Going Back to School Essay

Returning to school was something I alway intended to do in my life. I knew there would be some obstacles and hurdles i would have to overcome to make my dream come true. Here are some obstacles I had to overcome in my past with previous school experinces I have had to return back to school. When I was younger, I remember my mom waking my older brother up and sending him off to school. I would get so mad, because I wanted to go. Than finally my day came, I got up and off to school I went. Elementary school was the great. I loved playing with the other kids. Kindergarten through fifth grade made me feel like school was a game. Yeah, we learned our basic studies, but we had fun doing it. Than came time for moving on up to middle school. My first couple of weeks were okay, but the work started getting harder, the other kids weren’t very nice and we didn’t have much free time. I didn’t like it, but it was something I got used too and I stuck it out. Finally, my ninth year came, I was a freshman in high school. I hated it, I was always getting pushed around and made fun of because my family didn’t have much money. I didn’t have name brand shoes or clothes. Everybody kept telling me I needed an eduacation to get anywhere in this world. Well I tried, finally when I was seventeen, only six months before graduation, I got so fed up, I dropped out. Once I turned eighteen, I realized it was time to make a life of my own. My family shouldn’t have to support me. So I went out and found me a job. I was so proud of this job. I was doing good, or so I thought. After a few years of working for this company, I figured out I was already at the top of the ladder, I couldn’t go up anymore. I had to better my life. I needed a higher education. I got it in my head and went and got my GED. Than once again my learning process stopped right there. Out of the blue one day, my mom calls and tells me about these online college courses. She knew I didn’t I didn’t want to go sit in a classroom. This struck some interest in me. It took me a few days, but I called and got enrolled. When I started my first class, I was a bit nervous, it took sometime to get back into the swing of things. I’m still somewhat nervous but it gets better with each class. Going back to school was the hardest decision I have ever had to make. Well, it took the longest time anyway. I am so glad I decided to go back. Being back at school makes me feel so much better about myself. This is one thing I won’t quit again.

Meaning of Public Enterprises

MEANING OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES As state earlier, the business units owned, managed and controlled by the central, state or local government are termed as public sector enterprises or public enterprises. These are also known as public sector undertakings. A public sector enterprise may be defined as any commercial or industrial undertaking owned and managed by the government with a view to maximize social welfare and uphold the public interest.Public enterprises consist of nationalized private sector enterprises, such as, banks, Life Insurance Corporation of India and the new enterprises set up by the government such as Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT), Gas Authority of India (GAIL), State Trading Corporation (STC) etc. CHARACTERISTICS OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES Looking at the nature of the public enterprises their basic characteristics can be summarized as follows: A. State control:  The public enterprises are financed, owned and managed by the government may be a central or state governmen t.B. Rendering service:  The primary objective of the establishment of public enterprises is to serve the public at large by supplying the essential goods at a reasonable price and creating employment opportunities. C. Government Ownership and Management: The public enterprises are owned and managed by the central or state government, or by the local authority. The government may either wholly own the public enterprises or the ownership may partly be with the government and partly with the private industrialists and the public.Autonomous or semi-autonomous organization:  Public enterprise is an autonomous or semi-autonomous organization because some enterprises work under the direct control of the government and some organizations are established under statutes and companies act. D. Financed from Government Funds: The public enterprises get their capital from Government Funds and the government has to make provision for their capital in its budget, they become financially indepe ndent by arranging finance for day-to-day operation. E. Public Welfare: Public enterprises are not guided by profit motive.Their major focus is on providing the service or commodity at reasonable prices. Take the case of Indian Oil Corporation or Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL). They provide petroleum and gas at subsidized prices to the public. F. Monopoly Enterprises:  In some specific cases private sectors are not allowed and as such the public enterprises enjoy monopoly in operation. G. Public Utility Services: Public sector enterprises concentrate on providing public utility services like transport, electricity, telecommunication etc. H.Public Accountability: Public enterprises are governed by public policies formulated by the government and are accountable to the legislature. The state enterprises are liable to the general public for their performances because they are responsible for the nation. I. Excessive Formalities: The government rules and regulations force the p ublic enterprises to observe excessive formalities in their operations. This makes the task of management very sensitive and cumbersome. J. A direct channel for use of Foreign money:  Sometimes the government receive foreign assistance from industrially advanced countries for the development of industries.These advances received are spent through public enterprises. K. Agent for implementing government plans:  The public enterprises run as per the whims of the government and as such the economic policies and plans of the government are implemented through public enterprises. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR ENTERPRISES By private sector, we mean, economic and social activities undertaken privately by a single individual or group of individuals. They prefer to do business in private sector basically to earn profit.On the other hand public sector refers to economic and social activities undertaken by public authorities. The enterprises in public sector are set up with the main aim of protecting public interest. Profit earning comes next. Besides the difference in the objective, the enterprises in both these sectors also differ in many other aspects. In this section let us know the differences between the enterprises of public sector and private sector. Basis of difference| Private sector enterprises| Public sector enterprises| Objective| Maximization of profit| Maximize social welfare and ensure alanced economic development| Ownership| Owned by individuals| Owned by Government| Management| Managed by owner and professional managers| Managed by Government| Capital| Raised by owners through loans, private sources and public issues| Raised from government funds and sometimes through public issues| Area of Operation| Operates in all areas with adequate return on investment| Operates in basic and public utility sectors| FORMS OF ORGANISATION OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES There are three different forms of organization used for the public sector enterprises in India.These are (1) Departmental Undertaking; (2) Statutory (or Public) Corporation, and (3) Government Company. Departmental Undertaking form of organization is primarily used for provision of essential services such as railways, postal services, broadcasting etc. Such organizations function under the overall control of a ministry of the Government and are financed and controlled in the same way as any other government department. This form is considered suitable for activities where the government desires to have control over them in view of the public interest.Statutory Corporation (or public corporation) refers to a corporate body created by the Parliament or State Legislature by a special Act which defines its powers, functions and pattern of management. Statutory Corporation is also known as public corporation. Its capital is wholly provided by the government. Examples of such organizations are Life Insurance Corporation of India, State Trading Corporation etc. Government Com pany refers to the company in which 51 percent or more of the paid up capital is held by the government.It is registered under the Companies Act and is fully governed by the provisions of the Act. Most business units owned and managed by government fall in this category. DEPARTMENTAL UNDERTAKINGS Departmental undertakings are the oldest among the public enterprises. A departmental undertaking is organized, managed and financed by the Government. It is controlled by a specific department of the government. Each such department is headed by a minister. All policy matters and other important decisions are taken by the controlling ministry.The Parliament lays down the general policy for such undertakings. FEATURES OF DEPARTMENTAL UNDERTAKINGS The main features of departmental undertakings are as follows: (a) It is established by the government and its overall control rests with the minister. (b) It is a part of the government and is managed like any other government department. (c) It i s financed through government funds. (d) It is subject to budgetary, accounting and audit control. (e) Its policy is laid down by the government and it is accountable to the legislature.MERITS OF DEPARTMENTAL UNDERTAKINGS The following are the merits of departmental undertakings:- (a) Fulfillment of Social Objectives: The government has total control over these undertakings. As such it can fulfill its social and economic objectives. For example, opening of post offices in far off places, broadcasting and telecasting programmes, which may lead to the social, economic and intellectual development of the people are the social objectives that the departmental undertakings try to fulfill. b) Responsible to Legislature: Questions may be asked about the working of departmental undertaking in the parliament and the concerned minister has to satisfy the public with his replies. As such they cannot take any step, which may harm the interest of any particular group of public. These undertaking s are responsible to the public through the parliament. (c) Control Over Economic Activities: It helps the government to exercise control over the specialized economic activities and can act as instrument of making social and economic policy. d) Contribution to Government Revenue: The surplus, if any, of the departmental undertakings belong to the government. This leads to increase in government income. Similarly, if there is deficiency, it is to be met by the government. (e) Little Scope for Misuse of Funds: Since such undertakings are subject to budgetary accounting and audit control, the possibilities of misuse of their funds are considerably reduced. LIMITATIONS OF DEPARTMENTAL UNDERTAKINGS Departmental undertakings suffer from the following limitations: (a) TheInfluence of Bureaucracy: On account of government control, a departmental undertaking suffers from all the ills of bureaucratic functioning. For instance, government permission is required for each expenditure, observanc e of government decisions regarding appointment and promotion of the employees and so on. Because of these reasons important decisions get delayed, employees cannot be given instant promotion or punishment. On account of these reasons some difficulties come in the way of working of departmental undertakings. b) Excessive Parliamentary Control: On account of the Parliamentary control difficulties come in the way of day-to-day administration. This is also because questions are repeatedly asked in the parliament about the working of the undertaking. (c) Lack of Professional Expertise: The administrative officers who manage the affairs of the departmental undertakings do not generally have the business experience as well as expertise. Hence, these undertakings are not managed in a professional manner and suffer from deficiency leading to excessive drainage of public funds. d) Lack of Flexibility: Flexibility is necessary for a successful business so that the demand of the changing times may be fulfilled. But departmental undertakings lack flexibility because its policies cannot be changed instantly. (e) Inefficient Functioning: Such organizations suffer from inefficiency on account of incompetent staff and lack of adequate incentives to improve efficiency of the employees. STATUTORY CORPORATIONS The Statutory Corporation (or Public Corporation) refers to such organizations which are incorporated under the special Acts of the Parliament/State Legislative Assemblies.Its management pattern, its powers and functions, the area of activity, rules and regulations for its employees and its relationship with government departments, etc. are specified in the concerned Act. Examples of statutory corporations are State Bank of India, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Industrial Finance Corporation of India, etc. It may be noted that more than one corporation can also be established under the same Act. State Electricity Boards and State Financial Corporation fall in this ca tegory. FEATURES OF STATUTORY CORPORATIONSThe main features of Statutory Corporations are as follows: (a) It is incorporated under a special Act of Parliament or State Legislative Assembly. (b) It is an autonomous body and is free from government control in respect of its internal management. However, it is accountable to parliament and state legislature. (c) It has a separate legal existence. Its capital is wholly provided by the government. (d) It is managed by Board of Directors, which is composed of individuals who are trained and experienced in business management. The members of the board of Directors are nominated by the government. e) It is supposed to be self-sufficient in financial matters. However, in case of necessity it may take loan and/or seek assistance from the government. (f) The employees of these enterprises are recruited as per their own requirement by following the terms and conditions of recruitment decided by the Board. MERITS OF STATUTORY CORPORATIONS Statut ory Corporation as a form of organization for public enterprises has certain advantages that can be summarized as follows: (a) Expert Management: It has the advantages of both the departmental and private undertakings.These enterprises are run on business principles under the guidance of expert and experienced Directors. (b) Internal Autonomy: Government has no direct interference in the day-to-day management of these corporations. Decisions can be taken promptly without any hindrance. (c) Responsible to Parliament: Statutory organizations are responsible to Parliament. Their activities are watched by the press and the public. As such they have to maintain a high level of efficiency and accountability. (d) Flexibility: As these are independent in matters of management and finance, they enjoy adequate flexibility in their operation.This helps in ensuring good performance and operational results. (e) Promotion of National Interests: Statutory Corporations protect and promote national interests. The government is authorized to give policy directions to the statutory corporations under the provisions of the Acts governing them. (f) Easy to Raise Funds: Being government owned statutory bodies, they can easily get the required funds by issuing bonds etc. LIMITATIONS OF STATUTORY CORPORATIONS Having studied the merits of statutory corporations we may now look to its limitations also.The following limitations are observed in statutory corporations. (a) Government Interference: It is true that the greatest advantage of statutory corporation is its independence and flexibility, but it is found only on paper. In reality, there is excessive government interference in most of the matters. (b) Rigidity: The amendments to their activities and rights can be made only by the Parliament. This results in several impediments in business of the corporations to respond to the changing conditions and take bold decisions. c) Ignoring Commercial Approach: The statutory corporations us ually face little competition and lack motivation for good performance. Hence, they suffer from ignorance of commercial principles in managing their affairs. MERITS OF GOVERNMENT COMPANIES The merits of government company form of organizing a public enterprise are as follows: (a) Simple Procedure of Establishment: A government company, as compared to other public enterprises, can be easily formed as there is no need to get a bill passed by the parliament or state legislature.It can be formed simply by following the procedure laid down by the Companies Act. (b) Efficient Working on Business Lines: The government company can be run on business principles. It is fully independent in financial and administrative matters. Its Board of Directors usually consists of some professionals and independent persons of repute. (c) Efficient Management: As the Annual Report of the government company is placed before both the house of Parliament for discussion, its management is cautious in carrying out its activities and ensures efficiency in managing the business. d) Healthy Competition: These companies usually offer a healthy competition to private sector and thus, ensure availability of goods and services at reasonable prices without compromising on the quality. LIMITATIONS OF GOVERNMENT COMPANIES The government companies suffer from the following limitations: (a) Lack of Initiative: The management of government companies always have the fear of public accountability. As a result, they lack initiative in taking right decisions at the right time.Moreover, some directors may not take real interest in business for fear of public criticism. (b) Lack of Business Experience: In practice, the management of these companies is generally put into the hands of administrative service officers who often lack experience in managing the business organisation on professional lines. So, in most cases, they fail to achieve the required efficiency levels. (c) Change in Policies and Managemen t: The policies and management of these companies generally keep on changing with the change of government.Frequent change of rules, policies and procedures leads to an unhealthy situation of the business enterprises. IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SECTOR ENTERPRISES  § Balanced Regional Development  § Boost the basic industries of an economy.  § Concentrate on public welfare activities.  § Promote exports  § Price control of essential goods  § Limit the influence of private monopoly.  § Ensure security of the country.  § Minimize the economic inequalities.

Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business Plan - Essay Example One would be in Marlowe Arcade in Canterbury and in Westgate Shopping Centre at Oxford. Both stores shall carry the same products. The business will be financed with  £ 100,000 by a sole proprietor and  £ 200,000 through a business loan from a bank. Sales are estimated to reach about  £ 52,000 average for the first and second year. A positive cash flow is projected at the end of the first year. Prints & Plains shall offer products of various British Designers, from casual wear to formal wear, and to special attires depending on the season. As it caters mainly to women in their 20s and 30s who are already busy with their careers, it would present to this target market a wide array of choices in terms of clothing. It would offer practical get ups for the overly busy working women, and would carry stylish and fashionable ensembles as well. Covent Garden in London is popular for its shops, street performers, bars, restaurants, theatres and the Royal Opera House. It is an Italian style piazza holding restaurants, bars and fashionable boutiques and is known for being the capital’s premier entertainment and leisure destination. (Covent Garden Life.Com. 2007). In it are stores selling the country’s leading designer brands, and it has already a steady host of clients having been in operations for several years now. Marlowe Arcade in Canterbury and Westgate Shopping Centre at Oxford are both popular destinations for both local residents and tourists. They are also the best places to put up Prints & Plains branches as they are situated along busy districts where the hustle and bustle happens. Prints & Plains’s Target Market would primarily be working women in their early 20s to their late 40s, whose monthly salary range is from  £ 10,000 to  £ 50,000. They are the ones who appreciate trend and styles and would spend a considerable amount for nice clothing that would fit

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Strategic management - Essay Example Retrieved from http://www.usnews.net/index.php/sid/232821615 Treanor, J. (2015). Co-op declares miscount in election to members council. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/may/13/co-op-group-extends-voting-deadline-after-miscount The Cooperative group has claimed that there was miscounting of votes for election to its council members and had to extend the vote casting period for its members. Members casting their votes via the website faced some problems making the management extend the registration that was set for Wednesday noon. Some individuals who vied for the election got information from the company that the information that they had won the elections was incorrect. The members council comprises of about 100 representatives of its members (The Guardian, 2015). The individuals wishing to represent the independent societies on the members’ council were affected most such as the Midcounties that have an ownership of 22% of the Co-op (Murray, (2015). The rest percentage belongs to the 7 million members using the group’s funeral homes, shops, and the other services. The votes are supposed to be weighted according to the relationship existing between the society and the main group, which never happened in some votes. Two candidates received incorrect information of their success, and some two others were informed that they did not succeed. The bank had a scandal that caused the group to suffer a loss of 2.5bn pounds in the year 2014, and the elections were to bring some reforms in the Co-op group according to The Guardian (2015). There are some controversies regarding the selection of the candidates to represent their members on the group board as initially there was a list containing six members later reduced to three. The reduction of the candidates reduced competition in the contested elections. The top

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - Case Study Example Some information on Karen available to Dr. Banks before undertaking psychotherapy is outlined below. Karen left her parental home at the age of 18 after graduating from high school and took up residence in lodgings in the neighboring county. She found work as a waitress at a local diner. Just a few weeks after finding work, she married George whom she had met while at work. A very controlling and violent man, George dominated Karen in what seemed to be a repetition of the conditions under which Karen grew up. Her father had been violent and sexually abusive from the time she was six years old. As she grew older (13) her oldest brother continued the sexual abuse, until her other brother, nearer to her in age, put a stop to it. She was 16 at the time. Â  George, her husband, would be nice to her on rare occasions, taking her out to dinner and dances, and would compliment her on her good looks. George proved to be a very jealous husband and forced her to give up work. She was virtually kept prisoner confined to the house. Even with the occasional beatings, and not knowing any better, she put up with it and appeared to accept the situation as ‘normal’. Unfortunately, George died in an accident barely three years into their marriage. Karen was devastated. She had been totally dependent on him. He had created, as it were, both the center and the boundaries of her universe. She was diagnosed a clinical depressive and underwent psychiatric hospitalization. Since then, over the past 15 years, until the time she came under the psychotherapeutic care of Dr. Banks, she had been hospitalized at least on 10 more occasions. During that time she had been in the care of at least nine different psychotherapists, psychiatrists, socia l workers, and psychologists as an outpatient, one of whom were to abuse her sexually. Â  

Delegation in Nursing Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Delegation in Nursing - Term Paper Example Nursing like any other profession must delegate as per the guidelines, policies, and procedures of the nursing profession. This includes the nurses’ job description, which dictates what to delegate or not. According to Cohen, as quoted in an educational journal of North Carolina, guidelines for professional delegation of care call for particular requirements otherwise called rights. These rights include the right task for an individual to perform, the right person to perform the care for the patient, the right information to describe desired patients outcome, and the right supervision to ensure that the task is carried out safely are the guidelines for every nurse (Rhom, n.d). A nurse must ensure that every UAP they delegate to is able to carry out instructions, that the outcome of the tasks delegated will meet the required standards, and that proper supervision and support is offered in performance of the tasks. Delegation does not take responsibility away from the delegating nurse. Nurses remain responsible for any delegated tasks big or small, clinical or non-clinical. This means that proper supervision of delegated tasks is crucial to enable juniors meet professional standards. Lack of supervision or poor delegation of task is quite significant. It can lead to loss of a job of the delegating nurse, liability claims, or licence revocation. According to Cox as quoted in the journal of Royal College of Nursing, â€Å"the law imposes a duty of care on nurses, doctors, and UAP’s where it is â€Å"reasonably foreseeable† that they might cause harm to patients through their actions or their failure to act† (2011). Nurses and their juniors must perform their tasks competently since they owe a duty of care to the patients and a legal liability. Some problems may arise where some Nurses fear to delegate due to lack of trust to their juniors, they believe that they can do it better. Insecurity, time involved in explaining the task and subor dinate resistance to delegation are some of the challenges facing delegation in nursing. Proper training on delegation and proper job descriptions will ease the delegation process. The ANA Standards of care and the State Nurse Practise Act provides general guidelines to what to delegate or not. A registered Nurse must evaluate capabilities of an UAP as they review individualized plan of care for patients. Some of the tasks for delegation are direct patient care activities such as taking a record of pressure, respirations, pulse rates, and temperature. Indirect care activities such as cleaning of equipments, errands such as delivering a tray with some items, clerical tasks, and stock of patient maintenance can be delegated. Initial evaluation of the patient, evaluation of a patients’ progress, performing a Nurses’ diagnoses, discussing patients issue with the physician, and updating patients’ plan of care are tasks that should never be delegated. Before delegatin g, it is necessary that a registered nurse evaluate if the task to be delegated is in the best interest of the patient, that the task worker understands the task, that he has the skills and competence to perform the task. The role must be within the workers job description and that he accepts the responsibility. Teamwork involves formation of groups by management to solve specific tasks after which such teams are dissolved. All registered nurses have

Guns,germs and steel by justin diamond Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Guns,germs and steel by justin diamond - Essay Example The above inquiry is referred to as the Yali’s question (13). Yali seems so energetic and charismatic to get the answers on why New Guinea at that time was still governed by Australia and were still living in the Stone Age yet independence was in the air, the last passage (13).In the second paragraph (14), Diamond explains to Yali about the colonization of New Guinea over the course of a million years. The white man had arrived and imposed central government on the people and bought all their valuable material goods â€Å"cargo†, second passage (14).This made them look â€Å"primitive† as the Whites enjoyed a higher standard of living yet they worked so hard but achieved nothing in return. The last paragraph argues that some societies will still remain poor as evidenced by the huge disparities in the separate lifestyle of the two groups of people where one acquires wealth while the other struggles to provide to the already wealthy (14, 15).In the third paragraph, Diamond also adds that Yali’s question is not only concerned with the New Guineans but it extends and relates to the modern world (15). Secondly, technological and political differences as of A.D 1500 were the paramount cause of modern world inequalities. Empires with modern weapons were able to conquer or exterminate societies with weapons of stone and wood, passage two (16).Different levels of development in different continents from 11,000 B.C to A.D 1500 were what led to technological and political inequalities. While many Native Americans remained hunters and gatherers, most of Eurasia, America and Sub-Saharan Africa progressively developed agriculture, metallurgy and complex political systems. (16).In support to this argument, the day to day communication between overwhelmed people is what established the contemporary continents through invasions, scourges and mass killings .For instance case studying Africa and their history toward independence clearly

Motivation in work place Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Motivation in work place - Assignment Example actor of motivation of the employees in the workplace is extremely important for deciding the performance levels of an organization which functions in the healthcare segment. As such, this research is conducted to evaluate the existing motivation levels, strategies and performance within the organization. Also, the motivation strategies that can be used by the business managers in the organization are considered and their practical application is analysed. The research would be mainly based on secondary research methodology in which data would be gathered from the employee groups working in the NHS foundation Trust. The research report is structured in a methodical and step by step manner. Suitable research aims and objectives are designed followed by a thorough review of the available literatures on the topic of motivation. The literature review would help to provide a base for the development of the research work and for analysing the collected data from a theoretical perspective. The research methodology including data collection techniques and data analysis methods are discussed. This is followed by the finding and interpretations that are derived by analysing the secondary data collected from the research. A well formulated conclusion is given to summarize the findings from the research. Also, a reflective diary that includes the approaches, views and opinions of the researcher is documented. An annotated bibliography is added to review the academic references used for the research work and for highlighting the purpose and use of these literary sources in the paper. The main aim of the research is to evaluate the factor of motivation in workplaces. This is done by understanding what motivation actually is and studying the different dimensions of motivation. The researcher aims to explore motivation form different perspectives and looks into the role of motivation in a workplace. Also, he looks into the different strategies that may be used by the human

Choka Enterprises Essay Example for Free

Choka Enterprises Essay An effective reward system is organized to stimulate, inspire and motivate individuals to enhance their overall job performance. Our system is designed to appeal and retain staff of the right quality with an understanding of the financial status of the organization. This reward ststem is designed to boost the functions and core values of the organization that our employees will continue to with success. The factors to consider are: †¢ Performance associated pay †¢ Incentive †¢ Job Evaluation †¢ Monitoring the recruiting and retaining of staff †¢ Cost control mechanism by reviewing salaries and wages

Communication Opinion Essay Example for Free

Communication Opinion Essay Effective communication plays a significant role in providing proper care for patients. According to Cheesebro, O’Connor, and Rios (2010) â€Å"Communication is sometimes defined as the process of sending and receiving messages† (para. 14). For the communication to be effective both the sender, and the receiver must understand the message. The way individuals communicate is altered according to their audience or environment. For example if an instructor is communicating through small talk his or her tone and vocabulary would differ from communicating through informational talk. The same goes for when an individual communicates with children or adults. Even though the tone and style of communication may be altered to fit the audience, the process of communication has to stay the same to be effective. Effective communication allows health care professionals to gain trust in a reluctant consumer and handle cultural differences among patients. The four basic elements of the communication process include a sender, message, receiver, and feedback. In effective communication the sender constructs a message that is appropriate for the receiver(s). According to Haycock (2003) there are three elements called the ‘3Ts’ that the sender should consider when constructing an effective message. The ‘3Ts’ are tone, tools (computer, video, note, etc. ), and tactics. It is important to think the message through before sending it to be sure it is as clear and concise as possible. In effective communication the receiver should be able to understand the message completely. The receiver may have to decode the message to gain full understanding. If he or she still does not understand the message, the receiver should use feedback to ask the sender for clarification. Feedback is an important part of effective communication because the sender learns if the receiver understood the message or not. If the receiver did not understand the message feedback allows the sender the opportunity to elucidate the message. â€Å"In short, feedback is the primary means of increasing personal awareness and establishing a shared understanding. You should give and get as much feedback as possible† (Cheesebro, et. al. , 2010, para. 23). Health care communication encompasses the four basic elements of communication. However, the basic rules of health care communication are a little more complex. According to du Pre (2005) â€Å"People are actively involved in health communication. They are not passive recipients of information† (pg. 9). Providers specifically focus on the tone and presentation of the message to ensure patients’ satisfaction. The ultimate goal in health care communication is to develop and maintain a shared understanding between health care professionals and patients. Physicians may use the biomedical or biopsychosocial model when communicating with patients. With the biomedical model, physicians use short and to-the-point questions or statements. This limits the patient input, which can cause the patient to feel dissatisfied with the care or diagnosis. The advantage of using the biomedical model is that it will save time. Although the biopsychosocial model does not save time, it is more effective when communicating in the health care setting because it focuses more on patient’s feelings. This reduces the risk of malpractice lawsuits, therefore saving money in the end. Whether health care professionals use the biomedical or biopsychosocial model, they will still encounter reluctant consumers. A provider may encourage a reluctant consumer to communicate candidly by validating the patient’s concerns, uphold complete honesty, and share plenty of ideas or information. When a consumer is reluctant, he or she can have a bad attitude and less willingness to listen. To encourage the reluctant consumer to communicate candidly it is extremely important that the provider maintains patience yet remain slightly persistent. The tone and presentation delivered by the provider makes a significant difference when persuading consumers to communicate openly. A patient may be reluctant to share open communication with a provider because of cultural differences. Some individuals feel extremely strong about their cultural beliefs, which can make it difficult for physicians to discuss cultural differences with patients. Providers generally share the same main goal, which is to help improve patient’s health. When the patient’s cultural beliefs go against certain tests and treatments it can sometimes prevent providers from doing reaching this goal. When providers cannot help improve patient’s health it an be very difficult. However, providers must respect patient’s wishes. â€Å"To be effective, health communicators must be concerned enough to pay close attention to people’s behavior and knowledgeable enough to recognize cultural and personal preferences that make people different† (du Pre, 2005, pg. 8). Barriers can arise in health care because of reluctant consumers or patients with strong cultural beliefs. Effective communication through the sender, message, receiver, and feedback can aid in breaking down these barriers. Once patients and providers can break down barriers it permits more open discussions and proper health care. Communication, especially in health care should be thought out, sensitive to feeling, clear, concise, and appropriate. According to du Pre (2005) â€Å"Communication, then, is an ongoing process of sharing and creating meaning. The challenge is not merely to put thoughts into words, but to cooperate with others in developing a shared understanding of what is happening and what it means† (pg. 10).

A Look At Islamic Terrorism

A Look At Islamic Terrorism INTRODUCTION There are differing opinions with regards to Islamic terrorism with the most fundamental of them being the role played by religious beliefs to motivate terrorist organizations. Are the beliefs in Islamic teachings the grounds for terrorist actions or do terrorist groups manipulate religious beliefs to justify terrorist acts? There are many scholars who claim that the teachings of Islam inspire terrorist acts. In this article I will not venture to study this aspect and restrict my study to how terrorists are able to manipulate religion to justify their reprehensible acts. I will attempt to find answer to the question, how is Islam being used by terrorist organizations to achieve political ends? SCOPE I will study the subject under the heads given below. (a) Why are the teachings of Islam being misrepresented? (b) How are the teachings of Islam being misrepresented? (c) Jihad and suicide terrorism. (d) My Jammu and Kashmir experience. WHY ARE THE TEACHINGS OF ISLAM BEING MISREPRESENTED? RELIGION : MEANS TO GARNER PUBLIC SUPPORT. Before I deliberate on how teachings of Islam are being distorted by the terrorist groups it would be pertinent to understand the interplay of the goals of these terrorist organizations and Islam. It is important to study terrorist goals because goals shape the strategy and tactics of the groups and study of interplay between goals and religion will give an understanding as to why and how these groups manipulate the teachings of Islam. (a) AL QAEDA. Al Qaedas stated goal is to end American military presence in Middle East and Arabian Peninsula, stop US support for Israel and overthrow infidel regimes. (b) ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP (GIA). GIA is an Algerian group which aims to overthrow the Algerian regime and replace it with Islamic State. (c) EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD. Its goals are to overthrow the Egyptian government and to make Egypt an Islamic state and it also has some anti Western and anti US interests. (d) HARKAT-UL-MUJAHIDIN (HUM), JAISH-E-MOHAMMED (JEM), LASHKAR-E-TAYYAIBA (LeT). These are Pakistani groups with declared goal of uniting Kashmir with Islamic Republic of Pakistan. I have listed few of the Islamist terrorist groups operating in various parts of the world to give an idea of the kind of goals that these groups have identified for themselves. Deeper study of Al Qaedas aim will reveal a dream of an Islamic caliphate extending from Europe to South East Asia. Ayatollah Khomeini has a vision of wide Shia crescent of one Iran linking Iraq and Lebanon. The above is indicative of the political ambitions of these terrorist groups and the new world order which they aim to achieve by juxtaposing religion with their stated objectives. In order to achieve their goals terrorist groups need public support and sympathy. In the Muslim world religion has great influence on individual and society at large. The terrorists aim to garner support of this constituency by influencing the thinking in the Muslim world that they are the last bastion of puritanical Islam. They aim to gain support for their political ambitions by manipulating public opinion using the vehicle of religion. They also aim to gain support and sympathy of the Muslim ummah with their promise of regaining the lost glory of the Muslim civilization. Another important issue is that of the links between the terrorist groups. Though some of these groups operate independently, however most of them have developed linkages even if the linkages are of ideology. Because of this, manipulation of the teachings of Islam by one group has impact on other groups, resulting in the way all of them shape their strategy and tactics. Today we see misinterpretation of the teachings of Islam, without exception, by all Islamist terrorist groups. RELIGION: MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. Bruce Hoffman, former Director of the RAND Corporations Washington Office argues that, terrorists message is not necessarily religious, but he is using religion to communicate it. He goes further to say, someone claiming affiliation with an ethnic group cannot expect to get a lot of support beyond the limits of that ethnic group, but those claiming affiliation with a major religion create a much wider potential constituency. Thus terrorist groups try to leverage mosques as communication vehicles where there are captive audiences ready to listen to their views. In the mosques, the terrorists are able to tailor their message to suit their goals, thereby exploiting religion for political purposes. We thus have terrorist groups misrepresenting the teachings of Islam. First, to gain public support for their cause then, use the religion to communicate with the same people to further their cause. HOW ARE THE TEACHINGS OF ISLAM BEING MISREPRESENTED? The opinion of the scholars is divided regarding how Islam is being manipulated by terrorist organizations to achieve political ends. There are scholars on both sides of the divide who have strong views on the subject. Bernard Lewis of Princeton University, USA believes that Islam does not approve of terrorism. He argues that there is no evidence of terrorism in the teachings and traditions of Islam. On the other hand, Osama bin Laden quotes extensively from Quran and interprets verses from the holy book to justify many of his actions. According to Bill Warner, Director of Centre for Study of Political Islam (CSPI), USA, Islamic texts have been made difficult to understand and comprehend. As per his study, about 61% of the contents of Koran are found to speak ill of unbelievers or call for their violent conquest  [1]  and about 75% of Muhammads biography (Sira) consists of Jihad waged on unbelievers  [2]  . However, there are many Muslim scholars who do not agree with his wor k. IDENTIFICATION OF THE ENEMIES. The terrorist groups operating around the world can be divided into two categories, the secular and the groups which draw inspiration from religious teachings. Secular groups have been motivated by secular agendas of Vladimir Lenin, Che Guevara, Mao Zedong and so on; while there are groups who draw inspiration from teachings of people like Muslim Brotherhood theoretician Sayyid Qutb, Palestinian theologian Abdullah Yusuf Azzam, Iranian ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. One important difference between the two groups is in the way they identify their enemies. For the secular terrorist groups the enemies are the members of the governmental setup or certain social economic order. For the Islamic terrorists it has much wider connotation. Different terrorist groups have different ways and means to identify their enemies. For example Sayyid Qutb, who is considered to have influenced the ideology of many terrorist groups including Al Qaeda says, the way to bring ab out freedom to Muslims is to fight, jahiliyyah or pre Islamic ignorance is through preaching and through physical power and jihad against organization and authority of jahil system  [3]  . These kinds of beliefs are open to interpretation and to followers of Sayyid Qutb they have justification of his understanding of Islamic teachings to enforce their belief even by the use of force. This leaves room for distortion of Islamic teachings. We have seen that on many instances ideologues of terrorist groups have come out with their interpretation of religious scriptures to suit organisational political agendas. The way terrorist groups identify their enemies has to be seen in the light of the stated goals. My understanding is that though the terrorist groups have a loose alliance but they aim to establish a Pan Islamic Caliphate. To achieve their ambitions the terrorist groups are trying to ensure that not only individuals but the states and the administrative machinery of the jahil system are brought to submission to their understanding of Islam. Today Islamic Terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon. How are these groups able to justify their terrorist acts to the teachings of Islam even when their acts cause casualties to innocent civilians including Muslims? JUSTIFICATION FOR KILLING OF CIVILIANS. Quran and the teachings of Islam have laid down code of conduct regarding the laws of war and the definition of combatants and non-combatants. Off late, certain terrorist groups have broadened the definition of combatants to include all civilians living in infidel lands. The ideologues of the terrorist groups have proposed their interpretations of laws of war whereby such civilians are being perceived in the same way as soldiers fighting on the battlefield. Such a position endangers the lives of innocent civilians including women and children and denies them the protection under Islam from a religious perspective. On 28 June 2002, 28 scholars from the Al-Azhar Institute in Egypt determined that in conducting jihad there is no need to make any distinction between soldiers and civilians. In April 2002, Sheikh Hamed al-Ali, a lecturer on Islamic culture in Kuwait and one of the leaders of the radical Salafi stream, clarified in a religious ruling the circumstances in which it is permitted to kill civilians in the cause of jihad without violating the Prophet Muhammads command prohibiting the murder of women and children.  [4]  It is not as if there are no counter arguments from respectable scholars to such edicts, but the terrorist groups seem to ignore everything that can thwart the fulfilment of their aims. JUSTIFICATION FOR KILLING MUSLIMS. In the world today, there are many Muslim majority countries affected by terrorism. In fact, a large percentage of casualties due to terrorist actions are Muslims. Certainly Islam does not preach Muslims should kill Muslims to advance the cause of the religion. So how do these terrorists justify the killing of Muslims? It would be worthwhile to make a comparison between the targets and modus operandi of secular terrorists and Islamic terrorists. The IRA in the 1990s issued warnings, disrupted public transport system and bombed downtown areas on Sunday mornings. This is in contrast to Al Qaeda which bombed the World Trade Centre towers, carries out bombings in crowded market places, suicide bombings in mosques knowing quite well there will be sizable Muslim population. Bin Laden and the likes of him are making distinction between good and bad Muslims and misinterpret the teachings of the religion. The secular terrorist groups may still have some disinclination to cause casualty to members of their own racial or ethnic groups but some of the religious oriented terrorist groups do not show any such compunction. Anybody who opposes the political ambitions of these groups is their enemy, including Muslims. One of Sayyid Qutbs idea identifies who is a true Muslim and who is not, thereby making many of th em as apostates and giving jihadists a legal loophole around the prohibition of killing another Muslim, and also making it a religious obligation to execute the self-professed Muslim. These alleged apostates also include leaders of Muslim countries, since they have failed to enforce Sharia law.  [5]   JIHAD AND SUICIDE TERRORISM I will now attempt to study how Islamist terrorist organizations are furthering their cause through misrepresenting the concept of Jihad and through suicide terrorism. JIHAD. Jihad in Arabic is a noun meaning struggle and in its common usage means, striving in the way of Allah. Muslims use the word Jihad to describe three different kinds of struggle. (a) A believers internal struggle to live out the Muslim faith as well as possible. (b) The struggle to build a good Muslim society. (c) Holy war; the struggle to defend Islam with force, if necessary  [6]  . This is how Prophet Mohammed probably wished Jihad to be. How did Saddam Hussain interpret Jihad? Just before the Gulf War Saddam had threatened the United States with Jihad. Daniel Pipes in his article in the New York Post of 31 Dec 2002 says it was, Saddams call for legal, compulsory, communal effort to expand the territories ruled by Muslims at the expense of territories ruled by non Muslim. This may be one extreme view but certainly there was no religious obligation for Muslims to answer his call. Saddam probably wished to play on the religious sentiments of the Muslims to perpetuate his regime against an imminent attack. Many of the terrorist groups perpetrate violence in the name of Jihad and many a times even without enunciating demands. There are numerous cases all over the world of bombs going off in market places and on trains which have puzzled authorities about the motives of these acts. There can be no religious justification for these acts. These acts are possibly committed due to terrorists personal grievances, cultural reasons or to change the existing political order. Many scholars of Islamic history argue that the concept of Jihad is dynamic and has been constantly evolving. This has led to the modern day Jihadists to distort the original concept to help them achieve their aims including political aims. Kaisa Schreck, editor of the International Relations and Security Network (ISN) is of the view that, perceived decline of Islamic culture and power, coupled with oppression by secular dictators, gave rise to radical Islamist agenda in Sayyid Qutb which is centered on the concept of violen t Jihad. The original concept of Jihad as enunciated by Prophet was distorted by the likes of Qutb who preached, human society had become tainted by a pre Islamic barbarism. Muslims who did not see this reality were ignorant non believers and therefore legitimate targets in a holy battle. Modern day Jihad got a fillip in the 1980s when thousands of Jihadists were factory produced by the CIA and the ISI in madrassas of Pakistan using the Saudi money. The Islamist guerrillas initially fought the Soviet army and today they fight everywhere from Philippines to Kashmir to Iraq and the United States. Theological credentials of the product of these madrassas, run under the patronage of either the intelligence agencies or by groups having politico religious ambitions, has never been a source of debate. The products of these madrassas are mercenaries who are fighting for political order in the name of Jihad and religion. SUICIDE TERRORISM. Study of suicide terrorism has thrown up conflicting results. There is a school of thought for whom suicide terrorism has been sanctified by the Quranic verses and the Sunnah while for the other group, religious teachings have a minor role in suicide attacks carried out by Islamic terrorists. It is actually a means to achieve political aims. The studies carried out on the subject have thrown up interesting results with regards to education level, background and principle motivation for undertaking such attacks. According to Charles A Kimball, Department of Religion, Wake Forest University, USA there is only one verse in the Quran that contains a phrase related to suicide, verse 4:29 of the Quran. It reads, O you who believe! Do not consume your wealth in the wrong way rather through trade mutually agreed to and do not kill yourself. Surely God is merciful towards you. Islam strictly prohibits suicide and murders. However, Al Qaeda, Hamas and some other terrorist organizations give religious sanctity to such acts. For many of the suicide terrorists Sura 9 Ultimatum, Verse 111 from the Quran preaches the followers of the religion to undertake this venture. For these groups there is sufficient justification in the Quran which assures a place in paradise if a person dies advancing the cause of Islam. But the moot question is, are the terrorist groups advancing the cause of Islam or some politico religious agenda? The other school of thought believes that there are multifarious reasons, other than religious, which motivates people to carry out suicide missions. For them there are Muslim youths in the West who feel a sense of discrimination and alienation because of cultural differences. Some of the Muslims are outraged by what they feel as injustice being meted out to Muslims in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. For others it is financial factor which is the cause of recruitment and still for others it could be revenge, ideology, tribal loyalties or the indoctrination carried out in the madrassas. According to Professor Dipak Gupta, San Diego State University the driving force behind terrorist actions tends to be the desire to be an important member of the group. So is suicide terrorism a case of leader inculcating a sense of achievement in the terrorists and justifying the act in the name of Islam? Fahana Ali, international policy analyst at the RAND Corporation says for, women jihadist collec tive identity is more important than the individual identity, and its members are willing to do anything for a charismatic leader. Other reasons for these women to undertake terrorist activities could be revenge for lost husband or a close relative, gain respect of the other members of the group and in the society. From the above it is clear that the reasons for undertaking suicide terrorism are many. However, as seen earlier in the article terrorist groups try to misinterpret religion to garner support of the Muslim world for their acts and also recruit suicide terrorists. Cloak of religiosity is provided to communicate with gullible section of the Muslim community and earn their support for their actions. RELIGIOUS INSPIRATION Vs STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS During the course of my study I did come across arguments forwarded by many scholars who felt emphasizing strategic and political considerations for terrorist acts by Islamist groups and downplaying religious inspiration for terrorism was dangerous and inaccurate. Results of many studies on the subject have concluded that Islamic terrorist groups undertake terrorist acts for strategic and political considerations. Some of these studies suggest that politics and grievances (of Muslim community) are the cause of violence and religious rhetoric. It is also important to study reverse relationship that is, the possibility of religious teachings shaping political views. Prudence demands we should not be dismissive of such an idea; however, the role of Islamic teachings in motivating terrorists organizations is a subject itself and is beyond the scope of the article. MY JAMMU AND KASHMIR (JK) EXPERIENCE In my over 20 years of commissioned service I have been posted to JK on five occasions, of that four times for counter terrorist operations. There were certain issues which stood in the face way back in 1993 and my views got reinforced over the years in my many interactions with terrorists, surrendered and apprehended, their sympathizers and the common man. Many of the terrorists and over ground workers I came across were non practicing and neither were their families very religious. These terrorists took on the faà §ade of religiosity once they were indoctrinated or forced to join the terrorist groups. In my interactions with them I got a sense of what they passed on as religious knowledge was superficial understanding of Quran, other religious scriptures and practices. When some of them would quote scriptures they would display ignorance of real knowledge and the context for what they were saying. The above strengthened my belief that these individuals became radical because of la ck of knowledge of Islam rather than being knowledgeable about it. My understanding of terrorist groups, at least of the lower rung, is that the groups do not have any kind of ideology even political. Religion is being manipulated to fill that void artificially. The common man in JK is politically discerning and awake to the ground realities of the sub continent. The terrorist groups are also alive to this aspect and are also aware that their demands are inadequate to attract wide following; therefore it is a deliberate attempt on their part to shroud their political demands in the cloak of religiosity. Another striking aspect of this story is the reason why individuals get motivated for the terrorists cause. In JK, in many of the cases it has been social cause besides friendship, kinship, camaraderie, sense of adventure, easy money which has been a motivating factor rather than religious ideology and this is consistent with my arguments in the article. My interaction with some of the foreign terrorists also threw up similar interesting facets of terrorists training including ideological training. These terrorists were indoctrinated with hate speeches, trained to cause destructions and to cause murder, but even they could not advance any convincing theological rationale for their acts. Perhaps their trainers are aware that ordinary Jihadists in Pakistan are also not well versed with the indepth understanding of Islamic teachings, hence the indoctrination of the terrorists by their handlers in Pakistan is intensely political. They play on the psyche of Muslims who are concerned with the plight of their Kashmiri brothers. They have been indoctrinated on the theme of humiliation and suffering of the Muslims at the hands of Hindus. For them Muslims are being oppressed and humiliated by non Muslims and the only way to defend the honor is through Jihad ensuring liberation of Kashmir and its merger with Pakistan. This heady concoction of f ight for honor and political ambition offered on religious mantle is most effective. CONCLUSION The issue of Islamic terrorism has religious overtone but religion is not everything about Islamic terrorism. Islam does have a history of violence associated with it since its early days but then so do many other religions in the world. The aggression of the Islamist terrorist groups that we see today does emanate in portions from misinterpreting the teachings of Islam and in part is the outcome of political ideas, hence it has to be defeated through teaching correct religious practices and by political tools. The strategy being followed by Government of India in JK viz political activism, winning hearts and minds of the people and military action against the terrorists coupled with keeping communication channels even with dissidents open is part of the approach to the problem of religious terrorism. A concerted effort has to be made to expose terrorist groups of the manner in which they misrepresent Islam. More important aspect is to make citizens of the country in general and Musl ims in particular aware of the true religious practices and teachings of Islam.

Free Essays - A Grain of Wheat :: Grain of Wheat Essays

Throughout my life I have read many novels. This book was very interesting. This is a compelling account of the turbulence that inflamed Kenya in the 1950s and its impact on people's lives. A brand new perspective upon the emancipation of so-called Third World Country .On the verge of Kenya independence, both colonizers and colonized were bewildered and confused. White colonial agents lost faith on their lifelong commitment, and Kenyans were cast into a precarious future, which they had been longed for, and at the same time, worried about. National passion became a nostalgia censorship and those who did not contribute to this "exploit" or those who chose to save his own skin or family and betray his to the movement bore a brand "Cain" on their forehead forever. A vivid description of the struggle between nation and individual. Despite Ngugui's flashback format A Grain of Wheat is certainly an attention keeper. Kenya at the brink of Uhuru (freedom) from the British, as experienced th rough the eyes of some interesting and greatly entertaining characters. Amazingly in the midst of this historical event the story is filled with love and betrayal. This is a tragic situation, where there can be no winners. It does not have heroes, heroes do not exist in tragedies- rather it has real people with real feelings, who due to the nature of the system, and their beliefs brought about by years of conditioning must come face to face with brutal realities. The book painfully traces the genesis of the conflict, and as demonstrated with Mugo, everybody is affected, you cannot be a bystander, neither is the people necessarily evil, but rather is as a result of complex situations that comforts them. Though, we do not want to believe, its with the quilt admission by Mugo, that makes him great, and which inevitably starts a healing painful process that must be addressed. Jomo Kenyatta is played a very important role in the backdrop of the novel A Grain of Wheat Through his role in the history of Kenya, his role in the novel as some what compared to Moses and his influentially book Facing Mount Kenya. Jomo Kenyatta played a vital role in the demanding Kenyan self-government and independence from Great Britain. Together with other prominent African nationalist figures, such as Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Kenyatta helped organize the fifth Pan-African Congress in Great Britain in 1945.

What is Clinical Depression? Essay -- depressed mood, diminished press

What is depression? Depression is an illness that can take over a person’s life---it can take their happiness and their will to live. This illness can effect adults, teenagers, and even kids. â€Å"Depression is an equal opportunity disorder---- it can affect anyone of any group, any background, any race, any gender, and any age. It is the great leveler of all groups and can take the greatest and the smallest of us all and reduce us to the pain and nothingness that is depression (Nydegger 1)†. Depression is an emotion most people may feel they have experienced, but little do they know it’s just the basic emotions we feel. It is important to identify the symptoms of depression, the types of depression, who can get them and how they manifest, in other to be able to treatment them. The experience of depression has a profound effect on the lives and health of millions of people around the world. We all experience mood swing, and most of us think that we have experienced true depression and think they understand clinical depression and even know what it feels like; to be honest those emotions we feel are not half as much as what a depressed person goes through. Depression is more than experiencing a difficult day or event or being in a bad mood. Sometimes, people seek help even though they are not clinically depressed because they think they need the help they get from a psychologist. When speaking to a depressed individual, it is very important to know the occasion that lead to their emotional trauma. Depressed mood is not the same as a depressed disorder. According to Nydegger, â€Å"Depressed mood is a negative affective or emotional quality such as feeling sad, miserable, gloominess for a period of time. Depressive disorder refers t... ...oxepine) †¢ Surmontil (trimipramine) †¢ Toframil (imipramine) †¢ Vivactil (protriptyline) Depression is a serious and common problem that affects people of all social class and racial group throughout the world. They are good and affordable treatment for depression. Most people who have depression do not receive adequate treatment. We must do more and do better to take care of ourselves. It is not easy for any of us to tackle a problem of this magnitude, but by being responsible and taking care of our own health and mental well-being needs, we can also reach out to help others who are dealing with depression or other mental issues by sharing with them information’s and pointing them in the right direction to find the help they need. Work Cited Rudy V. Nydegger Understanding and Treating Depression: Ways to Find Hope and Help. Praeger, August 30, 2008

Project Management Tools Essay

There are a wide variety of project management and planning tools available to help manage tasks and track deliverables. Two of the most popular tools are Microsoft Project from Microsoft and SmartDraw from SmartDraw. com. Each of these software packages allows the user to create a project and graph it in various formats, such as calendars, Gantt charts, flow charts, etc. In order to evaluate each of these applications, a test project was created to allow a comparison of the features. MS Project is considered to be one of standards for project management; and as a part of the Microsoft Office package, it provides a level of integration that is beneficial in Project Management (Microsoft Project 2003). The MS Project 2003 application offers an approach that is primarily oriented toward Gantt chart tracking, with other viewing options in a calendar format, network diagram, and task usage format (Microsoft Office, 2008). The product has a lot of features and options which allow a user to track tasks and resources, along with reporting capabilities to provide details and help manage the project. This application was a little difficult to figure out without a training manual. Some basic knowledge of other Microsoft products helps when attempting to create a project for the first time. A sample of the demonstration test in MS Project is provided in Appendix A. SmartDraw touts itself as ‘the world’s most popular business graphics software’â„ ¢ (SmartDraw. com Corporate Profile, 2008). Providing pre-designed templates in more than 100 formats, this application offers a wide variety of options for project managers to track their projects (SmartDraw v. 2009-08). Over and above Gantt charts and calendars, there are also a variety of formats for flowcharts, timelines, floor plans, and organization charts. When the application is initiated, it gives the user a chance to select from a list of possible formats before beginning the project setup. A sample of the demonstration test in SmartDraw is provided in Appendix B. Based on the tests performed for this project, the SmartDraw application is more user-friendly, especially for a new user who is interested in a variety of tracking options without intensive training. The MS Project application has a big advantage in the area of integration with other applications in the Microsoft suite of products, but it seems to require quite a bit of training to be proficient in the use of the features. Both products are popular in the world of project management, but this demonstration shows that SmartDraw is easier to navigate for a novice user and offers a wider variety of presentation formats. Although knowledge of MS Project is almost required in the world of project management, the recommendation from this test would have to go to SmartDraw for students interested in an effective, easy-to-use solution.

Literary Devices Used in Macbe Essay

Imagine how dull a Shakespearean play would be without the ingenious literary devices and techniques that contribute so much to the fulfillment of its reader or viewer. Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy that combines fact and legend to tell the story of an eleventh century king. Shakespeare uses numerous types of literary techniques to make this tragic play more appealing. Three literary devices that Shakespeare uses to make Macbeth more interesting and effective are irony, symbolism, and imagery. One technique that Shakespeare uses is irony. Verbal irony is when a character says one thing but means the opposite. When a reader understands the irony of what a character is saying, then he can truly understand the nature and intentions of the character. An example of verbal irony is when Macbeth says to Banquo, â€Å"Tonight we hold a solemn supper, sir,/ And I’ll request your presence† (Macbeth 3. 1. 13-14). The reader soon discovers that Banquo never makes it to the banquet because he is brutally murdered by order of Macbeth. Shakespeare also uses situation irony. This occurs when the results of an action or event are different than what is expected. An example of situation irony occurs when Macduff talks to Malcolm and discusses the tragedies that are taking place in Scotland. Without knowing that his own family has been slain Macduff says, † Each new morn/ New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows/ Strike heaven on the face† (4. 3. 4-6). Ironically, Macduff comments about widows, while he is completely unaware that he is a widower himself. Irony, a key element to a tragic play like Macbeth, has the ability to make the tragic hero appear more villainous or the down-fall seem even more tragic. The second type of literary device that Shakespeare uses in Macbeth is symbolism. The predominant symbol is blood and is used as an effective method to describe the theme of the play. Not only does blood symbolize bravery, it is also a means of showing treachery and treason and probably most importantly, guilt. One example of bravery occurs when the captain says, â€Å"For brave Macbeth? well he deserves that name–/Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,/Which smoked with bloody execution†(1. 2. 16-18). Soon after this blood changes into a representation of treachery and treason. Lady Macbeth asks the spirits to â€Å"Make thick my blood,/ Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse† (1. 5. 43-44). She asks the spirits to take away compassion and make her remorseless for the actions she is about to take. Also, when Ross asks, â€Å"Is’t known who did this more than bloody deed? † (2. 4. 22), he tries to figure out who performed the disloyal act of murdering the king. Blood is also used many times to express the guilt-ridden consciences of the characters. For instance, Macbeth says, â€Å"What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out mine own eyes! / Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash the blood/ Clean from my hand? † (2. 3. 58-60). Macbeth obviously feels guilty for killing Duncan in cold blood. Later in the play, Lady Macbeth reveals her guilt while sleepwalking. She walks through the castle carrying a candle. She often sits the candle down and begins to rub her hands as if she is trying to wash them. In her somber state, she cries out: What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our pow’r to accompt? Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him? (5. 1. 38-41). Lady Macbeth feels as though she cannot wipe clean her blood stained hands. This is a bit ironic since earlier she told Macbeth, â€Å"A little water clears us of this deed† (2. 2. 66). Lady Macbeth has many dreams and fantasies about blood, which shows that she cannot clear her conscience of this brutal act. Another literary technique that is used in Macbeth is word imagery. Word imagery is a term for a metaphor, a comparison that does not use the words â€Å"like† or â€Å"as†. One of the best examples of this is clothing imagery. For instance, Ross tells Macbeth that he has been named Thane of Cawdor, and Macbeth says, â€Å"The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me in/ Borrowed robes? † (1. 3. 108-109). Macbeth asks why Ross is telling him this. This title is like new clothes to him, but this title and these clothes should still belong to the former Thane of Cawdor. Another example of clothing imagery occurs when Macbeth tells his wife that he has second thoughts of killing Duncan. He says, â€Å"I have bought/ Golden opinions from all sorts of people,/ Which would be worn now in their newest gloss† (1. 7. 32-34). Lady Macbeth thinks he is being irrational. Macbeth knows that he is the center of attention now because he saved the country. He also knows that if he kills Duncan everyone would be more interested in the death of their king than in their hero, Macbeth. Shakespeare’s work reveals that he knew how to make a play a work of art. Through his use of irony, symbolism, and imagery he is able to grab the reader or the viewer’s attention and keep it. These elements have contributed to the endurance of his works for centuries, and they will help it to endure for centuries to come. Without the use of these techniques, Macbeth would not be the tragic play that it is. This play would lack very important methods that help idealize the characters in the play.

Case Study on Hr Planning Essay

It is the country†s best recognised energy brand. Centrica is a multinational company, with businesses in many countries. Centrica was formed in 1997 and consists of eight separate energy-related businesses, ranging from the supply of gas and electricity to consumers and organisations in the UK and Europe, to storage of gas for other providers, and drain and pipe work maintenance. The UK energy market is highly dynamic. Customers look for the best deals and are increasingly prepared to switch suppliers. In 2007, 900,000 customers switched energy providers. An energy company needs to show it is not just competitive on price, but that it can also provide the right levels of customer service to attract and retain customers. British Gas does not only supply gas but also deals with the installation and maintenance of domestic central heating and appliances. It provides a maintenance and breakdown service for electrical white goods and home wiring. Through the Dyno brand, British Gas also offers drain clearing services, plumbing and home security services. To deliver these services, British Gas needs high calibre staff. It employs more than 9,000 trained gas engineers to install and maintain central heating and gas appliances. This case study explores how British Gas manages the recruitment and selection of new employees. Page 2:  The role of human resource management Managing a successful large business involves acquiring, developing and maintaining a wide range of resources. These resources include materials, buildings, land, equipment, technology and, crucially, people. Any organisation needs good employees who have the right skills to achieve the company†s aims and objectives. Human resource management (HRM) is the business function that focuses on the people aspects of an organisation. It ensures the efficient management of people in the business. It is responsible for ensuring that an organisation has the right people to deliver its overall business plan. Meeting customer needs Centrica, the parent corporation of British Gas, has to deliver long term profitability. Its shareholders expect the business to show a return on their investment by making profits, now and in the future. British Gas needs to contribute to these profits. This means consistently meeting the needs of its customers with competitively priced products and services that give good returns to the company. Residential consumers across the country are the core customer base of British Gas. These customers expect top-class service at keen prices. If British Gas does not meet this standard, the company may lose business to competitors. To ensure customer satisfaction, British Gas engineers must have the technical skills to undertake work to the required standard and the people skills to deliver good customer service. Through its engineer recruitment team, the British Gas Academy must therefore ensure that the company attracts and retains the best engineers. This involves several complementary tasks. It requires planning to assess the future needs for skilled employees at British Gas. It requires a recruitment and selection programme to bring new people into the business. It requires a training operation to equip new recruits and existing employees with the right skills. Retaining people Importantly, British Gas must also ensure that it retains its best people. It is much more cost effective to retain trained and highly skilled staff than recruit and train up new people. British Gas seeks to retain people by offering a mix of financial and non-financial benefits. As well as good pay and a pension scheme, the company provides employees with the opportunity to buy shares in Centrica and it offers a great place to work and high-class training. Page 3:  Training As an expanding business, British Gas needed to increase its workforce to meet customer demand. At the end of 2002, British Gas established the British Gas Academy. The Academy has helped to develop and refocus training facilities to handle the extra training requirement in recruiting an additional 5,000 employees into the engineering workforce. * British Gas runs an intensive apprenticeship programme. This is delivered in training centres. Trainees should expect to qualify by year five. All domestic gas engineers become fully acquainted with the latest computer-aided diagnostic technology. There are also traineeships, which provide a way for new recruits to learn about the gas industry and gain relevant skills and qualifications. British Gas provides technical training for all its engineers throughout their careers. This ensures that its employees are kept up-to-date with new information and technologies to enable them to provide the best service possible. Training does not simply focus on technical skills and knowledge. Most employees have direct contact with customers, so it is important that they have good people skills. Awareness training is provided for employees across British Gas through an online learning package. Another programme is improving staff†s cultural awareness, particularly to support the growing international operations at British Gas. Page 4:  Workforce planning Workforce planning is the process of assessing a company†s current and future labour needs. The British Gas Academies must consider not just overall employee numbers but also the skills that will be required within the business. Workforce planning also involves managing any training and recruitment process to ensure the organisation has the right staff in place. Managers at British Gas conduct a programme of forecasting to predict how much the UK market for domestic gas engineering services will grow. This helps the company decide how many additional engineers it will need in the future. British Gas makes detailed forecasts of its demand for engineering personnel for one year in advance and makes more general estimates for a further two years into the future. Factors affecting workforce planning At British Gas, workforce requirements are driven by two different demands. First, there are contract customers that have service agreements with the company. Second, there are customers who call for one-off assistance if they have a specific problem. Demand for both these services has grown. In the last three or four years, the need for engineers has expanded accordingly. This has meant that it has had to recruit more staff. There are several other factors that influence workforce planning for British Gas. Engineering skills need to be constantly updated. Health and safety issues are also critically important in the gas industry. Health and safety regulations are changing all the time and EU regulations must also be considered. Apart from regular formal training to close skills gaps to ensure engineers stay up to date with technical matters, British Gas can alert engineers about technical changes via field radio or text messaging. Engineers can work all their careers in the field until they retire. Qualified engineers may spend up to 10 years gaining their skills, qualifications and experience. They have valued practical skills that are needed to deal with equipment and customers. However, British Gas also needs suitable people for promotion to higher roles, such as management jobs. It needs managers to plan, organise and co-ordinate the teams of engineers. It therefore needs to attract and recruit a wide range of people into the organisation. Page 5:  Recruitment As part of its workforce planning, British Gas implements a diversity and inclusion strategy using tailored action plans. This means it actively seeks new recruits from a wide range of backgrounds. The need to recruit a diverse engineering workforce is seen as critical by British Gas. It plans recruitment to ensure it has a socially inclusive workforce. This is important as it will enable British Gas to reflect the diversity of its customer base. For example, it is useful to have employees from different nationalities and backgrounds to communicate with customers that do not speak English as a first language. Recruiting more women engineers may help to attract female customers. British Gas has won a national award from the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) for its efforts to encourage and attract women into the engineering workforce and into plumbing and associated trades. To dispel the myth that only men can be good engineers, British Gas runs a Georgina and the Dragon campaign for children. What British Gas’ recruitment programmes  have achieved  is demonstrated by various awards during 2009: * British Gas  won awards from the Local Employment Partnership in the East Midlands. The awards for â€Å"Unlocking Talent†Ã‚  and the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Outstanding LEP Achievement Award†Ã‚  recognise  the company’s recruitment work with the LEP and Jobcentre Plus in the region. * British Gas has been named in the 2009  Sunday Times’s 20 Best Big Companies to Work For. * The British Gas Academy won an award from Women into Science and Engineering (WISE). The award – Investor in WISE  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ rewarded the efforts British Gas makes  to promote science,  engineering and construction  to girls and young women. Advertising British Gas tries to appeal to a varied and diverse audience when promoting its apprenticeships. To advertise opportunities widely, British Gas uses specialist Sky channels like Parliamentary Projects TV, which focuses on careers, and Passion TV, which is aimed at the black community. In print media, it uses women’s magazines, publications targeted at ethnic minorities such as The Muslim Weekly as well as other careers directories for the same reason. Other channels include radio, newspapers,  British Gas website  (www. britishgasacademy. co. uk) and a DVD for schools. Recruiting gas engineers of the right level is important. Candidates for a British Gas apprenticeship must be at least 16 years old, and have a minimum of four GCSEs at grade C or above or equivalent (e. g. NVQs). However, they need more than academic qualifications, they must be able to show some aptitude for customer service, such as being able to listen to customers and understand their requirements. Application British Gas uses an online application form. To help British Gas decide an applicant’s suitability, this includes a value-based questionnaire. This requires responses to a series of statements about attitudes to work. There are 90 statements in all, and an applicant’s overall responses are rated green, amber or red. The colour reflects the attitudes the applicant has about work and people. This helps to show which roles a person is best suited to. British Gas does not take applicants with red ratings further as they may not show a ‘fit’ with the company requirements. However after an initial screening, green and amber applicants are invited to an interview and assessment centre for the final selection process. Here, candidates must show evidence of qualifications, ID and driving licence. Page 6:  Selection At the British Gas assessment centre the emphasis is very much upon ‘core competencies’ and ‘life skills’. Life skills are personal skills that are likely to affect the customer experience when someone is working in the field. British Gas engineers needs to show courtesy and politeness, for example. These are personal qualities that have a direct impact upon customer perception. Core competencies involve team working, interpersonal skills (such as dealing with people), motivation and responding to change. These are crucial skills that can affect the way an individual fits in and works within an organisation. Candidates attend the centre for a half-day assessment. This has three elements. The total scores from the three-part assessment help British Gas to decide who receives a job offer. Candidates are notified of the outcome within 14 days. All candidates can receive feedback. For those candidates offered a job, British Gas provides the usual job benefits including a van from the outset and a competitive starting salary. The new recruits then go on to benefit from the comprehensive programme of training through its Academy. This ensures that they are given the best start in their new careers. It also builds employee motivation and commitment to the company. Recruiting and selecting staff is an expensive process. By following a robust selection programme in this way, British Gas is able to ensure it gets the right people with the right skills. It also means it maximises the benefit from its investment. Page 7:  Conclusion Recruitment and selection at British Gas is driven by the need to maintain the competitive position of the company within the energy market. Domestic gas customers demand the very highest standards of service. They can be assured that British Gas engineers have high-level skills and expertise through its careful specification of entry qualifications followed by top quality training. British Gas also assesses the personal attributes of staff through role play and questionnaires as these influence customers’ perceptions of the service and the company. Great care is taken in determining the organisation’s future staffing needs. This drives the recruitment and selection process to ensure British Gas is seen as offering dynamic and exciting career paths for people of all backgrounds. By developing and nurturing its people, British Gas ensures that new recruits have the right qualities to help the business to compete.

High School and Health Service

As a highschool student I'm starting to set my goals for my future. Through my highschool years Im planning on taking the health service pathway as my elective. This core is for students who plan to pursue careers in the health service industry. For my sophomore year I'm planning on taking health service career pathway, this core will help me gain essential knowledge and skills about major body system and more. This can also help me learn to apply effective communication skills and technologies in the delivery of health care. For my junior year I'm also planning to take clinical health, this core will help me combiand information common to all healh careers.Lastly for my senior year I'm planning on taking medical biotechnology, this core will help me learn the different technique used in biotechnology and genetic engineering by hands-on laboratory training. I am also planing on setting up a schedule to be an intern for a doctor from Queens Medical Hospital. I could watch and intervie w him on what he does as a OBGYN, this could help me expierince and see how my future can turn out. This my highschool goals that can set me up for my real life goals. Now it's time to plan the last stage before reality, things I'm going to do to reach my goals to have a good future. I'm planing to attend University of Hawaii Manoa or UH Manoa to get a doctor of medicine degree.UH Manoa is located at beautiful Manoa Valley, just outside downtown Honolulu, HawaiÊ »i on the island of OÊ »ahu, this school was founded on 1907. There's a total of 20, 426 students , 14,655 undergraduates , 5,771 graduates and professionals, and 905 unclassified. It cost $31,608 per year plus additional $670 for student fees, and also if I decide to dorm it, it would cost $2721 per year. To provide for my college funds and fees I can apply for finical aid. There's three types of financial aid, there's grants , loans, and scholarship.Grants is a financial award given by the government to an eligible stude nt. Loan is money you can borrow from the bank and you are responsisble to pay it back a year after you start working. Lastly, scholarship is an award of financial aid for a students who does well academically. I'm interested in receiving scholarship because I know I'm able to do good on my acedemics and that could provide me money to help me fund for my college. Im will start funding for my college by working part time jobs and applying for different types of scholarships and grants. This my last planning stage before I face the world and reality. This part is the hardest and the most fun stage,  reality.This is when everything I've work hard for is going to be worth it. This is the part where I work even harder and loving what I do. I'm going to be Dr. Renuma Elisha Arcega Reyes as OBGYN at the big hospital helping women shape the future and giving life to a beautiful individual. I'm also planning on opening up my own clinic where I can have a pediatrician across my office and a little play room for the kids. I want to help women take good care of their health as well as their offspring. I also wanted to buy my own two story house and buy my parents their own house. Now this is my plans for my future, the things that I want to have and achieve what I've work hard for.There's so much things in life that I want to achieve and discover. Planning what's ahead of me is very important, to have a better future for my family and I. Not only that, I also what to be a great helper and a good source of our community. I want be known as a great doctor that could provide service for the people and the community. I also want all the womens and their babies to have a good and health life styles. Those were my plans that could lead to a good life and better future.

An Overview Of Meningitis

An Overview Of Meningitis Meningitis is swelling and inflammation of the protective membranes that cover brain and spinal cord. Depending on the duration of symptoms, meningitis may be classified as acute or chronic. Acute meningitis denotes the evolution of symptoms within hours to several days, while chronic meningitis has an onset and duration of weeks to months. Meningitis is mainly caused by infection with viruses, several different types of bacteria, or sometimes by a fungus, and less commonly by certain drugs. Meningitis can be life-threatening because of the inflammation’s proximity to the brain and spinal cord. All types of meningitis tend to cause symptoms that include fever, headache and stiff neck. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a virus or bacterium is important because the severity of illness and the treatment differ depending on the cause. Viral meningitis, the most common form of meningitis, is less severe than bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is usually more serious than viral meningitis and is sometimes fatal, particularly in infants and the elderly. Bacterial meningitis is a major cause of death and disability world-wide. [1] b. The etiology and risk factors Meningitis is usually caused by infection from viruses or micro-organisms. Most cases are due to infection with viruses, with bacteria, fungi, and parasites being the next most common causes. It may also result from various non-infectious causes. The etiology of bacterial meningitis varies by age group and region of the world. Worldwide, without epidemics one million cases of bacterial meningitis are estimated to occur and 200,000 of these die annually. [1] Before antibiotics were widely used, 70 percent or more of bacterial meningitis cases were fatal; with antibiotic treatment, the fatality rate has dropped to 15 percent or less. Bacterial meningitis is most common in the winter and spring. Beyond the perinatal period, three organisms, transmitted from person to person through the excha nge of respiratory secretions, are responsible for most cases of bacterial meningitis: Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal disease) can be fatal and should always be viewed as a medical emergency. About 10% of infected people die from the disease. [5] In non-fatal cases, those affected experience long-term disabilities, such as brain damage, loss of limb, or deafness. Preventing the disease through the use of meningococcal vaccine is important. Although anyone can get meningitis, pre-teens and adolescents, college freshmen who live in dormitories and travelers to countries where meningitis is always present are at an increased risk for meningococcal disease. Before the availability of effective vaccines, bacterial meningitis was most commonly diagnosed in young children. Now, as a result of the protection offered by current childhood vaccines, bacterial meningitis is more commonly diagnosed among pre-teens and young adults. As children reach their pre-teen and adolescent years, protection provided by some childhood vaccines can begin to wear off. As a result, pre-teens and adolescents are at a greater risk for catching certain diseases. Introducing vaccinations during the pre-teen years increases the level of protection during adolescence. College freshmen, especially those who live in dormitories, are at a slightly increased risk for bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal disease) compared with other persons of the same age. vaccination against bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal disease) is recommended to persons who travel to or reside in countries in which the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis is hyperendemic or epidemic, particularly if contact with the local population will be prolonged.

Attitude Of The Religion To The Witchcraft In America Essay

Attitude Of The Religion To The Witchcraft In America - Essay Example Their research strategy was multi-staged with the intended goal to find out who the members of Ravenwood are, what they believe and what they did as witches, and what this all meant to them being members of this group on a larger scale. Wicca has one important difference with most mainstream religions, it has a, â€Å"†¦woman-centered, goddess-worshipping, nature-affirming, participative, this-worldly-orientated religion.† (69) This is often the polar opposite of religions that picture God as the all-powerful Male and mankind as his representative on earth with the ability to use nature as he pleases. Their research bore this alternative attitude out among the witches of Ravenwood. While we see the typical God as separate from creation and man certainly quite separate from God, Wicca is the opposite. The set of images in Wicca are not the male, assertive, dominating ones, but rather the female, regenerative, creative ones of the goddess. Also, another important difference is how the goddess is represented in multiple personas. Whereas God is just God, the goddess can be seen, â€Å"†¦through many mythic threads through a range of guises as maid, mother, crone, as creator, nurturer, destroyer, as the daughter, wife,†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (72) and so on. Here instead of God being separate from nature, the goddess is a part of nature. She is found, â€Å"†¦ in the paths of the stars and the changes of the moon, in rabbit-tracks in the snow, in the ceaseless run and turn of the tides. The goddess is in the world, in nature, rather than separate from the world.† (73) Furthermore, instead of their only being a few selected ones, such as the priest, who can commune directly with God, in Wicca every initiate, every member is a priest or priestess who can commune directly with the goddess. There is no need for an intermediary here. The authors feel that the view of Witchcraft in the overall aspect of the sociology of Religion has too narrow a view placed upon it by researchers. Wicca creates a

HSBC is the world's local bank Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

HSBC is the world's local bank - Essay Example Through an international network linked by advanced technology, including a rapidly growing e-commerce capability, HSBC provides a comprehensive range of financial services: personal financial services; commercial banking; corporate, investment banking and markets; private banking; and other activities. HSBC starts offering its e-banking since several years ago among other pioneers in banking services such as Citibank. Firstly, with regardless of absolute convenience of using online services, many existing clients of HSBC treated with suspicious, but later lots of customers started using it. Besides e-banking helped HSBC to attract new customers, who were pleased of arrange for different payments via Internet, mobiles etc. HSBC specialists analysed, and then approved, that remote e-banking operations were cheaper comparing with using classic method with bank clerks' client servicing at the bank's branches. Surely, reliable and fast-acting e-bank system costs rather expensive, and should be constantly upgraded to reflect the new services, security requirements, the possibility of servicing growing customers' data base. But nevertheless it became bore profitable and allowed customers to have full secure access to their personal accounts. The work entitled: "European Online Banking Strategies" published by Business Insights (2006) states that "eBanking is viewed as a 'must have' by retail banks across Europe. The need to keep up with competitors, retain existing customers and attract new ones has drive the market forward." (Business Insights, 2006) Figure 1 - Total Internet Banking Customers as a Proportion of Retail Banking Population Source: Business Insights (2006) The Business Insights Report 2006 states that: "Overall Internet banking customers will grow from 2% of the European retail banking population in 1999 to 9% in 2004" (Business Insights, 2006) Figure 2 - European e-learning IT expenditures 1999 & 2004 Source: Business Insights (2006) Further related by the Business Insights (2006) report is that: "European eBanking IT expenditure will grow from $302m in 1999 to almost $1.4bn in 2004 a CAGR of 30.9%. The most significant country market in terms of eBanking expenditure in 1999 was the UK which accounted for 27.3% of expenditure." (Business Insights, 2006) Figure 3 - Growth of European ITV Banking Users, 1999-2004 Source: Business Insights (2006) Business Insights also reveals in its report that: "As premium becomes more established, the demand for increasingly indulgent and sensory tastes will become a more important driver, while income-related factors will decline in importance. (Business Insights, 2006) Figure 4 - European e-baking IT expenditures, by project type Source: Business Insights (2006) Finally related by the Business Insights Report (2006) is the fact that: "A key element of expenditure on developing full banking services was the integration of additional lines of business to allow online application, authorization and management. For example online approval in principle for loans, mortgages and