Acc491 Wk 4 Dq Questions

*What are some of the different types of sampling methods that are available to the auditor? * How does the auditor decide which method to use? How will the different methods affect the audit? The types of auditing samples are broken down into two different categories: statistical and non-statistical sampling. The purpose of auditing samples are designed to give the auditor the results he or she seeks, without having to completely audit 100% of the items within the audit population. Here are some of the different types of auditing samples broken out into the two categories: Statistical Sampling Methods: Random Sampling – Is an auditing method that basically means that all sampling units in the auditing population will have an equal chance of being selected for evaluation, or that no bias would have played a role in what was selected. It is also important the samples that have been selected are not able to re-sampled again. Systematic Sampling – Involves selecting sampling units using fixed intervals between selections, the first interval having a random start. This method is often referred to as interval sampling. This is because this method is where the auditor will take the number of sampling units in a population and divides this into the sample size to give a sampling interval. For example, if an auditor is auditing sales invoice where the sampling interval is 20, the auditor will determine a starting point for sampling and sample every 20th sales invoice thereafter. Non-Statistical Sampling Methods: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} What is the importance of defining the population when performing audit procedures? How will this affect the sample size? How will incorrectly defining the population affect the sampling unit? The auditing population is the whole set of data for auditors to test in order to reach their final auditing conclusion. Auditors need to determine a population in which to examine samples from for specific auditing objectives he or she wishes to complete. For example, if an auditors' goal was to test for overstatements of debtors, the auditing population could entail listing of debtors. However, if the auditor was to testing for overstatements of creditors, then the population would not be only be a listing of creditors, but, also require the auditor to look for subsequent disbursements, unpaid invoices, suppliers' statements, unmatched receiving reports, or other auditable populations that would provide evidence of potential understatements to creditors. When the auditor is designing the auditing samples, the auditor should consider the specific audit objectives he or she wishes to fulfill, the nature of the auditing population for which they wish to sample, as well as any other factors affecting the auditing samples size. The determination of an auditing samples size should require judgment of: Assurance required Tolerable and Expected Error (or Deviation Rate) Stratification Erroneously defining the auditing population can have an incredible affect on sample size as the auditor then has to choose a sample for conducting the audit. Auditors should select sample size in a way that the auditing sample can be anticipated to be a fair representative of the overall auditing population in respect of the uniqueness that is tested. If an auditing population has not been defined then the chance for errors increases the indistinctness of the results taken from the auditing sampling. Furthermore, if an auditing population itself has incorrectly been defined, the sampling unit will not give the anticipated results. These errors can formulate an incorrect conclusion by the auditor, there by defeating the initial purpose of the audit.

Immediate environment Essay

The human condition presents us with unavoidable difficulties which, in turn, require us to make personal choices. The capacity to make a choice and its corresponding responsibilities render reflective thinking as constitutive of what it means to be a human being and what it means to be a Self. It is in this conscious activity of making a choice that the will makes itself manifest. In a sense, a choice is an expression of one’s will, of one’s subjectivity. For Kierkegaard (1999), this subjectivity constitutes the uniqueness of the individual’s existence. Kierkegaard provides us with an idea of how to approach the problem of existence, that is, by focusing our attention to the concrete individual who makes personal choices and acts out on these choices. He breaks away from the ancient Greeks’ extreme emphasis on rationality and objectivity and its general problems. This is evident in his critical appraisal of the Greek tragedy. He claims, â€Å"The reason is of course to be found in the fact that in the ancient world subjectivity was not fully conscious and reflective† (Kierkegaard, 1992, p. 142). He goes on to add, â€Å"Even though the individual moved freely, he still depended on substantial categories, on state, family, and destiny† (Kierkegaard, 1992, p. 142). This is another way of stating that even if the self can experience the state of freedom and in fact actualize this freedom by portraying its capacity to perform autonomous acts, the self continues to be affected by the factors in its immediate environment. Kierkegaard’s elaboration sheds light on the importance of authentic choice in terms of generating our conception of selfhood. In the case of the tragic hero, the fatalistic mindset of the ancient Greeks can bring serious doubts on the question regarding the authenticity of the tragic hero’s choices. Given that the individual cannot really divorce himself away from substantial categories, how can we establish that it is the individual who defines himself and not the other way around? Choice is an integral aspect of Kierkegaard’s gradual development of the Self. It is important to note that the development of the Self is gradual as it goes through certain stages where the quality of one’s existence is improved via an act of choice. This is to say that the individual and his conception of the Self ascend from one stage to another. Such ascension indicates that the individual is in the process of actualization. For Kierkegaard (1992), the aesthetic stage is a stage where one’s sense of the Self is governed by the sensual, impulses and emotions. This stage presents the individual with an illusion of freedom. In essence though, the aesthetic stage, although seemingly attractive, is in reality, destructive. He claims, â€Å"We said that every aesthetic life-view was despair; this was because it was built upon what may or may not be† (Kierkegaard, 1992, p. 525). These are the reasons as to why the aesthetic stage cannot lead to a progressive actualization of the individual. Apparently, it is also the attractiveness and the emptiness of the kind of life in the aesthetic stage which leads the individual to transcend sensual existence and ascend to the ethical stage. From reading Kierkegaard, it seems to me that the substantial differentiation between the aesthetic and the ethical person/stage rests on the is-ought distinction. Kierkegaard claims, â€Å"The aesthetic factor in a person is that by which he is immediately what he is; the ethical factor is that by which he becomes what he becomes† (1992, p. 492). The ethical person is, therefore, a person who subscribes to the demands of reason; and the ethical life is a life devoted to the pursuit of moral goodness. It is, however, important to note that Kierkegaard’s phrase â€Å"by which he becomes what he becomes† implies both commitment and choice on the part of the individual. The difference between Descartes and Kierkegaard is, at this point, very obvious. Descartes focuses on the grand problems of universal import, such as existence in its universal sense. Kierkegaard (1992), on the other hand, focuses on the concrete individual and his concrete existence. In the end, it can be said that the conception of the Self is a product of the concrete choices of the individual as they present themselves in the course of the individual’s existence. The actualization of one’s Self requires something more than choice, that is, action. Aside from action, something more is required, that is, committing oneself to the choice that he makes and his actions as a product of one’s rational deliberation. Reference Kierkegaard, S. (1992). Either/or: a fragment of life. London: Penguin.

Case Study Essay

If I could describe McDonald’s business strategy in one word, I would definitely say ‘smart’. And I mean that in the best-rounded way. I very strongly agree with McDonald’s CEO, Steve Easterbrook, when he says, â€Å"If you get the people right, the rest will follow†. I believe that it is all a domino effect in the way an organization works; happy employees make for better production. McDonalds has proven itself as a good employer because of its five â€Å"people principles† that focus on keeping the employee happy and comfortable first and foremost. I think that they are successful because of the way they hire their employees. Because McDonalds strives for excellent service and quality, they work hard at finding the correct employees and retaining them, thus creating an experienced and capable taskforce. 2. McDonalds has aligned its business, human resource, and staffing strategies by connecting all three of these fields to one main source: the employees. By raising its hiring standards, McDonalds has hired, trained, and retained employees that are enthusiastic about giving their all to the customer. 3. Some possible talent-related threats that could eat away at McDonald’s competitive advantage would be when their teenage employees are ready to move on to other companies where they can build a career. Higher turnover would definitely be a problem for all companies, not just McDonalds. I don’t believe a tight labor market in which it is difficult to find talented people would be a problem for McDonalds because you don’t have to be highly educated or have any educational qualifications to work at the company. To maintain its competitive advantage over the next five years, I recommend that McDonalds simply continue doing what they are doing. They look for all the ri ght qualities and potential in their employees, so I believe they will always be successful on the ‘people part’.

Organizational Change Plan Essay

Electronic Health Record or EHR, is an electronic record of patient health information that includes demographics, progress notes, medications, vital signs, past medical history, and any other pertinent data that relates to a patient’s health record (â€Å"Himss†, 2012-2013). Electronic Health Records make clinical workflow more effective and efficient as well as provides monetary incentives from Medicare and Medicaid for those organizations that implement the use of these electronic records. CPOE, also known as Computerized Physician Order Entry, is a system utilized by physicians to enter in patient orders electronically. It is a safer and more effective way for doctors to enter orders for their patients and by using it, an organization will receive monetary benefits from Medicare and Medicaid. Change is important to any organization in order for that business to keep up with its competitors and to increase as well as improve the products and services that it provides to its customers. Technology plays a big role in the changes of an organization because technology is becoming more and more of a means of communication; whether it be in the form of communicating with cell phones to a physician communicating what orders he wants for a patient by using CPOE. The organization that I work for is in need of implementing Computerized Physician Order Entry in order to attest to and meet the requirements for Stage 2 for Meaningful Use. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has an EHR Incentive program that provides organizations monetary incentives for meeting certain requirements through the use of electronic health records. Their Meaningful Use requirements are split up into stages and in order to meet Stage 2, organizations have to implement certain requirements with the first being to use Computerized Physician Order Entry (Woodcock, 2010). Organizational and individual barriers such as lack of involvement from employees, lack of communication, fear and stress can cause issues when it comes to implementing a change such as CPOE. According to Barriers To Change (2007), â€Å"Involving employees as soon as possible in the change process and letting them create as much of the change as possible, is key to a successful change effort. â€Å" The organization that I work for has tried to involve the physicians in the building process of CPOE from the beginning. We have asked their input on what order sets would be good for them to have to make ordering easier and have let them practice in the Meditech Test environment by entering orders on fake patients; we have gotten really good feedback from the doctors that chose to come and it has helped with the change process. Inadequate communication is often the reason behind barriers to change and people being receptive to the change. Many people in the hospital did not know what CPOE was; communicating with them from the beginning about the system and what it actually is may have helped with the introduction of the system to the organization. Our hospital goes LIVE with CPOE September 24, 2013 and although administration was asked many months prior to this to inform the hospital of what was coming, most employees knew nothing about it until they came to the training classes that were held to show them how orders would be entered when we went up with CPOE. When it comes to change, certain details need to be shared with employees because they need to know why this change is occurring, what this change means for the organization itself, and what the change means for them and how it will affect their job(s). People often fear change, especially if they are not a part of it or aware of it. If employees understand why the change is occurring then they are more likely to accept it. CPOE can be a big change for an organization and can cause fear. Explain to employees what CPOE is, how it will improve patient safety in terms of legibility, and how it will create a better workflow for physicians and staff. According to Borkowski (2005), stress can certainly be increased due to change; it can create a physical as well as a psychological response in the work force. CPOE can put a lot of stress on physicians and supporting staff because their whole workflow has to change; learning a new routine of working needs encouragement and support from everyone. Factors that may influence the change could include content issues, process issues, contextual issues, and individual differences. Content issues are specific to each organization and refer to the change that is being implemented, in this case CPOE. These content issues can occur in an attempt to meet demands such as government regulations or changes in technological demands (â€Å"Factors Influencing Organizational Change Efforts,† n.d., p. 762). In the case of the organization that I work for they are implementing CPOE in order to meet the demands of Meaningful Use Stage 2 government requirements. Process issues are the actions that are taken during the implementation of the change and involve open, honest communication with employees about the change (â€Å"Factors Influencing Organizational Change Efforts,† n.d., p. 762). The organization should be honest with its employees about what CPOE is and why it is needed or why it will be a good change for the organization. They should also be efficient and express confidence that the change will be successful; knowing that administration is behind the change is an important part of being confident and showing employees that the organization is ready for this change (â€Å"Factors Influencing Organizational Change Efforts,† n.d., p. 763). Contextual issues deals with external factors that usually can’t be changed and internal factors that can be. External factors would include government regulations, as stated before, meeting Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirements. Internal factors would be attitudes or feelings about the change, lack of resources, or lack of knowledge about technology. If attitudes are negative coming from administration then employees are going to have a negative attitude towards the change as well. Administration or those implementing the change need to have a positive attitude and positive outlook on CPOE and express to employees that CPOE is going to improve workflow as well as patient safety when it comes to order entry. According to Factors Influencing Organizational Change Efforts (n.d.) organizations have a variety of individuals who have different attitudes and personalities that could influence the reaction and commitment to change. Individual differences can have a big impact on the implementation and the acceptance of CPOE; attitudes need to be positive and encouraging and communication needs to be open in order to have successful implementation of computerized physician order entry. Factors influencing organizational readiness mainly come from individuals themselves who are not ready or who do not want to accept the change. Individual readiness for change is when someone is open and willing to change; if the person is not open or willing then this affects their readiness for change. It seems as though the physicians are the ones who are the least ready for the change from paper charting to CPOE. Physicians are used to writing orders on paper, giving verbal orders or giving telephone orders and with CPOE this all changes. CPOE requires physicians to do their own ordering so verbal and telephone orders are supposed to be used as little as possible. Their readiness to change from ordering on paper to electronic ordering is not very high because they like the flexibility of being able to tell nurses to place orders for them and with CPOE this process is supposed to stop. Kurt Lewin’s change model of unfreezing, change and refreezing relates to the proposed change from placing orders on paper to electronic order entry. Unfreezing is an important step in the change process because it deals with communicating to employees about the change. Inform staff what CPOE is, why the hospital is making the change to CPOE and what CPOE means for the employees. Change deals with making the actual change from physicians ordering on paper to placing their own orders electronically. The refreezing stage is when the change has been implemented and accepted; the change has been accepted and the effects of the change are being monitored (Borkowski, 2005). Resources for the implementation of CPOE involved internal as well as external persons. Training will include superusers who will be available to assist staff on the units when the change is made. The Clinical Informatics team will be available extra hours to provide coverage on the CPOE Go Live day. Our facility uses Meditech so there will be Meditech consultants that come to assist us with the Go Live preparation of CPOE. Our physicians and nurses will have the coverage and help that they need with the implementation of Computerized Physician Order Entry. Resources Borkowski, N. (2005). Organizational Behavior in Health Care. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Factors Influencing Organizational Change Efforts. (n.d.). Journal of Organizational Change Management, 20(6), 761-773. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/journals.htm?articleid=1630997&show=abstract HiMSS. (2012-2013). Retrieved from http://www.himss.org/library/ehr/?navItemNumber=13261 Woodcock, E. (2010, September). . , 31(9), 91-92. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/757065487

Aida Model Essay

Every day we’re bombarded with headlines like these that are designed to grab our attention. In a world full of advertising and information – delivered in all sorts of media from print to websites, billboards to radio, and TV to text messages – every message has to work extremely hard to get noticed. And it’s not just advertising messages that have to work hard; every report you write, presentation you deliver, or email you send is competing for your audience’s attention. As the world of advertising becomes more and more competitive, advertising becomes more and more sophisticated. Yet the basic principles behind advertising copy remain – that it must attract attention and persuade someone to take action. And this idea remains true simply because human nature doesn’t really change. Sure, we become increasingly discerning, but to persuade people to do something, you still need to grab their attention, interest them in how your product or service can help them, and then persuade them to take the action you want them to take, such as buying your product or visiting your website. The acronym AIDA is a handy tool for ensuring that your copy, or other writing, grabs attention. The acronym stands for: Attention (or Attract) Interest Desire Action. These are the four steps you need to take your audience through if you want them to buy your product or visit your website, or indeed to take on board the messages in your report. A slightly more sophisticated version of this is AIDCA/AIDEA, which includes an additional step of Conviction/Evidence between Desire and Action. People are so cynical about advertising messages that coherent evidence may be needed if anyone is going to act! How to Use the Tool: Use the AIDA approach when you write a piece of text that has the ultimate objective of getting others to take action. The elements of the acronym are as follows: 1. Attention/Attract In our media-filled world, you need to be quick and direct to grab people’s attention. Use powerful words, or a picture that will catch the reader’s eye and make them stop and read what you have to say next. With most office workers suffering from e-mail overload, action-seeking e-mails need subject lines that will encourage recipients to open them and read the contents. For example, to encourage people to attend a company training session on giving feedback, the email headline, â€Å"How effective is YOUR feedback?† is more likely to grab attention than the purely factual one of, â€Å"This week’s seminar on feedback†. 2. Interest This is one of the most challenging stages: You’ve got the attention of a chunk of your target audience, but can you engage with them enough so that they’ll want to spend their precious time understanding your message in more detail? Gaining the reader’s interest is a deeper process than grabbing their attention. They will give you a little more time to do it, but you must stay focused on their needs. This means helping them to pick out the messages that are relevant to them quickly. So use bullets and subheadings, and break up the text to make your points stand out. For more information on understanding your target audience’s interests and expectations, and the context of your message, read our article on the Rhetorical Triangle. 3. Desire The Interest and Desire parts of AIDA go hand-in-hand: As you’re building the reader’s interest, you also need to help them understand how what you’re offering can help them in a real way. The main way of doing this is by appealing to their personal needs and wants. So, rather than simply saying â€Å"Our lunchtime seminar will teach you feedback skills†, explain to the audience what’s in it for them: â€Å"Get what you need from other people, and save time and frustration, by learning how to give them good feedback.† Feature and Benefits (FAB) A good way of building the reader’s desire for your offering is to link features and benefits. Hopefully, the significant features of your offering have been designed to give a specific benefit to members of your target market. When it comes to the marketing copy, it’s important that you don’t forget those benefits at this stage. When you describe your offering, don’t just give the facts and features, and expect the audience to work out the benefits for themselves: Tell them the benefits clearly to create that interest and desire. Example: â€Å"This laptop case is made of aluminum,† describes a feature, and leaves the audience thinking â€Å"So what?† Persuade the audience by adding the benefits†.giving a stylish look, that’s kinder to your back and shoulders†. You may want to take this further by appealing to people’s deeper drives†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ giving effortless portability and a sleek appearance and that will be the envy of your friends and co-workers.† 4. Conviction As hardened consumers, we tend to be skeptical about marketing claims. It’s no longer enough simply to say that a book is a bestseller, for example, but readers will take notice if you state (accurately, of course!), that the book has been in the New York Times Bestseller List for 10 weeks, for example. So try to use hard data where it’s available. When you haven’t got the hard data, yet the product offering is sufficiently important, consider generating some data, for example, by commissioning a survey. 5. Action Finally, be very clear about what action you want your readers to take; for example, â€Å"Visit www.mindtools.com now for more information† rather than just leaving people to work out what to do for themselves. – See more at: file:///C:/Users/GOPAL%20RATHORE/Downloads/AIDA%20%20Attention-Interest-Desire-Action%20-%20Communication%20Skills%20Training%20From%20MindTools.com.htm#sthash.nCxC0EZx.dpuf

Food Borne Diseases Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Food Borne Diseases - Lab Report Example It should be noted that even though meat differs in terms of composition and mode of production, the infestation from microorganisms occurs in a similar manner. Meat which has gone bad is characterized by the odor of the gas it produces and an irritating taste. Raw ham is infested by microorganisms which include gram-negative bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts. After the ham was pasteurized, the number of the bacteria reduced. High-care treatment causes preference towards the lactic acid bacteria and enterobacteriaceae. After slicing and covering, the refrigerated ham harbors cornobacteria, leuconostocs, and thermosphacta. What Are The Concentrations Of Microorganisms In Ready-To-Eat Luncheon Meat? In ready to eat tumbled meat that has not been preserved or treated, the bacterial concentration is 4.8 log (cfu g (-1)). After the high care treatment, however, the concentration decreases to 2 log (cfu g (-1)). The concentration after packing and decreasing fall significantly as the microorganisms are inactivated and they do not reproduce any more. In case there is no preservation, the meat reaches the spoilage point after a short time. What Concentration Of Bacteria Can Be Consumed Without Causing Illness? As highlighted in the above mentioned case, the concentration of bacteria that have not gone past the spoilage point is safe for consumption. ... Refrigeration causes inactivation of microorganisms. However, after the temperatures are raised, the microorganisms grow faster. How Is Food Poisoning Defined? Food poisoning is defined as flu like illness typically characterized by vomiting and diarrhea. It is caused by ingestion of contaminated food. The food contains mainly monocytogens, Vibrio vulnificus, and Norwalk virus. The following is a brief overview on how each of the above named microorganisms causes food poisoning. The Norwalk virus is responsible for more than two thirds of food poisoning that happens in the world. They are the fastest spreading microorganisms in contaminated food. They contaminate the whole tainted food in a day or two and causes stomach upsets if consumed (Food 2009). The leading cause of bacterial food poisoning is Campylobacter jejuni. They usually affect undercooked contaminated poultry meat. A drop of soup from such poultry meat is enough to make a grown adult sick. In 2 to5 days, the symptoms start kicking in with cramping of the abdomen, diarrhea, and vomiting. In such a case, however, the diarrhea is bloody and the victim suffers a fever. Though salmonella does not cause a lot of food poisoning, most of food related deaths in the world are caused by the bacteria. These deaths, however, affect old people with a weak immune system. An expectant mother is, however, in danger from the salmonella because of the risk associated with pregnancy due to compromised immunity and can lead to stillbirth (Food 2009). How does storage affect meat quality and safety? All meat should be stored below 400 F to preven t the development of bacterial pathogens on its surface. This is usually how meat is stored. Chilling is the most advantageous method of storing meat.

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Proposal - Essay Example As such, the SNS developers have to develop strategies that will attract more people. It is clear that people would prefer to work with SNSs that meet their current needs and those that have a personalized interaction. According to Romm-Livermore and Setzekorn (2009) one of the main factor that drives people into social network services is the connection the service creates with other people from all over the world. In addition to this, Caviglione et al. (2013) say that people are more attracted to a social network service if it is able to meet their needs and help them solve the needs. With this understanding, the following research work takes a closer look at some of the determinants of user acceptance of a social network services. As stated earlier, there are multiple SNS platforms out therefore but the main difference among them is the number of people who have signed up for the services. This aims to establish the main factors that drive people into particular SNS and not any other. The last decade has seen a dramatic take over by the Social Network Services and slowly, the industry has been dominated with more and more platform. However, there is a significance difference in terms of the number of user in each platform. By considering this, there are two categories; one group made up of the highest number and the second group of platforms that are almost unknown and have very few people. Matejic (2015) raises concern on the dominance of Facebook and twitter over the rest of the social media platforms. This raises the question as to what really drives people into these platforms. In addition to this, it is important to analyze the impacts of the Social Network Services to the society in general. In this, both the benefits and the negative impacts should be considered. According to SeÃŒ nac et al. (2013) there is

Ethics, Innovation and Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics, Innovation and Technology - Essay Example This has led to banning of deep oil drilling and thus created a heated debate on whether to permit or ban deep oil exploration. Ethical issues have been raised on deep oil drilling. Deep Oil Drilling The constant and ever increasing need for fossil fuels (particularly gas and oil) has pushed exploration and drilling industry to drill in very (ultra) deep waters (more than 2,000 meters water depth) with the wells being drilled to depths more than 7,500 meters. These forms of wells are very costly to drill and complete with expenses up to approximately 100 million United States dollars. According to the Energy Information Administration, the world needs for energy are increasing at an estimated rate of 1.5 to 2.0 percent per year. The United States National Energy Council report predicts that, by the year 2030, the energy demand for gas and oil will increase by 50 to 60 percent. The current total estimated oil stands at 1,258 trillion barrels and with the present oil consumption at 86 million barrels of oil per day, the hydrocarbons in place are estimated to be there in the next 42 years (Kelessidis 2009, p220). Ethical Issues Surrounding Deep Oil Drilling Ethical concerns are usually raised after a tragic accident. This was certainly true in the case of the 2010 deepwater drilling spill in the Gulf and other countless oil spills documented throughout the universe in the last century. It was only after the engineers were confronted with the graphic, photographic imagery of numerous oil soaked marine life and birds, and heard the testimonies of the Gulf coast residents (whose culture was adversely threatened) that they began to focus their attention as a society on the imminent disaster. As a profession, engineers seem reluctant to deal with the ethical issues involved. The rate at which the new technologies are converging and emerging and the damage caused by these accidents (like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill) on the reputation and the integrity of the profess ion, it seems imperative that the profession adapts a new, comprehensive ethical approach. The approach to be adapted has to be capable of dealing with the technical issues involved and the social and environmental implications (Catalano 2011, p1). On 20 April 2010, a number of explosions cut across the giant oil-drilling rig (the Deepwater Horizon) situated in the Gulf of Mexico, 48 miles from the shore. From the blast, 114 workers survived, and 11 others were never found. The rig collapsed and sunk two days after burning at the sea, destroying the steel piping and opening an oil volcano that released into the Gulf approximately 200 million gallons of crude oil. Deep-ocean, wetlands, beaches, and coastal waters were devastated by the spillage of the crude oil. Wildlife habitat and wildlife from Texas to the Florida Keys were adversely threatened. Countless families and individuals who rely on the Gulf waters for their way of life and their jobs were devastated emotionally and econo mically. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster has raised many ethical issues on the engineering profession (Catalano 2011, p1). These issues include; what exactly occurred, the role played by the engineering profession in regard to the disaster, how such disasters can be prevented in the future, ethical responsibilities, in events like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and if the codes of conduct developed by the engineers are adequate (Catalano 2011, p2). Impact of Deep Oil Drilling The Deepwater Hor

Scientific glass case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scientific glass - Case Study Example ce SG was selling its products to a variety of organisations such as biotechnology firms, pharmaceutical firms, research labs, and environmental testing facilities, the cost of logistics was reduced due to the fact that an assorment of products can be distributed whereas taking taking advantage of consolidated transporatation. Achieving logistical support across the global market usually needs strategic location of warehouses. SG company used centralised parts inventory at a central warehouse thereby reducing the requirement for inventories at each assembly plant. Products are bought and shipped to the strategically located central warehouse, thus taking advantage of consolidated transportation. Centralising of the warehouses in North America allowed SG to pool its inventory so as meet demand. SG maintained a single warehouse which served all of North America, or in which SG’s warehouses offered integrated service to meet consumer’s demand (Wheelwright & Schmidt, 2011). A firm can also outsource its warehousing functions. For instance, Global Logistics offered delivery service that included centralised warehousing in Atlanta. The firm assured SG it would administer all order-fulfillment and inventory control functions. The firm also attempted to keep inventory balances as lean as possible wi thout jeopardizing the capability of the distributors to punctually meet client’s demand by not being paid for any product that was delivered to the foreign warehouses until an additional product was sold and delivered to the consumer. A typical warehouse uses a combination of extended and active product storage facilities. Warehouses erected by SG directly served customers thus focusing on short-term storage. On the contrary, other warehouses use extended storage for speculative or obsolete inventory. Whereas effective logistics systems need not to be designed to hold inventory for extended periods, there are some instances when inventory storage is actually justified

Cross Cultural Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Cross Cultural Communication - Essay Example The results collected from these arguments are very important to examining the high and the low context cultures of the business towards international communication. Communication is as a vital element of the organizational success, but every aspect of communication must coincide with the organizational norms and practices that are guided by the culture (McIntosh et al 2008). However, every organizational culture management requires good leadership as described by Hall in order to coordinate and guide the efforts of the organization towards the achievement of the organizational objectives (Halverson and Tirmizi 2008). Management functions entail planning, organizing, leading and controlling performance of all areas of the organization. Nevertheless, this is slightly different since cross-cultural communication entails management of different cultural aspects in order to attain a competitive edge in the global marketplace (Kachru 2005). Most of the scholarly articles published in the past 10 years have provided supportive evidence that the Hall’s context of cross-cultural management is very significant to the realization of global business management (Halverson and Tirmizi 2008). This is because most of the models that were used prior to Hall’s context lacks adequate evidence and qualitative arguments (DeFillippi and Wankel 2006). Although Hall’s model is being appreciated for its validity in determining the contexts and cultural communication, some researchers argue that it lacks essential validity and attitude in cultural dimensions. The main objective if this research is to determine the coherent scale of measure of Hall’s cultural dimension of High and low contexts and offer valid findings in relevance to communication within German business environment. According to Hall, culture is as a way of life exercised by people of a

Regulating Food Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Regulating Food Safety - Essay Example But are the current regulations working Do the current laws give the consumer the level of protection necessary to guarantee safety This paper will examine several examples of potential problems in our food supply. It will explain the problem, the government's position, and the level of success that the regulations have in controlling contamination in the human food chain. The difficulty for government to assure food safety through regulation is exemplified in the case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). BSE, also known as Mad Cow Disease, has taken lives, instilled panic in the public, and destroyed the beef market for producers. Cattle are grazing animals that do not naturally eat meat. Most experts agree that BSE was most likely spread by cattle eating feed that contained Meat-and-Bone Meal (MBM). The government has since banned the feeding of MBM to beef cattle in a strategy known as point of entry control. Government regulation, in regards to food, has proven to be most successful by monitoring those points in the food chain where contamination may occur. In the example of BSE, the incubation period in cattle is 4 to 6 years and an infected animal would show no signs of the disease when slaughtered. Likewise, testing all the beef to assure safety would increase the cost and may not prove efficient. However, controlling the most likely entry point of the disease can greatly reduce the likelihood of an outbreak. This action taken in conjunction with spot testing of cattle in the feed lots can be an effective course of action. With an isolated disease and a single point of entry for contamination, this approach works well. However, let us consider other contaminants that may be more pervasive and more difficult to control. Two such biological agents are e-coli and salmonella. These are common food contaminants that routinely show up in chicken and ground meat. Points of entry are far too numerous to control to assure safety. Routine testing at the production facilities can help reduce the danger, but not eliminate it below the desired threshold. Proper cooking eliminates the danger and it is left to the public to take responsibility for adequate preparation. However, what control does the consumer have over the proper handling and preparation of food served in a restaurant Government regulations are very thorough in their requirements for public food safety in the restaurant business. Recent regulations enacted into law as of Jan 1, 2006 mandate strict health inspections of restaurants and caterers. The laws outline the requirements for maintaining temperature control and proper handling of raw food. Cleanliness and hygiene are stressed, as is proper labelling of foods and ingredients. The government enforces the regulation by routine inspections of public restaurants. Though these regulations can not prevent outbreaks of food poisoning, they can help reduce the frequency and severity of them. The restaurant management and employees are, in the end, responsible for the safe handling of food. The proper training of food service workers could probably do more to eliminate food poisoning than any other step the government could take. Another area that consumers put themselves at risk is in the area of allergies and intolerance. Allergies to wheat, eggs, nuts, and almost anything else can be fatal to some consumers. Others face mild to severe reactions. Consumers are only able to evaluate the contents of the product

Individual Case Study Assignment (4,000 words) Business Synoptic ( Essay - 1

Individual Case Study Assignment (4,000 words) Business Synoptic ( adjustments) 3 - Essay Example The firm has therefore established its core growth strategic management, a continuous expansion, domestically and globally (Furman, 2005). Thus, an effective marketing management stratagem has been formulated. There are four major elements involved in Wal-Mart’s competitive strategic management and market approach. These include situation analysis, strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation (Bivens, 2006). Wal-Mart has therefore aggressively expanded globally especially in the emerging markets of China and India by applying these concepts through strategic management inherently encompassing marketing management. The company’s main strategic management approach is thus underpinned when the firm devises methods that can bring about a competitive advantage to its market segment (Johnson et al, 2006, Pg.242). In the control of the retail markets, Wal-Mart has devised a marketing strategy based on discounting its products while retaining high standards as envisioned by founder Sam Walton (Wal-Mart.com). The firm has efficient supply chain management systems including its overseas networks particularly China thus gaining a competitive edge (Vance and Scott, 1994, Pg.119). In its domestic strategy, the firm originally expanded into small towns, but has since captured other rivals territories in the major city centres and globally by applying high quality service and discounting policies (Vance and Scott, 1994, Pg.69). Wal-Mart other competitive strategy correlated to its market strategies is encouraging branches or own stores to compete against each subsequently locking out other competing firms as the firm’s diverse stores fiercely vie for the local market segment (Quinn, 2000, Pg.115). Through some intensive advertising campaigns, Wal-Mart strategic management approach concurrent to its marketing tactics has been positively promotion of its brand name as

The Downside of Internet Consumption among Children Research Paper

The Downside of Internet Consumption among Children - Research Paper Example Nowadays, the present generation would rather spend several hours using the computer than watching TV (Pavlik 267). This merely implies that whatever they want might just be acquired in an instant as almost everything is possible in just a matter of seconds. It is imperative to note, however, that the effects and the various influences of the rampant application of the internet among the youth may eventually create both constructive and detrimental impact on their development. Although the internet serves to be favorable and beneficial most of the time, its detrimental effects outweigh its advantages in most cases. Moreover, Cheon significantly notes â€Å"children’s exposure to negative internet content relates to the social context of internet usage†, where the family plays a significant part on their susceptibility to some unpleasant subject matter which can be easily accessed over the internet (3). Worst of all, children are always prone to suffer almost all sorts o f health-related issues even at their very young age, and might as well become more indolent and insensible because of too much reliability and addiction on the advances of technology. The main essence of this essay seeks to point out those children less than 12 years old should not yet be introduced to the cyber world. Furthermore, it seeks to highlight the disadvantages of the internet to children as evidenced by their inappropriate exposure to the media. II. Internet Definition, Origin, and History The Internet is precisely the most profitable contribution and seemingly the best application to the usage of computers in this era of technological development. It mainly refers to the â€Å"interconnection of networks,† which permits other computers to communicate and transfer data through a system of multiple devices (Goel 196). The availability of information becomes more exclusive as the internet offers different services in just a matter of seconds. Although the internet c ontinues to exist in this highly advanced and complicated society, not everyone knows where and how it started. Goel notes that computer networking originated at the US Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) where it established the ARPANET in the 1970s that eventually developed the foundations of â€Å"internetworking† (197). Consequently, the stages that accompany the progress of the internet certainly made a quantum leap that made communication and interaction go across the borders of wireless connectivity. Purpose The frequent use of the internet severely revolutionized the current trend in the information technology (IT) industry where it created a much more complex and structured function in the delivery of the service it provides to its users. Hock argued that originally, the primary reason for the invention of the internet was plainly to design â€Å"a communications channel† which grants the comfort of data transmission where resources are readily available to the other users (2). In an academic research, conducted by the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), the internet simply evolved to make what used to be complicated and difficult become more convenient and satisfactory. In this Information Age, the internet apparently does not only serve to make communication favorable to most, but it too has gone a long way to exceed limitations. Demographics of Users The massive application of the intern

Modernist Art Form and Post Modernist Art Form Essay

Modernist Art Form and Post Modernist Art Form - Essay Example The essay "Modernist Art Form and Post Modernist Art Form" discovers a modernist art form and the postmodernist art form. The history of art reflects different periods that conveys the changing views of artists as to what art is all about and how they want to express themselves using it. In the late 1800’s, the birth of Modern Art became evident through the initiative of Édouard Manet and other painters later known as impressionists. Their goal was to express their individuality as artists while criticizing the government. They strove to break free from the rules imposed by academic institutions which were deemed as the sole authority on art. As the industrial age progressed and art evolved to include different types of media, various modern art movements developed and soon it became impossible to find a single trend to the period. Modern art encompassed movements such as cubism, surrealism, dada and pop-art as well as collage and 3D variant assemblage. These latter moveme nts opened the path to the new period of postmodern art. Perhaps the unifying theme of modern artists was their belief that art mattered – that it had real value. Whereas before art was used mainly to convey ideas of powerful religious and political institutions, the period of modern art gave artists more freedom to suggest personal meanings to their art forms. This gave birth to the expression art for art’s sake which suggests art without any religious or political intention. Other theorists claim that modern art’s defining characteristic.... This was the time when some modern art movements such as pop-art and minimalism slowly developed into what is now known as contemporary or postmodern art. The disillusionment with life's meaning that the effects of World War II brought about, was what made artists lose sight of the value of their art. During this period, artists rejected the idea that life (and art for that matter) has any intrinsic value. For them the world has been filled with reproduction and as such originality and individual expression are no longer valid goals. There is nothing new to create as all visual images are mere copies of previous copies. This emphasis on reproduction has led many artists to master production techniques such that they are able to make art without undergoing the traditional processes of learning perspective, composition, color theory and the other knowledge and skills required by traditional artists. With the emergence of new image-based technologies such as the television and computer, artists were able to manipulate this media and they managed to emerge with something new. Postmodern art also focused on gratifying modern consumer's wan t of novelty and entertainment and anything that would equally shock them. Thus the period saw the emergence of huge ice-sculptures, islands wrapped in pink polypropylene fabric and a large monolithic block filled with discarded computers as art with the latter even winning the prestigious Turner Prize. Art then has acquired a new meaning where concept takes precedence over aesthetics and craftsmanship becomes secondary. Film or motion pictures are series of images projected into a screen to create the illusion of motion. When these images are flashed in rapid succession, the eye through a phenomenon called

Construction Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Construction Industry - Essay Example The second part focuses on the construction industry in Britain and its problem of skill shortage. The last section, using a report by international project and cost managers, Gardiner and Theobald titled, 'London Wins 2012 Olympic Gamesbut Don't Panic.' illustrates why the British construction industry can meet the Olympics challenge (The report can be viewed at the Gardiner and Theobald Website at http://www.gardiner.com/NewsSystem/newstext/Olympics2.pdf) London will be the host city for the 2012 Olympic games. The games will be held in 33 venues across London and the UK. Construction work is complete in just 18 venues. The rest have to be built from scratch or will require major renovation prior to the Olympics .The centerpiece of the games will be the Olympic park in London. According to the Chartered Institute of Builders (CIOB) Position Statement on the London Olympics 2012, the Construction Products Association estimates that the Olympics will generate 10bn of investment in Britain, 2.5bn of which will be construction related. The CIOB statement also states that Consultancy Deloitte estimates about 12,000 jobs will be created in the construction sector. (The CIOB position statement can be viewed at http://194.217.225.164/media/CIOB-PS-LondonOlympics2012.pdf) The Department of Education and Skills has said that the construction industry needs around 88,000 new entrants every year in craft, technical, professional and management roles. In a press notice, it has stated that according to the National Employer Skills Survey (NESS) 2004, there are over 32,000 vacancies in the industry, 13,700 of which are skill shortage vacancies. In order to develop construction skills for major projects associated with the Olympics, a National Skills Academy has been set up. (The press release can be viewed at the Department of Education and Skills website at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgipn_id=2005_0129) According to a survey conducted by the CIOB, 89% of respondents felt there was a shortage of training placements in Britain. They felt that one of the prime causes for the construction skills shortage was the poor image of the industry, which was competing with several newer and more attractive industries. Besides these, they felt that certain policies pertaining to new-entrants also resulted in skill shortages. (The CIOB press release on skills shortage survey can be viewed at http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/releaseid=151701) The construction industry often reflects the economy itself. Just like the economy, the construction industry too goes through phases of robust growth, stagnation and even depression. During a lackluster period, skilled workers become redundant and are often forced to seek employment elsewhere or even switch professions. However, when the industry starts to look up, there is again a need for trained people, thus leading to a skill shortage. The Huntsman Associates report titled 'Staffing the Construction Industry in the North East' discusses the nature of the construction industry and the availability of skilled professionals in Britain, especially in the northeast region. This report emphasises on factoring this boom/bust nature of the industry while recruiting

Why Do Religions Exist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Why Do Religions Exist - Essay Example In Sri Lanka, a Buddhist Monk walks effortlessly along a pebbled pathway meditating in a Monastery garden. At the same time, a prophet in Israel announces the coming of the ‘Day of the Lord.’ Such activities have been going on for many years, and they are likely to continue for longer (Houtman, 2010). Scholars have been trying to explore and comprehend the idea about religion, Nevertheless, for a long time, they have not been able to state precisely what religion is. They have always tried to define religion but always come up with less satisfying results. Regardless of how carefully they define the concept of religion, others will always indicate what the definition has left out (Evans, 1985). When someone poses a question, what religion is, one may point to a church, a mosque, a temple, a Sikh Gurdwara or any other sacred place of worship and claim that people who go to this places are religious. He will draw attention to the places of worship and the people who go the re. He will also site sacred texts such as the Bible and the Koran. Many have tried to understand religion based on its effect on society and individual persons. Scholars have been trying to explain the universal existence of religion in all cultures. Every culture has some system of supernatural beliefs; however, it is not possible to prove beyond doubt that any supernatural powers such as gods, witches, angels or devils exist. Moreover, these supernatural powers do not always work as effectively as practitioners want. For instance, praying to God for the recovery of a sick person but the person dies, a ritual specialist conducts a rain dance, but it still does not rain: or relatives sacrificing a goat at the gravesite of the ancestor-god, but drought still destroys them (James, 2008). Nonetheless, disengaging certain characteristics from the totality of human life and labeling it as religion receives considerable support by the fact that such gestures are clearly different from or dinary ways of behaving. Religious activities often take place in an artificially contrived time, space or a certain mode of consciousness. Liturgical calendars’, Sacred places, meditative moods, extraordinary fasting, exceptional communal or private actions, meditating, sacrificing, prophesying, praying, self-denial are some of the gestures that give a notion of being a stylized divergence from normality. They all have a quality of caricature, play-acting, and sometimes unnaturalness. They stand out so obviously from every day such that they are difficult to avoid. They have a special name, and that is ‘religion’. However, there is no single anniversary accepted definition of religion (Evans, 1985). Experts disagree with regard to the definition so much that religion is one thing to Anthropologist, another to the Sociologist and Another to the psychologist. Consequently, there is a great variety of religious theories of the nature of religion. Definition of reli gion can be too broad and may include what dominates or appear to be the ultimate concern in the human life; Children, Home, Work Entertainment among others. Religion can also mean to bid worshippers to the deity by observance of cultish ceremonies and acts of devotion. Max Weber argues that trying to define religion as a scholar of religion at the start is a mistake.  

Xbox Introduction of Kinect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Xbox Introduction of Kinect - Essay Example It makes game controllers reduce their use of buttons and makes gaming as fast and efficient as possible. The add-on interprets voice commands and allows its users to easily play games in the absence of a game controller (Webb & Ashley, 2012). The devise also senses the movements of its user and also allow them to bark orders. Microsoft also plans to set living room chats with its Kinect product introduced in the market. Microsoft, therefore, intended to use the Kinect to face the competition from other forms of entertainment including music players, mobile phones as well as tablets. In developing the product, Microsoft used a number of methodologies. The company used the E3 convention for video games to announce its products and expansion strategies. It announced the addition of the Kinect add-on for the Xbox 360 to boost entertainment for video game players. Microsoft used social events as ways of market the product. The use of the Xbox 360 to announce events as sports was a major way of developing the product. This included the national basketball association and other events as the national hockey league. The leagues made their programming packages available to fans using the Xbox live. This increased the use of Xbox 360 and consequently the Kinect add-on for the gadget.... Microsoft also used the annual expo for electronic entertainment to market its product. The company showcased its new market entries. The announcement by Microsoft to link with Nike to launch a training program for fitness by the use of Kinect was among the ways in which Microsoft developed the product. Through the device, the fitness of a person is detectable. The company also used the international consumer electronic shows to develop their Kinect product in the market. Laying down formal rules to allow legitimate commercial use of the product was a great methodology used by Microsoft. These include the Kinect-centric experiments geared at reaching a significant share of the market for the product. The use of the product from Microsoft to enable live advertising was a significant step in developing the product. This was through the use of interactive NUads supported by Kinect. The use of Kinect in classroom also formed a significant market among students. Students could use it to l earn by collaborating in projects through the support of avatars. This supported distance learning. Through the different ways of developing the product, it garnered considerable market dominance. It was among the products of the company that made the highest sales within the fastest time after its introduction into the market (Walker, 2012). The development of the product, therefore, was successful given the high sales realized within the shortest time. The sophisticated nature of the software rendered it unbearable for hackers to interfere with the components. The fancy video cameras present in the device put off its hackers. It also had a depth sensor that was sophisticated for hackers to duplicate. Since all the properties of

Content analysis - have gun will travel Research Paper

Content analysis - have gun will travel - Research Paper Example The stories were both hero myths and tales of American perseverance and fortitude. The Western hero represented a male ideal that could only have existed in a lawless world, but who represented the organized powers of the American government which was invulnerable to enemies both foreign and domestic. The gun as a source of power was also representative of the technological superiority of American industrialization (Tucker & Tucker, 2008). The United States had undergone great strife during the time that the Western genre was in its height. The image of the Western hero proposed a foundation of historic strength through which the American self concept was reinforced. The following paper will look at the nature of the Western as it related to the national civic imagery through which patriotic pride was built and sustained. The radio program that had been inspired by the television program was a textual promotion of the symbols that appeared on the television program, the might of the American righteousness promoted without regard to authority or law. The radio program Have Gun, Will Travel was popular because of how the American mythologies were built as reflection of the philosophical foundation upon which the American myths have been perpetuated. In the 1920s the radio was the center of the first burst of information consumption in the United States. Both news and entertainment could come directly into the homes of the masses, creating a world that was just beginning to grow smaller merely through access. Ware (2009) writes of several different perspectives on the effects of the radio. Some believed that the radio worked as a medium through which to perpetuate stereotypes, the concept of cultural differences boiled down to indicators through which to identify everyone within a culture. There was also the fear that it would act to flatten the nation, geographical

Looking Glass Self Essay Example for Free

Looking Glass Self Essay In the most basic terms the Looking Glass self is your self image which is formed by the views others hold of you. These views the people around you have can have either a positive or negative effect on your self imagine. First we picture how our personality and appearance will come off to others, and then we think about how they will judge our personality and appearance. As people around us pass judgment on who we are this is when our self-concept develops, basically who we think we are and how we feel about ourselves as a whole. These judgments’ can have a powerful effect on ones beliefs and feelings about themselves. I’ve felt and been effected by the beliefs another person has about me. When I was in the 8th grade I thought I was a wonderful student, smart, well behaved. I felt as though my teachers all thought the same way. Then one day my homeroom teacher called me stupid for missing a homework assignment. To be called out in front of the class like that was horrifying. Though that wasn’t the only time an incidence like that occurred. In the 9th grade I struggled with math. I did poorly on tests, I already lacked confidence in the subject and it took one day with a substitute teacher to shatter it completely. I will never forget the words she said to me â€Å"Why can’t you finish the test? Are you stupid? † As child of any age, those words are damaging to the way you feel about yourself, and the way you think others perceive you. â€Å"Tell a child he’s stupid enough times and eventually hell start believing you, claims Benj Vardigan, with the Behavioral Institute. When a child makes mistakes or doesn’t understand a concept, his knee-jerk reaction may be to conclude that he’s stupid. Take that one step further and watch a child stop trying to understand or stop trying to learn a concept because he automatically assumes he can’t figure it out. † (Hatter) In A Class Divided on of the first examples of looking glass self that I picked up on was when the children came back in from recess after fighting. Mrs. Elliot asks â€Å"What’s wrong with being called brown eyes? † and a little  boy, Roy, says â€Å"It means we’re stupider and – well, not that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It’s immediate how the effect of this experiment took hold. These children took to heart what their teacher, Mrs. Elliot had said, that brown eyed children are less than blue eyed children, they aren’t as smart or as well behaved. In the first day of the lesson the effects on their peers perception of them had caused so much turmoil that it caused one child to hit another, clearly the negative aspect of looking glass. In the Teaching Adults section, Mrs. Elliott describes how she gave tests before during and after the lesson on discrimination. Telling the audience that the student test scores raise on the day they are on top, scores drop when they are on the bottom and after the experiment the children’s testing scores maintain a higher level. She attributed this to the children discovering how good they are. I believe instilling a positive self-imagine in a child is one of the most important things a parent, or teacher can do. â€Å"Whether self-concept is positive or negative can influence important areas of a childs development and achievement. Educators have recognized that there is a link between self-concept and performance in school. Students with a strong self-concept tend to have good grades and take an active role in school. They are able to accept challenges and enjoy new learning experiences. Students with a negative self-concept tend to have both attitude and behavior problems. They may be unwilling to try new things, because they believe they will fail anyway, or they may not work up to their potential. Some educators feel that a positive self-concept is so important that children need to be taught to like themselves before they are taught academic skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics. † (Myers-Walls and Hinkley)

Debussys Petit Suite Essay Example for Free

Debussys Petit Suite Essay Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was one of the most important composers of his time and is considered the founder of the impressionist movement, essentially a one-person revolution. Born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Debussy was the eldest of five children of a crockery shop owner and a seamstress. Despite early dreams of becoming a virtuoso pianist, Debussy found greater success working as a composer, producing his first works as a teenager. His first piano work was written at age 18, and within a few years, he was composing symphonies, cantatas and operas. The origin of the his impressionistic music stemmed from the Impressionistic art of compatriots- Monet, Renoir, Manet, and others, with the tendency to hint at an idea rather than state boldly, to feature color and atmosphere over Germanic clarity. The piano remained his main instrument and he ultimately became best known for his mature works for the instrument. His piano music is distinctive for its luminous tonal colors and often evoke an other-wordly and ethereal sense. This is a result of his skillful use of parallel chords, treatments of layers of refined sound, unresolved harmonies, unusual pedal effects, free modulatory procedures, and full exploitation of the piano’s resources. Debussy was only 24 years old when he began working on the 4-hand Petite Suite. The charming 4-movement suite was written about the same time as his two Arabesques for piano, conjuring a similar sense of lightness and delicacy, as well as conveying the same immediate charm. The work was originally conceived for piano, but was later re-scored for full orchestras. The reworking of Petite Suite for orchestra was accomplished not by Debussy himself, but by Henri Boesser, a slightly younger French composer who was noted for his orchestration skills. In its original form for piano, Petite Suite was first performed on February 2, 1889 by Debussy in collaboration with the pianist-publisher Jacques Durand. Transcriptions for string quartet, flute solo, saxophone solos, and other instrumentations have been written and performed. This works has a simple lyricism that contrasts with much of the composers music from the late 1880s Like the paintings of the Impressionists, most of Debussy’s music including the Petite Suite is inspired by the outdoors, suggesting moods and giving glimpses of nature. For Debussy, music always began where words and sight left off. The first movements of Debussy’s Petite Suite of 1889 are drawn from two poems of Verlaine’s 1869 volume Fà ªtes galantes. The poems evoke the era of 18th-century aristocrats on country outings, the world depicted in the fanciful paintings of Fragonard and Watteau. En Bateau is one of the composer’s â€Å"water pieces’ presenting a delicate theme reminiscent of Faure rippling accompaniment. It suggests revelers in a boat have their minds on romantic trysts as they sail at dusk on a dark lake. Debussy’s music captures perfectly a mood of water-borne serenity and languor, opening with a kind of musical sigh that made the Petite Suite immediately popular with a wide audience. The next movement, entitled Cortge, Procession conveys the idea that boat revelers are playfully making their way along a promenade to retire from the boat ride. The third movement Menuet, triple metered dance, and fourth, Ballet although not set to a particular poem articulate broadly the nostalgia and the sparkle held in balance throughout the poems of Fà ªtes galantes. The final movement is an energetic, festive dance movement with the title Ballet.

Introduction Globalization And Expatriation Management Essay

Introduction Globalization And Expatriation Management Essay Literature review is a summary of past paper that conducted by the previous researchers and explanation about the terms involve during this study. It aims on the critical points of current knowledge on a particular topic. This chapter is important because it can be a guideline on how the study can be done. Simon Reich states that, globalization constitutes a multiplicity of linkages and interconnections that transcend the nation states (and by implication the societies) which make up the modern world system. It defines a process through which events, decisions and activities in one part of the world can come to have a significant consequence for individuals and communities in quite distant parts of the globe. According Laurence E. Rothenberg, globalization is the acceleration and intensification of interaction and integration among the people, companies and governments of different nations. According to Farhad Nezhad Haj Ali Irani globalization typically refers to the process by which different economies and societies become more closely integrated, and concurrent with increasing worldwide globalization, there has been much research into its consequences According to Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, globalization is a process by which the experience of everyday life, marked by the diffusion of commodities and ideas, is becoming standardized around the world. Factors that have contributed to globalization include increasingly sophisticated communications and transportation technologies and services, mass migration and the movement of peoples, a level of economic activity that has outgrown national markets through industrial combinations and commercial groupings that cross national frontiers and international agreements that reduce the cost of doing business in foreign countries. Defined broadly, globalization is the process of integrating nations and peoples-politically, economically, and culturally-into a larger community (Gale Encyclopedia of US Foreign Policy). With business becoming increasingly global, employees with international experience have become an increasing important issue for multinational corporations (Hyder and LÃ ¶ vblad, 2007). We live in a world in which barriers to cross border trade and investment are declining. Transportation and telecommunication technologies are constantly making the world feel smaller. Material culture seems similar the world over; and national economies are merging into an interdependent, integrated and global economic system. Globalization is the reason for this incredible shift (Hills, 2007). It is a process that describes the integration of the world community into a common social or economic community. In laymans terms, globalization means the free flow of goods and services across borders (Joanne Claire Miranda, 2009). Globalization has resulted not just in goods and services travelling across borders. It has also resulted in people moving across borders for better employment opportunities and thus better wages (Joanne Claire Miranda, 2009). Due to that, it gives positive and negative effects. Positively, people move easily to benefit from their skills and experience. Firms are able to enter new market. Negatively, however, as firms enter these new industries or markets, they lack the skills and expertise required for that industry and they face not only the challenge of sourcing for the right candidate but also there is no guarantee that there would be continuity of service by the skilled staff. The right candidate should be able to work in the present environment as well as be able to teach the team members. If this is not managed properly, it may well become firms biggest obstacle. In order for these companies to have the competitive edge in this global marketplace, they need to have the right p erson at the right posting (Hills, 2007). The effects of globalization have resulted in the number of expatriates rising in the developing countries including Malaysia. When Aida and Maimunah did their study on Cross Cultural Challenges and Adjustment among Expatriates in Malaysia, 1999 (Aida and Maimunah, 2007) the number of expatriates they reported was 21,859, a figure they obtained from the Immigration Statistics. In October 2007, the immigration record showed the total number of expatriates in Malaysia is at 35, 583. Expatriation in Malaysia is not a new phenomenon. The country has gone through three waves or phases of incoming expatriates. The first group of expatriates that came to Malaysia is the Britons. They were found in private sector and big organizations such as Shell, ICI, Dunlop, Guthries, Harrison and Crosfield and British Petroleum. Other than that, in the government sector, the expatriates are mainly posted as advisors, diplomats, academics and technical specialists. The second phase of expatriates came from United States of America and other European countries whom were assigned in large multinationals such as, Phillips, Siemens, Volvo, Nestle and Esso. Finally, the third wave of expatriates came to Malaysia which were mainly represented by the Asian group of managers mainly from Japan, Taiwan and Korea along with some other European and American expatriates. This third wave resulted from the Look East policy by the Government in 1980s as well as due to closer relations with Austra lia and the Newly Industrialized Countries in Asia specifically, along with the high growth of electronics industry in Malaysia. (Aida and Maimunah, 2000) 2.2 Expatriation Cycle 2.1.1 Pre-departure The pre-departure phase involved effective selection and preparation of expatriate. Most often expatriates are selected from within the corporation. The rationale is that current managers possess the technical expertise and they are more in sync with the companys culture. (Maali H. Ashamalla, 1998) According to Luftans and Doh, making an effective selection decision for an overseas assignment can prove to be a major problem. Typically, this decision is based on international selection criteria which are factors used to choose international characters. Those criteria are:- a) Adaptability to cultural change Overseas managers must be able to adapt to change. They also need the degree of cultural toughness. Research shows that many managers exhilarated at the beginning of their assignment. After a few months, however, a form of culture shock creeps in. b) Physical and emotional health Most organizations require that their overseas managers have good physical and emotional health. The psychological ability of individuals to with-stand culture shock also would be considered as would the current marital status as it affects the individuals ability to cope in a foreign environment. c) Age, experience and education There is evidence that younger managers are more eager for international assignments because they tend to be more worldly and have a greater appreciation of other cultures than older managers do. On top of that, many companies consider an academic degree, preferably a graduate degree to be of critical importance to an international executive. d) Language training Language can be a very critical factor and international experts have referred to it as a most effective indirect method of learning about a country. e) Motivation for foreign assignment Although individuals being sent overseas should have a desire to work abroad, this is usually is not sufficient motivation. Experts believe that candidate also must believe in the importance of the job. Other than that, applicants who are unhappy with their current situation, desire for adventure or a pioneering spirit, desire to increase ones chance for promotion and the opportunity to improve ones economic status are also viewed as great motivators. f) Spouses and dependents or work-family issues Experts believe that if the family is not happy, the manager often performs poorly and may either be terminated or simply decide to leave the organization. However, according to Maali H, Ashamalia, qualities that are looked for are:- a) Cultural empathy The ability to appreciate and respect beliefs, values, behaviors and business practices of individuals and groups from other culture. b) Awareness of environment constraint In a foreign country, an expatriate is faced with unfamiliar sets of environmental forces that can be very different from those of the home country. Ability to identify forces and function within their constraints becomes instrumental to the expatriates for effective decision making. c) Interpersonal skills These skills involve effective verbal and non-verbal communications, the capacity to build trust and the ability to utilize referent power in managing within a foreign environment. It also involved the understanding of differences in value orientations such as in the power distance orientation identified by Hofstede. d) Managerial and Decision Making abilities It is highly required particularly when a manager is operating under conditions of isolation or physical distances from the centre of decision making in the home office. These competencies are also necessary in situations where expatriates have full autonomy in their foreign positions. e) Other crucial qualities Foreign language proficiency, flexibility, adaptability, entrepreneurship, self-motivation, tolerance for ambiguity, and sensitivity to world events and their impact on long-range perspectives of the business are considered as crucial qualities for expatriates selection. Other than that, Ashamalla also argued that a rigorous selection program should also include the utilization of appropriate selection devices, consideration of the candidates self-evaluation, time devoted for the selection process where it must be adequate and strategic evaluation of the overseas operations on a frequent basis. The selection plan should also include the expatriate family. In addition, intensity of intercultural relation, pre-departure preparation, cultural training, multicultural personality, and technical competent and socio cultural knowledge is vital in order to determine expatriate, spouse and family adjustment effectiveness (Awang-Rozaimie, 2011) 2.1.2 During Assignment Support during the assignment is believed to be essential for moral and psychological sustenance as well as for performance effectiveness of international managers. Superiors and HR professionals in the home office need to give adequate consideration to the importance of keeping in close touch with their expatriates and providing them and their families with the needed support. A major source of concern for the manager while abroad is the loss of visibility to those in the home office. Sense of isolation from the domestic realities of the firm and feelings of being away for the corporate centers of the power are other sources of concern for managers while on overseas assignments. During assignment, support may involve a wide range of formal and informal activities. (Maali H. Ashamalla, 1998) On the other hands, the Brookfields Global Relocation Trends Survey 2010 indicated that, six percent of international assignments fail. Therefore, it is essential for expatriates to understand specific psychological traits of Malaysian that contributed to their business performance. Primarily, cultural competency support expatriates psychological well-being and socio cultural adaptabilities (Awang- Rozaimie, 2011) However, adapting to the new environment takes several months. A model developed by Oberg (1960) describes expatriate adaptation as a four-phases process. These phases are honeymoon, culture shock, recovery and adjustment. Going through these phases in the long run results into successful adaptation in the new environment (Teodora G. Nikolaeva, 2010) Table 1: Obergs phases of adaptation a) Honeymoon The first phase of this process is the so called honeymoon phase (Oberg, 1960). This stage usually lasts from several days to several weeks and is characterized by the positive attitude of the expatriates about the host country, its culture and everything new they are meeting. In this stage the employees feel more like tourists than expatriates. They are excited by the new and are really enthusiastic about their job. The expatriates are intrigued and curious about everything that is different from what they are used to and at the same time amazed by cultural similarities. All of this is a result of the pleasant conditions the expatriates are offered upon their arrival. They stay in luxurious hotels where they communicate with compatriots or natives who speak their language or perhaps they have even been appointed a translator; They are busy with being shown the sights of the town, finding an accommodation, school for the children if they are accompanied by their families, and depending on the significance of the international assignment they can e ven be giving press interviews (Oberg, 1960). b) Culture Shock As previously mentioned the honeymoon stage lasts from several days to several weeks. After this period is over, the expatriates get hit by the new culture and everything they have found amusing until now starts being irritating which results in culture shock (Oberg 1960). Oberg (1960) defines this phenomenon as the occupational disease the expatriates experience because of the constant interaction with the new environment and the different situations the host country offers: Culture shock is precipitated by the anxiety that results from losing all our familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse. These signs or cues include the thousand and one ways in which we orient ourselves to the situations of daily life: when to shake hands and what to say when we meet people, when and how to give tips, how to give orders to servants, how to make purchases, when to accept and when to refuse invitations, when to take statements seriously and when not. Now these cues which may be words, gestures, facial expressions, customs, or norms are acquired by all of us in the course of growing up and are as much a part of our culture as the language we speak or the beliefs we accept. All of us depend for our peace of mind and our efficiency on hundreds of these cues, most of which we do not carry on the level of conscious awareness. All expatriates can be affected by culture shock, but the degree to which they suffer depends from the host country and its specific cultural characteristics, the personality of the employees and how effective they are in doing their job, their attitude towards the people from the host country and vice versa, and the significance of the international assignment Depending on these factors, culture shock can result into confusion about ones actions, anxiety, frustration, exhilaration, actions that do not suit the norms of behavior, inability to do ones job and thus not being able to sign an important deal, isolation and depression (Teodora G. Nikolaeva, 2010). c) Recovery In the recovery stage the individuals start dealing with their emotions and create a positive attitude towards the surrounding people and environment of the host country (Oberg 1960). As previously mentioned, learning the language is a beneficial factor in understanding the foreign culture. If the expatriates have gained some knowledge of the language, they are able to communicate with their colleagues and instead of criticizing them they start making jokes of them and even start being sarcastic about their dire straits. In addition to that, the employees accept that they have some problems and start asking for help from their coworkers and gradually reaching the last phase of their adaptation (Oberg 1960). d) Adjustment The final phase of the adaptation model is adjustment. At this point all the six aspects of the culture shock are gone and the expatriates are able to perform their job in the most effective way. This is due to the fact that they start accepting and adapting to the new environment. The food, the drinks, the people and the customs that used to be perceived as foreign are now seen as delightful and enjoyable; The individuals become so accustomed to the country and the people so when the assignment is over and they return home, they start missing all that which at some point of their stay was irritating and even disgusting (Oberg, 1960). 2.1.3 Repatriation Luftans and Doh defined repatriation as the return to ones home country from an overseas management assignment. The most common reason for expatriation is that the duty is over. However, other reasons might be expatriates want their children educated in a home-country school, they are not happy with their overseas assignment and failure to do a good job. Ashamalla argued that there is evidence that indicate repatriation is not simple and that a repatriate manager may experience professional as well as personal re-entry problems. 2.3 Factors contribute to challenges faced by expatriates There are many factors that could be the reason of the challenges faced by the expatriate. These factors are realized through the flow of expatriation cycle. 2.3.1 Selection does not based on IHRM guidelines. According to Bonache, Brewster and Suutari, decisions on expatriate selection are usually made in a less than organized and coherent manner, and often take by line managers who simply ignore the laid-down criteria espoused by the HR department. They prefer to draw from a restricted pool of candidates about whom they feel confident; often people like themselves or those among that group who are readily available or have shown some interest in an international element to their career. 2.3.2 Accepting international assignment for the wrong reasons. Some expatriates were thinking of moving abroad in an effort to leave behind the accumulation of frustration, misery or boredom in the current life. Others might accept the international assignment due to their own expectation and assumption based on the experience they had when visiting to that country for a holiday. Due to that, they will face difficulties when reality or the situation does not meet their expectation. 2.3.3 Inability to adapt Cultural surprises, shock, discomfort, difficulties, stress and incompetence occurred due to inconsistent expectation and inability to acquire appropriate cultural knowledge and skills of host culture. Incompetence or disability of expatriates to adapt and adjust their cultural mindset caused early return, incomplete assignment goal and put additional cost to organization for replacement of new personnel. 2.3.4 Family issues It is generally the trailing spouse who suffers the greatest culture shock in the new country. The result can be an unhappy spouse who does her best to impair the performance of the expatriate manager. Most expatriate managers are challenged and excited to be in their new postings. They need to spend a lot of time at work since they are under pressure to adapt to the new culture and their overall responsibilities are often larger than they have experienced before. As a result, the wives of expatriates spend a lot of time by themselves and are cut-off from their own family and friends. At the same time, the wife is usually dealing with problems for which she has no previous experience. Therefore, the challenges expatriates faced during expatriation could be precipitate from the pressure from home 2.3.5 The location of the assignment The location of the international assignment can determine the challenges faced by expatriate. Commonly, expatriates come from well developed countries; due to globalization and the demand of global market, developing countries, mostly from South East Asia, have a high demand for expatriate. The differences between the culture of the expatriates home country and expatriation location will present cross cultural challenges to expatriates. 2.4 Challenges Commonly Faced by Expatriates Pre Departure 2.4.1 Preparation for departure doesnt seem enough. Due to the fact that management chose the candidate for expatriation based on their preference with disregard of IHRM guidelines, it does not only affect the staff but the family member as well. Firstly, the spouse usually questions whether the decision to move abroad is really the best decision for them. On Assignment 2.4.2 Communication and language barriers They are expected to master the local language and culture, especially because more and more local workers may have the competitive advantage of local knowledge and connections, as well as strong English skills acquired while studying abroad. Other than that, expatriate faced difficulty in communication within the first few weeks and to some, it took several months to adjust. 2.4.3 Adjusting to the local working culture Every country has different working culture. Therefore, expatriates might find it challenging to understand how things work in the office in a manner where they are trying to understand the administrative and bureaucratic arrangements. Most of the expatriates came from highly industrialized nations whereby people are used to living in the fast lane and having more established and efficient services. Since the previous working trend differs from the working style they are currently in, it posed as a challenge for most expatriates. 2.4.4 High level of bureaucracy People at the high management level of their hierarchical positions acquire strong control over the issues at the workplace. Therefore, it affects the flow of work among the locals and the expatriates. Decision making processes and duration of task completion took longer than expected. This was a challenge that expatriates encountered which required some skills of cross cultural negotiations to adjust and to overcome any related problems arise. Generally, the locals working habit seemed to collide with the expatriates working habits. Since most of expatriates were come from well-developed nation, their working pace is faster and planning becomes more efficient. Thus, when the new environment is working in much slower pace, it could become a conflict between the expatriates and locals. 2.4.5 Adaptability to new environment Expatriates and family often find it challenging to adjust with the routines. Trailing spouse might have problem in term of creating a home in rented accommodation with limited personal belongings and often find herself home alone whilst the partner departs on the business trip in as many weeks. This will cause the exhaustion the working partner as they try to balance work and home demands. The challenge of creating a meaningful life for the non-working partner which often involves overcoming a sense of having lost all personal identity which comes with losing the normal social, familial and work based cues. This will lead to homesickness and loneliness where they may long for the familiar and comfortable. Other than that, the children might have problem adjusting with school environment and new education system. Beside individual struggle, parental challenge such as providing a stable home environment for children, finding appropriate healthcare when it is needed and finding the app ropriate and suitable school for children are occurring as well. Repatriation 2.4.6 Lack of value placed on their international experiences. It appears that many global firms do not assign much value to the international experience. Therefore, expatriates expectation to career advancement are not usually realized. Many Western countries are placing increasing emphasis on standards and qualifications, credentials, and professionalization of careers. Individuals who have been working abroad may find themselves left behind and no longer even qualified for the level of work they had done prior to departure. 2.4.7 Re-establishing a professional network can also be challenging. Due to inadequate communication during the overseas assignment, an expatriate loses touch with changes that take place in the corporation. An expatriate might return to find that the company has changed beyond recognition and this will lead to career disaster. Even those professional colleagues who stayed in touch through an expatriates years abroad, may not feel comfortable speaking to the repatriates level of qualifications, especially if they havent formed a clear picture of the day- to-day responsibilities handled in the international workplace. 2.4.8 The expatriate and family members may also experience reverse culture shock. Many repatriates are not prepared for the culture shock that they experience upon returning home. Although culture shock is a challenge anticipated by most immigrants and expatriates as they prepare to move abroad, it can catch repatriates off guard. Many have struggled with adjusting to the weather, food, lifestyle, and even basic domestic chores and driving; especially if returning from a country where the norm was to hire domestic help. Repatriates may also find local biases offensive, particularly if targeted at a culture or group with which they have become quite familiar and which they have grown to appreciate.

Research Outline: Effects of DV on Children

Research Outline: Effects of DV on Children This dissertation will examine the evidence for the claim that witnessing domestic violence causes serious and lasting harm to children. As it would not be feasible to conduct primary research on this topic at the researchers current level of training, given the significant ethical issues involved in working with children and families in this context, it will consist of an extensive critical review of the literature on this topic. This body of evidence will be systematically reviewed to establish the current state of knowledge regarding: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The strength of the link between exposure to domestic violence and childrens à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Trauma symptoms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Development à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Social functioning à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Internalising (eg. depression) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Externalising (eg. aggression, disruptive behaviour) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Academic performance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The existence of mediating or moderating factors determining the level of damage caused by witnessing domestic violence, including à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Temperament à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Social support à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Genetic factors à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The prevalence of exposure to domestic violence in childhood. Preliminary review of the literature The prevalence of childhood exposure to domestic violence Intimate partner violence is disturbingly common in the UK: an analysis of recent data gathered by the NHS for various purposes found a lifetime prevalence rate of some experience of domestic violence of 13-31% among the general population of British women (Feder et al, 2009). In the US, Dong et al found (2004) that 24% of respondents (n = 2,081) indicated that they had been exposed to domestic violence while under the age of 18. These figures indicate that a high proportion of children will, at at least some point, witness acts of violence between (most commonly) their parents or caregivers in the home or another family setting. However, the usefulness of lifetime prevalence figures like this in assessing the real impact of domestic violence on children is rather questionable: these results do not distinguish adequately between individuals who witnessed a single incident, or very infrequent mild violence, and those who were repeatedly exposed to serious violence. More detailed data is required to address the question of how common prolonged exposure really is. A further problem with the analysis of data for the prevalence of childrens exposure to domestic violence is the high level of co-occurrence with other forms of maltreatment. A large US study (3,777 males and 4,411 females) found that 12.3% of men (n = 482) and 15.9% of women (n = 703; chi square of difference 15.9, p Witnessing parental aggression: its effects on child development There is strong evidence that aggression and violence between the childs parents or caregivers can have serious negative consequences even if the child is too young to understand: in particular, it has been suggested, very reasonably, that domestic violence negatively impacts the quality of maternal care as poor management of emotions and conflicts may transfer from the couple relationship to the mother-infant one (eg. Krisknakumar Buehler, 2000). Indeed, women who are in violently abusive relationships may even express more negative attributions about their unborn child while pregnant (Theran, Levendosky, Bogat, and Huth-Bocks, 2005), creating the conditions for an emotionally distant parenting style which can lead to a poor attachment between mother and infant. Of four studies of children aged 3-6 reviewed by Wolfe et al (2003), all but one found moderate to strong effects on internalizing and externalizing symptoms as a consequence of witnessing domestic violence; Levendosky et a l. (2002) also found a significant level of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a similar population, and Bogat and her colleagues described clinically significant trauma symptoms in one-year-old infants exposed to family violence (2006). Interestingly, however, in a sample of 7865 British children aged 5-16, Meltzer and his colleagues found that Witnessing severe domestic violence almost tripled the likelihood of children having conduct disorder but was not independently associated with emotional disorders (2009:491). The picture is yet further complicated by the finding that at least some mothers who suffer domestic violence in fact appear to compensate for this in ways which increase their availability to their children, showing heightened sensitivity and responsiveness (Letourneau, Fedick and Willms, 2007:649). Domestic violence and adolescent outcomes Given the complexity of the picture of the effect of witnessing domestic violence (and of having a caregiver who is a victim or perpetrator of it) which has already emerged, it is to be expected that the impact of this form of maltreatment on the eventual outcomes of children who are affected by it will also be far from easy to determine. High levels of conduct disorder and other adjustment and attitudinal problems in the adolescent children of battered women have been extensively described (Fantuzzo et al, 1991; Holden and Ritchie, 1991, and numerous later studies); these conduct problems have, however, bee n found to be amenable to interventions to improve mothers own support, and management of their children (eg. Jouriles et al, 2001). McFarlane and her colleagues found, worryingly, that in a sample of 330 children (including black, white and hispanic ethnicities), the mean internalizing behavior score for boys 6-11as well as girls and boys 12-18of abused mothers were not signific antly different from the clinical referral norms (2003:202), suggesting that the impact of witnessing serious domestic violence is enough to lead to clinically significant symptoms including suicidality and self-harming behaviours in adolescents. This indicates that, although the mechanisms by which it causes such great damage are as yet unclear, witnessing domestic violence which is either serious or prolonged needs to be treated as a major traumatic incident in a childs life. However, the prevalence of exposure like this is so great that intervening in the vast majority of cases where harm is being caused would be impossible; we are, furthermore, learning ever more about the factors which determine whether or not these experiences take a lasting toll, both biological and social. Domestic violence and the biology of trauma While only a small fraction of the children who suffer maltreatment are, as it were, fortunate enough only to witness domestic violence and not be subject to other forms of maltreatment, even in these cases evidence has been found that both [hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal] axis and sympathetic nervous system functioning were found to differ between children exposed to domestic violence and comparison children (Saltzman, Holden and Holahan, 2005), suggesting that exposure to this form of trauma has lasting biological as well as emotional consequences. While the exact effect of the kinds of changes which Saltzman and his colleagues found on later functioning is unknown, findings like this give cause for serious concern that exposure to domestic violence in early life may have consequences which include functional, particularly social, impairments which are difficult (although not impossible) to overcome. They may, too, have long term health effects: the prolonged effects of biological stress responses observed in PTSD sufferers have been linked to a variety of serious chronic illnesses (Boscarino, 2008), suggesting that children who witness violence may be at risk of ill health long after their exposure itself has ended. Future research seems likely to confirm that the hypersensitivity to verbal conflict displayed by the one-year-old (ie. pre-verbal) infants studied by DeJonghe and her colleagues (2005) has a neural basis; this high level of sensitivity may itself predispose individuals who were exposed to domestic violence as young children to displaying high levels of arousal in conflict situations, contributing to the emergence of aggression and conduct problems in later life. Rationale for undertaking this research It is clear from the preliminary review of the literature which has been presented above that exposure to domestic violence is a serious child welfare issue: it affects a large number of children, is frequently combined with other forms of maltreatment, and has been shown to have long-term negative effects on both psychosocial functioning and, more tentatively, on physical health. As such there is an obvious rationale for assessing the current state of research into this topic: there is now a large volume of work on this issue, although it has only been explored empirically since the 1980s, and new techniques such as the use of biomarkers and neuroimaging continue to add dramatically to our understanding of the risks and mechanisms of harm associated with witnessing domestic violence. Producing a broad systematic review of the aspects of this topic of greatest relevance to social policy and professional social work practice will help to inform responses to this grave threat to the we llbeing of thousands of children in the UK, and contribute to the formulation of effective responses to the challenges which family violence poses today. Outline research strategy As has been mentioned above, the research strategy which will be adopted here is that of a critical review of the literature, based on a structured search of major journal databases. This strategy is the most appropriate one due in part to the challenges of conducting experimental or observational research in families where domestic violence occurs; given the researchers lack of training in managing the care and welfare of vulnerable children and adults, a methodology of this kind would not be appropriate. As such, an approach which does not pose these ethical and practical problems has been adopted. A structured literature search methodology will be used to search the PUBMED, OVID and Web of Science databases; the terms used will be selected in order to identify literature which deals primarily with exposure to violence without the copresence of other forms of maltreatment. Due to the broad scope of this review, a meta-analytic approach would not be appropriate: where appropriate, meta-analyses of studies on this topic will be included, along with discussion of the individual studies included in them. Particular attention will be given to critical analysis of the effectiveness of the studies attempts to exclude the effect of confounding variables, including exposure to other forms of maltreatment and verbal aggression in the home, social factors and other issues.