Leadership Case Study Essay

Case Problem A: Frank Won’t Accept â€Å"We can’t† for an answer Key issues/summary: Frank is a business development manager in a firm charged with the mandate of providing the government with business improvement solutions. The company is currently faced with the challenge of acquiring more contracts from the government considering the expiry of the existing contracts. Frank refuses to accept the loss of contract and the inability of the company to acquire more contacts. Problem statement: The system of leadership style that Franks uses is ineffective in realizing the objectives of the company and he needs to develop a better strategy for the profitability of the firm. Root cause: Frank believes that the laxity of the project managers is the main contributor to loss of contacts in the company. Solutions: It is important for Frank to recognize the problem that the organization faces and develop an all inclusive approach on the best possible strategies that could help the company gain in terms of contracts and profit levels. Advantages: If Frank incorporates other managers in the decision making process, it is possible to realize effective solution to company problems Disadvantage: Failure to recognize the professional input of other managers may lead to the collapse of the company. Questions 1. What Based on limited evidence how would characterize Franks leadership style? Frank is autocratic in his style of leadership since he expects results by stating the course or action that his subordinated must embrace. 2. What leadership behavior and attitudes is Frank displaying? Frank is inconsiderate and controlling in terms of behavior and attitude. He expects his employees to generate results despite the difficulties that the company is experiencing. 3. How else can Frank  approach his project managers about developing a new business? Frank can introduce an all-inclusive approach that emphasizes on brainstorming on the best possible alternatives of acquiring contracts from other entities other than the government. Case Problem B: Time to Rebound at Willow Pond Key issues/Summary: Heather Osaka has been offered the position of director at Willow Pond; a medium-size assisted living home. The home experiences challenges related to effective management and the well-being of its clients. Problem statement: Heather Osaka needs to find techniques of leadership that will enable her solve the problems at Willow Pond. Root causes: Poor leadership and limited concern on employee wellbeing contributed to negligence and the provision of poser services at Willow Pond. Solutions: There is need for Heather to realize the relationship between her personal attributes and the best leadership style that can be used based on her previous experiences while working at two hospitals. These will help in determining the existing needs and the available facilities to provide lasting solutions. Answers to questions on Case Study B 1. This case is included in the chapter about charismatic and transformational leadership because the type of leader needed to revive Willow Pond should demonstrate to his subordinated his ability and belief in making positive changes despite the complications that may have characterized the an organization. 2. The transformational leadership techniques that Heather can apply while reforming Willow Pond include the introduction of motivational approaches for enhance the efficacy of employees. In addition, Heather can employee the use of better communication strategies and the involvement of the management in the decision making process. 3. Charismatic aspects of Heather’s personality may be instrumental in making changes within the organization considering that this approach to leadership generate the belief that a leader has the capacity to make meaningful changes. In addition, it is a way of convincing the management and the employees of her potential. 4. The job at Willow Pond is a wonderful career for Heather since it will enable her demonstrate her level of expertise from experience in ensuring the development of the organization. It will also be an opportunity of advancing her career  portfolio.

Bullying Essay

Bullying is the use of force, or threat, to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively impose domination over others. Justifications and rationalizations for such behavior sometimes include differences of class, race, religion, gender, sexuality, appearance, behavior, or ability. (Wiki2013) This abuse like many others may not be known to us personally, but that doesn’t mean that we should ignore it. Sometimes given the fact that we are unaware of this abuse we don’t know how serious of a problem it can be. According to the organization against bullying; in recent years, a series of bullying- related suicides in the US, and around the world have drawn attention to the connection between bullying and suicide. Though many adults still see bullying as â€Å"just a part of being a kid†; it is a serious problem that leads to many negative effects for victims, including  suicide. Bullying can be presented in different ways such as, physical bullying, emotional bullying, and even cyber bullying. Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes hitting, pinching, spitting, pushing, pulling, tripping, slapping and taking or breaking someone’s possessions. (Stop bullying.gov 2013) This physical aggression can occur almost anywhere; it can be at work, school, or even at home. For instance, children at school tend to hit their classmates when trying to get their attention. They normally don’t even call the individual by their name; they just hit, slap, or even kick the person to get his or her attention. This behavior is normally repeated with the same person on different occasions. Also, another thing that people do is find the weakest and least amiable person in their school. They gang up on him throw things at him, push him around and as though that wasn’t enough, they push their victims head into the toilet in the rest room. In addition, people at work also exert physical bullying. At times, at work there is a certain person that is the target of unoccupied individuals that are just seeking to humiliate others. This is carried about by actions such as, pulling away their colleagues chair when they are about to sit down. This is repeatedly done to make a mockery of that person. Bullies that perform these actions may not think about the harm being done, but many times the victims have scars from the physical abuse. Furthermore, Emotional bullying is another way of abusing people. Emotional bullying is the use of offensive/ obscene language used by bullies to degrade and demean their victims. (bullying.org) Persons are sometimes targeted because of the way they dress, walk, and talk or even because of their race or religion. Rude remarks are made ab out these persons by their bullies so often, that the victims tend to have low self -esteem and can even be depressed. For instance, I once saw a young lady in junior college that was pestered because she dressed in long skirts and dresses; that didn’t do any kind of drug and was always in mass. This person was mocked, insulted and called names because of her physical appearance and religious preference. In the same way persons who are homosexuals, are often made fun of. These persons are humiliated in every manner possible by bullies, also known in this case as homophobes. Furthermore, constantly spreading rumors about someone is also considered verbal abuse, because the victim is embarrassed by many persons over and  over. These persons that are constantly molested at times also have suicidal thoughts. Therefore, we should all think very well before we insult, or â€Å"innocently† label people with offensive nicknames. Likewise, cyber bullying is just as serious as emotional/ verbal, and physical bullying. According to the organization against bullying, Cyber bullying is when a child, teen, adult, etc, is harassed, humiliated, embarrassed, threatened, or tormented using digital technology. This type of bullying like others is done to publicly embarrass a person. For example, a teenager who took a naked picture of herself for her boyfriend; the picture ended up being uploaded to the internet by her partner. All those who got to see this photo instantly commented making rude remarks and observations about the young lady. Her picture was shared with many other persons just to keep making fun of her unintelligent choice. Moreover, Cyber bullying can also be made through cell phones, via text message , or a call. Some hackers also tend to bully naà ¯ve people. They send text messages telling people you have won a prize, and to redeem the prize you must follow a set of instructions. This is done repeatedly too many persons by the same bully. No prize is ever obtained and in some cases the victims, end up losing money. Hence, we should all be careful about what we post on line or what things are sent via text message, because bullies are just waiting for their next victim. In conclusion, bullying is a form of aggressive behavior or threat towards another individual to intimidate, harm or cause discomfort; this is done repeatedly and intentionally. Bullying can be presented in different ways such as, physical bullying, emotional bullying, and even cyber bullying. As a matter of fact, the victims of this abuse normally don’t do anything to cause being bullied. Not to mention, these individuals don’t even defend themselves from their aggressor. With this in mind let’s try to be more civil and conscious individuals so that some day we may live in peace and harmony. References Bullying and Suicide – Bullying Statistics retrieved from: www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-and-suicide. Bullying retrieved from: wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullying Bullying Definition- StopBullying.gov retrieved from: www.stopbullying.gov

Analysis of Microfinance Lending and Credit Assessment Methodology

Analysis of Microfinance Lending and Credit Assessment Methodology Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) core activities are driven by a social mission through provision of full range of banking needs to poor people for productive purposes, thereby contributing to the developmentl objective of poverty reduction. MFIs products and services includes micro-credit, micro-savings, micro-insurance and also remittances. Microcredit program is providing financial capital to the poor household in order to engage them in income generating activities for alleviating poverty mostly to finance small businesses agricultural loans. Typically this type of lending is not secured by any collateral but granted based on the client’s ability to generate the necessary financial means for repayment based on his or her business activities. Most of the terms and conditions for microcredit loans are flexible and easy to understand. However, there is no standard lending and credit assessment methodology employed by MFIs. We are motivated to explore and document this resear ch gap. 1.2 The Innovation and Development of Microfinance Industry in Malaysia The provision of microcredit is nothing new in Malaysia. Poverty eradication programs involve provision of credit at subsidised rate to the poor has been around since 1970s after formation of the New Economic Policy (NEP) that was instituted in 1970. The earlier micro credit program was mainly carried out by credit unions, co-operatives, specialised credit institutions and NGOs. The provision of small financing designated mostly to finance micro enterprises, agriculture sector for poverty reduction and to improve income of the Bumiputera. The legislation for microfinance regulation in Malaysia includes, Moneylender Act 2002, Banking and Financial Institution Act 1989, Development Financial Institution Act 2002, and Cooperatives Societies Act 1993, (Zakiah, 2004). The Microfinance business models are based on mass market, cooperatives, monoline and distributor network (BNM, 2010). Majlis Amamah Rakyat (MA RA), a council of trust to the Bumiputera and Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC) are some of the pioneers to introduce micro credit to micro enterprises. The rural credit institutions comprising of Agriculture Bank of Malaysia (Agrobank), Farmers Organization Authority (LLP), Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA), Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) and other agro-based Co-operative Societies provide micro credit for the agriculture sectors. There are also a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that engage in micro credit provision (Kasim and Jayasooria, 1993). These include Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), Yayasan Usaha Maju (YUM) and Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC) in Sabah, Koperasi Kredit Rakyat (KKR) in Selangor. Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (TEKUN) is a government agency micro credit provider. While, Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM), a cooperatives institution providing Islamic microcredit program based on al -rahnu concept in Malaysia. Prior to 2003, Commercial banks involvement in microfinance program are just limited to extending lines of credit to AIM, and as a mediator for schemes such as the loan fund for hawkers and petty traders operated by the Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC). In May 2003, the government launched a Micro Credit Scheme, particularly stimulating agricultural production activities as well as expanding small and medium enterprise activities. Two banking institutions namely Agrobank and Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), and AIM have been given the responsibility to carry out the scheme. The scheme is collateral free, and borrowers are eligible for a maximum loan of up to RM20,000 with interest rates charged at 4% per annum on reducing balance.

Young People Television News and Citizenship Literature review

Young People Television News and Citizenship - Literature review Example He made an attempt to study the formulation and development of identities of young informants. He argued that it is possible to investigate the pop culture and media’s significance in the society if an ethnographic research model is employed in the research which is linked with the daily social processes and interaction of the personnel included in the study. Dover (2007) suggested a couple of very useful research methods to study the symbolic- and use-value of pop culture and media with respect to various teen consumers. The research model goes far beyond the link between text and consumer. In his research, Harindranath (2006) constructed a theoretical framework in order to study the media audiences with respect to their involvement in the deliberative democracy. The researcher argued that in order to start the democratic dialogue and exchange of views regarding the public spheres, it is imperative that the concepts of â€Å"mediated knowledge and representation and inequali ty of access to symbolic resources and cultural capital† (Harindranath, 2006) are explored. Buckingham (2002) refers to past research to identify the difficulties encountered by young people while interpreting news along with their perceptions of the way of representation of primary sociopolitical problems in the news. Buckingham (2007) argued that the political understanding needs to be evaluated in context of the modern societies.

Environmental science Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Environmental science - Research Paper Example The animals that inhabit this island are different from the ones that live elsewhere. This is because of the geographical isolation of the animals that have lived in these islands for centuries. This was what led to the development of the theories of the naturalist, Charles Darwin, who discovered that the differences in the species that lived on this island were entirely due to the isolation of these animals from other species elsewhere. The conservation of these unique species is the responsibility of the people who are associated with these islands. For instance, the conservationist, Bill Roberson, who is the president and founder of the organization, INCA (International Nature and Cultural Adventures), talks of the need for the people who are a part of the tourism industry in this area to inculcate in themselves a love for the area and the will to conserve them (inca1travel). This may be more than just a desire to conserve nature for the love of it. This may also be the result of calculated economic activity. The beauty of the Galapagos Islands results from the fact that it has intensely diverse flora and fauna. The reason as to why people visit these islands is entirely the presence of this diversity. The presence of penguins in an equatorial island itself indicates the diversity that boggles the mind of the tourist in this island. The fact that the conservation of this beauty is necessary for the continuance of the tourism industry remains an important point. The economic aspect of the conservation, however, does not lessen the importance of the role that is played by the tourism industry in the conservation of the beauty and environment of the Galapagos Islands. The reason as to why Darwin was able to create the theories that he did was the diversity in the number of finches that are present in the Galapagos Islands. There are seventeen kinds of finches on these islands and they contribute to the diversity of it. The differences in the finches were

Experience in achieving goals and professional growth Essay

Experience in Achieving Goals and Professional Growth - Essay Example This unique background has given me several advantages in my personal life and professional activities. I am able not only able to adapt quickly to new environments, but also am able to help others make the best out of their differences. My unique background has enabled me to integrate groups of people from different cultures and countries.My family owns a Company that exports Persian Carpets to Europe and some other countries. My professional work started when I was 23 years old when I decided to work for my father in his company in Tehran. In the early stages of my work experience I mostly dealt with our customers in Europe. My ability to speak three languages helped me to build a relationship with our suppliers and customers abroad. By the age of 25 I was the sales manager of the company and we also had opened offices in Germany, Sweden and Dubai. As a company's representatives, I have attended many International Exhibitions abroad and have gained international experienced that ha s equipped me with the skills necessary to deal with foreign suppliers and customers.It seemed inevitable that we began to lose business due to the high expenses of logistics, a poor inventory system and the lack of IT technology in our operation, this became a larger and larger problem as time moved on. However, I continued to attack the problem even as others had given up hope. Finally, after consulting with an IT engineering team, we launched a new IT system for the whole operation. The results were tremendous, and ultimately the project was successful: we surpassed our saving objectives and I received an early promotion. In 1996 we started a business in Italy, but this time we had diversity of products and were ready to target a larger market in Europe. I moved back to Stockholm and was working as a representative in Europe. However, the market in Scandinavia was not what we expected to be, the demand for our product was quite lower than we had hoped. Therefore we needed to find a new market with a quite good purchasing power. In 1999 finally we started our trade with Japan and in beginning of 2000 we opened our office in Osaka, Japan. Now my father runs the entire operation in our head office in Tehran, my brother in Japan and myself in Europe. Although my multicultural background and my international experiences have helped me to achieve my goals during my career, I have always wanted to get a degree in business. Finally, in 2004, I decided to go to UK and get a degree in International Business. As a mature student there are some advantages and disadvantages, and I used my experiences from the real world to tackle the problems that arose during my degree. However, it was not an easy task to go back to college at this age. However, I stuck it out, and I am now in my final year. It seems that I could accomplish my degree with an MBA programme, I also believe that an MBA programme can help me develop other vital skills essential to my standing as a professi onal. For example, I will benefit from the opportunity to further polish my public speaking ability and hone my skills as a negotiator. Now our Business is very successful and the experience was satisfying, clearly, the skill I developed from running a business was beneficial. However, I feel that the initiative and entrepreneurial effort were the most important things I took from my work experience. Essay Two I embarked on a journey towards MBA when I earned an undergraduate degree in International Business at The Manchester University. An MBA will provide the impetus and setting for honing my skills in the areas of negotiation, persuasion, inspiration, and professional articulation. I also see the MBA as a rare opportunity to gain heightened insight into other lifestyles.

Supply and Demand of Gasoline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Supply and Demand of Gasoline - Essay Example The gasoline price has ostensibly undergone extensive fluctuations mainly because of the product nature and the industry which supplies the world with oil. Note that a bulk of the aggregate oil output is produced by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). This influential group is organized as a cartel and composed of nations in the Middle East including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait among others. The main produce of these countries is oil and other petroleum products. Other countries, including the United States, are largely dependent on these countries for their oil supply (Case & Fair, 2002). With their rich oil resources, these nations created the cartel which has the ability to control member countries’ oil production capacity and output quotas of enabled them to collude to raise the oil price by. Given its mandate, supply of oil including gasoline is significantly affected by political unrest arising between these oil-exporting countries and other countries as well. To illustrate this point, supply of petroleum products was adversely affected by the war between Iran and Iraq in 1979. This tumultuous battle between two of the largest oil producers had caused a global oil supply shock and resulted in a dramatic increase in the price of oil. The limited oil supply then was further aggravated by the restricted means of transporting oil products to the rest of the world.

Ethical perspective of a global issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethical perspective of a global issue - Essay Example The possibility of human cloning was raised when Scottish scientists at Roslin Institute created the much-celebrated sheep "Dolly" (Lauritzen 57-64). Dolly aroused worldwide interest and concern because of the scientific and ethical implications in creating her. The feat, cited by Science magazine as the breakthrough of 1997, also generated uncertainty over the meaning of "cloning" --an umbrella term traditionally used by scientists to describe different processes for duplicating biological material. (Murray, 41) When the media report on cloning in the news, they are usually talking about only one type called reproductive cloning. There are different types of cloning however, and cloning technologies can be used for other purposes besides producing the genetic twin of another organism. A basic understanding of the different types of cloning is key to taking an informed stance on current public policy issues and making the best possible personal decisions. (Murray, 41) The following three types of cloning technologies are the most progressive: (1) recombinant DNA technology or DNA cloning, (2) reproductive cloning, and (3) therapeutic cloning. ... Scientists studying a particular gene often use bacterial plasmids to generate multiple copies of the same gene. Plasmids are self-replicating extra-chromosomal circular DNA molecules, distinct from the normal bacterial genome (see image to the right). Plasmids and other types of cloning vectors are used by Human Genome Project researchers to copy genes and other pieces of chromosomes to generate enough identical material for further study. (Walters, 69) Reproductive cloning is expensive and highly inefficient. More than 90% of cloning attempts fail to produce viable offspring. More than 100 nuclear transfer procedures could be required to produce one viable clone. In addition to low success rates, cloned animals tend to have more compromised immune function and higher rates of infection, tumor growth, and other disorders. Japanese studies have shown that cloned mice live in poor health and die early. (Lauritzen 57-64) About a third of the cloned calves born alive have died young, and many of them were abnormally large. Many cloned animals have not lived long enough to generate good data about how clones age. Appearing healthy at a young age unfortunately is not a good indicator of long term survival. Clones have been known to die mysteriously. For example, Australia's first cloned sheep appeared healthy and energetic on the day she died, and the results from her autopsy failed to determine a cause of death. (Walters 69) In 2002, researchers at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts, reported that the genomes of cloned mice are compromised. In analyzing more than 10,000 liver and placenta cells of cloned mice, they discovered

Philosophy of Hans Jonas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Philosophy of Hans Jonas - Essay Example Hans Jonas studied the philosophy of biology and at some point made the whole theory belong to him, this resulted in many philosophers following suite. It is for this reason that the philosophy of biology has become an independent subject of its own and this was realized fifty decades ago. Hans Jonas’s thought of biology in terms of life and this made his work willingly easier. For him, life was not just a living presence but also a cognitive science of a living being. Many philosophers of biology ignored to cover the traditional mechanism of life in a living being and instead covered the theory of modern biology. Philosophy of Hans Jonas Hans Jonas discovered the phenomenal origin of life in relations to biology, and this quickly changed into a venture of philosophy. Hans Jonas justified the thought between God’s creation and the existence of life on earth. From the introduction of Deoxyribonucleic acid (D.N.A) to the study of psychology, biology has become an importan t aspect in life. Hans Jonas examined that the philosophy of biology can sometimes be interpreted in the same concept as theoretical biology. This is because of the mathematical concept involved in the study of medicine in theoretical biology. Hans Jonas made the study even more related to the philosophy of biology by using genes to examine both theories of biology. According to Hans Jonas, the main issue facing many scientists is doing a research on the living beings without the experimental exploitation. Hans Jonas stresses out that the main solution is putting across and explaining the individual rights to biological theories. The medical experts have attributed outbreak of various diseases to lack of human experiments. Hans Jonas examines the philosophy of biology and reflects on the justification of medical experiments on human beings. Hans Jonas also ponders on life as an experience that might have biological experiments of its own. According to him, not all aspects of life re quire biological attention as some human beings justify life as an experience. Though some philosophers have linked the two to biology, Jonas has come out to differentiate the two as stemming back to the traditional examination of biology. Hans Jonas has used this approach to differentiate the biblical theory of life from the philosophy of biology. Though Hans Jonas does not criticize the biblical concept attributed to life, he acknowledges the biological concept as an easier understanding of life. Hans Jonas has categorized life in three aspects and this has enabled many philosophers to understand biology more easily and as a result put it in their own understanding. Being is the first classification that Hans Jonas used to examine life. He acknowledged that without life, there would not be in existence any living being. He ponders this theory of life as a mortal tension between being and nonbeing. According to him, the idea of death causes trauma in the minds of every being. Birth is more an intellectual theory of life than death and Han Jonas examines that all beings would welcome the idea of birth more than death. Self and world is the second classification that Hans Jonas used to relate life to biology. Hans Jonas ponders into the idea that once an individual is born then he considers himself to be alone in this world. According to him, alone would mean owning your own life and not the physical self. He examines the fact that an individual has an access to his own life and therefore

Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” Essay Example for Free

Tchaikovsky’s â€Å"1812 Overture† Essay The concert that I chose to review was an online performance of Tchaikovsky’s â€Å"1812 Overture†. This overture is the finale to his Symphony No. 5. The piece that I chose was performed by the Berlin Philharmonic on October 9, 2008 and conducted by Seiji Ozawa. Ozawa has conducted orchestras in Germany, Austria, France and many other countries. He holds the distinction of being, â€Å"the first recipient of Japan’s Inouye Sho†¦recognizing lifetime achievement in the arts† (â€Å"Seiji Ozawa: Conductor). The â€Å"1812 Overture† has movements that have become famous and have been used in movies and on television, but the sections of it that have been used in these places don’t convey the whole feeling of the overture. The â€Å"1812 Overture† as a whole is a moving piece because it combines elements of music to uniquely convey emotion. The overture begins adagio, with the strings playing in a very legato style. The notes are smoothly combined with a slight tremolo to them to evoke emotion. The woodwinds enter next, with the flutes featured legato in accompaniment to the strings. Ozawa conducts with his whole body and his arms seem to move in the same way that he wants to listener to feel the music. The tone of the piece changes when the percussion enters espressivo and joins the wind instruments and the strings. The piece begins to accelerate when the percussion instruments begin to play. An oboe solo contrasts with the percussion’s vibrato. The introduction of the percussion makes the whole orchestra play faster and more allegro. As the brass and percussion instruments increase in speed and volume the entire orchestra plays forte and with force. At about four minutes into the overture as the overture becomes more and more allegro there is a section that echoes the drum section of the overture that has become so famous that will be played later. This opens up a section of grandioso style with all instruments playing forte and allegro, giving the overture an overall lively and quickly moving feeling. There is an interlude that follows this quick movement of the overture. The strings are featured in this movement and the whole movement is played softer, more adagio and with several glissando sections from the stringed and wind instruments to calm the overture down. Here an oboist and flautist each perform a cavatina, a short solo that is part of the larger piece the orchestra is playing. Their solo parts echo the orchestra but also compliment it. From here the overture returns to a vivace tone and all sections play briskly, lively and fast. The timpani accompanies this fast pace with several forte, brisk notes. Ozawa moves the orchestra easily through the overture’s theme and the adagio sections seem to blend easily with the vivace movements and make the overture feel whole and vibrant. There is a wind instrument section shortly after the timpani that leads into the forte, grande finale of the overture that has become so popular. This section features the flutes and clarinets playing a very fast and repetitive section. When I listened to this section I felt that the whole energy of the overture was accelerating. This was accompanied by timpani and percussion making the movement more forceful and forte. The overture continues to build and accelerate in volume and pace as it reaches its finale. As the strings speed up the brass section joins them to make the movement more forceful. The percussion joins in with bells that seem almost dissonant to the other instruments. This feeling of semi-dissonance is because the other sections are all playing fast, repetitive fifth note tremolo progressions while the bells seem to be playing almost at random. The bells didn’t quite seem to fit with the rhythm of the other instruments at this point to me, but as the movement progressed towards the finale I understood how the bells fit in to the whole piece. The bells play in a similar tone as the other instruments, so even though they are playing in a completely different time signature they don’t seem completely out of place. I enjoyed watching the bells being played during this section also because the bells used are so large they were almost the size of the man playing them. This somehow made them seem even more powerful and forceful when they were being played. As the movement progresses it slows down briefly once more, becoming slightly more adagio but the bells don’t stop. The bells continue to play and act as a bridge to bring the othe r sections into the grande finale section. In the final moments of the overture the percussion and brass sections seem to take over. The whole finale is played very grande, with all of the instrumental sections combining to give the overture a very big, encompassing feel. In the performance notes for a performance by the Burgess Hill Symphony Orchestra, Sonia Hill describes the overture as, â€Å"a festive and patriotic piece to immortalize Napoleon’s defeat and celebrate the liberation of the Russians† (Hill) and this final movement illustrates that inspiration. Ozawa’s body language changes during this final movement also, and he begins to move as quickly and forcefully as he wants the orchestra to play. If the other instrumental sections were not playing as forte as they are, the percussion section would probably drown them out. The end is punctuated by many staccato sections from the brass instruments that echo the forte notes by the percussion section. This is then contrasted right afterwards by longer, smoother notes from the woodwind section. The reason the end of the overture is so memorable and powerful is because of that contrast between the forte percussion playing huge, booming notes, the brass playing staccato and vivace, and the wind sections providing tremolo sections that accompany them. The final moments and notes of the finale feature rolling sequences by the timpani. These rolls seem to signal that the overture is ending, but they also contribute to the grande tone that is meant to leave a lasting impression on the listener. The pace of the orchestra slows down from the frantic pace a few seconds ago and here the strings play forte but smoothly, bringing all the sections of the orchestra together and also signalling the end of the overture. The overture ends with each listener remembering the power of that final movement. Works Cited â€Å"Overture 1812†. YouTube. May 29 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blroZTvCOMQfeature=related â€Å"Repertoire: 1812 Overture†. The Burgess Hill Symphony Orchestra. May 2004. May 28 2010. http://www.bhso.org.uk/repert-173-Tchaikovsky-1812-Overture-Op-49.htm â€Å"Seiji Ozawa: Conductor†. Welcome to the World of the Bach Cantatas. 12 January 2010. May 28 2010. http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Ozawa-Seiji.htm

Models of Health for Obesity Intervention

Models of Health for Obesity Intervention Introduction Public health has been a topic of government debates. It is an increasing issue that is provoking a lot of publicity. Strategies are being implemented as well as policies in order to tackle the ever increasing problem of obesity which is clearly a public health issue. A case study from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (2007) showed that the United Kingdom has the highest prevalence of obesity in Europe. Due to the NMC confidentiality clause in accordance with The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) Code of Conduct, nurses must respect peoples right to confidentiality. Therefore for the purpose of this essay the patient’s name has been changed and any personal or identifiable information has also been altered so as to protect his privacy and dignity.This essay aims to discuss and explore policies, biopsychosocial model and contribution of therapies to health and wellbeing with reference to Troy (see appendix 1) Public health Public health refers to the methods of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through organised efforts and informed choices of society, organisations, public and private, communities and individuals (WHO, 2013). It is concerned with threats to health based on population health analysis. The population in question can be as small as a handful of people, or as large as all the inhabitants of the United Kingdom. The dimensions of health can encompass a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO, 2013). Sim McKee (2011) suggest that Public health incorporates the interdisciplinary approaches of epidemiology, biostatistics and health services. The focus of public health intervention is to improve health and quality of life through prevention and treatment of disease and other physical and mental health conditions. This is done through surveillance of cases and health indicators, and through promotion of healthy behaviors. The range of public health interventions in order to reduce food related ill health is potentially considerable and this includes; presenting on an individual basis, health education and promotion, composition regulation in food, accurate food information labels and product traceability just to name a few. From 2004, the United Kingdom has put together a number of initiatives that are aimed at tacking obesity with recognition of the need for policy change as well as individual behavior change and personal attitude towards food. Policy Due to the alarming statistics on obesity in the United Kingdom, the government has a policy to try and tackle the rising problem. According to the Policy, figures show that 61.9% of adults and 28% of children aged between 2 and 15 are overweight or obese. People who are overweight have a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers (Department Of Health, 2013). Excess weight can also make it more difficult for people to find and keep work, and it can affect self-esteem and mental health. This being the case of Troy as he suffers from type 2 diabetes due to his weight, has mental health and has never found work. It is costing the Government 5million pounds to obesity related illnesses. The policy has an action plan to reduce these statistics by 2020. The government want people to eat and drink more healthily while being more active. It is giving people advice on a healthy diet and physical activity through the change4Life programme. The programme promotes healthy life styles. The moto is ‘Eat Well, Move More and Live Longer’. Change4Life is a society-wide movement that aims to prevent people from becoming overweight by encouraging them to eat better and move more. It is the marketing component of the Governments response to the rise in obesity (Nhs, 2013). Improving labelling on food and drink will help people make healthy choices. The policy states that a system for labelling on the packages that makes it clear what is in food and drink, is important. The consistent system combines red, amber, green colour-coding and nutritional information to show how much fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar, and calories are in food products. Also encouraging businesses on the high street to include calorie information on their menus so that people can make healthy choices. By giving people guidance on how much physical activity they should be doing, the policy seeks to help individuals as well as professional to understand how to reduce the risk of ill health associated with inactivity and sedentary behaviors. As much as it is an individual’s choice on when and what they eat, the government want businesses to take responsibilities of the products that they are selling by making it easier for everyone make healthier choices for both staff and customers. The ‘Responsibility Deal has 4 networks’ include; alcohol, food, health at work and physical activity which all have collective pledges that businesses are encouraged to sign up to. The actions to help people eat more healthily include; reducing ingredients like salt, sugar and fat that can be harmful if people eat too much of them. Also encourage people to eat more fruit and vegetable to help reach their ‘5 A DAY’. Lastly putting calorie information on menus and helping people to eat fewer calories by changing the portion size or the recipe of a product (Department Of Health, 2013). The policy asks the local councils to get involved in combating obesity and encourage healthier lives by making sure that the r ight services are in place. An example of this is recreational areas in the neighborhoods have outdoor gym facilities. Biopsychosocial model Biopsychosocial model, traditionally considered appropriate with regards to obesity, as all elements of the model are relevant. This model shows disease arising from the overlap of components. In applying this model to obesity research, biologic systems are viewed in isolation, not taking into account their interaction with the environment and behaviours until one is obese. There are several factors that could lead one to be overweight or obese and the biopsychosocial model can be used to understand these factors. One of them is biological factors which include genetic susceptibility, increased number of adipose cells formed during childhood, hormonal imbalance such thyroxine produced be the thyroid gland, and several more (Marieb Hoehn, 2010).Although strides have been made exploring the pathophysiology of obesity, treatment and prevention have focused mainly on two components, the psychological and the social. The psychological aspects include eating behaviours, activity habits an d health awareness or knowledge. Troy suffers from depression this could be a factor to consider as a reason why he is obese. Taylor (2012) recognises that people that eat while depressed or stressed are more likely to consume sweet and high-fat foods. Troy has accustomed himself to bad eating behaviour. Most take away food have high volumes of sugar, fat and salt, which are triggers of weight gain. He may not be aware of the implications of his weight increase. As a student nurse, I feel talking to Troy and making him aware of his weight problems may be ideal. Giving him healthier options when he asks me order him a take away and advising him to eat more of the reduced sugar, fat and salt food. Troy has a high craving for sweet fizzy drinks, telling him of the alternative drinks such as sugar free or sweeteners would be ideal thus empowering him to make a choice. The social aspect of the model include socioeconomic, neighbourhood, schools and food policy. When it comes to obesity there are a great variety of social variables that contribute to one being overweight and obese. For instant today we are bombarded with advertisements for fast food restaurants and high calorie pre-packaged foods or microwave food. The media plays a big role in changing our attitude and behaviour toward food by using persuasive messages and images. A study by Taylor (2012) shows that socioeconomic factors contribute to one’s attitude towards food. The study revealed that that people of low socioeconomic status tend to be more overweight than people with high socioeconomic status. An explanation for this could be the fact that food that contain high-fat and processed foods are cheaper than nutritious and fresh foods such as vegetables and fish. Troy lives in poor estate and relies on the benefit system for his income. This in not much so he tend to buy the che aper and faster foods. Also social and family interaction could affect one to become obese as eating habits can be influence by others around the house. Other social factors could be educational level, employment and cultural influences. Advising Troy tocook his own meals when his at home and educating him on the difference between fresh cooked meals that contain low fat, sugar and salt versus Fast food would be in his best interest. He lives alone so giving himself more time outdoors and engaging in activities, like going out for walks or even light exercise as a starting point. Understanding the reasons for obesity is important but more important is to find ways to stop and prevent it. Health promotion is any effort that encourages people to engage in healthy behaviour’s such having a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight (Schneider, Gruman Coutts, 2005). Behavioral treatment Behavioral treatment is an approach used to help individuals develop a set of skills to achieve a healthier weight. This treatment is used in people who suffer from eating disorders and those who are overweight or obese. It does more than helping people to decide what to change but also helps them identify how to change. The behavior change process is facilitated through the use of self-monitoring, goal setting, and problem solving. Studies suggest that behavioral treatment produces weight loss of 8–10% during the first 6 months of treatment. Structured approaches such as meal replacements and food provision have been shown to increase the magnitude of weight loss (Foster, 2002). Stuart (1967) suggests that behavioral treatment of obesity developed from the belief that obesity is the result of maladaptive eating and exercise habits, which could be corrected by the application of learning principles. Behavioral treatment is based primarily on principles of classical conditioning, which suggest that eating is often prompted by antecedent events, for example cues, that become strongly linked to food intake. According to Brownell (2000) Behavioral treatment helps patients identify cues that trigger inappropriate eating behaviors and help them learn new responses to these cues. Treatment also seeks to reinforce the adoption of positive eating behaviors. This treatment also incorporates cognitive therapy due to the fact that, in cognitive therapy ones thoughts or cognitions directly affect feelings and behaviors (Beck, 1976). Negative thoughts are predominantly associated with negative outcomes. When one over indulges in food and they are dieting, they tend to think they have messed up their dieting schedule therefore proceed to eat even more secondary to feelings of failure and hopelessness. Beck (1976) in his book on Cognitive Behavior therapy mentions that cognitive therapy patient s learn to set realistic goals for weight and behavior change, enabling them to realistically evaluate their progress in modifying eating and activity habits, and to correct negative thoughts that occur when they do not meet their goals. Fairburn, C.G, Wilson G.T. (1993) agree with Beck (1967) that Cognitive interventions for weight management are based on those developed for the treatments of depression, anxiety, and bulimia nervosa. Programmes such as Weight Watchers can be incorporated in Behavioral Therapy as Weight Watchers meetings promotes goal setting and advices on low calorie food intake. Conclusion Arguably, although the policy set by Department of Health on obesity seeks to promote programmes like change4 life which supports eating five vegetable or fruit a day, it does not completely tackle the issue of affordability. Fresh vegetable, fruit and fish is expense meaning those who have low income cannot afford these foods. It then means it comes back to the fact of them not affording the healthier food so they opt for cheaper processed food. A lot of literature that has been written on the subject matter, obesity, is from the United States of America because they are a nation who are also trying to tackle obesity. They have much a bigger issue of obesity and I believe as a nation we can learn a lot from them. In the case of Troy, Behavioral therapy would be ideal as it involves cognitive therapy, so he can talk about his problem and set realistic goals for himself helping and improving his quality of life. The best interventions have been in the fields of dietary management and behavioural change. APA Reference Allen, N. B., Lewinsohn, P., and Seeley J.R. (1998). Prenatal and perinatal influences on risk for psychopathology in childhood and adolescence. Developmental Psychopathology. New York, United States of America: Guilford Press Beck, A.T. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. New York, United States of America: International Universities Press. Brownell, K.D. (2000). The LEARN program for weight management 2000. Dallas, United States of America: American Health Publishers Co. Department of Health. (2013). Policies. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reducing-obesity-and-improving-diet Dilts, S. L. (2012). Models of mind: A framework for Biopsychosocial Psychiatry. East Sussex, United Kingdom: Routledge. Donatelle, R.J. (2008).Access to health(10the.d.).San Francisco,Canada: Pearson Benjamin Cummings. Fairburn, C.G, Wilson G.T. (1993). Binge eating: nature, assessment and treatment. New York, United States of America: Guilford Press. Foster, G.D. (2002). Goals and strategies to improve behavior-change effectiveness. Philadelphia, United States Of America: Hanley Belfus. Health Promotion Strategic Framework. (2014). Health promotion. Retrieved from http://www.healthpromotion.ie/hp-files/docs/HPSF_HSE.pdf Heim, C., Newporr, J., Heit, S., Graham, Y. P., Wucox, M., Bonsall, R., Miller, A. H., and Nemeroff, C. B. (2000). Pituitary-adrenal and autonomic responses to stress in women after sexual and physical abuse in childhood. Journal of American Medical Association, 284, 592-97 Marieb, E.N. Hoehn K. (2010).Human anatomy physiology(8th e.d.).San Francisco,America: Pearson Benjamin Cummings. Nhs. (2013). Change for life. Retrieved from http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/change-for- life.aspx Nuffield council on Bioethics. (2007). Public Health, Ethical Issues. Retrieved from http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/public-health Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2005).Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems.Thousand Oaks,Canada:Sage Publications Stuart, R.B. (1967). Behavioral control of overeating. Basel, Switazland: Reinhardt Druck. Taylor, S.E. (2012).Health Psychology(8th ed.).New York,United States of America: McGraw-Hill World Health Organisation. (2013). Obesity. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story076/en/ Appendix 1 During one of my placements in a hospital situated in the North of England, a young Troy man aged 24 was admitted to Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) presenting with Psychotic episode and hallucinations. He lives alone in a one bed council flat, has never worked and receives Benefits. He has a long history of drug and alcohol misuse, although he has been drug free for over 6 months. Troy weighs 26 stone and has been known to the service for self-harming and depression from the age of 14. As his treatment has progressed, it has become clear to me that he has other issues like bad eating habits. His mother from a very young age, feed Troy with a lot of fast food as she herself suffered from Clinical depression. They lived in a poor estate up the age of 8 when he was put into care because his mother was unable to cope and neglected him and his siblings. He has very little contact with his family except his grandparents who regularly visit him. Now at his later stage in life, Troy likes to eat take away and drinks a lot of sugary fizzy drinks. His weight has become an issue on the ward as he has found the single beds too small and he complained of the blankets being too small. The consultant had been concerned about his weight and suggested that some of the psychotic medication he is taking may be contributing to his weight gain as they tend to trigger a lot of cravings. He has diagnosed with type 2 diabetes while admitted on the ward. http://psychrights.org/research/Digest/NLPs/Seroquel/SeroquelMedicalStudies/Gen.%20Cause%20Resp.%20Ex%2010.pdf