlafer, M., Tornwall, R., Viola, T. (2014). Mosby Dental Drug Reference 11th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby. Haveles, E. (2011). Applied Pharmacology for the Dental Hygienist. Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby Elsevier. Joe (MSC Nutrition). (n.d.).What is T4 and T3: The complete guide. Retrieved from https://www.dietvsdisease.org/t4-t3-thyroid-hormone levels/?hilite=%22levothyroxin%22 Nelson, R. (2017). High risk for CHD and stroke in patients with thyroid cancer. Retrieved from www.medscape.com/viewarticle/875375 Niklander, S., Veas, L., Barrera, C., Fuentes, F., Chiappini, G., Marshall, M. (2017). Risk factors, hyposalivation and impact of xerostomia on oral health-related quality of life. Pub Med, 31. Retrieved from http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttextpid=S180683242017000100211lng =ennrm=isotlng=en#B12 Vallerand, A., Sanoski, C., Deglin, J. (2013). Daviss Drug Guide for Nurses 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company. Weinberg, M., Westphal, C., Fine, J. (2008). Oral Pharmacology for the Dental Hygienist. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.