Positive discrimination Essay

â€Å"New Right Sociologists† would argue that this would be a disadvantage to the government as it would lead to an eventual reduction in the nation’s talent pool. However, it is important to note that the methodology used in the production of â€Å"The Bell Curve† is both dubious and highly doubtful. This is most vividly illustrated by the article Inequality by Design, written by the Sociology Department of UC Berkeley, which claims that the statistics used by Murray and Herrstein were flawed due to omissions and technical errors. On the other hand, â€Å"New Right Sociologists† also argue that ethic groups are disadvantaged because they refuse to integrate into their host society. A refusal to integrate may include a refusal to take on the norms and values of the host culture; or to learn the language. This prevents them from seeking opportunities and hence leaving them at a disadvantage. â€Å"New Right Sociologists† would henceforth argue that the state would have no responsibility whatsoever for self-made choices, and therefore that Positive Discrimination would be pointless and a waste of both time and resources. Neo-Marxists and Social Democratic/Left Wing sociologists would argue that because Ethnic Minorities suffer from ethnic discrimination as well as poorer life chances they require and need Positive Discrimination in order to ensure that they are able to reach the best of their potential. Neo-Marxist Sociologists would refer to the argument, as advocated by Stuart Hall of black people being scapegoat for economic and social problems in times of peril. This shows that people from ethnic minorities are blamed for causing problems, and hence are put at a disadvantage with other groups. This effect is then emphasized through the schema model, in which press coverage and blame of ethnic minorities leads to prejudice, prejudgment and in turn a disadvantage for minorities in regards to a wide range of areas, including life chances as represented through education, health and work. The prejudice caused by scapegoating leads to ethnic minorities being denied jobs in the primary job market, having to get by through the routine, ill paid and unskilled jobs offered through the Secondary Job Market. This in turn impacts greatly on all other aspects of their life, including where they live and the lifestyle they lead. Because ethnic minorities are tied to the secondary job market with lower wages, or languishing in unemployment, they end up residing in inner cities and other areas which are likely to be affected by what is described as the â€Å"Inverse Care Law† as coined by Hart, in which those who need the most access to services receive the least. Statistics from the Office of National Statistics show that ethnic minorities tend to have the worst self-reported health, live in overcrowded housing and smoke the most. This shows the fact that Ethnic Minorities, due to the lack of job opportunities, suffer from lower than average health and lifestyles. This, coupled with the fact that ethnic minority households are three times more likely to live in poor neighborhoods (Commission on Racial Equality, 2003) tells us that ethnic minorities do indeed suffer from lower life chances due to poor health, poorer education due to failing inner city schools and finally a cumulatively lower chance of success in life that other groups due to clear disadvantages in terms of health, education and job prospects. This clearly shows that Positive Discrimination in favor of disadvantaged groups is desirable as it allows for the disadvantages caused by ethnic discrimination and its knock-on effects to be limited if not redressed, hence increasing the nation’s pool of talent and preventing those who are capable from languishing behind due to disadvantageous conditions. Henceforth it can be said that Positive Discrimination in favor of disadvantaged ethnic minorities is both beneficial and disadvantageous depending on which perspective it is viewed from. However, it could be concluded with a degree of certainty that Positive Discrimination in favor of ethnic minorities is both a good government policy and advantageous to the country in question- as it allows ethnic minorities put at a disadvantage to compete on what amounts to nearer grounds to those from other ethnic groups that may enjoy an advantage, whether it be through wealth, power or better overall life chances. This allows for the meritocratic principles of Functionalism to occur on fair and even grounds- facilitating competition for roles and jobs between everyone on fair and even terms, hence allowing the best and brightest, regardless of ethnicity, to reach the very top and bring mutual benefits for society as a whole.

Reflection: Education and Reflective Practice Essay

The aim of this assignment is to give a reflective account on group presentation and the peer assessment process as well as the development of a personal action plan. It would involve using ‘The What? Model of Structured Reflection’ (Driscoll 2007) to analyse the experience of using a group designed assessment tool to assess my peers and the experience of being peer assessed. Additionally, experience of completing a group presentation would be reflected upon. A personal action plan which identifies areas for personal development and the designed assessment tool is attached as appendix 1 and 2 respectively. Reflection entails reviewing experience from practice so that it may be described, analysed, evaluated and consequently used to inform and change future practice in a positive way (Bulman and Schutz 2013, p6). Reflection could be (Oelofsen 2012, p4) in real time (reflection in action) or retrospectively (reflection on action). Several authors (Jay and Johnson 2002; Taylor 2006) have suggested the use of frameworks to guide students undertaking reflective writing. However, John (cited in Bulman and Schutz, 2013, p118) cautions that reflective frameworks are guides rather than a rigid prescriptive format. Jasper (2006) also warns that frameworks come with the author’s perspective and values base and leads reflectors in a specific direction. It is therefore imperative to be critical of the model of choice and adjust the framework to suit ones purposes so that it can be used effectively. Numerous frameworks for facilitating reflection are utilised in nursing (Doel and Shardlow 2009, p42) such as Gibb’s Reflective Cycle (1988) and John’s Model of Structured Reflection (1995). Following critical analysis, ‘The What? Model of Structured Reflection (Driscoll 2007) consisting of three simple questions; What?, So what? and Now what?, each with sub questions was chosen. The rationale for this choice is that this framework is comparatively simple (Howatson-Jones 2010), effective and very apt for novice practitioners but can equally be used at different levels (Jasper 2003, p99). Moreover, it can be used logically with any type of situation by using the cue questions which gives a deeper and meaningful reflective process hereby leading to the formulation of an action plan for the future. Furthermore, as opposed to Gibbs and John’s framework, it enables reflective activity to lead to action being taken rather than being proposed or tentative. The purpose of returning to this situation is to learn from the experience of using a devised assessment tool to assess my peers. Haven being divided into a group of four students based on our learning styles, each group was expected to design an assessment tool and carry out a presentation which is to be peer assessed. The group presentation involved presenting on one of the 3 future roles of a nurse: educator, manager or professional. Devising our assessment tool was very challenging as each member of the group brainstormed, shared views, and prioritised. Communication was done via emails, phone calls and meetings as agreed by all members. Effective team working was evident among all members. The assessment tool was amended based on feedback received from the lecturer. On the presentation day, majority of the students including myself were anxious as there was a misunderstanding of the date of presentation so were not prepared. Although, this affected the quality of our presentation as it was prepared under 20 minutes. However, students’ still proved that they could be innovative even under duress. The peer assessment process involved an individual assessment of each group’s presentation using our assessment tool and calculating the average to give the final grade. During this process, I realized how difficult it was assessing others and being assessed without being biased. It was particularly difficult to measure the criteria as our assessment tool was not explicit making it impossible to justify the marks awarded. It had too many separate components with inappropriate weighting which made it arduous and complicated in the averaging task. Although, the assessment tool appeared simple as it involved ticking boxes. However, it was diff icult to decide which boxes to tick because students demonstrated majority of the criteria but at different levels and this led to being over marked. It would have been more realistic to award marks to each criterion rather than ticking boxes. Hargreaves (2007) as well as Quinn and Hughes (2007, p270) propose that assessment tool should be both valid (assess what it claims to assess) and reliable (perform in a consistent and stable manner). It is of the opinion now following the assessment that our assessment tool cannot be considered valid and reliable for the following reasons. Learning outcome was not part of the criteria so it was impossible to make a judgement about the quality of the students’ presentation and thus could not be penalized. Hinchliff (1999) suggests that learning outcomes should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed (SMART). It should include an indication of the evidence required to demonstrate that learning has been achieved (Dix and Hughes, 2004), but Welsh and Swann (2002) caution that too many may create unreasonable expectations. Moreover, the ambiguity of the tool and individuals’ subjectivity in terms of attitudes, beliefs and values (the ‘halo’ eff ect) resulted in perceived bias which affected the reliability. Bias however, remains an issue to overcome and as such I felt the feedback received from my peers would not be accurate. Although the peer assessment process made us engage fully in the presentation and learn from the strengths and weaknesses of our peers, there is a need to develop the necessary skills and judgements to effectively manage peer assessments and this involves knowledge and experience (Oelofsen 2012, Somerville and Keeling, 2004). Furthermore, there is a need to be fully prepared and equipped, develop criteria that match the identified learning outcome, consider the issue of fairness particularly with disabled students and clearly communicate assessment criteria . The above reasons can be considered as areas for future development, an in depth analysis of this can be seen in the attached action plan (appendix 1). This process of reflection on action has proved successful as it brought about learning. Even though critics like Rolfe (2003) and Markham (2002) criticised reflective practice for lack of definition and unproven benefit. Taylor (2010) however argues that it is nevertheless worth the effort to bring about deeper insights and changes in practice and education. In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated an understanding of the peer assessment process by assessing the worth of our assessment tool on other students and the experience of being assessed by peers. Using a framework of choice, my experience was analysed and areas for further development identified and attached as appendix 1. Overall, this reflection has brought about deeper insights which identified strengths and weaknesses that would consequently enhance my professional development and result in changes in the future should the situation arise again.

A Corpus-Based Analysis of Mixed Code in Hong Kong Speech

2012 International Conference on Asian Language Processing A Corpus-based Analysis of Mixed Code in Hong Kong Speech John Lee Halliday Centre for Intelligent Applications of Language Studies Department of Chinese, Translation and Linguistics City University of Hong Kong [email  protected] edu. hk Abstract—We present a corpus-based analysis of the use of mixed code in Hong Kong speech. From transcriptions of Cantonese television programs, we identify English words embedded within Cantonese utterances, and investigate the motivations for such code-switching.Among the many motivations observed in previous research, we found that four alone account for more than 95% of the use of English words in our speech data across genres, genders, and age groups. We performed analyses over more than 60 hours of transcribed speech, resulting in one of the largest empirical studies to-date on this linguistic phenomenon. Keywords-code-mixing; English; corpus linguistics. code-switching; Canton ese; II. PREVIOUS RESEARCH I. INTRODUCTIONWhile Cantonese is the mother tongue for the vast majority of the people in Hong Kong, English is also spoken by 43% of the population [1], reflecting the city’s heritage as a British colony. A well-known feature of the speech in Hong Kong is code-switching, i. e. , â€Å"the juxtaposition of passages of speech belonging to two different grammatical systems or sub-systems, within the same exchange† [2]. Specifically, in the case of Hong Kong, the two grammatical systems are Cantonese and English.The former serves as the ‘matrix language’, and the latter as the ‘embedded language’, resulting in Cantonese sentences with English segments such as (example taken from [3]): canteen heoi3 canteen jam2 caa4 ‘let’s go to the canteen for lunch’ Here, the English segment contains only one word (‘canteen’), but in general, it can be a whole clause. We will use the general term â₠¬Ëœcode-switching’ rather than the more specific term ‘code-mixing’, which refers to switching below the clause level, even though most English segments in our corpus indeed contain only one or two words (see Table 3).There is already a large body of literature devoted to the study of Cantonese-English code-switching from the theoretical linguistic point of view [3,4,5]. This paper investigates the motivations behind the use of mixed code, on the basis of a large dataset of speech transcribed from television programs. In Section II, we outline previous research on the motivations of code-switching, and discuss how our investigation complements theirs. In Section III, we describe our methodology for corpus construction, in particular the design of the taxonomy of code-switching motivations.In Section IV, we present an analysis of these motivations according to genre, gender and age. The first major framework for classifying codeswitching motivations in Hong Kong c onsists of two categories: ‘expedient’ and ‘orientational’ [6]. Central to this framework is the distinction between words in ‘high Cantonese’ and ‘low Cantonese’. In everyday conversations, a speaker sometimes cannot find any word from ‘low Cantonese’ to describe an object, institution or idea (e. g. , ‘application form’). Using a word from ‘high Cantonese’ (e. g. , biu2 gaak3), however, would sound too formal and therefore stylistically inappropriate.In expedient mixing, the speaker resorts to an English word; the mixing is pragmatically motivated. In contrast, orientational mixing is socially motivated. The speaker chooses to use English (e. g. , ‘barbecue’) despite the availability of equivalent words from both ‘low Cantonese’ (e. g. , siu2 je5 sik6) and ‘high Cantonese’ (e. g. , siu1 haau1), since he perceives the subject matter to be inherently more ‘western’. This dichotomy has been criticized as overly simplistic, because of the ambiguity in defining lexical and stylistic equivalents among ‘low Cantonese’, ‘high Cantonese’, and English.Instead, a four-way taxonomy is proposed: euphemism, specificity, bilingual punning, and the principle of economy [7]. This taxonomy is then further extended, in a study of code-switching in text media [8], to include quotations, doubling, identity marking, and interjection. These categories will be explained in detail in Section III. While these classification systems are comprehensive and well grounded, they do not per se convey any sense of the relative importance or distribution of the various motivations.Our goal is, first, to empirically verify the coverage of these classification systems on a large dataset of transcribed speech; and, second, to give quantitative answers to questions such as: Which kinds of motivations are the most prominent? Does t he range of motivations differ according to the speech genre, or to the speaker’s gender or age? We now turn our attention to the methodology for constructing and annotating a speech corpus for these research purposes. III. DATA A. Source Material Our corpus is constructed from television programs broadcast in Hong Kong within the last four years by Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB).The programs belong to a variety of genres, including two drama series, three current-affairs shows, a news program, and a talk show. The news program, TVB News at Six-Thirty, carries the most formal register, containing mostly pre-planned 165 978-0-7695-4886-9/12 $26. 00  © 2012 IEEE DOI 10. 1109/IALP. 2012. 10 speech by the anchor. The current-affairs shows, Tuesday Report, Sunday Report and Hong Kong Connection, are serious in tone but contain spontaneous discussions. The talk show, My Sweets, is about food and drink.It also contains spontaneous discussions, but the topics tend to be lighte r. Although pre-planned, the speech in both drama series, Moonlight Resonance and Yes Sir, Sorry Sir, is arguably the least formal in register, designed to reflect natural speech in everyday life. Details of these TV programs are presented in Table 1. Table 1: Television programs that serve as the source material of our corpus. Genre Program Length Current Tuesday Report ( ), 135 episodes affairs ), X 20 minutes Sunday Report ( Hong Kong Connection ( ) Talk 24 episodes My Sweets ( ) show X 30 minutesEuphemism: When a Cantonese word explicitly mentions something that the speaker finds embarrassing, s/he might opt for an English word that contains no such mention. For example, to avoid the female body part hung1 ‘breast’ in the word hung1 wai4 ‘bra’, the speaker might prefer to use the English ‘bra’ (all examples are taken from [7]): bra tau3 bra gaak3 gaak3 ‘A princess whose bra is visible’ Specificity: â€Å"Sometimes an English e xpression is preferred because its meaning is more general or specific compared with its near-synonymous counterparts,† [7] in either low or high Cantonese.For example, the verb ‘to book’ means ‘to make a reservation for which no money or deposit is required’, which is more specific than its closest equivalent in Cantonese, deng6 ‘to make a reservation’. It is often used in sentences such as: book ngo5 soeng2 book saam1 dim2 ‘I want to book 3 o’clock’ Principle of Economy: â€Å"An English expression may also be preferred because it is shorter and thus requires less linguistic effort compared with its Chinese/Cantonese equivalent. † [7] While the word ‘check-in’ has two syllables, its Cantonese equivalent baan6 lei5 dang1 gei1 sau2 zuk6 ‘check-in [on a plane]’ has six.The principle of economy is thus likely the reason behind mixed code such as: check-in nei5 check-in zo2 mei6 aa3 Ã¢â‚¬Ë œHave you checked in already? ’ The taxonomy in [8] builds on the one in [7], further enriching it with categories2 below: Quotation: When citing text or someone else’s speech, one often prefers to use the original code to avoid having to perform translation. An example is direct speech: â€Å"What do you think? † jau5 go3 pang4 jau5 man6 ngo5 what do you think ‘A friend asked me, â€Å"What do you think? ’ Doubling: Originally named ‘Emphasis or avoidance of repetition’ [8], it will be referred to as ‘Doubling’ [9] here to make it explicit, as this category refers to English words that are embedded alongside Cantonese words that have the same or nearly the same meaning. The purpose is to emphasize the idea or to avoid repetitions. In the following sentence, it serves as an emphasis: 2 News Drama TVB News at Six-Thirty ( ) Moonlight Resonance ( ), Yes Sir, Sorry Sir ( Sir Sir) 5 episodes X 20 minutes 4 episodes X 45 minute s B.Data Processing From the television programs listed in Table 1, all code-mixed utterances were transcribed, preserving the original languages, either Cantonese or English. Following standard practice, loan words are not considered to be mixed code; in our context, all English words (e. g. , ‘taxi’) that have been adapted into Cantonese phonology (e. g. , dik1 si2) were excluded. The TV captions corresponding to each of these utterances are also recorded as part of the corpus. These captions are in standard Chinese, rather than Cantonese.Furthermore, alignments between the Chinese word(s) in the caption and the English word(s) in the utterance are annotated. This information will be used in the classification of motivations. Finally, two kinds of metadata about the speaker are recorded: gender (male or female) and age group (teenager or adult). C. Taxonomy of Code-Switching Motivations Our goal is to quantitatively characterize the motivations behind code-switching; to this end, each English segment in the Cantonese sentences in our corpus is to be labeled with a motivation. Due to time constraint, this classification was performed only on the currentaffairs and talk shows.The ‘expedient’ vs. ‘orientational’ classification system is too coarse for our purpose. Instead, we adopted the taxonomy in [7,8] as our starting point, then introduced some new categories to accommodate our data. The categories in [7] are1: 1 A fourth category, ‘bilingual punning’, is excluded from our taxonomy. As may be expected, punning is rarer in speech, and is indeed not found in our corpus. Among these categories is ‘identity marking’, for mixed code that marks â€Å"social characteristics such as social status, education status, occupation, as well as regional affiliation. [8] We found it difficult to objectively identify this motivation, and excluded it from our taxonomy. 166 Very good very good m4 co3 aa1 Ã¢â‚¬Ë œVery good, very good! ’ Interjection: English interjections may be inserted into the Cantonese sentence. For example: Anyway anyway nei5 hou2 sai1 lei6 ak1 ‘Anyway, you are awesome! ’ A significant amount of mixed code in our corpus, however, still does not fit into any of the above categories. Most fall under one of two reasons, ‘Personal Name’ and ‘Register’.We therefore added them to our taxonomy: Register: This is roughly equivalent to the ‘expedient’ category in [6], but will be referred to as ‘Register’ in this paper to make the motivation explicit. Sometimes, the speaker cannot find any equivalent ‘low Cantonese’ word, but feels awkward to use a more formal ‘high Cantonese’ word (e. g. , paai1 deoi3 ‘party’). As a result, s/he resorts to an English equivalent instead. For example, party hoi1 ci2 laa1 ngo5 dei6 go3 party ‘Our party is starting’ Personal Name: It is common practice among Hong Kong people to adopt an English name.Although this phenomenon may be considered ‘orientational’ codemixing in terms of the ‘western’ perception [6], it is given its own category, because it is very specific and accounts for a substantial amount of our data. A typical example is: Teresa, Teresa ngo5 dei6 zing2 dak1 leng3 m4 leng3 ‘Teresa, did we make it nicely? ’ D. Annotation Procedure We thus have a total of eight categories in our taxonomy of code-switching motivations. Five of these categories – namely, ‘euphemism’, ‘quotation’, ‘doubling’, ‘interjection’, and ‘personal name’ – can usually be unambiguously discerned.The annotator, however, has often found it difficult to distinguish between ‘specificity’, ‘register’, and ‘principle of economy’. To maintain consistency, we adopted the fol lowing procedure. When an English segment does not fit into any of the five â€Å"easy† categories, the annotator is to decide whether it has the same meaning as the Chinese word in the caption to which it is aligned. If it is deemed not to have the same meaning, then it is assigned ‘specificity’. If it is equivalent in meaning, and the annotator cannot think of any equivalent in ‘low Cantonese’, then it is labeled ‘register’.Lastly, if there is a ‘low Cantonese’ equivalent, but its number of syllables is larger than that of the English segment, then the motivation is ‘principle of economy’. IV. ANALYSIS English segments in Cantonese speech (section A), then discuss the distribution of the categories of motivations, both overall and with respect to genres, genders, and age groups (section B). A. Density and Length of English Segments It is well known that English words are sprinkled rather liberally in the Canto nese speech in Hong Kong. We measure how the frequency of English segments varies across different genres.As shown in Table 2, the frequency correlates with the register of the genre (see Section III. A). In the drama series, the most colloquial genre, one and a half English words are uttered per minute on average. The talk show occupies second place, and the current affairs shows have slightly less frequent English words. In the news program, where the speech is preplanned, the anchor did not utter any English word. Table 2: The total number of Cantonese sentences containing English segments, and the total number of English words transcribed. The last column shows how often an English word is uttered.Program genre Drama Talk show Current affairs News # sent with English 219 487 1495 0 # English words 259 625 1995 0 Frequency (words/min) 1. 4 0. 87 0. 74 0 Second, we measure the length of the English segments. Table 3 shows that the vast majority of English segments contain no more than two words. Across all genres, more than 80% of the English segments consist of only one English word. This figure is comparable to the 81. 4% for text data reported in [8]. Table 3: Proportion of English segments with only one (e. g. , â€Å"canteen†) or two words (e. g. , â€Å"thank you†).Program genre Drama Current affairs Talk show One-word 85% 85% 81% Two-word 11% 11% 17% This section presents some preliminary analyses on this corpus. We first consider the frequency and length of B. Motivations for the use of mixed code A plethora of motivations have been posited for the use of mixed code in Hong Kong (see Section II). Applying our proposed classification system (see Section III. C) on our corpus of transcribed speech, we aim now to discern the relative prevalence of the various kinds of codeswitching motivations. Table 4 shows the distribution of these motivations in the current-affairs and the talk shows.Four dominant motivations – chiefly ‘reg ister’, but also ‘personal name’, ‘principle of economy’, and ‘specificity’ – are attributed to more than 95% of the English segments. This trend is the same across genres (current-affairs and talk shows), genders (see Table 6), and age groups (see Table 5). All other categories, including quotations, euphemism, doubling, and interjection, are relatively infrequent. Genres. Among the four dominant motivations, ‘register’ – the use of appropriately informal words – is the most frequent motivation in both the current-affairs and 167 talk shows.Its proportion, however, is significantly more marked (47. 4%) in the talk show than in current affairs (36. 4%), reflecting the more informal nature of the former. Table 4: Distribution of code-switching motivations, contrasted between genres. Motivation Current affairs Talk show Register 36. 4% 47. 4% Personal Name 26. 8% 24. 5% Principle of economy 19. 0% 17. 6% S pecificity 13. 2% 8. 2% Quotation 2. 1% 1. 0% Doubling 1. 4% 0. 4% Interjection 0. 9% 1. 0% Euphemism 0. 3% 0% Age groups. Table 5 contrasts the distributions of code-switching motivations between adults and teenagers in the current-affairs shows 3 .As mentioned above, the four major motivations remain constant. However, teenagers are much more likely than adults to use English words to achieve more informal register (52. 4% vs. 35. 1%). They also tend more to opt for English to save effort (23. 8% vs. 18. 6%). Somewhat surprisingly at first glance, teenagers address others in English names less often than adults (2. 4% vs. 28. 8%); it turns out that in the conversations in our corpus, teenagers often prefer to address adults with the more formal Chinese names, likely out of respect.Table 5: Distribution of code-switching motivations, contrasted between age groups. Motivation Adults Teenagers Register 35. 1% 52. 4% Personal Name 28. 8% 2. 4% Principle of economy 18. 6% 23. 8% Specif icity 13. 1% 14. 3% Quotation 1. 9% 4. 0% Doubling 1. 3% 2. 4% Interjection 0. 9% 0% Euphemism 0. 3% 0. 8% use English names to address others (32. 9% vs. 18. 9%); men, on the other hand, more frequently use English words to reduce effort (22. 9% vs. 14. 8%). V. CONCLUSIONS We have described the construction of a corpus of Cantonese-English mixed code, based on speech transcribed from television programs in Hong Kong.Drawn from more than 60 hours of speech, this corpus is among the largest of its type. A novel feature of the corpus is the annotation of the motivation behind each code-mixed utterance. Having proposed a classification system for these motivations, we applied it on our corpus, and reported differences in the use of mixed code between genres, genders and age groups. A key finding is that four main motivations – ‘register’, ‘personal name’, ‘principle of economy’, and ‘specificity’ — account for more than 95% of the embedded English segments.ACKNOWLEDGMENT This project was partially funded by a Small-Scale Research Grant from the Department of Chinese, Translation and Linguistics at City University of Hong Kong. We thank Man Chong Mak and Hiu Yan Wong for compiling the corpus and performing annotation. REFERENCES [1] K. H. Y. Chen, â€Å"The Social Distinctiveness of Two Code-mixing Styles in Hong Kong,† in Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Bilingualism, MA: Cascadilla Press, 2005, pp. 527541. J. Gumperz, â€Å"The sociolinguistic significance of conversational code-switching,† in RELC Journal 8(2), 1977, pp. 1—34. J.Gibbons, â€Å"Code-mixing and koineizing in the speech of students at the university of Hong Kong†, in Anthropological Linguistics 21(3), 1979, pp. 113—123. B. H. -S. Chan, â€Å"How does Cantonese-English code-mixing work? †, in Language in Hong Kong at Century’s End, M. C. Pennington (ed. ), 1998, pp. 19 1—216, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. D. C. S. Li, â€Å"Linguistic convergence: Impact of English on Hong Kong Cantonese,† in Asian Englishes 2(1), 1999, pp. 5—36. K. K. Luke, â€Å"Why two languages might be better than one: motivations of language mixing in Hong Kong†, in Language in Hong Kong at Century’s End, M.C. Pennington (ed. ), 1998, pp. 145—159, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. D. C. S. Li, â€Å"Cantonese-English code-switching research in Hong Kong: a Y2K review,† in World Englishes 19(3), 2000, pp. 305— 322. H. Cao, â€Å"Development of a Cantonese-English code-mixing speech recognition system,† PhD dissertation, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. R. Appel and P. Muysken, Language contact and bilingualism. London: Arnold, 1987. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Table 6: Distribution of code-switching motivations, contrasted between genders.Motivation Female Male Register 37. 5% 40. 7% Personal Name 32. 9% 18. 9% Principle of economy 14. 8% 22. 9% Specificity 10. 9% 13. 2% Quotation 1. 9% 1. 7% Doubling 1. 1% 1. 3% Interjection 0. 7% 1. 1% Euphemism 0. 3% 0. 2% Genders. Finally, we investigate whether codeswitching motivations are biased according to gender. Aggregating statistics from both the current-affairs and talk shows, Table 6 compares the motivations of males and those of females. Females are shown to be more likely to 3 [7] [8] [9] The speakers in the talk show are predominantly adults. 168

Anything about europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Anything about europe - Essay Example Parliament itself was controlled by big landlords. The man in the street still did not count. If this was true of England, the same was the case in other European countries like Austria-Hungry, Prussia, Russia, France, Spain, Poland etc. In most of the European countries, the rulers were depots although during the 18th century they were called enlightened despots. The people had no hand in the administration of the country. They did not enjoy any personal liberty and everything depended upon the whims of the rulers. Serfdom prevailed almost everywhere in Europe. European rulers at that time were dishonest and unprincipled. International morality reached its lowest ebb during the 18th century. A man like Frederic, the Great, did not hesitate to annex Silesia in spite of his promises to Charles VI, the father of Maria Theresa. Russia, Prussia, and Austria conspired among themselves to put an end to the very existence of Poland. There was a general craze for territorial expansion at the expense of the weaker neighbors. "No consideration was paid to race limits or national boundaries," In the words of Professor Holland Rose, " That respect of dynastic rights and treaty obligations which generally held sway when Christendom was more than a name, now gave place to a state policy which avowedly aimed at little else but gain of territory or markets." Prof Hazen says, "The old regime in Europe was disloyal to the very principles of which it is rested" and those principles were respect for the established order and regard for regality and engagements (Mahajan 1) All over Europe there were privileged classes which were completely or partially exempted from taxation and the burden of taxation fell on the unprivileged classes. The rich paid less to the state and the main burden fell on the poor. European society was organized on a feudal basis and the landlords acted like petty sovereigns in the localities. The serfs were attached to the land and most of the proceeds from land went into the pockets of the landlords. The conditions of the serfs were miserable. To quote, "the great substructure of European society was an unhappy, un free, unprotected, undeveloped mass of human beings, to whom an opportunity for growth and improvement was closed on every side." While a few enjoyed privileges, the others suffered. Inequality in every field weakened the very foundations of the social systems. There was hardly any awakening among the masses of Europe and thus the system continued. (Mahajan 21) As regards the religion condition of Europe, western, western and central Europe were roughly divide between a Protestant North and a Roman Catholic south. In the centre people of Switzerland and Savoy were Protestants. The people of Ireland and Poland were Catholics. In Eastern Europe, the orthodox of Greek Church held sway over Russia and the Balkans. The Jews were found all over Europe. In some places, they were tolerated, while at others persecuted. Europe was not free from religious strife but religious toleration was making headway. It was felt that persons of different faiths could be the loyal subjects of the state. The growth of humanitarianism also played its part. The spread of the spirit of scientific inquiry made for tolerance. There was the decline of dogmatic religion. Causes of the French revolution The French revolutio

Abolitionist Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Abolitionist Movement - Essay Example Christian advocates, economic changes and intellectual growth gave rise to abolitionist campaigns within Europe and America (â€Å"A Brief History of the  American†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Spain began the first European law that abolished slavery after Dominican religious leader Baryolome de las witnessed the mistreatment of natives, but the laws became weak in 1545. In 17th century Quakers and the enthusiastic religious members began crusades citing that slavery goes against Christian requirements. The England Sommersett’s court case that occurred in 1772 influenced most decisions that led to elimination of slavery. It is clear that France did away with slavery in 1789 however; through the leadership of Napoleon he introduced it later in most colonies. Additionally, Britain banned the sourcing and importation of African slaves in all its colonies around 1807. The British Empire on its part eliminated all forms of slavery in 1883, after the approval of the Slavery Abolition Act while France followed 15 years later (Ferrell 7). The initial calls to end slavery (colonial-era) in America appeared in 1688 by Quakers of German and Dutch heritage from Germantown, Pennsylvania who wrote letters to other Quaker church groups condemning the practice. The Society of Friends was a major contributor to this movement but they did not make much impact on slavery centers. However, their influence was felt in 1787 when the federal government eliminated slavery in the Northwest region and trans-Atlantic slave trade was forbidden in 1808 (â€Å"A Brief History of the  American†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). It is evident, that the most influential part of the Abolitionist movement started in 1830s through religious resurgence of the commonly known Second Great Awakening. The religious leaders at this time viewed slavery as a sin and requested people to renounce it to receive repentance. In 1833, the American Anti-Slavery Society recruited many members while they preached that slavery was morally wrong and advocated for

Mandatory Influenza Vaccinations for Health Care Workers Research Paper

Mandatory Influenza Vaccinations for Health Care Workers - Research Paper Example Finally, the paper has discussed national benefits of having Health Care workers immunized. The American Hospital Association (2011) points out that influenza is a dangerous contagious disease that spreads quickly from one person to another even before the appearance of its signs. The diseases cause annual deaths of an estimated population of 24,000 people and more than 150,000 hospital admissions. Hospitalized patients are more vulnerable to influenza because their system of immunity has already been weekend by the disease they are suffering from which has caused their admission. Health Care Workers vaccination is important for it prevents deaths and illnesses among patients as well as reducing their absenteeism when they infect each other with the disease. Since 1981, annual health care workers’ vaccination has been recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP). However, only half of the total number of Health Care Workers in the United States has adher ed to the rule. Protection of the well-being and health of patients and health workers is a worldwide matter of concern. Research in America has for the first few years shown that because of the health workers failure to undergo vaccination, health care workers unintentionally expose patients to seasonal influenza. American Hospital Associations Board of Trustees has imposed policies that require health care workers to undergo mandatory vaccination or put on masks while handling patients during seasons of influenza. The aim of this is to care and protect lives of patients (American Hospital Association, 2011). Data collected annually by Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. shows that more than two hundred thousand influenza patients are admitted in hospitals every year. Collected data also shows that a population of above 36,000 people dies of influenza annually. The other disease that puts people at risk of death in the U.S. is breast cancer. Even though the vaccin ation is about 70 to 90% effective in preventing influenza, it does not work with people aged above the age of 65 years and people with chronic health conditions preventing them from the vaccine (Rakita et al., 2010). Nowadays, many health care organizations and hospitals have embraced the policy of getting their employees, students, hospital contract workers, volunteers and affiliated medical staff vaccinated seasonally for the safety of the patients. Every employee is supposed to be immunized unless they have a religious or medical reason preventing them from the immunization. The rate of vaccination has gone above 90% due to application of the policies. Examples of organizations in which influenza vaccination in health care centers is a mandatory practice and a condition of employment include American Academy of Pediatrics, National Patient Safety Foundation and Association of Professionals in Infection Control (American Hospital Association). Prevention of the spread of influenz a between patients and health care personnel minimizes economic effects in the institution as well as reducing the cost of living in the society. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (2007) outlines an example of outbreak of influence that occurred in an internal medicine ward in which 23% of the members of staff became infected. The result of this was a fourteen days sick leave for each of the members. Eight admissions that had been

Volcanoes and Earthquake Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Volcanoes and Earthquake - Assignment Example Lava with low viscosity forms a shield mountain, which is low-lying because it flows over a long distance. On the other hand, the lava with high viscosity forms a dome-shaped mountain because it flows over a short distance before solidification (Gill, 2009). High silica content leads to the formation of a magma and lava that is more viscous than when the silica content is low. The viscosity is high because of the strong bonds between silica and oxygen. Intrusive igneous rocks refer to the igneous rocks that form when magma crystallizes within the Earth’s crust. Granite is the common example of intrusive igneous rocks. Extrusive igneous rocks refer to the igneous rocks that form when magma crystallizes on the Earth’s surface (Gill, 2009). Basalt is the common example of extrusive igneous rocks. On the other hand, the lava with high viscosity forms a dome-shaped mountain because it flows over a short distance before solidification (Gill, 2009). A pyroclastic flow refers t o a fast-moving mass of hot rocks and gases. It is evident that a pyroclastic flow is explosive because of the fast-moving gases. The volcanic eruption from St. Augustine volcano is an example of the volcano that produced a pyroclastic flow. A lava flow refers the movement molten rock from a volcanic mountain at a slow speed due to the absence of hot gases (Gill, 2009). It is evident that a volcanic flow is effusive because it does not involve hot gases. The volcanic eruption from Mauna Loa volcano is an example of the volcano that produced a lava flow. A supervolcano refers to a volcano that can produce an eruption with a large volume of about 1000 km3. An example of a supervolcano is Yellowstone.  Intrusive igneous rocks from within the vents before the magma moves to the Earth’s surface.

3.1 Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

3.1 Assignment - Essay Example His purpose is to elaborate what are the actual factors that are hidden behind these acquisitions. In order to accomplish his purpose he appeals to his readers to realize that it is actually the decentralized personality of an individual that is the actual reason behind his violent acts and not mainly the association or training silently provided by the violence in computer games. He also appeals to computer games’ manufacturers and internet gurus not to pull out computer and video games from the markets but rather to make flexible internet rules guarding youngsters’ activities. In his essay, the author addresses the main idea against his thesis, the idea that it is only because of increasing influence of violent computer and video games that youngsters are getting violent in their practical lives as well. He refutes the argument by saying that all this hype is because video and computer games are being considered as escape goats for more serious reasons. Finally he con cludes by making the point that much more serious clauses are required to be discussed in order to explore the relationship between youngsters’ personalities and video

Vogue magazine Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Vogue magazine - Research Paper Example Although the possibility of development of a celebrity culture is largely dependent upon the duration and extent to which a given media exerts its influence on a given population; it is yet certain that the effects of such media exposure cannot be escaped with ease and as media continues to exert its influence on a population, the development of celebrity culture becomes a reality. A prominent example of such medium is the Vogue Magazine, which has been influencing the lives of people of the society since 1892, when immediately after its inception, it succeeded in attracting the attention of the aristocrat class of the New York city, which at that time lacked a class of society that value the ritualistic and â€Å"ceremonial side of life†. Taking a closer look at the history of the magazine reveals that the magazine remained under continuous evolution throughout the years post-inception. Keeping in view the fact that a class which admired ritualistic aspects of life was non-existent when Vogue started makes one wonder about the risk that Vogue’s founder took in 1892 (Weiss, 2014). The subsequent years however saw a dramatic rise in the number of Vogue’s readers; this was a clear indication that a class which appreciated such notions of life was evolving with the passage of time. Right from the start, the magazine focused on issues related to the beauty of the female class of the society. In this regard, the magazine attempted to define female beauty and set aesthetic standards which corresponded to establishing social norms regarding the beauty of females. Additionally, the magazine continued to highlight the powerful figures of the world; specially the females, e.g. â€Å"A Rose in the Desert† which was an article about the Syrian first lady. If judged in retrospect, one can clearly understand that the subjects of this

Ethics and the War on Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics and the War on Terrorism - Research Paper Example I define the issue as applies to international and human rights perspectives, its origin, and point of view in favor and against employing of torture in the war against terror. Terrorism is not morally justifiable, neither is there a single methodology successful in addressing the issue of terror. Therefore, various investigative agencies apply combined techniques of gathering intelligence with respect to terror activities. However, ethical and moral arguments encompass the war against terror, as the techniques used to gather information from uncooperative suspects are illegal (Blakeley, 2011). The leading of these is the use of torture techniques in gathering intelligence. The question of the ethical perspective on the use of torture in addressing terror continues to elicit lively debates, with each side holding stern views on the topic. Torture entails the process of inflicting severe pain to someone with the purpose of forcing him or her to do or say something. It a practical approach used since immemorial time against prisoners of war, suspected insurgents and spies and political prisoners (McCoy, 2012). However, with respect to terrorism, the governments identified the form of violence called terrorism in the period between 1970s and 1980s. Thus, this is where the historical origin of the relations between torture terrorism also begins. Governments used the systemic torture in conflicts against rebels, insurgents, and resistance groups over hundreds of years in the past. However, the question remains whether these conflicts constitute the war against terrorism. Governments often refer to their non-state violent opponents as terrorists. Nonetheless, the ascertaining of their involvement in terrorist activity, in various cases, remains a debatable subject. Since the 9/11 assault on America, the subject of the use of torture to gain useful information from

Nursing Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nursing Research Paper - Essay Example A number of researches have been made for the past years focusing on assessment tool, healthcare delivery, and different treatment modalities. Others focused on special groups or populations such as the children, men or women, adults, and elderly. An example of topic made in nursing research is the urinary continence experienced among elderly. Despite advances made in the field of nursing regarding urinary incontinence, the risk of incidence among elderly is still increasing (Pringle-Specht, 2005, 58); thus, the author had thought of what might still possibly cause increase in incidence of urinary incontinence among elderly and how could the current quality of care provided be improved. In line with this, the paper will provide an overview of what the research will look like, as well as the goals for the activity undertaken. In addition, the paper will identify the problem, the significance of addressing the problem, and the search terms used in the review of literatures. Furthermore , the author will present the summary of the two selected research articles, the evidence of gaps between the literature and the research problem, the research question, approach and design, the research hypothesis, concepts or variables under investigation, the target and accessible population, the sampling procedure, the researchability and feasibility of the study, the challenges of conducting the research, and a conclusion. Goal The overall goal of the research activity is to identify whether the use of catheters and diapers as interventions increase the risk of urinary incontinence among elderly patients. The specific goals or purposes of the study are: (1) to identify other treatment modalities to prevent or control urinary incontinence among elderly patients; (2) to test the hypothesis concerning the relative risks of using diapers and catheters among urinary incontinent elderly patients; and (3) to use the findings to develop recommendations for possible changes in intervent ions for urinary incontinence. Problem Statement Use of urinary catheters and diapers while in the hospital increases the risk of urinary incontinence among elderly patients, and interventions to date found that diapers and catheters are often used as a first-line treatment for urinary incontinence (Schnelle & Smith, 2001, 754). Other treatment modalities are to be identified to reduce increasing risks of urinary incontinence among elderly. Significance of Addressing the Problem The study is significant to the geriatric patients as the risk of developing urinary incontinence due to catheters and diaper would be prevented. In addition, diminishing the use of diapers and catheters in elderly will boost their self-esteem and facilitate routine urination. The result of the study would benefit the nurses and the nursing profession because of addressing the changes that should be made in common nursing practice which is frequent use of catheters and diapers in geriatric patients as this m ay further contribute to urinary incontinence. Researchers from the related field would also benefit from the study for providing information about one of the causes of urinary incontinence among geriatric patients. Search Terms in Literature Databases from CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, NCBI, and Google Scholar were used in search of related

Lack of Communication Essay Example for Free

Lack of Communication Essay Lack of communication is the number one cause in divorces in the United States, while there are marriages that work out there are many that don’t. For every two marriages there has been one divorce in the 21st century. (Britannica) Often in a relationship we don’t consider the small things and we move to quickly not thinking about the opinion of the people we interact with. In this article by Aziza Shumba she gives very clear, concise details on why communication is important in a relationship. An interesting fact I happened to stumble upon while reading was that a lack of communication can affect all aspects of life, from what you like to wear to what color paint you paint your home. Some couples feel like they communicate but the key is communicating effectively. Communicating effectively means communicating thoroughly, being optimistic, keeping an open mind and having a listening ear to new opinions. This is very important when it comes to using it in the work place, considering many people just go along with what they are told and never speak unless spoken to. In the work place many people have usually one of three issues: they never speak their opinion, the person who is overbearing, or the person who rides both sides of the fence, it doesn’t make a situation easier but it does make it easier when you can talk to someone and they can keep a conversation without criticism, ignorance or pessimistic attitudes. This is also a great way to build a better relationship with the ones you work with by giving you a stronger confidence when speaking and communicating. Although effective communication is very important, planning and time management is very important when communicating with people. I figured out this is very important once I got to college because if you don’t have good time management it will disrupt your whole life schedule and those around you. For example if I decide to wait until the last minute to turn in homework at 11:55 at night, and then my computer cord blows and catches my computer on fire, what would I do? I would have to wait until I could get access to another computer, and by the time I get to another computer the assignment would be late. Planning in a marriage can definitely be a â€Å"killer† when it comes to marriages, the wife may unexpectedly become pregnant or he/she may decide to get a dog/cat without the other partners consent. If communication is not laid down in the beginning these things may come to be a surprise to the other partner which will lead to divorce and strife. In a marriage getting a life plan is important, even if it is not set in stone it is considerably useful in the progression of a stable marriage to have an outline of what the couple wants together. In conclusion, a lack of communication can lead to the building of other skills if it is caught early on, as long as communication is effective and you have a plan for life and use effective time management you should be able to build STRONG communication skills to help you in everyday life.

Effect of Buprenorphine on Postoperative Pain Levels

Effect of Buprenorphine on Postoperative Pain Levels Katelyn Shultz Nurse Anesthesia ABSTRACT In recent years, buprenorphine has become an increasingly popular choice for managing opioid dependence; however, buprenorphine’s unique mechanism of action can make treating acute pain more complicated. In opioid-dependent patients managed with buprenorphine, would continuing buprenorphine therapy during the perioperative period affect postoperative pain levels? The research method for this study is a formal literature review. I predict that continuing buprenorphine throughout the perioperative period will improve postoperative pain levels in opioid-dependent patients maintained on buprenorphine. INTRODUCTION In recent years, buprenorphine has become an increasingly popular choice in the treatment of opioid dependence. Even though it is a partial mu agonist, buprenorphine is known to have high mu-receptor affinity. When buprenorphine is continued throughout the perioperative period, this property may reduce the effectiveness of other full mu agonist opioids. As a result, this pharmacological trait introduces an obstacle for successful treatment of acute surgical pain in the patient taking chronic buprenorphine. The clinician must choose the best option for this patient, to continue or discontinue buprenorphine therapy during the perioperative period. BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE It is imperative to establish evidence-based practice guidelines regarding the best method of acute pain management for patients taking chronic buprenorphine. As buprenorphine use increases, healthcare providers will encounter opioid-dependent patients taking chronic buprenorphine with higher frequency in the surgical setting.1 Although the positive outcomes of buprenorphine use are comprehensively researched and well documented, the evidence regarding the perioperative continuation or suspension of buprenorphine is limited and inconsistent. As a result, prescribers may avoid buprenorphine altogether, ultimately preventing more patients from receiving a potentially superior treatment. Perioperative is defined as the phase immediately prior, during, and immediately after a surgical procedure. Postoperative period is defined as the phase after a surgical procedure is performed. Buprenorphine maintenance therapy (BMT) is defined as a sustained dose of buprenorphine taken by an opioid-dependent patient for an indefinite period of time. Methadone maintenance therapy (BMT) is defined as a sustained dose of methadone taken by an opioid-dependent patient for an indefinite period of time. Full mu opioid agonists activate mu receptors until a maximum effect is reached or the receptor is fully activated. Methadone, morphine, and oxycodone are examples of full mu agonists. Partial mu opioid agonists bind to receptors and partially activate them, but not to the same degree as do full agonists. Partial mu agonists can also displace full mu agonists from receptors. Buprenorphine is a partial mu agonist. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is any method of allowing a person in pai n to administer their own pain relief. METHODS The research method for this study was a formal literature review. The purpose of this study was to answer the question, in opioid-dependent patients managed with buprenorphine, would continuing buprenorphine therapy during the perioperative period affect postoperative pain levels? I searched the database SuperSearch. The key terms for this search were (pain management OR treatment), buprenorphine, and (perioperative OR intraoperative OR postoperative) using the Boolean operator AND. I limited results to peer-reviewed academic journal articles published in English from 2004-2014. Initial results were refined using the inclusion criteria of patients maintained on buprenorphine therapy prior to surgery and perioperative pain management, and the exclusion criteria of animal studies and buprenorphine administration techniques: epidural, intrathecal, perineural, subcutaneous, and transdermal. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE The purpose of these studies is to examine perioperative acute pain management in opioid-tolerant patients taking BMT. The type of studies include a retrospective cohort study, literature reviews, and case reports examining a population of people taking chronic buprenorphine. Buprenorphine may be a more preferable method than methadone for chronic opioid replacement therapy. The use of buprenorphine has been associated with improvement in education, social life, and toxicological conditions when compared to methadone.1 Buprenorphine is also perceived to have less adverse effects and social stigma than methadone.2 In addition, buprenorphine’s full opioid agonist effects are lower compared to methadone, improving its safety profile.3 Buprenorphine may also induce less hyperalgesia than full agonists, although this has yet to be confirmed.2 In support of this statement, however, Koppert et al4 found that the antihyperalgesic effects of buprenorphine were stronger and of longer duration as compared with the pure mu receptor agonist studied in the same model. Though some researchers recommend a transition from buprenorphine to a full mu agonist preoperatively, an interruption in BMT is not ideal. A drug holiday or transition to other chronic opioids, such as methadone, prior to surgery may lead to simplified sedation techniques; however, it is time consuming and unnecessary, and alternatives should be considered.1 It is best that patients with opioid dependence be in some early withdrawal before initiating treatment with buprenorphine.5 As a result, when a patient transitioned to methadone prior to surgery returns to their previous dose of buprenorphine postoperatively, withdrawal may occur.1 Additionally, for patients switched from BMT to MMT preoperatively, methadone must be ceased for at least 36 hours and the patient should experience mild withdrawal symptoms before buprenorphine is restarted.6 In contrast to these recommendations, the retention of buprenorphine was found to be better in heroin addicts with less morbidity if buprenorp hine was not rapidly withdrawn, but continued for up to 350 days.5 When chronic buprenorphine doses were continued throughout perioperative period, patients were able to achieve good pain control with additional opioids and/or additional buprenorphine doses. In a small series of 5 patients, adequate pain control was achieved when other full mu agonist opioids were given as needed in addition to the patient’s usual daily dose of buprenorphine.7 In another study,8 the patient achieved adequate pain control on postoperative day 1 and 2 with a total daily buprenorphine dose of 72 mg, and was able to successfully and comfortable taper to her baseline dose of 24 mg/d by day 11. Furthermore, Jones et al9 reported the buprenorphine-managed patient scored 0 out of 10 on all 6 post morphine-PCA pain assessments, and 0 to 5 out of 10 on all post discharge pain assessments while taking buprenorphine and oxycodone/acetaminophen. Only 1 study10 reported severe postoperative pain control with the continuation of buprenorphine during the perioperative period. The study10 highlighted a case report for one patient with Type I Chiari malformation receiving buprenorphine for chronic pain who underwent two identical surgical procedures. For the first procedure, the patient’s usual dose of buprenorphine was continued throughout the perioperative period, and a full mu agonist was used for postoperative pain.10 The patient reported severe postoperative pain after this procedure.10 This information is limited, however, by self-report. No documentation was obtained from the outside hospital where the first procedure was performed.10 The author is a representative for the hospital where the second procedure was performed.10 For the second procedure, the patient’s buprenorphine was discontinued 5 days prior to surgery, and the patient was transitioned to a full opioid agonsist.10 Again, the patient’s p ostoperative pain was managed with a full opioid receptor agonist.10 Though the patient reported acceptable pain control on postoperative day 1, the patient’s pain was reported at 7 to 8/10 immediately after surgery.10 Although some researchers suggest that buprenorphine decreases full mu agonist opioid’s effectiveness, many found the addition of full mu agonists in the perioperative setting to be beneficial for buprenorphine-maintained patients. Buprenorphine’s long half-life, high opioid receptor affinity, partial agonist activity, and slow dissociation from the mu receptor may reduce analgesic effectiveness of full mu opioid agonists; however, the data does not support the commonly held belief that high dose BMT will interfere with the activity of full mu agonist opioids given for the relief of postoperative pain.6 Morphine has been shown to be an effective breakthrough medication to control postoperative pain in buprenorphine-maintained patients.11 In a retrospective cohort study, Macintyre et al6 confirmed BMT patients who were not given buprenorphine the day after surgery had significantly higher (P=.02) PCA morphine equivalent requirements in the first 24 hours after surgery co mpared with those who were given their usual dose of buprenorphine. In another uncontrolled comparison of BMT and MMT groups, researchers12 found that the first 24 hour postoperative PCA opioid requirements were lower for BMT and MMT groups when maintenance drugs were continued compared with BMT and MMT groups whose maintenance drugs had been ceased perioperatively. Despite the fact that one report6 showed a reduction in whole brain mu receptor availability with high doses of buprenorphine, several studies demonstrated that there is no ceiling effect for the analgesic properties of buprenorphine, only for an opioid’s euphoric effects and respiratory depression. It has been shown that buprenorphine attenuates the effects of additional opioid agonists rather than exert an absolute ceiling effect, and this minimizes euphoric properties of concurrently administered opioids and discourages the likelihood of ongoing opioid abuse.2 Macintyre et al6 also revealed that PCA opioid requirements were lower when BMT was continued after surgery, implying that buprenorphine may still have analgesic effects. Walsh et al13 documented no ceiling effect for analgesia in patients that received sublingual buprenorphine up to 32 mg. As there are no additional opioid effects with escalating doses, this property limits abuse potential and minimizes respiratory d epression with high doses.2 In a study of 20 volunteers, Dahan et al14 confirmed buprenorphine’s ceiling effect on respiratory depression, but not on its analgesic effects. As buprenorphine demonstrates a ceiling effect for respiratory depression, it is safe for outpatient use in high doses; however, when used in conjunction with sedatives, a synergistic effect in respiratory depression may occur. One case report8 verified that a high daily dose of buprenorphine (72 mg) was safely used as an outpatient dose, though no other respiratory depressants were used. Combining benzodiazepines with buprenorphine can exert a synergistic effect on the central nervous system resulting in sedation and respiratory depression.11 Deaths from buprenorphine have been reported, but it has been suggested that these deaths predominantly occurred as a result of prolonged respiratory depression when administered with sedatives, particularly benzodiazepines.2 There is no consensus on recommendations regarding acute pain management for buprenorphine-maintained patients presenting to the perioperative setting and more research is needed. Some articles2,5,11 recommend the cessation of buprenorphine preoperatively and conversion to a full opioid agonist throughout the perioperative period. Conversely, others1,2,5,8 demonstrate successful pain management in the acute pain setting with divided daily and/or additional doses of buprenorphine. The majority of researchers,2,3,5,9,11,15 however, support the continuation of usual buprenorphine maintenance therapy with the addition of full mu agonist opioid analgesics for effective perioperative pain control. There are no recommendations based on high level evidence,15 and data is sparse regarding the best method of treatment for pain in the opioid-dependent population.5 Regardless of point of view, most studies agree that additional research regarding acute pain management for patients taking chronic buprenorphine is urgently needed.5,10,11 DISCUSSION It is clear that buprenorphine is a better alternative than methadone for the treatment of opioid dependence. Associated with less respiratory depression and a lower abuse profile, buprenorphine is a safer medication than methadone and can be used without difficulty in outpatient therapy. With a long half-life and slow dissociation time, buprenorphine can also be dosed less frequently. Buprenorphine has also been known to cause less side effects than methadone. All of these features can increase adherence to opioid replacement therapy by allowing the opioid-dependent patient a less restrictive lifestyle. There is a great deal of uncertainty regarding the best method for treating acute surgical pain in patients taking chronic buprenorphine. There are multiple recommendations regarding perioperative pain management and BMT; however, most methods are developed from the results of uncontrolled studies with very small sampling sizes. Consequently, few are able to establish actual significance in their findings. Without concrete evidence, concise standard recommendations are difficult to establish. CONCLUSION Based on the literature, the continuation of BMT during the perioperative period with the addition of short acting full mu opioids and/or additional buprenorphine doses is the best approach to treating acute surgical pain. For future research, more controlled studies with larger sample sizes are needed in order to confirm the best method of acute pain management in the surgical setting for patient’s taking chronic buprenorphine. References Wasson M, Beirne O. Buprenorphine therapy: an increasing challenge in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2013;(2):142. Available from: Academic OneFile, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Roberts D, Meyer-Witting M. High-dose buprenorphine: perioperative precautions and management strategies. Anaesth Intensive Care. February 2005;33(1):17-25. Available from: MEDLINE, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 10, 2014. Bryson E, Lipson S, Gevirtz C. Anesthesia for Patients on Buprenorphine. Anesthesiol Clin. January 1, 2010;28(Perioperative Pharmacotherapy):611-617. Available from: ScienceDirect, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Koppert W, Ihmsen H, Korber N, et al. Different profiles of buprenorphineinduced analgesia and antihyperalgesia in a human pain model. Pain 2005;118(1–2):15–22. Cited by: Vadivelu N, Anwar M. Buprenorphine in Postoperative Pain Management. Anesthesiol Clin. January 1, 2010;28(Perioperative Pharmacotherapy):601-609. Available from: ScienceDirect, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Vadivelu N, Mitra S, Kaye A, Urman R. Perioperative analgesia and challenges in the drug-addicted and drug-dependent patient. Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol. March 2014;28(1):91. Available from: Supplemental Index, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 10, 2014. Macintyre P, Russell R, Usher K, Gaughwin M, Huxtable C. Pain relief and opioid requirements in the first 24 hours after surgery in patients taking buprenorphine and methadone opioid substitution therapy. Anaesth Intensive Care. March 2013;41(2):222-230. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Kornfield H, Manfredi L. Effectiveness of full agonist opioids in patients stabilized on buprenorphine undergoing major surgery: a case series. Am J Ther 2010;17:523-528. Cited by: Huxtable C, Roberts L, Somogyi A, Macintyre P. Acute pain management in opioid-tolerant patients: a growing challenge. Anaesth Intensive Care. September 2011;39(5):804-823. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Book S, Myrick H, Malcolm R, Strain E. Buprenorphine for postoperative pain following general surgery in a buprenorphine-maintained patient. Am J Psychiatry. June 2007;164(6)Available from: PsycINFO, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Jones H, Johnson R, Milio L. Post-cesarean pain management of patients maintained on methadone or buprenorphine. Am J Addict. May 2006;15(3):258-259. Available from: MEDLINE, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Chern S, Isserman R, Chen L, Ashburn M, Liu R. Perioperative Pain Management for Patients on Chronic Buprenorphine: A Case Report. J Anesth Clin Res. October 2012;3(10):1. Available from: Supplemental Index, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Vadivelu N, Anwar M. Buprenorphine in Postoperative Pain Management. Anesthesiol Clin. January 1, 2010;28(Perioperative Pharmacotherapy):601-609. Available from: ScienceDirect, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Russell R, Usher K, Macintyre PE. A comparison of postoperative opioid requirements and effectiveness in methadone- and buprenorphine-maintained patients. Anaesth Intensive Care. 2011;39:726-727. Cited by: Huxtable C, Roberts L, Somogyi A, Macintyre P. Acute pain management in opioid-tolerant patients: a growing challenge. Anaesth Intensive Care. September 2011;39(5):804-823. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Walsh SL, Preston KL, Stitzer ML, et al. Clinical pharmacology of buprenorphine: ceiling effects at high doses. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1994;55(5):569–80. Cited by: Vadivelu N, Anwar M. Buprenorphine in Postoperative Pain Management. Anesthesiol Clin. January 1, 2010;28(Perioperative Pharmacotherapy):601-609. Available from: ScienceDirect, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Dahan A, Yassen A, Romberg R, et al. Buprenorphine induces ceiling in respiratory depression but not in analgesia. Br J Anaesth. 2006;96(5):627–32. Cited by: Vadivelu N, Anwar M. Buprenorphine in Postoperative Pain Management. Anesthesiol Clin. January 1, 2010;28(Perioperative Pharmacotherapy):601-609. Available from: ScienceDirect, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. Huxtable C, Roberts L, Somogyi A, Macintyre P. Acute pain management in opioid-tolerant patients: a growing challenge. Anaesth Intensive Care. September 2011;39(5):804-823. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 3, 2014. 1

How The Internet Changed Our Lives

How The Internet Changed Our Lives Electronic communication system is an array of systems that can help us transmit the information over long distances, in electronic format, i.e., in the form of flow of electronic current. Electronic communication can include the types of various forms of the communication types. They can be radio communication, internet communication, mobile phone communication, landline phone communication etc. The electronic communication is now an integral part of the human life and the scope of this communication is beyond limits. Electronic communication has brought the world too near and no corner is beyond the reach of one or the other communication forms. From Letters to e-mails and web communications, the progress is noteworthy. Television and radio communication have enabled the spread of mass media to a very large extent. The revolution of the electronic communication started with the invention of the telegraph. The only limiting factor in the case was the need of copper wires for transmission, which proved costly. But the advent of radio communication proved a boon in the case for far away and distant communications. After the expansion of the radio spectrums, the possibilities in the fields of the wireless communications have given various potentials for communication systems. The essence of making each and everything accessible, communicable, and reachable within a few clicks has been made possible by something known as INTERNET. This is the keyword of the topic of the term paper, and as such, much of the emphasis would be given on this topic, over the other forms of electronic communication systems. Internet has led to an economic prosperity, and the development of intelligent search engines has enabled man to search for any information within a few clicks and in a matter of micro seconds. The World Wide Web, which is known as www, is growing exuberantly. It already has billions of pages, and is growing at the rate of millions of pages per day. Hardly is there any sort of topic which has no finding on the internet. Computers are already an integral part of our life, and as such, the internet has enabled the users to connect on a worldwide level. Communication System A communication system has various channels which are staged in such a way that communication is carried out with the most possible efficiency. A typical communication system has the following channels: Transmitter Medium Receiver Transmitter: this unit mainly functions for the conversion of a signal into the form which can be transmitted over further distances. This may include Transducers, amplifiers, modulators etc. Medium: this is the channel in which the signal propagates. This is mostly air in wireless communications. While radio waves can propagate in any medium, including vacuum. This is sometimes referred to as PROPAGATION channel, or PHYSICAL channel. The most recent development is in the form of OFCs, the optic fibre cable, which as a high efficiency, and enormous speed. Receiver: this unit receives the signal, converts it to the desired form for reception, and presents it to the receiving end. This unit includes antenna assembly, amplifiers, demodulators, receiver units etc. There are some important aspects in the electronic communication systems which can be highlighted: Modulation: the process of imposition of weak signal over a strong carrier signal is known as modulation. Modulation generally requires the use of high frequency signals, as the low frequency signals cannot be transmitted over long distances. Modulation also helps in conversion of the digital signals to analog forms for transmission over a distance. AM, FM and PM are the forms of modulation. FM is the most used forms of modulations in the general forms of communications. Analog and Digital signals: these are the properties of signals which distinguish them b/w continuous of discrete signals. Analog signals are continuous signals, which are defined at each and every instant of time, while the digital signals are discrete signals. They are defined only after a particular interval of time. Here, the blue continuous lines represent the analog signal, while the red dotted patterns show the digital or discrete values of the signals. Types of modulation: Amplitude Modulation- AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent. Frequency Modulation-It is the process of conveying the information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency . Phase modulation-Phase modulation (PM) is a form of modulation that represents information as variations in the instantaneous phase of a carrier wave. Internet in our daily Life Now, I would start to emphasise on the main topic of the term paper, Use of internet in our daily life. Around 10 years ago, hardly the 20% of the population of India would have heard about this word. Yet a lesser quantity would have used the internet even once. But now, imagining the life without internet is something which is really beyond our scope. It is the internet which has revolutionized the each and every sphere of our day to day life. How internet works? This is the diagram which tells us how the internet communication takes place. The key factor here is the ISP which helps to link between the user and the Main internet. Major ISPs in India: An ISP or the Internet Service Provider is some agency which links a user, who can be an individual or a group. An ISP may provide internet access through a dedicated line, a telephone line or the Wireless modems. A list of major ISPs in India is as below: BSNL MTNL Bharti Airtel Connect Idea InfoTech SIFY Reliance Tata Indicom BSNL and MTNL are the government sector companies; they together occupy 56% of the total market share. Airtel is the leader amongst others. Channels of internet access: Narrow-band telephone line- This is a particularly dial up type connection which provides a low bandwidth connection. The speed of the internet communication is a maximum of 56 kbps in this type of connection. This type of system uses a PSTN or PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE NETWORK. The user has to dial a number from the computer to get connected. A dial up modem in the computer encodes and decodes the packet signals, which are known as Internet Packet signals. This is a type of dial up modem which is used in the computers for dial up connections. This type of modem is generally internally fitted in the computers. All telephone lines work at a maximum signal speed of 64 kbps. 8 kbps has to be excluded out for the transfer guard band. As a result, the maximum possible speed in a dial up network can be 56kbps. But the major factor in this regard is that if there are a number of users, there would be traffic in the telephone exchange. As a result the speed would gradually decrease. It was often noticed in earlier days that during peak hours, the speed used to be around 10-15kbps while in non-peak hours; the speed could reach to around 40kbps. But it hardly reached to the top notch of 50+. The major drawback in this system that lead to its failure was not only the speed. This type of connection was billed in the terms of duration of connection. That means, whether it is transmitting or not, it will cost the user, regardless of the speed and amount of data transfer. The user was charged for net connection, as well as the telephone cost as a result, it would cause a high rise in the telephone bills of the users. Costs to the users: Till date, only BSNL and Connect have provided the dial up connection to the users. BSNL charges Rs. 6 per hour for the connection, and rupees 2 per 15 minutes of call connection. This implies that for one hour, a person is charged rupees 14. If the average speed is 40 kbps, the person can download 18 MB of data in an hour. But speed hardly reaches till 40 kbps. As a result, the fluctuation in the bandwidth would result it to be too expensive to the user. Present Scenario: At present, only BSNL is providing a dial up service. But this service has a limited number of users, mostly in the areas where the broadband has not reached, or the users who do not want to buy broadband due to very less usage. A majority of the user group has upgraded to the broadband internet. Future: The only dial up connection provider BSNL has decided to continue the dial up networking till the broadband reaches to the most remote areas. There is no scope of improvement in this channel of internet communication as it has already reached its limits. There is no chance of defying these limits. Advantages: This channel has practically no advantages over other channels of internet transmission, if we compare it to other types. This was the first form of internet communication to the public. This paved the ways for other types of internet. Wired Broadband Internet: This is the most used form of internet in the world. This type of internet is the most versatile and the most wide channel one, which can be transmitted over a wide variety of lines. They include the telephone lines, the television cable, dedicated lines etc. A broadband connection is the one which has a minimum bandwidth of 256 kbps. It is the high speed channel of internet communication. The major advantage of this network is that the number of users in this type of networks generally does not affect the speed. Also, the phone lines through which the line has been connected can be used both for phone as well as the internet connection simultaneously. It does not affect the quality in each of the channels as both of them work on completely different bandwidths. How Broadband Works A broadband connection works on the Digital Subscriber Line system. In this system, the internet signals are sent through the telephone cable on a completely higher frequency. Indian ISPs mostly use ADSL (Asymmetric DSL) system. In this type of system, the uplink and downlink bandwidths are different. The downlink is always much more than the uplink one. Bandwidths: Indian service providers give a bandwidth with starts from 256 kbps and at the most they give it to 4 Mbps. This bandwidth is very low as compared to the other developed countries where the bandwidth goes to around 7-50 Mbps. In Sri Lanka itself, the minimum broadband bandwidth is 8 Mbps. India has a lot to go in this context. Modems: Currently, Indian markets have two types of modems: Type-1 ADSL Modems: These are the LAN cable connection modems. These types of modems are used for wired connections. These modems modulate and demodulate the internet packet signals at the uplink and downlink frequency. These modems are connected to the computers through an 8-wire LAN cable. These modems have a strong security system. The reason is that these modems can be connected only through a cable. As such, the unauthorised access can be prevented. Most of the ISPs provide the modems with the service. The chief brands of Type-1 modems available in the market are: Huawei- Its a Chinese brand, the cheapest and the least reliable. It costs in the range of around Rs 1200. This is not a good brand, YET BSNL is providing these modems to maximise its profit. D-Link- This is a Taiwan made brand, comparatively better. It has some added security features like PSK. The cost is around Rs. 1400. UT STARCOM- this is one of the best brands of this type of modems available here. It is totally user customisable, has an upgradable firmware system and the host security features. It costs around Rs. 1500. Type-2 ADSL Modems- These types of modems are the WLAN enabled modems. These modems are comparatively less secure as the other counterparts, but are more easy to use as well as they comprise a wireless broadband network. They are sometimes also called as Wi-Fi routers. They have a range of around 100 metres of wireless LAN communication. They can connect a maximum of 20 computers to the maximum. The chief brands available are: D-Link- as discussed earlier, this type of modem has better security features. Costs around 2000 Rs. UT STARCOM- This is the best brand. Costs around 2400 Rs. Has a totally upgradable firmware system. Plus, this is the only modem in the category which gives a 3-level security. These levels are: Admin level: Admin can access, edit, reset, change, and control all the other terminals. User Level: They can just access the main security module, but can change, edit or reset their own module only. Support Level: it has equal privileges of an Admin, but only with his permission. WIRELESS BROADBAND: This is the newest entry in the segment of public sector broadband connection. In this type of broadband, the ISPs provide the broadband over the mobile telephone frequency channels. A SIM card is given to the user, which can be inserted in the simcard slot of the laptop of the user, or he can purchase a USB modem which is configured for the purpose. Currently Reliance, Aritel, Tata Photon and BSNL are in this market. This type of broadband is mostly costly, and the speeds vary from 256 kbps-1Mbps at the most. This is usually not value for money. Reason being a typical plan costs from Rs. 700-3000, which is too costly for a normal user. The costs of USB modems are also very high. As per 18/10/10, the prices are: BSNL- Rs.3400 for modem, and plans start from Rs.300 Reliance- 2800 for the modem and plans start from 500. Tata- 2400 for the modem, plans start from 350. Airtel- 3000 for the modem, plans start from Rs. 900. So, we can imagine that the plans are too costly for the reach of common man. This is the main reason why this segment is not so popular with the people. 3G communication in mobile pioneered by BSNL has brought a cheaper version of mobile broadband. This has achieved a bandwidth of maximum of 512 kbps and still has a scope of improvement. The best advantage is that the Plans start from just Rs. 25. THE FUTURE- OPTICAL FIBRES This channel of the internet communication is still not available in the public domain. Optical fibres work on the principal of the modulation of signal with the carrier frequencies of that of the spectrum of light. Light travels at the speed of 3108 m/s. as such, the data transfer in this case would be at a very high speed. This channel of transmission has not even been utilised to calculate its limits. The reason behing this is that we do not have such equipments that can transmit at such a high speed. Till date, data has been transferred through this channel at a maximum speed of 4 Gbps (gigabits per second). This is still a fraction of its limit. A single OFC can transmit thousands of channels without a single noise. Also, this channel has a negligible resistance. As such, data loss rates are very very low. It has been estimated that the OFCs can transmit internet at the speed of around 40 Tbps (tera bits per second). This is still an estimate. The original figure may go even higher. Currently, no public sector company in India is providing the OFC internet. Only the defence forces (Indian Army and Air Force) are using it. Limiting factors in the use of OFC: The reason that the OFC internet communication system is still in the pipleine is that the technology needed to harness this channel speed to the maximum is still not available. Light travels at a speed of 300000000 m/s. if the signals are modulated to the suitable carrier, then the signal travelling at such a fast speed would practically give a really fast communication. How internet has changed our lives? Today we are living in 21st century i.e. In science era. Science and technology has modernised our lives and has made our life full of comforts. Means of Telecommunication and means of transportation are really a god gift for us..we cant imagine our lives without internet, television, etc. Internet has brought us together. It has united the wider gulfs across the oceans. we can have our access to any other part of world by just sitting at our home. It provides us various facilities. A student can have its access to internet as well as a person working can also use this internet in its own way. It is beneficial for all. Communication: We used to write letters to stay in touch with those far away, and if our correspondent was very special, we would use our trusty film camera to take some photos before taking the resultant film to the camera shop for developing waiting anywhere from an hour to a week to get the prints. Wed then hand over the cash, go home, put everything in the envelope, stick a stamp on it and post it off. Nowadays, we grab our digital camera, take as many shots as we want, upload them directly on to our PCs, attach a copy to an e-mail and send it off into the ether. We can store, share, and order prints for our photographs from the same service. Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter and countless other websites have made social networking as easy as it could be. One cannot be too far away from his near and dear ones. People from all age groups spend time over these sites. Not only this, celebrities, VIP dignitaries, government officials etc. have their own portals on sites like twitter. Blogging is the trend of the new generation and with the help of your blog, you can share your likes and dislikes with the world . Reservation , banking : Now Internet can be also used for banking , reservation purposes . You can operate your bank account from your pc, view the account reports, report etc. by just sitting at your home . Even Railway and Airline reservation can be done with the help of   a click . Now there is no need to stand in queues and wait . Just open the site, click and book and your work is done.   Even shopping can be done by sitting at a desktop. Business: Internet is also used for expanding your business by the help of a website . Now you can target a large variety of consumers from around the world for your business if you have a properly maintained website. Various sites provide the online shopping facilities like www.ebay.in, www.tradus.in etc. Just a matter of click, and we can buy all what we want.

Leader Characteristics Essay -- Sociology Leadership Leader Management

Leader Characteristics Charismatic leadership is one of four subdivisions of the larger concept of transformational leadership (Bass, 1990). Charismatic leaders are self-confident, dominant, purposeful, articulate, influential, idealistic, and expressive. They have high energy levels, strong convictions, the ability to display empathy, and are risk takers (Bass, 1990). By stimulating "ailing corporations, revitalizing aging bureaucracies or launching new enterprises" (Howell and Avolio, 1995), charismatic leaders demonstrate how truly effective they can be. These leaders are often described as visionaries, with a strong sense of the future and a passion for their vision. They are able to achieve the vision by developing strategies to accomplish the long term goals associated with the vision. Expressiveness is an important quality in charismatic leaders. Charismatic leaders can utilize nonverbal cues "to move, inspire, or captivate others" (quoted in Bass, 1990). According to Bass (1990) the charismatic's "tone of voice is engaging and captivating, and their facial expressions are animated." Charismatics must convey an aura of complete self-confidence. This self-confidence enables them to become "larger than life" (Bass, 1990) in the eyes of their followers. Another quality attributed to charismatics is eloquence. In order to reach the audience, he must possess the ability to speak directly to them. The message has to reach the audience in a fundamental way, a way which addresses their needs. High energy levels are necessary for a charismatic to be successful. This allows the leader to "relentlessly promote their beliefs with boundless energy" (Howell and Avolio, 1995). Bass (1990) also notes that charismatic leaders are s... ...ion. These leaders have great power over there followers and it is not always positive, as evidenced by many of the charismatic leaders seen in history. References Bass, Bernard M. Bass. (1990). Bass & Stogdill's handbook of leadership: Theory, research, and managerial applications (3rd ed). New York: The Free Press. Howell, Jane M., & Avolio, Bruce J. (1995). Charismatic leadership: Submission or Liberation? Business Quarterly. 60, 62-70. Mirriam-Webster Dictionary. (1997). Springfield, MA: Mirriam-Webster. Nur, Yusuf Ahmed. (1998). Charisma and managerial leadership: The gift that never was. Business Horizons, 41(4), 19-26. Pillai, Rajnandini, Schriesheim, Chester A., & Williams, Eric S. (1999). Fairness perceptions and trust as mediators for transformational and transactional leadership: A two-sample study. Journal of Management. 25(6), 897-933.

Computer Illiteracy :: Computer Illiteracy

Society is currently in a period of rapid technological change. Computers are becoming a household item as well as a highly advanced tool for most every workplace. The entire world is interlinked through the Internet and information is being transferred across the globe in a matter of seconds. Computers are getting smaller and quicker and the amount of information they can store is getting larger. In this information society that we are becoming, a new advanced form of literacy threatens to debilitate anyone who refuses to step into the computer age. Computer illiteracy endangers not only the individual but our nation’s economy. Whether you like it or not, computers are the new language and those who refuse to accept this will be left in the dust . Computer illiteracy must be addressed now or there will be a whole new population of specialized illiterates in America. There is no doubt that computers are firmly implanted in our nation’s daily existence. Everyday I use a computer at least once, either writing a paper, surfing the Internet or checking my e-mail. On a recent trip to the library to do research I was quickly escorted by a librarian to the variety of computer databases, which are the fastest and most current source of information I found a survey in Statistical Abstracts of the United States comparing students use of computers in kindergarten through college from 1984 to 1993. A total of 27.3% of students used computers in schools in 1984, while a total of 59.0% used computers in 1993. This shows a steady rise in scholastic computer use and these figures are probably greatly inflated by now in 1997. Sadly, many people refuse to face the onslaught of computer technology. A 1994 survey conducted by Dell Computers indicated the 55% of Americans are phobic or resistant to computers (Column). In addition, many important people, including CEOÕs of major companies, are rumored to be computer illiterate (Column). The former CEO of IBM even admitted to never using a computer (Column). Fortunately, PC’s are becoming more and more user friendly as the technology improves. Fewer errors, less maintenance and quicker functioning should encourage many reluctant people to finally step into the new era. Computer literacy requires that an individual be able to word process and have a basic knowledge of CD-Roms, database and the Internet. These are the basic objectives of computer literacy, just as composition may be the objective of regular literacy.

Stress :: essays research papers

Stress CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Statement of the Research Problem How do you cope with stress in the workplace to achieve a more balanced lifestyle? Stress is a part of everybody's life. Depending on the level of stress, it can control our lives, especially in the workplace. We begin to spend several long hours at work, and thus have less time for other things. Stressed employees may be unhappy and thus produce nominally. Stress can deteriorate social and family relationships and eventually burn you out; ultimately it can take toll on your health. Organizations need to recognize stress as a problem and decide whether or not to act upon it. Background Information This question needs to be answered because stress is a problem that all organizations must deal with; stress can cause poor work performance and lower employee morale. These factors can increase employee turnover rate and lessen quality of life. We all must deal with stress; question is how we handle and control it. With downsizing the buzz word in the modern corporate world, companies have become mean and lean. Employees are compelled to be more efficient; they find themselves taking on the work of what used to be two. The result is longer hours, less time for outside activities, and consequently increased stress. According to Business Week, the typical American works 47 hours a week, and if current trends continue, in 20 years "the average person would be on the job 60 hours a week." Another factor that increases stress is technological advancements. With all the new technology one is always connected to work and accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week. According to Business Week, it is now possible, and thus increasingly expected, for employees to be accessible and productive any hour, any day. At a workplace, one observes several sales people working long hours, claiming it is due to under staffing. Employees reach a point of diminishing returns. The more hours they work, the less productive they are. This stressful condition causes the quality of work to dwindle. Consequently, clients recognize this, and eventually they terminate the business relationship. Soon the company loses, as it is built on these clients. Statement of the Objectives In this research, I expect to discuss factors which lead to stress in the workplace. Are individuals stressed in the workplace? What causes stress in the workplace? Who is mostly stressed: men or women? Are individuals being exposed to stress management techniques? Should employers implement stress management techniques? As a future manager, I would like to be able to determine if stress is a problem for employees; if so, implement a strategy to