Friday, January 24, 2020

Crusades :: Crusades Research Papers

Crusades The chapter on The Crusades gives the proper dates of the Holy War, yet does not discuss in detail the information it has. The text is watered down for the grade level and it is written from a Western European viewpoint. A viewpoint that never discusses the feelings and motives of those who were being attacked. The chapter emphasizes the Christian's motives for starting The Crusades as a way to defend their territories and to "free the Holy Land from the Muslim infidels" (Armento, 296). The text never discusses the underlying reasons such as "the ambition of princes' to carve a principality in the far East, [the] interest of Italian towns to acquire the products of the far East more directly and cheaply, and thousands [of people's] hope of acquiring [spiritual enlightenment]" (Barker, 11) by participating in The Crusades. Many of the leaders wanted to be known and many of the people were interested of the spices, silks and luxury items that could be found only in the Far East. The Holy Wars were meant to "reestablish the Roman Catholic Christianity in the Eastern Mediterranean basin, [but] The Crusades [were in reality] wars of European expansion" (Bentley, 474). Not only did believers feel that the Holy Land must be returned to them but in the process other territories would be conquered i n the name of the Roman Catholic Christianity. The text refers to the Crusades as "eight wars Europeans fought to free the Holy Land from the Muslims"(Armento, 296) and only communicates the Western European viewpoint. No other viewpoint is brought into the text to show both sides of the story. The text does not inform the reader about the Crusades as "eight wars the Muslims fought to defend Jerusalem." In Across the Centuries, Saladin is given power as ruler by the caliph. According to Elizabeth Hallam, "[Saladin] abolished the Fatimid caliphate and brought Egypt under the rule of the powerful sultan, [and when Nur ad-Din and his son died], Saladin made himself uncontested ruler of a unified Muslim Levant"(156). The information of how Saladin rose to power came incorrect from the lesson. There is not much said in the lesson about Saladin and none of his background is mentioned in the text. Once again the only the Western European viewpoint is portrayed to the readers. Not only is the text based only on the Western European viewpoint, but also omits information.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Focusing, Positioning and calculating the size of cells Essay

Exercise 1: Focusing, Positioning and calculating the size of cells Under the ‘Try This’ tab, complete the puzzles (P1- P6) presented to bring the items into focus. Use the check lists to make sure you have completed all steps Under the ‘Try This’ tab, complete the measurement puzzles (M1-M3) and write the answers here: M1 = __150___ micrometers at __10x__Objective Power (scale is 1 unit = __10_micrometers) M2 = __8.0____ micrometers at _100x_____Objective Power (scale is 1 unit = _1.0__micrometers) M3 = ___2.0__ micrometers at __100x____Objective Power (scale is 1 unit = _1.0__micrometers) Exercise 2: Viewing a typed letter ‘e’ with your scope. Obtain the slide with an ‘e’ on it from the slide selections. Place the ‘e’ slide right side up on the stage with the letter ‘e’ over the hole in the stage. Using the techniques described in the ‘getting started tour’, focus on the letter on the lowest objective power. What do you notice about the orientation of the letter as you look through the microscope? In other words, how does the ‘e’ position compare to how it looks on the slide when looking at the microscope? Upside down At the lowest power, what is the total magnification of the image? 16x Adjust the position of the slide so that a portion of the letter is in the center of the viewing field. Now, rotate the next higher objective in place. If the image is not clear, use only the fine tuning knob to adjust. At 10x, what is the total magnification of the image now? 40x At 40x, what is the total magnification of the image now?160x At 100x, what is the total magnifi cation of the image now?400x Exercise 3: Human cheek cells. Your cheeks are lined with very thin cells that can easily be removed for viewing under a microscope. These cells are called epithelial cells and they line the outside and inside of your body. Cells are small, but large enough to be viewed with a light microscope. The following procedure shows how you would obtain these cells. However, since this is a virtual lab, the cheek cells have already been collected and stained. They are stained with methylene blue to view some sub-cellular parts. This is the actual procedure, but please proceed to placing the cheek smear slide on your ‘virtual’ microscope and bringing into focus. 1. Gently scrape the inside of your cheek with a toothpick. 2. Using a circular pattern, spread some saliva in the middle of a slide. 3. Place a small drop of stain on the saliva smear. The less stain you use, the better the results will be! 4. Place a cover slip on the stained smear. Knowing the objective scale in Exercise 2, estimate and record the diameter of a single cheek cell in micrometers. Diameter = ___4__________ micrometers What power of objective lens did you use? 100 What was the total magnification?400

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Business Group Report - Australian Hardware - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2025 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Did you like this example? Business Report The type of existing business of my choice is hardware firm used to work in Melbourne by the name of Australian Hardware. Its first store opened in 1921 in Sydney. It was famous for making different type of small households as well as furniture. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Business Group Report Australian Hardware" essay for you Create order After getting fame by people, the business was expanded and four new branches were opened by 1928 in just 7 years, it employed 60 permanent workers. They were mostly the friends or relatives of the one who started this business. But in 1930, there was some decline in the business and they were asked to close their three stores but somehow the situation was handled as people working there on full-time so it was hard to find jobs by all of them and they all tried to managed the business and even by 1937, two more branched were opened by the struggle of workers they got rid of great tribulation. It was again somehow affected in Second World War in 1941. But then the management of the firm started giving training to its employees and strengthened the relation between salesmen as well as done many contracts. In 1982, Australian Hardware was listed on Australian stock exchange and till now providing significant benefits to its customers. It basically makes different instrumental tools fo r construction, house wares, paints garden for those who like to feel natural. Now after describing about the background of business, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s necessary to focus on the type of data it should gathered to run effectively and for following all of its tasks properly. All relevant sales trends must be reported and analyzed. Information about external environment including products of rival business will also be gathered to know about their quality of type of service they provide to customers. Annual reports of different private companies will be observed to find the way they got success. Publication as well as their online databases will be thoroughly studied to operate business effectively and economically. Nature and behavior of customers will be observed to get information what they want so that products can be developed accordingly. The data of employees will also be gathered but it will be sure that their privacy does not get compromised (Stengel, 2001). So this was a ll about the kinds of data that will be gathered. The important thing after gathering all information is that how business will get benefit from it as well as all the other data saved in their databases. It can improve the mode of doing business and knowledge in information system can help in accessing the data faster. All the right information classified can help in proper decision making as well as better service can be delivered to the customers as all the information will be in the information that can be easy to locate. Time will also be saved and continuity of business can also be improved lastly, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a cost saving method of using all the useful gathered data that helps in the efficient operation of the business (Naa.gov.au, 2014). There are some knowledge requirements of business which are necessary to be known while operating an Australian hardware. Different tasks and activities should be designed for monitoring of business which is the key requirement and without having knowledge of monitoring process; a business cannot run in right direction. Different mitigated risks must also be studies and knowledge should be gathered so that firm can handle any risks in effective manner. It is also the knowledge requirement of the business to be aware about the way business analyst work with stakeholders which involves communicating requirements how they resolve different conflicts by getting agree on a single idea. Another knowledge requirement should be about the stakeholders and project team that they both get agree on the scope of the project and way project run otherwise conflicts between them will eventually cause a loss in business. Creating a marketing business plan in a detailed and well-structured way will also give right direction and help in gaining success to a business. Information system got their vitality by handling the information from organization inputs to produce data that is valuable for dealing with operations. To b uild the data frameworks adequacy, one can either add more information to make the data more precise or utilize the data as a part of new ways (Markgraf, 2014). The information system that would be good for the business would be transaction processing system. As the name suggests, transaction processing system (TPS) are intended to process routine transactions proficiently and precisely (Riley, 2012). It meets the information accumulation, storage, handling and yielding functionalities for the major operations of a business. TPS information system gathers information from client inputs and after that produce output which is totally based on the gathered information at input side. A suitable example of TPS framework could be an online air ticket booking system. In such a system, people select their date for booking of flight and the seat they want during journey which is input, and the system looks for the available seats, evacuating those chosen by the person already which is called as processing. The system then produces a bill and a copy of the ticket that becomes. TPS information system is bases normally on real-time operations, and can help entrepreneurs take care of demand without getting extra personnel (Davoren, 2009). There are some requirements for knowledge management system such as it should be scale as it should be able to support any number of clients as well as support large database of an organization. It should be extended at anytime as per need. It should be secure and be safe from any fraudulent most importantly it should be relevant as well as timely prepared according to work being done in a firm. Now the knowledge management system suitable for our business framework would be explicit knowledge. This kind of knowledge management system is formalized and systematized, and is also called as recognize what. It is accordingly simple to recognize, store, and recover. This is the kind of knowledge most effectively taken care of by KMS, which ar e extremely successful at encouraging the storage, recovery, and change of records and writings. From a managerial viewpoint, the challenge with this knowledge system is similar data. It includes guaranteeing that individuals have entry to what they require; that essential information is stored; and that the knowledge is surveyed, upgraded, or discarded. Numerous theoreticians see this type of KMS as being less paramount. It is viewed as easier in nature and cant contain the rich experience based ability that can produce competitive advantage having lasting effects (Frost, 2010). Capacity means the different sorts and levels of assets accessible to create and keep up a group anticipation framework that can distinguish and react to group needs. Inspite of the fact that the arranging methodology itself can reinforce limit, purposeful limit building at all levels aides guarantee that effective projects are managed inside a bigger group setting, and consequently less helpless against local budgetary and political changes. Effective capacity building additionally expands an associations or groups capacity to react to changing issues with creative arrangements. Organizational development is important to construct capacity and in addition to maintain successful prevention arrangements, systems, and projects, and consequently incorporates a supportability part. Following are the factors for building an effective building capacity: Administrative structures and formal linkages: These must be assembled and reinforced so that the associations and systems in charge of the execution, incorporation, and oversight of projects have the ability to do their capacities successfully and responsively and to manage them. Linkages that facilitate collaboration among different associations additionally help manageable quality. Asset development: Satisfactory and economical financing, staffing, specialized support, and materials can help manage innovations Johnson et al. (2004). Future updates requirements including hardware software requirements for system capacity capability of business are defined below: Usage analysis: It includes recognizing the different clients of the deployment one is outlining and deciding the usage pattern for those clients. The data one assembles gives a thought of the normal load conditions and is later used to focus the requirement of performance and other requirement of system. System requirements: It defines the nature of administration a deployed system must give to meet the business necessities provided by business research. One normally utilizes the usage analysis and use cases together with the business requirement to determine system requirement. Business intelligence, or BI for short, is a broad term that includes skills, technologies, applications and practices used to help evidence-based decision making in an organization. In the broadest sense it can be characterized as an collection of methodologies for gathering, storing, doing research by analyzing and giving access to information that helps clients to gain insight knowledge and bring about a significant fact-based decision of a firm. Organizations use this tool to increase data driven experiences on anything identified with business performance. It is utilized to comprehend and enhance performance and to reduce expenses and recognize new business practices as well as opportunities. This can incorporate among numerous different things: Investigating client practices, purchasing examples and business performance. Measuring, tracking and foreseeing sales and money related performances. Planning and budgetary arranging. Keeping record of the performance of marketing and advertising campaigns. Streamlining courses of action and operational performance (Marr, 2014). There are several requirements such as hardware as well as software troubleshooting requirements of securing the system of business which will discuss here. Hardware requirements include A Pentium-class processor running at 400 MHz or quicker, RAM, 256MB prescribed, 128MB minimum, LAN card, CD ROM 250MB accessible hard drive space. Concerning about security and protection of system in business will drive appropriation of cloud encryption system, yet there are six security issues that organizations ought to handle. The normal compound yearly development rate of software as a sevice (Saas) from 2011 to 2016 is 19.5%, platform as a service (Paas) 27.7%, infrastructure as a service (Iaas) 41.3% and security administrations using 22%. On the other hand, security and protection are still referred to by numerous associations as the top inhibitors of cloud services adoption, which has started the new era of cloud encryption system in the previous year. Experts propose that endeavors ough t to first create an information security plan that addresses six security issues. Disappointment to do thus, they say, could add expense and multifaceted nature to the adoption of cloud computing without tending to the key issues of protection of business data and long term security and flexibility. It is warned by analysts that not properly implemented encryption system might likewise interfere with the ordinary working of some cloud-based services. The six issues that must be focused are: Breach notification and data residency, data management at rest, data security in motion, encryption key administration, access controls long-term strength of the encryption system (Ashford, 2013). References: Stengel, G. (2001).Tips: The Tools Ten Tips for Developing a Meaningful Market Analysis. [Online] Stengelsolutions.com. Available at: https://www.stengelsolutions.com/tips_11.htm [Accessed 21 Nov. 2014]. Naa.gov.au, (2014).Benefits of digital information and records à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã ¢â‚¬Å" National Archives of Australia. [Online] Available at: https://naa.gov.au/records-management/digital-transition-policy/benefits-of-digital-information.aspx [Accessed 21 Nov. 2014]. Markgraf, B. (2014).Importance of Information Systems in an Organization. [Online] Small Business Chron.com. Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-information-systems-organization-69529.html [Accessed 21 Nov. 2014]. Riley, J. (2012).ICT types of information system. [Online] Tutor2u.net. Available at: https://tutor2u.net/business/ict/intro_information_system_types.htm [Accessed 21 Nov. 2014]. Davoren, J. (2009).Types of Information Systems in an Organization. [Online] Small Business Chron.com. Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/types-information-systems-organization-43097.html [Accessed 21 Nov. 2014]. Frost, A. (2010).Types of Knowledge. [Online] Knowledge-management-tools.net. Available at: https://www.knowledge-management-tools.net/different-types-of-kn owledge.html [Accessed 21 Nov. 2014]. Johnson, K., Hays, C., Hayden, C., Daley, C. (2004). Building capacity and sustainability prevention innovations: A sustainability planning model.Evaluation and Program Planning,27,135-149. Marr, B. (2014).Business Intelligence (BI) What is BI? Training, examples case studies. [Online] Ap-institute.com. Available at: https://www.ap-institute.com/Business Intelligence.html [Accessed 23 Nov. 2014]. Ashford, W. (2013).Six security issues to tackle before encrypting cloud data. [Online] Computerweekly.com. Available at: https://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240180087/Six-security-issues-to-tackle-before-encrypting-cloud-data [Accessed 23 Nov. 2014]. 1

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

20 Ethics Term Paper Topics That Will Land You the Best Grade

When it comes to writing a term paper, many students have issues setting on a topic. The range is vast – especially on ethical matters and it can often be challenging to make a choice. However, with our selection of 20 ethics term paper topics, writing a qualitative term paper should be incredibly easy. Make your pick and decide on the topic that piques your interest most. Smoking and the Effects of Smoking on People’s General Health The Negative Effects of Alcohol Consumption for the Skin Debate on the Pros and Cons of Assisted Suicide: Is It Moral or Immoral? Cybersecurity and the Effects It Has on People’s Privacy Online Do Men and Women Have Equal Right in Today’s Modern Society? Organic Foods and the Unprecedented Benefits They Have on Our Lifestyles How ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) Is Affecting the Way Students Learn How Plagiarism is Hindering a Student’s Academic Success The Detrimental Effects of Air Pollution in Major Cities Worldwide How to Combat Discrimination Among People with AIDS/HIV Erasing the Dietary Supplements Stigma How to Include Supplements into Your Diet without Jeopardizing Your Health Strategies to Combat or Prevent Obesity in Youngsters: How Junk Food Can Destroy Your Body In the Long-Term Controversial Aspects of Advanced Technology on Today’s Young Generation Is Depression an Actual Disease or Just a Mood Disorder? Debunking the Myths that Depression Is Not an Illness A Comprehensive Analysis of Damaging UV Rays for the Skin Common Myths and Facts about the Internet of Things (IoT) Should Animals Be Tested to Make Hair and Skin Products Safer? Is Massive Immigration to Blame for Today’s Most Violent Terrorist Attacks? How Social Media Can Affect Teenagers’ Self Esteem Governmental Corruption and The Unethical Behavior of People in Power – Increased Power Comes with Great Responsibility Landing a nice grade on an ethical term paper is a lot easier than most students think. The secret ingredient is to choose an interesting topic and make sure that all the claims that you make are backed by solid proof. The 20 ethics term paper topics we’ve presented should definitely pique your interest. Choose the one that’s the most attention-grabbing and you’ll definitely manage to wow your professors. Focus on facts and don’t beat around the bush. The more accurate you can be the higher the chances you have to set yourself apart from your colleagues.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Environmental Risk Factors And Obesity - 969 Words

Environmental Risk Factors Environmental risk factors such as poverty, lack of access to healthy foods, and crime in low-income communities can significantly contribute to obesity. Analyzing the effects of neighborhood environments is significant since it represents a broader social and community background that clarifies children’s behaviors towards physical activity and poor nutrition. Moreover, neighborhood environment aspects such as poor housing, crime, lack of sidewalks, grocery stores, and recreational areas have the ability to be improved through public policy (Mantziki, 2015). Some of the recent studies examining neighborhood effects and obesity have found strong associations between factors such as income inequality, housing insecurities, and obesity. Children living in unfavorable communities were 50 percent more likely to be physically inactive, 52 percent more likely to watch television more than two hours per day, and 65 percent more likely to engage in recreational computer use of more t han two hours per day than children living in most favorable social conditions (Singh and Kogan, 2010). Low-income children s environments are saturated by the presence of media continuously exposing them to obesity-promoting products that encourage the consumption of unhealthful foods and discouraging physical activity(Interventions to prevent childhood obesity n.d.). Such disproportionately marketing and advertising have an unusually strong influences on theShow MoreRelatedThe Prevalence Of Obesity And Obesity1196 Words   |  5 PagesThe prevalence of obesity has increased significantly in populations worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) (2015) estimated that 400 million adults were considered obese worldwide and is projected to double by the year 2015. Traditionally, obesity is associated with high caloric intake and lower levels of physical activity in high income Western countries. However, low and middle income countries are increasingly becoming obese and becoming a major public health concern in regards to qualityRead MoreChildhood Obesity : Obesity And Obesity1505 Words   |  7 PagesChildhood Obesity Introduction Childhood Obesity has become more critical public health issue worldwide. However, obesity ratio varies from country to country. In addition, up to a quarter of Australian children are suffering from childhood obesity and obese children are at higher risk to become obese adult. For this reason, child’s weight always matters because it can impact on their health in future. There may be many reasons which affect childhood obesity including sedentary life style, lack ofRead MoreFactors Contributing Factors That Causes Obesity Among Children Essay1369 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood obesity is a major health issue that takes place when a child is beyond the average weight for his or her age and height (Mayo Clinic, 2014). According to Sameera and Amar childhood obesity is a major public health crisis nationally and internationally, which arises because of the differences in lifestyle consequences among different cultural people in New Zealand (2012). This abnormality can cause var ious health risks such as diabetes and heart disease (World Health Organisation, 2014)Read MoreFactors Contributing Factors That Causes Obesity Among Children Essay1364 Words   |  6 Pagescauses of obesity among children in New Zealand? Introduction Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height (Mayo Clinic, 2014). According to Sameera and Amar childhood obesity is a major public health crisis nationally and internationally, which arises because of the differences in lifestyle consequences among different cultural people in New Zealand (2012). This abnormality can cause various health risks such asRead MoreChildhood Obesity Among Hispanic Children1729 Words   |  7 Pages Obesity among Hispanic Children Childhood obesity has increased dramatically during the past decade (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). Although the rise in obesity cuts across all of age groups, both genders, and all cultural and racial groups; statistics have demonstrated that Hispanic children are more likely to become obese than White or Black children in the United States. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (2011), childhood obesity is more prevalentRead MoreEnvironmental Issues Of Obesity And Obesity1022 Words   |  5 PagesEnvironmental issues Abstract Obesity is a medical condition in which the person has excess body fat. Obesity affects over one-third people around the world; this includes children under the age of five. Obesity can be defined by body mass index or BMI. The BMI is the percentage body fat and total body fat. A BMI in the range of 18.5 – 24.9 is considered a healthy weight. A BMI that is above 25.0 – 29.9 is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. Children’s healthy weightRead MoreChildren And Type 2 Diabetes1533 Words   |  7 Pagesissues that play a role in onset of insulin resistant diabetes in children. These issues regardless if they are environmental, behavioral, or physiological are all contributing factors of the root causes and health declines with the end result being the increased rate of new T2DM cases in youth. Contributing behavioral issues manifest as poor lifestyle decisions that result in obesity and other health issues that support insulin resistance development in youth. Additionally emotional problems suchRead MoreIs Obesity Predominantly An Individual Problem?. The Rate1089 Words   |  5 PagesIs obesity predominantly an individual problem? The rate of obesity is increasing globally and is a serious public health issue. It no longer only affects developed countries but is also having implications on developing countries. Often the focus is placed on individual choices and behaviours, this does not take into account the research and evidence that clearly shows that obesity is a multifaceted issue. To improve the level of obesity the broader determinants needs consideration. This essayRead MoreObesity : Obesity And Genetics1267 Words   |  6 Pagesample statistics of obesity in the past decades has motivated researchers to conduct more studies to find out if obesity is genetic or if it is a learned behavior. Obesity has always existed in our population, but recent studies have taken an increment to make comparative data between obesity and genetics. Moreover, studies are trying to find strategies for the prevention of weight gain to help public health and avoid the rising of obesity. As consequences, childhood ob esity has developed an epidemicRead MoreThe Effects Of Obesity On The Health1393 Words   |  6 Pageshealth is defined as obesity (Royal College of Physicians, 1998). Obesity is a developing condition within the population that already affects 1 in 4 adults in England (NICE, 2006). Internationally, being overweight is linked to a range of harmful health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Obesity can be explained through the use of the nature-nurture debate, as it can be caused by both elements. In this essay, examples and facts will be discussed which show that obesity is a result of heredity

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Practical Assignment Introduction to Information Technology Free Essays

Objective This coursework aims to provide students an opportunity to explore the use of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powering to enhance their understanding of the application software features in word document and power-point slides presentation. Grouping This Is a group-based assignment. Student must form a group with minimum 4 members and maximum 5 members. We will write a custom essay sample on Practical Assignment: Introduction to Information Technology or any similar topic only for you Order Now Note: same group members of theory assignment. Plagiarism All work is to be the result of the student’s own individual and group effort. Students found to have copied others’ work will be penalized for plagiarism. A student who plagiarisms will receive zero point credit on the assignment. Late Policy The assignment should be submitted on the due date stated below unless there are legitimate reasons as to why a student can not complete the assignment by due date. As a general rule, no extension of time will be granted. Assignment received after the due date without legitimate reason will be penalized. Submission date: 22/07/2014 (Tuesday, week 1 1) Assignment return week: Week 14 To begin†¦ Find an article from newspapers, internet, magazines etc. And you have to make sure the article is able to match the features checklist [PART 2 FILE]. The article that you have selected must get the approval from your tutor. Take note: the article length must be at least a full page long of AAA paper size and/or at least 400 words. You can refer an article sample In Attachment 1 on Cell. Task 1: Based on the article that approved by your tutor, you need to design that article into organized. Task 2: Retained the contents of the article you designed in task 1 you need to create a retrieve and great-looking Power-point presentation slides show. Note: The power- point slides length must be between 10- 15 slides long. Assessment This assignment contributes 70% of the overall practical course assessment. Submission Details and Report Sequence Assignment report must properly staple with suitable labels. Use AAA sized paper with printing on one side only. Arrange the assignment report follow the sequence below: 1 . Submission form (is a cover page, you can download from. Plagiarism statement (you can download from Cell- PART 3 FILE) 3. Plagiarism statement form (you can download from Cell Features Checklists (you can download from Cell – PART 2 FILE) 5. Acknowledgement 6. Table of Contents 7. Word report 8. Powering presentation slides Note: Printed in Landscape Orientation with 4 slides in a sheet 9. References (follow Harvard Referencing System) Note: Inappropriate referencing style will cause marks deduction Save a softly of Powering presentation in a CD for Submission. (One tutorial class submit one CD ONLY which contains all different groups Powering slides show) How to cite Practical Assignment: Introduction to Information Technology, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Change Management Using Transformational Leadership Theory

Question: Discuss about the Change Management using Transformational Leadership and Lewin's Change Theory. Answer: Introduction Change in any organization is inevitable for efficient service delivery and profitability to be achieved. With every change comes resistance and overcoming the resistance is one step to successful implementation of a proposed change. Involving all stakeholders in every phase of a change process is another critical step to a successful change implementation(Gilbert, 2009). In this paper, the implementation of a Bar Code medication system is proposed as the ideal solution to minimizing medical errors and improving patient service delivery. The paper discuses two different leadership styles: transactional and transformational- and concludes that the transformational coaching leadership style will be most effective in realizing the proposed change. The role of nurses as change agents is also discussed with practicality of the coaching leadership style acting as a link between effecting change among the nurses and between the nurses and patients. The proposed change management theory to be used is the Kurt Lewin theory. The implementation of the Bar Code system will require that nurses are weaned off the current methodology of medication delivery and administration (unfreezing), educated on the new Bar Code system (freezing), and evaluated on their use of the same in the final stage of refreezing. The Role of Leadership Formal leaders in an organization that command the faith of their employees tend to have the subordinates look up to them for several things. During times of necessary and drastic changes, employees will often expect sensible and effective planning decision-making, that is effective, confident, and complete as well as regular communication that is made in a timely manner. In addition, during these times when there is change being effected, employees will view the leadership as being committed, concerned, and supportive of their welfare, while simultaneously recognising that there is need for tough decisions to be made. In summary, a climate of trust should exist between the employees and the leaders which in turn brings hope for the future and which make coping with the change easier (Kellerman, 2007). In organizations that have poor leadership, there are no positive expectations by the employees. Where there is distrust, employees perceive that leaders' actions will be indecipherable and in ways that have no-one's interest at heart. Poor leadership results in a lack of hope, which in the long haul results in a non-functioning organization. The organization ought to handle the unpleasant change practical impact and more so, must do it under the weight of employees that have no hope in the leaders' ability or the entire system altogether. The key to a successful change is the involvement of leadership prior to, during, and after the implementation of the change. The leadership therefore needs to have laid a foundation of trust prior to embarking on any changes (Llopis, 2013) Leadership styles The manner in which a leader provides direction, plan implementation, and people motivation, is referred to as leadership style. Leadership styles need to be adopted with regard to a specific situation , the specific needs of the people, and the particular challenges that the origination is facing (Martindale, 2011, p. 32). This paper will look at two leadership styles,: transformational leadership and transactional leadership and then determine the most suitable leadership style for the proposed change. Transformational leadership A transformational leader does not work under the confines of his/her employees' perceptions. The main goal that such a leader has is to transform or change the needs of the employees and re-direct the way that they think. A transformational leader inspires and challenges the employees with a sense of excitement and purpose(Schultz Schultz, 2010, p. 201). Transformational leaders have a vision which points at what they are aspiring to become and communicates this vision to the employees. There are three characteristics of a transformational leader and these include: charismatic leadership posses a wide knowledge field, has an energy level that is high, a personality that is self promoting, and is a risk taker who uses irregular strategies that aim at stimulating the followers to be independent thinkers; intellectual stimulation; and individualized consideration (Schultz et al., 2010,p.201) Transactional leadership A transactional leader focuses on motivating employees through a punishment and rewards system. The two foundational basis for this type of leadership include: management-by- exception and contingent reward. The leader maintains a status quo by using management-by-exception and intervenes when there is failure of employees to meet set goals and proceeds to initiate corrective action that aims at improving performance. This helps in reducing the manager's workload as they only step in to deal with a deviant employee. Contingent reward on the other hand, offers psychological and materialistic rewards for employee effort and also recognizes their good performance (Liu, Liu, Zeng, 2011, p. 282). A transactional leader will identify the needs of the employees and offer rewards in response to meeting those needs in exchange for a specific performance level. A transactional leader will focus on enhancing efficiency of already established procedures and routines. Such a leader is more concerned with abiding by existing organizational rules as opposed to making changes within the organization. The transactional leader will standardize and establish practices that aim at driving the organization to achieve maturity, operations efficiency, productivity increase, and operations efficiency (Liu et al., 2011, p. 282). Based on the proposed change, transformational leadership will be the most appropriate . The current leadership at my place of work is both transactional and transformational. There are leaders that are transformational and those that are transactional. However, in this particular proposed change, transformational leadership will be most effective. Transformational leadership in Nursing Evidence-based research shows that in healthcare, transformational leadership increases nurse satisfaction, reduces turnover of staff, and promotes an environment for positive work environment (Lin, McLennan, Hunt et al., 2015). Transformational leadership forms a critical element in the implementation of change or toward the achievement of work environments that increase the safety of patients. There are four sub styles that are encased within transformational leadership: coaching, affiliative, democratic, and authoritative (Benincasa, 2012). Authoritative leaders will steer people toward a vision and are the most effective leaders (Benincasa, 2012). The leader communicates the vision in a vivid manner to employees and motivates them by demonstrating the individual employee's work role in the bigger vision. Latitude is offered to the employees on achievement of the vision. The authoritative leader is most effective in nursing practice when a clear turnaround and direction is needed (Benincasa, 2012). Democratic leaders will always encourage the employees to give their input and hence, build a consensus when all persons are involved. It is also referred to as participative leadership as all persons, excluding the leader, have a final say on the final decision. In nursing practice, this kind of leadership style is useful when the leader is uncertain about the right steps to take and therefore, seeks ideas from others. It allows nurses to feel that they have a voice when it comes to decision-making; builds nurses' morale; and reduces disruptive behaviour and workplace bullying (Benincasa, 2012). Affiliative leaders create emotional bonds with employees through creation of a sense of belonging and offering feedback that is positive. This style is ideal for the building of team harmony, repairing broken trust, or increasing morale. In nursing practice, this leadership style allows for improvement of communication. For affiliative communication to be more effective, it is combined with authoritative leadership (Benincasa, 2012). Coaching leaders aim at developing future leaders. These leaders identify the employees' weaknesses and strengths, set goals for development, and assist employees in achieving them. A coaching leader is interested in the employees' career and personal aspirations as well as in achievement of personal growth. According to King (n.d.), nursing practice should revolve around setting of goals by nurses together with the patients rather than planning care without involving the patient Innovation in healthcare The proposed change will use Kurt Lewins theory of change management and apply it to the introduction of Bar Codes technology of medication delivery and administration at the hospital facility. By using Lewin's theory, a better understanding will be gained in the change effect on the organization, identification of successful implementation barriers, as well as identification of actions of human behaviour opposing forces. SWOT Analysis ASWOT analysisis used in providing prompts to nurse tutors, clinical leaders managers, staff, and nurse mentors involved in analyzing what clinical procedures are effective and which ones are not, in preparation of a particular plan (such as quality checks, assessments, CQC) (Morrison, 2011).A SWOT analysis is used in planning or analyzing activities that have a potential impact on the management, planning, and financial decision. It enables the clinical staff and management to do a comprehensive analysis. Strengths these are the factors that potentially have a positive effect or can enable the achievement of the hospital's objectives Weaknesses these are the factors that potentially have a negative effect or can be a barrier to the achievement of the hospital's objectives Opportunitiesthese are the external factors that can potentially have a positive effect on the achievement or surpassing of the goals or objectives of the hospital which had not been considered previously. Threats these are the external factors that can potentially have a negative impact on the achievement of the hospital's goals or objectives, or making them unachievable or redundant. Strengths Outstanding nursing staff Highly committed to hospital mission Excellent facilities Healthcare quality is outstanding High level of efficiency at the hospital and ward Utilization of state-of-the-art technology Hospital has invested in healthcare informatics Focused improvement of community healthcare Personnel are highly committed Employees have a clear understanding of the hospital's goals Hospital is focused on improvement of quality. Weaknesses Inadequate resources Clinical staff shortage Clinical processes lack continuity leading to effort duplication Poor communication resulting in disrupted patient care Utilization of health informatics is poor Insufficient training of management management training Patient data lacks relevance and is untimely Opportunities Growing urban community Increased business in managed care Growing numbers of programs in community healthcare Introduction of protocols to improve efficiency and quality at the hospital Threats Government reimbursement has reduced Speciality physicians as a competition Provider networks in the healthcare industry offering increased competition Increasing deficits in the federal and state budgets Uninsured population is growing Change and change management Kotters 8 Step Change Model The 8 step model transforms a change to a campaign where the employer pitches the change to the employees who are expected to eventually buy into the need for it. The 8 steps involved include: Increasing the change urgency; building a dedicated team that spearheads the change; creating a vision for the change; communicating the need for the change to take place; empowering the employees with the ability to embrace the change; creating short term goals; staying persistent; solidifying the change (Kotter International, 2017). The process is a simple step by step that focuses on preparation for accepting the change. Transition to a change is simplified in this model. However, the proposed change for the hospital in question will not use this model because the process takes a relatively long time and no one step can be skipped. The McKinsey 7S Model The McKinsey 7-S model is one that offers and approach that is holistic with regard to organizational change. The collective change agents in this model: skills, staff, style, systems, structure, strategy, and shared values. The model offers an effective diagnostic method that illuminated the organization; offers guidance in change; combines emotional and rational components; and requires all parts to be addressed in unison. However, the main downside of this model is that it is complex, differences are overlooked, all parts are interrelated hence one change cause change in all others (Mindtools, 2016). This makes the Mckinsey 7S model unsuitable in implementing change in the hospital. Kurt Lewin's Change Theory Many organizations have used the Lewin's change theory in understanding human behaviour in relation to change and resistance to it (Houson, 2015, p.55; Hoogendoorn, 2007, p.147). The theory is also known as the Force Field analysis(Lewin, 1947) and encompasses three phases namely: unfreezing, freezing and refreezing. The model's intention is the identification of factors that can hinder the occurrence of the change; opposing forces referred to as static or restraining forces, and forces which drive or promote change known as the driving forces. When a healthcare organization has a complete understanding of what behaviours oppose or drive change, they are better able to strengthen the forces that drive the change for the successful implementation of the expected change. In the first stage of unfreezing, there needs to be an understanding of the challenges in relation to the problem that has been identified and subsequent strategies developed for enhancing the driving forces while simultaneously weakening or reducing the restraining forces. Unfreezing involves the identification of the major players that will be most impacted by the change and then summoning them in one common ground and communicating the ideas to them. The static and driving forces are listed down during the common ground meeting. The second stage -Moving- is when the change is put into practice after the opposing forces have been equalized which in turn allows the support for the change by the driving forces. In the moving stage, the project implementation results in the desired change therefore, it is critical that communication lines are kept open between the management and the nursing staff. Finally, once the expected change is achieved, the refreezing takes place where the cha nge stability is evaluated as well as its overall effectiveness in the healthcare practice. Application of Lewin's Theory of Change Unfreezing Stage Identification of the focus of change is the first step of the Kurt Lewin analysis and more specifically implementation of the scanning system that uses Bar Codes, for the delivery of medication in the healthcare facility. The main component in this stage is communicating the proposed change with all the stakeholders including administration, managers, and frontline nurses. It is critical that all lines of communication between stakeholders remain honest and more importantly open, as this will create a sense of trust and security among all that are involved in the change process (Gilley, Gilley, McMillan, 2009, p. 75). By including front line nurses in the key decision making and planning groups, a feeling of being empowered will be promoted . This empowerment helps in overcoming change resistance and enables the frontline nurses to understand the project's importance and its potential benefits with regard to client care. During this stage of unfreezing, identification of restraining and driving forces can be listed down during discussions held in informal, open, roundtable meeting, which will enable identification of barriers that may need to be worked out. In the healthcare facility in question, some perceived restraining forces include: staff resisting utilization of computer based devices; inexperience with computers, distrust within the organization, and user aversion to new systems. The driving forces will be those that help in propelling the project toward completion such as upper management level support, adequate financial resources, potential improved time management, and ease of use. The key point is that the exercise will engage all stakeholders in an active way to work toward enhancing the positive drivers while minimizing the restraining forces so that the Bar Code system is adopted successfully while eliminating the dangerous workarounds, and enhancing full investment of the nurses in t he long haul. Moving Stage This is the stage when the actual change is taking place and includes planning and implementing project stages. Implementation of the Bar Code system in the healthcare system requires sustained team effort which will include: clinical information services, pharmacy, information technology (IT), clinical nursing educators, program managers, nursing, and administrators. This project is sizeable and will affect all the aforementioned departments in diverse ways hence, a roll out that is effective needs to be planned with the inclusion and assistance of all stakeholders being critical. Actively involving frontline nurses creates a sense of ownership which contributes to the success of the project. At the healthcare in question, some of the areas that need consideration include timeline on implementation, equipment reliability, educational training requirements, impact on workflow, and organizational leadership and culture (Spetz, Burgess Phibbs, 2012, p.157). It will also be critical fo r a project leader to be appointed who will monitor and oversee all the phases of the project. The main challenge that may be experienced in this stage may be the discovery of the utilization of workarounds which can be resolved with additional training.. Refreezing stage This last step requires the refreezing or freezing the desired change and leads to evaluation and stability of the practice. Frontline nurses are accorded ongoing support and the stakeholders are accorded technological support in a continuous flow, to a point when the change is completed and all users are able to use the technology comfortably. Once the technology is completed and is live, a summary and evaluation of the challenges encountered, the successes encountered, and the different problems faced through the entire duration of the project, should be done as a source of reference in the future. The inclusion of frontline nurses in all phases of the project is necessary as the nurses' major function is being change agents. Nurses have close contact with patients and are able to see the effects of the healthcare system and medicine on the patient (Keyes, 2014). In this project, the coaching leadership style will come into play where the real objective will be to help the already competent nurses to become even more successful. The nurses will be expected to be mentors to those that will find challenges in understanding and utilizing the Bar Code system. By coaching them, the final result will be that all nurses being capable of using the system effectively, reduced turnaround time, reduction of medication errors, and precise patient care. The nurses will also be responsible for patients' uptake of the new system; they will be open to the patients with regard to the change and encourage them to embrace it. The coaching leadership will improve the bottom line. Why the change is needed Medication safety is an issue of concern and a priority in long term care and hospital facilities as medication errors pose a serious threat to the safety of patients. Several studies have shown that fatality rates linked to medication errors in the US exceeded 7000 deaths per annum and affects 3-5% of hospital in-patients ( Dennison, 2007, p. 176; DeYoung, Vanderkooi, Barletta, 2009, p. 1110). Medication errors' ramification affect all healthcare units, result in mistrust by consumers, increased costs of healthcare, and patient death or injury(Andel, Davidow, Hollander et al., 2012, p.2) . Occurrence of medication errors can be at any administration and dispensing process stage however, only approximately 5% are recorded in nursing documentation, which is suggestive that there are many errors that have not been catastrophic and which have gone unreported (Wilkins Shields, 2008). Medication errors can be defined as any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient, or consumer. Such events may be related to professional practice, health care products, procedures, and systems, including prescribing; order communication; product labelling, packaging, and nomenclature; compounding; dispensing; distribution; administration; education; monitoring; and use(NCCMERP, 2016). These are common in healthcare facilities across the world with serious consequences resulting in patient harm or death, prolonged stay of patients in the hospital, trust erosion between healthcare organization and the consumer, and elevated economic expenditure (Dennison, 2007, p. 176). The estimated economic impact that is as a result of medication errors is approximately 5,000 dollars for every error, and when litigation is involved, this amount can escalate to millions of dollars (Dennison, 2007, p.176). Besides the harm done to the patient, nurses too face harm in their morale after involvement in a medication error which can lead to potential work time lost (Dennison, 2007, p.176). Although medication errors can happen at any point of the patient care process, the nurse is most times the final defence line for capturing errors as he/she administers medication at the patients' bedside. This can be translated as the nurse having responsibility of ensuring that the right medication is administered to the patient and when drug errors occur, the nurse should be held liable (Wilkins Shields, 2008). There have been several strategies introduced in an effort to reduce occurrence of errors in the process of administration and dispensing of medication and these include electronic medication records and patient identification, among others. One such tool is the proposed Bar Coded medication system that can potentially reduce errors in a significant way, when correctly used (Dennison, 2007, p. 176). One of the top priorities of healthcare facilities is patient safety and delivery of safe medication, which are a critical aspect of complete patient care. The current system of administration and delivery of medication at the healthcare facility in question involves dilapidated medication carts and is reliant on manual checks to ensure correct drug administration at the right dosage, site, route, and time by the nurse. The healthcare facility in question should embark on a complete pharmacy system overhaul and incorporate automated dispensing machines, together with medications bar coding, and electronic medication records, to improve and modernize patient safety and care. The frontline nurses will feel the greatest impact despite the possibility of some feeling sceptical or lacking confidence in the change and their ability to embrace the new technology, hence, careful implementation will be critical. Conclusion Change is inevitable yet any change often meets resistance. Careful planning and inclusion of key stakeholders throughout the entire change process is critical for the successful implementation of any change. In this paper, the introduction of a Bar Code medication system has been discussed as a necessary change that can potentially reduce medication errors. The inclusion of frontline nurses as the agents of change is necessary as they act as the point of contact between the patient and the healthcare facility as a whole. By empowering nurses through transformational coaching leadership, nurses can effect change in the medication delivery and administration in the healthcare facility by first assisting each other in gaining an understanding in the workings of the system; and secondly, through education of patients on the new changes which will in turn increase acceptability of the system among the patients. It is clear that transformational leadership is key in implementing change and the Lewin's theory of change management is the ideal way of ensuring the change is successful. By keeping communication lines between all stakeholders open and honest, and from the freezing stage to the final unfreezing change, resistance is minimized and adaptation potential is enhanced manifold times. 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