Wednesday, July 31, 2019

World Without Money

What is money? Money is a currency accepted as exchange for goods and services. It is just a piece of paper that everyone would envy. People are obsessed with money and many would kill for it – there is no reason why they would not. Some even choose money over their own family or friends. Money is the reason the world operates, Thousands of people are dying everyday in the world, and all people care about is how they should spend their money after making it. Since money is the reason the world operates, just imagine the world without money to spend. Money makes the world go around.Imagine the world without money; there will be no future. Not everything comes with a price tag, but money can buy people fame, power, and sometimes even a rescue to a life. Most of the wealthy people think that money is the most important aspect of life. Young adults in this generation believe that pursuing wealth will bring them happiness, having enough money is also an achievement now as a goal in life. This essay will discuss about how money affects people’s lives and minds. The cause of death in third-world countries is malnutrition, which leads to starvation and diseases.Money can lead to starvation, which can lead to death. Millions of people die after natural disasters, problems will occur such as shelter, food, and protection. The only solution to that is money, money will be able to buy them the food they need, but the problem is that they do not have enough money. Even their own government cannot help, either because the government is having a financial crisis and are completely broke or they are not willing to spend their last bit money on their own people. That is the reason why charities are involved.Despite the fact that they are already starving to death, some poor countries still have their own governments making them pay taxes. In Africa, one of the major disease is malaria, the causes of it all leads back to money. Why are Africans vulnerable to mosqui tos? That is because they do not have enough money to build proper homes, but USAID (Government agency providing humanitarian assistance) has provided millions of bed nets to avoid malaria; and that has decreased the amount of malaria happening in Africa and other countries (â€Å"House Holds Hang Up Mosquito Nets†. The government also pays the staffs of USAID; people really cannot live without money. Even writers back then, like Shakespeare, wrote about how money changed everything including the feelings one has for another; even in the past, all people cared about was money. For example, if a person was not rich enough, then that person’s lover’s parents wont approve of him or her. An example of that is Romeo & Juliet. People nowadays want more than what they need, that is the cause of greediness. People who are greedy have an excessive or rapacious desire, especially for wealth or possessions. People shop for things that are not necessary, more than half the people in Hong Kong are using an iPhone or an iPad, but it is not really necessary to buy an iPhone or iPad; the point of people buying an iPhone or an ipad is just to show people that they can afford an iPhone or an ipad. Greediness is in everyone, but some people are just greedier than others. Rich people tend to get greedier than others, and that explains why they are so rich. Hard work is required obviously but they do not share usually, because they are scared that their wealth will suddenly get stolen.The problem is once people have the money and power, people are going to want more of those, and then those people would want to become richer than the wealthiest. When people get wealthier, some of them start belittling the people who they think are worth less than them. When in fact, everyone should be equal it does not matter if people are rich or poor. People crave for money; it is okay to crave for money just as long as people do not turn greedy. Because all of that hard wor k will disappear once that person gets buried. Ang 2 Ang 2Researchers have found that countries with wealthier people tend to be happier than the ones who are poor. Rich people can afford fully furnished house that will make them happy, but on the other hand, poor people can barely even afford enough food to feed their own family; that would not make them happy will it now. Can money buy happiness? Yes, money can buy Ang 3 Ang 3 happiness. Money can buy people enough satisfaction in life, but they just want more and more. Once a person gets what they want then that person will want more again, it is like a cycle.They want to have more than what other people have, and it ends up as a competition of who’s the richest. When all that money spent on useless items can be donated to charities with much more necessities. Money can buy happiness in so many ways; like riding a first class in the plane or going on vacation with the whole family while staying in a five star hotel. In som e cases though, money can only buy happiness in a short period of time. When people loose the person they love, they cannot buy that persons life.What people can do in order to forget is to use a little bit of money to have fun, like maybe buying a pint of ice cream or a box of chocolate’s might cheer a person up. Money also cannot buy love, a lot of people now are treating love as if it is a game, and all they are targeting is the money; so people should not get tricked by the ones who they think really loves them because people might also use wealthier people for the money they have. Good schools lead to brighter futures, and in order to get into good schools people need to have the money to get in; unless that person is smart and gets a scholarship.People usually want to go to international schools so that they can get into good universities in the future, kids who’s parents do not have enough money usually get sent to public schools where they do not learn as much as international schools, so meaning they wont get into good universities. People who get into good universities need money or connections, unless they get a scholarship; this is where bribing comes in. Usually if a person is rich they can sometimes just pay the head minister the amount of money they want and just get in.Though a lot of people who do quite good universities tend to become the millionaires in the end, such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Money is a motivation for a lot of people, why do people think they want to go to a better university, its so that they can have a job that pays well. Steve Jobs built the first Apple laptop so that he can prove to his friends that his not just another nerd. Since that went successfully, Jobs thought that that would help him earn some money, and money motivated Ang 4 Ang 4 Jobs to create more of the advanced technologies we have today; such as the iPhone, ipad and MacBook.If money were not there to motivate people to work their brains, then the technologies would not have been as advanced as they today. Bibliography: This website talks about a group in the United States called the USAID who helps provide shelters or food for the countries in need. In this article, it talks about how USAID helps countries; they provided thousands of bed nets for thousands of Africans. This helps the essay because my essay mentions why money affects third world countries, because money can buy them food and a place to live. †About USAID. † USAID. N. P. , 11 Nov. 2011. Web. 1 Mar. 2012. This chapter of the book is about greediness, how people are becoming greedier because of money, and why money isn’t the most important thing on earth. People only think about money, and they stop focusing on other important aspects in life, like family and friends. This helps the essay because it talks about how it makes people greedier because of money and how money will change the way people think and act. Byrne, Rhonda. â€Å" The Secret To Money† The Secret. New York: Atria Books/Beyond Words, 2006. Print. This article is about how money can buy happiness.Researcher’s tried to see if wealthier people were happier than those who were less wealthy, and yes they were happier. This helps the essay because one of my paragraphs talks about whether money can buy happiness or not. â€Å"Can Money Buy Happiness? † CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 18 July 2006. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. This database is about how money buys almost everything in life and you need money to survive. It talks about how you need money to live because everyday you eat, and the only way to get food is to buy it with money. It helps with the essay because the essay is about how money can almost buy anything in life.Chamot, Dennis. â€Å"Money Matters. † Chemical & Engirneering News. 2008 (Apr. 2008): 55. Pubs. Acs. Web. 19 March. 2012. This article is about how money is what is motivating people try their best. It talks a bout the reasons why people takes opportunities, its so people can earn money from it. This helps because part of my essay is about how money can also motivate people into doing more work. The reason why our technologies are advancing now is because of money, because money is what is pushing people to do work or to work harder. Dewhurst, Martin. Guthridge, Matthew. Mohr, Elizabeth. Motivating People, Getting Beyond Money. † Mckinseyquarterly. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. Like the first citation, this article is about a group in the United States called USAID that helps people around the worlds. Households hang up mosquito nets is about USAID providing thousands of bed nets for the families in East Africa and saving their lives from preventing Malaria. This helps the essay because a part of the essay is about how money affects peoples lives and the employees of USAID are getting paid my the government, so without money, USAID would not have any employees. †Households Hang Up Mosqui to Nets. eastafrica. usaid. N. p. , 12 July. 2011. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. This book is about how a rich dad did not finish school but became a millionaire, while the poor dad finished university but ended up poor. It does relate to the essay because it talks about how money is still what motivates a person to work hard, like the rich dad in the book. What motivated him to quite school was because he knew he was going to be rich. Kiyosaki, Robert. Lechter, Sharon. Rich Dad Poor Dad. New York City: Warner Books Ed, 2001. Print. This database is about how money saved a natural disaster that happened in California.Which supported my claim of why money does save thousands of lives, because without money there wont be people helping out in natural disasters, since they get paid for helping. Maggs Ward, William. â€Å"Money for quakes. † Eos Trans. 70(45). Agu. Web. 19 March. 2012. This article is about why the society is becoming unfair, and people are becoming greedier. It also talks about how money does make the world go around, and why money makes people happy. It helps with the essay because the essay talks about greediness and how money affects happiness. Merkin, Daphne. â€Å"The Rich Aren't Like You and Me†¦ † Elle. 13 Sept. 2010. Web. 11 Mar. 2012.

Professional and legal implications Essay

This assignment will explore the professional and legal implications of a scenario which took place within a healthcare setting during the last year. Health care is very complex and decisions about how services are provided can have a huge effect on people’s lives. Therefore it is imperative that the care offered has the best chance of benefiting a patient and not harming them. However, in the following scenario a decision made by a healthcare professional for the best interests of their patient is challenged by the patient’s mother. To protect confidentiality the real names of the individuals involved have been changed (NMC, 2008). Katie is a 24 year old woman who has been admitted to hospital with a severe chest infection. Katie suffers from recurring chest infections due to her condition and also has cerebral palsy, learning disabilities and epilepsy. Due to these conditions Katie is unable to communicate, requires a Naso Gastric Tube for feeding, is doubly incontine nt and has one to one care from a Health Care Support Worker for all her personal and clinical needs. Katie lives with her mother at home, who provides her care during the night. The medical team discovered that her chest infection is Pneumonia and begin the relevant treatment, however believe that due to Katie’s quality of life she should be Not for Resuscitation (NFR) in the event of a cardiac arrest. However, Katie’s mother argues that her daughter should be resuscitated and the decision should be made by her, because she is her mother and that the health care team are neglecting her daughter’s right to life and are acting illegally by making such a decision. Katie’s mum also believes that the health care team are basing their decision on Katie’s learning disability rather than her best interests. This essay will encompass the ethical considerations that need to be sought when a decision such as NFR is made. Taking into account the legal and professional implications this has on the health care team involved. Before making any decision the health care professional will need to consider if the Katie has the mental capacity, what are in the her best interests and protecting the her human rights. All these topics will be included in this essay. This essay will also explain why it is important for a health care professional to take into account the Bolam Test and Section 4 of the Mental Capacity Act (2005), taking into consideration a patient’s best interest when they lack capacity, before they make any decision. The Medical Team must act in accordance with the practice  that is accepted at that time and by a recognised professional body (Dimond 2008). All these issues are relevant in this scenario. Making a decision such as NFR is taken very seriously due to the known outcome in the event of a cardiac arrest. A Not For Resuscitation (NFR) decision indicates that a decision has been made not to call the resuscitation team if in the future that patient, such as Katie, suddenly stops breathing or suffers cardiac arrest. Resuscitation decisions are very controversial and have been the subject of much media interest. Especially when that patient has a learning disability. There is evidence of this in the appendix at the back of this essay and it will be discussed further on in the essay. A decision such as NFR is the responsibility of the most senior clinician for the specific patient, according to a revised guidance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (2007). Every health board should have a resuscitation policy. The Local Health Board’s policy involved in this scenario can be found in the appendix of this essay. The policy, published in (2009) states that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be commenced unless; the patient has refused CPR; the patient is at the palliative stage of illness or the burdens of the treatment outweigh the benefit. The Health Care Team are required, before they make any decision to determine if Katie has mental capacity and if she is able to understand and contribute to the decisions of her treatment. If Katie had capacity and was not consulted about the decision then the heath care professional could be seen as acting unlawfully and the decision maker would be legally and professionally accountable (B v An NHS Trust [2002]). The Mental Capacity Act (2005) describes capacity as an individual’s ability to make a certain decision at a specific time and not on their ability to make decisions generally. Legal capacity depends on the patients understanding rather than their wisdom. They should be able to retain and understand the information that they are given and then communicate their decision with the appropriate professional (Simpson, 2011). A patient’s competency to capacity should not be presumed. An assessment of capacity should be made before a person can be said to be incapacitated (NMC, 2008). Nurses have the ability to assess capacity, if they feel that it is needed. However, they do not have the authority to make a decision such as NFR (Hawley 2007). Therefore, they must  refer to a doctor or psychologist to assess the patient’s capacity and make such a decision (Hutchison, 2005). Katie’s mental capacity, following the Mental Health Act (2005), will need to be assessed by a doctor or a psychologist due to the significance of the decision. The Case of Re C (1994) helped produce the 3 stage test of capacity and this has proved to be a suitable test used in the assessing process of capacity. However, the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act resulted in a 4th Stage being added (Section 3 MCA). The test decides whether the individual is able to: Comprehend and retain information, Believe information given and weigh it up, balance the risks and needs, make a choice. The fourth stage is to communicate the decision. In this particular scenario, after an assessment of Katie’s Mental Capacity using this test, determined that Katie did not have the Mental Capacity to make decisions due to her inability to understand the information and communicate the decision. This enables the team to make this decision for her as long as it is in her best interests. Katie’s mother believes that she should be the one to make this decision for her daughter because she is her next of kin and Katie’s power of attorney. The Mental Capacity Act (2005) allows a person to legally set up a lasting power of attorney. The chosen person or persons have the power to make decisions on the individual’s financial and personal behalf. The act does not allow enduring power of attorneys to be set up; however those already in existence can continue to be used. The lasting power of attorney has the power to give consent on behalf of a patient who is incapacitated if it is in their best interest (Thomson et al, 2006). However, the lasting power of attorney does not have the power to order a patient who is NFR or who is becoming NFR, as in this scenario, to be resuscitated if a health care professional has assessed that the outcome would not be in the best interest of the patient. There is no obligation to give treatment that is futile or burdensome as seen in the case of Re J (A Minor) (Wardship: Medical Treatment [1990]). As in the case of R (Burke v General Medical Council [2004]) no person has a legal right to insist on specific treatments either for themselves or relatives. The health care professional is not obliged by law to resuscitate Katie irrelevant weather Katie’s mother is next of kin or has power of attorney. It was discovered afterwards that Katie’s mother was not her power of attorney because Katie had never had the capacity to  appoint one. The health care professional will make their decision after assessing the patient and following the appropriate legal frameworks which are set to protect them and the patient and examining what decision would be in Katie’s best interests. Section 4 of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) sets out the legal framework for a best interest decision to be made, for people without mental capacity. This can be found in the appendix of the essay. The Act states that the health care professional making the decision must not make it simply on the basis of the patient’s age or appearance. The patient’s condition and aspects of behaviour must not affect the judgements of best interests and duty of care. The health care professional making the decision must consider all the relevant circumstances and consider the possibility of the patient gaining capacity (MCA, 2005). However, if this is not possible then the health care professional must revise the past and present wishes of the patient, especially if an advance directive has been made. In relation to the scenario, it is crucial that this checklist is considered when making a decision such as NFR, due to Katie’s Learning disabilities’. Mencap (2007) published a report called ‘death by indifference’ which can be found in the appendix of this essay. The report examines cases where families believed that doctors used inappropriate use of Do Not Resuscitate Orders simply because the patient had a learning disability rather than assessing the best interest of the patient resulting in institutional discrimination. The Mental Capacity Act (2005) adds that the health care professional must consult anyone caring f or the patient or who is concerned for their welfare and gain their views on the decision (Dimond, 2008). In this scenario Katie’s mother was addressed and informed of the decision and her views were taken into account, despite the disagreement of the overall decision. Katie’s mum’s attitude and opinion towards the decision could be biased. She may genuinely not recognise that an NFR decision would be in the best interests of her daughter. Katie’s mother has her own values and beliefs that are likely to be factors that can influence her disapproval. The health care professional involved with Katie’s care will need to reassure Katie’s mum, show compassion and empathise with her situation. As stated earlier in the essay, the best interests of Katie can be determined via consideration of a checklist of circumstances within Section 4 of the MCA (2005). The benefits of treatment  and the probability of them arising are considered (Griffiths and Tengnah 2008). In this scenario the benefits of resuscitation would be measured. If it was agreed that res uscitation would do more harm than good then it would be considered that NFR would be in Katie’s best interests (Re A (mental patient: sterilisation) [2001]). Due to Katie’s quality of life, because of her cerebral palsy and epilepsy, it was considered by the health care professionals that it was in the best interest of Katie that she becomes NFR, as the outcome of resuscitation would not improve her quality of life. It was also agreed that resuscitation would do more harm to Katie than good, due to the probability of resuscitation being unsuccessful. However, Katie’s mum believes that the health care professionals are depriving her daughter of a right to life as was in the case of Airedale NHS Trust v Bland [1993]. The Human Rights Act (1998) is an Act of Parliament produced to protect the rights of individuals. The Act incorporates convention rights and protocols and is comprised of several articles. Schedule 1 Article 2, the Right to Life is of particular relevance in this scenario. The Article legally entitles every person’s individual’s right to life to be protected by law. It states that an individual†™s life should not be deprived intentionally. Katie’s mum believes that the decision of NFR is infringing her daughter’s human rights. If this is proved to be the situation then the professional could face legal action (Dimond, 2008). In this scenario the health care professionals are acting in Katie’s best interests and will not face any legal proceedings as long as they can justify their decision. This was illustrated in the cases of; National Health Service Trust A V D and others [2000], NHS Trust A v M [2001] and NHS Trust B V H [2001] indicates that decisions such as NFR, which are found to allow the individual to die with dignity and be in the best interests of the person, are not legally classed as infringing human rights. It could be implied that the decisions of NFR supports Katie’s human rights. If it is considered that Katie’s quality of life would remain poor or that resuscitation could potentially cause her harm and not be in Katie’s best interests then it could be implied that resuscitation in the event of Katie experiencing a cardiac arrest could prove a degrading treatment (Thompson et al, 2006). In this particular scenario Katie’s mother is accusing the health care professionals of being negligent. The case of (Bolam v Friern Hospital Management Committee [1957])  initiated the Bolam test. The Bolam test is used to examine if a health care professional has been negligent. If the health care professional has acted in accordance with an accepted practice which is approved by a recognised professional body then they cannot be thought as negligent. However, it could be disputed that the health care professional could be assumed negligent if they resuscitated Katie since it is not in her best interests as the health care professionals have a legal duty of care to preclude acts or omissions which can potentially injure the patient (Donogue v Stevenson [1932]). If the health care professionals were to resuscitate Katie and it resulted in her becoming harmed then the health care professionals could be accused of being negligent under the Bolam test. Once a decision such as NFR has been justified and documented then if Katie was resuscitated in the event of a cardiac arrest then this treatment could been seen as battery and it is unlawful as in the case of (Airedale NHS Trust v Bland [1993]). Such as in the case of Bland where the patient’s recovery was not going to happen due to him being in a Permanent Vegetative State, then the courts can decide that treatment can be withdrawn and not infringe the human rights of the individual (NHS Trust v M [2001]). In this scenario the health care team have decided, that due to Katie’s ongoing chest infections, the pain that she experiences from her conditions and her poor quality of life, it would not be in Katie’s best interests for her to be resuscitated in the event of a cardiac arrest. Consequently health professionals are not infringing her right to life and consequently not legally negligent. All health care professionals have a duty of care to their patients (Dimond, 2008). For this section of the essay the author will focus on how a decision such as NFR can have on a nurse and discuss the legal implications that may occur. Registered nurses are governed by The Code: Standards of conduct, performances an d ethics for nurses and midwives (NMC, 2008). The code is not a legal document however, it sets a framework of standards that a nurse must adhere to within their practice and it enables them to act lawfully. Decisions such as NFR can cause professional issues for a nurse. The nurse is the frontline provider of their patient’s care (Dimond, 2008). They have the most contact with the patient and their relatives. They often develop a therapeutic relationship with both. This could cause the nurse to face a dilemma of being criticised by the family and friends of the patient if they  do not commence CPR or even face criticism from their colleges if they did proceed with CPR (Dimond, 2008). The nurse may feel duty-bound to commence CPR due to the relationship they have formed with the patient. However, the nurse must always act lawfully. Due to the nurse’s role as the care provider, they often have contact with the family members. This may provide difficulties for the nurse if the family, such as Katie’s mum, disagree with a decision that has been made. Therefore, the nurse may be faced with a possible confrontation from the family or friends of the patient due to their disapproval (Hughes and Baldwin, 2006). The nurse has a responsibility to their patients to provide a high standard of care (NMC, 2008). However, at times they may feel as though they are being prevented from providing this standard when a decision such as NFR is issued and could cause them professional implications. However, it could also be argued that the nurse is fulfilling their role in such a situation as the nurse has a duty to alleviate the suffering of patients (Rumbold, 2002). The nurse would not be alleviating a patient’s suffering if they commenced CPR and it had been decided that it was not in the patients best interests. Nurses are accountable for their actions (NMC, 2008). The accountability of not providing CPR to a patient can present the nurse with a professional implication. Therefore, as the essay mentioned earlier, if the decision of NFR is legal then the nurse will not be held professionally accountable for not commencing CPR if their patient experiences a cardiac arrest. All Health care professionals are responsible for maintaining standards set in the code of professional conduct. The NMC (2008) governs nurses to ‘Adhere to the laws of the country in which you are practicing’. This implies that nurses are required to act lawfully. They are required to follow orders such as NFR regardless of their own values and beliefs. A decision such as NFR creates the question of: who has the right to decide what is in the best interests of a patient. Even though the person making the decision is professionally qualified to do so they may find it complicated in proving that it is in the best interests of a patient without capacity (Runciman et al, 2007). The professional has a duty to act lawfully and be able to sustain this when making such an important decision. The attitudes of a nurse can offer professional implications for a decision such as NFR. Attitudes are governed by personal values and beliefs. If the nurse did not agree that it is in theà ‚  best interests of the patient to become NFR this could create some difficulties. The nurse may decide to vocalise what they consider is in the best interests of their patient and this could conflict with the NFR decision made by the health care professional resulting in an ethical dilemma (Thompson et al, 2006). According to Schlutz (1998), there is considerable evidence that many nurses experience the feeling of powerlessness when confronted with an ethical dilemma and fear conflict with other professionals such as consultants and doctors. Due to this they may abide by instructions regardless of it conflicting with their own professional values and beliefs. This could imply that the nurse involved with Katie’s care could follow an instruction as NFR despite it being against their own professional opinion. However, the nurse must be accountable for their actions and must indicate a satisfactory reason for their conduct (NMC, 2008) therefore potentially resulting in a professional implication. Rundell (1992) claims that the nursing of a palliative patient and providing them with a dignified death, uncomplicated or uncompromised by CPR could prove to be more complex than simply intervening and commencing CPR. Therefore not intervening when a patient is suffering a cardiac arrest can res ult in a professional implication of the NFR decision. The nurse could find it very difficult to watch a patient suffer a cardiac arrest and not be allowed to intervene because of an NFR decision made by a health care professional who may not even have had a therapeutic relationship with the patient or their family. Doctors and nurses are professionally responsible to perform beneficently, justifying and respecting the rights of others (Thompson et al, 2006). Beneficence can be defined as an action taken that will benefit others and prevent and remove harm. Examples of harm are suffering and death (Herbert, 1998). If a health care professional fails to act beneficently it violates social, moral and professional standards (Beauchamp and Childress, 1989). This principle implies that the health care professional would be acting unprofessional by not commencing CPR. However, Casteldine (1993) implies that it is of greater beneficence for the health care professional to acknowledge end of life on certain occasions rather than using CPR, which could potentially cause harm, to prevent death. This implication is seen within the scenario. However it is imperative that the staff perform lawfully. Health care professionals are often faced with the  dilemma as to whether a certified decision has been made morally and legally accepted. This could result in disputes due to differentiating values and beliefs (Herbert, 1998). The NMC (2008) states that a patient, who does not possess capacity, should be protected. This may cause conflict in role responsibility in an NFR decision, as a health care professional not commencing resuscitation in the event of a cardiac arrest could potentially cause the issue of passive non-voluntary euthanasia. This is a further professional implication that the nurse may experience when a decision such as NFR is initiated. Passive non-voluntary Euthanasia can be defined as when the individual who dies is unable to give their consent and the individuals competent requests concerning euthanasia are not known, such as Katie’s wishes are not know due to her not having the mental capacity. In effect it involves not providing or discontinuing treatments that would be relatively successful in preventing the patient’s death because death is considered to be kind to the patient by the health care professional making the decision. Therefore, this type of euthanasia depends on other factors for its achievement in causing death, such as Katie’s underlying pneumonia which if left untreated could kill her or promote her inability to breathe satisfactorily without oxygen or respiratory assistance. By withdrawing treatment or as in Katie’s case creating an NFR that would normally be done for a patient with this condition, with the objective of causing the patient’s death out of compassion could be regarded as passive euthanasia and be interpreted as allowing the patient to die rather than killing them. Again when faced with such a situation the nurse must always abide by the NMC Code (2008) and act lawfully in their practice and they will not be accoun table for breaching their professional duties. In conclusion, this essay has contained numerous reasons why legal implications could arise due to Katie’s mother disagreeing with the NFR decision. When a health care professional makes a decision such as NFR, it is taken very seriously and as this essay has explained the health care professional has a legal obligation to justify their decision. They are required to follow the appropriate assessments and procedures before making their decision. The health care professional has a duty of care to their patient and they must ensure that they are considering the overall outcome and quality of life if CPR was performed and if it would be in their patient’s best interests or  potentially cause harm. It is imperative that they discuss all decisions with the immediate family and reassure the family that they are acting in the best interest of the patient (Hawley, 2007). Decisions such as NFR need to be regularly reassessed because a patient’s condition may improve or they may regain their capacity to make decisions. There are many legal and professional implications that the health care professional could encounter due t o such a decision. Therefore it is essential that they are aware of the law because they will be accountable for their actions. Ultimately they must be able to prove that they are acting in the best interests of the patient and be able to provide relevant evidence to support this. In this particular scenario, Katie’s mother was made fully aware of the NFR decision and what it meant if Katie was to have a cardiac arrest. She was involved in the decision making process and consulted regarding her daughters condition. Soon after the health care professional made the NFR decision Katie’s health deteriorated due to the Pneumonia and subsequently her quality of life was poorer than previously. It was at this point that Katie’s mum finally accepted the NFR decision and realised that it was in the best interests of her daughter that she should not be resuscitated. As the essay has shown, in the event that Katie’s mother pursued a clinical negligence claim against the Health Board, on the grounds that she believed the health care professionals in charge of Katie’s care were neglecting her daughters right to life, the likelihood of a ruling that Katie be for resuscitation in the event of a cardiac arrest would be unlikely due to Katie’s mental capacity, overall outcome, quality of life and the evidence supporting the health care professional’s decision that it would be in Katie’s best interest. In conclusion, the essay draws on the fact that all health care professionals, when making a decision such as NFR are required by law to assess patients mental capacity, follow a code of practice and always act in the best interest of the patients regardless of the patients families views and a patients disability. In order for this to be achieved, the Bolam Test and Section 4 of the MCA (2005) should be considered. The health care professional in this scenario conducted their decision process accordingly, following the correct assessments and legal frameworks, basing their decision on Katie’s best interests due to her ill health rather than her learning disability. Word Count 4,268 References * Airedale NHS Trust v Bland [1993] 1 ALL ER 449 * B v An NHS Trust [2002]2 ALL ER 449 * Beauchamp TL and Childress JF, (1989), Principles of biomedical ethics, third edition, Oxford University Press * Bolam v Friern Hospital Management Committee [1957] 1 WLR 582 * British Medical Association (2007) Resuscitation Council (UK) and the Royal College of Nursing, Decisions relating to cardiopulmonary resuscitation, BMA. * Campbell A, Grant G and Jones G, (2005) Medical Ethics, Fourth Addition, Oxford publishers * Castledine G, (1993), The Nursing Way of Death, British Journal of Nursing, 16: 138-146. * Degrazia D, (1999), Advanced Directives, Dementia and the ‘Someone else problem’ Journal of bioethics, 13 (5): 373. * Dimond B, (2008) Legal aspects of Nursing, Fifth edition, Pearson education publishers. * Donogue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 599 * Grifiths R and Tengnah C, (2008), Mental Capacity Act; determining best interest, British Journal of Community Nursing, 13 (7): 335-340 * Hawley G (2007) Ethics in clinical practice: an interpersonal approach. Pearson Education. * Herbert C L, (1998), ‘To be or not to be’ an ethical debate on the not for resuscitation status of a stoke patient, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 6: 99-105 * Hughes JC and Baldwin C, (2006), Ethical issues in dementia care; making difficult decisions, Jessica Kingley Publishers * Hutchinson C, (2005), Addressing issues related to the adult patient who lack the capacity to give consent, Nursing Standard, 19 (23): 47-53 * http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artcle-2101445/NHS * http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/writing_references.asp * http://www.mencap.org.uk/74deaths * http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/contents * http://www.lawcf.org/CMS/uploads/611/documents/Case Note on Leslie Burke * National Health Service Trust A v D and others [2000] Lloyds rep med 411 * NHS Trust A v M [2001] 1 ALL ER 801 * NHS Trust B v H [2001] 1 ALL ER 801 * Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) Code of Professional Conduct: Standards for Conduct, performance and ethics, NMC * R (on the application of Burke) v General Medical Council and Disability rights commission and the official solicitor of the Supreme Court [2004] Lloyds Rep Med 451 * Re A (Mental Patient: Sterilisation) [2001]) 1 FLR 594 * Re C (Adult refusal of treatment) [1994] 1 ALL ER 819 * Re J (a Minor) (Wardship: Medical treatment) (1991) Fam 33; [1990] 3 All ER 930; [1991] 2 WLR 140; Times, 03 October 1990; [1992] 1 FLR * Rumbold G, (2002) Ethics in nursing practice, Third edition, Bailere Tindall Publishing * Rundell s and Rundell L, The Nursing Contribution of the resuscitation debate, Journal of clinical nursing, 1: 195-198 * Runicman B, Merry A and Walton M (2007), Safety and ethics in healthcare; a guide to getting it right, Ashgate publishers * Schluzt L, (1998), Not for Resuscitation; two decades of challenge for nursing ethics and practice, nursing ethics, 4 (3): 227-240 * Thomson IE, Melia KM, Boyd KM and Horsburgh D, (2006) Nursing ethics, Fifth edition, Churchill Livingstone.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

My Path Through Culinary School Essay

The basis of this essay is to explain my planned path through culinary school. I have always loved to cook and found my nitch in the kitchen. I plan to improve my culinary skills and techniques so that I may have a successful career. I have experienced different careers and a significant amount of job experience, but after years of contemplating, my heart has led me to Le Cordon Bleu to further my education and receive an Associate of Arts degree in Occupational Studies. Once I complete my studies at Le Cordon Bleu, I plan to work at a well-established restaurant or hotel and work my way up from a cook to a chef. At the same time, I also plan to cater as a side business. After ten years in a professional environment, I hope to have gained the knowledge and skills it will take to become an executive chef at a high-end restaurant or owning and managing my own restaurant. I have always had a passion for cooking. I would consider my grandmother and grandfather my mentors because I would enjoy watching and helping them prepare meals. Some of my best memories are times when we would have family gatherings and staying up all night to cook for the next day. One Christmas I got an Easy-Bake Oven and since then I could not stay out of the kitchen. While I was in high school, I would always cook for my family and classmates. I excelled in my home economics class. I honestly did not think the food I prepared was as good as they made it out to be, but the more they praised me, the more I start experimenting with different recipes. Now, over ten years later, I am much more confident and ready to pursue a career in culinary arts because of the satisfaction it brings me. When I graduate from Le Cordon Bleu with my Associates degree, my short term goal is to work at a well-established restaurant or hotel. With time and experience, I plan to move up to becoming an Executive Chef. I also plan to cater on the side for special events and for people requiring a personal chef. I am sure that the opportunity of being educated at Le Cordon Bleu will pay off and I will reap the benefits of being a disciplined student.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study Example The HR manager is also considered to be responsible for making the employees acknowledge the rules as well as regulations developed to accomplish success for the company. Thus, the HR manager needs to accept huge responsibilities which are meant to be executed for making certain of an effective performance of the company. The HR manager with regard to the concerned company is required to develop a set of questionnaire in order to interview all the employees. On the basis of the outcome of the interview, a list would be prepared for providing training to the employees in accordance with their capabilities. Specified rules as well as regulations would be developed for enhancing the morale of the employees. The performance of the employees should be scrutinized for motivating them to raise the level of their related performances. Employees need to be awarded on the basis of the degree of service provided towards the accomplishment of the purpose with regard to the company. The HR manage r is also considered to be responsible for assigning tasks to the employees in order to contribute towards the success of the company. The manager would also be accountable for formulating human resource policies as well as participating with the management of the company for developing plans and policies. The HR manager should also take part in designing strategic plans as well as deciding on the requirement of employees for the company. The employees should be selected on the basis of their suitability for the intended job and proper training facilities should be offered to enhance their performances. The employees providing better services should be awarded whereas the others should be encouraged to enhance their performances (Tutebox, â€Å"Roles and Responsibilities of Human Resource Department/Manager†). Thus, the tasks of a HR manager in a medium sized company have been summarized below: Prepare questionnaires for interviewing the employees Create a comprehensive list on the basis of the interviews In accordance with the list, employees would be trained as well as assigned tasks to be performed The performance of the employees should be scrutinized The employees performing well should be awarded while others should be motivated to improve their respective performances Ensure that the employees are working in accordance with the rules as well policies of the company. Accomplishment of the objectives of the company These are the plans which should be presented before the Senior Management with special consideration towards motivating the morale of the employees as well as providing better training facilities for enhancing their performances. Task Two The 15-20 questions to be asked to the employees of the company are: What types of aspects do you find challenging about your job? Is there a team approach in relation to your work? Do you follow individuality in your work, or do you have to pursue strict guidelines? Are you provided with proper traini ng prior to the assignment of new kinds of tasks? What is the work environment like – relaxed, competitive, exciting? What is the probable salary range for someone in this occupation according to you? Are there incentives for upgrading or taking extra courses to improve your performance? What sorts of opportunities for innovation exist? Does your profession obtain the optimum benefit of your

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Nursing budget Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing budget - Assignment Example This would mean a noninvasive way to get the same results. Noninvasive is ideal for any patient because it means more comfort for the patient while we are conducting our tests. The controllable costs will be the initial costs to purchase a unit. Uncontrollable costs will be in the form of maintenance and this would be based on the usage. If we were to buy a unit that costs $10,000 and finance it at 8% interest over 2 years our payments would only be $452.27 per month. This is more than reasonable. 7. We would need to hire 6 RNs for the regular shifts and an additional part–time RN. This would mean a total of 7 RNs. 8. Median salary for RNs is 75,180. For the full time RNs this would be $451,080. Our part time RN would earn $33.09 per hour and receive up to 30 hours per week for a maximum payroll total of $51,620.40. Total for all would be approximately $502,700.40. 9. You could use 4 full time RNs and 1 part-time RN if the shifts were 12 hours each. 10 – 13. Options for the 6th nurse would include being a floater, training, helping out with phones or other things that need to be done. I would make my 6th nurse a floater meaning that she would constantly go from room to room to make sure that the patients and other nurses have what they need. The floater would be a different nurse each time this happens to make sure that the other nurses also have a chance to perform the same duties. Implementing this decision would allow all of the nurses to learn from one another thereby making sure they are all on the same page. One nurse would not be receiving more or less training than the other but instead they will be training as a group. 14 - 16. A cost containment strategy would be effective staffing and human resource policies. HR software could be used to keep track of employees’ comings and goings. We could use an automated time card system that would track time, holidays, breaks, etc. This would help with containment of overtime, lost hours due to being nonproductive and over or under staffing. Also making sure there is a clear plan for overtime, identifying nonproductive time, and demonstrating a firm understanding of incentives and bonuses (Kirkby, 2003). Overtime is usually the cause of being over budget due to not planning out the staff accordingly. There should always be some contingencies included in any personnel budget to make sure that overtime is at a minimum. Lost hours may not seem as important but if we look at the hours that an employee has spent being nonproductive we realize how much we are losing by paying that employee to do virtually nothing. 17 - 20. The continuous limb movement machines can be postponed as well as the seminar. We were most accurate in predicting supplies and personnel expenses. We were most inaccurate with continuing education, capital expenditures, and travel. Some factors that contributed to this could have been not knowing ahead of time which conferences we wanted to attend as well as deciding too late to buy more equipment. We over budgeted for personnel. This over-budgeting could be used towards some of the other things that we want to do such as purchasing the equipment we need or attending the conference. Our projected ADC was actually too low as well. In next year’s budget we should plan on ADC being slightly higher than 25.8 so that we can adequately budget for all aspects of our department. 21 – 24. According to Schmidt & Altus (Schmidt & Altus, 2010) several factors that are

Saturday, July 27, 2019

To What Extent Can Violent Video Games Be Said to Explain Violent Essay

To What Extent Can Violent Video Games Be Said to Explain Violent Behaviour in Teenagers - Essay Example Many parents and educators allege that this obsession with violent video games that grips so many teenagers is a direct cause of violent behaviour in teenagers. A closer examination of the facts about video games and teenage behaviour reveals, however, that this is a very dubious claim, since it is very difficult to prove any causal link between video game playing and violent behaviour in teenagers. The main argument in favour of a link between violent video games and teenage behaviour is that, like violent films on television and in the cinema, they can affect the development of a young person’s personality in an adverse way. Several well respected American medical associations such as the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Medical Association issued a joint statement in year 2000 saying that there is a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behaviour , but that it is a complex effect (Gentile et al., 2004, p. 19). In the United Kingdom there is a strict classification system in place that is intended to prevent the most violent games from getting into the hands of people under eighteen years of age. This system is not always effective, since the majority of parents do not monitor the titles that their teenage children buy, and they often have very little knowledge about what these games actually contain. Clearly the authorities in most countries are convinced that violent video games can cause harm, and they take steps to minimize this harm. These measures do not, however, amount to real hard evidence that links video games with violent behaviour. Media in general contain vast amounts of material ranging from innocuous cartoons and slapstick violence to sick and criminal content that clearly should not be available to teenagers. Young people are exposed to multiple sources of images and texts on the television, in print material and on the internet every day, and so it is difficult to prove that video games are the root cause of any violent behaviour. Any amount of other sources could influence teenagers, and so it seems unreasonable to pinpoint video games as a cause of violent behaviour. They are perhaps an easy target because they are well regulated, and their popularity can be measured through sales and feedback to the providers. They may also arouse deep suspicion in technophobe adults who cannot keep up with the skills of young people in their care. For all of these reasons, it seems likely that the perceived effect of playing video games is exaggerated, and that their relative novelty in the entertainment landscape has attracted undue attention to the particular contribution that they make. It can be argued that evidence for the influence of video games is to be found in statements of young people themselves. There are many cases where teenagers enter the criminal justice system because they are acc used of some act of violence. In such a situation they can state that they were influenced by a certain game title. Examples such as the â€Å"Grand Theft Auto† series are often mentioned in this connection, because this kind of first person action game involves street crime and aggression towards fictional characters. Violent youth offenders are often

Friday, July 26, 2019

Is Bill Gates Correct in the view that foreign aid truly matters Essay

Is Bill Gates Correct in the view that foreign aid truly matters - Essay Example agencies value the life of a single American at more than a few million dollars).2 Gates blames the media for negative publicity on matters concerning foreign aid, he refers to one British newspaper that gave its readers the impression that foreign aid is just but a waste of resources. In one of their articles, it was written that more than half of British voters advocated for slashes in overseas aid money. He viewed this as a distortion of the actual truth of what goes on in countries that receive aid. As much as Gates knows that no program comes without its flaws, he has opted to look at the positive aspect of aid. He goes on to add that foreign aid is just but a tool in the fight against disease and poverty. Developed countries need to make certain changes in their policies like opening up their markets and cutting agronomic subsidisations. The developing countries also have a role to play in this, they need to allocate more money to health matters and progress for their own folks . In Gate’s view, it effectively saves and improves lives.4 ‘By 2035, there will be almost no poor countries left in the world.’ Bill Gates. Through his foundation, the Gates Foundation, they invent vaccines that help to improve the health of children and in turn lighten the burden on the countries’ healthcare and social system. Having healthier children apart from the life factor is beneficial in that it allows children to grow physically and mentally and they become productive adults in future. Gates and his wife Melinda, have opted to focus on agriculture and healthcare because these are the two fields that they have more of a hands on familiarity. These are also the two fields that lay a foundation for long-term economic evolution. The belief that foreign aid is a large portion of rich countries’ annual budget is a misguided notion. A substantial number of

The Effectiveness of Knowledge Management In Organizations Literature review

The Effectiveness of Knowledge Management In Organizations - Literature review Example This report stresses that the globalized business environment is featured with the fast changing business condition, high production, flexible organizational structure, information and communication technology, market liberalization and partnership development. With the changes in the environment, the intensity of competition is sharpened in the market. Therefore the companies are forced to develop and implement new strategies for improving the functionality and quality of the products in order to survive in the market. This paper makes a conclusion that the application of knowledge management is very critical and difficult to be implemented and also it is very time consuming. But the advantages and its contribution in the present world has replaced its limitations or disadvantages. Every organization is required to adopt the concept of knowledge management in their organization for its workers or employees. Knowledge management contributes significantly towards the growth and development of the organization. The organizations are expected to recruit skill and knowledgeable employees in their organization, since the inability or inefficiency of the workers in the company may affect the productivity or performance of the whole organization or entity. Knowledge management through the learning, strategy and information technology influenced positively the organizational performance in terms of its return on investment for achieving its long term as well as short term goals of the organization. It has a strong affect on the productivity of the organization.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Business Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Analysis - Case Study Example The Company drew popularity in the 1940s as a cleaning company that offered its services to the defense forces of nations especially those involved in war. The Tennant brand is strong and so is its positioning within the market. They currently hold approximately fifteen percent of the global market share, with sales growing faster than many of their competitors. Tennant’s focus was rare as they chose to deliver a sustainable value to their customers without compromising on price or performance. This strength is not imitable with new companies as it something that is built over time although many existing companies have built the same brand strength with their products. This strength has proved to be a sustainable competitive advantage for Tennant. They have exploited this strength and achieved organization. Key Issues 1) Tennant needs a strategic plan that will assure them future growth in the wake of competition and uncertainty in the market. 2) The market diversification pla ns at Tennant are intense. Tennant should focus on making their current product lines stronger. 3) Tennant is constantly facing new competition, much of which is offering discounted products making it difficult for Tennant and other companies in the industry to compete. Criteria and Evaluation of Alternatives by Criteria SWOT Analysis Strengths Tennant has strength in their discovery and early adoption of new technologies. It has allowed them to build relationships with various suppliers and service providers and has helped further build their brand name and recognition within the industry. This strength will be critical if Tennant chooses to venture in to new market segments or further expand their product line as they will always be a step ahead of their competition. This strength has proved to be a key competitive advantage for Tennant. They have exploited this strength and achieved organization. Weaknesses This industry is mostly affected by the growing consumer demands that sur pass production capability of any company. Due to this identified demand, the industry has experienced substantial growth, emanating from the expansion of market by competitors. Opportunities also arise as a result of growth. This is reflected by the current state of intense competition in the industry. Political factors fuel this demand especially due to policies regulating health standards and application of such efforts to ensure cleanliness. Opportunities The primary identified opportunity of the industry is that of providing chemical-free cleaning product alternatives as supplements to their already established product lin

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

The ability to learn faster than your competition may be the only Essay

The ability to learn faster than your competition may be the only sustainable competitive advantage - Essay Example marking is an externally focused quality improvement technique that looks at the best practices of departments within the organisation, competitors and organisations with activities that are deemed to be functionally similar. As long as superior performance is identified the next step is to gain an understanding of the enablers or drivers of such performance and then apply them to the organisation (Swanson 2005, p. 243). Benchmarking is one of the strategies used in order to compete effectively in the market. It is a process that is used by organisations in order to target the key areas in their operations that can be used to improve competitiveness, productivity and quality. Organizations use benchmarking when they compare their performance against other companies doing similar business (Gitlow 2005, p.195). Quality needs to have a basis for comparison and so organisations use this strategy to determine how they are performing in comparison with their competitors. This allows them to remain competitive. Comparison is normally done with the best performing organisations. Every organisation can benefit from benchmarking as it is highly unlikely that an organisation does everything well or has nothing to learn from the successes of other organisations (Swanson 2005, p. 203). Benchmark is done as a structured process so as to improve performance and achieve improvements. Benchmarking simply put, is the practice of being humble enough to admit that someone else is better at doing something, and being wise enough to learn how to match and even surpass them at it (Williams 2004, p.226). Benchmarking as mentioned is done so as to set performance standards and so as to achieve superior performance that will result to having a competitive advantage in the industry (Peters 2007, p.89). The 2 basic types of benchmarking are internal and external. The internal aspect of it involves self analysis of a company’s own activities so as to determine its strength and

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

What's the difference between Financial Accounting and Management Essay

What's the difference between Financial Accounting and Management Accounting - Essay Example While management accounting is largely implemented for individuals working within the organization, financial accounting generally functions for external entities. In terms of financial accounting there are a number of specific considerations. Although law does not require management accounting, financial accounting is a necessity for organizations. The requirements for corporations to keep financial accounting records is a large consideration, as recent Dodd-Frank regulation has necessitated that expensive accounting measures be kept to ensure that accurate records are established. Within this spectrum of understanding financial accounting is further distinguished, as it requires an external review by a certified public accountant (CPA). It follows that external stakeholders use financial accounting. Generally these external stakeholders implement financial accounting reports as a means of making investment decisions, as the financials of a company are the primary determinant of equ ity value. In addition to management accounting being for individuals within the organization and financial accounting being for external stakeholders, there are a number of further differentiating factors between these forms of accounting. While financial accounting necessarily involves the entire organization, oftentimes management accounting is implemented for significant sectors of the business or corporation. This division is such that it creates significant structural divisions between these forms of accounting. While the structure of financial accounting is regulated by the Internal Revenue Service and accounting regulations, managerial accounting is contingent only on the strategic initiatives within the organization. For instance, management accounting records may occur on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Additionally, management accounting oftentimes has a strategic angle, as it allows internal officers examine the

Monday, July 22, 2019

Community and Culture Play a Role in Determining the Risk for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Essay Example for Free

Community and Culture Play a Role in Determining the Risk for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Essay Substance abuse and addiction are major problems in society today. Every segment of society, regardless of race, gender, or age is affected. Some of the substances that are used grow naturally, whereas others are manufactured illicitly or even legitimately in laboratories. They may be smoked, inhaled, ingested, or injected and used for social, religious, or self-medicating purposes. The substances that are abused include caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, steroids, stimulants, depressants, heroin, cocaine and the list goes on. Substance abuse ranks high among serious health problems. Since 1979 illicit drug use and alcohol consumption has declined, but the widespread use of and dependence on these substances continues. Nicotine, now classified by the Food and Drug Administration as an addictive substance, is linked to more deaths annually than AIDS, cancer, and other substances combined. Alcohol is also a major social problem today. Use and abuse of alcohol are a factor in contributing to injuries and death. The cost of substance abuse is increasing in our society. Lives are lost, and loss of work productivity costs millions of dollars each year. Alcohol is a factor in 40% of all motor vehicle accidents, and alcohol and other drugs are often implicated in boating or athletic accidents. Costs’ include not only lives lost but also medical care, long-term services to the disabled, and increased insurance rates. Health care cost for clients that use alcohol, drugs, and nicotine are estimated to be greater than $160 billion annually. It has been confirmed that there is link between violence and alcohol and other drugs. Alcohol and drugs are a factor in vandalism on college campuses, date rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence. Under the influence of alcohol and drugs, young adults are more likely to engage in unsafe sexual practices, and parents are more likely to abuse their children. Certain factors place some individuals at greater risk than others for the development of abuse and dependence. Biological, psychological, or environmental conditions may predispose a person to the development of a drug or alcohol problem. Risk factors may include some of the following; heavy use of alcohol and other drugs or the presence of abuse or dependency by family members, presence of psychological conflicts, which a person may attempt to resolve through drug use. Other factors that predict that there may be a risk for alcohol and drug abuse include some of the following: †¢Failure in school †¢Rebelliousness and alienation †¢Need for immediate gratification †¢Lack of empathy †¢Frequent lying †¢Insensitivity to punishment The family which is the most powerful unit of socialization transmits cultural beliefs, myths, and values about alcohol and drug use. Also peers, and media personalities deliver messages about drug use, drug-using lifestyles, and the use of wines and spirits are subject of cultural traditions of families. Some groups have used wine strictly for celebratory purposes, others for religious rituals, and some for sustenance. Many cultural groups do not consider alcohol a drug. The result is that among many groups a double standard exists for alcohol and other drugs. Illicit drugs are considered dangerous and unhealthy, but alcohol is accepted and not considered threatening to the individual family, or society. However alcohol and drugs can be threatening to the individual, family, and our society. Substance abuse is known to affect ones behavior and personality. Abusers are known to be manipulative and often are in denial. One of the greatest consequences of alcohol abuse is the physiological damage that can be done. Alcohol is absorbed directly from the stomach and exerts system depression and physiological effects throughout the body almost immediately. In low doses, alcohol produces relaxation, loss of inhibition, loss of concentration, drowsiness, slurred speech, and sleep apnea. When alcohol or any drug of abuse is terminated abruptly by a person who is physiologically dependent they may begin to experience withdrawals. Onset of symptoms of withdrawals begins within 6-12 hours following the cessation or reduction of the drug or alcohol. Withdrawal must be treated, if not withdrawal may progress to withdrawal delirium untreated delirium may result in death. Treatment can be approached on several different bases. Inpatient hospitalization is usually a 2 to 4 week hospitalization in a unit of a general hospital, residential treatment center or psychiatric hospital; therapy provides corrective emotional experiences. This atmosphere provides safety, restricts access to the drug, and monitors self-destructive behavior. Detoxification Is a supervised medical regimen to withdraw the client from drugs that have induced psychological and physiological dependence. Rehabilitation is usually at a long-term hospital that addresses all phases of treatment. In many areas halfway houses serve as a rehabilitation facility that provides a sheltered and emotionally and financially supportive environment with peers. Counseling is a useful and effective means it can be administered on an individual basis or in family counseling. Support groups would be another effective means to support a person with substance-related disorders and their families. There are many groups modeled on the Twelve-Step approach of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Other groups include Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Al-Anon (ANA), Adult Children of Alcoholic’s (ACOA), Sex and love addicts Anonymous (SLAA) and Ala-Teen (ALAT). These are a few of the self-help groups that can be contacted in our communities to help those who are abusing or have friends or family members who are abusers. Most of these groups are free of charge and are conducted by people who have abused and are now recovering.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Factors That Influence Poverty

Factors That Influence Poverty The literature examined throughout this paper assumes that there are many contributing factors that can lead to poverty in the United States of America. The factors include but are not limited to increased immigration rates, the lack of education, illicit drug use, and family composition (i.e. single parent homes). Additionally the literature presented demonstrates the relevance of the previously mentioned areas while highlighting specific examples. In conducting research on this particular issue many scholars shared contradicting views on what truly influences poverty in the U.S. This may be contributed to the many factors including the areas in which the research was conducted and varying backgrounds. Thus my research question is What critical components contribute to the rising poverty levels in America? In answering this scrupulous question I will focus on factors including immigration, level of education and family composition. Poverty is an issue that affects us all because res earch indicates that increased poverty levels are proportional to increased crime rates, number of students that drop out of school, and lack of job opportunities. Uncovering the critical components that contribute to the rising poverty levels in American will allow individuals to find solutions to this growing issue. Abstract Introduction Many individuals believe that poverty is only found in third world countries, but contrary to popular belief it exists in wealthy countries as well. Poverty occurs when individuals are unable to satisfy their basic needs, which leads to a depravation of food, shelter, money, and clothing. Scholars suggest that factors including increased immigration rates, illicit drug use, varying levels of education and family composition play a major role in the rising levels of poverty in America. Poverty is an issue that affects us all, research indicates that increased poverty levels are proportional to increased crime rates, number of students that drop out of school, and lack of job opportunities. Likewise increased levels of poverty also tend to have a negative effect on our communities. For example rising poverty levels forces property rates decrease. Furthermore, the issues surrounding poverty are a great concern to many individuals living in the land of prosperity, because there are a lar ge percentage of individuals that are living below the nations current poverty line. This is a very troubling fact, thus my research question is; what critical components contribute to the increase levels of poverty in America? In looking at potential causes of poverty, one can begin to formulate solutions that would ultimately help decrease the national poverty rate. Through examining various data, the previously mentioned research question would shed light on what factors truly contribute to poverty in the United States. To conduct my research I will visit certain cities that have high poverty rates. While in those cities I will stay in low income housing, also referred to as section eight, and intermingle with the residents. By staying in community with those that are affected by poverty I will be able to interact with many of them on a personal level through participant observation. Researching the many components of poverty is important, because we are products of our community , as a result we should know what negatively affects it so that we build on improvements. Literature Review People living in poverty tend to be in clustered neighborhoods rather than being evenly distributed across a geographic area.  [1]  Alemayehu Bishaw suggests that measuring this concentration of poverty is important, because researchers have found that living in areas with many other poor people places burdens on low-income families beyond what the families own individual circumstances would dictate. This article, using a combination of statistical data shows the distribution of individuals living in poverty based on level of education, race/ethnicity, living environment, and marital status. This report deeply analyzes demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of census tracts, to determine what truly influences poverty. The persistence of poverty and economic inequality around the world has led many economists to question the model of an individuals self-determination when it comes to living in poverty.  [2]  In Poverty Traps authors Samuel Bowels, Steven Durlauf, and Karla Hoff, propose that there are many conditions that may trap individuals, groups, and entire economies in poverty. In using history and theories Bowels, Durlauf, and Hoff suggest that those born into poverty have it in their power to get out of poverty. This book argues that there are many conditions that can influence poverty such; as an individuals level of education, and ones living and socioeconomic environment. The authors propose that poverty informs much political debate while making a correlation between social and political institutions, beginning with corruption and not limited to social customs such as kin systems. Throughout the 21st/ century, poverty advocates and activists continuously propose that political mobilization is an effective mechanism to combat poverty in many western democracies, specifically the United States.  [3]  The Politics of Poverty: Left Political Institutions, the Welfare State and Poverty, investigates the impact of left political institution on a nations amount of poverty. Brady argues that, given the longstanding contention that left political institutions reduce social inequality, it is plausible that left mobilization potentially could contribute to poverty reduction. Through various research methods, it is suggested that the strength of left political systems has a significant and powerfully negative impact on poverty. While welfare remains a crucial determinant of poverty, left political institutions are crucial to the explanations of poverty from a historical viewpoint A question often asked is Can the wealthiest nation in the world do nothing to combat the steadily rising numbers of Americans living in poverty, or the millions close to living in poverty?  [4]  Poverty in America, using various methods examines and explains why poverty is growing, while illustrating steps that can be taken to prevent it. John Edwards, Marion Crain, and Arne Kalleberg Edwards, Crain, and Kalleberg recognize that in order to eliminate an issue, one must first, figure out what is causing the issue. In doing this, the authors give an adequate definition of poverty and many of the factors that contribute to the rising poverty levels. Additionally, Poverty in America discusses the repercussions that rising poverty levels are having on various ethnic groups. In conducting research, the authors uncovered that there is a disproportionate number of African-Americans and Hispanic families living below the poverty line. They propose that this is due to wealth inequalities and the growing income gap between the rich and the poor. In the United States, with the exception of those on Social Security, the only way for most individuals to avoid poverty is to work.  [5]  Ron Haskins the author of Combating Poverty: Understanding New Challenges for Families, using empirical data and research methods provides various poverty trends over the course of history. By doing such, Haskins suggests that the conditions within the United States virtually ensure high poverty rates because of the factors that influence poverty. Those factors including the declining of work rates, stagnant wages, family composition, inferior education, and the increase number of immigrants. Haskins suggests that the conditions in the U.S. ensure high poverty rates because the factors that influence poverty remain very strong. Furthermore, Haskins deeply analyzes each individual cause and sheds light on them through data, charts and graphs. Over the course of history the United States has experienced a rising standard of living, with the Gross Domestic Product per capita on a constant rise.  [6]  Hilary Hoynes, Marianne Page, and Ann Stevens, using exploratory research methods examines the trends in individual poverty rates. Poverty in America: Trends and Explanations examines the rise and fall of various social economic groups that are in poverty. Likewise, this source takes into account many of the components that are used when measuring the various levels and causes of poverty such as levels of education, overpopulation and job opportunities. Throughout this text the authors present charts and graphs to show the change in data over a certain period of time. Hoynes, Page, and Stevens provide a fundamental contribution to understanding poverty as a whole. What does it mean to be poor? This is a questioned posed be John Iceland in Poverty in America: A Handbook. While most people would be hard-pressed to give a precise answer, many feel that poverty is easily recognized when one sees it.  [7]  For example, a news story accompanied with images of malnourished children in an areas surrounded by filth can vividly display poverty. Iceland suggests that as one moves away from the obvious examples, it becomes more difficult to distinguish what people mean when using the word poor. In using a concise, accessible format the author produces an inclusive picture of the state of poverty in America. Additionally, Poverty in America: A Handbook shows how poverty has changed significantly over time. Likewise, Iceland adequately shows how poverty is both measured and understood, and how public policies have wrestled with poverty as a political issue, and an economic reality. Furthermore, in looking at conventional theories, Iceland asks the tough questions like: Is poverty unavoidable, and Are people more likely to live in poverty based on their race, class, and/or gender? There are many competing theories about the causes of poverty in the United States with a great deal of empirical evidence to justify support for each.  [8]  The Cause of Poverty Cultural vs. Structural, suggests that there are many different factors that contribute to poverty, while arguing that poverty is largely the result of social and behavioral deficiencies in individuals that make them less economically viable within a conservative society. Gregory Jordan proposes that the debate is divided among theorist and policymakers on whether the causes of poverty are cultural and behavioral or structural and economic. This article briefly examines the theoretical arguments behind both, while providing an analysis to determine the empirical relevancy of each. Additionally, this debate is popular across political party lines with republicans supporting the cultural and behavioral side and democrats leaning more toward the structural and economic causes. To a majority of Americans, illicit drug use and poverty go hand in hand.  [9]  Robert Kaesnter suggests that poverty is concentrated in inner-city neighborhoods that are often times known for high rates of drug use. Similarly, the homeless population primarily found in cities consists of a proportion of drug users. Kaestner argues that the public has a significant amount of evidence that links drug use to poverty. Using empirical data researchers are able to propose that drug use, although not the only factor, can lead to poverty. Likewise based on societys willingness to pay for and support antidrug programs, it appears that there is a widespread belief that drug use causes many negative social and economic outcomes including poverty. Additionally this article includes tables that support its main argument. The proportion of U.S. residents born in another country has increased significantly in recent years.  [10]  Immigration and poverty in the United States, highlights that international immigration accounted for over a quarter of the net population growth from 2000-2007.Using various research techniques, Steven Raphael and Eugene Smolensky suggests that immigration can affect the United States poverty rate in two ways. The first way is that immigrants tend to live in highly concentrated areas, where the level of formal education is low. Secondly, it is proposed that immigrants tend to work for lower wages and do not earn an annual salary. By not working for a steady salary immigrants are more likely not to have a consistent paycheck, thus forcing many of them to live in poverty. The authors argue that the combination of increased poverty among immigrants and a higher ratio of immigrants to the total population add to the national poverty rate. Buried in the Census report are startling figures revealing that the collapse of marriage is creating a poverty crisis.  [11]  The Poverty Solution: Marriage or Bust, proposes that a long-term root cause of poverty in the United States of America is unwed childbearing. Through various research methods Robert Rector illustrates that single-mother families are five times more likely to live in poverty than married couples with children. Consequently, nearly 70 percent of poor families in America are headed by single parents. Additionally Rector highlights that the unwed birthrate has increased by 22 percent since 2002. Overall, this article suggests that because the rate of single mothers has risen, so has the number of individuals living in poverty. Over the past 25 years significant structural changes have occurred in the United States that have influenced poverty, making current-day poverty different in some ways from poverty just a few decades ago.  [12]  Causes of Poverty illustrates structural changes include transformations in our economic structure such as the shift from manufacturing employment to service sector employment. Amy Rynell suggests that structural changes include but are not limited to the changes in the economic structure, diseases, welfare reform, immigration, and the increase number of individuals being incarcerated. Rynell, through rigorous econometric and statistical methods presents data based on the various causes of poverty, while showing that certain components affect various populations in different ways. America is always projected as a world superpower and a developed nation. While the term poverty may conjure images of destitute people living in dreadful conditions, this term assumes a new dimension when we speak of poverty in the U.S.  [13]  Causes of Poverty in America suggests that although America is the land of dreams, it does not differ from the rest of the world. Often times people associate poverty with third world countries, Ashwini K. Sule argues that this is far from the truth. Sule proposes that just as there are different definitions of poverty, the causes of poverty are also different. Furthermore, this article suggests that poverty is caused by a plethora of factors including unemployment, lack of education, the breakdown of family systems and the lack of willpower. Contrary to popular belief, the effects of poverty could very well be the causes of poverty. The Census Bureau conducts a national census every ten years that includes the America Community Survey (ACS); this survey includes a section that deals strictly with poverty. How to Define Poverty? Let Us the Ways discloses that according to the U.S. Census Bureau there are millions of people are living in poverty.  [14]  Louis Uchitelle, using various research methods actively defines poverty. In defining poverty, it is suggested that there is no single definition that can accurately characterize all of the components that go into poverty. This is mainly because there are numerous types of poverty. Although there is no one definition that defines poverty, Uchitelle proposes, that poverty in its most general terms is the lack of freedom to have or to obtain the basic needs of life. This article suggests that instead of trying to form a single definition, it is important to examine poverty from a holistic viewpoint. Poverty is increasing tremendously across many groups, from the suburban families to the very poor families. More workers are becoming discouraged and are giving up on the job market.  [15]  CBS News suggests that this issue can be attributed to the fact that the United States is considered to have a weak economy and fraying government. Because of the weak economy, the unemployment rate has significantly increased. Using various data tables and charts, this article shows that the official poverty rate will increase to 15.7 percent. This percentage is the highest the poverty rate has been since 1965. Poverty is spreading at record levels because of the lack of employment opportunities due to the fragile structure of the economy. It is also suggested that changes in the economy including outsourcing, immigration, and globalization have pushed the median household income lower. Research Design Poverty is a major issue within the U.S. today. Economical, political, social, and cultural factors all contribute to poverty. The United States Census Bureau defines poverty as an economic condition in which people have an insufficient income and amount of resources to obtain basic needs such as housing, clothing, food, and health care.  [16]  Poverty is generally separated into two sections, those being absolute poverty and relative poverty. Absolute or extreme poverty is a circumstance in which individuals are unable to pay the prices of basic necessities needed to survive. Secondly, relative poverty suggests that people may be able to obtain basic needs but are unable to maintain the living conditions that are deemed normal. Relative poverty usually focuses on comparing ones income to those in the rest of the society. The most frequent measure of poverty in America is the poverty threshold which is set by the U.S. government. This measure identifies poverty as a lack of those goods and services frequently taken for granted by individuals living in a conventional society.  [17]  The official threshold is typically adjusted for inflation to better fit society. As suggested by the literature review presented in the previous section, there are many components to consider when discussing what influences poverty in America. The literature at hand proposes that immigration, varying education levels, and family composition play a major role in increasing poverty rates. This section will discuss how the previously mentioned components negatively affect poverty rates in the U.S. through key examples. To conduct my research I will begin by going to areas that I frequently visit, that are stricken by poverty in Atlanta, New York, and California. In these cities I will live in low income housing most commonly known as section eight and intermingle with the residents. By staying in community with those that are affected by poverty I will be able to interact with many of them on a personal level through a participant observation. A participant observation is when a researcher actively participates in the daily life of the people under study while obser ving things that happen, listening to what is said and questioning people, over some length of time.  [18]  My goal is that the individuals under study would hopefully feel that they could trust me and in turn be open to answering any questions that I might have in regards to their living situation. In doing this I will observe on a first hand bases some of the factors that influence poverty in these areas by taking various polls based on individuals varying education levels, and family composition. Additionally, the cities under observation have very high immigration rates as a result I will be able to examine the affects immigration has on the rising poverty levels in America. Immigration Most studies of poverty conducted within the United States have usually focused on how widespread economic trends and social welfare affects the number of individuals living in poverty. Very few scholars have conducted research on the influence immigration has on the growing poverty levels in America. In gathering my research I propose that immigration increases the poverty rates by suggesting that newly arrived immigrants are on average poorer than U.S. citizens. When conducting my research I will first explore the effect immigrants have on the nations tax base. Additionally, I plan to focus on the impact immigration has on the poor already in America. Due to rising unemployment rates, low incomes, and the change in taxes, those living in poverty pay very little in taxes. Similarly, although many immigrants work when they arrive to the states they tend to receive payment under the table, thus they escape paying taxes. Furthermore, when looking at the programs designed to assist the less fortunate, many of them depend mainly on government assistance. Many individuals that are eligible to receive the services offered live below the poverty line. Because immigration adds to the number of individuals needing assistance, the funding needed to support welfare programs increase. This phenomenon suggests that if the U.S. continues to aid immigrants, we will not have the resources that are needed to help American citizens. Education Over the Thanksgiving holiday I had the opportunity to visit various communities in the greater Atlanta area where individuals are living below the U.S. poverty line. While visiting the communities I was able to talk to some of the residents about their educational background, and I quickly realized that many of the residents did not have a high school diploma or GED. The information gathered supports the idea that the impact of education on poverty can be assessed by examining how receiving a degree of higher learning can potentially enable individuals to obtain a better standard of living. Education plays a role in obtaining jobs, thus individuals that do not receive an adequate education are unable to provide for their families. With the job market in the U.S. being very competitive it is imperative to have an education. In todays society there are individuals that have multiple college degrees, and they still find themselves struggling to make ends meet. A person that does not re ceive an education is more likely not to receive a desirable income that would ultimately allow them to obtain all of the basic necessities needed to survive. Consequently, those without an education bring their family into a never ending cycle of poverty. This is not to say that those without an education will automatically live poverty, but it does place individuals at a higher risk of living below the poverty level. Although lack of education influences poverty, poverty itself can have a negative effect on children trying to attain an education. Family Composition Over the course of history the family composition in America has changed drastically. No longer is the two parent household considered the norm. In fact in todays society single parent households are rapidly increasing. Growing up in a single parent home, most of my life, I know that it can be extremely difficult for a single parent to provide the basic necessities for his/her family. Changes in family composition can be considered a major influence on the growing poverty rates in the U.S. Recognizing this, in visiting different communities over the Thanksgiving break I was able to observe on first hand bases the factors that contribute to the changes in family composition. For example divorce has the ability to cause great inconsistency in a households income. Consequently divorce takes away from the economic well being of custodial parents and their children. This is mainly due to the fact that men tend to have a higher earning power then women. Thus, after a divorce women and chil dren experience a significant financial decline as a result forcing them to live below the poverty lines. Similarly, single parent households can be tied to poverty because they normally have only one potential earner. When there is only one adult earner in the household, fewer hours are worked and fewer hours are available to be worked due to childcare responsibilities. Although the family composition can contribute to poverty levels, many single parent households are forced to live in poverty despite their efforts.

Convention And Exhibition Industry Importance

Convention And Exhibition Industry Importance In October 2010, the city of Shanghai successfully held the World Exposition, with an accomplishment of participants coming from 246 countries, and more than 70 million visitors (Xinhua, 2010). There were many preparations made prior to the event, including constructing the buildings, transportation, accommodation for world wide visitors, and training service providers with better services. As holding international large-scale conventions and exhibitions will attract international guests and will boost the economy locally, the value-added brought by the events can also influence tourism industry with the service quality, and the influence will take effect even after the event is over. The current research is interested in the effects of convention and exhibition industry on service quality, as World Expo 2010 Shanghai just finished, it is suitable for collecting data concerning this topic. The convention and exhibition industry is one of the most important and fastest growing industries in the 21st century. It is often categorized with meeting, incentive travel together as the meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) industry. With its gaining popularity, it has grown as a significant market segment over the past decades (Astroff Abbey 2006; Kim, Chon Chung 2003). MICE industry not only brings a destination with strength and development in their competitive advantage, but also enhances the image of the destination, and economic benefits for the destination and community (Opperman 1996). According to the International Meeting Statistics by the Union of International Associations (UIA), 11,423 international meetings were held in 2008 worldwide (UIA, 2009). The industry consists of multi-sectors of hospitality service including lodging, food and beverage, catering, convention service, convention facility supply, transportation, tourism, retail, and entertainment (Astroff Abbey 2006). And the benefit to local economy is huge. With U.S. Travel Associations (2009) estimation, the MICE industry contributes $101 billion in annual spending, and provides $16 billion in tax revenue, and creates one million jobs. As for Singapore, every dollar generates by the MICE industry adds another 12 dollars to the national GDP (International Enterprise Singapore 2001). As the case in China, which is one of the most populous countries in the world, reports indicated that during the Kunming Expo 1999, the international horticultural fair, ticket revenues were 100 million RMB ($12 million) , and it has brought 170 million RMB ($20.5 million) ticket revenues to the hospitality industry (China Research and Intelligence 2009). The development if convention and exhibition economy also provides more job opportunities, marketing, infrastructure and service quality. Service Quality Service quality has been an important attribute in the service industry; it is defined as the consumers judgment about an entitys overall excellence or superiority (Parasuraman, Zeithaml Berry 1988). It affects customer satisfaction, and it is one of the critical factors to business survival and competitiveness in the service industry. In previous researches, the efficiency and accuracy to measure service quality has been the main focus (Ladhari 2008). Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1988) conducted the most influential studies on service quality, which was developing the SERVQUAL instrument. The SERVQUAL instrument concluded five dimensions: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. This instrument has become the foundation of service quality measurement instrument in a variety of industries, which compares between customer expectation and realized performance of specific service. Tsang and Qu (2000) on the other hand, adopted from several studies and indicated the 5 gaps of service quality. They describe the gaps as the difference between expectations and perceptions. The management perceptions of customer expectations and service quality specifications, the difference between service quality specifications and the service actually delivered, and the service delivery and what is communicated about the service to customers, these gaps affect the actual delivery of service. And the difference between customer expectations of service quality and customer perceptions of the actual performance affects customer perceptions of service quality, which is what this research would like to find out. World Exposition The World Exposition, or called World Fair, Universal Exposition, Expo, is a form of large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in 1851, in Hyde Park in London, United Kingdom. It was the first international exhibition of manufactured products. It was the idea of Queen Victorias husband, and it influenced the development of many aspects in the society (Findling Pelle 2008, pp. 13-14). Since then, the World Expositions have attained increasing prominence as grand events for economic, scientific, technological and cultural exchanges, serving as an important platform for displaying historical experience, exchanging innovative ideas, demonstrating esprit de corps and looking to the future. The World Expo 2010 Shanghai is the first Expo to be held in a developing country, the theme is Better City, Better Life. Because nowadays, 55% of the world population lives in a city, the Expo sets out to explore the full potential of urban life in the 21st century, and display urban civilization, exchanging experiences of urban development, explore new approaches to human habitat, lifestyle and working conditions in the new century, also learn how to create an eco-friendly society and maintain the sustainable development of human beings. It is held from May 1st to the end of October in 2010, spanning six months (Expo 2010 Official Website 2008). Visitors to Shanghai As the Expo brought over participants coming from 246 countries, and more than 70 million visitors (Xinhua, 2010), there is also a boost in tourism and numbers of travelers in Shanghai, both domestic and international. A statistic data gathered from the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration is given in Table 1. As shown in table 1 and the total number of visitors in Figure 1, theres a big leap in year 2010, which the Expo took place. Table 1. Visitors to Shanghai Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Domestic 4,646,303 5,200,981 5,264,727 5,333,935 7,337,216 Hong Kong 314,871 322,351 363,247 415,478 623,969 Macau 16,448 17,363 15,575 17,816 40,043 International 3,997,979 4,426,148 4,416,223 4,390,495 5,931,211 Total 8,975,601 9,966,843 10,059,772 10,157,724 13,932,439 Source: Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration Figure 1. Total Visitor to Shanghai from 2006 to 2010 Hotels in Shanghai Shanghai is one of the most visited cities in China, according to the statistics from Euromonitor research and China Bureau of Statistics, the market size of travel accommodation in China in year 2010 reach sales of RMB 510.8 billion ($78.2 billion) (Euromonitor International 2011). According to the report, the regional hotel parameters in 2010 indicate that Shanghai has the highest occupancy rate among all other municipal or provinces, as shown in Table 2. Table 2. Occupancy rate For Travel Accommodations in China Destination Travel Accommodations Occupancy rate % Anhui 3102 50 Beijing 5182 69.4 Fujian 5024 60.1 Guangdong 6422 67.1 Guangxi 4903 53.2 Hainan 2167 59.8 Hebei 2983 49.1 Henan 2668 50.4 Jiangsu 5544 59.8 Shaanxi 3882 55 Shandong 5149 50 Shanghai 4410 70.7 SiChuan 2311 58.9 Tianjin 1973 54.2 Yunnan 3763 52 Zhejiang 5606 56.7 Source: Euromonitor International from official statistics, trade associations, trade press, company research, trade interviews, trade sources As for a more detailed statistic for Shanghai, data retrieved from Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration is shown in Table 3, and the occupancy rates for total travel accommodations is shown in Table 4 and Figure2. The statistics suggests that the occupancy rate for accommodations in Shanghai experienced a growth between 2009 and 2010. Although the occupancy rates for Table 2 and Table 3 are slightly different, due to the differences is samples, numbers in Euromonitor International (2011) studies are narrowed to certain hotel chains, however it still indicates the market size in Shanghai is greater than other destinations in China. Table 3. The Occupancy Rate for Hotels in Shanghai Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010  ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Occupancy 64.24 61.35 56.53 52.68 67.22 Source: Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration Figure 2. Occupancy Rates of Hotels in Shanghai Conceptual Map With the review and statistics presented above, we can infer that the 2010 World Expo Shanghai has brought more visitors to Shanghai, and helped increased the occupancy rate. Supposed there are more people visiting Shanghai due to the Expo, accommodation demands raise and the demand for service quality should also rise. The conceptual framework of this study is depicted in Figure 3. Convention and Exhibition Industry Total Visitors to a Destination Hotel Service Quality Figure 3. The Conceptual Framework The convention and exhibition industry will influence the total number of visitors to a destination, weather they are participants to the event or guests and tourists. This link is already shown and proven in the data provided above, therefore, with more visitors coming to the destination, demands for accommodations will rise, and that will in turn influence the service quality in the hotel sector. According to the research questions and framework, the hypothesis for this study is formed: Hypothesis 1: World Expo 2010 significantly influenced the number of visitors to Shanghai. After examining the influence on increase in visitors to Shanghai, I would like to know if the increase in visitor numbers influences the service quality in the hotel sector, therefore: Hypothesis 2: Increased visitors to Shanghai positively influenced the service quality in hotel sector. If Hypothesis is also supported, then I would like to examine if the effects on service performance will keep on taking effect, or if there is no difference between service quality compared to before, or the quality will even drop, therefore: Hypothesis 3: The increase in service quality in hotel sector will remain after the World Expo 2010 is finished. Research Question The aim of this study is to answer the questions of whether the convention and exhibition industry brings benefit to a destination, and will the industry influence the service quality. Not only during the event, but also after the event, the total quality for service industry will increase. Therefore, the research questions I set out to answer are: Will convention and exhibition industry bring more visitors to a destination? Will more visitors influence the service quality for hotels? After the event, will the influence still carry on? Research Design Due to the aim of this research, I try to discover the differences between service qualities before the Expo 2010 and after, the research will adopt a time series design. However it would be impossible to gather data prior to the Expo by myself, but I can reference past research on service quality in the hotel industry in China from previous studies and researches. Drawn from a research done by Tsang and Qu (2000), I will have a reference of the service quality done in year 2000, and then I will be able to compare the results done today and later. Sample To understand the hotel service quality provided in Shanghai, the current research targets at international guests that visits Shanghai, I will use a convenience sampling method, questionnaires will be distributed to guests in a hotel chain. Also a systematic sampling method will also be used, which every 5th visitor checking in will be asked to do the questionnaire. This will also be similar samples to the previous study done by Tsang and Qu (2000). Instrument In this research I adopt the instrument developed and used by Tsang and Qu (2000). They adopt the questionnaire from SERVEQUAL and other research, and developed the questionnaire in 3 parts, with 35 service quality attributes. The first part is to measure the respondents expectations regarding service quality in the hotel industry, they will be asked to fill in the level of importance of statements with responses, from a 5-point Likerts scale, ranging from (1) very low expectation to (5) very high expectation. The second part of the questionnaire is designed to examine the respondents perceptions of service quality actually provided during the stay. Also, the respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with statements with responses from a 5-point Likerts scale: (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree. The third part of the questionnaire collects the demographic and classification questions of the respondent. The 35 attributes are listed as below: Gap mean differences between managers perception of tourists expectations and tourists expectations of service quality in the hotel industry Attributes 1. Comfortable and welcome feeling 2. Neat appearance of staff 3. Professionalism of staff 4. Hotel staff with multi-lingual skills 5. Friendliness and courtesy of staff 6. Special attention given by staff 7. Availability of staff to provide service 8. Staff performing the services right the first time 9. Reservation system was easily accessible 10. Quick check-in and check-out 11. Cleanliness of room 12. Quietness of room 13. Security of room 14. Attractive decor, furnishings of room/lobby 15. Comfortable mattress and pillow 16. Reasonable room rate/value for money 17. Variety of services offered 18. Reliable message and wake-up service 19. Provision of accurate and reliable information 20. The guarantee of reliable service 21. Availability of room service 22. Prompt breakfast service 23. Elegant banquet service 24. High quality of food in restaurant(s) 25. Variety of drinks and wine list 26. Reasonable restaurant/bar prices 27. The high degree/level of hygiene of food 28. Up-to-date and modern facilities 29. Adequacy of fire safety facilities 30. Availability of eating and drinking facilities 31. Availability of year-round swimming pool 32. Availability of business center facilities 33. Availability of sauna and health club 34. Availability of conference/meeting room 35. Convenient hotel location Data Analysis Descriptive statistics analysis was used to understand the demographic information about the respondent. Each of the categories will be calculated and described in the descriptive statistics section. In order to understand the correlations between variables, a correlation analysis were conducted on all basic data such as gender, age, experience, educational level, marriage status and the scores of the scales. To investigate the service quality gaps, a paired t-test will be used to evaluate the service quality. Conclusion The expected results for this research will be there are positive relationship between visitors to Shanghai positively influenced the service quality in hotel sector. As the visitor numbers already increased during the period of the Expo, the hotel occupancy rates are also higher. With more people check into the hotels, hotel managers pay more attention to the service quality, in order to deliver better guest service. Also, it is expected that the increase in service quality in hotel sector will remain after the World Expo 2010 is finished. There are several limitations of this research. First with the time series design, the differences in sampling and long time between the two time periods will cause some confounding. Since the improvements in infrastructure in Shanghai may also influence service quality, this is something we cannot eliminate. Second, travelers to the hotels will be different from the first sample, we can compare the demographic data between the two, trying to match the samples, however there are still unparallel between the two. For future research suggestions, we can collect the data again 5 years after the Expo, to find out weather the service quality keeps the same as the period right after the Expo. We can also get an idea of how hotel managers improve their service quality by interviewing them, with can reveal some more detailed facts on how the Expo really affect their business.