Financial Reporting Practices and Ethical Standards in Health Care Finance

Financial Reporting Practices and Ethical Standards in Health Care Finance The issue of professional ethics has always been important for the health care workers but with the recent changes in the society, this issue has become especially topical. Financial accountability and reporting is important for meeting the ethical standards within the health care organizations and protecting the patients from the financial burden and unnecessary services.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Financial Reporting Practices and Ethical Standards in Health Care Finance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Planning, controlling, organizing, and decision-making are the four major elements of effective financial management though some researchers do not recognize organizing as a separate component. Still, proper organization is significant for the effectiveness of the whole project, and requires special attention of the financial managers. The planning element presupposes identification of the main objecti ves of a particular project and selecting appropriate measures that need to be imposed for meeting them. The controlling element requires analysis of reports from all the divisions of the organization and evaluation of the existing state of affairs. On the organizing stage, the manager chooses the most effective ways for using the available resources. The element of decision making presupposes deciding between various alternatives after analysis of possible consequences and evaluating the positive and negative sides of every option. Baker and Baker (2010) noted that â€Å"decision making actually occurs parallel to planning, organizing, and controlling. All types of decision making rely on information, and the primary tasks are analysis and evaluation† (p. 5). The field of accounting is of crucial importance for organizing the financial information on a particular health care organization, for making the informed choices after the analysis of this data. Working on the externa l reports, the financial managers should consider the generally accepted accounting principles so that the processes in different organizations could be compared according to similar metrics. These standards depend upon the type of a particular health care organization, and the majority of them is non-for-profit and does not pay income taxes though a number of for-profit organizations delivering health care services increased recently. â€Å"A common misunderstanding is that nonprofits are not allowed to make any money, when in fact they must generate more revenue than expenses to stay in business† (Barker, 2009, p. 210). However, it is important to take measures for handling the conflict of interests and to protect patients from the financial burden, meeting the general financial ethical principles for health care organizations. It is important that the physicians should resist the temptation of providing the unnecessary services, disregarding their financial self-interest.A dvertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At the same time, the organizational ethics is even more important than the moral of an individual practitioner. Weber (2001) noted that â€Å"the issue here is not so much how the individual behaves as how the organization is managed† (p. 52). Meeting the generally acceptable ethical principles, health care organizations improve the quality of their services and protect patients from paying for unnecessary services. The realities of present day hospital or clinical settings predetermine a number of challenges for nurses and physicians who face ethical dilemmas in their professional practice day by day. The issue of meeting the ethical standards is related not only to personal choices of health care workers and management of organizations but to the state of affairs in the sphere as well. â€Å"In today’s chan ging practice environment, third parties have increasing control in the delivery and financing of care and in treatment decisions† (Povar et al., 2004, Ethics in practice). In other words, there are a number of additional factors which complicate the physician-patient interaction and may become a hindrance for considering the ethical principles while providing the health care services. Thus, even focusing the health care plans on the patients’ interest and disrespecting their financial self-interests, practitioners have to handle the issues of financing their research projects. For example, pharmaceutical companies appear to be one of the most influential third parties. Within the recent decades, the conflicts of interests of physicians and pharmaceutical companies have become widely spread. It is obvious that drug manufacturers are interested in increasing their revenues by selling more medicine. Still, physicians should remain focused on the patients’ interests and the quality of the health care services. At the same time, the importance of cooperation with pharmaceutical companies should not be underestimated because of their support of the research projects. â€Å"The pharmaceutical industry spends approximately $ 12 billion annually on gifts and payments to physicians† (Studdert et al, 2004, â€Å"Financial conflicts of interest†). The physicians’ accountability and procedures of financial reporting are of crucial importance for controlling the health care organizations. â€Å"The financial matters for which [providers are] (or could be) held accountable include the price of services, the efficiency with which they are provided, assurance that services billed for were delivered, and the overall financial performance of the [providers]† (Emanuel and Emanuel, 2004, What is accountability in health care?).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Financial Reporting Practices and Ethic al Standards in Health Care Finance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite the changing professional environment, the principles of professional ethics have to prevail and physicians have to avoid providing unnecessary services to their patients. Effective management and financial reporting are important for meeting the ethical norms within the health care organizations and providing high-quality services. Reference List Baker, J.J. Baker, R.W. (2010). Health care finance. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Barker, A.M. (2009). Advanced practice nursing: Essential knowledge for the profession. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Emanuel, E.J. and Emanuel, L.L. (2004). â€Å"What is accountability in health care?† Annals of Internal Medicine. Retrieved from https://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/709376/what-accountability-health-care?volume=124issue=2page=229 Povar, G.J et al. (July, 2004). Ethics in practice: Mana ged care and the changing health care environment. Annals of Internal Medicine, 141 (2). Retrieved from https://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/717640/ethics-practice-managed-care-changing-health-care-environment-medicine-profession Studdert, D.M. (October, 2004). Financial conflict of interest in physicians’ relationships with the pharmaceutical industry – self-regulation in the shadow of federal prosecution. The New England Journal of Medicine, 351.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Weber, L.J. (2001). Business ethics in healthcare: Beyond compliance. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Sociological Definition of Degradation Ceremony

Sociological Definition of Degradation Ceremony Historically, a degradation ceremony is the process by which to lower a persons social status within a group or within society in general, for the purposes of shaming that person for violating norms, rules, or laws, and to inflict punishment by taking away rights and privileges, as well as access to the group or society in some cases. Degradation Ceremonies in History Some of the earliest documented forms of degradation ceremonies are within military history, and this is a practice that still exists today (known within the military as cashiering). When a member of a military unit violates the rules of the branch, he or she may be stripped of rank, perhaps even publicly by the removal of stripes from ones uniform. Doing so results in an immediate demotion in rank or expulsion from the unit. However, degradation ceremonies take many other forms, from the formal and dramatic to the informal and subtle. What unifies them is that they all serve the same purpose: to lower a persons status and limit or revoke their membership in a group, community, or society. Sociologist Harold Garfinkel coined the term (also known as status degradation ceremony)  in the essay Conditions of Successful Degradation Ceremonies, published in  American Journal of Sociology  in 1956. Garfinkel explained that such processes tend to follow moral outrage after a person has committed a violation, or a perceived violation, of norms, rules, or laws. Thus degradation ceremonies can be understood in the context of the sociology of deviance. They mark and punish the deviant, and in the process of doing so, reaffirm the importance and legitimacy of the norms, rules, or laws that were violated (much like other rituals, as discussed by Émile Durkheim). Initiation Ritual On some occasions, degradation ceremonies are  used to initiate people into total institutions like mental hospitals, prisons, or military units. The purpose of a ceremony in this context is to deprive people of their former identities and dignity in order to make them more accepting of external control. The perp walk, wherein a person suspected of committing criminal acts is publicly arrested and led into a police car or station, is a common example of this kind of degradation ceremony. Another common example is the sentencing to jail or prison of an accused criminal in a court of law. In cases like these, arrest and sentencing, the accused or convicted loses their identity as a free citizen and is given a new and lower criminal/deviant identity that deprives them of the social status they previously enjoyed. At the same time, their rights and access to membership of society are limited by their new identity as an accused criminal or a convict. Its important to recognize that degradation ceremonies can also be informal but still quite effective. For example, the act of slut-shaming a girl or woman, whether in person, within her community (like a school), or online produces similar effects to the formal kind. Being labeled a slut by a cohort of peers can lower a girl or womans social status and deny her access to her peer group. This kind of degradation ceremony is the modern-day version of the Puritans forcing people who were thought to have had sex out of marriage to wear AD (for adulterer) on their clothing (the origins of Hawthornes story  The Scarlet Letter). Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

K-Pop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

K-Pop - Essay Example As a result, the youth had disposable resources that they could use in consuming popular culture. K-pop emerged to meet the need for a form of entertainment that was local but also embraced the pop curiosity that was rampant at the time. An interview conducted on a friend on whatsapp revealed that K-pop music is amazing and emotional. In addition, they are fresh and illustrate change as evident in the manner in which dancers attain rhythm and unity. Many people think that PSY single-heartedly invented K-pop, the Korean music scene. However, the emergence of the music genre can be traced to idol acts who popularized it in the 90s (Oak & Woong 1). Gangnam style, Psy’s sound and comedic choreography has attracted over 1.7 billion views since its release (Oak & Woong 1). In spite of this being the first K-pop hit that has achieved international success, early idols used a combination of western and Eastern sounds that were in-sync with the fashion choices of the time. In 1992, the Seo Taiji and Boys, a trio of singers and rappers emerged with a penchant for mixing American and Korean lyrics (Oak & Woong 1). They experienced success in South Korea due to the inherent desire for a music genre that could reflect their embrace of western culture with betraying their own. Entertainment companies looked at this new trend as an opportunity for enhancing their profits (Williamson 1). As a result, copycats emerged and contributed towards the genre becoming a mainstream act in Korea.

Early American history 1450 to 1820 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Early American history 1450 to 1820 - Term Paper Example The Columbian exchange refers to the movement of people, their belongings, plants, animals, and diseases from Europe to America after Columbus’s discovery of America. Such a drastic change in environment and ecology adversely affected the Native Americans making Columbus exchange one of the reasons of the prosperity of Europeans while a reason of downfall for the Native Americans (Brogan, 2001). Another important happening during this period is the French and Indian War which was fought during the late 1750s. The war was very much significant as it would determine the future and stability of North America. The French and Indian had an upper hand in terms of organization and strategy and this is the reason for their domination during the initial years of war. Seeing their colonial allies getting defeated, the British soon jumped into the battle and the tides turned in favor of the Americans. Even though the British eventually won the struggle for freedom, the struggle never rea lly ended because the Native Americans wanted freedom also from their colonial masters (Brogan, 2001). The tension between the British and the Americans increases which ultimately erupted into an open conflict referred to as the American Revolution. The most important event during this time period, as regarded by the historians is perhaps the American Revolution. The American Revolution which started in the year 1763 shattered the foundations on which the Old America was established and provided the idea of a United States of America. The American Revolution was a fight against the monarchy and aristocracy and the public openly stood against the English rulers. Even though initially the revolution was a struggle to overthrow the colonial system, it grew into something much more fundamental and important to the American community as a whole. The American Revolution provided the foundation of a unified America in which all the states fought for a unified cause (Bailyn, 1992). The valu es instilled in the participants are still there and are looked up to as an inspiration as America could not have achieved its current stature without this Revolution. For a long time the British had exercised their superiority and domination over the over the Americans, intercepting their ships and searching them. In 1812, the Americans waged war on the British. It was through this war that the Americans got their national anthem even though the war did not end decisively. A treaty was formed soon after the battle, the terms of which made it look more like a cease fire (Brogan, 2001). The war was not only important because the national anthem was composed during it but also two future presidents of the country began their political careers during this war. The start of the eighteenth century marked many important developments in the economic sector of the country. The most important of these is the market revolution. The market revolution is the name given to the series of steps ta ken by the steps to develop transportation within their respective cities which ultimately provided easier and greater access to markets. This proved to be very beneficial for the economy which boomed during this period (Brogan, 2001). The beginning of the eighteenth century also witnessed some ‘revolutionary’ changes in the political system of America. Jefferson became president in 1801, bringing

Communicators of the Sea Essay Example for Free

Communicators of the Sea Essay

Human Gene Therapy Essay -- Genetics Science Biology Essays

Human Gene Therapy Imagine this, you have just married your college sweetheart this past summer. You have now been happily married for over a year and you find out that the two of you are going to be parents. So as the typical soon to be mom and dad so commonly do, the two of you start going to the doctor for checkups to make sure the pregnancy is running smoothly. Early in the pregnancy you hear the worst, your baby has a fatal disease. The two of you are terribly heart broken over the situation. You tell your doctor that abortion is out of the question because you do not believe in it. On the other hand the doctor hits you with the question, "What about gene therapy?" Unfortunately you and your spouse look dumbfounded at each other because you have no idea what the doctor just said. So, what exactly is Human Gene Therapy? Well, in the next couple of pages I am going to cover some of the basic ideas of human gene therapy, discuss some of the public debates, and wrap things up with my personal opinion. Gene therapy is basically genotypic pharmacology. This involves the use of factors which modify the genetic composition of a given cell or group of cells. As a result of the idea for human gene therapy, a new technique of treatment for many human diseases has been developed. The factors that contribute to the treatments are either gene products, or are capable of interacting with gene products, or have the ability to interact with gene products in an individual cell or a group of cells. The interactions of contributing factors to gene therapy success are extremely capable of regulating particular genes, which either directly or indirectly, leads to the cure of a disease. As a result of this interaction an eventual cure of th... ...e lifespan and population. So, I am going to leave you with these few words. Maybe the human race should be thankful for what we currently have and the limited time we have left on earth. To me a basketball game with no final whistle would have no meaning. So would immortality. References Rehmann-Sutter, Christoph "The Ethics of Human Gene Therapy." The Hastings Center Report, May 1999, v.29, 3, 43 Begley, Sharon. "Designer Babies. (altering unborn babies through gene therapy)" Newsweek, 9 November 1998: 61 (1) Friend, Tim. "Patient gets first MD gene therapy." USA Today 3 September 1999: A1 10/15/1999:http://www.boil.tsukuba.acjp/~macer/Papers/GTN95A.html 10/15/1999:http://piebald.princeton.edu/mb427/1997/students/therapy/main.html 10/15/1999:http://www.med.upenn.edu/ihgt/info/whatisgt.html 10/15/1999:http://www.med.upenn.edu/ihgt/info/topic1.html

Legalising Prostitution: Debate, communication model and evaluation

Section 1: Group Discussion This section contains what was discussed during group discussion session. The general area of prejudice chosen for discussion was prostitution. Dubbed the oldest profession, there was unanimous observation among group members that prostitution is still loathed in the society, and commercial sex workers, mostly women, are still treated with contempt within our society. The common notion about prostitution is that whilst men are often ‘buyers’ of sex service from prostituting women, the latter are victims of exploitation. The term exploitation is used because women who engage in prostitution are seen to be compelled to engage in commercial sexual activities against their will. Whilst the common fact is that women who engage in prostitution see it as a source of income, and participate in it with their full consent without coercion, we observed that it is quite difficult to convince a person whose belief is entrenched in the moral dimension of commercial sex work that it is a normal activity. The prejudice against women is also entrenched by the belief that women who engage in this trade are of lesser social standing, even though this is always not the case. The other common belief is that while women prostitutes are looked down upon, men do not suffer any form of prejudice. In other words, men are often seen as the exploiters of sex workers, and hence do not enjoy any fair share of prejudice. On the other hand, both men and women engaging in prostitution are seen as morally repugnant, hence the common prejudice that come with it. The debate to legalise prostitution or not has been in the public domain for quite some time now. But it is the increased attention that it has received in the recent past that has invoked a lot of passionate debate in many legal jurisdictions as regards whether to legalise it or not. We may be all aware that one of the reasons why same-sex marriage has gained much currency today is because it is no longer viewed as socially unacceptable to the extent that it is not legal to hold gay couples in contempt in many countries. In recent past, it was not difficult to meet some strong views against marijuana user; with some even believing that the latter were losers who should be kept at the periphery of the society. However, criticism over marijuana use has waned in the recent past because of the recent revelation that it could be used to treat cancer. In addition, marijuana has also been used for pain relief for some time. This recent development has meant opposition to campaigns to keep marijuana illegal is at an all-time low. However, the same cannot be said about prostitution. The stigma associated with the sex trade remains strong, with women and men engaging in it seen as socially ambiguous individuals without moral standing in society. This kind of idea can promote dangerous conducts towards prostitutes. The fact that prostitutes are not regarded highly puts them at more risks to abuse including rape and murder. In addition, prostitutes are more likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases, further endangering their lives. Decriminalising prostitution will not only protect women but will also improve their safety and their rights, because however much it is made illegal, the oldest profession is not likely to go away anytime. Section 2: Commentary and Rationale This section will cover commentary on the topic and discuss it based on the chosen model of communication, the heuristic-systematic model. The debate on whether to legalise prostitution or not has intensified in the recent past, with voices advocating for the latter increasing in number every day. It’s no doubt that the stigma associated with prostitution is real, and remains strong amidst the growing knowledge that it will not stop any time soon. This is despite the rising evidence that decriminalising the trade has some significant health benefits. Research by two economists, Scott Cunningham and Manisha Shah (cited in Albarracin, et al., 2005, p. 78), looked at the situation in Rhodes Island when prostitution was accidentally decriminalised and found that cases of gonorrhoea had drastically reduced, as rape incidences. . Shannon et al. (2004, cited in Griffin, 2006, p.139) also confirmed this result when they conducted a study in Vancouver, British Colombia, and found out t hat decriminalising of prostitution can significantly reduce HIV prevalence by minimising its spread. Despite all the evidence showing the benefits of legalising prostitution, the benefits have not attracted the attention of the legislators. . In addition, many have argued that idea of legalising prostitution is unattractive to voters and therefore to politicians. There is need to focus on presenting arguments that provide options to the intended audience on the need to legalise abortion, and that is where the model for persuasive communication will be necessary in the subsequent section of this paper. The Heuristic-Systematic Model of Social Information Processing The concept of persuasion is an important aspect to not only convincing the people to accept an idea but also to drive changes of mind towards the accomplishment of the idea. The Heuristic-Systematic Model (Chaiken & Trope, 1999) recognises that people either use heuristics and short-cuts to decide on important issues, or use a systematic mechanism that processes the merits and demerits of an argument. The Heuristic approach suggests that the decision-maker asks questions such as of ‘how do I feel about this issue?’ despite the recognition that such questions can cause problems of understanding and choice, particularly when the person facing the decision dilemma mixes up the cause and the effect of their emotions. In other words, the Heuristic-Systematic Model recognises that in any argument there are a number of variables that are conceptually independent of the message quality and which are likely to influ ence people to act or agree with the proposed idea. Dillard & Pfau (2002) state that that these variables are able to qualitatively differentiate information processing, and give people more room to negotiate with their thinking process. It is important to recognise that people rarely process information in perfect conditions, because there are often environmental and cognitive constraints that tend to either limit the broadness of reasoning or curtail information processing. In this line of thought, people tend to process information economically; investing only in cognitive efforts when they feel motivated enough with a number of cognitive resources. In the prostitution decriminalisation debate, this can be said to affect that the way people reason, that is, arguments are likely to be based on strong environmental and cognitive influences entrenched by history, personal interest or fear, religious and cultural convictions. For instance, some arguments have emerged that prostitution should remain illegal because legalising it will mean women of loose morals will increasingly tempt men of good morals to increasingly betray their families. This kind of argument tends to make out that women who engage in prostitution a re the villains. The other belief is that women who engage in prostitution should be protected from being hurt against: sexually transmitted diseases, unruly pimps, and exploitation. The other argument would only be based on religion and historical cultural practices that prohibits prostitution as a trade. The three lines of arguments are motivated by different lines of thought, which can fall in either heuristic or systematic message processing mechanism. Ironically, the arguments against prostitution which include the view that women of loose morals prey upon upstanding men of good morals and lead them to betray their families has been accepted in some countries such as Sweden, which in 1999, criminalised the buying of sex but allowed individuals to continue selling it (Dillard & Pfau, 2002). Many proponents of this legislation argued that violence against prostituting in women is inherent, and that the best way was to reduce prostitution prevalence by limiting activities of the potential buyers. On the other hand, the State of Nevada, United States legalised prostitution to protect women from exploitation and abuse (Taleb, 2012). The Heuristic- Systematic model posits that people generally process persuasive information systematically only when they are fully motivated. When one is in a systematic mode, they tend to take into consideration all relevant pieces of information, elaborately analyse the information, and make a judgment based on the elaborated issues. However, whenever people are not adequately motivated or do not possess sufficient cognitive resources, they often resort to processing of information heuristically or superficially. People in a heuristic mode of thinking consider only a few or a single informational cue and come up a judgment based on the cues. Whilst decriminalising or legalising prostitution has attracted massive debate, its inability to pass the legislative hurdle or even attract attention of the political class has been overbearing for its proponents. In other words, legalising of sex trade has not been high amongst the priorities of many legislative agendas for many countries, i ncluding United Kingdom and United States (Taleb, 2012). The reason why the Heuristic- Systematic model can work towards pushing for the legalisation of prostitution is because of its dualism nature, which allows the message to reach different classes of people. The goal here is to get support for legislation that would see prostitution decriminalised, and protect the parties involved. . Expert advice backed by research findings are powerful tool to convince legislators, who may not take their time to scrutinise the quality of persuasive arguments, and mostly prefer quick fixes in making decisions. Packaging a message heuristically can allow the legislators to pick the cue, and avoid the difficult process of differentiating a strong and a weak message (Griffin, 2006). Reimer, et al (2004, p.81) observe that â€Å"people who expect to discuss a persuasion message later are more affected by the number of persuasive arguments but are never affected by the attractiveness of the communicator.† It is presumed that the importance of the message easily induce systematic processing of the message. By contrast, people who do not expect to discuss the message are often affected by how attractive the communicator is, and not affected by the number of persuasive arguments (Reimer, et al, 2004). Studies have proven that motivational variables affect the mode in which people process persuasive arguments. These variables include personal relevance of the message, importance of the task, attitude accountability and exposure to a person’s attitude (Chaiken & Trope, 1999). On the other hand, there are cognitive resource variables that affect the mode of message processing, which includes distraction, repetition of the message, creating time pressure, a nd modality of communication, knowledge and expertise (Griffin, 2006). Although it is important to recognise these modes of communicating the message in terms of communicating the value of legalising prostitution, it should not appear as though there is any form of dissociation of the variables at the early stage of the group means (Griffin, 2006). Similarly, heuristically communicating the message should be able to have direct effects on the attitudes of the target group. In this aspect, when the people agree in a consensus that prostitution should be legalised, then it can be considered correct and valid for acceptance. An important factor which should be covered by any dual-process model is how the two processes interact or work together. Although one may argue that the two processes, heuristic and systematic are mutually exclusive or are competing concepts, in this case of legalising prostitution they should work together. The Heuristic-Systematic model posits that the two proc esses, heuristic and systematic, are indeed working simultaneously. Evidence of how these two processes can work is when arguments pitting two judgmental implications of both of them. For instance, an expert source delivering a message consisting of weak arguments can present a scenario where both systematic and heuristic processing of messages is done under different levels of motivation. It is also important to note that the heuristic-systematic model attenuates that wherever the two processes opposes each other, the implications the comes from systematic processing can â€Å"easily attenuate the impact of heuristic given that people are sufficiently motivated.† For example, Griffin, (2006).found out those highly motivated participants who were presented with consensus cue information that is inconsistent with the attributes singularly based their judgments on their own cognitive prowess in relation to the product attributes. This concept is applicable in the case of prosti tution legalisation debate, in the sense that legislators can use their own cues and decide on the legislative agendas that will legalise commercial sex work. Section 3: Evaluation Proposal Evaluating heuristic- systematic model effectiveness is an important part of this model’s success towards ensuring the message to legalise prostitution is effectively passed. Effective communications needs evaluation, which helps to identify the impact of the efforts made in passing the message to the target audience. To effectively monitor the communication model, various tools shall be used in the process. Public opinion evaluation: Getting the opinions of the public as far as legalising prostitution is concerned is an important point to start from. Public opinion monitoring tool will be used to ask the public if they heard about the campaign to legalise prostitution from opinion leaders including legislators and non-governmental organisations. In addition, the questions will be directed to ask the public whether they agree with the manner in which legislators in support of the prostitution presented their messages or agreed with them in the context and reasons given by the leaders. For example, questions such as: Whose arguments made sense in the call to legalise prostitutionAnd whyThe questionnaire trackers will be recorded in terms of age, gender, work status, tenacity. The methodology to be used will remain consistent over time to allow for the tracking of metrics over time for comparison purposes. Evaluating media Evaluating the media response on how effective the proposed model will work, the formal process for evaluating the impact of the campaign in the media is to analyse whether it can be replicated and made part of regular campaign mechanism. Media Coverage Before Campaign (airtime/space) Coverage After Campaign (airtime/ space) % Increase in Coverage BBC National News BBC London ITV National News London Tonight Evening Standard Metro Radio 4 Times The table above will provide a guideline on how the media coverage has increased/ or decreased due to the campaign. This will be able to help bring depth to the understanding of our campaign, and if the media (both mainstream and tabloids) respond to increased debate. By monitoring how the media has changed the amount of airtime/ or newspaper coverage space in covering the legislative debates, it is possible to analyse the outcome of the campaign in ensuring the legislators continually discuss the possibility of decriminalising or legalising prostitution. The media monitoring will be conducted by assistants on everyday basis, and compiled in a weekly report for tracking if there is any change in trends. Each article or piece of broadcast coverage will be allocated points based on the following criteria: Positivity/negativity of the message (in favour of legalising prostitution): analysing the articles, opinions, newspaper columns and news coverage. Positivity/ negativity of the headl ines: positive mentions of the campaign groups, legislators; and Neutrality of opinions reported Finally, a range of stories will be typically evaluated and compiled on a daily basis, and tabulated on a weekly basis. Classification of stories will ensure the campaign program can be understood in the manner in which the media responds to the legislative debates, which is likely to translate into public debate as well. References Albarracin, D., Johnson, B. T., & Zanna, M. P. (2005). The handbook of attitudes. Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers Chaiken, S., & Trope, Y. (1999). Dual-process theories in social psychology. New York: Guilford Press. Dillard, J.P. & Pfau, M. (2002). The persuasion Handbook: Developments in Theory and Practice. NY: Sage Publications. Griffin, E. A. (2006). A first look at communication theory (6th ed.). Boston, MA; McGraw Hill. Reimer, T., Mata, R & Stoecklin, M. (2004). The use of Heuristics in Persuasion: Deriving Cues on Source Expertise from Argument Quality. In Current Research in Social Psychology, 10(6), 69-83. Taleb, N. (2012). Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder. New York: Random House.

Working Poor in America

Working to be Poor in America A single mother of three works two jobs at minimum wage can survive only if she takes advantage of food stamps and lives with a roommate to help pays the bills. This is the case with most of the â€Å"working poor† in America. In 2006, a family of four with one minimum-wage earner had a total income (including food stamps and the Earned Income Tax Credit) of $18,950, some $1,550 below the poverty line. America is one of the richest countries in the world and yet according to the US Census Bureau, in 2010 21 million of its population lived in working-poor families.This translates into nearly 9. 6 percent of all American families living below 100 percent of poverty have at least one family member working. How can this be? Some people believe that the workers are to blame; they believe that it is the workers’ lack of ambition and drive to better themselves that causes them to be in such dire conditions. While this might be true in very few cas es, I don’t believe that it paints the entire picture as to why there could be a â€Å"working poor† class in America.Despite what society may think, the â€Å"working poor† exists because they are subjected to minimum wage, insufficient hours, layoffs, lack of skills, expensive health care and childcare, and inadequate housing. Society throws so many curve balls at low-wage workers that it has become very nearly impossible for them to transcend their situations. One common misconception is that the answer to poverty is to get a job. We assume that if someone is hungry, it is because they are unemployed and are living on the streets. The reality is that over 49 million Americans are affected by hunger.Does this mean that they all are jobless and homeless? As the article â€Å"25 million depend on emergency food assistance† reports, about one-third of the adults between the ages of 18 and 65 needing emergency food-aid are employed. Thirty-six percent of al l families seeking assistance reported that at least one family member was working. As Michelle Conlin and Aaron Bernstein explain, today more than 28 million people, about a quarter of the workforce between the ages of 18 and 64, earn less than $9. 04 an hour, which translates into a full-time salary of $18,800 a year—the income that marks the federal poverty line for a family of four. â€Å"The Working Poor Are Not Getting By in America†) The Census Bureau lists that overall 63% of U. S. families below the federal poverty line have one or more workers. How is it that such a large percentage of the U. S. population can be considered as poor or hungry? Is it that all these people lack ambition or is it society that places the burden of poverty on these workers? The primary and main reason for the rut the â€Å"working poor† find themselves in is the minimum wage. While profits and productivity soar in today’s economy, the minimum wage hasn’t kept p ace with inflation.Opponents of a raise in the minimum wage often make dire predictions about supposed adverse impacts on employment rates and the economy. But study after study shows that there is simply  no  evidence that raising the minimum wage has led to higher unemployment, and there is substantial evidence that a responsible minimum wage increase does not affect employment rates at all. According to the New York Times editorial Board, if the minimum wage had kept pace with the rise in executive salaries since 1990, America’s poorest paid workers would be making more than $23 an hour.In 1956, the federal minimum wage was a dollar an hour; that same dollar when adjusted for inflation would be $10. 55 an hour in today's dollars, instead today the actual federal wage is $7. 25 and for tipped workers a dismal $2. 13. This amounts to about $1. 50 an hour less, in today’s money, than it did in 1968. In â€Å"Raising the minimum wage will reduce poverty† it s tates that even with a $7. 25-an-hour minimum wage, a family of five with a full-time, minimum-wage earner that receives food stamps and the refundable tax credits would fall $1,139 below the poverty line in 2009.In the past 30 years, Congress has passed legislation to increase the minimum wage exactly 3 times. With politicians and employers fighting furiously to keep this minimum wage down, low-wage workers are forced to work two, sometimes even three jobs in addition to depending on government handouts in order to barely get by. While their income is kept at a minimum, their expenses continue to soar: health care, child care, gas prices, housing, the list goes on. The cost of living has been constantly rising for years while the minimum wage lags behind. The number of people who lack health insurance is about 49. million. In 2010, the percentage of people who had health insurance through their employers fell to 55. 3% while 31% of Americans relied on the government for health insu rance. (Les Christie) However, while most children in families with a full-time minimum-wage worker are eligible for free or low-cost health insurance through Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, their parents are not. In fact, according to the Census data, in 25 states a parent in a three-person family with a full-time, minimum-wage job earns too much to qualify for Medicaid.As a result, about 41 percent of all parents with incomes below the poverty line were uninsured in 2005. In addition to this, many working poor families face significant childcare costs. According to the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, in the median state in the 2004-2005 academic year, full-time infant care in a licensed child care center cost an average of $7,100 per year, while full-time care for preschoolers in a licensed child care center cost an average of $5,800.Without a child care subsidy, a family earning at or near the minimum wage is un likely to be able to afford such a tuition bill for one child, let alone two or more children. Housing cost burdens for poor families are often severe. Expenditures on public housing have fallen since the 1980s, and expansion of public rental subsidies came to a halt in the mid-1990s. Actual rents have to be less than 30% of one’s income to be considered ‘affordable’. Ehrenreich 201) Housing analyst Peter Dreier reports that 59% of poor renters, amounting to a total of 4. 4 million households, spend more than 50% of their income on shelter. (38) Nationwide, the average cost of a modest two-bedroom apartment in 2006 was $821 per month, or $9,852 per year, according to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). At this cost, rent and utilities consume nearly half (48 percent) of the income of a family of four at the poverty line. This calculation assumes that the family receives food stamps, the EITC and child tax credit. ) Rising rents are forcin g the low-wage workers into motels with fluctuating prices for the winter season and tourist seasons. By relying on the minimum wage, basic necessities such as health care and home-ownership have now become a luxury to the â€Å"working poor† – a distant dream that can never be realized. We would assume that there is adequate support for the â€Å"working poor† through government handouts, but even this system is flawed.Throughout the nation soup kitchens and food pantries are stretched beyond capacity, struggling and failing to meet new need, much of it from working people whose wages simply haven't kept up. Barbara Ehrenreich in her book Nickled and Dimed reveals through her own experience as a low-wage employee just how difficult it is to receive help from the government and charity organizations and how limited these options are. You would need to dedicate a significant amount of your time and energy to locate these options and even when you do manage to get in touch with the â€Å"right person† the help received can be useless.As a low-wage worker, where every hour of your time is money spent, devoting this amount of time to looking for government aid is a luxury as well. Therefore, they are prevented from receiving the little assistance available to them. Most of the time, they do not even qualify for welfare because of the low-wage paying job that they have, even though they desperately need the assistance. Therefore, who or what do we blame for the devastating conditions of the â€Å"working poor† in our society?If there was a clear cut answer to this question, then maybe this question would never need to be asked. We would just point a finger and work on getting the problem fixed. Society strips the â€Å"working poor† of their dignity, self-worth, self-respect and pride and leaves them naked to suffer these physically demanding, dead-end jobs where they are paid next to nothing and in the end, still condemned because they are thought of as lazy parasites that put a strain on society through their addictions and their insistence on reproducing in unfavorable circumstances.Society is quick to judge these individuals and disapprove of their actions when in reality it is society’s fault that these people must depend on such things as welfare in order to minimally survive. According to Furman and Parrot in â€Å"Raising the minimum wage will reduce poverty†, raising the minimum wage would be an important first step and a useful complement to public policies like the EITC, food stamps, and child care subsidies, which provide additional benefits and supports for low-income working families.They believe that a broader agenda is needed, however, to raise the prospects of low-wage workers and their families more significantly. Such an agenda would need to include additional income supports, help in obtaining the health care, child care, and housing that these families need but often cannot afford, and new opportunities to attend college or upgrade their skills so they can secure higher paying, more stable jobs. Works Cited â€Å"25 million depend on emergency food assistance. † Policy & Practice June 2006: 7.Academic OneFile. Web. 22 June 2012. Bureau of Labor Statistics. United States Department of Labor. May 2012. Web. 21 June 2012. Christie, Les. â€Å"Number of people without health insurance climbs. † CNN Money. Cable News Network 2012. Web. 21 June 2012. Conlin, Michelle, and Aaron Bernstein. â€Å"The Working Poor Are Not Getting By in America. † Poverty. Ed. Viqi Wagner. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from â€Å"Working †¦ And Poor. † Business Week (31 May 2004). Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 0 June 2012. Dreier, Peter. Why America’s Workers Can’t Pay the Rent. Dissent 47 (3). Summer 2000. Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. New Yor k: Henry Holt and Co, 2001. Print. Furman, Jason, and Sharon Parrot. â€Å"Raising the Minimum Wage Will Reduce Poverty. † Poverty. Ed. Viqi Wagner. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from â€Å"A $7. 25 Minimum Wage Would Be a Useful Step in Helping Working Families Escape Poverty. † www. cbpp. org. 2007. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context.Web. 22 June 2012. Jeff Chapman. â€Å"Employment and the Minimum Wage: Evidence from Recent State Labor Trends,† Economic Policy Institute, 2004. And in one of the most compelling studies, David Card and Alan B. Krueger find that the 1992 New Jersey state minimum wage increase had no negative effect on employment in New Jersey’s fast-food industry. David Card and Alan Krueger, â€Å"Minimum Wages and Employment: A case study of the fast-food industry in New Jersey and Pennsylvania,† American Economic Review, vol. 4 (4), 772-793, 2004. Pimpare, Stephen. â€Å"Welfare Reform Has Increase d Poverty. † Poverty and Homelessness. Ed. Noel Merino. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Current Controversies. Rpt. from â€Å"Why Welfare Reform Has Failed. † ZNet. 2004. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 22 June 2012. RaisetheMinimumWage. com. National Employment Law Project. June 2012. Web. 21 June 21 2012. Rhoda Cohen, J. , Mabli, F. , Potter, Z. , Zhao. Hunger In America 2010. Feeding America. February 2010.

Killer Submarine essays

Killer Submarine essays Submarine Secrets in the Cold War is about sleek, black killing machines called submarines. For forty years submarines lived in the lines of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. There are always secrets and questions to what really took place. The U.S. had pushed technology as had as they could. The U.S. had created the ultimate submarine called the killer shark. This submarine was equipped with a computerized system, five control sub missiles and sonar range. The killer shark can dive deeper and more silently than ever before, it was considered the most advanced submarine. But something tragic had suddenly happened. Then, five years later it happened again but this time with a submarine called the Scorpion. No one likes to talk about it. Secrets were kept for twenty- five years. Under water microphones were also created and used by the U.S Navy. This was a device to detect multiple code- books, missiles, and torpedoes 17,000 feet below. They then used what was called Glomar Explorer, a ship used to lift old submarines off the oceans floor. This ship had a claw attached that weighed 15 million pounds and was the size of a football field. The device called the Deep Submergents rescue vehicles (DSRVS) was built to be buried on the Russians territory and detecting over 1200 miles. Recently, there was a collision between the USS Greeneville and a Japanese fishing trawler. This accident leaves 9 civilians dead. Submarines are weapons of all weapons of the Cold War and they still ...

9 Reasons You Might Be Failing at Your Careerâ€And How to Fix It

9 Reasons You Might Be Failing at Your Career- And How to Fix It The time has come to talk about the â€Å"F† word. (No, not that â€Å"F† word.) Failure. No matter who you are or what you do, that word usually has the power to strike fear. If you suspect you’re already failing in your life (for example, you’re not where you thought you would be at this point, or you’ve experienced setbacks), that can be incredibly intimidating. It may keep you from shaking off bad habits and picking up new ones that would get you in a better place. This is especially true in your career. It can be super easy to fall into an inertia bubble and then find yourself shrugging helplessly when you know it’s time to get out. Let’s look at some of the reasons you might think you’re failing at your professional life, and what you can do about them.1. You feel helpless to make changes.This is one I struggle with all. the. time. You may not think you’re helpless per se, but maybe you just feel overwhelmed by dail y minutiae, and you feel like staying afloat is all you can accomplish. If you’re managing only what comes your way, you’re troubleshooting rather than improving.What to do about it: Realize that you do have a say in your daily life, even at work where things might seem very regimented or non-negotiable. If you want to take more agency and control in your life, it starts with you. Learn to advocate for yourself, and negotiate what you want. You’d be surprised at what you can get if you learn to ask for it in the right way.2. You’re too busy blaming other people.I’d be much further along if Susan weren’t getting all the attention and good projects at work. I’d be making more money if Frank paid more attention to what I’m doing. I’d have a better job if it weren’t for my cat/my parents/my therapist.What to do about it: You do you. Your career is yours, and yours alone. This means that ultimately, your decisions are your responsibility- not your cat’s, your parents’, or your therapist’s. It’s time to stop blaming, and instead start thinking about what it would take for you to get what you want: that raise, the good projects, the job you want. Blaming others takes up a lot of mental energy, which you should instead be using to do an internal audit of why things aren’t working out the way you want- and what steps you can take to make progress.3. You’re settling for a mediocre status quo.This is an especially insidious kind of failure. You’re comfortable enough, have a job that pays your bills, but you’re not really going anywhere. It’s settling for the good-enough-right-now, at the expense of what is good for you in the future.What to do about it: Do things that scare you a little (within reason). You don’t have to go busting every piece of your status quo right now, but if you start by doing one thing every week that is outsid e your comfort zone, you’ll likely find that â€Å"status quo† expanding around you. Take on a project that is a bit of a stretch. Take a class in a new skill. Apply for that reach job. If you find yourself hesitating, ask yourself why, and what you have to lose if you go for it. And if the answer isn’t â€Å"it’s physically dangerous† or â€Å"this will cause a divorce,† then consider moving forward with it after all.4. You don’t have the resources or education.If you avoid applying for jobs because you don’t have the necessary skills, experience, or education, that feeling of failure may creep in while you’re browsing job openings. It’s hard not to feel like a failure if all you can see are closed doors.What to do about it: Take a class! Going for a new degree (or completing an old one) just may not be feasible for everyone, but there are often ways to get around the traditional â€Å"going back to school† model. For skill-building, sites like Lynda.com offer free or relatively inexpensive courses you can take on your own time. There are also many universities and colleges that offer part-time degree programs, or non-degree courses online. There are so many ways to stay academically active and keep learning, even when time or money is tight.5. You’re avoiding hard truths.Facing reality is hard. That’s why we have 8 million things to distract our attention at any given time. Cat videos, TV, social media- we all have ways of decompressing and avoiding reality for a while. Those are all temporary, though. Ultimately you’ll have to think about new and different ways of doing things, or facts that make you uncomfortable. If you’ve been avoiding thinking about your professional future because it might lead to uncomfortable realizations about the choices you’ve made and the ones you will need to make in the future, then you’re setting yourself up f or failure.What to do about it: Time for a little self-audit. Where are you in your career, what’s keeping you in it, and where do you want to be in five years? This is an exercise just for you- no one else will see or judge, so it’s important to be extremely honest about what you have, and what you want.6. You think you’re too old to make changes.We often pick our career paths pretty early in life, based on what we want to study in college, or what we think we’d be good at doing when we’re 18. And think about it: how well do many of the life decisions you made when you were 18 still hold up? How many of your hobbies and interests are the same? You’re not locked into a career that you chose because it seemed like a good idea at the time. As you change, you’re never too old to change your professional path.What to do about it: If you feel stuck in a path that doesn’t interest you anymore, think about making a change- no matter h ow significant. Think about what it is you want to be doing, and start doing real research into what it would take- like education, certification, or skills. These are all things you can work on in the meantime, before you make any big moves.7. Your fear of failure has you pinned down.Failing because you fear failure? Is that a thing? Yes, yes it is. It’s possible to back right into failure while you’re on guard against it, avoiding risky changes or proactive steps that could result in failing. This kind of failure is sneaky, because it comes right from the place you thought you were watching.What to do about it: Don’t be afraid to be bad at something, or to make a bad decision once in a while. Failure can actually be one of the great learning experiences, painful though it may feel in the meantime. By letting fear of failure paralyze you, it can kill your career progress. Your professional life thrives on both your successes and your failures.8. You’re o verestimating your abilities.Full disclosure: I’m failing at being a ballet dancer. This is because I am the biggest klutz ever, I don’t have the right body type, and†¦oh yeah†¦I have very few ballet skills. So Misty Copeland’s title is probably safe. But if I expected to be a ballet dancer at this point in my career, I’d be making a fatal assumption that I could be one in my current state. It’s one thing to be confident in the abilities you have, but another thing entirely to be confident that you’ll be good at something without the education or skills to back it up. This kind of mindset lets you get comfortable in the idea that you don’t need to learn or do new things, because you’re the best the way you are.What to do about it: Embrace your strengths, work on your weaknesses, and accept the need to be realistic about what you can do.9. You’re not setting realistic goals.If you’re not planning your car eer in a realistic way, of course you’re going to feel like a failure- you set it up that way yourself. Going from entry level to CEO in two years was never going to happen.What to do about it: Time to set up some SMART goals. That’s Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Based. Setting these career goals both in the short-term (say, for the next year) and the long-term (five years or beyond) will help you make progress that you can quantify. There are lots of apps and tools you can use to help you, but don’t underestimate the power of a good old-fashioned checklist, and the smug, well-earned sense of satisfaction you get as you check something off the list.If you feel like you’re failing, it’s never too late to stop, figure out why, and start taking concrete steps out of the muck. Understanding why you’re failing is the most important first step you can take.

Assignment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Assignment 3 - Essay Example My dad and mum have asked me so many questions even from the morning. But I have not replied to any of the questions. They asked me what happened to me and my silence provoked them a lot and they kept repeating the same question. Mum and dad have concluded that I have some problems which might be psychological and need medical assistance and they decided to seek the advice of a psychologist in the evening as both of them need to attend their professional duties during their day time. They asked me to stay in the home till they arrive in the evening. But I decided to go to my college to study the responses of my teacher and my colleagues. On my way to class, so many people wished me with Hello, Hi. But I have not responded to anyone. Those who wished me have looked suspiciously at me and uttered certain words and gone. But one of my closest friends has came close to me and asked me what happened. But I have not responded. He has pat me on my shoulders and asked me even louder; â€Å"what happened to you? I have not responded and entered the class amidst the irritating comments of my colleagues. When the lecture was going on, my friends started to look at me occasionally to watch my actions. The teacher has noticed that something rather unusual has happened in the class after observing the behaviors of my friends and he enquired about it. One of my friends replied that something drastically wrong has happened to me. The teacher has asked me what happened to me. But I continued my silence amidst of some strange noises produced by my classmates. The teacher asked others to calm down and he has continued his class. After the classes, I returned home and continued my silence till my dad and mum arrived. They came back in the evening and asked me to get ready to have a consultation with a psychologist. They were so much anxious about my condition and started to make their own judgments for my peculiar behavior. I could not control my emotions for so long and