Healthcare and Poverty in America

The Dire Need for Universal Health Care The United States is considered by many to be the greatest country in the world. However, when it comes to health care the US is ranked behind 36 other countries, according to the World Health Organization. If one was to do any research at all, they would find that an overwhelming 34 of these 36 countries all have one thing in common. They all use a universal health care system. This is not just a mere coincidence.The problems and outrageous cost within the US healthcare system causes over 700,000 Americans to go bankrupt every year. This staggering problem simply does not occur in any other industrialized countries. Accounting for these facts the United States needs to move quickly to embrace the ideas and adopt the policies of a universal healthcare system. Not only will this help improve the quality of care but will also improve the life of its estimated 16. 3% or 50 million citizens without any healthcare insurance at all.An almost overwhel ming problem caused by the United States’ current health care system is that those with low incomes can't afford the necessary health care and thus already rely on occupations or government programs to receive coverage. This is evident if not by merely recognizing that 50 million citizens don’t have any health insurance, but also because the statistics clearly show that it is very uncommon for health insurance to be purchased directly by the individual. Using statistics taken by the US Census Bureau in 2010, we can conclude that of the 83. % of people with health insurance, the majority 55. 3% had it through employment –based benefits and 31. 0% were able to receive it through government funding. This compares to the measly 9. 8% of people that purchased their insurance directly from a provider. After examining this, it is evident that the vast majority of people rely on their employers or the government funding to keep health insurance. This fact clearly causes some problems when someone might be laid off or just simply makes a career change. Entire families can lose their health coverage due to the breadwinner being released from their job.The National Center for Health Statistics claims that over 50% of individuals lacking health insurance directly blame cost. Roughly 24% of uninsured people claim reasons related to a lost job or a change in employment. It is interesting to note that around 8% of people claim ineligibility for family insurance coverage due to age or leaving school. The primary reason for lacking insurance is money, and it could also be argued that money is directly or indirectly involved in almost every circumstance causing a family to lack the necessary health insurance to provide care.Several years ago in 2005 the NCHS began a study that found well over 40 million adults claiming that they were in need of but did not receive one or more of the health services that follow: medical care, prescription medicines, mental h ealth care, dental care, or eyeglasses. The best reason these 40 million citizens didn’t receive such basic forms of healthcare was simply that they could not afford it. The United States is the only industrialized country that does not provide some type of universal health care to its citizens. Furthermore, they have one of the highest rates for health care expenditures in the world.As a matter of fact, health care expenditures in the United States are by far the highest of any developed country. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development the United States health care expenditures is at 15. 3% of GDP. Next highest in spending is Switzerland, at only 11. 6% of their national GDP. This leads one to believe that the United States does not spend health care money very efficiently. Even according to the Congressional Budget Office in 2006 there were an estimated one-third of health care expenditures that did not help improve health outcomes.Thatâ€⠄¢s roughly 700 billion dollars, and represents nearly 5% of the United States entire GDP. The best solution that is currently being made to the United States healthcare system is what people informally call â€Å"Obamacare. † The actual name for the bill is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (abbreviated to PPACA or ACA). The PPACA has implemented a large amount of new rules and regulations regarding health care, with the purpose of making health care more affordable for everyone. There are some that stand in opposition of the PPACA.They argue that they believe these new rules and regulations take away too many freedoms and force people (both individuals and businesses) to do things they shouldn't have to. However, politicians have concluded that the positive effects of the PPACA far outweigh any negatives. The positive effects that will come about from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are so numerable it would take hundreds of pages to discuss. One important change will come about by lifting the patent protections on prescription drugs.The bill allows the Food and Drug Administration to approve more generic drugs, thus causing competition in the market to drive the prices downward. This in itself would lower the United States drug prices from being an astounding 35% to 55% higher than other countries to actually being competitive at a fair market value. The PPACA has also made new regulations that place a limit on just how much of a percentage of the money an insurer makes can be profit, to make sure they're not price-gouging customers. Obamacare† uses the philosophy that strictly regulating insurance companies profit margins will help prevent the health insurance price-gouging that has been running awry all over the United States. Helpless customers that desperately need to be insured have formerly had little to no control over the greedy insurance providers. The PPACA stepping in and regulating should be viewed more a s a protection for the consumer that a hindrance to the insurance suppliers. The PPACA also places new regulations on what new health plans have to offer.For example, insurance providers are now required to provide preventive care without requiring any sort of charge at all. Before this new regulation was put in place many health providers did not cover cost or still charged fees for things such as mammograms, colonoscopies, and many other forms of screening that would be unaffordable to many in the lower class. Requiring preventive care coverage should better the quality of health care provided in the US, especially to those at or below the poverty line.In conclusion, upon seeing the problems the current United States healthcare system creates for citizens struggling in or right above the poverty line, upon taking a glance at other countries healthcare systems that seem to be more efficient and less expensive, and upon already experiencing the positive changes that have come from i mplementing rules and regulations that create a universal healthcare system, Americans should begin to finally agree that healthcare reform should be at the forefront of our minds.Not only to help all those stricken with poverty to receive care, but to improve the quality of healthcare for all Americans. Word Count: 1197 words

Reasons Women Live Longer Than Men

Reasons why women live longer then men It is an accepted fact of life that men enjoy certain physical advantages over women. Men are stronger, taller, faster and less likely to be overweight, but they have then tendency to die before their female counterparts. Their date rate is higher than women in many different societies. Women, as a group, live longer than men. In all developed countries and most undeveloped ones, women outlive men, sometimes by a margin of as much as 10 years. In the U. S.   life expectancy  at birth is about 79 years for women and about 72 years for men. The gender discrepancy is most pronounced in the very old: among centenarians  worldwide, women outnumber men nine to one. The gender gap has widened in this century as gains in female life expectancy have exceeded those for males. The death rates for women are lower than those for men at all ages–even before birth. Although boys start life with some numerical leverage about 115 males are conceived for every 100 females. Their numbers are preferentially whittled down thereafter. Just 104 boys are born for every 100 girls because of the  disproportionate rate of spontaneous abortions, stillbirths and miscarriages of male fetuses. More boys than girls die in infancy. And during each subsequent year of life, mortality rates for males exceed those for females, so that by age 25 women are in the majority. The reason women live longer than men can be explained from a biological, psychological and social view point. There are physiological, psychological and social factors that can account for longevity of women. The reason women live longer than men is because they have better cardiovascular endurance, they have two x chromosomes which further delays aging, men are more engaged in risky behaviors that can cause death, and another reason is that men are more likely to die from depression women. Women have an advantage over men in terns of cardiovascular endurance; disease such a heart attack and stroke are less likely to affect women than men. Woman develop these diseases later in life at about their 70s and 80s while on the other hand male normally get these types of disease about ten years younger in their 50s and 60s. A woman’s heart can become more active than men. A major contributor to biological age  is one’s heart activity; when the heart is more active and  healthier a person’s biological age can be reduced  because of how the heart is still working in a proper way. A woman’s heart tends to be more active primarily because of how the menstruation process causes the heart to exercise and to work at a greater level. One proposed reason for this is the menstruation process which causes a woman’s heart to become active by the release estradiol hormone in the woman’s body during the process. Estradiol will work to give the woman’s heart a greater amount of energy because this is an especially powerful form of estrogen that can cause her heart to be more active. It is more powerful than other types of estrogen that can be found in a woman’s body. Because of the workout that is given to the heart during the menstruation period the heart will be able to work at a better rate and as a result to help with getting one’s biological age reduced. Another reason for the delay in cardiovascular disease in women is that women are relatively iron deficient in comparison to men. This is due to the loss of blood during menstruation; it is especially active in young females. Iron play a very active role in reaction within our cells that produce damaging free radicals which attach unto the cell membrane and DNA, and may translate into aging the cell. A second possible reason for why women live longer than men is the difference in genetic make up. The existence of a second X chromosome in women while men have an X and a Y chromosome is a proposed reason for the longevity of women. When there is damage caused to the cell variations, women have back-up chromosome variations that men do not have. The assumption is that since men only have one X chromosome, they have a greater chance of aging more rapidly. Chromosomal differences between men and women may also affect their mortality rates due to diseases. Chromosomes carry genetic mutations that cause a number of life-threatening diseases, including muscular dystrophy and hemophilia. Because women have two X chromosomes, a female with an abnormal gene on one of her X chromosomes can use the normal gene on the other and thereby avoid the expression of disease even though she is still a carrier of the defect. Men, in contrast, have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, and so they cannot rely on an alternative chromosome if a gene on one of the sex chromosomes is defective. If a man has a defect in this gene, his body's ability to repair the mutations that arise during cell division could be severely compromised. The accumulation of such mutations is thought to contribute to aging and disease. The second X chromosome as a longevity factor in and of itself. Although one of the two Xs is randomly inactivated early in life, the second X seems to become more active with increasing age. It may be that genes on the second X activates and compensate for genes on the first X that have been lost or damaged with age. A third reason for the mortality rate be higher for males is the fact that men are more likely to engage in risky life-threatening behavior thus raising the mortality rate among them. While this is a more social reasoning it can be explained using biological terms. The male specie experience what is known as â€Å"testosterone storm† in their late teens and 20s. At this stage the level of this hormone is in high quantity and it induce some dangerous behavior and bring out an aggressive nature in men. Some male dominated sports such as drag racing, motorcycling, sky diving, mountain climbing and even boxing are dangerous sports that have caused death of the participants. They may also engage in reckless behavior such as smoking, abusing alcohol, poor dieting and driving without a seat belt. These reckless behavior can cause death in the long run by death or immediately by accidents. The homicide rate of men is much higher than that of females. Men are more involved in violent and illegal activities that most of the time result is death due to violence. Such activities include scamming, drug dealing, gang involvement, gun trafficking, among others. In Jamaica murder is one of the leading cause of death for men in early adulthood, and some of the time these victims are perpetrators of this same crime. As the saying goes â€Å"live by the gun, die by the gun†. A forth and final reason is that men are more likely to die from depression that females. Depressing is higher among male that females. While many females will go to seek help for their depression, male are more reluctant to actively seek help from a counselor or even a friend. They would prefer to keep it inside and they may hold the motion that as long as it is not visible then its fine. Many men are harboring emotional distress and torment that cause depression. Depression and grief and affect one's health and further cause death. Depression can lead to suicide; men are more likely to die from attempted suicide than females. This is because male tend to use more fatal methods to carry out the action, for example, a woman would probably try to kill herself by overdosing on pills or medication while a man would jump off a ten story building. Overdose of pills can be remedied if detected early enough but if when a person jumps off a building there is no turning back or pause, they are heading at full speed ahead to the ground causing immediate death. In conclusion, the mortality rate for men is higher at all ages than female; it is almost as if women have a natural adaptation for survival. There are biological, psychological and social reasoning for this phenomenon which are hormonal difference, difference in genetic make up, psychological healthiness and the social on look on risk taking and dangerous activities.

Shaping Special Education

Running head: Shaping Special Education From Past to Present: Shaping Special Education Laura Terpstra Grand Canyon University: SPE 523 May 30, 2012 From Past to Present: Shaping Special Education Fundamental Concepts and Philosophies The history of American special education has taken a long, ever-evolving journey to get to the place it is today. Marilyn Friend (2008) discusses how in the early twentieth century students were still not accepted into public schools. Students who had physical or mental disabilities were placed into separate classes, made up entirely of students with disabilities.Throughout the first half of the twentieth century students with a wide range of disabilities were enrolled in special education classes. Over the past century, various court cases have defined how special education has changed. In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education, gave way to questions about whether or not separating special education students from the general education population was ap propriate or not. Some people believed that taking students out of the classroom gave them a label for their disability and therefore was discriminatory towards students, rather than helpful in providing services they needed to make them successful. Friend, 2008, p. 47) Not only did educators become advocators for children’s with disabilities, so did parents. The Mills v. Board of Education (1972) sparked the determination of providing special education services for students. In response to various lawsuits against the Board of Education legislation created mandates to ensure the rights for students with disabilities. Structure of Special Education Parents continued to push for the rights of children, as well as congress.The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 were laws that provided funding to states to assist them in creating and improving programs and services for children with disabilities. The Education for All Handicapped children Act in 1974 was created to a llow full educational opportunities for students with disabilities. In 1986, the federal special education law was changed to include services for infants and young children. (Friend, 2008, p. 49) In 1990, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was changed to Individual with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and more disabilities were added.The most recent change was in 2004 when provisions were added to help resolve disputes between parents, as well as the requirement for student instruction to be taught using evidence-based practices. Federal law forced educators to change their view of special education students and how to best serve their needs in the school environment. Also in 2004, President Bush and Congress wanted IDEA to align with No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 so that schools would be held accountable for making sure students with disabilities achieve high standards (Friend, 2008, p. 68).Jill Hockenbury (2000) pointed out that special education is a key part of the publi c education system but that there are still challenges in special education today. Critical changes that are needed in special education include constructing a defensible philosophy of education, providing effective and intensive instruction, and improving the quality of teacher training. These changes are still being worked on today. The needs of children today are demanding that teachers provide effective instruction, that’s meaningful and allows the teacher to reach all levels of development in one classroom.Trends and Issues Quality teacher training is also one of the biggest challenges facing special education and relates directly to a key topic heard a lot about in special education, which is inclusion. Inclusion centers on the belief that students with a disability should be allowed to be a part of the general education classroom. However, inclusion is difficult because of the requirement of the general education teacher. The general education teacher should be able to meet the needs of the students in his or her classroom, which can be difficult depending on the students needs.However, inclusion states that students should be in the classroom full time, receiving instruction the same as non-disabled peers, and there should be no need for pull-out. In some cases, members of a child’s IEP team may not agree on the appropriate environment for a student. With increased opportunities for teachers to have training with research-based methods and strategies, this area should be able to improve in the future. Researchers have stated that inclusion is beneficial to both students with disabilities, and those without disabilities.A study done investigating perceptions of learning of nearly 5,000 kindergarten students through 12th grade revealed that students with disabilities wanted to learn the same material, use the same books, and enjoy the same homework and grading practices as typical peers. (Friend, 2008, as cited in Klinger and Vaughn 1999) O ther trends in special education include universal design for learning and differentiation. Universal design for learning (UDL) is the instructional approach that students with disabilities should have access to the curriculum.Along with UDL is the use of differentiated instruction (or differentiation) to explore the concepts of UDL further. Differentiation means that within one environment, students with multiple needs will have their needs met through various ways. UDL and differentiation should be utilized by general education teachers to meet the needs of their special education student. (Friend, 2008, p. 77) These trends are all key concepts in the world of special education. They all impact the way special education teachers should teach to meet the needs of all their students.Pat Beckman (2001) reiterated this fact stating that â€Å"improved student learning requires teachers, schools, and districts to give up unproductive traditions and beliefs, replacing them with validat ed practices and a full understanding of the intent of the law. † IDEA requires teachers to use â€Å"programs, interventions, strategies, and activities† that are researched based. (Friend, 2008, p. 63) As the needs of students increase, the resources provided need to increase, which is the responsibility of those providing the education.Special education has come very far since placing disabled students in their own separate classroom, but it still has a long way to go. There is much to be said about meeting the needs of special education students and reaching those administrators, parents, and educators who still do not have a full understanding of inclusion.References Beckman, Pat (2001), Access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children, retrieved May 28, 2012 from http://www. cec. sped. org/AM/Template. cfm? Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay. cfm&CONTENTID=5519 Friend, M. 2008). Special education: Co ntemporary perspectives for school professionals. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Hockenbury, J. C. , Kauffman, J. M. , & Hallahan, D. P. (2000). What is right about special education. Exceptionality, 8(1), 3-11. Obiakor, F. E. (2011). Maximizing access, equity, and inclusion in general and special education. Journal Of The International Association Of Special Education, 12(1), 10-16. U. S. Department of Education (2007) â€Å"Thirty Years of Progress in Educating Children With Disabilities Through IDEA†, retrieved May 28, 2012 from http://www2. ed. gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history30. html

A Particular Place of Residence of a Person Research Paper

A Particular Place of Residence of a Person - Research Paper Example The process of area classification is done through the clustering or grouping of geographical units by the use of particular methods. Cluster analysis borrows largely from clustering algorithms but is instead much more than the mere grouping of the objects. Therefore, to successfully run a cluster analysis will require a series of particular steps, which involve multiple decisions across all the stages. At this point, there is no wrong or right answer to most of the decisions that are made in the process. Every decision in the stages will, therefore, give its own alternative results. As a result, the different decisions gathered could be appropriate or not appropriate depending on the classification that is to be created. There are seven steps involved a successful running of the cluster analysis. Each step in the framework represents a very important decision point that is imperative for the smooth running of the cluster analysis (Harris and Webber, 2005). It is suggested that the u ser of the method should be in a position to correctly recognize all the important and critical decisions involved and their individual influences on the results (Everett and Leese, 2001). At this point, it becomes important to clearly distinguish between the conventional cluster analysis and the clustering method. Clustering method connotes the simple process by which the clusters are actually formed (Everett and Leese, 2001). On the other hand, cluster analysis is much elaborate and implies the wider series of steps that have to be followed in order to finish the whole analysis.

Leadership Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership - Term Paper Example There has to be an individual in which the team can place its complete confidence and on whose instructions, they can work irrespective of their individualistic differences for the greater cause i.e. the achievement of the goal. That individual is leader. Leadership is manifested in the thinking and ideology of the leader. For some reason, the leader is superior to the followers. â€Å"Plato proposed that leadership requires a special talent, and only those few who possess such talent should be trained toward its proper utilization. Having rigorously developed this talent, the philosopher-kings, the guardians, should rule† (Cawthon, 2002, p. 10). This superiority may come from greater experience, knowledge, skills, or some other quality that is of great value and significance in the achievement of the goal that the leader and the followers are mutually interested in achieving. In the absence of leadership, the team becomes just a crowd or a bunch of people with conflicting vie ws and ideas. They might have all the skills required to achieve the goal, but their skills cannot be put to the right use without proper leadership. There are certain skills that are extremely important for an individual to attain to be effective as a leader. Some of these skills include; knowing where to draw the line between the leader and the followers, maintaining integrity as a leader, carrying out negotiation effectively, the ability to constantly motivate the followers, and emotional intelligence. A leader has to distinguish himself from the followers in order to retain his status as a leader. If he does not know where to draw the line while interacting with the followers, he may practically weaken his role as a leader even if he theoretically is supposedly a leader. This skill is more in-born than taught. It requires right decision-making while dealing with the followers. The leader should know how to interpret his strategy for the followers, how much information to give to the followers, to what extent can the followers be involved in the decision making, and where the relationship between the leader and the followers transforms from casual to strictly professional. This line is difficult to draw particularly in the social networking age of today where the leader and the followers come at the same level being friends at the social networking websites. Leadership is a full time job. One cannot be a leader just at the workplace and not be a leader outside the premises of the workplace. What an individual does elsewhere sends messages and signals to the followers about the philosophy, ideology, and character of their leader. Followers tend to judge the leaders from their dealing with others in everyday life and not just at work. This makes maintaining integrity as a leader difficult since one is prone to making mistakes as a human being. No individual can succeed as a leader without having sound negotiation skills. The most important skill that makes an individual an effective leader, in my opinion, is the negotiation skill. In the present age, a leader faces many challenges with respect to negotiation that are embedded not only in the differences of views, personality traits, and cultures of the leader and the followers but also in the limits on language competences while working in a culturally diverse environment. Cultural diversity is one of the most fundamental features of the workplace in the contemporary age. In order to understand the followers

Fashion and Luxury Goods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Fashion and Luxury Goods - Essay Example The essay "Fashion and Luxury Goods" discovers the characteristics of Luxury goods and fashion. Luxury goods are those goods with a characteristic of being quite uncommon in the consumers’ preference due to affordability of the product. This means that goods would be luxurious when they have low demand than the supply of the commodity. This makes the product to be rare and superior in the view of the consumers’ sight. Due to its rare characteristics in the markets, these products become high priced and they are thus often not bought by every one with the desire to purchase the product. Generally, such goods would have demand increases in to several folds as results of the increases in incomes. This is contrary to the normal trend of goods and services purchases whereby the normal necessity products, the demand increases is not so significant in comparisons with the relative income increments. The makes the particular products to have varied demand transition which occur s with the dynamics occasion in the purchasing powers of the consumers. So, the major characteristic of luxury goods is that it has to change abnormally with the people’s incomes. The change of income of most people with low income makes the demand for the goods to change. For goods which are luxurious portrays a high income elasticity of demand. This implies that such goods are goods which are superior to the others. However, this should not be assumed to be the cases in the today’s world. The superiority is based on considerable factors.... Such goods in their business and economic world they must therefore to be scarce. Their scarcity can be created both in the natural ways and in the artificial methods. For instances, certain products from the mining industry are much useful in the fashion and luxury industry. This includes goods like gold and diamond products. These are products in most country because the mines resources are not available in those states. This means that such products are scarce which makes them to most people to be unavailable in the natural manner. Furthermore, through manufacturing company operations, a company may decide to produce a particular product in quantities according to their ability of production but these products fails t be adequate to satisfy the demands of such a product. Normally, when goods are scarce and demand of products is high, then the prices of goods and services goods up. However, in the cases of luxury goods, there is scarcity of the products and also the demand is low, hence our normally expectation is that the prices should below, which is not the situation. It is well observed that another characteristic for these goods is that their prices remain to be high even when the demand is low. Goods that are purchased by consumer are based on certain reasons. These are normally from the motivation which he may get from the products or from the sellers. This is widely varied depending on the many factors which are considered between the consumers and the products. This is because we have got wide varieties if goods which are preferably considered differently by the consumers in the luxury industries. There are those

Discussion Board 7-1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion Board 7-1 - Essay Example ance in the coverage of child sexual abuse as they are the individuals with capabilities, skills and responsibilities to help survivors and perpetrators get timely justice, care and attention. Assessment makes a vital step in the treatment and support for survivors of child sexual abuse. Completing assessment on child sexual abuse at the onset of mental health counseling as well as continuing to assess throughout the treatment course is generally vital. Child sexual abuse is one of the causes of improper mental health on certain people who have been victims of the abuse. The abuse has made some individuals develop social withdrawal characteristics that have great relation to the emotions. Some survivors of the abuse have also developed (Jackson-Cherry Erford, 2014)Posttraumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) that has greatly compromised their normal human operations (Jackson-Cherry & Erford, 2014). Assessing for child sexual abuse then provides counselors with clues or hypothesis that might have been responsible for certain abnormal mental orientations. This gives counselors opportunities to create reliable strategies for treatment and recovery process for the victims. Realizing that certain suspected symptoms truly relate to child sexual abuse expounds knowledge about the vice and making future detection

Initial public offerings corporate finance 501 case assign 1 Essay

Initial public offerings corporate finance 501 case assign 1 - Essay Example This is the recommended option for the company as the online auction enables more bidders to participate and will also allow the investors to gain the joy and satisfaction of wining. The online auction has been defined as, ‘Online auctioning is the process whereby users log onto a website and bid for items or services posted on this website by other users. The way online auctioning works is similar to normal auctioning outside the cyber world, but has allowed the auction to reach a much greater audience’ (Newton). The option is very flexible and it allows a vast number of people to participate in the auction. There will be lower levels of time and there will also be higher levels of flexibility for the investors to invest from any part of the world. Skype will most likely attract customers which include large mutual funds, technical investors, professional investors, foreign investors, large organizations and institutions and the pension managers. The Large mutual funds and the pension managers are mostly likely to be highly attracted to this online auction due to the simple fact that there will be no quota on the amount of shares that they can buy. In terms of the technical investors there will be a sense of interest in the Skype stock as the prices will be low and these will the way to target this group of people. Professional investors will seek to bid close to the lowest prices and make a major investment in the company. Large investors will seek to get large chunks of the shares and since there are not geographical boundaries, foreign investors will also like to make some purchases. In short the dominance of large institutional investors or the favorite investors of underwriters will be interested in the stock and will be aim at investing as much as possible as it will be very beneficial and fruitful in the long run (Salkind). Each of the above mentioned have a certain amount of direct interest in the

Research Methods Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Research Methods - Coursework Example While on the other hand a research hypothesis is also relevant to the formulation of the report. Thus it is referred to as the assumption made by a researcher about the possible outcome of the study. A hypothesis of a study must be simple, theoretically clear and specific (Kumar, 2005, p.75). Among the mentioned questions of the case, the least suitable for testing the hypothesis is the issue related to the opinion of the local population about the new facility. Hence the first question i.e. Q (b) is least suitable for hypothesis testing. The reason this has been cited as the least appropriate one is that the opinion of the local population is difficult to measure. Moreover it is also exploratory in nature. Hence a meaningful hypothesis cannot be formulated. Rather is must be guided by a clear sense of purpose. An Operational hypothesis states a quantifiable relationship among the variables. Therefore the operational hypothesis for the mentioned questions is illustrated below:- Opera tional hypothesis of Q a: - Increased road traffic has raised the number of road fatalities of large mammals because there is high pressure on the roads and less maintenance. Research Design for Q a: - Case study approach of qualitative research design can be used in this case for the purpose of evaluation. Case study approach has been chosen because it will provide an opportunity to have in-depth analysis of the matter within a stipulated time frame. Operational hypothesis of Q c: - The establishment of the factory will improve the conditions of the participating households, as they will be financially benefitted. Research Design for Q c: - Non-experimental design approach of quantitative research design can be employed for this purpose. It has been chosen because non-experimental design takes into account the reliance of one aspect on the other. The aspects are establishment of factory and the financial condition of the households. Operational hypothesis of Q d: - Improved mango v ariety will produce more pulp as it is scientifically processed. Research Design for Q d: - Experimental design approach of quantitative research design can be chosen to test it. This approach has been chosen because hypothesis is based on experimental testing. Moreover experimental design also tries to change the outcomes of the participants. Operational hypothesis of Q e: - Proximity of households to the road intensifies the supply of mangoes. Research Design for Q e: - In this context once again case study approach has been chosen to test the hypothesis. This will also reveal the fact that whether the closeness of road actually increases the supply of mango. (Word Count: 494) Q2: Protocol for an Experimental Design A research protocol can be defined as the detailed plan of a study (Rch, 2008). Hence every research study must contain a well defined research protocol. Now the case is about a company namely Country jams and Pickles who is planning to open a factory at a remote place for the production of pickles and jams. Consequently they will require adequate supply of fruits on time to maintain the flow of production. Therefore a study will be undertaken which will be principally focused to find whether supplying of free storage container to the farmers will increase the supply of fruits to the factory. Therefore according to the objective of the study hypothesis can be drawn as follows:- H0 –

Electoral college Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Electoral college - Coursework Example The government of the United States is comprised of three branches. The separation of power is provided by the constitution. The three branches are executive, judiciary and the legislature (Campbell, 2004). The executive is comprised on the President, Vice President and the Departments. The body makes up the most superior governmental position. In addition, the branch implements the laws created and stated in the constitution. The legislature is comprised of the House and the Senate. The two bodies are less superior to the executive. However, there are responsible for the creation of laws. Additionally, the two bodies act as supervisors to the functions of the executive (Campbell, 2004). They analyze the effectiveness at which the executive implements the provision of the constitution. The judiciary contains the court system and the Supreme Court. The branch is provided with the responsibility of interpreting the provision of the constitution. The branch also oversees the function of the executive and the legislature as provided by the constitution. The separation of power allows for the effective operation and completion of duties by the three branches. In addition, the separation of power allows for the measurement of the effectiveness of the three branches. Regardless of separation of power, there is the need to create a mechanism that would enable the control and restriction of excessive dominance by one body. Specifically, the dominance of one branch of government should not be allowed. In most cases, the executive may implement policies that depict dictatorship. To avoid such occurrences, the constitution provides for checks and balances (Kilman & Costello, 2000). The provisions are aimed at increasing the ability of each body of the government to effectively carry out its functions. In addition, checks and balances minimize the occurrence of one body having greater power and

Importance of Communication Essay Example for Free

Importance of Communication Essay First, in order to communicate effectively, a person needs to know what barriers there are, and there are many. I will do my best to explain the barriers of effective communication and how to overcome them. These barriers include Language, defensiveness, misreading of body language, noisy transmission, receiver distortion, power struggles, self-fulfilling assumptions, supervisors hesitation to be candid, assumptions, distrusted source, perceptual biases, interpersonal relationships, and cultural differences1. So now, let us break these barriers down, starting with language barriers. Language barriers include using words that could imply another message than the one that the sender wants to send. Moreover, the reason for this is that each person will interpret some words differently. So, in order to transmit the message that you want to send make sure that the words you use to send the message cannot imply anything that you do not want sent. The next barrier is defensiveness. Most of the time when trying to conduct a face-to-face meeting with someone to communicate some flaws in a persons work performance or just to ask them a question on what they have done make sure the message is concise and clear. Most people will get defensive when the person being Importance of Communication SPC Eric J. Seiberling – 3 counseled has a distorted perception on what is being covered, or a feeling of implied guilt of wrongdoing without having a chance to explain ones actions. A person will also get very defensive when any anger or a feeling of negativity is being transferred to them from an issue the sender has at home or with another co-worker. In addition, a person will get extremely defensive when there has been a trend of negative distortions of counseling in the past; a person would feel as if the sender is still beating an issue that was resolved prior to this session. Noisy transmission is another barrier to effective communication. Noisy transmission happens when the messages being convoluted with erroneous information or a common inconsistency in relaying the message from bouncing around the subject or hitting numerous subjects when wanting to convey a message about one, certain subject. Another sticking point is receiver distortion. This happens when the receiver subconsciously has selective hearing and hears what they want to hear and completely miss the intended message. This also happens when the receiver and sender ignore the non-verbal cues each other is not noticing or taking into account the way each other is acting or feeling, by not noticing a subtle thing like body language. Power struggles is something that a superior needs to watch out for, this will kill any attempt to communicate a plan to a group. For instance if a subordinate has the superior’s job in their crosshairs that person will have a distorted view of the message that is trying to be conveyed. People who have not had a vast majority of the same experiences will not understand or even be able to decode what the manager is trying to say. Assumptions are a major killer of effective communication. Most people will assume that everyone understands the problem the same way that they do. When in most cases, that is not the case. Some people will see a problem in a different perspective. When that happens the receiver will wonder what the sender is complaining about because they do not see the same problem and will refuse to see the problem in the same light. When a supervisor is basing his counseling on a certain source that some subordinates do not trust the supervisor is accomplishing nothing in the counseling. The supervisor might want to make sure there is more than one source of information. When there is more than one source of information then it will not become a value judgment against the supervisor or the subordinate. When conveying a message a person must make sure, they are not portraying any perceptual biases in the message. In saying that do not go into a meeting with any stereotypes of the people that attend. Basic communication requires that the receiver can decode the senders meaning and if the sender is convoluting the meaning in their own experiences, background, values, aspirations, or assumptions, the receiver might not understand because they did not have the same experiences, background, values, aspirations, or assumptions. This is a major issue in communicating with people from different geographical areas, and different generations. So, after explaining all the major barriers of communication, now will be the time to defeat these barriers and start communicating effectively. Moreover, if someone is not communicating effectively, the messenger is not communicating at all. In addition, if they are not communicating at all, the receiver will have no clue on what is going on and what needs to happen. The army says since leadership is about getting other people to do what you want them to do, it follows that communicating—transmitting information so that it’s clearly understood—is an important skill. 2 In order to communicate effectively a person must understand the different forms of communication.

Hostility and aggression Essay Example for Free

Hostility and aggression Essay This tells the audience automatically that when he feels he has no power against his family he tries to prove himself so that he would get recognised for his qualities of being a man. So therefore he proves his manliness by showing Rodolpho a few passes of boxing, but really show that he is man but Rodolpho isnt. He shows Rodolpho some boxing to make him and everyone understand that if you want to be a man you need to know how to fight. It was also as if Eddie had purposely asked Rodlopho to try a bit of boxing so that Eddie could hit him, but instead make it seem accidental. From this part the tension starts to build up between Eddie Rodolpho and Marco. The final idea Eddie would consider as manliness id for his name to be respected. He is very dominant over his name and doesnt like to be seen as a bad person. I want my name! (Page 82) Eddie is extremely protective over his reputation in his neighbourhood as he would hate for anyone to make him out as a bad person or anything that would destroy his existent in his community. Eddie is a forceful, energetic and obsessive character, but he is also a character who can show warmth and some generosity. It is obvious throughout the play that he has unnatural feelings for his niece Catherine as he lays down the rules for her not to expose herself. Eddie always comments on the clothes she wears as if they were inappropriate for anyone to see but him. where you goin all dressed up? (Page 13) Rodolphos manliness is completely different to Eddies Standard of manliness. Rodolphos manliness doesnt really measure up to Eddies as they both have very different qualities. Eddie has many different things that he considers to be manly, and feels that Rodolpho does not conform to his idea of masculinity because he can cook, sing and make dresses. Rodolpho is a young man who is seemed to be attracted by Catherine. We know this because he explains his wonderful features, in a conversation with Beatrice. hes a good-lookin fella (Page 34) His sense of humour is not missed in this play, we can tell that hes quite funny and is on the good side of a lot of people except Eddie. This is because Rodolpho is man of many talents, such as he can cook, sing and make dresses. When any of these are mentioned around Eddie he makes it sound as if as if Rodolpho isnt a man but a homosexual. Eddie tries to humiliate Rodolpho informant of Catherine to make Rodolpho look bad because he isnt a typical man so Eddie tries to insults him by being sarcastic. Eddie may come across as not liking Rodolpho as a person, but it is obvious that the only reason he doesnt like him is because of his talents, he sneers at Rodolphos Talents as if he is jealous because he and Catherine have taken a shine to each other. He also feels quite envious of Rodolpho because Catherine doesnt care about Rodlphos manliness but only of the things that really matter such as the personality. Rodolpho shows a romantic quality towards Catherine, as soon as he entered the play they had fallen in love with one another. Eddie feels Rodolphos doesnt love Catherine, but is putting on an act to become an American citizen. Katie, hes only bowin to his passport. (Page 41) Catherine thinks this is untrue and believes that he truly loves her, and that hed never do anything like that. Rdodlphos and Catherines love is very powerful and is quite genuine. My heart dies to look at you. (Page 61) Rodlphos character is made known through his caring personality. He is thoughtful, sensitive and is an intelligent person who feels a sense of responsibility for those who he loves. Rodolphos idea of manliness is to provide for Catherine and support her through everything. Hed hate to see her suffering for him. How can I bring you from a rich country to suffer in a poor country? (Page 60) This implies that Rodolpho is worried for Catherines welfare if they lived in Italy. We can tell that he really wants to provide for her but feels he wont be able to because of the lack of jobs that are offered in Italy. So hed rather work hard in America to earn money so that he could support and provide for Catherine. We work hard, well work all day all night___ (Page 29) Rodolpho and his brother will do anything to get some money as they are desperate to provide their family back in Italy. They would rather work all night than do nothing at all for their family. This proves that they are very loyal to their families and when trouble strikes they always find a way through it. Rodolphos and Eddies manliness are very different. Between Eddie and Rodolpho, Rodolphos manliness does not measure up to Eddies standard as he all about being relaxed and calm, whereas Eddie is mainly about being powerful and being able to fight. They are two very different characters which are shown and articulated in loads of different ways, but mainly through their manliness. Marcos character is very powerful and he really shows his masculinity but you can see the clear difference between himself, Eddie and Rodolpho. Marco is a conventional man who thinks traditionally about how to support his wife and kids. Marco is seen as the strongest of the two brothers as he likes to defend his family if any sort of remark is made. For example when Eddie comments about how his wife will be unfaithful during his time away. I mean, you know-they count the kids and theres a couple extra than when they left? (Page 52) Marco responds very quickly and results by saying No-No the women wait, Eddie-most most very few surprises. (Page 52) This suggests that Marco can get aggressive over remarks like this but strides past it as he has a strong sense of responsibility to his family. Marco has a duty to his family whilst hes in America. Hes earning money for them so that they are able to eat as they are quite poor at the moment. Marco knows it was a risk arriving illegally to America but he thought about it and done what he thought was the best for his family. Marco shows he is responsible and always thinks before he acts. Marco doesnt really come across as the main character but more of an antagonist of the play. He hardly shows aggression unless he feels his family are getting exploited. Marco really feels the hurt when Eddie takes advantage of Rodolpho, so hes raged with anger about their boxing match. Marco then challenges Eddie to lifting a chair as some sort of revenge, to show Eddie up. [Marco face to face with Eddie a strained tension gripping his eyes and jaw, his neck stiff, the chair raised like a weapon over Eddies head] (Page 58) Marco challenges Eddie to see is he is a man like he insulted Rodolpho of not being a man. This shows that Marco is very defensive over his brother Rodolpho, it symbolises Marcos impending judgement and punishment, anticipates the way in which Marco, rather that Rodolpho, is to become Eddies main opponent. This proves that they are a very protective family who all look out for each other. Marcos Ideas of manliness is expresses very conventionally. Marco is a family man and came to America to earn money to support them. What can I do? The older one is sick in his chest. My wife-she feeds them from her own mouth. I tell you the truth, If I stay there they will never grow up. They eat the sunshine (Page 29) Marco really wants to support his family and feels America is his only option to do that. Marco has proven that hed do anything for his family. Whatever there is, anything (Page 28) All the men in this play have different ideas of manliness. Eddie is far more protective of Catherine than his own wife, he obviously loves Beatrice but not enough if she feels Eddie gives her less attention than Catherine. When am I going to be a wife again Eddie? (Page 36) She really feels unsettled around her husband and wishes he paid less attention to Catherine and more to her. Rodolpho is supportive; hes come over with his brother to earn money and to be able to buy the things hes always dreamed of. When I am rich, and I will buy a motorcycle. (Page 30) coming to America to earn money shows that it will change Rodolphos life, he will be able to buy anything that hes always dreamed of. Marco is the most traditional man, he really shows that he is powerful and a family man, who will always support them. Marco acts very conventionally towards his family, this could be because he may have been brought up this way, to be respectful and always support the wife. Hostility today is viewed upon as abuse, but in the time the play was written hostility was part of a day to day running of peoples lives. Hostility in the play is shown between Eddie and Rodolpho. When Rodolpho and Marco arrive Eddie feels quite insecure about his status in his household. Eddie tries hard to keep his status of being the man of the house whilst Rodolpho and Marco are around. Eddie is very hostile towards Rodolpho because he thinks he is a homosexual. Marco knows Eddie feels this way about Rodolpho, but doesnt quite understand why hed feel this way about a member of his family. Marco is very unhappy about this and so this then creates the aggression in the play. From the arrival of Rodolpho and Marco, various conflicts between Himself and Eddie have resulted in which Marco demonstrating his masculinity over Eddie. This then makes Eddie feel quite threatened and anxious. Eddie calls Rodolpho Danish rather than by his name to make fun of his appearance. Now, watch out, here I come, Danish! (Page 57) Eddie is mocking Rodolphos appearance because its not a typical mans appearance. Eddie refers to Rodolpho as Danish because he has blue eyes and blonde hair, but in other words a homosexual. This is an example of where Marco feels the anger of Eddie exploiting his Brother. It is also an example of where the hostility is clearly shown between Rodolpho and Eddie, and so this is where aggression is used between Marco and Eddie. Marco then demonstrates later his manliness to make Eddie nervous and regretful of his earlier actions towards Rodolpho. In the play a view from the Bridge the women are treated unfairly, and are constantly mocked by Eddie. The play also shows how Beatrice and Catherine are abused through verbal violence by eddies constant stereotyping. The way Beatrice and Catherine are indentified id through their aggression, they are no the sort of characters who show their aggression a lot but only when the tension starts to build when Rodolpho falls in love with Catherine, which is what Eddie finds hard to deal with. Beatrice is one of the very caring characters of the play, she is always there for everyone and this is one thing that Beatrice gets mocked for by her husband Eddie. He says to her Im just worried about you, thats all Im worried (page 61) this suggests that Eddie has got tight grips on her and that she should stop being caring and nice to people. Beatrice is always in the middle of any arguments and ends up being the mediator, but at the same time shes always trying to please her husband so he treats her the way she wants to be treated. Beatrice is always tied between her Husband and everyone else. This implies that Eddie has a lot of control over her and he has trained her well as being his wife. Eddie feels that he needs to mock Beatrice to feel a sense of power. Catherine is a young lady who is growing up to be a woman. She has met the man of her dreams and wants to marry him, but theres only one thing stopping her, Eddie. Eddie has brought up Catherine like a daughter but has experienced feelings for her that are unnatural which he and Catherine cant quite understand. Eddie has looked after Catherine for so long that he has developed a possessiveness over her. He has become overprotective and is unable to let go of her after all the years he has taken care of her. When Catherine comes home and explains what she thinks is good news to Eddie and Beatrice, Eddie is furious over how she could take a job without his permission. I should take the job at the end of the year (Page 18) she explains how much good it will be for her but he just keeps going on about how young she is and is only still a child. This shows that Eddie is not yet ready to let go of Catherine but if he doesnt she will disown him and then he would probably never see her again. Eddie has shown that he is quite a controlling man and also that he has a caring side to him but it is expressed through his anger by him being very manipulative towards his wife Beatrice and nice Catherine.

The Case of Inflation in Ancient Rome

The Case of Inflation in Ancient Rome In 2008, as a result from Global Economic crisis, Cambodia experienced soaring in prices, especially of fuels and food, with inflation rate up to 20 percent. This inflation was mainly caused by the world and local demand while the supply was more costly because of the increasing in fuels costs. This affected Cambodian economy by providing both negative impacts on the consumers and opportunities for some producers to earn more. This essay will provide the history of the inflation in Cambodia in term of high food prices and the case in the old days. It will focus on the inflation of the Ancient Rome. Starting from the causes of the inflation, this essay will focus next on the effects and the actions responded by the governments of each governments at their respective times. Next, it will present some acknowledgments comparing the two inflation cases. Does the old experience reflect the recent case?

EhlersDanlos Syndrome :: essays papers

EhlersDanlos Syndrome Ehlers-Danlos sydrome (EDS) is a rare inherited group of connective tissue disorders characterized by defects of the major structural protein in the body (collagen). Collagen is a tough fibrous protein that plays an essential role in binding, holding together, strengthening, and providing elasticity to bodily cells and tissues. There are six major types of EDS that I will discuss, however I will only go into detailed discussion on two of the six types of EDS. The two major types of EDS are Classical EDS and Hypermobile EDS. These two types make up 90% of all EDS cases. I will discuss the general symptoms of these two types along with pathology, then diagnostic factors, and the different treatments for this disorder (Smith). EDS can vary in severity and are transmitted as autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, or X-linked recessive traits. The primary characteristics are hyperextensible skin and joints (Dia. 1-2, pg.6), tendency to bruise easily (Dia. 3, pg.6), reduced wound healing capability, pseudotumors, and ocular defects. Differences within the six types may reflect inter/intra familial variability or genetic heterogeneity. Each type of EDS is classified symptoms and signs that are resulted (Clarke, D., Skrocki-Czerpak, K., Neumann-Potash, L). There are approximately six types of EDS that have been distinguished but other types exist that are very uncommon. Classical, Hypermobile, Vascular, Kyphoscoliosis, Arthrochalasia, and Dermatosparaxis. Classical and Hypermobile make up over 90% of all reported cases of EDS. With the Classical type of EDS a person would have hyperextensible (stretchy) skin with widened atrophic scars and joint hypermobility. The skin is smooth and velvety with tissue fragility and easy brusability. Also evident are molluscoid pseudotumors (fleshy lesions associated with scars) frequently found over pressure points (e.g. elbows) and subcutaneous spheroids, which are commonly mobile and palpable on the forearms and shins. Complications of joint hypemobility include sprains, dislocation are common in the shoulder, patella and temporomandibular joints Muscle hypotonia and slower gross motor development also can occur It is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner (Clarke, D., Skrocki-Czerpak, K., Neuman n-Potash, L.). In the Hypermobile type of EDS the joints of the body experience Hypermobility, which is the dominant clinical manifestation. General joint hypermobility affects large (elbows, knees) and small (fingers and toes) joints are evident. Skin is hyperextensible, smooth/velvety, and bruising occurs easily as well. Reoccurring joint dislocations are common, and joints such as shoulder, patella, and temporomandibular joint dislocate frequently. Chronic joint and limb pain is a common amongst individuals with Hypermobile type EDS. EhlersDanlos Syndrome :: essays papers EhlersDanlos Syndrome Ehlers-Danlos sydrome (EDS) is a rare inherited group of connective tissue disorders characterized by defects of the major structural protein in the body (collagen). Collagen is a tough fibrous protein that plays an essential role in binding, holding together, strengthening, and providing elasticity to bodily cells and tissues. There are six major types of EDS that I will discuss, however I will only go into detailed discussion on two of the six types of EDS. The two major types of EDS are Classical EDS and Hypermobile EDS. These two types make up 90% of all EDS cases. I will discuss the general symptoms of these two types along with pathology, then diagnostic factors, and the different treatments for this disorder (Smith). EDS can vary in severity and are transmitted as autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, or X-linked recessive traits. The primary characteristics are hyperextensible skin and joints (Dia. 1-2, pg.6), tendency to bruise easily (Dia. 3, pg.6), reduced wound healing capability, pseudotumors, and ocular defects. Differences within the six types may reflect inter/intra familial variability or genetic heterogeneity. Each type of EDS is classified symptoms and signs that are resulted (Clarke, D., Skrocki-Czerpak, K., Neumann-Potash, L). There are approximately six types of EDS that have been distinguished but other types exist that are very uncommon. Classical, Hypermobile, Vascular, Kyphoscoliosis, Arthrochalasia, and Dermatosparaxis. Classical and Hypermobile make up over 90% of all reported cases of EDS. With the Classical type of EDS a person would have hyperextensible (stretchy) skin with widened atrophic scars and joint hypermobility. The skin is smooth and velvety with tissue fragility and easy brusability. Also evident are molluscoid pseudotumors (fleshy lesions associated with scars) frequently found over pressure points (e.g. elbows) and subcutaneous spheroids, which are commonly mobile and palpable on the forearms and shins. Complications of joint hypemobility include sprains, dislocation are common in the shoulder, patella and temporomandibular joints Muscle hypotonia and slower gross motor development also can occur It is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner (Clarke, D., Skrocki-Czerpak, K., Neuman n-Potash, L.). In the Hypermobile type of EDS the joints of the body experience Hypermobility, which is the dominant clinical manifestation. General joint hypermobility affects large (elbows, knees) and small (fingers and toes) joints are evident. Skin is hyperextensible, smooth/velvety, and bruising occurs easily as well. Reoccurring joint dislocations are common, and joints such as shoulder, patella, and temporomandibular joint dislocate frequently. Chronic joint and limb pain is a common amongst individuals with Hypermobile type EDS.

Wuthering Heights ch 1-3 analysis Essay -- Emily Bronte

In Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, what first appears to be an overabundance of descriptions about a mansion in nineteenth century England easily turns into a myriad of sentiment, hatred, and love among the protagonists. The work can be classified as an unprecedented satire, using indirect actions of its characters to convey a forthright message regarding human misdeeds. The first few pages of the book presents two main characters, Mr. Heathcliff and Mr. Lockwood, where both serve an important role in intensifying the plot. They have nearly opposite personalities, as Heathcliff is a humble, reserved landlord while Lockwood is an arrogant, agitated fellow. It can also be inferred that through some of the actions Lockwood engages in that he represents an immoral figure that mankind should grow to despise, in a time where benevolent behavior and personality is highly valued. Consequently, this kind of behavior serves to condemn him in an irreverent way, as a plethora of contempt eag erly follows him nearly every place he travels to. The first three chapters of the novel mainly serves to romanticize the setting in which an atmosphere of imagination can be achieved amongst readers. It is important that such an effect be established, so that one can effortlessly picture the scenario in his or her mind, thus developing a greater appreciation for the novel. However, it is not simplicity that defines Wuthering Heights, but rather the incessant barrage of personal beliefs and prejudice scattered throughout the chapters. Evidently, expression is a ubiquitous language that the novel is written in, as nearly every page is arduously filled with emotion so palpable that it transports the reader to a state of actualization, where fiction ... ...sified as a satire, for some of the complex arguments presented within regarding human atrocities are too resounding to absorb. Yet all of this is accomplished via a clever combination of indirect characterization and vivid imagery, as both serve to tell its part of the story in an unprecedented way. Through dialogue alone, Bronte achieves the fact that Lockwood is an impudent person, only capable of making matters worse when a solution is critical. The picturesque imagery used throughout the first chapters is no less important. Only through vivid descriptions can the mood, plot, setting, and tone be conveyed effectively bringing readers ever more closer to the characters. In Wuthering Heights, Bronte uses a style of writing focused intensely on detail and indirect descriptions, creating a unique and dynamic atmosphere where the possibilities are simply limitless.

Electric ID Essays -- Technology Animals Essays

Electric ID Each year hundreds pets are stolen from their owners and resold because they have no permanent ID. Thousands more are turned into shelters and euthanized because their owner is unknown. These pets could have been returned to their owner if they had the proper ID. When most people look for a way to identify their pet, many people choose a simple dog tag. However, tags can fall off or the information can wear off. There are more permanent ways to ID an animal; traditionally tattoos were used but today technology has given owners a better option, the microchip. Microchip ID's are just that. A miniature microchip is placed underneath the skin of the pet and it can be used to accurately identify the owner of the animal. There are many companies that manufacture pet microchips, and the two main companies in the United States today are AVID and Destron-Fearing. Although both microchips are essentially the same in function, there are key differences that a pet owner should look at when choosing one. They include: the design of the microchip, the countries it is used in, the operating life, the species it is used in, the scanner that will read it, the databases, and the cost. Before examing the differences, two question need to be answered: what is it and how does it work? What is it? In the last twenty years, technology has produced a product that allows for an animal to be permanently identified for life. This product is called an electronic ID or a microchip. A microchip is a very small tube, about the size of a grain of rice that is injected into a specific site on the animal. Each tube contains a microchip that is encoded with a unique ID that cannot be changed. This number is read by a scanner and allows the... ...no matter where the animal is, the owner can always be traced. When comparing the cost of ID options, a simple dog tag on the collar is the cheapest route. Although the cost of the microchip may seem quite large at first, overall it can save pet owners money because it lasts for the lifetime of the pet. While both companies have good products, a pet owner needs to consider several things before choosing to use a microchip and which company they feel is best. Most biological evidence points to HomeAgain as the better choice. Between the two companies, HomeAgain has returned more pets to owners than any other company. Isn't that the point? References: AKC http://www.akc.org/love/car/ AVID http://www.avidcanada.com/thechip.html Destron-Fearing (HomeAgain) http://www.destron.com/elect.html#microchips http://www.electronicidinc.com/eidback.html Electric ID Essays -- Technology Animals Essays Electric ID Each year hundreds pets are stolen from their owners and resold because they have no permanent ID. Thousands more are turned into shelters and euthanized because their owner is unknown. These pets could have been returned to their owner if they had the proper ID. When most people look for a way to identify their pet, many people choose a simple dog tag. However, tags can fall off or the information can wear off. There are more permanent ways to ID an animal; traditionally tattoos were used but today technology has given owners a better option, the microchip. Microchip ID's are just that. A miniature microchip is placed underneath the skin of the pet and it can be used to accurately identify the owner of the animal. There are many companies that manufacture pet microchips, and the two main companies in the United States today are AVID and Destron-Fearing. Although both microchips are essentially the same in function, there are key differences that a pet owner should look at when choosing one. They include: the design of the microchip, the countries it is used in, the operating life, the species it is used in, the scanner that will read it, the databases, and the cost. Before examing the differences, two question need to be answered: what is it and how does it work? What is it? In the last twenty years, technology has produced a product that allows for an animal to be permanently identified for life. This product is called an electronic ID or a microchip. A microchip is a very small tube, about the size of a grain of rice that is injected into a specific site on the animal. Each tube contains a microchip that is encoded with a unique ID that cannot be changed. This number is read by a scanner and allows the... ...no matter where the animal is, the owner can always be traced. When comparing the cost of ID options, a simple dog tag on the collar is the cheapest route. Although the cost of the microchip may seem quite large at first, overall it can save pet owners money because it lasts for the lifetime of the pet. While both companies have good products, a pet owner needs to consider several things before choosing to use a microchip and which company they feel is best. Most biological evidence points to HomeAgain as the better choice. Between the two companies, HomeAgain has returned more pets to owners than any other company. Isn't that the point? References: AKC http://www.akc.org/love/car/ AVID http://www.avidcanada.com/thechip.html Destron-Fearing (HomeAgain) http://www.destron.com/elect.html#microchips http://www.electronicidinc.com/eidback.html

Utilizing Qr Code Technology for Emr.

Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List Fatima Alsaleh and Samir Elmasri PhD College of Computer and Information Systems, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia Abstract: In situations like emergency, where the immediately gained, summarized and accurate information may radically make the difference between life and death, the need for a solution that fulfills this requirement arises. Number of solutions was previously proposed including emergency card and smart cards, but each has number of cons and pros.With the rapid adoption of smartphones, QR codes (Quick Response) is the ideal substitute for the current circumstances. It can be easily read by the paramedics, whether they are medical professionals or bystanders and provide immediate, accurate, reliable information that radically impact an individual's life, in case of emergency. This paper discusses the advantageous utilization of the QR code an d smartphone revolutionary technology in the medical field. It also discusses other uses of QR code, in some related fields where it can be beneficial the most.Page | 1 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 Introduction Accidents happen all the time all around the world. A continuous work by the governments and non-profit associations has been accomplished to propose and impose policies and procedures that best decrease the number of accidents and control their tragic consequences. On the other hand, an increasing number of researches and tested methodologies have been conducted in the past few years, specifically in the field of emergency, to best control the damages.The main focus was to summaries the most important and critical medical information about an individual in an in a portable means and ensure a quick retrieval of these data in a secure manner. The earliest attempt to compliance with the quick, secure and summarized access to an individual's critical medical information was by using emergency cards. Some Health providers companies provide their patients with an emergency card that has some information extracted from the patient summary List. This card has saved lives as it's the guide that could help the first aiders or emergency staff to act accurately in a timely manner.The means, however, evolved over years to cope with the technology revolution and benefit the most of it. Encoding the patients EMR in smart card is a methodology that has been rapidly followed by many EMR companies and healthcare providers. A part of the medical record of any patient is a summary known as a Patient Summary List or Problem Summary List. This paper proposes a method that could benefit from the two aforementioned important concepts. The method introduces the use of the Quick Response (QR) technology in the patient’s Emergency card.Related Work Some health providers provide their patients with an Emergency Card that usually has th e vital medical information that could make the difference between life and death, usually known as Patient summary list (part of the Electronic Medical Record). The list should include the patient’s ID, medical history of Arthritis, Hypertension, Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease, etc. any operative and invasive procedure, any adverse and allergic drug reaction, present medications [1][2]. The natural medium to record the patient's medical information is the papers.Even though papers have advantages of being low in cost, available and portable, problems raised due to the decentralized nature of the paper-based medical records, difficulties Page | 2 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 in data storage and retrieval, threat of being damaged or lost, etc. Consequently, the concept of Electronic Medical Record has been introduced to overcome these issues. Examples of early electronic systems include Computer-stored Ambulatory Record (COSTAR), Health E valuation through Logical Processing (HELP), and Multiphase Health Testing System (MHTS) [3].Smart Card is the perfect media that can be used as a health card due to its small size, secure, capability of digitizing a huge amount of personal and medical data [4]. Some attempts have been done by researchers to develop a personal portable healthcare record smart cards and a corresponding framework to simplify maintenance and transfer of patient records [9]. Researchers in the U. K. have created MyCare, a smart card with a fold-out USB plug that can hold a patient’s medical history. MyCare was developed with open source that enables it to run on different computers and operating systems.Data is protected through PINs and encryption, with a higher level of encryption planned for further stages in the development process [5][6]. These smart card projects work better in countries with nationalized health care. In the US For example, competition among hospitals is a barrier to a smar t card system [5]. Smart card technology was not widely spread due to lack of standards (Dash, 2001); the communications between a smart card and smart card reader. The cards also need to be updated constantly which would be hard to enforce [10].For smart cards, user mobility is only possible if every machine that the user access has a smart card reader attached. The machine must support the same standard smart card reader interfaces or use the same proprietary smart card reader [11]. Research Statement Due to the barriers of smart cards usage including, the high cost value, the unnecessary imposed security and the need for a special card reader, the smart emergency card solution may not be the best solution. The proposed method is the use of Quick Response (QR) codes to hold the patient's critical medical information.The solution overcomes the expense, unavailability and communication issues of the smart card, by the fact that QR is inexpensive technology that doesn't need a specia l reader, it needs software that could be installed freely on any smart phone. This ensures the quick yet accurate and responsive aid provided to unresponsive individual in case of emergency. The solution should also be used as a reporting tool. It can be embedded into a smart phone application developed to be used for reporting accidents. This may overcome the issues of Page | 3Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 reporting accidents by using the QR technology as an accurate, unique and prompt reporting tool. Background Quick Response (QR) codes are type of two dimensional barcodes. It's a technique that was first invented by Denso-Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota Group that was firstly designed to track the vehicles' parts manufacturing process, and since then it has grown rapidly. In Recent years it has been utilized to work as a marketing tool to advertise for products, sites, brands, etc.Fig1: QR codes structure [16] QR Code can store up to 7089 numeri c characters, 4296 alphanumeric characters or 2953 bytes (8-bit binary). They are capable of storing different types of data: text, vCards, pictures, URLs, Videos, etc. The stored data is extracted in a readable form through QR readers that are usually smartphone software, or dedicate QR reading devices. Number of QR code scanner applications is available for Apple, BlackBerry and Android smartphones, mostly for free. Once installed, it uses the phone's embedded camera to scan the code and decode it instantly. Page | 4Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 Proposed Solution The idea behind this paper is very easy to grasp. The aim is to have a mechanism that provide the first aiders to know what needed to be known, at the right time, with the easiest possible means. For unresponsive person, or in case if an individual was unable to speak and give vital information, it is important to have some sort of easy to get yet authenticated and accurate medical sum mary that can be available at anytime, anywhere. In some cases, it makes the difference between life and death.Patient Summary List The more we know the better we act and response. In medicine, to know the patient's historical and current medical condition is as much important as the action to be taken on the case. Delaying a treatment or prescribing a wrong medication or one that conflicts with the patient's medical condition could be dangerous and might end up deadly. From this point, the importance of the Patient Summary List arises. The Patient Summary List is a summarized accessible list of the patient's significant medical information.The summary should contain as much information as possible to assist medics and other first responders in case of emergency. The information may include the following categories, though, some entries might be optional. Each entry has to be timestamped: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Patient's information: age, sex, marital status, weight, height and blood type. Hospital-related information: name, ID, address, phone number, medical record, hospital's name. Emergency contacts. Allergies/Adverse Allergic Drug Reactions.Significant medical diagnoses and conditions: Cancer, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, Angina, Pacemaker, Stroke, Circulation Problem, Arthritis, infectious disease (TB/Hepatitis/MRSA), Osteoporosis / osteopenia, Lung problems, Seizures, Polio / post-polio, Urinary incontinence, Depression, HIV positive, Pregnancy condition, Wearing Contact Lenses, Smoker or not. 6. Significant surgical/invasive procedures. Page | 5 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 7. 8. Medication/Vitamins/Supplements names, doses, frequency and rout for each.Education: Language spoken, Barriers to learning (blind/deaf/etc) [12]. Medical Records are created by the medical institutes for every individual assessed or treated. Consequently, the Patient's Summary List should be derived from the patient's Medical Recor d. The Summary List must be prepared by the Hospital of which the patient is having his treatment to ensure the legibility, completeness and authentication [13]. It's also important to have the list updated whenever there is a change in medication, diagnose or allergies and also whenever a procedure is performed.Why QR Codes? Some medical institutes tend to provide their patients with a Summary List printed on a paper (or card) or coded in a smart card. Both ways have number of cons and pros. The usage of printed Summary List in a paper is condition of damage. Especially ICE (In Case of Emergency), it can easily burn, get wet or shredded into pieces and loss it's value. The use of cards might be a safer choice, but it's impossible to have it small enough to fit in someone's wallet and yet have it containing all needed information about the person's medical condition.The use of smart cards on the other hand, might be the best solution comparing with the other available means since th ey are safer, have a larger capacity, easily to carry along and can be kept up t date without the need to issue new ones. However, they need special readers to read them that are usually unavailable for the first aiders ICE. Besides, smart cards are costly to issue and maintain. QR code's quickness, availability, widely spread and low cost might lead it to be a very good choice to encode the Patient's Summary List.It overcomes the issues encountered in other means, and they can be utilized to serve other purposes that will be discussed later in this paper. With the advantages of the QR codes usage has been examined and assessed, we are ready to discuss the proposed procedure and a suggested standard: ? The list should be captured and stored in a standard encoding system to support data sharing, analysis and provide a more practical and accurate way Page | 6 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 o retrieve the required information. The standard of the Sum mary List has to be proposed and admitted by the Ministry of Health. ? Administration and maintenance of the Summary List is important. Healthcare providers are responsible of issuing a Summary List of each patient's EMR. They are also responsible for encoding it in a QR code. ? ? The issued QR codes should be printed on wallet-sized cards and submitted to patients. The QR card should be on the medical card (printed right on the back of the card on printed on a sticker on the same card).The medical card (with QR code at back of it) has to be kept right next to the driving license in someone’s wallet. This is critical to have the first responders make use of this method. ? The Summary List has to be updated by the issuer upon any significant change in the patient's medications or health condition. Further, if the patient was examined by a hospital other that the one issuing the code, it's the responsibility of the patient to update the QR code with the new medical information according to the hospital's report. People have to be educated by spreading the QR concept and the role it's playing in rescuing individuals ICE. The paramedics (emergency staff) on the other hand have to have the dedicated QR code readers or having the scanning software installed on their smartphones. Having these standards stated out, the QR code usage can be efficiently utilized and beneficial. If individuals were educated and aware about saving someone’s life using the proposed method, the number of errors that might be encountered will decrease rapidly.In contrary with the other possible means, QR codes do not require a special reader or password authentication or a computer to be read, which make them accessible whenever needed. In addition, bar codes are proven technology that can be used in health care, where little room for error exists. Page | 7 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 Possible Scenario The following scenario is summarized in Fig 4 below, a possible QR utilization scenario: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. An accident happens to an individual carrying a QR code card.The first responder (emergency professional or bystander) check the infected person's wallet and find the QR code. The code is scanned by the rescuer's Smartphone's QR reader. The summary list with all significant medical information is displayed. The rescuer provides the first aids according to the infected person's medical status, whether he/she has a Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, etc, and call the emergency. 6. The emergency professionals should take the proper, most accurate action based on the extracted medical status. This can make the difference between life and death.Other actions can also be taken by the rescuer like for example sending the QR code through a Smartphone's software (detailed in Other Medical-Related QR Uses section below). Fig2: QR code workflow in case of emergency Page | 8 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Pa tient Summary List 2012 QR Coded Patient Summary List Update As stated above, the providers should update the patient's summary list whenever there is a change in diagnosis, medications, or allergies to medications and whenever a procedure is performed. The Patient Summary List is derived from the patient’s Electronic Medical/Health Record [17].The summary list contains specific attributes extracted from the medical record. Having these attributes labeled in the electronic medical record will ease the process of extracting and updating the Patient Summary List attribute’s values. So, the system should trigger an update on the patient’s list whenever a change in the labeled attributes. Fig3: QR code workflow in case of emergency [17] How to Update QR Codes? There are two main types of QR codes; static and dynamic. Static QR codes contents are static, cannot be edited or updated, whereas the dynamic QR code’s content can be easily updated.Also, unlike the s tatic QR codes, it does not require generating new QR code. The exact printed QR can be used that leads to the updated contents. When the QR codes are used to encode the Patient Summary List, a frequent content update will be needed. Accordingly three main QR forms are proposed: Page | 9 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 1. Using a static QR codes with a static summary list that needs to be re-printer upon each record change. In this case, the provider may print the codes on stickers and remove the old ones once the new ones are issued.This might be more cost effective than re-printing the patient card with the new QR code on the back. 2. Instead of having QR codes printed out, a soft copy of the QR code can be generated and loaded into an individual's mobile. This is also effective in cost-wise, but it might be not so practical in case of an emergency. The rescuer may not be able to locate the QR code image in the mobile of an unconscious person, or the mobile is locked with a pin or it’s out of battery, etc. Though it is easy to maintain and saves the cost of reprinting the code upon a record change. . Using the dynamic QR codes that have a dynamic content with an editable, editable content using the same printed code. Further, some QR code generator companies (like SQUARE) provide a track service and statics of how many devices scanned the code, where, scanner device type, etc. Having this concept applied on the medical health field considered very practical. In view thereof, dynamic QR codes are the best utilization due its cost saving, efficiency and easy to maintain. However, since this kind of codes requires a wireless connection, it might be limited.Though, it’s not a huge barrier in today’s networked world. Fig4: QR Update trigger scenario. Page | 10 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 Updating QR code procedure Each step in the above scenario figure (Fig 4) is descri bed as follows: A patient visits the hospital (1), and a change in one of the stated record attributes (2) (change in diagnosis, medications, or allergies to medications and whenever a procedure is performed. ) has been encountered. So the updated patient record should trigger a generation of an updated summary list (3).Accordingly, new updated QR code/QR content has to be issued (4), and a notification sent to the patient with this update. ? ? If the static QR code form is adapted by the hospital, then the notification should instruct the patient to pick up the updated QR code card/sticker (4. 1). If the soft copied QR code form is adapted, then the notification should instruct the patient to download the latest QR code (either from the hospital’s site after the patient login or sent for the patient email) (4. 2). ? If the dynamic QR code form is adapted, then the codes destination contents updated upon the new summary list update (4. ). Other Medical-Related QR Uses Aside o f utilizing the QR codes as an emergency guide for paramedics that provide a reliable, easy to use, quick access to an individual's Medical Summary List, QR codes can be used in other fields as well, as detailed in this section. The QR codes can be used as a reporting tool. By having an Emergency reporting channel other that the unified number, a software application installed on the smartphones, QR can be used as follows: ? ? Using the smartphone's camera, the QR code of the affected person is scanned through the Emergency software application.The software should display the encoded information, and a reporting option should also be available (say, a button). Page | 11 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 ? ? ? Upon pressing the button, the software should send the patient information to the emergency department along with the reporting location coordinates. The reporter information may also send (the reporter phone number can be easily gained from the user's phone). To capitalize the benefits, the reporting tool can play a complementary role of a clouded EMR system that is made available for the centralized Emergency unit.If this the case then a link to the QR holder's EMR could be also implicitly embedded and can be easily gain access to be the authorized Emergency staff. Having such system will not only provide a fast, accurate and reliable accident reporting tool, but it'll also help in reducing the redundancy encountered when reporting accidents and emergencies. Another usage of the QR code can be as portable, summarized EHR. Keeping a personal health record encoded in a QR with you when visiting a doctor that is not necessarily a staff member of the hospital where your Medical Record is kept is very helpful.It'll provide the doctor a sufficient answer when the he asks â€Å"what medications are you taking? † It'll save time, effort and the cost of running lab tests and radio-imaging for checking the accurate medical condition since they are encoded in the QR code, summarized, reliable and up to date. Another use could be on some other direction, by the police department. When someone is kept under custody, it would be helpful to avoid unexpected situations can be experienced with the kept person such as infectious diseases, heart diseases, high blood pressure, etc.Knowing such medical information is as much needful as keeping the person in prison, since it help in saving the lives inside the prison (life of the prisoners) and out (keeping the offender in custody). Conclusion We may not be able to stop the accidents from happening, but we are able and responsible to cut the losses and control their tragic consequences as much as we can. The practical knowledge of the medical workers coupled with the knowledge and expertise of the technology experts and developers can result technology-utilized solutions to everyday.In this Page | 12 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2 012 respect, solutions were proposed, researches were conducted and regulations were imposed, every day to best achieve this goal. This paper proposes a practical, non-cost affective, timely solution that can best utilize the widely spread technology â€Å"QR† to help saving lives. This solution can be utilized even more to be a complementary tool for the currently function, or proposed, emergency systems. References [1] http://westhoustonmedctr. ehc. com/CPM/Patient%20Summary%20List. df [accessed: 9 March 2012] [2] http://www. urology-partners. com/Forms/MEDICAL_HISTORY. pdf [accessed: 9 March 2012] [3] Lowe, H. J, â€Å"The Electronic Medical Record†, (2003), Stanford University School of Medicine [4] http://www. smartcardsource. com/health. html [accessed: 11 March 2012] [5]http://www. secureidnews. com/2011/06/15/smart-cards-show-potential-for-medicalrecords [accessed: 12 March 2012] [6]http://www. smartplanet. com/blog/rethinking-healthcare/mycare-your-entire-medi calhistory-on-a-smart-card/5207 [accessed: 12 March 2012] [7] http://www. martcardalliance. org/pages/publications-smart-card-technology-in-healthcare [accessed: 15 March 2012] [8] Smart cards—the key to trustworthy health information systems BMJ 1997; 314 doi: 10. 1136/bmj. 314. 7080. 573(Published 22 February 1997) [9] Changrui Xiao and Arthur Yu: Medical Smart Card System for Patient Record Management. Bears Breaking Boundaries 2009 Science, Technology, and Energy Policy White Paper Competition [10] Dennis Emmett and Reagan Bundy, Marshall University: PROVIDING BETTER PATIENT SERVICES UTILIZING SMART CARD TECHNOLOGY.Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association of Collegiate Marketing Educators (2005) [11] David Chadwick: Smart CardsAren’t Always the Smart Choice. University of Salford. Decemper 1999 [12]http://www. barnabashealth. org/hospitals/ambulatory_care_center/acrobat/rehab_adult_s ummarylist. pdf [accessed: 12 April 2012] [13] http://www. dental-desi gn. co. uk/2011/11/29/a-guide-to-qr-codes/ [accessed: 2 April 2012] Page | 13 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 [14]http://www. medical. siemens. com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/PSGenericDisplay~q_catal ogId~e_-1~a_langId~e_-1~a_pageId~e_83438~a_storeId~e_10001. tm 2012] [15]http://jpgraph. net/download/manuals/chunkhtml/ch27. html#id2608334 May 2012] [16] http://www. thisbloglife. com/2012/01/qr-codes-enter-the-matrix/ [accessed: 20 April 2012] [17]http://www. philblock. info/hitkb/s/system_and_DB_architectures_used_in_commercial_EH Rs. html [accessed: 10 May 2012] [18]http://www. csinov. com/wordpress/index. php/solutions/ehr-solutions/electronicmedical-records/ [accessed: 4 May 2012] [19]http://tracertong. co. uk/ttf/2010/10/qr-code-test-for-wallpaper-download-to[accessed: 5 [accessed: 10 May iphone/ [accessed: 4 May 2012] Page | 14

Ratio analysis Essay

Ratio analysis is a tool brought by individuals used to evaluate analysis of information in the financial statements of a business. The ratio analysis forms an essential part of the financial analysis which is a vital part in the business planning. There are 3 different ways of assessing businesses performance and these are: solvency, profitability and performance. Ratio analysis assists managers to work out the production of the company by figuring the profitability ratios. Also, the management can evaluate their revenues to check if their productivity. Thus, probability ratios are helpful to the company in evaluating its performance based on current earning. By measuring the solvency ratio, the companies are able to keep an eye on the correlation between the assets and the liabilities. If, in any case, the liabilities exceed the assets, the company is able to know its financial position. This is helpful in case they wish to set up a plan for loan repayment. Ratio analysis is also helpful in analysing the performance of a company. Through financial analysis, companies can review their performance in the past years. This is also helpful in identifying their weaknesses and improving on them. Polish Fine Foods needs to use ratio analysis because it is a valuable tool for the business’s management to determine the performance of a business and to control the cost measures when necessary. Also, ratio analysis helps them monitor and identify issues that can be highlighted and resolved. However, ratio analysis doesn’t take into account external factors such as a worldwide recession. Measuring the Solvency of Polish Fine Foods Now, I will use 2 rations to measure the solvency of Polish Fine Foods. First, I will calculate the current ratio for Polish Fine Foods. This estimates whether the business can pay debts due within one year from assets that it expects to turn into cash within that year. It is measured dividing current assets by the current liabilities. By looking at balance sheet I can see that Polish Fine Food’s current asset value is  £28500 and the current liability value is  £17000. I will need to divide  £28500 by  £17000 to find out the current ratio. This would give me an answer of  £1.7. This means that for each  £1 owned they have  £1.70 current asset. The figure should normally not fall below 1.5. If it reaches a value of 1 then there might be concerns  there about not being able to meet the debts of the short-term assets. However, we can see that Polish Fine Food’s current ratio tells us that this is a solvent business. This means that it is able to settle its debts when they are due to be paid. If the business is not solvent, then it means that it can’t do this. Being solvent would help the business to maintain their confidence. On the other hand, if the current ratio goes higher than 2 might indicate that too much finance is tied up in a short-term assets, which can result that not too much money are being used within the organisation. Secondly, I will measure the acid test. This is the same as the current ratio; however it is a harsher test of ability to settle short-term debts. It is more accurate as it takes away the stock and shows how well a business can meet its current liabilities. To find out the acid test I first need to subtract stock from the current assets and then divide the current liabilities by the answer of that. So Polish Fine Food’s amount of stock is  £8500 from the current assets which is  £28500. The answer of the subtraction is  £20000. Now I would need to divide the answer by the current liability which is  £17000 which would give me the final acid test ratio of  £1.20. This calculation removes the uncertain variable of stock, which might be not too important to the business. Similarly, this data shows us that Polish Fine Foods is a solvent business and it has the ability to meet its short-term debts. The business could continue to operate as it is currently looking to be successful. With the current ratio of  £1.70 and the acid test of  £1.20 Polish Fine Foods is a stable business. It is a healthy figure and shows that the business is in a good position. We can see that  £0.50 was tied up in stock and this is not a lot. Both rations show that the business is able to pay for its debts and they can also earn more income which means that the business would gave more profit as the business is solvent. Measuring the Profitability of Polish Fine Foods Profitability ratios show a company’s overall efficiency and performance. To measure the profitability of Polish Fine Foods I will use 3 ratios. First ratio is gross profit margin. The gross profit margin looks at cost of goods sold as a percentage of sales. This ratio looks at how well a company controls the cost of its account and the manufacturing of its products. The larger the gross profit margin, the better for the company. To calculate the  gross profit margin I need to divide the gross profit by the sales and then time it by 100 to find the percentage. So, to find the gross profit margin for Polish Fine Foods I have to divide  £45900 by  £145400 and this would give me the answer  £0.3156. To find out the percentage, I now need to multiply it by 100 and the answer is 32%. The gross profit margin for Polish Fine Foods is used to compare how much value is added to an item in between being bought in as stock or materials and being sold by the business. A low gross profit margin could show that there are high stock costs or maybe that retail price is being too low. If the business has a high gross profit margin then it indicates that the business is financial stable. We can see that Polish Fine Foods doesn’t have a high gross profit margin- it is a bit more than a quarter. This means that the business is in a secure position. They could be more successful if they are going to try and sell all the stock they have first instead of getting other, so in this way the profit might increase. Next ratio that I’m going to use in order to measure the profitability of Polish Fine Foods is net profit margin. The net profit margin shows how much of each sales amount shows up as net income after all expenses are paid. The net profit margin measures profitability after consideration of all expenses including taxes, interest, and depreciation. To calculate the net profit margin I need to divide the net profit by the sales and then mul tiply by 100. Therefore, to find the net profit margin for Polish Fine Foods I need to divide  £14500 by  £145400 and this would give me an answer of  £0.0997. So after multiplying the answer by 100, I got 10% which shows the amount of net profit margin. This ratio is used to decide which of a range of products are worth continuing with. A low net profit margin might indicate that costs are too high. Polish Fine Foods’ net profit margin is quite low, so they could try to improve this by trying to sell the stocks first and then get other instead of buying lots of them at once which would get more money out. At the moment, the business is in a stable position, but they should try and reduce their costs in order to increase the profit they’re making. Lastly, I would use return on capital employed (ROCE) ratio to measure Polish Fine Foods’ profitability. This is the percentage return which makes the business able to generate the long-term capital employed. To calculate ROC, I need to divide the net profit by the capital employed and then multiply it by 100. Therefore, to fine the ROCE  for Polish Fine Foods I need to divide their net profit which is  £14500 by the capital employed which is  £24500; this will then give an answer of 0.591, and then multiply that by 100. The final answer for ROCE is 60%. This ratio has been used to show how efficiently a business is using its capital. The ROCE shows us now that Polish Fine Foods is doing well at the moment and they are using their money carefully. Polish Fine Foods overall has good ratios that currently keep them stable. Basically, all these ratios show the amount of profit generated by the company as a per cent of the sales generated. The objective of margin analysis is to detect consistency or positive or negative trends in a company’s earnings. Polish Fine Foods is doing well, and looks like it is a stable business. However, there is still place for improvement, e.g they c ould try and reduce their costs and increase their profits. Measuring the Performance of Polish Fine Foods A growing business needs to be closely and carefully managed to ensure the success of new investment and expanding plans. Putting performance measurements in place can be an important way of keeping track on the progress of their business. It gives vital information about what’s happening now and it also provides the starting point for setting targets that will help owner apply their plans for growth. Now I will measure the performance of Polish Fine Foods using 3 ratios. First ration is stock turnover. This measures how long stock is being held before it is replaced. To calculate stock turnover ratio I need to divide average stock by cost of sales and the multiply it by 365 days. To find Polish Fine Foods’ stock turnover I need to find the average stock first. The opening stock is  £5250 and the closing stock is  £8500. By adding them two and then divide it by 2, it would give me the average stock which is  £6875. Then I need to divide  £6875 by the cost of sales  £99500 and it would give me the answer of 0.06909547738. Then if I will multiply it by 365 it would give me the answer 25 days which is the average number of says the stocks are being held before being replaced. If the stock goes out of date and this could happen to Polish Fine Foods as their selling food, stock should be held for a shorter period of time. It is a disadvantage to the business if they held stock for a long period of time because it can be expensive and the stock can deteriorate in value. However, a high turnover of stock can be seen as an  indicator of a stable business. Polish Fine Foods has a low stock turnover, and this might be because it is a sole trader and it has been opened up recently. Polish Fine Foods can run successfully as they are able to sell their stock in less time than a month which means that the products don’t go out of date by the time they replace the stock. Next ratio I’m goi ng to use is debtor collection period. This measures how long debtors take to pay. To calculate debt collection period for Polish Fine Foods I need to divide  £18000 which is debtors by  £145400 being the sales and multiply the answer by 365 days. This gives me the answer 45 days, on average. It means that it takes 45 days for the debtors to pay the business. Other businesses allow the debtors 90 days until they pay the money. For Polish Fine Foods it only takes 45 days which means that is less time, so they won’t face any financial problems, struggling to get money from the debtors in order to buy some stock. This ratio shows that the business is performing well as they don’t face any cash shortage which would slow the business down. The last ratio I’m going to use in order to measure the performance of Polish Fine Foods is asset turnover. It measures how high the level of sales are in relation to the assets of the business. To calculate the asset turnover I have to divide the amount of sales by the assets. For Polish Fine Foods the sales amount is  £145300 and the assets value is  £24500. By dividing them two it would give me the answer of  £6. This shows that the business earns approximately  £6 in sales for every  £1. Knowing all this measurement is very important for the business owner because they can see how they are performing in different areas. Conclusion This report was written to illustrate the financial state of Polish Fine Foods. So I used accounting rations as evidence to measure its solvency, profitability and performance. First of all, I found out that Polish Fine Foods’s current ratio is 1.70. Another ratio I used is the acid test which gave me an answer of 1.20. This is the same as the current ratio; however it is a harsher test of ability to settle short-term debts. These ratios tell us that this is a solvent business. This means that it is able to settle its debts when they are due to be paid. If the business is not solvent, then it means that it can’t do this. Being solvent helps the business to maintain their confidence and make it operate more successfully. Another set of 3  ratios that show us the profitability of Polish Fine Foods are: gross profit margin which was 31.56%, net profit margin being 10%, then ROCE which is 60%. All these ratios show how well the business is running. Also, whether they are making any money and how profitable it is compared with other competitors. From all these ratios, I have found out that Polish Fine Foods is doing well at the moment. They are making enough profit to keep their business going, as they didn’t make any loss. Lastly, I measured the performance of Polish Fine Foods using 3 ratios: stock turnover which was  £6875; then it was debt collection period which was 45 days on average, and then the asset turnover which was  £6. Each of these ratios measure different segments of a company’s overall performance. These ratios look at how efficiently and effectively Polish Fine Foods is using its resources to generate sales and increase profit. This is important for the business because Ania can notice any unusual fluctuations in the financial ratios over time and can see how the business is performing. This could also help Ania decide whether or not to grow her business and turn it into a LTD as it would give her enough information to see if she is financial stable to do so.