Rheumatoid Arthritis an Example of the Topic Health Essays by

Rheumatoid Arthritis Introduction The term rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was first proposed by A.B. Garrod in 1858 (Wyngaarde, JB. 1992). It is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory disease predominantly affecting freely movable joints and frequently a variety of organs. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the joints because of the essential role of the synovium in regulating inflammation (Lipsky PE, 2007). RA occurs worldwide in all ethnics groups. The peak incidence of onset is between the 4th and 6th decade, but may begin at any time from childhood to later life. It affects up to 1% of the worlds population and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality (Buch M, 2002). Anthropologic evidence of RA has been found in the New World, but not the Old World skeletons proposing, but no proven that an etiologic agent was carried to Europe by explorers of the Americas. Females are 2-4 times more likely to be affected than males (Koopman WJ, 2001). Nothing was known about RA before the early 19th century. And to this date, the etiology of RA is unclear, and there exists no known specific diagnostic test for it. Need essay sample on "Rheumatoid Arthritis" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed University Students Usually Tell EssayLab professionals: How much do I have to pay someone to write my essay now? Essay writer professionals propose: Rely On Our Help In Essay Writing Essay Helper Buy College Papers Online Cheap Essays Cheap Essay Help Etiology Various articles postulate that a genetically susceptible host is exposed to an unknown pathogen (antigen), and that this interaction gives rise to a persistent immunological response (Buch M, 2002). Three areas of interrelated research seem to be most promising: 1) host genetic factors, 2) immuno-regulatory abnormalities and autoimmunity, and 3) a triggering or persisting microbial infection. Genetic abnormalities in RA has clearly been demonstrated. The disease clusters in families and occurs more frequently in monozygotic than in dizygotic twins with genetic factors accounting for up to 60%of disease succeptibility. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) allele (and encoded antigen) HLA-DR4 (HLA, Human Lymphocyte Antigen) is significantly increased in RA patients in most populations (Arnett, 1992). Arnett explains also that this tissue type is shown to be correlated with rheumatoid factor (FR) titer, severe destruction of joints documented on x-ray, rheumatoid lung disease and Feltys syndrome. \Rheumatoid arthritis appears to be an autoimmune disease similar to other major histocompatibility complex diseases. Components of the immune system attack the soft tissue that lines the joints and can also attack connective tissue in many other parts of the body, such as the blood vessels and lungs. Eventually, the cartilage, bone, and ligaments of the joint erode, causing deformity, instability, and scarring within the joint. The joints deteriorate at a highly variable rate. Many factors, including genetic predisposition, may influence the pattern of the disease. An infectious origin for RA has been a controversial hypothesis. Organisms such as Strptococci, diptheroids, mycoplasmas and Clostridium perfringens have all played a part in this controversy and later on discarded because of lack of evidence. Rubella, Ross River Virus and parvovirus have been shown to produce an acute polyarthritis, but still there is no evidence that they initiate chronic RA. The Epstein Barr virus at present still remains a viable but unproven candidate for a pathogenic role. Pathogenesis The pathologic hallmark of RA is synovial membrane proliferation and outgrowth associated with erosion of articular cartilage and subchondral bone. The earliest findings would be microvasculature injury and moderate proliferation of synovial cells. The article of Lipsky in the New England Journal of Medicine describes the pathogenesis as a dramatic increase in the number of cells in the lining layer, and the sublining layer becomes infiltrated with inflammatory cells, including lymphocytes, macrophages, and mast cells. But the behavior of the inflammatory cells has not been delineated in great detail. Cellular and humoral immune mechanism roles in the rheumatoid synovium have been proposed theories, and both have immunologic findings to support the theories (Bush M, 2002). A cellular mechanism would involve activation of infiltrating T lymphocytes by some unknown antigen presented by DR-positive cells. Humoral mechanisms are supported by the demonstration of local RF production within the synovium, the formation of IgM-IgG immune complexes, and activation and consumption of complement via the classic pathway. Antigen-antibody complexes formed within the joint cavity can become trapped in hyaline cartilage and fibrocartilage, where they cause changes in matrix macromolecules. The ultimate destruction of cartilage, bone, tendons, and ligaments probably results from a variety of proteolytic enzymes, metalloproteinases, and soluble mediators. Collagenase is probably largely responsible for the typical erosions after its activation by plasmin. Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis The general features of RA include synovitis of the synovial joints and deformity. As mentioned in the pathogenesis, RA is due to an abnormal immune reaction associated with constitutional symptoms which can affect the other organ systems as well. However the joint synovitis leading to arthritis affecting multiple joints remains the key clinical feature in RA. The onset of RA among different individuals is highly variable. In the majority, it takes weeks or months for the joint pain and stiffness to develop. It involves one or more small joints of the hands, wrists, shoulders, or knees and/or the metatarsophalangeal joints. The course of RA, like its onset, also varies widely. Fluctuating disease activity in the disease process is usual. Some patients may have a relentlessly progressive course leading to early disability or even death, but repeated periods of some degree of remission are the rule. Assessment of functional capacity is frequently necessary in the RA patient. The classification for this is as follows: Class I: No restriction of ability to perform normal activities; Class II: Moderate restriction, but with an ability to perform most activities of daily living; Class III: Marked restriction, with an ability to perform most activities of daily living and occupation; Class IV: Incapacitation with confinement to bed or wheelchair (Arnett FC, 1992). Differential Diagnosis Some of the differential diagnosis of RA include Acute viral arthritis, sarcoidosis, SLE, polyarticular gout, erosive osteoarthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, polymyositis and calcium pyrophosphate disease. These are differentiated by the presence or absence of subcutaneous nodules and the rheumatoid factor. The findings of subcutaneous nodules and the presence of rheumatoid factor are useful but not specific differential features. To establish a more definite diagnosis, a complete medical evaluation, often including synovial fluid analysis is essential in all patients with joint manifestations. Articular Manifestations: RA can affect any diarthroidal joint such as the hands, wrists, knees, and feet. It may progress to involve the elbows, shoulders, sternoclavicular joints, hips and ankles. Spinal involvement in always limited to the cervical vertebrae. Extra-Articular Manifestations: Non-specific symptoms like malaise, fatigue, weakness, low-grade fever and mild lymphadenopathy are common in RA. The extra-articular sites include the skin, as subcutaneous nodules, in the heart as pericardial disease, in the lungs as rheumatoid pleural disease, and neurologic manifestations as compression of nerves such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Radiologic findings: Radiologic hallmarks of RA include periarticular osteoporosis and focal bone erosions at the joint margins (Lipsky PE, 2005)(Buch M, 2002). Studies attempting to identify the mechanisms underlying the development of focal bone erosions have demonstrated that osteoclasts, predominantly, mediate the bone resorptive process. Laboratory Features Immunological studies are required when RA is being clinically suspected. Tests for rheumatoid factor is always requested. A negative RF does not rule out RA; rather, the arthritis is called seronegative. Rheumatoid factor is frequently negative during the first year of illness. Eventually, about 80% of patients eventually convert to seropositive. A chronic normocytic, normochromic anemia with hematocrit values from 30 to 35% is common. Both serum iron levels and iron-binding capacity are low. The WBC count and differentials are normal, but eosinophilia may occur as the disease progresses. The platelet maybe elevated due the diseases chronicity. Synovial fluid analysis shows a poor mucin clot test and WBC count may be in the range of 5000 to 20,000 per cubic meter. Synovial glucose is usually normal (Arnett FC, 1992). Management Objectives of management include 1) relief of pain, 2) reduction of inflammation, 3) minimizing undesirable side effects, 4) preservation of muscle strength and joint function, and 5) returning to a normal lifestyle. Basic initial program that achieves these objectives consists of 1) adequate rest, 2) adequate anti-inflammatory agents, and 3) physical measures to maintain joint function (Arnett FC, 1992). These can only be accomplished by the patient through graded exercise program. Quality of life is very important in these patients. Health care quality appears to be suboptimal for arthritis, co-morbid disease, and health care maintenance (MacLean CH, 2000). It was observed that patterns of care that included relevant specialists were associated with substantially higher quality. Patterns that included generalists were associated with substantially higher quality health care maintenance than patterns that included neither a generalist nor a relevant specialist. The optimal roles of primary care physicians and specialists in the care of patients with complex conditions should be reassessed (MacLean CH, 2000). Therapeutics Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): Anti-inflammatory drug use is critical to the therapeutic program of the RA patient. Salicylates are inexpensive, generally well-tolerated and effective in controlling inflammation of RA. A constant serum blood level of 20 to 30 mg per deciliter is required. Many other NSAIDs are available and equally effective for RA treatment. New drugs for the treatment of RA include oral leflunomide, subcutaneous injection of either etanercept, adalimumab or anakinra, and intravenous infusion of infliximab (Olsen NJ, 2004). Research Frontiers Significant progress in the pathogenesis of RA has been achieved. Likewise effective new therapy agents have been introduces and tested. Advances for the next 25 years is anticipated, including delineation of the genetic basis of disease susceptibility and severity, genetic definition of disease subtypes that differ in severity and response to therapy, and prompt initiation of effective individualized treatment based on genetic and environmental assessment. Reconstructive surgery will become increasingly unnecessary and the morbidity, economic burden, and mortality due to RA will be reduced substantially (Koopman WJ, 2001). References Arnett FC. Rheumatoid Arthritis. In: Wyngaarde, JB, Smith LH, Bennett JC, eds. Cecil textbook of medicine, Principles of diagnosis and management, 19th Ed., W.B. Saunders Company, 1992:1508-15. Buch M, Emery P. The Aetiology and pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. Hospital Pharmacist. 2002:9:5-10 Koopman, WJ. Prospects for Autoimmune Disease: Research Advances in Rheumatoid Arthritis. JAMA. 2001;285:648-650 Lipsky PE. Rheumatoid arthritis. In: Kasper DL, Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Hauser SL, Longo DL, Jameson JL, eds. Harrisons principles of internal medicine. 16th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005:1968-77. Lipsky, PE. Why Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Involve the Joints? N Engl J Med. 2007:356;23, 2419-20 MacLean CH, Louie R, Leake B, McCaffrey DF, Paulus HE, Brook RH, Shekelle PG. Quality of Care for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis. JAMA, 2000;284:8 Olsen NJ, Stein CM. New Drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis, N Engl J Med 2004;350:2167-79.

Definition and Examples of Etymology in English

Definition and Examples of Etymology in English Definitions (1) Etymology refers to the origin or derivation of a word (also known as lexical change). Adjective: etymological. (2) Etymology is the branch of linguistics concerned with the history of the forms and meanings of words. See Examples and Observations below. Also see: Etymology Exercise: Exploring Word OriginsIntroduction to EtymologyWord FormationDoublets and TripletsEtymological FallacyEtymonFolk EtymologyKey Dates in the History of the English LanguageLanguage ChangeNeil Postmans Exercise in EtymologySemantic Change and the Etymological FallacyWhere Does Language Come From?Where Do New Words Come From? How Words Are Made AmeliorationBack FormationBackronymBlendBorrowingClippingCompoundingConversionDerivationGenerificationHybridPejorationSemantic ChangeSemantic Narrowing EtymologyFrom the Greek, true sense of a word Examples and Observations Ours is a mongrel language which started with a childs vocabulary of 300 words, and now consists of 225,000; the whole lot, with the exception of the original and legitimate 300, borrowed, stolen, smooched from every unwatched language under the sun, the spelling of each individual word of the lot locating the source of the theft and preserving the memory of the revered crime.(Mark Twain, Autobiography)As early as the 15th century, scribes and early printers performed cosmetic surgery on the lexicon. Their goal was to highlight the roots of words, whether for aesthetic pizzazz, homage to etymology, or both. The result was a slew of new silent letters. Whereas debt was spelled det, dett, or dette in the Middle Ages, the tamperers, as one writer calls them, added the b as a nod to the words Latin origin, debitum. The same goes for changes like the b in doubt (dubium), the o in people (populous), the c in victuals (victus), and the ch in school (scholar).(David Wolman, Righting the Moth er Tongue: From Olde English to Email, the Tangled Story of English Spelling. Harper, 2010) The origin of words that reproduce natural sounds is self-explanatory. French or English, cockoo and miaow are unquestionably onomatopoeias. If we assume that growl belongs with gaggle, cackle, croak, and creak and reproduces the sound it designates, we will be able to go a bit further. Quite a few words in the languages in the world begin with gr- and refer to things threatening or discordant. From Scandanavian, English has grue, the root of gruesome (an adjective popularized by Walter Scott), but Old Engl. gryre (horror) existed long before the emergence of grue-. The epic hero Beowulf fought Grendel, an almost invincible monster. Whatever the origin of the name, it must have been frightening even to pronounce it.(Anatoly Liberman, Word Origins And How We Know Them: Etymology for Everyone. Oxford University Press, 2005)Etymology of the Word GodThe root-meaning of the name (from Gothic root gheu; Sanskrit hub or emu, to invoke or to sacrifice to) is either the one invoked or the one sacrificed to. From different Indo-Germanic roots (div, to shine or give light; thes in thessasthai to implore) come the Indo-Iranian deva, Sanskrit dyaus (gen. divas), Latin deus, Greek theos, Irish and Gaelic dia, all of which are generic names; also Greek Zeus (gen. Dios, Latin Jupiter (jovpater), Old Teutonic Tiu or Tiw (surviving in Tuesday), Latin Janus, Diana, and other proper names of pagan deities. The common name most widely used in Semitic occurs as el in Hebrew, ilu in Babylonian, ilah in Arabic, etc.; and though scholars are not agreed on the point, the root-meaning most probably is the strong or mighty one.(The New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia) The Etymological Fallacy[T]he term etymology . . . is derived from from the Greek etumos, true, and referred to a words primary, or true, meaning. But, if we were to apply such a concept to the majority of common English words today, this would result in considerable confusion; the word silly is first recorded in the sense pious, nice meant foolish, and buxom meant obedient.Dr. Johnson was attracted by the logic of such an approach when he embarked on his dictionary, referring to etymology as the natural and primitive signification  of a word. But experience led him to recognize the fallacy of this approach, as is apparent from the illustration he included in the entry for etymology: When words are restrained, by common usage, to a particular sense, to run up to etymology, and construe them by Dictionaries, is wretchedly ridiculous.(Simon Horobin,  How English Became English. Oxford University Press, 2016)Etymology and Spelling- Rote learning is better swallowed when mixed with l essons in etymology and the history of the language.Learning about etymology can help with learning other languages, too. Take a simple word like justice. You’ve probably known how to spell it for so long that you’ve forgotten that the ending (spelling the sound iss as ice) is counterintuitive to a lot of children. Explaining that the word is borrowed from French, however, might make it clearer. Sounded out in French, the sound at the end makes a bit more sense (by analogy to a place like Nice). A very brief explanation of this kind is a chance for a short history lesson (French was spoken at the medieval court in England) and a reminder that children already know a lot more French than they realise.Teaching spelling in this way may make learning it more interesting but also encourage creativity.(Josephine Livingstone, Spelling It Out: Is It Time English Speakers Loosened Up? The Guardian [UK], October 28, 2014)- There are hundreds of difficult words where an awareness of the etymology can help us predict whether they will contain a double consonant or not. Why irresistible, with two rs? Becomes it comes from ir resister  [in Latin]. Why occurrence with two cs? Because it is from oc (earlier ob) currere. And why is there no double c in recommend and necessary? Because there was no duplication in the Latin: re commendare, ne cedere. I find it hard to resist the conclusion that if children were introduced to some basic etymology, many of the famous spelling errors would be avoided.(David Crystal, Spell It Out. Picador, 2014) Pronunciation: ET-i-MOL-ah-gee

Youve Got a Job Interview and Youre Sick Now What

Youve Got a Job Interview and Youre Sick Now What Going to a job interview if you are sick with anything from a head cold to the bubonic plague is not the best move. Although you really want to go even if you are sick, it puts you at a disadvantage in that you won’t be at your best. In addition, horror of horrors, you might pass whatever you have to the recruiter. That won’t leave the best impression. There are things you can do, and a few tips might help. Reschedule the InterviewLogically, the best thing to do is to explain the situation, and reschedule the interview as soon as you know you can’t make it. Explain that you have a real interest in this job; however, you don’t think it would be in anyone’s interest to spread your germs. Ask for the interview to be rescheduled when you know you will be well. While you could contact the recruiter by email, a phone call is more personable and would give you the opportunity to ask for a new appointment without waiting for a response. According to one rec ruiter, it is appreciated when an individual with an appointment expresses concern because of illness and doesn’t want to spread his or her germs. Make the most use of your time by reviewing these 10 toughest interview questions and be extra prepared.Remember to Send a Thank YouGood manners always matter, and it can be a good idea to send an email or note thanking the recruiter and confirming the new appointment. In this way, you will be starting off on a positive note when your new appointment rolls around.When You Aren’t ContagiousSometimes, you may come down with a rash or have a runny nose that is really more of an inconvenience than an illness, and you know you can still do the interview. Should you reschedule? It can be a good idea to reschedule if you are sneezing, have a rash in a visible location or are wiping your nose frequently. While you know you aren’t contagious, it is a distraction and can prevent the recruiter from concentrating on your response s to questions.Go When You Are at Your BestSuppose you are getting over a cold or taking medication for an illness that makes your brain foggy. This is not the best time to go for a job interview since you want to be in prime condition to make a positive impression, and you may give less than complete answers to questions or appear less than alert. This is also one of those times you may want to beg off due to illness, and ask for a new appointment. You have one chance for a first interview and want to shine.Use the Extra Time to PrepareIf you aren’t feeling completely miserable, you can use the extra time until your new interview date to prepare. Practice in front of the mirror until you have your answers the way you want, and keep your responses short and to the point. We have put together a guide on the 10 toughest interview questions. Feel free to go through it and learn some of the best answers. In addition, keep your body language in mind. You want to appear relaxed and in control.What to Do if the Recruiter is BookedOccasionally, a recruiter cannot reschedule an interview because of time limits for hiring, because the schedule is full or for other reasons. In this case, ask if the recruiter could conduct the interview via Skype or another option. While it is not ideal, it is better than missing the interview entirely. Remember when being interviewed remotely that you still want to prepare in advance, and dress as you would for an in-person interview.Being at your best for an interview is important, and using a better way to conduct a job search can get you into interviews faster and offer more job opportunities than searching yourself. TheJobNetwork lets you fill out your qualifications and the jobs that interest you. Our job search site will do the work for you, letting you know when a position becomes available. Sign up for job match alert and get started looking for the perfect job.

Business Administration Capstone class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Administration Capstone class - Essay Example Factors influencing organizations or businesses can be broadly classified into two i.e. external and internal environmental factors. The internal environment of an organization defines the actual working mechanism of the organization. It encompasses factors such as the organizational culture, employees’ policy, and in a nut-shell the factors which are internal to the organization that is the strengths and weaknesses of an organization (Dess, Lumpkin & Eisner, 2010). This is in contrast to the external factors. The external factors constitute the opportunities and the threats that are present in the external environment for the organization. At all times an organization is faced by either Opportunities or threats, or both. These two factors not only present challenges to an organization, but also a long-term strategy that may assist an organization grow or prosper (SWOT Analysis, n.d.). For example, Technological changes, consumer culture and the state policies present both opportunities and threats to organizations. Generally, opportunities present for a firm may also present similar threats. This is because at any instance they influence both external and internal environmental reactions. This reaction is what actually dictates the definition of a threat or an opportunity to a business. For example, government policy may be a threat or opportunity depending whether it favors or threatens an organization’s objectives. The value chain analysis of the Stilsim company indicates that the company is surrounded by a number of threats and opportunities that are likely to affect the productivity and hence the future of the organization. StilSim Company has numerous opportunities to better its services, however, the number of threats facing the company far out way the current opportunities available for the company survive the harsh

Discrimination in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Discrimination in the Workplace - Essay Example Therefore being able to show the adverse impact plays a very vital role in discriminatory practice allegations. This adverse impact refers to the total employment process. Those result in a significantly higher percentage of a protected group in the population being rejected for employment, placement or promotion. Along with the above we also need to consider that unfair treatment does not necessarily equal illegal discrimination. If an individual is treated differently from the others than the EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity laws) are being violated. there can be a few specific kinds of discrimination taking place such as discrimination on the basis of cast color or creed , discrimination on the basis of age , sexual discrimination , disability discrimination etc It is quite obvious that if we have employees facing discrimination issues at work and we as management have been unable to recognize or rectify those we can expect the productivity to go down seriously. All of this affects the human mind which in turn affects the human behaviors and perception. Contributing further to the problem is the fact that most victims of discrimination do not sue or complain. Instead they quit or try to avoid situations wherein they would feel discriminated. The discriminators sometimes do not even realize that their behavior is offending others. So in this regard Workplace discrimination training and policies can reduce these problems. In order for us to be able to deal with discrimination effectively we need to follow the simple steps of: Initially becoming aware of the anti discrimination laws, also becoming aware of how you can identify such occurrences at your workplace and try a put an end to them. Secondly, paying very close attention to what exactly the environment is at your workplace then again it being vital that you are able to identify the discrimination occurring at your workplace. You as the management have to be very careful in assessing what is going on around you that are not too visible. In other words try reading between the lines. If you are deciding to give appraisals to a few employees in specific, make sure that all the employees get equal benefit out of your decision.

Bridgeton Industries Essay Example for Free

Bridgeton Industries Essay 1. Describe the competitive environment for Bridgeton as well as the cost accounting system currently in use. When foreign competition and scarce, expensive gasoline began to play an important role in the market, Bridgeton began to lose domestic market share. The ACF Bridgeton plant faced new challenges in their production that led them to serious cutbacks like the closing of the ACF plant for manufacture of fuel-efficient diesel engines. By 1987, they classified their products in terms of â€Å"world class† competitive position and potential. With four criteria (quality, customer service, technical capability and competitive cost position) they classified their products in Class I (remain), II (observe) and III (outsource). The classification allowed Bridgeton to take decisions on how to better manage their products performance compared to their competitors. The cost accounting system was product costing, a mixed between job costing and process costing. 2. Explain why manifolds moved from Class II to Class III after oil pans and muffler-exhaust systems had been outsourced from the ACF. Despite improvements in the production process manifolds were downgraded from Class II to III. The results were not sufficient, even though they increased the uptime from an average of 30% to 65% they were behind their Japanese competitors that reached a â€Å"world class† goal of 80% uptime. In addition, as seen in Exhibit 2, the direct material costs for manifolds (based on stainless steel) is extremely high as a percentage of sales (around 40%) compared to the other products manufactured at ACF and at a better Class level. However, there was a doubt on this move due to the possibility of new market requirements for lighter weight (more efficient manifolds). This represented a good opportunity for ACF because as they manufactured manifolds with stainless steel, demand could increase and therefore selling price too.

Character and Setting Analysis of Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Essay

Character and Setting Analysis of Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Setting and characters go hand in hand in The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky. With Each new setting there is at least one new character development. A new setting in each part of the story makes for diverse settings and characters. From a train leaving San Antonio to around the corner in a small town in Texas, a drunken gunslinger to negro waiters, this story has it all. This story begins on a train specifically in a parlor car. This is where Jack Potter and his new bride are first introduced though his name is not yet given and hers never is. Crane chooses to tell about Potter in part one of the story so as not to give too much information at once, we do suspect? however that he will develop into the protagonist. The train is coming from San Antonio, where Potter and his bride were just married, and going to Yellow Sky, Texas. Eventually the setting changes as the couple moves to the dining car. Two rows of ?negro waiters? stand ready to assist and so the Potter?s are seated and presumably fed. The waiters in the dining ...

Qualitative Research Methodology Essay

In this essay I am going to express my understanding of the key principles of qualitative research. In order to understand the nature of qualitative research, we must primarily look at the constructivist ontology and the interpretivist epistemology, which will allow us to develop an understanding of the context in which the qualitative methodology is conceptualised. Furthermore, I will look at the research design process and the inductive nature of this subjective, value laden procedure. I will then go on to look at the principles of qualitative research, with focus on the concepts of trustworthiness and authenticity from a qualitative perspective, which can help sociologists gain Verstehen with individuals. To conclude my essay, I will look at the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research, making reference to specific methods. Ontology and Epistemology Researchers using qualitative methods of inquiry believe that social phenomena are constructed through human interactions and not determined by governing laws. This is known as the constructivist ontology and aims to understand how a social phenomenon is created through interaction and intersubjective meaning. From their perspective, they believe that social actors create the social world through interactions as opposed to objectivists who believe that social structures determine individual actions and behaviour (Bryman, 2004, p. 3-25). This constructivist ontology needs to be investigated using an interpretivist epistemology, and by understanding this epistemology we can therefore appreciate the key principles of qualitative research. By using interpretivism and an inductive form of inquiry, sociologists aim to understand how individuals construct meaning. For interpretivists, subjectivity is incredibly important due to the subjective nature of individuals, and they try to gain Verstehen. They would see value neutrality as unnecessary because it is impossible to gain Verstehen without using qualitative methodologies (Berg, 2007, p. 19-52). The Inductive Research Process To conduct qualitative research, you would primarily need to select an area of research and research questions, and in this sense the type of question ou select will guide your research process. Qualitative research is inductive, so it does not require an initial hypothesis, unlike quantitative research. This is because behavioural and socio-cultural patterns emerge over time and in some cases are not noticed until after the research has been conducted. After selecting an area of interest, the researchers would need to decide on the research setting and establish what method/s they will use to conduct their research (Bryman, 2004, p. 265-290). There are many methods that can be used in qualitative research, which, according to Strauss and Corbin is used to describe â€Å"any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by means of statistical procedures or other means of quantification† (1990, p. 17). The researchers themselves play an important part in the research process as they bring their values to the research, which complements the interpretivist epistemology. Researchers have to be aware of the ethical guidelines set out by the British Sociological Association (BSA). Researchers have to take into consideration professional integrity, anonymity, privacy, confidentiality and informed consent (unless research is conducted covertly). Covert research has ethical implications if the research is not important and in the public’s interest. The researchers are in a sense a tool used to collect primary data, and the flexible nature of qualitative research means they are not bound by a rigid process and can adapt their research when needed. The final stage of qualitative research is writing up findings. Research results can be compiled to form a book, journal, article or report (Bryman, 2004, p. 61-82). The Principles of Qualitative Research Qualitative research looks at the micro sociological context. That is, qualitative researchers like to study people in their natural environments. This means that qualitative research is context specific. Qualitative research is concerned with the quality of the social research and aims to be explanatory by looking at the interaction between variables. You can get expert help with your essays right now. Find out more†¦ Qualitative researchers want to understand and explore social situations through generating descriptions from on-site observations and interviews. Qualitative researchers focus on understanding patterns and themes as stated by the author of Jones International University web site: The real world is complex; qualitative research focuses on the elements of that complexity: emotions, meanings, symbols, motivation, thought processes, feelings, patterns and themes. Qualitative research seeks to make sense of this world by finding meaning through the eyes of participants. (http://www. jonesinternational. edu/schools/courses/edu793. hp) Using qualitative methodology, researchers are able to give detailed accounts and descriptions of socio-cultural phenomena which do not need to be conveyed quantitatively. In contrast, quantitative, positivist, deterministic research generalizes findings to the whole population and aims to be conclusive by discovering governing laws (Bryman, 2004. p. 3-25). There are also many other methods qualitative researchers can employ, for example, focus groups, interviews and case studies. After the researcher has decided on the methods, they need to conduct their research. Qualitative researchers are not bound to one particular research method. They can use a variety of different methods if their research requires them to. This use of multi methodology is called triangulation (Berg, 2007, p. 19-52). Qualitative research design is circular. Qualitative researchers needto repeat and adapt their design to suit the flow of their research. After selecting their methods and collecting their data, researchers need to analyse their findings, which can be done in various ways. For example, the research findings would need interpreting; this can be done by linking data to a larger sociological context and generating concepts. Findings can also be analysed by detecting patterns and trends in the data. This can be done by using textual analysis, such as coding using computer software such as MaxQDA (Bryman, 2004, p. 398-416). There are different theoretical approaches involved in qualitative methodology, for example naturalism, ethnomethodology, emotionalism and postmodernist research. Each approach is used as a means of interpreting social phenomena by using a value laden perspective where a researcher applies his/her own values to a social context through an unscientific, flexible process and finally an in-depth, subjective methodology. These principles shape the methods used for qualitative research as they compliment both the constructivist ontology and the interpretivist epistemology. I am now going to discuss some of the different methods used by qualitative researchers that apply these principles. Qualitative Methods Qualitative data collection can be conducted through observations. Participant observation is one of the most common methods for qualitative data collection. Participant observation has strong authenticity but it does lack in repeatability as the research is difficult to reproduce in the same way. There are many different ways of conducting participant observation, and it typically requires the researcher to become a participant in the culture or context being observed. Participant observation is often longitudinal; the researcher needs to spend long periods of time with the focus group to be able to gain a â€Å"native’s point of view†. Participant observation can be conducted either overtly or covertly, depending on the nature of the research. Covert participant observation involves the researcher hiding their true identity and motives of their research from their subjects. This is effective in socially sensitive areas, such as deviant or criminal subcultures, where a researcher can gain Verstehen by using qualitative research methodologies (Hammersley and Atkinson, 1995, chap 8). An example of observational methods is ethnography. Ethnography focuses on the sociology of meaning through observation of socio-cultural phenomena; typically, the ethnographer focuses on a small group or community and uses largely participant observation. This research method was employed by the University of Chicago during the 1920’s and 1930’s. Robert Park, an important figure at the University of Chicago in the 1920s, encouraged students to go outside and collect primary information by using observational methods to study social phenomena: Go and sit in the lounges of the luxury hotels and on the doorsteps of the flophouses; sit on the Gold Coast settees and on the slum shakedown; sit in the Orchestra Hall and the Star and Garter Burlesque. In short, gentlemen, go get the seat of your pants dirty in real research (Park, cited in Prus, 1996, p. 103-140). Overt participant observation contrasts with covert, as the identity of the researcher and intentions of the research are known to the group being studied. Researchers using this method will often record their findings by making detailed field notes; this, however, can become difficult if the research requires them to take a covert stance, as their ‘cover’ may be jeopardized if they were recording their findings in front of the group. Qualitative research analysis is dependent on building interpretations of the research to gain authenticity and trustworthiness. This may be difficult because of the subjective nature of this method, but due to the ideographic nature of individuals and the interpretivist epistemology, this would not be an issue for qualitative researchers, who ultimately aim to gain Verstehen. Conclusion In conclusion, while this approach can be criticized by positivists for its subjective nature and lack of empirical methods, it does, however, offer a more in-depth perspective into individuals and their lives. Qualitative research is rigorous and highly subjective because the researcher’s investigation is overly influenced by the views of the researcher involved. Also, qualitative research does provide a way of extracting more complex, in-depth and comprehensive information from social contexts that would be difficult to retrieve using quantitative methods. However, this methodology has been criticised by positivists and the objectivist ontology because of the value laden perspective it takes. If the researcher does have any preconceived ideas of the findings, it may cause bias in the results and therefore affect the authenticity of their work. Also the researcher may misinterpret the social phenomena they are studying and therefore have difficulties establishing the real meaning of that particular social situation. Qualitative research can also be criticised because of its lack of representativeness of the larger population, as qualitative research typically deals with micro social issues that cannot be generalised to the wider population because they are context specific. However qualitative researchers would see this as an advantage because they require a deeper understanding in order to gain Verstehen. Another criticism would be that qualitative methods are also very expensive to conduct, mainly because of the amount of time it takes to interpret data and conduct observational studies. Despite these criticisms, qualitative research is a flexible, in-depth form of enquiry that is not dominated by statistics or rigid research methods. It is largely dominated by the constructivist ontology and the interpretivist epistemology which believe that the social world is built upon actions and interactions. Researchers adopt this qualitative approach to enable them to form Verstehen with their research topic or group.

Business, society and government Essay

Business, society and government are placed in different situations depending on what the conflict may be. According to the case â€Å"Dickinson’s needle sticks†, all three different sectors were placed in a different position where society was seen to have no voice or empowerment. The society in this case were the nurses, patients and any health care workers using Dickinson’s needles. These sectors solved their conflicts through interacting with each other and finalise a resolution through many negative and positive outcomes which could be ethical and unethical. But then again, each sector strive for the position of power. The major issue in the case â€Å"Becton Dickinson and needle sticks’ is the brand of syringes hospitals are using. These syringes had caused large amounts of patients, nurses and civilians infected with traumatic diseases such as Hepatitis B, C and HIV aids. Hospitals during the year 1990 was highlighted as one of the highest percentage of people be infected with diseases from syringes. In this case, Dickinson’s needle sticks were the reason to this health crisis. Dickinson’s needle sticks where known to be the top selling needle sticks in the market aiming at a reasonable price where hospitals were not reluctant to purchase. Through this major issue from the safety of Dickinson’s needle sticks had arise this issue through the relationship between business, society and government. Each sector has its own purpose, interests, values and ideologies within this case. From the society’s point of view, it could be seen that their minor role and power within the needle stick case dims the empowerment to execute the uses of Dickinson’s needles. Each sector stated and contributed their opinions to this conflicting interest where each sector fight for power through ethical and unethical ways to solve this problem. The notion of ideologies and policies come from the perspectives of business, society and government. The relationship between these sectors affect each other in ways to ‘impose power over each other’, where each position introduce the concept of ethical dilemmas when a conflict arises. In this case, according to the case â€Å"Becton Dickinson and needle sticks† shows the  perspective of society where the relationship with business and government underlies the position society has in this case. Although society is seen to be the minority, but the domination of certain ideologies in society promotes the acceptance of beliefs that benefit those in power (University of Western Sydney 2014, p.4) These societies were known to be the secondary stakeholders which include social activist groups and business social groups. The secondary stakeholders interact with businesses in relation to their interests and concerns. Within the case study, â€Å"Dickinson’s nee dle sticks† agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) trained and guided nurses through the step and process of using the Dickinson syringes. The society has decided to take part and help avoid increasing the number of accidental infection through the process of using syringes. Therefore having nurses being under pressure within the health department, could cause stress in association with the functionality of the Dickinson’s needle process. The ethical issues and the aftermath of the needle sticks will then be associated with the government. With these diseases, people, patients and health care workers could possibly suffer harshly and lead to possible death; this is known to be an ethical dilemma. Families whom by stand loved ones with diseases, could also suffer through grief. The society would question and reflect how this situation could have been avoided. For the government to take some responsibility and the Dickinson’s business admit to their ‘unsafe’ syringes causing diseases would be morally and ethically right. The moral imagination of these family members would solve a part of their mourning and put aside to the conflicting issue. In relation to ideology theories, classical liberalism would suit society in the case ‘Dickinson’s needle sticks’. According to Adam Smith, classical liberalism emphasised the value given to individual freedom and promoted individual initiative and self-interest, providing the greatest utility to society (University of Western Sydney 2014, p.11). Linking to the case with the classical liberalism theory, in 1992, a nurse, Maryann Rockwood was infected with AIDS due to the process of drawing blood using Dickinson’s needle. Maryann Rockwood had then sued Becton Dickinson for the ignorance of  providing and manufacturing the safety syringe in different sizes, which had contributed to her injury. Therefore with the classical liberalism ideology, this had allow individuals to have a voice in issues that are connected to business and government. By having Maryann Rockwood propose to this conflict, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had required hospitals and clinics free hepatitis B vaccines and provide safety needle disposal boxes, protective clothing, gloves and mask. The government had intervened and ethically solve this on behalf of the society. Therefore based on a societies point of view, their sociological imagination in relation to spreading preventable diseases allows the society to consider the complication is at ease and is avoided. Businesses volunteer and associate themselves with charity and fundraising; this is known to be an ethical responsibility. Government is suppose to protect the society in which health would be classified as the top priority. In the case â€Å"Dickinson’s needle sticks† contradict the action of the government not demanding hospitals and health workers to use the most safest syringe in the market where it would prevent any diseases. Inclusive to the business, Dickinson attempted to market a ‘safer’ syringe, but unfortunately this did not meet the government and society’s expectation. Dickinson had released a newly engineered syringe where there was only one size, which was the 3-cc. Hospitals and health workers use more than one size of syringe, in this case the most used syringe was the 5-cc and 10-cc model. Having Dickinson’s business venture this, it could again lead to another uprising conflict. The sociological imagination of society would continue to uphold petitions in erasing risk that would affect health. In this way, parts of the three sectors have compromised a slight resolution referring back to the case study, â€Å"Dickinson’s needle sticks†. From a business’ perspective, manufacturing a new and safer model of syringes to decrease the amount of conflict from the society and government. Changing and manufacturing a new and innovative product could cost the business a large sum of expenses. It can be said that business attempted to solve an issue yet it has not fully satisfied society in this matter. Government contributed through agencies such as the Health and Human Services, the Food  and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI). It can be evident that government endeavoured to adapt to the Dickinson’s needle sticks to prevent such diseases by providing proper guidelines. Through the actions of the business and government sector, it can be said that it was an ethical act to adapt to any current problems. The concept of capitalism refers to the importance in considering the rise of social struggles between those who can find work, who find work as long as their labour can increase capital and the owners of the means of production (University of Western Sydney 2014, p.5). On the contrary, having an increasing number of people infected with diseases, a high demand for employment within the health sector is needed. With the introduction of capitalism, this allowed individuals a chance of employment and benefits government to assist those in needing medical help. Colonialism has influenced the governments role in the case â€Å"Dickinson’s needle sticks†, where providing free vaccines and giving health care workers protection clothing will benefit the society in the long run where the risk of getting infected with a disease is minimal chance. Considering the diversity of global business situations, the interaction between business, society and government become more available in solving a conflicting issue of interest. With the freedom of voice, due to the introduction of capitalism from colonialism, society is allowed some sort of power when it comes to delivering satisfaction and benefits such as social welfare system. Therefore, the interrelationship between these sectors allow the conflict of interest to be resolved through continuous petitions, debates and many law cases. Based on societies perspective relating to the issue raised throughout the case, â€Å"Dickinson’s needle sticks†, it can be said that society was seen to be the minority against business and government. It could be seen that society was the underdog against business and government, but society was the main lead in this clashing case.The society in this case, were the nurses, patients and health care workers where they were affected most through this conflicting issue. It could be said that government had the most power by avoiding the increasing percentage of people being affected with inimical diseases. In association to this, business did have an unethical perspective based from the society, where they could have quickly avoid and adapt to the issues being afflicted upon society. Hence, it would have been a social responsible act if the government immediately extracted this type of syringe and replace a safer needle stick. __________________________________________________________________________ REFERENCES Crossman, A 1991, The Sociological Imagination, Introduction to Sociology, viewed 20 April 2014, . Fan, Q 2014, The Role of the State: Ideologies & Policies, lectures note distributed in Business, Society and Policy 200158 at the University of Western Sydney, Parramatta on 21 April 2014. Fan, Q 2014, B-S-G Context: Development of Capitalism from Colonialism to Global Capitalism, lecture note distributed in Business, Society and Policy 200158 at University of Western Sydney, Parramatta on 20 April 2014. Fan, Q 2014, Sociological Imagination & Ethical Reasoning, lecture not distributed in Business, Society and Policy 200158 at University of Western Sydney, Parramatta on 25 April 2014. Lau, S A 2014, Moral Imagination, College of Engineering, viewed 23 April 2014, . University of Western Sydney. 2009, Business, society and policy 200158, 2nd edn, Pearson Custom Publishing and the University of Western Sydney, French Forest, NSW.

What Dreams May Come Essays - What Dreams May Come, Free Essays

What Dreams May Come Essays - What Dreams May Come, Free Essays What Dreams May Come Many of us, people dont believe that there exists live after death. We think that this is not possible. People are just dying and they are living their bodies behind them, and leaving this world. Some of us believe in the reincarnation. We died, but we are born as a new human being. In the book What dreams may come there exist live after death- in heaven. The book tells about a men name Chris and his family. One day he was coming from the theater and three cars hit him, and he died. He woke up at the hospital. Before he died he heard the voices coming from a man. Those voices were saying to him to not fight . Then after a while he was dead. At first he didnt believe that this happened. When he saw his body lying on the hospital bed he knew that his journey in the world was finish. He didnt know what he was supposed to do. He was looking for his wife. He tried to find her and talk to her, but the only person that could see him or hear him was the person at the hospital that he couldnt recognize. He couldnt see exactly who the man was; he saw just his shadows. Chris was living his other live, live after death. He never knew that death is merely continuation at another level . After he died he realized that the life is not finish. The spirit lives just our bodies and it goes to heaven. Chris couldnt wait till his wife is going to join him. He believed that this would come soon, because he couldnt stop thinking about her. For everything in life theres a counterpart in afterlife Nothing can destroy the spirit. Chris was aware of that he went to the other side. He was patiently waiting for his wife. After some time he got the message from Albert that she is not going to join him, because he commit suicide. Suicide only participates a darker continuation of the some conditions from which escape was sought. A continuation under circumstances is so much more painful. He didnt want to believe that she is not coming there. The only way that they could be together was that he had to go to rescue her from that world. This was very hard to do, because many people tried to do it and they never came back. He got more luck, because he went there. The only problem that he had was that he couldnt find her. There was to many people that commit suicide. He was trying hard to find her and finally he did. He brought her memory back, because she didnt remember anything. Then they came back to the Summerland, and live happy ever after. There also exist the supernatural contact with spirits. In the book when Chris died his family was very sad. He went to his daughter room and he saw the letter that she was writing to her friend. She was telling about her parents and what they lived through. Chris tried to talk to her, without any respond. She couldnt hear anything, because she didnt knew that he was there. Chris didnt gave up and he was telling to her write Im still alive , he was repeating this all over and he made her write this note. She was very suprised when she saw this. At first she didnt knew what she suppose to do with this note, but then, she went to her mom trying to tell her that her father made her to write this note. When she enter the room, she saw her mother crying and she decided to not show her nothing. Then she decided that much happened and now was not good time to show it to her. She went back to her room, never telling her mother about that accident. After a little while Chris went to heaven. When he got there he was very suprised what he saw. Heaven was very nice place. He saw the same person that he saw at the hospital, but now he could see his face and the body correctly.

Burger King Business Communication Case Study

Burger King Business Communication Case Study Burger King is a fast food Corporation. It is the second largest fast-food chain in the United States, trailing only McDonalds. The company franchises more than 10,400 restaurants and owns about 1,000 for a chain wide total exceeding 11,455, with locations in all 50 states and 56 countries. The company serves 15.7 million customers each day and over 2.4 billion Burger King Hamburgers are sold each year across the globe. Miami entrepreneurs James McLamore and David Edgerton founded Burger King Corporation in 1954. REASONING The reason as to why I have chosen to write a report on Burger King is to illustrate its communication strategies and its communication effectiveness. Business Demographics Demographics are attributes used for marketing purposes. Burger King uses the means of networking, media and the internet to communicate between different locations. The organisation uses its demographical strategies to meets it consumer interests and also for profitability to the company. Burg er King’s demographic strategy is well planned and well laid out, making it easy to market the organisation to its customers who are from different age groups and from different cultural backgrounds. Organisational Goals Burger King’s main aims and objectives are to serve its customers with the bests meals and services a fast food company could possibly provide. To achieve this, the organisation has a zero compromise policy for the communication of its aims and objectives. The aims and objectives are highly important to the organisation, for it is the only way the organisation maintains its integrity amongst it competitors and its customers. Burger King’s aims and objectives are well set and structured, making it relatively easy to communicate them within the organisation and also to its customers. The organisation’s main source to communicate its aims and objectives are through the media, banners, coupons, handouts and also through the internet. ORGANISA TIONAL CULTURE AND ETHICS Burger King is an organisation that serves customers from various backgrounds and cultures. This makes it extremely important to manage communication in the most delicate manner as possible. The organisation has to keep in mind that not all customers consume all the menus the company offers. For example: customers who are from an Indian background won’t eat beef, customers who are from a Muslim background won’t eat pork. Its vital information like these that the organisation has to keep track of in order to meet the needs of people who are from different backgrounds and cultures. Management of Knowledge Resource Management of knowledge resources is critical for any organisation. It helps in ensuring that vital knowledge is passed on within the organisation so that the organisation can maintain its ever long trend of providing the quality of work or service as it has been providing in the past. Burger King is one such Organisation that takes pr ide in its quality of service that it has been known of providing. Achieving this however took a lot of work and experience for the organisation. To ensure that knowledge and experience is passed on within the organisation, the Burger King Management team relies heavily on their old staffs who possess the skills and experience needed for the organisation to maintain its quality of work. The old staff members train and groom the new recruits so that they can cope with the organisations requirement standards and deliver quality services to its customers. The Management team of Burger King also holds staff meetings and orientations to ensure that vital knowledge and experience is equally shared amongst each and every member of the team. The also shuffle the teams together so that there is an equal balance of knowledge and experience within the teams.

Social Networking and SME's Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Social Networking and SME's - Literature review Example For a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), that could mean their entire business. That buying process usually starts with the consumer searching for a product or a service either through any of the existing search engines or by asking for recommendations from friends. Once there is a shortlist, the consumer will make a more detailed investigation by checking the company website, looking for reviews, and, more importantly, asking friends about the products or services (Filoux, 2010). In every step of this process, social networking is front and centre regardless if the product or service is retail or Business-to-Business (B2B). Contrary to popular belief, social networking is not synonymous to sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Social networking involves all channels, venues, platforms, applications, and websites that allow consumers or users to directly interact with other users either actively or passively. Social networking is a relatively new but powerful economy. In the UK a lone, the International Telecommunications Union or UTI (2010) estimates that there is a total of 51,442,100 internet users as of June2010, 10 million more than the estimate of the Office for National Statistics Office. That accounts for 82.5 per cent of the population. Of this, Nielsen (2008) states that 97 per cent has shopped online. The Office for National Statistics Office (2011) estimates that there are 66 per cent of all users bought products and paid for services online. Comscore (2011) also states that UK internet users are the most involved as they spend the most time online and 73 per cent rely on social media for everything they do including shopping according to InSites Consulting, a research firm, in their 2011 study. The message is clear. Consumers are online and highly reliant on social media. It presents itself as a tool and a venue for small businesses to establish and expand their business. However, it is natural for a glamourized medium as social media to be pict ured as the be-all and end-all of sales and marketing. This paper will examine how exactly SMEs can utilize social networking to grow their business. It’s a Stimulant Not a Purchase Fulfilment Row Perfect is a cardio exercise machine that simulates rowing. They used to do trade shows and retail selling. They are now selling purely online and are more successful doing so. The strategy is simple, they use tweetdeck to scan for mentions of products and brands similar to theirs. They directly tweet the people looking to check out a similar product. That was it. They simply used social media to make other people aware of their product. No special offers, no discounts are offered. They are able to swing customer that are going to buy the product of their competitors and they do these several times a week. The fundamental thing to remember is that they have a superior product and that all they needed was to connect their product to a customer, a first move, a pick-up line and that i s what social media provided them. Heather Bestel is another case in point. Bestel is the creator of Magical Meditations 4 Kids, a children’s book that helps children relax and sleep easier. Aside from the UK, she has also marketed her product to the U.S. and Canada. Sales have been steady but not enough for her to make a living off her product (Wakeman, 2011). She decided to embrace social media and she landed a publishing deal that launched her CDs in UK and Europe in 2010 and eventually in other markets like US & Canada and Australia/New Zealand. She is also being offered to license her brand to develop items like toys and apparel. Her strategy was simple. She knew she had a great product and she simply needed the market to notice it so she connected with people that have high influence in the same industry she is in.