Compare the Ways the in Which the Writers of Flight

Compare the Ways the in which the Writers of Flight and Compass and Torch show Characters coming to terms with growing up. Growing up will always be a greatly discussed topic for writers, regardless of genre, time period or their own personal experiences. Stories about growing up have been a part of fiction throughout history, with great authors such as J. M Barrie, CS Lewis and even Stephen King adding their own contributions. The pieces discussed in this essay have very different views on growing up and are told from very different perspectives.One from an elderly man wishing his granddaughter would stay young forever and one from a young boy trying to be much older then his respective years. Flight, by Doris Lessing, is the story of an old man’s struggle to accept his granddaughters desire to get married and his own negative feelings on marriage. Lessing was raised in Zimbabwe in the 1930’s, by a mother determined to keep a strict Edwardian lifestyle, which may have been responsible for Lessing‘s opinions on marriage. Lessing is quoted saying â€Å"There is a whole generation of women and it was as if their lives came to a stop when they had children. DorisLessing. org, 2012, [online]. The protagonist, the Grandfather, has similarities in his opinions to that of Lessing’s own. Which is that marriage is for when you are ready to give up on a life of your own. Compass and Torch, by Elizabeth Baines, is the story of a camping trip between a young boy and his father. The pair have not spent time alone together since the father’s divorce from the boy’s mother, a year earlier. Their relationship has been damaged by their estrangement which they both are trying to repair, although they are not capable of it in just one night.The primary character of the story is the boy, with the majority of the story being told from his perspective. Both of the authors use characterisation as a method to portray the theme of growing up. In Flight, the grandfather is upset at his youngest granddaughter’s longing to grow up and move out, it is shown in this quote from his internal monologue ‘now the house would be empty, gone all the young girls with their laughter and their squabbling and their teasing. He would be left, uncherished and alone. He feels abandoned by her, he is the only mentioned male family member and it assumed that he is the father figure to his grandchildren. His perspective is from a person left behind by the person growing up rather than the person who is growing up, which is less common in fiction. By the end of the story the grandfather has become more accepting of the change, which is illustrated by his release of the pigeons. The boy in Compass and Torch is the focus of Baines’s story. He is eight years old and trying to act like a grown man.He is striving to convince his father and himself that he is a man and equal. ‘In which he and his father will be two menâ€℠¢ is just one example of his determination to be seen as a man. The attempt at equality is his way of adjusting to his changed relationship with his father. In contrast when he is at home with his mother he acts the most mature, especially with his stepfather Jim, ‘‘Yes’ said the boy, forcing himself to acknowledge Jim’s kindness and affirmation. ’ is a example of the boy showing a surprising amount of maturity for an eight year old.Differing from Flight, the boy does not have a epiphany at the end of the story and it is assumed he will continue his attempts at maturity when he wakes. The language style varies in the two pieces. In Compass and Torch, Baines switches the narrative between the view points of her characters, mostly from the perspective of the boy but with brief insights into what the father is thinking and occasionally the horses. In Flight, Lessing writes from the outlook of the Grandfather, with the entirety of the story filled with h is actions and thoughts.This fits with the aims of the two pieces, Flight being about the grandfathers opinions and emotional journey, in contrast, Compass and Torch is about the changed relationship between the two individuals, so the switching narrative fits with the theme of story. Both of the writers use very evocative imagery in the stories. In Compass and Torch, ‘Beyond the gate is the open moor, pale in the early evening with bleached end-of-summer grass, bruised here and there with heather and ge-old spills of purple granite’ is the first example of many suggestive descriptions that conjure images of the dark rugged terrain, it is not a coincidence that the description fits with the Snowdonia mountains in Baines’s native Wales. She uses the wilds as a metaphor for the uncharted terrain the man and boy are negotiating in their new relationship, in contrast to the stable and homely setting when the boy is at home with his mother. Similarly, Flight has very a descriptive setting but with much bolder and brighter colours than the dark greys and greens of Compass and Torch. The dark red soil’, ‘a stream of rich green grass’ and ’the pink flowers’ all set a bright and idyllic tone to the railway cottage and surrounding land where the story is set. Lessing’s metaphor is different to Baines’s, Lessing’s colourful home represents the childhood and innocence of the granddaughter. It’s isolated location adding to the image of safety against the intrusion of the outside world, its maturity and corrupting influence. Baines’s use’s her control of information in the Compass and Torch much more than Lessing.In Flight, the only glaring lack of information is the fate of the Grandfather and his daughters respective spouses. There is no mention implied or otherwise of the former‘s wife. ‘I was married at seventeen and I never regretted it (said his daughter), Liarà ¢â‚¬â„¢ he said. ‘Liar. Then you should regret it,’ implies that the daughter’s was an unhappy marriage in the eyes of the Grandfather or at least she was too young and he wishes his granddaughter could avoid her mistake.If the writer had included what had happened, we might sympathise with either the Grandfather or his daughter but it is left out, as it is not a story about fact, it is a story about the Grandfather’s feelings and that would distract from the point. Baines is much stricter with what information she gives the reader, but there is a very clear aim to her lack of detail. The only name we are given is that of Jim the step dad, the members of the family are nameless. The divorce details are left out. The reason why the dad has been absent and his current relationship status is unknown.All of this undefined detail creates the ability for the reader to relate to the story easier and attach their own experiences. In one instance, a fellow student found herself empathising with the mother, who is not the warmest of the characters, as she knows how she feels when allowing her own child to visit her father. This was Baines’s aim, the fact that the dad is the very archetype of the strong male character type and the boy, a very familiar personality to anyone with experience of eight year old boys trying to impress someone, all help the story be more accessible to the reader.There are recurring patterns running throughout both of the pieces, which the authors use to tie in their themes of growing up. The pigeons in Flight are a metaphor for the grandfather trying to control and protect his granddaughter, ‘feeling the cold coral claws tighten around his finger. Content, he rested the bird lightly on his chest,’ shows he was happiest when his granddaughter is holding on to him as tightly as he was holding her, but now the relationship has changed and he’s holding on to her alone.At the end of the story whe n he release the pigeons, it is his way of symbolising his reluctant acceptance of her leaving. All though ‘She was staring at him’ and ‘He saw the tears run shivering off her face’ indicates that now that he has let her go and she is free to pursue her adulthood, she is frightened to go on without him. Lessing turns the tables there, showing the other side that the girls desire for independence is not all she thought it was going to be. In Compass and Torch, the pattern is the recurring interference of the horses.They are totems for the mistakes the boy and the man are making. The dad is in so much pain and scared that he is losing his son that he is ignoring his son’s attempts at bonding, its shown in the line ’the horse comes up to the car,’ ‘The man bats her away,’ he repeatedly ignores the horse like he ignores his son. The boy has a different problem, he is so obsessed at being a man like his dad that he forgets to be a child, ‘(the horse) provides a close up display that could easily fascinate an eight-year-old boy’ which the boy ignores ‘eyes only for the man. The horses show that the man is the one who needs to grow up, stop wallowing in self pity and try and connect with his son, that way the son will be able to stop trying to be a man and enjoy his childhood which is surely what the dad would prefer. Growing up is explored from two very different perspectives in the stories, both deal with accepting the reality of the situation rather then what the characters would prefer. The grandfather has to accept his granddaughters growing up and the son has to accept he is not a man just yet.

Conflict: Anarchism and Long Lasting Aftermaths

Conflict can have tragic consequences for ordinary people In society’s composition, ordinary people establish the majority of the population creating the base of the group. When faced with challenges and conflict stemming from others in the same faction, they are affected and met with the consequences of the conflict. These effects may have tragic consequences to ordinary people with long lasting aftermaths such as portrayed in ‘Paradise Road’ and throughout history. Conflict, however, comes in different forms and arrangements with varying views and purposes.This signifies that not all consequences of conflict is disastrous, and can have a valuable effect on ordinary people. The characters in ‘Paradise Road’ are essentially ordinary civilians of countries torn in war that were thrust into situations that ended with tragic consequences. From the beginning scenes the women are portrayed living luxurious but sheltered lives, following that they were plun ged into the devastating prisoner’s camp showing the drastically altered life style they endured.Throughout the film the women are exposed to the unfamiliar brutality of humans, creating long lasting effects on their psychological mindset. This is seen from the ruthless death of Wing, having been caught getting medicinal tablets for Mrs Roberts. Due to the innocent and charitable nature of the act, the dreadful punishment for Wing was a surprise and vicious shock to the other women as it was nothing like their previous experiences, establishing the brutal nature of humans and course of the film.From this scene however, the idea that ‘conflict brings out the best in people’ could also be seen as Wing self-sacrificed herself. Additionally, despite the cruel conducts and treatment, the idea that ‘The survivors of conflict are true heroes’ is also brought to light as the women that were released held on til the end, surviving through will power and each other’s help and not giving into using their bodies. Evidently, although conflict can have tragic consequences on ordinary people, it can also have encouraging effects on them.Although conflict has the capacity to develop tragic consequences for average people, it additionally has positive effects on thousands of ordinary citizens around the nation. The African-American Civil Rights Movement in the United States began in 1955 due to racial prejudice and inequality, it aimed for the prohibition of discrimination and the right for African Americans to vote. The immense struggle for equal rights included many ordinary citizens throughout the nation and came in the form of nonviolent protests and marches.The confrontation lasted almost a decade and involved ordinary citizens of all nations as it sparked worldwide recognition for its aim. In 1964 the Civil Rights Act was passed allowing basic civil rights for all Americans, signifying the success of the struggle for all Americans regardless of race. This indicates that even for those not involved, the outcome affected their lives in a positive manner along with the idea that conflict not just has tragic consequences for ordinary people, but beneficial effects for them as well.Ordinary people are affected by conflict all over the world and whether the outcome is positive or negative for the particular individual, it is defined by the nature of the conflict and the possibilities it holds. Conflict does have the power to bring devastating consequences to some in many cases but there are also cases in which conflict brings about change in a positive manner with valuable and favourable effects for the individual. To define the outcome of conflict in a dichromatic way is futile as all cases will have varying components and possibilities with each action that plays on the result of the conflict.

Movie Review Inception

Movie Review Essay â€Å"Inception† is a 2010 science fiction summer blockbuster filmed in various locations, such as Tokyo, France, Los Angeles, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The box office hit was directed by London-born Christopher Jonathan James Nolan, who is well-known for the cult classic, â€Å"Memento†, and his â€Å"Dark Knight† films. Along with American cinematographer, Walter â€Å"Wally† Pfister, equally well-known in his area of expertise, the motion picture has received critical acclaim. Nolan's interest in noir and abstract thought is apparent in many of his films, and â€Å"Inception† is no exclusion. As it is a film about dreams and cons, Nolan's style is incredibly fitting. Pfister, who has worked as the cinematographer for almost all of Nolan's films, adds to the movie's high quality with his characteristic use of dark tones and lighting, which only increases the movie's intrigue. Together, the two powerhouses team up once again to produce an incredible motion picture which has won numerous awards, such as the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. â€Å"Inception† is the story of a corporate spy by the name of Dom Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who came to fame in the movie, â€Å"Titanic†). However, what is particular about Cobb is that he doesn't merely enter a company's building in search of commercial secrets. He actually enters the minds of his targets while they are asleep and extracts the data he wants via conning and deceiving. But now, wanted for murder and unable to see his children due to his circumstances, he is offered the opportunity to regain his old life if he manages to accomplish the impossible: ‘inception', the planting of an idea into a target's mind, which then takes roots and grows. Gathering a group of specialist to assist him, Cobb begins to plan inception into the mind of a wealthy businessman. The camera angles of the movie were rather simple. Most of the shots were so that the character's face was directed at the viewer while said character talked to another. On a screen, the eyes of the actor would be level with that of the audience. However, there are some scenes that are completely opposite, particularly near the latter half of the movie, where more action tended to be focused upon. Although not as common, but highly interesting, ou'd see aerial shots of the surroundings. It gave a very desolate, mysterious feel to the film, while also informing the viewer about where the characters are. I found that the camera angles were okay, with a few that exceeded my expectations. Continuity was smooth, with talking scenes being fluid and dramatic and action scenes being erratic and ever changing, as how I like my movies to be. It was what you'd expect out of the t ypical talking and action scenes. The long moments of talking or silence between characters created a sense of depth. The short moments of running or fighting allowed you to lean forward in anticipation. I felt like the continuity did what it was suppose to do. Although, there were some moments, particularly in the first half, which I felt were rather awkward. The talking scenes in the beginning were rather quick and keep changing from one character to the next, and I was so caught in trying to figure out the plotline, that I didn't even figure out the main character's name until the credits. Cutting, I noticed, was very prominent in the latter half of the motion picture. It made sense, as with the plotline and story the way it is, it definitely made the movie better as the whole. It added to the tension and sense of heart pounding â€Å"Oh-my-word-come-on-you-only-have-5-seconds-to-do-that-gah†. Not only is that, but it allowed the viewer to keep up with the characters' actions, which is very nice if you have a particular character you think is cool. I like Eames, the smart-aleck of the group, so I liked to know what was happening to him and seeing that he wasn't going to die and all that. Close-ups were generally seen in talking scenes, allowing the audience to focus on the emotions and reactions of the character. There was rarely a moment where the camera zoomed in on something that wasn't an organism, something that lived and breathed. In this aspect of the movie, I found it to be either boring or heart-breaking. In my opinion, how good the close-ups were was completely dependent on the actress and actor's ability to perform. If I became aware that they were trying to look sad, rather than felt that the character was distraught, I felt like the close-up wasn't a particularly mart move. I noticed that the composition of â€Å"Inception† was rather dark. Light was played with and created shadows that revealed parts of the character's body, while the other was engulfed in darkness. Objects were always placed far away as to create a feeling of isolation, while managing to focus in on the character the camera was directed at. I really, really enjoyed the compositi on. I believed it worked wonders for the story's overall feeling. It allowed for dark and desolate tone to be even more pronounced. Inception really loves its slow motion scenes. However, considering that it can be a rather fast-moving movie, it does have its uses. Although there was one particular scene near the beginning that made me raise an eyebrow, I found that most of them were rather cool-looking. Considering that the characters were essentially stepping into a dream world, where everything is possible, the slow motions displayed all the strange and exciting so your eyes could feast in the wonderfulness of it all. The color scheme tended to lean towards neutral, yet somehow gave off a very sharp feel to it. There was also a low contrast, although it was most apparent near the end, with a particularly monochromatic feel to it. Textures were interesting to see when things began to lead towards the rising action. As for space, I felt like there was always a foreground and background, but not so much a middle ground. I suppose this was due to the incredible amount of talking. Shape was super incredibly awesome. Then again, it's a plotline about going into the dream world, so obviously the minds behind the work would take advantage of the ability to play around with the world they created. Either way, your mouth would drop at some of the things they twisted, the architecture in particular. In fact, the architecture is one of the most interesting things in the whole movie. As stated before, the movie played around with shadows a lot. There were a lot of highlights in â€Å"Inception†, particularly on the face. The characters are always slightly off center on the screen and there are generally only one or two characters in a single shot. I like to think it just furthers the idea of the isolated feel to the movie. Buildings are towering and rather rectangle in shape, giving off a feel of aloofness. The special effects are in high gear when the characters enter the mind of the wealthy businessman. Things explode, crumble apart, and all that jazz: The essentials for any type of action movie. It's fantastic. My particular favorite is when they do these anti-gravity shots and you see the characters walking upside down and floating in mid-air. Although I found some aspects of the cinematography to be average or lacking, it fully makes up in other ways. The composition and special effects are wicked awesome and I could see why the film won an Academy Award in Cinematography.

CRJS471IP4 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CRJS471IP4 - Research Paper Example Coronary heart disease deteriorates one’s health by narrowing the arteries because of gradual build-up of fatty material within the walls. Eventually, enough oxygen-rich blood is not adequately delivered into the heart. Again, if a piece of atheroma breaks off from the arteries, there will be blood clot and blockage. In the event that the coronary artery is blocked and the supply of the oxygen-rich blood gets to the heart muscle, the heart may become permanently damaged. This is commonly known as heart attack (WHO, 2014 a). Stroke affects human health by interfering with the supply of blood to part of the brain, so that the brain is deprived of oxygen and needed nutrients. Brain cells also become damaged and die. Stroke also subjects the human body to weaknesses, clumsiness and paralysis, disturbed vision, cognitive difficulties and incontinence, among other health drawbacks. There are several risk factors that cause of these deaths as shall be seen in the discussion that follows. For one, the chief cause of lung cancer in Germany is the rise of consumption of tobacco. Similarly, the commonest causes of coronary heart disease are unhealthy eating habits and the consumption of junk food, smoking and a rise in sedentary lifestyles. The same case applies to stroke (WHO, 2014 b). Whether Germany has had recent outbreaks will depend on how the word recent is qualified. If the word recent means a time frame not exceeding five years, then the answer will be in the affirmative. This is because, in 2009, Germany had a swine flu

Capital Investment Thesis Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Capital Investment - Thesis Proposal Example The capital investment project related to health that is selected for this paper is expansion and renovation of a diagnostic and imaging department. Effective imaging services in an emergency department begin by having enough space to cater for the high number of emergency cases. The imaging departments are known to offer a wide range of services and thus implying that they expect a high number of patients. Their services can be used in the treatment of different diseases, and injuries (Colchester East Hants Health Authority, 2014). The expansion diagnostic imaging department will be vital in creating enough space for emergency imaging services and providing enough room for new CT scanners. The room will be helpful in establishing modern environment in diagnostic imaging and ensure current standards in this emergency department are addressed. Creation of more space will also be helpful in ensuring that the issue of transferring inpatients to other hospitals is reduced. Third, there will be control and prevention of infections. The expansion will also lead to a new work environment, which will help recruit new emergency specialists and physicians. It will encourage a patient centred experience. Furthermore, there will be an opportunity to ensure that the emergency department for imaging responds to the community increasing needs. Last, it will help develop space for an ambulatory clinic. In funding capital expenditures, there are multiple sources that can be adopted (Sullivan & Steven, 2005. The source used will depend on the needs of the organization and the existence of other projects. In funding for this project, there can be an advance planning so that its funding can be considered in the coming fiscal year. In this regard, the hospital can decide and set some amount that will cater for the project for a given in time. In addition, the funds from this source can be used to supplement

TESCO UK Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

TESCO UK - Assignment Example Company Profile TESCO is a well diversified company working in many different ventures; it has over the years created a great deal of value in the eyes of their customers. â€Å"Tesco operates 923 stores and employs 240,000 people, giving us access to a population of 260 million across our nine markets. Over the past five years, we have expanded from our traditional UK supermarket base into new countries, products and services, including a major non-food business, personal finance and internet shopping. The increasing scale and internationalization of our sales and purchasing operations makes a significant contribution to our efficiency and profitability, as we progress towards our long-term goal of becoming a truly international retailer† (Global Sources). Tesco is a huge British retailer having strong business operation around the globe. It is considered as the third largest retailer globally based upon the revenue that it generates. It was started in the year 1919 by Jack C ohen as a simplified grocery store until 1924 when the Tesco brand was initially launched in 1924. Its first store was opened up in 1929 in Burnt Oak, Edgware, Middlesex. In 1947, it was introduced into the London Stock Exchange and made public and this floatation started the great success story of Tesco plc which has now emerged as one of the top most renowned supermarket chain in not just United Kingdom but the entire world. The first supermarket under the name of Tesco was opened in 1956 in Maldon. Since that time period, the company has operated such smoothly that it has created standards and is nowadays considered as a benchmark for many of its industry competitors. Over the years, the company took over many other supermarkets to make itself a leader in the United Kingdom region (tescoplc.com). Environment Analysis The environment may be divided into three layers: the macro environment; industry or sector; competitors and markets. All these layers interact with each other withi n themselves. When considering the macro-environment factors for TESCO the basis of analysis to be used is the PESTEL analysis. This model uses broad headings such as: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal; to analyze an organization’s macro-environment. Macro-Environmental Analysis Political Each and every company in which TESCO operates has a different political risk because of the fact that different countries have different political policies which can be either beneficial or can be harmful for TESCO’S operations. For TESCO to operate in different countries, the political influence depends upon the stability of the current government. TESCO Lotus in Thailand has delivered strong growth during the year 2008-09 despite Thailand’s weakening economy and the uncertainty involved with the stability of the Thai government. TESCO’s operation in UK, Ireland and few other countries; with respect to competition have been continuousl y scrutinized by the competition authorities. TESCO’s management has kept itself up to date with respect to any changes in the political uncertainties and has kept them in mind when developing their long-term strategies. TESCO has remained cautious to future changes and has engaged itself with governmental and non-governmental organizations to keep ahead with respect

Ethics and Stakeholder Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethics and Stakeholder Management - Essay Example The concept of ethics is very important during the contemporary period in the operations of any given organisation. Socially responsible businesses ought to create a balance between the protection of the interests of the consumers as well as their objectives of making profits. However, the issue of ethics is somehow controversial in that there may be conflicts whereby people may disagree over a certain issue with regards to the right course of action that can be taken. There are mixed feelings over one issue whereby others see nothing wrong about it while others view it as wrong which presents an ethical dilemma to the organisation. As such, an ethical dilemma arises when there is an unresolved interpretation of an ethical issue (Arens, 1996). This is a situation when people have different perceptions over a particular issue. In this particular case, a computer manufacturer decides not to market a new chip that would enable computers to be upgraded. This entails that there is no need for a new computer and this reduces electronic waste. However, this will lead to a reduction in the sales of the computers which means a definite reduction in revenues in the short term. On the other hand, the long-term pay-off is uncertain and this has presented an ethical dilemma to the organisation. In this case, the organisation is finding it difficult to market the new chip though it will benefit the majority of the people at the expense of their need to protect the business interests of the company such as its profitability. In view of this given scenario, it can be noted that to a certain extent, there is no universal agreement of what constitutes good things from bad. Certain incidences sometime arise where people often view the same thing from different perspectives (Hiti, 1999). However, in as far as business is concerned, it can be noted that the main objective is to attain profit goals whereby ethics are at times compromised for financial gains. Theoretically, there are different ethical theories that can be applied to this case but the most ideal is utilitarian ethical theory. According to this theory, â€Å"the choice that yields the greatest benefit to the majority of people is ethically,† (Rainbow, 2002). As such, this ethical theory posits to the effect that organisations should encourage the people to work towards the outcomes that will benefit the majority of the people that are affected by the operations of a given organisation. It has to be borne in mind that businesses are concerned with serving their own interests as well as the interests of the stakeholders which should not be compromised for financial gains alone. The right course of action will be to follow the guidelines that will yield benefits to the majority of people not only the concerns of the company alone. The utilitarian theory suggests that the organisation ought to be guided by values as well as principles that will incline it to act in a certain way which makes it different from the other organisations.  

Mobile VoIP and WiMAX Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Mobile VoIP and WiMAX - Research Paper Example By definition a protocol is a set of rules that is used to allow orderly communication (Kelly, 2005). Actually, even if another type of network is used, the same set of internet protocols are used to transmit voice over that particular network. In the present era, mobile phones have revolutionized the world in many ways. It is mainly because of the portability and comfort it offers. People pay huge sum of money to buy those classy and slim mobiles. It has actually become a status symbol. Mobile phone is more than just a call and texting device. With all the latest apps and android processors, mobile serve many multimedia purposes, therefore, further increasing its worth and demand. Keeping these factors in mind many VoIP service providers looked into new ways of integrating their technology with mobile phones. This will enable the user to use their mobile phones to route calls over the internet. This is known as Mobile VoIP. This term can be defined as a procedure of applying VoIP te chnology to your mobile handsets (Tracey, 2008). But it requires the mobile user to have access to mobile internet via 3G networks or Wi-Fi. To understand why many VoIP service providers turned towards mobile VoIP, it is important to dig up few years of VoIP market history. It is interesting to know that most of the giants in the mobile VoIP today did not started as mobile VoIP service providers. For example, Skype is one of the largest mobile VoIP providers today and it evolved in this particular market over the years of struggle and experimentation. Skype started to provide its services as Skype-to-Skype free calls that would require both users to use a computer and internet connection. By the beginning of 2008 Skype had 276 million registered users around the world who had talked over 100 billion minutes using this service. There is little

Audit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Audit - Assignment Example In the course of the financial statements audit, an auditor is subject to the audit risk and he/she commits it if his/her audit opinion is inappropriate. This arises where the financial statements are materially misstated, making them be presented unfairly and fail to conform with the applicable financial reporting framework. To this extent, this paper aims at identifying the possible audit risks as presented in the case of Cupcake Co and the possible actions that the auditor is likely to take in each case. It will also discuss the benefits that accrue from conducting a risk assessment at the planning stage of the audit. According to this paper’s analysis, Cupcake Co is likely to suffer the loss of cash through theft. As presented in the case, the company keeps a sufficiently large amount of cash for the purposes of giving back change. The internal control of Cupcake Co has failed in its control over the cash, making it susceptible to improper diversions, as well as being misused. From the case, there was no separation of duties in cash handling. When such a case subsists such that a single department or individual is entrusted with both asset custody and their record keeping, there is a potential risk of frauds, in that, such assets can be stolen. In addition, accounting records falsifications to hide events can be done. In such a scenario, the management would have difficulties in holding a specific employee accountable in case errors or fraud is detected. To respond to this audit risk, the auditor can ask the management of Cupcake Co to state the internal controls they use to control their cash. The auditor will seek clarification on whether duties are segregated in the handling of cash. The auditor can also perform some analytical procedures such as the prevailing trend in the cash balance relative to the previous year’s balances. There could be an audit risk arising from the

Environmental Regulation and Protection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Environmental Regulation and Protection - Essay Example The political factors include; environmental regulation and protection, consumer protection, international trade regulations, employment laws, taxation, and competition regulations among others. Environmental Regulation and Protection The government through Environmental Protection Agency imposes various rules and regulations to protect the environment. These rules impact on businesses directly especially the manufacturing industries which are high pollutants of environment. Moreover, customers are nowadays buying products from green companies who are environmentally friendly thus putting pressure on businesses to go green (Robbins & Coulter, 2009).Those businesses who have not appreciated green strategies thus risk losing their businesses. The New South Wales Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) is the body concerned with environmental regulation through Protection of Environment Operations Act (PEOA) of 1997. Businesses are supposed to acquire licenses and carry out environmental training for the staff. Strict penalties and fines are applied to those individuals and businesses that contravene the law and pollute water, air, land and for improper waste management. The organization thus needs to continuously update itself on environmental laws to avoid prosecution. For example, a copper manufacturer was fined $28, 000 for causing toxic overflow in Sydney (NSW, 2011). Fernando (2010) argues that businesses should convert environment issues to their own advantage. Those businesses who protect the environment earn themselves a good reputation. Others engage in continuous innovations hence improving the environment as well as the business. Businesses also are forced to use environmentally friendly product and packages and also processes and these are cost effective. For example, McDonalds was forced to use recycled materials in packaging and transport by customers. Consumer Protection The government has the responsibility of protecting consumers form uncouth businessmen through various measures such as setting quality standards, safety standards and ensuring efficient distribution of goods and services (Fernando 2010). Sometimes, businessmen carry out extensive advertisement of products thus attracting buyers but the goods may be substandard. It is the role of government to ensure all relevant information is put on labels to avoid such instances. It also enforces regulations such as those stipulated on standard weight and measures Act, consumer protection Act among others. Such rules impact on the business as it is required to change its advertising techniques as well as pricing. For example, a government control on cigarettes may force businesses to close or lower production. In India, the Essential Commodity Act of 1955 allows the government to declare any commodity as essential hence control its production and distribution (Fernando, 2010). International Trade Regulations Most countries have opened their borders to free trad e but sometimes, they enforce trade restrictions to protect critical industries from competition. Most countries have also entered into trade agreements with trading partners and these agreements form basis for international trade rules. For example, World Trade Organization (WTO), North America

The Idea Of Multiversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Idea Of Multiversity - Essay Example Kerr has emphasized the historical evolution of the American from teaching-based to research-based. Kerr opines that the multiversity put more emphasis on research as opposed to earlier universities that focused on teaching. The transition from traditional universities to multiversity as emphasized was a massive transformation process and involved the combination of numerous models, ideas and traditional from early universities. As highlighted in the preceding paragraph, before the advent of the term and concept of multiversity, the idea and use of the university as advanced by earlier scholars was different. The following statement neatly encapsulates the meaning, vision, and idea of the university as envisioned by Cardinal Newman in the earlier centuries. â€Å"The university is the high protecting power of all knowledge and science, of fact and principle, of inquiry and discovery, of experiment and speculation; it maps out the territory of the intellect †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kerr 2). It is easy to tell from the above expression that Newman pursued the idea of the university that was biased towards liberal knowledge. The distinctive feature of the university during the period of Newman and other scholars su ch as Plato was pursuit and transmission of fundamental truths, institutional autonomy, and instruction at an advanced level. Newman defended and propagated the faculty oriented liberal education and advanced the idea of a university to comprise of a small community of professors and students (Kerr 2). This clarifies why the eighteenth century universities were trivial and limited to predominantly disciplines and ability, the main objective of the traditional university program as suggested by Newman was knowledgeable advancement and alignment, according to Newman, the university was supposed to be an academic cloister (Kerr 1). Furthermore, other

Biculturism and Marginalization Essay Example for Free

Biculturism and Marginalization Essay * Ross-Sheriff (2011) commented that international migration patterns have * changed as a consequence of broad social, political, economic, and environmental * trends and explained the causes of the driving forces were including war, * globalization, urbanization, and changing cultural norms regarding social roles and * responsibilities (Ross-Sheriff, 2011). With these complex trends of migration * patterns, Van Hear (2010) viewed migration as a process which was an integral part * of broader social transformations, but which also had its own internal dynamics with * other factors related to the migrating process, shaping social transformation in their * own way. Migration was also linked in complex ways to class, gender, generation, * ethnicity and other social factors, which were embodied in positions in home and host * communities, and in work and domestic relationships, all of which might be * transformed in the course of the migratory process (Van Hear, 2010). To understand this complex process of migration, especially under changing circumstances of one culture to another, it might be useful to build conceptual tools for understanding these transitory processes in migration studies and in social science more widely (Van hear, 2010). They also include mediating agents and transitions that need also to be accounted for, as well as intersections among class, gender, generation, ethnicity and other social ruptures as well as the main driving forces of migration (Van Hear, 2010). Of course there were other important concepts such as relations between time and space, between dynamics or processes and outcomes, and between structure and agency that needed to get attention (Van Hear, 2010). However, it is impossible to discuss all different theoretical concepts involved in different types of migration process in the current limited study. Rather, this study tried to focus on psychological impacts such as ethnic identity and self-esteem on migration through acculturation processes particularly on family- related migration because different patterns of migration produced different communities and resulted in producing different migrant identities including varying levels of psychological distress (Jones, 2008). Further, few empirical studies have focused on migrant adults populations. Most migrants identification related literatures tended to relate more for adolescents or young children because identity formation might be particularly challenging in this cohort, especially when the values and beliefs of their natal culture differed significantly from those of the host society (Sodowsky, Kwan, Pannu, 1995; as cited in Farver, Narang, Bhadha, 2002). Therefore, this study focused on ethnic identity and self-identification issues of adult migrants’ themselves within a family structure according to different theoretical models relevant to adaptation of new cultures, because family was the basic instrument in the society (Nesdale, Rooney, Smith, 1997). In fact, most cultural acquisition theories developed and evolved in 1990s. when international migration became a key issue in international politics at the beginning of 1990s. As Castle (2002) argued that migration, development and international relations were closely connected as migration was a major factor of transformation for both sending and receiving countries for different types of migrants (Castle, 2002). With this perspective, this study generally focused on those migration culture acquisition theories developed in 1990 rather then looking at current perspectives in the most recent literatures, which actually have evolved from these original theories in 1990s (Castle, 2002). As the findings from these research studies has had been mixed or sometimes contradictory, it was important to understand the exact nature of the relationship between migrant ethnic identification and the acculturation process both need to be specified and assessed properly with coherent measurements and theoretical assumptions (Nesdale et al. , 1997). Important theoretical concepts: ethnic identity, acculturation, biculturism, and marginalisation. According to Phinney (1990; as cited in Farver, Narang Bhadha., 2002), ethnic identity and acculturation were related but separate constructs. Ethnic identity involves an individual’s self-identification as a group member, a sense of belonging to an ethnic group, attitudes toward ethnic group of membership, and degree of ethnic group involvement (Farver et al. , 2002). The term acculturation was defined in anthropology as those phenomena, which resulted when groups of individuals having different cultures came into continuous first-hand contact with subsequent changes in the original pattern of either or both groups (Redfield, Linton, Herskovits, 1936; as cited in Birman, 1994). Although acculturation was a neutral term in this context (that is, change might take place in either or both groups), in practice, acculturation tended to induce more changes in one of the groups than in the other (Berry, 1990a; as cited in Berry, 1997) Berry (1997) argued that in all plural societies, cultural groups and their individual members, in both dominant and non-dominant situations, must deal with the issue of how to acculturate. According to Berry (1997), four acculturation strategies were introduced: assimilation, separation, marginalization, and integration. When individuals do not wish to maintain their cultural identity and seek daily interaction with other new cultures, the assimilation strategy is defined. In contrast, when individuals place a value on holding on to their original culture, and at the same time wish to avoid interaction with others, then the separation is defined (Berry, 1997). When there is an interest in both maintaining one’s original culture, while in daily interactions with other groups, integration is the option; here, there is some degree of cultural integrity maintained, while at the same time seeking to participate as an integral part of the larger social network (Berry, 1997). Last, when there is little possibility or interest in cultural maintenance (often for reasons of enforced cultural loss), and little interest in having relations with others (often for reasons of exclusion or discrimination) then marginalization is defined (Berry, 1997). However, this acculturation categories model has been criticized methodologically (Rudmin, 2003, 2009; as cited in Schwartz et al. , 2010) because all four of Berry’s categories were represented in the same way by creating the two by two matrix of acculturation categories between high and low. However, the cut off point between high and low was arbitrary and would differ across samples, making comparisons across studies difficult, resulting in the fact that all four categories existed and were equally valid (Rudmin, 2003; as cited in Schwartz et al., 2010) and suggesting that not all of Berry’s categories might exist in a given sample or population, and that some categories might have multiple subtypes (Schwartz et al. , 2010). In particular, Berry (1997) viewed the term â€Å"biculturism† as referring to acculturation that involved the individual simultaneously in the two cultures that were in contact in integrative ways, which appeared to be a consistent predictor of more positive outcomes than the three alternatives of assimilation, separation, or marginalization. Berry and his colleagues (Sam Berry, 1995) assessed the acculturation strategies of various immigrant groups in North America and the results showed that bicultural individuals experienced less acculturative stress, anxiety and fewer psychological problems significantly, while marginalized individuals suffered the most psychological distress, including problems with self-identification and cultural alienation, which adversely affected their self-esteem (Farver et al. , 2002). However, Shiraev and Levy (2007) explained acculturative stress as a negative feeling that a marginalized person might experience as a distressing psychological reaction to any unfamiliar cultural environment based on the assumption that person and groups undergoing any social and cultural change should experience a certain amount of psychological distress. Generally, many early definitions of acculturation focused on exposure to two cultures simultaneously as a culture shock, which was a reactive state of specific pathology or deficit, rather than taking advantage of being bicultural (Berry Annis, 1974; Shiraev et al., 2007). The validity of marginalization as an approach to acculturation by Berry (1997) was also questioned (Del Pilar Udasco, 2004; as cited in Schwartz et al. , 2010). Schawartz et al. argued that the likelihood that a person would develop a cultural sense of self without drawing on either the heritage or receiving cultural contexts would be less likely to. The marginalization approach might be true only for the small segment of migrants who rejected both their heritage and receiving cultures (Berry, 2006b). Indeed, studies using empirically based clustering methods have found small or nonexistent marginalization groups and scales that attempted to measure marginalization typically had poor reliability and validity compared with scales for the other categories (Cuellar, Arnold, Maldonado, 1995; Unger et al. , 2002; as cited in Schwartz et al. , 2010). As described earlier, the impact of migrant ethnic identity on psychological distress had comparatively diverse points of views if they were either negative or positive reactions, depending on different theoretical frames. For example, Social Identity Theory (Tajfel Turner, 2001) and Self-Categorization Theory (Turner, 1987) emphasized more on the importance to individuals of their identification with particular social groups. Social Identity Theory (Tajfel Turner, 2001; as cited in Yip, Gee, Takeuchi, 2008) viewed a possible explanation for why ethnic identity might buffer the effects of discrimination. According to this theory,individuals chose from an array of possible social identity groups and, once those groups were chosen, individuals focused on the positive aspects of their in-group, which helped to boost their own esteem, suggesting that ethnic identity was more important to their overall identity (Yip et al. , 2009). In contrast, if ethnicity was a central component of ones identity, it might actually exacerbate the effects of discrimination, resulting in a greater negative impact on mental health, according to self-categorization theory (Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, Wetherell, 1987; as cited in Yip et al., 2008), suggesting that people should be more in tune with environmental cues that were relevant to an important aspect of their identity. That is, experiences of racial discrimination might be such a cue relevant to their ethnic identity. Indeed, research suggested that African American adults and adolescents who reported strong racial centrality were also more likely to report experiences of racial discrimination (Neblett, Shelton, Sellers, 2004; Sellers, Caldwell, Schmeelk-Cone, Zimmerman, 2003; Sellers Shelton, 2003; as cited in Yip et al., 2008). However, despite this emphasis by social theorists, they tended to forget the larger literature that involved with both ethnicity and the acculturation process (Liebkind, 1993; 1996; as cited in Nesdale, Rooney Smith, 1997). First of all, these different findings resulted from lack of inclusion of acculturation itself as a variable methodologically when acculturation was considered as a phenomenon in research designs (Sam and Berry, 2006). Without including acculturation as a variable, the explanations for human behavior similarities and differences across populations would remain incomplete (Sam et al. , 2006). Second, a further criticism of the acculturation literatures was that the same two acculturation processes, and the same four-acculturation categories, characterized all migrants equally—regardless of the type of migrant, the countries of origin and settlement, and the ethnic group in question, according to Berry’s (1980) model and other similar approaches (Sam et al., 2006). Finally, the vast majority of studies in the acculturation literature have focused on behavioral acculturation (Schwartz et al. , 2010). That is, most widely used acculturation measures included primarily (or only) items assessing language use and other cultural practices (e. g. , Cuellar, Arnold, Maldonado, 1995; Stephenson, 2000; Szapocznik, Kurtines, Fernandez, 1980; as cited in Schwartz et al. , 2010) due to accepting the fact that cultural practices might provide only a fair proxy for cultural adaptation (Schwartz et al., 2010). Theoretical frameworks for acculturation research Shiraev Levy (2007) claimed that cross-cultural psychologists usually used three approaches to examine human activities in various cultural settings. They were the sociobiological approach, the sociological approach and eco-cultural approach (Shiraev et al. , 2007). In particular, the eco-cultural approach emphasized both the environment and the individual were seen as open and interchanging systems (Shiraev et al., 2007), introducing John Berry whom originally developed this theory further in contemporary cross-cultural psychology. Shiraev et al. (2007) also pointed out that specialists should to be able to explain how, why, and to what extent people differed from one another, when ecological, biological, cultural, and acculturation factors were identified and taken into consideration (Berry, J. W. , Poortinga, Y. H. , Segall, M. H. , Dasen. P. R. ,1992; as cited in Shiraev et al. , 2007). In related to the concerns pointed by Shiraev et al. (2007), Berry (1997) argued earlier there were important links between cultural context and individual behavioural development, demonstrating what happened to individuals who developed in one cultural context when attempting to re-establish their lives in another one through his acculturation research framework, by confirming the fact that acculturation was one of the most complex areas of research in cross-cultural psychology because the process involved more than one culture and in two distinct senses (Berry, 1997). According to Berry (1997), the concept of acculturation was employed to refer to the cultural changes resulting from different ethnic groups encountered, while the concepts of psychological acculturation and adaptation were employed to refer to the psychological changes and eventual outcomes that occur as a result of individuals experiencing acculturation. In another words, acculturation phenomena resulted from contact between two or more cultures and research on acculturation had to be comparative in order to understand variations in psychological outcomes that were the result of cultural variations in the two groups in contact (Berry, 1997). In particular, this framework viewed the integration model of acculturation strategies the most desirable among other strategies, considering it the same as the biculturalism model (Berry, 1997). For example, Berry and his colleagues (Berry, 1980; Berry, J. W. , Kim, U. , Power, S. , Young, M, Bujaki, M. , 1989; Berry, Kim, Minde, Mok, 1987; Sam Berry, 1995 as cited in Farver et al., 2002) Assessed the acculturation strategies of various immigrant groups in North America and the result showed that integration was the most psychologically adaptive attitude, arguing that integrated or bicultural individuals experienced less acculturative stress and anxiety and manifested fewer psychological problems than those who were marginalized, separated, or assimilated, whereas marginalized individuals suffered the most psychological distress, including problems with self-identification and cultural alienation, which also affected their self-esteem (Farver et al., 2002). However, Phinney, Cantu, and Kurtz (1997) found that American identity was associated with self-esteem only for non-Hispanic Whites, but not for other ethnic groups. These mixed results as explained above raised two issues in the acculturation literatures. First of all, cultural practices might offer only a substitute for cultural adpatations, as Portes and Rumbaut (2001 as cited in Schwartz et al., 2010) mentioned that many Asian American young adults in their sample were not proficient in their native languages, even though they still perceived their identification with their parents’ countries of origin and maintained many of their values (Schwarz et al. , 2010). Secondly, most researchers on biculturism did not sufficiently define an accurate operational definition of biculturism so that interpretation of those research results were problematic (Birman, 1994). Indeed, one finding in the United States, was that self-identification as American was markedly higher in non-Hispanic Whites than in ethnic minority groups (e. g. , Devos Banaji, 2005; as cited in Schwartz et al. , 2010) and many White Americans did not perceived themselves as members of an ethnic group (Schildkraut, 2007; as cited in Schwartz et al. , 2010). In brief, different operational definition problems of acculturation arose from different theoretical models of acculturation regarding to their assumptions (LaFromboise, Coleman, Gerton, 1993). LaFromboise et al. (1993) assumed acculturation as one of substitutes among the biculturism models. Biculturism as defined in this theory was viewed as the alternation model, which implied an individual in two culture contacts could be competent in both cultures without losing one of the cultures’ competencies in distinct cultural contexts as alternation model, whereas, fusion model meant a blended cultural identity, consisting of a synthesis of aspects of both cultures (LaFromboise et al., 1993). However, Berry’s (1997) integrating approach of biculturism differed from the bicultural model (LaFromboise et al. , 1993; as cited in Birman, 1994) and it emphasized more on the relationship between the two cultural groups based on its implicit assumption that one of two cultures were higher than the other within a single social structure (LaFromboise et al. , 1993). Benet-Martinez and colleagues found that â€Å"blended† bicultural individuals tended to report higher self-esteem and lower psychological distress than a marginal population (Chen et al. , 2008 as cited in Schwartz et al. , 2010) because the consistent availability of both cultural flows within the person’s everyday life increased the ease of activating the correct cultural schema in accordance with their environmental situations (Schwartz et al. , 2010). In contrast, Tadmor, Tetlock, and Peng (2009) argued that the bicultural model considered those marginal individuals in positive ways, when there was little interest in cultural maintenance and little interest in having relations with others, suggesting positive aspects of being a marginal person might be (1) sharing his or her condition with others of the same original culture; (2) engaging in institutional practices that were shared by other marginal people; (3) experiencing no major frustration from social expectations; and (4) still perceiving himself or herself to be a member of a group (LaFromboise et al., 1993). According to Sam and Berry (2006), many studies of how migrants coped with intercultural contacts had discrepancies in the ways in which they were operationalized and measured. As no standardized or widely accepted acculturation measures existed, it was necessary to design a clear and explicit formulation of acculturation instrument in order to assess acculturation adequately (Sam et al. , 2006). Further Sam and Berry (2006) pointed out that most empirical studies widely used a self-report type of questionnaires that had been recognized limitations such as social desirability, emphasizing obtaining divergent validation by source of information other than the respondents’ reports. Therefore, it is vital to understand each theory within its specific assumptions and not to generalize across all situations regardless of their similar findings (LaFromboise et al. , 1993). As this study discovered migrants’ acculturation processes so far within specific theoretical frameworks, literature findings in different research were mixed as to whether individuals could be highly acculturated and at the same time be strongly identified with their ethnic group (Farver, Narang, Bhadha. , 2002). These confusing problems initially evolved because of the context in which migration arrangements and their acculturation processes were fundamentally transformed and increasingly uncertain due to globalization (Landolt Da, 2005). Shiraev Levy (2007) suggested a new approach to cross-cultural psychology in the twenty-first century, which was linked to the concept of globalization. Globalization was defined as a proliferation of cross-border flow and transnational networks due to new technologies of communication and transport that allowed frequent and multi-directional streams of people, ideas and cultural symbols (Castle, 2010). Castle also argued that globalization leads to major changes in the character of international migration. In other words, the context for migrant incorporation has already changed radically and will continue to do so. The rise of multiculturalism itself rather than assimilation or biculturism is one sign of this, but is not the end of the story: new forms of identity and belonging go beyond multiculturalism (Castle, 2010). Even though there is limited empirical evidence for clear statements for globalization, there probably are highly cosmopolitan groups who feel at home everywhere such as global business and professional elites might correspond with this image. But most members of transnational communities fall between these extremes, and probably have contradictory and fluctuating identities (Castle, 2002). Conclusions This study explored that a special case of cultural psychology was the study of how individuals respond to situations where they were in transition between their original culture and another that differed from it in some respects in terms of acculturation, especially within a specific theoretical frame that could apply to the specific situation (Adler Gielen, 1994). There was no single theory widely accepted by all social scientists to agree with the emergence and perpetuation of international migration patterns in the world under globalization (Van Hear, 2010),suggesting that the contemporary migrating context in which such migrating arrangements were realized fundamentally kept transforming so that it became increasingly uncertain (Landolt and Da, 2005). Although the topic of cultural contact and individual’ change has attracted considerable attention in contemporary cross-cultural psychology, the field has been characterized by a lack of theoretical coherence, definitional problems with key constructs, and single sample studies that limit the external validity of empirical cross-cultural research (Ward and Kenney, 1994). As acculturation is a process which takes place over time, and which results in changes both in the culture and in the individual culture changes, it would be ideal o compare two sets of data are compared over time using the same people. However, in practice, it is impossible in most acculturation research settings (Sam et al. , 2006). Instead, a common alternative to longitudinal research is cross-sectional research in which a time-related variable, such as length of residence or generational status can be used for the generalizability of acculturation theories (Sam et al., 2006). In general, researchers of migrating studies need to be aware that it is the selective nature of the sample that happens across all migrating research. That is, individuals who chose to migrate would be different from those who do not (Sodowsky, G. , Kwan, K. , Pannu, R. , 1995; as cited in Farver et al. , 1997). Finally, acculturation research generally focused on immigrants assumed to be permanently settled in their new host countries. As a result, the terms â€Å"migrants† or â€Å"international migrants† referred to the same type of migrants collectively. Moreover, many countries were both sending and receiving countries for different types of migrants, or in the process of transition from one type to the other (Castel, 2002). Therefore, where applicable, it is viable to design acculturation research studies classifying different types of migrants. References Adler, L. L. , Gielen, U. P. (Eds. ). (1994). Cross-cultural topics in psychology. Westport: Praeger Publishers. Berry, J. W. 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Critical Appraisal Of A Research Paper Nursing Essay

Critical Appraisal Of A Research Paper Nursing Essay Research is the key contributor of professional development in many professions, particularly healthcare. It allows practitioners to inform, adjust and monitor particular ways of practice or issues. The ability to evaluate research evidence appropriately is essential to avoid the assumption that all published research is of equal merit and validity. In order to critically appraise the article, Clinical handover in the trauma setting: a qualitative study of paramedics and trauma team members (Evans, Murray, Patrick, Fitzgerald, Smith Cameron, 2010), the ten point CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme, 2006) framework is used. Current literature will be utilised to guide the discussion and reflection in order to conclude the overall strength of this article. The studys aims are concisely stated and numbered clearly. This is of importance in research keeping the main focus well established and succinct, allowing readers to easily understand the objectives (Collins, 2010; Gerrish Lacey, 2010; Stommel Wills, 2004). and reduce the chance of inter-researcher confusion. The authors discussed their reasons for focussing on clinical handovers, highlighting that communication difficulties can lead to serious, even fatal mistakes. A previous study is used to confirm the severity of this problem. Khan (2008) illustrates the benefits of using previous studies in ones background enforce the discussion of why the research is relevant. The researchers discuss the MIST (Mechanism-Injuries-Signs-Treatment) template used in the military, pointing out that little is known about its effectiveness in more general settings. Other ways of improving communication are discussed, such as radio pre-alerts and the use of electronic tablets, noting that as yet eff ectiveness is unproven, supporting the value of this new research. The researchers have not disclosed reasons for choosing qualitative methodology; however, it is appropriate to their aims. They intended to obtain and illuminate personal views and subjective experiences of using the MIST template during handover, in turn modifying the template in response to recurring findings. The stated aim of understanding issues affecting handover efficiency can be best researched via the qualitative method in order to gain participants interpretations of the other professionals involved and to enlighten the interactions between these groups (Block, 2006). The gathering of opinions on data transmission methods and data display within the emergency department (ED) provides a more in-depth understanding of how errors occur and furthermore, how this problem could be improved (Bowling Ebrahim, 2005). The research design used in this study is grounded theory. This specifically enables a new theory to arise from data in order to explain social phenomenon and human behaviour (Chears, 2009; Williams, 2012). It could be argued that the researchers are not developing a new theory in relation to the improvement of the minimum dataset as they merely adapt the MIST template (an already established theory), whereas typically, grounded theory forms a theory from original data collected during a study, not by testing a theory from previous literature in the field (Giles, 2002). In contrast, Henandez (2011) recommends using datasets from previous research in order to collate secondary and primary research, allowing the combination of ideas to form a theory. Furthermore, the findings seem to show that grounded theory has been used within attributes of an affective and ineffective handover: A set of ideas designed to explain what constitutes handover quality has been developed. An example: 11 o ut of the 17 participants expressed that a poor handover includes extraneous information and interruptions. The researchers developed this as a theory to explain why poor handovers may occur. They have described their use of grounded theory but not clarified why they have used this method or with what aims they wished to develop new theories. In relation to the recruitment strategy, Daymon Holloway (2011) illuminate the importance of disclosing the setting, timeframe and people involved in research in order to clarify the boundaries of the study. Here, details of inclusion of participants are thorough and well recorded, including geographical locations, timeframes and demographics. Table 1 shows all participants had a mean of 5 years post-graduate experience, indicating that those with considerable experience were selected. The researchers used purposive sampling method to find a representative group (participants with experience of transporting trauma patients to a trauma service) and used convenience sampling within this representative group to ensure all participants could contribute to the data (Monsen Horn, 2008). Purposive sampling is highly targeted and forms a specific group, resulting in this method being subject to bias, however, if the researchers are aiming to investigate a phenomenon relating to specific gr oups of people (e.g. paramedics and trauma team members), then purposive sampling is appropriate to warrant the correct target group is selected (Newell Burnard, 2011). In addition, the researchers have explained how they have selected a representative trauma team sample; by involving individuals from different specialty groups involved in management of trauma patients (e.g. burns, anaesthetics). There is no record of anyone who chose not to take part. Data collected via semi-structured interviews was an appropriate way to address the research aims, but there are flaws. Researchers needed to record the subjective experiences of this group of professionals in order to determine the key factors causing communication errors. However, information such as the location of interviews is not stated. Japec (2008) points out how the social context of interviews can affect responses. We do not know whether interviews were carried out in a controlled environment (i.e. in the same room, similar time of day and without disturbances). Moreover, the researchers have not disclosed the reasons why the interview method was chosen. Moniff and Whitehead (2010) and Blaikie (2010) illustrate the importance of including this information, to allow the reader to see the relevance of chosen data collection techniques. Furthermore, there is no description of how the data was recorded; a vital element in research to increase confirmability and replicability (G errish Lacey 2010). The form of data cannot be distinguished through the software used (NVIVO 8.0) as it can upload text, videos and tape recordings (Edhlund, 2007). The use of a minimum topic guide for interviews ensures that similar data is collected from participants and eliminates the sequence of questions being different (Holloway Wheeler, 2010). However, the researchers were ambiguous when discussing their use of the topic guide in the study design. They state it was used when interviewing the trauma team speciality groups about the minimum dataset for handover, yet, do not clearly state whether it was used for questions on effective and ineffective handovers, data transmission or data display (even though these prompts appear in the topic guide). There is also no reference to use of the topic guide during interviewing paramedics (although paramedic specific questions are present on the guide leading to assumption that the guide was used). The interview method enhances data as it shows body language and non-verbal interactions (Gerrish Lacey, 2010). However, it can skew results: social desirability can lead to the participant answering a question so as to please the researcher or sound like a good practitioner (Rubin Babbie, 2010). In addition, the interviewer effect may occur (where interviewers subtly influence participants responses through wording of the questions or body language), especially as some researchers belonged to the professions being studied. In this research, the relationship between researchers and participants has not been sufficiently reflected upon. There has been no consideration of how reflexivity and experimenter bias may have influenced the choice of questions (e.g. the topic guide), the sample selection and location. With no comment on who developed the topic guide, we do not know if it was one researcher or a collaboration. This information is essential: if experimenter triangulation was utilised, this would decrease the chance of experimenter bias and reflexivity skewing the questions, increasing credibility of the research (Merrian, 2009). Researchers have not examined their role within sample recruitment either. One researcher is employed by Ambulance Victoria, and another by the Alfred Hospital Presumably personal backgrounds influenced the choice of these two institutions for sample collection, however, there is no personal reflexivity expressed to determine that they have considered their potential bias in this area. Reflexivity is critical in order to increase the rigor of the research; recognising how personal experiences, disposition and emotions can influence research choices allows researchers to compensate for this where possible, and understand the importance of documenting subjective issues (Kirby, Greaves Reid, 2006). In consideration of ethical issues, the researchers have not discussed how, or even if they briefed and debriefed the participants. Adequate briefing is essential do participants know exactly what to expect and are aware of their rights (Fowler, ONeill Helvert, 2011). Briefing also allows participants to give informed consent and avoids passive deception, whereby the researchers deceive participants by omission (Cottrell McKenzie, 2011). Debriefing is equally important, allowing participants to raise any issues experienced during the research (Jackson, 2011; Morrow, Boaz, Brearley Ross, 2012). An ethics committee has approved this research, meaning the emotional impacts on researchers and participants have been assessed and the safeguards and well-being of the participants have been evaluated (Holloway Wheeler, 2010). This implies that ethical considerations have adequately been taken into account, although more detail should have been provided. With respect to the data analysis, grounded theory is defined and clearly explained. In the abstract, thematic analysis was said to be used, but there is no reference to it in the data analysis section. There is, however a clear demonstration of its stages in the description of how the 3 nodes were developed through collecting reoccurring responses and developing them into codes and themes. Open coding has been used, which primarily allows codes and subsequently themes to emerge from the text alone; by using axial coding in addition, the researchers concepts and categories are implemented  whilst re-reading the text in order to check that categories truthfully represent responses and to examine how concepts are related, increasing credibility and validity (Babbie, 2012). However, researchers have not explained how they collaborated to determine what data to present, nor do they disclose any outliers or contradicting results. Reflexivity can affect this process as their subjective thoughts may influence their choices. The researchers have not considered this issue, resulting in reduced credibility (Brink, 2006). They refer to a general consensus when talking about the usability of MIST rather vague and ignoring differing responses. Nevertheless, sufficient data is presented to support the findings. Quotes are implemented to support the data and MIST is rewritten and displayed, including responses. The attribute box allows readers to distinguish differing views between professionals; adding credibility to the data transmission results. Finally, by assigning a third researcher, experimenter bias is reduced and to some degree helps the issue of reflexivity, as researchers past experiences will all differ, affecting how they may perceive participants ans wers, and subsequently code the text. Triangulation of researchers adds rigor to the research (Inoue, 2012). There is a relatively clear statement of findings in the research; data is affirmed under primary nodes developed by thematic analysis clearly and concisely and they are also logically discussed in the order of aims. Hinshaw (2011) emphasises the importance of clearly presented results to allow the reader easy access to the main outcomes and suggested action points. Specific quotes arising from the interviews to corroborate and increase dependability of the results (Streubert Carpenter, 2011). Discussions are made for and against the researchers suggestions. Supporting discussions include the concept of time out in theatres where team members pause and complete a checklist to ensure safety (this current practice boasts reduction in surgical error), reinforcing the results where paramedics state an effective handover is one where the receiving body stop and exercise listening skills. An example where researchers challenge their findings is the reference to a study, concluding informa tion recall of just 36% even when paramedics were provided with handover training. Using evidence to challenge their research demonstrates that the researchers are not prejudiced in favour of their own results and that they recognise the need to consider additional barriers (Brink, 2006). However, the researchers have not discussed the credibility of their findings; they have employed researcher triangulation to reduce intrinsic biases, but have not mentioned how this improves credibility and rigor in the discussion. There is no comment about respondent validation, raising the question whether this was carried out. It is a of checking the truthfulness of research, by giving participants the findings to comment on if there is any misinterpretation: an effective way of reducing researcher bias (Pope Mays, 2006). The value of this research is limited: the researchers acknowledge their results form a basis for development and recognise that trails and further research must be carried out. Findings are discussed in light of current practice, recognising that the MIST tool needs to be trialled further. Researchers also acknowledge that training will have to be developed for paramedics (as with any new proposed method in ambulance services). It is stated that noise barriers need to be evaluated, however, no new areas of research are proposed. Researchers have not discussed whether their research can be transferred to other populations. They have briefly discussed generalizability, stating the research should be generalised to other hospitals with caution as the data was collected in a busy referral hospital. They also recognise that selecting paramedics with experience in trauma settings can lead to decreased generalizability, as paramedics with less trauma experience may have differing views. In conclusion, this research boasts excellent presentation and structure comprising strong background and aims. Utilising qualitative methodology enabled researchers to gain subjective experiences and views from healthcare professionals to provide a deeper understanding of how communication errors occur during handover and propose a multifactorial strategy for improvement. It could be argued that the researchers are not developing a new theory, therefore not utilising grounded theory correctly, however, there is ample literature disputing this, stating that it is acceptable to build on existing theory in order to develop a new one. The research has been carried out in the light of the original aims throughout and the results are clearly presented, with additional quotes to enforce points. However, there is minimal consideration of potential biases and the effect of reflexivity, reducing credibility. Furthermore, many methods have not been justified (research method, use of grounded t heory, data collection and data presentation) leading to overall low rigor and credibility. Finally, it is recognised that this research will not change future practice without further research and trailing. Nevertheless, the original data collected here and strategies for improvement presented make this research a valuable contribution to the field. (182) =2199 References Babbie, E. (2012). The practice of social research. (13th ed.). Wadsworth: Cengage Learning. Blaikie, N. (2010). Designing social research. (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Polity Press. Block, D. (2006). Healthcare outcomes management: strategies for planning and evaluation. London: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Bowling, A. Ebrahim, S. (2005). Handbook of health research methods: investigation, measurement and analysis. Berkshire: Open University Press. Brink, H. (2006). Fundamentals for research methodology for health care professionals. (2nd ed). Cape Town: Juta Co. Chears, V. (2009). Taking a strand for others: a grounded theory. USA: ProQuest LLC. Collins, H. (2010). Creative research: the theory and practice of research for the creative industries. London: AVA Publishing. Cottrell, R. McKenzie, J. (2011). Health promotion education research methods: using the five-chapter thesis/dissertation model. (2nd ed.). London: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Critical Appraisals Skills Programme (CASP). (2006). Qualitative research: appraisal tool. 10 questions to help you make sense of qualitative research. Oxford: Public Health Resource Unit. Daymon, C. Holloway, I. (2011). Qualitative research methods in public relations and marketing communications. (2nd ed.). Oxfordshire: Routledge. Edhlund, B. (2007). NVivo essentials: the ultimate help when you work with qualitative analysis. Stallarholmen: Form Kunskap. Evans, S., Murray, A., Patrick, I., Fitzgerald, M., Smith, S. Cameron, P. (2010). Clinical handover in the trauma setting: a qualitative study of paramedics and trauma team members. BMJ: Quality and Safety Health Care, 19(6), 1-6. 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Clinical research: concepts and principles for advanced practice nurses. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams Wilkins. Streubert, H. Carpenter, D. (2011). Qualitative research in nursing. (5th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams Wilkins. Williams, J. (2012). The paramedics guide to research: an introduction. Berkshire: Open University Press.

The Food Security Of India

The Food Security Of India Food Security as described in World Food Summit, Rome 1996, Food Security exists, when all people, at all time have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preference for an active and healthy life. India uptill now has faced 14 famines in its history and among them the Bengal Famine of 1943 was the worst. Food availability and agriculture in India has been largely related to the vagaries of monsoon. In the past concentrated efforts were made to achieve food security by increasing food grain production. The Green Revolution was a step towards attaining Food Security. For maintaining a satisfactory level of operational and buffer stock of food grains and to ensure national food security, The Food Corporation of India (FCI henceforth) was set up under the Food Corporation Act 1964. It ensured effective price support operation for safeguarding the interest of the farmers. Another important work that FCI does is managing the Public Distribution System. FCI maintains food security in the country through its four Zonal Offices- North Zone, South Zone, East Zone and West Zone and their respective regional offices. FCI has also established a comprehensive and a structured training mechanism in accordance with its organisational goals known as the Institute of Food Security. The flagship activity of the institute has been to conduct short-term training programmes on various subjects related to Food Security, Managerial Skills, Computer skills and on operations of FCI. Food Security as we have mentioned above exists when all people have access to have food and there is a minimum level of nutrition that is maintained. There are four main dimensions of food security that can be identified: PTO Physical Availability of food- It is determined by the level of food production, stock levels and net trade or in short we refer to the supply side of food availability. Economic and Physical access to food- Access to food depends on income, expenditure, market and prevailing prices in the market. Availability of food grains in the country does not ensure availability to every individual. Food utilization- Sufficient energy and nutrient intake by individuals along with good biological utilization of food consumed determines the nutritional status of individuals. Stability of other three dimensions over time Adverse weather conditions, political conditions and economic factors have an impact over food security. In spite of constant efforts by the government and FCIs repeated efforts India has failed to feed the teeming millions. Food availability in the country is poor and there still remain a huge amount people who strive to get two squares of meal a day. Innovative strategic interventions are the needs of the hour and they have to be implemented to ensure food availability, food access and utilization. Freedom from hunger is not only a basic right but it is also essential for the enjoyment of all other rights. There has to be much stress on community farming. Through research and development it has to be aimed to reduce cost of production. New technology has to be introduced so as to achieve high production and better yield. It has been rightly mentioned in our five year plans that the time has come to introduce a Second Green Revolution. A revolution of such a great intensity is required to overcome these ailments. Expanding utilization of food facilities and encouraging private sector i nvestments can be another possibility towards achieving this goal. Over the years India has miserably failed to achieve food security. The number of people without enough food to eat on a regular basis remains stubbornly high through the ages. In India about 29 % of the 872.9 million people are malnourished. There have been various reasons contributing to this. One of major reasons is that Indian agriculture has been highly dependent on the vagaries of monsoon. Rainfall has been constantly irregular in India and moreover the recent changes in the climatic conditions all over the world have contributed to the problem of unavailability of food. In spite of Governments repeated efforts to maintain Food Security and availability, it has been highly subject to the irregularities of agricultural production. It is said that India attained national food self-sufficiency 35 years ago yet about 35% of its population remains food insecure. We look into the close interlink between food security and agriculture. In the past three decades the South Asian countries have made considerable advancement in food production which was elicited by the Green Revolution. Green Revolution was introduced in 1960s and they brought in the use of High Yielding Variety (HYV) of seeds. It brought about a revolutionary boost in production. Now there was a huge expansion in the crop yield which contributed to the countrys growth. But agriculture was highly decelerated in the country and more focus was laid on industrialisation. Thus the wave of green revolution did not reach all parts of the country and it full effect was not realised. It remained regional and only affected the rich farmers. Also in the 1960s India experienced two major droughts and there was a severe food shortage. There was not sufficient food for all. Also we can say that green revolution was successful to some extent but the aim of self sufficiency and food security still seem like a distant dream. In India climate plays a major role in agriculture. Agriculture even to this day is highly dependent on the vagaries of monsoon. Climatic change will affect food security through its impacts on all components of national and local food production system. There has been a rising trend in the temperatures all over the world. This has contributed to a fall in rainfall drastically. Another aspect of climatic change is that of extreme weather events like cyclone which has made agriculture losses higher and has affected total production. Climatic changes as seawater incursion and unusual flooding are effecting greatly as well. Changes in temperature and precipitation influence water run-off and erosion affecting soil organic carbon and nitrogen content and salinity in the soil. Thus the changing weather condition all over the world has had its toll on agriculture. The new climatic conditions are more likely to have negative impacts such as a rise in the spread of diseases and pests, which will reduce yields. Rainfall trends have changed and decrease in rainfall has lead to a fall in production. Rising temperature, changing precipitation patterns and an increasing frequency of extreme weather events are expected to be the reasons for reducing regional water availability. In a country like India where there is lack of irrigation facilities and agriculture is completely dependent on rainfall, irregular rainfall directly affect the total crop production. Unavailability of sufficient water is also another reason for crop failure. Grain output has been stagnating for over a decade and there is a growing gap between supply and demand. A decrease in production leads to poor availability and thus food security of the country is poor. The crisis has been building up for some time. The food grains yields of Indian farmers are not going up. Thus we come to the conclusion that climate change will reduce crop yield in the tropical country like India. The regional inequality in foo d production resulting from climate change will have a very great implication on the food security of the country. Another problem is that of lack of proper mechanization in agriculture. Indian farmers are mostly too poor to implement the modern techniques or machinery in their farms. The small and marginal farmers generally sell their produce. Now transporting and storage of food grains too holds huge importance in a country like India where the condition of infrastructure is very poor. The Food Corporation of India has been entrusted with the job of maintaining a buffer stock. A buffer stock is necessary so as to ensure food security during bad agricultural years or crop failures. But due to lack of infrastructure every year there is a considerable amount of food grains that is wasted. Quantity of food grains damaged in India : YEAR QUANTITY(lakh MTs) 2004-2005 0.97 2005-2006 0.95 2006-2007 0.25 2007-2008 0.34 2008-2009 0.03 2009-2010 0.03 AVERAGE 0.58 Source: Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2779, dated 27.04.2007. Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3065, dated 08.12.2009 The above table shows the amount of food which is wasted from 2004-2010. In a country like India where agricultural production is not enough and people do not get two squares of meal a day, these datas are shocking. This has lead to a fall in food security because there has been a deficiency of food grains. Another important factor in this context is that of land use. Due to rapid industrialisation in building roads, houses and factories, private entrepreneurs are taking away the fertile lands for non-agricultural purposes. The supply of land in nature is fixed and as more and more land is used for non-agricultural practises it has been seen that the land for agricultural purpose is decreasing. People look at the comparative advantage of industrialisation over agriculture. But they fail to realise that in a way they are decreasing their food-grain production. This has lead to a disparity between the demand and supply of food grains and thus instability in food security. The food policy of India took up two objectives one is to create a food surplus economy and next is to provide food grains at subsidised rates. Our Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had implemented a seed-water-fertilizer policy commonly called the Green Revolution in order to attain self-sufficiency and to attain food security. It is time we had a revolution of such an intensity to revive our strategies to attain food security. In a country as huge as India where population grows at about 8 % and where a large chunk of the population is malnourished and under-weight it becomes necessary to attain food security. The supply chain between the farmers and the consumers should be shortened. Farmer friendly marketing processes should be introduced. And most important a second revolution is necessary to bring about stability in the Food Security in the country. **************************