Generic Skills in Career and Technical Education :: Skills Work Careers Essays

Generic Skills in Career and Technical Education Career and Technical Educators Employ a Variety of Strategies for Teaching Generic Skills The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) identified the general skills that most workplaces require, thus providing a basis for programs that prepare students for employment. Reform programs such as Tech Prep and High Schools that Work strive to incorporate these "generic" skills as they offer students a rigorous academic background, technological literacy skill development, and learning experiences that are situated in the context of real-world environments (Pucel 1999). Integrated academic and CTE programs and contextual learning efforts offer similar opportunities to promote the learning of generic skills by linking them to specific workplace and social practices. Workplace learning experiences are another way of highlighting generic skill development by placing students in job situations where these generic skills are used in combination with occupational or technical skills. Although the United States has adopted a variety of strategies for the teaching of generic skills, it is not the only country to do so. Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom have initiated similar programs to address generic skill development. In Australia, integrated curriculum that infuses literacy into specific vocational courses has served to illustrate the necessity of contextualized, multiple literacies (Searle et al. 1999). Case Studies to Advance Skills and Employability, a project conducted at the Universities of Northumbria and Newcastle, emphasized the development of employability skills within the academic curriculum (Holmes and Miller 2000). The contextual integration of employability skills into curriculum has become a recent trend in Canada and the United Kingdom (Overtoom 2000). Although there is evidence that generic skills are being taught in schools, there is great ambiguity about what they are. Many terms have been used to describe them: key skills, core skills, transferable skills, personal transferable skills, and employability skills. The list of skills defined by whatever term is being used varies across countries; however, most lists include communication skills, interpersonal and social skills, organization and planning skills, problem-solving skills, creative thinking, literacy, and technology skills. The Australian key competencies add "cultural understanding" as a generic skill (Werner 1995). Most attempts to define generic skills more closely "have resulted in a plethora of superficially similar but often significantly different lists" (Drummond, Nixon, and Wiltshire 1998, p. 20). Guile (2002) contends that definitions of generic skills are grounded in the complexity of relationship that they imply, which in turn directs how the skills are being taught.

Lust Greed Power or Religion? Why Did Henry Break with Rome in 1634?

Henry broke with Rome for many different reasons, to begin with was that the Pope wouldn’t let him annul his marriage with Catherine. He only wanted this because he was in love with Anne Boleyn. Another reason was that he was greedy for money because he had lead an extravagant lifestyle and didn’t want to give that up. He was convinced that if he were head of the church he would get incomes from tithes and taxes. He also broke with Rome because he didn’t like the thought of anyone being above him, he wanted to be the one and only king. To solve this he made himself head of the church so he would have power over the church. Lust was an important factor in the Act of Supremacy because Henry had was no longer in love with Catherine of Aragon and was now lusting after Anne Boleyn. Henry was only going after Anne because Catherine could not produce him a boy, as well as the fact that she was getting old and not so pretty. Anne refused to sleep with Henry until she was married to him; consequently Henry tried to annul his marriage with Catherine but the Pope refused. The Pope wouldn’t let Henry annul his marriage since Emperor Charles V was Catherine’s nephew. Henry thought if he made himself supreme head of the church, he could allow himself to pronounce his marriage with Catherine of Aragon sinful in the eyes of God and his child with Anne Boleyn would be legitimate. For Anne had fallen pregnant with Henry’s child after being persuaded into a love affair with Henry VIII. Greed may have affected Henrys decision to overpower the church as Henry was slowly, but surely running out of money,. If Henry controlled the church he would control the amount of taxes and tithes people had to pay, and if he controlled the church Henry could shut down all the monasteries (which he did in a period called `The Dissolution of the Monasteries 1535’) and take all the money and goods from them. Greed was very important because if he did it right he could control everyone in England. The act of first fruits and tenths was a form of tax on clergy taking up church living. To live like this they had to pay a portion of their first years income and a tenth of their profits annually from then on. Originally the money was paid to the apacy, but Henry VIII's Annates Act 1532 diverted the money to the Crown as part of his campaign to pressure the pope into granting him a divorce. Thomas Cromwell set up a special financial administration for these revenues and they later passed under the control of the Exchequer. During the 18th century, these payments formed the basis of Queen Anne's Bount y. Power affected Henrys decision to overrule the church because Henry already had the power to kill people if he felt they were threatening him, you can see this with his response to Luther and Tyndale, but if he controlled the church he could be like an idol to regular folk. Henry obviously got angry when the Pope refused to annul his marriage with Catherine just because Emperor Charles V made him. Power was the main reason he was the kind of King who felt that he should have total power over his subjects but the power of the Catholic church in the 16th century outweighed that of even the most powerful King. Henry saw a way to end that power in England and use it for his own purposes he grabbed this opportunity and thus the reformation begins. Religion most likely affected Henry’s decision to carry out the Act of Supremacy because he wanted England to be a good place with proper religion and a good understanding of the bible. Maybe Henry didn’t do everything for selfish reasons and he could have done it for the greater good. Henry didn’t want to change the Catholic Church at first but after falling in love with Anne he saw the light and saw how much better religion would have been if he changed the church. The Dissolution of the Monasteries was not only to get money it may have been for religious purposes as well. Cromwell found that almost all the monks were breaking their vows and some of them had kids with nuns from the nearby convent. Uncovering all this showed that the Catholic Church was a disgrace and it was time for a new start. Henry saw this and began the Church of England or Protestantism. In conclusion I think that Lust was the most important factor for it seemed to trigger all the different emotions and seemed like it was most affective. I think that religion was the least important because I don’t think he even cared about it and he just cared about having a son.

Free Essays on Lincolns Fate

On April 14, 1865 our sixteenth president was assassinated. President Abraham Lincoln was attending a comedy entitled â€Å"Our American Cousin† at Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C. when â€Å"A shadowy figure stepped into the box, stretched out his arm, aimed a small derringer pistol at the back of Lincoln’s head, and pulled the trigger† (Freedman 123). Clara Harris, Henry Rathbone, And Mary Todd (Lincoln’s wife) all accompanied Lincoln in the state box that night; and they were all witnesses to this brutal crime (â€Å"Overview of Assassination†[Online]). The figure in the box that night was John Wilkes Booth. Booth, unscathed except for a broken leg, suffered after jumping eleven feet to the stage, escaped quickly before anyone could react to his performance (â€Å"Overview of Assassination†[Online]). It seems as if the events leading to this fateful day may have been premonitions of what was to come. The many changes of plans , Lincoln’s security, and the incapability to recognize the many clues left by Booth all contributed to the successful assassination of Abraham Lincoln. To begin with, there were many changes of the plan made that played right into the hands of the assassin. The President was supposed to be viewing a play at a distant hospital on March 17, 1865, but at the last minute decided to stay in Washington (â€Å"Overview of Assassination†[online]). Booth had originally decided to kidnap Lincoln, but in the situation above, he could never find the right opportunity. An already irate Booth became even more outraged by Lincoln’s speech on April 11, proposing that voting rights be given to blacks. Thus, Booth schemed and plotted to assassinate Lincoln instead (â€Å"Summary of Assassination†[online]). Then, prior to attending the play at Ford’s Theatre with Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant suddenly left town to visit his children(â€Å"Overview of Assassination†[online]). Once again, it was another change made ... Free Essays on Lincoln's Fate Free Essays on Lincoln's Fate On April 14, 1865 our sixteenth president was assassinated. President Abraham Lincoln was attending a comedy entitled â€Å"Our American Cousin† at Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C. when â€Å"A shadowy figure stepped into the box, stretched out his arm, aimed a small derringer pistol at the back of Lincoln’s head, and pulled the trigger† (Freedman 123). Clara Harris, Henry Rathbone, And Mary Todd (Lincoln’s wife) all accompanied Lincoln in the state box that night; and they were all witnesses to this brutal crime (â€Å"Overview of Assassination†[Online]). The figure in the box that night was John Wilkes Booth. Booth, unscathed except for a broken leg, suffered after jumping eleven feet to the stage, escaped quickly before anyone could react to his performance (â€Å"Overview of Assassination†[Online]). It seems as if the events leading to this fateful day may have been premonitions of what was to come. The many changes of plans , Lincoln’s security, and the incapability to recognize the many clues left by Booth all contributed to the successful assassination of Abraham Lincoln. To begin with, there were many changes of the plan made that played right into the hands of the assassin. The President was supposed to be viewing a play at a distant hospital on March 17, 1865, but at the last minute decided to stay in Washington (â€Å"Overview of Assassination†[online]). Booth had originally decided to kidnap Lincoln, but in the situation above, he could never find the right opportunity. An already irate Booth became even more outraged by Lincoln’s speech on April 11, proposing that voting rights be given to blacks. Thus, Booth schemed and plotted to assassinate Lincoln instead (â€Å"Summary of Assassination†[online]). Then, prior to attending the play at Ford’s Theatre with Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant suddenly left town to visit his children(â€Å"Overview of Assassination†[online]). Once again, it was another change made ...

Fashion World Case Study Analysis

Fashion World Case Study Analysis Free Online Research Papers Fashion World Case Study Analysis Many retailers see the Internet and e-commerce as a means of becoming more competitive, reducing costs and improving service to consumers. Customers expect to find the right product in the right place at the right time all year long. Customer buying patterns have also changed and this has had a great impact on clothing retailers. For clothing and accessories retailers and other multi-channel sellers, the growth of e-commerce operations is critical to their success. Fashion Land’s target audience shops online and that’s where the market is headed. Consumers who shop Web sites of retailers like Fashion Land and shop retailer’s other channels as well are more valuable to a company than those who shop a single channel. While traffic at leading pure-play sellers outstrips that of traditional retailers, the multi-channel shopper buys more. Introduction This documents and outlines a business strategy for Fashion Land’s electronic commerce initiative. It includes specific objectives, costs and benefits of accomplishing each objective. Also included are recommendations regarding what will be outsourced, which Web hosting service should be hired, and the type of staff that should be hired. Business Strategy Creating a business strategy for this e-commerce initiative includes having a clear vision and road map to help with the implementation. While many companies may have the best intentions with respect to improving their operations, implementing change can be an exhausting and frustrating process. This is why outlining a detailed road map becomes crucial to the overall success of any e-commerce initiative. E-commerce and other technological improvements should be used as tools to defend against competitive threats, optimize opportunities, improve customer service, streamline processes and reduce costs. Once objectives have been defined, Fashion Land can then build a game plan. Fashion Land’s strategy is to not only have a major presence on the web, but also to increase sales and improve business processes. When designing and implementing Fashion Land’s e-commerce Web site, they must remember who their target audience is females between the ages of 15 and 35, who are regular users of the Web. E-commerce is often left on the drawing board because companies get caught up on the day-to-day demands of their business. Creating a committee made up of employees and management is beneficial in ensuring responsibilities are allocated and progress is monitored. This committee would be responsible for ensuring planning and implementation goals are achieved. Objectives Fashion Land should use e-commerce as an overall strategic building tool and to integrate all facets of its retail store operations. Their overall objective should be very clear before launching any e-commerce initiative. Fashion Land’s main objective is to create a user friendly, interactive and hip new Web site that will improve competitiveness and increasing sales. Other objectives include: Integrate information from all of its stores and suppliers into a single access point. Enhance customer service. Employ experienced staff with retailing e-commerce experience especially in operational and administrative areas. The Web site development process should follow a solid understanding of its target audience, information architecture and technical requirements, including database development and platform concerns. Benefits Benefits to Fashion Land for implementing a Web site are: Increase value to customers (target audience) An attractive sales channel Used to complement business strategies and improve competitive positions Lower operational costs Organized and timely access to data, applications, and services at the corporate level Enhanced knowledge sharing, communications, and collaboration Improved customer service to the Web site’s user population Potential Challenges Defining an e-commerce strategic plan and business needs Not having the financial means to support certain e-commerce initiatives. Companies often waste resources on e-commerce initiatives or do not invest when they should because they can’t effectively evaluate the potential payoffs of their investments. Securing IT resources Securing financing Getting the right Software and Internet Vendors Getting the right Web design firm Integrating software systems from different vendors (technical and financial challenges) Web Site Features The primary features of the Fashion Land Web site along with a description of the elements are shown below. The Web site should be designed and worked on with the help of outside web organizations. General characteristics of a well-developed e-commerce Web site include: Fun and easy to navigate site – Make the shopping experience a pleasurable experience by making it user-friendly and easy to navigate. Remember the three-click rule: If a customer cant accomplish what he or she wants to do within three clicks, then the system isnt working right. Quick download time A major complaint among Internet users is long load times. According to All Things Web Research, â€Å"80 percent of web users cite download time as the number one problem† [www.pantos.org/atw/]. Pages should be fast loading and not keep customers waiting. A couple of seconds is ideal, 10 to 15 seconds is ok, but take more than 20 seconds and your customer is gone. Pages that appear professional Clean and simple is better than cluttered and complicated. Fashion Land is all about fashion and style and the site should be designed to display and highlight what they are selling. The Web site should reflect good use of the elements of art and principles of design, while at the same time should be designed for online shopper usability. Fashion Land should not get caught up in the latest bells, whistles, glitz, and flash at the sacrifice of service and sales. Clear and accurate product information and representation Since customers cannot actually see, touch, and feel products in person, the graphic representations must be clear and visually accurate. Product descriptions must be thorough and eliminate any guessing. The more clearly and accurately Fashion Land represents their products on the Web site, the less time they will have to spend answering questions about products and restocking returned merchandise from dissatisfied customers. Displaying an in-stock inventory count for products – Important feature particularly for items that tend to be in short supply (latest fashions). Shoppers do not want to waste time ordering an item that is not even available. Real time answers through self-help features, e-mail, and a toll-free number Internet shoppers want answers and they want them quickly and the key to customer satisfaction is having someone available to answer questions in a timely manner, preferably in real time via phone or e-mail. Good prices and clear representation of all charges – Price is a major factor in closing a sale, so Fashion Land’s prices must be competitive. Any additional charges such as shipping, handling, special delivery, gift-wrapping, custom or special orders, etc. should be clearly presented to the customer. Payment options Most Internet shoppers want to buy online in real time; however, there are people who prefer to purchase using an alternative method. Offer customers various means of ordering and paying for the items they select. Fashion Land should offer visitors the opportunity to order online, in-store pickup, by telephone number (preferably a toll-free number), by fax, or by mail. Secure transactions Customers consistently indicate credit card security is a primary concern when shopping online. Statistics indicate that you lose 50 to 60 percent of potential sales when you dont offer a secure transaction site. Fashion Land must include a statement about their websites security system to help alleviate fears of using a credit card online to make a purchase. Easy to use return or exchange policy Online shoppers want the same or even better return and exchange policies that they are used to receiving in traditional retail. Fashion Land’s return policy should be clearly stated on their Web site and should be as liberal as possible. Quick processing and delivery time – â€Å"We want it now† is the motto of Internet shoppers. It is critical that Fashion Land has a delivery plan and system in place before going online. Informing customers as to when they can expect delivery at the time they place the order and after they place the order is important. Shopper privacy Many consumers are concerned about protecting personal information and are leery about how the information they provide at Web sites might be used. A privacy statement or policy should be posted on the Web site, explaining to customers what information will be collected about them and how you use it On-line Showroom – Fashion Land should create an online â€Å"Showroom† that would allow consumers to see the entire retailers items, with an easy to use order entry or assortment-planning interface. Online Product Catalog Fashion Land should include an online product catalog that offers good quality and accurate graphic representation of each product they are selling. This is fundamental to selling on the web since customers cannot touch and feel the products. Ordering System/Shopping Cart – Fashion Land should incorporate an ordering system that is easy to use to allow customers to pick and choose the products they want to order from the Web site and online catalog. Also, online shopping carts are important since they allow customers to place items they choose into their own personal virtual shopping cart. Customer Communication System In addition to an ordering system, the Web site needs to incorporate a way to communicate with customers. There should be a telephone number on each web page where customers can call with questions and there should be an easily accessible e-mail system where customers can send questions. Remember, your competition is just a click away! Web Server/Hosting Options (See Table 1 for Pricing) When it comes to Web Servers, Fashion Land has two basic choices: purchase their own or rent space on a web server. Buying one’s own servers can be costly both in initial hardware and software and in maintaining the system. If Fashion Land does not have the necessary skills, they will also need to hire someone to set up and maintain the servers and that can be quite expensive. The key to success is finding the right balance between outside and internal support. Fashion Land will need to bring in another company to provide the outside support for their project and work with the internal project team. The first step in determining which parts of a project to outsource is to create an internal team that is responsible for the project. Outsourcing and Web Building/Hosting Services Most retailers like Fashion Land choose to rent space on a server. Either way, Fashion Land will pay a monthly fee to an ISP to host the site or server. Many e-commerce solutions providers have teamed up with ISPs and Web hosting services, a trend that is certain to make it very easy for Fashion Land to find a one-stop solution for doing business on the Internet. These new partnerships often combine site hosting and Web site set-up and credit card processing into a single package specifically designed for e-commerce beginners like Fashion Land. Another option, called the one-stop method of getting an e-commerce site up and going for minimal costs and in minimal time is to use a web building/hosting service. These are services that take you through the entire process of setting up your Web site starting with securing a domain name and going all the way through the marketing of the site. This is a real viable option for many small retailers; especially those that have a small budget dedicated to this effort, or just want to start out on a small scale. I am assuming that Fashion Land does not have the time, talent, budget, staff, expertise or inclination to build their own Web site in-house. In that case, they should out-source it to a company or person with expertise in building a Web site. Costs My recommendation to Fashion Land is to go the â€Å"one-stop† option above. I based my recommendation on the following factors: functionality, reliability, cost, security, bandwidth/ server scalability, backup and disaster recovery. The provider to use is PB’s Net-Portal Web Host. PB (www.probo.com) provides â€Å"one stop shopping† to simplify connecting to the Internet. Because PB has partnered with leading Internet service providers such as Verizon and QWest, Fashion Leader would not have to deal with multiple vendors and confusing choices to connect to the Internet. PB’s leasing package includes setup, ISP charges, hardware, perpetual warranty, and ongoing technical support. If needs change, PB can customize Net-Portal products to meet new requirements. Net-Portal Web Host is a no-hassle web server that allows companies to publish web pages on the Internet, send and receive e-mail, and surf the Internet. The Net-Portal Web Host also allows companies to create a private, local Intranet to share confidential information with employees. Setup is simple since the Net-Portal Web Host is pre-configured. After an Internet name is registered and the phone connections are made, companies simply add web pages and they are on the net. What I like about PB is they will also help create Fashion Land’s web pages-of course for a fee. Per Probo.com, monthly pricing includes rental of a Net-Portal product, ongoing hardware warranty, limited technical support, Internet service provider charges and local telephone company charges. This should accurately represent Fashion Land’s expected total amount associated monthly costs for a Net-Portal product solution. The price listed below in Table 1 is the total of the two associated bills Fashion Land will receive each month. They will be billed for the telephone company charges on their regular phone bill each month, and will receive an invoice from Probo each month for everything else. There is also a one-time setup charge that varies from installation to installation. Please note that these prices are based on a one-year service commitment. Table 1 Telco and Speed Net-Portal Internet Gateway Net-Portal Mail Host Net-Portal Web Host Verizon 768k/128k $120 $140 $155 Verizon 384k/384k $150 $170 $185 Verizon 768k/768k $210 $230 $245 Verizon 1.5M/768k $340 $360 $375 QWest 256k/256k $115 $135 $150 QWest 512k/512k $170 $190 $205 QWest 768k/768k $220 $240 $255 QWest 1M/1M $375 $395 $410 QWest 4M/1M $1400 $1420 $1435 QWest 7M/1M $2400 $2420 $2435 * The Verizon 768k/128k package is really a 256k/64k package that has the potential to see speeds of 768k/128k. Source: probo.com/pricing.htm Staffing Fashion Land must employ experienced staff with retailing e-commerce experience especially in operational and administrative areas. An internal project manager must be assigned to the Web site project to manage the internal staff, as well as the PB (hosting firm). Web Design and Creation Costs Prices typically begin at $5,000 for up to 15 pages. (The Shopping Cart for the number of products you sell will be billed separately). This includes: Custom graphical page headers containing Fashion Land’s logo and slogan A custom graphical site navigation system that is maintained throughout the site Up to 15 graphics (photos, logos, or line art does not include product graphics) A full-text Search Page (Search Engine) for the contents of their site A custom on-line response form with results being E-mailed directly to Fashion Land Site map Setup and interface to one of the shopping cart products Link to approved credit card processing service (Payflow Link, Payflow Pro, or PayPal). Unlimited E-mail links Unlimited external links to other sites Registration with Major Search Engines Additional pages average between $300 and $400 each, depending on layout/content requirements. Source: E-Commerce Site Package from Webfoot.net Platforms/Server Requirements Platform: Windows XP/NT/2000, Unix (Solaris, HP-UX, AIX), Linux Web Server: Apache, iPlanet, IIS Database: SQL Server, Sybase, Oracle, DB/2, Informix Hardware Server: 300-500MHz, 256MB, 100MB – 10GB Telco Speed: QWest 7M/1M (probo.com/pricing.htm) Potential Issues and Risks E-commerce presents a world of opportunity for doing business, reaching global markets and purchasing without leaving the home or office [Epstein, 2004]. E-commerce can provide opportunities to improve business processes, just as phones, faxes and mobile communications have in the past. However, just as any new business tool has associated issues and risks so does e-commerce. Since Fashion Land will be engaging in on-line sales using credit cards, they will need to protect the credit card information from being intercepted, both during the transaction and when it is stored on a server. Similarly, if they have confidential customer information, they will also want to ensure that this information is not accessible. Companies have the responsibility to deal with some of the legal issues such as how to form contracts, abide by consumer protection laws, create privacy policies and protect databases [Bond, 2003]. Most of the legal issues surrounding electronic commerce are not new. Lawyers should, however, be able to recognize the increased significance of certain legal issues to the online environment. ======= References Bond, Robert, 2003, International Legal Issues of E-Commerce Legal Updates, faegre.com Epstein, Marc, October 2004, Start to Measure Your E-commerce Success, Harvard Business School-Working Knowledge For Business Leaders, http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/4401.html All Things Web, pantos.org/atw/ Research Papers on Fashion World Case Study AnalysisAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperThe Project Managment Office SystemMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductPETSTEL analysis of IndiaIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

IT for Creating Value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IT for Creating Value - Essay Example This paper shows how information technology plays an important role in creating business value. Competitive advantage through innovation At the present, organizations could be able to get a competitive advantage by renovating their business processes through information technology based arrangements. In fact, the new technology based systems are more effective and accurate for the management of business issues and aspects. In addition, the information technology based system offer an excellent support for effective business processing and operational management. Moreover, the innovation brought by new technology based systems offers superior competitive edge to businesses. In this scenario, businesses are able to market, sell, and take decision by means of these IT based systems (Ramkrishnan R, 2004). Financial Value In more formal words, a primary description of the concept of value could be that each economic actor desires to increase their business profits. Thus, in this scenario, the value is recognized as financial worth, could be built by increasing profits. Consequently increasing the business value through information technology based could be determined by augmenting the business earnings. In addition, increasing the business investment in information technology offers an excellent support to the business as a result it increases business value and performance. Moreover, the use of information technology allows the organizations to reduce overall corporate manual processing operations that also leads to better performance (Stahl, 2002). Enhancing Business Value The new technology based systems also offer an excellent support for business decision making. These decisions are foundational upon the values and decisions about the IT are no immunity to this rule. Though, the most important and valuable thing in company is money or economic value. However, yet in business decisions a lot of values apart from money perform a vital role and indeed yet financia l value could typically be assessed to have a moral side to it. The same can be stated for IT. In addition, the design and use of information technology are extremely reliant upon on fundamental value that could be of an economic or moral or some other nature. It is able to be stated that the diverse values are exchangeable to a confident degree. Moreover, the complexity about the decisions foundational on values comes into view when there are numerous values that have to be recognized however these values do not provide similar results that is when values approach in conflict. In this scenario, one usual reason of clash happens between financial and moral values. Though, it is not seen that moral and financial values conflict unequivocally. Typically these issues could be stated as conflicts between moral or between financial values also (Prasad, 2008). References Prasad, A. (2008). Information Technology and Business Value in Developing Economics: A Study of Intangible Benefits of Information Technology Investments in Fiji. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, Volume 34 Issue 2, pp. 1-11. Ramkrishnan R, S. (2004). Information Technology: Value Creator or Commodity? Retrieved October 27, 2011, from http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=948 Stahl, B. C. (2002). The Moral and Business Value of Information Technology. Retrieved October 26, 2011, from http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~bstahl/publications/2002_Moral_and_Business_Value.pdf Sward, D. (2011).

Family Resiliency in Patients on Hemodialysis Essay

Family Resiliency in Patients on Hemodialysis - Essay Example Furthermore, the authors explore the very nature of resiliency and tend to find out whether resiliency is presented in families suffering from hemodialysis treatment. The apparent strength of the article is that it defines the operating terms and introduces examination of differences between patients on hemodialysis and their family caregivers. The differences are found out between ethnic groups as well. The paper suggests potential research approaches to understanding family resiliency and provides resiliency model to be applied. (White et al. 2004) The discussion in the article touches the terms "resiliency" and "behavior". The authors define resiliency as "the positive behavioral patterns and functional competence individuals and the family unit demonstrate under stressful or adverse circumstances, which determine the family's ability to recover by maintaining its integrity as a unit while insuring, and where necessary restoring, the well-being of family members and the family unit as a whole". (White et al. 2004) Moreover the authors state that behavior reflects the resiliency and thus can be easily taught, reinforced and identified. It would allow families to obtain relevant information how to cope with stressors caused by dialysis.

If you were a legislator in the New York State Legislature, would you Essay - 1

If you were a legislator in the New York State Legislature, would you vote to uphold or repeal this latest tax increase Why - Essay Example The NY excise tax increase is now considered the highest excise tax imposed by a state on cigarettes and tobaccos (NCSL 2010 p. 2). Opponents of the tax increase argue that it is inherently regressive because it affects the ‘have-nots’ more than it does the ‘haves.’ Furthermore, these increases are said to be defeating their purpose, which is to raise revenues, because they can drive away potential customers who may altogether quit smoking or who may use backdoor sources to obtain their fix. On the other hand, proponents of the tax measure, specifically the legislators, contend that it will help keep New York sustain and maintain its health care programs (Confessore 2010). The biggest argument, however, for the measure comes from health advocates and researchers who are extolling the tax increase as a vehicle for compelling smokers to quit the habit and ultimately saving more lives. If I were a member of the New York Legislature, I too, would have supported and voted for the passage of the latest round of excise tax increases on cigarettes and tobacco because it will ultimately redound to the good and welfare of the public. First, it is good for the public health because of the possibility of reducing smoking prevalence especially of the young, who are unwilling or unable to shoulder the rising cost of the habit, and; second, if it could not compel a significant number of smokers to quit, then the government will get to achieve its purpose of raising revenues to fund its health-related programs. That smoking is deadly not only to the person smoking but also to the people around him is already an established fact. This is evinced by the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MAS) where top tobacco and cigarette producers agreed to compensate, in perpetuity, billions of dollars to a considerable number of states for the costs expended by the latter in the care of individuals suffering from smoking-related illnesses (A Broken Promise to our