Hispanics and American Society Essay

The size of the overall population of the Hispanics found with the rural areas of America is increasing by the day and this population has trickled over to the urban areas. The effects of their increase is felt by the overall American society as the Hispanics have adopted a particular social way of living that indeed has affected the social, educational and the political life of the Americans. This paper will tackle the challenging issues faced by the Hispanics living in America including the dysfunctional families, use of drugs among individuals in this community, their educational achievements; rate of attrition and the issue of single parenthood that dominates this community. Main body Literature review Kenneth M. J. and Licther T. D. (2007) have given a recount of the population estimates of the Hispanics living within the American territory as per a research they carried between the year 2000 and 2007. They explain the rate of increase in the population of Hispanics since the year 2000 and their current estimates. They explain that the current population of the Hispanics is an estimated 14% of the total population residing in the United States. They have shown that between the year 2000 and 2007, the rate of increase in the population of this group of people accounted for more than a half of the total population gain that the United States experienced within the said period. The results of the research attributed the increase to a very high fertility rate as opposed to the rate of immigration that led to the population increase prior to the said time period. The research does not however eliminate immigration as a factor of population increase as it still accounts for a lesser percentage of the increase in population. Kenneth and Licther have also covered the redistribution of the Hispanic population towards the internal geographical areas of the United States from the traditional gateway cities found in the southwest and into the suburbs represented by large and small metro areas, the non metro communities as well as the rural areas (Kenneth & Licther 2007pp32-47) Denlinger, K. 2005 has covered the area of economic and social challenges confronted by the Hispanics in America. Five social indices that mark the social needs of the Hispanic families have been explained here. They include poverty, income, age, immigration and fertility. Poverty rates among the Hispanic families in the year 1999 are put at 20. 2% as compared to the9. 3% rate for the whole nation in the same year as well as the 5. 5% rate among non-Hispanic white families. The said rates differ with the kind of families where the single parent headed families performed badly at an overwhelming 39% and the families headed by both parents at 14. 2%. The median income for the Hispanics is approximated at 60% that of the families residing in the United States at 32,000 dollars as compared to the 52,000 dollars of the American population. Just like with the poverty rates single parent headed houses especially those headed by women performed poorly than all other types of families. On the overall age of the Hispanics is much younger than that of the overall American age. The Hispanics have an approximated median at 26. 3 for males and 25. 5 for females as compared to the 34 years for males and 36 years for females across America. Denlinger’s findings on the rates of fertility among the Hispanics are similar to that made by Kenneth and Licther. He explains that on average, the Hispanic women have much greater fertility levels than any other group residing in America. He records findings of a 2000 research that shows that 13. 6% of the 60. 9 million women of child bearing age were Hispanics who gave birth to 19. 3% of the 3. 9 million children born in 2000. The young ages of the Hispanic mothers increases the possibility of bearing children (Denlinger 2005 p45, 52-60, 73). Weber 2004 captures the rates of immigration of the Hispanics to the United States. He explains the results of the census 2000 that yielded the count of 16. 1 million Hispanics out of the 35. 4 million that were living in the United States were born elsewhere but had migrated to the United States. He goes back in time to the 1980 up to the year 2000 where he estimates the number of Hispanics that immigrated to the United States to be 12. 5 million. The significance of Weber’s book to my paper is the identification of the indices that mark the social needs of the Hispanics living in the United States. This was done by the virtue of appreciating the fact that the Hispanics living in the United States are not a homogenous group but a collection of people with particular differences in terms of financial status, social status, marital status and the many social dynamics that exist in social living. He has however attempted to comprehensively cover the indices that related to the wider group as an estimated general consideration (Weber 2004PP23-46). Akins has captured the issue of substance abuse among Hispanics immigrants living in America. He draws from a research conducted by the Oregon State University that had surveyed a total of 6,714 adults who were living in Washington of which 1,690 of them turned out to be immigrant Hispanics. He contributes to the significance of the paper by raising points that he concluded from the research conducted. He found out that the immigrants were in large numbers taking up the habits they found with the white Americans to the predicament of their own cultural practices. He has reported on a number of studies conducted in areas where there were great Hispanic concentrations like Florida, the Southwest and California. He found out that the Hispanics had a reduced chance of experiencing acculturation due to their tendencies of clumping together into ethnic communities. But the research yielded that accultured Hispanics had a 13 times possibility of doing drugs than their non-accultured counterparts. The study indicated a 6. 4% illicit drug use among the white communities while the accultured Hispanics had a 7. 2 percentage use in illicit drugs. At the same time, the research yielded a less than 1% illicit drug use among the non-accultured Hispanics. Akins reported that the general trend within the Hispanic communities was a commitment to the family and intolerance towards use of alcohol and drugs. The drug using accultured Hispanics emulated the patterns of the white drug users. Some of the findings of the research revealed that accultured Hispanics had a double tendency to binge and thrice as likely to drink continuously for days without sobering up. Frazier et al. 2006 has focused on the academics of the Hispanics living in America. He associates the massive concentrations of Hispanics found in the lowest levels of jobs in America to lack of education and their challenged use of the English language. Recent immigrants usually have little formal education and the poorest command of English which puts them at the greatest disadvantage in acquisition of well paying jobs. This problem also trickles down to their children who limited in their upward social mobility. Frazier explains that many Hispanics face problems completing high school which leaves them without the necessary skills to compete for high paying jobs seeing that the United States’ economy is driven by technology and information. The book shows how immigrant student Hispanics and the American born Hispanics have a less likelihood of graduating from high school than their non-Hispanic counterparts. A relationship between the improvements of the academic standards with the Hispanics’ success in the job market has been struck in this book and serves to create one of the dynamics within the paper that explains the predicament of the Hispanics in the United States. A study on high school graduation rates conducted in the United States approximated the percentage of high school completion among the Hispanics as the lowest at 33. 8% (Frazier et al. 2006p218-233). The overall approach with the referencing has been the utilization of a very recent time period for the studies conducted. Most of the information contained within the reference material has utilized very recent experiences of the Hispanics within the American society. Kenneth and Licther for example have limited the time period for their study between the years 2000 to 2007. Denlinger sought to focus on the year 1999 and other recent years; the author who has drawn his ideas from a long time period appears to be Weber who has drawn on the experiences of the Hispanics in the 1980s all the way to the year 2000. Even then, most of the authors have drawn their conclusions on the historical experiences of the Hispanics from their very beginnings in migrating to the America and settling there either as illegal immigrants or as American citizens by virtue of the natural birth that immediately confers American citizenry to the people born within America. The theoretical understanding of the Hispanics has been drawn from previous studies conducted by the authors e. g. Akins based his study on a research that was conducted by the Oregon state University. Other authors based their ideas on the researches that they themselves conducted among the Hispanics in America. Such authors include Denlinger. Scholarly journals and academic materials have also formed sources of information for the authors of the references I have used. The findings of this study reflect a symbolic interactionist approach since it reflects the individuals in this case the Hispanics as social products of the society from which they come from. The Hispanics for example have had problems with attaining good jobs because they do not have the academic skills required for competing for well paying jobs. This is a direct result of the kind of life they lead which is dictated by the financial challenges they face within the society. Conclusion The Hispanics who live in America are quite challenged especially due to their lack of an education that has helped to elevate the social standing of the people living within the United States. Though they have been faced by a predicament whose magnitude they bear, it is also apparent that they affect the whole of the American society since their presence in large numbers through immigration or high fertility rate happen to pressure the social amenities and other facilities e. g. the health facilities that are already in place. It has been feared that they might course a population proliferation if their current fertility trends persist and attract great competition for the good jobs that the American born population currently enjoy. Even then there is need to check on the positive side of the presence of the Hispanics within the American territory for example, they have enriched the American culture through the addition of their cultural beliefs and practices. At the same time, they have involved themselves with the low ranking jobs which the Americans loath. This way they assist with the growth of the economy. References Akins, J. & Arrighi, B. (2007) Hispanics in America Today?. Oxford University Press P101 Denlinger, K. (2005) Hispanics in America: The â€Å"resting monster† wakens?. Sage publishers p45, 52-60, 73 Frazier, J. , Margai, F & Tettey, F. (2006) Race and position: justice issues in urban America. Sage pub pp218-233? Kenneth, M. J. & Licther, T. D. (2007) Hispanics and the future of America?. McGraw hill publishers. pp32-47 Weber, D. (2004) The Spanish border in North America?. Macmillan publishers PP23-46

Development and Globalisation Essay

GDP- Gross Domestic Product – the value of all the goods and services produced in a country in a year, in $US, usually expressed as â€Å"per capita† (per person). PPP (purchasing power parity)* figures are more useful. *Adjusted for loss of living GNP- The total value of goods and services produced by one country in a year, plus all net income earned from overseas sources, in $US. HDI- Human Development Index: It is a summary composite index that measures a country’s average achievements in three basic aspects of human development: health, knowledge, and a decent standard of living. Life Expectancy †¢ Literacy Rate †¢ Standard of Living (measured in GDP per capita) It gives a more complete picture of development of a country than GDP alone as it considers social factors and not just economic factors. Development Continuum Originally there were three groupings that made up the development continuum, they were: †¢ First World (those developed countr ies that had a democratic government and a strong economy) †¢ Second World (communist countries) †¢ Third World (UN developed countries) However as time has gone on newer economies have started to develop caused by different development patterns and speeds. The Development gap †¢ The gap between rich and poor countries †¢ Most commonly, the gap is thought of in terms of income/economics †¢ It also social, environmental and even political aspects There was a suggested North/South divide originating from the Brandt report in 1980, where the north accounted for 80% of GDP but only 20% of the population; however this too requires some artistic licence and is a very general way of dividing countries. There are more accurate ways of grouping countries as listed below and as countries move through the development continuum countries pass from one category to another: †¢ Developed (MDC’s – the most well developed countries eg. UK) †¢ Developing (Countries which are undergoing development – arguably they all are. Eg. Malaysia) †¢ LDC’s (Least Developed Countries – eg. Ethiopia) †¢ NIC’s (Newly Industrialised Countries – Have just finished development (10 years or so) Eg. China) †¢ RIC’s (Recently Industrialised Countries – Further behind than the NIC’s eg. Dubai) Centrally Planned Economies (The few remaining communist countries eg. North Korea) †¢ Oil Rich Countries (Countries rich in oil eg. Saudi Arabia) Causes for the Development Gap †¢ Colonialisation – colonial powers took resources from poorer countries †¢ Price of commodities is often controlled by TNCs ensurin g high profits for MEDC firms and low prices paid to LEDC producers – Fair trade set up in reaction to this. †¢ LEDCs are now primary producers – producing low cost commodities, e. g. bananas †¢ Primary commodities have fallen in price, or stayed steady, while commodities they need has increased, e. . oil What is preventing the Development gap from closing? †¢ Many LEDCs main industry is as primary producers – generally low profit †¢ Internatnioal trade dominated by TNCs †¢ Rapid The Asian Tigers Who or what are the Asian Tigers? Asian economies that have progressed economically at such substantial rates that have come to rival the earning capacity and quality of living of those being first-world countries – Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea. Globalisation Globalisation: The increased inter-connection in the world’s economic, cultural and political systems. Positives |Negatives | |Allowed the movement of people m ore easily |Uncontrolled migration | |Increased foreign trade |Inequality in wealth | |More access to food, services, healthcare etc. ll over the world |Heavy environmental cost | | |Loss of countries individual cultures, global cutters | †¢ Globalisation began in the 19th century as there was the beginning of movement of people and goods; †¢ Increase in independence †¢ Increase in trade as well as the spread of industry †¢ Beginning of Trans National Corporations. Globalisation continued in the 20th century and was shaped by a number of factors including: 1. Emergence of free markets (capitalist economy) 2. Deregulation of world financial markets 3. The establishment of the General Agreements of Tariffs and Trade (GATT) –the WTO which sought to lower trade barriers. 4. The emergence of trade blocs 5. The establishment of the IMF and the World Bank 6. Development of global marketing and the continuing rise of TNCs. Flows †¢ Capital o ICT allows cheap, reliable and almost instantaneous communication o Allows sharing information o Allows transfer of capital o Allows Marketing around the world †¢ Labour o Improved transport for people Size of air craft o Low cost airlines o High speed rail links o Specialised workers- doctors, ICT etc. o Unskilled workers †¢ Products and services o Integrated networks o Goods handling o Computing logistics o Container revolution o Improved transport for goods o Global marketing, the world as one market and create products that fit various regional market places e. g. coca-cola and McDon alds Patterns of production, distribution and consumption Manufacturing has gone from developed countries to lower wage economies. This is known as the GLOBAL SHIFT, which is brought about by FDI by TNCs. Many LEDC’S have benefited from the transfer of technology which has meant these countries can raise their productivity without raising their wages to the level of the developed countries. This has lead to the de-industrialisation of richer countries and the focus on tertiary and quaternary industry. There has also been outsourcing of service operations, such as call centres, Mumbai, this extends the influence on a global scale also the employment costs are a lot lower even though there is a highly educated workforce. Positive and negatives of the global shift Positives for MEDCs |Negatives for MEDCs | |Movement of polluting industries away from their country |Could lead to wide spread unemployment | |Growth in LEDC’s may lead to demand for exports from MEDCs |Loss of skills | |Cheaper imports can keep the cost of living down benefiting the retail |Negative multiplier effect | |sector |Large gap between skilled and unskilled workers who may experience | |Labour market f lexibility and efficiency |extreme redeployment differences | |Development of new technologies leading to investment |deindustrialisation of some areas, such as the North | |Help to reduce inflation | | |Positives for LEDC’s and NIC’s |Negatives for LEDC’s | |Development of new industries Rapid urbanisation and rural-urban migration | |Increased employment |Westernised approach to economy | |Helps to reduce development gap |Increased environmental damage die to polluting industries | |Increased FDI and investment which can lead to improved services such as |Exploitation of labour | |infrastructure, health care and education |Disruptive social impacts | |Increased exports helps BoPs, and increases income and GDP |Over-dependant on one industry | |New technologies |Destabilises food supplies, less agriculture | | |Health and safety issues because of tax legislation | Patterns of production and processes In manufacturing there has been a global shift of marketing f rom MDC’s to LDC’s. This leads to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by the TNC’s. This has led to the de-industrialization of MDC’s but means that they can also be more productive due to the transfer of technology. Newly Industrialised Countries (NIC’s) First Phase †¢ Asian Tigers (Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore) started to appear in the 1960’s, as developed countries looked at their less developed neighbours †¢ Rapid industrialisation due to the increased spread of TNC’s. †¢ They share similar characteristics which allowed for such industrialisation: – Large populations – Well educated populations – Culture – work ethic – Less rigid laws on health and safety – Government support through loans and grants Rely less on foreign support and set up their own businesses such as the Chaebols in South Korea, comprising of companies such as Samsung, LG and Hyundai †¢ This has now become a multinational an d located in several different countries. Second Phase †¢ As wage prices increased in the primary TNC’s (The Asian Tigers) †¢ Countries that could offer lower wage prices such as Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines and Thailand, Mexico and Brazil Third Phase †¢ China and India, Turkey, South Africa and the Philippines †¢ China has seen the fastest rate of economic growth of any country †¢ India’s industry is heavily based around services – which accounted for 50% of its total GDP. †¢ New TNCs are now being set up in Indian such as Infosys, Bangalore. Positives of India |Constraints of India | |Large English speaking population |Other countries are beginning to compete | |Costs 37% lower than China |Negative reaction in MEDCs | |Costs 17% lower than Malaysia |Rising wage rates | |Professional salaries ? of UK and USA |High cost of training | |Low telecommunication costs |Negative impacts on quality | |24 hour working to fit with tim e differences |Corruption and bankruptcy | |Huge labor force for labor intensive jobs e. g. all centers |Command economy, governemtn speding on subsidies rather than investment | |IT college graduates, 2 million/year |Infrastructure beyond major cities is poor | | |Literacy only 61% | Growth in the 21st Century Emerging Economies account for 70% of the global population, countries including the BRICs (Brazil, Russia India and China) as well as countries such as the UAE and South Africa. The increase has been due to: †¢ Raise living standards †¢ Increase opportunities for the population †¢ Increase FDI †¢ Become more of a world player with market to an international standard Countries at very low levels of economic development LDCs †¢ The countries were outlined by the United Nations and of the top 50 33 are in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are defined by the following: – Low incomes ($800 GDP per capita over 3 years) Human resource weakness, nutrition, hea lth, education and literacy – Economic vulnerability shown by signs of dependency on one industry †¢ Many of them suffer from widespread conflict, disease, geographical disadvantages, urbanisation and fast urban growth (demographically speaking). Quality of Life †¢ Most of the population cannot afford basic immunities †¢ Resources of such countries are not evenly distributed. †¢ Attempts to reduce poverty †¢ High population growth rate means that numbers living in extreme poverty are increasing. †¢ Many of these countries depend on FDI Debt †¢ From the 1970’s onwards some countries found themselves in a debt crisis because the borrowed large amounts from the developed world. For many countries at low levels of economic development that breaking free of poverty can only ever be a vision. †¢ There are certain policies being put in place by the IMF and the World Bank to help free the HIPCs †¢ They have provided debt relief and interest free loans. †¢ SAPs Structural adjustment programmes o Government spending cutbacks to fund debt repayments o Mexico was the first country o 3 main aims:- ? Promote exports- integration and liberalisation ? Reduce government spending- privatisation and cutting costs ? Encourage foreign investment o Both intermediate and poor countries have had SAPs applied o Some success but SAPs could make matters worse especially for the poorest people because:- Loss of credit and subsidies from the government ? Food production falling ? Devaluation of currency leads to dramatic rises in prices ? Less spending on health and education by government †¢ Another scheme, the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) †¢ Aimed to cancel the debt of the HIPCs †¢ per capita income US$380 a year or less would be eligible for MDRI debt relief from the IMF’s resources Social Problems †¢ Lack of income, healthcare, education, sanitation etc. †¢ The Millennium Deve lopment Goals were set up specifically to help countries out of the cycle of poverty however they don’t look well to be completed in 2015 (the original target). Global, Social and Economic Groupings Trade Bloc is a group of nations who have joined to stimulate trade and benefit from economic cooperation. The countries involved agree to free trade between them but impose tariffs on goods from countries outside the bloc. Made for a variety of reasons: †¢ To further socio-economic development †¢ To increase alliances and trade †¢ To allow free movement †¢ To prevent war Types of groupings include:- †¢ Free trade areas- tariffs and quotas are reduced on goods between members and restrictions are put in place for goods coming in to the area e. g. NAFTA †¢ Customs unions- tariff on imports from outside the group e. g. Mercosur †¢ Common Markets- like customs unions but with greater freedom of movement of labour and capital, e. g. previously EU, current example East African Common Market †¢ Economic Unions-all of the above as well as member states are also required to adopt common polices in areas such as agriculture (CAP) fisheries, transport, pollution (Kyoto agreement), industry, energy and regional development e. g. EU Positives and negatives of trade blocs |Positives |Negatives | |Greater chance of peace between member nations. Having to share economic resources | |Faster and smoother economic development |Many countries will have to pay a large sum of money regularly to be in a | |Trade barriers removed |trade bloc | |Higher standard of living. |Elites can hold a disproportionate amount of power. | |Certain areas of a national economy can be supported – eg. Agriculture |If one courty falls in to ecomic crisis the rest of the member states are | |through the CAP. |effected | | People seeking work can move between member states– EU. Non-member states badly affected, lack of trade | |Possibility of a common currency- Euro |Loss of sovereignty | |Greater political influence |Loss of some finacail controls e. g. European central bank | |If countries become indebted member states can help bail out, Greece, | | |Ireland. | | Aspects of globalisation TNCs Transnational Corporations are companies that operate in over two countries – usually having their research and headquarters in the country of origin and locating the manufacturing plants overseas. As an organisation becomes more global, regional R&D and headquarters will develop. TNCs can be split in to three different groups according to what industry they are:- †¢ Resource extraction o Mining, gas extraction and oil producing o ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell and BP †¢ Manufacturing o High-tech ? Computers, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals ? Hewlett Packard, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca o Consumer goods ? Motor vehicles, televisions and other electrical goods Many of these are assembly industries ? Ford, General Motors, BMW, Sony o Mass produced consumer goods ? Cigarettes, drinks, breakfast cereals, cosmetics and toiletries ? Coca-Cola, Kelloggs, Unilever, Heinz †¢ Service operations o Banking/insurance, advertising, freight transport, hotel chains, fast f ood outlets, retailers o Barclays, AXA, McDonalds and Tesco Growth of TNCs Why do TNCs expand to different countries? †¢ Larger populations with cheaper Labour Costs †¢ Better government policies such as grants, lower taxes and subsidies †¢ Less stringent rules on employment and pollution †¢ Fewer restrictions due to trade barriers †¢ Greater supply of raw materials To take advantage of trade within trade blocs †¢ Allowing them to grow thereby achieving economies of scale, reducing costs, finance new investment and compete in global markets †¢ Allow them to set up in markets that they want to sell in †¢ To acquire geographical flexibility so that they can shift resources and production between locations to maximise profits To serve a global market, TNCs may globalise production by:- †¢ Produce for the market in which the plant is situated †¢ Use one plant to produce for a number of countries †¢ Use integrated production †¢ Source parts in places where they assemble their products close to the market, GLOCALISATION Impacts of TNCs on a host country Positive Impacts |Negative Impacts | |Employment |Competition | |Injection of capital into the economy |Adverse effects on local companies which might not be as efficient | |More disposable income will create a demand for more |Environmental concerns | |housing, transport and local services |Less stringent pollution laws so more pollution allowed | |Multiplier Effect |Labour exploitation | |Investment by a TNC can trigger more employment by |Exploit cheap, flexiable, non-unionised labour forces in developing countries | |cumulative causation bringing greater wealth to the |Minimum age | |area |Urbanisation | |New working methods |Factories built in major urban centres leads to younger workers migration to the area | |Transfer of technology will create a more skilled |Negative effects on the rural areas | |workforce. |Removal of capital | |JIT developed |Prof it back to country of origin | |Escape Tariffs/trade barriers e. g. Nissan in |Outside decision making | |Sunderland |Plans effecting the development of plants are made in host country to boost profitability | |To take advantage of government incentives, subsides,|Little consiereation for local people | |EPZs (export processing zones) etc. |Dependancy on TNC | |Lower costs – especially labor |More westerniese approach to life | |To reach foreign markets more effectively | | |To exploit mineral and other resources | | Development Issues within the world Trade vs Aid Trade is deemed as the more sustainable path out of the two to economic development as it helps to promote the growth in the volume and value of goods, leading to jobs and greater incomes, some of this income will help to generate domestic demand leading to investment and the multiplier effect. This will also lead to rising living standards and gaining of skills by local people However it relies on three factors: †¢ Adoption of capitalism †¢ Economic growth to ‘trickle don’ so everyone benefits †¢ Promotion of free trade This is a similar path that was taken by the MDC’s and more recently the NIC’s. However many of these NIC’s had largely stable governments, a well educated workforce and they employed protectionist policies to stimulate growth e. g. tariffs and import quotas. However there are still problems with trade for a variety of reasons: They cannot be competitive in world markets as they need to invest in equipment, technology and training to make business productive and then infrastructure etc. †¢ Schemes like the CAP undercut mainly agriculturally based LDCs †¢ Wealth does not always trickle down to those who need it, like aid. †¢ Debts mean they would have to make millions before they made profit and due to the cuts imposed by the World Bank and IMF it often means there are public spending cuts especially on health care and education Aid can be either: 1. Bilateral – from government to government. 2. Multilateral – Where collective governments donate to an organisation (such as the World bank) who the distributes it to suffering countries. 3. Voluntary – Where small NGOs send workers to help. NGOs such as Oxfam Aid is not always in the form of money sometimes it is in the form of goods or technical assistance. There are also several ways aid can be delivered †¢ Tied aid o Will limit the power of nations and may eventually cause resentment †¢ Short-term aid o Usually following an emergency such as earthquakes or tsunamis o This can be help with rescue operations o Medical supplies, shelter, food and water †¢ Long-term development projects o Improving food availability and farming methods o Helping to provide improved shelter o Health care and education o Developing better livelihoods and improving income o CAFOD, Catholic Agency For Overseas Development †¢ Top down aid Throwing’ money at a country and allowing them to get on with it. o It usually focuses on large scale, expensive projects which are unsuitable for the local community. , such as HEP projects e. g. Nepal o It often doesn’t go to the people who need it most o Usually tied †¢ Bottom up o Mor e helpful to the local community however still bring their problems. o Small scale o Treat the individuals as individuals with creativity and intelligence o They work with people to create what the community most needs and supply the materials o They can undercut local business. However aid is not perfect and may critics say:- †¢ Aid does not reach those who need it the most, it is kept at the top by the government Aid is often used ineffectively on large scale, expensive projects which are often left uncompleted †¢ Sometimes countries don’t even have the correct infrastructure to use the aid effectively †¢ Dependency can be created which is often not sustainable is aid is a large proportion of national income †¢ Tied aid comes with strings attached, in some cases with every dollar given in aid $7 is given in return Economic vs. Environmental Sustainability ‘Development that meets the needs of today without compromising the needs of tomorrow’ This would be achieved by †¢ Human potential being improved †¢ The environment is used and managed to supply people on a long-term basis †¢ Implies social justice as well as long term environmental sustainability The capacity of the environment to provide resources and absorb increasing levels of pollution is the critical threshold controlling how far population can increase and economies expand sustainably The Rio Earth summit set out the following points for each aspect of sustainability. Environmental Principles: †¢ People should be at the centre of concerns †¢ States have the right to exploit their own environment but should not damage that of others †¢ Protecting the environment is integral to development †¢ People should be informed of projections for the future as well as the current environmental situation †¢ There should be environmental legislation and standards within states †¢ Laws should be enacted regarding liability for pol lution †¢ The movement of substances that are harmful to others should be restricted States should warn neighbours of any environmental unease †¢ EIAs (Environmental Impact Assessments) should be carried out on all major plans Economic Principles: †¢ The right to development must be fulfilled so as to meet development and environmental needs of present and future generations †¢ States should work together to eradicate poverty in order to decrease disparities in living standards †¢ The needs of the poorest countries should be put first †¢ Unsustainable production and consumption patterns should be eliminated †¢ States should cooperate to restore the earth’s ecosystem †¢ Scientific information and innovative technologies should be transferred to improve understanding States should support an open economic system, with few trade barriers and tariffs †¢ National authorities should endeavour to promote the internationalism of environmen tal costs, taking into account that the polluter should pay For anything to be effective it must strike the right balance between the three core principles – economic, social and environmental. Sustainable tourism myth or reality? As tourism is an increasingly expanding, billion dollar industry, it has increasingly been looked at to become more sustainable. Up until now it has followed this pattern: †¢ The environment attracts tourists for its attractions †¢ The money spent should help to maintain these features However as tourist flows increase it starts to do more harm than good, particularly to small areas which can’t deal with the massive influx, this can lead to the destruction of farm land to golf courses, and destroying natural habitats such as coral reefs, destroyed by water sports ,e. g. Philippines . Sustainable tourism ‘seeks not to destroy what it sets out to explore’ It attempts to make sure that: †¢ It preserves natural resources for future generations. †¢ The local communities and their culture are recognised as the most important in the tourist sector †¢ Economic benefits of tourism must partly go to those who are local to the area †¢ Everything is guided by the wishes of local people and communities At the Rio Earth Summit an environmental checklist was drawn up to show how the tourism industry could become more sustainable, these included: †¢ Waste minimisation, land use, re-use and recycling Energy efficiency, conservation and m anagement †¢ Transport †¢ Water (freshwater and waste) †¢ Land use planning and management †¢ Involvement of all stakeholders in the planning †¢ Involvement of staff, customers and communities in environmental issues Sustainable tourism is an industry committed to making a low impact on the natural environment and local culture, while helping to generate income and employment for local people. Tourist can help by: †¢ Being informed of the local culture, politics and economy †¢ Respecting local cultures †¢ Contributing to local cultures and tolerance †¢ Supporting local businesses and traditional values †¢ Use the least amount of local resources Ecotourism Is one of the fastest growing sectors within tourism †¢ An economic process by which rare and beautiful ecosystems and cultural attractions are marketed internationally to attract tourists †¢ Planning and management is an important factor o Capacity is managed o Encourages conservation, by educating local people and tourists o Focuses on the environment †¢ Criticised for being ‘egotourism’ in some cases. Sustainable ecotourism must : o Have a limit to the number of visitors to sustain the environment o Set up and run in cooperation with local people Case Studies Measuring Development- HDI HDI = 1/3 (life expectancy index) + 1/3 (education index)+ 1/3 (GDP index) Advantages |Disadvantages | |Political competitiveness |Does not take into account poverty | |More factors and reliable ones |PPP values change very quickly, inaccurate or misleading. | |Easy and cheap to collect data |Little sense of income distribution | |Sign of welfare in the future, improving health and education, |Quality of life does not seem to be that closely linked | |supply-side policies which can indicate the long-term patterns of AS |Doesn’t take account like war or political oppression. | |curve |Based on normative economics. |The success of government p olicy |Other measures such as access to internet might be more important. | |Easily comparable to other countries |Changes over time – ceteris paribus | Comparing 2 countries, Nepal and the UK |Measure |UK |Nepal | |HDI |28/187 |157/187 | |Life expectancy |80. |68. 8 | |Expected years of schooling |16. 1 |8. 8 | |GNI per capita, PPP adjusted |33,296 |1,160 | |Pop. Living on $1. 25 per day % |0 |78. 1 | |Population with at least secondary education , female : |1. 015 |0. 48 | |male | | | |Sustainability, Change in forest area (%) |9. 8 |-24. 5 | |% of population living in urban areas |79. 8 |19. 2 | Sub Saharan Africa – A country at low levels of economic development †¢ Sub Saharan Africa contains many countries with the lowest HDI ranking in the world. †¢ Many hold backs from development including war, disease, famine, debt, lack of infrastructure etc. They need large amounts of FDI that will not leave them in a worse situation than when they started. †¢ HDI, lowest ranked are Mali, Sierra Leone and Niger (all with an average of 0. 33) †¢ The top, ranked 119th and 120th in the world were Gabon and South Africa. TNC-Barbie in Taiwan -global shift of manufacturing †¢ Barbie, an American company Mattel , was produced a Japan in 1959 †¢ Has seen a global shift in manufacturing since it started. †¢ They moved to Taiwan in the 1960’s to take advantage of cheap labour costs and increased scale of production. †¢ At its peak Taiwan alone made more than 50% of all Barbie dolls in the world. †¢ Within 20 years Taiwan’s incomes began to rise which then led to Barbie moving somewhere else Mattel opened its first factory in China in 1987, wage prices were much lower and gradually production was mover there. †¢ Today Mattel produces Barbie’s in China, Indonesia and Malaysia – taking advantage of the second stage of NICs, the Tiger Cubs. Taiwan has further benefited from globalisation, as it is now home to companies that manufacture most computers and MP3 players such as BenQ TNC-Coca Cola – Global Marketing †¢ A company with a single product in which minor elements are tweaked for a different market. †¢ The company uses the same formulas, one with sugar and one with Corn Syrup for different markets. †¢ The bottle design is the same and is regulated depending on different countries standards. The only countries in the world that do not sell Coca Cola are Iceland, North Korea, and Antarctica. †¢ It is not sold in Iceland because all bottles must be the same shape as there is a large recycling project and coca cola refuse to change the shape of their bottle as it is part of their brand †¢ Labour costs may be lower in some countries, especially LEDC countries. Low labour costs = higher profits †¢ Legislation on working conditions, workers’ rights, health and safety, and the environment may be less strict in some countries. Relaxed legislation = lower overheads = more profit. †¢ Some countries may try to encourage multinationals to invest in their countries by offering lower tax rates and financial incentives. More favourable taxation = lower overheads = more profits. Unilever †¢ Unilever is a very widespread (branches in 90 countries) – include most countries in N ; S America, Europe, Australasia, Russia, China, India, a number of African countries = MEDCs, NICs and some LEDCs †¢ Sales also very widespread: A lot of African countries (many LEDCs and LLEDCs), Greenland, some countries which were part of the old Soviet Union (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikstan) †¢ Very few countries where Unilever has no presence Asian Tiger- South Korea †¢ 13th largest economy †¢ Strong government †¢ Highly skilled and motivated workforce †¢ Large amounts of trade with a positive BoP Problems †¢ Move to democracy takes time †¢ Large aging population †¢ Unequal pay for women and poor working conditions for 52 hours a week †¢ Pollution with poor construction in infrastructure, roads and sewage BRIC economies It is said that these countries will be dominant by 2050, these brick economies, don’t just rely on export industries like the 1st generation NIC’s. Brazil emerging economy †¢ President Lula, who began in 2003 took the economy out of dept and is now a stable country †¢ Generates $1. 5 trillion GDP/year †¢ Reliable power, with sustainable sources, such as hydro electric power, sugar cane, bio fuels, sustainable in own Tupi oil fields FDI is the 4th largest in the world, $45 billion each year †¢ Very easy to communicate with †¢ Emerging middle class †¢ Good highly skilled work force However there are some areas where Brazil will need to improve if its development is to continue being sustainable:- â € ¢ Will become a increasingly aging population †¢ Destruction of the rainforest †¢ Increasing cost of manufacturing †¢ Poor infrastructure †¢ Unequal society †¢ Slow national growth †¢ Increased crime and corruption †¢ 25% of the population live in poverty, favelas, Sao Paulo China – Third Stage of NIC Development †¢ In 1978 China began to follow the path of development of the Asian Tigers through an export driven road to development. Communist control was relaxed to allow this to do so. †¢ Foreign investment and joint ventures was encouraged. †¢ The internationalisation of the Chinese economy is also called the GUANXI NETWORK referring to the connections that exist between Chinese people and companies scattered all around the world †¢ In order to attract foreign industry in SE China, 14 ‘open’ coastal cities and 5 Special Economic Zones were set up. †¢ They allow tax grants which would give more prof it and were in favourable locations, geographically, to work. †¢ Labour was 80% cheaper in these areas †¢ There was a large amount of FDI for the bulk of the 21st Century †¢ Receiving up to $50 million per year. In 2006 they received $63 billion, their highest recorded figure. †¢ Sustained growth of up to 10% – one of the highest in the world. †¢ China became part of the WTO meaning that trade went from just over $250 billion to just under $1 trillion, almost quadrupling as they got greater access to global markets. Problems: †¢ Dramatic gap between rich and poor †¢ Huge rural/urban migration has left thousands in the countryside isolated as well as a decrease in agriculture meaning that poverty and famine has spread. †¢ Deterioration of environment and use of natural resources †¢ Dependent on the economy of the buyer †¢ Putting other populations before their own †¢ Development of two Chinas, east and west Chongqing –largest urban industrial city in the south-western part of china, 32 million people – A major focus on migration and of the western development policy – South of the Gorges Dam – Population grows by 500,000 people a year – Chicago of china – Heavy industry dominates – Large pollution problems, air sewage – 2000 tonnes of waste a day India – NIC driven by services Many people think that the Indian service sector is driven by call centres; however its involvement in the service sector it accounts for 50% of GDP as there is a high population of skilled workers. Software and IT companies have been attracted to India because:- †¢ Second-largest English speaking human resource in the world Investment friendly and supportive government politics †¢ Good infrastructure for power, transport and data communication †¢ World’s third largest brain bank †¢ Stable democratic with over 50 year of inde pendence †¢ Large market size †¢ Investment and tax incentives for exports in certain sectors such as electronics, telecom, software and R;D The UK and USA has fuelled the service sector in India as Indians migrated to gain skills which they would take back to their home country. Such skills were used to set up companies like Infosys which is now a TNC based in Bangalore. Bangalore has become the centre of ICT because:- †¢ First state to set up engineering collages First t set up a technology university †¢ Grants and tax incentives for the IT industry †¢ 1991 software technology park was built †¢ Now over 6 technology parks Infosys one of the largest software companies in India †¢ Founded in 1981 and had first foreign clients by 1987 †¢ Overseas offices in Boston and in MK †¢ 455 of workforce based in Bangalore Growth in the 21st century Dubai – An RIC †¢ Dubai is located in the United Arab Emirates †¢ Globally central as it is half way between London and Sigapore †¢ Fastest growing economy †¢ Its economy boomed upon the discovery of oil in the 1960’s. †¢ There was a growth of 300% between 1968 and 1975. †¢ There was rapid immigration. To make itself less dependent on oil, Dubai invested in new infrastructure which attracted FDI and now Dubai’s economy is heavily based around tourism as well as banking †¢ Oil and Gas currently occupy less than 5%. †¢ Borrowed money to fund many projects †¢ One of the country’s most effected by 2008 market crash, massive inflation problems †¢ Chinese and Indian banks brought a lot of Dubai’s debts Social problems †¢ Vast numbers of immigrants †¢ Poor working conditions, 20 hour day in some cases, because people took out loans to get to Dubai, and now due to little work they have to work all hours to get as much money as they can †¢ Live in poor conditions in tent cities out of the actu al city †¢ Passports are taken by employers on arrival Environmental problems †¢ High electricity cost and rising carbon emissions Sewage because there is not enough water, as the city is in a desert, water is more expensive than oil †¢ Nuclear waste †¢ Adu Dhabi, must look to help out by providing solar energy Countries facing low levels of economic development Nepal– †¢ One of the poorest countries in the world – 157/177 in HDI †¢ Its GDP per capita is also one of the lowest at $1,049 †¢ Shortage of energy, supplies †¢ Little money to spend on development †¢ Due to relief little transport infrastructure, remote communities †¢ Mainly subsistence farming and tourism †¢ 78. 1% of the population live on less than $1. 25 a day †¢ Little education and health care provisions HIPC- Tanzania †¢ 40% of the population live below the poverty line †¢ HDI is ranked 152 Life expectancy is 58. 2 †¢ Annual GDP per capita is $800 †¢ 75% of employment is based on agriculture †¢ Literacy rate is 64% Reasons for poverty †¢ Topography and climatic conditions – limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area †¢ Industry- mainly limited to agricultural products and light consumer goods †¢ Dependant on agriculture which accounts for half of GDP †¢ Products include coffee, cotton, tea, tobacco, cashews and sisal which are highly competitive and have falling prices †¢ Tourism is booming especially in the National Parks Attempts to help †¢ Government: a national poverty eradicated strategy- to reduce abject poverty 50% by 2010 The World Bank, IMF and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania’s deteriorated economic infrastructure †¢ Structural Adjustment Policies, SAP’s, poverty reduction strategy papers †¢ â€Å"Vision 2025† programme set the goals of a high quality of livelihood by year 2025; peac e, stability and unity; a well educated society and a competitive economy based on sustainable growth and equity †¢ UN MDGs The results of attempts to help Tanzania †¢ Not improved quality of life †¢ Income and welfare indicators fell †¢ Even more dependent on foreign aid †¢ Increased environmental damage †¢ Pick up in industrial practice including gold and natural gas †¢ Increase private sector growth Recent debt relief in Tanzania One of the poorest countries in Africa even though it had some of its international debt written off †¢ $3 billion will be discounted over the next 20 years †¢ Tanzania’s total international borrowings of more than $7 billion Socio-Economic Groupings NAFTA †¢ USA, Canada, Mexico †¢ Set up in 1994 †¢ Aims – To eliminate trade tariffs between the three countries, pushed by the establishment of other socio-economic groupings like the EU. Mexico saw it as the best option as it had buil t up debt in previous years. |Pros |Cons | |Trade between member countries tripled in the first 13 years. Canada has been affected by the US increase | |Increased employment in the USA as manufacturing grew |Some US jobs have been lost as the plants have moved to Mexico | |Mexico got increased FDI as other countries wanted to locate inside |Dumping in Mexico | |NAFTA. |Mexico is being exploited because o less rigid pollution laws which | | |affects surrounding countries | EU 27 member states, set up in 1957 as the European Economic Community Aims – †¢ Promote social and economic progress amongst member states †¢ Have more government influence †¢ Introduce EU citizenship †¢ Prevent war †¢ Create better laws Positive impacts |Negative impacts | |Group activity on waste, pollution control and climate change |Loss of sovereignty over some decisions | |Common currency |Greece and Spain situation | |Large labour market due to ease of movement |Sharing fishi ng grounds | |CAP support |Power of elite | |Peace in EU |Small areas fell isolated | Unilever– TNC †¢ Set up in 1890 by William Hesker Lever, who owned a soap company which revolutionised Victorian hygiene †¢ Unilever was formed by the merger of the Dutch margarine producer ‘Margarine Unie’ as they had the common raw material palm oil †¢ In 1937 Lipton tea was acquired and in 1957 birds eye joined Colworth House facility near Sharnbrook continued research efforts in food preservation, animal nutrition and health problems associated with toothpaste, shampoo and other personal products. It is one of several R ; D centres †¢ In 2008, the companies had over 300 manufacturing sites in more than 100 countries across every continent †¢ Unilever employs over 170,000 people and has annual company revenue of over $50 billion in 2007. †¢ Unilever has had problems with animal testing, child labour and deforestation due to the use of palm oil CA FOD- long term and short term aid Aims are to promote long-term development; respond to emergencies; raise public awareness of the causes of poverty; speak out on behalf of poor communities; and promote social justice Long-term aid †¢ Improving food availability and farming methods †¢ Helping to provide improved shelter †¢ Health care and education †¢ Developing better livelihoods and improving income Short-term aid †¢ Provide aid to disaster stricken countries †¢ Set up temporary shelters for those left homeless Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa ; Goma), Ethiopia, Kenya Swaziland – top Down Aid †¢ Top down development is usually difficult as often hundreds of thousands of people’s needs need to be ‘catered for’ and it is difficult to satisfy everyone. †¢ The ideal goal is a communist state with a ‘one size fits all’ approach. †¢ Swaziland is in Southern Africa. It is ranked very low in the world for human development. †¢ Many individual concerns to deal with which weakened the country, AID’s, famine and drought. †¢ The number of orphans was increasing as the death rate did correspondingly. à ¢â‚¬ ¢ Several branches of the United Nations which were trying to help them such as the UN food programme, and a many NGO’s. †¢ They were distributing imported food to hundreds of thousands of people which was ultimately a good thing. †¢ However, the farmers of the local area were not able to sell the produce that they grew †¢ Therefore not able to take advantage of the wet season that blessed them. †¢ There was also a state of dependency Difficult to draw the line between those who should receive aid and those who did not. Other top down aid include large scale projects such as building dams and HEP stations like those proposed in Nepal, this can lead to the loss of valuable farm land and can limit the water downstream, leading to widespread droughts. Nepal, FoST – Bottom Up Aid †¢ Foundation of sustainable technologies †¢ Treats people as individuals with ideas and creativity. †¢ Due to the lack of energy in Nepal and the reliance on wood, leading to deforestation and help problems in the home due to the amounts of smoke †¢ Subsides the purchase of products including solar cookers and no-smoke indoor cookers Educates people on how to make briquettes, which produce no smoke from waste, to prevent deforestation †¢ However there are limited resources to make the solar cookers and there for they are limited and rely on donations †¢ Not every community has the money to buy the equipment or has access to finding out about products †¢ Not sustainable in the long run if the donations stop Overall top down and bottom up development are both ways of narrowing the development gap, the gap between rich and poor countries. Both, like anything in life have pros and cons however the possible way forward is through micro-credit loans which give people the credit and respect that they deserve. This creates a successful and sustainable way of life and helps to lift individuals out of poverty. Economic vs. Environmental Sustainability Holes bay |Economic |Environmental | |High unemployment especially in Hamworthy gate |Ramsar and SSSI sites rare birds and invertebrates | |30 Ha of unused land, power station site |2nd largest natural harbor in the world | |Poor access to Poole town centre | | The construction of the twin sails bridge Environment:- direct flow around the support pillars of the bridge causing deposition behind the pillars, †¢ May affect the tidal flats within holes bay, and Poole harbour †¢ Sediment becoming trapped within Holes bay building up the marshes †¢ Tidal salt marshes, to the build up of humus causing the build up of peat rising the level of the and creating fresh water marshes within Holes bay †¢ Poole harbours marshes could decrease in size †¢ Destroying many habitats for bird’s invertebrates and plants alike. Economi c:- †¢ Greatly over budget with its total cost coming in at over ? 37m †¢ Engineers spotted a large crack in the surface of the bridge making it unsuitable for use The development of the power station site will also cause an increase drain on local recourses such as schools and the area might not be able to cope, †¢ Increase the flow of traffic over the bridges. †¢ Not enough jobs generated in the area †¢ Increased population density and increased unemployment. †¢ Increased crime Brazil- Curitiba †¢ 2 million people in the population †¢ city wide service to recycle products †¢ Recycling and garbage system prevent waste issues, organic and nonorganic, with two different trucks for different types of rubbish †¢ The rubbish is sorted and distributed and reused this means that 2/3 of rubbish is recycled †¢ It also creates more jobs to help reduce unemployment Jaime Lerner, was an architect and later became mayor and designed the cur rent layout of Curitiba †¢ The city has changed from being an agricultural area to a more industrial city †¢ Flood problems have also been solved by building the parks on the flood plains and making artificial river banks around them this also prevents squatting and slums appearing in the parks †¢ Is home to many multinational industries, such as Nissan, Renault, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, HSBC, Siemens, ExxonMobil, Electrolux and Kraft Foods †¢ The per capita income for the city is $ 17,977 Sustainable tourism Nepal – concentrated in certain areas such as Khumbu, Chitwan National Park, Annapurna National Park and the Sagarmartha National Park, The number of tourists increasing from 526,705 in 2007 to 710,547 in 2011, – Actions must be taken in order to preserve Nepal. – Problems with air pollution from the transport of tourists and fires getting trapped in the valleys due to the high mountains – Increased demand for water and food suppl ies, taking away goods from the locals – The same tracks are used by all of the tourists, erosion and destabilises the soil – Increased the risk of landslides. – Some tourists are also not respectful of people’s culture and the wildlife – Poor sewage disposal – Khumbu region problem with the amount of waste generated by trekking teams – 500kg per team all waste must be taken down the mountain rubbish there have been clean up operations carried out during training and acclimatisation time of people who wish to climb Mt. Everest †¢ for people to pay the Sherpa’s to carry down peoples rubbish †¢ Nepalese Government has begun charging deposits on tourists and are only returned if groups bring down their own rubbish †¢ Nepalese Government that they should limit the number of tourists †¢ Dismissed as it has been concluded that this will bring more harm than good, by limiting one of the country’s biggest ind ustries they could face increased widespread poverty. Kenya, Kigio Tourism is the 2nd largest contributor of GNP after agriculture. One example of where agriculture has been replaced by tourism is Kigio. Kigio Wildlife Conservancy is a 3,500-acre protected Conservancy †¢ 2 hours drive from Nairobi. †¢ Originally a cattle ranch, sold by the family to the local community who after a few years decided to forgo cattle ranching in favour of wildlife conservation. †¢ The community now receives a regular income †¢ Conservancy fee each guest pays helps towards the maintenance of the conservancy. †¢ Wide ranging habitats †¢ Many wild animals, honey badger, and over 200 bird species †¢ Protecting nearly 100 species of indigenous plant species which are being destroyed outside the conservancy. †¢ The Conservancy is at the forefront of ecotourism in the Rift Valley lakes area. Guests are encouraged to participate in low impact activities – o guided nature/bird walks, o cycling, fishing o Day or night game drives are conducted in open-sided 4Ãâ€"4 vehicles †¢ Lodges work closely with the local community and support several enterprises, schools and an orphanage. †¢ Guests can visit a group of widows that craft sisal baskets, a group that makes jewellery from recycled paper and a rug weaving factory. †¢ The lodges only sell what is made by the community and pay a fair price. †¢ A large percentage of the price is donated to the community fund. †¢ Every year, children from the local community and schools are invited to participate in ecotourism workshops †¢ To protect and improve their environment.

Profile of a Health Care Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Profile of a Health Care Manager - Essay Example Likewise, a good health manager assumes a proactive stance in addressing the needs of stakeholders under his or her jurisdiction. Professionals choose to work in settings that provide either direct or nondirect service, depending on their knowledge, skills set, and experience. Some health care managers are called to directly serve the needs of a specific profile of clientele. Others serve in non-direct settings, such as â€Å"consulting firms, pharmaceutical companies, associations, and medical equipment companies† (Thompson, Buchbinder, & Shanks, n.d., p. 2). Thus, depending also on the delegated responsibilities, these managers abide by the need to serve various stakeholders; either in direct or nondirect service capacities. Health care managers who work on direct care settings possess characteristics and traits that would ensure competencies in health care; specifically the following key competencies associated with an effective manager: â€Å"conceptual, technical, and interpersonal skills† (Thompson, Buchbinder, & Shanks, n.d., p. 5). Health care managers who work in nondirect care settings should have the overview and background required from these nondirect services, as well as the expected responsibilities required from them. Thus, a good theoretical knowledge of the nondirect service being undertaken and regularly transacted with; as well as skills in dealing with various stakeholders (suppliers, investors, community members, customers, and the like). Thompson, J., Buchbinder, S., & Shanks, N. (n.d.). An Overview of Healthcare Management. Retrieved from Jones & Barttlet Learning:

Introduction to management science coursework Research Paper

Introduction to management science coursework - Research Paper Example better analysis, we have separated the data into Small debtors (250 customers owing in total $86,370) and Big debtors (30 customer owing in total $43,630). This division resulted in significant increase in correlation coefficient for both groups in comparison to the general population. Correlation coefficient values (0.780 and 0.655) indicate strong positive relationship between amount of debt and number of days. That means that customers who receive bigger amount of credit tend to pay later compared to the group's average. An average big debtor pays back later than the average small debtor (19.2 vs. 14.1 days on average). It is recommended: To implement stricter credit policy and receivables collection for high amounts of credit for each group separately (e.g. more than $500 for small debtors and more than $1,500 for big debtors); To concentrate on big debtors as, on average, they pay later and own significant amounts (less than 11% of customers owe 33.6% of the total amount of receivables). 3. 'All-For-Kids': i. Storage costs: one pack gets allocated the cost of renting 1.5/15 = 0.1 feet (10) Let S be average stock throughout the year. Then annual holding stock cost is: 0.15*2.50*365*S + 10*S = 146.9*S Storage cost constitutes 10S/146.9S = 6.8% out of total holding stock cost. ii. The quantity ordered should equal to 2S. With the optimal order schedule the cost of order-handling and shipment would offset the cost of holding one more additional day of stock: 0.15*2.50*S + (10/365)*S = 30 Solving we find S = 75. The optimal order should be 2S = 150 packs and made every three working days. iii. It has been assumed that when the new order is delivered the actual quantity on stock is zero. It is not very realistic with regard to real businesses because of demand...However, the two distinct groups in the set can be seen and, for purpose of better analysis, we have separated the data into Small debtors (250 customers owing in total $86,370) and Big debtors (30 customer owing in total $43,630). This division resulted in significant increase in correlation coefficient for both groups in comparison to the general population. Correlation coefficient values (0.780 and 0.655) indicate strong positive relationship between amount of debt and number of days. That means that customers who receive bigger amount of credit tend to pay later compared to the group's average. An average big debtor pays back later than the average small debtor (19.2 vs. 14.1 days on average). iii. It has been assumed that when the new order is delivered the actual quantity on stock is zero. It is not very realistic with regard to real businesses because of demand fluctuations and safety stock that is usually kept. Conducting the similar analysis for lower limit of every range, we see that in all cases additional costs are higher than additional savings and the store's manager should keep the order level at 150 packs.

Nature of Entrepreneurship course Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nature of Entrepreneurship course - Coursework Example Everyone can become an entrepreneur as it is the easiest thing to do. Easy in the sense that, one doesn’t have to go to school or use a lot of many to become an entrepreneur. As Seth Godin says, one has to study for very many years to become a neurosurgeon (Seth, 2012). However, you doesn’t have to do such for you to become an entrepreneur. This qualifies the fact that entrepreneurs are born. It is also interesting to know that not everyone can become an entrepreneur, even though anyone is able to become one. The nature of entrepreneurship has some connections with other terms such as monopoly, market, entrepreneurial learning, opportunity and creativity. In this essay, we will discuss the nature of entrepreneurship course with relation to the above mentioned terms that are connected to it. Monopoly is a very important tool for entrepreneurs. For one to become a successful entrepreneur, as Seth Godin says, they must have the power of monopoly on various aspects. Monopoly sets in on the issue of space, product, customers and even idea. When an individual can command the market of a particular location, it means they have a monopoly of supply in that location. This is one of the things that keeps them in business and make them successful as entrepreneurs. Monopoly can also exist in the idea that an entrepreneur has. For instance, Apple is able to do what it does because it has a monopoly of idea of meeting the demands of its customers. It provides products that solve the customer’s problems, hence, making their products most likable in the market against their competitors (Nabi & Holden, 2008). Therefore, the idea of monopoly in entrepreneurship, refers to having control over the unique ways of doing business that makes you what you are in what you do. Entrepreneu rship is basically built by the creation of monopoly that becomes like a brand name in business. People can have great ideas that lead them to becoming great entrepreneurs. However,

Co-parenting in familes of divorce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Co-parenting in familes of divorce - Essay Example While encouraged by the family courts and state laws, a detailed co-parenting agreement is not designed by the courts; it is designed between the parents through an arbitrator if necessary. This essay looks first at a brief history of laws regarding child custody, and then presents four sample parenting agreements. Finally, the essay notes particulars with the language used by lawmakers and in parenting agreements, showing how gender-neutral language lends strength to the father’s position after divorce. Co-parenting is far more than a legal concept. It is a new way to structure a family that could potentially be divided by divorce. Even though the parents are not husband and wife to each other, they remain parents of any children, and must be able to exercise their parenting without too much interference from the other parent, and with the support of the other parent. Children develop in healthy ways when they have consistent parenting, whether their parents are married or divorced. Maintaining consistency requires divorced mothers and fathers to develop new ways of interacting with each other that are just about the kids, not their own adult disagreements. This is the essence of co-parenting, and when mothers and fathers cannot agree during a divorce, a co-parenting agreement may need to be drawn up through an arbitrator that provides structure for the continued relationship. Custody agreements that arise from divorces have many legal terms associated with them which often overlap: sole custody, joint custody, sole physical/joint legal, visitation, and many other variations of legal terms. None of these terms speaks to co-parenting; in fact, co-parenting is avoided by the courts because it requires a complex interaction between divorced parents which the court cannot be expected to regulate. Because courts have avoided this regulation and left it entirely up to parents to figure it out, tension and

Impact of school funding on student achievement Essay

Impact of school funding on student achievement - Essay Example In fact, more than $66 billion is said to have been invested in school technology (QED, 2004). This unprecedented level of investment in educational technology has raised expectations of legislators and the public who have been looking for returns on this investment (Benton, 2002; CEO Forum, 1999, 2000), and therefore are calling for evidence regarding the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of technology especially in K-12 schools (Ringstaff & Kelley, 2002; Panel on Educational Technology, 1997; Melmed, 1995). No child left behind (NCLB) requires states to demonstrate that "every student is technologically literate by the time the student finishes the eighth grade, regardless of the student's race, ethnicity, gender, family income, geographic location, or disability" (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). While NCLB has established an eighth-grade technology literacy requirement, the requirement is not a full statement of knowledge and skills students need nor does it include a mechanism for ensuring accountability (Kay & Honey, in press). Educational funding has been found to be associated with student achievement (Lance (2001), Miller (2002), Siminitus (2002), and Whitington (2002). Generally, that would mean more funding may be able to enhance student achievement. The RAND study findings (Grissmer, et al. 2000) found that when other characteristics, like socio-economic status and family background, are equal, NAEP test scores are higher in states that have: 1) higher per-pupil expenditures, 2) lower pupil-teacher ratio in lower grades, 3) higher percentage of teachers who feel they have adequate resources for teaching, 4) more children in public pre-kindergarten programs, and 5) lower teacher turnover. In the Burke County, North Carolina Research (Pritchard 2000), the Burke County schools in 1995-96 reduced class sizes in first- and second-grade to 15 students per teacher. The study found: 1) increased achievement in both reading and math, and 2) More teacher time devoted to instruction due to fewer discipline problems. The Ohio Education Association in a member survey stated that new educational policies have done more harm than good, while Ohio political leaders have continued to neglect severe funding problems of Ohio public schools (Ohio Education News). The highlights of the 4000 Member Survey include - Only 5% of respondents feel Ohio's school funding system gives every school district equal resources for a quality education for all students. Eighty-seven percent indicated Ohio's system of funding education is fundamentally flawed. Two-thirds feel that their school districts are under-funded, and 93% feel that Ohio schools overall are under-funded. Eighty-nine percent feel the state legislature has failed to solve the state's education funding crisis. Between 85% and 95% of those surveyed feel initiatives like No Child Left Behind, tuition vouchers, and some aspects of high-stakes testing have done more harm than good. Two of other popular researches include the Tennessee STAR Project (Prichard 2000a) which tested the effect of class size on student achievement, where smaller classes outperformed regular classes, and HEROS (Health and Education Research Operative Services) Research (Prichard

MGT_3900 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGT_3900 - Essay Example The business planning process requires a thorough analysis of the following areas. This is the introductory stage of the business plan. The section involves creating an outline of the business and its intentions. The interested parties in a business plan will require knowing why the business exists. In order to make them aware of the business plan, the planner needs to include the following vital parts. This step involves clarifying what is more important to a business. Mission statement involves providing a clear purpose for the readers with the context for the venture and will giving the business its new meaning. In order to do this, the business comes up with a comprehensive mission statement. Business overview is the summary of the present state of the business venture. Business overview describes the principal owners of the business venture and its classification. For instance, sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation lists the business owners. In addition, this stage describes the kind of business, which the venture operates such as manufacturing, retailing, wholesale, service providing, or some combination. This is the second stage of making a business plan. This section discusses the market and the approach in which the business is going to take. Moreover, this section discusses market characteristics, target customer profile, level of competition, and how the business is going to make maximum use of them to make a successful venture. This stage discusses various market forces such as supplier power, new competitors, substitute products, buyer power, industry rivalry, and government regulations. The third important stage of making a business plan is competitor assessment. The section involves a thorough analysis of the business competitors. This section involves defining the competitors and their profile by deeply looking into their strengths and weaknesses. In this section, the business plan discusses customer profile and their

The Cable News Network Essay Example for Free

The Cable News Network Essay The Cable News Network (CNN) is considered as one of the most respectable institutions in the field of news reporting. The CNN is a television network owned by the Time Warner as the news division of the Turner Broadcasting System. It is a television network that renders a 24-hour news coverage which includes the events that are taking place in other countries. According to Nielsen, a statistical organization measuring TV ratings, CNN ranked number two in America, trailing behind Fox News in terms of total audience (Project for Excellence in Journalism, 2007). Due to its respectable position in its chosen field, its reportage should be characterized by honesty and accuracy. To stress further the importance of news reportage, it is better to present it with statistics and statements. For instance, a news report that pertains to business utilizes mostly statistics, while some news reports that are politics-related quote the various officials pertinent to the news story. One of the recent news today which is widely debated and deliberated is the $700 billion bail-out fund intended to help out the troubled institutions due to the financial crisis that the nation is experiencing. Poppy Harlow, one of the CNN’s newscasters, made a report about the bail-out proposal. The main objective of Harlow’s reporting is to explain the meaning and the intention of the rescue bill and why the government is wiling to release such funds for it (â€Å"Heres the plan,† 2008). The 110-page bail-out proposal has been finally approved by the Congress. The minor legislative wing released the bill last Sunday evening. It is expected that the bill will take fast-track motions up to the Senate by Wednesday. The bill is based on the proposal of the Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, who requested the government to acquire troubled businesses so the banks can start lending money and perform properly (Sahadi, 2008). The bill mainly features the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Through this program, the government will buy assets that are experiencing financial crisis. The fund released is equal to the fund Paulson requested, but the first $250 billion will be allocated to save the U. S. economy. The members of the prevailing political parties in the U. S. are concerned with the possibility that the taxpayers will pay for the bail-out proposal. Thus, they added several conditions to protect the taxpayers (Sahadi, 2008). Poppy Harlow reported the facts in a straight and concise manner. She did not exaggerate nor make the story light. She made the story sensible to every American and delivered it in such a way that every American would be concerned with the prevailing issue. Though the news report lacks direct quotation, she included the previous statements of Henry Paulson, the Treasury Secretary, about his proposal and his plans before it was approved as a bill. This supports the news story, feeding the public with information that they might miss. The statements are also utilized as an explanation or additional information for the news being reported. The news report also provides an example of what might happen if the plan will be carried out (â€Å"Heres the plan,† 2008). Poppy Harlow reported with fairness. She rendered the news without much difficulty. In this way, people coming from various sectors will be able to understand the news. The words are not highly-technical, and if there are words that are relevant for the public to know, Harlow provided an explanation or a working definition of the concept (â€Å"Heres the plan,† 2008). In news reporting, the statistical data, testimonials, and the examples play important roles in the news report, for they further expound the topic or the news reported for the better understanding of the audiences. References Heres the plan: Congressional leaders reach a tentative agreement on a $700 billion economic bailout plan. (2008, September 28). CNNMoney. com [Webcast Transcript]. Retrieved September 28, 2008 from http://money. cnn. com/video/#/video/news/2008/09/28/news. harlow. bailout. 092808. cnnmoney Project for Excellence in Journalism (2007). Economics. The State of the News Media 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2008 from http://www. stateofthenewsmedia. org/2007/narrative_cabletv_audience. asp? cat=3media=6. Sahadi, J. (2008, September 28). Rescue bill unveiled. CNNMoney. com. BigCharts. com. Retrieved September 29, 2008 from http://money. cnn. com/2008/09/28/news/economy/Sunday_talks_bailout/index. htm? cnn=yes.

Experiments made in Transfer of Training or Learning Essay Example for Free

Experiments made in Transfer of Training or Learning Essay The question of transfer has been definitely put to a test in order to show far training in one line influences other lines. Many experiments and studies in transfer of training have been performed by psychologists. Starch considered the problem of transfer in two fields: 1. Transfer in Specific Psychological Activities—The experiments performed in this field were the following: Experiments in memory, by James—William James was the first to attack the problem of memory-training experimentally. He investigated the effort of memorizing one kind of material on ability to memorize other kinds of materials. James himself memorized 158 lines from Victor Hugo’s Satyr and kept record of the time spent. He then devoted thirty-eight days (20 minutes per day) to the mastery of Milton’s Paradise Lost. After his Training in memorization, he selected another 158 lines from the Satyr and memorized them. He discovered that he needed more time to learn this selection than he had spent in memorizing the first selection from the Satyr. His result showed negative transfer. From their studies James was led to believe that formal discipline is not an efficacious means of improving the memory (National Society for the Study of Education, 2000). Experiment in perception, by Thorndike and Woodworth, in 1901— Thorndike and Woodworth studied the influence of special training on the estimation of magnitudes upon the ability to estimate magnitudes of the same general type, and the influence of training in observing words containing certain other letters. Thorndike and Woodworth concluded from the first part of the experiment that there was more improvement in the ability to estimate areas similar to the practice material than in the ability to estimate dissimilar areas. The result of the second experiment showed that practice in cancelling words with certain letters had an indirect effect on the cancelling words of words with other letters (National Society for the Study of Education, 2000). Experiments in judging weights of various sizes transferred to estimation of other weights, by Coover, in 1916—these experiments showed positive transfer. Experiments in maze-learning for both rats and human, by Webb in 1971—It was concluded from the results of these experiments that there were carry over effects from practice in one sensory-motor activity to another but the amount of transfer varied with the individual subject (Morgan, 1999). From these studies of transfer two conclusions may be drawn: (a) both negative and positive transfers occur between specific learning activities: (b) the more similar the specific activities, the greater the positive transfer. In other words, whatever transfer occurred could be expanded in terms of identical elements of procedure, habits, and methods. Transfer in School Subjects—Most of the experimental studies made of transfer in high school subjects were the following: From Latin to English by Thorndike and Rugger in 1923—Thorndike and Rugger found out that their studies that high school freshmen who studied Latin made slightly higher scores in an English vocabulary test than did students who had not studied Latin, the gain made on all words derived from Latin roots. So far as pedagogical practice is concerned, Thorndike’s and Rugger’s investigation established the fact of transfer of training (Skinner, 2000). From Latin to English vocabulary, by Hamblen in 1924—Hamblen concluded that transfer from Latin to English vocabulary was great when word derivations were stressed in the teaching of Latin (Skinner, 2000). In conclusion, experiments in the effect of cross-education, in observing and judging sensory and perceptual data, and in forming sensory motor association habits have been conducted in considerable number by other psychologists. A few experiments in special school functions have also been carried out. The results obtained from the experiments in those different lines, although confusing and sometimes contradictory, seem to warrant the belief that the old idea of a vast transfer, in some subtle and unexplained way, of special improvements to a general faculty, is false. It may be summed up by saying that the weight of evidence is all against formal discipline. The experimental evidence is against the idea that the faculties or powers of the mind can be trained like muscles so that the strengthening of these powers will automatically insure a high degree of efficiency in new and unrelated material or activities.

Physical and Psychosocial Problems of Radiation Therapy

Physical and Psychosocial Problems of Radiation Therapy Introduction and background: The word â€Å"cancer† itself is traumatic in nature. It effects a person not only physically but also psychologically, financially, culturally, socially, and spiritually etc. According to World Health Organization( WHO) report (2014), in 2012 worldwide 14.1 million adults were diagnosed with cancer, and among them 8.2 million were died. Moreover, breast cancer is the fifth leading cause of death. In the USA, among all types of cancers the breast cancer is the highest incidence rate because one in ten women is having breast cancer (Njeh, Saunders, Langton, 2012). Breast cancer incidence increased more than 20% (WHO Press Release, 2013). Furthermore, cancer is also one of the leading causes of deaths in the developing countries. In Pakistan, the most frequently diagnosed cancer is breast cancer for females. The incidence of breast cancer is higher in western countries but Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer among all the Asian countries, (Pink Ribbon Pakistan). It i s estimated that 1 in 9 Pakistani women will develop breast cancer at some stage of their life. (Shokat Khanum Cancer Hospital and Research Center). The cancer patient suffers a lot from the physical and psychosocial problems not only because of the disease process but also from the treatment related problems. As, one out of two patients with cancer experience psychiatric disorder especially depression (Reyes-Gibby, Anderson, Morrow, Shete Hassan, 2012; Spoletini, et al, 2008). There are certain treatment modalities for cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Each of them is potential to produce various threats for the cancer patient. Radiation therapy is also an important treatment performed before and after surgery which also has various harmful effects on the patient. Beside that it is significant part of cancer treatment but its impact on patient’s quality of life and nursing management is less addressed in literature. According to Welle, (1998) radiotherapy patients are perceived as self-caring and their needs are not taken care of. However, numerous researches have been conducted nationally and internationally to identify the different problems and their intervention of the cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and surgery. As a result evidence based body of knowledge have been generated this is contributing in quality nursing care and health teaching, impacting on the patient’s quality of life. Moreover, some of the international studies highlighted the problems faced by the patients receiving radiation therapy but as per my best knowledge very little work has been done in the field of nursing to remedy these problems. Most importantly, in the context of Pakistan very little work has been done pertinent to this issue. However this study is significant to contribute in the existing body of knowledge for nurses to care for breast cancer patient more holistically. Moreover, this study may be helpful to develop the teaching material for patients receiving radiotherapy to enhance their quality of life. In addition, the findings of this study will be helpful for nurses working in Pakistan. This study may improve the teaching interventions of nurses caring for cancer patients in government hospital and may have positive effect on their knowledge, attitude, and skill pertinent to RT. Purpose: The aim of this paper is to identify the physical and psychosocial problem of the patient pertinent to radiation therapy, as well as the nursing management and health teaching for the patients for enhancement of their quality of life. Study Questions Question 1: What are the different physical and psychological problems of the breast cancer patients undergoing RT in Pakistani context? Question 2: Is there any association between RT and compromised quality of life of the patient. Question 3: What kind of health teaching is necessary for the nurse to give the patient before and after RT? Question 4: what are the feeling and perceptions of breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy ? Data sources The review of literature was conducted through data bases CINAHL PubMed , Mosbys Nursing Consult, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were search for published research articles relevant to this paper. The combination of the following key terms was used to retrieve relevant literature by punching â€Å"physical/psychological problems, breast cancer, problems with radiation therapy, quality of life, patient education etc†. Search generated 283 articles, 52 duplicate results excluded. Through a selection process title and abstract screened, among those 20 were found to be relevant to the topic. Literature review Radiation therapy is one of the options totreat the cancer, uses high-energy x-rays or gamma rays targeted at the tumorto shrink the tumors or kill cancer cells(Radvansky, Pace, Siddiqui, 2013). During the course of the treatment about two-thirdsof patients will undergo radiation therapy(Guo et al. 2013).According toPotthoff et al (20013). More than 90% of all breast cancer patients receive adjuvant radiotherapy, given after breast conserving surgery as well as after mastectomy to avoid recurrence of cancer. Darby et al (2011) found in their meta-analysis study that RT after breast conserving surgery reduces 15-year risk of breast cancer death rate from 25†¢2%. This widely used therapy has its side effects like other cancer treatments; it is also potential for causing great physical as well as psychosocial problems as other cancer treatment do (Egestad, 2013). Physical problems related to radiation therapy for breast cancer patients Radiation therapy affects cancer and normal cells equally within the treated area, result in injuryof the cells which lead to side effects. The radiation therapy induced side effects include skin and mucous membrane toxicities, sleeplessness, pain, swelling, dyspnoea, cough and nausea. (Rose, 2011; Darby et al, 2011; Adams, 2009;Currie Wheat 2006; Gordils-Perez,Duell,2003).Skin problems are the most frequent side effect among all and nearly 85%–95% of patients receiving radiation therapy will develop some degree of skin damage (Bergstrom, 2011). There are many long term side effects of breast irradiation like cosmetic changes hyper pigmentation, fibrosis, lymphedema, and damage to underlying normal structures (Perez,Duell,2003). Therefore it is very important to remedy this problem because this side effect of radiation therapy limits the patient’s ability to tolerate the treatment (Currie,Wheat, 2006).In their study Potthoff et al (20013) .reported that 80% of the patie nts experience fatiguewho receive RT. They defined fatigue is a â€Å"persistent, subjective sense of tiredness related to cancer or cancer treatment that interferes with usual functioning and that is usually not relieved with rest and is not related to an excessive amount of activity† (p.3).In another qualitative study Poirier, (2011) found out that fatigue is also very common in patient getting radiation therapy and it affects their role functioning in daily life. In this way the fatigue may affect the quality of life of the patient. Another side effect of RT is reported in of the studies is sleep disturbance. According to the study conducted by Dhruva, et al (2012).approximately 50% breast cancer patients reported sleep disturbance at the initiation of radiation therapy. Quality of life of the patients Breast cancer due to its poor prognosis and treatment related problems affect the quality of life of the patient. Kirchheiner et al. (2013) reported that â€Å"mean QOL in the total cohort is 58 ±27% (100% indicates excellent QOL)† (p.425). Similar to other treatment choice RT related side effects also have impact on the quality of life of the patient. The quality of life is defined by WHO (1997) â€Å"concept affected in complex way by the person’s health, psychological state, and level of independence† (p.1). As the National Cancer Institute (2011). Mentioned that 38% of all women diagnosed with breast cancer experience abandoned symptoms resulting from the disease and its treatment. Therefore, the side effects of RT affect the quality of life of the patient (Currie, Wheat, 2006). In addition, sleep disturbance is another problem found to be an important contributor in affecting the quality of life of the patient. In this connection, a study conducted by Gra ydon (1994) highlighted that sleep disturbance and fatigues were the main areas of the life of women affected by RT. Since the fatigue, influence the physical, cognitive and emotional aspects and the prevalence ranges from 30-70% in women with breast cancer, reaching up to 80% when they are undergoing radiotherapy (Alcantara-Silva, Freitas-Junior, Freitas, Machado, 2013). This is one of the most frequent side effects of radiotherapy, and it may interfere with self-esteem, social activities and quality of life. Moreover, the fatigue and pain related to radiation therapy may affect the sexuality of the patient by decreasing the desire and arousal and skin changes including burns and tattoos affecting body image and self-esteem (Varela, Zhou, Bober, 2013; Mercadante Vitrano Catania , 2010). These symptoms lead to compromised quality of life of the patient. In this regard nurses need to give the high quality care by addressing the all aspect of patient life to enhance the QOL of their patients undergoing RT. Moreover, with the advancement of health science the patients expectquality oflife (QOL) beyond just survival therapy Psychological problems The women diagnosed with breast cancer have remarkable impact on her psychological well being. As Halkett , Kristjanson , and Lobb (2008) highlighted that women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy, experience many kinds of fears like fear of unknown and getting burnt, damage to internal body parts, and anticipating tiredness. These kinds of fears may threaten the women which may have negative impact on compliance with the treatment. Rose, (2011) highlighted that patient may feel high level of stress at the start RT because of unfamiliar technology, potential side effects and being in an environment with other cancer patients. Moreover, the outcome of the study of Reyes-Gibby et al. (2012) shown that depression among women was positively associated with symptoms of disease and treatment. Thus the diagnosis and treatment can have a profound influence on a woman’s psychosocial and overall well-being. Role of nurse in RT patient’s care and education The above mentioned literature suggests that patients who receive radiation therapy face significant challenges and require care during the period of their treatment. Nurses are direct care provider in any health care setting. They play a significant role in their specialized field in various health care settings. Therefore, they can play a significant role in improving quality of life of the cancer treatment recipients. During the RT course, patients may go through many complex physical and/or emotional responses (Rose, 2011). A randomized trial study conducted by Christman, Cain, (2004) concluded that patients receiving concrete objective information reported maintaining higher levels of usual function than those not receiving. Furthermore, giving information about symptom experiences helped them to mentally prepare uncertainty about their symptom experiences. Oncology nurses need to own the responsibility of their patient and identify the patient need. The Meta analytical finding s support the usefulness of psychosocial interventions for improving QoL in adult cancer patients. In this regard a comprehensive nursing care of the patient can improve the physical as well as psychological care of the patients. Importance of Patient education Providing cancer patients with appropriate information regarding their treatments, side effects of treatment and coping strategies allows them to feel more control over disease and its related problems. It helps them make better choices of treatment modalities ( Barnett, et al. 2004). The study findings of Zeguers et al (1012) highlighted that now the RT patients want comprehensive information about their disease, treatment, and procedures, side effects, and prognosis with the mean scores between 4.1 and 4.4 on a scale from 1 to 5. In contrast ,Barnett, et al. (2004). Emphasized that information needs vary among different individual therefore, a patient-centred approach must involve according to the tolerance and need of the patient. Reference: Adams, L. (2009). Managing Side Effects inRadiation Therapy Patients.Radiation therapist, 18(2) Alcantara-Silva, T. R.1., Freitas-Junior, R., Freitas, N. M., Machado, G.D. (2013) Fatigue related to radiotherapy for breast and/or gynaecological cancer: a systematic review. Journal of Clinical Nurse. 22(19-20). 2679-86. Christman, N. J., Cain, L. B. (2004)The Effects of Concrete Objective Information and Relaxation on Maintaining Usual Activity During Radiation Therapy. Oncology nursing forum – 31( 2) 39-44 Currie G, Wheat J.(2006) Wheatgrass extract as a topical skin agent for acute radiation skin toxicity in breast radiation therapy. Joumal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society12(l):7—11. Gilani, S. Kamal, A. S. Akhter, G. M., Kamal, A. S. Akhter, S., Akhter, A. S. (2003). A differential study of breast cancer patients in Punjab, Pakistan.Journal of Pakistan Medical Association, 53(10), 1-3. Graydon, J. E. (1994). Women with breast cancer: their quality of life following a course of radiation therapy. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 19(4), 617-622. Guo, Z., Tang, H., Li, H., Tan, S., Feng, K., Huang, Y., Bu, Q., Jiang, W. (2013). The benefits of psychosocial interventions for cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 11(121), 1-12.doi: http://www.hqlo.com/content/11/1/121 Dhruva, A., Paul, S. M., Cooper, B. A., Lee, K., West, C., Aouizerat, B. E., Dunn, L. B., Swift, P. S., Wara, W., Miaskowski, C., (2012). A Longitudinal Study of Measures of Objective and Subjective Sleep Disturbance in Patients with Breast Cancer Before, During, and After Radiation Therapy.Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 44(2) Darby, S., McGale, P., Correa, C., Taylor, C., Arriagada, R., Clarke, M., Cutter, D.,Davies, C., Ewertz, M., Godwin, J., Gray, R., Pierce, L., Whelan, T., Wang, Y., Peto, R. (2011). Effect of radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery on 10-yearrecurrence and 15-year breast cancer death: meta-analysis of individualpatient data for 10,801 women in 17 randomised trials. Lancet 378:1707–16. Reyes-Gibby, C. C., Anderson, K. O., Morrow, P. K., Shete, S., Hassan, S. (2012). Depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life in breast cancer survivors.JOURNAL OF WOMEN’S HEALTH, 21(3), 1-9. Njeh, C. F., Saunders, M. W., Langton, C. M. (2012). Accelerated partial breast irradiation using external beam conformal radiation therapy: A review. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, 81, 1-20. National Cancer Institute. (2011). Surveillance Epidemiology and EndResults (SEER) stat fact sheets: Breast. Retrieved from: http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html Potthoff, K., Schmidt, M. E, Wiskemann, J., Hof, H., Klassen, O., Habermann, N., Beckhove, P.,Debus1,J. Ulrich, C. M.Steindorf, K. (2013). Randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of progressive resistance training compared to progressive muscle relaxation in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy.Bio Medical CentralCancer 13(1),162. 2- 11 ShaukatKhanum Memorial Cancer Hospital Research Centre: Breast cancer awareness month. Retrieved on February, 10th 2014 from: http://www.shaukatkhanum.org.pk/news-a-events/events/228.html Radvansky, L.J., Pace, M.B., Siddiqui, A., (2013)Prevention and management of radiation- induced dermatitis, mucositis, and xerostomia. American Journal of Health System Pharm. 70(12)1025-1032. Rose, P. (2011). The experience of receiving radiation therapy.Australian Journal of Cancer Nursing.12 (1) Poirier, P (2011) The Impact of Fatigue on Role Functioning During Radiation Therapy Oncology Nursing Forum38, (4) Gordils-Perez, J., Duell, R. W.(2003)Advances in Radiation Treatmentof Patients With Breast Cancer.clinical journal of oncology nursing7( 6 ) 629-638 Spoletini, I., Gianni, W., Repetto, L., Bria, P., Caltagirone, C., Bossu, P., Spalletta, G. (2008). Depression and cancer: An unexplored and unresolved emergent issue in elderly patients.Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology 65 143–155 Pink Ribbon Pakistan. Retrieved from: http://www.pinkribbon.org.pk/?p=377 Varela, V. S., Zhou, E. S., Bober, S. L., (2013).Management of sexual problems in cancer patients and survivors.CurrProbl Cancer 3719–352 Wells, M. (1998) Whats so special about radiotherapy nursing? European Journal of Oncology Nursing 2 (3) 162-168 World Health Organization: The International Agency for Research on Cancer, (2013)Press Release: Latest world cancer statistics. Retrieved on February, 10th 2014 from: http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2013/pdfs/pr223_E.pdf WHO (2014) Media Centre: Cancer Fact sheet. Retrieved on February 14, 2014 from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/