Friday, November 29, 2019

Evaluation of types of business communications with examples from Bernard Matthews, Vodaphone and Primark Essay Example

Evaluation of types of business communications with examples from Bernard Matthews, Vodaphone and Primark Paper A good business needs to be able to communicate with all different departments of their organisation to be successful. This is because communication is vital when making business decisions, especially if you have more than one outlet as you would need to be able to clearly understand where the business is doing well and what needs to improved. Bernard Mathews is one business which does communicate effectively, and benefited from doing this to become the UKs largest turkey producer. To communicate effectively with external stakeholders they aimed to to improve perceptions of the company and brand and to increase public awareness of turkey as a tasty, versatile and healthy meat. Bernard Mathews must be clear and presence in the way the send and receive messages to all stakeholders of the business. To do this, they need to make sure that they understand who their target audience is for each piece of information that needs to be communicated, so that they can tailor it to be as effective as it could be. To do this, they first decided to concentrate on their core strengths and expertise, which is British Turkey farming and providing great tasting Turkey. They also sold all other parts of the business which did not concentrate on this core part of the business. This was done to give out a clear message about their business. This is a great way to communicate with retailers and customers, as they will know exactly where to go if they want Turkeys. They also wanted to change the perception of turkey as being mainly processed food, and to change buying patterns of customers to make Turkey their main source of protein. We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluation of types of business communications with examples from Bernard Matthews, Vodaphone and Primark specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluation of types of business communications with examples from Bernard Matthews, Vodaphone and Primark specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluation of types of business communications with examples from Bernard Matthews, Vodaphone and Primark specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer To do this, they needed to promote Turkey as being a tasty and healthy option. They advertise in the press along with advertising on TV to get their message about their business across. In previous Bernard Mathews would advertise around Christmas time mainly as this is when most people buy Turkeys. However last year in 2011, they put their focus more on the healthy benefits from turkeys, and focused about the fact that their Turkeys are 100% British. Deciding to do this is very beneficial for the business as it is very clear what they are about, and knowing this means that people are more likely to go to Bernard Mathews to business with them. This is a great way of communicating with existing customer and also potential customers. People who do not understand that turkey is a great healthy alternative to other meats such as chicken would benefit from this clear message sent by Bernard Mathews, and is likely to result in Bernard Mathews receiving more revenue and more profits. In recent years Bernard Mathews has received some bad press which resulted in quite a substantial drop in their sales. This could have been down to bad communication between the media and this business, as certain information might have been misinterpreted by them, which is why they are now making their core aims and strategies a lot more focused, so that people understand exactly what they are about. They now hold regular meetings with journalists to make sure that their aim is clear and tell them about how much they are aware about animal rights and their belief in having only the best healthy turkeys on sale. They also created an advertising campaign called Change your meat. Not your menu in which they tried to communicate with customers through the use of celebrity chef Marco-Pierre White and Olympian Rebecca Romero. The aim of this advertising campaign was to communicate with people who are familiar with these celebrities and try to change their views into positive beliefs about Turkey. Bernard Mathews also need to communicate with their internal stakeholders which they are also very successful with. These internal stakeholders include managers, employees and shareholders. After the business received the bad press, it is very likely that it affected employees massively. This is because reputation is one of the main factors which decide the success of a business, and if the businesses reputation goes down, like it did due to the bad press, then the company could be at risk of making losses and eventually going bankrupt. This would decrease motivation a lot within the business as it would have done in Bernard Mathews. To combat this, Bernard Mathews explains to all if their employees that there is no cause for concern through explaining the strategies that they would be putting in place to turnaround their reputation. One of the main ways in which they do this is through their weekly newsletter for their employees which explains all achievements and developments that are being made within the business, which a very effective way of communicating with their employees as it allows for employees to read to read the information at their own pace and understand it better. However there could be problems if the language used is not easy to understand which would result in employees being confused about how well they company is doing. But they do have the opportunity to ask managers about how well the business is doing or what the leaflet is trying to say, so it is still an effective way of communication with their staff. They also hold regular meetings with their shareholders and owners so that everybody knows exactly how well they are doing in terms of revenue and profits. This is also an effective way of communicating as it is likely that actual reports are shown to owners as well as them being given verbal dialogue at the same time. Thy can also ask any questions they may have there and then which makes it very effective as there is no reason for any of them to not understand anything. All these strategies and techniques are great way for this business to communicate with both internal and external stakeholders. The way in which they communicate with these stakeholders is very clear and precise making sure that all people understand everything about the business accurately. There are no risk about any misinterpretations due to the clarity and effectiveness of the ways in which they communicate with these stakeholders. Another Company which has excelled in the way they communicate with their stakeholders is Vodafone. Vodafone is a huge multinational company who specialise in telecommunications. Vodafone currently has over 15million customers across 27 countries which means that there are a lot of stakeholders in the company who need effective ways of communicating with the business. The two main ways of communication are verbal and non-verbal. For communication to be successful it must be sent to people who receive that communication and understand it. Communication will not be successful if the recipient is unable to understand due to the information not being clear. Vodafone takes certain steps to make sure that their communication is clear so that they are successful in getting their message across. To help achieve this, they have come up with a set of 10 business principles. One of these principles directly relates to communication, which says: We will communicate openly and transparently with all of our stakeholders within the bounds of commercial confidentiality. The fact that one of their ten business principles is all about communication tells us how much Vodafone consider communication an important aspect of business. As Vodafone has over 15million customers, they need to make sure that they can communicate effectively with them and try to solve any iss ues that their customers may have, as not doing so could result in them losing their customers. Vodafone currently has over 200 stores in the UK alone in which there are trained customers service employees available for customers to go in store and deal with any issues or ask any questions about the company, services or products that they are selling. They also have a large number of employees in call centers available for customers to call in ad communicate with staff, which has all the benefits that the inn store customer services provide. As this is a verbal way of customers communicating with Vodafone, it is likely to be very effective. This is because customers will be able to find out exactly what they want from Vodafone employees, and anything that they dont understand can be explained. It is a lot more likely that they will get what they need if they are commutating face to face as it is very likely that all queries they may have will be effectively dealt with. If could only get information such as this through writing, such as asking questions through e-mail then it would be a lot more likely that they will not understand the information as sometimes complex language can be hard to read and process. Vodafone are also constantly advertising through various types of media such as TV, newspapers, radio and on the internet which are all non-verbal types of communication. All the ways in which they advertise their promotions are checked to make sure that they are clear and understandable to make sure that their efforts are effective in communicating with their stakeholder, which shows that they do follow their business principles. The fact that they advertise through various forms of media shows that they try to reach a wide audience when trying to communicate with their external stakeholders. If Vodafone only advertised through the internet, the those people who are not confident with computer use or those people who do not use the internet frequently wouldnt be reached with their advertisements, which would be a fail I communication. It is likely that their huge customer base of over 15million people in the UK will frequently use at least one of the types of media that Vodafone advertise In, which makes their communication successful. They also have other stakeholders who must be effectively and successfully communicated with to ensure the success of Vodafone. The best form of communication is a two way process, in that people can voice their opinions, which will be replied to by the other parties, and so on. Vodafone maintains a constant form of communication with all their main stakeholders so that they can other communicate quickly and effectively. This could be through emails, through phone or in meetings. This is god for Vodafone as it means that they have the opportunity to communicate with their stakeholders whenever they need to, and whenever stakeholders have problem, they also have the chance to communicate with Vodafone which is likely to make the business more successful. Vodafone also effectively communicate with their internal stakeholders, the main one being their employees. The main way in which they communicate with their employees is through their hierarchy. Junior staff report to line managers, who report to managers, who report to directors, who may report to the owners. However this depends on the type and content of the information. The more important the information, the higher up the hierarchy it is likely to go. It also works the other way round, in which owners would send down information through their directors, and so on. This type of communication can be effective as it allows all employees to communicate with their higher authorities, and allows owners to communicate with all their employees easily. However sometime this information could get distorted down the line, and the best way to communicate with employees at the bottom of the hierarchy would probably be through direct communication, which would eliminate the possibly of infomration beocme unclear and also allows for those employees to ask further questions to uderstadn the infomration more clear, and as mentioned above, for communication to be succsessful, the recipient must understad it. All these types of communication allow the Vodafone group to successfully communicate with their stakeholders and comply with one of their main business principles. One business which has been badly portrayed in the media in recent years in Primark, the likely cause of which is bad communication. Primark is a clothes retail group which has over 230 stores across the UK, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Germany. The BBCs Panorama recently exposed Primarks involvement in child labour. They exposed the fact that Primark clothes were being made for very cheap labour in less economically developed countries, They proves this though video recordings of children and women being paid a very small amount for a long hard days work. This obviously had a very negative effect on their reputation and profit figures. The bad communication came after this exposure. Primark claimed that they did not know about any child or slave labour occurring in the manufacturing of their goods which is very unlikely. They basically lied to the public and to their customers, trying to put the blame on external manufactures. This was a very big issue for many people, especially for Primark customers. Not only were they being sold products made by children, but Primark was very unclear I their statements in response to the claims made by Panorama, and were also denying those claims. This was a very bad way of communication from Primark. If they had nothing to hide, they would have done a full investigation and proves to their customers and to the world that they are not involved in such operations. Instead, they basically brushed it under the carpet. This resulted in many people boycotting Primark as their morals went against the way in which Primark operate in, which obviously had a negative effect on their revenue and profit figures. Primark did claim that they will investigate the situation and penalize any manufacturer taking part I such activities, but there was no evidence shown to customers that this actually happened, as they were being very dismissive about the situation. This way of communicating with customers, the public and the media is not very effective at all, and can be more damaging than saying anything at all. If people are unclear as to what Primarks response was to the allegations, then they are not communicating with their customers effectively. Instead, they are making things worse for themselves, as not producing effective information about the whole matter is likely to raise suspicions, which it did. Instead of communicating the way they did, they should have carried out a full investigation as to what was going on in their manufacturing sector, and clearly reported their findings, along with their solutions to the public and to their customers, to try and gain customers back. Another way in which this business fails in communication is through their website. Most clothes outlets now have an online store, or at least show through images what they are selling in stores. Primark fails to do both of these, so it is unclear what types of clothes Primark actually sells, especially to those who have ever been into one of their stores. The more effective approach would be to sell clothes online, or at least shows images of their rages so people can clearly understand what Primark sells.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Racial Profiling essays

Racial Profiling essays In 2000, the University of Southern California School of Planning and Development conducted a study for the Sacramento Police Department to determine whether vehicle stops made by officers over represented minority drivers which was a result of racial profiling and where and in what conditions this over representation was most likely to take place. The work was also meant to show if minority drivers are often more subject to intrusive procedures associated with these stops. Racial profiling is generally understood to mean law enforcement activities that are inappropriately initiated on the basis of race most associated with vehicle stops by police officers. The practice of racial profiling became controversial as the public came to believe that race was being used as the sole criterion to which drivers were being stopped and resulted in numerous stops and searches of innocent people. Findings from this study demonstrate an observed over representation of minority drivers among those stopped do not necessarily reflect racial profiling or racially biased policing stemming from department policy or an individual officers motivation. The observed over representation of this kind might reflect greater likelihood among members of a particular race of committing violent or property crime. The stopping of individuals of this race may be said to result from information (leading) the police to a particular individual even if the individual or individuals may or may not be the ones sought. This does not justify a practice by police officers of stopping people of a given race just because others of that race commit crimes. The Sacramento Communit y on the contract specifies race be only one factor that leads police officers to a given individual. During the studys first year, the USC Team carried out an intensive procedure to confirm accuracy of data reported by officers making vehicle stops. Team members conduc ...

Friday, November 22, 2019

An Analysis of Betty Neuman

An Analysis of Betty Neuman’s Systems Model Alanda James University of South Alabama An Analysis of Betty Neuman’s Systems Model INTRO PARAGRAPH. Neuman’s conceptualization of person, health, environment, and nursing provides the framework for the Neuman’s systems model. According to Neuman’s theory, the person can refer to an individual, family, or group. Clients are viewed through a holistic approach that studies the complete person and physical, psychological, and environmental factors that affect the person. Neuman views clients as dynamically organized systems, which have a core composed of basic survival needs shared among all humans (Ross amp; Bourbonnais, 1985). Client interaction is essential to defining the person and factors associated with treatment. Health is viewed as a continuum that constantly changes and develops over time. Neuman emphasizes wellness and states that â€Å"optimal wellness or stability indicates that total system needs are being met. † Neuman continues, â€Å"A reduced state of wellness is the result of unmet systemic needs† (Alligood amp; Tomey, 2010, p. 14,316). Stability and wellness are manifested through healthy living and indulging in activities that are meaningful to the person. Illness will occur when wellness has not been reached, but wellness can be restored once the person engages in meaningful and healthy activity. Alligood amp; Tomey (2010, p. 316) defines environment as â€Å"all the internal and external factors that surround and influence the client system. † Neuman believes stress factors are important to the concept of environment. Stress factors can alter the stability of the client which compromises wellness.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

A written analysis of an ethical dilemma in health care ethics Essay - 1

A written analysis of an ethical dilemma in health care ethics - Essay Example Other organisations have chosen to implement a set of guidelines—used to help individual employees make a choice when faced with an ethical dilemma. The health care industry is one such organisation that tries to balance individual thought and critical thinking decision-making skills with ethical guidelines set forth via laws, regulations, and company policies. Every person, regardless of his or her chosen career or lifestyle, will eventually be forced to make a decision in an ethical dilemma. This dilemma may be as simple as whether or not to tell a friend that he or she may be getting laid off from work or as difficult as deciding whether or not a person has the sense and capability of making a decision on his or her own regarding healthcare and treatment. Doctors often face scenarios such as these often. Generally, doctors can turn to laws and legal documentation regarding how to proceed with a course of action. For example, if a woman were to go to a hospital with an extreme case of preeclampsia: do the doctors work to save her life and the life of her child, or do they respect the patient’s wishes to be left alone. In this particular scenario, several people are involved in the decision-making process; and several others hold stakes in the results of the decision once made. First, the mother has already been informed that without a caesarean, she will die. Additionally, without allowing the doctors to perform the caesarean, the mother has been informed that her baby will also die. The third group of stakeholders in this scenario is the doctors treating Mrs. M. The Doctors face the difficult decision of forcing Mrs. M to endure a terrifying and difficult procedure, or allowing Mrs. M to make a choice that may kill both herself and her baby. Preeclampsia, sometimes called toxaemia, affects nearly five percent of all pregnancies throughout the world (Cleveland Clinic 2007); this disorder is â€Å"one of the leading causes of premature

Monday, November 18, 2019

Social contract theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social contract theory - Essay Example Therefore in a political sense, the State is the representation of the means by which a group of individuals relate to each other out of the common will to live with other human beings in the community. Hegel views the State as the agent of true freedom for the individual. The basis of self consciousness in an individual, according to Hegel, lies not in his active thinking actions but in the active desires existing within the individual which are in negation. Hegel views self consciousness as desire and he believes that self consciousness can exist only through sublation in a referent other. The certainty of self and individual existence may be obtained through the gratification of the individual’s desires, however these are conditioned by the other; certainty exists only through the cancellation of the other, therefore if a cancellation of the desire is to be effected, there must be the other. (Hegel, 1967). Therefore Hegel does not view the individual a splaying a significant role in politics, except as a part of an institution, i.e, the State. The State is the form of inward self-expression of the people in an objective form. The validation of the individual would exist only in the form of recognition attained from others. For example, where individual ownership of property is concerned, such a property would belong to the person only to the extent that it is recognized by others, i.e, by the State. Being thus recognized by others symbolizes the individual’s struggle for recognition. The State in effect represents the subjective will of a collective group of people. Applying Hegel’s views, an individual’s nature is governed by desire and his self consciousness expresses itself in the form of the gratification of desires. However, according to Hegel, such gratification of desires can occur only in the context of some referent other, i.e, individual recognition is dependent upon recognition by others. In

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper Essay Example for Free

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper Essay Obese people have an overall morality rate almost twice that of non obese people. They are more than three times as likely to develop diabetes. Obesity is associated with unhealthy cholesterol levels and impaired heart function. It is estimated that if all Americans had a healthy body composition, the incidence of coronary heart disease would drop by 25%. Other health risks associated with obesity include hypertension, many kinds of cancer, impaired immune function, gallbladder and kidney diseases, and bone and joint disorders. These risk from obesity increase with its severity, and they are much more likely to occur in people who are more than twice their desirable body weight. Body Fat The distribution of body fat is also an important indicator of future health. People who tend to gain weight in the abdominal area have risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke twice as high as those who tend to gain weight hip area. The reason for this increase risk is not entirely clear, but it appears that fat in the abdomen is more easily mobilized and sent into the bloodstream, increasing disease related blood fat levels. In addition to risking physical health, obesity can impair psychological health. Being perceived as fat can be the source of ridicule, ostracism, and sometimes discrimination from others; it can contribute to psychological problems such as depression and low self esteem. For some, the stigma associated with obesity can give rise to a negative body image, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. What Influence Behavior Obesity is an result of intricate interactions of biology, behavior, and environment. Recent hypothesis in the scientific community suggest the current obesity epidemic is being driven largely by environmental factors (high energy/ high fat foods, fast foods consumption, television watching, â€Å"super sized† portions) rather than biological ones. Individuals are bombarded with images and offers of high fat, high calorie, high palatable, convenient, and inexpensive foods. Today’s stressful lifestyles compound the effects of environmental factors by impairing weight loss efforts and by promoting fat storage. Health Problems Associated with Anorexia Nervosa, and Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge eating disorder. When it comes to Anorexia Nervosa, and the cycle of self starvation. The body is denied the essential nutrients it needs to function normally. It can cause an abnormally slow heart rate, and low blood pressure. When it comes to Bulimia Nervosa, and the recurrent binge and purge cycles of bulimia can affect the entire digestive system ad can lead to electrolyte and chemical imbalances in the body that affect the heart and other major organ functions. Electrolytes imbalances that can lead to irregular heartbeats and possibly heart failure and death. When it comes to Binge eating disorder often result in the same health risk associated with clinical obesity. High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, secondary diabetes, gallbladder disease, and heart disease as a result of elevated triglyceride levels. Conclusion When it comes to eating disorders sometimes your regular medical doctor is not the best one for treating these disorders. You may need to seek the help of a psychologist, because there are usually some mental issues involved in eating disorders. References: Eating Disorders Health Consequences, By John M. Grohol, Psy.D, Jun.1, (2010), Retrieved from, www.psychcentral.com Health Risk of Excess Body Fat, n.a., n.d., Retrieved from, www.teach.valosta.edu Environmental and Life Influences on Obesity, By P.J. Brantley, V.H. Myers, H.J. Roy, Jan., (2005), Retrieved from, www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Communication in Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club :: Joy Luck Club Essays

Communication in The Joy Luck Club Sadly, the characters revealed in The Joy Luck Club have personal histories so complicated by cultural and emotional misunderstandings that their lives are spent in failed attempts to cross the chasms created by these circumstances. Lindo Jong provides the reader with a summary of her difficulty in passing along the Chinese culture to her daughter: â€Å"I wanted my children to have the best combination: American circumstances and Chinese character. How could I know these two things do not mix? I taught her how American circumstances work. If you are born poor here, it's no lasting shame . . . You do not have to sit like a Buddha under a tree letting pigeons drop their dirty business on your head . . . In America, nobody says you have to keep the circumstances somebody else gives you. . . . but I couldn't teach her about Chinese character . . . How to know your own worth and polish it, never flashing it around like a cheap ring. Why Chinese thinking is best†(Tan 289). Each of the Chinese mothers attempted to guide her daughters, yet they were ill equipped to translate their life experiences in China to the alien environment they found in America. It was their lives, not their language, that they were unable to translate. Like her friend Lindo, An Mei Hsu was raised the Chinese way, as she describes: " . . . taught to desire nothing, to swallow other people's misery, to eat my own bitterness. And even though I taught my daughter the opposite, still she came out the same way! Maybe it is because she was born to me and she was born a girl. And I was born to my mother and I was born a girl. All of us are like stairs, one step after another, going up and down, but all going the same way"(Tan 289). As the story unfolds, both mothers and daughters are forced to face "truths" that their own private histories had previously blinded them to. Yet, as readers, we must ask "what is truth?" When a person lives their life according to that which they believe to be true, does their belief not become the truth itself, with the conventional "truth" then becoming a lie? As the characters begin to face their past demons, in order to resolve their personal conflicts (both internal and external), the reader begins to hope that their might be resolution.

Monday, November 11, 2019

A certain idea Essay

The â€Å"ports† are referring to new places that an individual should visit and see for the first time. Mother of pearl and the other precious stones and items are imageries of the important joyful moments in life and achievements; whether they are large moments like achieving a goal or just a small moment where something happens along your way to accomplishing your goals, they are all equally important and precious. The author states in the poem that Individuals should not let anything get in the way of achieving their goals and should never give up. â€Å"The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops, angry Poseidon† are allusions to three types of beings who are powerful and seeked to delay or destroy Odysseus on his return journey from Troy to Ithaca. . If an individual wanted to swim the channel but could not swim that would be their Cyclops or if a person wanted to be a singer but had a lisp that would be their angry Poseidon. Throughout Odysseus’ journey he encountered many challenges but he was determined to return to Ithaca and to his wife so he managed to overcome the challenges due to the fact that he was aware of what he wanted and did not let anything get in his way. This lesson transcends into everyday life as well, therefore the author is expressing that if an individual is aware of their goals in life they should be determined to achieve them. They should, like Odysseus, not let challenges and problems in life interfere with their ultimate aim to achieve their goals. An individual should not just give up as soon as a difficulty arises, â€Å"Do not fear them†, otherwise the individual will never get anywhere in life and later on will most likely feel some form of regret towards not attempting to get past the problem that arouse. The author clearly explains that if an attempt is made to overcome the problem, then it should not interfere with the goals due to the fact that this will lead to the individual ceasing to see them as a problem and see them more as another goal to complete, throughout the journey of life. â€Å"you will not meet them unless you carry them in your soul, unless your soul raise them up before you†, shows that as long as a person is thinking positively and is determined that anything can be achieved.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Community Teaching Essay

Health promotion is very important in today’s society. There are many things people can do in order to maintain good health, yet most are uninformed about this. Obesity is one of the leading health concerns in America and must be dealt with immediately. It is because of this that a student has decided to teach a fifth grade class with twenty three students about what obesity is, what problems it causes, and how it can be avoided. The teacher uses visual aids, games, trivia, and much more in order to get the students more interested in what they are going to learn. The teacher informs the students about how important it is to make healthy eating choices by using the food pyramid as a guideline. Students are also informed that exercise is key to living a healthy lifestyle. The teacher begins the class by playing a quick game. The teacher then asks the students to each take out a piece of paper and write down as many fruits and vegetables as they can. The students are told that the person who has thought of the most fruits and vegetables will win a prize. When finished with the game, the teacher will then introduce the topic of obesity to the children and the importance of preventing it by eating healthy foods. Students are told that â€Å"obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity is more than just about looks. It increases your risk of diseases and health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure† (J.Crawford,2014). The teacher then tells the students that in the past ten years, obesity in children in the U.S has gone from 7-18 percent (CDC,2012). The main portion of this lesson revolves around the food pyramid. The food pyramid consists of 6 essential healthy food groups: Grains/rice, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat/fish/poultry, fats/oils/sweets. The food pyramid acts as a guideline by showing students the necessary servings of each food group in order to stay healthy. It is essential for students to understand the food pyramid because it is a roadmap to healthy living. The students were not only taught about healthy eating, but also other ways to ensure that they maintain their health. One thing they were taught is the importance of being active daily. Students can do things such as playing sports, running, or bike riding in order to stay healthy and have fun doing it. It was said that rather than avoiding all types of junk food, it is better to simply eat it in moderation. The end of the lesson consisted  of trivia questions that the children answer in order to win a prize. By teaching the students this information, the teacher can ensure that they will live a better life. The epidemiological rationale for this topic is very serious. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years (CDC,2014). The percentage of children age 6-11 years in the U.S. who were obese increase from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Rate of obese adolescents ages 12-19 years increase from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period (CDC,2014). Obese adolescents are more likely to have pre-diabetes. Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for coronary heart disease, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, social and psychological problems such as poor self esteem. â€Å"Reducing childhood obesity is a public health priority that has substantial health and economic benefits†(Maurer, Frances, C. Smith, 2013.) The teacher claims that the overall teaching experience was quite enjoyable. It is extremely beneficial to be able to teach young children about topics that they are not well informed about. By teaching children about such serious health hazards at a young age, it is more likely that they will strive to take the necessary measures in order to avoid these hazards. The teaching experience allowed the teacher to see how much children knew about health promotion as well as what they wanted to know. The teacher learned how to make different topics easily understandable for children and as well as making the entire learning process fun and enjoyable. This experience helped the teacher realize that even by teaching a small group of children from one school, it is possible to make a difference in the health and wellbeing of America’s children. The community responded rather positively to the teaching. The students were excited to learn about new health promotion tips through a series of games and activities. The children were shocked to see how serious obesity really is as well as how many children it has affected throughout the country. Before this lesson, the children believed that eating healthy meant cutting out all types of sweets and sugary drinks completely. The children were elated to hear that they can be healthier while still enjoying some of their favorite desserts. Kids  react positively to games and rewards because it makes learning more fun. By getting the kids’ attention, the teacher ensures that they are listening and paying close attention to everything that the teacher has to say. After learning about obesity and the many negative affects that come from it, the children promised to change their eating habits as well as be more active in order to make sure that they stay fit throughout their lives. The children agreed to eat more fruits and vegetables and to play outside much more. The children have promised to limit the amount of time they watch television and play on the computer and replace it with riding their bikes or going to the park. This teaching process has taught the teacher about not only her strengths, but her weakness’ as well. The teacher is easily able to relay information in simple terms so that the children can understand as well do things such as creating games and trivia in order to make the lesson more exciting. Some weakness’s or improvements that the teacher can make includes being able to connect with the students on a closer level in order to truly help them understand the topic as well as finding new and creative ways to reward the kids when they answer questions correctly. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to take a short survey regarding how well the teacher taught the lesson as well as how much the kids enjoyed it. Though the teacher received high scores from each child, she knows that there is still room for improvement and is determined to make these changes for the next teaching session that may occur.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Radiation in Space and Astronomy - Definition

Radiation in Space and Astronomy - Definition Astronomy is the study of objects in the universe that radiate (or reflect) energy from across the electromagnetic spectrum. Astronomers study radiation from all objects in the universe. Lets take an in-depth look at the forms of radiation out there. Artwork of a planet orbiting a pulsar. Pulsars are very rapidly spinning neutron stars are the dead cores of massive stars and rotating on their axes often hundreds of times every second. They radiate radio waves and in optical light. Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library (Getty Images) Importance to Astronomy In order to completely understand the universe, scientists must look at it across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. This includes the high-energy particles such as cosmic rays. Some objects and processes are actually completely invisible in certain wavelengths (even optical), which is why astronomers look at them in many wavelengths. Something invisible at one wavelength or frequency may be very bright in another, and that tells scientists something very important about it. Types of Radiation Radiation describes elementary particles, nuclei, and electromagnetic waves as they propagate through space. Scientists typically reference radiation in two ways:  ionizing and non-ionizing. Ionizing Radiation Ionization is the process by which electrons are removed from an atom. This happens all the time in nature, and it merely requires the atom to collide with a photon or a particle with enough energy to excite the election(s). When this happens, the atom can no longer maintain its bond to the particle. Certain forms of radiation carry enough energy to ionize various atoms or molecules. They can cause significant harm to biological entities by causing cancer or other significant health problems. The extent of the radiation damage is a matter of how much radiation was absorbed by the organism. The electromagnetic spectrum show as a function of frequence/wavelength and temperature. Chandra X-Ray Observatory The minimum threshold energy needed for radiation to be considered ionizing is about 10 electron volts (10 eV). There are several forms of radiation that naturally exist above this threshold: Gamma-rays: Gamma rays (usually designated by the Greek letter ÃŽ ³) are a form of electromagnetic radiation. They represent the highest energy forms of light in the universe. Gamma rays occur from a variety of processes, ranging from activity inside nuclear reactors to stellar explosions called  supernovae and highly energetic events known as gamma-ray bursters. Since gamma rays are electromagnetic radiation, they do not readily interact with atoms unless a head-on collision occurs. In this case the gamma ray will decay into an electron-positron pair. However, should a gamma ray be absorbed by a biological entity (e.g. a person), then significant harm can be done as it takes a considerable amount of energy to stop such radiation. In this sense, gamma rays are perhaps the most dangerous form of radiation to humans. Luckily, while they can penetrate several miles into our atmosphere before they interact with an atom, our atmosphere is thick enough that most gamma rays are absorbed b efore they reach the ground. However, astronauts in space lack protection from them, and are limited to the amount of time that they can spend outside a spacecraft or space station. While very high doses of gamma radiation can be fatal, the most likely outcome to repeated exposures to above-average doses of gamma-rays (like those experienced by astronauts, for instance) is an increased risk of cancer. This is something that life sciences experts in the worlds space agencies study closely. X-rays: x-rays are, like gamma rays, a form of electromagnetic waves (light). They are usually broken up into two classes: soft x-rays (those with the longer wavelengths) and hard x-rays (those with the shorter wavelengths). The shorter the wavelength (i.e. the harder the x-ray) the more dangerous it is. This is why lower energy x-rays are used in medical imaging. The x-rays will typically ionize smaller atoms, while larger atoms can absorb the radiation as they have larger gaps in their ionization energies. This is why x-ray machines will image things like bones very well (they are composed of heavier elements) while they are poor imagers of soft tissue (lighter elements). It is estimated that x-ray machines, and other derivative devices, account for between 35-50% of the ionizing radiation experienced by people in the United States.Alpha Particles: An alpha particle (designated by the Greek letter ÃŽ ±) consists of two protons and two neutrons; exactly the same composition as a hel ium nucleus. Focusing on the alpha decay process that creates them, heres what happens: the alpha particle is ejected from the parent nucleus with very high speed (therefore high energy), usually in excess of 5% of the speed of light. Some alpha particles come to Earth in the form of cosmic rays  and  may achieve speeds in excess of 10% of the speed of light. Generally, however, alpha particles interact over very short distances, so here on Earth, alpha particle radiation is not a direct threat to life. It is simply absorbed by our outer atmosphere. However, it is a danger for astronauts.   Beta Particles: The result of beta decay, beta particles (usually described by the Greek letter Î’) are energetic electrons that escape when a neutron decays into a proton, electron, and anti-neutrino. These electrons are more energetic than alpha particles but less so than high energy gamma rays. Normally, beta particles are not of concern to human health as they are easily shielded. Artificially created beta particles (like in accelerators) can penetrate the skin more readily as they have considerably higher energy. Some places use these particle beams to treat various kinds of cancer because of their ability to target very specific regions. However, the tumor needs to be near the surface as not to damage significant amounts of interspersed tissue.Neutron Radiation: Very high-energy neutrons are created during nuclear fusion or nuclear fission processes. They can then be absorbed by an atomic nucleus, causing the atom to go into an excited state and it can emit gamma-rays. These photons will then excite the atoms around them, creating a chain-reaction, leading to the area to become radioactive. This is one of the primary ways humans are injured while working around nuclear reactors without proper protective gear. Non-ionizing Radiation While ionizing radiation (above) gets all the press about being harmful to humans, non-ionizing radiation can also have significant biological effects. For instance, non-ionizing radiation can cause things like sunburns. Yet, it is what we use to cook food in microwave ovens.  Non-ionizing radiation can also come in the form of thermal radiation, which can heat material (and hence atoms) to high enough temperatures to cause ionization. However, this process is considered different than kinetic or photon ionization processes. The Karl Jansky Very Large Array of radio telescopes is located near Socorro, New Mexico. This array focuses on radio emissions from a variety of objects and processes in the sky. NRAO/AUI Radio Waves: Radio waves are the longest wavelength form of electromagnetic radiation (light). They span 1 millimeter to 100 kilometers. This range, however, overlaps with the microwave band (see below). Radio waves are produced naturally by active galaxies (specifically from the area around their supermassive black holes), pulsars and in supernova remnants. But they are also created artificially for the purposes of radio and television transmission.Microwaves: Defined as wavelengths of light between 1 millimeter and 1 meter (1,000 millimeters), microwaves are sometimes considered to be a subset of radio waves. In fact, radio astronomy is generally the study of the microwave band, as longer wavelength radiation is very difficult to detect as it would require detectors of immense size; hence only a few peer beyond the 1-meter wavelength. While non-ionizing, microwaves can still be dangerous to humans as it can impart a large amount of thermal energy to an item due to its interactions with water and water vapor. (This is also why microwave observatories are typically placed in high, dry places on Earth, as to lessen the amount of interference that water vapor in our atmosphere can cause to the experiment. Infrared Radiation: Infrared radiation is the band of electromagnetic radiation that occupies wavelengths between 0.74 micrometers up to 300 micrometers. (There are 1 million micrometers in one meter.) Infrared radiation is very close to optical light, and therefore very similar techniques are used to study it. However, there are some difficulties to overcome; namely infrared light is produced by objects comparable to room temperature. Since electronics used to power and control infrared telescopes will run at such temperatures, the instruments themselves will give off infrared light, interfering with data acquisition. Therefore the instruments are cooled using liquid helium, so as to lessen extraneous infrared photons from entering the detector. Most of what the Sun emits that reaches Earths surface is actually infrared light, with the visible radiation not far behind (and ultraviolet a distant third). An infrared view of a cloud of gas and dust made by Spitzer Space Telescope. The Spider and Fly Nebula is a star-forming region and Spitzers infrared view shows structures in the cloud affected by a cluster of newborn stars. Spitzer Space Telescope/NASA Visible (Optical) Light: The range of wavelengths of visible light is 380 nanometers (nm) and 740 nm. This is the electromagnetic radiation that we are able to detect with our own eyes, all other forms are invisible to us without electronic aids. Visible light is actually only a very small part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is why it is important to study all other wavelengths in astronomy as to get a complete picture of the universe and to understand the physical mechanisms that govern the heavenly bodies.Blackbody Radiation: A blackbody is an object that emits electromagnetic radiation when it is heated, the peak wavelength of light produced will be proportional to the temperature (this is known as Wiens Law). There is no such thing as a perfect blackbody, but many objects like our Sun, the Earth and the coils on your electric stove are pretty good approximations.Thermal Radiation: As particles inside of a material move due to their temperature the resulting kinetic energy can be described as the total thermal energy of the system. In the case of a blackbody object (see above) the thermal energy can be released from the system in the form of electromagnetic radiation. Radiation, as we can see, is one of the fundamental aspects of the universe. Without it, we would not have light, heat, energy, or life. Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Region Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Region Report - Essay Example For a region with such modest total land area, it is host to a large number of different languages. There are examples from the Germanic group (German, Dutch, and Danish) and the Romance group (French) (de Blij and Muller, 2004). The large number of languages spoken in Western Europe is somewhat of a hindrance to the unified Europe movement, but the EU seems to be dealing effectively with the heterogeneous nature of its membership. Western Europe has an additional advantage in the area of language: it enjoys one of the highest literacy rates in the world. In the western part of this region, English is perhaps the most common language, but its influence diminishes as one heads east in Europe (MapQuest, 2005). The most powerful country in the region is Germany. It is the most populous, has the strongest economy, and is influential in the EU. Its geography features northern lowlands, uplands in the central area, and the Bavarian Alps in south Germany led much of the world into war twice during the twentieth century. After each world war, nations of the world were eager to restrict Germany’s industrial power, since it had been so integral in the success of Germany’s military. But in West Germany, the American-led Marshall Plan sought to rescue Germany’s economy so that it would not be faced with the same economic stability that had allowed the Nazional Party to rise. As a result, West Germany was organized into a modern federal state with strong democratic principles. Its economy grew rapidly: from 1949 to 1964, its GNP tripled and industrial output steadily rose (de Blij and Muller, 2004). West Germany’s political leaders aggressively sought new trade partners, and took advantage of the nation’s central location. Its infrastructure demolished, it built new transportation networks and facilities based on the latest technology (de Blij and Muller, 2004). In 1990, it reunified with East Germany and took on the economic burden of its flagging

Saturday, November 2, 2019

It is a clue writing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

It is a clue writing - Case Study Example Harry Reid, the Senate Majority leader, files a cloture for the nomination. President Obama reacts to this by terming it as a mere political attack from the Republicans side saying they have no reasons regarding the qualifications of his nominee. A report is printed as evidence concerning the alleged spending. The report reveals that the GSA spent a sum of $822,000 for 300 people to attend a four-day press conference. All these catered by the tax- payers’ dollars. It is this condition that makes Johnson fire the two deputies and further leaving her with no option, but to submit a resignation letter. In her obstructed nomination, politicians were not willing to promote development due to political differences. In addition, her excessive spending is a replica of what most politicians do after being elected or nominated for senior offices in the country. This case implies that political differences amongst leaders can be a barrier to development of a country. Rather, politicians must learn of the best way to solve this by not hindering development. However, newly elected politicians to office must learn to work in the best way that can yield fruits to the taxpayers rather than spend their payments aimlessly. Rein , Lisa and Joe Davidson. "GSA chief resigns amid reports of excessive spending." 02 April 2012. The Washingtone Post. 25 October 2014.