United States Involvement in The Second World War (WWII) Essay

World War II   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As totalitarian sates emerged into power, the United States got involved with World War II to help control these groups and to promote democracy in the European theatre of the world. The party with the most power at the time was the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler. This socialist party was led by a powerful dictator who broke away from the League of Nations and began to conquer vast amounts of territory at a fast rate. The United States wanted to leave foreign affairs alone in fear of another world war. The United States could not avoid the fact Hitler was taking over Europe and help was needed. The United States became fully involved in the European theatre of World War II when Hitler led his armies on a series of blitzkrieg’s, taking over Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland, northern France, and by breaking the Nazi-Soviet pact.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States, under the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, wanted to remain neutral and wanted to stay out of foreign affairs. People like Lindbergh strongly opposed any aid to foreign affairs, but Roosevelt felt American security and Democracy was in jeopardy if no help was given. As Hitler began his campaigns in Europe, especially in Poland, the United States sent aid to France and Britain to resist the Nazi’s. Germany defeated Poland and easily took over weaker countries, sometimes without Keith 2 firing a single shot as in Czechoslovakia. The United States remained...

Geopolitics in humanitarian action Essay

The analysis of how political decisions are conditioned by geographical settings is the subject matter of geopolitics. In purely spatial terms, geopolitics is the study of boundaries and areas. In conceptual terms, geopolitics comprises the study of international relations and the outcome of power struggles, at local and global scales. It explores events such as the emergence of new states, the fragmentation of countries, and regional conflicts affecting several countries. The most important and long-lasting geopolitical event of the 20th century is the Cold War. The international humanitarian system has witnessed a dramatically transformation since the end of the Cold War, and even more so since the â€Å"war on terror†. To understand humanitarian intervention in contemporary complex emergencies, the course will analyze the humanitarian action and the changing geopolitical system. We will discuss many of the fundamental debates concerning the nature, effectiveness and evolution of the humanitarian actions, the different humanitarian actors and the accompanying political dynamics that arise in variety of regional contexts. Among other issues, students will critically analyze the relationship between aid and conflict; concepts of neutrality; relationship to military intervention; among others. We will use case studies to understand the growing complexity and the political weave of actors and influences affecting all those involve in humanitarian action and the changing operating environment. The course will encourage students to consider what is or could be the international community‘s ―carrying capacity for response in a future of small-scale and regional wars producing humanitarian crises in the years to come. Finally, the course discussion will focus in on models of cooperation among actors that empower rather than marginalize those populations and communities trapped in conflict, displacement and deprivation. Course general objectives This course examines the evolution of the humanitarian action in relation to changes in the international system. The students will be able to: a) Analyze the political economy of conflict and humanitarian assistance; b) Analyze the evolving nature of conflict in the international context; c) Understand the evolving architecture of the international humanitarian system; d) Analyze contemporary aspects of security and conflict, the concept of state sovereignty, and the uneven geopolitics of humanitarian action; e) Explore major debates and controversies of contemporary humanitarian action. Methods of assessment Grading will be based on the following marks: VG or G (Distinction or Pass) as well as ECTS grades. Grading will be a combination of the in-class team oral presentations (40%), a written final essay (50%), and the active participation of students in class (10%). The groups will be integrated by 5 or 6 students each. They will present to the class one selected humanitarian intervention case in 30 minutes with 15 additional minutes for questions and answers. All members of the group should participate. Presentations will be scheduled the first day of the course. The humanitarian intervention recommended for presentations are: Syria, Iraq, former-Yugoslavia (Kosovo), the Horn of Africa, Ruanda, Afghanistan and Sudan. We can discuss other humanitarian interventions. This course is heavily participatory. For this reason, presence and active participation will be expected at all sessions. Participation shall reflect critical analysis and reflection based on readings. The final written essay will be submitted during the IX Session of the course (Friday 22 November). The professor will explain the essay ´s topic in the beginning of the course. The essay consists of a maximum of 2500 words. Preparation for class includes readings from books, articles, and websites. Classes are a combination of lecture, discussion, presentations, and videos. Sessions overview Session I: Mon 4 November, 10-12 Room TBA Introduction: Overview of course and topics presented; course requirements and expectations. Objectives: 1. Review of Syllabus; 2. Discussion of course requirements; 3. Selection of oral group presentations. Session II: Wed 6 November, 10-12 Room TBA Geopolitics: Overview Conflict analysis and the political economy of violence Objectives: 1.- Understand the changing dynamics of conflict in the international system; 2.- Develop alternative means of analyzing conflict and understanding the impact of conflict; 3.- Understand the interaction of humanitarian programming and conflict. Session III: Fri 8 November, 10-12 Room TBA International and regional organizations in the global system Objectives: 1.- Understand the role of governmental and non-governmental actors in the international system; 2.- Discuss the role of security institutions: What is the role of NATO, UN, UE, OAS and the other regional organizations in dealing with interstate and intrastate conflicts? Session IV: Mon 11 November, 10-12 Room Eng TBA The evolving nature of humanitarian crisis Objectives: 1.- Understand the changing nature of humanitarian crises; 2.- Analyze the implications for state sovereignty of International humanitarian action. Session V: Wed 13 November, 10-12 Room TBA An introduction to humanitarian action and the evolving architecture of humanitarian intervention Objectives: 1.- Describe the historical evolution and trends in humanitarian action; 2.- Understand the normative foundations of humanitarian action; 3.- Understand the normative frameworks that have guided humanitarian action. Session VI: Fri 15 November, 10-12 Room TBA Main players and actors in humanitarian action Objectives: 1.- Understand the definitions, types and organization of humanitarian agencies. Session VII: Mon 18 November, 10-12 Room TBA The contemporary operating environment Objectives: 1.-Explore the major debates and controversies of contemporary humanitarism Presentation of 2 Case Studies Session VII: Wed 20 November, 10-12 TBA The future of humanitarian action 1.-Understand a complex political emergency and its consequences; 2.-Identify recent trends in humanitarian action. Presentation of 2 case studies Session IX: Fri 22 November, 10-12 Room TBA Final discussion on models of cooperation among diverse actors that empower rather than marginalize vulnerable populations and communities trapped in conflict and humanitarian action. Presentation of 2 case studies and final essay submission. Literature List Books required: Walker, Peter & Daniel Maxwell. Shaping the Humanitarian World. New York: Routledge, 2009 http://www.amazon.com/Shaping-Humanitarian-World-Global-Institutions/dp/0415773717#reader_0415773717 Electronic resources: Anderson, Mary. The Do No Harm Handbook. Cambridge, Local Capacities for Peace, Project, 2004. Accessible on: http://www.cdainc.com/dnh/docs/DoNoHarmHandbook.pdf Barnett, Michael. Humanitarianism transformed. Perspectives on politics, Vol. 3, No.4 (Dec., 2005), pp. 723-740. Accessible on: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3688176 Bellamy, Alex. The Responsibility to Protect—Five Years On. Ethics & International Affairs Vol.24 (2), 2010, pp. 143–169. Accessible on: http://responsibilitytoprotect.org/Bellamy.pdf Collinson, Sarah, Samir Elhawary and Robert Muggah. States of fragility: stabilization and its implications for humanitarian action. Disasters. Vol. 34 Supplement, 2010, pp. 275−S296. Accessible on: http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/docs/5978.pdf Klare, Michael. The New Geography of Conflict. Foreign Affairs, Vol.80, No.3 (May-Jun., 2001), pp. 49-61. Accessible on: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20050150 Moore, Jonathan. Deciding Humanitarian Intervention. Social Research, Vol. 74, No. 1, Difficult Choices (SPRING 2007), pp. 169-200. Accessible on: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40971894 Rieff, David. Humanitarianism in crisis. Foreign Affairs, Vol.81, No.6 (Nov-Dec 2002), pp. 111-121. Accessible on: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20033348 Chapters of books recommended: Bellamy, Allex. †Humanitarian Intervention in world politics† in Baylis, John et al. The globalization of world politics: An introduction to international relations. Oxford: Oxford university Press, 2008, pp. 522-538. Duffield, Mark. †Global Governance and the New Wars† In Duffield, Mark. Global Governance and the Causes of Conflict. New York: Zed book, 2002, pp. 108-136. Keen, David, †Going to War: How Rational Is It? in International Committee of the Red. Cross, War, Money and Survival. Geneva, 2000, pp. 28-31. Kupchan, Charles A. †Empires and Geopolitical Competition: Gone for Good† in Crocker, Chester et al. (eds.) Turbulent Peace: The challenges of managing international conflict. Washington: United States Institute of Peace, 2001,pp. 39-52. Spearin, Christopher. †Humanitarians and mercenaries: Partners in security Governance?† in Krahmann, Elke. New threats and new actors in international security. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, pp. 45-68 Rufin, Jean-Christophe †The Economics of War: A New Theory for Armed Conflicts† in International Committee of the Red Cross. War, Money and Surviva, Geneva, 2000, pp. 22-27 Recommended reports and electronic articles: ICISS. The Responsibility to Protect. Report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty. New York, UN, 2001. Accessible on: http://responsibilitytoprotect.org/ICISS%20Report.pdf The Sphere Project. â€Å"Humanitarian Charter & Minimum Standards in Disaster Response† http://www.sphereproject.org/content/view/27/84/lang,english/ de Torrente, Nicolas. Humanitarian Action under Attack: Reflections on the Iraq War. Harvard Human Rights Journal. Vol. 17(1), 2004, pp. 1-30. Huysmans, Jef. Shape-Shifting NATO: Humanitarian Action and the Kosovo Refugee Crisis. Review of International Studies, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Jul., 2002), pp. 599-618. Accessible on: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20097813 Weiss, Thomas and Peter Hoffman. The Fog of Humanitarianism: Collective Action problems and Learning-Challenged Organizations. Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, Vol.1 (1), 2007, pp. 47-65 Useful Humanitarian websites: Relief Web http://www.reliefweb.int Alert Net http://www.alertnet.org Collaborative learning project http://www.cdainc.com/cdawww/default.php United Nation Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. http://www.unocha.org/ World Food Program: http://www.wfp.org The Humanitarian Policy Group www.odi.org.uk/hpg/ The Humanitarian Practice Network www.odihpn.org/ The Sphere Project http://www.sphereproject.org/ Action Learning Network for Accountability http://www.alnap.org/ And Performance (ALNAP) The Humanitarian Accountability Partnership www.hapinternational.org/ International (HAP-I) People in Aid www.peopleinaid.org/ Websites of major humanitarian agencies UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian http://www.unocha.org/ Affairs (OCHA) International Committee of the Red Cross http://www.icrc.org/ International Federation of Red Cross and http://www.ifrc.org/ Red Crescent Societies Mà ©decins sans Frontià ¨res http://www.msf.org/ The World Food Programme http://www.wfp.org/ Oxfam http://www.oxfam.org/ World Vision http://www.wvi.org/ CARE http://www.care.org/ Journal of humanitarian Assistance: http://jha.ac Videos: Kofi Annan: Center of the Storm, PBS Video, 2002

Motivation for pursuing a graduate degree Essay

Instructional perspective The philosophy of education that I ascribe to has been the primary tool motivating my pursuit of a graduate degree in special education. My instructional philosophy has tended to focus mainly on hands on instruction where participants get involved directly in and take responsibility for their own learning. Much like the constructivist theorists and thinkers I believe that this active participation in learning is what makes learning more meaningful and that would produce the greatest successes in the classroom. As a general education teacher I have therefore tended to adopt instructional strategies and learning activities that are reflective of this outlook and have attempted as far as possible to ensure that the learners in my classroom are given the relevant life experiences with which they can interact and which they can utilize in constructing their own meanings and understanding of the things around them. I firmly believe that proper planning is the key to success in the classroom. Planning does not only involve preparing a lesson plan, but psychologically preparing for the learners and their needs in the classroom, understanding each learner and being willing to accommodate all, as far as possible, in the learning process. It is through such detailed planning that the correct activities will be designed for an interactive, constructive and cooperative classroom. Reflection on practice Considerable work has been done in the field of cognitive psychology by numerous theorists and researchers. Much of the research has been focused on trying to understand the characteristics of learners, the optimal age and conditions for particular types of learning, the most appropriate teaching and learning strategies and generally and understanding of how learning takes place. Several theorists have attempted to describe the characteristics of learners. Among them Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Albert Bandura and Jerome Bruner and some of the most noted forefathers of thought in this areas. Having worked as a teacher for the some years now, the theorist that has been the most influential on my practice is Jerome Bruner. Bruner’s philosophy emphasizes the concept of discovery learning and simulation. He posits that learning is most effective and meaningful when the learners actively explores issues as opposed to reading from textbooks or lectured to by the teacher (Good & Brophy, 1995). Simulation activities, Bruner suggests, are useful tools for promoting forms of discovery learning. I have found that the use of role-play and skits as simulation activities, have helped me deliver learning targets better than traditional lecture-type methods. Given the nature of the classroom and the variety of abilities and learning styles, I have found that the use of role-play and similar cooperative activities have helped me ensure that all learners are actively involved in the learning process. However, throughout my teaching character I have noticed some deficiencies in my teaching methodology, particularly as it relates to meeting the needs of all the learners in the classroom. I have noticed that while I am able to adequately motivate a portion of the class in each year, I have often been unable to fully motivate the entire class of learners or to introduce activities and strategies that are attractive to all the learners in the classroom. I believe in reflective practice so I often review my teaching methodology, with the help of relevant research and theoretical foundations. I have made whatever adjustments possible as I notice my deficiencies and have consistently been involved in improving my teaching strategies. However, despite my best efforts I have continued to face considerable obstacles in reaching out to some students in my classroom. Often these students were those who could be classified as at risk. They were sometimes from single-parent homes, students with tendencies towards delinquent behaviors and other similar students. There have also been students with noted cognitive or other physical difficulties, for whom the general education classroom, as is, was not adequate. More and more it became evident to me that within the general education classroom there is a diverse mix of students of different socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Furthermore they had a range of abilities and performed to varying degrees of competence. I have acknowledged that, to some extent, I have contributed to the inability of some students to perform as well as others, as a result of my failure to effectively orient lessons to meet the needs of all learners. Another occurrence that has compounded this issue is the new move towards inclusion in the general education classroom. Increasingly more students with learning disabilities are being incorporated into the general education classroom. These changes in the educational framework has meant that needs have to modify their strategies to ensure that the needs of these diverse sets of learners are adequately met within their classroom and that students from all ability levels, achieve prescribed standards. Evolution With the coming on stream of the NCLB act, more attention is being placed on ensuring that classrooms are inclusive and that each learner is allowed to achieve his/her full potential based on individual abilities. The NCLB is a formidable demonstration of the particular interest that the federal government places on education. This issue presents several challenges for teachers in both the general education and the special education classrooms. Special education students are now being incorporated into the general education classroom and even where they remain in special education classrooms students are still required to demonstrate progress similar to that being achieved by the peers who do not have these special needs. Therefore teachers are required to ensure that every learner, despite their abilities or disabilities aspire to the same broad reaching goals and objectives as general education students. It is evident that the act, though it may present several benefits for special education, will also have its limitations. Educators are, however, still required to aim for the target of leaving no child behind. I firmly support the overall spirit of the NCLB act. The overriding principle of the NCLB is that each child registered within the school system must be given all opportunities to develop and to achieve and I agree with this position. To ensure the success of every child and to guarantee that no child is left behind, the act holds educators directly accountable for ensuring that each child aims for and achieves the prescribed standards. Having a particular interest in the development of students I was inspired by the newly emphasized principles of the NCLB act to obtain adequate training in special education so that I am equipped to deal with not only special education students, but the range of abilities that will come into the classroom. These broad reaching goals are of relevance to all involved in the education of children. Motivations to change I wish to develop the know-how and the skills that would help me become a dynamic teacher that is able to hone knowledge, skills and attitudes within learners from different socioeconomic backgrounds, with different cognitive capabilities, with varying physical and cognitive challenges or any multiple needs that may arise in the classroom. Teaching today is becoming more and more challenging. The influences of the teacher and what is taught in the classroom are being eroded by the mass media. The teacher has to compete with newly emerging communication technologies and the internet. The skills that were developed yesterday to tackle learner’s needs in the classroom soon become obsolete. I therefore wish to ensure that I remain on top of the game and continue to be a teaching who attempts to meet the needs of all learners. References Good, T.L.& Brophy, J.E. (1995). Contemporary Educational Psychology. (5th ed.). New York: Longman Publishers.

Global Poverty Essay

Poverty is the condition of not having the means to afford basic human needs e. g. nutrition, clothing, shelter, clean water, healthcare etc. Mahatma Gandhi has previously referred to it as the worst form of violence. Prior to the industrial revolution, poverty had been mostly accepted as inevitable as economies produced little thus making wealth scarce. Today, rises in the cost of living makes poor people less able to afford basic human needs e. g. poor people spend a big portion of their budgets on food in comparison to the rich. It is, however, not enough to blame the poor for their predicament. Governments have also been culpable as they pursue policies that harm successful development. Globalization leads to decisions, policies and practices that are typically influenced, driven or formulated by the rich. These have resulted in a few people getting wealthy while the majority struggle. Poverty is determined by finding the total cost of all essential resources that an average human adult consumes in a year. Poverty threshold or the poverty line is the minimum level of income that is necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country. It is significantly higher in developed countries than it is in the developing world. Poverty threshold is a useful economic tool which measures poverty on a global scale. Poverty was identified by the United Nations early this century as the first of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that each country was to work towards eradicating by 2015. Statistically, this goal still seems a long way off going by current indicators. According to the World Bank Development Indicators 2008, at least 80% of humanity lives on less than $1 a day with more than 80% of the population living in countries where income differentials are widening. It is also prudent to note that the poorest 40% of the world’s population accounts for 5% of global income. The richest 20% account for three-quarters of world income. There are various causes that have been identified as contributing to global poverty. From a historical perspective, most poor countries were vassals of the great colonial powers of the 19th and 20th centuries. At independence, exit strategies by the colonial masters resulted in geographical boundaries that were inspired more by politics than the creation of new states. Too many countries found themselves lacking a critical mass of resources or with the population being landlocked thus explaining why a significant portion of today’s global poverty exists in war torn and post-conflict countries e. g. the Democratic Republic of Congo. Also, the newly independent countries were also denied fair representation in international negotiations either by exclusion or lack of capacity. Global trade rules have obstructed developing countries from reproducing proven models of industrialization with Agriculture, a mainstay of most African economies, being impeded by massive subsidies. Many developing countries have been architects of their own misfortune with self perpetuating kleptomaniac governance which fails to invest in agriculture. The broader lack of institutional capacity and infrastructure hinders delivery of aid programmes and business investments and is responsible for perpetuating global poverty. To aggregate global poverty on a consistent basis, the World Bank calculates an international poverty line by reference to the average of the national poverty lines in 10-20 of the world’s poorest countries. Using data from 2005, the international poverty line of $1. 25 resulted. However, two countries with the largest populations in the world i. e. India and China have adopted national poverty lines which are even lower. India’s approach, for example, is based on the food poverty line which gives a national poverty rate of 28% compared to 42% on the international basis. Based on World Bank figures, the number of people living below the international poverty line of $1. 25 fell from 1. 8 billion to 1. 4 billion between 1990 and 2005. China accounted for 465 million of this reduction implying that poverty had increased elsewhere within the period e. g. in Sub-Saharan Africa, the increase was 100 million. The need to eradicate global poverty stems from religious teaching which finds secular expression in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights which asserts that ‘everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well being of himself and his family’. Another reason that calls for the eradication of global poverty lies in self interest as in a globalized world, countries large and small are interdependent. Extreme poverty leads to international labor migration which on its own can lead to other problems such as spread of disease. International solutions to global poverty include anti-poverty campaigners pressing rich governments to honor promises made in the Millennium Declaration, lobbying for the removal of agricultural subsidies that protect rich farmers at the expense of poor ones. Countries should also be at the fore front of embracing MDG programs so as to build capacity of national and provincial institutions. Two countries with the greatest success in poverty reduction are China and Vietnam even though their strategies are often at odds with western models. The medical profession, which is in the business of saving life and reducing suffering, should lead the world out of the trap of poverty and death from starvation and preventable diseases. The World Bank Development indicators of 2008 point out that infectious disease continue to blight the lives of the poor across the world with an estimated 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS. Also, every year there are 350-500 million cases of malaria with one million fatalities. Africa thus accounts for 90% of malarial deaths with African children accounting for over 80% of malaria victims worldwide. With such grim statistics, it is clear that the medical profession plays a vital role in saving lives in developing countries and this can ultimately lead to poverty eradication as the population which is a critical resource to any country will not be wiped out. Medics are also actively involved in the health of children worldwide especially in poor countries. With 2. 2 million children dying worldwide due to lack of immunization and a greater number of 10. 6 million children dying worldwide before they reach the age of 5, the role of medicine cannot be gainsaid. Further, lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation leads to the annual deaths of 1. 4 million children. By training more health professionals especially in developing countries, curbing such alarming statistics would be made possible. Averting children’s deaths builds a firm foundation for a country in its attempts to escape the clutches of poverty. Doctors can also get involved in highlighting and tackling water problems affecting half of humanity as some 1. 1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water with 2. 6 billion lacking basic sanitation. Sanitation issues have been known to cause 1. 8 million child deaths each year as a result of preventable ailments such as diarrhea. Doctors can help in educating communities on how best to tackle such relatively straightforward problems thus avoiding attendant problems caused by water and sanitation deficits. In conclusion, poverty has the effect of creating a ‘poverty cycle’ which operates across multiple levels i. e. individual, local, national and global with the affected sectors mostly being health, education and housing. Although poverty reduction has historically come about as a result of economic growth, medicine and the medical profession in general ought to be at the forefront of fighting this global scourge as results have shown how much of an impact the programs they run have had an impact on communities around the globe. In the words of Anais Nin ‘If all of us acted in unison as I act individually there would be no wars and no poverty. I have made myself personally responsible for the fate of every human being who has come my way’. In a sense, this is the hallmark of the medical profession.

Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management

Running head: EFFECTIVE APPROACHES IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Marissa Krick Grand Canyon University: NRS-415V November 18, 2012 Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Many healthcare organizations worldwide are striving to achieve magnet designation. Having the magnet title is essential because it recognizes healthcare organizations that act as a â€Å"magnet† for excellence by establishing a work environment that identifies, rewards, and promotes professional nursing (ANCC Magnet Designation, 2012).A magnet hospital is considered to be one where nursing provides excellent patient care, where nurses have a high level of job satisfaction, and where there is a low staff nurse turnover rate. This paper will discuss how nursing leaders and managers obtain magnet designation. Nursing leaders and managers play an important role in attaining magnet designation and take different approaches in order to achieve such status. Obtaining magnet status is essential and highly recognized in the nursing practice today.Nurses play a vital role in patients’ and families’ overall experience and are the primary source of care and support during the most vulnerable times in an individuals’ life. At magnet hospitals, nurses are attentive and knowledgeable, spending more time at patients' bedsides providing compassionate and upmost quality of care. Managers are constantly striving to maintain quality service and patient care through the use of patient surveys in order to plan short and long term objectives in order to take appropriate actions.With the use of patient surveys, managers are able to inform their staff on areas for improvement or where to keep up the good work. Managers provide direction and motivation to their nursing unit in order to carry out desired actions and are focused on making sure that their staff are following the correct policies and procedures in order to maintain a sa fe workplace. Leadership in nursing maintains proper policies and procedures, but the main focus is on influencing staff to accomplish goals. Feature article about  Production ManagementNurse leaders inspire others to work together in quest of a shared goal, for instance, improved patient care. The nurse leader is a critical thinker, sets goals, uses effective communication, and recognizes the emotional needs of others (Roskoski, 2012). Nurse leaders carry out any changes that are to be made that have been implemented by management. Scottsdale Healthcare is an organization of magnet status and is continuously striving to find ways in which to improve patient satisfaction and quality of care.As of October 2011, Scottsdale Healthcare implemented bedside report in order increase patient satisfaction providing the patient and family knowledge in regards to their condition and plan of care in order to set goals for the patients recovery and gives them the ability to ask questions. Prior to bedside report taking effect, management gathered all employees from the unit going over what is to be expected and how bedside report was not only taking effect on our unit alone, but hospital wide.Nursing leaders knew that they had a situation at hand due to the fact that nursing staff was so comfortable in giving report at the nurses station and did not want to wake the patient or deal with a family member, but they remained positive and encouraged staff that this would dramatically change our satisfaction scores. In maintaining patient satisfaction scores, the hospital would qualify for reimbursement from Medicare. The nurse leaders were the one’s who made the transition a smooth process, as the managers just informed staff how things were going to be.The nurse leaders give others the ability to understand the vision, informing those of why they are being asked to do things, and how it relates to the bigger picture (The difference between leadership and management, 2012). In order to maintain magnet status, managers and nurse leaders must work together in order to meet the necessary requirements. With imple menting bedside report, not only have patient satisfaction scores increased, the rapport between patient and nurse and quality of care has increased as well.Organizations such as Scottsdale Healthcare are recognized for treating their employees with respect and encourage educational growth in offering tuition reimbursement. With upholding magnet status, organizations are able to keep their employees when given the ability to offer such programs. This writer has been an employee at Scottsdale Healthcare for five years now and has seen many changes take effect on the unit implemented by the nurse manager striving to increase patient satisfaction. Changes that have occurred on the unit consist of edside reporting, hourly rounding, and updated white boards for patient information, just to name a few. Within the past couple of months, patient satisfaction scores have decreased and management is not happy. The nurse managers have informed staff that if hourly rounding, bedside reporting, and updating white boards are not being completed employees will be reprimanded. The nurse managers have been going into patient rooms asking the patients if their nurse has been performing the tasks as listed above, and take it upon themselves to tell the patient that if these tasks are not being performed, then the nurse could possibly be terminated.With all the negative feedback from the managers, nurses are becoming burned out. The nurse managers want to see an increase in outcomes, but drive to do so is lacking from constant negative feedback. At the last staff meeting, we were informed that if patient outcomes did not increase, then we need to start looking for employment because there are other individuals out there that would love to have our position. On the other hand, the nurse leaders acknowledge the irritation of decreased satisfaction scores, but go above and beyond to build up morale for a positive change.Those who take the time to listen to others and incorporate way s to improve issues on the unit are considered as participatory leaders. This leadership style includes the leader and one or more employees in the decision making process (Leadership Styles, 2010). As a team, the nurse leader and employees will be able to come up with a plan on ways to improve patient satisfaction, with the nurse leader having the final say. All in all, managers and nurse leaders ultimately have the same goal; it is just the difference in approaches and how one handles stress.A nurse leader wants to provide assistance in any way possible, they are creative and remain positive, whereas, nurse managers will stay completely focused on improving situations and are more controlling not providing any assistance. This writer believes that she is a better leader than manager. Participatory leadership is this writers way of dealing with situations at hand. Effective communication and taking into consideration the feelings of others along with providing a helping hand whenev er in need is of upmost importance to this writer.A way that patient satisfaction scores could increase on the unit that this writer works on is if the managers took a different approach in how they speak to their staff creating a different vibe on the floor rather than biting your tongue every time you see their face. However, it is very possible that due to the clientele we provide care to, a lot of them suffer addiction problems and often times request more medications than what we are able to give. These unhappy patients are more than likely the ones who return the patient satisfaction surveys, therefore, resulting in poor satisfaction scores.Leadership and management play an important role in the nursing process, but their focus is different depending on the situation. Nurse managers and leaders strive for doing the right thing and doing things right. With the dramatic and rapid changes in healthcare today, possessing critical thinking, active listening, and coping skills are e ssential in the nursing workforce. Together, leaders and managers need to imagine the future and lead the way to a productive and well-organized unit with satisfied employees in order to maintain magnet status. References ANCC Magnet Designation. (2012). Meridian Health.Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. meridianhealth. com/MH/ForHealthProfessionals/NursingAtMeridian/ANCCMagnetDesignation. cfm Leadership Styles. (2010). Big Dog and Little Dog’s Performance Juxtaposition. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. nwlink. com/~donclark/leader/leadstl. html Roskoski, J. (2012). What Is Nursing Leadership?. eHow. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. ehow. com/about_6579387_nursing-leadership_. html The difference between leadership and management. (2012). Strategies for Nurse Managers. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. strategiesfornursemanagers. com/ce_detail/208037. cfm

Sport Obermeyer Minimum

Wally Obermeyer is facing a challenge in accurately forecasting the market response and demand for the upcoming season. Historically, the company founder, Klaus Obermeyer, relied minimally on forecast data, and more on intuition and artistic tastes. In comparison, his son Wally prefers to make decisions based on analytical techniques and information gathering.If Wally’s approach proves successful, it can change how Sport Obermeyer approaches its manufacturing processes, secure its position long-term as the middle- to high-end producer of skiwear, increase profits, and better meet the company’s objective of delivering matching collections to retailers at the same time and earlier in the season. Sport Obermeyer has many challenges to overcome. Forecasting is problematic since production commitments are required in November, but the bulk of the orders are not placed by retailers until the Las Vegas trade show in the following March.Also, the market trends are seasonal, cha nging frequently, and adding to the difficulty in forecasting. The company cannot postpone production completion dates due to the quota limit on importation of goods from China, where a bulk of its production occurs. Adding further complications to the manufacturing decisions, the company has a new manufacturing facility coming online in Hong Kong, and must determine what products, and how much of those products should be manufactured in each of the facilities. Issues with vendors of raw materials must be addressed.There are long lead times for some vendors, and because of that, excess inventory is maintained in the manufacturing facilities. The company must also maintain a competitive edge with the growing pressure from competitors, specifically Columbia. Sport Obermeyer has relied on a buying committee comprised of key manager to forecast production demands, and make decisions regarding production commitments. Historically, this committee has done fairly well in predicting which s tyles will be popular, and forecasting has been best for the styles on which agreement was greatest between the committee members.In order to take the greatest advantage of this committee, Wally Obermeyer is utilizing the Delphi method. This method will give Wally the opportunity to determine which members of the committee have the greatest accuracy. While it may not pay off in the immediate decisions, over several years, he will be able to determine which members’ opinions should receive the greatest weight when making production decisions. In the meantime, a decision must be made regarding the upcoming season.Wally should proceed with the minimum order necessary, one-half of the total expected demand for the season (10,000 units), to keep up with production demands. Since the minimum production quantity for a style is 600 units from the Hong Kong facility, Wally should initially only consider production of styles predicted to exceed this limit until the bulk of the order co me in following the Las Vegas show. In doing so, the risk of overproducing a style, and being forced to sell it at a deficit will be mitigated. Past data indicates the buying committee’s forecast is accurate within two standard deviations.Using these forecasts, Sport Obermeyer should delay production of the Isis, Teri, and Stephanie styles since they demand is forecasted to be low for them, and proceed with the remainder of the items in consideration (See Table 1 for quantities relating to each style). Forecasting also has difficulties due to the delay in information from retailers regarding which products are most popular. Long-term, and if financially feasible, Sport Obermeyer should consider providing retailers responsible for the majority of purchases of their good with software that will provide Sport Obermeyer with real-time data on sales of its product.By doing so, the company will better be able to predict what items are desired for replenishment orders, and greatly r educe goods sold to South America at prices below manufacturing costs. Furthermore, Sports Obermeyer can approach retailers sooner regarding replenishment orders based upon the data it has collected. If replenishment orders are received sooner, then the cost of shipment is greatly reduced since fewer will require air shipment. Lastly, the company should take an active role in influencing the demand of products it forecasts as being most popular to ensure these items are in high demand.Sport Obermeyer should pressure its sales force to promote these items by providing incentives, such as bonuses, to its personnel. If need be, the company can also provide discounts for large bulk orders to retailers. Lastly, the company should heavily promote these items via advertisements campaigns. Sport Obermeyer needs to be able to keep up with production demand, and in the case the company is overly successful in pushing the styles it predicts to be in highest demand, resulting in Sport Obermeyer needs to be able to meet the production demands generated.The manufacturing facility in China can produce goods much more cheaply than the facility in Hong Kong, but the quality and startup time are inferior to the Hong Kong facility. Obersport, a joint venture of Sport Obermeyer, is responsible for monitoring quality of the raw materials, and coordinating production Sport Obermeyer products in the Far East. Obersport should implement and expand upon its current quality control and quality assurance practices.Sport Obermeyer should pare down the variation in its products to reduce the frequency in changing manufacturing lines resulting in the facility in China being able to complete orders faster. Sport Obermeyer needs to reduce the planning time required for each season. Currently, planning for a season must start two years in advance. This is a hindrance to the company since forecasting data improves as the start of the season being planned for becomes closer. Reducing the number of vendors for raw materials, as well as the variety of styles available will shorten the time for planning.Furthermore, Sport Obermeyer will be ordering more from a few vendors, giving them greater buyer power to negotiate discounts, resulting in increased profits. Reducing the variety in the raw materials used should increase quality in addition to speeding up production. Long-term, after lead time and vendor issues are resolved, Sport Obermeyer should consider spinning off another brand within the company to be marketed separately from its current line. As costs for manufacturing are reduced due to a more streamlined production process, Sport Obermeyer will be better able to compete at the same price point as Columbia.By creating a new brand, the company will not risk reducing the reputation for quality associated with Sport Obermeyer, but will be able to compete directly with Columbia and take part of its market share. This move will increase sales for Sport Obermeyer, as well as limit the growth of Columbia. Furthermore, Sport Obermeyer should consider producing street wear for both the current high-end brand and the lower-end brand that will compete with Columbia. This will expand the markets to which Sport Obermeyer is competing in, and increase visibility of the brands since the clothing will be worn year round.Sport Obermeyer places production orders three times each season. The first order is placed prior to the Las Vegas trade show, the second is placed the week following the trade show, and the third comes at the end of the season when replenishment orders are made. Short-term, until quality and vendor issues are resolved, Sport Obermeyer should place the first order with the Hong Kong manufacturing facility. The labor in the Hong Kong facility is significantly higher than the facility in China, but the quality is better in Hong Kong.Also, the Hong Kong facility is able to produce goods faster. The second order should be placed with the facility i n China to take advantage of the markedly reduced labor costs. The third order should be placed in Hong Kong since these orders need to be produced quickly to reduce the use of expensive air shipment in lieu of using an ocean carrier. Long-term, if Sport Obermeyer elects to pursue a spinoff brand, the lower quality product should be manufactured in China to take advantage of the reduced cost of production.The Hong Kong labor force should have increased labor skills by this point, and production output should be optimized. The Hong Kong facility should continue to produce the high-end Sport Obermeyer lines. Even though the cost of production will be greater in the Hong Kong facility, the revenues generated by this facility should be greater since the high-end clothing can be offered at a higher price point. Sport Obermeyer has many problems to address, but with just a few adjustments, they can be rectified. By paring down the variety of options in the lines, quality will be increased .Forecasting is improved by implementing the Delphi method in the Buying Committee, and adding a weighted accuracy measurement to the Committee members in future seasons. Reducing the number of vendors remedies the excessively long lead times, and provides Obersport with buyer power to negotiate discounts. Providing the primary purchasers of Sport Obermeyer products with free software for tracking sales allows Sport Obermeyer to better predict replenishment orders, and eliminates much of the use of air carriers, as well as eliminates overproduction of goods that are sold below manufacturing cost.By creating a second brand, Sport Obermeyer can compete directly with Columbia, and not tarnish the image of quality associated with its current lines. Lastly, Sport Obermeyer can drive sales toward the items it predicts will be popular by offering incentives to sales personnel, large customers, and launching advertisement campaigns to also eliminate overproduction and lost revenues. Table 1 : Recommendation of order quantity for each style of Parka considered by the Buying Committee.Since orders had to be placed in Hong Kong where a 600 unit amount is needed, the styles of Isis, Teri, and Stephanie were ignored in the order placement for the first phase of production due to uncertainty of need. Style| Average Forecast| 2SD| k=1| k=0. 9675| Gail| 1017| 388| 629| 642| Isis| 1042| 646| 396*| –| Entice| 1358| 496| 862| 878| Assault| 2525| 680| 1845| 1867| Teri| 1100| 762| 338*| –| Electra| 2150| 807| 1343| 1369| Stephanie| 1113| 1048| 65*| –| Seduced| 4017| 1113| 2904| 2940| Anita| 3296| 2094| 1202| 1270| Daphne| 2383| 1394| 989| 1034| Total| | | 9774*| 10001| | I

Sibling Rivalry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sibling Rivalry - Essay Example Parents should properly take care of their children and should be careful in providing equal attention to all of them so that none of the children feels left out or deprived in any way. Sibling rivalry starts from very early ages when children start fighting. This competition goes on between children and it can continue throughout their lifetime that is they keep on competing with their siblings. It can result from undue attention being provided to one of the children and the other one feels discriminated or it can also be due to the fact that one child is more intellectual than the other and he receives more praise and attention. The other child hence starts dealing with it in his own way which leads to fights. This competition can start from a very early age and it can mostly be seen in children who have a very small age difference and hence are together most of the time. This problem can have a psychological impact and it can lead to isolating one of the siblings. Hence this problem should be understood and dealt with. Parents can play a leading role in solving this problem. They should understand the fact that all children should be taken care of equally. They should work towards bringing together the siblings and reducing their differences. If they praise one of the children for his intelligence, the other child should also be supported in a manner and told that he can also work hard and achieve similar results. Hence all the children should be given attention and they should all be praised considering the fact that every child is gifted in his own way. This is the most effective method for dealing with this condition because it is the parents themselves who can know best about their children and their demands. It needs to be understood that most of the siblings in their childhood spend more time with each other than they do with their parents. Hence it is