Effects of Inflation Essay Example for Free

Effects of Inflation Essay Keeping Inflation under control is a primary concern for the Australian Government as it affects so many different parts of the Economy, including Economic growth, standard of living and unemployment. There are three types of inflation, depending on their causes. Firstly, demand pull inflation occurs when there is an excessive aggregate demand at or near full employment. If aggregate demand exceeds aggregate supply, prices of g’n’s rise as a rationing mechanism. This form of inflation is usually associated with periods of high economic activity. Secondly is cost-push inflation. If business costs such as the cost of wages or materials rise, businesses may aim to maintain profit levels by passing these costs onto consumers. This will result in higher prices and therefore inflation. The final type of inflation is imported inflation. Imported inflation occurs when the price of imports rises, and either adds to business costs (resulting in cost-push inflation) or feeds into the CPI as the price of final goods. Furthermore, a depreciation in the Au$ will raise import prices, also adding to imported inflation. There are a number of factors which may cause inflation in the Australian economy. A major cause of demand-pull inflation is excessive growth in aggregate demand. If aggregate demand increases from AD to AD1, aggregate supply which is the equivalent of real GDP will rise to GDP2 and the price level will rise from P to P2. This results in the inflationary gap of cd. This increase in aggregate demand may be the result of a number of factors, including increases in consumption expenditure, investment spending, net government expenditure, the money supply, or export incomes. Another major cause of inflation, this time cost-push inflation, is a decrease in aggregate supply. If aggregate supply decreases from AS to AS1, real GDP will decrease to GDP2 and the price level will rise to P1. This results in both a contraction in real GDP and a rise in inflation. The main causes of this decrease in aggregate supply is excessive wage growth not accompanied by productivity increase, a rise in the cost of raw materials, and other inputs, or a rise in government taxes or other charges that raise costs for firms. Cost-push inflation may also be the result of imported inflation it there is a rise in world prices of imported goods used in the production process (such as raw materials and intermediate goods) firms are likely to pass these costs onto consumers, resulting in inflation on the other hand if there is a rise in world prices of consumer goods, increased import prices will feed directly into the CPI, also resulting in inflation. Furthermore a depreciation in the Au$ in foreign exchange markets will result in a rise in the prices of imported raw materials, intermediate goods, and consumer goods, again contributing to Australia’s inflation. This is demonstrated in the stimulus when the RBA credits the decrease in inflation to the fading impact of 2000s exchange rate depreciation. A less common cause of inflation is the existence of monopolies or oligopolies. If a monopoly or oligopoly exists in an industry, the lack of competition allows producers to push up prices. This again results in inflation. The final cause of inflation in Australia is inflationary expectations. Inflationary expectations refer to the behaviour of individuals and businesses who seek to compensate for the current inflation, as well as expected future price rises. This may be the result of either firms pushing up prices, or wage earners seeking higher nominal wages. Also, if consumers expect future prices to rise, they rather buy g’n’s now, which leads to increases in spending. This results in demand-pull inflation. Inflation can impact the economy in 3 ways. 1)By encouraging investment in speculative and unproductive activities and discouraging investment in ventures considered productive. Inflation encourages investment in real assets such as gold and real estate because they are considered ‘good shelters’ for inflation. This is because the scarcity of them often outpaces or at least keeps pace with the rate of inflation. If inflation occurs, people will seek to own such assets, shifting resources to these speculative and unproductive assets. Similarly this discourages investment in other assets. This is because entrepreneurs will not think it is financially viable to invest and pursue a project that will only result in less profit, due to the higher costs of inflation. Similarly inflation increases the cost of production thus also discouraging entrepreneurs. For example, if inflation is high, people will invest in gold and real estate. Otherwise known as the opportunity cost, because people will allocate their resources into such ventures (gold and real estate) they must then forego investing into other ventures that are considered productive such as a new business, that may be producing capital goods or normal goods and services. Also by discouraging entrepreneurs is the rise in the costs of production that occur due to inflation, for example the raw materials. Similarly interest rates will rise, making it more expensive to borrow funds for investment purposes, making investment projects less profitable. Either way, inflation can cause a loss in production of capital goods, leading to lower living standards in the future, or a loss in the production of normal goods and services, leading to lowering current living conditions, as current needs and wants go unsatisfied. Since returns from productive capital take longer to materialise, it means that entrepreneurs are also faced with a lesser return. This means that if the rate of inflation is greater than the return offered by the investment, then the project will not be considered economically viable, nor worthwhile. Similarly the risk of loss from any investment project will grow with inflation. Many small businesses take a couple of years before they start to make a profit, so if inflation is high, and is was not taken into account when the business was first planned, then the cost of production may rise, and the resulting price for the commodity will be too high for consumers. ) If inflation is present and is greater than that overseas, it reduces the overseas competitiveness of the Australian economy. This is because inflation is not only associated with a rise in prices, but also an increase to the costs of production. Therefore making overseas exports cheaper to the domestic market. Similarly the overseas firms do not have to put up with the rises in the costs of production. This provides a leakage in the circular flow (p urchase of exports) and thus dampening demand in the domestic market, which if severe enough could lead to a recession, bringing with it many economic problems. An example of how inflation can lead to a recession, would be the 1970s, when high inflation averaged at 10. 4%. Which due to the high oil prices and strong domestic demand led to high inflation in the 1980s (8. 1%). This period of high inflation led to a dampening in spending and a recession in the 1990s (1990-1992) causing many problems such as unemployment. 3) It also creates many winners and losers in the economy. Those that benefit are the owners of real assets (real assets and gold), because their assets are worth more. As well as those belonging to well-organized groups who can demand wage increases (eg, strong trade unions. ) This can lead to rapidly rising wages, increasing the costs of production, and also discouraging investment in productive capital as mentioned above. In addition to this inflation can benefit people who have already borrowed funds because the cost of repayment, represent less as inflation rises. This is because inflation is defined by a loss in the real value of money, therefore the repayment will diminish over time. Conversely inflation disadvantages those on fixed incomes because they lose the real value of income as their money represents less purchasing power. Similarly for the same reasons it disadvantages those that keep their money in liquid form (ie, bank deposits). Also those that lend money receive less back in terms of repayment, due to the loss in value (eg, A mortgage repayment in 1960 was worth more than in 1980, where high inflation had occurred). Also since it reduces international competitiveness, inflation can disadvantage exporters who find themselves with less business opportunities. This can effect the economy, as overseas markets will not purchase Australian goods and services. Therefore the economy will not receive the injection into the circular flow that it would usually, without inflation. Without the strong domestic support that is present in Australia’s economy, the economy could have the effect of dampening economic activity, and aggregate demand. When inflation occurs in the Australian economy it usually had a number of causes. The main causes are excess aggregate demand, cost-push inflation, inflationary expectations and imported inflation. inflation disadvantages many groups in the economy, who in turn benefit other groups. This is because inflation can influence the allocation of resources in regards to encouraging and discouraging investment, the overseas competitiveness of the Australian market, as well as effecting individuals and firms, who often benefit at the expense of others.

Radiographer Abnormality Detection Schemes

Radiographer Abnormality Detection Schemes Maariyah Iqbal   INTRODUCTION In this chapter, the background of the problem will be presented. This will be followed by the research problem as well as the particular purpose and question, specifically highlighting why the topic area chosen is of great interest. 1.1 Background The National Health Service (NHS) provides healthcare for all citizens within the United Kingdom (UK) and it is funded by taxes; the core principles of the NHS are to meet the needs of everyone and it is based on a patients clinical need(s) and not on their ability to pay (Slee et al., 2008). The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2017 provides guidance on how to promote good health as well as prevention and treatment of health. The NHS in England receives over 1 million patients approximately every 36 hours, and this organisation employs over an estimated of 1.5 million people making it to one of the top five worlds largest workforces (NHS Choices, 2016). Despite the success of the services of the NHS there is more work needed to continue to improve services and deliver care (NHS Improvement, 2015). Therefore, the NHS continues to remain under pressure as there are further increases in demand for care (NHS Improvement, 2015). This means an increased demand for all health care practitioners, including Radiographers. The demand for services means increased waiting times, may lead to increased work pressure. To improve services the department of health set an ongoing standard for the NHS where the patient spends four hours or less in the Accident and Emergency (AE) from arrival to admission or discharge (House of commons, 2005). However, a report from the Kings Fund (2016) shows that AE departments are soaring to six million patients attending, this is placing a huge strain on services making it difficult to meet this target. Data from the briefing paper from Houses of Parliament (Appendix 1) show that in some areas such as; Greater London and Manchester there was 26-32% of patients that waited for more than four hours. Increased demands of work continue to leave the NHS under pressure as there are further increases in demand for care, and issues with being able to discharge medically fit patients (NHS Improvement, 2015). Extracted from the quarterly data summary issue (2008), in England one of the main issues surrounding discharging of patients is that they are still awaiting results of tests and discharge forms are not being complete in time (NHS England, 2015). Good planning in regards to discharging is imperative as it will improve patient flow and satisfactory, and can also decrease the chances of patients being readmitted again (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2016). The department of health puts forward ten operating principles in regards to discharging, one of which is the multidisciplinary team working together to plan care, and make decisions on the process and timing of discharging (Nursing Standard, 2010). Professionals can extend their roles beyond their scope of practice, and can be further trained to contribute to discharging of patients which can ease pressures of other staff in the AE department such as; doctors. Research also taken from (Graysons, no date) showed that a search search by the NHS Litigation Authority for descriptions of failure/delay diagnosis or incorrect diagnosis in 2014/15. The results of the response showed, 183 mentions of fractures. This highlighted that misinterpretation of images was also one of the factors of delayed discharge. In the context of clinical imaging, radiographers reporting on images is well established in the UK and it makes a major contribution to clinical imaging services and contribution to multidisciplinary care (The Society of Radiographers, 2017). A study was carried out by Snaith (2007) whereby three reporting radiographers were trained to discharge patients or refer to AE (Accident Emergency) for further assessment. The results were significant and showed that that 1760 examinations were reviews, 5% of these were discharged and 2% were referred. However, the number of patients recalled due to incorrect interpretation was decreased by 52% in those 4 months compared with the previous 3 years data (The College of Radiographers, 2017). This shows that Radiographers can extend their role not just within clinical imaging services, but also outside of their department by contributing to the management of patients and decreasing the risk of radiographic misinterpretation. Initially, radiographers produce high quality images of the body, screen for abnormalities and take part in surgical examinations to identify and diagnose injury and disease (The National Careers Service, 2016). Thus, being able to distinguish between normal and abnormal appearances that are evident on images is one of the standards that should be met by a radiographer (HCPC, 2017). The red dot system is implemented by radiographers in emergency departments to highlight acute abnormalities. Radiography Abnormality Detection Schemes (RADS) is one of the ways in which radiographers interpret images produced. They are able to make an initial interpretation on images obtained which gives them a proactive role in the diagnostic process, and assists doctors in the correct interpretation of radiographic images (SoR, no date). However, despite there being a set standard for radiographers to meet. Clinical imaging services are under increasing pressure year on year as radiographers are required to enhance the quality of the image, productivity, which is difficult due to staffing levels (Beardmore, 2013). In addition, these problematic areas can have a knock-on effect on other significant areas within the NHS; such as supervision of newly qualified and students that are training there. After research, the author has found that there is a variation in of training in hospitals and university, as the time that students spend on clinical placement has found to be different. The University of Leeds (2017) 50% of the course is in clinical placement, however, students at the Birmingham City University (2017) spend 35% of their course on clinical placement. This highlights there is a variation in clinical placement and this could affect the new registrants that may not be equally competent once qualified or even mee t a certain threshold. Ultimately, all students must meet specific standards in order to receive their Health and care professions council (HCPC) registration to be able to become and work as a newly qualified radiographer (the Society and College of Radiographers, 2017). The HCPC is an independent regulator, it regulates 15 other professions besides radiographers, they are established to protect the public by maintaining a register of all those that hold the protected title of social worker, so that registrants practice safely, legally and effectively (University of Bedfordshire, 2017). The HCPC set standards, approve courses that meet those standards, register those who pass the courses and clinical competencies, and hold them to their standards. In relation to diagnostic radiography, they set standards of proficiency for all radiographers which set out safe and effective practice, it covers areas in depth; so, all radiographers should be able to maintain fitness and practice (Health and Care Professions Council, 2013), this is elaborated on further from on section 3 to 3.3 (Appendix 2). It is vital that all standards that are discussed and mentioned, are met in order to be able to receive the registration. Additionally, once qualified and registered under the HCPC; a newly qualified radiographer is supported on their job role by a period of preceptorship. Although there is no defined period of preceptorship it is support for those that have newly qualified. It is a period of adaptation to a job role, consolidating knowledge and skills till he or she is able to work as an autonomous radiographer. (The Society and College of Radiographers, 2017). Moreover, as there is a shortage of staff as the NHS staff survey conducted in 2013 that showed that the staff stated that they felt under pressure and over worked, as they were working extra hours increasing from 69.7% to 70.5% from the previous year (UNISON, 2014). This highlights that training students, or even supporting staff within an organisation can be difficult as staff can be difficult due to staffing issues and work pressures. However, from research the author has found that an increase of patients will mean an increase in the range and capability of clinical images which will consequent needs of training radiographers to safely extend their roles. Moreover, initial training whereby it leads to either role extension, or continuing professional development are integral to radiographic practice (The Society of Radiographers, 2017). Radiographers are expected to build on their postgraduate qualifications and clinical managers are encouraged to embed this use of learning tool in radiographers personal development reviews (The Society of Radiographers, 2017). In context, of this radiographer are able to extend their roles by Radiographer Abnormality Detection Schemes (RADS). RADS allows radiographers to red dot images which put a mark on the image suggesting there is an abnormality present (Carver and Carver, 2012). Thus, making it easier for the clinician/referrer to look at when reporting on it. Being able to implement RADS can help to reduce errors and improve accuracy (Chan, 2007). The aim of this system is to assist emergency departments, especially when there is a shortage of staff such as; radiologists that do the reporting w hich helps location of the abnormality to be commented on sooner (Coelho and Rodrigues, no date). The basis of the problem around RADS will now be further discussed, which will be able to give an insight of the purpose of this research. 1.1 Research Problem RADS has become an accepted norm for radiographers (Carver and Carver, 2012). Before implementing RADS, it is essential that radiographers are able to evaluate and manipulate images for quality purposes which allows them to the be able to understand the image to implement RADS. A study carried out by Brearly et al., 2005 which looked at the accuracy of radiographers use of the red dot system with and without training on this area, and whether or not they can assess how a normal image would be presented. There was a significant improvement found in the sensitivity for detecting abnormalities, however, there was no change in the actual specificity. This highlights that, after training took place radiographers were able to red dot more images than before the training took place, however, the number of radiographs that radiographers selected as being normal there was no change found. Therefore, the validity of this study is limited as it not clear on whether the sample of radiographs before and after training were comparable. However, Hardy and Culpan (2007) carried out a study whereby they assessed radiographers before and after training in their ability to red dot images. They introduced a training programme for 10 weeks, the results showed that their accurac y as a group increased for 89.9% to 93% and their sensitivity (number of abnormal images) however, the specificity (number of normal images) decreased slightly from 96.4% to 96.1%. The study highlights, that although the results are not statistically significant, with appropriate training it can have an overall positive effect on the use of radiographer abnormality detection schemes. Despite there being a significant amount of research on this topic area, there is no clear evidence whether or not training improves the implementation of red dotting. 1.1 Research purpose and question The purpose of this research is to give an insight on whether training improves newly qualified radiographers in implementing RADS in practice or not. This case will be further developed with the use of a literature review. References Birmingham City University. (2017). Diagnostic Radiography: BSc (Hons). Available: http://www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/diagnostic-radiography-2017-18. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017 Net Doctor. (2017). What is the NHS?. Available: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health-services/nhs/a4489/what-is-the-nhs/. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. NHS Choices . (2016). The NHS in England. Available: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/thenhs/about/Pages/overview.aspx. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. NHS Improvement. (2015). NHS providers working hard, but still under pressure . Available: https://improvement.nhs.uk/news-alerts/nhs-providers-working-hard-still-under-pressure/. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. Teesside University. (2017). BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography. Available: https://www.tees.ac.uk/undergraduate_courses/Health__Social_Care/BSc_(Hons)_Diagnostic_Radiography.cfm. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. The Kings Fund. (2017). Demand for NHS services soars to record levels. Available: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/press/press-releases/demand-nhs-services-soars-record-levels. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. The National Careers Service. (2016). Radiographer. Available: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/job-profiles/radiographer. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. UNISON. (2014). Running on empty NHS staff stretched to the limit. Available: https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2014/04/On-line-Catalogue222452.pdf. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. Parliamentary. (no date). Accident and Emergency Statistics: Demand, performance and pressure. Available: http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN06964. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. The Health and Care Professions Council. (2017). Standards of Proficiency. Available: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10000DBDStandards_of_Proficiency_Radiographers.pdf. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. The Society of Radiographers. (no date). Radiographer abnormality detection schemes in the trauma environment. Available: http://www.sor.org/system/files/article/201109/ab_detection_clinical_260607.pdf. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=j8vohIcgiiACpg=PA264dq=what+is+red+dotting+in+radiographyhl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwia0cm_h4vSAhVTF8AKHXsnDu0Q6AEIQDAG#v=onepageq=what%20is%20red%20dotting%20in%20radiographyf=false https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_W0RhyluKncCpg=PT33dq=why+is+the+red+dot+system+importanthl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwimt62ak4vSAhVpJ8AKHUm6DPoQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepageq=why%20is%20the%20red%20dot%20system%20importantf=false http://repositorio.chporto.pt/bitstream/10400.16/842/1/CR11a.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6998900_Accuracy_of_radiographers_red_dot_or_triage_of_accident_and_emergency_radiographs_in_clinical_practice_A_systematic_review https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5Hf4xWVXwxoCpg=PA376dq=The+National+Health+Service+(NHS)+provides+healthcare+for+all+citizens+within+the+United+Kingdom+(UK)+and+it+is+funded+by+taxes.hl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwjm3tWB-Y3SAhWKD8AKHbTzAtcQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepageq=The%20National%20Health%20Service%20(NHS)%20provides%20healthcare%20for%20all%20citizens%20within%20the%20United%20Kingdom%20(UK)%20and%20it%20is%20funded%20by%20taxes.f=false https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmpubacc/445/445.pdf http://www.nrls.npsa.nhs.uk/resources/?EntryId45=59854 http://www.radiographyonline.com/article/S1078-8174(05)00159-8/abstract http://www.graysons.co.uk/advice/the-top-misdiagnosed-conditions-in-nhs-hospitals/#misdiagnosed https://www.caregiver.org/hospital-discharge-planning-guide-families-and-caregivers http://journals.rcni.com/userimages/ContentEditor/1373367855606/Discharge-planning.pdf http://www.radiographyonline.com/article/S1078-8174(03)00069-5/abstract https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/departments/appliedsocialstudies/reforms-in-social-work-education/the-health-and-care-professions-council-hcpc http://www.radiographyonline.com/article/S1078-8174(05)00159-8/abstract Appendices Appendix 1: AE waiting times in England: Patients spending over 4 hours in major AE departments (Parliamentary, no date) Appendix 2 (Health and Care Professions Council, 2013). Further websites could be used https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232221820_Evaluating_the_true_clinical_utility_of_the_red_dot_system_in_radiograph_interpretation could be used for intro and literature review http://shura.shu.ac.uk/9450/1/Naylor_PhD.pdf

human trafficking Essay -- essays research papers

human trafficking issues: the article starts out with a clear emphasis on the cooperation between the different segments of society; cooperation between the state, civil society , and religious groups and institutions on the issues of human trafficking and prostitution, stating how they are immoral, illegal, unethical and how they should be considered as a taboo by societies in Europe, especially Cyprus since the exploitation of women has been rapidly increasing recently. Where all the 800bars and 70 cabarets take advantage of uneducated, poor, unlucky and socially corrupted women at the cost of reasons such as profit and pleasure, which may seem as lame reasons when compared to the life and future of a young woman. The article also states that some of these women, coming from countries such as Romania, Russia. Bulgaria, the Ukraine, Moldavia, and Belarus enter Cyprus unaware of what is included in their job descriptions, and are forced into prostitution by traffickers, which is humanly unacceptable and shoul d without a doubt be banned from societies regardless of what kind of profit they may bring to the traffickers and to the public even as a whole. The article does mention trafficking in different manners and types, but I chose to pay bigger attention to the issues regarding prostitution here in Cyprus. As I would like to make a clear emphasis on how this issue relates directly to the issue of poverty. The article mentions a few solutions agreed upon by the state, th...

The Presidency of Bill Clinton :: William Jefferson Clinton Essays

The Clinton Presidency William Jefferson Clinton?s eight-year term as president of the United States of America was one of the most corrupt, and possibly the most damaging ever. There is evidence connecting him to hundreds of deaths, injuries, and explosions. He, along with his administration, made a number of ?Faustian bargains and policy blunders? (Timperlake) that allowed a malicious, rancorous government to gain more power in Washington. He acted dangerously and impulsively, and befriended all of the wrong people, including Chinese arms dealers, spies, pimps, and gangsters, among others. Clinton also compromised U.S. safety on more than one occasion. He is a cold, racist, corrupt man who has proven many times over that he does not care about the people, only in using them and obtaining money. In the following pages, one will see facts proving all of this. One could begin with the issue of genocide. In 1994, between half a million and a million members of the Tutsi tribe were slaughtered by Hutu tribal militias. Even though this massacre was widely covered by the news, the United States did nothing to help stop the killing. President Clinton offered an explanation to survivors in Kilagi for this. He said that he ?did not fully appreciate the depth and the speed with which [the survivors] were being engulfed by this unimaginable terror.? (Kelly) This explanation was not quite true. The U.S. government watched the killings in Rwanda closely. Clinton was completely familiar with the genocide; he knew what was going on as hundreds of thousands were being murdered. And yet, he still did nothing to stop it. He is also quoted as saying that he only ?did not act quickly enough to stop it after the killing began.? (Kelly) Actually, he personally denied urgent requests from the U.N. to send a small force of non-U.S. troops into Rwanda. Then on May 24, 1994, with the estimate number of the dead at 400,000 and rising, Clinton said, ?We cannot solve every such outburst of civil strife or militant nationalism simply by sending in our forces.? (Kelly). One may ask, if he considers a million corpses a ?civil strife?, does he really care about the world and the human race at all? Then, one may look at what happened with Mena, and the two teenage boys, Don

James Fenimore Cooper Essay -- essays research papers

James Fenimore Cooper was one of the pioneers in American novel writing. Cooper used the life and things he had experienced and turned them into best-selling novels that have held up throughout the years. He became famous with the publication of the wilderness adventures. Along with the success these books brought, so to came some criticism. To truly understand Coopers books you have to delve deeply into them and know from where he got the ideas for the stories. James Fenimore Cooper was born in Burlington, New Jersey on September 15th 1789 (â€Å"James Fenimore Cooper,† American Eras, n.p.). He was the eleventh child of William Cooper and Elizabeth Fenimore Cooper, whom he would later adopt part of his name from. His father was a land speculator, judge and Federalist politician (â€Å"James Fenimore Cooper†, DISCovering Biography, n.p.). In the early years of Fenimore Cooper’s life the family relocated from Burlington to the wilderness of Ostego Lake, New York. There, William Cooper built Ostego hall and developed the surrounding area as Cooperstown (â€Å"JFC†, DISCovering Biography, n.p.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1803 James Fenimore Cooper entered Yale at the tender age of thirteen years. However his immaturity proved to be consequential as he was expelled for blowing up a classmate’s door with gunpowder (â€Å"JFC†, DISCovering Biography, n.p.). After his expulsion, presumably as a consequence for his actions, Cooper joined the Navy and sailed aboard the Stirling. On the ship he was witness to many adventures such as pursuit by pirates and British impressments of U.S. sailors (JFC, DISCovering Biography, n.p.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In December of 1809 William Cooper died. However upon his death, he left James Cooper a large sum of money ($50,000). This money did not all go into Cooper’s pocket as he had to use some of it to care for his siblings (JFC, DISCovering Biography, n.p.). In May of the next year James would request a twelve-month break from the Navy to tend to family business. In his time from the Navy, Cooper met Susan Augusta DeLancey, the daughter of a country squire. They would marry on January 1, 1811 (JFC, DISCovering Biography, n.p.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cooper was an avid reader in his early adulthood. After reading a few pages of Jane Austen’s Precaution, he threw the book down in disgust and is claimed to have said, â€Å"I coul... ...Criticism (210). Maulsby disagrees that the story fails to arrive at a conclusion. To him, Deerslayer is the account of a mission undertaken by a hero and the mission is completed in the end. It was good to see someone defend against Twains critical attacks on Coopers style (Maulsby, 210-211).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In all of Coopers books there is a very vivid depiction of the surroundings writes W.C. Brownell in Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism (214). The setting really becomes part of the stories that wouldn’t be the same if there were a remotely different setting. Cooper had extensive exposure in the two types of settings he wrote in, wilderness and nautical, which probably facilitated the process of describing the surroundings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To think that James Fenimore Cooper was an always cheerful, always upbeat man who wrote well received novels would be incorrect. He managed to insult people on both sides of the Atlantic and still achieve stardom. Cooper was disliked by the common person and the author alike; despite the way people disliked Cooper the man, they could not attack his novels as he was considered the first great American Novelist.

Organisational Behaviour: A Case Study Essay

Question one. Learning is a process of adapting to a change of behaviour or the ability to alter one’s way of acting as a result of influence from constant practice or experiences (Michas and Berry, 2000). Learning can either be viewed as a process or as a product of an already completed process. As a process, learning is viewed as a transformation of behaviour or a change in the mental state of an individual while as a product, learning is studied under the basis of various learning theories. The learning theory seeks to explain how and to what extent such a change is bound to occur. This theory is very essential in organisations because it helps to create high level professionals at the workplace. Depending on the situation and the willingness of the workers, different organisations can apply different learning theories at different times. Three main perspectives of this theory are known. This include behaviourism, cognitivism and constructivism. Behaviourism focuses mainly on the physical aspects of learning. According to Miller and Pace (2006), a change in behaviour is not influenced by the individual’s emotions or personal motives but rather, it is a lasting change in behaviour which occurs when triggered by a change in the surrounding environment. This approach has been found to yield changes such as discrimination, associations among other skills which do not require in depth internal processes. For instance, from the case study given, Diane’s behaviour changed when she started working at La Maison where the environmental factors taught her to be hard working and efficient in her work. Cognitivism perspective deals with matters linked to the brain-system. In this case, a learning process involves the internal processes which includes how the mind receives, organises, stores and retrieves data or any information received. It concentrates on the mental aspect of the the leaner’s thoughts, beliefs, ideas and attitudes towards the organisation. This approach of the learning theory has been in very helpful in explaining the intricate forms of behaviour which involve reasoning, solving problems and processing data to alter ones behaviour (Niederhausler et al, 2002). In the case study, this kind of learning theory is seen when a worker’s behaviour in an organisation are influenced by factors such as manager’s attitude, organisational culture among other factors which are not visible physically. The constructivism approach on the other hand views learning as a process of constructing new ideas and concepts. It is more or less the opposite of behaviorism in that it focuses on how an individual molds a certain form of behaviour emanating from past knowledge or experiences. From the case study, the constructivism kind of learning approach is evident where we see that Diane had learnt from previous experience how to give fast and quality services to the customers by balancing several plates on her arms. This was a positive kind of behaviour which ensured faster delivery much to the satisfaction of her customers. In an organisational concept, there are specific qualities associated with learning or change of behaviour in organisations. This depends on what is learned, how and when it is learned. Different organisations differ in their methods of learning mainly due to the fact that every organisation represents a collective combination of individuals from different backgrounds and more so, it consists of a units which have different roles and values which they use to achieve their future goals (Billett, 2007). According to Prange (1999), it is the individuals who learns and not the organisations which they work for. In this case, he argues that learning is a process which primarily takes place in the human brain. Another argument put forward by Perkins (1997) says that even though learning may take place in organisations, it is not always positive. That is, not all organisations learn well and in a way which is bound to propel their future goals into the right direction. For instance, different workers in an organisation may hold different views concerning the organisation’s future success depending on the kind of leadership style deployed in the organisation by its leaders. The three perspectives of the learning theory, behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism have several strengths as well as weakness on the workers of an organisation as observed from the case study given. The behaviourism concept of the learning theory has an advantage in that, every worker has a clear and concise goal which he or she is set to achieve and thus any change in the environment can stimulate its achievement automatically. However, this approach has been criticized in that the workers may at times encounter a situation in which the right stimulus do not occur thus hindering the achievement of the desired goals. For instance, if the workers in a hotel are used to responding to a certain stimulus such as tips in order to work effectively, the efficacy would sharply drop ones the tips cease to exist. For the cognitivism approach, the learners are trained to work in a certain way consistently with or without a stimuli. This is advantageous in that it avoids inconsistencies in the work place and ensures customer satisfaction t all times. On the other hand, this may be disadvantageous in that the workers mind may become accustomed to doing the same thing such that it may be very difficult for them to adapt to any slight change in the organisation. The constructivism approach is useful in that the leaner is able to adapt to many changes which may occur in the organisation based on previous situations. However, this approach has a major drawback in that it in some situations, divergent thinking may cause problems in the organisation. From the case study given, Diane the learner has a change of behaviour which is affected by the change in the environment or the climate created by her boss which makes her strive to do every thing in a perfect way. However, when she is quarreled, her attitude changes and she starts to do things in a slow inefficient manner. In this case study, a positive aspect of cognitive learning theory is also seen whereby, Diane’s behaviour is influenced by the high tips she gets from the customers and this motivates her to work harder even when the motivation she is getting from her boss is very minimal. In addition, it can also be deduced from the case study that all the workers at the La Maison where Diane works are taught how to work under pressure and work with excellence. This behaviour has been shaped by the workplace culture of practice from the instructions given by Godot their manager. This reflects a constructive learning approach. Question two. From the case study, the environment and the authoritarian leadership style exercised by Godot the manager of La Maison has a great impact on the behaviour of the workers and Diana in particular. From the organisational culture which emphasises on excellence and team-work, Diane behaviour was immediately inclined towards working to her best potential since the beginning which ensured that she did a good job. However, her behaviour changed when she was quarreled by the boss and she decided to work slowly and her efficiency was greatly reduced. Other factors which helped to shape Diane’s behaviour include the tips she got from the customers which motivated her to work more in order to get more tips. This forced her to go back to her efficient working pace even when her morale had really been put down by her boss. Many positive and negative reinforcements, punishments and extinction forces which may be used by Godot and his customers may be identified from the case study. Among the positive reinforcements used by Godot include his dedicated and industrious attitude towards his work which motivated the workers to put more effort in their work. His vision and the culture of team-work which he emphasised on also made the employees to work together to satisfy all the customers. However, Godot had very bad emotional outbursts and tempers which negatively affected the workers’ efficiency. For instance, after putting so much effort, Diane felt discouraged due to the fact that her boss did not even notice her hard work but instead, he was very quick to quarrel her when she committed a simple mistake. The insults he hauled towards the workers when the restaurant was crowded and they were unable to keep pace with the high number of customers also lowered the workers’ morale. In terms of punishments, Godot believed in punishing the workers when they went wrong by imposing fines to pay the price of their mistakes. This made the workers to feel angry and disappointed thus become less efficient in their work. As a good manager, Godot can improve the worker’s efficiency through complimenting them for their hard work and correcting them in the right way where they go wrong instead of insulting them. In addition, he should strive to improve his relationship with his workers in order to motivate them. The positive reinforcements acquired from the restaurant customers include good compliments to the workers and tips in terms of money for their efficient services. Negative responses such as less tips when the services were less efficient also helped to motivate Diane to work harder in order to please them and get more tips. Thus, by being appreciative, the customers helped to shape the behaviour of the workers in a positive way. Question three. The various reinforcements and punishments discussed above had a positive as well as a negative impact on Diane’s behaviour. For instance, when Diane dropped a bowl of bouillabaisse, she was fined the price of the bouillabaisse and the cost of cleaning the carpet she stained, as a punishment for her mistake. This made Diane feel very angry, disappointed and confused and as a result, there was a visible decline in her performance. This was a very negative impact on Diane’s behaviour. On the other hand, Godot’s industrious and dedicated type of attitude helped to shape Diane’s behaviour in a positive way in that she became very dedicated and efficient in her work much to the satisfaction of the customers and this conferred an overall benefit to the restaurant. The customer’s appreciative nature and the compliments they gave to Diane helped to motivate her more to work with greater efficacy. When the customer’s tips dropped, she was forced to go back to her original working pace in order to please the customers. This positively shaped her behaviour as it taught her to be hardworking and committed in her work at all times regardless of her boss’s attitude. Question four. Hourly pay rates and tips from customers especially in restaurants have proved to be very effective in reinforcing positive behaviour in workers. The hourly pay rates motivate the workers to work for long in order to maximise their pays and thus ensuring that high productivity at the workplace is achieved. The tips on the other hand inspire the workers to work extra hard in order to satisfy the customers who will in return give them larger tips. If the services are of poor quality, the customers are unsatisfied and they thus do not feel obliged to give tips to the workers. In the case of La Maison restaurant studied above, the hourly pay rates of $15. 0 offered plus the tips from the customers proved to be very effective in shaping Diane’s behaviour as well as that of other workers. The tips averaging around 20 percent per day motivated Diane to work harder because she knew that better the services meant more tips for her. When her efficiency in services declined, her tips also went down by almost half and this forced her to step up her pace in order to get back to where she originally was. In this case, it can be deduced that the use of hourly pay rates and tips can help an organisation to make more money because of the high quality services delivered by its workers. Conclusion. From the case study above, it is clear that every organisations has a great role to play in shaping the behaviour of its workers. An organisation can either have a positive or a negative impact on the attitude and behaviour of its workers depending on the kind of leadership style practiced by the leader and also the culture of that particular organisation. It is therefore upon the leaders to adopt the right kind of leadership which is geared towards cultivating a positive attitude in their workers as this will help them to work harder and maximise the profits incurred by the organisation.

Compare and Contrast Essay

When comparing and contrasting the poem â€Å"What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl† by Patricia Smith with the short story â€Å"Country Lovers† By Nadine Gordimer. The character in â€Å"What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl† is based more upon recent time while â€Å"Country Lovers† is based in a older time frame. However, both stories are uniquely about wanting to be loved. The poem and the short story are both great examples of the difficulty of life between two different ethnic backgrounds. While one concentrates more on tragedy the other is faced more with acceptance that leads to tragedy. Love although can’t be explained, has many explanations to how one can love. Whether your love goes as deep as loving through tragic times or looking for someone to love you at all times. Both of these stories focus on issues of racism, inner struggles, slavery, prejudice, and the pursuit of freedom as well as equality. At the end, everyone wants and needs to be accepted and will do whatever it takes. The poem â€Å"What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl† details the struggles of what African American women go through just to be noticed. The poem breaks down how it is okay to be â€Å"Black† yet look â€Å"White† because that’s the look men want. In the poem the character addresses the issues about how African American women would spend countless hours in changing their appearance just to be accepted and loved by thee. â€Å"First of all, it’s being 9 years old and feeling like you’re not finished, like your edges are wild, like there’s something, everything, wrong,† (Clugston. 2010). She goes in further detail describing how she hides her natural look because she accepted that her natural look isn’t what society has pinned as natural or beautiful. So she adds blonde hair to her head and changes her eye color to look more like a â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†. â€Å"It’s popping a bleached white mophead over the kinks of your hair and primping in front of mirrors that deny your reflection. † (Clugston. 2010). From any other perspective the struggles of African Americans may not be fully understood. In the poem â€Å"What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl† she explains within a couple sentences the struggles of not being accepted in your own skin. It’s as if she has accepted what she must do in order to be noticed or to be loved. All she wants is to be loved by a great man no matter the ethnicity however she believes she must change her appearance in order to be noticed by such man. â€Å"It’s finally having a man reach out for you then caving in around his fingers† (Clugston. 2010). In comparison â€Å"Country Lovers† tells a story of a young white boy who befriends the daughter of a black help on his parents farm. The two become close friends as their likes for each other develop and bring tragedy. The boy had a reputation of flaunting and flirting however the young girl felt she was different from the rest of the girls. Nadine Gordimer writes, â€Å"When he had even met one who, at a wedding he had attended with his parents on a nearby farm, had let him do with her in a locked storeroom what people did when they made love—when he was as far from his childhood as all this, he still brought home from a shop in town a red plastic belt and gilt hoop ear–rings for the black girl, Thebedi† (Clugston. 2010). Sadly the young girl never realized the gifts were not from love but just another gift to keep quite. As time past the boy grew older and never noticed what he was doing to the young girls heart. Gordimer writes, â€Å"The trouble was Paulus Eysendyck did not seem to realize that Thebedi was now simply one of the crowd of farm children down at the kraal, recognizable in his sister’s old clothes† (Clugston. 2010). This would play a huge part in what brought the tragic ending to the story. Thebedi ended up finding another young man, Njabulo whom she would marry. Njabulo was the child of farmer as well however he was black. He was much like her father which made it easier for the father to accept their marriage. Typically the son in law would have something to offer the family in trade for the daughter however this young man had nothing to show. Her father liked this young man so much to the point he accepted the marriage even without a trade off. â€Å"Njabulo’s parents met with hers and the money he was to pay in place of the cows it is customary to give a prospective bride’s parents was settled upon. He had no cows to offer; he was a labourer on the Eysendyck farm, like her father† (Clugston. 2010). Love although can’t be explained, has many explanations to how one can love. Whether your love goes as deep as loving through tragic times or looking for someone to love you at all times. Both of these stories focus on issues of racism, inner struggles, slavery, prejudice, and the pursuit of freedom as well as equality. At the end, everyone wants and needs to be accepted and will do whatever it takes.