Health Assessment Of Families And Their Health - 1399 Words

Health is directly related to the activities in which we participate in, the food we eat, and the substances to which we are exposed to daily. Where we live and work, our gender, age, and genetic makeup also impact our health. (Nies, 2011) Assessments of family’s health are to help focus on the control and prevention of diseases. Health assessment assist in determining an individual’s perception of their quality of life along with the family’s perception as a whole. This also helps to define a person’s level of fulfillment when looking at his or her health status. One way that we as nurses can gather information on family and their health is by using Friedman’s family assessment model. This model includes patterns such as values, perception of health, nutrition, sleep/rest, elimination, activity/exercise, cognitive and sensory perception, self-perception, role relationship, sexuality, and coping abilities. This tool helps the nurse outline, in an organized manner, of information gathered on a family’s health. Values and perception of health refer to an individual’s view of health as well as the beliefs and opinions they hold when dealing with health promotion and their well-being. The family that was interview has a suitable pattern of health perception and management. The Martin’s are a family that try their best to incorporate good health patterns in their everyday lives. The Martin’s believe that â€Å"with good health they can live longer lives†. When asked what theirShow MoreRelatedFamily Health Assessment1252 Words   |  6 PagesFamily Health Assessment A family health assessment is an important tool in formulating a health care plan for a family. This paper will discuss the nurse’s role in family assessment and how this task is performed. A nurse has an important role in health promotion. To perform these tasks the author has chosen a nuclear family. By the use of family focused open ended questions, 11 functional health patterns were covered. This principle is known as the Gordon’s functional health patterns.Read MoreFamily Health Assessment1375 Words   |  6 PagesFamily Health Assessment Using Gordon’s functional health patterns to assess a family will guide the nurse in developing a comprehensive nursing assessment that is holistic in nature. Gordon’s functional health patterns are founded on 11 principles that are incorporated within the nursing practice. These 11 principles serve as a framework for a thorough nursing assessment in which to build a holistic and individual family care plan (Grand Canyon University, 2011). The author has developed family-focusedRead MoreFamily Health Assessment1150 Words   |  5 Pagesremember the family has an important role in the paradigm of health promotion for the patient. The roles in which the family plays in assisting the patient and providing care are crucial to the health of the patient and the well being of the family as a whole. One tool to assess not only a patient and their views on different aspects of health, but an entire family or even community is Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns. This as sessment tool incorporates eleven topics of health patterns. Health patternsRead MoreFamily Health Assessment1461 Words   |  6 PagesHeritage Assessment: Evaluation of families, cultures and views on health Anniemae Stubbs Grand Canyon University Culture and Cultural Competency in Health Promotion NURS 429 Professor Alma Celaya June 19, 2016 Heritage Assessment: Evaluation of families , cultures and views on health Cultural Heritage is a concept that is passed on from one generation to the next that depicts how people live, act, behave, or think. It can be a noticeable or vague manifestation. It includes various customsRead MoreFamily Health Assessment1085 Words   |  5 PagesFAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT This assessment was conducted after interviewing the Nelson family using Gordon’s functional health pattern. Marjorie Gordon developed a method to be used by nurses in the nursing process to provide a comprehensive nursing assessment. It includes eleven principles for the collection of data and helps the nurse identify two or more wellness nursing diagnoses. It is a systematic and standardized approach to data collection (â€Å"functional health† n.d.)Read MoreFamily Health Assessment : Family Assessment Essay1469 Words   |  6 PagesFamily Health Assessment Family is so important in the society and it is a blessing from God. Healthy behaviors learn from within the family and family member’s stimulus one to each other with health promotion practices. There fore, the health behaviors are very essential in the family assessment and which notifies health-promotion and disease-prevention. Within families, members will be the first one to learn about to promoting health. Families have impact on children’s lifestyle choices. The AmericanRead MoreFamily Health Assessment1465 Words   |  6 PagesFamily Health Assessment Family health and wellness can be influenced by many factors such as society, culture, religion, and family members. Somehow, society, culture, religion and families are connected to each other. To understand an individual, it’s important to understand the family system of an individual. Health practices, whether effective or ineffective, are activities performed by individuals or families as a whole to promote health and prevent disease (Edelman, 2010). A family healthRead MoreFamily Health Assessment1537 Words   |  7 PagesFamily Health Assessment Melody Moore Grand Canyon University NRS-429V Instructor: Renita Holmes May 10th 2013 Family Health Assessment A comprehensive family assessment provides a foundation to promote family health (Edelmanamp;Mandle, 2011).Gordon’s functional health patterns is a method developed by Marjorie Gordon in 1987 in which she proposed functional health patterns as a guide to establishing a comprehensive data base.(Kriegleramp;Harton,1992).Gordon’s eleven functional healthRead Morefamily health assessment1396 Words   |  6 PagesFamily Health Assessment A family consists of a group of interacting individuals related by blood, marriage, cohabitation, or adoption who interdependently perform relevant functions by fulfilling expected roles. (Edelman, Kudzma, Mandle, 2014, p. 150) The family has various functions that include teaching members’ values, morals and beliefs as they relate to health practices. Health can be defined as a complete state of wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease. Gordon’s functional healthRead MoreFamily Health Assessment1196 Words   |  5 PagesRunning head: FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMEN Family Health Assessment Open-Minded, Family Focused Questions: I interviewed my dad on all11 Functional Health Patters. Values, health perception: 1. Do you have any past medical history like surgery or chronic illness? 2. Do you use tobacco, alcohol or drugs? 3. Are you taking any prescription/nonprescription medications? 4. What religion are you? 5. Is there any religious restrictions or practices? Nutrition: 1. Are you in any kind of diet

Autism Is A Genetic Disorder - 907 Words

Although autism has spread globally, scientists continue conducting research to identify the precise causes. More specifically, they are zeroing in on genetic mutations, brain chemistry abnormalities, and maternal factors. One possible cause that can lead to autism is genetic mutations. First of all, families studies indicate that children can affected by autism through heredity. It is true that children inherited some characteristics from their parents. This is because a chromosome of a child produced by one chromosome father and the other one from mother, which formed as DNA. As a matter of fact, if parents have some genetic disease, they can pass it to the offspring through DNA. In same way, because autism is a genetic disorder, it can pass down generation. In fact, according to Cowley (2000), the prevalence of having autistic child is 5% of family who already has this disorder, which means around 25 times the normal average. Clearly, inheriting autism through families result in i ncreasing the number of autistic children in the population. Another evidence shows that autism can caused by inheriting genetic disorder is through conducting twins studies. There are two types of twins. First one is identical twins, which formed by splitting one fertilized egg and then developed in two babies. Therefore, they are sharing the same genetic codes. However, this different from fraternal twins who do not share the same genetic information because they are formed by twoShow MoreRelatedAutism Spectrum Disorder And Genetics1437 Words   |  6 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder and Genetics ASD stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder and since the early 1900’s; it has been a mystery to many researchers and psychologists. Autism is usually noticed in the first three years of life but there are many theories on which it comes about. Before the 1940s, children who showed signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder were labeled schizophrenic, emotionally disturbed, and psychotic (Kartemquin, 2008). Not until about 1943 did Leo Kranner give a clear definition forRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder : A Genetic Disorder2166 Words   |  9 PagesRFT(W) 12 Professor Raths Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder, or Autism, is a genetic disorder that now affects approximately one in sixty-eight children. Autism is a disorder that affects a childs ability to develop normally and communicate effectively. Autism is found in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups (â€Å"Data Statistics†). With modern treatments, it is possible for a child with autism to live a somewhat normal and healthy life. The word â€Å"autism† was first used about oneRead More Genetics and the Possible Causation of Autism Spectrum Disorders1477 Words   |  6 Pagespsychiatrist, began using the term â€Å"autism†, which stems from the Greek word â€Å"autos†, meaning â€Å"self.† Bleuler used the term to describe a group of symptoms seem in patients suffering from schizophrenia. Essentially, the term means an â€Å"isolated self† or a person excluded from social interactions. In the 1940s, researchers in the United States modified the term to describe children who experienced emotional or social problems. Thus, relinquishing the word â€Å"autism† from its connection to schizophreniaRead MoreEthical Implications Of Mandatory Genetic Testing For Autism Spectrum Disorders2398 Words   |  10 PagesImplications of Mandatory Genetic Testing for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children For most of the 20th century, scientists were not equipped with the technology while parents were not fully aware of the social, behavioral, and communicative challenges associated with children having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Abnormal symptoms, ranging from repetitive behaviors to developmental and social disabilities, were previously diagnosed as other neurological or psychological disorders such as schizophreniaRead MoreGenetic And Epigenetic Influences On Autism Spectrum Disorders : A Role For The Methyl1619 Words   |  7 PagesGenetic and epigenetic influences in autism spectrum disorders: A role for the methyl CpG-binding protein in Rett syndrome. The genetics of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) rarely display a Mendelian mode of inheritance, and can result from a single rare gene mutation, more common variations in single nucleotide polymorphisms, or often a combination of these two factors in conjunction with environmental influences [1]. In contrast, epigenetic mechanisms are heritable changes in gene expressionRead MoreCommon Chromosomal Abnormalities Associated With Autism1434 Words   |  6 PagesFive other gene disorder that contributes to autism are (1) EN2 (Engrailed 2) involved in cerebellum development. (2) GABR (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid Receptor) regulates brain cell migration. (3) OXTR (Oxytocin Receptor) participating in the response to stress and social skills. (4) RELN (Reelin) involved in neuronal migration in the developing brain. (5) SLC6A4, a serotonin transporter gene† (Johnson, Giarelli, Lewis, Rice, 2013). As a result of all the researches done several chromosomal lociRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder1493 Words   |  6 PagesAutistic spectrum disorder is caused not only by environmental factors but also by genetic inheritability. This disorder can range from mild to severe and is shown in many different forms. Symptoms include speech impairment, disorganized language; sensory processing disorder which causes absent responses, sleep disorders, depression and anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and many more. Diagnosing autism does not include medical test but instead a team of physiologists and physicians observe theRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder728 Words   |  3 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by a combination of abnormalities in language, social cognition and interaction, and mental flexibility. ASD is not a single disorder, but rather a neurodevelopmental syndrome. (Autism Speaks) Research shows that a combination of genetic and environmental factors leads to the abnormal brain development that underlies autism. The concordance rate for monozygotic twins is much higher than for dizygotic twins, roughly 2:1, indicating that there are bothRead MoreA Research Topic On Autism Spectrum Disorder Essay965 Words   |  4 Pages Ariel Robinson Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disorder that displays characteristics of impairments in social interactions and communication, obsessive interests, and repetitive behaviors.1 The DSM-5 characterizes Autism Spectrum Disorder as range of symptoms with varying severity, hence the term â€Å"spectrum†.2 Currently, scientists do not know the exact cause of autism. However, it is agreed upon that the underlying cause is highly likely to be influenced by genetic heritability.3,4Read MoreWhat Do We Know About Autism Spectrum Disorder?1390 Words   |  6 PagesAbout Autism Spectrum Disorder? Actress Holly Robinson Peete once stated, â€Å"I m not a doctor or scientist. I m just a mom. But I do think there s a genetic predisposition, and there are environmental triggers. I feel like that combination, in my child s case, is what resulted in autism.† Holly Robinson could have not said it in a better way. What is the cause of autism? Is autism solely caused by genetics or a combination of genetics and environmental influences? What does make up autism spectrum

Union Station Massacre free essay sample

A discussion of the Kansas City Union Station Massacre that occurred in 1933. A scene-by-scene account of the massacre that took place on June 17, 1933 by Frank Jelly Nash . It provides a background bio of the murderer, describing his previous crimes and convictions. It then provides details of the events as they unfolded, the shootout itself and the police actions that followed. Investigations and follow-up reports are also analyzed. The massacre all began several months before June 1933. Frank Jelly Nash was a famous murderer, train robber, and underworld figure. He had been involved in crime for 20 years, since 1913, when he and a young crony robbed a bank at Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Although barely out of his teens, Nash was ruthless: he killed his pal by shooting him in the back and ran off with all of the bank loot. Nash was captured and sentenced to life in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester (Breuer 78). We will write a custom essay sample on Union Station Massacre or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Kmml free essay sample

ORGANIZATIONAL AND FUNCTIONAL DETAILS OF THE KERALA MINERALS AND METALS LTD. (KMML) GENERAL Date of Incorporation:16th February 1972 Address:Sankaramangalam P. O Chavara, Kollam- 691 583 Phone/E-mail/Fax:0476 -2686722 to 2686733 (12 lines) [emailprotected] vsnl. net. in 0476-2680101, 2686721 Administrative Department:Industries department (Under Govt. ) Name of the Chairman:Sri. A. K LUKE. Name of the Managing Director:Sri. A. K LUKE. Present activities:Separation of Minerals and manufacturing of Tio2 Organizational Details Govt. f Kerala incorporated Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited in the year 1972 by acquiring the FXP Mineral plant (established in 1932) from a private entrepreneur. With share capital of Rs. 30. 93 crores, the plant had a total outlay of Rs. 144 crores. This is only the first fully integrated Titanium Dioxide plant in the world in the same campus. KMML has made an indelible mark in the field of mining, mineral processing and manufacturing. The company is Indiaâ⠂¬â„¢s first and only manufacturer of Rutile grade Titanium Dioxide by Chlorine route. We will write a custom essay sample on Kmml or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page KMML also manufactures mineral sand like Ilmenite, Natural Rutile, Zircon and Intermediary products like Synthetic route (Beneficiated Ilmenite), Titanium Tetra Chloride and converting the waste iron oxide in to bricks (towards zero waste technology) for building purpose. Originally, a rare earth mineral separation plant till 80’s, KMML began its prestigious pigment production with a licensed capacity of 48000 MT per year and the plant had an installed capacity to produce 22,000 MT Per year. The effort for debottlenecking and incremental expansion in the past years became a reality in 2005 and the installed capacity was declared as 40,000 MT per annum. Recently, KMML-ISRO-VSSC entered into an MOU for the production of Titanium Metal/sponge which is considered to be a milestone in the history of KMML. Functional Details The Kerala Minerals And Metals Ltd has two units viz, Titanium Dioxide Pigment Unit and Mineral Separation Unit. The organizational structure consists of a Managing Director assisted by two General Managers. There are Joint General Managers, Deputy General Managers, Asst. General Managers, Mangers in various depts. /sections of the company. The plant is functioning round the clock and the production process is arranged in three shifts viz, A,B and C with eight hours. The administrative wing is functioning in general shift from 9. 00 am to 5. 00 pm. The company has provided a subsidized canteen in the premises as per provisions of Factories Act. The manufacturing process is divided in to five units such as : 1. Ilmenite Beneficiation Plant (IBP) 2. Acid Regeneration Plant (ARP) 3. Units 200 4. Unit 300/O2 5. Unit 400 The other activities of the plant as a catalytic process to the production process are also divided in to many units / Depts. and they are: 1. Utility plant 2. Central Mechanical Repair Shop (CMRS) 3. Electrical Repair Shop (ERS) 4. Instruments Repair Shop (IRS) 5. Research Development (RD) 6. Marketing 7. Plant Technical Service (PTS) 8. Materials Dept. 9. Finance Dept. 10. Personnel Administrative Dept. 11. Projects 12. Mineral Separation Unit (MS Unit _____________________

Civil War Leaders essays

Civil War Leaders essays There were many sectional differences in ideas, leadership, and future plans for the United States. Leaders from both sides had conflicting objectives and intentions. Many issues were argued amidst the states and their leaders. Abraham Lincoln noticed the strong division growing between the northern and southern states and wanted to unit them. Lincoln wanted all states to be either slave or free just so long as they agreed. Confederate leaders however, did not want the uniting of states. They believed one government should not control all states; instead, they wanted individual states to be governed by themselves. A main divergence was the topic of labor. More specifically, what was the better system of production? What was the most civilized way of working? Factory workers and slaves were the main source of labor. Northerners were disgusted with the South for owning slaves. They felt slavery was immoral and decadent. Southerners, however, deliberated that the North were hypocrites because of their poor working conditions. The North relied on industries for income, and the South relied on cash crops. Mutually they believed their working arrangements were much better than that of the opposing side. Industries provided mass production of widgets and various parts for assorted machinery. Unfortunately, the majority of employment used for industrial labor was provided through the services of extremely young children (sweat shops). Because of the extraneous activities, the life expectancy became shorter. For the South, labor came from slaves. The slaves would mainly work on fields picking cotton, plowing and many other farming duties on plantations. Although living and working situations were at times considered better than those in the North, it wasnt justified. It was very difficult and demeaning. With the animosity growing, war was destined to occur. One interpretation for the cause of the Civil War w...

3 Punctuation Problems

3 Punctuation Problems 3 Punctuation Problems 3 Punctuation Problems By Mark Nichol In each of the three sentences below, the internal punctuation employed does not support the sentence construction. Discussion below each example explains how to provide sufficient scaffolding. 1. â€Å"Enjoy the break in the weather, a major storm is set to hit Northern California tonight.† This sentence contains a comma splice, it includes two independent clauses separated by a comma, which is insufficient to carry the load. (That sentence also suffers from a comma splice.) When a sentence is constructed like the example or the first sentence in this annotation when it could be divided into two smaller sentences do so, or at least replace the intervening comma with the sturdier semicolon: â€Å"Enjoy the break in the weather; a major storm is set to hit Northern California tonight.† (Alternatively, a colon or an em dash is sometimes appropriate.) 2. â€Å"But one thing is certain, belief in a fair press is gone.† If the first clause in a sentence is a setup for what follows, follow the first clause with a colon; as with the comma splice, the comma is too weak to sustain the transition: â€Å"But one thing is certain: Belief in a fair press is gone.† 3. â€Å"He had two handguns, a Glock 10 mm and a Sig Sauer 9 mm, and a Bushmaster rifle. The context may be clear in this specific sentence, but often, this construction is ambiguous. What appears to be two elements, â€Å"two handguns† and â€Å"a Bushmaster rifle,† interrupted by an interjection that precisely describes the first element, could also be interpreted as five objects described in three elements: â€Å"two handguns,† â€Å"a Glock 10 mm and a Sig Sauer 9 mm,† and â€Å"a Bushmaster rifle.† To eliminate the ambiguity, use parentheses or a pair of em dashes (whichever seems appropriate in the particular case) to set the annotation off from the rest of the sentence: â€Å"He had two handguns a Glock 10 mm and a Sig Sauer 9 mm and a Bushmaster rifle.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and Toes10 Colloquial Terms and Their MeaningsWhile vs. Whilst

How does the implementation of a quality managment system such as EFQM Research Paper

How does the implementation of a quality managment system such as EFQM or Six Sigma in the hospitality industry help improve th - Research Paper Example All the prominent organizations may have a well defined quality management system in order to ensure the quality of all the products or services offered to the customers by the organization. Earlier, in most of the organizations, a quality control (QC) division was functioning whereas at present instead of QC, Quality Assurance (QA) division is functioning. The change from QC to QA reflects the importance and changing concepts about the quality in organizational world. Service sector is one area in which quality plays a vital role in determining the success and failures of an organization. For example, in hospitality industry, the customers often compare the quality of services they received from different organizations before they select one organization. European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) and six sigma (Developed by Motorola Corporation) are the major quality management systems implemented in the hospitality industry at present. Both EFQM and Six Sigma have some meri ts and demerits. This paper briefly analyses how the implementation of a quality management system such as EFQM or Six Sigma helps the hospitality industry to improve the performance. ... â€Å"To achieve Six Sigma, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects/ million opportunities. A Six Sigma defect is defined as anything outside of customer specifications†( What is six sigma, 2010) (Jkerrigan, n. d) The basic architecture of six sigma includes five aspects; define, measure, analyse, improve and control. The organization which implements six sigma should define its objectives at first. Then the organization measures the output with the help of statistical analysis. If the output does not reach the six sigma mark, the process should be improved further and further till it reaches that mark. Proper control should be exercised while the organization strives for better quality and management practices. â€Å"Six Sigma is driven by the customer and thus aims to achieve maximum customer satisfaction and minimizing the defects. It targets the customer delight and new innovative ways to exceed the customer expectations† (Advantages and Disadvantages of Si x Sigma, n. d).The focus of Six Sigma implementation is attached to the customer. In most of the modern quality management systems customers are at the central point. All the quality improvement activities are rotate around the customer since the customer is the one who is capable of making or breaking an organization. Starwood Hotels and Resorts have already implemented the Six Sigma approach. Six Sigma at Starwood has helped improve the financial performance of the group by ushering in the quality and consistency of the customers' experiences. Six Sigma has also provided the guidelines and tools to create a consistently superior guest experience at all properties, and simultaneously improve the bottom line. The Six Sigma organization in the group reports to

Different phases of the project life cycle require a flexible approach Essay

Different phases of the project life cycle require a flexible approach in leadership style and skills - Essay Example Whenever we talk about the methods implicated in the project management we in general refer those methods towards the management of people as well as resources. The management of people is the management of workers. Management of people guides us about the roles and duties that a worker can perform in a project for making a project successful. It also guides management what type of staff should reserve for a specific project (Kerzner, 2003). A project manager or leader plays an important role in the success and failure of a project. This paper explains different leadership tactics and qualities during the different life cycle stages of the project. This paper explains the contemporary leadership traits, skills, and behaviors principles, comprising interesting developing views in the changing project life cycle stages, It has placed the gap between extant theory and leadership in technology projects lacks practitioner reflection-in-action, in that existing literature does not prove wh at effective global project managers actually do within the dynamic situational context of multiple competing demands. First of all we will discuss the qualities of a leader, the important point to mention is that: this section will discuss the project’s manger or leader’s project handling qualities, tests and important abilities that he must have in the changing environment. Then next section explains the different qualities and project management styles those are necessary for the project in the each life cycle stages of the project. The last section contains the conclusion and references. Suggested different project management approaches are correct for different stages of project (Kenneth, 1998). This would suggest that different project management styles, and thus different competency profiles and leadership styles for the project manager would be appropriate for different phases of project. Why we emphasis the leadership or its qualities, the

Emotion as Mediators Analytical Tool and Hurdle Essay Example for Free

Emotion as Mediators Analytical Tool and Hurdle Essay Emotion is often associated with feeling expressed in any situation at any given time an individual may encounter. â€Å"In psychology it signifies a reaction involving certain physiological changes, such as an accelerated or retarded pulse rate, the diminished or increased activities of certain glands, or a change in body temperature, which stimulate the individual, or some component part of his or her body, to further activity† (Microsoft ® Encarta ®, 2007). It is very peculiar for a person not to show any reaction to circumstances especially when provoked by another person he is in conflict with. In this light, the role of a mediator is very important in bridging the gap between parties in conflict to find a common ground that possibly move toward a resolution. This paper will discuss the vital role of emotion in conflicts. Considering that emotion is the center of creation and nature of conflict, the probability of managing conflicts may be influenced by emotion as well. The book Meditating Dangerously tells that â€Å"The ostensible purpose of mediation is to ameliorate danger, pacify hurt feelings, and create safe spaces within which dialogue can replace debate, where interest-based negotiation can substitute for a struggle for power† (p. 3). A challenge is laid on my table, to be able to answer how much emotion can only surface to make any progress in the case? How does a mediator controls his emotion over the case? Background of the study It was on 11th of April, 2008 when I first went solo as a mediator. Prior to my case was my friend Diego working on his case between a tenant demanding from her landlord. It was a messy case, but the point to me was how hard it was to manage the raucous lady. She kept screaming and interrupting the landlord and the mediator with her suffered pain with her grievance. It was to the point where we had a security coming in from other room to tell us to calm things down because there was a trial going in our adjacent room. Still she did not cooperate. Having to observe Diego went through a very hard time over his case with the uncontrollable lady and her landlord, the sense of trepidation that I felt had challenged me. I needed to manage my own case without having to go through the same traumatic experience. When my turn came, I had to face five ladies – three plaintiffs and two defendants. I laid out the general rule of explaining mediation as a voluntary process and the bound to confidentiality, etc. I wanted to make sure that my case will not go mishandled. Also, I wanted to assure myself and the parties involved that we are there to solve not a screaming spar like the previous case. During the debriefing with Professor Joshua Jack, he asked why did I say ‘respect’ and ‘no yelling’? By laying the ground rules in the beginning, did I hinder the parties’ true feelings to come out? Professor Jack gave further comments on my case: â€Å"Parties in conflict very often come into the mediation with strong senses of victimization, self righteousness, mistrust, and other negative judgments of one another. If a person thinks that the other is a liar and cheater both in this situation and generally, can they express this honest perspective and still be within the bounds of our rule? It is my view that, if we have any hope of facilitating any real transformation, we have to allow parties to express their true, even if ugly, perspectives. † If we tell people to be nice, they will sometimes accommodate us, but by squelching the expression of the true depth and magnitude of their experience and perception, we also squelch the potential for real transformation and resolution. † According to Bowling and Hoffman (2003), â€Å"The most direct and obvious impact that the mediator has on the mediation process comes from the techniques he or she uses to influence the course of negotiations. These interventions, based on the mediator’s assessment of the obstacles to settlement, might involve giving the parties an opportunity to vent emotional reactions to the dispute, encouraging the parties to focus on interests rather than positions, or helping the parties generate options for settlement† (p. 19). With all due respect to Professor Jack, I know he is a great and experienced mediator. However, as a new mediator, the first thing I want to do is to make sure I have the case in control with confidence. By saying respect, I gave the parties the notion that we are to discuss the dispute, and find a solution as educated people. With the said experience, Professor Jeanne Cleary gave her comments as well: â€Å"Tricky issue, how much control to start out with, based on past experience and with the understanding that the folks in front of you are new and not the past case. You will find your balanced style with this – between too much control that may stifle what’s really going on for them (which will most always include feelings) and too little control (which will be unproductive for folks to hear each other). Keep at developing your sense of that balance as you continue. † Emotional Intelligence as a Tool for Mediators It is not as strange as it may sound to mindfully express emotion with dignity still intact. Emotional intelligence, defined by Salovey and Mayer (1990) in their Ability Model as â€Å"the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions† is very helpful for a mediator in handling mediation between two clashing parties to surface the emotion and be adept at bringing out the feelings from the parties while remaining impartial. Caruso and Salovey (2004) expounded this model as four key emotional skills in Table 1. In this manner, Goleman’s (1998) (as cited in Johnson, Levine, and Richard, 2003) definition of emotional intelligence (EQ) â€Å"as the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships† (p. 317) was able to strengthen the argument of emotional intelligence as a tool for mediators. According to Johnson et al. (2003), â€Å"Allowing emotion to emerge in a mediation, however requires a mediator with a high degree of emotional intelligence †¦ improving one’s emotional intelligence is an essential development path for mediators. As EQ improves, a mediator becomes more comfortable with his or her ability to manage an emotional process successfully† (p. 155). Johnson et al. (2003) were also sharp by saying the essence of developing emotional intelligence because â€Å"Absent the ability to deal with emotions, the true power of mediation is lost. Absent the ability to create space for parties to express difficult emotions, it is unlikely that any resolution reached will last† (p. 164).

The Most Dangerous Game versus The Child by Tiger Essay -- essays rese

The conflict of good and evil presents itself in â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game† and â€Å"The Child by Tiger† in two completely different ways. One story being commercial fiction and the other being literary fiction, there are many ways of viewing variables such as good versus evil, realistic versus unrealistic stories and moral significance. The stories have different voices and are meant for different audiences, but in viewing the overall moral importance of both fictional works, the story with a greater moral significance is â€Å"The Child by Tiger†. The plot in â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game† is simple, obvious and unrealistic. There is a â€Å"good guy† trying to escape from the â€Å"bad guy† who lives on Ship-Trap Island. Rainsford clumsily tumbles off of his yacht into the â€Å"blood-warm waters† (59), starting the game. His belief that animals are unable to feel and understand fear makes him the perfect, unsuspecting prey in the irony of the story. The miraculous return of Rainsford to slaughter Zaroff is the most straightforward example to the unrealistic manner of this piece. In â€Å"The Child by Tiger† there is greater artistic unity in the series of events. Dick, a handyman to the Sheppertons, is a role model to the boys in the story and they look up to him because he is fun to be around and he teaches them good morals. The resignment of the cook and Dick’s pent-up feelings he keeps inside spark something in him to kill people. During Dick’s rampage, he kills not only white men but black men, too. He is not racist like the white people are—any person standing in his way gets shot. His act of murder is artistic and swift, he kills people with one, clean blow and moves on expressionless. This artistic massacre expresses some excellent charac... ...st person. The narrator is looking back on this story and remembering things from a child’s point of view. The reader only sees the narrator’s opinion in the story, but that allows the reader to have his own opinions as well, questioning the literary work constantly. This makes the story more complex and permits the reader to wonder what is going on inside each of the characters’ heads. In considering each piece of literary work, â€Å"The Child by Tiger† is the more intricate story of the two, and thus the most morally important. â€Å"The Child by Tiger† makes the reader look deeper into the story, questioning it constantly, enquiring what each symbol means and the importance of it in the story. Interrogations like that lead the reader to get a better insight to life by questioning it rather than accepting it page-by-page as one does in â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game†.

What Are the Problems Faced by Indian Educational System

What Is The Biggest Problem Facing Our Educational System Today? Education is a vast and broad subject, and has been a topic open to discussion for many centuries. In the broadest sense of the term, education is any experience or exposure to an act that will have a formative and learned effect on a person's character and mind. Modern education tends to mean the process by which a society will teach and pass on its broad knowledge, skill and values, from one generation to another.Education itself can fall into many categories, ranging from those that many will be aware of such as schools, colleges and universities, through to adult education and indigenous education. Educational systems are always likely to be affected by a number of economic factors. Monetary wise, funding and budgeting for education has always been a factor that faces governments worldwide.Education is essential for economic growth, theorist have found that a higher rate of teaching and education in society has a po sitive affect on the growth of a nation. Other problems that may face an educational system include the differentiation between students who attend public and private schools. Those who can afford private school are often seen to be given the best education possible, while children from a less privileged background are forced to attend public schools, which by default may not have as good a quality of teaching.Though in many examples this is not the case, the long standing stereotype still rings true in modern society, as those from a wealthier family often seem to progress further and quicker up the job ladder. Alternatively, other factors facing educational systems include a decrease in funding, larger class sizes, reduction in teaching staff and safety in schools

Existentialism and Human Nature Essay

Absolute individuality and absolute freedom: the basis of all existentialist arguments. The existentialist’s conceptions arise from their held views that since we are all ultimately alone, we have absolute freedom over our nature. Existentialists emphasize the â€Å"free and conscious self† which opponents constantly attack, exclaiming that there is a â€Å"higher power† enabling our consciousness. But are humans so simple? Can things be explained solely on blaming ourselves or another being for our nature? The existentialist generally believes in a sole existence; meaning that we are alone in the world, and that we have no one but ourselves. They also believe in the human being’s capacity to feel more than one kind of pain, and that there are three different levels to our pain, physical, psychological, and emotional. All of these types of pain can cause us to become irrational and anxious. But are we really anxious because of this pain, or is it because we ultimately feel alone? And if we are all individuals, can we really feel the same kind of pain as someone else? Existence precedes essence is also dominant in the mind and thoughts of the existentialist. That is, the idea that we are born into this world without a predetermined nature, and only later in life do we shape out nature through actions and choices. This opposes the traditional view that is that essence precedes existence, according to which we are seen as having a purpose, and values, all of which is determined before birth. (I personally think that the idea of essence preceding existence is rather obscure. There is no way that our values and purpose can be determined by genetic code. DNA is what we are, not who we are. ) Existentialists pose another question to the opposition: how can we be happy in a world devoid of significance and meaning? The loss of external values allows us to derive value from within ourselves. This value is greater than any imposed by outside forces, and thus cannot be taken away from said sources. Although many human beings live a life devoid of true happiness, it does not mean that we are incapable of attaining such a goal. If a person finds the meaning for their life, whether it be one meaning, or many, there is a large chance that they can achieve such a utopia without recognizing outside influences. People of different viewpoints follow different methods, as well as believe in different forces that shape our nature. It is in my opinion, as well as that of the existentialist, that we shape our own nature through decisions and actions made by our own free will; that we are ultimately free to act independently from the influences of outside forces. That we can ultimately ignore the views imposed on us, and achieve a sustainable level of happiness in the process. Human nature is a frail thing; people are just looking for someone else to blame for their actions and for who they are, even when there isn’t any. Therefore, there is no one to blame for who we are, but ourselves.

Robert E Lee essays

Robert E Lee essays Robert E. Lee, who was considered to be the greatest soldier fighting for the Confederate States of America, descended from a long line of famous heroes. Many of Lee's ancestors played important roles in America's history. His father was a Revolutionary War hero and a friend of George Washington. He was often referred to as "Light Horse Harry" Lee. Lee was born on January 19, 1807 in Stratford, Virginia. Lee always admired Washington, and was his hero as a youngster. Young Lee decided to become a soldier, partly because of the military tradition of his family. Lee enrolled in West Point Military Academy and graduated 2nd in his class in 1829. Lee majored in military engineering and supervised several army projects, he was named Second Lieutenant in the Corp engineers. His devotion and hard work in supervising harbor improvements in Saint Louis got him promoted to Captain in 1838. As a captain, his first experience in actual battle was in the Mexican War. He served under General Winfield Scott, and was the best engineer in General Scott's campaign. Lee's actions at the battles of Cerro Gordo, Churubusco, and Chapultepec received many high praises and earned him a reputation. General Scott claimed that the success of the war was due to Lee's bravery and skills, Lee was appointed the rank of Colonel. In 1582 he was appointed superintendent of West Point Military Academy. Under his service, James B. McPherson, Phillip Sheridan, and John Bell Hood would graduate from the academy, soon to be famous. Lee finished his duty as the superintendent in 1855, and served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Second Cavalry, stationed in Texas. In 1859, while serving in Texas, Lee was sent to command a group of Marines to suppress John Brown's uprising. John Brown was a northern abolitionist would believed a rebellion in the south would lead to abolition. He was taken down by Lee's forces ...

A Not Only . . . But Also Quiz

A Not Only . . . But Also Quiz A â€Å"Not Only . . . But Also† Quiz A â€Å"Not Only . . . But Also† Quiz By Mark Nichol The following ten sentences, in one way or another, violate the basic rules about â€Å"not only . . . but also† constructions or similar usage. Skillful writers have gotten away with casual deviations from strictly correct usage, but each of the sentences below can and, in my opinion, should be improved. Read this post for a refresher course before correcting these examples, all drawn from raw copy intended for publication, or take a look after you complete the exercise and then scroll down to compare your solutions with mine, located at the bottom of this page. 1. â€Å"These incidents are serious because they damage the credibility not only of the journalists directly involved, but all journalists.† 2. â€Å"But then there is Giacomo Junia, a contender from Chicago who is said not just to have used anchovies but Worcestershire sauce.† 3. â€Å"I saw the ruling as a broad promise, one that not only would open up public schools, but all avenues in America to blacks and to all people of color in the United States.† 4. â€Å"That’s why long-term city planning, not just piecemeal permitting, is not only helpful for the community but for the developers as well.† 5. â€Å"Alcoholism is seen as not only a physical and psychological disease but also a spiritual one.† 6. â€Å"They may not regard these locales as holiday sites, but rather as trustworthy countries in which to obtain the services they need.† 7. â€Å"Chemotherapy affects the ovarian tissues not only through inducing apoptosis of follicles themselves but also damages the adjacent tissue.† 8. â€Å"Not only would this count against the ethical propriety, it would also seem to render even more unlikely the result that the clone child would produce great achievements of benefit to society.† 9. â€Å"This solution could not only save the life of a sibling but also other family members.† 10. â€Å"They feel very empowered not just about learning the history but how they can apply what they learned.† Answers 1. â€Å"These incidents are serious because they damage the credibility not only of the journalists directly involved but also of all journalists.† 2. â€Å"But then there is Giacomo Junia, a contender from Chicago who is said to have used not just anchovies but also Worcestershire sauce.† 3. â€Å"I saw the ruling as a broad promise, one that would open up not only public schools but also all avenues in America to blacks and to all people of color in the United States.† 4. â€Å"That’s why long-term city planning, not just piecemeal permitting, is helpful not only for the community but for the developers as well.† 5. â€Å"Alcoholism is seen not only as a physical and psychological disease but also as a spiritual one.† 6. â€Å"They may regard these locales not as holiday sites but rather as trustworthy countries in which to obtain the services they need.† 7. â€Å"Chemotherapy affects the ovarian tissues not only through inducing apoptosis of follicles themselves but also by damaging the adjacent tissue.† 8. â€Å"This would not only count against the ethical propriety but would also seem to render even more unlikely the result that the clone child would produce great achievements of benefit to society.† 9. â€Å"This solution could save the lives not only of a sibling but also of other family members.† 10. â€Å"They feel very empowered not just about learning the history but also about how they can apply what they learned.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to Avoid50 Synonyms for â€Å"Idea†Quiet or Quite?

Multiculturism and Youth Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Multiculturism and Youth Development - Essay Example In addition, it has been observed that two deficits are commonly faced by youth which are more likely based on family and maternal education which plays an important role for them and it has been researched that mothers who are graduated have the least number of deficits. Another category of people are facing deficits like exPeriencing physical abuse and some Of them are likely victims of violence. Furthermore, one of the main reasons of such development growth is lack of material possessions or in other words poverty but poverty is not counted as a deficit because the research shows that interference of poverty in young people lives shows greater risk of adverse behaviors and insecure future. Risks of adverse behavior have become popular in different cultures which lead to disaffected and rebellious act. Most of the young people are experimenting unknown consequences of such acts by making up their permanent lifestyle. It is likely to be known as risky behavior because this indicate s that youth is on more serious and persecute path which can be unhealthy or dangerous for them such as depression which can leads to suicide or getting drunk. People of younger generation often indulge with others as well which can be high risk behavior pattern. One third of younger generation often indulge in none of such high risk behaviors where as females are fewer then males in young people category and they are often involved in multi risk taking patterns, minority of young people lives have become disastrous because of multiple risky patterns but as compared to the younger people, older people are reported more to be engaged in high risk behavior. However, these groups are divided into different types of communities and most of the times a group of young people in different community are not Getting engaged with high risk taking behavior. More importantly the average numbers of people who are not involved in this behavior of the most protect youth are also reported in such an act. People living in villages or farms and in country are least likely to experience problem in risk

History Early Christians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

History Early Christians - Essay Example Agnes shows the image of Mary placed between St. Peter and St. Paul with her arms extended towards the two saints. The increased interest in the Virgin Mary that was evident during the catacombs came about as a result of a new doctrine by the Church Fathers who represented the Virgin Mary as the â€Å"New Eve†. The church fathers taught that just in the same way that Eve had played an important role in bringing the downfall of Adam, the Virgin Mary as the New Eve had played an important role in the redemptive ministry of Jesus who was seen as the new Adam. According to this teaching, both Eve and Mary had played secondary but significant roles in the lives of Adam and Jesus2. Ideally, this understanding was not popular in the Apostolic church and hence the reason why there was little art depicting the Virgin Mary in the earlier period. Although Mary had been recognized in earlier literature within the church, the assumption by the Church Fathers that she participated in the work of Salvation with Jesus Christ had given her new status within the church. By the 3rd century, most people within the church had accepted the Virgin Mary under the title â€Å"Mother of God† even though this title had not been solemnized until two centuries later. Under this new status, praying directly to Mary was no longer seen as idolatry but rather as a spiritual communication with God3. By the time the Council of Ephesus was convened in 431 A.D., where the Virgin Mary was officially christened as the â€Å"Mother of God† there were numerous cathedrals that had been dedicated to her name in most parts of Rome and Jerusalem and this was also the time within which art was also developing. After the Council of Ephesus, the went through a flourishing period of dedication to the Blessed Virgin in most parts of the East and the West and the quantity of this dedication was mostly brought out through art. This devotion

Police Discretion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Police Discretion - Research Paper Example This is the soul essence of the report, the police officer and his judgment actions at the spot, in the field at a particular instance; a fact that differentiates a good officer from an average one. Definition Discretion can be described as a police officers’ will to act upon a certain situation or not and in what way. That is for example whether to stop a speeding motorist, book him or leave him with a gentle warning. The definition may be true but more often than not discretion is associated with use of force in the field. This discretion can be in either deciding to see force and if using so, how much and to what extent (Hunt 1985). Another school of thought preaches that the discretion of a police officer is with regard to the time spent on the situations coming across his desk or field when deployed. This can be explained by the example of a police officer helping a stranded motorist, using his duty time as a service duty, where as he could have avoided this situation (En gel 2007). Advantages The first and foremost benefit of handing over powers to a policeman in the field is the amount of time saved while taking a decision. Just imagine the hassle for a field person to refer to headquarters for each and every decision he has to take in the field. Therefore having discretion in his own hands, allows him to save time and act within the safe time region, where minimum damage is occurred to the law and order situation. Another positive that comes out from added discretion is primarily based upon the financial and physical resource distribution. In layman terms, the number of policemen, jails and courts are not enough for all the criminals to be given the same procedural approach. This will create havoc; hence the police discretion provides this advantage to the justice system (Goldstein 1977). If each and every discrepancy in the field or office needs a proper resolve, the men in the system will always be occupied with such minute stuff, making it very difficult for them to justify the call of duty for urgent pressing matters. Therefore a large force would be needed to do all this. So it can be easily said that saving resources is one of the largest benefit of putting authority in the hands of a police officer. (Engel 2007). Disadvantages The main problem associated with the above mentioned system is the lack of consistency as each officer has a separate way of perceiving the solution of the problem at hand which may result is disastrous situations. Behavioral patterns are very difficult to predict causing a massive dent in the police officer’s discretion supporters’ argument. This has seen to be the reason why there is an air of distrust on the officers on the part of the public which often leads to stand-offs between the two. Saying all this, the main problem is defined in all together another area. The most negative factor is the misuse of powers from the police. This often leads to violation of basic rights spec ially those which require body searches, property searches and protection against self-incrimination (Walker and Katz 2002). Forced Existence and Intelligent Use Questions are often raised about the whole authority into the individual hands system. The real and practical question being; that whether the police system can function without the discretion in the hands of a

Health Essays Power Empowertment Promotion

Health Essays Power Empowertment Promotion Power and empowerment in health promotion: Discuss the implications of power and empowerment in community based health promotion. Chronic disease is now a major concern for the western world. No longer are infectious and acute diseases the leading causes of death in the UK, but chronic diseases such as cancers and obesity related disorders have now taken over as the biggest health threats to the general population. Many chronic disorders are a result, to some degree, of behavioural factors like lifestyle choices or diet. Lung cancer from smoking and Type II Diabetes through poor diet (obesity) and sedentary lifestyle are prime examples of the link between modern life and a shift towards chronic disease. As a result of this partially behavioural foundation to illness, there is the opportunity to change open to many people, and ultimately the ability to improve health and health outcomes such as life expectancy or quality of life. Health can thus be seen to be potentially determined by our actions. One way of letting people know what they should be doing to stay healthy or to improve their health is through health promotion. As set out in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (WHO, 1986), health promotion can be defined as the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health. To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, an individual or group must be able to identify and to realize aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the environment. The strategies used in health promotion programmes have been reported as diverse, through engaging in; awareness, information provision, influencing social policy, fighting for change and intervention type programmes. (Speller et al 1997) Traditionally health promotion has focused around education, prevention and protection interventions (Tannahill, 1985) and has been designed, implemented and evaluated from a top-down approaches and programmes. This is where behaviour change is generally the focus of outcome, and the issues that are being investigated are set by some form of authority, like a local health authority or even at a national level through the Government. Top down is thus where a small number of select people make the choices for people lower down the chain effectively a minority with power over the majority. Health promoters who operate in this capacity can thus be seen to hold and exert power over the population or different communities through their setting of the health promotion programmes, and through acting as gatekeepers of the information they choose to share. People in such decision-making positions may also have control over issues such as resource allocation and funding or who is given decision-making responsibilities (Laverack Laonte, 2000) and all of these factors work to take away power from the grass-roots / individual level. Real power is possessed by those who define the problem. (McKnight, 1999) Decision makers such as health promoters or authorities that dictate what people need, and what they can and cannot have in relation to health information, promotion and intervention also exert power over the population through creating individual dependency on health professionals for maintaining and responsibility for their health and wellbeing. The Ottawa Charter highlighted the need for health promotion to move beyond what is an essentially person-passive approach of receiving health promotion information and interventions, to one where individuals are enabled to become much more active participants with greater control over their health and well-being, and through instigating greater action on a community and group level. A concept known as empowerment with roots in social psychology constructs such as self-efficacy and health locus of control, refers to processes of social interaction of individuals and groups, which aim at enabling people to enhance their individual and collective skills and the scope and range of controlling their lives. (Erben, Franzkowiak Wenzel, 2000) Empowerment can thus occur at both individual and group levels, such as within communities. The basis of empowerment is essentially associated with the so-called bottom-up approach to health promotion (where the decision making process begins at the individual or group level, and these ideas are taken up the chain for approval and implementation) which has given focus to issues of concern to particular groups or individuals, and regards some improvement in their overall power or capacity as the important health outcome. (Laverack Labonte, 2000) Empowerment is seen as a particularly important strategy in enabling more marginalized groups of society, those who may be powerless in many other aspects of their lives as well as in regards to control over their health (Bergsma, 2004). The Ottawa Charter (WHO,1986) outlined the 8 fundamental pre-requisites it believed were necessary for attaining improvement in health and well-being; peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable natural environment, sustainable resources, and lastly social justice and equity. People from marginalized groups or those who are from a lower socio-economic-status (SES) background may have the basics of these elements, but not in the quantities or to the levels of those from higher SES groups. Difficulties in these areas that are common amongst marginalized and low SES groups each in themselves have implications for health (Bergsma, 2004). Low income families are more likely to have an unhealthier and less nutritious diet. This is thought to stem from financial considerations of buying some foods, but may also be a consequence of poorer education. Low SES neighborhoods are also generally found to be more stressful places to live. Higher crime rates, poorer community facilities and educational institutions have the potential of confounding the problem further. Types of work amongst different SES groups can affect health some of the blue-collar jobs types associated with low SES groups are catergorised as some of the most stressful work environments; those with low control and low decision authority such as factory work are thought more stressful than typical white-collar jobs like managerial work. Stress is well established as linked to poorer health through work like PNI (psychoneuroimmunology) where psychological stress can be translated by the body into physiological responses and cause short-term and long-term health problems (Karasek, Baker, Marxer, Ahlborn Thorell, 1981) as well as psychological distress. As factors such as low income (money worries) crime rates (living in dangerous neighborhoods) and work all and feelings of powerlessness and have the potential to cause high levels of stress, those that are experiencing a good number of these factors are likely to have poorer health (Bergsma, 2004) than those who do not have such worries or uncontrollable stressors. These factors can thus be seen to be to a large extent, difficult to control, and as such people can feel powerless to make any changes in regards to such difficulties, either through feeling that they would be unable to make any change especially making change as a lone individual (Erben, Franzkowiak Wenzel, 2000) or where through education or poor health people are not aware of what changes could help them, or being in a position to take any action. It is for reasons such as these that research have found that change in knowledge did not necessarily translate into behaviour change through action, or ultimately improved health of those within health promotion education programmes. Health promotion at an individual level may thus not be effective for all individuals who come to the education or intervention with different experiences or backgrounds. Educational level may dictate the level to which people can understand health promotion campaigns or the medical reasons why they may need to alter their behaviour. Health education promotion may also be unable to interest everyone due to the different motivations for change that people may have someone who is struggling to pay the mortgage bills to keep their house may have less motivation to ensure they are eating healthily to make sure they do not develop diabetes. These individual differences in regards to health may exert a potentially large detrimental effect on the efficacy of health promotion programmes when decision making in regards to targeted behaviour, resource allocation etc, have been made without consultation with those the intervention is designed for, as is the case in typically top-down programming approaches. Some authors have however argued that top-down and bottom-up programmes for health promotion need not necessarily operate on a mutually exclusive basis. (Laverack Labonte, 2000) These authors argue that the way in which bottom-up approaches can be incorporated into top-down programmes is through more subtle targeting of behaviours for change. The example provided by Laverack Labonte (2000) is through concern more with the group members experiences of empowerment in terms of the quality of their social relationships and self-identities than with changes in specified health behaviours. Programmes with this focus may create an environment conducive to, and a support network for people to begin to critically evaluate their health behaviour. A study involving a sample of lower income women and their concerns about themselves (body image, parental ability, managing household budgets etc) found that within the supportive environment of the group, the women began to perceive they had more control over their situation and through this an increased feeling of self-esteem through which they began to evaluate health concerns such as smoking. (Labonte, 1996; Kort 1990) In this capacity health promoters and authorities can retain control of resources and project design, although the direction of the project will be guided by a need raised by the community. Greater priority is thus gained from understanding what a group or community needs through its participation in early stages, and not assuming what may be effective (Laverack Labonte, 2000). Through this kind of design stra tegy the powerless are becoming empowered to participate in the orientation and type of health promotion they receive. Empowerment within health promotion can thus be seen to involve enabling people to take more control over their health, through teaching them the skills they need to do this; developing self-efficacy (confidence in ones ability to perform / complete a task) decision making and problem solving skills, and life skills like communication, in general. Empowerment reestablishes the individual with autonomy over their health. (Hubley, 2002) Implications of empowering people on an individual level with their health, means that people have the chance to assess what is important to them, and to be in a position of making an informed choice about what they could do to improve or resolve their health problem, and to have the skills and knowledge of knowing where to start in the correction process if they come to the decision that they do want to change. Giving someone the capacity to make an informed choice over their health does not however guarantee that they will always make the same choices as health promoters or authorities may wish them to, simply that the power has been given back to them on deciding how to proceed. Empowered individuals may subsequently decide to give up drinking but continue smoking for example. There will be consequences of individual decisions at higher levels resulting from empowerment; those that continue to engage in unhealthy behaviours that have also received empowering health promotion interventions have used health promotion resources as well as potentially needing healthcare resources such as hospital stays, surgery or palliative care later on in their life as a result of behaviours they engage in. People may also experience guilt and psychological distress after making decisions that result in a poor health outcome, or may feel under stress from the responsibility of making choices that can affect their health. Those that through empowerment have taken positive action in regards to their health may reduce their future needs for resources from the health service, and may spread knowledge such as health dieting and exercise engagement with their family and friends. There are therefore both positive and negative implications for enabling people to take the driving seat in decision-making for their health. Western contemporary society does however favor the notion of personal control rather than state control, and this therefore is complimentary to the notion of health empowerment within the health promotion perspective. Personal empowerment can be complemented through community empowerment. This model from a bottom-up approach, takes into account the many social inequalities that exist within society, and the effect that such inequalities have on the health outcomes for minority / marginalized or low SES groups, and the extent to which they can bring about change in themselves and their situations socially. Community empowerment looks at re-establishing peoples power in relation to these factors at a social and community level that is theoretically proposed as benefiting health. A community can be defined as a geographical construct, but can also relate to a group of people who share a sense of social identity, common norms, values, goals and institutions. (Bergsma, 2004) The community empowerment construct seeks to help people develop these skills within small groups or communities, in order to allow them to be in a position to participate in the decision making process within their wider community, over issues that will affect their health and their lives and control over personal, social, economic and political forces in order to take action to improve their lives. (Israel et al, 1994) One way through which communities can do this is through participatory action research, which is when professionals work in collaboration with communities to define issues, designing the research questions gathering and evaluating the data, and designing resolutions to the problems investigated and finally in acting out the change required. (Gebbie, Rosenstock Hernandez, 2002) Action within a community setting towards health is one of the five principles that were outlined in the Ottawa Charter, as the WHO believed that people needed to hold some degree of control over their living and working conditions in order to develop lifestyles conducive to health, (WHO, 1986) as community empowerment health promotion allows individuals to gain mastery and impact the social, environmental ad economic conditions that determine their health (Bergsma, 2004). Implications of working from a community empowerment model within a bottom-up health promotion strategy, can be seen to be more informed decision makers within health authorities and those in charge of resource allocation, through being better informed about community level need through the use of local knowledge. Through this strategy a number of positive implications are potentially viable in comparison to tradition top-down programmes. Decisions based on local knowledge of need are likely to result in better health change and outcome as resources are more appropriately targeted with a better understanding of the people the services are aimed at. Closer collaboration between health authorities and communities is likely to create stronger collaborative relationships, which can create an environment of trust and openness. This has positive implications two ways, firstly through a more open relationship individuals within a community may more honestly assess their health behaviours and need through which authorities will be able to target resources even more efficiently. Within the community itself, collaborative work will continue to empower individuals allowing community participation to evolve to higher capabilities over time. On the more negative side, community empowerment initiatives that do not reflect the community perspective are likely to be construed as a waste of time by those who have participated, and this may cause distrust within the community towards health authorities and future health promotion initiatives, through the community disengaging with the health authority, health services, or future research, or resisting health promotion programmes. In summary, traditional top-down health promotion programmes can be seen to have operated in a way in which a minority had power over those which it aimed to help, through the control it exerted in regards to targeting health behaviours for change, resource allocation, information gate keeping, and dependency of health professionals to make decisions over individual health. This is compounded further for groups who are already marginalized within society, who have little control over other aspects of their living and working conditions, which have the potential to influence their health status power is associated with health to the extent to which those with the least power, have the poorest health. Bottom-up approaches to health promotion have begun to readdress the balance of power, through the use of empowerment strategies on both an individual and community level, in order to get people back involved (and capable) of making decisions about their health. It is found that empowerment on both these levels has a number of implications (positive and negative) for the individual and society in general, although it is felt that empowerment is more conducive to our notion of what society should be, and the power that individuals should have of making informed decisions over their own health. REFERENCES Bergsma, L (2004) Empowerment education American Behavioural Scientist Vol.48, 2Erben, R. Franzkowiak, P Wenzel, E (2000) People empowerment vs. social capital. From health promotion to social marketing Health Promotion Journal of Australia ol.9, 3Gebbie, Rosenstock Hernandez (2002) cited in Bergsma, L (2004) Empowerment education American Behavioural Scientist Vol.48, 2Hagquist, C Starrin, B (1997) Health education in schools from information to empowerment models Health Promotion International Vol.12, 3Hubley, J (2002) Health empowerment, health literacy and health promotion putting it all together Review paper, LeedsIsrael et al (1994) cited in Judd, J. Frankish, J Moulton, G (2001) Setting standards in the evaluation of community-based health promotion programmes a unifying approach Health Promotion International Vol.16, 4Judd, J. Frankish, J Moulton, G (2001) Setting standards in the evaluation of community-based health promotion programmes a unifying approach Health Pr omotion International Vol.16, 4Karasek, Baker, Marxer, Ahlborn Thorell (1981) cited in Bergsma, L (2004) Empowerment education American Behavioural Scientist Vol.48, 2Kort (1990) Laverack, G Labonte, R (2000) A planning framework for community empowerment goals within health promotion Health Policy and Planning Vol.15, 3Labonte (1996) cited in Laverack, G Labonte, R (2000) A planning framework for community empowerment goals within health promotion Health Policy and Planning Vol.15, 3Laverack, G Labonte, R (2000) A planning framework for community empowerment goals within health promotion Health Policy and Planning Vol.15, 3Laverack, G Wallerstein, N (2001) Measuring community empowerment: a fresh look at organizational domains Health Promotion International Vol.16, 2McKnight (1999) cited in Bergsma, L (2004) Empowerment education American Behavioural Scientist Vol.48, 2Speller et al (1997) cited in Laverack, G Labonte, R (2000) A planning framework for community empowerment g oals within health promotion Health Policy and Planning Vol.15, 3Tannahill (1985) cited in Laverack, G Labonte, R (2000) A planning framework for community empowerment goals within health promotion Health Policy and Planning Vol.15, 3WHO (1986) Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion First International Conference on Health PromotionWHO (1997) New players for a new era Leading health promotion into the 21st century Jakarta Declaration

Schizophrenia Essay -- Schizophrenia Essays

Schizophrenia is a serious, chronic mental disorder characterized by loss of contact with reality and disturbances of thought, mood, and perception. Schizophrenia is the most common and the most potentially sever and disabling of the psychosis, a term encompassing several severe mental disorders that result in the loss of contact with reality along with major personality derangements. Schizophrenia patients experience delusions, hallucinations and often lose thought process. Schizophrenia affects an estimated one percent of the population in every country of the world. Victims share a range of symptoms that can be devastating to themselves as well as to families and friends. They may have trouble dealing with the most minor everyday stresses and insignificant changes in their surroundings. They may avoid social contact, ignore personal hygiene and behave oddly (Kass, 194). Many people outside the mental health profession believe that schizophrenia refers to a â€Å"split personalit y†. The word â€Å"schizophrenia† comes from the Greek schizo, meaning split and phrenia refers to the diaphragm once thought to be the location of a person’s mind and soul. When the word â€Å"schizophrenia† was established by European psychiatrists, they meant to describe a shattering, or breakdown, of basic psychological functions. Eugene Bleuler is one of the most influential psychiatrists of his time. He is best known today for his introduction of the term â€Å"schizophrenia† to describe the disorder previously known as dementia praecox and for his studies of schizophrenics. The illness can best be described as a collection of particular symptoms that usually fall into four basic categories: formal thought disorder, perception disorder, feeling/emotional disturbance, and behavior disorders (Young, 23). People with schizophrenia describe strange of unrealistic thoughts. Their speech is sometimes hard to follow because of disordered thinking. Ph rases seem disconnected, and ideas move from topic to topic with no logical pattern in what is being said. In some cases, individuals with schizophrenia say that they have no idea at all or that their heads seem â€Å"empty†. Many schizophrenic patients think they possess extraordinary powers such as x-ray vision or super strength. They may believe that their thoughts are being controlled by others or that everyone knows what they are thinking. These beliefs ar... ...ected over another because it has less chance of damaging a diseased liver, worsening a heart condition, or affecting a patient’s high blood pressure. For all the benefits that anti-psychotic drugs provide, clearly they are far from ideal. Some patients will show marked improvement with drugs, while others might be helped only a little, if at all. Ideally, drugs soon will be developed to treat successfully the whole range os schizophrenia symptoms. Roughly one third of schizophrenic patients make a complete recovery and have no further recurrence, one third have recurrent episodes of the illness, and one third deteriorate into chronic schizophrenia with severe disability (Kass, 206). Bibliography BIBLIOGRAPHY Arasse, Daniel. Complete Guide to Mental Health. Allen Lane Press,New York, 1989. Gingerich, Susan. Coping With Schizophrenia. New Harbinger Publications, Inc. Oakland, 1994. Kass, Stephen. Schizophrenia: The Facts. Oxford University Press. New York, 1997. Muesen, Kim. â€Å"Schizophrenia†. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation, 1998. Young, Patrick. The Encyclopedia od Health, Psychological Disorders and Their Treatment. Herrington Publications. New York, 1991.

Analysis of Challenges in International Management Essay

Analysis of Challenges in International Management† Abstract The following essay analysis the challenges in International Management with particular regard to the challenge of â€Å"culture† in international business as it is the must difficult to deal with and being essential for successful results in a wide range of global management tasks nowadays and in the future. Introduction Today successful international management requires more than a lot of frequent flyer miles or seasoned expatriate managers. But what are those exclusive challenges of international management in today’s world? The importance of international management is constantly increasing, as we exist in a world where globalisation is affecting the traditional borders in a broad range of areas. †¢Trade and investment, †¢Economic alliances, †¢The international stage players, and †¢The work environment are changing rapidly, being supported by the increasing sophistication and lower cost of information technology. World trade and investments are growing fast (the volume of world trade among countries has grown at an average rate over 8% since 2005 (WTO 2008)), linking the economies and creating opportunities and threats. New, strong and forced competitors are coming from developing nations in Asia and the transitioning economies of Eastern Europe. Furthermore, the constantly rising level of foreign direct investment also has a globalising effect (Thomas 2002). Moreover, the emergence of the free-trade areas drastically decreased traditional economic boundaries. So do the three largest groups, the EU, the NAFTA, and the APEC, account for nearly half of the world’s trade (Cullen 2002) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) now has 140 member-nations, aiming to reduce tariffs and liberalize trade. But globalization also affects the work environments within organizations. Changes involve cutbacks, team-based management movements and privatization. For instance, there can be factory closings, as Nokia closing their German plant in Bochum moving to Romania, because of cheaper labour. All in all, as one key consequence of globalisation, international managers nowadays have to face a more dynamic, complex, competitive and uncertain environment and need skills (as a global mindset or the ability to work with people from diverse background) not considered necessary for domestic-only managers. The environment of international management can be divided into †¢economic, †¢legal, †¢political, and †¢cultural factors (Thomas 2002). So for making decisions it is essential to understand the economic strategies of the countries in or with one wants to conduct business with, because level of economic development and quality of life differs extremely worldwide. Furthermore, there are various national sovereign laws and regulations existing in the world which have to be observed and made allowance for. And in addition, there are several varieties of political systems (e. g. , theocratic totalitarianism in Saudi Arabia), containing different levels of political risks which have to be managed. For instance, decision makers have to able to estimate the degree of risk associated with a government’s involvements in business affairs depending on characteristics of their company. All these factors present impressive challenges multinational management has to face. However, the management challenge of culture and its effects on business practices and organizations is one of the most difficult to deal with. As conducting business with people from other cultures will never be easy you have to understand how culture affects management and organizations. â€Å"Culture† is a concept borrowed from cultural anthropology and there are numerous and subtle different definitions. As each definition has limitations focussing on international management the following description of Geert Hofstede seems very helpful. He defines the culture of any society as comprising shared values, understandings, assumptions and goals learned from earlier generations, imposed by present members of a society and passed on to succeeding generations (Hofstede 2008). Culture is something shared by members of a particular group, differentiates humans from other groups, is transmitted through the process of learning and adapts to external and internal environments and relationships. The international businessperson needs to be aware of three levels of cultures that may influence multinational operations. These include national culture, business culture, and organisational cultures (Cullen 2002). National culture can be described as the dominant culture within the political borders of a nation-state. But one has to be aware that multiple cultures can exist within political boundaries and they do not necessarily reflect cultural borders. For instance, Canada being home to Anglophones and Francophones. Furthermore, even relatively homogenous cultures can have diverse subcultures, including cultural differences which are affecting the international business. Nevertheless, as most business is conducted within the political borders of a state and nations can be defined as political unities, varying in governmental, legal, educational, institutional and labour systems, influencing the way people interact with their environment (Thomas 2002), national culture has the greatest effect on international business being probably the most logic starting point trying to understand the cultural environment. Business culture, reflecting the national culture, influences all aspects of work and organizational life (e. g. , motivating staff, negotiating with business partners, etc. and knowing it’s basic requirements (e. g. , what to wear to business meetings, business etiquette is more formal in Germany than in the U. S. with conservative dark business suits, etc. ) is essential for the international manager. Moreover, especially in the last few years, people realized that the â€Å"culture†-concept also holds for individual organizations. So may differences in organizational culture may be one reason why the merger of two otherwise successful companies failed. It is important to evaluate the influence of organizational rules, norms and procedures to understand the causes of behaviour in organizations. With shared behaviours, conditional relationship, being socialized into and partly involved in it, etc. organizational culture differs in construction and elements of national culture. Even so understanding these cultural factors is fundamental for international managers conducting international business, they have to be aware that â€Å"cultures† can just offer wide guidelines for behaviour, as for instance organizational cultures differ within any national context and individuals vary in each culture level. One cannot predict exactly how each person acts, feels, thinks, etc. Nonetheless, broad generalization about a culture provides a level of analysis from which to begin to understand the cultural environment and the complexities of cultural differences, because management functions such as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling in a global economy have to account for them. As international managers have to face various cultural challenges testing their management abilities they must be able to unpack the culture concept. Therefore the basic concepts of cultural dimensions can help them understand how two or more cultures might be different. An essential implication of these frameworks referring to international management and culture is that cultural interpretation and adaptation are a prerequisite to the comparative understanding of international management practice (Morden 1995). The following sections describe two popular models. Hofstede’s Culture Model This Framework, created by dutch scientist Geert Hofstede and based on a research over 11600 people in 50 countries (starting with 39 IBM subsiadiaries worldwide), tries to evaluate how basic values underlay organizational behaviour. National differences are investigated by five dimensions of basic cultural values: 1. Power distance 2. Uncertainty avoidance 3. Individualism 4. Masculinity and 5. Long-term orientation (Hofstede 2008). 1. This first value dimension refers to how cultures deal with inequality and tries to postion the inequality acceptance level by unequal power distribution society members. In countries with a high power distance acceptance (e. g. , such as Mexico), people respect and hardly ever bypass formal hierarchy positions (Elizabeth M. Christopher 2008). 2. The second value dimension concerns about the degree humans in a society are threatened by uncertain situations. The social system of a higher uncertainty avoidance society is dominated by regulations and rules, predictabilties and orders and people tend to be suspicious of change, whereas people from lower levels of uncertainty avoidance societies (for instance, countries such as Denmark). tend to be less formal, take higher business risks and plan and structure less 3. Individualism refers to the affinity to primarily take care of oneself and one’s direct family, and then to the rest of society (with the U. S. being a good example) (Elizabeth M. Christopher 2008). 4. The fourth dimension of â€Å"masculinity† concerns about the ranking of tradionally â€Å"masculine† values in a society, such as less concerning for others, materialism and assertiveness, whereas â€Å"feminity† on the other side emphasises the quality of life and relationships. 5. Long-term orientation cultures are insistent and saving (e. g. the culture of China) and short-term orientation is more self-centered, money-oriented and more social. All these factors are inter-reliant and interactive in their effects. So shows the Anglo-Dutch example Unilever the practicability of multinational enterprises where the power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and individualism values are similar; and where the masculine achievement orientation of the British complements the people orientation of the Dutch (Morden 1995). All in all, so there is a lot of criticism (for instance, the time-dependence of the results, the non-exhaustive investigation of only one multinational US company, etc. to these findings and the model of Hofstede, it is still a very valuable and useful â€Å"gift† for understanding culture and culture-based behavior. Trompenaars’ Culture Model The model created by Fons Trompenaars its also based on the researched of value dimensions. He studied the behavoiur of 15000 managers, representing 47 national cultures (Hampden-Turner 2008). Five of the seven dimensions of his model deal with the challenges of h ow people relate to each other: 1. Universalism versus particularism 2. Neutral versus affective 3. Specific versus diffuse . Achievement versus ascription 5. Time as sequence versus synchronisation The two final dimensions deal with how a culture manages time and how it deals with nature. They include: 6. The society-orientation to the past, present, or future and 7. â€Å"Control of† versus â€Å"accommodation with† nature 1. The value of univerlism refers to the application to systems and rules objectively, without taking consideration to personal circumstances, whereas the particularism culture (e. g. in countries as Spain) is more subjective and focusses more on relationships. 2. The second, the neutral-versus-affective, value dimension refers on the emotional orientation of relationships (such as expressing your feelings and emotions more like, for example, the Portugese). 3. In Addition the specific-versus-diffus dimension investigates if people from a special culture tend to be more or less specific or diffuse in their relationships (for example, Germans try to separate work and personal issues). 4. In the achievement-versus-ascription dimension, it is asked: †What is the source of power and status in society? † (Elizabeth M. Christopher 2008) So is for instance, in an achievement refering culture, the â€Å"status† of a person mainly based on it’s individual achievement (such as job performance, etc. ). 5. â€Å"Time as sequence† orientated cultures separate events in time (â€Å"step-by-step†), whereas â€Å"time as synchronisation†-orientated indiviuals manage events in parallel. (For example, if their business partners are not sharp on time, Germans, coming from a â€Å"time-as-sequence† orientated culture, may consider it an insultation). 6. This value dimension is about past versus future orientations. 7. Moreover, this dimension refers to the extent to which individuals feel that they themselves are the primary influence on their lives. Using this framework trying to understand some culture-basics some interesting patterns may emerge. Altough, being recognised for their validity (the results of these both major studies have some significant parallels, even so they were carried out in different times using different methods and examples), these concepts of cultural value orientation proposed by Hofstede and Tropmenaar can only give a basic framework for the analysis of cultural differences. They are utensils to help understand a culture and adjusting business practices to diverse cultural environments. They are for instance, a prerequisite to the successful new-market country entry, whether by setting up licensing or new subsidiaries, joint ventures, mergers or for the establishment of efficient programmes of international HR development (Kay 1993). But international managers have to realise that the understanding of another culture is a inexhaustible learning process. They will have to practice for their international work with or in other countries by studiying all that they can about the country, including more than just the business etiquette. Understanding the national culture builds just the foundation. As you seldom can get behind the front stage of culture without speaking the national language onother basic instrument is learning the language. But the challenge of â€Å"culture† in international management takes such much more than this. International managers have to broaden their understanding of cultural differences and to learn to seek advantage in differences. Understanding the culture is just a basis for the diverse international management tasks, as appropriate cross-cultural communication (using appropiate communication styles), effective and positive motivating and leadership in international organisations and across cultures, successful negotiation with international business partners and making ethically and socially responsible decisions. Conclusion The environment of international management can be divided into economic, legal, political, and cultural factors, with â€Å"culture† being the most challenging and most difficult to deal with, influencing a broad range of management tasks. Providing oneself with the necessary knowlegde and understanding of the national culture of the country or the people one is conducting business with is essential and builds just the foundation for the successful complementation of global management tasks, such as for instance leadership in multinational organisations (where you have to have understanding of all three levels of culture; national, business and organisational culture, being different and influencing each other).

The Dominican Republic’s Expression

Abstract Merengue is the national music and dance of the Dominican Republic. Both tourists and locals enjoy partying to the sound of the merengue inside the bars and outside in the streets. Two major festivals with a merengue theme are celebrated in a year. This depicts the merengue as a critical part of the lives of the Dominicans. Merengue was even able to reach out overseas and be accepted by other countries like the USA and Puerto Rico. However, merengue had gone through a lot of trials before it got its distinction. It was initially rejected by the Dominicans because of its link to African music and because of its vulgar lyrics and taboo subjects. Widespread acceptance occurred only when the Americans came and became a cultural threat and when the dictator Rafael Trujillo declared the merengue as the national symbol. Since then, armed with its traditional instruments, the merengue became the soundtrack of the lives of the Dominicans. Merengue: The Dominican Republic’s Expression I.Introduction II.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Merengue History III. Merengue Instruments IV. Merengue Music V.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Merengue Dance VI. Conclusion Merengue: The Dominican Republic’s Expression People say that music is the universal language of mankind. However, in the case of the people of the Dominican Republic, it is not just a language; it is an expression and a way of life. Walking through their streets, one would notice that music coming from houses, vehicles, stores and restaurants serves as the country’s soundtrack. And soon after sunset, the air would be filled with life from the pulsing beats from the clubs that invites both locals and tourists to their dance floors. For the Dominicans, dancing is a practiced art and it is a pleasure for them to share their native dances to those willing to learn (Dominican Republic, 2005 and Hispaniola, 2008). Merengue is Dominican Republic’s most popular music and dance and is considered as the country’s national dance. The sound of the merengue is a combination of European, African and Eastern Cuban elements. It has a signature beat pattern that easily identifies it and requires the dancers to swing their hips in quick but fluid motion (Hispaniola, 2008). The Dominicans celebrate two merengue festivals, namely, the Santo Domingo Merengue Festival which is a seaside musical festival and the Puerto Plata Merengue Festival which is a festival in outdoor bars and in streets (Dominican Republic, 2005). The arrival of the merengue to the American soils was attributed to the Dominican immigrants to the country. And merengue became a worldwide phenomenon due to the increasing number of countries accepting it. It was even able to outsell salsa in the Latin America. This is the reason why I chose to write on the topic; I want to explore merengue to know why it has become a worldwide trend. Merengue History The roots of merengue are quite unclear and several theories are proposed. One theory is that a soldier, Tomas Torres, developed the music after the Dominican’s victory at the Talanquera battle. Another theory is that it came from upa, a Cuban music, wherein one part was called merengue (Tambora y Gà ¼ira, 1995). Even the roots of the name are still uncertain. Some say that the name came from the Haitian mereng, which developed from the music of the African slaves. Some even say that it came from the way the merengue was danced, such that the swirling and rapid crisscrossing steps reminded them of the beating of the eggs in making the meringue dessert (Highbeam Research, Inc., 2008). Wherever merengue came from, one thing is sure, that it evolved from something and became an integral part of the lives of the Dominicans. Merengue had gone through many problems before it was generally accepted as the national dance of the Dominican Republic. During the early 1900’s, the public was reluctant to accept it because of its nature; it has close links to African music and the lyrics were themed on sexual encounters and other socially taboo issues. It was only accepted by the masses after two important events. The first was during the American soldiers’ stay at the country from 1916 to 1924; the Dominicans slightly reduced the merengue’s tempo to allow the visitors to keep-up with the dance while maintaining their cultural identity. The second event was the former president Rafael Trujillo’s acceptance of merengue as the national symbol. This was due to the fact that Trujillo was born of a poor family and was prohibited from attending upper-class clubs, thus making merengue the status symbol of their class (Dominican Republic, 2005 and Salsa and Merengue Society, 1999). However, the vulgarity and sexual explicitness of the lyrics still produced oppositions until composer Luis Alberti was able to write a merengue with good lyrics entitled Compadre Pedro Juan which became identified as the merengue’s archetype. Since then, merengue has spread overseas through radio broadcasts and music recordings (Highbeam Research, Inc., 2008). Merengue Instruments The traditional merengue is composed of a three-piece band that includes a melodeon, an accordion-like instrument, a guira, a scraped cheese grater-looking percussion, and a tambora, a double-headed drum (Dominican Republic, 2005). The tambora is played by placing it horizontally across the thighs and hitting the right end with a stick and the left end with an open palm (Highbeam Research, Inc., 2008). However, the melodeon is not the initial instrument used for the harmony and melody; Dominican bandurrias, guitars, tres, cuatro and marimba, a wooden box with four to eight metal tongs that are plucked, are the ones initially used since they are the instruments owned by the common people (Tambora y Gà ¼ira, 1995). It is only when the Germans began to trade their accordions with the Dominicans’ tobacco that the accordion became a part of the merengue (IASO Records, Inc., 2008). It blended naturally with the merengue music and was helpful in making the sound cope up with the increasing audience size. Nevertheless, the one-row accordions of the Germans were later replaced by the saxophone due to the former’s inability to play sufficient major keys. The accordion was only able to come back when the two-row accordions were introduced (Salsa and Merengue Society, 1999). Up to the present, the music continues to evolve and adapt to the changes. Different instruments like trumpets, violin, flute, piano, electric and bass guitars, and bass drums are being used by different merengue musicians (Dominican Republic, 2005). Merengue Music There are several kinds of merengue music formed in the Dominican Republic and they differ only in their instrumentation. The most famous of which is the Merengue Cibaeà ±o, also known as Perico Ripiao and Merengue Tipico. It came from the El Cibao region of the country where merengue was first accepted and it is now considered as the â€Å"The cradle of merengue† (IASO Records, Inc., 2008). The name Perico Ripiao, which literally means ‘ripped parrot’, was derived from the wild country parties wherein, in the absence of other poultry birds, the parrot serves as the main dish. The local musicians who play at the said parties named their music after the dish (Grupofantasia). Merengue Cibaeà ±o’s musical structure has either two beats (2/4) or four beats (4/4) to the bar and uses the three traditional instruments in a manner wherein the tambora calls and the other two responds. This gives the merengue its signature and characteristic drive (Salsa and Merengue Society, 1999). The songs are normally composed in two sections. The first part is with a simple rhythm used to introduce the song’s lyrical and melodic content wherein the verses are just sung and improvisations are heard just at the end of the song lines. The second part is composed primarily of instrument improvisations wherein they play catchy riffs that help inspire and excite the dancers. Rhythms of the tipico merengue include the merengue derecho or the straight-ahead merengue which is the fast-paced merengue. The second rhythm is the pambiche or merengue apambichao which is slower and characterized by the dual strike rhythm of the tambora. The third rhythm is the guinchao which is a combination of the first two (IASO Records, Inc, 2008). Merengue Dance The merengue is a very easy dance and anybody, even with little training, could instantly dance it since the steps are made to be less complicated for beginners. Couples dancing the merengue vary from being too close such that only simple steps are done to being far apart such that there is space for turning combinations. It was said that the Dominicans prefer dancing further apart since they like to brag their fancy footwork. In addition, close body contact, for the Dominicans, are considered as pornographic and vulgar dance making them prefer dancing with a distance (Salsa and Merengue Society, 1999). The merengue dance is divided into three sections. The first is the paseo or promenade wherein couples walk slowly and talk with each other or with nearby couples. The second is the merengue which is first danceable part and is comprised of 16 or 32 repeated measures. The last is the jaleo which has four of eight measures and has a refrain that is repeated many tines. This is also the last danceable part of the music (Highbeam Research, Inc., 2008). Conclusion Merengue has been an integral part of the lives of the Dominicans. This could be attributed to the struggles of the merengue before it was fully accepted by the people. This made merengue more than their national dance, but also a way of expressing themselves. This attitude towards merengue made it appealing to other countries and enabled it to be accepted by them as another form of music and dance. The addiction with merengue was caught by other countries making merengue an international phenomenon. References Dominican Republic. (2005, October). Dominican Republic Music and Dance. Retrieved April 25, 2008 Grupofantasia. Merengue. Retrieved April 25, 2008 Highbeam Research, Inc. (2008). The infectious merengue.(history and influences of merengue music and dance). Retrieved April 25, 2008 Hispaniola. (2008). Music and Dance in the Dominican Republic. Retrieved April 25, 2008, from http://www.hispaniola.com/dominican_republic/info/society_music.php IASO Records, Inc. (2008). Merengue: Popular Music of the Dominican Republic. Retrieved April 25, 2008, from http://www.iasorecords.com/merengue.cfm National Geographic Society. (2008). Dominican Republic. Retrieved April 25, 2008, Salsa and Merengue Society. (1999). Merengue: The Dance. Retrieved April 25, 2008, from http://www.salsa-merengue.co.uk/revealit/dancemer.html Salsa and Merengue Society. (1999). Merengue: The Music. Retrieved April 25, 2008, from http://www.salsa-merengue.co.uk/revealit/musicmer.html Tambora y Gà ¼ira. (1995, June ). Merengue History. Retrieved April 25, 2008, from http://www.mindspring.com/~adiascar/musica/merhst-e.htm