Impact of Affordable Care Act on North Carolina Uninsured Population

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is in vigor since January 1, 2014, and hospitals and health care providers are not sure about how many people will knock at their door for health care. So far, according to Camp (2014) â€Å"More than two million people across the country have signed up for healthcare under the ACA and hospitals are bracing for a wave of newly insured patients†. How does that affect the uninsured people in North Carolina is an unanswered question. Seventeen percent of North Carolina’s residents are uninsured, according to Kaiser Foundation (2012).Health Care reform brings controversial and uneasy ethic issues to the population as well as to legislators. North Carolina can opt to expand Medicaid coverage to all individuals that have a household income less than 138% of the federal poverty level, but the question in the air is how NC will make it happen?. Financial Impact of ACA on North Carolina North Carolina has one of the highest index of the uninsured po pulation when compared to States at the same size, 17% accruing to 1,604,300 residents.Michigan has 12 percent; New Jersey has 15 percent; Virginia has 13 percent, according to Kaiser Foundation (2012). Milstead (2013) assures â€Å"Based on the Affordable Care Act, beginning in 2014 adults can qualify for Medicaid if their income is no greater than 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($30,429 for a family of four in 2010)†. Besides of what the ACA says each State has its own policies for Medicaid eligibility, being it a joint initiative between State and Federal funds.According to American College of Physicians (2013) â€Å" Unfortunately, the state has chosen not to expand its program at this time. The Urban Institute estimates that about 632,000 uninsured North Carolinians with incomes under 100% FPL would be denied coverage if North Carolina chooses not to expand its Medicaid program†. Governor McCrory is committed to envigorate the Health Care program in his budget delivance for 2013-2015 in North Carolina (NC,) and assures that $575M will be added to Medicaid budget, $7.2M will be given for Drug Treatment Courts, and $30M to open a new psychiatric hospital, all to be delivered in two fiscal years period (Newsroom, 2013).Overall NC’s State economy seems to be picking up with an underemployment rate dropping from 17 percent in October 2011-2012, to 14. 9 percent from October 2012-2013 (Robesonian News, 2013). In addition, Murawsk (2013) assures â€Å"the economy is indisputably building up steam and moving in a direction we haven’t seen in years†. With NC State biannual budget investing $612.2 M in three important areas of health care and the general economy steaming up it seems that more of NC uninsured community will be able to have an employer sponsored health care insurance, or be able to afford health insurance in the marketplace. It looks like a promising situation, that will surely help to banish the ghost of unfunded mandates, but if 100 percent of NC uninsured population will get what ACA proposes is something to be checked in the future.Ethics and Quality of Health CareA citation of Frederick Douglass’ delivery for the Civil Rights in October 1883 comes in hand he said â€Å"Only base men and oppressors can rejoice in a triumph of injustice over the weak and defenceless, for weakness ought itself to protect from assaults of pride, prejudice and power†. As health care reform proceeds to its implementation around the country many issues come to our mind such, are there enough resources to attend everyone or we will have an incoming chaos? Will American society finally have an equally health care system distribution?How are 32 million new health care system’s users fit into an already deficient system? Will there be enough nurses and doctors to deliver the quality of care that everyone is entitled? Is it a fair system for the society, is everyone getting what is dese rved? Many people would like to speak up what they think about health care: What do Americans want from their health care system? Four fundamental goals have shaped our system. First, we want high quality health care that can provide the greatest benefits.Second, we want freedom of choice so that we can decide the â€Å"who, when, and where† for our health care. Third, we expect our health care to be affordable so that we have resources for all of the other things we need or want. Fourth, we want our fellow citizens to share in the costs and also benefits of health care† (Sorrell, 2012). At one hand Franklin Roosevelt (1944) in the â€Å"Second Bill of Rights† mentions â€Å"the right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health†.At the second hand who is paing for the good health care that everyone wants? Health care providers would they be nurses or doctors have their part to do in the delivery of quality health care, but a health care system that makes justice to everyone depends on the whole society. I believe adopting a modern system of nationwide assessment and intervention such â€Å"Population Health Model† (Kovner & Knickman, 2011,) would have a high impact on the financial and workforce redistribution, a great tool that can bring results using the integration model.Summary ACA’s implementation has started and hospitals and health care providers are ready to receive new customers. North Carolina’s steaming up general economy and government’s budget can greatly help the population to get the health care they need. The right to health care comes to play when talking about health care reform, and we wonder if the new system will deliver the quality of care it proposes. Adopting Population Health Model for health assessment and intervention can be a solution for the health care issues in the U. S.. Impact of Affordable Care Act on North Carolina Uninsured Population The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is in vigor since January 1, 2014, and hospitals and health care providers are not sure about how many people will knock at their door for health care. So far, according to Camp (2014) â€Å"More than two million people across the country have signed up for healthcare under the ACA and hospitals are bracing for a wave of newly insured patients†. How does that affect the uninsured people in North Carolina is an unanswered question. Seventeen percent of North Carolina’s residents are uninsured, according to Kaiser Foundation (2012).Health Care reform brings controversial and uneasy ethic issues to the population as well as to legislators. North Carolina can opt to expand Medicaid coverage to all individuals that have a household income less than 138% of the federal poverty level, but the question in the air is how NC will make it happen?. Financial Impact of ACA on North Carolina North Carolina has one of the highest index of the uninsured po pulation when compared to States at the same size, 17% accruing to 1,604,300 residents.Michigan has 12 percent; New Jersey has 15 percent; Virginia has 13 percent, according to Kaiser Foundation (2012). Milstead (2013) assures â€Å"Based on the Affordable Care Act, beginning in 2014 adults can qualify for Medicaid if their income is no greater than 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($30,429 for a family of four in 2010)†. Besides of what the ACA says each State has its own policies for Medicaid eligibility, being it a joint initiative between State and Federal funds.According to American College of Physicians (2013) â€Å" Unfortunately, the state has chosen not to expand its program at this time. The Urban Institute estimates that about 632,000 uninsured North Carolinians with incomes under 100% FPL would be denied coverage if North Carolina chooses not to expand its Medicaid program†.Governor McCrory is committed to envigorate the Health Care program in his b udget delivance for 2013-2015 in North Carolina (NC,) and assures that $575M will be added to Medicaid budget, $7.2M will be given for Drug Treatment Courts, and $30M to open a new psychiatric hospital, all to be delivered in two fiscal years period (Newsroom, 2013). Overall NC’s State economy seems to be picking up with an underemployment rate dropping from 17 percent in October 2011-2012, to 14. 9 percent from October 2012-2013 (Robesonian News, 2013). In addition, Murawsk (2013) assures â€Å"the economy is indisputably building up steam and moving in a direction we haven’t seen in years†.With NC State biannual budget investing $612.2 M in three important areas of health care and the general economy steaming up it seems that more of NC uninsured community will be able to have an employer sponsored health care insurance, or be able to afford health insurance in the marketplace. It looks like a promising situation, that will surely help to banish the ghost of u nfunded mandates, but if 100 percent of NC uninsured population will get what ACA proposes is something to be checked in the future. Ethics and Quality of Health CareA citation of Frederick Douglass’ delivery for the Civil Rights in October 1883 comes in hand he said â€Å"Only base men and oppressors can rejoice in a triumph of injustice over the weak and defenceless, for weakness ought itself to protect from assaults of pride, prejudice and power†. As health care reform proceeds to its implementation around the country many issues come to our mind such, are there enough resources to attend everyone or we will have an incoming chaos? Will American society finally have an equally health care system distribution?How are 32 million new health care system’s users fit into an already deficient system? Will there be enough nurses and doctors to deliver the quality of care that everyone is entitled? Is it a fair system for the society, is everyone getting what is dese rved? Many people would like to speak up what they think about health care: What do Americans want from their health care system? Four fundamental goals have shaped our system. First, we want high quality health care that can provide the greatest benefits.Second, we want freedom of choice so that we can decide the â€Å"who, when, and where† for our health care. Third, we expect our health care to be affordable so that we have resources for all of the other things we need or want. Fourth, we want our fellow citizens to share in the costs and also benefits of health care† (Sorrell, 2012). At one hand Franklin Roosevelt (1944) in the â€Å"Second Bill of Rights† mentions â€Å"the right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health†.At the second hand who is paing for the good health care that everyone wants? Health care providers would they be nurses or doctors have their part to do in the delivery of quality health care, but a health care system that makes justice to everyone depends on the whole society. I believe adopting a modern system of nationwide assessment and intervention such â€Å"Population Health Model† (Kovner & Knickman, 2011,) would have a high impact on the financial and workforce redistribution, a great tool that can bring results using the integration model.Summary ACA’s implementation has started and hospitals and health care providers are ready to receive new customers. North Carolina’s steaming up general economy and government’s budget can greatly help the population to get the health care they need. The right to health care comes to play when talking about health care reform, and we wonder if the new system will deliver the quality of care it proposes. Adopting Population Health Model for health assessment and intervention can be a solution for the health care issues in the U. S.

Bismarck’s Foreign policy was a Success Essay

The balance of power in Europe had been suddenly altered after the German victory over France in 1871. The resultant German Empire, with its large population great economic power, strong army and extensive resources, looked clear to be an important factor in international relations. However, even for Bismarck this looked set to be a challenge, due to the need not only to establish the Empire as a nation, but to also found an external security that would prove to be vital throughout his reign as Chancellor. Although was this set policy an overall success? Bismarck’s main objectives in the proposal of the instituted policies were to isolate France in Europe; maintain the balance of peace on the continent – particularly between Austria and Russia, who Bismarck feared would come to blows over the escalating problems in the Balkans – as well as maintaining his secured German territory; avoid fighting a war on two fronts and the Chancellor also desired, perhaps greedily, to have the control and power of two other powers in Europe as well as in Germany. The ideal for Bismarck was to establish a run of successful policies to achieve these goals and thus substantiate Germany as both the most powerful and influential of the Great Powers in Europe. The immediate problem in Bismarck’s international relations appeared to be the threat of the new French Republic. The government still viewed Bismarck’s German Empire with resentment after its defeat, and then the loss of Alsace-Lorraine, to Germany, which for the state not only meant the loss of valuable territory, but also represented the demise of French supremacy in Europe. However, France was in no real state to seek her revenge alone and knew, just as well as Bismarck, that an alliance was her only hope. Furthermore not only did Bismarck need to deal with this to ensure success in his foreign policy, but he felt that there was great diplomatic value in being able to count both Austria-Hungary and Russia as friends. Yet once again this was not without its difficulties, as the sensitive situation in the Balkans had led to rivalry between the states as to who would eventually gain power in the area after the demise of the Ottoman Empire. This in turn led to the declaration of a series of both lucrative and ineffective policies. In answer to his search for friendship with Austria and Russia to deal with both his desire for friendship with the two Great Powers and aid his plan for the isolation of France, Bismarck met with the state leaders and an agreement for the ‘Dreikaiserbund’ (Three Emperors League) was set in 1873. Although quite vague, the bill was a short-term success for Bismarck, as it allowed him to isolate France without causing suspicion and meant he could avoid making a choice between Austria and Russia. The powers had agreed that matters of common interest would be consulted, which was also of great interest to Bismarck as it meant a better understanding between the nations had been instituted causing Bismarck to believe that in the case of a war with France he would have the support of Austria and Russia. Further successes for Bismarck in terms of foreign policy were the Dual Alliance of 1879 and the Three Emperors Alliance of 1881. In response to Russia’s rejection of the Three Emperors League, Bismarck negotiated an alliance with Austria. Such a grouping strengthened both the nations power in the case of a war with Russia, although Austria agreed that in the case of a war with France she would remain neutral, thus resulting in the isolation of France but the reinforcement of German power. However, although the Chancellor decided it was best kept secret from Russia – though they did discover the details of the arrangement – he did not regard the alliance as a final choice between Austria and Russia. Therefore the alliance in fact meant more to Austria who had finally escaped the diplomatic isolation she had suffered since the Crimean War. On the other hand, after Russia’s discovery of the Dual Alliance, and the realisation of her isolation in Europe, she turned back to Germany and the result was a more specific revision of the past Dreikaiserbund. Once more this was successful for Bismarck in that it isolated France and prevented the situation of having to choose between Austria and Russia. The final of Bismarck’s foreign policies also secured successes for the Chancellor. The Triple Alliance of 1882 between Germany, Austria and Italy reassured Bismarck that unless a Franco-Russian alliance was formed then the prospect of war from either nation whilst standing alone could be easily contained. This alliance was, from Bismarck’s viewpoint, aimed directly towards the segregation of France, as he was aware that she could not, and so would not attack Germany single-handedly. However, yet again the Dreikaiserbund was destroyed in 1885 due to further problems in the Balkans, and it became clear that disputes in this area were unlikely to ever be fully resolved. This time Bismarck needed to desperately to avoid the prospect of a war on two fronts. This concluded in the Reinsurance Treaty of 1887, which tried to localize the problem by assuring Russia that Bismarck would not support Austria in a clash over the Balkans territory. By documenting that in the case of a war between two of the powers that the remaining power would remain neutral, Bismarck succeeded in both preventing a war on two fronts and obtaining the neutrality he desired. Lastly, Bismarck’s final foreign policy, the Second Mediterranean Agreement of 1887, was mainly successful for due to the fact that he merely sponsored the act and did not become involved in its negotiations. By encouraging the agreement Bismarck managed to restrain Russia from assuming a provocative position in the Balkans, thus preventing both the possibility of a war between Austria and Russia as well as Bismarck from perhaps having to choose between the two. However, these policies only ensured short-term successes for Germany and perhaps from the failures we can see that some of the long lasting effects of Bismarck’s policies were more serious. The first major failure in Bismarck’s foreign policy was in his handling of the ‘War in Sight Crisis’ of 1875 when the French recovery and rearmament provoked Germany into a diplomatic crisis, this then escalated out of control, with the Chancellor prohibiting any trade with France and the papers predicting war. Finally Bismarck himself raised the spectre of war, which resulted in condemnation from Britain and Russia, and the realisation for Bismarck that a war on two fronts remained a possibility and that the other powers were suspicious of him and would not tolerate a growth in German power. The incident also failed in that Germany was forced to reassure France war was not a possibility, thus not only failing to isolate France but causing Bismarck great diplomatic humiliation throughout the continent. This is furthermore evidence that the Three Emperors League failed Bismarck, as it did not give him the support from Russia he had believed would be obtained from such an agreement. Further humiliation for Bismarck came in 1878 in the form of the Congress of Berlin. Russia was forced to choose between a war with Britain or a revision of the proposed San Stefano Treaty concerning the Balkans. Although Germany remained neutral throughout the conference, this resulted in the Dreikaiserbund being dissolved, as Russia had hoped she could rely on Germany’s support, which was denied. Russia later blamed Bismarck for her diplomatic defeat and referred to the fiasco 1†³ a coalition of the European powers against Russia under the leadership of Prince Bismarck†. Yet this was not the Conferences only failure as Bismarck had also failed to maintain the peace within Europe, thus making an enemy of Russia, and in the long-term the problems in the Balkans remained unresolved. While successful in some ways for Bismarck’s foreign policy, the Three Emperors League was only short-term and failed to secure solutions to the enduring difficulties in the demising Ottoman Empire. This is also similar of the effects of the Triple Alliance, Reinsurance Treaty and Second Mediterranean Agreement, which though too had their success failed to obtain any long-term solutions. The Triple Alliance failed to prevent a war on two fronts from Russia and France, as Italy was not a strong military ally able to match the combined forces of France and Russia, thus leaving Germany in a vulnerable position. The Reinsurance Treaty was very similar in that it was only short-term as France and Russia did eventually join in the ‘Entente’. Bismarck further created himself problems, as the Second Mediterranean Agreement left him with no alliance to Russia, and so creating possible problems for the future. Finally by the end of Bismarck’s office in 1890 France still viewed Germany with contempt and searched for revenge, while the situation in the Balkans continued to flare as did the tension between Austria and Russia. This leads me to believe that although Bismarck’s foreign policy was successful in achieving his main objectives and solving problems in the short-term, all they did for the long-term was to simply delay the problems rather than resolving them. The Chancellor in fact made it difficult to maintain neutrality over the Balkans crisis in the long-term and it could even be said that too many alliances were made in an effort to obtain his goals, that it became too difficult to retain such a documented relationship with the other powers, and that perhaps Bismarck did not leave himself enough loose ends to play with the policies in the way he saw fit. Conclusively, it was probably an advantage for Bismarck that he left office in 1890, as it left Kaiser William II with the resulting problems to resolve and he was able to leave behind the tangle of long-term problems he had created. Bibliography: * The Unification of Germany 1815-90 – Andrina Stiles * Challenging History – European Powers 1815-1890 Plan Intro – Germany’s political and economic situation in Europe post unification – 1871 Paragraph 1 – Bismarck’s main objectives in foreign policy and immediate problems he faced in Europe i.e. French desired revenge desire to isolate France etc Paragraph 2 – Success in foreign policy e.g. prevented having to choose between Austria and Russia due to Dreikaiserbund Paragraph 3 – Failures in foreign policy e.g. Congress of Berlin caused breakdown of Dreikaiserbund Conclusion – Was Bismarck’s foreign policy a success? NO – only solved problems in the short-term and created further problems for the long-term 1 Challenging History – European Powers 1815-1890

Natural monopoly Essay

I believe that times change and as they, change rules and regulations must adapt to the times. Therefore, the treatment of the different industries must represent the different industries as they grow. I do not think the Telephone and Broadcast should never have or ever be considered a â€Å"Natural Monopoly†. The concept of natural monopoly presents a challenging public policy dilemma. On the one hand, a natural monopoly implies that efficiency in production would be better served if a single firm supplies the entire market. On the other hand, in the absence of any competition the monopoly holder will be tempted to exploit his natural monopoly power in order to maximize its profits. A â€Å"natural monopoly† is defined in economics as an industry where the fixed cost of the capital goods is so high that it is not profitable for a second firm to enter and compete. There is a â€Å"natural† reason for this industry being a monopoly, namely that the economies of scale require one, rather than several, firms. Small-scale ownership would be less efficient. Natural monopolies are typically utilities such as water, electricity, and natural gas. It would be very costly to build a second set of water and sewerage pipes in a city. Water and gas delivery service has a high fixed cost and a low variable cost. Electricity is now being deregulated, so the generators of electric power can now compete. But the infrastructure, the wires that carry the electricity, usually remain a natural monopoly, and the various companies send their electricity through the same grid. Cable as a â€Å"Natural Monopoly†. Nearly every community in the United States allows only a single cable company to operate within its borders. Since the Boulder decision [4] in which the U. S. Supreme Court held that municipalities might be subject to antitrust liability for anticompetitive acts, most cable franchises have been nominally nonexclusive but in fact do operate to preclude all competitors. The legal rationale for municipal regulation is that cable uses city-owned streets and rights-of-way; the economic rationale is the assumption that cable is a â€Å"natural monopoly. † The theory of natural monopoly holds that â€Å"because of structural conditions that exist in certain industries, competition between firms cannot endure; and whenever these conditions exist, it is inevitable that only one firm will survive. † Thus, regulation is necessary to dilute the ill-effects of the monopoly. [5] Those who assert that cable television is a natural monopoly focus on its economies of scale; that is, its large fixed costs whose duplication by multiple companies would be inefficient and wasteful. Thus, competitive entry into the market should be proscribed because it is bound to be destructive. The Competitive Reality I believe that times change and as they, change rules and regulations must adapt to the times. Therefore, the treatment of the different industries must represent the different industries as they grow. I do not think the Telephone and Broadcast should never have or ever be considered a â€Å"Natural Monopoly†. The concept of natural monopoly presents a challenging public policy dilemma. On the one hand, a natural monopoly implies that efficiency in production would be better served if a single firm supplies the entire market. On the other hand, in the absence of any competition the monopoly holder will be tempted to exploit his natural monopoly power in order to maximize its profits. A â€Å"natural monopoly† is defined in economics as an industry where the fixed cost of the capital goods is so high that it is not profitable for a second firm to enter and compete. There is a â€Å"natural† reason for this industry being a monopoly, namely that the economies of scale require one, rather than several, firms. Small-scale ownership would be less efficient. Natural monopolies are typically utilities such as water, electricity, and natural gas. It would be very costly to build a second set of water and sewerage pipes in a city. Water and gas delivery service has a high fixed cost and a low variable cost. Electricity is now being deregulated, so the generators of electric power can now compete. But the infrastructure, the wires that carry the electricity, usually remain a natural monopoly, and the various companies send their electricity through the same grid. Cable as a â€Å"Natural Monopoly† Nearly every community in the United States allows only a single cable company to operate within its borders. Since the Boulder decision [4] in which the U. S. Supreme Court held that municipalities might be subject to antitrust liability for anticompetitive acts, most cable franchises have been nominally nonexclusive but in fact do operate to preclude all competitors. The legal rationale for municipal regulation is that cable uses city-owned streets and rights-of-way; the economic rationale is the assumption that cable is a â€Å"natural monopoly. † The theory of natural monopoly holds that â€Å"because of structural conditions that exist in certain industries, competition between firms cannot endure; and whenever these conditions exist, it is inevitable that only one firm will survive. † Thus, regulation is necessary to dilute the ill-effects of the monopoly. [5] Those who assert that cable television is a natural monopoly focus on its economies of scale; that is, its large fixed costs whose duplication by multiple companies would be inefficient and wasteful. Thus, competitive entry into the market should be proscribed because it is bound to be destructive. The Competitive Reality 1. A skeptic hearing exhortations that cable television is a natural monopoly that should be locally regulated could have some questions at this point. First, if cable is a natural monopoly, why do we need to guarantee it with a franchise? Economists Bruce Owen and Peter Greenhalgh argue persuasively that given economies of scale, if a cable company â€Å"is responsive and efficient in its pricing and service quality then there will be little incentive for competitors to enter, and no need for an exclusionary franchise policy. â€Å"[9] Thus, if entry restrictions are necessary to arrest competition, the industry by definition is not a natural monopoly. 2. Second, if cable is a natural monopoly, is it necessarily a local monopoly? Some observers use the terms interchangeably, but there is no evidence that economic laws respect municipal boundaries. Given large fixed costs, does it make sense to award a local franchise to one company when another already has facilities in an adjacent community? Yet such â€Å"wasteful duplication,† as the natural monopoly proponents would call it, occurs frequently under the franchise system. Local franchises make no sense in a true natural monopoly setting. 3. These questions, however, go to the heart of natural monopoly theory itself, a doctrine that is under increasing attack. [10] In the face of crumbling conventional wisdom in this area, the burden should be on the natural monopoly proponents to demonstrate that competition is not possible, and further, that regulation is necessary. Such a demonstration will prove impossible in the cable context. Cable is both extremely competitive, facing both direct and indirect market challenges, and, in any event, is better left unregulated. For many decades, economic textbooks have held up the telecommunications industry as the ideal model of natural monopoly. A natural monopoly is said to exist when a single firm is able to control most, if not all, output and prices in a given market due to the enormous entry barriers and economies of scale associated with the industry. More specifically, a market is said to be naturally monopolistic when one firm can serve consumers at lower costs than two or more firms (Spulber 1995: 31). For example, telephone service traditionally has required laying an extensive cable network, constructing numerous calls switching stations, and creating a variety of support services, before service could actually be initiated. Obviously, with such high entry costs, new firms can find it difficult to gain a toehold in the industry. Those problems are compounded by the fact that once a single firm overcomes the initial costs, their average cost of doing business drops rapidly relative to newcomers. The telephone monopoly, however, has been anything but natural. Overlooked in the textbooks is the extent to which federal and state governmental actions throughout this century helped build the AT&T or â€Å"Bell system† monopoly. As Robert Crandall (1991: 41) noted, â€Å"Despite the popular belief that the telephone network is a natural monopoly, the AT&T monopoly survived until the 1980s not because of its naturalness but because of overt government policy. † I hope that the above facts help support my beliefs that these industries should not be considered Natural Monopolies. These companies just executed and had better site than other in the same industry had. Today ATT is just as strong as it ever was. References Benjamin, S. M. , Lichtman, D. G. , Shelanski, H. , & Weiser , P. (2006). FOUNDATIONS. In Telecommunications Law and Policy . (2nd ed. ). (pp. 437 – 469). Durham, NC : Carolina Academic Press. Foldvary, F. E. (1999). Natural Monopolies . The Progress Report. Retrieved January 9, 2012, from http://www. progress. org/fold74. htm Thierer , A. D. (1994). UNNATURAL MONOPOLY: CRITICAL MOMENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BELL SYSTEM MONOPOLY . 14(2).

Career Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Career Counseling - Essay Example It is also evident from the case that Randall has always been competitive and career oriented in his approach. Thus it is a very hard for Randall to overcome the accident and lead a normal life. Even the effects of the accident have taken a greater toll on the physical as well as mental abilities of Randall. But still it can be viewed that Randall have the desire within himself that gave him much required confidence. Though life after the accident would not be the same again but his attitude made it lot easier for him to lead life. Personal performances and accomplishments have considerable connection with that of efficacy. Even outcome expectations and personal goals play great role. Randall wanted to become an aeronautical engineer and was preparing for it but the accident turned away his attention from studies because it was quite taxing for him. But still it is known that Randall opted for CADD (Computer Aided Drafting and Design) after the incident and wanted to lead a simple li fe. He also felt that he was not different from others in any aspect. His optimism was one factor that made him more strong and confident. Determination and achievement are the other foundations of the social cognitive learning theory. The determination of Randall to achieve something after going through so much of turbulence is one such example. The social cognitive learning theory has both strengths and limitations but with bilateral perceptions. It depends a lot on the situation as well as the mind frame of the learner. It provides a more flexible focus on the development of the learner. The three bases which are efficacy, expectations and goals are three internal factors of the learner. Thus it is only with the learner’s willingness along with proper counseling that could turn the limitations into the learner’s advantage. Cultural approach only comes to play when there is any problem in relation with that of culture and the environment in a broader aspect.

HBR article Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HBR article - Coursework Example In this way, much of the waste in time and money that is often associated with new product development is ameliorated. The article goes on to detail how Eli Lilly created a special team which was named â€Å"Chorus† whose sole purpose was to guide and direct research and development of new product lines based up on the metrics that have been previously related. Due to a strict adherence to the previous rubric, Eli Lilly was able to nearly double the amount of drug compounds that they developed between both 12 and 24 month periods. The article continues to describe the pitfalls that not employing such logic can provide to the overall process. Furthermore, the authors detail the situation that often arises where key leaders and shareholders ignore the obvious signs that a product line displays during development regarding its ability to succeed in the marketplace and yield a profit. Oftentimes, this is the result of the fact that management and/or key leaders have strong beliefs with respect to the overall viability of a given product and are therefore reticent to accept any proof that the line may result in eventual failure. Specific examples of such blind faith are given by the authors with relation to Ely Lilly’s drug tests that continued to send red flags to the development team; however, management continued to pour money down the rabbit hole with respect to continuing to fund the research. The authors discuss a secondary pitfall that many would-be product development teams suffer from. This secondary pitfall centers upon the fact that many product development teams terminate projects/products prematurely due to lack of evidence that the project/product has an overall likelihood to succeed. Although this can result from a number of factors, the authors note that the main reason results from an unclear and undifferentiated research process. For purposes of the analysis, the authors define one of the key components of success to relate to the con cept of POC (Proof of Concept). This relates the process that a firm can employ that provides a highly focused fast track path of research to determine whether or not the product has likelihood of overall success. In this way, targeted experiments can be rapidly employed to prove whether or not a product has an overall likelihood of success. Likewise, the authors note that determining overall project/product profitability is also a likely determinate that should be used in order to determine what level of time and funding should be provided to ensure that the project maintains the highest ability to produce a net profit. Similarly, the authors argue that product success can further be maximized by dividing the stages of product testing and development into early and late stages. By further defining the metrics with respect to what goals and tasks should be accomplished in the early and late stages, it is abundantly clear for product development where the product lies in terms of ove rall viability at any particular juncture of the process. In this way, the guess work is taken out of the process and long-term product developments that can turn into a multimillion dollar mistake are effectively weeded out. This novel approach is simplistic; however, it nonetheless works. Many firms have followed in

Legal Fictions (Plato, Xenophon and Henry David Thoreau) Essay

Legal Fictions (Plato, Xenophon and Henry David Thoreau) - Essay Example describes Socrates tone as almost ‘arrogant’ and Plato also observes that the philosopher speaks from a ‘high standing’ and uses a ‘lofty manner’ in his address. Secondly both agree that Socrates used the Oracle in his defense. Socrates claimed that the Oracle had declared him the ‘wisest’ and ‘most prudent’ of all people. Furthermore both describe Socrates claim that a divine voice guides him in his mission. Ans.3. Socrates refers to his mission to find the wisest man as a ‘labor of Hercules’ in his speech of defense. He implies that he has wandered far and wide and made a Herculean effort to find a man wiser than himself. (Plato) About to die at the hands of his corrupt worldly judges, Socrates longs for true justice in the after life. He mentions three judges of Hades (the underworld) - Minos, Rhadamanthus and Aeacus.(Plato) Ans.4. According to Thoreau the only place in a slave state in which a free man can abide with honor is prison. Three groups that can find him there are the Mexican prisoner, the fugitive slave and the Indian come to plead his case. No man of honor can live without protesting the injustice done to these three groups by the government, and by law the state imprisons all dissenters. Thus the only abode of the true supporters of these oppressed groups is prison. Ans.5. "Now what are they? Men at all? Or small moveable forts and magazines, at the service of some unscrupulous man in power?† This quote is taken from the essay ‘Civil Disobedience’. Here Thoreau mocks the mentality of the soldiers who follow the law so strictly that they are ready to die and kill for it even when they know that a particular law or order is morally unjust. â€Å"As they live and rule only by their servility, and appealing to the worse, and not the better, nature of man, the people who read them are in the condition of the dog that returns to his vomit†. This quote is taken from the essay ‘Slavery in Massachusetts. Thoreau is

Economics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economics - Research Paper Example In other words, 1% of people in America controls more than 1/5 th of the total income generate in America. This is a striking fact. The author argues that economic inequality is not all about how much you make — it’s about how much you have (Rampell). For example, it is quite possible that an average American makes substantial money from his profession or business. However it is not necessary that the amount he makes may be sufficient enough for his expenditure if he may have more family members. In other words, an American who has only 3 members in his family and another one who have 5 or 6 members in his family cannot be considered equally with respect to economic equality, even if they earn same income. The followi9ng chart illustrates this argument clearer. (Rampell) From the above chart, it is clear that even though the top 1 percent of earners receive about a fifth of all American income; they hold about a third of American wealth. In other words, the income recei ved and the income controlled by the top 1% is unequal. In fact the top 1% controls more wealth than the actual wealth they received or earned. From the above fact, it is clear that the richest people in America are able to save more than what the average Americans save. The recent recession underlined the above fact. Richest people in America succeeded in escaping from the recent recession without causing many damages to their economic interests whereas the average American suffered a lot because of the recession. In other words, the savings of the average Americans were not adequate enough to meet any unexpected economic catastrophes. Highest earning Americans save more whereas the lowest earning Americans save less. In other words, as time passes, more and more wealth will be controlled by the highest earning people compared to the lowest earning people which is the major reason for economic inequality in America. Along with the increasing economic power, the bargaining power and the influences of the rich people may also increase. In other words, more of the shares of the governmental subsidies, relief packages, rebates etc will come in the hands of the rich people rather than going into the hands of the poor people. For example, President Obama has recently huge stimulus packages to help the people to come out from the economic crisis. However, majority of the shares of these stimulus packages went in the hands of the highest earning people. Wolf (2009) has pointed out that the stimulus plan will strengthen the economy by creating millions of good-paying jobs; deliver tax relief for 95% of workers and invest in America’s future by fixing our communities' roads and bridges, improving our children's education and making America more energy independent (Wolf). However, as per the statistics available, it is quite clear that these stimulus plans failed to generate much impact in the lives of ordinary people. When Obama proposed the 700 billion bailout package to the struggling industries in America, many people have raised their eyebrows. Major share of this huge money was gone into the hands of the private business men. In other words, Obama collected the money from the taxpayer’s pocket and distributed it to the private businessmen. In other words, the rich people became major beneficiaries of these stimulus packages also. Under the above circumstances, Rampell’

IT for Investor Relation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IT for Investor Relation - Assignment Example Evidently, one of the benefits of advertisement to Gap Inc is the creation of brand awareness and exposure by capturing the minds of the target audience. Consequently, it creates familiarity with the target audience and inculcates a sense of consumer trust. Improvement in product sales is another benefit from advertising that Gap stands to achieve. In this regard, the business will make profits through a reduction in unit cost per product. The achievement of competitive edge is a further advantage that Gap Inc will achieve over its competitors through forefront awareness and being ahead of its competition. The type of advertisement for consideration by Gap Inc. is one that is simple, informative and straight to the point without overloaded visuals and statements that distort the consumer. In this regard, the key costs to be considered in terms of advertising include research and design team costs, printing costs for designed posters, cost of graphic designs for the visuals displayed in the website or over the posters and flyers. The importance of annual reports is that it is a tool applied by investors in the evaluation of the current physical, financial standing, objectives and report on any new developments of a company in general. Moreover, the annual reports serve as mode of written and formal communication. In light of Gap Inc.’s vision of continuous international growth and geographic footprint, annual reports are necessary requirement. In this regard, there are two technology requirements for the effectiveness of the annual reports. Foremost, are the visual templates or format to be adapted in generation of the annual reports. Second, is the select choice of database such as Excel to be used in production of the financial statements. The benefits and advantages that Gap Inc stands to gain in using the annual reports includes informing its customers and the public on

The Sensory Nervous System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Sensory Nervous System - Essay Example The basic unit of the entire nervous system is the neuron. The neurons themselves have three parts 1) the dendrite-which receive message impulses from other cells and transmits it to the cell body 2) the cell body 3) the axon-which transmits messages away from the cell body. There are three types of neurons namely sensory or afferent neurons, motor or efferent neurons and intermediate neurons. The sensory neurons are responsible for the transmission of messages from the various sensory receptors or organs in the human body, which receive the external stimulus, to the central nervous system. The intermediate or relay neurons are present only in the CNS. The motor neurons transmit the message impulses from the CNS to the corresponding effector organ which might be a muscle or a gland which responds to the received impulse. The plasma membrane of the neuron has an unequal distribution of electrical charges between its inner and the outer surfaces, i.e., positive on the inner membrane an d negative on the outer membrane. When a message impulse is to be transmitted the polarities reverse temporarily resulting in what is known as an action potential. This action potential which begins in one spot spreads to the adjacent membranes thereby transmitting the message across a neuron. While the action potential allows transmission within a neuron neurotransmitters allow the transmission of messages between different neurons through the synaptic cleft. The synapse is the space between two nerve cells. (Farabee, 1992). Depending on the type of external stimuli, various parts of the brain are targeted through various pathways through the spinal cord. For example the somatosensory system has three modalities. One particular modality being the discriminatory touch enables the human body to perceive shapes and sizes by touch alone. In this system sensory inputs are provided

Factors Of Influence On Retail Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Factors Of Influence On Retail Trade - Essay Example on the retail industry as a whole and therefore Sainsbury’s have been chosen for the purpose as it holds the 30th position in the global ranking of retail industry â€Å"Kantar Retail Top 50 Retailer Rankings† (Kantar Retail, 2013). Sainsbury’s was set up during 1869 and presently it runs more than 1106 convenience stores and supermarkets that provide job opportunities to almost 157000 people. Customer is considered to be the heart of the organization and the firm continuously invests money for improving the experience of the channel partners and employees to offer the customer with the best â€Å"shopping experience† (J Sainsbury PLC, 2013). Key Issues Whilst Tesco has issues in almost each part of its operations, its greatest competitor Sainsbury's revealed an advanced move towards growth in sales by the means of â€Å"quality and service† (Gottdiener, 1998). Sainsbury successfully exchanged blows with its rivals like Asda and Tesco. Justin King, the chief executive of the firm stated that the success of Sainsbury primarily rooted from its excellent service quality and from the superior quality self-brand products. The firm has strongly protested against the â€Å"Price Promise† ad program of Tesco. According to Sainsbury, The program deceives the consumers since it proves to be a failure in pointing out that the firm’s own-label brands have original standards or excellent ethical benchmarks. Sainsbury’s claim had been supported by â€Å"ethical trading accreditation bodies† namely the RSPCA's Freedom Food proposal, the Marine Stewardship Council and the Fair-trade (Butler and Rankin, 2013). According to Justin King, fundamentally most of the customers visiting the supermarkets prefer to opt for discount stores like Lidl and Aldi, and these stores have been... Whilst Tesco has issues in almost each part of its operations, its greatest competitor Sainsbury's revealed an advanced move towards growth in sales by the means of â€Å"quality and service† (Gottdiener, 1998). Sainsbury successfully exchanged blows with its rivals like Asda and Tesco. Justin King, the chief executive of the firm stated that the success of Sainsbury primarily rooted from its excellent service quality and from the superior quality self-brand products. The firm has strongly protested against the "Price Promise" ad program of Tesco. According to Sainsbury, The program receives the consumers since it proves to be a failure in pointing out that the firm's own-label brands have original standards or excellent ethical benchmarks. Sainsbury's claim had been supported by "ethical trading accreditation bodies" namely the RSPCA's Freedom Food proposal, the Marine Stewardship Council and the Fair-trade (Butler and Rankin, 2013). According to Justin King, fundamentally mo st of the customers visiting the supermarkets prefer to opt for discount stores like Lidl and Aldi, and these stores have been experiencing remarkable growth for the past years. However, in spite of offering goods at discounted prices, Lidl and Aldi failed to beat the superior service provided by Sainsbury's. The in-house labels of the retailer like â€Å"By Sainsbury's† and â€Å"Taste the Difference† developed at a rate that is two times the rate of the external brands since the customers always find ways for saving money.

Who Do I Want to Become a Psychologist Essay Example for Free

Who Do I Want to Become a Psychologist Essay So, I want a PhD in neurocognitive or cognitive psychology because: 1) I was made to be a psychologist. I may not be as articulate as I want to be here but here it goes As a preteen, for all my science fair projects leaned in the direction of psychology (one year I remember trying to test my classmates mood at different times during the year to examine the mood- weather relationship). The first time I seriously became interested in neuroscience/psychology I was 20 years old or so my cousin had just committed suicide at the time and I was looking for answers (especially because I had been having suicidal thoughts for a couple of years before his deathwhich is scary because I wasnt even 21 yet). It was easier for me to accept the fact that he was ill if I had physical proof that his brain (and mine) was different. I also grew up with a schizophrenic aunt. She used to tell me that there were people who were talking to her and that her thoughts were being recorded I always wanted to know what she saw. This was about the age when I started feeling guilty for how I had treated her when I was younger (at this point I may have been a bit older like 25). I also have another bipolar aunt, who, at the time, kept trying to kill herself every few months (actually when I was around 13, she once told my mom she wanted to speak with me, and then told me that she was going to kill herself yeah, its messed up). All this combined with my own manic and depressive episodes I frequently questioned reality when I was my normal self. The fact that physical changes in the brain could create these differences in the intangibleI believed that I could have all the answers to my questions about my reality, and my illness if I could understand the brain This lead me to 2) As a result of experiences during my early adult years I gradually became an spiritual and not claiming a religion, but my first research methods/experimental psychology class was a religious experience. That sounds over the top, but research is the only means by which I can answer the questions I have about my mental life: psychology is my religion. Training to become a better researcher helps me make sense of my meaningless world. So, I want a PhD to become a better researcher. 3) I enjoy debating and creating experimental designs to answer the many, many questions I have about different aspects of human cognitionand I tend to find questions everywhere. I have been known to spend weeks on literature reviews based on something I disagreed with in a random NYT article and then create hypothetical designs based on what Ive found. I already do it for free I think its high time I get paid for it. A PhD program will pay me for it. I also want the ability to turn my hypothetical designs into actual research I cant do that without the independence a TT job will get me or the training I will receive as a doctoral student and a post-doc fellow. Thats why I want a PhD in psychology. I have a passion for research in psychology and would have little credibility without a PhD. I will not be able to secure the grant money I may want for what ever I want to do in the future and I dont want to be dependent on other faculty members forever. A PhD and a TT job will give me the freedom to do what I want in terms of research I guess thats my real answer. Now, if only I were allowed to be this truthful in a personal statement Also, being called Dr. is kind of cool but its not like people in our field call each other doctor And, to my family, Ill never be a real doctor because I will not have an MD. I’m a felon, it’ll never happen.

History 17-a American history Essay Example for Free

History 17-a American history Essay Known as the American experiment in liberty and equality, the Civil War of America is supposed to be a major turning point in American history. Originated due to slavery, this war was first revoke from American citizens to acquire the right of liberty and equality. By the war, slavery was extinguished in America. Beginning of nineteenth century was much different from the eighteenth century; this was a revolutionary era in which industrialism was rising against agriculture, nationalization against state particularization and desire of freedom was heading against slavery. However, this moral idealism is not believed as an appropriate reason for the war. In accordance with some historians, it is also called as the war of power and economical affluence. It is said that South was economically abundant than the North. It was making good money in trade and commerce in comparison of North. North was not ready to accept this fact and this resulted as the Civil War. By the time of war, South occupied an area as large as Western Europe and ‘North’ has a strategic assignment to invade and conquer the southern confederation. In this war, southerners were fighting for independence, self-determination, self-government and preservation of life. Nevertheless, results of this war became the decision points for American history as the war grown the offspring of Nationality in Northerners. Southerners wanted to be separated from the American Union and Northerners were not is the support of that. In the battle against southerners, few incidents worked as the turning points of Civil War and American History as well. As instance, Northern Unions hold on Kentucky and Border States in considered as the first turning point of American civil war. This was of a great importance for Northerners. Even president of the nation, Abraham Lincoln said that ‘I can’t think of loosing Kentucky’, Kentucky was a southern state. Considered as the first modern war, the civil war of America made the nation, which is known as ‘United States of America’. During this war, Abraham Lincoln was mainly focused on Border States. He was not in favor of self-government in these states. Border States were extremely crucial for Northerners, as these states were physically separating Northern Union and Southern Confederacy. Bull Run is taken as another major defining moment in the history of Civil War. This was a land battle. This battle was full of anticipations and both sides were sure about their victory. However, Northerners managed to win this was a Herculean task for them and it was an end of southern hopes to set the self-government. Union capture on Mississippi, Forts Henry and Donelson in February 1862 is also considered as the major turning point in Civil War. It was first significant victory of union. Victories in Battle of Anteitam and Battle of Gettysburg made unions to move more rapidly in the direction of uniting American states. A defeat of Confederacy in the Battle of Chattanooga is taken as one of the most prominent turning point of Civil War. In this war Union reduced Confederacy to the Atlantic coast. This opened the way for Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign. Two incidents that took place in 1864 are taken as the last nail in the coffin of southern confederacy’s desire of self-government, independence and self-determination. These two incidents were Union capture on Atlanta and reelection of Abraham Lincoln. Both incidents respectively took place in September 1864 and November 1864. Civil War: the First Modern War American Civil War is taken as the first modern warfare. Confronted with various viewpoints and issues, this war is marked as the well mobilized war of the modern age. In accordance with historians, it deserves to be the first modern war due to its two important reasons. First reason is its technological advancements and another is a great change in the logistics and tactics applied in the battlefield. Northern generals Ulysses S.  Grant and his sub-ordinates applied strategies those were far ahead from the war approaches applied by the time. The morality war of Northern Americans against Southerners also resulted in many mesmerizing innovations, those helped in nation moving at the forefront from rest of the world. Cannons, rapid fire guns, Gatling gun, telegraphs and aerial warfare are considered as some of the stirring innovations of Civil War period. The civil war also worked as the rapid fire in the growth of American economy. It is also said that this was the beginning of American supremacy. This war was the first war in which army was not involved in killing on one-to-one manner. It was entirely technical. Both Unions and Confederacy army troops were relying on technical weapons instead of traditional ones. This was the first time when air warfare and sea warfare modes were also used. This war was the first war when a strategy of destruction was used and it also boosted he idea of unconditional surrender in the battle-field. In this was Union troops used telescopes and air-balloons to locate the position of enemy. Civil War of American History is known as first war due to it’s a completely foreign planning in accord with the world of nineteenth century. Following reasons the major basis of knowing this was as the first modern war- Railroads: Invention of railroad played a very important role in supplying armies with food, bullets, and soldiers. These cars were armed with weaponry. Hospitals: This was the first time when hospitals were set in battle field. Women s uch as Clara Barton and Dorothea Dix worked in these hospitals to give medical treatments to inured soldiers. Nevertheless, by the time medical knowledge was not advanced as today and mortality rate of soldiers due to disease was greater than their death in battle field. This was the first time in the context of using dogs as armor. Photography and Telegraph- by the time ‘Photography’ and ‘Telegraphy’ science had been introduced. Army troops used the science of photography is taking pictures of enemy position and Telegraph helped them in sending urgent messages. This is considered as a boon created from the devastation of Civil War. Secret Service: Both sides employed highly structured spy service to gain knowledge of army movements. Women and slaves played major role in this. Personnel: Numbers of African Americans fought in the Civil War was not less, most of them participated in the war from the side of Union army. They often fought in regiments those were separated out regiments. This was the first time when they had an identity of soldiers other than slaves. An ambitious win for Abraham Lincoln, civil War was the first time when rights of equality were believed to be a reason of war.

Teaching The Electrocardiography Procedure

Teaching The Electrocardiography Procedure The teaching session commenced with identification of the goals and expectations for clinical learning and continued through assessing students, planning electrocardiography procedure activities, guiding students, and evaluating ECG procedure learning and performance. The goals and expectations provided areas of assessment, teaching guidelines, and the basis of evaluating learning. They were often expressed in the form of clinical objectives established for the entire teaching session for specific teaching activities. The ECG procedure teaching objectives specified knowledge acquisition, nurturing of values, and performance of psychomotor and technological skills (Braunwald, 1997). The use of constructivist model as an essential approach in the teaching actively interacted students with the material system and concepts in electrocardiography procedure domain. Through effective supervision, students were able to discuss their developing understanding and competences in carrying out electrocardiography procedure (Gaberson, 1999). This paper is based on: teaching session conducted with peers in week seven. It reflects on my effectiveness as a teacher; the creativity and efforts applied to engage and teach learners; and broadly linking all these to the teaching philosophy, learning theories, and teaching strategies. The paper also analyzes the literature related to teaching electrocardiography procedure; teaching strategies used and details recommendations on how to improve future teaching sessions in the clinical environment (Tanner, 2009). Relevant Literature Review Including Pedagogies used in Clinical Education Learning involves the process through which knowledge, is achieved and provided meaning; and comes from experience, reading, and living life. The result of learning is growth, that is, transformation in thinking, feeling or behaving. Many studies that endeavor to explain how learning occurs have been done through the years; and they been done through the lenses of disciplines such as psychology, physiology, and sociology (Vandeveer, 2005). Findings of these studies have led in the evolution of theories that try to explain how individuals learn. A theory is developed from fact analysis in relation to one another and is then applied to explain a phenomenon. The knowledge achieved from such studies has contributed to the theoretical underpinnings for entire theoretical structures or frameworks for education (Roberta, 2003). Behavioral Theories of Learning Education has been influenced more by behaviorism than any other single theory. Currently, behavioral principles continue to be used appropriately and successfully whereas others have been rejected. Behaviorism foundational principles were developed by psychologists Pavlov, Thorndike, and Skinner; these principles were derived from observations of learning in animals (Braungart, 2003). There were also other behavioral theorists who presented a variety of principles. However, all shared a common element that all behavior is learned, and that learning is influenced through environmental manipulation in which it happens and the rewards given to encourage it (Vandeveer, 2005). Behaviorism was carried into a classroom where learning experiences were structured in a manner that would assist educators attain goals through the development of objectives. Tyler (1979) stated that the most useful form for stating objectives is to express them in terms which identify both the kind of behavior to be developed in the student and the content or area of life in which this behavior is to operate; and this was the foundation of behavioral objectives. Bloom et al (1956) continued to make a classification of educational objectives that addressed the cognitive domain, the recall or recognition of knowledge or development of intellectual abilities and skills through the application of observable actions. Krathwohl (1956) led efforts in the affective domain of knowledge with a behavioral inclination. The objectives here were mainly emphasizing on an emotion, a feeling tone or a degree of acceptance or rejection; also attitudes, values, appreciations, and emotional sets or pr ejudices (Krathwohl, 1956). Achievement of the objectives continued to be through highly structured, clearly delineated, and visible behaviors. Behavioral theories enabled teachers and students alike to learn to construct behavioral objectives to guide teaching and identify measurable outcomes as the basis for evaluating learning. Behavioral theoretical learning aspects are common and continue to be applied in clinical educational settings, particularly in gaining of technical skills. Commonly, at the start of clinical nursing education, what is important to known, experienced and demonstrated is determined by the faculty. Even today, faculty still retains primary influence and authority despite increase in students involvement in their own learning. Knowledge grows, that is, prior knowledge forms a reference point for both the assimilation of new knowledge and the application transfer of knowledge from one learning experience to another. Understanding prior knowledge available allows the teacher to help students connect new knowledge to old and hence, improve overall understanding. Classically, technical skills are learnt as procedures, following a designed approach. The behavioral objectives, designed keenly to identify the expected learning outcomes, prescribes both exposure of students to learning experien ces and for their evaluation. The sequential procedural format of the nursing process, and the resulting nursing care plans are a direct outgrowth of behaviorism. Any activity learners participate in that follows this procedure, for instance, development of teaching plans, reflects behavioral learning theories. Written and verbal positive reinforcement provides a strong extrinsic learning reward; and rewarding the achievement of intended outcomes is a key behavioral aspect. Cognitive Theories of Learning Behavioral theorists emphasize that which is external to the learner. On the other hand, cognitive theories emphasize on what occurs within the learner. According to cognitive theorists, mental processes involved in acquiring, processing, and structuring information are important aspects of learning (Braungart, 2003). They particularly identified six classes of cognitive learning; presented from simple to complex. These classes were; knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Each class was broken down further into varying numbers of components. For instance, knowledge class may be broken into knowledge of specifics, then of ways and means to deal with those specifics, and the knowledge of the universals and abstractions associated with a given field of study. Each level is associated with specific learning behavior, also verbs descriptive of those behaviors, which are to be used when writing objectives (Bloom et al., 1956). Faculty formulates the app ropriate objectives based on whether learning is new or constructed depending on prior learning, and the desired end point level of cognitive learning. Used verbs also give guidance for how the learning will be evaluated (Roberta, 2003). Models of Clinical Nursing Education Knowledge and understanding of models available in clinical practice empowers clinical education to work in a manner that suits teachers, students, and patients. Models have been defined as tools for generating ideas, guiding conceptualization, and generating explanations (Young, 2002). Clinical teachers can apply models in teaching to the procedure being experienced. Two approaches were used during the teaching session; traditional and constructivism models. Traditional Model Teaching electrocardiography procedure requires careful design of an environment in which students get opportunities to build mutual respect and support for each other while they are achieving identified learning outcomes, that is, recording electrocardiography procedures. Teachers in clinical teaching form a crucial bridge to successful experience for students (Braunwald, 1997). Research in nursing education shows that effective medical teachers are clinically competent; are able to teach; have collegial relationships with learners and agency staff; and are friendly, supportive, and patient (Halstead, 1996). Its essential for the teacher to be knowledgeable and able to share the knowledge with students in clinical setting. Such knowledge includes an understanding of the theories and concepts related to the practice of nursing, such as; recording electrocardiography procedure. Karuhije (1997) contends that attention to three teaching domains; instructional, evaluative and interpretat ional, facilitates achievement of teaching skills required to enhance success in clinical settings. Instructional infers those approaches or strategies adopted to facilitate knowledge transfer from didactic to practicum (Norton, 1998). Evaluative approach relates to making determinatives about performance and achievements as goals. Interpersonal approaches relate to relationships and interactions (Knox, 1985). Competence in clinical practice of nursing has been documented as being necessary for effective clinical teaching. Gaberson (1999) revealed that best clinical teachers exhibit expert clinical skills and judgment. Expert skills have particularly been described by students to be important. They tend to describe effective clinical teaching as those who demonstrate nursing competence in a real situation (Horst, 1988). Knowing how to teach is also a prerequisite for effective clinical teaching. Wong (1988) adds that effective clinical teachers are expected to have expertise in the art of teaching. Equally important are teacher behaviors that facilitate learning and support students in their acquisition of nursing skills (McCarbe, 1985). Brophy (1998) reveals that empirical evidence exists that correlates specific teaching methods with enhanced student learning; examples of such methods are use of objectives, effective questioning, and responding to questions. A study conducted by Pugh (19 88) revealed that preparation and the ability to explain concepts clearly and stimulate learning are also important. Other effective behaviors include being fair in evaluation, communicating expectations clearly, and providing positively timed and specific feedback (Nehring, 1990). Constructivism Model Adoption of constructivism approach to teaching in nursing gives nurse teachers with a new vision of teaching. It also parallels a paradigm shift in nursing practice from nurse centered to patient centered nursing practice (Bevis, 1989). In constructivist teaching, the teacher commences with the experience of the student and together they develop knowledge, skills and competencies for professional practice (Bergum, 2003). Teachers who embrace constructivist teaching not only prepare student nurses with the substantive knowledge necessary for competent practice, but also create an environment in students learn to think critically, practice reflectively, work effectively in groups, and access and use new information to support their practice, while modeling respect for meanings of lived experiences, learning and collaborative processes (Bevis, 2001). Bergum (2003) envisions nursing as a dynamic, interpersonal, generative and caring practice. To be consistent with this view of nursing, teaching nursing should be a relational, generative practice that occurs formally and informally; between the student and the teacher; the student and the patient; the student and colleagues; the student and peers; and the student and professionals from other courses (Young, 2002). Such learning needs to occur in diverse settings including the classroom, lab, and clinical areas; hospitals as well as community sites. Teaching nursing requires facilitating a thoughtful engagement between the learners and learning materials to ensure that students gain skills and knowledge for rotational (Bergum, 2003). Constructivism is a philosophy that applies well in clinical teaching. It bodes well in clinical teaching and learning since its central focus is the idea that students construct knowledge for themselves (Young, 2002). Students construct meaning individual as they learn. They attain this by reflecting on experiences. Under constructivist theory, students make their own rules and mental models which they apply to make sense of their experiences. Miranda (2005) provides guiding principles of constructivism, which includes: learning as an active process, searching for meaning. Therefore, it must commence with issues around which learners are trying to construct meaning actively; learning as a social activity associated with link to other people, such as, the teachers and peers; constructivist learning that concentrates on primary concepts, not isolated facts; understanding mental models in order to teach well (Wong, 1987). Learners use mental models to perceive the world and the assumpt ions they make to support those models; the learning purpose for individuals to construct their own meaning. Assessment requires being part of the learning process and gives learners information on the quality of their learning; time taken to learn. Students need to revisit ideas, think over them, try them out, and use them for significant learning to occur; and finally motivation as an essential tool for learning (Miranda, 2005). Models, Theories and Principles of Teaching and Learning In teaching ECG procedure, five steps followed in clinical teaching process; identifying the goals and learning outcomes of ECG procedure, assessing the learning needs of students, planning ECG learning activities, guiding learners, and evaluating ECG learning and performance. However, this process was not linear; instead each of these steps influenced the others. For instance, ECG procedure evaluation revealed data on further learning needs of the learners, which suggested fresh learning activities. Similarly, working with students, resulted to observations on performance that altered assessment, thus, suggesting different learning activities. First, the session commenced by identifying the goals and outcomes of the ECG clinical experience. Teaching at this stage was formed by behavioral theories which contemplated learning as influenced through environmental manipulation. This theory was carried into classroom in a way that assisted in making learners understand: the different aspects of ECG; reasons of using ECG; emergencies which require ECG for diagnosis; how ECG is conducted in an emergency: and ECG recordings generally considered as normal and abnormal. These learning goals and outcomes provided clearly areas of assessment, teaching guidelines, and the basis for evaluating learning. They were often expressed the form of clinical objectives and established for the entire teaching session, and specific clinical activities. Gaberson (1997) stated that learning objectives may specify knowledge acquisition, development of values, and performance of psychomotor and technological skills. ECG teaching objectives addressed eight key areas of learning; knowledge, concepts, and theories applicable to perform an ECG procedure; assessment, diagnoses, planning, and evaluation; psychomotor and technological skills; values related to patient care, families and communities; communication skills, ability to build interpersonal relationships, and skill in collaboration with others; leadership abilities, role behavior, and management care; accountability and responsibility on the part of the student; and finally, self development and continued learning. Guided by the traditional approach in clinical teaching, a learning environment was designed in a way that provided students with opportunities to build mutual respect and support one another while they achieved competence in performing ECG procedure (Braunwauld, 1997). The teaching strategy specified learning outcomes in terms of students competencies in demonstrating ECG procedure in full. They were able to have basic knowledge on carrying electrocardiography procedure in an emergency situation. As postulated by Lippincott (2008), electrocardiography is one of the essential and commonly used procedures to evaluate a cardiac arrest patient in an emergency circumstance (Braunwald, 1997). Through electrocardiography, the hearts electrical functions as a wave form can be displayed. Electrocardiogram is able to monitor impulses moving through the conduction system of the heart producing electric currents that can be monitored on the bodys surface. Normally, the electrodes attached to the skin can sense these electric currents and send them to an electrocardiogram; an instrument that produces a record of cardiac activity (Lippincott, 2008). Braunwald (2008) states that electrocardiography can be used effectively in diagnosing several conditions of the heart. Nurses who encounter patients in emergency wards must have knowledge on the importance of electrocardiography procedure in a life saving situation. The responsibility of caring patients with cardiovascular disorders cuts across every area of nursing practice. As a result, cardiovascular care is a rapidly growing area in nursing. Lippincott (2003) mentions cardiovascular care to be a dynamic field, with continued inventions of new diagnostic tests, new drugs and other treatments, and sophisticated monitoring equipment. Consequently, nurses need to keep up with these changing developments through relevant clinical education (Lippincott, 2008). The students were able to demonstrate their specific abilities; and often reflected their proficiencies required to perform specific tasks on ECG procedure that assigned to them. Performance criteria were established to determine the level of learner achievement of competency in carrying out necessary ECG procedure. For instance, gauging performance criteria for competency of; understanding the value of ECG in an emergency situation, assessing potential cases that require ECG attention, interpreting the electrical activity of the heart and its recordings by using skin electrodes (Lippincott, 2008). Constructivism model provided a new vision of teaching. Students were allowed to participate in the clinical objectives and competences established for carrying out ECG procedure from simple to complex. This approach made it possible for learners to be prepared with substantive knowledge necessary for performing ECG procedure. It also created an environment where students were able to think critically, practice ECG procedure reflectively, collaborate in groups, and others. Some of the outcomes were achieved by learners and had to add others to meet individual learning needs and goals. Student objectives were made flexible to the extent that they met essential ECG procedure objectives. Learning activities were directed by asking questions that provoked thought without interrogating them. Asking open ended questions about their thoughts and the rationale they applied for reaching at clinical decisions, enhanced their growth of their critical thinking skills. Queries were asked to asses s students grasp of relevant concepts and theories and how they were used in clinical practice (Bergum, 2003). The key principles of constructivism were applied to create sessions which assisted students to graduate with their own ideas. For instance, they were assisted in openly sharing their ideas through discussion strategy during and after each learning session. They were free to vary their concepts whenever possible. This enabled them remember the key concepts of electrocardiography. Frequent assessments on the students enabled to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. conveniently asked and valued their interpretations of what they learnt. Teaching plans were also varied effectively at some points to cope with the intelligence and cognitive abilities of students. What students provided as feedback, was not considered in a prejudiced manner; neither were judgmental comments (Brooks, 1993). Secondly, an assessment was conducted on the learning needs of students. The assessment was guided by cognitive theory which assisted in formulation of appropriate objectives on what the students had learnt. Teaching started at the level of the student. Therefore, assessed was done on; the present level of knowledge and skill of the students, and other factors that may had influenced their achievement of objectives. Data was collected to determine whether the students had necessary knowledge and skills to carry out ECG procedure and complete the learning activities. The teachers assessment was important as it engaged learners in learning activities that developed on their current knowledge and skills in ECG procedure competencies (Young, 2002). Third, instruction planned and delivered following the assessment of students learning needs. The plan for learning activities catered for clinical objectives and individual learner needs. Selected ECG learning activities met objectives of carrying out ECG procedure effectively. The learning activities included patient assignments where learners engaged in practical setting. Miranda (2005) contends that constructivism advocates for a curriculum that is related to learners prior knowledge and puts more emphasis on problem solving. Therefore, concentration focused on connecting between facts and fostering new understanding among learners. They heavily depended on questions that are open-ended and were encouraged dialogue among them. Constructivist model had direct application in ECG procedural setting, based on these facts. It centered in providing an overall approach that involved other theories and approaches, such as; experiential learning, reflection and problem based learning. It enabled teacher and faculty to direct educational experiences to suit their clinical setting and provide learners opportunity to integrate their learning (Bradshaw, 2006). More so, it accorded learners responsibility to make sense of what goes on in ECG clinical setting and motivates them grow and nurture a deeper understanding of ECG procedure (Cobb, 1999). Fourth, they were guided in achieving essential knowledge, skills and values for ECG practice through problem solving strategy. Facilitation and support of the process enabled students to achieve the intended outcomes; guiding them with their learning activities. Demonstrations were made to learners and they were questioned to enhance their levels of understanding ECG procedure. As a skilled person in this practice, the teacher was able to: observe learners clinical performance, make sound judgment about their performance, and planned for extra learning activities in instances necessary; and questioned students without interrogation. Observing learners as they performed the ECG learning activities enabled teacher to identify continued areas of learning and establish when help was needed (Gaberman, 1999). The third session was conducted in a training class in the ECG room where learners were taught on how ECG procedure is taken. They were provided enough opportunities to perform electrocardiography procedure themselves. In collaboration with the technician on duty, learners were guided throughout the clinical practice. At the end of the session, the students were able to: examine the patient in the emergency room and understand the significance of ECG procedure in a life-saving scenario; perform an ECG as an initial step with patients who arrive with cardiovascular complications, chest pains or after an accident; interpret the electrical activity of the heart and externally by using skin electrodes; and perform non invasive procedure in patients (Lippincott, 2008). Fifth, effective evaluation of clinical learning and performance was done on learners. The evaluation served two important purposes; formative and summative. Learners progress was monitored towards achieving clinical objectives through formative evaluation; through written examination. Demonstration strategy was also used to ascertain their competency in clinical practice. Through formative evaluation strategy, diagnoses for extra learning requirements of students and where additional clinical instruction was required for further instruction was realized. Recommendations for Improving Teaching Strategies Based on Feedback from Peer and Analysis of Literature Based on the feedback received from peers and analysis of the literature, the following recommendations to improve future teaching sessions in the clinical environment were suggested; one, identification of challenges learners are faced with. Commends made by peers indicated that teaching did not take into account the challenges the students faced. It was noted that initiation process of probing to understand students well was lacking. For instance, they may have been overburdened with family issues, language problems, fee problems, and many others. These factors impede effective clinical teaching as it heightens the fear of nurses to make mistakes that could injure patients or even fail a program (OConnor, 2001). Two, recommend extension of the possibilities of evaluation showing learners performance in relation to teaching and learning objectives. Ghazi (1988) noted that motivation for learners was sustained through strategies such as individualized learning, formative evaluations, and others. Teaching did not quite offer feedback on the areas of strengths and potential areas of development for students. Students were not given opportunities to evaluate their learning (OConnor, 2001). Three, recommend further research on effective characteristics of clinical teachers. The analysis of related literature reveals that students judged effective teachers as those having characteristics such as being clinically competent, knowledgeable, good interpersonal relationship, and enthusiastic (Gaberman, 1999). Laurent (2001) contends that teachers, who learners viewed as helpful, modeled competent behavior consistently and demonstrated a positive attitude and humanistic orientation. This will enhance responsiveness to the needs of students. Four, recommend collaborative planning of learning activities. It was felt that the teaching lacked a bit of this element. Learners are usually receptive to selecting among a variety of learning activities and contribute suggestions. Five, recommend different methods of assessing clinical performance. Teaching strategies were limited to only a few methods of assessing clinical performance, such as, discussions, lecture, question and answer, and rounds. Other important approaches involve role plays, case studies, group activities, and many others. More emphasis must have been made on case management also. Conclusion In sum, minimum requirements for an effective teaching and learning; these included the environment, dialogue and the closure. Provision was accorded for sufficient lighting, ample sitting arrangements and adequate audio-visual aids that enhanced an environment that was conducive for teaching and learning. Dialogue in a formal, clear, and logical way; therefore, students did not miss any part of it. At the end of the teaching session, sufficient time for discussion and clarifying doubts was allocated. Teaching summery was submitted at the end of the session. McTaggart (1997) contends that teaching must end by educators being in a position to submit a summery. Young (2002) also insisted that a teacher must be able to use proper teaching and learning principles in the three domains of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. References List Bergum, V. (2003). Relational Pedagogy. Nursing Philosophy, 4, 121-128. Bloom, B., Engelhart, M., Furst, E., Hill, W., Krathwohl, R. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: David McKay Company. Bradshaw, M., Lowenstein, A. (2006). Innovative Teaching Strategies in Nursing and Related Health Profession. London: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Brooks, M., Brooks, J. (1993). In Search of Understanding. The Case of the Constructivist Classroom. New York: Sunny. Braunwald, E., Lowenstein, A. (2006). Innovative Teaching Strategies in Nursing and Related Health Profession. London: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Cobb, T. (1999). Applying constructivism: A test for the learner as scientist. Educational Technology Research Development, 47 (3), 15-31. Gaberson, K., Oerman, M. (1999). Clinical Teaching Strategies in Nursing. London: Springer Publishing Company. Ghazi, F. Henshaw, L. (1998). How to Keep Student Nurses Motivated . Nursing standard, 13 (8), 43-49. Halstead, A. (1996). The Significance of Student Faculty Interactions: Review of Research in Nursing. New York: National League of Nursing Press. Horst, M. (1988). Students Rank Characteristics of the Clinical Teacher. Nurse Education, 13 (6), 3. Karuhije, E. (1997). Classroom and Clinical Teaching in Nursing: Delineating Differences. Nursing Forum, 32 (2): 5-12 Knox, J. Morgan. (1985). Important Clinical Teacher Behaviors as perceived by University Nursing Foculty Students and Graduates. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 10, 25-30. Krathwohl, R., Bloom, B., Masia, B. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: David McKay Company. Laurent, T., Weidner, T. (2001). Clinical Instructors and Student Athletic Trainers Perceptions of Helpful Clinical Instructor Characteristics. Journal of Athletic Training, 36 (1), 58-61. Lippincott, W. (2008). Lippincotts Nursing Procedures. Sydney: Wolters Kluwer Health McCabe, B. (1985). The Improvement of Instruction in the Clinical Area. Journal of Nursing Education, 24, 255-257. McTaggart, R. (1997). Participatory Action Research. New York: Sunny Press. Miranda, Best, D. (2005). Transforming Practice through Clinical Education, Professional Supervision. Sydney: Elsevier Health sciences. Nehring, V. (1990). Nursing and Clinical Teacher Effectiveness Inventory. Journals of Advenced Nursing, 15, 934-940. Norton, B. (1998). From Teaching to Learning: Theoretical Foundations. Philadelphia: Saunders. OConnor, A. (2001). Clinical Instruction and Evaluation. London: Jones and Bartlett. Tanner, C. Chesla, C. (2009). Expertise in Nursing Practice. New York: Springer Publishing. Tyler, W. (1979). Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Pugh, E. (1988). Soliciting Student Input to Improve Clinical Teaching. Nurse Education, 13 (3), 28-33. Roberta, E. (2003). Nursing Education in Clinical Teaching. Sydney: Elsevier Health Sciences. Vandeveer, M. Norton, B. (2005). From Teachings to Learning. Philadelphia: Saunders. Wong, J. Wong, S. (1987). Towards Effective Clinical Teaching in Nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 12, 505-513. Young, L., Paterson, B. (2007). Teaching Nursing: Developing A Student Centered Learning Environment. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams Wilkins.

Fight Club Essay -- essays research papers

Fight Club Reader Response The movie Fight Club is based around a concept articulated by Tyler Durden to a ‘lost generation’ of men as, â€Å"You are not your job. You are not how much you have in the bank. You are not the contents of your wallet. You are not your khakis. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake†. This ideology represents a counter-culture to the typical American pop culture and creed. As demonstrated throughout the movie, this ‘revolution’ is a fight against the widely accepted and conventional wisdom that inhabits the media and has an unparalleled affect on the outcome of our society. Fight Club is a reflection of the suffering experienced by the ‘Generation X’ male who feels trapped in the world of the grey-collar working-class. The world that he inhabits is filled with materialism and distractions. Additionally, these males are part of a smaller group of men raised in single-parent families often devoid of a male role-model, living in a tim e period where there is no great cause for the average North American male to fight for. No purpose. This all constructs a loss of identity and reason in the male that is eventually resolved through enlightenment brought on by Fight Club; Self-destruction vs. self-improvement. In the movie, the main character is introduced to the audience without a name and the ambiguity of the situation only becomes more entrenched in their minds as the movie progresses. The narrator comes to us without a name because he represents ...

Essays on Death and Suicide - Witnessing Death :: Personal Narrative Writing

Personal Narrative- Witnessing Death I witnessed the death of a man, today. His name was Daniel. He was painting the house next to us. He was on the top couple rungs of the ladder when it folded under him. It was a cheap ladder. Corroded aluminum. I am right in the line of sight on the back porch of our house; I hear the ladder starting to collapse, and see him hit the ground. At first I call out to him. He doesn't respond. I guess I should have called 911 then. I don't. I run over to him. He's barely conscious. I ask him if he is ok, and he can't form any words. He's moving around his left arm, as if searching for something on the ground. I remember that he has glasses, and then see them laying 5 feet away on the grass. I put them on him. One of the legs of the glasses had snapped off, so they don't go on straight. I get my mom. When she gets there, she asks him what is his name. "Daniel," he wheezes out. She asks him what day it is, but his eyes glaze over, and he loses consciousness. She goes in and calls 911. When she comes back out, she tells us that they're on their way. Then she just stands there waiting next to him, and I sit next to him with my hand on his shoulder. He's convulsing, and he gasps. I can feel his body tensing up under my fingers. I let go. He is foaming at the mouth. We talk to him, saying stuff like, "It'll be ok, the ambulance is on its way." and, "Just hold on, Mr. Daniel, hold on, till the ambulance gets here." He's still for 20 or 30 seconds at a time, not even breathing, it seems like. Then he convulses gently. Each time he convulses, I feel myself sighing in relief, that he hasn't gone yet. It is more serious than I had thought at first. He was still alive when the paramedics finally got there. But (the fireman said later) he stopped breathing and his heart stopped beating as they stood over him, checking his pulse. They did CPR on him, right there on Ms. Lucy's lawn, and a few minutes later, they loaded him onto the ambulance. I say to the fireman, "How is he? Is he alive?

U.s Monetary Policy In 1995 :: essays research papers

U.S Monetary Policy in 1995 When Alan Greenspan presented the Federal Reserve's semi-annual report on monetary policy to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, the Committee on Banking and Financial Services, and the U.S. House of Representatives on February, Dr. Greenspan touted a cautionary yet favorable view of the U.S. economy. He states that "With inflationary pressures apparently receding, the previous degree of restraint in monetary policy was no longer deemed necessary, and the FOMC consequently implemented a small reduction in reserve market pressures last July." (Greenspan, 1996, Speech) During the Summer and Fall of 1995, the economy experienced a strengthening of aggregate demand growth. According to Greenspan, this increase in aggregate demand brought finished goods inventories and sales into near equilibrium. The Fed's fine tuning of the economy seemed to be paying off. Greenspan had a positive outlook for the economy for the rest of 1995. He states "the economy, as hoped has moved onto a trajectory that could be maintained--one less steep than in 1994, when the rate of growth was clearly unsustainable, but one that nevertheless would imply continued significant growth and incomes." (Greenspan, 1996, Speech) Towards the end of the year, the economy showed signs of slowing. Fearing a prolonged slowdown or even a recession in the economy, and with inflationary expectations waning, Chairman Greenspan and the Federal Reserve cut rates again in December. (Greenspan, 1996, Speech) There are, of course, critics of 1995's monetary policy. Most of the criticism came in the early part of 1995 when the Fed raised rates again. In the article "Are We Losing Altitude Too Fast" from the May 1, 1995 issue of Time magazine written by John Greenwald, he explains that the economy might not be coming in for a "soft landing" like the fed predicts. Trying to sustain 2 to 3 percent growth might lead us into a recession. Mr. Greenwald explains how the Fed's actions in 1994 and early 1995 has hurt individuals and the economy as a whole. "Corporate layoffs are far from over," says Greenwald, "they generally accelerate when firms find themselves in an economy that is weakening." (Greenwald, Time, 5/1/95, p80) Unemployment and layoffs aren't the only thing to worry about according to Mr. Greenwald. The automobile industry and the housing markets are both getting hit in the pocket books. Paul Speigel, owner of a New York car dealership explains his woes by saying '"We're doing our best to keep up the volume by discounting, working on our customers, but the Fed's rate hikes have dampened the ability of many Chevrolet customers to buy that new vehicle."' John Tuccillo, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors states

Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman Controversial Tragedy Essay

Tragedy was a very controversial issue in literature until recent years. Recent figures in literature have set a clear definition for tragedy. Author Miller is one of these figures. Plays and novels have distinguished the definition of tragedy. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary tragedy is a serious piece of literature typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or terror. Miller’s explains that a tragic hero does not always have to be a monarch or a man of a higher status. A tragic hero can be a common person. A tragedy does not always have to end pessimistically; it could have an optimistic ending. The play Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, is a tragedy because it’s hero, Willy Loman, is a tragic figure that faces a superior source, being the American dream and the struggle for success. Loman also excites pity in the reader because of his defeat and his ina bility to become a success or teach his children how to make their lives successful. Miller defines a flaw as â€Å"an inherent unwillingness to remain passive in the face of what one conceives to be a challenge to one’s dignity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Loman fulfills many of the requirements of being a tragic hero. Willy is not â€Å"flawless† in his actions, which by Miller’s standards make him a tragic hero. It is not wrong for Willy to have flaws and it does not make him a weaker man but a tragic figure. Miller designed the play so that Willy could be a tragic hero and for this he needs to have a flaw. Willy’s flaw is that he is unable to see things in a more realistic perspective. Charley says something in the play that sums up Willy’s whole life. He asks him, â€Å"When the hell are you going to grow up?† Willy’s spends his entire life in an illusion. He sees himself as a great man that is popular and successful. Willy exhibits many childlike qualities. Many of these qualities have an impact on his family. His two sons Bif f and Happy pick up this behavior from their father. He is idealistic, stubborn, and he has a false sense of his importance in the world. The extreme to which he followed the dream brought him to disillusionment and a loose sense of reality. Willy created a reality for himself where he â€Å"knocked ’em cold in Providence,† and â€Å"slaughtered ’em in Boston.†(p.33)  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Five hundred gross in Providence† becomes â€Å"roughly two hundred gross on the whole trip.† The ultimate result of his disillusionment is his suicide. It is ironic that he dies for his ideals although they are misconstrued. Another of Willy’s flaws is his disloyalty to Linda. Willy is unable to hold strong against temptations such as the women he slept with in Boston. Biff’s faith in his father is lost after he encounters the situation. This may have been the cause for Biff’s failure in life. Another of Miller’s guidelines for a tragic hero is that a common man can be a tragic hero. Willy sums up to many of the characteristics shown in Arthur Miller’s article, â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man.† Willy is the common man Miller speaks of in the article. Willy awakes each day to face the hard struggle of work. Although Willy is not very successful as a businessman he still goes to work everyday because he must support his family. Willy placed a great deal of importance on the success of Biff. Willy believed that the best way to achieve success was the fast way. Willy’s dreams for his children to become successful shows his role as a common man. Willy went to extremes to try and reach his goal of Biff becoming successful. Biff is the most important thing in Willy’s life because he is Willy’s last shot at success. If Biff doesn’t want to be successful and doesn’t love him, then Willy would be more satisfied in killing himself in order to try and show Biff that he really is a success. If Biff does love him and wants to become a success then Willy is satisfied in killing himself in order to give Biff a better shot at success with his life insurance money. Willy’s actions and his desire for Biff to become a success and live happily make him a common man. Miller says a tragedy usually deals with a greater power that is taking the freedoms of a lesser power. The lesser power deals with this and fights back against the greater power, while putting something of importance on the line, making him/her a tragic hero. Willy is unable to become a success because he is not able to reach the American dream and work for this successfulness. Although he fights for this successfulness, he fails. Willy has wasted his life on trying to become a success. Willy puts his final stride toward success is in Biff. Willy has spent his life raising Biff and  trying to teach him how to become successful. The problem is that Willy doesn’t know how to reach success and he teaches Biff that success is fast and easy when it’s not. Willy always believes he can achieve that kind of success. He never lets go of his wasted life. He dreams of being the man who does all of his business out of his house and dying a rich and successful man. Furthermore, Willy also dreams of moving to Alaska where he could work with his hands and be a real man. Biff and Happy follow in their father’s footsteps in their lofty dreams and unrealistic goals. Biff wastes his life being a thief and a loner; furthermore, Biff, along with happy try to conjure up a crazy idea of putting on a sporting goods exhibition. Biff really knows that Willy has never been successful and he looks down upon Willy for teaching him the wrong ideal. Biff does realize that Willy has wasted his life in order to make Biff’s better. â€Å"Miss Forsythe, you’ve just seen a price walk by. A fine, troubled prince. A hardworking, unappreciated prince. A pal, you understand? A good companion. Always for his boys.† (p. 114) Another idea that supports the fact that Death of a Salesman is a tragedy is that there is a possibility of victory. Miller speaks about the things that make a piece of literature a tragedy is his article â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man.† Miller says that for a piece to be truly tragic an author can not hesitate to leave anything out and must put in all the information they have â€Å"to secure their rightful place in their world.† Although it does not happen in this play and Willy is unable to overcome the greater force, he is able to make an impact on it. Willy’s failure sets an example that Biff understands. Willy could have still been successful if he was able to see the flaws in his ways and teach Biff the right way to be a success, which is in hard work. If Willy had not killed himself and taught Biff that working hard at anything would make his successful then Biff may have reached success for himself and make Willy a successful father as well. The reader must look at Willy’s suicide through Willy’s eyes. He killed himself in order to give Biff a better shot at being a success. Willy doesn’t understand that killing himself is wrong and he is not looking for any pity. Willy has sacrificed his own life so that Biff could have a better life. This truly does make him a tragic hero. Willy Loman is a tragic figure in the play Death of a Salesman. Willy faces a superior source in the play and puts his life on the line for his beliefs and the beliefs of others. He meets the requirements of Miller’s article for a tragic hero. Death of a Salesman also meets Miller’s requirements for a tragic play because of Willy’s role in the novel along with the other standards that Miller sets for a tragedy. The exploration of tragedy by people such as Miller helps to define it more clearly.