The Role That Statistics plays in the Healhcare Industry Essay

The Role That Statistics plays in the Healhcare Industry - Essay Example Various organizations use statistics to make decisions. Health information technology which is based on statistics is a very integral aspect of the health care organizations. For example, in healthcare organizations there are numerous reasons for collecting patients’ data and analyzing it. For instance statistics about activities that take place in the healthcare organization shows the details of the patients and how they have been attended to as well as the cost of the care. The details on patients care statistics and their performance can indicate quality of care offered to them. Most of the recognized organizations need data analysis system which is used as part of accreditation while many third party payers need facilities in collecting performance data. Healthcare administrators also require statistics in order to prioritize services needed and to establish where efficiency and effectiveness need to be increased. The healthcare facilities are as well interested in kind of patients they attend to in regard to their diagnosis. This is important in that it helps them maintain the top physician specialty mix required in the healthcare organizations. Moreover the government needs to maintain population statistics so as to establish the number of healthcare institutions needed. As a result the government establishes a health agency which is responsible for ensuring protection of the health of the country’s population. This helps in providing important information which help individuals come up with right healthcare decisions. It is important to recognize that health statistics provides information regarding the health of individuals. Therefore, every individual forms a part of some health statistics just like everyone has birth statistics. Healthcare statistics are also important in determining the percentage of population suffering from a certain disease hence the diseases prevalence as suggested by Plichta and Garzon (2008). This is important as it helps the government to plan for the healthcare budget which accommodates all individuals. Many healthcare organizations have tried to improve their quality of service and profitability simply because they have not considered application of statistics in their transformation. Those companies which have achieved these is through the application of statistical thinking in reducing process variation. The use of scientific approach in the analysis of data in any healthcare organization is an important element for improving quality of services. The scientific approach which employs statistics enables studying process variation and relationships via the objective use of data. As a result of this a technology termed as Statistical Process Control (SPC), has been applied in healthcare organizations as a way of understanding, improving and managing the quality of healthcare processes. The SPC helps the healthcare management to realize the performance and the ability of a certain process a ccording to Berger (2008). Control charts are used in healthcare organizations for complimenting healthcare institution epidemiology techniques through the provision of additional process information. Flowcharts are also used in defining and understanding patients’ status as well as redesigning the process of their treatment. An example of statistics collected in the healthcare situation is presented in table 1 below. One organization that relies heavily on statistics to accomplish its tasks and to make decisions is

Family Movie Essay Example for Free

Family Movie Essay Mrs. Doubtfire is a movie about something that almost every American family faces, divorce. The film stars Sally Field and Robin Williams as parents with conflicting parenting styles and beliefs, who end up divorcing with a bloody battle for the children’s custody. The children are thrown into this mess and the movie showcases how each of them deal with the divorce. Lydia is the rebellious preteen who doesn’t understand why the family dynamic has to change. Chris, the younger brother is the athletic member of the family. Natalie is the small wide eyed child who is still trying to comprehend why daddy doesn’t live at home anymore. The theme of the movie centers around many parenting and family questions such as: How does one properly raise children? Is there really one single parenting style that works? Is it really possible for divorcing parents to set aside their differences for the sake of the children? It is a glimpse into how differently a father would raise his children if given a chance to do so without interference or boundaries. It reminds us that once parents learn to listen to each other instead of fighting with each other during divorce proceedings they will finally come around to doing what is best for their children. The movie introduces the viewers to the changing dynamic of the American family. Mothers are no longer stay at home moms who simply tend to children and cook meals. These days women like Miranda Hillard (Sally Field) are career driven heads of industries. It is also not uncommon these days to find a stay at home dad like Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams). The problem with this situation is that even though mothers bring home the bacon, they are still expected to come home and perform their wifely and motherly duties. Something that society has not once, throughout the history or marriages expected from the husband and father. Such a situation indeed takes its toll on any marriage and weakens the foundation of the family For fathers who are forced to stay home to care for the children, such a move is taken as an insult to their manhood and makes him feel dominated in the process. Let’s face it, men still find it insulting to take orders from a woman, even if that woman happens to be his wife or the mother of his children. In such a situation, the man will rebel the only way he knows how. By playing the good cop, bad cop game with the children. As you watch the  movie you are exposed to two highly different parenting styles. The mother’s rigid parenting style that is meant to instill discipline in the children and the laid back relationship between the father and the three children. Not to say that one style is better than the other but the truth is that, when children are in the middle of their parent’s divorce, they definitely need structure and balance to keep them focused and centered on their own lives and their attention deviated from the chaos brought on by divorce. In such situations, it would help if the parents could agree on how the children will be cared for and what their day to day routine will consist of. Once Mrs. Doubtfire is introduced to the family unit everyone seems to take something away from the experience. The children especially, they are able to convey their feelings and emotions to her as well as the father who is hiding in t he old woman’s costume. The mother, Hillary, also confides in Mrs. Doubtfire about her divorce and how she felt about her ex-husband. This type of communication was healthy for all members of the family including the father even though he was not really being himself. Once the movie hits the turning point and the cat is out of the bag sort of speaks, the children as well as Hillary are very sad to have lost their nanny. As she has become part of the family in just a short amount of time. They mourn the loss of here as if she actually died. But when they find out that Mrs. Doubtfire was there father the children become ecstatic and are overjoyed to see him. The mother is reluctant to communicate with the father after the great lengths he went through to see his children and also after what she had confided in Mrs. Doubtfire who she just found out was her ex-husband. But in the end the divorce worked out for the best and everybody grew as a result of the ensuing changes that they faced. The father was able to get a job and also was able to set up visitation services to see his children and the mother was able to find new love in a new man. This movie is just one of the pioneers in witnessing divorce and the many tolls it can take not only on the couple but the children and also their friends and family. With a little bit of comedy they were able to keep the audience entertained but also tell their story of divorce and how each person was able to deal with the issue.

Drinking on the Job :: Essays Papers

Drinking on the Job Drinking on the job. I never had a job in a restaurant where somebody could drink while working until I got a job as a waitress at Sweetwater Grill and Tavern. Taking part in this activity at work is a sure-fire way to have a strange work experience. I, of course, was not drinking on the job since it was my first day waiting tables at Sweetwater Grill and Tavern, and I was underage (only 18 years old at the time). I had just gotten the job and couldn't wait to work in a comfortable, laid back work environment, which I had never been accustomed to. At Sweetwater, the servers did not have to wear uniforms like most restaurants. Here, servers were allowed to wear cut-off jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and whatever type of shoe that we preferred. The bosses of the restaurant just sat at the bar all day long and caught up with what was going on with their new and old friends. Nobody came in expecting good quality service. As a matter of fact, Sweetwater was infamous for the worst servic e around in town. This restaurant was any server's dream job. The freedoms were not limited to these, though. Oh no, since the tavern was pretty much an organized "drunk fest" for drinkers of all ages, the servers were also allowed to partake in the festivities, and drink and smoke as much as they pleased without letting it interfere in their work. So everyone got to have fun at work. Surely this would make the endless nights working go by much quicker and be more bearable. I could not have been more wrong in my life. Since it was my first day on the job I arrived promptly at four o'clock that evening. I was very nervous about making new friends. At least I would be the first one out that night. To my surprise, the other two servers working the floor that night, Patrick and Lindsay, were very pleasant and talkative. They immediately informed me that "Beef Jerky Time" was the code for "let's party" and that it would begin at 10:30 that evening. "Great!" I replied with what must have been the most frightened look upon my face. Drink on the job?

A Skit on Dr Apj Abdul Kalam

Grade 6 Fill in the blanks with appropriate words: IWhen a child enters school at his/her first level, he/she is not _____________ to __________ his/her mother’s hand. He/she is in a ____________ state of mind. He/she exhibits emotions of ___________ and ____________. The teacher welcomes the child _______________. This first step of the child is a great change in his life. When he/she enters the class, he/she has been compared to a ___________ and the class has been compared to a ___________ (pupa).It is here that the child, with the help and teachings of his teacher, gains ___________ over time and they are now compared to young ___________ who are ready to step into the _____________. IIChoose the correct answer 1What happens every year? Athe children leave the teacher to move on to the next class. Bthe teacher tells the children to go away. Cthe children are not happy with the teacher. Dthe children are sad to leave their mothers at home. 2 The teacher is amazed to see suc h a miracle. By the word miracle she means Ahow the children have grownBchildren leaving her and going away. Chow children grow into confident young children ready to move on to the next class. Dwonders what she has done to the children 3 By the term rustling of their wings she means Ashe can hear the rustling of the butterfly’s wings. Bthe butterflies make too much noise as they fly. Cthe flying of the birds. Dthe voices of children and their movement as they move out. 4 The teacher feels proud and is in a mood of celebration because Ashe is happy that these naughty children are leaving her. Bshe is eagerly waiting for the new batch of children.Cshe is happy that the children have successfully moved on with life. Dshe loves to celebrate. ALLITERATION:It means repetition of the same initial sound in words that appear in close proximity. Some examples: 1Betty bought some butter2Luke Luck likes lakes. But the butter was bitterLuke’s duck likes lakes. So she bought some b etter butterLuke Luck licks lakes. To make the bitter butter better Luck’s duck licks lakes. Duck takes licks in lakes Luke Luck likes. Luke Luck takes licks in lakes duck likes. 3 Mo mi mo me send me a toe, Me me mo mi get me a mole, Mo mi mo me send me a toe,Fe me mo mi get me a mole, Mister kister feet so sweet, Mister kister where will I eat? IIIWrite a paragraph on ‘Experiences of my first year in school’. Ask your mother/father/other family members the following questions to write about your first year in school: 1What was your reaction on your first day to school? Where you scared/happy/reluctant to go? 2Did you want to go to school the next day? 3How many days did it take for you to settle down in class? 4How would you speak of your teacher when you returned home? 5What did your teacher tell your parents about you? What were the areas you needed to work more at? 7What type of a bonding did you share with your teacher? 8What were your feelings when you lef t your teacher after the academic session? 9How long did you take to adjust in the new class? 10For how long did you stay in touch with your first teacher? 11Do you still remember the teacher? METAPHOR: Stating one entity is another for the purpose of comparing them in quality. For e. g. in the poem a child’s first year at school is compared to metamorphosis, the life cycle of a butterfly. Young children have been referred to as caterpillars.Read the statements that contain metaphors. Then tick the option with the correct answers: 1Ramesh was a wall; he saved every goal against his team. This metaphor compares Ramesh to a wall because ________ Ahe was very strong Bhe was very tall Che kept returning the balls Dhis body was made of cells 2We were not left with much food because Manohar had eaten most of it. He is such a hog. Manohar has been compared to a hog because he _____ Alooked like a hog Bate like a hog Csmelled like a hog Dwas as smart as a hog 3The old man had no chan ce to run. The speeding car, a bolt of lightning, hit him hard.The car has been compared to a bolt of lightning because it was _______- Avery fast Bvery bright Cnot fond of fleas Dvery old 4He refused to listen to anybody. He is such a mule. The metaphor compares him to a mule because he was _________ Aalways eating oats Bable to do hard work Craised on a farm Dvery stubborn 5she could leave her little son with anyone and he didn’t trouble them. He is such an angel. The child has been compared to an angel because _____ Ahe is cute Blooks like an angel Che does not trouble anybody at all Dthe mother calls him an angel He has so much energy in him that he can work non-stop for hours. He is really a horse. He has been compared to a horse because ______ Ahe resembles a horse Bhe has the energy and stamina of a horse Che is as big as a horse Dhe loves horses Quiz of Prefixes 1What does the word unhurt mean? Ahurt badly Bhurt Cnot hurt 2If you take away the prefix im from impolite, then the root word is polite. AtrueBfalse 3if you add the prefix un to the word wrap, what is the correct spelling of the new word? AunrapB unnwrap C unwrapD unwrapp 4What do you do if you re-read a book?Aread it again B read it for the first time C don’t read it 5if you take the prefix il away from the word illegal, what is the right word? Allegal B legal Clegall 6If you add the prefix im to the word mature, what is the correct spelling of the new word? Aimature Bimmature C neither of these 7Is the word illogical spelt correctly? Ayes B no 8The prefix re used in the words reopen and reapply means: Anot B again C wrong 9If you misjudge someone, you: Adon’t judge them B judge them wrongly C judge them again 10To not approve of something means that you:Aunapprove B disapprove C disapprove Given below is a list of some statements. How often do the following prove to be true to you? Mark the statements as a) always b) usually c) sometimes d) never †¢I feel very comfo rtable sharing my secrets with my father/mother. †¢My mother is not very educated. I am embarrassed to introduce her to my friends. †¢Given a choice, I’d love to spend time with my parents. †¢I consult my parents whenever I am in a fix. †¢I could give up my favourite activity to take care of my parents. †¢I can discuss my personal problems with my father. I don’t feel embarrassed to express my feeling for my parents. †¢I hate my parents when they do not allow me to have my way. †¢I feel that my parents love my sister/brother more than me. †¢I’d rather celebrate my birthday with my parents than with my friends. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow: Enid Blyton was born in London in 1897, the eldest of three children. She began her career as a teacher, but soon turned to journalism, and often wrote about education. She then began to write children’s books. Her first book was a collection of poems for children.In the late 1930s, just before the Second World War, she started publishing Noddy stories for very small children and adventure stories such as The Famous Five and The Secret Seven for older children. Not long after this she began writing her school series, like Malory Towers and The Naughtiest Girl. Enid Blyton’s stories carry a clear message of right and wrong. Generations of children have enjoyed and continue to enjoy her work. She wrote over 600 books during her career of forty years. She died in 1968 at the age of seventy-one. 1Enid Blyton is best known for being a a)teacherb) writerc) journalist Her first book was a collection of a)Noddy storiesb) adventure storiesc) poems 3)Name four series of books written by Enid Blyton. 4)What is the message in Enid Blyton’s books? 5)When was Enid Blyton born and when did she die? 6)Frame sentences with these words from the passage: a)careerb) adventurec) message 7)Right and wrong is a common English phrase. Join pai rs of words from this list with and to make four phrases. Blackgoodherebuttereverywherewhitebadredtherebreadjam 8)Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words in brackets: a)This bag is _____________ than the one we saw in the other shop. expensive) b)May and June are the __________ months of the year. (warm) c)My _________________ storybook character is Harry Potter. (favourite) 9)Circle the correct words: a)Rita has (much/many) friends in Dubai. b)Very (few/less) people attended the meeting yesterday. c)I have finished reading (many/most) of the book. d)Salma does not like sweets and _____________ (rarely/usually) eats them. e)My family __________ (often/seldom) visits the cinema as we are all fond of watching films. f)I take my pet dog for a walk ___________ (every/twice) a day.

Physiognomy Theory Essay

Physiognomy also known as the Arts and Sciences of the face, dates back to Aristotle’s era. This philosophy was first used by the Greek and spread to places as far as Asia and the Middle East within a short period of time. It became very popular especially in Asia, where people would use this to determine people’s suitability for jobs and important government positions. The number of important people such as Emperors, successful professionals and government officials that believed in this theory also helped the rapid spread of physiognomy throughout the continents. Back then, most people were convinced that this so called science could not only determine their personality as well as their fate but also help them make better choices in life. Physiognomy claims that an individual’s character, destiny and the ability to perform certain tasks in life, can be defined by studying his facial features. Studies done throughout time have failed to back up this theory, conf irming that physiognomy is just another pseudoscience. Physiognomy and its uses and definition have changed overtime according to people’s needs. Figuring out the traits and behavioral trends of people was not enough; so physiognomy experts then argued that people’s characteristics had a connection with the signs of the zodiac. As the numbers of followers of Physiognomy grew, so did the demand for physiognomists, or face readers as they were called, turning this philosophy into a profitable worldwide business. After many years, physiognomy was revived and it is now used and believed to work efficiently to determine criminal tendencies in people. Physiognomy became more credible to people, when a U.S. judge backed up the theory after observing the facial features of those that appeared in his court. Physiognomy, is the study of facial features that allows philosophers to determine an individual’s traits and flaws. This theory supposedly ascertains different factors in someone’s life, such as moral values, self control, social and criminal tendencies. People’s abilities are also things that are supposedly defined by reading the facial aspects of an individual. It is also believed that this theory predicts the fate of people by studying certain parts of the face as the eyes, mouth and nose . Skin color, hair type, voice, forehead lines and certain body parts are considered when evaluating an individual. The shape of someone’s skull, or the way that the soft tissue sits on it, can also say something about the character and true identity of the person being evaluated. The theory of physiognomy has been tested many times since its discovery, thousands of years ago. However, none of the experiments done to prove it have been successful. The deficiency of scientific evidence to verify the theory, is the reason why physiognomy is considered a philosophy rather than science. Most studies done by advocates of this philosophy, have and still do lack an explanation of how and why the theory works. Supporters of physiognomy have taken advantage of certain circumstances in which someone’s facial traits help determine a condition. Some genetic diseases for example have specific facial features which help diagnose the illness. Down’s syndrome and DeLange syndrome are good examples of these diseases. Supporters of this theory often compare these diseases to physiognomy as a way to prove the theory. Just like Down’s syndrome and Delange syndrome are used as evidence of this pseudo- science, so are many other similar conditions. The studies done by non-advocates of this theory have proved that a person’s character and behavior cannot be defined by examining the facial features. Studies have shown that a relation between facial traits and someone’s personality does not exist. There are many factors that are scientifically proven to have influence over the development of an individual’s personality and temperament during their lifetime. Several studies with people of all ages and from different backgrounds have stated various reasons that in the long run shape someone’s character. The way that a child is raised, his parents’ traits and flaws and the people that he is surrounded by have an impact on personality. Culture and different ethnic backgrounds are also factors that have an effect on someone’s personality and the person that they grow up to be later on in life. Personal experiences and certain events with emotional value for a person are among the causes that influence an individual’s character, mentality, social and emotional life. Bibliography â€Å"Physiognomy – LoveToKnow 1911.† 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica – Free Online. 6 Oct. 2006. Web. 16 Feb. 2010. . â€Å"Introduction to Physiognomy – Face Reading the Facial Features.† A Human Face. Web. 16 Feb. 2010. .

Free sample - Business Algebra Discussion. translation missing

Business Algebra Discussion. Business Algebra DiscussionIn order to have a good understanding of the forthcoming topic on Business Algebra, it is imperative to have a good grasp and understanding of previous topics before. The most significant is the graphical representation and interpretation of a given set of data. This is because graphical interpretation of data is widely common in business algebra and it cannot be avoided. Hence, if there are and difficulties in the plotting of a data set, and in its interpretation, then the understanding and utilization of the product output would be futile. It is therefore important to have a good knowledge of this area. Linear equations provide information on how quickly data is rising or falling, and this is known as the slope or gradient of the equation. The gradient is usually a quotient of the values on the x-axis and the y-axis, with the x-axis values as the numerators. The slope of the graph is a representation of the change in values of the given data set. Linear equations are usually in the form of y= mx+ c, where y represents values on the vertical axis of a graph and x the values on the horizontal axis, m is the gradient or slope of the graph and it can be positive or negative whereas c represents the point where the lie graph intersects the y-axis. A real life application of the linear equation would be in the population demographics of a country in population census analysis. The population of a country may be analyzed for the many times that a census has been carried out. In this case, the population, say in millions of people, would lie on the y-axis while the years would be on the x-axis. By plotting the population value of a given census interval for the number of census done, a linear graph would be obtained. This would not pass through the origin and a linear equation in the form of y= mx+ c would be obtained. In this equation, the y-value would represent the population number at a given time (year) represented by x-value. Therefore, the population of a country at any given year can be predicted. The slope of the graph, m, would in this case give the rate at which the population is increasing with time, and it can be used to project the expected population of a country in the future, assuming that all other constants are maintained. This may then help the government for example on budgetary allocations. A positive slope would represent an increase while a negative slope shows that there is a decrease in the population.

As I walked through the ghostly streets of my pind (village), I felt as if someone was following my every footstep Essays

As I walked through the ghostly streets of my pind (village), I felt as if someone was following my every footstep Essays As I walked through the ghostly streets of my pind (village), I felt as if someone was following my every footstep Essay As I walked through the ghostly streets of my pind (village), I felt as if someone was following my every footstep Essay As I walked through the ghostly streets of my pind (village), I felt as if someone was following my every footstep. With each of my trembling paces the terrifying sounds behind me intensified rapidly, increasing my tension to the limit. By now my heart was beating faster than a train at full speed, which forced me to run as fast as possible and turn into the next alley way. Frightened as the raged man stopped about a metre away and looked around, terrified that he would find me I held my breath and closed my eyes. As I gradually opened my eyes I watched the person sprint off into the mist. After being sure I was safe, I let out a sigh of relief and started to walk out of the alley but before I could take one step out, a shadowy figure grabbed me from behind, with one of his hands covering my mouth, and his wild hair over my face, he dived his other hand into each of my pockets and stole all of my belongings, after which he through me into the wall whilst ripping my chain from my neck , after he ran off I became unconscious because of hitting my head on the wall. Once I regained consciousness I slowly got together the courage to rise to my feet thinking of what to do next and where to go after a while I realised that I could go home and crush my hopes or I could follow my dreams where ever they lead me. Subsequent to that incident all my confidence of continuing had been demolished so I decided to return home, while I was walking home I could not stop wishing that Babuji had not found out yet. With the feeling that Sharan-jeet would tell Babuji any minute now about all my previous plans and that I had run away, I ran as fast as I could not worrying about anything else but as I reached home I realised that Babuji had already found out as I saw him throwing all my belongings, clothes and pictures out of the house, while swearing at me uncontrollably with mother trying her best to stop him. Once I saw and heard how much Babuji hated me, I hastily became enraged whilst being emotionally fragile. I ran off towards the bus stop increasing my confidence all the way while being haunted by the images of Babuji throwing my belongings away, enforcing tears to flow down my face. While still being upset, I reached the bus stop and got on the bus to Mumbai while wiping the tears off my face. As usual the bus became packed at the next stop, hardly having any space to breathe I tried to keep my mind away from what Babuji did, even though being squashed at the back of the bus I still could not stop thinking about it. Soon a conductor arrived and got on at the front of the bus. He stated asking for tickets, very slowly pushing his way through the crowd, making me panic as I had no money. Unfortunately after many stops, he reached me and asked for my ticket, I looked around pretending I did not hear, but from that he knew I had no ticket. Like a strike of lightning he clutched my colla r, lifted me up and pushed through the crowd and took me to the door, whilst blowing a ferocious whistle to stop the bus. Just as the bus stopped he threw me out of the bus with all his strength. I was in extreme pain, I still had my courage and I decided to continue towards Mumbai by foot. After many gruelling hours I reached Mumbai, each day I went to different movie studios asking for a role in a movie but many times I was thrown out by security or told to get lost, youre too young and there are no roles for you. Due to this I never earned any money and I starved each and every day in the unforgiving heat, feeling death coming closer each day, while sitting in the same spot all day losing energy and seeing the amount of garbage and dirt mounting. Each night became hell when each Bollywood movie came to life as I watched people getting their brains shot out and the numerous gang wars, barely surviving each one. Virtually dead I was found by probably the last surviving kind-hearted person, who helped me return from the clutches death by caring for me like a son. As soon as I recovered I started to work with him as a chai-wala (someone that gives tea) for local movie studios. Months passed by doing the same things each day again and again, but fortunately one day on my way to a studio, lonely and depressed, slowly walking remembering mother, and being worried by her whilst being disturbed by the terrifying memories of Babuji, when a Natak (theatre) audition poster caught my eye, remembering my past dreams and hoping for the best I entered. As I stood waiting in the stretched queue waiting my turn, I developed new dreams of becoming the SRK (Shahrukh Khan) of theatre. Next as I was called in I started to become nervous but I still entered and performed. Although I gave a magnificent performance I still only got the role of an extra, even though I was happy to be selected the role was a bit too small. Years passed and I slowly made my way up the ladder from an extra to the lead role. After 2 years of hard work and dedication I finally became what I wanted the SRK of theatre. After many shows we decided to do a Mumbai tour of 8 shows. While on the Mumbai tour I was approached by the god of movie makers Yash Raj Chopra and offered a role in his latest movie, obviously I said yes while thinking of my family and how I was mocked when I said I wanted to be a movie star. Once I got signed for the movie and fulfilled my dreams, I decided to return home. Again I walked through the ghostly streets of my pind on my way home, whilst being followed by those disturbing memories, and being held back so I did not retuning, but this could not stop me as I am not that foolish anymore. As I continued childhood memories came back, with the rocky sand seeping into my shoes and the mist collecting with the laughter of children in the distance as I entered my house. The whole house looked exactly the same as when I left. Not even one thing had changed, while remembering all the good times I searched the whole house for mother, Sharan-jeet and Babuji, as I could not find then so asked around and found out that Sharan-jeet had got married 6 months ago, which broke my heart because I was not their for her special day and she would never forgive me for that, but tears started to flow when I found out that Babuji had passed away 3 months ago and mother 2 weeks later due to shock. After the bad news I was shattered and emotionally unstable, but I made t he decision to continue my life as before because I would be hurting their souls if I stayed like this, so I continued with my movie career with them always in my heart.

Reasons Animals Become Endangered

Reasons Animals Become Endangered When an animal species is considered endangered, it means that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has evaluated it as nearly extinct, which means that a significant portion of its range has already died off and the rate of birth is lower than the species death rate. Today, more and more animal and plant species are on the verge of extinction because of a variety of major factors that cause a species to become endangered, and as you might expect, humans play a role in quite a few of them. In fact, the biggest threat to endangered animals is human encroachment on their habitats. Fortunately, conservation efforts around the world are bent on helping these endangered animals revitalize their dwindling populations through a variety of humanitarian efforts, including curtailing illegal poaching, halting pollution, and habitat destruction, and curtailing the introduction of exotic species into new habitats. Habitat Destruction and Pollution Every living organism needs a place to live, but a habitat is not just a residence, it is also where an animal finds food, raises its young and allows the next generation to take over. Unfortunately, humans destroy animal habitats in a number of different ways: building houses, clearing forests to get lumber and plant crops, draining rivers to bring water to those crops, and paving over meadows to make streets and parking lots. In addition to physical encroachment, human development of animals habitats pollutes the natural landscape with petroleum products, pesticides, and other chemicals, which destroys food sources and viable shelters for the creatures and plants of that area. As a result, some species die outright while others are pushed into areas where they cant find food and shelter. Worse yet, when one animal population suffers it affects many other species in its food web so more than one species population is likely to decline. Habitat destruction is the number one reason for animal endangerment, which is why conservation groups work diligently to reverse the effects of human  developments. Many non-profit groups like the Nature Conservancy  clean up coastlines and establish nature preserves to prevent further harm to native environments and species around the world. Introduction of Exotic Species Destroys Delicate Food Systems An exotic species is an animal, plant, or insect that is introduced into a place where it did not evolve naturally.  Exotic species often have a predatory or competitive advantage over native species, which have been a part of a particular biological environment for centuries, because even though native species are well adapted to their surroundings, they may not be able to deal with species that closely compete with them for food. Basically, native species havent developed natural defenses for an exotic species and vice versa. One example of endangerment due to both competition and predation is the Galapagos tortoise. Non-native goats were introduced to the Galapagos Islands during the 20th century. These goats fed on the tortoises food supply, causing the number of tortoises to decline rapidly. Because the tortoises could not defend themselves or stop the overpopulation of goats on the island, they were forced to abandon their native feeding grounds. Many countries have passed laws banning specific exotic species known to endanger native habitats from entering the country. Exotic species are sometimes referred to as invasive species, especially in cases of banning them. For instance, the United Kingdom has placed raccoons, mongooses, and cabbages on their invasive species list, all of which are barred from entering the country. Illegal Hunting Can Endanger Species When hunters ignore rules that regulate the number of animals that should be hunted (a practice known as poaching), they can reduce populations to the point that species become endangered. Unfortunately, poachers are often hard to catch because they are deliberately trying to evade authorities, and they operate in areas where enforcement is weak. Furthermore, poachers have developed sophisticated techniques for smuggling animals. Baby bears, leopards, and monkeys have been sedated and stuffed into suitcases for transport. Live animals have been sold to people who want exotic pets or medical research subjects. And, animal pelts and other body parts are also secretly smuggled across borders and sold through black market networks of buyers who pay high prices for illegal animal products. Even legal hunting, fishing, and gathering of wild species can lead to population reductions that cause species to become endangered. A lack of restriction on the whaling industry in the 20th century is one example. It wasnt until several whale species were nearing  extinction  that countries agreed to abide by an international moratorium. Some whale species have rebounded thanks to this moratorium but others remain at risk.   International laws forbid these practices, and there are a number of government and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) whose sole purpose is to stop illegal poaching, especially of animals like elephants and rhinoceroses. Thanks to the efforts of groups like the International Anti-Poaching Foundation  and local conservation groups like the PAMS Foundation in Tanzania, these endangered species have human advocates fighting to protect them from outright extinction. How Are Animals Endangered? Of course, species endangerment and extinction can happen without human interference. Extinction is a natural part of evolution. Fossil records show that long before people came along, factors such as overpopulation, competition, sudden climatic change, and catastrophic events like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes drove the decline of numerous species. There are a few warning signs that a species could become extinct. If a species has some economic importance, such as the Atlantic salmon, it may be at risk. Surprisingly, large predators, who we might expect to have an advantage over other species, are often at risk as well. This list includes grizzly bears, bald eagles, and gray wolves. A species whose gestational period is lengthy, or who have small numbers of offspring at each birth has the potential to become endangered more readily. The mountain gorilla and California condor are two examples.  And species with weak genetic makeup, like manatees or giant pandas, have more risk of extinction with each generation.

Short Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Short - Essay Example Their original rationale does not fit any more and their activities too have been altered as the world economy has grown (Krueger, 1998). Nevertheless, Bretton Woods institution did play a leading role in the restructuring of international relations in the post -war period. Exchange rates in the pre-war period were used to secure competitive advantage in the mercantilist world (Crockett, 1999). Current account payments were subject to severe restrictions. The International Capital Mobility evolved because the Great Depression discredited gold standard orthodoxy and the financial markets became unpopular. The attachment to gold was identified as the causes of economic calamity. Financial products and markets became closely regulated. Maintaining high employment was considered more important than preserving the value of currency (Obstfeld, 1998). The current account payments were to be progressively liberalized. These changed attitudes led to the establishment of the Bretton Woods Institutions. The basic idea with which this institution was promoted was to promote cooperation and humanitarian goals. The two architects had different goals and objectives right from the beginning. While White intended to favor incentives designed to create price stability within the worlds economies, Keynes wanted a system that encouraged economic growth (O’Hara). Hence, even before the plan was launched, there were compromises made from both sides although the final plan was largely American in nature. It was obligatory for each of the member country to adopt a monetary policy that maintained the exchange rate of its currency within a fixed value in terms of gold. IMF would bridge temporary imbalances of payments. The planners at Bretton Woods favored a liberal system relying primarily on the market with the minimum barriers to the flow of private trade and capital. It was believed that the fundamental cause of the two world wars lay in economic

American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

American History - Essay Example This condition was exacerbated by the creditors’ reluctance to accept the currency of Continentals. The problem arose from the fact that the Articles of Confederation did not stipulate the jurisdiction for printing money among the 13 states. Furthermore, the Articles constrained the Confederation Congress from raising taxes and initiating legal proceedings in disputes between states. The inadequacy of the Articles was further exposed by the Shays’ Rebellion, â€Å"in which farmers refused to pay taxes and took up arms to protect their right not to pay those taxes. The national government called out the federal militia and stopped the rebellion, but the entire episode made very clear the fact that a stronger national government was needed† (www.socialstudiesforkids.com). These weaknesses inherent in the Articles impelled the drafting of a more robust framework of governance in the form of the Constitution. The purpose of the convention for the drafting of the Constitution was to elicit a consensus on the preferred mode of government and the process of electing representatives. Fifty five delegates in total attended the convention. Considering the diverse range of views and opinions expressed, as well as taking into account the handful of radical proposals made in these sessions, the delegates considered it prudent to maintain utmost secrecy. While the convention initially set out to amend the Articles of Confederation, its thrust soon shifted to replacing it completely. Intense debates raged between the delegates from Virginia and New Jersey. While the former wanted a more democratic and representative Constitution, the latter preferred the status quo. James Madison and Edmund Jennings Randolph, both of whom represented Virginia, argued that â€Å"no confederacy could endure if it acted upon states only and not directly upon individuals. Madison and Edmund Jennings Randolph were able to enter the Constitutional Convention with a plan of government

The Muslim brotherhood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Muslim brotherhood - Essay Example The brotherhood was initially formed essentially as a small charitable society with religious goals. During the authoritarian regime in Egypt, the brotherhood became the most prominent and effective opposition sector. The brotherhood’s ambitions were shaped by the existing political and social scenario. It was during mid 1980s, that the brotherhood spread its activities and asserted its presence in different facets of public life. Starting from this period, the brotherhood designed its objectives towards global democracy and human rights (Wickham, 20,46). It is an organization whose ultimate goal is to establish a full Muslim state where there will be no extreme disparity of wealth distribution with the rich and poor holding equal status (Oliver & Atmore, 194). Muslim Brotherhood The Society of the Muslim Brothers or the Muslim Brotherhood was founded by Hasan al-Banna in the year 1928. Hasan was a scholar and schoolteacher born in Egypt. He was born to a local sheikh in Cairo , and his father instilled in him â€Å"classical and traditional religious learning and piety† (Wickham, 21). ... He made this his mission, and the way he chose was to preach and teach the Islamic ideals and concepts both to the young people and their parents. In the following years, he established himself as a powerful and intensely effective orator with the skill to spread his message. He began to give his sermons in local mosques and coffee houses. His mission of bringing to the forefront the Islamic way of life, and his dedication to look after the welfare of the Muslims influenced six labourers from a British military camp. These laborers approached him, and requested him to become their leader. The name of the group as Muslim Brotherhood was selected by Hasan since all the member of the brotherhood was primarily dedicated towards the service of Islam (Wickham, 21). The Muslim Brotherhood is a religious and social movement that is composed of Sunni Muslims, and is one of the biggest, oldest and the most significant Islamist organizations in the world. Initially, Egypt was the only country w here the Brotherhood concentrated its activities and movements. However, currently it is estimated that the group has spread its wings in more than 70 countries, while according to other estimates the group is establishing itself in more than 100 countries. When Hasan formed this Brotherhood, his main assertion was that Islam be granted the supreme authority over all matters of life. With this ultimate goal, the Muslim Brotherhood strives to establish an Islam kingdom or monarchy extending over not only the current day Muslim population across the world, but over all communities around the globe. Another purpose of the Brotherhood is to establish the Islam law or the Shari’a as the sole law of court in all countries across the globe. This is the principle philosophy

Frederick Douglass Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Frederick Douglass - Essay Example According to the essay "Frederick Douglass" findings, examining the method that Douglass used in order to know how to read and write one will get a clear indication that abundant life was awaiting him. Douglas went through hardships in the house of his new master, Mr. Auld, whose wife offered to introduce him to the world of education. The wife, Mrs. Sophia Auld, was singularly motherly and kind to Douglas. At first, she treats Douglas like one of the family members to the extent of teaching him how to read and write. She had never been with slaves, so she knew nothing about how they were supposed to be treated (Douglas 76). However, when Mr. Auld knew what was taking place, he became an obstacle to Douglas’ education. He prevented the wife from her offers to the slave claiming that â€Å"slaves are unmanageable when they are educated†. This implied that if Douglass knew how to read and write, he would become a radical giving master’s hard time to manage. This st atement from a master gives us some light about the knowledge of reading and writing. Education will give one power to manage himself and not to depend on anybody or even allow another party to guide him on what to do. This illustrates the point that it is after knowing how to read and write that Douglas became successful after slavery. He knew how to manage himself and not depend on the decisions of other people. While he was being taught by Mrs. Auld, Douglass proved to be so intelligent and bright. This enabled him to secure a place in the shipyards as a worker.

Book report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Book report - Essay Example He has written a beautiful and thought provoking account on the social history that many people would not have known. Throughout the book, Osofsky uses his great appealing writing to attract the reader till the end. With an attractive way of revealing details, he highlights the change of Harlem from being the largest segregated neighborhood in the nation to a slum. He had never been to Harlem or talked to the people there, but the way he wrote about it would tell you much more about the way he has used his mind. There have been many books previously written around the same topic but in most of these books the authors have only tried to look for the history of Negroes from the surface. The growth and development of the Negro communities have not been a very important issue since the civil war. Many people want to study about the Negro life but the material that is available is scanty. There are newspapers and various kinds of documents available through which one can go back to the 20 th century. The Negro life in the cities can also be generalized through interviews with elderly people who have seen and experienced how the Negroes have settled their tough lives in the areas. There are a few authors who have researched and talked about the Negro history in their books and Osofsky has written one of the finest books. He has shown a series of events that took place since the Negro Resolution in the 1960’s and how the creation of a Harlem ghetto took place. Since Osofsky has written an account of all the events and details revealed in the series of events, he has made a detailed research about all the history that he could reach up to. The book is well documented about the afro-American migration in the early 20th century. Every new day bought a new turn in the making of the ghetto and Osofsky has managed to analyze every detail in a colorful and informative manner. This book would take you back in the 20th century and bring to you the history that was unreve aled yet eye opening. It shows the period of the black migration and settlement in Harlem exclusively. Gilbert Osofsky has written this book in three parts to make it much clearer and planned out. In the first part, he starts his book with an introduction to the Harlem settlement. Osofsky clearly gives a picture of how Harlem was before this migration. Harlem was a rich neighborhood with no blacks. Instead there were more of Jews and Italians who used to live in that community back in the 1800’s and early nineteenth century. It shows an analysis of the social, economic and political conditions of a community which was known to be one of the finest neighborhoods in the nation. The creation did not greatly bring a change in the economic condition Harlem was in, but it was a change prominent enough to be seen than what it was to what it is now. Harlem was a wealthy area where ministers and rich people used to live in their mansions. He brings out the history of Harlem before the 20th century and then talks about the events through which this migration of the blacks took place. With his brilliant mind and analysis he reaches out the message to the people and convinces them that the social, economic and political factors were the major reasons why Harlem became a slum. These factors were also greatly the causes behind Harlem’s development equally. The real estate guesswork is what made the upper reaches of Manhattan more accessible for the black migrati

Frederick Douglass Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Frederick Douglass - Essay Example According to the essay "Frederick Douglass" findings, examining the method that Douglass used in order to know how to read and write one will get a clear indication that abundant life was awaiting him. Douglas went through hardships in the house of his new master, Mr. Auld, whose wife offered to introduce him to the world of education. The wife, Mrs. Sophia Auld, was singularly motherly and kind to Douglas. At first, she treats Douglas like one of the family members to the extent of teaching him how to read and write. She had never been with slaves, so she knew nothing about how they were supposed to be treated (Douglas 76). However, when Mr. Auld knew what was taking place, he became an obstacle to Douglas’ education. He prevented the wife from her offers to the slave claiming that â€Å"slaves are unmanageable when they are educated†. This implied that if Douglass knew how to read and write, he would become a radical giving master’s hard time to manage. This st atement from a master gives us some light about the knowledge of reading and writing. Education will give one power to manage himself and not to depend on anybody or even allow another party to guide him on what to do. This illustrates the point that it is after knowing how to read and write that Douglas became successful after slavery. He knew how to manage himself and not depend on the decisions of other people. While he was being taught by Mrs. Auld, Douglass proved to be so intelligent and bright. This enabled him to secure a place in the shipyards as a worker.

How German propaganda differed between WW1 and WW2 Essay

How German propaganda differed between WW1 and WW2 - Essay Example In 1914, European nations called upon their friends to face up the possibility of going to war and prepare for it. By this time, the United States was faced with isolationism in a bigger part because of President Wilson’s worry of snarling foreign alliances. This isolation slowly started to fade when the united States lend large sums of money to the British and the French. The United States responded to the British propaganda where they considered the British as the unflinching defenders of the right, French and the Belgians as miserable heroes and the Germans as the deep-dyed scoundrels (Schulman, 1990, pp.13) Often, propaganda was used more tactically in WWII. Robert Sherwood, one of Roosevelt’s speech authors, led a committee whose main objective was to battle a war of word in opposition to the axis. Not only did this board act to super charge United States support but also sought to disseminate information on America’s participation to Axis-controlled regions abroad (Schulman, 1990, pp.13). In the late 1920’s and 1930’s, the Nazi party grew stronger while the mass media became a extremely mighty passage for assembling the huge support they were to soon have ( Osley, 1995, pp.7). Carefully and persistently the government officials avoided the word propaganda. The U.S successively preferred using the word information. In 1917, the Committee on Public Information (CPI) was designed by the U.S government to yield support for the war, improve on patriotism and a stronger faith in democracy. The Germans were featured in wartime films as ruthless and life threatening animals. Patriotic colors were used in the posters to show the might of America and its allies. A movement that had Kaiser Wilhelm’s head in a jar was started by the National War Garden commission which requested the public to plant and can vegetables. Cans of vegetables that read, â€Å"Can Vegetables, Fruits and the Kaiser too† smothered the

The Nursing Shortage and the Nursing Work Environment Essay Example for Free

The Nursing Shortage and the Nursing Work Environment Essay 1. Introduction 1.1 Nursing as challenging profession: significant physical and psychological demands on nurses of all levels 1.2 Qualified nurses as the core key to success in the delivery of healthcare services 1.3 Qualified nursing staff, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and other essential healthcare services as contribution to modern world Problem Statement 2.1 The current situation with shortage of qualified nurses in the USA 2.2 The year of 2004: the positive shifts in dealing with nursing shortage 2.3 Population aging and retiring nurses as the main reason of severe nursing shortage Research Question 3.1 The impact of job-related stress on health care organizations and qualified nurses 3.2 Measures to be taken to alleviate job-related stress for nurses 3.3 Reduction of job-related stress as the solution to nursing shortage Research Hypotheses 4.1 Hypothesis 1: Nurses will indicate that they experience job-related stress. 4.2 Hypothesis 2: Job-related stress is a factor in a nurses decision to leave nursing. 4.3 Hypothesis 3: Nurses who have learned to manage their stress will be more likely to continue their careers. Literature Review Job-related stress may have serious implications for patient safety. Increased patient loads, for example, have been associated with elevated stress levels, the increased likelihood of an accident, and a greater risk of the nurse being involved in a medical malpractice lawsuit (Miller, 2004). One study found that 79% of RNs believed that the shortage of qualified nurses has already affected the quality of patient care (Buerhaus,   Donelan,   Ulrich,   Linda Norman,   et al, 2005). Although some studies have found that stress levels may be affected by the mode of nursing, other research has indicated similar levels of stress in functional nursing, team nursing, and primary nursing settings (Mà ¤kinen, Kivimà ¤ki, Elovainio, Virtanen, Bond, 2003). Sources of Stress Stress in nursing comes from physical and mental exertion while working with patients and the emotional stress that comes from dealing with injured, sick, and dying people. Job stress may also affected by staff reductions, especially if those reductions result in increased responsibilities for the remaining staff members (Hertting, Nilsson, Theorell, Larsson, 2004, p. 148). The long-term effects of staff reductions include feelings of distrust towards the employer; (2) concurrent demands and challenges; (3) professional ambiguity; (4) unmet desires for collaboration with other professionals; and (5) efforts to gain control (Hertting, Nilsson, Theorell, Larsson, p. 148) For many nurses, some job-related stress may come from internal sources. Antai-Otong (2001) observed that one pervasive cause of stress among nurses is the feeling that nurses must do everything for everyone all of the time and be perfect while doing it. These unrealistic expectations for perfection may lead to chronic anger, hostility, or repressed aggression, especially if the individual lacks sufficient coping skills to address these emotions (Antai-Otong). To cope with this stress, Antai-Otong recommended that nurses receive training in conflict management, anger management, self-renewal techniques, assertive communication, and other forms of creative stress management. Finally, stress also appears to be affected by age and experience. In studies comparing stress and job satisfaction of older nurses with that of younger nurses, older nurses with more years experience showed less stress and reported more positive experiences as a nurse than their younger counterparts (Ernst, Messmer, Franco, Gonzalez, 2004). Younger nurses reported concerns over compensation, workload, and lack of recognition (Ernst, et al). Ernst, et al., (p. 222) speculated that older nurses had less reason to be worried about income than their younger counterparts because the older nurses were paid more. They also speculated that the expectations and goals of the nurses in the study had become more realistic as they matured, resulting in greater job satisfaction (Ernst, et al., p. 225). Providing Ways to Improve Retention Incentives may be used to motivate nurses to improve their performance or to stay with an employer. Incentives do not necessarily have to be monetary. In some cases, non-monetary incentives such as the opportunity to work in a positive work environment may outweigh relatively small financial incentives. Other incentives that may be used to encourage nurses to stay are educational opportunities, flexible scheduling, health and safety considerations, and the nature of the overall organizational culture (Cohen, 2006). Many nurses are concerned with the balance of their professional and personal responsibilities. Quality of work life (QWL) has been defined as the balance between the individuals professional responsibilities and personal life (Ming-Yi Kernohan, 2006). QWL has been linked to job satisfaction and improved retention. Factors that affect the QWL of nurses include socioeconomic factors, demographic characteristics of the individual nurse (e.g., age, marital status, and other personal characteristics), organizational aspects, work aspects, human relation aspects, and the opportunity for self-actualization through nursing (Ming-Yi Kernohan). Of these, the individuals demographic characteristics and the socioeconomic status of the health care facility and the surrounding area are beyond the control of the organization. Other factors, such as providing opportunities for self-actualization, may be affected by organizational policies but are not exclusively within the domain of the organization. The remaining factors – organizational aspects, work aspects, and human relations aspects – are within the control of the organization. Organizations that wish to improve their retention rates for high-performing nurses may wish to examine how these factors can be adjusted to improve the QWL of nurses working within the organization. Lambert, Lambert, and Yamase (2004) noted that stress is often associated with uncertainty and a lack of information. Providing nurses with information, training, and continuing education can help alleviate these feelings and may help to reduce the overall levels of stress. Lambert, at al. also recommends exercise, physical exertion, and expressing feelings to an inanimate object as appropriate stress-reduction techniques. Environmental changes, such as brightening the environment with flowers and other aesthetically appealing items, may also help reduce the stress levels in the workplace (Lamber, et al.). Finally, Lambert, et al. suggested searching for any possible philosophical or spiritual implications that might help the individual to understand and to cope with the stresses that come along with patient care. Conclusion There is a strong reciprocal relationship between job stress and nurse retention. As nurses within a given facility begin to experience increased stress, the likelihood that some will quit or look for a job elsewhere appears to increase. Consequently, the work loads of the remaining nurses increase, which ratchets up the stress levels, resulting in more nurses leaving the organization. This cycle is not limited to organizations, but also appears to occur within the nursing profession. References Antai-Otong, D. (2001). Creative Stress-Management Techniques For Self-Renewal. Dermatology Nursing, 13, 1, 31-37. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from Academic Search Premier Database. Beaudoin, L., Edgar, L. (2003). Hassles: Their Importance to Nurses Quality of Work Life.   Nursing Economic$, 21, 3, 106-114. Retrieved July 26, 2007, from Academic Search Premier Database. Buerhaus, P., Donelan, K., Ulrich, B., Norman, L., Williams, M., Dittus, R. (2005). Hospital RNs and CNOs Perceptions of the Impact of the Nursing Shortage on the Quality of Care. Nursing Economics, 23, 5, 214-221. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from ProQuest Database Cohen, J. (2006). The Aging Nursing Workforce: How to Retain Experienced Nurses. Journal of Healthcare Management, 51, 4, 233-245. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from Academic Search Premier. Ernst, M., Messmer, P., Franco, M., Gonzalez, J. (2004). Nurses Job Satisfaction, Stress, and Recognition in a Pediatric Setting. Pediatric Nursing, 30, 3, 219-227. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from Academic Search Premier Database. Hertting, A., Nilsson, K., Theorell, T., Larsson, U. (2004). Downsizing and Reorganization: Demands, Challenges, and Ambiguity for Registered Nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 45, 2, 145-154. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from Academic Search Premier Database. Lambert, V., Lambert, C., Yamase, H. (2004). Psychological Hardiness, Workplace Stress and Related Stress Reduction Strategies. Nursing Health Sciences, 5, 2, 181-183. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from Academic Search Premier Database. Mà ¤kinen, A., Kivimà ¤ki M., Elovainio, M., Virtanen, M. Bond, S. (2003). Organization of Nursing Care As a Determinant of Job Satisfaction Among Hospital Nurses.   Journal of nursing management, 11, 5, 299-306. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from Academic Search Premier Database. Miller, D. (2004). Where Have All the Nurses Gone? The Impact of the Nursing Shortage on American Healthcare. Association of Operating Room Nurses. AORN Journal, 80, 1, 141. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from ProQuest Database. Ming-Yi H., Kernohan, G. (2006). Dimensions of Hospital Nurses’ Quality of Working Life.   Journal of Advanced Nursing, 54, 1, 120-131. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from Academic Search Premier. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2002). Projected Supply, Demand, and Shortages of Registered Nurses: 2000-2020. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://www.ahca.org/research/rnsupply_demand.pdf U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2004). The Registered Nurse Population. Findings from the March 2004 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from ftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/bhpr/workforce/0306rnss.pdf

Duty of Care and Contractual Agreements in Architecture

Duty of Care and Contractual Agreements in Architecture Section 1 Clearly explain what particular requirements must be in place for a Contract to exist between two parties? For a contract to exist between two parties there must be evidence of three key principles. An intention between all involved parties to form a legally binding relationship. A consideration (usually monetary) for the agreement. The offer and acceptance of the stated agreement. The intention of a legally binding relationship from each party must be formal; a moral obligation alone is insufficient. As such, articles such The Memorandum of Agreement outline the requirements of parties when intending to enter a contract. For a contract to exist the promise must be enforceable with a consideration. It is the party who provides this bargain who enforces the contract. Once a consideration is provided, all parties are drawn into privity of contract. The consideration is decided by the parties involved and the level of adequacy is irrelevant, it must be offered and accepted for the agreement to mature into a contract. As such, an offer without an acceptance is merely a pre-contractual agreement, not binding in law. In any case, for a contract to exist all terms of the offer must be accepted and a consideration provided. However, there is no requirement for a written document for most types of contract. An oral contract is legally binding providing there has been acceptance of an offer. From a legal stand-point, difficulty can be avoided if documentary evidence is provided of an agreement. The four corners rule allows a contract to be recorded and subsequently is easier to enforce in law. Explain what is meant by the term Duty of Care and what are the implications upon the architect? A duty of care is a legal obligation in tort law imposed on the Architect requiring they exercise a standard of reasonable care and diligence whilst carrying out professional work that could foreseeably harm others. Any failure in an Architects duty of care can result in an action in negligence where they become liable in tort law. Furthermore, a duty of care is also applicable in agency outside of any contractual arrangement. It is not required that a duty of care be defined by law, however, it often develops through the jurisprudence of common law. In this respect, a duty of care can be interpreted as a formalisation of the social contract and implicit responsibilities of the individual towards others in society. It is an ARB requirement that Architects adhere to the established standards of the profession and exercise due skill, care and diligence,whilst carrying out professional work within agreed time-frames and without unnecessary delay. For a duty of care to be breached, the following must be true: Harm must be reasonably foreseeable of the defendants conduct. A relationship of proximity between the defendant and the claimant. It must be fair, just and reasonableto impose liability. Explain the term Joint and Several Liability and how does it impact upon particular forms of architectural Practice? Under Joint and Several Liability, a client may pursue an obligation against any single party as if they were jointly liable. The responsibility then passes to the defendants who must establish their respective percentages of liability and monetary payment. Therefore, if a claimant pursues a single defendant and receives all the damages, that defendant must then pursue the other libelous parties to obtain contributions proportionate to their share of liability. Joint and Several liability is most relevant in tort claims and most often invoked in cases of negligence. Architects seek to establish a clear and properly defined agreement with specific reference to the understanding and expectations of the client. These agreements provide an assured basis on which the commission can be undertaken. Furthermore, the chosen form of appointment will determine the limit of the Architects liability and accountability. Architects also seek to limit their risk and liability through their chosen form of architectural practice. For Example, Limited Liability Partnerships and Companies cannot be jointly or several liable with its members liability determined by their stakehold in the partnership or shareholding in the company. Explain what is meant by the term Lean Construction. Lean construction is a method of designing production systems to minimize the time, effort and material waste of a project to generate the maximum amount of value. The process itself is derived from the lean production system within the manufacturing industry. It is fundamental that the production system is designed through a collaboration of project participants (Client, Architect, Engineer, Contractor, Building Owner) at the earliest stages of the project. It is based on the premise that desired ends affect the means to achieve these ends, and that available means will affect realized ends. The principles of Lean Construction are as follows: Allow value to flow by systematically removing obstacles to value creation and dispensable processes that create no value. Optimisation of the system through collaboration and systematic learning. Priority on delivering the Client/End-user/Building Owners expected value. Creating Pull Production. The pursuit of perfection/continual improvement, involving everyone in the system. Lean construction supplements traditional construction management by considering material and information flow, focusing on the enhancement of the production systems value generation. Therefore, a project using the Lean Construction method should: Deliver maximum functionality. Benefit end-users with the lowest optimum cost of ownership. Eliminate the inefficiency and waste in the use of labour and materials. Involve specialist suppliers in design from the beginning to achieve integration and buildability. Establish performance and improvement achievements by measurement. Use a single point of contact for effective co-ordination and clear responsibility. Explain and define what is meant by a Letter of Intent. What are the circumstances under which it may be issued, what may be its objectives and what are the principal matters that it should contain? A Letter of Intent is a document that outlines an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalised. They resemble written contracts but are not legally binding for the parties involved. However, letters of intent can contain provisions that are legal binding such as a covenant to negotiate in good faith, non-disclosure agreements and stand-still provisions that promise exclusive negotiation rights. It can also be interpreted as binding if it resembles a formal contract too closely. Therefore, the letter of intent is enforceable by the courts both in terms of the remuneration and the act. However, the letter of intent is not a contract; instead it is a unilateral agreement in which one party confirms an intention to enter a contract with another party. Most importantly, it must contain an instruction to act and confirmation of a consideration as payment. Letters of intent are usually issued to: Clarify the nature of complex transactions for the convenience of the parties involved. Provide safeguards in case of collapsed negotiations. Officially declare interest or intent. Allow work to continue quickly based on trust. Architects mainly use letters of intent for the purpose of negotiation. For example, following the first stage of tender, a letter of intent maybe issued to inform a contractor of their approval based on their proposal. The contractor can then contribute to the design before the second stage of tendering by providing detailed pricings and an overall building cost. Once the second stage of tendering is complete, a formal contract can be established between the parties. What are the principal factors that determine the choice of a particular contract form? To determine the most appropriate contract form, the Architect and client must first consider the priorities of the project in terms of time, cost and quality. These three factors are linked through a trade-off paradigm: Time results in increased cost and decreased quality. Cost results in increased time and decreased quality. Quality results in increased cost and increased time. They are all related and inter-dependant. If time is the priority, then the procurement method must allow sufficient time to consider all of the design issues properly at the pre-contract stage. The client is afforded predictability and additional time can be saved by allowing the contractor to resource their own materials, effective management, real-time planning and overlapping detailed design phases with actual construction. If cost is the priority, then a financial limit must be established that a contract sum cannot exceed. Certainty of cost is dependant upon comprehensive design, drawings and specification that accurately assesses cost at the tender stage. If quality is the priority, the issue and degree of quality in the finished building must be clearly defined and established from the outset through a specification. Also, the measure of quality must also be defined. The choice of contract type is also directly related to the chosen type of procurement. Each type of procurement type uses standard contract forms that are known and accepted by the industry. Most architects choose to use these standard forms as they are comprehensive, address common construction situations and take account of current legal decisions. Factors such as the complexity, size and overall value of the project may also inform the procurement route or contract type. In all situations the Architect as the lead consultant has the duty to advise the client of the long-term implications of their decisions. Section 2 The Design and Build process of procurement has been endorsed by the Public Sector as the preferred procurement option, on the basis that it is claimed that it offers certainty of contract sum and brings certain cost benefits. Consider and discuss the merits or otherwise of this approach in comparison with the Traditional method of procurement with particular reference to the role of the architect. (70 marks). Design and Build is a procurement method for project delivery whereby an individual contractor is contractually responsible for both the design and construction of a project. In recent years, the public-sector has moved towards Design and Build as the chosen procurement path as opposed to the traditional, three-party arrangement where design and construction are separately contracted. The public-sectors interest in Design and Build can be attributed to several potential benefits that are not always obtainable through alternative procurement methods. The following points outline the advantages. The Design and Build procurement route provides a single source of responsibility as the contractor is singularly responsible for any defect in both the construction and design of the project. This is of particular benefit to the building owner or client, who does not have to define whether such defects are brought about by a deficiency in design or construction. Instead, the contractor is jointly and severly liable for the complete works. In a traditional contract, it is the client who must first determine the nature and cause of a problem, before deciding whether it is the designer or contractor who is at fault. Design and Build is also a popular route for the public-sector client as the contractor is obliged to bear any additional cost that results from inadequate or defective plans provided by the design team. In a traditional contract, the client warrants the sufficiency of the plans and as such is liable for any increased cost because of inadequate design. In the Design and Build contract, it is the contractor who is responsible for the projects design as well as the construction. They are hired to meet the clients specific performance specifications rather than merely construct the building as in the traditional contract procurement. Hence, if the plans are inadequately drafted or designed, the contractor is unable to seek compensation from the client. It is widely recognised that Design and Build contracts enable a project to be completed within a shorter time-period than the traditional three-party arrangement. The interface between the designer and contractor, often adversarial in the traditional method, can become more open and hence foster a more co-operative arrangement and exchange of ideas that can make the project a faster process. Time savings are also made by fast-tracking construction of known elements before the specifications and drawings of unknown elements are complete. The phased-nature of the design essentially allows work to commence on site whilst the later phases of the project are still being designed. The same time-savings are unable to be made within a traditional contract as the contractor does not usually even submit a tender, let alone start work on-site, before the design and drawings of the Architect are finalised. The responsibility for meeting local controls such as planning, bylaws and legislation is placed with the contractor, which usually results in increased efficiency. The phased nature of the Design and Build method also allows the contractor to have increased control of the project and can result in lower costs for the client. The specific control of detailed design enables the contractor to use familiar construction methods and materials which increase the efficiency of the build process. By staggering the construction process, the contractor is able to order materials for upcoming phases, ahead of time and at a lower cost. The savings made on labour, materials and time are all passed on to the benefit of the client. It is considered that the Design and Build method reduces the requirement for independent professional representation. Public sector clients often prefer to limit the number of points of contact to restrict the amount of time, effort and in-house staff it requires to undertake a project. Often it will use Design and Build in conjunction with privatisation, whereby it contracts an independent party to undertake responsibilities previously held by the Government, such as land acquisition, project finance, design, construction, operation and ownership. This method, in its most complete form is represented by the turnkey and package deal options, whereby the client is uninvolved for the majority of the project and presented with the completed building. However, it is desirable to have an independent third party (usually an Architect) for the purpose of quality control. Without a third party, the contractor, who is hired to complete the project promptly and economically, also has the task of assessing the quality and quantity of its own work. Hence, the contractor has a potential conflict of interest and is likely to reduce quality in order to satisfy the clients other requirements. With the presence of a third-party, the client/owners interests are represented during the design and construction. Clients choose Design and Build contracts as usually a fixed price and contract sum can be negotiated. The client specifies the maximum price it is willing to pay for the project before it solicits a proposal from the Design and Build contractor for its specifications, configuration and materials. However, difficulty can arise when there is an increase in the cost of work and construction. The contractor can sometimes abuse the situation by recouping costs in other areas of the project and without a third party, the client finds it far more difficult to detect and control such situations than in a traditional contact form. Therefore, most Design and Build contracts are lump-sum and fixed price, but payments are completed on a cost-plus basis to facilitate potential increases in cost. Also, payments tend to be dependant on the achievement of project milestones. This allows the contractors progress to be measured and assessed by the client, allowing easier negotiation in terms of compe nsation where costs have significantly increased under a fixed-price contract. However, the Design and Build route is not without potential problems. Many architects, clients, building owners and contractors have varying opinions about the successes of this procurement type. The following points are amongst the potential disadvantages to using Design and Build in the public-sector. If a public-sector client chooses the Design and Build procurement path it is difficult to actively compare preliminary proposals from multiple contractors. The contractor is only responsible for satisfying the clients performance specification; therefore the designs may be wide-ranging in aesthetic and prioritise different issues depending on the contractors individual stand-point. As in the turnkey approach, the client or eventual building owner has little input into the design and final appearance of the building and as such, may be unsatisfied with the result. Also, as the contract is entered into by negotiation rather than competitive tendering, the client may not always achieve the lowest cost for the building. Therefore, unlike the traditional route, if a client wants to attract multiple preliminary proposals, they must provide an individual consideration for each contractor that submits a design package. This is a cost often overlooked in debating the value of Traditional vs. Design and Build procurement, as these fees are separated from the contract sum in the case of Design and Build. Another problem with tendering a Design and Build contract is the potential for the building to become a competition in under-design. Contractors will seek to meet the clients outline requirements whilst sacrificing quality, life-span, ease of maintenance, and value in a bid to offer the minimum price. In placing responsibility for both the design and construction in the contractors hands, the client forfeits control. Therefore the client has little input in assessing sub-standard work, claiming for variations, debating extensions of time or even using a termination clause due to excessive delay. To combat against this, it is again advisable to use a third-party design professional who can check the value and realism of the tendered bid. However, the monetary and time savings inherent to Design and Build contracts then become nominal as the time-period and expertise needed by the third-party to check the work of the contractor is both expensive and time-consuming. Such a third party can be appointed independently by the client, or be appointed through consultant switch or novation if they are the original designer/design team. Also, contractors seek to recoup the outlay of unsuccessful tenders with their successful tenders; therefore, the client will always pay a small premium for the work of their chosen contractor. Another disadvantage to the Design and Build arrangement is the difficulty of obtaining long-term contractual protection in terms of the suitability of the work. Many contractors use contracts where such insurance is prohibitively expensive and resultantly, commercially unviable for the client. Therefore, it is the clients responsibility to be aware of the extent of coverage of the contractors liability insurance. In the event of a defect in the design or construction of the project, the client may be unable to recuperate anything if the contractors insurance coverage or assets are insufficient to pay compensation, regardless of whether liability can be determined. Public sector clients often choose the Design and Build procurement route as the available financial resources of a contractor are normally greater than that of the professional individual or architectural practice, in the event of a post-completion failure. A potential problem with liability can arise when the Design and Build contractor hires an Architect as a sub-consultant. Most contractors professional indemnity insurance does not cover damages caused by defective design or specifications prepared by the Architect. Conversely, the Architects professional indemnity insurance does not cover damages caused by defective labour, materials or operations during the contractors construction process. Therefore, the contractor offers a warranty for an agreed (but usually limited) time-period based on the notion of negligence. However, the commercial and financial pressures of the Design and Build contract compel the contractor to essentially under-design the building as far as possible making failures within the building an increased likelihood. As a result, there is often a need for litigation to define whether the economy of the project surpasses the expected level of professional responsibility at the time of design and construction. Therefore in order to protect their building, the client should seek to obtain a warranty that guarantees the completed building is suitable for its intended purpose, regardless of defects incurred by the contractor. In the public sector, Design and Build contracts are usually awarded on subjective criteria such as value, experience and qualification. The public sector in particular has developed contractor evaluation and selection policies that try to mitigate against the risk of such subjective judgments. In many cases this is achieved by awarding contracts based on a point-scoring system with the highest scorer being appointed. However, this discretional points system implemented by public managers offers little objectivity in determining the adequate point allocation for individual elements of the proposed scheme. For instance, there is hardly any way to decide whether one contractors foundation system warrants 20 points or a different contractors warrants 22, it is completely subjective. Also the criteria used for marking generally do not relate to the specific building type, therefore analysing a contractors qualifications and experience presents a measure of competence but does not guarant ee a successful project outcome. There is also difficulty in reasonably comparing alternative design proposals in an effort to determine which represents the best value. For example, some contractors may offer higher quality plumbing whilst others offer better electrical systems. Therefore it is impossible to draw reasonable conclusions from dissimilar bids in terms of which proposal offers best value. Often, value can only be determined after the building has been completed. In conclusion, public owners look for procurement systems that meet the needs of the public whilst mitigating against legal problems and reducing administrative burden. The public-sector has favoured the Design and Build approach as the client can guarantee a total fixed project cost early in the process and the building can be constructed in a shorter time-period with more efficiency than other procurement systems. The contract type also allows an exploration of new solutions through an open dialogue between architect and contractor, in which the public benefit from the innovation and lower costs. As a result, the public-sectors involvement with Design and Build has increased over recent years. Fundamentally, the public requires its construction projects to be durable, environmental, functional and most importantly, fit for purpose. At the same time, it expects the government funded projects to represent good value and be economic in nature. Therefore, the public itself has little involvement or interest in which procurement system is utilised, however, they expect each project to fulfill its stated requirements within its allocated budget. It is the view of the public-sector, that Design and Build is the system best equipped to meet the publics expectations and provide the most transparent value for projects that are ultimately funded by the tax-payer. Bibliography Lupton S. Architects Job Book. (RIBA Enterprises 7th ed.) Chappell D Wills A. The Architect in Practice. (Blackwell Publishing 10th ed.) ARB. Architects Code: Standards of Conduct and Practice. (November 2002) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_and_Build http://www.lao.ca.gov/2005/design_build/design_build_020305.htm

Texas :: essays research papers

Texas, one of the West South Central states of the United States. It borders Mexico on the southwest and the Gulf of Mexico on the southeast. To the west is New Mexico, to the north and northeast lie Oklahoma and Arkansas, and Louisiana bounds Texas on the east. Austin is the capital of Texas. Houston is the largest city. Texas is the size of Ohio, Indiana, and all the New England and Middle Atlantic states combined, and its vast area encompasses forests, mountains, deserts and dry plains, and a long, humid, subtropical coastal lowland. Texas's wealth of mineral resources is almost unequaled among the other states. Its rapid economic development stimulated by these resources and its vast size have made Texas an American legend. Oil wells, chemicals, ranches, and cattle have played a major part in that legend. For more than 100 years, Texas was part of the Spanish Empire in America. When Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821, Texas was for a while joined to Mexico. The section from San Antonio southward retains the flavor of the Hispano-Mexican period in its architecture, foods, and festivals. The name Texas is derived from tejas or teyas, the rendering by the Spanish in the mid-16th century of the Caddo people's word for friends or allies. It gradually became used to denote the region north of the RÃ ­o Grande and east of New Mexico, and was officially applied as Texas when the area was organized as a republic in 1836. Texas was an independent republic until it joined the Union on December 29, 1845, as the 28th state. Its single-star flag dates from its independent period and has given Texas the nickname the Lone Star State. IIPHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Texas is the second largest state in the nation, after Alaska, and has an area of 692,244 sq km (267,277 sq mi), including 12,844 sq km (4959 sq mi) of inland water and 1046 sq km (404 sq mi) of coastal water over which it has jurisdiction. Extending for about 1240 km (about 770 mi) from east to west and for about 1290 km (about 800 mi) from north to south, the state comprises about 7 percent of the land area of the United States. The mean elevation is about 500 m (1700 ft). ANatural Regions Texas can be divided into four natural regions, or physiographic provinces: the Gulf Coastal Plain, the Central Lowland, the Great Plains, and the Basin and Range province.

Donation Behavior

Group E Group E VU University 2011-2012 VU University 2011-2012 Donation Behaviour Noortje Vlek 2500825, Danny Kornman 2500148, Nicole Prince 2163470 Business Research Methods IBA1. 04 14th of October 2010 Teacher; Maria Aladjem Table of Contents 1. Introduction and problem statement3 2. Hypothesis Development4 2. 1 Personal link to the cause and intention to donate4 2. 2 Good brand personality of a non-profit organization and intention to donate4 2. 3 Income in relation to the intention to donate5 3. Method6 3. 1 Sample & Procedure6 3. 2 Measurement instruments6 3. Statistical analyses7 4. Results8 4. 1 Descriptive statistics8 4. 2 A personal link to the cause has a positive effect on the intention to donate. (hypothesis 1)9 4. 3 A good brand personality of a non-profit organization has a positive effect on the intention to donate. (hypothesis 2)9 4. 4 People with higher income are more likely to donate than people with lower income. (hypothesis 3)9 5. Conclusion and Discussion11 5. 1 Conclusions11 5. 2 Shortcomings and future research11 5. 3 Theoretical implications12 5. 4 Practical implications12 References12 1. Introduction and problem statement Nonprofit organizations are providing many critical services (e. g. culture activities, environmental issues, education, healthcare) since the 16th century (Venable, Rose, Bush & Gilbert, 2005). But in the last couple of decades Non-profit organizations are facing a lot of difficulties. Government has decided to reduce costs and therefore a significant reduction in governmental funding of donation programs has been made. (Venable, Rose, Bush & Gilbert, 2005) For instance, in England, government has decided to cut in charity funding. Non-profit sector in England will receive ? 10m less this year. Government regulations are not the only difficulty non-profit organizations have to deal with. Due to the economic crisis, the donations of non-profit organizations are decreasing. Only 12% of the non-profit organizations in the United States of America expect to run above the break-even point this year. Non-profit organizations that think they are able to cover their operating expenses is on ly 16 percent in both 2009 and 2010. People are saving rather than spending their money. The first cost they cut is giving money to charity. This is why the economy is slowly recovering. But at the same time the number of volunteers is increasing. Number of non-profit organizations has shown an explicit growth. In 1940 there were only 12. 500 non-profit organizations, in the United States of America. Today there are over 1,500,000 non-profit organizations registered. This is an increase of 12,000 %. Which lead to much more competition in the non-profit organizations sector. Therefore non-profit organizations are receiving less money. If we sum up all the above we come to following research question: What are the factors that have an effect on the intention to donate? . Hypothesis Development 2. 1 Personal link to the cause and intention to donate To convince people to donate to a charity, it is important for non-profit organizations to understand that people who have a link to the purpose of an organization are more likely to help them realizing their goals. Previous studies have shown that when an individual has a personal link to the goal of a non-profit organizati on, he or she will probably be more likely to donate to this organization (Sargeant & Woodlife, 2007) E. g. If someone has just been cured of cancer, this person knows how it is feels how it is to go through such an experience and would be more likely to donate to an organization that does research on a cure for this disease, like the American Cancer Society (ACS). The person donating doesn’t only do so because he/she has been told what good it would do for others, but mainly because this person has gone true the same experience as the one being donated to. The impact of this experience leads to a loyal donor. Therefore we expect that the more an individual is linked to the cause of an organization, the more likely this person is willing to donate: H1: A personal link to the cause has a positive direct effect on the intention to donate. 2. 2 Good brand personality of a non-profit organization and intention to donate Another factor that plays a role in donating is brand personality. As can be read in previous studies, non-profit organizations with a bad reputation discourage people from donating to these organizations (Knowles & Gomes, 2010). For instance Greenpeace has a very aggressive way of disapproving of certain companies or even certain government policies. They are often accused of being involved in illegal acts. This puts this organization in a difficult spot. People who are thinking of becoming a donor will take this into account. That is why it is important for a non-profit to have a good reputation. This can be achieved, for example, by providing a good service quality, keeping the donor informed what the organization is doing to reach their goal, but also how their money is being spent. For instance, if a manager of a large non-profit organization has an absurd high salary, people will lose their trust in the organization because they are not comfortable with the way their money is being spent. Therefore we assume it is necessary for an organization to be clear about their mission in order to create donor loyalty: H2: A good brand personality of a non-profit organization has a positive direct effect on the intention to donate. 2. 3 Income in relation to the intention to donate People with a high level of income are more likely to donate to a non-profit organization, because these people are able to buy their necessity goods, take care of their family and are overall secure enough not have to worry about an uncertain future (Knowles & Gomes, 2010). As mentioned in the introduction, a higher level of income is defined as an income that is above standard, which is 65. 000 dollar a year. People with an income below standard are not always able to buy their necessity goods and can’t afford to donate. Let’s take students for example. They are already having problems coming around with their income and are not certain about their future, which will not lead to donating. Therefore we can posit: H3: People with higher income are more likely to donate than people with lower income. The hypothesis relationships are explained in figure 1. Figure 1 Conceptual Model Influences on donation Personal link to the cause Good brand personality Intention to donate Income Personal link to the cause Good brand personality Intention to donate Income Socio-Demographic Difference 3. Method 3. 1 Sample & Procedure When it comes to analysing the intention to donate, we are confronted with large relevant population. Since there aren’t many requirements to become a donor, it is possible for anyone to donate to a non-profit organization. By approaching our unit of analysis (18+) through an online questionnaire we would like to get a better view on the intention to donate. This was done with the use of non-probability samples, where not all elements have the same chance of being included in a sample. In our case we chose for the convenience sampling, since our population is quite vague and hard to define. This way we could be unrestricted, and it is easy to perform. The disadvantages that must be dealt with when it comes to holding a survey are that questions often remain multi-interpretable, the lack depth because of limited preparedness, and the respondents are more likely to give a socially acceptable answer. Some ways to solve these problems are that every consumer must receive an e-mail invitation to participate in a survey. This gives the company a chance to make sure that the same name and contact information isn't already assigned to another e-mail address in the system. Also a minimum time for completing an online survey can be set. This cuts down on cheaters who fly through the survey just randomly answering questions. 3. 2 Measurement instruments An online questionnaire was created for respondents to participate in the survey using the following measurement instruments. Independent variables Personal link to the cause was measured with four ways of being connected to the charity (i. e. , Someone I know has been effected by the issues dealt with by this charity, Someone I know might benefit from my support, My family has a strong link to this charity, This cause is not related to an important aspect of my life). A sum score was calculated by adding up the responses to the question whether respondents were offered these four options. Responses ranged from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree). Good brand personality was measured by the quality of the brand name, with the availability of seven options (i. e. , Honest, loving, compassionate, Reputable, Committed, Reliable, Financially stable). A sum score was calculated by adding up responses to the question whether respondents were offered these Seven options. Responses on this two sum score ranged from 1(completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree). Incomer was measured by asking respondents whether they had an income that was lower(0) or higher(1) than $65. 000. Dependent variable Intention to donate was measured with three statements: â€Å"Unlikely-Likely, Improbable-probable, Uncertain-certain†. Respondents could answer on a 7-point scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree). 3. 3 Statistical analyses With the purpose of testing the three hypotheses presented above, three analyses are performed. In order to test the first hypothesis (A personal link to the cause has a positive effect on the intention to do) a regression analysis will be calculated between the personal link to the cause and the intention to. The second hypothesis (A good brand personality of a non-profit organization has a positive effect on the intention to donate) is also tested via a regression analysis in which a higher good brand personality has an effect on the intention to donate. The third hypothesis (People with higher income are more likely to donate than people with lower income) is tested by means of an independent samples t-test. For all analyses, test values (r in case of the regressions and t in case of the t-test) with a significance of p?. 05 are deemed significant. 4. Results 4. 1 Descriptive statistics Before we start testing our hypothesis, there is a need to review the data obtained by interviewing the unit of analyses in order to check whether there are any outliers or undefined values. We reviewed the item range, percentages, means and standard deviation Results of this review are shown in table 1. Table 1 Variables, Ranges, Percentages, Means and Standard Deviation Variable| Range| Percentage| Mean, SD| Personal link to the cause| 1. 25 – 7. 00 | -| M= 4. 80; SD = 1. 03| Good brand personality| 2. 14 – 6. 34| -| M = 4. 60; SD = 0. 90| Income| 0 – 1| 0. (less than 65,000) = 47%1. (more than 65,000) = 53%| -| Intention to donate| 1. 0 – 7. 00| -| M= 4. 95; SD=0. 90| Seemingly, the data collected do not hold any outliers. Therefore the next step can be taken, which is to construe these descriptive analyses. As can be seen in the table above, in a general sense the respondents interpreted a personal link to the cause and a good brand personality quite h igh. The data shows that on average the respondents offered both, personal link as a good brand personality a 5. The income division is almost 50-50, and in a general sense the respondents had an above average intention to donate. Now we move on to the hypothesis testing analyze. The overall fit of the model: The 5. 9% of the variance of the dependent variable is explained by the model including the two independent variables. 4. 2 A personal link to the cause has a positive effect on the intention to donate. (Hypothesis 1) Hypothesis 1 was tested with a regression analysis. This way we can determine whether a (higher) personal link to the cause also leads also to the intention to donate. The raw SPSS output will be given in Appendix 1. As indicated by the analysis, the regression reveals a positive and insignificant effect between a personal link and the intention to donate (? -. 053 p;0. 26). Therefore, we have to reject Hypothesis 1. 4. 3 A good brand personality of a non-profit organization has a positive effect on the intention to donate. (Hypothesis 2) Hypothesis 2 was also tested with a regression analysis. This way we can determine whether a good brand personality leads to an intention to donate. The raw SPSS output will be given in Appendix 1. As indi cated by the analysis, the regression reveals a positive and significant effect between a personal link and the intention to donate (? =0. 26, p;0. 001). Therefore, we Hypothesis 2 is supported. . 4 People with higher income are more likely to donate than people with lower income. (Hypothesis 3) Hypothesis 3 was tested with an independent samples t-test. The raw SPSS output is given in Appendix 1. As indicated by the t-test, people with a higher income (M=5. 11) are significantly more likely to donate than people with a lower income (M=4. 86). (p ; 0. 02). Therefore, Hypothesis 3 is supported. In table 2 a summary of this study’s hypotheses will be given as well as the results of all hypothesis-testing analyses. Table 2 Summary of hypothesis and results Hypothesis| Result| H1: A personal link to the cause has a positive effect on the intention to donate. | Not supported| H2: A good brand personality of a non-profit organization has a positive effect on the intention to donate. | Supported| H3: People with higher income are more likely to donate than people with lower income. | Supported| 5. Conclusion and Discussion 5. 1 Conclusions In this study we have discussed two different factors (a personal link to the cause and brand personality) that have an effect on the intention to donate between people with higher income and people with lower income. According to the results of our regression analysis, people who have a personal link to the cause of a non-profit organization are not more likely to donate then people who don’t have a personal link to the non-profit organization. A possible explanation for this unexpected finding is that a personal link to the cause is an important factor for these organizations, but not sufficient for people to become more likely to donate. Previous studies have shown that there is a significant difference in the intention to donate and a personal link to the cause (Sargeant ; Woodliffe 2007). A possible explanation for this unexpected finding is that there were not a lot of people in our survey who had a personal link to the cause. As we expected from our hypothesis people are indeed more likely to donate to a non profit organization with a good brand personality than to an organization with a perverse brand personality. The expected difference in the intention to donate between people with a higher income and people with a lower income was found in our analysis. According to our data, people are indeed more likely to donate when their income becomes higher. With this information we can conclude that people take their income into account when it comes to making a donation. 5. 2 Shortcomings and future research One of the shortcomings of our study lies in the fact that we might have had some multi-interpretable questions with the lack of depth because of limited preparedness. A second restriction is that our analysis might be influenced by some personal bias. It could be that people were influenced to give a social responsible answer. The third limitation is based on the fact that all our data was collected at one point at the time. If we would have found for example that people with a personal link to the cause were more likely to donate, we still could not conclude that this will always be the case; therefore you have to collect data over a longer period of time. If we sum up all shortcomings, future research on the intention to donate should focus on taking the survey separately, so that people could not influence each other and therefore not the outcome of the data. The data should be collected over a longer period of time to get a better insight if people with a higher income change their donation behavior. . 3 Theoretical implications What do we learn from this study? Was existing theory confirmed or rejected? One theoretical assumption of this research is that a personal link to the cause and brand personality would lead to a higher intention to donate. This study shows however that this is not necessarily true according to the personal link to the cause of a nonprofit organization. Moreover, this researc h has shown that a higher income would have a positive effect on the intention to donate, as we expected. 5. 4 Practical implications One of the most important implications of the results we have found is that in practice non-profit organizations should not only focus on a certain group of potential donors, but also come in contact with them through information. This way the donor will feel like a part of the organization as a whole. By letting the donors know what their future plans, initiatives and successes are. These organizations should try to find active donors who will eventually become dedicated to their cause and will donate themselves. References Smith, N. 2011, August 2), Charities ‘hit by funding cuts’ BBC News UK. Retrieved 16 November 2011 from http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/uk-politics-14366522 McKenna, T and Noble, C. (2009, March 3). Non profit Finance Fund Survey: America’s Nonprofit in danger. Non profit finance fund. Retrieved16 November 2011 from http://nonprofitfinancefund. org/news/2009/nonprofit-finance-fund-survey-americas-nonprofits-danger Rabe Thomase, J. (2010, June 21) In recession, non-profit agencies see volunteers increase as funding shrinks. The CT Mirror. Retrieved 11 November 2011 from http://ctmirror. rg/story/6460/non-profits-gaining%20volunteers bfy. (2008) Non-profits in Carlisle: History of Non-profits in the U. S. Carlisle History.. Retrieved 18 November 2011 from http://carlislehistory. dickinson. edu/? page_id=278 bfy. (n. d. ) Knowledge Base. Grant space. Retrieved 11 November 2011 from http://grantspace. org/Tools/Knowledge-Base/Funding-Research/Statistics/Number-of-nonprofits-in-the-U. S n. d. The Jakarta post,. Retrieved 23 November 2011 from: http://www. thejakartapost. com/news/2011/10/26/lawmakers-accuse-greenpeace-illegal-activities. tml Brunel, F. F. , and Nelson. M. R. (2000). Explaining Gendered Responses to â€Å"Help-Self† and â€Å"Help-Others† Charity Ad Appeals: The Mediating Role of World-Views. Journal of Advertising, XXIX (3), 15-28. Knowles, P. , & Gomes, R. (2010). Building Relationships with Major -Gift Donors: A Major-Gift Decision-Making, Relationship-Building Model. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 21 (4), 384-406. Sargeant, A. , & Woodliffe, L. (2007). Building Donor Loyalty: The Antecedents and Role of Commitment in the Context of Charity Giving. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 18 (2), 47-68. Venable, B. T. , Rose, G. M. , Bush, V. D. , & Gilbert, F. W. (2005). The Role of Brand Personality in Charitable Giving: An Assessment and Validation. Academy of Marketing Science, 33 (3), 295-312. White, K. , & Peloza, J. (2009). Self-Benefit Versus Other-Benefit Marketing Appeals: Their Effectiveness in Generating Charitable Support. Journal of Marketing, 73 (July), 109-124. Appendix 1. Raw SPSS Output Hypothesis 1 and Hypothesis 2 Regression Variables Entered/Removedb| Model| Variables Entered| Variables Removed| Method| 1| Mean_Brandpersonality, Mean_PersonalLinka| . | Enter| a. All requested variables entered. | b. Dependent Variable: Mean_intention| Model Summary| Model| R| R Square| Adjusted R Square| Std. Error of the Estimate| 1| ,242a| ,059| ,054| ,86641| a. Predictors: (Constant), Mean_Brandpersonality, Mean_PersonalLink| ANOVAb| Model| Sum of Squares| df| Mean Square| F| Sig. | 1| Regression| 17,971| 2| 8,985| 11,970| ,000a| | Residual| 289,004| 385| ,751| | | | Total| 306,975| 387| | | | a. Predictors: (Constant), Mean_Brandpersonality, Mean_PersonalLink| b. Dependent Variable: Mean_intention| Coefficientsa| Model| Unstandardized Coefficients| Standardized Coefficients| t| Sig. | | B| Std. Error| Beta| | | 1| (Constant)| 4,012| ,258| | 15,523| ,000| | Mean_PersonalLink| -,053| ,048| -,062| -1,122| ,263| | Mean_Brandpersonality| ,258| ,054| ,262| 4,780| ,000| Hypothesis 3 T-test Group Statistics| | What is your current income| N| Mean| Std. Deviation| Std. Error Mean| Mean_intention| >= 3| 152| 4,8618| ,90656| ,07353| | < 3| 135| 5,1136| ,89235| ,07680|