Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Macro and Micro Economics and their Predictions for the Future Term Paper

Macro and Micro Economics and their Predictions for the Future - Term Paper Example Research has it that this growth began in the postwar period from 1955. Between this year and 1973, there was a rapid growth in the GDP at 8% but later, the GDP per capita was at 3%. Most of this growth has been attributed to the increase in the manufacturing sector. Various spheres of human development also improved greatly during this period, for instance; infant and maternal mortality rates declined such that by 1993 it was one of the lowest in the world. Some researchers say that over the past decade, Japan's economy has been stagnant due to poor population growth, debt, deflation and natural disasters. According to Buttonwood, however, the growth per capita over the last ten years is at 1.6% greater than that of the United Kingdom, Germany, France and even America (www.economist.com). Apparently, Japan has plans to start trans-pacific partnership trade to increase its economic growth. Another indicator of economic growth is the Human Development Index, currently in Japan; it is at 0.901, the 12th out of 187 countries. The purchasing power parity according to the wall street journal is 1$= 110.784 yen. The main industry in Japan is the manufacturing industry inclusive of electronics, automobile, biochemistry and optical media. Agriculture is not that well developed due to lack of farming land. These two industries provide the population with employment and according to the economist, in 2008, the ratio of job offers to applicants is at 0.59. However, the low birth rate is troubling this economy due to the high probability of lack of available indigenous workforce in the next few years. Japan is known to be one of the easiest and best places to do business due to its low tax rate. This is one of the members of G-20 countries, an upcoming economy. Currently, its economy has an expectation to expand by 8.5% (the Economist). The increase in the workforce is one of the reasons why there is a high expectation of its economic growth. The growing national income per capita has been seen to triple at a  percentage of 13.7% according to the wall street journal. Human development index in India is still questionable but expectations of improvement are very high.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks in Nursing Practice Research Paper - 1

Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks in Nursing Practice - Research Paper Example The patients’ overall well-being should be at the centre of nursing. In line with this, nurses need to relate professional knowledge into clinical practice, through theoretical and conceptual frameworks bridges, dynamically linking care between health personnel and care, recipients, in consideration with environmental factors. The body of knowledge in nursing had been divided into several categories to distinguish bulks of nursing concepts constructed. Fawcett (1995 as cited in Timmins, 2005) identified hierarchical structure in nursing knowledge, where different levels are interconnected in clinical fields: â€Å"(1) metaparadigm (2) philosophy (3) theory (4), conceptual models.† Metaparadigms are quite broad in context, which translate clinical values indicated in constructed philosophies, while theories are more specific in experiential nursing fields. Fawcett (1994 as cited in Masters, 2005) added that conceptual models, being the last, pertain to sets of nursing abstracts and propositions that are meaningfully integrated for valid reference in nursing disciplines. One of the fundamental bases in the modern nursing profession is the theory created by Florence Nightingale. Her philosophical concepts are simple in construct, though, it primarily stabilized how nurses act in deference to patient in teraction. In her environmental model for nurses, Nightingale proposed that elements observed in the environment can have a significant impact on patients’ health conditions (Butts & Rich, 2010). The model substantially linked three important entities together: the patient, nurses, and their environment. Her meta-paradigm in Figure 1 (please see Appendix A), showed these three factors that may influence outcomes in health.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Family Planning Program In Ethiopia Health And Social Care Essay

Family Planning Program In Ethiopia Health And Social Care Essay Access to basic services such as water and sanitation is limited and its distribution is biased towards urban areas. Thirty percent of Ethiopians (80.5% urban and 21.5% rural) have access to improved sanitation, while access to clean drinking water is slightly higher at 35 percent (90% urban and 25% rural). Sixty four percent of the adult population is illiterate; with higher rate of illiteracy among women than men. The overall current contraceptives prevalence rate among married women in Ethiopia is 14.7%, and among all women of reproductive age group is 10.3%. Thirty four percent of currently married women of reproductive age group have an unmet need for family planning (WHO, 2010). Family planning (FP) services are delivered through facility-based reproductive health (RH) services including government health facilities and health services run by NGOs and private for profit organizations including pharmacies selling socially marketed pills, condoms and Depo-Provera; and by community based reproductive health (CBRH) agents supported by a variety of international and national NGOs. Family planning services can significantly contribute to limiting the family size efforts. Strengthening contraceptive services has been shown to be effective in reducing maternal mortality. Specifically there is a role for increased access to long term and permanent contraceptive methods. Although 60% of the methods used in Ethiopia are injectables, 32% of users of injectables discontinue in the first year of use, usually because of health concerns or other issues with the method. Also 42% of women want to limit childbearing, thus they are potential clients for LTPMs. Efforts are needed to increase access to LTPM for women who do not want any more children (DHS, 2005). The Ethiopian government has been undertaking various policy reform measures and making substantial progresses towards achieving the millennium development goals. Improved policy environment and shift in government priorities towards the social sector have significantly improved access to and quality of health services. Potential health service coverage has increased from 45% in 1997 to 90 percent in 2010 (FMOH, 2010). The health policy gives primary focus on preventive and promotive health care to address the major health problems and to provide access to health services for the majority of Ethiopians. In this regard, the health service extension program (HEP) is the biggest venture of the government and flagship program of the ministry by which two female health extension workers who are government paid are being assigned at kebele level ( the lowest administrative level with 5000 population). The government has been engaged into improving health service delivery through enhancing coverage, quality and equity aiming at improving the overall health status of citizens. The various studies and routine information sources showed that the health outcomes are exhibiting encouraging results in terms of reducing child and maternal mortality. Background Increasingly, the government of Ethiopia is giving greater attention to address the issue of rapid population growth and associated demographic factors in designing and implementing different development strategies, and has recognised the rapid population growth and high fertility rate as one of the main challenges to poverty reduction. different strategic documents were formulated and being implemented like accelerated and sustained development to end poverty (PASDEP), which includes reducing the total fertility rate (TFR) and closing the gap between boys and girls education and also the health sector development program. Overview of the health sector Health status and access The government with continues support and collaboration from the development partners as well as the effort of the general public on its health has achieved a lot towards improving the health status of its citizens. However the health status of Ethiopians still remains low compared to worldwide benchmarks. In 2010, life expectancy was 58 years, maternal mortality ratio was 673 per 100, 000 live births, infant mortality rate was 69 per 1000 live births and the under-five mortality rate was 109 per 1000 live births (WHO, 2010). Ethiopias health problems are largely attributed to preventable infections ailments and nutritional deficiencies (FMOH, 2010). Health Service delivery The public sector is the major health service provider for Ethiopians. As a result of significant decentralization reforms, Ethiopias federal structure is comprised of nine regional states and two city administrations, each responsible for managing its own public health sector services. To promote decentralization and meaningful participation of the population in local development activities, decision making process in the development and implementation of the health system are shared between the federal ministry of health (FMOH) (policy guidance), the regional health bureau (RHB) policy and technical support, and the woreda or district health services (coordination of primary health care services). In order to realize the goals of the health sector strategic plan, the health service delivery was introduced in a four-tier referral system, characterised by a first line primary health care unit (PHCU), comprised of one health centre and five satellite health posts, and then the second line district hospital and specialised hospital. A PHCU is designed to serve 25, 000 people, while a district and a zonal hospital are each expected to serve 250, 000 and 1, 000, 000 people respectively. The public sector remains the major provider of health services accounting for about 67% of total health services, followed by the private sector which provides 31% of the services, and facilities owned by business enterprises accounts for the remaining 2%. The increasing number of private for profit health sector and not-for-profit, offers an opportunity to enhance health service coverage (FMOH, 2010). The policy framework Global reproductive health policy context In 1994 the world came together to create a consensus on what had previously been a deeply divisive issue: the relationship between population growth and other areas of development and was considered a groundbreaking effort for shifting population policy discussions away from simply slowing population growth to enhancing individual health and rights while focusing on social development (ICPD 1994). Since then remarkable achievements has been registered. To move the sexual and reproductive agenda forward, progressive international and regional instruments has been developed among which the most important one include the 1995 Beijing declaration and platform of action, the 2004 ICPD ten review, the 2006 Maputo plan of action on sexual and reproductive health and rights (AU, 2006), and the 2009 UN convection for elimination of all form of discrimination against women. The 2000 millennium summit adopted the United Nations millennium declaration committing their nations to a new global pa rtnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a serious of time bound targets with a deadline of 2015-the millennium development goals. To achieve this, UN organizations, governments, associations, private foundations, and other non governmental organizations expressed their commitments (Farina et al. 2008). National Health policy The health policy of the country was formulated in 1993 after careful assessment of the nature, magnitude and root causes of the existing health problem of Ethiopia and awareness of newly emerging health problems. Democratization and decentralization of the existing health service system were emphasised stressing on development and prioritization of the preventive and promotive components of health care, development of an equitable and acceptable standard of health service system that will reach all segments of the population maximizing the effective and efficient utilization of existing internal and external resources, promoting and strengthening of multi-sectoral and intersectoral activities, promotion of attitudes and practices conducive to the strengthening of health system development, ascertaining the accessibility of health care for all segments of the population, enriching the concept and intensifying the practice of family planning for optimal family health and planned popul ation dynamics, and intensifying family planning for the optimal health of the mother, child and family (TGE, 1993). National Population policy (1993) This major goal of the policy is harmonization of the rate of population growth and the capacity of the country for the development and rational utilization of natural resources thereby creating conditions conducive to the improvement of the level of welfare of the population. The general objective of the policy include: closing the gap between high population growth and low economic productivity through planned reduction of population growth and increasing economic returns; expediting economic and social development process through holistic integrated development programmes designed to expedite the structural differentiation of the economy and employment; reducing the rate to urban migration; maintaining/improving the carrying capacity of the environment by taking appropriate environmental protection/conservation measures; raising the economic and social status of women by freeing them from the restrictions and drudgeries of traditional life and making it possible for them to partic ipate productively in the larger community; and significantly improving the social and economic status of vulnerable groups (women, youth, children and the elderly). The specific objectives include: reducing the total fertility rate to 4.0 children per women by the year 2015; reducing maternal, infant and child morbidity and mortality rates as well as promoting the level of general welfare of the population; significantly increasing female participation at all levels of the education system; removing all legal customary practices militating against the full enjoyment of economic and social rights by women including the full enjoyment of property rights and access to gainful employment; ensuring spatially balanced population distribution patterns with a view to maintaining environmental productivity in agriculture and introducing off-farm non agricultural activities for the purpose of employment diversification; and mounting an effective country wide population information and educat ion program addressing issues pertaining to family size and its relationship with human welfare and environmental security. Some of the major areas requiring priority attentions were improving the quality and scope of service delivery: expanding the diversity and coverage of family planning service delivery through clinical and community based outreach services; encouraging and supporting the participation of non-governmental organizations in the delivery of population and family planning and related services; and creating conditions that will permit users the widest possible choice of contraceptives by diversifying the method mix available in the country (TGE, 1993). Health sector development plan Ethiopia has been health sector development (HSDP) plan since 1997, every five years it has been evaluated and revised until now. The current HSDP IV is the extension of the previous plans and aims to improve the health status of Ethiopians people through provision of adequate and optimum quality promotive, preventive, basic curative and rehabilitative health services to all segments of the population. The major goals include improving the health of mothers and children by reducing maternal mortality ratio, reducing child mortality rate and reduction of total fertility rate. (FMOH, HSDP III, 2005). National reproductive health strategy, 2006-2015 The national reproductive health strategy was developed in 2006 after comprehensive consultation process with all relevant stakeholders including various government agencies, at federal and regional level, local and international partners, and community representatives. The strategy reaffirms the commitment of the government by setting forth a targeted and measurable agenda for the coming decade. It builds upon notable initiatives undertaken like the population policy, followed by the formulation of comprehensive health sector development program (HSDP) in 1998 and the recent health extension program and the current plan for accelerated and sustainable development to end poverty which gives priority to reproductive health and family planning. The goal of the strategy is built on the momentum occasioned by the millennium development goals to garner the multicultural support needed to support the reproductive and sexual health needs of the culturally diverse population (FMOH, 2006). Adolescent and youth reproductive health strategy (AYRH) In Ethiopia people less than 15 year age group constitute about 40 percent of the general population. Most of these adolescents are less informed, less experienced and less comfortable to seek access for sexual and reproductive health information and services. Access of reproductive health care information and services targeted for young people contributes to prevent and improve many of their reproductive health problems. To address this issue Ethiopia has launched a national strategy on adolescent and reproductive health that aims to tackle the problems of early marriages and pregnancies, female circumcision, abduction and rape, and poor access to health care for 10 to 24 year olds that will be implemented for eight years (FMOH, 2007). The health extension program Health Extension Program Packages Family health Maternal and child health Family planning Immunization Nutrition Adolescent RH health Disease prevention and control HIV/AIDS TB prevention and control Malaria prevention and control First aid Hygiene and Environmental health Excreta disposal Solid and liquid waste management Water supply and safety measures Food hygiene and safety measures Healthy home environment Control of insects and rodents Personal hygiene Health Education and communication In order to expand health service coverage and improve the delivery of primary health care services to the rural population, the government has introduced an innovative health service delivery system through the implementation of the health extension program (HEP) as part of the 2002-2005 health sector development program II. The HEP moves services out of facilities to the household and village level, and involves 16 packages to be provided at grass roots level focusing on sustained prevention actions and increased awareness. Accelerated expansion of primary health services coverage has also been endorsed as part of facilitating the implementation of the HEP. The HEP empowers communities to collaborate with the government health sector at the kebele level (the lowest administrate level in a woreda [district]), to identify health problems and root causes, seek solutions, set priorities and formulate local plans of action at the grass roots level. The HEP consists of promotive and preventive health care services made accessible to all rural kebeles at a kebele health post, the lowest level of the FMOHs health system. The program includes a cadre of health extension workers (HEW), with each health post staffed by two female health extension workers. Each health post serves a catchment area of approximately 5, 000 people and refers clients to the health centre. The health extension workers have completed schooling to grade ten or higher and originally come from the communities in which they work and live. Recruiting HEWs from their community ensures a more rapid acceptance of the HEW: she speaks the local language, is respected by the community and in turn respects the local traditions and culture of the community. All HEWs receive training in the essential health promotive and preventive health care services that make up 16 health care packages identified in the HSDP. HEWs work closely with and supervise the efforts of volunteer community health workers (VCHWs), including community based reproductive health agents (CBRHAs) and community health promoters. VCHWs conduct house to house visits to provide information on family planning, exclusive breast feeding, nutrition and immunization, and refer individuals to the health post. This coordination between the HEWs and VCHWs maximizes the opportunity to obtain the desired outcomes of the HEP, as well as of the HSDP and the millennium development goals (FMOH, 2003). Problem Statement Population growth The World Bank (WBG 2004) has benchmarked a population growth rate of 2 percent per year as a level beyond which it is difficult for a countries institutions and technologies to keep up with expanding population pressures on all sectors, from water, sanitation, and agriculture to health, housing, and education. Ethiopia adds 2 million people every year, and it is the pace and imbalanced distribution of this population growth, rather than the ultimate size of the population, that most give rise to concerns. These concerns are aggravated by degradation of the environment and natural resources, increased climate variability, and market vulnerability. With 83% rural population, population growth in the rural areas adds to the growing number of rural residents who are land-short and landless. In 2009, 4.9 million beneficiaries were identified as requiring emergency food and non food assistance; another 7.5 million with chronic food insecurity receive assistance (DMFSS/MoARD, 2009). The population trends reported in the nationally representative National NFFS (1990) and Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) 2000 and 2005 reveal a dynamic society in the early stages of demographic transitions, in which mortality has fallen but fertility remains high (DHS, 2005). With the present imbalance in births and deaths, Ethiopias population could double in size in less than 30 years. Figure 1, Population Growth in Ethiopia, 1990 to 2020, Past, Present Future Demographic Dividend When there are more working-age adults relative to children under age 15 and the elderly, those in the working ages (generally ages 15-59) have a lower dependency burden- fewer people to support with the same income and assets. Under the right conditions, this can lead to a short term but substantial economic bonus. This demographic bonus is a window of opportunity to increase economic output because of the larger workforce; save money on health care and other social services; improve the quality of education; invest more in technology and skills to strengthen the economy; and create the wealth needed to cope with the future aging of the population. As much as one-third of the rapid economic growth among the East Asian tigers can be explained by the growth in the labour force as fertility declined and by the increase in savings and accumulation that accompanied this growth. A demographic dividend will not be realised without prior investment. An educated and unskilled youth populatio n can threaten rather than enhance national stability and economic security (Ringheim et al. 2009). Ethiopia has a great likelihood of capturing a demographic bonus or dividend if manage to slow population growth, if women have fewer children, the altered age structure of the population produces a more favourable ratio of adults in their economically productive years to dependent children and the elderly. With fewer children requiring education and health services, the government has great discretion to invest resources in other critical areas. Greater investment and increased savings create a one time, age structure-related economic growth spurt that is either captured or forever lost. Fertility Determinants In Ethiopia, the proportion of all women who are married has declined as a result of a rising age of marriage and an increase in the proportion of women remaining single. This change is responsible for most of the modest decline in fertility in the last decade. While contraceptive use has not yet played a major role, Ethiopia has among highest levels of unmet need for contraception in Africa (Ahmed J and Mengistu G, 2002). Patterns of family formation are intricately related to the social and cultural norms and practices of society. Marriage is the result of an often extended social process involving the couples, their families and the wider community. The right to found a family is paralleled by the right not to be coerced in marriage. Although information is not readily available about the degree to which this rights are realised in Ethiopia, questions arise in relation to early marriage and limiting number of children a family should have. In Ethiopia, marriage is the destiny of nearly all people. 97% of women in Ethiopia are married at least once in their life (DHS 2000/05). The social pressure to have large families is very strong. The reproductive carrier of women starts early, and one pregnancy follows another with little thought of child spacing. The male oriented structure of the family and the expectation that the women is in charge of all household chores, absorbs her energy, and limits her participation in economic and political activities in the country. Figure 2, Determinants of High Fertility in Ethiopia Family planning CPR 15% Age of Marriage 16.5 years Education of Women 30.9% Tradition Family Structure Womens Role Empowerment Employment 45% Economy BPL 40% Infant mortality 77/1000 LB High fertility rate 5.4 Education discourages high fertility through economic factors in ways that it reduces the economic utility of children. It creates aspirations for upward social mobility and the accumulation of wealth. It also increases the opportunity cost of womens time and enhances the likelihood of their employment outside home. However the education level women particularly girls education is low (40%) in Ethiopia. Another strong factor underlying large family size preference in Ethiopia is parents dependence on children for social security. Children provide economic support in old age and help in emergencies or time of adversity, and take care of their parents by taking them to their homes. This expectation declines with level of increasing education (UNFPA 2008, Desta K and Seyoum G, 1998) According to the in-depth analysis of the DHS 2005 data, low lifetime fertility is observed among urban residents, those achieving secondary and above education, women who have frequent access to media, employed in the modern sector of the economy, and are getting married after the age of 18. High fertility on the other hand prevailed among those experiencing child loss, and women residing in the regions where values of children are supposed to be high. High fertility is also observed among women experiencing child mortality. Death of a child tends to increase lifetime fertility by 25 percent while the death of two or more children increases it by 45 percent among all women of reproductive age. Getting married at age 18 and later is also demonstrated to reduce fertility by 24 percent when compared to those entered marital life early. In countries like Ethiopia where contraceptive prevalence rate is low, increasing age at first marriage could reduce lifetime fertility by minimizing the exposure time to the risks of pregnancy (UNFPA 2008). A survey done in southern Ethiopia also showed important socio demographic determinants of fertility like poor educational status, absence of income, rural place of birth, early marriage, history of child death to be significantly associated with high fertility rate (Geberemdhin and Betre 2009). Low coverage of family planning service The service coverage and uptake of modern contraceptives is very low in Ethiopia. The majority of Ethiopian women (78 %) and men (76%) prefer to space or limit the number of their children they have. and have a potential need for family planning, 34% of currently married women have an unmet need for family planning (DHS 2005). If all currently married women who say they want to space or limit the number of children were to use family planning, the contraceptives prevalence rate of Ethiopia would increase from the current 15 to 49 percent. The family planning service was limited to urban facilities for a long time with limited access and coverage. It was practiced as a vertical program and mainly supported by external funding. Long term and permanent methods were limited to hospitals and health centres where trained and skilled health workers are practicing. Currently the contraceptive prevalence rate is 15 percent. Figure 2, Trend in CPR modern methods, married women: 1990-2005-Ethiopia Most methods used are injectables (61%) followed by the pill (25%). The use of long term and permanent methods is nearly absent: use of Implant among married women is 0.2 % while IUCD use with same group is 0.1% (DHS, 2005). Causes of low coverage of family planning service The causes for the low coverage of the service can be seen from two directions: organizational/institutional and community level causes. From the health service organizations the major factors include limited service outlets (failure to expand), lack of skilled human resources in the facilities which is due to shortage, lack of training, lack of motivation. Erratic supply of contraceptive due to inadequate and inefficient procurement and poor distribution system also needs attention. With respect to service delivery organization causes include lack of integration of family planning service, permanent assignment of staffs, poor coordination between public and private for profit and for non profit including lack of referral mechanism and inefficient use of available resources. From the community side, the diversified cultural and traditional practices in the different segments of the population plays role in hindering the use of contraceptives. Cultural barriers, partners and peer influence lack of adequate knowledge of the contraceptives, accessibility and acceptability, affordability, and perceived attitudes of service providers and rumours about contraceptives also important factors to be addressed for successful program implementation. Figure 5, Causes of low coverage and uptake of FP depicted in systems framework Consequences of high fertility The consequences of high fertility include unwanted pregnancy often leads to unsafe abortion attributable to contraceptive non-use, incorrect use, or method failure. High fertility also affects the well-being of mothers and their children. Maternal mortality and morbidity are strongly associated with high parity and early childbearing. High population growth will lead to increasing number of children who need schooling which the education sector cant satisfy. High parity restricts womens educational and economical opportunities, thereby limiting their potential for empowerment broadly, as well as their ability to safeguard the health and economic well-being of the family and community at large. Low educational attainment further perpetuates high fertility, as these women tend to have less knowledge of and access to family planning options. Environmental degradation and impact on health is also one of the long term effects of rapid population growth. It is also seen to strain the capacity of the government and non-governmental organizations to provide important social services such as schools, health care, clean water and sanitation. The growing population demand for land redistribution cant be satisfied and there will be rural urban migration, household food insecurity, high unemployment rate and other associated problems. Rapid and unhindered population growth is a significant factor in exacerbating food shortages in Ethiopia. Of the total population an estimated 12 million are facing serious threats from food insecurity and famine. More than the half of the countries under five children are stunted and some 45 percent are underweight (PAI 2005). Role of health extension workers in family planning service scale up Analysis of the DHS data Knowledge of family planning Adequate Knowledge about contraception among women and men is a major determinant of the use of contraceptive methods. The analysis of the data from the two demographic and health surveys shows that the percentage of women with knowledge of any family planning method showed an increased by 39 percent during the last 15 years, from 62 to 86 percent in 1990 and in 2005 consecutively. As shown in table 1, although knowledge of modern methods of contraceptives increased from 2000 to 2005, knowledge about injectables and condom has increased substantially among both women and men over the same period (MII 2007). As one of the important task of the health extension workers, they are playing a major role in transmitting knowledge in their specific community abut the different contraceptive methods use, side effect, and other important information. Even though there is no data currently on contraceptive knowledge, in the last five years between 2005 and 2010, there is much progress and increase through the expansion of primary health care coverage and access through health extension workers. Table 1, Knowledge of specific contraceptive methods among women age 15-49 and men age 15-59 Method Percentage of Women Percentage of Men 2000 2005 2000 2005 Any method 81.5 86.1 86.1 91.0 Any modern method 80.8 86.0 84.7 90.7 Female sterilization 23.1 18.4 32.6 26.4 Male sterilization 4.8 6.6 12.6 15.3 Pill 77.5 82.6 78.1 81.2 IUD 11.1 14.8 11.7 14.3 Injectables 65.3 80.9 62.2 79.0 Implants 13.6 22.4 13.9 23.0 Condom 33.0 46.1 64.7 84.2 Diaphragm 4.4 5.9 7.5 8.8 Any traditional method 24.3 20.6 48.0 39.2 Source: DHS data, Ethiopia trend report Current use of family planning Trend analysis of current use of contraceptive, provide insight into measuring determinants of fertility and helps to assess the success of family planning program. As shown in figure 6, current use of contraceptive methods among currently married women tripled in the 15 years between 1990 and 2005 from 5 percent to 15 percent. The increase is especially marked for modern methods. Current use of modern methods doubled during the first 10-year period and more than doubled during the last five years from 6 percent in 2000 to

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Brave New World: Can Man Create Utopia? :: Brave New World

Brave New World:  Ã‚   Can Man Create Utopia?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brave New World, a novel by Aldous Huxley, was published during the time, socialism and dictatorship were the key concepts of the day. These governments believed that having total power would engender a perfect society. Karl Marx (Bernard Marx), and Nikolai Lenin (Linina), are two men who decide to pursue this concept. Through examples of these characters, it is demonstrated that a government that completely controls a nation will fail. Many of the ideas that the governments thought would contribute to success were the cause of their failure. Although technological advances, sexual promiscuity, and conformity contribute to the success of a Utopian society, these aspects are also the reason for downfall. Throughout the novel, Huxley uses Bernard Marx, a young man who is â€Å"deformed by the government† (Huxley, page #) to underline the idea that a Utopian Society cannot exist. The advancement of technology has enabled this â€Å"Utopian Society† to create human life. Although the entire society is based on technology, it remains supervised by humans. No matter how â€Å"advanced† this technology may be, if humans are directing it, mistakes will be made â€Å"They say somebody made a mistake when he was still in the bottle... and put alcohol into his blood- surrogate. That’s why he’s so stunted† (Huxley, 46). The outcome of what happened to Bernard forced him to see that mistakes were one reason a Utopian Society could not exist. The Character Bernard Marx is an example of human imperfection, not because he was referred to as deformed, but because the person who created him messed up. Individuals were decanted according to specification. Any deviation was evidently the result of some mistake, a mistake made by a human. These technological developments weren’t advanced enough to create such a perfect society. Bernard was an example of this undesired reality.   He was deemed an outcast due to his imperfection. Being an outcast, however, allowed him to see the world differently. He was able to realize how everything was being manipulated and he was able to discern that it was wrong. Bernard noticed the manipulation of Lenina. Lenina wanted to have sex with just one person, but she wasn’t allowed. â€Å"Everyone belongs to everyone else† (page #) was one of the world state’s mottoes. Sexual promiscuity eliminates emotional tension. By eliminating tension and anxiety the World State was able to better control its citizens.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

By Steven L. McShane, The University of Western Australia

As a formerly government-owned telephone monopoly, Profitel enjoyed many decades of minimal competition. Even today as a publicly traded enterprise, the company’s almost exclusive control over telephone copper wiring across the country keeps its profit mar- gins above 40 percent. Competitors in telephone and DSL broadband continue to rely on Profitel’s wholesale business, which generates substantially more profit than similar wholesale services in many other countries.However, Profitel has stiff competition in the cellular (mobile) telephone business, and other emerging technologies (voice- over-Internet) threaten Profitel’s dominance. Based on these threats, Profitel’s board of directors decided to hire an outsider as the new chief executive. Although several qualified candidates expressed an interest in Profitel’s top job, the board selected Lars Peeters, who had been CEO for six years of a publicly traded Euro- pean telephone company, followed by a brief stint as CEO of a cellular telephone company in the United States until it was acquired by a larger firm.Profitel’s board couldn’t believe its good fortune; Peeters brought extensive industry knowledge and global experience, a high-octane energy level, self-confidence, decisiveness, and congenial yet strongly persuasive interpersonal style. He also had a unique â€Å"presence,† which caused people to pay attention and respect his leadership. The board was also impressed with Peeters strategy to bolster Profitel’s profit margins.This included heavy investment in the latest wireless broadband technology (for both cellular telephone and computer Internet) before competitors could gain a foothold, cutting costs through layoffs and reduction of peripheral services, and putting pressure on government to deregulate its traditional and emerging businesses. When Peeters described his strategy to the board, one board member commented that this was the same strategy Peeters used in his previous two CEO postings. Peeters dismissed the comment, saying that each situation is unique. Peeters lived up to his reputation as a decisive executive.Almost immediately after taking the CEO job at Profitel, he hired two executives from the European company where he previously worked. Together over the next two years they cut the workforce by 5 percent and rolled out the new wireless broadband technology for cellphones and Internet. Costs increased somewhat due to downsizing expenses and the wireless technology rollout. Profitel’s wireless broadband subscriber list grew quickly because, in spite of its very high prices, the technology faced limited competition and Profitel was pushing customers off the older technology to the new network.Profitel’s customer sat- isfaction ratings fell, however. A national consumer research group reported that Profitel’s broadband offered the country’s worst value. Employee morale also dec lined due to layoffs and the company’s public image problems. Some industry experts also noted that Profitel selected its wireless technology without evaluating the alternative emerging wireless technology, which had been gaining ground in other countries. Peeters’ aggressive campaign against government regulation also had unintended consequences.Rather than achieving less regulation, criticizing government and its telecommunications regulator made Profitel look even more arrogant in the eyes of both customers and government leaders. Profitel’s board was troubled by the company’s lacklustre share price, which had declined 20 percent since Peeters was hired. Some board members also worried that the company had bet on the wrong wireless technology and that subscription levels would stall far below the number necessary to achieve the profits stated in Peeters’ strategic plan.This concern came closer to reality when a foreign-owned competitor won a $1 billion government contract to improve broadband services in regional areas of the country. Profitel’s proposal for that regional broadband upgrade specified high prices and limited corporate investment, but Peeters was confident Profitel would be awarded the contract because of its market dominance and existing infrastructure with the new wireless network.When the government decided otherwise, Profitel’s board fired Peeters along with two executives he had hired from the European company where he previously worked. Now, the board had to figure out what went wrong and how to avoid this problem in the future. Questions: 1. Which perspective of leadership best explains the problems experienced in this case? Analyze the case using concepts discussed in that leadership perspective. 2. What can organizations do to minimize the leadership problems discussed above?

Friday, November 8, 2019

Parasites essays

Parasites essays Parasitic animals, such as tapeworms, can live inside of another organism with no harm. Organisms that live in guts has a specific surrounding that can pass through the acid of stomach with no harm. Organism, like the tapeworm, can regenerat, if the segment of the organism is ingested by another primary host, by attaching itself to the intestinal walls and resumes its growth by budding. When eggs are ingested, they hatch in the intestinal tract of an animal and release larval forms, which can help it to survive in poor conditions. Tapeworms do not have eyes, ears, noses, or appendages. They even lack a digestive system and circulatory system. They don't need to see, hear, smell, or move if they live in a nutrient bath in the host's intestine and don't need to seek or capture food. They don't require digestive or circulatory systems becuase their cells are in close contact with already digested food, water, and gases. Cool, moist conditions are most favourable for survival. F reezing is not likely to be severe enough in the field to kill a significant number of cysts. Parasites that live on the inside of the host's body are known as endoparasites and outside of body called ectoparasites. This distinction reflects adaptations made by the parasite to overcome certain barriers t parasitism. For example, when invaded by a parasite, a host often triggers an immune response, a cellular reaction that works to destroy the invader. Parasitic worms, like flatworm and roundworm, usually live in the intestines, lungs, liver, or othre internal organs of their hosts. These worms have developed adaptations that enable them to avoid the host's immune response, such as during a developmental stage when they are protected by a cyst wall or an outer surface thta constantly changes, thereby making it difficult for the host immune system to target the parasite for attack. Many ectoparasites have developed structures, such as suckers, hooks,...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Euphemism and Euphuism

Euphemism and Euphuism Euphemism and Euphuism Euphemism and Euphuism By Maeve Maddox Political correctness is nothing new. People have desired to avoid calling a spade a spade since ancient times. People dont die, they pass away. Politicians dont commit crimes, they make mistakes. Married men dont commit adultery, they cheat. People dont fart, they pass wind. The word for this substitution of a less offensive word or phrase for a more specific or unpleasant one is euphemism. The word is from Greek euphemizein speak with fair words. The concept stemmed from the belief that the gods listened to human conversations and could be easily offended. People were careful not to boast of their wealth or accomplishments, so as not to prompt some god to reverse their fortunes as punishment. The maiden Arachne, for example, learned to her cost what came of boasting. For claiming that she was a more skillful weaver than the goddess Athena, Arachne was transformed into a spider. (To this day spiders bear her name.) The more horrific the deity, the more necessary it was for mortals to speak nicely about them. The Erinyes, female personifications of vengeance, were really gruesome. Like the Gorgon, they had snakes on their heads. Drops of blood oozed from their eyes. They flew after oath-breakers on the wings of bats. Watch the film Jason and the Argonauts to see the Furies in action. In order to stroke their egos, ancient Greeks referred to them as the Eumenides, the Kindly Ones. Modern mortals use euphemisms to avoid offending (or frightening, or informing) other people. The opposite of euphemism is dysphemism, an intentionally harsh word intended to shock or offend. The Coen brothers go a little overboard with the F word in The Big Lebowski. Euphuism is a term that describes a flowery, affected type of writing. Euphues is Greek for graceful, witty. Sixteenth century English author John Lyly wrote a book called Euphues: The Anatomy of Wyt (1578). The main character is a fashionable young man named Euphues. The style in which the book is written is full of convoluted sentences, euphemisms, rhetorical questions, alliteration, and references to classical literature. (In the 16th century educated people were assumed to be familiar with Greek and Latin literature.) Heres an example of Lylys euphuistic style. For the fun of seeing how English has changed since the 16th century, Ill give you both the original and a modernization. It happened thys young Impe to ariue at Naples (a place of more pleasure then profite, and yet of more profite then pietie) the very walles and windowes whereof shewed it rather to bà ©e the Tabernacle of Venus, then the Temple of Vesta. There was all things necessary and in redinesse that myght eyther allure the minde to luste, or entice the hearte to follye, a courte more mà ©ete for an Atheyst, then for one of Athens, for Ouid than for Aristotle, for a gracelesse louer then for a godly lyuer: more fitter for Paris than Hector, and mà ©eter for Flora then Diana. Modernization: It happened that this young playboy arrived at Naples (a place of more pleasure than educational value, and yet of more value than piety) the very walls and windows of the place showed it rather to be the place to occupy oneself in matters of sex than in those of chastity. In this place were to be found all things necessary and in readiness that might either tempt the mind to lust, or entice the heart to folly, a court more suitable for an atheist, than for a pious person, for Ovid [who wrote about love] than for Aristotle [who wrote about intellectual matters], for a promiscuous person than for someone who lives a godly life: more appropriate for Paris (he stole another mans wife] than Hector, [faithful husband of a faithful wife] and more suitable for Flora [goddess of the Spring and, presumably in Lylys mind, associated with mating] than Diana [virgin goddess]. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About TalkingThe Six Spellings of "Long E"5 Examples of Insufficient Hyphenation