Bumrungrad International Hospital

TEAM Pangaea Vanguard Hospital IT Infrastructure: Problems, and Implementations Prepared For A]. Therapy Piccalilli Dry. Scripps Planking's An Daddy Honorable English Instructors Prepared By Terrace Tiramisu Eukaryote Lackawanna Chauncey Returnable's Picaroon Running Natal Superpose Contents Introduction There is no doubt that technology has become a great part in our lives, and the importance of it is admittedly increasing as time passes by. The longer the time passed, the more essential technology will be toward our dally routines.When It comes to Information Technology or IT, It Is hard to believe that there Is someone out here who did not actually know about IT. The definition of IT, according to Walked, Is simply the application of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data, often in the context of a business or other computer or the network of computers, but it includes all the technologies that help distributing the information, for instance, televisions and telephones.Therefore, there are actually a bunch of industries related to information technology, no matter if they are computer hardware and software, internet, e-commerce and other computer-based services. As same as technology, IT has been developing continuously during the past years and the range of the applications is getting wider and wider day by day. Nowadays, many companies adapted the IT system into their company as the communication is the key in developing a successful organization. With the help of IT system, people inside the organization could communicate with each other faster, easier, and more reliable.The loss of communication, or even a small glitch in the communication process, might slow down the decision making process which, in some cases, could mean the termination of the company itself. In comparison, if any company has a good IT system in their possession, the company could accomplish so much beyond imagination; the company m ight be capable of working more systematically and have the upper hand in the competition. Thus, the IT system is considered one of many significant factors in bringing more revenue to a company and guaranteeing the well-being of a company as well.From the vision of the executive manager of Vanguard Hospital, the economy of Thailand could be substantially developed which the results could be seen in the near future. As a consequence, they gathered all the people involved in the placement of the hospital and came up with the plan for the business in order to make sure that the hospital has the capability to handle the continuous growth in the amount of patients in each year in effective manner. For the current situation, it seems like it is the best opportunity for the IT to save the day†¦Company Description Vanguard Hospital Public Company Limited (the â€Å"Company') runs a famous private hospital business in Bangkok, Vanguard Hospital. The hospital was established in 17th Se ptember 1980 in the form of private hospital on Summit Road, which is considered as one of many business districts in Bangkok. In an average of 1. 1 million patients (both inpatients and outpatients) were accommodated by this hospital annually; about half of the figure is foreigners from over 190 countries globally. In the past 2013, the company earned around 14,651 million baht from the given services.The hospital started in 1980 with 200-bed facility with 90 million Thai baht investment. Currently, the hospital has approximately 580 authorized bed and support the total capacity of over 5,500 outpatients daily. On the 1st January 1997, the ewe main facility building named â€Å"Bandager International† was first utilized. The 12-storey building is known to be the largest private hospital compound in Southeast Asia which is equipped with underground parking lot and the international standard rooftop helipad for helicopter landing. Later on, in 2008, the outpatient clinic facil ity was opened.This outpatient clinic facility is a 21 -storey building with a parking lot that supports about 700 cars, spacious sky lobby on the 10th floor for business negotiation, international medical cooperation, and even visa extension services, and extensive range of sophisticated medical equipment. The cashier and the pharmacy customers. Moreover, other than Wi-If, LCD directories, and TV's, there is also an automated lab so provided faster and more liable results allowing the doctors to access the customers' files from inside their exam rooms.With the utmost concern about the quality of the health care services given by the hospital, this company pays extra attention in the process of recruiting the physicians and staffs. Presently, there are more than 4,800 employees, 1,200 internationally certified doctors and dentists, and 900 nurses working inside the hospital. Since the company has been kicked off, the company has been continuously providing complete healthcare servic es for both inpatients and outpatients with extra precautions.Taken all of dedication into account, there is no question that this company is one of the leading health care providers in Thailand and in Southeast Asia. According to Oversimplifications. Com, Vanguard Hospital is considered one of the world's popular medical tourism destinations. In the past 2012, the hospital serviced about 520,000 international patients who seek for high quality, International standard services, and the lower cost healthcare. Vanguard Hospital is the first Thai candidate that received the US standard certification from Joint Commission International OIC Accreditation).The hospital has also been given the Chic's Clinical Care Program Certification (CAP) for specialties programs including the Primary Stroke Program, Acute Myocardial Infarction, Diabetes Mellitus Type I and II and Chronic Kidney Disease Stage I to ‘V. Other than that, the hospital also received many accreditations from many other famous institutions in both international and domestic levels, including the Thai Hospital Accreditation (HA). The company later Joined the public market and being enlisted on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 1989.The majority shareholders in the hospital can be classified into companies in Thailand and other countries such as Bangkok Dusts Medical Services Public Company Limited, Bangkok Insurance Public Company Limited, Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited and the Sycophantic family, which is one of Thailand leading business families, Limited, and HASH (Singapore) Nominees Pete Ltd. Mission, Principle, and Policy The hospital was established with the main objective to make sure the world class tankard healthcare service would be provided to the customers with care and compassion.It has been operating with the following principles: 1 . Strive to exceed our customer's expectations 2. Committed to our Medical and Hospital staffs welfare, education, training and development. 3. Contin uously improve the safety and quality of the services. 4. Strive for professional excellence and innovation in the services. 5. Embrace cultural diversity with Thai hospitality. 6. Strive to make the services† World Class†. 7. Being trustworthy, honest, and act ethically in all the dealings 8. Work as a team ND share what is known. 9. Highly value the corporate social responsibilities (CARS) 10.Operate in an environmentally responsible manner. After reading the points above, it might seem like all the company thinking is about themselves, but actually, the company has also been operating with the global environment and conserve energy and natural resources. To make sure that the environment will be properly preserved, the hospital maintains a serious aim to follow the regulation enacted by the government and the world standards. Moreover, the hospital is also very careful about the water management system to prevent the eater streams nearby the hospital from getting poll uted and affect the neighboring community.Corporate Social Responsibility (CARS) Corporate Social Responsibility (CARS), in a nutshell, is the responsibility towards the society and the environment of an organization. In other words, CARS is a systematic management under good morals, which leads to a sustainable development of an organization. For Vanguard Hospital, the Vanguard Hospital Foundation (UHF) was set up in May 1990 as the CARS of the company. The UHF is a registered non-profit foundation founded by the founders of Vanguard International Hospital.The foundation is involved in many charitable activities for those unprivileged Thai citizen all around the country who did not receive a proper healthcare services with the intention to promote their well-being and to give them proper knowledge of being healthy. Any donation made to this foundation can be used to reduce the tax (tax-deductible). Recent fund-raising programs and activities of this foundation are as follows: 1 . 5 0 Pediatric Heart Surgeries: This is a follow up campaign after the 72 Pediatric Heart Surgeries. In this campaign, 50 unprivileged people will be selected to get the heart surgery without being charged a single baht. 72 Pediatric Heart Surgeries 3. â€Å"Mend-A-Broken Heart† Charity Heart Surgeries: This campaign was established in 2001. In cooperation between UHF and other business entities, 20 unprivileged people were selected to get free heart surgery. 4. Thompson Fund Mobile Free Clinic: The UHF and Thompson Fund cooperatively sent out mobile free clinic to give medical care to 100,000 people in underprivileged area. 5. Charity Medical Relief: The UHF and the Bangkok Insurance Company work together to send out the officers to help many people in Saxon angora and Musician province every single year.They also introduce them to more Job opportunity and offer them chances to improve their quality of life. 6. Patients in Need: The foundation offers the financial aids to those who are in need of medical assistance but cannot afford the medical treatments. Other than offering decent healthcare to those who are unprivileged, the foundation also aids those people in the field of education by giving them proper education, training, and also scholarships for children with insufficient budget. This foundation gets the money from the donations received from the patients of the hospital, other business entities, and even each individual person.Anyhow, the foundation does not only rely on the donations but also fund-raisin events and charitable art exhibitions. Additionally, the UHF also concern about those who are underprivileged in other countries as they have started charity such as, eyes operation for Laos kid who got a piece of the bomb embedded in the eyeball. Current Status, Direction, and Goals Judging from the information above, it can be clearly seen that the status of this company is on the rising trend with increasing number of patients in each year.I t seems like the longer humans live in this cruel world, the more â€Å"natural selection† is Charles Darwin which simply implies that only the strongest will survive. More people are getting infected by some new diseases that no one has ever seen before. In fact, it is undeniable that no matter how strong a person is, everyone needs to be treated by doctors even once in a blue moon. Thus, the healthcare provider as Vanguard Hospital is becoming more and more profitable compared to other good or service providers.This is the main reason why Vanguard Hospital is keeping on developing the hospital to provide better healthcare services to those who needed to be treated. Position in the Strategic Impact Grid The Development of Vanguard Hospital's IT System In the year 1997: The hospital was facing trouble as Thailand faced the economic crisis as it affects the middle class people which are considered the main customer base of the hospital. Thus, all the people chose the hospital that is operated by the government with lower payment.Under the circumstances, the hospital saw the opportunity to expand the customer base to international level. At the end of this period, the hospital received ISO 9000 Certification. In the year 1999: The hospital started to use the internet as the mean for information distribution. At the time, the hospital's website had been visited for about 800 views per day. In the next revolution, the hospital brought in the US IT Consultant Service and started up the company called Global Care Solution (GAS) in Thailand for assembling the system for the hospital.Later on, during December of the same year, the â€Å"Hospital 2000† was implemented as a substitute for the older platform. The software was regarded as the first hospital system that connects everything together from the front office, system for doctors, pharmacist, nurses, and radiologist, patients' registration, time schedule of the operating room, exam room, and wards t o the patients' profiles. The hospital invested on 450 clients to be set up around different sections of the hospital. In the year 2002-2004: The Hospital 2000 system was developed to support PASS (Picture Archive Communication System).The hospital got reward from the Intelligent Enterprise Asia magazine for being 1 in 20 top organizations that uses IT to maximize the ability to provide the services to the customers. The hospital also got an appraised from CIO Asia for being top 100 organizations that implemented the hospital information system. In the late 2003, the hospital invested on another 450 clients which causes less system breakdown as increase the uptime for 99. 99% In the year 2007: Microsoft took over the Global Care Solution (GAS).As a result, Vanguard Hospital is now not only a user but also another invisible hand in the development of the system. In the year 2008: Microsoft started launching â€Å"Microsoft Amalgam† which is the combination of Xiii and Hospital 2000. The hospital also started using more sophisticated technologies inside the outpatient facility, for instance, Wife internet, LCD directories, automated lab for more precise and faster exults, online patient registry, diagnostic image that the doctors can access. Later on, management for inpatients. The idea of using robot came up from the concern the safety of the patient.From implementing the robot, the hospital can spend less time on the medicine of each patient. Other than that, the hospital also started up the laptop rental service for the inpatients. The laptop was designed to use inside the hospital as it is attached to the table on the side of the patient's bed and it is equipped with silicone keyboard, sterilized optical mouse, WebMD for video conference, and voice-over system. Hospital 2000 Hospital 2000 is the system specialized for hospital systems with the scope of almost every activity inside the hospital.For the usage inside the hospital, the system has the capa bility to handle the information of the patients or other employees, transaction processes, accounting, pharmacy, registrations, human resources, and even the patient transfer processes inside the clinic. All these sub functions are collected inside one big database in one system that supports almost every language available on this world. Microsoft Amalgam Hospital Information System (Amalgam HIS) Amalgam HIS is the developed version of Hospital 2000.This sophisticated system was designed to systematically take care of the IT system inside the hospital by collecting all the necessary data inside the database. Amalgam HIS was created based on the Electronic Medical Record (EMMER) which is composed to patient management, bed management, operating room management, pharmaceutical management, and even management system for radiologists. In addition, the system is also capable of storing and transferring the image data (IRIS/PASS), doing some complex accounting calculation, and managing both inventories and human resources.PASS (Picture Archive Communication System) is the system produced to digitally store the medical images and x-rays results without using any film. By using this system, the doctors could access the images by using the Internet from remote distance. In addition, the system also allows the long-term storage. In the normal situation, where the physical films are used to store the images, the images could be changed or damaged as time passed by and not to mention that it took so long to find the record in the form physical films whenever it is needed.Thus, using PASS will elf ease out all the processes for easy retrieval and increase reliability. Current IT Infrastructures At the moment, Vanguard Hospital is using the Amalgam Hospital Information System (Amalgam HIS). This system has been implemented in the hospital since 1997. Thus, the information system for Vanguard Hospital is considered an essential component in the management processes that oc cur inside the hospital. It is clearly seen that if it is not because of the marvelous IT system, the hospital might not be able to come this far as one of the best hospitals in Southeast Asian region.The actors who are involved in the system are as follows: 1 . Doctors: The Amalgam System takes a great part in helping the doctors to look at the overview of the profile of each patient. The doctor can glance at the profile of the patient and suddenly have the idea of who they are treating which will prevent any mistakes from happening. Another good point is that the doctor can write the medicinal prescriptions and schedule the next appointment via the online system.The appointment and the prescription will then be sent to the cashier and the pharmacy so that the patient will safety of the patient, the system also provides options for the doctors available for operating the patient as each doctor has different specialty and different schedule. The system will filter out the doctors wh o are the best for operating each specific patient. However, it does not mean that every doctor knows how to use the system. The elder doctors might not be accustomed to using the IT system and the part-time doctors might think that it is unnecessary to learn how to use the system as the come from time to time.To handle this problem, the hospital decided not to banish the old IS system which is manually writing the prescriptions and recording the patients' records. The information recorded manually will be transferred to the QUA department in which the information will be recorded into the system to make sure that the information of the patient will be available by the next time the customer uses the hospital service again Just as same as other patient that the information were recorded by the doctors.By implementing this IT system, it ensures that the hospital is using its resources of 1,200 doctors efficiently and the customers can be assured that the appropriate healthcare will b e given to them as the total amount of the patients will be distributed equally among doctors to ensure the maximum ability n providing the services. 2. Hospital Officers: Every hospital employee is obligated to know how the system works no matter if they are the receptionists, accountants, nurses, radiologists, pharmacist, or even human resources.All the officers will have to work in harmony to be able to maintain the fast-paced work and provide the information needed in a short period of time. Although all the systems are connected together, it does not mean that everyone will be seeing the same information. As an example, this is what happens in steps when Mr.. A visited Dry. B. Mr.. A visited Dry. B in he year 2012 with the symptoms of Acute Tuberculosis. Later on, in 2014, Mr.. A came back to the hospital again with the intestinal infection which he was assigned to Dry. C. Dry. C will be able to see the whole medical report of Mr..A including the medicines that he is allergic t o, who was his former doctors, what were his symptoms, and all the medical implications. When Dry. C wrote the medical prescription, the lists of medicine will be sent to the cashier and the pharmacy. The pharmacy will only see the lists of the medicine that Mr.. A will get so that they could pack everything he deed while the cashier will only see the list of the medicines and the price so that Mr.. A will be charged correctly. These two departments would not be able to see the medical report related to Mr.. A. When the pharmacy packed all the medicine for Mr..A, the total amount of each medicine inside the inventories will be updated which will be easier to keep track of all the drugs inside the stocks to prevent those drugs from running out. In case that the report is needed, the system also provide the function to generate the report of the patients who were treated by Dry. C in each day. With the help of the system, all the information from the doctors to other departments and e mployees will be synchronized which will increase the speed, reliability, precision, and accuracy of the service that will be provided in daily routines. . Patients: Other than hospital's employees, another actor that cannot be neglected is the patients. Patients are considered an important part in the development of the hospital system as the system was designed for convenience of the customers and to reduce the waiting time. Moreover, in case that the patient is ready to be transferred perhaps in the form of hard copies or CDC. While those data re being transferred, the copy of the data will still be inside the hospital system in case that the patients wanted to be transferred back for further medical treatments. . Executives: When it comes to the executive officers of the hospital, it is important that they can get the overall status report of the hospital whenever it is needed. The report that is provided by Amalgam HIS is in the form of interactive report in which the executive can sit back and relax as the report generated will make the analysis process a whole lot easier. For simplicity, the interpretation will be made from the data collected from each patient.As soon as the report reaches the executives, for example the CEO, the CEO will be able to notice the trend of the symptoms at the moment so that the hospital can be prepared for the situation that might happen in the future. 5. The competitors: The competitors of Vanguard Hospital are not only private hospitals but also those hospitals that operate by the government. It is easy to say that Vanguard hospital is one of the first hospitals that implemented the hospital information system. But as time passes by, the IT system becomes more affordable for every organization.The competition becomes more and more intense s more hospitals also implemented the IT system which will introduce newer dimensions of giving the services to the customers luring in more customers. Though the system that the other u sed might not be as good as what Vanguard implemented but it surely enough to become more frightful business competitor. Workflow inside the Hospital 1 . Make an appointment: The patients can choose whether they want to make an appointment using telephones or using the online services. For the foreigners, they can make schedule an appointment on www. Vanguard. Mom where they can select the doctors that they wanted to get treated from. . The patient reached the hospital: When the patients arrived at the hospital, they need to hand in the patient card or tell them the patient id in which the id will be keyed into the system to report that this patient has already arrived at the hospital and is ready to be called into the examination room. 3. Preparation of the patient's profile: As soon as the patients have confirmed an appointment with the hospital, the hospital needs to prepare the profile of that patient before they even reached the hospital.With the information, the nurse in each counter will be able to make a schedule for the doctor and get the attain ready whenever they arrived at the hospital. 4. Seeing the doctor: The doctors inside the examination room will be able to see how many patients are waiting for the examination. Moreover, the doctors also can access the profile of each patient to see the former medical diagnosis, drug allergic history, all the taken lab results which can be changed into the form of graphs for analysis. 5.Lab & X-Ray results: Whenever the doctors see that the extra labs need to be tested on the patient, the direct order from the doctor will be sent directly to the lab and x-rays room. Nowadays, there are many technologies and one many interesting breakthroughs is the digital x-rays which allows the doctors to get the x-rays results digitally without using any film. 6. Payment: When the patients got the medical care that they need, the payment information and the information about the patients' insurance will be sent to the acco unting and financial department.In this step, the patients queuing sit still and wait for the system to manage their queues and call out their names. 7. Get the medicines: Practically, when the doctors ordered the medicine, the prescriptions will be automatically sent to the pharmacy. Thus, the patients can get their medicine as soon as the patients made the payment. 8. Executive operations: The executive officers can access the system to get the overall analysis of the current situation for management and make plans for the future.In the data analysis, the system will use the system called OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) which is already pre-equipped in the Microsoft SQL Server. OLAP helps the executives in gathering the information from the data warehouse for analysis, for instance, the proportions between domestic and international patients, the nation where the international patient are from so that the hospital will be able to get the translators ready for assisting the int ernational patients who are incapable of communicating directly with the doctors.Hardware Development For optimum efficiency, the hospital chose the computer system from Dell which is believed to be more stable compare to other brands. Since the computer system from Dell has been implemented, the hospital admitted that the expenses of the hospital were enormously reduced that the left hospital with enough budget to invest on another secondary storage station, which will manage the data in real-time manner, to prevent any system failure. In the hospital system, there consisted of 4 servers from Dell, 1 main memory, and 6 desktop computers connected in the form of cluster.Moreover, the hospital also set up extra 450 computers around the hospital to support the increasing amount of patients. For maximum functionality and for ease of accesses, the hospital also spent some amount of money on 100 laser printers and 120 scanners to keep the data of the patients. In the term of system funct ionality, if in case of an emergency that the power supply of the system was cut off, the system will be automatically shut down and rely will cause devastating damages to the system. Thus, the hospital made the decision to use the Infrastructure system offered by the APPC.The Infrastructure is the architectural design for data center IT room, which is scalable and adaptable, that dramatically reduces time and complexity from concept and design through installation. This Infrastructure system is composed of 2 40 KAVA N+l Redundancy UPS systems. The two systems are working in harmony in load sharing manner. Each UPS system will be powered from different sources from different sides of the building to ensure the maximum security from the electrical problems that might occur.If something happened to the first UPS, the other UPS will be able step up and take all the workload. From doing so, there is less probability of system failure and all the systems that are essential for providing the services to the customer will work continuously. Another good point of this APPC system is that there is built-in self-test software called â€Å"Powerhouse† which will automatically do the self-test to find if there is any hardware in the system needs replacement.If the software found out that there is actually a hardware that needed to be replaced, the software will notify the arson who is in charge of taking care of the data center to replace the hardware without turning off the whole system. For the linkage of the system, Vanguard Hospital entrusted the Motorola, Inc. To together, the hospital used more than 300 wireless switches and access points. For the switch, the Motorola REFORMS Wireless Next Generation, which is capable of layer-3 roaming, was utilized.The layer-3 mobility allows the users to roam without losing its IP address and sessions which is great for large areas with many stories as the users can use the network while they are walking with the maximum b andwidth ND noise-free. This is considered as something that can benefit the hospital in the long run. This wireless system can be used not only by the users but also the doctors and other staffs as well to ensure the availability of the data in real-time in the range of 90,000 square meters of the hospital's area.For security issue which is the main key in the designing process of the hospital system, the security system invented by Motorola, the Wireless Intrusion Protection System (WIPES), is taking care of everything Software Development As has been mentioned above, the hospital has implemented the Amalgam HIS to ease up the work processes of the doctors and other employees by making everything faster, more convenient, more effective, more precise, and easier for maintenance. Not to mention that using the system will also make the communication with the users more understandable and more cost-effective.The system works dependently with the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Micro soft SQL Server 2000, which is the software for managing the database. All information will be kept inside one big database inside the IT department which causes the hospital system to be in the form of computerized system in which every department ND every computer can communicate with each other via computer system. No matter in what direction that the patients were leaded to, the computer system can help the hospital to prepare what is needed in a short period of time.Nowadays, many people are getting treated by the hospital in each day which means high amount of the transaction between each department in each day. Thus, the system needs to be scalable; the hospital can add in more machines or take out some machines to be appropriate with the number of patients at the specific period of time. In the software perspective, the system needs to be adaptable, reliable and e ready for any further system expansion in the future. The Amalgam HIS can be divided into 3 tiers. . Presentatio n Tier: This tier includes all the 1,000 work station across the hospital which are used to get the data by accessing the central database of the Amalgam HIS that is set up of the machine that runs on Microsoft Windows 2000. 2. Middle Tier: The middle tier is in between the presentation tier and the database. Here, the Windows Server will be regarded as the Transaction server which is the main medium in managing the flow of the transactions that are being sent to the database.When the transactions were generated, they will be sent to different servers to prevent one specific server from overloading. An extra server can be added whenever it is needed to handle the customers' need without having to shut down the whole system. All in all, the hospital got a lot of assistance from the software from Microsoft as the software allows the hospital system to work faster, more consistent, more precise, and also help the hospital to control the number of employees needed inside the hospital. 3 . Database Tier: All the information that will be processed by the

Bio Ecological Model of Human Development Essay

The bio ecological model of human development has four basic systems. The four basic systems are macrosystems, exosystems, microsystems, and mesosystems. I will summarize the four systems and how the influences have on a child’s development. I will describe how the four systems in the model differ from oneother. I will provide examples of the four systems of their relationships and interactions with one another. A microsystem: a relationship and activity that experienced by a developed person in immediate environments like family, school, peer group, community and media. Family provides affection, nurturance, and opportunities. School is a formal learning environment. Peer groups help with experiences in independences, companionship, support, cooperation, and a role to take. Community helps children learn how to do by watching people work. Media helps provided the view of the world. Mesosystem: an interrelationship and linkage between two or more person in a microsystem that compromise of connections between immediate environments likes a child’s home and school. The impact on a child depends on the number of interrelationships. Exosystem: a setting that children do not participate, but it does affect one of their microsystems. Read more:Â  Factors that influence child develop Also, their external environmental setting indirectly affects the development like a parent’s workplace. An example: a low-income family would have to get food stamps, Medicaid, and or TANF. My family is part of this system because my family gets food stamps and Medicaid. We had to fight for the help though. Macrosystem: a society and subculture that belongs to a developing person with certain beliefs, lifestyles, interactions, and changes in their live that consist of a larger cultural context of national economy, political culture, and subculture. Examples of macrosystems are family planning services and affordability of contraceptives which can influence teen pregnancy and birth rates. Young women are taking to the Planned Parenthood in their area to get birth control pills to prevent teenage pregnancy. According to Hall; there are two classifications of macrosystems; low and high context. Low-context macrosystem concise of progress, practicality, competition, and rationality. Examples: communication and relationships of social and natural environment. High-context macrosystem are concise of group identity, tradition, intuitiveness, and emotionality. Example of high-context macrosystem is adaptively. The ecological model’s most basic unit of analysis in the microsystem is the immediate settings, including role relationships and activities. Microsystem mostly of the family, but as they grow and are exposed to day care, preschool classes, and neighborhood playmates, the system becomes more complex. Microsystems are dynamic contexts for development because of the bi-directional influences individuals impart on each other. Many micro-level determinants of health affecting early child development investigated and proposed. Factors like nutrition, shelter, hygiene, stimulation, support, attachment, and parenting style, investigated and correlated with later outcomes. The relative quality and/or quantity can have either positive or negative effects on health. On a practical level, the amount of parent involvement in the child’s education related to children’s educational achievement (Canadian Council on Social Development, 1997), and the specific language and cultural practices of the family, such as the amount of time spent reading together (Bus, van IJzendoorn, & Pellegrini, 1995) can have effects on the development of individual capacities. Similarly, family arrangement, constitution, and the amount of contact with extended family can affect child development through the kinds of interactive opportunities these arrangements provide (Hernandez, 1997). There are also two of the most important factors of children’s social functioning are parents’ psychiatric health and marital status. These two factors explain much of the variability in children’s social and emotional competence (Goodman, Brogan, Lynch, & Fielding, 1993; Kershner & Cohen, 1992; Kochanska & Kuczynski, 1991; Miller, Cowan, Cowan, Hetherington, & Clingempeel, 1993). The risk factors associated with behavioral and emotional disorders in children linked to parental variables such as single parenthood, marital separation, young motherhood, poor family relations, and maternal mental health symptoms (Sameroff & Fiese, 2000; Williams, Anderson, McGee, & Silva, 1990). The presence of one or more of these risk factors compounds the risk for poor social functioning of children. The mesosystem: the second of Bronfenbrenner’s environmental layers, and refers to the interrelationships among different microsystem levels, such as home, school, and peer group settings. For instance, what happens at home influences at school and in turn what are in the school environment will likely influence family interactions? Specifically, parents’ involvement within the school in conjunction with teachers’ involvement with families represent mesosystem functioning. In addition, the community expected to affect distal family processes, and a family’s ability to provide the necessary support for their child. He will also focus on factors such as physical safety, problems in the neighborhood, and neighbors and examine their links to children’s prosaically skills. The third environmental layer of the model in the exosystem consists of the contexts that children cannot a part of but does influence their development. For example, decisions by the school boards and parents’ workplaces do not include the child but may influence and impact the child’s development. A school board sets the educational policies that can relevant to the child reflective of exosystem influences. The school board would adopt a policy that states that children with disabilities go into special classes. This may affect that child’s academic and social progress. The policies do set by parents’ employers’ maybe impact a child’s development. Where parent’s leaves may not allow flexible work hours may not an option. Parents’ availability to their child can influence a child’s development (Fagan & Wise, 2001; Thomas & Grimes, 1995). The outer layer of the ecological model in the macrosystem layers composed of the cultural source that influences most of the child’s immediate experience but impacts the child through attitudes, practices, and convictions shared in society. The most distant or macro-level wealth of the nation or region and how the wealth distributed among the people. The variables can be more distant because there effects are more outrages. The individual and population level of the environmental predictor of health and developmental outcomes because some of the measure of relative affluences socio-economic status. According to the National Forum on Health: Determinants of Health Working Group Synthesis report (1997), child poverty, unemployment, youth underemployment, involuntary retirement, labor force restructuring, cuts in social programs, decreases in real income, income inequities, the disintegration of communities as we once knew them, single parenthood, and the ever-increasing pressures of work on families and all factors that determine population health. The more equitable a society, the more widely shared feelings of self-esteem and control, the more empowered its members, and the better overall health status. Conclusion, we have yet to confront the reality that the growing chaos in the lives of our children, youth, and families today simultaneously pervades too many of the principal settings in which we live our daily lives in the family, health care systems, child care arrangements, peer groups, schools, neighborhoods, the workplace, and means of transportation and communication between them.

Melencolia I

Finkelstein’s â€Å"The relativity of Albrecht Dà ¼rer† offers an intensely scientific, geometric, linguistic and analytical interpretation of the engraving Melencolia I. With the help of research done earlier by such scholars as Erwin Panofsky and Frances Yates, Finkelstein explores the hidden dimensions of a piece of artwork and uncovers ideas that had before hardly been considered. Drawing on the fact that Dà ¼rer was a mathematician as well as an artist, Finkelstein makes several predictions about the content of the work and systematically offers rather logical progressions that identify the predictions as plausible. He makes one disclaimer: â€Å"We do not look for deep philosophical secrets in this engraving as much as for insights into Dà ¼rer’smind and times† (2005, p. 4). This demonstrates Finkelstein’s knowledge that his analysis of the work of a dead artist can amount only to very convincing conjecture. He is cognizant that such a work can offer only insight rather than uncovering of secrets that can be said to have been definitively hidden by the artist. The insight apparently gained by Finkelstein is itself manifold, but primarily demonstrates the idea of relativism within this art by denoting the importance of perspective to an artist and especially to one who was also as much a scientist as Dà ¼rer. Secondarily, Finkelstein sets out to identify the Melencolia I as a portrait of the Dà ¼rer family. Finkelstein does find a great deal of cogent evidence indicating that Dà ¼rer indeed intended meaning beyond the mere surface of the etching. The mysterious aspect of the work, he reveals, is explained by the necessity during that time to be secretive in displaying anything that had to do with the â€Å"new† sciences or with hermetics. Within the image of the polyhedron Finkelstein notes the presence of two faces. These are hidden from immediate view, and the presence of hidden faces in other works by Dà ¼rer indicates that this vision is not imagination. The visions are of a woman and man, and closely fit the images of previous works done by Dà ¼rer of his father and mother. The significance of his parents in an etching ostensibly about melancholy appears odd, yet an even more obscure hidden figure found by Finkelstein points to Dà ¼rer himself. These three figures together appear to make Melencolia I the bearer of a family portrait. The idea of Dà ¼rer’s family being a large part of the subject matter of the work is revealed again in the presence of two rebuses in the Dà ¼rer coat-of-arms and another in the engraving itself. The initials A.D. appear under the year 1514—which seems to be a play on the Anno Domini interpretation of that initialism. The Durer coat-of-arms is itself an overt reference to his family and it contains at its centre a picture of an open gate sitting on a cloud. Cross-referencing between the Latin root for burin (a chisel and a figure seen in the coat-of-arms) uncovers a connection between the ideas â€Å"I chisel† and â€Å"heaven.† Finkelstein reads this (along with the picture of the open gates) as Limen Caelo or â€Å"gateway to heaven† (2005, p. 8). This nomenclature is connected to his families name via some linguistic changes that render Dà ¼rer a German representation of door or gate. Further investigation leads to the interpretation of a magic square (which can be seen in the engraving) as a further reference to a member of the Dà ¼rer family, namely the artist himself. Finkelstein relies on the phenomenon of the Greek alphabet that renders to each letter a corresponding number. The name Albrecht Dà ¼rer contains letters (numbers) that sum to 135, whereas the magic square contains numbers that sum to 136. This, Finkelstein notices, might be taken to mean 135 + 1—with the numeral 1 being in reference to God (not an unusual reference at the time). Upon looking further at the magic square, the numeral 1 does seem set off from the others by being unquestionably larger. Other messages are uncovered in this work by Finkelstein. He uncovers meanings in the images of the bat, the putto (cherub), the angel, the ladder et cetera. One striking message is in the title of the piece itself—which seems to refer to melancholy, yet spells the word incorrectly in every known language. Previous study of the bat done by Finkelstein had discredited any idea that Dà ¼rer considered melancholy a worthy topic—and it might be seen that the â€Å"gates of heaven† ideas uncovered before are far from melancholy. Finkelstein considers â€Å"melencolia† to be an anagram for Limen Caelo, and this can be easily verified. The research paper points out very detailed aspects of Melencolia I that indicate it indeed possible that the work is a portrait of the Dà ¼rer family. The fact that the idea of the bat can be turned to mean that Albrecht Dà ¼rer discredits melancholy proves to be a small and negligible idea. However, when coupled with Finkelstein’s other numerological and linguistic manipulations, the evidence seems alarmingly convincing. It seems hardly likely that a magic square that has been concocted to add to 34 would also spontaneously find all its numbers adding to 135 + 1. However, two questions arise: How could Dà ¼rer have made such a square fulfil so many requirements at once? What could the number 34 mean? Finkelstein does not address the meaning of 34—an omission that serves somewhat to undermine his work’s accuracy, as it demonstrates a lack of thoroughness. However, his position might be restored if it is considered that perhaps 34 actually means nothing at all and that the numbers of Jupiter’s Table were manipulated specifically and solely for the purpose of coming up with the 135 + 1 total on Dà ¼rer’s Table. These ideas render believable again the ideas presented by Finkelstein that the etching represents Dà ¼rer’s family portrait. Finkelstein also asserts the theory that Dà ¼rer’s etching is a symbolic reference to relativism. First Finkelstein establishes the relativistic condition that his own perspective of viewing the piece had changed, as he no longer sees it as an expression of melancholy. Finkelstein then demonstrates that his perspective does render the meaning of the painting as malleable as speed does time. The fact that Finkelstein is able to attach such an impressively argued alternate interpretation of the piece is a strong point in favour of the idea of relativism. For example, he analyses the angel within the engraving, and this analysis does well at undergirding the idea of relativity. Though many before have taken the serious countenance of the angel to mean that she represents melancholy, Finkelstein’s scrutiny points out (among other things) that the angle at which the angels eyes are inclined indicates that her own â€Å"perspective† does not lead her toward melancholic thoughts. Nor can her melancholy be considered the creative type, Finkelstein continues, as she is not involved in any creative activity. Rather, her eyes lead toward the realm of the heavens—focused on nothing within the frame itself, but beyond. Finkelstein’s analysis seems plausible, and again this is especially true because of his earlier discovery of multiple references to the gateway of heaven. It is also quite noteworthy that the angel is looking out (that is, appears contemplative rather than sad). References to the contemporary division of â€Å"the world under God into three concentric spheres, roughly Terrestrial, Celestial, and Intellectual,† as well as to three spheres of thought, unites contemplation with the heavens (Finkelstein, 2005, p. 10). Therefore, Finkelstein sets the stage for making a convincing case for the angel to be contemplative rather than depressed. However, Finkelstein’s position that the angel could not be experiencing creative melancholy seems a little precarious. He bases it on an assumption that she is far from her creative tools—yet she does seem to be holding something that could be a pencil or other writing apparatus. Plus, execution of art cannot be the only stage in which creativity takes place, as the thoughts that give rise to this execution are perhaps the nuclei of such artistic creativity. Therefore, despite the angle of her eyes, the angel could very well still be in a creatively melancholic mood. Finkelstein emphasises polymorphism also as evidence of relativity within Dà ¼rer’s work. He shows this polymorphism to be evident in many of the images within the piece, and brings out their alternative meaning through connections to physics. The images of the potto and the angel, for instance, flank the image of a scale. This instrument touches each lightly with apparently the same amount of force and is balanced between them. The potto might represent the artisan (mere craftsman) whose works is corporeal, and the angel represent the artistic or heavenly quality of the artist. In pointing out that the scale touches them equally, Finkelstein identifies the idea that the physical and intellectual aspects of art are equal. However, he makes the point more strongly in his reference to the works of other artists, researchers, and scientists of the past. These works strengthen his own by asserting also â€Å"a balance between the worlds above and below, the Intellectual and Terrestrial spheres represented by the angel and the putto† (Finkelstein, 2005, p. 16). Then Finkelstein caps this idea with a reference to earlier interpretations of the equation e = mc2, which likens energy to the â€Å"immaterial realm of forces† while mass represents â€Å"the material realm of bodies† (Finkelstein, 2005, p. 16). Though the paper was extremely well researched, a few areas exist in which it might have been more convincing. The explanation of the meaning of the magic square might have included an acknowledgement of the areas in which the author had no interpretation for some of its variables. This is especially true for the number 34, which does represent the most important number of that particular magic square, according to the established method for interpreting such a square. Other parts of the interpretations appear to be very far-fetched and exaggerated, such as the existence of facial images in the polyhedron, which I have not been able to see. Another reference is to a nebulous union of the Star of David (seen within the polyhedron) and Dà ¼rer’s supposed incorporation of a Jewish theme. Why Finkelstein includes this is unclear, as any connection between the star and Jews would be (as he admits) anachronistic. Plus, the significance of Judaism to the painting is not made very clear. It would perhaps have been better to have omitted this or to have made the connections clearer. David R. Finkelstein’s critique and interpretation of Dà ¼rer’s Melencolia I does present a very cogent (albeit philosophical) view of the etching as a representation of art’s relativity. Even if Finkelstein has not succeeded in proving conclusively that Durer’s intention was to portray this idea, the methods and approaches that Finkelstein uses to interpret the engraving strongly corroborate this idea. He does succeed in demonstrating that the etchings might be viewed as a portrait of the Dà ¼rer family, and his other efforts (in which he utilizes scientific, linguistic, and other analytical devices) at interpreting the different images within the whole work help to make Finkelstein’s critique an interesting and convincing one. Despite this, he does present some far-fetched theories that serve to undermine the cogency (and indeed the scientific reliability) of his argument. However, considering the subject matter (art), what Finkelstein does accomplish is impressive. Reference Finkelstein, David R. (2005). The Relativity of Albrecht Dà ¼rer. School of Physics, Georgia   Institute of Technology. Atlanta.

International marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

International marketing - Assignment Example 67). The Coca-Cola brand is currently sold in over 200 countries. The Coca-Cola Company head quarter is situated in Atlanta, Georgia (Susan, Douglas &Samuel 2005, p.91). The company has as well employed over 300, 000 employees around the world. Over 70% of the company’s products are sold in international market. Due to its accessibility and subsidised cost, the brand has turned out to be one of the most preferred soft drink in the world. The company’s success in global market is significantly brought about by its effective globalisation strategies and strong foothold in many countries. The company’s main competitors are: Cadbury-Schweppes and PepsiCo. Coca-cola however clams over 47% of the global market, with PepsiCo and Cadbury-Schweppes claiming 21% and 8% respectively. The essay below therefore seeks to unveil the Coca-Cola Company standardisation strategy and its impacts to global market. ... The main aim of this strategy is to integrate its global operation by encouraging strong organisational culture. Coca-Cola Company has in the last 25 years systematically changed its standardisation strategy to meet market demands and customers’ needs (Calof & Beamish 2005, p. 131). 1996 standardisation strategy In 1996, the company adopted a very rigid standardisation strategy which was aimed at producing similar flavour of coke brand to all countries across the world. The company as a result produced Coca-Cola brand with similar quality, quantity, and content in all its global production plants (Coca-Cola website, 2012, par. 4). The bottle design and branding were as well identical. This strategy was different from the previous strategy which focused on producing dissimilar brand in different markets. The new strategy was therefore, represented by tagline â€Å"think global, act global†. The strategy proved to be very success in many parts of the world (Zyman 2009, P. 23). As a result, the company registered one of its highest profits in its history. In 1997, the Coca-Cola Company earned 67% of its total revenue. Standardising its products also popularised the company’s Coca-Cola products in global market. Standardising global finance Following the 1999 financial crises in Asian countries, the Coca-Cola Company decided to improve its strategy by standardising its global prices. This was due to the huge loss that was incurred by the company in 1999 financial year. The company witnessed a one third decrease in its profit. To prevent future loss, the company opted to harmonise the prices of its products in the world in order to dominate the global market. To ensure acceptability and profitability of the Coca-Cola brand, the company used loss

Principal of Finance 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Principal of Finance 4 - Essay Example Since a section of the bondholders is in retail investment, they might sell the shares and cause a temporary drop in the General motors’ stock price. This is according to David Whitson, who is an analyst with Morningstar Inc. based in Chicago. He also says that the investors have probably factored in the dilution that would result from the sales and therefore, General Motors’ value in the long term will remain unchanged. He reiterates that he values the shares at $48 each because of their release to bondholders. The promise to the bondholders was made to help them cover some ground financially and investment wise, since they had made losses when the old version of the company declared themselves bankrupt (Welch, 2011). The warrants that were issued to the bondholders for the new General Motors stock are currently in the funds. This is according to Kirk Ludke, CRT capital group’s vice president’s report. This displays the edge bonds have over its peers in the financial market today. Welch, David. "Old GM Bondholders Getting Shares in New General Motors May Depress Price - Bloomberg." Bloomberg - Business, Financial & Economic News, Stock Quotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2012.

Select a social injustice occurring in the United States today and Essay

Select a social injustice occurring in the United States today and answer, Which mode of change-making would best correct your c - Essay Example The Concept of Marriage The Law of God, as well as the law of the land, strongly holds that marriage is a sacred ceremony; a union that ties the knot between couples. It has been established in the society of America, and all over the world that marriage is between a man and a woman. Today, there has been a controversy where the gays and lesbians are involved--that same-sex marriage is a form of immorality and in religious view, an abomination. It is true that many of the homosexuals were asking the government to legalize the so called--same sex marriage. In fact, there were many â€Å"gay rights movement† moved and sentiments aired. This had been regarded as social injustice, thus needed to be addressed. Traditional couples enjoy marriage privileges and benefits like procreation, known, or at least presumed paternity, child and spousal support, stability in family life, and survivor’s rights, as far as the U.S Constitution is concerned (â€Å"Constitutional Topic†). Same-sex couples also wanted to enjoy those benefits. According to some of them, they could also feel the same level of personal commitment the way the traditional couples do. Morally speaking, this had really created a smoke of non-acceptance and discrimination towards the society because this kind of set-up--gay men and women marriage was not acceptable. Some of the religious denomination discriminated such kind of marriage, but the homosexuals still urge the government for its implementation. Sometime in 1990, homosexual advocates protested for their ‘constitutional right’ to have a marriage license, and be accepted in the community. Although, there were religious leaders that stood against this ‘immoral activity,’ it was still accepted by the government. They sought to modify the civil marriage for them to be included. Indeed, many religious groups have shown their views and sentiments regarding this issue. They see marriage as based on sacred prac tice; they argue that if the government would change the definition of marriage it is equivalent to reducing its sacred value (â€Å"Constitutional Topic†). The Controversies Homosexuality has gained different labels such as ‘immoral,’ ‘improper,’ ‘unacceptable,’ etc. In early 1956, a pioneering national lesbian organization was established known as the The Daughters of Bilitis. In 1973, homosexuality was removed from official list of mental disorders by the American Psychiatric Association. Also, the state of Wisconsin prohibits the discrimination against gay men and women on the basis of sexual orientation. In addition, gays were permitted to serve in the military provided that no homosexual activity should be done, through the â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tel† policy as instituted for the U.S military. In effect, there was opposition to the said enactment; thousands of men and women in the armed forces were discharged. Mode of Change-Making: Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage It was reported that gay couples have been fighting for the legalization of same-sex marriage. In fact, some of them in Washington DC have been waiting for the government to issue them marriage licenses since March 3, 2010 (â€Å"Tying the Knot†). In spite the discrimination from the society and other religious group, in December 2010, same-sex marriage proposal has

(Part of a Business Project ) -Market Analysis- On a Product- Essay

(Part of a Business Project ) -Market Analysis- On a Product- - Essay Example Just as organic foods are becoming more and more popular this market analysis will show a direction of market growth for organic toys for mothers and children. ITS toys will be safe for toddlers to put in their mouths and the dyes and paints, made from organic materials that are childproof. Poisoning of from our toys will not be an issue from our company. This will get rid of the problem of consist recalls done other toy manufactures. The supply of our toys will come from vendors that use only the organic brand of paints and dyes. Our company needs to describe our organization that is totally customer oriented. We want our customers to know they are coming into a store that is child friendly and mom friendly. We do not want to describe our customer orientation in terms of whether it views customer relationships as long or short term. Customers will buy the benefits our toys and products provide to the customers every day. A checklist will be at our service counter and we will ask eve ry customer to fill one out when leaving the store. (1). Are we easy to do business with? Are we easy to contact? Is our information we provide fast and courteous. Are we easy to order from? Do we make reasonable promises? (2). Do we keep our promises? On product performance to, do we deliver. Did you get good service from our staff? Do you feel our staff members were helpful? (3). Do we meet the standards we set? When you asked specific questions were they answered? How was the general tone in the store? (4). Are we responsive? Do we listen? Do we follow up? Do we ask "Why not and why"? Do we treat customers as individual companies and individual people? (5). Do we work together? Do we share blame? Do we share information? Do we make joint decision? Do we provide satisfaction? (Shapiro, 13) 1. Market Segmentation for individuals and businesses Individuals: this segment is people buying a single product for their child or someone that they know. The demographics for this segment are a household income of >$50,000, have high aspirations for their children in terms of education and development and want to get started as soon as possible. Generally, they have at least an undergraduate degree with 41% of the segment having a graduate degree. Businesses: this group is buying the toys for children who are the business' clients. These organizations typically are either day care based, or school based such as nursery school or pre- school. The number of children that they care for generally ranges from seven to 25. 2. Growth rates for toys The United Stated census bureau took a wide range of products including toys and stated they increased 2.6% over the previous year. In May of 2010, LEGO came to Boston for a competition regarding there long and successful toy history. The Danish toy company LEGO sailed through the recession. The company that makes those brightly colored snap-together plastic bricks announced its profits last year jumped more than 60 percent. LEGO's success is all the more remarkable when you consider that just a few years ago, the toy company was falling apart (David, 112). II. Target Market Market segmentation is an intuitively appealing process and it makes a great deal of sense to try to find different segments of the market that are more interested in our toy product or to develop products for other segments. Given the myriad ways of segmenting markets, the task of determining which segments

Individual Assignment of consumer research Essay

Individual Assignment of consumer research - Essay Example Marketing research, if not well done, can lead to huge loses in profits and loss of public trust on a particular product or company. Marketing researchers are constantly surveying people about their likes and dislikes, their voting intentions, their thoughts about advertisements, and consumer feelings towards brands. Advertising, as a means of awareness, is not equivalent to a measure of a brand’s strength, value or equity. The fundamental question that should be asked is; what can marketing communicators do to enhance the equity of their brands so as to affect the behavior of their present and prospective customers? Or how can marketing communicators justify their investments in advertising, sales promotion and other common elements and demonstrate financial stability? (Shimp, 2008). One of the ways in which marketing communications would represent corporate identity is its awareness. Brand awareness is an issue of whether a brand name comes to mind when consumers think about a particular product category and the ease with which the name is evoked. Consumers have to be aware of the brand for it to represent the corporate identity. Achieving brand awareness is the initial challenge for new brands while maintaining high levels of brand awareness is the task faced by all established brands. The second dimension is the brand image portrayed in the adverts. Brand image represents the associations that are activated in the memory when people think a particular brand. The associations can be conceptualized in terms of brand strength, type, favorability and uniqueness. Although advertising of the brands is based on a variety of associations that consumers have developed over time, brands just like people can be thought of as having their unique personalities. Corporate communication is aimed at influencing people’s perception about the company. To perform this duty, the management is willing to report good news but reluctant to disclose bad

At-Will Employment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

At-Will Employment - Essay Example In 1980, the Supreme Court of California, in a landmark case that involved ARCO, endorsed this rule as articulated earlier by the court of appeal. The actions that resulted from employees became known as Tameny actions in California for wrongful termination that violated public policy (Barbash et al 11). Several statutory common law exceptions have been in existence since 1959. The common law protects employees from retaliation from an employer if they are ordered to perform something illegal. The burden of proof, however, remained with the employee. The legislature of Montana passed the WDE Act that, although purporting to preserve the concept in law, expressly enumerates wrongful discharge actions in legal basis (Barbash et al 12). It was the only state in the US that chose to modify the at-will employment rule, doing so in 1987. Why it exists Employment with a firm is at-will, meaning that employment is bound to be terminated at whichever time with or sans notice or cause (Barbash et al 20). This also means that a firm can terminate one’s employment at any time by either issuing or not issuing cause or notice. Additionally, the firm may also require altering the status of employment, hours of employment, the schedule or demotion at its own discretion with or sans cause or notice. While the firm will generally adhere to progressive discipline, they are not obligated or bound to do this. As an employee employed at-will, in any manner, an individual does not have a guarantee that they will be employed for a particular period (David 20). No one at the firm, with the exception of the president, in a signed contract can make any promise or representation to an employee that they are anything but an at-will employee. Supervisors, managers or employees, who make such representation or promise to an employee, are not authorized to carry out this duty. Exceptions For at-will employees, there are exceptions given to the general rule. Under public policy in the l aws of a majority of the states, an employer cannot terminate employment of an employee if it is a violation of a public policy that is well established by the state (Ford et al 52). For instance, employers may generally not fire employees if they make a compensation claim since the policy that requires them to pay compensation to the workers as clearly set out by state statute. Terminating employment for the reporting of illegal activity is also a violation of public policy. Another exception has to do with retaliation or discrimination. Under federal law, employers may not use discrimination when terminating an employee based on disability, age, national origin, sex, religion, color or race (Ford et al 53). Many municipalities and states also prohibit employee termination based on sexual orientation. The employer may also not fire an employee as an act of retaliation if they make a complaint regarding harassment or discrimination. A different exception is related to implied contra ct. At times, the conduct or words of an employer could create the implication of an agreement limiting the ability of that employer to terminate the employment terms of an employee at-will (David 54). For instance, when the employer’s handbook on employees states that, the employee is liable for termination for a cause that is just;

What Steps Have Been Taken To Enhance The Stability Of The Financial Essay

What Steps Have Been Taken To Enhance The Stability Of The Financial System In Singapore What Are The Main Steps That Remain To Be Taken - Essay Example FSAPs are designed to assess the stability of the financial system as a whole and not that of individual institutions. They have been developed to help countries identify and remedy weaknesses in their financial sector structure, thereby enhancing their resilience to macroeconomic shocks and cross-border contagion. FSAPs do not cover risks that are specific to individual institutions such as asset quality, operational or legal risks, or fraud. The views expressed in this document are those of the staff team and do not necessarily reflect the views of the government of Singapore or the Executive Board of the Singapore; the name inspires respect and trust. Today, it is looked upon with awe by people from all over the world, both from developed nations and the developing world. It is considered as a role model by the Asian countries. This has been possible because of Singapore's stable and slightly conservative economy, which has withstood the test of economic downturns and sudden asset price declines. Singapore's financial sector, which is dominated by the banking sector, remains robust despite a series of economic downturns and substantial asset price declines. Even when faced with a series of economic jolts and decline in asset price, the economy has stood on solid ground in the past few years. The local banks and insurance companies are endowed with huge capital and making considerable profits. Stress test results indicate that Singapore's systemically important banks and insurance companies could withstand further significant shocks. -Problem Statement What steps have been taken to enhance the stability of the financial system in Singapore What are the main steps that remain to be taken It would be our endeavour here to analyse the running of the financial system in Singapore, study the factors that contribute positively to it and also try to find if anything else needs to be done to create a positive impact on the financial system. Singapore's financial stability can be attributed in large to the smooth running and well organized set-up of the banks and their branches; both local and foreign. The insurance sector also plays a major role in contributing to this stability as it is also capital rich and highly profitable. It has weathered three major shocks: the Asian crisis in 1997-98; a sharp drop in electronics exports in 2000-01 (resulting in the worst recession since independence); and the outbreak of SARS in early 2003. This stability in the face of such downturns can be contributed to sound fiscal and monetary policies, long-standing external current account surpluses, significant external assets and reserve positions, the healthy corporate sector high household wealth, and conservative financial regulatory and supervisory practices. Conceptualization The steps been taken to enhance the stability of the financial system in Singapore include the following: 1. Banks dominate the financial sector Local banks, which hold more than one half share of domestic banking assets, are profitable and well capitalized. They are also liquid, have enough back up for non performing asset exposures, and conservative in their management practices. The insurance sector, though contributes only 6% to the total assets of the system, too is well capitalized and doing good business. Systemically important banks (including major foreign bank branches) and insurance companies have been shown to withstand major shocks under test conditions. 2. Systemic liquidity is well managed The Monetary Authority of Singapore

Should Social Security Be Privatized Essay Example for Free

Should Social Security Be Privatized Essay Everyone has their opinions of Social Security. Many feel Social Security is their savings and the government should not mess with it or use it for paying off other debts. Others believe it should be privatized and that person should be allowed to do what they wish with their Social Security. I am hoping to touch on at least two points for each side of the argument. Before we can dive into each side we need to know how it all began. Before the time of Social Security, people found ways to secure their economy. Back in ancient Greece, they used olive oil to ensure their economic security. In medieval times, serfs would tend to the lords manor and as long as there were a steady supply of serfs the lords had bountiful economic security. Land was a very vital part to economic security for those who possessed or lived farms. No one really understood the concept of saving up for retirement or severe injuries. Around the time of the Great Depression, in the 1930’s, many elderly were hesitant to ask for government assistance and there were many restrictions that would allow them to become eligible for a pension. Franklin D Roosevelt proposed a way to assist elderly with retirement benefits, January 1935. Although Congress said it was a â€Å"governmental invasion of the private sphere and from those who sought exemption from payroll taxes for employers who adopted government-approved pension plans† (Our Documents) it was eventually passed and implemented eight months later. This act was established initially as a way government could assist elderly with retirement benefits. Social Security is a way to provide for not only elderly but also those in need. Not everyone receives the same amount of money from Social Security when they retire, or need it. It is all based on how much they pay into FICA, or Federal Insurance Contributions Act. This encompasses not only Social Security but also Medicare. Most companies will match the contribution taken from your paycheck. Discussion Who is to say there is a right or wrong way to deal with Social Security? Many feel, by the time those of us who are middle aged, will never get the chance of receiving their Social Security. As we sit in 2012, during a presidential election year, this is one of the hottest topics on the plate. There are many discussions for both sides of privatizing Social Security

Linguistics and Language Essay Example for Free

Linguistics and Language Essay In this essay, I will explain as well as compare two theories of first language acquisition, behaviorism and innatism. I will explore the differences between them in such categories as the role of the learner, the role of the environment and as well as their strengths and weaknesses. I will then state and explain which one I find more tenable with examples of relevant literature. Role of the Learner Behaviorism, credited to B. F. Skinner in the 1950s, states that the learner knows nothing to start with, he is an empty slate [o1] to be taught. The learner is passive and learns by positive-negative reinforcement, only repeating what he hears. Innatism, credited to Noam Chomsky in 1965, states that the learner is wired from birth for language. The learner is equipped with a LAD, a language acquisition device. This device allows the learner to discover the rules of his language, any language. Role of the Environment Behaviorism states that the role of the environment is key and vital to the learning process. The environment is the active agent while the learner is the passive agent. The environment produces the necessary language input for the learner. It is up to the environment to give positive and negative reinforcement for the learner. Innatism states that the role of the environment is minimal because it only acts as the trigger for learning. It is also thought the environment is flawed and can’t be relied upon to always give perfect information. Therefore, it is up to the learner to find the rules of the language[o2] . Strengths There are a few strengths to support the behaviorism theory. It is easy to monitor the learners’ performance. This is how parents (as teachers) usually teach their children, through nurturing which puts emphasis on the role of the environment. This theory can also explain why learners have the ability to memorize. On the other hand, there are several strengths of the innatism theory. A learner cannot memorize all the possible different language and grammar combinations that he learns through the environment. The LAD helps the learner to generalize rules and make his own creative use of the language. A child will resist using an irregular form because of over-generalizing, and he will create his own form of a word according to the rules that he has internalized. And these rules don’t necessarily conform to adult grammar rules which include many exceptions. By applying these internalized and generalized rules, a child is able to acquire a language at a fast pace. [o3] Weaknesses The Behaviorism theory only accounts for the performance of the learner, and not on his competence. The learner is passive, so this theory does not focus on the learner’s mind and knowledge. It also does not explain why children acquire a language so quickly even if they are exposed to different environments. In addition, this theory also doesn’t offer an explanation of why children over-generalize rules such as the simple past tense of irregular verbs even though they hear irregular forms in the environment. There are also several weaknesses to the Innatism theory. One of the first weaknesses is that it demands the existence of the Language Acquisition Device (LAD), its existence is difficult to prove and is immeasurable. This theory also doesn’t take into account different kinds of learners, just ideal learners with ideal grammar. The environment plays a minor role in this theory, so it doesn’t take into account the social aspect of the learner. My Opinion Looking at the two of these theories, I find the Innatism theory the most tenable. In my own experience with my children and students, the learners do not always model my behavior. This usually occurs with irregular patterns, particularly past tense verbs. This is similar to the â€Å"wug† test where a child will form a past tense of a verb that he has never heard before by applying the general grammar rules that he has learned. This behavior cannot be memorized and must be driven by an internal structure. Another reason to support this theory is that learners with impaired intelligence have been able to learn the structure of language. It has also been proven that American Sign Language which is taught to the deaf also has its own language structure. In addition, the creation of Creole languages supports the theory. As a Creole develops, grammar and structure are built in. The LAD would account for the formation of these languages as well as for creative uses of language by a learner. Conclusion In this essay I have explained two theories of language acquisition, behaviorism and innatism. In doing so, I have explained the different roles of the learner as well as the environment. I have also explored strengths and weaknesses of each theory and why I support the innatism theory over the behaviorism theory[o4] . [o1]Good one, I forgot this in my essay [o2]Do you think you should mention poverty of stimulus here? [o3]ording? Universal grammar is built off of two propositions, that all languages are governed by a set of universal principles, and that the mind is equipped with parameters which are set intuitively by the child according to the language input they receive. UG researchers have found a number of universal principles. One of the more prominent principles is structure dependency. Structure dependency states that all sentences regardless of the language are built off of propositions that carry both a noun and a verb phrase; in other words, every sentence in every language must have at least a subject and a verb (Chomsky, 1959). One parameter setting that is contained in the LAD is the head setting. Some languages such as English are head first, other languages such as Japanese are head last. Various arguments have been used to support the existence of universal grammar. Chomsky (1959) has proposed the poverty of the stimulus argument, positing that the input children receive cannot account for what they produce, and therefore, children must have an innate facility. He argues that the input is marred in two ways; first it contains a hodgepodge of performance slips, and secondly, it does not contain any negative evidence. How do children acquire language when they don’t know what they can’t say, or how do they learn to speak correctly when the input they here is at times in correct? They do so, according to Chomsky, through this innate capacity. Jackendoff (1994) offers another argument in support of universal grammar, the argument from expressive variety. Jackendoff argues that given that languages are recursive, there is simply no way of storing all of the possible sentences one can create in one’s mind. In other words, sentences don’t come from habits, but rather from creative expression. Universal grammar has had a lot of capital in language acquisition theory, although it has been critiqued on some fronts. Connectionists, particularly, N. Ellis (2006) has argued that language acquisition is not due to an innate faculty and the creative expression of humans, but equates it to a usage-based approach where children learning piecemeal frequently reoccurring chunks of language. Another argument against the innate language faculty is that UG researchers have claimed that only humans have access to syntax, yet this has been found not to be true. Certain animals, such as the humpback whale and songbirds have been found to possess a recursive syntax, suggesting that syntax and language may have evolved from lower order primates. Whereas universal grammar begins with language from the inside, Sociocultural theory, another prominent first language acquisition, posits language acquisition begins from the outside. Vygotsky, the founder of sociocultural theory, argues that language is a psychological tool, which children acquire and learn to manipulate as they interact with their environment and with more capable peers (Vygotsky, 1978). Children first learn language as they interact with their parents. Parents use caretaker speech, which makes it easier for the child to understand and grasp a hold on the concepts of the language. As the child begins to understand and produce simple utterances, they are able to use the language to mediate their psychological functioning (Vygotsky, 1978). Vygotsky argues that children begin learning language by first learning single words, which are pure meaning. As they develop their language skills, and engage in social speech, single word sentences are augmented through incorporation of non-meaningful elements, such as function  words, and the child’s thoughts and words begin to develop more sense meanings. For instance, where the word ‘cat’ for the 1 or two year old child could have served as an exemplar for all cats, by the time the child is nine, and having undergone a variety of experiences related to cat, they have imbibed the word with their own unique s enses. Thus syntax and word senses expand, the more a child learns. Now, whereas social speech began from one and developed into many, inner speech, the speech that goes on inside of our heads becomes more and more truncated. Vygotsky argues, contrary to Piaget, that egocentric speech does not ‘disappear’ rather it becomes internalized as inner speech. And this inner speech is something that could not be understood by anybody but the person who is thinking it. Vygotsky suggests that just as people who have known each other for many years, and who have had a large amount of experiences together exhibit language tendencies of shortened syntax because of their historical shared experience, a person’s inner speech also exhibits this characteristic, but even more so; the stuff of thought is nothing but psychological predicates (Vygotsky, 1978). One of the primary ways humans learn anything, according to Vygotsky, is through the zone of proximal development. This concept explains that what a person can do today with assistance, they can do tomorrow by themselves (Vygotsky, 1978). Applied to first language acquisition, the child may receive help from an expert, such as their parents, who point at objects and say their name, for example, cat. After seeing this, the child may repeat ‘cat’ immediately after. The next day, as the child sees the cat, it says the word ‘cat’ without needing to be told by their parents. Chomsky maintains that languages consist of an infinite number of sentences and cannot be learned through habit formation. Language is too complex to be learned in such a short amount of time (Chomsky, 1959). He believes that every human is born with an innate language learning capacity, which is embedded in the language acquisition device (LAD). Chomsky believes that all language share grammatical structures. This is called universal grammar (UG). Proof of UG includes poverty of stimulus, which explains how children acquire the language despite their limited exposure and incorrect input they may receive. Another evidence for UG that languages are recursive, (Jackendoff, 1994). It is impossible to know all the possible combinations; however, they are learned by children. According to UG, there must be some sort of innate capacity that provides the additional information. The fact that children are resistant to correction once again proves that language is developed through an innate capacity. According to Chomsky (1959), all languages share principles, which are invariable across languages. For example, noun phrases and verb phrases. This is called structure dependency. All languages have verbs and nouns. What distinguishes languages from each other according to Chomsky, are parameters, which are language specific. For example, some languages are head first, and some are head last. In relation to UG, Eric Lenneberg (1967) introduced the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH), which is a window of language learning opportunity before puberty. Proponents of CPH believe after this period, language learning becomes a much more difficult task and adults tend to rely on other mechanisms such as problem solving skills, reasoning, and deductive instruction to learn a language. Evidence of the CP is for example abused children, who despite being removed from the environment where they were deprived of social contact, were not able to learn the language. There have been many criticisms to Chomsky’s UG, for example, the LAD cannot be located and is immeasurable. Also, Chomsky’s theories overlook the effects of social contact and the environment on language learning. Social interactionist Vygotsky (1978) was a strong proponent of the social interaction hypothesis. He believed that learning takes place through social interaction, and give and take of information with caregivers, parents, or peers. According to Vygotsky, children begin with external speech, which could consist of one word only, but have the meaning of a whole sentence. Gradually, as the child grows older, he develops more complex and longer sentences and associates more meaning with his words. A child also engages in private speech (similar to adults), which is usually meant for problem solving or thinking out loud, but is not meant for sharing although articulated. Vygotsky believes that as the child develops more linguistic skills, this private speech becomes internalized and turns into inner speech, which is pure meaning, and does not consist of subjects; it is predicated. In direct opposition to the environment being the active participant in language learning, Chomsky flips behaviorism on its head and presents the learner as having a primary role while environment becomes secondary. Within the Universal Grammar Theory (UG), Noam Chomsky (1959) presents a Language Acquisition Device (LAD) that is responsible for the language learning process. Purely biological, language is filtered through the innate LAD that is structured with principles that are unchanging and parameters that vary according to the language being learned. Proofs to support this theory are many. Syntax and the head-first/head-last parameter are two such proofs. As a child learns language, they hold to one of only two possibilities in any given language – head-first and head-last – and language is formed through recursion and syntactic movement that follow a pattern within a particular language. This shows that language is rule-governed and that the LAD is programmed with language foundations from which a child can develop. That children are resistant to correction follows this same thought as they develop language through the LAD. Language is not linked to intelligence as we see in brain damaged adults who are completely coherent in language skills and others who are cognitively normal but cannot speak correctly. Stroke victims also show that, depending on the area of the brain that is affected, intelligence and speech are not linked. Broca’s and Wernicke’s Aphasias show that certain areas of the brain affec t speech while intelligence remains unaffected. As evidenced by the Gopnik family, genetic impairments have also proven that a glitch in the UG can be passed down from one generation to another, thus proving that the LAD is indeed biological (Jackendoff, 113). Eric Lenneberg’s Critical Period Hypothesis (1967) and the cases of â€Å"wild children† are yet further evidence. Lenneberg holds that the LAD becomes dormant or ineffective after a certain age – around the age of 12 – and this is why children acquire language so much more quickly than adults who are attempting the same. Through these studies of particular children who did not learn language and who were void of contact with language as a whole, it shows that the younger the child, the more fully they were able to learn language. Once a child was passed the age of 12 or so, they were unable to acquire proper language skills. The younger children were not only able to learn more adequately but then went on to continue in the language learning process as a normal adult would. As many proofs as there are for Chomsky’s UG and the LAD, criticisms are plentiful as well. First and foremost, where is the evidence that a device like LAD exists? It certainly has not been located in the brain, therefore, it remains immeasurable and some have serious doubt as to its legitimacy. This theory also limits the role of the environment and gives no account for the social context of the language learning process. It idealizes the speaker and the grammar itself to a certain degree and packages the entire process a bit too neatly. Cognitive Development Theory Jean Piaget’s (1955) work in cognitive development is foundational on many levels. Watching his own children, nature, and certain study groups of young children, Piaget introduces a theory that is completely developmental. As a child is ready and developed (both biologically and cognitively), they are able to assimilate, accommodate and adapt new experiences. Underlying in this theory is reasoning and logic. The role of the environment is minimal and the learner is vital but only as they are cognitively developed and ready for new experiences. A child will not learn what they are not cognitively developed to receive at that point no matter what the instruction. Piaget holds to the notion of children developing schema. As a new experience is received and they are biologically and cognitively ready to receive it, they will develop new schema to fit into the framework of schema that they already have developed. This theory also relies heavily on egocentric and socialized speech with each one serving a different function. Egocentric speech is what is used (mainly by children) when words and thoughts are spoken out loud but the one speaking is only dealing with their own thoughts and ideas. Socialized speech is a shift away from egocentric speech where one simply derives pleasure from speaking to being a way of exchanging their ideas or opinions. Although Piaget’s work and theory is critical, it neither accounts for the child’s behavior as a whole nor for the cognitive development after the stage of ‘formal operation’ is reached. It offers vast insight into the developmental process of a child but little instruction on attaining language skills. It was also based solely on a Western model and is therefore quite limiting. SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Input Output Hypotheses As a result of older models of language teaching where attention was given to language grammar, Krashen (1981) places his focus on communication input. He contends that if the learner is given a chance to absorb the language, they will be better equipped to acquire it. Rather than forcing output immediately, Krashen holds to a silent period where learners have the privilege of just listening to language before attempting it†¦much like a young child would in learning their mother tongue. Comprehensible input (i + 1) is the formula that Krashen holds to for optimal language learning for second language learners (SLLs). This states that if a SLL is offered input that is only slightly beyond what they already know, acquisition will take place. He also makes a differentiation between language learning and language acquisition, claiming that acquisition is what is needed for the language learning process. Criticisms of Krashen’s hypothesis are that input alone cannot account for acquisition and that some grammatical forms cannot be learned without being taught. Swain (1985) introduces her Output Hypothesis in contrast to Krashen and claims that no matter the input, if the output is unintelligible, acquisition has not truly occurred. It is the output that forces learners to grapple with the grammatical processing and figure out what works. Through output, a learner can realize their problem areas, can experiment with new areas they are unsure of, and gives them the chance to analyze problems they are having in their language learning process.

Analysing Public Policy

Analysing Public Policy What is Public Policy? Public policy happens when the government tries to answer a public issue, such as healthcare, education, environmental issues, crime, transportation, foreign policy, and poverty and welfare. Public policy is whatever governments choose to do or what not to do. Whether it is local, state, or federal government they develop public policy by laws, regulations, decisions, and actions. So, behind every decision that is made there is always a process that takes place, setting the agenda, making decisions, formulation, implementation, and evaluation. So, once laws are established they are put into practice in the form of public policy. Public policy affects our quality of life and can also influence the quality of life for those in other countries. In order for public policy to work citizens must participate in the process. A lot of pressure that comes from the outside affects the creation of public policy whether it is for the better of the country or for the worst. Citizens groups as well as commercial groups put pressure on public policy to defend their interest. As lawmakers debate the making of policies and set them in place, it is important for citizens and outside groups to analyze the effects of the policy so that the wrong type of policies are not set into practice. Individuals and groups attempt to shape policy through education, advocacy, or mobilization of interest groups. There are three parts to public policy making: problem, players, and the policy. The problem is the issue that needs to be addressed. The players are the individuals and groups that are influential in forming and implementing a plan to address the problem in question. Policy is the course of action decided upon by the government and public. Public policies are widely open to influence and interpretation by non-governmental players, including those in the non-profit and private sectors. Policies are dynamic, responding to changes in the government and the public interest. What is Policy Analysis? Public policy analysis is determining which of several alternative policies will most achieve a given set of goals no matter the relationship between the policy and the goal. Policy analysis involves a primary concern with explanation rather than prescription. Also it is a sought out search for the cause and consequences of public policies. Furthermore, it is an effort to develop and test general propositions about the causes and consequences of public policy and to continue to accumulate reliable research findings of general relevance. Public policy analysis strives to define the problems addressed by a particular policy, assess the steps taken to address these problems and evaluate the intended and unintended effects. Policy analysis has the greatest potential to improve the policy making process when government decision makers use the results and findings to craft better policy. It occurs in political environment, in which policy makers, elected or otherwise, makes decisions about the allocation of public funds, power and resources. It requires insight, creativity, and imagination in identifying societal problems and describing them, in devising public policies that might alleviate them, and then in finding out whether these policies end up making things better or worst. It requires knowledge of economics, political science, public administration, sociology, psychology, laws, statistics, engineering, natural sciences, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Policy analysis is an applied subfield of all of these traditional disciplines. The Six Models of Policy Analysis System Model The system model relies on concepts of information theory, especially feedback, input, and output, and conceives of the process as being essentially cyclical. Policy is originated, implemented, adjusted, re-implemented, and readjusted. The system model is concern with such things as: the significant variables and patterns in the public policy making system, what constitutes the black box of the actual policy making process, and the inputs, outputs and the feedback of the process. In the systems model of public policymaking and implementation, inputs are the demands, resources, and opposition. The outputs are goods, services, and symbols to public and other policymakers. The black box represents the conversion process. Institutional Model The institutional model focuses on the organizational chart of the government. It describes the arrangements and official duties of bureaus and departments, but customarily it has ignored the living linkages between them. The institutional model is interested in the constitutional provisions, administrative and common law and similar legalities. Things that are of less concern are the behavioral connections between a department and the public policy coming from it. Neo-Institutional Model The neo-institutional model is an attempt to categorize public policies according to policymaking subsystems. For example Theodore J. Lowi classifies policies by four arenas of power: redistributive, distributive, constituent, and regulative. Distributive policy includes for example agricultural subsidies. Constituent policy arena includes reapportionment of legislature. Regulative policy includes elimination of fraudulent advertising. Last, redistributive policy includes for example, the progressive income tax. Organized Anarchy Model The organized anarchy model has three streams that flow largely independently of one another and constitutes the policymaking process. First, is the problem stream, which involves focusing the publics and policymakers attention on a particular social problem, defining the problem, and either applying a new policy to the resolution of the problem or letting the problem fade from sight. The second stream is the political stream that the governmental agenda or in other words, the list of issues or problems to be resolved is formed. This formulation occurs as the result of the interaction of major forces, such as the national mood, the perspective and the clout of organized interests and the dynamics of government itself, including personnel turnover, the settling of jurisdictional disputes among agencies and branches. The primary participants in the formulation of government agenda are high-level political appointees and the presidents staff members of Congress, the media, interest grou ps, those associated with elections, parties, and campaigns and the general public opinion. Third is the policy stream. It is in the policy stream that the decision agenda or alternative specification is formulated. The major participants in the formulation of the decision agenda are career public administrators, academic researchers and consultants, congressional staffers, the Office of Management and Budget and interest groups. Group Model Another way of describing the group model is the hydraulic thesis, in which the polity is considered as a system of forces and pressures acting as a system of forces and pressures acting and reacting to one another in the formulation of public policy. Normally the group model is associated with the legislature rather than the bureaucracy. Agency administrators grow increasingly to distinguish between policies that are beneficial to the interest of the public and policies of the groups being regulated. The group model goes by the saying that what is good for the group is good for the nation, in the eyes of the regulators. Elite Model The elite or mass model contends that a policymaking and policy executing elite is able to act in an environment characterized by apathy and information distortion, and thereby govern a largely passive mass. Policy flows downward from the elite to the mass and prevailing public policies reflect the elite values. The Policy Analysis Process Verify, define and detail the problem This is the most important step of the policy analysis process because there are many instances where the objectives are not clear or even contradictory from one another; a good political analysis will have will have clearly identified the problem that is to be resolved. This is the mandatory process that determines how efficient and effective the outcome of the whole process will be. The analyst must question both the interested parties involved as well as their agendas of the outcome. In this process you want to state the problem, determine the extent and magnitude of the problem eliminate irrelevant material, and make a quick estimate of resources required to deal with the issue. Establish evaluation criteria This step is important in order to compare measure and select among the alternatives, relevant evaluation data must be established. In this process it must be considered cost, net benefit, effectiveness, efficiency, equity, administrative ease, legality, and political acceptability. Economic benefits must be considered in evaluating the policy. How the policy will harm or benefit a particular group or groups will depend on the number of options available. Political and other variables go together with the evaluation criteria to be followed. Most of the time the client, or person or group, interested in the policy analysis will dictate the direction or evaluation criteria to follow. This step, deals with what the important goals are and how they will be measured. It clarifies the goals values, and objectives. It looks at the cost and benefits, effectiveness, equity, legality and political acceptability. Identify alternative policies In this third step understanding what is being sought out is important. In order to generate alternatives, it becomes important to have a clear understanding of the problem and how to go about it. Possible alternatives include the â€Å"do nothing approach† (status quo), and any others that can benefit from the outcome. Combining alternatives generates better solutions not thought of before. Relying on past experiences from the other groups or policy analysis, helps to create a more thorough analysis and understanding. It is important not to settle prematurely on a certain number of options when it comes to this step; many options must be considered before settling into a reduced number of alternatives. Brainstorming, researching, experimenting, writing scenarios, or concept mapping will help to find new alternatives that will help reach the optimal solution. This step considers a wide range of options, consults with experts, and redefines the problem if necessary. Evaluate alternative policies In this step it becomes necessary to evaluate how each possible alternative benefits the criteria previously established. Additional data needs to be collected in analyzing the different levels of influence: the economical, political and social dimensions of the problem. These dimensions are analyzed through quantitative and qualitative analysis, which is the benefits and cost per alternative. New aspects of the problem may be found to be of importance and even different from the original statement, after political questions in obtaining the goals are analyzed. Several fast interactions through the policy analysis may be efficient and effective than a single detailed one. What this means is that the efficiency is greatly increased when several projects are analyzed and evaluated rather than just one in great detail, allowing for a wider scope of possible solutions. This process considers selecting appropriate methods and applying them correctly. It also estimates expected outcomes, e ffects, and impacts of each policy alternative. Display and distinguish among alternative policies In this step, comparison schemes are used to summarize virtues, they are a great help in distinguishing among several options; scenarios with quantitative methods, qualitative analysis, and complex political considerations can be melded into general alternatives containing many from the original ones. In this process the comparison and distinction of each alternative must be looked at against the economic, political, legal, and administrative ramification of each option. Political analysis is a major factor of decision of distinction among the choices; display the positive effects and negative effects interested in implementing the policy. This political approach will ultimately analyze how the number of participants will improve or diminish the implementation. It will also criticize on how the internal cooperation of the interested units or parties will play an important role in the outcome of the policy analysis. Mixing two or more alternatives is a very common and practiced approa ch in attaining a very reasonably justified policy analysis. Monitor the implemented policy This process looks to see if the policy is actually having an impact. Even after a policy has been implemented, there may be some doubt whether the problem was resolved appropriately and even whether the selected policy is being implemented properly. These concerns require that policies and programs be maintained and monitored during implementation to assure that they do not change for unintentionally, to measure the impact that they are having, to determine whether they are having the impact intended, and to decide whether they should be continued, modified or terminated. References Daneke, G. A., Steiss, A. W. (1980, August 13). Administrative Policy Analysis, Budgeting, Implementation, and Evaluation. Retrieved July 2009, 29, from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/994. Hall, S. (n.d.). Public Policy analysis. Retrieved july 29, 2009, from eHow: http://www.ehow.com/facts_5185777_public-policy-analysis.html Patton, C. V. (1999, April 22). Social Reasearch Methods. Retrieved July 29, 2009, from Steps for a Successful Policy Analysis: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/tutorial/Barrien/barrien.htm