Project Implementation, Evaluation and Presentation

Executive Summary After a rigorous analysis of three projects, Golden Source International Ltd settled for the â€Å"Anti-Fungus† Silicone Sealant product launch. This paper looks at the project’s implementation, evaluation, and presentation. Lately, there has been little success of projects.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Project Implementation, Evaluation and Presentation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Pundits believe that haphazard planning, inadequate implementation, relaxed control, and lack of project evaluation bring this about. This paper shows how the project manager that was assigned this task went about these procedures to record major success in major fronts. Introduction Project management is quite a popular topic in the world of management today. This is occasioned by the fact that it is the center of growth in business. A company will have an ongoing project at any one time. H ence, the skills associated with this subject come in handy. In this paper, we analyze the implementation and evaluation of Golden Source International Ltd’s launch of a new product. Borrowing from project management principles, the author outlines a number of procedures that may inform the success of the launch. Project Implementation Project implementation has two stages: the project implementation planning and project implementation control. At the project implementation planning stage, the project manager will take steps to determine project requirements and plan how to go about meeting both budgetary and time constraints. Additionally, the project manager will organize the project into identifiable units and establish mechanisms to monitor and control the project parameters. At the Project Implementation Control stage, the project manager will ensure proper measures are in place to meet the time, budgetary, quality, and scope constraints (Lowson, 2003). Implementation Pl anning Project Brief The project manager will prepare a project brief that will act as a statement of work between him and management (Reiss, 2007). The following is a project brief for this project.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Statement of Work  Launch of a new â€Å"Anti-Fungus† Silicone Sealant product  For Golden Source International Ltd Company in Dubai, (U.A.E.) This project seeks to launch a new â€Å"Anti-Fungus† Silicone Sealant product for Golden Source International Ltd Company starting in Dubai and then other stores. The product is both a household commercial consumer product designed to give customer an option during purchase. The roll out will include market awareness campaigns. The base roll out period will be not more than (or approximately) 121 days. The base project cost should not exceed $175,000. The board of directors of Golde n Source International Ltd Company shall discuss any changes that may be proposed for this project after the project manager presents a detailed cost analysis of the proposed changes. Work Breakdown Structure The project manager will subdivide the project scope into manageable segments, assign them to the respective individuals, and document that information. The following will be the work breakdown structure for this project. Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Project Implementation, Evaluation and Presentation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Figure 1 WBS for Anti-Fungus† Silicone Sealant Project The above structure represents all the stages that the product will go through before the final launch. This will be instrumental for the project manager, as he will know the sequence activities will take. Hence, it will be easy to assign tasks and to determine weak areas. This project does not have small wor k packages, as most work will be departmental (Pan American Health Organization 2012). Sub Units The project manager shall specify the specific requirements of each sub unit. This includes approximate budgetary allocation, performance standards, and durations. The project manager will aggregate this information into a clear format for ease of reference (CIPA Study Guide 2008). Project Implementation Control The project manager shall control the project constraints to ensure that everything goes as planned. These constraints include time, quality, cost, and scope. The manager will do this by checking project specifications, schedule, and the budget allocations (CIPA Study Guide 2008). The project manager will use the tools outlined below for that purpose. Control Point Identification Chart The chart below will be useful for tracking areas that may go wrong and anticipating ways in which the project manager will solve the problems to avoid nasty surprises (Kotler Keller, 2009). Table 1 Control Point Identification Chart Control Parameter What is likely to go wrong? How and when to indentify The solution Quality There may be less qualified employees Personal inspection of every stage Substandard work to be redone Cost/Budget Cost of any sub-unit may exceed budget When sale deals are sealed Seek alternative partners, consider alternative materials’ input Time/Schedule Time to complete any sub unit may exceed schedule Monitoring progress along critical path of network diagram Improve efficiency, recoup time from other areas, consider overtime if within budget Milestone Charts This powerful implementation tool clearly summarizes the status of a project by highlighting key events. Milestone charts state what events in the project’s life have been completed. In addition, the chart states the duration it took to complete the events, and, whether this is the duration, the project manager had scheduled for the event (Reiss, 2007).Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hence, the manager continually records the variance between the actual and scheduled times. In addition, it outlines the remaining events and the project manager’s anticipated completion time. The following may be the milestone chart for this project. Table 2 Milestone Chart Milestone Scheduled Completion Actual Completion Design Completed 2 2.5 Making a Test Run 4 4 Online Marketing 1 1 Road Shows Completed 2 2 Promotions 40 40 Launch 15 15 Project and Budget Control Charts Project and budget control charts records cost, schedule performances to ascertain actual and planned performances of the project. Normally these are based on the nature of the work breakdown structure. It makes use of the work packages. In this project, this may not be as applicable, but may be useful. The project manager may use the Project and Budget Control Chart below. Table 3 Project and Budget Control Chart CostPerformance (‘000 Dollars) SchedulePerformance (Days) Proj ect Item Budget Actual Variance Planned Actual Variance Marketing 100 95 -5 11 13 2 VIP product launch 50 56 6 15 10 -5 Planning 5 3.8 1.2 1 1 0 Road show promotion 15 2 2 0 Labor 5 N/A Total 175 The project manager will obtain cumulative amounts for the actual and scheduled performances and draw bar graphs for comparison. The above analysis may act as an early indicator as to whether the project manager will meet the parameters of the project. Hence, it may be used as an effective tool to source for additional time or resources from management. If it is a strict-schedule project, this parameter may offer a way for the manager to organize for overtime and to crash the network diagram for a scheduled finish. Network Diagrams There are two types of network diagrams. These are very useful tools in project control. There are two types of network diagrams: Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and Critical Path Analysis (CPM). They are complex decision- making tools that enable project managers to organize work and plan work flows (Bulbul, 2010). They provide necessary information that is vital in scheduling and budgeting. This information includes the earliest start times of a project, latest completion times, time floats, and the critical path. The critical path is the longest route in a network diagram that indicates the time the project will take. It is hard to construct a network diagram for a project with complex times and huge budgets but the availability of software for that purpose makes it easy. In this project, the techniques may be useful to the project manager in evaluating the progress of the project (UWSA 2005). Use of a Gantt Chart This project’s project manager may find it quite useful to engage the use of a Gantt chart in managing complexity in cost and time. A Gantt chart is an intricate tool used for the management of interrelated tasks with different durations. When using a Gantt chart, the project manag er assumes that the tasks are linear and their durations can be determined beforehand with a high degree of precision. However, it is advisable for management to have duration estimates with the relevant possible contingencies. This project has eight major events. They include planning, product design, packaging, online marketing, TV marketing, road shows, product launch/selling, and promotions. They start at different stages in the project and have varying durations as shown below in the Gantt chart (Koelmans, 2004). Table 4 Activity Durations and Start Times Activity Start Duration Planning 0 1 Product design 1 3 Packaging 4 60 Online Marketing 0 1 TV Marketing 0 10 Road shows 64 2 Product launch 66 15 Promotions and selling 81 40 Figure 2 Gantt chart for this Project As the above figure indicates, a Gantt chart has a number of benefits to the project manager. First, it diagrammatically represents the whole project. This makes it easy for the project manager to indentify the activities to complete first and clearly shows the relationships between tasks. Second, it shows the duration of a project. This project is likely to take 121 days as shown in the Gantt chart. However, in as much as it may show the tasks clearly, it does not indicate dependencies among tasks and the project manager may not know from the Gantt chart how the delay of one task may affect another. For this purpose, the project manager will have to use the network diagrams (Rad Ginger, 2002). Since this project started, planning has been completed. Both online and TV marketing are already been carried out announcing the upcoming product. The product is in its formative stages in the laboratories and it is anticipated that the packaging design is the activity likely to take most of the work. This is because the company already had a similar product from which to improve and come up with the current one. Activities such as road shows, product launch, and promotions are y et to commence. It is also crucial to note that only 12 days have elapsed since the commencement of this project (Koelmans, 2004). Project Evaluation Techniques Success of a project may mean different things to different people. All projects have a number of stakeholders whose expectations must be met to consider a project successful. Even various employees of Golden Tools Ltd may consider the success of the launch of this new product in different ways. For example, the CEO may consider the success of the product in the market as a measure. An accountant in the same organization may look at it from the budgetary point of view. Additionally, a laboratory technician may consider this a success from the ‘breakthrough’ point of view. Hence, a central ground must be reached to ascertain the success of a project clearly (Maylor, 2003). A project has to be evaluated before, during and after its implementation. This will paint a better picture of its performance as opposed to t he last evaluation. Majority of projects’ performance may not be clearly measured because organizations do not put an emphasis on the post-implementation evaluation. However, it is imperative to do that. A look at the following stakeholders may paint a picture of how well to undertake an evaluation (Rad Ginger, 2002). Project Constraints This is one of the measures of success. A project’s constraints include time, quality, scope, and cost. A project manager should strive to meet the agreed upon constraints’ parameters. This is because most managers want to complete a project fast, qualitatively, with minimal costs, and least time (Maylor, 2003). Project Stakeholders These people have a share in the success of a project. They include employees, management, outside community, customers, and environmental conservationists, among others. All these people have stakes in the success of this product and satisfying a majority should be the goal (Maylor, 2003). Goals, O bjectives, and Project Requirements Before the start of a project, the project manager and the management set out to achieve certain objectives. After implementation, it is the duty of a project manager to look into these targets and ascertain to what level they have been achieved. Additionally, a project is like an input-output model; hence, commissioners of the project will expect tangible products with relevant features as envisioned (Chase Aquilano, 2006). Evaluation of This Project This project was commissioned to develop and launch a new product (Anti-Fungus† Silicone Sealant product). The product, meant to give customers options and to expand the product portfolio of Golden Source International Ltd Company was to roll out in cities in United Arab Emirates before spreading in other countries. Other objectives were to expand the company’s bottom line by at least 50% and improve the customers’ satisfaction by an acceptable level of at least 50%. The followin g is a critical look at the project and its achievements. Project Stakeholders The stakeholders in this project were happy with the outcome. Customers appreciated the introduction of a new product that would increase their options in the market place. The management of Golden Source International Ltd Company was elated by the design, efficiency, aesthetics, and performance of the product in the first three months. The company staffs that were involved in the process of the making, advertising, launching, and promoting the product, prior and after the launch, were happy with the experience. They were also happy with the performance of the product and the mood was positive. Indications were that customers will shift massively towards this product and plans were already underway to see that the product is launched in other cities in Middle East and then Asia. The product did not violate any environmental laws and in fact was been touted as ‘green’ product with a vision for solving 21st century problems. Every procedure laid out by the government was followed to ensure that there were no disappointments (Aranda, 2003). Goals and Objectives The goals and objectives of this project as outlined before were clearly on course. The customers had already demonstrated happiness. This shows that they would rate the product positively. The performance of the product in the few months after launch indicated that the company was on course towards achieving profit objectives set out. Project Constraints All the project constraints were adequately satisfied. The project was completed in 110 days against a target of 121 days. Additionally, a budget of $175000 had been set aside and the project exceeded this figure by only $1500. This was adequately within the margin of error. Many pundits were happy with the product and the whole launch and performance of the product indicated positive results. Recommendations for Improvement The project did not experience notable s etbacks. However, areas of weaknesses were indentified in the departmental contacts. For example, the project manager and sales manager differed about the time when the promotional campaign should start. The project manager felt the timing of the campaign was poor because the product was a long way from been launched and customers were likely to forget about it. This would lead to wastage of resources. However, the sales manager was of the opinion that it was meant to prepare the customers fully. Additionally, after the budget exceeded by $1500, the project manager wrote an explanatory proposal to management and some managers felt he should have anticipated this instead of bringing it up after it had happened. However, the project manager explained it was because of the early campaign by the sales manager. Hence, he was feeling under pressure to launch the product fast. Lastly, sometimes the road shows would report poor reception and hence it came out as a poor method of advertising . In future, it would be imperative to iron out those little setbacks but they had no major effect on the launch. Project Presentation Project Implementation Procedure Establish Project Objectives– This is the first step. It involves the setting out of succinct and realizable goals. The project manager outlines the scope of the project and prepares a project brief. In this project, the aim was to launch a product that will lead to customer satisfaction and increase profits for the company. Work Break Down– each activity is divided into manageable sub units for ease of resource allocation and monitoring. Sub Units– at this stage, the project manager clearly outlines the sequence of the sub units, stipulates their durations, and performance expectations. The project manager aggregates the information in this section into the whole project. Budget Preparation– at this stage the project manager prepares a budget informed by the resource requirements of each s ub unit (Chase Aquilano, 2006). Arrange Staff– the project manager prepares a staff org-gram, which details the duties and responsibilities of each person and creates positions. This eases the need to indentify whom to report to and assigns responsibilities to the most capable individuals (Chase Aquilano, 2006). Training– the project manager determines if there is a personnel training and undertakes it, if needed. Policies and Procedures– lastly, the project manager develops policies and procedures to be followed by each participant in the project. This ensures that there is a sense of sanity while performing tasks and establishes ground for punishment and rewards (Chase Aquilano, 2006). Conclusion Implementation is the most vital stage in a project. Any implementation follows a certain procedure, but the above parameters are recommended. As noted from the paper, project evaluation is equally important as is project preparation and preliminary analysis. Any a spect about a project contributes towards a good result, including relationships of implementers. The project manager in this project realizes this and successfully launches a new product for Golden Source International Ltd Company. The results are tremendous and the management and stakeholders are happy. Reference List Aranda, AR 2003, Service Operations Strategy, Flexibility and Performance in Engineering Consulting Firms, International Journal of Operations Production Management, vol. 23.11 pp 1401-1421. Bulbul, H 2010, Taxonomy of Manufacturing Strategies: A Study of the Turkish Automotive Industry, African Journal of Business Management, vol. 5.6 pp 2322-2335. Chase, BR Aquilano, NJ 2006, Operations Management for Competitive Advantage, New York, McGraw Irwin. CIPA Study Guide 2008, A Guide to Project Management Auditing, Assessments and Recommendations. Web. Koelmans, R 2004, Project Success and Performance Evaluation. Web. Kotler, P Keller, K 2009, A Framework for Marketin g Management. Philadelphia, Pearson International Edition. Lowson, RH 2003, The Nature of Operations Strategy: Combining Strategic Decisions from the Resource-Based and Market-Driven Viewpoints, Management Decision, vol. 41.6, pp 538-549. Maylor, H 2003, Project Management, UK, FT Prentice Hall. Pan American Health Organization 2012, Monitoring of Project Implementation: a Manual. Web. Rad, PF Ginger, L 2002, The Advanced Project Management Office. A Comprehensive Look at Function and Implementation, Florida, St Lucie Press. Reiss, G 2007, Project Management Demystified. New York, NY, Routledge. UWSA 2005, Project Implementation Process Tools. Web. This term paper on Project Implementation, Evaluation and Presentation was written and submitted by user Andrea Flores to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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The eNotes Blog How to Study for a Test on a LiteraryWork

How to Study for a Test on a LiteraryWork When being tested on a literary work, you are demonstrating your understanding of a text. What your teacher or professor looks for in a literary examination is your comprehension of various literary elements. When studying for a test on a literary work, focus on the details and devices employed by the author rather than rereading the whole work again. Before you start, gather any notes, activities, or guides that may be useful to review. Let’s look at 11 tips designed to help you prepare for a test on a literary work. 1. Read the entire work Do not wait until the last minute to read what you’re being tested on. You probably won’t have time to reread all the material you will be expected to know. Therefore, allow yourself enough time to process what you have read and ask your teachers any questions before you start studying. By the time you’re ready to study, you want to have a basic understanding of the text   so that you can spend more time reviewing specific details and literary devices that may appear on the test. 2. Create an outline Create an outline of the plot that highlights the rising action, the climax, and falling action of the story. This will be a handy reference while you study so that you can keep track of the series of events and what characters are involved. For example, in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the rising action is the meeting of the young lovers, the climax is their mutual deaths, and the falling action is the realization by all involved that they too were responsible for the lovers’ tragedy. 3. Note the characters’ roles Start by identifying the protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) of the story. The protagonist is the leading character in a literary work. She is the advocate or champion of a particular cause or idea. The antagonist is the main character’s chief opponent. Both of these characters will have different objectives and it’s important to know who they are and what they want. For example, in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is the protagonist and Roger Chillingworth is the antagonist. Chillingworth is the main impediment to Hester Prynne’s happiness. He represents the stern moral values of Puritanism, whereas Hester relies on her own internal moral compass and her personal relationship with God. Once you’ve identified the protagonist and antagonist, you should make a note of any other major or minor characters that influence the plot. In literary works with a bunch of characters, like Shakespeare’s plays, there’s often a character list at the beginning of the text. It may be useful to create a character map or list that showcases the characters’ relationship throughout the text. 4. Identify major conflicts Most plots center around a conflict that is internal or external. Conflict can enhance the readers’ understanding of specific characters and what drives the storyline. There is often more than one type of conflict taking place at the same time. The four major types of conflict include: Person versus Person One character against another Person versus Nature Character(s) against the forces of nature Person versus Society Values and customs of the majority being challenged by an individual Person versus Self A character with an internal conflict For example, in William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies, we have several different conflicts happening at the same time. Ralph and Jack continually engage in conflict throughout the novel. Ralph is initially elected as the leader of the boys and attempts to establish a civil society on the island; Jack, on the other hand, opposes Ralph and gains support from other boys on the island who want to hunt and rest rather than completing necessary tasks. Although these characters may oppose each other, both of these boys are also in conflict with nature. Trapped on an uninhabited island, all of the boys are forced to build shelters and find food in order to survive. 5. Detect what actions develop from conflict Most plots center around conflict; therefore, it’s important to understand the motivation behind the action and how it influences the rest of the story. For example, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a good example of conflict that propels action. When a group of young girls is caught doing improper things in the woods, they try to cover their tracks by accusing people of witchcraft. Their conflict leads to the witch trials depicted in the play. 6. Determine if the characters achieve their goals You need to know what the major characters set out to do in the beginning of the text and if they achieved their goals by the resolution. However, this may not always be obvious. Hamlet, for example, does achieve the mission given to him by the ghost of his father, but determining his overall success is a more contentious matter. Yes, his mother and uncle pay with their lives, but so too do Ophelia, Laertes, Polonius, and Hamlet himself. 7. Take note of the structure Revisit your initial outline of the text. The structure of the text may not always be in chronological order because many works will purposely present events out of sequence or work backwards. One example of events taken out of sequence is William Faulkner’s story â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† which begins with her funeral, jumps to her early life, her later life, and then the discovery of her deed and death. The structure of the plot is a deliberate choice made by the author, therefore you should always consider why a story is told in the format that it is. 8. Identify patterns within the text Patterns often lead to a critical climax or resolution of the plot. For instance, one symbol might give you an idea of where the plot is going, but repeated events and symbols, or motifs, can foreshadow and add thematic depth to the plot. For example, the character of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman constantly repeats that he wanted more than anything to be â€Å"well-liked.† Because he mentions this so often, readers gain insight into Willy’s extreme lack of self-confidence. 9. Make note of symbols Symbolism is a person, place, or object which has a meaning in itself but suggests other meanings. Things, characters, and actions can be symbols. Note here that symbols are deliberately open to a reader’s interpretation, so carefully consider the context in which they appear. For example, if a color is repeated or particularly associated with a character, think about what it might mean. In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† yellow can be viewed as symbolic of the narrator’s sickness, like jaundice. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† Faith’s pink ribbon can be interpreted as representing her innocence. 10. Consider the work’s historical and cultural context You should always put the characters actions and thoughts in context and refrain from making contemporary judgments about the past. For example, if you are reading Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, it would be helpful to know something about the realities of poverty in London in the 1800s. What’s more, it’s also helpful to know that telling ghost stories around Christmas time used to be a popular tradition in 19th-century England. Seeking an understanding of the historical context will help you determine if the author is criticizing society through the depiction of its values and characters. In addition, many authors use allusion, a literary device, in their words to provide references and hints to their cultures and historical contexts. 11. Review your study materials At this point, you have revisited all major aspects of the text and hopefully feel like you have grasped its overall meaning. Whether you choose to make notecards, take a practice test, or swap questions with your classmates, it’s a good idea to actively engage with your study materials until you feel confident enough to address it on the test. If there are still some points that seem unclear, focus your attention on finding those answers rather than spending your time on material you already know. Whatever you do, don’t wait until the day before to review for your test. Allow yourself enough time to rest and relax before your test so that you can perform to your greatest potential. If you’ve read the literary work and reviewed your study materials, you’ll do just fine! For more how-to lesson, visit How To Series.

Quotes from Poets About Death

Quotes from Poets About Death Its difficult to know what to say when trying to comfort someone who has suffered the loss of a loved one. But death is part of the human condition, and there is no shortage of literature about death and dying. Sometimes it takes a poet to give us perspective on the meanings of life and death. Here are some famous, and hopefully comforting, quotes about death from poets and writers that would be appropriate when offering condolences. William Shakespeare Quotes About Death And, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of Heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night And pay no worship to the garish sun.- From Romeo and Juliet Loves not Times fool, though rosy lips and cheeksWithin his bending sickles compass come;Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,But bears it out even to the edge of doom.-    From Sonnet 116 Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.- From Julius Caesar To die, to sleepTo sleep: perchance to dream: ay, theres the rubFor in that sleep of death what dreams may comeWhen we have shuffled off this mortal coil,Must give us pause: theres the respectThat makes calamity of so long life. - From Hamlet Quotes About Death from Other Poets Be near me when my light is low... And all the wheels of being slow. -   Ã‚   Alfred Lord Tennyson Because I could not stop for death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves and immortality.-    Emily Dickinson Death comes to all. But great achievements build a monument which shall endure until the sun grows cold. -    George Fabricius Death gives us sleep, eternal youth, and immortality.-   Jean Paul Richter Death is a commingling of eternity with time; in the death of a good man, eternity is seen looking through time.-   Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man.-   Antoine de Saint Éxupà ©ry Do not stand at my grave and weep.I am not there; I do not sleep.I am a thousand winds that blow.I am the diamond glints on snow.I am the sunlight on ripened grain.I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the mornings hushI am the swift uplifting rushOf quiet birds in circled flight.I am the soft stars that shine at night.Do not stand at my grave and cry;I am not there; I did not die.- Mary Elizabeth Frye Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night.-   Edna St. Vincent Millay Though lovers are lost, love shall not. And death shall have no dominion.  - Dylan Thomas

Clinical Supervision Importance in Practices Nursing Essay

Clinical Supervision Importance in Practices Nursing - Essay Example As nurses, we play a big role which ensures those patients are cared for and receives quality medical health care. Clinical supervision provides the possibility of bringing about change in this process. The objective of this paper is to provide a reflection of my own performance as a clinical supervisor to a peer colleague and recommend a future developmental need that I might have worked as a clinical supervisor. My reflective report will be based on John Driscoll’s model of structured reflection. I will use the model as a guide to assist me reflects upon significant events in my most recent clinical supervision. I decided to choose this model since I found it most relevant to my reflective style. The model provided me with a good guideline of potential questions, such as the what? So what? and now what? which influenced my flow of thought without having to map out the entire reflective process. In the reflective report, I will provide a descriptive account of events at my wo rkplace, analysis of the behavior and emotional context and conclude with a feasible action plan summarizing my future developmental needs as a clinical supervisor might be met. In conformity with the NMC code of conduct, confidentiality will be maintained throughout the essay. What is clinical supervision? Research reveals that clinical supervision is an aspect that affects all practicing nurses. However, it has often been regarded as something new, since its application began in the early 1990s with the support of Nursing and Midwifery. Since then, the concept has evolved and is being adopted in all the fields of healthcare and its allied world such as psychiatry, physiotherapy, and counseling (Jones 2003, 224-228). Brunero and Stein-Parbury (2010, p.87) defines clinical supervision as the processes of professional support and learning where nurses are assisted in developing their practice through regular discussion time with knowledgeable and experienced colleagues. Fowler (1996, p.27) notes that during clinical supervision, nurses engage in reflection processes in order to be able to identify and meet their need for professional development. According to Van Ooijen 2000, p.14-16) the purpose of clinical supervision is to improve nursing practice and as such needs to be focused on nurse-patient interaction. Canham & Bennet (2008, p. 63) support this arguing that the essence of clinical supervision is the support and the development of the nurse.

Dynamics of multinational enterprises (Economics) Essay - 1

Dynamics of multinational enterprises (Economics) - Essay Example China tends to favor FDI through JV route because this gives them the opportunity to boost domestic industries, post high GDP numbers and maintain a perfect competition in the economy. China as an economy has always welcomed Foreign Investments but through Joint Ventures. The report will discuss the rationale behind such policy of China and how the country has benefited with this policy along with providing market advantage to incoming companies. In the recent past FISC approach have been prevent in entering new markets and company like Kotak has used this to a full effect. The report will also analyze benefits of using the FISC approach to market entry for China and Overseas. China has favoured FDI through joint venture route because they wanted all the industries and strategies to be tightly regulated under government supervision. This can only be done if strategies are local in nature and are made by local people. These local companies have been strongly ruled and regulated by Chinese Government. The republic of China Government doesn’t want to lose this control and want it to be tightly regulated (Berger & Udell, 2002). This analysis suggests that exports level from China towards America have risen again. This is resulting in huge balance of trade payment situation towards China. With this balance of payment situation the Chinese reminibi should appreciate against US dollars. But china follow a fixed currency regime, this is done to keep Chinese export competitive. With revaluation of Chinese currency the trade deficit will not narrow US trade deficit against China. The levels would be similar but it would make Chinese exports less competitive and hence will have an indirect impact on US trade deficit (Berger & Udell, 2002). The exports that Chinese make towards are funded indirectly by Chinese government. This is done by investing in Government of USA Securities by Chinese Govt. Hence

How Is Inactivity And Obesity Effecting Children Young People Essay

How Is Inactivity And Obesity Effecting Children Young People Essay The rise of inactivity and its consequences The prevalence of sedentary lifestyles is increasing in America and much of the developed world. In the US (our core geographic area of focus for this project) this trend coupled with poor eating choices has notably manifested itself in rising obesity rates across the country over the past two decades as depicted in Exhibit 1. As of 2008, over 68% of Americans were categorized as being overweight, with nearly half of that group being defined as obese or morbidly obesei. Between 1980 and 2002 overweight rates for children aged 6 11 more than doubled from 7% to 16%ii. Today that number is estimated to be closer to 20%iii. Shortened life spans. More than 14% of deaths in the US in 2003 resulted from obesity related conditions; and Diminished motivation to be active. Being overweight or obese makes physical activity more challenging, thus requiring greater commitment and effort to be active compared to a healthy weighted individual. The more overweight people become due to reduced levels of activity the less likely they are to engage in future activity. Furthermore, obesity is often tied to depression which causes individuals to experience lower levels of energy and motivationiv. Teenagers the gateway to addressing rising inactivity levels . The number of years a consumer leads an active life; The variety of sports or fitness related activities the consumer engages in over those years; and The products that the two factors above drive demand for. In order to optimize across all drivers we honed in on teenagers (primarily 13-15) as our focus segment. We view other groups, such as adults and, retirees, and so forth, who have a shorter customer lifetime value and being, as being more set in their ways, both in terms of habit and product affinities. In arriving at this focal segment we have taken the following factors into consideration: According to the Eight Stages of Development, adolescents learn about and define who they are between the ages of approximately 12 and 19. If being athletic, or at least active, is not established as central to ones identity, the probability of prioritizing athletic activity later in life is likely diminished. If more children define themselves as being active during this influential period, the market for healthy, sustainable athletes will likely increase over time. From a commercial perspective, the potential lifetime value of an active teenager is likely to be higher than that of an average U.S. adult. Firstly the cost of acquiring an active youth is lower, as there are fewer barriers to exercise/activity as outlined above. Secondly, the number of years that teenagers have to be active is significantly greater as they not only start younger but may potentially live longer due to their adoption of healthy and active lifestyles. Teenagers generally have lower opportunity costs of activity and learning to exercise than adults. A combination of the greater amounts of leisure time available to them and their propensity to experiment with new things makes teenagers more likely to be comfortable learning about and engaging in activity. Teenagers also tend to have many opportunities to choose to engage in activities. These include physical education (PE) programs, sports teams, community teams, and informal pick-up games. Section 2 of this report presents key underlying influences and trends that currently inhibit and have the potential to further diminish activity levels among teenagers. Section 3 of this report then discusses the selection criteria that potential solutions must satisfy in order to most effectively address the problem of teen inactivity. Finally Section 4 lays out a potential solution aimed at leveraging key influences to encourage more active lifestyles among teenagers. Section 2: Factors underlying teenage inactivity Family influences In order to address the rising levels of inactivity among teenagers, it is necessary to first identify and understand the primary network of influencers that ultimately impact their decision making behavior and involvement in activities. Dual income single parent households Traditionally parents have been one of the strongest sources of influence over teenagers, and have played a crucial role in shaping their overall growth and development. However insights from interviews conducted with families in the Boston area suggest that shifts in the overall structure and composition of the average American family have decreased the amount of influence that parents exert over their children. In particular, the steady increase in the number of dual income earners1 and the rise in the number of single parent households highlight that parents today are facing increasing time constraints. A significant consequence of this phenomenon is that teenagers are increasingly subject to less direct parental oversight, as working parents often outsource the supervision of their children to external parties such as baby-sitters, nannies and daycare centers. While parents have a vested interest in encouraging their children to lead active lives in order to promote overall health and well-being, external parties are more likely to encourage teenagers to engage in sedentary, home-based activities that are easier to supervise. Examples of such activities include watching TV, surfing the internet or playing video games. Decline of parental role models Another implication of parental time constraints is that parents have less face-to-face time with their children and consequently fewer opportunities to educate them on the merits of leading an active lifestyle and adopting healthy eating habits. Given these time constraints parents themselves are also less likely to demonstrate the very behaviors that they aim to instill in their children. Thus, an absence of role models that are leading active lives in the household could further explain why teenagers are tending towards more sedentary lifestyles. Additionally, if parents spend less time prioritizing the on-going supervision and support of their childrens activity levels, teenagers may feel less motivated to participate in sports or other physical activities at school. For example our interviews with parents suggest that parental inability to attend games to cheer for their children or even provide the basic resources that support their childrens involvement in sports, such as providing rides to practice, may result in teenagers being less inclined or able to pursue active lifestyles. Evolution of family dining A further implication of parental time constraints is that working parents are increasingly relying on convenience and on-the-go food solutions for meal preparation. These habits can have a profound impact on the overall health and well-being of their children as evidenced by Child Development research which suggests there is a link between the number of years a working mother spends in the workforce and their childs BMI.v The increase in child obesity has attracted a great deal of media attention which has, in turn, resulted in a heightened sense of awareness of health wellness issues among parents. The observation that child obesity persists in the face of this awareness suggests that parents are precluded from developing solutions because they lack the necessary tools to motivate their children in the face of time constraints. This insight highlights an area of opportunity for Nike to provide tools to: Assist parents in incentivizing their children to lead more active lives; and Assist parents in motivating their children in a way that fits into their busy schedules. Crime parental attitudes An emphasis on helicopter parenting2, which has gained popularity in recent times, combined with the persistent coverage of criminal activity in the media has resulted in a heightened sense of paranoia around crime levels and neighborhood safety among parents. The implications of helicopter parenting are straightforward. As parents become more concerned about the overall safety of their neighborhoods they are more likely to only allow outside activity with adult supervision. However, due to their personal time constraints, they often encourage their children to stay indoors or commute to school by car, rather than engage in outdoor activities or walk, for example. In this case, parents appear to be prioritizing the short term benefits of child safety over the long term risks of obesity and other future health problems due to reduced activity levels Friend influences Increasing prominence of friends as influencers Siblings, particularly older ones, have traditionally been a powerful source of influence over teenagers. Younger siblings generally tend to emulate the behavior and habits of their older siblings, especially if there is a positive relationship between the two. However as the size of U.S. households continue to decline, the average teenager is growing up with fewer siblings to rely on and learn behaviors from. As a result of teenagers being exposed to fewer siblings and busier parents, peers and friend groups have gained more prominence in the influence and authority they have over teenagers lives. School influences In light of the factors discussed above, such as the limited amount of time parents spend with their children; external environments can serve as important influences on teenagers. Schools are not only a physical representation of where teenagers spend most of their time outside the home, but are also the arena within which their social networks converge. Teacher attitudes resource constraints Given that teenagers are highly exposed to their social networks at school, their fear of failing at physical activities can often overshadow their desire to try something new or different to shine in front of their peers causing them to shy away from any activity. For example, a school that has a reputation for being a leader in a certain sport, say basketball, may place significantly more emphasis on winning than inclusion. In such environments, children have less room to fail, that is to say, not to be good at basketball. Such overtly competitive situations can lead to divisions (ball players vs. non ball players) which amplify less skilled students feelings of inadequacy. Teachers serve as de facto parents in the school environment. Their attitudes towards general wellness and encouraging teenagers can be powerful drivers of childrens sustained engagement in activities. However, the continuous budgetary pressures schools face often result in understaffing, which causes teachers to stretch themselves very thinly across large student bodies. In these situations, teachers may not be able to provide the level of encouragement and personal attention necessary for children to enthusiastically engage in activities. If a child does not enjoy participating in an activity, the child is unlikely to engage in that activity again in the future. Tension between academics activity Teenagers are increasingly living in an achievement-oriented society, wherein the results of their efforts today can have a profound impact on their future options. In light of this, parents are getting their children involved in an array of extracurricular activities, such as debating clubs and honors classes, in order to increase their childrens chances of getting into good colleges. This additional competition on teenagers time often leads to reduced levels of activity. City influences Rural vs. urban settings The natural resources and climate of a region can impact activity levels depending on the type of sports they encourage. For example, hiking is an activity that requires minimal financial resources to participate and would likely encourage higher levels of activity. However, the relatively higher cost of participation in skiing may deter people from adopting the sport and therefore drive lower levels of activity. Media Technology influences Celebrity influence Proliferation of media distribution channels Celebrities and pop culture icons have become significant influencers of social behavior as children spend less time with their parents. The emergence of distribution channels such as Twitter has increased teenagers ability to gain direct access to celebrities. Given parents limited ability to monitor their childrens internet and mobile phone usage, teenagers are now accessing messages of varying quality. For example, children are no longer confined to watching PBS, which has focus on activity and wellness. They can now watch the latest craze on YouTube or access celebrity gossip on other outlets, which typically place a premium on glamorous lifestyles over healthy ones. Such messages can have a great degree of influence on children, who are particularly impressionable. Addictive characteristics of technology Perpetually connected to the internet and their mobile devices, teenagers today have become attuned to interacting with their environments using technology. Activity which requires them to disengage from electronic devices may be seen as dull and involve de-addiction from perceived high stimuli technology driven experiences. Physical vs. virtual interaction The advent of mobile phones and online social networks has reduced teenagers need to meet in person, as they can rely on the immediacy of virtual communication. The increased usage of these platforms has fundamentally changed the ways in which teenagers interact with one another by allowing them to remain socially engaged without needing to physically walk or bike over to see a friend.

On “Education” in “Modern” India Essay

As I was sat down, trying to ‘learn’ chemistry one Friday evening, I began thinking on our education system due to which I had to study in such a poor way; it’s a pity, that I have started hating the subject, or all subjects for that matter, the more the examinations approached. To that end, I wrote a poem later – my debut poem, with which I’d like to introduce the topic; her it goes: â€Å"Education† for Progress You take a pot and fill it with water, the ocean still remains, You make the pot bigger, to douse the house’s flames And you make it even bigger, till you wash all of hell. But as men march on in time’s way, so do the forces grow, That bar the door of wisdom, till it maketh a man (a) crow; And once, but out the feathers come, than you just lo: For cells have formed where ere was Eden, And into the Saharan sands hath Plato been driven; Till now, had man’s asininity been aeon ridden? You look across many a book or any common mind, And surprised you may well be, to find: The fountain remains flowing as ever, waiting for Its very first drinker. But heads of men are now sore, And they allow not the thirsty to have a pour, But Indian crabs as they are, they pull him back onto shore. They set for education a Hammurabi’s code, And state it on an Economist’s ode: not the fountain Whose drink all doth desire, but a mere factory by the road That gives not many the bliss which they hope, but pain; Agony from not just failing to educate the self, But excruciation seeing others that too need help. The birth of a boy sees many a new colour: Businessman, engineer, NRI or a doctor. The scholar of yore is seen no more As machines of the line’s grown stronger than before. The student of the day is not the knowledge seeker, But a piece of iron thrown in the hands of a ‘caster’; That moulds and melts him not into the Being, But a mercantile golem that lives to seek a living. To commend its superiors enjoying the beauteous Nature, Whilst it toils in turmoil on these pans of fire: Institutes that teach not to analyze and wonder, But to gobble, espouse, vomit and then†¦just wander. So, do we just give tests and go on becoming another mechanical product of this degree-machine, or relieve ourselves of this blunder? We find that today, education has reached such a stage, that the difference between the educated and the uneducated, is but a degree (or no degree), however the other may know; which reminds me of what a teacher of mine once said: â€Å"†¦You may wonder at the fact, that I have said Euclid and Aristotle together. You see, in the ancient world, the gift we had got, was the scholar, not the B.Tech, M.A., or B.Sc. (Hons). Thus, you get the same Pythagoras, who devised the theorem, AC2 = BC2 + AB2, giving the theory of transmigration of souls – two very different subjects, philosophy and mathematics, but the very same person.† Indeed, today we do lack such people, for the very fact that, India today is not the divine land where knowledge is respected – the land where the greatest university of the time exists, but a machine designed ages ago, to churn out Indian Civil Service workers, extended beyond into independent India by mistake (rather ignorance and lack of understanding), and united with the pre-ancient Indian processes of rote-learning, to make another machine, completely satisfactory in its ability and purpose of creating doctors and engineers, who work completely like a machine, with no interest in finding new methods or discovering new techniques or findings, but just working as per the age old methods engineered earlier, or today, but certainly by foreigners. The primary cause I believe, which has led to this is the method of education provided by society on him, from day one onwards – the very same day the student sees school that is. But first, let us have a look at the ‘ideal’ student, as society – the Indian society – views him. Is it not a boy, well in attire, i.e. in a neat and clean uniform, sitting in front of the table, with a book in front of him, learning what is written in the book, by-heart, writing down all that he has learnt, and at the end of the year, coming out with flying colours in his report-card? To those who find no problem with this, my question is â€Å"Why the farce?† Why the farce of such a false scene that has been idolized, to kill even the Einstein’s that our country has created? Is it that we have been so much into this claptrap of the rote-learner being the ideal, that we form this leucoma, to fail seeing through this farcical non-sense? Now, let us have a look at the true side of this story – the story that many of us have to go through, especially the ‘hopeless’ and the ‘fools’. As the young mind enters the nursery, he is forced to accept what he is told – a good method to teach language the fast way, but, the real problem occurs, when this process is extended into subjects which require full understanding, like mathematics. The student learns that two plus two is four, rarely because two objects and two objects come in to make a number o objects we call four, but rather because it makes four, be all and end all. And practicing thus, he goes on to learn tables, least understanding, what fives times three actually means. Thus, this process of forced learning create a feeling of boredom and the people who become successful, hence, are those who can accept these facts easily, little realizing the beauty that lies behind of the subject that lies beyond it, or the logic of why they are doing such, and at times, even, what they are actually doing, as an interview I carried out on standard three and four students, indicated – they knew very well, that eight into nine is seventy-two, without even the basic knowledge of why it is not seventy-one or seventy-three for that matter; it was seventy-two because they had learnt it to be seventy two PERIOD! It reminds me of Einstein’s â€Å"Concepts that have proven useful in ordering things easily achieve such authority over us, that we forget their earthly origins and accept them as unalterable givens.†(Translated from German) Worse still happens, when we try to extend this method into higher education, especially in the science and arts streams. Speaking of science, wherein I fit, the last blow on the camel’s back comes, when we are forced to accept theory and practical as two different ‘papers’, rarely finding the link lying between them. The only aim the students form now, is to get marks by properly doing what lay in front of us, finding the ‘correct’ answer, and finally, getting the marks. After that, there is nothing more to discover, and in some experiments, they don’t even figure out what physical quantity they are measuring. Some of us again, like a very good engineer, try understanding the things, from what is written in theory, which we have learnt by reading the book – thus, we tend to believe the book at each stage, even at the cost of manipulating the results of our experiments; little do we thus learn, that the value of ‘g’ which we got as 7.9 – 8.1 is actually the correct one, and not 9.81. Thus, we even fail to realize our foolishness. Computer Science is in fact, the only exception to this rule, as in it, we know why we are doing something, clearly, at least to the level of gates, which is generally considered the base of computing – at least as far as the programmer is concerned; which is perfectly acceptable. But as far as the other subjects are concerned, it is a different story altogether. Thus, this rote-learning that most of us have to go through in many subjects, in many schools, and in many standards is the sole cause of this problem. What intensifies this, are the many competitive examinations that we, the high school students, try to prepare ourselves for. In the process, we blindly accept some facts and play as much as we can with them, to tackle the problems that would be given in the exams. Thus, we slowly and painfully, kill the scientist, which lies within someone. But what truly wait, is not more criticism, but a solution to all this; of course, it is only my thought, which I believe can work, but it is a thought that comes from first0hand experiences and realizations. So, let us begin to address this from day one. The child enters the school, knowing nothing; what he especially does not know, is the beauty of knowledge and to him, school is a dreadful place (courtesy the stories that society teaches him). Hence, this can easily break him; thus, we must first break this breaker, by allowing him to play and interact with the other students and the teachers, as time progresses, to get a firm grip on him. As the bond slowly develops, we can introduce him or her to alphabets first those of his mother-tongue, and then that of English – however, both these languages must be taught simultaneously, or at least in the same class – nursery. Thus, we must teach the child, with a caring attitude, having no concern for teaching him this much or that much, as specified by the syllabus, we can form a proper child, who is ready to learn. And as he progresses to higher subjects like mathematics, science and higher English/Bengali/Hindi, it can be taught slowly and in a manner wherein the child learns by experimentation. For example, tables can be taught, not through the usual boring and strict way of mugging up the tables up to 9, but by making him himself realize, that when two is added five times, it gives ten and making him do the exercise a number of times fully understanding how these follow, as tables. This done, the student formed would be one, who is ready to experiment, loving the subject, fully understanding what he does. At the end of the day, a student who does this, would really want to learn it faster and would do so. Going on to English, comprehension and grammar exercises and short stories can be taught, in a way that makes him realize what the content of the story is, and make him develop a reading habit; reading classes can be organized, so as to develop his reading skills, and full scale discussion of the topics, with debates, speeches, etc. can be taken in order to develop his skills in public speaking, understanding the language, etc. As for science, â€Å"everything around us is science and can be understood if tried to† can be the key to the success in this path. The children can be taught to thus observe the phenomenon around, to learn form what he sees around him and only at this stage, remember (not blindly accept) that something he sees, like wet clothes drying up when it is kept in the sun, etc.; to this note, I remember a personal experience that I cherished: in class two, when we were being taught birds, we were asked to collect feathers of birds that had fallen, in order to study them, match them to find whom they belonged to, and even discuss on them. The experience of that class, as I still remember, was the most entertaining, enthralling and enriching one ever in my life. But sad it is, that few teachers are so innovative enough to draw our full attention, and let our interest in the subject rise to such an extent, where we learn so nicely that we remember those classes for our entire life. Coming back, this process can go on thus, and as for value education, classes should be based on yearly assessment of thoughts, not as in maintaining a diary, but as a class-work. Shifting up to the high school level, children from class six onwards can be allowed to go to the practical labs, to freely experiment with the instruments upon the teachers’ instructions, observing, making systematic recordings, and last but not the least, themselves inferring from the data they find, so as to find patterns in Nature. This can be nicely done in physics, if not chemistry – at least with organic chemicals the students can experiment, as for harsh ones, the teacher can perform the experiment, making the students infer from them. Thus, an ‘experimentative’ approach and curious nature would be instilled into the child’s young mind, as he passes through this elementary level of science, giving rise to the birth of the scientist within him. He should also be given full freedom to talk on the subject in the class, alone with the teacher, in word or in writing, so as to fully clear his/her doubts, and understand the subject deeper than ever. In a line, the student should not learn the laws, but derive them out of his activities. Moving on to class nine, the first six months can be classes of revision of whatever he or she had learnt in the junior classes. Later, new topics can be introduced, and in a very similar manner, he must be taught these. Hence, the final student that would be formed would not be the marks-seeker, but a true knowledge-seeker – thus at least the scientist. As for arts, students can be introduced to philosophy at an elementary level itself, not in the form of boring lectures, but by making them philosophize on everyday happenings, historical events, problems and solutions, etc.; thus he’d not need to learn philosophy, but develop a taste for finding philosophy in everyday life. Hence, when he/she will read texts of great authors, he’d immediately find the essence of it all. The same goes for commercial applications and economics, where he can be made to realize the truth behind all the business policies – through stories, and even experiments in the form of mock business sessions (even on very small imaginary ones, like buying a product of Rs. 2), to make the students understand the principles behind the complex business policies. He should also be given the proper mathematical background required behind this, as in pure statistics and some of pure and applied mathematics, and if a student is found interested more in some subject, which is not in his syllabus, he can well be taught the lesson after school. This method I believe,, will surely create not only a true student, but also a complete human being. As for the so-called ‘boring’ subjects of history and geography, it is the method of teaching alone, that makes all the difference. History can be taught by first drawing the interest of the student. Ancient history is a good place to start this practice, by making history an extension of literature and logic combined. He can be †¦ taught to learn not the whats alone, but taught more importantly the ‘why’s and hence, the deeper ‘how’s!