Macbeth Critical/ Analytical Study Essay

Guilt is a very strong, uncomfortable feeling that is often a result of one’s own actions. In the play, Macbeth, the author William Shakespeare uses character development to demonstrate how guilt can be self-destructive and ultimately lead to a negative impact on an individual’s mental stability. Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macduff all suffer from a guilty conscience which affects them in different ways but ultimately causes them to behave irrationally. A person’s guilt and disgrace has the power to drive them to insanity and sometimes self-destruction. Macbeth starts out as a brave, heroic individual who is widely respected throughout his country. However, behind the valiant image is a secret that is slowly eating away at him. Macbeth is a murderer. The guilt and shame commence when Macbeth allows himself to be manipulated to commit such a beastly act. When he first experiences his guilty conscience, he mistakes the feeling as fear. This is first evident just before he murders King Duncan and Macbeth has a vision of an imaginary dagger. â€Å"Is this a dagger which I see before me,/ the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.† (2.1.33-34). He realizes that the dagger is just an image in his mind, but decides that it is a result of his fear and continues with the task. This is the first point where Macbeth shows a sign of a mental breakdown, although he is still able to think somewhat rationally. This ultimately evolves into a hardened Macbeth and causes him to continue with his horrific actions until he is out of control. The murder of King Duncan is followed by the murders of many others, including his closest friend Banquo. The build-up of guilt begins the affect Macbeth’s mental state more and more until he can no longer think straight. He begins to hallucinate and on occasion has visions of the ghost of Banquo. The ghost first appears at the banquet, where Macbeth sees the bloody image of Banquo sitting at the dinner table. His horrific reaction alone shows the guilt he has for the murder, and the fact that no other guests at the banquet are aware of the ghost confirms that the ghost has been made up in Macbeth’s head. This is the point at which the mental illness begins to take over, causing Macbeth to behave insanely as well. The guilt and shame of his actions is what in the end destroys him. The murder of Macduff’s family is the main example of how rampant he becomes; it is the unnecessary murder of the complete innocent. Macbeth’s disgrace is obvious near the end of the play, where he informs Macduff that he would not harm him as he is already guilty of murdering his whole family. â€Å"But get thee back; my soul is too much charged/ With blood of thane already† (5.8.6-7). He proves this when he has an opportunity to kill Macduff but instead backs down. This is the point in the play that represents the self-destruction of guilt. Out of revenge, Macduff soon after slays Macbeth, taking his life. With such a build up of guilt and shame driving him to the point of insanity, Macbeth’s mental instability eventually took over and led him to his own destruction. Macbeth’s wife experiences similar guilt, although is affected by it in a different way. Lady Macbeth is the individual who first instigates Macbeth to commit his first crime. She has a considerable amount of ambition for power, and is not afraid to execute any kind of horrific offence in order to get the power she wants. After the murder of the King, Lady Macbeth does not show signs of disgrace like her husband, in fact she tells Macbeth that they need to forget about the crime all together. â€Å"Things without all remedy/ Should be without regard: what’s done is done.† (3.2.13-14). However, guilt still haunts Lady Macbeth, but it haunts her in her subconscious. She makes it clear that she is unable to sleep at night and that she is disturbed by nightmares. Although, Lady Macbeth is only involved with the initial murder of Duncan, the several murders that follow are out of her control. Her idea of covering up and forgetting about the crime is soon taken over by an out of control guilty conscience. She begins to show remorse for the actions, but her guilt is what drives her to her insanity. The point at which this is evident is when she is found sleep walking one night. During her soliloquy, memories of the night of the murder tumble out, revealing some of her guilty secrets. â€Å"The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?† (5.1.30). â€Å"I tell you again, Banquo is buried; he cannot come on’s grave.† (5.1.44). This is also the point at while Lady Macbeth’s mental instability begins to show. She starts hallucinating that she has blood on her hands from the murder that she cannot seem to wash off. â€Å"Out, damned sport! Out, I say!† (5.1.25). Lady Macbeth’s shame overpowers her, leaving her incapable to think or act rationally and her conscience is what ultimately causes her to take her own life. Lady Macbeth loses control of her emotions and guilt and her shame overwhelms her to the point of suicide. Macduff is another character who is consumed with guilt as well, but for a different reason. His guilt is not for any crimes he has committed, but it is a result of one of Macbeth’s. Macduff leaves his family alone at their house in Scotland, while he travels to England in order to gather forces to stand against Macbeth. Because of this, Macbeth sees him as a threat to his power and does anything he can to stop him, just as he has to any other individuals who came across as a threat. While Macduff is away, Macbeth murders his wife and children, as well as any employees found in his house. Macduff blames himself and feels guilty for leaving his family alone to be slaughtered. â€Å"Sinful Macduff,/ They were all struck for thee! Naught I am,/ Not for their own demerits, but for mine,/ Fell slaughter on their souls.† (4.3.231-234). Macduff then shows his firsts signs of inability to think rationally as a result of this guilt. His immediate reaction Is revenge on Macbeth, and he is then driven by the idea of his murder. Macduff vows to kill Macbeth on his own blade. When he achieves his wish of revenge and frees the country of Macbeth’s tyranny, he does so in a way that was no better than the acts of Macbeth. Even when a person’s guilt is brought upon them by an act which is out of their control, it can still affect their mental state and cause them to lose control of their emotions. No matter the individual, or their title, guilt can take over anyone. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had guilt that led to their own self-destruction. Macduff’s led to an irrational decision and a result no better than that of Macbeth’s actions. When individuals allow their emotions take over their actions it to a lack of ability to reason, it can drive a person mad and ultimately lead to their own downfall.

Campuses of colleges

A century ago,the campuses of colleges and universities across the United States might as well have hung out a sign that read â€Å"Men Molasses's all of the students and faculty were male. There were a small number of women's colleges, but many more schools-including some of the best known U. S. Universities such as Yale, Harvard, and Princeton-barred women outright. Since then,women have won greater social equality. By 1 980, the number of women enrolled at u. . Colleges finally matched the number of men. In a surprising trend, however, the share of women on campus has continued to Increase. As a result, In 2005, men accounted for only percent of all u. s. Undergraduates. The gender gap Is evident In all racial and ethnic categories and at all class levels. Among African Americans on campus, only 33 percent are men. The lower the Income level, the greater the gender gap In college attendance.Meg Delano noticed the gender Imbalance right away when she moved Into her dorm at the uni versity of Georgia at Athens; she soon learned that just 39 percent of her iris-year classmates were men. In some classes,there were few men, and women usually dominated discussions. Out of class, Delano and many other women soon complained that having so few men on campus hurt their social life. Not surprisingly, most of the men felt otherwise. What accounts for the shifting gender balance on U. S. Campuses?One theory is that many young men are drawn away from college by the lure of Jobs, especially in high technology. This pattern is sometimes termed the†Bill Gates syndrome,† after the an who dropped out of college and soon became the world's richest person by helping to found Microsoft. Thus,many boys have unrealistic expectations about their earning power if they don't have an education. In addition, analysts point to an anti-intellectual male culture. More young women are drawn to learning and seek to do well in school, whereas some young men attach less Importance to studying.According to Judith Killed,in the Journal Gender Issues, stereotyping is also holding boys back, Because girls generally have more plopped social skills and are better behaved than boys, they perform better In school, which then prÐ ²?pares them for college. Boys,on the other hand, are often labeled as less cooperative and more likely to act out In classrooms, which can affect their grades. Rightly or wrongly, more men seem to think they can get a good Job without Investing years of their lives and a considerable amount of money In getting a college degree.Many college officials are concerned about the lack of men on campus. N an effort to attract more balanced enrollments† some colleges are adopting what amounts to affirmative action programs for males. But courts In several states have already ruled such polices Illegal. Many colleges,therefore, are turning to more active recruitment; admissions officers are paying special attention to male applicants stressing a college's strength in mathematics and science-areas striving to increase their share of minority students, the hope is that they can also succeed in attracting a larger share of men.

Aristotle on Moral Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Aristotle on Moral Responsibility - Essay Example A person is not morally responsible for an action if he or she does not know the possible consequences of his actions prior to the performance of that action, according to Aristotle. By such standards Aristotle tells us about the moral responsibility on a person for his or her actions. In this essay we will talk about the Aristotle’s take on moral responsibility of person for his or her actions. The voluntary acts and involuntary acts will be defined and how moral responsibility is a function of moral character will also be explained according to Aristotle. The film Dead Man Walking will also be discussed and its scenes will be analyzed keeping in mind the writings of Aristotle. Moral responsibility is defined by Aristotle to some extent through his concept of voluntary and involuntary acts. Moral responsibility can also be determined through the knowledge of consequences of the actions prior to the performance of those actions. Moral responsibility is also determined through the concept of impulsive and deliberate actions. A person is also morally responsible for inaction in certain situations therefore this is also a criteria through which moral responsibility can be determined. All these determinants of moral responsibility will be discussed in the paper. Aristotle talks about voluntary and involuntary acts. An act according to him is involuntary if a person has no control on his actions. Moral responsibility of an action does not lie on a person if he or she is forced to perform an action. An example would be that of a person who loses his cell phone and wallet to a thief at the gun point. Such actions that are not voluntary and performer of such actions cannot be held morally responsible for it. The definition of involuntary actions, by Aristotle, is very restricted and narrow. He believes that an action is only involuntary if the agent is not taking any willful part in the action himself. A person may be under force but

Modernist Painting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Modernist Painting - Essay Example The essay "Modernist Painting" discovers Modern painting. In painting, Clement Greenberg adds on, this limit is made up of the flat surface, the properties of pigment and the shape of the support. However, it is the laying of emphasis on the ineluctable flatness of the support which remains most vital in the course of the pictorial art. As a result of this, the picture plane becomes the point of focus, all the senses of illusional depth is reduced to a point where background and the foreground are compressed into one. Due to the limitation brought about by the medium because of the two dimensional plains of the picture, the reality of the painting becomes somehow plain. The space becomes purely pictorial and not sculptural. Whereas the old painters created an illusion of space into which one could imagine being part of, the creation created by a modernist is one into which one can only look, and can travel through, only with the eye. Greenberg reasoned that the transposition of three dimensions into two survived in even the most abstract paintings. He maintains that the first mark which is smudged on a canvas immediately destroys its literal as well as utter flatness and the result of the marks made on it have a sort of illusion that implies or suggests a sort of third dimension. At issue for Greenberg is not modernism’s specificity but its perpetual renovation, a reformation of what had always been inherent to painting, whether â€Å"the flat surface, the shape of the support, or the properties of the pigments.†

Rewrite Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Rewrite - Essay Example Once this is done potatoes are ready for automatic peeling and are washed with cold water. 4. Slicing process involves passing potatoes through a revolving impaler/presser which cuts them into proper thin slices in accordance with the required thickness. Chips are cut in regular or ridged according to the blades used. 7. At this stage, slices pass through the air jets to get their excess water removed. During this process, slices are flown into 40-75 ft. oil filled troughs at the temperature of 350-375Â °F. Paddling process push the slices along and salt is sprinkled at the rate of 1.75 lb of salt to each 100 lb of chips. As potatoes arrive daily at manufacturing plants, they are checked for quality and are stored at a constant temperature and are processed into chips. To improve the color of the final product, potatoes are also being treated chemically by some manufacturers. However, to prepare the chips, potatoes are fried into oil and are sprinkled with flake salt instead of crystal salt. 10. After cooling and sorting chips are forwarded to the packaging machine where they are measured for their weight as well as a metal detector to check any metal piece that may have been included in the potatoes or being picked up during frying process. 11. A central processing unit code on the bags, which flow down from a roll, tells the machine how much chips should be released into the bag. A bag is formed, machines throws out the proper amount of chips into the bag and bags are sealed than. 12. During this process, it is ensured that excess air is not filled into the bags due to gaps and is nitrogen is used by some manufactures in this regard. Sealed bags are collated and hand-packed into cartons. Tasting samples are made from each batch at the rate of once per hour. The overall tasting process involves checking the chips for salt, seasoning, moisture, color which is also compared to the charts to confirm acceptable chip colors and flavor. Though potato chips

Worldviews and Its Formation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Worldviews and Its Formation - Research Paper Example One of the areas of contention is religion and the belief in God. In the world, there are thousands of distinct religions, each purporting to follow a certain faith. However, all these religions can be grouped into seven major categories, which include all the dominant worldviews. These worldviews include Monotheism, Deism, Naturalism, Nihilism, Existentialism, Pantheism and New Consciousness. This paper will thus discuss all the major worldviews, and compare and contrast them with a Christian Biblical worldview. Worldview and its formation Generally, a worldview is a group of presuppositions that people hold concerning the basic setup or makeup of the world. Specifically, it is an explanation of the divergent views of the people concerning the makeup of the world. People try to apply these views in their day-to-day existence. Some authors go further to suppose that a worldview is a model of the world that is used to guide the various assumptions of a set of people (Futrell, 2006). H owever, not all presuppositions of the people consist of a worldview, as the assumptions have to pass certain tests. The first test is rationality, in which case people should not be asked to believe contradictory events. The second test is that there should be enough evidence to support the theory, mostly from the things that are observable. Another test is that of reality, as it should be able to provide a comprehensive explanation of the way things are. This explanation should be satisfying to those who believe in it. Lastly, the worldview should be in a position to provide a purpose for life. People should not borrow elements from other worldviews to explain their purpose on earth (Solomon, 2001). A worldview is formed by joining certain components together, which serve as self-evident. Infants have no worldview, and the perception of life for everyone takes shape as the he grows and develop. The surrounding environment shapes most of the components of individual worldviews (Sir e, 2009). This environment starts to take charge at an early age, when the infant is under the care of the parent. Parents are the one who shape the first perception of the infants (Futrell, 2006). As the children grow, they develop their unique worldview based on the four fundamental components. The first component is the belief that something exist. This is because the experiences of the people have causes and effects that must be in existence. The second component is the belief that all people have absolutes, which serves as a reference point for their existence. Some people take God as their reference point, while others take love or power (Solomon, 2001). Another component for the formation of a worldview is the belief that two contradictory statements cannot both be right. In this regard, the basic law of logic applies as only one worldview can reflect the reality of life. For a worldview to be formed, it must thus have a unique belief from the others. The last fundamental com ponent in the formation of a worldview is the belief that all people exercise faith. Everyone in the world must assume at one point that certain things or events happen without absolute proof. One of the common beliefs in many worldviews is that a personal God exist (Solomon, 2001). Comparison and contrast of the seven worldviews with a Christian biblical worldview Monotheism The Monotheistic worldview is based on the people’s belief that there is only one God. This personal God has a distinctive personality and not just a divine power. In addition, there is a belief that humankind is a special creation of God in His own image. God manifests Himself though revelation and the truth about Him is beyond all rational

Social Factors On Consumer Tastes And Preferences Essay

Social Factors On Consumer Tastes And Preferences - Essay Example Those who earn a good amount of money usually consume a majority of economic and cultural capital. The division may be symmetrical with balance between the economic and cultural capital or asymmetrical with the balance tilted in favour of one of the capitals. The characteristics of each of the structure are distinctive and those structures are called habitus. The lifestyles are therefore influenced by the habitus. Taste has assumed great importance in the Habitus as it is often the distinctive factor of the matching principles in the society. In cultural consumption, there has been a distinction between the rarity of the product and the easy availability of the product. The rare products are considered as precious and the more readily available ones are called vulgar. The choice of tastes of the upper class of the society is distinctively different from the lower class of the society. Taste refers to â€Å"amor fati† or the destiny’s choice, which is forced by the condi tions of existence and makes the preference of the necessity. (Bordieu, 1984) Music has been an essential part of social life for thousands of years. Over the years, music has inserted a deep impact on the social life of the human beings. Eminent personalities in the history of music like Mozart, Beethoven etc. have played an important part in the popularity of music. Music was used as a tool in various social happenings, gatherings and even as a form of revolt. Great revolts in the annals of history were in some parts inspired by music.

Based on how technology, with particular emphasis on the internet and Essay

Based on how technology, with particular emphasis on the internet and computers, has changed world culture - Essay Example on, online education is less costly than going in another part of the country or going abroad and earning a degree (Online Education Database , par 2). This is indeed one of the major breakthroughs of the Internet age. Furthermore, doing research has never been easier than it is now. Gone are the days when one has to spend hours in the library. There is simply so much information within one’s reach. Globalization is another area which has benefitted much from the emergence of the Internet and computers. Better access to information and more efficient processing of information from Internet technology has helped businesses worldwide to improve its competitiveness and productivity (Zunairah 1). Marketing of products became less complicated with even a greater reach. Doing business and availing of products and services all over the world is less rigorous. Economic and political laws and policies of the different countries can easily be accessed, making it easier for companies to tap international markets. The Internet technology is not without its problems though. A major problem posed by the Internet is cyberbullying. The Internet and digital technologies gave birth to the social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. These networks have made it easier for some people to torment, threaten, harass, humiliate and embarrass other individuals (WiredKids, Inc. , par 1). Another major drawback of the advancement in information technology is the rise in cybercrimes. The Internet has brought about the emergence of cybercrimes such as unwanted software, fraud, identity crime, phishing, crimes against the intellectual property rights and terrorism (Chantler 249). Computers and the Internet technology is probably one of the greatest invention of mankind. One believes that its benefits more than outweigh its detrimental effects. It would be hard to imagine life without computers and access to the Internet. For the Internet generation, eliminating these

Terms Comparison Paper Essay Example for Free

Terms Comparison Paper Essay Within the world of health care economics, the United States â€Å"for-profit† health care system, strife with inflated costs and barriers to access, is in a process of reform. Rising insurance premiums, capitation, and market competition that discourage the consumption of unnecessary services currently reward providers for their focus on acute, episodic treatments, rather than encouraging improved health outcomes or disease prevention. The supplier-induced market has forced medical providers to base treatment recommendations on economic necessity. Complex billing and insurance operations have caused administrative costs to skyrocket. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to correct these inefficiencies by reducing personal health care costs, improving community health, and increasing access to quality care. The following discussion will examine the interplay of capital resources, Meaningful Use, and financial incentives within the world of health care economics and system reform. Capital Resources Capital resources refer to assets used by a health care organization that facilitate the delivery of services. As the United States’ health care system evolves from an institution dependent on the acquisition of revenues from hospital admissions and procedures to one focused on managing health and wellness, the careful utilization and deployment of capital resources is critical to economic growth. Computer programs are a beneficial capital resource that supports the practice of medicine, such as computerized order entry or clinical decision support systems. For example, a computerized order entry system reduces the duplication of diagnostic testing while clinical decision support systems help providers manage chronic conditions. Industry experts agree the adoption of health care information technology (HIT) is necessary for improving quality and efficiency, although, as of 2006, only 12% of physicians and 11% of hospitals invested in technological improvements to their capital resources (Congress, 2008). Meaningful Use Meaningful Use refers to standards of quality demonstrated when using electronic health records (EHR) to deliver services. Traditionally, quality improvement initiatives evaluated services on a case-by-case basis; for example, was a procedure performed properly, were there complications, was  the patient satisfied, and was the provider properly trained? The ACA’s movement towards health care reform expands the focus on reducing individual errors to addressing system performance and community health. Through data capture and sharing, health care organizations gain the ability to use this information to analyze and advance clinical processes. For instance, through the aggregation of real-time patient data early warning systems can reduce medical emergencies, transitions to intensive care, and mortality rates. Even though the ACA does not mandate the adoption and Meaningful Use of EHRs, after 2015, all Medicare providers not participating in the EHR incentive program may be sub ject to financial penalties (Impact, 2012). Financial Incentives Financial incentives refer to monetary rewards and penalties offered to health providers for creating a stronger primary care system that expands access, provides improved quality, and delivers better health results. Under the current fee-for-service system, providers do not receive payments for time spent with a patient discussing medical histories, alternative treatment options, concerns, between visit follow-ups, or even care coordination and management; instead, reimbursements occur through procedures, such as surgeries or diagnostic testing. Under ACA, primary care physicians receive a temporary increase in both Medicare and Medicaid payments. Financial incentives are also available for providers who encourage their patients to obtain preventative care services and for patients, through the elimination of coinsurance, deductibles, and copayments for approved preventative services and tests, such as blood pressure and cancer screenings. Moreover, the ACA Medicaid expansion will p rovide over 32 million people with health coverage, resulting in improved health and less uncompensated care (Abrams, Nuzum, Mika, Lawlor, 2011). Discussion Within the world of health care economics, access to health care services becomes restricted through a fee-for-service model that authorizes third-party payers to prioritize reimbursements for the delivery of acute, episodic treatment over preventative care and wellness. As purchasers, patients have little ability to evaluate the quality of services received or  negotiate fair prices. The ACA serves as an advocate, shifting the focus of the health care system from personal health to community health. As part of this initiative, providers receive financial rewards for investing in technological improvements, such as EHR adoption. Through the development of a national HIT infrastructure, capital resource investments enable data capture and sharing. When combined with Meaningful Use incentives, providers receive encouragement to create real-time monitoring solutions to improve health and reduce costs. Together, the ACA offers a path where primary care providers have the means to devel op a stronger health care system that provides expanded access, improved quality, and increased wellness. Conclusion The United States â€Å"for-profit† health care system, conflicted with inflated costs and barriers to access, is in a process of reform. The ACA aims to correct these market failures by reducing costs, improving health, and increasing access to quality care. The change in focus from reducing clinical errors to addressing system performance and community health is an essential aim of the ACA. Through the adoption of HIT, health care providers strengthen their capital resources and increase their ability to deliver quality, cost-effective care. Once adopted, Meaningful Use incentivizes the use of community health data to establish real-time monitoring programs that detect the need for medical intervention. The ACA offers several economic initiatives to encourage providers to evolve from a for-profit mentality to one focused on health and wellness. The economics behind health care reform will redefine health care demands and the types of services delivered. Over time, the focus on preventative care and wellness will reduce the demand for costly treatments, lowering national health care costs. References Congress of the United States, Congressional Budget Office. (2008). Evidence on the costs and benefits of health information technology (2976). Retrieved from website: http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/ftpdocs/91xx/doc9168/05-20-healthit.pdf Impact Advisors. (2012). Meaningful use stage 2: Understanding timing and penalties. Retrieved from website: http://www.impact-advisors.com/assets/news/document/ IA_Primer_on_MU_Stage_2_Timing_and_Penalties.pdf Abrams, M., Nuzum, R., Mika, S., Lawlor, G. (2011). Realizing health reform’s potential. The Commonwealth Fund. Retrieved from http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/Files/ Publications/Issue%20Brief/2011/Jan/1466_Abrams_how_ACA_will_strengthen_primary_care_reform_brief_v3.pdf

The First Essay Example for Free

The First Essay Andy Quans â€Å"The First† uses a wide variety of good techniques to express the effectiveness and understanding of the poem. There are three key techniques, which stand out in this poem. These techniques set the mood and show the viewers the real story behind the poem. The first technique used to show the effectiveness of this poem is a metaphor. An example of a metaphor in this poem is â€Å"narrative of death†. I think that this technique used helped with my understanding of how this person who is talking about their experience is grieving and shows the emotion of sadness and shock. This line tells the reader how much this person is confused and wonders at how it all happened. The impact of the death is described by the metaphor. Another great technique used is a rhetorical question. â€Å"Sleep? A bee?† is an example found in the first stanza of this poem. The effect that it has is making us wonder at how the death happened, and suggesting ways that could’ve caused the accident. The use of the technique in this way shows how Andy Quan was trying to come up with a reason for this unfortunate loss, making necessary excuses of how it could happen. The third technique that shows the theme of death and grief is imagery. The example found is â€Å"who drag around melancholy and nostalgia, luggage too heavy to be allowed on board†. This tells us how much sadness is filled up inside of the teller and how upsetting this lost, as being their first one, really is. This technique also helps to construct the meaning of the poem. Andy Quan indirectly expresses his emotion by using these three different techniques; metaphor, rhetorical question and imagery. The theme of death and grief is clearly shown throughout all the different examples of techniques. In my opinion, this particular poem expresses its true meaning through well thought phrases and techniques.

Strategic change in organizations Creative and Innovation Strategic hrm

Strategic change in organizations Creative and Innovation Strategic hrm The factor of change is one of the most certain factors in an organisational life. The certainty of change gives birth to the need of its appropriate management. Academics presented various models of the change management like McKinsey 7-S Model, Kotters Eight Step Change Model, etc. In this section of the paper we will evaluate the changing environment of Abbey National in the current economy by employing three models of change i.e. 5 Ps Model of Pryor, McKinsey 7-S Model, and Lewins Change Management Model in detail. 5 Ps Model of Pryor: Introduction The 5P model is a joint presentation of Mildred Golden Pryor, J. Chris White, Leslie A. Toombs and John H. Humphreys. It is a model of strategic management to obtain organisational success through 5 variables: Purpose, Principles, Processes, People, and Performance. Key Points of the Model The points mentioned below explain the model: Purpose is a variable that includes the objectives, goals, mission, strategies, feedback, and vision, and all other factors that show the intensions of the organization. Leaders of the organizations should clearly deliver the strategies and tactics to the staff in order to obtain the organizational goals. The other variables like principle and processes must be aligned with the purpose. Principles are the next P after Purpose. They encompass all organisational attitudes, assumptions and philosophies that indicate how to conduct the business. They also include ethics and other integrity elements to which employees need to make the commitment at the time of hiring. They are extremely important for the successful execution of organisational activities. Principles should be aligned with processes that involve all those infrastructure, systems, procedures and structure which are employed by organisation for the production of goods and for performing services. People are a group of individuals that achieve the organisational purposes by following principles of the organisation. Performance is comprised of all the metrics, results and measurements that are used as a standard for decision making process of the organisation. The establishment of measurement and feedback is an important task of leader for the long run survival and profitability of the organisation. All above stated 5Ps must be aligned with each other if the organisational leaders want to achieve a maximum efficiency and output (Pryor, et al 2007). Relevance of 5 Ps Model to Abbey National in the current economy The 5P model is of relevance to Abbey National in the current economy, especially when it is undergoing a big change of its history. This is so because the 5Ps model is a best suit for strategic, quality, organisational, and change management. As Abbey National is overtaken by Grupo Santander, which is an international banking group so the new leader has to realize the current economic conditions of the UK in order to make this investment worthwhile (Winslow, 2005, p.8). Along with this the new leader should communicate the organisational purpose and principles clearly to the people. The processes should also be made clear from the leaders in order to remove any ambiguity. Lastly, leaders need to set up processes appropriately to reward the success of people. Thus by following the 5P model the occurrence of change in Abbey National can be managed very well by keeping in view the current economy of UK. Lewins Change Management Model Introduction In the 1950s, idea of change management was presented by Kurt Lewin in a form of three steps model. For over 40 years his model ruled in the area of change management. Core points of the Model His model is explained in below stated points: In order to implement a change effort Lewin purposed three step process to managers and that is Unfreeze-Change-Freeze (Burne, 2004). Unfreeze is a stage in which those employees are motivated who either do not accept change or are not accustomed to the change occurred in the processes and duties (Burne, 2004). Lewin is of view that for the successful adoption of new behavior, the old behavior needs to be discarded. Schein (1996, p.27) explains that three factors i.e. status quo disconfirmation regarding its validity, anxiety for survival and creation of psychological safety are essential for the attainment of unfreezing stage. The second stage is the phase in which the change is implemented and adjusted. This stage is a transitional period in which people are unfrozen and started moving towards a new way (Burne, 2004). The last phase is freezing or refreezing in which the organization is strengthened and people or employees are allowed to refreeze (Burne, 2004). Relevance of Lewins Change Management Model to Abbey National in the current economy This model can be relevant to Abbey National in the current economy because it defines ways for change management by keeping in view the psychological behaviour against the element of change. The employees of Abbey National would not accept the change if they are not treated by new leaders according to their mind. As the change has been occurred at Abbey National so by employing unfreezing strategies they will be able to successfully cover the transitional phase in order to refreeze towards the new directions. If new leaders do not reduce the anxiety of people by providing them safety the change cannot be implemented successfully. Lewin rightly acknowledged that change is not merely a step but a journey that needs persistent and strong efforts. McKinsey 7-S Model Introduction The 7S framework was presented by McKinsey and Company in 1980s. It is not a pure strategy model but an approach that focuses on the force of the change employed by the leaders to achieve superior performance by affecting organizational change (PAPERS4YOU, 2010). Core points of the Model The model is based on the points explained underneath: He draws a line of distinction between managers and leaders of the organizations (Watson, 1983). For McKinsey the organizational development depends on seven factors and that are: strategy, skills, structure, systems, staff, shared values, and a style (Watson, 1983). Managers rely on a hard Ss like systems, strategy, and structure whilst leaders work with soft Ss like shared values, staff, style, and skills. The harda variables are more tangible, feasible and easy to identify against softa because they are well documented in the form of corporate plans, organisational charts and strategy statements, etc. (Burtonshaw-Gunn, 2009). McKinsey explains systems as scheduled processes and procedures that organisation follows. Likewise, strategy is a way that is adopted during resource allocation for the attainment of defined organisational goals. The last managerial harda is a structure which means the skeleton of the organisations (Burtonshaw-Gunn, 2009). Shared values are the guiding themes and things of the organisation that everyone knows are essential for the organisations successful functioning. The factor of staff means the description of people needed by the organisation. The pattern of action whether symbolic or actual that are adopted for the organisational communication at large scale is known as style. Lastly, skills are a bunch of the attributes and unique competencies of the organisation (Watson, 1983). The model links planning with the organisational change by stating that all variables i.e. softa or harda are interdependent. Thus, organisational change as a whole is necessary instead of changing one or two variables (Grant, 2008). The softa variables are challenging for all kinds of change management strategies. This is because managing staff resistance against changing organisational structure and values is very hard (Grant, 2008). The change management in case of organisations is also difficult because employees are valued and encouraged for their innovations and thus are an important part of any organisation (Grant, 2008). Relevance of 7S model to Abbey National in the current economy The organisational analysis of Abbey National is very delicate especially by using the 7S model, when it is undergoing a big organisational change. Moreover, the dynamic and complex nature of softa variables is also making the task little challenging. Few points mentioned underneath are important to remember before making analysis of Abbey National with the help of the 7S framework model: Abbey National was a UK based bank that was taken over by Grupo Santander in 2004, that is an international banking group headquartered in Spain. This change in Abbey National is drastic in respect of cultural and demographic differences. Abbey National has rebranded since 2010 which means the change has occurred in its softa variables. This is because the source of leadership has moved from UK to Spain. As softa and harda variables are closely interrelated according to the 7S framework so change in softa will transform the harda factors as well. These days UK economy is going through the last phase of global economic crises of 2008. As the result of which, a stiff resistance is expected from the staff which is one of the constituting softa factors. Managers that are an exact opposite category of leaders have to deal with this situation with great care. They have to manage two kinds of changes; one that has occurred in the organisational staff and the second is the resultant change that comes in the strategy of the organisation as the result of staff resistance. In brief, both changes can be handled appropriately if managers and leaders work in coordination with each other. Section: B Change Management and 5Ps Model of Pryor at Abbey National Although all above stated models are relevant to Abbey Nationals changing condition but 5Ps model is the most appropriate to implement and monitor the change occurred at the local bank of UK. It is suitable because it completely and constantly analyzes change by employing various management techniques and concepts. Plan for the implementation of 5Ps model of change in Abbey National The Plan for the implementation of 5Ps model is illustrated below History Abbey National was the sixth major bank in the United Kingdom and was ranked second in terms of high mortgage lending before the acquisition by Santander Ltd, a well known international banking chain in the Euro zone. At the time of acquisition it was going in a loss of $1.6bn for a year 2002, against a profit of  £1.47bn a year earlier. Later, Santander group took it over in 2004. Upon this change of leadership the goals, objectives, and strategies, etc of the bank has been restated which are mentioned underneath (Pryor et al., 2007). Purpose It includes all strategic theories like mission, vision, goals, objectives, etc. The mission and objectives of Abbey National have changed with its rebranding. Thus managers need to device new strategies and technologies in order to achieve the big goal of Abbey which is to lift the customers trust on the bank along with the introduction of international banking at Abbey. The new mission of the bank needs to be completely delivered to all the stakeholders especially, people. Moreover it should also be aligned with the new principles of the bank. Principles It includes the philosophy and attitude of Santander Ltd which are mentioned below: The philosophy of new leaders is to widen the nature of Abby National from indigenous banking to the international criteria. All employees have to abide by the international banking rules and ethics instead of domestic UK rules during their job tenure. Fraudulent consumers will be treated according to international banking law. Processes It involves the theories pertaining to systems like structure, procedures and communication channels, etc for the production of goods and services. The new leadership of Abbey National will introduce following new services and product mentioned below: It will launch online banking at international level. In this way offshore consumer can also reach their accounts and avail the services of Abbey National from outside the UK. An offshore foreign exchange services will also be introduced at Abbey National. In addition competitive overseas interest rates will be introduced. People This P includes all behavioural theories and aspects like team, individual, different types of customers and suppliers, etc. The new leader will bring following change in this area: Internal consumer will be briefed about international banking whilst external customers will be encouraged at Abbey National. For the availability and provision of new products and services internal and external suppliers will be encouraged to make bids via tender. To understand the local consumer and to contribute in the economy of UK local people will be recruited along with outsiders. Team members and individual workers will be encouraged by offering bonuses and other benefits on the display of good performance. Performance It includes measurement and feedback strategies like benchmarking, etc. The change will be implemented by keeping in view the performance of the people working at Abbey National. In respect of performance of the organisation below mentioned steps will be undertaken: Individual and team work will be awarded with appropriate feedback. Clear measuring scales are defined to note down the performances of workers at Abbey National. These measures will not only keep the leaders up-to-date on recent changes but also provide employees information about the performance of all the activities of Abbey Bank. Measures to monitor the change Progress All above stated Ps will work in perfect alignment with each other. They are well integrated with each other and will not be assessed individually. To monitor the progress of change at Abbey National the above analysis will be employed. Section: C Assessment to use a suitable strategic intervention technique in Abbey National The development of any organisation greatly depends on strategic intervention techniques. An organisation is a workplace where people of different attitudes and calibre have to work with each other by resolving the conflicting issues. A strategic intervention technique is way by which workers get training on how to work with the different types of people in order to achieve the goals of organisation. Abbey National plc is one of the most renowned banks in the UK that offers commercial services. The operation of Abbey has expanded internationally after the takeover by Santander, which is one of the largest financial groups. Currently, Abbeys staff is composed of the diverse workforce due to which emergence of conflicts among workers is very normal aspect. In such circumstances there is a dire need of an appropriate strategic intervention technique. The technique should encompass the followings: It should educate employees on how to work efficiently with the different types of individuals. It should encourage workers to appreciate their co-workers in all organizational spheres. Section: D The need for strategic change in Abbey National The strategic change means the change in organizational mission, goals and objectives. There are many causes of strategic changes and one of the most prominent is the change in the leadership of the organisation. The acquisition of Abbey National by Santander Ltd provides the ground for the strategic change in Abbey National. This is so because the new leaders of Abbey National will restate the goal, and objectives according to their vision (Winslow, 2005). Abbey National was UK based bank while its acquisition by Santander Ltd converts it into international bank. This new status has been given to Abbey National by introducing offshore online and offline banking services. Now managers and workers have to adopt new strategies in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the bank. The factors driving the need for strategic change in Abbey National Some factors that are driving the need for strategic change in Abbey National are assessed below: Change in the vision and mission of the banks leadership. The previous leadership of Abbey National was local so their aims and objectives were national. With the takeover of Santander Ltd the banks objectives and missions were transformed to international, which created the need for strategic change. Change in the category of customers. The majority of customers were local before the acquisition of Santander Ltd. The customers composition changed after the addition of international customers. The composition of suppliers also changed after the acquisition of Santander Ltd. International suppliers started working along with national suppliers. The strategies and tactics to attain new organisational goals also generate the need for strategic change. Section: E Assessment of the resource implications of Abbey National not responding to strategic change Some of the resources that are not responding to the strategic change at Abbey National are assessed underneath: Small investors that were attached to Abbey National before its rebranding are not accepting its recent status. In particular they are opposing the change of banks name and the revamping of its branches. Thus the new leaders and managers need to make proper strategy in order to satisfy their stakeholders (Market Watch: Global Round-up, 2003). The shareholders of banks are also rebelling against pay policy of Abbey including its reward strategy. The business strategies employed by new managers and leaders are also not being appreciated by market partners of Abbey National. As the result of this the bank has to face the fluctuating figures of wholesale business and mortgages. Although the social order of UK is one of the modern societies in the world but Abbey National need some time to revitalize its image of online banking, especially of mobile banking? For this purpose the bank management needs to increase the security measures against its online banking services and products. The employees at Abbey National are also responding very slowly to the strategic change. This is so because old workers need some time to adjust with the new ones. The leaders need to align their people with the processes in order to achieve the purposes of the new leadership of the bank (Cave, 2004). Section: F Systems development to involve stakeholders in the planning of change The major national and international stakeholders of Abbey National are: shareholders, employees, customer, business partners and community. A bank functions with the collaboration of all stakeholders, so to take all of them on board during planning of change is very essential. The system to involve stakeholders in the planning of change is developed by employing 5Ps model of Pryor which is illustrated below The brief description of above illustrated points is stated underneath: The new objectives and goals of the leaders should be well communicated to all stakeholders especially shareholders, employees and business partner. This is so because they are directly influenced by the profit and loss of the bank. If the stakeholders are divided on the implementation of change then leaders should try to convince the opposite side with the help of those who favours the change. The new philosophy of revamping and giving the bank international status should be properly delivered to all stakeholders. This is so because with the mutual cooperation of all stakeholders the changed objectives of Abbey National can be attained. With the rebranding of Abbey International the means of production and services are also changed. All stakeholders must be taken in confidence on this change. The new purposes like the objectives and products and services of Abbey National should be delivered to employees in particular and other stakeholders in general. Lastly all stakeholders like national and international customers, suppliers and shareholders, etc should be well informed with the performance of the bank (Botin, 2004). Development of a change management strategy with stakeholders In order to incorporate stakeholders Abbey is adopting a back to basic strategy of change management. Some of the points for a change management with stakeholders are discussed below: The brand name of Abby National will be revamped by taking all stakeholders, especially domestic customers and investors in confidence (Market Watch: Global Round-up, 2003). The red Santanders interior and marketing communications strategies will be incorporated within Abbey with the mutual understanding of all stakeholders (Market Watch: Global Round-up, 2003). The talks will be made with various media agencies on the activities of Abbey. Section: G Evaluation of the systems used to involve stakeholders in the planning of change incorporating a strategy for managing resistance to change The above stated system that is devised to involve stakeholders in the planning of change also helps in reducing the resistant factors to change. This is so because the confidence of customers, employees and other shareholders will be revived as the result of their involvement in the decision making strategies of Abbey. Those domestic investors, employees who were not accepting the restructuring of bank will be taken in confidence through negotiations and table talks. An evaluation of systems is illustrated below: Conclusion This section is concluded on the statement that the implementation of change in organisational life is not possible without taking all the stakeholders in confidence. Unit: 6 Innovative Management Section: A During the change processes discussed above, evaluate the creative and innovative management processes applied at Abbey National and explain how Santander Ltd could lead Abbey National to positively embrace innovation and change The creative and innovative management processes play a significant role in the change implementation processes of the organisation. This is so because these processes help in bridging up the differences between the new leadership, management and other working staff. Some of the innovative management processes that were employed by Abbey National Ltd are discussed below: Revamping of the Abbeys logo from an umbrella to a rainbow pastiche. It changes its customer approach from national to international. To introduce Abbey as a customer-centric organization. The name of bank has been changed from Abbey National to Abbey. Redecorating and re-colouring the branches of Abbey. To simplify its product range, for instance, the division of saving products into three categories i.e. Freedom, Sure Easy, and Start. More staff will be recruited for customer-facing roles to improve customer services in different branches of Abbey. To increase the number of telephones centres to facilitate customer services. To increase training opportunities for customer-facing staff in order to facilitate customer from all aspects. To make the availability of the product and services simple and transparent. Santander Ltd can only make Abbey National to embrace innovation and change by taking all of its stakeholders on board. For this purpose the new leader of Abbey National has to follow the above stated system that is derived from the 5Ps model of Pryor. Section: B Assess the influence of vision and mission of Santander Ltd on generation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National using analytical tools to identify potential creative and innovative management ideas SWOT analysis is one of the most and widely used analytical tool of strategic management that helps in analysing the influence of vision of Santander Ltd on generation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National at macro level. SWOT Analysis A framework of SWOT analysis is employed for the identification and assessment of the potential creative and innovative management ideas in Abbey National. SWOT analysis is briefly discussed underneath Strength The new vision and mission of Abbey is to alleviate the status of Abbey from internal bank to the international bank. As the result of which managers have to adopt creative and innovative management strategies in order to compete with the international competition. The new international status of Abbey National will give it more exposure by invigorating the trust of the general public on the bank. To integrate the banking activities of Abbey National with that of the Santander Groups management of Abbey has to make use of creativity (Cave, 2004). Weaknesses The reaction of ex staff members in the form of resignations can threaten the implementation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National. Santander group has to bear a loss on the implementation of the creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National until customers trust on the bank is rejuvenated. Opportunities The well developed and well aware society of the UK is the biggest opportunity of Santander group for the implementation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National because they do not need to invest in public awareness programs about international online or offline banking. A good international reputation of Santander group is another major strong point. The implementation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National is necessary to offer consumers an international banking exposure by providing them bank access even from outside the UK (Botin, 2004). Threats The increasing number of online banking fraudulent and technology is a biggest threat for the implementation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National. The stiff reaction from the employees in respect of strategies adopted by the new leaders can also threaten the creative and innovative management processes in Abbey (Cave, 2004). Section: C Assessment of creative and innovative management ideas for Abbey National via 5Ps model Overall the creative and innovative management ideas of Santander group for Abbey National alleviate the growth rate of the bank. A thorough assessment of the innovative management ideas are discussed below with the help of 5Ps model of change. Risks A negative reaction of the stakeholder especially private investors, shareholders and customers is risky for the implementation of the innovative management ideas. Launching of advanced online products and services against big competitors. Benefits The support of some stakeholders is a plus point for the implementation of the innovative management ideas in Abbey. The introduction of new products and services. Barriers An unexpected fall in the banks yearly or monthly margin due to the introduction of the innovative management ideas. Decelerating profits due to the occurrence of change and a poor financial condition of the bank in past. Moreover, costly and unpopular mortgage lock-ins also diminishes profits which can restrict the implementation of the innovative management ideas. The barriers and risks can be transformed into benefits by making strategies according to the 5Ps model of Pryor. For this, managers and leaders have to create alignment between the 5Ps which are Purpose, Principles, Processes, People, and Performance. Conclusion In few words, the management of innovative and creative strategies is a key to attain the new objectives of Abbey successfully. . Unit: 10 Human Resource Management Section: A Understanding the events at Abbey National initiated by Santander Ltd, explain the importance and purposes of strategic human resource management for Abbey National Introduction A skeleton of the organisation is based on three factors: mission, structure and Human resource management. Human resource management is a composition of methods of recruiting, firing, and rewarding. HR mangers deal with the work force of the organisation by employing different managerial strategies. HRM encompasses all sorts of strategies, decisions, principles, functions and operations concerned with management of individuals as employees working in an organization (Kaila, 2005, p.14). Undoubtedly, the role of strategic human resource management is significant at the time when Abbey National is going through the biggest change of its history. Before going in detail it is pertinent to see the meaning of the strategic human resource management. Strategic human resource management is a link that connects strategic goals of an organization with its human resources in order to promote the culture of innovation, and flexibility in the organization. Strategic human resource management recognizes human resource as a strategic partner in the formulation and implementation of the organizational strategies The aim of all strategies is the attainment of organizational goals by making use of available resources. In fact, it would be pertinent to say that the success of organisations is greatly dependant on the human resource management. In this section an attempt is made to explain the importance and purposes of strategic human resource management for Abbey National. This will be done by keeping in view the actions of Santander Ltd (Botin, 2004). The importance and purposes of strategic human resource management for Abbey National Employees are one of the major stakeholders of Abbey National plc (Previously Abbey National). The success of strategies and goals of the new leadership is greatly based on the willingness, talent and diversity of its workforce. The new leaders should device rewarding strategies by keeping in view the opinions of employees. This is necessary not only to develop, encourage and retain existing employees but also to recruit the ones with highest calibre. If the employees are not assigned role according to their abilities and qualification they can quit the job which should be alarming for the new leaders. This is so because if trusted and old workers will start quitting at increasing rate, the reputation of the organization will deteriorate. Another very important and delicate issue arises when human resource management announced the plan of job-cut. This decision creates uncertainty among the workers which can further diminish their performance. In few words, the role of strategic human resource management cannot be ignored especially at a point when Abbey is undergoing a big change. Section: B Assess the impact of strategic human resource management activities

The Attitudes of the Poets in Warning and Old man Essay -- Jenny Josep

The Attitudes of the Poets in Warning and Old man Both poems represent a picture of old age. Jenny Joseph's view of what she imagines life will be like, and her expectations, where-as U A Fanthorpe's observation of old age, is of her father, and is written from her own experience. Jenny Joseph sees old age as a positive experience. She seems to believe she will be free from responsibility. "I shall go out in my slippers in the rain." She suggests these are the things she would enjoy to do now, but if she were to actually do these now, people would disapprove of her actions. She assumes that when she gets old, others will accept childish actions. Jenny Joseph does not see herself unable to do anything that she can do at the moment. Her picture of old age is one of being active. "Sit down on the pavement when I'm tired." She sees this as being a childish act, as she would not consider sitting on the pavement now. She does not think about the restrictions that old age bring. In "Old man, old man" Fanthorpe presents a picture of her fathers old age. He is unable to do many things he once could do. "Now his hands shamble among clues" =================================== Fanthorpe's father could once do these things for himself but now he needs the help off the other people. Fanthorpe raises issues that are negative towards old age, and how old people are like children, the way they become dependant on others. Most of the behaviour described in both poems is childish. Jenny Joseph seems to see age as a second childhood. "Pick the flowers in other peoples gardens" She sees this an act that children can get away with, she also sees this as a step into a new freedom, where as Fanthorpe... ...cking her father, at his expense, someone suggesting another to be the 'lord' of something is of high status, and so it is funny as it is only a shed. There is also a sense of sadness to the poem, as she recounts of her father not being good with her when she was young. "Not good with daughters" I believe that the motive for this is because of his interest's in D.I.Y rather than the more necessary and essential things in life. Fanthorpes father has seemed to lose all-important aspects of his character, even the aspects that were dislikeable about his personality. He has begun to be dependent on other people, and is unaware of what is happening. I think both poems represent humour and compassion. Jenny Joseph represents the bright and optimistic observation's of old age, where-as Fanthorpe raises depressing and discouraging vision's of old age.

empiricism Essay -- essays research papers

Empiricism Empiricism by nature is the belief that there is no knowledge without experience. How can one know what something tastes like if they have never tasted it? For example, would someone know that an apple is red if they have never actually have seen one. Someone can tell you an apple is red, but, if you never have seen one, can you really be sure? Empiricists use three anchor points in which they derive their opinions from. The first of these points is; the only source of genuine knowledge is sense experience. An easier way to understand this is to compare the mind to a clean sponge. As the sponge touches things, it takes with it, a piece of everything it touches. Without this, the sponge would remain clean and be void of anything other than its own material. With this conclusion, empiricist believes we must be content with the knowledge we have at hand, rather than things we have not yet been privy to. The second anchor point is; Reason is an unreliable and inadequate route to knowledge unless it is grounded in the solid bedrock of sense experience. Empiricists believe that all of our words meanings are derived from our experiences. Everything can be traced back to a single moment in our lives. Empiricists understand that reason is necessary in helping us make our experience intelligible, but reason alone cannot provide knowledge. The third anchor point is; there is no evidence of innate Ideas within the mind that are known apart from experience. What this means is the mind does not possess ideas that are not backed by experience. In no case are there a priori truths that can both tell about the world and are known apart from experience. When asked the three epistemological questions the three empiricists all have different answers. The first of these questions is; is knowledge possible? John Locke (1632-1704) states â€Å"Knowledge, however, is not something lying out there in the grass; it is located in our minds. So to understand knowledge we have to analyze the contents of our minds and see what they tell us about the world† (pg. 93). Locke believes that all of our known truths are made up of simple ideas. Simple ideas are what make up the rudimental elements of everything else we know to be true to us today. For example, they consist of ideas such, hot and cold, soft and hard, bitter and sweet. They also give us experience through are own mental o... ...s not possible for our knowledge to truly represent what reality really is. He believes that â€Å"the only certainty that we can have concerns the relationships of our own ideas. Since these judgments only concern the realm of ideas, they do not tell us about the external world† (p. 108). This means that any knowledge about reality must be based on a posteriori judgments. These judgments are made by Hume because he believes there is no way to have a true reality through knowledge because you only gain knowledge through experience. In conclusion, Hume states that many empiricists discovered that reality is an impossible goal to understand. Overall, Empiricists believe that there is no knowledge without experience. While their individual views may differ, their fundamental ideas are used to make conclusions about theories in the world. Each of these men have ideas about how knowledge is used and what it creates for each person. Through each of these theories it is apparent that knowledge and reality are difficult to access in such a complicated world. References Lawhead, William F., The Philosophical Journey: An Interactive Approach, Second Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Major Crime

†¢What is the purpose of major crime-reporting programs? What makes a successful crime-reporting program in the United States? The purpose for major crime-reporting programs is to try to improve the methology and to publish the collective data. So by having major crime-reporting programs the law enforcement agencies are able to get information and also collect data to figure out the crime patterns of the nation instead of just one spot. This is hard though because not all of the crimes that end up happening get reported. So by this being said not everything can go into the crime-reporting programs.I think the government needs to try to find another way to get these â€Å"smaller† none reported crimes to be reported. What makes a successful crime reporting program in the United States is that most of the crimes do get reported the way that they should, and that the police officers are doing their job to the best of their abilities. I think it could be stepped up a notch an d maybe put camaras in the cruisers so the crimes that do not get reported at least have a sign to get reported. †¢How do crime rates relate to arrest rates and clearance rates?Is there a way to improve the correlation between crime rates, arrest rates, and clearance rates in the effort to combat criminal activity? Crime rates are when the number is divided by the total number of crimes that are what they called â€Å"cleared. † This is when the crime is closed, finished or they found the criminal in whatever was going on with the crime. To combat criminal activity the police can gather the information from the UCR (uniform crime report). From what I was reading â€Å" clearance rates is the percentage of crimes that have been closed by arrest, exceptional means, etc. So in my opinion to help improve the correlation between crime rates, arrest rates and clearance rates, is to get all the facts straight. Do not jump from one to the other. Gather all the information that you can, and see what is going on, get cases closed or any old cases if they were closed because in significant evidence see if there is anything that you can do to change the out come and re-open the close case to get it closed the right way and find out what really happened. http://en. allexperts. com/q/Criminal-Law-916/2010/10/crime-rates. htm

The Host Chapter 41: Vanished

Ian sat with me for three days in the darkness. He left for only a few short minutes at a time, to get us food and water. At first, Ian ate, though I did not. Then, as he realized that it wasn't a loss of appetite that left my tray full, he stopped eating, too. I used his brief absences to deal with the physical needs that I could not ignore, thankful for the proximity of the odorous stream. As my fast lengthened, those needs vanished. I couldn't keep from sleeping, but I did not make myself comfortable. The first day, I woke to find my head and shoulders cradled on his lap. I recoiled from him, shuddering so violently that he did not repeat the gesture. After that, I slumped against the stones where I was, and when I woke, I would curl back up into my silent ball at once. â€Å"Please,† Ian whispered on the third day-at least I thought it was the third day; there was no way to be sure of the passing time in this dark, silent place. It was the first time he'd spoken. I knew a tray of food was in front of me. He pushed it closer, till it touched my leg. I cringed away. â€Å"Please, Wanda. Please eat something.† He put his hand on my arm but moved away quickly when I flinched out from under it. â€Å"Please don't hate me. I'm so sorry. If I'd known†¦ I would have stopped them. I won't let it happen again.† He would never stop them. He was just one among many. And, as Jared had said, he'd had no objections before. I was the enemy. Even in the most compassionate, humankind's limited scope of mercy was reserved for their own. I knew Doc could never intentionally inflict pain on another person. I doubted he would even be capable of watching such a thing, tender as his feelings were. But a worm, a centipede? Why would he care about the agony of a strange alien creature? Why would it bother him to murder a baby-slowly, slicing it apart piece by piece-if it had no human mouth to scream with? â€Å"I should have told you,† Ian whispered. Would it have mattered if I'd simply been told rather than having seen the tortured remains for myself? Would the pain be less strong? â€Å"Please eat.† The silence returned. We sat in it for a while, maybe another hour. Ian got up and walked quietly away. I could make no sense of my emotions. In that moment, I hated the body I was bound to. How did it make sense that his going depressed me? Why should it pain me to have the solitude I craved? I wanted the monster back, and that was plainly wrong. I wasn't alone for long. I didn't know if Ian had gone to get him or if he'd been waiting for Ian to leave, but I recognized Jeb's contemplative whistle as it approached in the darkness. The whistling stopped a few feet from me, and there was a loud click. A beam of yellow light burned my eyes. I blinked against it. Jeb set the flashlight down, bulb up. It threw a circle of light on the low ceiling and made a wider, more diffuse sphere of light around us. Jeb settled himself against the wall beside me. â€Å"Gonna starve yourself, then? Is that the plan?† I glared at the stone floor. If I was being honest with myself, I knew that my mourning was over. I had grieved. I hadn't known the child or the other soul in the cave of horrors. I could not grieve for strangers forever. No, now I was angry. â€Å"You wanna die, there are easier and faster ways.† As if I wasn't aware of that. â€Å"So give me to Doc, then,† I croaked. Jeb wasn't surprised to hear me speak. He nodded to himself, as if this was exactly what he'd known would come out of my mouth. â€Å"Did you expect us to just give up, Wanderer?† Jeb's voice was stern and more serious than I had ever heard it before. â€Å"We have a stronger survival instinct than that. Of course we want to find a way to get our minds back. It could be any one of us someday. So many people we love are already lost. â€Å"It isn't easy. It nearly kills Doc each time he fails-you've seen that. But this is our reality, Wanda. This is our world. We've lost a war. We are about to be extinct. We're trying to find ways to save ourselves.† For the first time, Jeb spoke to me as if I were a soul and not a human. I had a sense that the distinction had always been clear to him, though. He was just a courteous monster. I couldn't deny the truth of what he was saying, or the sense of it. The shock had worn off, and I was myself again. It was in my nature to be fair. Some few of these humans could see my side of things; Ian, at least. Then I, too, could consider their perspective. They were monsters, but maybe monsters who were justified in what they were doing. Of course they would think violence was the answer. They wouldn't be able to imagine any other solution. Could I blame them that their genetic programming restricted their problem-solving abilities in this way? I cleared my throat, but my voice was still hoarse with disuse. â€Å"Hacking up babies won't save anyone, Jeb. Now they're all dead.† He was quiet for a moment. â€Å"We can't tell your young from your old.† â€Å"No, I know that.† â€Å"Your kind don't spare our babies.† â€Å"We don't torture them, though. We never intentionally cause anyone pain.† â€Å"You do worse than that. You erase them.† â€Å"You do both.† â€Å"We do, yes-because we have to try. We have to keep fighting. It's the only way we know. It's keep trying or turn our faces to the wall and die.† He raised one eyebrow at me. That must have been what it looked like I was doing. I sighed and took the water bottle Ian had left close to my foot. I drained it in one long pull, and then cleared my throat again. â€Å"It will never work, Jeb. You can keep cutting us out in pieces, but you'll just murder more and more sentient creatures of both species. We do not willingly kill, but our bodies are not weak, either. Our attachments may look like soft silver hair, but they're stronger than your organs. That's what's happening, isn't it? Doc slices up my family, and their limbs shred through the brains of yours.† â€Å"Like cottage cheese,† he agreed. I gagged and then shuddered at the image. â€Å"It makes me sick, too,† he admitted. â€Å"Doc gets real bent out of shape. Every time he thinks he's got it cracked, it goes south again. He's tried everything he can think of, but he can't save them from getting turned into oatmeal. Your souls don't respond to injected sedation†¦ or poison.† My voice came out rough with new horror. â€Å"Of course not. Our chemical makeup is completely different.† â€Å"Once, one of yours seemed to guess what was going to happen. Before Doc could knock the human out, the silver thingy tore up his brain from the inside. Course, we didn't know that until Doc opened him up. The guy just collapsed.† I was surprised, strangely impressed. That soul must have been very brave. I had not had the courage to take that step, even in the beginning when I was sure they were going to try to torture this very information from me. I didn't imagine they would try to slash the answer out for themselves; that course was so obviously doomed to failure, it had never occurred to me. â€Å"Jeb, we are relatively tiny creatures, utterly dependent on unwilling hosts. We wouldn't have lasted very long if we didn't have some defenses.† â€Å"I'm not denying that your kind have a right to those defenses. I'm just telling you that we're gonna keep fighting back, however we can. We don't mean to cause anyone pain. We're makin' this up as we go. But we will keep fighting.† We looked at each other. â€Å"Then maybe you should have Doc slice me up. What else am I good for?† â€Å"Now, now. Don't be silly, Wanda. We humans aren't so logical as all that. We have a greater range of good and bad in us than you do. Well, maybe mostly the bad.† I nodded at that, but he kept going, ignoring me. â€Å"We value the individual. We probably put too much emphasis on the individual, if it comes right down to it. How many people, in the abstract, would†¦ let's say Paige†¦ how many people would she sacrifice to keep Andy alive? The answer wouldn't make any sense if you were looking at the whole of humanity as equals. â€Å"The way you are valued here†¦ Well, that don't make much sense when you look at it from humanity's perspective, either. But there's some who would value you above a human stranger. Have to admit, I put myself in that group. I count you as a friend, Wanda. Course, that's not gonna work well if you hate me.† â€Å"I don't hate you, Jeb. But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"I just don't see how I can live here anymore. Not if you're going to be slaughtering my family in the other room. And I can't leave, obviously. So you see what I mean? What else is there for me but Doc's pointless cutting?† I shuddered. He nodded seriously. â€Å"Now, that's a real valid point. It's not fair to ask you to live with that.† My stomach dropped. â€Å"If I get a choice, I'd rather you shot me, actually,† I whispered. Jeb laughed. â€Å"Slow down there, honey. Nobody's shooting my friends, or hackin' ‘ em up. I know you're not lying, Wanda. If you say doing it our way isn't going to work, then we're going to have to rethink things. I'll tell the boys they're not to bring any more souls back for now. Besides, I think Doc's nerves are toast. He can't take much more of this.† â€Å"You could be lying to me,† I reminded him. â€Å"I probably couldn't tell.† â€Å"You'll have to trust me, then. Because I'm not going to shoot you. And I'm not going to let you starve yourself, either. Eat something, kid. That's an order.† I took a deep breath, trying to think. I wasn't sure if we'd come to an accommodation or not. Nothing made sense in this body. I liked the people here too much. They were friends. Monstrous friends that I couldn't see in the proper light while sunk in emotion. Jeb picked up a thick square of cornbread soaked through with stolen honey and shoved it into my hand. It made a mess there, crumbling into gluey morsels that stuck to my fingers. I sighed again and started cleaning them off with my tongue. â€Å"That's a girl! We'll get over this rough spot. Things are gonna work out here, you'll see. Try to think positive.† â€Å"Think positive,† I mumbled around a mouthful of food, shaking my head with disbelief. Only Jeb†¦ Ian came back then. When he walked into our circle of light and saw the food in my hand, the look that spread across his face filled me with guilt. It was a look of joyous relief. No, I had never intentionally caused anyone physical pain, but I had hurt Ian deeply enough just by hurting myself. Human lives were so impossibly tangled. What a mess. â€Å"Here you are, Jeb,† he said in a subdued voice as he sat down across from us, just slightly closer to Jeb. â€Å"Jared guessed you might be here.† I dragged myself half a foot toward him, my arms aching from being motionless so long, and put my hand on his. â€Å"Sorry,† I whispered. He turned his hand up to hold mine. â€Å"Don't apologize to me.† â€Å"I should have known. Jeb's right. Of course you fight back. How can I blame you for that?† â€Å"It's different with you here. It should have stopped.† But my being here had only made it that much more important to solve the problem. How to rip me out and keep Melanie here. How to erase me to bring her back. â€Å"All's fair in war,† I murmured, trying to smile. He grinned weakly back. â€Å"And love. You forgot that part.† â€Å"Okay, break it up,† Jeb mumbled. â€Å"I'm not done here.† I looked at him curiously. What more was there? â€Å"Now.† He took a deep breath. â€Å"Try not to freak out again, okay?† he asked, looking at me. I froze, gripping Ian's hand tighter. Ian threw an anxious glance at Jeb. â€Å"You're going to tell her?† Ian asked. â€Å"What now?† I gasped. â€Å"What is it now?† Jeb had his poker face on. â€Å"It's Jamie.† Those two words turned the world upside down again. For three long days, I'd been Wanderer, a soul among humans. I was suddenly Wanda again, a very confused soul with human emotions that were too powerful to control. I jumped to my feet-yanking Ian up with me, my hand locked on his like a vise-and then swayed, my head spinning. â€Å"Sheesh. I said don't freak out, Wanda. Jamie's okay. He's just really anxious about you. He heard what happened, and he's been asking for you-worried out of his mind, that kid is-and I don't think it's good for him. I came down here to ask you to go see him. But you can't go like this. You look horrible. It will just upset him for no good reason. Sit down and eat some more food.† â€Å"His leg?† I demanded. â€Å"There's a little infection,† Ian murmured. â€Å"Doc wants him to stay down or he'd have come to get you a long time ago. If Jared wasn't practically pinning him to the bed, he would have come anyway.† Jeb nodded. â€Å"Jared almost came here and carried you out by force, but I told him to let me speak to you first. It wouldn't do the kid any good to see you catatonic.† My blood felt as though it had changed into ice water. Surely just my imagination. â€Å"What's being done?† Jeb shrugged. â€Å"Nothin' to do. Kid's strong; he'll fight it off.† â€Å"Nothing to do? What do you mean?† â€Å"It's a bacterial infection,† Ian said. â€Å"We don't have antibiotics anymore.† â€Å"Because they don't work-the bacteria are smarter than your medicines. There has to be something better, something else.† â€Å"Well, we don't have anything else,† Jeb said. â€Å"He's a healthy kid. It just has to run its course.† â€Å"Run†¦ its†¦ course.† I murmured the words in a daze. â€Å"Eat something,† Ian urged. â€Å"You'll worry him if he sees you like this.† I rubbed my eyes, trying to think straight. Jamie was sick. There was nothing to treat him with here. No options but waiting to see if his body could heal itself. And if it couldn't†¦ â€Å"No,† I gasped. I felt as if I were standing on the edge of Walter's grave again, listening to the sound of sand falling into the darkness. â€Å"No,† I moaned, fighting against the memory. I turned mechanically and started walking with stiff strides toward the exit. â€Å"Wait,† Ian said, but he didn't pull against the hand he still held. He kept pace with me. Jeb caught up to me on the other side and shoved more food into my free hand. â€Å"Eat for the kid's sake,† he said. I bit into it without tasting, chewed without thinking, swallowed without feeling the food go down. â€Å"Knew she was gonna overreact,† Jeb grumbled. â€Å"So why did you tell her?† Ian asked, frustrated. Jeb didn't answer. I wondered why he didn't. Was this worse even than I imagined? â€Å"Is he in the hospital?† I asked in an emotionless, inflectionless voice. â€Å"No, no,† Ian assured me quickly. â€Å"He's in your room.† I didn't even feel relief. Too numb for that. I would have gone into that room again for Jamie, even if it was still reeking of blood. I didn't see the familiar caves I walked through. I barely noticed that it was day. I couldn't meet the eyes of any of the humans who stopped to stare at me. I could only put one foot in front of the other until I finally reached the hallway. There were a few people clustered in front of the seventh cave. The silk screen was pushed far aside, and they craned their necks to see into Jared's room. They were all familiar, people I'd considered friends. Jamie's friends, too. Why were they here? Was his condition so unstable that they needed to check on him often? â€Å"Wanda,† someone said. Heidi. â€Å"Wanda's here.† â€Å"Let her through,† Wes said. He slapped Jeb on the back. â€Å"Good job.† I walked through the little group without looking at them. They parted for me; I might have walked right into them if they hadn't. I couldn't concentrate on anything but moving myself forward. It was bright in the high-ceilinged room. The room itself was not crowded. Doc or Jared had kept everyone out. I was vaguely aware of Jared, leaning against the far wall with his hands clasped behind him-a posture he assumed only when he was really worried. Doc knelt beside the big bed where Jamie lay, just where I had left him. Why had I left him? Jamie's face was red and sweaty. The right leg of his jeans had been cut away, and the bandage was peeled back from his wound. It wasn't as big as I'd expected. Not as horrible as I would have imagined. Just a two-inch gash with smooth edges. But the edges were a frightening shade of red, and the skin around the cut was swollen and shiny. â€Å"Wanda,† Jamie exhaled when he saw me. â€Å"Oh, you're okay. Oh.† He took a deep breath. I stumbled and fell to my knees beside him, dragging Ian down with me. I touched Jamie's face and felt the skin burn under my hand. My elbow brushed Doc's, but I barely noticed. He scooted away, but I didn't look to see what emotion was on his face, whether it was aversion or guilt. â€Å"Jamie, baby, how are you?† â€Å"Stupid,† he said, grinning. â€Å"Just plain stupid. Can you believe this?† He gestured to his leg. â€Å"Of all the luck.† I found a wet rag on his pillow and wiped it across his forehead. â€Å"You're going to be fine,† I promised. I was surprised at how fierce my voice sounded. â€Å"Of course. It's nothing. But Jared wouldn't let me come talk to you.† His face was suddenly anxious. â€Å"I heard about†¦ and Wanda, you know I -â€Å" â€Å"Shh. Don't even think of it. If I'd had any idea you were sick I would have been here sooner.† â€Å"I'm not really sick. Just a stupid infection. I'm glad you're here, though. I hated not knowing how you were.† I couldn't swallow down the lump in my throat. Monster? My Jamie? Never. â€Å"So I heard you schooled Wes the day we got back,† Jamie said, changing the subject with a wide grin. â€Å"Man, I wish I could have seen that! I bet Melanie loved it.† â€Å"Yes, she did.† â€Å"She okay? Not too worried?† â€Å"Of course she's worried,† I murmured, watching the cloth travel across his forehead as if it were someone else's hand moving it. Melanie. Where was she? I searched through my head for her familiar voice. There was nothing but silence. Why wasn't she here? Jamie's skin was burning where my fingers brushed it. The feel of it-that unwholesome heat-should have had her in the same panic I was feeling. â€Å"You okay?† Jamie asked. â€Å"Wanda?† â€Å"I'm†¦ tired. Jamie, I'm sorry. I'm just†¦ out of it.† He eyed me carefully. â€Å"You don't look so good.† What had I done? â€Å"I haven't cleaned up in a while.† â€Å"I'm fine, you know. You should go eat or something. You're pale.† â€Å"Don't worry about me.† â€Å"I'll get you some food,† Ian said. â€Å"You hungry, kid?† â€Å"Ah†¦ no, not really.† My eyes flashed back to Jamie. Jamie was always hungry. â€Å"Send someone else,† I told Ian, gripping his hand tighter. â€Å"Sure.† His face was smooth, but I could sense both surprise and worry. â€Å"Wes, could you get some food? Something for Jamie, too. I'm sure he'll find that appetite by the time you get back.† I measured Jamie's face. He was flushed, but his eyes were bright. He would be okay for a few minutes if I left him here. â€Å"Jamie, do you mind if I go wash my face? I feel sort of†¦ grimy.† He frowned at the false note in my voice. â€Å"Course not.† I pulled Ian up with me again as I rose. â€Å"I'll be right back. I mean it this time.† He smiled at my weak joke. I felt someone's eyes on me as I left the room. Jared's or Doc's, I didn't know. I didn't care. Only Jeb still stood in the hallway now; the others had gone, reassured, perhaps, that Jamie was doing okay. Jeb's head tilted to the side, curious, as he tried to figure out what I was doing. He was surprised to see me leave Jamie's side so soon and so abruptly. He, too, had heard the sham in my excuse. I hurried past his inquisitive gaze, towing Ian with me. I dragged Ian back through the room where the tunnels to all the living quarters met in a big tangle of openings. Instead of keeping on toward the main plaza, I pulled him into one of the dark corridors, picking at random. It was deserted. â€Å"Wanda, what -â€Å" â€Å"I need you to help me, Ian.† My voice was strained, frantic. â€Å"Whatever you need. You know that.† I put my hands on either side of his face, staring into his eyes. I could barely see a glint of their blue in the darkness. â€Å"I need you to kiss me, Ian. Now. Please.†

Health Care Systems Essay

Abstract The primary objective of any health care system is to provide adequate and effective medical care to the population. Health care systems may vary due to political and other factors. Factors may include location, access to care, basic needs of the populations as well as economic status. However, the primary goal remains the same. Because of the ongoing need for government to allocate funds to the medical budget their involvement in health care cannot be discounted. This paper introduces two major health care systems. First that of the Netherlands and secondly, the United States. The pros and cons will be discussed, as well as the role and function of the government as it relates to health care. A compare and contrast of the differences and similarities of both systems will be made. Health Care Systems The Netherlands The health care system in the Netherlands is comprised of three distinct compartments and is mandatory for all residents and non-resident who pay Dutch income tax. They are required to purchase health insurance coverage, except for those with conscious objections and active members of the armed forces. Coverage is mandatory under the health insurance act provided by private insurance companies and regulated under private law. One percent of the Dutch population were uninsured in 2009 and approximately sixteen percent between the ages of twenty and thirty years. Those who failed to pay premiums for at least six months are also known as defaulters. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 1) Insurance companies are forbidden to perform â€Å"risk assessment† that deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions, risk factors based on age, gender, or health profile. Tax credits make the package affordable for those who have low income while those who have no income receive coverage as part of their social assistance package. (Daley & Gubb, 2011) The government provides health care allowances also known as premium subsidies for low-income families if their premium exceeds five percent of the household income. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 80) Individuals who do not sign up for health care coverage are subject to a tax fine of one hundred and thirty percent of the premium. (Daley & Gubb, 2011) The Exceptional Medical Expenses Act regulates the first compartment. (Daley & Gubb, 2011) Contributions were taken as a 12.55% salary deduction and further supplemented by a government grant. (Daley & Gubb, 2011) Basic insurance packages include General Practitioner, Hospital specialists, Midwives, as well as hospitalization, dental coverage up to the age of eighteen after which only specialist dental care is covered (dentures e.g); medical aides such as home health care and medical equipment pharmaceutical care, maternity, ambulance and patient transport services, paramedical care, mental health and limited lifestyle improvement (smoking cessation programs e.g.). In vetro fertilization is also covered for the first three attempts. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 1-2) The second compartment deals with basic and essential needs. These medical needs are first treated by a General Practitioner. Every resident and non-resident must be registered with a General Practitioner who oversees basic care including, physicals and common illnesses. In the event specialized care is needed, patients are referred to a Nurse Specialist who is responsible for giving medical treatment. This may include information pertaining to prevention, education, social and psychological support. (â€Å"Nursing,† n.d) For example if a patient is diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus their first encounter is with the General Practitioner who makes the diagnosis, and puts together a team consisting of the Diabetic Nurse Specialist and an Endocrinologist. The Endocrinologist supervises the Nurse Specialist who in turn acts as a supervisor or consultant to the General Practitioner. Members of the team must meet on a regular basis to discuss the patient’s needs and progress. Based on the severity of the patient’s illness (which could be deemed as low, moderate or severe) determined by the patients’ test results one of the three care givers will in fact manage follow-up care. However, all three practitioners will continue to be involved. The Nurse Specialist acts a liaison between both the Practitioner and the Specialist. (â€Å"Nursing,† n.d) The third is an optional supplemental coverage and is paid for by the individual or as part of an employer/employee contract. Care can include, dental after the age of 18 years, physiotherapy and cosmetic procedures. The focus on overcoming disparities such as obesity and smoking cessation do not exist in the Netherlands, as it is believed that it is the responsibility of the individual to seek treatment, which is covered under the basic package. Before the 2006 Reform, there were long waiting lines to see the General Practitioner. There are forty Dutch health insurers across the country and individuals are free to choose the company of their choice based on their personal needs and preferences. At the time of annual open enrollment, patients are allowed to change their insurance company to one of their own choosing. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 84) Every insured individual age 18 and over must pay a deductible ranging from â‚ ¬170 to â‚ ¬ 670 referred to as cost sharing. General practitioner care and children health care are exempt from cost sharing. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 80) How is the health system financed? – The first â‚ ¬ 32,369 are taxed at a rate of 6.9 %. The employer is required to reimburse this contribution while the employee must pay taxes on the reimbursement. For those who do not have an employer or do not receive unemployment benefits the contribution is 4.8% while the self-employed is individually assessed by the Department of Revenue. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 80) Organization – The General Practitioner is the considered to be the gate- keeper. The General Practitioner must refer hospitalization or specialized health care and the only exception is for emergency care. The General Practitioner gets a capitation fee for each registered patient and is further compensated for after hours care on an hourly basis. Consultation fees including phone consults are also accrued and an additional amount is paid to the General Practitioner for managing the patients care without having to make a referral. Bundled payments are made for chronic diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease, Congestive Heart Failure etc. If the General Practitioner hires a private nurse to assist in his practice, the insurance company makes full reimbursement to the General Practitioner for nurses’ salary. The population of the Netherlands is 16.7 million people (â€Å"One World Nations Online†) of which only one percent is uninsured. The reason for this is not due to an inability to pay but rather a default for greater than six months. The health care system in the Netherlands is Universal and does not depend on employment status. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 78) Although the government mandates heath insurance, private insurance companies are allowed to provide coverage. With five insurance companies that dominate the market the government has created a market environment for healthy competition that also benefits the consumer. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 80) The triangle between the Insurer, the Provider and the Insured requires that quality and efficient care remains consistent. There are five non-governmental entities that regulate care. The Health Council advises the government on health care issues (e.g. public health); The Health Insurance Board (advises what should be included in the basic health insurance packet). The Medical Evaluation Board is responsible for efficiency, safety and quality are always taken into account; The Dutch Health Care sAuthority, which ensures that the market is functioning while the Dutch Competition Authority ensures there, is fair competition among insurers and providers. (Westert & Klazinga, 2011, p. 83) The United States In the United States government is heavily intertwined with health care at many different levels. Laws have been created by both the federal and state legislative bodies. Health care policies have been shaped through a combination of the arenas that make decisions at the local, state and federal levels. The United States health care system is comprised of two separate entities identified as the private and public sectors. First, the private sector is made up of private health insurance companies and employer sponsored insurance coverage. Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 will require employers who have fifty or more employees to provide health insurance coverage or pay a financial penalty to the federal government. Medicaid program will be expanding and will be required to cover those who fall above the level of poverty.. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 36) This like the health care system in the Netherlands tries to cover a greater amount of the population The public s ector is made up of Medicaid and Medicare. Medicaid is a welfare initiative that is not a single national program, but a collection of fifty state-administered programs. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 29) Medicaid is designed to cover low-income families. It is jointly funded by the state and federal government. The poorer the state the larger the federal contribution however, each state has specific eligibility rules, benefits and payment schedules. A little known fact about Medicaid is that it can be given free to those who cannot afford it, or it can be given at a low cost depending on one’s income. (Social Security†) Medicare on the other hand is a social as well as a federal insurance program designed to cover people aged 65 and older as well as the disabled regardless of age or income. There are four parts to Medicare. Part A also known as hospital insurance covers inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facilities, hospice and some home health care. Part B also known as medical insurance covers certain doctor’s services, outpatient care, medical supplies and preventative services. Part C also known as the medical advantage plan is a type of medical health care plan offered by a private company that contracts with Medicare to provide Part A and Part B benefits. Part D, also known as the prescription drug coverage, can be added onto the original Medicare plan. The aforementioned plans, are offered by insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare. (medicare.gov). The public sector is designed to cover the segment of the population that is not covered by employer-sponsored insurance. The United States highest annual health care spending per capita in terms of purchasing power parity is $7,538 is significantly higher than the Netherlands, which spends $4, 063 per capita. This trend has remained constant for the past forty years. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 68) It is reported that the United States has the largest proportion of adults who have the hardest time seeing a specialist, however other countries have reported the same difficulties with low-income levels having a greater difficulty than those with higher income. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 69) The life expectancy in the United States for male was 75.64 years while women was 80.78 years. In the Netherlands on the other hand, life expectancy for a male is 81.4 years and for female 85.3 years a significant difference and is believed to be due to the quality and access to health care. The quality of life in the Netherlands is assumed to be much better because of preventative care and education. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, children in the United States will now be covered up to the age of 26. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 25) In the Netherlands children are only covered until the age of 18 at which time they are expected to be contributing members of society. Approximately 16% of the United States population is uninsured, which is a significant disparity between that of the Netherlands. Americans are uninsured primarily because of high out-of-pocket medical expenses and considerable amounts of medical debt. Most of those uninsured are families with full- or part-time jobs or those who are self-employed will not be able to afford or access health care. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 32-33) Health care provisions are adequately satisfied in the Netherlands, which make provision for all Citizens while still leaving room for healthy competition among insurance carriers. Although guidelines are set up by the government to ensure universal health care it is the responsibility of insurance companies and non-governmental agencies to ensure that these guidelines are followed. On the other hand, while the United States supports those with low income and disabilities there remains the 17% of the population that contribute to the Medicaid and Medicare funds but are still unable to afford health insurance coverage. I believe it is to the detriment of the United States health care system to pull certain aspects from many different health care systems such as the Netherlands and Switzerland that do not always work to our benefit. (Kaovner & Knicman, 2011, p. 79) The absence of a body to oversee making checks and balances in the systems leaves the door open for fraud and fraudulent activities within the system. If these aspects were to be imported it must be modified and carefully monitored to ensure there is no conflict with existing programs that have been proven effective. If the average household income per year is $40,000 of which 30% is spent on heath care it leaves a family with insufficient funds to provide for basic needs. In effect, health care becomes the â€Å"basic need†, creating further health care needs due to the inability to cover food, clothing and shelter. In conclusion, it is my opinion that the health care system in the Netherlands is by far more advanced in terms of organization and effectiveness. The ability for all residents to access health care contributes to the longer life expectancy and overall quality of life which in together ensures that the people will be valuable contributors to society. References Daley, C., & Gubb, J. (2011). Health Care Systems: The Netherlands. Civitas. Retrieved from http://www.civitas.org.uk/nhs/download/netherlands.pdf Kaovner, A., & Knicman, J. (2011). Health Care Delivery in the United States (10th ed.). New Yor, NY: Springer Publishing Company LLC. Nursing in the Netherlands. (n.d). Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/qualifications/docs/nurses/2000-study/nurses_nederland_en.pdf Westert, G., & Klazinga, N. (2011). International Profiles of Health Care Systems, 2011 [Entire issue]. The Common Wealth Fund. Retrieved from http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/Files/Publications/Fund%20Report/2011/Nov/1562_Squires_Intl_Profiles_2011_11_10.pdf