Monday, September 30, 2019

Bachelor Degree Essay

The need for competent bedside nurses has drastically increased and so will it continue in the future. The level of basic education that a nurse should have has always been an issue of debate and controversy. The ADN program is shorter and more concise which focuses on the clinical skills and is more tasks oriented. It lacks the theory and science behind nursing as a profession. ADN nurses usually have 2-3 years education and are focused to provide individualized care to their patients based on their diagnosis. The BSN program is a four-year degree, which is knowledge, theory and research based and the emphasis is on the entire picture of the field of nursing. The BSN nurse would use the researching and critical thinking background of her education to care for patients. Many do not realize there is a difference between the two. Both associate degree graduate and baccalaureate degree graduates take the same NCLEX board exam for licensing and enter the same job. Unlike associate-degree nursing programs where the nurses function primarily at the bedside in less complex patient care situations, the BSN program prepares the nurse to practice in all health care settings – critical care, outpatient care, public health, and mental health. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has posted a detailed position statement (2000) and fact sheet (2010) on their websites endorsing the position that the minimum entry level requirement for nurses be a BSN degree. The BSN nurse is well-qualified to deliver care in private homes, outpatient centers, and neighborhood clinics where demand is fast expanding as hospitals focus increasingly on acute care and as health care moves beyond the hospital to more primary and preventive services throughout the community. At increasing numbers of hospitals nationwide, baccalaureate-prepared nurses are being utilized in ways that recognize their different educational preparation and competency from associate-degree nurses. In these differentiated practice models, BSN nurses not only provide more complex aspects of daily care and patient education, but also design and coordinate a comprehensive plan of nursing care for the entire length of a patient’s stay – from pre-admission to post-discharge – including supervising nurse’s aides and other unlicensed assistive personnel, designing discharge and teaching plans for patients, and collaborating with patients, physicians, family members, and other hospital departments and resource personnel. Evidence shows that nursing education level is a factor in patient safety and quality of care. As cited in the report When Care Becomes a Burden released by the Milbank Memorial Fund in 2001, two separate studies conducted in 1996 – one by the state of New York and one by the state of Texas – clearly show that significantly higher levels of medication errors and procedural violations are committed by nurses prepared at the associate degree and diploma levels as compared with the baccalaureate level. These findings are consistent with findings published in the July/August 2002 issue of Nurse Educator magazine that references studies conducted in Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Ohio and Tennessee that also found that nurses prepared at the associate degree and diploma levels make the majority of practice-related violations. AACN and other authorities believe that education has a strong impact on a nurse’s ability to practice, and that patients deserve the best educated nursing workforce possible. A growing body of research reinforces this belief and shows a connection between baccalaureate education and lower mortality rates. Baccalaureate nursing programs encompass all of the course work taught in associate degree and diploma programs plus a more in-depth treatment of the physical and social sciences, nursing research, public and community health, nursing management, and the humanities. The additional course work enhances the student’s professional development, prepares the new nurse for a broader scope of practice, and provides the nurse with a better understanding of the cultural, political, economic, and social issues that affect patients and influence health care delivery. Throughout the last decade, policymakers and practice leaders have recognized that education makes a difference. (http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education. References http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education. (n. d). The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice . Retrieved May 21, 2013, from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Buffer System

Buffer systems * prevent major changes in pH of body fluids by removing or releasing H+ * act quickly to prevent excessive changes in H+ concentration. Body’s major extracellular buffer system is â€Å"bicarbonate-carbonic acid buffer system†. There are 20 parts of (HCO3) to one part of (H2CO3). —- [20:1]. When the ratio is no longer maintained, it will result to acid-base imbalance. Carbon dioxide is a potential acid; when dissolved in water, it becomes carbonic acid. Lungs under the control of medulla control the CO2, and thus the carbonic content of ECF.They do so by adjusting ventilation in response to the amount of CO2 in the blood. A rise in PaCO2 is powerful response to stimulant. Respiratory Compensation * is a mechanism by which plasma pH can be altered by varying the  respiratory rate. * breathing  is altered to modify the amount of CO2  in circulation. Kidneys regulate bicarbonate level in the ECF; they can regenerate bicarbonate ions as well as reabsorb them from renal tubules. Renal compensation for imbalances is relatively slow (a matter of hours or days). The kidneys have two important roles in the maintaining of the acid-base balance: 1. to reabsorb bicarbonate 2. to excrete hydrogen ions into urine. Bicarbonate Buffer System * 2 components (H2CO3) carbonic acid, a weak acid and (NaHCO3) a weak base. * 1. If a potential pH change is created by a strong acid, the ff. takes place: HCL + NaHCO3 NaCl + H2CO3 (strong acid) (weak acid) 2. If a potential pH changes is created by strong base, the ff. reaction takes place: NaOH + H2CO3 H2O + NaHCO3 (strong base) (weak base)

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Application of Criminological Theory

This paper will focus on the application of criminological theory in the following scenario: As the vice principal in charge of discipline at a prestigious school, I need to determine what actions to take in dealing with a deviant eighth grade male student. This student comes from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background and has now been caught in a physical altercation with another student. My direct supervisor, the principal, believes it is in the student’s best interest to remain at our school.As I am in charge of discipline, I will suggest several possible courses of action, incorporating criminological theories, to be used either singly or in tandem. The first course of action would be to speak to both of the students involved in the altercation and in turn, their parents. Although it is not an excuse, it is possible that there was some instigation preceding the altercation. Speaking with both students may paint a picture as to the nature of what transpired and how it could have been avoided. In any case, both students will be reprimanded as we have a zero tolerance policy for such acts here at the school. To properly understand the deviant student, let’s call him David, it will be necessary to find out more about his background, social and family ties, peer influences, general demeanor, and any goals or hopes he has. I cannot simply classify David as a juvenile delinquent or a future criminal. To label him may do more harm than good. Labeling Theory The labeling theory asserts that once an individual has deviated from the social norms of society, they are labeled as a delinquent or a criminal, and begin to behave as such (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011).In other words, if David is continuously labeled by the school, his peers, and society in general as a juvenile delinquent then he will begin to believe it himself. His self-esteem and self-worth will go down and he will begin viewing himself as a juvenile delinquent. Once David has accepted his label, he will begin to engage in more and more deviant acts. So it is important here that I am sensitive to his situation and avoid putting a label on him for one discretionary act. Social Disorganization Theory We know that David comes from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background.It is likely that he lives in an environment where social ties are poor and delinquent peer groups are abundant. Such communities have a higher crime rate and a higher rate of delinquency, as explained by their weak social bonds. Socially organized and tight-knit communities are more likely to supervise and control teenage peer groups where socially disorganized communities are not (McCord, 1992). External factors such as lack of supervision and a weak social bond may be contributing to David’s delinquency. Unfortunately, the school can do little in the way of helping him and his family out of their community. However, creating a social bond of sorts here at the school may help David move from a perhaps delinquent peer group to one more conscientious of social norms and societal laws. I would suggest trying to get David involved in a sport or another social club at the school. Again, finding out what he is interested in is an important part of helping him. We want David to feel socially accepted and increase his self-esteem. Learning Theories Learning theories suggest that antisocial, deviant, and criminal behavior is not instilled in an individual, but learned through interactions with their environment and peers. Because of their individual circumstances, some people learn and practice behaviors that the larger society condemns. Not surprisingly, children growing up in neighborhoods rife with crime often end up committing crime themselves† (Barkan, 2009). It is essential that David associate with peers that follow and respect societies rules. The theory of differential association attributes an individual’s attitudes and views of crime and deviance to that of their immediate social groups.In other words, if David’s peer group is deviant, he will be deviant as well. Another explanation for that follows the theory of differential identification; David may feel the need to â€Å"fit in† and be accepted as a member of a group. By acting like the group he has chosen to fit in to; dressing like they do, speaking the way they speak, and engaging in the same deviant activities they engage in, he gains their approval and is accepted as part of the group. In the same manner, David is learning deviant behavior because he is exposed to it on a regular basis.He may see violence and deviance as a social norm (and therefore acceptable) because in his immediate environment it is a normal occurrence. Finally, through differential reinforcement, this learned behavior is reinforced through reward or praise from his peer group. Perhaps he see’s frequent violence in which the person committing the violence is never reprimanded. If David believes he can commit these acts with little fear of reprimand or with the encouragement of his peer group, he is more likely to do so and not even feel like he has done anything wrong.School is a place with many rules and many types of interactions with different people. Clearly what is acceptable in David’s home environment and peer group is not acceptable here. It is important that he understand what is right and wrong in this setting and furthermore, in society. I will likely suggest that David speak with the school’s psychologist to determine how much learned deviant behavior he has experienced. This will also give him an opportunity to bond with someone who respects social norms and laws. Control TheoriesUnlike other criminological theories, control theories set out to learn not why individuals commit crime, but why they do not commit crime (Akers Sellers, 2004). David’s meeting with the school psychologist will also shed some light on where he measures using some of the control theories. The containment theory introduces the possibility that there are internal and external influences that guide an individual away from committing crime. Internally, that individual’s positive self-image and tolerance for frustration help sway them from becoming deviant.On the other side, external influences like positive role models and a close family bond will do the same (Barkan, 2009). Travis Hirshi’s social bonding theory had several explanations for the behavior of juveniles. These explanations included supported research that found that â€Å"youth’s who were strongly attached to their parents were less likely to commit criminal acts† and â€Å"youths who maintained weak and distant relationships with people tended toward delinquency† (Evans, n. d. ) One final addition to control theories, although there are several more, is the coercive control and social support theory.This theory, in short, states that an individual is coerced into crime either through fear or through other means, such as poverty. Whether that individual has strong social support from family, their community, and social institutions such as school, has a large impact on the likelihood that the individual with commit crime. While each of these control theories introduce several ideas about why individual’s may or may not commit crime, one similarity is present throughout. The presence of a strong social bond with friends, family, and community encourages a crime free existence. To encourage David to head down the right path, so to speak, we need to fortify his social bonds. Life-Course Theories Life-course theories focus on what factors occur during different stages of one’s life that may promote delinquency or crime. These factors include: socioeconomic status, poor and inconsistent parenting, weak social bonds, poor school performance, and delinquent peers. (Barkan, 2009). The recurring theme across the life-course theories is that it is weak social bonds, poor parenting, and the influence of delinquent peers that determine an individual’s susceptibility to deviant behavior.Strain, or stress, result from an individual’s perceived inadequacies making them even more susceptible. Such strain can be caused by any number of the causal factors of delinquency listed above. A young and impressionable individual such as David may experience strain because of his socioeconomic status, his difficulty at the school, or many other reasons. The more strain one experiences, the more likely they are to display deviant behavior. Conclusion I fully support the principal’s decision to keep David at the school as it truly is in his best interest.My final disciplinary decision regarding the physical altercation between David and the other student will include several days of in-school suspension where both boys will be able to serve out their punishment while still completing school assignments, separated from the rest of the students of course. I am compelled to reach out to David and give him every opportunity to reform. I will be speaking with the teacher who made the initial complaint regarding David to explain to them that he is in need of a positive role model and positive reinforcement.A visit with the school’s psychologist will also be made. Not only will this give David an outlet to perhaps discuss his problems, it will also expose him to another positive influence and someone who can help him cope with any anger issues he may have. Introducing David to positive and close social bonds is already decreasing the chance that he will engage in more deviant behavior. Suggestions will be made that he engage in a sport or other social clubs at the school. This will encourage David to interact with a less deviant peer group.There will also be a meeting between David and myself. I will explain to David that his current behaviors are unacceptable here at school and any further infractions will be dealt with swift and more severe punishments. Once that has been discussed, I would like to find out more about what goals David has. In doing so, I can help motivate him to obtain these goals. My intention is to make it clear to him that I am there to help with any issues he has and that he can feel comfortable coming to me, or any other school staff, if he needs to.In closing, the main goal here is to help David by introducing positive role models, making him feel socially accepted to increase his self-esteem, strengthen his social bonds, and encourage him to interact with people in a more positive way. If nowhere else, a school should foster these values to reduce a child’s likelihood of delinquency. ? References Akers, R. , Sellers, C. (2004). Student Study Guide for Criminological Theories: Introduction, Evaluation, and Application (4th ed. ). Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury Publishing Company.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Identify Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Identify Teams - Essay Example The organization of the teams and other defining aspects will be tackled in this paper. This team is based in Indianapolis in the Indiana state. The team focuses on ensuring that people in its community have access to outstanding paint products and services. Unlike other teams in this field, these painters intend to provide services that are outstanding and diverse. This team is comprised of 26 individuals with the president being the team leader. Members of the team are experts in painting, construction and are sourced from the society. The 26 members have related as well as diverse competencies in terms of career. The executive of the team is responsible for primary decision making with decisions being passed down to other members (Robinson & Green, 2011). This is an established leadership team with an affiliation of Denver painting Company. The team is responsible for ensuring that clients in its community which is Colorado have the access to commercial, residential and industrial painting staining services. The team works closely with a real estate agents, homeowners, property and facility managers, architects and general contractors. The goals of the team surround the provision of remarkable printing services, especially those designed by Denver painter. The leadership team consists of three individuals with Scott Bergman being the founder and the team leader of the group. The other member are, a senior estimator and project manager named John Ramirez and Ryan Wunderlich in the same profession of John (Robinson & Green, 2011). The three individuals forming the members of the organization were sourced from the society. Painting contractor USA comprises of several teams whose purpose is to ensure that ranges and firms within the entire nation have access to agricultural painting. One of the painting teams of this organization proves to be an outstanding contributor in the community through agricultural painting. The team consists of about

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 10

Project Management - Essay Example oppages in delivery of passable resources to set up project requirements; budgetary and workers transforms; and, imperfect research or knowledge of the project manager. These risks guide quickly to holdup in release dates and financial plan overages that be able to harshly weaken assurance in the development and in the project manager (Martin et al, 2004). There are lots of risk those are attached to the project development and cause a serious problem for the better management and administration of the project. These risks are also the main cause for the breakdown of the most of the projects. From project management viewpoints, project managers have to find out the most recent insights, methods, and developments in project management field. This will provide him a better understanding regarding the efficient project management and solutions for emerging risks (Johnson et al, 2005). Good qualities of project risk judgment. If a project manager is able to distinguish the key stakeholders and make sure that they evidently recognize the project scope and main objects of the project (Anderson). Project management basically comprises the phases that independently add to the achievement of a task. These stages are independent but mutually related. Here in the first stage we conduct a detailed analysis the problem situation and device an appropriate solution for that stage. Then we plan for the achievement of our goals. This plan includes the cost and human resource allocation for the project management. Here we also carry out a risk measurement study to find out the potential risks in the project. The quality assurance stage is aimed to assure the quality of the project and determine if the expected results have been achieved. The final stage of the project management involves the analysis of the results accessed for the project implementation to declare the project success or failure (Monk and Wagner). This project is about the implementation of the wireless sensor

Study skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Study skills - Essay Example It is, quite literally, a case of survival of the fittest (Moore, 2010, pp. 19-28). The most organized, the most efficient, and the best rounded will be the ones coming out on top. Never have study skills been more important than when students are in university. Most of the time, students that get admission in a university are those that have, for the most part, been good at organizing their time, keeping up with their study assignments, and on top of their quizzes and tests (Roberts, 2006, pp. 23-25). Furthermore, good university students are those that possess the adequate skills of prioritizing; students that can juggle their academics with their extracurricular activities and jobs tend to do well. This skill is especially important in university because when a student comes from a school and is presented with ten-fold the opportunities on a university campus, temptations and the urge to participate in many activities and sports can cause the students to fall into the trap where they have more on their plate than they can handle. It becomes important then for students to recognize which extracurricular activities to choose to engage in, keeping in mind the real reason they are in university: to study (Moore, 2010, pp. 19-28). A good student will use their skills of prioritizing to analyze their workload and then decide what non-academic activities to participate in. In this way, never in their time at university will they feel overwhelmed by the demands of their extracurricular activities. Another personal skill that is important in university is that of being efficient and productive. Students should not waste their time on ‘useless’ pass times and should use their free hours as productively as possible. Keeping on top of their homework, their papers and not waiting until the deadline are always the signs of a good student (Floyd, 2007, pp. 49-55). Another study skill one must strive to have is that of studying and keeping up with the coursework on a

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Plato Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Plato - Assignment Example Plato’s thoughts and theories have been used to teach many subjects, from religion to mathematics. Plato’s dialogues, in which he addressed almost all controversial philosophical topics of his time, have become the bread and butter of modern philosophers. The dialogues contain critical and thought-provoking analyses of intricate subjects, some of which were considered â€Å"untouchable† at the time. However, the application of the dialogues is not restricted to philosophy (Pojman and Vaughn 34). Any normal person can use the thoughts they contain to develop or enhance critical thinking skills and to gain a clear perspective of life. For instance, the Apology, the Symposium, the Cratylus, and the Phaedrus can be used to improve students’ critical thinking capacities and encourage them to consider philosophy as a crucial aspect of life. Plato’s teachings embody the triumphs of the human race in trying to harness the power of the mind (Pojman and Vaughn 26). They also represent the endless possibilities and capacities of human intellect, and encourage us to question and debate everything around

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Is Censorship Good or Bad for the Society Outline

Is Censorship Good or Bad for the Society - Outline Example The author of the paper states that censorship is both beneficial and disadvantageous but it should be applied for certain reasons and should be avoided for others. Several laws in the media industry have been created regarding the issue of censorship and the need for such laws has been highly demanded. On the other hand, those not in the favor of censorship state that censorship has no importance and complete viewership should be accepted by law and media. The debate regarding the question of whether censorship is good or bad for the interest of the public is viewed from several angles. Those who oppose censorship state that it violates constitutional rights.  The coalition further stated that a society that is based on pluralist grounds can never agree on any issue and will have a difference of opinion and this difference of opinion is necessary to achieve creativity and growth that is intellectual in nature. This means that the coalition believes that one of the most important r ights that an individual has is the freedom of communication and it is necessary to develop a healthy democracy. One of the concerns related to the infringing of the right to freedom of speech is that it will result in a chilling effect. The chilling effect is defined as a discouragement of conducting a completely lawful act due to fear of punishment (Margolis 103). Julie Hilden states that reactions that resulted due to the exposure and scandal of Janet Jackson allow the Congress to pass laws and regulations that are not necessary for the society (as cited in Tavani, 296). She even stated that censorship was assumed to be necessary by the Congress even if it infringes upon the right of freedom of speech and she even figured out that Congress is blaming - and imposing laws of censorship on - those parties that were not even directly or indirectly involved in the scandal. Powell has stated that he had no problems in applying liability and holding broadcasters responsible even if they were not the perpetrators of the crime (Minkin 123). Those who are in favor of censorship state that Constitution can be differently interpreted depending upon the case being argued. They even state that interpretation of freedom of speech under the First Amendment is not as easy to understand as it might seem.  

Monday, September 23, 2019

Statistical coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Statistical - Coursework Example Individual market return is said to have a relationship with the market return. The independent variable, market return, is referring to the amount of company around the business environment are receiving in their day to day activities. In this case, the relationship between the individual market return they receive and the market return the business generate in the area is said to have a positive relationship. The independent variable, market return, refers to the other businesses that are involved in the same product or closely related products that are substitute of the products. The data contain two variables; market return, and individual market return. The data is obtained after randomly sampling 160 companies and obtaining their financial data. That is, the market return, and the individual stock return  Represent the multiple regression models, and are model parameters referred to as regression coefficient. Such model describes the hyper plane in the k-dimensional space of the regression variable. The parameters  represent the expected change in the response variable y per a change in, while all the repressor remains constants. For the regression analysis to be used, several assumptions are made. The assumption that the errors are normally distributed can be justified by making a normal probability plot or by constructing a histogram of the residuals. In this study, we will check if the errors of the dependent variables and independent variables are normally distributed by making the checks. From the above histogram, the variables; market return and individual market return are normally distributed. The variable market return has outliers and are removed to ensure that the do not influence the inference and conclusion. The normal probability plot From above analysis of normal probability, the variables, revenue, people, income. Competitors and price are normally

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Free

Free Will Philosophy Essay I strongly believe that W.T. Stace is correct while arguing for the view of soft determinism, also known as compatibilism. Stace believes in compatibilism, which states that determinism is true, but free will still does exist. He puts both views together by studying the definition of free will. Stace asks, â€Å"How can anyone be punished or rewarded for his or her actions if they have no control over their actions?† That statement seemed extremely convincing to me because both d’Holbach and Chisholm supported one side of the argument. d’Holbach and Chisholm argued that we are either strictly determined by the laws of nature and physics or that we are not determined, rather being we have the power to do as we choose. Stace on the other hand, put both positions together and made them work together. He explained that the laws of nature and physics do have an impact on our choices, but we do have the ability to choose what we want to choose when making a decision. Outside forces may push on our decision, but we are the ones responsible for choosing what we want to choose. He persuasively defends his view of soft determinism by explaining the definition of free will. He states, â€Å"In order for one to define free will, one must look into how the phrase is commonly used.† The way a philosopher interprets free will is different than the way a common person will do so. Stace defines free acts as acts that are directly caused by a person’s internal thoughts or desires coming directly from the person. Not free acts are those that have outside forces pushing a person to do something a certain way such as a threat or harm. This was very different from what other philosophers have stated in the past. By providing examples of free will, Stace points out that free will clearly does exist. It wouldn’t make sense for free will not to exist since it is compatible with determinism.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Plan Of Health Promotion Intervention Health And Social Care Essay

Plan Of Health Promotion Intervention Health And Social Care Essay BACKGROUND The relationship between people and their jobs is diverse and complex. People have many different reasons for working and have many different experiences during their working lives. They may, for example, change jobs, take a career break, or choose a different work pattern (Nice et al, 2008). For employers, promoting healthy eating and activity means ensuring that employees have access to a balanced range of food and drink which helps maintain their energy and productivity at work and which contributes to an overall balanced diet. However, while every employee must be free to choose what they eat, employers should support them in maintaining their health by raising awareness of how diet and physical activity contribute to their health and wellbeing; by ensuring that an appropriate range of healthier choices is available to them at work and by providing a physical and social environment that supports healthier choices (Department of Health, 1994). It is estimated that 60% of the popul ation do not participate in levels of physical activity that will promote good health. Many of these people are in employment. In todays society, sedentary lifestyles are on the increase and this is a growing concern, thus, it is important that people are targeted appropriately. With almost half the Irish population employed, what better place to encourage a more active lifestyle than in the workplace. It has also been shown by the centre for health promotion studies that the workplace has been suggested as a favourable area for the promotion of exercise: Because of established channels of communication, existing support network and opportunities for developing corporate norms of behaviour (Centre for health promotion studies, 2001) Current recommendations state that all adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days of the week which is necessary for health benefits (Health promotion unit, 2001). Recent research shows that most Irish people are not as active as they need to be for their health. Due to time constraints people are finding it more difficult to allocate parts of their day to physical activity because it can assist those who generally cannot find the time outside their working hours, for example, a 20 minute walk during lunch or walk to and from work. The national health and lifestyle survey (2003) showed that 21% of people do not take part in exercise at all in 1998, this figure increased to 28% for the year 2002. Therefore, it is evident from these figures that physical inactivity has increased which leaves people at risk of premature death, chronic disease and disability. However, it is clear that society today has become more competitive and this is reflected in the workplace. Stress-related illness is more frequent due to increasing stress levels in our daily life. It has been seen that, physical activity can reduce stress; therefore, facilitating physical activity initiatives will make a difference to the health and wellbeing of the workforce. OVERALL AIM OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT The overall aim is to provide working people with knowledge and resources for promoting physical activity in the workplace. We want to create a workplace where a strong link is seen between work and health, where everyone aspires to a healthy and fulfilling working life, and where health conditions and disabilities are not a barrier to enjoying the benefits of work. The objective of this is to promote the benefits of a physically active workforce and to provide a structure in order to make it easier to encourage the workforce to be more active through: Increasing awareness of the importance of physical activity, educate employees and how their health affects their health. To improve the health of employees. To help people help themselves. To get employees more active during their regular working days. An active workforce is a healthy and happy workforce!!! PLAN OF INVESTIGATION On March 22nd and 23rd 2010, a conference on the promotion of physical activities in the workplace will be held at Fermanagh House, Enniskillen. The two day meetings will provide an opportunity for small groups of local business men and women, invited using the network and community knowledge of the Fermanagh Community Development Agency to interact intensively; the conference format will allow an informal discussion after the presentation, sharing of information and perspectives among people of diverse interest, training and background. Additional areas explored during the conference will nclude: Objectives of health promotion programs. Definition of terms. Target population and types of health promotion programs. Communication and coordination within and between programs Employers involvement. Because of the complexity of the issues, a few background papers will be presented and discussed. Some of the areas to be highlighted in the presentation are methodologies, costs and funding, as well as management, social support networks and family. Implementation of the interventions within the Enniskillen community will be over a 12 week period (post conference meeting) so that we can work in different localities at appropriate times, to explore views before and after implementation of these changes. The focus group meetings every week promoting physical activity are likely to explore what the respondent understands by a healthy and physical active lifestyle and the effects on behaviours and also access to resources, motivation, family and social support networks, incentives and preferences for physical activity with reference to the local built environment, amenities and transport infrastructure. Schedule The following is the schedule for week one at baseline and week twelve post-intervention. It is hoped to visit these workforce groups commencing late March, early April. This is a twelve week program. On week one, I will visit the groups as a whole to give a one day conference meeting including a presentation on how to promote physical activity in and outside the workplace, issue activity quiz (appendix) and take information from each adult participating in the program. In the following eleven weeks, the sport and health outreach program will be introduced into the workplace (weekly activities recorded). Various activity programs will be undertaken by the adults to increase their health and activity levels. (Table 1) The following is a schedule of our programme of activities to be undertaken: SPORTS AND HEALTH OUTREACH PROGRAM SPORTS PROJECT Week Teaching Theme 1 Introduction To Sport for Life, Measurements (baseline) 2 Heart Health 1 3 Heart Health 2 : 60 minutes A Day of Active Play 4. Mr Ms Muscles 1 5. Mr Ms Muscles 2 6 Physical Activity Outdoor 7 Physical Activity Indoor 8 Eat Drink Smart 9 Eat 4 Energy 10 Eat Smart, Move More (energy in must equal energy out) 11. Feel Good 12 Team Building and Review What is Physical Activity? What is Health? Measurements ( post-intervention) Table 1 On the last week of the twelve week program, I will revisit the participants for a follow up conference meeting to give a final talk and discussion on health in the workplace and to evaluate the problems and issues which may have arisen. The following is a list of areas in which the sport and health outreach program will be undertaken: INTERVENTION AREAS FOR THE PROGRAM Week 1 12 ; Baseline and Post-intervention Areas Group 1 (Monday) Group 2 (Tuesday) Enniskillen Town Kesh Belcoo Tempo Ballyinamallard Edenery Evaluation of the intervention Evaluation should be considered as a tool designed to answer questions related to whether objectives are being met or not. Therefore, for evaluation purposes the nature of the planning process, copies of all material utilized and minutes of project meetings can be valuable in trying to correlate changes in dependent areas, such as awareness of the programs existence and what was being offered. To evaluate the project, a health survey will be completed by participants and used to gather baseline and post-intervention information. The health survey will include questions related to their current levels of physical activity. In addition to this participants will be asked to log onto a website where they will record the activities taken every week over a 12 week period. Team captions are able to view these details and encourage active participation in the staff challenges. LIMITATIONS OF PROPOSED INTERVENTION Sedentary work doesnt provide much opportunity for exercise/ long work hours. Lack of motivation to work/ prefer other forms of exercise. Cold weather during the start of the program/ end of day light. Conference room to big, people scattered in different groups Recruitment of people/ work involvement. Time constraints. SO.. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH AND GOOD FOR YOUR BUSINESS REFERENCES Centre for Health Promotion Studies, (2001), An evaluation of the happy heart at work programme: On behalf of the Irish Heart Foundation, National University of Ireland Galway; July 2001 Centre for Health Promotion Studies, (2003), The National Health and Lifestyle Surveys: results of National and Lifestyle Surveys SLAN {Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition} HBSC {Health Behavious in school aged children}, National University of Ireland Galway; April 2003 Department of Health (2004) Choosing Health Making Healthy Choices Easier. London:TSO Fox, K., (1994), Understanding Young People and their Decisions about Physical Activity, B J P E, 25 (1), 15-19 Health Promotion Unit, (2001), Get a life, get active handbook. A handy guide of physical activity for a healthier heart, Ireland needs a change of heart campaign, 2001 Nice, K. (2008). Changing Perceptions about sickness and work: judging capacity for work and locating responsibility for rehabilitation. Social and public policy Review Volume 2, number 2; Berthoud, R. (2007). Work-rich and Work-poor: three decades of change The Policy Press and Joseph Rowntree Foundation; Waddell, G. and Burton, A. K. (2006). Is work good for your health and well-being? TSO. Trost SG, Sallis JF, Pate RR et al (2003), Evaluating a model of parental influence on youth physical activity. Am J Prev Med 2003; 25: 277-82

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Is Yellow Good? Essay -- Philosophy, Descartes

Can yellow be good? Can it be evil? Can it inherently be anything? As humans, we have only one way of coming to conclusions and that is through thought. As John Locke says, â€Å"External objects furnish the mind with the ideas of sensible qualities, which are all those different perceptions they produce in us; and the mind furnishes the understanding ideas of its own operations† (Locke 62). As we pass through our lives in society we assume so many things; things that have been accepted for years by those before us. In reality however, there is no constant, there is no guarantee, there are no universal morals or traits in the world around us. Everything around us is neither good nor bad, it simply is, and our projection of its nature is solely our doing. How do we even now know what yellow is? As humans, there is only one thing that we know with absolutely certainty. All other â€Å"facts† may be disputed; however the understanding that we as humans think must be true. Descartes, who began his search for reality with a completely open mind, a blank slate, said, â€Å"It was absolutely necessary that I, who thus thought, must be something; and when I observed that this truth, I think, therefore I am, was so certain and assured, that no reason for doubt, however extravagant, could be advanced by the skeptics to shake it† (Descartes 24). What Descartes claims is that all things in the world around us can be argued and debated as each person experiences them differently or sees them in a different light. Morals, the physical world around us, it is all a culmination of general agreement. Descartes believes that this does not lay the groundwork for factual information. â€Å"†¦Approval by the majority is no guarantee of the truth† (Descar... ...d comes to reflect on its own operations about the ideas gotten by sensation, and thereby stores itself with a new set of ideas, which I call ideas of reflection† (Locke 64). Therefore, the question of why men are so different is not a question of the individuals themselves, but more of their lives’ journeys and experiences. The very foundation of our identity and understanding is in our absorption of the raw world around us. At risk of sounding redundant, Descartes summarizes the notion that we are not solely ourselves but are influenced to follow different paths of thought and lifestyles when he states that â€Å"The diversity of our opinions, consequently, does not arise from some having a larger share of reason than others, but solely from this, that we conduct our thoughts along different ways, and do not fix our attention on the same objects† (Descartes 22).

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Social Workers in Mental Health Facilities and Outpatient Clinics Essa

When thinking about social work, there are different avenues that a worker can explore in this vast field. Because a social workers job is multifaceted, workers can not only integrate themselves in an already created avenue, but can also tailor a field, specifically for a need in the community. Looking at the many different fields in the area of social work, the area of Social Workers in Mental Health facilities and outpatient clinics stands out as an area of depth and interest. This field is important because it allows social workers to play an integral part in assisting patients, some of who have been kept in large inpatient facilities for vast periods of time, to become functioning and active members of society, as they deal with the task of managing their particular mental illness. It is stated on the NASW occupation profile that "Social workers employed with mental health clinics can have a range of job functions depending on their specific roles. Possible job titles include, but are not limited to, clinical social worker, licensed clinical social worker, mental health specialist, clinician, therapist, counselor, director or case manager (NASW p.2)." In 1963, The Community Mental Health Act came into existence. This act was created to provide federal funding for community mental health centers in the United States. The CMHA gave money to states, in order for them to create local mental health centers. These health centers would be spearheaded by the National Institute of Mental Health. The purpose of the CMHA was to provide community-based care, as an alternative to institutionalization, which previously was the most popular and expensive answer to assisting those with mental illness. These different clinics and faci... ...se, and to learn how to utilize non traditional methods to achieve a therapeutic accomplishment with patients. The educational requirements to work in this particular field are geared to not only be a help to patients struggling with adjusting, but a therapeutic help as well. Social workers of course have to obtain a bachelor's degree, as well as meet any state certifications necessary. Many social workers also obtain a master's degree, in order to become licensed counselors, which can be essential when dealing in this field. Works Cited Kim, H., Ji, J., & Kao, D. (2011). Burnout and Physical Health among Social Workers: A Three-Year Longitudinal Study. Social Work, 56(3), 258-268. Gibelman, M. (2005). What social workers do. (2ndEdition). Washington, DC: NASW Press. http://workforce.socialworkers.org/studies/profiles/Mental%20Health%20Clinics.pdf

Vodka on Sunday :: essays research papers

Den umulige generation A new study from Berlingske Tidende with 300 Danish managers shows that the new generation has too high expectations and expects to become managing director without even having the experience. 78% of the Danish managers think that the young employees under 30 years are more demanding than others and they do not even want to work overtime. The managing director Erik Sà ¸ndergaard says that there are no connections between the young employees’ effort and the ambition. Sà ¸ndergaard’s solution is that the new employees should know about the job through trainee-posts. Young people are spoiled and it is the parents’ fault. They give them everything they need. And then the young people have never had any confrontations. And when both parts in a relationship want to have a career it is almost impossible. Another managing director Peter Grà ¸nlund sees this development as a positive thing. He thinks that the young employees want higher challenges. And they do not want to do the same thing for a long time. Now there are also a balance between work and private life. This new progress is healthy, but it puts the management under a lot of pressure. The demanding generation has not only got high expectations considering the job alone, they also want friends, a great family and hobbies which are more important than work. Half of the young people in the research would say no to do overtime at work if they had a private arrangement. Money does not even seem to be the biggest deal. They think the companies should hire more employees instead of expecting them to do overtime. This new challenge will take a lot of convincing to do for the politicians, because the generation does not think they owe anything to the society. Vodka on Sunday (An Irish short story) In Fiona Gartland’s short story â€Å"Vodka on Sunday† we experience a family with a faà §ade that they have been living with their entire life together. In this story we see how something you have done in your past can haunt you in generations, and that it can never be disguised or forgotten. â€Å"Vodka on Sunday† takes place in a family of high rank where the father enjoys football on Sundays and the wife prefers to stay at home appreciating a nice drink. The frame of the home with the crystal lamp gives us an impression of a wealthy family.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

All About Eve Essay

â€Å"..and, in the last analysis, nothing is any good unless you can look up just before dinner or turn around in bed – and there he is. Without that, you’re not a woman† Is this the message of the film? Made in 1950, the film ‘All About Eve’ screen written and directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, was deliberately engineered to entice women back into their homes after WWII had forced many to assume working roles in the outside world. The film focuses on publicizing the importance of the image of a nuclear family and traditional gender roles and how finding love is endorsed as the ‘proper’ course for women. This is evident through the roles and character development of the three main women in the film; Karen Richards, Margo Channing and Eve Harrington. Through these characters, the film explores the fulfillment of an archetypal 1950s American housewife and the hollowness of actresses’ career success compared to marriage. Furthermore, the film depicts self-supporting women as a threat to conservative values as they inhabited masculine traits. In the film, Mankiewicz emphasizes the security, gratification and permanence in housewives post Cold War. This is evident through the role of Karen Richards, ‘the wife of†¦ playwright’ Lloyd Richards. Lloyd and Karen personifies the ideal marriage where Lloyd is the bread winner, and Karen operates as a traditional, ‘happy little housewife’. Mankiewicz repeatedly frames Karen with characteristics of pureness and happiness through the use of bright camera lighting in mid-close up shots, portraying her as luminescent and angelic. In addition to this, Karen is often shot in light coloured costumes in contrasts to Eve and Margo, who are continuously framed in dark colours throughout the film, suggesting her innocence. Both of these techniques highlight her fulfillment from marriage compared to Eve and Margo who are independent and unma rried. Karen’s character is used as a reflection of 1950s America stereotypical housewife who is completely defined and loyal to her husband. This is evident during the film hinting Lloyd’s indiscretions, Karen remains loyal to him, and even blames herself for his unfaithful behavior, where she wonders in a voiceover about ‘that helplessness you feel when you have no talent outside of loving your husband.’ Here, love is represented as a ‘talent’ and the generic mode of the line indicates a duty of wives to their husband. Ultimately, Karen is a reflection of the traditional housewife in 1950s America and is perceived as the most stable and mature female character as marriage has provided her  with financial and emotional security, social mobility and protection. Throughout the film, career accomplishments and fame is presented as fleeting and temporary, whilst marriage is emphasized as the utmost success for a woman. Mankiewicz establishes that femal es who rise to the top of their profession are only to be faced with the glass ceiling of the patriarchal status quo. This is apparent in the character Margo Channing, a ‘great star’ whose days as Broadways reigning star are numbered as she is at the peak of her career, at the age of 40. Although she is ‘talented, famous [and] wealthy’ Margo is insecure that when she retires from the theatre she’ll be alone, without a career and without a man to love her. Marriage is offered as a solution for Margo, and only once she makes the decision that allows her to ‘get back to being a woman’, do we see a gradual shift from Margo being an actress to being a ‘proper’ married women. The gratification from marriage is highlighted through the use of camera lighting in the cub room scene after Bill and Margo announces that they’re getting married. A close up shot of Margo’s smiling face and relaxed manner with radiant lighting similar to Karen’s indicates true happiness as she has achieved the role of housewife. Through portraying her p ositively, the film asserts this will provide her with the happiness and ‘sentiment’ she had been actively rejecting. In short, the use of Margo’s growing happiness as she transitions from professional career for marriage, the film positions the audience to view domesticity as providing ultimate fulfillment for women. In an era where women were expected to conform to social norms, those who failed to take on the role of a nurturing mother with a financially secured husband were labeled as a threat to society. Mankiewicz uses the characters Margo and Eve to explore how independent and successful careered women possess masculine traits because they do not have a man. Prior to Margo’s marriage with Bill, the film portrays her with a masculine demeanor through her deep voice and posture. In the scene of Margo’s voiceover, the audience can see that Margo is the head chief of the house, with Birdie and Eve jostling for her favour. This highlights Margo’s masculinity as during this era, the males were the dominant figure in the house, and the wives role was to please their husband. Therefore, Margo is not presented as an ideal woman as she takes on the male role in her own home. Only once Margo marries Bill, we see her conform to society’s expectations of married woman, as she leaves  paid employment upon marriage to become a domestic housewife. Mankiewicz also depicts Eve, an independent and constructed success as manipulative, conniving and calculating mastermind driven by personal ambition, all of which were dominant values in a masculine society at this time. Furthermore, women without a man to love were displayed with masculine characteristics, and thus not truly a woman because they did not abide by reactionary American values. Ultimately, the film ‘All about Eve’ is marked by a polarizing gender ideology, used to promote marriage as a romantic ideal and women. Through the roles of Karen, Margo and Eve, the film highlights that married women find happiness from serving their husband, the inevitable emotional emptiness that women will experience e if they reject their domestic roles in their pursuit of a career, and how independent women show traits that aren’t consistent as a true 1950s women. Thus the film suggests that domesticity is what provides women with ultimate satisfaction.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Are cell Phones a Health Hazard?

Are cell Phones a Health Hazard? With the increasing of mobile phones' functions, people rely more and more on them. The lower price also enables the mobile phone to become people's daily necessity. Now even many students have their own mobile phone. People began to worry about the cell phone which will do harm to our health. But why people become worried about that? There are some speculates that cell phone might potentially threaten human being's health. Mobile phones can emit radiofrequency energy (radio waves), which is constituted by non-ionizing radiation.Things closest to the cell phones will absorb this energy. According to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, as of 2010, there were more than 303 million subscribers to mobile phone service in the United States, which is nearly three times than the 110 million users in 2000. Globally, the number of mobile phone subscriptions is estimated to be 5 billion by the International Telecommunications Union. The nu mber of mobile subscriptions has already increased quickly.  (Cell Phones and Cancer Risk, 2012)The chart below (Chart 1) shows the number of mobile Internet users, including the prediction of the number in 2013. Over time, the amount of time of each phone call, as well as the number of people using the mobile phone has increased. Mobile phone technology has also had a very big change. Chart 1 Chart1: US moblie Internet users & penertration, 2008-2013 (millions and % mobile phone subscriers) To my way of thinking, cell phones will really have a health hazard. RF is a potential threat to human body.Radiofrequency energy (RF) is a form of electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic radiation can be defined into two types: ionizing (e. g. , x-rays, radon, and cosmic rays) and non-ionizing (e. g. , radiofrequency and extremely low-frequency or power frequency). (Cell Phones and Cancer Risk, 2012) As we know, all of the creatures and plants, including humans, are exposed to ionizing rad iation and non-ionizing radiation during the whole period of evolution. So recently the society began to worry about the potential harm of RF from cell phones which may cause brain cancer.A series of studies began to look at the relationship between cell phone usage and brain tumors. If cell phone will bring a negative effect was a controversial topic, and the opinions on this topic are extremely different. Some people hold that cell phones are nothing to do with the health problems, since the non-ionizing radiation from cell phones is typically safe to the human body. A low level of radiofrequency energy is a kind of non-ionizing radiation, and it is different from high levels of radiofrequency energy that produces negative health effects by heating tissue.(Radiation-Emitting Products, 2012) Therefore, it can say people exposed to low level RF which does not heat tissues in human body are not necessary to worry about with cell phones. Although low level RF is safe doesn’t me an that the potential damages do not exist. Firstly, our brain is able to absorb the electromagnetic radiation at radio frequencies that emitted by mobile phones, so if we use mobile phones for a long time, which will increase the hazard of brain cancer to a great extent. So this is a long-term effect. Secondly, cell phones are becoming more advanced, and the inner structure of cell phones has had a great change.Cell phones have come to our daily life with more functions, which may have unknown effects. A recent study showed that when people used a cell phone for 50 minutes, brain tissues on the same side of the head metabolized more glucose than that on the opposite side of the brain. (Cell Phones and Cancer Risk, 2012) It means that using cell phones can change some tissues of human body, although the outcomes have not been deemed good or not. Another negative effect is that talking through cell phones when driving will increase the risk of traffic accidents.There were nearly 80 m illion people who own cell phones, and surveys indicated that 85 percent of these owners use phones while driving. (Williams & Analyst, 2002) According to the journal's publisher, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, there are 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year because of mobile phone distraction. (Britt, 2005) Drivers talking on cell phones will have their attention distracted. As a matter of fact that only 80% of their attention can be paid when they are talking to somebody. And speaking requires more attention than listening.In a conversation, if a driver is more eager to talk to others than to listen, the greater the distraction he has. It is said that drivers use cell phones when they are driving just look but don’t see. There were two different experiments associated with professor of psychology Dr. Amit Almor. (Science Daily, 2008) One experiment needed the participants to test the visual shape on a monitor, and the second experiment required participants to do a visual task while listening to a story that had been prerecorded and then the participants were required to tell their feeling about this story.In the end, the attention level of these participants had been measured. People found that they were four times more distracted when people were speaking than when they were listening. It came to a conclusion that speaking demands more brain’s resources than listening. People are used to communicating face-to- face, so if they were talking while driving, they will imagine the conversation in their brain, and they have to try to remember what they have been talking and how to respond in a right position. Hearing loss is also a big health hazard.People who use cell phones for more than one year acquire hearing loss problems, according to research presented at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation's Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Washington, DC. Otherwise, the study found tha t people who used mobile phones more than one hour a day were more likely to suffer from hearing problems. (Robert, 2007) Obviously, long-term use of cell phones will have a great impact on hearing, which is mostly a negative impact. Using cell phones too long may damage our inner ear and bring about a high frequency hearing loss.High frequency hearing loss means that people may feel difficult to hear consonants such as s, f, t, and z, but they can hear vowels generally. Therefore, although people can hear muffled sounds, they unable to figure out what people exactly say. Not just talking too much through cell phones may cause hearing loss, but listening to high decibel music is also producing a big damage to hearing. People now would like listening music with their phones wherever they go, such as in the train, because it is very noisy when taking a train, so people always prefer listening to high decibel music that they can enjoy the clearer music.If some symptoms such as ear ring ing, ear warmth, and the ear fullness have arose, which are warning signs that your hearing is in danger. What are the reasons these symptoms have occurred. The possible cause is the electric-magnetic-frequencies, which emit a magnetic field greater than 3 milli-gauss from many cell phones.The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that electric-magnetic-frequencies greater than 3 milli-gauss may do harm to human health. (Robert, 2007) Naresh K. Panda, MS, DNB, chairman of the department of ear, nose, and throat at the Post Graduate Institute of  Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India, and researcher for a study. He and his colleagues performed experiment. They texted 100 people, at the age of 18 to 45, who had used cell phones for at least one year, and according to length of use, they divided this people into 3 groups. One group had 35 people, who had used cell phones for one to two years, and another group of 35 had used cell phones for two to four years, an d the final 30 people had used them for more than four years.Those who used the mobile phones for more than four years suffered a greater degree of hearing loss in their right ear, the ear often listens through the phone, than those who used the mobile phone for one to two years. (Doheny, 2007) As well, using cell phones too long will hurt our eyesight. Numbers of people use cell phones every day. We can do many things on our cell phones: sending text messages, reading emails, surfing the web, and even finding the driving directions. It’s so amazing that we can do all of this work just in a device which can be held in one hand.However, lots of problems are coming with this convenience. Reading such the really small text on the phones will cause problems. Not only for the tiny letters in such a small screen, but also people have become accustomed to holding the phone closer to their face than they need to. Reading from your phone forces your eyes to focus in a way which is muc h different than before when people usually read from paper. It is also harmful with your eyes’ vergence, which is the simultaneous movement of both eyes in opposite directions to obtain or maintain single binocular vision.Although your eyes are designed to adapt to the circumstances more easily, many people have become accustomed to reading from their cell phones all day long. In the long term, not only can this habit lead to headaches, but also eyestrain, dry eyes, and blurred vision. According to Dr. Jeffrey Hankin, an optometrist, people are pulling their smart phone four inches closer than normal reading distance could cause problems. (NBC25 News, 2011) This is always accompanied by a headache while people just feel tired and maybe have a little difficulty on focusing.Sometimes the blink rate will slow down and the eyes are dry. These symptoms cannot be ignored. It is saying that your eyesight is becoming weaker. How cell phones damage our eyesight? We are in the environ ment full of radiation and electrical signals , at the same time, human body was being attacked by hundreds of signals every second. It is affecting all our body parts, but we have not aware of it yet. â€Å"The wavelength of wireless signals (which is about 2 to 2. 5 cm) used for mobile phones and other wireless terminals matches with that received by the human eye.The dielectric constant (absorption capacity) of eye tissues is around 70 which is greater than unity (above 50). This means that the eye can absorb electromagnetic energy very quickly,† explains Dwivedi. (Cell phones can damage eyes, 2010) So it comes out a conclusion that the problem is not the energy absorbs by the eye, but the heat from the energy absorbed by the eye cannot get transmitted out of the body. Moreover, cell phones have a strong relationship with human mental health. People always take cell phone with them all the time, no matter where they go.They play games, listen to music, watch videos, and ch at with friends. It seems like that we can't live without cell phones, especially children. More and more children at 12 and 13 ages have their own cell phones. Those children who are addicted to cell phones spend most of time on their phones, like talking, texting or playing games. Their parents are beginning to be concerned that the children are unable to do some normal activities without their phones. They often skip classes and lie to relatives to get more money to buy phone cards.It these situations, cell phones are just like the drugs which make the children gradually lose themselves. What’s more, lots of students even play cell phones during class. While teachers are speaking in front of students, students are texting or playing games in their seat even without any covers. The other mental problem is that cell phone is tending to cause depression and sleep problems in young people now. Young people who use cell phones heavily also complain more about sleeping problems, pressures and other mental health problems, according to researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.(Pedersen, 2012) Researchers made a questionnaire survey towards 4,100 young adults at the ages of 20 to24 and interviewed 32 heavy users of information and communication technology. The findings interpret that the use of mobile phone has a close relationship with pressure, depressive symptoms and sleeping disorders. The researchers could not be sure of the origin causes, but what we can speculate is that people with depression or sleep problems perhaps get access to cell phones more than others. Here is more other evidence. The University of Tokyo’s researchers investigated nearly 18,000 young people in in high school in Japan.In order to estimate their depression, anxiety and even thoughts about suicide, the participants were required to answer some specific questions. Participants also reported how often they spoke on their cellphones or sent emails after going to bed and how many hours they slept at night. The findings tell us that children in different countries with different cultures have similar problems are related to similar reasons. As a whole, cell phones are closely integrated cell phones into our lives, yet they have health hazard for our daily lives. We should use them in a proper way.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Societys Perception About Weight

The topic of weight is very prevalent among people in today's society. Everywhere we look we find people of all sorts of different weights and appearances. Tall, small, thin, wide, fat and skinny are just a variety of the words we use to describe people. Almost no one is completely happy with their weight. We are constantly looking for ways to better ourselves and improve our physical appearance. It is this paper's purpose to provide information in helping a person feel comfortable with their weight and aid in determining an ideal body weight for you. Topics also include: society's view on weight, the dangers of various weight-related disorders and diseases, and methods of achieving a recommended healthy weight. The goal is that once you have the proper information you will be able to achieve this ideal weight safely and on your own, giving you an ultimate sense of satisfaction. The question that is constantly being asked is just what is the ideal healthy weight? The ideal body weight is different for every individual as healthy ideal weight depends on a person's sex, race, and genetics. To quickly simplify and determine an individual's ideal weight we use a simple chart called the Body Mass Index or BMI for short. This chart determines how much a person should weigh. People can calculate their BMI by dividing their weight in pounds by their height in inches squared and multiplying the resulting number by 704. 5 (Woods 98). A person who weighs 164 pounds and is 68 inches would do the following calculation: 164/4624 x 704. 5 = 25 BMI. A BMI between 18. 5-24. 9 is normal and is called the safe zone (Woods 98). The people in this recommended safe zone are considered to be in the best health. A BMI less than 18. 5 usually means that a person is underweight (Woods 98). Studies indicate that the underweight have an increased risk of death compared to those of normal weight. A BMI of over 30 means obesity, and obese people take a lot of health risks (Woods 98). People with obesity have an increased risk of: high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, the most common form of diabetes, gallbladder disease, arthritis, respiratory problems, and certain types of cancer. As long as you fall into or close to the recommended safe zone you should feel comfortable and happy with your weight the way it is. This paper will now discuss the dangers that society's infatuation with weight can have on a person. It will also provide methods on how a person can change to find a comfortable and healthy weight. Eating disorders are a common and very realistic part of our society. They are seen as the most dangerous health related risks involving weight. Dieting, binge-eating and food obsessions are prevalent among all weight groups. Many people strive to be lighter than their natural weights and exercise excessively and eat sparingly to attain an often-unrealistic weight goal. Societal pressures share blame for producing eating disorders. Some victims of eating disorders feel that others are pressuring them to be thin, making them feel guilty about what they eat (Washington 99). They become isolated from family and friends and turn to food as a release and source of comfort (Washington 99). People with eating disorders excessively exercise and are known to induce vomiting after eating or drinking (Washington 99). Eating disorders target many people in society. The main target group is females, especially in the traditionally masculine cultures. Society places a great deal of emphasis on the physical appearance of a person's body and this alone is enough to drive someone into an eating disorder. An example is the supermodel with the skin and bones look whom you see on television. With this in mind many women might look at their weight and find themselves socially unacceptable. The result can be an eating disorder. Another target group is athletes. For example, in the sport of gymnastics there is pressure on the female athlete to maintain a low weight and petite slim figure. Since gymnastics is judged on how an athlete looks in competition many gymnasts develop an eating disorder as a result of the importance of body image to the sport. Another example of the occurrence of eating disorders is in boxing and wrestling. Sometimes there is pressure on the athlete to have a rapid weight loss in order to compete in a lower weight class where he or she might have a better chance of winning. There are two main eating disorders that effect many people in society. They are anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia is a deliberate and obsessive starvation in the pursuit of thinness. It is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese, or the disturbance in the way one's bodyweight size and shape is perceived by another individual (Clark 96). Bulimia is described as recurrent episodes of binge eating and a lack of control over one's eating behaviour resulting in purging (Clark 96). Purging can be achieved by using laxatives and/or vomiting. Many of the symptoms of eating disorders are similar; however, each disorder is somewhat different. If someone is anorexic, symptoms might be: an extremely thin person, isolation, loneliness, obsessive preoccupation with food as regards: obtaining it, cooking, and eating, and compulsive exercise (Washington 99). If someone is bulimic, you might expect to see: the use of food as a comforter, laxative abuse, mood swings, constant concern about body image and weight, quick trips to the bathroom after meals, excessive exercise, some isolation, and low self-esteem (Washington 99). Both forms of eating disorders are dangerous to your health and can cause major problems, both now and in the future. Some immediate physical problems include constantly feeling cold, bloodshot eyes with dark circles, finger calluses, dizziness, weakness, moodiness, insomnia, swollen glands, sore throat, or dry skin (Washington 99). Some of the long-term effects include gastrointestinal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation, malnutrition, heart attack, permanent damage to internal organs, kidney failure, and death (Washington 99). Family and friends of people affected should be aware of the symptoms and risks associated with disordered eating patterns. It is imperative to avoid becoming a victim to an eating disorder. You will only end up hurting yourself and loved ones around you. Now that the dangers of weight have been discussed an effective method of weight gain and loss will be presented. This information will help you reach a desired ideal weight so you can be happy and take pride in yourself. The topic of weight management is prevalent in today's society and is discussed from two different perspectives. People might think that they are too small or weak and in this case they will want to put on more weight. On the other hand, others might think that they are too big. In this case they will try to reduce their weight. Requirements of caloric intake differ for everyone. These requirements are determined by age, sex, weight and activity level. The simple definition of weight is the balance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure (Berning 96). Your body weight will change when there is a difference between calories taken in and calories burned up. Taking this into account, for the average person to lose weight the caloric intake must be less than caloric expenditure. Put simply, to lose weight you must eat less, exercise more, or a combination of both. For the average person to lose one pound they would have to run about 35 miles or eat 3,500 fewer calories (Berning 96). This is impossible to do in one day. To put this into perspective the following formula is given: 3,500 calories 7 days per week = 500 calories per day. It can than be said that eating 500 calories less per day will result in a weight loss of one pound per week. The same can be said by combining 250 calories less per day and burning 250 calories in exercise. Weight loss is most successful when diet and exercise are combined. The safe weight loss recommendation for the average person is no more than 1-2 pounds per week (Berning 96). By using this method of losing weight a person will decrease their chance of health problems and achieve their ideal weight. This method of weight loss will leave you with a sense of satisfaction and pride in reaching your ideal weight. The same basic theory applies for weight gain. In order to gain weight you need to consume more calories than you expend (Berning 96). Family history plays a major role in the development of a body. For example, people from thin families are less likely to transform their bodies into bulky muscular ones. A person can increase his chance of gaining weight with improved nutrition and appropriate weight training. Muscle is gained through intense training and the consumption of additional calories. For each pound gained as muscle you would need to consume 500-1000 additional calories each day (Berning 96). The key to weight gain is consistency and with a little hard work the average person should be able to get to his/her desired ideal weight. By combining a high calorie diet and a rigid exercise program you will find that your body will produce weight in the form of muscle, making you healthy and giving you your desired physical body image. We all must act together and make it our priority to help change society's perception of body images. This can protect everyone by making others feel comfortable with their weight and prevent them from developing eating disorders. Education is essential. By studying our ideal weight in the BMI chart and keeping an eye on the amount of calories in our diet we can stay healthy and feel good about ourselves. This process is aided through complete reinforcement and support from our family and friends. It doesn't stop there as we all must refrain from prejudicial treatment of fat or thin people and see beyond their weight. It is only then that we can feel comfortable with our weight and develop satisfaction in knowing that we have obtained an ideal healthy lifestyle for ourselves.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Cosmetics and Products

AVON -STUDY CASE- Analiza contextului global al afacerilor prin prisma factorilor de impact asupra industriei cosmeticelor The cosmetic industry is one of which products tend to be countercyclical. Demand for such products normally remains constant and unaffected by economic distress. The color cosmetics are predicted to see a slowdown in volume demand. A growing trend in the cosmetic industry is the introduction of ‘green’ products. More than one in seven (16%) of global beauty products launched in 2008 were certified organic, ethical or natural.There are concerns that the global economic climate will stifle new product development, innovation and sustainability programs in 2009. An economic slowdown usually curbs companies from investing in research and development and it is that research that has brought forth a wealth of green cosmetics. For example, retailers such as Wal-Mart are increasingly requiring more ecofriendly supply chain. There are forecasts that consumer s are unlikely to give up their commitments to organic products just to save a few pennies. 8% of consumers will remain loyal to a company that has a social and environmental commitment. Many consumers are now ‘voting with dollars’ for organic products and supporting brands that support values similar to their own. Economic factors mainly affect the purchasing power of customers. The more customer demand for the product the more profit to the organization, at the same time if there is no customers demand it’s going to affect the organization in a negative manner.So economic factors are very important external factors and affect the cosmetic industry. Economic factors include: Unemployment rate, Economic growth rate, Interest rate. Other factors that influence the cosmetic industry are the government and legal basis. Also for AVON some of the risk factors are: Success depends on our ability to execute fully our global business strategy, May experience financial an d strategic difficulties and delays or unexpected osts in completing our multi-year restructuring programs or long-range business review, including achieving any anticipated savings and benefits of the initiatives thereunder, The key personnel, The business is conducted worldwide primarily in one channel, direct selling, The taxes, political issues, legal and regulatory risks are also to be taken intoconsideration on international markets, May be subjects to financial risks related to their international operators, including exposure to foreign currency fluctuations, Competition,A general economic downturn, a recession globally or sudden disruption in business conditions, A disruption of a key information technology system, process or site could adversely affect their operations, The ability to anticipate and respond to market trends and changes in consumer preferences, Government reviews, inquiries, investigations, and actions could harm our business or reputation, Protection the i ntellectual property rights, specifically patents and trademarks, Involvement in future, in the legal proceedings. Analiza mediului ramurii Avon Production considers its two closest competitors to be Mary Kay and Revlon.Avon is nearly 8 times larger than Revlon. In terms of channel of distribution, Mary Kay most closely resembles Avon because both use a direct marketing approach. Revlon in contrast sells its products through cosmetic counters in department stores and pharmacies. Avon has 42000 employees worldwide and Mary Kay has 5000 and Revlon has 5600. The large difference in company representatives is attributable to the necessity of employing more people to sell directly to customers than selling products through a storefront. The revenues of Avon also far exceed those of its closest competitors, with Mary Kay selling $2. 0 billion and Revlon selling $1. 35 billion in 2008 as compared to Avon’s $10. 37 billion. [pic] We face competition from competing products in each of our lines of business, in both the domestic and international markets. Worldwide, we compete against products sold to consumers by other direct-selling and direct-sales companies and through the Internet, and against products sold through the mass market and prestige retail channels. We also face increasing competition in our developing and emerging markets. Within the direct selling channel, we compete on a regional and often country-by-country basis, with our direct-selling competitors.There are also a number of direct-selling companies that sell product lines similar to ours, some of which also have worldwide operations and compete with us globally. Unlike most other beauty companies, we compete within a distinct business model where providing a compelling earnings opportunity for our Representatives is as critical as developing and marketing new and innovative products. Therefore, in contrast to a typical consumer packaged goods (â€Å"CPG†) company which operates within a broad-based consumer pool, we must first compete for a limited pool of Representatives before we reach the ultimate consumer.Direct sellers compete for representative or entrepreneurial talent by providing a more competitive earnings opportunity or â€Å"better deal† than that offered by the competition. Representatives are attracted to a direct seller by competitive earnings opportunities, often through what are commonly known as â€Å"field incentives† in the direct selling industry. Competitors devote substantial effort to finding out the effectiveness of such incentives so that they can invest in incentives that are the most cost effective or produce the better payback.As the largest and oldest beauty direct seller, Avon’s business model and strategies are often highly sought after, particularly by smaller local and more nimble competitors who seek to capitalize on our investment and experience. As a result, we are subject to significant competition for t he recruitment of Representatives from other direct selling or network marketing organizations. It is therefore continually necessary to innovate and enhance our direct selling and service model as well as to recruit and retain new Representatives.If we are unable to do so our business will be adversely affected. Within the broader CPG industry, we compete against large and well-known cosmetics and fragrances companies that manufacture and sell broad product lines through various types of retail establishments. In addition, we compete against many other companies that manufacture and sell in more narrow Beauty product lines sold through retail establishments. This industry is highly competitive, and some of our principal competitors in the CPG industry are larger than we are and have greater resources than we do.Competitive activities on their part could cause our sales to suffer. We have many competitors in the highly competitive gift and decorative products and apparel industries globally, including retail establishments, principally department stores, gift shops and specialty retailers, and direct-mail companies specializing in these products. Our principal competition in the highly competitive fashion jewelry industry consists of a few large companies and many small companies that sell fashion jewelry through retail establishments.The number of competitors and degree of competition that we face in this beauty and related products industry varies widely from country to country. If our advertising, promotional, merchandising or other marketing strategies are not successful, if we are unable to deliver new products that represent technological breakthroughs, if we do not successfully manage the timing of new product introductions or the profitability of these efforts, or if for other reasons our Representatives or end customers perceive competitors’ products as having greater appeal, then our sales and financial results may suffer.Global cosmetic and t oiletries market is witnessing significant growth in terms of sales and technological advancements over the past few years because of increasing consumer awareness towards personal hygiene and health. Growing concerns regarding skin care is particularly fueling the robust growth across all market segments and geographies. Increasing demand for organic and natural cosmetic and toiletries products is creating new growth opportunities in this field which is encouraging the emergence of new market players in this arena.One of the major reasons behind the considerable growth of global cosmetic and toiletries industry is the shifting of production units to cost effective Asian economies like India and China. Emergence of new distribution channels like online retailing is driving the growth of this market. Increasing consumer preferences towards the use of herbal and natural cosmetic products is forcing the cosmetic and toiletries manufacturers to change and adapt strategies according to c onsumer preferences.Worldwide market for cosmetics and toiletries products was severely affected by economic downturn, but with the global economy recovering, this market is projected to witness a significant growth and reach the value of USD 19. 2 billion by the year 2015. However, difficulty in obtaining credit and weakening consumer confidence are affecting consumer spending on cosmetics which is one of the major challenges faced by this industry. Presence of large domestic markets is helping emerging economies to recover from deepening economic crisis.Cosmetics and toiletries market is still in its embryonic stage and holds strong growth potential in near future. Consumption of cosmetic and toiletries products is no more limited to female population alone. Male grooming products are emerging as an important segment of this market. Skin care products, hair care products, face cleansers, and premium shaving products are important offerings for male grooming products market. The US and Europe is the largest market for sun care and skin care products. Products with natural and organic ingredients are in increasing demand in European and North American markets despite of high cost.Major reason behind this increased demand of organic products is better health benefits offered by these products. Rising environmental concerns, carcinogenic nature of synthetic cosmetic ingredients, and increasing awareness about sustaining resources are some of the major factors propelling the growth of organic and natural ingredients in cosmetic industry. Worldwide market for cosmetics and toiletries is categorized into skin care, hair care, fragrances, make-up, oral care, baby care, bath and shower, deodorants, color cosmetics, men’s grooming, sun care, and others.For the environmental analysis, it should be taken into consideration the five forces of Porter: 1 Threat of new entry This factor analyzes the ease with which firms may enter into an industry. Competitive indust ries are likely to attract many firms which will strive to capture a market share. This is likely to reduce the overall profitability of firms which are present in the industry. In order for firms to enjoy long term profitability, they should develop customer loyalty within their industry.This will ensure that although new firms enter an industry, their market share is unaffected since customers have faith on their products. Development of customer loyalty is achieved through innovating new products which meet the unique market needs. The cosmetic industry has a low threat of new entrants. This is due to several factors. The first is the huge costs of entry. Developing unique cosmetic products requires a lot of resources both in terms of research and development and the actual manufacturing process. Few middle and small scale firms have access to the funds and expertise required to perform this effectively.Another factor which discourages entry into this industry is the huge competi tion present in the industry. In addition to the huge competitors such as Avon, Revlon, Clinique, Estee Lauder, LR, Mac and Unilever, who have a large market share, there are many other small scale competitors who also have a small market share and who reduce the overall profitability of firms in the industry. 2 3 Bargaining power of customers The bargaining power of customers analyzes the power which consumers have relating to price changes in the industry.This factor analyzes the power which consumers have in manipulating price changes due to shifts in demand (Aaker, 2000: 102-120). When consumers have a high bargaining power, the manufacturers and sellers may not adequately predict future demand by the market. This may make them unable to achieve long term profitability due to unpredictable demand patterns. The cosmetic has a high bargaining power of customers. This is due to the increase competition and availability of cosmetic products from a variety of manufacturers.Since thes e products have high substitutes, then it is possible for consumers to force manufacturers to reduce their product prices through purchasing those of their competitors. This is a challenge which manufacturers of cosmetic products face across the world. 4 Bargaining power of suppliers This factor analyzes the power which suppliers have regarding making price changes for their products. Suppliers who have a high bargaining power are able to influence price changes through using techniques such as market manipulation through hoarding and restraining supply.Although some of these strategies are illegal in many countries, suppliers usually apply them when they want to effect price changes. The cosmetic industry has a low bargaining power of suppliers. This is due to the high number of market players and large supply of diverse products to the market. There are many cosmetic products which are developed by both large and small scale manufacturers. Due to the huge supply, consumers have th e power to influence the market prices as opposed to the suppliers. 1 Threat of substitutesThe threat of substitutes arises when there are similar products developed by competitors which satisfy the market needs. When consumers have access to substitute products which can satisfy their market needs, then manufacturers and suppliers lose their bargaining power. Consumers are able to purchase competitor’s products if they are not satisfied with product price or quality. In order for suppliers to tackle the challenge of threat of substitutes, they have to innovate products which meet the needs of their target market segments. In the cosmetic industry, there are many competitors as has been discussed.There is therefore a high threat of substitute products. If manufacturers sell their products at higher prices, or if the products are of low quality, then consumers are able to purchase substitutes from the many competitors who are present in the market environment. It is therefore essential for the market players in the cosmetic to be innovative if they are to tackle the challenge of the threat of substitute. 2 Barriers to entry and exit Barriers to entry and exit refer to the challenges firms face when entering or leaving the industry respectively.It has been discussed that there are huge costs which are associated with entry to the cosmetic industry. These costs include costs for developing the products as well as research costs. These are some of the barriers to entry in the cosmetic industry. In addition, there are many competitors who reduce the overall profitability of the industry, which makes it a barrier to entry. Finally, the many large scale cosmetic firms which enjoy economies of scale make it a barrier to entry especially for middle and small scale firms. Barriers to exit include the high development and research costs.Due to the high costs associated with developing cosmetic products, it is difficult for firms to leave the industry without achie ving the costs for production. There are also many machines and equipment used in developing cosmetic products and disposing these at a fair market value is difficult hence making it an exit barrier. 3 4 Seller and buyer concentration The cosmetic industry is appealing fir people of all age groups and social backgrounds. There are many cosmetic products which are tailored to meeting the needs of different market segments. The buyer concentration can herefore be deemed as low since there are many buyers who cut across different market segments both in the developed countries and the developing countries. However, the seller concentration may be deemed as high in developed countries. Many large scale cosmetic producers are concentrated in develop countries such as the United States, France and Germany. For instance, the cosmetic industry is valued at $6 billion in France and $12 billion in Germany. In the US, it is valued at over $20 billion. However, the seller concentration in devel oping countries and emerging markets is relatively low.Few firms have ventured into developing products which meet the specific needs of this market segment. In order to achieve long term profitability, new market entrants should focus on this neglected population segment. The high seller concentration in the developed countries leads to high competition and an overall reduction in profitability for cosmetic firms in this industry. Analiza competentelor functionale Avon Distribution We presently have sales operations in 65 countries and territories, including the U. S. and distribute our products in 42 other countries and territories. Unlike most of our competitors, which sell their products through third party retail establishments (e. g. drug stores, department stores), we primarily sell our products to the ultimate consumer through the direct-selling channel. In our case, sales of our products are made to the ultimate consumer principally through direct selling by approximately 6 . 4 million active independent Representatives. Representatives are independent contractors and not our employees.Representatives earn a profit by purchasing products directly from us at a discount from a published brochure price and selling them to their customers, the ultimate consumer of our products. We generally have no arrangements with end users of our products beyond the Representative, except as described below. No single Representative accounts for more than 10% of our net sales. A Representative contacts customers directly, selling primarily through our brochure, which highlights new products and special promotions for each sales campaign.In this sense, the Representative, together with the brochure, are the â€Å"store† through which our products are sold. A brochure introducing a new sales campaign is usually generated every two weeks in the U. S. and every two to four weeks for most markets outside the U. S. Generally, the Representative forwards an order for a campaign to us using the Internet, mail, telephone, or fax. This order is processed and the products are assembled at a distribution center and delivered to the Representative usually through a combination of local and national delivery companies.Generally, the Representative then delivers the merchandise and collects payment from the customer for his or her own account. A Representative generally receives a refund of the price the Representative paid for a product if the Representative chooses to return it. We employ certain web enabled systems to increase Representative support, which allow a Representative to run her or his business more efficiently and also allow us to improve our order-processing accuracy.For example, in many countries, Representatives can utilize the Internet to manage their business electronically, including order submission, order tracking, payment and two-way communications with us. In addition Representatives can further build their own business through pe rsonalized web pages provided by us, enabling them to sell a complete line of our products online. Self-paced online training also is available in certain markets, as well as up-to-the-minute news about us. In some markets, we use decentralized branches, satellite stores and independent retail operations to serve Representatives and other customers.Representatives come to a branch to place and pick up product orders for their customers. The branches also create visibility for us with consumers and help reinforce our beauty image. In certain markets, we provide opportunities to license our beauty centers and other retail-oriented and direct to consumer opportunities to reach new customers in complementary ways to direct selling. In the U. S. and selected other markets, we also market our products through consumer websites (www. avon. com in the U. S. ). Promotion and MarketingSales promotion and sales development activities are directed at assisting Representatives, through sales aid s such as brochures, product samples and demonstration products. In order to support the efforts of Representatives to reach new customers, specially designed sales aids, promotional pieces, customer flyers, television and print advertising are used. In addition, we seek to motivate our Representatives through the use of special incentive programs that reward superior sales performance. Periodic sales meetings with Representatives are conducted by the district sales or zone managers.The meetings are designed to keep Representatives abreast of product line changes, explain sales techniques and provide recognition for sales performance. A number of merchandising techniques are used, including the introduction of new products, the use of combination offers, the use of trial sizes and samples, and the promotion of products packaged as gift items. In general, for each sales campaign, a distinctive brochure is published, in which new products are introduced and selected items are offered as special promotions or are given particular prominence in the brochure.A key current priority for our merchandising is to continue the use of pricing and promotional models to enable a deeper, fact based understanding of the role and impact of pricing within our product portfolio. From time to time, various regulations or laws have been proposed or adopted that would, in general, restrict the frequency, duration or volume of sales resulting from new product introductions, special promotions or other special price offers. We expect our pricing flexibility and broad product lines to mitigate the effect of these regulations.Competitive Conditions We face competition from various products and product lines both domestically and internationally. The beauty and beauty-related products industry is highly competitive and the number of competitors and degree of competition that we face in this industry varies widely from country to country. Worldwide, we compete against products sold to co nsumers by other direct-selling and direct-sales companies and through the Internet, and against products sold through the mass market and prestige retail channels.Specifically, due to the nature of the direct-selling channel, we compete on a regional, often country-by-country basis, with our direct-selling competitors. Unlike most other beauty companies, we compete within a distinct business model where providing a compelling earnings opportunity for our Representatives is as critical as developing and marketing new and innovative products. As a result, in contrast to a typical CPG company which operates within a broad-based consumer pool, we must first compete for a limited pool of Representatives before we reach the ultimate consumer.Within the broader CPG industry, we principally compete against large and well-known cosmetics and fragrances companies that manufacture and sell broad product lines through various types of retail establishments. In addition, we compete against many other companies that manufacture and sell more narrow beauty product lines sold through retail establishments and other channels. We also have many competitors in the gift and decorative products and apparel industries globally, including retail establishments, principally department stores, gift shops and specialty retailers, and direct-mail companies specializing in these products.Our principal competition in the fashion jewelry industry consists of a few large companies and many small companies that sell fashion jewelry through retail establishments and direct-selling. We believe that the personalized customer service offered by our Representatives; the amount and type of field incentives we offer our Representatives on a market-by-market basis; the high quality, attractive designs and prices of our products; the high level of new and innovative products; our easily recognized brand name and our guarantee of product satisfaction are significant factors in helping to establish an d maintain our competitive position.International Operations Our international operations are conducted primarily through subsidiaries in 64 countries and territories outside of the U. S. In addition to these countries and territories, our products are distributed in 42 other countries and territories. Our international operations are subject to risks inherent in conducting business abroad, including, but not limited to, the risk of adverse currency fluctuations, currency remittance restrictions and unfavorable social, economic and political conditions.See the sections â€Å"Risk Factors – Our ability to conduct business, particularly in international markets, may be affected by political, legal, tax and regulatory risks† and â€Å"Risk Factors – We are subject to financial risks related to our international operations, including exposure to foreign currency fluctuations† in Item 1A on pages 7 through 15 of our 2011 Annual Report. Manufacturing We manufac ture and package almost all of our Beauty products. Raw materials, consisting chiefly of essential oils, chemicals, containers and packaging components, are purchased for our Beauty products from various suppliers.Most of our Fashion and Home products are purchased from various third-party suppliers. Additionally, we design the brochures that are used by the Representatives to sell our products. The loss of any one supplier would not have a material impact on our ability to source raw materials for our Beauty products or source products for our Fashion and Home categories or paper for the brochures. Trademarks and Patents Our business is not materially dependent on the existence of third-party patent, trademark or other third-party intellectual property rights, and we are not a party to any ongoing material licenses, franchises or concessions.We do seek to protect our key proprietary technologies by aggressively pursuing comprehensive patent coverage in major markets. We protect our Avon name and other major proprietary trademarks through registration of these trademarks in the markets where we sell our products, monitoring the markets for infringement of such trademarks by others, and by taking appropriate steps to stop any infringing activities. Research and Product Development Activities New products are essential to growth in the highly competitive cosmetics industry.Our research and development department’s efforts are significant to developing new products, including formulating effective beauty treatments relevant to women’s needs, and redesigning or reformulating existing products. To increase our brand competitiveness, we have sustained our focus on new technology and product innovation to deliver first-to-market products that provide visible consumer benefits. Our global research and development facility is located in Suffern, NY.A team of researchers and technicians apply the disciplines of science to the practical aspects of bringing products to market around the world. Relationships with dermatologists and other specialists enhance our ability to deliver new formulas and ingredients to market. Additionally, we have satellite research facilities located in Argentina, Brazil, China, Mexico, Poland and South Africa. In 2010, we invested in our R&D facility in Shanghai, China to increase our ability to develop products to better meet Asian consumers’ needs. In 2011, our most significant product launches included: SuperShock MaxMascara. Moisture Seduction Lipstick, Outspoken Intense by Fergie Fragrance, Step Into Fragrance, Anew Genics Treatment Cream, Anew Solar Advance Sunscreen Face Lotion SPF 45, Solutions Youth Minerals Restorative Night Cream, Skin So Soft Perfecting Oil, Advance Techniques Damage Repair 3D Rescue Leave-in Treatment, Super Enchant Mascara, and ExtraLasting Makeup. The amounts incurred on research activities relating to the development of new products and the improvement of existing prod ucts were $77. 7 in 2011, $72. 6 in 2010 and $65. 4 in 2009.This research included the activities of product research and development and package design and development. Most of these activities were related to the development of Beauty products. Environmental Matters In general, compliance with environmental regulations impacting our global operations has not had, and is not anticipated to have, any material adverse effect on our capital expenditures, financial position or competitive position. Employees At December 31, 2011, we employed approximately 40,600 employees. Of these, approximately 5,400 were employed in the U. S. nd 35,200 in other countries. Seasonal Nature of Business Our sales and earnings typically have a seasonal pattern characteristic of many companies selling Beauty, gift and decorative products, apparel, and fashion jewelry. Holiday sales generally cause a sales peak in the fourth quarter of the year; however, the sales volume o holiday gift items is, by its nat ure, difficult to forecast. Fourth quarter revenue and operating data was as follows: | |2011 |2010 | |Fourth uarter revenues as a % of total revenue |27% |29% | |Fourth quarter operating profit as a % of total operating profit |2% |33% | The fourth quarter operating profit comparison between 2011 and 2010 was unfavorably impacted by a $263. 0 impairment charge, or 31% of full year operating profit, recognized in the fourth quarter of 2011. The fourth quarter operating profit comparison was partially offset by lower costs to implement our restructuring initiatives in 2011 compared to 2010.The fourth quarter of 2011 included costs to implement our restructuring initiatives of $8. 7, whereas the fourth quarter of 2010 included $58. 3 of costs to implement our restructuring initiatives. Finance The financial statement of the company in 2011 is: Internationalizare Avon [pic] As the world's largest direct seller, Avon markets leading beauty, fashion and home products to women in more th an 100 countries through more than 6 million active independent Avon Sales Representatives. The countries are:Albania, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Grand Cayman Island, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand,Nicaragua, North Cyprus, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Africa, Spain, St. Croix, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Tortola, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turks & Caicos, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay,Venezuela. When the Avon lady comes knocking at the door, she'd better speak good Portuguese. Or Spanish. Or even Russian. Cosmetics giant Avon Products (AVP) is increasing its revenue these days, with sales outside of the United States really driving business. The company reports first quarter 2011 total revenue of $2. billion, 7 percent higher than that of first-quarter 2010 and in line with company targets. Net income jumped 238 percent to $143. 6 million, thanks to stronger sales and restructuring. â€Å"We are pleased with the early progress against our commitment to return the business to mid-single digit revenue growth,† says Avon's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrea Jung in an earnings statement. â€Å"We are squarely foc used on restoring growth in Brazil and Russia in the second half, and ensuring execution in gross margin improvement and cost control. † Revenue in Latin America, which includes Mexico, was up 16 percent during the quarter while North American revenue was down 2 percent.Central and Eastern European sales were flat although Russia was up 3 percent, while Western Europe, Middle East & Africa's first-quarter revenue increased 16 percent and Asia Pacific, which includes China, reported a first quarter revenue decline of 6 percent. Analysts are pleased with the company's results, but some wonder if the company can keep the momentum going. Zacks Investment Research has assigned a short-term hold rating, although the long-term recommendation is currently underperform. Restructure, then compete Avon is currently in the middle of a multi-year restructuring program designed to accelerate investments toward growth opportunities, streamline manufacturing operations, and improve cost effec tiveness and efficiency in general. Restructuring should save the company $430 million a year when fully implemented by 2012. After that, keep an eye on the competitors. Avon faces competition from various products and product lines both domestically and internationally,† Zack says. The internationalization of Avon most take into account some factors, such as: Political Factors †¡ Tax policies †¡ Employment laws †¡ Trade restrictions and tariffs †¡ Political stability Economic Factors †¡ Economic growth †¡ Interest rates †¡ Exchange rates †¡ Fluctuation in oil and gas prices Social Factors †¡ Emphasis on safety †¡ No animal testing †¡ Green Environment †¡ Philanthropic Issues †¡ Technology Factors †¡ Automation †¡ Technology incentives †¡ Rate of technological change †¡ Technologies Adaption External Assessment: Avon Opportunities 1. A growing trend in the cosmetics industry is the introductio n of ? green? products.More than sixteen percent of beauty products launched in 2008 were certified organic, ethical, or all natural. 2. Eye makeup market 3. The cosmetics industry tends to be countercyclical. This means that those are industries for which the demand is either not correlated with the business cycle. The demand for their products is not much affected by availability of current income, but by other personal, social or economic factors. The recession also contributes to the industry being counter-cyclical. There is an upsurge in people joining the industry in the past six or eight months and there's absolutely no doubt that this is because of the recession and the effect on employment. 4.Aveda cosmetics found that sixty eight percent of consumers will remain loyal to a company that has a social and environmental commitment. 5. Urban Trendsetters markets 6. Geographic growth  ± enormous growth opportunities existed in countries with huge populations such as China, Ind onesia and India. 7. Demand for cosmetic products normally remains constant and unaffected by economic distress 8. The baby boomers are aging and they are more conscious on their appearance, beauty and also improving their looks. Emphasize direct selling in emerging and developing markets External Assessment: Avon Threats 1. Competition such as Mary Kay and Revlon 2. Rejection of internet selling by sales representative 3.Global economic climate stifled new product development, innovation and sustainability programs in 2009. 4. In terms of color cosmetics, environmental International Inc. predicted that many of these markets will see slowdown in volume demand. 5. Inflation rate and Rising cost of commodities 7. Direct-selling becoming more popular – Amid the financial crisis Aussie mums are increasingly turning to direct selling and at-home product parties to supplement their household income. 8. They are a multilevel based company that sells inferior quality with a higher pr ice tag than what it is worth 9. Avon products outpaced by ‘jazzier? products to women who favored more exciting product lines 10. Decreased earning opportunities