Organisational Obstacles and Challenges

Organisational Obstacles and Challenges Introduction Many corporations are looking for talented and competent employees who can produce the best results. Such workers should also be ready to learn new skills and concepts in order to make their companies successful. Employers are currently focusing on the best traits and values whenever recruiting new workers. This practice explains why various researchers have identified several competencies that can make corporations profitable.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organisational Obstacles and Challenges specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Employers expect every job applicant to possess certain values such as passion, discipline, ethics, creativity, competence, determination, and curiosity. Individuals with such traits will be ready to promote the best practices and strategies. The above values will make it easier for individuals to look for new skills and lessons in an attempt to make their companies successful. These concepts will become critical in the future. Globalisation is forcing many corporations to hire individuals who can deal with organisational obstacles and challenges. Comparing and Contrasting the Articles According to Fernandez-Araoz, many companies hire individuals who have attended the best colleges. However, managers who lack the required technological and competitive skills cannot compete in the global market. New leaders should have the best skills in order to adapt to every new challenge. Employers should focus on certain aspects such as motivation, engagement, and curiosity. Whenever identifying new talents, ‘it is appropriate to look for motivation because it ensures individuals do not focus on their personal goals’ (Fernandez-Araoz 2014, p. 8). According to the author, employees should possess four unique qualities. These qualities include ‘insight, engagement, curiosity, and determination’ (Fernandez-Araoz 2014, p. 8). The best managers an d employees will eventually improve the level of collaboration and team leadership. The practice will also promote the concept of change leadership. Change leadership is the capacity to align a corporation and transform it in order to become successful. Interviewers should assess the above abilities and competencies in order to get the right individuals who can provide the best results (Fernandez-Araoz 2014). Good employees should be passionate about their jobs. They should also be happy and ready to serve their respective customers. The article also explains why employers should hire individuals who can learn new values and skills. This approach will ensure every corporation emerges successful.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Employers should be able to retain their talented workers. This ‘strategy is necessary because every competitor is working hard to get talented employees’ (Fernandez-Araoz 2014, p. 9). Employers should ensure every worker portrays a strong connection and engagement with his or her occupation and workmates. The workers should also be ready to overcome setbacks and problems. Some factors such as experience, desire, experience, performance, and intelligence will ensure every firm hires the right people (Fernandez-Araoz 2014). The above practice will make it easier for employers to get the right talents. The article â€Å"Minds Viewed Globally† explains why individuals should embrace five specific minds in order to become competent employees. The ‘first mind is associated with discipline’ (Gardner 2008, p. 3). Every disciplined employee will work steadily in order to achieve the greatest goals. A disciplined mind will focus on the best practices and ideas. A good employee should also possess a synthesising mind. This person will be ready to collect information from various sources and combin e it in a proper manner. This mind will also become relevant in the coming years because more people are using different technological resources. The ‘individual will produce quality ideas and concepts that can be understood by the other employees’ (Gardner 2008, p. 5). An employee with a creative mind will be ready to achieve the best objectives. This person will always be eager to break new grounds. A creative mind is capable of identifying new values and questions that can make a difference. The individual will also present quality answers in order to make his or her corporation successful. A creative mind will always be ready to deal with the issues and challenges affecting the targeted company. An individual with a creative mind will always be a step ahead in an attempt to achieve the greatest potentials. Persons with respectful minds possess another powerful value known as respect (Gardner 8). Respectful persons will address every challenge affecting their groups or teams. Respectful persons will always understand others and promote teamwork. Every ethical person will focus on the issues affecting his or her working environment. Such individuals will present the best ideas in order to deal with the problems affecting their teams. The ‘ethical mind will examine how human beings can serve others without focusing on their personal gains’ (Gardner 2008, p. 9).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organisational Obstacles and Challenges specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ethical workers will always work hard in an attempt to improve the conditions encountered by others. These five minds will produce the best results. Individuals possessing these five minds will ensure their companies are on the right track. The companies will embrace the best strategies in order to get the targeted goals and potentials. The author of this article believes that such minds will ensure every e mployee deals with the obstacles affecting his or her company. Such workers will also be ready to focus on new skills that will make them more productive and resourceful. The practice will produce the best results within a short period (Gardner 12). The article Howard Gardner goes further to explain why different corporations will be hiring ‘disciplined, resourceful, creative, and ethical workers in the future’ (Gardner 2014, p. 18). This approach will ensure every employee promotes the best ideas and concepts. This idea supports the current use of modern technologies and resources to deal with various organisational challenges. Conclusion The above two articles encourage workers and managers to focus on the best talents in order to remain productive. The first article by Fernandez-Araoz supports some unique values such as passion, commitment, engagement, and curiosity. These values can promote the best organisational practices. The second article by Garner identifies f ive minds that will become meaningful in the coming years. That being the case, employers will always expect their workers to have discipline. Employees should also promote specific values such as creativity, competence, determination, curiosity, and engagement. Readers should examine these two articles differently and carefully in order to identify the best competencies that can make their businesses successful. List of References Fernandez-Araoz, C. 2014, ‘21st Century Talent Spotting’, Harvard Business Review, vol. 92, no. 6, pp. 1-11.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Gardner, H. 2008, ‘Minds Viewed Globally: A Personal Introduction: An Overview of the Five Minds for the Future’, Harvard Business Press, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 1-20.

About the Supplemental Security Income Program - SSI

About the Supplemental Security Income Program - SSI Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal government benefit program providing cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter to persons who are blind or otherwise disabled and have little or no other income. Monthly SSI benefits are paid to persons with limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older. Blind or disabled children, as well as adults, can qualify to get SSI benefits. How SSI is Different From Retirement Benefits While the SSI program is administered by the Social Security Administration, the way in which SSI benefits are administered is very different from how Social Security retirement benefits are paid. SSI benefits do not require and are not based on the recipients prior work or a family members prior work. In other words, no current or prior employment is required to qualify for SSI benefits. Unlike Social Security benefits, SSI benefits are funded by general funds from the U.S. Treasury generated by income taxes paid be individuals and corporations. Social Security taxes withheld from workers paychecks under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) do not help fund the SSI program. Total SSI funding, along with maximum monthly amounts to be paid to SSI recipients, are set annually by Congress as part of the federal budget process. SSI recipients in most states can also have their benefits supplemented by Medicaid to help pay for doctor bills, prescriptions and other health care costs. SSI beneficiaries may also be eligible for food stamps in every state except California. In some states, an application for SSI benefits also serves as an application for food stamps. Who is Eligible for SSI Benefits Anyone who is: aged (age 65 or older);blind or disabled. And, who: has limited income; andhas limited resources; andis a U.S. citizen or national, or in one of certain categories of aliens; andis not absent from the country for a full calendar month or for 30 consecutive days or more; andis not confined to an institution (such as a hospital or prison) at the governments expense; andapplies for any other cash benefits or payments for which he or she may be eligible, (for example, pensions, Social Security benefits); andgives SSA permission to contact any financial institution and request any financial records about you; andfiles an application; andmeets certain other requirements. What Does  Ã¢â‚¬ËœLimited Income’ Include? For purposes of determining SSI eligibility, Social Security counts the following as income: money you earn from work;money you receive from other sources, such as Social Security benefits, workers compensation, unemployment benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs, friends or relatives; andfree food or shelter. What  Are ‘Limited Resources’? For purposes of determining SSI eligibility, Social Security counts the following as limited resources: cash;bank accounts, stocks, U.S. savings bonds;land and real estate;vehicles;personal property;life insurance; andanything else you own that could be converted to cash and used for food or shelter. NOTE: For complete details on the SSI program, including qualifications and how to apply for benefits, see the  Understanding Supplemental Security Income home page on the SSA website.   SSI Payment Details Amounts of SSI benefit payments are set annually by Congress and are typically adjusted every January to reflect the current cost of living.  Maximum (SSI) payment amounts increase with the cost-of-living increases (COLA) that apply to Social Security retirement benefits. Some states provide supplemental SSI benefits. SSI benefit payments are not taxable. Possible Benefit Reductions Exact benefit amounts paid to individual SSI recipients may be less than the maximum depending on non-SSI income, like wages and other Social Security benefits. Persons living in their own home, in the home of another person, or in a Medicaid-approved nursing home may also have their SSI payments reduced accordingly. The monthly amount is reduced by subtracting monthly countable income. In the case of an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, the amount payable is further divided equally between the two spouses.   Updated current maximum and average SSI payment amounts can be found on the SSI Statistics web site. SSI Work Incentive Programs Helping people with disabilities achieve independence by taking advantage of employment opportunities is one of the Social Security Administration’s highest priorities. SSI’s work incentive programs help disabled and blind SSI recipients to continue to work while minimizing the risk of losing their SSI or Medicaid benefits. Certain work incentive programs allow SSI recipients to exempt some of their work income from their list of resources. Others allow SSI recipients to continue to receive Medicaid coverage even though they are not receiving monthly SSI cash benefits. SSI recipients may be eligible to take advantage of more than one work incentive program. As with Social Security retirement benefits, working can reduce the amount of the recipient’s SSI benefit payments. Complete information on SSI work incentive opportunities can be found in the SSA’s â€Å"The Red Book - A Guide to Work Incentives.†

E-business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

E-business - Essay Example In order to cater to a wide variety of audience and considering the hectic life schedules of the target customer, the firm has introduced an online store named ‘scoop shops’. Access to the web page would help a customer to find the product as well as the different product specifications including nutritional requirements. The web page also has a store locator that helps customers to locate a particular store. In addition, the web page also has a section that is devoted to generating feedback from the customers. This helps in gathering a large database of customers as well as analysing the demands of the customers. It also helps in garnering knowledge about any gap in the product or service offering. However, the organization’s website does not have a section that can help customers place orders directly over the internet. This limits the scope of the website as customers can only view product information. The web page, however, has a section that links it to socia l networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. This has enabled it to get access to millions of internet users in a highly cost effective manner (Singh, Becker & Wiliams, 2009, p.134). The website of Ben and Jerry unlike its competitor Baskin and Robbins do not have a section that segments customers based on their needs. ... Moreover, the web page is designed in a manner so that it attracts and suits the needs of the US based consumers. This is detrimental to the company’s strategy of international business expansion. Consumers may often get confused as they would not find any section dedicated to their personal needs. The web page also does not provide information regarding the detailed pricing of the products of the store. Hence, online consumers would find it difficult to compare the food items of the firm. It is also important to note that pricing constitutes one of the most important factors that influences the decision making process of the consumer. Hence, non availability of pricing data emerges as one of the key constraints of the web page. In order to address these constraints, the firm must undertake a radical change of the layout of its website. The opening page emerges as a highly attractive one but should also contain more specific information regarding the product line of the organi zation. It should also contain a section that would effectively try to segment the customers based on the product requirements. This would enable easy navigation for the customers who can easily find the product of their choice. This would reduce the confusion among the customers and would also serve to segment the customers on the basis of their needs and wants. The organization should also make efforts to provide more details of the product offering which would compulsorily include pricing details of the products. This would tend to offer a more informative outlook to the customers. The section of customer feedback must also be modified to an extent that on one hand it tries to analyse the demands of the customers and on the other hand, it tries to portray any gaps in the product

HR manager of a large cinema chain based in London Coursework

HR manager of a large cinema chain based in London - Coursework Example The recruitment manager requires few qualities in order to select the right person at the ‘right place and time’. There are several policies for the process of recruitment. In accordance with the provided scenario stetting, the HR manager desires to recruit a cinema manager for a large cinema chain business in London so that the individual can perform according to the policies and principles of the business. The recruitment along with the selection process forms a part of the HR strategy. The main objective of the HR manager for the purpose of recruitment is to employ an individual who can work hard to achieve the desired goals of the business. The analysis of the skills required, judging the ability of the individual along with making an evolution of the performance capability of the individual are the key determinants for the HR manager (Sims, 2005). The process of recruitment is one of the critical tasks of the HR manger as it is the method of attracting new individua ls in the organisation to achieve its set out goals. HR planning (HRP) is important for an organisation to achieve its strategic goals. HR planning is done with the concept that people are amid the most important resources for any organisation. They are the core component of the business as they work in accordance with the requirement of the business development. It is the decision making procedure which helps in identifying the right person for the job. Motivating the employed person facilitates to attain greater performance and create a bridge between the management along with the people planning activities. HRP is of two forms i.e. the â€Å"Hard† and â€Å"Soft† HRP. Hard HRP focuses on the allocation of the right person with the quality needed for the business to flourish. On the other hand, soft HRP endeavours to build the culture of the organisation by achieving the

Free

Freedom Road Term Paper Essay Howard Fast, the author of the book Freedom Road, was born on November 11, 1914 and died at the age of 89 on March 12, 2003. Fast lived a long and adventurous life. A few of the things he did throughout his lifetime were; joining the American Communist party in 1943, serving a prison term in 1950 for refusing to cooperate with the House Committee on Un-American Activities, and his books were purged from American school libraries. On the other hand some of the positive things that happened in his life was that in 1953, he was rewarded the Stalin Peace Prize and in June of 1937 he married his first wife, Bette Cohen. In adjunction with his adventurous lifestyle, Fast spent most of his time writing. He wrote seven works of nonfiction, two autobiographies, fifty-two novels, five short stories one essay, and seven Masao Masuto Mysteries under the Penn name E.V. Cunningham. As well as writing, he created two films based off novels. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Fast) In the book Freedom Road, Howard Fast tells a fictional story based off the true events that occurred during the Constitutional Convention. The beginning of the book does not start the way most books start. This novel starts by talking about the main character, Gideon, as if we are supposed to know who he is. At first, this is confusing but after a couple of pages, you catch on and start to understand a lot easier. The first thing we are told about in the book is how all of the freed men from the small town of Charleston, had left a few weeks back to go vote. However, neither the town nor the men who left knew what voting actually was. Not knowing what voting was, made everyone who stayed in town very nervous and worried, they were not sure whether or not those men would be coming home or not. Therefore, when they men were spotted walking back into town everyone was extremely excited and could not wait to hear all about this voting thing. However, it seemed that none of the men were really talking, until one of them tells the town that they have some big news to share with everyone. Thus far, into the book, we have yet to hear from the main character, and we have actually been reading from his wives point of view. Once the returning men started talking, the book transitions from the wives point of view to Gideon’s, and that is when things start to pick up. We learn that the men’s big news is the fact that Gideon was elected to be a delegate. Because of his prowess in battle, the other ex-slaves looked to him as their leader in peacetime, but he was an uneducated man who felt himself unsuited for leadership. Yet knowing that his people wanted and needed him, he was determined to make himself fit into the pattern their hopes had cut out for him. However, none of them truly knew what a delegate was or what exactly a delegate did. The only thing they really knew was the Gideon would be receiving a letter once all the votes were counted to tell him if he had won the election. Several months go past in the book and nothing happens, no one in the town hears anything about Gideon being elected. Then one day, the postal man comes around and hands Gideon the letter that he had been waiting for. At this point in the book, we find out how afraid he is to go to Charleston because he is a â€Å"nigger.† He feels as though he is not very smart. He does not want to go â€Å"to city full of white houses†¦ full of white folks making fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 16-17). So in order to help him overcome that fear Brother Peter tells him the people need a leader and because of how strong Gideon is physically and mentally, he was chosen to represent them. Because of Brother Peter, Gideon decides to go to Charleston. When he arrives in Charles and he realizes that, he has no money and no place to sleep, so he ends up sleeping under a hay barrel for the first night. It is the next morning when Gideon is offered a couple of cents for some physical labor, he reluctantly accepts the job realizing that he has no other option but to. Because of that money he is able to rent a room for the nights he will be at the convention, buy some food, and clothes that will look appropriate for the convention. Moreover, this is when we start getting into the convention. For the first couple of days Gideon was determined not to speak at the convention, in fear of making a fool of himself in front of all the educated white folk. Yet one day he is outraged and just cannot help himself, he gets up and speaks. Nevertheless, he was still embarrassed that he could not find the right words for what he was saying and for the fact that he sounded very uneducated compared to some of the rest. However when he was given some books that taught him how to read and speak properly, he began to speak out more and voice his opinion. To his surprise he was heard, people started to listen to what he was saying, and even siding with him. Fast explains that the Constitutional Convention worked because, though neither black nor poor whites were overly fond of each other, both realized they had a common enemy in a planter group. With the help of Gideon’s voice, and many others they fought against the planter group. The fought for a system of public schools, the abolition of imprisonment for debt, a simple and fair divorce law, a statute making it impossible for a wifes property to be sold in settlement of her husbands debts, and a measure for universal suffrage – which, came as close as man had ever come to giving women a break and land. Even though he fought for all of these things, the most important ones for Gideon were fair and equal education, and land. Throughout his time at the convention lets his wife slip away from him and stands by while a white northerner helps Gideons oldest son, Jeff, through medical school in Scotland; there was no medical school in America free enough from prejudice to accept him. Gideon loses site at what he loves the most in his life, and lets them all slip away because freedom seems more important than family. Some of the themes of this book are love and understanding, vigilance and perseverance, and hope. The reason why I say that a theme is love and understanding is because in the beginning of the book we hear about how his wife has stayed by his side through thick and thin. She waited for him though the war that he willingly signed up to go fight for. She let him go vote because she realized that even though no one knew exactly what it was, it was something of importance to her husband. In addition, though she has just gotten her husband back and did not want him to leave again; she understood that t his was something that he needed to do. She stood by his side, maybe not physically but mentally, throughout the entirety of the convention. Although this theme is not a main theme in the book, I think that it is a rather important one. The other theme I had mentioned was vigilance and perseverance. I believe these two themes are the main themes of the book, because everyone in this book is persevering in one way or another. Brother Peter insists that Gideon goes to the convention. Everyone at the convention is pushing for exactly what it is that they want written down, and his son is moving to a land unknown to him for an education that he cannot receive where he is. The last theme I had mentioned was hope. I believe that hope is the most predominant theme throughout the book, because every single person has hope. In the beginning, the town and the men who left were hoping that this voting thing was not going to get them killed. Gideon’s wife hoped that he would not leave her again, and when he did, she hoped that he would be okay and that she would get to see him again. The people of the convention all held on to the hope that what they say and what they want will be written down into a law. Then we have Gideon himself, he has hope that he will be able to read, write and give all freed slaves the right to an education. The theme of hope plays repeatedly throughout the story. All of the stories characters played a large role in the book, everyone influenced the book in one way or another, but a few of the characters that stood out to me are Brother Peter, Gideon, and Cardozo. The first character that really stands out to me is Brother Peter. I think the fact that he did not stand up and ask people to vote for him, as a delegate was a selfless act. All of the people in town look up to him and ask him for advice, they would have easily voted for him as they did Gideon, but brother Peter knew that Gideon would have more to learn from being a delegate than he would. Brother Peter also knew that Gideon would have more of a fight in him than he would. I th ink the reason why Brother Peter was so pushy about Gideon going to the convention was that he knew that Gideon would get things done. The other character that stands out to me is Gideon. Gideon starts in the beginning of the book being illiterate, but pushes though the struggle of learning how to read and write by himself. He also struggles with the fact that he is poor and does not measure up to some of the other people in the convention. Gideon fights for education and freedom so much that he lets go of everything that he truly loves. He lets his wife slip away and his son leaves. He forgets that he has people waiting for him back home. Even though I hate that he loses sight of the place he came from and his family, he over comes many struggles and fights to achieve his goals. The other character that stands out to me is Cardozo. Cardozo is the first person at the convention that comes up and talks to Gideon. I like the way Cardozo sees things differently, he is a black man that has been free all his life, got an education, socialized around white people his entire life. Therefore, when he first talks to Gideon he wants him to explain why black people should have en education. Once Gideon explains himself Cardozo understands, and helps Gideon as much as he can. He introduces him to all the right people, he supports him in the convention, and most of all he gave Gideon books that taught him how to read and write. He gave Gideon what he had come to fight for. I think it takes very kindhearted people to stand by someone who cannot even form the words to fight by themselves. Before I actually started reading this story, I thought it was going to be another extremely boring history book, however once I started I could not put it down. The way this story was written was fabulous. The way Fast incorporated Gideon’s thoughts, his writing and speaking was interesting. I loved that the real facts of what happened during that time was not just thrown in our faces, it was mixed into the fictional story that kept you interested. I think the way that we are lead through the past so effortlessly was a fascinating way to keep reader interested. I like the way Fast incorporated all the different kinds of people at the convention. In the story, the laws of freedom, education, and land would not have got through without the black folks and poor white folks being there. I think the way Fast portrayed Gideon, as a strong illiterate freedman was a great way to grab the reader’s attention and walk us through the past in a wonderful way. I think the only thing that Fast is really missing is more of Gideon speaking. Fast does an excellent narration of illiterate folks, but he does not do enough of it. Overall, this book was great, I will most likely be keeping it, and not reselling it so I can re-read it repeatedly.

Discussion of Murder Mysteries Essay -- Papers

Murder mysteries have a motive to start off the investigation. Murder mysteries always have detectives, murder/ killing, alibi ´s, victims, weapons, evidence, a twist in a tail, a bit of suspense or maybe a lot of suspense. The location and the setting are some of main factors for a murder mysteries. If a murder mystery doesn ´t contain any of these, it cannot be defined as a murder mystery. Lamb to the Slaughter was written by Roald Dahl. It was first published in 1954. Lamb to the Slaughter is written in speech of time the story was published. In Lamb to the Slaughter the use of present day modern language so automatically gives the impression that it is written in present day modern and now. Roald Dahl is more famous for writing children ´s story. Roald Dahl always writes about ordinary people who get involved in difficult situations for his stories for adults. Lamb to the Slaughter is more prominent as an adults story. This is a murder mystery and one of the two short stories that I am going to investigate. The other short story which I will be investigating is The Speckled Band. The Speckled Band was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was first published in 1892. The Speckled Band is also written in speech of the time the Speckled Band was first Published. The language of that time seemed to be much formal as accurate English and much less slang was used. Holmes and Watson speak very typically English and p... ... manner that the reader ´s suspension of disbelief is never broken. We are with Mary Maloney from the first sentence of the story, and only at the end do we realise that we never really knew her at all. The irony of it all is that the police who were puzzled why they could not find the murder weapon we are consuming it. This was almost a sick comical twist to the ending. When she laughs didn ´t seem funny but more sinister and evil. Compare The Speckled Band, Lamb to the Slaughter is easy to work out from the Speckled Band and more predictable. So if you are looking for a challenge The Speckled Band is the one to read but I think for the younger reader ´s Lamb to the Slaughter would be better. The Speckled was much more complicated and had much more twists and turns in it, and you weren ´t sure what was going to come next.

Problems We Face in Our Daily Lives

E & B Hassan Anjum Problem 1 Inconvenience of getting ready in the morning Background: This is a problem that every person faces, be it a kid getting ready for school or an adult going to office. Why do people complain about it? Obviously the reason is pretty simple. It is time consuming. People want a solution that helps them to cut this time. Solutions tried (TIPS): There isn’t any such specific product which helps people to tackle this problem. But we do have some tips regarding this situation on the internet http://www. wikihow. com/Get-Ready-in-the-Morning ttp://parentables. howstuffworks. com/family-matters/3-free-get-ready-school-printables-make-your-mornings-easier. html (This isn’t relevant to the topic but is an interesting idea for kids to learn getting ready themselves in the morning. ) http://www. wikihow. com/Get-Ready-for-School-%28for-Girls%29 Possible solution (Product) : It is a wild idea but I really fancy the idea of some iron man machine look alike which has all the tools and equipment ( Eg Robotics controlling hairbrush , tooth brush etc) for getting ready in the morning.Morever, we have an input device ( probably an augmented reality screen which helps us to decide what clothes to wear). And all these processes involved in getting ready are controlled by robotics. All we have to do is choose what clothes to wear and enter the machine. All the functions are performed simultaneously. Morever this machine would have the capabilities to give one a bath. So the 2nd problem of bathing could be integrated as well. Just a wild idea . I know it sounds a bit complicated but still a possibility.Problem 2 Sound Pollution Background: Sound or noise pollution is another common problem that one faces in his daily life. It can be caused in many forms. Be it some construction work going on in the community, the roaring of vehicle engines in the morning, highway noise or probably some late night party going on in the neighbourhood. Noise poll ution has become a serious concern due to its adverse effects. Solutions that already exist: http://www. youtube. com/watch? =-jevPIJmABA&feature=related This vid shows us the different materials to sound proof a room. Pretty common thing And as Janet and Josh have mentioned already http://www. audimutesoundproofing. com/ Something portable but too big to carry around. Possible solutions : Sound proof remote (Press a button and it sound proofs the room) P. S , Yes this idea has been discussed and mentioned before. Other solutions such as sound proof walls, ear muffs are too mainstream. And SORRY for the delay !!

FDI Report: the Case of Nissan in the UK

Direct investment among the richest countries has been one of the eminent features of the world economy since the mid-1980s. Within this broad trend, Europe features prominently as both a home and host to multinational enterprises (MNEs). Not only did many Japanese and American firms invest massively, but even the most somnolent European firms appeared to awake to the need to look beyond their own national borders. (Thomsen and Woolcock, 1993) In narrow terms, FDI is simply all capital transferred between a firm and its new or established foreign affiliates. In its broadest sense, FDI represents competition: among workers, governments, firms, markets and even economic systems. (ibid) The main objective of this report is to illustrate the motives in relation to firm`s desire to locate some production or other activities in a foreign country. In order to do so, several theories that seek to explain why FDI takes place will be discussed, such as Dunning`s Eclectic Paradigm, Vernon`s Life Cycle model, the Knickerbocker Model and others. Moreover, to evaluate the rationale for FDI, references will be made to the case study of Nissan`s automotive investment in North-East England. Theoretical background The most commonly seen forms of FDI can be determined as: †¢ Merges and Acqusitions; †¢ Privatisation-related investment; †¢ New forms of investment (joint ventures, strategic alliances, licensing and other partnership agreements); †¢ Greenfield investment (a new operation); †¢ Brownfield investment (expansions or re-investment in existing foreign affiliates). (Hill, 2007) One of the first theories explaining multinational firms was created by Hymer (1959). He develops a specific – advantages theory which states that firms need to have internal – specific advantages over domestic rivals, in particular economies of scale and superior product technology, in order to invest in that country. Thereafter, Knickerbocker (1973) emphasise oligopolistic rivalry as an explanation for FDI, with firms investing in each other`s home markets to gain first mover advantages, leading to a follow-the-leader pattern of international investment to reduce risks in an uncertain oligopolistic environment. Furthermore, Vernon`s (1966; 1979) product life-cycle theory explains the shift from export to direct investment in developed and developing countries. Rivalistic firm behaviour drives firms in developed countries to locate lower value added or mature activities in low cost developing countries so that the firm can move up the product cycle and focuse on developing new products therefore sustaining the competibility. Thereafter, the internalisation theory was developed in order to understand why firms invest abroad instead of exporting or licensing to domestic firms. It argues that high transaction cost, such as enforcing contracts, maintaining quality, and keeping proprietary rights over technical and marketing knowledge, may justify direct ovnership (internalisation) of overseas activities. This theory has been expanded to include the transaction costs of political intervention and trade barriers. (Loewendahl, 2001) However, several theoretical studies have started to incorporate the insight from different perspectives into their own disciplines and are acknowledging the important contributions that different approaches can make to each other. (ibid) Dunning has brought together the main principles of there theories and developed Eclectic, also knows as Ownership-Location-Internalisation, paradigm, that clearly identifies these three areas of possible advantage for FDI to take place. (Dunning and Lundan, 2008) Although academically it is still under discussion, most countries seem convinced that inward FDI is benefical for their local economies. (Oxelheim and Ghauri, 2004) The study of Nissan`s automotive investment is a case in point, which will be explained in the following section. Nissan case study A company of Nissan`s automotive investment in North-East England is examined in more detail as: †¢ Nissan succeeded in its demands for a single union plant, which was highly controversial, unprecedented in the UK motor industry, and set the stage for the further investment of Honda and Toyota. †¢ It was the single lagrest investment in the UK at the time of severe industrial decline and the investment represented a turning point for the North-East region development. †¢ The investment signalled the revival of the UK car industry and the emergence of Japan as a major new investor in the UK. The success of Japanese auto manufacturers was compouned by the oil crises in the 1970s, which led to demand for small cars, of which Japan was the lowest cost and most efficient producer (Moore, 1994). Japan`s share of world car production increased from just 1% in 1960 to 27% in 1985. Furthermore, in 1996 Nissan`s share of the world passenger car production, at 5.8%, was the sixth highest in the world and exceeded that of Renault, Rover and Alfa Romeo combined. (Sadler, 1992) With rapid growth at home and abroad, Nissan began overseas production as early as 1962, setting-up in Thailand – the first overseas investment by a Japanese automobile company. By 1990, Nissan had 11 overseas production bases and Nissan UK was established in 1984. (Loewendahl, 2001) In spite of Nissan`s global consolidation in the automotive industry, its financial crisis lead to a strategic partnership between Nissan and Renault in March 1999. This partnership was beneficial for both parties due to the strategic fit between the two companies: †¢ Geogrphic fit: Nissan has a strong presence in Asia-Pacific and North America while Renault is strong in Europe and ahs plants in Latin America. †¢ Business strengths: Nissan is strong in manufacturing capability, product technology, and its supplier technology base, while Renault is strong in management, product planning and product design capabilities. †¢ Product range: Nissan is strong in light trucks and sport utility vehicles (although Nissan`s product portfolio covers nearly all segments), while Renault is strong in passenger cars. Nissan`s major FDI strategy for setting-up production in the European economic community (EEC) was market-seeking, and the UK was Nissan`s largest market in Europe, accounting for one third of Nissan`s sales in Europe in 1982. (Loewendahl, 2001) The economic conditions in several UK regions provided an environment suited to Nissan. While industrial relations in the UK in the early 1980s were not perfect (as far as Nissan was concerned), the Thatcher government promised radical changes. Nissan considered conditions in the North-East to be particulary favourable for establishing a single union and introducing new work practices, because Sunderland would provide an acquiescent workforce that has no tradition of automobile production, in region of high unemployment. (McRae, 1997) The domestic environment in the UK was considered less hostile than in the other major EEC countries and Nissan`s productivity advantage would be most apparent in the British market. In addition, the English language, competitive production cost and availability of government grants were also important. Also factors like Japanese financial services in London, similar commercial and legal systems, low taxes and cultural proximity (Morris, 1988), with a shared interest in gardens, rugby, golf and tea, playing a role in the decision-making of Nissan and other Japanese MNCs (Loewendahl, 2001). With reference to the terminology of Dunning`s eclectic paradigm, there was a high correspondence between the ownership advantages of Nissan and the location advantages of the UK. The UK was also able to meet the requriments of Nissan`s market seeking FDI strategy and project specific needs, as well as Nissan would satisfy the requirements of the UK`s inward investment-led industrial and regional policy. (ibid) Therefore, it can be said that Nissan and the follow-on investment of Honda and Toyota have prevented the collapse of the British car industry and Nissan is propping-up the North-East manufacturing economy. For instance, between 1986 and the end of 1999 the FDI coming from Nissan, Toyota and Honda reached  £4 billion in the UK. In other words, these three MNCs accounted for 80% of the increase in the UK car manufacturing output from 1991 to 1999. Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK is responsible for supplying the European market and managing its supply-chain, nevertheless, it does not have control over strategic activities including research and development, planning or co-ordinating the global network of operations. These activities remain in Japan, with Nissan`s European operations co-ordinated from Brussels. It can be outlined that Nissan (also mentioning Toyota and Honda) have made a positive contribution to the economy of the UK in terms of export, suppliers and job creation. It also applies to Japanese inward investment in other sectors of the economy. However, according to theoretical and empirical research, this particular picture of Japanese investment is shadowed when, for instance, the emphasis is put on the type of jobs being created. While Nissan has been at the centre of new training initiatives in the North-East, the jobs are not high skilled and are characterised by highly intensive work organisation. (Loewendahl, 2001) Conclusion To sum up, the most commonly seen motives for companies to become MNCs and invest in other countries are related to the business perspectives of merges and acquisitions, therefore accessing a foreign market, as well as the benefits of lower wages or more favourable government policies. In long term perspective of attracting FDI, especially from Japanese investors in the UK, a potential threat can be identified in relation to joining the Euro-zone. Japanese companies have invested in the UK in order to serve the European market, and what matters most are currency fluctuations within Europe, not with the dollar and the Yen. With Japanese companies like Nissan concentraiting production in one location and exporting to the rest of the European market, the importance of currency stability is increased. (Loewendahl, 2001) However, a pre-condition for further investment in the UK by Nissan and other Japanese companies may, therefore, be that the UK remains at the heart of economic and political integration in Europe.

Medicine and law Essay Example

Medicine and law Essay Example Medicine and law Essay Medicine and law Essay Introduction It is now a firmly established belief that legal and ethical considerations are integral to medical practice in the planning for the care of the patient. With the advances in medical sciences and growing sophistication of the legal framework in modern society as well as increasing awareness of human rights and changing moral principles of the community at large, doctors and other healthcare workers alike are now frequently caught in difficult dilemmas in many aspects arising from daily practice. Examples are plenty such as the duty to respect informed consent, truth-telling, breach of confidentiality, disclosure  of medical errors, rationing of scarce health resources, biomedical research, organ donation, etc. Besides, there is also growing anxiety both within the medical profession and in the community regarding increasing trends of complaints and lawsuits against doctors. From the bitter experience of many doctors who were engaged in complaint or lawsuits in the past, many of them had resulted from failing of their doctor-patient communication skill or inadequate ability to comprehend and resolve dilemmas in clinical settings. Medical ethics has developed into a well based discipline which acts as a bridge between theoretical bioethics  and the bedside. 1 The goal is to improve the quality of patient care by identifying, analysing, and attempting to resolve the ethical problems that arise in practice. 2 In addition to our moral obligations, doctors are also bound by laws and official regulations which form the legal framework regulating medical practice. It is now a universal consensus that legal and ethical considerations are inherent and inseparable parts of good medical practice across the whole spectrum. The disciplines of law and ethics in medical practice overlap in many areas and yet each has its unique parameters and distinct focus. Legal and Ethical Regulations of Medical Practice in History In ancient Egypt, practice of medicine was subject to legal restrictions. The right to practise was restricted to members of a certain class, and all doctors had to learn and follow the percepts laid down by their predecessors. Obviously, this was to protect the public from quackery. Fees for the doctors were paid by the State. If unsatisfactory results followed a course of treatment that had departed from the orthodox, the doctor responsible would be liable to punishment, which could be very harsh. Similar legal restrictions on medical practice were also  found in other early civilizations such as Babylon and India. 3 Throughout the history of mankind, medical legislation has continuously evolved to regulate the practice of medicine. The fundamental objective is to safeguard the standards of the medical profession and to protect the public against unskilled vendors of medicine who would be as injurious to the community as other criminals. The Justinian Code of the Byzantine Empire in 529 AD is probably the earliest law code found to contain clauses to require educational standard and proof of competence of doctors by examinations. It also restricted the number of doctors in each town and penalties were imposed for malpractice. By 12th century, there were well established medical legislations in Italy, namely the edict of Roger II of Sicily in 1140 and Frederick II in 1224, to prescribe organized medical teaching, set courses, examinations and qualifications. 3 In Hong Kong, laws on public health and medical practice, essentially an adoption of the English Acts, had been introduced from the early days. In 1884, the first Medical Registration Ordinance was enacted to regulate the practice of medicine in the territory. Nowadays, the Hong  Kong Medical Council is established and empowered by law to perform the following major functions: (a) assessment of qualifications and maintenance of Register of Medical Practitioners, and registration is the only valid licence to practise medicine; (b) formulating guidelines on the ethical and professional standards; (c) investigation of complaints of professional misconduct; (d) supervision of medical education and training; and (e) assessment of fitness to practise where a doctors health is of concern. 4 In addition to legal regulation, there were also codes of medical ethics to guide the doctors for proper conduct. The earliest code of medical ethics is the Hippocratic Oath originated in Greece in the 5th century BC, which evolved to regulate the standard of conduct and care by 4 MEDICAL SECTION August 2003 the medical profession at that time. 3 Indeed, the spirit of this 25-century old Oath was restated in the Declaration of Geneva by the World Medical Association in 1948. The Declaration is the basis of the modern version of the International Code of Medical Ethics, which was first formulated by the World Medical Association in 1949 with subsequent amendments by the World Medical Assembly  in 1968 and 1983 in Sydney and Venice respectively. Meaning of Law and Medical Ethics in a Nutshell In its simplest context, law can be defined as enforced rules devised by the State to govern the behaviour of its members for the mutual benefits of all. Observance of the rules must be guaranteed by some kinds of sanction directed against the rule breakers. In addition to laws for the general public, doctors are bounded by certain specific rules stipulated in statutes as well as code of professional conduct laid down by the official regulating authority, namely the Medical Council, and administrative codes  set by the institutions. Together, they form the legal framework regarding the practice of medicine, violation of which may lead to criminal or civil liability, or disciplinary actions. In addition to legal obligations, there are also expectations of society for the doctors and the goal of the profession based on long established moral principles of self-evident value, which define the moral framework of medical practice. Medical ethics can be defined as a self-imposed code of conduct accepted voluntarily within the medical profession, the observance of which depends on ones conscience and moral values. Law and medical ethics are both dynamic and are in a constant state of change with time due to changing circumstances and societal values. Thus, new legislation and court decisions give rise to changes of the law and new ethical issues emerge in response to challenges created by new technology, law or other influence. There is also wide difference in law from country to country because of factors regarding religion, culture, traditions, political systems and social standards. Fundamental Principles in Medical Ethics5 Medical ethics is an applied ethics which involves examining specific controversial issues such as abortion,  breach of confidentiality, end-of-life care, rationing of scarce medical resources. The objective is to try to identify the issue concerned, analyze it with reasoned ideas and arguments and arrive at a viable and morally acceptable resolution for it. In the realm of medical practice, it is difficult to hold rules or principles that are absolute in view of the many variables that exist in the context of clinical cases as well as new issues that arise as a result of changing circumstances and belief. Nevertheless, over the years, there are certain fundamental principles that have won a general acceptance as guideposts in the  moral analysis of ethical dilemmas in medicine. The fundamental principles that apply generally to medicine or health care at large are: (a) respect of patients autonomy; (b) the principle of nonmaleficence, i. e. , the duty to avoid harm or injury to patients; (c) the principle of beneficence, i. e. , the duty to do good to your patients, relieve their pain and suffering and to save life if you can; and (d) the principle of justice and act fairly. The values that encompass the four fundamental principles in medical ethics are self-evident. They are considered to be doctors prima facie duties to the patients  and society. It is necessary for a doctor to take all of them into account when they are applicable to the clinical case under consideration. Not infrequently, when two or more principles apply, they may be in conflict. For instance, the decision to operate on a case of acute appendicitis involves at least two competing prima facie duties on the part of the doctor. At one end, the doctor is obliged to provide the greatest benefit to the patient by performing an immediate appendectomy. At the other end, surgery and general anesthesia carry risks and the doctor is under the obligation to avoid causing harm to the patient. The resolution adopted must base on a balance between the demands of the competing principles by determining which carries more weight in the particular case. In the case of appendicitis, a generally accepted rational calculus holds that the patient is in far greater risk of harm from a ruptured appendix if the doctor do not act, than from the operation and anesthesia if the doctor proceed to surgery. Law and Medicine Broadly speaking, medical matters come into interaction with law in four aspects: (a) legislation and administrative regulations affecting medical practice; (b) court judgments  on problematic or controversial ethical issues in medicine; (c) medical matters or personnel may become subjects of lawsuits when issues of medical malpractice or alleged medical negligence arise; and (d) use of medical matters as evidence in courts for other criminal or civil proceedings such as cases of homicide, rape, wounding, workmans compensation, insurance claims and the like. The Interaction of Law and Ethics in Medical Practice Despite their distinctive roles, law and medical ethics overlap in many areas. It is indeed difficult to dissociate the legal and ethical basis of the professional duties of  doctors. For instance, both law and medical ethics address to issues of confidentiality, euthanasia, abortion, use of dangerous drugs, medical malpractice and the like. MEDICAL SECTIONVol. 8 No. 6 5 Both law and medical ethics aim at safeguarding a good standard of medical practice within the community. The overriding consideration is to ensure the health and welfare of the general public. It is fundamental that doctors should be law abiding or they may face civil/criminal consequences due to breach of the standards prescribed by legal requirements. On the other hand, an ethics percept that is not adopted into  law may be a significant professional and moral guidance but it is generally not enforceable. Often, lawmakers (courts and legislature) do take into account the views of medical profession, which may include ethical principle, when crafting laws affecting medical practice. Thus, ethical standards can be incorporated in the legislation and become part of the legal standards. At times, a doctors prima facie ethical duty may clash with his legal obligation. A notable example that often occurs is when the duty of confidentiality has to be breached by a court order and refusal to disclosure  amounts to contempt of court. It is true that law is the established social rules for conduct which, in most instance, incorporates ethical standards to which the society subscribe. However, there are also instances when laws may be bent to reach socially compelling results, which can deviate from what is ethical. An entire society can become morally corrupt. No doubt, the doctors in Nazi Germany and Japan who had participated in the most notorious human experimentations during the Second World War were ethically wrong and were convicted of war criminals in subsequent trials, although  their behaviour were not legally wrong under their social standards at that time. Growing Attention to Legal and Ethical Issues in Medical Practice Attention to legal and ethical issues in medical practice is growing intense in recent years both within the medical profession and in all sectors of the society. The ethical issues raised by new medical advances and the rapidly changing public values have provoked much debates among medical professionals and in other disciplines including lawyers, philosophers, sociologists, theologians, mass media and the community at large. Large scale  programmes such as the human genome project, end- of-life care, priority setting, rationing of medical resources, womens health have attracted profound research interest in their ethical, legal and social issues. The propensity to litigate is also on the uprising trend in recent years. This is part and parcel of the general trend that people nowadays are more conscious of litigation in all areas of life, particularly in the light of the increased awareness of their legal and human rights as well as rules of law. During the past century or so, medicine has evolved more as a science than as a mystical art. The media has also reduced the complex medical sciences to a level that will allow the general population to comprehend. Moreover, consumerism is now firmly established in medical practice and this has been promoted on a wide scale by patients rights organizations as well as authorities through public education and introduction of charters and performance pledges. In recent decades, there has also been a fall of the traditional paternalism in medical practice. Thus, the patients and their families are now more ready to speak up to protect their rights, to raise questions or doubts on the conduct  and skill of their doctors. Furthermore, issues of infringement of patients rights, malpractice and medical negligence are now attracting wide media coverage. This has undoubtedly served to alert the general public to such possibilities. The increase in medical negligence claims and litigation on issues of malpractice in recent years is reflected both in the number of lawsuits and the tremendous sum of monetary value involved. There is now greater availability of lawyers as well as compensation claim agencies who are ready to assist the patients and their families to institute legal actions against their doctors. A greater proportion of the general population is now aware that the courts can and, on occasion, do provide substantial monetary compensation for personal injury. This has obviously enhanced the growing compensation awareness in the public mind. Even in a lawsuit that has not been successful in proving the defendant doctors liability to the plaintiffs personal injury, it can still devastate the doctors career because of the media coverage it receives. The new wave of class-action lawsuits against healthcare professionals and organizations in North America is particularly worrying. The assembling of a  group of plaintiffs instead of a single plaintiff greatly expands the defendants exposure to liability. Besides, it is also likely that the media attention on such a case will attract additional potential plaintiffs. 6 Another factor that has been suggested by some health care professionals is the depersonalization of the doctor- patient relationship. It is undoubtedly easier to sue a relatively anonymous defendant, such as a hospital consultant, than to sue a family doctor whom one has known for years, and this is even truer of hospital authorities. The Scope of Law and Ethics in Medical  Practice The scope of law and ethics in medical practice is expanding all the time. Any attempt in listing out the core topics can neither be complete nor prescriptive. Some topics are of interest to doctors of all specialties whilst some topics are more important to particular specialties. The following list is based largely on the consensus statement of the teachers of medical ethics and law in 6 MEDICAL SECTION August 2003 UK on a model for core curriculum in medical ethics and law within medical education: 1. Official regulations of medical practice (a) Statutes laid down by legislature e. g.  Cap 161 Medical Registration Ordinance Cap 134 Dangerous Drugs Ordinance Cap 137 Antibiotics Ordinance Cap 138 Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (b) List of Misconduct in a Professional Respect issued by the Medical Council of Hong Kong7 2. Foundations of doctor-patient relationship1,5 (a) Doctors obligation of fidelity – patients expect that doctors are trustworthy, knowledgeable and competent. Doctors are looked upon as trustees of patients medical welfare, always acting in the interests of the patients. We owe a duty of not causing harm to our patients (the principle of nonmaleficence). We also have a duty to do good  to our patients if we can (the principle of beneficence). (b) Respect of patients rights, including the basic principle of human rights and their relations with moral and professional duties. (c) Respect of privacy and confidentiality – the doctor- patient relationship is essentially founded on trust and confidence. Doctors are expected to respect for patients privacy and disclose patients information only when justified. At times, there is often conflict of interest between individuals or between and individual and the public with regard to disclosure of patients information. There is also  legal requirement to protect privacy in the general sense (Cap 486 Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance). (d) Respect of patients autonomy informed consent and refusal to treatment are basic patients rights. There are several related issues regarding the determination of patients capacity to share in decision-making (patients competence), the principle of risk-benefit equation to decide how much information to be given to patients (therapeutic privilege) and the concept of surrogate decision in cases of incompetent patients. Difficult dilemmas can arise when this is in conflict with other prima facie duties of the  doctors such as the situation when emergency interventions are required in cases of incompetent patients. (e) The difficult patients, noncompliance, hostile patients and abuse of patients rights. (f) Breach of duties leading to medical negligence or malpractice claims. 3. Death and related issues (a) The definition and diagnosis of death. (b) The persistent vegetative state – what is the meaning of human life: an organism or a person with body and mind? Is there a need for advancing the definition of life; from somatic death and brain stem death to neocortical death? 8 (c) End-of-life care – whether life support decision is  to prolong life or suffering? Difficult issues of medical futility, forgoing life-sustaining treatment, doctor-assisted suicide and euthanasia have immense ethical and legal implications. A fundamental question for doctors is whether letting to die is the same as euthanasia. 8 (d) Legal and ethical issues in organ transplantation. 9 (e) Death certification and disposal of dead bodies. 10, 11 (f) Coroner and medico-legal investigations of death. 12 4. Reproductive medicine and genetics (a) The management of infertility – the legal and ethical issues in artificial insemination and surrogate motherhood. (b) The control of fertility – sterilization and other forms of contraception. (c) The right of foetus – the legal13 and ethical issues in abortion and the question of maternal-foetal conflict. (d) Prenatal screening and wrongful life, genetic counseling and eugenics. (e) Genetic therapy – whether it is to treat the abnormal or to improve the normal. (f) Cloning of human being – its legal and ethical considerations. 5. Biomedical human research and experimentation (a) The legal14 and ethical15 regulations. (b) Ethics committee consultations. (c) The discrepancy between developed and developing countries. 6.  Special issues in psychiatry (a) Legal16 and ethical justification for detention and treatment without consent. (b) Informed consent in patients suffering from mental illness – the question of competence by the state of mind. (c) Conflicts of interests between the patients, families and the society. (d) Mental disorders and crime – mental disorders and liabilities of an individual and issues of compulsory treatment for offenders (especially in cases of sex offenders); the role of psychiatrist as an expert witness. 7. Special issues in paediatrics (a) Consent in minor. (b) Conflicts of interest between parental rights, the  rights of the child and the duty of the paediatrician. (c) Legal and ethical issues in cases of child abuse. 17 (d) The paediatricians role in child protection. 8. Healthcare delivery and resource allocation18 (a) Dilemmas in deciding a fair distribution of scarce medical resources and the rights of individual patient to healthcare services. (b) Healthcare cost crisis: its political, social and economic implications. 19 (c) The criteria for rationing healthcare resources and MEDICAL SECTIONVol. 8 No. 6 7 the sustainability of the healthcare services – does rationing simply means cutting or trimming  healthcare budget? What is a fair healthcare policy? What is the direction of healthcare reform? (d) Ethical considerations in the business aspects of healthcare – economic constraints, models of remuneration, professional freedom. The issues related to Health Maintenance Organizations and other managed care providers. (e) Responsibility of individuals for their own health. (f) Global distributions of healthcare resources: a gross unevenness. 9. Quality assurance (a) Continuity of care for patients. (b) Communications between doctors and patients, doctors and doctors. The duty to consult when  necessary. (c) Peer review and clinical audits, continuous medical education. (d) Truth-telling, disclosure of medical errors and incompetent colleagues. 20, 21 (e) Healthcare complaints – what is a fair and user- friendly mechanism to receive and resolve complaints. 10. Use of medical matters as evidence in courts (a) The medical witness – a doctor may be called to attend courts to give professional or expert evidence, or both. The objective of medical evidence is to assist the court in determining the truth and hence enabling justice to be done. A medical witness must have impartiality, reliability,  clarity and relevancy. His duty is to give evidence on a scientific objective manner commensurating with his role as a doctor as well as his expertise. (b) The issue of hired gun. (c) Conflict between a doctors duties to his patient and his role as a medical witness. Conclusion In recent years, teaching of law and ethics in medical practice has emerged as a core curriculum in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education in many developed countries such as the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. 22, 23 Research and discussion papers on clinical ethics and reports on medico-legal  cases now constitute a significant contribution to the expansion of medical literature, which have enriched our knowledge in the areas with widening scopes. 2 This is perhaps a major area that the medical education and training in Hong Kong need to catch up. Doctors are now expected to have knowledge and understanding of the principles of medical ethics and the legal responsibilities of the medical profession. They should also have the ability to recognize complex legal and ethical issues arising from clinical practice and sound decision-making skills to resolve them. 24 Often there is  no single or universal answer to such issues. The views within the medical profession as well as the public change constantly with time and vary from one country to another. It is therefore prudent for doctors to keep themselves informed about the current views, and when in doubt, be ready to consult their peers, lawyers and ethicists. References 1. Fletcher JC, Hite CA, Lombardo PA, Marshall MF, eds. Introduction to Clinical Ethics. Frederick Maryland: University Publishing Group, 1995. 2. Siegler M, Pellegrino ED, Singer PA. Clinical ethics revisited. BMC Medical Ethics 2001; (available from: biomedcentral. com/1742-6939/2/1). 3. Camps FE ed. Gradwohls Legal Medicine, Chapter 1. Bristol: John Wright Sons Ltd. , 3rd edition, 1976. 4. The Medical Council of Hong Kong Homepage: mchk. org. hk. 5. Beauchamp TL, Childress JF. Principles of Biomedical Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press, 4th edition, 1994 6. Lightstone S. Class-action lawsuits medicines newest legal headache. JAMC 2001;165(5):622. 7. Medical Council of Hong Kong. Professional Code and Conduct: For the Guidance of Registered Medical Practitioners. Hong Kong: HKMC, revised 2000. 8. Arras JD, Steinbock B, eds. Ethical Issues in Modern  Medicine, Part II: Defining Death, Forgoing Life-Sustaining Treatment, and Euthanasia. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Co. , 4th edition, 1995. 9. Cap 465 Human Organ Transplant Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 10. Cap 174 Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 11. Cap 132 Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 12. Cap 504 Coroners Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 13. Cap 212 Offence Against Persons Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 14. Cap 278 Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 15. Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences. International Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects. CIOMS, revised 2002. 16. Cap 136 Mental Health Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 17. Social Welfare Department, Government of HKSAR. Procedures for Handling Child Abuse Cases. Hong Kong: SWD, revised 1998. 18. McKneally MF, Dickens BM, Meslin EM, Singer PA. Bioethics for clinicians: 13. Resource allocation. CMAJ 1997;157: 163-7. 19. Health and Welfare Bureau, Government of HKSAR. Lifelong Investment in Health: Consultation Document on Health Care Reform. Hong Kong: 2001. 20. Hebert PC, Levin AV, Robertson G. Bioethics for clinicians: 23. Disclosure of medical error. CMAJ 2001;164(4):509-13. 21. Burrows J. Telling tales and saving lives: Whistleblowing The role of professional colleagues in protecting patients from dangerous doctors. Medical Law Review 2001;9: 110-29. 22. Position Statement: An ethics core curriculum for Australasian medical schools. Med J Aus 2001;175: 205-10. 23. Doyal L, Gillon R. Medical ethics and law as a core subject in medical education. BMJ 1998;316:1623-4. 24. Australian Medical Council. Goals and objectives of basic medical education. Guidelines for assessment and accreditation of medical schools. Canberra: AMC, 2000.

Happy Friendship Day Quotes

Happy Friendship Day Quotes Whatever your age, don’t feel embarrassed to wish your best friends, Happy Friendship Day. It does not matter whether you are 16 or 60. Friendship Day is a celebration of a relationship that has been nurtured over the years. Everybody needs a friend. Recall your fondest memories: the time you shared a laugh with friends in the school cafeteria. Or the time you whispered your darkest secrets to your friend, after making her take a solemn oath of secrecy. When is Friendship Day? Every year International Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August. However, according to UN resolution A/65/L.72, passed on April 27, 2011, International Friendship Day has been shifted to July 30. Therefore, instead of celebrating Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August every year, we will now celebrate it on a fixed date: July 30. But friendships are forever, right? How can a change of date diminish the bond? If you believe in a ceremonial celebration of friendship, what better occasion than Friendship Day to reconnect with old ties, patch up differences, and make new friends? Make the most of Friendship Day by acknowledging your true friends. Raise a glass to honor those who stuck to you through thick and thin. Gift your best friends a memorable day, filled with fun, games, and laughter. Quotes for Friendship Day Reach out to distant friends, and strike a chord with some friendship quotes. Geographical boundaries melt away when friends get together. Have you lost touch with some of your best friends? Get in touch with them through popular social networking sites. Say, Happy Friendship Day! to your friends. James BoswellA companion loves some agreeable qualities, which a man may possess, but a friend loves the man himself.Eustace BudgellFriendship is a strong and habitual inclination in two persons to promote the good and happiness of one another.CiceroFriendship makes prosperity more brilliant, and lightens adversity by dividing and sharing it.Charles Caleb ColtonTrue friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it be lostRalph Waldo EmersonEvery man passes his life in the search after friendship.Ralph Waldo EmersonA friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.EpicurusWe do not so much need the help of our friends as the confidence of their help in need.Thomas HuxleyFriendship involves man things but, above all the power of going outside oneself and appreciating what is noble and loving in another.Lois L. KaufmanPlant a seed of friendship; reap a bouquet of happiness.John EvelynFriendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all the world. Baltasar GracianFriendship multiplies the good of life and divides the evil.Dag HammarskjoldFriendship needs no words.Henry David ThoreauThe most I can do for my friend is simply to be his friend. I have no wealth to bestow on him. If he knows that I am happy in loving him, he will want no other reward. Is not friendship divine in this?James Fennimore Cooper Friendship that flows from the heart cannot be frozen by adversity, as the water that flows from the spring cannot congeal in winter.James Francis ByrnesFriendship without self-interest is one of the rare and beautiful things in life.

Differentiation Chart for Elementary Education Classroom Research Paper

Differentiation Chart for Elementary Education Classroom - Research Paper Example The learning stations designed will have to appropriately expose students to the intended diverse strategies and choices which will effectively meet the needs of the learners (Tomlinson, 2004). Offering an equal number of assignment questions for each group of students. However, the complexity of these questions will vary from one group to the other. The learners who will demonstration the need of rather challenging questions will be provided to, especially those at the higher level of cognitive thinking as demonstrated in the blooms taxonomy. Creating small temporary groups that will last for specified periods of time. This will enable the learners to temporarily accomplish tasks together in a variety of ways. Consequently, the activities and learning outcomes will determine the means in which the learners engage in learning (Tomlinson, 2004). Assessing the awareness, readiness, knowledge interests, weaknesses and strengths of a learner relative to academic abilities. This is to find out the entry behaviour of the learner. For example finding out the prior mastery of knowledge, the previous understandings as well as the skills possessed by the learner. This helps in the prediction of what is necessary for furthering the understanding and level of mastery of the learner (Tomlinson, 2004). Provide an objective to be accomplished by flexible groups with members who has similar readiness level. For example providing opportunities for the learners in order to practice using individual whiteboards and manipulatives. For example, how to add fractions with like denominators different groups will accomplish varying complex questions (Benjamin,