Impact of Web Services Essay Example for Free

Impact of Web Services Essay Web services are self-contained, self-describing, and modular applications that can be published, located, and invoked across the Web. Web services Perform functions that can be anything from simple requests to complicated business Processes†. (http://webservices. xml. com/pub/a/ws/2001/04/04/webservices/index. html) We are the habitants of the 21st century. This is considered as the most innovative century of the world. Day-by-day innovations have made the world a global village. Everyday, new models of home appliances are introduced in the market, and not only home appliances but also everything is changing itself day to day. Even human beings have adjusted their lifestyles according to the modern era. In old days, people used different sources to communicate with each other. They would send telegrams telephoned their fellows. Slowly as their minds began to innovate, they produced new sources of communication. Through many gradual changes we produced and benefited many things. The human mind is very sharp because it can do any new if it is utilized in positive way. This mind had innovated many things. And today the most popular source of communication is the web service. This is also the effort of human’s sharp mind. The web service is the easiest way to communicate people through computer. This service has several benefits and loses. When this service was launched it became very popular and now through this service people have established their businesses. This service provides entertainment, information, professions and benefit people in several other ways. â€Å"The Colorado Department of Agriculture uses Web services to publish deer and elk tracking data, Jet Blue Airways Corp. uses them to process credit card transactions, and the state of New Mexico uses them for content management†. Enrique Castro through his article focuses on the future obstacles, which will be faced by the society and how will it affect the businesses around the world. â€Å"Assessing the future impact of Web services is at best an uncertain exercise from todays vantage point. There will be technical consequences, but perhaps the most profound will be its effect on society and business. What will be the effect on IT workers, especially those on developed economies who are? Concerned about off shoring? Will a 90% reduction in the cost of Enterprise Application Integration projects lead to more unemployment? Or will businesses decide to tackle more ambitious projects with the extra productivity? At the same time, as the technical hurdles to attain a certain level of functionality are diminished, comparatively, business Considerations rises in importance. This means programmers and IT workers will need to get more involved with the business aspects and business consequences of their tasks. The needs to build on business skills are a frequent theme in trade journals today. Jobs that require business skills and internal company business knowledge are much harder to outsource†. (Castro, 2003) Through these scholarly articles and scientific point of view, people who use web service regularly have a bad effect on their health. Using web service regularly and continuously is a health hazard. The rays of computer are so powerful that they can damage the eyes in many ways. It strongly affects the iris inside the eye. These rays damage the brain also. It has severe effects on the human health. Web Services have a great impact in our daily life. People who are known of the web’s Negative and positive aspects try to spread awareness about it. Professional people use web for their work but today the rising question is about the young generation. Is it? Doing the right jobs on the web or just using it for fun, entertainment? It is very necessary to tell the kids about the positive and negative aspects of the web. It is a source to promote awareness among people but nowadays people are misusing the web services in several ways. â€Å"The maturing of Web services and interoperability standards allow users to have access to a framework that enables them to access spatial data and applications from anywhere across the network, as was recently demonstrated in the Australian Spatial interoperability Demonstration Project (SIDP) project. This means that data can be obtained from point-of-truth custodians, avoiding duplication and enabling business continuity solutions, saving significant time and money and delivering better information products. Despite these obvious benefits, this approach highlights a number of issues around security, connectivity, privacy, licensing, etc. These need to be, and can be, dealt with effectively. However, sometimes such issues begin to lead lives of their own. They turn into myths that risk resonating with the decision-makers, hampering much needed Innovation. † (http://www. directionsmag. com/article. php? article_id=2011trv=1) Through different opinions, Web services are very helpful in businesses, media and in our daily life. It helps us in every field either it is networking, marketing or any other occupation it is a proved fact that without web services we cannot go further in any field. Analysts have analyzed that web services would create problems in the future because people would be using web services above requirement and they will be dependant of web services. Lastly, I would conclude that web services are a way to communicate people across the world. It is a very useful technological service. It provides us better information, entertainment and knowledgeable facts about the habitants of the world. Today many people are misusing it just for the sake of money and their entertainment. People have made web services a black-money earning source, but we should try to destroy the destructive minds that are providing a wrong impression of the web services to us. It is a common belief of our society that media and web services are very-beautifully playing their role in destroying the youngsters. Web services have negative impact too on the Society, but it does not mean that we start avoiding such a useful source of information. References Web Services Impact Web Services Impact http://www. eweek.com/article2/0,1759,537367,00. asp? kc=EWNKT0209KTX1K0100440 Retrieved January 27, 2007 Web services to offload integration from professional services | InfoWorld | News | 2003-05-23 | By Paul Krill http://www. infoworld. com/article/03/05/23/HNzap_1. html Retrieved January 27, 2007 Enrique Castro. An Introduction to Web Services. Ziff Davis Channel Zone, November, 2003 http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_zdzcz/is_200311/ai_ziff113418/pg_5 Trends in Web Mapping: Dispelling the Myths around Web Services Articles http://www. directionsmag. com/article. php? article_id=2011trv=1 Retrieved January 27, 2007

Expertise Has Been Defined As The Outstanding Performance Nursing Essay

Expertise Has Been Defined As The Outstanding Performance Nursing Essay Expertise has been defined as the outstanding performance and appropriate behaviour shown during an uncertain situation. However, Erricson Smith argued that expertise requires series of outstanding achievements under different circumstances. Additionally, Ericsson (1999) defined expertise as ability to take the right decision for a particular situation and performing it at the right time. Jensen et al. (1999: 23) had a totally different perception, that experts use specific knowledge to solve problems and the knowledge is learned by means of practice and experience. Therefore, a requisite for expertise is experience Benner (2001: 3). However, Higgs and Jones (2008: 123) said merely gathering of years of experience does not mean they will become experts. Experience is necessary for the attainment of expertise, but is not sufficient: some therapists do not attain expertise despite many years of experience. Therefore, it is not simply years of experience that is important; rather, to le arn and grow, is considered to be vitally necessary for individuals (Jensen et al.1999). King at al (2008:110) stated extensive, focussed, and challenging experience is considered necessary, but very little is known about how much of, what type of experience is required for the development of expertise. Nojima et al (2003: 4) notes that expertise and experience are interlinked. However, in physiotherapy practice, it does not necessarily follow that with increased years of experience, the quality and quantity of care always improves. Furthermore, Anon (1961) defined expertise as the skill or knowledge of a person who is highly experienced or has superior performance in a specific subject related to their study. However, Crosby et al (1990: 374) stated an expert is one who is trained in a specialty area, either by education, experience, or both. Furthermore, Higgs and Jones (2008: 123) stated expertise is continuous process of development rather than a static state resulting from different aspects like knowledge and problem-solving skills. The process of developing expertise is progressive, but not straight and continuous (Nojima 2003: 4). Benner (1984) puts forth, using the Dreyfus model that in acquisition of development and skill, a student passes through five levels of proficiency: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient and expert. These stages from novice to expert highlight knowledge and decision making as essential requirements to expertise. In addition, Higgs and Jones (2008: 124) said expertise depended on detailed knowledge in a specific area, enabling them to distinguish the most critical and relevant information and to engage in effective action. Thus, expertise is a multi dimensional concept, these factors and characteristics serve the basis for understanding expertise (Jensen et al. 1999:23). There is an unbelievable rate of change in health care system, and significant advances in physiotherapy. Therefore, it is very important to understand how physiotherapists achieve expertise which will help in effective and efficient management of patients (Jensen et al. 1999:12). Thus, it can be seen that various factors contribute in developing expertise; however, understanding developing expertise helps one to become an expert from a novice. One such factor that contributes in developing expertise and will be addressed in this essay is knowledge, with the main focus on practical knowledge. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTS Knowledge is defined as an understanding of the facts (propositional knowledge), values (personal knowledge), and procedures ( knowledge derived from theory and research (Higgs and Jones 2011: 154) e.g. there are five lumbar vertebrae in a human vertebral column. Non propositional knowledge or knowing how is created through practice and experience (Higgs and Jones 2011: 154) e.g. mobilization of joints. Non-propositional knowledge encloses tacit knowledge, practical knowledge and personal knowledge (self-knowledge) (Higgs and Titchen 1995: 526) e.g. of tacit knowledge is when a patient is made to stand from sitting, automatically the hand of the therapist supports the shoulder of the patient. Jensen et al (2000: 28) stated reality and knowledge are socially constructed. That is, reality exists because we give meaning to it. Thus, the individuals perceptions of reality, truth and knowledge have subjective dimensions or interpretations, as well as objective dimensions (reflecting the world out there). Knowledge is considered as a dynamic phenomenon undergoing constant changes and testing (Higgs and Titchen pg 521). For e.g. an expert physiotherapist has more knowledge than the novice which increases with experience. (Novice is a person who is new to the field or work where he/she is placed).An expert physiotherapist learns from experience, what typical events to expect in a given situation and how to respond to it (Benner 2001: 28). However, Higgs and Titchen (pg 521) stated knowledge is the product of a dynamic and indeed difficult process of knowing, or striving to understand. In such striving, the individuals depth and certainty of knowledge grows. For e.g.: An expert paediatric physical therapist collects multiple and selective cues through observation, handling of the child and conversation with the mother. The expert begins to see a pattern of motor delay that appears to be mild and knows the child would benefit from being encouraged to make specific movements whereas the no vice physiotherapist applies an evaluation framework, testing reflexes that he can remember. He tests child in all position and does not observe any abnormal responses to the tests he applies. Therefore, he concluded that the child has no problem (Jensen at al 1999: 21) Furthermore, knowledge is essential for reasoning and decision making, which lie at the centre of physiotherapy practice (Higgs and Titchen pg 521) for eg: an expert physiotherapist has to have knowledge about rheumatoid arthritis to choose the correct intervention for treating it. Jensen et al (2000: 28) argued that differences between experts and novices lay primarily in experts recall of meaningful patterns, that is, in the structure of the knowledge rather than in a problem-solving strategy applied to the problem. In addition, they postulated that problem-solving expertise was case specific and highly dependent on the clinicians mastery of a particular content domain. Developing and changing forms of knowledge are critical aspects of student learning, as they help students move from memorization of facts or information to understand key concepts and structure of knowledge. For example, if a novice can grasp the critical concept of testing muscles in gravity and antigravity positions and knows muscle structure and function, memorizing specific tests is unnecessary. Instead the novice can rely on knowledge structures. (Jensen et al 1999 pg 22).However, Higgs and Titchen( pg 521) concludes that it is possible to deal with knowledge and knowledge claims, using a flexible framework which consists of the four key elements apparently common to all knowledge-oriented activities, i.e. social interaction, personal commitment, development of the mind, and value implication of knowledge. Knowledge from one category can be transferred to other. For example: Practical knowledge can be transformed into formal, publically assessable propositional knowledge through theorization or rigorous critique. Propositional knowledge on the other hand also arises through basic or applied research. It can then be elaborated and arranged through practice to become part of the experience of individual (Higgs and Jones 2008 : 154). Practical knowledge is associated with the interpretive paradigm and is embedded in the world of meanings and of human interactions (pg525 Higgs and Titchen). However, in medicine and the health care professions, propositional knowledge is more valued than practical knowledge (Higgs and Titchen: 525).However, as discussed practical knowledge is considered important for expertise (Higgs Jones 2001: 154). Therefore, my focus will be on practical knowledge. PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE Smith et al (2003: 321) stated that it is both clinical and theoretical knowledge base, which enables physiotherapy experts to distinguish the most critical and relevant information and to engage in effective action e.g. in stroke rehabilitation, the expert knows how and when to make patients sit out of the bed whereas the novice will not make the patient sit thinking it is just two days of post stroke. However, King et al (2007: 224) argued experts can differentiate and selectively use the most important and relevant information because they possess structured and organized practical knowledge which provides a conceptual foundation. The practical knowledge of novice is stored haphazardly for e.g. a novice struggles to perform all the cranial nerve tests by memorizing the order of the tests, how is it performed and number of cranial nerves whereas an expert does it very easily (Jensen et al 1999: 32). Higgs and Jones (2011: 154) agreed that practical knowledge has supremacy over prop ositional knowledge by disagreeing to the medical model above, which follows rather than drives clinical knowledge. Furthermore, (Higgs and Titchen 522) argues that this compulsion of knowledge in its dependence upon propositional truth, limits acceptance and appreciation of non-propositional forms of knowledge. Although theoretical or propositional knowledge is useful in predicting the effectiveness of number of therapeutic interventions which might be helpful to the patient whereas practical knowledge helps the expert practitioner to use this theoretical knowledge in thze best interests of the particular patient or family member. The knowledge and awareness that arise through reflection are considered to be essential ingredients for development of clinical expertise (King 2008: 190).The experts reflect and learn from their experience whereas novice are rigid. Experience is the enhancement of pre-conceived notions and theory through encounters with many actual practical situations that add differences to the theory (Benner 2001: 36) It is this practical knowledge along with theory that makes enhancement possible for the experienced physiotherapist. Practical knowledge is generated through describing and interpreting phenomenon, particularly human phenomenon, exploring it, taking account into context, subjective meanings and intentions within the particular situation (Higgs and Jones 2008: 157). On the other hand, Benner (2001: 36) stated theory and research are generated from the practical knowledge, i.e. from the practices of the experts in a field. Moreover, expert physiotherapist relied on and utilized extensive physiotherapy knowledge to practice as compared to novice physiotherapists, who applied their existing theoretical knowledge to practice (Bonner 2007: 163). However, Jensen (1999: 33) argued that although experts posses more knowledge, it the organization and appropriate usage of that knowledge is important. Therefore, expert physiotherapists used multiple sources of knowledge in practice (Bonner 2007: 163). He also stated expert physiotherapists are better able to provide justification for their practice (Bonner 2007: 163). Experts continue to learn through experience by observing and scrutinizing their actions whereas novices thinking is governed by application of rules (Jensen 1999:17). Higgs and Titchen (1995: 521) stated physiotherapy experts construct their own knowledge rather than discovering it whereas novice rely on book knowledge and later apply it. Thus, knowledge is not simply transferred from the expert to novice; it is worked upon by the learner and incorporated into practice (Smith et al 2003: 324). Benner (2001: 2) stated there are many skills (knowing how) that are gained without knowing that. She also stated that one cannot always theoretically account for know-how for many common activities like swimming. OHara (2012: 66) stated Physiotherapy is a practice focused activity and thus requires a great deal of practical knowledge. Benner (2001: 4) stated Practical knowledge is gained over time, and experts themselves are often unaware of their gains. Bonner (2007: 163) takes the statement further and stated for expert physiotherapists, the practical knowledge which they learnt in their postgraduate level had been proceduralized into their routine practice to the extent that it is difficult for them to indentify where they had learnt something e.g.an expert no longer measurse ranges of motion of any joint using goniometer. Expert physiotherapists know exactly which intervention to be used not only theoretically but also practically (OHara 2012: 66). Whereas with slighted change in symptoms the novice will not be able to decide the type of intervention. OHara (2012: 66) stated Practical knowledge acts as foundation of understanding from which therapists make informed decisions about how to act in mostly uncertain situations. Bonner (2007: 164) argued it is not only the practical knowledge, but also clinical cues by the patient which helps to make decision in complex situations e.g. a patient might position him in a way to relieve the pain symptoms from back. Bonner 163: 2007 stated expert physiotherapist used multiple sources of practical knowledge to guide their practice. Moreover, Resnik et al (2003:1101) emaphasized experts use patient education as part of their practical knowledge to treat patients e.g. when a patient is taught what they have to do, why they have to do, then the patient automatically does it correctly so the work of the therapist lessens. King (2009: 186) argued that experts are more interested in observing how other expert therapists engage patients and in understanding the meaning of experiences for patients. Whereas the novice will not focus on other therapist and use their own rules of knowledge into practice. Higgs Jones (2011: 124) stated clinical reasoning brought progressive expansion of practical knowledge in a problematic situation that continued until the problem was solved e.g. when an intervention does not work, the physiotherapist reasons out for its failure. However, Jensen (1999: 266) argued clinical reasoning is theoretically quite simple but extremely difficult to apply in real clinical situations. Also, successful reasoning strategy might work in one can and may not apply in the second e.g. a low back ache patient might feel better with mobilization other may not. CONCLUSION The essay has demonstrated various aspects of knowledge and in particular practical knowledge which contribute in developing expertise in physiotherapy field. Practical knowledge is vital for skilful practice in physiotherapy. Efforts were made to appraise the best of literature and illustrate how expert and novice differ in practical knowledge and the effect on their clinical practice. This essay further concludes the importance and relevance of the practical knowledge in reference to developing expertise. Although, measures have been taken to appraise some of the key aspects of practical knowledge in depth. Other elements of practical knowledge can also be evaluated to develop expertise in the physiotherapy field.

Impact of the Credit Crunch on the Workplace and Politics

Impact of the Credit Crunch on the Workplace and Politics Social World Economy and UK Government Employers, Employees and the Unions Conclusions Bibliography The credit crunch in 2008 is swiftly being followed by an imminent global recession, perhaps the worst recession for many decades. Irresponsible lending, mis-management by the banks, the pay freezes in industry and the general economic climate means that we can no longer take for granted our jobs, homes and financial security. In 2009 the tide is turning from boom, very probably to bust in just a few months, although it was claimed by some analysts that the recession started proper half way through 2008. The situation does not look to improve any time soon either, as Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England was cited in the Daily Telegraph of 26th October, 2008: â€Å"The combination of a squeeze on real take-home pay and a decline in the availability of credit poses the risk of a sharp and prolonged slowdown in domestic demand. It now seems likely that the UK economy is entering a recession.† (Jonathan Sibun, Daily Telegraph, 2008). So we see that there can be a number of factors which provide the root cause of a recession. The end result of a recession is not only the loss of business, jobs, reduced cash flow and tightening of financial belts; the social, economic and political impact this has on employers, employees and the government. Employer and employee relationships are also a â€Å"side effect† of the environment within a recession. Does the balance of power change? Do employees become resentful? Do managers become more fearful and does this affect their judgement in the workplace? Many happy and productive workplaces are suddenly â€Å"not so happy† when a credit crunch hits. This paper investigates the implications of a credit crunch on relationships both at the workplace and in the political arena. Social From a social perspective, the effects of the credit crunch are already being evidenced. Housing repossessions are on the increase in the UK and people are having difficulty keeping up with their mortgages. Another factor is that the number of job losses is on the increase and this is expected to continue in 2009. The social impact this has on people is very often not reported by the media. For instance, people who would normally go on holiday with their friends and attend social outings may no longer do so after losing their job. The impact of a credit crunch and recession is inevitably job losses. This affects the person being laid off not only financially, but in terms of self confidence and a feeling of hopelessness for some. Some people after being made redundant may never work again, due to their age or the industry they have worked in, which may be something they have been involved in all their life. The credit crunch affects relationships generally, but also marriages. Husbands try to hold off telling their partners when they lose there jobs. The feeling of failure abounds and it also becomes a shock when it is not possible to find another job immediately. The credit crunch seems to hit men particularly hard, as pride and status play their parts when he has to rely solely on his wife for their main income: Traditionally, the man provides and for a man to lose his job, its not just about money, its loss of status, which can be a huge knock to his confidence.† Steve Miller, cited in (Becky Howard, 2008). It can cause relationship breakdowns as: There is also a real danger that the woman may become angry and resentful (Becky Howard, 2008). This may be due to women become the main breadwinner and also the need to perform duties at home, like cleaning, ironing and other household chores. The Times article points out a number of ways to assist couples through a crisis such as the credit crunch and the loss of a job. The balance of power can shift from an even situation, in a relationship to a dominant partner, when both partners have jobs or in the case of the sole breadwinner, it can cause even more difficulty. World Economy and UK The economic effects are also being seen, as employers are trying to emphasise the importance of pay restraints as companies try to avoid job losses: If employees understand the competitive pressures facing their organisation, they are more likely to understand why pay restraint in the current economic environment is critical. (CIPD, 2008) However, pay is only one of a number of issues. Mortgage repossessions are on the increasing by 40% in the last 12 months (Economics Help, 2008). It is claimed that this is only a small proportion of the total mortgage market in the UK however. In the US loans to sub-prime mortgage markets proved highly risky, and these loans were then embedded into the whole financial system (Economics Help, 2008). This in turn affected the whole of the global capital markets. Hence the world economy is currently in very poor shape. Each country is trying to solve the crisis in their own way, but some countries in Europe are following the UK lead were VAT is concerned, in that they aim to reduce it. On a world level, the economy has probably been in downturn since December 2007. They were predicting then that the economy would have forthcoming problems and so it has been proved. For instance, this report by World Economic Update (2008) states for the US economy: The U.S. economy is already in a recession it started in December 07 and it will last four to six quarters. Negative growth starts in the first quarter of 2008. The former the latter may, I guess, or may not end up being true, but surely its going to be unimpressive. The same article also suggests the economy of the US will be severe and protracted rather than mild. The US is the richest economy in the world, and when something happens on the scale of the current credit crunch it affects the world economy. It is also stated that many emerging markets are not directly affected by the US economy, and these should provide a cushion for the overall world economy, even though the banks of the emerging economies are also tightening their belts. It is stated that countries, such as Brazil, China, Russia, Peru, Poland and Hungary are all in growth stages and not directly affected by the US as they mainly deal with commodities. There has also been a shift away from the US in terms of the commodities markets (World Economic Update, 2008). The question we need to ask are the emerging markets enough to help stave off the imminent recession? The way that emerging markets can assist the global economy is through cheap commodity prices such as metals and agricultural products. Unfortunately however, the price of oil continues to escalate in the light of a world oil shortage. The repercussions of the current financial crisis were discussed by Andrew Watt (2008) when he states that there will be a combination of: â€Å" Share-price collapse Blockages with the banking system Reduced access to bank loans, and More expensive bond financing â€Å" resulting in a reduction in corporate investment, which in turn will have knock-on effects elsewhere. Much can be gleaned from the current crisis for future generations however. Andrew Watt has identified a number of other possible factors which have a bearing on the world economy and the UK. For instance, he points out that there has been a lack of regulatory institutions required for global finance, throughout the world and in Europe. He also claims that income at the national level has moved in that the poor borrow more, and speculation by the rich has made them wealthier. This really is a case of the poor getting poorer, and the rich getting richer. Lack of low interest rates, lack of regulation in the financial sector, risk taking and tax competition; including the EU have also contributed, in his opinion (Andrew Watt, 2008). From this we can assume that although the US crisis was the initial spark, that the petrol was already ready to light in the world economy and so we are all affected by the end result. The following figure from this report shows a summary of the events of the last 12 months or so, resulting in the credit crunch and imminent recession: One affect of the economy the credit crunch has had in the UK is the reduction of house prices and the price of goods in the shops, which have reduced dramatically in the last few months; in order to keep consumers interested thus keeping the finances flowing in the shops. The credit crunch has been blamed on a number of factors, and some unusual ideas emerge from various parts of the world, who all deal with the situation in a different manner. For instance, President Sarkozy has made calls to end foreign ownership (David Charter, 2008). The concern is that key industries will fall into foreign hands. The ideas are that each country should use sovereign wealth funds to take stakes in key industries: â€Å"Nicolas Sarkozy risked blowing apart the European consensus over how to deal with the financial crisis by proposing today that each country launch sovereign wealth funds to take stakes in key industries to stop them falling into foreign hands. â€Å" (David Charter, 2008) The theory is that non-EU countries may take advantage of the current crisis, who are not affected by it and therefore it would enable them to have an advantage in investing in shares within EU industries when they were at their cheapest. Not all the EU countries agree with this approach as stated, but even during his EU presidential year it is debatable if he can win approval from his EU partners. Government From a political perspective, some people will leave the original credit crunch was caused in the US, and this has had a knock-on effect on global economy. One definition of a credit crunch is rapid decline of credit that it is unusually large for a given stage of the business cycle (Bernanke and Lown, 1991). However, one of the key causes of the current credit crunch is said to be irresponsible lending in the US. However, it is fair to say that although the credit crunch originally emanated from the US, that irresponsible lending has also been occuring in the Uk and in Europe, but not on as large a scale. From a political perspective it is being stated that the UK government could have done more to regulate banks who were lending irresponsibly, and that the credit crunch has shown that financial institutions can easily abuse systems of self-regulation. (Economics Help, 2008) A few years ago, house prices were going through the roof, and this bubble would eventually burst, as it inevitably did. Gordon Brown the current prime minister, did identify that this would happen, and as Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time thought the issue had been addressed and avoided a boom and bust scenario, but this was obviously not the case (Alex Barker, 2008). Now that Gordon Brown is the Prime Minister, some of the earlier issues have come back to haunt him. Politically, a credit crunch and recession is always good for the opposition, as they can claim that the current government of the day is to blame for the current economic climate in this country. David Cameron, the leader of the opposition has made this point often, and has stated that the current labour government could have done more to avoid the consequences. Gordon Brown points out that the current crisis is global and has recently instigated a number of steps to avoid the crisis becoming even more serious in 2009. Banks all over the world have been in difficulty all over the world. The collapse of the Lehman Brothers bank in the US was soon followed by a crisis of one of the largest banks in the UK, Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS). A recent merger between Lloyds and HBOS will provide a super bank and will avoid HBOS going the same way as Lehman Brothers. The government has supported the merger. Another recent, but risky step is to plough public money in the banking system, and by doing so the government hopes the banks will continue to lend to each other and at least keep the financial syste fluid. Along with this, there has been a reduction in VAT to 15% from 17.5% so that consumers will continue to spend and keep business operating. These are risky measures, and longer term it has been pointed out by David Cameron, that the UK tax payer will have to pay back an increased deficit. Only time time will tell if Gordon Browns policies will enable a swifter recovery or take the UK further into debt. As some analysts point out, this is not a normal situation and extreme situations call for extreme measures. This is certainly the case for Gordon Brown on a political level. Employers, Employees and the Unions One thing is certain in 2009, relationships between employer and employer are sure to be tense in 2009. A survey report was commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in September, 2008 around this subject. The following table from this report summarises the main issues around employer/employee relationships: So what are the anticipated changes in regard to the effects of the Credit Crunch to employer/employee relations? The following table from the same reports highlights the expected changes: On the face of it, if we analyse the two tables we can see that although most agree that there will be problems in the current credit crisis, that the only potential benefit longer term is that the employers will engage with their employees on an increasing level. However, it is said that there is a contrast of opinion between the public and private services with regard to employee engagement, as: Looking at the results in more detail, however, there is a marked contrast in attitudes between private and public services. In private services, 51% of respondents identified employee engagement as the single most likely development, compared with only 29% in public services and an average across all sectors of 43%. (CIPD,2008) It seems that partnerships with trade unions are very low on the agenda, but again it depends on the sector as: partnership is seen as among the three most likely developments by 46% of respondents in public services but only 11% in private services. (CIPD,2008). The wait and see scenario was also a favourable option. This would make perfect sense seeing as no one yet has a clear picture of how the recession will develop in 2009. So how will all this effect relationships on the shop floor and in the office? Well, cooperation is the key to a successful relationship for both employers and employees alike. It will be the case that in some organisations that job losses will be inevitable, and the unions and employees will be able to do very little as a result. In some cases, it will just be a case of management and unions working together to alleviate the impact as much as possible, and by providing assistance to those employees who will need to be looking for another job or training. In fact, if you have been made unemployed during a recession and there is little likelihood that a new job in the same career will be practical (in some cases), then training during the downturn may be a very good option. The reasoning behind this is that when the economy returns to normal the employee will be better placed to get themselves back on to the job market. Some people may be concerned about the safety of their jobs in 2009, and for very good reason. It is claimed that the indebted young people will be the hardest hit (Iain Macwhirter, 2008). It is claimed that the level of unemployment will have reached 3 million by 2010. It is the â€Å"flexible† labour market which usually receives the initial job losses, such as freelancers and contractors (Iain Macwhirter, 2008). From a company management perspective it is financially sound to fire the expensive contractors first. There is also little complication in doing this legally as there is with permanent employees. However, the sign of a contractor being fired can cause panic amongst the permanent employees in the workplace, as they know that they could easily be next on the list. Ironically, once the dust has settled and companies find themselves short staffed on the upturn it is contractors who are the first back in to assist. Unlike a redundancy situation based on â€Å"last in, first out† it could be said that with contractors and the credit crunch it is a case of â€Å"first out, first in†. The effect of the credit crunch will not only affect the lower level employees, but jobs in banks, and professions i.e. the middle income groups. This will be a real blow to self esteem and confidence to some employees, and it is also something the employers and unions must take into account when wielding the axe in the name of survival. There is no longer a predictable future for anyone, anywhere as a result of the credit crunch. This is emphasised by: â€Å"Certainly, the first to be hit will be those at the bottom. But they are likely to be joined by large numbers of articulate, middle-class individuals shaken out of the financial, media and peripheral service occupations from aroma therapy to management consultancy which have grown up during the long boom.† (Iain Macwhirter, 2008) We have seen that the credit crunch affects everyone from the top down, including governments, large and small organisations and individuals. We have seen the ways in which people can be affected. Governments lose credibility, organisations lose valuable staff, and individuals lose their self esteem and confidence. In analysing the credit crunch we see that although it seems the US problems was the initial spark, it was basically a financial accident waiting to happen, and on a. global scale. However, we have to ask ourselves if the rest of the world can be protected from the mistakes made in the US. Should we all insulate ourselves from this happening on such a large scale again? In looking at possible solutions, we have many suggestions and some of these are risky, but possibly may work. In the UK only time will tell if Gordon Brown’s ideas of ploughing additional funds into the banking system and reducing VAT with lower interest rates will stimulate the economy enough to allow progress through what is sure to be a very difficult period in 2009 and beyond. The surprising thing and perhaps most worrying is how quickly the economy turned from 2007 from what was a relatively economically sound period to its current state. For future generations, much will be learned and there are sure to be large scale changes, especially in the banking sector. More regulation is sure to follow and huge bonuses for some could be a thing of the past. Such is the effect of the current crisis. Journals/Reports Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Survey Report, 2008  World Economic Update, April 25 2008 available from:  http://www.cfr.org/publication/16111/world_economic_update_rush_transcript_federal_news_service.html Andrew Watt, The economic and financial crisis: dealing with the  repercussions and the causes./ Presentation to ETUI Seminar ‘The economic and financial crisis: Elements to construct a new paradigm’ 8 December  2008 Bernanke, Ben S., and Cara S. Lown (1991), â€Å"The  Credit Crunch,† Brookings Papers on Economic  Activity, no. 2: 205-47. Newspapers Iain Macwhirter, New Statesman  Economy, How safe is your job?  Published 27 November 2008 available from:  http://www.newstatesman.com/economy/2008/11/middle-class-labour-jobs Jonathon Sibun, UK Recession is here to stay experts warn, Daily Telegraph Online, 10/2008 available from:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/3259483/UK-recession-is-here-to-stay-experts-warn.html Becky Howard, The credit crunch hits relationships and marriages,  Times Online, December 6, 2008 available from:  http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article5292365.ece David Charter, From Times Online October 21, 2008,  Sarkozy calls for halt to foreign ownership available from:  http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article4984670.ece Internet Economics Help, Who is to Blame for Credit Crunch? 2008, accessed on 03/01/2009 available from: http://www.economicshelp.org/2008/08/who-is-to-blame-for-credit-crunch.html Alex Barker, Asleep at the Wheel? ,December 15th, 2008 by Alex Barker accessed on 03/01/2009 available from:  http://blogs.ft.com/westminster/category/credit-crunch/

Analysis of Oedipus Rex Essay -- essays research papers

Oedipus did not have a fair start in life. His father, Laius, heard prophecy that Oedipus would one day kill his father and sleep with his mother. In order to prevent this, Laius gave Oedipus to a shepherd to be killed. Fortunately, through a string of events, Oedipus's life was saved, and he even went on to become the honored king of Thebes. Despite this feat, Oedipus still managed to make several decisions that ultimately fulfilled the original prophecy told to Laius, and inevitably sealed Oedipus?s fate. In order to escape the prophecy that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother, Oedipus thought it best to leave Corinth. What Oedipus did not know is that the parents he was leaving were not his biological parents. The prophecy stated that Oedipus would commit the crimes upon his natural parents, not his adoptive. Although a valiant effort on Oedipus?s part, leaving the city of Corinth actually enabled the prophecy to become reality. When at a crossroads during his travel away from Corinth, Oedipus happened upon a man and his four servants. After a dispute about who had the right of way, Oedipus killed the man and three out of the four servants. The fourth, a witness that would become an important figure in the future, escaped. Little does Oedipus know that the man he killed was his biological father. Thus, stage one of the prophecy was fulfilled. After solving the Sphinx riddle, Thebans honor Oedipus by crowning him king of Thebes. He also married the widow queen, Jocasta. Oedipus did not realize it, but the widow he married was his biological mother. In that event, the second stage of the prophecy is fulfilled. The tragic event also occurred due to Oedipus?s decision to leave Corinth. In a sa... ...to die, and the shepherd, in an act of pity, gave the infant Oedipus to the Corinthians. Oedipus finally realized how the prophecy had been fulfilled. He rushed off to find Jocasta. When he discovered her dead, he blinded himself with pins from her garment. The final decision in seeking a witness led to Oedipus?s demise. He left the city of Thebes, and finally settled in Cithaeron where he eventually died. It is very true that Oedipus did everything in his power to prevent the prophecy of the oracle from coming true. In his attempts at escaping it, he ended up making several decisions that actually enabled the prophecy to play out. Sadly, there was no way for Oedipus to know of the predicament he was creating for himself. Unfortunately, Oedipus did not realize that his initial decision to leave the city of Corinth would lead to his ultimate downfall. Analysis of Oedipus Rex Essay -- essays research papers Oedipus did not have a fair start in life. His father, Laius, heard prophecy that Oedipus would one day kill his father and sleep with his mother. In order to prevent this, Laius gave Oedipus to a shepherd to be killed. Fortunately, through a string of events, Oedipus's life was saved, and he even went on to become the honored king of Thebes. Despite this feat, Oedipus still managed to make several decisions that ultimately fulfilled the original prophecy told to Laius, and inevitably sealed Oedipus?s fate. In order to escape the prophecy that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother, Oedipus thought it best to leave Corinth. What Oedipus did not know is that the parents he was leaving were not his biological parents. The prophecy stated that Oedipus would commit the crimes upon his natural parents, not his adoptive. Although a valiant effort on Oedipus?s part, leaving the city of Corinth actually enabled the prophecy to become reality. When at a crossroads during his travel away from Corinth, Oedipus happened upon a man and his four servants. After a dispute about who had the right of way, Oedipus killed the man and three out of the four servants. The fourth, a witness that would become an important figure in the future, escaped. Little does Oedipus know that the man he killed was his biological father. Thus, stage one of the prophecy was fulfilled. After solving the Sphinx riddle, Thebans honor Oedipus by crowning him king of Thebes. He also married the widow queen, Jocasta. Oedipus did not realize it, but the widow he married was his biological mother. In that event, the second stage of the prophecy is fulfilled. The tragic event also occurred due to Oedipus?s decision to leave Corinth. In a sa... ...to die, and the shepherd, in an act of pity, gave the infant Oedipus to the Corinthians. Oedipus finally realized how the prophecy had been fulfilled. He rushed off to find Jocasta. When he discovered her dead, he blinded himself with pins from her garment. The final decision in seeking a witness led to Oedipus?s demise. He left the city of Thebes, and finally settled in Cithaeron where he eventually died. It is very true that Oedipus did everything in his power to prevent the prophecy of the oracle from coming true. In his attempts at escaping it, he ended up making several decisions that actually enabled the prophecy to play out. Sadly, there was no way for Oedipus to know of the predicament he was creating for himself. Unfortunately, Oedipus did not realize that his initial decision to leave the city of Corinth would lead to his ultimate downfall.

Floating Armless :: Philosophy, God

In A Prayer for Owen Meany John Ivring uses several symbols to explore the themes of fate and divine control. Ivring describes several objects and characters as being armless to represent a sacrifice made by a divine influence. Owen Meany in particular is often described as being above the ground to represent what he sees as his position as God’s instrument. Owen is first described as being held in the air when attending Sunday school(p 2). Later in the book John repeatedly picks up Owen and raises him to a basketball hoop so he can practice a slam dunk that becomes known as â€Å"the shot.† Before Owen’s death he is once again lifted to a high window using the shot in order to protect a group of children below (p 612). Finally Owen floats above the pine trees after his death (p 615). In part, Owen’s repeated flight is practical. Practicing the shot gave Owen and John the ability to place the grenade on the windows. However, Owen’s flight, particularly after his death also alludes that Owen is closer to the heavens and reinforces his role as â€Å"God’s instrument (p 87)†. After Owen’s death, John points out that â€Å"†¦There were forces that contributed to our illusion of Owen’s weightlessness; they were forces that we failed to believe in-and they were also lifting up Owen Meany, taking him out of our hands. (p 617)† This suggests that Owen was being lifted be divine forces from childhood until they lifted him above the palm trees. Owen was confident throughout the novel throughout the novel that nothing happens by accident and that he was fated to die on July 8, 1968(p 607). Owen feels his death is a part of God’s plan and does not attempt to change his fate. This ties into the theme of divine control. He was carried by spiritual beings through his life to fulfill his role in saving the children. In A Prayer for Owen Meany many characters seem to suffer amputations. The Indian chief Watahantowet draws an armless totem when he sells his land(p 8). Owen amputates the stuffed armadillo’s claws to represent his guilt and grief after accidentally killing Tabitha Wheelwright (p 86). The Meanys’ nativity set features a one-handed Joseph and a three-legged cow (p 183). Tabitha’s dressmaker’s dummy is armless until Owen gives it the arms he removed from a statue of Mary Magdalene (p 553), one of which is later separated again from the dummy (p 555).

Cultural Influences in Children Essay

The negative influences for video games: children are always playing it or wanting to play their xbox, wii or playstation, not wanting to go to school. Children will want to be on the game for several hours or all day. Children or adults can have seizures from the movement of all the changing lights and from the lights flashing especially in the dark. Children can have nightmares from playing a game called Call of Duty it has a zombies part. Children can also shoot zombies and people with guns and might act this out in real life even shoot at people. These games are violent, and gory. Children can play Grand Theft Auto they are playing as a gang member and your boss tells you to do crimes and get away with it. The police try to catch him but he can get away with whatever it is he does. When children get old enough they might try to steal cars, run people over, and beat up people and cops for no reason. The children might not know in real life they will get caught. They cannot hide from the cops. Grand Theft Auto can make children more aggressive, more violent at school and at home. Children can also talk on these games to other children or even adults online. They can hear cussing and talk about other things not needed for this game. Video Games can make children socially isolated, doing less homework, less hanging out with friends, can make children obese, less exercise, less going out, and less spending time with family. Interest children in different activities: soccer, football, baseball, tennis, volleyball. These sports would be a good exercise so the children will not be obese, just sitting in front of the television playing games. Encourage your child to get involved in other outdoor activities with other children in the neighborhood such as bike riding, or just childhood games outside can help tag, hid and seek or at a YMCA swimming, basketball. Get the child to play with his toys for a few hours out of the day. Go to the park for a day have a picnic, go hiking and go sightseeing. By telling Child to go outside and playing a sport or get involved in child activities will get them away from the video games. Tell the child to go bike riding around the block and get their mind off of wanting to play Grand Theft Auto would be better than them thinking of steal cars and beating up people. Another negative cultural influence is television. It has television shows children should not be watching, not much learning. Television is not always great it has a few channels that are learning channels but most are not teaching children anything. Some channels like Disney or nickelodeon have some learning shows but that is only in the early morning or way late at night and only for children that are in the younger ages. Cartoon network changes to adult swim after a certain hour. Children should not be watching these shows to name a few Family Guy, American Dad, and Robot Chicken. Family Guy has a talking dog, lots of cussing and is violent and also has sexual content. Robot Chicken is a show that does some parodies of other shows with cussing and violence as well. Children like to always watch television, but it is not educating children and is a waste of time for them when they can be doing other educated activities. Getting children educated is a better idea than watching television they will need to be educated for school. So having them read chapter books or read other books or magazines for a while will get them away from the television. Have children write a story or a few sentences to a paragraph depending on how old they are about what they have read or would want to read or learn about. Have children go outside and start a garden, plant vegetables and fruit. Learn how to grow a garden to pick fruit and vegetables when they are ready to be eaten. Children can always stay inside and play a board game there are a few games to play monopoly, trouble, and cards are really fun games. Boggle and scrabble would be also good to use their brains.

Clexane Essay

Clexane (enoxaparin) will be the topic for my teaching plan. In the plan it will aim to explain how and why enoxaprin is administered and why it is needed. Clexane injection contains the active ingredient enoxaparin, which is a type of medicine called a low molecule weight heparin. It is a medicine that is used to treat blood clots, or stop clots from forming within the blood vessels, Enoxaparin is used to prevent and treat types of abnormal blood clots. It works by inactivating thrombin in the clotting process. This stops the formation of fibrin, the essential component of blood clots. The medicine is administered by injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Clexane is commonly used to prevent clotting after an operation such as a hip replacement, or certain heart conditions. The way clexane works is by preventing certain molecules in the blood called clotting factors from working. Clotting factors are needed to form a clot (e. g. n a cut or a scratch). However, blood clots can form inside the body and travel to areas such as the lungs or brain, where they can form a block. When this happens it is difficult for blood to circulate properly, the clot may also cause severe illness. Clexane will be given in accordance to the weight of the person. Subcutaneous Injection Technique. The patient should take the lying down position ready for the clexane injection to be administered, this is given by a deep subcutaneous injection. To avoid any loss of the drug which is administered in 30 and 40 mg pre-filled syringes, there is an air bubble that should not be expelled before the injection is given. Administration should be alternated between the left and right anterolateral and left and right posterolateral abdominal wall. The whole length of the needle should be introduced into a skin fold held between the thumb and forefinger; the skin fold should be held throughout the injection. To minimise bruising, the injection site should not be rubbed on completion of the injection.