The Philosophy Of Trees Essays - Botany, Biology, Forest Ecology

The Philosophy Of Trees The portrait of a tree is not to be mistaken or over looked. Every one can see the beauty of a tree whether it be an ever green or disigous. This may be the key to our future. To look from the ground up standing under a tree the leaves may slowly turn around you enrapture you with all thier green. You may stand there unfulfilled this is when you should look closer; look pasted the tree's green and beautiful leaves and find all the liveing creatures that have thier home in this tree. Even the smalliest ant or callipiter these are still life it shelters and breads, yes, the trees. Still touch the soft green petals we call leaves but, wait what this on the back of those liveing leaves? Tiny little dots you see these are eggs also another soon to be moving living creature. See the trees beauty and stiil your life will become more free. Speech and Communications

How to Diagnose Fluid Volume Deficit Signs and Care Plan

How to Diagnose Fluid Volume Deficit Signs and Care Plan SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for information about fluid volume deficit? We’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ll explain the fluid volume deficit nursing diagnosis (AKA deficient fluid volume) and describe the causes, symptoms, and signs. We’ll also provide guidance on creating a fluid volume deficit care plan. What Is Fluid Volume Deficit? Fluid volume deficit (also known as deficient fluid volume or hypovolemia) describes the loss of extracellular fluid from the body. Extracellular fluid is the body fluid not contained within individual cells. It constitutes about 20% of our body weight and includes blood plasma, lymph, spinal cord fluid, and the fluid between cells. Importantly, this fluid isn’t just water- it also contains electrolytes and other essential solutes. Fluid volume deficit is often used interchangeably with the term â€Å"dehydration,† but they aren’t exactly the same thing. Dehydration refers specifically to the loss of body water as opposed to body fluid. What’s the difference? Electrolytes. If a patient has just lost water but no electrolytes, they’ll have slightly different issues- and require slightly different treatment- than a patient who has lost wholesale body fluids, which contains water and electrolytes. Well, some of these things are electrolytes. What Causes Fluid Volume Deficit? There are a number ways the body can lose fluid. Here are some major causes of deficient fluid volume: Blood loss from cuts/wounds Through the gastrointestinal system: vomiting and diarrhea Abnormally excessive urination (polyuria); can be caused by excessive intake of diuretic substances or medications or from renal disorder. Excessive sweating; typically sweating is more likely to cause dehydration than fluid volume deficit because the body generally expels far more water than electrolytes, but sweating can also cause deficient fluid volume in some cases. Bleeding disorders Burns (because the skin no longer protects against excessive fluid loss) The fluids in the body also constantly need to be replenished. Patients can experience deficient fluid volume if they aren’t taking in enough fluid. This is particularly an issue with infant and elderly patients. Patients can also experience fluid volume deficit if they are losing body fluids to a place inside the body where the fluid is not easily accessed by other organs and body systems; e.g. from edema or internal bleeding caused by trauma or as a complication of surgery. This is known as third spacing. Types of Fluid Volume Deficit While fluid volume deficit refers to the loss of both water and solutes from the body, there are three major types of fluid volume deficit: Isotonic: Caused by losing fluids and solutes about equally; solute concentration in the remaining extracellular fluid then remains relatively unchanged Hypertonic: Caused by losing more fluids than solutes, leading to increased solute concentration in the remaining fluid. Hypotonic: Caused by losing more solutes than fluid leading to decreased solute concentration in remaining fluid. This is the rarest type. The type of fluid volume deficit (as determined through lab work) may inform care, especially what fluids are offered to the patient to replace the lost fluid/solutes. She doesn't look very happy to be getting IV therapy. Signs and Symptoms of Fluid Volume Deficit There are a variety of fluid volume deficit signs and symptoms to check for. First we’ll discuss what major symptoms the patient may experience, and then address some ways to determine it the fluid volume deficit nursing diagnosis applies. Major Fluid Volume Deficit Signs Dizziness (orthostatic/postural hypotension) Decreased urination (oliguria) Dry mouth, dry skin Thirst and/or nausea Weight loss (except in third spacing, where the fluid will still be in the body but inaccessible) Muscle weakness and lethargy If fluid volume deficit is severe (more than 20% of body fluid volume is lost), the patient may go into hypovolemic shock. The more fluids that are lost, the more severe the symptoms will become. The following shock symptoms may manifest: Very pale skin Cool, clammy extremities (from the body trying to conserve blood flow to essential systems) Confusion and anxiety Rapid, weak pulse Fast, shallow breathing Unusual sweating Loss of consciousness Coma Get this tired dog some fluids, stat! How to Diagnose Fluid Volume Deficit There are a variety of indicators you can use to diagnose deficient fluid volume. (Well before the patient reaches coma stage!) Vital Signs Increased heart rate: with less fluid available to the circulatory system, the heart pumps faster to bring oxygen to the body. However, the pulse will also feel weaker than usual. Decreased blood pressure: in adults, lower fluid volume means lower pressure in the veins. However, note that children may still maintain high blood pressure when experiencing fluid volume deficit. You may also want to take the patient’s orthostatic vital signs (vital signs in both supine/lying down and standing positions). A decrease in the systolic blood pressure of 20 mmHg or more or in the diastolic blood pressure of 10mmHg or more when standing indicates fluid deficit. So does an increase in the heart rate of 20 bpm or more. Other Fluid Volume Deficit Signs and Symptoms Decreased skin turgor/tenting. If you pinch the patient’s skin on the back of the hand or forearm and it and â€Å"tents† for a moment before returning to normal instead of immediately snapping back into position, this is a sign of decreased fluid volume. However, because elderly individuals already have low skin elasticity, this is not a reliable test of fluid volume deficit for those patients. If you examine the tongue, you’ll most likely see several small furrows instead of the usual one main furrow. With severe fluid volume deficit, you will see signs of decreased tissue perfusion: the nail will take more than three seconds to return to normal coloration when pressed in a capillary refill nail test. Patient’s eyes may appear sunken. Skin may be pale. Neck veins will appear flat when the patient is laying back in a supine position. Lab Results BUN (blood urea nitrogen) to serum creatinine ratio in the blood will likely be abnormally elevated–20:1 or more. Urine specific gravity and osmolality will be elevated, indicating more highly concentrated urine. Urine may also appear a deep amber color, and there will be decreased urine output. Hematocrit (the percentage of red blood cells in blood plasma) increases (unless fluid was lost due to hemorrhage, in which case you would likely see a drop in hematocrit post-hemorrhage) Depending on the cause of the deficient fluid volume, you may also see: Hypokalemia (decreased potassium in the bloodstream) is commonly caused by vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, or renal (kidney) disorder. Hyponatremia (decreased sodium in blood) OR hypernatremia (increased sodium in the blood) could be present depending on the types of fluid lost. An increase in vasopressin/antidiuretic hormone may also occur as the body constricts the blood vessels and retains remaining body fluid to maintain blood pressure. The other kind of lab! Potential Complications of Fluid Volume Deficit When left untreated, severe fluid volume deficit can lead to: Renal failure Heart failure General organ failure (from lack of oxygen) Death Even if patient’s life is saved through fluid infusion, if they reach the point of organ failure they may experience irreversible damage to some body systems. Fluid Volume Deficit Care Plan A nursing care plan is a written document that tracks what you have done and will do to take care of a particular patient’s individual needs. Nursing students generally need to create fairly detailed care plans fully from scratch at part of their training in order to learn nursing best practices and to practice the analytical skills critical for good nursing. However, if you are a working nurse, your place of work probably has a computer system that partially generates a care plan based on the input of the relevant nursing diagnoses. We'll go through the four parts of a nursing care plan (the diagnosis, goals for patient recovery, nursing orders or interventions, and evaluation) tailored to fluid volume deficit. We also have links to useful examples of completed fluid volume deficit care plans. Diagnosis First, you'll identify the relevant nursing diagnosis or diagnoses. Unlike medical diagnoses, which typically identify the specific medical condition at issue (i.e. diabetes, bronchitis, celiac disease), nursing diagnoses describe the more immediate and ongoing physical and psychological needs of the patient. According to the standards set by NANDA International, a nursing diagnosis is typically written in a three-part manner: first the diagnosis, then what the diagnosis is related to (its direct cause), and finally the evidence for that diagnosis. You can reference the common direct causes and diagnostic signs and symptoms of fluid volume deficit as noted above for help creating your diagnostic statement. An example fluid volume deficit nursing diagnosis statement might look something like this: â€Å"Fluid volume deficit related to diarrhea and vomiting secondary to gastroenteritis as evidenced by decreased skin turgor, low blood pressure, and decreased urine output.† â€Å"Risk for fluid volume deficit† or â€Å"risk for deficient fluid volume† is a slightly different nursing diagnosis that can be used to describe patients who, while not yet exhibiting serious signs of fluid volume deficit, are at particular risk of developing the issue. A risk nursing diagnosis only has two parts: the diagnosis (â€Å"risk for fluid volume deficit†) is related to whatever the cause of the potential future issue is (â€Å"diarrhea and vomiting†). So the risk diagnosis would be â€Å"risk for fluid volume deficit related to diarrhea and vomiting.† The patient may also have other nursing diagnoses in addition to fluid volume deficit. These should be included in the care plan. Any other diagnoses you made would be specific to the patient and based on a head-to-toe assessment (coming soon). I diagnose this owl with incredible cuteness. Goals The overall goal of a nursing care plan for a stable patient with deficient fluid volume is to safely restore fluids and necessary electrolytes to the body, but you’ll want to be more specific than that. Good goals for your care plan should be specific to the patient and measurable (so you can definitively assess whether the goal has been met). Depending on the patient, here are some example goals that might be appropriate for treating fluid volume deficit. Patient is no longer deficient in fluid volume as evidenced by: Urine output of at least 30 mL/hour (720 mL/day) Systolic blood pressure restored to patient baseline (or 90 mmHg) Patient heart rate of 60-100 bpm (or patient baseline) Improved skin turgor Normal BUN and hematocrit lab values Orders/Interventions While the particular interventions you choose in your care plan should be tailored to the patient and the severity of their condition, here are some potentially appropriate nursing interventions for fluid volume deficit. Note that some of these deficient fluid volume interventions are not highly specific because they would need to be tailored to the individual patient. If you do use these interventions in a care plan, be sure to select appropriate benchmarks for the patient and add more information. Administer intravenous fluid therapy as prescribed; monitor fluid replacement levels closely to ensure patient does not experience fluid overload Administer blood transfusion products as prescribed Offer electrolyte-rich oral fluids (like a sports drink) if tolerated/appropriate; assist patient in drinking if necessary Assess patient mental state for signs of confusion/agitation Provide oral hygiene to patient at least two times a day (so patient can respond to the sensation of thirst) Maintain record of patient intake and output of fluids Weigh patient daily in the same clothes on the same scale Monitor lab values: hematocrit (assess every 30 mins to 4 hours as appropriate); BUN to creatinine; others as appropriate Monitor skin turgor and moisture of mucous membranes Monitor vital signs (blood pressure and heart rate), including orthostatic vital signs Assess amount, color, and osmolality of urine Provide necessary education about maintaining appropriate hydration to patient Patient can name fluid volume deficit symptoms that indicate a need to seek medical care Evaluation In your fluid volume deficit care plan, you’ll use this section to track what interventions and orders were successfully implemented, assess patient progress towards the goals, and evaluate whether each of the fluid volume deficit interventions (and interventions for any other diagnoses you made) described in the plan should be ceased, continued, or revised. Well, this dog seems pretty happy with how everything is going. Example Fluid Volume Deficit Care Plans There are several sources of example care fluid volume deficit care plans. Here are some you may find useful: Prenhall Nursing Care Plan- Deficient Fluid Volume This example nursing plan is free supplemental material from a Prentice Hall nursing textbook. It offers a detailed case study with a nursing care plan for fluid volume deficit tailored to the particular patient. Nursing Concept Blogspot- Deficient Fluid Volume This care plan is quite detailed and offers explanations and rationale for lots of different potential nursing interventions for fluid volume deficit. Additionally, it segments out which interventions might be appropriate for different patient populations. Nurses Labs Deficient Fluid Volume Care Plan This is a very detailed care plan with detailed suggestions for nursing assessment and nursing interventions, along with rationales. It could be a helpful resource for students who need to write rationales for their care plans. Nurses Labs- Hypovolemic Shock Care Plan This care plan is specifically for addressing hypovolemic shock caused by fluid volume deficit, with specific interventions. RN Speak Hypovolemia Nursing Management This isn’t a complete care plan, but it does offer lots of specific assessment and interventions that could be incorporated into a fluid volume deficit nursing care plan. RN Central Fluid Volume Deficit Care Plan This care plan is laid out similarly to the computer care plans generated in hospitals, where the nurse simply selects the relevant components of the diagnosis, outcome, and interventions. It’s not very detailed but it gives a good idea of how quick care plans are generated in the field. Delmar Learning Fluid Volume Concept Map This isn’t laid out like a traditional care plan. However, nursing students may find it helpful as it lays out how all of the different parts of the fluid volume deficit care plan are conceptually related to each other. Plans are very important! Key Takeaways: Fluid Volume Deficit â€Å"Fluid volume deficit† (which is the same as â€Å"deficient fluid volume† or hypovolemia) is a nursing diagnosis that describes a loss of extracellular fluid from the body. Gastrointestinal issues, blood loss (internal or external), inadequate fluid intake, and renal disorder are all things that can place a patient at risk for fluid volume deficit. There are a variety of signs and symptoms of fluid volume deficit you can look for, including dizziness, dry mouth and skin, thirst and/or nausea, low blood pressure, and an increased heart rate. If the fluid loss is very serious, the patient will go into hypovolemic shock and you might see the following severe fluid volume deficit symptoms: Pallor, confusion, cool/clammy extremities, fainting, and even coma. Deficient fluid volume can be diagnosed through a combination of observation and assessment of patient body systems, vital signs, and lab work. Finally, we also discussed how to make a fluid volume deficit care plan and listed potential goals, outcomes, and nursing intervention. The main deficient fluid volume interventions are to monitor the patient’s fluid levels and safely restore the lost fluid. What's Next? Looking for a blood pressure chart? We've got you covered. If you're looking for ICD-10 codes, we have the codes for abdominal pain and diabetes. Got a patient with shingles? We have pictures of the infamous rash, common shingles treatments, and some methods of transmission to avoid. Need help converting fluid measurements? Find out how many cups four quarts is here.

Hearsay Evidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Hearsay Evidence - Essay Example "Hearsay evidence can be thought of as:- any statement made otherwise than by a person while giving oral evidence in the proceedings, which is tendered as evidence of the matters stated." http://www.forensicmed.co.uk/hearsay.htm Hearsay evidence is the second hand information that is used as evidence and it does not have any proof of its existence. It cannot be proved beyond doubt, and the doubt always exists even after the judgement. It is impossible to say that this really happened, but even the most brilliant law expert can only say that it might have happened. This made it unpalatable for the use of courts in earlier days. But now the act, looking at the importance and possibilities it holds, has made it admissible. "It occurs when a witness testifies NOT about something they personally saw or heard, but testifies about something someone else told them or said they saw. Hearsay usually involves an attempt to get some crucial fact entered into evidence that cannot be entered into evidence by any other means," http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/405/405lect11.htm In entering this as real evidence, Court will be depriving the other side a chance to process the evidence, by cross examining the witness, or verifying the evidence. There is nothing to cross-examine, as it is a kind of story, compared to other hard evidences, which glorify under solid proof. But there is an exception in the confession statement, where hearsay evidence is upheld. "The most important exception to the hearsay rule is admission or confession evidence. It is generally assumed that a party in a case would not make a statement against his or her own interests unless the statement was true" http://oasis.gov.ie/justice/evidence/hearsay_evidence.html As the confessions are an exception to the rule of Hearsay Evidence, even before the Act, a person stating another person's confession of a crime in the court, had been admissible. Victims of domestic violence sometimes could find it difficult to testify in the Courts for a variety of reasons and the statements of prosecution on their behalf might take the form of hearsay statement, or a secondary statement. While admitting these statements, Court does adhere to a lot of conditions and circumstantial proof. Statements made by the patients to the Medical officers usually are not disclosed as it comes under the priviledged category. But if disclosed, keeping the context in view, they might be admissible, even though it comes under the hearsay evidence category. The relevant rules for the hearsay evidence, are the best evidence rule, the opinion evidence rule and the self-serving evidence rule. Before the Act in question came into being, the rule prevalent was: "A.2.1. The Rule: Written or oral statements, or communicative conduct made by persons otherwise than in testimony at the proceeding in which it is offered, are inadmissible, if such statements or conduct are tendered either as proof of their truth or as proof of assertions implicit therein." http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/about/publications/weighevid/evidence_app_e.htm Hearsay evidence was thought to be untrustworthy, for the following

Jonesborough, Tennessee a Community Project Research Paper - 1

Jonesborough, Tennessee a Community Project - Research Paper Example The percentage of the population in Jonesborough with a bachelor’s degree and higher is 25.70%. Over 30% of the population are high school graduates. Over 90% of children 3 years and above attend school. Out of the 2179 households in Jonesborough, there are 1522 household families, 654 households are non-family, 603 are households have children and 1573 households have no children. The average household size in Jonesborough is 2.34. The annual residence turnover in Jonesborough is 16.96% (usa.com, 2010) The median household income for Jonesborough is $44,436. The per capita income is $25,765. In 2012, the unemployment rate in Jonesborough was at 6.3%, which is lower than the national average. The percentage of residents earning an income below the poverty level in Jonesborough is 25.6% a higher percentage compared to the states figure, which is 22.3%. The percentage of children living below the poverty level in Jonesborough is 33.1%. The University of Tennessee reports that al though the number of uninsured adults dropped to 11.2% in 2012, the number of uninsured children in Jonesborough community rose to 2.7% from 2.4%. In Washington County, the average health care cost is $10322. Looking at the health behaviors in Washington County approximately 28% of the adult population smoke, 29% of the adult population are obese, 29% are physically inactive (Countyhealthrankings.org, 2012). In Washington County, the number of premature deaths per 100, 000 of the population is 9028. According to usa.com, the median travel time to work in Jonesborough is 18.84 minutes. Data show less than 1% of the population utilize public transportation. 96% of Jonesborough population drive. Two percent of the population walk or cycle and 1% of the population walk home. The air pollution index of Jonesborough is 105 while its carbon monoxide index is 76. The lead index is 184. Environmentalist rate the good air quality in Jonesborough at 82%.  

The CRM Value Chain Essay Example for Free

The CRM Value Chain Essay The meaning of those three letters, CRM, is hotly contested. For some, CRM is simply a bridge between marketing and IT: CRM is therefore an IT-enabled sales and service function. For others it’s little more than precisely targeted 1to-1 communications. But both of these views deny CRM its great potential contribution. Because CRM, at its most advanced, answers questions like ‘who should we serve?’ and ‘what should we serve to them?’ and ‘how should we serve them?’ it could, and often should, be positioned as the fundamental strategic process around which the business is organised. CRM decisions impact on marketing, certainly, but also on operations, sales, customer service, HR, RD and finance, as well as IT. CRM is fundamentally cross-functional, customerfocussed business strategy. The CRM value chain The CRM value chain (figure 1) is a proven model which businesses can follow when developing and implementing their CRM strategies. It has been five years in development and has been piloted in a number of business-tobusiness and business-to-consumer settings, with both large companies and SMEs: IT, software, telecoms, financial services, retail, media, manufacturing, and construction. The model is grounded on strong theoretical principles and the practical requirements of business. The ultimate purpose of the CRM value chain process is to ensure that the company builds long-term mutually-beneficial relationships with its strategically-significant customers. Not all customers are strategically significant. Indeed some customers are simply too expensive to acquire and service. They buy little and infrequently; they pay late or default; they make extraordinary demands on customer service and sales resources; they demand expensive, short-run, customised output; and then they defect to competitors. What is a strategically significant customer? We’ve identified four types of strategically significant customer (SSC). Selfevidently, the high life-time value customer is a key SSC. These must be the focus of customer retention efforts. Life-time value potential is the presentday value of all future margins that might be earned in a relationship. Tempting as it may be to believe, not all high volume customers have high LTV. If they demand JIT, customised delivery, or are in other ways costly to serve, their value may be significantly reduced. We know of one company that applied activity-based costing disciplines in order to trace process costs to its customer base. They found that 2 of their 3 biggest customers were in fact unprofitable. As a consequence the company re-engineered its manufacturing and logistics processes, and salespeople negotiated price increases. A second group of strategically significant customers we call ‘benchmarks’. These are customers that other customers copy. A manufacturer of vending machine equipment is prepared to do business with Coca Cola at breakeven. Why? Because they can tell other customers that they are supplying to the world’s biggest vending operation. The third group of SSCs are ‘inspirations’, customers who inspire change in the supplying company. These may be customers who find new applications, come up with new product ideas, find ways of improving quality or reducing cost. They may be the most demanding of customers, or frequent complainers, and, though their own LTV potential is low, they offer other significant sources of value. One insurance company modified its claims process to satisfy one particular car fleet operator; this process eventually became the company’s default standard. The final group of strategically significant customers we call ‘cost magnets’. There are customers who absorb a disproportionately high volume of fixed cost, thus enabling other, smaller customers to become profitable. One oilseed processor, for example, has two major customers, a manufacturer of snack foods which buys oil in bulk and a retail multiple which buys consumer packs. Although they account for 60% of oil-seed processing time, they absorb 85% of fixed costs between them. Five steps to profitable relationships The five steps in the CRM value chain are customer portfolio analysis, customer intimacy, network development, value proposition development and managing the relationship. Although we don’t discuss them here, at each stage of the value chain there are concepts, tools and processes to help create and implement successful strategy. Very briefly, the CPA step analyses the customer base to identify customers to target with different value propositions. The second step involves the business in getting to know the selected customers as segments or individuals and building a customer data-base which is accessible to all those whose decisions or activities impact upon customer attitude and behaviour. Step three involves building a strong network of relationships with employees, suppliers, partners and investors who understand the requirements of the chosen customers. Step four involves developing, with the network’s compliance, propositions which create value jointly for the customer and company. The fifth and final stage is to manage the customer relationship. The focus here is on both structure and process. From observation of failure it is clear that CRM solutions cannot be transplanted into any organisation in the absolute certainty that the business will flourish. For success to happen, CRM needs a supportive culture: it’s unlikely to yield dividends in companies which only pay lip service to customer focus. Neither will it succeed in organisations wedded to product-based structures or reward systems based on sales volume. Similarly, if IT, human resources and procurement processes are not aligned with the CRM agenda, it’s unlikely to flourish. For example, we know one IT company which is trying to implement CRM strategy whilst still recruiting up-and-at-‘em salespeople who are quota driven. Another company is in the throes of a cost-reduction programme and procures least cost inputs to its manufacturing process without due regard to the impact on customer satisfaction and buying behaviour. Customer Portfolio Analysis CPA, the first step in the CRM value chain acknowledges that not all customers have equal value to the company. CPA asks the question: ‘who are our SSCs?’ The answer can be pitched at sector (e.g. food retailing), segment (e.g. food retail multiples) or individual (e.g. Tesco) levels. Companies which have no customer history on which to base their analysis can use segmentation approaches to identify potential SSCs. When CPA has sorted the actual or potential customer base into different groups, they can be taegeted with different value propositions. An important consideration is to analyse and sort by profit potential, not by volume, whether that is by sector, segment or individual. One CPA tool sorts customers into 4 strategic groups: sack, re-engineer, nurture and invest. Sackable customers are those who have no present or future profit potential or life-time value. The ‘invest’ group contains customers who are both valuable currently and have significant future potential. The ‘reengineer’ group contains customers who are not presently profitable but who could become so if the relationship were re-engineered. Options may include reducing the level of customer service, disintermediation, or telesales, rather than face-to-face sales representation. The final segment ‘nurture’ contains those customers who are currently profitable but have little future potential. The task here is to address, possibly in consultation with those customers the reasons for pessimism. It may be that they can jointly find solutions which suggest a more profitable future relationship. Customer intimacy Choosing customers to serve is one thing. Get ting to know them well is altogether different. Most companies collect customer data. Some industries are overwhelmed with information – scanner data, loyalty card data, complaints files, market research, geodemographic data. The challenge is to use the data to better understand the who, what, why, where, when and how of customer behaviour. Mining data intelligently is, of course, a source of huge competitive advantage, and it enables a more refined CPA to be undertaken. Develop the Network Company does not compete against company. Network competes against network. For example, Sainsbury does not compete against Tesco. Their respective networks compete. Tesco’s network, which includes partners such as Royal Bank of Scotland (for its retail banking offer) and Privilege Insurance (for its insurance offer) currently seems to be performing better than Sainsbury’s. A company’s network position i.e. its connectedness to other parties who co-operate in delivering value to the chosen customer, is a source of great competitive advantage. An innovative software house partnering with IBM, for example, enhances its network position. IBM also benefits, as well as their joint customers. Networks consist of partners like these, employees, suppliers and owners/investors. CRM is not a quick fix; it requires owners and investors who will commit to the long-term investment in the people, processes and technology to implement CRM strategies. Employees will probably need reorienting and reskilling, if not redeployment. There is clear evidence that employee performance in moments of truth with customers influences customer satisfaction and purchasing intention. It only takes a short leap of faith to link employee satisfaction to customer satisfaction to business performance. Suppliers also need to understand who the customer is trying to serve. According to the consultants A T Kearney, companies are going to continue vendor reduction programmes over the next several years, as they try to build closer relationships with fewer partner vendors. CRM is becoming twinned with SRM, supplier relationship management. Kearney reckons 20% of current in-suppliers will be de-listed by 2003. For CRM to succeed, the network of suppliers, employees, owners/investors and partners must be aligned and managed to meet the needs of the chosen customers. Value proposition development By the fourth step of the CRM value chain, you will know who you want to serve and will have built, or be in the process of building, the network. Now the network has to work together to create and deliver the chosen value(s) to the selected customers. Great value is found more effective and more efficient solutions of customer problems. Although it is traditional to focus on the product as the main source of value, many companies are finding that people, process and service offer more competitive advantage as products become more commoditised. How things are done with and for customers process is particularly important. There may be small processes, such as how complaints are handled; or big processes, such as how new products are jointly developed with customers. The value star (figure 2) illustrates sources of customer value in a retailing context. Price Managing the relationship For relationships to succeed with strategically significant customers, companies are having to re-invent structures and process. On the way out are hierarchical structures and product managers. Replacing them are flatter organisations with empowered front-lines and customer or market managers. We encourage companies to replace their single marketing strategy with a trio made up of a Customer Acquisition Plan, Customer Retention Plan and Customer Development Plan. Each of these has different metrics from those found in run-of-the-mill marketing strategies. New measures include customer acquisition costs, customer retention rates, share-of-customer and customer development targets alongside more conventional measures such as customer satisfaction and sales volume, and additional measures relating to the performance of network members.. Final thoughts CRM is widely misunderstood by marketing management and seriously misrepresented by software houses. Companies are being sold front-office and back-office solutions, but are missing out on the fundamental, strategic benefits that CRM can provide. CRM at its most sophisticated has the potential to integrate all business processes around the requirements of strategically significant customers, a fact that most IT solutions fail to acknowledge.

Effect of Age Stereotypes on Balance Performance

Effect of Age Stereotypes on Balance Performance Question 1: An important aspect of physical functioning is the ability to stay balanced. How may expectations generated by age stereotypes influence older adults’ balance performance? Critically review psychological theory and research relevant to this issue, and discuss broader implications for interventions that may support healthy physical functioning of older persons. Loh Qiu Yan Melissa Abstract Older adults face wide range of age stereotypes as they age into their golden years. Such life cycles made people question their cognitive ability and physical functions. The effect of age stereotypes led to one facing both positive and negative aspect of life. These constant stereotyping had negative impacts on health and physical function. But with the help of social interactions, it helped older folks have a choice in leading a more balanced life. The use of social networks helped maintain their physical and cognitive functioning, giving them the room to have independence as well as learning more about their bodily functions. Importance and interventions in maintaining balance performance in physical functioning of older adults. Aging is an inevitable process in living beings where the condition of the body deteriorates resulting in decline of functioning. This challenges the physical abilities and cognitive functioning of older people (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012) in instances of performing daily activities such as being mobile enough to bath and dress on their own (Clark, Hayes, Jones, Lievesley, 2009). In order to maintain the ability to be mobile and independent in bodily functions at an older age, this is usually accompanied with the decline in physical, mental and sensory abilities. These declines in functions can affect performance in areas that require cognition involving fluid intelligence for example memory and abilities to reason and explain, along with task that require executive control involving vocabulary and word knowledge. Moreover, with the decline in physical functioning, particularly muscle strength and joint flexibility mostly involves motor tasks and balance; such as walking a nd running results in more dependence on cognitive resources at an older age due to the decline in eyesight and auditory range (Schaefer, Schumacher, 2010). These physical and cognitive challenges faced by older individuals can become issues; potentially leading to age stereotypes caused by expectations and assumptions in limited abilities of older adults (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012). By understanding how aging and age stereotypes take place plays an important role for individuals in realising the anxiety and uncertainty that can further affect cognitive capacity, assuming of own abilities for example intellectual and reasoning abilities (Schaefer, Schumacher, 2010), and regulation of positive and negative feedback given (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012). The cognitive aspect of a person can be affected positively and negatively in one’s mind set for example towards a challenging motor task which tests an older person’s ability (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012). This further challenges the balance performance of an older person who might require more cognitive resources later in life (Schaefer, Schumacher, 2010). Hence, the importance of understanding aging, age stereotypes, cognitive and physical functions in influencing balance performance can help develop a more positive aspect in maintaining healthy physical functioning. To better perform the interventions required for physical functioning of older folks, it is necessary to understand the reason behind age stereotypes which can have a negative impact on older folks. One probable reason that can lead to a rise in age stereotypes is by labelling and categorising people into old age groups. As a result, it usually occurs where less favourable attitudes are placed on older adults, viewing them as less productive members of society (Phillips, 2014). This in turn makes individuals come to a conclusion that these deep rooted thoughts and beliefs, mind-set and perceptual behaviour actually support age stereotyping (Blaine, 2013). Furthermore reinforcing and heightening their levels of fear and dependency on others throughout their aging process (Clark, Hayes, Jones, Lievesley, 2009). These thoughts and fears are further embedded in their mind, altering their mind set thus creates a self-conscious state (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012), which results i n self-stereotyping (Levy, 2003), and affecting balance performance which reduces the ability to perform (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012). An example of old age stereotype expressed with the use of cartoons characters in portraying older individuals such as Abe Simpson who is the father of Homer Simpson in â€Å"The Simpsons† cartoon. He was portrayed as a senile and dependent person who appears to be quite difficult to handle at times, also seen as being a burden to his son. This portrayed older adults in a negative stereotypical manner with limited abilities to be independent which is not the case for everyone (Blaine, 2013). However, switching to a different perspective of age stereotyping happening in a workplace environment in the context of Singapore, it proved that there were certain generational differences in the negative stereotypes towards older employees. For example, employees at a younger age felt they had more efficiency towards the aspect of multitasking and creativity compared to older employees whom felt that they have stronger work ethics but think that younger employees have stronger demand to wards recognition (Blauth, McDaniel, Perrin, Perrin, 2011). These generational differences were similar in the aspect of comparing the cognitive functioning which is related to balance performance of both groups of people. With better understanding of the cause and reasons for age stereotypes guides older individuals foster a better relationship with their cognitive and body functioning. As much as ageism being a concern, with the constant stereotypical opinions and perception on older people, emotional reactions of these elderly folks are affected in both positive and negative ways (Blaine, 2013). Positive influences and implications can be through social means by interacting with family members, friends and various people from all walks of life. Not only does social interaction help regulate the emotional reactions of older folks; it also encourages individuals in integrating with society through social means (Charles Carstensen, 2010). Social networks and interactions also have an effect on cognitive functioning where it is a motivational factor behind a better quality of life and the ability in maintaining independence despite increase in age; Furthermore, resulting one to developing more self- efficacy in leading a better functional health. This is due to the body reacting in a positive manner where social interaction has a direct relationship with neuroendocri ne and cardiovascular reactivity. Thus, with positive and supportive interactive reactions in the body help to reduce the physiological reactivity that has been linked to endocrine and cardiovascular activity resulting in cognitive decline (Seeman, Lusignolo, Albert Berkman, 2001). In the event of cognitive functioning of an older adult decreasing, there are higher chances of cognitive disorders or impairments such as signs of vascular dementia or Alzheimer to appear (Price, Corwin, Friedman, Laditka, Colabianchi Montgomery, 2011). Hence in order to maintain or increase cognitive functioning, having strong social networks and support in maintaining connectedness can improve one’s mental and physical health, resulting in prevention of cognitive decline. Voluntary activities are one of the social network and integrating activities that encourages bonding sessions with different individuals, demands social and mental skills (Charles Carstensen, 2010) provides a sense of purpose and prevents isolation for those who face difficulties at any point in their life (Grimm, Spring Dietz, 2007). The effect of social interaction has a potential and positive influence on cognitive functioning where both fluid intelligence and executive control involve extensive int rinsic cognitive components required during social interaction for example striking conversations with people during bonding sessions and activities. Social integrating activities such as volunteering can help one have a better sense of control over life and physical health by providing support to other older adults and gaining a sense of accomplishment. With the use of these cognitive components can further promote older individuals having better cognitive engagement and functioning (Seeman, Lusignolo, Albert Berkman, 2001) which are linked to balance performance. Maintaining of balance may seem as a simple and indispensable part in many people, however it is a task that is physical and demands independence in the aspect of an elderly person (Onambele, 2006). Through the study done by Wulf, Chiviacowsky, Lewthwaite (2012) showed that balance is influenced by social cognitive, affect and assuming of own abilities etc. Thus older adult’s balance performance can be further strengthened by increasing their perceived abilities in performing and completing tasks. In addition, based on a study done by Levy Leifheit-Limson (2009) similar to Wulf, Chiviacowsky, Lewthwaite (2012) where instilling of positive age stereotypes on physical or balance performance help mould a certain level of expectation towards the stereotype led to one conforming to it. As a result this causes one to self- stereotype (Levy, 2003), which affect the performance of the individuals in performing better due to the positive influence. Likewise if it was a negative ster eotype, the outcomes are negative. Further implications on how stereotypes can affect balance and physical functioning are neatness of handwriting and speed of walking. This was seen in a study done by Levy (2003) where older adults exposed to negative stereotypes are likely to appear older and frail. The body conditions as observed through handwritings produced seemed to have a little towards illegible due to shaking and unstable movements of the hands which explains that balance performance is affected. In another experiment of exposure to positive stereotyping, the speed of an older adult showed connection between the former and the latter. By exposing them to positive views, makes them self- stereotype themselves towards a more positive and satisfying aspect. The idea of measuring the speed of walking is by how much time is needed for foot to be lifted off the ground and this is measured as swing time which indicated balance. Therefore, results show that older individuals who we re exposed to positive stereotypes had greater swing time in particular to having better balance in their physical movements and their cognitive functioning. In conclusion, age stereotypes, cognitive abilities and physical functions share significantly close relationships in maintaining balance performance for older adults. Positive and negative age stereotypes can give significant effects to an older adult which can be misled and neglected at times. This can cause further effects in time and worst if the stereotypes are negative. The use and help of social interaction and network can boost a person’s physiological reactivity making one have a sense of accomplishment which promotes social integration. Most importantly it leads older individuals to keep their mind and body in working conditions which allow them practice and maintain independence. References Blaine, B. (2013). Understanding Age Stereotypes and Ageism. InUnderstanding the psychology of diversity(2nd ed., pp. 175-186). SAGE Publications. Blauth, C., McDaniel, J., Perrin, C., Perrin, P. (2011). Age-Based Stereotypes: Silent Killer of Collaboration and Productivity.  AchieveGlobal,1(2), 1-15. Charles, S., Carstensen, L., (2010). Social and emotional aging. Annual Reviews of Psychology, 61, 383-409. Clark, A., Hayes, R., Jones, K. Lievesley, N., (2009). Ageism and age discrimination in social care in the United Kingdom. Centre for Policy on Aging. Grimm, R., Spring, K., Dietz, N. (2007). Volunteering, Life Satisfaction, and Mental Health. In  The health benefits of volunteering: A review of recent research.Corporation for National Community Service, Office of Research and Policy Development. Levy, B. (2003). Mind Matters: Cognitive and Physical Effects of Aging Self-Stereotypes.  The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,58(4), P203-P211. Levy, B., Leifheit-Limson, E. (2009). The stereotype-matching effect: Greater influence on functioning when age stereotypes correspond to outcomes.  Psychology and Aging,24(1), 230-233. Onambele, G. (2006). Calf muscle-tendon properties and postural balance in old age.  Journal of Applied Physiology,100(6), 2048-2056. Phillips, L. (2014). Efforts to Promote Physical Activity Must Battle Ageist Stereotypes. Research in Gerontological Nursing,7(1), 4-5. Price, A., Corwin, S., Friedman, D., Laditka, S., Colabianchi, N., Montgomery, K. (2011). Older Adults Perceptions of Physical Activity and Cognitive Health: Implications for Health Communication. Health Education Behavior, 38 (1), 15-24. Schaefer, S., Schumacher, V. (2010). The Interplay between Cognitive and Motor Functioning in Healthy Older Adults: Findings from Dual-Task Studies and Suggestions for Intervention.  Gerontology,57, 239-246. Seeman, T., Lusignolo, T., Albert, M., Berkman, L. (2001). Social relationships, social support, and patterns of cognitive aging in healthy, high-functioning older adults: MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging.  Health Psychology,20 (4), 243-255. Wulf, G., Chiviacowsky, S., Lewthwaite, R. (2012). Altering mindset can enhance motor learning in older adults. Psychology and Aging, 27, 14-21. DOI: 10.1037/a0025718

American Literature Essay

American literature traces back to the time of the Native Americans and Puritans, and over time developed many literary movements influenced by Transcendentalists and Realists. The beliefs of the Native Americans and Puritans as well as the philosophy of the Transcendentalists and Realists contrast with one another. These four major groups of American writers all differ in the sense that all of them look to a different power head or ideology for truth. For example, Native Americans look outside themselves to nature; while Puritans look to God, and Transcendentalists look within themselves; whereas realists question whether there is truth. The Native Americans have enriched our history of American literature with their stories and songs that depict their nature oriented beliefs. The Native Americans were polytheistic, meaning they believed in multiple gods. The gods they worshiped were all elements of nature such as the sun, the sky, and the earth. Look more:  irony in huckleberry finn essay The Indians had a strong spiritual connection with nature which is shown quintessentially in a Native American piece, Song of the Sky Loom, when the poem reads, â€Å"Oh Mother Earth, oh Father Sky, your children are we† (Tewa 34). The Indians believed without qualms that the truth is found in nature, which differed greatly with another group of American writers that became very popular in this time. The Puritans had a very strict religious ideology, and only looked to one place for truth; God. Unlike the Native Americans, the Puritans were monotheistic, in other words they only believed in one god. The structure of their life and their actions all revolved around the word of the bible. The Puritans believe that God is the creator of everything and therefor legislated by his law making Puritans very strict, moralistic, and conservative. Puritans looked to God for truth and faith which is expressed when a Puritan poet writes, â€Å"And when I could no longer look, I blest His name that gave and took, that laid my goods now in the dust† (Bradstreet 141), showing her devotion and respect towards God. Further down the road in American literature, a new philosophy was developed with a liberating idea of truth. The idea that truth can be found not outside of man, as other groups of writers suggest, but within man, had evolved. This idea is called Transcendentalism and it emphasizes the idea that truth is found in man’s own thoughts and intuition. Transcendentalists stress individualism and self- reliance while straying away from the desire for material things. They are religious; however, do not find it necessary to worship instead just stay in tune with one’s introspective thoughts and nature. Walt Whitman, a famous transcendentalist poet, wrote, â€Å"I celebrate myself, and what I assume you shall assume, for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you† (Whitman 400), showing that every person is an individual but is also unified with the world and nature. Realists conceptualize their beliefs through questioning whether we can even find truth. Realists tend to try and dig beneath the facades that society so blindly accepts. One of the key strategies realists use to enable readers to question the truth is satire. Mark Twain was a famous Realist writer in early American literature that became very famous for using satire in his novels. Twain used satire to poke fun at social norms, potentially giving readers a new perception of the social normality people succumb to. Mark Twain’s famous novel, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn consists of several uses of satire, for example, when the main character of the novel responds to a women’s lecture on heaven by saying, â€Å"Well, I couldn’t see no advantage in going where she’s going so I made up my mind I wouldn’t try for it.† (Twain 12). This quote allows readers think of religion less seriously and question whether it is even a place worth striving to get to. Although Native Americans, Puritans, Transcendentalists, and Realists differentiate from each other, they all embellish American literature with a wide range of ideologies and point of views towards where to seek truth. This variety allows readers to develop their own individual thought and conceptualize where they can also find truth.