Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Managing customer value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing customer value - Essay Example The company started its operations back in 1882 as a small tea shop in Dresden (Windsor, 2009). Teekanne has an outstanding performance in the European market and it has recently entered into the U.S. market. Actually, the U.S. market is going through a shift in food trends from junky food to healthier food. Teekanne has found it as the best opportunity to expand into the U.S. market. Although company has been able to generate a huge demand in the U.S. market for its herbal tea, still, the huge difference between the European and American consumers, create huge marketing challenges for the company. In consideration to the marketing challenges which Teekanne could face in the U.S. market, this company has been selected. Teekanne herbal teas are different from most of the other herbal teas brands because Teekanne teas are manufactured from 100 percent natural brands. The teas are specifically targeting the health conscious people by offering them no-additive sugars, artificial additives or preservatives and to match their healthy lifestyle (Teekanne). The primary features of the product include healthy body and mind and various natural and herbal flavors. Teekanne herbal tea provides both the flavor choices and functionality like energy and relaxation to mind and body. The following figure describes the product classification of different herbal teas of the company. These teas differ both in terms of their flavors and functionality. Nowadays, consumers ask for the taste of the product along with its functional performance, therefore, the combination of flavor and functionality of Teekanne herbal tea has made it popular among the Europeans. However, the company cannot use the same market strategies i n the United States market because of huge differences in what consumers think and how they behave. Strategy, as defined by Doyle, is the set of decisions which management take when it comes to allocate

Monday, October 28, 2019

Electroconvulsive Therapy Essay Example for Free

Electroconvulsive Therapy Essay Chapter 578 of the 14th Edition Texas Laws Relating to Mental Health and Mental Retardation discusses in length the circumstances in which application of the electroconvulsive therapy is allowed, or possible. In the United States, electroconvulsive therapy or ECT as it is commonly called is generally practiced only for the treatment of severe depression. And treatment may only be applied with expressed consent of the patient. Under no other circumstance can ECT be used other than what is prescribed. The Texas Law qualifies this expressed consent agreement by outlining the types of patients who may provide such consent. It also identifies which patients who are not eligible for such treatment at any given circumstance. The law further provides a thorough detailing of what this consent should include. The consent must clearly be communicated to the patient and the following agreed upon: the nature and purpose of the procedure; the degree, duration and probable side effects; opinions of efficacy of the procedure; probable improvement or remission expectations (www. heuniversityhospital. com). Only the presences of all these four (4) important points hold constitute the validity of the consent agreement to ECT. Federal Health Laws of the United States leave the legal obligation for accomplishment of this consent agreement to the doctors. It is the doctors who guarantee the awareness of patients to the requirements of the agreement. Historical Background of the Policy Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) or sometimes referred to as â€Å"electric shock treatment† (Hollander, 2000) has been in existence for over 60 years in the medical field. The use of this procedure however and the conditions surrounding the need for this treatment has improved in recent years. The procedure is used more for the treatment of severe depression (Hollander, 2000) but may also be considered as treatment for schizophrenia and other similar disorders. The first use of this procedure was in 1938 (The University Hospital, 2007) by the Italian Neurologist Ugo Cerletti, aptly aided by his assistant Lucio Bini. They used the electric shock to induce convulsion and subsequently treat mood disorders. However it was only in the 1970’s in which ECT became accepted and was finally recognized by the APA and NIMH as a viable therapeutic procedure. Even with the recognition by the APA and NIMH as having important medical value, there are a number of concerns surrounding the procedure. In fact, ECT is one of the most highly debatable medical procedures around. One of the biggest concerns is with regards to unrecoverable memory loss (Stevens, 2007) after treatment. This is the reason why the governing policy on ECT primarily focuses on the agreement of the patient to the procedure before undergoing such. Description of the Problem that Necessitated the Policy One of the biggest concerns with regards to the use of ECT as a medical treatment is its suitability for minors. For over 40 years the treatment was designed for adults who suffer mental disorders, particularly severe depression. The growing number of minors with similar disorders and because of unsubstantiated side-effects of the procedure prompted the design of the policy. Minors (Baldwin and Jones, 1998) need to be specifically identified as a no-treatment zone in this area. Description of the Policy Policies governing the use of electroconvulsive therapy as a legitimate medical procedure for mental disorders, specifically for the treatment of severe depression are designed to protect the patient. The Texas Law on this particular issue is the most popular reference to identify the implementing guidelines of ECT. The policy aims to concretize the circumstances surrounding the use of ECT. The requirements are absolute and explicit. It assures safety and protection of the patient and the doctor. As a whole the policy addresses the implementing questions that surround ECT. The pre-treatment requirements are clearly stated and easily understood. There is no way around the points of consideration, thus, proving to be well-established. However, the issue on ECT is not necessarily about the policy governing the treatment. Controversy (www. antipsychiatry. org) is focused on the viability of the treatment itself, which unfortunately, is not addressed by the policy. In fact many organization constantly fight against the use of the procedure even for severe depression, as it is commonly applied. The question on electroconvulsive therapy is more on its effectiveness as a medical procedure. Although there are a good number of documented successes of ECT, there also are a good number of disputes raised. Since the existing policy governing ECT focuses on its implementing guidelines, many disputes are not addressed. Comparative and International Analysis In March 2006, the United Kingdom made a bold move to revise (Ruthen, 2006) their existing policy on electroconvulsive therapy. The changes in the provisions include the strengthening of guideline to safeguard its practice (Ruthen, 2006). They also include the ethical considerations pertaining to safety and effectiveness. Through these provisions, the policy became more comprehensive. It increased the level of safety and security for those which the particular policy is designed. In contrast, the Texas Law as earlier discussed does not provide a clear stand on its effectiveness, efficiency, and safety. Without dealing with the ethical considerations of the procedure, the law merely provides a procedural guideline for implementation. The law neither provides basis for Government action apart from its role on instrumentation. Social Thought and Ideology There are two very contrasting social thoughts on ECT. The first is that electroconvulsive therapy is a highly effective medical procedure for mental disorders. It is safe and effective more particularly for the treatment of severe depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. This view highlights the credibility of the procedure and supports the existing policies for its implementation. In both the US Federal and Texas Laws, legal accountability is placed with the patient and the doctor. Because of substantiated success of the treatment over the course of more than 60 years, the policy is designed to provide implementing guidelines to safeguard its uses. In fact, the US Federal Law specifically states that it is the legal responsibility of the doctor to clarify all pre-treatment requirements with the patient. In no instance does Government interfere with the process. Medical decisions in this case are left between the two parties involved. The strongest evidence of Government involvement in the policy lies on the registration of equipment used in the procedure. On the other hand, the second school of thought questions the very validity of the procedure as a humane alternative to treat mental disorders. Many counterpoints are raised more precisely when it comes to its ethical considerations. This point of view questions the very role of Government in safeguarding the use of this procedure. The existing policy simply does not justify the existence of unsubstantiated side effects, most particularly that of memory loss after treatment. Those who support this view believe that in the more than 60 year history of ECT, there are still so many unanswered concerns surrounding the procedure. Considering this like any other medical solution simply reduces the opportunity to scrutinize the side effects more in-depth. However contradicting the two schools of thought in this matter, there are still points both agree upon. One of these points and probably the most important is that both sides acknowledge the unsuitability of the procedure for minors. The policy was designed to make sure that the protection of minors from this procedure is absolute, not withstanding the otherwise underlying differences in the two schools of thoughts. What Dynamics and Patterns of US Social Policy are Evident in the Policy? Historically (Amenta, Bonastia, and Caren, 2001) the US Social Policy has always been the subjected of much heated debates among policy makers. The major areas that cause quite a stir are in health care, welfare, social services, and employment. There have been many attempts to revise social policies but have failed. In other words, patterns and dynamics of social policies have remained constant for many years. The longstanding debates on social policies (Weir, Orloff, and Skocpol, 1988) affect the progression of other policies. One such policy is that which addresses the mental health care, more specifically the use of electroconvulsive therapy in treating mental disorders. In as much as the social policies go through quite a scrutiny, provisions that deal with ECT are equally scrutinized. The laws that govern the use of ECT do not even state the relevance of this procedure to social welfare or any other social policy. Even though ECT is recognized as a legitimate means to treat mental disorder, there remains indifference on how far Government would go to subsidize this procedure. Conclusion Electroconvulsive therapy is a recognized treatment procedure for mental disorders by both the American Psychological Association and the National Institute of Mental Health. Its more than 60 year track record documents numerous success. In fact, it has gained even greater momentum in recent times. While there is much acclaim for the procedure, there is also much concern. The questions on side effects have not been thoroughly addressed. Policies that govern the procedure do not provide enough assurance of its safety and efficiency. There is a constant fear of other unknown side effects materializing. And with the brain being a highly susceptible mass, there is no guarantee to its long standing recovery effects. The Texas Law does provide a sense of comfort by somehow solidifying pre-treatment requirements. However, after all these requirements have been accomplished, there are no subsequent provisions that address the other important considerations. Apart from the weaknesses in policy there is the constant nagging of unanswered ethical considerations. Even with the numerous reassurances that the procedure is with expressed consent, there is still the question of how humanely applicable is the entire procedure. The policy simply puts accountability to the patient itself. It does not actually define the surrounding qualifications of the entire process. It is therefore inferred that the Texas Laws, although having the beginnings of a solid reference to protect those who undergo ECT still need a great deal of work. It does not matter if it has been the reference of many similar policies. There are important issues about ECT that are not properly addressed, or even considered. True, that with the present policies governing ECT it is always the patient’s choice. Never the less, it is the responsibility of policy makers to provide for informed choices. The human brain is far too important for simple assumptions.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Return of the Jedi :: essays research papers

The Return of the Jedi So far this semester, we have studied several different sociological theories of religion. These theories are built on both the known history of religions in the world and the cultures in which they originated, as well as, appropriately enough, theoretical suggestions of how those religions, and indeed any religion at all, will survive in the future. The theory I find the most true is Stark and Bainbridge's in The Future of Religion, although I like some elements from others, like Berger's concepts of reification and secularization. George Lucas's Star Wars trilogy, apart from being incredibly entertaining and extremely well-made, gives us a complete portrait of a society (The Empire) and a religion (Jediism, for lack of a better term). Although the movies are mostly devoted to the growth of the characters, throughout the trilogy we see the society change in a drastic manner. This paper will examine the history of Jediism, the current (as of the end of the last movie) status of the religion, and offer some suggestions as to what we can expect from Jediism in the future. I. The Religion To examine the future of religion as it relates to society, one must first have an idea of the tenets and beliefs on which the religion is based. Jediism is based solely on belief in the "force", a "Universal energy field that surrounds us and permeates us". (O. Kenobi, SW) Stark and Bainbridge make the point that any religion based on magic or magic-like rituals is fated to die out unless the magic can work constantly and consistently. This, they argue, is why many religions change from promising magic, which is quite verifiable (Did he, in fact, levitate?) to promising compensators, a sort of unverifiable magic. A good example of this is the Christian Heaven. Stark and Bainbridge take it as a given, however, that magic, or abilities that parallel magic, do not, in fact, exist. This makes an attempt to theorize about the future of Jediism more difficult, since the religion is based, in part, on the belief that oneness with the "force" has the ability to confer extraordinary powers to individuals-- a belief than is vindicated numerous times throughout the series. The internal organization of the religion is, apparently, entirely nonexistant. There is no leader, nor is there any defined structure. Much like classical Taoism, various masters exist, and students and supplicants must seek out a master on their own in order to learn. There is no hierarchy to advance in, other than the ability to eventually hone one's faith to a degree that one can

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Cyber-terrorism Essay -- cyber attacks, 2015

"It is now clear that cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation," President Obama has said in one of his addresses to the nation. He would go on the say that "We know that cyber intruders have probed our electrical grid, and that in other countries cyber attacks have plunged entire cities into darkness." (Net Security.org, 2009) When the president of the United States puts this much emphasis into a subject it shows how important it is and how big of an impact it could have on the nation. The United States is very dependent on digital networks due to the fact that almost everything is controlled by computers. Terrorist organizations and hostile countries are aware of this and an attack on our networks could be crippling to our economy. It would bring the most powerful and influential nation to a standstill. This is why president Obama has expressed the need for increased security measures because a cyber war is a reality tha t could happen soon that we must be prepared for. When a person thinks of the different types of warfare they would probably think of the more common types seen in the past wars like guerilla warfare, chemical warfare, and biological warfare. But in the present day and age a new warfare has emerged. It is the cyber warfare. This type of warfare is when an outside power may chose to attack the network or power grid with means of harmful intent. An example of this can be seen when hackers released a series of cyber attacks on Brazil’s power grid and left cities and parts of the country powerless for up to a few days. In result to this, Brazil lost millions upon millions of dollars and its economy was at a standstill. An incident that happened to the United States that helped make the security of networks front and center was in 2007 when the theft of terabytes of information was taken from the Department of Defense, The Department of State, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Energy and Nasa because of a breach in by a foreign power. This followed by another intrusion of the CENTCOM network which is used by the Department of Defense to relay information for actions in the wars America is currently in. This attack was believed to be a backdoor attack through corrupted memory sticks and thumbnail drives. Foreign powers that staged this attack were able to see and in... ...f the Center for Strategic and International Studies summed up the United States and its stance on cyber wars as this: "We have, at best, a few years to get our defenses in order, to build robustness and resiliency into networks and critical infrastructure, and to modernize our laws to allow for adequate security. Our current defenses are inadequate to repel the attacks of a sophisticated opponent. The United States is far more dependent on digital networks than its opponents and this asymmetric vulnerability means that the United States would come out worse in any cyber exchange." (Net Security.org, 2009) Works Cited cbsnews.com. (2009, November 8). Cyber War: Sabotaging the System. Retrieved February 11, 2010, from 60 Minutes: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/06/60minutes/main5555565.shtml Net Security.org. (2009, November 09). Cyber war is coming, the impact could be huge. Retrieved February 11, 2010, from Help Net Security: http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=8484 Net Security.org. (2009, October 27). Serious cyber attacks on the horizon. Retrieved February 11, 2010, from Help Net Security: http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=8439

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Product Lyfe Cylce of Iphone Essay

In class we learned about product life cycles and how the product life cycle tells us how the product is doing in the market. A product goes through four stages in the product life cycle and they are introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. In the introduction stage the company promotes the product in order to create awareness. In the growth stage the sales and profits increase. In the maturity stage most of the profit is earned during this stage and competitors are established. In the decline stage the sales decline and profits also go down. During this stage the company could decide to cut off the product as well. The IPhone 4s is currently in the maturity stage and there are many competitors that the IPhone has to deal with right now. Just to name a few Samsung Galaxy S II HD, Galaxy Note, HTC Sensation 4G, and Motorola Droid. In the current stage Apple has to deal with all the competitors that I’ve listed and the market share is going down along with profits. The reason why I say that is because when it comes to technology people want to buy the latest thing and if Apple isn’t changing there phone or software for the phone then they are going to lose customers due to new technology and software on the other phones. When the IPhone first came out it was always in the growth stage because it didn’t have any competitors and the sales were always going up because everyone wanted one. But that didn’t last because competitors came out with touch screen phone that were cheaper then the IPhone. And as of right now the first IPhone is the decline stage because they no longer make them and no software updates are available as well. For the IPhone 4S to stay in the maturity it must come out with a software update. Apple is currently working on IOS 6 which is coming this fall and its going to have features that will make it easier for people who have disabilities to use the devices. Another app that got updated was Maps, which will now give you turn-by-turn spoken directions, interactive 3D view, and a new flyover feature will allow you to see major metro areas from an airplane. It will also have another new app called Passbook that will store your boarding passes, movie tickets, retail coupons, loyalty cards in your phone. Also new calling feature that will let you reply with a text message or set a callback reminder when you decline a call. And there are many other features that are going to be new or improved in IOS 6, which will set up  the IPhone 4S to continue to be on the maturity stage. Another thing they could do in order to stay in the maturity stage is reduce the price of the IPhone 4S which will increase sales and profit.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

guns and control essays

guns and control essays GUN CONTROLGun Control can be called the 'acid test' of liberalism. All true liberals must favor stricter gun controls. After all, doesn't the United States have the most heavily armed population on the earth? Are we not the world's most violent people? Surely these facts must be at least casually connected. Therefore the apparently desperate need to "do something" about the vast quantity of firearms and firearms abuse is obvious.Guns are employed in an enormous number of crimes in this country. In other countries with stricter gun laws, gun crimes are rare. Many of the firearms involved in crime are cheap handguns, so-called Saturday Night Specials for which there is no legitimate use or need. The public is polarized on the issue of gun control, Anti-gun control activists believe that it is each and every American's individual right to bear arms. After all, the Second Amendment to the Constitution states that:A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.Advocates of gun control say that even with 20,000 gun control laws already in existence, the serious problems due to firearm misuse continue. Obviously, the controls that have been designed have not been sufficiently effective. Therefore the pro-gun controllers argue, we need more uniform legislation, more extensive gun controls, and effective enforcement. Various pro-gun control organizations disagree on methods of gun control needed. For example, there are individuals who would ban all handguns' as well as those who take a less radical stand and who would simply increase the controls on firearms. The moderate gun control groups propose measures such as requiring an individual to successfully complete a firearms safety course before being allowed to possess a gun, or to wait for a mandatory period of time before taking possession of a gun.Today, there are approximately 20,000 differe...

Monday, October 21, 2019

How to write a retail management resume (with examples)

How to write a retail management resume (with examples) If you’ve dipped your toe in the retail world  and found that it might be the best long-term choice for you, congratulations! Once you put in your time as an associate and start to rise through the ranks, it can be a great career path. (And if you have the patience and steely personality to deal with whatever the public throws your way, you’re extra equipped.) But once you’ve made the decision to continue along the retail advancement path, it’s important to put together the best possible application package- including your resume. Let’s look at three different retail management candidate resumes, starting with Joe, who’s seeking an assistant management position to start rising through the ranks.Joe Chung1212 Elm StreetHartford, CT 87878(111) 555-6666JChung145@emaildomain.comExperienced retail associate looking to bring increasing leadership and strong customer service focus to an assistant manager position at Big Box Store.Key SkillsTeam le adership and motivationCustomer serviceCreative marketing and merchandisingManaging POS softwareUsing innovative inventory and merchandise tracking methods to reduce loss and increase accuracyTraining and encouraging team membersWork ExperienceSenior Sales Associate                                                                                          June 2014 – presentBig Sports Inc.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hartford, CTCo-managed a staff of 15 associates at a large sporting goods store.Coached and motivated team members to maximize performance to meet sales goals set by senior management.Excelled in sales and custo mer service role, most recently meeting 110% of 2016’s in-store sales goal.Interacted with customers on a daily basis with highly positive feedback.Recruited and interviewed new employees for the store.Coordinated weekly merchandise floor moves to advertise new promotions and products.Singled out as â€Å"employee of the month† three times from 2014 – present.Promoted from entry-level position with increasing levels of responsibility.Retail Sales Associate                                                                      February 2012 – June 2014Bullseye Stores  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   East Hartford, CTProvided top-notch customer services as a retail associate at a lar ge sporting goods store.Provided enthusiastic, courteous service to all customers.Conducted cash and credit transactions to complete customer purchases, and balanced drawer at the end of each shift.Worked with customers to improve their shopping experience, including making educated product recommendations.Assisted in stocking, inventory, merchandising design, and implementation.Customer Service Representative                                     January 2011 – February 2012Crane and Sons Hardware  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hartford, CTServed as customer service ambassador for a small hardware store chain.Helped customers troubleshoot product queries or service requests, specializing in complex customer issues.Served as an escalation point for customer feedback and complaints.Managed custome r inquiries via phone, instant messaging platform, and social media.Worked to develop and maintain the company brand with customers, as well as build customer loyalty.EducationGrover Cleveland College, Hartford, CTAssociate’s degree in Business Administration, 2016download this resume in ms wordAs someone who has retail experience but wants to move up, Joe’s resume needs to walk a fine line between experience and skills. To that end, he puts his top managerial skills up top, and follows them with his experience. He only has a few years of retail under his belt, but he makes sure to showcase how his skills and responsibilities have grown and developed in his time as a sales associate. Again, he wants to emphasize that he’s ready for more, so instead of including a laundry list of his tasks as an associate, he lists points that emphasize the skills he listed in the first section of the resume.Next up is Annie, who is already a store manager, and wants to move to a job at the corporate level.Annie Frankenstein2009 Bergen StreetChicago, IL 12121111-222-3333AFrankenstein@emaildomain.comTop-performing retail sales manager with more than ten years of experience, known for excellent customer service and teamwork, seeking to leverage experience and leadership skills into a talent development and retention role with Fab Beauty, Inc.KEY SKILLSProven track record of mobilizing team members to increase salesCommitment to store branding and messagingDesigning and implementing team-building exercises to maximize employee retention and satisfactionFocusing on how to best meet customer needs, and working with team members to provide a high-quality customer experienceCreative merchandisingBilingual customer service (English and Spanish)Loss prevention expertiseExcellent communication skillsRETAIL EXPERIENCEChloe Vanderhoot, Chicago, ILNational designer retail clothing storeStore Manager, April 2013 – presentHire, train, and motivate team members who consistently meet and exceed sales goals set by senior management.Increased in-store sales an average of 8% per quarter in one year by redesigning displays, improving signage, and enhancing customer service.Implemented a security program that decreased store losses by more than 10% over the past three years.Design and implement in-store displays to maximize customer traffic and retention.Accurately and efficiently manage store inventory processes.Perform store opening and closing procedures.Retail Sales Associate, June 2008 – April 2013Provided proactive, courteous customer service.Conducted cash and credit transactions to complete customer purchases, and balanced drawer at the end of each shift.Processed returns and handled customer feedback.Assisted in stocking, inventory, display design and implementation, and store opening/closing processes.ACCOMPLISHMENTS/AWARDSConsistently received â€Å"excellent† ratings on annual performance reviews and customer surveys.Won Ch loe Vanderhoot’s Associate of the Month award (March 2013)EDUCATIONMemorial High School, Evanston, IL:  High School DiplomaTECHNOLOGY SKILLSMS Word and ExcelPOS softwareGraphic design programs (InDesign, Adobe Illustrator)download this resume in ms wordAnnie wants to convey a very particular message with her resume- specifically, that she is committed to developing and keeping team members, while increasing productivity and keeping corporate goals in mind. Because she’s seeking a job where she’d be out of the store and working with team members, that’s where she puts her focus- rather than all the minutiae of managing a retail store. Her skills are featured prominently to show where her priorities are before going into her work experience. She may have older jobs that are not relevant to her current employment priorities, so she makes sure to label her â€Å"experience† section as retail-specific. This tells the reader there may be other jobs in her history, which can explain in an interview. Another option would be to include an â€Å"Other Work Experience† section at the end and briefly listing previous jobs. However, because Annie is tailoring her resume for a specific job opening, she wants to include only the most relevant information.Last but not least, we have Lee, a retail associate who wants to become a buyer for her store.Lee Smith14 Bay Park DriveNew Paltz, NY, 90909(222)222-2222LSmith@emaildomain.comSAVVY TREND-SPOTTER, MANAGER, AND BRAND BUILDERSUMMARYTrack record of increasing sales of particular productsAbility to work with customers and data to determine which products will sellStrong eye for detail and quality to provide customers with the best products and experiencesExperienced retail professional focused on customer outcomes and company goalsWORK EXPERIENCEHome ExpertsStore Manager8/2010 – presentManage daily operations for the Westchester County location of the national home goods departme nt store, responsible for more than $13 million in annual revenue.Creatively design store displays to maximize visibility and customer interaction, particularly for holidays and special in-store sales.Manage merchandise selections for store weekly promotions.Make decisions about inventory and merchandising, to align with larger sales goals set by corporate HQ.Hire, train, and develop talent at every level in the store.Field customer service issues, and work with both customers and team members to resolve.Manage complex inventory with great accuracy and an unfailing attention to detail.Bed, Bath, WhateverRetail Merchandising Associate2/2007 – 7/2010Contributed to team sales by placing merchandise for maximum visual impact.Worked with managers to determine and meet sales goals.Continuously maintained and revamped merchandise placement.Maintained cleanliness and organization of my sales areas.Managed unloading and placement of merchandise, with attention to displays and best pr actices.Monitored sale and price promotions.Performed detailed inventory.SKILLSSuperior organizational skillsBudget forecasting and implementationStrong customer focusInventory managementIntuitive people skillsEDUCATIONBrody CollegeBachelor’s Degree, Retail Merchandising (in process; expected completion Summer 2018)College of New YorkAssociate’s Degree, Fashion Merchandisingdownload this resume in ms wordLee creates a narrative for her resume by using a bold, to-the-point headline, followed by a resume summary. This lets her show the points about her career that she most wants the reader to understand, followed up by experience bullet points that support them. In her resume, there are two main themes: her ability to manage products and use her skills and merchandising experience to increase sales and match what customers want. There are no irrelevant jobs included in her resume, and every section of it supports her goal of moving into a management-level buyer position.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Make Sure Your Website Gets an F

Make Sure Your Website Gets an F Make Sure Your Website Gets an F Make Sure Your Website Gets an F By Mark Nichol Do you have your own blog or Web site, or are you responsible for the site of another individual or an organization or company? If so, remember that the medium is (also) the message how the information is presented affects how it is received. So, to help site visitors engage with your content, consider the F not the letter f, but the online-design principle of the F-shaped pattern. One way people who study engagement with online content measure that engagement is by eye tracking: observing the eye movements of test subjects as they navigate within and between pages on a Web site. Research results have shown that most site visitors scan Web sites with eye movements roughly corresponding to the F shape. Because Western culture is, well, acculturated to engaging in text-based visual stimuli from the top left of a piece of content, Web designers have learned to put the most important visual information in that position on a Web page. (Quick what do you see at the top left of this page? That’s right, the logo form of the site name its brand.) And because readers of English (and all other Indo-European languages) read from left to right, it is natural for our eyes to move to the right from our first point of reference. That means that usually, our first eye-tracking movement is a line like the top horizontal line in the uppercase version of the letter f. Then, accustomed as we are to return to the left margin of a page, we backtrack horizontally or return diagonally to that location (as opposed to reading boustrophedon, or in a zigzag pattern). At this point, we skim from left to right again, as if forming with the movement of our eyes the letter f’s second horizontal element. A snapshot of an eye-tracking study (which often employs heat-mapping technology and connect-the-dots lines to record the ocular oscillations) may show multiple horizontal sweeps, but these lines generally extend less and less as the eyes travel downward, and a vertical line along or near the left margin of the page is also an almost invariable artifact of such studies, demonstrating that many site visitors scan down the page at about the same short distance from the margin. Variations occur, of course, especially when the page designer incorporates an arresting textual or illustrative element elsewhere on the page, but the F shape is the default setting for displaying written content online. (This pattern doesn’t necessarily apply when the home page features a block of text, but it’s typical on home pages dominated by a table of contents or a directory.) The take-away: As you’ll see from studying this site and many others, the F-shaped presentation of content is a pervasive and persuasive scheme of organization. There’s more to it than that, of course and I’ll share more tips in subsequent posts but this outline starts not with a, but with f. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, WhetherLatin Words and Expressions: All You Need to KnowHow to Treat Names of Groups and Organizations

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Understanding the Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Understanding the Concepts - Essay Example A negative NPV means that the investment has limited chances of accessing its investment capital. NPV is the best approach that an investor can use to determine whether a certain project will be profitable or not. The payback rule is a method that tells the investor the amount of time that a project will take before it recaptures the cost of investment. This does not take into account the time value of money. In addition, cash inflows after the investment cost is recovered are not considered. Moreover, the value the project will offer to the shareholders is not considered when using payback rule (Rudolf, 2008). When comparing NPV and payback rule it has to be noted that NPV takes into consideration assessing of new investments and comparing them with the other investment alternatives. At the end of the day, the investment that presents the highest net present value is the one that the investor has to go for. This will ensure that the investor gets the highest return from the project. Net present value method is an easy process that presents straightforward explanation of the investment capital value because it expresses it in monetary units. Another advantage is the possibility of adapting the discount rates for different periods. The investment with the highest NPV is what is most preferred by any investor who wants to stay in the competitive world of business. NPV offers an easy way of interpreting investment because it assigns monetary units on the capital value (Rudolf, 2008). On the other hand, payback rule gives the time that an investment will get back the invested capital without assigning any monetary units to the capital. The investment that offers the shortest payback time is the most preferred by the investors. Comparison of alternatives is possible when using the payback rule because it is used to assess the risks of the investment. This method is highly applicable in large companies, which do

Friday, October 18, 2019

Similarities and differences between Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte Research Paper

Similarities and differences between Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte - Research Paper Example Although these two were surrealists, they have several differences and similarities. The two are referred to as the representational surrealism’s masters. Everyone made use of his own way to make his work more impressing to the viewer. Rene Magritte’s painting work has a lot to talk about the sense of reality, the real things, and those that are not real. Rene Magritte used painting just as a tool or symbol to illustrate at least his views about the everyday world, and how painting relates to the world. On the other hand, Salvador Dali never dealt with the types of ideas relied on by Rene Magritte. Large piece of Salvador’s work tends to link with his struggle with the sexual power and symbols. The use of symbolism in his painting is the self-made idea or a sense of the outside world. Therefore, the simple landscape painting that symbolizes that landscape turn into a highly complex observation of his inner work of the mind, and the relationship that exists between reality and imagery. Rene Magritte insists that, the inner working of our minds is similar to the real outside happenings. This ring to be true comparing to the way both neuroscientists and psychologists have to conclude about the form in which our mind works. On the other hand, Salvador Dali never dealt with the types of ideas Rene Magritte relied on. Large piece of Salvador’s work tends to link with his struggle with the sexual power and symbols. Comparing the two artists, Salvador Dali highly concerted with symbolism and imagery of what his dreams comprised and fantasies.

Professionalization of modern sport For Profit or Glory Coursework

Professionalization of modern sport For Profit or Glory - Coursework Example This has led to more time for the people to attend and followed spectator sports. With the advent of mass media in the contemporary world, these trends continued progressing at a faster rate leading to professionalism in sports. Today, professionalism in sports has become prevalent. This has further increased the popularity of sports as the fans of the sports begin following the exploits of professionals athletes. This happens through mass media, all while enjoying the exercise and the competition that is mostly associated with the amateurs participating in sports. The development of today’s football is closely related to the industrialization process. Most of the Britain’s new working class inhabitants of the industrial towns and cities are seeking fresh forms of enjoying leisure collectively. In addition, the increase in the levels of adult literacy has also spurred the mass media to cover sports that are organized such as football. The popularity of football has played a huge role in eroding the public interest in other sports like cricket (Szymanski 1998). The issue of professionalism in football reached a crisis in England in the year 1884 when football association (FA) expelled two clubs for using players who were professionals. However, players receiving wages had become a common thing by then that the FA had no powered but to sanction the practice a year later. With the growing influence of the players who were working, the upper classes were forced to seek refuge in other sports. With modernization, professionalism in football was inevitable. This led to the establishment of a football league that led to the competition among several teams. During this time, several clubs in England were owned and controlled by businessmen but the shareholders were receiving low dividends if any. Their main reward was only enhanced by the status of the public through running of the local clubs

Thursday, October 17, 2019

1968.The Year that Rocked the World (History Essay) Essay

1968.The Year that Rocked the World (History ) - Essay Example It was a year dominated by negative news ranging from the arrests of prominent people like Dr. Benjamin Spock and other anti-war activists for violating military draft laws, the capture of an American intelligence ship (U.S.S. Pueblo and imprisonment of its crews for eleven months), and the assassination of Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King in Memphis. The benefit of hindsight can determine it was indeed a bad year such that political activist, critic, and commentator Tomas Emmet Hayden remarked â€Å"it was fitting that such a bad year would end with the election of Richard Nixon† (Kurlansky 366). His march to the presidency began in February 1968 when he entered the New Hampshire primary to declare his candidacy and eventually won only narrowly over his opponents. He promised to unite the nation but was a divisive figure and the first U.S. president in history to resign his office due to Watergate. Discussion However, there was one event which shocked everybody in America and everyone in the world. This was the My Lai Massacre in which American ground troops from the Charlie Company rampaged through a Vietnamese village in retaliation for guerrilla attacks and killed more than 500 helpless civilians (South Kingstown High School 1). This was not known for more than a year but its significance was it made America lose its moral high ground.

How can tax cuts help revive the economy Explain Essay

How can tax cuts help revive the economy Explain - Essay Example Pertaining to the reduction of the gap and to take the economy out of the crisis, the package of fiscal stimulus was observed as an effective way-out for the economy. The planning of the government within the economy was not held effective enough in mitigating the problem of economic crisis. According to the plan of the US government, the amount of public spending consisted in the policy towards enhancing multiplier effect through discretionary fiscal policy was merely about 480 billion Dollars. This amount has a multiplier of about 1.5 which means government spending of each Dollar would increase the GDP of the economy by 1.5 Dollar (Shostak, 2009). With regard to the less reliance on the natural forces in the economy, successful management of the government is essential in line with the inducement of individuals’ spending within the economy. Tax cuts act as an economic booster during the times of recession when generally people decrease their level of spending in order to fi ght with the economic crisis. Tax cuts can be termed as an important aspect of the expansionary fiscal policy of the government and it helps to a greater extent in strengthening the aggregate demand within the economy and thus eliminate the slump resulted due to the economic crisis.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

1968.The Year that Rocked the World (History Essay) Essay

1968.The Year that Rocked the World (History ) - Essay Example It was a year dominated by negative news ranging from the arrests of prominent people like Dr. Benjamin Spock and other anti-war activists for violating military draft laws, the capture of an American intelligence ship (U.S.S. Pueblo and imprisonment of its crews for eleven months), and the assassination of Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King in Memphis. The benefit of hindsight can determine it was indeed a bad year such that political activist, critic, and commentator Tomas Emmet Hayden remarked â€Å"it was fitting that such a bad year would end with the election of Richard Nixon† (Kurlansky 366). His march to the presidency began in February 1968 when he entered the New Hampshire primary to declare his candidacy and eventually won only narrowly over his opponents. He promised to unite the nation but was a divisive figure and the first U.S. president in history to resign his office due to Watergate. Discussion However, there was one event which shocked everybody in America and everyone in the world. This was the My Lai Massacre in which American ground troops from the Charlie Company rampaged through a Vietnamese village in retaliation for guerrilla attacks and killed more than 500 helpless civilians (South Kingstown High School 1). This was not known for more than a year but its significance was it made America lose its moral high ground.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Diabetes type 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Diabetes type 2 - Essay Example inactivity, fat distribution (excess fat in the abdomen), age (above 45 years), race (African Americans, Asian Americans and Latinos among other natives), pregnancy and prediabetes (higher than normal blood sugar level). This paper will discuss two treatment methods of diabetes type 2 and the professionals involved in these treatments. With over 2.9 million of UK population being diagnosed with diabetes, and there being no cure for diabetes, an effective treatment plan is necessary and which should be followed. The two common methods of treatment of this disease are monitoring the blood sugar level and using medication. The first treatment method is the use of medication. This treatment method is mainly for those who cannot maintain a reduced blood sugar level or their condition has advanced. Some of the diabetes medications prescribed includes metformin (which is aimed at lowering production of glucose in the liver), glipizide (aimed at stimulating the pancreas to release more insulin) or acarbose (that prevents enzymes from breaking down carbohydrates in the intestines). Other than these medications, there is also insulin therapy which is administered through injection and its advantages is that it works rapidly and lasts longer (Spencer and Hughes, 2005). Monitoring of the blood sugar level requires a change in the lifestyle (as some of the risk factors are associated with lifestyle). This will require the diabetes patient to constantly exercise to burn off excessive weight around the abdomen area and in order to also reduce weight generally for those considered obese when a BMI (body mass index) is conducted. Healthy eating is also required which means eating foods high in fibre like whole grains, plenty of fruits and vegetables. A reduction in the intake of carbohydrates, sweets and animal products in general is also one of the treatment plans. It is also important to lay off stress or factors causing or perpetuating stress as well as reducing alcohol

Blue Print for Personal and Professional Growth Essay Example for Free

Blue Print for Personal and Professional Growth Essay This course has provided me with a multitude of tools, and it has definitely taught me to put careful thought into every situation as it pertains to change; whether it relates to work, school, or things that are going on in my personal life. These tools are both important and necessary in order to become an effective manager in the future. This course has taught me a lot in terms of initiating and managing change, and Kotter’s eight-stage process is a very useful approach when it comes to making changes within an organization. This course has helped me strengthen my skills in overcoming barriers that tend to get and make it difficult to keep up with the change process. For me, the most interesting part of the course was learning about how today’s organizations are constantly evolving to accommodate change and learning about the tools that are required in order to work through those barriers that are known to effect efficient and positive change within organizations. To become an effective change advocate, it will be important for me to understand that although the change process can become somewhat difficult, it is possible when the necessary steps are applied to the change process. In addition to believing that change is possible, it is also important to carefully plan for change to assure that the process has been carefully thought out before attempting to apply changes within an organization. Being creative and motivated will also help me to become an effective change advocate as being creative will allow me to step outside of my comfort zone and think outside of the box while being motivated will help build momentum among myself and my employees as well as trust. Being creative will also give me the courage to take risks. Finally, to become an effective change advocate, it will be important for me to be flexible when it comes to change so that I will be able to adjust to any unforeseen circumstances that may arise. Leadership for Change: Enduring Skills for Change Masters Upon reviewing Kanter’s Article, â€Å"Leadership for Change: Enduring Skills for Change Master’s†, I found that of the seven skills described by Kanter, one area of weakness is skill #1: Sensing Needs and Opportunities: Tuning in to the Environment. As the author states, â€Å"Innovation begins with someone being aware enough to sense a new need† (Kanter, 2003). Being a person who has always struggled with adapting to new things, I would definitely benefit from strengthening this skill so that I am equipped with the necessary tools that will allow me to sense when there is a need for change as well as being able to identify the gaps between what is and what could be. Another weak area for me is skill #4: Enlisting Backers and Supporters: Getting Buy-Ins, Building Coalitions†. Strengthening this skill will allow me to bring on board the right people who are needed to help successfully implement the change as having too many people involved with the process could cause a delay in the implementation of the change, or could result in failure. This will require me to communicate my vision in order to find out who is receptive of the change and who is resistant as well ask finding out exactly who I will need to help with the change process. In order to further strengthen my management skills, I will continue with my program at Walden University until I have earned a Master’s degree in the field of management. This program will prepare me to successfully manage my employees and projects as well as how to face some of the critical challenges that exist in today’s society. I will also refer to the tools that have been provided to me in this course as I am sure they will serve as a guide in my quest to enter into the management arena as well as my personal life when change becomes necessary. When it comes to change, it is important to be able to determine both the reason for the change and why it is necessary. I will use the skills that I’ve gained in this course by applying them to changes that take place in my personal life and in my professional life, when applicable. When I am involved in the change process, I will make sure to follow Kotter’s eight-stage process to ensure that the change is implemented successfully and will little or no interferences.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Effectiveness Of Antibacterial Antimicrobial Soaps

Effectiveness Of Antibacterial Antimicrobial Soaps Antibacterial soaps and detergents and their effectiveness has been the focus of attention in recent studies. Various individuals have questioned their added advantage over washing with plain soap and water. This research was therefore carried out to determine the effectiveness of these antibacterial / antimicrobial soaps. From the past studies, washing with antibacterial soaps has been found not to be clinically different from washing with plain soap and water. Most studies showed that the reduction in bacterial infection when antibacterial soaps are used was not statistically different to the reduction when plain soap and water were used. Furthermore, the chemical components of antibacterial soaps were found to increase bacterial resistance to antibiotics. This will lead to clinically important antibiotics being rendered useless and antibacterial infection will be more difficult to treat. This has already been experienced with MRSA infection. Introduction To prevent possible body infection and contamination of food and drinks with pathogenic microflora, scientists and industries came up with cleaning products that can destroy the bacteria. These products destroy both the bacteria and other microbes with an exception of viruses. The antimicrobial action is due to the presence of antimicrobial chemicals added to the products. They are several in number including chemicals like triclosan, triclocarban and tetrasodium EDTA. Recently, various individuals and bodies have argued that antibacterial detergents offer no added advantage over plain soap in preventing bacterial contamination and infection. Furthermore, it has been argued that the adverse effects of the antibacterial detergents and soaps out weigh their benefits. Some of the negative effects of antibacterial soaps and detergents have been stated as possible increased bacterial resistance to the chemicals leading to super bugs and pollution of agricultural soils and water bodies. Review of the studies in this field is therefore important to indicate the current findings on the effectiveness of these soaps. This research was therefore carried out to answer this question. Literature review Various studies have been carried out with the aim of determining the effectiveness of antibacterial soaps. Most of them have found the use of antibacterial soaps to have no added benefit in effectively minimizing contamination and infection as compared to ordinary detergents. However, some doctors still claim that these soaps have added benefits. At a scientific level, there is little proof that there is any benefit derived from using antibacterial soaps instead of plain soaps (Scrubbing troubles. 2007). Actually, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) proposes that to prevent microbial contamination and infections, persons should wash their hands as frequently as possible for at least fifteen seconds. They do not give any benefits of using antibacterial soaps (The Truth, 1999). FDA (food and drug administration) reviewed past clinical studies on effectiveness of antibacterial soaps, the results were that addition of antibacterial chemicals to soaps and detergents did not provide any added benefit (Gorgos, 2006). Their effect was similar to that of plain soap and water. The studies were based on the argument that, for the antibacterial soaps to be hygienically superior to plain soaps, they must have a higher clinically significant decrease on the bacterial load. Most of the studies did not find this to be the case. In five of the studies, washing with water and plain soap was found not to be any statistically different from washing with antibacterial soap. Plain soap and water reduced cases of diarrhea by 30 to 80% with 53 percent being the most common reduction value while antibacterial soap reduction rate was from 29 to 50 percent (Gorgos, 2006). Antiseptic soaps may have negative effects on antiseptic resistance of bacteria leading to evolution of super bugs (high drug resistant microbes) (Zamora, 2000). Over time, these antiseptic resistant microbes multiply resulting in a large number of such superbugs. Some studies have shown evolution of drug resistant bacteria. In 1958, Joshua Lederberg who was a molecular genecist became a noble price laureate after he showed how bacteria could exchange genetic material thereby producing antiseptic resistant bacteria (Clemmint, 2007). Afterwards, antibiotic resistant bacteria such as MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus), streptococcus pneumonia that was resistant to penicillin and tuberculosis bacteria that is resistant to multiple drugs were discovered in hospital patients. MRSA has been the cause of many deaths since the present antibiotics cannot cure the infected (Clemmitt, 2007). Another problem with the antimicrobial soaps that has been presented is the possibility of environmental pollution by the antimicrobial chemicals included in the soaps. The most common antimicrobial constituents of these soaps are triclosan and triclocarban (Brodie, 2007). After use of these soaps, triclosan and triclocarban do not biodegrade but find their way into water bodies and agricultural soils. Rolf Halden carried out a study and found out that triclosan has contaminated 60% of the streams in the United States (Alterman, 2006). Furthermore, it has been know to cause cancer and blue baby condition in newborn babies. The United States Geological survey (USGS) also carried out a survey of the level of drug contamination in the water system of the United States and found out that there is a high concentration of over the counter antibiotics in the streams (Knopper, 2003). Discussion The findings stated in the literature review all indicate that antibiotics currently have no added benefit. Most people are obsessed with the idea of antibiotics. Consumers all over are demanding more antibiotics and antibacterial soaps have attracted a large consumer base. However, from the findings indicated in this research, it may be high time people were made aware of the negative effects of antiseptic soaps. FDA does not even recommend them since they do not show any added advantage. If people continue to use them at the current rate, clinically important antibiotics will become less efficient due to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Treatment of bacteria related disease conditions have become difficult as more and more microbes that are drug resistant evolve. The use of contaminate sludge to fertilize agricultural soils is further spreading the antibiotics into crops and animals. A research by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School found out that over 75% of antibiotics in soaps were washed down in the sewage water (Pearson, 2006). As these chemicals spread, they will continually destroy both the pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria leaving the resistant bacteria to thrive. There is also the possibility of spreading these resistant bacteria through the food chain. The studies examined clearly show the fact that when antibiotics are used at a domestic level, the benefit of reducing the bacterial count is of no clinical importance and the resulting negative effects are much greater. Conclusion Antibacterial or antimicrobial soaps and detergents are cleaning compounds that destroy bacteria and other microorganisms. They do this through the action of antimicrobial chemical compounds incorporated in the soaps. They assumed to be more beneficial at preventing bacterial contaminations and infections but there is no scientific proof that they are superior to plain soaps and water. Clinical comparisons between their effect and that of plain soap and water showed that there is no statistically significant difference between them. For this purpose, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recommended them. Some studies have found the antimicrobial components of these soaps to have negative environmental impact and contribution in evolution of antibiotics resistant bacteria like the MRSA. Their disadvantages therefore out weigh their benefits.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Essay --

Kassidy Hause CWL 320-06, Fall 2013 Dr. Talar Chahinian Final Paper 12-10-13 Ways of Dying, Violence, Fantasy & Comedy Zakes Mda was born in 1948 in Herschel, South Africa and is known for being a novelist, poet, activist, playwright and cultural theorist. Ways of Dying by Zakes Mda is a novel from western form. Literature that was written by Black South African writers between the 1948 and 1994 really captures the oppression and tragic violence that characterized the lives of Blacks under the apartheid. The apartheid or â€Å"apartness† as some Afrikaans call it, describes a system of laws and policies of complete and total racial segregation in South Africa that began in 1948 when the national party came to power. The apartheid did not end until 1994 when Nelson Mandela was elected president in the first democratic elections. The horrific deaths that are portrayed throughout Zake Mda’s novel Ways of Dying, were all true ways of dying that Zakes Mda, saw himself, read about in the newspaper or read when he was doing research. The very true deaths that he portrays in the novel really p aint a picture of the structural and political violence that was going on in South Africa during the apartheid. This violence and oppression really creates a tragic background for the novel however, Zakes Mda challenges the norm of violence and finds a way to portray it as something somewhat idiotic, which in turn makes Ways of Dying quite comical. He also combines fantasy and magic to the novel, which emulates all the spectacular and wonderful parts of South African beliefs and traditions. Zakes unique way of combining the depiction of how ridiculous it is that death has become so normalized in South Africa and magic and fantasy makes Ways of Dying an ... ... Magic and fantasy is also a central theme for this book because magic gives a sense of hope and belief in people and a strength that people never knew they had. The biggest example is the garden, a magic garden of beauty that still stands among all the horrible things that Toloki and Noria are living in. The garden gives them hope that magic and beauty still exist in the world. In this part of the novel the readers are laughing and smiling because they feel hope and happiness and sense of magic that they are going to get through their issues and be okay. Ways of Dying is a spectacular novel by Zakes Mda, written during the apartheid era, which was a horrific time for South Africans who were abused and murdered by their corrupt government. Zakes Mda was able to provide a sense of history, comedy and hope all into one novel and that any reader would enjoy to read.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Juvenile Court System Essay -- essays research papers

Waiving juvenile cases to a criminal court is a complicated process, and may take some time in order to make the proper decision. There are a few different ways in which this decision is made. In some jurisdictions, the cases may be decided upon an intake unit within the court which then decides to process it formally or informally. Other jurisdictions may use another agency such as the prosecutor’s office, or a social service agency to decide whether the case should go to juvenile or criminal court. When a decision is made to transfer a juvenile case to criminal court, a judicial waiver is petitioned for, and the juvenile judge then has to make the decision whether the case should be criminally prosecuted. In some places though, the prosecutor has the legal right to make that judgment without involving the juvenile court, and send the case directly to criminal court.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When a juvenile commits the crime of homicide, I personally think that any offender 13 years or older should be tried in adult criminal court. I do understand that the juvenile may lack some mental reasoning or may even have some mental disorder, just as I think that anyone who commits violent crimes have this also regardless of age, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be still be tried in criminal court for the horrible crimes they committed. The only part of the sentencing I don’t agree with in convicting a juvenile is to where he is sent to prison. I do not believe th...

Separation of Eddy Current and Hysteresis Losses

Laboratory Report Assignment N. 2 Separation of Eddy Current and Hysteresis Losses Instructor Name:  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dr. Walid Hubbi By: Dante Castillo Mordechi Dahan Haley Kim November 21, 2010 ECE 494 A -102 Electrical Engineering Lab Ill Table of Contents Objectives3 Equipment and Parts4 Equipment and parts ratings5 Procedure6 Final Connection Diagram7 Data Sheets8 Computations and Results10 Curves14 Analysis20 Discussion27 Conclusion28 Appendix29 Bibliography34 ObjectivesInitially, the purpose of this laboratory experiment was to separate the eddy-current and hysteresis losses at various frequencies and flux densities utilizing the Epstein Core Loss Testing equipment. However, due to technical difficulties encountered when using the watt-meters, and time constraints, we were unable to finish the experiment. Our professor acknowledging the fact that it was not our fault changed the objective of the experiment to the following: * To experimentally determine the inductance value of an in ductor with and without a magnetic core. * To experimentally determine the total loss in the core of the transformer.Equipment and Parts * 1 low-power-factor (LPF) watt-meter * 2 digital multi-meters * 1 Epstein piece of test equipment * Single-phase variac Equipment and parts ratings Multimeters: Alpa 90 Series Multimeter APPA-95 Serial No. 81601112 Wattmetters:Hampden Model: ACWM-100-2 Single-phase variac:Part Number: B2E 0-100 Model: N/A (LPF) Watt-meter: Part Number: 43284 Model: PY5 Epstein test equipment: Part Number: N/A Model: N/A Procedure The procedure for this laboratory experiment consists of two phases: A. Watt-meters accuracy determination -Recording applied voltage -Measuring current flowing into test circuit Plotting relative error vs. voltage applied B. Determination of Inductance value for inductor w/ and w/o a magnetic core -Measuring the resistance value of the inductor -Recording applied voltages and measuring current flowing into the circuit If part A of the ab ove described procedure had been successful, we would have followed the following set of instructions: 1. Complete table 2. 1 using (2. 10) 2. Connect the circuit as shown in figure 2. 1 3. Connect the power supply from the bench panel to the INPUT of the single phase variac and connect the OUTPUT of the variac to the circuit. 4.Wait for the instructor to adjust the frequency and maximum output voltage available for your panel. 5. Adjust the variac to obtain voltages Es as calculated in table 2. 1. For each applied voltage, measure and record Es and W in table 2. 2. The above sets of instructions make references to the manual of our course. Final Connection Diagram Figure 1: Circuit for Epstein core loss test set-up The above diagrams were obtained from the section that describes the experiment in the student manual. Data Sheets Part 1: Experimentally Determining the Inductance Value of Inductor Table 1: Measurements obtained without magnetic coreInductor Without Magnetic Core| V [V ]| I [A]| Z [ohm]| P [W]| 20| 1. 397| 14. 31639| 27. 94| 10| 0. 78| 12. 82051| 7. 8| 15| 1. 067| 14. 05811| 16. 005| Table 2: Measurements obtained with magnetic core Inductor With Magnetic Core| V [V]| I [A]| Z [ohm]| P [W]| 10. 2| 0. 188| 54. 25532| 1. 9176| 15. 1| 0. 269| 56. 13383| 4. 0619| 20| 0. 35| 57. 14286| 7| Part 2: Experimentally Determining Losses in the Core of the Epstein Testing Equipment Table 3: Core loss data provided by instructor | f=30 Hz| f=40 Hz| f=50 Hz| f=60 Hz| Bm| Es [Volts]| W [Watts]| Es [Volts]| W [Watts]| Es [Volts]| W [Watts]| Es [Volts]| W [Watts]| 0. | 20. 8| 1. 0| 27. 7| 1. 5| 34. 6| 3. 0| 41. 5| 3. 8| 0. 6| 31. 1| 2. 5| 41. 5| 4. 5| 51. 9| 6. 0| 62. 3| 7. 5| 0. 8| 41. 5| 4. 5| 55. 4| 7. 4| 69. 2| 11. 3| 83. 0| 15. 0| 1. 0| 51. 9| 7. 0| 69. 2| 11. 5| 86. 5| 16. 8| 103. 6| 21. 3| 1. 2| 62. 3| 10. 4| 83. 0| 16. 2| 103. 8| 22. 5| 124. 5| 33. 8| Table 4: Calculated values of Es for different values of Bm Es=1. 73*f*Bm| Bm| f=30 Hz| f=40 Hz| f=50 Hz| f =60 Hz| 0. 4| 20. 76| 27. 68| 34. 6| 41. 52| 0. 6| 31. 14| 41. 52| 51. 9| 62. 28| 0. 8| 41. 52| 55. 36| 69. 2| 83. 04| 1| 51. 9| 69. 2| 86. 5| 103. 8| 1. 2| 62. 28| 83. 04| 103. 8| 124. 56| Computations and ResultsPart 1: Experimentally Determining the Inductance Value of Inductor Table 5: Calculating values of inductances with and without magnetic core Calculating Inductances| Resistance [ohm]| 2. 50| Impedence w/o Magnetic Core (mean) [ohm]| 13. 73| Impedence w/ Magnetic Core (mean) [ohm]| 55. 84| Reactance w/o Magnetic Core [ohm]| 13. 50| Reactance w/ Magnetic Core [ohm]| 55. 79| Inductance w/o Magnetic Core [henry]| 0. 04| Inductance w/ Magnetic Core [henry]| 0. 15| The values in Table 4 were calculated using the following formulas: Z=VI Z=R+jX X=Z2-R2 L=X2 60 Part 2: Experimentally Determining Losses in the Core of the Epstein TestingEquipment Table 5: Calculation of hysteresis and Eddy-current losses Table 2. 3: Data Sheet for Eddy-Current and Hysteresis Losses|   | f=30 Hz| f=40 Hz| f=50 Hz| f=60 Hz| Bm| slope| y-intercept| Pe [W]| Ph [W]| Pe [W]| Ph [W]| Pe [W]| Ph [W]| Pe [W]| Ph [W]| 0. 4| 0. 0011| -0. 0021| 1. 01| 0. 06| 1. 80| 0. 08| 2. 81| 0. 10| 4. 05| 0. 12| 0. 6| 0. 0013| 0. 0506| 1. 19| 1. 52| 2. 12| 2. 02| 3. 31| 2. 53| 4. 77| 3. 03| 0. 8| 0. 0034| 0. 0493| 3. 07| 1. 48| 5. 46| 1. 97| 8. 53| 2. 47| 12. 28| 2. 96| 1. 0| 0. 0041| 0. 1169| 3. 72| 3. 51| 6. 62| 4. 68| 10. 34| 5. 85| 14. 89| 7. 01| 1. 2| 0. 0070| 0. 1285| 6. 6| 3. 86| 11. 12| 5. 14| 17. 38| 6. 43| 25. 02| 7. 71| Table 6: Calculation of relative error between measure core loss and the sum of the calculated hysteresis and Eddy-current losses at f=30 Hz W=Pe+Ph @ f=30 Hz| W [Watts]| Pe [Watts]| Ph [Watts]| Pe+Ph| Rel. Error| 1. 0| 1. 0125| 0. 0625| 1. 075| 7. 50%| 2. 5| 1. 1925| 1. 5174| 2. 7099| 8. 40%| 4. 5| 3. 069| 1. 479| 4. 548| 1. 07%| 7. 0| 3. 7215| 3. 507| 7. 2285| 3. 26%| 10. 4| 6. 255| 3. 855| 10. 11| 2. 79%| Table 7: Calculation of relative error between measure core los s and the sum of the calculated hysteresis and Eddy-current losses at f=40 HzW=Pe+Ph @ f=40 Hz| W [Watts]| Pe [Watts]| Ph [Watts]| Pe+Ph| Rel. Error| 1. 5| 1. 8| 0. 0833| 1. 8833| 25. 55%| 4. 5| 2. 12| 2. 0232| 4. 1432| 7. 93%| 7. 4| 5. 456| 1. 972| 7. 428| 0. 38%| 11. 5| 6. 616| 4. 676| 11. 292| 1. 81%| 16. 2| 11. 12| 5. 14| 16. 26| 0. 37%| Table 8: Calculation of relative error between measure core loss and the sum of the calculated hysteresis and Eddy-current losses at f=50 Hz W=Pe+Ph @ f=50 Hz| W [Watts]| Pe [Watts]| Ph [Watts]| Pe+Ph| Rel. Error| 3. 0| 2. 8125| 0. 1042| 2. 9167| 2. 78%| 6. 0| 3. 3125| 2. 529| 5. 8415| 2. 64%| 11. 3| 8. 525| 2. 465| 10. 99| 2. 1%| 16. 8| 10. 3375| 5. 845| 16. 1825| 3. 39%| 22. 5| 17. 375| 6. 425| 23. 8| 5. 78%| Table 9: Calculation of relative error between measure core loss and the sum of the calculated hysteresis and Eddy-current losses at f=60 Hz W=Pe+Ph @ f=60 Hz| W [Watts]| Pe [Watts]| Ph [Watts]| Pe+Ph| Rel. Error| 3. 8| 4. 05| 0. 125| 4. 175| 11. 33%| 7. 5| 4. 77| 3. 0348| 7. 8048| 4. 06%| 15. 0| 12. 276| 2. 958| 15. 234| 1. 56%| 21. 3| 14. 886| 7. 014| 21. 9| 3. 06%| 33. 8| 25. 02| 7. 71| 32. 73| 3. 02%| Curves Figure 1: Power ratio vs. frequency for Bm=0. 4 Figure 2: Power ratio vs. frequency for Bm=0. 6Figure 3: Power ratio vs. frequency for Bm=0. 8 Figure 4: Power ratio vs. frequency for Bm=1. 0 Figure 5: Power ratio vs. frequency for Bm=1. 2 Figure 6: Plot of the log of normalized hysteresis loss vs. log of magnetic flux density Figure 7: Plot of the log of normalized Eddy-current loss vs. log of magnetic flux density Figure 8: Plot of Kg core loss vs. frequency Figure 9: Plot of hysteresis power loss vs. frequency for different values of Bm Figure 10: Plot of Eddy-current power loss vs. frequency for different values of Bm Analysis Figure 11: Linear fit through power frequency ratio vs. requency for Bm=0. 4 The plot in Figure 6 was generated using Matlab’s curve fitting tool. In addition, in order to ob tain the straight line displayed in figure 6, an exclusion rule was created in which the data points in the middle were ignored. The slope and the y-intercept of the line are p1 and p2 respectively. y=mx+b fx=p1x+p2 m=p1=0. 001125 b=p2=-0. 002083 Figure 12: Linear fit through power frequency ratio vs. frequency for Bm=0. 6 The plot in figure 7 was generated in the same manner as the plot in figure 6. The slope and y-intercept obtained for this case are: m=p1=0. 001325 b=p2=0. 5058 Figure 13: Linear fit through power frequency ratio vs. frequency for Bm=0. 8 For the linear fit displayed in figure 8, no exclusion was used. The data points were well behaved; therefore the exclusion was not necessary. The slope and y-intercept are the following: m=p1=0. 00341 b=p2=0. 0493 Figure 14: Linear fit through power frequency ratio vs. frequency for Bm=1. 0 The use of exclusions was not necessary for this particular fit. The slope and y-intercept are listed below: m=p1=0. 004135 b=p2=0. 1169 Fig ure 15: Linear fit through power frequency ratio vs. frequency for Bm=1. 2The use of exclusions was not necessary for this particular fit. The slope and y-intercept are listed below: m=p1=0. 00695 b=p2=0. 1285 Figure 16: Linear fit through log (Kh*Bm^n) vs. log Bm For the plot in figure 11, exclusion was created to ignore the value in the bottom left corner. This was done because this value was negative which implies that the hysteresis loss had to be negative, and this result did not make sense. The slope of this straight line represents the exponent n and the y intercept represents log(Kh). b=logKh>Kh=10b=10-1. 014=0. 097 n=m=1. 554 Figure 17: Linear fit through log (Ke*Bm^2) vs. og Bm No exclusion rule was necessary to perform the linear fit through the data points. b=logKe>Ke=10b=0. 004487 Discussion 1. Discuss how eddy-current losses and hysteresis losses can be reduced in a transformer core. To reduce eddy-currents, the armature and field cores are constructed from laminated s teel sheets. The laminated sheets are insulated from one another so that current cannot flow from one sheet to the other. To   reduce   hysteresis   losses,   most   DC   armatures   are   constructed   of   heat-treated   silicon   steel, which has an inherently low hysteresis loss. . Using the hysteresis loss data, compute the value for the constant n. n=1. 554 The details of how this parameter was computed are under the analysis section. 3. Explain why the wattmeter voltage coil must be connected across the secondary winding terminals. The watt-meter voltage coil must be connected across the secondary winding terminals because the whole purpose of this experiment is to measure and separate the losses that occur in the core of a transformer, and connecting the potential coil to the secondary is the only way of measuring the loss.Recall that in an ideal transformer P into the primary is equal to P out of the secondary, but in reality, P into the primary is n ot equal to P out of the secondary. This is due to the core losses that we want to measure in this experiment. Conclusion I believe that this laboratory experiment was successful because the objectives of both part 1 and 2 were fulfilled, namely, to experimentally determine the inductance value of an inductor with and without a magnetic core and to separate the core losses into Hysteresis and Eddy-current losses.The inductance values were determined and the values obtained made sense. As expected the inductance of an inductor without the addition of a magnetic core was less than that of an inductor with a magnetic core. Furthermore, part 2 of this experiment was successful in the sense that after our professor provided us with the necessary measurement values, meaningful data analysis and calculations were made possible. The data obtained using matlab’s curve fitting toolbox made physical sense and allowed us to plot several required graphs.Even though analyzing the first set of values our professor provided us with was very difficult and time consuming, after receiving an email with more detailed information on how to analyze the data provided to us, we were able to get the job done. In addition to fulfilling the goals of this experiment, I consider this laboratory was even more of a success because it provided us with the opportunity of using matlab for data analysis and visualization. I know this is a valuable skill to mastery over. Appendix Matlab Code used to generate plots and the linear fits %% Defining range of variables Bm=[0. 4:. 2:1. ]; % Maximum magnetic flux density f=[30:10:60]; % range of frequencies in Hz Es1=[20. 8 31. 1 41. 5 51. 9 62. 3]; % Induced voltage on the secundary @ 30 Hz Es2=[27. 7 41. 5 55. 4 69. 2 83. 0]; % Induced voltage on the secundary @ 40 Hz Es3=[34. 6 51. 9 69. 2 86. 5 103. 8]; % Induced voltage on the secundary @ 50 Hz Es4=[41. 5 62. 3 83. 0 103. 6 124. 5]; % Induced voltage on the secundary @ 60 Hz W1=[1 2. 5 4. 5 7 10. 4]; % Power loss in the core @ 30 Hz W2=[1. 5 4. 5 7. 4 11. 5 16. 2]; % Power loss in the core @ 40 Hz W3=[3 6 11. 3 16. 8 22. ]; % Power loss in the core @ 50 Hz W4=[3. 8 7. 5 15. 0 21. 3 33. 8]; % Power loss in the core @ 60 Hz W=[W1†² W2†² W3†² W4†²]; % Power loss for all frequencies W_f1=W(1,:). /f; % Power to frequency ratio for Bm=0. 4 W_f2=W(2,:). /f; % Power to frequency ratio for Bm=0. 6 W_f3=W(3,:). /f; % Power to frequency ratio for Bm=0. 8 W_f4=W(4,:). /f; % Power to frequency ratio for Bm=1 W_f5=W(5,:). /f; % Power to frequency ratio for Bm=1. 2 %% Generating plots of W/f vs frequency for diffrent values of Bm Plotting W/f vs. frequency for Bm=0. 4 plot(f,W_f1,'rX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Power Ratio [W/Hz]'); grid on; title(‘Power Ratio vs. Frequency For Bm=0. 4†²); % Plotting W/f vs. frequency for Bm=0. 6 figure(2); plot(f,W_f2,'rX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(â €˜Power Ratio [W/Hz]'); grid on; title(‘Power Ratio vs. Frequency For Bm=0. 6†²); % Plotting W/f vs. frequency for Bm=0. 8 figure(3); plot(f,W_f3,'rX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Power Ratio [W/Hz]'); grid on; title(‘Power Ratio vs. Frequency For Bm=0. 8†²); % Plotting W/f vs. frequency for Bm=1. figure(4); plot(f,W_f4,'rX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Power Ratio [W/Hz]'); grid on; title(‘Power Ratio vs. Frequency For Bm=1. 0†²); % Plotting W/f vs. frequency for Bm=1. 2 figure(5); plot(f,W_f5,'rX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Power Ratio [W/Hz]'); grid on; title(‘Power Ratio vs. Frequency For Bm=1. 2†²); %% Obtaining Kh and n b=[-0. 002083 0. 05058 0. 0493 0. 1169 0. 1285]; % b=Kh*Bm^n log_b=log10(abs(b)); % Computing the log of magnitude of b( y-intercept) log_Bm=log10(Bm); % Computing the log of Bm Plotting log(Kh*Bm^n) vs. log(B m) figure(6); plot(log_Bm,log_b,'rX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘log(Bm)'); ylabel(‘log(Kh*Bm^n)'); grid on; title(‘Log of Normalized Hysteresis Loss vs. Log of Magnetic Flux Density'); %% Obtaining Ke m=[0. 001125 0. 001325 0. 00341 0. 004135 0. 00695]; % m=Ke*Bm^2 log_m=log10(m); % Computing the log of m% Plotting log(Ke*Bm^2) vs. log(Bm) figure(7); plot(log_Bm,log_m,'rX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘log(Bm)'); ylabel(‘log(Ke*Bm^2)'); grid on; title(‘Log of Normalized Eddy-Current Loss vs. Log of Magnetic Flux Density'); % Plotting W/10 vs. frequency at different values of Bm PLD1=W(1,:). /10; % Power Loss Density for Bm=0. 4 PLD2=W(2,:). /10; % Power Loss Density for Bm=0. 6 PLD3=W(3,:). /10; % Power Loss Density for Bm=0. 8 PLD4=W(4,:). /10; % Power Loss Density for Bm=1. 0 PLD5=W(5,:). /10; % Power Loss Density for Bm=1. 2 figure(8); plot(f,PLD1,'rX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Power Loss Density [W/Kg]'); grid on; title(‘Power Loss Density vs. Frequency'); old; plot(f,PLD2,'bX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Power Loss Density [W/Kg]'); grid on; title(‘Power Loss Density vs. Frequency'); plot(f,PLD3,'kX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Power Loss Density [W/Kg]'); grid on; title(‘Power Loss Density vs. Frequency'); plot(f,PLD4,'mX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Power Loss Density [W/Kg]'); grid on; title(‘Power Loss Density vs. Frequency'); plot(f,PLD5,'gX','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Power Loss Density [W/Kg]'); grid on; title(‘Power Loss Density vs.Frequency');legend(‘Bm=0. 4†²,'Bm=0. 6', ‘Bm=0. 8', ‘Bm=1. 0', ‘Bm=1. 2†²); %% Defining Ph and Pe Ph=abs(f'*b); Pe=abs(((f'). ^2)*m); %% Plotting Ph for different values of frequency % For Bm=0. 4 figure(9); plot(f,Ph(:,1),'r','MarkerSize',12); xl abel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Hysteresis Power Loss [W]'); grid on; title(‘Hysteresis Power Loss vs. Frequency'); % For Bm=0. 6 hold; plot(f,Ph(:,2),'k','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Hysteresis Power Loss [W]'); grid on; title(‘Hysteresis Power Loss vs. Frequency'); % For Bm=0. 8 lot(f,Ph(:,3),'g','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Hysteresis Power Loss [W]'); grid on; title(‘Hysteresis Power Loss vs. Frequency'); % For Bm=1. 0 plot(f,Ph(:,4),'b','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Hysteresis Power Loss [W]'); grid on; title(‘Hysteresis Power Loss vs. Frequency'); % For Bm=1. 0 plot(f,Ph(:,5),'c','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Hysteresis Power Loss [W]'); grid on; title(‘Hysteresis Power Loss vs. Frequency'); legend(‘Bm=0. 4†²,'Bm=0. 6', ‘Bm=0. 8', ‘Bm=1. 0', ‘Bm=1. 2†²); % Plotting P e vs frequency for different values of Bm % For Bm=0. 4 figure(9); plot(f,Pe(:,1),'r','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Hysteresis Power Loss [W]'); grid on; title(‘Hysteresis Power Loss vs. Frequency'); % For Bm=0. 6 hold; plot(f,Pe(:,2),'k','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Hysteresis Power Loss [W]'); grid on; title(‘Hysteresis Power Loss vs. Frequency'); % For Bm=0. 8 plot(f,Pe(:,3),'g','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Hysteresis Power Loss [W]'); grid on; title(‘Hysteresis Power Loss vs. Frequency'); For Bm=1. 0 plot(f,Pe(:,4),'b','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Hysteresis Power Loss [W]'); grid on; title(‘Hysteresis Power Loss vs. Frequency'); % For Bm=1. 0 plot(f,Pe(:,5),'c','MarkerSize',12); xlabel(‘Frequency [Hz]'); ylabel(‘Eddy-Current Power Loss [W]'); grid on; title(‘Eddy-Current Power Loss vs. Frequency'); l egend(‘Bm=0. 4†²,'Bm=0. 6', ‘Bm=0. 8', ‘Bm=1. 0', ‘Bm=1. 2'); Bibliography Chapman, Stephen J. Electric Machinery Fundamentals. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education, 2005. Print. http://www. tpub. com/content/doe/h1011v2/css/h1011v2_89. htm

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Health Policies in Relation to Nurse to Patient Ratio Essay

One suggested approach to ensure safe and effective patient care has been to mandate nurse staffing ratios. In 1999 California became the first state to mandate minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals. California is not the only state to enact minimum nurse staffing ratios for hospitals, over the past four years at least eighteen other states have considered legislation regarding nurse staffing in hospitals. Policymakers are forced to consider alternatives to nurses ratios due to nurse shortages. Whether minimum staffing ratios will improve working conditions enough to increase nurse supply is unknown. The United States healthcare system has changed significantly over the past two decades. Advances in technology and an aging population (baby boomers) have led to changes in the structure, organization, and delivery of health care services (Spetz, 2001). Low nurse staffing levels in acute care hospitals are jeopardizing the quality of patient care and is the leading cause for Registered Nurses (RNs) to leave the profession (Spetz, Seago, et al., 2000). Apprehension for the nursing workforce and the safety of patients in the U.S. healthcare system now has the unprecedented attention of healthcare policy leaders at every level (Spetz, 2001). One suggested approach to ensure safe and effective patient care has been to mandate nurse staffing ratios (Donaldson, FAAN, Bolton, Janet, Meenu Sandhu, 2005). In 1999 California did just that, it became the first state to enact legislation mandating minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in acute care hospitals (Donaldson, FAAN, Bolton, Janet, Meenu Sandhu, 2005). Assembly Bill 394 (1999), directed the California Department of Health Services (DHS) to establish specific nurse-to-patient ratios for inpatient units in acute care hospitals. This was done by creating a hospital Licensed nurses classification to include both RNs and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) also referred to as licensed practical nurses (LPNs) (California, 2002 July). This was not the first time a legislation had contemplated a nurse-to-patient ratio. In 1996, proposition 216 would have established staffing standards for all licensed health care facilities in addition to creating a statewide health insurance system (California, 2002 Janurary). The ballot proposition  that was rejected by the voters in 1996. Again in 1998, Assembly Bill 695 was introduced and approved by the state legislature but vetoed by then Gov. Pete Wilson (California, 2002 Janurary). Intense lobbying by unions representing California nurses would change everything with the passage of Assembly Bill 394 (California, 2002 July). The intense lobbing paid off with the election of a new governor, Gray Davis, in November 1998, who was endorsed by unions representing nurses and other workers (Spetz, Seago, et al., 2000). California DHS proposed the minimum nurse-to-patient ratios (California Hospital, 2004). Thus ranged from one nurse per patient in operating rooms to one nurse per eight infants in newborn nurseries. The DHS proposed that the minimum ratios for medical-surgical and rehabilitation units be phased in (California Hospital, 2004). They initially set minimum ratios for these units at one RN or LVN per six patients and within twelve to eighteen months the goal was to shift to one nurse per five patients (California, 2002 July). Prior California law regarding nurse staffing in acute care hospitals were extended under Assembly Bill 394 (1999). State and federal regulations affect the demand for licensed nurses. Under the 1976-77 state legislative session, California hospitals must have a minimum ratio of one licensed nurse per two patients in intensive care and coronary care units (California Hospital, 2003). Federally certified nursing homes are required to have a RN director of nursing and a RN on duty 8 hours a day, seven days a week (California state). If the facility has under 60 beds, the director of nursing can serve as the RN on duty (Harrington, 2001). This legislation also requires that at least half of licensed nurses working in intensive care and coronary care units be RNs (California state ,Title 22, Division 5, Chapter 1, Article 6, Section 70495(e).) Legislation enacted in the early 1990s requires hospitals to use patient classification systems to determine nurse staffing needs for inpatient units on a shift-by-shift basis and to staff accordingly (California state ,Title 22, Division 5, Chapter 1, Article 6, Section 70495(e)). In January 2004, hospitals also will face minimum licensed nurse-to-patient  ratio requirements in other hospital units, as established by Assembly Bill 394 (California state, Chapter 945, Statutes of 1999). Numerous estimates of the effect of these ratios on demand for licensed nurses have been published. The DHS analysis, conducted by researchers at the University of California, Davis, predicts that 5,820 new nurses will be needed in California hospitals to meet the staffing requirements (Kravitz, Sauve, Hodge, et al., 2002). Other analyses conducted by independent researchers have reported that the increased demand for nurses due to the ratios could be as low as 1,600 (Spetz, 2002). Growing numbers of research associates important benefits for patients and nurses will arise with the Assembly Bill 394 (Aiken, Clarke, Sloane, 2002). It has been argued that nurse staffing levels are now so low as to jeopardize the well-being of hospital patients (California. Office of the Governor, 2002). Supporting Assembly Bill 394, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios assure quality by establishing a minimum standard below which no hospital can fall (Assembly Bill 394, 1999). Researchers disagree with California’s statute requiring use of acuity-based patient classification systems because it is inadequate and difficult to determine whether hospitals are complying with this mandate (California Hospital, 2004). Instead they support a, simple minimum ratios to enable nurses, patients, and family members to easily identify and report inpatient units with dangerously low staffing levels (Donaldson, FAAN, Bolton, Janet, Meenu Sandhu, 2005). It is believed that working conditions have a large influence on the number of persons willing to practice nursing in hospitals (Kravitz, Sauve, Hodge, 2002). To most, minimum staffing ratios would improve working conditions, which would in turn reduce the numbers of nurses leaving hospital positions and the nursing profession (Donaldson, FAAN, Bolton, Janet, Meenu Sandhu, 2005). Creating a better work environment and conditions also may attract more young persons to nursing (Kravitz, Sauve, Hodge, 2002). Increased attention to nursing and rising salaries are already raising interest levels; the American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that enrollments in baccalaureate nursing programs increased in 2001, for the first time in six years (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2001). The Assembly Bill 394 (1999), is great and will create a safer environment for patients, and staffing ratios would help to alleviate the nursing shortage but without nurses to meet the ratios one cannot uphold and follow the nurse-patient-ratios. This is why California Governor Gray Davis announced the Nurse Workforce Initiative in his January 2002 State-of-the-State speech (California. Office of the Governor, 2002). The purpose of the Nurse Workforce Initiative (NWI) is to develop and implement proposals to recruit, train, and retain nurses both to address the current shortage of nurses in California and to support implementation of new hospital nurse-to-patient staffing ratios also announced in late January 2002 (Seago, Spetz, Coffman, Rosenoff, O’Neil, 2003). The Governor made available $60 million over three years for the NWI (California, 2002 July). His goal is to use components designed to address the nurse shortage using both short and longer term strategies. This can range from working in partnership with local hospitals, scholarships for nursing students, career ladder projects, workplace reform efforts, and other strategies to increase the number of nurses (California, 2002 July). An evaluation will be done to determine which strategies to increase the supply of nurses are most effective and improve the understanding of the labor market dynamics for nurses (Seago, et al, 2003). Whether minimum staffing ratios will improve working conditions enough to increase nurse supply is unknown. The experience of hospitals in Victoria, Australia, one of the few jurisdictions to implement minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals, is instructive (Needleman, Buerhaus, Mattke, Stewart, Zelevinsky, 2001). Large numbers of nurses returned to the nursing profession after the minimum ratios were established. However, hospitals continued to face a shortage of nurses, because there were not enough returning nurses to meet demand, forcing hospital to close hospital beds (Needleman, Buerhaus, Mattke, Stewart, Zelevinsky, 2001). Besides, minimum staffing ratios address only one piece of the ‘  dissatisfaction with hospital nursing. Staffing is a major concern of many nurses, but RN job satisfaction indicates that they are also dissatisfied with other aspects of their work, including low salaries, lack of control over work schedules, lack of opportunities for advancement, lack of support from nursing administrators, lack of input into policy and management decisions, and inadequate support staff to perform non nursing tasks (Spetz, 2002). Maine and Massachusetts state affiliates cut their ties with the American Nurses Association (ANA) in 2001, in large part because they did not fully agree with the ANA’s opposition to minimum nurse-to-patient ratios (American Nurses Association, 2003). This led to the establishment of the American Association of Registered Nurses in February 2002, leaders of unions representing nurses in California, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, and Pennsylvania joined to establish a new national association (New England, 2005). The unions will join forces on national projects and support one another’s state legislative, collective bargaining, and organizing campaigns. Further research is needed to establish the number of states in which nurses’ unions have sufficient political power to enact minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. In the short term, the number of states is likely to be small. California’s rate of unionization among nurses, approximately 25 percent, is much higher than that of most states (Aiken, Clarke, Sloane, 2002). In addition, ANA affiliates are more powerful in other states than in California. Proactive ANA affiliates may be able to persuade policymakers to implement other reforms that address nurses’ concerns about hospital staffing (American Nurses Association, 2003). Other important variables include the political influence of state AHA affiliates and elected officials’ ties to organized labor (American Nurses Association, 2003). California is not the only state to enact minimum nurse staffing ratios for hospitals, over the past four years at least eighteen other states have considered legislation regarding nurse staffing in hospitals (New England, 2005). Twelve states have considered bills that would mandate minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals. Fourteen states have considered  legislation that attempts to address nurses’ concerns about staffing through other means, such as requiring hospitals to develop staffing plans based on patient acuity, mandating disclosure of nurse staffing ratios, and establishing a task force to study and monitor nurse staffing. Oregon, has enacted legislation that requires acuity-based staffing plans (New England, 2005). Policymakers in other states may wish to consider a well-designed acuity-based ratio system as an alternative to minimum nurse-to-patient ratios (New England, 2005). Many states have regulations that require hospitals to use patient classification systems to determine nurse staffing, but these regulations face much criticism, as discussed above. Although many of these regulatory systems do not function well today, they could form the basis for strong but flexible staffing regulations in the future (New England, 2005). States could mandate particular patient classification systems, develop methods of ensuring that staff and patients are aware of the required staffing during every shift, and establish effective enforcement mechanisms (New England, 2005). Alternatively, states could require that hospitals submit information relevant to their staffing needs every quarter and could mandate a ratio for that quarter based on an analysis of patients’ needs, availability of support staff, and other factors (New England, 2005). Texas is pursuing a totally different approach to the nursing situation that is tailored to the unique circumstances of individual hospitals. Under regulations issued 24 March 2002, hospitals are required to establish committees to develop nurse staffing plans and to use data on nurse-sensitive patient outcomes to assess and adjust staffing plans (Texas Nurses Association, 2002). At least one-third of the members of these committees must be RNs engaged primarily in direct patient care (Institute, 1999). The minimal nurse staffing on patient acuity or nurse-sensitive outcomes respond to nurses’ justifiable concerns about hospital staffing without imposing rigid mandates (Harrington, 2001). The flexible staffing approaches seem more appropriate than ratios, given the complexity and rapid pace of  technology changing the delivery of hospital care. (Harrington, 2001). Nurses’ job satisfaction and retention may enhance the opportunities for hospital nurses to play a more direct role in staffing decisions (Kravitz, Sauve, Hodge, 2002). The key is without more nurses no ratio can be met. So the focus needs shift on reaching as many young people as possible by showing them that they to could be a good fit in the nursing community. They need to know that nurses are people too, and the traits of a nurse, such as not being squeamish over the sight of blood comes with time. Stepping out into the high schools and broadcasting information about nurses can translate into only one thing, more students who pursue a nursing career. There is no better way to start, than by planting a seed in the mind of a young person who is about to step out into the world and choose a career. The more educating and qualified young people health care workers can get to chose a nursing career, the better off the nurse-to-patient ratio becomes, allowing for a safer environment for future patients, by permitting more effective health care. References Aiken, L., & Clarke, S., & Sloane, D. (2002). Hospital Restructuring: Does It AdverselyAffect Care and Outcomes? Journal of Nursing Administration, 30(10), 457-465. American Nurses Association. (2003). Nurse Staffing Plans and Ratios. Retrieved June, 10, 2007, from http://nursingworld.org/GOVA/STATE/2003/ratio1203.pdfAmerican Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2001, December 20). Enrollments Rise at U.S. Nursing Colleges and Universities Ending a Six-Year Period of Decline, Press Release, Retrieved 10 June, 2007, from www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/NewsReleases/enrl01.htmAssembly Bill 394. (1999). Retrieved 10 June, 2007, from http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/99-00/bill/asm/ab_0351-0400/ab_394_cfa_19990628_171358_sen_comm.htmlCalifornia Hospital Association. (2004). California’s nurse-to-patient staffing ratios: Proposedmodifications. Retrieved March 14, 2005 from http://www.calhealth.org/public/press/Article/124/Ratio%20Modifications%20Fac t%20Sheet%20finaCalifornia Hospital Association. (2003, September). Hospital minimum nurse-to-patient ratios asrequired by AB 394. Retrieved April 13, 2005 fromhttp://www.calhealth.org/public/press/Article/113/Nurse%20Ratio%20chart.pdfCalifornia. Office of the Governor. (2002, January 22). Governor Gray Davis Announces Proposed Nurse-to-Patient Ratios. Press Release, Sacramento: Office of the Governor. California. Office of the Governor. (2002, July 15). Sets Nation’s First Safe Nursing Standards: Governor Davis Announces Nurse-to-Patient Ratios, Press Release, Retrieved 10 June, 2007, fromhttp://www.calnurses.org/nursing-practice/ratios/ratios_index.htmlCalifornia state legislature Retrieved 10 June, 2007, from http://www.legislature.ca.gov/Donaldson, N., & FAAN, B., & Bolton, L., & Janet E., & Meenu Sandhu, M. (2005, August 08). New study examines impact of nurse-patient ratios law, California. Retrieved 10 June, 2007, from Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice’s website: http://ppn.sagepub.comHarrington, Charlene. 2001. â€Å"Nursing Facility Staffing Policy: A Case Study for Political Change.† Policy, Politics, and Nursing Practice, 2(2), 117-127. Institute for Health and Socio-Economic Policy. (1999 September). California Health Care: Sicker Patients, Fewer RNs, Fewer Staffed Beds. Retrieved 10 June, 2007 from www.calnurse.org/cna/pdf/StaffingRatios6.pdfKravitz, R., & Sauve, M., & Hodge, M. (2002). Hospital NursingStaff Ratios and Quality of Care. University of California – Davis, report submitted to State of California, Department of Health Services, Licensing andCertification. Needleman, J., & Buerhaus, P., & Mattke, S., & Stewart, M., & Zelevinsky, K. (2001). Nurse Staffing and Patient Outcomes in Hospitals. Washington DC: Bureau of Health Professions, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved June, 10, 2007, from http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/staffstudy.htmNew England public policy center and the Massachusetts health policy forum. (2005, July). Nurse-to-patient ratios: Research and reality. Retrieved 10 June, 2007, from http://www.bos.frb.org/economic/neppc/conreports/2005/conreport051.pdfSpetz,