Doing Business in Japan Essay

1) A large Japanese firm makes important decision by a so-called â€Å"nemawashi† consulting system which requires all internal stakeholders to review and sign the final decision. Research the concept online and compare the advantages and disadvantages of this decision making versus the vertical U.S. system. Describe specific situations when â€Å"nemawashi† could be advantageous and disadvantageous. The culture of the Japanese is to live in harmony with nature and others and they do this by avoiding debates and clashing positions by using a decision making system called Nemawashi. They value interpersonal connectedness and consensus which is the exact opposite of how Americans think and respond. This idea was developed in 1950 when American statistics professor, W. Edwards Deming, trained Japanese leadership staff in Science and Engineering on quality control techniques. David O’Gorman (2012) wrote, The techniques Deming introduced were very compatible with the cultural value of harmony. For example, Deming had 14 key principles for quality improvement. One principle is to â€Å"Break down the barriers between departments.† Deming’s perspective on teamwork, and his other teachings on quality improvement, fit perfectly with Japan’s cultural values of harmony and consensus. Nemawashi gets its meaning from a horticulture terminology meaning â€Å"wrapping around the roots.† When transplanting a tree from one place to another, preparing the root ball by wrapping it with fabric material and acclimatizing it to its new location before transplanting would make that tree grow healthier and stronger in its new environment. (Sakai, 2012) In practice, it means that the groundwork for a new proposal must be carefully prepared in advance if it is expected to take root, survive and prosper. (O’Gorman, 2012). Japanese managers are significantly more relationship-oriented and hierarchical than their U.S. counterparts, preferring consensus building, collectivist decision making, and risk avoidance. (FitzGerald, 2014) By informally communicating ideas to stakeholders, any issues planned for discussion in the larger meeting that might prove to be controversial are hashed out ahead of time so that they don’t create embarrassing snags. Any new ideas or proposals that are going  to be presented can be floated in the pre-meeting, in order to avoid any surpr ises during the main meeting. (Kopp, 2010) To avoid conflict and saving face, many of the discussions of an idea are done informally with all stakeholders prior to the actual formal meeting. There are advantages and disadvantages of this decision making style. The advantages of Nemawashi are: Nemawashi is a more disciplined business practice Nemawashi eliminates the element of surprise Nemawashi eliminates the likelihood of â€Å"whoever screams the loudest† getting their way Nemawashi eliminates ego and aligns interests to a common goal, focusing on the problem at hand with more input across the team or organization (Gordy, 2013). Consensus-building The disadvantages of Nemawashi are: It is time consuming Is not well suited to generating the innovated products and services that Japan needs to compete globally in the future. It suppresses innovative ideas. The nemawashi-ringi process can allow good ideas to wither and die. (O’Gorman, 2012). People are worried that decisions are sometimes made behind the scenes, instead of out in the open. It is therefore seen as an undemocratic process. (Abe, 2014). Those who hold a minority view do not express it to preserve harmony. Furthermore, decisions are flexible and open to change. As a result, decisions are vague, rarely written down, allowing various parties to implement the decision differently. (Anderson, 2009). An example where Nemawashi can best be implemented occurs when a decision does not have to be reached immediately. Japanese use it effectively when they are trying to improve a product such as Toyota. They have time to research, analyze, mull over, and share with all of the stakeholders and can flush out any inconsistencies or challenges prior to making the final decision. An example where Nemawashi is not advantageous is when a decision needs to be made rather quickly or when trying to be innovative. Because nemawashi is time-consuming, if there was a sudden decision that needed to be made, individuals who use this method of decision making would have difficulty getting everyone on board and in agreement in such a short amount of time. It may take months, perhaps years, for an idea  to work its way through the nemwashi-ringi process and be implemented. In the past, this did not pose much of a problem. But in today’s rapidly changing global environment there are increasing demands on companies to make faster decisions just to maintain their competitive position. (O’Gorman, 2012). An example of innovative products can be an idea such as the iPhone or self-driving tr ansportation. 2) Imagine that you are to welcome a Japanese delegation in your home-country. The delegation represents a potential business partner for your firm. Describe how you would prepare for the meeting and how you would decrease intercultural communication apprehension on both sides. I am welcoming a Japanese delegation in my home-country and because I am not ethnocentric, I have researched the Japanese culture and understand that they value hierarchy, status, social ranking, interpersonal relationships and nature. Japanese are polite, sensitive and have good manners and so it will be important to demonstrate those qualities, but not make an assumption because they possess these qualities that they will do business with my organization. I must prepare months in advance for the meeting because Japanese do not like to be taken by surprise. Japanese value commitment, dedication, excellent service, quality and reliability. I would send the itinerary to the Japanese delegation in advance along with any necessary paperwork for their review along with pictures of the executive members of the organization and their ranking. The professional portfolio would detail how long our organization has been in existence and our ranking in our industry. We would have researched their organization and identified their executives as well as their salaryman with whom we are engaging to do business. At the airport, a team of individuals would meet them and acknowledge the most senior member first on down to the salaryman. A business card held by both hands would be given to each one as each of us bow the formal bow and say ‘Watashi no namae wa Jones desu’. Although you do not need to become word-perfect Japanese speaker, many Japanese people really do appreciate foreigners who make the effort to learn at least a few Japanese words and business phrases. (Web) We would receive their business card and immediately study the card and place it carefully in our business card portfolio. We then would follow the itinerary explicitly. Instead of  taking them straight to the office, we would have tickets for the professional baseball team in our region in the loge with food and delicacies of their liking. Matsuzaki (2014) as a summer scholar states that Japanese people love sports, especially baseball. After the game, each delegate would receive a baseball hat with the team logo and a baseball shirt. After the game, a walk through the company and introduction to any senior managers would be done. We would go over our goals and objectives and discuss our portfolio in detail sharing information of how with an expanded business in Japan everyone could have a substantial profit. The most important thing to remember in dealing with the Japanese is to take a passive attitude and listen very carefully to those words that are spoken as well as those not spoken. Soft sell and use facts like â€Å"we sold over a million sets last year† rather than biased information such as â€Å"we’re better than them.† Be very careful not to overstate your case. Any kind of smooth talker or talking too much can rub the wrong way. It is much better to say too little than to say too much. ( Matsuzaki, 2014) Afterwards, at an upscale restaurant we would have an uchiage, (drinking party) which is a tradition Japanese have done after the end of a business transaction. Each business partner would be advised as to drink in moderation and if they do not drink, politely provide an excuse as to why they are not imbibing. The delegation would later be escorted to their hotel and in the morning escorted to the next planned event or to the airport by our executives with a parting gift of a company pen from Tiffany’s. 3) Access JETHRO’s website and other e-Global resources and describe the complexities of setting a Japanese representative office. What are the advantages and disadvantages when compared to other forms of business establishments in Japan? There are many complexities when setting up a representative office in Japan. According to Japan Management Consulting the Representative Office needs to have a Representative resident of Japan. The Representative Office needs to prove the reality of its existence by showing: a lease for office space in its own name a utility bill in the Representative Office name copy of the contract between the representative and the foreign country The Representative of the Representative Office needs to prove its good standing  with Social Insurance, Tax and Legal authorities by providing documents such as: registration with the local ward office â€Å"Juminhyo† registration with Social Insurance, typically a copy of Pension Book is needed proof of payment of resident tax and national tax and also individual enterprise tax if she/he was self-employed. The representative office also need to register with relevant tax office to report and pay the tax withheld on employees salary. (Japan Management Consult, 2011) The advantage of creating a Representative Office in Japan is to be able to carry marketing survey and information gathering activity in Japan before starting a full scale operation, without having to support the burden of full size company and especially keeping a Japan Yen General Ledger and paying taxes. The Representative Office can employ people in Japan and does not need to be registered with legal authorities like the Legal Affairs Bureau. The only registration needed is with tax office for payment of emplyees withheld income taxes. A representative office is often used by companies that wish to employ people in Japan for support activity or before starting a full scale activity. (Japan Management Consult, 2011) The disadvantage of a Representative Office is that it cannot engage in any for profit transactions that would raise Japan’s tax liability. It is only there to gauge the atmosphere of the environment through surveys and assessments. References Abe, Namiko. (2014). About.com Japanese Language. Nemawashi. Retrieved from: http://japanese.about.com/library/weekly/aa080597.htm Anderson, R.V. (Mar/Apr 2009) Management World. The Online Journal for Certified Managers. Japanese and American Management: A Contrast of Styles. Retrieved from http://cob.jmu.edu/icpm/management_world/CMartMar09.pdf FitzGerald, L.A. (2014). Module 2: One World Many Cultures. In Jones International University, BC 607: Leading from a Global Perspective. Retrieved from http://courses.jonesinternational.edu/display.jkg?courseSectionId=33756&uid=105453&tpl=frameset Gordy, Bill. (Dec 11, 2013). The Solutions Group Inc. Implementing the Japanese Business Practice of Nemawashi. Retrieved from www.thesolutionsgroupinc.com/implementing-the-japanese-business-practice-of-nemawashi/ Japan Management Consulting (2005-2011)

What Social Factors Affect Students’ Use of Online Registration: An Exploratory Study

What Social Factors Affect Students' Use of Online Registration: An Exploratory StudyXiaobing Cao, Ph.D., Institutional Researcher Robert Brodnick, Ph.D., Director and Assistant Professor Planning and Research University of the Pacific Association for Institutional Research 42nd Annual Forum June, 2002 (Toronto, Canada)Track 3: Institutional Management and PlanningAbstractWhat Social Factors Affect Students' Use of Online Registration: An Exploratory StudyThis study investigated how social factors affect college students' use of the online registration service that was recently offered in a private university in Northern California. During the first year, about 31% of the students who pre-registered their courses used the service. The results indicated that academic and demographic factors affected students' use of the online service. 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There are two objectives for this study: reviewing relevant literature of the online registration and examining the impacts of social factors on use of the online service. Review of LiteratureAccordin g to the literature, online registration1 can be divided into three stages of development. The first stage is the 1970s. This is a â€Å"developing stage† in which some universities led higher education institutions to experience initial new technology application in administration (Michael, 1976; Chapman & Gambrell, 1976; Brown, 1979; Hengehold & Keim, 1975; Adams, 1974). During this stage, online registration underwent a period of experiments and testing. Online registration was beginning to be recognized for its operation in assisting university administration.The second stage refers to the decade of the 1980s. During these years, online registration was widely used by universities across the country. New features in the registration process were added and more experience was summarized (Heard, 1987; Cook & Parker, 1983; Arnett & Posey, 1986; Lonabocker & Long, 1983; Lisker, 1987). This period can be viewed as the â€Å"stabilized stage.† Cook & Parker (1983) conduc ted a survey of online registration practices among 66 colleges and universities. They found that online registration had improved academic advising.Online registration in the literature review refers to various methods through which a registration can be completed, such as, mainframe computer,  telephone, and web.New technology application had saved time for students, faculty and staff members (1987). Online registration has been clearly confirmed as â€Å"a successful approach† (Lonabocker & Long, 1983; Arnett & Posey, 1986).The third stage includes the 1990s and beyond. This period can be viewed as the â€Å"enhancement stage.† There have been new ways of exploring online registration such as using web service (Swein, 1997), integration of internet technology into all phases of the education process (Thomas, Carswell & Price, 1998), and getting specific groups of students involved in online registration (Kelly, 1998). Thomas et al. pointed out that the integrative approach has been effective in university administration. The third stage indicates that online registration has been well developed, looking for new ways to enhance the new technology environment through new technology convergence.Theoretical Framework & Research QuestionsSocial cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986) helps explain how human behaviors are affected by both social factors (e.g. family income) and personal factors (e.g. selfconcepts). The theory suggests that different social characteristics of students affect how they adapt themselves into the new technology environment. Based on social cognitive theory, the current study is investigating how social variables affect students' use of online registration. The following are the research questions. 1. To what extent do student academic variables impact the use of online registration? 2. To what extent do student demographic variables impact the use of online registration?  3. What are the effects of the academic and demograp hic variables on the use of online registration? MethodologyThe data were extracted from the university student information system. The  dependent variable was the registration method (online vs. walk-in). The independent variables were in two parts: academic variables and demographic variables. TheSocial Factors and Online Registration 5 University of the Pacificacademic variables included Major, Class, Grade, and Degree Level. The â€Å"major† was measured by the college or school a student majored in. The â€Å"class† described the students' class level including freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior, and graduate. The â€Å"degree level† was measured by two categories: graduate level and undergraduate level. The â€Å"grade† was measured by the students’ cumulative GPA. The demographic variables included Gender, Age, Ethnicity, and Family Income. The â€Å"family income† was a two-category variable including families with income =$90,000 . The data source was the adjusted gross income reported from FAFSA.ResultsTo answer research question one, â€Å"To what extent do student academic variables impact the use of online registration?†, a descriptive analysis was conducted. The results showed that the students who used the online registration were more likely those who majored in pharmacy (39%) and international studies (37%). The students who did not use the online registration were more likely those who majored in music (13%). The Chi-square test shows that the relationship between the registration method and major was significant, χ2 (6, n=3024)= 43.8, p

The Changing Global Economy ( ECON401 ) Assignment

The Changing Global Economy ( ECON401 ) - Assignment Example The firms which had failed in UK allowed their businesses to overextend through risk taking and excessive leverage, over dependence on risky product streams like derivatives or buy-to-let mortgages, poor decisions of management in respect of acquisitions, over reliance on wholesale funding. Unprecedented innovation and growth have been seen in the financial sector over the past two decades as new products and higher returns have been sought by the investors in the era of low interest rates. Banks also had an obligation to understand the risks to which they are exposed. The complexity of certain financial instruments and the interconnected developed global market often did not provide well understanding of the dangers involved with the banks, its investors and boards, central banks and regulators (HM Treasury, 2009). The risk models of banks were proved as flawed which was based on incomplete application of principles of finance. It was believed that risks had been widely distributed throughout the financial system by the method of securitization but it proved as mistaken and risks posed by global increase in leverage were under-estimated. The remuneration policies of banks have contributed to the riskiness of financial system as they focused too much on short term prof it. Market discipline also proved as an ineffective constraint on risk taking in financial markets (Independent Commission on Banking, 2011).There were certain deficiencies in the corporate governance of banking institutions. The board of banks failed to understand this and they got prone to the risk management processes of their firms. The senior management also did not question on the sustainability and nature of achieved higher returns. Many institutional shareholders were not able to monitor the effectiveness of senior management of banks nor did they challenge the decisions of board of bank. Generally, the banks and investors rely on the assessments of credit rating agency but

Research method of business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

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Continence Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Continence Education - Essay Example Introduction Globalization and information technologies have rendered many skills obsolete and as a result, workers in today's global economy must acquire new forms of "literacies." Many organizations are finding that their employees lack the basic skills needed to successfully perform their job responsibilities. Lack of cognitive and reading ability levels of these employees can impede performance and learning in the work environment. The job environment can also be threatening to employees who have not received formal or basic education for some length of time. The increased amounts of information generated by the process of globalization in education, politics, and society have produced a greater requirement for the need of knowledge and major emphasis of the development of the individual competencies to meet these needs. It should be asked, what kind of knowledge should be the basis for developing these competencies Compulsory education in England currently ends at 16 years of age (Spielhofer et. al., 2007). Due to leaving schools at an early age and without enough education, these young school leavers face hardship at the workplace. This is an alarming situation and the importance to improve knowledge and working skills have been realized and debated frequently (Jones et. al., 2004). Due to this reason, new education policies are implemented in order that young people should continue their education and training beyond that date. However, in spite of all the efforts to engage young people in education, there is very likelihood that young people would leave school at 16 and seek jobs without training (JWT) as well as not in employment, education or training (NEET). In this context, the...It should be asked, what kind of knowledge should be the basis for developing these competencies Compulsory education in England currently ends at 16 years of age (Spielhofer et. al., 2007). Due to leaving schools at an early age and without enough education, these young school leavers face hardship at the workplace. This is an alarming situation and the importance to improve knowledge and working skills have been realized and debated frequently (Jones et. al., 2004). Due to this reason, new education policies are implemented in order that young people should continue their education and training beyond that date. However, in spite of all the efforts to engage young people in education, there is very likelihood that young people would leave school at 16 and seek jobs without training (JWT) as well as not in employment, education or training (NEET). In this context, the government launched a Green Paper called Raising Expectations in March 2007 (DfES, 2007c). This paper proposes that, from 2015, all young people should be required to participate in some form of education or trai ning until they reach the age of 18 (Spielhofer et. al., 2007).

History of Roman Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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The Adolescent Development Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 35

Economics - Essay Example Neoclassical synthesis was a post-war economic concept which combined the Keynesian macroeconomics and microeconomics of the neoclassical school of thought (Mankiw, 2006). Paul Samuelson personified and popularized the neoclassical synthesis by trying to make a solid mathematical foundation of economics. This has led to the current domination of neoclassical synthesis in mainstream economics. The mainstream economics combines the supply and demand models of markets with Keynesian theory (Mankiw, 2006). It provides that costs and opportunities play an important part in shaping the decision making process of economic agents. For example, the consumer theory of demand is a model of mainstream economics which determines how prices (costs) affect quantity demanded of a particular product. In this case, decision makers (e.g. consumers) will choose products with lower costs or prices; hence affecting quantity demanded. One of the theoretical assumptions of neoclassical microeconomics is the allocation of scarce resources among unlimited wants. It is assumed that people develop rational preferences of identifiable outcomes that can be valued. Consumers/households maximize utility while firms maximize profits. Provided that they get access to sufficient information, individuals make independent decisions and act independently. Aggregate demand and aggregate supply are the main theoretical foundations of Keynesian macroeconomics (Mankiw, 2006). The IS-LM model is the basic theory of aggregate demand. When these two classes of theoretical foundations (neoclassical microeconomics and Keynesian macroeconomics) are combined, they result in short-run economic fluctuations which form the basis of mainstream economics. The new neoclassical synthesis borrows the general equilibrium theory from the new classical models. The microeconomic foundations of preferences and constraints also form the basis of the

Class race gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Class race gender - Essay Example In this book, Wilson is applying an exciting new reasoned framework to three politically filled social problems. Wilson makes it very clear that the causes of poverty are structural in nature. He argues that structural forces, which he defines as the behavior shared by people who are in the same circumstances. He discusses that the black community unemployment, poverty, and teenage mothers are â€Å"cultural† because they follow from the individual’s perception of how the society looks. In other words, the black communities grow up with a mentality that whatever they are going through is the way of life (Martinez 59). Wilson states that structural causes â€Å"should be given more weight†. There seems to be a fundamental message in the book that claims that the poor blacks are not responsible nor can they fix anything that is structural until the barriers are removed either by the governing or by the racial discriminators themselves (Martinez 45). Wilson also feels that the social scientist are wasting time studying the structural causes rather than proposing methods that can be used to remove these barriers. The removal of these structural barriers will free the black community from racism bondage like illiteracy, employment, and social class. Therefore, Wilson emphasizes on change, no matter how long it might take. Further, he believes that this change ought to happen because it is the only barrier hindering the black community from prosperity. This change can begin by implementing neutral social policies and that those in power should address domestic poverty and establish vocational training and offer jobs for the blacks in ghetto. This will reduce unemployment and improve the class of the black community (Chin 87). However, Wilsons mind was changed by Barack Obama’s famous campaign speech on race, and how blacks and whites hailed at the speech. Wilson believes that Obama will eventually address racism and bring Am erica to

Financial statements analysis and financial models(question answers) Assignment

Financial statements analysis and financial models(question answers) - Assignment Example a company, without seeking for debt finance, the following are two ways a company can adopt in order to increase the sustainable growth rate: first, the utility rate of assets should be increased in order to increase the revenue generated, thus, increase the net income. An increase in the net income increases both the ROE and the payout ratio. Second, the company can depend on either retained earnings or equity finance to fund the undertakings of projects with positive net present value. ROE = Profit margin*Total asset turnover*equity multiplier = (0.55*1.9*0.063) = 6.5835%. Sustainable growth = (ROE*b)/1- (ROE*b). 0.09 = (0.065835b)/ 1 – (0.065835b). b = 1.2546 = (1 – payout ratio). Therefore, payout ratio = (1.2546 – 1) = 25.46%. Consequently, for the growth rate to be achieved, the dividend payout ratio must be 25.46%. The interpretation means that the company will use 25.46% of the net income to fund dividend payment. The approximate sustainable growth rate SGR = (ROEb)/1- (ROEb). ROE = (Net income/equity) = (95,000/230,000) = 41.30%. The payout ratio = (42,000/95,000) = 44.21%. Therefore, SGR = (0.413*0.4421)/1 – (0.413* 0.4421) = 0.1826/ (1- 0.1826) = 22.34%. The exact sustainable growth rate = 22.339124%. Since the value of equity never changed during the period, the ROE is remains unchanged. Therefore, the approximate sustainable growth rate is similar to the above determined

International Law †Definition Essay Example for Free

International Law – Definition Essay There have been many attempts at codifying the laws governing international activities. An international law essentially governs international activities, or activities that have international implications, between two sovereign nations or entities by common rules, standards and conditions. The concept of legally binding agreements with an international scope was first introduced by Jeremy Bentham in the last quarter of the 18th Century (ILC, 2009). Jeremy Bentham was an English philosopher who first coined the idea of an international law that would regulate all important activities or aspects of international activities like commerce, justice, high sea activity, illegal acts, sovereignty, self defense and crime (Britannica, 2009). International law is inherently different from other laws as it primarily addresses the concerns of nations and not private citizens. It can legally be categorized into three different legal disciplines: 1. Public international law deals with common law issues between sovereign states and international organizations. Legal areas that are covered under the ambit of Public international law include international crime, high sea issues and humanitarian laws. 2. Private international law also called as conflict of laws, addresses the issue of ‘private relations’ across national borders and decides on the jurisdiction of the law. It has its roots in all the conventions, model laws, sovereign laws, legal guides, and all other documents and related instruments that govern such international relationships (ASIL, 2009). 3. Supranational law also called the law of supranational organizations, governs regional agreements between two international entities and distinguishingly nullifies laws of the respective nations in a situation of conflict with their sovereign laws. Public International Law Public international law relates to the form and ‘conduct’ of individual states and various organizations across the globe. Over a period of time, there has been an increased international activity and globalization has further enabled internationalization of issues. These issues, whether, economic, geo-political, environmental, criminal or else, find their right place under the ambit of Public international law. Public international law mainly has two branches that that deal with international issues. ‘jus gentium’ or ‘Law of nations’ was initially used by the Roman empire when they dealt with foreigners. Law of nations is a common law among nations that deals with issues like peace and war, extraditions, national boundaries and international diplomatic exchanges (Wiki, 2009). The other branch of Public international law, known as ‘Jus inter gentes’, also finds its roots in the Roman law system. This branch mainly deals with international treaties, conventions and other agreements between sovereign nations and international organizations. Public international law is also used to address sovereignty issues of nations, their boundary issues and jurisdictions. They also identify the legal responsibilities of a state, their jurisdiction of a territory and other territorial issues. This may lead to a situation of conflict between the international law itself and the sovereign state. Private International Law Private international law as described earlier addresses the issues between two private international entities. This branch of law regulates all the lawsuits that involve an element ‘foreign’ in nature and ones that may result in different interpretations and judgments depending on the jurisdiction of the subject (Collier, 2001). Private international law, in a situation of conflict between two international entities, determines if the proposed forum has any jurisdiction at all over the conflict situation. It then analyses and decides on the ability of competing state laws in dealing with the dispute. This branch of international law is also responsible for enforcement of the law. The term ‘conflict of Laws’ generally refers to the disparities between laws and reflects this disparity irrespective of the fact whether the legal system is international or inter-state. The term ‘conflict of laws’ is used by countries with common law system whereas the term Private international law is used more appropriately in cases where civil law countries are involved. The term that was initially used by and American lawyer and Judge Joseph Story for a common gamut of international laws, was discarded later by the common law researchers but was adopted by civil law lawyers (Collier, 2009). Since Private international law deals with international territorial disputes and also decides on legal jurisdictions of nation states, it is generally not easy to enforce decisions. There are two different lines of legal thinking that that try to define this law. One called ‘universalism’ is a stream of thinking where the researchers believe that this branch of law is a part of international law and applies in uniformity and is legally binding to all the nation states. The other group of researchers claims it to be ‘particularism’, according to which each state has its own unique norms of private international laws and pursues them in line with its policies. There are two major areas of functioning for Private international law. ‘Sensu stricto’ or narrow sense comprises of these set of rules and guidelines that actually determine the applicability of law of a nation in relation to the dispute. ‘Sensu lato’, also called as broader sense, comprises of a set of legal guidelines that has a direct bearing on material norms crossing the borders of a state (Collier, 2009). This branch of Private international law normally deals with global issues like international insurance, realty and financial disputes. It was in 1834 that Joseph Story’s treatise on the conflict of laws introduced the contemporary field of conflicts to the system of international law. His work had a great influence on the further legal research done on English laws and thus became the heart of Private international laws for most of the commonwealth countries. Sources of International law International law has evolved over a period of time and has its roots in the Middle Eastern and European history. It was Muhammad al-shaybani who first introduced the Law of the Nations at the end of the 8th century. These were the early legal treaties that explored applications of Islamic ethical code of conduct, and Islamic economic and military jurisprudence in relation to international law. Even though these treaties were in their nascent stage as per today’s complexity of issues, they still covered a number of areas under the ambit of international law, including treaties involving diplomats and diplomatic issues, issues of war, hostages and prisoners of war, and also women, children and civilian protection issues, especially during conflicts (wiki, 2009). The first ever treaties discovered in European history were written by a philosopher, theologist and jurist, Francisco de Vitoria, a staunch Roman Catholic, in late 16th century. Most of these legal opinions by the researchers were greatly influenced by the Islamic International laws that were the only legal International law treaties that took shape in the previous few centuries. Another legal scholar Hugo Grotius in the early 17th century further researched on the international treaties governing international laws and was credited for his legal endeavors (Wiki, 2009). The concept of sovereignty further evolved from the 17th century to the early 20th century in Europe. It was in Munster, in 1648, Germany that the first such instance of any treaty governing the concept of international law called ‘Peace of Westphalia’ took shape. This is when nationalism took precedence and people started identifying themselves with a certain nation-state. It was in the United States that history saw for the first time a modern instrument of international law take shape. Lieber Code was passed in 1863 by the Congress of the United States to govern actions of US forces involved with the civil war (Wiki, 2009). This was the first ever written law detailing guidelines and rules of war that were adhered to by all the civilized nations. The sources of International law are various resource materials and the processes that have shaped it over a period of time. Most of these processes or the building blocks of rules were greatly influenced by the politics in general and the legal theories by the researchers or philosophers. The decisions taken by the judges and the writings by the jurists are considered the auxiliary sources for the development of the international law. The international treaties between nation states and organizations, and the customs are also considered international laws of equivalent legitimacy (Wiki, 2009). As per the International Court of Justice, Customs are considered a primary source for International law, along with general principles of law and various treaties. International law and Customs Customary law is already acknowledged by the International Court of Justice by a statute in Article 38(1) (b), and is also incorporated in United Nations charter by Article 92 (Villiger, 1985). Customary laws are applied by international agencies in addressing the issues related to international disputes where the application of customs is considered an equivalent to the general practice accepted a part of International law applicable to the dispute. As a thumb rule, as and when a practice becomes a custom, it is applicable to all the member states of the international community. These states are bound by these customary principles whether or not they have consented for it, unless they opposed it from the start. Customs have long been a primary source for International law. Even though codification of customary laws took place in 1899 and 1907 in the Hague and Geneva conventions, some customs that were codified, like the ‘laws of the war’, had long been the part of international customs. The new codification of customary civil laws developed over a period of time since the middle ages. The customary expressions of law that were repetitive and were widely accepted within a particular community were written into laws by the local jurists. An example of such law would be ‘custom of Paris’ that regulated the community within Parisian region (Villiger, 1985). The term ‘customary law as a part of International law, also refers to the legal norms that were developed over a period of time and with customary exchanges between two independent states either through diplomacy or with wars. Though customary laws are not considered as superior as other laws written by statute or treaties in the International law system and are loosing their influence, they still are considered and recognized as building blocks for the ever evolving international laws and given great thought in most of the scholarly works by jurists. We may find examples of strong customary laws across the globe, like the Canadian aboriginal law, that have a constitutional backing and thus have an increasing influence over deciding factors (Villager, 1985).

The Abortion Debate: Are Abortions Immoral?

The Abortion Debate: Are Abortions Immoral? Abortion involves the loss of fetus and consequently loss of a future human being. It can only be justified in circumstances where the life of the mother is in danger and the consequences of failing to abort are great (Marquis 194). Marquis identifies two accounts that make killing wrong, namely, the discontinuation account whereby killing automatically terminates life and discontinues the experience of living to the victim, and the desire account, whereby killing interferes with the fulfillment of strong fundamental desire necessary for any other desire to be fulfilled (195). This is compounded by the fact that it is morally wrong to kill people who have little or no desire to live. It is equally wrong to kill the unconscious, the sleeping, those who are tired of living and even those who are suicidal. A fetus lacks desire to live and this makes abortion to be wrong (Marquis 195). People desire to live because they value what life has to offer. Furthermore the goodness of life is not secondary to peoples desire for it because it were so; the pain of premature death would be easily replaced with appropriate desire (Marquis 196). Despite the fact that fetuses are not in a position to value their future and their future may not be valuable to them, It is important to note that the future of a fetus is valuable to other people (Marquis 198). Support of abortion on the basis that an entity cannot possess the right to life unless it has the desire for its continued existence can easily be disapproved by the fact that failure of an individual to have interest in something does not mean that the individual does not have a right to it (Marquis199). Similarly, Bansens argument that a fetus lacks sentience, it cannot be wronged and cannot be a victim even if aborted is equally disapproved by the fact that fetuses have prospects and can be victims when aborted because they are deprived of their future and their prospects (Marquis 200). In view of issues discussed in this essay, it is evidently clear that abortion is not any different from killing, a practice that deprives the victim of a future-like ours. Fetuses possess a future and property that makes killing of adult human beings wrong, it follows without saying that abortion is ethically wrong (Marquis 201). Use of contraceptives cannot be equated to abortion because they only prevent fertilization and conception from taking place but this does not result to any form of killing (Marquis 201). Why Most Abortions Are Not Wrong Some people feel that decision to procure an abortion lies squarely on the pregnant woman because she is the one bearing the burden of unwanted pregnancy, while other people prefer keeping abortion safe and legal because of dangers associated with illegal abortion and inequalities associated with the poor and the minority women who are unable to control their fertility (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 471). Steinbock, Arras and Alex argue that abortion is not wrong because of the moral status of the embryo and the burdens resulting from pregnancy and childbirth on women (471). It is okay to kill a non- conscious fetus if a woman does not want to keep the pregnancy because killing a fetus does not deprive it of a future like ours. This is based on the simple scientific fact that a fetus is non- conscious and consentient hence it does not have a future like ours (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 472). A fetus cannot be equated to a new born baby because even though the fetus is alive and human, it is practically not aware of anything and it is not any different from a sperm and ovum which are also alive and human. Furthermore, a fetus cannot think, feel or even perceive anything as opposed to a new born baby. This makes Killing of fetuses to be morally different from killing babies because they do not have the ability to experience pain and pleasure. They are consentient; just like trees and they lack interest of their own hence it is impossible to consider their interests (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 472). Steinbock, Arras and Alex highlight that nonscentient beings cannot experience pain and suffering because it does not matter to them what they experience or what is done to them. Since fetuses are nonscentient, it follows that they do not have the ability to experience pain and pleasure. This is simply because their nervous system has not yet developed to transmit pain messages to the brain hence fetuses cannot be said to experience pain during abortion (473). Although fetuses are living, they do not have a life because they are nonsentient, they are equivalent to living cells in human beings which die or are simply killed. Such cells are not said to lose their live or to be deprived of their lives. Killing a fetus before it becomes conscious and aware does not deprive it of anything (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 473). The fact that fetuses are potential human beings does not qualify them to be treated as actual human beings. In any case living human beings are potentially dead but there is no reason to treat them like corpses (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 474). If fetuses; the potential human beings should be treated like real human beings, then the potential personhood attached to fertilized ova should also be attached to unfertilized eggs and sperms as potential human beings. Furthermore every player is also a potential winner and as such unfertilized eggs and sperms are also potential human beings and their potential should not be negated (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 474). Since neither the sperm nor the egg has a future of its own before fertilization, it follows that even the embryo does not have a future without the uterus and cannot develop all by itself without the uterus and adequate nutrients from the pregnant woman (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 477). A pregnant mother serves as a life support system to sustain the life of a fetus; hence the morality of abortion not only depends on the fetus but also on womans moral obligation to sustain the life of the fetus without terminating pregnancy (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 478). Pregnancies are associated with various burdens including labor, delivery and sometimes death. Outside the abortion context, there is no situation in which someone should undergo risks and burdens to preserve another persons life. Clearly, restrictive laws of abortion impose burdens on pregnant mothers that are not imposed on other people in comparable situations thus violating the principle of equal protection. (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 478). A woman should not be forced to undertake significant risks and burdens of keeping the fetus alive. After all such a woman would have to carry a bugger burden of raising a child against her wishes or even giving it up for adoption (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 479). It is morally right to terminate pregnancy for sex selection or for fetal reductions, especially where a woman has 3 or more fetuses because chances of them surviving are minimal if some are not killed. It is also risky to mothers health (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 481). Women have a amoral right to decide either to carry the burdens of pregnancy and childbirth or to abort. It would be much fair to put women to task on justifying their decision to have children instead of justifying their decision to procure abortion (Steinbock, Arras and Alex 482).

Traditional Concepts To Modern Knowledge Intensive Concepts Management Essay

Traditional Concepts To Modern Knowledge Intensive Concepts Management Essay Introduction: Innovation and Change are 2 of the most used buzz words in the modern corporate era. Some industries are entirely based on innovation. The survivability of companies operating in such industries are, to a large extent, based on their ability to innovate. The electronic consumer goods industry is a great example. The frequency in which firms like Apple and Google scrap their penultimate design and go for the new one is just alarming. On the other hand, Change is another equally important concept for companies in the modern era. Change becomes inevitable for firms operating in volatile industries as they have to respond quickly to the ripples in the market and adjust their own internal processes as a reaction. This necessitates effective change management every time an organization undergoes a change initiative. As Kotter(XXXX) observed rightly; The rate of change is not going to slow down anytime soon. If anything, competition in most industries will probably speed up even more in the next few decades. Through this piece of work, I would like to look at knowledge theory and how the concepts of innovation and change have evolved from traditional linear model to the modern knowledge intensive forms. The essay would be focusing mainly on information technology functions of firms and how they manage their innovation and change process. We would also explore the practical implications of widely used academic terms like knowledge management, knowledge workers, boundary objects, stickiness of knowledge etc with the help of some examples from the technology front. Knowledge theory: For the scope of this essay, we shall use the term Knowledge theory as the one which refers to the concepts of knowledge management and the appreciation of intellectual capital as an integral part of an organisations asset. As a broad term, this also includes the various terms frequently used in knowledge work like knowledge boundaries, boundary objects etc. During the industrial revolution, labour and capital were considered as the major resources to build an organisation. Management emphasis was on effectively handling these resources and the role of managers was limited largely to financial management and human resource management. However, with the advent of the information age, we have seen managers being increasingly aware of another major resource knowledge. This increasing importance of knowledge management is reflected in the works of several academics as well. Bell (1973) suggested that knowledge would be a central feature of post-industrial societies. The concept of knowledge management mainly revolves around 2 popular views on knowledge, the knowledge as possession view and the epistemology of practice. Knowledge as a possession considers knowledge as something that an individual/organisation can possess, and pass on to others seamlessly across different situations and contexts. However, the practice view of knowledge takes into account the importance of tacit knowledge and argues that knowledge is intrinsic to specific contexts and is created and negotiated through social interactions (Newell et al., 2009). Thus knowledge work could be defined as any work that deals with knowledge. However, for a specific spectrum of analysis, we shall limit our analysis only to the so called knowledge intensive firms. These are firms which have a high percentage of highly qualified staff who trade in knowledge itself (Starbuck, 1992). Consultancy firms like Ernst and Young or Deloitte are prime examples for knowledge intensive organisations. Co nsultants sell their knowledge to organisations or individual and organisations in need and quite evidently does knowledge work on a daily basis. Organisations like Google and Apple, where research and development is key to gaining competitive advantage over rivals are also knowledge intensive. Other examples of knowledge intensive professionals include pharmacists, educationists, doctors, accountants etc. The majority of knowledge intensive firms are under increasing pressure from the external environment in terms of staying competitive and profitable. Thus essentially, ability to innovate and change is integral to their success as organisations. We shall now briefly look at the traditional views on innovation and change through the work of some academics and the gradual shift in concept in the information era. This would set the stage for our analysis on how and where knowledge management fits in the processes of change and innovation. Definition of Innovation: Several academics have clearly differentiated the concepts of creativity and innovation. Organisational creativity refers to the generation of novel and useful ideas, whereas organisational innovation describes the realization of those ideas(Cook,1998; Jones, 1995). Thus innovation can be defined as the process by which a new element becomes available within the marketplace or is introduced into an organization with the intention of changing or challenging the status quo (King, 1995). The innovation process can be classified into 5 types (Andriopoulos and Dawson, 2009): Product innovation As the name suggests, this refers to the creation of a new product. Common examples include the ipod and the latest ipad devices from Apple, which took the market by storm. Innovative methods of computing are being released each year and this is changing the face of the IT arena. Service innovations This refers to the creation of new and improved services. Hotmail worlds first free web based email service is a prime example. Process innovations Here, the innovation is on the process rather than on the end product or service. In the United States, Netflix offers subscription based DVD rentals online. This is now the largest of its kind in the world due to several innovations in its process. The firm uses distributed warehouse system to deliver DVDs to its customers via post. The returned DVDs are scanned first if they are requested again before it goes back to the warehouse. This streamlined and fast delivery model has helped Netflix become the market leader.(Rappa, 2008) Management innovations The adoption of Japanese manufacturing techniques by American and European companies during the eighties and nineties is an example of Management innovation. Market or position innovation This refers to the creation of new markets as a result of innovation. With the advent of Second life, a whole new virtual reality market has sprung up and is fast growing. Before this, this market simply did not exist. Traditional view on innovation: The traditional view on innovation considers it as a linear process starting from creation of the innovation, going through several stages until the innovation is accepted or rejected by the adopting unit. Rogers (1995), in support of the linear approach, used the term diffusion for the process of communicating the innovation through the channels of a social system. The innovation-decision process according to this model can be depicted as below: Knowledge Persuasion Decision Implementation Confirmation Fig1.1 Innovation-Decision process (Rogers, 1995) Knowledge The manager or decision maker or more generally the adopting unit becomes aware of the innovation. Persuasion The unit develops either a favourable or unfavourable attitude towards the innovation. Decision The unit undergoes a series of activities leading to the choice of acceptance or rejection of the innovation. Implementation The unit puts the innovation to use. Confirmation The innovation is confirmed and the innovation becomes a routine if the overall feedback from the unit is favourable. Otherwise, the innovation is rejected. The traditional model also looks at innovation as a rational process in which managers use industry-wide accepted standards or best practises. This model revolves around the idea that best practises, once created, all that is left in the innovation process is the communication of this across the organisation. Thus the traditional model of innovation essentially proposed that innovation can be carried out in a linear fashion and can be overlooked with rational thinking. However, this models inability to explain the complex and dynamic innovations in the modern era has led to various criticisms, which would be discussed at a later stage in the essay. Definition of Organisational Change: Andriopoulos and Dawson (2009) define organisational change broadly as new ways of organizing and working. And more specifically(p14): Organizational change is the process of moving from some current state that, whether planned or unplanned, comprises the unexpected and unforeseen as well as the expected The definition clearly identifies 3 integral parts of organizational change (1) the as-is state, (2) the to-be state and (3) the transition path. However, the transition from as-is to to-be state, in the views of several academics, rarely takes the planned or expected path as evident from the above definition. Studies on organizational change process have been conducted extensively by academics. However, the dynamic nature of the topic itself has meant that we still dont have a prescriptive explanation in terms of theory and concept as far as the topic of Organization change is concerned, as evidently expressed by Pettigrew et al. (2003:p351): This constant process of change and renewal means that, whilst scholars and managers can take forward certain key messages, there will always be a need for more research on innovative forms of organizing Organizational change can be of varied degree and form from minor changes in the organizational processes to major organization wide re-structuring initiatives. Palmer et al. (2006) identifies 2 types of changes: Incremental adaptive change is when one firm plays catch-up in response to another firms activity in an incremental adaptive fashion. E.g Microsoft and Yahoo largely followed google applications like maps and videos. Reactive frame breaking change deals with a much larger scale of change. E.g Major restructuring and downsizing was required for investment banks like RBS as they came under increasing government and public control after the recession driven bailouts using taxpayer money. It is interesting to note that most banks havent cut down on their IT spending as they have identified IT as a tool to improve efficiency and cut costs. Outside these two more reactive changes, there is of course the strategy driven large scale operational changes that organizations undergo. Linear views on Organisational Change: The traditional theories on organisational change have been modelled mainly around the concept of unfreeze-change-refreeze put forward by Lewin (Collins, 1998). This 3-step model essentially looked at organisational change process as a linear one. In this model, Lewin(1958) also talks about the helping and restraining forces for and against the change. Unfreeze Change Freeze Fig1.2 Lewins 3-step change model (Lewin, 1958) An extended 7-step model was proposed by Lippitt, Watson and Westley (1958) which increasingly focussed on the role of the change agent than the actual change. The 7 stages were: Diagnosing the problem Assessing capacity and motivation for change Assess motivation and capacity of the change agent Choose progressive change objects Clear segregation of role of the change agent Maintain the change Termination of the change agent (Lippitt et, al. ,1958) Kotter(1995) later proposed his 8-step model for effective change management in his analysis on why most change projects fail. These change theories as we can see, largely revolves around a certain degree of predictability of the overall change process. They have invited criticism from the supporters of chaos or complexity theories as we would examine later in the piece. Criticisms on traditional views: The traditional linear view on innovation process has been fairly criticised by the advocates of process views on innovation. These academics argue that innovation is very rarely rational and linear and is in most times, a network based concept(Abrahamson, 1996; Swan and Scarbrough, 2005). The concept of best practices were deemed inappropriate by some academics as innovation is a highly context specific concept(Swan et al., 1999) Some other criticisms include: Scarbrough(2008) argues that innovation is not a linear process and that the importance of feedback into the process could not be neglected at any stage of the process. Rogers(1995) did speak about two-way communication between the original sender and receiver in a knowledge diffusion process, however, it is clear that the critics of the linear model propose a much wider network-based mesh-like communication process during innovation. Swan and Scarbrough(2005:p3) states that since knowledge is increasingly dispersed across organizational boundaries, it is at these interstices, through the operation of networks, that distributed networks can be brought together and integrated into new products, processes and services. Newell et al.(2009) observes that most innovation processes are not predictable and cannot be considered as a technical fix. Clark (2003) observed that innovation often required considerable re-engineering of the existing process and thus cannot be considered as an entity that can be used as an add-on to an organisational context. The linear freeze-change-unfreeze view of organisational change has been countered by supporters of complexity theory or chaos theory. According to the chaos theory, it has become impossible to predict the outcome of long term organisational changes as this would require knowledge of the present state at a very high accuracy (Tsoukas, 1998). Certainly, the high rate of failure of Enterprise Systems implementations (70%) reinforces the concept of unpredictable nature of change. It can also be seen from relevant literature that organisational change need not be segregated from innovation as such. Andriopoulos and Dawson (2009), maintains that there are no clear boundaries between the concepts of creativity, innovation and change as in practise, they interlock and overlap over time. Moreover, it can also be argued that their concept of process innovation is quite similar in some respects to the concept of organisational change. Thus we shall consider innovation and change as one broad area further in this work. Knowledge based innovation and change: As discussed earlier in the essay, the traditional liner view on the innovation process have been attacked and countered with the process view. The processual, network based view on innovation looks at the process as a set of iterative, overlapping and interdependent episodes rather than linear stages (Newell et al, 2009). This model as we can see, clearly addresses the unpredictability of the innovation process. The episodes overlap and iterate, leaving room for the occurrences of good or bad co-incidences and also takes into account the social and organisational factors that may affect the innovation process. The importance of knowledge work during innovation is also emphasized in this model. From agenda formation to routinization of the innovation, the success of the change lies in effective creation, diffusion, implementation and use of knowledge. Due to several reasons, we can see that such an open-ended framework is more appropriate when we look at some of the recent innovations in IT. Thus, understanding of knowledge concepts are critical to any innovation and change project in the modern era. The communication channel between the change agent and the unit undergoing a change is no longer the straightforward 2-way communication as seen in Rogers (1995). Innovation and change processes are increasingly becoming network based, spanning across practises, institutions and geographies. The success of Research in Motions blackberry phone can be hugely attributed to the innovative feature of email on a hand held. However, the product was actually just meant to be a start-up product, designed to enable the company to enter the wireless market. The huge popularity of this new way of working among its users resulted in immense pressure on the development team to refine and come up with the blackberry we know now. Thus it can be argued that the users were part of the innovation project as well. Further on this example, during the 9/11 strike on the world trade centre, there were several media reports that people trapped inside the building used their blackberry phones to keep in touch with their loved ones since all other forms of wired and mobile connectivity had gone down. Along with huge popularity, this event added even more social value to the otherwise technological product. This clearly qualifies for the external factor depicted in the Clark model. Other innovations like Open Source Software Development, Extreme programming(XP) and Agile methodologies are also examples for experimental innovation models including dynamic, planning, testing and regular releases (Beck, 2000; Highsmith, 2002). The open source developers community consists of developers from across the globe and from different functions of life. In spite of the existence of semantic, syntactic and pragmatic knowledge boundaries among them, they still manage to interact remarkable well and come up with innovative solutions. Information technology interestingly plays the role of a boundary object in the form of the Knowledge Management (KM) portal or forum. The open source KM forum is exceptionally well maintained and strictly moderated, just as well as the knowledge intensive firms, if not better. In a more organisational context, knowledge intensive firms like consulting and software services companies consider knowledge management as an integral part of innovation and change projects. The amount of money they spend on maintaining a centralised repository for knowledge management is testament to this fact. The consultancy firm Ernst and Young spends 6% of their revenue on knowledge management (HBS, 2001). It may seem that the abundance of knowledge workers and technology would automatically foster a favourable environment for KM in such companies; some academics believe that this is not always the case. Andriopoulos (2003) suggests that knowledge can be a double headed sword. Since knowledge workers in such organisations are highly specialized in their area, this may enslave them inside a pattern of thought, thus inhibiting innovation and change (Bengtson, 1982). Such a view of experts becoming not receptive to new ideas was shared by Starbuck (1992) as well. On similar lines , Carla ODell, president of American Productivity Quality Center said: The number-one reason KM initiatives may not function is that the evangelists fail to connect with the real business issues. Relevant academic literature suggest that such organizations try to work around this problem by creating a strong culture and by involving the specialists more and more in organisational dialogues (Blackler, 1995). Such enabling contexts created by the organisation would be an important factor for fostering knowledge creation for innovation and change. Google, for example, gives one day a week for its employees to work on their pet projects and ideas. The ideas can be posted by anyone on the repository via email. Rocket ride, as it is called, has also led its competitors to create similar projects like Microsofts Technorati and Yahoos Exalead (Business Week, 2005). The concepts of knowledge theory has indeed influenced the way organizations go about undertaking innovation projects as evident from the above illustrations. Conclusion: Through this piece, we have looked at knowledge theory as a term relevant to the scope of the topic. We have also looked the traditional view on innovation and change process via the works of several academics and some industry examples. Some of the criticisms against these views were also discussed. In the specific area of knowledge intensive firms, we analyzed how these knowledge theories affect the innovation and change process. Having looked at the modern unpredictable and network based modes of innovation and change, it may seem that the traditional concepts are now outdated. However, majority of knowledge management work is still based on the assumption that most forms of knowledge can be codified, stored and distributed. Change consultants still follow the step by step approach for organisational innovation and change. Thus the apt conclusion here would be one of a compromise between the two. It is imperative that organisations, especially the knowledge intensive ones cannot ignore the importance of knowledge management for innovation and change. However, the approach shall be decided upon considering the institutional context in detail.

The Emotional Crypt in Gabriel Garcia Marquezs Love in the Time of Cholera :: Love Time Cholera

The Emotional Crypt in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera It is a well-known fact that bread keeps fresher longer if one sucks the air from the bag it is in before clipping it tightly shut. Thus, in those nations where bread, our staff of life, is provided for us in brightly colored bags, we dutifully absorb the treacherous air, holding tightly to the theory that everything survives better in a vacuum. It is human nature to keep those things we love and need free from harm, tightly wrapped up and out of the elements.   When trauma strikes a human being it is not uncommon for that person to respond by finding or creating a small pocket of normalcy or "emotional crypt," 1   and living safely inside of it, shielding themselves from pain. These crypts take on many forms and, in turn, can be penetrated in many ways. Tombs can be literal or figurative.   While one person may prefer the sanctity of a house or   basement, another may simply create a small but perfect world inside their mind.   Still others might choose a relationship, obj ects, or a form of communication to separate painful reality from tolerable bliss. Modeled after a love affair his mother had with a telegraph operator before she was married, Gabriel Garcia Marquez's late work Love in the Time of Cholera 2 , is an eloquent illustration of how a person or persons can utilize an emotional crypt throughout a lifetime as a tool for dealing with many forms of trauma (McNerney 78).   Additionally, it demonstrates how these emotional crypts can eventually become reality for the person in a post-traumatic state. Lorenzo Daza is a mule trader who, by means legal or illegal, has made enough money to send his daughter Fermina to a fine academy for training women to be good, upper-class brides. Though they are decidedly lower middle class, Lorenzo is deeply set on his daughter marrying far above her station. Florentino Ariza, on the other hand, is the poor but ambitious bastard son of a powerful South American merchant to whom his mother was a mistress.   He works for the local telegraph company and is proficient and talented in the arts of music and, especially, writing.   He has a future as a riverboat merchant but Lorenzo is non-plussed by this.   Ariza first sees Fermina when he delivers a telegram to her father's house.

Cystic Fibrosis Essays -- essays research papers fc

Cystic Fibrosis is a severe hereditary disease that infects the lungs, digestive system, sweat glands and male fertility. The name Cystic Fibrosis derives from the Fibrous scar tissue that develops in the pancreas. First recognized in 1938, cystic fibrosis is generalized as an autosomal recessive disorder of the exocrine glands. About one in every 2500 Caucasians is affected, and one in 25 is a carrier of the cystic fibrosis gene. Cystic fibrosis is the most common fatal hereditary disorder of Caucasians in the United States and is the most common cause of chronic lung disease in children and young adults. Approximately 38,000 children and young adults in the United States today. About 3,000 babies are born with cystic fibrosis every year. Several decades ago many children with cystic fibrosis died by the age of 2. Today, about half of the people with cystic fibrosis live past the age of 31. That number is expected to grow with the continuing success of modern treatment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Because cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease, it is caused by a defect in the person genes. These genes form the nucleus of all the body's cells and control cell function, serving as the blueprint for the production of proteins (Gale 876). The defective gene that causes cystic fibrosis is called cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, or for short, CFTR. It is the protein responsible for regulating chloride movement across cells in some tissues. When a person has two defective copies of the CFTR gene, cystic fibrosis is the result (Gale 876). There are over 500 known defects in the CFTR gene that can trigger cystic fibrosis (CF). The gene defects in cystic fibrosis are called point mutations. As a result, the CFTR protein made from the CFTR gene, is made incorrectly and cannot perform its function properly. The CFTR protein helps produce mucus which is a mixture of salts, waters, sugars and proteins. The role of the CFTR protein is to allow chloride ions to exit the mucus producing cells. It helps to keep mucus from becoming to thick and sluggish, allowing the mucus to be moved steadily. In CF, the CFTR protein cannot do its job properly, and cannot allow chloride ions out of the mucus producing cells. The mucus becomes thick and can lead to malnutrition a... ...ng they might live to see the next day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bibliography Claymen, Charles B. The American Medical Association Family Medical Guide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New York : Random House., 1994 Cotran, Ramzis S. Kumar, Vinay. Robbins, Stanley L. Pathologic Basis of Disease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Philadelphia, Pa : WB Saunders Company., 1994 Tierney, Lawerence M. Mcphee, Stephen J. Papadakis, Maxine A. Current Medical Diagnoisis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and Treatment. Stamford, CT : Appleton & Lange., 1997 Gale, James. The Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders and Birth Defects. New York : Oxford.,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1991 Berhow, Robert. The Merck Manual of Medical Information. Whitehouse Station, NJ : Merk   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  & Co Inc., 1997   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

The Myth Of Consumerism Essay -- essays research papers fc

Every society has mythology. In some societies, it's religion. Our religion is consumerism.Ellen Weis, San Francisco's Museum of Modern MythologyConsumerism fuels the capitalist fire. In a capitalist society, the goal is to make money, by whatever means possible, exploiting whichever potential weakness that might exist. The human race is one with a wild imagination, and this wild imagination, though a great strength, can, like all great strengths, serve as a potential weakness.It is our imaginations that advertising exploits, and it is our imaginations that religion and myth traditionally played the role of satiating, telling stories that have morals to them, lessons to be learned. Now consumerism fulfills this role. The consumer ideology serves as the golden rule, advertising serves as sermons, products serve as our idoltry, and just as religion instills faith at an early age, so too does consumerism.Ellen Weis (qtd. in "Advertising Characters" 1997) speaks from the perspective of one who is an authority on mythology. Her analogy between religion and consumerism is an accurate one. Undoubtedly, she's referring to this role that consumerism is playing in stimulating our imaginations. It does this by telling us a story, with us playing the lead role, painting a picture of life as being better with the products being sold to us. Our imaginations are carried away by these stories. We want to believe them because they make sense of the world. We want to believe that all it takes to be happy is a trip to the store. This making sense of the world and simplifying to such a triviality is exactly the reason why myths are created.For example, nearly every cigerette ad features a picture of an ideal person smoking their brand, ideal at least by the standards of most people who long to be accepted. For women, the smoker typically has long blonde hair, a beautiful smile, and perfect, white teeth. The ads that best demonstrates this are those for Virginia Slims. For men you have Marlboro with the infamous "Marlboro man," who is a rugged, handsome loner out in the countryside with his horse and campfire. The ads seem to say, "this could be you." All it takes is a trip to the store and a couple of bucks for a pack.Like all myths, the stories these ads tell have a moral to them. The lesson they teach is: your life can be better with these... ...gion many more of the bad characteristics than the good. Like the example above shows, consumerism takes advantage of innocent minds much more than religion does. Also, religion serves many good purposes, such as teaching charity and love, whereas consumerism tends to only teach greed and fear. Even Good Samaritan ads, like in the Chevron example, are tainted with the greedy intentions of the company. Finally, although religion does tend to portray sex as taboo, consumerism tends to cash in on this attitude by portraying it as something scary, as in the PalmPilot example; the ads seem to act like the only way to get sex is by buying their products. While some religions and cults have bad effects on people's minds, consumerism seems to have worse effects. Still, they both share all of their main characteristics: morals, stories, idoltry, and faith, but consumerism seems to be coming out ahead in the race for the minds of Americans. Ellen Weis seems correct in calling consumerism o ur religion. Works CitedAdams, McCrea. "Advertising Characters." Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. 2nd ed. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford, 1997. The Myth Of Consumerism Essay -- essays research papers fc Every society has mythology. In some societies, it's religion. Our religion is consumerism.Ellen Weis, San Francisco's Museum of Modern MythologyConsumerism fuels the capitalist fire. In a capitalist society, the goal is to make money, by whatever means possible, exploiting whichever potential weakness that might exist. The human race is one with a wild imagination, and this wild imagination, though a great strength, can, like all great strengths, serve as a potential weakness.It is our imaginations that advertising exploits, and it is our imaginations that religion and myth traditionally played the role of satiating, telling stories that have morals to them, lessons to be learned. Now consumerism fulfills this role. The consumer ideology serves as the golden rule, advertising serves as sermons, products serve as our idoltry, and just as religion instills faith at an early age, so too does consumerism.Ellen Weis (qtd. in "Advertising Characters" 1997) speaks from the perspective of one who is an authority on mythology. Her analogy between religion and consumerism is an accurate one. Undoubtedly, she's referring to this role that consumerism is playing in stimulating our imaginations. It does this by telling us a story, with us playing the lead role, painting a picture of life as being better with the products being sold to us. Our imaginations are carried away by these stories. We want to believe them because they make sense of the world. We want to believe that all it takes to be happy is a trip to the store. This making sense of the world and simplifying to such a triviality is exactly the reason why myths are created.For example, nearly every cigerette ad features a picture of an ideal person smoking their brand, ideal at least by the standards of most people who long to be accepted. For women, the smoker typically has long blonde hair, a beautiful smile, and perfect, white teeth. The ads that best demonstrates this are those for Virginia Slims. For men you have Marlboro with the infamous "Marlboro man," who is a rugged, handsome loner out in the countryside with his horse and campfire. The ads seem to say, "this could be you." All it takes is a trip to the store and a couple of bucks for a pack.Like all myths, the stories these ads tell have a moral to them. The lesson they teach is: your life can be better with these... ...gion many more of the bad characteristics than the good. Like the example above shows, consumerism takes advantage of innocent minds much more than religion does. Also, religion serves many good purposes, such as teaching charity and love, whereas consumerism tends to only teach greed and fear. Even Good Samaritan ads, like in the Chevron example, are tainted with the greedy intentions of the company. Finally, although religion does tend to portray sex as taboo, consumerism tends to cash in on this attitude by portraying it as something scary, as in the PalmPilot example; the ads seem to act like the only way to get sex is by buying their products. While some religions and cults have bad effects on people's minds, consumerism seems to have worse effects. Still, they both share all of their main characteristics: morals, stories, idoltry, and faith, but consumerism seems to be coming out ahead in the race for the minds of Americans. Ellen Weis seems correct in calling consumerism o ur religion. Works CitedAdams, McCrea. "Advertising Characters." Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. 2nd ed. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford, 1997.

Diabetes Education Plan

Introduction According to Johnson and Raterink (2009), Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a major global chronic health issue. Though, it is found that the condition is largely preventable as many of the risk factors for developing the disease such as excess weight, poor diet, inactivity, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, are modifiable behaviours (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011).A client newly diagnosed with Type 2 DM may be unaware that the illness can be effectively self-managed with changes to diet, lifestyle and if necessary the inclusion of oral hypoglycemic agents (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2008). Therefore, the aim of the education plan is to assist the client to make educated lifestyle choices and changes that will improve health outcomes and reduce the risk of diabetic complications. The education plan will develop evidence-based client education strategies that focus on diabetes management and the modification of unhealthy lifestyle b ehaviours.According to Funnell, Anderson, Austin, and Gillespie (2007), developing appropriate indvidualised educational strategies that increase client knowledge enables the client to make self-directed behavioural changes that aid in effective self-management and improved health outcomes. Background Diabetes care and self-management education needs to be tailored to the individual (Funnell et al. , 2007). The client, in whom this education plan is tailored for, is a 50 year old male with a body mass index of 32 who has been newly diagnosed with Type 2 DM.In designing the education plan it is also important to assess and include extended resources of support for the client (Goldie, 2008). Resources of support may include client’s family and friends, utilisation of local community services and allied health care providers such as social workers, dieticians and podiatrists (Hunt & Grant, 2010). For the client to make informed choices they need to be educated on the disease pro cess and possible complications. Diabetes is an illness that occurs when the body in unable to maintain normal levels of glucose in the blood (McKenny & Short, 2011).Type 2 DM is a progressive disease, characterised by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in the secretion of insulin (AIHW, 2012). Chronic hyperglycemia affects function of cells and tissues and may result in cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, vision loss and lower limb amputations due to neuropathy and peripheral arterial disease complications (AIHW, 2008). Treatment of Type 2 DM is complex with evidence emphasizing the need and importance of a collaborative healthcare team approach (Robertson, 2011).Initial treatment for those newly diagnosed involves nutritional therapy and exercise to aid in weight loss (Zisser, Gong, Kelley, Seidman, & Riddell, 2011). However, as Type 2 DM is a chronic progressive condition, pharmacotherapy is usually required (Tsang, 2012). Oral hypogylcaemic agents are typically the first p harmacological intervention to improve glycaemic control and these agents include Biguanides (Metformin), Sulphonylureas, Acarbose, Meglitinides, and Thiazolidinediones (Phillips & Twigg, 2010; Sanchez, 2011). Tsang (2012) argues that Metformin is recommended as the first line of treatment.In addition, due to the progressive nature of the condition most clients will require insulin therapy to achieve and maintain adequate glycaemic control (Nyenwe, Jerkins, Umpierrez, & Kitabchi, 2011). Newly diagnosed clients require substantial guidance and education regarding disease self-management (Johnson & Raterink, 2009). Self-management issues the client and family may have include adhering continually to a daily regime of monitoring blood sugar levels and the self regulation of diet, exercise and medication (Long & Gambling, 2011).Clients and their families also need to know how to manage the complications of diabetes including foot hygiene and the management of hypogylcaemic or hyperglyca emic episodes (Sanchez, 2011). Specific focus of education Through the identification of self management issues and potential areas of knowledge deficit, the nurse is able to tailor an education plan that focuses on the individual learning needs of the client and their family, resulting in mutually agreed upon short and long term goals (Aranda, 2008).Therefore, client and family education will focus on positive lifestyle modifications to increase physical activity and improve eating habits (Bartol, 2012). The lifestyle modifications of healthy eating and increased activity levels improve blood glucose control, aid in weight management, improve general health and may reduce the need for oral hypoglycemic agents (Sanchez, 2011; AIWH, 2012). In addition, education on the self monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) focuses on self-management strategies.Education should focus on how to perform the test with the use of a blood glucose meter, how to care for equipment and how to manage a high or low blood glucose reading (Sanchez, 2011). SMBG is an important component of diabetes management as it enables the client to learn and evaluate the effects of diet and exercise on blood glucose levels which should aid better adherence to treatment regime (Nyenwe et al. , 2011). Client knowledge deficit in relation to oral hypogylcaemic medications and insulin therapy should also be addressed.Medication education should provide information regarding what each medication is, dosage, possible side effects and if they interact with any other medications (Bullock & Manias, 2011). Education that focuses on medications is important as it can enhance clients understanding and willingness to take it (Bartol, 2011). Lastly, due to the increased risk of foot ulceration and lower limb amputations, it is important to provide an educational intervention that focuses on foot hygiene and care (Ogrin & Sands, 2006).Diabetes education on foot care aims to prevent foot ulceration by focusing on sel f management strategies to improve foot care behaviours (The National Health and Medical Research Council [NHMRC], 2009). Education Strategies Before educational strategies can be implemented you must first identify possible challenges and any potential barriers to learning your client may have (Beagly, 2011). According to Beagly (2011) â€Å"barriers that inhibit patient education are age, literacy, language, culture and physiological obstacles† (p. 31). Preferred learning style, language, cognitive ability and literacy level are determined during the assessment process (Funnell et al. , 2007). As the client is a 50 year old male, the principles of adult learning should be applied when choosing an appropriate educational strategy (Bullock & Manias, 2011). The principles of adult learning highlight that adults bring life experience with them and adults generally prefer self-directed, problem-based education that is relevant and applicable to their lives (Clapper, 2010).One-on -one discussion is one educational strategy found to have positive effects on lifestyle changes and increasing knowledge for clients with diabetes (NHMRC, 2009). One-on-one discussions enhance application of new information through the provision of relevant and practical advice, thus reflecting the principles of adult learning (Bullock & Manias, 2011). These discussions also enable feedback on progression and application of theory into practice (Kaufman, 2003). Discussions should also include individual and group family education sessions.Mayberry and Osborn (2012) have found that when family members are educated on diabetes management, improvements in clients self-care behaviours, weight and glycaemic control were noted. Providing education through demonstration is another effective adult learning strategy and should be used for educating the client on SMBG and foot care. Demonstration is an effective strategy for my client as according to the theory of self-efficacy, â€Å"observ ing other people can strengthen our beliefs that we can perform similar tasks, even when the task is unfamiliar† (Kaufman, 2003, p. 14). Furthermore, both discussion and demonstration are effective strategies for my client as most middle aged adults still have the cognitive function and ability to learn new skills (Crisp & Taylor, 2009). Diabetes management is multi-disciplinary and requires a collaborative healthcare approach (Hunt & Grant, 2010). As a result, referring the client to a dietitian for review is an important education strategy to aid in positive dietary modifications (Sanchez, 2011).This education strategy draws on the evidence-based practice guidelines for the nutritional management of Type 2 DM (Dietitians Association of Australia [DAA], 2006). The guideline highlights that the primary responsibility of the dietitian is to determine a nutrition plan in collaboration with the client’s needs and goals (DAA, 2006). Referring the client to local community s ervices that provide free group exercise programs is also an important education strategy to be incorporated in the plan (Van Dijk, Tummers, Stehouwer, Hartgens, & Van Loon, 2012).Kaufman (2003) argues that according to social learning theory people learn from one another through observation, imitation and modeling behaviour. Visual material including handouts, information packs and website resources are also effective educational strategies for adult learners as they assist self-directed learning (Beagley, 2011). Self directed learning is an effective intervention to facilitate behaviour changes as it enables the adult client to be responsible for their learning, promotes autonomy and can be shared and discussed with family and friend support networks (Funnell et al. 2007). Conclusion / Recommendations In conclusion, type DM is a self-managed chronic disease that requires those affected to be actively involved and informed in their own health care. This education plan has provided relevant information and identified appropriate evidence-based educational strategies that can assist the client newly diagnosed with type 2 DM to make positive lifestyle modifications and reduce the risk of complications. The education plan also emphasizes the importance of extended family and community support to assist in positive health outcomes.The translation of knowledge, willingness to change and sustain positive self-care behaviours is now the overall goal with diabetes management requiring ongoing education and support from healthcare professionals to help clients implement and sustain lifestyle changes (Long & Gambling, (2011). It is recommended that the client has regular reviews and health checks then modification of educational needs and strategies can be assessed and implemented as the disease process changes and the needs to the client changes (Bartol, 2012; Funnell et al. , 2007). Diabetes Education Plan Introduction According to Johnson and Raterink (2009), Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a major global chronic health issue. Though, it is found that the condition is largely preventable as many of the risk factors for developing the disease such as excess weight, poor diet, inactivity, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, are modifiable behaviours (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011).A client newly diagnosed with Type 2 DM may be unaware that the illness can be effectively self-managed with changes to diet, lifestyle and if necessary the inclusion of oral hypoglycemic agents (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2008). Therefore, the aim of the education plan is to assist the client to make educated lifestyle choices and changes that will improve health outcomes and reduce the risk of diabetic complications. The education plan will develop evidence-based client education strategies that focus on diabetes management and the modification of unhealthy lifestyle b ehaviours.According to Funnell, Anderson, Austin, and Gillespie (2007), developing appropriate indvidualised educational strategies that increase client knowledge enables the client to make self-directed behavioural changes that aid in effective self-management and improved health outcomes. Background Diabetes care and self-management education needs to be tailored to the individual (Funnell et al. , 2007). The client, in whom this education plan is tailored for, is a 50 year old male with a body mass index of 32 who has been newly diagnosed with Type 2 DM.In designing the education plan it is also important to assess and include extended resources of support for the client (Goldie, 2008). Resources of support may include client’s family and friends, utilisation of local community services and allied health care providers such as social workers, dieticians and podiatrists (Hunt & Grant, 2010). For the client to make informed choices they need to be educated on the disease pro cess and possible complications. Diabetes is an illness that occurs when the body in unable to maintain normal levels of glucose in the blood (McKenny & Short, 2011).Type 2 DM is a progressive disease, characterised by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in the secretion of insulin (AIHW, 2012). Chronic hyperglycemia affects function of cells and tissues and may result in cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, vision loss and lower limb amputations due to neuropathy and peripheral arterial disease complications (AIHW, 2008). Treatment of Type 2 DM is complex with evidence emphasizing the need and importance of a collaborative healthcare team approach (Robertson, 2011).Initial treatment for those newly diagnosed involves nutritional therapy and exercise to aid in weight loss (Zisser, Gong, Kelley, Seidman, & Riddell, 2011). However, as Type 2 DM is a chronic progressive condition, pharmacotherapy is usually required (Tsang, 2012). Oral hypogylcaemic agents are typically the first p harmacological intervention to improve glycaemic control and these agents include Biguanides (Metformin), Sulphonylureas, Acarbose, Meglitinides, and Thiazolidinediones (Phillips & Twigg, 2010; Sanchez, 2011). Tsang (2012) argues that Metformin is recommended as the first line of treatment.In addition, due to the progressive nature of the condition most clients will require insulin therapy to achieve and maintain adequate glycaemic control (Nyenwe, Jerkins, Umpierrez, & Kitabchi, 2011). Newly diagnosed clients require substantial guidance and education regarding disease self-management (Johnson & Raterink, 2009). Self-management issues the client and family may have include adhering continually to a daily regime of monitoring blood sugar levels and the self regulation of diet, exercise and medication (Long & Gambling, 2011).Clients and their families also need to know how to manage the complications of diabetes including foot hygiene and the management of hypogylcaemic or hyperglyca emic episodes (Sanchez, 2011). Specific focus of education Through the identification of self management issues and potential areas of knowledge deficit, the nurse is able to tailor an education plan that focuses on the individual learning needs of the client and their family, resulting in mutually agreed upon short and long term goals (Aranda, 2008).Therefore, client and family education will focus on positive lifestyle modifications to increase physical activity and improve eating habits (Bartol, 2012). The lifestyle modifications of healthy eating and increased activity levels improve blood glucose control, aid in weight management, improve general health and may reduce the need for oral hypoglycemic agents (Sanchez, 2011; AIWH, 2012). In addition, education on the self monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) focuses on self-management strategies.Education should focus on how to perform the test with the use of a blood glucose meter, how to care for equipment and how to manage a high or low blood glucose reading (Sanchez, 2011). SMBG is an important component of diabetes management as it enables the client to learn and evaluate the effects of diet and exercise on blood glucose levels which should aid better adherence to treatment regime (Nyenwe et al. , 2011). Client knowledge deficit in relation to oral hypogylcaemic medications and insulin therapy should also be addressed.Medication education should provide information regarding what each medication is, dosage, possible side effects and if they interact with any other medications (Bullock & Manias, 2011). Education that focuses on medications is important as it can enhance clients understanding and willingness to take it (Bartol, 2011). Lastly, due to the increased risk of foot ulceration and lower limb amputations, it is important to provide an educational intervention that focuses on foot hygiene and care (Ogrin & Sands, 2006).Diabetes education on foot care aims to prevent foot ulceration by focusing on sel f management strategies to improve foot care behaviours (The National Health and Medical Research Council [NHMRC], 2009). Education Strategies Before educational strategies can be implemented you must first identify possible challenges and any potential barriers to learning your client may have (Beagly, 2011). According to Beagly (2011) â€Å"barriers that inhibit patient education are age, literacy, language, culture and physiological obstacles† (p. 31). Preferred learning style, language, cognitive ability and literacy level are determined during the assessment process (Funnell et al. , 2007). As the client is a 50 year old male, the principles of adult learning should be applied when choosing an appropriate educational strategy (Bullock & Manias, 2011). The principles of adult learning highlight that adults bring life experience with them and adults generally prefer self-directed, problem-based education that is relevant and applicable to their lives (Clapper, 2010).One-on -one discussion is one educational strategy found to have positive effects on lifestyle changes and increasing knowledge for clients with diabetes (NHMRC, 2009). One-on-one discussions enhance application of new information through the provision of relevant and practical advice, thus reflecting the principles of adult learning (Bullock & Manias, 2011). These discussions also enable feedback on progression and application of theory into practice (Kaufman, 2003). Discussions should also include individual and group family education sessions.Mayberry and Osborn (2012) have found that when family members are educated on diabetes management, improvements in clients self-care behaviours, weight and glycaemic control were noted. Providing education through demonstration is another effective adult learning strategy and should be used for educating the client on SMBG and foot care. Demonstration is an effective strategy for my client as according to the theory of self-efficacy, â€Å"observ ing other people can strengthen our beliefs that we can perform similar tasks, even when the task is unfamiliar† (Kaufman, 2003, p. 14). Furthermore, both discussion and demonstration are effective strategies for my client as most middle aged adults still have the cognitive function and ability to learn new skills (Crisp & Taylor, 2009). Diabetes management is multi-disciplinary and requires a collaborative healthcare approach (Hunt & Grant, 2010). As a result, referring the client to a dietitian for review is an important education strategy to aid in positive dietary modifications (Sanchez, 2011).This education strategy draws on the evidence-based practice guidelines for the nutritional management of Type 2 DM (Dietitians Association of Australia [DAA], 2006). The guideline highlights that the primary responsibility of the dietitian is to determine a nutrition plan in collaboration with the client’s needs and goals (DAA, 2006). Referring the client to local community s ervices that provide free group exercise programs is also an important education strategy to be incorporated in the plan (Van Dijk, Tummers, Stehouwer, Hartgens, & Van Loon, 2012).Kaufman (2003) argues that according to social learning theory people learn from one another through observation, imitation and modeling behaviour. Visual material including handouts, information packs and website resources are also effective educational strategies for adult learners as they assist self-directed learning (Beagley, 2011). Self directed learning is an effective intervention to facilitate behaviour changes as it enables the adult client to be responsible for their learning, promotes autonomy and can be shared and discussed with family and friend support networks (Funnell et al. 2007). Conclusion / Recommendations In conclusion, type DM is a self-managed chronic disease that requires those affected to be actively involved and informed in their own health care. This education plan has provided relevant information and identified appropriate evidence-based educational strategies that can assist the client newly diagnosed with type 2 DM to make positive lifestyle modifications and reduce the risk of complications. The education plan also emphasizes the importance of extended family and community support to assist in positive health outcomes.The translation of knowledge, willingness to change and sustain positive self-care behaviours is now the overall goal with diabetes management requiring ongoing education and support from healthcare professionals to help clients implement and sustain lifestyle changes (Long & Gambling, (2011). It is recommended that the client has regular reviews and health checks then modification of educational needs and strategies can be assessed and implemented as the disease process changes and the needs to the client changes (Bartol, 2012; Funnell et al. , 2007).