Bhaviour across the lifespan

Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development is I think explained best the personality development of an individual. His theory focused on the boundary between the child and the environment and then graphed the evolution of the maturing ego’s relations with an expanding social world. Psychological developments results from the interaction between maturational process or biological needs and the societal demands and social forces encountered in everyday life. His theory concerns psychological development throughout the lifespan, rather than just the birth through adolescence.He based his theory on the concept of epigenetic principle, which means that development takes place in order, clearly identified stages, and that phase ought to be adequately resolved for growth to proceed smoothly. The eight stages of the life cycle clearly illustrate the development of an infant to his older years. He believes that development does not end when maturity is reached, but extend s into old age which is very true. The process of learning continues throughout life. For instance, stage 1 of Erikson’s trust vs.mistrust theory, infants learn either to trust or mistrust that their needs will be met on the basis of their experience (Sternberg and Wilson, 2004). Successful passage of this stage leads to a child that wants to learn to become self-sufficient and to develop his own independence. At each step of development, children learn that certain behaviors are acceptable whereas others are not. The years of middle childhood are particularly for the learning taught by the family, culture, and society. Peer relationships become more important over family.Erikson believed that individuals on this stage search for an identity as part of the society and must balance the desire to be unique and the need to conform. Adulthood life stages focused on achieving unselfish love, the feeling of productivity and wisdom. Certainly, that many people experience conflicts a t the ages Erikson specified, everyone would undergo the eight life cycles, but then successful passage of these stages can be a healthy experience for an individual. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been regarded as a neurotic disorder, like phobias and anxiety states.A neurotic patient, unlike a psychotic, he is aware that he has a problem- that is, he has insight and his contact with the outside world is relatively intact. People with this problem can suffer considerable distress, and often feel that they are helpless victims. Severe OCD can cause major incapacitation and drastically affects people’s lives. Criteria used for diagnosing OCD are: a person must have obsessions, compulsions or both; the disorder is not due to another disorder such as depression or organic disorders.Finally, the obsession and/or compulsion cause distress to the person and interfere with his life and activities (Penzel, 2000). A person with this disorder experienced unwanted recurrent and persistent thought which is not voluntarily produced just like when one is saying I am obsessed in football but experiences that invade a person’s consciousness that can be worrying, repugnant, blasphemous, obscene or nonsensical. An obsession is a passive experience: it happens to the person.He may be engaged in some activity, like driving a car, when the obsession intrudes into his consciousness. It disrupts his normal thinking and behavior. Compulsion on the other hand is a repetitive and seemingly purposeful behavior that is performed according to specific rules or in a stereotyped manner (Maj, 2003). The behavior is not an end in itself, but is usually intended to prevent some situation or event, though, the action is not related in a logical or reasonable way, or it may be clearly excessive.The person feels a strong compulsive urge to engage in a particular behavior which he carries out despite resistance and recognizing that it is irrational or excessive. Recovering f rom OC disorder is not simply a matter of sheer willpower or resistance. OC individuals need intensive help in retraining themselves, both in terms of behavior and their outlook on life. Therapies such as behavioral, cognitive and psychotherapy are the treatments that were used by psychiatrist in order to help an OC person to overcome his disease.Medications like antidepressants can also help to treat OCD, but important treatment came from the person itself, his willingness and the support from the people around him. WORK CITED Sternberg, R. & Wilson, J. (2004). Psychology. US: Thomson Wadsworth Maj, M. (2003). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. England: John Wiley and Sons Penzel, F. (2000). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders: A Complete Guide to Getting Well and Staying Well. New York: Oxford University Press

Learning and Memory

Learning and Memory Jessica A. Rountree, Brenda Bejar, Lisa Jackson, Derek Delarge PSY340 November 14, 2011 Dr. April Colett Learning and Memory On the surface learning and memory are connected easily. When an individual learns to walk, they retain the information in the memory. The learning process is something that happens every day. As human beings we are programmed to learn life lessons, and retain them in our memory. The memory keeps pictures, smells, experiences, and tastes for us to learn how to live our lives. Learning is the experiences we have, and memory stores this information (Pinel, 2009). It is as simple as that. However, researchers have found how the brain functions while retaining memory. A closer look into learning and memory one find’s it is not quite that simple. The brain, although protected by the skull, is a fragile organ. A blood clot, a blow to the head, or drug use can damage the brain enough that learning is stunted, and memory does not exist. For an individual who cannot remember 20 years of their life due to a car accident is going to experience psychological damage as well. It is not just the absence of memory itself, but the fear as well. Learning and memory are something that the majority of individuals take for granted. There are those that can learn, yet not retain memory. Amnesia patients often can retain motor skills, a learned skill, however, cannot recall memories. Memory and learning deficits affect an individual to life’s core. Depending on what type of deficit is occurring learning and memory may not be related. Retaining the ability to walk means learning is still in place, however not knowing what you had for breakfast is memory. Knowing how to eat is a learned response to feeling hungry. The mind works the knowledge presented to it. Whether that knowledge is carried properly thought the process of the brain is a different story. An individual can experience death so many times they learn it is a part of life. However, it is the memory that betrays us. Learned information leads to memories. Long-term potentiation (LTP) shows facilitation of synaptic transmissions following an electrical stimulation at a high frequency. This study was done mostly on rat hippocampus. The hippocampus is where the process of learning and memory take place. During research on rats it was found that the co-occurrence of firing presynaptic and postsynaptic cells must fire at the same time to induce LTP (Pinel, 2009). Hebb’s postulate for learning is the assumption this co-occurrence is physiologically necessary for learning and memory. He states the axon of cell A nears cell B and excites it. This closeness talks part in firing. Growth processes or metabolic changes take place in both cells (Pinel, 2009). Even to the smallest molecule learning and memory are intertwined with one another. Misfires of these cells can cause poor learning and retention. Researchers would not know the extent of the unique relationship between learning and memory if not for the rat experiments. What makes learning possible is also what makes memory possible. The neurons take information to the hippocampus where it is divided, processed and stored. In Pavlov’s conditioning experiment, he learned that a conditioned response can be created from memory (Pinel, 2009). Given the limits on information processing capacity, the specific details encoded and retrieved in memory come at the expense of other details. Comparing the types of details and processes that individuals from one culture prioritize over others offers insight into the type of information given priority in cognition, perhaps reflecting broader cultural values. The properties of memories and the types of memory errors people commit offer a window into the organization of memory. In terms of types of memory errors, if people falsely remember conceptually related, but not phonologically related items, it suggests that the meaning of the information is critical to the organization of memory, whereas phonological information is not (Chan et al. 2005). Information can be encoded not only in terms of its precise properties (e. g. , remembering the unique perceptual features of an item) but also in terms of its gist, or general thematic properties (e. g. , a category or verbal label). One example of highly specific memory representation comes from the literature on priming. Priming occurs when prior experience with an item facilitat es a response. Its effects are implicit: they do not rely on conscious recollection the item encountered previously. Although people respond to different examples of the same item (e. g. , a different picture of a cat) more quickly than to unrelated items, suggesting facilitation from prior exposure to a related item, the benefit is smaller than it is for a repeated presentation of the original item (Koutstaal et al. , 2001). The functions of the brain are well known for the control of the functional memory and learning and how the two have become interdependent. When individuals begin to stimulate the memory is when the learning occurs. Stimulating learning incites memory. With the knowledge at the center of the attention, it is imperative to stimulate the brain through lifelong learning so that one can start to achieve longevity and quality of life (Khorashadi, 2010). The brain is the organ is responsible for what we refer to as the mind. The basics of the mind are feeling, thinking, wanting, learning, behavior and memory. Memory is the fundamental mental process of the brain. If  as  humans if we  not have memory then we are  capable of simple reflexes and stereotyped behaviors. There are two different types of memory the declarative memory and the non-declarative memory. The examples of a declarative memory are semantic memory, which is the general memory, and the episodic memory, which is the detailed memory. Then the non-declarative memory is the skilled learning, priming and conditioning. Memory and learning are the most studied subjects within the field of neuroscience. Memory is a behavioral change caused by experiences, and learning is a process that is acquired by memory. Memory makes it possible to obtain pervious learning skills. There are different types of  memory along with learning. Memory has temporal stages; short, intermediate, and long. The successive processes capture, store and retrieve information within the brain. There are different parts of the brain that process different aspects of the memory. It is known that a patient that suffers from amnesia will become memory impaired. With the two types of amnesia retrograde and anterograde the loss or inability to form memories will occur. With learning there are also different types the non-associative learning associative learning. These different types of non-associative are known as the habituation, which is a decreased response to repeated presentation of a stimulus. The distribution that is the restoration of a response amplitude after habituation. Then there is the sensitization that increases responses to most stimuli. There is also the associative learning that involves the relations between events. Classical conditioning is the neutral stimulus paired with another stimulus that elicits a response. The instrumental or operant conditioning is association is made between the behavior and the consequences of one’s behavior (Okano, 2000). Learning and memory are interchangeable processes that rely on each other. When memory-related neurons fire in sync with certain brain waves memories last. Theta oscillations are known to be involved in memory formation, and previous studies have identified correlations between memory strength and the activity of certain neurons, but the relationships between these events have not been understood. Research shows that when memory-related neurons are well coordinated to theta waves during the learning process, memories are stronger. When memory-related neurons in the brain fire in sync with certain brain waves, the resulting image recognition and memories are stronger, than if this synchronization does not occur (CSMC, 2010). In society, he or she widely accepted the necessity to be a lifelong learner if one is to thrive in today’s rapidly changing, economy, and technologically global society. Today’s economy ushers in adjustments and transitional challenges at several levels, and lifelong learning viewed as the vehicle that will empower individuals to meet and adapt to the challenges of today’s technological society according to (Jarvis, 1992). Too often today the knowledge and skills obtained from previous life experiences has become insufficient to respond to technological and economy question of today. The lack of accord that lies between an individual’s external world, and internal biographies that has been gathering over one’s lifetime, is a point of disjuncture. This is the point in one’s life that ushers in and ideal time, and condition for higher learning (Jarvis, 1992). A decision an individual must make at this point with a response to this disjuncture. An individual must decide to further their education to keep up with technology, or proceed with life as normal. With the ever-changing world of technology today it is only a matter of time before the point of disjuncture becomes inevitable. The traditional theory of the human brain was that it was a fixed and limited system, and it would develop its potential at the younger years of life. The theories insist that neurons were finite and could not regenerate. The contrast with the animal research has proven that new brain cells can be born in the hippocampus region responsible for new learning and memory. With this revelation the individual pursuit of activities that will foster brain health by developing neuron connections that underlie learning and experiences. Learning is imperative to human, and brain health. It is also imperative to quality of life. Today intuitions have financial incentives for people to continue lifelong learning has become a part of several health care programs. It is imperative that older Americans understand that learning is a healthy activity, not only for the brain, but for physical, emotional, and Spiritual, conditions as people age. . The learning and memory process is more delicate than individuals believe. However, the brain is an organ that can be exercised. It is important to remember to try to learn new things, and keep the brain moving. The brain and the mind are connected physically, and metaphysically. In order for the mind to be at ease, the brain has to function normally. Without normal brain function, an individual can experience depression. This depression can cause a slowing of the firing process causing false memories. The biological function of learning and memory are connected with one another in a delicate balance of connectivity. An electric charge between one neuron and another incites learning, and readies the memory. Perspective can change our learning process. An individual tends to learn something that interests them, rather than something that does not. The interest in the activity sends a stronger signal to the brain. This strong electric current incites the learning process, which makes memorizing the task much easier. This is why it is a strong belief that learning and memory are created by cells becoming close enough to respond to each other. An interest jump-starts this process. A healthy mind achieved through learning can reduce the affects of Alzheimer’s patients. More proof that as long as the brain is stimulated learning and memory can still take place. Reference Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (2010, March 24). When memory-related neurons fire in sync with certain brain waves, memories last. Retrieved November 14, 2011 from http://www. brandeis. edu/gutchess/publications/Gutchess_Indeck. pdf Chan, J. C. , McDermott, K. B. , Watson, J. M. , & Gallo, D. A. (2005). The importance of material-processing interactions in inducing false memories. Memory & Cognition, 33, 389–395. Jarvis, P (1912) Paradox of learning on becoming and individual in society. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publisher. Khorashadi, M. (2010). Differential effects of estrogen on memory processes and learning strategies: A selective review of animal studies. Mcgill Science Undergraduate Research Journal, 5(1), 24-29 Koutstaal, W. , Wagner, A. D. , Rotte, M. , Maril, A. , Buckner, Okano, H. (2000). Pnas. Retrieved from http://www. pnas. org/content/97/23/12403. full http://www. pnas. org/content/97/23/12403. full Pinel, J. (2009). Biopsychology (7th edition). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. R. L. , & Schacter, D. L. (2001). Perceptual specificity invisual object priming: Functional magnetic resonance imaging evidence for a laterality difference in fusiform cortex. Neuropsychologia, 39, 184–199. Learning and memory The goals of the course are to provide students with foundational knowledge in behave viral neuroscience which includes contemporary theoretical issues and research methods, to encourage studs nuts to think now, and into the future, about the role of the nervous system in all psychological processes, to beg in to develop the ability to read and interpret original research articles in behavioral neuroscience and to practice CE writing skills. Lectures: Regular attendance at lectures is required. Textbook reading assignments are meant o provide additional breadth and background for the material discussed in lecture.It is assumed that the assigned readings will be completed before class. Exams: Your comprehension of the lecture and reading materials will be assessed by 3 exam s and a final exam. Exams will be in multiple choice format. Together they will comprise 75% of the final grade. The final exam will be given on FRIDAY 12/11/2009 from 8:00 – 11:00 AM. This is the only time the final exam will be given. Exemptions from taking the exam at the scheduled time will only be gar need under college and university exceptions (e. G. , no more than three exams in one day), or to students who have serious illness or family emergencies.Therefore, please plan accordingly. Article Summaries: One goal of the course is to build foundational knowledge in behavioral neuroscience , including contemporary theoretical issues and research methods. While we will discuss the results of many r search studies, we will also read and discuss original research articles in order to give you a fuller appreciation f or the theoretical issues and search methods. You will be required to read each article and to write a brief (no more than one page) narrative summarizing the article.The articles will be available via Blackboard and w ill be announced in class and on Blackboard. Grades on summary papers comprise 10% of your final grade. Neuroscience in the Media Paper: Another goal of th e course is to encourage students to think now, and into the future, about the role of nervous system in all psychological processes. To encourage such broader thinking, each SST dent will be required to iscuss an example of â€Å"physiology in the media† (movies, television, music, magazine nest, newsprint, etc).This term paper will discuss and critique an example of physiology in the media with r preference to original scholarly research articles on the topic. The Media Watch paper will comprise 15% of the final grade and is due on December 4th 2009. To facilitate the Neuroscience in the Media paper project, a b rife description of the media example that will be the basis for your paper is due on October 7th and a bill graphs of original research articles for the topic is due on November 6th.

Diversified workforce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Diversified workforce - Essay Example anization because such a workforce helps in making better decisions, helps in satisfying customer needs and creates a positive image of the organization. A very important element in the success of an organization is the way decisions are made in the organization. A successful organization is one which is able to take creative decisions in order to compete in a highly competitive environment. Decision making is one area which helps in enhancing the creativity of the organization. In the process of decision making, it is essential for the organization to define an issue from different perspective and develop different solutions for a particular issue. Having a diversified workforce can enable the organization in broadly defining the issues it is facing and developing different solutions to a problem. For example: a workforce comprising of people having who have ample amount of experience and who have recently graduated can come up with solutions that have already been tested and solutions that are new. Another key element of organization is its customer and customers of the organization are considered as the heart of the customer. Customer satisfaction is considered very important in order to attract and retain old and new customers. To satisfy the needs of a diverse range of customers organizations require a diversified workforce. A diversified workforce can interact with customers and develop customer intimacy and identify the needs that they want to be fulfilled. This enables the organization in developing goods and services which caters to the needs of different customers which enables the organization in attracting and retaining customers. A third key element of the success of the organization is the image that it creates in the mind of its stakeholders. Organizations that do not have a diversified workforce are considered as organizations that practice discrimination by employing only individuals that belong to one particular group. Due to this they face

Segregation and US Civil Rights Movement in the last 60 YEARS Research Paper

Segregation and US Civil Rights Movement in the last 60 YEARS - Research Paper Example These are not simply racist behavior and social-cultural inequalities. In certain circumstances, racial discrimination is institutionalized. It is set down legally, is part of the techniques employed by judicial and penitential bodies, and can lead to serious violations of fundamental human rights, in the form of degrading or inhuman treatment. Despite clear attestation to the contrary, all races in America have been declared overtime to be equally hard-working and talented, and anyone who challenges the dogma is perceived to be not merely wrong but evil. The dogma has logical effects that are profoundly important (Clark, 2003, pg., 33). If blacks, for instance, are equal to whites in every way, what explanations can be given for their poverty, dissipation and criminality? Because any theory of racial segregation has been outlawed, the only possible explanation for black lack of success is white racism although this is debatable. And since blacks are crime-prone, dissipated and marke dly poor, United States must be racked with a pervasive and horrible segregation (Rothwell, 2011, pg., 77). Racism is not just a concern in United States but one of the world’s major issues currently. Many individuals are not aware of the gravity of racism still existing in our workforces, schools and anywhere else social lives are present. This essay may help understand these instances and areas that the government can act upon Many years after the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling it can be argued that, de facto racial segregation remains a force to reckon with. United States has been reluctant to fulfill its legal duties under the International Convention on the elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Convention). This lack of commitment has necessitated the various civil rights movements demand actions. The struggle for fair employment among United States citizens has been a major concern in my view. Despite the convention report criticism of the United

Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Presentation - Essay Example Lis poetry has survived through the years and has gained imperishable popularity not only in China, but also developed a good influence in the Western world through translations. This discussion will be about the literary components and illustrations of Li Bai’s poems, particularly focusing on the way he has handled each of his poems, depicting its theme and primary images. The aesthetic sense in his poetic descriptions along with his recurring theme of nature is discussed in detail. Li Bai was born in Sichuan province, in what is now Central Asia, in 701 A.D. In his early years, he led a carefree life as an itinerant wandering throughout China with his companion and co-poet, Du Fu. Living during the mid-Tang Dynasty, which was called the ‘Golden Age of China’, he was influenced by Taoist thoughts. He wished of becoming an official in the dynasty but his family heritage did not provide enough opportunities for it. However, in 742 A. D., he was introduced to the emperor Xuanzong, as a fabled carouser who fascinated the public and aristocrats through his poetic skills. Even though he had little academic knowledge, he was appointed to the Hanlin academy by the Emperor. As a prestigious poet to the ruler, he settled with the Emperor making poetry for him and the academy. However, the revolt, which occurred soon after his elevation, exiled him out of the position. Being a superfluous imaginative poet, his death was also romanticized by a fable in which h is attempt to catch the moon’s light in a river led to his drowning. But, actually he is believed to have died because of his excessive drinking. Li Bai was indeed a legendary poet, with fanciful thoughts and inimitable adeptness in poetry skills. His poems covered a wide spectrum of human emotions and life with in-depth expressions through powerful language delivery. He was indeed a prominent figure in Chinese poetry

Comparing and contrasting functionalist,marxist and feminist Essay

Comparing and contrasting functionalist,marxist and feminist perspective on religion - Essay Example Religion refers to those socially shared ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that have to do with the supernatural or "beyond" (Zanden 371). For Shepard, Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things (388). The theorists like Marx Weber, Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim have different views on Religion. Emile Durkheim presented his functionalist perspective of religion in his work The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (Thio 385). He emphasized that religion functions to preserve social order. Every religion possessed both rituals and moral norms (Ibid). By way of rituals, people sanctify and renew their bonds to one another. Their beliefs in the sacred and acceptance of common norms are strengthened. Thus, religion binds the society and maintains it (Ibid). As a whole, functionalist theorists direct their focus on the contributions the religion has made to the survival of the society. Functionalists argue that the role of religion is to preserve the s tatus quo rather than to promote social change. They agree that religion is a beneficial conservative force because it maintains consensus, binds people together and promotes social order. They however see it as having a positive influence, whereas the Marxist view is somewhat more negative in its outlook. ("The Different"). The essential function of religion was to provide through sacred symbols a mirror for members of society to see their common unity. Through its system of beliefs, religion offers an explanation of the nature of social life (Shepard 391). The conflict theorists on the other hand, as represented by Karl Marx viewed religion as producing an otherworldly focus that diverts the oppressed from seeking thisworldy social change (Zanden 382). Marx viewed it is an expression of human alienation and an illusion. It is a form of false consciousness and as a tool of the powerful in the struggles between competing social class ( Robertson 405). It is the "sigh of the oppresse d creature, the heart of the heartless world, the soul of the soulless circumstances. It is the opium of the people" ( Thio 385). Marx considered it as a profound form of human alienation because people tend to lose control over the social world they have created resulting to a situation where they find themselves alien in the hostile social environment (Robertson 405). This is because people shape social institutions expecting that the same will serve their needs yet find themselves to be the servant of the institutions they created (Zanden 382). Conflict theorists have taken a new perspective on the relationship between religion and social change. They view it not as a passive response to social relations of production but as an active force shaping the contours of social life (Ibid 383). Marxist argue that religion is a mechanism for social control- (as does functionalism), religion maintains the existing system of exploitation, and reinforces class relationships and inequalities . Further, Marx argued that religion dulls the pain of oppression by: 1) Promising a paradise of eternal bliss in the after life, 2) By often making poverty tolerable by offering heaven as a reward for they're suffering c) By giving the hope of supernatural intervention to solve the worlds problems and d) Justifies social order/hierarchies- by saying that poverty is divinely ordained as a punishment for sin ( "The Different"). .Feminists on one hand agree with Marxists to the extent of religion acting as an instrument of domination and oppression but not for the ruling class but for men. They believe people live in a patriarchal society. Radical feminists during the 1970's and 1980's view religion primarily as patriarchal ideology regardless of the different forms in which it appeared (Newman, "Feminist"). They found that there exists a relationship between religion and politics. The male controlled institution, such as religion defines women as subordinate to men and are used to

What are your opinions of the movies uploaded to Moodle this week Essay

What are your opinions of the movies uploaded to Moodle this week - Essay Example presents President Bush to have rigged the general election and consequently declared the winner portray that political interests are marred with personal gains more than the interests of the people who elect the leaders into their respective positions. To pursue these interests, mechanisms must be put into place in order to facilitate the entire process. The second movie merges politics with conflict, war and hope at the same time. The US has for a long time pursued the Middle East countries, engaging them in wars and/or fighting them when warring with other countries other than the US. Analyzing the concepts under which this is beneficial or harmful only proves difficult than the subject matter. US has destroyed and messed up many Middle East countries, but at the same time it has actively been involved in the reconstruction of these nations. Such a process denotes hope for the disadvantaged, but the interest pursued here remains unclear. The 9/11 event therefore puts forward the theory of â€Å"things gone futile†, when the US found itself under attacks. Further to the interests of this movie, the Middle East and the US have been said to collaborate in business. This fact only makes the analysis of the relationship between these nations dynamic, critical and hard to explain, just represented by the film. Media reporting and the lies of Michael Moore can be connected, and a balance can indeed be stricken between the two. The Aljazeera Control Room (Part 1) and the lies of Michael Moore depict critical analysis of the things that have been taken literally or for granted by the society in relation to politics and governance. Unfairenheit 9/11- The lies of Michael Moore can be described as an insult to the word â€Å"dishonest†. This film presents very analytical cases of events that occur in the ordinary social setting but with rare realization of the ordinary person. However, to my own opinion, these movies have been exaggerated to present the cases contained

Assignment about two questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

About two questions - Assignment Example s source code integrity must be maintained, there should be no discrimination of any kind to anyone using the software, the software must be distributed with distribution licence, the license must not be tied to a specific product, and finally, the licence must be technology – neutral. Sme of the vailabel open source software include Apache HTTP server, GNOME desktop Environment, GIMP image Editor, Firefox we browser, Android smartphone operating system, MYSQL database, PHP among others. Most of open source software are reliable. The reliability of open source software is due to the fact that all open source software are peer reviewed. This has made open source software to be to be more reliable and robust even in the most stringent conditions. The use of most open source software is safe. Once the initial source code of a particular software has been, the community of open source developers take up the project to review and correct any available bugs. This removes all security holes thus making the software more secure. Also, in cases where a security vulnerability has been identified, it’s quickly fixed by the open source community. Most of the open source software are released free of charge. The only costs that may be incurred include the customization costs and maybe the downloading costs. This makes the acquiring and the use of open source cheaper as compared to closed source software software. The availability of open source software makes it easy for one to evaluate the software. For instance, it can be assessed to determine if it has the expected requirement. For instance, just by evaluating the source code, one is able to determine if the software is secure or it has security holes. Open source software are being faced by overall disadvantage. Most of the open source software are not straightforward to use. Tis attributed to the fact that the developers of the system give less attention in the development of user interface. Nowadays, most

Drug Addiction and Time Essay Example for Free

Drug Addiction and Time Essay I believe that I am an addict, I made a lot of bad decisions in my life. But the worst was my decision to start using drugs. From the day that I started using to now I have loved it. And at times I would do just about anything to get it, I have done just about everything except sell my body. I stole from the people I love to get what I needed. Using drugs went from only on the weekends, to a couple times a week, to everyday. The worst part is, is I didn’t see that it was consuming so much of my life. There came a point where just smoking weed wasn’t enough anymore, and that’s when i should have walked away. I was 16 when I did heroin the first time. But it wasn’t until a year later when I started shooting up. My best friend and I did everything together and this was no different. We were hooked, she more than I, our lives revolved around getting high. I remember the days we couldn’t get it, she would shake and cry because her body ached for it so bad. I hated seeing her sick, all I could do nothing to help her. It was the worst thing that I have ever seen. When I could I would get her what she needed. We spent our summer days inside. Most of the time we were so high that we couldn’t move, but to us that was the best part of the day. At that moment we could finally just close our eyes and breathe. Looking back now the worst part for me is that I helped my best friend kill herself. I provided her with the drug that was sucking her dry. At that point in time I thought I was helping her. We have always depended on each other but this time we depended on something else. We both are not using heroin anymore, and have come out on the other side of that addiction. We both know that if it were placed in front of us we could not say no. Addiction has taken a lot from me. I have lost the trust of my Parents and my freedom I ounce had. My best friend and I can not hangout outside of school, were just not good for each other to be around. But most of all I lost respect for myself.

Succession Planning Essay Example for Free

Succession Planning Essay 1. Introduction All around the globe there are two main opinions about talent management. One that states that talent can be developed by itself through the everyday work. On the other hand another school states that a talent must be discovered, nurtured, grow and retained. In the fast growing business world especially in last 2 decades many issues appeared that emphasise on taking a stand whether to follow the evolutionary theory or to follow the succession planning and management. Sometimes a company face a challenge if a key position worker disappears for any reason. For example taken by a head hunter, retirement or death. A place is vacant and to fill this place it would take maybe months. Not mention the amount of knowledge that was lost as this key employee was gone. As the competition increases in the business world there is no more loyalty, both from the company and the employee. To face those challenges big organisations must develop a plan not just to solve these situations but also to avoid them in the first place. This plan is a complicated process that requires the dedication of everyone involved.  Its success can be measured by the people that affects. (Palma, M 2009, ‘Succession Planning’, PA Times (American Society for Public Administration, March, vol.32, iss. 3, pp.10-11). This report aims to explain and both theories from different vintage points. This paper has three sections. The first is the definition of succession planning. The next is examples of the evolutionary theory. The third section is about talent development as a result of sustained efforts to prepare the leaders of tomorrow. At the end I’ll briefly discuss my conclusion and give my recommendation. 2. Why Succession planning Succession planning has been defined as: A means of identifying critical management positions, starting at the levels of project manager and supervisor and extending to the highest positions in the organisation. Succession planning also describes management positions to provide maximum flexibility in lateral management moves and to ensure that as individuals achieve greater seniority, their management skills will broaden and become more generalized in relation to total organisational objectives rather than to purely departmental objectives.( Rothwell, W. J., 2010. Effective Succession Planning. Fourth edition ed. New York: AMACOM American Management Association.) Also it is the identification and development of potential successors for key positions in an organisation, through a systematic evaluation process and training. Unlike replacement planning (which grades an individual solely on the basis of his or her past performance) succession planning is largely predictive in judging an individual for a position he or she might never have been in.( www.businessdictionary.com) It is a component of good HR planning and management. It understands that staff will not be with an organization forever and it provides a plan and process for ameliorating the situation that will occur when they leave. It must not focus on the senior positions only, but also on all the crucial key positions in all levels. Succession planning is a process of developing talent to meet the needs of the organisation now and in the future. Every time a manager makes a work assignment, he or she is preparing someone for the future because he or she  is building that workers ability. Work experience builds competence, and different kinds of work experience build different kinds of competence. (Effective succession planning, William J. Rothwell, 4th edition, p371) Organizational leaders need to think about aligning their staffing and leadership needs with the organization’s future strategic objectives. If they do not take action to establish an effective SPM program, they are likely to fall victim to the so-called like-me problem, in which people are biased to pick other people like themselves, viewing them more favourably. Given the tendency to want to â€Å"clone† job incumbents for successors, organizations must take steps to counteract that built-in bias, for the simple reason that the job incumbent of today, while perhaps perfectly suited for the business environment now, may not be suitable for the business environment of the future.( Rothwell, W. J., 2010. Effective Succession Planning. Fourth edition ed. New York: AMACOM American Management Association.) 3. The Evolutionary Process of Talent Development: Here are some examples of real life companies using the evolutionary process: 3.1 Mohamed Ibrahim Optics This company was established in 1972 and the owner Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim at this time about 35 years old. By 1999 there were more than 25 branches around Egypt. After more than 40 years it’s the time for him to retire because health issues. He has 3 sons and because he was always managing the process he is assuming that one of his sons would be his successor in the business, but neither had he identified which of them would be the best successor, nor he tried to develop them. The emotional factor and the notion that he was going to stay at home and would not be the C-executive terrifying Mr. Ibrahim. Now one of his sons who is not interested in the business is running the operation and the employees are not happy with the new manager which affected their performance. 3.2 Rizkallah appliances This is an example about a CEO’s maneuvering to delay the succession process. After 2 decades of running Rizkallah for electronics, the time has come for Mr. Essam to start planning for retirement. The board was confident that Mr. Essam was the best one for the position. He has the experience and the knowledge. Putting his retirement plans in one hand and the strategy he want  to follow in the other hand made him procrastinate the succession process. He became hypercritical of all potential candidates. Also compare his performance with the performance of the new candidate. For Mr. Essam he was losing his job. The key to successful succession planning is to stop viewing it as a zero-sum game with one winner and one loser. It should be regarded as a natural progression in the health of an organization. (Baldoni, J 2008, ‘Making a Success of Succession Planning’, CIO Insight) 3.3 Masr for insurance This is about a CEO who would not leave his position due to economic factors. The recession in Egypt make Mustafa think twice about leaving his position. Also the recession made it very difficult to start a systematic succession planning in the organisation. Pulling off a CEO transition is never easy, especially during a recession. (The art of succession, By: Boyle, Matt, BusinessWeek, 5/11/2009, Issue 4130) In his mind he thought that he must be the only decision making person. Holding all the keys for making a decision in his hands. Regardless he was about 59 years old he never thought of choosing a successor or investing in a succession plan. During the revolution Egypt in 2011 he was exposed to the gases and because of his age and medical condition he could not tolerate the gas and he suffocated to death. More than 6 months passed by and his position was still vacant and no one dare to fill his place. Those 6 months were very tough and the firm missed lots of opportunities as in this period many companies changed their policies to coop with the different situation. 4. Succession planning and management Argument: From the previous examples we understand that succession planning is needed in any big company. SPM program is needed so the organisational leaders align their staffing and leadership needs with the organisation’s future strategic objectives. Another reason why SPM program is needed: More and more organisations are experiencing the effects of aging workforces that are putting them at risk of losing their most experienced workers to retirement. Also terrorism increases the need for SPM program to ensure that key workers have back up in case they are needed. (Effective succession planning, William J. Rothwell, 4th edition) I Use everything that happens as  a learning experience to prepare my staff to stretch in the future. Everyone takes experiences at a different level; they dont all derive the same kinds of lessons from those experiences. What I try to do on a daily basis is turn everything into a leadership learning session. (Chief learning officer magazine, The CLO Succession Plan, March 2008 issue) According to Peter F. Drucker: â€Å"The question of tomorrow’s management is, above all, a concern of our society. Let me put it bluntly-we have reached a point where we simply will not tolerate as a country, as a society, as a government, the danger that any one of our major companies will decline or collapse because it has not made adequate provisions for management succession.† (Harper W.Moulton and Arthur A. Fickel, Executive Development: Preparing For the 21st Century (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), p. 29. â€Å"Every enterprise is a learning and teaching institution. Training and development must be built into it on all levels—training and development never stop.à ¢â‚¬  – Peter F. Drucker 5. Talent development is a result of a sustained effort to prepare leaders of tomorrow Another good example from a friend of mine who was working as human resource manager in Prizma Securities Company. 5.1 Prizma Securities In the company they were using a 6 key steps model which used in many large organisations worldwide. They were using market-driven approach to integrate strategic plans with succession plans where necessary talents are required to deal with competitive pressure. 1. Formulating a mission statement: It describes the purpose of a program or the reason for its existence. 2. Identify key areas and positions: Gap analysis may identify key areas. Also Review key positions periodically because they may change over time, depending on changes in Government direction and the introduction of new technology. 3.Identify competency for key areas and positions: Employees who believe they are growing and developing professionally, learning new skills and gaining experience are more productive, have higher morale, and are more loyal than employees at organizations that dont emphasize talent development and knowledge management (Moskal, Planning for Succession, Baseline, October2008, iss. 89,  pp. 12 -14.) This was achieved by assessing knowledge, skills and abilities or competency profile. 4. Find interested employees and —assess them against capabilities: Using Talent review meetings 5.Develop and implement succession and knowledge transfer plans: Using stretch assignments, acting assignments, formal training, mentoring and coaching and Job rotations those procedures would help in transferring of knowledge and not remain with certain people. Effective succession planning and talent retention nurtures those employees responsible for the organizations future vision, strategy and success. It assures a sequence of qualified, promotable people as the boomers move on. (Moskal, Planning for Succession, Baseline, October2008, iss. 89, pp. 12-14.) 6. Evaluate effectiveness Evaluation was based on the Donald Kirkpatrick pattern which examines four levels: customer satisfaction, program progress, effective placement and organisational results. Also the programmatic evaluation which examine the process against its stated mission, objectives, and activities. 5.2 Adel Elkholy for shipping: Adel Elkholy Company is one of the largest companies in Egypt. The total number of workers is about 800 employees. In a meeting with HR manager personally he explained briefly the program for succession he is implementing. The purpose of the program: This step to clarify why the company undergoing this program. So the whole departments could be involved and participate. The measurable objectives of the program: result must be measurable so they can measure the success of the program. Design a Competency model: A competency model was established to link the organisation core competencies to job competencies. A present competencies identification for success: in this step 2 categories are identified the exemplars and the fully successful performers. The way those competencies are measured: using high technological software. The competencies needed for success in the future: A scenario planning is conducted to discover the  competencies needed in the future. The way the organization assesses potential: using empowered individual potential assessment. Classify individuals by performance and potential: Using the performance/potential 9 grids Narrowing gaps: Preparing and evaluating individual development plans and activities. Evaluating results: It’s carried out by external consultant. Then the results are presented to the owner of the company. 6. Conclusion Although about one half of the companies do not have a succession plan as stated in Business Week: Last year, the National Association of Corporate Directors found that 42.4% of companies had no succession plan at all. The economic crisis has exacerbated this problem as resources have diminished. (The Art of Succession. by: Boyle, Matt, BusinessWeek, 5/11/2009, Issue 4130). But this does not mean that succession planning is not important for the survival of the organisation; moreover its importance is increasing year after year. Most of the organisations knew its importance even if they do not apply the plan. In my opinion, the previous examples show the importance of having a systematic succession planning and management program. That helps placing the right person in the right place at the right time. Having successors is not an easy job, if the SP Management Program is not aligned with the business strategies HR strategies; all stockholders are involved, top management giving full support and the use of proper approaches and tools. It became also mandatory than ever for organisations to plan for future leadership and development of all workers at all levels. At the same time, all the activities in the market became more and more complex. Many functions now require extensive skills and knowledge. 7. Recommendations For all the previous reasons mentioned in my report supported with real life cases, I strongly recommend leaders to understand that its critical to strengthen their talent pool through succession planning, professional development, job rotation and workforce planning. They need to identify potential talent and groom it. So, they must take proactive steps to plan for talent needs at all levels and implement programs designed to ensure that the right people are available for the right jobs in the right places and at the right time. References 1. (A 2009 tune up your firm’s succession planning. Dominic Cingoranelli. Journal of accounting march 2009). 2. (Palma, M 2009, ‘Succession Planning’, PA Times (American Society for Public Administration, March, vol.32, iss. 3, pp.10-11) 3. Rothwell, W. J., 2010. Effective Succession Planning. Fourth edition ed. New York: AMACOM American Management Association. 4. ( www.businessdictionary.com) 5. (Baldoni, J 2008, ‘Making a Success of Succession Planning’, CIO Insight) 6. (The art of succession, By: Boyle, Matt, BusinessWeek, 5/11/2009, Issue 4130) 7. (Chief learning officer magazine, The CLO Succession Plan, March 2008 issue) 8. (Moskal, Planning for Succession, Baseline, October2008, iss. 89, pp. 12-14.) 9. Harper W.Moulton and Arthur A. Fickel, Executive Development: Preparing For the 21st Century (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), p. 29.

Diagnosis of a Respiratory Disorder

Diagnosis of a Respiratory Disorder Introduction Respiratory disorders are the commonest causes of morbidity and mortality among children of all ages. The presentation may vary from trivial to life threatening symptoms. While a carefully conducted history and physical examination are vital for a correct diagnosis, various laboratory and radiological investigations aid in finally clinching the diagnosis. This chapter focuses on clinical assessment of the respiratory system in children. There is much overlap between the respiratory examination and that of other systems, and it is assumed that the reader has mastered basic physical examination skills. History The evaluation of a child with respiratory disorder should start with the history of present illness, significant past history, family history as well as antenatal and birth histories. The parent should be asked the chief complaint that prompted the consultation, along with the circumstances at onset, frequency, duration, and severity. History of prior treatment should be obtained. History of past illness will include all previous respiratory and other complaints. These include history of recurrent pneumonia (suggesting immunodeficiency, cystic fibrosis, anatomic abnormality, or bronchiectasis) known allergy and malnutrition. The family/ environmental history will provide information about history of contact or that suggestive of asthma in relatives, nutritional and financial status of the family, and history of exposure to allergens. Following are important clinical pointers in the history: Recurrent pneumonia: points towards immunodeficiency, cystic fibrosis, anatomic abnormality (gastroesophageal reflux), dysfunctional swallowing, or bronchiectasis. The child with a history of tracheoesophageal fistula repair is prone to tracheomalacia and gastroesophageal reflux–related disease. Atopy: eczema, atopic dermatitis, hay fever, or known allergies, may be important in the child with chronic cough or recalcitrant asthma. Failure to thrive, frequent infections, blood product transfusion, parental substance abuse, or poor growth may be a clue to an underlying immunodeficiency. History of contact with a case of tuberculosis Environmental history: exposure to dust due to construction in the house/neighbourhood, presence of pet animals or birds, exposure to smoke, either from tobacco use or use of wood for heating, cooking, or both. Associated complaints: Headache may be a sign of sinus disease or, especially if occurring in the early morning, a result of obstructive sleep apnea. Ocular symptoms such as conjunctivitis and blepharitis, as well as nasal symptoms, may indicate an atopic predisposition or in the young infant a chlamydial infection. Recurrent mouth ulcers or thrush can be associated with immunodeficiency, as may chronic or recurrent ear drainage. Poor feeding, edema, shortness of breath, and exercise tolerance can be clues to the presence of congestive heart failure. Stool characteristics, abdominal bloating, and fatty food intolerance are important features of cystic fibrosis. Neurologic symptoms such as seizures or developmental delay are important in evaluating the child with apparent life-threatening events or suspected chronic or recurrent aspiration. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION A thorough general physical examination is extremely important in the approach to a child with respiratory disorder. Recording the anthropometry is as important as are the presence of cyanosis, pallor and clubbing. Use of accessory muscles of respiration may indicate severity of respiratory distress and intercostal recession may point towards airway obstruction and a non-compliant lung. Supraclavicular and cervical lymph nodes should form part of the exanination routinely. Upper Airway An examination of the upper airway will indicate presence of nasal foreign body or infection, tonsillar enlargement, or narrowing of the glottis. The position of the trachea should be noted during examination of the neck. Deviation to one side may be seen with pneumothorax, neck mass, unilateral pulmonary agenesis or hypoplasia, or unilateral hyperinflation (as seen with foreign body or congenital cystic lung disorders). Chest Inspection Inspection forms the first component of chest examination. Presence or absence of any deformity should be noted, as should the general shape of the chest. A barrel chest (increased anteroposterior dimension) denotes obstructive lung disease. The severity of this deformity shows increased lung volumes (functional residual capacity, residual volume, total lung capacity, functional residual capacity/total lung capacity ratio, and residual volume/total lung capacity ratio) and is associated with radiographic findings of hyperinflation in children with poorly controlled asthma. Pectus carinatum (â€Å"pigeon breast†) or pectus excavatum (â€Å"funnel chest†) may be seen in patients who have chronically increased work of breathing, as in pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, or poorly controlled asthma. The respiratory rate, preferably noted with the child at rest or asleep, is a very important indicator of pulmonary illness (though fever and metabolic acidosis can have an inc reased respiratory rate in the absence of pulmonary disease). Nasal flaring to reduce nasal resistance to airflow and the use of accessory muscles of respiration such as the sternocleidomastoid muscles indicates respiratory distress as do retractions or indrawing of the skin of the neck and chest. Respiratory distress may also be seen in children with neuromuscular disorders. An objective way of assessing the degree of dyspnea is asking the child to count and noting the highest number reached in a single breath. The respiratory pattern and depth may also point towards a particular pathology. Shallow and rapid respiration is seen in children with restrictive lung disease. Similarly, rapid and deep respiration (hyperpnea), can be seen in children with hypoxia and metabolic acidosis while alkalosis results in slow, shallow breaths. Hyperpnea alternating with apnea (Biots respiration) is associated with central nervous lesions involving the respiratory centers. Cheyne-Stokes respirations seen in comatose patients is marked by gradually increasing and decreasing respirations. Likewise, the relative length of the respiratory phases (the inspiratory/expiratory ratio) is important. As the inspiratory and expiratory phases are roughly equal, a prolonged expiration may indicate obstructive diseases such as bronchiolitis, acute exacerbations of asthma, and cystic fibrosis. While some abdominal breathing, is normal up to 6 or 7 years of age, conspicuous respirations of this type in a child, however, generally reflect a pulmonary abnormality such as pneumonia, or respiratory muscle weakness. Palpation: Although more generally thought of in terms of the abdominal examination, palpation is important in the respiratory examination as well. It is used to confirm the visual observations of chest wall shape and excursion. Palpation is performed by placing the entire hand on the chest and feeling with the palm and fingertips. Friction rubs may be felt as high-frequency vibrations in synchrony with the respiratory pattern. Tactile fremitus, the transmission of vibrations associated with vocalization, is at times difficult to assess in children because of a lack of cooperation and a higher-pitched voice; lower-pitched vocalization is more effectively transmitted. It is best felt with the palmar aspects of the metacarpal and phalangeal joints on the costal interspaces. Decreased fremitus suggests airway obstruction, pleural fluid, or pleural thickening, whereas increased fremitus is associated with parenchymal consolidation. Occasionally a â€Å"thud† can be felt high in the chest or in the neck, a finding suggestive of a free tracheal foreign body. One can also assess chest excursion by placing the hands with the fingertips anterior and thumbs posterior and noting the degree of chest wall movement, comparing excursion of one side with the other by noting the movement of the thumbs away from the midline (the spinous processes). The point of maximal impulse, frequently shifted to the left in cardiac disease, may be shifted inferiorly and to the right in severe asthma, a large left-sided pleural effusion, or a tension pneumothorax. With massive left-sided atelectasis, it may be shifted to the left. Percussion: Percussion should be performed with the child upright with the head in neutral position, and using the indirect method (a single finger from one hand strikes on a finger of the other hand placed on an interspace). A gentle force should be used so as to avoid causing injury, especially in a young child). Sounds commonly elicited by percussion of the chest are as follows: Tympany : Normally heard with percussion of the abdomen, is seen in the chest with a massive pneumothorax. Resonance: This is the normal state in the chest; it is sometimes called vesicular resonance. Hyperresonance: Accentuation of the normal percussion is seen with states of hyperinflation like emphysema, asthma, or free intrapleural air. Coin test: A resonant metallic sound heard with a stethoscope when tapping a coin that is held flat against the chest with another coin; it indicates a pneumothorax. Dullness: A flat, thud-like sound, this sound is associated with pleural fluid or parenchymal consolidation. Flatness: This sound can be mimicked by percussing over muscle; its presence in the chest suggests massive pleural effusion. Auscultation: Auscultation of the chest should be performed with the age appropriate stethoscope (with chest pieces for premature infants, infants, children, and adolescents/adults). The diaphragm of the chest piece (pressed tightly against the skin) is used to filter out low-pitched sounds, thereby isolating high-pitched sound, and the bell (held lightly on the chest) is used preferentially to isolate low-pitched sounds. The upper lobes are best heard by listening anteriorly in the infraclavicular regions, the lower lobes by listening posteriorly below the scapulae, and the right middle lobe and lingula by listening anteriorly lateral to the lower third of the sternum. All lobes can be heard in the axillae. It is also important to specify the timing (continuous, early, or late), pitch (high, medium, or low), and character (fine, medium, or coarse) of sounds. These sounds can be divided into breath sounds (produced by the movement of gas through the airways), voice sounds (modifi cations of phonation not heard distinctly in the normal state), and adventitious sounds (neither breath or voice sounds). Breath Sounds Vesicular breath sounds are the sounds heard during respiration in a healthy individual. They are low-pitched, with a relatively longer inspiratory phase and a shorter expiratory phase and are louder on inspiration. These sounds emanate from the lobar and segmental airways and are then transmitted through normal parenchyma. Bronchial breath sounds are usually louder than vesicular sounds and have short inspiratory and long expiratory phases. They are higher pitched and louder during expiration. They may be the result of consolidation or compression (i.e., airlessness) of the underlying parenchyma. A similar sound can be heard by listening directly over the trachea. Bronchovesicular breath sounds, as the name implies, are intermediate between vesicular and bronchial sounds. The respiratory phases are roughly equal in length. This sound is felt to be indicative of a lesser degree of consolidation or compression (airlessness) than bronchial sounds. Bronchovesicular (and sometimes bronchial) breath sounds can occasionally be heard in normal individuals in the auscultatory triangle (the area in the back bound by the lower border of the trapezius, the latissimus dorsi, and the rhomboideus major muscles) and the right upper lobe. Wheezes are continuous musical sounds, more commonly expiratory in nature, and usually associated with short inspiratory and prolonged expiratory phases. They can be of single (monophonic) or multiple (polyphonic) pitches, which are higher pitched than vesicular sounds. These can often be very difficult to distinguish from snoring and upper airway sounds such as stridor. Stridor is a musical, monophonic, often high-pitched sound, usually thought of as inspiratory in nature; it can be expiratory as well, such as when produced by partial obstruction of a central, typically extrathoracic airway. Its presence in both inspiration and expiration suggests severe, fixed airway obstruction. Voice Sounds The normal lung parenchyma filters vocalization so that whispered sounds are not usually heard during auscultation and normally spoken syllables are indistinct. Bronchophony is the distinct transmission of spoken syllables as the result of an underlying consolidation or compression. More severe consolidation or compression results in the transmission of whispered sounds or whispered pectoriloquy. Egophony is very similar to bronchophony but has a nasal quality as well. It may reflect an underlying effusion, consolidation or compression, or both conditions. Adventitious Sounds Fine crackles are thought to be the result of the explosive reopening of alveoli that closed during the previous exhalations. These occur exclusively during inspiration and are associated with conditions such as bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary infarction, and atelectasis. They can also be normal when heard in the posterior lung bases during the first few breaths on awakening. They may be imitated by rolling several strands of hair between the thumb and forefinger in front of the ear or by pulling apart Velcro. Hamman’s sign, also called a mediastinal crunch, is the finding of crackles associated with systole and is suggestive of pneumomediastinum. Coarse crackles are popping sounds likely produced by the movement of thin fluids in bronchi or bronchioles. They occur early in inspiration and occasionally in expiration as well, may be audible at the mouth, and may clear or change pattern after a cough. They can sometimes be heard in the anterior lung bases during exhalation to residual volume. An example of these sounds is the crackles typically heard in patients with cystic fibrosis. Rhonchi (sometimes more descriptively called large airway sounds) are gurgling or bubbling sounds usually heard during exhalation. These sounds are the result of movement of fluid within larger airways. In individuals with pleural inflammation, a pleural friction rub may be heard. This loud, grating sound may come and go over a short period of time. It is usually associated with a subpleural parenchymal inflammatory process. OTHER SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Clubbing: Clubbing is the broadening and thickening of the ends of the fingers and toes that occur as the result of connective tissue hypertrophy and hyperplasia and increased vascularity in the distal phalanges, in response to chronic hypoxia. It can be confirmed clinically by checking for Schamroth’s sign. Causes of clubbing are as follows: Bronchiectasis Severe pneumonia, lung abscess, or empyema Interstitial lung disease (autoimmune and infectious) Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation Hepatopulmonary syndrome Pulmonary malignancy Cyanotic congenital heart disease Bacterial endocarditis Inflammatory bowel disease Thyrotoxicosis Familial Cyanosis: The use of cyanosis as a clinical indicator of hypoxemia is confounded by a number of factors such as skin pigmentation, poor lighting, the presence of nail polish, or hypothermia. Cyanosis occurs when the concentration of reduced arterial hemoglobin exceeds 3 g/dL. Clinical impression of cyanosis should be verified by arterial blood gas analysis or pulse oximetry. Pulsus paradoxus: Pulsus paradoxus (fluctuation in systolic blood pressure with respiration) may sometimes be associated with obstructive pulmonary disease. The arterial pressure falls during inspiration and rises with exhalation. It is quantified as the difference between the systolic pressures measured during inspiration and expiration. Pulsus paradoxus is useful in evaluating children with cystic fibrosis and asthma, in which a value of more than 15 mm Hg has been found to INVESTIGATION:

Adam Sandler :: essays research papers

Adam Sandler is a well-known comedian, musician, actor, screenwriter, and singer. He is known throughout the nation for his accomplishments in the entertainment business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Adam Sandler was born on September 9, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York. He was educated at New Hampshire’s Manchester Central High School during the early 1980’s. He later went to New York University and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 1991 (“Celeb-Site';). Adam’s first time in the spotlight was when he was 11, and he sung “16'; by Ringo Starr at his sister’s wedding (Arnold 110). Yet, his career of being a comedian began at age 17, when he got up on stage at a Boston comedy club. He really had no influences; he spontaneously got on stage. After that he performed regularly at the University and at clubs. Adam also got a spot on The Cosby Show as one of Theo’s friends. He was also featured on MTV’s Remote Control, and on Saturday Night Live during the 1990-91 season (“dAvYgRaVy';). His performances caused an article to be posted in the L.A. Times, which said that he was “the most talentless, juvenile, and offensive of the current cast…'; Obviously, not everyone felt this way because he continued to get jobs in the entertainment field. Adam’s early career stretched to different areas, but he was really discovered during his first season on Saturday Night Live (“Celeb-Site’). Adam also worked on productions other than sitcoms, like movies. In fact, Adam has made many movies throughout his career. His films include Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Water Boy, and many others (“WBR';). Adam also had his hand in the music career. His albums include “They’re All Gonna Laugh At You';, “What the Hell Happened to Me?';, “What’s Your Name?';, and “The Lonesome Kicker';. Adam’s talent showed through when he was nominated for a Grammy Award for the album, “They’re All Gonna Laugh at You'; in 1993 (“WBR';).

Harriet Jacobs :: essays research papers fc

In the stories expressed by Harriet Jacobs, through the mindset of Linda Brent, some harsh realities were revealed about slavery. I’ve always known slavery existed and that it was a very immoral act. But never before have I been introduced to actual events that occurred. Thought the book Linda expresses how she wasn’t the worst off. Not to say her life wasn’t difficult, but she acknowledged that she knows she was not treated as bad as others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Linda’s life was without knowing she was a slave until she was bout six years old. Her father was skilled craftsmen and so his was allowed to work for his profit as long as he gave half to his master. Linda’s mother died when Linda was young, so her maternal grandmother took car of her and her brother William. Her grandmother had been freed by an elderly white woman. Aunt Martha, as was known, was very loved by many including whites and blacks especially by Linda. As soon as she realized her fate in slavery her grandmother became her only female figure of who she really loved and trusted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As slavery became more and more a part of Linda’s life began to soon change as she learned that she was owned by a white master and his mistress and that she was to do exactly what they asked of her without exception or question. Black slaves were not seen as humans but merely as property who served as servants. They could not accumulate property or belongings or authority because they too were property often compared to â€Å"chattel†. No man or woman had any value except for the price tag placed on them when they entered the bidding block. However, the destiny was different for a man than for a woman in slavery. For a black man, slavery meant long hours everyday, having a family But not having any authority amongst it, dealing with the constant reminder that he as a slave could not protect his wife or children form any harm done by the master, and that if he ever disobeyed he would be beat or killed and there would nothing that could be done in his defense. His long hours worked would never provide money for the benefit of his family. His family was supported by the masters and therefore their primary duty was to obey the masters. For women, slavery had other heart wrenching aspects.

Health and social unit Essay

Outcome 1 – understand the importance of equality and inclusion 1.1 Diversity- Diversity literally means difference. Diversity recognises that though people have things in common with each other, they are also different and unique in many ways. Diversity is about recognising and valuing those differences. Diversity therefore consists of visible and non-visible factors, which include personal characteristics such as background, culture, personality and work-style in addition to the characteristics that are protected under discrimination legislation in terms of race, disability, gender, religion and belief, sexual orientation and age. Equality- Equality means treating people in a way that is appropriate for their needs. For example, if someone with a disability wanted to board the plane and was in a wheelchair, it would be no good saying to them, â€Å"you have to take the stairs like everybody else†. What is needed is a way of getting on the plane that will suit everybody’s needs without showing them up and treating them in a way that is worse than other people. Inclusion- Inclusion is about equal opportunities for all pupils, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, attainment and background. It pays particular attention to the provision made for, and the achievement of, different groups of pupils within a school. Discrimination- Giving preference over one kind of people over another because of race, color, creed, national origin, disability, sexual preference, age, maritial status, looks, etc. 1.2 In a work place discriminatin can diliberatly occur, I.E for example if you celebrate christmas and make everyone get involved with secret santa or christmas gifts but not everyone may not celebrate christmas some may have differant religions and beliefs,this is why you should see things with an  open mind and not discriminate anyone just because of your own beliefs. 1.3 By supporting a person’s equality you are treating them as equal and including them in all activities, you will be reducing the likelihood of discrimination Outcome 2 2.1 Equality Act Humans Rights Act GSCC = The General Social Care Council.

Reading Response to Ode to a Nightingale

In Ode to a Nightingale Keats introduces the reader to his discontent with the void of feeling he is experiencing. In the first line Keats says how his, â€Å"heart aches† which the reader would interpret as pain; however the second half of the first line he describes, â€Å"A drowsy numbness†. This tells me that Keats is uncomfortable with the â€Å"numbness† he experiences. In the second line Keats says, â€Å"as though of hemlock I had drunk†. Norton foot notes tell us that hemlock is a poison that acts as a tranquilizer in mild doses.Sedatives cause a euphoria that could be described as â€Å"drowsy numbness†. In the first line Keats repeats the A sound with â€Å"aches, and a drowsy numbness pains†. In the second line Keats repeats the H sound with â€Å"Hemlock I had drunk†. This alliteration and assonance creates a sort of euphoric musical quality, further emphasizing Keats’ chemically induced lack of feeling described. C ontinuing with the idea of drug induced emptiness in the third line Keats speaks of â€Å"some dull opiate to the drains†.Also continuing the use of assonance Keats repeats the D sound with â€Å"emptied some dull opiate to the drains†. Again the feeling produced by this repetition mimics the numb sway of a high. However this line is still more obvious than the first two because Keats mentions â€Å"opiate† which is a much more well-known drug that produces a numb sort of euphoria. The fourth line of the poem introduces a new dynamic to the first stanza. Keats says, â€Å"Lethe-wards had sunk:† Norton tells us that Lethe is a mythological river in Hades that causes forgetfulness.With this line Keats’ intention in the first stanza can be expanded from a euphoric void of feeling to one that causes him to forget. Because of this and Keats’ later references to intoxication (see stanza 2) as well as references to death (see stanza 3) the reader c ould infer that Keats’ desired the forgetful, euphoric, lack of feeling. Though Keats opens the poem in line one with â€Å"My heart aches† one could debate just how much his heart really aches.

Singing with Corrrect Posture

Singing with corrrect posture MAny people love to sing. They sing along with the radio in the cars or in their room. One may even be in a choir and still not being singing with the correct posture. singing with courrect posture consist of various techniques that can improve singing dramatically. Whether singing in the car or performing in front of hundreds. In this paper there will be steps on how to sing with correct posture. Step one, be standing up. This allows the body to be in the up right postition.Not to be slacking or hunchted over. After establishing standing up, slightly place one foot infront of the other. Preferbly the oppostie of your dominate hand. This construces balance,which is the equal distrubutation of weight. Also keep knees slightly bent if knees are locked up one may be become faint or want to past out. The third step in our process is alowing the back to be perfectly straight so that the chest can stick out. Standing against a wall is a perfect example on just how straight the back should be.Then place chin parrell to the floor. All these steps are setting up a base structure for the most important step, taking that deep breath right before the first note sung. The goal is to not allow the chest to come up, for example when some one is scared by another person that person will grasp for air becuase of shouck and most likely the shoulders will rise when recieving the air. So the goal is to keep your chest up and take a deep breath but only letting your stomach come out.Filling the ribcage expand allowing the diaphragm, a muscular, membranous or ligamentous wall separating two cavities or limiting a cavity, to fill up with air. Therefore the only thing moving is stomach musclues coming in and out. Problems of not breathing correctly are that people breath incorrectly so they will not have breath support for very long. a singer must take a deep breath and withstand the temtation of taking another breath to soon. any songs wont sound just ri ght when a singer is breathing every five seconds because they dont have enough breath support and in acheiving great breath support one must have the correct posture. It also conduct great body language when having the correct posture it let the audience know that their is effort put into this song.With good posture comes good breath support with good breath support comes succes becase it is allowing talent to come out of a singers voice. It may not matter that a singer is getting all the notes right, yes that is great, but f a singier can hit all the notes but has to take a breath every few seconds it cuts off some of the emotion that can come from a song. And when someone can see the talent in a singer and truly appriciate him then the singer has already achieved succes. In conclusion if someone really wants to be a great singer, have a great and correct posture is one step closer into achieving that goal. it may not be esay at first but with lots of practice and dedication succe s will fallow.

Brand and River Blindness

Stake for Vagelos as CEO and for Merck as a company in deciding whether to invest in Dr. Campbell’s idea Although Dr. Campbell’s idea of a drug (Ivermectin) that could cure River blindness was a path-breaking opportunity for Merck, the company was faced with a number of ethical, financial and moral issues that forced its CEO to undergo deep thought and contemplation before investing in this idea. * Feasibility: There were concerns about the use of this drug on humans and the potential adverse side effects, if any. High Costs: The high costs associated with research and development coupled with the fact that the drug was to be used by lower income groups meant that it showed little or no economic promise. * Cannibalization: From a pure business standpoint, Merck worried that this drug could cannibalize profits from the animal version of the drug through the creation of possible black markets in the affected countries. Percentage of research budget that Merck should inves t in drugs that will produce a substandard return on investmentAs a company that produces drugs to cure diseases in both humans and animals, Merck operates in a complex dynamic that requires it to take decisions that may not lead to profitability. Further, its corporate philosophy always revolved around the fact that the company’s first priority was the safety of people and only then did profits follow. I, therefore, believe that Merck should invest a large amount ( ~80%) of its research budget even on drugs that will produce a substandard ROI, provided the drugs promise to fully cure diseases without harmful side effects and they are the first in the market to do so.This could help them build a strong brand equity, goodwill and reputation in the long run thereby creating a foundation for profitability in future. For instance, I believe that Merck has a social responsibility and a moral obligation to invest heavily in the cure for River blindness. Merck’s explanation t o a shareholder who might complain about a decision to invest in research on River blindnessMerck could use the following points to strengthen its decision to invest: * Improves image of the company: The decision will lead to a positive impression about the management and its commitment leading to high brand equity and good reputation, resulting in future profits. * Improves employee productivity: Working towards a philosophy that the company consistently stands for will motivate employees and lead to higher job satisfaction thereby increasing employee productivity and hence profits. Attracts support from investors and society: The decision could be a significant differentiating factor. This coupled with superior brand image could generate investor interest and support from the community. It could also be used as a marketing tool. Merck’s selection of drugs to invest in As stated earlier, Merck must strive to achieve a balance between profitability and corporate social respon sibility.The following criteria could be used to make decisions: * Definite and safe treatment: The drugs have a strong potential to result in safe treatment to life-threatening diseases, without harmful side effects. * First mover advantage: Merck must invest in drugs that give it a strong advantage to develop patents and move into market spaces that are unexplored by other drug companies. * Profitability: While it must remain true to its corporate philosophy, it must also target profitability to sustain itself and maintain its position in the industry in the long run.

A Report On Porters Five Forces English Language Essay

A Report On Porters Five Forces English Language Essay Conducting a strategic industry analysis is an informative method in understanding the mission and motivations underlying the for-profit sector and can result in additional industry insight (King, M. A., n.d.). Porter’s Five Forces are the most broadly used business tool for the strategic industry analysis. Diagram 1 was design by Michael Porter in defining the industry analysis. King’s studies (as cited in Porter, 2008) mentioned the Porter’s Five Forces contain the competitive rivalry within the industry, threat of new entrants, bargaining power of customers, threat of substitutes, and bargaining power of suppliers. Competitive Rivalry within the Industry Rivalry among competing firms is the most powerful of the five competitive forces. In gain the customer’s share to increase the firm’s revenues and profits, the firms have to endlessly compete with each other in the same industry. The competition is more intense if firm pursue strategies that gi ve competitive advantage over the strategies pursued by rivals. (Porter, 2008) Malaysia has a total of 690 private colleges, 14 private universities and university colleges and 4 foreign university branch campuses (Wong, P. W., 2003). In 2001, these private institutions had 270,900 students with 90% enrolled in private colleges (Wong, P. W., 2003). Though competition is intense throughout the private higher education industry, the bulk of the student enrolment in private colleges is concentrated within a few major players. Wong’s studies (as cited in SEGi investors website) mentioned the notable ones are SEGI, INTI Universal, Stamford, PTPL, Informatics, Olympia Colleges, Sedaya College, KDU, Taylors College, Sunway, KBU, and HELP Institute – â€Å"Big 12† Besides private, SEGI also faces competition form both listed, non-listed colleges or universities and also the college or university that located around the branches area. For example SEGI College Subang Jaya , their main competitors are those colleges or university that located around the Subang Jaya area such as INTI, Monash, Taylor’s, Sunway, Optima, Metrowealth, and Metropolitan college.. XXX, (2009, December 2). Head of Marketing Department, SEGi College Subang Jaya. Interview. Other SEGI competitors in the listed companies such as INTI and Stamford offer similar courses except that SEGI more emphasis on the adult market and vocational courses that gives good growth potential (Yaw, C. S., 2004). Formerly, SEGi was well-known for its professional and technical accountancy courses expanded its course structure with the reverse takeover of Prime Group by Systematic Education Group in 2001. Therefore, SEGi expanded its field of studies from pre-university to doctorate level and increased its tie-ups with foreign university. This reverse takeover lifted SEGI profile and in 2004, it listed as a largest private education provider with 18,500 students. (http://segi.investor.net.my/pd f%20files/TA_SEGi_040119.pdf) As the dominant competitor in the private education industry, SEGI stands apart from hundreds of small private institutions. Nevertheless, the competition is still intense between the top ranked education providers that estimated command for 30% of the total enrolled students in private college in 2001. The so-called â€Å"Big-12† which include listed competitors SEGI, INTI and Stamford. SEGI strength lies in the location of its colleges. In contrast to many notable colleges which operate on big campuses, SEGI’s colleges are scattered in residential areas across the country, from large urban areas to smaller towns and villages. For example, The Systematic Group of colleges has campuses in Georgetown, Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Klang, Johore Bahru, Subang Jaya, Serian, and Kuching in Sarawak, while the Prime Group has campuses in Alor Star, and Bukit Mertajam, Meanwhile, the new flagship campus in Kota Damansara is also expected to attrac t more students. The new campus can cater up to more than 12,000 students. (http://www.segi.edu.my/campus/sckd/)

Exemplifying Lawrence Kohlberg's notion of post-conventional moral Essay

Exemplifying Lawrence Kohlberg's notion of post-conventional moral reasoning, describe the major ethical (philosophical decision-making, not behavioral) problem in the Jehovahs Witness case - Essay Example In the present scenario however, the patient wants her life saved but without blood transfusion that is probably a requisite in her medical condition. Lawrence Kohlberg’s post conventional aspect of theory lays major emphasis on the person’s individual paradigm of ethics. So according to it the patient should not be given blood transfusion even if there is an 80% death probability otherwise. However the stage six of his post conventional theory involves making decision by imagining yourself in that someone’s position and doing what is right or what is deemed prudent for the patient in this case but mutual agreement is a condition in such a scenario. Since the patient is unwilling for a blood transfusion so it is important on behalf of the surgeons to respect her strongly orthodox perspective that she in unwilling to give up even in such a life threatening situation. In the present scenario the doctor will be imposed to watch the patient die but would not be able to do anything against her will. The patient will have to decide for herself the right course of treatment. A sensible desire when materialized is free from all restrain and powerful within its circle of influence. This freedom is attributed to it by the lawfulness of its essence. (Kant, 1909). In the present scenario the perpetrator will have breached not just the limit for ethical violation but also committed an assault both of the women body and her sense of protection. Information and communication technology has knitted the world together so closely that it is now called a global village. Everything is just a click away. People from far ranging islands and across seven seas are better connected than ever in history. As far as globalisation from the paradigm of medical studies is viewed, it has remarkably strengthened the process and aided in its pollination (Doel, 2003). It is the vector which carries vital information across borders and waters. Ehical professionalism is pollinated and

Salary administration Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Salary administration - Case Study Example The teams associated with the different goals should be encouraged to achieve and surpass the goals set by T-Man Industries. For example, the R&D team would be given a bonus if they attain leading edge and bring at least three new products to the market. This would allow the organisation to attract leading scientists to the R&D division who are motivated towards continuous innovation. With increased incentives offered to the sales team to achieve and surpass targets, the company will attract strong sales persons for the new industry. The production team would also be motivated to gain optimal efficiency, thus reducing costs. â€Å"Fayol (a leading theorist) believed that effective reward systems should be equitable for employees, and the organization, encourage productivity by rewarding well-directed effort, not be subject to abuse, and be uniformly applied to employees.† Jones, G. R. et al, (1998). With this system in place both the employees and the owner will benefit and therefore gain

Management and Marketing Strategies Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management and Marketing Strategies - Case Study Example In this regard, Sunhuan Holdings LTD is a construction company in Singapore that deserves to be considered for the award given their exemplary management and marketing strategies performance and their great contribution in the economic growth of the country. Sunhuan Holdings LTD Business Model, Productivity, and Innovation Viability and Sustainability of the Business Model Sunhuan Construction Company in Singapore has demonstrates high-level viability coupled with sustainability of their business in the competitive industry. The industry throughout its existence has demonstrated the need to satisfy the needs of their customers in the most sustainable ways possible, for instance, the company has shown flexibility and adaptability in satisfying the diverse demands of their customers to the extent of changing their models over time. Currently, the company has complied with all the standardizations that are required to be complied with by the construction companies in Singapore, in their QEHS policy, the company pledges to be provide within budget and time quality services and products to their customers. Furthermore, the company has shown sheer commitment in satisfying the needs of their customers by availing to them different tastes of constructions that has perfectly fit into the demands of the customers. There have also been several architectural designs that the company has been providing to the clients because of their investment in the designs and structural organization of building that has shown more clients opting for the company. Additionally, the construction company does provide for all kinds of buildings, they have shown specialization to all requirements of the customers from offices to residential buildings, besides this, the company has adopted the contemporary building requirements that requires buildings to be sustainable in their own . They have fully complied with the green building requirements and some of the aspects that are considered by th e company when doing their construction in pursuit of sustainability includes; enabling the house to use natural lights thus avoiding extra use of power during the day. The houses build by the company are designed such they are able to utilize natural light during the day and there is no need lighting, their also water conservation by the buildings that are constructed by the company, the water that is harvested by the buildings constructed by the company can be used for irrigating the nearby surroundings. The buildings constructed by the company are thus mindful of the cost that should be incurred while operating in the buildings, the occupants thus finds their construction economical for use. The kind of flexibility and adaptability that has been established by the company makes them to be way ahead of other companies in coping with the economic needs of their customers and they are worth being considered for the award. Plans to Expand, Improve, and Adapt the Current Business Mode l Concerning the Sunhan Construction Company plans for expansion, they have projected to engage in building construction in most of the countries around the world. The company has decided to go global and be an international company in

Financial analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Financial analysis - Case Study Example The report concludes with the summary of the EMI Group's financial performance in 2005. EMI Group PLC is a large company specializing on the music industry. The firm has a long history dating back to 1887. Since that time EMI Group has developed from a small recording enterprise into a major player of both music recording and music publishing markets. It is divided in to two divisions: EMI Music operates in the recording industry, while EMI Music Publishing is among the largest and the most successful music publishers. EMI Group operates directly in more than 50 countries with licensees in additional 20 and employs more than 6,600 people (EMI Group 2005a). EMI Music has about 6,000 employees worldwide, and EMI Music Publishing employs 630 staff. The strategy of the company is to deliver music - the main product of EMI Group - "in any form [including compact discs, tapes, and digital formats], at any time, and any place" (EMI Group 2005a). In line with this formula it is important to stress that EMI Group rapidly develops its departments focused on digital music sales. "By the middle of 2005 digital revenues accounted for just under 5 per cent EMI Group's total revenues, with that figure expected to reach 25 per cent in five years" (EMI Group 2005a). The catalogue of music published by EMI contains over 1.5 million titles of both classic and contemporary genres. The company offers songs of every genre to customers. Profit and Loss Account Profit and loss account of the company provides a record of all revenues and expenditures and totals the profit or loss over a given period of time (in our case the financial year ending March 31, 2005). To analyze the profit and loss account of EMI Group we will look into the following types of profit: gross profit (revenues from sales minus costs of goods sold), net profit (gross profit minus overheads), pre-tax profits (net profit plus one-off items), and profits after tax (pre-tax profits minus tax). The analysis of the profit and loss account is made in order to identify trends in sales, gross profit, expenses, stability of income, and growth in earnings per share. Group turnover for EMI Group is 1,942.8 m in 2005, while in 2004 it was 2,120.7 m (EMI Group Annual Report 2005b, p. 69). However these figures cannot give us enough information about the changes in profitability of the company. Cost of sales indicated in 2005 were 1,225.3 m in compare with 1,404.7 m in 2004 (EMI Group Annual Report 2005b, p. 69). Therefore, EMI Group sold fewer goods in 2005 than in 2004. The gross profit in 2005 was 717.5 m, while in 2004 it was 716 m. This gives us the notion that the profit from sales is slightly rising in compare to previous year. Analyzing the net or operating profits one can see that group net profit was 182.2 m in 2005 and 60.1 m in 2004 (EMI Group Annual Report 2005b, p. 69) - the net profit has risen significantly in 2005. Pre-tax profit aggregates 91.8 m, and profit after tax is 60.6 m in 2005, while it was a loss of 52.8 m and 72.5 m correspondingly in 2004. However absolute numbers can give us only partial information. Deeper analysis re quires examining relative figures, such as profit margin (pre-tax profit divided by sales). According to the information from FAME (2005) the average profit margin was 6.49 for EMI Group in the past ten years. In 2005 it was 4.73, while in 2004 profit margin was -2.50, and in 2003 it was 14.68. Thus

Culture and Perceptions and Attitudes and Values Essay

Culture and Perceptions and Attitudes and Values - Essay Example Culture relates to the set of beliefs and traditions which is followed by a segment of a nation's community and includes sub cultures, corporate cultures as well as national and social cultures. It includes religious beliefs, norms, traditions, rituals etc that is specific to that particular country or region. The cultural framework encompasses within its gamut, various other factors such as language, religion, values, attitudes, and educational qualifications that is peculiar to the nation and plays a significant role in influencing their purchase decisions. For instance, in the case of famous beverage marketing firm Captain Morgan rum the marketing management of the company perceived Hispanic male consumers as probable target audience to whom the product could be successfully marketed and sold. However, such a notion was held wrong since the Hispanics perceived the product as symbolizing domination and exploitation owing to the company logo of a pirate. This proves that the concept / idea that were appealing to the Anglos were found to be disgusting by the Hispanics owing to their cultural differences (Korzenny, 2005). In China, the year 2007 which was considered to be the year of the pig - a symbol of wealth and prosperity according to their culture and traditions, all the advertisements related to pigs were banned. The move was intended to respect the religious sentiments of the 20 million odd Muslim population and was considered as a gesture of respect to their traditional values (The Sunday times, 2007). In the year 2005, France's Catholic Church banned an advertisement (Appendix 2) featuring a popular clothing brand which was based on Leonardo Da Vinci's Christ's last Supper since it hurt the religious sentiments of the Catholics world wide (BBC News, 2005). In 2004 China banned the Nike advertisement featuring LeBron James battling a cartoon kung fu master, alleging that it was a national insult and it hurt the dignity of the nation (China daily, 2004). International Marketing can be better understood in terms of high - context and low - context culture whereby it is argued that people belonging to the same set of backgrounds share a high degree of understanding of the concepts intended to be depicted in the advertisements and hence the need to explain or clarify the intentions is not recognized. High context culture largely relies on non verbal communication since it is fast and efficient within their group eliminating the need to explain or explicitly express the intended meaning, their behavior is predictable and is considered to be misinterpreted or incomprehensible by outsiders i.e., those belonging to the low context culture (Bennett, Blythe, Pp.44). These specific points related to high context and low context culture needs to be understood adequately since it holds utmost significance in terms of international marketing of products or services. It helps the marketers to better understand the targeted consumer groups and assist them in designing appropriate marketing campaigns suitable to their tastes and cultures. People's attitudes and values are also crucial in ascertaining the appropriateness of the choice of marketing campaigns in accordance to the country's cultural, national, political, economical and social