An Analysis of the Final Scenes of Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Essay

Throughout â€Å"Death of a Salesman,† it was very clear to me that the play was an excellent representation of the idea of â€Å"The American Dream,† amongst other broader themes. This notion, as I understand it, relates to the belief that there are countless opportunities for everyone to reach out and grasp, no matter who they are or where they come from. The main characters of the play; Willy Loman, Linda Loman, Biff Loman, Happy Loman and their next door neighbour Charley, all seem to have very different ideas about this belief. In my opinion, this allows the reader (or audience) to relate to whichever character shares their views, making the play very appealing. The play offers a wider insight into a social system in which the Loman family finds themselves. Willy and Linda have had to work incredibly hard to keep themselves afloat over the years, and are justly proud of their achievement of paying off their 25 year mortgage. However, a stark contrast is highlighted between Willy and Howard, his boss. Willy has worked at the company for his whole career, and even names Howard when he is born for his father. However, when Howard has grown up he inherits all of his father’s wealth and the company. Also, when Willy turns up to ask for a weekly wage of around $70 per week, Howard says that it was ‘only $100’ for his new tape recorder. Willy laughs along with him, saying that he should get himself one. In terms of the plays portrayal of family relationships, I believe that it offers an excellent incite, showing the effects that an affair can have on a family, and the both emotional and financial pressures that are placed on families. Biff’s relationship with his father is very volatile, but deep down it is very clear that they both truly love each other. Happy, however, expresses no love or emotion other than shame towards or about his father. This is both highlighted and summed up by the scene in the restaurant when Happy is talking to Miss Forsythe, and says ‘, that’s not my father, that’s just some guy. ‘ Linda is utterly devoted to her husband but can also see, in part, his self-destruction. However, she almost seems to deny that it is happening by not confronting Willy or doing anything about it herself, especially in relation to the length of rubber pipe behind the fuse box in the garage. The point at which these problems, relationships and pressures are most clear to both the characters and the audience is when the boys return from their abandoned evening with their father to find their mother in a rage. We see a lot of harsh truths realised, the first between Biff and Happy. In the restaurant, Biff had come to the conclusion that Happy did not really care about Willy’s wellbeing at all, only his own. We see this when Biff exclaims ‘, I sense it, you don’t give a good goddam about him. ‘ When they return to the house, Biff says (â€Å"with a flare of disgust†) ‘Go away from me! ‘ In this scene, possibly the biggest revelation is that of Biff and Willy’s true feelings towards each other. When Willy is planting seeds in the garden and talking to his brother, almost in another reality, he is horrified by the thought of Biff thinking of him or talking of him as a coward, should he commit suicide. When Biff tries to take him inside to talk to Linda and tell her that he is leaving, Willy seems to think that he is talking about telling her about his affair years earlier, which Biff discovered. However, after some considerable arguments, in which Biff is accused of having nothing but spite for his father, Willy realises that Biff actually just does not want to fail him, having been so pressured to succeed in his earlier life. He also sees that all Biff ever wanted from him was pride and love, saying ‘Loves me. Always loved me. Isn’t that a remarkable thing? ‘

Policy Topic Search and Selection Essay

Policies are everywhere, and have to be followed by all for success. If they are not followed, consequences can occur, which are mostly negative. Policies are also set to ensure the organization’s rules are being followed. Health policy is a statement of a decision regarding goals in health care, and the plan for achieving these goals. Health policy is also known as a field of study and practice where priorities and values dealing with health resource allocation are determined (â€Å"Health Policy,† 2014). In this paper, Women’s Health Policy in regard to the Affordable Care Act will be discussed. The paper will also provide a quick summary of women’s health and the stakeholders affected. Let us begin with the definition of women’s health. Women’s Health Care Women’s health care is hard to define because it is so complex. Women’s health not only deals with adult women, it also deals with young girls and teenagers. If put into words, women’s health care would be defined as the physical and emotional care a woman needs to ensure she has the best quality of life possible. Women’s health care is a new arena in health care that must be clearly stated in the future to improve the health of a population (South Carolina Department of Health, 2013). This is important because women are the child bearers, and the advancement in women’s health care prevents and reduces the burden of illness or disability that affects women at each stage of life, and ultimately improves women health in the United States across the lifespan. Women’s Health Care with the Affordable Care Act Women’s, who includes young and teenage girls are the stakeholders affected by this policy. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) included several measures that are changing the profile of women’s coverage as the law is implemented. In regards to women, the implementation of the ACA will allow 2. 4 million women be insured. For women, the ACA includes caps on out-of pocket spending for certain low-income individuals and coverage for many preventive services without cost-sharing. There are a lot of improvements to the coverage for women because of the ACA implementation. The biggest improvement is that insurance plans were mandated to cover essential benefits like outpatient and hospitalization care, maternity care, and prescription drugs. Along with the essential benefits, the plans have to cover preventive services and vaccines for women; without any co-payments or other cost sharing. Those services are pap smears, mammograms, bone density tests, and HPV vaccine. As of August 2012, plans also have to cover contraceptives as prescribed by a provider, breastfeeding supplies and supports such as breast pumps, screening for domestic violence, well woman visits, and several counseling and screening services (â€Å"Women’s Health Insurance Coverage,† 2013). Even though the changes because of the ACA are extensive, they are needed to ensure women’s health care is at an optimal level because they are the catalyst by which our next generation is born. If this is done correctly and plans follow, the ACA will shape access to coverage and care for millions of women across the nation for years to come.

E commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E commerce - Essay Example The business being conducted on the Internet which is now called ‘Electronic Commerce’ has a remarkable history. The continuous research and development has enables corporate organizations to reconstruct their business strategies. The integration of electronic commerce applications lays the foundation in the organization’s digital business process. This report will display the micromanagement and implementation of the current e commerce technologies in to current businesses. The purpose is to analyze the methodologies and processes required for integrating electronic commerce applications. The organization which is preferred in this report is Tesco PLC. The focus will be on the CRM of Tesco that is envy of many (BrandingAsia.com). Description of company The origin of Tesco was started in 1919 when Jack Cohen started selling groceries from the stall in London. Since then Tesco has claimed itself as one of the leading food and grocery retailers in the world and has over 2000 store worldwide. It was rewarded to adopt award winning online strategy (Award-winning online strategy for Tesco. 2009). ... ding grid which is a global B2B E-Commerce and integration service to enables the real-time flow of information linking businesses in spite of technical capability, standards preferences, spoken language or geographic location (, GXS - Products - Trading Grid Overview ). The elements consist of diversification of stores in new areas with new services and products. In 2000, Tesco was representing only 8% of the global gross domestic product (GDP). As 65% operations of Tesco selling space are dispersed across the globe representing 53% of GDP. In 1997 the international business generated 1.8% profits. In 2010 the profit grew to 22% which is a remarkable achievement. The organizations recorded revenues till February 2010 were $ 5,494.1 million. The stores are dispersed in Europe, Asia and the Unites States. The geographically dispersed locations of Tesco stores are shown in Fig 1.1. Tesco currently has 472,000 employees. For achieving customer loyalty, Tesco is focusing on maintaining a business model by value added retailing. In spite the recession, Tesco was able to meet customer satisfaction by launching schemes for instance double points, Club cards, Discount brands, Market Value and finest collection ready meals. By implementing the value added retailing, the sales figures were immaculate also changing customer behaviour. In a low growth market this strategy was a successful one for Tesco (DATAMONITOR: Tesco PLC. 2010). FIG 1.1(Wikipedia contributors) Tesco as an international retailer included a variety of non food merchandise in an effective way and represent itself with a variety of products, not just a grocery store. Category types of stores include Tesco Extra, Tesco Superstores, Tesco Metro, Tesco Express, One Stop and Tesco Home plus. The organization

Discussion Question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion Question - Assignment Example I recommend an equity based rewards program. An equity based reads program is not the same as an equal rewards program. In an equity based rewards program the rewards outcomes are not equal for all employees. Instead the rewards are apparently fair in terms of the contributions made by the employees, or groups of employees, such as teams. Thus, in the rewards program recommended by me the pay is not equal for employees, the raise in pay is not equal across all employees, the perks received are not the same, and promotions are not based on any time scale that makes the opportunities for promotion the same for all employees. In my recommended rewards program, all these elements of a rewards program are dispensed on the basis of contribution to the performance of the company. In other words, the employees or group of employees that contributes more gets more. In the development of my rewards program I have drawn support from the equity theory in the distribution of rewards to employees. Employees do not feel that they are being discriminated against in the distribution of rewards, when it is clear to them that the employees or groups of employees who have received more are the same employees who have made larger contributions to the performance of the organization (Phillips & Gully, 2011). Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program. (2008). Making Teamwork Rewarding. Retrieved from, Good Company, 2(4), Web Site: http://www.phwa.org/resources/goodcompany/newsletter/article/48 (Accessed April 26,

Conclusion of Online Contracts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Conclusion of Online Contracts - Research Paper Example According to Deeksha Bhana and others, â€Å"an offer is an invitation by one party to create obligations with another party, which obligations will become legally binding upon the acceptance by the other party† . An offer must respect several legal requirements in order to be valid:  According to Deeksha Bhana and others, â€Å"an offer is an invitation by one party to create obligations with another party, which obligations will become legally binding upon the acceptance by the other party† . An offer must respect several legal requirements in order to be valid:  1. the offer must be made with animus contrahendi2. the offer must be complete, certain or at least ascertainable3. the offer must be communicated   to the offeree. In the online community, however, things are not so simple. Very often, these requirements are confusing or not observed by the participants, which further leads to serious legal issues. The author will analyze these legal requirements and e xplain them and the possibility of avoiding confusion at this moment.  This chapter will also analyze the concept of unilateral contract and the possibility of revocation of an offer.   1.2. Invitation to treat invitation to treat represents â€Å"an expression of willingness to negotiate. A person making an invitation to treat does not intend to be bound as soon as it is accepted by the person to whom the statement is addressed.†   Therefore, the main difference between an invitation to treat and an offer consists in their binding power. The paper will describe all the differences between these two concepts and analyze some possible situations that might occur due to the ambiguity of these two notions.  The main question that the author intends to answer in this part of the paper is: Is it an offer or an invitation to treat? In the answer to this question, the author will address to the concept of online advertisement and other important notions. This chapter will also analyze the concept of unilateral contracts and the possibility of revocation of an offer.  

Sustainable architecture design award- handmade school Assignment

Sustainable architecture design award- handmade school - Assignment Example Pollution to the environment is alsmost zero rated in this construction considering the way that the materails were being used to construct the school. There are various features that have been positively realised by the work of Anna heringer in the construction of the handmade school that are both good for the locals and also for the planet (Archdaily, 1). 1. Involving the whole community was a positive step: the school was constructed jointly by the architects and the locals thus making them have a feeling of taking a positive contribution towards sustainable development for their future 2. The school is a product of a program called METI which focuses on child education and development of the rural areas. This indicates that there is concern for the community in the building. Above meeting the ecological standards, the structure is oriented to the plight of the locals. 3. The school has used material that was supposed to be old fashioned and only destined for the poor to come up with a modern structure. This is a representative mode of doing things that would be able to make the community as a whole rethink of how they relate. 4. Use of the local materials was a factor that raised the economy, created jobs for the locals and was a method that would facilitate the local craftsmen to be able to improve their housing conditions. 1. These are things that were realized in the process of construction. This is evident in the use of an endogenous potential in a very sustainable manner. This has also been reflected in the use of the local materials. The materials used to construct the buildings have low energy dissipation thus being right for a green future (McCaulay & McLennan, 3). 2. Sustainability has also been ensured by making sure that there is no destruction of materials that require a lot of energy. This has

Duke Ellington Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Duke Ellington - Essay Example â€Å"gotta hurry home†.  These records did not  hit  as they expected, and it was until 1926 when Irving mills became their  manager  that they had their massive hit.  They  later  recorded â€Å"black and tan fantasy† a song that associated with Ellington throughout his career. Later he  was  put  at the  top  by his  acceptance  to be a  house  band for cotton club. This made him well known in America and contributed to financial security that his  band  needed. It left cotton club in 1931 to  tour  the world; they managed to change with time. In 1930s swing music  hit, New York and Ellington managed to change from  hot  jazz of 1920s to this genre. The  record  Ã¢â‚¬Å"doesn't mean a thing if it  ain't  got that swing† created that  era. In 1940s, the  band  strength  increased even more, and  new  soloist joined them (Pinkney & Pinkney). They recorded various records including â€Å"per didoà ¢â‚¬ , and â€Å"jump for joy†. In 1943, Ellington gave his first  hall  concert debuting â€Å"black, brown and  beige†. In late 1940s, his music continued to be of high quality, and his  band’s turnover increased. Many influential bands broke up during this time due to the rise of bebop. In spite of, Ellington’s  band  never broke up. In 1950s, he had his worst moment of his career, but it was not a problem with his art. The band struggled for a while, but in 1955, they realized "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" which brought him back to  fame. Duke brought various innovations to the music industry back then; making it acceptable for a black person to succeed in music. He was among the earliest jazz singers to make a  record  that took more than three minutes. His songs were more untraditional and had  different  modulations from what people  were used  to back then. The melodies of... The biggest contribution of Duke was his effect on the black community; he was able to show the world that blacks too had talent. His discipline was also notable; this is has been explained his ability to keep the band together until his death. His contribution, however, went beyond music; he contributed a lot to his culture as a black person. He fought for racial equality and even became part of civil rights movements. Duke contributed an immense deal in making blacks feel worthy, and he was quoted saying that his race was his inspiration. He was able to influence many musicians including Thelonious Monk whose piano style was influenced by Ellington. Monk is a modern jazz musician, as well as a pianist. His unique arranging concepts influenced a number of modern day composers. Even if, Duke's main forte was jazz, he also composed for ballets, films, operas and church services. He was kind hearted and would regularly display his musicians; enabling them to make a strong impact on the ir own jazz styles. Ellington received various Grammy awards all the way through his career and many other awards. He continued to perform until his demise after suffering from cancer. His band continued with his legacy headed by his son Mercer. Ellington's legacy was to remain the greatest jazz musician of all time, and he has done that considering his name is, as vital, as it was then. His influence to musicians has remained strong and relevant. Until today musicians revisit his work for inspiration and as a bedrock to their own careers.

Contemporary and Critical Issues in Education Essay

Contemporary and Critical Issues in Education - Essay Example One of the main challenges faced by the current educational system is to build an existing strength in order to create an excellent educational experience along with the successful outcomes for learners of all ages. With this concern, leadership is required throughout the modern education system. It is worth mentioning that leadership for learning is considered as a process through which educational system can initiate changes in its cultural environment in order to increase the learning ability perceived by the learners. Leadership for learning is conducted with an aim to offer a wide range of opportunities to the learners which in turn assists them in order to gain highly beneficial experiences. In addition, leadership for learning enhances the career opportunities as well as develop confidence amid the learners’ by enhancing their talents and abilities (Education Scotland, 2007). Leadership for learning is provided with the assistance of staffs possessing variety of skills and core competencies. For instance, it can be conducted with the help of pre-school staffs in order to establish interests for learning amid the children connecting them with imaginative and purposeful play in their learning process. Similarly, it can be executed with the guidance of teachers who build the confidence of learners in order to attain the skills to become leaders in their personal learning process.

Coffee and Key Potential Group Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Key Potential Group Essay Starbucks – Going global fast: Case study Identify the controllable and uncontrollable elements that Starbucks has encountered in entering global markets. Uncontrollable elements The uncontrollable elements that Starbucks has encountered in its entry to global markets are: volatility of market, decline consumption of younger generation, and rising dairy costs. Volatility of market Starbucks is heavily reliant on the supply and on the prices of coffee. Although Starbucks has supply agreements with suppliers in advance, the company could still face problems due to fluctuating coffee prices. Other factors, such as weather and economic conditions in coffee producing countries, also affect Starbucks operations. Decline consumption of young adults. The 20-30 year-old age group of coffee consumption is decreasing now, and this group prefers other drinks, such as soft drinks. These young adults will be the key potential group for Starbucks future market. The declining consumption of this group will bring further problems to the companys future development (The market for hot drinks, 2004). Rising dairy costs. According to Starbucks record, dairy costs rose about 40% year on year and this might affect the companys cost of goods. Milk and other dairy products account for around 3% and 5% of companys sale. Now Starbucks might carry out its first systematic price rise on beverages in the next four years. Since the prices of Starbucks products are more expensive than other similar products, further price rising might affect the companys operations so the company might lose some customers. The controllable elements that Starbucks has encountered in its entry to global markets are: strong competition and labor issues.

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner Essay Example for Free

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner Essay A Rose for Emily is a short story by American author William Faulkner. It tells about an old woman named Emily Grierson lives in the town of Jefferson. The tale sets in the early nineteen hundreds, it opens with the town finding out about Emily’s death. Through the whole story, people learn of the life and times of Emily, her relationship with the town, her father and her lover. People find out the truth that Emily was hiding at the end of the story. There are many different symbolisms in the story Among all of the symbolisms , the monument, the frame, the grey hair, the house and a rose are the most important and thoughtful ones throughout the entire story. The monument appears in the beginning of the story as the first symbolism. â€Å"When Miss Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral: the men through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen monument†(A Rose For Emily). Faulkner calls Emily a fallen monument, it also could understand as an idol in a niche. It shows that how the town views her and to connect her to the idea of the old, genteel Southern ways. The modern townspeople dont know what to do with her, and she is so closed off to them, but they respect her enough to just leave her alone. Like Faulkner states, she was like a statue only representing a real, living person and thus she passed from generation to generation dear, inescapable, impervious, tranquil, and perverse. In her old age she is seen as a monument to the past that is never seen outside of her house. All of the respect that her father had earned died with the old men and women of the town. Frames also seem to be symbolic in A Rose for Emily. One of the examples is the scene where the narrator is describing Miss Emilys father as standing in the foreground and framed by the doorway as he held would be suitors at bay. Meanwhile Miss Emily is framed in the background. Emily’s father. Mr. Grierson is a controlling, looming presence even in death, and the community clearly sees his lasting influence over Emily. Also he references framing with reference to her crayon picture of her father in the gold frame. The whole story is framed in the idea of traditions dying out as time passes. monument who left a part of her behind in the grey hair. The single grey hair on the pillow is another symbolism. The old hair on the pillow signifies that Emily is a history in the town now, lying with corpses as all that she has had to be proud of is also dead. Her desperate attempt to maintain a hold upon the past has failed and she is a fallen angel’. The house that Emily lives in is a symbolism that shows the decay as Emily begin getting older and older. The house at one time was one of the most beautiful homes in the whole town of Jefferson. In Emilys youth the house was always well kept. As Emily aged so did the house she lived in. The street she lives in from the symbolic of high class became the worst for the entire town. With faded paint and an unkempt yard it even began to smell at one point. The men of the old Jefferson would never tell a lady that her house smelled so they cured the smell themselves. It would seem that the house and Emily where connected in a way. Both of them had grown old and lost their brightness. The house was also looked at in the same way as Emily. Emily lost her mind and her looks. The house lost the beauty it once held due to old age. They where looked at as a monument to the past. The most important symbolism among the all in A Rose for Emily is in the title itself. The rose is most often thought of as a symbol for love in the case Homer is the rose or love for Emily. Her father thought there was no man was good enough for her or for the Grierson family. Therefore she was never able to experience passion or the rose of love until she met Homer. The rose for Emily is hope, and passion. However, there is another meaning of rose to consider. However, the rose in the title of the story could therefore stand for Emilys secret; that is Homer her rose whom she cherished, loved and kept to herself even after his body was corrupted by the decay of time. While Faulkner had many symbolisms in A Rose For Emily, the symbolisms of the monument, the frame, the grey hair, the house and a rose are the most important and worthful ones throughout the entire story. Author William Faulkner truly wrote a wonderful story about an old women who loses her mind. A Rose For Emily uses different symbolisms to show the way in which people all grow old and decay, it tells a story of fallen angel Emily’s life.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus Discuss the possible role of psychological factors throughout the course of an illness: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Health psychology is a topical development in the integration of biomedical and social sciences in health care. It addresses the role of psychological factors in the cause, progression, and outcome of health and illness (Ogden, 2007). Psychological theories can guide health education and promotion, and offer the health care practitioner a structured approach to understanding and meeting the health needs of health and social care service users (Morrison and Bennett, 2009). The appraisal of health psychology models can assist practitioners in evaluating their contribution to service users understanding of health, behaviours relating to health and the practice of health care. Appraisal and evaluation enable health care workers to apply psychological models and theories when analysing aspects of health and behaviour relevant to practice (Marks et al, 2005). The ethos of health psychology is that of treating the ‘whole person, not just the physical adaptations that transpire associated with illness. This might embrace behaviour change, urging modifications in beliefs, and coping strategies, and acquiescence with medical advice. As the ‘whole self is treated, the individual becomes to a certain extent responsible for their treatment. For example, an individual may have a responsibility to take medication, and to change beliefs and behaviour. Therefore, the individual is no longer seen as a victim. From this viewpoint, health and illness are on a continuum. Instead of being either healthy or ill, individuals may move on along a continuum from healthiness to illness and back again. Health psychology also argues that the mind and body act together. It perceives psychological issues as not only potential effects of illness, but as adding to all the phases of health, from maximum healthiness to illness (Morrison and Bennett, 2009). Health psychology is concerned primarily with intrinsic factors, especially individual perceptions of health-related behaviour. Health behaviour, defined as behaviour related to health status, is becoming increasingly important. Public health policy has increased the emphasis on individual responsibility and choice and because of this; there is a corresponding need to improve understanding of individual motivations that affect those choices and health-related behaviours (Marks et al, 2005). The health behaviours studied by psychologists are varied, but the most commonly studied health behaviours have immediate or long-term implications for individual health, and are partially within the control of the individual (Ogden, 2007). Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, is a serious and progressive disease. It is chronic in nature and has no known cure. It is the fourth most common cause of death in most developed countries (UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group, 1998a). Although no exact figures are available, it has been suggested that by the year 2010 there would be 3.5 million people with diabetes in the United Kingdom (UK). However, approximately 750,000 of the estimated number may be undiagnosed (Diabetes UK, 2008a). Diabetes UK campaigns to raise awareness of type 2 diabetes because if left undiagnosed, the condition can result in long-term complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and an increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. The total number of people with diabetes has increased by 75% over the last six years and the incidence in the UK is escalating at a faster rate than in the United States (Gonzà ¡lez et al,2009). There is a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes in people with South Asian or African descent (Department of Health, 2007). One of the reasons for this is thought to be that these ethnic groups have increased insulin resistance. Signs of type 2 diabetes are already present in UK children of South Asian and African-Caribbean origin at ten years of age, according to research funded jointly by the British Heart Foundation and the Wellcome Trust (Whincup et al,2010). The prevalence of type 2 diabetes increases with age to as much as one in ten in those aged 65 years. The lifetime risk of developing the condition in the UK is greater than 10% (Leese, 1991). Diabetes-related complications can have a major effect on the individual and family members, and are costly to the patient. A study undertaken by Bottomley (2001) examined the costs of living of patients with diabetes complications, including taking time off work and transport costs for hospital appointments. The study showed that the cost of treating someone with type 2 diabetes with microvascular and macrovascular complications was  £5,132 compared to  £920 for someone who does not have diabetes-related complications (Bottomley 2001). This also has implications for the National Health Service (NHS) in terms of the financial burden of managing and treating the condition and the use of resources. It has been estimated that the cost of treating diabetes nationally adds up to approximately 9% of the NHS annual budget, although most of that is used to treat associated long-term complications, such as kidney failure, blindness, amputations and organ transplantation, rather than the provision of medication (Bottomley, 2001). With regard to type 2 diabetes, psychological theories and models have a long history of informing attempts to change behaviour and improve emotional well-being. Over recent years, many clinical guidelines in the UK by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have included recommendations for psychological interventions for long-term conditions. Evidence-based recommendations have been made not only for the treatment of associated mental health problems such as depression and anxiety (NICE, 2009; NICE, 2004) but also for physical health conditions such as obesity (NICE, 2007) and changing behaviour related to public health issues such as smoking and lack of exercise (NICE; 2007). The aim of this essay is to explore the psychological implications for a person suffering from type 2 diabetes and others involved in the experience of that illness. Type 2 diabetes, is caused as the result of reduced secretion of insulin and to peripheral resistance to the action of insulin; that is, the insulin in the body does not have its usual biological effect. It can often be controlled by diet and exercise when first diagnosed, but many patients require oral hypoglycaemic agents or insulin in order to maintain satisfactory glycaemic control and prevent the complications of diabetes (Diabetes UK, 2008a). To reduce the risk of long-term complications, both macrovascular and microvascular, people with type 2 diabetes need access to appropriate, individualised education, which informs them about the risks associated with the condition. Information relating to lifestyle changes such as healthy eating, increasing activity levels, and smoking cessation are vital (Diabetes UK, 2008a). Some people accept their diagnosis of diabetes and all that this means, and manage to adapt to their new lifestyle, but others find it difficult. Changes will need to be made to the type of food they eat, the amount they eat of particular foods and perhaps to the time at which they eat their meals. As a consequence of the required changes to lifestyle, it is not surprising that many people need some professional psychological support (Diabetes UK, 2008a). Diabetes may have an impact on peoples careers, driving, and insurance policies (life, driving, and travel). Difficulties surrounding holidays, work or travel abroad may prove insurmountable without support. People with diabetes who are also caring for others, for example children or elderly relatives, may find it very difficult to put themselves first (Diabetes UK, 2008a). Some people who have been diagnosed as having diabetes feel that they have been condemned to a life where everything has to be planned. There are, however, support networks available. For example Diabetes UK, a charity that supports people with diabetes, their families and the health professionals who care for them, has local and regional branches where people can meet and discuss problems and learn from each other how they manage their day-to-day-life (Diabetes UK, 2008a). The majority of people with type 2 diabetes are insulin resistant. Obesity exacerbates insulin resistance. As many as 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are obese at the time of diagnosis (Marks, 1996). Weight loss not only improves insulin resistance, but also lowers blood glucose, lipid levels, and blood pressure. Cardiovascular disease is often present in people with type 2 diabetes. The presence of insulin resistance accelerates atherosclerosis, leading to macrovascular complications such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. The mechanisms responsible for this are thought to be hyperinsulinaemia, dyslipidaemia and hypertension (Garber, 1998). However, microvascular problems such as retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy still occur. The mechanism responsible is thought to be hyperglycaemia (Garber, 1998). Therefore, good blood glucose control is of crucial importance. Although the prognosis for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus is less than favourable, evidence has shown that making major lifestyle changes, such as having a healthy diet, smoking cessation, and increasing activity levels, can reduce the risk of long-term complications (UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group, 1998a). However, using the threat of long-term complications as a means of inducing lifestyle or behaviour changes has not proved to have any prolonged beneficial effect (Polonsky, 1999). Continued support and appropriate education is required to empower individuals to take charge of their condition and make appropriate and timely therapeutic decisions. The healthcare professional and the individual must decide on the most appropriate treatment regimen to provide optimum care and the best medical outcome (Marks et al, 2005). NICE published a document in 2008 entitled ‘CG66: Type 2 diabetes which recommended that all people with diabetes should be offered structured educat ion, provided by a trained specialist team of healthcare professionals (NICE, 2008). The utilisation of theoretical health psychology models can assist these specialist team practitioner in empowering individuals with type 2 diabetes to contemplate and instigate the changes in lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits that have adverse consequences on long-term health outcomes. With regard to health psychology, as previously mentioned, health psychology is concerned primarily with intrinsic factors, especially individual perceptions of health-related behaviour. Attributing health-related behaviours to internal or external factors has been discussed in relation to the concept of a health locus of control. Individuals differ as to whether they regard events as controllable by them (an internal locus of control) or uncontrollable by them (an external locus of control) (Ogden, 2007). Accessing diabetes related health services for testing or treatment could be viewed from either perspective. The healthcare professional is perceived to be a powerful individual who can diagnose and treat diabetes (external); however, by accessing services the individual is taking responsibility for determining their own health status (internal). It is useful for the healthcare practitioner to consider that in attending diabetic health services the individual has made an initial st ep in taking control of their own health needs (Marks et al, 2005). Individuals with an internal locus of control are more likely to act in concordance with advice from a health professional than those with an external locus of control (Ogden, 2007). Knowing this can assist practitioners in their communication style with individuals who have type 2 diabetes. Identifying the specific needs of the individual, by understanding their locus of control, can help the healthcare practitioner to tailor the assessment (Marks et al, 2005). When an individual has a sense of responsibility for actions or behaviours that exposed them to a potential risk of diabetic complications, the practitioner can work on exploring the circumstances that surrounded those behaviours. The individual may already feel motivated to change these circumstances. In the case of a client who does not recognise that their own behaviour or actions were a contributory factor in posing a risk of behaviour related complications, the practitioner should focus on developing the individuals leve l of awareness to shift their locus of control from the external to the internal. For example, the individual who perceives that taking responsibility for healthy eating use is always that of their partner (Ogden, 2007). Self-management for chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes requires adherence to treatment regimens and behavioural change, as well as the acquisition of new coping strategies, because symptoms have a great effect on many areas of life (Glasgow, 1991; Kravitz et al,1993). For many individuals, optimum self-management is often difficult to achieve, as indicated by poor rates of adherence to treatment, reduced quality of life, and poor psychological wellbeing, effects that are frequently reported in several chronic illnesses (Rubin and Peyrot, 1999). Self-management interventions aim to enable individuals to take control of their condition and be actively involved in management and treatment choices. In the 1980s, psychological theory was applied to develop theoretical models and their constructs have had a particular effect on the development of self-management interventions. The Health Belief Model (Becker 1974) defines two related appraisal processes undertaken by the healthcare practitioner in partnership with an individual: the threat of illness and the behavioural response to that threat. Threat appraisal involves consideration of the individuals perceived susceptibility to an illness and its anticipated severity. Behavioural response involves considering the costs and benefits of engaging in behaviours likely to reduce the threat of disease. It can be useful for the healthcare practitioner to establish the clients perception of risk and implications of their adverse health behaviours when discussing the reasons for healthy eating, increasing exercise, and smoking cessation. It is also important to discuss the likely impact of diabetes on the individuals lifestyle and behaviour (Marks et al, 2005). The Health Belief Model can be applied to evaluate the risk of lifestyle changes. The healthcare professional can initiate structured discussion with the individual to identify their educational needs, particularly around developing a realistic understanding of risk factors associated with diabetes and unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise and smoking. It is important for the healthcare practitioner to discuss the efficacy of changes in the above in prevention of diabetic complications, while discussing other methods of behaviour modification in context (Marks et al, 2005). It is also important to establish that the individual feels confident in the practicalities of and behavioural change. Therefore, the healthcare practitioner must support the diabetic in behaviour change by giving practical health education advice on the issues of healthy eating, the benefits of exercise and the importance of giving up smoking (Marks et al, 2005). The Protection Motivation Theory (Rogers 1975, 1983) expands the Health Belief Model to include four components that predict behavioural intentions to improve health-related behaviour, or intention to modify behaviour. These include self-efficacy, responsive effectiveness, severity, and vulnerability. In social cognitive theory, behaviour is thought to be affected by expectations, with individuals confidence in their ability to perform a given behaviour (self-efficacy) particularly important (Bandura, 1992). Therefore, self-efficacy can be said to be the belief in ones ability to control personal actions (Bandura, 1992), and is comparable with the concept of internal locus of control. It is based on past experience and evokes behaviour concordant with an individuals capabilities. Self-efficacy is distinct from unrealistic optimism and does not elicit unreasonable risk-taking (Ogden, 2007). Within the context of smoking and diabetes, an example of self-efficacy might be, ‘I am c onfident that I can take responsibility for protecting myself from increasing the risk of further complications by giving up smoking. This concept has been used in self-management interventions through the teaching of skills, such as problem solving and goal setting, to increase self-efficacy. Again, in type 2 diabetes, this could mean the acquisition of knowledge relating to healthy eating principles and putting that knowledge into practice by avoiding foods that would make the blood glucose rise quickly. The goal would be to incorporate this behaviour into daily life on a long-term basis (Marks et al, 2005). Behavioural intention can also be predicted by severity, for example: ‘Diabetes will have serious implications for my health and lifestyle, but conversely, ‘Good blood glucose control will decrease the risk of diabetic complications. The fourth predictor of behavioural intention is vulnerability, which in the context of diabetes may be the likelihood of cardiovascular disease or diabetic retinopathy occurring. Rogers (1983) later suggested a fifth component of fear in response to education or information as a predictor of behavioural intention. The concepts of severity, vulnerability, and fear outlined in Protection Motivation Theory relate to the concept of threat appraisal, as discussed in the context of the Health Belief Model. Self-efficacy and response effectiveness, on the other hand, relate to the individuals coping response, which is the behaviour intention. If a person has self-efficacy and perceives benefits in taking control of their actions (response effectiveness), they are likely to have the intention to modify their behaviour to reduce health risks (Ogden, 2007). Information or education that influences an individuals emotional response can be environmental (external influence, such as advice from a health professional), or interpersonal (relating directly to past experience). Information and education contribute to an individuals self-efficacy. This in turn helps develop a robust internal locus of control and will inform and/or contribute to the individuals coping response (Marks et al, 2005). The coping res ponse is considered to be adaptive (positive behavioural intention) or maladaptive (avoidance or denial). Assessment of the individuals capacity to understand and apply information and to have an adaptive response is a vital skill of the health professional. A maladaptive coping response, such as the denial of identified risk factors, has potentially serious consequences for the health of the individual (Marks et al, 2005). Successful implementation of the Protection Motivation Model can enable informed choice and empower the individual to take personal responsibility and control of behaviours influencing their health (Morrison and Bennett, 2009). Skilled questioning and the use of checking skills by the healthcare professional following information-giving are important to evaluate the benefit, if any, to the individual with diabetes (Ogden, 2007). Readiness to change is a concept derived from Prochaska and DiClementes (1983) transtheoretical model. It refers to how prepared or ready individuals are to make changes to their behaviour. Interventions guided by this theory focus on individuals motivation to change and the approach is adapted according to differences in participants motivation to change behaviour. Success is achieved only when the individual is ready to take on the actions needed to change behaviour. An individual may know that smoking and type 2 diabetes are not a good combination. However, unless the person is ready to quit smoking, no amount of discussion with a healthcare professional will change the persons decision to continue smoking. Establishing an internal motivator is a good first step to assessing an individuals readiness to change, however, an individual also needs to feel that the time is right and that they are prepared to change. Readiness to change can be assessed by asking individuals, as soon as the potential problem is identified, whether they have ever attempted to change the behaviour before. Six stages of change were identified in Prochaska and DiClementes (1983) Transtheoretical model of behaviour change: Pre-contemplation; Contemplation; Preparation; Action; Maintenance and Relapse. Most people (around 60%) will be at the pre-contemplation stage when they are identified by the healthcare practitioner and will generally react in a closed way to the idea of change (Prochaska and Goldstein, 1991). They may be rebellious to the idea, they may rationalise their current behaviour or be resigned to it, or they may be reluctant to consider the possibility of change (Prochaska and Goldstein, 1991). In this situation, it is tempting to push people into making an attempt at behaviour change using their health as a motivator or by making them feel guilty. However, this is likely to prompt the individual to either lie about their behaviour or avoid the nurse completely. During the contemplation phase, it is suggested that individuals who are starting to consider change look for information about their current and proposed behaviours, and analyse the risks involved in changing or maintaining their current behaviour. The most appropriate action is to ask the individual to form alise the analytical process by undertaking a decisional balance exercise (Health Education Authority (HEA), 1996). In this exercise the person is asked to consider the positive and negative implications of maintaining or changing their behaviour. The individual then decides whether maintaining or changing the behaviour will give them increased positive outcomes, and if they are willing to attempt the change. To be at the preparation stage, individuals need to believe that their behaviour is causing a problem, that their health or wellbeing will improve if they change the behaviour, and that they have a good chance of success (Prochaska and Goldstein, 1991). Once the healthcare practitioner establishes that the individual has an internal motivator and is ready to make an attempt at behaviour change, a supportive treatment plan is needed. Individuals who are in the process of behaviour change, or who have achieved and are maintaining the new behaviour, need help to avoid relapse (Pro chaska and Goldstein, 1991). The most effective way to do this is to ask the individual to reflect on their experiences so far. Apart from taking into account the management behavioural change for those with type 2 diabetes, it is also of vital importance that there is a consideration the emotional impact of a diabetes diagnosis and living with the condition. How patients feel when presented with the diagnosis of a chronic illness such as diabetes can have an enormous impact on their lives, and on their ability to make emotional adjustments to the disease itself (Marks et al, 2005). Research has found that that the diagnosis of a chronic illness can have a strong emotional impact on individuals, with reactions of grief, denial and depression. The emotional aspects of developing and coping with diabetes can affect overall control of the disease profoundly. Similarly, these feeling may form a barrier to effective listening and learning during the consultation process and any future self-management strategies. Therefore, it is proposed that this should be taken into consideration when developing educational prog rammes and protocols for people with diabetes (Thoolen et al, 2008). Coping and adapting to a long-term chronic illness is a major theme in health psychology (Ogden, 2007). Leventhal Nerenz (1985) propose that individuals have their own common sense beliefs about their illness. These include identity: diagnosis (diabetes) and symptoms (elevated blood sugar levels, excessive hunger and excessive thirst). Perceived cause of illness: stress, a virus, unhealthy lifestyle. Time line: acute or chronic. Consequences: physical (pain, mobility problems) and emotional (lack of social contact, anxiety). Cure and control: for example by taking medication or getting plenty of rest. With regard to adapting to an illness such as diabetes, the stress coping model of Lazarus and Folkman (1984) Transactional model of stress is the concept that is most widely utilised. The model suggests that there are key factors in adaptation to chronic illness, disease-specific coping efforts, changes in illness representation over time, interaction between psychological reality of disease and affective response, procedures for coping with the disease and interaction with context. The stress coping model (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984) emphasises the value of coping strategies to deal with a particular condition. Self-management strategies based on this model attempt to improve the individuals coping strategies. In type 2 diabetes, people are faced with the prospect of long-term complications caused by the condition. If people are aware of these possibilities and also that successful treatment is, available it makes a diagnosis of such problems less daunting. However, there are limitations to this model. It is debated that it is a frame of reference, not a theory that ignores specific features of the illness. The situation dimension poorly represented and it is not specific. The model also neglects interactions with context (e.g. social support, other life events) and offers no account of life goals on illness representation and coping (Ogden, 2007). It is of vital importance that stress is controlled and managed in an individual with type 2 diabetes. Research has shown a link between stress as a causal factor and that stress has been found to be a factor in regulation of blood glucose regulation. Sepa et al (2005) found that family stress has a significant impact on the and development of diabetes among infants. With regard to stress and metabolic control, research has found that stressful life events predict poor glucose control. In a study by Surwit et al, (2002) the management of stress was found to improve glucose control. Therefore, it is posited that the impact of stress can affect diabetes adversely and any interventions to manage stress may be a worthwhile component of diabetes education programs. An additional influence on coping and adapting to living with diabetes and the development of self-management strategies has come from clinical psychology, particularly Cognitive Behavioural Therapies (CBT). Central to these therapies is the importance of attempting to change how people think about their illness and themselves, and how their thoughts affect their behaviour. Depression is one of the most common psychological problems among individuals with diabetes, and is associated with worse treatment adherence and clinical outcomes (Gonzalez et al, 2010). A randomised controlled trial (RCT) undertaken by Lustman et al, (2008) found that the percentage of patients achieving remission of depression was greater in the CBT group than in the control group. Although the research found that there was no difference in the mean glycosylated haemoglobin levels of the groups post-treatment, follow-up mean glycosylated haemoglobin levels were significantly better in the CBT group than in the control group. Therefore, it is debated that the combination of CBT and supportive diabetes education is an effective non-pharmacologic treatment for major depression in patients with type 2 diabetes. It may also be associated with improved glycaemic control. It is important to note however, that certain limitation apply to the above study that may have an effect on the findings. The generalizability of the findings is uncertain. The study was limited to a relatively small number of patients. Similarly, the follow-up interval was limited to the 6 months immediately after treatment. Likewise, the researcher cannot exclude the possibility that CBT and diabetes education interacted in a way that potentiated antidepressant effectiveness; analogous interactions may have occurred in many clinical trials. Further studies comparing CBT and diabetes education, individually and in combination, are needed to answer such questions and to see whether successful CBT alone is sufficient to produce glycaemic improvement. Correspondingly, it is worth noting that patients in the CBT group had education almost a full year longer than controls. The difference in education was not statistically significant, but the extra educational experience may have contributed to improved outcome in the CBT group. Finally, treatment was administered by a single psychologist experienced in the use of CBT. Whether treatment would be as effective when administered by other therapists is uncertain. For any person with type 2 diabetes to engage in any self-management strategy, good mental health is necessary. However, studies have shown reduced self-worth and/or anxiety in more than 40% of people with diabetes (Anderson et al,2001). There are several possible reasons for this. Being diagnosed with diabetes immediately poses major concerns for the individual, including what the future holds in terms of health, finance, and family relationships. Although everyone deals with diagnosis differently, for some it can cause immediate stress, including feelings of shock or guilt. Some individuals may also be ashamed and want to keep the diagnosis a secret. Others may be relieved to know what is causing the symptoms they have been experiencing. An Audit Commission (2000) report acknowledged that: people with diabetes are more likely to suffer from clinical depression than those in the general population. The report then went on to specify that therefore, diabetes services should make expl icit provision for psychological support and should monitor the psychological outcomes of care. In conclusion, to be successful in changing behaviour to negate the complications of type 2 diabetes, individuals need to decide for themselves which behaviours are undesirable, that is, which behaviours could have negative health, financial, social or psychological implications. People with diabetes also need to feel that the negative impact of risky health behaviours will be reduced or altered if they change their behaviour. It is important that individuals have confidence in their ability to make and maintain behavioural changes. It is not the health practitioners role to make this judgement or impose his or her beliefs. To support behavioural change, healthcare professionals need to feel comfortable in discussing lifestyle behaviours. They also need to assess an individuals preparedness to make a change and identify the factors that motivate them to change. The application of health psychology models, such as the Health Belief Model, the Protection Motivation Theory and the Trans theoretical model of behaviour change, to the management process can enable healthcare practitioners to assess contributory factors to health behaviours. Applying models can also help to identify motivators and barriers to health-improving and health-protecting behaviours, and identify strategies which assist the person in behavioural change. The role of the healthcare professional is to enable individuals to make an informed choice by working in partnership with them to decide when and if behaviour change is desirable. By understanding how an individual copes and adapts to living with a long-term condition such as diabetes can assist in empowering individuals to managed stress that appears to have a negative im

Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels :: Swift Gulliver Satire Essays

Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels Jonathan Swift’s, Gulliver’s Travels satirically relates bodily functions and physical attributes to social issues during England’s powerful rule of Europe. Throughout the story we find many relations between bodily features and British and European society. Swift uses this tone of mockery to explain to his reader the importance of many different topics during this time of European rule. Swift feels that the body and their functions relate to political as well as the ration of a society. Swift’s fascination with the body comes from its unproblematic undertone which gives his audience recognizable parallelism to many issues such as political change and scientific innovation. Gulliver’s first adventure takes place in Lilliput. Gulliver swims to a foreign shore after his boat and rowboat capsize due to a fierce storm. Washed upon the shore, Gulliver finds himself tied to the grass surrounded by little bodied people called the Lilliputians. The Lilliputians stood no more than six inches high. During this time Swift recognized that England was also a kind of six inch being that had great influence in Europe. Swift wrote Gulliver’s Travel’s during a time when Europe was the worlds most dominant and influential force. England, despite its small size, had the potential to defeat any nation that might try to conquer them. Swift relates this phenomenon to the small stature of the Lilliputians. They stood a mere six inches high but had the power to siege the mammoth Gulliver. The capability of a nation consisting of miniature people, who are able to capture someone ten-times their size can be seen as reinforcing the capability of a small natio n, such as England, becoming and remaining a great power. Even though this is true, Swift entices a condescending tone to Gulliver’s portrayal of the small Lilliputians, who easily fit into the hands of Gulliver, yet still manage to threaten his life. Even though the Lilliputians are piteously small in Gulliver’s eyes, they do not see themselves the same way. To themselves, the Lilliputians feel they are normal and Gulliver remains the outlandish giant. The unexpected infringement of giant Gulliver into the Lilliputians well-developed society reminds the European society, that size and strength are always relative, and there is no way for Europe to be certain that a Gulliver-like giant, might not arrive and conquer them at any moment. This encounter, between Gulliver and the Lilliputians would put Europe’s confidence in its power in jeopardy.

Afrocentric vs. Eurocentric Worldviews :: Afrocentrism Eurocentrism Essays

The Afrocentric, or African-centered, worldview is very different from the Eurocentric, or Europe-centered, worldview. Afrocentrism is centered around the beliefs that: . The highest value of life lies in the interpersonal relationships between men; . One gains knowledge through symbolic imagery and rhythm; . One should live in harmony with nature; . There is a oneness between humans and nature; . The survival of the group holds the utmost importance; . Men should appropriately utilize the materials around them; . One's self is complementary to others; . Change occurs in a natural, evolutionary cycle; . Spirituality and inner divinities hold the most significance; . There are a plethora of deities to worship; . Cooperation, collective responsibility, and interdependence are the key values to which all should strive to achieve; . All men are considered to: be equal, share a common bond, and be a part of the group; . The Afrocentric worldview is a circular one, in which all events are tied together with one another. The Eurocentric worldview is centered around the beliefs that: . The highest value of life lies in the object, or in the acquisition of the object; . One gains knowledge through counting and measuring; . One should control and dominate nature; . There is a dichotomy, or separateness, between nature and humans; . The survival of the fittest holds the utmost importance; . Men should have an unlimited exploitation of the materials around them; . One's self is distinct from others; . Change occurs to meet the immediate objectives, and is quite arbitrary; . A distant, impersonal god holds the most significance; Afrocentric vs. Eurocentric Worldviews :: Afrocentrism Eurocentrism Essays The Afrocentric, or African-centered, worldview is very different from the Eurocentric, or Europe-centered, worldview. Afrocentrism is centered around the beliefs that: . The highest value of life lies in the interpersonal relationships between men; . One gains knowledge through symbolic imagery and rhythm; . One should live in harmony with nature; . There is a oneness between humans and nature; . The survival of the group holds the utmost importance; . Men should appropriately utilize the materials around them; . One's self is complementary to others; . Change occurs in a natural, evolutionary cycle; . Spirituality and inner divinities hold the most significance; . There are a plethora of deities to worship; . Cooperation, collective responsibility, and interdependence are the key values to which all should strive to achieve; . All men are considered to: be equal, share a common bond, and be a part of the group; . The Afrocentric worldview is a circular one, in which all events are tied together with one another. The Eurocentric worldview is centered around the beliefs that: . The highest value of life lies in the object, or in the acquisition of the object; . One gains knowledge through counting and measuring; . One should control and dominate nature; . There is a dichotomy, or separateness, between nature and humans; . The survival of the fittest holds the utmost importance; . Men should have an unlimited exploitation of the materials around them; . One's self is distinct from others; . Change occurs to meet the immediate objectives, and is quite arbitrary; . A distant, impersonal god holds the most significance;

Crime Control Essay

Crime has become as multifaceted as human nature, impinging on communities and threatening human rights and freedoms. Has the impact of criminal activity become extremely intense, that we as society members have strayed away from honesty and justice? Are individuals no longer valuing integrity and fairness? Criminal justice organizations both public and private sectors goals are to reduce crime within the communities and regain the trust and confidence in a fair and just system for law-abiding citizens. In the process of achieving a fair and just society, due process and crime control tactics must adhere to the ethical dimensions of the criminal justice system. I am prepared to introduce a synopsis that highlights key ethical issues in the justice system that is directly affected by ethical motives. Honesty versus Justice within the Communities Trust is a factor that is lacking within the communities, and the question in mind is how will the criminal justice organization rehabilitate the issue and let justice prevail. Justice is often defined as fairness or the suitable rewards or retribution. Justice focuses more on a person’s rights more than the needs of an individual. So how can justice prevail if community members are fighting against law enforcement, and honesty among officers and the community is obsolete? In many cases, even when people notice a crime, they often turn the other way. According to NPR (2010), â€Å"Witnesses to crimes involving things like gang activities can often be scared away from giving information to police. It does not help that a stop snitching philosophy has been promoted by some hip-hop artists and many urban communities† (para 2). After past incidents of bad treatment by the outside world and law enforcement, it has become a mainstream thought in many minority communities law enforcement is not to be trusted. And if the community cannot trust police officials, the people in the community will not step forward and be honest and aid in the investigations. Police Departments are committed to working with the communities to recognize and resolve community problems. There are departments of employees dedicated to working collectively through an assortment of programs. These programs and services are created in hope that trust and justice will be incorporated back into the community and law enforcement agencies will be able to optimistically impact the community’s quality of life as well as highlight the strengths of neighborhoods. Due Process and Crime Control Tactics Law enforcement has integrated strategies into the communities to prevent and solve crimes that are affecting citizen’s quality of life. Crimes such as theft, burglary, and vandalism are a few areas law enforcement has turned their focus on. Local law enforcement organizations will have to become accustomed to existing policing programs to fulfill the requirements of security. The goal of due process and crime control is to enhance the effectiveness of the community. When the community trusts and believes in the justice field, community members will be more prone to assisting law enforcement. Due process ensures the law is being incorporated in the tactics to prevent and stop criminal acts. Another way for law enforcement to gain the trust and respect of the community is to offer up incentives that demonstrates community enhancements. increased involvement from groups in public decision making increases access to material resources and financial opportunities for underprivileged groups changes in public policy to achieve greater and meet the needs of diverse groups increases in suitable, available community services and common interest groups developing more early childhood and youth programs within the communities Law enforcement organizations have sought to investigate the causes of crime within the communities and lower the level from the hearts of the people being affected by criminal acts. Through the construction of successful joint venture with the community and public and private sectors problem solving procedures are being implemented and ethical standards and being followed. In the awaken of September 11th incident, law enforcement agencies discover that they are understanding that it is important to identify the responsibilities and create goals goals that will reduce crime within the communities and regain the trust and confidence in a fair and just system for law-abiding citizens. According to Lane & Henry 2010, ‘People argue for longer term strategies aimed at dealing with the political, social, economic and cultural factors associated with crime. In doing so, we explore the potential of community development to contribute to crime prevention, particularly community or street crime and violence. Theoretical and practice intersections between community development and certain crime prevention approaches are identified – notably those which link crime and violence with dis-empowerment, poverty, inequality, exclusion, the learning of violence within families and communities, and lack of opportunity for children and young people to develop their potential† (para 1). Conclusion Crime has become as multifaceted as human nature, impinging on communities and threatening human rights and freedoms. The impact of criminal activity has become extremely intense, that we as society members have strayed away from honesty and justice. Law enforcement agencies are working extremely hard to rebuild the union that has been broken. Individuals are no longer valuing integrity and fairness, but with the support from law enforcement, trust will be regained and community members will be more prone to step up and offer assistance. Criminal justice organizations both public and private sectors goals are to reduce crime within the communities and recover the trust and confidence in a fair and just system for law-abiding citizens. In the process of achieving a fair and just society, due process and crime control tactics must adhere to the ethical dimensions of the criminal justice system. I have identified ethical issues in the justice system that is directly affected by ethical motives and come to the conclusion that dedication from both parties is the answer to rebuilding a broken society.

Study of Behavioural Finance: A Critical Evaluation

Behavioural Finance is a relatively new and popular subject in the area of finance which is being widely used in the stock markets world over. Behavioural finance is the study of the psychology of the investors in connection with their financial decisions. It is usual that the investors fall prey to the mistakes committed by their own decisions or due to the advise of others by using their emotions in the investment decisions.The study of behavioural finance tries to explain the action of the people in forgetting the fundamental principles of financial decision making and making investments on the basis of emotions. 2. 0 Fundamentals of Market Efficiency: An efficient stock market is one in which stock prices fully reflect available information. According to Andrei Shleifer (2000) there are three determinants of market efficiency. They are (1) Rationality, (2) independent deviations from rationality, (3) arbitrage. 2. 1 Rationality:Under the conditions of rationality, it is assumed t hat when new information is released in the market place, all investors will adjust their estimates of stock prices in a rational way, without heeding to their emotions. This is one of the foremost assumption and condition basic to classify the stock market as efficient. (Ross Wasterfield Jaffe) 2. 2 Independent Deviations from Rationality: Due to emotional resistance it may so happen that some investors could just as easily react to the new information in a pessimistic manner.If the investors are primarily of this type the stock market prices are likely to rise less than the expectations of an efficient market conditions. On the other hand if a proportion of the investors was irrationally optimistic and reacts positively to the new market information then there is the likelihood of an increase in the stock market prices. Since the stock market will consists of investors of both kinds always the stock market would remain efficient. Thus this condition also leads to an efficient stoc k market. (Ross Wasterfield Jaffe) 2. 3 Arbitrage:The stock market consists of both irrational amateurs and rational professional investors. Based on their irrational thinking some times the amateurs may carry the stocks either above or below their efficient prices. This irrational thinking comes as a result of their emotions about the valuation of the stocks. The professionals on the other hand do not react on the basis of their emotions but evaluate the market information coolly and clearly and make their investment decisions. This way the professionals have more confidence than that of the amateurs.This enables the professional to take larger risks on certain stocks even knowing that such stocks are mispriced, while the amateurs might take risk for a smaller sum. Here ‘Arbitrage’ comes into place. Arbitrage generates profit from the simultaneous purchase and sale of different but substitute securities. If the arbitrage of professionals dominates the speculation of am ateurs markets would still be efficient. This is one of the determinants of market efficiency. (Ross Wasterfield Jaffe) 3. 0 Behavioural Challenge to Market Efficiency:According to Prof. Shleifer any of the above three conditions would will lead to market efficiency. Normally it is assumed that at lease one of the conditions would be prevalent in the real world. But many academicians argue that none of these conditions would hold good in reality. This point of view is based on what is called the ‘behavioural finance’. According to this theory there are several factors that influence the investment decisions of the individuals like tax planning as well as profit maximization.By their trading the investors create commissions as well as taxation. This naturally brings irrationality into their investment decisions. However the behavioural theory states that ‘not all investors are irrational; rather it is that some perhaps many investors are’. On the question of deviations from rationality there are two principles of psychology namely ‘representativeness’ and ‘conservatism’ that can be applied to finance and market efficiency where people deviate from rationality.Under the condition of representativeness people act and draw conclusions from too little data. This principle when applied to stock market, in a market dominated by representativeness there is every chance that the market may move toward a bubble. It may so happen that people see a sector of the market, for instance internet stocks having a short history of high revenue growth may attract more investors in the hope that the revenue growth would continue for ever. When the growth inevitably stalls the stock prices have naturally to come down.Under the second principle of ‘conservatism’ people are considered too slow in adjusting their beliefs to new information. The stock prices seem to adjust slowly to the information contained in the earnin gs announcements due to slow reaction of the investors to adjust their belies to the new information under conditions of conservatism. (Bernard and Thomas, 1990) Under ‘arbitrage’ concept of efficient market it is suggested that the professional investors, even though they know certain securities are mispriced they could buy them by selling the correct priced or over priced substitutes.This might result in undoing of the mispricing caused by the emotional amateurs. But the behavioural finance theory claims that trading of this sort is likely to be more risk. There is a possibility of this correction only when the amateurs act in opposite way to the way in which the professionals act. Moreover the volume handled by the amateurs should be relatively small for the professional investors’ actions to take effect. There is also a possibility that the amateurs make further mispricing of the securities.This risk of further mispricing even when there is no new market info rmation might demand the professionals to cut back their arbitrage position. Thus the near term risk would reduce the size of arbitrage strategies. In conclusion the arguments presented here suggested the determinants or conditions leading to efficient markets in reality do not exist. The behavioural finance theorists suggest that the investors may be irrational, irrationality may be related across investors rather than cancelling out across investors and arbitrage strategies may involve too much risk to eliminate market efficiencies.` 4. 0 Behavioural Finance and Keynesian Approach: â€Å"A conventional valuation which is established as the outcome of the mass psychology of a large number of ignorant individuals is liable to change violently as a result of the sudden fluctuation of opinion due to factors which do not really make much difference to the prospective yield; Since there will be no strong roots of conviction to hold it steady. † (Keynes, 1936)Thus it may be noted that the relevance of the psychological factors to the operation of the stock market and the relative changes in the prices and their impact on the economic development is not entirely confined to the review by behavioural economic theories or financial theories. The origin of this phenomenon can be traced back to the works of Keynes with his remarks of ‘animal spirits’ and the part played by uncertainty and confidence in contributing to the growth of the economy and creation of employment opportunities.According to Keynes the psychology of the economic agents is susceptible to disturbances and manipulation. It is viewed that psychology is one of the key elements in shaping up the economy which is in quite contrast with the view of the main stream where the emphasis is always placed on the rational behaviour of various economic agents. Hence there may arise an argument that the approaches of behavioural finance in describing the impact of the psychological factors are m ostly the justification of the Keynesian ideas.Kindleberger (1978) has provided a description of the behavioural aspects of the financial markets closely resembling the ideas of Keynes. According to Livio Stracca (2004) â€Å"the behavioral finance literature, however, contains some important innovative elements compared with the Keynesian approach, namely the stronger focus on experimental – and in general empirical – evidence and the larger use of formal models, which may lead to sharper predictions.So, one might conclude that while behavioral finance is close in spirit to the Keynesian tradition, it makes use of a different methodology and analytical framework. † 5. 0 Objectives of Behavioural Finance: Though subjected to severe criticism the contribution by behavioural finance to modern finance is considerable. The main objective of behavioural finance is to understand and report on the implications of the investors’ psychological reactions on the sys tematic market behaviour.It is important to consider the impact of such psychological reactions on the markets from an economic perspective especially on those markets which are large and does not have nay strategic interactions. (Mas-Colell, 1999) The existing theories of behavioural finance are not matured enough to provide a coherent and unified explanation for human behaviour in the context of market transactions as is expected in the main stream economics and modern finance have provided through the expected utility theories.However there are certain studies like the ‘cumulative prospect theory’ contributed by Starmer and Sugden (1989) and Tversky and Kahneman (1992) provide better alternative theories on the behaviour of market agents acting under risk which may be considered as superior to the expected utility theory. The economic perspective of the behaviour of the agents on the basis of maximization of the expected utility is not accepted by the behavioural fin ance.The ground on which such rejection is attempted relates to the evidences available to point out that market agents do not behave according to the axioms of expected utility both under circumstances of controlled experiments as well as in real life situations. (Starmer, 2000) According to Livio Stracca (2004) the focus of the behavioural finance is to describe the human behaviour in a positive way under conditions of risk and uncertainty instead of a normative approach of such behaviour which is typical under the mainstream approach. 6.0 Conflict between Modern Finance and Behavioural Finance: The concept of behavioural finance has always been subject to criticism. Ball (1996) and Fama (1998) have contributed much in this direction. Apart from this there had been continued conflicts between the Modern Finance (also described as ‘Financial Economics’) and the behavioural finance theories. The modern finance has always tried to overrule the behavioural finance theory by adding its own methods and models on the latter without any major changes in its own methodology.In other word the modern finance has marginalized the behavioural finance by converting it to an ‘anomalies literature’ as conceived by Frankfurter and McGoun, (2000) The results and findings of various studies in the area of Efficient Market Hypothesis and Capital Asset Pricing Model combination have cast serious doubts on the ability of these concepts in establishing any acceptable finance theories on the stock market behaviour in the modern finance area. This has also resulted in a â€Å"potentially precipitating crisis† for the modern finance theory.However instead of understanding and appreciating the seriousness of these problems, the theorists named them ‘anomalies’ and accepted them to denote an acceptable group of aberrations against common beliefs rather than viewing them as serious challenges to the whole beliefs themselves. The theorists li ke Fama (1998) also suggested that such anomalies can be made to disappear by gathering more data with more diligence and putting the data so collected to rigourous statistical tests. However there were conflicting views to this approach and this formed the basis for the behavioural finance theory. 7.0 Role of Anomalies in Behavioural Finance: The word ‘anomaly’ has gained a substantial recognition and prominence in the literature relating to finance as a branch of economics. The word also denotes a complete set of studies that have brought out evidences which are in contrast to the theory of efficient market hypothesis and/or the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) The conceptual purpose of anomalies has two dimensions in the study by These dimensions relate to the identification of the significance of the term in the area of finance and the role of anomalies in the growth of scientific knowledge in the financial world.The word ‘anomaly’ has been defined di fferently by different scholars. But the word ‘anomaly’ in financial economics focuses on the irregularity, or a deviation from the common or natural order, specifying an exceptional condition. In order to provide a meaning to these terms Thomas Kuhn (1970) states â€Å"Discovery commences with the awareness of anomaly, i. e. , with the recognition that nature has somehow violated the paradigm-induced expectations that govern normal science. It then continues with a more or less extended exploration of the area of anomaly.And it closes only when the paradigm theory has been adjusted so that the anomalous has become the expected. †(Kuhn, 1970) An extensive study of the anomalies would result in a scientific approach to the whole issue of the behavioural finance aspects. 7. 1 Post –Earnings Announcement Drift and Behavioural Finance: Most of the studies show that the stock returns are highly predictable after the announcement of the earnings. It so happens t hat the stock prices react instantly to the announcements about the earnings and will continue to change during the first three quarters in the same direction.The prices will reverse the direction partially in the last quarter. Chan et al (1996) have illustrated that the changes after the post-earnings announcements do not have any relation to the price momentum. It has also been established that the post-earnings announcement changes is closely correlated to the behavioural model in the same way as the prices react very slowly to the market information . Bernard and Thomas (1990) present a model in which the investors do not have any knowledge about the potential for the future earnings. 8. 0 Financial Anomalies and Behavioural Finance:A financial anomaly can be explained as a documented pattern or price behaviour which is not consistent with the â€Å"prediction of traditional efficient markets, rational expectations asset pricing theory† (Alon Brav and J B Heaton, 2002) Th is theory comprises of two characteristic features. The first one is that the investors have a through knowledge of the basic structure of the economy and the second one is that the investors are expected to be â€Å"rational information processors† who are capable of arriving at statistical decisions that are optimal.According to the Freidman (1979) the investors in the benchmark theory are able to possess knowledge and are able to â€Å"access both to the correct specification of the ‘true’ economic model and to unbiased estimators of its coefficients†. However in view of the increased evidences against the traditional models, competing theories of financial anomalies have been evolved. On the evolution of these theories certain relaxations have been made to the two assumptions of ‘full knowledge of the economy’ and the ‘rational information processing capabilities’. The second assumption has the relaxation backed by the behavio ural explanation.The behavioural theory suggests that the investors due to the impact of the cognitive bias may not have the capacity to process the information rationally (Thaler, 1993). The results of the experiments conducted to study the behavioural finance theories provide the basis for many other behavioural theories that though the investors possess a sound knowledge of the basic structure of the economy the investors tend to act irrationally. Thus the irrationality found in the behavioural finance forms the basis for several theories that explain the financial anomalies.According to Shiller (1981) there are evidences to show that the stock prices vary to a large extent in close relation to news about future dividends etc. due to the financial anomalies emanating from irrationality. Here again it can be seen that the behavioural finance theory provides the basis for the financial anomalies. 8. 1 Behavioural Finance and Asset Pricing: While the behavioural finance is considere d to have identified the financial anomalies there are chances that these anomalies may affect the market prices of securities.On a survey these anomalies have been grouped under different categories by Livio Stracca (2003) in the paper ‘Behavioural finance and asset prices: Where do we stand? ’ and the study extends further to assess how these anomalies may affect the stock market prices. The anomalies can be explained as the qualities of the behaviour of the economic agents that do not come under the purview of the expected utility model of the main stream economics. There are quite a number of anomalies identified by the behavioural finance based on the experimental evidences. Some of the anomalies are discussed hereunder: Decision Heuristics:One of the major anomalies identified by the behavioural finance theory is the action of the representative agents in using available short cut methods and rules of thumb while considering various alternatives since he may not h ave the ability to solve the problems that are complex in nature in view of the costs involved in deliberating and optimizing the revenues. Emotions and Visceral Factors: These factors do have a role in the decision making process of the agents (Loewenstein, 2000) Choice Bracketing: This denotes the general tendency of the agents to narrow down the choices due to the complexities involved in the alternatives.One of the examples is the shorter time available for decision making. Stochastic and Context-dependent Preferences: The theory has identified the presence of stochastic and context dependent preferences in the place of ‘well defined and deterministic’ preferences which are a rarity. (Loomes & Sugden, 1995) Reference Dependent Models: In the review of anomalies by the behavioural finance there is no precise and abstract definition of the preferences of the consumers in terms of consumption or other variables as has been dealt with in the standard approach; rather th ere are reference points identified to denote the preferences.However, it must be noted that till date there is no precise behavioural finance model which has considered all the anomalies and made an analysis there of (Shleifer, 2000). 9. 0 Accounting Anomalies and Stock Market Efficiency: Some part of the trading in securities which are subjected to behavioural aspects of human beings relate to the trading on the basis of the balance sheet data and opinions expressed by the statutory auditors of the listed companies. Hirshleifer et al.(2004) and Taffler, Lu and Kausar (2004) have documented the impact of trading on the basis of accounting results and audit opinions and the abnormal returns resulting there from. However Sudipta Basu (2004) opines that the study has not taken into account the high transaction costs involved especially in selling transactions which would prove that the trading strategies on the basis of accounting results might become unprofitable. Sudipta Basu (2004) further argues that though the study of Hirshleifer et al.and Taffler et al cite the behavioural finance theories to explain the reasons for the abnormal returns, market inefficiencies may arise due to â€Å"poor market designs, poor benchmark models, regulatory interferences, test misspecification or other joint hypothesis violations† (Sudipta Basu, 2004) He is of the opinion that there are some other factors other than behavioural finance theory that will explain the abnormal returns and the reaction of the stock market while trading merely on the basis of the accounting data and the audit reports of the listed companies.10. 0 Behavioural Finance Theory – Impact of Gender Differences: The individual investor behaviour had been studied extensively by Odean (1998) and Barber and Odean (1999). The studies have provided normative and empirical results about the various investor behaviours. The studies have proved the basic facts that the investors trade in securities to a great extent and the trading largely reduce the net gains of investors. It has also been proved that the investors are reluctant to realize that they are making losses in such trading.The studies also show that there is more number of men dealing in securities than women. In the United States 80 percent of the investors are males while women constitute only 20 percent of the investing public. Barber and Odean (2001) show â€Å"that men trade 45 percent more than women. Trading reduces men's net returns by 2. 65 percentage points a year as opposed to 1. 72 percentage points for women. † As a part of the behavioural finance L. Feng, M. S. Seasholes (2007) conducted a study on the participation of men and women in the securities trading in the Peoples Republic of China.The results of the study was in stark contrast to the existing studies in which it was found that both male and female investors take part almost equally in the stock trading in China. The study also reports th at men have slightly larger portfolios and take greater risks than women. But the investment behaviour of both men and women are more or less similar in the following respects: ? Both males and females suffer from an equal home bias. ? It is the tendency of the men to invest in stocks with higher betas and mostly the stocks women buy over-perform the stocks bought by men.Similarly the prices of stocks that are being sold by men go down to a larger extent than those being sold by women. In sum the performance of both genders remain more or less same on a statistical base. ? The trading intensity among both the genders remain the same though men tend to trade more before controlling the factors like the number of share and the ability to trade on the stocks over telephone. After giving effect to these factors the trading intensity of men and women remain the same.The study also revealed that the gender differences do play a role in the stock trading in China to the extent the faciliti es for remote trading through telephone and compute are available. This is understandable due to the fact most of the people trading in stocks are youngsters and the young women who have other occupations may not have the chance of trading by physically visiting the stock exchange. They need the support of the trading through telephone or computer and this affects their trading tendency.This interpretation of trading by young investors is corroborated by Barber and Odean (2002) by their study on the young men representing the active investors. This study goes to prove the application of the behavioural finance theory on the investment behaviour of the different genders and it is proved that both men and women behave in the same way as the behavioural finance theory assumes with irrationality and deviations from rationality depending on the circumstances. It can be observed that the gender makes no difference in the application of the behavioural finance theory with respect to the st ock market trading.11. 0 Behavioural Portfolio Theory: Hersh Shefrin and Meir Statman (2000) have developed a Behavioural Portfolio Theory (BPT) based on the lines of the work by Friedman and Savage (1948). The authors have developed the theory on the foundation of the prospect theory advocated by (Kahneman and Tversky (1979) which in turn was developed on the work of Friedman and Savage (1948). The BPT also suggests an efficient frontier which is not equivalent to the mean variance coefficient frontier.In mean-variance investors select the portfolios on the basis of the mean and variance where as the BPT investors take the anticipated wealth, their intention to ensure security and the potential aspiration levels that the investors want to reach as the base for their investment decisions. The optimal portfolio decided by the BPT investors is also different from that of the CAPM investors. The optimal portfolio of the investors under CAPM prefers a combination of a market portfolio a nd the risk factors associated with the securities. In the case of BPT the optimal portfolio mostly looks like a combination of bonds and lottery tickets.12. 0 Criticisms on Behavioural Finance Theory: The important people among the theorists who raised sever criticisms against behavioural finance are Ball (1996) and Fama (1998). Ball (1996) adopted a direct approach in leveling his arguments by saying that the Efficient Market Hypothesis has to be continued to be adopted because 1. There was no alterative theories available which can better explain the stock market behaviour 2. The Efficient Market Hypothesis was considered sufficient at that point of time taking into consideration the application of the principles of the theory and3. The Efficient Market Hypothesis had been accepted by everyone. Ball (1996) considered the contribution of DeBondt and Thaler (1985, 1987) to the behavioural finance as the only alternative to the Efficient Market Hypothesis and dismissed it by describ ing it as the investors’ myopia developed by DeBondt and Thaler (1985, 1987). He also found the work of these authors as ‘grossly inconsistent’ with the possible notions of the modern stock markets which are highly competitive and also that the behavioural finance is also ineffective with its anomalies.The approach of Fama (1998) in criticizing the behavioural finance is different from that of Ball (1996) in which he made a comparison of the contributions by 20 different authors and formulated his own views and opinions to discredit the concepts of behavioural finance. Fama (1998) made a thorough screening of the papers selected and followed a systematic approach to discredit the empirical evidences in support of the behavioural finance. Based on this analysis he argues that since the evidences on the behavioural finance are only random and conflicting the behavioural finance itself presupposes the efficient market hypothesis.Fama (1998) selected the papers for s tudy from the domain of ‘post-event studies’. By a study of these papers he arrived at the view that behavioural finance is nothing but a synonymous representation of the anomalies encountered in the event studies. Fama (1998) thus makes the point that â€Å"in short, BF is nothing more than an aggregation of so-far inexplicable phenomena encountered in testing the EMH/CAPM. It has no independent existence; it is not a methodology in its own right; it has been assimilated. † 13. 0 Conclusion:Form the foregoing discussion it is observed that the behavioural finance opposes the existence of the three determinants namely rationality, deviation from rationality and arbitrage decisions which form the basis of an efficient stock market. The behavioural finance theory thus aims at studying the psychological behaviour of the investors in their investment decisions. The theory encompasses views that are contradicting the concepts promoted by the efficient market hypothesi s and also the capital asset pricing model.The theory has made an analysis of various financial anomalies in order to report the impact of such anomalies on the stock market operations and the stock prices. The behavioural finance theory can be regarded as an extension of the Keynesian views on psychology as it affects the economic development. It has been observed that there are certain accounting anomalies which also affect the behavioural pattern of the investors. It has also been observed that gender differences do not affect the concepts of the behavioural finance. There are different financial anomalies identified by the behavioural finance theory.The theory was also subject to severe criticism on its applicability to varying market situations. References: Alon Brav and J. B. 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