Assignment Essay Instructions: What is the service organisation's front stage and back stage functions?

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What is the service organisation's front stage and back stage functions?
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RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS

RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS

 

Risk Factors

 

A risk factor is any situation, habit, social, or environmental condition, physiological or psychological condition, developmental or intellectual condition, or spiritual or other variable that increases the vulnerability of an individual or group to an illness or accident ( 2004). An understanding of risk factors, behavior, risk factor modification, and behavior modification are integral components of health promotion, wellness, and illness prevention activities. Nurses in all areas of practice often have opportunities to assist patients in adopting activities to promote health and decrease risks of illness.

The presence of risk factors does not mean that a disease will develop, but risk factors increase the chances that the individual will experience a particular disease or dysfunction. Nurses and other health care professionals are concerned with risk factors, sometimes called health hazards, for several reasons.

Risk factors play a major role in how a nurse identifies a patient’s health status. They can also influence health beliefs and practices if a person is aware of their presence. Risk factors can be placed in the following interrelated categories: genetic and physiological factors, age, physical environment, and lifestyle (2004).

 

Risk Factor Modification

           

Identifying risk factors is the first step in health promotion, wellness education, and illness prevention activities. Health hazards should be discussed with the patient following a comprehensive nursing assessment; then the patient can decide if he or she wants to maintain or improve his or her health status by taking risk reduction actions. Risk factor modification, health promotion, or any program that attempts to change unhealthy lifestyle behaviors can be considered as a wellness strategy.

 

 

Risk Management

           

Risk management is a system of ensuring appropriate nursing care that attempts to identify potential hazards and eliminate them before harm occurs. The steps involved in the risk management include identifying possible risks, analyzing them, acting to reduce the risks, and evaluating the steps taken. One tool used in risk management is the incidence report or occurrence report (2004).

Risk management also requires good documentation. A medical staff’s documentation can be the evidence of what actually was done for a client and can serve as proof that the medical professional like the nurse acted reasonably and safely (2004). Documentation should be thorough, accurate, and performed in a timely manner.

To protect the nurse and the patient, the nurse should document the care given and the details associated with it. Charting the statement “physician notified” may be insufficient if at the time the nurse is being questioned about the lawsuit, he or she does not recall which physician and what specific facts were told to the physician.

When a lawsuit is filed, very often, the nurse’s notes are the first thing reviewed by the attorney. The nurse’s assessments and the reporting of significant changes in the assessments are very important factors in defending a lawsuit. Therefore, the nurse should identify the physician contacted, the information communicated to the physician, and the physician’s response. For nurses in practice, the underlying rationale for quality improvement and risk management programs is the highest possible quality of care.

 

 

Intravenous Medication Administration

 

Medication administration is a critical skill of the professional nurse, who must understand and follow various steps in the drug administration process to assure patient safety. The nurse must be proficient in medication dosage calculation to safely administer drugs. Errors related to intravenous administration of a drug often results in the most serious injuries to patients (2003).

However, many medical-surgical nurses experience difficulty when calculating drug dosages. One study revealed that 56% of nurses could not calculate medication dosages to a 90% proficiency rate. In addition, nurses made significantly more errors in calculating intravenous drug dosages as compared to oral, intramuscular, or subcutaneous drug dosages ( 2004).

When using any method of intravenous medication administration, the nurse must observe clients closely for symptoms of adverse reactions. After the medication enters the bloodstream, it begins to act immediately, and there is no way to stop its action. Thus the nurse should take special care to avoid errors in dose calculation and preparation.

The nurse should double-check the six rights of safe medication administration and know the desired action and side effects (Potter & Perry, 2004). If the medication has an antidote, it must be available during administration. When administering potent medications, the nurse must assess vital signs before, during, and after infusion.

Administering medications by the IV route has advantages. Often the nurse uses the IV route in emergencies when a fast-acting medication must be delivered quickly. The IV route is also best when it is necessary to establish constant therapeutic blood levels. Some medications are highly alkaline and irritating to muscle and subcutaneous tissue. These medications cause less discomfort when given intravenously ( 2004).

As a safety alert, because IV medications are immediately available to the bloodstream once they are administered, the nurse must therefore verify the prescribed rate of administration so that the medication is given over the appropriate amount of time. The patients may experience severe adverse reactions if the IV medications are administered too quickly.

According to a research, perioperative nurse managers should understand that errors are more likely to occur if multiple steps are required to prepare a medication before administration or if bolus administration of medication is being used. Consideration should be given to implementing a system of centralized preparation for all IV medications and affixing warning labels to all medications intended for bolus administration ( 2003).

Medication errors can be a source of significant morbidity and mortality in the health care setting. Providing intravenous (IV) therapy is a complex health care technology and patients are at risk of experiencing adverse events such as medication errors. Increasingly, human error theory is used to investigate adverse events such as these. Therefore, it is important that medication errors be monitored so that similar incidents can be prevented in the future. Problems associated with devices that lead to medication errors should also be reported to health care authorities.

 

 

Complications of Intravenous Therapy

           

An infiltration occurs when IV fluids enter the surrounding space around the venipuncture site. This is manifested as swelling (from increased tissue fluid) and pallor and coolness (caused by decreased circulation) around the venipuncture site. Fluid may be flowing through the IV line at a decreased rate or may have stopped flowing. Pain may also be present and usually results from edema and increases proportionately as the infiltration continues (2004).

            When infiltration occurs, the infusion must be discontinued and, if IV therapy is still necessary, a new cannula is inserted into a vein in another extremity. To reduce discomfort, the nurse should raise the extremity, which would then promote venous drainage. To help decrease the edema, the nurse should wrap the extremity in a warm, moist towel for 20 minutes while keeping it elevated on a pillow. This promotes venous return, increases circulation, and reduces pain and edema (2003).

            Phlebitis is an inflammation of the vein which is another complication of intravenous therapy (2004). Selected risk factors for phlebitis include the type of catheter material, chemical irritation of additives and drugs given intravenously, and the anatomical position of the catheter. Signs and symptoms may include pain, edema, erythema, and increased skin temperature over the vein, and, in some instances, redness traveling along the path of the vein. Dehydration may also be a contributing factor because of the increase in blood viscosity ( 2000).

            When phlebitis occurs, the IV line must be discontinued and a new line inserted into another vein. Warm, moist heat on the site of phlebitis can offer some relief to the client. Phlebitis can be dangerous because blood clots which are called thrombophlebitis can occur and in some cases may result in an emboli. This may result in permanent damage to veins as well as resulting in extended agency care. Phlebitis may be prevented by the routine removal and rotation of IV sites (2004).

            Another complication of intravenous therapy is fluid volume excess (2004). This occurs when the patient has received a too-rapid administration of IV solutions. The assessment findings of this condition include shortness of breath, crackles in the lungs, and tachycardia. To provide an intervention for this, the nurse should slow the rate of infusion, notify the physician, raise the head of the bed, and monitor vital signs.

            Bleeding can occur around the venipuncture site during the infusion or through the catheter needle or tubing if these become inadvertently disconnected. This complication is common in patients who have received heparin or who have a bleeding disorder (2004). If bleeding occurs around the venipuncture site and the catheter is within the vein, a pressure dressing may be applied over the site to control the bleeding. Bleeding from a vein is usually a slow, continuous seepage and is not serious. Still it merits special attention from the nurse and other medical staff.

Nurses in critical care settings must be familiar with the variety of ways dosages are described. The nurse should understand how to convert and determine equivalent dosages with orders that contain such units as micrograms/minute, micrograms/kg/minute, milligrams/hour, or milligrams/day. For many intravenous drugs, an infusion pump may be used which requires a pump setting in any of the above units. Alternatively, without an infusion pump, a drip factor must be considered with intravenous solutions (2004).

            In efforts to improve patient safety, healthcare systems need to give first priority to averting the medication errors with the greatest potential for harm. By targeting efforts to avert such errors, hospitals can achieve the most rapid and significant impact on improving medication safety (2005).

            The ever-increasing complexity of the nursing environment and the current nursing shortage further increase the possibility of error in many medical routines, including intravenous administration of drugs. Demands often exceed an individual's capacity to function without error, even for highly experienced clinicians. Unnecessary variability in drug concentrations, dosing units, and dosing limits used in different areas of a hospital further complicates infusion programming and increases the risk of harm ( 2005).

 

Role of Nurses in Preventing Medication Errors

 

The dramatic increase in the number of new medications, including biotechnology products, makes it difficult to keep current on their proper use, and can overwhelm the best intentions of all health care practitioners, including nurses.

            Administration of the wrong drug is the most common error that occurs. Factors that contribute to wrong drug error include similar labeling and packaging of products, medications with very similar names and storage of these similar products together. In addition, poor communication is a common cause of administering the wrong drug.

            To administer medication safely to patients, certain cognitive skills are essential. The nurse accepts full responsibility and accountability for all actions that are taken; this includes the administration of medications, whether it is intravenous, oral, or something else.

            When a nurse administers an intravenous medication to a patient, the nurse accepts the responsibility that the medication or the nursing actions in administering it will not harm the patient in any way. The nurse does not assume that the medication that is ordered for the patient is the correct medication or the correct dose.

            The nurse could be held accountable for administering an ordered intravenous medication that is knowingly inappropriate for the patient. Because of this, the nurse should be familiar with the therapeutic effect, usual dosage, laboratory interferences, and side effects of all medications that are administered (2004).

            Demonstrating accountability and acting responsibly in professional practice means that the nurse acknowledges when errors in professional practice occur. Most of the errors that are made by nurses are medication errors (2004), and this includes intravenous medication administration.

            The nurse is the essential link in the prevention of medication errors. Unfortunately, many medication errors are never identified. When an error occurs, it should be acknowledged immediately and reported to the appropriate hospital personnel. This is necessary since measures to counteract the effects of the error may be necessary.

 

 

Pressure Ulcers

 

Pressure ulcer is most commonly known as bedsore. Other names for it include pressure sore, decubitus ulcer and trophic ulcer. It is an ischemic necrosis and ulceration of tissues overlying a bony prominence which has been subjected to prolonged pressure against an external object like a bed, wheelchair, cast or splint for example (2003). The condition results to impaired skin integrity related to unrelieved, prolonged pressure (2004).

Such a condition is seen most frequently in patients who have diminished or absent sensation, or are debilitated, emaciated, paralyzed, or otherwise long bedridden. Any patient experiencing decreased mobility, decreased sensory perception, fecal or urinary incontinence and/or poor nutrition can therefore be at risk for pressure ulcer development. Tissues over the sacrum, ischia, greater trochanters, external malleoli, and heels are especially susceptible but other sites may be involved, depending on the patient’s position. Pressure ulcers can affect not only superficial tissues, but also muscle and bone.

            The best treatment for pressure ulcers is prevention. Pressure on sensitive areas must be relieved. Unless a full-flotation bed such as a water bed is used, providing even distribution of the patient’s weight. If the patient is using braces or plaster casts, a protective padding at bony prominences should be used under braces or plaster casts, and a window in the cast should be cut over potential pressure sites.

            Skin inspection is also important. Pressure points should be checked for erythema or trauma at least once/day in an adequate light. Able patients, mobile or immobile, and their families must be taught a routine of daily visual inspection and palpation of sites for potential ulcer formation. Exquisite skin care for neurologically damaged parts is necessary to prevent maceration and secondary infection. Maintaining cleanliness and dryness helps to prevent maceration.

            The prevention of pressure ulcers is a priority in caring for patients and is not limited to patients with restrictions in mobility. Impaired skin integrity may not be a problem in healthy, immobilized individuals but is a serious and potentially devastating problem in ill or debilitated patients. Prompt identification of the high-risk patients and their risk factors aids in prevention of pressure ulcers.

A well-balanced diet, high in protein, is important in the treatment of pressure ulcers. Blood transfusions may be needed for anemia. Threatened pressure sores require energetic use of all the above mentioned prophylactic measures to prevent tissue necrosis. The area should be kept exposed, free from pressure, and dry.

            The major problem in treating pressure ulcer is that the ulcer is like an iceberg, a small visible surface with an extensive unknown base, and there is no good method of determining the extent of tissue damage.

            More advanced ulcers require surgical treatment. Surgical debridement and closure is required for fat and muscle involvement. Affected bone tissue requires surgical removal; disarticulation of joint may be needed. Necrotic tissue can promote pathogen growth and delay healing, so it should be removed. An exception may be eschar or necrotic tissue on a heel ulcer because an open heel wound can easily become infected and lead to osteomyelitis. Several debridement methods are available; the choice depends on the amount of necrotic tissue, absence or presence of infection, patient preferences, and economic considerations (2006).

 

 

Risk factors for Pressure Ulcer Development

 

            A variety of factors can predispose a patient to pressure ulcer formation. These factors can be directly related to disease, such as decreased level of consciousness, related to the aftereffects of trauma, the presence of a cast, or secondary to an illness, such as decreased sensory input following a cerebrovascular accident. These factors are divided into intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

            Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors precipitate pressure ulcers. Intrinsic factors include loss of pain and pressure sensations that ordinarily prompt the patient to shift position and relieve the pressure, and the thinness of fat and muscle padding between bony weight-bearing prominences and the skin. Disuse atrophy, malnutrition, anemia, and infection play contributory roles. The most important of the extrinsic factors is pressure. Its force and duration directly determine the extent of the ulcer. Pressure severe enough to impair local circulation can occur within hours of an immobilized patient, causing local tissue anoxia that progresses, if unrelieved, to necrosis of the skin and subcutaneous tissues.

An individual's potential to develop pressure ulcers may be influenced by the following intrinsic risk factors which therefore should be considered when performing a risk assessment: reduced mobility or immobility; sensory impairment; acute illness; level of consciousness; extremes of age; vascular disease; severe chronic or terminal illness; previous history of pressure damage; malnutrition and dehydration.

The following extrinsic risk factors are involved in tissue damage and should be removed or diminished to prevent injury: pressure; shearing and friction.

An individual's potential to develop pressure ulcers may be exacerbated by the following factors, which therefore should be considered when performing a risk assessment: medication and moisture to the skin.

 

 

Identifying Individuals at Risk

 

            The assessment an individual’s risk of developing pressure ulcers should involve both informal and formal assessment procedures. Risk assessment should be carried out by personnel who have undergone appropriate training to recognize the risk factors that contribute to the development of pressure
ulcers and know how to initiate and maintain correct and suitable preventative
measures.

            The timing of risk assessment should be based on each individual case. However, it should take place within six hours of the start of admission to the episode of care. If considered not at risk on initial assessment, reassessment should occur if there is a change in an individual’s condition which increases risk.

All formal assessments of risk should be documented or recorded and made accessible to all members of the inter-disciplinary team.

There are several instruments for assessing patients who are at high risk for developing a pressure ulcer. Patients with little risk for pressure ulcer development are spared the unnecessary and sometimes costly preventive treatments and the related risk of complications.

 

 

 

Islamic Banking Thesis Statements

 

Free Thesis Statements

Islamic Banking

 

1.        Islamic banking has experienced global growth rates of 10-15 percent per annum, and has been moving into an increasing number of conventional financial systems at such a rapid pace that Islamic financial institutions are present today in over 51 countries. Despite this consistent growth, many supervisory authorities and finance practitioners remain unfamiliar with the process by which Islamic banks are introduced into a conventional system.

2.       The Islamic financial market has the potential to continually grow.  Basically, it is estimated that within eight to ten years as much as half the savings of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims will be in Islamic banks. This could represent $905 billion in total assets in Middle Eastern countries alone.

3.       Numerous potential customers didn’t understand the nature of Islamic Banking and how it differs from conventional banking. But the strong and increase desire of Muslims to more closely link their investment and lending decisions with their religious views is the key distinction in a market segment that might otherwise suffer from large disadvantages in price, performance, service, and innovation.

Dissertation Methodology Sample Chapter 3 : Marriott Loyalty Programme

Chapter 3 --- Methodology

Secondary research

In this dissertation, in order to obtain broad knowledge about customer loyalty programmes in the hotel industry, a wide range of secondary sources will be reviewed.

Birley and Moreland (1998, p.14) define secondary research as:

 

“Secondary sources of research consist of material written some time after the event, involving commentaries on situations and events”.

 

Also Stewart and Kamins (1993) suggest that:

 

      “Secondary research can provide a starting point that allows the research for any

       unanswered questions”.

 

There are data that have already been collected for another purpose and subsequently requires a detailed analysis of whether the information would be suitable. Thus, distinguishing between credible and unreliable literature through analysing the literature can be regarded as ‘suitable’ in evaluating readings for their appropriateness and validity. In this research project, secondary research will enable the research to integrate valid and reliable data, so that all the gathered data can answer the research questions relating to the effectiveness of loyalty programmes.

Secondary research provides a wide range of information, and conceptual and theoretical framework to support the study (Saunders et al., 2003). In this research, secondary sources will be consulted through academic journals, textbooks, and the Internet.

Academic journals are published on a regular basis and they are a vital literature source for any piece of research (Saunders et al, 2003). Journals such as “Journal of Consumer Marketing” and “Journal of Marketing research” illustrate some research studies that have been conducted concerning the effectiveness of loyalty programmes, and the relevant issues related to loyalty programmes. Therefore, all the relevant information will be gathered from these sources and will be analysed to answer the questions relating to the effectiveness of loyalty programmes in the hotel sector. However, a disadvantage of the journal articles was that they had often been collated to research aims that differ from that of the current project, therefore, data has to be carefully evaluated and sometimes disregarded due to its generalisation qualities. This sifting through and clarifying data was to ensure the research was based upon dependable knowledge that was carefully reasoned and constructed. Evaluating the secondary information proved challenging at times as complex arguments had to be understood and interpreted.

 

 

Books are written in a more ordered and accessible manner and therefore will help to clarify the research questions and objectives (ibid). “Understanding Customers” by Rice, “Brand Loyalty: Measurement and Management” by Jacoby and Chestnut, and “Once a customer, always a customer” by Daffy, are books that provide an in-depth knowledge about loyalty programmes in relation to consumer behaviour. Loyalty programmes are discussed as a part of many marketing textbooks. Although textbooks are not up to date as journals and the Internet, they are mainly used in both to identify how loyalty programmes affect in the hotel sector and to give comment and criticism of different loyalty programmes put forward by different authors, and to analyse the practices of the different loyalty programmes within different hotels.

 

On the other hand, the Internet can provide a lot of updated information. It is very helpful to collect information on hotels without an actual visit. Many academic journals can be found quickly through the online databases, such as the Emerald, which provides a lot of useful information about the nature, the value and objectives of loyalty programmes and how loyalty programmes could affect the performance of a particular hotel. However the reliability of the information has to be considered carefully. The mass of information resulted in false leads causing time waste and frustration. It was therefore necessary to be continuously mindful of the validity and reliability of the information found on the Internet. A set of credited academic databases, such as electronic journals from the Ingenta, the Emerald and official hotel websites, these websites were used as they held credible, current and relevant information required for this research.

 

Additionally, all secondary sources for this study were gathered from the library of Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies, and the Birmingham Central Library. Many secondary resources may not match the specific research question properly. For example, most textbooks and journals contain only information about customer loyalty in the retail business or in restaurants, but few of them focus specifically on the hospitality industry. Hence, primary research needs to be conducted to gather more recent information.

 

 

Primary Research

According to Bailey (1995, p.40):

 

“Primary resources are first hand accounts not based on other written works, nor interpreted by others researchers”.

 

Primary data are invaluable as it is not only the most current data available but are also specific and concise. Ghosh and Chopra (2003, p.280) define primary data as:

 

“…originally collected by the concerned investigator or enumerators from the source of their origin in the process of investigation”.

 

Primary research is a method of finding out the most up-to-date information on a particular topic that is directly relevant for the study. In primary research, data is collected specifically for the study at hand, so in this study, primary data can be obtained either from the interviews and questionnaires. Although it is often difficult to interpret on its own, reference sources and secondary analysis will give the author a framework for interpreting primary sources. 

 

(1) Qualitative  method

Qualitative research can add a totally new dimension to an issue or a question under study. Strauus (1990) defines qualitative research as being:

 

       “Any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by means of statistical

         procedures or other means of quantification. It can refer to research not only

         peoples’ lives, stories, behaviour, but also about organisational functioning,

         social movements or interactional relationships”.

 

Therefore, qualitative research will be employed in this dissertation in order to assess managers’ opinion about how they think loyalty programmes’ effects which might base on either their experiences or company reports of their hotels. The qualitative research to be used in this study is the interview. The aim of interviews is to gain considerable in depth information on the hotel managers’ opinions about the effects of loyalty programmes. 

 

 

Interview

Using interview can help the author to gather valid and reliable data relevant to the research questions. Bell (1998) defines an interview as a very versatile way of collecting information, where the interviewer can probe for responses and examine issues such as motives and feelings based around a topic. The more standardized the interview is however, the easier it is to interpret the data.

 

In this study, the face-to-face semi-structured interview will be adopted. A face-to-face semi-structured interview means that the researcher will have a list of themes and questions to be covered during the interview (Saunder, et al., 2003).  A semi-structured interview was chosen to gather the primary information, because it could provide a framework for the researcher, and it allowed the researcher questions some interesting area as the interview move on. Moreover, it could provide the researcher with an opportunity to ask interviewees to explain, and build on their responses to questions.

 

In a semi-structured interview, the researcher will consider using open ended questions and closed questions. Kvale (1996) states that open ended questions allow respondents to give their own answers, usually starting with ‘what’, ‘how’, and ‘why’.

The advantage of the open ended interview is that it can express the interviewee’s ideas freely. Closed ended questions ask an interviewee for specific information or to confirm a fact or opinion, and generally require a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. The advantage of the closed ended interview is that this kind of question is easy to answer, and requires minimal writing.

 

The disadvantage of a face-to-face semi-structure interview is that it is time consuming. If too many questions are used, the interview time can not be controlled, so questions of this type will be kept to a minimum.

 

In this study, a face-to-face semi-structure interview will be conducted with hotel managers from Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre and Novotel Birmingham City Centre. As those managers of these two 3-star hotels have more successful experience regarding loyalty programmes. In order to avoid disturb managers too much, and save the interview time, the interview will be limited to open ended questions.

 

Sampling

This part will be added after interview questions are designed.

 

Procedure

This part will be added after make an appointment with hotel managers.

 

(2) Quantitative method

Quantitative research incorporates numerical data, which will then be displayed in the form of charts, graphs or tables. A quantitative variable refers to an item of information a researcher is interested in evaluating or monitoring which can be described through one or more words and which assumes different numerical values (Clark et al., 1998). The advantage of quantitative method is that it provides information about consumer behaviour, market trends and so on. Quantitative approaches offer quickly processed and analysed data. As the quantitative method, in this study, a questionnaire will be used to identify effects of loyalty programmes in the hotel industry from the customer’s perspective.

 

Questionnaire

The author will use a questionnaire as a tool to measure the effects of loyalty programmes on the hotel industry form the customer’s perspective, as they are inexpensive and can be targeted at specific customers. Also, Thietart (1999) claims that this is the most efficient way of collecting primary data without pressuring customers. Customers voluntarily fill in the questionnaire as it preserves the anonymity of the data source. The author decided that questionnaires would be the most suitable means of gathering the information needed rather than interviews as interviews can sometimes be very time consuming and the analysis of the data collected from them can be difficult. In addition, there is an argument that it is hard to collect precise data to answer the research question and this may be due to a lack of sufficient data or errors in the questions being asked (Saunder et al. 2003). Hence, a questionnaire should have carefully designed individual questions, a clear layout and clear explanations so that the data will be useful in the research.

 

Construction of questionnaire

The questionnaire construction for this research will under three sub-categories: question wording, response choices and question sequence.

 

The wording of the questions can have pronounced effects on the results, even a small difference in wording may produce substantial response effects (Denscombe, 1998).

The author will use a simple structure with familiar words and avoid any complicated jargon. Also, the questionnaire will never resort to using double negatives. The questions will be as concise as possible to convey the intended meaning and respondents will be able to answer them with relatively minimal effort.

 

The author will adopt both open-ended and closed-ended questions. For the close-ended items, the respondent should select one (or more if applicable) answer from given alternatives. For the open-ended items, the respondents should phrase their own replies rather than try to fit their answers into the provided choices. Therefore, the former are referred to as “fixed responses” and the latter as “free responses”.

 

Furthermore, the questions will be put in a logical order and in a manner non-threatening to the respondents (Jonhs & Lee-Ross, 1998). Usually, similar questions are grouped together. Questions begin with those of a more general topic moving on to more specific ones. The author will tend to ask the most sensitive information in the last section. Within this section items should be organized topically and from the least to the most sensitive, in order to avoid people give up the questionnaire as the sensitive questions at the beginning.

 

Pilot study and results

This part will be added after the questionnaire has been piloted.

 

Sampling and distribution of the questionnaire

This part will be added after the questionnaire has been piloted and final designed.

 

 

Crime Correlations Criminal Justice Theoretical

Crime correlations - Criminal Justice Theoretical

 

Introduction

A number of counties in Oregon have realized the need for preventing crimes, particularly among youth violators. In order to achieve this objective, the Oregon Legislative had then gathered for an assembly so as to develop means of preventing juvenile crimes. The assembly had then decided to create a legislation containing guidelines developed by the Juvenile Crime Prevention Advisory Committee (JCPAC), which will enable communities to deliver programs for juvenile crime prevention. In support of this legislation and the preventive plans, funds had been allocated for every county in Oregon (IVDB and NPC, 2003). The main objective of the JCP is to reduce juvenile arrests, reduce juvenile recidivism (new offenses by juvenile offenders), and reduce the need for beds in facilities operated by the Oregon Youth Authority. this paper attempts to analyse the Crime reduction programmed and provide some reviews about how this correlate of crime relating problem and crime reduction programs. Evaluation of the strategies used will also be conducted and the assessment of the effectiveness of this program to prevent or reduce crimes.

 

Crime Reduction Programmed

Crime rates at present are without a doubt increasing rapidly worldwide. Unfortunately, there are several reports and instances that juveniles are most likely to be involved. Hence, programs on how to prevent or reduce these crime incidents will not only create safer communities but also help in producing good and responsible youths. The evaluation of these programs, particularly the JCP initiative, will be helpful in determining the efficacy of such and in what ways can it still be enhanced.

According to IVDB and NPC (2003) it has been estimated that about 7.5% of the Oregon youth within the age range of 10 and 17 were brought to juvenile police departments for a criminal offense in 1998. In addition, identified juveniles have been reported to commit repeat crimes within 12 months only after committing their first offense. Worst, a considerable percentage of chronic youth offenders have committed about three or more crimes within 12 months during the same year. However, these chronic youth offenders had committed 75.5% of all new crimes (IVDB and NPC, 2003). This observation then implies that even the slight reduction in the number of chronic youth offenders could contribute substantially to the safety of the communities.

             (1998, p. 17 in IVDB and NPC, 2003, p. 5) had noted that “the development of a chronic offender is typically the result of committing various criminal offences even at a young age”. As they are capable of committing violent acts, they are more than capable of doing heinous crimes in the future. Repeat offenders have certain similar characteristics. For instance, they have committed their first offence at age fifteen or younger; have a history of poor school performance and attendance; have significant problems at home; have records of drug and/or alcohol abuse; have a history or predelinquent behaviour; and commonly surrounded by delinquent peers (IVDB and NPC, 2003).

Due to this problem and the increasing number of crimes committed by juveniles, the Oregon County was then motivated to conduct policy research related to juvenile crime prevention. As at-risk youth are the target for this program, the plans for prevention are directed towards this population. For this program, teams were developed in every Oregon County. Members of these teams are made up of various representatives from local commissions, department of juvenile justice as well as people from health, education drug prevention sectors. Community members are also part of these planning teams. These teams are to submit their ideal plans for particular programs related to crime prevention.

 

Apply the program evaluation methodology to intervention strategies

The Oregon legislature discussed in the introduction had allocated funds to evaluate the Juvenile Crime Prevention Initiative, aside from the fund provided for the program development and implementation. For this purpose, “the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission had chosen the University of Oregon Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior (IVDB) in coordination with NPC Research, Inc., as a subcontractor to conduct the evaluation process” (IVDB and NPC, 2003, p. 4).

Primarily, this assessment was conducted for the purpose of determining whether the JCP program has been able to obtain its main objective, and that is the reduction of juvenile crimes.  This evaluation procedure examined the degree to which JCP programs benefited the targeted youth population and provide interventions that were successful in reducing risk of future crimes and violations.

Aside from the fact that the assessment is part of the legislature, program evaluation was also conducted for the purpose of verifying the reported positive outcomes of the JCP initiative. These reports were derived from the benchmarks of Oregon, which includes the reduction of juvenile arrests, recidivism and maintenance of county caps on discretionary Oregon Youth Authority correctional bed allocations (IVDB and NPC, 2003). As these significant outcomes are considered as long term and can be influenced by a number of other factors, which can be outside the counties’ control, progress in every county and state in relation to the implementation of JCP has to be evaluated through intermediate outcome measures.

 

Evaluate the appropriateness of strategies used to address criminal justice

The approach of the Oregon County in youth crime reduction is consistent with the public health approach supported by the report on Youth Violence in 2001 of the recent Surgeon General. This report suggests that “risk factors are powerful tools for identifying and locating populations and individuals with a high potential for becoming violent, and they provide valuable targets for programs aimed at preventing or reducing violence” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001, p. 61 in IVDB and NPC, 2003, p. 5). Primarily, the decision to pursue the preventive program is to prevent the initiation and maintenance of crime committed in the county by the youth.  Specifically, this main objective is envisioned to be fulfilled through the identification of the target groups in need of the intervention. This is particularly significant in the development of effective program plans that will directly benefit the targeted population. The identification of these youth can be done through the use of evaluation tools and indicators. After which, various preventive plans which can lessen causative factors of juvenile crime should be implemented. For this purpose, various practices or strategies may be used as part of the program plans.

The decision-making body of this program effort is initiated by the county administrators and legislators who have conducted various assemblies to discuss the identified problem as well as the ways on how each county can resolve it. The decision on how to design and implement the developed preventive plans is placed on the responsibility of the designated teams on every county. The planning process is conducted through daily meetings and conferences. The plans were made in conjunction to the status of the problem within the county as well as the resources available in the community. Through this individualized approach, every county will be able to come up with program plans that are appropriate and can be implemented to their respective communities. The planning process will then be followed by the implementation of the developed plans. As program outcomes need to be assessed for future enhancements or improvement, the evaluation team will then be in charge of this area. The evaluation effort involves the coordinated skills and ideas of both the professionals from established research groups as well as the people from community agencies. By having this joint effort, the evaluation work is distributed making the task easier and the output more efficient

Assignment Essay Instructions on Skill Audit,Time Management Log and Personal Development Plan

Well I need you to complete for the following assignment as per details mentioned below, please make sure that the write up with you provide me it should be appear in your web site and plus it should be a fresh work. Just I will provide you with some information about my self which might help you to do this write up

Am an HR Manager
Holding BA in Human Resources and currently working in my master degree

Here are the assignment requirements

Part one  Skill audit

Using 360 degree feedback (involving peers, subordinates colleagues etc…) or a variation of this process, identify your current strengths and weaknesses in relation to your problem solving capabilities, decision making practice, communication and time management skills. Further, map these current strengths and weakness in relation to your current management/work role and your likely future organizational role.

You must refer to the essential module reading, and other material, where relevant. Assessment is based on your academic research and analysis and references must be given in full.

Part two- time management log.

A two week time management log must be explained and submitted in the completed PDP.

Part three- personal Development plan (PDP)

Prepare a personal development plan that specifies

· Development objectives (these must be SMART)
· The on and off the job activities you will employ to achieve your objectives.
· The resources and support you will need in the execution of this plan
· The problems you are likely to encounter and how you will overcome the.

Your skills audit and personal development plan should be no more than 2500 words ( the 360 degree feedback, time management log and other skills audit tools should be explained and include in the overall PDP and placed in the appendices and are excluded from the work count)

Assessment Criteria,

Students will be assessed against the following criteria

Synthesis, analysis and evaluation of information
Reflection and identification of strengths and weaknesses
Analysis and identification of development needs and opportunities
Isolate priority areas for development and develop actions to address these.
Apply specific skills relating to personal effectiveness.

How does Imports and Exports Improve the Economy or Hurt the Economy

Introduction

Today, import and export centric industries are the most exciting markets for foreign trade. International trade is the exchange of goods and services between two or more countries. When goods (services) are brought in, it is called an import. When goods are carried out, it is called an export. International trade is essential in all countries, because the scare resources in a particular country are distributed unevenly between different countries and thus some countries are better producing some products than other is. Likewise, exporting is one of the key elements of international trade, which is the purchase, sale, or exchange of goods and services across national borders. One country’s exports become another country’s imports.

The small and medium enterprises in exporting

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) must carefully assess the advantages and disadvantages of exporting before committing their ventures in the export business. While some SMEs enter the export business unintentionally after receiving a request to purchase from a foreign buyer, others make a deliberate move and conduct thorough research before entering a new market. Whether it is unintentional or deliberate move, SME need to evaluate and carefully assess the advantages and challenges of exporting before committing resources. SMEs must realize that entering an export business requires careful planning, some capital, market expertise, a quality product, competitive pricing, management commitment, and realizing the challenges and opportunities of foreign markets (2001). While there are no concrete rules that can help companies make decision to export or not and to become successful in exporting,  understanding the advantages and challenges of exporting can help a smooth entry into new markets, keep pace with competition and eventually realize profit. Businesses enter the export market for a variety of reasons and it depends on the needs of the enterprise. However, internationally, their key goal is to promote growth. Exporting can help businesses to utilize their capacity more efficiently, expand their growth, and gain economies of scale and even out seasonal fluctuations in demand for their products. Exporting also lets them exploit technology & expertise. Exporting enables businesses to exploit unique advantages in technology and other areas such as pricing, packaging, delivery and after-sales service ( 2003). It also enhances competitiveness through interaction with international clients; partners, and investors, businesses develop knowledge of different cultural environments, insights into customer requirements, exposure to new technologies & ideas and competitors.

The risks of exporting

A particular element of risk is involved in all business activity and this needs to be recognized and managed to avoid or at least lessen future mishaps. Potential export risks involve greater complexity within the said business. Complex documentation and administration, the protection of intellectual property and geographical remoteness from markets and customers will be faced eventually by the enterprise in venturing internationally. Exporters will need to address more cultural, political, and legal issues ( 2002).  Exporting may influence a business’s domestic activities and it may reveal capacity and productivity constraints and highlight the need for specific skills, so there will be a pressure on resources. Their financial exposure may be at risk too. Businesses must recognize that exporting will initially involve expenditure, which may affect cash flow and render them vulnerable to financial crisis.

The In and Outs of Importing

A country has demand for an import when domestic quantity demanded exceeds domestic quantity supplied, or when the price of the good (or service) on the world market is less than the price on the domestic market. There are two basic types of imports: 1. Industrial and consumer goods, 2. Intermediate goods and services. Companies import goods and services to supply to the domestic market at a cheaper price and better quality than competing goods manufactured in the domestic market (2005). Companies import products that are not available in the local market. There are three broad types of importers: the one looking for any product around the world to import and sell; someone looking for foreign sourcing to get their products at the cheapest price and one who uses foreign sourcing as part of their global supply chain.  Importing helps SMEs in broadening their entrepreneurial horizons. 

Conclusion

Starting an import business can be extremely profitable, especially during periods of global monetary fluctuations we are having now.  Long-term success and profitability, however, will generally go to those entrepreneurs smart enough to understand that they need to learn how to take advantage business opportunities in times like these and start thinking about how to utilize their resources. Finding information on foreign markets is unquestionably more difficult and time-consuming than finding information and analyzing domestic markets.

 

 

 

CRITICAL THINKING

CRITICAL THINKING

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

 

            The ability to think is highly critical in a complex and diverse world that people live in today. Modernization calls for continuous progress and each person is forced to adapt by constantly challenging existing principles and methods of doing things in order to ensure growth.  and (1994) claim that the contemporary society requires a skill called critical thinking which is a higher level of intellectual process that makes use of diverse information, skills and attitudes in interpreting situations and confronting problems in the real world.   This paper is an attempt to define and discuss the nature of critical thinking as an intellectual process. The first part gives a definition of the concept along with the skills and attitudes that are necessary for critical thinking to be effective. Skills in this paper pertain to the various cognitive abilities that a person utilizes in critical thinking while attitudes are the necessary mind-set and preparations that a person should possess in undergoing the process. The first part seeks to provide a body of knowledge on how critical thinking occurs on the basis of an individual’s innate abilities and personal efforts. The second part aspires to focus on one of the many uses of critical thinking by briefly presenting the applicability of the process for administrative professionals as they go about their daily leadership responsibilities in organizations. The final part contains the conclusion which is a summary of the entire presentation along with some of the writer’s own interpretations.

DEFINITION OF, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES IN CRITICAL THINKING

 

            Critical thinking can be defined as an organized intellectual process that an individual undergoes in using all the information that is available to him or her from the environment to analyze situations, solve problems, develop logical conclusions, evaluate probabilities, and formulate decisions. It is not a simple process of thinking but entails an ability to make use of personal skills, perspectives and values to establish a frame of reference that would result to more effective actions or point of views (, 2003, ).  and  (2004) state that critical thinking has two important elements namely a set of skills for accumulating and assessing information and perspectives, and the habit and commitment of a person in using his or her various skills to assist action and behavior. Critical thinking is therefore not an effortless process of obtaining and retaining information from observation, communication with others and experience but it also connotes a specific manner by which an individual effectively seeks and store information.  It is also a habitual process of utilizing inherent skills in a person as well as the willingness to appreciate the outcomes of continuous use of skills.

            According to  (1997) critical thinking is the end result of a structured combination and arrangement of a person’s numerous cognitive skills and his or her solid compliance to a set of attitudes and beliefs that govern the manner by which he or she uses information to formulate logical and purposeful decisions. Generally, there are six kinds of skills that are most commonly utilized in critical thinking which include retention, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation skills. Firstly, a critical thinker has to possess retentive skills which may encompass the abilities to recall specific information derived from observation, interaction with other people and previous learning; to seek, gather and store specific concepts, facts, definitions, doctrines and classifications; and to determine the details that would respond to the questions of who, where, what and when. Secondly, a critical thinker has to have effective comprehension skills. Critical thinking requires an individual to be able to absorb the essence of informative materials available for him or her; to assimilate basic principles, terms, theories, and processes; to respond to the questions of how and why using the concepts and theories learned; and to elaborate, interpret or transform learned materials into personal and new perspectives. Thirdly, critical thinking involves the skill to apply information into various situations. A critical thinking person would possess application skills so that he or she would be able to utilize learned information in comprehending and addressing real-life circumstances; to use theories, procedures and principles to alter attitudes, actions and mental processes; to perform experimentations using learned material, conduct additional research and describe results in an objective and interpretative manner; and to make use of principles, terms and theories learned to identify solutions to difficulties. The third skill in critical thinking entails the ability of a person to capitalize on his or her previously learned materials in order to come up with new ideas or determine the need for further study to generate new concepts that would be more beneficial for the person in his or her real-life needs and situations (as cited in the , 2007). Fourthly, critical thinking necessitates analytic skills or the ability to determine and reflect on the relationships among ideas, definitions and concepts; to divide intricate theories, procedures and principles into smaller parts; to systematically inquire into the relationships present between and among the aspects of complex phenomena and theories; and to differentiate distinctive characteristics of each component of an issue and determine the relationship among the components. (, 2006, ). Fifthly, synthesis skill is also a vital component in critical thinking. This skill enables a critical thinker to arrange separate parts together to devise original and innovative wholes; to yield creative and informed opinions, solutions, inferences, and perspectives; and to associate previously learned information with each other in order to formulate new ideas. A critical thinker’s ability to synthesize all learned materials enables him or her to incorporate bits of information so as to come up with powerful perspectives that are complete and original (, 1997 as cited in the , 2007).  Finally, critical thinking requires evaluative skills. Evaluation in critical thinking involves the ability of an individual to examine the credibility of information and other descriptions; gauge the logical and rational strength of every statement, concept or idea in order to differentiate fact from fiction, relevant from irrelevant details, and rational from irrational ideas; and to formulate worthwhile judgments and affirm or refuse information based on its implications to certain situations (, 2006, ).

            Moreover, critical thinking requires some forms of attitudes to govern the individual in the entire process. First, a critical thinker must be able to understand and accept that critical thinking is a tedious and complex process which requires willingness and readiness to start, commitment to continue no matter how hard it is and determination to complete the process. Second, all the hard work spent in the critical thinking process must be founded on structured planning so that intellectual and physical efforts would not be put to waste. Third, errors and misconceptions are inherent in the process and a critical thinker knows that mistakes provide a basis for effective feedback that can guide him or her to come up with better results in the end. However, a critical thinker must not merely tolerate errors; rather he or she must determine their causes so as to prevent committing the same mistake in the future. Fourth, a critical thinker encounters diverse perspectives and opinions in the process and he or she is required to investigate and understand all sides of a particular issue before formulating conclusions. A critical thinker must also be committed to spending substantial effort to learn points of views that are contradictory to his own. Fifth, a critical thinker must adopt an attitude of “healthy skepticism” through which he or she can derive the will to investigate further and correct biased, irrational and subjective information. Sixth, ideas set forth by any theory or belief must be meticulously evaluated and comprehended before they are acknowledged or eliminated. Seventh, a critical thinker must be open to modifying his/her personal ideas or interpretations when logical and experimented evidence say so. Eight, critical thinkers are aware that there is no phenomenon that is too complex or doctrinal that cannot be understood by looking deeper into its essence to derive the relationships and meanings of various parts. Next, several theories and perspectives abound to explain action and behaviors. A critical thinker must be able to take into consideration his/her own cultural, personal and social values before using any to govern his/her behaviors and actions. Furthermore, critical thinking involves the study and interpretation of various methods of doing things. A critical thinker must be committed to carefully investigating the purposes and applicability of the methods in every life situation. Finally, in critical thinking, the individual must possess an attitude of loving continuous learning since it is a process that combines academic, professional and personal experiences in trying to acquire information about the world, interpreting this information, finding empirical evidence that would support or invalidate learned information, forming conclusions, and making use of informed interpretations to guide day to day actions and behavior (cited in the , 2007).

 

CRITICAL THINKING AS A TOOL FOR ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGERS

 

 

            Critical thinking is especially crucial in organizations wherein diverse individuals interact on a day to day basis and every organizational effort impacts a wide range of people such as employees, partners, investors, clients and even the outside community. It is said that critical thinking is a helpful tool for administrators and supervisors in the effective performance of their leadership responsibilities. Administrators and supervisors are the people that guide the entire organization in its activities. They are also the authorities who constantly come across issues, situations and complaints on the various aspects of the organization. Thus, administrators must be able to foster commitment to critical thinking in order for them to encourage people to analyze situations, interpret their effect on performance, and talk about difficulties and issues. From these details, administrators can effectively understand the real situation, weigh inputs from several people, and render appropriate solutions so as not to jeopardize corporate efforts towards the fulfillment of organizational objectives ( and , 2000, ). Administrators and supervisors who are committed to critical thinking according to  (2001) establish and nurture an organizational culture of openness wherein all employees and officers have the freedom to provide a critical appraisal of every organizational decision, process, policy, and activity. Critical thinking guides supervisors and administrators in their everyday practice with organizational situations and diverse employees by enabling them to accurately understand distinct perspectives of staff; pay attention to how employees make use of reasoning and not just how they deliver performance or output; evaluate issues and matters that are vital to the continuous existence of the organization; and identify gaps between personal beliefs, existing business practices and research-proven best practices in the industry.  (2004) elaborates that critical thinking as an administrative strategy can be a significant goal for the organization to live by in all its present and future endeavors. It is something that supervisors should consistently practice and display to the employees to encourage them to be concerned to what the organization is facing. Critical thinking is also a prerequisite of continuous learning since it enables both administrators and personnel in an organization to continuously identify valuable information in their daily performance, incorporate these information into their lives, make them as basis for continuous improvement of performance and decision making ability, and eventually make the organization a living and progressing entity.

 

CONCLUSION

 

            Critical thinking is one of the most vital processes of everyday life. It is a systematic endeavor wherein an individual makes use of his innate cognitive skills of retention, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation while adopting desirable attitudes so as to come up with well-informed and objective interpretations and solutions to real-life circumstances. A critical thinker has the willingness and enthusiasm to find as much information as possible and store it in a way that would enable him or her to retrieve it when necessary, understand and play around with the accumulated information in order to come up with his own distinct interpretations, thoroughly comprehend the real essence of theories and concepts through deeper investigation and evaluation of each element comprising a particular concept, rearrange learned information to formulate new ideas, and develop conclusions that are applicable to real-life purposes. Critical thinking is useful in various professional practices especially in administrative tasks. Critical thinking enables administrators to pay attention to every single issue confronting the organization, help the staff to understand the real situation, encourage analysis of the impacts of situations to the organization, assess inputs and suggestions, and eventually devise the best possible solution to address the prevailing organizational issue.

 

REFERENCES