Friday, September 6, 2019

Childhood and Adolescent Depression and the Risks of Suicide Essay Example for Free

Childhood and Adolescent Depression and the Risks of Suicide Essay Introduction Problem and its Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most common reasons for referral of children and adolescents to mental health professionals is suspected depression. There are continues debate as to whether childhood and adolescent depression are a reflection of normal variation in mood. It is reasonable for the primary care physician to view childhood depression as a constellation of factors that forms a syndrome. This constellation consists of a persistent mood disorder and dysfunctional behavior that intrudes and distorts the child’s day-to-day activities (Gottlieb Williams, 1991 p. 1). A firm denial gave way into a general and strong conviction about significance of depressive syndromes in childhood and adolescents, and of the implications throughout the life course. The realization of the problem occurrence made it possible for the therapeutic interventions and prevention programs to be developed and set up for depressive children, and to have these programs sponsored and evaluated on a scientific perspective. Various factors have facilitated the progression of this study concerning the recognition of childhood depression. Society is approached with enormous cost of untreated childhood depression later on in life (Corveleyn etal, 2005 p.165).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The concept of a depressive syndrome that is distinct from the broad class of childhood onset emotional disorders has been linked to incidence of suicidal rates worldwide. The condition of such incidence is becoming evidently alarming as the number of suicidal rate continue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The treatment of such depressive states range from pharmacologic drugs up to psychological modifications and therapies, such as behavioral, peer and group focused groups, etc. With the serious nature of childhood / adolescent depression, it is crucial that treatments with known efficacy and more than transitory effects be provided promptly and skillfully (Maj Sartorius, 2002 p.292). Scope and Limitations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The treatment procedures and the condition of health care management for the case of childhood and adolescent depression are the primary subjects of the study. The concept on treatment procedure involves the pharmacologic, medical and psychological interventions that are absolutely necessary in the health care management of such condition. The study shall cover the discussion of depressive condition of the childhood and adolescent age group. Diagnostic procedures and issues shall be tackled in this research in order to portray possible conflicts and difficulties that occur in diagnosing the condition. The neurobiology of the depressive state shall be elaborated utilizing psychophysiology of the disorder, and linked to probable external physiological occurrences. Lastly, since the study focuses on therapy and medication as treatment modalities, the following methods and means of treatment shall be involved in the study. The following shall be the objectives of the over-all study. To be able to define, discuss and elaborate the conditions involved in the occurrence of depression in adolescent and childhood stages To be able to provide and tackle the treatment procedure as the center scope of study, accompanied by the issues, physiology and specific drugs involved in depression health care management. Discussion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cases of despondency and depression in children and adolescents were reported as early as the seventeenth century. Prior to the 1970s, however, little attention was paid to depression in youth (Hersen Hasselt, 2001 p.243). The study on depression had been more inclined to adulthood depression and not on childhood and adolescence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depression among children and adolescents is relatively common, enduring, and recurrent disorder that has an adverse impact on a youngster’s psychosocial development and in some cases is associated with self-destructive and life-threatening behaviors. Depressive disorders during childhood and adolescence may be more virulent and of longer duration than depressive disorders in adults. Depressive disorders during childhood are a risk factor for the development of additional psychological disturbances and for the development of depressive disorders later in life. The number of youths who are experiencing depressive disorders is increasing at the same time that the age of onset is decreasing (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.336).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depression can be conceptualized both as a dimension and as a category. Epidemiological studies suggest that juvenile depression is a continuum that is associated with problems at most levels of severity. According to Oregon Adolescent Depression Project, the level of psychosocial impairment increased as a direct function of the number of depressive symptoms. Moreover, in line with studies of adults, much of the morbidity associated with depression occurred in the â€Å"milder† but more numerous cases of minor depression. Such results suggest that even mild forms of adolescent depression are a risk factor for depression in early adulthood (Rutter Taylor, 2002 p.463).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In recent years, increased attention has been given to evidence-based psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for depressed youth. The need to highlight what we know about treatment is underscored by the fact that most depressed youth do not receive treatment. However, as knowledge about treatments for youth depression has increased, the rate of treatment appears to have developed. Although depression among youth is treated more often, it is not clear that standard practice is effective at alleviating depressive symptoms or preventing recurrence. Moreover, there is a bias toward the utilization of pharmacologic drugs and extremely brief psychosocial interventions (Gotlib Hammen, 2002 p.441). Diagnostic Issues involved in Depression   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision groups mood disorders into two categories: depressive disorders and bipolar disorders. Both types of disorders are characterized by depressive episodes. For a diagnosis of depressive disorder, the child must be experiencing a mood disturbance for a period of at least 2 weeks, and the symptoms must be present more often than not. At least four of the following symptoms must be present during the same period (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.337): Significant, unintentional weight gain or loss Insomnia or hypersomnia Psychomotor retardation or agitation fatigue or loss or energy feelings of worthlessness or extreme guilt Diminished concentration pr ability to make decisions Recurring thoughts of death, suicidality, or suicide attempts In depressed preadolescents and adolescents, a lack of perceived personal competence was associated with depression; however, in adolescents, the more abstract concept of contingencies is also related to depression (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.338). Confusion sometimes arises in the childhood depression field, as it does with adult depression, because of different usages of the term â€Å"depression† and associated differences in methods of assessment. Moreover, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is the primary reference of psychiatric diagnosis, frequently changes. One example is in studies of childhood and adolescent depression, the term is variously used to identify depressed mood, a constellation of mood and other symptoms forming a syndrome, or a set of symptoms meeting official diagnostic criteria for depressive disorder. The usage of such term connotes various meaning, such as depression as a symptoms (lonely, fear impulses, guilt, etc.) and depression as a syndrome (comprises clusters of various signs and symptoms) (Mash Barkley, 2003 p.336). Neurobiology of Childhood Adolescent Depression   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Biologic studies in children are difficult to implement since they often require several blood draws, subjects remaining still more long periods of time, and the overall cooperation of the children and adolescents. Three types of investigation have provided information on possible developmental differences in the neurobiology of depression. The first is the study of Cortisol secretion, measured by investigations such as the dexamethasone suppression test (Rapoport, 2000 p.230).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Studies of neurotransmitters in depressed adults have focused on norepinephrine, serotonin, and acetylcholine. Serotonin regulation studied in adults with depression reported that in response to L-5hyroxytrytophan in 37 pre-pubertal depressed children secreted less Cortisol and more prolactin than age-matched and gender-matched normal controls, suggesting a deregulation of central serotonergic systems in childhood depression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Abnormalities of the hypothalamic pituitary-thyroid axis and the hypothalamic pituitary-growth hormone axis have been reported in depression in adults. However, Cortisol hypersecretion, as measured by repeated samples over a 24-hour period or by nocturnal sampling, has not been identified in depressed children and adolescents although adolescent showed a Cortisol elevation at the approximate time of sleep onset (Coffey, 2006 p.266).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second type of developmentally informative investigation is the study of sleep. Polysomnographic studies of depressed children and adolescent have tended to demonstrate abnormalities of sleep, including shortened rapid eye movement (REM) latency and reduced slow wave sleep. These generally positive results of polysomnographic studies with children have shown few differences (Rapoport, 2000 p.231).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third type of developmentally informative investigation is the study of growth hormone. A variety of pharmacological challenge agents that stimulate release of growth hormone have been studied in depressed adolescents and children. Interestingly, the results with adolescents have been negative in terms of slow blunted growth hormone response to provocative stimuli. However, some studies have reported high levels of growth hormone in adolescents with major depression. Moreover, pubertal children both during depressive episode and after recovery have demonstrated blunted growth hormone response to provocative stimuli (Rapoport, 2000 p.231). Psychopharmacology: Antidepressants (SSRIs)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Special considerations arise in treating children and adolescents with antidepressants. Empirical data on antidepressants in young patients are quite limited. Psychiatrists, faced with depriving children of potentially effective medication or prescribing medication or prescribing medications â€Å"Off Label,† need information on which to base treatment decisions, and efforts are underway to promote research in this area. Clinically significant differences in pharmacokinetics and possibly pharmacodynamics between adults and younger patients can also complicate treatment. Moreover, younger patients may also be more sensitive to adverse effects of medications (Preskorn, 2004 p.356).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The antidepressant drugs are a heterogeneous group of compounds that, in adults, have bee found to be effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder. This particular pharmacologic intervention is also utilized in adolescent and children with major depression; although, there have been no studies that validate the appropriateness of such medications. The following are considered as the major treatment of adolescent depression, specifically Tricyclic Antidepressants and (SSRI) Selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Rossenberg Ryan, 1998 p.28).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) have long been the first-line antidepressants used by most clinicians for adults because of their established efficacy, safety, and ease of administration, but they have been less successful in the treatment of child and adolescent conditions. The mechanism by which TCAs are effective in the treatment of adult depression and other disorders has not been clearly established. There is, however, evidence that these agents affect monoamine neurotransmitter systems in the central; nervous system, such as serotonin and norepinephrine (Rossenberg Ryan, 1998 p.28-29). The TCAs inhibit the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, potentiating their action. It has been suggested that antidepressants work by increasing noradrenergic and/or serotonergic transmission, compensating for a presumed deficiency. Controlled studies failed to demonstrate that TCAs are superior to placebo in the treatment of childhood and adolescent depression (Rossenberg Ryan, 1998 p.28-29).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since serotonin is also implicated in the etiology and maintenance of affective disorders, particularly depression; hence, the use selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) is possible. SSRIs prevent the re-uptake of serotonin, which poses significant therapeutic value although has been shown to be less effective in therapeutic trials in children (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.384). The SSRIs are now first-line agents for treating child and adolescent depression. The newer antidepressants, such as bupropion and mirtazapine, do not have an adequate empirical base with children; however, they are sometimes used as second-line treatments for those youths who do not respond to SSRIs. Thus far, none of the SSRIs has produced irreversible damage in children and adolescents. However, as the SSRIs gained wide use with depressed adolescents, concerns emerged about the safety of this class of medications. Reports suggested that they were responsible for increased suicidal ideation and behavior among youths (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.384). In 2003, the British Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency   (MHRA) concluded that most of the SSRIs do not show benefits exceeding their risks of suicidal ideation, and thus should not be prescribed in the child and adolescent population (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.384).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If the adolescent fails to respond to any SSRI, then switching to a different class of antidepressant is recommended. At present, no data support the use of one agent over another. Therefore, whether the clinician chooses a TCA, nefazodone, or venlafaxine should be based on clinical experience. Other factors to consider for a given adolescent are medication side effects, medical conditions, previous medication trials, comorbid psychiatric conditions, and familial history of a positive response to particular antidepressants (Esman, 1999 p.222). Other classes of antidepressants are fluoxetine, setraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, venlafaxine, bupropion, trazodone, and nefazadone. As major depression has a high recurrence rate, it is recommended that pharmacologic treatment continue for a minimum of six months achieving resolution of symptoms. Medication discontinuation should be accomplished gradually, with a slow, stepwise reduction in dosage over a two- or three-month period. The health care providers should carefully monitor the adolescent for withdrawal syndromes and reemergence of depressive symptoms (Esman, 1999 p.222). Relationship to Suicide Rates   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Suicidal thoughts and attempts are among the diagnostic criteria for major depression. Suicidal ideation is quite common, and has been reported in more than 60% of depressed preschoolers, preadolescents, and adolescents. Actual suicidal attempts also may occur, at rates that appear to be higher among depressed adolescents than among depressed adults (Mash Barkley, 2003 p.336).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Studies have shown consistently high rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders in depressed children and adolescents. The comorbidity rate in children and adolescents with depression has been reported to be 80% to 95%. The most common comorbid disorders in adolescents with depression are anxiety disorders, with rates ranging from 40% to 50%. Moreover, substance abuse frequently co-occurs with depression. Adolescents with major depression are at risk for impairment in school performance and interpersonal relationships, which may interfere with achievement of appropriate developmental tasks. Suicidal behavior is a common sequela. A 10-yar follow-up of depressed child and adolescent outpatients found that 4.4% committed suicide. Mood disorder, prior to suicide attempt, and substance abuse are major risk factors for adolescent suicide (Esman, 1999 p.216).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depressed and suicidal children and adolescents are often not identified. Identification of children and adolescents who express suicidal ideation or suicidal acts is crucial since such symptoms are recurrent and strong predictors of youth suicide. Other risk factors for youth suicide behavior have been described including family, other environmental and biological factors. Notably, family history of suicidal behavior increases risk for youth suicide (Rapoport, 2000 p.231). Reference Coffey, E. C. (2006). Pediatric Neuropsychiatry. Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Corveleyn etal, J. (2005). The Theory and Treatment of Depression: Towards a Dynamic Interactionism Model. Routledge. Esman, A. H. (1999). Adolescent Psychiatry: Developmental and Clinical Studies. Routledge. Gotlib, I., Hammen, C. L. (2002). Handbook of Depression. Guilford Press. Gottlieb, M. I., Williams, J. (1991). Developmental-behavioral Disorders: Selected Topics. Springer. Hersen, M., Hasselt, V. B. (2001). Advanced Abnormal Psychology. Springer. Maj, M., Sartorius, N. (2002). Depressive Disorders. John Wiley and Sons. Mash, E. J., Barkley, R. A. (2006). Child Psychopathology. Guilford Press. Mash, E. J., Barkley, R. A. (2006). Treatment of Childhood Disorders. Guilford Press. Preskorn, S. (2004). Antidepressants: Past, Present, and Future. Springer. Rapoport, J. L. (2000). Childhood Onset of Adult Psychopathology: Clinical and Research Advances. American Psychiatric Pub., Inc. Rossenber, D., Ryan, N. (1998). Pocket Guide for the Textbook of Pharmacotherapy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders. Psychology Press. Rutter, M., Taylor, E. A. (2002). Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Blackwell Publishing.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Gender Inequality In Educational Sector Of Pakistan Sociology Essay

Gender Inequality In Educational Sector Of Pakistan Sociology Essay Education is considered to be the most valuable possession for every human being today. Gender inequality is more pronounced in Pakistan. Women are disadvantaged with respect to the outcomes of schooling. My literature review incorporates all the questions regarding sex differences and I have mainly focus on the issues that are central to the questions of gender inequality in educational sector. Research remains focused on secondary information. Literature review consists of 10 articles as follow. The introduction to this article( the status of women in Pakistan,1988) written by HAQ, attempts to state that women constitute the majority about 52% of the worlds population, yet many societies discriminate them and Pakistan is one of those. The article mainly discuses that women in the rural areas are made to work as long as 14 to 16 hours without payments. Their status is mainly based on local custom rather than QURANIC verses. In a traditional society women occupy really low status. There is a history of female in the subcontinent that women are expected to function within their frame work before marriage they had to obey their fathers and brothers and after marriage their husbands. Most of the women live in the state of withdrawal deprived of their identity and this is because of the lack of education and Pakistani women are denied due to social prestige and economic activity. The variables that are extracted from this article are local custom and lack of awareness. The author define these variables in such a manner that he focuses on reducing gender disparity, should be the priority of the society and this gender disparity can be reduced by eliminating the traditional practices that are held in a society for example women should have equal participation in the decision making and increase women knowledge on family planning as the article states that average number of live birth is 5.8, maternal mortality is very high at an estimated 500 out of 100,000 births. The article discusses the status of women in Pakistan and due to gender discrimination how they are lacking in education. Educated and independent women are more enthusiastic towards life and are capable of understanding modernized changes rather than illiterate under nutritive dependant women .furthermore the article discuses that gender discrimination is mainly because of the traditional customs they are following especially in the villages. Hypothesis: the status of women in Pakistan should be enhanced or not This article gender inequality in education written by Nelly P.Stromquist in 1990 focuses on womens access to education, both in terms of the decrease in the rate of literacy and in years of schooling attained, the article says that there has been improvement over time. Compared to their mothers and grandmothers, women today have more education than ever before. The enrollment of women in primary and secondary school has improved in the last 30 years, and women have registered a slightly greater rate of growth, as women have increased their average years of schooling. Despite all these fact, women still continue to face lower levels of education than men. Women in the third world countries are considered to be feminine and weak in terms of reward and social prestige. The author states that there are still a sizable number of countries that do not collect statistics by sex, particularly at higher levels of education, indicating thereby that they do not consider the improvement of wome ns education a priority. The rate or level of women participation in educational sector reveals that it is the women from low-income groups and low status, ethnic affiliation who register the lowest levels of education. Above stated are the variables that were extracted from the article: low income group, low ethnic affiliation, rate of dropping out. The author defines the variables in a way he says that most of the gender disparity which is observed across the societies is a result of class difference that fully explains why the gender disparity exists and persists. Furthermore the article discuses that there have been few studies that specifically distinguish inequalities due to gender from those due to class or race. A study by Rosemberg (1985) showed that the discrimination by income was more pronounced than the discrimination by race. There is a difference in the education of different social classes. The particular article is relevant to the topic in such a way it states that the schooling of daughter is not deemed worthwhile in front of the schooling of a son. And another major reason of women lacking in education is of high dropout rates of girls in primary and secondary schools. And this is mainly because of early marriages. Insufficient places in secondary school, co education cost of education and low quality of education of girls. Many of the studies in this category do not ask why it is that womens education is considered less important than that of men or why it is that the education of women is so pervasively linked by social norms to their role as wives and mothers. The methodology that was used in the article was viewing different theories about social inequalities in education, are those that are derived from either the functionalist (or consensual) or the conflict (or neo-Marxist) approaches. Hypothesis: is women education considered less important than men The article class and gender in education-employment linkage written by Hanna Papanek focuses on the impact of global economic and political changes on low income nations. Poor families that depend entirely on returns to labor in order to survive are most likely to require participation in wage labor (or labor exchange arrangements) by all household members, including men, women, and children. Under these circumstances, educational participation becomes very difficult for both male and female, but because males generally have a wider range of earning opportunities, they are more likely preferred than females to be allowed to attend school. On the other hand at class and income levels where families are less dependent on female wage labor, womens education is preferred little bit. Family status has a direct bearing on access to economic and political resources that enhances education facility in women. Another factor that is discussed in this article is the family honor and these are the variables extracted from this article INCOME in terms of FAMILY STATUS. The author defines the variables in such a way that differences among classes are signaled by the extent of control over women which is family honor. In some cases girls may not be permitted to attend middle schools located outside the village because it would injure family honor and compromise marriage over it. In other cases, the attainment of secondary or tertiary education may confer so much prestige on the family that the possible status loss associated with daughters living away from home is offset. Marriage chances may also be enhanced when a daughter is sufficiently educated that she can just read and write her name and which can make her earn minimal amount of living. In Egypt as it is a highly stratified society, formal education for both men and women has long been associated with class and status. Higher education, in particular, has played an important role in the reproduction of the bourgeoisie , although not always in the predicted fashion. In Egypt, not all illiterate women can be presumed to be from poor families; at least some proportion of this group, especially among older women, comes from families that do not permit women contact with the outside world. The overwhelming majority of illiterate or barely literate women, however, are from poor families. The article is base from a comparative regional study in Asia that is now under way and from research in a nearby country (Egypt) that is similar in many respects to the countries included in the regional study. Many of the nations in the ongoing study have large Muslim populations (Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Malaysia) etc. concluding the article female educational participation, especially at higher levels, is a consequence of higher family status rather than a means to upward mobility. Hypothesis: do females have less access to both schooling and employment than males do. This article Muslims, markets, and the meaning of a good education in Pakistan was written by Mattew J. Nelson in (October, 2006) examines the nature of local educational demands in Pakistan and show that parents favor religious education usually for girls. Girls access to education in Pakistan has been restricted. Despite improvements in the last 20 years, underlying factors still make the state education system inefficient and the current male to female literacy ratio is still at 65:40. And this is mainly because people wrongly assume that our religion dont permit girls for normal education. Girls are usually preferred to go to maddrasas which most of the parents in rural areas think is a better and accessible option and more convenient option for them. Furthermore the article describes the market and the meaning of good education in Pakistan. Families of middle class who can afford primary education of girls still prefer sending their girls to religious schools which cost them ver y little and prefer their boys to enjoy all the privilege of higher education because they think that it is in our religion that girls are suppose to stay at home. The variable that was identified from this article is religion (Islam). The author defines the variable in such a way that he himself carried a survey and a Questionnaire in which two type of people were questioned one for whom the local madrasa (Islamic religious school) was most important Secondly parents were selected from a variety of economic circumstance. However the outcome was that out of 112 respondents 91 were in the favor of madras for girls. The article is relevant to the topic in a way that it discusses about the how the choice of religious education for girls is forming a disparity in educational sector of Pakistan. The article mainly discuses the, substantive features of local educational demand and religious demand Hypothesis: is demand in favor of religious education rather than local The article Girls Are Boys Are: Myths, Stereotypes Gender Differences written by Patricia B. Campbell, Ph.D.Jennifer N. Storo in 2006 mainly discuses, how much the gender counts in education the author of this article states that Sex is not a good predictor of academic skills, interests or even emotional characteristics. The author discusses about the different myths that are related to girls for example biologically girls cannot handle the stress of higher education. Due to these myths parents have lower expectations from girls and they become gender biased and the variable that was extracted from this article was MYTHS AND STEREOTYPES. Now author further more discuses why myths persist based on gender and race. The history of myths will explain how author has defined the variable it is a common belief that men are principal producers and bread earners of the family so they should enjoy all the privileges and this is a primary reason why their education was considered more importan t than girls. And it was considered that women are property of husband and her only job is to produce children. Furthermore many of the people use to believe and still many of them do is that women reproductive capacity will destroy if her intellect is going to improve. Which in other words mean that women with better education will not listen to men. For example it was concluded that women in their menstrual cycle if uses their brain lose their mammary functions. This particular article is relevant to the topic in such a way as many of these myths are still believed and practiced in Pakistan when it comes to education specifically. This was both quantitive and qualitative form of research in which graphs, charts and theories were used to measure different type of myths Hypothesis: Is there a biological bias for sex differences The article The Impact of Gender Inequality in Education on Rural Poverty in Pakistan written by Imran shareef chaudray and Saeed ur rahman in 2009. The main purpose of this article was to identify the gender inequality in education on rural poverty in Pakistan. The article basically discuses that gender inequality in education persists in almost all the poor countries and Pakistan is one of those. Strong gender disparities exist in the rural and urban areas of Pakistan. Pakistan is one of those societies in which women suffer all sort of discriminations. There are countless issues of education in Pakistan including low level of investment, cultural constraints, poverty, gender and regional inequalities in budgetary allocation to education, low enrollment rates due to poor condition of public schools, high population growth producing more illiterates and poor, lack of implementation of educational policies. Violence against women, class discrimination, poverty, lack of educational fa cilities, and various parallel education systems in government and private education are the major emerging issues which should be dealt with curriculum reforms and effective educational policies. Above mentioned are all the variables extracted from this article but the major variable that I highlighted is POVERTY. Logit regression analysis on primary data was used to reach the conclusion. However it was concluded that poverty has adverse effects on gender disparity in education. Hypothesis: effect of poverty on education This article DOCUMENT TO DEBATE AND FINALIZE THE NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY written by JAVED HASAN ALY in December 2006 is intended to stimulate discussion of major policy issues concerning Education Sector in Pakistan. The educational status of women in Pakistan is unacceptably low, in fact, amongst the lowest in the world. Development, only 19% of females have attained education upto Matric, 8% upto Intermediate, 5% Bachelors degree and 1.4% achieved a Masters degree. 60% of the female adult population is illiterate. Of the 3.3 million out of school children, 2.503 million are girls. 73.6% of primary age girls attend school, compared with 92.1% of boys. Although education has been seen to add value to a female worker but in Pakistan for female education is considered as a abuse. Different policies have been recommended to eliminate this gender gap in education but the fund allocation and human resources that were provided by the government to implement the policies. So the variables that were extracted from this article are Low level of financial allocation and inefficient utilization of resources. The author describes the variable in such a way that since 1947 the emphasis on girls education is laid down and many policies and reforms have been made to practice it but due to lack of financial resources Pakistan is still facing gender discrimination in education. The article on whole is relevant to the topic because it is discussing the policies and their effect on educational sector of Pakistan The particular article THE FUTURE OF GIRLS EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN written by Dr. Humala Shaheen Khalid Dr. Eshya Mujahid-Mukhtar: August 2002 discuses that although most children do get admitted to primary schools, but the major problem is their retention in primary classes. Given the poverty, high opportunity costs of children attending school (as sometimes they are required to contribute to the familys economic activities or towards daily household chores such as fetching water, fuel or sibling care), parents low perception about education, poor quality of education, teacher absenteeism and/or childs bad health, a very high proportion of students drops out from primary school. Reasons cited for leaving primary school varied between boys and girls. While most boys left school due to child not willing Most girls said they had to help at home. During the past decade, several policy initiatives were undertaken, each with a strong component for improving girls education in the country. Besides two educational policies, namely, the National Education Policy (1992) and the National Education Policy (1998-2010), the Government of Pakistan launched the Social Action Programmed (SAP) in 1993/94 which focused on improving the social indicators for girls and women. But none of these policies was followed properly so the variable that was extracted from this article was lack of of financial allocation and Lack of encouragement by government and lack of school facilities. The government of Pakistan is lacking way behind in providing educational facilities Great care needs to be exercised while portraying the future of girls education in Pakistan. Female education is subjected to the forces of both demand as well as supply barriers such as poverty, lower status of female in society and her security concerns, coupled with lack of school facilities, teaching materials and inadequacy or absence of female teachers. More importantly, there are strong linkages of the education se ctor with other sectors. The Study is based on secondary sources. National statistical sources have been extensively used which include the Population and Housing Census 1998; the Economic Surveys (various issues) and the reports published by the National (and provincial) Education Management and Information System (NEMIS). The Study also relies heavily on other data sources and relevant research reports issued by the Central Bureau of Education, Academy of Educational Planning and Management (AEPAM) and the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS). Hypothesis: future of girls education in Pakistan This article ROLE OF WOMEN IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF PAKISTAN written by Jehan Qamar in 2000 is about the importance of role of women in economic development. And it contains a lot of information about state of women in education and their employment. This article also lays emphasis on political and cultural instability that is affecting the status of women in Pakistan. And this political and cultural instability are also the variables extracted from the article. Furthermore the article discuses that the implication of cultural norms are affecting the education of women a lot different policies made by the Pakistans government were reviewed before writing this article and whether there implication is active or not and how it is affecting the economy. However it was concluded that the role of women in economic development can be enhanced if women provided with proper education Hypothesis: role of women in economic development of Pakistan The article DISTANCE EDUCATION AS A STRATEGY FOR ELIMINATING GENDER DISPARITY IN PAKISTAN written by à ¢Ã‹â€ -Dr. Irshad Hussain in 2008. The article discuses about the role of distance education in addressing the issue of gender disparity in Pakistan The study was descriptive in nature and the researchers adopted survey approach. The study was conducted in Punjab province. The study consisted on three populations: (i). B.A level female students, (ii). their parents and (iii). academicians of Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad. Researchers adopted stratified and convenient sampling technique for collecting data from students their parents and academicians respectively. The samples of the study comprised of 600 students, 60 parents and 60 academicians .The article starts with describing that gender discrimination is one of the major issue in Pakistan at present as we all know that the Pakistani society is male dominated and males enjoy all the privileges where as female population is a very small and neglected community of Pakistan. Unluc kily gender gap is wide and demands immediate attention to address the issue. However distance education is one of the solutions and incentives which provide girls an opportunity to study even in culturally restricted areas. It can cater educational needs of the society at the doorstep on equal basis and frees learners from time and place restrictions. Keeping in consideration the above characteristics Allama Iqbal University is offering different programs through distanced approach. As a result admission rate has increased specially in Allama Iqbal University. Hypothesis: Is distance education effective or not

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

The use of HRM in public sector

The use of HRM in public sector This assignment seeks to produce an analysis and critical evaluation of how Human Resource Management has been used as a lever of change in the public sector. It will consider change in its organizational context and the rational for and purpose of the change. It will also look at the involvement of the stakeholders and the approach been followed to bring about the change. The factors that influence the change and its triggers will also b e analyzed. The role of Human Resource Management and how it has been used to bring about change; and resistance to change will also be looked into in the course of this work. The first stage of the development of public management, according to McLaughlin, Osborne and Ferlie (2002), was the minimal state. Here, government provision was seen as a necessary evil and the provision of almost if not all the public services were through private provision (Owen 1965). However, it was during that period that that the basic principles of public provision were laid out. The second stage of the development of public management started in the twentieth century and was characterized by an unequal partnership between the government and the private sector McLaughlin, Osborne and Ferlie (2002). Here, there was an ideological shift from the traditional conservatism which obtained in the first stage towards social reformism and Fabianism as cited by (Prochaska, 1989). This shift according to them contained three elements which are A recasting of social and economic problems away from a focus on blaming individuals to a recognition of those problems as societal issues which concerned everybody The recognition that the state did indeed have a legitimate role to at least provide some public services And thirdly, in a situation where the state did not provide the public services, it needed to enter into a partnership with the private sector to provide such, even though the state would have more to do. This model according to (Kamerman and Kahn, 1976) is where the state provided the basic minimum and the charitable and private sectors took it up from there. The third stage is the welfare state which according to (Beveridge, 1948) cited in McLaughlin, Osborne and Ferlie (2002), is based on the belief that charitable and private sectors had failed in there provision because of the duplication and fragmentation of the service provided, because their service was inefficient and ineffective. Consequent upon these, the provision of these services would now be managed by professional public servants. The final stage, which is what obtains today, is the plural state. This stage came about as a result of the criticisms against the welfare state. The focus of the welfare state was on the provision of a minimum standard of service to the citizens but late on in the twentieth century, the perceived needs of the citizens had moved on to a situation where they expected services to meet their individual needs and to be a part of the process of the service delivery (Mischra, 1982) cited in McLaughlin, Osborne and Ferlie (2002). However, the debate became more focused in the 1990s because this fourth approach became characterized as the New Public Management. This is because as posited by (Dunleavy, 1991) this approach to public management was based on an incisive critic of bureaucracy as the organizing principle within public administration, a concern with the ability of public administration to secure the economic, efficient and effective provision of public services (Hughes, 1997), and a concern for the excesses of professional power within the public services and the consequent disempowerment of service users (Falconer and Ross, 1999). In spite of the fact that lingering debate as to the exact nature of New Public Management, its classic formation according to (Hood, 1991) in McLaughlin, Osborne and Ferlie (2002) is made up of seven doctrines which are: a hands on and entrepreneurial management in preference to the traditional bureaucratic focus of the public administrator (Clark and Newman, (1993) explicit standards and measures of performance (Osborns et al, 1995) an emphasis on output controls (Boyne 1999) the importance of the aggregation and decentralization of public services (Pollit et al, 1998) promotion of competition in the promotion of public services (Walsh, 1995) emphasis on private sector styles of management (Wilcox and Harrow, 1992) and the promotion of discipline and parsimony in resource allocation (Metcalf and Richards, 1990). In addition to these seven doctrines is the one posited by (Stewart, 1966) cited in McLaughlin, Osborne and Ferlie (2002) which is of the taking away of political decision making from the direct management of public services. However, the New Labour government has taken it a stage further from the plural stage. This is because it is argued that the view of both the public management and the New Public Management is myopic which according to (Clark and Stewart, 1998) in McLaughlin, Osborne and Ferlie (2002) is from a narrow focus on the marketization of public services and towards an emphasis upon community governance. In this situation, the public sector is no longer seen only in relation to the government a planner or service provider, but as working together with the government, voluntary and community sectors and the private sector in the planning, management and provision of public services. Here, according to (Rhodes, 1996; Kickert et al, 1997), the main function of the government becomes the management of the intricate system of service provision. New Public Management according to (Dunleavy and Hood, 1994) is a way reorganizing public sector bodies to bring their management, reporting, and accounting approaches closer to business methods. This reorganization involves the two main ways that the public sector organization is structured by moving it down-grid and down-group as opined by (Douglas, 1982). Down-grid according to him is when there is a reduction of powers by procedural rules over issues like staff. Down- group on the other hand is a situation where the public sector is made less distinctive as a unit from the private sector in relation to personnel, reward structure and in methods of doing business. This shift resulted in budgets been reworked to become more attractive in accounting terms and organizations became a network of contracts linking incentives to performance (Dunleavy and Hood, 1994). Again, functions were separated by introducing distinctions between the purchaser and provider and opening competition between agencies, firms and not-for-profit bodies. Also, provider roles were deconcentrated to the minimum sized feasible sized agencies, allowing users to exit from one provider to another. These according to (Dunleavy and Hood, 1994), was for the purpose of better service delivery. According to (Polsby, 1984) in (Dunleavy and Hood, 1994), New Public Management can be influential in at least two modes based on past experience of organizational change. The first is the incubated mode when change ideas only come into effect in the long run and the acute innovation pattern, in which change programmes reach there peak early and break up soon after. However, New Public Management seems to be a mix of both modes. This may be as a result of New Public Management now been so omnipresent in public sector organizations that it hardly amounts to a distinctive change programme anymore (Dunleavy and Hood, 1994). As opined by (Dunleavy and Hood, 1994), New Public Management has proved a fairly durable and consistent agenda but according to McLaughlin, Osborne and Ferlie (2002), New Public Management may weaken the accountability of public services and the commitment of the community in the pursuit towards marketization. This has brought to the fore, the criticisms of New Public Management which fall into four groups. Though these four broad criticisms of New Public Management contradict themselves, some important lessons can be learnt from them. The fatalist critique of organizational change going by the position of (Dunleavy and Hood, 1994) is that the basic problems of public sector management which include system failure, human mistakes and corruption cannot be done away with, not even by New Public Management. Fatalists are of the opinion that there is really not much change going on in spite of new acronyms and control frameworks promoted by New Public Management and that the much talked about systems have failed. From the point of view of the individualist critique, New Public Management is somewhere between the traditional structure of public administration and a fully formed system which is based on enforceable contracts and the legal rights of individuals. Individualists see New Public Management as becoming a kind of replacement for fully individualized contract rights (Dunleavy and Hood, 1994). The hierarchist critique is that human beings have the ability to manage nature in a defined way but that care should be taken so that the process of change does not get out of hand thereby damaging the public sector. There worry is that as a result of the changes, the ethics of traditional public service will be removed together with the career concept and the redesign of public sector organizations (Dunleavy and Hood, 1994). The egalitarian critic is centered on the premise that problems could arise if concentration of organizational power and decision making are left with the elite because a large scale marketizing reform will increase the risks of corruption in the public service. This is because New Public Management emphasizes a management that is close to the customer, the decentralization of service delivery and giving clients a choice (Dunleavy and Hood, 1994). HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND CHANGE IN THE NHS: According to Armstrong (2006), the nature of interaction between Human Resource Management and performance, and in particular the search for a definite and conclusive evidence of the positive impact of Human Resource Management on performance cannot be underestimated. The impact of the NHS Plan on the workforce has been expressed through the Human Resource in the NHS Plan which has formed the basis for the development of a variety of Human Resource Management policies focused on making the NHS a model employer and ensuring that the NHS provides a model career by offering a Skills Escalator, improving the morale of staff, and building people management skills led to the launching of a new workforce strategy by the middle of the decade. Human Resource Management systems and practices have a laid down framework which involves other organisational factors like structural arrangements. Based on this, Brown (2004) observed that while changes to the public sector over the last twenty have had a significant impact on employees of public sector organizations and the conditions under which employees work, limited thought has been given to the specific field of Human Resource Management research in relation to the public sector. In the UK which is the focus of this study, government has placed a high importance on the value of strategic Human Resource Management in improving the delivery of healthcare reforms. Towards the achievement of this, local trusts of the NHS are encouraged to adopt a best business practice approach by, according to (Bach, 1994), engaging all staff through people management processes. This idea of Human Resource Management in the public sector establishes that Human Resource Management is a major infl uence in public sector change but theoretically, there has to be a scope for the Human Resource function within trusts to adopt a more strategic role within the New Public Management (Stock et al, 1994). According to (Corby, 1996) it should no longer be consigned to a reactive and administrative role, interpreting and applying national rules, and can be proactive. As opined by Barnett et al (1996) the Human Resource function within the NHS is characterised traditionally by low credibility, a narrow operational contribution and a peripheral position. According to (Brown, 2004), the bureaucratic and the management models of public sector operation and activity are compared to discern the ways in which employment and organizational issues are conceptualized in each model. The manner in which the institutional, policy, and organizational changes impact public sector employment and conditions of service are explored. Higher managerial objectives as posited by (Kramar, 1986) are achieved through effective Human Resource practices offered by adopting HRM principles. It can be argued then that the adoption of New Public Management has thrown the possibility of managers acquiring or developing sophisticated Human Resource Management techniques open. This is because New Public Management principles allows a more flexible and responsive approach to quest ions of recruitment, selection, retention, training and development of NHS employees. This is because according to (Tyson and Fell, 1992; Tyson, 1995; Storey, 1992; Ulrich, 1997), for Human Resource functions to play a strategic as opposed to a tactical or administrative role, it has to be distinguished by a focus on the long term, linking business and Human Resource strategic objectives and forward planning. The application of HRM principles within the public sector displaced the traditional model of personnel administration and was argued to have been introduced when the sector experienced a shift from a rule-bound culture to a performance-based culture (Shim, 2001) and paralleled the extensive public sector managerial restructuring and reform programme with the new models of HRM in the public sector highlighting the notion of human resources having the capacity to achieve performance outcomes in line with the strategic direction of the public sector organization (Gardner and Palmer, 1997). With particular reference to the UK, a number of distinctive features of public sector management include more attention to issues of health, safety and welfare of staff. Another feature is the tendency of public employment practices to be standardized, with workers performing similar tasks and also having the same terms and conditions regardless of their geographical spread, high levels of union den sity across public sector organizations (Winchester and Bach, 1995) and also the emphasis on staff development and equal opportunities typifies the State as a model employer (Farnham and Horton, 1992). According to (Truss 2003), there are currently some policies and management initiatives that are transforming the structure and organization of the NHS. The current role of Human Resource Management in the NHS, its status within the service, and its success as an effective function have become especially important at this time as opined by (Bach 2001, Clarke 2006).  Ã‚  As a result of these, the growing importance of the Human Resource function is particularly clear in situations where individual NHS trusts are granted greater financial and operational independence within the increasingly competitive, consumer driven market that the government is creating. This is in spite of the argument by some commentators that changes in the role and status of HRM in the public sector merely follow orientations developed in the private sector (Buchan 2000; Thomason 1990).  Ã‚  However, Human Resource practitioners within the NHS see it from a different perspective. According to them, the intr oduction of more efficient people management is an important and necessary development, one that is very important in an environment where people  are not only the service providers, but also the product and customer of healthcare services. A change in Human Resource functions was one of the reforms that took place in the NHS and its purpose was to cut through bureaucracy and red-tapism and ensure cost-efficiency and effectiveness in the system through a process of decentralization. Decentralization within the NHS was based on the NHS and Community Care Act of 1990. This Act created both the internal market and self governing trusts, and introduced a division and marketization of relations between health care providers and purchasers Lloyd (1997). Decentralization is the transfer of authority or responsibility for decision making, planning, management or resource allocation from government to its field units, administrative units, regional or functional authorities, private entities and non-governmental private or charity organizations. According to (Rondinelli and Cheema, 1983; Rondinelli et al., 1989; Hope, 2000; Sarker, 2003; Elliot and Bender 1997), decentralization acknowledges that for service provision to be effe ctive, different approaches must be adopted in various area of public sector and the necessity to construct pay structures to reflect these needs. In turn, this has resulted in both more diverse and more flexible pay arrangements. Consequently, the main advantage of decentralization and of delegated responsibility for pay is that it encourages, management to develop a reward strategy that is consistent with an agencys wider strategic goals. Delegating responsibility for pay to agencies may be viewed as a mechanism for stimulating agencies to develop an explicit and consistent set of strategic goals in order to satisfy their customers. The main aim of the decentralization process was to encourage trusts to determine pay locally. The central theme of the modernization pay reform was that it should be based on performance. The main thrust of the Agenda for Change within the NHS is the payment of employees based on their performance and as per their skills and knowledge. However, this was not only a new way of paying employees, it was developed to support and enable improvement for patients, employees and the organization. This according to (Department of Health, 2009), allowed for equality of pay, pay re-structuring and transparency. The Human Resource function was used to bring about this change in terms of job evaluation, harmonizing terms and conditions of service and through the knowledge and skills framework. PLANNED CHANGE: As a concept, the process of change starts with the awareness of a need for change. An analysis for the need for change and the factors that lead to it will now be an indicator of the direction in which action needs to be taken (Armstrong, 2006). Proponents of change management have proposed two forms of the process which are: planned and emergent. Planned change has dominated the theory and practice of change management over the last 50 years and is significantly based on the work of Kurt Lewin. This approach sees organisational change as a process that moves from one fixed state to another through a series of pre-planned steps, and can therefore be analysed by a construct such as Lewins (1951) Action Research model. Another planned approach to organisational change is Lewins (2003)Three-step model which describes the three learning stages of freezing; when one clings to what one knows, unfreezing; when one explores ideas, issues and approaches, and refreezing; the stage of identify ing, utilising and integrating values, attitudes and skills with those previously held and currently desired. This approach recognises that, before any new behaviour can be adopted successfully, the old one has to be made away with. Only then can the new behaviour be fully accepted. The organisational change that was carried out in the NHS embodies some of the characteristics of the planned model, defined by (Iles and Sutherland, 2001) as implementation of some known new state through the management of some form of transitional phase over a controlled period of time. This came about when politicians and health care professionals recognized some degree of change was necessary in the UK health sector in order to facilitate better healthcare delivery services. In response to the intention, government embarked on series of health program reforms to effect positive changes in the healthcare. Governments health reforms have concentrated on hospitals, but increasingly shifting their attention to NHS community services. Governments plan is to improve long term healthcare outcomes for individual patients while reducing the cost pressures on the system as a whole. Proposals include more outreach clinics, a regular healthcare checkup, and joined-up care plans. This plan of action by the government is based on a model that will make healthcare services affordable and closer to the patients. The governments proposals on change are aimed at the following: Bringing some specialties out of the hospital nearer to people, including dermatology, ear, nose and throat, orthopedics and gynecology would be achieved either through outreach clinics run by hospital consultants or specialist services provided for by GPs Introducing a new generation of community hospitals that will provide diagnostics, minor surgery, outpatient facilities and access to social services in one location Pilot a new NHS life check or health MoT from 2007 to assess peoples lifestyle risks, the right steps to take and provide referrals to specialists if needed The life check will be run on a two-stage basis with patients first filling in a paper-based or online self-assessment. If the assessments indicate the person is at significant risk of poor health for conditions such as diabetes, cancer or heart disease, the individual would then be given access to a health trainer who could advise about diet and exercise. If problems are more complex, patient would be referred to a GP or nurse Give patients a guarantee of registration on to a GP practice list in their locality and simplifying the system for doing this Introducing incentives to GP practices to offer opening times that respond to the needs of patients in their area Consideration was given to dual registration allowing patients to register with more than one GP but was thrown out because it would undermine the underlying principles of the family doctor system New responsibilities placed on local councils and the NHS to work together to provide joined up care plans for those who need them Supporting people to improve self care by trebling the investment in the Expert Patient Programme, which teaches patients with long-term illnesses, such as asthma and diabetes, how to control their condition Developing an information prescription for people with long-term health and social care needs and for their carers More support for carers, including improved emergency respite arrangements and the establishment of a national helpline for carers Extension of direct payments and piloting of individual budgets for social care to allow people to decide what their allocations are spent on Increasing the quantity and quality of primary care in under-served, deprived areas through a national procurement programme which would open the GP market to the private and voluntary sectors Encourage nurses and other health professionals, such as physios, to take on more responsibility Set up pilots to allow patients to self-refer themselves to professionals other than GPs, who currently act as gatekeepers to the NHS (www.news.bbc.co.uk) REFERNCES: Armstrong, M. C. (2006) A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 10th Ed, London, Kogan Page. Bach, S. (2001) HR and New Approaches to Public Sector Management: Improving HRM Capacity. Workshop on Global Health Workforce Strategy, World Health Organization, Annecy, France. Brown, K. (2004) Human Resource Management in the Public Sector. Public Management Review, 6(3), pp 303-309. Buchanan, J. (2000) Health Sector Reform and Human Resources: Lessons from the United Kingdom. Health Policy and Planning, 15(3), pp 70-89. Clark, N. (2006) Why HR Policies fail to support workplace learning: The Complexities of Policy Implementation in Healthcare. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17(1), pp 190-206. Department of Health. (2009) Agenda for Change. Dunleavy, P. and Hood, C. (1994) From Old Public Administration to New Public Administration: Public Money and Management, 14(3), pp 9-16. Lloyd, C. (1997) Decentralization in the NHS: Prospects for Workplace Unionism, British Journal of Industrial Relations, 35(3), pp 427-446. McLaughlin, K., Osborne, S. P, and Ferlie, E. (2002) New Public Management- Current Trends and Future Prospects, (EDs) Abingdon, Routledge. Thomason, G. F. (1990) Human Resource Strategies in the Health Sector. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 1(3), pp173-194. Truss, C. (2003) Strategic HRM: Enablers and Constraints in the NHS: International Journal of Public Sector Management, 16(1), pp 48-60. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganization/Humanresourceandtraining/Modernizingpay/Agendaforchange/DH_424 (Accessed 19 April 2010) http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2002/08/feature/uk/0208103f.htm (Accessed 19 April 2010) http://www.healthcaresupply.org.uk/pdfs/hrinthenhsplan.pdf (Accessed 21 April 2010) http://www.lums.lancs.ac.uk/events/owt/10301 (Accessed 3 May 2010) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4662024.stm (Accessed 3 May 2010) KENECHUKWU O. AKABUA 0823583 MA HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HR 4062 HRM AND CHANGE.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Ballistic Missile Defense Essay -- American Government, Nuclear Arsena

INTRODUCTION Today we live in a time where developing countries and terrorist organizations are vying for world power. A common way this is attempted is through the attainment of nuclear arms and delivery systems for them namely Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). Many of these countries are hostel to the United States and her allies. Also the existence counties with large nuclear arsenals such as Russia, increase the chance of an accidental launch. In order to counter threats form rouge nations and accidental ballistic missile launches, the United States should pursue development of a missile defense system. COLD WAR AND THE ABM TREATY The first ICBM, The R-7, was developed by the Soviet Union in 1953 (Korolev). After this event, both the Soviet Union and the United States started to develop and deploy increasingly powerful and accurate ICBMs. This build up of powerful weapons caused an escalation in tension between the U.S. and the USSR, both expecting an attack at anytime. The potential destructive force the weapons had and the high tension environment led to the theory of MAD or mutually assured destruction to come into existence. This theory works on the principle â€Å"that deterrence against a nuclear attack was to be maintained through the ability of each side to inflict an unacceptable degree of damage† (Lettow 22). MAD is the thing that kept nuclear Armageddon form occurring during the Cold War as both sides new that if they launched an all out attack, the other side would as well, destroying both. MAD relies on an equal balance of force, so that no one country feels like they could come out ahead in a nuclear war. Many top strategic experts were concerned that ABM systems could destabilize this delicate ... ...3). Although this is not a small amount it is a large improvement over the 1.2 trillion dollars required for a SDI scale project. The benefits conferred by this kind of plan: protection against small scale ICBM attacks and TBM attacks is worth the price. â€Å"The ultimate goal of missile defense is to convince countries that ballistic missiles are not militarily useful or a worthy investment and placed doubt in the minds of potential aggressors that a ballistic missile attack against the United States or its allies can succeed† (Missile Defense Agency). This form of missile defense would act as a deterrent to those countries to whom MAD does not apply. Countries hostile to the U.S. would be discouraged from attempting to use ballistic missiles against the U.S. in any first strike or strategic ways as it would provide no tactical advantage(Kaufman 116).

Catalysts In ?A View From The Bridge? And ?The Glass Menagerie? :: essays research papers

Just as in science, a catalyst speeds up the rate of the chemical reaction; in literature, a catalyst is a person, idea or event that initiates and develops the conflict of the story. In â€Å"A View from the Bridge† and â€Å"The Glass Menagerie†, the catalysts used are introduced at different points in the plays and play different roles. In â€Å" A View from the Bridge†, Rodolpho, the catalyst, is introduced in the exposition, and plays a major role in the play. He initiates the conflict by being attracted to Catherine, and by the fact that Catherine is attracted to him as well. The fact that he is introduced in the exposition, allows for the author to develop his character, and thus allows for the audience to sympathise with him instead of Eddie. This development gives the audience a high quality catalyst as it can relate to Rodplpho. Rodolpho creates a heavy tension in the family, due to his relationship with Catherine. This tension relates to the play’s theme of obsession as it is caused by Eddie’s obsession with Catherine. How Rodolpho relates to the main theme and develops the tension make him a quality catalyst. Jim, the catalyst in â€Å"The Glass Menagerie†, is introduced in the complications of the play, and though he initiates the conflict, he does not develop it. This may be due to the fact that he was introduced too late into the play, and because his character was not developed. This underdevelopment of his character produces a lower quality catalyst as the audience cannot relate to Jim, and also because he participates little in the play. The tension created by Jim relates to the theme of betrayal, when he tells Laura that he is engaged after he led her on and kissed her. Jim’s inefficiency to develop the plot results in a less dramatic climax in â€Å"The Glass Menagerie†.

Monday, September 2, 2019

The Truth That Everyone Doesn’t Accept, Do You?

A truth that everyone doesn’t accept†¦DO YOU? A topic for some people is the stain of society, a truth that many don’t want to accept, a consequence of society and therefore is not accepted. For us is just a lifestyle and we couldn’t judge it like a mistake. Homosexuality has existed since ancient time, homosexuality didn? t appear ten years ago, it isn’t fashionable or a disease; and then what is homosexuality?In our opinion it’s a normal condition that the people have had to accept like all society. Homosexuality could be seen as an attitude towards life, everyone has a freedom to be as you want to be, even animal could be homosexual, everything stars for our birth, on one side is matter of hormones feeling attraction to the same sex since childhood, when the mind becomes curious.In biological perspective, it isn’t bad that a person who born with these trend, and has accepted himself and his condition, and he just decides to live throu gh his life in company a person of the same sex; what is wrong is a father’s repression and the close mind and traditions of many people with â€Å"normal† tendencies, that people try to mold the other, whether religious, political, family etc, and its wrong just because that repression is what generates fears, confusions and doubts.On the other hand society couldn’t judge homosexual people just because exist a logical possibility that this person was physically and mentally abused in their childhood, or may be violated, all these criminal acts can be committed by a â€Å"normal† or heterosexual person, so why we judge homosexuals if a normal person could be a beast. Society also said that not have the same education a child who is raised by same-sex couples that is raised by partners of both sexes, because the child will need a father and a mother.To this, highlight those children who have died are the parent when they were young and not because they lac ked the parent have to have a bad education. Or, highlight those who are children of single mothers and now are what? Now they are important people with good education. Homosexuality is not a disease or a virus, is a truth you must learn to believe, is present in life, everyday, and even more present in society. Homosexual people are not beasts as they are in some cases, terrorists, thieves, criminals, then why judge the person who loves the same sex and no other who does real harm to society?

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Business Plan: Paper Recycle & Reuse

Business Plan: Paper Recycle & Reuse 1. Introduction a. The name of my business is â€Å"All Papers†. b. The business is about recycle and reuse paper 2. Business Description a. The company will collect the second hand paper, cardboard box and textbooks then turns into pencil, gift box and white papers. b. Paper is one of the most common daily use, recycle paper will have a low cost to get the processed materials and low risk. c. The main goal for this business is to reduce the paper waste, and protect trees. 3. Sale and Marketing a. Students in school, and young group of people is our target market. . We will sell the recycle pencils, gift boxes and clean A4 papers in every stationary store like Staples gift shops and school shops. 4. Conclusion and Summary a. The most important aspects for this plan is â€Å"Recycle†, the technics to recycle the products are the key point for this business, as Szaky said, â€Å"We’re on the edge of bankruptcy and of being a hu ge success at the same time† so the procedure for recycle can not cause any kind of pollution, if we recycle papers, and we create pollutions, no one will no longer trust us that we are an environmentally friendly company.However Furthermore, all the products are using the recycle materiel, so the price in the stationary store will have more competitive power compare with other new product. Thus, I believe this investment will win in the market competition. www. starkstate. edu