The Development of Emotional Intelligence and Its Application

Introduction Emotional intelligence (EI) is the â€Å"ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions† (Desimone, Werner and Harris 2002). There are various debates concerning EI. Some studies claim that EI is innate whereas others suggest that people can learn and improve their EI. Peter Salovey and John Mayer have studied EI since the year 1990.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Development of Emotional Intelligence and Its Application specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to them, EI is â€Å"the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions† (Salovey and Mayer 1990). Salovey and Mayer developed a model of EI consisting of four factors. First, they claimed that the initial stage of understanding EI involves acc urate perception of emotions. Perceiving emotions involves understanding nonverbal forms of communication such as body signals. Second, there is also reasoning with emotions. This stage involves applying emotions so as to enhance mental activities. In this manner, emotions help individuals recognise things that attract attention. Third, there is understanding of emotions. This is because different emotions may reflect different meanings and people may attempt to interpret such emotions so as to understand their causes. Finally, the model also proposed management of emotions. This entails controlling emotions and responses as well as considering emotions of others. Salovey and Mayer claimed that they arranged the model from basic to high psychological processes. In other words, the lower levels compose of simple tasks such as perceiving and expressing emotions. Conversely, the higher levels consist of complex processes such as awareness, reflection and controlling emotions. Proponent s of EI believe that both an individual and an organisation derive value from understanding EI effects on organisations and individual productivity. In most cases, majorities of workers devote limited time to personal development due to busy schedules and commitments. This affects organisations.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result, organisations must develop employees’ development programmes in order to enhance EI. Organisations benefit from employees who are emotionally sensitive to customers and colleagues. This creates positive business relationships among all stakeholders. Investing in employees’ personal development increases productivity and motivation of the workforce. Individuals also benefit from developing EI in terms improving their relationships at workplaces and social life. At the same time, they also develop a better understanding and han dling of emotional situations of others. The concept of EI also applies to organisational behaviours. It is relevant in the field of industrial and organisational psychology (I/O psychology). I/O psychology scientifically studies workforce, organisations, and workplaces (Robbins 2005). EI and I/O psychology enhance organisational development through improving the workplace environment, employees’ satisfaction and their well-being. Organisations can rely on I/O for improving their hiring processes, educative programmes, and develop employees’ behaviours and attitude. In addition, studying organisational behaviour is also important for organisations during changes and developments. Thus, human capital, emotional intelligence and organisational behaviours relate to understanding workplaces and positive behaviours of employees. Positive behaviours of employees have positive contributions to organisational objectives. Relevance of Emotional Intelligence to individuals and o rganizations in the context of Organisational Behaviour Organisational goals about employees’ behaviours aim at transforming employees’ behaviours in an effective manner (Desimone, Werner and Harris 2002). In organisations, the focus has been on employees’ behaviours that improve performance and behaviours that enhance teamwork and unity. Most organisations focus their efforts on employees’ behaviours that improve organisational performance. Emotional intelligence falls in the second category of organisational behaviours that focus on improving teamwork and relationships.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Development of Emotional Intelligence and Its Application specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, ever since the works of Salovey and Mayer and later Goleman, EI has gained considerable recognition in modern organisations. EI has become relevant in the modern workplace. We can at tribute this interest among organisations to their desires to enhance business performance and desire among management to predict employees’ behaviours. The works of Mayer and Salovey have continued to influence the field of EI. They have created a link between emotions and mental capabilities of subjects and concluded that the two are inseparable. Thus, they concluded that emotions and cognitive were important in studying decision-making processes among people as they influenced how people react to situations. The challenge with EI is the concept of measurement. This is because measurement remains the main source of controversy in studying EI and its application in organisational behaviours. Past studies have relied on testing as the basis for measuring EI. However, we have to acknowledge that EI remains a matter of personal experience. Based on personal experiences, the measurement of EI is prone to personal bias due to self-assessment. However, self-reports have remained e ffective approach in measuring EI in a given context as Jordan and Troth noted (Jordan and Troth 2004). These studies maintain that assessing factors like emotional awareness can only be accurate when self-report is the tool of measurement. This is because people can identify their own behaviours and reactions in certain situations. As a result, they can measure such situations from lack of interest to situations that demand attention. According to Jordan and Ashkanasy, combination of self-reports and peer reports as tools of measurements of EI can provide the valid measure of emotional self-awareness among teams (Jordan and Ashkanasy 2006). These tools of measuring EI are at initial stages of development. However, studies claim that such tools have psychometric validity. Thus, they give reasonable and valid results of EI measures. Application of EI in organisational behaviours relies on empirical data that can prove findings and claims most scholars in this field advocate. However, critics believe that EI lacks sufficient data to prove such applications in organisations.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Such critics argue that potential applications of EI in organisational behaviours have not undergone thorough testing to prove their validity due to infancy stage of such measurement tools in relation to other areas of measuring personality and intelligence (Locke 2005). In addition, these critics also claim that proponents of EI applications in organisational settings rely on data based on flawed models of EI. These models are not consistent with the original definition as Mayer and Salovey suggested. In addition, some of these studies have wide coverage than the original model of Salovey and Mayer. Such studies have created opportunities for critics to dismiss claims by proponents of EI applications in workplaces (Daus and Ashkanasy 2003). EI remains a controversial issue in relation to organisational behaviour as Daus and Ashkanasy discovered (Daus and Ashkanasy 2003). Landy and Locke have criticised popular models of EI (Landy 2005; Locke 2005). These researchers view these mode ls based on their shortcomings. Landy and Locke argue that modern models of EI originated from discredited views of Thorndike which are more than 80 years old. This was the source of social intelligence. Some of these criticisms fail to consider recent scientific works on EI with reference to organisations. For instance, Ashton-James concurs with the definition of EI in the works of Ashkanasy (Ashkanasy and Ashton-James 2004). However, he criticises the methods and abilities of how to measure EI. According to Ashton-James, any attempt to measure EI should put emphasis on respondents’ abilities to experience emotions that they should give their feedback on during EI tests. However, we must recognise that Ashton-James criticise EI from its original definition. This is necessary because various proponents and critics promulgate their own definitions of EI as the case of Goleman and Bar-On (Goleman 1998; Bar-On 1997). According to these critics, EI is a modern reflection of socia l intelligence. These scholars further argue that any model of intelligence that relies purely on intellectual capabilities cannot sufficiently explain human behaviours and capabilities in practical situations. Locke fiercely criticises the EI that it is an approach that has a political motivation through egalitarian ideas as â€Å"everyone will, in some form, be equal in intelligence to everyone else† (Locke 2005). Landy also supports this idea. Locke notes that EI is not an appropriate field of scholarly study and should not apply to organisations. However, proponents argue that Locke still cling to outmoded models of the past where such research relied solely on mental processes and behaviours in order to provide explanations for organisational behaviours. Studies that support EI and organisational behaviour emerged after the work of Ashforth and Humphrey as forms of support to their idea (Ashforth and Humphrey 1995). According to Humphrey and Ashforth, EI is influential i n areas of service provision, and leaders may also engage emotional labour so as to motivate and influence moods of their employees and improve performance of the organisation. These studies suggest how EI is significant in the service industry where employees interact with customers and other employees. We can see the rapid growth of service sector. In this field, EI is useful for employees who serve customers as they can be able to manage different emotions in order to meet given core values of organisations. This is how we can link job performance to employees’ EI as their abilities to control emotions may aid them cope with work requirements. Later studies have raised interest in the subject and referred to such works as affective revolution in organisational behaviours. In addition, studies of Robbins show latest research that supports EI in organisational contexts (Robbins 2005). From the renewed interests in the subject, we can argue that EI is not a new form of social intelligence or another theory to study intellectual intelligence. EI has emerged as a strong area of study in the field of I/O psychology and studies in organisational behaviours. Thus, we can use EI to predict and understand behaviours in organisations. These studies prove the relevance of EI in understanding and predicting organisational behaviour. We can observe how critics like Ashton-James have changed the definition of EI. However, we should look at EI from the earlier perspective of Salovey and Mayer. This is the ideal definition of EI that future researchers should base their criticisms. At the same time, scholars interested in understanding EI should review scholarly works that focus on EI in order to understand theoretical underpinning of the concept. This shall enable them understand EI and its application in organisational behaviour. Conclusion We have noted the development of EI and its practical application in understanding and predicting organisational behaviours. T his implies that the concept of EI shall continue to evolve in organisational behaviour studies. The field has gained recognition after the study by Ashforth and Humphrey. The focus on emotional abilities of employees continues to influence the field of organisational behaviour. Organisations find EI useful in their attempts to enhance workforce productivity and predict their behaviours. At the same time, organisations find EI relevant in recruitment and selection of employees that can adapt to different situations. This enhances team effectiveness and organisational output (Jordan and Ashkanasy 2006). Some studies have also shown that organisations that focus on EI have improved their healthy relationship among employees (Goleman 1998). Goleman’s applications of EI in workplace using concepts of self-management, empathy, self-awareness and social skills demonstrate the positive application of EI in organisations. We must also appreciate the works of critics that claim distra ct the theory of EI. Such criticisms lead to further studies in the field of EI and organisational behaviours. Thus, some scholars have concluded that emerging studies are good indicators of developments in this field of study and claims by critics lack substantial grounds. Organisations using EI tests to assess and predict behaviours of their employees face difficult tasks in developing strategies for EI testing, methods, and processes. In addition, EI lacks official body that can control types of tests subjects take. Still, these tests may be subjective and have different meanings depending on personal experiences of the subjects. To this end, we must also note the inherent bias as subjects may not provide true responses due to ambiguities with some of the test materials. Reference List Ashforth, Blake, and Ronald Humphrey. â€Å"Emotion in the workplace: A reappraisal.† Human Relations 48 (1995): 97-125. Ashkanasy, Neal, and Claire Ashton-James. â€Å"Performance impacts of appraisal and coping with stress in workplace settings: The role of affect and emotional intelligence.† Research in occupational stress and wellbeing 3 (2004): 1-43. Bar-On, Reuven. Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: A measure of Emotional Intelligence, Toronto: ON: Multi-Health Systems, Inc, 1997. Daus, Catherine, and Neal Ashkanasy. â€Å"Will the real emotional intelligence please stand up? On deconstructing the emotional intelligence ‘debate’.† The Industrial and Organizational Psychologist 41 (2003): 69-72. Desimone, Randy, Jon Werner, and David Harris. Human Resource Development, 3rd ed. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt College Publishers, 2002. Goleman, Daniel. Working with emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam Books, 1998. Jordan, Peter and Neal Ashkanasy. â€Å"Emotional intelligence, emotional selfawareness and team effectiveness.† Linking Emotional Intelligence And Performance At Work (2006): 145-164. Jordan, Peter and Ashlea Troth.  "Managing Emotions During Team Problem Solving.† Human Performance 17 (2004): 195-218. Landy, Frank. â€Å"Some historical and scientific issues related to research on emotional intelligence.† Journal of Organizational Behavior 26 (2005): 411-424. Locke, Edwin. â€Å"Why emotional intelligence is an invalid concept.† Journal of Organizational Behavior 26 (2005): 425-431. Robbins, Stephen. Organizational behavior, 11th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ:: Prentice Hall, 2005. Salovey, Peter and John Mayer. â€Å"Emotional intelligence.† Imagination, cognition, and personality 9 no. 3 (1990): 185-211. This essay on The Development of Emotional Intelligence and Its Application was written and submitted by user Gilbert Johns to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Psychology Essay on Gender Differences

Psychology Essay on Gender Differences Free Online Research Papers Gender differences plague us at every point in life from jobs to sports to academics. Research has shown that their really is scientific reasons for these varying skills between males and females. Sports have always been an issue since the playground days of joking about how girls can’t do this or that and boys can. However, as we grow up we realize that this is far from the truth. There are clearly sports in which girls excel over boys and vice versa. For instance, girls naturally possess more strength in their lower bodies than boys and boys are the same way except with their upper bodies instead. This simple piece of information would lead me to believe that girls are better at sports that require more lower-body strength but that isn’t necessarily true. Most girls have tendencies to fear pain and be a â€Å"girly girl† which results in them staying away from contact sports such as football, rugby, or kick-boxing, all which use immense leg strength. Boys on the other hand have the tendency to try to outperform, take risks, as well as show off, especially within their peer group, when they compete in athletics. Boys also seem to be more physical and violent than most girls. All these factors cause the majority of males to participate in more dangerous and contact-driven sports. Of course, within these differences there are equalities and plenty of girls/boys who are better at the others’ stereo-typical sport. Just because boys are naturally more likely to act more dangerously than girls when choosing a sport won’t stop some of those females from beating them at their own game. If someone has the heart and the drive for something they want, that’s all they need to do it just as good as the next person. Research Papers on Psychology Essay on Gender DifferencesEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayResearch Process Part OneInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesWhere Wild and West MeetThe Hockey GameThree Concepts of PsychodynamicGenetic Engineering

I have not . could you chose it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

I have not . could you chose it - Essay Example The determination of insolvency options is not dependent on the type of purchases made. The type of purchases or indebtedness is irrelevant at this time. The law does not differentiate as to type of debts.1 Therefore, neither I nor anybody is in a position to do so. This is sought to be rectified by the new Act of 2007 whose provisions are to take effect in 2010. Act 2007 specifies the types of indebtedness to be included in the specific Insolvency Option. It is dependent upon the amount of benefits she receives; how much is left over after tax deductions and normal household expenses as disposable income; and, the amount of her indebtedness.2 Since these factors were not clearly indicated in the facts of the case, I will discuss all insolvency options. After that a listing of the possible range of benefits she is receiving to determine what option will suit her situation the best will be made based on people under similar situations. Finally the best possible option will be recommen ded. The Debt Relief Order (DRO) is aimed at providing debt relief.3 The debtor must obtain the services of an approved intermediary. This is a skilled debt adviser who helps a debtor apply with the Insolvency Service for a DRO. Courts do not take cognizance of this. This order lasts for 12 months. Creditors explicitly named in the order are not allowed to collect from the debtor or file any action to recover their money. After the 12 month period and the circumstances of the debtor do not change, he will be freed from all debts mentioned in the order. To qualify for a DRO, the debtor must not be involved in another formal insolvency procedure at the time of application and has not been a subject of a DRO within the last 6 years. He must be living or doing business in England for the last 3 years. He can own a car with a maximum value of  £1000.00 and assets not exceeding  £300. His indebtedness must be less than

Five Years from the Brink (movie) Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Five Years from the Brink ( ) - Movie Review Example However, the immediate cause that triggers the crisis was the fall of Lehman Brothers. Their collapse caused much fear to the global financial markets. This was in 2008 of which their fall prompted banks to stop lending to each other. The impact was the rising interbank borrowing risk premium to 5% which was previously at 0%. Despite the effort to inject liquidity to the financial markets by the authorities, the financial markets were already suffering the consequences (McKibbin and Stoeckel 1). Conversely, article by Positive Money claims that financial and economic crisis are attributed to the large sum of money created by banks through loans. The banks doubled the money and debt in the economy in a period of 7 years. The larger sum of money created by the banks was used to increase the cost of property in the economy, house prices increase significantly. A huge amount of money loaned to the property owners by the banks increased the cost of houses and personal debt. Additionally, the property owners had to pay interest on loans provided by the banks. However, the increasing debts and low income led to the failure of loan repayment. Some individuals could not afford to pay back the loans and so the banks become bankrupt. Immediately after the crisis, financial institutions reduced their lending rates to household and the businesses. The reduction of lending rates by the banks to businesses caused a drop in prices. This prompted the property owners who had previously borro wed a large sum of money to sell their property. Those who had borrowed a large amount of money thought that they could easily repay their loan because of favorable prices of their property. The sale of the assets by the property owners led to fall of house prices and so the bubble burst. Hank stated that the improved value of the derivatives, hidden banking structure, and the off- balance sheet financing encouraged exceptional business transactions and therefore contributed and

Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase Essay

Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase - Essay Example First, the Louisiana Purchase served to double the size of the United States and consequently reduce the size of France territory (Nugent, 15). This has defined the size of the USA to present day, which would otherwise be smaller in size, while France would by now be an enormous territory (Blumberg, 22). Secondly, considering the enormous size of the territory that was purchased, and further considering the strategic position of the land, which had the greater control of the Mississippi River as well as Port Orleans, which is a strategic facility for commerce and transport, the purchase has defined the status of the United States, as a major economy in the world, and also as a superpower (Burgan, 11). However, the occurrence is also a major influence in the shift of the previous stance held by President Thomas Jefferson, who was initially an anti-federalist, thus opposed to the unification of the different State under one federal government (Cerami, 108). It is the need to have the L ouisiana territory co-joined as a part of the whole American union, owing to its strategic position for transport infrastructure and commerce that influenced President Thomas Jefferson to change is perception, and opt to have the whole territory united under one jurisdictional control, to enhance the economic prosperity of America (Lewis, 85). Nevertheless, there are two major factors that define the Louisiana Purchase as one of the pragmatic decisions ever made in the history of the USA.... Secondly, considering the enormous size of the territory that was purchased, and further considering the strategic position of the land, which had the greater control of the Mississippi River as well as Port Orleans, which is a strategic facility for commerce and transport, the purchase has defined the status of the United States, as a major economy in the world, and also as a superpower (Burgan, 11). However, the occurrence is also a major influence in the shift of the previous stance held by President Thomas Jefferson, who was initially an anti-federalist, thus opposed to the unification of the different State under one federal government (Cerami, 108). It is the need to have the Louisiana territory co-joined as a part of the whole American union, owing to its strategic position for transport infrastructure and commerce that influenced President Thomas Jefferson to change is perception, and opt to have the whole territory united under one jurisdictional control, to enhance the econ omic prosperity of America (Lewis, 85). Nevertheless, there are two major factors that define the Louisiana Purchase as one of the pragmatic decisions ever made in the history of the USA. First, the Louisiana Purchase was marred by controversy, considering that there was internal and external resistance from the white settlers in the USA and the inhabitants of the French territory respectively, but President Thomas Jefferson still went ahead and implemented the decision (Nugent, 13). This happened despite the fact that it caused the aggravation of secession move that was being advocated by the white settlers, to move out of the Union, poising their argument on the fact that; the purchase

Impact of Teleworking on Innovation

Impact of Teleworking on Innovation This study seeks to explore the relationship between high-tech firms, innovation, and the teleworking trend. Specifically, an examination of the high-technology sector in the UK is provided, followed by explanations of teleworking, innovation, and high-tech firms as they relate to the scope and focus of this study.   The above is based on published findings of empirical research and published reports.   This study then considers how teleworking has impacted innovation at the Intel Corporation, a leading manufacturer of semiconductors who allows employees in certain positions to telework part or all of their workweek.   Innovation and impact are considered at an overall corporate level, rather than at an individual level. Findings of this research indicate that teleworking one to two dayseach week has no discernibly negative impact on innovation, and mayactually enhance innovation, provided systems to encourage andfacilitate innovation are in place.   Implications for organisationsentering the teleworking arena and the sector as a whole are followed by recommendations for high-tech companies and for future research. Teleworking is a cultural trend in much of Europe and the Americas.   While it provides many plusses and a few minuses to theindividual teleworkers, its impact on organisations and particularlyinnovation at those organisations has not been sufficiently explored.  This study seeks to consider the impact teleworking has onorganisations, specifically high-technology organisations, and theirability to generate, initiate, and implement innovative products,processes and administrative ideas. A review of previously published findings related to teleworking,innovation, and high-technology is provided, covering these topics ingeneral.   The focus of the study then narrows, addressing organisationsthat both use and produce high-tech products or services, and finallyconcentrating on innovation in the computer hardware and softwaresector.   Ideas and conclusions from these studies are then combinedwith information from Intel Corporation, a leading manufacturer ofsemi-conductors and similar computer products, to analyse the specificimpact of teleworking at Intel.   It is hoped the conclusions drawn from Intel’s experiences will beuseful to other high-tech firms practicing or considering teleworking,as well as encourage others to pursue related research. High-technology has evolved in the past thirty years from something outof a science fiction novel to part of the average Britain’s everydaylife.   The UK contributes over 5% of the world’s research anddevelopment, although it has less than one percent of the world’spopulation.  Ã‚   The UK additionally has the larges software and computerservices sector in the EU, and a significant semiconductor industry(Anon 2005).   From Bristol, at the end of the M4 hi-tech corridor, toSheffield, where software has replaced steel, to the hi-tech centres inCambridge and Hertfordshire, high-tech is replacing and revitalisingthe declining UK industrial sector. It is important to note that the high-tech sector differs in severaldistinct ways from other sectors of the economy.   First, the speed atwhich technology changes is simply unmatched in other productionsectors.   This requires not only constant innovation in product, butconstant innovation in the process and administrative arenas as well(Edquist 2003).   Property rights considerations have starkly differentapplications in high-tech organisations.   If companies wait until theirnew ideas were licensed or patented before progressing into production,the market will likely pass by them and their product before it evenmoves into sale (Cohan 1997).   High-tech organisations are also morelikely to share information and partner on products, particularly intheir non-core technologies, and share the profits with another firmrather than miss a market entirely (Edquist 2003). The local high-technology sector differs in some ways from that inother countries.   The UK has historically lagged behind the UnitedStates and Japan in its ability to move a product from idea toproduction in the high-tech arena.   UK firms, unless part of aninternational company who mandates certain practices, have not made asmuch effort to design intra-organisational systems to encourageinnovation (Surrey 2004).   In a study by the University of Surrey,Ellie Runcie stated that after studying UK and U.S. high-tech firms,she found UK organisations have â€Å"often no discussion at all is made ofthe role of user research in innovation† (Surrey 2004).   This is aconcern regarding the UK high-tech sector that needs to be considered. The UK also has a lower per-capital computer literacy and computer use,particularly in the home sector, than most other high-tech nations.   Ona more positive note, the UK government has launched a campaign toincrease computer literacy and home computer use.   Intel, BT, andMicrosoft are the three major organisations working with the OeE, DTIand DfES on this campaign (Intel 2004). One of these leaders from the high-technology sector, the IntelCorporation, will be considered in greater detail.   Although aU.S.-headquartered firm, Intel has facilities in several places in theUK, as well as worldwide.   Intel is a major manufacturer ofsemi-conductors and computer processors, and will be used as an examplein this research of how teleworking can contribute to innovation in thehigh-tech environment. As this study considers the topics of teleworking, innovation, andhigh-technology, it was felt necessary to define and set parameters foreach.   The following literature is considered in the scope of thisresearch, with specific delineations of the three main study componentsoutlined in detail.   We have recently entered an important new phase in the ongoinginformation technology revolution. It is difficult to pick up abusiness magazine or newspaper today without reading about anorganisation offering teleworking and virtual offices for remoteworkers. There has been fair media coverage in how companies haveembraced the idea of teleworking, including the likes of ATT,Ernst and Young and IBM.   A monthly magazine is even devoted toâ€Å"today’s flexible workplace,† Telecommute, published by the nationaltrade organisation, the International Telecommuting Advisory Council(ITAC). Part of a general trend towards remote work, teleworking is a naturalresult of the information revolution, fuelled by the growth ofknowledge work and the rapid advance in technology.   The trend isconsistent with predictions made by futurist Alvin Toffler in his 1980book The Third Wave, that the location of work would outgrow typicalsites such as offices or factories, and begin to take place in alllocations. Teleworking is especially becoming popular in high-technologyorganisations.   During my work placement at Intel Corporation, I wasalso exposed to various team members teleworking from home one to twodays per week. While this trend is popular with employees, it behovestoday’s high-technology company to consider the impact of teleworkingon innovation.   This sector of the business environment is particularlydependent on innovation to remain viable, and it is important,therefore, that the initiation and implementation of innovation not besacrificed to worker preference. Examination of various sources reveals a lack of consensus as to thedefinition of teleworking, or as it is sometimes called,telecommuting.   ‘Teleworking’ is more common in European literature,while ‘telecommuting’ is more common in but not limited to Americanliterature.   Unfortunately, this lack of a universally accepteddefinition of teleworking causes problems academically; as either termcan be used to mean ‘home-working’, ‘working-at-a-distance’, ‘off-siteworkers’, or ‘remote-workers,’ it hinders the ability to comparefindings from different sources. Therefore, it is necessary to chooseand define a single term before proceeding. The term ‘telework’ is generally preferred on this side of theAtlantic, and will be used here.   Huws, Korte, and Robinson (1990)define telework as work â€Å"which is independent of the location of theemployer or contractor and can be changed according to the wishes ofthe individual teleworkers and/or the organisation for which he or sheis working† (10).   Olson (1988) argues, â€Å"the term telework is used torefer to organisational work performed outside of the normalorganisational confines of space and time, augmented by computer andcommunications technology. The work is not necessarily performed in thehome (77).   The EU holds that ‘telework’ â€Å"covers a range of new ways ofworking, using the telecommunications as a tool and, for at least partof the time, outside a traditional office environment (EuropeanCommission, 1996, 11).   Jack Nilles defined telecommuting as â€Å"an arrangement that entailsworking outside the conventional w orkplace and communication by way oftelecommunications or computer-based technology (Bailey and Kurkland,2000).   According to The American Telecommuting Association, 2002,telecommuting is â€Å" replacing or supplementing physical travel to theoffice by using modern telecommunications equipment to bring officeresources to the employee. While computers serve to augmenttelecommuting, it is possible to telecommute with only paper, penciland telephone.† Distilling the above into a workable definition, important elements of telework for the purpose of this study include: à ¢Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the person doing the telework is an employee of the organisation for which she or he works à ¢Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   computers and communication technology are used à ¢Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   it is not necessarily performed in the home, but does occur outside a traditional office environment Telework is therefore defined as any substantial part of an employee’swork performed by employees that is physically separated from thelocation of their employer using information technology (IT) foroperation and communication.  Ã‚   Three groups are affected by teleworking:   the employers ororganisations, the individual teleworkers, and society as a whole.  Benefits and drawbacks to individual teleworkers vary greatly fromperson to person, and are difficult to evaluate.   Benefits to societyare primarily environmental, as reduced commuting decreases pollutionand reduces transportation-related injury.   This study will thereforefocus on the affect of teleworking on the employer or organisation.  Areas of benefit include increased productivity and financialadvantages.   Drawbacks security concerns, management issues, andreduction in interaction and exchanged of ideas.   Each of thesebenefits and drawbacks will have impact on innovation inhigh-technology environments. INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY According to The American Telecommuting Association, various surveyshave documented teleworking employees’ productivity gains of up to 60%(1992).   They claim that extra productivity is consistently clocked at10-15% in nearly every study in the past two decades.   The SocialMarket Foundation (2004) argues that teleworking can increaseproductivity by up to 30%. They further claim that the more than twomillion UK workers now regularly telecommute with employees use thetime saved from commuting and meetings for extra work.   Huws (1992),Salmon and Shamir (1985), Caudron (1992), and Metzger and Von Glinow(1998) all report indications of improved productivity, reliability andwork quality among teleworkers. The increase in employee productivity resulted from teleworking isalso supported by G. E. Gordon, who claims there are a variety ofreasons for increased productivity in employees who telework.   Theseinclude decreased time spent commuting to work, fewer distractions inthe workplace, and giving telecommuters the opportunity to better matchtheir work times with their peak productive periods.   He notes thatproductivity gains ranging from 15-30% are common with such programs(Gordon 1986). Employee motivation is another cited reason for improved productivity.  Employees perceive being the ability to telework as an indication thattheir employers have sufficient trust and faith in them to workindependently.   It could also be argued that teleworkers in fact workharder than non-teleworking employees as they feel the need to prove totheir office peers that they are not indolent as a result of working athome without supervision. Teleworkers may also feel the need to workharder to achieve promotions (). However, various theorists argue that some employees find that becausethey have their work resources at home, they tend to work more. Thiscould interfere with family life.   In addition, telework can be viewedas an intrusion of the workplace in the home. The office at home is aconstant reminder of work.   There is the real problem of definingconcrete working hours when the distraction of home life is a constantpresence.   Working hours and social versus home time can becomeblurred.   Another form of intrusion is when family members or socialinterruptions constantly disrupt teleworkers from completing work.  This may add extra pressures and stress.   Teleworking employees whoexperience such disruption and time management issues may actually havedecreased motivation and productivity due to these outside factors.  Therefore, it is important that employees exercising their option totelework draw strong boundaries that will enable them to workeffectively.   Guidance from t he organisation and possiblity sometraining in effective teleworking should be included by an organisationemploying teleworkers. Smith (1997) suggests telecommuting reduces absenteeism amongstemployees.   For example, employees who may feel too ill to complete afull day and commute, may be well enough to work a partial day.  Individuals are more likely to continue working even when feelingunwell due to being in a more comfortable and relaxed work environment,i.e. their home.   Smith counters that teleworkers often havedifficulty, especially at first, with separating home and work time.  This increases if children are in the teleworking location, most likelythe home.   However, adjustments are usually successful in the long term. Further, the Bureau of Labour Statistics reports that businessproductivity, the measure or output per work hour, has risen 2.8% since1998.   This correlates positively and directly with an increase inteleworking. Teleworking has been perhaps, therefore, most effective inincreasing productivity. Clearly, these human resource managers are very satisfied with theirprograms a nd believe their telecommuters are satisfied as well.   Ifhalf of the firms included in the above research are reporting morework done at a better quality in comparison to the traditional workforce, there must be considerable merit to teleworking increasingproductivity. FINANCIAL SAVINGS Teleworking can also save firms money in a number of ways.   It providesthe employer with an expanded pool of potential employees. The skillsof employees with commuting difficulties, childcare conflict,disabilities and geographical barriers employees are all made availableto the employer who adopts the telecommuting practice.   Smith (1997)supports this, claiming teleworking offers attractive workingconditions, which aid in the recruitment and retention of skilledemployees and help to reduce voluntary separation of key employees.  This represents considerable savings to the employer in terms ofreduced hiring and training costs. Reduced overhead is another financial benefit.   Teleworking reducestime and travel costs for meetings, conferences and training thusminimising organisational overheads.   Individual teleworkers alsobenefit from reduced costs in transportation, clothing, childcare, andreduced absenteeism.   Teleworking can also help firms remain in the same location and avoidfuture relocation to larger premises.   This particular cost saving ishighly remunerative due to the increasing real estate prices in urbanareas today and the substantial cost savings in office space.   Peoplewho telework do not use office space and do not create overheads.   Evenin case of part-time teleworking space savings are generated.   This isevident at IBM, who is expected to save between 15 to 20 percent inspace requirements by taking away the desks of more than five thousandof its employees and telling them to work at home, in their car, or attheir clients’ offices (Swinton 2002). The claim that teleworking reduces organisational overheads is alsosupported by BT who introduced its â€Å"Workstyle 2000 flexible working†programme ten years ago.   The claim that the programme has saved them134m as a result of teleworking practices.   This includes reducing thenumber of employee desks in London from 10,000 to 3,000, saving  £6,000per desk per year.   There has also been a five% reduction in companycar mileage, resulting in fuel savings of  £9.7m this year alone.   BTalso reports a 20% increase in productivity and that 75% of alltelephone conferences are replacements of face-to-face meetings. Opponents of teleworking argue there are often some initial increasedcosts due to outfitting the teleworkers and making adjustments tocompany computers to accommodate them.   Ford (1995) claims thattelecommuting programs lead to extra costs. He claims that extra coststypically involve additional equipment requirements and funding theprovision of human reso urce services, training, fringe benefits, andrelocating. He continued to argue that the question of cost alsoincludes the equipment and space costs associated with telecommutingprogram and that telephones and electronic equipment cost more fortelecommuters than for traditional workers. It is important that hardware and software provided to teleworkersstarts out and remains uniform because this simplifies supportimmensely.   The required initial investment and length of time forpayback will vary sharply from company to company, however, with themost technologically advanced incurring the least upfront costs.   Giventhat high-tech firms are those under consideration in this study andthey have the most access to the latest and most efficient technology,it then follows that these expenditures do not detract from the savingsfor high-tech firms adopting or practicing teleworking. Additionally, many companies report current pressures on their supportdesk and according to Classe (2000) this will intensify by theintroduction of a remote workforce.   As teleworkers usually worknon-standards hours, longer hours of support cover may be required,which will confer additional associated costs to the employer.   Thecost factor for such support spread across a larger high-t ech companywill have little impact; the same costs spread across a smaller companymay be significant and should be considered a potential drain onresources that could support innovation implementation. SECURITY Security is a major concern for high-tech companies with teleworkingemployees.   Confidential information must be accessible to theteleworkers remotely, information that may range from a product indevelopment to a change in production methods to sensitive profiles offuture customer bases.   This makes the same information more accessibleto hackers and competitors; it is highly unlikely a company couldafford or an employee would want equal security measures on theirprofessional facilities and residences.   In addition, information used and generated by teleworkers willtypically be uploaded to a server for accessibility.   Others within thecompany then have increased chance of access, compromisingintra-company security. Eric von Hippel, however, in his study of knowledge location andinnovation solving, noted â€Å"conducting innovation-related problemsolving at remote sites need not compromise an innovator’s ability toprotect commercially important secrets† (1994).   While greaterpotential for security breaches exist, this in no way indicatessecurity need be compromised by teleworkers. MANAGEMENT One of the biggest problems for managers and staff involved withtelework is measuring and monitoring the work done by employees.Management recognise that it is easier to monitor the level of workdone by employees when they are in the office and managers often worrythat their staff will not work as hard from home.   Teleworking presentspotential issues with the ability to discipline telecommutingemployees, provide a career path, and provide promotionalopportunities.   Those in supervisory positions often see difficultiesin relation to mangers’ human resource management responsibilities(Werdigier and Neibuhr 2002). Ford (1995) also raisies the issue of the telecommutting impact on thesupervisors span of control.   Due to the workers being so spread out,Ford claims that many companies will be forced to reduce the averagespan of supervisory and will not have sufficent control to accommodatethe unique problems of telecommuters.   Ford suggests that another majoraspect of th e supervisory issue is the ability of the manager tocontrol distractions in the work setting and to ensure that theemployee does not become displaced from the informal help and adviceavailable through interaction with a work group. Clearly, managers of such programs need to be trained in remotesupervision.   In addition, they should recognise the possibility thattheir teleworking employees may not have adequate access to training,career and promotional opportunities.   More importantly, theseemployees may miss the informal information sharing that occurs in atraditional work environment.   This will be shown to have a significantimpact on innovation.    REDUCED SOCIAL INTERACTION AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE Social isolation seems to be mostly acknowledged by scholars as themost significant potential or actual drawback of teleworking.  Ã‚   Whilesome employees welcome the new freedom that comes with lesssupervision, others say they miss the camaraderie and socialinteraction that comes with face-to-face office operations.   However,this usually depends on the professional level of the employee.   Smith(1997) argues that the higher the level, then the more electroniccontacts and networks; hence, less social isolation is experienced. Video conferencing could help ease the psychological trauma that comeswith social isolation, allowing multiple numbers of people to converseand perform work together in an electronic version of face-to-facecommunication.   This may allow teleworkers to increase the humanemotion and communicational flexibility often lacking in electroniccommunication.   Social isolation also implies that for teleworkersthere is minimal peer availability for informal work relateddiscussions as one might get, for example, in a staff cafeteria atlunch times. In addition, teleworkers may lack the political connections and cloutto get innovations approved or funded.   With reduced opportunities tobuild relationships on the job, they are forced to propose or supportinnovation solely on the merits of the proposal (Werdigier and Neibuhr2002).   While this theoretically could be a positive result ofteleworking, in practice it reduces the chance of innovative input fromteleworkers being initiated or implemented. DECREASED KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE It could similarly be argued that the largest detraction of teleworkingon innovation in high-technology organisations is the reduction ofknowledge exchange from employee interaction.   Informal and proximitylearning is an ongoing opportunity for training in the traditionaloffice environment not available to teleworkers.   If both are in thesame location, an inexperienced worker can observe another moreexperienced worker and learn from this observation.   This is asignificant training tool for office-based or facility-based workersand one of the main ways knowledge is acquired and exchanged in anorganisation (Classe 2000). CASE STUDY BT The various benefits of telecommuting to the employer can be supportedby the findings of a study conducted amongst 2000 BT employees (2002).  The study revealed that enabling staff to work from home resulted inincreased company productivity and better employee health and qualityof life.   BT claimed that telecommuting saved them  £35m a year inaccommodation, recruitment costs and absenteeism and that teleworkerswere four times less likely to take sick days, averaging three days offa year compared with twelve for office-based staff. The study also revealed that almost 80% of teleworkers claimed to bemore productive thanks to reduced disruption, commuting time andstress, and greater flexibility about when and where to work.  According to Alison Garner, marketing manager for social responsibilityat BT making staff feel part of the BT community was key to theschemes success. Although a small number of teleworkers complain about increased workinghours, four out of five survey respondents claimed that teleworking isimportant or very important for their quality of life.   Almostthree-quarters described their work/life balance as good or verygood.   BT also maintained that its teleworking policies paid off interms of staff recruitment and retention. CASE STUDY – THE SUSTEL PROJECT The Sustel Project, created in 2002 by the EUs Information SocietyTechnologies programme, found that telework increases businessresilience since it allows work to be done when building operations aredisrupted by factors such as the weather. The Project also showed that the influence of telework on human capitaldevelopment, the personal competencies and skills needed to createwealth, was mostly positive.   Seven of the studies found that teleworkhad a significantly positive effect on internal communication andknowledge sharing, often due to the conscious implementation oftechnological tools during telework program deployment.   At theindividual level, the main financial benefit of telework was reducedcommuting costs, which almost all respondents saw as being greater thanthe increased cost of energy in their home. BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS – CONCLUSION At the present time there is a lot of controversy in both academic andpractitioner literatures with respect to how telecommuting affectsorganisation employees.   At one extreme, telecommuting is considered aflexible work arrangement that will solve a multitude of problems.   Atthe other extreme, authors have implicated telecommuting causing anumber of negative consequences including loneliness, isolation,exploitation and increased stress.   While there are a legitimate numberof potentially negative effects of telework, these effects can beminimized by proper program management. A balanced view is presented from Baruch and Nicholson (1997) andGoodrich (1990) who claim that the best output from telecommuting isachieved if it is conducted on a part-time basis. They argue,teleworking on a part-time basis can prevent or significantly reducethe social isolation of teleworkers. There are a number of benefits and drawbacks that should be consideredspecifically by high-tech organisations implementing teleworkprogrammes.   From a broad organisational perspective, the positives ofsuch a programme seem to outweigh the negatives.   However, the twodrawbacks of teleworking with legitimate effect on innovation in thehigh-technology sector are reduced political influence, and knowledgeavailability and exchange.   As these have been identified as ofgreatest impact, these areas will be focused on in this study.   As with teleworking, there are a number of different proposeddefinitions of innovation.   One of the most complete is offered byDamanpour (1996), who defines innovation as â€Å"the adoption of an idea orbehaviour new to the adopting organisation,† which usually occurs as â€Å"aresponse to changes in the external environment or as a pre-emptiveaction to influence the environment† (694).   Innovation is â€Å"departingfrom existing norms and practices,† and â€Å"requires risk taking†(Damanpour 1996, 698).   Edquist (2003) defines innovation as â€Å"newcreations of economic significance, primarily carried out by firms†(2).   Depending on the researcher, innovation is held to require either twoor four steps to implementation.   In the four-step model, theinnovative idea is first discovered or created.   This usually happenswith one individual or a small number of individuals working as ateam.   The idea is then presented to and accept ed by a decision-makingleader or body.   Initial adoption of the innovative idea by theorganisation is the next step, with the company allocating someresources to the development of the idea, such as pilots or testcases.   Implementation occurs when the innovative idea reaches broadacceptance within the organisation and becomes part of its regularproduct, process, or routine (Styles and Goddard 2004).   The two-stepcombines the first three steps of the four-step model under oneheading, initiation (Damanpour 1996). There are three types of innovation:   product innovation, processinnovation and administrative innovation (Edquist 2003).   Allcompanies, and small firms in particular, are more likely to innovatein the product arena, where results are tangible and measurable.  Larger firms will also innovate in process areas.   However, processinnovation is more difficult to implement than product, as it requireschange across multiple systems.   Administration innovation occurs mostfrequently in large, structurally complex companies, as it requires themost widespread changes to the organisation (Damanpour 1996).  Ã‚   Innovation within these three areas can be radical or incremental.  Radical innovation â€Å"produces fundamental changes in the activities ofthe organisation and represent a large departure from existingpractices† (Damanpour 1996, 699).   Radial innovation requires a largerknowledge base and free resources.   Incremental innovation is adoptedmore slowly, and produces less pronounced changes to organisationalsystems and activities. Innovation, therefore, is defined in this study as a change in theproduct, process or administration of an organisation; a new idea thatdeparts from existing norms and practices to respond to the firm’scurrent or future environment.   Innovation implementation requires knowledge, creativity, politicalsupport (within the organisation), and adequate resources.   Increasingany of the above or making the systems that control them moreeffective, therefore, has a positive effect on innovation.   Asinnovation requires both change and risk, companies will only undertakeinnovation if it is perceived as necessary to their survival or can beshown to have financial incentives.   Recognizing the forces driving the organisation to innovate isimportant.   For example, environmental uncertainty and environmentalcomplexity both contribute to increased innovation.   Uncertainty aboutthe future leads directly to a concerted effort to increase knowledgebase and exchange.   This influx of information then leads to increasedinnovation (Damanpour 1996).   This is especially evident inhigh-technology firms, where a market leader product today may becompletely obsolete by next year.   Definite, articulated identificationof the need for and support of innovation within the organisationgreatly enhances the chance of implementation of an innovative idea. Similarly, development or adjusting organisational systems to encourageand support innovation increases the chance of innovative success.  Damanpour found that â€Å"large organisations can facilitate theimplementation of innovations by adopting more flexible structures andorganising themselves into smaller units† (1996, 700).   Creation ofinnovative ideas is more likely in complex organizations, where thereis a larger knowledge base and an increase in knowledge exchange(Damanpour 1996).  Ã‚   However, larger organisations are less likely tomove innovative ideas to implementation as they are typically moreformalized, with lower managerial incentive to innovation (Hitt,Hoskisson and Ireland 1990).   An example of this is IBM, which made a sy

Archery Vocabulary :: Archery Sports Bow and Arrow Essays

Archery Vocabulary Adaya: An arrow which has missed it's target, Japan. Alborium: A bow made from hazel, 11th century. Anak, Panah: An arrow, Malay. Anchor: The location to which the hand that draws the bow string is positioned to when at full draw. Anchor point: The place where an arrows nock is drawn to before release, usually the chin, cheek, ear or chest. Used to help aiming. Aquande-da: The leather bracer of the Omaha. Arbalest, Arbalete, Alblast, Arblast: The European crossbow of the Middle Ages. Arbalete a Cric: A crossbow drawn by a rack and pinion. Arbalete a Jalet, Pellet crossbow, Prodd: A crossbow set up to shoot stones instead of bolts. Arbalest a Tour: A crossbow drawn by a windlass. Arbalestina: A cruciform aperture in a wall of a fortification from which a crossbow was shot. Arbrier: The stock of a crossbow. Archer's guard: See bracer. Archer's paradox: In period bows (without a shelf or centre shot) the arrow which is properly shot will fly in the line of aim although the string propelling the arrow moves directly to the centre of the bow. The arrow in fact bends around the bow after release but after passing the bow returns to its proper line of flight. See Spine. Archer's ring, Thumb ring: An effective Eastern method of drawing the bow string while using the thumb protected by a ring. Archer's Stake: A sharpened wooden stake driven into the ground pointing away from an archer to protect against cavalry. Arcuballista: The ancient form of ballista. Arcubalista unis pedis: A crossbow which only needs one foot to assist drawing the string. Arrow: The missile shot by an archer from a bow. Arrow guide: See Majrà £, Solenarion. Arrowhead: The striking end of an arrow, usually made of a different type of material from the shaft such as iron, flint or bronze, depending the purpose of the arrow. Arrowsmith: A maker of metal arrowheads. Ascham: [1] A tall narrow cupboard for storage of bows and arrows. [2] Roger Ascham, 1515 - 1568, author of Toxophilus (1545). Arrow spacer: A circular piece of leather pierced by 24 holes used to keep the shafts of a sheath of arrows apart from each other and prevent damage to the flights during transport. Azusa-yumi: A small bow used in magic, Japan. Top B Back of the bow: The surface of the bow furthest from the archer when they hold the bow in the firing position. Archery Vocabulary :: Archery Sports Bow and Arrow Essays Archery Vocabulary Adaya: An arrow which has missed it's target, Japan. Alborium: A bow made from hazel, 11th century. Anak, Panah: An arrow, Malay. Anchor: The location to which the hand that draws the bow string is positioned to when at full draw. Anchor point: The place where an arrows nock is drawn to before release, usually the chin, cheek, ear or chest. Used to help aiming. Aquande-da: The leather bracer of the Omaha. Arbalest, Arbalete, Alblast, Arblast: The European crossbow of the Middle Ages. Arbalete a Cric: A crossbow drawn by a rack and pinion. Arbalete a Jalet, Pellet crossbow, Prodd: A crossbow set up to shoot stones instead of bolts. Arbalest a Tour: A crossbow drawn by a windlass. Arbalestina: A cruciform aperture in a wall of a fortification from which a crossbow was shot. Arbrier: The stock of a crossbow. Archer's guard: See bracer. Archer's paradox: In period bows (without a shelf or centre shot) the arrow which is properly shot will fly in the line of aim although the string propelling the arrow moves directly to the centre of the bow. The arrow in fact bends around the bow after release but after passing the bow returns to its proper line of flight. See Spine. Archer's ring, Thumb ring: An effective Eastern method of drawing the bow string while using the thumb protected by a ring. Archer's Stake: A sharpened wooden stake driven into the ground pointing away from an archer to protect against cavalry. Arcuballista: The ancient form of ballista. Arcubalista unis pedis: A crossbow which only needs one foot to assist drawing the string. Arrow: The missile shot by an archer from a bow. Arrow guide: See Majrà £, Solenarion. Arrowhead: The striking end of an arrow, usually made of a different type of material from the shaft such as iron, flint or bronze, depending the purpose of the arrow. Arrowsmith: A maker of metal arrowheads. Ascham: [1] A tall narrow cupboard for storage of bows and arrows. [2] Roger Ascham, 1515 - 1568, author of Toxophilus (1545). Arrow spacer: A circular piece of leather pierced by 24 holes used to keep the shafts of a sheath of arrows apart from each other and prevent damage to the flights during transport. Azusa-yumi: A small bow used in magic, Japan. Top B Back of the bow: The surface of the bow furthest from the archer when they hold the bow in the firing position.

Health Care Systems Essay

Abstract The primary objective of any health care system is to provide adequate and effective medical care to the population. Health care systems may vary due to political and other factors. Factors may include location, access to care, basic needs of the populations as well as economic status. However, the primary goal remains the same. Because of the ongoing need for government to allocate funds to the medical budget their involvement in health care cannot be discounted. This paper introduces two major health care systems. First that of the Netherlands and secondly, the United States. The pros and cons will be discussed, as well as the role and function of the government as it relates to health care. A compare and contrast of the differences and similarities of both systems will be made. Health Care Systems The Netherlands The health care system in the Netherlands is comprised of three distinct compartments and is mandatory for all residents and non-resident who pay Dutch income tax. They are required to purchase health insurance coverage, except for those with conscious objections and active members of the armed forces. Coverage is mandatory under the health insurance act provided by private insurance companies and regulated under private law. One percent of the Dutch population were uninsured in 2009 and approximately sixteen percent between the ages of twenty and thirty years. Those who failed to pay premiums for at least six months are also known as defaulters. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 1) Insurance companies are forbidden to perform â€Å"risk assessment† that deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions, risk factors based on age, gender, or health profile. Tax credits make the package affordable for those who have low income while those who have no income receive coverage as part of their social assistance package. (Daley & Gubb, 2011) The government provides health care allowances also known as premium subsidies for low-income families if their premium exceeds five percent of the household income. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 80) Individuals who do not sign up for health care coverage are subject to a tax fine of one hundred and thirty percent of the premium. (Daley & Gubb, 2011) The Exceptional Medical Expenses Act regulates the first compartment. (Daley & Gubb, 2011) Contributions were taken as a 12.55% salary deduction and further supplemented by a government grant. (Daley & Gubb, 2011) Basic insurance packages include General Practitioner, Hospital specialists, Midwives, as well as hospitalization, dental coverage up to the age of eighteen after which only specialist dental care is covered (dentures e.g); medical aides such as home health care and medical equipment pharmaceutical care, maternity, ambulance and patient transport services, paramedical care, mental health and limited lifestyle improvement (smoking cessation programs e.g.). In vetro fertilization is also covered for the first three attempts. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 1-2) The second compartment deals with basic and essential needs. These medical needs are first treated by a General Practitioner. Every resident and non-resident must be registered with a General Practitioner who oversees basic care including, physicals and common illnesses. In the event specialized care is needed, patients are referred to a Nurse Specialist who is responsible for giving medical treatment. This may include information pertaining to prevention, education, social and psychological support. (â€Å"Nursing,† n.d) For example if a patient is diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus their first encounter is with the General Practitioner who makes the diagnosis, and puts together a team consisting of the Diabetic Nurse Specialist and an Endocrinologist. The Endocrinologist supervises the Nurse Specialist who in turn acts as a supervisor or consultant to the General Practitioner. Members of the team must meet on a regular basis to discuss the patient’s needs and progress. Based on the severity of the patient’s illness (which could be deemed as low, moderate or severe) determined by the patients’ test results one of the three care givers will in fact manage follow-up care. However, all three practitioners will continue to be involved. The Nurse Specialist acts a liaison between both the Practitioner and the Specialist. (â€Å"Nursing,† n.d) The third is an optional supplemental coverage and is paid for by the individual or as part of an employer/employee contract. Care can include, dental after the age of 18 years, physiotherapy and cosmetic procedures. The focus on overcoming disparities such as obesity and smoking cessation do not exist in the Netherlands, as it is believed that it is the responsibility of the individual to seek treatment, which is covered under the basic package. Before the 2006 Reform, there were long waiting lines to see the General Practitioner. There are forty Dutch health insurers across the country and individuals are free to choose the company of their choice based on their personal needs and preferences. At the time of annual open enrollment, patients are allowed to change their insurance company to one of their own choosing. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 84) Every insured individual age 18 and over must pay a deductible ranging from â‚ ¬170 to â‚ ¬ 670 referred to as cost sharing. General practitioner care and children health care are exempt from cost sharing. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 80) How is the health system financed? – The first â‚ ¬ 32,369 are taxed at a rate of 6.9 %. The employer is required to reimburse this contribution while the employee must pay taxes on the reimbursement. For those who do not have an employer or do not receive unemployment benefits the contribution is 4.8% while the self-employed is individually assessed by the Department of Revenue. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 80) Organization – The General Practitioner is the considered to be the gate- keeper. The General Practitioner must refer hospitalization or specialized health care and the only exception is for emergency care. The General Practitioner gets a capitation fee for each registered patient and is further compensated for after hours care on an hourly basis. Consultation fees including phone consults are also accrued and an additional amount is paid to the General Practitioner for managing the patients care without having to make a referral. Bundled payments are made for chronic diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease, Congestive Heart Failure etc. If the General Practitioner hires a private nurse to assist in his practice, the insurance company makes full reimbursement to the General Practitioner for nurses’ salary. The population of the Netherlands is 16.7 million people (â€Å"One World Nations Online†) of which only one percent is uninsured. The reason for this is not due to an inability to pay but rather a default for greater than six months. The health care system in the Netherlands is Universal and does not depend on employment status. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 78) Although the government mandates heath insurance, private insurance companies are allowed to provide coverage. With five insurance companies that dominate the market the government has created a market environment for healthy competition that also benefits the consumer. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 80) The triangle between the Insurer, the Provider and the Insured requires that quality and efficient care remains consistent. There are five non-governmental entities that regulate care. The Health Council advises the government on health care issues (e.g. public health); The Health Insurance Board (advises what should be included in the basic health insurance packet). The Medical Evaluation Board is responsible for efficiency, safety and quality are always taken into account; The Dutch Health Care sAuthority, which ensures that the market is functioning while the Dutch Competition Authority ensures there, is fair competition among insurers and providers. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 83) The United States In the United States government is heavily intertwined with health care at many different levels. Laws have been created by both the federal and state legislative bodies. Health care policies have been shaped through a combination of the arenas that make decisions at the local, state and federal levels. The United States health care system is comprised of two separate entities identified as the private and public sectors. First, the private sector is made up of private health insurance companies and employer sponsored insurance coverage. Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 will require employers who have fifty or more employees to provide health insurance coverage or pay a financial penalty to the federal government. Medicaid program will be expanding and will be required to cover those who fall above the level of poverty.. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 36) This like the health care system in the Netherlands tries to cover a greater amount of the population The public s ector is made up of Medicaid and Medicare. Medicaid is a welfare initiative that is not a single national program, but a collection of fifty state-administered programs. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 29) Medicaid is designed to cover low-income families. It is jointly funded by the state and federal government. The poorer the state the larger the federal contribution however, each state has specific eligibility rules, benefits and payment schedules. A little known fact about Medicaid is that it can be given free to those who cannot afford it, or it can be given at a low cost depending on one’s income. (Social Security†) Medicare on the other hand is a social as well as a federal insurance program designed to cover people aged 65 and older as well as the disabled regardless of age or income. There are four parts to Medicare. Part A also known as hospital insurance covers inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facilities, hospice and some home health care. Part B also known as medical insurance covers certain doctor’s services, outpatient care, medical supplies and preventative services. Part C also known as the medical advantage plan is a type of medical health care plan offered by a private company that contracts with Medicare to provide Part A and Part B benefits. Part D, also known as the prescription drug coverage, can be added onto the original Medicare plan. The aforementioned plans, are offered by insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare. (medicare.gov). The public sector is designed to cover the segment of the population that is not covered by employer-sponsored insurance. The United States highest annual health care spending per capita in terms of purchasing power parity is $7,538 is significantly higher than the Netherlands, which spends $4, 063 per capita. This trend has remained constant for the past forty years. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 68) It is reported that the United States has the largest proportion of adults who have the hardest time seeing a specialist, however other countries have reported the same difficulties with low-income levels having a greater difficulty than those with higher income. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 69) The life expectancy in the United States for male was 75.64 years while women was 80.78 years. In the Netherlands on the other hand, life expectancy for a male is 81.4 years and for female 85.3 years a significant difference and is believed to be due to the quality and access to health care. The quality of life in the Netherlands is assumed to be much better because of preventative care and education. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, children in the United States will now be covered up to the age of 26. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 25) In the Netherlands children are only covered until the age of 18 at which time they are expected to be contributing members of society. Approximately 16% of the United States population is uninsured, which is a significant disparity between that of the Netherlands. Americans are uninsured primarily because of high out-of-pocket medical expenses and considerable amounts of medical debt. Most of those uninsured are families with full- or part-time jobs or those who are self-employed will not be able to afford or access health care. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 32-33) Health care provisions are adequately satisfied in the Netherlands, which make provision for all Citizens while still leaving room for healthy competition among insurance carriers. Although guidelines are set up by the government to ensure universal health care it is the responsibility of insurance companies and non-governmental agencies to ensure that these guidelines are followed. On the other hand, while the United States supports those with low income and disabilities there remains the 17% of the population that contribute to the Medicaid and Medicare funds but are still unable to afford health insurance coverage. I believe it is to the detriment of the United States health care system to pull certain aspects from many different health care systems such as the Netherlands and Switzerland that do not always work to our benefit. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 79) The absence of a body to oversee making checks and balances in the systems leaves the door open for fraud and fraudulent activities within the system. If these aspects were to be imported it must be modified and carefully monitored to ensure there is no conflict with existing programs that have been proven effective. If the average household income per year is $40,000 of which 30% is spent on heath care it leaves a family with insufficient funds to provide for basic needs. In effect, health care becomes the â€Å"basic need†, creating further health care needs due to the inability to cover food, clothing and shelter. In conclusion, it is my opinion that the health care system in the Netherlands is by far more advanced in terms of organization and effectiveness. The ability for all residents to access health care contributes to the longer life expectancy and overall quality of life which in together ensures that the people will be valuable contributors to society. References Daley, C., & Gubb, J. (2011). Health Care Systems: The Netherlands. Civitas. Retrieved from http://www.civitas.org.uk/nhs/download/netherlands.pdf Kaovner, A., & Knicman, J. (2011). Health Care Delivery in the United States (10th ed.). New Yor, NY: Springer Publishing Company LLC. Nursing in the Netherlands. (n.d). Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/qualifications/docs/nurses/2000-study/nurses_nederland_en.pdf Westert, G., & Klazinga, N. (2011). International Profiles of Health Care Systems, 2011 [Entire issue]. The Common Wealth Fund. Retrieved from http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/Files/Publications/Fund%20Report/2011/Nov/1562_Squires_Intl_Profiles_2011_11_10.pdf

Timeline of 15th Century Inventions

Timeline of 15th Century Inventions Most people know that Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type presses during the 15th century- in 1440 to be exact. That invention, which was possibly historys greatest, made the inexpensive printing of books possible. But, many other important inventions were introduced  during this century. Below are those that top the list. Early 1400s: Golf, Music, and Painting Tiger Woods,  Arnold Palmer,  and  Jack Nicklaus  would never have walked the links without the invention of the little white ball that they smacked incredible distances. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  could never have composed his classic concertos without a piano. And, imagine the  Renaissance  without oil painting. Yet, these world changing inventions were created in the early 1400s.   1400: Golf is thought to have originated in a game played in Scotland as early as 1400. The balls were made of wood and didnt travel very far, but at least they represented a start. Indeed, golf was so entrenched in Scotland by midcentury that in 1457,  King James II of Scotland  issued a ban  against playing the game.The earliest version of the piano, called a clavichord, came into existence this year, according to the website, Piano Play It. In 1420, the clavichord  gave way to the harpsichord and leter the spinet, which looks more like the pianos used today.1411: Technically called the matchlock, the trigger- the basic firing mechanism for a rifle or gun- first appeared this year.1410: Oil paint, itself, was actually invented in Asia sometime before the fifth century, but oil painting techniques- like those used by such great artists as  Leonardo da Vinci  and  Michelangelo- were introduced this year by  Jan van Eyck.1421: In Florence, Italy, hoisting gear was inve nted.1439/1440: Gutenberg invents the printing press. Midcentury: Printing Press, and Glasses You would not be reading this website if it were not for Gutenbergs invention of the printing press, upon which all modern typed material is based- including printed material on the web. And, many of you would not be able to read this page without glasses. The rifle also- sadly- advanced during this period. 1450: Nicholas of Cusa created spectacles of polished lenses for nearsighted people.1455: Gutenberg introduced the printing press with metal movable type, marking a turning point in world history.1465: In Germany, drypoint engravings came into existence.1475: Muzzle-loaded rifles were invented in Italy and Germany. Late 1400s: The Parachute, Flying Machines, and Whiskey Many of the ideas and devices common in modern times came into existence in this time period. Some, like the parachute or flying machines, were merely drawings inked on a page by Da Vinci. Others, such as the globe, helped humans navigate the world, and whiskey became a popular drink in the U.S. and worldwide. 1486: In Venice, the first known copyright was granted.1485: Da Vinci designed the first parachute.1487: Bell chimes were invented.1492: Da Vinci was the first to seriously theorize about flying machines.Martin Behaim invented the first map globe.1494: Whiskey was invented in Scotland. Resources and Further Reading â€Å"Early Piano History.† Edited by Ashwati Franklin, Piano Play It, 2017. Highfield, Roger. â€Å"Oil Painting Invented in Asia, Not Europe.† The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 22 Apr. 2008. â€Å"The Matchlock.† The Encyclopedia of Weapons, 22 June 2011. â€Å"Oil Paint History.† Cyberlipid, Les Sites De GERLI.

Alice essays

Alice essays Comparing to other books, this one is much easier to read but difficult to understand. Instead of understanding this book, I fall in to a weird experience. It seemed so unrealistic. I found that I don't need to search for the meaning of it and just enjoy the feeling. (Maybe because I am not smart enough) It is so interesting that there are so many interpretations and everybody has different interpretation of the story. Some people say that falling in to the rabbit hole is symbolizing the process of birth and some say that it is an entrance to the wonderland. I think that Luis Carrolle wanted reader to feel all those things. Human is a very funny animal, never console without putting a meaning for @music, story, painting. maybe the painter put the paint on canvas with no @meaning @but the person who appreciate it, will put the deep meaning on it. A musician chooses the songs name randomly from dictionary and listener imagine the thing while listening to the music. I think it is not good to put the exact meaning with words for art or story because if it can be explained by words, there is no meaning to express it that way. The reason why the work is expressed the way it is, is because that's the best way to express it. There is need to be explained but feel. I don't like critics because they are just trying to define something that cannot be defined. Some say that it is not interesting without interpreting each scene to find what is symbolizing what. However if we put meaning for each clearly, that's boring and there is no magic in this story anymore. It is said that this story is a satire of political circle, satire of society, or process of growing of a female. I don't wanna put one particular opinion but I think I am reading this with all these opinions somewhere in my head. If I haven't heard any opinion before read this may be I could enjoy it more. My friend told me that Lewis Carroll was doing drug durin...

Will Paying More Produce Better Quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Will Paying More Produce Better Quality - Essay Example The researcher believes that paying more will not necessarily improve quality because not all health care personnel are motivated by financial rewards alone. Some of them are more inspired to improve their quality of work through having a career route where they are growing professionally and/or socially and when they are working in an organization where there is enough staff for them to not experience burnout and stress. Nonetheless, as Sanjaya Kumar and Peter R. Kongstvedt show, quality care is a complex process and outcome that deserve innovation and development. If pay for performance (P4P) can improve care outcomes for individual doctors and hospitals, then it can be integrated into the rewards scheme for these people and organizations. However, as Kumar notes, a â€Å"bundled payment approach† is better because it can motivate the whole system to work together in improving care. In addition, the researcher agrees with Kongstvedt that quality is more than higher payment, although sufficient payment is necessary to provide ample care. The researcher confirms Kongstvedt’s discussion that quality involves quality in structure, process, and outcome, peer reviews and other evaluation means/systems, including accreditation, and continuous quality improvement measures. Accreditation is important because it follows employer mandates and stated and federal government requirements and shows commitment to quality care.

Is Anthropogenic Global Warming a problem and if so, why is it not Essay

Is Anthropogenic Global Warming a problem and if so, why is it not being solved - Essay Example 47). This paper will discuss the phenomenon of AGW, understand the problems and causes and examine counterviews that do not support these views. The paper will also examine the reasons as to why the problem has not been solved. 2. Understanding 'Anthropogenic Global Warming' Temperatures of the earth’s surface can change due to a number of natural reasons and these include increased volcanic activity, increased solar storms and radiation from the sun. However, these natural phenomenons are sporadic and they appear quickly, last for some time and then disappear. Nature and the environment then get an opportunity to stabilise and heal itself (Houghton, 2005, p. 45). However, since the industrial age when man started increasing his use of fossil fuels and also started using petroleum products, natural gas and thermal power plants, the impact on the environment has been severe. The use of these fossil fuels is almost non-stop and continues unabated through the year. Massive amount s of pollutants and greenhouse effect gases - GHG are released (Ruddiman, 2005, p. 76). These GHS are made of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur and other such gases. They spread in the atmosphere and re-radiate the suns rays from the atmosphere causing greenhouse effect that reheat the atmosphere and raise the temperatures. Natural carbon traps such as forests that absorb CO2 have been reduced in density. This means that less carbon is absorbed by the environment and temperatures continue to rise. Rapid urbanisation with an increase in the ‘concrete jungle’ means more heat is reflected into the atmosphere. The main reason for the increase in carbon emission as seen is due to human activity and this has given rise to the term ‘'Anthropogenic Global Warming’ (Emanuel, 2005, p. 89). 2.1. Proof and evidence Many respected and reputed organisations such as the United Nations have published data on global warming (UNFCC, 2012; Pachauri, 2007; IPCC, 2007). The year 1800 is taken as the base year when meaningful industrial activity started. The CO2 amount release in 1800 AD is taken as zero and by 2000; this figure had increased to 9 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year. Similarly, the average temperatures of the atmosphere were considered as -0.4 degree centigrade in 1800. By 2000, the average temperature has increased by +0.6 degree centigrade and this is an overall increase of 1.2 degree centigrade. Worse is in store since UNO experts believe that if the present industrial activity and lifestyle continues without restraint, then the temperature build-up would be much quicker and exponential. By 2060, the average temperature rise over 1800 values would be 4 degree centigrade. At this stage, polar ice will have melted, many coastal cities and vast hinterlands would be underwater and there would probably be another ice age (Anderson, 2011). This is not some kind of fear mongering but simulations arrived at by powerful computers that have analysed weather patterns and temperature changes (Tirpak, 2005). 2.2. Counterviews of AGW Global warming and drastic climate change has unfortunately been dragged into political and corporate wars. Peden (2009) argues that AGW is nothing but a hoax started by businesspersons who want to cash in on the business opportunities that global warming provide. Chameides (2011) commenting on a news report from Fox News says that global warming is a natural phenomenon and it has been going on since earth was formed. Temperatures rise led