Saturday, December 28, 2019

Medical Research On Animal Testing - 1736 Words

Stated by Mahatma Gandhi, â€Å"The greatness of the nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated†. Medical research on animals is an effective way for scientist to test different medical discoveries and experiment before using them on humans to check their result. This technique has been used for centuries dating back to people such and Aristotle and Erasistratus. What exactly is medical research on animals? When we take a deeper look into the experiment that are preformed we can conclude that animals are a living model of humans in these laboratories. It is a necessity to harm and test animals with new drugs in order to market them in the medical industry to aid human illnesses. In order to better comprehend and regulate drugs one must understand what medical research on animals is described as and its benefits to pharmaceutical companies for humans. Exposure to the trials and tribulations that animal testing reveals how important it is for scientists to understand the negative effects they contribute to an animal’s welfare and life. In contrary animal testing has been used to save many human lives from consuming or using a drug that could have caused them life threatening illnesses. A great example in the twentieth century of a drug called Diethylene Glycol (DEG) gives us great reason on why animal testing is needed for the greater good. Stated by Rachel Hajar (2011), â€Å"He simply added raspberry flavoring to the sulfa drug, which he hadShow MoreRelatedEthical Issue Of Animal Testing For Medical Research961 Words   |  4 Pageshe ethical issue of animal testing for medical testing is not new, for example the majority of the common vaccines were developed because medical research that utilized animal testing. Many philosophers have attempted to explain the rights of animals and some wrote on the lack of inherent rights. This issue is difficult because animals can’t speak for themselves but humans do have a place to play in the fight for animal rights. I will apply the principle of utility along with the moral theories ofRead MoreThe Issue Of Medical Research1548 Words   |  7 Pageseradicated in America. How? Thanks to medical research, an antidote was found for each of these diseases. There is no question that medical research is important to the medical world. However, could countries do without extensive focus on medical research? America spends the most on healthcare and medical research out of any other country yet their life expectancy is not even close to being the highest. On top of its inefficiency in America, drug trials and animal testing have been scrutinized for beingRead More Animal Experimentation: A vital role in medical reasearch Essay1035 Words   |  5 PagesAnimal experimentation has been and will continue to be a source in scientific research. Similarities between animals and humans allow for researchers to provide safer drugs and new treatments for diseases. (Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR), 2008). Animal experiments have provided many positive outcomes in medical advancements that save human and animal lives. However, many people in today’s society have an emotional attachment to a nimals which fuels opposition to animal experimentationRead MoreAnimal Testing And Its Effects On Human Health1146 Words   |  5 PagesMillions of animals suffer and die unnecessarily each year as they become subjects for medical testing and other horrendous experiments. Although some people believe such activities are necessary to progress in medical research, in reality it does very little to improve human health and development. For decades, drug and chemical safety assessments have been based on laboratory experimentations involving rabbits, dogs, rodents, and other animals. Consequently, nine out of ten drugs proven safeRead MoreHow Do The Contributions Of Animal Testing To Global Medical1309 Words   |  6 Pagescontributions of animal testing to global medical science justify whether or not it should be banned? According to the Humane Society International (HSI), animal testing or animal experimentation for medical research refers to the experimentation on live animals for the purposes of investigation on diseases, medical treatments, or fundamental biology. Charles Gross, a former member of the History of Neuroscience committee of the global Society for Neuroscience, states that animals were used for improvingRead MoreImportance of Animal Testing804 Words   |  4 PagesThe use of animals in scientific research has made dramatic improvements in our understanding of the human race. Despite the controversies that surround this issue, without this process of testing it is certain that much of what is known today towards the quality and quantity of life would remain closed off to us. Over the years, scientists have gained the ability to solve medical problems, cure diseases, and develop vaccines all with the use of animals during scientific research. To believe thatRead MoreAnimal Testing Sho uld Not Be Banned860 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction The use of animals in research has created a diverse range of attitudes, as some individuals support the use of animals in research and others are against it. Sometimes people do not have enough background knowledge on this topic to be involved in a discussion of animal testing. Animal testing dates back to around 400 years ago, when one of the first famous researchers William Harvey was curious to discover how blood circulates around the body. The modern era of animal testing began around 150Read MoreAnimal Testing Should Not Be Banned Essay1369 Words   |  6 Pagesheartbreaking, miserable animals: that is what comes to mind when animal testing is mentioned. While some of it may be true, testing animals for medical reasons is necessary. Animal testing has led to the advancement of medical research and has help device many medicines, it is the reason animal testing is still being used. The fact that experimenting on animals has led to great medical discoveries, does not mean that a nimal testing is not morally ambiguous. Animal testing has many flaws and reasonsRead MoreMedical Testing on Animals is Considered Animal Cruelty Essay1020 Words   |  5 PagesResearch on living animals has been practiced since at least 500 BC. Over 25 million animals are tested in labs every year. They are used for medical and scientific research. The animals used in research often undergo cruel experimentations and suffer through the pain. During medical testing, less than 2% of human illnesses are seen in animals, therefor medical testing on animals is cruel and pointless. Medical testing on animals should be illegal because products that pass animal tests end up harmingRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Animal Testing1725 Words   |  7 PagesEach year, more than 100 million animals are experimented on in U.S. laboratories. These experiments are for things such as biology lessons, medical training, curiosity-driven experimentation, and chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics testing.( Procon writers) Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, is the use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. Animal testing is controversial and people find

Friday, December 20, 2019

The Effects Of Obesity On People, Cancers And Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction: Obesity has become a growing issue in the recent years and its increasing trend is now referred to as a ‘pandemic’ by many researchers and scientists. With a  £3.2 billion currently estimated cost of overweight and obesity to the NHS, one can understand the growing interest in this matter. This essay is going to discuss the bad effects of obesity on people, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers and type-2 diabetes. Then, this essay will talk about the causes, and how junk food and bad diet can cause obesity. The causes of obesity are lack of exercise or inactivity and genetic genes as according to (Ebbeling, et al, (2002)), obesity can be caused due to genes, which is an unpreventable cause. Finally, this essay will give solutions for these causes and recommend some methods to prevent obesity. It is most commonly measured using a tool called Body Mass Index (BMI) that measures body fat of men and women based on their height and weight. To understand the reasons why prevention and treatment of obesity have become an urgent matter, it is essential to first examine the effects it has on health and whether its impact is limited to a particular area. Prevention and treatment methods will also need to be examined to understand their true potential and limits. Although obesity itself and the obesity related diseases are directly linked to a poorer quality of life, it has a far more dramatic impact on individuals. According to Allende and Rayner (2007), obesityShow MoreRelatedNutrition, Obesity, and Disease789 Words   |  3 Pagescan prevent some diseases from occurring. Obesity is considered to be a major health crisis all over the world, it can lead to diseases such as: stroke, heart disease, hypertension, some cancers and many more (Coe, 2010). In 2010, research shows that 24.5% of adults in England were obese and 13.9% of children were obese, this number has only risen since then (NHS Information Centre, 2009 Coe, 2010). Millions of adults are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and that number will continue to increaseRead MoreObesity : A Serious Health Condition1452 Words   |  6 PagesObesity is a serious health condition that, if left untreated, causes serious health conditions. Contrary to popular belief, obesity is more than a condition caused by overeating and lack of exercise (Vallor 2013). Obesity is a disease (Callahan 2013); a disease that Americans are spending about $150 billion on annually (Zamosky 2013). Additionally, changing a person’s diet and exercise regimen may not be effective in some cases of obesity (Vallor 2013). Obesity is not like most well-known diseases;Read MoreEssay On St. Louis1597 Words   |  7 PagesThe health status according to the 2017 County Health Rankings, St. Louis has a homicide death rate of 33 people per 100,000 (â€Å"Crime,† 2017). The health care clinician to patient ratios for primary care physicians are 1 to 83 people, dentists are 1 to 48 people and menta l health is 1 to 272 people (â€Å"Crime,† 2017). The population that are uninsured is eleven percent and are between the ages of 18 to 65 (â€Å"Crime,† 2017). The Missouri Health Improvement Act of 2007 (Senate bill 577) seeks to makeRead MoreChildhood Obesity Is A Medical Condition1109 Words   |  5 Pages Childhood obesity is a medical condition that is found in children, teenagers and middle aged people. Everyone has a unique body shape and structure that is engineered right for them but sometimes the body will store more body fat than required. If an individual stores more fat than an average person is supposed to, then they can be categorized as obese. Childhood obesity can be identified seeing if the weight of a child is well above that of an average for a child s height and age. For anRead MoreThe Effects Of Too Much Sugar On The Body1197 Words   |  5 PagesAnnie Schindler G Period 2/2/2016 Chemistry Honors Effects of Too Much Sugar on the Body Sugar is added to almost everything we eat and drink in today’s society. It is in everything from candy and ice cream to plain crackers. It appears on nutrition labels in many different names such as high-fructose corn syrup, maltose, honey, glucose, and sucrose (Fed Up). In grocery stores, around 80% of processed foods have sugar added to them (Fed Up). Although it is obvious that overeating foodsRead MoreDiabetes : Obesity And Lack Of Physical Activity986 Words   |  4 PagesDiabetes: Due to the insane rise of obesity and lack of physical activity there is an epidemic rate of diabetes, worldwide. Diabetes leads to increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and infections. Increased physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight plays a critical role in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. With a staggering 300 plus million people worldwide with diabetes, statistics are predicting that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death in the worldRead Mo reObesity s Effect On Sex Essay1623 Words   |  7 PagesObesity s Effect On Sex Image retrieved from http://panarchy-sj.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/low-sex-drive-woman.jpg (Imaged retrieved from ) According to the CDC website the percentage of adults at the age of 20 with obesity in the United States is 37.% from the years 2013-2014 but the percentage of adults 20 years and older with overweight and obesity is a staggering 70.7% of the United States. In women obesity was rated higher with 38.3% than in men with a 34.3% of the population fromRead MoreObesity : Obesity And Obesity Essay1169 Words   |  5 PagesObesity Obesity refers to excess body fat while overweight refers to excess body weight in terms of excess fat, muscles, bone or water. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2009–2010), about 69% of the adult population in the U.S. is overweight or obese, with more than 78 million adults being obese. Consistent with the survey, at least 2 in 3 adults are overweight or obese and more than 1 in 3 adults are obese. In addition, more than 1 in 20 adults in the URead MoreObesity And The United States1265 Words   |  6 Pages Obesity in the United States has been a serious problem affecting Americans and has been continually growing higher in numbers each year. American obesity has nearly doubled within the last 40 years and is now considered to be an epidemic that is affecting millions of people around the nation. According to the National institute of Diabetes and digestive and kidney Diseases, 31% of men and 35% of women are considered seriously overweight, along with 15% of children between the ages of six and nineteenRead MoreIn The Last Twenty-Five Years, America Has Embraced A Lifestyle1314 Words   |  6 Pagespreventable health issues that includes Type II Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, liver failure, kidney disease, stroke, cancers, and a decrease in fertility. This trend is frightening for millions of Americans because it shortens their lifespan and quality of life. As a result of the negative effects of obesity, children are being subjected to the media, marketing, and poor e ducation that promotes and leads to the lack of knowledge and acceptance to obesity. Overall, our great nation is suffering

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Technology Has Facilitated Many Advances †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Technology Has Facilitated Many Advances? Answer: Introducation Digital technology has facilitated many advances in life, most of which are inclined to information dispensation. This dispensation also has increased the levels of data breaches throughout the world as experienced this year where multiple voter registration data has been exposed. Some of the countries affected have been Mexico, the state of Georgia and the Philippines. However, these events are minor exposures as compared to the American attack that occurred in June. In the attack over 198 million voter records were exposed to the public, a significant number that dated back to records from ten years ago(Newman, 2017). The problem Discovered by researcher Chris Vickery, the data breach exposed over 1.1 terabytes of data, holding sensitive information such as personal information and addresses. The data exposed had been previously compiled by a data analytics company called Deep Root. Deep root had been given the task to analyse voter registration details which gave them access to the names and addresses of the potential voters. Furthermore, the leaked information also gave a detailed account on how the voters felt on a wide range of issues, stemming from political climate to gun control(Bennett, 2012). Through the discovery made by the researcher, Vickery ultimately outlined the poor structures used by organizations to protect the information they hold. This conclusion is based on the method used to attack the companys systems which as outlined in the next section was caused by negligence and not by any sophisticated hacking tool. Moreover, the breach illustrated the amount of information entrusted to conservative groups who were lucky that the data was not used to conduct illicit operations more so, after a general election had been conducted. In addition to this, the data breach heightened the questions over the collaboration between the United States government and the Russian government(Uchill, 2017). How and why the attack occurred First, the data breach was not as a result of a complex or sophisticated attack, instead the responsible organization left the databases holding the data exposed to public by disabling their security protocols online. Therefore, when visited, the organizations systems were free to be accessed without any form of control be it encryption of content or authorization requests e.g. passwords. Furthermore, the data was verified and identified as the data owned by the Republican National Committee (RNC). Therefore, the exposure was not a test or hoax conducted online but a legitimate failure in cyber security systems. The RNC had contracted the data company who had subsequently leased the Amazon S3 servers to store the information. Now, the contracted company had also leased multiple database sections which at the time of the exposure had amounted to over 25 terabytes of information. All this content used the same cloud facilities which highlights the negligent actions taken by the company as they failed to protect some of the database servers. Furthermore, the depth of the intrusion was deeply rooted within the disc space of the cloud facility an outcome that determined the extensive scope of the exposed content. Therefore, the exposure did not affect minor files containing trivial details but in-depth analysis functions, a result highlighted by some of the files, which had modelled data(Whittaker, 2017). So why did the breach occur? Well, according to data experts, misconfigured online services are a common occurrence which facilitates many exposure instances but is rarely discovered as they hold trivial or worthless information. Furthermore, the misconfiguration of online systems is further intensified by cloud services and other online database systems as they require extensive security procedures which are ignored by the leasing organizations. Therefore, the events experienced were not alien to cyber attacks but were intensified by the nature of the data which possessed extensive records meant for the private eye () Possible solutions Regardless of the cause of the exposure (why the servers were unsecured), the outcome of the data breach highlights the negligence of the company at hand. Deep Root failed to implement the security procedures employed when dealing with database systems, in fact, their failure was so profound that anyone could access the content so long as they visited the website. Therefore, simple access control and authentication procedures were not implemented. Nevertheless, as a solution, the company should assess its entire security policy by conducting a new and thorough risk assessment. Through this assessment, the threats facing the organization and its system would be evaluated. In this case, the evaluation would highlight the possible loop hole and vulnerabilities that could be used to conduct attacks. Furthermore, it would establish the extent in which the existing security policy is being implemented/enforced(Booth, A, Somayaji, 2013). Secondly, the organization should implement technical security solutions to their existing online systems. In this case, encryption would be the first mitigation solution to the problem as it facilitates the confidentiality of information, by transmitting data in secure forms. Therefore, the analytics conducted by the RNC would in the future be sent using encrypted channels. In addition to this, lock down procedures should be implemented on all user endpoints i.e. computers, websites and any other access platforms. Now, in the breach, the internet was the end point used to access the information, therefore, access control procedures that limits authentication and authorization would be used. For one, the data company can develop specific access portals for RNC users, who when authorised are able to access the content. Finally, a comprehensive information management plan should be used to allocate access rights based on their clearance level. This plan would mitigate data exposure by isolating data blocks(Bennett, 2012). WannaCry A recent attack on computer systems shocks the world as it infiltrated multiple networks across the globe. The attack was facilitated by a new form of ransomware that exploited the vulnerabilities seen in Windows computer systems. Ransomware are malware programs that hold computer systems under ransom while threating to expose or destroy data. In this case, the malware in question (WannaCry) used new attack procedures that beat all the existing security measures(Wong, 2017). WannaCry worldwide infiltration started with a rouge cyber group known as The Shadow Brokers who at the start of the year released a network attack vector (vulnerability) known as EternalBlue. This group acquired the vulnerability from the United State government who through their security agency (NSA) had developed the component among other access vulnerability. The NSA has from time to time developed tools that may serve as cyber weapons, an outcome that was adequately verified by the extent of the attack. Now, this attack spread fast like quick fire affecting systems in Spain, China, Russia and United Kingdom among many other countries. In each of these countries, the malware perpetrated the same sinister actions by locking the machines it affected unless paid a ransom in full(News, 2017). Those affected and how At the beginning, the estimated number of attacks surpassed 40,000 systems across the world, affecting more than 100 countries. In some of these countries such as England, the malware infected medical systems which interrupted health facilities and the duties they conducted. These interruptions were so severe that some members of the public were casualties to the attack as they failed to access their vital medical records halting their procedures. The same problem was also experienced by the health workers and practitioners who were placed on immediate lockdown as their machines demanded a payment of $ 300 to restore operation normalcy. In other countries, the attack crippled private companies affecting businesses and their financial performance. An example of this outcome was seen in Spain where its telecommunication and electrical industries were affected by the attacks propagated on Telefonica and Iberdrola companies(Islaim, 2017). In these companies, the attacks were so severe that the organizations were forced to switch off their systems in an attempt to mitigate the losses experienced. Similarly, Russia went through the same crisis as its networks were extensively infiltrated by the attack. However, the attack on the Russian systems was worrying as it affected many sectors of service delivery. Method of attack Most malware attacks will start by identifying vulnerabilities in systems before conducting their attacks. It is only after the identification of these vulnerabilities that the actual attacks are perpetrated based on a self-replicating procedure, which in the end increases their success rate. Similarly, WannaCry exploited a serious vulnerability in Windows systems that were later solved using systems update (patches). Nevertheless, the vulnerability used stemmed from the access protocols used to access networks, commonly known as server message blocks (SMB). Now, the SMB protocol resides within the application layer of the TCP/IP model and facilitates the sharing of files. The protocol conducts this functionality by allowing devices to read or write files from networks. Moreover, the same protocol allows computers to request resources and services across networks. Therefore, when the EternalBlue vulnerability was introduced it gave intruders complete access to the networks and comput ers using the said protocol(Emling, 2017). In all a four step procedure was used to infect machines: The intruder using the SMB handshake activated the vulnerability in the machines having unprotected access ports. Next, an archived program holding the starter for the malware was transferred to the accessed machine. This program was encrypted to maintain the integrity of the malware. The third stage saw the malware program activated after being decrypted from the archive. Furthermore, after activation, the malware immediately started to scan for other connections within the host machine and only spread to the networks having unsecured access ports(Islaim, 2017). If successful in identifying the ports, the malware again utilised the EternalBlue vulnerability to deliver the starter program, commonly known as the payload. At this point, the infection procedure repeated itself and continued across all visible and unsecured network. Preventing the attack The most obvious solution to the problem would have been a patch for the vulnerability identified which based on the outcome of events was only developed after the damage had been done, therefore is an invalid option. However, in all the attacks conducted, unsecured ports were used to access the SMB vulnerability. Therefore, using basic network controls the malware could have been mitigated across the networks. For instance, the affected organization should have had firewalls to regulate the flow of traffic. This facility would have alerted the users of the intrusion. Moreover, access and port control procedures should have been used to block the unused network nodes/ports(EMC, 2016). Nevertheless, the said attacks occurred in multiple organizations and countries which outlines the complexity of the attacks as most of the organizations had strict security guidelines. Therefore, a thorough risk assessment would have been the only solution because it would have outlined the new threat. It is therefore through a risk assessment that these organizations would have identified and implemented solutions for the SMB protocols, including alerting the product developer (Microsoft)(EMC, 2016). References Bennett, S. (2012). Data Security Breaches: Problems And Solutions. Retrieved 25 August, 2017, from: https://www.jonesday.com/files/Publication/2dbb7406-ba13-4305-902a-8f2c65ef3d49/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/301495c5-31c8-4881-8202-9dd8665df004/TPL0812-Bennett.pdf. Booth, G., A, S., Somayaji, A. (2013). Cloud Security: Attacks and Current Defenses. 8 ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON INFORMATION ASSURANCE, Retrieved 25 August, 2017, from: https://people.scs.carleton.ca/~soma/pubs/booth-asia2013.pdf. EMC. (2016). Preventing a ransomware disastor. EMC, Retrieved 24 August, 2017, from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=trct=jq=esrc=ssource=webcd=1cad=rjauact=8ved=0ahUKEwiwgdWRi_DVAhWIK8AKHdA9BKEQFggqMAAurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmozy.com%2Fsystem%2Fresource. Emling, S. (2017). Ransomware Attack Wreaks Havoc Globally. AARP, Retrieved 24 August, 2017, from: https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2017/how-to-protect-against-ransomware-fd.html. Islaim, A. O. (2017). SMB Exploited: WannaCry Use of "EternalBlue". Fire eye, Retrieved 24 August, 2017, from: https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2017/05/smb-exploited-wannacry-use-of-eternalblue.html. Newman, L. (2017). The Scarily Common Screw-Up That Exposed 198 Million Voter Records. Wired, Retrieved 25 August, 2017, from: https://www.wired.com/story/voter-records-exposed-database/. News, B. (2017). Massive ransomware infection hits computers in 99 countries. Technology, REtrieved 24 August, 2017, from: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39901382. Uchill, J. (2017). Data on 198M voters exposed by GOP contractor. The hill, Retrieved 25 August, 2017, from: https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/338383-data-on-198-million-us-voters-left-exposed-to-the-internet-by-rnc-data. Whittaker, Z. (2017). 198 million Americans hit by 'largest ever' voter records leak. ZDNet, Retrieved 25 August, 2017, from: https://www.zdnet.com/article/security-lapse-exposes-198-million-united-states-voter-records/. Wong, J. . (2017). Massive ransomware cyber-attack hits nearly 100 countries around the world . Cybercrime, Retrieved 24 August, 2017, from: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/12/global-cyber-attack-ransomware-nsa-uk-nhs

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Home Security System free essay sample

Surjit Gautum who has been a source of perpetual inspiration to us, gently guiding and our waves towards a bright career. You were ever willing to give all kind of support and encouragement. In the end we want to thankful our â€Å"Parents†, â€Å"teachers† and Almighty GOD for the entire thing that they do to us.Security is a prime concern in our day-today life. Every country as well as individual wants to be as much secure as possible. Recent activities in the major cities have made it more important than ever to take adequate steps to maintain the safety of the home and the personals. At times like a fire breakout where immediate and appropriate actions are required, things are required to be made automated because under panic conditions the response time of a normal human brain increases. There can be many solutions possible for implementing such a system. According to the U. We will write a custom essay sample on Home Security System or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page S. Fire Administration, the number of fires in residential dwellings (one and two-family homes, apartment buildings, hotels and other boarding facilities) in 2007 was 414,000 an increase of approximately 9. 2% from 1998. During the same period, the direct dollar property losses  Ã‚   nearly doubled, going from $4. 4 billion to over $7. 5 billion. It is worth noting however that the number of fire deaths and injuries over this same nine-year period have generally decreased; overall, these figures have declined by approximately 8. 3%. Still, there were 2,895 deaths and 14,000 fire-related injuries during 2007. The decline in the death and injury rate can be attributed to better fire alarm system monitoring technology, and points up the importance of such technology in your home. Although most of us use reasonable caution, home fires have been known to start from all sorts of causes including short circuits in the defective wiring of the inferior appliances now manufactured in substandard facilities in China and Mexico. In fact, older televisions can be turned off and unplugged and still cause fires for up to 24 hours because of electrical energy stored in the transducer; in 2006, a number of Chinese-manufactured Dell laptops mysteriously exploded for no apparent reason. When we are asleep, our senses are asleep as well; therefore, it is possible to burn alive (though asphyxiation usually occurs first mercifully) without ever being aware of it. Because heat, which rises and gathers toward the ceiling, is the first warning sign of a fire, a good fire alarm monitoring system should have heat detection sensors as well as smoke detection sensors. Ideally, these are mechanical and not electronic in nature, since a building fire can put the electrical system out of commission in short order. Otherwise, your heat and smoke detection systems, if hard-wired in to the home electrical system, must have battery backup; this battery should be replaced at least once every year. Security systems designed to detect unauthorized entry into a building or area. They consist of an array of sensors, a control panel and alerting system, and interconnections. Sensors detect intruders by many methods such as monitoring door and window contacts, by passive infrared motion detectors, ultrasound, vibration, electric or magnetic fields, or microwaves. Sensors may be directly wired to a control panel that provides sensor power, or may communicate wirelessly. Some alarm systems serve a single purpose of burglar or fire protection. Combination systems provide both fire and intrusion protection. .

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Medieval Medicine Essays - Ancient Greek Medicine, Humorism

Medieval Medicine Medieval Medicine The medieval period is normally not associated with advances in technology, nor with contributions that benefit society. Yet, our medicine today owes much of its development to physicians of that time. Medicine of that era was strongly influenced by superstition and the doctrine of the Christian church, and did not have much foundation for practical application. The need for medicine in Middle Ages was certainly great, considering the extreme amounts of plague and disease prevalent during that time (Grigsby 2). Unfortunately, medical knowledge of that day was of very little help (Margotta 68). Physicians had no concept of disease causing bacteria or viruses. Unfortunately, it was thought in that day that illness was either due to old age, heredity, or immoderate living. Is was also believed that certain sins could affect one's health (Grigsby 2). Medical practice of the time revolved around a concept called the "doctrine of the four humors". Diagnoses of illness almost solely relied upon the examination of the human body's four humors- blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Each of the four humors was associated with a specific body part and certain elemental qualities. Blood was associated with the heart, and air. Phlegm was associated with the brain and water. Yellow bile was associated with the liver and fire, and black bile was associated with the spleen and Earth. When one's bodily humors were in equilibrium, that person was normally considered to be in good health. Sickness was thought to be a result of imbalance of the humors (Gottfried 106). Diagnosis, except in the few rare cases, was usually based on the interpretation of the color and smell of the blood, the smell and the color of the phlegm and, most commonly, on the examination of the urine. There were countless methods of examinations, each explaining how a detailed diagnoses of all types of illnesses could be determined from the color and the odor of the urine and from the layers of sediment in the collecting flasks. Cloudiness in the upper layer of the collecting flask indicated that the origin of illness was in the head, and lower level layers of cloudiness indicated declining conditions of the bladder or genital organs. The diagnosis was often optimistically simple (Margotta 66). Medieval physicians had almost nothing more than their interpretations of a patient's humors upon which to base their diagnosis. Their ultimate objective was to restore equilibrium of the humors to the sick patient. Physicians had a variety of ways to do this, yet they often attempted to purge the cause of the ailment from the body, by whatever means were deemed necessary (Gottfreid 106). Bloodletting was very common (Margotta 66). Bloodletting therapy was based on the theory of opposites. Doctors believed diseases could be caused by excessive amounts of body fluids. For its alleviation, bloodletting was the main treatment. This procedure was thought to move the material causing one's illness and make it pass from one organ to another, thereby making it easier to eliminate. When blood was taken from the side of the body opposite from where the disease was situated, it was supposed to relieve the patient's plethora and pain. Detailed directions were given regarding the most favorable days and hours for bloodletting, the correct veins to be tapped, the amount of blood to be taken, and the number of bleedings required. Blood was usually taken by opening a vein with a lancet, although bloodsucking leeches were regularly used (Margotta 66). Not all aspects of medieval medicine were as particularly brutal as bloodletting. Pharmacy, or the prescribing of drugs or herbs, was a major part of the medieval physician's cure. Apothecaries were the pharmacists of the day; however, their role in medicine extended further than simply the filling of prescribed drugs. In many cases the Apothecary would actually prescribe drugs and give treatment to a sick patient. Apothecaries usually had no training in the medical field except as herbalists. They had little knowledge of the workings of the human body or diseases that affected it. In fact, since the herbs that Apothecaries used to make their medicines were usually extremely expensive spices, most doubled as merchants (Gottfreid 108). Physicians were the primary treatment practitioners during the middle ages, yet into the 13th century, numerous medical treatments were being conducted by a new and separate group of people known as barbers, barber-surgeons, and surgeons. These new groups increasingly took on the responsibilities of many types of invasive and non-invasive procedures. These new groups did not receive their training from universities, but from a hierarchy of apprenticeships regulated by guilds. The contributions of their procedures however, were significant (Duin

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Zheng Shi, Pirate Lady of China

Zheng Shi, Pirate Lady of China The most successful pirate in history was not Blackbeard (Edward Teach) or Barbarossa, but Zheng Shi or Ching Shih of China. She acquired great wealth, ruled the South China Seas, and best of all, survived to enjoy the spoils. We know next to nothing about Zheng Shis early life. In fact, Zheng Shi means simply widow Zheng - we dont even know her birth name. She was likely born in 1775, but the other details of her childhood are lost to history. Zheng Shi's Marriage She first enters the historical record in 1801. The beautiful young woman was working as a prostitute in a Canton brothel when she was captured by pirates. Zheng Yi, a famous pirate fleet admiral, claimed the captive to be his wife. She pluckily agreed to marry the pirate leader only if certain conditions were met. She would be an equal partner in the leadership of the pirate fleet, and half the admirals share of the plunder would be hers. Zheng Shi must have been extremely beautiful and persuasive because Zheng Yi agreed to these terms. Over the next six years, the Zhengs built a powerful coalition of Cantonese pirate fleets. Their combined force consisted of six color-coded fleets, with their own Red Flag Fleet in the lead. Subsidiary fleets included the Black, White, Blue, Yellow, and Green. In April of 1804, the Zhengs instituted a blockade of the Portuguese trading port at Macau. Portugal sent a battle squadron against the pirate armada, but the Zhengs promptly defeated the Portuguese. Britain intervened, but did not dare take on the full might of the pirates - the British Royal Navy simply began providing naval escorts for British and allied shipping in the area. The Death of Husband Zheng Yi On November 16, 1807, Zheng Yi died in Vietnam, which was in the throes of the Tay Son Rebellion. At the time of his death, his fleet is estimated to have included 400 to 1200 ships, depending upon the source, and 50,000 to 70,000 pirates. As soon as her husband died, Zheng Shi began calling in favors and consolidating her position as the head of the pirate coalition. She was able, through political acumen and willpower, to bring all of her husbands pirate fleets to heel. Together they controlled the trade routes and fishing rights all along the coasts of Guangdong, China, and Vietnam. Zheng Shi, Pirate Lord Zheng Shi was as ruthless with her own men as she was with captives. She instituted a strict code of conduct and enforced it strictly. All goods and money seized as booty was presented to the fleet and registered before being redistributed. The capturing ship received 20% of the loot, and the rest went into a collective fund for the entire fleet. Anyone who withheld plunder faced whipping; repeat offenders or those who concealed large amounts would be beheaded. A former captive herself, Zheng Shi also had very strict rules about treatment of female prisoners. Pirates could take beautiful captives as their wives or concubines, but they had to remain faithful to them and take care of them - unfaithful husbands would be beheaded. Likewise, any pirate who raped a captive was executed. Ugly women were to be released unharmed and free of charge on shore. Pirates who deserted their ship would be pursued, and if found, had their ears cut off. The same fate awaited any who went absent without leave, and the earless culprits would then be paraded in front of the entire squadron. Using this code of conduct, Zheng Shi built a pirate empire in the South China Sea that is unrivaled in history for its reach, fearsomeness, communal spirit, and wealth. In 1806, the Qing dynasty decided to do something about Zheng Shi and her pirate empire. They sent an armada to fight the pirates, but Zheng Shis ships quickly sank 63 of the governments naval ships, sending the rest packing. Both Britain and Portugal declined to directly intervene against The Terror of the South China Seas. Zheng Shi had humbled the navies of three world powers. Life After Piracy Desperate to end Zheng Shis reign - she was even collecting taxes from coastal villages in the place of the government - the Qing emperor decided in 1810 to offer her an amnesty deal. Zheng Shi would keep her wealth and a small fleet of ships. Out of her tens of thousands of pirates, only about 200-300 of the worst offenders were punished by the government, while the rest went free. Some of the pirates even joined the Qing navy, ironically enough, and became pirate hunters for the throne. Zheng Shi herself retired and opened a successful gambling house. She died in 1844 at the respectable age of 69, one of the few pirate lords in history to die of old age.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Influence of Intellectual Capital on the Types of Innovative Research Paper

The Influence of Intellectual Capital on the Types of Innovative Capabilities - Research Paper Example Such a project will provide insights to organizations on how different knowledge management strategies create opportunities for organizations to achieve innovations through the use of intellectual capital (Boer and During, 2001, p. 102). Particular emphasis will be on how strategies on human resource management influence a firm’s level of innovation.   Innovation refers to changes in organizational processes or existing products aimed at creating a competitive advantage in the market. Basically, it involves the identification of opportunities and utilizing them with the intention of creating new products, services or work processes (Daft and Weick, 2004, p. 450). Research studies indicate that organizations with higher innovative capabilities have higher chances of succeeding in response to changes in their business environment. There are different forms of innovation but the most common forms include organizational innovation, process innovation and product innovation (Subr amaniam and Youndt, 2005, p. 460). Organizational innovation refers to the development of new structures and management practices. Product innovation relates to the development of new products whereas process innovation involves the development of new technologies used in the production process. The various forms of innovations have different definitions but they all have a common theme. Their common theme is that of the use of knowledge to create competitive advantages by meeting the needs of customers. The fact that innovation involves the identification and utilization of opportunities, it means that there is a continuous process of pursuing new and unique knowledge (Subramaniam and Youndt, 2005, p. 455). Literature materials on the topic of innovation emphasize that knowledge is the most important element that can ensure the success of organizations pin developing new products, technologies, and processes. The main source of innovation is attributed to be the unique knowledge po ssessed by human capital (Daft and Weick, 2004, p. 244). Human capital is also recognized as the main driver of change within the business environment. In the study of the process of innovation, numerous research studies indicate that there is a close link between the management of knowledge and people and innovation. According to Boer and During (2001, p. 122), there exist a lot of research studies that focus on the contribution of organizational knowledge on various forms of innovation. However, most of the research studies only focus on the outcomes of generic innovations such as technology patents and sales revenues from new products. Such studies tend to ignore on studying how knowledge management is connected to innovation. A number of researchers address the topic of innovation in radical and incremental terms. This, therefore, implies that there need to be further research studies on incremental and radical innovations (Subramaniam and Youndt, 2005, p. 453). This is to ensur e there are adequate literature materials on the differences that exist between radical and incremental innovations.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Health sysytems and government response to AIDS in America Essay

Health sysytems and government response to AIDS in America - Essay Example There is a common saying regarding AIDS that â€Å"you are either infected or affected†. This is because when one is infected with AIDS, faces the pain associated with the illness and emotional torture as one feels that unmet goals and objectives in life are no longer attainable; one also feels socially unfit to carry the normal life used to live before the infection. Someone who is free of the virus is affected since has to commit his time and resources in supporting the infected one. More precisely, the individual suffering, household, families, and the economy experience the effects of HIV/AIDS. Ones contributes to the growth of the economy is likely to decline and eventually stop as the stages of the illness progress. This is because the individual is dependent on others and the government on daily bases for food and treatment. The government and health systems have put a lot of emphasis on controlling the disease by establishing Voluntary Centers for testing. Currently there is a huge network of testing centers all over America to provide citizens with free services where they can get to know their status, get guidelines on how to stay free from the virus and if affected, the control and management practices. Although this is a positive initiative, the government does not provide enough well trained nurses to deliver the services; this is a drawback. More so, people have fear for stigma from those who offer the services, therefore the government is working to provide testing kits whereby one can perform the test within his privacy and convenient time. (Augustus 43). The government has identified that most youths are at high risk to contract (Chris 490) AIDS due to idleness and lack of employment. With the high rates of inflation and unemployment, many people lack employment hence in order to sustain their daily lives, they indulge in irresponsible sexual activities. This increases the rate of AIDS infections. The government has stepped in to offer technical trainings and job opportunities to encourage the youths not involve themselves in such risky behaviors. The government has also established rehabilitation centers for sex addicts where they get support and guidance on reformation. Commercial sex workers have higher chances of contracting AIDS due to the sexual association with many people. Such centers offer them information on how to change their behaviors and how get finances from moral activities. The government and other health systems have responded to the AIDS epidemic by establishing children homes for both HIV positive children and orphaned children due to AIDS. These children are offered free education and home care. Although this is a very essential

Monday, November 18, 2019

Release Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Release - Essay Example Also the break of study would badly hamper my educational career; therefore it is not very desirable from my end to take such drastic measure. After a hard day’s labour, it is really becoming very tough for me to concentrate on my studies. I also seriously feel that if a better manageable condition is rendered to me then I would be definitely able to give better result in my work as well. The mental and physical tiredness and the dilemma which is occurring in my mind regarding the continuation of my education along with the job, is making me psychologically disturbed as well. Moreover, the road which I traverse everyday to reach my University is not only long but full of hurdles too. The traffic is very busy throughout the path and it is very accident prone area as well. As I need to manage my classes and work so I am compelled to take some hasty and faster means of communication which are very rash on road. This also keeps me under the threat of an accident whenever I take th e plunge to reach my University. Also I would like to draw the attention of the management that the departure time form the work-station has been extended to 4:00 pm from 3:30pm.

Friday, November 15, 2019

The effectiveness of employee performance appraisal

The effectiveness of employee performance appraisal Performance Appraisal and Reward system is viewed as the systemic model that correlates supervisory feedback with the employee behaviour, attitude and motivation (Gomez-Mejia, 2007: p. 21-24). Historically, the Performance Appraisal and Reward system has been viewed as the feedback and critics framework to help the employees in enhancing their productivity and performance by virtue of constructive feedbacks, reviewing and rewarding past performance, setting the future goals, employee motivation, training and growth planning and problem solving/grievance handling (Hall et al. 1989: p. 54-67). However, the Performance Appraisal and Reward system in the modern world has been viewed as the tool for evaluation of productivity and efficiency of employees to determine their standing against the salary increments, bonus, promotions and layoff policies (Andres et al., 2010: p. 1599-1607). This has resulted in very narrow viewpoints about the system by employees (Reinke, 2003: p. 23-27) whereb y some take it negatively as well (Daley, 2007: p. 290-293). But Cook and Crossman (2004: p. 526-541) explained that the satisfaction with the Performance Appraisal and Reward system is better in employees that play the role of both appraiser and appraisee. They further explained that best results are obtained when 360 degree feedback system (appraising the managers) system is practiced by the organisation. This is the problem that the author proposes to address in this research. In the modern era when employees exhibit pessimism about the Performance Appraisal and Reward system (Daley, 2007: p. 290-293) because they consider it as the mere tool for deciding increments, bonuses, promotions and continuity in the company (Andres et al., 2010: p. 1599-1607), what makes it so vibrant in companies like KFC resulting in high employee motivation and reduced attrition (Huck, 2010: p. 1-3)? The proposed topic is: The effectiveness of Employee Performance Appraisal System (EPAC): A case study on KFC. 1.2 Background of the Organisation Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is the highest revenue earning chain restaurant of Yum! Restaurants which is ranked at number 239 on the Fortune 500 list that exceeded global revenues of 11 Billion US Dollars in year 2008. KFC is regarded as the fastest growing brand in chain restaurant segment in the world that operates like a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) producing good Chicken dishes under the name finger lickin good. (Huck, 2010: p. 1-3) The company was founded as Kentucky Fried Chicken by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952, though the idea of KFCs fried chicken actually goes back to 1930 (Shuker, 2008: p. 8-11). In UK alone, KFC employs more than 22000 people in more than 780 stores across the nation (Huck, 2010: p. 1-3). KFC was regarded as the second best employer on the Britains Top Employers 2010 list. It achieved 3.5/5 stars in Pay and Benefits, 4.5/5 stars in Training and Development and 5/5 stars each in Career Development, Working Conditions and Company Culture in the five attributes rated by CRF Institute in the Britains Top Employers 2010 survey. (Huck, 2010: p. 1-3) KFC has an excellent employee performance measurement system, promoted by parent company Yum! Restaurants. The Champ Card peer rewarding system has been elementary in achieving high motivation and reducing employee turnover. (Corporate Executive Board, 2006: p. 4) 1.3 Purpose of Research Employee Performance Appraisal System (EPAS) is the mechanism of longitudinal (over a period of time) performance management of employees (Smither, 2001: p. 1-7). If designed appropriately, it can result in effective bonding between supervisors and subordinates by virtue of open discussions, appraising strengths and weaknesses of subordinates and the work systems in which they operate, identification of trainings requirements, awareness of future goals, confidence boosting, rewards and recognitions, motivation, etc (Smither, 2001: p. 1-7). The end result can be boost in organisational productivity (Gomez-Mejia, 2007: p. 21-24) and even enhancement of the revenues and profits (Boice and Kleiner, 1997: p. 197-201). But the Performance Appraisal system needs to be designed very effectively and efficiently to ensure that the desired outcomes supporting boost in productivity and hence the revenues and profits can be tangibly achieved (Boice and Kleiner, 1997: p. 197-201). Gabris and Ihrke (2000: 41-44) argued that ineffective measurement systems are going to be questioned by the employees and hence may be unacceptable to them. If ineffective measurement systems are followed, the EPAS will not be perceived to be useful and hence the relationship of participants in review meetings will determine the results and not the actual performance of the employees (Bradley and Ashkanasy, 2001: p. 83-85). In this research, the author wants to learn about how exemplary performance appraisal systems, like the one practiced by KFC, are designed and how are they accurately linked with employee motivation, productivity, and the overall organisational performance. The rewards and recognition system studied by Corporate Executive Board (2006: p. 4) emphasised on the peer relationships, spot reward system for quick wins and celebrating individual and group successes in vibrant ways (like clapping for colleagues, announcing quick wins, giving away Champ Cards, etc.). These attributes are highly advocated by Gabris and Ihrke (2000: 41-44). 1.4 Research Questions Following are the proposed Research Questions for the study: What are the areas of employee performance evaluated by KFC in their EPAS? What are the criteria and performance measures applied in KFCs EPAS? How effective is KFCs EPAS in measuring employees performance? How KFCs EPAS affects motivation and future growth of the employees? What are the scope of improvements in KFCs EPAS? 1.5 Research Objectives Following are the proposed Research Objectives of this study: To study the features of KFCs EPAS and learn the underlying causal factors that contributed to its phenomenal success across the world. To map the learning points from KFCs EPAS with empirical evidences in academic literatures and understand how the academic world have been advocating about such causal factors. Identify new learning points that has not yet been identified by the academic world and discuss about them. Present the value additions from KFC case study to already existing theoretical background in the academic literatures. Present a critical analysis of how KFC can further improve their EPAS by identifying the traits advocated by academic literatures but not prevalent in KFC EPAS. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction Gomez-Mejia (2007: p. 21-24) explained that supervisors feedback through performance appraisal systems can result in two types of responses of the employees Cognitive response and Behavioural response. He analysed that dysfunctional feedbacks (ambiguous, one way, inconsistent, judgemental, misdirected, coinciding with salary increments, etc.) can cause uncooperative cognitive response and reduced employee performance and functional feedbacks (job related, two way, explicit, consistent, clear, not linked with salary increments, etc.) can result in goal oriented cognitive response and improved employee performance Gomez-Mejia (2007: p. 22). Hence, the most effective systems of appraising performance are: functional, relevant, uniform and consistent. Pragmatism is important because it helps to ensure that the system will be easily understood by employees and effectively put into action by managers (Gomez-Mejia (2007: p. 22-24). Drawing upon arguments by Briscoe Schuler (2004: p. 5-57) performance can be viewed as a combination of several factors, such as motivation, ability, working conditions and expectations. It has been established that there are certain factors that affect employees performance more than others. These factors, according to Dowling et al (1999: p. 4-29), include the compensation package, the nature of task, support from higher management, the working environment and the overall corporate culture. In this chapter, the author has presented an organised literature review to analyse how the case study of KFC can be supported by the theoretical foundation already established by empirical theories. In essence, the research instrument can only be designed with the help of such theoretical foundation as explained by Saunders et al. (2007: p. 44-50). 2.2 Elements of Employee Performance Evaluation Traditionally, performance appraisal of employees has been viewed as the psychological test bed for employees that comprises of critics ratings, decision making on rewards and recognitions, deciding amount of salary increments, deciding future expectations, deciding continuity in the company, deciding promotions, measuring the alignment with departmental and organisational goals, etc (Elmuti et al., 1992: p. 42-48). The modern performance appraisal system is linked with quality improvement philosophies of the organisation that was originally conceptualised by Deming (Elmuti et al., 1992: p. 44-45). However, Levy and Williams (2004: p. 881-889) argued that the modern performance appraisal theories have travelled a long way to transition from mere enforcement tool of organisational objectives and quality targets to the system that influences the overall corporate culture and social system. This shall be very much evident in the case study of KFC where the EPAS is viewed to be contribut ing positively to the congenial and highly vibrant work environment in the organisation (Huck, 2010: p. 1-3). 2.3 Link between EPAS, Performance Measures and Staff Motivation EPAS can directly contribute to staff motivation if it is perceived to be fair, transparent, clear, consistent, continuous, bilateral and development oriented (Kavanagh et al., 2007: p. 132-137; Boice and Kleiner, 1997: p. 197-201). As reiterated by Boice and Kleiner (1997: p. 197-201) and Gomez-Mejia (2007: p. 21-24), discrete, one-sided, ambiguous, misdirected, and judgemental appraisals are perceived to be unfair and result in negative cognitive response, demotivation and reduced performance of employees. Boice and Kleiner (1997: p. 198-199) argued that surprises during annual performance reviews may result in retaliation by employees given that they deserve the right to avail continuous feedback. OConnor et al. (2010: p. 729-735) described that performance measures need to be realistic, practical and transparent to the employees such that positive cognitive and behavioural responses can be achieved. The objective of performance appraisal system should be to motivate the employees to achieve highest performance levels against the measures and not get threatened by the measures perceiving that they may be used against them if supervisor is not happy OConnor et al. (2010: p. 729-735). 2.4 KFCs EPAS in measuring performance and motivating their staff KFC has highly congenial and highly vibrant work environment. KFCs EPAS is designed on peer recognition model in which employees can recognise each other by giving away champion cards against quick wins. This is also carried out vertically in which juniors can reward seniors and vice versa. Such on the job recognitions are mapped with the corporate goals and values. This system in KFC meets the SSMART objectives: supports organisational goals and values, simple and sincere, meaningful, adaptable, relevant and timely. (Huck, 2010: p. 1-3; Corporate Executive Board, 2006: p. 2-4) 2.5 Effects of KFCs EPAS on KFC performance and competitive advantages The reports by Huck (2010: p. 1-3), KFC Holdings (Malaysia) Annual Report (2009: p. 8-9) and Corporate Executive Board (2006: p. 2-4) revealed that the key competitive advantage of KFC is the high employee retention and productivity against close rivals like McDonalds. KFC has been rewarding their high performing employees consistently and have been able to retain talents by virtue of their on-the-spot recognition scheme. 2.6 Conclusions The EPAS system should ensure congruence between organisational goals and employee performance and hence cannot be achieved in discrete form (like annual reviews). It has to be continuous and on-the-job. The model by KFC is closely linked with the theories presented by Gabris and Ihrke (2000: 41-44), Kavanagh et al. (2007: p. 132-137) and Boice and Kleiner (1997: p. 197-201) that advocated transparency, consistency, bidirectional, fostering trust relationships, strengthening the colleagues on-the-job, setting of good examples, celebration of quick wins, heart to heart recognition by individuals, and celebration of group success as the key objectives of EPAS that can finally result in high employee motivation and corporate productivity. 2.7 Conceptual Framework The author proposes to conduct interpretive study in which the outcomes of the primary research shall be categorised, classified, and tagged appropriately such that wise interpretations can be drawn and compared with the theoretical foundation of past empirical studies. The author shall compare responses to all questions with the literature review, one-to-one, such that close correlation with the past theories can be framed. Gaps in KFCs EPAS against past theories and vice versa will be identified such that the conclusions and recommendations can be drawn. This approach is called qualitative interpretive study as described by Saunders et al. (2007: p. 44-107). Also Wolcott et al. (2002: p. 85-90) termed this approach as critical thinking research. This is further explained in the next chapter. 3.0 Research Design 3.1 Introduction AERA (2003: p. 2-11) emphasised that Research Design is the collection of various attributes of conducting the research that helps in making the study more focussed, purposive, unbiased, valid, reliable and ethical. Further to this, Bryman and Bell (2003: p. 3-45) described that Research Design begins with the philosophical approach that the author wants to take and leads to appropriate choices of methodology, approach, methods, instruments, sampling methods, data collection and analysis methods, pilot design and ethical considerations. The discussions follow. 3.2 Research Philosophy and Methodology Bryman and Bell (2003: p. 3-45) described that two philosophies are most prevalent in social and business research studies positivism and interpretivism. Positivists try to prove theories through research whereas interpreters try to learn theories through research. Hence, positivists always begin with hypotheses formulation and try to accept and reject them based on outcomes of study whereas interpreters begin with research questions and try to address them through learning from research. Hence, positivists always prefer scientific and objective research whereas interpreters prefer observational research, action research, descriptive research and critical thinking research. (Bryman and Bell, 2003: p. 3-45) Saunders et al. (2007: 44-107) described that positivists normally prefer quantitative research because it only takes numbers as inputs and comprises of scientific methods (like mathematical modelling, experimentation, statistical analysis, etc.) (Bryman, 2004: p. 59-77) whereas interpreters prefer qualitative research because it can take any form of inputs (text, numbers, pictures, etc.) and comprises of interpretive, analytical thinking and observational methods (Bryman and Bell, 2003: p. 3-24). The author perceives that positivists can frame hypotheses because they are seasoned experts in their respective subject matters and are very confident about what they want to prove. The author is an amateur in performance appraisal and hence wants to conduct this research to learn the best practices of EPAS from KFC and map them with literatures. Keeping this approach in mind, the author has selected interpretive philosophy with qualitative research. 3.3 Research Approach 3.3.1 Inductive Approach Qualitative researchers welcome any form of valid inputs (like text, numbers, pictures, voice recording, observations, experiences, etc.) and hence carry out inductive approach of learning (Bryman and Bell, 2003: p. 21-45). Given that the author has selected qualitative research, he wants to adopt inductive learning approach. 3.3.2 Deductive Approach Quantitative researchers only entertain numerical inputs that are applied in experimental setups or mathematical and statistical models to derive the outputs. The model of learning is in the form of P à   Q, where P is independent variable and Q is dependent variable and à   denotes the processor between P and Q. This is called deductive approach of learning. (Bryman and Bell, 2003: p. 21-45) The author has not adopted this approach because the methodology chosen is Qualitative. 3.4 Research Methods 3.4.1 Techniques and instruments Qualitative research is conducted using grounded theory, ethnography, phenomenology and action research techniques. Grounded theory employs learning from past theories, ethnography employs human observation and analysis, phenomenology employs learning from human experience and action research employs learning by participation and involvement. Grounded theory doesnt employ any specific instrument, ethnography employs observation charts, phenomenology employs structured and semi structured questionnaire and action research employs cause-effect charts. (Thompson and Walker, 1998: p. 63-69) The author wants to study EPAS by capturing human experiences (employees at KFC) and hence has proposed the choice of phenomenology with structured questionnaire. As described by Thompson and Walker (1998: p. 63-69), structured questionnaire helps in reducing bias and improving validity because the respondents are closely tied to the context of the questions. These reasons supported the authors choice of structured questionnaire. 3.4.2 Data Sampling, collection and analysis The author has chosen purposive sampling against quota sampling, convenience sampling and snowball sampling. Purposive sampling deals with mapping each possible candidate with pre-determined qualification criteria. Quota sampling deals with purposive sampling for multiple populations with different pre-determined criteria sets, convenience sampling deals with choosing respondents by virtue of ease of access and snowball sampling deals with testing purposive sampling against multiple pre-determined criteria sets and expanding the one that is most relevant. The data collection shall be cross sectional (not tagged with historical significance) and the data analysis shall be interpretive with critical thinking approach. This is further explained in the Reflections chapter. (Cooper and Schindler, 2003: p. 34-109). 3.4.3 Pilot Study As reiterated by Saunders et al. (2007: p. 52-63), pilot study can be very useful to enhance the quality of the instrument and test the interpretations of respondents and validity of the questions asked. It also helps in measuring time taken in conducting interviews. The author proposes to conduct pilot study among few friends and request for constructive feedback to enhance the questionnaire. 3.5 Conclusions The author has proposed to conduct the study employing interpretive philosophy, qualitative methodology, inductive learning approach, phenomenology technique, purposive sampling, cross sectional data collection and interpretive data analysis with critical thinking approach. 3.5.1 Validity and Reliability The validity and reliability shall be assured by carefully designing the structured questionnaire instrument and conducting pilot study to test and enhance it. The structured questionnaire instrument shall be based on the review of most relevant literatures and will be aligned with the research questions and objectives. 3.5.2 Generalisability Although the findings shall be applicable to KFC (due to case study approach), the author shall closely map the findings with the outcomes of the literature review to achieve generalisations. 4.0 Access and Resource Implications 4.1 Access to Subjects The author has access to employees in KFC given his association with the organisation. The study shall be conducted on selected employees of KFC outlets in London after obtaining permission from the Restaurant Managers. 4.2 Ethical Considerations The research shall be conducted in transparent manner keeping the rationale of study very clear to all respondents and the Restaurant Managers. The willingness to participate will be obtained from all respondents prior to starting the study. No deception shall be carried out in any form or shape. In addition, the author shall ensure that the emotional aspects, beliefs and ethnic/religious origin will be highly respected in the process of conducting the study. Moreover, the author shall honour the intellectual properties of literature sources by using Harvard referencing. 4.3 Resources The author proposes to conduct the study alone although volunteers are always welcome. The author plans to conduct face to face interviews and hence will have to bear travel expenses to all outlets and distribute the questionnaire in printed format. The theoretical foundation established from literature review shall be the primary resource that will help in accurate mapping with primary research and critical thinking. 5.0 Proposed Action Plan The author proposes the following action plan for the study. The weeks are proposed to be counted from the day the author gets a go-head from his supervisor to proceed with the study. The overall project shall be completed in eight weeks including weekends whereby the author has planned to dedicate about four hours per day to the study except the Week 6 in which the author may have to work for eight to ten hours a day to secure access to all respondents and conduct the interviews. The author has planned to conduct this entire research alone although volunteers to extend helping hand will always be welcomed. Activity Weeks WK1 WK2 WK3 WK4 WK5 WK6 WK7 WK8 The chapter 1 comprising of research context, aim and objectives, research questions and research structure design will be completed. The author shall conduct extensive research on various journal articles, past research reports, peer reviewed internet sites, books etc. and prepare the list of relevant literatures that shall be included in the References section. The author shall complete Literature Review Chapter (2) and Research Design and Methodology chapter (3). The author shall conduct purposive sampling to select respondents, design the questionnaire and conduct the interviews. (parts of chapter 4) The author shall interpret the responses, map with literature review, discuss the mappings critically and them present the conclusions and generalisations. (Parts of Chapter 4 and the entire Chapter 5). 6.0 Reflections on Learning As explained by Evans (2007: p. 1-4), the research is closely implicated with the ethics, values and cultural identity of the researcher. The philosophical considerations of the research is closely linked with what the researcher wants to achieve out of the study. Evans (2007: p. 104) and Cornish et al. (2007: p. 1-16) further described that the researcher may like to conduct research to study a problem area in depth that he/she wants to address in future, to closely study and understand the subject matter where he/she wants to build his career, discover the solutions to problems that has been bothering him/her for a long time, prove the existence of some theories or correlations between some variables that he/she has discovered during his/her experience in this world, to promote the light of education and learning, etc. The learning methods in research has often clashed in the past like the epistemological oppositions between Interpretivism and Positivism that has been prevailing f or ages (Lorenz, 1998: p. 309-316). The interpreters have been largely depending upon human analytics skills and positivists have been largely depending upon scientific evidence of existing phenomena in natural sciences (Lorenz, 1998: p. 309-316). But Bowden (2005: p. 4-52) and Irez (2007: p. 17-27) presented very unique reflection that can diminish all conflicts and standoffs among different believers. He explained that every researcher wants to know the truth and hence it doesnt matter how he/she knows the truth as long as he is able to get to it. The truth always more important than beliefs of individuals (Irez (2007: p. 18-19). If this is the case then why shouldnt we forget all the conflicts and employ the best of all philosophies and methodologies? He analysed that this thought approach may be correlated with the philosophy of Realism which is neither linked with positivism nor with interpretivism. Every research is in fact the relationship between subjects and aspects of the world. This is what comprises of the truth. One may like to know the truth by engaging with the subjects (interpretivism) or with the aspects of the world (positivism) or with both (realism). This can be understood from the following figure presented by Bowden (2005): Figure 1: The concept of Realism presented by Bowden (2005) The outcome may be descriptive, analytical or critical thinking. In descriptive outcome, the researcher may like to describe the outcomes to build a new theory, in analytical outcome the researcher may like to analyse the outcomes with respect to past theories and in critical thinking outcome the researcher may like to critically think on existing perceptions or existing ways of thinking and compare with the research outcomes to evolve the similarities and differences. (Bowden, 2005: p. 4-52; Wolcott et al., 2002: p. 85-103) As described by Wolcott et al. (2002: p. 85-103), critical thinking is a human skill that is developed by cognitive thinking and analysis (learning from the tangible evidences with a wider out of box thinking approach). It neither involves open ended interpretations nor a blind belief on experimentation or simulation results. The researcher applies cognitive thinking to all the outputs by comparing with multiple valid evidences (inputs) without showing any bias towards a particular type of input. The author has adopted critical thinking approach in this study. In this approach the author shall first develop theoretical foundation about the EPAS framework by browsing through various research reports, journal articles, books, peer reviewed Internet sources, etc. and short-listing the most relevant resources with respect to the research questions and research objectives. The structured questionnaire shall be an outcome of the theoretical foundation formed with the help of the literature review and shall be closely aligned with all the research questions. The responses of structured questionnaire will be closely mapped with the literature review by interpreting and analyzing the outcomes of each question independently and comparing with the theoretical foundation. The differences and similarities between the literature review outcomes and the structured questionnaire outcomes will be evolved by following critical thinking approach and finally the conclusions, recommendations and generalisations will be presented. The author believes in knowing the truth and hence is highly influenced with the realism philosophy. However, interpretivism has been selected in the research design because the author is not a subject matter expert of EPAS and hence wants to learn it by following the inductive learning approach. In future, the author wants to develop his career as human resources manager and hence wants to learn the best practices of EPAS thoroughly given that the author perceives it to be the most difficult challenge in human resources management given that the recipients are the agents that are highly impacted by the EPAS framework. In general, the author wants to develop his skills pertaining to focussed research, discovering the sources of information, finding the truth, critical analytics and deriving specific and general conclusions. These skills are very important in human resources management field because all policies and procedures (like the EPAS framework) are results of reflections from the employee surveys and measurement of their performance at work (Bradley and Ashkanasy, 2001: p. 83-96). The framework itself is meaningless if the criteria of measurements, evaluations and decision making is not understood and accepted by both the parties the appraisers and the appraisees. If the author achieves the role of Human Resources Manager, he perceives that two way communications based on research efforts and fact finding efforts will be key to success and accurate data and information will be the key driver to successful HR planning and implementation, especially in designing the EPAS framework. These skil ls can be generated with the help of this study. Finally, the author wants to reiterate that he will take the learning to his professional world and apply them as actionable outcomes, not only to practice his profession efficiently and effectively but also conduct more academic research studies in future. This study is expected to be very useful for students as well as professionals.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Anorexia and Bulimia Essay -- Eating Disorders Health Dieting Essays

Bulimia Nervosa Eating disorders are devastating behavioral maladies brought on by a complex interplay of factors, which may include emotional and personality disorders, family pressure, a possible genetic or biologic susceptibility, and a culture in which there is an overabundance of food and an obsession with thinness. Eating disorder also may be defined, as self-abuse. Two of these disorders, anorexia and bulimia, result from the fear or overeating and of gaining weight. This paper talks about what bulimia means, its causes, symptoms, medical consequences, and treatment. - What is Bulimia Nervosa?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting, the use of laxatives or diuretics, strict dieting or fasting, or excessive exercise. Although the disorder can affect men, the preponderance of people with bulimia are female adolescents and young women. Many are self-critical, perfectionist women from high achieving families. There are two subtype of bulimia nervosa: purging and nonpurging, it occurs in 0.5 percent to 2.0 percent of adolescents and young adult women. Purging type: this subtype describes presentations in which the person has regulatory engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas during the current episode. Nonpurging type: this subtype describes presentation in which the person has used other inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as fasting or excessive exercise, but has not regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or ene mas during the current episode. Also, bulimics are usually of average or above average weight, there are ongoing feelings of isolation, self-deprecating thoughts, depression, low self-esteem, and there is a full recognition of the behavior as abnormal, for example: - Make excuses to go to the bathroom after meals. - Shows mood swings. - Buys large amounts of food, which suddenly disappears. - Has unusual swelling around the jaw. - Eats large amounts of food on the spur of the moment. - Laxative or diuretic wrappers frequently found in trash can. - If there is unexplained disappearance of food in the home or residence hall setting. - What causes Bulimia? Although the exact cause is not known, in a great majority of cases bulimia is thought to be related to a complex network ... ...n. Most patients can be treated on an output basis. However, other complications may indicate the need for hospitalization. Partial hospitalization programs are also available. Individual and group psychotherapy has been found effective, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy. Antidepressants, nutritional counseling, couples therapy and support groups may be a part of treatment. The primary goals of treatment are: - Normalization of eating patterns and daily caloric intake. - Elimination of binge eating. - Relinquishing self-evaluation based on body weight and shape. - Enhancement of self-esteem. - Improvement of problem-solving and decision-making skills. - Enhancement of coping skills. - Heightening of self-awareness of personal needs. - Development of a solid self-concept. Medications are sometimes used to assist in the treatment of Eating Disorders like bulimia however, is important to understand that there is no a "magic pill" those in recovery and on medication should also be in some type of therapy environment. Some of these medications are Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor, Remeron, Wellbutrin, Luvox, Lithium, Desipramine, Imipramine, Xanax, and Naltrexone.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Managing Improvement Essay

AC 2.1: Assess an opportunity for innovation and improvement in own organisation As already discussed in Section 1, business productivity and change cannot occur without effecting people’s psychology to effect change. I initially felt that supervision would be fundamental to addressing and identify issues to allow reflection to plan a way forward to address issues, such as, performance management, productivity, effectiveness and understanding the views of the individuals to effect and improve individuals and team goals, and linking this to the business plan. This approach I felt would assist in establishing the individual’s goals to reaching and exceeding key performance indicators, such as completing assessments within timescales, as communication would be flowing in respect of planning and execution, as change can only be effectively implemented through proper planning and communication (Peter, 2006) â€Å"For supervision to be effective it needs to combine a performance management approach with a dynamic, empowering and enabling supervisory relationship. Supervision should improve the quality of practice, support the development of integrated working and ensuring continuing professional development† (pg 141, Tilmouth &Quallington, 2012). An example of this is ensuring workers understand why performance targets are in place. For example if a worker is told they have to have a assessment completed within a specific time but are given no reason for this then their motivation to complete the requested assessment does not occur. However, if you explain that delay in assessments create delays in services that are provided for children, and this could have a detrimental impact. This therefore gives reason and creditability to a worker which gives meaning and this can result in the work being completed as required and therefore  ensuring targets are met in respect of time management in line with the identified business plan, and guidance and audits in respect of Ofsted are met. Crawford 2013, would agreed with me as he believes that failure in executing change is not due to the strategy but in the way the change is delivered and executed in respect of staff psychology (2013, Building and Effective Change Management Organisation Second Edition) I realised by giving reason and understanding as to why such deadlines and expectations were in place and allowing staff members to reflect on this, putting ideas in place, such as how work load management could be addressed. This not only motivated staff but this effected a change in their views regarding their own practice, this conspired to have a positive ripple effect with regard to service delivery as a whole unit. This approach also assisted in addressing areas that Ofsted had risen especially with regard to listening and communicating with staff to effect positive change and also how we could improve the current work load management system. This saw an increase in productivity and we as a team were going over and above the expected targets in all areas in respect of services; service delivery and identifying services that would be efficient with regard to addressing concerns and putting appropriate interventions in place instead of reverting to crisis management like we had been criticised for previously. Nevertheless, issues continued to be identified with regard to achieving in all areas of the business plan for example issues around cost, consistent supervision and identifying training needs. This was due to implications in respect of policies and procedures, as there was no system in place that could â€Å"assess† workload management and also consider what was needed to monitor the success and efficiently in respect of meeting the services users needs, Ofsted and also issues such as cost, especially as overtime had significantly increased to ensure timely responses and reduce delay. This therefore was not addressing the issue with regard to productivity and effectiveness. I also sensed that delays in some respects were being created to enable staff to claim money with regard to overtime. Therefore, I was still identifying issues in respect of staff member’s psychology in respect of meeting targets as their views still appeared disjointed and addressing  this and progressing staff through change with regard to addressing work load management in respect of meeting all key performance indictor would initially be a difficult task to achieve especially in respect of meeting the business plan and Ofsted’s expectations in relation to areas such as cost, consistent supervision and guidance in respect of work load management and training need. Therefore this created an opportunity for me to develop a system to improve work load management and create systems to enable work load management to be audited to ensure it was meeting all the requirements with regard to the business plan and Ofsted. AC 2.2: Justify the improvement identified, in the context of organisation objectives As already discussed it became apparent that the workload management system needed to be developed and changed to enable staff to meet the required targets, especially as current policy and political agenda was highlighting this as a significant issue in respect of work load and work load management (Munro 2011). As this was known to be impacting on production, cost and linked to serious case reviews throughout the UK. I found within all political agenda, the local authority business plan and Ofsted, their reference to work load, considered and discussed the number of cases people had, but no consideration was given to the complexities of the cases and therefore impacting on the time and resources that would be required. I believed this was having a significant impact on moving forward and assessing issues such as productivity, staff member’s development/training and cost. Therefore, a system needed to be in place to evaluate and identify staff member’s workloads which could address and assist with the issues raised above. Furthermore within team meetings this issue was being raised by staff members. Therefore, I considered that a system was needed that looked at not only the number of cases people held but the level of complexity and this in my opinion could be a fair system than people being given a set number of cases. In order to address, assess and justify the improvements required I needed to look at a framework to assist me in how to effect the change to improve work  load management in respect of this. This was how the â€Å"point† system was born. I will discuss further within the next sections how this system was developed and the justification for the system. Within the current environment I work in today Solution Focused Approach is applied to all parts of the business, this includes problem solving, reviewing and acknowledging what is to be achieve, by analyse and identify – including what works well and what may have to be done differently to achieve and then of course making adjustments and taking a step forward to make the changes. Although this theory I felt would be useful in respect of assisting with the psychology of change and the transition through change with staff I felt I needed a theory which would assist me in pinpoint the issues and identifying quickly innovation and changes required in order to put actions in to place and put timescales around those actions. In order to monitor success and of course address areas for development Therefore, I believed that the SWOT analysis would enable me to understand the issues, review innovation and of course implement the change. This method would also assist in the justification of change or identify if change was necessary. Swot Analysis is a structured planning method used to evaluate strengths weakness opportunities and threats involved in undertaking a task or project. This enables the internal and external factor to be considered with regard to achieving an objective. Helpful Harmful Internal Origin Strengths Complexities of work would be identified and levels in respect of right members of staff completing the work would be identified. Clearer planning and time scales with regard to staff meeting targets as the  level of complexity had been identified. Identifying training needs Creating a clear guide for supervision with regard to performance management that promotes consistent supervisions as the format used would be in place throughout the local authority. Targets being incorporated into one document would be able to monitor key performance indictors Cost as this could reduce overtime as this could assist with staff not being overloaded. Weakness Staff not buying in. The points system being business and performance lead and not addressing the personal aspect in respect of the individual. This would result in limited buy in from staff and the transition of change being hindered and placing barriers with regard to change. Time in respect of managers having to review and implement the points system Assessment not being completed to an appropriate standard as focus being on time and work load. External Origin Opportunities Productivity and efficiently with regard to services users having their needs met. A more effective service Reduction in public spending Threats Cost regarding change of systems Not meeting Ofsted’s standards resulting in failure This Swot Analysis enabled me to consider and plan a framework in respect of how a pointing system could work. I developed a pointing system in respect of weekly expectations and identified points for a number of tasks that had to be undertaken throughout the week. I also consider other issues that would also need to be taken into account including staff member’s personal issues such as holidays and training as I knew they would also have to be considered and reflected within the points systems. I also realised that this tool would assist in the justification of paying overtime as if staff members were over pointed then overtime could be paid. The points I developed were reflected as the number of hours a week a member of staff works and the more complex the case the higher the points were increased. I also consider guidance that was provided from the government and Ofsted in respect of caseloads and the management of case loads to ensure the point system met all their requirements. The points plan was then put before senior management and was approved to be used under a pilot scheme to see if this had a positive change in respect of work load management, for example, productivity (consistent supervisions as a guide would be in place regarding performance management), identifying training needs and cost. AC 2.3: Use a range of techniques to generate innovative options to deliver the improvement identified Although I had used Swot Analysis in respect of planning and developing change as I knew a change needed to happen. I was still in a position in which I did not know how to go about delivering it. Where did I start? Whom did I involve? And how did you see it through? I therefore recognised that I needed a methodology to assist me in taking leadership in effecting and assess the change that I was trying to achieve.  I found there was numerous methods, tools and models, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. However, as previously discussed and identified by Hiatt and Creasey (2012), I needed a methodology that would not only engineer an approach to improving business performance but would also address the psychology to managing the human side of change. I considered Prosci Change Management Methodology Maturity Model as this focuses on the â€Å"the people side of change†. â€Å"The model reinforces the need for individuals to change and understand change by instilling: Awareness: This is recognizing the need for change. Desire: Who needs to participate in the change? Knowledge: Who has the knowledge to guide the change? Ability: Who will implement skill sets and change behaviours? Reinforcement: Who will lay the foundation for change initially and for the future?† (Hiatt & Creasy, 2012) However this focused too heavily on the individual and I needed a model that not only looked at the individual psychology to change but also engineered an approach to improving business performance, in which a leadership role could be filter though and assist in an opportunity to reflect to ensure the changes being made when beneficial for staff, meeting the business plan and also meeting the guidance set out by Ofsted. If this was incorrect then the consequences would be detrimental resulting in the local authority failing. Therefore a process was require in which the change could be constantly reviewed and adapted to ensure it was meeting all the needs initially identified. I found most methodologies that I reviewed derived from Kotter’s 8 steps to change. Kotter 1995 identified an 8-Step process for leading change. The key principle covered by each of these steps relates to establishing strong leadership, people’s response, ability and approach to change. Step 1: Establishing a Sense of Urgency Step 2: Creating the Guiding Coalition Step 3: Developing a Change Vision Step 4: Communicating the Vision for Buy-in Step 5: Empowering Broad-based Action Step 6: Generating Short-term Wins Step 7: Never Letting Up Step 8: Incorporating Changes into the Culture. Therefore this model would allow me to see where the business was at the present time and identify areas of improvement and the strengths already in place. It would assist in steering it in the right direction and put actions and goals in place to meet the short and long term objectives, not only identified in the business plan but also in respect of Ofsted, services user’s needs and staffs needs. AC 2.4: Evaluate options for generating the proposed improvement to determine feasibility and viability As previously discussed and highlighted in Section 1, a work load management scheme was in place and it had been deemed appropriate although it was raised that there was still areas that needed improvement which had been raised in the Ofsted inspection in 2013. This needed to be addressed and reviewed in order for improvements to be seen in respect of Stockton’s rating in relation to Ofsted. The areas as already discussed were in respect of supervision, timeliness of social workers responses and assessment in respect of service delivery and cost. And as discussed although there was a system in place which was deemed to be appropriate, it was evident from staff, senior management and Ofsted that this had to be developed to meet the needs of the service as it was still creating inconsistencies in the areas raised above. Therefore the system I reviewed and planned would, and was evaluated to create the outcomes we were trying to improve in the areas identified. It would be keeping in line with the business plan and the expectations of Ofsted but also with what staff members were requesting to develop a system that assisted them in the day to  day management of their workload. It appeared feasible to put this plan into place as it appeared achievable as it was in line with all the recommendations and there was already a foundation for this to be built upon with the current work load management system in place. Also the cost to the development and structure of this plan would be minimal and could hopefully see a reduction in government spending. However, I recognised there could be disruptions to the delivery and putting the plan in place with regard to the new workload system, in relation to how this was rolled out and managed with the organisation. Especially, if it was not conveyed appropriately as resistance would occur and internal and external factors already previously discussed would be impacted upon and not appropriately addressed. This would therefore create a barrier and could potentially prevent the change from occurring , therefore not addressing the issues raised by Ofsted and Ofsted potentially failing the local authority as the issues identified in the previous audit had not been addressed. Learning outcome/ Section 3: Be able to lead and manage change within a organisation, planning and implementing a project to meet, and if possible exceed, customer expectation AC 3.1: Create a change in management and improvement plan that is designed to meet and possible exceed customers and other stakeholders expectations Therefore to address the issues raised in section 2 of this assignment I used Kotter’s 8 step process, 1995, to assist me and lead the change in respect to putting the work load management â€Å"points† system in place to change how work load management was evaluated and reviewed. This is how I approached it: – In respect of Step 1: Establish a sense of urgency: As already identified for a change to happen it helps if all involved wants  the change to happen. It was already identified that this change was wanted by all, including Ofsted, senior management and ground staff. Therefore this created a sense of urgency and as already discussed these issues had been raised from supervisions, team meetings management meeting and Ofsted audit. This therefore sparked the motivation required, and although ideas had been formed people were also contributing and providing ideas to establish a way forward. As already discussed this was not about focusing and criticising individuals on what was not working but providing an honest and transparent dialogue about expectations and the impact it has on as whole in respect of Ofsted, services users and staff themselves. This created a positive vibe in respect of doing things differently in relation to work load management. Kotter 1995 suggests that for change to be successful over 75% of the work force involved has to buy into the change. This was why I worked hard within individual supervision, team meetings and management meetings to create and build a sense of urgency as I recognised appropriate preparation was required so everyone involved could move to the next step and be confident that they felt a change was required and that they would buy into this change. Step 2: Creating the Guiding Coalition I recognised that I had to stand strong as a leader and have clear conviction as to how the change would not only impact staff but would be beneficially in respect of meeting Ofsted targets and the business plan, for example, to using this as a tool to develop supervision so supervision became for consistent. I realised if I had key significant people support this vision that they could assist on the development of the change. For example the policy and procedure business manager found the ideas regarding the change regarding work load management would be beneficial and he believed it could be incorporated in to the current policies and procedures and recognised that this could have a positive effect in respect of meeting targets for Ofsted in a very innovative way. As a result of this a steering group was developed and incorporated in this group was myself, senior management, management and ground staff. Step 3: Developing a Change Vision As already discussed I provided my vision and plan which I had developed using SWOT Analysis. We used this tool as the bases to develop the idea I had initially formed. This enabled ideas to be tweaked slightly but it provided an overall vision which people could grasp and easily remember. This allowed people to see what was trying to be achieved and gave a sense of direction. From this a format, a tool regarding the points system and a points system was developed which was not only going to be used as a weekly guide for the Assessment Team but was going to be developed for all teams within the local authority but would be adapted for the needs of the individual teams. Once again bring consistency within the whole of the organisation. Step 4: Communicating the Vision for Buy-in I found that communication was key to any form of change and in the initial stages of the development, discussion were held constantly with everyone regarding how systems could be put in place to effect positive change with regard to workload management (in respect of delivery, reviewing and monitoring), and throughout the process I discussed progress and issues we were finding with everyone to prepare people for the change but also to make people part of the change. So many times i have found especially within local authorities â€Å"special meetings† are held to communicate a vision, however, in my view this does not assist with regard to preparing people and assisting people to go through that transition of change. I found talking about it at every chance assisted in people taking ownership of the change and being part of the decision making and also problem solving if issues did arise. It also helps for people to have a clear understanding and promotes a consistent structure. AC 3.2: implement the plan, monitoring progress against agreed targets Step 5: Empowering Broad-based Action When I reached this point I found the majority of the staff members were excited about the changes and were ready for it to commencement in respect of the overhaul in relation to work load management. However, I did find  there were a few people who were resisting with regard to the changes and were reluctant to see how the changes would be of benefit to them. They focused heavily on that their overtime would be reduced and they questioned how the points system would be monitor in relation to ensuring the point for the different levels of complexities were monitor and pointed correctly. I found there was justification in their concerns and realised quickly if these barriers were not addressed the feasibility and execution of the points system would fail, therefore, there had to be some consideration as to how this could be reviewed not only by management but by all including staff and Ofsted who would of course question why different levels of complexities had been pointed. I found the answer was already in place which had been highly commended by Ofsted and this was our Performance Indicator clinics. This system already reviewed on an individual/team basis the throughput of work. By adjusting this slightly we could still review the throughput of work but develop it to ensure the points and time given to different complexities of work married with the time given for work to be completed. This also would assist in the following step to see within a short period of time if the system was achieving goals which would boast motivation as people’s achievement would be highlighted immediately. The proposal of the slight changes in the performance clinic staff became empowered and became ready for the pilot scheme to commence. Staff members were feeling confident and were discussing the benefits to the system and this was already being structured into case and personal supervisions. This resulted in the pilot scheme starting. Step 6: Generating Short-term Wins As planned the system very quickly identified short term wins in respect of the distribution of work for example instead of people have 14 cases each, where one person may have 14 cases of high complexity and another may have a case load of 14 of low complexity people were feeling that cases were being evenly distributed and this was evidence by the points sheets being distributed to staff and senior management. Performance clinics were also identifying that the throughput of work was increasing as people cases were more manageable as they were being evenly distributed. It was also evidencing training needs for individuals to support them with the different  complexities of cases and in respect of cost we found that overtime reduced as people were managing to complete work in the required time. However, staff members were able to justify immediately if they required overtime, if they were over pointed and this had a positive motivating feel for all involved. As a result we developed as a team that instead of allowing assessments to go 45 days, assessment that could be completed at an early stage would be done so, and this was managed and reviewed within fortnightly case supervision, creating a consistent supervision guide. This developed a very positive attitude to work load management in which individuals were becoming accountable for monitoring and reviewing their own case load and giving them self time scales, which they were taking ownership of, with oversight from management. This had a significant change with regard to figures in respect of the turnover of assessment and when this was reviewed by the government statistics against other local authorities we were being commended for the assessment being completed in a timely manner and we did not have one assessment that went out of timescales which in this day and age is a huge achievement. To ensure assessment were still to a high level, assessment were still being quality assured by management and also being audit regularly by senior management and due to positive feedback this created a very motivated work force. Step 7: Never Letting Up Kotter 1995 argues that many change projects fail because victory is declared too early although we realised that this change was very positive and it was having a positive effects, we knew the long term goal would have to ensure that this system then assisted and filtered into all core business, for example rolling through the all the teams, ensuring a reduction in government spending and ensuring standards remained high in respect of Ofsted audit. We knew this was a bases that could be used and developed to meet the needs of all of the services but it needed to be continued to be built upon and opportunities would continue to be identified to improve the service. Therefore key to this was developing it and linking it to all core business which was initially discussed in section 2 by the business and policy and procedure management. Quick wins are therefore only the beginning of what is needed to be done to achieve long-term change, as each success provides an opportunity to build on what went right and identify what you can improve. Step 8: Incorporating Changes into the Culture. Therefore to ensure the changes stood we looked at rolling it out to all of the core business within the whole organisation. The feedback within the entire organisation from refuge collection to maintenance in respect of the points system was very positive as it was a system that was adaptable to meet every section of the local authority. In respect of senior management they had a system that clearly showed performance and identified areas of strength and weakness and what needed to be done to build on these areas, and in respect of staff they had a tool that assisted them on a day to day basis in respect of work load management. This assisted in the change becoming solid in the organisational culture and this has lead to positive support by everyone involved. This was reinforced further by the audit which I discussed in Section 1 in which Northumberland found the system that we developed was so exceptional that they believed that this would assist in the their organisation. This therefore is not only being seen in our organisation now but it is now being rolled out to other local authorities and positive feedback is being given and this continues to promote the support and the continuation of the change. Therefore when we are audited by Ofsted we hope the changes made will increase our rating as an effectively run local authority. Reference 2013, John Crawford. (Building and Effective Change Management Organisation Second Edition) [pdf] London: Crawford Consultant. Available at http://http://crawford consulting.org [Accessed 01/12/2014]. Hiatt, J.M.., & Creasey, T. J. (2012) Change Management the People Side of Change. Colorado, USA: Prosci Learning Center. Kotter, J.P. (1995): Leading Change, United States: Harvard Business School Press. Munro, E (2011) The Munro Review of Child Protection: A Child Centred System. London: The Stationary Office Limited 2006, Peters A.H. (Understanding and Managing Change) [pdf] Sydney, Australia: The Project Perfect White Paper Collection. Available at http://www.projectperfect.com.au [Accessed 7 November 2014]. Tilmouth, T., & Quallington, J. (2012) Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services. Oxon: Bookpoint Ltd.