The Metaparadigm of Nursing: Present Status and Future Refinements

The Metaparadigm of Nursing: Present Status and Fut ure Refinement s Jacqueline Fawcett, Ph. D. , F. A. A. N. Abstract The central concepts and themes of t he discipline of nursing are identified and formalized as nursing’s metaparadigm. Examples illustrate the direction provided by the metaparadigm for theory development. Refinements of the metaparadigm through conceptual models and programs of nursing research are proposed. T he discipline of nursing will advance only through continuous and systematic development and testing of nursing knowledge.Several recent reviews of the status of nursing theory development indicate that nursing has n o established tradition of scholarship. Reviewers have pointed out that most work appears unfocused and uncoordinated, as each scholar moves quickly from one topic to another and as few scholars combine their efforts in circumscribed areas (Chinn, 1983; Feldman, 1980; Hardy, 1983; Roy, 1983; Walker, 1983). Broad areas for theory development ’ are, however, beginning to be recognized. Analysis of past and present writings of nurse scholars indicates that theoretic and empirical work has always centered on just a few global oncepts and has always dealt with certain general themes. This paper identifies these central concepts and themes and formalizes them as nursing’s metaparadigm. Examples are given to illustrate the direction provided by the metaparadigm for theory development. The paper continues with a discussion o f refinements of t he metaparadigm needed at the levels of jacqueline Fawcett, Ph. D. , F. A. A. N. , i s Associate Professor, and Section Chairperson, Science and Role Development, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Page 84 disciplinary matrices and exemplars nd concludes with proposals for future work needed to advance to the discipline of nursing. Present Status of the Metaparadigm of Nursing The metaparadigrn of any discipline i s a statement or group of statemen ts identifying its relevant phenomena. These statements spell out the phenomena of interest in a most global manner. No attempt i s made to be specific or concrete at the metaparadigm level. Eckberg & Hill (1979) explained that the metaparadigm â€Å"acts as an encapsulating unit, or framework, within which the more restricted . . . structures develop† (p. 927). You can read also Coronary Artery Disease Nursing Care PlanThe Central Concepts of NursingEvidence supporting the existence of a metaparadigm of nursing i s accumulating. A review of the literature on theory development in nursing reveals a consensus about the central concepts of the discipline-person, environment, health, and nursing (Fawcett, 1983; Flaskerud & Halloran, 1980). This consensus i s documented by the following statements: O ne may. . . demarcate nursing in terms of four subsets: 1 ) persons providing care, 2) persons with health problems receiving care, 3) the environment in which care i s given, and 4 ) an end-state, well-being. (Walker, 1971, p. 429) The major concepts identified (from an nalysis of the components, themes, topics, and threads of the conceptual frameworks of 50 baccalaureate nursing programs) were Man, Society, Health, and Nursing. (Yura &Torres, 1975, p. 22) The units person, environment, health, and nursing specify the phenomena of interest to nursi ng science. (Fawcett, 1978, p. 25) Nursing studies the wholeness or health of humans, recognizing that humans are in continuous interaction with their environments. (Donaldson & Crowley, 1978, p. 119) Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship Nursing’s focus i s persons, their environments, their health and nursing itself. Bush, 1979, p. 20) Nursing elements are nursing acts, the p atient, and health. (Stevens, 1979, p. l l ) The foci of nursing are the individual in relation to health, the environment, and the change process, whether it be maturation, adaptation, or coping. (Barnard, 1980, p. 208) Nursing i s defined as the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems. (American Nurses‘ Association, 1980, p. 9 ) The four conceptual areas of nursing are: the person receiving nursing; the environment within which the person exists; the health-illness continuum within which the erson falls at the time of the interaction with the nurse; and finally, nursing actions themselves. (Flaskerud, cited in Brink, 1980, p. 665) The domain of nursing has always included the nurse, the patient, the situation in which they find themselves, and the purpose of their being together, or the health of the patient. In more formalized terms, . . . the major components of the nursing [metalparadigm are nursing (as an action), client (human being), environment (of the client and of the nurse-client), and health. (Newman, 1983, p. 388) There i s general agreement that the central oncepts of the discipline of nursing are the nature of nursing, the individual who received nursing care, society-environment, and health. (Chinn, 1983, p. 396) These statements indicate that there i s considerable agreement among scholars as t o the concepts central to the discipline of nursing. In fact, a review of the literature revealed no contradictory statements. RecurringThemes The relationships between and among the concepts-person, environment, health, nursing-are elaborated in recurring themes found in works of nurse scholars since Nightingale (1859). These themes are listed in Table 1.Summer, 1984, Volumo XVI, blo. 3 Metaparadigm of Nursing TABLE 1 THEMES OF THE YETAPARAWW OF NURSING 1. The principles and laws that govern the life-process, well-being. and optimum function of human beings, sick or well. 2. The patterning of human behavior in interaction with the environment in normal life events and critical life situations. 3. The process by which positive changes in health status are elfected. (Donaldson& Crowley, 1978, p. 113; Gortner, 1980, p. 180) The four central concepts and three recurring themes identify the phenomena central to the discipline of nursing in an abstract, global manner. Read also Recording General Fund Operating Budget and Operating TransactionsThey represent the metaparadigm. As such, they have provided some direction for nursing theory development. As Newman (1983) explained: It i s within the context of these four major components and their interrelationships that theory development in nursing has proceeded. Theoretical differences relate to the emphasis placed on one or more of the components and to the way in which their relationships are viewed. (p. 388) The relationship between the concepts â€Å"person† and â€Å"health† i s considered in the first theme. Theories addressing this theme describe, explain, or predict individuals‘ behavior during eriods of wellness and illness. Newman’s (1979) theory of health i s one example. This theory includes the concepts of movement, time, space, and consciousness. Newman proposes that â€Å"the expansion of consciousness i s what life, and therefore health, i s a ll about† (p. 66). Another example i s Orem’s (1980) theory of self-care, which maintains that â€Å"self-care and care of dependent family members are learned behaviors that purposely regulate human structural integrity, functioning, and human development† (p. 28). S till another example i s Orern’s theory of self-care deficits.This theory maintains that individuals â€Å"are subject t o healthrelated or health-derived limitations that render them incapable of continuous selftare or dependent care or that result in ineffective or incomplete care† (p. 2 7). The relationships among the concepts †person,â€Å" †environment,† and â€Å"health† are considered in the second theme. Theories addressing this theme Summer, 1B84, Volume XVI, No. 3 describe, explain, or predict individuals’ behavioral patterns as they are influenced by environmental factors during periods of wellness and illness. Such theories place the individuals ithin th e context of their surrounding environment rather than considering them in isolation, as in the first theme. Roy and Roberts’ (1981) theory of the person as an adaptive system i s an example. This theory proposes that the person i s a system that adapts to a constantly changing environment. Adaptation i s accomplished through the action of coping mechanisms called the â€Å"regulator† and the â€Å"cognator. † The relationships among the â€Å"person,’’ â€Å"health,† and â€Å"nursing† are considered in the third theme. Environment may also be taken into account here. This heme i s addressed by theories about nursing practice. These theories describe or explain nursing processes or predict the effects of nursing actions. King‘s (1981) theory of goal attainment i s one example. King explains: that a paradigm, or disciplinary matrix, i s more restrictive than a metaparadigm, and that i t â€Å"represents the shared commitments of any disciplinary community, including symbolic generalizations, beliefs, values, and a host of other elements† (p. 926). The authors went on to say, A disciplinary matrix may be seen as the special subculture of a community. It does ot refer to the beliefs of an entire discipline (e. g. biology), but more correctly t o those beliefs of a specialized community (e. g. phage workers in biology). (p. 926) Identification of the metaparadigm i s an important step i n the evolution of a scholarly tradition for nursing. The n e x t step i s r efinement o f t h e metaparadigm concepts and themes, which occurs at the level of the paradigm or disciplinary matrix, rather than at that of the metaparadigm. The Disciplinary Matrix Eckberg and Hill (1979) explained Most disciplines have more than one disciplinary matrix.Each one represents a distinctive frame of reference within which the metaparadigm phenomena are viewed. Furthermore, each disciplinary matrix reflects a particular researc h tradition by identifying the phenomena that are within its domain of inquiry, the methods that are to be used to investigate these phenomena, how theories about these phenomena are to be tested, and how d ata are to be collected (Laudan, 1981, p. 151). More specifically, the research tradition of each disciplinary matrix includes six rules that encompass all phases of an investigation. The first rule identifies the precise nature f the problem to be studied, the purposes to be fulfilled by the investigation, or both. The second rule identifies the phenomena that are to be studied. The third rule identifies the research techniques that are to be employed and the research tools that are to be used. The fourth rule identifies the settings in which data are to be gathered and the subjects who are to provide the data. The fifth rule identifies the methods to be employed in reducing and analyzing the data. The sixth rule identifies the nature of contributions that the research will make to the advancement of knowledge. (Schlotfeldt, 1975, p. ) In nursing, disciplinary matrices are most clearly exemplified by such conceptual models as Johnson‘s (1980) Behavioral System Model, King’s (1981) Open Systems Model, Levine’s (1973) Conservation Model, Neuman’s (1982) Systems Model, Orem’s (1980) Self-care Model, Rogers’ (1980) Life Process Model, and Roy’s (1984) Adaptation Model. Each Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship Page 85 . . . nurse and client interactions are characterized by verbal and nonverbal communication, in which information i s exchanged and interpreted; by transactions, in which values, needs, and wants of each ember of the dyad are shared; by perceptions of nurse and client and the situation; by self in role of client and self in role of nurse; and by stressors influencing each person and the situation in time and space. – (p. 144) Orem’s ( 1 980) theory of nursing systems is another ex ample. This theory maintains that †nursing systems are formed when nurses use their abilities to prescribe, design, and provide nursing for legitimate patients (as individuals or groups) by performing discrete actions and systems of actions† (p. 29). Refinement of the Metaparadigm Metaparadigm of Nursing f these nursing models puts forth a distinctive frame of reference within which the metaparadigm phenomena are viewed. Each provides needed refinement of the metaparadigm by serving as a focus-†ruling some things in as relevent, and ruling others out due to their lesser importance† (Williams, 1979, p. 96). Conceptual models of nursing are beginning to make major contributions to the development of nursing theory. Theories derived directly from King’s model and from Orem’s model were identified earlier. A considerable amount of empirical work designed to test unique nursing theories as well as heories borrowed from other disciplines i s n ow bein g guided by nursing models. Some of the studies are listed in Table 2. TABLE 2 Examples of Research Derived From Conceptual Models of Nursing Oorothy Johnson’s BehavioralSystem Model -An instrument for theory and research development using the behavioral systems model for nursing: The cancer patient. Part I (Derdiarian, 1983). -An instrument for theory and research development using the behavioral systems model for nursing: The cancer patient. Part II (Derdiarian & Forsythe, 1983). -Achievement behavior in chronically ill children (Holaday, 1 974) Maternal response to their chronically ill infants’ attachment behavior of crying (Holaday, 1981) -Maternal conceptual set development: Identifyingpatterns of maternal response to chronically ill infant crying (Holaday, 1 982) -Development of a research tool: Patient indicators of nursing care (Majesky, Brester, & Nishio, 1 978) Myra Levine’s Conservation Model -Effects of lifting techniques on energy expenditure: A pr eliminary investigation (Geden, 1 982) – A comparision of two bearing-downtechniques during the second stage of labor (Yeates & Roberts, 1984) Betty Neuman’s Systems Model Effects of information on postsurgical coping (Ziemer. 1 983) Dorothea Orem’s Self-care Model -Application of Orem’s theoretical constructs to selfcare medication behaviors in the elderly (Harper, 1984) -Development of an instrument to measure exercise of self-care agency (Kearney & Fleischer, 1 979) Martha Roger’s Life Process Model -The relationship between identification and patterns of change in spouses’ body images during and after pregnancy (Fawcett, 1977) -Patients’ perceptions of time: Current research (Fitzpatrick, 1 980) -Reciprocy and helicy used t o relate mEGF and wound healing (Gill & Atwood, 1 981) Therapeutic touch as energy exchange: Testing the theory (Ouinn, 1 984) Callista Roy’s Adaptation Model -Needs of cesarean birth parents (Fawcett, 1 981) -An exploratory study of antenatal preparation for ce- Page 86 sarean birth (Fawcett & Burritt, in press) -Clinical tool development for adult chemotherapy patients: Process and content (Lewis, Firsich. & Parsell, 1 979) -Content analysis of interviews using a nursing model: A look at parents adapting to the impact of childhood cancer (Smith, Garvis, & Martinson, 1 983) Despite the contributions already made by nursing models to theory development, much more work i s needed.In particular, rules addressing methodology and instrumentation must be specified. Moreover, programs of research emanating from each model must be conducted to refute or validate nursing theories. Programmatic research probably i s carried out most expediently by communities of scientists. Hardy (1983) explained that each community of scientists i s . . . a g roup of persons w h o are aware of their uniqueness and the separate identity of their group. The have a special coherence which separates them from n eighboring groups, and this special bond means they have a shared set of values and a common commitment which operates as hey work together t o achieve a common goal. Coordination of their activities may include interaction among the coordination of institutions, organizations, groups, and individuals. Such coordinated groups hold a common perspective, common values and common bonds, a nd they have common sets of activities and functions which they carry out to achieve a common outcome. (p. 430) Each community of scientists, then, represents a distinctive subculture, or disciplinary matrix, of the parent discipline. It can be argued that communities of scientists may be formed outside the organizing framework of nursing models.However, it also can be argued that conceptual models of nursing, like the disciplinary matrices of other disciplines, are the most logical nuclei for communities of scientists. This argument i s supported by three facts. First, the curricula of most schools o f nursing now are based on conceptual models. Second, most graduate programs and many undergraduate programs offer courses dealing with the content and uses of nursing models. And third, clinical agencies are beginning to organize the delivery of nursing care according to the tenets of conceptual ‘models. image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship Collectively, these facts mean that cademicians, students, clinicians, and administrators are thinking about nursing theory, nursing research, and nursing practice within the context of explicit conceptual models. It i s probable, then, that eventually the development of a ll nursing theory will be directed by nursing models. It may even by possible to categorize seemingly isolated past and current work according to conceptual models. This should provide more organization for extant nursing knowledge and should identify gaps and needed areas of inquiry more readily than is possible now. Moreover, such an endeavor should identify membe rs of different ommunities of scientists to each other as w ell as t o the larger scientific community. Exemplars S till further refinement of the metaparadigm i s needed a t the most restrictive level-that of the exemplar. Eckberg and Hill (1979) identified the function of an exemplar as permitting â€Å"a way of seeing one’s subject matter on a concrete level, thereby allowing puzzle solving to take place† (p. 927). They went on to explain: For a discipline to b e a science it must engage i n puzzle-solving activity; but puzzle solving can only be carried out if a community shares concrete puzzle solutions, or exemplars.It i s t he exemplar that i s i mportant, not merely the disciplinary matrix, and certainly not merely the general presuppositions of t he community [i. e. , the metaparadigm]. The latter may be important, but they do n ot direct ongoing, dayto-day research. (p. 927) There i s some evidence of exemplars in nursing. This includes but is not limited to Fitzpatrick’s (1980) programmatic research on time perception; studies o effects of information f about a threatening procedure on a patient’s responses to the procedure (e. g. , Hartfied, Cason, & Cason, 1982; Johnson, Fuller, Endress, & Rice, 1978; Ziemer, 19831, and investigations of actors contributing to the outcomes of social support (Barnard, Brandt, Raff, & Carroll, 1984 in press). These researchers are beginning to solve some of the major puzzles of nursing. However, more work i s needed to identify other puzzles and to develop methods for their solutions. Summer, 1984, Volume XVI, No. 3 Metaparadigm of Nursing Conclusion It is time to formally accept the central concepts and themes of nursing as the metaparadigm of the discipline. It i s also time to direct efforts toward furf ther refinement o this metaparadigm by developing specific rules for the empirical work needed to generate nd test nursing theories within the context of conceptual ‘models. The m etaparadigm must be refined still further through the developing of new puzzle-solving activities that will provide answers to the most pressing problems encountered by nurse clinicians, educators, and ddministrators. Any one of these activities would in itself make a significant contribution to the discipline; a ll three could quite possibly be the major accomplishments of the decade. ‘As used here, theory development reft. r to generation a nd testing of theory. and encornpasiei †ivory tower† theorizing as well as empirical rewarch.References American Nurses’ As5ocialion. Nursing: A social policy statement. Kansas City, Missouri: ANA, 1980. Barnard, K. E. Knowledge for practice: Direction5 for the future. Nursing Research, 1980. 29, 208-21 2. Barnard, K . E. , Brandt, P. , Raff. 8.. & Carroll, P. (Ed,. ). Social support and families of vulnerable infants. New York: March of Dimes, 1984. Brink, P. 1. Editorial. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 1980, 2, 665-666. Buih, H . A. Models for nursing. Advances i n Nursing Science, 1979, l ( 2 ) . 13-21. Chinn, P. L. Nursing theory development: Where we have been and where we are going.In N. L. Chaska (Ed. ), The nursing profession: A time to speak. New York: McCraw-Hill, 1983. Donaldson, S. K. , & Crowley, D. M . The discipline of nursing. Nursing Outlook, 1978, 26, 113-120. Eckberg, D. L .. & Hill, L. , Jr. The paradigm concept and sociology: A critical review. American Sociological Review, 1979, 44,925-937. Fawcett, 1. The â€Å"what† of theory development. In Theory developmenk What, why, how? (pp. 17-33). New York: National League for Nursing, 1978. Fawcett, 1. (1983). Hallmarks of success in nursing theory development. In P. L. Chinn, (Ed. ), Advances i n nursing theory development (pp. -17). Rockville, Maryland: Aspen. Feldrnan, H. R. Nursing research in the 1980s: Issues and implications. Advances in N ursing Science, 1980, 3(1);85-92. Fitzpatrick, 1. J . Patients perception s of time: Current research. International Nursing Review, 1980, 27, 148-153, 160. Flaskerud. 1. H. , & Halloran, E. J. Areas of agreement in nursing theory development. Advances in Nursing Science, 1980, 3(1), 1-7. Hardy. M. Metaparadigrnsand theory development. In N. L. Chaska (Ed. ), The nursing profession: A t ime t o speak. New York: McCraw-Hill, 1983. Hartfield. M. k Cason, C. L. , & Cason, C. J . Effects of , information about a threatening procedure on patients‘ expectations and emotional distress. Nursing Research, 1 982,31,202-206. lohnson, D. E . The behavioral system model for nursing. In J . P. Riehl & C. Roy, (Eds. ), Conceptual models for nursing practice (2nd ed. ). New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1980. Johnson. 1 . E. , Fuller, S . 5.. Endress, M. P . , & Rice, V S. . Altering patients’ responses to surgery: An extension and replication. Research in Nursing and Health, 1978, 1 , 111-121. King. I. M. A theory for nursing: Systems, concepts, process. N ew York: Wiley, 1981. Neurnan, B .The Neuman systems model: Application t o nursing education and practice. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1982. Newrnan, M. A. Theory development in nursing. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis, 1979. Newrnan, M . A. The continuing revolution: A history of nursing science. I n N. L. Chaska (Ed. ), The nursing profession: A time t o speak. New York: McGrawHill, 1983. Nightingale, F. Notes on nursing: What it is, a nd what it i s not. London: Harrison, 1859. (Reprinted by L i p pincott, 1946) Orem, D. E. Nursing: Concepts of practice (2nd ed. ). New York: McCraw-Hill, 1980. Rogers, M. E . A n introduction to t he theoretical basisk f nursing. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis, 1970. Roy, C. I ntroduction to nursing: An adaptation model. (2nd Ed. ). Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: PrenticeHall, 1984. Roy, C. Theory development in nursing: Proposal for direction. In N. L. Chaska (Ed. ), The nursing profession: A time t o speak. New York: McCraw-Hill, 1983. Roy, C. , & R oberts, S . L . Theory construction i n nursing: An adaptation model. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1981. Schlotfeldt, R. M. The needs for a conceptual framework, In P . J. Verhonick (Ed. ), Nursing research I. Boston: Little, Brown. 1975. Stevens, 8. J. N ursing theory.Analysis, application, evaluation. Boston: Little, Brown, 1979. Walker, L. 0. Toward a clearer understanding of the concept of nursing theory. Nursing Research, 1971, 20, 428-435. Walker, L. 0. Theory and research in the development of nursing as a discipline: Retrospect and prospect. In N . L. Chaska (Ed. ), The nursing profession: A time to speak. New York: McCraw-Hill, 1983. Williams, C. A. The nature and development of conceptual frameworks. In F. S . Downs & I . W . Fleming, (Eds. ) Issues in nursing research. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1979. Ziemer, M. M. Providing patients with information rior t o surgery and the reported frequency of coping behaviors and development of symptoms foll ow ing surgery. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, 1982. A Response to D r. J . Fawcett’s Paper: â€Å"The Metaparadigm of Nursing: Present Status and Fut ure Refinement s† June N. Brodie, R. N. , Ph. D. D r. Fawcett’s formulation of a metaparadigm for nursing represents a commendable effort to consolidate competing nursing theories and encompasses enormous potential for the advancement of nursing knowledge, research, and practice meriting serious consideration by nursing une N . Brodie, R. N. , Ph. D . i s Associate Professor of Nursing Education, Teachers College, Columbia University. Summer, 1984, Volume XVI, No. 3 scholars. This response focuses on how she accomplished this task (what she did and how she did it as well as what she didn’t do and what needs to be done). Essentially Dr. Fawcett’s metaparadigm can be viewed as an evolution of a nursing metaparadigm and an organization of the growth of nursing knowledge rath er than as a completed and finalized product. To be more explicit, the basis of the paper exhibits the spirit of Darwinian Evolution and ould be treated as a manifestation of Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship a transitional phase i n the competition for the survival of the fittest (theory). The metaparadigm represents a serious and scholarly attempt to negotiate entry into a different level of the theoretical arena of nursing knowledge. This task was accomplished by examining the concepts derived from the phenomena of the discipline and converging these concepts into a context pertinent to the domain of nursing by providing a structure (a metaparadigm) that has the potential of consolidating disparate nursing theories into Page 87

Gravametric Quant Lab Report

Quantitative Analysis Gravimetric Determination of Iron as Fe2O3 Laboratory Experiment 2 February 19, 2013 Abstract: In the Gravimetric determination is the measurement of mass in two different forms precipitation and volatilization. In our experiment we will be using the precipitation form which isolates an ion in a solution by a precipitation reaction, filtering, purifying by wash method, conversion to product of known composition, and final weigh of the product comparing the mass difference of theorictal and actual. This method identified the weight percent of iron in an unknown sample.Three samples are taken to limit percent error. In the results of the three samples 1 had a percent of 10. 764 Fe (III), sample 2 had a percent of 11. 725 Fe (III), and sample 3 with a percent of 12. 216 Fe (III). The average sample percent was 11. 568 compared to given amount percent of 12. 90. In theory with a loss of 1. 332 this experiment was overall successful. Introduction: In this lab the pur pose was to use the gravimetric determination procedure to identify the weight percent of iron in an unknown sample. Three samples were collected and analyzed.Iron can be analyzed by precipitating the hydrated iron oxide from a basic solution. After the basic solution is hydrated the process is then followed by complete dehydration to give solid iron oxide. Methods and Materials: Needed in the experiment was; * Crucibles, Metal rings, Wire triangles, Burners, Funnels, Filter Paper, Beakers, Glass rod, Diluted ammonium hydroxide solution, Nitric acid solution, Silver nitrate solution, NH4NO3 solution, Distilled water. Below are some methods used in experiment. fig. 1 fig. 2 Experimental Procedure: This experiment was a multiple session lab.Obtain three crucibles and desiccator. Bring the three porcelain crucibles and caps to constant mass by heating to redness for 15 minutes over a burner, use fig. 1 for method reference. Place the heated crucibles in the desiccator to cool for appro ximately 30 minutes and weigh. This was left overnight and completed the second trial in the next session with successive weighing agreed within 0. 30mg. (Keep constant numbering with crucibles throughout experiment) We measured out 1. 5g of three samples of the unknown that was given to us. Each sample was dissolved in 10 mL of 3M HCl (with heating necessary). mL of 6 M HNO3 was obtained to filtrate, and boil for a few minutes to ensure that all iron is oxidized to Fe (III). The samples was diluted to 200mL with distilled water and add 3 M ammonia with constant stirring until the solution was basic (as determined with pH indicator paper). After solution becomes basic, digest the precipitate by boiling for 5 minutes and allow the precipitate to settle. We then decanted the supernatant liquid through coarse, ash less filter paper (Whatman 41 or Schleicher and Schuell Black Ribbon, as in fig. 2 -18 and 2 -19 in textbook. ). Keep liquid lower than 1 cm from the top of the funnel.Our pr ecipitate was first washed repeatedly with hot ammonium hydroxide solution, by miscommunication. Then washed with the corrected heated ammonium nitrate and left it to drain overnight until next session. We continued to wash supernatant until little or no Cl- is detected in filtered supernatant. Detect the Cl- by acidifying a few milliliters of filtrate with 1 mL of dilute HNO3 and adding a few drops of 0. 1 M AgNO3. If precipitate is observed, Cl- is present. After identifying that there was not any Cl- present we allowed the filter to drain overnight covered with ventilation.Carefully, the paper was lifted out of the funnel, folded (fig. 2), and transferred all dried substance to crucible and any substance that is not completely dry place into beaker and into the heater for half an hour. Those placed in beaker was then placed into the crucibles that were brought to constant mass. With the paper and substance in the crucible it was placed over a small flame with the lid off to start to char the filter paper. The flame temperature was then increased keeping the lid handy to smother the crucible of the paper flames.After the paper seems visibly charred ignite the product for full 15 minutes with full heat of the burner directed at the base of the crucible where oxidized iron is located. When the crucibles have briefly cooled in the air, we then placed them in the desiccator for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes of cooling in the desiccator weigh the crucible and the lid, reignite, and bring to constant mass with the repeated heating within a mass of 0. 3 mg. We are now complete with the experiment. Calculate the weight percent of iron in each sample, the average, the standard deviation, and the relative standard deviation for your data.Results: Crucible 1: 0. 231 g Fe2O3 ? 1 mol Fe2O3159. 487g ? 2 mol FeOOH1 mol Fe2O3? 55. 845 g1 mol = 0. 162g Fe0. 162 g1. 505 g? 100=10. 764% Crucible 2: 0. 252 g Fe2O3 ? 1 mol Fe2O3159. 487g ? 2 mol FeOOH1 mol Fe2O3? 55. 845 g1 m ol = 0. 176g Fe0. 176 g1. 501 g? 100=11. 725% Crucible 3: 0. 268 g Fe2O3 ? 1 mol Fe2O3159. 487g ? 2 mol FeOOH1 mol Fe2O3? 55. 845 g1 mol = 0. 183g Fe0. 183 g1. 502 g? 100=12. 216% *Refer to appendix for sample mass table and calculation equations | Crucible 1| Crucible 2| Crucible 3| Weight percent| 10. 764 %| 11. 725 %| 12. 216%|Average| 0. 250 g| Standard Deviation| 0. 019| Relative Deviation| 0. 015| Discussion: Since the obtained and expected results are not 100 percent match we can conclude that during the experiment we encountered a loss of product, with an average percent of 11. 57 and an obtained of 12. 90 percent. In the experiment the precipitate was washed repeatedly with given solution to filter out any Cl- at this time we notice that some of the precipitate had gone through the filter through the sides from solution being held to high causing an overflow on the sides of the filter.This was notice by the orange tint in the beaker of the filtered solution. In the experime nt scales were also changed due to overuse. That could cause some flux in the measurement changes by small degree. Another error or issue during the experiment a lids on our crucible broke having to replace it caused a changed in our final weigh being that in the beginning we weighed our crucibles with the lid. Remaining constant in the lab is a must this does cut back on experimental error such as using the same analytical balances and labeling all equipment and crucibles.In the Gravimetric determination is the measurement of mass in two different forms precipitation and volatilization. Some of the underlying principles and theories of gravimetric analysis are law of mass action, reversible reactions, and principle of solubility product and common ion effect. Conclusion: The gravimetric determination procedure determined that we had an average of 11. 568% of Fe in our unknown solution, given the amount of 12. 90% of Fe. We experienced a loss of approximately 1. 332 %. This loss cou ld be included in instrumental and human errors.References: Lewis, D. 2013. Quantitative Analysis Lab Journal. Gravimetric Determination of Iron as Fe2O3. Vol. 1: Pages 4 – 5. Franklin, J. 2013. Quantitative Analysis Lab Journal. Gravimetric Determination of Iron as Fe2O3. Vol. 1: Pages 7 – 11. Bb Learn. 2013. Quantitative Chemical Analysis. Gravimetric Determination of Iron Lab Handout. Harris, Daniel C. 8th edition. Quantitative Chemical Analysis Textbook. Appendix: Calculation equations: Mean : Mean = Sum of X values / N(Number of values) Standard Deviation: Relative Deviation: 100 ? sxCrucibles| Mass of the Beaker (empty) (g)| Mass of the Beaker & Unknown (g)| Mass of the Unknown Sample (g)| 1| 144. 181 g| 146. 686 g| 1. 505 g| 2| 159. 328 g| 160. 829 g| 1. 501 g| 3| 167. 480 g| 168. 982 g| 1. 502 g| * Above are the measurements of the unknown samples obtained Crucibles| Mass of Crucible (g)| Mass Crucible & final product (g)| Mass of final product (g)| 1| 31. 752 g| 31. 982 g| 0. 231 g| 2| 33. 820 g| 34. 072 g| 0. 252 g| 3| 40. 802 g| 40534 g| 0. 268 g| * Above are the measurements of Iron found in unknown sample

Statistical Methods Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Statistical Methods Assignment - Research Paper Example Since this is a weight reduction study, we did a one-directional t test. Results showed that the diet resulted in a significant decrease in weight, both for a 90% and 95% confidence level. In both cases, it is reasonable to say that two-thirds of the general population agrees with the principle of University top-up fees. The hypothesized p is included in both intervals. We, therefore, do not reject the null hypothesis. .. : 0.05 p = 2*0.0096 = 1 - 0.9808 = 0.0192 The test shows that there is a significant statistical difference between the sample mean and the hypothesized mean, on a 95% confidence level. We, therefore, reject the null hypothesis. Question 6 sample size 121 degree of freedom 120 sample mean 47.50 critical t 1.658 sample standard deviation 7.50 90% confidence interval (46.37, 48.63) Assuming that the population standard deviation is equal to the sample standard deviation, the confidence interval becomes: (46.38, 48.62) The two intervals do not seem to have a significant difference between them. This is a result of having a large sample size. As the sample size increases, the difference between the two intervals is also expected to significantly increase, resulting to large errors. Question 7 t ratio 3.364 alpha () critical t 0.05 2.306 reject H0 0.10 1.860 reject H0 In this test, we assume that the sample standard deviation approximates that of the population without any significant statistical difference. Since this is a weight reduction study, we did a one-directional t test. Results showed that the diet resulted in a significant decrease in weight, both for a 90% and 95% confidence level. Question 8 T 680 N 1050 T/n 0.648 p 0.667 standard deviation 0.228 Test Statistic 1.29 (1.29) 0.9015 p value 0.1970 95% confidence interval (0.619, 0.677) 90% confidence interval (0.623, 0.672) In both cases, it is reasonable to say that two-thirds of the general population agrees with the principle of University top-up fees. The hypothesized p is included in both intervals. We, therefore, do not reject the null hypothesis. Question 9 To estimate a population proportion p with a 95% confidence

Withdrawal reflex and habituation in the garden snail Essay

Withdrawal reflex and habituation in the garden snail - Essay Example There is many types of learning, the most basic form of which is non-associative learning. Surprisingly noticed even in primitive life forms, such as the protozoan Stentor coeruleus, it represents a type of learning where the organism becomes aware that some events are unrelated and irrelevant. The most common example of such learning is habituation. According to Thompson and Spencer, it is defined simply as "the gradual waning of an evoked behavioral response with repeated stimulation."3. In essence if an animal first responds to a stimulus that is neither rewarding nor harmful the animal reduces subsequent responses. There are two basic characteristics that separate habituation from the other types of learning. One is that it does not require conscious motivation or awareness to occur, and that it is stimulus specific and that does not cause a cause a general decline in responsiveness.The garden snail (Helix aspersa) is no exception when the process of habituation is concerned. Hab ituation in the Helix aspersa is well documented and easily observable, particularly in the withdrawal reflex of both the entire body of the garden snail, as well as the eye stalk. When the body or the eye stalk of the garden snail is stimulated, the Helix aspresa instinctively withdraws the entire body towards its shell or the eye stalk towards the body, respectively. This very simple and instinctive action, with the purpose of maintaining the structural integrity of the body of the garden snail, represents the withdrawal reflex in the Helix aspresa. ... When the garden snail is presented with a novel stimulus, the sensory neurons generate large excitatory postsynaptic potentials in the interneurons and motor cells. These potentials cause the motor cells to discharge strongly, leading to the rapid withdrawal of the body or eye stalk. As the stimulus is repeatedly presented, the synaptic potentials produced by the sensory neurons in the interneurons and in the motor cells become progressively smaller. In time, fewer action potentials are generated in the motor cells, and the behavior is reduced. Finally, the postsynaptic potentials become very small and fail to produce action potentials in the motor neurons, and therefore no behavior is produced. The reduction in the effectiveness of the synaptic connections between the sensory and motor neurons is what maintains the state of habituation that the garden snail has acquired. - Background Although the effects of the withdrawal reflex and the subsequent habituation are easily observable, the underlying principles have been scrutinized by the scientific eye. There are many scientific papers that deal with this issue. One of them, written by Steven Prescott and Ronald Chase explains the sites of plasticity in the neural circuit mediating tentacle withdrawal in the garden snail. With their research, they have managed to show that the different parts of the nervous system in the snail mediate different reactions when the withdrawal reflex is concerned. In an another paper, the same others try to explore the matter even further, with analyzing the neural circuit mediating tentacle withdrawal in garden snail, with specific reference to the competence of the

Accounting information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Accounting information system - Essay Example The client makes an order for a particular product to the purchasing department where the clerk will process the order and forward it to the inventory personnel. The inventory personnel will confirm availability of the products and service. Upon confirmation, the clerk sends a confirmation to the customer and begins the billing process. The billing process is done by the clerk who then sends an invoice to the client for the products in the purchase order. Once the client receives the invoice, then they can make the necessary payments to the accounts clerk before collecting the products purchased. Payments can be made by cheque or by cash to the accounts department of the company. The revenue cycle comprise four major processes that yield different files and documents that are used both in the revenue cycle and in other cycles in the company. These processes and the subsequent files and documents include: i) Order processing: this process is initiated by the customer who makes an order for particular products from the company. He issues a purchase order to the clerk in the purchasing department. The clerk stores the purchase order in a file named Purchase_orders. This file contains all orders made by different customers for different clients. The clerk also creates a file for the customers where the details for all the customers are stored. ii) Billing: Once the clerk files the purchase order, he confirms availability of products from the inventory file maintained by the inventory clerk and issues a confirmation to the client. At this point the customer is given an invoice of products in the purchase order. A copy of the invoice is stored in the invoices file. This file has all the invoices stored in the company. iii) Payment: Once the customer is issued with the invoice by the purchasing department clerk, he then can make payments for the ordered products to the accounts clerk. Payment is made by cash or by bankers cheque. The customer is then issued with a

Power and Persuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Power and Persuation - Essay Example The employees can improve their living standards since their income is increased. Reward power increases the competitive nature of the organization and hence is a tool towards fighting competition. Reward power increases the chances of expansion in an organization and hence can lay the foundation to internationalization. Reward power also has negative effects to both the employer and the employees. Some employees use reward power to take advantage of the productivity of employees. The rewards sometimes given do not match the required output. The employees may also reduce the quality of work since they mind about the amount of output rather than the quality. This may destroy the image of an organization and in uttermost cases may lead to collapse of the business Raven, 1964). Coercion is related to reward power in that it leads to increased output. However, in coercion the employer instills fear in the employees such that their productivity is due to the fear they have for the management. Instilling fear in employees has both negative and positive effects. It benefits the parties involved in different ways. The employer benefits since the work output is increased and hence they can operate more profitably. The fact that the employees are made to fear their employer creates forced respect between them. Respect between the employer and the employees ensure that duties are carried put as per the set rules and targets. Coercion reduces the chances of many common mistakes done because of arrogance and hence an organization reduces the risk of losses. However, coercion can also lead to exploitation of the employees. An employee is impelled to work beyond the required standard in terms of time and productivity. The employees cannot complain about their rights since they fear being fired. This leads to poor working conditions, which may even lead to sickness in industries involving

Assignment1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Assignment1 - Essay Example The political opinion of different aeronautical projects is presented in depth under this section. The website has fact sheets, which reveal the company’s mission, facilities, resources, and projects. The fact sheets belong to different centers of the NASA Company (Sorby and Bulleit 56). The content of each fact sheet depends on its relevance to the specific centers in which it is placed. For example, there are documents depicting different aeronautics fact sheets and Dryden Flight Research Center. Each of the 11 centers has fact sheets, which describe its activities and projects. Moreover, the website has press kits, which contain different sets of packaged promotional materials used by the company. Administrators’ speeches are also featured in this section. Finally, the website features its budgetary plans and the reports of its achievements. Evidently, the writing style of the documents depends on the target audience as well as the subject. Documents that focus on activities and projects are written in accordance with scholarly regulations that define writing in engineering. On the other hand, documents that target the public are written in plain language to enhance understanding. Illustrations are used in some of the documents in an effort to enhance the content covered (76). Notably, the purpose of adopting a technical communication style in the documents available in the NASA website is to ensure that scientific concepts are conveyed to the public effectively. Specialists in engineering may also benefit from the technical communication from the company. Since I have learned several tips on technical communication, I can make efforts of writing documents that meet the exhibited standard. However, there is a need for further training and experiential learning before I can gain the expertise required to write such

Alternative Approaches to Executive Compensation Essay

Alternative Approaches to Executive Compensation - Essay Example †¢ ïÆ'Ëœ Limitations of Optimal Contracting ïÆ'Ëœ Agency problem experienced by managers ïÆ'Ëœ CEO can influence the nomination process for the board directors ïÆ'Ëœ The directors may never challenge the CEO’s pay, as they may want to please the CEO. ïÆ'Ëœ Market forces are not strong enough to assure optimal contracting outcomes ïÆ'Ëœ Failure of maximizing the shareholder value ïÆ'Ëœ Directors’ interest in the firm is nominal and therefore may not be serious with the company management. ïÆ'Ëœ Some agreements of the directors may be affected by market forces especially those affecting capital. †¢ Managerial power approach ïÆ'Ëœ The Managerial power approach gives managers an opportunity to camouflage especially when extracting rent, ïÆ'Ëœ The approach may lead to the use of structures unfavorable to the firm performance and managerial incentives. ïÆ'Ëœ The compensation arrangement design depends on the perception of the outsiders ïÆ'Ëœ The manager ial power approach may influence the relationship between power and pay without considering performance ïÆ'Ëœ The CEO’s compensation may be influenced by transparency and salience disclosure. †¢ Power and Camouflage at Work Practices explained by power camouflage include ïÆ'Ëœ Power Pay Relationship ï‚ § Pay is higher in if managers have higher power ï‚ § The board is ineffective ï‚ § There is a small outside shareholder ï‚ § Fewer institutional shareholders ï‚ § Managers are protected by antitakeover arrangements ï‚ § Managers with antitakeover policy compensate themselves more ïÆ'Ëœ Compensation consultants ï‚ § Employed to provide advice on executive compensation ï‚ § May increase their incentive to please the CEO ï‚ § Used to justify executive pay instead of optimizing it ï‚ § Provides compensation data, which favors the CEO ïÆ'Ëœ Stealth Compensation ï‚ § This is where a firm may use camouflaging practices to enable them to pay the executives large sums of money. ï‚ § Payments include deferred compensation ï‚ § Loan forgiveness and consultation contracts ï‚ § Use of executive loans with favorable interest rates

Exchange Rates Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Exchange Rates - Coursework Example In addition to that, it enhanced the income tax rates, cost of capital, sales growth rate which in return maximized profits. Minimization of transaction costs leverages exchange rates with a target of maximizing profits (Ostrow, 2011). Transaction cost helps in determination of goods and services for leveraging economic exchange rates through the implementation of the minimum prices in the market. Transaction cost consists of the bargaining cost that is regarded as an acceptable agreement for increasing profits. Apart from having economic performance and political stability for seeking out the exchange rate, transaction cost also enhanced investment funds for increasing profits in the U.S. The monetary policy of the U.S. characterizes the economic environment and is aimed at improving the exchange rates between the U.S. and other countries (Mark, 2002). Banks in the U.S and other nations buy the domestic currency so as to make the exchange rates stable. This therefore means that the supply of money is controlled by the economic environment and targets a rate of interest for enhancing economic growth between the U.S and other nations. Mark (2002) claims that the exchange rate is negatively affected by this economic environment. The value of exchange rates between the U.S and other nations was reduced due to irregular flow of currencies and fluctuations in the exchange

The War on Drugs Essay Example for Free

The War on Drugs Essay Despite large amounts of government funding and agencies working together the war on drugs is the most counterproductive measure the United States has launched because its main focus was to stop drug trafficking and criminal activity, but it has done nothing but increase incarceration and large amounts of spending by the U. S. One of the first bills introduced to the United States was the National Prohibition Act in 1920 and also the 18th Amendment. This bill prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol on a national stage for every day consumption. The only way to get a hold of alcohol at the time was to obtain a prescription from the doctor for medical purposes. This was just another way the government can tax and control the use of alcohol consumption at the time. In 1933 the prohibition act was repealed. Because of the increase of other drug substance abuse outside the abuse of alcohol with the approval of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Department of the Treasury the Federal Bureau of Narcotics was introduced and the adoption of the Uniform State Narcotics Drug Act was established and created. First the war on drugs has been a long and expensive campaign the United States has invested in, to include resources, and manpower. President Johnson was the first president to focus illegal drug use. He be believed half of the crime committed in the U. S. was in drug relation and grow by 90 percent over the next decade. The Johnson Administration was the true beginning on the War of Drugs. President Johnson created the Reorganization Plan of 1968 which merged the Bureau of Narcotics and the Bureau of Drug Abuse to form the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs within the Department of Justice. The belief during this time about drug use was summarized by journalist Max Lerner in his celebrated work America as a Civilization: As a case in point we may take the known fact of the prevalence of reefer and dope addiction in Negro areas. This is essentially explained in terms of poverty, slum living, and broken families, yet it would be easy to show the lack of drug addiction among other ethnic groups where the same conditions apply. (Inciardi The War on Drugs IV, 248) The use of term War on Drug was first used by President Richard Nixon in 1971. President Nixon was also wanting to continue the anti- war precedent set by Johnson. The start of the U. S. to counteract the war, was to implement the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. When President Nixon and Admistration declared the end the war on drugs it was manly stated for laws and acts that was made from earlier prohibitation act and laws not for the new era of drugs to sweep the United States . The actual term war on drugs was coined when in 1971 Congress of the United States released a report that there was a growing trend among the United States serve members from Vietnam that were addicted to heroin and other control substances. The Bureau of Narcotics was replace with the Drug Enforcement Administration in 1973. As early as 1982, with the intense epic of drug use sweeping the nation the United States increased aid and more involvement, tasking the help of the CIA and military indirection efforts national and international levels. Nixons drug force agencies practice illegal acts to make arrest to meet demands of the public, this put a widely held of the arrested made was of African-American personal. The following two presidents Ford and Carter, kept the tradition of continuing to respond with programs of their predecessors. In 1982, Ronald Regan became President with a radical bias within the War on Drugs received a new revitalization. In a speech delivered soon after taking office, Reagan announced, â€Å"We’re taking down the surrender flag that has flown over so many drug efforts; we’re running up a battle flag. Within his first five years of being president he strengthened drug enforcement. He created mandatory sentencing, forfeiture of cash and real estate. In 1986 Reagan was able to pass the Anti-Drug Abuse Act through Congress. This legislation cost the tax payers a additional $1. 7 million to fund, established 29 mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses. Reagans former Vice-President George H. W. Bush was the next in the oval office. He shared the same political views and background as past presidents. Intensifying narcotics regulation when the First National Drug Control Strategy was issued by the Office of National Drug Control in 1989 and doing nothing to reduce sentencing disparities and racial bias carrying over from the Reagan administration. The following three presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama continued with the trend and maintaining the promise to overcome the epidemic of drugs that will not be tolerated and over come during taking office. There are over one million people every year in the United States incarcerated due to drug law violations. With the increase of the youth involvement of drug violation, this has had a everlasting effect of them to include permanent removal of education opportunities, the ability to vote, obtaining employment become far more difficult because of violations of their youth. Studies show that the War on Drugs has made a permanent underclass of people who have few educational or job opportunities, often as a result of being punished for drug offenses which in turn have resulted from attempts to earn a living in spite of having no education or job opportunities. The drug was is said to have wasted billions of wasted tax dollars and misallocated spending. The government has spent more money on the drug war then it was spent of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. Due to the over whelming account of people being incarnated it has put a financial drain and a puts a stain on the legal and law enforcement resources. Due to prohibition in the United States, criminal organization have found other means of transportation, growing and distribution causing a lost of many lives. Drug cartels are the only organizations that gain profit from prohibition which is regenerated for smuggling, violence and corruption in government networks. The next generation on fighting the war of drugs is coming. The question is to ask are selves to spend are tax payer money on prevention or treatment. The US funded a research study that showed that all of the Governments effects to stop drug trafficking coming into the United States all little to no effect. From the RAND Corporation the study, Sealing the Borders: The Effects of Increased Military Participation in Drug Interdiction, was prepared by seven researchers, mathematicians and economists at the National Defense Research Institute, a branch of the RAND, and was released in 1988. (R. Reuter 1988) There have been similar conclusions conducted by seven on organizations. The RAND corporation has also included that budget money for drug enforcement should be spent on treatment other then prevention. In 2008 a declaration was announced to balance a drug policy to the prevention, research, education and treatment. Many people are in favor of treatment and prevention instead of punishment sue to the high amounts of financing for law enforcement and court cost of the tax payers. In conclusion, the measure the United States have implemented to combat drugs, smuggling and drug abuse have been at best unsuccessful, and at worst counterproducvtive. If the United States truly desires to curb drug abuse, new forward thinking methods such treatment and rehabilitation would have to be implemented.

Role of Media in Society

Role of Media in Society Media is considered to be the 4th pillar of the society while the other three being legislative, executive and judiciary. It plays an important role in the welfare of the society, working as an informer, an educator, a form of entertainment and an opinion influencer. In Malaysia, media and politics are co-dependent because through this, democracy is formed. Mustafa (1999) stated that in this broad context of democracy, the mass media plays an important role by supplying media users with a platform to obtain information, exchange views and at the same time give feedback to the government; however this is overshadowed by the states official view that the media should be functioning as an essential tool to promote national development, national harmony and national security. The Mainstream Media and Politics The Malaysian mainstream press can be categorised as having gone through a major period of change since the early 1980s in terms of ownership and well as flourished amendments and policies that serves as a form of gate-keeping and control over the media. All forms of media introduced, newspaper, radio and television, directly went under the control of the government or companies that were aligned with the government. In Malaysia, obtaining information is often a tedious affair and can be frustrating applied not just for journalists but for the public because there are no Freedom of Information (FOI) laws. One of the events that aided towards a tight control over the mainstream media was during the 1969 elections, Barisan National while retaining a majority, lost many seats to extremist Chinese and Malay parties Yesudhasan Wong (2010) stated that Malaysia experienced one of the worst incident of ethnic violence in its history that came to be known as the May 13 incident. As part of the governments plan to sustain social order then, the government suspended the publications for all newspapers for two days starting from 16 May 1969, subsequently introduced a censorship law and banned the circulation of certain foreign magazines and newspapers that contained reports of the violence in Kuala Lumpur (Mustafa, 1999) Due to the incident, the government declared to have the rights to censor items that were deemed dangerous to national security. The Malaysian government appears to be misusing arguments of religious sensitive and cultural issues to manipulate the political system by limiting political freedom of the opposition and civil society which makes Malaysia a less democratic state (Azizuddin, 2008) Then, a new established body, the National Operations Council (NOC) was formed to resuscitate parliamentary democracy, rebuild public confidence and engender ethic harmony and a form contributing towards forming ethic harmony; an amendment was form whereby it prohibited any act, speech or publication that has a tendency to bring feelings of ill-will and enmity between the various ethnic groups (Zaharom, 1999) Thus the strong hold over the mainstream media begins. Many government leaders in the developing world justify their control over the media in terms of jealousy guarding and guiding its members towards the supposedly noble path of national development and to ensure that the media does not fall into the wrong hands or in other words, state control over the mainstream media has clearly been justified in the name of national development and national security (Mustafa, 2004) During elections, the media plays an important role in publicizing as well as plays a part in advertising politicians as well as their campaign. The mainstream media is fully controlled by Barisan Nationals needs to not only publicise but as Mustafa (2005) stated, flaunt to the whole country BNs achievements, particularly in the area of socioeconomic development. A wide coverage would done on the pro-government and minimal reporting would be done on the opposition. Media ownership generally plays in role in why Barisan national is constantly being flaunt and portrayed as the political party to vote for. After Malaysia gained independence in 1957, the mainstream print media was owned by private sector companies. Then the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) made a successful bid for the Utusan Melayu a few years afterwards. Over the years, the major English newspaper, The New Straits Times was also taken over by UMNO of the ruling National Front, while The Star was bought over by the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and mainstream television channels like TV1, TV2 and TV3 were born, controlled by the government. According to an analysis on the coverage of Malaysias 2004 general elections by four mainstream newspapers (The Star, the New Straits Times (NST), Berita Harian and Utusan Melayu), the total number of news items that were positive towards BN among all four major newspapers were roughly 40% and above. The other part of the percentage went straight to new items that were negative towards the opposition. Only a slight number of news (4% and below) were negative new items towards BN. Mustafa (2005) also highlighted sample of headlines used by these newspapers that gave an idea of slant news reporting; Malaysians prefer Pak Lahs vision of Islam (NST, March 15 2004), Perlis merana jika pilih pembangang (Perlis suffers if opposition is voted) (Utusan Melayu, March 16 2004 ) This shows a high level of bias coverage within the highly influential mainstream newspapers during the 2004 general elections. Alternative Media and Politics With an obvious slant reporting and biasness from the mainstream media, cyber news is slowly taking over, becoming a more focused, better written, more informative and alternative to the mainstream newspapers and media. Like in the case of Marina Mahathir with The Column that wasnt; this piece was spiked by the Star because it touched in issues that were sensitive but since The Malaysian Multimedia and Communication Acts of 1998 promises that No censorship would be applied on Internet content, Marina published her column online together with ranting on why her column was spiked. What would stop the public now from reading that column online and have the same reaction if it was published in the mainstream newspaper? A study conducted by Zentrum Future Studies Malaysia in 2008 involving 1, 500 respondents between the age of 21 and 40 showed that the alternative media holds a big influence on young Malaysians. In the study, 64.5% of those ages from 21 to 30 years old trusted blogs and online media for reliable information. Those between 31 and 40 years old, 61.7% believed that information in blogs and online media are true. (Study Shows Why BN Lost the War, 2008) Yesudhasan Wong (2010) said that the young readership in Malaysia believes that the mainstream media are under the control of the government, always working continuously to ensure that the news are pro-government and has no or limited reports on sensitive issues. Various alternative news portals such as Malaysia Today, Malaysian Insider, Harakah Daily and MalaysiaKini provide media users with the alternative source to obtain political news or for those who have generally lost faith with the mainstream media. The parliamentary elections in 2008 brought the alternative media to a different level when weblogs, text messages and copies of Internet-streamed videos became the most influential information sources for voters ahead that resulted in a surprise blow to the Barisan National (BN) party, which has ruled the country for more than 50 years. After BNs worst election showing, in which it lost its two-thirds majority in the parliament, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi acknowledged March 25 that his coalition certainly lost the Internet war, and added that it was a serious misjudgement for his party to rely solely on government-controlled newspapers and television in its efforts to attract voters, (Kaufman, 2008). The alternative media gave media users a chance to hear what opposition parties have to say as it is not controlled by the government. Due to this, the government realize that the new media or alternative media is an important impartation in the political scene. Now, politicians are looking into the internet to gain communicate and display information to the mass society of internet users. Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is in the blogspere at www.anwaribrahim.com, with regular updates on PKR as well as him opinions on what Malaysian the government should be doing. SMS is also another form of alternative media, in fact; it is a rather powerful form of communication tool if used wisely. Generally, there has been a passive use of SMS for politicians to pass on messages as well as information to voters from a national voter database, as well a more interactive use of it for politicians to communicate with party representatives, voters or the media (Kaur and Halimahton, 2004) A research done by Kaur and Halimahton (2004) analysed contents of several election-related SMS for the 2004 general election sent from the nomination date until a few days after the election ended that were being sent among 238 respondents. This number was the final sample for the pilot study. According to research, 51 general election-related messages sent by friends, colleagues, family members, political party members and NGOs were collected between nomination day, 13 March 2004, and polling day, 21 March 2004. Only one message could categorized as informative, provided by communication provider MAXIS, informing voters that they should check their voting status and voting location through SMS. Only a few proved to be informative and useful in helping voters with information on the general election. 19 out of 50 were shown to be ridiculing or condemning messages towards Barisan National. 60.5% of the respondents found the election-related messages to be useful and informative. 27% found the messages to be funny where as about 6% found the messages to be a nuisance. Thought most found the SMS to be useful and informative, only 31.9% were influenced to support a party of individual base on what they received. Data collected showed that the public primarily uses SMS to for jokes or to criticize certain candidates or political parties, no serious discussion was found among the sample of SMS messages to persuade voters to vote in a certain way. Another form of alternative media, Al-Jazera English (AJE) believes in their mission to provide voice to the voiceless. In a survey done by AJE on how AJE is perceived by participants, the respondents of the survey gave a ranking of more positive than negative, showing the respondents had a favourable perception of AJE with regard to how it performed the conciliatory media functions (Mohammed and Power, 2010) Among the points that participants agreed on was that AJE provided a public place for politically underrepresented groups, AJE provides multiple view points on a diversity of controversial issues and that AJE represents the interests of the international public in general rather than a specific group of people. During the protest that broke out in November 10, 2007 organized by BERSIH with the aim of reforming the electoral process, up to an estimated of 40,000 protestors came with force to draw attention from the government. What began as a peaceful protest, the Malaysian police tried to vanquish protestors with tear gas and fire hoses. The image of such going ons were shocking and while, the mainstream broadcast and print failed to cover the protests but obtain minimal coverage, AJE covered the whole thing live and in detail (Mohammed and Power, 2010) The coverage done by AJE was then placed online, on YouTube, receiving more than 250,000 viewers within the first week of the protest resulting in a largely stated influenced media resulted in the Malaysian mainstream medias largest credibility crisis to date (Mohammed and Power, 2010) Media, Politics and the Public Sphere The role of the media is to act as a safety valve to release any pent-up emotions on any issue or combination of issues facing our country; with the heavy ownership by government, the credibility and reliability of our mainstream media might die out one day. The media also acts as a public sphere that is critically important for modern societies as it serves as a forum whereby the public can communicate collectively on relevant issues as well as allowing citizens to inform or update themselves on societal developments to observe and control political, economic and other elites (Gerhards and Schafer, 2010) However, due to the hold back and tight gate-keeping from the mainstream media, Mustafa (2005) stated that the public sphere in Malaysian society has been further constrained so that ordinary citizens and concerned civil have not been able to fully express their views and to directly participate in the countrys democratic process. Earlier this year, NTV7 producer resigned in protest over his companys decision to stop his talk show from commenting on the upcoming by-election at Hulu Selangor, following pressure said to have emanated directly from the ruling coalition. A TV2 documentary on the controversial Bakun Dam and the forced relocation of Sarawaks natives was forced off the air, just before the Sibu parliamentary by-election took place. It is clear that open debate has little room to flourish in Malaysia, (Yeoh, 2010) Malaysiakini, an example of a alternative publication that flourished tremendously after the 2008 general elections. Steele (2009) stated that it is not the Internet that challenges the Barisan Nationals stranglehold power but it is actually the norms and values of independent journalism that have made MalaysiaKini such a threat to government authorities. This ideology of creating independent journalism with the alternative media not only changes those who work within the public sphere but also creates a democratic space for public discourse, one that the Malaysian society lacks. It not only gives voice to the voiceless but concrete prove or forms of information through video, audio and feedback tools. It shows media users sides of stories that they may not see. The seemingly mechanistic tools of fairness and balance, did you get the quote from the other side? become a means of guaranteeing that all voices will be heard (Steele, 2009) Conclusion The media plays an important role in the welfare of the society, working as an informer, an educator, a form of entertainment and an opinion influencer. With the current media ownership that poses credible threat and questions the credibility to the role of the media; media users need to consider, who to trust now? Political issues are highly dependent on the media as it is highlights what is important and is highly influential thus it works as a form to influence the political mind-set of media users. With the mainstream constantly bombarding pro-government issues towards society, media users now yearn for a different point of view, shifting to the alternative media to abstract that diverse opinion. In sight of how the media and politics are inter-wined, it is important that the opinions and comments of the public take place to form a democracy, in the words of Abraham Lincoln; for the people, by the people and of the people. Thus, the public sphere is important in the role to colle ct or obtain the voices of the public. The alternative media has already taken the role in proving that space for the public to take part in forming the countrys democracy; it is now up to the mainstream media to do the same, for a better political constitution of the country.

Sex In History Essay -- Sexuality

As we human beings have changed and evolved over our thousands of years of recorded history, so have our attitudes and expressions of all things sexual. The only thing that hasn't changed much is society's desire to exercise a certain amount of control over an individual's sexual behavior. Whether it be through church or state, educational institutions or popular media of the time, there have been rules and regulations, views and taboos about what we should do sexually, how we should do it, who we should do it with and even how we should think about doing it. Body parts A particular area of interest, naturally, has been the body and specifically those parts that are obviously connected with sex. We've alternately hidden and displayed, worshiped and derided male and female genitalia. In most non-Christian cultures there were gods and goddesses of power and fertility with exaggerated genitals. Some cultures liked penis gods so much they had several; for instance, the ancient Greeks honored Priapus, Dionysus and Hermes. The Egyptians exalted Osiris, Bacchus was the Roman version, and Shiva reigned in India. Penis and, less commonly, vulva worship, were practiced and this was reflected in objects connected with daily living. Vases in classical Greece were decorated with phalluses. In the ruins of Pompeii penis symbols were found just about everywhere, on bowls, lamps and figurines. Pitchers with enormous penis spouts were a unique specialty of the Mochica culture of Peru. The exteriors of medieval Irish churches were adorned with sculptures of Shelah-na-Gig, a vulva icon. In Egypt enormous symbols of penis power Ââ€" the obelisk Ââ€" were erected all over the landscape. Smaller penis symbols in the form of amulets and bracelet... ... modern birth control emerged in Egypt about 300 BC. There they used mechanical and chemical methods that foreshadow modern diaphragms, cervical caps and spermicides. Their versions included lint pads soaked in honey and acacia tips, and crocodile dung compacted with auyt-gum, both to be inserted into the vagina as a barrier to semen. Some Romans of the 4th century decided that the best way to prevent unwanted pregnancy was to diminish a wife's desire for sexual intercourse. Specific methods included: mouse dung liniment; swallowing pigeon droppings mixed with oil and wine; or rubbing her loins with the blood of ticks off a wild black bull. Condoms began to come into their own during the 18th century. They were usually made of sheep gut, or sometimes fish skin, and were originally introduced not for prevention of pregnancy but as a protection against syphilis.

Katherine Anne Porters The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Essay

Stream of Consciousness in Katherine Anne Porter's The Jilting of Granny Weatherall In "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," Katherine Anne Porter applies the rhetorical technique stream of consciousness to guide her audience through the last sixty years of a leathery, bitter woman jilted in life, and finally in death. The seemingly aimless and casual technique, similar to a human's thought pattern, effectively develops the exposition, conflict, and denouement. By using the stream of consciousness technique, Porter establishes Granny Weatherall's background. The occasional glimpse into the main character's past reveals the demanding responsibilities of a young widow. She reflects on how digging post holes, riding country roads in the winter, and sitting up nights with sick horses, negroes, and children, changed her from the bride her late husband had known. Furthermore, the technique challenges the reader to draw conclusions from the vague references of death of her husband, John, and her daughter, Hapsy. Granny Weatherall imagines seeing John again, pondering on how her children a...

Friends Essay -- essays papers

Friends Friends are a necessity in every child’s life. They are there to comfort, to laugh with, and to create wonderful memories. All of a sudden a child grows up and gets thrown into college. His or her friends go to other colleges, and they both realize that they aren’t going to have those close friendships anymore. It has happened many times before, and it will happen many times again. What one needs to know is that college isn’t a place to mope around; it is a place to rejoice and meet new people. College is a place where one develops skills in meeting new people and creating new friendships. This skill is not just learned and then lost. It is a skill that can be used anywhere and any time thought life. The hardest part is to get the ball rolling and start meeting new people. College is not a difficult place to meet people. They are everywhere; in dorms, in classrooms, and simply walking around outside. Although this is a perfect atmosphere for meeting people, some may still have difficulty. The greatest challenge about meeting people is not only the hoping that...

How to Communicate Effectively

The topics we have discussed this week relates to the video in ways that demonstrate how to communicate effectively and keep the focus of the audience on what the writer or the speaker is talking about. It teaches how to become a talented speaker and how to line up thoughts in the right perspective to gain trustworthiness from the particular audience that is welcomed by the subject chosen to speak about.This video was design to give everyone who watched it an idea of how to motivate himself s a public speaker. It gives ideas on how to enhance the power of the abilities a public speaker has on influencing people that are listening and it gives inspiration to those who the message touch in a special way. These are things in which we have discussed and relate largely on the speakers' ability on how well these tips are used to impact the ears of the listener. The most relevant practice in the video to me is the one that provides insight on how to win over the audience.First a speaker mus t hose a topic that the people want to hear about rather than picking something that appeases him. To get the crowd involved the speaker should ask questions that will allow the audience to think about the message that is being conveyed to produce a desire to continue learning more about the topic. One to attract the audience when publicly speaking is the ability of knowing what to wear to attract the attention of the crowd. I believe that the combination of dress wear and appearance of the speaker plays a major role in acquiring the attention of the audience.My advice about delivering an effective speech begins with attracting your audience. A speaker can capture the audience attention by taking advantage of the audience by giving them what they want. The speaker should do the homework and research needed to provide accurate and dependable information to prove his findings on any given topic he decides to speak about. Accuracy will help influence the listeners and persuade them int o hearing the speaker deliver the entire message. How to Communicate Effectively Good evening everybody, I hope you enjoy my speech. My topic today is communication. My speech is titled â€Å"How to communicate effectively. † Because I am a poor communicator, especially to communicate in English. Today my purpose is to hope you all can become effective communicators. Let's discuss effective communication techniques. Getting your pointacross and letting people know how you feel is very important. Sometimes bad decisions are made and people come to the wrong conclusions because of poor communication. Therefore, good communication can help you succeed in life. Here's some advice on how to communicate effecively. First, communication is transmitting a message. Communication is a process of sharing information. It's the exchange of thoughts or ideas. Communication is a powerful tool. It's getting a message across. It's also receiving facts or inofrmation. Effective communication skills are essential. Effective communication leads to success. Good communicators are always in high deamand. Why good communicators are in high deamand, because many employers are willing to pay big salaries to good communicators. Second, the key to communication is clarity. We should always make communication clear and direct. We should never be fancy or verbose. Always keep the message simple. Keep it specific and to the point. Keep it very easy to understand. Say only what's important. Say what's relevant and practical. Keep your message detailed but brief. Third, the goal of communication is understanding. The message must be understood. The audience must comprehend. To do that , you need to know your audience. You must know your listerner's background. You must tailor your message and style to suit them. Choose your words carefully. Remember â€Å"less is more. Sometimes, less of something is much better. Remember â€Å"quality is more important than quantity. † Finally, follow these tips to communicate like a pro! Practice every chance you get. Practice is the key to learning. Good communicators repeat the main message to make it more understandable. They reinforce the meaning through repetition. They always ask for feedback to make sure and reconfirm to themselves that they wre understood. They repeat the main idea to make it more understandable. Good communicators also use body language. Every society has a unique physical language. I's important that you're aware of this. Most people use nonverval communication. Most of the time it's subconscious. Good communicators use hand gestures and emotional expressions. They use various speaking tones to get attention. Body language expresses what's really going on. You can learn a lot about a person. Just observe themany sinals they're sending you. The arms and legs are a telling source. We must be familiar with basic body language. In conclusion, organize your thoughts before you speak. Think twice before you open your mouth. Always keep the message simple and clear. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Never lie and never mislead anyone. Say it with style, confidence and enthusiasm. Make sure your're understonnd. Make sure you practice a lot and rehearse. You'll soon be anefficient communicator. In fact, to say is one thing to do is another. It's easy to say but uneasy to work. As you know I am a bad communicator, especially in English to commuicate. All of my friends and family member didn't know what I was saying. All the feedback I have are â€Å"Please say that again. I'm a little confused. Or I hope you can explain it more clearly to me. † How poor I am. That's why I think good communication is very important. Hope everyone become effective communicators.

Organizational Buyer Behavior and Buyer-Seller Relationships Essay

Business to business marketing also known as Industrial marketing is the marketing of goods & services to organizations including commercial enterprises, government and other profit & non-profit institutions for use in the goods & services they in turn produce for resale to other customers or to facilitate the operation of their enterprise (Reeder, & Brierty, 2002). Business to business market is characterized by few customers who buy in very large quantities and are geographically concentrated. The customers are professional and rational in their purchase approach. The nature of demand is derived demand, which is usually customized. The channels of distribution are shorter and there is more emphasis on personal face-to-face communication. In this era of globalization the business environment is characterized by intense competition. To sustain and grow in such a competitive economic environment, business organizations are under tremendous pressure to manufacture a product or provide a service that is of optimum quality, is customized to individual customer requirements and is delivered on time at minimum possible price. The role of the suppliers is crucial in helping the business organizations to achieve this objective. To succeed and grow in such business to business markets business marketers need to understand the Business Buyer Behavior and evolve close, enduring and long-term relationships. Business Buyer Behavior Understanding the dynamics of business buying behavior including the organizational buying process, the types of buying situations, forces influencing the organization buyer behavior, the composition of the buying center and the motives and the roles played by each member of the buying center is crucial for business marketers to identify profitable market segments, locate the various buying influences within these segments and reaching these buyers efficiently and effectively with product or service offerings that satisfy their needs. The Organizational Buying Process The organizational buying behavior is a process rather than an isolated program. It involves comprehensive phases or stages. The process begins with the recognition of a need for a product or service by someone in the company. Broad parameters for the desired product/service are then worked out. Detailed specifications and description for the desired product or service are developed. Once the company has defined the product /service it needs then the search for potential suppliers who can meet the needs begins, alternative suppliers are identified, asked to submit their proposals and the proposals analyzed. The short-listed suppliers are invited for negotiations and the final suppliers are selected. The order is then placed with the selected suppliers on the agreed terms. Finally the performance of the firms supplying the required products/ services is reviewed periodically. The buying process stage of the potential buyer for the seller’s product or service will have a major implication on the marketing approach to be adopted by the seller. Types of Buying Situations There are basically three major types of buying situations, namely the straight rebuy, modified rebuy and new-task buy. In a straight rebuy situation the buyer reorders a product or service without any modifications on a routine basis through the purchase department. In a modified rebuy situation the buyer may wish a modification in product/service specifications, prices, terms of supply etc. This situation usually involves more number of participants in the buying decision process. In a new task buying situation the company is buying a product or service for the first time. In such a situation the organization buying process is more complex and involves many more number of participants from different departments in the organization. The buying company also needs to decide on the product/service specifications, prices, delivery terms, order quantities, service terms etc. Forces Influencing Business Buying Behavior The organization buying behavior is influenced by environmental forces like changes in the domestic and global economy and changes in the technologies. The rapid strides made in information technology especially Internet technology has had a major influence in the way businesses buy. For example most of the small and large business organizations buy computer systems from Dell through its well developed website www. ell. com. Organization buying behavior is also influenced by the organizational forces like centralization and decentralization of purchase and strategic role and priorities of purchase prevalent in the given organization. The group forces influencing behavior include the composition, motives and the roles played by each member of the buying center. Buying Center It is the decision-making uni t of a buying organization and comprises of all members of the organization who are involved in the buying decision process. The members of the buying center will change depending on the product/service being purchased and the buying situation in which it is being purchased. The buying center members may play any one or a combination of the five roles namely, users, influencers, buyers, deciders and gatekeepers. Users are the members who will actually use the product being offered. Influencers are members who influence the purchase. Buyers are members who have the formal authority to make the purchase. Deciders are members who have formal or informal power to select/approve the final suppliers. Gatekeepers are members who control the flow of information from the seller to other members of the buying center. The buying motives/objectives of each member of the buying center through which the members evaluate potential suppliers may differ. The motives may include task oriented objectives such as price, quality, service and Return on Investment and non-task oriented objectives such as recognition, promotion, increments and job security. Companies involved in business to business marketing need to clearly identify the buying situation, the stage or the phase in the buying decision making process for the product being offered, the various forces influencing the buying organizations behavior, the composition of the buying center, the role played by each member of the buying center and the criteria on which they evaluate the suppliers for each individual customer. Based on such an understanding they should evolve suitable marketing strategies for success. For example Unilever the British FMCG major may need new high-speed packaging equipment for its innovation in detergent ‘small & mighty’. Companies in the business of packaging equipment need to understand that it is a new task buy situation for Unilever. And the company may be in the need identification stage of the buying process. They need to have closer relationship with the members from different functional areas like operations, engineering, design, finance and purchase who may comprise the buying center, understand the motives of purchase and the role played by each member. This is crucial because each of this buyer behavior characteristic will have an implication on the buying decision process at Unilever. This will help the supplier to evolve suitable marketing strategies to be the favoured supplier of Unilever. Relationship emphasis in Business to Business Marketing In the highly competitive environment that is prevalent today, suppliers have evolved into business partners. There is a major emphasis on close and long-term relationships in the business to business markets. To maintain the relationships, business markets must develop an intimate knowledge of the customers and add value to it. Relationship marketing centers on all marketing activities directed towards establishing, developing and maintaining successful exchanges with customers (Morgan, & Hunt, 1994). A strong relationship between the buyer and the seller is a win-win situation for both. The seller will have a competitive advantage over his competition and the buyer will have effective business solutions to his problem. The relationships between the buyer and the seller in the business to business setup are positioned on a spectrum with transactional exchanges on one end and collaborative exchanges at the other extreme with value-added exchanges in the middle. Transactional Exchanges focus on timely exchange of a product/service for a competitive price. Economy and necessity are the main motivational factors of such exchanges with little interest on the part of the buyer or the seller to extend the relationship. Such types of exchanges may be preferred by the buying organization when the purchase decision is not complex, the purchase is considered to be less significant to the achievement of its objectives, many suppliers are available and the supply market is stable. Here the business marketer need not make any specialized investment in building relationships. For example the supply of office stationery and cleaning services may call for a transactional relationship. Value added exchanges focus on complete understanding of the present and future needs of the customer and meeting those needs better than the competitor by customizing the firm’s offerings to the needs of individual customers. For example Intel Corporation, a leading player in the semiconductor industry has understood the changing computer server needs of it corporate clients and has developed and introduced a new chip that lowers electricity consumption to a very great extent. This has drastically reduced the huge electricity bills of its customers like Google Corporation that maintain thousands of servers world wide (Edwards, 2006) Collaborative Exchanges focus on building a strong social, economic, service and technical ties over a long period of time for mutual benefit through reduced costs and increased value. Such exchanges are very crucial when the market is very dynamic, the complexity of purchase is very high and the product/service being purchased is very crucial for the performance of the end product of the buying organization. In such situations the switching costs involved in changing a supplier are also very high for the buying organization. For example Asin is the sole supplier to the Japanese car manufacturing major Toyota Motors for â€Å"p-valve†, a critical brake part used in all Toyota vehicles worldwide. Aisin works in very close collaboration with Toyota Motors and is highly involved in the product development process at Toyota Motors to keep pace with the innovations being made in the Toyota vehicles and meet the JIT production requirements of Toyota (Liker, 2004). Business Marketers have some flexibility in deciding where to participate along the relationship continuum. It basically depends on the characteristics of the market, the type and price of product/service being offered and the significance of product/service being offered to the buying organization. However rival companies are continuously working towards taking away the best accounts and so also the requirements, expectations and the preferences of the individual customers keeps changing continuously. To meet these challenges business marketers must develop mutually beneficial relationships with individual customers by developing a deep understanding of their needs. Information should be openly shared to benefit both the buyer and the seller. The systems, procedures, and routines of the buyer and seller should be connected to facilitate operations. There should be very good cooperation between the buyer and seller and both should treat the buying situations as joint responsibilities. Both the buyer and seller should invest in processes and procedures that are necessary to meet the specific needs of the exchange partners. Such mutually beneficial relationships between the buyer and the seller will result in better service to the business customer as the seller will be able to provide customized product/service solutions that precisely meet the individual customer needs. Conclusion Business to business markets are growing in volume as compared to consumer markets. The characteristics of the Business to business markets call for closer buyer seller relationships. Companies operating in the Business to business markets should clearly study the organizational buyer behavior with respect to the product or service they offer. They should decide on the type of relationship, ranging from transactional exchange to collaborative exchange, which they should adopt with each customer to gain competitive advantage in the intensively competitive business environment.

Effective and Ineffective Communication

Effective and Ineffective Communication Lisa Brady Loyola University Effective and Ineffective Communication Where we come from, what we’ve experienced, our culture, our norms, our circle of friends, and our history all affect the ways in which we communicate with each other. What constitutes effective and ineffective communication? How do we assess what works as opposed to what doesn’t? Communication is vital not only to patient care but in collaborating as a team to ensure goals are achieved.In Contemporary Nursing, Cherry states that â€Å"effective communication is a foundational component of professional nursing practice. † (Cherry & Jacob, 2011, p. 381) When I think of communication in the clinical setting, two examples are always in my fore mind both of which happened in nursing school. I keep these experiences in mind because they have had a profound effect on the ways in which I communicate with my patients daily. My example of ineffective communicat ion stems from a rotation I did in the ICU. I was apprehensive about going to the ICU. Was I ready?The patients were so acute and I was so inexperienced. I was filled with doubts and insecurity. The short version of this story entails an ICU nurse who was not aware she was getting a student and a shortage of computer tablets, so medications were pulled via a written paper brought to the pyxis. A patient was upset with medications he didn’t understand and the doctor had to be contacted. The doctor yelled at the nurse, the nurse ran from the unit crying and when she returned the scene was set for a near fatal accident. The nurse took me and her piece of paper to the pyxis and began to pull her medications.Again for time and space, the shortened version explains that the nurse mistakenly pulled a night medication due at hour of sleep instead of the day medication. The nurse then instructed the nursing student to pass these medications. By the time the nurse realized she had pull ed the wrong dosage and the nursing student had given them, the patient had to be intubated; stomach pumped and could easily have died. During this emergency treatment the nurse yelled at the nursing student, â€Å"and this is why you always check the computer prior to giving medication. I cannot express to you the fear, anger and confusion I had over what had transpired. I felt â€Å"thrown under the bus†. What had just happened? What happened was a serious disconnect in communication and a hard lesson in patient safety. The patient lived and recovered. I learned to never completely give up my power and to trust my instinct. I have never since and never will give a medication unless I have pulled it and have all the resources in front of me to verify the information.The nurse later wrote on my evaluation that we both needed to learn our five rights. I was angry but in retrospect she was right. I may not have pulled those medications but she told me to give them and I obeyed . I was utilizing non-assertive communication. I have always thought communication was my strong suit. I strive to use the â€Å"I† statements that Cherry suggests. (Cherry & Jacob, 2011) I believe strongly in Jan Hargrave’s concept that â€Å"55% of what we say is non-verbal,†¦38% is in voice reflection and only 7% is in the actual words we say. (Cherry & Jacob, 2011, p. 385) The difficulties that arise in communication; it is dependent on a host of factors, including non-verbal communication and interpretation of the information. (Cherry & Jacob, 2011) I have since learned assertive communication techniques and am currently working on responding instead of reacting. It is a lifelong process. My second example is one of effective communication. A young mom with two babies arrived to the ER. She had no insurance, and her baby presented with fever and signs of pneumonia.The ER doctor and the nurses expressed she was from the city hours away and was mos t likely attempting to obtain free care. The doctor discharged the patient and the nurses discussed amongst themselves the patient and the problems with patients abusing the system. Once again my gut instinct told me there was more to this patient and her story. I went to the patient to express concern and to listen and discovered that the patient was not at this particular hospital to avoid payment. She was in a domestic violence shelter with her two young babies and was attempting to change her life.It upset me that she was pre-judged like this, when all it would have taken was a few minutes of building a rapport and trust to get to the truth of the matter. It has truly made a difference in how I work with my patients. I try to truly listen to what they are â€Å"not† saying. To work with our patients on a holistic level we must actively listen, validate their concerns and their feelings and earn their trust. In conclusion there is so much to take into consideration regardi ng how we express ourselves and interact with each other as professionals and with our patients.We must always consider cultural differences and be keenly aware of body language. How we communicate with individuals varies greatly and is dependent upon where that person is in their life and at that moment. Physical touch is another form of communication and again must be assessed dependent on the person. Some patients don’t mind if we touch their hand or shoulder reassuringly, others are bothered by this. I always make an attempt to ask a patient for example if they are crying; can I give you hug?It is so important to maintain open communication but at the same time keep boundaries. It is a gift to be able to care for our patients but it can be difficult to find the right path of communication for each person. In the end we do the best we can, utilizing the tools we’ve been given and making every effort to be authentic, genuine and in the moment. References Cherry, B. , & Jacob, S. R. (2011). Contemporary nursing issues trends and management (5th ed. ). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby.