Comparative analysis of prayer and pastoral counseling

Educes Humdinger believes that one of the key essentials to the Persephone of pastoral caregiver is kinfolk. When we dedicate ourselves to a Christian life, kayoing is the essential element of our Christianity, because It combines our fellowship, community and communion with God and with others. Van Educes Humdinger states the kayoing is the tells as well as the indispensable means of all true pastoral care. Van Educes Hunger, Pl) If we are experiencing kayoing in our spiritual life, kayoing will be made up of the ultrasonically element that encompasses not only the vertical dimension (our relationship with God), but also the horizontal dimension (our relationship with each other). It starts with ourselves and opening the communication line with God through our prayer life. As we begin to experience the fellowship, community and communion with God, we develop that vertical dimension. Our living out the vertical dimension is witness by others around us.It Is at this point we begin to realize the horizontal dimension of fellowship, community and communion with others is established. (van Educes Humdinger, up) When the vertical and the horizontal have been established, we achieve a common ground based on humbling ourselves before God and others. In this setting trust and fellowship are established, and ministering and pastoral care between one another can begin. In reading Pastoral Counseling The Basics, Ditties believes that one of the essentials to the Persephone of the pastoral caregiver is kayoing as well.Ditties is more subtle in his approach to kayoing, than van Educes Hunger. Ditties states that â€Å"The pastoral counselor does not pretend to possess godlike powers but Is a humble servant†. Deletes, pop) The multidimensional element of our relationships with God and others is essential to Ditties as well. Ditties also suggests that as we enter into a relationship with others, we enter that relationship with neither a Judgment of perfection or imperf ection on the part of the counselor and counseled. Ditties, pop) We once again enter Into a relationship not just vertically and horizontally, but inwardly to self, outwardly to others and upwardly toward God. (van Educes Humdinger 9) (Ditties, IPPP) 2 In the process of examining Pray without Ceasing by Deborah van Educes and Pastoral Counseling The Basics by James E Ditties, I found that the area of pastoral ministry and counseling were virtually the same. While their methodology and terminology appear to be different, the end result is the same. So I have to ask, Do these two authors really differ?Deletes says that we should be nonchalant, even benign and to empty ourselves to have no preconceived ideas, or so as not to be judgmental. Does this really differ from van Educes Humdinger, who said that our prayer life Is the integral part of our relationship? If I have take the time to empty yeses, Is this really different It I take the time to pray a prayer of petition for myself and for others? 1 OFF placing God in the center is the key if I am to be effective in ministry. Every facet, level or element is relational.That is to say that all our actions have to be God fed and Spirit led. The first way which I feel that van Educes Humdinger differs from Ditties, but yet they are still alike is in their views about pastoral ministry on the subject of relationship. Van Educes Humdinger's view is that relationship is the key to pastoral ministry and pastoral counseling. If one is to be effective in pastoral ministry and counseling we must first have a relationship with God. Then we can cultivate a relationship with others. An Educes Humdinger further states that the relationship will consist of a vertical dimension, relationship with God and a horizontal dimension, relationship with each other. This gives the counselor and counseled common ground in which they can experience a relationship of fellowship, community and communion with each other and God. This is a rel ationship that is entered into emptied of any preconceived idea of the counseled. This way we enter n a basis of honesty, with each other and with God which is non-judgmental and leads to developing openness and trust. Van Educes Humdinger, p 2) Ditties begins his view of relationship with the concept that we should be nonchalant in entering the relationship of pastoral ministry and counseling; that is to state further that we should empty ourselves and renounce the relationship factor and even be benign. This may sound harsh, but Ditties is getting to the same point that van Educes Humdinger is making that we must be the humble servant and create an open, non- judgmental atmosphere. Ditties p 89) Ditties view of the relationship is not vertical or horizontal; his view is inward, outward and upward.The relationship is inward to view self, outward to view other and upward to include God in the center of the relationship. (Ditties p 153) 3 While the two views may appear to differ, the y are, in reality, the same with Just a difference of methodology and terminology. The second way which I feel that van Educes Humdinger differs from Ditties but yet is still alike, is in their views about pastoral ministry. Is it pastoral care or pastoral counseling or Just counseling? Van Educes Humdinger view is that spiritual fellowship or kayoing is the basis for pastoral ministry to be possible.When kayoing flourishes so does pastoral care. The never ending constant follow of love, hope and grace from God is the building block for pastoral ministry. (van Educes Humdinger, p 3) Ditties tells us in the chapter on Counseling as God's Call, that the nagging questions are, Is it pastoral? Is it in keeping with one's call into ministry? Or is it distraction from the call? (Ditties p 145) I believe the Ditties offers these questions to make us consider all the facets of ministry and to concentrate on the area of pastoral ministry and counseling to make sure the we have involved God i n the center of all areas of ministry.While on the surface this appears to be a radical difference from van Educes Humdinger's view, it has not been completely obscured by the nagging questions. (Ditties, p 145) Ditties goes on to state â€Å"The pastoral counselor affirms, above all, that this is God's world and that the counselor and counseled are both in God's care. † This does not contradict what van Educes Humdinger has stated it confirms it. That is to say that we re to empty ourselves in order to be fulfilled and to fulfill the work of Christ in the the center of the issue from the very beginning by establishing an open communication line with God through an active prayer life.Then she moves through the areas involved in self, God and others and then brings us full circle to conclude with prayer. This is more in keeping with my faith life and work in ministry. This however does not diminish Ditties book at all. Ditties chose to take a more human approach first, to allo w us to view ourselves in our own human condition, so e could relate to others on a deeper level, but reminding us subtlety that God's involvement is needed at all levels of ministry. Ditties concludes his book with a bold reminder that God is the world and we are merely his servant to God and one another. When looking at Ditties book Pastoral Counseling the Basics, and comparing the significance that the â€Å"four Levels or Facets of Human Development have on the book as a whole, I began by looking at the four facets individually. While listing these levels or facets initially as Context, to Self-Regard, to Traits and Habits, to Coping and injunction, Ditties begins the break down for the levels or facets in reverse order. This order is a very effective way of presenting this information so as not to go to the first step and think we have accomplished the levels entirely.The first level that is addressed is Coping and Functioning. This level as Ditties explains is a realm of ever yday behavior in which I count my successes and failures. This level is the driving force in our lives. It encompasses how we handle all of the everyday events of our lives. We can either approach these as successes or failure, adversaries or allies. We as counselor and counseled may consider the list of successes and failures as Just the problem. Ditties warns us, that while offering advice on such practical matters may be extremely useful. UT this is not the realm of pastoral counseling. (Ditties pop, 30) This level is not Just for the counseled, but also for the counselor as well. If we are to provide pastoral counseling, we must first have an understanding of how we handle the areas in our own life within the level of Coping and Functioning first, before we can attempt to work with the counseled. I believe that Ditties uses this level to teach us that we cannot cope and function in the realm of everyday life without the involvement of God and others.We must first look inwardly a t ourselves and then seek God for upwardly involvement, before we can attempt to look outwardly to others to counsel and be counseled. (Ditties 153) I believe van Educes Humdinger would agree that this level is an integral part of our development, but this would not be the initial step. In Praying without Ceasing, van Educes Humdinger points out that the vertical dimension, that relationship with God through our active pray life with God must be established and maintained in order for us to be able to converse and interact with others. Van Educes Humdinger UP, 79) The second level that Ditties address is Traits and Habits-personal characteristics. The traits and talents are those things that evolve into habits, both good and bad, productive and destructive that makes up the character of who we are. These traits and talents are not machinery, but are organically grown out of our interaction with 5 It is important to know these traits, talents or habits that make up who we are, so tha t e can be an effective counselor and to know the make-up of who we are counseling.By understanding these traits, talents and habits of ourselves and others we can use this information to establish how we deal with governing the first level of coping and functioning. By having these two levels working in and through our lives we can find the common ground with others from which to can work together. (Ditties, p 31) I believe this is also an underlying theme throughout Ditties book, because knowing the traits, talents and habits of ourselves and others, is one of the essential elements of he experience for the counseling for the counseled, as in regarding the â€Å"As Is and As Though†.This gives the counselor and counseled a level playing field from which to know each other more deeply, so that both can learn to trust, not Judge and begin to develop fellowship, relationship and community. (Ditties, p 81) I believe the van Educes Humdinger would agree with Ditties, that knowin g the Traits, Talents and habits of ourselves and others is an essential element for Listening to ourselves, listening to others and Listening to God. I believe that this too is a building block community and spiritual formation with others.The third level that Ditties describes for us is the level of Self-Regard. The way we regard ourselves is a strong indicator of what kind of personality we possess. The way we were brought up and the environment in which we lived or live can signal how we perceive ourselves and also how we perceive others. Self-Regard is the combination of the other two levels of Coping and Functioning as well as Traits and Habits. (Ditties pop) Taking into consideration how we cope and function with our own traits and habits, we get an image of how we regard ourselves and how we will regard other.This action could be both good and bad. This level also opens the door to offer grace and to receive it as well. If we are willing to receive and offer grace to one ano ther, we once again open the door to fellowship and community. (Ditties pop) I believe the van Educes Humdinger would agree with this level as well, because our self-image and how we regard who we are can lead us to knowing ourselves, other and God at a much deep and open level of understanding. This engages our prayer life into a continuous circle of prayers to God, for others and for ourselves.This action strengthens the nods of fellowship and community, which is the basis of pastoral care. (van Educes Humdinger IPPP) 6 The fourth and final level is Context. Ditties' comment that â€Å"We all live evicted from the Garden which was created Just for us†¦ , The self can survive and thrive only when it can trust and outside the garden, trust is Jaded†. (Ditties pop, 35) When we come to the realization know who's we are, who we are, where we come from and what we are made up of, we have Context. This is the starting point from which we can accept ourselves with all our wart s and scars and know that we are not fighting this battleContext lays the ground work to know how we regard ourselves, knowing what our traits and habits are and finally how we can cope and function within ourselves and with others, while allowing Christ to intercede for us and keep God in the center of everything. Ditties and van Educes Humdinger both have given me the frame work from which I can come to an understanding of knowing the make-up of all the levels and elements of who I am as a child of God, knowing fellowship, community, and communion with God through prayer and finally helping others to know themselves and God as well.

Organizational Behavior and Leadership Essay

   Effective Communication: Partnership in Italy Melissa Chang is a business woman from US who is about to travel Venice, Italy to meet with her company’s partnering company. During the preparation of the trip she faces different obstacle like she was stressed and her friend cancelled their trip to Moscow at the last minutes. She was afraid of meeting the Italian Partner, however after collecting necessary information upon making phone contact with the company’s partnering company to confirm her travel plans. When Melissa meets face-to-face with the partners, she quickly realized their source of frustration and at the same time she was able provide all the information requested by them about the product. She was also able to answer all the questions and explain the business process during the first meeting in a productive way and also maintain the relationship for the further business for the future. Both Melissa and Italian partner drew up the projected plan for the next fiscal year at the end of the week. The Presid ent of the Italian office arranges a formal dinner in her honor and appreciates the professionalism of Melissa. Analysis and Findings In this case US company is not providing the basic product information due to which Italian partner were unhappy which may lead to cancellation of the partnership. When Melissa agrees to visit to Venice, Italy then she meet their partner company face to face, listen all their views and provide them with all the required information and answer all their questions on the spot due to which the partner company we really impressed with her performance and they started building the positive attitude towards US company. Melissa’s communication impact on Italians The company has not upheld the basic business standard due to which the Italian partners were frustrated. If the things did not get up cleared quick they company of US may lose the partnership. As Melissa Chang has a very good communicating skill through which she impressed the Italian partner and gain the positive appreciation. Melissa has both interpersonal and communicating skill. She has an ability to work with one-on-one as well as she can present a good public image for the organization. She was aware of her own internal noise and the role it can play with her own listening abilities which makes her the best situational leader. She possessed the three basic competencies in influencing as diagnosing (being able to understand the situation you are attempting to influence); adapting (being able to adapt your behavior, and the other things that you have control over, to the contingencies of the situation); and communicating (being able to put the message in a way that people can easily understand and accept) (Hershey, Blanchard & Johnson, 2011). Primary Sources of Information Prior to Melissa’s Visit Effective communication plays a very important role in an organization. In order to do any work first we need to collect the information regarding the work which is very important. In this case, Melissa collected all the information of Italian partner through the phone call. But in this company it doesn’t show the good commutation because the colleague of the Melissa cancelled their recent trip to Moscow at the last minute, and do not respond to the requests of partnering or Host Company of Italy for information. This kind of behavior clearly shows that employees have lack of professionalism and negligence. So the perception of the company towards the parent company at US was not good. The parent company at US is just focusing on the profit and forgetting the other factors that help in the maximization of the profit. So the parent Company is sending Melissa for the visit of the Italian partners without proper guidance and training. Melissa believes those Italian partner was frustrated and may cancel the partnership. So due to her effective communication and situational leadership she is successful to gain the Italians business. Thus we need to gather information from face-to-face communication or other means of communication like email,  telephone, and fax etc. is very essential to begin any new business or work which makes easier to understand the situation and deal with it. Primary Sources of Information after Melissa’s Visit Before beginning any new thing the first thing we need to is gathering information regarding the new thing which makes easier to perform new task. In this case Melissa gathered and learned many things before visiting to the Italy, Venice. The parent company at US was doing negligence and doesn’t provide the information to the partner company at Venice as per requirement on time. When Melissa travelled to Venice and had face-to-face communication with their partner company at Italy, she realizes the reason for the frustration as the parent company at US has not provided the basic information regarding the product. She was successful on answering all the quarries of the partner company and also maintains the positive relationship for the business in the future. The partner company also agrees to discuss details for the next fiscal year plan. The partner company appreciates Melissa’s ability of communicating and the performance of her and also the partner company arranges a formal dinner program in her honor. So face-t- face communication helps to gather all the necessary and available information before beginning any new task. The president of the partner company noted the empathetic listening skills and ability to relate to their business needs and being critical to their future success and also praises her for her quick action and decisiveness she demonstrated during their meeting. Melissa’s Change in Attitude Dealing the Italian Partners When Melissa reached Venice, Italy she was quite stress but she quickly realize that the partners companies were frustrated from their prospective because the parent company at US was not providing the proper information regarding the product. But Melissa was fascinated with the serenity of the Italian partners. Diagnosing and communicating might account for Melissa’s change in attitude about dealing with the Italian partners after her visit. After face to face meeting with Partner Company she was able to she was able to understand the situation over there. But after meeting the partner company she was able to answer all their queries and also provided all the  information regarding the product due to which they were happy about the performance of Melissa because she was able to handle the critical situation in a proper manner. She was also invited for the dinner by the president of the partner company at Venice which motivates her and feels more confidence and also the Italian Partner were more committed towards the product then before. Similarly, the dedication of Italian partners toward their works might also account for Melissa’s change in attitude about dealing with the Italian partners after visit. Summary and Conclusions Effective communication by business managers facilitates information sharing between company employees and can substantially contribute to its commercial success. Effective communication should generate the desired effect and maintain the effect, with the potential to increase the effect of the message. Interpersonal skills and written and oral communication skills are important not only in obtaining a job, but also in performing effectively on the job. Therefore, communication is essential to keep the organization functioning at maximum level and to make the most of the management human resources (Hershey, Blanchard & Johnson, 2011). References Brandt, W. K., & Hulbert, J. M. (1976). Patterns of Communications in the Multinational Corporation: An Empirical Study. Journal of International Business Studies. Hersey, P., Blanchard, K., & Johnson, D. (2011).Managing of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources. (9th ed., pp. 243-250). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

Evolution of health care information system Essay

In this paper, we will compare and contrast Skilled Nursing Facilities from 20 years ago to today. Skilled Nursing facilities of today are both similar and different from what they were like two decades ago. Similarities comprise of the organizational structure, including different departments, and the various roles within those departments. The roles of nurses, doctors, administrators, and therapists have not changed much in the last 20 years, and it is still the same hierarchical approach where a top down approach to administration and management is used . The differences outweigh the similarities as many changes have taken place over the years. Most of the changes have been as a result of the advances in information technology in health care. Some of the differences include utilization of information systems such as e-mail for communication, documentation using electronic medical records (EMR), and utilization of advanced medical equipment. Two significant advances in health care information system over the last two decades has been the use of EMR and the advances in medical devices. These two advances have changed how care is being delivered in health care in general and more specifically, in skilled nursing facilities. Two decades ago, majority of documentation was done by hand, often resulting in disjointed, redundant documentation without the ability to extrapolate meaningful data for analytical and benchmarking purposes. By contrast with the current EMR documentation, there is very little duplication of documentation, and internal and external benchmarking is available for quality improvement purposes. Today’s skilled nursing facility is dependent upon computer and information systems to run practically every aspect of the organization. Billing systems, pyxis systems for medication dispensing, minimum data set documentation and transmission to The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Systems are just some examples of the use of computer technology used in nursing facilities of today. Skilled Nursing Facilities using outdated technology, hand- written documentation, and outdated medical equipment will have to adapt to and invest in technology and equipment if they want to stay competitive with the market. Information System in Skilled Nursing Facility of Today The skilled nursing facility that I currently work at is a long-term care facility founded in 2001 and is affiliated with a local nonprofit hospital. This 150-bed state-of-the-art facility has 40 sub-acute beds, 30 dementia beds, and the remainder, are long-term beds. The sub-acute unit has all private rooms. All beds are Medicare and Medicaid certified. This modern facility has electronic medical records and uses internal and external benchmarking data to track and trend data. They use this data to improve clinical and financial outcomes and as a result of this, have been able to improve their financial viability and have a five-star rating on the CMS Nursing Home Compare website. The physicians and nurses can access lab results, and x-ray results online via a secure connection. The admissions department can cost out patients medications and the rehabilitation department, in collaboration with the MDS coordinators can determine reimbursement based on patient needs, prior to the patient being admitted. Data is stored in a data warehouse (server) where it can be mined by authorized personnel only. The advanced medical equipment use has resulted in high level of job satisfaction and resulted in staff retention. Analysis of Data Used: 20 Years Ago to Now Twenty years ago, skilled nursing facilities did not have the ability to collect and analyze data. The need to collect data was there, and some manual data collection was done, but it was impossible to collect significant clinical and financial data and use it for analytical purposes. Fast forward 20years to the present and we now have the ability to have access to significant data that can be used to improve systems and processes for better outcomes. Of significance has been the minimum data set in nursing homes. The Minimum Data Set (MDS) is part of the federally mandated process for clinical assessment of all residents in Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes. This process provides a comprehensive assessment of each resident’s functional capabilities and helps nursing home staff identify health problems. Care Area Assessments (CAAs) are part of this process, and provide the foundation upon which a resident’s individual care plan is formulated. MDS assessments are completed for all residents in certified nursing homes, regardless of source of payment for the individual resident. MDS assessments are required for residents on admission to the nursing facility, periodically, and on discharge. All assessments are completed within specific guidelines and time frames. MDS information is transmitted electronically by nursing homes to the national MDS database at CMS. National and regional benchmarking is available through reports and government rates nursing homes based on these benchmarks. Examples of available benchmarking are percentage of restraints used, facility-acquired wounds, infection rates, falls, and decline in activities of daily living. Two Major Technological Advances influencing Health Care Information System (HCIS) Health care information systems are a prerequisite for coordinated, integrated, and evidence-informed health care. Introduction and use of EMR has changed how health care is delivered across the spectrum and will continue to change. It has allowed us to collect clinical data and use it to use evidence-based best practices. It has given the ability to decrease redundancy in documentation and increase patient safety by flagging medications that may be contraindicated if given in combination with another medication. Another major technological advance has been in the area of medical devices and equipment. Advanced medical devices used for diagnosis has helped detect diseases more rapidly and as a result, saved lives. The use of telemedicine is for patients who wish to remain in their homes versus a nursing home have been significant. Nurses can check patients’ vital signs frequently and collaborate with the physician to monitor patients and change treatment as needed before patient becomes acutely ill. This has lessened the need for the patients to be re-hospitalized, hence, better outcome for the patient as well as lesser financial impact. Formally defined, telemedicine is the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications to improve a patient’s clinical health status. Telemedicine includes a growing variety of applications and services using two-way video, e-mail, smart phones, wireless tools, and other forms of telecommunications technology. Conclusion There are some similarities and vast differences between the operations of a long-term care facility of today versus one from 20 years ago, specifically as it relates to information systems and how data was used than in comparison with the way it is used today. Today, every process, and system in a long-term care facility is dependent upon information technology to function. Financial and clinical outcomes are measured and compared with other organizations, both, nationally, and regionally to gauge and improve processes. One major technological advance has been in the area of use of EMR and access to patient information, such as lab results being readily available, enabling providers with quick decision-making ability. Another major technological advance has been in advanced medical equipment and telemedicine, allowing exchange of information for improved patient health status. Future advancement in information technology will change the way health care is delivered and facilities that embrace this change and use it to their advantage will come out ahead. References www. americantelemed. org/learn www. cms. gov www. lse. ac. uk

Section 179 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Section 179 - Essay Example This is if the purchased equipment is depreciable over a certain period. It is an incentive sometimes used for some of the small enterprises to expand their businesses (Daily 45). This is with the purchasing of new equipment in the business. Limitations of Section 179 There is a higher tax bill that is acquired if the equipment purchased under section 179 is converted into personal use. If equipment is purchased under the method of section 179, it is highly likely that, during its depreciable life, it can be converted to personal use (Daily 48). However, it may prove costly to do so to the party that intends to do this conversion. Section 179 also dictates that a taxpayer’s deduction in a year cannot exceed or surpass their income from that active financial year. This means that they are not capable of, or cannot use more than what they may earn in their active conduct of business (Daily 51). All this is within the duration of a year. Moreover, under section 179, if one buys an asset, it is impossible for them to claim a deduction of more than what one paid for initially. This implies that purchasing an item using cash, the deduction on that item or asset is based only on the exact amount paid for the asset. In conclusion, section 179 is only suitable for the growth of businesses (Daily 58). It is not suitable, or advisable for purchasing equipment for personal use. Businesses can save a lot of money while using this method and can manage to grow and expand.

Wind tunnel use Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wind tunnel use - Research Paper Example An aerodynamic force is produced by any body which moves inside a fluid. The component of this force which is perpendicular to the direction of motion is called Lift.On the contrary, the force in the direction of motion is called the drag The Lift force is created according to the hydrostatical theorem of the Archimedes principle. According to this principle, the aircraft will be buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the air displaced by the aircraft. (Milne-Thomson, 1966) An aerofoil is a perfect example to discuss the creation of the lift and the reasons associated with it. An aerofoil is a non-symmetric object and therefore a non-symmetric flow field is created around that object. This non-symmetric flow field also causes an uneven pressure distribution which would not have happened in case of a symmetric object. In the case of the aero foil, the differences in the length of the upper and the lower surfaces and the shape causes the creation of a pressure gradient which resul ts in the creation of the lift force. Source: www.tpub.com The creation of the lift can further be explained using Bernoulli's equation. In a typical aerofoil, the length at the bottom is shorter than the length at the top. Therefore air at the bottom travels slowly to ensure constant displacements of top and bottom. Bernoulli's equation predicts that higher pressure will develop where velocity is slow and therefore the pressure at the bottom will be higher. Thus the upward force will be greater than the downward thrust resulting in the generation of an upward lift. (Munson, 2008) The horizontal component is labeled induced drag. b)Describe how atmospheric parameters ( temperature, pressure, density) affect the generation of lift and drag as an aircraft gains altitude.? The calculation of the lift has a simple formula which is Where  is the lift coefficient, L is the lift force,  is the fluid density, U is the relative speed between the object and the fluid and A is the cross-se ctional area (Munson, Young and Okiishi). This means that the lift coefficient determines the lift force and this coefficient is directly dependent upon the shape of the foil, the fluid properties and the roughness of the surface. Fluid properties include fluid density, viscosity and temperature which contribute to the lift force. The general equation for this is Where Re is the Reynolds Number, Fr is the Froude number, Ma is the Mach number, and  is a measure of surface roughness (Munson, Young and Okiishi) Thus when these external parameters change, the lift coefficient is affected directly which consequentially affects the lift force. Taking temperature to be the first variable, we know that temperature is inversely proportional to density. The aircraft, when it gains altitude, flies at lower temperatures and thus faces an increase in the density of the surrounding air. An increase in air density results in the increase in the weight of the displaced air and thus an increase in the lift force. A contradiction however is the mass of air which is higher near the surface of the earth due to gravity. Thus the density which is dependent upon mass decreases with increasing altitude, resulting in a lower lift force at higher altitudes. When it comes to pressure, it also decreases as the aircraft gains altitude. This is so because the density lowers and the direct effect of this is the reduction in the pressure gradient between opposite surfaces. Again this decrease causes a reduction in the amount of lift force produced. Research a) Describe how drag varies with airspeed and the generation of lift. Drag will always be present on a moving body, even though lift is not produced. What do we call this type of drag and how does shape affect it? As mentioned before, the drag force is the force acting parallel to the direction of motion or the line of symmetry of the object. It normally opposes motion and slows down objects. it is

The key difference between argument and persuasion is that persuasion Essay - 1

The key difference between argument and persuasion is that persuasion necessitates your selection of a specific audience to which the writing is addressed - Essay Example Drug is any medication that is prescribed to treat an illness or modify the body from its disease at any state. Substance abuse is the use of a certain drug for reasons not specified which can be harmful to them or their colleagues. Teenagers have been reported highly to use certain drugs in their day to day lives certain drugs in their day to day lives. Some of the drugs mostly abused by students include; marijuana, cocaine, tobacco, heroin and inhalants. Alcohol is another socially abused substance. Students take it with the idea of removing stress, yet in the real sense, it does not. Some of the factors that influence students to engage in drug taking are peer pressure, whereby they are influenced by their fellow students to indulge into such actions with empty promises. Availability of the drugs also influences the student to get hold of the drug, so they try their level best to search money to buy the drugs. Even if they do not have money, some may prefer to steal so that they at least buy the drug. Other students can opt to use their school fees to buy the drugs and stay out of classes. Others involve themselves in the drugs out of curiosity and the idea that when one uses drugs, they will have a good time (O’Leary, 2004). All these drugs lead to different effects which are harmful to the person taking it, his family, the community and the whole country as a whole. As an individual, one may develop an addiction to the drug, such that, he will depend to do everything. It will lead to the person using so much money and do things not helpful to him. Class work will not be made well. It will lead to poor performance and the destruction of a person’s future. It will affect his family because handling him will be a problem, he will be using much money. His parents will be paying much school fees and yet he will not be studying. The use of drugs can lead to much crime like theft,

Oskar Schindler Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Oskar Schindler - Essay Example Oskar Schindler is known to have saved the lives of around a thousand Jews at the time of the Holocaust. What follows is a detailed account of Mr. Schindler (Crowe, 2004). The Life of Oskar Schindler Many people believe that Oskar Schindler was a true hero, at a time when the Jews were brutally murdered; Oskar Schindler actually saved the lives of 1000 Jews. What is most remarkable is the fact that he himself was a Jew ant that too one belonging to the Nazi party. For someone to have the courage to do that speaks volumes about his character. Oskar Schindler owned three factories, out of which only one employed Jewish forced laborers. In 1944, Emalia (the factory that employed Jewish laborers) was at its peak and had employed 1700 workers out of which 1000 were Jews. During the time of the torture, the Emalia workers were also subject to brutal treatment at the Plaszow concentration camp, however, whenever possible Schindler intervened to see that the treatment at the camp was as less severe as possible. Moreover, Schindler also gave refuge to his employees at the Emalia along with approximately 450 other Jews so that they were able to evade the torture and brutal murders at Plaszow (Bulow, 2009).

About 4 sources Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

About 4 sources - Assignment Example This work is written for commercial experts as the main target audience. One unique thing about this material is that it focuses on how gays and lesbians indirectly make use of visual interpretations to find meaning. Most articles focus on how media directly influences perception. The research methodology used to gather this information was interviewing. 25 self-proclaimed gays and lesbians were interviewed. The strength of this material is that it focuses on the effect of stigma as a major factor that affects gays and lesbians. One weakness is that the article ignores the negative impacts of advertisements on this group. The second article focuses on ‘media, sexuality and identity’ (Meyer 380). The purpose of this work is to provide a detailed understanding of the role of the media on people’s perceptions of sexuality. In summary, the article explains that the manner in which media communicates issues of sexuality influences cultural perceptions either positively or negatively depending on how individuals interpret the messages. This work has been written for scholars who want to have a better understanding of the role of the media in culture. Analysis of secondary data is the research methodology that has been employed in this work. The unique thing about this work is that it provides a deep insight on how sexuality develops through media. The strength of this article is that it focuses on both the media and the audience as active players in the determination of sexuality. The weakness is that it does not clearly highlight how media messages are culturally interpreted to influen ce sexuality. The third article is about ‘global gayness’ (McAllister 89). The purpose of the work is to analyse how gay culture has become a global affair. In summary, the work explains that imagery portrayed by the media about sexuality has had an influence on all cultures globally. However, the writer suggests that this

A supervisory report on a half day study session of Hypno-birthing Essay

A supervisory report on a half day study session of Hypno-birthing - Essay Example This opportunity was then transformed into a structured project that was to organise a study session for midwives on the subject. Background / context The advent of choice agenda has seen women chose hypnobirthing as a method for pain relief. Hypnobirthing is the process of hypnosis during birth as a way of managing pain and remaining calm during labour. Research on the subject has shown that babies can be delivered without drugs safely and that couples today can look forward to a beautiful, calm and serene birthing experience, where mother, baby and birthing companion combine in joyful bonding. Hypnobirthing is said to enable women to have a positive, calm more comfortable experience of childbirth. This trend is raising and it can be asserted that health professional may have less knowledge about this rising trend. The maternity services need midwives who can respond flexibly within an environment focused on women - centred care (Thomas, 2008). However, research on hypnosis and its use intrapartum is scanty. A quest in about 8 Trusts to find out if they had a guideline yielded to not. The NMC and RCM websites were searched for any position statements on the subject nil was found. A Cochrane library search (February 2011), MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL realised only 1 research whose results was as follows; women taught self-hypnosis had decreased requirements for pharmacological analgesia (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.79, five trials 749 women) including epidural analgesia (RR 0.30, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.40. Acupuncture and hypnosis may be beneficial for the management of pain during labour; however, the number of women studied has been small. The Trust system does not monitor the use of hypnosis as pain relief despite women using it however, acupuncture is monitored. Recently the daily telegraph (2011), reported that the National Health Service (NHS) launched an 18-month study of ‘‘hypnobirthing’’ to try to cut the use of epidurals and other pai nkillers during childbirth – six out of 10 mothers in some hospitals rely on expensive drugs and this has resurrected an old debate. Is intense pain unavoidable, or is it triggered by fear and tension? Multicentre pragmatic exploratory non-blinded randomised controlled trial (SHIP trail), at Central Lancashire University and involving more than 800 women will investigate self-hypnosis techniques for intrapartum pain management which induces a deep sense of relaxation. Interestingly, to note is the fact that NHS despite the financial difficulties it is facing (Kings Fund) is committed to the choice agenda, hypnobirthing could be one of the answers to save the NHS and to improve the lives of women and babies. According to Salvage, Health services in the UK are facing major challenges in a context of drastic public funding. Salvage (2011) wonders how the choice agenda be upheld in this turbulent times. Hypnobirthing could be an answer in reduction of intervention like use of epi dural, reduction in caesareans sections and increase in normal birth. Hence the need to understand this model as well as having agreed pathways of how it is to be managed. There is a choice: SoMs and midwives could be passive or to try to lead and influence change. Our accountability as well as our contribution as midwives is to

Get Prepared My Speech Essay Example for Free

Get Prepared My Speech Essay Regarding our introduction speech as my first formal one in front of the class, I felt so awkward that I forgot every details which we should pay attention to. First is the Eye Contact. There was a kind of hook that I can’t control myself from moving my sights out of the back row, where our professor sat. The second Delivery part is Vocal Pause which was my most serious issue during all the speech. Words just went out of my mind since I wrote my name on the board. I was a little unaware when my name was called on the second because I preferred the third place so that I got enough time to calm down and organized sentences. Every preparation I did was showing randomly in my head. For example, my personal considerations on how tough will a military mission be had appeared first rather than an interesting getter. Some details I added to make a rich description became a simple word, not including some parts I even forgot to say. The last issue is about Body language that it may help audiences to know where the person in the speech is. Thanked for the outlines paper so that I knew where I should put my hands on. I was easily lost my minds but caught up on time by fingering which line I would read next. By recollecting fragments of my speech, I keep telling myself it would be better if I performed in that way. An interesting beginning, more eye contacts or less pause while I was expressing. All the problems I mentioned above is because I didn’t realize there was more nervousness than I expected. In another words, I didn’t rehearse enough to conquer that as Ronald B. and George states, â€Å"A smooth and natural delivery is the result of extensive practice. Get to know your material until you feel comfortable with your presentation† (page 342). After switched to a listener, contents were not the only part that attracted me but how different they performed from mine. By observing their moves, their body languages were perfectly coordinated with the rhythm of presentations. It became a talk like he or she was introducing a friend of his or her to you instead of reading a research paper. About the cadence they spoke, the variable tone caught my attention all the time and I couldn’t wait to know what was on the next. I confessed that I am the selective listener who responds only to the parts of a speaker’s remarks that interested me. With those changing tones and plentiful body languages, the contents were easily understood and appealing. I am very pleased to be enrolled in this class to figure out what is my weakness and how I can beat them to be a qualified speaker. Works Citied Adler, Ronald B. and Rodman, George. Understanding Human Communication with Carrie Cropley Hutchinson, 11th edition. Print.

Law of Supply and Demand | Entry Barriers

Law of Supply and Demand | Entry Barriers The Economic Environment and Anatomy of Business Law of Supply and Demand Headline: Nexus 6 sold out: Google Play Store will have more in stock every Wednesday URL: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/19568/20141105/nexus-6-in-stock-every-wednesday-and-within-minutes-google-phablet-completely-sold-out-again.htm The first economic phenomenon that we are going to look at is the law of supply and demand. In its raw form it states that if the demand for certain product is higher than its availability (supply) then the price for that product goes up and if the vice versa is present then it decreases (Baye, 2010). A current example of this is the lightning fast selling of Google’s latest flagship smartphone Nexus 6. Upon its release in the Google Play Online store, the first shipment was sold out within minutes. After that, when the second shipment arrived, the same situation repeated. This is a clear indicator that the demand of Nexus 6 was way higher than the actual supply. The reasons for such a high demand can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, Google’s Nexus 6 came with the new Android operating system version 5.0 (Code name Lollipop), being the only phone on the market that supports it. Secondly, the price of Nexus 6 was (and currently is) relatively lower than its competitor‘s – it is cheaper than Apple’s IPhone 6, 6Plus and Sony’s Xperia Z3 (Luke Johnson, 7 November, 2014), and approximately same priced as Samsung’s Galaxy S5. This gives an extra layer of appeal to buyers and combined with its high quality, the reason behind the extremely high demand of the Google’s smart phone is justified. The graph below illustrates an example of the current supply and demand of Google’s Nexus 6: We mark the current price level of Nexus 6 with P1, the current quantity that Google can supply with Qs and the current quantity that is demanded with Qd. P* and Q* are our equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity respectively. Setting a lower price for the smartphone compared to the competitor’s and offering the exclusivity of the new Android operating system, has made the demand for the product extremely high. On one hand, this is good indicator, however, in this case Google could not provide an adequate amount of supply to the market. Those two factors led the company to an excess of demand. Assuming, the basic principles of the law of supply and demand are functioning, the rivalry between customers, who want to buy the modern smartphone, will push the price up to the equilibrium point. That point represents the place, where the demand from customers and the supply from Google, meet and form an equilibrium (supplied quantity is equal to the demanded one or our equilibrium price and quantity, conforms). Naturally, another scenario may occur – the demand for Nexus 6 might eventually drop as a result of oversaturation of the market with smartphones from the same class, adoption of the Android 5.0 OS by rival firms (it is predicted that this will happen by the end of 2014 (James Rogerson, Matthew Hanson, October 2014) due to the fact that the Android OS is open-source) or a drop in prices of competitor’s phone offers. In case this happens, the equilibrium point will be achieved at a significantly lower price compared to the first scenario. To summarize, in the base of every modern economy stands the law of supply and demand and it dictates its basic behavior. Companies such as Google and its Nexus 6 smartphone, visualize the stated law perfectly with its clear excess of demand. Entry Barriers Headline: Latest OS share data shows Windows still dominating in PCs URL: http://www.zdnet.com/latest-os-share-data-shows-windows-still-dominating-in-pcs-7000013351/ The second economic mechanism that we are going to focus on is that of entry briers. Entry barriers or barriers of entry by definition are blockades set on a specific market that make it difficult for new firms to enter. The reason of their formation can be due to government laws and regulations (this creates governmental monopolies), to a large company that is taking advantage of economies of scale, to brand loyalty, geographical barriers (the mining industry), high switching costs, sunk costs, high cost for research and development or to patents (Sullivan, A; Steven, M. S., 2003, p.153).. An excellent example for entry barriers is the market of desktop operating systems, which currently is occupied by Microsoft. Since its founding in 1975 the company has walked a long way from a simple garage firm to a global computer giant that, at the present moment, has a monopolistic position on the desktop OS market with more the 90% of it belonging to the Windows operating system (OS) (â€Å"Desktop Operating System Market Share†, 2014). With the recent announcement of the newest member of the Windows family – Windows 10, Microsoft aims to strengthen even more its position and along with that to keep the status quo. Hence, any other company, which wants to enter the market and successfully compete with Microsoft, needs to make a huge investment. Several reasons lie behind that: there is a significant market loyalty to the Windows OS, the know-how for making an OS with such proportions is concentrated within the company and the brand itself is highly recognizable. A ll those factors are barriers for the other companies to enter the market and in order to compete efficiently, they have to apply a lot of effort to popularize their new brand. Moreover, Microsoft has many patents in the software sector, which restrict major part of the information accesses for the rival firms. Furthermore, the switching costs (the cost for switching from one product to another) for a company, which uses the Windows OS, are significantly high. They consist of expenses for buying the new OS, integrating it and teaching its employees to use it and generally such migration will not be undertaken/ launched lightly or even at all. Entry barriers do not always have a positive effect on the market due to the fact they stimulates the creation of a monopolies in a specific sector, which may lead to unreasonably high prices and low quality. This stems from the lack of competitors able to challenge both price and quality of the products offered to the public. With Microsoft, this is not the case, but the probability is always there. To summarize, the barriers of entry are an efficient way for a firm to restrict access to a market segment and generate maximum profit.Microsoft’s monopolistic position in the sector of desktop operating systems is largely attributed to the various imposed entry barriers, which have assured their future dominant position on the market. Economies of Scale and Economics of a Scope Headline: Facebook Has Spent $22 Billion on Acquisitions. URL: http://mashable.com/2014/05/30/facebook-acquisitions/ Thirdly, we are going to look at the following economic concepts economies of a scale and economics of a scope. Economies of a scale is a way for a company to reduce the average cost of its products by distributing the fixed costs onto a larger amount of production (Baye, 2010, p. 185 186). Normally, this is done by increasing the size of the company (growing horizontally – expanding in the current market segment). Economies of a scope, on the other hand, is achieved by expanding the company in other market sectors, where its current know-how can help to produce goods at a relatively lower prices then it normally would do (Baye, 2010, p. 187). Facebook is a company that applies simultaneously both economies of a scale and scope. Since its founding in 2004, the company has spent roughly 22 billion dollars for the goal of acquiring other businesses that range from small companies focused on web or mobile development, through startups that have an astonishing growth rate (WhatsApp), to innovators that are promising to bring a whole new experience to their users (Oculus Rift). Buying small and medium sized companies that can be directly integrated into the development process of Facebook, is clear example of economies of a scale. By doing that, the company is reducing its fixed costs by spreading them onto a larger amount of users. Another benefit from this is the company’s employees specialization into a specific field (social media) and along with that they become more efficient, which increases the general productivity and reduce costs. Another aspect of Facebook’s policy is that of acquiring companies in sectors related to social media. A good example of that is the Oculus Rift deal that happened in the beginning of 2014. Through buying the company, Facebook can combine the virtual reality technology provided form Oculus Rift with its know-how of brining real life social experience, online and the result will be a totally new way that we experience the web. This implies that the Social Media giant will be able to reduce its total cost in the view that it already has experience in the field of software development and social media. Developing applications for the new virtual reality platform or developing the platform itself will be less expensive than for other companies that do not have such experience. Avoidlessly, economies of scale and scope come at a price. Larger firms often experience problems such as miscommunication between its separate parts, difficulties in coordination and their owners loose part of the control over the company due to the necessity to delegate part of their responsibilities to managers, hence they may not always make the most adequate decisions for the best of the company. In conclusion, by using economies of a scale and scope companies such as Facebook can significantly reduce their total costs, optimize productivity and increase production power. Price discrimination Headline: GitHub announces free developer tools for students URL: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2014/10/07/github-announces-free-developer-tools-students/ The last economic concept that we are going to look at is price discrimination. In its core, price discrimination is a type of pricing strategy, in which the same or largely similar products are sold at different prices depending on various factors. There are several degrees of price differentiation first, second and third, in addition to that, diverse combinations among them can be formed. Typical for the first degree is that a monopolistic company charges the absolute maximum price (reservation price) for its goods or services (perfect price discrimination). The second degree is closely related to quantity demand the larger it is, the lower the prices are (it does not depend on customer’s personality). Conversely, third degree price discrimination can be based on a specific market group (students, teachers, workers etc.), on geographical location or even more in some cases on a specific customer, but not on quantity (Cabral, 2014). A good example of price discrimination, is the recent release of free developer packages from GitHub for people belonging to educational sector students, teachers, administrative staff and researchers, which include waiving of subscription taxes for a private GitHub account and free educational software (third degree discrimination). By taking this step, GitHub attracts more people form the target sector. For instance, students overall have more restricted incomes, making them more price sensitive to changes and the demand they form, relatively elastic (from the graphic bellow: changes in price from P1 to P2 are met with significantly greater change in demanded quantity – Q1 to Q2). In other words, small price changes can have a great impact on the total demand of a certain item. Similarly, GitHub offers the same packages for teachers – which allows them to better educate their students and hence produce a better qualified future workers for the market, benefiting the economy as a whole. Despite the fact that those packages are now free, in long term they can bring more clients and create customer loyalty, which will result positively on the company’s revenue. Moreover, this price discrimination tactic has a beneficial influence on the whole software development sector due to the fact it provides free access to private accounts and free development tools. This contributes to students to develop their ideas, which can eventually grow in startups a effect on the economy. However, attempts for reselling the software provided within the free packages can occur and in order to prevent this the company has taken measures. For students to request such an account, they need to provide their unique university email or school ID as a proof. Teachers and researchers on the other hand need to present a â€Å"proof of affiliation†* in order to install the software on their computers. Providing proof of affiliation is a way of verifying the involvement the academic status. Such packages are allowed per person/ an email account and in addition to that most of the software is licensed under conditions that permit its usage only for academic purposes and any other attempts are punishable by international law. Undoubtedly, ways around such rules exist but generally speaking the company is relatively safe against reselling of their products. To conclude, price discrimination is an efficient way for companies to specifically tailor their products for a particular group of customers. Being one of those companies, GitHub combines the benefits from that, with the opportunity to stimulate the academic process around the world. References: BAYE, M. R. (2009) Managerial economics and business strategy – 7th edition, New York, McGraw-Hill/Irwin CABRAL, L. M. B. (March 10, 2014) Introduction to Industrial Organization – 2th edition, Price Discrimination Sullivan, A; Steven, M. S. (2003). Economics: Principles in action, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-063085-3. Desktop Operating System Market Share (October 2014) (online). Available from:  http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10qpcustomd=0 (Last Accessed 14/11/2014) James Rogerson, Matthew Hanson (13 November, 2014) (online). Android Lollipop 5.0 update: when can I get it? Available from:  http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/android-l-5-0-release-date-when-can-i-get-it1257804 (Last Accessed 15/11/2014) Luke Johnson (7 November, 2014) (online). Nexus 6 release date, rumors, news, specs and price round-up. Available from:  http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/nexus-6-release-date-rumours-news-specs-and-price (Last Accessed 15/11/2014) Social Work: Assessment, Plan, Implementation and Evaluation Social Work: Assessment, Plan, Implementation and Evaluation What is a social work assessment, plan and evaluation? The aim of social work is to protect individuals from harm, and to empower them and improve their lives. Social workers form a human link between the many programs employed to serve the public good and those who are in need. They form the ‘eyes and ears’ of public efforts to combat social ills, so to speak, and they are the practical human element of common sense in their application. It is in this role where new ideas are created and innovative solutions are identified, where existing practices are judged for effectiveness, and, most importantly, where the faceless bureaucracy of government takes human form. In order to accomplish this a critical process of assessment, planning, and evaluation has evolved in the field of social work which allows social workers to effectively achieve their goals. Moreover, it is has found a wide range of applications, from the student-supervisor relationship to practitioners in the field. The process of assessment is aimed first at identifying problems or ‘taking stock’ of a particular situation. Identifying the problems in a situation provides the fundamental raison d’à ªtre for the development and employment of a solution. Past identifying whether there is actually a problem (which is often suspected or reasonably understood before an assessment is undertaken), social work assessment has more to do with determining the particular nature of the problem and its degree. Understanding what kind of problem is being faced, and just how bad it really is, is key to forming a coherent plan to affect a real solution. This requires strong observation and critical analysis skills on the part of the social worker, but it also requires an intimate and experiential knowledge of the field in which the assessment is being undertaken. Once the nature and degree of a problem is understood, different options may emerge each as a possible solution. Each possible solution will have its own strengths and weaknesses, its own advantages and drawbacks. And while the process of assessment may be viewed as excessively tedious at times, it is critical to never underestimate its importance. A study on the need for an assessment model in primary medical care facilities for the elderly noted that: â€Å"When psychosocial needs go unmet through misdiagnosis, lack of detection, lack of treatment and follow up, elderly patients are at risk of further health problems that can lead to physical deterioration, reduced independence, and eventually to the need for more intensive and expensive services. â€Å" (Berkman et al., 1999) The failure of proper assessment not only prevents positive solutions, but also results in negative impacts. Assessment forms a critical foundation for the effectiveness of all other social work efforts. As such, the identification of different solutions requires policy knowhow and creativity on the part of the social worker. Meeting the demands of this important aspect of assessment, in conjunction with the skills of problem identification and critical analysis, will ensure sound and proper assessments which enable the identification of proper solutions. Assessment is a critical component at the basis of all kinds of social work, from medical care and patient treatment to domestic violence and child poverty. All outcomes depend upon an assessment model built upon sound observation and critical analysis combined with creative and informed policy thought. Solid assessment will provide the social worker with a range of options for addressing a particular problem. The selection of an appropriate solution involves properly understanding the nature of the problem, as well as the various impacts of each option at different levels. The skills required to identify the right solution to a problem involve more than simple program literacy or policy analysis. They involve the fundamental ability to not only understand policies, but to weigh them concurrently against previously identified goals. Because many factors involved in determining the impacts of a possible solution are subjective (i.e. individuals, public and private groups, changing laws etc), achieving this is not a matter of simple analysis but of an intuitive understanding of these subjective factors. Too often, someone unfamiliar with, or removed from, these subjective variables enacts a calculated decision based upon what is understood to be sound analysis. The history of social work is filled with this kind of serial miscalculation. Take, for example, a 2005 study on battered women. It found that: â€Å"Safety planning will be most effective if it occurs within a contextualized assessmentprocess that illuminates the deeper struggles and multiple harms that women balance when making decisions about continuing or ending relationships.† (Lindhorst et al., 2005) While a â€Å"contextualized assessment process† is the main focus of the essay, it is the effectiveness of the plan or policy that is identified as the major issue affected by its absence. Assuming the burdens of sound assessment are properly met elsewhere, the ‘contextualization of the process’, or the root of its understanding in the subjective variables which specifically define it, will determine its success. Real planning and policy implementation in response to sound assessment must always be rooted in the day to day reality of the issue it is dealing with. Too much abstraction or beaurocratization of this process distances it from reality, and only serves the employment of solutions which leave critical needs and major goals unmet. Ensuring that this understanding is present, along with the required critical analysis skills and policy knowledge on the part of the social worker, will ensure the right person is making these decisions. A bad decision based upon the best assessment is still an unacceptable outcome. It is never evident, however, that the right plan or policy was chosen or the right assessment undertaken without some kind of evaluation. Success and failure is seldom absolute. More often it exists in degrees. And while success may be met in a number of respects, it may be absent in a number of others. The process of evaluation is designed to measure these degrees. The changes that have taken place since a particular plan or policy was implemented are a major indicator of their effectiveness. Too often, however, not enough attention is paid to whether or not these changes are actually the result of the plans or policies in question. It is the process of evaluation’s primary task to determine the facts of policy impacts and exactly what policies are responsible for certain changes. Furthermore, the process of evaluation is usually synonymous with some kind of accountability. When looking at programs from a financial point of view, this accountability is welcome. Indeed, it is rightly viewed as necessary to their responsible administration. This evaluation is, to a large degree, black and white. Either the numbers add up or they don’t. Either an idea has fundamentally succeeded or it has failed, or else it needs some tweaking. From a personnel perspective, however, â€Å"the words ‘accountability,’ ‘supervision’ and ‘evaluation’ are frightening. They imply having ones feet held to the fire for failure. These processes exist in a paradigm of fear and dread. Educators blame others and blame the circumstances for their lack of effectiveness rather than taking personal responsibility. This phenomenon in human dynamics should not be seen as unique to teachers and administrators in education. It exists everywhere. We all have a tough time taking and giving criticism. We all have that very common fear of failure.† (Mcgrath, 2000) The human dynamic is here identified as a force resistant to the very kind of accountability the process of evaluation is meant to bring about. The study, â€Å"The Human Dynamics of Personnel Evaluation† (Mcgrath, 2000) talks about the judgmental nature and pressure of accountability which needs to be taken into account in the evaluation process. The evaluation process is often viewed as a simple matter of calculation, or arithmetic. We had the goals the reasoning goes, we had the assessment and the plan, and we had what happened – just add it all up. But it’s just not that simple. The human dynamic is woven between virtually every fibre in the assessment and policy process. Viewing accountability through a fiscal lens, or a purely factual lens of objective causes and effects, miscalculates one of the largest and most influential factors in determining the usefulness of social work evaluation: people. Making the evaluation process effective must involve, as with the two other processes discussed in this essay, more than just analysis. It must involve a psychology of responsibility that individuals are confronted with in the process at all levels. It must involve a confrontation of the fear of failure present in the heart of every sincere effort. Perhaps the great compassion which drives the field of social work forward, demanding the investment of nothing less than life itself from thousands of people, is also its greatest weakness. I believe, however, that it is the unawareness of this vulnerability which makes it a liability – nothing the fullness of character and a mature temperament cannot address. Bibliography Berkman et al. (1999) â€Å"Standardized Screening of Elderly Patients’ Needs for Social Work Assessment in Primary Care: Use of the SF-36† Health and Social Work. Vol. 24 Boutin-Foster et al. (2005) â€Å"Social Work Admission Assessment Tool for Identifying Patients in Need of Comprehensive Social Work Evaluation† Health and Social Work. Vol. 30 Burgess, H., Taylor, O., (2004) Effective Learning and Teaching in Social Policy and Social Work. London: RoutledgeFalmer Garcia, J., Floyd, C., (2002) â€Å"Addressing Evaluative Standards Related to Program Assessment: How Do We Respond?† Journal of Social Work Education. Vol. 38 Ginsburg, E., (1990) Effective Interventions: Applying Learning Theory to School Social Work. New York: Greenwood Press Gitterman, A., (2001) Handbook of Social Work Practice with Vulnerable and Resilient Populations. New York: Columbia University Press Lindhorst et al. (2005) â€Å"Contextualized Assessmennt of Battered Women: Strategic Safety Planning to Cope with Multiple Harms† Journal of Social Work Education. Vol. 41 Mcgrath, M., (2000) â€Å"The Human Dynamics of Personnel Evaluation† School Administrator. Vol. 57 Pardeck, J., (2002) Family Health Social Work Practice. London: Auburn House Siebert, D., Siebert, C., Spaulding-Givens, J., (2006) â€Å"Teaching Social Work Skills Primarily Online: An Evaluation† Journal of Social Work Education. Vol. 42

Privatization of Transmission Corporation of NAPOCOR

Privatization of Transmission Corporation of NAPOCOR In Philippine context, privatization is used to refer to the policy which allows the government to disengage in activities which are not part of the governments inherent function. This may be in many forms, such as the complete turnover of public corporations to the private sector and contracting services to private firms who has the necessary resources to manage it, or the government would just turnover certain services to the private sector but it would still be under some government regulatory procedures and incentives. This privatization mostly occurs within the framework of economic globalization. By economic globalization, it means that privatization is used as a measure to pursue the globalist restructuring of the state and to further develop the market access which mostly benefits the business elites of a state and of course, the transnational corporations (TNCs) (UP and Stiftung 91-93). Privatization, along with liberalization and deregulation, is also a part of neoliberal globalization which aims to produce surplus products within the economy and also huge capital for production. In the process, private sector continues to have a big role over the public sector activities, made possible by direct transfer of ownership and management and by the elimination of the laws that promotes the public interest (deregulation), and through the reduction of budget for the basic services, that in turn leads to the graver degradation on the access on public services of the people. For example, in privatizing public utilities like the water and power sector of the Philippines, many detrimental factors are experienced by the people, particularly the government workers under the corporation because they were displaced as private companies turned to control those sectors. The poorest sector of society also was immensely affected since those private companies seek to get high profits which leads to very high prices at the peoples expense (IBON xi-4). During the Marcos regime, a decree on creation of government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) was made through Presidential Decree (PD 2029) and later on through PD 2030, a policy was made which promulgates privatization. By the time of Cory Aquinos regime, this decree was first implemented through Presidential Proclamation 50 on the 9th of December in 1986 (TransCo). In 1990, Aquino also signed 6957 or what we call as the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law which has let and approved the intervention of the private sector in the financing, contracting, operation and also maintenance of infrastructure projects. But in 1993, when Ramos assumed the presidency, he signed RA 7718 amending the BOT law and further allowed the full involvement of private sector in crucial government development projects. Through this act, various forms of privatization schemes have evolved (TransCo). Many reasons were presented by the government regarding the privatization of the GOCCs. To enumerate some, they said that through transferring these assets to the private sector, it would yield a better efficiency in its operations. Furthermore, it was also stated that the government needed to collect more revenues for government spending to improve the economy, and this can only be done with such move. Also stated as reasons by the government is that first, it would lead to increase in investments which will boost up the economy and will also help to develop markets for capital generations. Through lessening the budget for public services in GOCCs, and selling those which are poorly performing and money-wasting, the government expected to decrease our budget deficit and also to recover its expenditures (PSALM). START OF NAPOCOR PRIVATIZATION When the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) was created in 1936, our government has mandated it to generate and transmit sources of energy while letting the private sector to be in charge of its distribution. But it 1980s, the government has started to gradually entrust the entire power sector to private companies. From former Pres. Aquinos Executive Order (EO) No. 215 issued in 1987, the power generation sector of NAPOCOR was started to be deregulated. By the power of build-operate-transfer scheme, EO No. 215 also gave way to private firms to establish and manage power plants in the country. This situation was further strengthened when Ramos took over the presidency. RA 7648, the Power Crisis Act of 1993 was passed and encouraged more private companies to partake in the power generation sector of NAPOCOR. Later in 1984, Expanded BOT law was also passed and had given Ramos to have emergency powers which allowed him to make contracts, most of which were foreign corporations, regardi ng the construction, repair and other technical maintenance of NAPOCOR without the need to undergo it through a public bidding (IBON 82-83). Due to the contracts of mostly 10 to 25 years made with the foreign companies, NAPOCOR was obliged to pay the power contracted to them whether they had actually produced or consumed power or not. This is what is referred to as the take or pay provision. According to this provision, NAPOCOR needs to buy 75-80 percent of a firms power capacity even though it didnt really produced or consumed it. This in turn made NAPOCOR to pass the obligation to the local consumers even though they really hadnt consumed even a small part of it, which is really a great burden since it takes about 60 percent of the total power available at the economy. Of course, this is clearly seen when power distributors such as Meralco get wholesale power from NAPOCOR and pay for it which is the Purchased Power Cost Adjustment (PPCA) that corresponds it (IBON 83-84). Aside from this Purchased Power Cost Adjustment or PPCA, NAPOCOR has also passed the Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) fees to the power distributors due to the need to do its obligation to supply enough fuel to the firms or power plants in which it had its long-term contract with, regardless of the fluctuations in the price of oil or fuel in the global market or even in the domestic domain. These two costs of NAPOCOR and wholesale costumers further make up the Fuel and Purchased Power Costs Adjustments or FPCA (IBON 84-85). Furthermore, the contracts made by NAPOCOR to the independent power plants (IPPs) are in dollar rates. This only means that charges between the two entities are affected by the foreign exchange rates or peso-dollar rates to compensate the change in payout because of the continuing weakness of peso currency as against dollars. Due to the fact that these IPPs are owned by foreign companies, they are selling their power to NAPOCOR by almost $20 per megawatt hour (mWh) higher than the power sold to them by their own power generators. Of course, these very high rate would translate and reflect to the additional fees charged to the end-consumers of electricity through the purchased power adjustments (PPA) without their power to refuse against it even though in 2002, a review made by the government showed that most of these IPPs has either legal or financial issues and are disadvantageous for the government itself. During the Arroyo administration, this PPA was still not stopped in operations of NAPOCOR since it was a great source of income for the government, although we know that the local consumers are the ones who intensely suffer from it; and also of course not to jeopardize the privatization of NAPOCOR and to continue attracting foreign corporations to invest and participate in such measures of the government. Among other transnational corporations (TNCs), NAPOCORs IPPs incorporate energy sectors giants such as Marubeni, Kawasaki, Mitsui, Chevron, and Enron (IBON 85). According to Meralco, PPA is just one cost adjustment mechanism that is passed on to the local consumers, since there is also the CERA which is intended so that Meralco will be able to recuperate the changes in operating costs and repayment of principal debt mainly brought about by the changes in foreign exchange rates in which the contracts are bound. Due to this, Meralco claims that only little of the consumer charges go to them, since it primarily goes to NAPOCOR as PPA and to the government as franchise tax. But, apparently it turns out that these might be made up stories or complains since Meralco as a power distributor was also allowed to have its own IPPs by virtue of former Pres. Aquinos EO 215. Meralco has indeed three IPPs which are among the countrys largest companies which supply almost half of its power requirements. This only means that Meralco, having its own IPPs actually earns a lot of money from the PPA. It has also made use of it to make a way out of the controversy arising from the fact that it has monopoly control over power distribution. By this, it was also able to control and manipulate the computations regarding the IPPs which are remarkably its sister companies. For example, First Gas which is one of its IPPs and partly owned by Meralco itself, was used to make anomalous transactions in PPA since Meralco c an actually protect and cover the supply cost from the said IPP even though in reality it doesnt even delivered one kilowatt of power to Meralco (IBON 86-89). Meanwhile, we can clearly see that the results of letting private corporations participate in the power industry is contrary to the rationale behind its approval, which among others is to relieve the government from its burden on funding the setting up of power generating plants (UP and Stiftung 115-116). Instead of it happening, the reverse had taken place. NAPOCOR has left in charge of paying the debt obligations of the IPPs assured by state guarantees which were made to further attract investors. Through those incentives, including long-term power contracts, IPPs were assured that they will have return on investments whatever happens. Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) Through the Electric Power Industry Reform Act or EPIRA which is RA 9136, payment for stranded costs of NAPOCOR or the costs due to stranded debts and contracts, were passed on to consumers as a universal charge along with the cost of restructuring the power industry. This was implemented during the Arroyo administration when she declared that the government must not shoulder this expense but must be recuperated through a universal charge. To further clarify some previously mentioned terms, stranded debts as part of the stranded cost is the obligations that will be left out by NAPOCOR once it is sold to private individuals, while the other one, the stranded contract cost is the difference from the price of electricity from the wholesale market to be set by EPIRA itself and the price from IPPs. Due to this very large cost of NAPOCORs obligations which are partly paid by the government through debt from foreign sources, very high priced bonds were sold by the government to finance its principal obligations mainly due to those long-term contracts. So it is obvious that it has only made the government and the people suffer from paying them instead of getting away from funding large amount for power generators, while the private sector like the transnational corporations (TNCs) and other local elites were getting more and more income from it each year making it as its milking cow. Also it is evident that PPA has only intens ified the dependence of government to private sector to pay its foreign debts and its grave situation of national bankruptcy which clearly impacts detrimental effect to the poor Filipino citizens (IBON 89-91). Actually, in 2001, the Arroyo administration had pushed EPIRA to be approved for a great loan to be released, the $900 M ADB Power Sector Restructuring loan which was filed since 1998. IMF had also played a part on its approval, since it made it a condition for it to release a $300 M rehabilitation loan for the Philippines since 1999. By this, we could clearly see that the government had pushed it not to improve the condition of accessible power service to the people, but the adverse that favored the private companies and further strengthened their control over the power service. Transmission Corporation (TransCo) Along EPIRA in 2001, the creation of a National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) in 2003 under NAPOCOR was also signed into law. In line with this, the Arroyo administration had also pushed for its privatization by the mandate of the same aforementioned law. This TransCo as a GOCC is basically in charge of operating and managing the power transmission system of the country which will link power plants to the electric distribution utilities throughout the Philippines (TransCo). In simple terms, it will be taking control over the transmission and sub-transmission functions, assets, as well as the liabilities of NAPOCOR. TransCo, in taking over the sub-transmission assets will manage it until they are finally disposed into their proper distribution utilities which in turn will hold its planning and overall maintenance of those assets. But, as like NAPOCOR, through EPIRA, TransCo is mandated to be privatized through either an outright sale or a management concession contract lasting fo r about 25 years. The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Finance (DOF) were basically in charge in the planning and setting up its transfer to private companies (Cook and Mendoza, 9; 68). As again an expectation of the government, from privatizing TransCo, it expects a high income which will be used to pay the NAPOCORs remaining debt that is extensively big which will in result lessen or decrease the governments public sector deficit. Aside from that expected revenue from its sale, the government also expects that when a technologically advance and proficient private concessionaire will take over the transmission line, it will result to more efficient and world class network. It says that due to the crippling energy crisis, people are hard to be provided with a dependable and secured supply of electricity at low rates, so privatization of such sector will be a necessary response to it, while attracting more investments at the energy division (Perez). But, the government actually marginalizes the stake of local power sector by doing this. First, they can be exploited since through the privatization of TransCo, it will surely lead to a monopoly of the private business. Since in EPIRA, the cross-ownership of distribution, generation, and transmission under NAPOCOR is allowed, this only means that through the profit-seeking goal of the monopolies over those areas, power rates will still remain indefinable (TransCo). TransCos privatization clearly manifest the government favoring TNCs as well as local elites like the Lopez Group of Companies in their reinforced power over the Philippines power sector. According to the president of PSALM or Public Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Edgardo del Fonso, it would seem not attractive to foreign investors if the assets of TransCo will not be franchised nationwide (PSALM). Actually, based on a primer released by IBON Foundation in 2003, there were already at least eight TNCs which had expressed their interest in the privatization of TransCo, not to mention that these TNCs are among the worlds largest. And some of those TNCs were already on hold of some local power industries operations. But due to certain limitations of our constitution, they were only allowed to operate up to 40 percent of the power sector, but then again PSALM had admitted that later on, it is possible that there would be some restructuring to be done to allow greater share of private sector on power service. This only means that possibilities are open on the total foreign control of our local power sector at the expense of the national interest and welfare. As of now, this transmission system under NAPOCOR known as the crown jewel of the governments power privatization program is already at the hands of the private sector. On the 12th of December in 2007, PSALM has conducted a successful bidding for TransCos 25-years concession contract to be able to maintain its functions on transmission. On the year 2008, it finally announced that TransCos transmission function will be transferred under the management of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the successful bidder who offered a US $3.950B for the said concession after the three failed attempts in the previous years (PSALM). This was despite the opposition of various consumer and militant groups like the People Opposed to Warrantless Electricity Rates (Power) and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) because for them it was a crucial step for the government to take since the burden soon will heavily fall at the local consumers when the winning bidder will make a way to recover its loss and investments at the earliest time possible. As Legazpi cited in her article, according to Tapang, a convener of Power, (Transcos) infrastructure provides a highway for electricity and other uses. Whoever controls it can impose a toll fee on users of this highway. In the hands of private interests, there is always the potential for abuse in the name of greater profits. Bayan has also released their statement through their secretary general in the person of Reynato Reyes, adding that TransCo is of strategic importance to our economy and so it must remain as state-owned and it is basically a prejudice on the part of the g overnment to continue to such action due to the fact that this will lead to a great load to be carried on by ordinary consumers (Legazpi). Amidst those oppositions, unfortunately on that same year also, the congress had approved a bicameral resolution which will grant franchise of TransCo to NGCP, legitimizing it as a private unit to run a public service. By December of that year, former Pres. Arroyo signed the law which will officially grant franchise to NGCP, RA 9511. Following that year, in 2009, TransCo was formally turned over to PSALM in a ceremony held at PSALMs office in Makati on January 14, 2009. The event significantly indicated the NGCPs authority to start TransCos operation under its new management with Atty. Moslemen T. Macarambon as its first new president. Currently, it is headed by Rolando T. Bacani, president and CEO (TransCo). After the sale transaction of TransCo, NGCP has paid almost US $1B to PSALM as provisioned by the contract as its straight payment for its operation. PSALM is also confident that after TransCos privatization and turning over of NGCP on its operation will eventually result to an efficient operation and effective maintenance of our transmission network, while counting on the successful record and wide experience of the consortium and its foreign partners (PSALM). After TransCos successful bidding and private transfer of ownership, PSALM is still opening its invitation for bidding of other power plants such as those at Naga, Cebu, the Naga Power Plant Complex, in Tongonan, Leyte, the Unified Leyte Geothermal Power Plants, and in Pililia, Rizal, the Malaya Therman Power Plants (PSALM). In 2010, many assets under power generation have been sold as well as its contracted capacities. In spite all of those, the PSALM and the government still pushes for further privatization of the power sector. EFFECTS OF PRIVATIZATION When the government resort to privatizing state owned corporations especially those involved in economic services, this basically turn to an impact which is as destructive as the liberalization of trade and investment. As a Third World country, taking this crucial step marginalizes the interest and welfare of the people and other economic development programs and projects for the country. The people are more vulnerable and are easily affected by the impact of having no jobs and the inaccessibility of basic social services. After some years of the promise of improved effectiveness and efficiency of these privatized sectors by the government to the people as the reason behind the privatization of such basic public services, the supposedly good results are yet unseen but on the contrary, public menaces and difficulties are experienced of the people on that particular service (IBON 131-134). First of all, the government did not had a financial relief on privatizing public services, since like in NAPOCOR and other corporations, the government becomes more bankrupt and indebted to private or foreign investors since privatizing assets only provide short-term or one-time big-time revenue, but in the long run, results to a great dependence on private sector due to the debts incurred after privatization. it has also resulted to a lesser allocation of budget for other social services due to the automatic appropriation of budget to debt servicing mandated by the law. Some privatized assets by the government were also not as considerable since sometimes they are key economic players in the countrys economic growth. Moreover, in the case of privatization of NAPOCOR, the government had shouldered the huge liabilities left when it was privatized, or some parts of it. This results to a huge public funds being used to pay for its interests and amortization. Through state guarantees, t he government bore the obligations of the IPPs, which through long-term contracts are assured by the government to have return on its investments no matter what. In short, the government is no more than losing in this kind of program and gradually is put into a profound bankruptcy. This is one of the main reasons behind the fiscal crisis experienced by national government in 2004 and still contributes to the worsening condition of the economy. On improved efficiency One point that is to be remembered regarding privatization is that having the private sector does not necessarily mean that the previously owned and controlled corporation of the government would yield better efficiency. In the first place, they were not created to be profit-oriented but to provide accessible support and basic service to the people. This is critical to the consumers situation, since if the market fails, there should the government to secure them against it and continue to provide them its responsibility. Supposedly, our government expect that when private corporations took control over it, they will invest in its improvement, but just like the MWSS privatization, this is not what is actually happening but they use their revenues to expand their properties around the globe, in short they are not concerned of efficacy of operation of the corporation, but more concerned on how to gain more profits. Peoples access to basic services When GOCCs are privatized, people can expect spikes in their rates and inaccessibility and unaffordability of the basic service that were previously provided to them by the government in low and accessible prices. Of course this is only logical since private corporations main objective is no other than to get more profit. We can expect this effect to be mostly aggravating to the poor and marginalized Filipino citizens who also try their best to survive with their very small income that doesnt increase in real terms and growing joblessness throughout the country. In fact, almost 20 percent of an average household income is spent to pay their electricity bills alone. Because of this, some of the poor Filipino families had chosen to cut their electricity connection to lessen daily budget costs, or even on some families their supply was cut due to being not able to pay for their high electric bill. Up to now, many the typical Filipino consumers are not able to get basic services at lower or reasonable rates since as like the government said, those privatized institutions should have been more efficient due to improved infrastructure implemented by private firms. But, it just bloated up their rates that the people could hardly pay for it, just like in the power service of NAPOCOR, cost recovery mechanisms were passed to the peoples responsibility. So through that, we can already conclude that when market forces rule without any regulation from the government promoting public welfare, the consumers situation is largely at stake and worsened. Because of this we can clearly say that where is the choice of power and power choice that the government said and promised to its consumers if the power industry and its functions will be privatized? Clearly, it shows that it was merely a false and deceiving statement. Workers situations Aside from these detrimental impacts, privatization also increases level of unemployment especially in underdeveloped nations like the Philippines. This is due to the displacement of workers from the previous state-owned corporations or in other way, through contractualization of those somehow lucky workers left at the privatized corporation. In this way, workers are put in an acute situation while the private corporation continues to gaining more profits and cutting production costs. They are also aggrieved through cutting their wages without their power to stop those private firms. In the restructuring and privatization of NAPOCOR, more than 2,000 of its employees had already lost their job and currently, as threats of further privatization of electric cooperatives are on the way, this number will possibly increase. Aside from the employees of NAPOCOR who lost their jobs, there are also many workers from industrial and commercial sectors who lost their jobs due to closure of their companies which one of the factors which caused it is the very high electricity rates that they have lesser production that cannot compete with other industries either around the country or outside. Factory workers also dont get wage hike since their employers insist that they are spending more and more on operation and maintenance costs as industrial electricity rates also sores up. Actually last July 2009, more than 1,000 former workers of TransCo were not accepted by NGCP to continue their work on it after 5 months of transition period, despite having EPIRA assurances that were not that effective afterwwards. This was due to the high NGCP standards in accepting new employees according to the Mindanao Transco Employees Union or Mintrea. Before TransCo was privatized, the consortium of the private companies to take over it said that they will not let those more than 5,000 employees of TransCo to lose their jobs instead they will again hire them even privatization is already done. But according to Walder Revellar, North Luzon chapter president of Mintrea, most of the TransCo employees suffered retrenchment even before when NAPOCOR was started to be privatized when reorganization within the sector began. Most of them were of old age but has not reached the age of retirement on the new private administration of TransCo due to forced leave since according to them, they dont have the full capacity to absorb all of the previous workers of TransCo. Being too old to be rehired, workers like them as a result had difficulties in finding new jobs because of their age constraint. Some of the previous employees also are at young age, which are said to be too young to be retired, that could have done great job on TransCo if they w ere not removed from their jobs as Revellar stressed out also. Unfortunately, despite the workers complains they couldnt anything about that concern because it has been transferred already to the private sector (Inquirer). After of all the results of TransCo privatization, it only appears to us that the government is just making a way to decline its social responsibility to the state and most especially to the people in providing the basic services that it must provide in the first place. Public utilities and services play an important role in protecting the poor and marginalized sector of society so letting the free-market and the market forces operate on its own on those assets would defy the public assets original intent like the power sector in generating efficient and affordable electricity throughout the country. It had also meant a lesser government intervention to the economic and social activities of the state, and so it results to peoples situation becoming worse over time as private sector continues to exploit our resources and earn super-profits. This should not be tolerated since first and foremost, these are all done at the peoples expense.