Market Analysis – Sony Bravia

Sony Bravia In the Australian Marketplace â€Å"Colour like No Other† Executive Summary Introduction Summary: This report will articulate purchases of the Sony Bravia Television in the Australian marketplace. It will illustrate information to develop an in-depth understanding of the consumers buying habits. The research for this report includes information sourced from the Sony website itself, interpreted and applied to the Australian Marketplace. Body Summary: The major findings indicate there are various factors affecting the Australian marketplace.Overcoming a major threat is possible by utilising Sony’s strengths to maintain relevance in the Australian Marketplace. Conclusion/Recommendation Summary: It is clear that overtime, Sony will experience a variety of threats and weaknesses, that will jeopardise the success of the company. This report recommends that Sony maximises its strengths to continue creating innovative technology, to continue its perception of one of Australia’s premium television producers. Table of Contents Executive Summary2 Introduction4 Purpose4 Authorisation4 Scope4 Background4 Environmental Scan6 Economic influences:6 Demographic influences6Competitive influences:7 Political influences:7 Social/Cultural:8 Technological influences8 S. W. O. T analysis9 Conclusion12 Reference list14 Introduction Purpose This report aims to present an accurate investigation of Sony Bravia in the Australian marketplace, and to provide recommendations for the development of the company’s success. Authorisation This report is authorised by Anne Tonkin, TAFE SA, and written by Lynden Beck, a student of Anne Tonkin. Scope This report relates only to the Sony Bravia television, within the Sony Company and attempts to draw links to further development of understanding the Australian market place.Background In 1944, Mr. Akio Morita, an officer in the Japanese Navy worked with Mr. Masaru Ibuka, on a military task designing heat seeking missiles. After World War II, Morita and Ibuka maintained their friendship, and founded the corporate brand known as Sony. Sony was created on the shared belief that it could create ideas from imagination and make them a reality. The main objective of Sony was to create innovative products that would excite their customers. Sony is now one of the world’s leading producers of home entertainment systems with major interests in consumer electronics.Today, Sony has a vision to celebrate life that is expressed through advertisements. A vision articulates the focus and direction of an organisation. Sony’s vision states: â€Å"Creativity is our essence, we take chances, we exceed expectations, we help dreamers’ dream†. This statement expresses Sony’s want to satisfy their customers. Sony focuses on delivering a luxury experience which can only be experienced through their product. Sony Market Analysis Environmental Scan Economic influences: * The Financi al Crisis of 2007- 08, is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 20th Century.The effect of the crisis on Australia has been considerably less than in many other countries, however the effects on households are still present today. The Financial Crisis reduced the income of Australia by nearly 10% by March 2009. Furthermore, the Australian consumer is expected to save 21% more of its income during 2012-13. The Australian economy predicted less likely to purchase luxury items, such as a Sony Bravia television. * The ‘Household Assistance Package’ introduced by the Federal government in May 2012, is a key part of the clean energy future plan.This Government subsidy is designed to provide financial support to the middle class Australian householders in the introduction of the Carbon tax. Demographic influences * The demographic of the population consists of consumers who seek a premium product. The demographic of Br avia owners are, due to its pricing, of a higher socioeconomic group causing the Bravia to be seen as a status symbol. Sony Bravia offers ‘Colour like No Other’, implying exclusivity. * Sony Bravia’s typical target audience are consumers who are aware of the company’s material sources and sustainability policies, as well as their not-for-profit work in the community.Competitive influences: * Samsung, LG and Panasonic are well-known competitors of Sony. Each offering similar applications on televisions. Therefore companies must compete with customer service; this includes warranty lengths, replacement guarantees, prompt repair or replacement, to establish loyal customers. * Whilst cheaper televisions have less features they still appeal to consumers due to the low prices, putting pressure on the larger companies to compete for sales. Political influences: * The introduction of ‘Minimum wage’ has affected the international mployees of Sony worki ng in sweat shops or factories, due to the increase of the minimum wage Sony will have to pay more taxes. In addition, Sony must increase prices of products to maintain a certain profit rate. * Sony large screen televisions cost 30% more in China than they do in Australia. Tariffs on the importation of Sony products manufactured in China which then arrive in Australia help with inflated prices. Social/Cultural: * Sony puts particular emphasis on the cultural nature of its consumers. Sony is a premium product with premium prices, and is therefore seen as a status symbol amongst eastern and western cultures.Generally, only wealthy Australians can afford a Sony Bravia. * Today’s culture places more value on experience rather than materialistic possessions. Sony Bravia overcomes this desire by creating an experience that offers ‘Colour like No Other’. This television offers both an experience, and a possession. Technological influences * Technology is rapidly advanci ng; causing electronic products to be out dated regularly. Sony must be innovative with its products to maintain its competitive edge. LED televisions consist of a display that uses LED backlighting instead of the cold cathode fluorescent backlighting used by LCD televisions.LED televisions reduce energy consumption, produce better contrast in brightness and a greater colour range. * As 3D products are becoming more common at homes Sony intends to increase sales of 3D televisions, by 50% of their respective television distributions by 2012. S. W. O. T analysis A S. W. O. T analysis is a tool used to analyze the internal and external factors affecting a company. It is one of the most commonly used business analysis and decision-making tools. In this report, a S. W. O. T analysis will be used to examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Sony Australia.Strengths | Weaknesses | Opportunities | Threats | Creative catch phrase: ‘Colour like no other’. | High price can deter buyers. (smaller target audience)| Strong corporate brand Sony can be identified for many things. | Environmental concerns, high cost in running electronic products. | Strong status symbol, Sony is a premium product, and a luxury item. | Due to faulty wiring, the Sony Bravia was recalled between 2007-08| Age of technology, televisions have come from being a luxury to a household necessity. | Product confusion. Consumers unable to differentiate brands. | Technologically advanced.The Bravia television with high resolution 4 times any other HD T. Vs| Sony unable to provide premium customer service, due to high traffic visiting store. | Sony strives to employ diverse people to ensure the company achieves innovation and a wide range of skills. | Emphases on experiences rather than materialistic objects, such as expensive televisions. | Product features: ‘Your Presence is Needed’ app, which allows the TV to turn off once it senses the viewer has left. | S ony Bravia is not distributed into stores such as K-Mart and Big-W. Creating less impulse buyers. Changing Technologies Sony is investing in improving 3D capabilities and additional smart TV apps. | Global Financial crisis. The Australian consumer is expected to save 21% more of its income during 2012-13. | Sony’s involvement in the community and its participation in charity work. | Fewer adverts on Australian television| Sony Foundation Australia is a not-for-profit charitable organisation. | Carbon tax less money for Australian buyers to spend on high quality televisions. | Sony is able to cater for the Carbon tax through apps that save electricity. | Hard for non-technological people to uses due to extensive applications. Sony supports many initiatives that reduce waste and degradation| Must advertise online if unable the Sony brand may fall behind. | A major threat for Sony is the environmental concerns regarding electronic products. Current social values place emphasis o n maintaining sustainability. Sony focusses on improving the energy efficiency of their products by the use of the ‘Minimum Energy Performance Standards’  and ‘Energy Rating’ labels which appear on every electronic item. These help customers consumers choose more efficient appliances and save money on running the products.Sony Australia is enabling and encouraging Australian consumers to recycle batteries. Batteries collected are transported and recycled in a safe, environmental manner. Valuable materials such as cadmium, nickel, iron, cobalt and lead are reclaimed, and are reused as raw materials . Additionally, Sony has created various applications on televisions to save electricity. Motion sensors turn off the back screen when the viewer leaves the room. In overcoming environmental threats faced by Sony, the three strengths listed above suggest the capability to overcome perceived threats.Conclusion This report has analysed the brand, Sony, and in exte nsion, the Sony Bravia product. This report illustrated Political, Social/Cultural, Technological, Economic, Demographic, and Competitive factors that influence success in the Australian marketplace. A S. W. O. T analysis described the company’s strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. It is recommended that Sony maximises its strengths to continue creating innovative technology, to continue its perception of one of Australia’s premium television producers. Reference list * Commonwealth Australia. (2010).The E3 Program – Improving Our Energy Efficiency. Available: http://www. energyrating. gov. au/. Last accessed 26/03/13. * Elliott, M. (Nov. 13, 2006). Akio Morita & Masaru Ibuka. Available: http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1554986,00. html. Last accessed 25/03/13. * Fung, D . (October 13, 2011). Sony Bravia 40-inch TV models could explode, melt. Available: http://www. cnet. com. au/three-sony-bravia-40-inch-tv-models-could-explode-mel t-339324229. htm. Last accessed 14th March 2013. * Hales, S. (May 2010). Sony settles into the premium market with 2012 Bravia range.Available: http://www. connectedaustralia. com/News/BreakingNews/tabid/119/ArticleId/7190/Sony-settles-into-the-premium-market-with-2012-Bravia-range. aspx? dnnprintmode=true&mid. Last accessed 14th March 2013. * ING DIRECT. (January 2013). Year of the Saver. Available: http://blog. ingdirect. com. au/2013/02/28/the-year-of-the-saver/. Last accessed 20/03/13. * Make. Believe . (January 2013). Our Vision . Available: http://www. sony. com. au/article/300251/section/sonycompanyoutline. Last accessed 20/03/13.. * Queensland Government . (24 November 2012). Swot Analysis . Available:

Jean Piagets Theory Essay

Piaget’s theory is based on stages, whereby each stage represents a qualitatively different type of thinking. Children in stage one cannot think the same as children in stage 2, 3 or 4 etc. Transitions from one stage to another are generally very fast, and the stages always follow an invariant sequence. Another important characteristic of his stage theory is that they are universal; the stages will work for everyone in the world regardless of their differences (except their age, of course, which is what the stages are based on!) Piaget acknowledged that there is an interaction between a child and the environment, and this is a focal point for his theory. He believed a child cannot learn unless they are constantly interacting with their environment, making mistakes and then learning from them. He defined children as â€Å"lone scientists†; he did not identify any need for teachers or adults in cognitive development. Children have all the cognitive mechanisms to learn on their own, and the interaction with their environment allows them to do so. To put this in perspective, another theory by Lev Vygotsky suggested that the interaction is not important at all; the child will learn when encouraged to with an adult’s assistance. I will be explaining then contrasting Vygotsky’s theory to Piaget’s in my next post – so be sure to check back for that! With the background of his theory explained, let’s look at – The Key Concepts of Piaget’s theory: Before explaining the main part of Piaget’s theory (the four stages), it’s very important to look at some of the underlying principles behind it. Rather than write a stupidly long paragraph explaining it all, I will write the key terms in bold, then explain them in bullet points – just to keep things simple! †¢Schema (pl. Schemata, although some say â€Å"Schemas† for the plural) Possibly one of the most important concepts put forward by Piaget, Schemata help individuals understand the world they inhabit. They are cognitive structures that represent a certain aspect of the world, and can be seen as categories which have certain pre-conceived ideas in them. For example, my schema for Christmas includes: Christmas trees, presents, giving, money, green, red, gold, winter, Santa Claus etc. Someone else may have an entirely different schema, such as Jesus, birth, Church, holiday, Christianity etc. Of course, there are schemata for all kinds of things – yourself (self schemata), other people (people schemata), events/situations (event schemata) and roles/occupations (role schemata). With regards to Piaget’s theory, a child might have a pre-conceived schema for a dog. If the household has a small West Highland White Terrier as a dog, the schema might be â€Å"small, furry, four legs, white†. When the child interacts with a new dog – perhaps a Labrador, it will change to incorporate the new information, such as â€Å"big, golden, smooth etc.† This is known as: †¢Assimilation Simply the process of incorporating new information into a pre-existing schema. So with the â€Å"dog† example, the child assimilated the Labrador’s information into the old dog schema. Assimilation is essentially fitting new information into schemata we already have in place. Unfortunately, this can lead to stereotyping. For example, if an old lady sees a teenager mug another person, she might assimilate â€Å"violence† or â€Å"crime† into her teenage schema. Next time she sees a teenager, her schema will be applied to them – and although they may be a kind person, she will probably show prejudice. Assimilation is normally a simple process, as new information already fits the pre-exisiting categories. †¢Accommodation When coming across a new object for the first time, a child will attempt to apply an old schema to the object. For consistency, let’s use the dog example again. The child may have â€Å"four legs, furry† in their dog schema. When coming across another similar animal, such as a cat, they might say â€Å"Look, a dog!† – that’s assimilation. However, when told that it’s actually a cat – not a dog – they will accommodate the new information into another schema. They will now form a â€Å"cat† schema; â€Å"not all four legged furry animals are dogs – some are cats too!†. They have accommodated the new information. The process just mentioned – of assimilation then accommodation is known as – †¢Adaptation Assimilation and accommodation are the two parts of adaptation – which is simply what it says – adapting our schemata to make an accurate (enough) model of the world we live in. It is a form of learning, but an entirely different form to the kind you’d see in behaviourist psychology for example (such as operant/classical conditioning). †¢Equilibrium Piaget suggested that humans naturally strive to achieve a cognitive balance; there must be a balance between applying prior knowledge (assimilation) and changing schemata to account for new information (accommodation). Piaget suggested that when a child has a schema which doesn’t fit reality, there is tension in the mind. By balancing the use of assimilation and accommodation, this tension is reduced and we can proceed to higher levels of thought and learning (equilibration). QUICK SUMMARY: Children have schemata (cognitive structures that contain pre-existing ideas of the world), which are constantly changing. Schemata constantly undergo adaptation, through the processes of assimilation and accommodation. When seeing new objects there is a state of tension, and a child will attempt to assimilate the information to see if it fits into prior schemata. If this fails, the information must be accommodated by either adding new schemata or modifying the existing ones to accommodate the information. By balancing the use of assimilation and accommodation, an equilibrium is created, reducing cognitive tension (equilibration). Vygotsky’s theories stress the fundamental role of social interaction in the development of cognition Vygotsky, 1978), as he believed strongly that community plays a central role in the process of â€Å"making meaning.† Unlike Piaget’s notion that children’s’ development must necessarily precede their learning, Vygotsky argued, â€Å"learning is a necessary and universal aspect of the process of developing culturally organized, specifically human psychological function† (1978, p. 90). In other words, social learning tends to precede (i.e. come before) development. Vygotsky has developed a socio-cultural approach to cognitive development. He developed his theories at around the same time as Jean Piaget was starting to develop his theories (1920’s and 30’s), but he died at the age of 38 and so his theories are incomplete – although some of his writings are still being translated from Russian. No single principle (such as Pi aget’s equilibration) can account for development. Individual development cannot be understood without reference to the social and cultural context within which it is embedded. Higher mental processes in the individual have their origin in social processes. Vygotsky’s theory differs from that of Piaget in a number of important ways: 1: Vygotsky places more emphasis on culture affecting/shaping cognitive development – this contradicts Piaget’s view of universal stages and content of development. (Vygotsky does not refer to stages in the way that Piaget does). 2: Vygotsky places considerably more emphasis on social factors contributing to cognitive development (Piaget is criticised for underestimating this). 3: Vygotsky places more (and different) emphasis on the role of language in cognitive development (again Piaget is criticised for lack of emphasis on this). Effects of Culture: – Tools of intellectual adaptation Like Piaget, Vygotsky claimed that infants are born with the basic materials/abilities for intellectual development – Piaget focuses on motor reflexes and sensory abilities. Vygotsky refers to Elementary Mental Functions – o Attention o Sensation o Perception o Memory Eventually, through interaction within the socio-cultural environment, these are developed into more sophisticated and effective mental processes/strategies which he refers to as Higher Mental Functions. For example, memory in young children this is limited by biological factors. However, culture determines the type of memory strategy we develop. E.g., in our culture we learn note-taking to aid memory, but in pre-literate societies other strategies must be developed, such as tying knots in string to remember, or carrying pebbles, or repetition of the names of ancestors until large numbers can be repeated. Vygotsky refers to tools of intellectual adaptation – these allow children to use the basic mental functions more effectively/adaptively, and these are culturally determined (e.g. memory mnemonics, mind maps). Vygotsky therefore sees cognitive functions, even those carried out alone, as affected by the beliefs, values and tools of intellectual adaptation of the culture in which a person develops and therefore socio-culturally determined. The tools of intellectual adaptation therefore vary from culture to culture – as in the memory example Social Influences on Cognitive Development Like Piaget, Vygotsky believes that young children are curious and actively involved in their own learning and the discovery and development of new understandings/schema. However, Vygotsky placed more emphasis on social contributions to the process of development, whereas Piaget emphasised self-initiated discovery. According to Vygotsky (1978), much important learning by the child occurs through social interaction with a skillful tutor. The tutor may model behaviours and/or provide verbal instructions for the child. Vygotsky refers to this as co-operative or collaborative dialogue. The child seeks to understand the actions or instructions provided by the tutor (often the parent or teacher) then internalizes the information, using it to guide or regulate their own performance. Shaffer (1996) gives the example of a young girl who is given her first jigsaw. Alone, she performs poorly in attempting to solve the puzzle. The father then sits with her and describes or demonstrates some basic strategies, such as finding all the comer/edge pieces and provides a couple of pieces for the child to put together herself and offers encouragement when she does so. As the child becomes more competent, the father allows the child to work more independently. According to Vygotsky, this type of social interaction involving co-operative or collaborative dialogue promotes cognitive development. In order to gain an understanding of Vygotsky’s theories on cognitive development, one must understand two of the main principles of Vygotsky’s work: the More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). More Knowledgeable Other The more knowledgeable other (MKO) is somewhat self-explanatory; it refers to someone who has a better understanding or a higher ability level than the learner, with respect to a particular task, process, or concept. Although the implication is that the MKO is a teacher or an older adult, this is not necessarily the case. Many times, a child’s peers or an adult’s children may be the individuals with more knowledge or experience. For example, who is more likely to know more about the newest teen-age music groups, how to win at the most recent PlayStation game, or how to correctly perform the newest dance craze – a child or their parents? In fact, the MKO need not be a person at all. Some companies, to support employees in their learning process, are now using electronic performance support systems. Electronic tutors have also been used in educational settings to facilitate and guide students through the learning process. The key to MKOs is that they must have (or be programmed with) more knowledge about the topic being learned than the learner does. Zone of Proximal Development The concept of the More Knowledgeable Other is integrally related to the second important principle of Vygotsky’s work, the Zone of Proximal Development. This is an important concept that relates to the difference between what a child can achieve independently and what a child can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner. For example, the child could not solve the jigsaw puzzle (in the example above) by itself and would have taken a long time to do so (if at all), but was able to solve it following interaction with the father, and has developed competence at this skill that will be applied to future jigsaws. Vygotsky (1978) sees the Zone of Proximal Development as the area where the most sensitive instruction or guidance should be given – allowing the child to develop skills they will then use on their own – developing higher mental functions. Vygotsky also views interaction with peers as an effective way of developing skills and strategies. He suggests that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where less competent children develop with help from more skillful peers – within the zone of proximal development.

Rolls-Royce Aviation and the Development of TotalCare Case Study

Rolls-Royce Aviation and the Development of TotalCare - Case Study Example As the paper outlines over a period of just a few years, Rolls-Royce managed to be a compliant supplier to American Airlines and found significant business success and profitability in the process. However, Rolls-Royce maintained a strong thirst for extra profit and began to assume more risk than they originally thought they could handle. Such total care packages, as that of American Airlines, required significant internal investment into labour, facilities management and even technical support in order to provide this new extended service and maintenance contract philosophy. Realising that Rolls-Royce had found success, their largest competitors began to change their own business models to reflect similar total care packages to the B2B customers. This eroded the short-term competitive advantage which had been recently held by Rolls-Royce and threatened their market share. Added to this the costs of maintaining maintenance workshops, Rolls-Royce required a new competitive advantage i n order to remain an engine sales leader in this airline industry. This paper discusses that Rolls-Royce has focused the majority of its efforts into innovating actual service delivery to its customers, but has failed to create a marketing strategy which appeals to the psychographic characteristics of its clients. The company does not understand how to utilise promotion effectively to make the sales agreements more of a client relationship which provides mutual value to both businesses. Thus, the business has lost its previous competitive edge.

Major contributor to operations management Research Paper

Major contributor to operations management - Research Paper Example This is a philosophy invented by Dr William Edwards Deming born in 1900and later became an American statistician, professor, author, lecturer and consultant. Deming received a BSC in electrical engineering from the University of Wyoming at Laramie (1921), an M.S. from the University of Colorado (1925), and a Ph.D. from Yale University (1928). Both graduate degrees were in mathematics and physics. Deming had an internship at Bell Telephone Laboratories while studying at Yale. He later worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Census Department. While working under Gen. Douglas MacArthur as a census consultant to the Japanese government, he famously taught statistical process control methods to Japanese business leaders, returning to Japan for many years to consult and witness the economic growth he had predicted would come as a result of the application of techniques he had taught them. As an author Deming wrote Out of the Crisis (1982–1986) and The New Economics for Industry, Government, Education (1993), which includes his System of Profound Knowledge and the 14 Points for Management. In 1947, Deming was involved in early planning for the 1951 Japanese Census. The Allied powers were occupying Japan, and thus asked by the United States Department of the Army to assist with the census. While in Japan In 1960, the Prime Minister of Japan (Nobusuke Kishi), on behalf of the then Emperor Hirohito, awarded Deming Japan’s Order of the Sacred Treasure, Second Class recognizing his contributions to Japan’s industrial rebirth and its worldwide success. Demings expertise in quality control techniques, combined with his involvement in Japanese society, led to his receiving an invitation from the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE). A number of Japanese manufacturers applied his techniques widely and experienced heretofore unheard-of levels of quality and

WRITTEN PROPOSAL Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

WRITTEN PROPOSAL - Annotated Bibliography Example Studies that have reports about exercise’s healing qualities is slowly gaining popularity as well as a way to delay aging and increase longevity. With regard to benefits of exercise to mental health, one of the most compelling discussion is made by Deslandes and Schuch who proposed that the benefits of exercise particularly aerobic and strength training â€Å"contribute to improve cognitive function, especially the executive function†. In the same study, it also reported that exercise reduces depressive symptoms through the â€Å"occurrence of redundant neurobiological pathways with the increase of neurotrophins due to exercise†. Interestingly, Dunn and Jewel, even contend that physical exercise could even be a cure to mental disorder. Their study also reported that exercise can change an indivdiual’s outlook in life to become optimistic that can contribute to one’s health and well-being (Dunn and Jewel 204). Other studies supported this report that physical exercise could reduce and resist anxiety. It prescribed long term exercise however to promote mental wellness that is resistant to anxiety (Strickland and Smith). Interestingly, it seems that exercise could also make one intelligent because according to Brow et al’s study, physical exercise can help â€Å"maintain superior cognitive functioning as well as modify the risk of cognitive decline, AD and dementia† (Brown et al 872). Other benefits of exercise was stated by Raj et al, where he reported that physical exercise make people avoid unwholesome lifestyle such as smoking and drinking. In the same study, Raj et al contended that exercise does not only make people healthy but also increases their philanthropic tendency (Raj 1191). Of course we can deduce that given the benefits of exercise of having a healthy body that is resistant to diseases, that we would live long and slow aging (CBN News). Quoting Brian Kinney assertion that â€Å"the harder you exercise, the longer you live†

Financial Markets and the Real Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Financial Markets and the Real Economy - Essay Example In this perspective, recorded economy includes all economic activities within a country that are recordable and reported through gathering of appropriate statistics (Bailey 78). Non-monetized economy on a different perspective refers to all economic activities that are linked to self-consumption. Therefore, real economy is a composition of all the aspects of economic activities within a given nation. Overview of Financial Markets Financial market on the other hand refers to a place where buyers and sellers (individuals and entities) meet to trade on assets that include equities, currencies, derivatives, and bonds. In most cases financial markets are referred to as stock markets. Amazingly, financial markets are as old as humanity. Financial markets started the moment mankind settled down to engaging in serious activities of growing crops and exchanging them with other crops. Despite this aspect of trade was known as barter, there were some financial markets aspects within the trade. For instance, there are possibilities that some people due to one reason or another attain bad harvest (Levinson 99). However, with the bad harvest such individuals had to struggle and obtain a way of farming and obtaining food for their families. In so doing, there was the aspect of obtaining credit hence the assertion that financial markets are as old as humankind. With advancements and developments, financial markets in the contemporary business environment have taken a totally different shape. There are many forms of financial markets currently all of which have their specific purposes to accomplish. In addition, financial markets developments and advancements have led to formation of highly organized markets like the...This essay attempts to create an understanding of the link between real economy and financial markets, adding to the numerous debates, articles, and studies on the link between financial markets and real economy Real economy is part of economy concerned with actual production of goods and service within a country. Real economy in most cases is referred to as the total economy, which encompasses all the economic components such as economic activities, both monetized and non-monetized transactions, official and unofficial, and all transactions or activities that take place between rural and urban areas Financial markets serve functions in which they are formed or mandated to within a given economy. The first fundamental function that financial markets perform is that of setting price. Through determining the exchange rates, financial markets have the vista of providing price discovery. The second fundamental function of financial markets is the valuation of assets. Through determining market prices, financial markets are in a position of valuing assets Economists believe that a powerful measurement of economic performance is only attainable through obtaining a marginal value of wealth from asset markets. Other than the fact that real economy impacts positively and negatively on financial markets, it is inevitable that financial markets also affect real economy either positively or negatively. In most cases, real economy benefits or is disadvantaged from the various functions of financial markets.

The Urban Schools in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

The Urban Schools in the United States - Essay Example tion in schools apart from the disparity in the enrollment rates of students as well as the availability of teachers belonging to different races and ethnic origins. â€Å"Equity is central to the current reform movement in science education. Although all students are capable of understanding and doing science, persistent and widespread differences continue to exist in students’ access, retention, and achievement, depending on their culture, gender, race, and socioeconomic status† (WCER, 2007). Besides, teachers and students are exposed to a lot of challenges in the urban schools. Background of Urban Schools In the United States, the education sector has been a major priority, with numerous efforts on reform being implemented to improve students’ performance. Urban schools in the United States are located in urban areas, where there are relatively high rates of poverty. Besides, the student population here possesses limited English proficiency and is, therefore r egarded as high need areas (Ruso, 2004). Gaskell (2012) claims that in the early years, wealth was accumulated by a limited number of individuals and, as a result, poverty levels in the urban areas increased significantly. The urban population in the United States increased as well, resulting in many differences, such as racism and inequality. The funding of schools among the wealthy and the poor districts remained fraught with inequality. The urban schools in the United States have, over the years, faced a declining level of test scores and high rates of violence. According to Stark (2011), urban schools in the 1800s have been started with an aim of providing immigrant parents with affordable places for their children to stay during the day as they worked in mills, factories or shops. By 1920, the urban... This essay approves that research on teacher turnover is examined and the situation in urban schools is related to the factors for teacher turnover that have emerged from the research. Finally, the review also presents factors that contribute to teachers’ motivation to stay in urban schools despite the difficult conditions. The researcher hopes that by looking at both the challenges and the motivating factors, this study will be contribute to the understanding of teacher retention in urban schools. There appears to exist a whole range of factors that demotivate teachers in general and science teachers in particular from continuing with the profession of teaching. While teachers receive only low salaries, the job is extremely demanding both in terms of time and physical as well as emotional stress it entails. The most unfortunate aspect of the job of teaching is the fact that a teacher is held wholly responsible and accountable for the behavior and results of students. The prof ession of teaching is too taxing, which prevents a teacher from attaining a balance between his or her personal and work life. This report makes a conclusion that teacher turnover is a particular problem in most of the urban schools. Negative reports about urban settings have discouraged properly qualified teachers from taking up teaching jobs in these schools. The high level of stress and exhaustion experienced in these schools also result in high teacher turnover. Despite the negative factors, however, there are some teachers that remain in the urban schools and they are motivated to provide quality education. The literature also reviews some of the teacher qualities that motivate teachers to teach in urban schools.

Analize different leadership traits and styles in today's health care Essay

Analize different leadership traits and styles in today's health care organization and differentiate formal and informal power and leadership - Essay Example This paper will analyze the different leadership traits in the healthcare system, and the impact of political awareness on the success of healthcare facilities. One common trait among healthcare leaders today is business orientation. Leaders of private hospitals have realized that a hospital is a very serious business and the decisions made should be business oriented. Since business studies is not a core subject in medicine, healthcare leaders have to seek the appropriate advice and research on different business strategies. A popular trait in modern medicine is to combine healthcare leadership with non professional advisors who specialize in business. Successful healthcare leaders have a vision and implement strategies that help the hospital progress. They are specialists at analyzing current situations and finding ways to utilize them in setting realistic goals. Other traits that can be observed in today’s leaders include alertness to social environment and its changes, ambition, decisiveness, dominance, self confidence, tolerance to stress and persistence. In addition to these traits, healthcare leaders should also have certain skills in order to be more effective in their job. Skills that can be seen in successful healthcare leaders include creativity, persuasiveness, fluent speech, intelligence and excellent social skills. In modern times, leaders are also required to be technologically competent and make high level technology decisions. They also need to monitor diverse managing teams and facilitate for innovative thinking in the hospital premises. Though there are tense relations and very little collaboration between nurses and feminists, experts believe that organizations such as Women’s movement can be used for the improvement of nursing (‘Nursing and the Political Arena’, 2004). There are numerous organizations nurses can utilize to maintain awareness in politics. These

Time management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Time management - Essay Example She suggests that they can work at the ‘natural pace’ of their class by paying attention to student reactions. By observing whether the students appear bored (the lesson pace needs to be accelerated), or whether students appear agitated or frustrated (the lesson pace needs to be decelerated), the teacher can tailor their style to their students. For example, they could repeat information more or less often, or break material down into smaller sections. On a basic level, there are a number of easy ways in which a teacher can break up the pace of a lesson, to prevent learning becoming monotonous, which apply to both ELL and non-ELL students. As Regan (2003), proposed, they could have brief brainstorming sessions, put a time limit on some activities, or introduce some kind of competition, such as rewarding the first group to finish a set activity. Timing specific activities can certainly be effective, using tools such as quick fire tests on the material just covered. For this reason, Smith (2007) also suggests that each classroom should have a clock which is easily visible to all students. Setting tasks which involve a student preparing something which they will then share with the class as a whole is also an effective method – they will feel a greater compulsion to complete the task in time if it is being shared collectively. Such activities can play a useful role in keeping up the pace of the lesson. Davison (2007) also proposed several measures which can be taken by a teacher to ensure that they are providing an optimum lesson pace for their students, whether ELL or non-ELL. Many of her suggestions involve variety – it is important that the lesson should not follow a regular and predictable pattern, so that the students do not become bored and disengage from the lesson. Therefore, giving a short break in the class can allow students to reflect on the

The mi Adidas Case Study Mass Customization Essay

The mi Adidas Case Study Mass Customization - Essay Example The brothers opposing personalities complement each other well: Adi the quiet, pensive designer, and Rudolf the extrovert salesman (Adidas, 2011, pp 1-26). Adidas shoe: 1932 German athlete Arthur Jonath wins the 100m bronze medal at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, wearing Dassler shoes. This marks the first major Olympic success for the Dassler brothers and fuels the further development of their already thriving company (Adidas, 2011, pp 1-26). A Second Factory: 1938 Adi Dassler buys his second factory in the centre of Herzogenaurach. By that time, the company produces 1,000 pairs of shoes a day. Three Stripes: 1948 Adolf and Rudolf Dassler part with Rudolf founding Puma. Adi introduces Adidas as the official company name, by combining his nickname and last names. At this point, Adi also gives his shoes the unmistakable trademark of the Three Stripes (Adidas, 2011, pp 1-26). The Olympics in Helsinki: 1952 Adidas is the most worn German sports shoe brand at the Olympic Games an d track shoes with removable spikes are used for the first time. Emil Zatopek wins three gold medals – for the 5,000m, the 10,000m and the marathon - all in one week, wearing Adidas shoes, an achievement that has not been repeated since (Adidas, 2011, pp 1-26).

The Existence Of Computerized Databases Essay Example for Free

The Existence Of Computerized Databases Essay When should patient be advised of the existence of computerized databases containing medical information about the patient? On AMA the patient and physician should be advised about the existence of computerized data both before and information is store http://patient.ezinemark.com/data-collection-in-a-computer-7d2eae229a7f.html website below Data collection in a computer Computerized database collection is commonly known as collection of large amount of data in a computer. The information collected can be organized to enable expansion, updating and retrieving for different uses. The collection of this information is organized in such a way that it can be retrieved in pieces form the organized automated system. In the medical field, the information collected concerning patients, process of treatment and other medical activities that are happening in a given medical facility. 1. Should corrections be dated and time-stamped? Collections are any amendments done on any filed record. In any medical activity, the alteration of any filed procedure may cause severe consequences, therefore, any collection made should be dated and time stamped. This will help in understanding the procedure that was initially followed and the preferred procedure which in turn will even show the time and the date the amendments were done. The dating and stamping time is therefore required incase of any collections. 2. When should the patient be advised of the existence of computerized databases containing medical information about the patient? The patient should be informed of the existence of a computerized database containing their information as soon as possible.his will help the patient in making decision as to whether his information should be disclosed or should remain anonymous. Informing the patient of existence of computerized database will help in safe guarding the patient’s right to privacy and confidentiality. Informing the patients about the existence of the system will avoid any conflict of interest between the patients and the medical practitioners in future. 3. When should the patient be notified of purging of archaic or inaccurate information? Purging[-0] is referred to as clearing of any unwanted information. When such information is noticed in the database, the patient and the medical practitioners should be notified before any action is taken. After their notification, the information should be replaced with accurate information and again they should be notified of the action taken. This will helps in safe guard the right of information in regard to their medical process. 4. When should the computerized medical database be online to the computer terminal? Online information is the information that can accessed through internet regardless of location and the necessity of information to the reader. The patient’s information should only be available online with the consent of the patient and full information has been fully credited by the patient and the concerned physicians. The information should be clear and should not violate any right. This will help in conveying any intended information to any interested party. (Jaeho Barley 2003) 5. When the computer service bureau destroys or erases records, should the erasure be verified by the bureau to the physician? Should the computer service bureau erase any stored record, the information deleted should be verified by the bureau to the physician. The patient and the physician have the right to know any little alteration on any record. This will help in knowing what information has been erased and what significance it has as far as patient’s medical process is concerned. Verification of the erased data will help in fixing or replacing the data with appropriate information. 6. Should individuals and organizations with access to the databases be identified to the patient? The patient has all the rights to know who have an access to his/her information and why. This will for the respect of the patient’s right to privacy and confidentiality. The patient has the right to restrict or allow his/her information disclosed to the third party or a court order may all ow or restrict if the patient is not in a position to act. The respect of personal information should be practiced and thus only the involved party has the authority over the information. 7. Does the AMA ethics opinion mention encryption as a technique for security? The computerized data systems have a compromising information security. The AMA opinion is that â€Å"there should be controlled access to the computerized database via security procedures such as encoding, passwords, and other user identification including scan able badges†. Confidentiality agreements should be made with other health-care professionals whom the office networks with. Encryption is recommended if the network entails public channels of communication such as radio waves, telephone wires, and microwaves. This will increase the chances of information confidentiality. (Jerome, 2001), 8. What does the ethics opinion say about disclosure by recipients of authorized data to third parties? According to the ethics opinion, disclosure of confidential medical information from the data base should be limited to the particular purpose for which the information is demanded. Nevertheless, authorized release of medical information to them does not warrant their further disclosure of the data to other individuals or organizations, or consequent use of the data for other reasons. Any person or organization found guilt of this offence; it may be obscured from accessing any further information and could be charged in court for violation of patient’s right to privacy. Reference: Jaeho, L. Barley, M. (2003),Intelligent Agents and Multi-agent Systems: 6th Pacific Rim International Workshop on Multi-Agents, PRIMA, Seoul, Korea, Jerome, C. (2001), Electronic Medical Records: A Guide for Clinicians and Administrators. American College of PhysiciansAmerican Society of Internal Medicine. ACP Press, [-0] http://ezinemark.com/goto.php?url=http://www.uktopessays.com

Snake Venom Effects on the Human Body

Snake Venom Effects on the Human Body Snake venom is adapted saliva that is formed by distinct glands of only certain species of snakes. The gland which secretes the zootoxin is an alteration of the parotid salivary gland of other vertebrates, and is usually located on each side of the head underneath and at the back of the eye, capitalized in a muscular case. It is offered with large alveoli in which the venom is stored before being transported by a vessel to the base of the fang across which it is expelled. Snake venom is a mixture of different enzymes and proteins which many of it not harmless to humans, but some are very toxic. Snake venoms are ordinarily not dangerous once ingested Chemistry: Snake venom involves enzymes, proteins and substances with a cytotoxic, neurotoxic effect and coagulants: Phosphodiesterases are used to affect the targets cardiac system to decrease the blood pressure. Phospholipase A2 lysing the cell membranes of red blood cells leads to hemolysis Snake venom hinders cholinesterase causes loss of muscle control. Hyaluronidase enhances permeability of tissue that boosts the rate of incorporation of other enzymes into the targets cells. Snake venom frequently contains ATPase which promote the hydrolysis of ATP Amino acid oxidases responsible for the yellow color of the venom of some species Some are Neurotoxins: Fasciculins Dendrotoxins ÃŽÂ ±-neurotoxins And other is Cytotoxins: Phospholipases Cardiotoxins Haemotoxins (Snake venom) Uses of snake venom: Hemostasis Snake venom contains molecules with hemostatins (coagulation modifiers) that may be activators or inhibitors of coagulation process and some are basis for hemostasis tests Such as Prothrombin Activators which are the best considered snake venom hemostatins. They are presently termed according to the taxonomic name of the snake of origin and advanced classification according to their cofactor condition Group Snake Uses Group A (no cofactor requirement) Echis Carinatus Ecarin A Group B (requires calcium) Echis Carinatus Carinactivase B Group C (requires calcium and phospholipid) Pseudonaja textilis Oxyuranus scutellatus Pseutarin C Oscutarin C Group D (requires calcium and phospholipids and Factor Va) Pseudonaja textilis Pseutarin D Less Common Uses: Thrombin-like enzymes (SVTLE) snake venom is used for fibrinogen breakdown assay and for the fibrinogen dysfunction detection. SVTLE are not repressed by heparin and therefore used for assaying antithrombin in heparin-containing testers. (Snake venom uses) Effect of Snake Venom on Human Body When human is bitten with hemotoxic venom by a snake, the venom decrease blood pressure and increase blood clotting. The venom also hits the heart muscle may causing death. Cytotoxic venom causing death of tissues. Many cytotoxic types of venom also extent through the body increasing permeability of muscle cells. Neurotoxic venom interrupts brain function and nervous system it produces paralysis or deficiency of muscle control. Some animals have normal protection to snake venom, and immune bodies can be brought through cautious applications of managed venom; this technique is used to make the anti-venom treatments. (Effect of Snake Venom) Types of snake venom As mentioned, snake venom is modified saliva which contains a variety of proteins and enzymes. Not all snake venoms are dangerous to humans as they contain phosphodiesterase, cholinesterase, hyalurinodase, ATPase. The venom is a clear, limpid fluid of a pale straw or amber colour, or it can be greenish, but very rarely and sometimes with a certain amount of suspended matter. The snake venoms that exist are categorized into several types such as hemotoxic venoms, neurotoxic venoms, cytotoxic venoms and myotoxic venoms. These venoms will be discussed in the next few paragraphs. 1-neurotoxics One of the major families of snake venom is the neurotoxins venoms; which means its the venom which attacks the central nervous system and brain. What happens when a snake bites? An exchange of ions across the nerve cell membrane sends a depolarising current towards the end of the nerve cell. When the depolarising current arrives at the nerve cell terminus, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine  (ACh), which is held in vesicles, is released into the space between the two nerves (synapse). It moves across the synapse to the postsynaptic receptors. If ACh remains at the receptor, the nerve stays stimulated, causing incontrollable muscle contractions. This condition is called tetany. So an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase destroys the ACh so tetany does not occur. It is subdivided into three groups: Fasciculins, dendrotoxins and ÃŽÂ ±-neurotoxins. 1) Fasciculins: These toxins attack cholinergic neurons (those that use ACh as a transmitter) by destroying acetylcholinesterase (AChE). ACh therefore cannot be broken down and stays in the receptor. This causes tetany, which can lead to death. Snake example:  Black Mamba 2)  Dendrotoxins: Dendrotoxins inhibit neurotransmissions by blocking the exchange of + and ions across the neuronal membrane ==> no nerve impulse. So it paralyses the nerves. Snake example:  Mambas 3) ÃŽÂ ±-neurotoxins: ÃŽÂ ±-neurotoxins also attack cholinergic neurons. They mimic the shape of the acetylcholine molecule and therefore fit into the receptors † Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ they block the ACh flow † Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ feeling of numbness and paralysis. Snake examples: 1-  Kraits  use erabutoxin (the  Many-banded krait  uses  Bungarotoxin) 2-  Cobras  use  cobratoxin. They often result in respiratory paralysis and heart failures. Their effect can range between mild seizures to death. Cobras, mambas,  sea snakes, kraits and  coral snakes  are known to possess this venom. The  king cobras (ophiophagus hannah) are the most infamous carriers of this venom. Neurotoxic venom is essentially nerve destroying. Hence, one can see speech and swallowing difficulties, drooling, difficulty in breathing, respiratory arrests, convulsions and sometimes even prolonged unconsciousness in the victims. The milder symptoms are dizziness, tunnel vision, blurred vision and increased sweating. This venom causes a very fast degeneration of the synaptic nerves and this is the reason for the blockage of nerve impulses sent to and from the brain to the muscles. 2- Cytotoxics 1)  Phospholipases: Phospholipase is an enzyme that transforms the phospholipid molecule into a lysophospholipid (soap) ==> the new molecule attracts and binds fat and rips a hole in the cell membrane. Consequently water flows into the cell and destroys the molecules in it. That is called necrosis. Snake example: The Japanese Habu snakes (low toxicity) 2)  Cardiotoxins: Actually cardiotoxins are muscle venoms. They bind to particular sites on the surface of muscle cells causing depolarisation ==> the toxin prevents muscle contraction. For example the heart muscle: the heart will beat irregularly and stop beating, which will cause death. Snake example:  King Cobra  and some other cobras 3)  Haemotoxins: The toxin destroys red blood cells (erythrocytes). This symptom is called haemolysis. As it is very slowly progressing venom it would probably not kill a human another toxin in the snakes venom would most certainly have caused death by then. Snake example: most  Vipers  and the members of  Naja  genus This is milder venom that generally causes only localized symptoms at the location of the bite. This is a cell destroying venom that destroys everything in its path blood vessels, cells and tissues. The symptoms of the invasion of this venom are generally seen around 10-15 minutes after the snake encounter (I meant bite, not the spotting). The results are generally localized pain accompanied by severe swelling and bleeding. One can easily spot the formation of red blisters near the bite area. This venom causes blue/black spotting due to limited blood circulation. The body often revolts against the invasion of this venom by causing nausea and vomiting. If this venom is not treated within four hours, it generally needs an amputation. Puff adders (bitis arietans) are the snakes to be avoided if one is pain phobic. 3-hemotoxic venoms They are toxins that destroy red blood cells, disrupt  blood  clotting, and/or cause  organ  degeneration and generalized  tissuedamage. The term  hemotoxin  is to some degree a  misnomer  since toxins that damage the blood also damage other tissues. Injury from a hemotoxic agent is often very painful and can cause permanent damage. Loss of an affected limb is possible even with prompt treatment. Hemotoxins are frequently employed by  venomous  animals, including  pit vipers. Animal venoms contain  enzymes  and other  proteins  that are hemotoxic or  neurotoxic  or occasionally both (as in the  Mojave Rattlesnake, the  Japanese mamushi,  and similar species). In addition to killing the prey, part of the function of hemotoxic venom for some animals is to aid digestion. The venom breaks down protein in the region of the bite, making prey easier to digest. The process by which a hemotoxin causes death is much slower than that of a  neurotoxin. Snakes which envenomate a prey animal may have to track the prey as it flees. Typically, a mammalian prey item will stop fleeing not because of death, but due to shock caused by the venomous  bite. This venom causes the poisoning of blood and affects the blood clotting mechanism to such a grave extent, that the victim can die of internal bleeding. Usually, neither pain nor any other symptoms can be observed for almost 1-3 hours (sometimes even 8). This makes it deadlier, as the victim is usually beyond medical help, by the time the cause is even ascertained. The effects of this venom can be seen as lethargy, headaches, nausea, vomiting, etc. The most scary observations of the outcome of a snake bite of this kind are bruising or blood spots beneath the victims skin. In extremely bad cases, blood is known to ooze out from all possible bodily openings. It is these venoms that usually cause exces sive (and hideous) scarring, gangrene and permanent or temporary loss of motor skills. Worst cases can even result in the amputation of the affected limb.  Dependent upon species, size, location of bite and the amount of venom injected, symptoms in humans such as nausea, disorientation, and headache may be delayed for several hours. Hemotoxins are used in  diagnostic  studies of the  coagulation  system.  Lupus anticoagulans  is detected by changes in the  dilute Russells viper venom time  (DRVVT), which is a  laboratoryassay based on-as its name indicates-venom of the  Russells viper. 4-myotoxic This venom is found in the bothrops moojeni snakes, commonly known as the Brazillian lancehead snakes. This venom is known to cause muscular necrosis. Its symptoms are a thickened-tongue sensation, dry throat, thirst, muscular spasms and convulsions. It also causes the stiffness of the jaw, neck, trunk and limbs along with severe pain in movement. The victims often start with drooping eyelids and then turn to more austere results like loss of breath and blackish brown urine discharge. Myotoxic venom contains peptides that destroy the muscle fiber proteins and result in myonecrosis (muscle destruction). In the very later stages (when treatment is delayed) of the spread of this venom, the muscle proteins enter the blood stream. The kidney overworks in trying to filter out this junk and often gives up trying. This kidney failure is the reason for the dark coloration of urine. Signs symptoms of snake venom: There is a variable symptom of snake venom poisoning, depending on the following criteria: Snake size and species. The quantity and degree of toxicity of the injected venom. The location of bite (As it is far away from the head and trunk, it will be less dangerous) The age of the person (since very old and very young people are in much more risk) The person with medical problems. Pit Vipers: Most pit vipers Bites cause pain immediately and usually within 20 to 30 minutes redness and swelling will occur. This bite can affect the whole leg or arm within hours. When the rattlesnake bites, it causes feeling of tingling and numbness in fingers or toes or around the mouth, also it causes metallic taste in the mouth. There are other symptoms including: Fever, chills, sweating, general weakness, confusion, anxiety, nausea and vomiting. Terror rather than venom itself causes some of these symptoms. After Mojave rattlesnake bites breathing difficulties can be developed. Also people could get a dry mouth, a headache, blurred vision, and drooping eyelids. In case of moderate or severe pit viper poisoning usually leads to bruise of the skin after 3 to 6 hours of the bite. The area surrounding the bite appears discolored, tight and it may contain bloody blisters. Unless treatment occurs, tissue of the bite could be destroyed. Bleeding gums may occur, and blood may be present in the persons vomit, stools, and urine. Coral Snakes: its bite may cause little or no rapidly pain and swelling. Severe symptoms may occur after several hours. The skin surrounding the bite could be tingle, and muscles almost become weak. Sometimes severe general weakness and Muscle incoordination occur. Other symptoms may include drowsinss, confusion, increase saliva production, blurred vision, double vision, and difficulties in swallowing speech. Also breathing problems may be present. Coral Snake Management of snake venom toxicity: Self-Care at Home: The patient needs tetanus shot if he has not had one within 5 years. Examine the wound for dirt or broken teeth. Person must get away from the snake to stop a second bite as snakes can continue biting and inject venom with continuous bites until they finish venom Remove squeezing items from the victim (like rings or other jewelry) which could take away blood flow if the bite spot swells. Using mechanical suction is not recommended as it does not remove any considerable amount of venom, and it increase damage of the tissue. Precautions: Victim must not cut into the bite spot can cause damage underlying tissues, also increase infection risk, and does not remove venom. Victim must not use ice because ice does not disable the venom effect and can result in frostbite. Victim must not use alcohol as alcohol can decrease the pain; however it dilates the local blood vessels that increase absorption of venom. Victim must not use bandages or narrowing bands these may increase damage of tissue. (Snakebite Treatment) The lymphatic system is responsible for spread of venoms. This spread can be reduced by the use of a safe bandage over a crumpled pad located over the bitten area. The firm should not be constricted that it stops blood flow. Bandage immediately over the bite area. A pressure bandage should be applied on bite area if it anywhere in body such as trunk. Special bites as in the head, neck, and back should apply a firm pressure locally if achievable. Medical treatment: Aid breathing, airway and circulation If respiration failed ventilate with 100% Oxygen Antivenom is given immediately Adrenaline intravenous should be given only for serious hypotension or anaphylaxis and cerebral hemorrhage the patient must be well hydrated to decrease the threat of acute renal failure Repeat blood tests, ECG, at clinically related breaks Abnormal coagulation must be corrected; watch for spread intravascular coagulation, heparin contra-indicated in DIC from snake bite Hypotension must be monitored Recommended for Tetanus prophylaxis Antivenom: Antivenin (Crotalidae) Polyvalent (ACP) equine (horse)-derived antivenin was the standard treatment in emergency departments. (Snakebite Treatment) Antivenoms are set from horse serum. The anaphylaxis risk is low but is increased in people who exposure to horses, horsey tetanus vaccines, and allergic history. It is recommended to pre-treatment with non-sedating anti-histamine (promethazine), subcutaneous, and intravenous steroids (hydrocortisone). (Chris Thompson) Antivenin is administered either through the veins or injected into muscle and works by neutralizing snake venom that has entered the body (Vincent Iannelli) Examples: Crotalidae polyvalent immune FAB (ovine): Mixed monospecific used as Crotalid bites antivenom. Accustomed to neutralize snakebite toxins it decrease tissue damage and need for fasciotomy deprived of allergic effects. (Brian James Daley) Antibiotics Antibiotics are given in hospital for severe conditions. Though, antibiotic prophylaxis is suggested such as Ceftriaxone (Rocephin) a Third-generation cephalosporin has wide-spectrum gram-negative action, it hinders bacterial growth by binding to penicillin-binding proteins. (Brian James Daley) Emergency Department Care: 1- Treatment consists of revising the ABCs and assessing the patient for marks of shock such as: Tachypnea Tachycardia Dry pale skin Mental status changes Hypotension 2- To decide the need for antivenin in victims envenomation grading is classified as: Mild envenomation: Characterized by there is no systemic toxicity signs, edema, local pain and laboratory values are normal. Moderate envenomation: Characterized by: Serious local pain Edema more than 12 inches nearby the wound Systemic toxicity involving nausea and vomiting Alterations in laboratory values such as the decrease in hematocrit and platelet count Severe envenomation: Characterized by: generalized petechiae Ecchymosis (subcutaneous purpura larger than 1 centimeter or a hematoma) Sputum with blood, hypotension, renal dysfunction, and abnormal results significant for consumptive coagulopathy. 3- Antivenin is given for patient that exhibits within 12 hours of the bite in spite of local or systemic symptoms. Neurotoxicity may progress unexpectedly and causes respiratory failure. (Brian James Daley) 4- antigen-binding fragment antivenom (FabAV) aids regulate local tissue effects and hemotoxicity, insistent antivenom treatment does not usually improve effects of neurotoxicity such as myokymia (which is impulsive, sufficient fascicular contractions of muscle without atrophy. The physician must keep continuous checking of myokymia patients mainly of the chest, diaphragm and shoulders to avoid progress of respiratory failure. (Brian James Daley) 5- Surgical treatment aims on the site of injury: Fasciotomy is specified only for patients with raised partition pressure. Liberal checking of compartment pressure is necessary. If not accessible, apply the physical seal of compartment hypertension, accompanied by distal pallor, paresthesia, or for the clinical valuation. Injury of tissue after compartment condition is not revocable but can be prevented. (Brian James Daley)

Ageing Experience And Psychological Well Being Social Work Essay

Ageing Experience And Psychological Well Being Social Work Essay There are two potential determinates that might influence quality of life and psychological well-being of elderly people. Firstly there are the objective factors that are income, health, status and age and intuitively, usually having more of these things means greater quality of life. However, in various research based on happiness of the elderly people, objective factors are less powerful than one might expect as Lyubomirsky et al; cited in the research article titled Psychological Acceptance and quality Of Life in the Elderly,'(2007). The research suggested that objective factors account for about 8 to 15 % of the difference in happiness. So, Do people get less happy as they get older? and their well- being while ageing has been discussed by various researchers in order to define the concept of successful ageing but there is still a lack of consensus on what defines a successful ageing. The various researches on the relationship between old age and well-being have been at many time s assessed through life satisfaction, happiness and morale. 2.2 Theories of ageing In attempting to explain the ageing process and moreover the elderly experience with family support in this particular study, the theories of ageing, which describes the ageing process and what it implies will be taken into account. 2.2.1 Activity theory, developed by Havighurst and associates in 1953, asserts that remaining active and engaged with society is primordial to satisfaction in old age. The theory asserts that positive relationships in the aged individuals level of participation in social activity leads to life satisfaction as active aging equals successful aging. Activity can be physical or intellectual in nature so as to replace those interests and relationships that have been diminished or lost over time. This theory proposes that elderly people need to remain active in a variety of social spheres as for instance with family or friends because activity is preferable to inactivity as it facilitates well-being on multiple levels that is assuming that activity is vital to well-being. Activity theory proposes that social activity and involvement with others results in an increased ability to cope with aging, improved self-concept, and enhanced emotional adjustment to the aging process (Lee, 1985). 2.2.2 Disengagement theory was proposed by Cumming and Henry (1961). This theory states that aging is an inevitable, mutual withdrawal or disengagement; resulting in decreased interaction between the ageing person and others in the social system he belongs to (Cumming and Henry, 1961, p.2). Disengagement theory thus assumes that social involvement decreases with aging and that successful ageing is best achieved through abandoning social roles and relationships and by the individual reducing both activities and involvement. Proponents of this theory maintain that this separation is desired by society and older adults, and serves as such to maintain social equilibrium. While high morale is evident at the completion of the process, the transition is characterized by low morale. However, this theory has been strongly criticized by researchers who found a lack of evidence from older people disengaging from their surroundings. Whereas older people social relationships change and that they possibly have fewer ties, it was found that these relationships were often deeper and more significant. 2.2.3 The Continuity theory states that as elderly adults adapt to changes associated with the normal ageing process, they will attempt to rely on existing resources and comfortable coping strategies. This theory of aging states that older adults will actually maintain the same activities, behaviours, and relationships as they usually did in their earlier years of life. As older adults try to maintain this continuity of lifestyle by adapting strategies that are linked to their past experiences, decisions and behaviours will form the foundation for their present behaviour. Continuity of self which occurs in two domains: internal and external is thus important. Whereas internal continuity occurs when one wants to preserve some aspects of oneself from the past so that the past is sustaining and supporting ones new self, external continuity involves maintaining social relationships, roles and environments such that internal and external continuity are maintained, life satisfaction is hig h. 2.2.4 R.Weiss (1974) put forward a theory about provision of support from close relatives and relationships.  According to Weiss, these provisions reflect what we receive from relationships with other people. He maintains that the elderly require six main social provisions to maintain well-being and avoid loneliness. They are the assistance-related that is reliable person and guidance as well as non- assistance related one namely social integration, reassurance or worth, nurturance and attachment. These components provided by close relationships mainly provide and guarantee support to people as those people who lack the social support experience negative effects. He argues that individuals must maintain a number of relationships in order to maintain psychological well-being. Weiss holds that multiple needs must be satisfied by an individuals support network. In that respect, social provisions may be provided by friends but more often are provided by family members who are usually t he primary source of support in old age. 2.2.5 One of the first theoretical frameworks to focus on interpersonal relationships was proposed by Kahn and Antonucci (1980): the convoys of social relationships. They stated that social support is primordial to the individual in describing it to include attachment, roles and social support. Social support is viewed as interpersonal relationships that include these following components: affect affirmation and aid. Their basic idea is to view social connections and social support as a lifetime and ongoing set of relationships which generally serves to enrich, fortify and reassure people. The convoy model assumes that all people need social relations and that it is important because they have favourable effects on health and well-being. Despite being dynamic and lifelong in nature, Kahn and Antonucci suggest that losses and gains in convoys could have a variety of causes. It was hypothesized that social relations were more psychological than physical, and therefore, would affect psy chological or mental health, that is, depression, life satisfaction or happiness rather than physical health. (Antonucci, Fuhrer Dartigues, 1997; Fratiglioni, Wang, Ericsson, MAytan, Winblad, 2000) 2.3 Social Support My family has always been an essential part of my life, but the older you get; the more you feel how much you need each other. As long as you are together, it is like a growing tree the longer the tree is there, the stronger the branches become and the more you are knit into one. So, the more you are together, the more you realize how important it is to be together and stay together. -66 year old married father of two. (Cited in Family ties and ageing, Connidis, 2007, p3) Worldwide the family is the primary caregiver to the elderly. This reality transcends culture, politics and economic circumstances in spite of a wide variation in the way care is provided in different societies. However, almost everywhere round the world, support often flows in only one direction. Many older people receive financial help from their adult children but what about their help in terms of the social support in order to ensure healthy psychological ageing? Social support is defined as the individual belief that one is cared for and loved, esteemed and valued, and belongs to a network of communication and mutual obligations. (Cobb, 1976). Some experts suggest that social support provides a sense of connectedness to ones social group, which results in feelings of well being (Ryan. 1995). As people become old, social relationships often change and that they sometimes have fewer social ties, it was found that these relationships are often deeper and more meaningful to them, (Helmuth 2003). Maintaining relationships with their families and their friends is important to the vast majority of elderly persons. Rosenmayr (1968) found that, though they may not want to live with them, they do maintain contact with their children. Shanas (1967) found, in a study of elderly persons in three societies, that they generally live near at least one of their children. These relations seem to be at a large extent important, if not vital, to the elderly as the experience of ageing often requires them relationships and families support to evolve and adapt or cope with the challenges of the transition. Observers and various researches have showed that the loss of important relationships leads to feelings of emptiness and depression (Freud, 1917/1957; Bowlby, 1980). The interplay between relationships and various domains of life is complex as older adults reporting a greater number of social ties have been shown to have lower mortality risks, and both social integration and social support have been associated with mental and physical health outcomes (reviewed in Berkman 1995; Cohen Herbert 1996; Seeman 1996). Social support provided to the elderly parents by family members is thus proven to have positive consequences on the elderly in many ways. Moreover, a considerable number of researches show that social support is the key determinant of successful ageing (Rowe Kahn1998; Leviatan 1999; Unger et al, 1999; Seeman et al, 2001b). Persons involved with positive relationships are often less affected by everyday problems, are said to be more effective, and to act with greater sense of control or independence. Those without relationships often become isolated, cynical, mistrusting and depressed whereas those caught in poor relationships tend to dev elop and maintain negative perceptions of self, find life less satisfying. The usefulness of social support for dealing with illness has also been repeatedly shown, suggesting that a positive social environment encourages health and well- being whether or not stress is present. Social support is thus an important factor that may buffer the ill effects of stress on mental and physical health. 2.4 Lack of social support According to many researchers, the absence of social support is linked to various illness and poor quality of life in old age. Depression and loneliness are the most common in the elderly. Findings of depression and lack of social support are often interrelated due to the often inseparable nature of the two variables. There is also a clear link between chronic disease and depression, with those in nursing homes showing higher rates than those living in their own house. Depression as well as loneliness has been discussed by researchers and it was found that elderly people mostly suffer from these two major problems besides physical problems. The most firmly establishes link between of elderly parents and their psychological well-being in old age is that they basically suffer from loneliness and depression. Some research has shown that elderly individuals who have not maintained contact with family members are at a higher risk of developing depression, personality disorders and other c ognitive or behavioural issues. The physical as well as psychological state of the elderly parent is put at risk when he or she is not in contact with other individuals and especially the family. It is observed that if communication is done on a daily basis with family members, there is a better maintenance of the elderly psychological well-being as friends and family become often the sole support system for the elderly. According to American Geriatrics Society, depression can affect 40% of nursing homes residents in a given year which is often undiagnosed and untreated or treated as a normal component of ageing. A growing number of studies and articles have been published in that respect and shows how social support is beneficial to the elderly. For instance, there is a published thesis submitted in 2010 in Canada, titled Social support, loneliness and depression in the elderly. In this study, the association between loneliness and depressive symptoms was explored in 54 elderly residents living in both nursing and retirement homes out of 62 interviewed. The findings demonstrate that loneliness remained a significant risk factor for depressive symptoms, even after controlling other demographic variables such as age, gender, length of stay, time of interview and institution. This finding is consistent with a qualitative study by Barg et al. (2006), which suggests that loneliness in older adults is closely tied to depression. In this particular study, the author found that loneliness is easily mapped onto standard assessments of depression and hopelessness in the population, thus showing strong correlation between loneliness and depression. The Evaluation of depression in elderly people living in nursing homes, involving 35 people by Aribi L et al; publishes in October 2010 in Tunisia had for main aim to determine the prevalence of depression in old people living in a nursing home and to evaluate the degree of their autonomy. A descriptive and analytical survey was carried out on 35 old people at a nursing home in Sfax, Tunisia. The study was evaluated by using two scales specific to the geriatric practice: The scale of depression: GDS (geriatric depression Scale) applied to 30 items and the scale of autonomy: IADL (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living). Results were as such the examined population was composed of 35 people aged from 65 to 9, 51.4% of the residents were in a state of depression. Depression was more frequent in female subjects however (58.8% of women compared to 44.4% of men and it was concluded that depression in the elderly is related to several depressive factors particularly for patients living in institution. Anxiety and depression are thus very common in elderly living in nursing homes. Studies have shown a relatively low prevalence of anxiety disorders in older individuals but that among elderly, anxiety disorders occur two to seven times more often than depression problems. The rate of anxiety disorders may be even higher among elderly living at institutional settings. Another study which support that view is that of study Anxiety and Loneliness in Lone Elderly done by T.T.A Rahman which evaluated the prevalence of anxiety and depression in lone elderly living at their own homes and those going to geriatric clubs regularly or living at geriatric home. There was 164 lone elderly participants from geriatric clubs named group I and 168 lone elderly participants from geriatric homes, group II were included in this study. Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were used for detection of anxiety depression respectively. Results were as follow: The co-occurrence of anxie ty and depression is 34.1% 57.1% in group I and group II respectively, while depression is actually 22.0% 23.8% and anxiety is 2.4% 1.2% in group I group II respectively. Living at geriatric homes and age group 60 to 70 are independent risk factors for anxiety, depression or mixed anxiety and depression. It was concluded that lone elderly, living at institutional settings such as geriatric homes is an independent risk factor for anxiety, depression or mixed anxiety and depression. Mixed anxiety and depression is more prevalent than anxiety or depression per se. Another survey conducted by Agewell Research Advocacy Centre released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information recently, found that about one in four (26 per cent) seniors living in a residential care facility, such as a nursing home or long-term care home, had been diagnosed with depression. A further 18 per cent had symptoms of depression but had not been diagnosed. Many of these residents dealt with persistent anger, tearfulness and repetitive anxiety, yet had not received a diagnosis. The problem is a serious one because, as the researchers note, depression can have serious effects on a seniors medical condition, their emotional state and general quality of life as seniors with symptoms of depression are more likely to display aggressive behaviour and may be three times more likely to have sleep disturbances while having difficulty to communicate. Different factors can contribute to the development of a depressive disorder that may include feelings of hopelessness, self- blame and loneliness, possibly accompanied by physical symptoms such as poor sleep, decreased appetite and lack of energy, often leading to social withdrawal. The researchers note that there is a perception that depression is a natural part of aging. Thats because a number of factors associated with late-life, depression is common among older people, such as: illness, loss of family, friends, social support or independence. But they note that depression can shorten lives. In studies of the effects of depression on seniors, the odds of dying were 1.5 to 2 times greater in elderly people with depression compared to those without. According to  Himanshu Rath, Founder Chairman of Agewell Foundation,  Depression is quite common among many of the people, particularly in old age. It is a major social challenge that cannot and should not be ignored. However, to fight Depression in Old Age, both the suffering older persons and the family members need to join hands and work together to bring back the golden happy times, from a Survey on Depression in old age published in September 18, 2010. 2.4 Rationale of the study There are many researches as such that have examined the importance of single, close, personal relationship related to elderly people which put forward that family support acts as a buffer against psychological illness. Family support promotes higher morale and lower levels of loneliness and social isolation in old age. Older people who lack confidants report more psychological distress and higher rates of depression (Hays et al. 1998). It is thus true on one hand that relationship and especially with family is important for older adults as social isolation may be devastating especially in old age but on the other hand can social relationships have negative impacts on people? Although a great deal of research have focussed on the positive effects that social support can have on adults, recently researchers have urged greater attention to the negative side of informal relationships. Since Rook (1984) demonstrated that social relationships can adversely influence the psychological well -being of older adults, several investigators have examined the effects of both positive and negative social ties in later life. (Ingersoll-Dayton, Morgan Antonucci, 1997; Okun Keith, 1998). Furthermore, in considering that the closeness and mutually supportive relationships that many adult children and elderly parents share may make the latter happier than those who do not have children, research on this issue has consistently demonstrated that individuals who are childless are as happy and well-adjusted as are parents, even in the later years. As people who are sixty-five or older and do not have children are more likely to report advantages than disadvantages of childlessness. Individuals who have remained childless have been found to develop social networks that compensate for the absence of support from adult children in terms of friends as some studies suggest that friends are more important than family to morale and well-being of the elderly (OConner, 1995). A realatively p opular research topic has been the well-being and resources of childless elderly. It seems safe to conclude that these people are at least as happy as older parents, andthat they are able to find alternate sources of emotional and instrumental support for their need (Beckman Houser, 1882; Johnson Catalano, 1981; Keit, 1983; Kivett Learner, 1980). The research put forward that instead of presence or absence of children, factors such as marital status, health and economic well-being are more strongly linked to the morale and life satisfaction of the older people. As Hoff and Tesch- Romer ( 2007: 77) has described: the relative importance of family relations and family support in contemporary societies may have diminished, but as empirical findings of many studies into the subject have shown, family relations have remained a reliable and stable source of support. For the majority of elderly people, ties with their children represent the most important component of their family network and social support. Since ageing is becoming an important aspect in the Mauritian context and that many studies relating to old age and relationships have not been conducted at the local level, it deems to be important to infer about the contributions of family support to the older persons psychological well-being.

Teaching Philosophy :: Education Teachers Classroom Essays

Teaching Philosophy Teachers are the sculptors of every child’s future. No other job comes with the satisfaction of knowing that you have made at least the slightest difference in a child’s life. Little things that you say and do will always be remembered. Not only will you be a teacher but you will also play the role as, a friend, mentor, hero, and many others. As a teacher I plan to run my classroom with rules and consequences, but my students will realize that they are treated fairly. They will have a voice and say so concerning what goes on in the classroom. Seating arrangements will depend on classroom instructional activities. There will be lots of group activities, since most kindergarteners aren’t used to being around children their own age. The room will be bright and very colorful to keep their senses alert. My bulletin boards will display the calendar, colors, numbers, and the alphabet. They will include people from all cultures on them. I will have learning centers around the room that the students will be able to go to in their free time. These centers will teach the students to tie their shoes, button their clothes, cut out shapes, color in the lines, and other supplementary skills. My classroom will be run in a democratic fashion, which is pragmatism. The students will have lots of say so over the rules and the way the classroom is run. It will be child centered since the students will be the most important part of the classroom. They will have a voice and say so concerning what goes on in the classro om. These are examples of how I will use the existentialism philosophy. I will be a guide in the learning process of my students. I would establish a non-authoritarian classroom. I want my students to see me as their instructor, not their boss or authority figure. I will run a facilitating classroom with circle seating arrangements, student centered activities, problem solving, and reciprocal teaching. I feel as if I am a pragmatist and I will use the theory or progressivism to run my classroom.

Great Gatsby :: essays papers

Great Gatsby The great gatsby and the fall of the american dream. The book 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald was an 'icon of its time.' The book discusses topics that were important, controversial and interesting back in 1920's America. The novel is 'an exploration of the American Dream as it exists in a corrupt period of history.' The main themes in the book are the decay of morals and values and the frustration of a 'modern' society. The Great Gatsby describes the decay of the American Dream and the want for money and materialism. This novel also describes the gap between the rich and the poor (Gatsby and the Wilsons, West Egg and the Valley of the Ashes) by comparing the differences between the Western United States (traditional western culture) and the Eastern United States (money obsessed values). On a smaller scale this could be seen as the difference between the West Egg (the 'new, money) and the East egg (the 'old' money). The 1920's were a time of corruption and the degradation of moral values for the United States and many other countries. World War One had just ended and people were reveling in the materialism that came with the end of it, new mass produced commodities such as motor cars and radios were filling people's driveways and houses, money was more accessible (before the Great Depression). Cars were becoming a social symbol in the 1920s as we can see with Gatsby's five cars, one of which he gives to Nick and one of which kills Myrtle Wilson later on in the novel. Herbert Hoover (an American President) said in 1925 "We will root out poverty and put two cars in every garage." The parties that Gatsby held every week in the summer were a symbol of the carelessness of the time. Gatsby would hide in the house while the 'guests', most of whom were not even invited, would party, eat and drink until the early hours of the morning without even meeting the guest or even knowing who he was. People would turn up just to be seen or reported in the local newspapers "In his blue garden people came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne." This shows the carelessness of the guests. Another quote about the parties refers to the way the guests devour the endless supply of food and never give a thought as to who gave it to them. "Every Friday five crates of oranges and Lemons arrived from a fruiterer In New York- Every Monday these same oranges

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay examples -- Literary Analysis

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses Jim as the moral center of the story to depict the hardships, racial obstacles, and stereotypes that blacks endured during the era of American slavery. Dating back to the 1600’s and during the harsh cruelty of the American slave era comes the inspiring story of a black man in search of a new start. Among many other slaves, Jim is brought to an unjust, nefarious reality as he endures the oppression of racial discrimination. Throughout American history, many blacks grew up constantly bearing the unforgiving rancor of whites. A discriminating social system emerged, establishing white supremacy. Sadly, whites claimed superiority over any non-white and attacked many traits of these lower groups including their intelligence, roles in society and their emotions as human beings. In many parts of the story, Jim is viewed by the whites around him as a dullard. Jim seems to do whatever he is told with the notion that whites know best . Later Huck and Tom, both white children, devise a plan to rescue Jim from his capture. Although the two boys are significantly younger than Jim, the black slave chooses to listen to them because of the color of their skin: â€Å"Jim he couldn’t see no sense in the most of it, but he allowed [the boys were] white folks and knowed better than him† (Twain 188). During the slave era, the color white symbolized intelligence, a force to intimidate and control others. Jim’s statement reflects the insecurity that had been forged within him by the outside white force. He fails to understand the terms of the plan to set him free but understands that the immature children know what is best-- for they are white. Moreover, slavery forced blacks into many subordinate roles. S... ...ce of the times he has spent with them. At one point, Jim reflects on an incident when he has struck his child out of anger. After realizing the reason for her disobedience, her loss of hearing, he pleads to God, â€Å"de Lord God Amighty fogive po’ ole Jim, kaze he never qwyne to fogive hisself as long’s he live!† (Twain 118). He discovers â€Å"she was plumb deef en dumb†¦ en [he had] ben a-treat’n her so!† (Twain 118). With the sound of a distant whack, Jim is flooded with guilt and regret. He relates the sound to a past which he will never be able to forgive himself for. The once buried feelings for his family finally surface, vivified with a new sense of emotion for his loved ones. On the outside Jim is a slave, a black creature who endures the callous twists of life. Under his skin, however, he is a father, an honest and caring person and most importantly a human.

Gender and subject choice Essay

To carry out these interviews, I would take a sample of 20 sixth-formers, preferably within my own sixth-form to allow easier, speedier access and consisting equally of both males and females. In order to do this I would use quota sampling, this is a way in which variables can be controlled and the participants with similar characteristics are chosen, hence the overall sample can reflect the characteristics of the population as a whole. These samples would also preferably include students that had chosen to study any of the sciences, however particularly focusing on Biology. This sample would also take into account ethnic and class differences in order to allow me to differentiate between males and females according to different variables, providing sufficient extra data to measure gender against class roles and the intersections. Whilst this will provide qualitative clues as to subject choices by gender it will be limited in illustrating the impact of the learning environment and gender roles, as this would demand more ‘qualitative analysis’ such as that of Anne Colleys’. However, I would expect the results to be generalisable to a wider population. I will anchor these questions in previous research such as that of Anne Colley. Within the interviews, I am going to focus on Biology in particular when asking about the science/favourite subjects, etc. My reasons for doing this arise from the evidence that Science at GCSE level is more popular with males whereas at A-level it is more commonly chosen by females. I would begin the interviews with a number of open-ended questions, so as to give the participant a chance to provide me with worthy feedback, eg. â€Å"Why did you choose Biology? â€Å", and â€Å"What did you think of it ?(in comparison to GCSE level), etc. I would record the answers to these open questions as it would be time-consuming to write down many long answers, etc. This would enable me to extract a varied viewpoint on many different students perspectives of subject choice and preference. Then I would ask a series of closed-ended questions which will generally be more appropriate to achieve a table of results for clear comparisons to be made. These closed-ended questions would include similar questions to: â€Å"Do you think Biology is a girls subject?† and â€Å"Do you think Physics is a boys subject? â€Å", etc. Questions would be piloted on a small group of males and females to ensure its adequacy. This is in fact a small-scale preliminary study which will allow me to check that things will run smoothly during the interviews and also allow improvements to be made to the design of the research, should there be any faults. (471 words) Potential Problems As this is a such a small piece of research, it would a problem to generalise from it, especially to schools and pupils different from the sample, eg.ethnic minorities, private education, etc. It would give an idea of the reasons in which a particular small group of students chose their ‘A’ level subjects and their own individual reasons for doing so. However it could give a fair impression of reasons for subject choice in other cases, eg. similar circumstances to other pupils studying the same subjects etc. The usage of quota sampling does have both theoretical and practical drawbacks in some circumstances. It isn’t truly random as each person within the population doesn’t have an equal chance of being chosen. The lack of this genuine randomness may have a significant effect on the results. For example, the quota sample within my study would be only those illustrated on the biology class register, however the results may have more of an impact if a quota sample had been taken from all those who achieved a high grade at GCSE biology and were in fact considering going on to study it at a higher level, etc. There is of course, with my research an interviewer bias. As my opinions on the topic are set by doing the research, participants may be influenced by my asking of the questions and will therefore respond by giving a respectable answer as they may find the real truth embarrassing, eg. â€Å"I fancied a lad who was taking the course†. However I am similar in status to my chosen sample group, therefore they may wish to impress or please me by giving me answers that they think I ‘want’ to hear. Another problem may be the reliability of the interviewees memory, they aren’t currently making their choice and might not remember their thoughts on it at the time. Also during interviews, a crucial factor as a way of achieving a reliable outcome of the research is to not put ideas into the students head before having asked open-ended questions. For example, closed-ended questions especially may put forward ideas that weren’t there before and therefore mislead me about ‘their’ thoughts on the matter, etc.