Imagine you are a very lonely person Essay

Today it has been three and half years since I was sentenced to jail for four years. My life in jail is very miserable and lonely, because since I came here no one has come to see me, my family and all my friends have disappeared. Today I was sitting near a visitor area; I saw a lot of people come to visit their relatives, who have been in jail. I remember days ago, before I came to this place, how I was happy with my family and friends, but no one today is coming to see me. Now I feel rejected by every one and for me I’m very hurt by this. It’s night – one of the prisoners is sick and no doctors or nurses to help him. I started to think how it would be if this happened to me. I remembered days ago with my family, when I was sick, they were always beside me trying to give hope, but now I’m disappointed and lonely, because no one will do that, every one who I loved has disappeared. It’s a lovely morning; I still desperate, because one of us has finished his prison term, his relatives and friends are here to take their beloved one. I started to think, when I finish my sentence, will anyone come to meet me? But I remained silent and started to think back to why all of this had happened to me. 5th December 2003 Dear Diary, Today I finish my punishment; I feel happy to finish this, because I know that now I will join my family and friends, whom I haven’t seen for four years. We are twenty people who are being released from jail today. All my fellow prisoners have been collected by their relatives and friends but I haven’t seen anyone, although I waited for two hours, but no one came, I felt sad and disappointed for what is happening to m me now. I asked myself where all the people were who I had spent my life with before I came here; even my family is not here today. I decided to go to my house; when I reached there I was shocked and speechless, because it had changed and I met other people whom I didn’t know, they told me that they had bought that house two years ago. I was shocked, anger and it was bitter painful to me for what my wife had done; I thought, where I will go, because I’m homeless now. I went to my brother’s house to beg for help but when he saw me, his face changed. I didn’t know why. He told me that my wife and kids had moved away after I had been sentenced to jail and he didn’t know where they were now. I begged my brother to allow me to stay for a short time while I looked for a job and a place to live, he seemed unhappy when I said this. At last he allowed me to stay for three days and after that I would need to find somewhere I could go. I went to the room and started thinking about why my own brother was doing this to me; I was anger and frustrated for what my brother said. I thought about the time, years ago, when he had stayed with me in my house for three years and tears started to come from my eyes, when I remembered this and compared it to what he was doing to me now. 20th January 2004 Dear Diary, Today I went back to my company, where I was working before I was sentenced to jail. I met a lot of people, who I had been working with, but they didn’t have time to talk to me, I felt rejected and unhappy. I remember, when we were working together, we were happy and we were very close, but now they were pushing me away from them. My manager told me there was no chance for me to come back; I was shocked and speechless, when he said that. I went back home and started to wonder bitterly why I have all the qualifications, but all the companies to which I applied for work turned down my applications. It was a frustrating and sad time; I told my brother what had happened to me, but he didn’t understand; he chased me from his house and said to me, ‘I don’t care where you go or what happens to you’. I felt heart broken, because I never thought that my brother would do such a thing as this. While I was walking down the street, I saw many people playing and laughing with their families. I remembered my family when we were together and how happy we were. I sat down at the corner of the street and started to think why all of this was happening to me. I stayed there for an hour, just thinking what to do, and I decided the only way to overcome this was to commit suicide, because it was all too much.

Development of optical nanoelectronics Essay

Nanotechnology has become more advanced in recent years. This made possible the development of optical nanoelectronics. Optical nanocircuits have been the focus of recent researches because of its superior advantages over the existing electronic circuits. They offer high-speed transmission of data, high bandwidth, and even miniaturization of circuit elements. But optical nanocircuits, operating in the optical frequencies, are not solely based on the existing circuit theory that has been the foundation of the existing Microwave circuits. Theory of Electromagnetics must be deeply analyzed and extended to understand how optical nanocircuits work. In microwave circuits, resistors, inductors and capacitors can be modeled using lumped elements. The changes in electromagnetic field inside the electronic components are quasi-static in nature. This idea also holds true for optical nanocircuits. In order to preserve the quasi-static nature of the elements, the dimensions of the components need to be tinier than the wavelength. This has been possible because of the advancement of nanotechnologies. But the problem in the optical frequencies is the behavior and response of the metallic and non-metallic components. At optical frequencies, metals tend to show plasmonic resonance, which causes the permittivity of the material to have a negative real part. Since metals don’t show the property of conduction at optical frequencies, Conduction current is not the main current flowing thru the metal. Displacement current is dominant current flowing thru the metals at optical frequencies. This displacement current is greatly affected by the permittivity of the material used. The characteristics of the permittivity of the material determine whether the material acts as a nanoinductor, a nanocapacitor, or a nanoresistor. If the real part of the permittivity of the material is positive, the material acts as a nanocapacitor. On the other hand, if the real part is negative, it acts as a nanoinductor. Materials have nanoresistance when the imaginary part of the permittivity of the material is not equal to zero. These nanoelements can also be used to realized nanofilters. Existing ideas using resistors, inductors, and capacitors to create lowpass, highpass, and bandpass filters can also be used to create nanofilters. Depending on the connections of the nanoelements, nanofilters can be constructed. Nanoinductors, nanocapacitors and nanoresistors can be connected in either series or parallel to produce the necessary nanofilter. A sample of optical nanocircuit is shown in the image below. Figure 1. Realization of optical nanocircuit. (Engheta, Science 2007. ) References: Alu, A. , Salandrino, A. , & Engheta, N. Parallel, Series, and Intermediate Interconnections of Optical Nanocircuit Elements, Part 2: Nanocircuit and Physical Interpretation. Universtiy of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Retrieved November 15, 2008 from http://arxiv.org/pdf/0707. 1003. pdf Engheta, N. , SAlandrino, A. , & Alu, A. (2004). Circuit Elements at Optical Frequencies : Nano-inductors, Nano-capacitors, and Nano-resistors. Universtiy of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Retrieved November 15, 2008 from http://arxiv. org/pdf/cond-mat/0411463. pdf Engheta, N. (2007). Circuits with Light at Nanoscales: Optical Nanocircuits Inspired by Metamaterials. Science. Shivanand, S. V. (2008). Optical Nanocircuits. Purdue University, Indiana, USA. Retrieved November 15, 2008 from http://cobweb. ecn. purdue. edu/~ece695s/Lectures/Lecture_20. pdf

LandScape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

LandScape - Essay Example There are many interesting aspects to the country as well, such as the steep history of Bedouin people throughout the region (Chatty, 1983). One interesting aspect of the Bedouin culture is that it is impolite to allow the bottom of your foot to point toward another person. It is facts like this that make the landscape of Oman interesting to discover and write about. What follows is a bit more about the specific components that make up the landscape of this history rich country. Origin of the Landscape As Oman is located on the southeastern portion of the Arabian Peninsula, it has formed quite a diverse landscape over the years. There are multiple landforms present in the country including mountains, deserts, coastal strips that have become quite fertile, and gravel plain. When many think of Oman, they might envision a vast and flat desert, yet the Jabal al-Akhdar Mountain, also known as Green Mountain, is over 10,000 feet in elevation at its peak. That can be contrasted with the bea utiful Musandam Peninsula, which is at the Strait of Hormuz. The landscape of this are is actually separate from the rest of Oman and add to the rich diversity of the country even more (Eickleman, 1983). It is a location where residents and visitors alike can come to enjoy the weather and go snorkeling. That certainly makes it unique when compared to other countries in the region. Ethnic Makeup of the Omani People The Omani people are a surprisingly homogenous group. For the most part, they have descended from the following ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, Persian, South India, and East Africa. Because of the rich resources available in the country, and relatively small labor pool, more than 600,000 expatriates call Oman their full-time home, so they would need to be considered a vital part of the cultural landscape as well. These individuals largely come from India and Bangladesh, in addition to the Philippines, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, and Palestine. Generally speaking, the Omani people are considered to be among the most friendly, open, and tolerant of the Middle Eastern countries. Their ethnic background has generated a conservative and traditional way of life, yet the people are also interested in make technological and economic progress (Janzen, 1986). As such, the country is not stuck in a traditional upbringing, but it is moving forward to form an even more diverse cultural landscape. It is important to note that Omani people do tend to identify themselves along ethnic roots, so there is a social class distinction evident within the country. This has created the situation where family is valued over all else, so great importance is placed upon one’s family tribe of origin and their lineage, rather than on the individual or peer group. This type of ethnic breakdown has served the country well, however, as they have been one of the few countries in the region to balance this sense of tradition with the foresight to embrace modernity and economic progres s. Role of Religion in Forming the Landscape As one would expect, religion has play a key part in the development of Oman’s cultural landscape. No surprisingly, nearly 75% of the inhabitants identify themselves as Ibadi Muslims, with the rest of the population largely being either Sunni or Shi’i Muslims. There are few other religious beliefs openly practiced in the country, so Islam has certainly served to shape the countries identity over the past few thousand years. While not

The Ethno Science Approach and its View of the Role of Marriage in a Thesis

The Ethno Science Approach and its View of the Role of Marriage in a Society - Thesis Example The purpose of this study is to understand different roles marriage plays in the creation of extended families and kinship patterns. The paper is aimed at an audience of contemporary 21st century couples whose definition of marriage is rooted on the concept of love and compatibility. Bell (1997) describes marriage as a relationship between a man, or more than one man, and one or more than one woman with a â€Å"demand-right of sexual access within a domestic group and identifies women who bear the obligation of yielding to the demands of those specific men† (237). An ethno science approach to the functions of the social institute of marriage seeks to arrive at an accurate and concise description from the eyes of the participants. This is in contrary to the generalized perception of marriage in the contemporary society where marriage fundamentally serves to provide legal and social recognition of a union between two people. For an ethno science perspective, marriage plays a key role in creation of new kinship ties, in the up-bringing of children conceived within the union. Marriage also plays a role in describing the acceptable and unacceptable sexual relations between different members of the society. Ethno science recognizes the role marriage plays in fu nctional division of labor, emotional support, procreation, and rearing of children. Marriage in this case involves the two individuals in the union as well as the social and economic organization of the

Brief essay on why you would like to have a career as a surgical

Brief on why you would like to have a career as a surgical technologist - Essay Example This paper aims at explaining the reasons as to why I would like to have a career as a surgical technologist. For a person to be successful as a surgical technologist there are a number of skills and abilities that they are supposed to have. For instance, I am aware of the fact that a good surgical technologist needs to have manual dexterity that can enable them to handle instruments quickly. Having trained as a pharmacy technician at St. Johns University I am convinced that during the process I certainly gained the relevant skills that can enable me to meet the skills that have been mentioned herein. Such skills will enable me to make a good surgical technologist. Another thing is that a surgical technologist should have the ability to respond quickly and be aware of the surgery procedures so that they can be able to know which instrument to prepare without having to wait for the surgeons or nurses to tell them what they should be preparing (Fuller, and Armistead 111). This is something that can only come with experience. The experience can allow someone to completely familiarize with the process as a result of being involved in the process repeatedly. On my side, I can say that I have gathered the relevant experience that will enable me to effectively work as a surgical technologist. I worked as an office manager at the cardiology clinic for a period of 7 years. I am sure that during this period I learnt allot about surgical procedures that might help me in being a good surgical technologist. Being familiar with surgical processes am sure that it would not take me long before I am able to be effective as a surgical technologist. This gives m e an advantage over those who have not had any experience. I am also convinced that I have the physical ability to be a surgical technologist. One thing that is required of a surgical technologist is physical strength because of the activities that

Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Education - Essay Example 369, 2010). For this reason, secondary schooling is vital to how successful the child is in the future, while he or she is gaining further knowledge or working hard to build a career. Recently, however, experts have observed a failure of schools to prepare their students for the future. They trace this failure down to specifically secondary schools, as the skills and confidence that they consider lacking in the adults of today, are those, which one is supposed to acquire in secondary school (Anderman and Maehr, pp. 287, 1994). One example of this failure was published in the press release in the UK, when FSB Education Chairman Collin Williams pointed out how, "The secondary school system is not producing enough sixteen year-olds that can hit the ground running on their first day in the world of work† (Politics.co.uk, 2007). He explained that he thinks that the British GCSE examination system helps to hide this failure until the student has graduated and is searching employment. However, the truth reveals itself once these students are employed and conducting their duties. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reports the shocking statistics: almost ten percent of the businesses have trouble in finding people to hire who have the required mathematical and literacy skills. The recruits often need training after they are hired, so that they may be taught again, things that they were supposed to have learnt in secondary schools. Apart from this, the FSB also reports the woes of several businesses, who complain about the laws and regulations, which are governing these education policies. They say that when the government changes the minimum working age to eighteen, it should expect a benefit out of this only if it corrects the secondary school system first. According to them, these students will not stand any more a chance of pleasing their employers at the age of 18 than at the age of 16, if they will still receive schooling through the secondary schooling system. They suggest that the secondary schools keep in mind the requirements that the children’s future employers will have of them, before commencing to educate them. They raise this suggestion in the light of the fact that the students, which organizations are currently hiring were not educated with these requirements in mind, which is why they fail to please most employers who entrust them with jobs ((Politics.co.uk, 2007). In addition, one can deduce that the failure of a student to be able to do so can be traced down to the failure of his secondary school. This is because it was a function of the secondary school, as mentioned earlier, to prepare the student for his or her future, may it be as an employee or a university student. Moreover, if this is lacking in the student, then one may blame the secondary schools for this failure. Another aim, which a child has from secondary school, is the need to socialize. A child attends secondary school during the ages of 11 to 1 6 (Vlaardingerbroek, & Taylor, pp. 30, 2009). At this age, a child learns to meet new people, and discover the different kinds of people that are present around him. He starts to discover himself, and figures out what his personality is like. He learns about himself, learns to like himself enough to present himself to the world for acceptance. Equally important, he learns to accept and bear rejection. All of these processes are a significant part of growing up, and they are

Choose one fromTOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT or NEW PRODUCT OR NEW SERVICE Essay

Choose one fromTOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT or NEW PRODUCT OR NEW SERVICE INTRODUCTION (NPI) orLEAN MANAGEMENT - Essay Example The engine and the accessories are all out-sourced from about 80 suppliers. The engine supplier is located about 100 Km away but the accessory suppliers are scattered all over the country There is a paint shop but the company uses a contractor to do the jobs with his own labour. 2. There is either a shortage or excess of raw materials at Production Assembly Line as the company works on basis of Material Requirement Planning (MRP) and is dependant on supplier offering delivery dates 3. Movement within the plant is slow and not smooth. Apart from the main conveyor Belt there are few conveyor belts and component feeding is mostly manual. There are only 3 forklift trucks, one for each Machine shop. As a result of above there are Erratic Dispatches. The dealers complain of missing delivery dates for their customers. Despite having fixed quotas for 50 dealerships the company is unable to forecast its requirements. This shows complete ignorance of how to use data and information for production planning. There is no consistency in Production plan. It is made weekly as per demand pressure without considering availability of capacity or raw materials. The Material Requirement Planning (MRP) does not take into consideration the available capacity and schedules resulting in either excess raw materials or shortage of raw materials at production head and elsewhere. Resources are not adequately available for Production resulting in delays within the operation Many movements within same section and between sections are manual as there is a shortage fork-lift trucks. No attention has been paid to installation of conveyers within sections and adding more forklift trucks between sections. Despite the equipment being relatively new breakdowns occur due to non existence of Preventive Maintenance Plans and non availability of spares in time Supply chain is not synchronized with Production hence raw material arrival does not match Production requirements. The

Decide on a topic in interpersonal communication that you feel is Essay

Decide on a topic in interpersonal communication that you feel is important, that you are interested in, curious about, or that you find to be controversial in - Essay Example It is largely controlled by the sub-conscious mind and small gestures can reveal the true feelings. Facial expressions, eye behavior, gestures and posture express emotions, feelings and attitudes, which sometimes even words cannot. Body language is extensively used in everyday life and has a central effect on the situation. This paper will discuss the impact that body language as a tool for interpersonal communication has in counseling and work settings. Albert Mehrabian determined that when taking in what someone is saying, 7% is attributable to verbal communication, 38% to tone of voice and 55% to facial expression and body language (Marketing, 2006). He observed that the way people use their body language is crucial in communication of information. Gabbot & Hogg (2000) assert that underlying the evaluation of any human exchange is a complex language of behaviors, which communicate meaning and provide a message on which evaluations are based. This language is non-verbal and has great importance in every interpersonal relationship. Non-verbal communication invariably and involuntarily takes place between two people when they face each other. Gabbot & Hogg classify non-verbal communication into four broad categories – proxemics (use of personal space and distance), kinesics (body postures and movements), oculesics (eye contact, gaze and movement), and vocalics (vocal tone and intonation). All these forms of non-verbal communication convey meanings which need to be interpreted during an exchange. Body language is a crucial communication tool, yet few people are well-versed in it. It has a significant impact on people’s perception even before we speak. It generates physical and emotional responses to people and situations in life. According to Ray Birdswhistell, professor of research in anthropology at Temple University and author of numerous books on body language, 65 to 90 percent of every conversation is interpreted

Presentation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Presentation - Assignment Example Such individuals must therefore develop numerous yet effective public relation strategies in order to interact with their publics and succeed in influencing their viewpoints. Individuals in the limelight carry out public relations strategically depending on their demands. While some may maintain a positive relationship with the public at all the time, the occurrence of crises often expedite the need for effective public relation plans in order to counter the negative effects of such crises. In such cases, the individuals contract public relation agencies who in turn develop effective public relation messages and communicate them effectively thereby earning them the desired viewpoints. Public relations campaigns target specific audiences for particular durations. Within such periods, the agencies must develop effective messages and assess the effectiveness of the campaigns at the end of the period. This way, the agency decides on the future action depending on the public’s mindset. Effective public relations campaigns result in the desired public view about the individuals. Robert Bruce Ford, commonly known as Rob Ford is an iconic Canadian politician and the current mayor of Toronto. Rob Ford has been a politician for more than three decades serving a two terms tenure in the council before being elected to the mayor’s position. As Such, Rob Ford is a public figure who requires a likable public image in order to achieve widespread acceptance since such enhances the success of the mayor. Despite such, the mayor’s political career has had numerous work elated and personal controversies some of which threatened his political career. The latest of such scandals was the drugs and substance abuse charges in 2013. Rob denied all the allegations but after extensive investigation into the allegations, the police discovered videos of

Business Article review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Article review - Essay Example The Department of Labor reported that unit labor costs increased by 1.4% while inflation-adjusted compensation rose to only 0.4 %. The higher rate of increases in productivity relative to the mount in hourly wage indicates that "companies are still able to keep a significant share of productivity gains for themselves and their investors." An implication of this is that companies are able to keep a larger share of their revenue as gross profits which can dampen the possibility of inflation as they allow companies to absorb more costs. However, the article also recognized that as companies have strong pricing power, they are hesitant in absorbing higher input costs but are inclined to pass these costs to consumers. The decline in the number of unemployed is indicative of a strong job market (Whitehouse). The article revealed the interrelation of different macroeconomic variables in the society as well as showed how the economic climate affects the position and decision making of business entities. The concepts such as inflation, productivity, and employment levels which are presently tackled in the class and their relationships are more elucidated and understood in the business article. Theoretically, labor productivity and wages are closely li

Kant & Hume, Comparative Study Essay Example for Free

Kant Hume, Comparative Study Essay Two of the modern world’s most followed and known, yet opposing philosophers. Immanuel Kant and David Hume both assert that all knowledge comes from experience, yet disagree on whether or not experience determines all knowledge, disagree on the causality of the universe as organized or unorganized, and disagree on God’s existence (or non-existence) within the world. Despite these vast differences, however, both philosophies have managed to co-exist in the modern world. Kant proclaims that all knowledge comes from experience, and that people are intelligent and rational enough to synthesize previous experiences into predictions (or fore-knowledge) of the future. On the other hand, Hume proclaims that all knowledge comes from experience and that just because something has occurred in the past does not mean that it will occur in the future. In regard to causality of the universe, Kant puts forth the notion that the universe was created in a way so that the nature of all things lays uniform and perfect despite the passing of time. Hume, however, puts forth the notion that the universe was created in a way so that all things change over time. In Kant’s eyes God’s existence or non-existence could never be proven or disproven, and because of this doubt God therefore exists. For Hume, the idea of God can exist, but the being most know as God cannot because the idea of god is specific and unique to every individual and therefore there cannot be one God for all—rather everyone has a unique and personal God. Kant and Hume pit each other down in philosophical battle after philosophical only to realize that they never agree on compromises to their ideas, and stay forever at opposite ends of the ideological spectrum. Kant and Hume both asserted that all knowledge comes from experience. Kant states that there â€Å"can be no doubt that all our knowledge begins with experience† (Pure). By this Kant asserts that all knowledge initiates from experience. However, Kant goes further by also stating that â€Å"we have no knowledge antecedent to experience† (Pure), which means that in order to understand something, one has to have experienced the happening/ occurrence at one point in time. Hume states that â€Å"causes and effects are discoverable, not by reason but by experience† (Enquiry). By this Hume asserts that all knowledge and any knowledge must come from experience and nothing else. Hume also states that real existence can come only from â€Å"either from the causes which produced it, or the effectswhich will arise from it† (Enquiry), which means that experience provides not only knowledge but the justification for existence that experiences define the essence/ being of an individual. Kant and Hume agree that all knowledge stems from experiences attained in the material world. By asserting that to have knowledge of something one has to experience that thing only once Kant sparks the disagreement between himself and Hume on whether or not the future can be known based on past experiences. Kant theorizes that although â€Å"knowledge begins with experience† it does not mean that all which follows â€Å"arises out of experience† (Pure). By this Kant states that experiences are building blocks the house of knowledge but not the house itself. Kant claims that people can know what happens in the future because reason allows for them to extend their experiences beyond what has happened to events that have not occurred yet. Kant justifies this by saying that people’s â€Å"conclusions from experience† stand enough to justify that the future will resemble the past (Pure). Hume theorizes that past experience â€Å"can be allowed to give direct and certain information† but only in relation to the â€Å"precise objects † to which past experience refers, and that â€Å"precise period of time, which fell under its cognizance† (Enquiry). Hume clearly states that the only pure knowledge people can have is knowledge of the past, which means that there can be no real knowledge of the future because it has not been experienced yet. Furthermore, Hume articulates that it is impossible to show that the â€Å"ultimate cause of any natural operation† can be found in â€Å"any single effect in the universe† (Enquiry). In this statement Hume tries to elucidate his point that just because something has existed before does not mean that it will exist again in the same form, that there is no â€Å"ultimate cause† but rather many causes that go into the producing of different effects. To capstone his point Hume says that one cannot have a golden rule that what â€Å"happens sometimes†¦ happens always†¦ with regard to some objects† for all things in existence because there is no †logic† or â€Å"process of argument† that â€Å"secures oneâ€Å" into this assumption (Enquiry). Hume explains that it stands impossible to predict the future because the future has not yet been experienced and therefore has no security of knowledge. For Kant, by a rational extension of logic, it can be determined that what has happened in the past and what will happen in the future are one in the same— yet or Hume, knowledge can come only from experience because If the future cannot be experienced then people have no bounds to determine what will happen in it. These suppositions then lead to the question of causality of the universe, to which Kant puts forth the notion that the universe was created in a way so that the nature of all things lays uniform and perfect— despite the passing of time— whereas Hume puts forth the notion that the universe was created in a way so that all things change over time. Kant presents that â€Å"nature is a being acting according to purpose† and creates a â€Å"natural purpose† that everything in the universe must adhere to (Judgment), which supports the notion that the universe was created in a way so that the nature of all things lays uniform and perfect because everything has its natural place in the universe and therefore maintains a natural purpose and a static order. Kant additionally expounds that â€Å"causality involves that of laws† and that these laws create a cause that has a specific effect that â€Å"must be produced† (Fundamentals). Due to this â€Å"law† that Kant references he insinuates that, despite time passing, what has happened will have to happen again based on the consistency of the laws of nature. To counter this, Hume presents his reasoning that â€Å"effect is totally different from the cause, and consequently can never be discovered in it† (Enquiry), which supports the notion that things change and no consistency stays in the universe because there is never a direct link between a cause, and the effect which results from it. Additionally, Hume goes on to dictate that effects fail to â€Å"be discovered in the cause† and that they â€Å"must be entirely arbitrary† (Enquiry). By this, Hume means that if an effect could be paired up with any old cause, that it would be completely random and therefore have no value in appraising cause and effect. By both these sentiments Hume conveys that a cause and effect have no solidified connection unless they are proven to be tied together, which leads to the assumption that the world shifts and changes over time because if the universe were static then everything would be the same and a golden rule for causality would exist but for Hume, it doesn’t. Kant and Hume stand at odds on whether the universe stays organized or frays at the ends because of their assertions that the universe was created perfectly, and in opposition the assertion that the universe was created imperfectly. After determining the organization of the universe, one question remains forthe philosophers: who or what, if anything, created the universe? To this Kant responds that God is unknowable and that this thought doesn’t disprove his existence or perfection while Hume responds everyone has their own unique God, and therefore one perfect and whole God cannot exist. Kant expounds that the â€Å"unavoidable problems set by pure reason itself are God, freedom, and immortality† and that for knowledge of God there is no â€Å"capacity or incapacity of reason for so great an undertaking† (Pure). Here Kant proclaims that because of reason’s inability to appraise the idea of God, that it is an unknowable topic and that everything stated about it can be marked as true because it cannot be disproven. Hume expounds that he â€Å"believe[s] [God] to be existent† and that Hume’s idea of â€Å"conception of the existence† dictates that the idea of God â€Å"lies not in the parts† or composition of the idea but in the â€Å"the manner in which we conceive it† (Treatise). Hume makes the point that he has his own idea of God, that his idea is unique to himself and the way in which he develops his idea. Hume also states that â€Å"God is existent† but only in the form in which â€Å"as he is represented to us† (Treatise). This statement definitively encompasses the idea that not everyone cannot know the same God because people can only conceive their notion of God from what they have experienced, and each person’s experience stays unique and separate. For Kant God exists by the pure reason that God can never be proven non-existent whereas for Hume, the idea of God can exist, but the being God that most people think of cannot because the idea of god is specific and unique to every individual. Kant and Hume pit each other down in philosophical battle after philosophical only to realize that they never agree on compromises to their ideas, and stay forever at opposite ends of the ideological spectrum, which in a twisted way allows them to co-exist in the modern world. On philosophy itself, Kant states that one â€Å"cannot say how far the inferences from perception may extend†, which means that for as much as people can imagine, something can be real and by extension this means that there is security in being able to make up the reality that one wants (Pure). In adversion Hume states that philosophy may â€Å"prove useful† by â€Å"destroying implicit faith and security† and allowing only one answer to be proven correct and logical through skepticism (Enquiry). Kant and Hume can have no recourse from the dilemma that they face because at every turn Kant states that anything imaginable is possible and that skepticism, Hume’s philosophy, can never be reconciled with the idea that everything could be possible because they intrinsically contradict each other. Kant and Hume: two men divided by differing philosophies on the source of knowledge, the causality of the universe, and the definite existence of God who battled over answers to these question of life throughout their careers. While Kant asserted that by rational extension experience could unlock the key to all knowledge Hume countered that only experience could grant knowledge, and that anything beyond that bent the rules of the world and made all knowledge inconsequential. While Kant asserted that the universe was created in a perfect natural order that would exist forever Hume countered that the universe was created in an imperfect, unorganized fashion that would be ever changing. While Kant asserted that the existence of God could never be disproven and therefore had to exist Hume countered that it is inadequate to say that God has to exist as a result of doubt because every conception of God from every individual is different and people must therefore err on the side of skepticism and accept that God cannot exist as everyone wishes him to. While Kant and Hume tried to reconcile their differences on philosophy they never came to an agreement, and therefore co-existed in the denial that the others thoughts could possible hold any truth. Works Cited Hume, David. An enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Chapter on Cause and Effect. -. A Treatise of Human Nature. Source found @ http://www. gutenberg. org/files/4705/4705-h/4705-h. htm#2H_4_0027 Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Judgment, Source material found @ http://www. marxists. org/reference/subject/ethics/kant/judgment/teleology. htm -. Critique of Pure Reason. -. Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals. Book provided by http://www. gutenberg. org/cache/epub/5682/pg5682. html.

UK DMS Military Amputee Rehabilitation Strategy

UK DMS Military Amputee Rehabilitation Strategy Introduction The previous chapter provided information regarding the context and background to the study, the research aim and objectives, the statement of the problem, the scope and limitations of the study, and the study structure. Globally, the availability of rehabilitative staff and for that matter health workers in general has become a cause for concern. WHO (2006) commented that the world faces a shortage of 4.2 million health workers. Experts have warned that the number of health workers being trained domestically in many countries is threatened by the strain on public finances inflicted by the ongoing economic crisis. The EU could face a shortage of 1 million health professionals by 2020 or 2 million if long-term care and auxiliary professions are also taken into account (Jensen, 2013). To combat these shortages, the UK and USA recruit staff on an industrial and international scale (Eckenwiler, 2009). This chapter will review the UK DMS military amputee rehabilitation strategy. Comparing the UK with US, it will review the global rehabilitation situation, discussing a number of issues affecting service provision, and rehabilitation staff availability. Additionally, the chapter will review some of the current evidence supporting the impact relocation has on the retention of civilian rehabilitation staff, and review perspectives underlying staffs willingness to stay with health organisations. UK Military Rehabilitation Strategy The principal aim of the UK DMS Rehabilitation Strategy (the Defence Military Rehabilitation Programme) is to return service personnel to operational levels of fitness as soon as possible the fitter quicker principle. Where this is not achievable e.g. military amputee patients the aim is to attain the maximal level of physical, psychological and social health possible (MOD, 2010, p.1). The Defence Military Rehabilitation Strategy (the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Programme) currently encompasses two distinct capabilities; the DMRC (Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre) and the DMRS (Defence Medical Rehabilitation Service). The DMRC is the foremost Defence rehabilitation centre where service personnel can receive rehabilitation for neurological, complex trauma (polytrauma) or force generation musculoskeletal conditions. The DMRS (MOD, 2016) is provided through a tiered network of rehabilitation facilities including 152 Primary Care Rehabilitation Facilities (PCRF) and 15 Regional Rehabilitation Units (RRU) across the UK and Germany. The PCRFs are Unit/Station based rehabilitation departments offering physiotherapy and exercise therapy on an outpatient basis. Patients with injuries that cannot be resolved at this level are referred to RRUs who provide rapid access to imaging services, podiatry and residential rehabilitation. The Defence Military Rehabilitation Programme is also supported by PRCs (Personnel Recovery Centres). They are residential facilities situated in or near garrisons and are available to all members of the Armed Forces during their recovery from sickness or injury. They aim to assist personnel back to either military service or a second career in a civilian occupation. US Military Rehabilitation Strategy United States Military Rehabilitation Strategy recognised the need for an overhaul of rehabilitation services during the War in Afghanistan. Seven years after US troops entered the Afghanistan conflict, Congress passed the Defence Authorization Act of 2008, which reflected legal and healthcare workers concerns about the quality and availability of medical care services (Lister, Panangala, and Scott, 2008). Accordingly, todays casualties receive an effective and expansive set of rehabilitative services that are akin to those seen in the in the United Kingdom. US rehabilitative care is provided by Tricare (a health care program of the United States Department of Defense Military Health System) and the Veterans Association (VA)2. Global Rehabilitation Issues Amputee Services Amputee rehabilitation services in high income countries are usually centrally funded and provide effective support. Amputee rehabilitation in low and middle income countries depends on their nations stage of development. In areas beset by war (for example Cambodia, Vietnam, Angola, Mozambique and Uganda), the greatest number of amputations (Staats, 1996) results from conflict and landmine explosions. As war drags on, the number of amputees increases and becomes an economic burden. In some countries the number of amputees is so great it is considered an ecological as well as economic disaster; this is the amputee volume imperative. In these regions amputee rehabilitation in any form is a luxury, if it is available at all. Global Rehabilitation Issues Population Effects When delivered at its best, rehabilitation provides people with the tools they need to attain maximal health, function, independence and self-determination (WHO, 2002). The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank estimate that people with disabilities constitute at least 15% of the worlds population, with the majority in low and middle-income countries (WHO, 2011; Pryor and Boggs, 2012). Despite the continued increase in rehabilitation cases worldwide, prioritizing and monitoring of progress to improve health services for people with disabilities remains inadequate (Tomlinson et al., 2009). International evidence shows that people with disabilities have many unmet health and rehabilitation needs, face barriers in accessing mainstream health-care services, and consequently have poor health. With an ever-increasing incidence and prevalence of chronic disabling non-communicable diseases (Boutayeb and Boutayeb, 2005) and a global health refocus on reducing mortality, the world is experiencing a growing demand for rehabilitation services. Generally however, physical and functional rehabilitation is not emphasized in global health discourse (Pryor and Boggs, 2012), despite many recent documents, including various national and international policy instruments and the World Report on Disability (2011) that stressed that physical rehabilitation services are a necessary element of a comprehensive system. The WHO Global Disability Action Plan 2014-2021 (2015) includes the strengthening of rehabilitation services as a key objective. To achieve this objective, it provides capacity building actions (to meet this objective) for member states, national and international partners. Currently however, rehabilitation services, particularly in low and middle-income countries, do not have t he capacity to adequately address the needs of their populations. Global Rehabilitation Issues Finance and Resources UK and US military rehabilitation strategies are able to provide tiered and specialist services as they are centrally funded. Specialised amputee services in high income countries can also attract charitable donations in order to achieve the best care solution. Where rehabilitation is adequately financed, national rehabilitation strategies (NRH, 2009) dictate that care should be delivered from 3 perspectives: general rehabilitation; specialist rehabilitation; and a complex specialised rehabilitation service (C-SRS). In high income countries (UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden) rehabilitation is integrated in health care and financed under the national health system (Lilja et al., 2009; WHO, 2004). In other countries responsibilities are divided between different ministries. This stymies rehabilitation services at regional and local level; they are often poorly coordinated and not integrated into the overall system (OECD, 2008). The cost of rehabilitation can be a barrier for people with disabilities in high-income as well as low-income countries. Rehabilitation is problematic even where central funding from government, insurers, or NGOs is available, as it may not cover enough of the costs to make it affordable (Bijelow et al., 2004). Deficits in the New Zealand rehabilitation infrastructure and workforce already severely compromise access to and provision of rehabilitation services (New Zealand Rehabilitation Association, 2014). Australia (the sixth largest country in the world) is a high-income country, ranked 19th in terms of per capita GDP. The development of health services in Australia has mainly been focused on metropolitan and regional areas, with both on-site and outreach locations. A review of 30 years of development in rehabilitation, clinical services, and education reforms in Victoria (Pryor and Boggs, 2012), indicates that progress has been indifferent with mistakes, dead ends and successes al ong the way. Financing strategies can improve the provision, access, and coverage of rehabilitation services, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Whilst it can be assumed that any new strategy should be carefully evaluated for its applicability and cost-effectiveness before being implemented, the reality is that rapid implementation negates strategic review. In low and middle income countries, physical and functional rehabilitation is particularly challenging, given human resource shortages and inadequate funding of health care. In these situations, rehabilitation services have evolved in unique ways. They are often strongly linked to humanitarian responses and wider disability actions, and are less connected with mainstream health care than in other settings. Aid agencies from Australia, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States have supported such activities (Dolea, 2010). The rehabilitation sector is frequently disconnected from the health sector and is closely linked with poverty reduction strategies. Limited resources and health infrastructure in developing countries, and in rural and remote communities in developed countries, can reduce access to rehabilitation and quality of services (World Bank, 2009). In a survey of the reasons for not using health facilities in two Indian states, 52.3% of respondents indicated that no healthcare facility in the area was available (World Bank, 2009). Other countries lack rehabilitation services that have proven effective at reducing long-term costs, such as early intervention for children under the age of five (Stucki et al., 2005; Rimmer, 2006; Storbeck and Pittman, 2008). A study of users of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) in Ghana, Guyana, and Nepal showed limited impact on physical well-being because CBR workers had difficulties providing physical rehabilitation (Stucki et al., 2005). A 2005 global surv ey (SNCDD, 2006) of the implementation of the nonbinding, United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities found that: in 48 of 114 (42%) countries that responded to the survey, rehabilitation policies were not adopted; in 57 (50%) countries legislation on rehabilitation for people with disabilities was not passed; in 46 (40%) countries rehabilitation programmes were not established. Spending on rehabilitation services is difficult to determine because it generally is not disaggregated from other health care expenditure. Many countries particularly low and middle income countries struggle to finance rehabilitation, but rehabilitation is a good investment because it builds human capital (Haig et al., 2009). Health care funding often provides selective coverage for rehabilitation services, for example, by restricting the number or type of assistive devices, the number of therapy visits over a specific time, or the maximum cost (Dejong, Palsbo, and Beatty, 2002), in order to control cost. Governments in 41 of 114 countries did not provide funding for assistive devices in 2005 (SNCDD, 2006). In Haiti, before the 2010 earthquake, an estimated three quarters of amputees received prosthetic management due to the lack of availability of services (Bijelow et al., 2004). Poor access to prosthetic services that were available was attributed partially to users being unable to pay (Bijelow et al., 2004). Rehabilitation national survey in India, found two thirds of the assistive technology users reported having paid for their devices themselves (World Bank, 2009). Whilst global strategy recognised the need for appropriate resourcing, very few countries recognised the impact of disability on income. People with disabilities have lower incomes and are often unemployed, so are less likely to be covered by employer-sponsored health plans or private voluntary health insurance. If they have limited finances and inadequate public health coverage, access to rehabilitation may also be limited, compromising activity and participation in society (Crowley, 2003). Global Rehabilitation Issues Availability of Services and Staff National rehabilitation strategies require competent professional staff in great numbers; the global availability however of qualified /experienced rehabilitation professionals is on the decline (Chen, 2006). Not only do the settings for rehabilitation vary greatly from country to country, the availability of rehabilitation services in different settings varies within and across nations and regions (WHO, 2004; Haig, 2007; Tinney et al., 2007; Buntin, 2007; Ottenbacher and Graham, 2007). Haig et al (2009) flippantly concluded that the chance of a person with a disability in sub-Saharan Africa meeting a physician with specialist skills is about the same as that for an Antarctic penguin. Continuous WHO research has revealed wide cross-national disparities in the supply of rehabilitation health professionals. Lower income countries tend to have the lowest densities with less than 0.5 workers per 10,000 inhabitants in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa but also in several across Asia (Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Myanmar, India) and the Eastern Mediterranean (Iran, Yemen). Many high income countries including Finland, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada have workforce densities several times higher (De Savigny and Adam, 2009). This finding is not surprising: large differences across countries and critical shortages of highly skilled professionals in low-income countries have been well documented (Chen, 2006). Building a cadre of trained amputee rehabilitation personnel is a goal of many organisations and governments. Dunleavy (2007) suggests that the quality of the rehabilitation workforce in low-income countries is both disturbing and dangerous. A recent comprehensive survey of rehabilitation in Ghana identified no rehabilitation doctor or occupational therapist in the country, resulting in very limited access to therapy and assistive technologies (Tinney, 2007). An extensive survey of rehabilitation doctors in sub-Saharan Africa identified only six, all in South Africa, for more than 780 million people, while Europe has more than 10 000 and the United States more than 7000 (Haig et al., 2009). Discrepancies are also large for other rehabilitation professions (Saxena et al., 2007). Many developing countries do not have educational programmes for rehabilitation professionals. According to the 2005 global survey, 37 countries had not taken action to train rehabilitation personnel and 56 had not updated medical knowledge of health-care providers on disability (SNCDD, 2006). Despite a huge need for rehabilitation services in both urban and rural Cambodia, for example, hospitals could not afford to hire rehabilitation professionals (Dunleavy, 2007). Global Rehabilitation Issues Communication and Strategy Inadequate health information systems and communication strategies can contribute to low rates of participation in rehabilitation. Barriers to rehabilitation include poor communication across the health care sector and between providers (notably between primary and secondary care), inconsistent and insufficient data collection processes, multiple clinical information systems, and incompatible technologies (DiGiacomo, 2010). Poor communication can result in ineffective coordination of responsibilities among providers (Kroll and Neri, 2003). Complex referral systems can limit access. Where access to rehabilitation services is controlled by doctors (Dejong, Palsbo, and Beatty, 2002), medical rules or attitudes of primary physicians can obstruct individuals with disabilities from obtaining services (Hilberink, 2007). People are sometimes not referred, or inappropriately referred, or unnecessary medical consultations may increase their costs (Eldar, 2000; Holdsworth et al., 2006). The 200 5 global survey (SNCDD, 2006) of 114 countries, revealed 57 did not consult with families of persons with disabilities about design, implementation, and evaluation of rehabilitation programmes. This directly challenged McColl and Boyces supposition (2003) that the development, implementation, and monitoring of strategy and policy should always include users. A study of rehabilitation medicine related to physical impairments in five central and eastern European countries suggested that the lack of strategic planning for services had resulted in an uneven distribution of service capacity and infrastructure (Eldar et al., 2008). Strategy and planning needs to be based on analysis of the current situation, and consider the main aspects of rehabilitation provision leadership, financing, information, service delivery, products and technologies, and the rehabilitation workforce (De Savigny and Adam, 2009), defining priorities based on local need. Many countries have good legislation and related policies on rehabilitation, but the implementation of these policies, and the development and delivery of regional and local rehabilitation services, have lagged. Retention of Rehabilitation Staff Like other health staff, retaining rehabilitation professionals is affected by poor working conditions, safety concerns, poor management, conflict, inadequate training, lack of career development and continuing education opportunities (Crouch 2001; Tinney, 2007; Lehmann, Dieleman, and Martineau, 2008; Tran et al., 2008; Dolea, 2010). High income countries do not suffer from this scarcity, as their economies regularly attract healthcare workers from low-income countries (Landry, Rickets, and Verrier, 2007; Mock et al., 2007; Lehmann, Dieleman, and Martineau, 2008; Willis-Shattuck, 2008; Magnusson and Ramstrand, 2009). Retaining professional workers is especially important as professional workers may have stronger professional than organisational identification reasons for staying (Robertson and Hammersley, 2000). Retention can prove difficult however as turnover tends to be growing rapidly across many industries (Si, Wei and Li, 2008). More importantly, when employees leave they take their know-how with them and thus an organisation risks a potential loss of experience and expertise (Walker, 2001; Frank, Finnegan and Taylor, 2004). Employers invest a lot in recruiting and selecting employees and then invest even more in training and developing them over time. The development of these assets is an important task for human-resource managers (Sutherland, Torricelli, Karg, 2002). Moncarz, Zhao and Kay (2009) found that professional growth is an important retention factor and that in organisations where employees receive the proper training needed to assume greater responsibilities, turnover rates are generally lower (p. 441). Why Staff Stay With Organisations The learning and development of employees is an important retention-supporting strategy (Horwitz, Heng, and Quazi, 2003; Kyndt et al., 2009). Tymon, Stumpf and Smith (2011) note how retaining the best professional talent is of great practical significance to organisations as it eliminates the recruiting, selection and on-boarding costs of their replacement, maintains continuity in their areas of expertise, and supports a culture in which merit can be rewarded (p. 293). Advancement opportunities appear to motivate high-performer retention more so than other employees (Hausknecht, Rodda, and Howard, 2009). The role of management as a key factor in the retention of professional workers has been cited by several studies. Andrews and Wan (2009) link improved nurse retention to manager behaviour (p. 342) and Snyder and Lopez (2002) emphasize the role of leaders in an organisation in encouraging the talent of the organisation to stay. Research has shown that as long as employees feel that they are learning and growing, they will be less inclined to leave. On the other hand, once employees feel they are no longer growing, they begin to look externally for new job opportunities (Rodriguez, 2008). Factors influencing retention appear to be the existence of challenging and meaningful work, opportunities for advancement, positive relationships with colleagues, empowerment, responsibility, recognition of capabilities and performance contributions, rewards, good work-life balance, good communication within the organisation, managerial integrity and quality, and new opportunities/challenges (Arnold 2005; Herman 2005; Pitts, Marvel, and Fernandez, 2011; Allen and Shanock, 2013). The role of management as a key factor in the retention of professional workers has been cited by several studies. Andrews and Wan (2009) link improved nurse retention to manager behaviour (p. 342) and Snyder and Lopez (2002) emphasize the role of leaders in an organisation in encouraging the talent of the organisation to stay. There appears to be two aspects of management that are particularly important in retention these being the adoption of an appropriate style of leadership (Spence Laschinger et al., 2009) and perceived management support (Paillà ©, 2013). Since learning and development opportunities appear crucial for the retention of talented employees (Arnold, 2005; Echols, 2007; Rodriguez, 2008; Kroon and Freese, 2013) an organisation must establish a supportive learning and working climate. This makes development and learning critical for attracting and retaining employees, because talented people are inclined to leave if they feel they are not growing and stretching (Michaels, Handfield-Jones, and Axelrod, 2001, p. 14). Relocation and Strategy Relocation is among one of the most radical strategic decisions a firm can make (Isabella 1990). Relocation is essentially a form of organisational change, which, in its simplest form, can be defined as a difference between new and old settings (Weber and Manning, 2001, p. 229). Even when completed within the same vicinity, it is a complex and unsystematic process involving several stakeholders, phases and decisions (OMara, 1999). Whilst relocation can be perceptualised as a golden opportunity, with organisations using change as a catalyst to introduce elements of organisational change (Inalhan, 2009), it can have a significant impact on real estate costs, productivity, efficiency, workforce satisfaction, and meeting the overall business objectives (Morgan and Anthony, 2008; Christersson and Rothe, 2013). For employees, the combination of workplace redesign and relocation can be challenging. Not only are they facing a change in their workspace, they also lose the organisational patte rns and roles that were a part of the old premises (Milligan, 2003). Additionally, the way the change is delivered can also impact on how the change is received (Bull and Brown, 2011; Vischer, 2011). At an organisational level, many positive effects of relocation have been identified; positive changes in employee behaviour: enhanced employee satisfaction and productivity: improved decision-making, collaboration and cross-selling: improved retention and recruitment: reduced churn costs: and positive client feedback (Morgan and Anthony, 2008). On the other hand, relocation can also be risk-laden (Rasila and Nenonen, 2008). People form emotional links to physical environments, called place attachment (Milligan, 2003; Inalhan, 2009), and a relocation inevitably causes a disruption in this relationship to the old premises with some employees experiencing loss and grieving (Inalhan, 2009) or even a form of organisational death (Milligan, 2003). Early employee involvement and empowerment to participate in decision-making should be a part of projects where workplace change is significant and a part of a cultural transformation. Effective managerial communication in an organisation helps to connect with employees, build positive relationships and frame attitudes and behaviours of employees in the workplace and numerous studies state that communication plays an important role in the change process (Elving, 2005; Hayes, 2007) and some even claim that employee communication can mean its success or failure (Barrett, 2002). Communication of the reason and impact of the workplace change is significant in influencing the participants to accept change, and it is suggested to be even more important than the frequency or amount of information supplied (Bull and Brown, 2011). Despite this, employee experiences of the relocation process have not been widely addressed, with the exception of needs and experiences of employees in long-distan ce relocations, where organisations move to a new geographical area and the employees will have to move to a new home to stay with the company (Rabianski, 2007). Studies conducted within a relocated setting, often focus on comparing employees experiences of the old office with the new one (Brennan, Chugh, and Kline, 2002; Brown et al., 2010), but do not give attention to how employees experience the change in location. Conclusion The current economic situation has severely impacted global rehabilitation services. In low and middle income countries, inadequate resourcing combined with an ineffectual health infrastructure and consistent neglect of rehabilitation services, leaves patients facing lifelong disability. Some countries are barely able to provide a single rehabilitation practitioner. Beset by the net effects of an ever increasing population, the increasing health burden will continue to destabilize and overwhelm the most basic rehabilitation services. Even affluent countries (UK and USA) struggle to retain or recruit personnel, depending on industrial-scale immigration of qualified rehabilitation staff from countries who can barely afford their release. Nations (and naturally organisations, the DMS and MOD) recognise the qualities an experienced workforce can deliver. With the prospect of relocation, retaining these workforces can be difficult. Thus, the availability and maintenance of personal and professional development are key retention strategies. Relocation however, can have diverse results. On the one hand it can result in positive changes in employee behaviour, enhanced employee satisfaction and productivity; on the other it can result in a significant impact on the workforce, leading to the loss of staff with a resulting shortfall in experience and expertise. Though there are a number of researchers that have investigated healthcare workers perspectives of relocation and retention, this literature review has revealed a lack of any available UK military associated research of its military or civilian staff. The next chapter will attempt to address the DMRC civilian rehabilitation workforces retention and relocation perspectives through a research methodology that will encompass a qualitative focus group and cross-sectional quantitative investigation.

Strategic options to globalisation

Strategic options to globalisation Different organizations around the world strive to expand and grow. Igor Ansoffs matrix is a tool that helps businesses decide their product and market growth strategy. Ansoffs product/growth matrix suggests that a business attempts to grow depend on whether it markets new or existing products in new or existing markets. The output from Ansoffs matrix is a series of suggested growth strategies that a set direction for the business strategy. They are as follows: Market penetration. Selling existing products existing markets. Product development. Selling new products to existing markets. Market development. Existing products being sold to new markets. Diversification. Selling new products to new markets. The report explores the strategies mentioned above in detail and provides examples of global firms that have used the strategies. INTRODUCTION Globalisation is the gradual integration and growing interdependence of natural economies. It allows firms to view the world as an integrated market place. Firms will use different methods to expand. METHODOLOGY The contents of this report were acquired by research, that is, by reading different books as well as the internet. MARKET PENETRATION This strategy applies to selling an existing product in an existing market. It is suitable in a growing market which is as yet not saturated. Market penetration seeks to achieve four main objectives: Maintain or increase the market share of current products- this can be achieved by a combination of competitive pricing strategies, advertising, sales promotion and perhaps more resources dedicated to personal selling. Secure dominance of growth markets Restructure a mature market by driving out competitors, this would require a much more aggressive promotional campaign supported by a pricing strategy designed to make the market unattractive for competitors. Increase usage by existing customers, for example by introducing loyalty schemes. . An example of market penetration is recognizing that software as a service can be a potent market penetration tool, Dell is assembling a services portfolio that now includes e-mail disaster recovery, spam/virus filtering and archiving via its messageOne acquisition.(www.soopertutorials.com). It is unlikely for this strategy to require much investment in new market research as it is likely that the firm will have good information on competitors and customer needs. The typical risk of market penetration is that it may lead to price wars with competitors with the same strategy and low pricing could be detrimental to the perceived brand value and to the company reputation. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT This involves developing new products to sell in existing markets. It is usually employed with branded goods so that the qualities of the new product are linked to the customers confidence in the established brand. This strategy may require the development of new competences and builds on customer loyalty. New product development can be an amendment of existing products in order to produce products which are new to the market or it can totally be innovative. The Booz Allen Hamilton model outlines the stages of new product development as follows: IDEA GENERATION Ideas are collected from perhaps the sales force, distributors and customers. The company actively looks for opportunities, and new products can be produced in response to a perceived, or recognized demand. Ideas must be collected, considered feasibility and eventually passed to people who are responsible for screening. SCREENING The firm will set a certain criteria, for example the product must fit with the rest of the range; there must be a recognized level of demand; it must give a stated level of profit. Assuming some ideas meet the criteria, they are then passed on to people responsible for the next stage. CONCEPT TESTING This is not a product test but an idea test. The idea is taken to potential buyers as well as to the internal processing people to check on manufacture, packaging, distribution. OUTLINING POSSIBLE MARKETING STRATEGIES The results of the concept testing can help a company to decide just how it will market the product. Discussions made at this time depend a great deal not only on the results of the concept testing but also o the knowledge of the marketplace and the planning skills of the marketers involved. Knowledge of the marketplace is something which requires research. BUSINESS ANALYSIS It is here that potential profits are compared to the production and marketing costs to see if its worth proceeding. It is at this stage that products are often rejected as they do not demonstrate enough potential earnings in a given period of time, whereas given the appropriate support they may actually be products which could give huge profits over a longer period of time. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT To begin manufacturing a new product is a risky venture. Because of this some manufacturers will choose to produce a prototype, or small batches, in order to test effectiveness before they give full commitment to production. The effort in producing in small quantities adds to the expense and time involved, not to mention the possibility of the competition becoming aware of what the company is doing. TEST MARKETING The product is introduced to a representative sample of the potential market. Although it may be expensive, it is better to use more than one testing area so that comparisons can be made. Different prices, advertisements, methods of distribution and perhaps even packaging may be used in different areas so that the company can see which methods are most effective. The problems that arise at his stage include: Buyers people often buy a product just to try it. They may like it and tell a researcher so, but will often revert back to their normal purchases because of brand loyalty. Distributors and suppliers they may be willing to give a new product exposure because of an introductory incentive, but once the incentive is withdrawn they may not be so willing to cooperate. Competition if they have relatively similar products, competitors may take defensive action and introduce promotional activity that will undermine the testing. COMMERCIALISATION This is the full scale manufacture and launch of the product onto the marketplace. If all of he stages have been carried out correctly, the product should have a good chance of success. An example of a firm that used the product development strategy is Hewlett and Packard who practiced allocating work time to encourage new designs. Another example is the Apple iPhone has been such a success and the company now dominates the smart phone world.(Michael Malone) The risks of product development are uncertainty of new technology, teething troubles of the new products and time pressure due to competition. MARKET DEVELOPMENT This involves offering an existing product in a new market. This strategy is used when a regional business wants to expand, or when new markets are opening up. Market development might take three forms: New segments. For example in the public services, a college might offer its educational services to older students than its traditional intake, perhaps via evening courses. New users. Here an example would be aluminium, whose original users packaging and cutlery manufacture are now supplemented by users in aerospace and automobiles. New geographies. The prime example of this is internationalization. The four risks of internationalization are commercial risk, currency risk, country risk, cross-cultural risk. When selecting an entry strategy, managers should consider the following six variables: The goals and objectives of the firm, such as profitability and market share. Unique conditions in the target country such as legal, cultural, economic circumstances, as well as the nature of business infrastructure, such as distribution and transport systems. The nature and extent of competition from existing rivals and from firms that may enter the market later. The characteristics of the product or service to be offered to customers in the market. The financial, organizational, and technological resources and capabilities available to the firm. The risks inherent in each proposed foreign venture in relation to the firms and objectives in pursuing internationalization. A firm can use the following strategies when entering new markets geographically. EXPORTING Exporting is the strategy of producing products or services (often the producers home country), and selling and distributing them to customers located in other countries. There are two types of exporting Indirect exporting which is accomplished by contracting with intermediaries located in the firms home market. Direct exporting that is accomplished by contracting with intermediaries located in the foreign market. Firms venturing abroad for the first time usually use exporting as their entry strategy. Exporting is also the entry strategy most favored by small and medium sized enterprises. Advantages of exporting Increased overall sales volume, improve market share, and generate profit margins that are often more favorable than in the domestic market. Diversify customer base, reducing dependence on home markets. It minimizes risk and maximizes flexibility as compared to other entry strategies. It avoids substantial costs of establishing manufacturing operations in the host country. Increases economies of scale therefore and reduces per-unit cost of manufacturing. Lower cost of market entry since the firm does not have to invest in the target market or maintain a physical presence there. This is how Sony came to dominate the global TV market, how Japanese automakers made inroads in the U.S market and how South Korean firms such as Samsung gained market share in computer memory chips. location to the rest of the world. The more successful managers use a systematic approach to improve the firms prospects by assessing the potential markets, organizing the firm to undertake exporting, acquiring appropriate skills and competencies, and implementing export operations. FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT This is an internationalization strategy in which the firm establishes a physical presence abroad through acquisition of productive assets such as capital, technology, labor, land, plant and equipment. Foreign direct investment is characterized by six key features. It represents greater resource commitment. It has far more taxing on the resources and capabilities than any other entry strategy. It implies local presence and operations. It allows the firm to achieve global scale efficiency, which helps enhance the performance of the firm. It entails substantial risk and uncertainty because establishing a permanent fixed presence in a foreign country makes the firm vulnerable to specific circumstances in that country. Investors must deal more intensively with particular social and cultural variables presenting the host market. Multi national firms increasingly strive to behave in socially responsible ways in host countries. STRATEGIC ALLIANCES Strategic alliances refer to cooperative agreements between potential or actual competitors. Strategic alliances range from formal joint ventures, in which firms have high equity stakes (Fuji-Xerox), to short term contractual agreements, in which two companies agree to cooperate on a particular task. Advantages of strategic alliances Strategic alliances facilitate entry into foreign markets. Alliances allow firms to share fixed costs of developing new products and processes. Alliances are a way of bringing together complementary skills and assets that neither company could easily develop on its own. Disadvantages of strategic alliances They give competitors a low cost route to new technology and markets. Unless a firm is careful it can give away more than it receives. JOINT VENTURES A joint venture entails establishing a firm that is jointly owned by two or more otherwise independent firms. The firm benefits from the local partners knowledge of the host countrys competitive conditions, culture, language, political, systems and business systems. When risks and costs of opening a foreign market are high a firm might gain by sharing these costs or risks with a local partner. A firm entering into a joint venture risks giving control of its technology to its partner. However, joint venture agreements can be contracted to minimize this risk. LICENSING A licensing agreement is an arrangement whereby a licensor grants the rights to intangible property to another entity (the licensee) for a specified period and in return receives a royalty fee from the licensee. Intangible property includes patents, inventions, formulas, processes, designs, copyrights and trademarks. High technological firms routinely license their patents and know-how to foreign companies. For example, Disney licenses the right to use its cartoon characters in the production of shirts and hats to clothing manufacturers in Hong Kong. Disney also licenses its trademark names and logos to manufacturers of apparel, toys and watches for sale worldwide. Coca-Cola has licensed its famous trademark to clothing manufacturers, which have incorporated the design into clothing. Many firms have made the mistake of thinking they could maintain control over their know-how within the framework of the licensing agreement. RCA corporation for example, once licensed its colour TV technology to Japanese firms including Sony. These firms quickly assimilated the technology, improved on it, and used it to enter the US market, taking substantial market share away from RCA. TURNKEY CONTRACTING This refers to an arrangement where the focal firm or a consortium of firms plans, finances, organizes, manages, and implements all phases of a project abroad and then hands it over to a foreign customer after training local personnel. Turnkey projects are most common in the chemical, pharmaceutical, petroleum refining, and metal refining industries, all of which use complex, expensive production technologies. For example, many Western firms that sold oil-refining technology to firms in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and other gulf states now find themselves competing with these firms in the world oil market. FRANCHISING Franchising is an advanced form of licensing in which the focal firm allows an entrepreneur the right to use an entire business system in exchange for compensation. The franchisor will often assist the franchisee to run the business on an on going basis. McDonalds is a good example of a firm that has grown by using franchising strategy. McDonalds strict rules as to how franchises should operate a restaurant extend to control over the menu, cooking methods, staffing policies and design and location. McDonalds also organizes the supply chain for its franchises and provides management training and financial assistance. Another example is the curves fitness center which was ranked the number two franchise in 2004 by the entrepreneur magazine. . DIVERSIFICATION Diversification is the name given to the growth strategy where a business markets new products to new markets. This has the advantage of preventing the company from relying too much on its existing strategic business units. Diversification might be chosen for a variety of reasons, some more value creating than others. Potential value creating reasons for diversification areas follows. Efficiency gains can be made by applying the organizations existing resources or capabilities to new markets and products or services. These are often referred to as economies of scope. Stretching corporate parenting capabilities into new markets and products or services can be another source of gain. In a sense, this extends to a point above about applying existing competences in new areas. Increasing marketing power can result from having a diverse range of businesses. There are two types of diversification these are related diversification and unrelated diversification. RELATED DIVERSIFICATION This is when a company develops beyond its present product and market whilst remaining in the same area. This form of diversification can occur by: Backward diversification, when activities related to inputs in the business are developed further backing the value chain. Forward diversification, when activities are further forward in the value chain. Horizontal diversification, when a company develops interests complementary to its current activities. An example, internet search company Google has spread horizontally into news mages and maps and other services. UNRELATED DIVERSIFICATION This is used to describe a company moving beyond its present interests, that is, it moves beyond its current capabilities and value network. Unrelated diversification is often referred to as a conglomerate strategy because there are no obvious economies of scope between the different businesses. Examples of unrelated diversification include: the easy Group which consists of easy Jet, easy internet cafà ©, easy car, easyValue.com and easy.com. Virgin media which moved from music producing to travels and mobile phones. Walt Disney which moved from producing animated movies to theme parks and vacation properties. The typical risks of diversification include It requires a company to acquire new skills , new technologies and new facilities Insufficient know how Insufficient management span of control May require risky acquisitions Loss of brand focus or credibility RECOMMENDATIONS Market penetration is generally the cheapest strategy to adopt. It is the least risky and is especially suitable for small and medium sized firms that may not afford to develop new products and/or enter new markets. Before taking up product development or diversification, a firm should ensure extreme research and development that the new product and/or venture is viable as it is costly to develop new products as new technologies have to be purchased and employees would have to be trained on the new practices. It takes time to be effective. CONCLUSION In conclusion it can be seen that global firms can apply any one of Ansoffs strategies in an attempt to expand and grow be it in their existing markets or new ones, and their current product offering or new ones.

Alcohol and Cigarette Advertisement Essay -- Advertising Marketing

Alcohol and Cigarettes Advertisement How would you feel if one of your family members or close friends told you they have a lung disease or cancer? According to a 1992 national household survey on alcohol, about 7.5% of the United States population (That is about 14 million Americans) abuse or are dependent on alcohol. Also, a recent 2004 Center for Disease Control (CDC) survey indicated that about 21% of US adults are current cigarette smokers. (That is about 44.5 million people).Let me repeat that. These numbers are from 2004. I’m guessing these numbers have increased in the last four years. These numbers are incredible since everyone realizes how damaging alcohol abuse and cigarette smoking can be. After reading a number of health articles as well as reading about horrible deaths caused by alcohol and cigarettes, I would not endorse these products to anyone. For any of you who know someone who smokes or drinks, you might want to tell them about the facts I’m going to tell you today because it might save their lives. Today I’d like to talk to you about first, why alcohol and cigarettes advertisement should be banned Second, I’m going to talk about the importance of the cigarette and alcohol problems in America, and finally, how people in society can benefit if the advertisements were not shown. Alcohol and cigarettes have killed a lot of people in the United States. The people who don’t die directly from drinking or smoking, end up having cancer or one of many diseases when they get older. Some long term effects of alcohol and cigarettes are permanent damage to vital organs, several types of cancers and brain damage. Bryan Curtis, a resident of St. Peterburg, started smoking at the age of 13, never thinking that 20 ye... ...Tourres. "France Ban on Internet Alcohol Advertising Hits Industry." Timesonline.co.uk. 9 Sept. 2008. 12 Nov. 2008. . "Cigarette Smoking." Cancer.org. 9 Nov. 2008 . Fuller, Richard K. "Alcoholism Treatment in the United States an Overview- some 14 million Americans Have an alcohol problem, treatment efforts are described." Findarticles.com. 12 Nov. 2008 . ""He Wanted you to Know"" Whyquit.com. 10 Nov. 2008. "Quotes About Alcohol and ADS." Frankwbaker.com. 12 Nov. 2008

Welfare Essay -- essays papers

Welfare1 The United States or The United Welfare States - A Cost Benefit Analysis The role of welfare within our society has always been controversial. This problem emphasizes the need to understand the roles of variable factors when pertaining to the subject of welfare within our society. The proposed analysis will address the phenomenon of welfare assistance and several factors which may contribute to the increase or decrease of welfare assistance to the poor in 4 ways: (1) by defining major concepts and any other concepts about which there is likely to be misunderstanding, (2) by further examining the past history pertaining to the subject of welfare assistance within the United States, (3) by developing the formulation of a hypothesis which will provide for an explanation of welfare, and finally (4) determining whether or not the benefits of welfare assistance outweigh the cost. Ultimately, the purpose of this research analysis is to investigate variable factors that may contribute to the increase or decrease of welfare assistance. This cost benefit analy sis is an attempt to explain the tentative assumptions of others pertaining to the subject of welfare, in order to determine and explain the relationship of welfare to the economic cost and benefits. Cost-Benefit Analysis before welfare assistance can be analyzed there is a need to define the terms that will be used. Policies like welfare assistance are worthwhile only if the benefits to society are greater than the costs. When choosing among a set of policies, the policy with the greatest net benefit (benefit over cost) should be chosen. Hence, this is where the term cost-benefit analysis comes from. Cost-benefit analysis is a technique for determining the optimal level of an economic activity such as welfare. In general, an activity such as welfare assistance should be expanded as long as it leads to greater benefits than costs. In purely economic terms, does the benefit of welfare assistance justify the costs of welfare assistance? (Mishan 13) Why Use Cost-benefit Analysis? Sin ce 1981, government agencies have been required to perform cost-benefit analyses called Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIA's) for all major regulations within the United States. Many statutes require that cost-benefit analysis be undertaken and the results be reported to Congress (Mishan 2). Cost-benefit analysis can... ...ning have proven to help alleviate and shrink the welfare rolls. Do the benefits of endorsing welfare assistance programs outweigh the cost? Cost benefit analysis shows that as long as the government can stay on track with the new social welfare reform measures that have taken place over the past few years, then yes it is beneficial. However, when the day comes that it is no longer beneficial to support such programs should society follow economic indicators or follow its moral obligations? Work Cited Schiller, Bradley R. The Economy Today. 7th Boston: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 1997. Mishan, Edward J. Cost-Benefit Analysis. New York: Praegor Publishers, 1976. Sharp, Ansel, Charles, Register, and Paul, Grimes. Economics of Social Issues. Boston: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 1998. Rowley, Charles, and Alan Peacock. Welfare Economics. London: Martin Robertson & Co. Ltd., 1975. Smith, Russell, and Dorothy, Zietz. American Social Welfare Institutions. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1990. Myles, John, and Paul Pierson. Friedman's revenge: the reform of "liberal" welfare in Canada and the United States. Politics & Society, Dec 1997 v25 n4 p443 (30). Welfare Essay -- essays papers Welfare1 The United States or The United Welfare States - A Cost Benefit Analysis The role of welfare within our society has always been controversial. This problem emphasizes the need to understand the roles of variable factors when pertaining to the subject of welfare within our society. The proposed analysis will address the phenomenon of welfare assistance and several factors which may contribute to the increase or decrease of welfare assistance to the poor in 4 ways: (1) by defining major concepts and any other concepts about which there is likely to be misunderstanding, (2) by further examining the past history pertaining to the subject of welfare assistance within the United States, (3) by developing the formulation of a hypothesis which will provide for an explanation of welfare, and finally (4) determining whether or not the benefits of welfare assistance outweigh the cost. Ultimately, the purpose of this research analysis is to investigate variable factors that may contribute to the increase or decrease of welfare assistance. This cost benefit analy sis is an attempt to explain the tentative assumptions of others pertaining to the subject of welfare, in order to determine and explain the relationship of welfare to the economic cost and benefits. Cost-Benefit Analysis before welfare assistance can be analyzed there is a need to define the terms that will be used. Policies like welfare assistance are worthwhile only if the benefits to society are greater than the costs. When choosing among a set of policies, the policy with the greatest net benefit (benefit over cost) should be chosen. Hence, this is where the term cost-benefit analysis comes from. Cost-benefit analysis is a technique for determining the optimal level of an economic activity such as welfare. In general, an activity such as welfare assistance should be expanded as long as it leads to greater benefits than costs. In purely economic terms, does the benefit of welfare assistance justify the costs of welfare assistance? (Mishan 13) Why Use Cost-benefit Analysis? Sin ce 1981, government agencies have been required to perform cost-benefit analyses called Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIA's) for all major regulations within the United States. Many statutes require that cost-benefit analysis be undertaken and the results be reported to Congress (Mishan 2). Cost-benefit analysis can... ...ning have proven to help alleviate and shrink the welfare rolls. Do the benefits of endorsing welfare assistance programs outweigh the cost? Cost benefit analysis shows that as long as the government can stay on track with the new social welfare reform measures that have taken place over the past few years, then yes it is beneficial. However, when the day comes that it is no longer beneficial to support such programs should society follow economic indicators or follow its moral obligations? Work Cited Schiller, Bradley R. The Economy Today. 7th Boston: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 1997. Mishan, Edward J. Cost-Benefit Analysis. New York: Praegor Publishers, 1976. Sharp, Ansel, Charles, Register, and Paul, Grimes. Economics of Social Issues. Boston: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 1998. Rowley, Charles, and Alan Peacock. Welfare Economics. London: Martin Robertson & Co. Ltd., 1975. Smith, Russell, and Dorothy, Zietz. American Social Welfare Institutions. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1990. Myles, John, and Paul Pierson. Friedman's revenge: the reform of "liberal" welfare in Canada and the United States. Politics & Society, Dec 1997 v25 n4 p443 (30).

Excessive Enforcement: A Call for a Tranformational Approach to the Caribbean Criminal Justice System :: Argumentative Persuasive Carribean Essays

A Call for a Tranformational Approach to the Caribbean Criminal Justice System On June 25, 2001 Anton Cooper, a twenty-seven year old man in police custody at Golden Grove Prison in Arocca, Trinidad, was found naked and dead in his cell less than twenty four hours after his arrival for allegedly beating a cousin during an argument. Several prisoners reported witnessing numerous assaults on Cooper by prison guards, and Amnesty International called for a thorough, independent investigation that complies with international standards, including access by relatives to autopsy proceedings that concluded that Cooper died from asphyxia associated with multiple blunt traumatic injuries. Amnesty International has repeatedly expressed condemnation of the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers, and have stated that prison conditions in Trinidad continued to violate the UN standards for minimum treatment of prisoners, as well as amounted to cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. This particular incident raises to the international community not only questions of the level of corruption in Trinidad’s penal system, but how this reflects the enforcement of human rights protection in the English speaking Caribbean. In order to understand the role the justice system plays in advancing (or inhibiting) the Caribbean socially, economically, and politically, it is necessary to reflect on the historical uses and abuses of the penal system and how it functions alongside international criminal law. When analyzing the level of development nations of the English speaking Caribbean, specifically Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica, have made in regards to human rights and law enforcement, certain factors need to be considered including their history of human rights protection; the role incarceration, flogging, and the death penalty play in limiting them as people of the past; the lack of community involvement in judicial affairs; their relations with international non-governmental organizations; and the feasibility of possible alternatives to impr isonment and the death penalty. Although this past March the East Caribbean Court of Appeal, referred to by the Judiciary Committee of the Privy Council, ruled that mandatory death penalty is in violation of the constitutions of St. Vincent and Grenadines, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Kitts, Dominica, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda by stating that, â€Å"to deny the offender the opportunity, before sentence is passed, to seek to persuade the court that in all the circumstances to condemn him to death would be disproportionate and inappropriate

Writing a Thesis Statement about Discrimination

Thesis statement is a statement that conveys the ultimate message, intention or the main argument of your essay. In other words, thesis statement can summarize your whole essay within a single sentence. Your thesis statement will be enough for the examiners about which side or position you are taking in the discussion or debate. For example, in the question of â€Å"do you agree? † type, this statement will tell the reader whether you agree and to what extent. There are chaos surrounding how the thesis statement should be like.It is natural for you to think that this sentence should be long and complex, since it should summarize the whole essay. But as you get more confident with the use of language, you will know that a very short sentence can sometimes state a thesis more effectively than longer ones. Moreover, since the thesis statement is understood or interpreted in the light of the contextual information provided earlier, you might express only the core message in the th esis statement. Therefore, thesis statements can equally be written concisely or laconically.But for that, you should have a superior vocabulary and experience (practice). The thesis statement is usually written at the end of the introduction paragraph. How to write a thesis statement? Thesis statement by itself isn’t any different from ordinary statements. It is unique just because this single sentence can convey the message of the whole essay. Except this special characteristic there’s no any other difference. You do not need to learn any new rules to be able to write thesis statement. More likely, you might be already using such statements in your essays without your conscious knowledge.Now, I’ll present a few obvious examples about how thesis statement can be written! Example 1 James Tan Chuan Xun, Educator in Chief at Future Perfect Education, wrote a thesis statement for the following essay title as: Q. ?†There is little in the 20th century of which we can be proud of† Discuss. There is much to be proud of, much to be ashamed about, and much to hope for in the 20th century. This sentence clearly reflects his overall view on the question. He is aware of the positive developments of which we should be proud of; the negative aspects of those developments of which we should be ashamed about;and despite what happened there still is a need for us to be hopeful and optimistic. From this single sentence we can frame out how his whole essay will look like. We can more or less predict what he is likely to discuss in his body paragraphs. In a nutshell, we can know his overall view on this topic. Example 2 Similarly, here are other examples demonstrating how to write thesis statement: Q. To what extent are racism and other forms of discrimination a problem in yoursociety? While racism is absent, caste and gender discriminations are still huge problems in my society.Here we can easily infer that racism is nonexistent but caste discrim ination and gender discrimination are the burning issues in the author’s society. We can also expect that the author will outline the reasons behind such discriminations as well as justify why the problems concerned are highly intense in his society. This question is seeking answer to two particular questions: ?What kinds of discrimination problems are present in your society? (Identification and justification of the problem. ) ?To what extent are they problematic in your society?(Assessment of the intensity of the problem. Is the problem serious or mild? ) The thesis statement above has concisely answered these both questions. Example 3 Q. Can democracy be imposed or must it grow naturally? Democracy will still be the ‘rule of people’ even if established by imposition, however, for full acceptance of the people it should be allowed to grow naturally. From this thesis statement, we are clear that the author is very positive about democracy. Democracy is the rule of people no matter how we introduce it to a country.People are powered with various rights in a democratic nation and their decision, expressed through voting and/or referendum, on the major issues of national interest is the final one. The author seems to understand these facts about democracy. However, we can infer from his thesis statement that he is also aware of the possible consequences of imposing democracy. In the question, the word â€Å"imposing† contradicts directly with the principle of democracy. â€Å"Can we impose people to be free, even if they don’t want to? † can be an ethical question, a question for debate.Perhaps, the people do not want to take their decision themselves. Perhaps they find it easier, and totally comfortable to follow a dictator. For many reasons including religious, cultural and socio-economic, people might be accepting the rule of a non-democratic leader. In such conditions, they may even retaliate or revolt against any oth er forms of government, especially if imposed by some other people. The author also understands this possibility. Hence, he thinks that if the democracy has to gain full support from people, it should be allowed to grow naturally. ConclusionA thesis statement need not be difficult and complex. In fact, simpler and clearer thesis statements are better as they can communicate your argument more effectively than the difficult ones. Moreover, thesis statements are not that difficult to write if you practice writing them whenever you write a new GP essay. Just be clear in your mind what you are writing and remember that the length or structure of the sentence doesn’t matter. Only what matters is that it should be able to give a big picture of the whole essay. Your thesis statement is your answer to the question in a single sentence.