What is your assesment of Hareton, and does he deserve the happiness he eventually finds with Cathy?

Hareton's Qualities are described by Nelly Dean as ‘good things lost amoung a wilderness of weeds' and even Heathcliff admits he is gold put to the use of pavinmg stones' What is your assesment of this character, and does he deserve the happiness he eventually finds with Cathy? Haretons life was one of cruelty and suffering, with his childhood taken away by the feindishness of Heathcliff. He was described as ‘gold put to the use of paving stones' but how can such an able boy turn into a ‘swearing', ‘ rough' man? Ever since Mr Earnshaw returned from liverpool, and brought back an adopted boy caled Hethcliff, Hindley hated him . Heathcliff had tempers, hit Hindley, used blackmail, and always got him into trouble. Hindley decided to take revenge on Heathcliff whenever he could, and when Mr Earnshaw died, he received his chance. The land, proporty and inhabitants were all under his control. Hindley ‘trannical personality' and ‘insane excitement' was portrayed on the treatment of Hethjcliff. He made him a slve, ‘flogging', ‘beating' and ‘swearing' at him. From that moment on, Healcliff vowed to take retribution on Hindley. Hindley's wife, Frances, died during the child birth of Hareton Earnshaw, and from that moment on, Nelly Dean decided to be the babies nurturer. Nelly took over as the motherly figure, gurding Hareton from his fathers ‘mad mans rage' She would lock him in cupbords, ‘stowing him away in the kitchen' Even Catherine was aware of his ‘violence' and ‘evil conduct'. Most of this conduct was due to the ever growing drinking problem Hindley had. Any major part in a childs youth has an effect on him later in life, so it is far to say that the poor father figure he had as a child contributes to his orr behavior as an adult. This part of his child hood in many ways acts as a mirro image of Heathcliff's own life. Yet when he moves to Wuthering heights, not even Nelly is there to help, teach and protect Hareton from Heathcliff. Hareton moved to Wuthering Height when he was just five years old, and thae lack of female figures meant that Hraeton was brought up in a ver masculine way, not to mention the ‘cruelty' and ‘brutalit' of Heathcliff. The Height is a key part of Hareton's life. The propoirty is portrayed by Emily Bronti as ‘violent','rough' and uncivilised. There are many example of characters being changed for the worse after living at the Heights. This is no exception for Hareton. Nelly goes to visit her ‘son' as she describes him, just ten months later. She arrives with high hoipes for the able child, but they are shattered by the distant view of the ‘elf-locked, brown eyed boy'. Heathcliff's treatment towards Hareton becomes evident when he throws a rock at Nelly followed by a string of curses. Nelly is probably shocked at this because of the dramatic change from just months earlier. Although Haethciffs conduct with areton is ‘rough' and ‘violent' and he treates him like a slave; Nelly askes him if he likes Heathcliff, and ironically, ‘aye' was the answer. Nelly is quite surprised by this as he also says he hates his real father. This is highlited at the end of the novel when he was the only mourner at Heathcliffs grave. Haretom is always thankfull for what he sees as Heathcliff's advise. He teachs him how to swear and hate his ‘devil daddy' Heathcliff aslo takes away Haretons education, telling him to threaten the curate. Later on in thw volume, Heathcliff tells Nelly how he is proud of the way he has treated Hareton, he explains how he treats it as a competition and how he has outdone Hindley. Heathcliff was beaten and treated badly, although he hated Hindley and yet still got educatiomn. Heathciff has outdone Hindley because Haretonm has been beaten and treated badly also, yet he still loves Heathcliff and has no education. He explaons how it is payback ofr Hindley, and maybe this is why Hareton turned out the way he is, because he was ‘used' and not treated as an adult. It is not fair to say at all that Hareton is in anyway evil or rough, as Heathcliff himself made Hareton. He moulded him into a mirror image of himself, to show revenge on Hindley. Haretonm is doing what every one does naturally, he is growing up, yet he has the disadvantage of having Heathcliff and Hindley to look up to and admire. Hareton is doing what he sees as right, because Haethcliff has taught him that it is right to swera and be rough and violent. Heathcliff realises this, and used the all inportant quote' he is gold out to the use of paving stiones. ‘ Nelly is astounded by his lack of remorse, even happiness for what he has done: ‘if he were born a fool, I shouldnot like it half as much, but he is no fool. It is aslso argued that the lack of female, and motherly figures in his entire life has conmtributed to his downfall in behavour and consequently sotial status. So again, Heatghcliff has succeeed and overtaken Hindley. Even the lack of female figures is ultimatly becaue of Heathcliff, Healcliff wouldn't allow any love or education at all. This is true right to the end of the novel when he finds Cathy and Hareton in love. The social status is not only because of the behavour and where he ives, it is also because of the fact that he is treated and acts like a slave or servant. When lockwood visits the Heights, he even mistakes Hareton for a servant and is surprised to find that he isnt. This is aslso to do with the way hie looks. He takes no pride in his apperence and so is seen as low in society. Hareton has quite a minor role in the next chapters in the novel, as leading roles are played by thhe love relationshipo between Linton-Heathcliff and Cathy. Harrton ids only mentioned when in the room, or doing jobs, sometimes he is hihlighted in the many tempers he has, sometimes violenet, sometimnes just the angry rough attitude about whatever he does or says. Hareton is now seemingly going down hill willingly, smoking and swearing more than ever, yet this is not totally correct as we see when he makes an attempt to come across differently for Cathy. Again this reminds us of a mirror image. The young Heathcliff smartened himself up for Catherine, as an attempt to impress her after she called him ‘dirty' an now Hareton has washed, ‘visible by the glow on his cheeks, and wetted hair' Although this does not work, as he becomes the center of her ammusement in the next chapter. When Cathy points out to Hareton his name abouvr the alcove of thr door, at wuthering heights, she asks what it means. Hareton, not eduvcated, says he doesn't know. She calls him a ‘colossal dunce' and that he ‘looked so stupid. Haretron gets mad, and ‘growls. When Cathy points this out to Nelly, and tells her that it was funny, Nelly scowls at her and tells her off. Nelly points out that she wouldn't asl be able to read if brought up in his curcumstances. This is absolutly true and makes bold that fact of his upbringing and how it was not his fault. He did not deny his education, he was never given the chpoise to have it.

Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” Essay

Samuel Taylor Coleridge presents a complex web of themes and symbols within the seemingly simple plot line of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The story of the seafarer with the ‘glittering eye’ (1.13) and his puzzling tale at sea told to an unwilling listener, the Wedding Guest, unfolds into a multifaceted array of planned sequences, heavy religious undertones, and hints at a biographical account of Coleridge’s past. If one reads The Rime of the Ancient Mariner simply as a tale at sea, the poem stands as a remarkable one with its continuous simple rhyme scheme and easy flow of speech. And if one reads deeper into the intricate symbolism, themes and significant subject matter, Coleridge’s masterpiece becomes even more brilliant. An examination of the poem on both levels proves Coleridge’s genius. The plot line is told in the third person and is about the Mariner’s first person account of his trip at sea. A narrative effect is accomplished with this choice, and although it takes away from the poetic feel, it gives the poem a more story-like flow. Characters include a protagonist, the Mariner, and a listener, the Wedding Guest, presumed to be the audience. Coleridge introduces his tale by describing the old, gray-headed sailor who approaches three young men headed for a wedding celebration and compels one of them, the groom’s next-of-kin, to hear his story. At first the intrusion is resented, but the sailor’s story becomes remarkably compelling. The listener falls captive to the building suspense, responding with fear, and later with horror as the tale unfolds. The Mariner tells of a storm at sea, how he and his crew were blown off course towards the South Pole, and how a good omen, an albatross, came to guide them back to the north. But the good omen soon turns into a nuisance. The Mariner shoots it, bringing bad luck to the ship and crew, as he showed no regard for living things. Death and his mate, Life-in-Death, come to the ship and battle over who will control. Death wins the ship; Life-in-Death wins over the Mariner, sparing his life, but giving death as the crew’s fate. For seven days and seven nights the Mariner is forced to confront the open, accusing eyes of his dead shipmates. He curses the sea creatures that squirm around him, proving to Life-in-Death that the Mariner has not learned  his lesson. Only when the Mariner praises the living things, when he â€Å"blessed them unaware†, (1.285) is the curse broken. Spirits then fill the bodies of his dead crewmates, and the ship sailed homeward. Soon the spirits depart and are replaced by â€Å"A man all light, a seraph man†(1.490) that shines light on the homeland. A small rescue boat comes alongside the Mariner’s ship and a loud noise rushes through the water, splitting and sinking the boat, throwing the Mariner into the sea. He is brought into the boat and the sight of him terrified everyone in it. The rescue boat reached shore and the Mariner runs to the Hermit of the Wood to beg for forgiveness from his sin. â€Å"What manner of man art thou?† (1.577) said the Hermit, which sparked a recount of the Mariner’s story in order to free him of the sin. The Mariner concludes his account to the Wedding Guest by saying that ever since the Hermit’s blessing, he has been obliged to travel from land to land, never knowing when the agony of remembrance might return. But whenever the curse again darkens his soul, he recognizes the face of a man with whom he must share his message of love and reveren ce for God’s creation. Basic analysis of the poem classifies it as a lyrical ballad. Although it can be seen as an almost miniature epic, the stanza form and meter follow that of a ballad. Coleridge uses four line stanzas with rhyme scheme â€Å"acbc† in the seven part poem and rotates the number of syllables in each line of the stanza, starting with a multiple of four, then three, and four, then three. Although there are a few irregular meters, as the 12th stanza in Part I and the 3rd in Part II have six lines each, there is a continued simple rhyme and flow throughout. Heavy usage is on a more complex internal rhyme, for example â€Å"And through the drifts the snowy clifts† (1.55) and â€Å"A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist!† (1.153). Coleridge uses repetition often in the poem as well. The repetition can be seen clearly in the first few stanzas of Part III, where â€Å"weary† is used three times in the first stanza, â€Å"wist† is repeated (II. 152, 153), â€Å"When throats unslaked, with black lips baked† (II.157, 162), and â€Å"A sail! a sail!† is cried in line 161. Often, the repetition is used for completion of the line’s allotted syllable number, as in the case of â€Å"See! see!† in line 167, but other instances Coleridge uses the repetition to add to the effect.  The seafarer is completely alone in the beginning of Part IV, and in the third stanza this is expressed by the reiteration of â€Å"Alone, alone, all alone† / â€Å"Alone on a wide wide sea!’ (II.232, 233), which emphasizes the solitary scenery. The poem has hints of alliteration throughout, often intertwined within the internal rhyme. â€Å"Hold off! Unhand me, graybeard loon!’ / â€Å"Eftsoons his hand dropped he† (II. 11, 12) and â€Å"The western wave was all aflame† (1.172) are examples. Furthermore, Coleridge uses these techniques of rhyme, repetition and alliteration to set the pace and the passing of time. â€Å"For the sky and the sea, and the sea and the sky† 91.250) reads slowly, expressing a slowing down of time, as the Mariner’s weariness seems to last forever. The rhetoric used is plain statement, as the Mariner is telling his ‘true’ tale of his trip at sea. Literally, the poem is a story, with descriptive details. Figuratively, however, deeper meanings can be observed. Religious connotations, mainly those found in Christian belief, are abundant throughout the poem. From the specific numbers used to show passage of time to the many symbols and representations, biblical references abound. First in the poem, the ship symbolizes the body of man. It is affected by the trials and tribulations of the sea, as humanity is affected by life’s trials. But is can also be steered, by the Mariner, who represents one’s soul. However, the fate of the ship is ultimately determined by the wind and currents in the sea. The resurgence of the ship after the death of the albatross, a skeleton ship this time, represents man’s emptiness without Christ. In Christianity, the body is dead and empty without accepting Christ; the ship that appeared carried Death and Life-in-Death, an obvious corollary. The wind represents the Holy Ghost, also guiding the ship on course. Even deeper into Christian beliefs is the possibility that the Mariner exemplifies Cain, a man found in the Bible in the book of Genesis. Cain killed his brother, as the Mariner killed the albatross, and both had to deal with the consequences of their actions. The most apparent symbol, however, is the albatross’ representation of  Christ. The albatross is killed by a cross-bow, symbolic of the cross that Christ died on. And the Mariner wore the bird around his neck, much like a crucifix: â€Å"Instead of the cross, the Albatross† / â€Å"About my neck was hung† (11.141, 142). Acceptance of Christ in Christianity is the one chance of getting to heaven; the albatross was the ship’s one chance at finding the way from the icy death of the sea. With the absence of the albatross, the ship came upon stagnant water. Nothing was directing the ship. Continuing this symbolism is the South Pole as a representation of Hell. The albatross was leading the aimlessly drifting ship from the South Pole’s direction, as Christ leads man to heaven. Therefore, the Mariner’s â€Å"own countree† (1.468) represents heaven, the final destination. When he reaches home( heaven), the body (ship) must die, therefore the ship sinks. When the Pilot and his boy see the ship sinking, they act as angels to retrieve the newly departed soul and carry it to heaven. Since the albatross is dead, representing Christ as one of the three parts of the Trinity, the Hermit is the â€Å"resurrected† Christ that comes to take the sin away from the Mariner. The symbolism of Christ is recurrent throughout the poem. God is also seen through the Sun and Moon. The Sun acts as God’s law constantly over the Mariner: â€Å"Nor dim nor red, like God’s own head† / â€Å"The glorious Sun uprist† (II. 97, 98), and the Moon is symbolic of the redemptive, loving God that comes to help the Mariner, as is seen with the Hermit and his forgiveness. Other significant Christian symbols are the numbers 7 and 3 used throughout the Bible and in Coleridge’s work. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is told in seven parts. Seven is the number of days it took God to create the earth in Genesis. The Mariner also â€Å"lay afloat† (1.553) for seven days until the Pilot’s boat picked him up. And, for seven days the Mariner saw the curse in his dead crewmate’s eyes. Three represents the Trinity and the number of days after Christ died before His resurrection. When Death-in-Life wins the battle over Death in Part III, she â€Å"whistles thrice† (1.198). The saviors of the Mariner from the sea, namely the Pilot, his boy and the Hermit, represent the three bodies of Christ: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All of these symbols add to the theme of guilt and repentance in the poem. Coleridge is portraying the struggle within oneself after committing a crime, and the lingering question of when the guilt will pass. By telling the story to another, even an unreceptive audience, the removal of guilt and heavy burden is realized. The Wedding Guest leaves at the conclusion of the poem â€Å"A sadder and a wiser man† (1.624), proving the Mariner’s tale had an effect on him. And the Mariner was able to rid himself of the guilt of his sin by following the Hermit’s request to tell his story. Just as obvious is the theme that relates the Mariner to the story of Adam and Eve and their realization of the knowledge of good versus evil. Anthropological discussion of the dualistic mindset of humans (â€Å"us against them†) that begins with the story of Adam and Eve can be used to describe the theme in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The Mariner’s act of killing the albatross is symbolic of his belief that humans are above animals; animals are the ‘other’ and thus easily disposed of. Although Adam and Eve did not actually physically ‘kill’ anything in the Garden of Eden, their eating of the Forbidden Fruit removed them from the group of animals that knew neither good nor evil thus eliminating their sense of well-being and happiness. Another parallel can be drawn from the fact that all the crewmates suffered from the Mariner’s lone mistake, as all mankind is said to suffer from the mistake of Adam and Eve. Another important comparison is the role of the snake in both the poem and in Genesis. The snake is considered to be the reason for the fall of man, as Adam and Eve fell from God’s grace in the garden after taking the snake’s advice. In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the Mariner must bless the snakes (â€Å"loving and forgiving them that spitefully use you†) before  the curse is removed. The Mariner had to stoop to the lowest level, ironically praising the means associated with man’s fall, in order to ascend. The theme of newly found independence can also be seen within the poem. Still within religious connotations, it is clear that the Mariner made a transition from dependence to a new, enlightened independence. His act of killing the albatross removed him from the dependence on the ship and the  bird. However, all alone, he realizes that some sort of dependence is necessary, and acknowledges the importance of spiritual guidance. The characterization of the Wedding Guest, as he is about to engage in a dependent relationship before being stopped by the effects of the Mariner’s story, imparts the message that independence is more desirable than dependence. â€Å"He went like one that hath been stunned† / â€Å"And is of sense forlorn:† / â€Å"A sadder and a wiser man† (II.622, 623, 624) show that the Wedding Guest, although saddened by the knowledge, was enlightened by the Mariner’s truth, and chose to walk away from the bridegroom’s door. Critics question whether Coleridge wrote this poem in response to occurrences in his own life. He was known to have an addiction to opium, the onset of which began when he was a patient at Christ’s Hospital, as it was the administered pain medication. He was said to be haunted by this addiction, the guilt possibly being the same guilt felt by the Mariner. Following the theme of dependence in the poem, Coleridge may have presented himself as the Mariner, initially needing the ship and the crew as he needed the opium. â€Å"Help† from the albatross, which he turned away, could have been early rehabilitation efforts. The struggle to deal without the albatross was finally thwarted as Coleridge accepted the addition (blessing the snakes) and thus accepted help from the Hermit and longed for forgiveness. The haunting and continuous guilt seems to be the lifelong knowledge that he could never truly be free from the addiction to opium, just as the Mariner had to share his story to rid himself of the guilt. Regardless of the many critical analyses of Coleridge’s lyrical ballad, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner proves to be a moralistic story. All can agree that the plot has a lesson to teach, and the Mariner’s rough struggles at sea, and at life, leave him with the burden to inform readers of what life’s lessons he learned. He is troubled by guilt, and has to find someone to listen, to teach. The religious roots run deep within the poem, however Coleridge constructed it so that an in depth study of Christian symbolism is unnecessary to understand his message. Neither is the focus on the significance of numbers or themes needed. In structure alone, the ballad is  an impressive piece. Its’ simplicity and flow make the story of travel an interesting read. Maybe Samuel Taylor Coleridge himself was following his â€Å"Hermit’s† order to release his guilt by writing this poem, and telling it to his readership for his own personal penance, or maybe it is just a lyrical ballad created from his vivid imagination. Nonetheless, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner succeeds in making the extraordinary believable; creating graphic word-pictures, some fraught with horror, others piercing with brief visions of exquisite beauty, but all evoking images so clear and deep they impact the reader’s senses and emotions.

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Frederick Winslow Taylors Life. Scientific management theory - Research Paper Example It is important to posit elucidate the fact that much of the explanations and resolutions he developed were founded on his personal understanding, knowledge, and practice. At his prime, he joined the working class as a worker on the floor of a factor and gradually climbed the ranks to become an executive. Other than describing the life of Taylor, this paper described scientific management theory, experiments conducted by Taylor, and the applications of his theories in the modern word. Available sources assert that Taylor started his work life as a trainee in the field of engineering. Subsequently, he jumped ship and joined Midvale steel company as a mere worker and eventually became a supervisor. In his escapade in this steel company, he came up with his theory of scientific management. Later in his working life, he joined Bethlehem steel company and it was at this company where he merged all his thoughts and suggestions and later carried out a number of tests and trials on his thoughts aimed at enhancing efficiency and output in employment. He is credited for ensuring that his thoughts, suggestions, tests, and trials are passed on to the next generation. In doing so, he put down his thoughts and tests into writing in the year 1911. A combination of all his contributions were printed and made public (Cole 16). Scientific management theory Towards the end of the nineteenth century, many factory executives and owners believed that competence and effectiveness of the techniques or processes of performance was a topic of major concern. Suddenly, there was a flood of labor associated with the establishment of novel factories and other companies. Company executives were therefore faced with a lot of difficulties in systematically putting these essentials into order. This, combined with his infatuation with competence of working techniques is the origin of Taylor’s theory on scientific management. In the course of his studies, he comprehended the fact that the solution and explanation to these predicaments rested on methodical scrutiny and investigation of labor (Taylor 22). According to Cole, through practice, he had gained familiarity on the fact that a very low percentage of employees incorporated substantial exertion in their day to day duties. This propensity was illustrate and depicted by Taylor as soldiering. Soldiering was subsequently categorized into natural and systematic soldiering. According to Taylor, natural soldiering is refe rred to as the innate propensity of effortlessness depicted by human beings. Systematic soldiering on the other hand is referred to as an intentional and systematic constraint or limitation of the speed or pace of conducting various duties and activities portrayed by workers. He asserted that soldering resulted from workers’ dread of joblessness, variations in stipends, and the violent and handy advances introduced by the management (16). During this period, techniques and ways of conducting activities and duties were the enterprise of the employees whereby they were allowed to plan and program their duties. According to Taylor’s proposition in his theory, this should be the work of individuals in management positions. In support of his proposition, he argued that employees favored working conditions whereby they are bestowed with specific duties with precise principles. He elucidated the importance of disconnecting preparation, development, and scheduling of operation s with the work itself. The theory of scientific management also postulates that ongoing and continuing decline on the level of skills within the workplace is goes together with growing and increasing

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In your own words, define group communication in three to five sentences - Essay Example Each member of the group is also encouraged to provide a feedback or to share in the brainstorming session to enrich the collective ideas and arrive at a more suitable outcome. An individual communication refers to the transmission of ideas to another without a need of requiring another person to collaborate or add up to the idea being communicated. The ideas are formulated by the communicator alone in order to implement a plan in accordance to one’s goal. There are approaches that can be used to promote individual and group communication. In individual communication and group communication anyone can be both a communicator and a listener. The participants in communication will be a speaker at one time and a listener at another. Thus, they must both possess the good qualities of a speaker and a listener. As a speaker, it is necessary to speak clearly and organize the idea logically. At the same time, the speaker should be patient to explain one’s thought and the listene r request for further explanation. The strategies are commonly used individuals in face-to-face interaction as well as in the use of social networking platform. Successful communication is facilitated when the communicators are at ease. This will enhance receptivity and allow full comprehension of the message being transmitted.

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Conclusion and Decisions Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conclusion and Decisions - Term Paper Example The earnings per share of the company were $1.99 and it had a declared dividend of $0.99. The return on capital of the firm was 19%. Based on the basic financial analysis performed it seems as if Sysco is a sound financial investment. I would invest $1 million in SYY common stocks. The two other decisions regarding Sysco is whether or not invest in Sysco corporate bonds and to decide if Sysco is worthy of a bank credit line for its short term needs. The best way to determine how good the corporate bonds of the company are is by testing if the firm has the ability to pay off its long term debt. A ratio that can help determine if the firm can pay its long term debt is the debt ratio. The debt ratio is calculated dividing assets by liabilities. The debt ratio of Sysco is 1.59. A good debt ratio is one above 1.0. Based on these results I would recommend a $500,000 investment in Sysco bonds. The final decision is regarding whether the company deserves a line of credit for its short term n eeds. A liquidity ratio that helps determine the ability of the company to pay off its short term debts is the current ratio. The current ratio is calculated dividing current assets by current liability. A current ratio is good is it is above 1.0. The current ratio of Sysco is 1.69. Based on the ratio analysis result I would recommend the bank approve a $1 million credit line. Work Cited Page Sysco.com. 2011.

Jane’s Asylum Memorandum and Elian Gonzalez Case Brief Essay Example for Free

Jane’s Asylum Memorandum and Elian Gonzalez Case Brief Essay Question Presented Under the Immigration and Naturalization Service requirements for filing a petition for asylum in the U.S., can a relative submit an application on behalf of a minor? Short Answer No. Minors can submit a petition for asylum in the United States, because the Supreme Court feels that application for asylum cannot be made against the wishes of a parent, if the child lacks the mental capacity to request asylum. A third person cannot speak on the behalf of a minor because it is the right of the parent to speak on behalf of his child in the court. Statement of Facts Jane is 14 years old. She has Canadian citizenship and has no dual citizenship with any other country. Her father is a Canadian citizen and her mother is an American citizen. Her parents have been divorced for six years. Her father, John, has primary guardianship in Quebec. During the school breaks and holiday vacations, she lives with her mother, Anne, in New York. John is a high-level government minister, working on creating an independent French Canadian State. Under Canadian law, both Anne and John retained full custodial and parental rights following the divorce. Six months ago, Jane was living in New York during a school break. During the break, Jane telephoned her father asking to be allowed to return to Quebec. John advised her to stay the remainder of the break and try to get along with her mother. Two days later, at 6:00pm, Anne returned from work to find a message on her answering machine from Jane, saying that she was going to live with her uncle, Billy, in California. He is 21 years old. Jane’s message stated that she hated both of her parents and believed that neither of them cared about her at all. Her father received a similar message. Anne died on the way to the airport to catch up with Jane. Jane refuses to return to Canada. Billy wants to file an asylum petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Jane’s behalf since she is a minor. He claims that Jane is afraid to return to Canada due to propaganda issues. Jane claims that other rebellious children and adults who disagree with the goals of the government have been used for propaganda purposes Application The issue of asylum is not always easy and special notes are particularly made for asylum when it seekers involve minors. The United Nations General Assembly recognized and accepted international instruments and documents that contain provisions specifically relating to children. They recognize and promote the principle that childrens rights are human rights, and that childrens rights are universal. See, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (1948)(e.g., Article 14 provides for the right to apply for asylum, Article 25(2) refers to the special care and assistance required for children). Pursuant to 8 U.S.C 12  §1158 (2004), any foreigner physically in the United States, irrespective of such alien’s status, may apply for asylum. The Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General may grant asylum to any who have filed for asylum and has completed the requirements and followed the required procedures, Id.  § 1158(b) (1) (a). The next part of the issue is who can file for the minor. Jane would be classified as either a minor principal or an unaccompanied minor according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The difference between the two is a minor principal is a person under the age of 18 when filing for asylum by one’s own right, as opposed to as a derivative family member on a parent’s or spouse’s asylum application. An unaccompanied minor principal applicant for asylum who is under 18 years of age and who has no parent or legal guardian in the U.S. who is available to provide care and physical custody. This definition encompasses separated minors, e.g., those who are separated from their parents or guardians, but who are in the informal care and physical custody of other adults, including family members. See, Homeland Security Act 6 U.S.C.  §279 (2002). The latter is better fitting in Jane’s case. Because she is under the age of 18, she left the care of her parent, has no living parent in the United States, and in the physical care of an adult family member. The last part of issue one is the filing an application for asylum be a child. .In Gonzalez v. Reno, 86 F. Supp. 2d 1167 (S.D. Fla. 2000), aff’d, the court found that a child with out mental capacity cannot file asylum against the wishes of parent. In Polovchak, the court concluded the minimum age of 12 was the lowest for the age of majority needed to distinguish the child’s asylum interests that different from those of their parents. Polovchak v. Meese, 774 F.2d 731 (7th Cir. 1985). Jane has a particular fear of being used, as propaganda, in a province political issue will not affect her age to form a political opinion. Matters pertaining to persecution of political opinions of a minor differing than those of a parent cannot be a rejection due to age. See, Civil v. INS, 140 F.3d 52 (1st Cir 1998); Matter of S-P, Int. Dec. 3287 (BIA 1996)(stating that the Ninth Circuit has recognized imputed political opinion as a ground for satisfying the refugee definition). In 1994, The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated, that children and adolescents are entitled to special attention because their needs, and their legal and social status, can be significantly different from those of adults, and from each other as well, due to age-related developmental differences†, Conclusion In conclusion, Jane’s uncle, Billy, cannot file for a petition for asylum on Jane’s behalf. Jane can seek and file a petition for asylum in the United States on her own. Since Jane is 14 years old, she has the mental capacity to file for asylum because the courts view mental capacity for petition of children asylum seekers be at the minimum age of 12. In addition, the claim of being used as propaganda tool to further her father’s actions to have the province become an independent from the Canadian government, allows Jane to have different political opinions of her father. Jane’s status would make her an unaccompanied minor. Her applicant status means that she is an applicant for asylum because she is under 18, has no parent or legal guardian in the U.S, has no legal parent living in the U.S., and is in the informal care and physical custody of an adult family member. It is my opinion that she would have successful results in seeking, filing, and receiving asylum in the U.S. CITATION: Gonzalez v. Reno, 86 F. Supp. 2d 1167 (S.D. Fla. 2000) FACTS: The parties to this case are Elian Gonzalez with Lazaro Gonzalez and Attorney General Janet Reno. Six-year-old Cuban national Elian Gonzalez became the focus of international attention five months ago, on November 25, 1999, when he was rescued by two Miami anglers who found him floating on an inner tube several miles off Fort Lauderdale. Elian was transferred to a United States Coast Guard vessel so he could be transported to a nearby hospital for treatment for dehydration and hypothermia. Elians mother, Elisabeth Brotons, drowned during the voyage from Cuba. The INS temporarily paroled him into the care of Lazaro Gonzalez, his great uncle, in Miami. On January 19, 2000, Lazaro Gonzalez, instituted this action as next friend, or alternatively as interim temporary legal custodian, of Elian Gonzalez, a six-year-old child, against the Attorney General, the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and other federal defendants. The complaint challenged the INSs refusal to accept and adjudicate two asylum applications that Lazaro submitted with respect to Elian and an essentially identical application that bore Elian’s signature. On January 27, 2000, the government filed a motion to dismiss or, in the alternative, for summary judgment. The district court heard oral argument on the governments motion on March 9, 2000. On March 21, 2000, the district court granted the governments motion to dismiss or for summary judgment and dismissed the case. Plaintiff appealed. On April 19, 2000, this Court issued an injunction pending appeal, barring Elians removal from the United States during the pendency of this app eal ISSUE: 1. Whether the district court was correct in holding that Elian Gonzalez has no due process rights concerning the manner in which the INS considered the asylum applications filed on his behalf. 2. Whether the INSs thoroughly considered and crafted approach to considering asylum applications submitted by a third party on behalf of a six-year-old child, against the express wishes of the childs sole surviving parent. RULE: 1. An unadmitted alien cannot challenge decisions by INS officials with regard to their applications for admission, asylum, or parole on constitutional grounds 2. An application for asylum cannot be made against the wishes of a parent, if the child lacks the mental capacity to request asylum and a third person cannot speak on the behalf of a minor because it is the right of the parent to speak on behalf of his child in the court. ANALYSIS: The Court felt that the district court ruled correctly on its holding that Elian Gonzalez had no due process rights in the way the Attorney General considered the asylum applications submitted for him. The ruling on due process was found to lack merit because aliens seeking admission to the United States . . . have no constitutional rights with regard to their applications, Jean v. Nelson, 727 F.2d 957, 968 (11th Cir. 1984). Although the statute requires the existence of some application procedure so that aliens may apply for asylum, section 1158 says nothing about the particulars of that procedure, 8 U.S.C.  § 1158. The matter for decision is not up for the courts to decide but for the agency to enforcing the statute, in this case the INS, to choose how to fill such gaps. See Chevron, U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837 (1984), 104 S. Ct. at 2793 The second issue was who could actually speak for Elian Gonzalez. The INS Commissioner reached a decision that a six year old is too young to file an asylum claim on his own. It was therefore the job of the Attorney General Reno’s job to determine who should speak for the child, and she found that the father, Juan Miguel, should speak for the child. In Polovchak v. Meese, 774 F.2d 731 (7th Cir. 1985, the court concluded the minimum age of 12 was the lowest for the age of majority needed to distinguish the child’s asylum interests that different from those of their parents. Lazaro Gonzalez application for guardianship was not allowed because the matter was with immigration lending it to be a federal matter. CONCLUSION: The courts ruled that an alien seeking asylum has no constitutional right to do so, thus removing the power to assert a right to due process under the law. Since Elian was an alien, the Attorney General had full custody over his status. On the second point was could Elian through a third party bring an application for asylum on his behalf. Because Elian was only six years old, he lacked the legal capacity to file for himself. The court felt that only the father could speak for his child. Since the application for asylum was in direct conflict with his wishes, the court saw no reason to reverse the lower court decision therefore sending the child back to his homeland. Had Elian been at least 12 years of age and could articulate the reasons for his fear of being returned to Cuba

Chromium and Selenium Concentration in Cancer

Chromium and Selenium Concentration in Cancer The ratio between chromium and selenium concentration among various age groups of cancer group has also been studied and it shown in table 5.48, and it has been observed that all groups of cancer patients present somewhat similar ratio of chromium and selenium concentration in their blood. Moreover, the concentration balance of chromium and selenium has conspicuously been disturbed as it illustrated in table 5.49. For instance, the breast cancer mortalities in various countries were studied and ascertained a direct correlation with the estimated dietary intake of zinc, chromium and cadmium and inversely proportional to the concentration of selenium (238). The summary of stage wise distribution for chromium and selenium has been illustrated in Table 5.50 and it observed that all four stages of cancer patients present a sort of consistency in chromium and selenium proportion in the blood of cancer patients as shown in Table 5.51. In view of this fact, it may be elucidated that the demarcation among various stages of cancer is arbitrary division and this periphery does not present any association of stages with the distribution-ratio of chromium and selenium in the blood of cancer patients. However, the reduction of 0.064 Â µg ml-1 of selenium concentration in the blood of cancer patients corresponds to more than 52 % decrease as compared to the selenium level in the blood of control group. These variations in concentration may be the result of the disease of cancer however the type of cancer does not influence the levels of selenium in the blood of cancer patients. However, the significant decrease in selenium concentration in whole blood and plasma has been observed in another study where the tannery workers were exposed to chromium compounds and have shown a considerably lower selenium concentration in their blood and they excreted lower amount of selenium in their urine as compared to the worker those were not exposed to the chromium. It may confirm the point of view that chromium and selenium have some kind of interaction and biological selenides are formed with chromium and in due course of time they accumulate in some organs. It was also demonstrated that the tannery workers who were exposed to air with high concentrations of chromium compounds at their workplace exhibited significantly higher erythrocyte and plasma GSH-Px activity than workers of other departments (239). Therefore, higher level of selenium stipulates the main function of selenium is to induce and maintain the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which prevents cellular damage by catabolizing organic peroxides (240) The enzyme, SeGSH-Px, catalyzes the oxidation-reduction reaction between reduced glutathione and peroxide. Therefore, the pathological lesions lured with selenium deficiency are considered to be caused by peroxidative damage that is the product of depressed SeGSH-Px activity (241-242). However, once chromium absorbed and retained in biological tissue chromium compounds occur as chromium (III). Glutathione and cysteine seem to be the most important cofactors for the intracellular reduction of chromium (VI) (243). The absorption of metal in the human body is a complex process and depends on various factors including dietary components. About 40% of ingested metal is absorbed in the small intestine (244). Furthermore, a variety of neurodegnerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, and neuronal damage caused by stroke and ischemia may be associated with pathological disruption of metal trafficking (245-247). Chromium is potentially toxic and carcinogenic at higher doses. All chromates that exhibit oxidation state (VI) can aggressively enter the cell through channels that are specified for the transfer of isoelectric and isostructural anions, such as SO4-2 and PO4-2. However, the insoluble chromates are engrossed by cells through phagocytosis. As soon as the chromates get inside the cell they are competent enough to generate free radicals immediately. Yet, in the presence of cellular reductants the chromium inside the cell can cause a broad series of DNA lesions such as DNA- protein crosslink, Cr-DNA adducts, DNA-DNA cross links, and oxidative damages. The glutathione quickly reacts with chromium (VI) and forms a complex and generate chromium (V) and chromium (III) through slow reduction of chromium (VI) inside the cell. The chromium (V) and chromium (III) species exhibit the tendency to alter the DNA conformation. The reduction of chromium (VI) can be commenced through GSH, or in the pre sence of other reducing agents. The chromium (V) and chromium (III) can react with H2O2 through Fenton reaction and produce hydroxyl radical (OH) that has the potential to damage DNA. There are evidents that interacellular reduction of chromium (VI) results in extensive formation of Cr-DNA adducts, among which chromium (III) – mediated DNA cross-link of glutathione, cysteine, histidine and ascorbate represent an important group of DNA modifications. Therefore, Cr- DNA adducts are responsible for both the mutagenicity and genotoxicity of chromium. The chromium (VI) is considered as carcinogen for lungs cancer for human (248). Numerous epidemiological studies have been performed for more than 100 years on workers exposed to chromium in order to determine its level of carcinogenicity. Altogether, these studies indicate that exposed individuals have approximately 2- 80 fold increased relative risk of developing lungs cancer (226). On the other hand, an inverse association between serum selenium level and cancer risk is biologically possible. The results of the study indicated that the treatment with selenium improved GPx levels. GPx detoxifies H2O2by reducing it to water. It also protects cytosolic organelles from oxidative damage by preventing lipid peroxidation. Selenium could reduce oxidative stress through antioxidant selenoproteins such as glutathione peroxidase, selenoprotein P, and thioredoxin reductase. (249-250). There are numerous promising possibilities that may be presented as an account for the observed variations for selenium in whole blood levels associated with malignant disease, as compared to healthy and control group (251). It includes chemotherapeutic-induce necrosis, which could release selenium from tissues into the circulation, preferential sequestration by tumor cells (252-253) and alteration of properties of proteins, especially enzymes, at elevated concentration of selenium in tissues (254-255). Furthermore, the possibility of depression in activities of specific enzymes with loss of vital enzyme activity, and impaired tissue function resulting from a selenium-deficient state (256). The depletion of selenium in the blood of cancer patients may suggest its reciprocal accumulation in the malignant tissues in view of the studies (257-261) who have reported higher concentration of selenium in the cancerous and neighboring tissues cells. Availability of excessive selenium in the cancerous cells may be expected to facilitate the synthesis of selenoproteins e.g. Trx, TrxR etc. which are known to provide protection to the tissue cells against the oxidative stress, carcinogens, and help to reduce cancerous cell growth. The results of recent studies (262-264) regarding the diversified multiple functions of selenoproteins has generated tremendous interest in the understanding and elucidation of mechanisms that triggers the role of these proteins from anti-apoptosis in the normal cells to pro-apoptosis in malignant cells. There are numerous studies (265-267), who have proposed different mechanisms to explain the inhibiting effect of selenium on malignant neoplasm; for examp le modulation of cellular division rate, decrease in formation of carcinogenic metabolites or cellular protection by an antioxidant system. It is generally believed that due to the anti oxidative characteristics of selenoproteins, these proteins can protect the cells and DNA from oxidative damage; in addition, these proteins can react with carcinogens directly to save cells and DNA from their lethal actions. It has been suggested (263), that nitrative inactivation of Trx plays a proapoptotic role if the reactive nitrogen species are increased; and antinitrating treatment may have therapeutic value in those diseases, such as myocardial ischemia/ reperfusion, in which pathological apoptosis is increased. The situation is reversed in malignant tissue cells where apoptosis is beneficial for the inhibition of the cell growth. Therefore, in view of the aforementioned studies, it is possible that the pathological conditions in which production of nitrogen species is increased that may favo r the inactivation of Trx and therefore enhance the apoptotic role of this selenoprotein. A kinetic study of the reaction of NO and O2 in aqueous solutions, based on pH indicator, has been performed by using stopped-flow spectrometry. The results of these studies have shown that at physiological concentrations of O2 and NO, the auto- oxidation of NO does not limit its diffusion from the site of production in endothelial cells to a spatially removed target molecule such as guanylate cyclase in myocytes and platelets. A Trx interacting protein Txnip has been reported (31), which inhibit the antiapoptotic activity of Trx where as NO suppresses the expression of Trxnip and enhances the Trx activity, therefore perhaps the oxidative character of Trx in malignant cells as reported in the above mentioned studies may well be interpreted as the inhibition of its antioxidant activity. In different studies (267-268) it has been suggested on the basis of their results that selenite induces apopt osis by producing superoxide ions which activate p53, a well known protein involved in carcinogenesis, which in turn support apoptosis. A key role has been assigned (269), to Trx-2, located in mitochondria, in interaction with electron transport chain, determining tumor necrosis ROS generation, NF- kB activation and apoptosis. Intestines are the main sits where selenium absorption is measured at maximum. In liver selenium joins many other amino acids and generate selenocysteine and selenoproteins. Selenoproteins consist of active form of selenium and are transferred to all over the body. Kidney and liver, however, have higher concentration of selenoproteins. It is reported that a small quantity of selenoproteins are also exist in blood and serum. Furthermore, being a part of selenoproteins the selenium is an essential part of glutathione peroxidae as well that is the reason selenium is believed to be an antioxidant (36). Glutathione plays a role of a protector in the body of an organism and ensnare the balance of free radicals, peroxides and preserves the redox status of the cell (270). In addition, glutathione perxidase provides defense mechanism against free radicals that may cause destruction of cell membrane. The free radicals are generated when hydrogen peroxide produced in the mitochondria of the cell during the regular metabolism. The stress is a foremost cause of excessive production of hydrogen peroxide that sequentially create a disproportion in free radicals inside the cells. Chemical structure of cell membrane comes under the attack of free radicals and gives away their loosely bounded electrons to the free radicals. Consequently, a chemical structure of cell membrane turns into a reactive entity and begins to instigate an electron from adjacent structure and this chain reaction serves to damage the cell membrane causing the cell to die. Proactive role as a safeguard of glutathione peroxidase quickly transform hydrogen peroxide into water a way before it could generate harmful reactive species called free radicals. Another study highlights defense mechanism of vitamin E in which glutathione peroxidase and vitamin E follow a similar pathway in order to discontinue the chain reaction by engaging the free radicals within the cell membrane. Therefore, it is an effective combination of selenium and vitamin E that can control the production of free radicals and prevent the damage of cell membranes as well as DNA and other cellular structures (270).

Child Abuse and Neglect Essay -- Violence Against Children

Child Abuse Child abuse and neglect is frightfully high. As a country this is unacceptable. We need to come up with better ways to fight this â€Å"disease† before we destroy our children, our future. An estimated 903,000 children across the country were victims of abuse or neglect in 2001, according to national data released by the Department of Health and Human Services. The statistics indicate that about 12.4 out of every 1,000 children were victims of abuse or neglect, a rate comparable to the previous year's victimization rate of 12.2 out of 1,000 children. "A nation as compassionate as ours should ensure that no child is a victim of abuse or neglect. The number of children that are being abused and neglected this country is an unacceptable daily tragedy," HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. "We must do more to protect our most vulnerable children. That's why President Bush has proposed an important new approach to give states the tools and resources they need to prevent abuse and care for these young victims." As part of HHS' fiscal year 2004 budget request, the Bush Administration is proposing a new approach to protect children in the child welfare system. Under the plan, states would have the option of using some money now designated solely for foster care to support a range of abuse-preventive services and programs. The proposal provides the flexibility and sustained financial support necessary to build innovative programs for children and families...

The United States in the Vietnam War Essay -- Essays Papers

The United States in the Vietnam War Many soldiers have been lost in the different wars that the United States has been involved. Although there have been many wars only one is unique from the others, it is known as the war that was never won or lost. The Vietnam War started out as a conflict but soon escalated into a full-fledged war. Many soldiers have been lost in the Vietnam War. The United States sent many soldiers into the jungles of Indochina trying to stop the spread of communism from the North Vietnamese. It all seems clear-cut, with the motives and sides easily seen but as the war lagged on, it seemed that the United States became involved, and essentially needed a draft. The United States involvement in the Vietnam War became greater as the drudgery of the war progressed. With more increased support it seemed as though the United States was making a difference, but many thought it was a lost cause. The United States became involved in the Vietnam War as early as the Geneva Accords in 1953. The Geneva accords basically stated that Vietnam was to hold elections to unify the country. These were drawn just after the Korean War. The French were initially involved and requested the support of the U.S. When the conflict began the U.S. sent in mostly ground troops and officers, it was a limited amount. "According to the terms of the Geneva Accords, Vietnam would hold national elections in 1956 to reunify the country"-Brigham, 1. The French and the British were both ready for the treaty to be signed and the conflict finally ended -Hess, 47. The Eisenhower administration used SEATO only as a way of stalling. They had basically, through the work on SEATO, created a whole new country out of the remains of the old Vietnam -Br... ...sed his popularity in office -Hess, 117. The United States had many fallen soldiers in the Vietnam War. Many people think that it was not the United States’ place to go into Vietnam and prevent the spread of communism from the North to South. Many French troops were stationed in the Jungles of Indochina and it was believed that they could take care of the crisis that was growing in Asia. What started out as a relief campaign, only sending minimal forces to Vietnam turned into a war with over 550,000 United States troops. The gradual introduction of troops to Vietnam, the Tet offensive, and Vietnamization were all major aspects of the war that the United States was drawn into. It is still considered by many as the war that no one has won, and maybe if the Eisenhower administration had not sent troops in initially, a lot of American soldier’s lives would be saved.

Rationale of the Study Essay

In our modern time’s computer’s become so usefull and it make our life even more easier than we have before. In fast moving life of the modern world of today computers hold temendous significance. We are prone to different aplications and different business and huge companies estblish in local areas and world wide. We know that managing a business is such a difficult task weather it is big or small. In accordance with this matter, adapting is the most common way to solve this issue.Internet and technology is widely use in making our lives in the simplest way as possible.It provide each individual uses their own intelligence or mind to investigate further. Internet cafà © one those business that are rapidly spreading throughout the Philippines archipelago, so long as they are in demand and up until now they are still in demand. Thus the research is to create and to show the comprehensive description of the Cyberbob Internet Cafà © Monitoring System. This implies what the software will and can do as well as how it will be anticipated to perform in most easiest way. Expanding the small business into a large store or having new branches will give another problem to the owner as well as to the costumers. Growing company means hiring new technical or employee in which they well help to meet the satisfactions of the costumers and their demands What we focused in our study in the Internet Cafà © Monitoring System which deals with the process involved within the system. With this, the user can easily access data or information in just a span of time, the system is manageable, accessible and it is very easy to use thus the user can see the effectiveness and advantages of the computer accessing information just like what this system can do. Like adding new databases and choices for the user like computing all the sales for the day, summary of all the time consumed in every computer and etc. This will enable the user to see the result being asked for. To achieve this, it is necessary to design goals at the  soonest time and fasted pace possible without compromising quality and development cost. And as for the result, your system will be improved into new well developed, easy to manage and organized software that will even more satisfy your needs.

Nursing Recruitment and Retention

Nursing Recruitment and Retention To be a good nurse, you have to be a physically strong and emotionally stable person, and you have to be able to think on your feet. Though nursing is not an easy profession, it is very rewarding. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the nursing shortage and nursing retention and recruitment strategies for facilities. The nursing shortage crisis is caused by nurse burnout, an aging Registered Nurse (RN) population, not enough nurses graduating due to a shortage of nurse faculty, and an increase of patients as â€Å"baby boomers† retire, grow older, and experience age-related illnesses.There are many challenges involved with the nursing shortage, including recruiting RN’s and then being able to retain those RN’s in order to provide adequate, safe staffing, Ensuring appropriate staffing is necessary for safe and competent patient care, as well as a healthy work environment. Once a nurse has been recruited, the challenge becomes how to keep them due to the high cost of nurse turnover. Many facilities offer benefits, such as mentoring programs, tuition reimbursement, and longevity bonuses, to help keep nurses from leaving.Nursing Shortage Defined The nursing shortage poses a significant problem for nurses, especially with job satisfaction and patient care. Most nurses use a holistic approach to patient care, meaning they care for the patient’s mind, body and spirit. This approach, however, takes more time and with the nursing shortage nurses feel like they are not adequately staffed to be able to give good, patient care. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA) there has been a nursing shortage since as early as 1999.In 2010, the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 2,737,400 registered nurses, with an expected 26% increase of nursing jobs by 2020. So what are some contributing factors that affect the nursing shortage? First, the agi ng baby-boomer population will have a major influence on the health care system and especially nursing. Currently the average age of a baby-boomer is 50-70 years old and will soon demand more age-related healthcare services, which leads to another contribution to the nursing shortage.In 2008, the average age of RN’s was 46, with many nurses expecting to retire between the ages of 60-65. Finally, faculty shortages at nursing schools limit the number of graduating nurses. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing website stated, â€Å"U. S. nursing schools turned away 75,587 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2011 due to insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors, and budget constraints. † (para. 3) The nursing shortage cannot be fixed if we do not have enough students to replace those nurses who quit or retire.Effects of Burnout In addition to these causes, burnout often strikes nurses due to the high levels of stress, understaffing, increased workload and mandatory overtime. Burnout is a condition that shows itself as being fatigued all the time, irritability, insomnia and depression. According to the article Nurse Burnout and Patient Satisfaction, employers have an increased cost in personnel due to the fact that burnout leads to employees being absent, late to work, and an increase in the turnover rate.(Vahey, Aiken, Sloane, Clarke, & Vargas, 2010, para. 6) Nursing Retention and Recruitment Strategies In order to ensure safe staffing, hospitals need to focus on recruiting nurses and retaining their current nursing staff. To help build better teams and increase staff satisfaction, management should engage employees in nurse recruitment and nurse retention. The cost of recruiting and retaining nurses, however, can be expensive for facilities, especially high nurse turnover rates.The Online Journal of Nursing reports that the cost of turnover, for each nurse, can range between $22,000 to over $64,000. (Bland & Gates, 2007, para. 3). Factors that contribute to the cost of turnover include orientating and training new staff and covering for loss of staff, either thru travel nurses or overtime with current staff. As it can take years to develop the skill and training needed to work in specialty units, the loss of experienced nurses is especially costly. The retention of employees is dependent on reducing turnover.One positive aspect of the nursing shortage is that it has provided nurses the opportunity to find an employer that will meet their needs. Many things factor into the retention of a single nurse, among other things, nurses want safe workplaces with adequate staffing be able to give quality patient care, the flexibility to manage their work schedule around their home life, and a decent salary. Organizations need to cultivate a work area in which staff want to work in order to promote staff retention. Organizations also cannot afford to simply react to the workforce shortage.Attracting qualified nurses is one of the most important steps that can be taken to ensure a high standard of care. There are many different ways that organizations can utilize to recruit those qualified nurses. An online article for the American Organization of Nurse Executive’s publication Nurse Leader listed the top sources of new hires, and the top three included employee referral, organization’s website and general job boards. If staff satisfaction were made a priority from organizations, referrals from current employees could attract qualified, seasoned nurses.Other recruitment strategies include offering incentives, like salary, flexible schedules, education incentives and tuition reimbursement. (Brooks & Caffey, 2008) Conclusion Today’s society of aging baby boomers and nurses, faculty shortage due to low enrollment in nursing schools and the higher expectations of medical care are all helping cause today’s environment of nursing crisis. By ensuring that the needs of the hospital and nurses are met this leads to better patient care and better patient care leads to better patient satisfaction scores. Nursing Recruitment and Retention Nursing Recruitment and RetentionTo be a good nurse, you have to be a physically strong and emotionally stable person, and you have to be able to think on your feet. Though nursing is not an easy profession, it is very rewarding. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the nursing shortage and nursing retention and recruitment strategies for facilities. The nursing shortage crisis is caused by nurse burnout, an aging Registered Nurse (RN) population, not enough nurses graduating due to a shortage of nurse faculty, and an increase of patients as â€Å"baby boomers† retire, grow older, and experience age-related illnesses.There are many challenges involved with the nursing shortage, including recruiting RN’s and then being able to retain those RN’s in order to provide adequate, safe staffing, Ensuring appropriate staffing is necessary for safe and competent patient care, as well as a healthy work environment. Once a nurse has been recruited, the challenge becomes h ow to keep them due to the high cost of nurse turnover. Many facilities offer benefits, such as mentoring programs, tuition reimbursement, and longevity bonuses, to help keep nurses from leaving.Nursing Shortage DefinedThe nursing shortage poses a significant problem for nurses, especially with job satisfaction and patient care. Most nurses use a holistic approach to patient care, meaning they care for the patient’s mind, body and spirit. This approach, however, takes more time and with the nursing shortage nurses feel like they are not adequately staffed to be able to give good, patient care. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA) there has been a nursing shortage since as early as 1999. In 2010, the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 2,737,400 registered nurses, with an expected 26% increase of nursing jobs by 2020.So what are some contributing factors that affect the nursing shortage? First, the aging baby-boomer population will have a major influence on the health care system and especially nursing. Currently the average age of a  baby-boomer is 50-70 years old and will soon demand more age-related healthcare services, which leads to another contribution to the nursing shortage. In 2008, the average age of RN’s was 46, with many nurses expecting to retire between the ages of 60-65. Finally, faculty shortages at nursing schools limit the number of graduating nurses.The American Association of Colleges of Nursing website stated, â€Å"U.S. nursing schools turned away 75,587 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2011 due to insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors, and budget constraints.† (para. 3) The nursing shortage cannot be fixed if we do not have enough students to replace those nurses who quit or retire.Effects of BurnoutIn addition to these causes, burnout often strikes nurses d ue to the high levels of stress, understaffing, increased workload and mandatory overtime. Burnout is a condition that shows itself as being fatigued all the time, irritability, insomnia and depression. According to the article Nurse Burnout and Patient Satisfaction, employers have an increased cost in personnel due to the fact that burnout leads to employees being absent, late to work, and an increase in the turnover rate. (Vahey, Aiken, Sloane, Clarke, & Vargas, 2010, para. 6)Nursing Retention and Recruitment StrategiesIn order to ensure safe staffing, hospitals need to focus on recruiting nurses and retaining their current nursing staff. To help build better teams and increase staff satisfaction, management should engage employees in nurse recruitment and nurse retention. The cost of recruiting and retaining nurses, however, can be expensive for facilities, especially high nurse turnover rates. The Online Journal of Nursing reports that the cost of turnover, for each nurse, can r ange between $22,000 to over $64,000. (Bland & Gates, 2007, para. 3).Factors that contribute to the cost of turnover include orientating and training new staff and covering for loss of staff, either thru travel nurses or overtime with current staff. As it can take  years to develop the skill and training needed to work in specialty units, the loss of experienced nurses is especially costly.The retention of employees is dependent on reducing turnover. One positive aspect of the nursing shortage is that it has provided nurses the opportunity to find an employer that will meet their needs. Many things factor into the retention of a single nurse, among other things, nurses want safe workplaces with adequate staffing be able to give quality patient care, the flexibility to manage their work schedule around their home life, and a decent salary. Organizations need to cultivate a work area in which staff want to work in order to promote staff retention.Organizations also cannot afford to simply react to the workforce shortage. Attracting qualified nurses is one of the most important steps that can be taken to ensure a high standard of care. There are many different ways that organizations can utilize to recruit those qualified nurses. An online article for the American Organization of Nurse Executive’s publication Nurse Leader listed the top sources of new hires, and the top three included employee referral, organization’s website and general job boards. If staff satisfaction were made a priority from organizations, referrals from current employees could attract qualified, seasoned nurses. Other recruitment strategies include offering incentives, like salary, flexible schedules, education incentives and tuition reimbursement. (Brooks & Caffey, 2008)ConclusionToday’s society of aging baby boomers and nurses, faculty shortage due to low enrollment in nursing schools and the higher expectations of medical care are all helping cause today’s e nvironment of nursing crisis. By ensuring that the needs of the hospital and nurses are met this leads to better patient care and better patient care leads to better patient satisfaction scores.

Hum 176 Wk 2 Media Convergence Worksheet

University of Phoenix Material Media Convergence Worksheet Write brief 250- to 300-word answers to each of the following: QuestionsAnswers What is meant by the term media convergence with regard to technology, and how has it affected everyday life? The term media convergence with regards to technology is defined as a process of combining together the telecommunications and computers and turning them into one electronic or digital form.The media convergence has affected our everyday life as we know it in many ways, you can now watch television shows, listen to music and shop online using your computer all without leaving the privacy of your home. Using the computer you can also communicate using the email, or chat option on the computer, eliminating the need to call from your phone. Facebook is another option that allows you to keep up with friends and family, while knowing where they are at all times.The internet is a multitasking piece of equipment that has replaced many forms of co mmunications. Hard back books have been replaced with e-books, which can be electronically downloaded from your computer. The way we watch television has also changed, there are so many things that we can do through the television. You can program your home lights and alarms from you cell phone through the television. You can also communicate through you television to others, replacing the need for a telephone.The television and the internet are just two examples of media convergence, that has changed the way we shop, communicate, listen to music, watch the news and educate ourselves, it can all be done using the computer and connecting to the internet. People actually live on the internet and are becoming less social, because there is no need to leave their home for anything. What is meant by the term media convergence with regard to business, and how has it affected everyday life?The term media convergence in regards to business is the combination of computing and information proc essing with telecommunication networks provided from magazines, music, and entertainment programs. This converging links computing, communications and content. An example would be content that has been changed through different forms of delivery, digital forms are transmitted through broadband or wireless for viewing on computer s or similar equipment, cell phones, personal digital assistants, to video recorders that connected to television (technology).Business industries (media, technology, and telecommunication) have combined and developed new ideas that can increase profit from the consumers’ growing need for â€Å"on demand content†. Many analysts view media convergence as ending of the old media and rise of the new media (industry). Some of the many changes that have affected our lives as a result of media convergences in the business industry are the way we view information, the way we do everyday tasks and our value system.As a result we now have PDA or persona l digital assistants this device is a portable electronic notebook/computer that store information, keeps notes, addresses, reminders, and has a calendar. It is a mini computer that allows you to everything that you can do with a computer using a stylus rather than the keyboard. It fits in your pocket or purse and people rely on this device in order to function in everyday life. The smartphone is also a device that people rely on and they could not perform simple duties without it.You can text, email, chat, shop, watch movies, play games, use face book and twitter all from the smart phone. This eliminates a one on one discussion with a friend or family member and takes away the personal touch of body language and having face to face conversation. What are some of the issues that result from dependency on modern media? Describe at least three issues. Some of the issues that result from dependency on modern media are the increase of becoming withdrawn from society, the loss of social skills and personal relationships with friends, family and other loved ones.Another issue that can arise as a result of dependency is the chance of becoming what is known as a â€Å"media junkie† where the modern media takes preference over anything else (losing touch with reality). The cell phone has taken away our ability to properly communicate with each other by using slang and abbreviations in place of proper English. People are becoming less active, less visible, and trusting with each other. Studies have shown that â€Å"gamers† or people who play games (game tournaments) over the internet for hours and hours without stopping are likely to lose social skills.People with addictions or dependency on modern media are similar to those of a drug addict. It has been shown to produce distress and isolation in many people who are deprived from these devices. I think that this a major concern for parents of students and this younger generation. Dependency on modern media has caused up to depend on smartphones to tell time rather than wearing a watch. We text each other to communicate rather than using the phone to talk, and as opposed to watching the new we go to face book for the latest information, replacing the family time together watching television.These are just a few examples of the issues that results from the dependency on modern media. How does media literacy help with responsible media consumption? Media literacy helps individuals develop an informed understanding the nature of mass media. This awareness will prepare you to make wiser decision concerning issues that are facing our society, results of dependency, promotion of unacceptable behavior and exploiting personal problems for profit and other serious problems that can arise as a result of media consumption.The amount of available information is overwhelming and media purposely promotes dangerous stunts, violence, even pornography. The media impacts our society through this inform ation and degrades our moral values, social values, and integrity. Media has shaped the way we live, think, communicate and our life styles. We have cars that can park themselves, we speed date, we date online, from relationships online, and the media has played a role in all of it. Media consumption is important to prevent us from falling into the snare of becoming isolated and less social.

How Humanitarian Logistics Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Supply Chains

Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics How Humanitarian Logistics Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Supply Chains: A View from the Field Michael Howden Humanitarian Consultant michael. [email  protected] com ABSTRACT Humanitarian logistics represents a broad range of activities taking place within humanitarian organizations, the bulk of these activities are also components of a broader humanitarian supply chain – the network involved with providing physical aid to beneficiaries.Humanitarian logistics information systems improve information flows, which integrates logistics units more efficiently with non-logistics units within the humanitarian supply chains and provides better feedback to donors, ensuring more effective operations. Humanitarian logistics activities occur across the disaster management cycle. Humanitarian logistics information systems not only improve logistics activities in each phase, but can improve the continuity of h umanitarian operations by sharing information throughout the transition of different disaster management cycle phases.Through collaboration between organizations, humanitarian logistics information systems also have the potential to reduce corruption and the market distortion which can occur during humanitarian operations. Keywords Humanitarian Operations, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Information Systems, Disasters, Disaster Management AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY Michael Howden completed a Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Auckland and originally worked as a software engineer in New Zealand.He has worked for International Rescue Committee in Indonesia, Pakistan and Uganda developing and implementing their global logistics database ProLogs and for Save the Children US in Indonesia, developing logistics software and systems which were components of a broader supply chain management system. INTRODUCTION Within humanitarian operations logistics is requ ired to procure, store and distribute supplies for the assistance of beneficiaries. In order to function effectively humanitarian logistics must coordinate with other actors and be considered throughout the lifespan of humanitarian operations.This paper will explore how humanitarian logistics information systems can: 1. Integrate logistics units into the broader humanitarian supply chain throughout the organization. 2. Enhance logistics activities and provide continuous support across the preparedness, response, transition, recovery and mitigation phases of disaster management cycle. 3. Create new possibilities for collaboration between humanitarian organizations. In these ways humanitarian logistics information systems can also improve the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian operations.HUMANITARIAN LOGISTICS INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN THE HUMANIATARIAN SUPPLY CHAIN Humanitarian Logistics Humanitarian organizations can include government agencies such as United States Agency fo r International Development (USAID) and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), multilateral agencies such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program (WFP), non-government organizations (NGOs) such as Save the Children and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.Many humanitarian Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics organizations will engage in long term development activities as well as disaster management activities supporting people affected by disasters. This paper will only discuss humanitarian logistics as it is applied in disaster management. Humanitarian organizations usually include logistic units which can have different functions depending on the organizations or even the disaster and can include: Procurement †¢ Warehousing †¢ Fleet Management †¢ Transportation (of both supplies and people) †¢ Asset Management †¢ Building Management †¢ Security †¢ Information Technology (IT) †¢ Radio Communications Humanitarian operations consist of a diverse range of activities, therefore logistics in this context can have a broader scope than in the commercial sector. Areas such as security and IT may be considered under logistics due to respective military or technical experience of logisticians, either currently or historically within an organization.Humanitarian Supply Chains In this paper a humanitarian supply chain refers to the network created through the flow of supplies, services, finances and information between donors, beneficiaries, suppliers and different units of humanitarian organizations for the purpose of providing physical aid to beneficiaries (Mentzer et al. 2001). Humanitarian supply chains include functionalities whic h do not typically fall into the field of humanitarian logistics.Managing relationships with donors, performing needs assessments, planning for supplies required and monitoring and evaluating the impact of distributed supplies, are usually the responsibility of non-logistics program units. Figure 1 presents a summary of the major flows within both humanitarian supply chains and humanitarian logistics. Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics Figure 1.Humanitarian Logistics and Humanitarian Supply Chain Flows This paper will focus on the value of information systems for logistic units of NGOs within the humanitarian supply chain. Integrating Logistics into Supply Chain Management With the exception of organizations which specialize in disaster response or distribution, such as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and World Food Program (WFP) res pectively, the core business of humanitarian organizations tend towards health, education, protection and economic development.Logistics units are only considered as a function to support these activities of humanitarian organizations. Logistics units have traditionally been marginalized within organizations (Rickard, 2003) and logisticians have been â€Å"pigeonholed† in the field, making it hard to move into management positions (Chaikin, 2003). This has contributed to a silo mentality in regards to logistics within humanitarian organizations. Better integrating logistics with other units within the organization will form stronger humanitarian supply chains.In order to integrate logistics into broader humanitarian supply chains, a clear distinction is required between the two. In Indonesia, one major NGO moved all logistics functionality into a supply chain management unit. In the terms logistics and supply chain management are used interchangeably (Rickard, 2006) and perso nal discussions with humanitarian professional have revealed the there is not a clear distinction between the terms logistics and supply change management, and some have regarded any differences are semantics.In literature on humanitarian organizations there is a shift from logistics to supply chain management (Thomas and Kopczak, 2005) Humanitarian supply chains include units implementing programs, managing grants with donors, controlling budgets and monitoring activities which must coordinate with logistics units. Humanitarian supply chains cannot be built by solely increasing the capacity or responsibility of individual units, but are formed by Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. HowdenHow Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics the creation of stronger links between units within the supply chain. Humanitarian logistics information systems can improve the flow of information with other units, in a mutually constructive manner, improving the effectiveness of the humanitarian supply chain. Humanitarian logistics information systems can: †¢ Enhance needs assessments by ensuring that field staff know what supplies are available for beneficiaries, either in local warehouses, pre-positioned emergency stocks or from local and international markets. Share lists of supplies available in both local and international markets, including prices and lead times, logisticians to empower program staff to better plan their procurement activities. †¢ Keep program staff informed of procurement activities will help to develop an understanding of the constraints within logistics and create trust. †¢ Provide budget holder more accurate financial information regarding funds which are committed within the procurement process, to avoid the over or under spending of budgets. †¢Provide warehouse inventory reports to program staff to allow them to take more responsib ility for their supplies, and ensure that they are utilized effectively. †¢ Share information on the distribution of supplies to allow program staff to better monitor and evaluate activities and avoid the need for duplicate record keeping between logistics and programs. †¢ More accurately divide logistics overhead costs such as warehouse rental, transportation and logistic staff wages into program budgets according to the activities logistics is supporting.Information empowers program units to become more engaged consumers of logistic services. In this way information systems can integrate logistics into humanitarian supply chains and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian operations. The improved information flow from humanitarian logistics information systems will also contribute to the overall effectiveness of the humanitarian operation. The Value of Information in the Humanitarian Supply Chain Information plays a significant role in humanitarian suppl y chains.In humanitarian supply chains is that the end recipient of aid (the beneficiary) is decoupled from the commercial transaction and has no direct influence over what supplies they receive (Gray and Oloruntob, 2006). The key decision makers within the humanitarian supply chain are the donors who are funding the operation and many NGOs regard the donor as the customer in the humanitarian supply chain (Beamon and Balcik, 2006). In commercial supply chains, the end recipient decides what supplies they require, and fulfillment can be easily evaluated by monitoring the receipt of these supplies.In humanitarian operations as supplies are determined by external assessments of the needs of the beneficiary, evaluating fulfillment become more difficult, as additional analysis must be done to determine if these needs have been met by the supplies. Figure 2. Donors, Humanitarian Organizations and Beneficiaries within the Humanitarian Supply Chain Humanitarian logistics information systems can provide accurate and timely information on what supplies are required, what supplies have been delivered to beneficiaries and in which locations.With this information Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics evaluation units should be able to determine if those supplies have met the needs of the beneficiary. This feedback ensures that donors and humanitarian organizations are engaged and responsive to the beneficiaries, and supporting aid according to the beneficiaries needs.HUMANITARIAN LOGISITCS IN THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE Response, Transition, Recovery, Mitigation and Preparedness The operations of humanitarian organizations in disaster management can be separated into four major phases: response, recovery, mitigation and preparedness (Haddow and Bullock, 2004). During humanitarian operations there will be overlap between act ivities from different phases, and a separate transition phase can be considered between the response and recovery phase (Asian Development Bank, 2004).Humanitarian supply chains must provide supplies to beneficiaries in each of these phases (Kovacs and Spens, 2007) and these activities require logistic support (Perry, 2007), although the volume, variety of supplies and urgency will change according to the phase. Humanitarian logistics information systems improve the effectiveness of logistics units throughout the disaster management cycle and can provide continuity throughout the phases. Figure 3. Disaster Management Cycle (Haddow and Bullock, 2004). PreparednessThe preparedness phase involves building the capacity to respond to a disaster, such as working with communities to ensure they know evacuation options, pre-positioning emergency response supplies and building organizational capacity to respond to disasters. These activities are ongoing and are implemented prior to the onse t of a crisis. Pre-positioned emergency response supplies tend to be less varied, as they are specific life supporting items, such as food, medical supplies, water and sanitation equipment, shelter, household kits, etc.The necessities of life are less dependent on the social, cultural or economic context of the disaster, therefore it is easier to standardize the supplies required. Also, because it is not known if these supplies will be available in local markets, or if markets may be disrupted by the disasters, they will need to be procured internationally. Both Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Red Cross have standard catalogues of items for emergency response. These items can be procured internationally, with pre-existing arrangements with vendors, and are also pre-positioned in warehouses globally, ready to be deployed. Chomilier, Samii van Wassenhove, 2003; Coyne, 2006). Organizationally NGOs need to ensure that they not only have staff trained to respond to emergencies, but that they have the systems and process in place to support these staff. 80% of the disaster response phase consists of Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics logistics activities (Kovacs and Spens, 2007) therefore in the preparedness phase organizations should focus on building the capacity of logistics units. ResponseThe response phase occurs immediately after the disaster, and activities are focused primarily on saving lives and preventing further damage. Humanitarian operations are most reliant on logistics during the response phase as they distribute food, medical supplies and other necessities of life to affected populations, and lives will be dependent on the speed of logistics activities. The response phase may last from days to months, depending on the scale of the disaster. While the humanitarian logistics is most significant durin g the response phase, it is important to consider its role throughout the entire disaster management phase.Transition During the transition phase NGOs begin to look at providing ongoing assistance, such as temporary shelter and revitalizing basic social services (ref ADB). NGOs will also plan strategically to transition from implementing response activities to longer term recovery and mitigation programs. Logistics activities, such as identifying suppliers to in either local or international markets to provide supplies for longer term programs, ensure a smooth transition. Recovery The recovery phase involves aiding communities to return to their conditions prior to the disaster.These activities may include training people and distributing supplies for livelihood building, reconstructing houses, buildings and infrastructure and may be carried out over a period of months to years. Across both the recovery and following mitigation phases the supplies are no longer essential for the liv es of affected population and are therefore no longer required at such a high rate or with such short lead times. The activities across these phases are largely dependent on the social, cultural, economic and geographical conditions of the affected communities. These may vary hugely between different disasters.Humanitarian organizations supported fishermen affected by 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami by distributing new boats and fishing equipment whereas the needs of landlocked communities recovering from 2005 Kashmir Earthquake were quite different. Humanitarian organizations will also attempt to procure supplies locally in order to support local communities and avoid flooding local markets through the influx of external supplies. The recovery phase represents a significant proportion of the duration and funding of a humanitarian operation and may last from 5-10 years (ADB reference).In April 2005 the Government of Indonesia established a 5 year time frame for reconstruction after the In dian Ocean Tsunami, and activities are still ongoing at the start of 2009, indicating the long duration of the recovery phase. Recovery phase activities such as reconstruction and distributing supplies are essential for restoring the lives of affected people and require significant logistic support. Mitigation Mitigation involves increasing the resilience of communities to natural hazards to reduce the impact of disasters they cause. According to the specific vulnerability of the community these activities may include lanting mangroves to protect coastlines against cyclones, constructing dams and reinforcing buildings. Humanitarian organizations implementing these activities will require logistics support, although not typically at as large a scale as in the other phases. Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics Summary Phase Preparedness Response Transition Recovery Mitigation Period Long Term Continuous Days – Months Months – Years Long Term Continuous Logistics Volume Low High Medium Low SuppliesRequired Specific standard supplies prepositioned for disaster response Specific standard supplies: Food, medical supplies, water and sanitation equipment, shelter, household kits, etc. Varied supplies depending on the context of the disaster: reconstruction material, livelihoods equipment Varied supplies Urgency Low High: Lead times for supplies can make the difference between life and death. Medium: There may be government and donor pressure to complete recovery activities Low Procurement of Supplies Local International Local-International Local Table 1. Humanitarian Logistics Throughout the Disaster Management CycleHumanitarian organizations are required to provide physical aid to beneficiary throughout the disaster management cycle. Although these activities differ in volume, variety of supplies and urge ncy, there is enough commonality that standard processes and systems can be used by logistics units throughout the disaster management cycle. This avoids the overhead of developing multiple standards and implementing new systems when transitioning between phases. It is therefore important to consider humanitarian logistics as operating in each of the phases of the disaster management cycle. Humanitarian Logistics beyond the Response PhaseA large amount of literature on humanitarian logistics and supply chain management focuses on the response phase of a disaster and pre-positioning of supplies done in the preparedness phase (Beamon, 2004; Beamon and Balcik, 2008; Maspero and Ittman, 2008; Oloruntoba, 2007; Rodman, 2004; Thomas, 2003; Thomas et al, 2005). This could be influenced by a number of factors: †¢ This is the phase in which logistics plays the largest role in proportion to the humanitarian operation. †¢ The key focus of the response phase is the preservation of liv es therefore improved logistics can be directly linked to lives saved.During other phases of disaster management, the outputs become more varied, such as providing trainings to teachers and medical professionals. Therefore impacts, such as better education levels and healthcare in communities harder to measure. †¢ The disaster response is the phase that creates the most media coverage, therefore may be the phase which experts outside of the humanitarian domain get the most exposure to and are most familiar with. Media coverage could also create a perception of more status with disaster response. This paper has shown that the field of humanitarian logistics is more broadly focused than just disaster response.More focus needs to be placed on the role of humanitarian logistics in the transition, recovery and mitigation phases of disaster management. It could be argued that humanitarian organizations already have a higher capacity for disaster response than for disaster recovery. I n Indonesia the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (BRR) claimed that in the response to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami: â€Å"No one died of starvation, there were no deaths due to a lack of medical care or disease, law and order was maintained and major infrastructure—including telecommunications and electricity—was restored within a few weeks time. In contrast during the recovery phase there have been delays, underperformance and corruption. Humanitarian logistics information systems can improve logistics activities in each of the phases of disaster management and also help to provide continuity to logistics operations throughout the disaster management cycle. Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian LogisticsHumanitarian Logistics Information Systems across the Disaster Management Cycle Humanitarian logistics information sys tems must be able to operate across the entire disaster management cycle. In order to be applicable for all phases, they must be scalable to manage the large volumes of supplies during the response phase, as well as the high diversity of supplies across the recovery and mitigation phases and manage the flow of information from the preparedness phase to the response phase, and during the transition phase.A single humanitarian logistics information system which integrates information from all phases within the disaster management cycle will assist an organization in the complex task of transitioning their activities between the different phases. Preparedness NGOs prepare for disasters by pre-positioning emergency response supplies. It is equally important to implement humanitarian logistics information systems which can be utilized by logisticians responding to disasters.Logisticians must be trained to use these information systems and simulations should be run in preparation for thei r use in disaster response. Humanitarian logistics information systems should also be used to record what emergency response supplies are available at the onset of the disaster. In response to Cyclone Nagris in Myanmar one major NGO was better able to more efficiently send air shipment of emergency prepositioned supplies by having maintained records of the their volume and weight.This allowed the logistician to arrange the optimal charter flights required to transport the supplies. Response Humanitarian logistics information systems can eliminate the need for duplicate data entry and offer more timely and accurate information during the response phase (Lee and Zbinden, 2003). This not only increases the efficiency and effectiveness of the disaster response, but also assists in later phases of the disaster management cycle. After the response to the 2005 Kashmir Earthquake one NGO had a number of emergency response supplies remaining.However, due to a lack of proper information syste ms, it was unknown which donor funded the items, and what the donor’s regulations were regarding their use. As a result, they were unable to be distributed in response to flooding in Pakistan the following year. Where warehouse inventory reports are not maintained, it is common for surplus stock from emergency response not to be utilized and to go to waste. Transition Once the response phase is complete, humanitarian logistics information systems will enable organizations to know what supplies have been distributed, and what supplies are remaining.This will allow them to utilize surplus supplies in recovery activities or return them to pre-positioned stock and know what supplies were required, to better plan for the next disaster response. The transition phase will also typically involve the replacement of short term emergency response teams with longer term staff. If information regarding what supplies are currently stored in warehouses is not recorded, it may be forgotten a s staff leave, and the supplies may remain unutilized.Humanitarian logistics information systems can ensure that new staff are aware of what supplies are currently available, so they are able to utilize them. Recovery The recovery phase takes place over a period of years, which offers enough time for conditions to stabilize, and also the availability of funding, for humanitarian organizations to plan strategically and develop information systems. During disaster response humanitarian logistics operate in a realm of uncertainties and rapidly changing conditions. This is not an appropriate environment to develop, test or implement new systems.There are already enough unknown variables present, without introducing new systems or software, which may contain bugs or functionality which needs refining. Implementing new systems requires the investment of time and resources, and doing this during a disaster response will detract from the primary goal of the humanitarian operation – s aving lives. Developing humanitarian logistics information systems during the recovery phase provides the opportunity to involve the staff of the organization, which is essential, as the solution will be more appropriate to their needs and they will have ownership over it.New systems can be implemented through trainings and simulations, however it is more effective as having systems which have implemented within the operations of the organization and socialized with staff in the field. In this respect the recovery phase can offer a suitable environment to develop and test new information systems for humanitarian logistics which can then be applied to disaster response activities. In 2007 one major NGO developed a warehouse database in Indonesia to support their recovery activities following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.In September 2007, they were able to deploy the same database in Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Land gren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics response to an earthquake in Indonesia. A staff member who was already using the database to manage supplies for the tsunami recovery effort was then easily able to use it to manage the distribution of emergency supplies in the area due to their familiarity with the system. MitigationAlthough logistics activities occur at a lower scale during the mitigation phase such as the procurement of supplies to reinforce buildings, it is important to ensure that humanitarian logistics information systems are still utilized by organizations, to ensure that they become standard practice with logistics units. This continuous use will institutionalize the systems within the organization and ensure the sustainability of their use across the disaster management cycle. HUMANITARIAN LOGISTICS INFORMATION SYSTEMS BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONSHumanitarian supply chains could be viewed more widely to include the multiple org anizations providing physical aid to beneficiaries in the same region. Humanitarian logistics information systems have the potential to enable better information sharing between organizations which can enhance the overall humanitarian operation (King, 2005). One area which could be improved by information systems is local procurement. Procurement is vulnerable to corruption through collusion between organization staff and vendors and the payment of bribes to choose specific vendors.Analysis of procurement data is capable of revealing trends and irregularities, indicative of corruption, such as consistently purchasing from specific vendors or certain purchasers always receiving higher than average quotes. This analysis would be more effective using procurement data from different humanitarian organizations in the same region, as comparisons could be made between prices, to monitor if one organization is paying significant more for similar items, which could indicate corruption within that organization.Humanitarian organizations often rely on local markets to provide supplies, however the large amount of purchasing activity following a disaster can often lead to inflation over supply and stock-outs. Complex analysis of purchasing trends from multiple humanitarian organizations, and improved information sharing with local vendors, could mitigate this, by spreading requirements over multiple vendors and informing them of expected demand. This could also allow humanitarian organizations to sustainably support and stimulate local markets.Although there are many challenges in encouraging collaboration between humanitarian organizations, better humanitarian logistics information systems could facilitate collaboration by creating more incentives to do so. CONCLUSION Humanitarian logistics units are actors in a broader humanitarian supply chain and information systems can help to build logistics capacity of while also building better links with other units, better integ rating logistics in the humanitarian supply chain.Humanitarian logistics information systems can improve the effectiveness of humanitarian supply chains by providing timely and accurate information regarding what supplies are required and have been delivered, enabling donors to be more responsive to the needs of beneficiaries. Humanitarian logistics operates across the disaster management cycle. Humanitarian logistics information systems can improve logistics activities in each of the phases and also help to provide continuity to humanitarian operations throughout the entire cycle.Humanitarian logistics information systems could also provide opportunities for better corruption prevention and market control through collaboration between different humanitarian organizations. Humanitarian logistics information systems can strengthen logistics units and integrate them with other units and across to the disaster management cycle to create more efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian supply chains REFERENCES 1. Asian Development Bank (2004) Disaster and Emergency Assistance Policy, At: http://www. adb. rg/Documents/Policies/Disaster_Emergency/Disaster_Emergency. pdf, accessed 20 February 2009 2. Beamon, B. M. (2004), Humanitarian relief chains: issues and challenges, Proceedings of the 34th International Conference on Computers and Industrial Engineering, San Francisco, CA. 3. 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