Definition and Examples of Epiplexis

In rhetoric, epiplexis is an interrogative figure of speech in which questions  are asked in order to rebuke or reproach rather than to elicit answers. Adjective:  epiplectic. Also known as  epitimesis and percontatio. In a broader sense, epiplexis is a form of argument in which a speaker attempts to shame an opponent into adopting a particular point of view. Epiplexis, says  Brett Zimmerman, is clearly a device of vehemence. . . . Of the four kinds of rhetorical questions [epiplexis, erotesis, hypophora, and ratiocinatio] . . ., perhaps epiplexis is the most devastating because it is used not to elicit information but to reproach, rebuke, upbraid (Edgar Allan Poe: Rhetoric and Style, 2005). Etymology From the Greek, strike at, rebuke Examples and Observations Epiplexis a more specific form of [a rhetorical question] where a lament or an insult is asked as a question. Whats the point? Why go on? Whats a girl to do? How could you? What makes your heart so hard? When, in the Bible, Job asks: Why died I not from the womb?  why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? its not a real question. Its epiplexis. Epiplexis is the puzzled grief of Why, God? Why? in Miss Saigon; or it is the bemused disdain in the film Heathers that  prompts the question: Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast?(Mark Forsyth,  The Elements of Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase.  Penguin, 2013)Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?(Joseph Welch to Senator Joseph McCarthy at the Army-McCarthy Hearings, June 9, 1954)Are we children of a lesser God? Is an Israeli teardrop worth more than a drop of Lebanese blood?†(Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, July 2006)O how little a thing is all the greatness of man, and through how false glasses doth he make shift to multiply it, and magnifie it to himselfe?(John Donne, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, 1624)You think what I do is playing God, but you presume you know what God wants. Do you think thats not playing God?(John Irving, The Cider House Rules, 1985)Ah, sorry to interrupt you there, Bobbo, but I gotta ask you a quick question. Now, when you were born, nay, spawned by the Dark Prince himself, did that rat bastard forget to give you a hug before he sent you along your way?(Dr. Cox in the television program Scrubs, 2007)Canst thou with impious obloquy condemnThe just Decree of God, pronounct and sworn,That to his only Son by right endudWith Regal Scepter, every Soule in HeavnShall bend the knee, and in that honour dueConfess him rightful King?(Abdiel addressing Satan in Paradise Lost by John Milton) Epiplexis in a Restaurant Review Guy Fieri, have you eaten at your new restaurant in Times Square? Have you pulled up one of the 500 seats at Guy’s American Kitchen Bar and ordered a meal? Did you eat the food? Did it live up to your expectations?Did panic grip your soul as you stared into the whirling hypno wheel of the menu, where adjectives and nouns spin in a crazy vortex? When you saw the burger described as Guy’s Pat LaFrieda custom blend, all-natural Creekstone Farm Black Angus beef patty, LTOP (lettuce, tomato, onion pickle), SMC (super-melty-cheese) and a slathering of Donkey Sauce on garlic-buttered brioche, did your mind touch the void for a minute? . . .How did nachos, one of the hardest dishes in the American canon to mess up, turn out so deeply unlovable? Why augment tortilla chips with fried lasagna noodles that taste like nothing except oil? Why not bury those chips under a properly hot and filling layer of melted cheese and jalapeà ±os instead of dribbling them with thin needles of pepperoni and cold gray clots of ground turkey? . . .Somewhere within the yawning, three-level interior of Guy’s American Kitchen Bar, is there a long refrigerated tunnel that servers have to pass through to make sure that the French fries, already limp and oil-sogged, are also served cold?(Pete Wells, As Not Seen on TV.  The New York Times, November 13, 2012) Epiplexis in Shakespeares Hamlet Have you eyes?Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed,And batten on this moor? Ha! have you eyes?You cannot call it love; for at your age The heyday in the blood is tame, its humble,And waits upon the judgment: and what judgmentWould step from this to this? Sense, sure, you have,Else could you not have motion; but sure, that senseIs apoplexd; for madness would not err,Nor sense to ecstasy was neer so thralldBut it reserved some quantity of choice,To serve in such a difference. What devil wastThat thus hath cozend you at hoodman-blind?Eyes without feeling, feeling without sight,Ears without hands or eyes, smelling sans all,Or but a sickly part of one true senseCould not so mope.O shame! where is thy blush?(Prince Hamlet addressing his mother, the Queen, in Hamlet by William Shakespeare) ​​The Lighter Side of Epiplexis Whats with you, kid? You think the death of Sammy Davis left an opening in the Rat Pack?(Dan Hedaya as Mel in Clueless, 1995)Does Barry Manilow know  that you raid his wardrobe?†(Judd Nelson as John Bender in The Breakfast Club, 1985)Have you no shame, coming in as Gandhi and stuffing yourself with Buffalo wings? Why didnt you come as FDR and go around with crazy legs?(George Segal as Jack Gallow in Halloween, Halloween.  Just Shoot Me!  2002)

Fiscal Policy and Government Debt Example

Essays on Fiscal Policy and Government Debt Statistics Project Fiscal Policy and Government Debt Introduction The topic for the study is the impact of fiscal policy and government debt on the economic growth of an economy. This topic has been chosen owing to the fact that fiscal policy and government debts are subjected to several debates in the contemporary world. At the same time, fiscal policy and government debts are also identified to have considerable implication on the economic condition of a country. Over the years, the global economic environment has constantly faced with radical challenges, which have significantly influenced the ability of the nations across the world to sustain the level of competitiveness1. In order to address the challenges as well as to remain competitive and attain stable GDP growth rate, countries have been involved in using the macroeconomic tool such as fiscal policy to cope up with the existing and the emerging economic challenges. Notably, it has been argued that fiscal policy offers the economist of the cou ntries with an effective tool that enables the countries to overcome the challenges imposed by the sluggish economic growth and economic uncertainties as witnessed during economic recession. Likewise, government debt is considered to have severe impact on the GDP growth rate of an economy and at the same time, it has been subjected to several contentions and controversies2. In this regard, many economists have argued that government debt is an effective tool that paves a way for attaining success and prosperity of a nation in the long run. On the other hand, the detractors of the government debts have strongly argued that government debts merely increase the burden for a country in the future and at the same time’ these debts have minimum impact on securing prosperous nation3. In order to validate the various debates regarding the positive and negative implication of fiscal policy and government debts, hypothesis has been formulated with dependent variable ‘Tax cut and increased government debt’ and independent variable ‘economic condition’. The hypothesis is reflected below: H0: The tax cut and increased government debt secure a prosperous economic condition for the future generation H1: The tax cut and increased government debt do not secure a prosperous economic condition for the future generation The specific equation based on OLS model is provided hereunder. ∑Yi – (Xi)2 Yi is the actual value Xi is the predicted value OLS Equation: Must take the form of: DEF/GDPit=A + PRIRE/GDPit +cDUMit + d(DUM)()PRIRE/GDP)it +e it i=1†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..N; t= 1†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.T The above-documented equation intends to establish the relationships between the tax cut and government debt with a percentage of GDP. Wherein, I = year, and t is denoted as (DEF/GDPit) to the value of government expenditure (as a percentage of GDP), corresponding to the same year – denoted as (PRIRE/GDP)it. Dependent Variable Y: GDP at market prices Independent Variable YG: Growth rate per GDP per capita Y0: Initial GDP at market price GEGE: General expenditure of government on education GEGH: General expenditure of government on health GEGOHC: General expenditure of government on Housing and Community amenities GEGOEP: General expenditure of government on Environment Protection GEGPOS: General expenditure of government on Public Order and Safety Data Source(s) of data and variable definitions The data necessary for conducting the research were collected from the secondary sources. In this regard, the observation method was applied. Notably, the data pertaining to deficits, spending as well as tax along with the growth in 100 countries across the world were obtained. The data gathered from the source provided relevant information regarding the research subject matter. The data reflecting the macroeconomic condition of a country were primary collected for the research study. Data Manipulations Required Before Estimation The data were gathered from the 100 different countries revealed few interesting facts. The data presented the percentage of variable of the countries. Correspondingly, the variables that were taken into the consideration for the accomplishment of the research goals are mentioned above. Accordingly, it can be determined that there are numerous independent variables as the fiscal policy and government are ascertained to have significant impact on the above stated independent variables. Economic Model Consumption Function Ct= ÃŽ ±0 + ÃŽ ±1 Yt Import Function Mt= ÃŽ ²0 + ÃŽ ² 1Yt Identity Equation Yt=Ct+It+Gt+Et-Xt t= 1,2,†¦100 Econometric Model Ct= ÃŽ ±0 + ÃŽ ±1 Yt +U 1t Mt= ÃŽ ²0 + ÃŽ ² 1 Yt +U 2t Yt=Ct+It+Gt+Et-Xt Where, Ut is an error term t= 1,2,†¦,100 Critical Assessment of Data Table 1 illustrates the descriptive statistics of the variables that were used in the estimation of the anticipated outcome of the data gathered from the 100 countries across the world. According to the data obtained from the descriptive statistics, it has been observed that per capita income (YG) grew at about 2.2% per annum. In addition, it has been further determined from the analysis of the statistics that spending of the government on public health (GEGH) is 5.840. In addition, it has been observed that Initial GDP at market price (Y0) was 18209.75. General expenditure of government on Environment Protection (GEGOEP) grew at 0.629. General expenditure of government on Public Order and Safety (GEGPOS) was reckoned 1.476. The study enabled a critical evaluation of the impact on fiscal policy and government debt on the growth and prosperity of a country. Accordingly, the descriptive statistics revealed that there are lagged impact of the fiscal policy on the growth and prosperity o f a country. The study revealed that a country with strong financial position has greater possibility of attaining growth and prosperity. On the other hand, financial instability and increased government debt have minimum opportunity to secure prosperity of a country. Fig: 1Mean Fig: 2 Standard Deviation Tables 1 Variable Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum YG: 2.191 2.236 -6.968 13.28 Y0 18209.8 5976.567 8000 29800 GEGE: 5.529 1.284 2.5 8.2 GEGH: 5.84 1.288 0.9 7.7 GEGOHC: 0.933 0.584 0.1 6.3 GEGOEP: 0.629 0.288 0.1 1.5 GEGPOS: 1.476 0.495 0.001 2.8 References Klaus Adam, "Government Debt and Optimal Monetary and Fiscal Policy." (Mannheim University and CEPR, 2010), 2-29. Salim Furth, â€Å"Stimulus or Austerity?" Fiscal policy in the Great Recession and European Debt Crisis. (Heritage Foundation, 2014), 40-63. William Easterly, "Fiscal Policy and Economic Grouth: An Empirical Investigation ." deu.edu. October. Accessed September 24, 2014. http://kisi.deu.edu.tr/yesim.kustepeli/w4499.pdf.

Cosmetics and Lush Company free essay sample

In the following part, the background of LUSH Company and its products will be given. Company background History LUSH is an internationally recognized cosmetics retail corporation producing and selling handmade beauty products. With its roots in the 1970s, LUSH Company has grown to over 700 shops in 43 countries by 2011 (lush. co. uk). In the early 1970s, Mark Constantine, the original founder together with Elizabeth Weir established wholesale soaps and cosmetics company Constantine Weir which began to be The Body Shop’s main supplier of soaps and cosmetic products (Evans, 2009). In 1988, the company launched a new enterprise—Cosmetics To Go headquartered in Poole, Dorset, UK. They sold their natural products through The Body Shop and the mail order business. However, due to some unfortunate events and a major recession at the end of the 1980s, this company went bankrupt. But the bankruptcy didn’t let Mark give up his career. In 1994, Mark restarted his business in Poole and renamed his company ‘LUSH’ (Evans, 2009). From then on, this company began to be popular throughout the world. By 2012, there are 22 LUSH shops in France. Company value LUSH produces fresh-made soaps, shower gels, shampoos, lotions for the hair, face and body with 100% vegetarian recipes. The concepts of â€Å"ecological† and â€Å"green† are shared by LUSH Company, which include a major concern for the environment, a wish to reduce packaging and wastes, a desire to build an environmentally sustainable business. The company prefers solid rather than liquid products as they can be cut and wrapped in grease-proof paper without any plastic bottles (Evans, 2009). As the â€Å"we believe† statements illustrate on its websites, â€Å"We believe†¦in making effective products from fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, in buying ingredients only from companies that do not commission tests on animals and in testing our products on humans,† etc. The company values focus on freshness, safety, no animal testing and sustainability of resources in general. 2. Situation analysis Macro Environmental Analysis Political environment Lush Company launched in France can face great chances. Firstly, the future for natural cosmetics companies is bright. The European Union has published the Cosmetics Products Regulation (1223/2009) which will go into effect on July 11, 2013 (Steinberg, 2010). This regulation will focus more on product safety to protect human health which is in consistence with LUSH Company’s value. Besides, it will create a legal standard on natural cosmetics to protect its industry. Secondly, France and United Kingdom maintained a fairly close relationship during these years. Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President said Britain and France have never been so close and he wanted a new â€Å"brotherhood† between the two countries (Porter, 2008). This friendly relationship guarantees a stable political environment for the development of LUSH Company in France. However, despite the great opportunities for LUSH Company, some threats cannot be ignored such as the company tax in France. The rate of company tax depends on the turnover and capital structure of the business. At present, the individual income tax rate increased to 40% and the corporate tax rate are progressive up to 33. 33%. The sales tax/VAT rate reached 19. 60% (Tax rates, 2010). Economic environment France is a very attractive cosmetics market due to its strong economy. The following parts illustrate the economic opportunities for LUSH Company. First of all, France has a High-income economy and is the second-largest trading nation in Western Europe. The World Economic Forum ranked France 18th out of 139 countries in terms of competitiveness and 4th in terms of infrastructure. Besides, GDP is known as the best index for measuring country’s economy. A country with a better state of economy will be beneficial for launching business. According to CIA (2012), The GDP (purchasing power parity) increased from $2. 48 trillion in 2009 to $2. 214 trillion in 2011. The real growth rate of GDP is 1. 7% in 2011 compared with 1. 4% in 2010 and -2. 6% in 2009. Meanwhile, the imports rose from $588. 4 billion in 2010 to $684. 6 billion in 2011. In accordance with French branch of the market research firm NPD, the cosmetics market in France grew by 3% in 2011 to reach 2. 9 billion euros (Premium Beauty News, 2012). Furthermore, the French government has taken a number of measures to support French small and medium sized enterprises during the current financial crisis. For example, in 2008, the French government announced a EUR 22billion plan and signed an agreement with the Federation of French Banks to support these companies (Brown, 2009). Therefore, French economic environment is advantageous for LUSH Company to entry the French cosmetic market. Nevertheless, according to International Money Fund (IMF, 2011), the current account balance of France has gradually worsened from a surplus to a moderate deficit—largely because of rising labor costs. Wages have grown faster than other European Countries while total factor productivity growth has increased relatively slow. Besides, France has been struggling with high unemployment rates for decades. In 2011, the unemployment rate hits a 12-year high and stands at 9. 8% (Financial times, 2011). Thus, LUSH Company should pay attention to the economic threats mentioned above to ensure a healthy cosmetic industry. Social-Cultural environment The social-cultural environment exerts a big influence on French cosmetics market. In this part, 2 important social opportunities will be discussed, namely changes of values and population. In terms of changes of values, the cosmetics market is going green nowadays. Today’s customers are enthusiastic about products made by the companies which take responsibility for social ethical issues and the environment. The natural cosmetics in French market grew significantly due to rising consumer awareness of chemicals in cosmetics and toiletries (Organic Monitor, 2006). Many media reports published the health risks associated with chemicals in conventional products. For instance, a TV documentary in 2005 highlighted the possible danger of synthetic substances such as parabens in skin care products (Organic Monitor, 2006). As a result, customers focus more on health and turn to natural products with plant extracts and natural ingredients and a minimal level of synthetic compounds. In terms of changes of population, France has an aging population, thus, customers are eager to maintain a healthy skin by using natural cosmetics. Furthermore, based on Hofstede’s cultural typology, the French people dislike taking risks. Every decision has to be analysed carefully before being taken, which also result in a high power distance. French people are individualists; they may buy products only for their use. And they work rather alone, which make an intense competition among many companies. France is a feminine society which share female characteristics, thus, French people may pay more attention on what they eat and what they put on their skin. Technological environment Technology has become the driving force of business innovation. Today’s customers are increasingly using the Internet and social media as an information platform for exchanging views. With the growth of e-commerce, LUSH products are available online, which also makes contributions to its total sales. In addition, in order to remain competitiveness in the market, the cosmetics companies have to advance the technology continuously. For example, Estee Lauder Company has applied innovative cell vector technology to produce anti-aging skin care products (Bowler). Nowadays, there are 3 major technologies applied in cosmetics industry, namely Biology engineering technology, Nano technology and the natural plant extraction technology. These 3 technologies are well developed in France with lower costs. The cosmetics company aims to produce more natural products with those high techonologies. Market analysis Customer analysis—Targeting Firstly, LUSH’s target is women from 18 years of age and above market, belonging to a middle class or upper class so that they can have more disposable income to purchase specialty products. LUSH’s second target is men between 20 and 55 years old belong to both classes. Additionally, Customers should have knowledge about environment, sustainability and animal rights issues to have a more detailed understanding about LUSH brand. Competitor analysis The main competitors in natural cosmetics market are Yves Rocher, L’Occitane and The Body Shop. Yves Rocher is a French brand focus on botanical beauty. L’Occitane which comes from France is an international retailer of body and face. The company’s values are: â€Å"Authenticity and naturalness†, â€Å"Effectiveness and pleasure† and â€Å"Respect and responsibility† (l’occitane. com, 2012). The Body Shop, regarded as the biggest competitor will be analysed carefully in this part. The Body Shop, founded in 1976, it was the first main retailer in UK to focus on natural ingredients that were ethically sourced and not tested on animals. In 2006, it was sold to the cosmetics giant L’Oreal (Guardian, 2011). This company sells naturally-inspired products for the body, face and hair etc. It rewards the customers a Love Your Body card which offers a package of benefits including 10% off all purchases for a year and up to ? 20 of free products (Guardian, 2011). LUSH is similar to The Body Shop in many ways. For instance, both offer similar products such as soaps, creams etc. Both persist on the same value of ethical sourcing with no testing on animals and environmentally-friendly production techniques. But in terms of size and scale, the Body Shop occupies the first place, while in terms of social media engagement, LUSH Company trumps The Body Shop (Esposito, 2010). According to a in-depth analysis of the Facebook page of these two companies, the Body Shop Facebook page adopts a more official tone of engagement, announcing special offers to promote its products. The LUSH facebook adopts a more personal and conversational approach. The separate group called Lush Times enables the customers to post pictures of them using the products, drawings and reviews, therefore building a deeper and close relationship with the customers (Esposito, 2010). 3. Marketing objectives LUSH Company aims to gain a modest growth in total retail sales with an ncrease of 5% till December 2012. Refresh and review a series of products to ensure at least 30% of the target shows likelihood to buy. Enhance awareness of LUSH core brand and its unique values. Build loyalty to brand products to ensure at least 15% of the target becomes repeated buyers. Expand more LUSH shops in France with approximately 3 shops every year. 4. Recommendation of marketing strategy Differentiation and positioning Product innovation There are many innovative products such as bath ballistics, solid body tints, dusting powders, massage bars, shower jellies and solid perfumes. LUSH takes â€Å"food† as the theme of its handmade bath products, some products are shaped like cakes but you are not supposed to eat them. The products are made of raw organic ingredients that have little or no preservatives. â€Å"Freshness† is a distinguished feature of LUSH. LUSH products are handmade in factories throughout the world, they are made in small batches according to the orders from each store to guarantee the freshness of the product. Thus, the products will not be older than four months and have a shelf life of only 14 months (Lush. co. uk, 2012). Lush company sticks to solid principle to develop solid products which don’t need preservatives or much packaging such as solid shampoos, solid conditioners, soaps, solid massage bars and solid bath oils, etc. It is better for the environment (Lush. co. uk, 2012). One of the characteristic that differentiate Lush from its competitors such as The Body Shop is handmade. Lush prefer people in big kitchens to make the products rather than by industrial machines. There is transparency in detailed labels to tell you when the products were made and who made it. As you walk along the street where there is a lush shop, you can smell the fragrances from far. When you pass by the window, you realize that this is the place diffusing the pleasant fragrance onto the street, and then you enter the shop naturally. This is the charm of Lush shop. Besides, Lush can cut the soaps to size depending on how much the customer wants. So the soaps are sold by weight. Based on the differentiation of Lush Company, the positioning of Lush will be the fresh handmade cosmetics focusing on natural characteristics of beauty with high ethical values and high customer relationship quality. 4Ps Strategies Pricing strategy Pricing is a significant strategic tool as it can position the products. Lush offers customers with good value. Approximately 65% of the products are selling under $10. The most popular soaps should sell between $4 to $6. In general, LUSH products usually priced less compare with other cosmetics companies like the Body Shop but more than the price of local supermarkets. Besides, Lush Company can offer good discount for people by giving a loyalty card with a 10% off. Place stategy Since Lush is doing business in 43 countries, they can adopt a multi-channel strategy with different outlets distributing which can lead to less delivery charges. They can run a mail order operation and sell its products online. With a wide range of products, they can use a mail order catalogue for cross-selling products for the existing customers. In addition, the Lush stores should locate in primes areas such as high end business and shopping area. Promotion strategy There are many promotion means for Lush. Firstly, Lush can use in-store advertising to advertise their products as well as celebrity endorsement. The influence of celebrities cannot be ignored. If the idols show interest in one particular product, their funs would follow the taste. Also lush can print advertisement on fashion magazines, doing advertisement on popular TV shows, talk show and online advertising with online media such as Facebook and Twitter etc. Secondly, word-of-mouth will be one way of seeping into the market. In this case, customers love our brand and they share the Lush experience with their friends or families. A good reputation is important for personal recommendations. Thirdly, lush can rely on public relations to build a good reputation for its brand by doing charity. For instance, Lush as created the Charity Pot body lotion aims to raise money and awareness about charities (Lush. com, 2012). Furthermore, with the development of e-commerce, it is effective for Lush to start their online sales through its official website. Product strategy In terms of environmentally friendly packaging, the transparency of detailed labels is needed. The products are â€Å"naked† or only use recycled plastic and paper bags. Besides, Lush can offer free gift for potential customers or offer loyalty cards to build close relationships with customers. Additionally, good customer service is important. The staffs in Lush should be patient enough to educate the customers about their products and the value of their company. For example, what is the expiry date of one product? Does the product involve natural and organic ingredient? Does the product include preservatives? Etc. 5. Conclusion In conclusion, there is no denying that there are some threats exist in the market, however, France has a strong economy and stable political environment to ensure a sustainable development of cosmetics market. Besides, the changing of values of public and the need for natural and organic cosmetics can stimulate the sales of natural products. Therefore, French market is really attractive for LUSH Company. Although the competitor the Body Shop occupy the first place in terms of scale and size, LUSH can differentiate itself by introducing innovative products and become quite popular as the fresh handmade cosmetics. Furthermore, in order to expand Lush’s market share, Lush continues to offer customers good values, advertising the products by celebrity endorsement, word-of-mouth advocacy, sticking to the environmentally friendly packaging, establishing close relationships with customers by offering loyalty cards and free gifts. Green and natural products are the mainstay of the LUSH Company as this brand focusing on using fresh organic fruits and vegetables, natural essential oils and safe synthetics to produce their products. Also, the policy of no animal testing for any of the product ingredients is highlighted by LUSH Company. Based on these long-standing commitments to the environment, LUSH embrace their cores values and gain the trust from their customers.

Risk Management and Project Management

Introduction In a perfect business environment, any goals that are set for an investment are achieved as per book. However, in real life, the actual returns often fall short of anticipations due to unforeseen uncertainties. In business, these uncertainties are known as risks and have the potential to affect the performance of any enterprise.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Risk Management and Project Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Furthermore, certain scenarios that occur due to the risks can result in closure of the business, especially when huge losses are incurred. As a result, investors and business researchers have developed ways of reducing deviation of actual returns from targeted returns. This practice is known as risk management. It is involved with identification and analysis of risks and acting appropriately to mitigate them by making feasible decisions. Depending on factors such as risk appetite among others, the level of response can vary significantly. However, some managers tend to perceive that risk management only involves setting of rules that are mandatory to employees. Although the rules can enable reduction of the existing risk exposures, sometimes they harden detection of new threats that can pose devastating effects to the firm. For example, the credit crisis that occurred between 2007 and 2008 led to huge losses that led to termination of banks. This situation compelled many financial institutions to put risk management models in place to prevent recurrence of such situations in the future. This essay provides an insight into risk management and its implications on project management. Evolution of Risk Management To understand the contemporaneous and future of risk management, it is necessary to understand why corporates started mitigating risks by investing heavily in identification of the effects that they had on their investments. How did ris k management start? Simona-Iulia (2014) reveals that the field of insurance management that existed before the 1970s focused on identifying and assessing business risks. However, it was inadequate to meet the demands of business world that was evolving rapidly. As a result, there was a need to come up with new forms of management to focus on a variety of business security besides insurance. This urge led to development of risk management in the mid-1970s to focus on areas that were not covered by insurance such as electronic commerce, employment practices, offshore outsourcing, and environmental degradation among others. This field grew rapidly until the 1980s when it was recognised as a vital component of strategic planning in companies.  McShane, Nair, and Rustambekov (2011) posit that risk management involves identification of risks that are faced by corporations with a view of formulating apt decisions that enable effective business operations. It provides suitable frameworks for controlling various risks that are encountered by business organisations.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Previously, risk management only emphasised on the downside effect of the business uncertainties. However, current practices are aimed at addressing both the negative and positive effects of risks on businesses. This knowledge enables managers to avoid losses from negative exposures whilst seeking the best opportunities that accompany risks depending on factors such as economic growth, strategic position, and political stability. Chief risk officers (CRO) head risk management departments in corporates. According to McShane et al. (2011), the CRO is charged with a responsibility of managing risks in five general categories that are itemised below: Business risks. These are flaws exist within the industry in which a business operates. Operational risks. The u ncertainties come up directly from the organisation’s primary operations that are associated with shortcomings such as human errors or machinery malfunction. Legal risks. The organisation is a legal entity. For that reason, there should be proper planning of alleviating risks that pose potential lawsuits to the organisation. Credit risks. These are uncertainties that involve debtors and/or creditors to the organisation Market risks. The market poses some of the most challenging fears to the organisation. Abrupt price fluctuations can lead to sharp rise or fall in profits. A good example is the current oil price slump that has shed off more than 45-percent of its value within a span of 6 months. Other risks that are associated with the market include interest and exchange rates. Theoretical Concepts of Risk Management and their Implementation After the identification and assessment of the risks, the organisation should adopt suitable models to prevent and/or minimise their ef fects on its operations and profitability. Concepts that have been developed by various economists enable organisations to minimise the risks substantially. The theories are grouped into four major categories. Retention Sharing Avoidance Reduction Risk Avoidance This concept involves circumventing projects and/or activities that pose impending risks to the organisation. According to Prokop and Pfeifer (2013), it is better to avoid projects that are likely to cause harm to business operations. For instance, consider a real estate developer who is looking for a piece of land with a view of building rental houses. In the process, the developer comes across a prime property that is being offered at a good price in spite of certain ownership and/or pollution lawsuits that have been filed against the entity. In such a case, it is advisable to avoid the risk, rather than owning the entity together with the lawsuits that can bring about losses of revenue and time value of money in the nea r future of the prospective project (Prokop Pfeifer, 2013). Risk Reduction This concept entails minimising the exposure to risks by cutting down the activities that are likely to bring about shortcomings in the course of business operations. A project is a combination of many activities that are aimed at achieving a common goal. However, Perrenoud, Lines, and Sullivan (2014) posit that each activity can have its own risks that can be either endurable or excruciating. Instead of facing all these shortcomings, the organisation can decide to reduce the intolerable risks. No single activity can pose all negative risks to a project. However, consideration of an activity that poses negative risks to the organisation, then it benefits should outweigh its impending losses. There is a need to evaluate the value of the positive risk as opposed to the negative one in an attempt to formulate a feasible decision that enables determination of the worth of the risk (Perrenoud et al., 2014).Advert ising We will write a custom research paper sample on Risk Management and Project Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, consider a scenario where an office is under fire and all the documents in it are at a risk of burning down to ashes. Assuming the presence of a water extinguisher in the office, will you use it to put off the fire and bear the risk of wetting the documents or will you let the fire consume everything in the office? In this case, a need to weigh options arises. The best option will be to put off the fire using the water extinguisher to damage the documents partially rather than letting the fire destroy them. Briefly, the risk is reduced by choosing a less undesirable outcome as opposed to picking out an utterly objectionable decision (Perrenoud et al., 2014). The application of the above scenario in a real project results in incurrence of some extra costs for the project in an attempt to reali se its success (Perrenoud et al., 2014). Companies reduce risks by outsourcing parts of the projects to other firms that specialise on the particular type of undertaking that seems unfeasible to them. For instance, in the oil exploration industry, the drilling company rarely handles the transportation of rigs from one site to another. However, it outsources this part of the job to firms that have specialised in the transportation of the machines. They have the better capacity and expertise to handle such work than that of the drilling company. As a result, the drilling company has to pay the transportation companies. This situation results in incurrence of an additional cost to the exploration cost, which is much better than risking loss and/or destruction of the rigs during the transportation process. Perrenoud et al. (2014) reveal that outsourcing is a very powerful and practical way of reducing the project risks. Risk Sharing Simona-Iulia (2014) posits that ‘a problem share d is a problem half-solved’. This saying is widely used in social life to encourage people to speak out of their problems to seek assistance. According to Simona-Iulia (2014), this strategy can also be applied in risk management. Risk sharing involves convergence of two or more parties with a view of improving coordination of the benefits and/or losses that arise from tentative activities in a business. They also consolidate the methods of risk management of the individual firm. As a result, it is an effective way of reducing the burden of loss that can emerge of from the risk (Simona-Iulia, 2014).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, there is a need for organisations to share high-risk opportunities that can bring about good returns. Independent undertaking of such opportunities results in financial catastrophes in the event that the risk occurs. Consequently, organisations that are faced with high-risk business opportunities should look for interested partners who have better capacities to undertake such projects (Simona-Iulia, 2014). In such situations, the parties enter an agreement that specifies liability roles and benefits of each organisation in case the risk occurs. The idea behind this theoretical model is to share the cost of risk. The organisations also benefit from the positive outcomes of risk when it occurs. According to Prokop and Pfeifer (2013), risk sharing does not only occur between firms that come together to work on a project jointly. Insurance companies also offer risk covers. The focus of insurance firms on organisations is to share unforeseen risks that can occur in the course of a business. When an organisation is insured against a certain risk such as fire or political instability, it can comfortably pursue its activities without the fear of incurring unbearable losses that can lead to closure. However, this undertaking requires adherence to the policies of insurance firms to meet all the precautionary measures that qualify the organisation to be awarded an insurance cover (Prokop Pfeifer, 2013). The first step before you start your project is to get in touch with an insurance company to obtain a policy to protect it against unforeseen risks. Although meeting premium insurance requirements mostly seem expensive, the probability of knowing the fate of the project is always very low regardless of the risk forecasting measures that are put in place to detect future financial trends (Amin, 2014). Risk Retention Amin (2014) reveals that risk retention is a theoretical model that is applied in organisations in case they face the consequences of unplanned bus iness occurrences that have the likelihood of causing losses. This strategy is an important part of risk management that any organisation should take into consideration. A good example of risk retention is found in the case of the BP oil spill that arose from offshore drilling in 2010. Although the CEO had put strict rules in place to ensure that the company reduced any kind of risks, the catastrophic event happened abruptly and unexpectedly. In such cases, the organisation has to accept the risks and the accompanying losses that come along with them. The lessons that are gathered from such situations should be taken as lessons to make better decisions pertaining to risk assessment and management in future to prevent their recurrence (Amin, 2014).  According to Amin (2014), sometimes organisations are aware of the risks but the cost of mitigating them are too high for them to accept the impending losses. For instance, a country such as Syria that has experienced a relatively long period of political stability abruptly succumbed to a civil war in an attempt to oust the sitting president. Many companies that had their businesses in the country faced a challenge of obtaining insurance cover at the onset of the war that led to destruction of multi-billion dollar properties. The war has continued for several years. Consequently, an organisation that has insurance cover will most likely pay very high premiums for a business that has been destroyed. In this case, it is advisable to retain the risk that occurs in course of the business operations (Amin, 2014). Key Challenges in Risk Management Anderson, Christ, Dekker, and Sedatole (2014) posit that risk management is not ‘a walk in the park’. It has some key challenges that risk managers have to deal with both at the project level and at the strategic levels. These challenges are itemised below. Project/Operational Level Risk management is paramount to the success of a project. However, overemphasising the process of accomplishing the goals can have negative effects on the project (Anderson et al., 2014). Spending too much time on the assessment of the potential risk identified can also cause costly delays to the organisation. According to Anderson et al. (2014), such situations can render the project unviable. At times, projects need to be executed quickly and appropriately to solve specific problems. However, if the period that is needed to implement a solution expires, then the project needs to be stopped. If the process of risk management took long to be completed, it results in project delays. This situation leads to incompletion of a project. As a result, the organisation succumbs into losses (Anderson et al., 2014). Another challenge is the abrupt changes in the nature of risks. This situation leads to emergence of new risks that are not anticipated. A good example of such risk is the Malaysian Airlines flight MH307 that went missing in the middle of a journey. The risk wa s not planned regardless of its occurrence in the course of the business activity. In a similar case, the ANA Boeing 787 that indicated some smoke from its left wing while on the parking bay due to battery problems led to grounding of other 787 airliners worldwide for several months. The airline did not expect such a risk airlines since it had been operating for a long time while using the same batteries. This situation led to unanticipated losses to the company. Unforeseeable risks cause delays in projects once they occur. Elsewhere, they ruin the entire project process in ways that are not even controllable by the best risk managers (Anderson et al., 2014). Strategic/Corporate Level These are the boardroom challenges (Anderson et al., 2014). The primary sources of these challenges are the managers of the organisation who fail to allocate funds and resources to enable identification and assessment of future risks. Such managers fail to focus on the threats that certain projects pos e to the company. Instead, they put more emphasis on the benefits of the projects to the organisation. A risk manager who has insufficient resources to handle challenges is likely to bring an organisation down (Prokop Pfeifer, 2013). Generalisation of risks is also another challenge that faces many organisations. In project management teams, members have their own perceptions about risks. However, majority of them usually underestimate the impact of the impending risks on the organisation (Anderson et al., 2014). This situation usually leads to failure of projects; hence, the organisation incurs huge losses. As a result, risk managers should be in a position to assess feasible decisions that are perceived as valid by the team members to avoid generalised solutions that can result in unsuccessful projects (Prokop Pfeifer, 2013). Risk Management Strategies and Plans The strategies that are used by different organisations to manage risks largely depend on three factors namely risk ap petite, tolerance, and capacity (Anderson et al., 2014). Risk appetite refers to the amount of uncertainty that an entity is willing to accept. According to McShane et al. (2011), it is the attitude of the entity towards taking risks. A low risk investment fund will most likely compel an organisation to invest in secure government bonds unlike a high-risk fund that will engage the entity in superior frequency trading (McShane et al., 2011). On the other hand, risk tolerance is the quantitative value that shows the extent of uncertainty that an entity is willing to take in all its projects. Not anything above that level of risk the entity will be willing to risk any further. Lastly, risk capacity strategies determine the amount of improbability that the organisation can manage without adversely affecting its operation. Liquid entities have capacities to take high risks (McShane et al., 2011). Effective Project Risk Models Scenario planning This project model of planning against risk is used for projects that have a life of more than five years. It analyses long-term risks in broader perspectives such as economic growth, political stability and technological advancements. McShane et al. (2011) reveal that the factors that have the biggest impact on the project are selected to assess the probability of different outcomes. The outcomes are combined in an attempt to choose the plausible ones that guide the formulation of feasible project goals. Scenario planning also provides exit strategies that can be applied in case the outcomes become unfavourable for the project. This situation enables maintenance of the organisations profitability (Prokop Pfeifer, 2013). War-gaming Prokop and Pfeifer (2013) reveal that organisations operate in competitive environments that sometimes lead to emergence of price wars or other activities that counter their expectations. Such situations pose some risks to the organisations. To alleviate such challenges, teams are chosen to identi fy short-term changes that competitors are likely to undertake to gain competitiveness in the market. This strategy enables managers to formulate apt decisions that are aimed at mitigating the risks that are posed to them by their competitors (Prokop Pfeifer, 2013). Conclusion Assumption of risks can have tremendous effects on the operations of an organisation. Therefore, there is a need for organisations to adopt apt decisions towards risk management. For instance, the 2007-2008 financial meltdowns were caused by banks that failed to manage their risks appropriately. These situations result in worldwide recessions. This state of affairs shows how simple ignorance such as failure to acknowledge the importance of risk management can be costly not only to the organisation but also to the external environment. People are likely to think twice before they take certain foods because of the harm they can cause to their health. In a similar manner, organisations need to assess the risks t horoughly. Consequently, resources should be allocated appropriately to overcome risks. Risk management departments should be created within the organisations. Such measures facilitate the achievement of the organisation’s goals. Reference List Amin, Z. (2014). Operational Risk Modelling and Management. Journal of Risk Insurance, 81(4), 969-73. Anderson, S.W., Christ, M.H., Dekker, H.C., Sedatole, K.L. (2014). The Use of Management Controls to Mitigate Risk in Strategic Alliances: Field and Survey Evidence. Journal of Management Accounting Research, 26(1), 1-32. McShane, M. K., Nair, A., Rustambekov, E. (2011). Does Enterprise Risk Management Increase Firm Value? Journal of Accounting, Auditing Finance, 26(4), 641-58. Perrenoud, A., Lines, B., Sullivan, K. (2014). Measuring risk management performance within a capital programme. Journal of Facilities Management, 12(2), 158-71. Prokop, J., Pfeifer, D. (2013). How do you Deal with Operational Risk? A Survey of Risk Manage ment Practices in the German Insurance Sector. Journal of Risk Management in Financial Institutions, 6(4), 444-54. Simona-Iulia, C. (2014). Comparative Study Between Traditional and Enterprise Risk Management – A Theoretical Approach. Annals of The University of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 23(1), 276-82. This research paper on Risk Management and Project Management was written and submitted by user Anaya Tate to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Biology Unit 2 IP Essays

Biology Unit 2 IP Essays Biology Unit 2 IP Paper Biology Unit 2 IP Paper All organisms are usually divided into the two large categories, according to the substances they use to produce energy. While autotrophs use non-organic elements (sunlight), heterotrophs require food to produce energy. Autotrophs are the â€Å"organisms that can make their own food from an inorganic source of carbon given a source of energy† (Blankenship, 2002). The majority of plants and algae are autotrophic by nature; i.e., they use photosynthesis to produce glucose.   Ã‚   2. What are the names for the types of organisms can use Aerobic Cellular Respiration to break down glucose to produce ATP? Provide specific examples. All active organisms utilize the benefits of aerobic cellular respiration process to produce energy. In other terms, almost all living organisms use Aerobic Cellular Respiration to break down glucose to produce ATP. Eukaryotes (animals and plants) are the main energy consumers. They use mitochondria as the instruments in energy-releasing reactions. Mitochondria â€Å"are found in particularly high numbers in muscle and other high-energy use tissues† (Elliott, 2005); in animals and plants, these usually drive glucose breakdown and energy consumption processes. 3. If oxygen is lacking, how might cells meet their energy needs through fermentation? Explain and give some examples of cells that can do this. When cells lack oxygen, traditional aerobic cellular respiration is replaced with fermentation. The latter does not require oxygen in its chemical reactions. â€Å"In fermentation pyruvic acid molecules are turned into some ‘waste’ product, and a little bit of energy is produced† (Elliott, 2005). Organisms use several different fermentation chains to replenish the lack of energy in anaerobic conditions. Lactic fermentation occurs by means of Lactobacillus acidophilus and some fungi; bacteria and yeast serve the engines of alcohol fermentation and ethanol production in organisms. 4. Both photosynthesis and aerobic cellular respiration are examples of complex metabolic pathways, consisting of many linked reactions. Briefly, explain the role of enzymes in catalyzing chemical reactions and in metabolic pathways. Enzymes are â€Å"specialized proteins that speed up chemical reactions† (Blankenship, 2002). Enzymes represent a separate class of catalysts that participate in metabolic processes and reduce the amount of energy organisms need to produce or consume energy. Enzymes are highly selective, and although they control each step of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, their activity will differ at each stage of the energy reaction process. For example, the process of cellular respiration would be incomplete, if not for the usefulness and active participation of ATP synthase (an active enzyme used to produce ATP molecules). The number and the set of enzymes which participate in metabolic processes vary, but all of them are critically important for the stability and quality of metabolic processes in all living organisms. References Blankenship, R.E. (2002). Molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis. Wiley-Blackwell. Elliott, W.H. (2005). Biochemistry and molecular biology. Oxford University Press.

The Value of Believing You Get What You Pay For

The Value of Believing You Get What You Pay For Choosing Value Last week I received a call from a marketing executive in Switzerland who wanted assistance with an important cover letter. He had found me on LinkedIn and chosen my company over three others. With excitement in his voice, he explained to me that as a marketer, he was fascinated by his own behavior in deciding upon The Essay Expert: He chose us because we were the most expensive company. In a similar phenomenon, for many months I had been frustrated that people were landing on my professional bio page and calling me about the service, but not purchasing. I considered removing bios from my offerings, but first decided to try raising my rates. Lo and behold, people started buying bios more often! I got the sense that they trusted they would get a better product and perhaps something they couldn’t write themselves. Of course, people do not always choose to buy the most expensive option in front of them. Different consumers have different budgets, and some people simply can’t afford to purchase more pricey goods and services. In fact, the same week I was contacted by the client from Switzerland, I also heard from a client who wanted to pay $500 for services that would normally go for $1700 according to my normal pricing. He simply could not afford my rates. And although I sympathized with his situation, I was not able to work with him and keep within my business model. Pricing Psychology If it’s true that â€Å"you get what you pay for,† expectations are set by price, and regardless of the actual product or service delivered, a consumer will value it according to what he or she paid for it. Studies have shown that people expect a positive correlation between price and quality (e.g., Rao and Monroe, 1989). In a 2008 study about wine enjoyment by Goldstein et. al., consumers who did not know the price of the wine they were drinking did not like more expensive wine better; but when they were told they were drinking a more expensive wine, they gave the wine higher ratings. It seems our brains actually play tricks on us to make us appreciate things more when we pay more money for them! This doesn’t mean that we can charge high prices and then deliver a shoddy result. If someone pays a high price for something and is disappointed, she might be even more upset than if she had paid less- although not necessarily! I have learned that people looking for a deal are often more demanding than those willing to pay for value. Choosing Clients My Swiss client was clearly guided by the phenomenon of expecting value for value. And he knew the value he wanted: the confidence that would come from having a clearly written, persuasive letter, in solid English, stating his commitment and qualifications for transitioning from the corporate to the non-profit world. He was my ideal client. He requested to pay a rush fee for a quick turnaround. He partnered with us fully in the project. And when we delivered the letter, he told us we had exceeded his expectations. In return, I was happy and willing to go the extra mile for him and give him the modifications he needed at 11pm U.S. Central time on a Friday night. He has already purchased additional services. The price-averse potential client, on the other hand, was not my ideal client. He presented with a complex situation that would have required more work than the average executive service, yet even at $1700 he would have been paying mid-level rates. Having been out of work for a year, I believe he was looking for a result that I could not guarantee: a job. For him, I believe confidence in putting his best foot forward might not have been enough, and I was concerned that he might come back asking for a refund of his $500. Every business owner when setting pricing must make a decision about what type of clients they want to target: Do you want those who are looking for a deal and will say yes because you offer one? Or those who want to pay for value and will appreciate your products and services in part because they paid top dollar for them? There is no right answer to which type of client to attract, but for me, I choose the latter. That’s my win-win and I am prepared to live up to my value proposition.

CBI cost method Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

CBI cost method - Research Paper Example On the other hand, activity-based costing apportions the costs incurred during manufacturing of a particular product or service based on the activities required during their production. It is crucial for managers to comprehend the merits and demerits of the two systems to satisfy the needs of their business operations. The budget presented entails schedules that raise various concerns leading to the recommendation that the company should switch to the activity-based costing system of accounting. The first concern is the quarterly budget that in my opinion requires further subdivision to generate quarters. Mainly, cycling takes place in temperate weather conditions. Buying materials for bicycle production for the start of sales hikes demand therefore, requires the producer to incur a quarter before the demand. Another concern regards accounts that remain uncollectable. The master budget for the company is not specific it its cash budget line. It closely refers to the uncollectable receivables. Variable factors in this context emanate from economic features among them limited sponsorship and carry the capacity to result in wrong accounts. From the budget, the company is setting aside a budget for 140 bikes inclusive of labour costs. It is appropriate to cut down on the level of production of extra p arts in the inventory. The method of distributing manufacturing overhead by activity-based costing (ABC) to products is efficient compared to the traditional method of costing. Precisely, activity-based costing assigns the right percentage of resources to particular products. While monitoring and allocating organizational costs to products and objects, activity-based costing remains a more sophisticated and logical method as opposed to the traditional costing system. It is possible to distribute overhead costs based on machine-hours as the only criteria in the traditional system of

Global Media Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Global Media Research - Essay Example There are not absolute answers since these issues are complex and multi-dimensional. The present analysis is centered on empirical views. Miraglia, Law, and Collins (1999) assert that the essential feature of culture is the fact that people learn culture, that 'many qualities of human life are transmitted genetically', but 'culture resides in all learned behavior and in some shaping template or consciousness prior to behavior as well'. These authors state that there are some important elements in any cultural system, which are categorized as follows: This learning-teaching process for acquiring and transmitting culture is in a 'constant state of change', and since culture is a system of meaning it 'consists of negotiated agreements and processes of negotiation' (Miraglia, Law, & Collins, 1999). In the Dictionary of the History of Ideas it is stated in relation to the views of Herder that progress or change 'becomes a built-in characteristic of tradition' as part of 'a given culture continuum and the instrument for its transformation' that requires 'emerging goals pointing to the future' (2003). Regarding the issue of media piracy and file sharing there has been a high degree of controversy and many lawsuits that seek to reverse this pervasive trend, which is possible as a consequence of the technological advances in the digital age. Koman (2001) points out that the record companies should 'be willing to treat online music as radio, as night club, as party tape, as all the ways that copyright-protected music has been used for decades'. But media companies keep fighting piracy from different angles like in France where they are exerting pressure on the Internet Service Providers (Pfanner, 2007). There has been several proposals to help stop media piracy like establishing a 'global license' (Pfanner, 2007) or 'an Internet-wide compulsory licensing scheme' (Lessig quoted by Post, 2004) or 'proposals to shorten the term of copyright, to broaden the scope of permissible "fair use," to reduce the copyright holder's ability to control the production of "derivative works," and to r eintroduce copyright formalities' (Lessig quoted by Post, 2004). Indeed the media companies are facing a big challenge, and many authors consider that media piracy and illegal file sharing won't be possible to stop (The McGill Daily, 2008; Close, 2004; Brown, 2005; Biglione, 2006). So far media companies are using encryption for protecting their works and have partnered with online business to sell their products (Brown, 2005). Nevertheless, it is clear that media companies will have to adapt to the new Technologies and find a way to have their intellectual property rights respected (Post, 2004). 2.- What does Manuel Castells' concept of the 'network society' suggest about the cultural consequences of media piracy and file sharing The concept of 'network society' as explained by Castells has many relevant implications in the way that culture is processed, transmitted, and reconfigured through the tension between the flows of power and the

Balanced Scorecard Essay Example for Free

Balanced Scorecard Essay The balance scorecard is used as a strategic planning and a management technique. It is widely used in many organizations, regardless of their scale, to align the organizations performance to its vision and objectives. The scorecard is also used as a tool which improves the communication and feedback process between the employees and management, and to monitor performance of the organizational objectives. There are four different perspectives of balance scorecard which are financial performance, customer knowledge, internal business processes, and learning and growth. Each perspective represents a different aspect of the business organization in order to operate at optimal capacity. Financial perspective is about how does the firm look to shareholders. This is concerned with the shareholders view of performance. Shareholders are concerned with many aspects of financial performance. Amongst the measures of success are market share, revenue growth, profit ratio, return on investment, economic value added, return on capital employed and profitability. Customer perspective is about how do customers see the firm. This perspective focuses on the analysis of different types of customers, their degree of satisfaction and the processes used to deliver products and services to customers. Particular areas of focus would include customer service, customer retention and customer satisfaction. Internal perspective is about how well it manages its operational processes. This seeks to identify how well the business is performing, whether the products and services offered meet customer expectations, and the critical processes for satisfying both customers and shareholders. Learning and growth perspective is about can the firm continue to improve and create value? This perspective also examines how an organisation learns and grows. This perspective is concerned with issues such as can we continue to improve and create value? In which areas must the organisation improve? How can the company continue to improve and create value in the future? What should it be doing to make this happen? The concerns of balanced scorecard are long term with short term concerns, financial with non-financial concerns, and internal with external concerns.

Self Representation and the Self-Defeating Speaker in Jonathan Swift Es

Because Swift constructs a speaker who is meant to be seen as himself in â€Å"Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift, D.S.P.D.†, his approach to the satire changes, taking on a more playful approach. The poem is more personal than political, and is more comedic in the sense that he satirizing himself as well as other people groups. The self-defeating rhetorical approach is embodied in this poem in the way that he puts himself down and exposes his own follies throughout the poem. While this is no doubt somewhat tongue-in-cheek, this in some ways frees Swift from criticism from outside sources. It is difficult to wager criticism at someone who has already wagered it against himself. While this could also be seen as poking fun at other writers who are self-deprecating, this self-defeating narration is used mostly comically in â€Å"Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift, D.S.P.D.†. In spite of this, it does effectively build a narrator who is well defended in the sense that he cannot easily be criticized from outside sources. The self-defeating speaker can be used rhetorically either directly or indirectly. In a case where it is truly against oneself that the author wagers criticism, I consider this to be a directly self-defeating narrator; in cases where the narrator’s errors in morality or logic project on to someone or something else, I consider this to be an indirectly self-defeating narrator. While â€Å"Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift† eventually moves into satirizing Swift’s friends and readers, Swift opens the text by satirizing himself. The poem begins with Swift as a directly self-defeating speaker, in the sense that it is truly against himself that Swift is wagering satire. In the following lines, we see Swift present himself in a comically negat... ...n. "Swift And Mimetic Sickness." Eighteenth Century: Theory & Interpretation (University Of Pennsylvania Press) 54.3 (2013): 359-373. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. â€Å"satire." http://www.oxforddictionaries.com.com. Oxford Dictionary, 2013. Web. 29 March 2014. Swift, Jonathan. â€Å"A Modest Proposal.† The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Ed. David Damrosch and Kevin J. H. Dettmar. Vol. 1c. New York: Pearson Education, 2010. 2544-2548. Print. Swift, Jonathan. â€Å"Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift, D.S.P.D.† The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Ed. David Damrosch and Kevin J. H. Dettmar. Vol. 1c. New York: Pearson Education, 2010. 2544-2548. Print. Uphaus, Robert W. "Swift's "Whole Character": The Delany Poems And ‘Verses On The Death Of Dr. Swift.’† Modern Language Quarterly 34.4 (1973): 406-416. Academic Search Complete. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.

Knowledge Questions for Unit Hsc Essay

As a candidate, make sure you describe and explain your actions. | | | | | | | |Knowledge Questions for Unit HSC 44 | | | | | | | |5 | | | |Who draws up the Code of Practice for Social Care? | | |The General Social Care Council. | | | | | | | |6e | | | |Outline features of systems used in Lincolnshire in respect of confidential reporting of issues of concern. | | | |The council has its own policy which helps to inform on bad practice, difficulties between staff members and complaints ect. This is| | | |the ‘whistle blowing’ policy and it was designed in order to protect those wishing to make a complaint and to avoid such things as | | | |victimization. Although anonymous, complaints are still dealt with the same seriousness as named complaints although it is preferred| | | |that applicants with complaints should not be anonymous. | | | | | | | | | | |7 | | | |When the Children’s act 2004 was published it contained some major changes for the way in which services were to be delivered. Take | | | |one and explain in your own words the advantages this brings for the wellbeing of children and their families. | | | |The Childrens Act 2004 brought about many changes and most significant was the Every Child Matters campaign that runs along side the| | | |2004 act. For the Act itself the main change that helps in the work that I do is the implementation of the CAF. This works in line | | | |with the need for inter-agency working. I think this is one on the most crucial changes of the Act, and as the Victoria Climbie | | | |inquiry showed many agencies were involved with the case and through lack of communication, information sharing and joint working | | | |Victoria Climbie died at the hands of her aunt. One of the many advantages is local authorities drive for inter-agency working. | | |Through this many agencies are trying to change their way of working and with the help of the CAF more agencies are invited to the | | | |first meeting when a child has been shown to have additional needs. On the whole the process is proving to be more focussed on the | | | |child and family and this reduces any stigma for the families as in the past most cases where always referred to social workers. | | |Families and children are now seen more often and social workers can now focus on the more complex and child protection cases. | | | |Through inter-agency wo rking families and children are given the help that meets their needs and reduces the need for long term | | | |involvement. | | | | | | | | | | |8a | | | |Outline the features of the Dfes initiative â€Å"Building a Culture of Participation† | | | |This initiative is led by the government in their commitment to allow children to have a say in how policies affect them and to | | | |contribute to how a service is delivered. By listening to children and young people it ensures that policies and services are | | | |designed around their needs. This leads to better outcomes for children, young people and families. It also allows for policies to | | | |be effectively evaluated and evolve as necessary. | | | | | | | | | | | |9a | | | |Outline the Common Assessment Framework. Explain why this Government initiative has been introduced and its purpose. | | | |The CAF was implemented in 2006 in order to have a universal assessment form that could be used by all agencies and professionals. | | | |This was in line with some of Lord Laming’s recommendations after the Victoria Climbie enquiry. As a universal document it reduces | | | |the need for repetitive assessments and focuses more on the child and family and multi agency working. The CAF process can start at | | | |any time once it has been identified that a child has an additional need. Once agreed all information is shared between the agencies| | | |involved again reducing the chance of a child ‘falling through the system’. As the CAF is aimed at early intervention some one such | | | |as a school teacher can be the lead professional allowing more serious cases to be dealt with by social workers. As children can | | | |often have what was once deemed as minor issues and not warrant the classification as a child in need, through the CAF they are | | | |classed as having additional needs which allows professionals to work with the child and family. Once a child that has been | | | |highlighted as a CAF they can move in and out of the system as identified issues arise. | | | | | | | | | | |9bc | | | |Summarise the targets of the combined health and education initiative â€Å"Healthy schools†. | | | |The national healthy schools programme promotes a whole school approach to health. The programme is a joint initiative between the | | | |department of health and the department for children, schools and families. It aims to deliver benefits for children on improvement | | | |in health, raise pupil achievement, more social inclusion and a closer working between health promotion providers and education | | | |establishments. | | | |The public health white paper choosing health (2004) set a challenging target for 75% of schools to achieve healthy school status by| | | |2009 and for all schools to work towards this target. Through a planned curriculum schools can promote learning and healthy | | | |lifestyle choices. The four core themes within the programme are: | | | |Healthy eating | | | |Physical activity | | | |PSHE | | | |Emotional health and well-being. | | | | | | | | | | | | | |12 | | | |How does the Joint Annual Review shape the way in which Children’s Services are delivered locally. You may wish to discuss | | | |Lincolnshire’s last JAR and comment on how the recent Service restructuring has been a result of this. | | | |The Children’s Act requires joint area reviews to be conducted in each children’s services authority area. The multi-disciplinary | | | |team of inspectors review all services provided to children and young people aged 0 – 19. There are around 42 key judgements which | | | |relate directly to the five outcomes highlighted in the every child matters framework. Through the Lincolnshire JAR report published| | | |in March 2007 it was proved that there was a need for better facilities for all children aged 0 – 19. There are now plans to develop| | | |a further 23 children’s centres by 2008. Through this service restructuring the aim is to shift the balance of services from | | | |interventionist to a preventative approach. The strengthening families will work with partner agencies to deliver the five outcomes | | | |for the every child matters. This is where children’s services as a targeted service interface as part of a universal service. | | | | | | | | | | |16e | | | |Identify the risks to effective working caused by stresses on the work force and recommend what action can be taken. | | | |When work becomes too stressful for an individual it can cause a knock on effect throughout the staff team and the cases in which | | | |the individual is working on. The individual can start to have more days off sick which could cause other staff members to add to | | | |their workload in taking on those individuals cases. Stress can also cause the individual to lose direction and focus in the cases | | | |they work on and this can result in a reduced quality of service for those particular families. | | | |Stress in the work place can be identified early and then reduced by regular supervision. Supervision gives the individual a chance | | | |to discuss their cases and anything that might be causing them to feel stressed. Supervisors are then able to help supervisee’s in | | | |managing there stress before it gets to the point where it affects all that they do. Staff meetings are another opportunity to get | | | |together on a regular basis with other team members as it’s a chance for everyone to discuss their working role as well as any | | | |difficult cases they may have. This gives a chance for positive reinforcement by the manager on the work that is being done and also| | | |a chance to ‘brainstorm’ ideas that might help with the work. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |17 | | | |Explain in a short paragraph how the Social Model of disability affects children and their families which you work. | | |The social model of disability says that people are disabled not by their impairment, but by society that does not take account of | | | |their needs and prevents them from having full access to society due to physical, communication and social barriers. A large | | | |majority of the families that I work with fall into the category of being disabled by society. Those families that are most | | | |disadvantaged are those living in poverty. Families face multiple stresses which can affect a child’s needs. If a parent struggles | | | |to provide an adequate environment for a child this will impact on the child’s developments and the parent’s capacity to care for | | | |the child. | | |CHILD A | | | |CHILD B | | | | | | | |No dependence on social security benefits | | | |Household receives multiple enefits | | | | | | | |Two parent family | | | |Single adult household | | | | | | | |Three or fewer children | | | |Four or more children | | | | | | | |White | | | |Mixed ethnic origin | | | | | | | |Owner occupied home | | | |Council or privately rented home | | | | | | | |More room than people | | | |One or more persons per room | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |18a/b | | | |See 8a above. | | | | | | | |18d | | | |Using Lincolnshire County Councils Competency framework, explain how you would assist a member of your team to develop skills in | | | |risk management with regards to child protection. You need to be specific to an individual competency. | | |Using competency number 8 –Analysis and Judgement. I would be able to assist the member of staff in the above question. As part | | | |of the competency it requires the individual to look closely at the work they do and how it could be improved. Part of this is | | | |through having a broad range of information about an issue. In this particular instance it would be child protection. This could be | | | |done in-house through regular supervision. This can be through asking the individual to research up to date information and then | | | |having a question answer session on the information they have found. This shows that the indivual has done what is requested and | | | |demonstrates that they have an understanding of the subject that they would then be able to take into their work practice. Another | | | |useful development skill would be to assign the individual to a child protection case that was held by a social worker. The indivual| | | |would gain insight into the process of how child protection is identified and then managed. This hands on approach would give valued| | | |knowledge and development without risk to the family involved. | | | |Finally a child protection training course would be beneficial to the individual to again further develop there knowledge of the | | | |subject. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |19 | | | |What impact does placement disruption potentially have on the wellbeing of Children In Public Care. You should relate your answer | | | |the recent Government paper ‘Care Matters’ | | | |Most children who end up in care experience multiple moves. It is standard that three or more moves constitutes as placement | | | |stability. Child development theories say that repeated movements jeopardize the opportunity for children to develop secure | | | |attachments with carers and trusting relationships with adults. Children with behaviour problems, prior instability and the age of | | | |the child at placement have all been found to be important factors in placement instability. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |24 | | | |List 3 types of evidence that would be valid in court. Explain your rational behind each one. | | | |1) Video Evidence- For children 14years and under. Also for children classed as a vulnerable witness. Video evidence reduces the | | | |need for a child to be in court and to be face to face with the perpetrator. | | | |2) Court reports – These are factual based evidence which follow a mandatory guideline for completing. | | | |3) Records – Records are an essential source of evidence for investigations and inquiry’s, and may also be used in court | | | |proceedings. Therefore it is essential that any records on a child are clear and accurate and ensure that there is a documented | | | |account of an agency’s or professional’s involvement with a child and/or a family. | | | | | | | | | | |25 | | | |Provide three examples of recording information that might be deemed discriminatory and explain why, in at least one of these | | | |examples, the discrimination might pass without comment. | | |1) The child is ‘missing’ from the record – This doesn’t mean that the child hasn’t been mentioned at all, but that their wishes and| | | |feelings, their views and understanding of their situation, are not recorded. The absence of a child from the record suggests to the| | | |reader that no work has been done with the child, or that the child has not been involved in any work. | | | |2) Facts and opinions are not differentiated – Failing to differentiate between fact and opinions can result in the significance of | | | |some information being overlooked, or opinions becoming accepted as facts and which could influence the management of the case. If | | | |opinions and judgements are not substantiated in the record it can be difficult to explain how these were made to family members who| | | |access the records especially if the case holder who wrote them is no longer working within the agency. | | | |3) The record is not written for sharing. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |This account must (except in the case of responses to questions) be authenticated by at least one of the following | |Work products seen | | |List | | |Witnessed by— |Name |Sign |Expert | |Include on witness list | | |Y/N | |I confirm the authenticity of the |Signature of Candidate | |work above |DATE 31. 03. 08 | |I confirm the judgements claimed |Signature of Assessor |TICK IF OBSERVED | |above |DATE | | ———————– EV 5

Violence and Summary Socrates

Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned Themes: Redemption can be found throughout the book. Socrates, the main character, has spent twenty-seven years in prison for a violent crime that he committed. The legal system punished him for his crimes, but they did not attempt to rehabilitate him. While in prison, he committed more violent crimes than he committed before his incarceration. The Capricorn bookstore is what led Socrates to redemption, not prison. He is definitely a reformed man. He is now perceptive, compassionate and persuasive. Once he only acted on impulse, but now he reasons out what is right and what is wrong.He tries to do the right thing, and he guides others to make the right decisions through questions and rebuttals. â€Å"Crimson Shadow† Summary The novel begins with the main character, Socrates Fortlow, going outside into the alley beside his home. Socrates is investigating why Billy, an old rooster Socrates considers his friend, is not crowing this morning. Th e sun is just coming up, and Socrates views the alley as almost pretty with the debris in the alley bathed in half-light. Socrates finds a boy, Darryl, standing in the alley with a cardboard box. The boy tries to run when Socrates confronts him, but Socrates stops him.Inside of the box is Billy. He is dead. Socrates forces Darryl to take the box containing the dead rooster into his tiny, rundown home. Socrates questions Darryl as to why he killed his friend. Darryl seems relieved when he finds out Socrates is talking about the rooster. Socrates forces Darryl to pluck the chicken and to sit there while he cooks the old rooster. â€Å"Midnight Meeting† Summary Right Burke, Stony Wile, Howard Shakur and Markham Peal are all sitting in the impoverished home of Socrates discussing a serious matter. Howard's daughter, Winnie, saw Petis stab and rob LeRoy.Howard is seeking advice about how to handle the situation. Socrates questions Howard further. He wants to be certain Winnie real ly saw what Howard is claiming she saw. The men conclude that if Petis is responsible, he is also probably responsible for other murders and will not stop on his own. Three of the men have different opinions on how the situation should be handled. Right thinks they should kill Petis. Markham thinks they should go to the police. Stony feels they should tell everyone in the neighborhood about Petis and let the situation take care of itself. We get another glimpse into Socrates' past.The discussion sparks a memory from when Socrates was in an Indiana State prison†¦. â€Å"The Thief† Summary Socrates pays a visit to Iula's diner. He visits the diner at least once a month, on Tuesdays. Iula serves meatloaf on Tuesdays and that is one thing he is not able to make on his hotplate in his small home. Socrates has been out picking up bottles and cans. He does not like the way the men treat him at Crenshaw's. They make him wait, while they stand around telling jokes, and then they check every can and bottle before accepting them. After getting his money for the bottles and cans today, three men jump him.Socrates receives a cut on his wrist from a broken bottle, but otherwise he walks away the winner. Iula shows concern over his wrist. Socrates has already taken the time to stitch his slashed sleeve. Iula tells Socrates he has no business out there collecting bottles and cans and offers him a job†¦ â€Å"Double Standard† Summary Socrates is waiting for a bus. It is pouring rain, and the streets are mostly deserted. Across the street from the bus stop he sees two lovers standing under the ledge of an abandoned shop. Socrates imagines that the shop was once a bakery because of the blue and white checks on the window.He pictures the bakery full of hard working black people working long hours and earning good pay. Socrates tries to give the couple as much privacy as possible under the circumstances. Ralphie, according to the woman's passionate cries, i s on the heavy side. The girl is small and much younger. The girl's bus is coming down the street and the couple runs to the bus stop. When they do, Socrates finds out the girl's name is Linda. Ralphie does not want to let Linda go, but he finally releases her hand, and the bus drives off†¦ â€Å"Equal Opportunity† Summary Socrates is trying to get a job.He has been practicing how to ask for an application. After taking three different buses to get there, he walks into the Bounty Supermarket on Venice Boulevard. In his eyes, the store is a glittering palace with a religious feel. The everyday noises of the store all mesh together into a music that lulls Socrates. Socrates is approached by the Assistant Manager , Anton Crier. Socrates asks the man for an application. Anton stalls for a moment and then asks Socrates what kind of application he wants. Socrates tells him a job application and feels that the man is making him beg already. Anton then asks Socrates his age.Socr ates lets Anton know that it is illegal to discriminate based on color, sex, religion, infirmity or age. Anton tells Socrates that he knows that, but they do not have any openings at the†¦ â€Å"Marvane Street† Summary Darryl returns to visit Socrates. It is pouring rain, and the boy is cold and hungry. Socrates believes all eleven-year-old boys are hungry, especially when they are poor. Socrates feeds Darryl, and as the boy shovels the food into his mouth, Socrates feels the urge to slap and shake the skinny child. Socrates wishes a man had felt that type of love for him before he had gone wrong.He views Darryl as a troubled child; a lost soul who did wrong but doesn't fully know it. Darryl tells Socrates he has been having a recurring nightmare that keeps him from sleeping. In the nightmare, Darryl is in a large room with the lights out, but he is able to see the boy with the cut in his neck screaming and coming after him. Darryl always wakes up before the boy gets him , but he thinks that if the boy†¦ â€Å"Man Gone† Summary Corina Shakur shows up at Socrates' home looking for Howard. Corina is upset, because she and Howard had an argument the night before, and he has never stayed out all night.Socrates asks Corina what she and Howard fought about, and she tells him that she told Howard he should get a job at McDonald's or someplace until he can do computer operations. Howard has not had a job in nine months, and they have cut Corina's hours at work. When Socrates suggests that Howard is lazy, Corina defends him and says he is just proud. Socrates says that Howard is not too proud to let his wife bring in all the money. Socrates goes on to explain that black men are always complaining how hard things are for them, but they are too proud. Children and a loving woman are much better than pride.Socrates tells Corina that Howard†¦ â€Å"The Wanderer† Summary â€Å"The Wanderer† takes us back to Socrates' release from pr ison and his move to California. Socrates had his first fight in his new surroundings within a week of his prison release. A man by the name of Charles Rinnett was trying to impress his friends and chose to degrade Socrates in the process. In the end, Charles ended up being the one degraded. Socrates broke Charles' nose and knocked him to the ground three times before the man decided to stay down. Socrates sees Charles around Watts collecting bottles and cans.Charles has grown shabbier. Sometimes he wishes he could apologize to Charles for breaking his nose. He often has imaginary conversations with the man, trying to motivate him to do something with his life. In his conversations, Charles tells Socrates that they are both at the bottom of the white man's ladder, and neither one of them can climb†¦ â€Å"Lessons† Summary Darryl has moved in with Socrates. The two of them are sitting in a park waiting on Philip, a neighborhood gang banger, so that Darryl can confront him . Darryl is scared, but Socrates tells him that he has to do this.While they are waiting, Socrates tells Darryl that he had a dream about his momma. Darryl tells Socrates he has been dreaming about a naked Yvette Frank, telling him how much she likes him. Socrates says he is dreaming about manhood. When Philip shows up with two other thugs, Socrates leaves Darryl standing there alone. Philip takes the first swing at Darryl, but misses. Darryl hits Philip in the chin with a right cross, but it does not affect the gangbanger. As the fight intensifies, Socrates intervenes by knocking out and disarming the other two thugs.He then slaps a gun from Philip's hand and slaps him off of†¦ â€Å"Letter to Theresa† Summary Socrates is very sick with the intestinal flu. He has not been able to call in sick and is concerned about his job. He is not able to make it from one room to the other. All he can do is sleep and dream. He dreams of Theresa. The dream seems so real to him. In his dream, he comes home to her after being beaten badly. She comforts him until he falls asleep. When he wakes back up in the dream, she has bandaged his cuts. He looks into her eyes and sees every cut and bruise he has ever had in them.She wants to know when he is going to stop all of this. Theresa tells him she can't go on worrying and taking care of him. Socrates tries to tell her not to go, but he can't. Darryl then wakes him up asking him what he†¦ â€Å"History† Summary Socrates has been inside for three days watching riots on his muted television. He stays inside, not because of fear of what might happen to him, but because of fear of what he might do. â€Å"The smoke coming through the cracks in his apartment walls smelled of sweet revenge. † Everything that has happened to Socrates in the past wants out there on the streets, but he stays inside.While he is watching the television, he sees a billboard he is familiar with topple over. Socrates knows that the billboard is falling on top of a bookstore that he visited regularly when he first got out of prison. He had been waiting for his violence to bubble over and erupt until he visited the bookstore. The bookstore changed him. It was a place that he could read and talk with others without being chased out for not buying anything. â€Å"Firebug† Summary When Socrates visits Stony Wile's cousin, Folger gives Socrates a long lecture on the faults of the LAPD.Folger brings up the dozen fires that have been set. A squatter and his girlfriend were killed in the most recent fire. Some people are speculating that the fire department is setting the fires for the white landlords, but Folger thinks it is the Koreans trying to steal everything. Socrates tells Folger that he knows some real nice Koreans, and it is the businessmen, even black men, that want to steal everything. Folger believes the fires are a part of a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top, but Socrates says, â€Å"Mayb e it go to the heart, Mr. Wile. Socrates thinks that everything is rotten and that maybe burning it all down is the only way to straighten things out. Socrates asks a high school kid, Bruce Tynan, working with†¦ â€Å"Black Dog† Summary This chapter opens with Socrates standing before a judge. His attorney is stressing that Socrates has paid for his previous crimes and has been living a productive life on LA. The prosecutor is stressing that Socrates has killed in the past, and this is a violent crime that brings him before the judge. While Socrates is in the holding cell, he has to pass the holding cell's initiation.A baby faced man named Peters is harassing him. He chokes Peters to the brink of death and then releases him. A large, bearded black man by the name of Benny tells a curious guard that he was just showing Peters a trick. Peters nods that he is okay. Socrates has now established that he is not a man to be taken lightly. Socrates decides that Benny has appoint ed himself as leader. He knows he will have to go up against Benny†¦ â€Å"Last Rites† Summary Right Burke is dying a painful death from prostrate cancer. He is asking Socrates to get him a gun so that he can end his misery. Socrates is trying to talk Right out of it.He tells Right that he can't do that in Luvia's house. Right says that he can come to Socrates' house, but Socrates asks him how that would look to the police. Right then says he can go to the park, but Socrates tells him that he can barely walk to the end of the block, so he knows there is no way Right can make it to the park. Socrates visits Hogan's Snooker Room looking for Blackbird. Blackbird is a man that is probably as bad as Socrates, if not worse. The Snooker Room is a place to get illegal things and the police are paid their street insurance so there is never a problem†¦.

Nursing Accountability Vte Essays

Nursing Accountability Vte Essays Nursing Accountability Vte Essay Nursing Accountability Vte Essay Running head: NURSING ACCOUNTABILITY Nursing Accountability Sarah Redmond Grand Canyon University Professional Dynamics NRS-430V July 24, 2011 Nursing Accountability Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a disease that includes both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). More than 2 million Americans suffer from VTE each year, with over half of these individuals developing their VTE in the hospital or in the 30 days post hospitalization. In a large registry trial capturing more than 5,450 patients at 183 sites over a 6-month period, 50 percent (2,726) developed their VTE during hospitalization. Nurses are accountable in helping change the practice of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. There are many risk factors that can cause VTE including recent hospitalization, surgery, prolonged immobility, recent travel, trauma, and certain conditions including heart disease, respiratory disease, cancer, and clotting disorders. In our study, waist circumference was more predictive of a VTE than body mass index. We also found that heavy smoking predicted a VTE, whereas hypertension did not (Hansson et al. , 1999). There are pharmacological and non pharmacological ways to protect patients in the hospital setting. Using these in conjunction with each other is the overall safest method. Non pharmacological methods of VTE prophylaxis include early ambulation, sequential compression devices (SCD), and compression stockings. Early ambulation promotes venous return and helps minimize length of stay in hospitals. Compression stockings and SCDs help prevent venous stasis. A recent systematic review found that graduated compression stockings, intermittent pneumatic compression devices, and foot pumps reduce the risk of DVT in surgical patients by two thirds when used in monotherapy and by an additional 50% when added to drug prophylaxis (Roderick et al. 2005). Pharmacological methods of VTE prophylaxis include anticoagulants such as low molecular weight heparin, unfractionated heparin, and vitamin k antagonists. These medications are given to prevent clot formation, not to actually dissolve the clots. It’s important to know which patients are at greater risk and which type of prophylaxis should be used. In most hospitals there is a VTE protocol that is followed to determine the risk level of patients and which prophylactic measure to implement. It’s important for medical personnel to help develop and implement these VTE protocols. These protocols should be mandated in every hospital at time of admission. Doctors need to review VTE risks for patients and order which prophylactic measure to use along with admission orders. In addition to the doctor’s risk assessment for VTE, nurses should assess their patients for risk factors and signs or symptoms. If prophylactic measures are not ordered, nurses can ask the doctor if they feel prophylaxis is warranted or make them aware. Quality improvement teams can be initiated throughout hospitals. Team members can help develop, improve, and review VTE protocols to make sure they are being ordered and are effective in prevention. There are many ways nurses can be accountable in the prevention of venous thromboemobolisms. Nurses can walk high risk patients often and help patients perform leg exercises without a physician’s order if not contraindicated. Proper measurement and correct application of compression stockings are essential to their performance, so helping the patients with this would be beneficial. There should be frequent assessments of patient’s skin integrity, pulses, and comfort when using compression stockings. Patient education is very important in the prevention of VTE. Nurses should make sure patients understand reasons for the different prophylactic measures and make them aware of signs and symptoms to watch for. Proper medication administration of anticoagulation agents is essential, as with any other medication. It’s important to have the patient’s exact weight, because even the slightest wrong dose of some of these anticoagulants can be very detrimental and even kill a patient. To make sure these medications have a purposeful effect, it is important to teach the patients how to take them properly. Nearly two-thirds of 9,675 medical patients at risk for venous thromboembolism received no inpatient pharmacologic prophylaxis, and more than 98% received no outpatient prophylaxis, a retrospective analysis showed (Wendling, 2010). Prophylaxis is the most important way to prevent these deadly venous thromboembolisms from forming. References Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2011). Retrieved from ahrq. gov/qual/vtguide/vtguideapa. htm Hansson, P. O. , Eriksson, H. , Welin, L. , Svardsudd, K. , Wilhelmsen, L. (1999). Smoking and abdominal obesity. Archives of Internal Medicine, 159(16), 1886-1890. Roderick, P. , Ferris, G. , Wilson, K. , Halls, H. , Jackson, D. , Collins, R. et al. (2005). Evidence based guidelines for the prevention of venous thromboembolism. Health Technology Assessment, 9 Wendling, P. (2010). Many at-risk patients lack VTE prophylaxis. American College of Chest Physicians. Retrieved from chestnet. org/accp/article/chest-physician/many-risk-patients-lack-vte-prophylaxis