Martha E Rogers

A casual occurrence, she shared her birthday with Florence Nightingale born 94 years before and had passed away four years before. They will share more than a birthrate as we will see later namely the role of the nursing as distinct from medicine. One is helping nature while nursing puts the patient in the best environment for nature to act 3 Martha was born in a family which valued education and from an early age she was an avid reader challenging herself to read up to five books a week.She was an avid learner as well with no hesitation for the harder classes such as math and algebra. She ran in the first gender issue then as she was the only woman in that class. She wanted to put her learning skills and knowledge towards contribution to social welfare hesitating between law and medicine and eventually opting for the later. She started in pre- med at the University of Tennessee (1931) but withdrew in 1933 under the pressure this was not a career deemed suitable for a woman. This was even told her by her parents.She eventually received a diploma from the Knoxville General Hospital School of Nursing in 1936. Despite her being valedictorian of her class, her parents were not happy she did not have a degree and enrolled the George Peabody College in Nashville where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Nursing in 1937. After graduation, she worked for the Children's Fund of Michigan as public health nurse. Her work involved home visits, case finding giving vaccinations, planning and giving health teaching programs.She then decided to further her education by entering into a Master program at Columbians Teacher's College in New York in 1939. She would graduate in 1945 having worked at the Visiting Nurse Association in Hartford CT culminating her involvement there as acting Director of Education. Upon graduation in 1945, she took the position of executive director of the Phoenix Visiting Nurse Association in Arizona. An intellectual she called for an â⠂¬Å"educational revolution in nursing'6 that differentiated university education from vocational training grounded in theoretical knowledge.This intellectual curiosity led her to another Master in Public Health in 1952 from the John Hopkins University, the premier health program in the US. She went on to earn a Doctor of Science degree (Sad) in 1954, with a circus similar to a PhD, thus becoming one of the very few nurses holding a doctoral program. Her view on what the requirements for nurses should be which had led her to her pursuit of academic achievements was rewarded with the position of professor of Nursing and head of the Division of Nursing a New York University in 1954.In her mind, nursing was not a vocational school but required the expansion of curriculum with theory based leaning and a bachelor of science program. It is during this period that she developed a new theory – the science of unitary human beings, writing three books Educational Revolution in Nursing ( 1961), Reveille in Nursing (1964) and An Introduction to the Theoretical Basis of Nursing (1970). This last book marked the beginning of a new era in nursing.She identified the central focus of nursing concerns by understanding the importance of studying human beings and their environments as an irreducible unitary whole and that human beings are more than and different from the sum of their parts. I do not claim to understand everything it means and I have followed the presentation by a am of students from Northern Arizona University in nursing who presented this as a final project to their class. She proposed an abstract system which is comprised of four key concepts: Energy fields: the fundamental unit of life.Openness: there are no boundaries to prevent the flow of energy between human and environmental energy fields providing for the continuous movement of matter and energy. Pattern: distinguishing characteristics of the field that reflects the dynamic change of nature and man' s innovative wholeness. Pan-dimensionality: non linear domain without spatial or time-based characteristics, the coming together of n infinite number of dimensions. These four concepts are the building blocks that construct the three scientific principles of homeostasis which proposes a way to view the unitary human being.Integrally: The human energy fields that are mutually and continuously changing: we affect our environment and it affects us – meditation or music can promote a positive human environment. Resonance: from the field of physics. The constant change of the way patterns from higher to lower frequency – the flow of energy between people and everything in the world around them. Can be done through human touch, talking, drawing, storytelling or any active usage of imagination.Helical: any small change in any environmental field causes ripple effect which creates larger changes in other fields; the continuous evolution of change that results from the interact ion of human environment fields. It is both constant and unpredictable and explains the fact that there are many forces that are interacting. This extremely intellectual approach to nursing which was also the result of her education and her thriving for knowledge derives also from a philosophy with a positive attitude to the human being.It seeks for the patient to reach self- actualization as described by Abraham Moscow. I would argue that beyond the theoretical construct she wrote and which can be difficult for the layman to understand, Martha Rogers gave a fundamental belief that nurses are more than simple caregivers and though their communication and understanding of the patient, the nurse can provide a fundamental boost and daily encouragement to the patient to reach well-being. This psychological drive is combined with the scientific elements of knowledge of what is a proper environment for the patient to move forward.This last point is very much in line with the theories put forward by Florence Nightingale in creating a nurturing environment for patients. It is may be a coincidence that both were born on the same day but also remained unmarried dedicated to the cause of nursing at promoting a healthy filed and environment for patients to recover. In your opinion, how did the theory of Martha Rogers enhance and improve the nursing care given to the patients? Martha Rogers believed that nursing was both a science and an art.Her thriving for more scientific knowledge for nurses means that attentions were taken care of by better educated nurses who were more able to understand the medical underpinning of the treatment administered to the patient. At the same time the holistic approach derived from her theoretical research means that patients can expect nurses who are more in tune with the forces which affect their lives and how the environment in which they are recovering can be affected by the attention and care given to them.The overall affect they receiv e is enhanced through the concept of helical – the gentle push given to support the patient's morale by the nurse has a profound effect on the patient's recovery. This is enhanced as the psychological makeup of the patient is affected by the care attention and devotion given by the nurse who has been trained to understand both the technical remedies offered by medicine but also tries to communicate and fosters the energy fields of the patient – his or her resilience in the face of illness and all of the motivation which will help the patient fight for full recovery.Behind the complex words in Martha Rorer's theories, I view the role of the nurse as both understanding the regimen of medical treatment which has been proposed by the doctors but also a close legislation with the patient which means that the patient is not alone in fighting for recovery. It reminds me of the final plea of Patch Adams when he tells his fellow students to listen to the nurses.They have a fing er on the psychological pulse of the patient and can relate to the will for recovery and offer actual support to the patient. By articulating that trained nurses can understand both the technical issues of a treatment as well as the human issues of a patient, Martha Rogers elevates the role of the nurse from a simple caregiver to an individual fully involved in the recovery and well-being of patients.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid diary of a wimpy kid Greg Is going to middle school, his mom bought him a â€Å"Diary† witch has the word â€Å"Diary† right in the middle and is in big letters. He is scared to bring it to school because he does not want some 8th grader to come see him with his bookdelay and think he is a sissy cause he has a diary In 6th grade and does not want to get punched and then get made fun of. Ergs big dream and what he thinks he Is going to be like in middle school Is this guy who so popular and knows him, and hen when he gets out of school, he is going to be really famous and when they want to know what his child-hood was like he is going to give them his diary, that's why he agreed to his mom to write in his diary. Greg is espoused to write in almost all year. Greg Is not really excited because A guy named Greg has a friend named Rowley and has been friends since Greg has moved to his new house.As soon as Rowley sees that a family has moved into the hou se, that was for sail, Roller's mom went to the store and bought him a book ladled â€Å"how to make friends† and kind of felt sorry for him so I pulled my wig for him. That how there friend ship started. There friends ship is a little wear at flirts. , Greg it this guy how thinks he is all that and thinks he is so popular. And when he Is older, he thinks he is going to be really famous. Lowly still thinks † hey I am only in 6th grade, I can still be a kid and use the word â€Å"PLAY† Greg hefty the book diary of a wimpy kid [ people think this book is just a funny book but what I hint is ] I think that if you have a really good friendship, and one of the friends said or did something heart-full, It can mess the whole thing up. 1: If you use your friend to make you a better person it can always turn back around just like when Greg made Rowley go down the BIG hill so Greg can throw a foot-ball at Rowley and so Greg can get a lot stronger. : when you have a really good friend you want to keep for a long time or a life time friend, you should ALWAYS be nice to them and respect them.If you have a friend that did something embarrassing or extenuated Diary of a imp kid Greg is going to middle school, his mom bought him a â€Å"Diary† witch has the word because he does not want some 8th grader to come see him with his bookdiary and think he is a sissy cause he has a diary in 6th grade and does not want to get punched and then get made fun of. Ergs big dream and what he thinks he is going to be like in middle school is this guy who so popular and EVERY-ONE knows him, and Greg is not really excited because called â€Å"how to make friends† and I kind of felt sorry for him so I pulled my wig for him. Hat how there friend ship started. There friends ship is a little wear at first. , Greg it this guy how thinks he is all that and thinks he is so popular. ND when he is older, grade, I can still be a kid and use the word â€Å"PIANO† † the book diary of a wimpy kid [ people think this book is Just a funny book but what I or did something heart-full, it can mess the whole thing up. 1: if you use your friend to make you a better person it can always turn back around 3: if you have a friend that did something embarrassing or extenuated Diary of a Wimpy Kid The story happened in East Ohio where Greg Heffley and Rowley Jefferson enters Middle School for the first time. *Greg Heffley – Known for his misadventures throughout his school. * Rowley Jefferson- He is the best friend of Greg. He is also immature and ignorant * Rodrick Haffley – He is the older brother of Greg. He is the main antagonist and constantly bullies Greg. The book opens with  Greg Heffley  saying how embarrassing it is to be having a journal with â€Å"diary† on the front and that whoever sees him with it will call him a â€Å"sissy†.Greg also goes to mention that one day he will become rich and famous but for now he is â€Å"stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons†. Greg faces too many hardships, including Halloween. As Greg and Rowley go Trick-or-Treating, they anger some teenagers who chase them. They barely escape but manage to get to Greg's grandma's house. The teenagers see them inside and Greg and Rowley taunt them. No t all goes to plan, though, and when they get home and Greg's dad, who was hassled by kids, throws water at them and the water soaks their candy.The Wizard of Oz play  is also a hardship for Greg. Patty Farell, who plays Dorothy, is coming on stage, and since Greg is a tree, he thinks he can throw apples at her, but the director takes this part out of the play for health and safety. Mrs. Norton, the music director, tries to make the trees sing an embarrassing song, but on the night nobody sings out of fear and the play is ruined. Greg and Rowley's friendship is starting to fall apart.Greg invents a game where one person throws a football to make the other fall off the Big Wheel; however when Rowley falls off, he breaks his arm. Greg is jealous of the attention Rowley is getting. Rowley is also framed for scaring kindergarteners, when it was Greg wearing Rowley's hat. When Greg confesses, Greg is kicked out, and Rowley is promoted. Rowley also declares himself the owner of a comic strip, Zoo-Wee-Mama, that was created by Greg and Rowley, but Greg drops out to make his own comic strip.The two stop being friends. Greg and Rowley get into a fight at the blacktop, when the teenagers from Halloween come, and grab Greg and Rowley. They make Rowley eat the cheese, and are going to make Greg do it, too, but Greg finds a way out. The students, however, notice the cheese is gone. Greg, being a good friend to Rowley, lies and says he threw it away, but this gives Greg the Cheese Touch. Greg and Rowley becomes friends again, and Greg begins to see the good advantages of having the Cheese Touch.Even though life is kind of unfair, you will somehow get through over it, you will always succeed if it is for good but if you fail, there is reason that God did that. Also, don’t ignore your friends because maybe they are the ones that will help you to succeed in life. Yes of course I will because this book has an effect to whoever reads it. My friend will learn how not to give up, fight for his/her rights and especially how to be â€Å"awesome†. Diary of a Wimpy Kid The story happened in East Ohio where Greg Heffley and Rowley Jefferson enters Middle School for the first time. *Greg Heffley – Known for his misadventures throughout his school. * Rowley Jefferson- He is the best friend of Greg. He is also immature and ignorant * Rodrick Haffley – He is the older brother of Greg. He is the main antagonist and constantly bullies Greg. The book opens with  Greg Heffley  saying how embarrassing it is to be having a journal with â€Å"diary† on the front and that whoever sees him with it will call him a â€Å"sissy†.Greg also goes to mention that one day he will become rich and famous but for now he is â€Å"stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons†. Greg faces too many hardships, including Halloween. As Greg and Rowley go Trick-or-Treating, they anger some teenagers who chase them. They barely escape but manage to get to Greg's grandma's house. The teenagers see them inside and Greg and Rowley taunt them. No t all goes to plan, though, and when they get home and Greg's dad, who was hassled by kids, throws water at them and the water soaks their candy.The Wizard of Oz play  is also a hardship for Greg. Patty Farell, who plays Dorothy, is coming on stage, and since Greg is a tree, he thinks he can throw apples at her, but the director takes this part out of the play for health and safety. Mrs. Norton, the music director, tries to make the trees sing an embarrassing song, but on the night nobody sings out of fear and the play is ruined. Greg and Rowley's friendship is starting to fall apart.Greg invents a game where one person throws a football to make the other fall off the Big Wheel; however when Rowley falls off, he breaks his arm. Greg is jealous of the attention Rowley is getting. Rowley is also framed for scaring kindergarteners, when it was Greg wearing Rowley's hat. When Greg confesses, Greg is kicked out, and Rowley is promoted. Rowley also declares himself the owner of a comic strip, Zoo-Wee-Mama, that was created by Greg and Rowley, but Greg drops out to make his own comic strip.The two stop being friends. Greg and Rowley get into a fight at the blacktop, when the teenagers from Halloween come, and grab Greg and Rowley. They make Rowley eat the cheese, and are going to make Greg do it, too, but Greg finds a way out. The students, however, notice the cheese is gone. Greg, being a good friend to Rowley, lies and says he threw it away, but this gives Greg the Cheese Touch. Greg and Rowley becomes friends again, and Greg begins to see the good advantages of having the Cheese Touch.Even though life is kind of unfair, you will somehow get through over it, you will always succeed if it is for good but if you fail, there is reason that God did that. Also, don’t ignore your friends because maybe they are the ones that will help you to succeed in life. Yes of course I will because this book has an effect to whoever reads it. My friend will learn how not to give up, fight for his/her rights and especially how to be â€Å"awesome†.

Analysing the impact of Chinese FDI in Africa: A case study of Nigeria and Ghana.

INTRODUCTIONResearch ProblemThe proposed research aims to examine the effect of Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Ghana and Nigeria in order to perform a cross-country analysis of the respective impacts of such investments in these countries. Ghana and Nigeria share a number of similar characteristics, which make for a useful comparison, as it is posited in this study that the similarities between the two African countries will allow for a cross-national comparison of the impacts of Chinese FDI in these countries. The results of the analysis will be used to make recommendations on how Ghana and Nigeria should make appropriate use of China’s FDI to achieve development in these countries. Analyzing the impact of Chinese FDI in Ghana and Nigeria has been the topic of some academic research. However, previous studies have focused on the individual relationships between these African countries and China (SWAC/OECD, 2011). With the rapid changes in the global investment environment, especially in light of the global recession, it is essential to identify the key determining factors of FDI inflows to Ghana and Nigeria, in order to analyze the impact of these FDIs in this region. Although economic growth has been specified as a developmental goal in this region, academic research exploring the nature of the economic relationship between China and Ghana / China and Nigeria suggests that the influx of FDI into these developing economies may have the effect of retarding the overall development in these countries, as it prioritizes the exploitation of natural resources over essential developmental goals (Oyeranti, et al., 2010).Aims and ObjectivesThis research has two main goal s. First is to assess the impacts of Chinese FDI in Ghana and Nigeria in order to conduct a cross-country analysis of their respective economic relationships. Second is to analyze the overall impact of Chinese FDI on the development of these countries. In order to realize the primary goals of this study, the following objectives have been identified: To establish a theoretical framework for analyzing the impacts of FDI in developing countries, specifically within the context of countries in the West African which have abundant natural resources To construct a theoretical framework for measuring the impacts of FDI in Ghana and Nigeria, taking into consideration the differences in economic development and investment climate. To determine the factors influencing the economic relationship between China and Ghana / China and Nigeria, and to analyze these in terms of the established framework. To compare and contrast the respective impacts of Chinese FDI on Ghana and Nigeria in order to draw conclusions regarding how to manage and improve their relationshipsResearch QuestionsA set of research questions has been formulated based on the main goals and objectives of the study. These questions help to guide the study by ensuring that the analysis stays focused on the primary research subject. Below are the research questions for this study : What are the determinants of FDI impacts in African countries and how are these measured What are the specific impacts of Chinese FDI in Ghana and Nigeria How do these impacts correlate with the determinants identified in question 1 To what extent are the impacts of Chinese FDI in Ghana and Nigeria comparable What cross-country recommendations can be made in order to ensure that developmental goals and positive determinants of FDI are achieved in both countriesBackground informationDue to rapid globalization and the growing interdependence among countries, FDI has been recognized as one of the most significant means of international capital transfers. Over the years, FDI has grown to be an essential component in the economic development of many nations (Benacek et. al., 2000). Morgan (2003) and Johnson (2005) have highlighted the beneficial impacts that FDI can provide to a host country. These include: (a) generating additional resources such as capital and technology, to help boost the level of domestic outputs and deliver better, more affordable goods and services; (b) outflow of human resources, management practices and technologies from foreign firms to domestic businesses , which enables the host country to improve their operations and competitiveness; and (c) increased involvement of the host country in transnational markets, such as foreign exchange market and international trade. Due to the economic growth and welfare that FDI brings to the host country, this investment is preferred by most developing countries because it offers a faster way to achieve a more advanced level of economic development. However, FDI presents a lot of risks for investors. Due to these risks, countries are compelled to offer tangible incentives, as well as to put supportive regulation and systems in place to draw investors. Unfortunately, most developing nations frequently neglect to build an incentive system for foreign financiers (Botric & Skuflic, 2005). Consequently, the bulk of FDI is offered to developed countries such as the US, Germany, and Belgium (UNCTAD, 2011a). Traditionally, investment relationships in Ghana and Nigeria are established with European and American investment partners, as these countries are the primary sources of FDI, trade, and financial and technical aid. These relationships involve a number of bilateral and regional agreements with Nigeria and Ghana. Despite the many years of economic relationships with these countries, there are still differing opinions as to the impact of these investments on the development of Ghana and Nigeria (Tsikata, et al., 2010). FDI in Africa has been increasing steadily since 2002 with approximately $53 billion worth of FDI in 2007, representing an increase from 2006 of 47.2%. This increase was the highest recorded level of FDI in Africa at the time. With the global recession, the percentage of global FDI into Africa has experienced a significant decline from 3.2% in 2006 to 2.9% in 2007. Since then, however, the African economy has proved resilient, growing to over $61.9 billion in 2008, and the rate of return on FDI in Africa since 2004 has grown to 12.1%. In addition, mergers and acquisitions in Africa have risen by approximately 157% to $2 billion in 2008 (Oyeranti, et al., 2010). Investment in Nigeria and Ghana by Chinese investors has grown substantially since 1971 as a result of the complementary nature of their economies. Chinese investment in Ghana has been growing consistently in the previous decade with significant increase seen from 2004 to 2005, representing $3.09 million and $17.87 million, respectively. Research indicates that the Chinese share, as a percentage of total investment by China in Ghana, implies that FDI is increasing (Frimprong, 2012). Investment by the Chinese in Nigeria reveals a similar situation, as Chinese FDI grew twice as much between 2003 and 2005, increasing from $3 billion to $6 billion. Ghana and Nigeria lack significant investments in infrastructure that is needed to support the development required to result in measurable economic growth. To this end, China has developed a successful and competent construction industry, coupled with the ability to provide Nigeria and Ghana with the requisite capital needed to drive this infrastructure development (Oyeranti, et al., 2010). In this way, the flow of investment into Ghana and Nigeria is complementary due to the nature and needs of the respective economies. However, the Chinese industrialization drive and the subsequent inflow of FDI into China’s economy has led to rapid growth in the manufacturing sector, which entails the use of oil and mineral inputs that are overwhelming China’s internal resource capabilities (Ibid). As a result, China is looking to developing nations such as Nigeria and Ghana to supplement their energy resource requirements to support their growing economy. Consequently, the relation ship between Chinese FDI inflows into Ghana and Nigeria are being described as exploitative and as having an upsetting effect on the Western development goals that have been set for the region (Tsikata, et al., 2010). This negative perception about China’s interest in Nigeria and Ghana are due to the fact that the oil and gas sector accounts for more than 75% of Chinese investments. This implies that China seeks to exploit Nigeria’s natural resources. This further suggests that Chinese FDI in Nigeria is a relationship prone to exploitation and is potentially damaging to the developmental goals of the region (Oyeranti, et al., 2010). Despite these negative views, Chinese FDI in Nigeria and Ghana has not been focused solely on the exploitation of natural resources. Chinese FDI has actually helped to achieve significant growth in the manufacturing and services industry in both countries (Frimpong, 2012). The investment climate in Africa has become significantly more attractive as a result of the considerable efforts to liberalize investment regulations and offer incentives for FDI. The result, however, has not been as positive as originally intended due to significant concerns over the economic and political stability of the region. LITERATURE REVIEWFDI definitionThe analysis of relevant literature has shown that there is not one universally recognized definition of FDI. Nevertheless, the various definitions of FDI do not differ considerably. FDI is commonly perceived as either a real phenomenon or a financial phenomenon (Moosa, 2002). Within the perspective of a financial phenomenon, FDI is defined as: A kind of transnational investment transfer; wherein FDI is the outcome of variations in interest rates between two economies, because the country with higher interest levels is more appealing for foreign businesses An external supply of funding for the national economy ? FDI shows the influxes of foreign investment into the nation within a certain timeframe, which is indicated in the balance of payments A means of reducing and eventually eradicating poverty through FDI-driven economic growth in developing countries, and in Africa, specifically in light of United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) (Asiedu, 2006) However, when FDI is considered exclusively in financial terms, there seems to be an underestimation of the degree to which FDI is related with a varied array of production elements. Among the most crucial non-financial inflows are managerial skills, expertise, and technology. This implies that although financial flows seem to a main component of FDI, it is not necessarily the leading element. Furthermore, according to Moosa (2002) a distinctive characteristic of FDI compared with other kinds of international investments is its function in directing management policies and decisions. As such, describing FDI as purely a financial phenomenon appears to undervalue this aspect. A more inclusive definition of FDI that is mostly acknowledged by other international organizations (e.g. IMF, Eurostat, UNCTAD) is proposed by OECD. According to the OECD (1999, p.7), FDI ’reflects the aim of obtaining a lasting interest by a resident entity of one economy (direct investor) in an enterprise that is resident of another economy (direct investment enterprise).’ The term ’lasting interest’ refers to the formation of a long-standing association concerning the investor and the direct investment establishment This also involves important impacts on the management of such enterprise. A direct investor is ’the owner of 10% or more of ordinary shares or voting stock‘(OECD, 1999, p.8). The IMF recommends applying this requirement of a minimum 10% ownership to differentiate direct investment vis-a-vis portfolio investment through shareholding. Based from this perspective, a direct investor can be any of the following entities: (a) individual, (b) group of associated individuals, (c) government, (d) incorporated or unincorporated company, private or public, and (e) group of associated companies, incorporated or unincorporated. The entity has a direct investment establishment situated in a country that is not where the direct investor resides (Duce, 2003). Direct investment enterprise can have any of the subsequent forms: Subsidiary ? a direct investor controls greater than 50% of the voting power allocated to shareholders. Controlling the shareholdings can be done either directly or indirectly, via a different subsidiary. The direct investor has the authority to secure or terminate members of the Supervisory Board or Management Board. Associate Company ? a direct investor owns between 10 to 50 % of the voting power allocated to shareholders. Likewise the control of shareholdings can be done either directly or indirectly. Branch ? a direct investor is also the owner of an unincorporated establishment (whole or joint ownership) in the host country. This can be in several forms, such as a joint venture, an unincorporated partnership, or a permanent office for the direct investor. This may also be in the form of fixed/immobile equipment, movable equipment, property, or constructions located in the host country (OECD, 1999). Choosing a specific kind of direct investment business also depends on different considerations, the most significant of which is the present law in the host country (Duce, 2003). In considering the impact of Chinese FDI in Ghana and Nigeria, it is useful to consider the form of investment that FDI takes, with regard to the respective economies. Based from preliminary research, it is clear that Chinese FDI in Nigeria is significantly higher than its FDI in Ghana, when compared to one another. Considering the high concentration of FDI in the oil and gas sector, it is possible that the economic relationship between Nigeria and Chinese may be contradictory to the developmental goals and overall well-being of the country. Whilst Chinese FDI in Ghana is seen across a variety of sectors such as aluminum, iron ore, manganese, alloy, timber, waste materials, cocoa beans, cotton linters, and frozen fish (Rahman, 2012). This indicates that the overall impacts of Chinese FDI in Ghana may be more attuned to developmental goals, compared to China’s relationship with Nigeria.FDI determinants – Theoretical ApproachAs FDI became a focal point in the current global economy, researchers have attempted to describe the conduct of multinational firms and FDI determinants through the proposal of different theories. Adam Smith (Concept of Absolute Advantages) and David Ricardo (Theory of Comparative Advantages) had originally discussed FDI as a feature of international trade. Smith and Ricardo proposed that countries should focus on producing goods where they can offer a cost advantage (i.e. absolute advantage for Smith; comparative advantage for Ricardo). The surplus of goods generated by a country is intended for export. Simultaneously, the country imports goods that it cannot produce domestically because it lacks cost advantages for their production (Sen, 2010). The theories of Smith and Ricardo are the foundations of current views on FDI. Therefore, these will be considered in the design of the theoretical framework. Heckscher and Olin linked international trade and with the benefits brought by the factors of production. Thus, a country must focus in producing final goods of which the raw materials are reasonably plentiful in the country. Conversely, the country is recommended to import the basic components of goods that are in limited supply. This theory regards FDI as a component of transnational capital movement. FDI flows are seen amongst economies and are described by various capital concentrations. Countries that are well-off in terms of capital transfer their production to countries that have abundant labor supply. This is characterized by more returns to capital and lesser returns to labor. This process continues till labor and capital are equalized in the countries involved (Benacek et al., 2000). While these theories were able to associate FDI with labor costs and higher rates of investment returns, these were unable to completely rationalize FDI phenomenon (Assuncao, 2010). As such, th ese will not be fully utilized in the creation of this study’s theoretical framework. Another FDI theory is given by Kindleberger (1969), who presumes that direct investment can be cultivated in situations where market shortcomings or government interferences exist. In this context, particular economies produce commodities in which they can demonstrate a comparative advantage; while other products are exported because the country cannot produce them efficiently. Thus, the relationship between FDI and trade can be either substitutable or complementary. Kindleberger’s (1969) theory is applicable to the context of Ghana and Nigeria because of its considerations of market imperfections and government interventions. These will be helpful in explaining some aspects of the theoretical framework. Obstacles to commerce may affect FDI in two contradictory ways. On one hand, high trade barriers tend to boost FDI because these result in high export costs. This contention stresses the location advantage aspect of FDI. In contrast, high trade barriers are a hindrance for the parent company, especially in situations with high levels of trade with associated firms. Other researchers have also discussed the relationship between FDI and trade openness (Balasubramanyam et al., 1996) and majority of studies find a positive association among these variables (Benacek, 2000). Dunning (1993) combined the components of Trade Theory and the Theory of the Firm. Based on the OLI model, Dunning (1993) classified FDI determinants into three groups. These are: (a) Ownership-specific advantages such as technology and know-how; (b) Location-specific advantages including market size, transport costs, etc.; and (c) Advantages that are particular to internationalization, wherein the firm supposes that selling of ownership advantages to third parties is not as lucrative as internally employing these advantages. Moreover, Dunning (1993) came up with the Investment Development Path based from the findings of his study. This framework identified five stages in the development of a country. These stages have a substantial effect on FDI inflows (Gorynia et al., 2005; Benacek et al., 2000). These stages of development will be one of the components in the theoretical framework; thus, this study is important to this research project. The institutional approach presents a different perspective on the subject. Root & Ahmed (1978) and Bond & Samuelson (1986) suggested that the environment, where the enterprise conducts its operations, is unpredictable and unsure. Thus, the firm’s decisions will be greatly affected by institutional forces (i.e. regulations and incentives). However, in actuality, government policy defines the options that are presented to a company and which influences the firm’s decisions regarding FDI, licensing, and exporting (Assuncao, 2010). The role of government in FDI is another aspect which will be explored in the theoretical framework. The institutional approach will be part of this analysis. Last but not least, it is beneficial to consider Ozawa’s (1992) study, which connects the patterns in developing countries with Porter’s theory of a country’s competitive advantages. According to Porter, there are four groups of attributes that can be applied to a country. These are: (a) factor conditions; (b) demand conditions; (c) firm strategy, structure and rivalry; and (d) related and supported enterprises. These have an influence on the nation’s competitiveness (Smith, 2012). Ozawa argues that the foreign investment received by developing countries, which are mainly allocated to labor-intensive sectors, results in a process of learning and technology purchase. It aids developing economies to raise their competitive advantages and thus, push the economy onward along the various stages of development ? moving from the fundamental factor-driven stage to the innovation-driven stage. This is described by an increasing external FDI (Ozawa, 1992). The discu ssion on competitive advantage is again a major component of the theoretical framework which will be the outcome of this research. As such, the study by Ozawa (1992) presents some arguments that are crucial to the discussion of this research.FDI determinants – ClassificationDunning (1998) identified four groups of FDI motives. The first two groups of motives are features of the initial stage of FDI, while other groups are related to sequential FDI (Gorynia et. al., 2005). Resource Seeking – the firm intends to obtain specific resources at less costs than in the local/national market Market Seeking – the firm intends to operate in a specific overseas market because of its size or anticipated growth. The firm builds a global strategy for the foreign market, or reduces the expenditures related to serving a certain market from a neighboring facility instead of from outside the country Efficiency Seeking – the firm intends to justify its production, distribution, and marketing (Gorynia et. al., 2005, p.65) Strategic Asset Seeking – the firm seeks to extend its strategic goals; for instance, supporting their competitiveness in international markets Clause (1999) and Calderon et al., (2002) categorized FDI determinants in two groups: (a) ‘Push factors’ or investor’s intentions to position capital/investment overseas: (b) ‘Pull factors’; or country-specific determinants, also referred to as location determinants. These factors influence the decision of the investor to find capital in a specific country. Additionally, pull factors are political, including growth estimates, or the country’s system of rules/regulations and rewards/incentives. The authors also highlighted other pull elements in the case of transitional economies. These include the process of privatization and the intensification effect, in which a direct investment results in other direct investments (Vita and Kyaw, 2008). Lastly, UNCTAD (2011a) segregated FDI determinants into three categories: (a) policy framework such as economic and political stability, competition policy, etc.; (b) business facilitations, including the costs of business operations, investment motivations, etc.; and (c) economic determinants such as market growth and infrastructure. Although these determinants help to ascertain the overall desirability of the country, the significance of specific groups differs depending on the sector and entry modes. The various FDI determinants will be explored as components of the theoretical framework. These will be investigated to find out which FDI determinants are applicable to the Ghanaian and Nigerian context.Investment Climate in Ghana and Nigeria – A Comparative AnalysisAttracting increasing amounts of FDI has been a significant priority of Ghana’s government when developing and reforming economic policy. The Ghana Investment Advisory Council (GIAC) was formed with the help of the World Bank and is comprised of local and multinational companies and institutional observers from around the world. The aim of the GIAC is to ensure the removal of any regulations, which may discourage FDI in the country. The GIAC, however, does not have regulatory power over the natural resources sector, but does regulate investment in all other sectors, such as banking and other financial institutions, telecommunications, energy and real estate (Tsikata, et al., 2010). The most beneficial eleme nt of the investment climate in Ghana is that there is no general economic or industrial strategy aimed at discriminating against foreign owned business or subsidiaries, but conversely there are incentives offered if the projects are deemed critical for national development. Prior to 1995, Nigeria was considered one of the most unsuitable countries in Western African for FDI due to a combination of considerable restrictions and unsuitable investment climate ? the result of social, economic, and political tensions that continue to plague the country. In 1995, however, Nigeria changed the investment climate substantially by opening the economy to FDI and reversing these severe restrictions. The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) was created to manage the approval of business licenses and motivations to improve the investment climate. All restrictions on limits in foreign shareholding were also abolished in order to promote and facilitate FDI. According to current Nigerian investment law, 100 % foreign ownership of firms is allowed in every sector, with the exception of the petroleum sector. In this sector, investments are restricted to existing joint ventures or new production sharing contracts (Oyeranti, et al., 2010). This, however, is not n ecessarily a restrictive provision specific to Nigeria, since production sharing contracts have become a modern way of ensuring that ownership over natural resources is held by the host nation. It is evident, therefore, that both the Ghanaian and Nigerian investment climates are conducive and receptive to FDI from China. In determining the potential impacts of these investments on the economies of the country, it seems evident that there is a need and desire for large capital investments. At the same time, there is the need to stay in control of their natural resources, namely oil and minerals, which has resulted in the only restriction on FDI in the respective economies. The crucial difference between the two countries is the vast superiority of Nigeria with regards to their oil resources and the far-reaching effects that this has had on the country as a whole. This factor must, therefore, be critically considered to assess the impact of Chinese FDI in the country.Chinese Interest in West Africa – FDI AnalysisChina provides an ideal investment partner to African countries and is often more beneficial to the host nation that traditional investment partners for a numb er of reasons, including fewer demands on the host country in exchange for investment, fewer conditions for assistance, offered assistance at lower rates of repayment and lower interest rates, and offered training for technical and professional personnel in doing so (technology transfer) (Renard, 2011). Historically, the interest in Africa from the Chinese perspective has been primarily based on the need to supplement their own natural resources, with the rapid development of their manufacturing industry necessitating a significant amount of resources far outweighing any domestic production in China itself and with an abundance of these resources in West Africa, China sought to increase their investment in and trade participation within the region. In 1987, China exempted raw materials and other components due for re-export from custom duties which bolstered their international trade with African countries as being a significant source of these products and raw materials (Renard, 20 11). With the Chinese accession to the WTO, the protectionist barriers were further removed and this served to increase trade even further. Trade in components is therefore a significant part of Chinese interest in West Africa, as well as raw materials in exchange for consumer products with low capital intensity with a commitment to moving towards more technology-intensive products. In addition to the trade investment in West Africa, diplomacy in the region has focused on bilateral agreements with African governments. In 1994, the Exim Bank (China Export-Import Bank) was founded to encourage Chinese exports and FDI in Africa, with a specific focus on improving the infrastructure (Wang, 2007). On the other hand, China Development Bank (CDB), also established in 1994, opened the China-Africa Development Fund to assist Chinese FDI distribution into Africa, through the financing of Chinese firms looking to invest in the region. Finally, SINOSURE (China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation) provides these firms with insurance and protects against the risks associated with Chinese exports and foreign investment (Renard, 2011). These banks have a less risk-sensitive profile than most private banks in traditional Western investment partners, making them more willing to encourage to investment in often high-risk African countries, including Nigeria. The opportunity to invest in Africa by Chinese firms is as a result of the long-standing history of trade relations and supported by less risk-sensitive banks. These banks aim to encourage FDI in West African countries in order to sustain and potentially increase trade relations with the Chinese economy. With many of the major players in the Chinese economy being state-owned (as a result of the prevailing political regime), there is a significant interest in encouraging FDI with these West African countries due to China’s desire to sustain its high economic growth. This supports the main assumption of this research that China’s FDIs into Ghana and Nigeria are exploitative in nature. Because China’s desire to sustain its economic growth as the main driving factor for its FDI, there is a lot of suspicion that Chinese state-owned investors will not care about the long-term effects of FDI, especially as it focuses on extracting natural resources and raw materials fro m Ghana and Nigeria. METHODOLOGYResearch PhilosophyThis study applies the positivist philosophy, based on the presumption that experiment and observation are highly significant in perceiving human behavior. According to this philosophy, the world can be understood in a rational way. This approach focuses on analyzing facts and seeks to understand connections; reduces experience to simple components; and tests formulated hypotheses. It usually produces qualitative data, which seeks to be unbiased and precise (Saunders et. al., 2009).Research ApproachThis study is empirical and it acknowledges the significance of gathering and utilizing data, to achieve precise and clear conclusions. Inductive and deductive research approaches will be employed in the study. The deductive approach is described as highly structured. Theories of FDI motivations are first presented, since they are especially relevant to the Chinese FDI climate. Next, the relevance of these theories to both Ghana and Nigeria is discussed through the analysis of empirical data. An inductive approach is observed throughout the gathering and examination of empirical data from trustworthy sources. From this perspective, the researcher analyses the data obtained by others, which has been integrated with the research procedures. Given the research objectives, this study has an explanatory quality . Explanatory research aims to explain if there is an association among two or more variables of a specific incident or phenomenon. The aim of this study is to ascertain whether there is an association between FDI inflows from China to Ghana and Nigeria using a framework for the measurement of these impacts based on economic, political or social factors which may be influenced by foreign investments.Data Collection ProcessPrimary and secondary data will be gathered to analyze the possible impacts of FDI inflows from China. Selected economic indicators will also be analyzed using multiple regression analysis. This research will examine the following economic indicators: GDP growth rates; GDP per capita; inflation rates; employment rates; unit labor costs; trade balances (represented as a percentage of GDP); foreign exchange rates; Corporate Income Tax Rates; percentage of people with higher education; developmental goals identified by the host country and other international bodies, and public spending on higher education. The data that will be used in this research will be taken from several different secondary research sites. Data sources are national statistics, scholarly publications, UNDP, IMF and the World Bank, as well as any other directed research that is seeking to understand the relationship between Chinese FDI and its impacts in Ghana and Nigeria countries.Limitations of ResearchThe current research is limited to the extent that Ghana and Nigeria are compatible in conducting the comparative analysis. The main concern is that the vast difference in the oil dependency of these two countries will lead to a number of conclusions, which are not compatible with one another, due to the fact that the Nigerian economy revolves around oil production. It is reasonable, therefore, to think that the application of this theory to Ghana may lead to conclusions or recommendations for improvement, which cannot be applied to the Nigerian context due to its resource dependency and the influence of the social, political and economic climate. In order to mitigate this limitation, the researcher aims to look specifically at the dependence on natural resources (mineral and oil) in the Ghanaian economy in order to ensure that this factor is given sufficient consideration in reaching the conclusions of this theoretical research.Secondary PublicationsPublished secondary resources will also be utilized in this study. These sources discussed FDI determinants from a general perspective and presented global outflows of FDI from China. These also analyzed the general determinants of FDI impacts in Africa as a developing region, with a specific focus on Ghana and Nigeria, and compared these impacts against one another to determine recommendations for the improvement or mitigation of FDI impacts. The application of secondary data in addressing the objectives of this research will add to the overall clarity of the research. Secondary data will be gathered by studying documents from various sources, su ch as international organizations and statistics offices. Other materials are peer-reviewed articles, research papers, books, and other scholarly publications. These will aid in recognizing and incorporating the most relevant literature within the context of the main research questions.Limitations of Secondary SourcesThere are some limitations in using secondary sources. One limitation is that it involves the possibility of incurring knowledge gaps. This refers to the occasions when researchers are unable to find the specific data they are looking for. Moreover, data might be outdated or is not relevant to the research problem. Furthermore, the researcher might find contradictory points of view in the secondary data, which will result in confusion and ambiguities. To lessen these kinds of risks, the researcher will seek the advice and guidance of academic staff specializing in this research subject regarding suggestions on literature. The researcher will also come up with a comprehensive list of international databases of FDI to find the most current data.Data AnalysisThe data analyses that will be applied in this research are comprised of four important steps. Data will be arranged in a rational way. The arrangement of primary and secondary data is based on the selection process (based on the researcher’s judgment). Data will be sorted into three categories. The categories are as follows: (a) Theoretical application of FDI in a Chinese context; (b) Ghanaian and Nigerian investment climate and context; (c) the relationship between Chinese FDI and the Ghanaian and Nigerian political, social, and economic factors. Data will then be analyzed using a number of qualitative research techniques. Results will be organized in terms of theoretical FDI themes identified in the initial research. DISSERTATION PLAN Below is the Gantt chart for the dissertation. This outlines the main activities that will be conducted for this research. Project TasksStartDuration Task 1: Writing the research proposal05 Task 2: Writing the project plan55 Task 3: Conducting the literature review1014 Task 4: Gathering of secondary data247 Task 5: Creation of theoretical framework3120 Task 6: Analysis of the data5114 Task 7: Writing the final research report6514 Note: Start – Represents the number of days from the start date of the research project Duration – The number of days required to complete the task REFERENCES Asiedu, S. (2006) Foreign Direct Investment in Africa: The Role of Natural Resources, Market Size, Government Policy, Institutions and Political Instability. United Nations University Publication [online] Available on: http://www.people.ku.edu/~jbrown/virus.html [Accessed 1 April 2013] Assuncao, S., Forte, R. and Teixeira, A. (2011) Location determinants of FDI: a literature review. Porto: FEP. Benacek, V., Gronicki M., Holland, D. and Sass, M. (2000) The Determinants and Impact of Foreign Direct Investments in Central and Eastern Europe: A Comparison Survey and Econometric Evidence. Journal of United Nations. 9(3). Pp. 163-212. Bevan, A. and Estrin S. (2004). The Determinants of Foreign Direct Investments into European Transition Economies. Journal of Comparative Studies.32. Pp.775-787. Botric, V. and Skuflic, L. (2005) Main determinants of Foreign Direct Investments in the South East European Countries. Zagreb: Institute of Economic. Calderon, C.L. and Serven, L. (2002) Greenfield FDI vs. Mergers and Acquisitions. Does the distinction matterChile: Central Bank of Chile. Duce, M. (2003) Definition of Foreign Direct Investment: a methodological note. Madrid: Banco de Espana. Dunning, J.H. (1993) Multinational Enterprise and the Global Economy. Essex: Addison-Wesley Publication Company. Frimprong, S. (2012) Research on Relationship between China and Ghana: Trade and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 3(7), pp. 51 – 61 Gorynia, M., Nowak J. and Wolniak R. (2005) Motives and Modes of FDI, Firm Characteristics and Performance: Case Study of Foreign Subsidiaries in Poland. Journal of Transitional Management.10 (3). Pp.55-87. Johnson, A. (2005) The effects of FDI inflows on host country economic growth. Jonkoping: Jonkoping International Business School. Moosa, I. (2002) Foreign Direct Investment: Theory, Evidence and Practice. NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Morgan, T. (2005) How does FDI affect host country developmentUsing industry case studies to make reliable generalizations. [In:] Morgan T., Graham, E. and Blomstrom, M., Does Foreign Direct Investment promotes developmentWashington: Institute for International Economics. OECD (1999) OECD benchmark definition of Foreign Direct Investment.3rd edition. Paris: OECD. Oyeranti, O., Babatunde, A., Ogunkola, E. & Bankole, A. (2010) Chinese-Africa Investment Relations: Case Study of Nigeria. Nairobi: African Economic Research Consortium Ozawa, T. (1992) Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Development. Transnational corporations. 1(1). Pp. 27-54. Rahman, M. (2012) Political Economy of China’s Foreign Direct Investment in Ghana. GhanaWeb [online] Available on: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=236093 [Accessed 1 April 2013] Renard, M. (2011) China’s Trade and FDI in Africa. African Development Bank, Working Paper Series, no. 126. Belvedere: African Development Bank Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2009), Research methods for business students. 5th Ed. Harlow: FT Prentice-Hall. Sen, S. (2010) International Trade Theory and Policy: A review of the literature. NY: Levy Economic Institute. Smit, A.J. (2010) The Competitive Advantages of Nations: Is Porter’s Diamond Framework a New Theory That Explains The International Competitiveness of CountriesSouthern African Business Review.14. Pp.105-130. Tsikata, D., Fenny, A. & Aryeetey, E. (2010) Impact of China-Africa Investment Relations: An In-depth Analysis of the Case of Ghana. Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research University of Ghana: African Research Consortium UNCTAD (2011a) World Investment Report 2011.Non-equity modes of international production and development. NY: United Nations. UNCTAD (2011b) World Investment Prospect Survey2011-2013.NY: United Nations. Vita, G. and Kyaw, K. (2008) Determinants of FDI and Portfolio Flows to Developing Countries. A panel co-integration analysis. European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences, 13.Pp. 161-168. Wang, J. (2007) What Drives China Growing Role in Africa. IMF Working Paper, WP/07/211. International Monetary Fund, African Department.

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Coursework Example The company is involved in geological exploration, storage as well as processing and marketing of hydrocarbons. Demand and supply factors As the chosen company operates in the oil and gas sector the demand side factors that can affect sales and the profitability of the company include weather, demographics, economic growth, fuel consumption, storage and the exports potential. From the supply side, the factors which can affect the sales are capacity of the pipeline, storage, gas drilling, issues on technical grounds and imports. The demand follows the cyclical patterns. It also depends on the time and season factors. The demand for the products rises during the hottest months while the demand takes the declining curve during the winter months ((EIA, 2008). The price of the natural gas affects those consumers who have the potential to switch to the fuel of their dependence. The demand that is created by the retail consumers will get affected by the price of electricity. Storage of the produced products is difficult for the companies in this sector and so excess supply cause a fall in the price level. The price is generally set at the equilibrium level as there are several competitors present in the market. Technological advancements can also play a role in the demand of natural gas. The appliances which can be operated through electricity can now be operated through natural gas and this has caused the demand for the product to shoot up. The other barriers that can impact upon the supply of natural gas are availability of skilled labor and availability of well developed systems of delivery. The financial environment can also affect the supply of natural gas both off-shore and on-shore ((Natural Gas, n.d.). Market Structure The consumers can now enjoy the luxury of choice and competition. The price mechanism is beyond the regulations of the government. The price is set by the market by following the usual demand and supply factors. These factors play its role in se tting the price at the equilibrium level. A straight forward market structure characterized the market for natural gas prior to deregulation and unbundling of pipeline. Bundled products are offered by the less developed countries and they play their role in supplying the products to the end users. Marketers serve the purpose of mobilizing the natural gas to end users. (Natural gas, n.d.). The increased liquidity in the market has called for the emergence of non-contract LNG market. The producer owns the gas at well head and sells to the marketers, and less developed countries and even sometimes to the end users. The market faces a serious constraint as it cannot react to the usual changes in demand and supply and requires sufficient time before the adjustment process takes place ((Soligo and Jaffe, p.2, 2004). Requirements to compete in the market The companies that operate in this sector enjoy monopoly power and that is the reason why they tend to be more profitable. The main requi site for the organizations to maintain the profitable position is to avoid preferential as well as discriminatory service. Inefficient investments in other sectors can be avoided. The strategies of unfair pricing would also not help the company to serve the purpose. There is no substitute to quality and so measures to maintain the quality of the products should be undertaken. The

Susan Glaspells Trifles Essay Example for Free

Susan Glaspells Trifles Essay Susan Glaspell’s play, Trifles, explores the fact that women pay attention to the little things that may lead to the solution of a bigger problem. Why do women pay attention to the little things? Could it be because the attention to detail is the starting point to solving the bigger problem? Let’s think of the ‘little things’ like pieces of a puzzle. When all the little pieces are put together, they usually form a picture; therefore you see the whole picture. In this play, the men think it’s just like women to worry about the little details that they see throughout the house, they think it’s ‘trifle’. What they don’t seem to realize is that by the women paying attention to the little things, they are actually solving the murder of Mr. Wright. The first little detail is the fruit preserves when Mrs. Peters said to Mrs. Hale â€Å"She worried about that when it turned so cold. She said the fire’d go out and her jars would break.† That’s when the Sheriff replied â€Å"Well, can you beat the women! Held for murder and worryin’ about her preserves.† (Glaspell, 2010, lines 27-29, p 143). If Mrs. Wright hadn’t been preoccupied, she could have started a fire to keep the preserves from freezing. Why was Mrs. Wright preoccupied? This is probably when the two women thought that perhaps the Wrights were having an argument or maybe even something worse was happening. Another little detail is the fact that Mrs. Wright didn’t wake up while her husband was being strangled to death. Unless Mr. Mrs. Wright slept in separate beds she should have felt him struggling while the noose was being put around his neck or heard him gasping for air. It also seemed strange that there was a gun in the house and it wasn’t used. Why strangle him? Why not use the gun? According to an essay on Susan Glaspell’s Trifles, the author noted â€Å"The strangling of Mr. Wright, which perplexes all when a gun was handy, is reminiscent of the strangling of that bird.† (Susan Glaspell) Another little detail the women notice was the empty birdcage that was stuffed in the cupboard with no bird in it. Mrs. Hale asked if the Wrights had a cat, to which Mrs. Peters replied, â€Å"No, she didn’t have a cat. She’s got that feeling some people have about cats—being afraid of them.† (Glaspell, 2010, line 84, p 146). Then they notice the broken door hinge and Mrs. Hale thought it looked like someone was rough with it and being rough with the cage was perhaps a sign of anger. An example of anger and hostility was when Mrs. Hale described what it was like to be around Mr. Wright. But he was a hard man, Mrs. Peters. Just to pass the time of day with himlike a raw wind that gets to the bone.† (Glaspell, 2010, line 97, p 146). Mrs. Hale then went on to explain how Mrs. Wright was like a bird. â€Å"—real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and—fluttery. How—she—did—change.† (Glaspell, 2010, line 101, p 146). The Mrs. Wright that is described here is different from the character we know in the play. The women we know in the play seemed to be a cold and angry woman. She didn’t have children and the only company she had was a bird. Mrs. Hale suggested to Mrs. Peters that she bring the quilt to Mrs. Wright in the jail. While they look for scissors and more patchwork to take with them, Mrs. Hale finds the dead bird wrapped up in a little box to which she exclaims â€Å"But, Mrs. Peters—look at it. Its neck! Look at its neck! It’s all—to the other side.† and Mrs. Peters says, â€Å"Somebody—wrung—its neck.† (Glaspell, lines 107-108, p 146). This is when the two women realize Mrs. Wright killed her husband, but neither of them wants to break the alliance they made and turn her in. Mrs. Wright was living her life as if she was already living in jail. That kind of life is such a lonely and isolated one. A person would do just about anything to escape that emotional and physical prison. Because these women took notice of all the â€Å"little things†, they were able to put the puzzle together, piece by piece. They were able to feel the loneliness and pain of Mrs. Wright. They were able to see the whole picture and solve the case. Because the men were only interested in physical evidence they were not able to see the little things that the women did. They were not able to come to any conclusions as to what happened and why. Instead, they made fun of and belittled Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters for worrying about the little things. References: Glasspell, S. (2011), Trifles, in D.L. Pike and A.M. Acosta’s (Eds.) Literature: a world of writing poems, plays and essays. Retrieved from VitalSource eBook for Education Management Cooperation Susan Glaspell’s Trifles – Little Things Mean a Lot, 123HelpMe.com. Retrieved fromwww.123HelpMe.Com/view.asp?id=8589 on October 21, 2010

Poverty, Education and Health Care Essay Example for Free

Poverty, Education and Health Care Essay Abstract Poverty and education play an important role in access to health care. A low socioeconomic status influences the health of people. This paper provides a general overview of how poverty and education determines access to health care. It provides a description of the consequences of poverty and education on health care accessibility. Finally it provides solutions as how to address the issue. The link between poverty, education and access to medical care has received considerable attention. Health influences all the activities of an individual. All societies are concerned with varying levels of health among their members. They are also concerned about marginalized sections of society have access to health care. Poverty and its effects on society People belonging to poor communities have poorer health outcomes. They have less access to primary care as compared with more affluent residents. They are also less likely to have health insurance and regular doctor. They are more likely to have chronic health problems. They are more likely to get hospitalized for conditions which can be detected and treated at an early stage. Despite an expansive public insurance program these health problems remain. At least 18 percent of Americans are without medical insurance. This means a total of 44 million are without health insurance out of a population of 300 million. An estimated 87 percent of people are covered by government or employee based health care insurance (Cutler, 2004). People with low socioeconomic status face many challenges in maintaining their health. They have a high mortality rate. They are more likely to be suffering from some disease. They have limited health care resources. They live in poor environmental situations. The United States has one of the world’s most impressive standards of living. At least 32 million Americans live below the poverty line. In addition to poor people an estimated 50 million people live in poverty like conditions. Health risk factors like smoking, obesity and sedentary lifestyle are found in poor Americans (Cutler, 2004). They have a higher prevalence of disability and chronic illness. They have a shorter life expectancy. Children belonging to poor families are more likely to be malnourished. Many poor Americans live in houses which have lead paint. This can cause growth problems in children. Poor people eat inexpensive food which is fatty and lacks important nutrients. Poor people cannot afford health insurance coverage. Patients postpone their medical care and they are more likely to go without prescription medicines. Low income workers are at the highest risk of being uninsured because they are ineligible for Medicaid coverage. They work in low wage jobs that do not offer insurance. They cannot afford the high premiums associated with health care insurance. The lack of a usual source of care is another barrier to seek adequate health care. The challenges associated with poverty create conditions that can diminish lifesavings, lower learning ability and reduce physical, mental and emotional well being. All of these factors are a threat to people’s health. Urban areas in the United States have many health care facilities. However poor people cannot make use of these services. The major challenge is the high cost of visiting doctors, medicine and hospital care. Social factors like language barriers and prejudice by providers also hinder the accessibility of health care by poor people. The government also faces challenges in trying spreading health education in poor communities. Health care services are vital for the survival and livelihood of poor people. Illness persists in poor people. It stops people from working and forces them to sell assets. They fall into debt and are lead into a vicious cycle of dependency and poverty. Failure to treat themselves leads to illness and disability. This further reduces the ability to work in poorer households. People living in rural areas are forced to bear high transport costs. This is difficult and expensive for them. The lack of local health centers in rural areas further hinders the ability of poor people to access adequate health care (Crichton, 1997). The huge time that takes for poor people to obtain treatment is one of the greatest barriers which they face. Time away from jobs results in lost income. Health services run by governments are usually inefficient and are characterized by neglect. The quality of service is low. There is shortage of staff. There is no proper medicine and equipment. In many countries there is no safe water to drink. In developing countries there are high costs to health care. Besides the official fees there are corrupt staff members who demand bribes and fees in return for ordinary services. These services can include registration, tests and being given medicine. They can also pressurize a sick person to make unnecessary visits to the hospital. Payment methods are not flexible in many developing countries. Payment usually has to be made in advance and in cash. This causes considerable hardship for poor people (Crichton, 1997). Â  Education and its effects on society Education also plays an important role in health care. Many people with low literacy cannot read and understand directions written on medications. They cannot complete medical consent forms. They have problems in accessing health care and dealing with health related issues. Health literacy is the ability to read and understand words and procedures related to health care. It consists of comprehension, communication and appropriate action. The direct effects of low health literacy are medication errors. The indirect issues can include insurance issues, accessibility to health care and poor health behavior (Shi, 2003). Low health literacy affects people of all ages, races, educational levels and social classes. It is driven by a variety of factors. It is a multidimensional issue. Understanding written materials has been part of extensive health literacy in the past few years. Sensitivity to culture has also become part of health literacy due to the diverse population of the world. Messages and images have to be tailored to meet the diverse beliefs and values of people. Health literacy is concerned with understanding the information necessary to manage health (Shi, 2003). It is estimated that at least 90 million people in the United States cannot read. The health of such people is at risk. Ethnic minority groups are also affected by low health literacy. Older patients, recent immigrants, people with chronic diseases and those with low income are also vulnerable to having low health literacy. Many people with average or strong literacy skills have found medical terminology and concepts confusing. There are many health consequences associated with a low literacy level. Research has found that at least one third of patients have health problems because of failure in taking prescription medication correctly. People with low health literacy cannot comply with prescribed treatments and self care routines. They also have a high rate of failure in seeking preventive care. They are more at risk for hospitalization. They lack the skills to successfully move in the complex healthcare system (Shi, 2003). Patients with low health literacy have glycemic control. They are also more likely to report eye problems caused by diabetes. The annual health care costs for individuals with low health literacy are five times higher than those with higher health literacy skills. People with low health literacy are more likely to use health care services. Additional health care expenditures result from low health literacy skills. People cannot feel part of the social structure. They are also vulnerable to anxiety and other mental disorders. They can also alienate other people. Research has also found that people with low literacy levels are more vulnerable to die. While federal and state lawmakers continue to debate about how to increase access to health care, some of them are thinking of reinsurance system which might be affordable for poor people. In order to understand the concept of insurance it is essential that policy makers understand the concepts, benefits and limits of reinsurance mechanism. Reforms in Health care Reinsurance in health care refers to risk transfer or risk pooling arrangements. These are designed to remove the barriers which low income workers and minorities face when accessing health care. Risk transfer arrangements can help in this matter but they cannot lower health care costs. Policy makers must design policies which encourage participation from insurers and remove incentives to transfer costs to taxpayers. Reinsurance is defined as an insurance company buying insurance itself. The primary insurer is protected against the rare set of circumstances which might produce losses that it cannot fund on its own. Property and casualty insurance are the areas where reinsurance has been successfully implemented. Companies working in these areas can take heavy losses due to natural disasters in a short time period. This induces insurers to buy reinsurance on the commercial market. Poor people cannot afford health insurance coverage. This directly affects their ability to access medical care. Patients postpone their medical care and they are more likely to go without prescription medicines. Low income workers are at the highest risk of being uninsured because they are ineligible for Medicaid coverage (Kling, 2004). Public health plays a vital role in countering the effects of poverty on health care. It also minimizes the disparities in health by income. Public health policies protect the health of the population. It also plays an important role in reducing contagious diseases and providing low cost health services to marginalized sections of society. There are many examples of public health functions. Immunizing babies, improving sanitation, combating sexually transmitted diseases, protecting the environment and containing tuberculosis are some of the public health functions. Public health focuses on reallocating resources to communities which have low incomes. The US government has a network of community health centers, public clinics, school based clinics and health clinics for low income workers, migrants, minorities and homeless people. The National Health Service Corps is an organization which provides services and places physicians in vulnerable communities. Public health services also focus on specific diseases like tuberculosis. They also increase immunization efforts against this disease. They provide services which improve the health of low income families. Neighborhoods are cleaned from lead paint, pollution control and nutrition programs are launched. Women and children are fed through special programs. Poor people with low income and education have poorer health outcomes. They have less access to primary care as compared with more affluent residents. They are also less likely to have health insurance and regular doctor. They are more likely to have chronic health problems (Kling, 2004). Medicaid is the largest public programs that have improved access to health care. It provides health services to low income population. It finances health and long term care insurance for over 40 million low income Americans. Before Medicaid the poor people were essentially without any medical care. They relied on charity of physicians and hospitals. Public hospitals and clinics were also visited by poor people. Medicaid has made health services available to poor people. It has improved their health status and access to quality care. It has also created satisfaction amongst the poor people. Uninsured poor people lag well behind those people who have coverage with Medicaid. People with Medicaid have even fared comparably with private insurance (Kling, 2004). Despite the fact that these programs offer valuable assistance to low income populations, the deficits in access and coverage faced by low income population cannot be easily overcome. Increase in income does produce a substantial contribution to removing health differentials. However this is the need for insurance coverage and support for community based resources to eliminate health disparities by income. Poverty is hazardous for the physical and mental well being of an individual. Low income and homeless people are poor physical functions. They have a high prevalence of health risk factors and chronic health conditions. They also are more vulnerable to depression and other mental disorders. Research has shown that people living in vulnerable communities have a higher rate of being diagnosed with mental disorders as compared with more affluent communities (Kling, 2004). There is a need for prevention, intervention and treatment of diseases for poor people. Welfare reform cannot succeed without taking into account the special health problems of poor people and children. Poverty is associated with depression and other symptoms. It contributes to depression. People with insufficient personal support have no assistance in raising children. They live under the chronic stress of having children but little money to support them. They are at a higher risk for depression. There is a strong link between single-parent status, responsibility for young children, social isolation, and lack of social supports as well as to poverty. Welfare recipients have many barriers towards employment. They have low skills, substance abuse, health limitation or children with chronic medical conditions. They have serious forms of barriers. They have also high level of distress. They seek help from general medical, specialized and human service sources. Poor people with low income and education have poorer health outcomes. They have less access to primary care as compared with more affluent residents. They are also less likely to have health insurance and regular doctor. They are more likely to have chronic health problems. They are more likely to get hospitalized for conditions which can be detected and treated at an early stage. Despite an expansive public insurance program these health problems remain. At least 18 percent of Americans are without medical insurance. This means a total of 44 million are without health insurance out of a population of 300 million. An estimated 87 percent of people are covered by government or employee based health care insurance. Rising health care costs have become unbearable in the world. This is a problem for poor people in the Western countries and the situation is even worse in developing countries. There is a need for reform in the health care system. Many poor people are not covered by health insurance. Critical care medicine in high technology hospitals are only for a small group of patients (Ham, 2004). The first step should be rationing in containing health care costs. Public health care resources are limited. It is not possible to satisfy all medical needs for all people at all times. An appropriate goal for developing countries is to provide basic health care for the people. Some luxury medical procedures must be left for individuals to purchase with their own resources. Â  A basic level of health care must be provided for all people. Providing the best care is practically impossible. The government can however provide a basic level of care. Prevention oriented and ordinary treatment oriented goals must be set for developing countries and their health care systems. Inexpensive medical prevention is more effective and appropriate for poor people. Finally there should be a system of support which should help people with special expensive medicine care. Special foundations should come to the rescue of poor people for emergency and life saving procedures (Cundiff, 2005). Conclusion The health and well being of poor communities is an issue confronting both developed and developing countries. Research has found links between poverty and the health of people. Inside the United States many poor people do not have health insurance. Some of them can’t even think of affording health insurance. They are more concerned with the basic amenities of life. People in developing countries are even worse off. They have access to state hospitals and clinics which do not have trained staff, prescription medicine and advanced hospital care (Cundiff, 2005). A low health literacy rate is also dangerous for the well being of people. It can have adverse negative economic and social impacts. They can die at from treatable causes and get hospitalized because of their lack of health literacy skills. They are also prone to suffering from mental diseases like anxiety and depression. Â  There is the need for health reform in the entire world. Governments must provide a basic level of health care to all citizens. Advanced hospital care must be made available by foundations and donations. Governments working in coordination with community support groups can effectively counter the affects of poverty and low education on the health care of poor people. Some health responsibilities and policies should be transferred to community groups. The international community must help poor countries in developing basic and adequate health care system. References Cutler, David M. (2004). Your Money Or Your Life: Strong Medicine for Americas Health Care System. US: Oxford University Press. Crichton, Anne (1997). Health Care: A Community Concern?. US: University of Calgary. Shi, Leiyu (2003). Delivering Health Care in America: A Systems Approach. US: Jones and Bartlett. Kling, Arnold S. (2004). Crisis of Abundance: Rethinking How We Pay for Health Care. US: Cato Institute. Ham, Christopher (2004). Health Care Reform: Learning from International Experience. US: McGraw-Hill Education. Cundiff, David E. (2005). The Right Medicine: How to Make Health Care Reform Work Today. US: Humana Press.

Patricia Piccinini and David Hockney Comparison

Patricia Piccinini and David Hockney Comparison Art explores many elements of life and the world. It explores and represents meanings in which are interpreted by the audience in various ways. Artists use different techniques to enhance their own individual message or perspective, whether it be distinctively clear or subtle. Artists such as Patricia Piccinini explore identity through life-like animal sculptures that resemble human characteristics. Her message is more powerful in analysis rather than first glance. David Hockney is also an artist who explores identity of the individual by representing lifes journey through his technique of photo montage. Art is the representation of the many elements of human life. It is the expression of emotion, the representation of objects or landscapes, life experiences and it can also be the representation of people and events. Identity can be represented as well as constructed in the visual arts. Many artists are able to do this in diverse and individual ways. Patricia Piccininis controversial artworks explore the identity and contrast between human and animal life. David Hockneys photo montage illustrates a very different approach to represent and construct identity. His artwork explores this concept through a narrative based artwork that represents lifes individual journey each must take in order to construct ones true identity. However, it is not only these two artists that explore identity. There are numerous artists who explore identity in a variety of ways. Some more subtle than others. This is because identity can be explored in so many different ways. Identity can be seen as a national identity, community identity, cultural, physical, professional, individual, sexual-orientation or marital status etc. There are many artists that explore these identities. Piccinini has explored the physical identity and relationship between human and animal. Whereas Hockney has explored the individual identity, and the path we journey through our lives Identity can be defined as individual characteristics by which a person is recognised or known. Art is a mirror image of a persons identity, circle of influence, and perceived worlds or realities. Art reflects what we feel, think, practice, believe, or imagine (Gaskins, N. 2010). Both Patricia Piccinini and David Hockney represent this in different ways by taking different approaches. Piccininis work is known for her extravagant and controversial life-like sculptures which present a more obvious meaning than that of Hockney. Through the use of symbolism, Hockneys photo montage creates a more subtle representation of identity. It is only with more analysis that Hockneys creation can be more understood. Although the audience perspectives can vary in conclusion as each individual can perceive this narrative type artwork and relate to the journey offered and constructed in different ways. The Young Family (2002-3) Apart from the image that is represented, there is often a second meaning within the artwork, (Clack, M. 2010). At a glance; the work of Patricia Piccinini is disturbing and questionable, hence the reason for the controversial perspectives. However if looked at with more depth and analysis, her artworks become interestingly engaging. The way in which she represents and constructs identity is far different to other artists. Patricia Piccinini is an artist who explores the frontiers of science and technology through her sculptures, photographs and video environments (Kent, R. 2002). Within her artwork she is able to construct a powerful message; that enables her to express personal view on a topic. The work makes public something other than itself; it manifests something other; it is an allegory (Clack, M. 2010). Personal identity and the issues surrounding it lie at the core of Piccininis project. Her works invite the question: what is it that makes us who we are? (Kent, R. 2002). Her artwork titled, The Young Family (2003) has sparked a lot of controversy because of the many perspectives it represents. Her life-like imagery is about compromises about being able to find beauty in a world which can never be perfect. (Papastergiadis, N. 2002). This artwork explores the distinction between animal and human characteristics. The similarities of both identities are obvious, which is what Patricia Piccinini is trying to portray. In a political and scientific perspective the inspiration behind this work is the expectation that we have of growing human organs in other species (Piccinini, P. 2003). In this artwork motherhood is one of the traits we share with animals; Patricia Piccinini has evidently shown this. From synthetic landscapes to artificial life forms, Piccinini creates a world in which fa ct, fiction and fantasy co-exist. She begs the question: what, in our rapidly changing world, constitutes the real anyway? (Kent, R. 2002). Pearblossom Hwy (1986) David Hockneys artwork, Pearblossom Hwy approaches the representation of identity in another way. Hockneys work clearly depicts his life and his love ones (Research Paper 2008). Represented in his artworks is a timeline of individual life on earth. He identifies that individuals have many paths they need to be inevitably travelled with many obstacles on the way. The art work consists of a lot of symbolism. Hockney has used the various stop signs in order to represent the individuals own life obstacles. In life many people will stop to think, is this decision Im about to make the right one? What path should I follow next? Who am I as an individual? etc. One of the many perspectives this artwork offers is that the collage is trying to say that in the beginning of life, people are unknowing of what they will do in their future or that they are lost in life. The end of the highway symbolizes certainty and strength about ones life. (Research Paper 2008). Hockneys art is created for his viewers. His drawings are designed in a special way so that they can be animated to be in the mind of the viewer (Research Paper 2008). David Hockneys aim is to take the audience on a journey that he has created, but one that means something different to each individual. This journey is the exploration of identity. He has captured within this artwork the similarities in lifes journeys, but it is how each individual interprets the story. Identity varies from society to society and individual to individual as variation of systems or personality (Art. 2010). In comparison to Patricia Piccininis artwork, The young family, Hockneys artwork relates solely to each individual. It explores numerous story lines as the interpretation of his artwork differs for each audience member. The identity he explores is more easily related to than that of Piccinini. Patricias outlook on identity explores the similarities between human and animal characteristics, very similar to the evolution theory, the apes transition into human form. Ideas about nature and its simulation are central to Piccininis works, inviting us to question what is real and what is not (Kent, R. 2002). Whereas Hockneys, Pearblossom Hwy explores the concept of what will the individuals future bring? Who am I? Who will I become?. It is more an intimate reflection of ones self. In conclusion, there are many artists who explore and represent identity in many forms and techniques. So in evaluating what is art. Many believe that it is the representation of the many elements of human life such as emotions, objects or landscapes, life experiences, people and events. Patricia Piccinini and David Hockney, while they both explore identity, their ideas and perspectives are entirely different. Patricia Piccininis controversial artworks explore the identity and contrast between human and animal life. While David Hockneys photo montage illustrates a narrative based artwork that represents lifes individual journey each must take in order to construct ones true identity.