Influence on the dependent variables Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Influence on the dependent variables - Essay Example confounding variables, they can influence the validity of the research findings thus the researcher needs to come up with ways to attempt to control the extraneous variables. Firstly, the researchers’ points out some of the variables those are most likely to have influence on the dependent variable (Keele, 2015). This approach is based on researcher’s common sense, experience as well as his or her simple logic reasoning. For instance, it is evident that a noisy, busy room has a lot of distractions that lower the level of performance as to the contrary of a quiet place. In this case, noise is the extraneous variable, and it can be controlled from turning into a confounding variable. Other researchers hold the extraneous variable constant by employing approaches that create a standardized surrounding and procedure. This approach ensures that all variables are the same in each condition thereby they cannot turn into confounding variables. Other ways that researcher’ do use to attempt to control the extraneous variables in experiments include the random assignment approach and the control technique of matching. Under the random assignment approach, the researcher starts with a particular group of participants whereby these participants get assigned to groups randomly (Wood & Kerr, 2014). This only means that the researcher tries to avoid the extraneous variables for making the decision on how participants get fit to different groups. Similarly, the control technique of matching enables the researcher on deciding the variables that he or she wants to use in equating the groups on thereby avoiding the extraneous variables from turning into confounding variables. To conclude, it is important to control the extraneous variables from turning into confounding variables when conducting any research. Once the extraneous variables have been figured out it is of much important to perform a meta-analysis to find a way of adjusting these

Private enterprise system Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Private enterprise system - Research Paper Example The competitive nature of the economy, due to the capitalist system, makes it easier for consumers and firms to buy and sell goods and services freely. In a private enterprise system in its purest form all factors of production are privately owned and there is no intention from the government to set market prices or intervene in the economy (Gitman & McDaniel 2007). Due to the little intervention by the government market forces dominate the economy and the three basic questions in economics: 1) what to produce? 2) how to produce? and 3) for whom to produce? are determined by the market mechanisms of demand and supply. 1. What goods and services to produce: it is the people who decide the mix of goods and services that should be produced and sold in the economy. The people demand those goods and services that they either need or want. Their needs and wants are based on the amount of income they have or wealth they possess to buy the goods and services. Firms then produce and supply th e goods and services that are demanded by the customers in order to maximize their profits. 2. How to produce the goods and services: as there are limited resources available to an economy, producers aim to use minimum resources to maximize output and profits. As a result firms use the most effective, efficient and least costly factors of productions to produce the goods and services desired by the consumers in the economy. 3. For whom to produce: as there are only a limited number of resources available hence only a limited amount of goods and services can be produced. People’s income is the major determinant regarding who gets the produced goods and services. Although firms produce the goods and services demanded by the economy, people with more income and more money at their disposal will dominate and be able to buy whatever they desire. Hence as can be seen the basic economic questions are answered in a private enterprise system by the decisions of producers, consumers an d the market forces of demand and supply. There are four economic rights in a private enterprise system. The fundamental right on which the whole capitalist system stands is the right to own private property. As the private enterprise system states that resources are privately owned, people have the right to buy, sell, own, use and transfer property. Some forms of property include land, machinery, building, equipment and private possessions. People won’t be able to sell goods and services if they are not allowed the right to own as they will not be able to transfer this right to others through an agreement. The second right that exists in a private enterprise system is that the business owners have the right to keep profits from their business activities after taxes have been paid. Profit is the reward for the business owners as he is the one who takes the risk of investing his privately owned resources in the business hence any income generated by the owner in excess of his costs becomes his profit which he is entitled to keep. Another important right is the right of freedom of choice. People in the private enterprise economy are free to choose their own job, find alternate jobs if they are not satisfied with the current, become part of labor unions, negotiate their wage with the employer, choose from a diverse range of goods and service or choose to set up their own business. As can be highlighted from these examples

Defining Success in Project Management

Defining Success in Project Management EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The report focuses upon the constituents of project success and provides key recommendations to enhance the company’s policy manual and understanding. The constituents are: Timescale Cost Quality Health and Safety Legacy Case studies examining projects which are established as being excessively flawed in one or more area feature: The Boston ‘big dig’, USA (timescale, cost, quality, safety) Qatar 2022 World Cup (safety, legacy, quality) Sydney Opera House (timescale, cost) In contrast, the London 2012 Olympic project is regarded as a major success. This expansive project was delivered safely on time, on budget and boasts a positive legacy. Failures common to the flawed projects are compared to the success of the Olympics. These company qualities constitute project management success: achieving ambitious performance targets developing partnerships Having a trained, integrated, experienced and motivated workforce placing value delivered over costs saved THE CONSTITUENTS OF SUCCESS Project management is a continuously evolving discipline. There is no golden formula to ensure perfect success (Smith, 2008). However, understanding gained through experience, investment in training and development of targets helps realise a project as successfully as possible. The constituents of success may be identified as: Timescale. A successful company adheres to defined objectives, plans effectively, anticipates problems and delivers a project to the client by an agreed deadline. Finance. This is not just about keeping costs low and within a defined budget, but about delivering the best value. Waste should be minimised and labour efficiency maximised. Margins are traditionally low in the industry (Egan, 1998): a successful company does not merely survive but makes a good enough profit to: Continue delivering the best value for clients and stakeholders Attract long term shareholders Invest in training, research and product development. Be honest and realistic about budgets Quality. There should be no building defects and through value management, client expectations should not only be met but exceeded. Through quality, a successful company retains and grows their client base and develops partnering arrangements. Partnerships with major clients reduce cost and timescales (Egan, 1998). Health and Safety. A successful project ensures a paucity of injuries and avoids fatalities. Legacy. A successful project leaves an appropriate, lasting imprint in the following ways: Political – promoting infrastructure and industry improvement. Economic – generating income for the area. Environmental – sustainability, adhering to low carbon construction. Cultural – benefitting all stakeholders. Technical – pushing the boundaries of achievement. Ideally succeeding on all levels, projects may instead succeed in one or more area but fail excessively in other areas. Three cases deemed overall failures are examined. FAILURE CASE STUDIES THE ‘BIG DIG’, BOSTON, USA Figure 1 The Big Dig or Central Artery/Tunnel Project (Geotimes, 2002) The ‘Big Dig’, launched in 1991, was the most expensive construction scheme in U.S. history designed to replace an outdated highway costing the economy $500 m/year (Silverman, 2015). The project was originally estimated at $2.6 billion due for completion in 1998 (National Academy of Engineering, 2003). However, delays pushed the project completion date to 2007 with cost overruns of $12.2 billion (Silverman, 2015). There were numerous reasons for the project delays: Tunnel leaks caused by lack of due diligence Program delays due to numerous revisions of the signature cable stayed bridge Change of management and communication issues Failure to manage client and stakeholder involvement Challenges of undertaking construction alongside daily public use Additionally, a tragedy occurred when ceiling panels in a tunnel collapsed, causing a fatality and resulting in extensive litigation for management. Federal investigation blamed inadequate materials and the projects escalating budget (LeBlanc, 2007). The excessive failures of the project led to extensive evaluation. Figure 2 shows the changing total project cost. Inflation contributed heavily approximately $6.5 billion. However, the true impact was difficult to assess due to the dynamic interplay of scope, schedule and construction costs. Mitigation costs were inadequately quantified (National Academy of Engineering, 2003). Figure 2 Cost History and Scope Evolution, in millions of dollars (Data from Edwards, 2002) 2022 WORLD CUP, QATAR Figure 3 Stadium construction site (Bhatia, 2014) The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is another prominent example of management failure. It remains to be seen whether the project will finish on time and on budget, although the figure reported by Deloitte is an excessive $200 billion USD (Figure 4) (Deloitte, 2013). However, regardless of final performance in these regards, the project will be remembered as an appalling failure in safe and responsible construction. Reports have emerged exposing unethical (and in some cases, illegal) practises on the part of contractors responsible for the various sites and developments. Despite the colossal spending involved in the project, the cost of construction work has been minimised through cheap migrant labour subjected to poor working conditions and minimal pay. Workers’ payslips reveal that some labourers were paid as little as  £4.90 a day, or 45p an hour. In other cases, pay has been withheld for up to one year (Booth and Pattison, 2014). Beyond financial exploitation, there has been disregard from contractors regarding safety on-site: controls are often lax and additionally, labourers are required to work in extreme temperatures for long hours. Both of these factors combined resulted in a reported death toll of over one per day for workers in 2014 (Gibson and Pattison, 2014). Figure 5 illustrates the death toll in comparison with equivalent sporting events. Figure 5 – Construction deaths in recent sporting events (London Loves Business, 2014) It should be noted that this performance can be attributed primarily to the contractors managing the projects – an international law firm’s report confirmed that â€Å"it appears clear to us that the legislation is in place to ensure migrant workers wages are paid and to preclude unauthorised deductions. It is, therefore, an issue of the proper monitoring and enforcement of such legislation.† The same conclusion was also expressed regarding worker safety considerations (DLA Piper, 2014). Regardless of deadlines or commercial performance, a key managerial role must be to ensure a safe, ethically run site. For this reason the construction of Qatar 2022 will always be considered a failure. 3.3 SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE Known globally as the symbol for Australia, Sydney Opera House is arguably one of the world’s most breath-taking structures, floating effortlessly atop the Sydney Harbour. However, the task of realising the project was far from effortless. Figure 6 Sydney Opera House (SOH) (Enochlau, 2006) In 1957, architect Jà ¸rn Utzon won the competition initiated by the New South Wales government for the building. Construction started in 1959 with Utzon as project manager. The first failure stemmed from biased judgement tending to architectural form rather than feasibility. The judging panel also failed to evaluate how much experience the competition entrants had with large-scale design projects. The incomplete, untested structural strategy proposed to achieve the complex roof design was the second failure; the project started without a full set of completed drawings (MIT, 2011). This was one of the first major projects to be designed using CAD software, thus imposing challenges in itself. Furthermore, there was no clear program, resulting in major design changes being made on a daily basis during construction. These changes included the demolition and reconstruction of parts of the structure and consequently the budget soared to an unprecedented level. Stakeholders began to get involved and demanded alterations be made for financial reasons. For example, the Australian Broadcasting Commission wanted the proposed larger opera hall to be converted to a concert hall because to increase revenue through larger audiences (MIT, 2011). Figure 7 SOH under construction (Martin, 2012) In 1966 Utzon resigned as project manager, taking the majority of the designs with him. The new management subsequently struggled to replicate them which had significant cost and program implications. The project took 14 years to complete, which was originally planned for 4 years. The total cost amounted to $102 million AUSD; the initial estimate was $7 million (Martin, 2012). The scale and complexity of the project was unprecedented and the original cost estimate was highly unrealistic. A SUCCESS STORY: LONDON OLYMPIC GAMES 2012 The London 2012 Olympics was undoubtedly a management success. This can be attributed to two key factors ambitious targets and foresight in planning. Figure 8 Queen Elizabeth 11 Olympic Park, London (Inhabitat, 2010) The Olympic Design Authority (ODA) had clearly defined targets concerning environment and sustainability, health safety and design legacy. PICTURE The ODA began planning the Olympic bid and brief well in advance of construction. They utilised the knowledge and experience of specialist government departments (e.g. Health and Safety Executive) concerning: The commissioning of studies to identify contractors with relevant experience Setting targets for each phase Monitoring and developing partnerships with contractors On site health and safety management (HSE involvement) Despite a multitude of challenges arising from the enormous scale, the project succeeded on many levels: Delivered on time final works completed in September 2011. Exemplary health and safety record – the plan was to set a new standard in construction, to research educate the industry to develop a health and safety conscious and proactive culture. This was achieved emphatically; there were no work related fatalities on the whole of the construction programme. Injury frequency rate as reported by the HSE per 100,000 hours worked was 0.16, well below the industry average of 0.55 (Bolt et al, 2012). Legacy – The project provided: re-use of world class sporting facilities, affordable housing to a now prime area, implementation of modern infrastructure and a massive urban regeneration programme. Cost The original cost of the games in its entirety was advertised at around the  £2.4 billion mark. This was revised to  £9.3 billion in 2007 (DCMS 2012). Despite being initially over budget, there was openness and transparency concerning financing. This resulted in a revised, realistic budget which delivered a successful venue for the games. COMMON FAILURES AND COMPARISON WITH SUCCESS Considering the constituents of success in section 2, table 5.1 compares common themes found within the failures to the success of London 2012. Table 5.1: Comparing common failure themes with success. It is clear that a project may be deemed a success if the above criteria are achieved with the exception of sticking rigidly to an original budget. Ultimately, the British Government was correct in spending more to entirely achieve the other four criteria. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS This report concludes that having control and command of the five areas outlined in sections 2 and 5 constitutes success. If a project is a technical success but fails on other levels, then it may be deemed an overall failure. Equally, saving money does not equate to success or delivering the best value for stakeholders and spending money does not guarantee safety. The policy manual should therefore state that the company: Establishes and adheres to a system of clear performance targets. Allowing evaluation of quality and performance. Pursues a culture of establishing partnering relationships with clients offering repeat business. Improving efficiency. Decreasing the need for tendering and contracts (Egan, 1998). Employs an integrated, trained, safe and motivated workforce. Sharing and pooling experience across disciplines. Working together on numerous projects. Avoiding fatalities and major injuries. Considers finance by value delivered rather than money saved. Exuding financial honesty and transparency. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bolt, H. Haslam, R. Gibb, A. Waterson, P., (2012). Pre-conditioning for success. Loughborough: HSE, (RR955). Booth, R., Pattison, P. 2014. Qatar World Cup stadium workers earn as little as 45p an hour [online]. Doha: The Guardian. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jul/29/qatar-world-cup-stadium-workers-earn-45p-hour [Accessed 21/02/15] Booth, R., Pattison, P. 2014. Qatar World Cup: migrants wait a year to be paid for building offices [online]. Doha: The Guardian. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jul/28/qatar-world-cup-migrants-not-paid-building-office [Accessed 21/02/15] Bust, P. (2011). Learning legacy. Loughborough: Loughborough University, (ODA 2011/269). Deloitte, 2013. Insight into the Qatar construction market and opportunities for real estate developers. Middle East: Deloitte Corporate Finance Limited. Department of Culture, Media and Sport. (2010). November London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic budget report published Anticipated final cost down  £29m. Gov Announcements Online. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/november-london-2012-olympic-and-paralympic-budget-report-published-anticipated-final-cost-down-29m2 [Accessed 25/02/2015 Department for Culture, Media and Sport, (2012). London 2012 Olympic And Paralympic Games – Quarterly Report. London: DCMS DLA Piper, 2014. Migrant labour in the construction sector in the state of Qatar. Qatar: DLA Piper UK LLP Egan, J.,The Construction Task Force. Rethinking Construction. 1998. [online]. Available from: URLhttp://www.constructingexcellence.org.uk/pdf/rethinking%20construction/rethinking_construction_report.pdf [Accessed 16 February 2015]. Egan, J.,The Strategic Forum for Construction. Accelerating Change. ISBN 1 898671 28 1. Rethinking Construction, Construction Industry Council. ENOCHLAU. (2006) Sydney Opera House Sails. [Online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sydney_Opera_House_Sails.jpg#filehistory . Wikipedia. [Accessed on: 26th February 2015]. Gibson, O., Pattison, P. 2014. Death toll among Qatar’s 2022 World Cup workers revealed [online]. Kathmandu: The Guardian. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/23/qatar-nepal-workers-world-cup-2022-death-toll-doha [Accessed 21/02/15] IRVINE, J. (2013) Why Sydneys Opera House was the worlds biggest planning disaster. [Online]. Available from: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/why-sydneys-opera-house-was-the-worlds-biggest-planning-disaster/story-e6freon6-1226744769556 . [Accessed on: 26th February 2015]. LeBlanc, Steve., 2007. On Dec. 31, It’s Official: Boston’s Big Dig Will Be Done [online]. Available from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/25/AR2007122500600_3.html [Accessed 13 February 2015]. MARTIN, C. G. O. (2012) The Sidney Opera House construction: A case of project management failure. [Online]. Available from: http://www.eoi.es/blogs/cristinagarcia-ochoa/2012/01/14/the-sidney-opera-house-construction-a-case-of-project-management-failure/ . [Accessed on: 26th February 2015]. MIT. (2011) Project Evaluation. [Online]. Available from: file:///C:/Users/staples/Documents/Bath%20University/3rd%20Year/Semester%202/Management%202/The%20Sydney%20Opera%20House.pdf . [Accessed on: 26th February 2015]. National Research Council Committee for Review of the Project Management Practices Employed on the Boston Central Artery/Tunnel (Big Dig) Project, National Research Council, National Academy of Engineering., 2003. Completing the â€Å"Big Dig: managing the final stages of Boston’s central artery/tunnel project. National Academies Press, 2003, pp, 1,3,7,8,10,12,14,17. Silverman, Jacob., 10 Construction Projects That Broke the Bank [online]. Available from: http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/10-construction-projects.htm#page=9 [Accessed 13 February 2015] Smith, N.J., 2008. Engineering Project Management. ISBN: 978-1-4051-6802-1. Blackwell Publishing, Third Edition. http://www.geotimes.org/oct02/bostonsandgravel.jpg (Source: W.Edwards, â€Å"Project History,† Presentation to the Committee on October 21, 2002) Qatar World Cup preparation expected to invite deals worth $150bn Bhatia, N. 2014. http://www.bigprojectme.com/news/qatar-world-cup-preparation-expected-to-invite-deals-worth-150bn/ http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2014/06/24/world-cup-price-tag-multiplies-with-time http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/business-news/london-2012-olympics/this-graph-shows-the-sickening-extent-of-the-qatar-world-cup-deaths/8120.article Vinter, R Image Available http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2010/10/ukolympic-ed01.jpg

Changing Lives From The Other Side :: essays research papers

Changing Lives from the Other Side â€Å"To teach is to touch lives forever† is a popular phrase that teachers like to be reminded of. I know this because they almost all have it framed on their desk, up on their walls on posters, or have a t-shirt with the theme on it. Another is â€Å"To teach a child is to change the world.† I haven’t been a teacher, but I work with children and with children’s health at The Little Gym, and I volunteer at the homeless center’s children’s activity room. I can’t say that I’ve touched or changed their lives, but I know that they’ve changed my view on love more than anything else has.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All other humans, and I first learned about love from our parents. From birth, we are nurtured and given everything needed for survival. Through this dependence, we develop love for our parents. When we start to learn more about the world, we come in contact with others. I am one of the many people that try to develop or adjust a child’s life for the best. I am probably one of the least important people in the process of the child’s mental and physical growth. But, some children make me feel like the most important person in the world, that only a few worthy people are lucky enough to see a child’s special light and smile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A child’s smile is transparent. Their love can be seen through their smile. Their happiness is so innocent and unselfish, that sometimes, we have to feel like a child to feel that kind of love. Working with kids reminds me to bring myself back to childhood. I have to think, what made me happy when I was a child, what frustrated me, and how can I make that situation better for the child. The groups of children that I work with may compare and contrast to each other in different ways. The Gym’s kids are generally well behaved and easy to please. The homeless center’s kids are disrespectful, but still easy to please. A favorite activity at the homeless center is for the children to throw toys around the room when they can’t get their way. These kids need extra attention to calm down and to explain sharing to. But if I was a raging kid, I wouldn’t want to be talked to. I would need other entertainment to keep my mind on, and fast.

“Death and a King’s Horseman” and “All My Sons” Essay

Compare the ways in which Soyinka in Death and a King’s Horseman and Miller in All My Sons present Elesin and Keller? How far would you agree that the personal tragedy of each protagonist’s death is less important than the death of their sons? Soyinka and Miller shape the protagonists by their presentations of their voice using different language and use of setting cultural context which presents their different responsibilities and duties exposing their character. The different presentations of the characters determine how the audience connect with the protagonists. Elesin and Keller’s deaths are climatic points in the play, with their son’s deaths also being pivotal; acting as catalysts for the protagonist’s death which cause the protagonist’s to acknowledge their fatal flaws. The different purposes of the protagonist’s suicides, made evident also by the protagonist’s presented characters, determine whether the tragedy of thei r death is more important than the death of their sons. The setting and cultural context of each of the plays a profound role in shaping the characters as the differing cultural context affects the character’s duties and responsibilities which shape their presentations as characters. Though set in the same time periods, the cultures differ between plays. Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman opens in â€Å"Oyo, an ancient Yoruba city in Nigeria, 1944†, during British colonialism whereas All My Sons by Miller is set in the â€Å"outskirts of an American town† just after the war in the late 1940’s after world war two. Soyinka and Miller’s introductions of the culture and the setting at the beginning of the plays expose the protagonist’s individual characters. The â€Å"secluded atmosphere† on the â€Å"outskirts of an American town† in which All My Sons opens acts as a dramatic device to show Keller’s devotion to his family by presenting him as sectioned off from wider society. Additionally, the â€Å"closely planted poplars† which seclude the area act as a dramatic device to represent Keller’s somewhat narrow minded principles and set values. Soyinka’s portrayal of the culture and setting also presents Elesin’s character and nature. Soyinka invites the audience to the rich Yoruban culture through Elesin’s voice; â€Å"a man of enormous vitality† who exposes the beauty of the setting to the audience, thus revealing his lust for earthly pleasures. â€Å"The smell of indigo on their cloth, this is the air I wish to breath† portrays Elesin’s yearn for life. The use of evocative description of the setting and culture creates a picture of Elesin’s vibrant character. The author’s use of language, which creates the character’s voice, presents the protagonists differently and shapes the audience’s reactions and feelings towards them in each play. Miller’s use of disjointed language such as â€Å"what’s goin†, to create Keller’s voice, presents him as an un-educated simple man. Though his incoherent language means the audience isn†™t enticed or fascinated by him, it presents him as an ordinary character, allowing the audience to connect with him on a personal level. The fact the audience is able to connect with Keller personally, because of his down to earth nature, means the audience are less sympathetic of his fatal flaw as Miller’s presentation of him causes the audience to be un-expectant of his down fall. â€Å"Back in my day you were either a doctor or a lawyer† exposes Keller’s myopic perspective of the world and strong attachment to his set values. Conversely, Soyinka’s use of complex language to create Elesin’s voice fascinates and captivates the audience, giving him high status as a character. Soyinka presents Elesin as an exuberant character fascinated by earthly pleasures. â€Å"I become a monarch whose palace is built with tenderness and beauty†. The flowing rhythm of his voice and the use of positive adjectives expose his passion for life; his fatal flaw as a character. Elesin speaks poetically in riddles such as â€Å"when the horse sniffs the stable does he not strain at the bridle?† presenting him as articulate and expressive. He also uses metaphors to express his ideas such as â€Å"you’re like a jealous wife† when talking to the Praise-Singer. This use of riddles and metaphors makes him sometimes difficult to unders tand presenting the idea he hides his fatal flaw by using his language to distract the praise singer from acknowledging his love for life which distracts him from his cultural duty. For example when the praise singer accuses Elesin of forgetting â€Å"a long faithful mother of his children† referring to his responsibilities to his culture, Elesin replies poetically saying â€Å"when the horse sniffs at the stable does he not strain at the bridle?†. However, his superior position makes it difficult for the audience to connect with him on a personal level. This foreshadows his downfall as a character as he later abandons his responsibilities to his culture by not committing to his duty of suicide. Because his fatal flaws are foreshadowed, when his downfall is eventually exposed it is expected by the audience thus they feel sympathy for him and his death is seen as an act of redemption. Both All My Sons and Death and a King’s horseman are structured with the climatic parts of the play at the end and use foreshadowing techniques throughout the plays to build up the tension and climax. In Death of a King’s Horseman Soyinka portrays Elesin’s fatal flaw; his desire for earthly pleasures which distracts him from the responsibility of death; to foreshadow his downfall as a character. Soyinka’s use of language exposes Soyinka’s desire for mortal pleasures. â€Å"This market is my roost† foreshadows his inability to sacrifice his be devotion for life for the benefit for the people in his culture. Similarly, Miller uses foreshadowing techniques to prognosticate the revelation of Keller’s mistakes. The broken tree which is a memorial for Larry acts as a dramatic device which foreshadows the end of Keller’s family’s ignorance to his mistake. The mother also foreshadows this by The different purposes within the narrative of the protagonist’s death affect their differing importance’s compared to the death of their son’s which acts as a catalyst The point at which the fathers acknowledge their sons death is the pivotal point at which the protagonist’s accept their fatal flaws. In Death and a King’s Horseman, because the death of Elesin is presented as an act of redemption, in my opinion the tragedy of his death is more important than the death of his son When Keller’s mistake of killing Larry is discovered he responds defensively to protect himself. â€Å"The minute there’s trouble you [mother] run out of strength† suggests Keller attempts to direct the blame on to somebody else and deny his mistakes. The fact his death takes place as a result of his family shunning him suggests his intentions for his suicide are selfish, to protect himself from unhappiness as his family is the only thing he values in life. This causes the audience to view his death as a cowardly act rather than an act of redemption from his mistakes. In my opinion this makes his suicide less important than the death of his son within the play which is the pivotal point of exposing Keller’s faults as a character. On the contrary, Elesin’s intentional death is presented as an act of redemption. It is clear Elesin kills himself for the benefit of his culture as â€Å"he has a duty to perform†. The presentation of his cultural duties at the beginning of the play The moment at which he kills himself is more important than the death of his son as it is the pivotal point in the novel where his mistakes and flaws are redeemed by showing his loyalty to his culture. Therefore, although Keller’s suicide seems less important than the death of his son as his suicide is merely a selfish act to protect him, Elesin’s intentional death is an act of redemption, making it equally important as the death of his son.

Emerging Standards of Care: Cultural Competence Essay

The United States is often referred to as a melting pot. Cultural diversity is an inevitable reality in today’s society. We are faced with an increasingly diverse patient population and a diverse group of health care providers. Culture is a dynamic and complex phenomena that most understand as something that describes a particular ethnic group (Mitchell, Fioravanti, Founds, Hoffmann, & Liebman, 2010). Culture influences a person’s behaviors, practices, norms, customs, and beliefs on health, illness, and health care. According to Freidman, Bowden, and Jones (2003), people view culture as a model for our way of behaving, living, and feeling. There is an existence associated between culture and health practices. As the world becomes more diverse with migration, it is important that nurses and other health care workers understand and recognize the various cultures they encounter. The current U.S. population exhibits unparalleled ethnic and sociocultural diversity, yet the nursing workforce fails to reflect the current state of the nation’s diversity. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. nursing workforce is predominantly White/Non-Hispanic and female (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, 2010). Nurses face the challenge to meet the health care needs of a culturally diverse population while promoting diversity in the workforce. Nurses promote diversity in the workforce through educating nurses on cultural sensitivity and competence. Cultural competence in nursing is evolving as a standard of care. It is essential that nurses and other health care providers employ knowledge of various social and cultural influences in the care setting to promote  patient-centered care (Mitchell, Fioravanti, Founds, Hoffmann, & Libman, 2010). It is necessary to appreciate and recognize the relevance of diversity in the acute care setting to set standards of culturally competent nursing care, and to improve delivery of care through improving and meeting these standards. It is important that health care providers not only embrace cultural diversity, but also strive for cultural competence in order to ensure that all patients receive the best possible care. It is imperative that health care professionals integrate a patient’s cultural beliefs and practices into his or her treatment and recovery plan. Health care is rapidly changing. Patients and families are more receptive to these changes in modern medicine if their traditions and practices are integrated (Chater, 2008). Cultural competence not only pertains to race, sex, age, and ethnicity, but also encompasses â€Å"other inseparable factors of culture such as economic, political, religious, psychosocial, and biological conditions† (Stein, 2010). Delivery of culturally competent care entails promotion of the principles of social justice. According to the American Nurses Association (2001), â€Å"respect for the inherent worth, dignity, and human rights of every individual is a fundamental principle that underlies all nursing practice† (American Nurses Association, 2001). These principles model the standards in providing culturally competent care. They also guide nurses’ decisions pertaining to patient care. It is crucial that nurses and other health care providers examine their own beliefs and values. They must determine how their beliefs and values influence their interactions with patients, families, and colleagues. The concepts of cultural aspiration, cultural skill, cultural appreciation, cultural knowledge, and cultural acquaintances all produce cultural competency. Motivation of the nurse to become culturally proficient leads to acceptance of cultural diversity. Cultural awareness is the profound self-exploration of an individual’s personal cultural background. This includes identifying one’s cultural assumptions, biases, and prejudices of different cultures. The capability of assessing and assembling relevantly cultural facts that are significant to the patient’s presenting problem  refers to cultural skill. Cultural knowledge includes both seeking for and acquiring a strong educational foundation of the existing multicultural population that includes health beliefs and practices. And, lastly, the process that encourages nurses to interact face-to-face with diverse cultures is cultural encounter. Culturally competent care is reached by incorporating these concepts. By doing so, there is a decrease in health disparities and an increase in the potential for better outcomes and relevant care (Campinha-Bacote, 2003). The HHS Disparities Action Plan was initiated by the Department of Health and Human Services. This plan coordinates with other agencies to reach its goal of promoting health equality by using provisions set forth from Healthy People 2020 and the Affordable Care Act (HHS, 2011). According to HHS (2011), ethnic groups such as Hispanics, Asian Americans, American Indians, and African Americans experience higher mortality rates than other ethnic groups. The HHS Disparities Action Plan identifies factors such as poverty, socioeconomic status, lack of access to health care and racially driven disparities to promote safe patient outcomes and health equality. Several critical components establish standards of practice contribute to an organization’s capacity to provide culturally competent care. These components include: critical reflection, transcultural nursing knowledge, social justice, cross-cultural practice and communication, patient advocacy, health care systems, multicultural workforce education, policy development, training, and evidenced-based practice and research (Brady, 2010). Health care facilities need to ensure that tools such as multilingual teaching materials and interpreters are in place to effectively provide care. The use of cultural knowledge in composing a patient’s plan of care is a way to value diversity. Cultural competency is a continuous learning experience. Health care facilities may collaborate with professional organizations to establish best evidence-based practice in order to develop policies and standardized culturally competent care and reduce disparities (Brady, 2010). So, how does one become culturally competent? The initial step to becoming culturally competent is self-awareness. We must be aware of and value our own culture in order to identify with and recognize the value of the culture of others. We do this by critically reflecting on ourselves. â€Å"Examining and reflecting on one’s own ethnicity, belief structure, and values† determine the impact on our ability to â€Å"deliver culturally competent care† (Brady, 2010). A Nurses who understand themselves are able to understand and appreciate cultural differences. By doing so, the nurse can establish ideal ways to render effective health care services. An example would be that of a patient from the Far East. A nurse caring for a Chinese patient must appreciate that the Chinese adhere to traditional healing practices such as acupuncture, meditation, and homeopathy. Knowing this, the nurse will attempt to integrate these traditional practices into the patient’s treatment plan. The nurse can integrate acupuncture as an alternative treatment for pain management. A nurse who appreciates cultural diversity will strive to understand the cultural practices and beliefs of that patient and integrate applicable elements of the patient’s culture in the plan of care. Explanation of the plan of care and identifying the needs and expectations of the patient and family will aide in reducing tension, hence, develop a trust between the nurse, patient, and family. Nursing is making advances in promoting and implementing culturally competent care. Transcultural Nursing Society is a professional nursing organization involved in ensuring cultural competence is being included in the curriculum of nursing schools throughout the nation. The Transcultural Nursing Society is also involved in ensuring that curriculums are providing nurses with the necessary knowledge base to ensure cultural competence in their practice (Transcultural Nursing Society, 2013). Another organization, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), provides guidelines to enhance culturally competent care in health care facilities. This organization recognizes the disparities in health care delivery due to linguistic differences. They also recognize that there is prevalence in racial and ethnic disparities in health care delivery in the United States. The AHRQ points out that culturally and linguistically  diverse groups, as well as individuals with limited proficiency in English are disadvantaged in the health care system. These groups often experience poor health status and outcomes by accessing inadequate medical care in regards to quality despite consistent insurance status and income. Policy makers, civil rights groups, and health care facilities are responsible to understand the reasons behind persistent disparities and implement effective strategies to eliminate them. One way to do this is to improve cultural and linguistic competence of health care providers (Wilby, 2009). Linguistic competence is the ability of health care facilities to provide individuals with limited English proficiency appropriate oral and written language services. Health care facilities can hire bilingual/bicultural staff, train health care providers, or hire translators to assist during communication. The National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services, (CLAS), standards are â€Å"intended to advance health equity, improve quality, and help eliminate health care disparities by establishing a blueprint for health and health care organizations† (OMH, 2013). There are four categories under which these standards fall: principle standard; governance, leadership, and workforce; communication and language assistance; and engagement, continuous improvement, and accountability. Health care professionals can make the production of positive health outcomes for distinct populations possible by customizing services to a person’s verbal communication preference and way of life. Pursuing health integrity must remain at the forefront of healthcare’s efforts, with continuous identification of dignity, respect, and quality of care as rights of all, and not the civil liberties of some. According to OHM (2013), culture defines how individuals receive health care information, and how individuals exercise their rights and protections. It is what individuals consider a health dilemma, and how individuals express their indications and anxieties regarding the crisis. Holistic care involves designing care to meet the individual needs of the patients, to care for the whole. This includes considering cultural differences when planning care. Barriers to culturally competent interactions entail verbal communication, communication approach,  individuality, and sometimes a lack of respect for the patient’s preferences and needs. Language is a method by which a patient approaches the health care system, becomes aware of services, and formulates determination in relation to his or her health performance (Woloshin, Schwartz, Katz, & Welch, 1997). Communication endorses the opportunity for people of various backgrounds to learn from each other. Put the patients’ desire to understand first and make certain that they receive a chance to describe, in their own words, the information regarding their health care concerns and plans are fundamental initial measures in eliminating descrepancies and enhancing quality of care. Cultural competence requires people to develop an awareness of the differences of other people and their cultural personality groups. One is not capable of being culturally competent without considering the differences. Cultural competence does not involve giving up one’s own beliefs, values, or practices (Elliott, 2011). According to Elliott (2011), we can crack the cultural competency code by asking questions, listening, and aligning our attitude. The late Madeleine Leininger was a pioneer in the influence of culture on health care. Leininger was a Transcultural Nurse. She advocated two leading standards that nurses can employ in caring for patients from various diverse cultures. First, preserve an extensive, independent, and open attitude in regards to each patient. Secondly, evade the perception that all patients are alike. Leininger believed that by pursuing these principles, we can free ourselves to discovering the way others envision health and illness, and develop relationships that are therapeutic. She viewed every clinical experience as cross-cultural (Leininger, 2002). Diversity at the Workplace I work in a hospital in the small city of Tarpon Springs, FL. Tarpon Springs is located in Pinellas County. According to the 2010 census, the population was 23,484. Tarpon Springs has the highest percentage of Greek Americans than any other U.S. city. The city of Tarpon Springs has a total area of 16.9 square mile. 9.1 square miles being land, and 7.7 square miles  being water. Tarpon Springs has a series of bayous which feed into the Gulf of Mexico, and was first settled around 1876 by white and black fishermen and farmers. It got its name because some visitors spotted tarpon jumping out of the waters. The first local sponge business was founded by John Cheyney. In the 1890s, a few Greek immigrants arrived to work in the sponge industry. It was in 1905 that John Cocoris introduced sponge diving to Tarpon Springs and recruited divers and crew members from Greece. Tarpon Springs became the largest sponge dock industry in the world. Many restaurants serving traditional Greek cuisine line the streets of Tarpon Springs, as well as quaint boutiques. Nearby beaches are popular for swimming, picnics, boating and windsurfing. Viewing bottlenose dolphin are a favorite past-time of many. Tarpon Springs is also known for its Greek Orthodox festivities, including the January 6 Epiphany celebration that includes youths diving for a cross and the blessing of the boats and waters. This celebration attracts Greek Americans from across the country. The racial makeup of the city is 90.07% white, 6.15% African American, 0.29% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races. Hispanic or Latino is 4.33% of the population. 11.8% of the total population report their ancestry as Greek, which is included in the white statistic of 90.07%. 8.87% report speaking Greek at home, while 3.46% admit to speaking Spanish, and another 1.09% French. There are 91.8 males for every 100 females. The median income for a household is $38,251. About 7.7% of families and 9.8% of the population are below the poverty level. The hospital which I work is the only hospital in Tarpon Springs. The hospital has 168 beds which comprise 150 acute care beds, 18 transitional care beds, 14 ER beds, 9 ORs, 2 C-Section rooms, and 2 cathlabs. Adventist Health Systems acquired the hospital from University Health approximately 4 years ago. As you can see from the above demographics, this hospital serves a diverse population and community. From a religious perspective AHS is of the Adventist religion, however, welcomes, serves, and does not discriminate against any religion. The primary language is English, however, various  languages such as Greek, Spanish, French and Italian are spoken as well. Unfortunately, there are some patients who only speak their native language, and do not speak, nor understand English. For the most part, the hospital experiences minimal difficulty in assisting the patients and families in translation. Recently, the hospital contracted with a translation service using the internet. The hospital does provide admission and treatment information sheets and consents in other languages, as well. Our hospital is dedicated to serve the multicultural community of Tarpon Springs. Our food service caters to different cultures on a daily basis. Of course, Tuesday is Taco Tuesday. However, other ethnic foods are offered daily such as Greek, Italian, and Chinese cuisine as well as Soul Food and food that is in accordance with the beliefs of the Seventh Day Adventist religion, which excludes pork and shellfish from their diet. Chaplains and different religious figures are available to visit and pray with patients and families. Every Friday at sunset, a prayer recognizing the beginning of the Sabbath is heard over the intercom. Every Saturday evening at sunset, another prayer is heard over the intercom to recognize the end of the Sabbath. All committees, meetings and gatherings are started with prayer. There is signage throughout the hospital to portray our mission: Extending the healing ministry of Christ. I feel confident in saying that this hospital does follow Culture Care Standards. Signage is posted in all patient care areas and public areas regarding the hospitals standards. Signage includes anything from Equal Opportunity Employer to EMTALA. Because the workforce is very multicultural, the hospital is at an advantage at meeting these standards. There is one thing that all employees know; we are family despite our cultural differences. I am very proud to say that I work for this hospital. Conclusion The United States is a melting pot, and is becoming more and more diverse every day. Recognizing that diverse cultures exist is the first step in decreasing health disparities, and providing the best possible care to  individuals. Health care workers, including nurses, need to practice self-awareness. By becoming aware of self, they can then embrace other cultures and the needs of their patients. It is important for all health care professionals to understand the culture and beliefs of the patient population which they serve, in order to integrate these beliefs in his or her practice, whereby enhancing the quality of care provided to all patients. Education and training is vital in ensuring that health care professionals attain clinical excellence and strong therapeutic relations with the patients they serve. We cannot dictate the communities that we serve. Cultural competence does not mean giving up one’s own beliefs or values. It means opening eyes to the beliefs and values of others. The need for health care professionals to integrate cultural competence will allow delivery of optimal care, treatment, satisfaction, and better patient outcomes. References American Nurses Association. (2001). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Retrieved from http://nursebooks.org Brady, J.M. (2010). Cultural nursing implications in an integrated world. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 25(6), 409-412. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2010.10.005 Campinha-Bacote, J. (2003, January). Many faces: Addressing diversity in health care. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 8(1), Manuscript 2. Retrieved from www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAperiodicals/O JIN/TableofContents/Volume82003/No1Jan2003/AddressingDiversityinHealthCare.aspx Chater, K. (2008). Palliative care in a multicultural society: A challenge for western ethics. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 26(2), 95. Department of Health and Human Services. (2011). 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