Part Time Job Influenced Student’s Study Essay

The prevalence of secondary school students working part-time is linked to economic cycles: when there is an economic upturn, more students work; when economies are depressed, fewer work. Most students who work do so in low-paying service, clerical, or sales jobs, with some evidence that proportionately more students from middle-class families work than students from either poor or wealthy families. There appears to be a general view that there is a connection between working more than 15 to 20 hours per week and reduced school success in terms of academic achievement, as well as an increased risk of dropping out of school. However, it is not clear whether increased work causes the problems, or whether academic failure leads more students who are failing to increase their work hours. Literature Review A range of literature has been reviewed and some details from this literature are shared below. The prevalence of work It is not clear what proportion of students work, but in a (U. S. ) study of 21,000 senior high school students, 75% were working part-time for an average of 16. 4 hours a week (Gordon, 1985). The study found that working was related to a need for immediate income and to a lack of interest in school. In Canada, 40% of teenagers aged 15 to 19 had jobs in 1993, but these data include full-time summer jobs (Canadian Social Trends, Winter, 1994). B. C. teenagers are more likely to be employed than teenagers in Ontario, Quebec, or the Atlantic provinces, with 44% employed in B. C. Slightly higher teenage-employment rates than B. C. ’s were reported in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. When only part-time work is considered, 72% of those employed worked part-time. 3% of full-time Canadian students aged 15 to 19 worked during the school year. The Statistics Canada (StatsCan) data reported in Canadian Social Trends appear low in comparison to other data, but one possible explanation may be the differentiation between full- and part-time students, a difference not always clarified in some reports. Bernier (1995), using Canadian Labour Force data, found that 40% of Canadian full-time students participated in the labour force, compared to 77% of part-time students. There may be considerable differences across socio-economic groups, though there is little firm data to support this: Lawton (1992) states that middle-class students are more likely to work than either lower- or upper-class students. Lawton also indicates that about two-thirds of students in senior grades hold part-time jobs, findings closer to Gordon’s study than to the data supplied by StatsCan. The effect of working part-time on students’ academic achievement Most research shows that there is a detrimental effect on achievement if secondary students work for over 15 hours a week (Stern, 1997). Such students have lower grades, do less homework, are more likely to drop out, and are less likely to enter post-secondary education. Those students who work fewer hours suffer fewer negative consequences. These finding are supported by a Toronto study (Cheng, 1995), and are similar to StatsCan data (Canadian Social Trends, 1994), which show that students who worked fewer than 20 hours a week had much lower dropout rates than those who worked for more than 20 hours a week. There were startling differences between males who worked fewer than 20 hours (16% dropout rate), and those who worked longer than 20 hours (33% dropout rate), although the highest female dropout rates (22%) occurred among females who did not work at all while at school. There is one important caveat to the link between part-time work and marks: there is mixed evidence as to whether marks decline because students work more, or whether students whose marks are declining choose to work more. However, Singh (1998) in a study which factored in socio-economic status and revious achievement, stated that the more hours worked, the greater the negative effects on student achievement. The consequences for younger students working longer hours could be more severe than for older students (Barone, 1993). Many students who work find some problems balancing school and work demands (Worley, 1995). Many who work part-time have limited participation in extra-curricular activities (Hope, 1990). The effect of working part-time on students’ overall well-being Stern (1997) and Cheng (1995) both state that students derive benefits from working, as long as the hours are below 15 per week. Stern identifies a benefit to future earning potential and a more positive attitude to work formed while working or during work experience at school. These findings are also supported by Canadian data. However, Lawton (1992) argues that those who support this argument also tend to support a vocational rather than a liberal view of education. Greenberger and Steinberg (1986), in an analysis of psycho-social aspects of working high-school students, concluded that â€Å"it may make them academically rich but psychologically poor. They also argued that instead of instilling good work habits, many students who worked part-time learned how to cheat, steal, and deal with boring work. Mortimer (1993) found no evidence to support the claim that working long hours fostered smoking or increased school behaviour problems, but there was evidence of increased alcohol consumption. Other studies, however, have found increased drug and alcohol use, and higher rates of delinquency associated with hig her number of hours worked by students. A 1991 Oregon Task Force found the numbers of 16- and 17-year-olds who were working to have increased in recent years. Jobs were often low-paying, unfulfilling, and offered little in the way of educational value or preparation for adult work. Canadian data suggest that trends in teenage employment are linked to economic cycles, with numbers rising and falling with buoyant or depressed economies. Most Canadian students (69%) work in service, clerical, or sales industries, with more females (84%) than males (57%) in these industries. Four times the number of males (16%) compared to females (4%) were employed in construction. Research also indicates that too many hours of work for teenagers increases fatigue and may cause lower academic performance. Carskadon (1999) describes changing sleep patterns during adolescence and discusses the influence of employment on sleep patterns. She found that students working 20 or more hours reported later bedtimes, shorter sleep times, more frequent episodes of falling asleep in school, and more late arrivals in school. An article in the American Federation of Teachers’ publication, American Teacher (February 1999), cited a report produced by the (U.  S. ) National Research Council (NRC) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) which provided evidence of what it claims is an underestimate of 70 documented deaths of children and adolescents as a result of injuries at work, and 100,000 young people seeking treatment in hospital emergency wards as a result of work-related injuries. Based on these data, a committee established by the NRC/IOM is calling for Congress to a uthorize limits to the number of hours worked per day by teenagers, and to regulate teenagers’ work start-and finish-times on school nights.

Leadership Theories and Styles Essay

Know thyself Assuming that no one wants to work on a job that he or she dislikes, a person must have a clear understanding of what path she or he should follow in his or her business life. However, to choose a career is a tricky business, if the chosen career is one that does not suit the person, then their personality is likely to become confused which will lead to unhappiness and a feeling of being burned out. Settling down with the right career can be as central to your happiness as choosing the right person in a relationship. Nevertheless, with any relationship, there is no right or wrong answers, therefore self-assessments can help to find a career that fits his or her personality because everyone is different, and every situation is unique. Self-assessments are tools to help a person to gain a better understand of one’s personality, to increase the chances of becoming successful as well as a better person. According to the scores of the Self-Assessment of Prentice Hall, I am very charismatic, people oriented, well balanced in my trust towards others and I am seen as a trustworthy person. I can also use some improvement on my disciplinary skills as well as on my skills regarding building a leading team. Leadership The interest in leadership has increased during the early part of the twentieth century. Early leadership theories focused on what qualities distinguished leaders and followers, while subsequent theories looked at other variables such as situational factors and skill level. There are several different approaches and theories behind a leader’s behavior, following are some of which describe respective strengths and weakness as the case might be:†¢Traits: Can be consistent with our perception of what leaders are, but this theory ignores the situational context of leadership. †¢Style: What leaders do and how they act, but there is no clear relationship between style and performance outcomes. †¢Situational: The effectiveness of a leader depends on successfully diagnosing where subordinates are on the development continuum and adapting their leadership style as necessary. †¢Contingency: Matching leaders to appropriate situations, however this theory does not explain why individuals are more effective in some situations than others; it also, does not explain what to do if there is a mismatch between the leader and the situation one faces. †¢Path-goal: Uses research on motivation to get organizational goals accomplished. †¢Transformational leadership: Involves values, ethics, goals and long-term goals, but this theory is seen as a personality trait rather than behavior that people can learn. We see that leadership and its theories have been defined in many different ways, but there is no correct definition of how a leader must behave or how a leader can cover all possible situations; what really matters is how useful the definition is for increasing our understanding of effective leadership. Equilibrium should exist in any environment; a balance of behavior and attitude, and the leader should lead by example and moderation. Studies show that â€Å"subordinates perceived their supervisor’s behavior primarily in terms of two broadly defined categories labeled â€Å"consideration† and â€Å"initiating structure† (Yukl, 2006, p. 51), and as suggested by the Fleishman and Harris study, â€Å"subordinates are usually more satisfied with a leader who is at least moderately considerate† (Yukl, 2006, p. 52). Successful and effective leadership â€Å"depends in part on how well a manager resolves role conflicts, copes with demands, recognizes opportunities, and overcomes constraints† (Yukl, 2006, p. 13) but â€Å"the main aim of leadership behavior, however, is to influence organizational members’ actions because it is through the behavior of the members that organizations’ goals are  attained† (Kanungo, 2001). My StyleI agree with Fiedler when he states the â€Å"better the leader-member relations, the more highly structured the job, and the stronger the position power, the more control the leader has† (Robbins & Judge, 2007., p. 410). A leader’s behavior must adjust to reflect the task structure and â€Å"major situational variables include the characteristics of followers, the nature of the work performed by the leader’s unit, the type of organization, and the nature of the external environment† (Yukl, 2006, p. 14). These thoughts make me relate to the situational theory to lead and manage a group, however my style of leadership fits into the participative leadership, where managers will use more group supervision rather than individual supervision. This style suggests that team meetings are there to help facilitate everyone’s cooperation, and the manager’s role is to provide guidance and support toward problem solving. However, use of participation does not imply abdication of responsibilities, and the manager will still be responsible for all decisions and its consecutive results. â€Å"A Participative Leader, rather than taking autocratic decisions, seeks to involve other people in the process, possibly including subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often, however, as it is within the managers’ whim to give or deny control to his or her subordinates, most participative activity is within the immediate team† (Straker,  ¶ 2). Jobs that would fit well my styleI work for Apollo Group in the Information Technology (IT) department, as a Technical Support specialist, and currently do not hold a leadership position. If I have the chance to select a leadership position it would still be in the same area, yet managing projects and groups, where I could both, interact with people, which is one of my strongest skills and as well as work in an area where I do possess a large knowledge. Because I also believe in leading by example, I consider that more than asking or to assign a task, and as a leader can many times show how the work can be done and the rewards for the  dedication and self-motivation you put into the work. In that approach, some of the meetings known in my company as a â€Å"One x One† which would be used to emphasize how the person can improve, to get more knowledge or to further his career within the team or company, instead of the sole pursuit of correcting behavior. I also think that you can keep a good and healthy environment when you see in your leader the disposition to keep moving forward with an open approach, even when the situation is stressful. Projects, when used right, are considered motivating and helpful in order to keep people engaged. In this scenario, I would choose people who are willing to embrace new experiences quite often and, who, would accept the changes and innovations of the technological field, which by its own nature is a constant. What for me is the great part of this process, is that people can manage themselves once you set clear goals and can keep up with metrics, allowing each individual to have more freedom in the work environment. I could focus on â€Å"organizing, supporting and developing the people† (Luis,  ¶ 15) in the leader’s team position, without forgetting, or also balancing with another style which I need to improve, which is a more task oriented leader. References Luis, M. J. (). Leadership styles Using the right one for your situation. Mind Tools. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2007.). Organizational Behavior. : Prentice Hall. Rabindra N Kanungo. (2001). Ethical values of transactional and transformational leaders. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 18(4), 257-265. Retrieved May 25, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 109746613). Straker, D. (). Participative Leadership. Changing Minds.org . Retrieved from http://changingminds.orgYukl, G. (2006). Leadership in Organizations (6th ed.). : Pearson Prentice Hall.

Critique of Pure Reason Essay

Immanuel Kant, (born April 22, 1724, Konigsberg, Prussia [now Kaliningrad, Russia]—died February 12, 1804, Konigsberg), German philosopher whose comprehensive and systematic work in epistemology (the theory of knowledge), ethics, and aesthetics greatly influenced all subsequent philosophy, especially the various schools of Kantianism and idealism. Kant was one of the foremost thinkers of the Enlightenment and arguably one of the greatest philosophers of all time. In him were subsumed new trends that had begun with the rationalism (stressing reason) of Rene Descartes and the empiricism (stressing experience) of Francis Bacon. He thus inaugurated a new era in the development of philosophical thought. BACKGROUND AND EARLY YEARS Kant lived in the remote province where he was born for his entire life. His father, a saddler, was, according to Kant, a descendant of a Scottish immigrant, although scholars have found no basis for this claim; his mother, an uneducated German woman, was remarkable for her character and natural intelligence. Both parents were devoted followers of the Pietist branch of the Lutheran church, which taught that religion belongs to the inner life expressed in simplicity and obedience to moral law. The influence of their pastor made it possible for Kant—the fourth of nine children but the eldest surviving child—to obtain an education. At the age of eight Kant entered the Pietist school that his pastor directed. This was a Latin school, and it was presumably during the eight and a half years he was there that Kant acquired his lifelong love for the Latin classics, especially for the naturalistic poet Lucretius. In 1740 he enrolled in the University of Konigsberg as a theological student. But, although he attended courses in theology and even preached on a few occasions, he was principally attracted to mathematics and physics. Aided by a young professor who had studied Christian Wolff, a systematizer of rationalist philosophy, and who was also an enthusiast for the science of Sir Isaac Newton, Kant began reading the work of the English physicist and, in 1744, started his first book, Gedanken von der wahren Schatzung der lebendigen Krafte (1746; Thoughts on the True Estimation of Living Forces), dealing with a problem concerning kinetic forces. Though by that time he had decided to pursue an academic career, the death of his father in 1746 and his failure to obtain the post of undertutor in one of the schools attached to the university compelled him to withdraw and seek a means of supporting himself. Tutor and Privatdozent He found employment as a family tutor and, during the nine years that he gave to it, worked for three different families. With them he was introduced to the influential society of the city, acquired social grace, and made his farthest travels from his native city—some 60 miles (96 km) away to the town of Arnsdorf. In 1755, aided by the kindness of a friend, he was able to complete his degree at the university and take up the position of Privatdozent, or lecturer. Period of the three Critiques In 1781 the Kritik der reinen Vernunft (spelled Critik in the first edition; Critique of Pure Reason) was published, followed for the next nine years by great and original works that in a short time brought a revolution in philosophical thought and established the new direction in which it was to go in the years to come. The Critique of Pure Reason The Critique of Pure Reason was the result of some 10 years of thinking and meditation. Yet, even so, Kant published the first edition only reluctantly after many postponements; although convinced of the truth of its doctrine, he was uncertain and doubtful about its exposition. His misgivings proved well founded, and Kant complained that interpreters and critics of the work were badly misunderstanding it. To correct these wrong interpretations of his thought, he wrote the Prolegomena zu einer jeden kunftigen Metaphysik die als Wissenschaft wird auftreten konnen (1783; Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics That Will be Able to Come Forward as Science) and brought out a second and revised edition of the first Critique in 1787. Controversy still continues regarding the merits of the two editions: readers with a preference for an idealistic interpretation usually prefer the first edition, whereas those with a realistic view adhere to the second. But with regard to difficulty and ease of reading and understanding, it is generally agreed that there is little to choose between them. Anyone on first opening either book finds it overwhelmingly difficult and impenetrably obscure. The Critique of Practical Reason Because of his insistence on the need for an empirical component in knowledge and his antipathy to speculative metaphysics, Kant is sometimes presented as a positivist before his time, and his attack upon metaphysics was held by many in his own day to bring both religion and morality down with it. Such, however, was certainly far from Kant’s intention. Not only did he propose to put metaphysics â€Å"on the sure path of science,† he was prepared also to say that he â€Å"inevitably† believed in the existence of God and in a future life. It is also true that his original conception of his critical philosophy anticipated the preparation of a critique of moral philosophy. The Kritik der praktischen Vernunft (1788, spelled Critik and practischen; Critique of Practical Reason), the result of this intention, is the standard sourcebook for his ethical doctrines. The earlier Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten (1785; Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals) is a shorter and, despite its title, more readily comprehensible treatment of the same general topic. Both differ from Die Metaphysik der Sitten (1797; The Metaphysics of Morals) in that they deal with pure ethics and try to elucidate basic principles; the later work, in contrast, is concerned with applying these principles in the concrete, a process that involved the consideration of virtues and vices and the foundations of law and politics. The Critique of Judgment The Kritik der Urteilskraft (1790, spelled Critik; Critique of Judgment)—one of the most original and instructive of all of Kant’s writings—was not foreseen in his original conception of the critical philosophy. Thus it is perhaps best regarded as a series of appendixes to the other two Critiques. The work falls into two main parts, called respectively Critique of Aesthetic Judgment and Critique of Teleological Judgment. In the first of these, after an introduction in which he discussed â€Å"logical purposiveness,† he analyzed the notion of â€Å"aesthetic purposiveness† in judgments that ascribe beauty to something. Such a judgment, according to him, unlike a mere expression of taste, lays claim to general validity, yet it cannot be said to be cognitive because it rests on feeling, not on argument. The explanation lies in the fact that, when a person contemplates an object and finds it beautiful, there is a certain harmony between his imagination and his understanding, of which he is aware from the immediate delight that he takes in the object. Imagination grasps the object and yet is not restricted to any definite concept, whereas a person imputes the delight that he feels to others because it springs from the free play of his cognitive faculties, which are the same in all humans. LAST YEARS The critical philosophy was soon being taught in every important German-speaking university, and young men flocked to Konigsberg as a shrine of philosophy. In some cases the Prussian government even undertook the expense of their support. Kant came to be consulted as an oracle on all kinds of questions, including such subjects as the lawfulness of vaccination. Such homage did not interrupt Kant’s regular habits. Scarcely five feet tall, with a deformed chest, and suffering from weak health, he maintained throughout his life a severe regimen. It was arranged with such regularity that people set their clocks according to his daily walk along the street named for him, â€Å"The Philosopher’s Walk. † Until old age prevented him, he is said to have missed this regular appearance only on the occasion when Rousseau’s Emile so engrossed him that for several days he stayed at home. From 1790 Kant’s health began to decline seriously. He still had many literary projects but found it impossible to write more than a few hours a day. The writings that he then completed consist partly of an elaboration of subjects not previously treated in any detail, partly of replies to criticisms and to the clarification of misunderstandings. With the publication in 1793 of his work Die Religion innerhalb der Grenzen der blossen Vernunft (Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone), Kant became involved in a dispute with Prussian authorities on the right to express religious opinions. The book was found to be altogether too rationalistic for orthodox taste. He was charged with misusing his philosophy to the â€Å"distortion and depreciation of many leading and fundamental doctrines of sacred Scripture and Christianity† and was required by the government not to lecture or write anything further on religious subjects. Kant agreed but privately interpreted the ban as a personal promise to the king, Frederick William II, from which he felt himself to be released on the latter’s death in 1797. At any rate, he returned to the forbidden subject in his last major essay, â€Å"Der Streit der Fakultaten† (1798; â€Å"The Conflict of the Faculties†). In 1797 Kant published Die Metaphysik der Sitten (The Metaphysics of Morals), comprising Metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Rechtslehre (The Philosophy of Law) and Metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Tugendlehre (The Doctrine of Virtue). The former was the major statement of his political philosophy, which he also discussed in Zum ewigen Frieden (1795; Project for a Perpetual Peace) and in the essay â€Å"Uber den Gemeinspruch: Das mag in der Theorie richtig sein, taugt aber nicht fur die Praxis† (1793; â€Å"On the Old Saw: That May Be Right In Theory, But It Won’t Work in Practice†). The large work at which he laboured until his death—the fragments of which fill the two final volumes of the great Berlin edition of his works—was evidently intended to be a major contribution to his critical philosophy. What remains, however, is not so much an unfinished work as a series of notes for a work that was never written. Known as the Opus postumum, its original title was Ubergang von den metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Naturwissenschaft zur Physik (â€Å"Transition from the Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science to Physics†). It may have been Kant’s intention in this work to carry further the argument advanced in the Metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Naturwissenschaft (1786; Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science) by showing that it is possible to construct a priori not merely the general outline of a science of nature but a good many of its details as well. But judging from the extant fragments, however numerous they are, it remains conjectural whether its completion would have constituted a major addition to his philosophy and its reputation. After a gradual decline that was painful to his friends as well as to himself, Kant died in Konigsberg on February 12, 1804. His last words were â€Å"Es ist gut† (â€Å"It is good†). His tomb in the cathedral was inscribed with the words (in German) â€Å"The starry heavens above me and the moral law within me,† the two things that he declared in the conclusion of the second Critique â€Å"fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the oftener and the more steadily we reflect on. † IMMANUEL KANT Prepared by: Cherry B. Ordonez Alliona Gem S. Tolentino N- 201.

Family Diversity Essay

The nuclear family is portrayed as the perfect family on most advertising. The ‘cereal packet’ family, dad, mum and two kids all perfectly bronzed and all smiles usually seen on TV adverts. Rapoport and Rapoport would suggest that this is not the case any longer due to increased family diversity. They identified five different types of family diversity in Britain. Organisational diversity refers to division of labour within the family and differences in the ways family roles are organised. Cultural diversity is diversity due to religious and ethnic influences. Social class diversity- there is differences between working and middle classes in terms of adult relationships, the socialisation of children etc. Life course diversity, as different stages in the life cycle will generate different patterns of structure e. g. newly weds have a different structure and life style to those with children. Cohort diversity refers to specific times in the past which could have had an effect on the family structure. Eversley and Bonnerjea identified six types of regional diversity. The ‘sunbelt’ – the affluent south with higher class two parent families. The ‘geriatric wards’ – coastal areas with retired couples. The old declining industrial areas of the north- traditional extended family structures. The inner city- single parent families and ethnic minorities. The newly declining industrial areas of the Midlands- dominated by diverse structures. Rural areas- typified by extended families. The New Right are not happy with the increase in family diversity seen above as they believe there is only one correct family which is the patriarchal nuclear family with a clear cut division of labour between instrumental (males) and expressive (females) roles. They see this family as natural and based on fundamental biological differences. The New Right argue that the increase in family diversity is the cause of lots of social problems such as higher crime rates and educational failure. They argue that family breakdown (where the family is no longer a patriarchal nuclear family) increases the risks to children.

Analyzing Gender Roles in Billy Elliot Essay

During his first visit to The Bahamas and representing the Queen abroad for the Diamond Jubilee, Prince Harry addressed crowds of dignitaries and admirers in the capital, Nassau. The Island-hopping Prince Harry continues his 10-day Diamond Jubilee tour through the Caribbean in Jamaica this week after stops in Belize and the Bahamas over the weekend in honor of the Queen’s 60thyear on the throne. Proving to be a skilled diplomat with the common touch that characterized his late mother Princess Diana, Harry favored solo interviews with the local press and spent a great deal of time with the everyday people of the former British Honduras. The prince laid a wreath for British soldiers at Price Barracks in Belize City before departing the English-speaking Central American nation for the Bahamas. The young royal caused quite a stir in Nassau Sunday when he appeared in public for the first time ever in his crisp white ceremonial uniform, also known as the No. 1 Tropical Dress of the Blues and Royals. His uniform was punctuated with the first public reveal of the Diamond Jubilee medal. Throngs of fans lined the streets as Harry made his way to the Christ Church Cathedral to meet and greet. Though he mingled with several dignitaries in his special outfit, his encounter with Miss Bahamas, Anastagia Pierre, got tabloids buzzing. â€Å"I’m here to fall in love with Harry,† Pierre told reporters on Sunday. â€Å"He’s hot! He is single now so I would marry him, yes. † Harry brushed the comments aside and he seemed to truly enjoy himself in the Bahamas. In a speech he delivered a message from the Queen to the people of the Bahamas. Video1 Harry called at Government House in Nassau to pay his respects to the Governor General of the Bahamas and other members of the cabinet. The iconic pink-painted house is where his late great-great uncle the Duke of Windsor lived during the Second World War in his role as Governor General of the region. 3 Earlier in the day, Harry was meant to join the crew of a Royal Bahamian Defense Force patrol boat on a naval exercise but had to move to a media boat after the military vessel broke down. He eventually landed on tiny Harbor Island where he was greeted by crowds of tourists and locals. Harry will continue his Diamond Jubilee tour with a stop in Jamaica beginning Monday and end in Brazil where he will help launch a government trade mission in Rio.

The Use of an Incentive Spirometer Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Use of an Incentive Spirometer - Coursework Example Mrs. Lucas does not seem to have followed through with any of the verbal instructions you have given so far in regards to pre-operative preparation (she is not an auditory learner). Write a teaching plan for Mrs. Lucas. Ensure your plan includes: learning objectives, teaching strategies (tailored to Mrs. Lucas’s learning style), and your evaluation criteria. QUESTION 2: You are providing nursing care for Mr. Darcy following chemotherapy treatment. Mr. Darcy has been educated to conduct mouthwashes with sodium bicarbonate before and after each meal and before sleep at night throughout the course of his treatment. This strategy aims to reduce the likelihood of Mr. Darcy developing mouth ulcers associated with his treatment. QUESTION 6: Imagine you were working in a hospital when you slipped and hurt your back resulting in constant, centralized back pain and difficulty mobilizing. You are physically examined by a medical officer in your workplace who determines the injury is soft tissue damage. She states that you should take oral pain relief like anti-inflammatory medication, have regular physiotherapy and return in two weeks for a review of your condition. She completes a work cover and physiotherapy referral letter. What would 4 pieces of information the medical officer provide the physiotherapist about you? QUESTION 7: Mr. Collins is a fifty-year-old man who lives with his 48-year-old wife and 22-year-old daughter. He has chronic asthma and has been admitted to the local hospital on several occasions with exacerbations of his asthma. Following his last hospital admission, Mr. Collins was referred to the community health center and has an appointment with you (the community nurse) in the community-based asthma education program – You gain the following information from Mr. Collins: 1) When he experiences an asthma exacerbation he has a harsh, non-productive cough, feels breathless and is very restless and unable to sleep.

Evaluate two websites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evaluate two websites - Essay Example The homepage of moneysupermarket.com offers a number of tab options like Money, Insurance, Travel, Motoring, Gas & Electricity, Mobile Phones, Shopping, Broadband etc. with requisite details when we hit the links. In addition we have menu bar on the left hand side of the page, detailing the products in different categories like Camera & Photography, Audio, Video & TV, Computer & Software etc. PriceGrabber.co.uk too claims that millions of consumers have been using the services of this website to obtain free and unbiased information about products and services. For a product like mp3 player, the website appears to offer single page solution to different needs of the prospective customer. The first page, listing different types of mp3 players offers features like, comparisons based on manufacturers like Apple, SanDisk, Sony etc. We can also browse the product by store, storage capacity, storage media etc. ii. Working of the search-links: In this case it is our endeavour to locate an mp3 player suited for our requirement with an affordable price tag. Both the websites seem to have perfectly understandable and functional links in our quest to find out an mp3 player. On moneysupermarket.com, while enlisting the ‘most popular products’ on the ‘shopping’ page, the website provides links for ‘MP3 Players and Portable Audio Devices’, which in turn gives us updated information about the latest mp3 products with the brand names like apple, SanDisk etc. In addition it also indicates the approximate base price of the products. This helps the customer in making a well studied choice of the desired product. After making the initial selection, the customer can click the links depicted by the photographs of the products on the page, or can click the link ‘MP3 Players & Media Players’, which in turn provides a range of options to chose from. Pricegrabber.co.uk also provides a guide to help the prospective customers in making an intelligent choice. In this case an

Tourism Business Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Tourism Business Administration - Essay Example Being a very sensitive issue it attracts media attention very easily and consequences often include fatalities and serious injuries. Thus a crisis management scheme is very essential and should be organized and ready to be called upon at any instant. (Fall, 238-250) The crisis management team has to be properly structured and organized in order to operate efficiently. Generally a senior manager is assigned the role of the initial contact who is to be the first person to be contacted in emergency situations. He acts as the head of the crisis management team and oversees the operations of the sub teams. The Media Team acts as the face of the effected organization during crisis periods. It handles all media contacts, interviews and press releases. It constantly monitors the activity of the press and stay in touch with them. It maintains a log of situations that develop in the area of media management. (Tse, 112) The On-site team is deployed for client assistance in the event of a crisis. It deals with various authorities involved. ... The crisis management process consists of four steps: i) Risk Assessment ii) Procedure Development iii) Training of Crisis management team iv) Testing Plans (Goodrich, 573-580) The crisis management team has to be properly structured and organized in order to operate efficiently. Generally a senior manager is assigned the role of the initial contact who is to be the first person to be contacted in emergency situations. He acts as the head of the crisis management team and oversees the operations of the sub teams. The sub teams for a crisis management division are normally divided into four teams. i) The Media Team ii) The On-site Team iii) The Passenger Information Team iv) General Enquiries Team The Media Team acts as the face of the effected organization during crisis periods. It handles all media contacts, interviews and press releases. It constantly monitors the activity of the press and stay in touch with them. It maintains a log of situations that develop in the area of media management. (Tse, 112) The On-site team is deployed for client assistance in the event of a crisis. It deals with various authorities involved. It ensures that medical help reaches the site where the crisis has developed if required and maintains close contact with hospital authorities in cases of serious injuries. It is also responsible for the welfare of the staff affected by the crisis. It inscribes a detailed report of its activities. The Passenger Information Team acts as a liaison for the family members of effected clients. The personnel get in touch with relatives of the clients and keep them informed about the situation. It has to maintain regular and updated logs. The General Enquiry

Position Paper On Negative Campaigning In The Local Politics Essay

Position Paper On Negative Campaigning In The Local Politics - Essay Example This is perhaps the only reason for its dislike with the general public. The medium for negative campaigning can include ads, speeches, pamphlets etc. but is most successful in ads especially in modern elections. Trevor Parry-Giles and Shawn J. Parry-Giles in their paper "Embracing the Mess: Reflections on Campaign 2000", believe that modern politics has degenerated gravely. They take issue with a section of academics who believe that the problem of negative campaigning and especially negative advertising has been greatly exaggerated. The two contend that the issue of negative campaigning and its harmful effects are underestimated. They do agree that the most used negative ads are contrast ads which show a difference in position between a candidate and his opponent. However they also point out that negative ads that insult, that are false and misleading and plain dangerous thrive "under the radar of mainstream media" (722). Before we go any further, we need to explain exactly what is meant by the term negative campaigning. Richard R. Lau and Gerald M. Pomper in their paper "Effectiveness of Negative Campaigning in U.S. Senate Elections" describe negative campaigning as focusing on the defects of your opponents, be they campaign policies or personal failures. Positive campaigning is the simple opposite, with the focus on a candidate's own persona, his policies, strengths and successes. Early studies in experimental research have indicated that people were indeed repelled by negative campaign ads which in turn led to low voter turnout. Recent research, which has been generally survey research, on the other hand vindicates the view that people may be influenced more by negative campaigning than they would like to believe. Psychologically it has been attributed to the fact that humans are wired to respond more to negative information than the positive. As explained by Paul Martin in his essay, "Inside the Black Box of Negative Campaign Effects: Three Reasons Why Negative Campaigns Mobilize" man's involuntary stimulation to negative information is primeval, generated by the need for a quick response to what can be a threat to us. Martin cites a host of critics and theorists to prove that negative information generates a quick and heightened level of awareness in people. He claims in his paper that a predisposed susceptibility to negative information or in this case negative campaigns move people toward political participation rather than away from it.Though there is felt to be a preponderance of negative campaigns today, they have been around for decades. A famous negative campaign ad was the Daisy ad utilized by Lyndon B. Johnson to defeat Barry Goldwater in the 1964 U.S. Presidential elections. The ad shows a young girl counting the petals of a daisy, symbolizing innocence and fragility. The image of the girl then is replaced by the mushroom cloud effect of a nuclear explosion. The point of the ad was to convey to the American people that only Johnson was equipped to handle the responsibility of being the President of a country with nuclear power. Johnson won by a landslide. According to Martin, negative campaigns work in three ways to influence voters. They raise awareness of pertinent public issues; they stimulate "anxiety" about a particular candidate and influence perceptions of a close and tight race

The Paradox of Thrift Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Paradox of Thrift - Essay Example As an individual, saving raises the individual's wealth. But a greater desire to save in the 'whole population' may not increase national wealth. This paradox is often known as the "paradox of thrift" as Keynesian developed it. [2] [7] [12] The paradox of Thrift arises in large part from a basic difference in the effect of saving by an individual and the effect of saving by the whole economic system. Individuals do correctly recognize that saving adds to their monetary wealth. But they fail to see that their act of saving may reduce someone else's monetary wealth. For the economy to prosper as a whole, the way for wealth to rise is through regular investment in plant, equipment and other durables. An act of personal saving makes an individual wealthier, but it will only add to social wealth if the act raises money for current investment. Since it cannot be predicted that regular investment will occur, this can be a source of worry. If an increased desire to save does not generate investment and the creation of social wealth, the standard analysis of saving can lead to incorrect predictions and misleading policy advice. [2] [6] [12] Initially the saving and investment functions are at equilibrium as shown in the graph above. But when the people decide to save, the point of equilibrium changes to the new point where there is more investment as a result of lower interest rates. So according to this theory, a penny saved must necessar... Since additional saving results in lower spending by the saver, the saver lowers someone else's incomes. Looking at the example below can better explain this scenario. Example A person buys everything and spends all his income, $5000, in a specific shop. One day he decides that he cannot spend anymore and saves the money for his children's education. He raises the saving by $5,000 by reduce his spending of an equivalent amount. Although he gets his saving, he involuntarily lowers the sales and income of the shop keeper that had sold goods and services to him. It was not his intention to lower anyone's income, but it is the inevitable result of his decision to save. Those whose incomes fall cannot accumulate personal wealth in the way that they planned; they become, in a sense, the victims of other peoples' saving: their saving falls as the result of increase in saving by others. The shop keeper who receives less income will save less. If that shopkeeper who suffered the $5,000 decline in income keeps his spending exactly the same after his income drop as he did before then his saving must fall by $5,000. Therefore total saving in society will not increase at all, even though the one saves $5,000 more. His voluntary choice to save more forced involuntary adjustments on the shopkeeper that reduced his saving by an offsetting amount. Of course, the shopkeeper who suffered the income reduction may not absorb the entire reduction of his wealth with lower saving. He might also reduce his spending to adjust to lower income, but this action spreads the problem and somewhere down the line some other shop keeper makes up for the decline of $5000. The economy will not reach equilibrium between saving and spending until one or more shopkeepers in the economy have

Hewlett-Packard Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hewlett-Packard Article - Essay Example The business thrived and expanded during the leadership of Bill Hewlett at the helms but later on, under successive CEOs like John Young and then Lew Platt in 1993, it started stagnating and losing profits. The printer business was hugely successful but the company faced lot of competition from Dell which was selling customized computers at much lower prices. From 1993 to 1999, computer and printer businesses grew at compound rate of 20% and in 1999, HP formed its spin-off company Agilent Technologies comprising of its instruments and related businesses. Platt lacked strategic necessary leadership that needed to be flexible and visionary to encompass the environmental changes and adopt more aggressive creative inputs. Carly Fiorina, the dynamic young executive who had played critical role in turning the fortunes of new spinoff company of AT&T, Lucent Technologies, was made CEO of the company in 1999. Fiorina brought with a new culture of aggressive selling, merger, incentive based performance that lacked commitment and loyalty towards company. She made sweeping changes within the organization. Her motto was ‘preserve the best and reinvent the rest’. The company’s name was shortened to ‘HP’ and reduced the advertising agencies to only 2 from 43. 80 autonomous product based operating divisions into two front-end sales and marketing organization and two back-end R&D and manufacturing organizations. Revenue over profit and incentive based remuneration over salary based employment became major focus areas. Retrenchment and cost cutting was justified as means to tackle general financial downturn. During her first year, sales increased by 15% but it could not be maintained. The acquisition of Compaq computers in 2002 by HP was primarily to strengthen the capabilities in computer division which later backfired. While initially the merger was successful and it was able to maintain flagship position in computer segment but could

Business And Ethical Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Business And Ethical Decision Making - Essay Example Secondly, another branch of decision making includes ethical decision making. Philosophers have found it hard to give a standard definition for ethical decision making. Ethics on its own refers to the moral code of conduct based on social values (Nelson & Quick, 2008). When linked with decision making, scholars define it as the process of choosing one option over all other alternatives about legal and moral concepts acceptable to the larger community (Johns, 1991). Ethical relativism (self-interest), which states that making ethical choices depends on an individual’s customs, values, and held religious beliefs. In general decision making, a leader should make decision based on the values and beliefs of the firm. Utilitarianism (benefit) refers to the advantages of a decision. The moral strength and efficiency of a choice depends on its positive results. Leaders make decision based on the advantages they gain out of those choices. Universalism- A sound choice needs to apply to all people inclusive of the diverse races and religions. A universal decision should apply to everyone without any discrimination. Mangers in an institution ought to come up with decisions, which accommodate everyone concerned including the public. Rights- while developing decisions, one needs to engage the rights and freedoms of people. In overall decision making, a manager needs to include the rights and freedoms of every employee working in the organisation. The principles above provide a set of guidelines, which draw a path for individuals while making personal and professional decisions. They have also assisted in guiding the DHL Company over the years enabling it to maintain its position in the market and to give it international competitive edge. The company deals with many people around the world, therefore, principles such as justice, rights, and universalism apply in its moral decision making. It assists in the evaluation of personal and managerial skills. The decision

Position paper 7 see below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Position paper 7 see below - Essay Example The action to be taken should be determined by a court of law. Killing without trial is only allowed in incidences self-defense or as a necessity to save more lives. That said target killing of terrorists, in my opinion, is an immediate necessity executed with the aim of saving more lives. Therefore, the United States should be allowed to continue killing terrorist based on their intelligence. The benefit of targeted killing is that, unlike an arrest operation, there are fewer risks. For example, in U.S, targeted killing are mostly executed using an automated drone craft. According to Becker  and  Shane (2012), among the counterterrorism tactic applicable, targeted killing has proved to be the most effective in the prevention of terror attacks. A targeted killing meant to kill a leader of a terrorist organization disrupts terrorist organization’s plans to a point of collapsing. For example, killing the Gaza military commander, Salah Shehadeh, prevented six terror attacks he planned to execute in Israel. Base on the outcome of targeted killing Obama’s regime has embraced the tactic as the most effective approach to eradication Al-Qaeda and Taliban members Afghanistan-Pakistan border. However, United States need make targeted killing acceptable in other countries by justifying the tactic. For instance, United States should not engage enforcement operations in a foreign country without their knowledge. Doing so is a violation of peaceful relations and international norms (Taylor, 2013). The government should come up with a set of norms that support targeted killing but upholds and acknowledge the principles of peace. Additionally, the collateral damage that comes with targeted killing need to be considered. Regardless the fear of an attack plot advancing following delays to counterattack, consideration should be given to damage expected. The government need to form policies that validate all operations

Leadership and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Leadership and management - Essay Example One significant disadvantage with this is the fact that the scenario favors those teachers and students who get access to the available opportunity. On the contrary, the advantage of this scenario is that, a teacher is able to reach almost all students all over the world. Further, the students are entitled to the courses of their choices globally. Here, for effective communication and interaction, it is advisable to have two screens in a class that is one will take care of the slides and the other one for depicting the world virtually. With the above in place, all the learners will be compiled to follow the lecture with ease (Gold .2007.p.123). This is more advantageous compared to the isolated on demand settings. Students are motivated and maximally put in their total participation since they get entitled to intuitive interaction and virtual participation. More so, this system of decision making for education is can be intensify with the acquisition of knowledge. Notably, with this type of education, one is able to use audio or chat directly by passing information to the concerned person. For instance, a lecturer is capable of talking to the students all over the world, and with the supporting systems, the sound reaches the student and vice versa. Actually, the above scenario involves a teacher teaching students using the current technology in teaching. Below are their characters and the positions. person position character Mr.Mchhurtz A teacher Authoritative, punctual, social, a good communicator, cheerful Ist student student A good listener, talkative, sociable, and good communicator. 2nd student student Talkative, sociable, curious, and he has self control 3 rd student student Curious, persuasive, good listener but lazy Firstly, this was an educative scenario where the teacher was teaching from Harvard University, attending to student from all over the world. More so, this was a computer science class, masters’ student (Jones, 2007.p 420). During reg istration time, the student catches the proceedings through the internet and, so they are given admission without many difficulties. Moreover, they are further given timetable and so they follow the class proceedings from a distant with ease. Notably, with a well arrange organization, decision making is a key factor in not only controlling, but also in giving correct ad relevant directions to the related employees. Therefore, all employees have a part to play in facilitating the strength as well as weakness of ay give organization. Likewise, education is an institution that needs its members to embrace technology on a wider realm of life. Lastly, it is vital for every student to take heed of the technological advancement in ensuring education is achieved in its highest However, the following table illustrates what exactly every person said during the 12th lesson person Transcription of the interactions Teacher â€Å"Good evening class, in the last class I talked about the computer memories. where we saw that accumulator â€Å"A†, is what stores all the input data from that comes in form all the other memories as the computing part 1st student â€Å"Good evening, sir and where does computing takes place?† Teacher â€Å"A good question, computing takes p

Management and Leadership development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management and Leadership development - Essay Example In almost all firms, the top management is the trend setter and it has to demonstrate a high level of commitment towards the development of a workforce which is flexible, competitive and proactive (Gloet, 2006; Plessis & Beaver, 2010). When a strategic approach of HRM is implemented, it will ensure that HR is the top most priority. HRM is effectively integrated with the company’s strategy, mission/vision and long-term goals (Blackman, O’Flynn & Mishra, 2010; Lengnick-Hall et al., 2009). Strategic HRM is fostering strategic management thinking on all levels. This allows the leaders to be involved in the strategic planning process (Lepak et al., 2006). It is a mechanism employed by leading organisations for developing a workforce plan and determining the priority objectives to be attained. It also focuses on the course of action that can be taken for successful accomplishment of the desired objectives (Jaakson, Tamm & Hammal, 2011; Tahilaramani, 2010; Way & Johnson, 2005). Hence, with proper implementation of Strategic HRM within an organisation, there would be an enhanced and supportive workplace learning environment that can be cultivated. This will ensure that the company has the capability of responding to HR related issues proactively and proficiently (Singh, Darwish & Anderson, 2012). Currently strategic HRM is a major contributing factor in the organisation’s corporate strategy. Therefore, it is imperative for the top management to ensure a proper link between the desired objectives and competency level of the employees (Caliskan, 2010; Way & Johnson, 2005). The main purpose of Strategic HRM is to help the company develop an effective employee or workforce plan. This will assist it in managing the employees effectively (Allen & Wright, 2006; Martin, Gollan & Grigg, 2011). It emphasises the need of coordinating activities at all levels i.e. corporate,

Crisis in Darfur- Current affairs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Crisis in Darfur- Current affairs - Essay Example In keeping with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the number of peacekeepers is on the rise at Darfur. The two sides of the conflict are: the Sudanese Military and the Janjaweed on one side and some rebel groups like the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement on the other. The ethnic non-Arab land tilling groups appoints the later two parties. We have ample proof and information to say that the Sudanese government is helping the Janjaweed and the militia, especially in terms of funds. The desertification of the land by the cutting of trees, drought and problem of excess population have in fact made the problem intense and is one of the factors responsible for the conflict. The nomads, in order to feed their cattle are taking them towards the southern region occupied by the farming groups of Black Americans. The government of Sudan has been involved in the war but has been curbing the figures of death as well as evidence. However according to the US Holocaust Museum, the figures exceed 1 lakh. Around 2.5 millions have been displaced due to the war. These are not mere figures but human lives! We have therefore termed this as the genocide although the United Nations does not agree with the term. In the year 2007, the Sudanese government was accused by UN for participatign in the genocide and the gross violations in Darfur. The President of Sudan has been charged by three accusations of genocide, five accusations of crimes against humanity and two cases of murder by the International Criminal Court. Because eof ethnicity the president is accused to have planned the destruction of three tribal groups in Darfur. This is one of the reasons why Sudan looks upon the UN forces and the peacekeepers as foreign invaders. The blame is on America for following this interventionist policy with respect to the foreign nations. (Walker and

Communication Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Communication Research - Assignment Example 2). Qualitative research on the other hand entails a process of inquiry which enables the researcher to understand the social or human issue confronting the society and enables the analysis of this complex phenomenon through a holistic perspective and reporting of detailed views of those involved i.e. the informants/ participants in the study in a natural setting (Cresswell, 2002: 2). For the purpose of this study a qualitative research design is proposed since it offers a wider platform for the researcher to understand and explore the topic of study by methods which help in gathering information that help in understanding one’s qualitative understanding (Guba and Lincoln, 1998). Qualitative research entails several methods of inquiry for analysis such as biography, phenomenological study, grounded theory, ethnography as well as case study. All these types of method afford the researcher in thoroughly exploring the topic of the study and understand the meaning and intentions o f the participants. For the purpose of this study the case study methodology is proposed whereby some key blogs will be selected and its impact on the traditional mainstream media will be observed and analysed. This method is chosen to avoid a mere theoretical interpretation of the phenomenon and engage in a practical discussion thorugh application of case studies that help in supporting the analysis. The blogs will be carefully chosen based on various parameters number of readers, number of views, types of topics dealt with etc among others. References: Creswell, J. W. (2002). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative approaches to research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Pearson Education. Guba, E. G. & Lincoln, Y. S. (1998). Competing paradigms in qualitative research. In Norman K. Denzin & Yvonna S. Lincoln (Eds.), The landscape of qualitative resea

Japan Constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Japan Constitution - Essay Example The Meiji Restoration heralded the rise of Japan as an industrial and military power. The oligarchy consolidated itself under the leadership of the Emperor, and made an effort to destroy remaining vestiges of samurai and shogun power. Lands were sought to be restored to the Emperor. The Samurai's privilege to bear arms was diluted by extending this to the peasants, as well, and conscription into the army of a male member from each family in the country also came into effect. The samurai was disgruntled with what it saw as a clipping of its wings. But along with that, they also moved into other areas, seeking employment in the government, and became a new elite in Japan. It was against the above backdrop that a constitution was promulgated in Japan, and came into effect in 1889. This Constitution enshrined the Emperor as the supreme political head, who shared power with an elected Diet or parliament. The Meiji Constitution continued till Japan was defeated in the Second World War, after which a new constitution came into effect. The Meiji Constitution marks the first time that Japan has had a written constitution. In actual practice since the emperor's powers had been curtailed, prior to the Meiji Restoration Japan was only a de jure monarchy, the actual powers often having been exercised either by an oligarchy or by the Samurai from time to time.To draft the Meiji Constitution Japan studied those of the US, Britain, Spain, France and Prussia. The Meiji constitution seems to have been considerably influenced by the Prussian one. It has seven chapters, consisting of seventy-six articles. It also has a Preamble, an Imperial Oath Sworn in the Sanctuary in the Imperial Palace, and an Imperial Rescript on the Promulgation of the Constitution. All told, it is a document of less than 4000 words. The seven chapters headings are: 1-The Emperor; 2- The Rights and Duties of Subjects; 3-The Imperial Diet; 4-The Ministers of State and the Privy Council; 5- The Judicature; 6- Finance; and 7- The Supplementary Rules. (The Meiji Constitution) There are portions in this Constitution, that are worded ambiguously, and it was left to the political leaders and parties of the time to interpret it either as supportive of the monarch, or as a document that established a liberal democratic system. This Constitution rests on the basic premise that the Emperor's ancestry is divine, and therin lies his legitimacy. He thus combines in his person, the powers of the legislature, executive as well as the judiciary: "Article 3. The Emperor is sacred and inviolable." (The Meiji Constitution) But Article 4 states that, "The Emperor is the head of the Empire, combining in Himself the rights of sovereignty, and exercises them, according to the provisions of the present Constitution." (The Meiji Constitution) A subsequent article (55) however stated that the Emperor's powers were subject to ratification by a Minister of State, whose appointment was strangely in the hands of the monarch himself.The duties and rights of the people were spelt out by the Constitution. A subject had the duty of protecting the Constitution. (Preamble) He also had to serve in the army, if called upon to do so. (Article 20) He enjoyed certain rights, provided these did not come in

The Essence of Food Essay Example for Free

The Essence of Food Essay Food is any substance, usually composed primarily of carbohydrates, fats, water and/or proteins, that can be eaten or drunk by an animal or human for nutrition or pleasure. Items considered food may be sourced from plants, animals or other categories such as fungus or fermented products like alcohol. Although many human cultures sought food items through hunting and gathering, today most cultures use farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of a local nature included but playing a minor role. Most traditions have a recognizable cuisine, a specific set of cooking traditions, preferences, and practices, the study of which is known as gastronomy. Many cultures have diversified their foods by means of preparation, cooking methods and manufacturing. This also includes a complex food trade which helps the cultures to economically survive by-way-of food, not just by consumption. Many cultures study the dietary analysis of food habits. While humans are omnivores, religion and social constructs such as morality often affect which foods they will consume. Food safety is also a concern with foodborne illness claiming many lives each year. In many languages, food is often used metaphorically or figuratively, as in food for thought. Contents [hide] 1 Food sources 1. 1 Plants 1. 2 Animals 2 Production 3 Preparation 3. 1 Animal slaughter and butchering 3. 2 Cooking 3. 2. 1 Cooking equipment and methods 3. 2. 2 Raw food 3. 3 Restaurants 3. 4 Food manufacture 4 Commercial trade 4. 1 International exports and imports 4. 2 Marketing and retailing 4. 3 Prices 5 Famine and hunger 5. 1 Food aid 6 Safety 6. 1 Allergies 7 Diet 7. 1 Cultural and religious diets 7. 2 Diet deficiencies 7. 3 Moral, ethical, and health conscious diet 8 Nutrition 9 Legal definition 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References Food sources Almost all foods are of plant or animal origin, although there are some exceptions. Foods not coming from animal or plant sources include various edible fungi, such mushrooms. Fungi and ambient bacteria are used in the preparation of fermented and pickled foods such as leavened bread, alcoholic drinks, cheese, pickles, and yogurt. Many cultures eat seaweed, a protist, or blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) such as Spirulina. [1] Additionally, salt is often eaten as a flavoring or preservative, and baking soda is used in food preparation. Both of these are inorganic substances, as is water, an important part of human diet. Plants A variety of foods from plant sources Many plants or plant parts are eaten as food. There are around 2,000 plant species which are cultivated for food, and many have several distinct cultivars. [2] Seeds of plants are a good source of food for animals, including humans because they contain nutrients necessary for the plants initial growth. In fact, the majority of food consumed by human beings are seed-based foods. Edible seeds include cereals (such as maize, wheat, and rice), legumes (such as beans, peas, and lentils), and nuts. Oilseeds are often pressed to produce rich oils, such as sunflower, rapeseed (including canola oil), and sesame. [3] One of the earliest food recipes made from ground chickpeas is called hummus, which can be traced back to Ancient Egypt times. Fruits are the ripened ovaries of plants, including the seeds within. Many plants have evolved fruits that are attractive as a food source to animals, so that animals will eat the fruits and excrete the seeds some distance away. Fruits, therefore, make up a significant part of the diets of most cultures. Some botanical fruits, such as tomatoes, pumpkins and eggplants, are eaten as vegetables. [4] (For more information, see list of fruits. ) Vegetables are a second type of plant matter that is commonly eaten as food. These include root vegetables (such as potatoes and carrots), leaf vegetables (such as spinach and lettuce), stem vegetables (such as bamboo shoots and asparagus), and inflorescence vegetables (such as globe artichokes and broccoli). Many herbs and spices are highly-flavorful vegetables. [5] Animals Various raw meats Main article: Animal source foods Animals can be used as food either directly, or indirectly by the products they produce. Meat is an example of a direct product taken from an animal, which comes from either muscle systems or from organs. Food products produced by animals include milk produced by mammals, which in many cultures is drunk or processed into dairy products such as cheese or butter. In addition birds and other animals lay eggs, which are often eaten, and bees produce honey, a popular sweetener in many cultures. Some cultures consume blood, some in the form of blood sausage, as a thickener for sauces, a cured salted form for times of food scarcity, and others use blood in stews such as civet. [6] Production Tractor and Chaser Bin Main article: Agriculture Food is traditionally obtained through farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of subsistence locally important. More recently, there has been a growing trend towards more sustainable agricultural practices. This approach, which is partly fueled by consumer demand, encourages biodiversity, local self-reliance and organic farming methods. [7] Major influences on food production are international organizations, (e. g. the World Trade Organization and Common Agricultural Policy), national government policy (or law), and war. [8] Preparation While some food can be eaten raw, many foods undergo some form of preparation for reasons of safety, palatability, or flavor. At the simplest level this may involve washing, cutting, trimming or adding other foods or ingredients, such as spices. It may also involve mixing, heating or cooling, pressure cooking, fermentation, or combination with other food. In a home, most food preparation takes place in a kitchen. Some preparation is done to enhance the taste or aesthetic appeal; other preparation may help to preserve the food; and others may be involved in cultural identity. A meal is made up of food which is prepared to be eaten at a specific time and place. [9] Animal slaughter and butchering Workers and cattle in a slaughterhouse. The preparation of animal-based food will usually involve slaughter, evisceration, hanging, portioning and rendering. In developed countries, this is usually done outside the home in slaughterhouses which are used to process animals en mass for meat production. Many countries regulate their slaughterhouses by law. For example the United States has established the Humane Slaughter Act of 1958, which requires that an animal be stunned before killing. This act, like those in many countries, exempts slaughter in accordance to religious law, such as kosher shechita and dhabiha halal. Strict interpretations of kashrut require the animal to be fully aware when its carotid artery is cut. [10] On the local level a butcher may commonly break down larger animal meat into smaller manageable cuts and pre-wrapped for commercial sale or wrapped to order in butcher paper. In addition fish and seafood may be fabricated into smaller cuts by a fish monger at the local level. However fish butchery may be done on board a fishing vessel and quick-frozen for preservation of quality. [11] Cooking Main article: Cooking Cooking with a Wok in China The term cooking encompasses a vast range of methods, tools and combinations of ingredients to improve the flavor or digestibility of food. Cooking technique, known as culinary art, generally requires the selection, measurement and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure in an effort to achieve the desired result. Constraints on success include the variability of ingredients, ambient conditions, tools, and the skill of the individual cooking. [12] The diversity of cooking worldwide is a reflection of the myriad nutritional, aesthetic, agricultural, economic, cultural and religious considerations that impact upon it. [13] Cooking requires applying heat to a food which usually, though not always, chemically transforms it, thus changing its flavor, texture, appearance, and nutritional properties. [14] Cooking proper, as opposed to roasting, requires the boiling of water in a container, and was practiced at least since the 10th millennium BC with the introduction of pottery. [15] There is archaeological evidence of roasted foodstuffs at Homo erectus campsites dating from 420,000 years ago. [16] Cooking equipment and methods There are many types of cooking equipment used for cooking. Ovens are one type of cooking equipment which can be used for baking or roasting and offer a dry-heat cooking method. Different cuisines will use different types of ovens, for example Indian culture uses a Tandoor oven is a cylindrical clay oven which operates at a single high temperature,[17] while western kitchens will use variable temperature convection ovens, conventional ovens, toaster ovens in addition to non-radiant heat ovens like the microwave oven. Ovens may be wood-fired, coal-fired, gas, electric, or oil-fired. [18] A stainless steel frying pan. Various types of cook-tops are used as well. They carry the same variations of fuel types as the ovens mentioned above. cook-tops are used to heat vessels placed on top of the heat source, such as a saute pan, sauce pot, frying pan, pressure cooker, etc. These pieces of equipment can use either a moist or dry cooking method and include methods such as steaming, simmering, boiling, and poaching for moist methods; while the dry methods include sauteing, pan frying, or deep-frying. [19] Traditional asado In addition, many cultures use grills for cooking. A grill operates with a radiant heat source from below, usually covered with a metal grid and sometimes a cover. An open bit barbecue in the American south is one example along with the American style outdoor grill fueled by wood, liquid propane or charcoal along with soaked wood chips for smoking. [20] A Mexican style of barbecue is called barbacoa, which involves the cooking of meats and whole sheep over open fire. In Argentina, asado is prepared on a grill held over an open pit or fire made upon the ground, on which a whole animal is grilled or in other cases smaller cuts of the animal. [21] Raw food Many types of sushi ready to be eaten. Certain cultures highlight animal and vegetable foods in their raw state. Sushi in Japan is one such cuisine that features raw sliced fish, either in sashimi, nigiri, or maki styles. [22] Steak tartare and salmon tartare are dishes made from diced or ground raw beef or salmon respectively, mixed with various ingredients and served with baguette, brioche or frites. [23] In Italy, carpaccio is a dish of very thin sliced raw beef, drizzled with a vinaigrette made with olive oil. [24] A popular health food movement known as raw foodism promotes a mostly vegan diet of raw fruits, vegetables and grains prepared in various ways, including juicing, food dehydration, not passing the 118 degree mark, and sprouting. [25] Restaurants Toms Restaurant, a restaurant in New York Many cultures produce food for sale in restaurants for paying customers. These restaurants often have trained chefs who prepare the food, while trained waitstaff serve the customers. The term restaurant is credited to the French from the 19th century, as it relates to the restorative nature of the bouillons that were once served in them. However, the concept pre-dates the naming of these establishments, as evidence suggests commercial food preparation may have existed during the age of the city of Pompeii, as well as an urban sales of prepared foods in China during the Song Dynasty. The coffee shops or cafes of 17th century Europe may also be considered an early version of the restaurant. [26] In 2005 the United States spent $496 billion annually for out-of-home dining. Expenditures by type of out-of-home dining was as follows, 40% in full-service restaurants, 37. 2% in limited service restaurants (fast food), 6. 6% in schools or colleges, 5. 4% in bars and vending machines, 4. 7% in hotels and motels, 4. 0% in recreational places, and 2. 2% in other which includes military bases. [27] Food manufacture Packaged household food items Main article: Food manufacture Packaged foods are manufactured outside the home for purchase. This can be as simple as a butcher preparing meat, or as complex as a modern international food industry. Early food processing techniques were limited by available food preservation, packaging and transportation. This mainly involved salting, curing, curdling, drying, pickling, fermentation and smoking. [28] During the industrialization era in the 19th century, food manufacturing arose. [29] This development took advantage of new mass markets and emerging new technology, such as milling, preservation, packaging and labeling and transportation. It brought the advantages of pre-prepared time saving food to the bulk of ordinary people who did not employ domestic servants. [30] At the start of the 21st century, a two-tier structure has arisen, with a few international food processing giants controlling a wide range of well-known food brands. There also exists a wide array of small local or national food processing companies. [31] Advanced technologies have also come to change food manufacture. Computer-based control systems, sophisticated processing and packaging methods, and logistics and distribution advances, can enhance product quality, improve food safety, and reduce costs. [30] Commercial trade International exports and imports Food imports in 2005 World Bank reported that the EU was the top food importer in 2005 followed at a distance by the USA and Japan. Food is now traded and marketed on a global basis. The variety and availability of food is no longer restricted by the diversity of locally grown food or the limitations of the local growing season. [32] Between 1961 and 1999 there has been a 400% increase in worldwide food exports. [33] Some countries are now economically dependent on food exports, which in some cases account for over 80% of all exports. [34] In 1994 over 100 countries became signatories to the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in a dramatic increase in trade liberalization. This included an agreement to reduce subsidies paid to farmers, underpinned by the WTO enforcement of agricultural subsidy, tariffs, import quotas and settlement of trade disputes that cannot be bilaterally resolved. [35] Where trade barriers are raised on the disputed grounds of public health and safety, the WTO refer the dispute to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which was founded in 1962 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. Trade liberalization has greatly affected world food trade. [36].

Wal Mart s Competitive Advantage Essay Example for Free

Wal Mart s Competitive Advantage Essay Wal-Mart, likely the nation’s most popular discounter, entered the market at the right time, when the barriers to entry were low. Benefiting from first mover advantage, Wal-Mart moved into markets that were not already served by competitors and was able to set higher prices in these areas (6). Conversely, to compensate for low margins in areas heavily congested with competition, it cut costs (1). With an aim to offer low prices, the Company soon learned that it needed to trim its expenses and establish itself as a lean organization, eventually leading to profitability and strong competitive advantage. Refer to Exhibit 1 for Wal-Mart’s successful performance, compared to the rest of the industry, as well as the sections below for an explanation by expense item. Cost of Goods Sold Inventory logistics were positive. Turnover exceeded 4.5 in the mid-1980s, well above that of competitors and trucks were 60% full on backhauls (4). In addition, getting in the forefront of technology allowed for lower overhead costs. The use of UPC scanning increased: from 25 stores in 1983 to 91 stores in 1984 and 235 stores in 1985 (5). Even though the Company catered to a vast market, offering 36 merchandise departments across 70,000 SKUs, it was able to remain highly organized with a computerized system to track inventory, which set itself apart from its peers, as well as a central computer at headquarters, which was updated on a weekly basis (5), the accuracy of which led to efficiencies. The Company shopped around with its vendors, using around 3,000 of them, taking â€Å"no more than a fifth of its volume from any one vendor† (3). In 1984, the cost of inbound logistics was 50% that of the industry at 2.8% of sales (4). Still, Wal-Mart’s cost of goods sold was almost 2% higher than the industry average of 71.9%. Given the lack of distributors who would be able to offer competitive pricing, Wal-Mart built its own warehouse in 1970. By the mid-1980s, Wal-Mart’s five distribution centers served the rapidly expanding number of stores – over 850 stores, meanwhile racking on steep upfront expenditures. Operating Expenses Payroll Expense The Company was able to minimize employee costs by paying low wages (7), meanwhile keeping employees happy, in hopes of avoiding turnover costs. In 1984, Wal-Mart’s salary expense was approximately 1% lower than that of the industry. Unlike its competitors, the Company’s 12 regional VPs all lived in surrounding areas, enabling intimate visibility over a relatively smaller geographic network, which ultimately saved the Company about 2% of sales by not having to set up regional offices. However, contrary to intuition, this decrease in expenses did not adversely impact anyone at the Company. Instead, the offsetting increase in costs resulted in a company-wide benefit as Wal-Mart offered profit sharing, employee stock purchase plans, bonuses, and rewards for low shrinkage. With its â€Å"people-focused† initiatives, Wal-Mart was able to use intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to show employees how much they were appreciated. There was a huge emphasis on communication as management strived to be as transparent as possible with lower level staff. For example, executives came into the office for meetings on Saturdays, then disseminated the latest updates downward, starting with the regional managers, district managers, store managers, and so forth. With its personable CEO, who â€Å"kept a pledge to put on a grass skirt and dance hula on Wall Street to celebrate the achievement,† Wal-Mart was able to distinguish itself and was named one of the 100 best companies to work for in the United States (7-8). Advertising Expense Refer to Exhibit 1 for a high level summary, as well as Exhibit 2 for a more detailed breakdown, of the Company’s advertising expense compared to the higher industry average. Marketers placed a heavy emphasis on low prices with tag lines such as â€Å"we sell for less† (5) or â€Å"everyday low prices† (6). As expected, the cost of advertising was directly correlated with the launch of new stores (6), as well as the location of those stores (i.e. cosmopolitan areas would be more costly): after entering a new area and establishing itself, Wal-Mart would then scale back advertising in that area. Branded merchandise, which made up the bulk of the inventory, was mostly nationally advertised (5), thus quickly building brand awareness among consumers. Rental Expense Rental expense at Wal-Mart was 0.3% lower than that of the industry. A large part of this was attributable to the fact that Wal-Mart did not permanently lock itself down to a certain location; of the 859 stores in the mid-1980s, 812 were leased. With the flexibility to move during flourishing times, the size of an average Wal-Mart store went from 42,000 square feet in 1975 to 57,000+ square feet in 1985 (3). In addition, the Company made a smart decision to stay out of locations that could not be expanded, again showing the Company’s long-term, instead of short-term, mindset. Counter-Intuitive Comparisons After further analysis of Wal-Mart’s costs in 1984, we encountered findings in the data that was counter-intuitive to the costs that we would expect to see from the most successful discount retailer of its time. Naturally, the area in which we would expect Wal-Mart to exhibit higher than average cost savings compared to the industry average would be in Cost of Goods Sold. However in 1984, Wal-Mart’s COGS at 73.8% was almost 2% higher than the industry average. As mentioned above, Wal-Mart’s system contained over 70,000 SKUs, a number larger than most other discount retailers which would lead one to believe that a high volume discounter like Wal-Mart would achieve economies of scale to produce a COGS lower than the industry average. Next, due to Wal-Mart’s efficient distribution network, inventory did not back up in storage as quickly as other retailers. Wal-Mart boasted inventory turn 4.5 times in the mid-1980s, which was higher than the industry average. With reduced inventory levels due to the speed at which Wal-Mart was selling its inventory, this would lead one to believe that there would be a smaller amount of ending inventory to subtract from beginning and purchased inventory. Expansion â€Å"Being the first warehouse club to solicit and introduce the concept in a market can be a major competitive advantage† (9). As a result of the distinctive features mentioned above, Wal-Mart was able to set itself apart from its peers and rise to the top of the industry. In 1984, it started to diversify by starting three new ventures, the most notable of which was  Sam’s, a warehouse club. The Company expanded from three stores in 1983 to 11 stores in 1984 and 23 stores in 1985. It took what it learned from the Wal-Mart venture and applied it to Sam’s accordingly. Conclusion Over the years, Wal-Mart’s success grew and it distinguished itself from its competitors, thus enabling the Company to expand its operations and diversify into the warehouse club market with the now-renown Sam’s Club. David Glass (later Wal-Mart’s president and chief operating officer) summarized the Company’s history best when he said: â€Å" ‘We are always pushing from the inside out. We never jump and then backfill.’ † (3) Instead of becoming greedy and aggressively dominating the market, the Company did so steadily over time; by not taking on more than it could handle, the Company was able to strategically position itself. In the years to follow, Wal-Mart’s market value was twice that of its competitor, K mart, even though it was a third as large.

Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure Research

Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure Research Abstract: Background: DREEM (Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure) is a validated and global tool for assessing educational environment. It can be used to make comparative analysis of educational environment. Our aim is to study medical school students perception of their environment and correlate this with cGPA, gender and year of study. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study involved students of semesters 5, 7 and 9 of Dow Medical College from August 2013 to August 2014. DREEM questionnaires were provided to participants in written form. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate mean and SD score for total DREEM and DREEM domains. ANOVA was used to categorize any variation related to three semesters and unpaired t- test was used to classify gender related variances. Results: Total number of respondents was 246 (response rate=82.0%), of which 69(28.04%) were males and 177(71.95%) were females. Total DREEM score was calculated as 110.4/200(55.2%). Maximum score was established in the domain of students’ self-social perception (56.8%) and lowest in domain of students’ perceptions of learning (53.3%). Conclusion: The research shows that students’ perception of their educational environment is slightly more positive than average. It is clear that cGPA does not have an enormous impact on the mind-set of students as commonly perceived. Key Words: Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure, educational environment, cGPA, undergraduate, medical education. Background: The ‘educational environment’ defined as everything that happens within the classroom, campus or university as whole is crucial in determining the success of undergraduate medical education [1]. In 1998, the World Federation for Medical Education highlighted the learning environment as one of the determining factors in the evaluation of medical education programs 2. Medical educators widely agree upon the fact that the effects of the educational environment, both academic and clinical, are important determinants of medical students’ attitude, knowledge and skill 2. The key to the provision of highly motivated, student centered education is precise evaluation of the academic and clinical aspects of a medical institution. For such highly quality and accurate assessment, there is a need of comprehensive and valid tool [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. For decades, researchers have assessed and developed various tools to measure learning environment in primary and secondary education as well as for tertiary education [9, 10, 11]. In health profession, nursing educational system and their perceived environment has been studied comprehensively as well [12, 13, 14, 15]. Educators and researchers have attempted to define and measure the medical education environment as basis for implementing modifications and thus optimizing the educational environment [16, 17, 18, 19]. The most widely used contemporary tool is almost certainly the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) [20]. The DREEM is a 50-item measure of students perceptions of their learning environment which projects scores on five domains. These five domains are labeled as, students’ perception of learning, perception of course organizers, academic self-perception, perception of atmosphere and social self-perception [21]. DREEM questionnaire, developed by an international Delphi panel, has been applied to several undergraduate courses for health professionals worldwide. It produces global readings and diagnostic analyses which allows quality comparisons to be made in the performance and effectiveness of different medical schools. This instrument has been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Dutch Swedish, Norwegian, Malay and Thai and used in several settings including the Middle East, Thailand, Nepal and Nigeria [22, 23,24]. It is currently being utilized in the medical schools of the UK, Canada, Ireland, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Norway, Sweden, Venezuela, the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Oman and the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia to evaluate the students’ perception and help medical and health schools to recognize their educational priorities and as a result, introduce more effective measures [25, 26, 27, 28, 29 30] Dow Medical College, located in Karachi, is one of the oldest medical schools in Pakistan. In 2003, it became a constituent college of the newly formed Dow University of Health Sciences. Gradual but definitive changes in the teaching strategies are being implemented at Dow Medical College. With the batch of 2009, Dow University of Health Sciences has introduced an integrated modular curriculum. Dow University is the first public sector medical university of Pakistan to have introduced this modern method of education. The curriculum has been developed by a strong team of faculty members of the University and this has greatly enhanced the teaching standards. Moreover, it has proved to greatly impact students’ perception of their learning environment. The course work of five years has been divided into 10 semesters and a semester examination is conducted at the end of the course of 6 months. Modular and midterm examinations are held for regular appraisal of students. The rationale of this study is to evaluate the effect of cGPA on the students’ perception of educational environment at Dow Medical College, and to assess any differences in perception related to gender and year of study using Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, conducted on the target population of the students of semester 5, 7 9 of Dow Medical College, Karachi from 30th August 2013 to 30th August 2014. The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Dow University of Health Sciences. DREEM questionnaires were distributed to 246 students of semesters 5, 7 9. DREEM consists of 50 statements, grouped in five domains, relevant to the educational environment. The respondents were asked to read each statement carefully and to respond using a five-point Likert scales ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Each item was scored as follows: 4 for strongly agree, 3 for agree, 2 for uncertain, 1 for disagree and 0 for strongly disagree. The DREEM inventory has a maximum score of 200. It consists of the following domains: Students Perceptions of Learning (12 questions, maximum score: 48) Students Perceptions of Teachers (11 questions, maximum score: 44) Students Academic Self-Perceptions (8 questions, maximum score: 32) Students Perceptions of Atmosphere (12 questions, maximum score: 48) Students Social Self-Perceptions (7 questions, maximum score: 28) It was made sure that the personal identity of the students remained anonymous. It was also explained that the data would not be forwarded to third party. Before distributing the research questionnaire to the students, a thorough explanation was given to them in order to describe the objectives dimensions of the study. Data was analyzed using SPSS version-16.0. Descriptive statistics tool was used to evaluate arithmetic means and standard deviation for total DREEM all five sub-scales. ANOVA was used to categorize any variation related to three semesters and level of significance was taken at â€Å"p Results: Response rate: Response rate was 82% (246/300), distribution of response rate of students in selected semesters in chosen medical school was semester 5: 101 (41.05%); semester 7: 75 (30.48%); semester 9: 70 (28.45%). Male and female students accounted for 69 (28.04%) and 177 (71.95%) for responding samples, respectively. Total DREEM mean score was calculated to be 110.4/200 (55.2%) among all three semesters. Components of Table 1, are: Maximum and minimum scores of DREEM inventory and its five domains, arithmetic mean with standard deviation and percentage of mean score with interpretations. In Table 1, the highest score was recorded in the domain of students’ social self-perceptions (56.8%) and lowest in the of students’ perception of learning domain (53.3%). Table 2 shows the mean scores of DREEM inventory in selected semesters. There has been a significant difference in the perceptions of students of 5th, 7th and 9th semesters regarding environment. Students of 9th semester hold a considerable positive attitude which is exhibited not only by their mean DREEM score but also when viewing all the domains of DREEM individually, with a maximum of 61.4% positivity in the domain of â€Å"Students’ self-social perception† and a minimum of 58.8% in the sub-scale of â€Å"Students’ perception of atmosphere†. Response of 7th semester students’ is somewhat positive as shown by their mean DREEM score of 112/200 (56%), score being highest of 57.8% in the subscale of â€Å"Students’ social self-perceptions† and lowest of 54.3% in â€Å"Students’ perception of teachers† domain. Response of 5th semester students’ in all domains, though not in negative integers, is certainly poor being just 51.35% on the mean DREEM score of 102.7/200. Response rate is maximum in the sub-scale of â€Å"Students’ social self-perceptions† and minimum in â€Å"Students’ perception of learning† These results show that students of all three semesters had maximum positive response as represented by their respective scores in the sub-scale of â€Å"Students’ social self-perception†. This is further explained under the section of discussions. Table 3 describes another objective of this study which is, the effect of cGPA on students’ mind-set regarding academic studies, social life and professors. Using DREEM inventory, it is remarkable to know that cGPA is an insignificant factor from analyzed data. This is suggestive that cGPA is not an accurate representative of academic status of student at the medical college. Table 4 delineates difference in the observation of educational environment among male and female gender. Males were found to be more positive about educational environment with response rate of 58.1% on total DREEM score of 116.2/200 while females had the total DREEM score of 108.1/200 with response rate of 54.1%. Males’ response was substantially more positive in every subscale except â€Å"Students’ academic self-perceptions† domain which was determined as a non-significant factor in this comparison between males and females. Discussion: According to the practical guide of McAleer, a mean score between 50 and 100 indicates probable problems in the learning environment [31]. In medical schools with a traditional curriculum, domain scores are found to be below 120; however, in modern, student-centered curriculums, the mean score is generally improved [32]. The results presented herein revealed a mean score of 110.4/200 (55.2%) for the DREEM five domains. Subscale analysis exhibited maximum in the section of students’ social self-perceptions and lowest in domain of students’ perception of learning. The DREEM score of students of 9th semester was slightly positive than students of 5th and 7th semesters presumably because they did not follow the modular system. Their studies were not fast paced and so they were not over burdened by the course. Since the modular system has specified a limited time span for the completion of each course comprehensively, the high burn out rate was apparent in students of this new, fast paced system. Hence the students of 5th and 7th semesters perceived the milieu more negatively than semester 9 students. Effect of cGPA on students’ academic lives was an important aspect of this study. From the results obtained, it is clear that cGPA did not have an enormous impact on the mind-set of students as commonly anticipated. This could be attributable to a fact that majority of the students at DMC, instead of competing for marks, aimed to compete for practical expertise. From the response given by the students, it also appeared that respondents of this research preferred their semester papers to be more clinically oriented in lieu of constructed on outmoded system which is based rote-learning. Students’ perception of the educational environment has a considerable influence on their performance, motivation and academic accomplishments. The analysis also showed the lowest score in the domain of students’ perception of self-learning. It could be attributable to compact learning time and challenging course. This is a point of concern because students are important stake holders of any educational institution and if they are not satisfied with the perception of self-learning then this matter should be taken into consideration by the concerned authorities with sincerity and wherever necessary, credence should be given to students opinion as well. The analysis explains the DREEM score of male students to be more positive than the female students. One reason of this might be the ratio of female students is much higher than the ratio of male students in medical colleges which may be the cause of a competitive approach to learning amongst girls hence more chances of disappointments and negative opinions about the environment. Conclusion: It is concluded that cGPA does not have an enormous impact on the mind-set of students. In all sub-scales, the DREEM score is slightly more positive than average. Mean DREEM score in all three semesters in Dow Medical College is 110.4/200 (55.2%). Sub-scale analysis revealed maximum score in the domain of students’ social self-perceptions and lowest in domain of students’ perception of learning. Hence, results obtained in study can be astutely used to make reforms in academic curriculum, examination patterns, and to direct tactical improvement in order to make educational environment more interesting and better for students. Competing interests: Authors contributions: Authors information: Acknowledgements: References: [1]. Lokuhetty M, Warnakulasuriya S, Perera R, De Silva H, Wijesinghe H. Students’ perception of the educational environment in a Medical Faculty with an innovative curriculum in Sri Lanka. South-East Asian Journal of Medical Education. 2011;4(1):916. [2]. Hammond S, ORourke M, Kelly M, Bennett D, OFlynn S. A psychometric appraisal of the DREEM. BMC medical education. 2012;12(1):2. [3]. Maida A, Vasquez A, Herskovic V, Calderon J, Jacard M, Pereira A et al. A report on student abuse during medical training. 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McAleer S, Roff S: A practical guide to using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). Curriculum, Environment, Climate, Quality and Change in Medical Education: a Unifying Perspective. AMEE Education Guide No. 23. Dundee: Association for Medical Education in Europe Edited by Genn JM. 2001, 29-33. [32]. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/10/87