Creative thinking of business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Creative thinking of business - Essay Example 1). While noting that the social environment can influence the frequency and level of creative behaviour, Amabile points out that creativity involves the production of novel, practical, and helpful ideas in any domain (Amabile 1996, p. 1). She further notes that the idea or product may not be different from their counterparts for merely the sake of being different. Instead, it should be relevant to the goal so desired, of value, correct, or meaningfully expressive. In respect to innovation, Amabile notes that it relates to the successful implementation of creative ideas within a business (Amabile 1996, p. 1). An analysis of Amabile’s definition of innovation reveals that the innovation begins by the creativity of a group or individual. Worth noting at this point is the fact that the success of an innovation not only depends on the creative ideas that apply to it but also on other factors and influences external to the organization. The don is also quick to note that creativity goes beyond intelligence and can be applied in any domain (science or art). Creative ideas and innovations can be good or bad (Amabile 1996, p. 1) or may be applied toward negative ends in as much as they may be good. Many business experts appreciate the notion of entrepreneurship being the application of creative destruction. What this basically means is that the entrepreneur pursues an idea and pursues it to make a profit overcoming obstacles to the creative process and therefore destroying existing equilibrium in the market or industry in which they operate. For entrepreneurs, creativity and innovation go together (Ekvall 1987, p. 56). The entrepreneur may apply creativity (and innovation) in developing new product/services, obtaining production resource, delivering products, identifying new markets for business services or products, and coming up with new ways of

Repealing the Jones Act Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Repealing the Jones Act - Research Paper Example This historical act can be found in Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. The act professed that goods & passengers transported by water between US ports must be done in US made ships, owned by US populace & crewed by US citizens. The Jones Act also provided sailors with supplementary rights, including the facility to look for reparation from the crew, captain, or ship owner in the case of an injury. The Jones Act generally deals with ‘cabotage’ (i.e. coastal shipping) & requires that all goods transported by water amid US ports be carried in US flag ships, constructed in the united states, owned by US populace , crewed by US people & US permanent inhabitants. This unique act was framed with the purpose of sustaining the US merchant marine industry, but agricultural welfare by and large opposed it for the reason that, they contended it raised the expenditure of shipping their commodities, making them less competitive against foreign sources. The great Gulf oil spill raised serious questions on the implications of this draconian act. The oil which had been squandering & demolishing aqua habitat could not be stopped for the sole reason of the legal bindings of this law. The US alone never possessed the arsenal of cleaning up this catastrophic mess. Yet, it remained reluctant when foreign nations repeatedly suggested utilizing their ships to meet this disaster. Thus, 2 010 witnessed this cruel drama while the endangered ecological equilibrium slowly drifted into the abyss of oblivion. This implied that foreign owned, built, & manned vessels could not assist in the oil spill cleanup mess unless of course President Barrack Hussein Obama waived or altered the Jones act. During the Katrina storms, the former president Bush decided to waive the laws of Jones act as a requirement of national emergency. But Obama opted to remain frigid & witness the blunders rather than becoming pro active & deciding according to the needs of the hour.

Costa Coffee Essay Example for Free

Costa Coffee Essay The remote environment comprises factors that originate beyond and usually irrespective and out of Costa Coffees control. Economic factors Since Costa Coffee is a multinational business, top-level managers must consider the economic situations on both the National (Egypt) and International levels. Currencies exchange rate (Forex) affects Costa Coffees final products prices as well as operation costs. Costa Coffee imports high quality coffee beans from rainforest farms where it pays for in local currency, and sells as coffee in another country with its local country. Hence, when the Egyptian Pound depreciates, the cost of beans relatively increases; therefore, causing a fall in profit margin and vice versa. If depreciation is too much, then Costa might increase its selling prices. Moreover, interest rate is vital for a business considering expansion as Costa Coffee. As interest rates increase, Costa Coffee’s ability and willingness to expand or open new branches decreases; due to the high cost of capital. Furthermore, the stock market plays a significant role in encouraging investors to invest in Costa Coffee due to the increasing profits and the good reputation. Finally, high economic growth rate of a country leads people to increase their consumption of Costa Coffees products; since they have more income. Social Factors Egyptians’ culture and lifestyle has dramatically changed in the last 10 years. People are more willing to go to cafes for lunch, dinner or simply a snack. Considering the Egyptian demographics of lifestyle and age groups, most of the Egyptian population falls in the youth age group. Hence, Costa Coffee plays music and offers an atmosphere that is convenient for all ages with special attention to youth. Costa Coffee respects the religion of each nation in which it operates. To clarify, Costa Coffee neither sells alcoholic drinks nor pork-containing food. In addition, Costa Coffees menu is written in both English and Arabic languages. English is the most widely spoken language, and Egypt is known as a touristic attraction. Plus, Egyptians like to come across a menu written in their own language for simplicity and showing cultural respect. Also, many people nowadays are concerned with their health; Costa Coffee is providing low-calorie food, a variety of fresh salads, sandwiches, and fresh fruit juice. Political Factors Governmental rules and regulations could affect the firms suppliers and the price of the raw materials. Imposed taxes or tariffs on the imported coffee beans add to raw materials cost. Rules regarding social insurance add to labor costs. Political instability and strikes do affect labor and consumers of Costa Coffee. Technological Factors Advanced machines affect the firms performance and efficiency through producing tasty coffee as quick as possible. High quality and speed of service affects customer satisfaction and loyalty. Costa Coffee uses highly advanced brewers and coffee makers for the best coffee cup. Besides, the use of the Internet to facilitate transactions between Costa and its suppliers lowers transaction costs and decreases lead time. As a result, stakeholders are more satisfied with increased profits and lower costs. Ecological Factors Costa Coffee uses recyclable paper bags and paper cups. And, it tries to reduce its energy consumption as steps towards a greener environment. It also ensures adherence to responsible farming practices, so that natural habitats are protected thereby reducing deforestation and carbon emissions. Furthermore, Costa is working to deliver green (LEED) certification for new stores beginning later this year and is working closely with its suppliers to develop more environmentally friendly packaging. Industry Environment Operating Environment A firm’s operating environment is related to environmental factors that directly affect the firm and its success in obtaining necessary resources. Yet, they are still factors beyond its area of control. 1. Competitors Costa coffee in Egypt faces high direct competition where around almost every corner in the cities, a coffee shop exists. Therefore, product differentiation is a must, and persistent high-quality is the way to keeping customers. Whichever Costa Coffee shop you enter, you are greeted the same, indulge in the same taste and pay what you see in the menu. Menu prices are tax inclusive which is different than most of other coffee shops. Competitors include, but are not limited to, Starbucks Coffee, Cilantro and Beano’s cafe. Creditors Costa’s past payment records and working capital position are the main attributes affecting creditors decisions. Considering the Egyptian markets, banks are not rare to find. Costa might be dealing with several banks, and may be granted loans from several areas. Hence, creditors have little leverage; since interest rates are controlled by central bank of Egypt as well. Customers Costa coffee is a service firm. Therefore, its utmost goal is customer satisfaction and loyalty to yield profits. Constantly monitoring Egypt’s demographics is essential in keeping a convenient atmosphere. For instance, Costa must always recognise what the youth are listening to these days to be able to play the optimum collection of songs in its branches while abiding by the brand’s image. Accessibility of location and parking spaces are of the main issues regarded by people when deciding on their hang-outs. And, the customer buyer behaviour of whether they prefer more salads and sandwiches rather than desserts; affects how much of each should be available at Costa’s branches. Labor Costa’s reputation and image is kept through its workers. Costa has to respect labor rights especially now that people are more aware of the rights than ever before. Also, Costa has to be selective in its waiters and baristas to keep the brand’s image and reputation. As a result of Costa’s reputation, highly-qualified workers apply for jobs at Costa Coffee. Suppliers Supplier relationships are as important as customer relationships. A good supplier relationships decreases yield time and enhances firm’s productivity. In Costa’s case, supplier power is not high as Costa has multiple suppliers, with low switching costs. However, supplier relationships are well-attended to at Costa Coffee; as part of its social responsibility towards coffee-growing countries.

Understanding culturally responsive teaching and multicultural educ

Understanding culturally responsive teaching and multicultural educ Multicultural education is all about students learning in different modes and about teachers responding effectively to recognize and detect the differences in learning. Culturally responsive teaching always focuses on perceived strengths of students and liaising between mismatch between cultures followed at home and the school. Culturally responsive teaching is a systematic approach to modern day teaching by taking into consideration many aspects of culture and its values. In a classical study, a professor at the University of Wisconsin, Gloria Ladson-Billings demonstrated the examples of a culturally relevant teaching module. The main goal of this study was to find out why some teachers were successful with teaching African American children what other teachers could not. The researcher also wanted to pinpoint those specific behaviors that made these teachers successful in teaching. For this study, she chose all parents and principals from four schools that exclusively taught African American children, to pick those teachers, who they considered excellent in terms of teaching. As one could guess, the choices made by principals and parents were entirely different. Principals They chose teachers, who possessed very low numbers of discipline referrals, who had very high attendance rates and top test scores. Parents Parents chose teachers who were helping, enthusiastic, interested in teaching students and those who actually understood that students want to mix with a community that had both white and colored students. The result In all, nine teachers, both white and black, were selected for the experiment. Out of them, eight agreed to participate in the study. The researcher conducted this study for several years; after many years of dedicated research, the researcher could observe many conflicting scenarios. Teachers who participated in the program were all different, each with their own teaching styles, strategies and personalities. The results that were pooled from the exercise were too confusing and the researcher just wanted to abandon the program because of these conflicting results. However, the researcher could suddenly find some remarkable, striking and subtle features that were associated with the experimental module. 1) All the eight teachers, who participated in the exercise voluntarily chose challenging schools, those were complex and difficult to teach. 2) All of them felt that they were responsible for the success of their students 3) Teachers were very sensitive and receptive towards race and class discrimination in society. 4) In fact, they wanted to fight bias and prejudice that were so common in schools 5) Lastly, teachers considered both students home and classroom as inter-related and connected. This perception helped them to learn from different neighborhoods. The methods used by the teacher were very interesting and refreshing. All of them respected other cultures, classes and religions. They also honored the crafts, customs and traditions followed in the community. Teachers also invited parents to share traditional experiences and customs of each community. Teachers cajoled students to learn and master both home and Standard English (home English is the one that students speak in their homes). One of the most striking and interesting aspect of the exercise was that even teachers were willing to learn from students and parents experiences and opinions. Eventually, the researcher, Gloria Ladson-Billings, could summarize the research findings and arrive at a package of principles for meaningful and community teaching. These culturally responsive principles are as follows: 1. Stronger self-esteem and self-image is possible, only when the students experience academic success and satisfaction. Students who do not believe in themselves or in their abilities may have very poor academic achievements. Students always like lessons that are in consonance with their learning styles. Students also like to learn the basic knowledge and skills those are necessary for achieving success in their classrooms. 2. To succeed in classrooms and elsewhere, students must develop and retain core competence. A home is where one can find opportunity for learning. Not many teachers teach about educational experiences that students could gain in a community setting. Many teachers teach just the classroom skills and techniques. The researcher made it a point to include community as a foundation for meaningful teaching. She believed that teaching should look beyond the traditional classroom. She wanted to avoid a perceived conflict or friction between the classroom and home. Teachers can create and set up and meaningful and positive academic environment by teaching beyond traditional classrooms and by integrating learning with the concepts, customs and traditions of local community. 3. It is possible to encounter and challenge social injustice by developing highly critical consciousness and awareness. An intelligent and culturally inclined teacher needs to connect and gel with the needs and of the students as well as the local community. He or he may also need to work hard to enhance and improve the quality of life experienced in the school and community. Stop and Think Just, ask this following simple questions to yourself Can you recall an incidence in your school when you felt a disconnection? Did you see an apparent difference between the life portrayed in the textbooks and the real world where you actually lived? Do you feel that the method used in the case study were effective? If effective, why do you think so? Can you relate students skills and experiences with the skills and experiences of the community from where they come from? Do you feel that culturally responsive principles work in your class? How do you enhance or develop your students core competencies? Schools are just like a sanitized bubble that is entirely insulated from the problems that are faced in the real world. As a culturally enabled teacher, you should try to break open this bubble, so that students can experience the problems of the exterior world. Culturally relevant classroom will try to confront and eliminate real social problems. You should know and learn what it means to be an effective and culturally responsive teacher, so that you can enhance and broaden your feeling of what it needs to become a successful teacher. Collate and accumulate the following viewpoints that help you to be a good teacher. To be a good teacher, you may need to consider Ladson- Billings three points and later imbibe certain skills, attitudes and knowledge. 1. The type of teaching methods and skills that you need to acquire to become a culturally responsive teacher. 2. An ability to diagnose and detect different needs of students and action plans for different learning styles. 3. Developing and harnessing critical thinking and cognitive skills to help students excel in their studies. 4. Acquire a skill known as wait time, where you will remain silent and listen to the answers given by all students. Note: Previous studies have demonstrated that teachers with the noblest intentions often fail to use effective teaching skills. Chapter 11 of this book, Becoming an Effective Teacher, will provide you additional equitable teaching skills that can help you fine-tune your teaching career. Developing Attitudes to become a culturally responsive teacher Attitudes are very important for every teacher. What type of attitudes do you want acquire, so that you can become a culturally responsive teacher? Do you have any meaningful methods that help you teach students, whose cultural background is entirely different from yours? Most of your students may come from similar race, ethnicity and classes. Most of us may share a common set of values and opinions, while the way in which we socialized in the past may also be quite similar. As you get ready to teach, you may work hard to go away from your familiar territory and search for different viewpoints. The more different you become, the more likely you will be capable to welcome diverse life experiences and attitudes that are meaningful and agreeable. To become a culturally responsive teacher of very high caliber, you may need to acquire skills and knowledge about various groups and their experiences. The amount of skills and knowledge sets that you possess may be insufficient enough to teach your students. The skills and methods that you use may be inaccurate as well. To become a successful teacher, you may need to educate about yourself, your students and their requirements. Try to know and understand the educational implications of your students cultural backgrounds. This chapter will assist you traverse this unique path. Just consider this example. A number of African American community members often prefer aural and participatory learning to writing. If you are adamant and bent on using writing activities only, then your students performance may come down. Research findings also suggest us that girls and women have the habit of personalizing knowledge, skills and prefer learning by the way of experiences and first hand observation. Make sure that you create personal connections and events that will definitely enhance the success rates of female students. The big challenge that all teachers face is the ability to acquire beneficial and accurate cultural insights that eventually assist them to connect their classroom with the underlying culture. This needs to be done while preventing the likelihood of falling into the trap of stereotypic thinking. Do you know that difference between a useful cultural insight and a destructive stereotype? If you do not know, the next section will assist you learn the essential difference between them. Knowing Stereotypes The second chapter demonstrated the essential differences between different stereotypes and generalizations. Here, we will attempt to evaluate and analyze them very closely. What are stereotypes? Stereotypes are the firm and absolute beliefs that all members of a particular group possess; stereotypes will have a fixed set of parameters and characteristics. The word stereotype took its birth in a print shop. It is almost like a type. It is also like a one-piece plate that repeats a particular pattern without any individualism. Today, stereotypic thinking relates to cultures that neglect individuality and is applied consistently to every member of a group. Stereotypic thinking is rigid and non-flexible. It is set on a particular form of thinking that is unfair and unjust. Stereotypic people always try to save their time bypassing their normal thinking process. Stereotypes are a set of special characteristics those are attached to a group of individuals, based on their allegiance to a certain group with no qualification of thinking process. People who are stereotypes always use highly simplistic words that border on a sense of rigidity. For example, they may use words like à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. All Blacks are or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..All Hispanics are or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ All Asians are. In fact, these preconceived expressions are applied to certain groups without making any distinction; most of them are pre-conceived ideas and expressions. In fact, stereotypes are the way of thinking in a sloppy and unfair manner that undermines the basic values of a culturally different school. Consider the following examples: A typical stereotypic line of thinking may be: 1) All Hispanics are very poor in studies 2) All Asians are academically very smart and intelligent 3) Jews are very rich 4) African Americans are very good in sports Note: Stereotypes are impermeable to contradictory information. Examples: 1) Go and find a very poor Jew 2) Find me a Hispanic person with a doctorate degree 3) Give me an example of an Asian student who fails in math test 4) Find an African American, who is not an athletic. 5) Find a European American, who is not clean and hygienic Each of these strings of thought process is a perceived anomaly and every one of them is an exception to the set rule. As a result, the stereotypes always endure and persist. A typical stereotype is very dangerous and it can hurt and damage peoples egos. Stereotypic thinking in a school can even more be dangerous, as it can impede learning process. It also inhibits the ability to search for new information, not just ordinary and contradictory ones. Threat posed by Stereotypes Just consider the following example of stereotype and try to assess its damaging nature. Opinion polls published in the recent past inform us that about 50% of white Americans agree and endorse typical stereotypes relating to blacks and Hispanics, like most of them are not intelligent and skilled. Such stereotypic thinking acts like a double-edged sword; they can influence whites, blacks and Hispanics in equal measures. They can adversely influence the expectations, behaviors of whites, while blacks and Hispanics should live in a society that professes such beliefs. Consider the following case study published sometime back: In a study, the researchers asked both the whites and African American students to take somewhat difficult verbal examinations. Two groups took the verbal skill test a control group and an experimental group. In the control group, students took tests in a typically normal manner to measure the intelligence. On the other hand, the experimental groups consisted of students and they did not know that they were taking tests. Here, the psychology of their verbal problems was put to test. The researcher made sure that the two groups were matched to keep variable parameters like abilities of the students, time to test and the quality of tests almost similar. Results In the experimental groups, black test participants were successful in solving twice as many unique problems, as the ones those among the control group. On the other hand, the white test participants could solve almost the same number in both the groups. In another similar experiment, researchers found out that performance level of black test takers was very bad, when the examiners asked them to enter their race and ethnicity type on the test form. The outcome that you see here in this study is very simple. The outcome relates to the stereotypic threat. A number of factors like can influence academic performance: Self image Trust on others A Sense of belonging towards others When you learn that there is stereotype, you are more likely to act like a stereotype than when it does not exist. When you care most about your academic performance, you are more likely to be vulnerable to stereotypic threat. Many research studies demonstrate that why African American and other ethnic students tend to perform very well in college tests than their SAT scores predict. In many cases, the standardized test scores cannot be taken as an indicator and they are more often misleading. Likewise, many other people often fail as victims of stereotype threats especially Latinos in English tests, females in math tests and elderly people on short-term memory tests. Sometimes, even a bright student with very strong test scores may fall a victim to stereotype mentality. In fact, even a bright white student is not immune to stereotype; white students failed to perform to their expected levels, when they heard about their comparison with the Asian students. In fact, no one is immune from stereotype threat. Stereotype can limit a students ability to perform well in academics. Stereotype can convince a student that intellect is a fixed trait, that some ethnic groups are more intelligent than others are, and that his or her future is determined at the birth itself. Mind you, your intellect is just like your brain and it can change and transform over time. Your potential is truly amazing. If you believe that you can teach your brain to become smarter and intelligent, to grow like what you can do to your muscles through exercises, you can easily eradicate stereotypic thinking from your mind. Similarly, you can even enhance your test score, as well as the academic excellence. As a teacher, you are also dealing with ethics, values and characters of your students. When stereotypes exist among your students, they can damage your students and their learning potential beyond repair. When you give proper instruction, your students can overcome any type of stereotype. A good anti-stereotype course curriculum is the one that represents unique diversity across all races, ethnicity, genders, religions and socio-economic status. If you have the ability, you can even confront stereotype directly, head on with full conviction. You may just need to explain what stereotype is and how students can neutralize it. Never ever, ignore the perils of stereotype and its ability to damage your students mind and academic career. Dealing with generalization Generalizations recognize that there are special trends within a wide swath of people. Al members of religious, racial and ethnic groups have something that is common to them. They also share many things together. Generalization has many special characteristics: 1) They can give you some insights 2) They do not signify hard and fast conclusions like stereotypes 3) They do not consider that everyone in a group possess a fixed set of characters. You can never apply this axiom to everyone. You can modify it, as and when you collect fresh and new information. There will be many exceptions to generalizations. It is so common to see people using most common words like many, commonly, often or tend to, as different forms of generalizations. They also recognize that people may belong to different groups almost simultaneously. Example You can find Israeli Jews, Asian Jews, Arab Jews and even Polish Jews. Yet, they are all Jews altogether. Similarly, you can find African Indians, Caribbean Indians, Fiji Indians or even East African Indians. Yet, they are all Indians altogether. You can get a hunch or clue about a group through generalizations. These clues could form very important links, when you are planning to teach your class. When you do not know anything about your students or when you know very little about them, generalizations could be very useful tools to feel the pulse of the classroom. Generalizations provide you an educated guess to learn more about your students. As time passes and when you learn more about your class, you can then reject those generalizations that are vague and false. Using generalizations to create a culturally responsive teaching module Is it possible to develop a culturally responsive classroom by using generalizations in the teaching modules? Assume that you have a number of Native American students in your classroom. Now, let is also assume that you conduct some research on the learning preferences of these students. After conducting that research, you will discover that these students prefer to learn their lessons in a highly cooperative group that cherishes community and family values to individual competition. With available results, you will decide to modify your teaching methods that actually cater to the demands of students. Rather than using the same old model of teacher centric approach, you may start working on several academic topics at the same time. You will design a teaching module that specifically asks open-ended questions that demand answers related to student experiences of life. You may also wish to wait for some time for your students to answer your questions. Usually, Native Americans tend to wait for some time to give their answers. Native American students also tend to respect natural and supernatural forces very much. They also like to see native Indian expressions, words and syllables apart from legends and signs in their course curriculum. When you give them a chance to learn, by the way of sharing rather than competition, your students can learn well and perform better. Generalizations are always flexible. With experiences of teaching a diverse group of students, you can easily acquire better skills and techniques that help you in confronting any type of stereotypes. With valued experiences, you can also become the most productive teacher, who can be culturally responsive and sensitive as well. Let us kick start that process right now in the next section. Journal Activity Why generalizations and stereotypic thinking is dangerous for the society? List some important reasons and find solutions to overcome them. Is it possible to create culturally responsible teaching module by overcoming stereotypes and generalizations? Think of some teaching modules that you feel are good for you and study them in detail. Pause and Reflect Have you come across instances of stereotypes and generalizations, when you were studying in your school? If yes, write them down and analyze them. Do you feel that your present attitude towards a culturally diverse classroom is conducive enough to teach without any inhibitions or limitations? Give reasons why you are capable enough to teach a diverse classroom.

Business And Society :: essays research papers

LEADERSHIP American business is in dire straits and the blame is being heaped on its leadership or, more aptly, the lack thereof. There are probably no fewer business leaders today than there were 50 years ago. There is not a shortage of good people, but maybe a lack of the right kind of people. People with the skills necessary to drive companies forward in a thoroughly different and rapidly changing world. I feel a leader should have several essential attributes:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trust. Leaders must be trustworthy, and they must trust their people, also.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vision. The nuts and bolts of running a business. Leaders must know where they want the company to be in the future. Also, get the whole company to share that vision. Leaders have to set the direction and get the company headed that way.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Commitment. There will always be disloyalty among employees, but leaders need to seen as caring and nurturing.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Integrity. A leader can’t lack integrity and still have people follow. Leaders must have values. They must have dedication to do what is right. The values of an organization are manifested on what a leader does.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creative Ability. Leaders must be positive. Always looking for possibilities, not perfection. This means that they must be open to different ways of doing things.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Communication. A good leader is in constant communication with his or her people. He or she makes the rounds and knows what’s going on. Telling his people everything he can about what he knows and doesn’t know.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Risk Taking. It is essential to be open to possibilities, and to question assumptions. Always allow people to be innovative without the fear of failure. AIDS AIDS is one of the most pervasive and difficult workplace issues. The community, not only for their life-style, rejects people with AIDS but also because the disease is incurable. AIDS is an acronym for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a disease caused by a virus that attacks the body’s ability to fight off infection. It now comes to be called HIV, human immunodeficiency virus. If a person is tested positive with the antibodies they are designated HIV+. It is presumable they have been exposed or have acquired the AIDS virus. The increase presence of AIDS in the workplace has crystallized a number of concerns for both employers and employees. However, Title I of the American with Disabilities Act covers those infected. The Act prohibits discriminating against individual with AIDS. States have different employment laws that apply to those infected.

Chapters 1- 6 of To Kill A Mockingbird :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

The first five chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird introduce the setting, atmosphere, theme, and many different characters, who have unique characteristics. The theme of prejudice is also developed in this introductory section. The Finch family and some of their neighbours are introduced as well, along with important elements such as the Radley house.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Radley house is an important element of mystery in the beginning chapters. As Scout was describing the setting, she described the mysterious house by saying, â€Å"The Radley Place was inhabited by an unknown entity the mere description of whom was enough to make us behave for days on end,† (Lee 6). Dill, who was from Meridian, Mississippi, was fascinated with the Radley house, and would stare at it for long periods of time. The house had darkened to the colour of the slate-gray yard around it. Johnson grass and rabbit-tobacco grew in abundance on the front yard. Inside of the house, people said there lived a â€Å"malevolent phantom† named Boo Radley (Lee 8). He supposedly went out at night and peeped into other people’s windows. Scout also mentions, â€Å"When people’s azaleas froze in a cold snap, it was because he had breathed on them.† (Lee 9) Tall pecan trees shook their fruit into the schoolyard, from the Radley chicke nyard. However, the nuts would lay untouched by the children, as it was said that Radley pecans would kill anyone who ate them (Lee 9).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Different types of prejudice are evident in this chapter. For instance, Scout refers to Walter as a â€Å"Cunningham†, and this automatically places him in the poor class (Lee 20). Miss Caroline displays prejudice towards Scout because she can read. Scout is singled out after she reads to the class, and Miss Caroline accuses her of her father teaching her how to read (Lee 17). It seems as though more serious types and instances of prejudice will develop as the story progresses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Atticus Finch is a respectable man and an example of his nature can be seen when Walter Cunningham is invited over to eat dinner. Atticus treated him with the same respect he would treat anyone else, even though Walter is poor (Lee 24). Another notable characteristic of Atticus is shown when he says to Scout, â€Å"We couldn’t operate a single day without Cal, have you ever thought of that? You think about how much Cal does for you, and you mind her, you hear?

Crisis Management Communication Plan Essay

A crisis is defined as a time of intense difficulty, trouble or danger. This situation can come in the form of an important decision must be made in one’s health. Everyone deals with a crisis in a differently. In order to manage a crisis appropriately the proper communication must be used. Health care professionals need to learn how to effectively communicate in any type of crisis. Dynamics of communication used during a crisis can make a difference in how someone will react and respond to a high stress situation. Stress Reduction There are many ways to reduce stress during a crisis. Implementing a way to reduce stress can influence the outcome of the situation, or the people involved. Having a proactive approach to managing stress means there needs to be a solid, responsible leader. There also must be a plan, team support and goals to uphold. During a crisis it is important to take charge of the situation, recognize what is happening, and communicate effectively. This means monitoring our verbal and nonverbal communication. When we are conscious of our communication it can help decrease the stress during a crisis. The verbal communication should be congruent with our nonverbal communication (Managing Stress During a Crisis, 2014). Nurses should also remember not to overload clients with too much information. Short sentences that are direct and to the point are the best way to communicate during a crisis situation. Resolution of Communication Issues In times of crisis many communication challenges can arise. Resolving the challenges takes training, open communication and good listening skills. There is a need to work collaboratively and clarify the communication between all parties involved. Potential challenges can come from  miscommunication and becoming defensive. It is possible that the person making the statement may have meant one thing and the person they are talking to understands it as something else. This can further complicate the crisis and create more challenge. Active listening skills, clarifying information and being aware of nonverbal communication are specific ways to avoid miscommunication. If the health care professional is not approachable, has poor verbal and nonverbal communication skills and appears defensive when spoken to, the communication challenges will continue or even become worse (Arnold & Boggs, 2011). It is essential to understand what it will take to resolve communication challenges or spot po tential challenges. Health Care Setting Health care professionals find themselves in the line of crisis quite frequently. Sometimes it is something that we can predict. Other times the crisis happens upon us suddenly and without warning. In departments such as the Emergency Department (ED), crisis can generally be expected and the ED staff can safely believe that there will be a crisis during their shift. The outcome of the crisis can depend on how it is approached and dealt with. A patient’s rapid deterioration of their state of health or arrest in front of the family is a common crisis situation that occurs where I work. This puts the staff as well as the patient and patient’s family in crisis mode. I feel that my job as the patient’s nurse is to make sure that the situation flows as efficiently as possible. Crisis communication needs to be initiated immediately. My verbal and nonverbal communication can affect the situation. I also need to pick up on the verbal and nonverbal cues of the family. It is also important to collaborate with the team, listen to both staff and families and communicate in a professional manor. Active listening is a prominent quality of a leader, along with how they lead the team. A positive approach is always best while maintaining clear and concise communication. There are times when it is necessary to use assertive communication. This is true when dealing with a difficult person, staff or family member. The nurse needs to be a leader, professional and assertive in order to work with these types of individuals in crisis situations. When approaching a patient, family member or staff, it is important to remember that how the crisis is handled can make the situation better or worse. Knowing how to  manage crisis can be one of the most beneficial aspects. This knowledge comes through furthering your education, experience on the floor, planning and the art of active listening. Conclusion Every nurse should expect to be put in a crisis situation sometime in their career. It is in the nature of the situations that we handle in our profession. How these crisis situations are managed can determine a good or bad outcome for the patient and the patient’s family. Dealing with any crisis can be challenging but achievement is possible. The nurse should be an active listener, solid leader, and continually work on his or her communication skills. These qualities lead all those involved down the path to successful management of the situation and the best outcome or resolution of the crisis. References Arnold, E., & Boggs, K. (2011). Interpersonal relationships: Professional communication skills for nurses (6th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Managing Stress During a Crisis. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.osha.gov/crisis