Thursday, October 31, 2019
Leadership is About You Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Leadership is About You - Article Example This research will begin with the statement that in ââ¬Å"Leadership is About You,â⬠Haycock described leadership theories, competencies, behaviors, and characteristics in the context of school library management. He defined leadership as a process of social influence that aims to achieve common goals. The author has rightly presented that Haycock argued that successful school librarians lead from the middle through collaborating with others in attaining shared vision and goals and exhibiting particular leadership competencies, functions, behaviors, and traits. According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that Haycock stressed that contingency, path-goal, situational, attribution, performance-maintenance, transactional, and transformational leadership theories are applicable to school librarians because they emphasize collaboration and inquiry-based approaches to leadership. It is evident from the study that he also explained four leadership competencies that manage attention, meaning, trust, and oneself. Furthermore, he highlighted that leadership involves functions of image management, a relationship develops, and resource utilization. The present research has identified that Haycock added that successful leaders have consideration for other stakeholders, demonstrate strong initiatives, know group facilitation, show confidence in guiding and motivating others, and are skilled in persuasion and negotiation.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Why do Brand Extension Strategies Fail Literature review
Why do Brand Extension Strategies Fail - Literature review Example The strategy of brand extension is being used by the organisations in order to cope up with different challenging situations and overcome the competitive pressure in the industry. According to the Han (1998), the brand extension of strategy have been beneficial for the companies in the process of reaping additional benefits from the already established brand. The main reason or rationale behind the introduction of new product under the name of well known and established brand is to make sure that the customers and market is familiar with the brand and the new product category can capture market on the basis of the positive and main characteristics of the parent brand (Buil, Chernatony, and Hem, 2009). Different options available to the brand managers in the process of brand extension are: 1. Horizontal Extension: the horizontal extension is further divided into line extension and category extension. In the line extension a whole new product, within the same category as that of the pa rent brand, is introduced in order to target and capture a new and different segment of the market. On the other hand, in the category extension the same brand is extended into a whole new product category. ... IMPACT OF BRAND EXTENSION STRATEGY ON THE BRAND IMAGE AND BUSINESS: In order to make sure that the brand extension strategy proves to be beneficial and helpful for the organisation and increase the competitiveness of the organisation it is important to identify and understand the implications of the brand extension strategy on the brand image and overall business of the organisation (Serrao and Botelho, 2008). There are several factors which directly influence the impact of the brand extensions on the brand image. According to the research study of Martinez and Chernatony (2004), the perceived brand quality by the consumers and the attitudes and behaviours of the consumers towards the overall extension strategy have positive impact on the general brand image and product brand image. The research study also concluded that the fact that consumers are familiar and aware of the brand only have impact on the general brand image and have no impact on the product brand image. On the other h and the consumersââ¬â¢ perceived degree of fit between the parent brand and new brand only influence the product brand image. The research study of Martinez and Chernatony (2004), have created a difference between the general brand image and the product brand image. They have correctly identified the impact of the consumers attitudes on the general brand image and product brand image. However, their stance about the impact of familiarity and awareness on the GBI and PBI is somewhat shaky. If the customers are aware and familiar with the brand it will definitely affect the PBI also, because the customers will relate the product with the overall brand image and will associate same image with it. The research study by Park, McCarthy, and Milberg (1993), concluded that the
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Impact of Aphasia on Health and Well-being
Impact of Aphasia on Health and Well-being Abstract This discussion paper considers the impact of aphasia on health and well-being, and following an in-depth exploration of relevant literature, provides suggestions for appropriate nursing interventions in respect of this relatively common condition following stroke. The introduction states that effective communication is essential to holistic care and positive outcomes for individuals affected by aphasia. However, when verbal communication is absent, nurses fail to adequately utilise alternative strategies so that the standard of nurse/patient communication is frequently poor. The discussion introduces the Theory of Human Scale Development. This theory emphasises that quality of life depends as much upon self-actualisation and relation-building as on physical health. The theory is used as a framework within the discussion in order to highlight the significance of communication to quality of life, and how its loss has profound psychological and social consequences. By utilising the theory, the discussion demonstrates that nursing care delivery must address loss of self-actualisation and relationship-building abilities, as well as physiological communication skills. The discussion reflects upon how aphasia results in loss of self, and how the situation is exacerbated by inadequate healthcare communication strategies such as nurse-controlled conversation, talking-over, and elderspeak. Suggestions are offered regarding more appropriate strategies. Efficacy of family input is considered; nursing competence regarding language practice therapies is discussed, and the quest approach is explored. Next, the discussion reflects upon the impact of aphasia on relationships. Aphasia denies access to support networks and results in isolation, stress, and loneliness. The individuals predicament is worsened by negative nursing responses such as communication filtering and avoidance tactics. The discussion reflects upon positive nursing strategies, which alleviate effects of aphasia on individuals social health. Concept analysis and self-awareness exercises as methods of enhancing compassion skills are explored. The social model of disability is discussed in order to highlight the benefits to individuals of environmental adaptations. Also, the social benefits of aphasia-group affiliation are discussed. The discussion concludes by emphasising that fundamental human needs involve social and psychological as well as physical aspects. Nursing interventions must therefore address all needs in order to provide holistic care in its fullest sense. Key Words Aphasia: nursing: relationships: self: Theory of Human Scale Development Summary Statements What is already known about this topic Good communication between nurses and patients is essential to the provision of quality healthcare that protects patients rights, autonomy and choice. Aphasia compromises nurse/patient communication leading to discrimination in health services, suboptimal care, poor long-term outcomes, and restricted rights. Communication difficulties faced by individuals with aphasia risks loss of self, and diminishes the beneficial impact of social integration on health. What this paper adds The multifarious impact of aphasia on the lives of individuals with the condition must be recognised and acknowledged by nurses. During their day-to-day nursing activities, nurses can facilitate the immediate communication needs of individuals with aphasia. Nurses can initiate aphasic individuals abilities to function independently and autonomously in the wider world via supporting the maintenance of personal identity and social integration. Introduction It has long been acknowledged and purported that good communication is essential to the provision of quality healthcare as it is integral to effective clinical assessment, health promotion, and patient choice and autonomy. Models of communication and research studies (Peplau, 1952; Fosbinder, 1994; Charlton et al, 2008) suggest that care delivery and health outcomes are improved when nurses use communication as a reciprocal interaction to express concern and commitment, and in return invite trust and human connection. These texts demonstrate that proficient interpersonal skills transform patients from objective clinical tasks to individuals meriting empathic, holistic care. However, because most communication strategies depend upon speech, the expediency of interpersonal relationships becomes severely compromised for individuals who experience aphasia as a consequence of stroke. Indeed, although the World Health Organisations (2001) definition of communication impairment encompasses verbal, non-verbal and graphic abilities, Finke et als (2008) systematic review finds that nurses continue to focus on stroke patients inadequate ability to verbally meet communication needs. Non-verbal messages are assigned a secondary, supporting role, and are therefore not adequately exploited as legitimate alternative strategies. The subsequent poor standard of professional/patient communication, described as appalling in the United Kingdoms National Sentinel Stroke Audit (Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party, 2009, p.12) has serious ramifications. O Halloran et als (2008) literature review suggests that health professionals inability or unwillingness to effectively enga ge with individuals affected by aphasia leads to discrimination in stroke services, suboptimal care, poor long-term outcomes, and restricted rights. Theory of Human Scale Development To avoid the suboptimal care of patients with aphasia, nurses must realise the necessity of effective communication to health and well-being. If nurses are to be motivated to explore, improve and exploit communication strategies as therapeutic tools, they must, in the first instance, understand the devastating impact of aphasia on quality of life. An analysis of aphasia in relation to the Theory of Human-Scale Development (Max-Neef et al, 1991) helps to illustrate its effect on the individual. According to the Theory of Human-Scale Development, quality of life depends upon the satisfaction of nine classes of interrelated ontological fundamental human needs (figure 1). Of these, only subsistence relates to physical health, the others being concerned with psychological and social issues associated with the sense of self and relationships. Because quality of life correlates with the number of satisfied needs, if a synergic satisfier (one satisfier that satisfies multiple needs) such as the ability to fluently verbally communicate, is removed, the impact on life quality is devastating (figure 2). Charmaz (1983; 1995; 1999) symbolic interactionist perspective reaches similar conclusions. These grounded theory studies of chronic illness demonstrate that the self is developed and maintained via self-actualisation and social relationships. Where illness reduces individuals participation in society, and prompts negative reactions from others, feelings of discreditation and loneline ss follow. Individuals beliefs that they are encumbrances on society rather than valuable contributors, lead to suffering and the loss of self. It is essential, therefore, that rehabilitative therapies should result in a synergic effect so that self, relationships, and thus quality of life are improved and maintained to the highest possible level (figure 2). However, many individuals with aphasia bemoan the fact that health professionals consistently focus on physical, biomedical definitions which view the condition as synonymous with physiological stroke events, rather than separate aphasia disability experiences (Liechty and Heinzekehr, 2007; Shadden et al, 2008; Wertheimer, 2008). This leads to the dismissal of psychological and social aspects of communication impairment and a thwarting of attempts to address them. Thus, the biomedical perspective, which defines aphasia as an inability to use or comprehend language as a consequence of injury to the cerebral cortex, results in the comment, I have aphasia, generating the response, You mean you had a stroke (Liechty and Heinzekehr, 2007, p.316). But, as Liechtys autobiographical account illustrates, aphasia is not an objective condition but a subjective reality, and focusing on the physiological brain damage both de-emphasises the pain that aphasia causes and denies the continual struggl es faced (p.316). Liechtys experience suggests that a psychosocial definition is more appropriate to describe the full extent of the consequences of aphasia to the individual. Sundin et als (2000) wider definition describes the condition as a defect in the use of language which causes extensive damage to psychological and social well-being resulting in isolation and depression. This study suggests that understanding the meaning of the illness for the individual rather than concentrating on the underlying physical causes, is the true initiator of holistic healing. O Halloran et al (2008) agree. This systematic review proposes that a biomedical perspective impoverishes care delivery because attributing communication breakdown to the disease process reduces nurses responsibility and motivation to develop ongoing communication strategies. The review suggests that a psychosocial perspective where nurses view communication impairment as an illness experience as well as a medical phenomenon, promotes the ide a that difficulties result from impaired interaction between nurse and patient. This increases nurses feelings of responsibility to overcome communication barriers and seek out the individual behind the disease. It is apparent, then, that reference to the Theory of Human-Scale Development helps to illustrate how a professional attitude which attempts to satisfy all fundamental human needs, not just the physical need of subsistence, subsequently leads to richer, more meaningful outcomes. Although fundamental human needs are to an extent, interrelated (figure 1), they are broadly split into three categories. The discussion paper will explore the impact of aphasia by focusing on self-actualisation and relationship needs. Self-Actualisation Needs Impact of Aphasia on the Self Rogers (1967) personality theory states that self-concept and self-perception are fundamental components of personal identity. He proposes that because life-meaning and behaviour are essentially purposeful, individuals require freedom to make choices, and create and develop their own personalities, in order to construct a valid presence in the world. Of course, language is the core of this process of self-construction. Without language, the ability to narrate lived experiences is lost. The individual cannot inform the world who and what he/she is, or understand who and what others are, hence is unable to find an appropriate place in the scheme of things. Shaddens (2005) literature review describes this predicament as identity theft, a state of affairs in which individuals with aphasia are ignored and invisible. However, Kagans (1995) masking of competence model refutes this, proposing that the individual is transformed rather than rendered invisible by aphasia. The model states that because communication impairment makes it difficult to perceive the individuals functional mind, it becomes difficult to envisage capacity. With capacity hidden, the individual is transformed from a person to a mere physical presence and is often viewed as a burden with little social value. According to Charmaz (1983), witnessing ones former self-image crumbling away is itself a fundamental form of suffering (p.168). Time and again, autobiographical narratives refer to the pain experienced when the self is reduced by an assumption that language loss is synonymous with the loss of intellectual and cognitive abilities (Neal, 1988; Bauby, 2008; Liechty and H einzekehr, 2007). Bauby (2008) summarises the feeling thus, [They] left no doubt that henceforth I belonged on a vegetable stall and not to the human race (p.90). Buber (1958) refers to this objectivising of people as an I-It relationship (as oppose to an I-Thou relationship defined by its reciprocal and mutually respectful nature). Aphasia renders the establishment of a nurse/patient I-Thou therapeutic relationship particularly challenging, because sharing and understanding become difficult to achieve. Unfortunately, this often results in I-It communication within the healthcare arena, which in nursing, is intrinsic to detached task-orientated care. According to Gordon et al (2008), this denies individuals with aphasia the freedom to control and direct their own lives. Gordon et als (2008) observational study concludes that staff control conversations and focus dialogue on their own nursing-task goals. The studys use of conversation analysis demonstrates that patients rarely initiate conversations and therefore have little influence over topics. In addition, due to heavy reliance on the sequential context of dialogue in order to maximise unde rstanding, individuals with aphasia find it difficult to alter the course of conversation to suit their requirements. Such asymmetrical, task-orientated communication is neither therapeutic or responsive to holistic needs. This results in a reduction of the self and a denial of individuals rights to participate in their own care or in the creation of their own future. According to Wertheimer (2008), curbing the freedom to express the self commonly leads to feelings of entrapment. Wertheimers (2008) detailed analysis of post-subarachnoid haemorrhage experiences suggests that language difficulties and loss of control during hospitalisation contribute to depression, and dreams and hallucinations, which frequently involve images of imprisonment and dictatorial authoritarianism. The negative impact of nurse-controlled conversation is exacerbated further by persistent occurrences of talking over patients. Flegels (2008) short article acts as a reminder that talking over is unethical because it contradicts health professionals codes of conduct that stipulate patient autonomy is paramount during care delivery. Quoting Kants (1785) argument that autonomy depends upon the hypothesis that all individuals have unconditional worth, Flegel (2008) believes that talking over signifies to patients that their presence is of no consequence and therefore they are not autonomous. Elderspeak also diminishes autonomy. This speech style is generally used as a means to communicate with elderly patients, but research confirms that it is commonly used by nurses when encountering individuals with physical, cognitive and communication disabilities (Kemper et al, 1998; Williams et al 2004; Melton and Shadden, 2005). Williams et al (2004) describe elderspeak as a demeaning mode of communication similar to baby talk that features exaggerated, simplified, repetitive language. Because elderspeak stereotypes elderly and disabled patients as incompetent and incapable, individual potential and progress may be ignored, thus reducing control and the sense of self even further. Reactions to Loss of Self Unsurprisingly, individuals with aphasia struggle to instigate the fight to rescue the self, and often surrender to discreditation. Charmaz (1983) explanation that self-concept depends upon reflected images of the self by others is confirmed by Simmons-Mackie and Damico (2008). This study of communication therapy sessions suggests that external negative responses to individuals with aphasia leads to internal negative perceptions of the self and a silencing of the voice. Poor nurse communication techniques based on task-orientated conversation, elderspeak and talking over compound this internalisation process. According to Ryan et als (1986) seminal literature review and subsequent theory of dependency over-accommodation, implications of incompetence and diminished capacity which arise from such condescending speech styles lower individuals confidence and self-esteem. This increases dependency and passive acceptance of care, and consequently promotes feelings of worthlessness and powe rlessness. Parr et al (2003) agree. This literature review reports that individuals faced with inadequate communication attempts of service providers, feel so diminished that they often apologise for their own existence. By reflecting on the impact of aphasia on self-actualisation needs, it seems that the nursing role in care delivery should involve supporting the individual to both recover the pre-aphasic self and connect this self to the new disabled identity. In order to achieve this, the nurse must firstly get to know the patient as a person, then secondly, empower that person to regain the creativity, confidence and freedom required to control his/her own life. Nursing Implications Use of Family Liaschenko and Fisher (1999) identify person knowledge as integral to the establishment of effective therapeutic communication and holistic care. The acquisition of this knowledge involves knowing the patients private biography with a view to revealing the unique individual. Where aphasia inhibits direct verbal interaction between nurse and patient, family and friends can relay information and re-construct much history, therefore contributing to the satisfaction of a range of fundamental human needs. According to Williams and Davis (2004), this indirect narrative is invaluable as it allows the nurse to participate in individualised communication when speaking directly to the patient. This deters any tendency for task-focused interaction or elderspeak, which in turn, reinforces the individuals sense of self. There are barriers to implementing such interaction however. Paradoxically, despite, for example, British Government calls for improved professional/patient/carer communication (Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party, 2009), some studies report that nurses efforts to personalise care by informal chat with patients and families are thwarted by sociopolitical systems that prioritise task completion over person knowledge. (McCabe, 2004; Speed and Luker, 2004). Also, Fairburns (1994) study of attitudes to visiting hours reports that nurses often feel patients and relatives resent staff presence as an intrusion upon their private time together. Perhaps the use of patient diaries can help overcome these barriers. Combes (2005) introduction of diaries in the intensive care setting demonstrates that by encouraging families to produce ongoing written narratives, which are left at the patients bedside, readily accessible relevant information concerning what is significant and individual to the patient is made available. This data can be utilised and built upon in later nurse/patient interactions. Research into the use of diaries in aphasia care should therefore be undertaken. Families are also useful when nurses are trying to ascertain the individual with aphasias immediate concerns and opinions. Goodwins (1995) well-cited case study illustrates that needs are more easily interpreted when relatives, familiar with the individuals gestures, facial expressions and idiosyncrasies, and who share common social contexts with him/her, are on hand to translate. Indeed, Finke et als (2008) systematic review finds that, where nurses are prepared to ask families for suggestions, or written directives, regarding the meanings of the individuals non-verbal strategies, communication is much more efficacious. In terms of advocacy, Hedberg et als (2008) study of multi-disciplinary care-planning meetings demonstrates that an in-depth knowledge of the individual with aphasias life and views, equips family members to act as advocates in the negotiation of care needs and future plans. The research therefore concludes that nurses require training in how best to involve relatives in the decision-making process in order to ensure individual needs remain salient. While the recommendation to involve families in the communication process is essentially sound, much of the proposing nursing literature quoted above nevertheless fails to fully explore the potential risks to patient autonomy of relying heavily on alliances with relatives. Translation literature (Englund-Dimitrova, 1997; Bradby, 2001; Leininger and McFarland, 2002) confirms that any form of interpretation via a third person amplifies the chances of misinterpretation. However, the risk is further heightened by relatives conscious or subconscious propensity to distort, omit or add to the patients messages and opinions in order to address their own concerns. Shadden et als (2008) review of autobiographical narratives reports that, while the well-being of patients is the central concern of most families, disability caused by stroke has a significant negative impact on the lives of all close family members. This may result in the interpretation of aphasic communication being influenced by the intermediarys own slanted perspectives. Thus, relatives feelings of guilt, fear, stress, and fatigue may filter out some of the true messages that the individual with aphasia is trying to express. Ryan et al (1986) offers a more cynical consequence to family advocacy by suggesting that it may undermine the individuals power to control situations, and can even disguise the sense of self by recreating and redefining elements of the individuals history, personality and wishes during the advocacy process. Hence, although it is helpful to use family knowledge to obtain patient information, nurses must recognise that individuals needs may not be adequately supplied by biased intermediaries. Nurses must therefore be able to use their own disinterested objective strategies to reach an understanding of the individual with aphasias meaning. Nursing Implications Competence Theory and research which explores the meaning of caring (Halldorsdottir and Hamrin, 1997; Brilowski and Wendler, 2005; Chang et al, 2005) states that a fundamental strategy when nursing any illness is the alleviation of the patients fear that nothing can be done to treat the condition. This literature reveals that while patients appreciate expressive caring behaviours, competence when performing instrumental therapies, is considered imperative to a secure caring base. As Halldorsdottir and Hamrin (1997) assert, caring without competence is meaningless (p.123). It is apparent that in aphasia, where preservation of the self is at stake, the nurse needs to convey competence and confidence in attitude and execution of language practice therapies, so that the individual with aphasia feels secure in the knowledge that recovery of identity is possible and in hand. Nystroms (2009) phenomenological study of interviews and biographies finds that such provision of security via nursing competence encourages patient hope, motivation, and fighting spirit (p.2509). Finke et al (2008) believes that nursing competence in language practice therapy requires training in basic speech therapy, familiarity with augmentative and alternative communication, and regular consultations with speech and language therapists. However, currently, none of these schemes are widely implemented. Hemsley et al (2001) suggests this is due to individual and organisational attitude barriers, which view specialised communication techniques as both too time-consuming and beyond the remit of nurses. Finke et al (2008), proposes that time and resources spent on enhancing nurses communication competence may prove more efficient than relying on minimal task-orientated interactions. This is because ineffective interactions are at high risk of misinterpretation, ineffective at meeting individual needs, result in frustration, fear and despondency, and may contribute to depression. Also, Nystrom (2009) finds that extended time periods required for personal care support, provide ideal opportunities for skilled practitioners to simultaneously offer language practice (thus reducing rehabilitation time and resources), while allaying patient fears. A participant in the research is quoted thus, One nurse talked to me while helping me to eat and get dressedâ⬠¦that made me feel calm and secure (pp.2507-8). Nursing Implications Quest Approach Aphasia traps individuals in the present. Struggling to express details of past achievements, individuals situations are worsened by an inability to shape the future. In effect, individuals have lost both identity, and the freedom and creativity to restore it. They have lost their place in the world. Nystrom (2009) believes that the optimal method of regaining place is to defer to individuals pre-stroke identities. An awareness of individuals previous competencies, allows the nurse to personalise language practice, communication strategies and conversation by basing subject matters on familiar contexts of family, work, interests, and achievements. This enables individuals with aphasia to grasp meanings more easily, but it also helps to maintain a sense of the old valued, accomplished self, thus providing a structure on which to base rehabilitation goals. This method, defined by Moss et al (2004) as a restitution approach, is fundamentally flawed because it overlooks the fact that for many individuals, aphasia remains a permanent disability. Preoccupation with the old self could therefore lead to a painful mourning for what is lost. It could even exacerbate feelings of worthlessness by highlighting comparisons between past abilities and present inabilities. Moss et als (2004) exploration of online illness narratives purports that a quest approach is more psychologically healthy. Here, individuals are encouraged to accept their changed circumstances, and envisage and create a different future. For the nurse, this involves using the individuals history, not as a source of goals, but a source of interests on which new modified goals can be built. This requires strong multi-disciplinary co-ordination skills to bring patient, nurse, speech therapist and occupational therapist together in order to fully explore interests, resources, potential and progress. Furthermore, according to Vickery et als (2009) quantitative analysis of self-esteem scales, the nurse must kindly but firmly guide individuals to a realisation of their limitations so that the risk of disappointment is reduced. However, simultaneously, the nurse should demonstrate motivating and commendatory attitudes that elicit a sense of pride from individuals in their gains and success es, which ultimately increases confidence, self-worth and a sense of freedom. Relationship Needs Impact of Aphasia on Relationships Berkman et als (2000) review of social integration theory demonstrates that relationships and affiliations are formidable influences on physical and psychological health. The study explains that relationships provide informational, instrumental (practical), appraisal (decision-making) and emotional support, as well as opportunities for social engagement. All these aspects are essential to the endorsement of meaningful roles, the reinforcement of participation and belonging, and the promotion of affection and pleasure. Charmaz (1983; 1999) reiterates that these factors add to the sense of self as a valuable entity. Any process or condition which leads to alienation, separation or disconnectedness from society, adversely impacts on mental well-being and mortality (figure 2). Generative studies by Durkheim (1952) and Bowlby (1991) suggest that relationships serve to buffer detrimental influences of stressful events. These texts illustrate that when consistent, reliable relationships are absent or damaged, psychological stability is weakened and the risk of depression increases. Berkmans (1988) hypothesis takes this concept further by suggesting that social isolation is itself a chronic stressor resulting in persistent heightened hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses which consequently accelerate physiologic aging and functional decline. Because conversation is pivotal to interaction and relationship building, aphasia inhibits individuals from exploiting the health benefits of social integration. Pound et al (2006) believe that conversation is primarily transactional, enabling individuals to participate within a supportive society consisting of mutually supportive relationships. Aphasia therefore, results in an inability to access support strategies resulting in isolation and stress. For example, appraisal support is compromised because individuals with aphasia are unable to talk problems over with friends. Likewise, informational and instrumental support may be inaccessible if individuals cannot express their opinions and needs, nor comprehend disseminated messages. While Laver (1975) acknowledges the transactional element of conversation, he also emphasises its interactional nature, which allows the development of social connections. He explains that it is a bonding ritual, which explores and categorises social position, conveys intimacy, conspiracy, affection and belonging, and as such, its loss can lead to a devastating sense of loneliness. For individuals with aphasia, whose health is already severely impaired by stroke, it is imperative that nurses are able to support the relationship-building process, and hence, diminish risks of further health problems associated with social isolation. Ramos (1992) research concludes that this is best achieved by establishing reciprocal or connected nurse-patient relationships which involve the development of emotional and cognitive bonds that persuade the individual to feel the nurse is taking on part of the burden (p.503). Reciprocation also encourages nurses to perceive coping with illness as a shared responsibility. Pound et al (2006) agree, stating that if professionals acknowledge patients are not solo performers, but part of a company of players (p.18), then this idea of joint responsibility is accentuated. However, poor therapeutic relationship development in aphasia remains a common problem. Perhaps this can be explained by Hindles (2003) suggestion that any phenomenon, which undermines nurses competence as communicators, leads to the implementation of communication filter barriers, such as rationalisation and projection. Sundin et al (2000) believe aphasia is a relationship leveller because both nurse and individual with aphasia have difficulty being understood by, and understanding, each other. This situation is uncomfortable for nurses working in a healthcare social construction that is founded upon competency achievement and proficient practice. Balandin et als research (2007) validates this idea. This small qualitative study finds that the undermining of competence and power results in rationalisation and projection in the form of defensive attitudes such as its not my job or the patient doesnt need to communicate (p.58). These avoidance tactics have been so widespread that Stock well (1972) included individuals with aphasia in her list of unpopular patients. Reactions to Diminished Relationships Charmaz (1983) research, confirmed by Davidson et als (2008) case study, reveals how unwillingness or inability of family, friends and professionals to establish effective relationships with individuals affected by aphasia leads to feelings of rejection. This in turn erodes patients perseverance to pursue support and comfort, often resulting in retreat and the seeking of solitude. Lyon (1998) refers to this behaviour as constructive because it provides a protective cocoon (p.12) in which individuals can rest and quietly contemplate their situation. Likewise, Shadden et al (2008) believe solitude-seeking is beneficial as it allows individuals to recapture the self which appears to bolster self-esteem. The authors quote from a patient interv
Friday, October 25, 2019
Rebecca :: essays research papers
Rebecka 1) Is "Rebecka" a suitable name of the the book? Why?/Why not? Another name? Why is it called Rebecka? Yes, I think ità ´s the perfect name of the book since everything, every subject is circulating around her. Her name characterizes the book so well. Rebecka doesnà ´t leave too much of a space for other things in the book, even though sheà ´s dead. 2) What does people think about Rebecka? Does everybody like her? How was she really like? Friends, servants, strangers, they all adored her. She was the beautiful, sweet, tender and loving lady who every woman wanted to be friend with who every man would just like feel the scent of. They all loved loved. Almost. There were some persons who had a more special relationship with and therefore liked her diffrently. To begin with, the housekeeper, Mrs Danvers. She probably loved her most of them all. She devoted all her life to raise and help and make her the woman she knew she would never become herself. She and Rebecka were very close. Rebeckas death was an extremly hard crush to Mrs Danvers. Like a mother who loses her one and only child who was her everything. But she always feels Rebeckas presence and therefore keeps the house as it always was. When the new Mrs de Winter came to take Rebeckas place Mrs Danvers went furious. Not only could she not stand with the thought that someone was going to take Rebeckas precious place and the one to do it was a joke. In her eyes a shy brat that even the servants laughed at. Maxim liked her for a beginning but the fifth day after their marriage he realizes how sheà ´s really like. She played with him and other men. He couldnà ´t divorce her since their marriage seemed perfect on the surface. But she didnà ´t really love him. She told him things like what life would be like for him later when they had a child and he wouldnà ´t be sure of whose father it was. Not either her cousine Jack Favell. Jack loved Rebecka very much and he met her many times in a cottage near the sea. They had an affair and Jack wanted to get rid of Maxim in some way. 3) Why does not Mrs Danvers like the new Mrs de Winter? Who is she? See above 7) What happened to Rebecka? What was the verdict in the court?
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Describing ways of identifying and meeting development needs Essay
Self assessment is an attribute that allows an employee to take ownership of a particular area of their personal, academic or work based life. Self assessment means an employee will have to review their actions, skills, strengths, weaknesses, key activities etc. and be able to provide themselves with a summary evaluation. This can then be used as part of an appraisal to give the employee their own opportunity to identify their strengths and weaknesses. This will then be incorporated into the formal appraisal process. Self assessment should also be used by an employee to determine different faults in others. This will allow different employees to interact as it will help each other to improve if they discuss each otherââ¬â¢s faults and how they could improve. It is up to an employee to choose what they wish to reveal about themselves. These qualities tend to be revealed through body language, and so it is important that when assessing other employees that they only be showing you what they want you to see. Why this is important in a business is because it is a skill allowing understanding of other employeeââ¬â¢s attitudes and how their personal appearance may be different from their personalities. This will help communication and build a trust within each employee. Formal Reports By an employee producing reports for the employer this allows the employer to see how they are performing within the organisation. This means in combination with a properly conducted appraisal, these notes will make a powerful tool to help employees progress in their job and also help them to make improvements to their work. This will therefore add to an employeeââ¬â¢s self value and will make their job more satisfying. Within these reports can list decisions of whether an employee will be made to train, redirect their energies through promotion, demotion or sideways moves. If by any chance the employer states that the employeeââ¬â¢s behaviour is less than satisfactory this may be recorded, also along with targets that are expected to be achieved and that the employee had agreed to meet. These reports should help the employee and employer focus on the key aspects of what skills will be required and then how they can be improved. Customer Feedback Customer feedback is one of the greatest ways to identify development needs. This is data that can be captured by a customer. Such as how the customer feels about a specific product, service in terms of quality, availability, expense etc. This feedback can then be used to identify personal developments that need to be improved. An example of this may be a hotel chain, asking customers to complete a questionnaire about the levels of how satisfied they were with the service they received. This can reflect well or badly on certain groups within the business e. g. bar/restaurant staff, house keeping staff, receptionist staff etc. Other examples such as a help desk may invite users to compliment on the guidance they were given. This is a very important way of a business helping staff members to improve their personalities, skills etc. Performance Data Some organisations can collect information about a certain employee over a period of time and review this performance information with the employee. Performance such as how quick an employee performs their work or how many items they sold etc. An example of this could be a checkout worker in a supermarket. The rate of performance could be recorded by how many items they scan, how many customers they serve during their shift, what profit they made etc. These measures however when taken in isolation might not always be accurate or fair as; one customer may buy a lot of cheap items but in a large proportion of products. This would therefore result in a slower scanning process. If a product has been known as being damaged this would also slow the process of a transaction as an employee would have to leave their workstation to retrieve the same undamaged product. For this type of method to improve skills it has to be recorded in large sample. This is so the sample can be classified as the entire population. This means over a long period of time one checkout employee can be compared against another. Appraisal Records This type of method is used to identify an employeeââ¬â¢s performance of work throughout a month, year etc. This will allow the employee to focus on their strongest points and weakest points. This will then help the employee to focus on targets they want to meet in the future, whether this is their timing e. g. handing in a project on a set deadline etc. Addressing Development Needs Job Shadowing This will involve working with an employee or other individuals whilst observing and analysing their job role. This will help employees gain more of an understanding of certain job roles and how procedures/tasks are carried out. Job shadowing will give prospective employees an insight to the stresses and strains of a particular job. This will then help develop the skills needed to cope with workload and any interruptions that may occur within the working environment. In some cases the person who is being shadowed may do a running commentary on what is happening. This is sometimes not practical though as theyââ¬â¢re maybe others such as; customers, suppliers etc, who would overhear the conversation which could be very confidential. In this case, a debriefing session may be performed after the tutorial to explain what happened. Formal Courses To meet some specific development needs it may be important to attend a course programme to develop knowledge, base skills and understanding. These courses may be run by other organisations or be in-house training that the employeeââ¬â¢s organisation would run themselves. These courses may lead to qualifications which will have to be obtained passing an examination. Examinations that are taken by bankers and insurance companies are set to establish a standard set of knowledge and performance that would be suitable within that industry. For Example, within the ICT industry, Microsoft offers a number of qualifications that can confirm understanding of one or more of their products. By obtaining one of these qualifications will improve an employeeââ¬â¢s level of expertise. This will help an employee become more advanced within their career enabling them to work better within their qualified job.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Synopsis of Killer of Sheep
Stan, the family man as the protagonist of the story/film, is decent, hardworking, and enslaved by poverty.à He works in a sheep slaughterhouse.à His is a story of the 70ââ¬â¢s that encapsulates what African-American life is all about in the Los Angeles ghetto of Watts.The whole tapestry of the lives of Stanââ¬â¢s family; his neighbors; his friends; his community was so vividly depicted in the film.à Various episodes transpired in his life in the story.à Some of Stanââ¬â¢s friends tempted him to participate in a murder; a white woman flirts with him; Stan and his friend buying a car engine, the consoling moments Stan spend with his wife and child.à The entire story is about perseverance, patience, desperation, abuse, hope, despair, pride in work, joy in austerity, and integrity even in poverty.Synopsis of Days of GloryFour men of Algerian nationality were the focus of the story about recruitment of North Africans to serve in the French Army to wage its campaig n against the Nazi across Europe during World War II.à Each of the four recruited soldiers has different reasons for joining the army.Amidst the war, their experiences became varied as they witnessed the atrocities of war; the discrimination; the savagery; the despair and the intolerances; the indignities.à The war made them confused and seeking justice for their rightful place for the courage, dedication and commitment they gave in service of France.The Comparative AnalysisKiller of Sheep is an American drama film of human element that was shot in black and white in 1977.à It runs for 81 minutes.à It was first presented as a feature film thesis by its Writer Director, Charles Burnett, for his Masters Degree in Fine Arts.à Inspite of the excellent reviews, the film originally shot in 16 mm was not able to be commercially released due to some music infringements that Burnett could not afford to cover.The film was finally restored and re-issued for full 35 mm screen in 2007, with the appropriate compensations for copyrights of the music used.à The film has got a very poetic treatment of the scenes; the drabness was intended to give realism to the feelings evoked by the story.Burnett was masterful with his shots and camera work, ââ¬Å"He operated the 16-millimeter camera himself, edited the black-and-white images into a visual poem and added the ballads, the jazz and the moody blues that seep into your head like smoke. The result is an American masterpiece, independent to the bone.â⬠(Dargis, 2007)Days of Glory is a French drama film, also of human element, shot in color in 2007.à The film runs for 120 minutes.à ââ¬Å"With strong visuals and even stronger emotions, Rachid Bouchareb's ââ¬Å"Days of Gloryâ⬠makes a powerful war film about a particularly unique subject scenes of combat are well staged and shotâ⬠.à (Honeycutt, 2006).à The film was created as straightforwrd as it should be about the tales of the characte rs.à It exuded honest emotions and vivid narration of what the environment of war was.The portrayals adopted in the filmmaking is classical wherein there was no overplaying of the issues of the story.à Insuch manner, the message of the story stay as relevant in times that will come and go. The camera work on comat sequences are precise.à The scenes truly expressed the dramatic impact that the moral lesson of the film intended to portray.à The film was nominated to the Oscarââ¬â¢s Foreign Language Film Category in 2007.References:Dargis, M.à ââ¬Å"Whereabouts in Watts? Where Poetry Meets Chaosâ⬠.20 Mar 2007.à The New York Times.http://www.movies.nytimes.com/2007/03/30/movies/30kill.htmlSchwarzbaum, L.à ââ¬Å"Movie Review:à Killer of Sheepâ⬠.à Entertainment Weekly.à 28 Mar 2007http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20016243,00.htmlhttp://www.killerofsheep.comHoneycutt, K.à ââ¬Å"BottomLine:à A Strong Film for SpecialtyVenuesâ⬠.The Holl ywood Reporter.à 26 May 2006http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=295Turan, K. ââ¬Å"Movie Review:à Days of Gloryâ⬠.à Los Angeles Times.à 6 Dec 2006http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/d-et- days6dec06,0,6442085.story?coll=d-mreview)Scott, A.O.à ââ¬Å"Yes, Soldiers of France, In All But Nameâ⬠.New York Times Review, 6 Dec 2006http://movies.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/movies/06glor.html?ref=movies) Ã
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Aksum the African Iron Age Kingdom
Aksum the African Iron Age Kingdom Aksum (also spelled Axum or Aksoum) is the name of a powerful urban Iron Age Kingdom in Ethiopia that flourished between the first century BC and the 7th/8th centuries AD. The Aksum kingdom is sometimes known as the Axumite civilization.à The Axumite civilization was a Coptic pre-Christian state in Ethiopia, from about AD 100-800. The Axumites were known for massive stone stelae, copper coinage, and the importance of their large, influential port on the Red Sea, Aksum. Aksum was an extensive state, with a farming economy, and deeply involved in trade by the first century AD with the Roman empire. After Meroe shut down, Aksum controlled trading between Arabia and Sudan, including goods such as ivory, skins, and manufactured luxury goods. Axumite architecture is a blend of Ethiopian and South Arabian cultural elements. The modern city of Aksum is located in the northeastern portion of what is now the central Tigray in northern Ethiopia, on the horn of Africa. It lies high on a plateau 2200 m (7200 ft) above sea level, and in its heyday, its region of influence included both sides of the Red Sea. An early text shows that trade on the Red Sea coast was active as early as the 1st century BC. During the first century AD, Aksum began a rapid rise to prominence, trading its agricultural resources and its gold and ivory through the port of Adulis into the Red Sea trade network and thence to the Roman Empire. Trade through Adulis connected eastward to India as well, providing Aksum and its rulers a profitable connection between Rome and the east. Aksum Chronology Post-Aksumite after ~AD 700 - 76 Sites: Maryam SionLate Aksumite ~AD 550-700 - 30 Sites: Kidane MehretMiddle Aksumite ~AD 400/450-550 - 40 Sites: Kidane MehretClassic Aksumite ~AD 150-400/450 - 110 Sites: LP 37, TgLM 98, Kidane MehretEarly Aksumite ~50 BC-AD 150 - 130 Sites: Mai Agam, TgLM 143, MataraProto-Aksumite ~400-50 BC - 34 Sites: Bieta Giyorgis, Ona NagastPre-Aksumite ~700-400 BC - 16 known sites, includingà Seglamen, Kidane Mehret, Hwalti, Melka, LP56 (but see discussion at Yeha) The Rise of Aksum The earliest monumental architecture indicating the beginnings of the polity of Aksum has been identified at Bieta Giyorgis hill, near Aksum, beginning about 400 BC (the Proto-Aksumite period). There, archaeologists have also found elite tombs and some administrative artifacts. The settlement pattern also speaks to the societal complexity, with a large elite cemetery located on the hilltop, and small scattered settlements below. The first monumental building with semi-subterranean rectangular rooms is Ona Nagast, a building that continued in importance through the Early Aksumite period. Proto-Aksumite burials were simple pit graves covered with platforms and marked with pointed stones, pillars or flat slabs between 2-3 meters high. By the late proto-Aksumite period, the tombs were elaborated pit-graves, with more grave goods and stelae suggesting that a dominant lineage had taken control. These monoliths were 4-5 meters (13-16 feet) high, with a notch in the top. Evidence of the growing power of social elites is seen at Aksum and Matara by the first century BC, such as monumental elite architecture, elite tombs with monumental stele and royal thrones. Settlements during this period began to include towns, villages, and isolated hamlets. After Christianity was introduced ~350 AD, monasteries and churches were added to the settlement pattern, and full-fledged urbanism was in place by 1000 AD. Aksum at its Height By the 6th century AD, a stratified society was in place in Aksum, with an upper elite of kings and nobles, a lower elite of lower-status nobles and wealthy farmers, and ordinary people including farmers and craftsman. Palaces at Aksum were at their peak in size, and funerary monuments for the royal elite were quite elaborate. A royal cemetery was in use at Aksum, with rock-cut multi-chambered shaft tombs and pointed stelae. Some underground rock-cut tombs (hypogeum) were constructed with large multi-storied superstructures. Coins, stone and clay seals and pottery tokens were used. Aksum and the Written Histories One reason we know what we do about Aksum is the importance placed on written documents by its rulers, particularly Ezana or Aezianas. The oldest securely dated manuscripts in Ethiopia are from the 6th and 7th centuries AD; but evidence for parchment paper (paper made from animal skins or leather, not the same as parchment paper used in modern cooking) production in the region dates to the 8th century BC, at the site of Seglamen in western Tigray. Phillipson (2013) suggests a scriptorium or scribal school may have been located here, with contacts between the region and the Nile Valley. During the early 4th century AD, Ezana spread his realm north and east, conquering the Nile Valley realm of Meroe and thus becoming ruler over part of both Asia and Africa. He constructed much of the monumental architecture of Aksum, including a reported 100 stone obelisks, the tallest of which weighed over 500 tons and loomed 30 m (100 ft) over the cemetery in which it stood. Ezana is also known for converting much of Ethiopia to Christianity, around 330 AD. Legend has it that the Ark of the Covenant containing the remnants of the 10 commandments of Moses was brought to Aksum, and Coptic monks have protected it ever since. Aksum flourished until the 6th century AD, maintaining its trade connections and a high literacy rate, minting its own coins, and building monumental architecture. With the rise of the Islamic civilization in the 7th century AD, the Arabic world redrew the map of Asia and excluded the Axumite civilization from its trade network; Aksum fell in importance. For the most part, the obelisks built by Ezana were destroyed; with one exception, which was looted in the 1930s by Benito Mussolini, and erected in Rome. In late April 2005, Aksums obelisk was returned to Ethiopia. Archaeological Studies at Aksum Archaeological excavations at Aksum were first undertaken by Enno Littman in 1906à and concentrated on the monuments and the elite cemeteries. The British Institute in Eastern Africa excavated at Aksum beginning in the 1970s, under the direction of Neville Chittick and his student, Stuart Munro-Hay. More recently the Italian Archaeological Expedition at Aksum has been led by Rodolfo Fattovich of the University of Naples ââ¬ËLââ¬â¢Orientaleââ¬â¢, finding several hundreds of new sites in the Aksum area. Sources Fattovich, Rodolfo. Reconsidering Yeha, c. 800ââ¬â400 BC. African Archaeological Review, Volume 26, Issue 4, SpringerLink, January 28, 2010. Fattovich, Rodolfo. The Development of Ancient States in the Northern Horn of Africa, c. 3000 BCââ¬âAD 1000: An Archaeological Outline. Journal of World Prehistory, Volume 23, Issue 3, SpringerLink, October 14, 2010. Fattovich R, Berhe H, Phillipson L, Sernicola L, Kribus B, Gaudiello M, and Barbarino M. 2010. Archaeological Expedition at Aksum (Ethiopia) of the University of Naples LOrientale - 2010 Field Season: Seglamen. Naples: Universit degli studi di Napoli LOrientale. French, Charles. Expanding the research parameters of geoarchaeology: case studies from Aksum in Ethiopia and Haryana in India. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, Federica Sulas, Cameron A. Petrie, ResearchGate, March 2014. Graniglia M, Ferrandino G, Palomba A, Sernicola L, Zollo G, DAndrea A, Fattovich R, and Manzo A. 2015. Dynamics of the Settlement Pattern in the Aksum Area (800-400 BC): An ABM Preliminary Approach. In: Campana S, Scopigno R, Carpentiero G, and Cirillo M, editors. CAA 2015: Keep the Revolution Going. University of Siena Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. p 473-478. Phillipson, Laurel. Lithic Artefacts as a Source of Cultural, Social and Economic Information: the evidence from Aksum, Ethiopia. African Archaeological Review, Volume 26, Issue 1, SpringerLink, March 2009. Phillipson, Laurel. Parchment Production in the First Millennium BC at Seglamen, Northern Ethiopia. The African Archaeological Review, Vol. 30, No. 3, JSTOR, September 2013. Yule P. 2013. A Late Antique Christian king from ?afar, southern Arabia. Antiquity 87(338):1124-1135.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Definition and Properties of Metallic Bonding
Definition and Properties of Metallic Bonding A metallic bond is a type of chemical bond formed between positively charged atoms in which the free electrons are shared among a lattice of cations. In contrast, covalent and ionic bonds form between two discrete atoms. Metallic bonding is the main type of chemical bond that forms between metal atoms. MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images Metallic bonds are seen in pure metals and alloys and some metalloids. For example, graphene (an allotrope of carbon) exhibits two-dimensional metallic bonding. Metals, even pure ones, can form other types of chemical bonds between their atoms. For example, the mercurous ion (Hg22) can form metal-metal covalent bonds. Pure gallium forms covalent bonds between pairs of atoms that are linked by metallic bonds to surrounding pairs. How Metallic Bonds Work The outer energy levels of metal atoms (the s and p orbitals) overlap. At least one of the valence electrons participating in a metallic bond is not shared with a neighbor atom, nor is it lost to form an ion. Instead, the electrons form what may be termed an electron sea in which valence electrons are free to move from one atom to another. The electron sea model is an oversimplification of metallic bonding. Calculations based on electronic band structure or density functions are more accurate. Metallic bonding may be seen as a consequence of a material having many more delocalized energy states than it has delocalized electrons (electron deficiency), so localized unpaired electrons may become delocalized and mobile. The electrons can change energy states and move throughout a lattice in any direction. Bonding can also take the form of metallic cluster formation, in which delocalized electrons flow around localized cores. Bond formation depends heavily on conditions. For example, hydrogen is a metal under high pressure. As pressure is reduced, bonding changes from metallic to nonpolar covalent. Relating Metallic Bonds to Metallic Properties Because electrons are delocalized around positively-charged nuclei, metallic bonding explains many properties of metals. ImageGap / Getty Images Electrical Conductivity - Most metals are excellent electrical conductors because the electrons in the electron sea are free to move and carry charge. Conductive nonmetals (e.g., graphite), molten ionic compounds, and aqueous ionic compounds conduct electricity for the same reason - electrons are free to move around. Thermal Conductivity - Metals conduct heat because the free electrons are able to transfer energy away from the heat source and also because vibrations of atoms (phonons) move through a solid metal as a wave. Ductility - Metals tend to be ductile or able to be drawn into thin wires because local bonds between atoms can be easily broken and also reformed. Single atoms or entire sheets of them can slide past each other and reform bonds. Malleability - Metals are often malleable or capable of being molded or pounded into a shape, again because bonds between atoms readily break and reform.à The binding force between metals is nondirectional, so drawing or shaping a metal is less likely to fracture it. Electrons in a crystal may be replaced by others. Further, because the electrons are free to move away from each other, working a metal doesnt force together like-charge ions, which could fracture a crystal through the strong repulsion. Metallic Luster - Metals tend to be shiny or display metallic luster. They are opaque once a certain minimum thickness is achieved. The electron sea reflects photons off the smooth surface. There is an upper frequency limit to the light that can be reflected. The strong attraction between atoms in metallic bonds makes metals strong and gives them high density, high melting point, high boiling point, and low volatility. There are exceptions. For example, mercury is a liquid under ordinary conditions and has a high vapor pressure. In fact, all of the metals in the zinc group (Zn, Cd, Hg) are relatively volatile. How Strong Are Metallic Bonds? Because the strength of a bond depends on its participant atoms, its difficult to rank types of chemical bonds. Covalent, ionic, and metallic bonds may all be strong chemical bonds. Even in molten metal, bonding can be strong. Gallium, for example, is nonvolatile and has a high boiling pointà even though it has a low melting point. If the conditions are right, metallic bonding doesnt even require a lattice. It has been observed in glasses, which have an amorphous structure.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
A Case Study Of The Coca Cola Company Business Essay
A Case Study Of The Coca Cola Company Business Essay Abstract Thi paper contains a comprehensive analysis of The Coca-Cola Company and addresses several Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources issues. Recommendations are proposed based on the problems that were discovered during the study. The goals of the recommendations are to address uncertainty with The Coca cola Companies suppliers and distributors, and also align company decision-making with the structure of the organization. Contents DECLARATION i COPYRIGHT ii Abstract iii Contents iv List of Abbreviations v Definition of terms: vi List of Tables and Figures: vii Appendices: viii CHAPTER ONE 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION. 1 1.0. Organizational Background 1 Mission, Vision HYPERLINK ââ¬Å"#__RefHeading__107929_754499052â⬠³&HYPERLINK ââ¬Å"#__RefHeading__107929_754499052â⬠Values 1 Why is our role Important 4 Organization structure 4 Organisation culture 5 Appendices a b BIBLIOGRAPHY c List of Abbreviations Definition of terms: List of Tables and Figur es: Appendices: CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION. Organizational Background This was called Atlanta Begining (1886-1892). It was 1886, and in New York Harbor, workers were constructing the Statue of Liberty. Eight hundred miles away, another great American symbol was about to be unveiled. Like many people who change history, John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist, was inspired by simple curiosity. One afternoon, he stirred up a fragrant, caramel-colored liquid and, when it was done, he carried it a few doors down to Jacobsââ¬â¢ Pharmacy. Here, the mixture was combined with carbonated water and sampled by customers who all agreed ââ¬â this new drink was something special. So Jacobsââ¬â¢ Pharmacy put it on sale for five cents a glass. à Pembertonââ¬â¢s bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, named the mixture Coca-Colaà ®, and wrote it out in his distinct script. To this day, Coca-Cola is written the same way. In the first year, Pemberton sold just 9 glasses of Coca-Cola a day. à A century later, The Coca-Cola Company has produced more than 10 billion gallons of syrup. Unfortunately for Pemberton, he died in 1888 without realizing the success of the beverage he had created. à Over the course of three years, 1888-1891, Atlanta businessman Asa Griggs Candler secured rights to the business for a total of about $2,300. Candler would become the Companyââ¬â¢s first president, and the first to bring real vision to the business and the brand. (The Coca cola company website) Its popularity would not stay within the United States for long, though, because in the year of 1906, Coca Cola was bottled in Cuba and in Panama. Bottling operations were soon started in Hawaii the next year, then in the Phillipines, France, Belgium, Bermuda, Colombia, the Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Haiti, and Burma in later years. By the year of 1940, the famous soft drink was bottled in forty countries. Advertising for the cola has included many product slogans includ ing, ââ¬Å"The Pause That Refreshesâ⬠, which was used in 1929, ââ¬Å"Have A Coke And A Smile,â⬠which was used in 1979, and ââ¬Å"Always Coca Colaâ⬠which was used in 1993 when sales from this soft drink exceeded ten billion cases worldwide. (http://www.essortment.com/all/cocacolacompan_rlee.htm) Mission, Vision & Values The world is changing all around us. To continue to thrive as a business over the next ten years and beyond, we must look ahead, understand the trends and forces that will shape our business in the future and move swiftly to prepare for whatââ¬â¢s to come. We must get ready for tomorrow today. Thatââ¬â¢s what our 2020 Vision is all about. It creates a long-term destination for our business and provides us with a ââ¬Å"Roadmapâ⬠for winning together with our bottling partners.
Friday, October 18, 2019
Major factors of obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Major factors of obesity - Essay Example This essay "Major factors of obesity" outlines the causes of obesity and the consequences of this medical condition. The problem of obesity is being considered to be a serious issue in the United States of America owing to the fact that the number of people who suffer from this condition have increased. According to the statistical analysis of the year 2010, in the United States one out of every five individuals had increased weight in comparison to the normal limits. This analysis revealed the fact that the problem has been increasing in the country as statistics from the year 1991 showed that one out of every eight people suffered from the problem of increased weight. Recent reports presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted the fact that in the year 2011, there are 9 million youths and young children who are overweight. A similar report indicated the fact that 130 million adults were suffering from the problem of increased weight. The effects of obesit y on the health of individuals have led to mark obesity to be a serious problem. The Department of Health and Human Services in the United States highlighted the fact that healthcare costs of the people who were suffering from obesity served to lay a burden on the healthcare system of the country owing to the higher cost that has to be paid for their health. It was also indicated that the pathological conditions that resulted due to obesity led to the death of 300,000 individuals in the United States (Bass III 2011; Huber 2010; McCambridge 2006).
The Ways in Which Strategy Implementation Can Be Achieved Assignment - 2
The Ways in Which Strategy Implementation Can Be Achieved - Assignment Example This research will begin with the statement that strategic planning for the medium and long-term objectives of a company is a key way to achieve the overall goals of an organization. Medium term strategies aim to provide long-term solutions to the problems of an organization, while long-term strategies aim to provide permanent solutions to the problems. There are five types of market entry strategies that can be used by organizations namely organic growth, mergers or acquisitions, franchising, licensing and strategic alliances. Acquisitions are likely to occur when an organization wants to increase its market share in any new market. Mergers are more likely to occur when companies have comparable financial capital and resources. Franchising is more likely to occur when a particular organization wants to create a positive brand image in the minds of the consumers by providing them with the products and services of the company. Licensing is more likely to occur when an organization wan ts to enter a country in a quick manner to deal with legal issues relating to trade barriers. Organic entry is a form of entry where the profits from the existing business are used to channel growth into new activities. Substantive growth strategies are related to vertical and horizontal integration. Vertical integration is related to increasing the ownership of the value chain to take better control over marketing operations. Horizontal integration is, on the other hand, related to the collaboration between two similar companies which belongs to the same stage of production. This type of an arrangement helps in closing down of less efficient units by taking advantage of economies of scale.The limited growth strategy has four major components namely market penetration, product development, market development, and innovation.
The American Frontier Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
The American Frontier - Assignment Example These settlers and the Native Americans were mythologized in terms of their cultures and economic activities. In this mythological era, the white settlers got two opportunities; to practice slavery and extend their ranches and farm lands. Most Southerners were whites who had settled earlier to cultivate land and mine precious metals for economic gains. Historical studies reveal that the Southerners created a myth which justified that the uncivilized black slaves were meant to labor for the white planters since the white communities catered for the needs of the so-called inferior beings. In addition, they claimed that both societies lived happily and in an orderly manner since everyone knew their social positions in the community. With the aid of this myth, the white settlers had the opportunity to exploit the cheap slave labour and exercise powers over the blacks (Slatta, 2010). Another prominent mythological belief is that the ranchers needed to secure large tracts of land in order to pursue their livelihood. The myth justified that the extensive tracts of land were to be made available for commercial farming for the ranchers. They claimed that the produce from the ranches supported them and the loyal black slaves, as well. Most arguments made by the mythologized settlers were based on the ideology that as far as they are benefiting in the New World, no law was to be made to remove such benefits. Some of the beliefs about ranching may include; ranchers would protect the land, livestock benefits the wildlife, public lands support the rancher, rangeland would stay healthy if were grazed, and more (Slatta, 2010). In other words, the ranchers didnââ¬â¢t consider the environmental impact of extending ranches such as imbalance of the ecosystems and climatic changes. Instead, they used that opportunity to enrich themselves with many herds of cattle at the expe nse of environment. As stated earlier, the closing of the American
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Health Club Business Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words
Health Club Business - Coursework Example ....................................13 16.0 Risk management .......................................................................14 Bibliography Executive summary N&M is a ladies-only health centre located in Luton. It offers physical fitness programs that are specially designed to meet the unique needs of women. The facility targets a selected portion of the ladies market, mainly the middle and upper class women. This business plan outlines the mission, aims and goals of the business. It also makes an extensive analysis of its market, customer base, competitors and the marketing strategy that the business will use in order to venture into the market. There is a clear outline of the kind of people the business requires for it to be successfully operational and their expected compensations for the various groups of people it will employ. In addition, the plan indicates a detailed profit forecast and detailed monthly cash flow forecast for the first year of operation. This is followe d by an explanation of the chances of success of the project and an acknowledgment of the probability of its failure. Finally, it outlines possible risks and potential ways of managing them. 1.0 Introduction There is an increased need to create a personalised environment for women so as to encourage them to pursue their fitness goals. The number of women who have an active life but do not seem to spend sufficient time in gyms or other physical fitness activities is higher. It is also evidently, there a high number of women looking for fitness centres where their unique needs can be met. It is for these reasons that N&M was established as a female only physical fitness gym. 2.0 Business details N&M is a health club, a female-only physical fitness gym that offers... This research will begin with the statement that there is an increased need to create a personalised environment for women so as to encourage them to pursue their fitness goals. The number of women who have an active life but do not seem to spend sufficient time in gyms or other physical fitness activities is higher. It is also evidently, there a high number of women looking for fitness centres where their unique needs can be met. It is for these reasons that N&M was established as a female only physical fitness gym. N&M is a health club, a female-only physical fitness gym that offers exercise equipment, massage, swimming lessons, weight reduction and weight training program, fitness classes, and childcare centre. The centre seeks to create the most conducive and personalised environment where females of ages 18-50 can pursue their fitness and weight reduction goals. The business specifically focuses on urban professional women, young mothers and urban entrepreneurial women who are l ooking for a fitness centre that can focus on their unique needs. The childcare centre provides a range of play activities that keep the children of the clients happy. From the selection of machines, professional training staff to the organisation of the childcare centre, Smart Ladies has created a supportive fitness and weight reduction experience that will attract new members by a word of mouth. N&M operates as a sole proprietorship. The business will be domiciled in a strategic location in an uptown street in Luton.
Quality and Cost (Unit 1 IP) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Quality and Cost (Unit 1 IP) - Research Paper Example Also, this means the Hotel might have to incur additional costs in terms of entertaining him during the waiting period. For example, they might have to serve a complementary meal depending upon situation or a seat in the customers lounge. This is an internal COQ. 5. No evidence of the clerk asking for room preference. This may lead to the guest being dissatisfied with the room he gets and may lead to bad word of mouth and loss of business. This is an example of internal COQ. Average check-in time exceeding the 4 minute standard, which in many cases might add to the customer dissatisfaction as well as the hotel is not getting the desired rating, and hence loss of business in terms of opportunity costs. This is an example of an external COQ. Usually in case of services, it is often difficult to differentiate costs as external or internal ones since the delivery of service is not detachable from the production of the service. Services being process based, the process cost can not usually be categorized as external. In order to achieve consistency in the behavioral aspect of the check-in process, for example, the standard three times the guest needs to be addressed by name, the staff needs to be trained accordingly. Sometimes, when the standards are not being met, the staff needs refresher trainings as well. This is a possible preventive cost of quality in the given scenario. Hotel Escargo might decide to hire an external agency to survey the process efficiencies for the check-in and check-out procedures which appear to be faulty for further investigation. This is an additional cost of quality and can be termed as an assessment cost. All the above identified costs shall be listed and then the data for the same shall be collected by quantifying the losses or costs incurred as costs of quality. They shall all be added (Pyzdek, 2000) to give an estimate of the cost of quality for
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Gender and Sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words
Gender and Sexuality - Essay Example The ability to emote with others, feelings of intimacy which have nothing with any impulse of pressure to procreate, and the freedom to express all facets of the mind, are factors which distinguish people as a distinct species and the highest and most evolved life form. Giving and receiving sexual pleasure is a complex trait and a highly evolved capability at the same time. It may or may not be associated with reproduction. Sexuality involves both the physical body, as well as the mind. It is strongly influenced by environmental circumstances. Imposed norms of society dominate notions of sexuality and its link with gender so strongly, that the two axes are inextricably mixed in most minds. A strong bias towards norms of heterosexuality is an overbearing outcome of these conventions. Such impositions are so ingrained in standards of childhood development that instances of misconceptions and denials of natural instincts abound. This document reviews published literature on the valid and assumed links between gender and sexuality, considers the implications and burdens of stereotypes, reviews ethnic and cultural differences in the acceptance of homosexuality, and concludes with suggestions for a liberal world in which individual freedom with respect to sexuality is respected and encouraged. While there are some historical references to homosexuality during ancient times, heterosexuality has dominated the social development throughout the ages. The practice of homosexuality has been entirely repressed at worst, and indulged in surreptitiously and treated as a form of abnormal behavior, not just for centuries, but even during the first half of the 20th century. The scientific study of homosexuality is of relatively recent origin with a rapid acceleration of original work in recent times (Gonsiorek, 1982). The United States has led the world in creating a kind of revolution in researching and understanding homosexual behavior, especially during the last decade. However, the volume of work available to date is still scanty, considering the complexity and social significance of the matter. Collections of findings, surveys, and theories are therefore especially valuable at this stage. This applies to surveys of sexual preferences as well (Oliver, & Hyde, 1993). Homosexuality may be more prevalent, especially in some degrees, far more often and widely than conservative influences have cared to admit. Family backgrounds and societal influences need to be understood to appreciate the sexuality of homosexuals (Ritter, and Terndrup, 2002). It is now appreciated in professional circles that conceptions of homosexuality as have prevailed in the past, may be in grave error. Such biases are self-propagating in powerful ways because they form the backdrop to the development of personalities by infants and by growing children as well. An individual may not express or even admit to homosexuality because of strong conditioning of the mind that it is morally wrong, and because of imposed notions that heterosexual feelings are the only legitimate and desirable form of human sexuality. International researchers (Asthana, and Oostvogels, 2001) have observed ethnic differences between people of the same sexual orientation, with respect to their sexual habits and preferences. Homosexual men in Southern India for example, experience intimacy in ways different from the typical Western stereotype that
Quality and Cost (Unit 1 IP) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Quality and Cost (Unit 1 IP) - Research Paper Example Also, this means the Hotel might have to incur additional costs in terms of entertaining him during the waiting period. For example, they might have to serve a complementary meal depending upon situation or a seat in the customers lounge. This is an internal COQ. 5. No evidence of the clerk asking for room preference. This may lead to the guest being dissatisfied with the room he gets and may lead to bad word of mouth and loss of business. This is an example of internal COQ. Average check-in time exceeding the 4 minute standard, which in many cases might add to the customer dissatisfaction as well as the hotel is not getting the desired rating, and hence loss of business in terms of opportunity costs. This is an example of an external COQ. Usually in case of services, it is often difficult to differentiate costs as external or internal ones since the delivery of service is not detachable from the production of the service. Services being process based, the process cost can not usually be categorized as external. In order to achieve consistency in the behavioral aspect of the check-in process, for example, the standard three times the guest needs to be addressed by name, the staff needs to be trained accordingly. Sometimes, when the standards are not being met, the staff needs refresher trainings as well. This is a possible preventive cost of quality in the given scenario. Hotel Escargo might decide to hire an external agency to survey the process efficiencies for the check-in and check-out procedures which appear to be faulty for further investigation. This is an additional cost of quality and can be termed as an assessment cost. All the above identified costs shall be listed and then the data for the same shall be collected by quantifying the losses or costs incurred as costs of quality. They shall all be added (Pyzdek, 2000) to give an estimate of the cost of quality for
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
September 11 Terrorist Attacks and Americansââ¬â¢ Preparedness for Disaster Essay Example for Free
September 11 Terrorist Attacks and Americansââ¬â¢ Preparedness for Disaster Essay The September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center were arguably the heaviest attacks on the U.S. soil since the Pearl Harbor attack by the Japanese in 1941. The attacks, masterminded from one of the poorest countries in the world, shook the core of the world richest and most powerful nation. Many Americans still believe that the colossal intelligence machinery failed to intercept the hits, even when it had sufficient evidence that an attack was looming (Betts, 2008). The U. S. intelligence community missed or chose to overlook some of the strongest indicators of the imminent attack. Some of the pilots who launched the attacks trained in the U.S. In June, 2001, a detective observed that flight schools in Arizona were populated by an ââ¬Å"inordinate number of individuals of investigative interestâ⬠(Betts, 2008). Having learnt earlier that the Al-Qaeda was planning to launch ââ¬Å"plane operations,â⬠the FBI missed to connect the imminent operations and the suspect flying students (National Commission on Terrorists Attacks Upon the United States, 2004). The former students were part of the 9/11 strike team (Marquise, 2008). One of the plotters of the 9/11 strikes, Ramzi Yousef (a Pakistani) had been arrested in the Philippines where he planned to down 11 airliners in 1995. He escaped and fled to Pakistan. His partner told the police that he planned to ram a plane into the CIA headquarters. Yousef was nephew to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed who plotted the plane attacks in the Philippines and later masterminded the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. intelligence was aware of an Al Qaeda operation in the offing after surveilling a meeting of Al-Qaeda bigwigs in Malaysia in January 2000. According to Marquise (2008), the intelligence did not share the information with the law enforcement agencies to tighten surveillance within the US and at the entry points. The US would have pre-empted the attack if it had acted promptly and conclusively on the ââ¬Å"Phoenix memoâ⬠which was written by the agent who noted the suspicious persons attending flying lessons in Arizona (Betts, 2008). In the memo, the agent raised concern that Osama bin Laden was likely to be planning an attack. He recommended that the FBI investigate the flight students. Investigators only paid attention to the memo after the attack. The attackers who trained in the US entered the country legally, and were granted tourist visas. Even as they entered the country however, custom officers noted anomalies with their applications but went ahead to allow them in. In June 2001, Saeed al Ghamdi entered the US with only $500, a one-way ticket and no address on the I-94 form. Investigations showed that six of the hijackers had contravened immigration laws during their months of stay yet none had been arrested. The Immigration Department could therefore have averted the attacks had its agents detected the overstays and violations of student status (National Commission on Terrorists Attacks Upon the United States, n.d). There is no evidence of either Washington D.C. or New York having employed a hazard or vulnerability analysis to plan for a disaster of the kind and magnitude of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. While the authorities of both cities were not in a strong position to avert the attacks, their reaction in the time following the strikes was catastrophic. Besides the people who were killed by the crashes, hundreds of responders succumbed to illness as a result of exposure to the atmospheric conditions occasioned by the explosions. The responders worked in an asbestos-contaminated environment yet they worked without respirators (Levin, S. et al., 2004). Residents of Lower Manhattan were assured that the ââ¬Å"air was safeâ⬠yet tens of thousands perished after contact with the toxic fumes later (Mason, 2007). New York and Washington D.C authorities were unwilling to admit their unpreparedness and were quick to declare the air and water safe while it was not. References Betts, R. (2008). Two Faces of Intelligence Failure: September 11 and Iraqââ¬â¢s Missing WMD. Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 122, No. 4. Levin, S., Herbert, R., Moline, J., Todd, A., Stevenson, L., Landsbergis, P., Jiang, W., Skloot, G., Baron, S. Enright, P. (2004). Physical Health Status of World Trade Center Rescue and Recovery Workers and Volunteers- New York City, July 2002 ââ¬â August 2004. Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 292 Issue 15. Marquise, R. (2004). Terrorism Threat Indicators. The Counter Terrorist. Mason, M. (2007). The 9/11 Cover-Up. Discover, Vol. 28, Issue 10. National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (2004). The 9/11 Commission Report. New York.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Relationship With God And With Your Family Religion Essay
Relationship With God And With Your Family Religion Essay As we begin our worship pilgrimage together, perhaps it will be best to try to get at the core meaning of worship. The word worship itself is fascinating. It is a shortened English version of the old Anglo-Saxon word weorthscipe, which is transliterated Worth-ship. It simply means worthiness. Thus to worship someone means to recognize and to declare that persons worth (Basen 1999:17). Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:16:2193, LASB). There have been a great many definitions of worship, some of quite recent origin, yet, it is my main purpose to analyse the different forms of worship. To worship, finally implies to do or to work, so let us reflect on each worship experience and give ideas on how our churches should facilitate worship. ASSIGNMENT 1 1. Experience of a liturgical worship service. a. Briefly describe the service event by event. On Sunday 15 August 2010 I went to the Lutheran Church with one of my colleagues. He is the Reverend of that specific Lutheran Church. The service began with opening sentences from Psalm 124: If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, let Israel now say. The Reverend then followed by saying The Lord be with you. This was followed by a prayer of confession and then by a biblical word of comfort and an absolution. The absolution is confession that you are a sinner, humbling yourself before God. Thereafter followed the singing of the Ten Commandments, sometimes done in two segments with a prayer in between. Up to this point, the service had been led from the Communion table. Now, either during the singing of the second hymn, the Reverend took his place in the pulpit. First he would offer a prayer for illumination, read the lesson for the day and preached the sermon. Then the collection of Alms takes place. Following the sermon, the R everend offered a lengthy prayer of intercession, which concluded with the Lords Prayer. The Apostles Creed was said or sung at the conclusion of the prayer. Psalm 138 was sung and there followed a prayer of thanksgiving. The people were dismissed with the benediction. b. Discuss how it facilitated worship as revelation and response. Revelation and response for the Lutheran Church entails the following: Although the liturgical worship is structured very formal, the people are called to worship with sentences taken from Scripture. They use the Scripture of Isaiah 6:1-9, where Isaiah sees a vision of the Holy God, and confesses his sin and finds forgiveness when an angel burns his lips with a burning coal from the altar. The aim for the Lutheran Church is that the people may bow before the transcendent glory of God, that is, to praise Gods greatness and power. When you have experienced Contemporary worship, by comparison, the closeness of God receives much less emphasis. In this worship, they see it appropriate to feel Gods greatness more than His nearness. They observe God from a distance, not up close. In Liturgical worship the service moves from adoration to confession to absolution to commission. They do everything in a fitting and orderly way. H ymns of praise and adoration are used to highlight the greatness and glory of God, not the worshipers thoughts or feelings about God. They do the corporate confession of sin by reading Scripture passages, the call to worship and the benediction also do the same. In the Lutheran Church, the congregation performs the Lords Prayer or repeats the Apostels Creed as a confession of faith. 2. Experience of a traditional worship service. a. Briefly describe the service event by event. On Sunday 22 August 2010 I went to the Reformed Church with my Mother in Mokopane (Potgietersrus). First it is interesting to note that in the Reformed Church the organ plays the most important part before the service commences. The organ is the only instrument used to create worship and praise. Also very interesting is the pulpit in the middle front of the church with the elderly and the deacons sitting on each side of the pulpit. The deacons come in first, then the elderly together with the Reverend. Before he gets onto the pulpit, he first prays at the foot of the pulpit. The service begins with one of the elderly blessing the Reverend. The Reverend then follows by giving the Opening Prayer. This was followed by a song from their hymn books, consisting of Psalms and Songs. Then everybody says out loud the Apostles Creed and the Ten Commandments. Then the collection of Alms takes place. Before the Reverend starts his sermon, he gives a lesson on the Scripture that he is going to us e for the day. The Reformed Church uses the Old Testament more than the New Testament. Again he then prays before he commences with the sermon and then a prayer. After the sermon they sing a song again from the Psalms and Songs hymn book and then everybody stands to receive the blessing or grace from God. b. Discuss how it facilitated worship as revelation and response. Although less formal than the Liturgical style, traditional worship still follows a planned and structured order. Gratitude and preaching dominate traditional worship. The overall purpose is to lead the congregation to thank God for His goodness and to hear God speak through His Word. The Reformed Church demands that Psalms, not hymns, were to be sung and the organ were to be played in the service. Their preaching includes exegetical preaching for the week to insure that every worshiper was confronted every week with the promises and demands of God. In this way heartfelt worship can occur. 3. Experience of a contemporary worship service. a. Briefly describe the service event by event. On Sunday 29 August 2010 I attended my own Church (Living Word Church) in Brummeria. Our Church starts with the Pastor welcoming everybody in the building. Then the praise and worship starts with a band and a lead worshipper. Our music is gospel and contemporary Christian songs that stirs the emotions and prepares the heart for the sermon. We sing first the praise songs and then the worship songs. Usually the praise songs speaks about revival and renewal, stressing the need for God to visit His people in power, such as Lord, Send a Revival or Nothing but the Blood of Jesus. There is singing, clapping, and shouting praises to God. Then we go over to the worship songs that prepare us for a connection with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. During the worship people might lie on their faces or bow down seeking the face of God. Others will dance before God seeking to have a personal relationship with God, getting into the Holy of Holiest. We all kn ow that praise and worship is very important, but the sermon is actually the main event for the day. The congregation then hears an evangelistic message calling everyone present to get saved or sin and redemption. After the sermon the Pastor will pray and then start with the call for unbelievers in the worship service to make a personal decision to follow Jesus Christ. The invitation is sometimes lengthy in order to allow unbelievers to recognize their need of Jesus Christ. b. Discuss how it facilitated worship as revelation and response. Our Church uses informal methods that speak about exuberance, zeal and sometimes aggressive preaching, but it is still generally planned and structured. This style of worship seeks to turn lost sinners towards a merciful God. The informal mood of the service directly impacts the emotions, so that we will feel Gods presence during worship. Our worship also motivates us as believers to live godly lives in an ungodly world and to share our witness with unbelievers. Worship in our Church incorporates both revelation and response. As God reveals His power, we respond in wonder. As God reveals His grace, we respond in humility and prayer. 4. Personal reflection on the three experiences. a. Discuss how Parretts teachings and the three experiences have impacted your own understanding of worship. Let us first look at the style of worship: Parrett (Parrett 2008:22) says the following: There is no such thing as the correct style, whether traditional, contemporary, mystical, or liturgical. All our styles of worship must be submitted to the test of substance is God plainly revealed through the elements of worship, and are the worshippers assisted in response to Him? Our worship must be God-focused and Christ-centred! It must include elements of revelation and response that are Biblically informed and Biblically faithful (Parrett 2008:23). The liturgical worship service for me has got many strong points. The formal structure takes the congregation to God because He is worthy to be praised in majesty and honour. Magnifying Gods transcendence brings to mind in the worshiper a sense of amazement. Their Scripture reading enfolds the liturgical service more than it does any other worship style. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that the God who is worshipped in the liturgical service seems unapproachable. Although I grew up in The Reformed Church, the traditional worship service for me is somewhat predictable and boring, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. Why do I say that it is predictable and boring? The service is formal and for that reason you sometimes struggle to warm your heart for whats to come. But yes, they worship God who is Great and Good, Holy and Helpful. The problem with traditional worship service is the fact that the young believers think this style is boring. Contemporary worship service makes it almost impossible to sit still. The music excites you and you just want to worship God. Everything is excellent, the only problem that I experience is that Christians begin to think that the only way to please God is to be saved and baptized, even if they have already done so before. So often people also feel guilty of not serving God every minute of the day. It impacted my understanding of worship in the following way: Diverse cultural backgrounds and personality types make it highly unlikely that one worship style will fit all people. What seems genuine and meaningful to some strikes others as false and blasphemous. Worship styles isnt really the primary issue, it is absolute essential that the Church keep God as the subject of worship since to be Christian means to believe that God revealed in Jesus Christ is everything to us, Creator, Provider and Sustainer. We must always remember that God has called us to be His people and that our ability to respond to that call in worship is totally the gift of Gods grace. I think the only aim is to please God, whether by adoration and praise, prayer and proclamation, confessions and offerings, thanksgivings and commitment, or all these actions combined. b. Indicate how you believe your church could broaden its understanding and practice of worship. Dawn (1995:124) gives the following on what people want and need: My point is that people want worship to be more meaningful, but they often need careful instruction to make it so. Children, teenagers, young adults, senior citizens all will gladly receive more depth, especially because so much is our world is superficial and trival or else deep in a way that is painful and tragic. Here are a few ideas on how the Church should broaden its understanding and practice of worship: First of all, there can be no worship if we dont deal with our inner self. All Christians are supposed to be faithful, however, some do have a continuous struggle with doubt. The Churches must remember, good worship heals a sinful, selfish congregation and enables it to assume the burden of discipleship. Worship fosters the attitudes and convictions that enable people to worship. The churchs calling is to bring people to an awareness of the true nature of the things that steals our spiritual energy and to provide them with appropriate nourishment (food for the soul). Worship leaders facilitate worship by guiding people in the use of their senses and thoughts, they must also clear away the obstacles and distractions that hinder focused prayer and meditation. We should remember that services of worship are constructed by human beings, and like all things, they deteriorate and need renewal from time to time. Before Christians set about renewing their Churches and reforming their worship , they need to over think the implications of the fact that they have no power to save themselves, only God has that power. A congregation that fails to insist on the very highest standards in its worship is demonstrating not charity, but blasphemy. No Christian community should ever even think of offering God anything but the best of which it is capable (Frankforter 2001:146). CONCLUSION I have reflected on three worship services, discussed how it facilitated worship as revelation and response and tried to broaden my understanding and practice of worship. We should always remember, the success of worship is not measured by its entertainment values, nor is its success the sole responsibility of the leaders. We the Church should never sit passively waiting for worship to happen, we must practice the discipline of prayer and meditation. There should always be the willingness to make personal sacrifices to serve God.
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