Risk factors, staging, and treatment of breast cancer

Introduction Breast cancer is a disease that originates from the breast tissue and the curative time of the patient is dependent on the level of spread and to what organs it has spread to. In the advent of new technology, computer models have been programmed and developed to help in the staging process and determine how long a person is going to live. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Risk factors, staging, and treatment of breast cancer specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With best treatments available, most of the breast cancer patients can survive up to ten years with a 98% to 10% disease free body within this period. On the other hand, it has been discovered that breast cancer is the most common type of cancer especially with women with the total percentage of 10% of all the kinds of cancer. This does not mean that it does not attack men but the probability is higher in women. If the diagnosis is fast a nd early, then the spread rate can be stemmed or even eliminated altogether. This requires the use of trained oncologists with the right equipments to be able to remove it from the stem altogether or if a cure is impossible then the patient’s life can be significantly prolonged with the aid of a cancer drugs. This is so because huge amounts of resources have been used in the research and the development of the breast cancer drugs that in effect help the body to combat the cancer by providing additional immune to boost the fighting power of the body. Additionally in the process of research, new methods that are effective the fight against drugs have been experimented and proven to be effective in the fight against the breast cancer. However, breast cancer remains a killer disease and more research needs to be conducted to ensure that its prevalence level is reduced (Hart, 2007). Age Age is very instrumental in determining the risk a woman has in getting breast cancer and the risk to get the breast cancer increases significantly as the woman ages. For instance it has been found that a woman living up to the age of 90 years has a risk factor of up to 14% to contact the cancer compared to a middle aged woman. The manner in which cancer attacks the two age’s differences is quite different. Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In older women, the cancer spreads slowly and is not as severe but in younger woman it attacks more vigorously and is difficult to control. In addition, it has also been out that in most cases of breast cancer in older people, a higher depression rate among the patients was noted, and this contributes to the faster death as compared to the younger people. This is because young people have the necessary hope to fight on due to the life before them but the older people have lost hope in life and when they are diagnosed most tends to seclude themselves or live in denial. This means that in the research for breast cancer apart from trying to develop cures and ways to eliminate the cancer, lots of research should also be done on the psychological support programs to help stem this tide (Hart, 2007). Gender Men have a lower risk of getting breast cancer compared to women but the risk is appearing to be on the increase in men too. This has been noted especially in the men with prostate cancer and in the case a man is affected the prognosis even in the first stage is very aggressive and worse than in women. The treatment for the cancer in men is the same as the treatment for an older woman and is a combination of surgery radiation and chemotherapy. Genetics Change or mutations of genes in our bodies can also increase the probability of having cancerous cells in the breasts. This is supported by studies that explicitly show that up to 10% of all breast cancers are hereditary. This is supported by the fact that women with both hereditary genes of breast cancer gene 1 and breast cancer gene2 have a higher risk of developing breast cancer with women having breast cancer gene 1 accounting for over 5% of all the cancers that occur. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Risk factors, staging, and treatment of breast cancer specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Human epidermal growth receptor 2(HER2) is another gene that is found on the surface on the human skin and can increase the chance or probability of acquiring breast cancer. This is caused by the over production of the HER2 cells when the gene is altered. If this happens, then aggressive tumor cells develop which account to about 25-30% of all the cancer patients. If the p53 gene undergoes mutation then the risk is even more. This is confirmed by the studies that have shown that women with this mutated gene have a poorer breast cancer outcome than those tha t do not posses this gene (Ellmann, 2009). Family history The family history deeply increases the risk of having breast cancer especially if a close member had the cancer. To the victims whose mother or father had the cancer then the risk doubles. The following people have a risk of having the cancer depending on the background and according to the genetics. These conditions can increase breast cancer Having relatives with breast cancer Having relatives with two different kinds of cancer Having a male relative with case or cases of breast cancer .If the same family is of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage then the odds are even more A family history that includes history of diseases such as hereditary breast cancer and diseases such as Li-Fraumeni or even Cowdens Syndromes Diet It has been shown that there are higher rates and incidence of the breast cancer in areas that have high fat yield content in their diet like in the USA compared with the low fat yield places like Japan. However, th e link between the two is not straight and is dependent on the type of fats that a woman has. Monounsaturated fats are linked to low breast cancer risk compared with polyunsaturated fats that have a slightly higher prevalence. A study was conducted in the USA that showed that despite the link between the diet and the cancer, the reduction of fats in the diet does not automatically mean or lead to a reduction in the risk of having the breast cancer. However, it was found out that there is a 9% reduction rate in the postmenopausal women if they followed a strict low fat diet. In the end, it was decided that the cutting of fats in the diet can cause a reduced rate of risk in some women but they did not have the necessary solid evidence to make conclusions. Hormone replacement therapy Recent studies have indicated the use of this kind of therapy can add to the risk of breast cancer. In the year 2002 a study was carried out by the group Women heath initiative and it was found out that in they were eight cases of invasive breast cancer in about 10000 women. This represented an increase of about 26% compared to those who did not have the hormone replacement therapy. Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the same note, it was found out that between the years 2002 and 2003 there was an increase in the prevalence rate of the breast cancer. Although the tests and the results are not conclusive or even solid, this little link has alarmed experts who believe that women seeking hormone replacement therapy should consult an expert on the matter to ensure that they are well informed (Foster, 2008). Tobacco It had not been discovered that tobacco smoking could cause an increase of breast cancer until the beginning of the mid 1990’s when a number of studies were conducted on the same topic. The study had disturbing results that predicted a higher risk rate for both active and passive smokers. Based on the epidemiological studies and the mammary carcinogens, the rate had reached 70% by 2005. In the year 2006, another study was done which pegged the risk rate at a higher rate due to the risk of non-smokers who are passive smokers. This is especially rife in young women who can suffer from an increased risk rate of up to 70% if they are in their primary pre-menopausal stage because at this stage, the breast tissue is sensitive to the carcinogens; they are still young, and not fully developed Staging of breast cancer This process is used to determine the level in which the cancer has attacked the body making a diagnosis. Knowing the stage of the cancer is very important since the doctor gets to know the best way on which to offer treatment and how to determine the prognosis of the cancer (Foster, 2008). The staging is done in stages that are: Stage 0: This is called the pre-cancerous state because the cancer cells are located in the milk duct and have not yet spread to the breast tissue or have not invaded the nodes or distant sites. Such cancers like lobular carcinoma can be classified as stage 0 cancer. Stage 1: The cancer has started spreading to the other parts of the breast and the tumor is less than 2cm long however the cancer cells have not spread to the lymph nodes or even the distant cells. Stage II: This stage is divided into two categories namely stageIIA and stageIIB. In stage II, the tumor will be located and restricted to the breast with no further spreading. Finally, the tumor can be more than 2cm but less than 5cm and has not yet spread to the auxiliary nodes or the distant sites. StageIIB can involve cancer cells that have a tumor larger the 2cm but being less than 5cm. At this stage, the cancer cells will have spread to auxiliary nodes but the distant cells will be safe. In addition, during the later stages of the stage, the tumor is more than 5cm long but the spread to the chest walls will not have started. This stage also has the cells localized and have not spread to the distant sites Stage III has three sub categories that are categorized according to the level of spreading the cancer has undergone. In stageIIIA, the tumor is less than 5cm in diameter and the cells have spread to 4-9 auxiliary nodes but not to the dis tant sites. The tumor can be larger than 5cm in diameter and the cells having spread to the mammary nodes but the distant sites will still be healthy. In stageIIIB,the tumor can take up any size and the spread will have encroached the chest walls. The spreading of the cancer can be to the auxiliary nodes in the breast themselves or the lymph nodes that are near the breastbones. Finally in stageIIIC the tumor can be of any size and the cancer cells having spread to 10 0r more of the auxiliary cells or even to 1 or more of the regional lymph nodes or even to the internal mammary glands StageIV: At this stage, the tumor can take up any size depending on the attack and the cancerous cells might have spread to the lymph nodes that are nearby. In most cases, the cells will have spread to the distant cells (Foster, 2008). Treatment of cancer Treatment of breast cancer is dependent on the stage the cancer is and the whether the cells are sensitive to hormones. Personal preferences also com e into effect with many people preferring one method of treatment to another because of their own reasons. Overall, these methods are all-effective and are all instrumental in ensuring that all the cells are ejected from the body. Treatment methods The most common method is surgery. In surgery, there are many forms all depending on the level of spread and the staging. A lumpectomy is an effective way ot breast cancer treatment because the removes the entire tumor plus some surrounding cell tissues that are healthy. This method is however reserved for the smaller tumors. The entire breast can also be removed (mastectomy).In this method the doctor usually removes all the breast tissue and all the parts that border or are integral with the breast. The surgery can also be performed by removing one lymph node, this is because the cancer will have spread to that lymph alone and if removed the chance of finding cancer in other cells is very low to the point that the surgeon leaves all the other parts intact. On the other hand, several lymph nodes can also be removed depending on the level of spread (Ellmann, 2009). Radiation therapy â€Å"This kind of therapy involves the use of high-powered beams of energy to kill the cancer cell† (Ellmann, 2009, p. 49). It is done using a big machine that emits the rays to ensure that all the cancerous cells are killed. In most cases, some doctors will recommend this therapy instead of mastectomy to be able to save the entire breast tissue. Chemotherapy â€Å"This process involves the use of drugs to destroy the cancer cells† (Connolly, 2008, p. 52). Some doctors can recommend chemotherapy after surgery to avoid the cells forming again and it can be used before surgery to allow the tumor to shrink to a level where it can be safely removed. It is used in women whose breast cancer has spread to the other organs present in the body Hormone therapy â€Å"This is another of treatment to treat breast cancers especially is the cells are sensitive to hormones† (Backus, 2005, p. 379). It can be used after a surgery to make sure that the cancer does not rejuvenate or it can be used to reduce the size of the tumor before any surgery can be done. The drugs also prevent the hormones from attaching themselves to the cancer cells or they help to eliminate the production of estrogen especially in menopausal women . One disadvantage of these drugs is that they are only used for postmenopausal women. Herceptin breast cancer metastatic treatment Due to the increased level of research and dedication, new methods have been developed to curb the spread of breast cancer. One of this is by the use of herceptin breast cancer metastatic treatment. This kind of therapy is injected in the body by the use of a needle and can be used together with the other types of breast cancer drugs .It is new and still not in use especially in the developing world but its use is catching on. References Backus, M. (2005). Is the re a role for iodine in breast. The Breast, 10 (5), 379–382. Connolly, T. (2008). Robbins Basic Pathology. Philadelphia: Saunders. Ellmann, R. (2009). Breast carcinoma in men: a population-based study. Cancer, 101 (1), 51–58. Foster, J. (2008). Metalloestrogens: an emerging class of inorganic xenoestrogens with potential to add to the oestrogenic burden of the human breast. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 26 (3), 191–198. Hart, C. (2007). Breast Cancer. London: Faber Faber. This research paper on Risk factors, staging, and treatment of breast cancer was written and submitted by user Laila Good to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Global Imbalances Informative Essay

Free Global Imbalances Informative Essay Brief by the United Nations University, some countries in the region were undergoing a positive economic advancement. The report reveals that some African countries richly endowed with natural resources were recording unprecedented rates of economic growth as a result a price boom generated by the growing demand for raw material and fossil energy from China and India amongst others (1). However, the report reveals that after the crisis, the price of oil and many other primary commodity items fell sharply, and reverted to tear pre-boom levels. The prices of most mineral ores, in particular, declined considerably in response to the sluggish in international markets (1). The long-term dreams of the resource endowed states of attaining industrial and scientific revolutions based on the exports of raw materials came to an abrupt end. The continent experiences a paradoxical situation of having plenty of resources and being the poorest and least developed continent in the world. The contin ent relies on foreign exchange earnings from the exports of locally produced goods. The foreign exchange rates, which are greatly affected by the economic and financial crisis resulting from the global imbalances, greatly determine what the continent receives in return. Similar scenarios were witnessed in the Latin American countries. Conclusion It is worth noting that most of the developed countries currently exhibit low economic growth rates compared to the developing countries. As Peters, et al (11) observed that many countries including the United States experience negative growth whereas countries like China and India still maintain positive growth in real GDP in 2009. A significant impact that global imbalance has is that it leads to excessive foreign exchange reserve. The question as to why many countries including the developed ones continue to improve on their current account status while the US deteriorates should be the governments main task. On the other hand, what the developing countries need to understand, especially those in Africa and the Latin America, is that they should not continue with their economic dependency principle. The countries have adopted a routine of exporting their products to their former colonial states. Besides, the colonial governments established education systems that could only endow the natives of these countries with limited technical knowledge that could be used to transform the raw products into consumable goods locally thereby calling for export. These systems should be abolished and the governments should embark on inventive and innovative educational systems.

An individual reflection about the course of Advanced Project Essay

An individual reflection about the course of Advanced Project Management - Essay Example Some other authors also define project management in a different and impressive way that the use of expertise, skills and the most important intellectual capital for the execution of any task (What is Project Management 2012). Therefore, it is clear that either a project manager or a team member both require certain set of strengths and expertise. If they have any weakness then at least they should be capable to find out ways to overcome that particular weakness. Projects may fail or may achieve their goals and objectives. There might be a list of reasons behind success and failure of any project. It is important to sort out these reasons so that project managers can behave accordingly. In this essay, the main objective is to find out the ways of implications of different models and theories, which we learn in the course work of advance project management, in our personal daily life projects as individual and as a project manager. The course work increases our self-awareness about our own strengths and weaknesses. In addition to that, it is also important to know that how we can use our skills, expertise and talents to handle all the coming hurdles and challenges. It is also necessary to know that how we can overcome our weakness and thus facing the world and their challenges. Project management is a vast field covering many aspects, which are really needed for the success of the task or the project. The importance of personal strengths and weaknesses is vital for the success and failure of the task (Palmer 2014). Here it is to be noted that personal strength and weakness analysis is necessary for both the workers and the project manager. A project manager should be strong enough to command and control the whole team of workers and the activities. If a project manager fails to control the project and the activities then there is always a risk of resource wastage and ultimately the failure of the

Fashion and Consumers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fashion and Consumers - Essay Example The essay "Fashion and Consumers" analyzes fashion and consumerism. The rules were established at the end of the eighteenth century: coat, trousers and vest, designed and constructed to produce a uniformly ideal silhouette and image for any man. A slightly wider lapel here, a fractionally narrower trouser leg there, is as much as most of us are willing to tolerate† (Boyer). From there, consumers influences the market of fashion because of their interest and needs during a period of time. decisions because it is as set of symbols and artifacts created by a society and handed down from generation to generation. From there, customer segmentation is important understanding consumer behavior so that marketers can know what they need to appeal to each consumer’s social class. Since customer segmentation is at the root of CRM, each business that performs CRM is ready to address the bigger question of deploying unique messages to the right customer at the right time. The booming CRM industry has provided the in-depth customer data that is vital for successful direct mail campaigns and integrated channel strategies focused on keeping and growing profitable customers. Data can become customer insight. Customer insight can become action. Action can grow the value of customer base and grow net income. Unlike women's hemlines, which seem to go from here to there in a blink, more than a half-inch taken or given anywhere in a man's wardrobe constitutes a revolution. The general thrust in menswear. since the beginning of the twentieth century has been to make the basic suit more comfortable: lighter-weight fabrics and construction techniques have reduced stiffness, heaviness and constriction. Men's tailoring today is positively airy compared to what it was before mid-century (Boyer). Social classes From there, social classes are likely to respond differently to a sellers marketing program. However, there are other situational factors that encourages consumers to purchase organic food such as store location and personal preference. Due to this fact, marketers may need to design marketing programs tailored to specific social classes so that that they can be more successful in understanding their customers needs without making mistakes. Customers have the ability to make a choice about what they want to purchase. Customers want excellent service from the companies that they patron and they want competitive pricing. This may appear to them that the company is weakening or is inconsistent. By communicating goals and strategy early on, the organization pays respect to customers and employees, and deals openly with uncertainty and doubt. (Baron, A. p. 13, 2006). Customer trends Customer trends change and so does their choices, which means people are generally tired of the same brands that they had been using over the years. When they do not see the expected innovation they migrate to new brands. With that, maintaining the standards of such a huge chain becomes feasible. However, when there is lack of quality service in one store it affects the whole brand. In order to overcome the issues, marketers of organic food need to consider group thinking and conformity so that everyone can work together. Working on a team can be very rewarding and exciting, but also frustrating if some of the team member are not committed

The Effects Of The Society In The Black Community Case Study

The Effects Of The Society In The Black Community - Case Study Example The movie leaves the audience to ponder whether the young characters were truly morally responsible for their ultimate fate. Looking through the lens of Galen Strawson’s â€Å"Hard Determinism† the movie seems to prove the philosophy that no individual is truly responsible since it requires the ideal determination of the self. The film is based on the black community and the director uses several characters to portray the characteristics and the problems faced by society. Before the beginning of the film, the director supplies statistics, which states that their counterparts in the community kill most of the black males. The story is told through Tre Styles- the main protagonist in the film. Due to some problems in the school, he is moved to the black neighborhood of Los Angeles. His father Furious mentors him there and he is acquainted with two boys- Doughboy and Ricky. Furious is seen to have a conversation with Tre about sex and is seen to teach the importance of having precaution while having sex. The major plot in the film is the presence of the violent neighborhood of the black community and the violence within it. Most of the film revolves around the violence. There are minor plots in the film like the bias of culture in the testing procedures and the gentrification of the society. The Whites did no t take care of the problems faced by Blacks in society. Drug abuse is a minor subplot that underlines the narrative of the film. The film highlights how racial discrimination, lack of communal unity and lack of a neutral approach in all sectors were responsible for the ill fate of the Afro Americans. There are certain cases where the film shows some important incidents that underline the social structure in the country.

The premier food

The premier food EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report aims to critically appraise various internal and external factors which contributed to the success of Premier Foods grocery division restructuring programme. Examples of effective change management disciplines are integrated throughout the project to achieve a successful business strategy. Although, no matter how effective and efficient you plan for change, risks are inevitable. The report aims to identify the key risks associated with the restructuring plan and identify the possible effects on human, physical and cultural resources. In the latter stages, the report will come to a close, highlighting the main points which the author believes has had an influence on the entire grocery divisions restructuring process. ORGANISATIONAL OVERVIEW Premier Foods has been established as the UKs leading food manufacturer, specialising in many known consumer brands such as OXO, Quorn, Hovis, Batchelors and Branston Pickle. Its estimated that 99.4% of the UK population buy at least one Premier Food product each year and a total of 43 million people, eat a leading brand food product every two weeks. Therefore, current turnover is estimated at  £2.6 billion and the company currently employs 17,000 people at 60 manufacturing sites around the United Kingdom and Ireland. Although, these figures would have been unrealistic without Premier Foods  £460 million acquisition of Campbells UK and Irish market share in August 2006. In March 2007, Premier Foods also captured RHMs market share for  £1.2 billion and therefore, turnover figures increased dramatically from  £760 million to the current turnover figure of  £2.6 billion. In 2008, Premier foods had successfully undertaken a comprehensive restructuring programme, which was deemed extremely complex in the UK. The aim was to radically transform the Grocery Division, which would drive the business through lower costs and higher technical standards. Premier Foods wished to implement the following key changes: The eradication of eight manufacturing sites between September 2007 and December 2008. Five core sites would increase the number of consumer brands manufactured. Capability and capacity are critical. The transfer of more than 1500 consumer brands and 2000 materials (136,700 tonnes). Capital Investment of  £47 million, of which  £19 million would need to be delivered in savings. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PLAN REASONS BEHIND THE CHANGES External Market Pressures The United Kingdom has one of the fastest growing food and drink markets in the world (UK Trade Investment Services, 2009). The food and drink sector alone generates sales estimated at  £70 billion and significant growth areas lie in value added products i.e. ready meals or Non-European recipes. Recent studies had estimated the UKs organic sector at  £1.2 billion a year and the chilled food market a staggering  £7 billion. Therefore this accounts for almost 60% of the overall European chilled food market. However, in the East Midlands, food manufacturing is rapidly expanding. 15.1% of the UKs food produce is manufactured here and over the forthcoming years, this figure is expected to increase by 40%. Food companies such as NOM, an Austrian Diary Producer, have taken decisions with the help of the UK government (Trade and Investment) to expand into the UKs rapidly expanding food markets. Therefore, it was imperative that Premier Foods assess the external market and plan for radical change. Premier foods understood that the UK food market is highly competitive, demanding consistent product quality and reliable supply whilst seeking more competitive pricing and innovative new products (Premier Foods, 2010). The company had a policy to, generate economies of scale to reduce production costs in order to support promotional activity, investment in building brand awareness with the consumer and new product development (Premier Foods, 2010). Over the years, Premier Foods had marginalised its market position through organic and inorganic growth. Through this initiative, the company has strengthened its competitive position by undertaking various initiatives in order to boost efficiencies and minimize costs (Just-Food, 2010). During 2009, Premier Foods excelled it strategy of developing growing branded sales and expanding gross margin through the benefits of consumer scales and insights. The company recognised the need to continually develop this through 2010. In this period, the company wishes to deliver efficiency savings over and above the synergies already delivered in 2009. The benefit strategies of 2009 were particularly absorbed by inflation (Input Costs) and by tougher consumer and trading environments. Therefore, this allowed promotional costs to rise and the company are to remain cautious in the 2010 shortfall. Nevertheless, the company has the desire to challenge market growth rates and developed the strategy of identifying particular categories and brands they can push most. This new strategy splits consumer brands into, Drive, Core and Defend. Premier Foods represent Drive categories as the consumer brands which will inherit the most market investment i.e. Hartleys, Quorn, Ambrosia etc. However, Premier Foods agree that cooking sauces / accompaniments, desserts and cakes would have immediate success rates within the consumer market. A company statement had concluded that although the cake category was in decline over recent years, lunchbox, ready-to-eat sweet snacks or treats are proving extremely popular. In theory, taking advantage of this opportunity would eventually start a trend, where Premier Foods would target other popular categories. In other words there is ample room for additional market growth. Bearing this in mind, the company is still confident in delivering a three year market strategy in demonstrating the company is moving in the right direction, ability to make profits and increases in the UK / Ireland market share. Internal Pressures Organisational Reform By successfully developing an external market strategy plan, Premier Foods needed to radically transform the entire business, which would be a rationale for its success. The first phase was to conduct a review of all the manufacturing sites to identify their capabilities, infrastructure and skill base. This activity was conducted in the first three weeks by a small group of senior management. The site review allowed senior management to develop viable options and allowed the initial steps towards a cost benefit analysis. Once satisfied with this, a presentation was developed for the companies board and an agreement was passed to take the initial work to a full business case. A larger team, comprising representatives from each in scope sites, was formed and a clear consensus regarding the optimum option was quickly reached (Wilkinson, 2010). The agreement of the business case, allowed all main stakeholders to be involved within the development. The main intention was to secure a unanimous agreement on the final proposal. Fortunately, agreement was reached within six-weeks of the business case and provided a solid rationale for delivery of the restructuring programme. However, part of the business case recommended the closure of six manufacturing sites in the United Kingdom and two in Ireland. There would be a period of twenty-one months, in which a mixture of consumer brands would be manufactured over five expanded sites. By now, people including stakeholders, board directors, managers etc knew which consumer brands would move from one manufacturing site to another, the expected costs of the entire restructuring programme, target delivery points and detailing the benefits that would occur across the entire organisation. The output of this work also demonstrated the overall level of benefits that could be achieved and provided a baseline for delivering the programme (Wilkinson, 2010). Therefore, market strategy developments, extensive cost cutting exercises, combined with effective efficiency strategies developed a recipe for success. BUSINESS STRATEGY PLAN Rationale In July 2003, Premier Foods were initially floated on the London Stock Exchange with a business strategy of: Development within consumer focused brands. Development through effective consumer relations. Cost Reduction strategies and business simplification. Parallel to this, there was spotlight within the UK and the desire to acquire Great British brands. The integration of these, would rapidly contribute to further strategies based on scale. However, the main aim was to expand company competitiveness with other British food manufacturers, whilst still improving company returns to the shareholders. Premier Foods anticipated that corporate responsibility is a strategic priority that should be parallel to the overall business objectives. The company ensured that responsible business practice should be a fundamental operation of the business and place in the core of the corporate responsibility strategy of, doing the right thing. Premier Foods adopted a business strategy which analyses current issues and attitudes. This allows the company to anticipate any trends which could hamper the business. This business strategy has been untouched and still currently forms the central core of the companies aspirations. Due to the rapid growth of the company, the individuals and the manufacturing sites involved in the restructuring programme had very different cultures and people who came from different work backgrounds. Therefore, there was different levels of understanding in both project and programme management processes. Although, to implement an effective restructuring process, an effective change management strategy had to come into operation and to get an overview; there are five key principles that are extremely important: (Briggs, M., 1995) Individuals tend to react differently to change. Everyone has a desired need, which should be met. Change tends to involve a loss or reduction in something. Realistic targets and expectations. Fears need to be dealt with. Bearing this in mind, Premier Foods had to be open and honest about the entire restructuring strategy. The company were open and not too overoptimistic in theory. In other words, the company set realistic targets and deliverance dates. Project Management Strategy To improve how the company manages large or small scale projects, Premier Foods embarked on integrating a new project management process. Currently, there were various project management systems integrated across the entire organisation and the proposal was to have one standard system based upon Prince2. Prompt, would be the system which Premier Foods integrated across the entire organisation and benefits in Prompt allowed Premier Foods to manage and initiate projects in each work stream. Work stream managers were responsible for this and would manage project teams, to complete any work as necessary. Resource Management Strategy To increase flexibility and reduce project delivery risk, interdependencies between specific work streams and projects were minimised. Time scales and achieving key delivery dates were crucial in this process. However, to support this, Premier foods ensured a structured organisational programme was in place and at the same time, avoided the utilisation of common resources. On the other hand, the company sourced resources at the work stream level, through process of common procurement approach. This allowed work streams to progress at a constant level, whilst having the ability to maintain an overview of contract resource usage and ability to view potential competing priorities at an early stage. Environmental Strategy Due to recent European legislations in place, there are pressures within industry to curb the amount of carbon dioxide produced in the manufacturing of consumer goods. Premier Foods is committed to supporting the UK Governments position on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol (Premier Foods, 2010). The company has a Five Star Environmental Award Scheme in structure, which was rolled out to all manufacturing sites in 2009. The scheme is a benchmark ensuring energy usage, waste, water usage and carbon dioxide emissions are carefully monitored (Wilkinson, 2010). Scheduling Milestone Management Strategies The original business case recommended a tight delivery timescale and was substantially dictated by the seasonality of transferring food categories. In other words, the transferring of a food line had a set delivery date. If the opportunity was missed then the company would have to wait to the next available opportunity i.e. desserts are more popular in the winter and therefore move production to the summer. At different intervals during the project, there was the requirement to assess the restructuring programmes ability to deliver within the target timescales. Whilst towards completion of the programme, various groups of people needed to be coordinated around specific milestone dates. Therefore, Premier foods had to ensure a sufficient scheduling and milestone management programme was in operation. Programme Assurance, Change Control and Scope Management Strategies The scope of the restructuring programme was controlled within overall programme approvals through the formal initiation of projects and associated funding in each work stream (Wilkinson, 2010). Each element within the restructuring programme had strict parameters to adhere too and were closely monitored i.e. funding and timescale delivery. However, if parameter changes were necessary, agreement would have to be obtained through steering committees, by the change control process. Information Communication Strategies Due to a large number of individuals being involved in the restructuring programme, an effective communication strategy was implemented to ensure information was circulated both internally and externally. Therefore, to ensure employees fully understand the strategic approach, Corporate Responsibility Road shows, were presented at all manufacturing sites to Senior Management teams. This ensured that they were aware of the long term sustainability goals and could effectively brief all employees about the planned changes in the company i.e. maintain involvement and commitment to employees whose job role were becoming redundant. Regular meetings with key external stakeholders ensured that the company advised them on any major changes, ensured the company was on the front foot and most importantly, minimised any potential damage to corporate reputation from any foreseeable redundancies (Wilkinson, 2010). Moving food production from one manufacturing site to another, impacts both the suppliers and customers. Therefore, both had to understand the changes which were being devised and reassured that supplies in a particular food category were managed effectively i.e. there was sufficient stock in the warehouses, while the transfer of a particular food line was being made. Quality Management Strategy Quality Consumer Brands Although moving manufacturing lines from one site another is relatively a straightforward process, ensuring the quality of the produce is critical. The company initiated a quality protocol which ensured that an individual product would move to a new location, meeting all necessary standards. Therefore, ensuring you protected the consumer experience was fundamental to the programme. This operation was strictly controlled and managed centrally. This ensures that the steering committee could monitor the quality control process and highlight any problem areas. Quality Control Premier Foods technical and commercial teams ensured that resources were utilised where required. Food tasting panels were utilised to ensured product matching and consumer testing in more severe cases. This ensured that the companies acquisitions of additional food brands were protected from other manufacturers. Efficient Supply Chain Management Peer review stage gate processes were introduced to ensure decisions were made appropriately. Individual project managers would check a list of criteria leading up to a Go / No Go decision. Review teams were constituted from all areas of business, ensuring there specialist area was implemented to high standards. Supply change management and independent business activities were amalgamated into one process, to ensure risks to the business and customer service levels were understood and managed appropriately. Issue Management Strategy Dealing effectively and efficiently with issues was seen as a competitive advantage for whole organisation. Individuals could identify any issues, at any point with the restructuring programme. Once identified, the responsible manager or line manager would deal with the issue. If required, an issue could be escalated to high level through steering committees for example. Alignments between, operational business, programme delivery and benefit achievement, demonstrated clear ownership and responsibility of the programme (Wilkinson, 2010). Therefore, issue management procedures could be reduced, as the result of effective communication forums and clear governance routes (Wilkinson, 2010). Therefore, the delivery of the restructuring programme within, target timescales, benefits and customer service constraints demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach (Wilkinson, 2010). Health and Safety Strategy Premier Foods, employed 16,000 employees across 60 manufacturing sites and they recognise that our employees are our single most valuable asset and we strive to be an employer of choice in areas which we operate (Premier Foods, 2010). Health and safety was a critical aspect in the programme, ensuring a safer manufacturing environment and safety improvements within plant and machinery. Strict guidelines were put in place and key initiatives were presented to line managers in workshops to ensure that risk assessment and risk management initiatives were enforced throughout the company. Value Engineering Approach The value engineering approach was utilised throughout project delivery dates, operational design and high safety food standards. By scrutinising the entire project build i.e. capital costs, then positive decisions could be made. Likewise, a change control mechanism was in place to acquire a cycle of positive feedback. Therefore, changes could be made prior to management decisions. Feedback from the value engineering approach was shared across the entire restructuring programme, in the ability to deliver efficiencies i.e. value for money. PROJECT RISKS Human Physical Impacts As quoted by the Boston Consulting Group (2010), Premier Foods restructuring strategy was one of the largest and most complex restructuring of food manufacturing in the UK. Risks are inevitable with a restructuring strategy the size of Premier Foods and precautions need to be put in place to counteract any eventualities. To begin, risks begin with the agreement of all the key stakeholders within the company. If by any means the stakeholders were unable to come to a unanimous decision, then the entire restructuring process could be in jeopardy. The key to its success would be to present an excellent business case, identifying the key drivers and reasons behind the change. Whenever there are redundancies, it can be a devastating blow to the surrounding area, local economy and families. It may happen because a work place is closing down or because few employees are needed for work of a particular kind (Holland, et al, 2008). In this instance, part of Premier Foods restructuring programme involved closing eight manufacturing sites and distributing current food categories over five existing sites. Senior Management closed a site based upon a number of factors i.e. site throughput. The aim was to improve productivity, lower costs and increase profits. Nevertheless, redundancies were inevitable at this point and the key was to maintain the companies reputation to avoid scrutiny. A reputation of a company is its important and valuable asset. A positive one may bring many benefits to a company, when a negative one may significantly harm it (Westcott, 2005). Although it was a devastating blow, the company would have to ensure all employees were treated in the best possible interests. Fortunately, the company offered generous redundancy packages and liaised with the local councils to ensure all redundant employees would have help getting back into employment. Once the workforce has been restructured, logistics and the redistribution of resources are crucial. The overall business challenge was to redistribute; 1500 products, 2000 materials, build new facilities, transfer 51 manufacturing lines, put a 2.5 million pallet stock build in place to maintain customer supply and complete 1800 line trial activities (Premier Foods, 2010). Besides this, the company needed to maintain both the company image and the customer service performance of a demanding business. Keeping the consumer supplied was at foremost importance, as there was the possibility of loosing contracts with some of Britains major brand stockists i.e. Tesco, ASDA, Sainsburys. As well as ensuring the survival of major cultural brands that have been produce for generations i.e. Hovis. Likewise, due to the rapid growth of the company, individuals and manufacturing sites that were affected by the restructuring programme had very different cultures. Cultural Impacts Culture, is seen as a pattern of beliefs and expectation that are shared by an organisations members (Schwartz, et al, 1981). These factors tend to produce norms which, powerfully shape the behaviour of individuals and groups in the organisation (Schwartz, et al, 1981). Culture, intends to concentrate upon the nature of these expectations. Taking Premier Foods into context, the individuals involved have been told various incentives which are behind the grocery divisions restructuring process. Therefore, the company have the responsibility to deliver their business strategy and individuals are right to dispute whether company expectations are being met i.e. Do they promise what they wish to deliver in the short-term and long term future? There is the risk that Premier Foods simply do not deliver and again, elements including corporate image could be affected. Likewise, the individual and manufacturing sites involved, originated from different work backgrounds. There were different levels of understanding in both project and programme management processes. Although, its good when an organisation is built around people who have different ethics i.e. the ability to share ideas to improve an organisations structure, the problem is getting everyone to agree upon a particular thing and ensuring people work upon a standard level. The key is to ensure everyone has good understanding of both principles, to ensure the restructuring programme is at minimum risk as possible. If not, then conflicts can arise (behavioural factors) and the restructuring programme could have major issues. Generally, it doesnt work if one individual has a strong understanding in one area and a weak understanding in another. Other Potential Risks The organisational restructuring programme was also surrounded by other critical integration projects, which were being implemented at the same time. Some of these included the integration of key administrative functions i.e. Human Resources and Finance. In the marketplace, the company itself faced soaring food cost inflations, as well as the impact of a major economic recession. Human and physical resources were thinly spread and significantly challenged during this tense period. In other words, it was either make or break time and fortunately, the gamble succeeded in the end. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary On a generic scale, the implementation of the entire restructuring programme was a complete success, taking the size and complexity of the programme into consideration. From research, the author identified the main critical elements for change. To begin, the author believes that Premier Foods wishes to be the leading competitor in the UK food market, to compete with other competitors. Once this is established, there maybe future business development plans to expand and compete with the European Food Market or on an International Scale. However, current infrastructure could not cope with future expansion and therefore, major internal reform was needed to improve the quality of food produced, the quantity of food produced and overall manufacturing costs. Although there were harsh reforms in the workforce for example, this allowed the company to focus on long-term developments and improve profits. In the short-term, this allows major shareholders to gain a healthy return in investments and can continue to provide investments for the future. Recommendations Taking the following into contention, no major improvements are needed. The Premier Foods restructuring programme demonstrates high professionalism, within a large strategic scale. All project delivery points were delivered on time and within budget. Although, a possible thought to consider is cultural differences. Current levels of project and programme management were at different levels between individuals and the manufacturing sites involved. Offering solutions that allow everyone to have the same level of knowledge may be advantageous. Nevertheless, its good when people have different ranges of knowledge and experience. This allows people to express their own interpretations, leading to new ideas. REFERENCES Boston Consulting Group (2010) Premier Foods. Available at: http://www.bcg.com/2010. (Accessed: 15th February 2010). Briggs, M. (1995) Change Management: Five basic principles and how to apply them. Available at http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/changemanagement.html. (Accessed: March 2nd 2010). Holland, J., Burnett, C. (2008) Employment Law. Revised Edition. New York: Oxford University Press Inc. Just Foods (2010) Just Foods website. Available at: http://www.just-food.com/store/product.aspx?id=60647. (Accessed: 14th February 2010). Premier Foods (2009) Premier Foods website. Available at: http://www.premierfoods.co.uk. (Accessed: 20th February 2010). Schwartz, H., Davis, S.M. (1981) Organisational Dynamics. 1st Edition. New York. AMACOM UK Trade Investment Services (2009) UK Trade Investment Services website. Available at: http://www.ukinvest.gov.uk/Food--drink/en-GB-list.html. (Accessed: 14th February 2010). Westcott, J (2005) Corporate Image. Available at http://docs.google.com/viewer. (Accessed March 4th 2010). Wilkinson, R. (2010) Premier Foods Guest Lecturer Grocery Manufacturing Consolidation Programme. Available at http://elp.northumbria.ac.uk (Accessed 25th February 2010). BIBOLOGRAPHY Boston Consulting Group (2010) Premier Foods. Available at: http://www.bcg.com/2010. (Accessed: 15th February 2010). Briggs, M. (1995) Change Management: Five basic principles and how to apply them. Available at http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/changemanagement.html. (Accessed: March 2nd 2010). Guardian News (2010) Premier Foods. Available at http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/marketforceslive/2010/feb/16/premierfoods (Accessed 15th February 2010). Holland, J., Burnett, C. (2008) Employment Law. Revised Edition. New York: Oxford University Press Inc. Just Foods (2010) Just Foods website. Available at: http://www.just-food.com/store/product.aspx?id=60647. (Accessed: 14th February 2010). Kotter, J. (1995 2002) Change Management. Available at http://www.businessballs.com/changemanagement.htm. (Accessed March 1st 2010). Premier Foods (2009) Premier Foods website. Available at: http://www.premierfoods.co.uk. (Accessed: 20th February 2010). Schwartz, H., Davis, S.M. (1981) Organisational Dynamics. 1st Edition. New York. AMACOM UK Trade Investment Services (2009) UK Trade Investment Services website. Available at: http://www.ukinvest.gov.uk/Food--drink/en-GB-list.html. (Accessed: 14th February 2010). Westcott, J (2005) Corporate Image. Available at http://docs.google.com/viewer. (Accessed March 4th 2010). Western Mail (2010) High Beam Research, Premier Foods hails sales rise as Hovis takes 25% of market, 1, pp. 1. International Newspapers, Local Markets Li-Z [Online]. Available at http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-219048662.html (Accessed March 4th 2010). Wilkinson, R. (2010) Premier Foods Guest Lecturer Grocery Manufacturing Consolidation Programme. Available at http://elp.northumbria.ac.uk (Accessed 25th February 2010).

The Message in John Miltons Paradise Lost :: free essay writer

Paradise Lost is an epic of epic proportions! It chronologs the designs of Satan, the fall of the angels, the creation and subsequent fall of man from paradise, and finally ends with some hope for a paradise regained. At first glance it seems to be two epics rolled into one. The book begins right away introducing us to the would be protagonist, Satan, up against an indominable force, God. We are made to sympathise with Satan's plight and almost admire him or hope for his success. There is a certain excitement and allure to Satan and even to Hell. But, quickly our hero begans to degenerate right before our eyes in book III with the introduction of God and Christ. The focus on Satan seems to be all but abandoned with the introduction of man, and now Satan only plays a sinister role in a new story centered around our greatest ancestor, Adam. We are painfully reminded of our initial affiliation with Satan and his doomed aspirations when Rapheal recounts the war in heaven in book VI. It seems the first epic revolving around Satan was over before it was started, and now our would be underdog threatens us by threatening our new protagonist in Adam. The brief warnings of Raphael are not enough to preserve paradise and save Adam & Eve from the vengence of the Devil. It seems our hero is destined to ruin once again, but this time there is hope. Man turns out to be more repentant than Satan, and God turns out to be a little more leniant to man. Adam and Eve are still banished from Paradise but the oppurtunity for inner paradise is still offered before them by the angel Michael. Which leads me to my comment earlier about Paradise Lost seeming like two epics (the plight of Satan and then that of man). But, really Paradise Lost is like three epics, because there is a third story, that of the reader. Milton paints the characters with such a humanity that they all become real people and not just the entities of some Sunday school lesson. Because of this, we find ourselves initially enamoured with Satan and his "heroic" aspirations, but quickly we get slapped on the hand by our hero's destruction. Then we are taken by the arguments of Eve & Adam and are made to question some of God's actions when it comes to informing them and protecting them, so we then go through the fall with them.

Civil Rights and Responsibilities Essay

The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution shortly after its ratification. These amendments guarantee certain political, procedural, and property rights against infringement by the national government (Patterson, 2009). â€Å"A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on influence (Thomas Jefferson). The First Amendment provides the foundation for freedom of expression which is the right of individual Americans to hold and communicate views of their choosing (Patterson, 2009). The motivation of the Bill of Rights was to guarantee individual rights and freedoms. The First Amendment reflects this tradition, providing for freedom of religion along with freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition. The three provisions of the First Amendment are the freedom of speech, assembly and religion. The freedom of speech states that you are free to say almost anything except that which is obscene, slanders another person, or has a high probability of inciting others to take imminent lawless action. The freedom of assembly states that you are free to assemble, although government may regulate the time and place for reasons of public convenience safety, provided such regulations are applied evenhandedly to all groups. The freedom of religion states that you are protected from having the religious beliefs of others imposed on you, and you are free to believe what you like. Freedom of religion simply means citizens have freedom to attend a church, synagogue, temple or mosque of their choice, or not to attend at all. The First Amendment allows us to practice our religion the way we want to. When talking about freedom of religion and the First Amendment I think about religion in the schools. Every since the Supreme Court held school-sponsored prayer unconstitutional in the early 1960s, there has ben a concerted and well-funded campaign to reintroduce religion in public schools. Public schools themselves should not be in the business of promoting particular religious beliefs or religious activities and they should protect children from being coerced by others to accept religious (or anti-religious beliefs. A Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission inquiry ruled in July that the Saskatoon Board of Education must end a practice of giving teachers the option of conducting prayers in public school classrooms and assemblies. In practice, the choice has been primarily the Lord’s Prayer. The ruling will not change practices in separate schools. The inquiry followed a complaint six years ago by nine parents, including Muslims, Jews, Unitarians and atheists. About 20% of the 550 public school classrooms in Saskatoon begin the day with prayer. The decision may be appealed in court (Globe and Mail, 1999). The relationship between religion and government in the United States when it comes to the United States Constitution is governed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, which both prevents the government from establishing religion and protects privately initiated religious expression and activities from government interference and discrimination. The First Amendment thus establishes certain limits on the conduct of public school officials as it relates to religious activity, including prayer. Prayer should not have been taken out of schools. Parents should be sent home a letter opting out of religious activities and employees should be given the same option, but taken it out of schools was ridiculous. The case of Engel v. Vitale (1962) went to the Supreme Court and the case was about a time in 1951 the New York State Board of Regents (the State board of education) approved a 22-word â€Å"nondenominational prayer â€Å"for recitation each morning in the public schools of New York. It read: â€Å"Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country.† The Regents believed that the prayer could be a useful tool for the development of character and good citizenship among the students of the State of New York. The prayer was offered to the school boards in the State for their use, and participation in the â€Å"prayer-exercise† was voluntary. In New Hyde Park, New York, the Union Free School District No. 9 directed the local principal to have the prayer â€Å"said aloud by each class in the presence of a teacher at the beginning of the school day.† The parents of ten pupils in the New Hyde Park schools objected to the prayer. They filed suit in a New York State court seeking a ban on the prayer, insisting that the use of this official prayer in the public schools was contrary to their own and their children’s beliefs, religions, or religious practices. The State appeals court upheld the use of the prayer, â€Å"so long as the schools did not compel any pupil to join in the prayer over his or his parents’ objection† (infoplease.com). The Freedom to Assemble gives people the right to assemble peacefully without causing any harm to others. As much as I do not agree with the KKK views and opinions they should be able to assemble if they do it in a peaceful manner. The First Amendment prohibits government from abridging â€Å"the right of the people peaceably to assemble. This basic freedom ensures that the spirit of the First Amendment survives and thrives even when the majority of citizens would rather suppress expression it finds offensive. Over the course of our history, freedom of assembly has protected individuals espousing myriad viewpoints. Striking workers, civil rights advocates, anti-war demonstrators and Ku Klux Klan marchers have all taken to the streets and sidewalks in protest or in support of their causes. Sometimes these efforts have galvanized public support or changed public perceptions. Imagine a civil rights movement without the March on Washington or the women’s suffrage movement without ranks of long-skirted, placard-carrying suffragists filling city streets. The U.S. Supreme Court recognized the importance of this freedom in the 1937 case De Jonge v. State of Oregon, writing that â€Å"the right to peaceable assembly is a right cognate to those of free speech and free press and is equally fundamental. â€Å"According to the Court, † the right to assemble is one that cannot be denied without violating those fundamental principles which lie at the base of all civil and political institutions† (archive.firstamendmentcenter.org). The KKK’s right to assemble peaceably was secured by the famous 1977 case of National Socialist Party v. Skokie, in which the American Civil Liberties Union successfully argued that the First Amendment prohibited officials of Skokie, Ill., from banning a march by the National Socialist Party. Skokie is a Chicago suburb that is home to many Holocaust survivors. One federal judge reasoned that â€Å"it is better to allow those who preach racial hatred to expend their venom in rhetoric rather than to be panicked into embarking on the dangerous course of permitting the government to decide what its citizens may say and hear† (archive.firstamendmentcenter.org). In conclusion, the First Amendment of the United States protects the rights to freedom of religion and freedom of expression as well as freedom of assembly from government interference. Freedom of expression consists of the rights to freedom of speech, press, assembly and to petition the government for a redress of grievances, and the implied rights of association and belief. The Supreme Court interprets the extent of the protection afforded to these rights. The First Amendment has been interpreted by the Court as applying to the entire federal government even though it is only expressly applicable to Congress. Two clauses in the First Amendment guarantee freedom of religion. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause are two clauses in the First Amendment that guarantee freedom of religion. The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from passing legislation to establish an official religion or preferring one religion over another. It enforces the â€Å"separation of church and state.† The Free Exercise Clause prohibits the government, in most instances, from interfering with a person’s practice of their religion. The right to assemble allows people to gather for peaceful and lawful purposes. Implicit within this right is the right to association and belief. With that being said, all people should be having some kind of freedom. They should be able to boycott and assemble peacefully without causing any harm to anyone. People should be free to have their different views and opinions of religion, be it that they religious or anti-religious. To sum it all up I would love for everyone to feel that they are free. References http://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1961/1961_468 http://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/program-freedom-religion-and-belief-government-funded-religion â€Å"Religion in schools (teachers in Saskatchewan will no longer have the option of conducting prayer services in class).† Humanist in Canada 130 (1999): 4, 39. General OneFile. Web. 25 June 2012. http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html

Social Work Psychosocial Assessment

APRIL’S PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSESSMENT Referral April was not a referral client; rather she did her own research after feeling unsupported by her previous therapist. She found this practice on the Pratt Institute listserv as she was looking for a psychologist close to school. According to April, she received a diagnosis of stage three Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma five weeks ago and had not told anyone close to her. She wanted to talk to someone â€Å"objective† to figure out what steps to take next. Client IdentificationDemographics: April is a 23 year-old woman who currently lives on campus at Pratt Institute studying architecture and urban planning. Her parents are married and she has a 21 year-old brother, Daniel, who has a diagnosis of Down syndrome. Her father used to be in the army and now works for the US Department of Veterans Affairs, her mother cares for her brother. Employment/Education: April is in her second year at Pratt and presents to overwhelmed with current workload, yet managing to get by.She seems focused and undeterred by her presenting issue to complete her education. It is unclear if April is employed, she did not mention it. Income and Source: As stated above, it is unclear if April is currently working, receiving financial help from her parents, or receiving government loans and bursaries. Further information on her sources of income may need to be clarified to determine as this could have an impact on the care available to her in the near future. However, her interest in alternative medicine could mean she is not worried about finances.Living Environment: The specifics of April’s living environment are unknown. She has not stated any concerns about her living situation. Sources of Information The information contained in this assessment was acquired in an in person appointment with April that she scheduled. No information was obtained from any other sources. Problem Definition April was diagnosed five weeks ago with stage three N on-Hodgkin Lymphoma. April stated she feels â€Å"tired† and has been experiencing â€Å"night sweats† lately.Although, she states that she â€Å"knows† she has cancer, she seems to be in denial about the severity of her illness. April has a hard time talking about her diagnosis (she had to write it down), and seemed to be avoiding what she came to talk about although she expressed wanting to talk with someone objective who was not personally invested in her well-being. April was previously seen by a Pratt therapist, which she stated did not go well though she found her old psychiatrist â€Å"nice enough†, she felt that she was only a good listener with â€Å"nothing to say†.She seemed to be annoyed with the previous therapists attempts to contact her after she decided to stop going, although she did not let her know she would not be returning. April became very defensive when talking about her family, when this worker asked if she felt that her br other took up most of her mother’s time, she quickly shot the idea down. She presents as being exceedingly independent, yet extremely loyal to her family. April communicated that she is falling behind on her schoolwork, she seems particularly concerned with maintaining her current life and does not appear to be taking her diagnosis seriously.April expressed wanting to explore her other options of acupuncture, herbal therapies, and meditation even though her oncologist suggested she begin chemotherapy immediately. April appears to be experiencing an internal conflict and seems to have a hard time trusting others or asking for help. History/Antecedents: April stated that she had a cough that would not let up, as she grew tired of coughing in class she finally went to the health counter at Pratt. She was prescribed antibiotics, which did not help her cough.She had resigned herself to wait to speak to her dad, a retired army official now working for the US Department of Veterans Affairs. When she began experiencing night sweat she returned to the health center, where she was annoyed to be accused of taking diet pills or using cocaine. After being sent to the Brooklyn hospital for a chest x-ray, a big mass was discovered behind her spine. A bone marrow biopsy was done and she was diagnosed with stage three non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It has been five weeks since April’s diagnosis and she has not told her parents or anyone close to her.It is unclear if April is aware of the magnitude of her illness, though she stated she knows she has cancer, she does not appear to be taking the diagnosis seriously rather she is carrying on with her life as if nothing has changed. April expressed that perhaps she does not want treatment and maybe she would rather die than put her life in someone else’s hands. It is unclear if April truly believes that she has cancer. Past Solutions: As indicated previously, April received her diagnosis five weeks ago and presents as b eing in denial as to the seriousness it entails.She previously was seeing another therapist, however she did not like her and stopped going after only two sessions. It is not clear as to what was discussed in these sessions, as April only said that her previous therapist was not much older that her, had â€Å"nothing to say†, and told her â€Å"the same story twice†. She stated that she stopped going without telling her therapist she would not be returning and was overtly annoyed when the therapist tried to reach her many times after, which she felt was â€Å"over the top†.April stated she has not yet began seeking medical treatment, nor has she confided in her family as to her situation for their support. April seems overly concerned with the reaction her family will have upon receiving the news of her illness. It is likely that she is keeping this information from her family to protect them as well as to maintain her independence. Contributing Factors: Aprilâ €™s diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma was not brought on by any factors determined in the session. However, April’s tiredness and night sweats are probable symptoms of her illness.It is likely that April’s independence is making it hard for her to tell her family and friends about her illness. She also stated that her brother’s autism took up a lot of her mother’s time and that â€Å"no one talks about her† this could show where her independence developed from. April spoke about her recent break up with her boyfriend who she remains good friends with but has a new girlfriend from a well off family. April stated that she has not told her boyfriend or friends about her diagnosis; April may be believing her denial of her diagnosis and keeping it to herself, makes it less real.Her inability to talk about her diagnosis may be a factor of her need to control her life as an independent young woman and not wanting to ask for support with her illness sh ould be further explored. The Client System Functioning: April became defensive several times during this interview. She stated that she did not want to talk about her cancer diagnosis many times during the session. She expressed that she has been feeling tired and having trouble sleeping, experiencing night sweats and waking up in a soaked bed. Other than the above April appears to be still functioning at a high level nd is able to get to school and besides her recent assignments is doing fine at school. It should be noted that April appears physically to be in good health, she is a well-dressed, attractive young woman. She appears to be well spoken and intelligent, yet she is in denial about her illness. Strengths/Coping Skills: During this interview April was commended for her independence, also her loyalty towards her family was also a strength brought to her attention. April seems to have a strong support system, although she is not using it at the moment. She has family and fr iends who care about her.April’s ability to remain in school and continue on with her studies is also a strength to be noted. Her communication skills are well developed, even though she was unable to express herself in this meeting there is potential for it in the future. Relationships and Social Support: It is unclear what the extent of April’s relationship with her family, friends, or community is. As stated earlier, April is a very independent young woman and though she did mention her family in the interview, she has not told them about her illness as she does not want to put any stress on them.Further exploration regarding the depth and quality of her relationship is needed. During the interview, April expressed that she and her ex-boyfriend are still â€Å"good friends† and that they get along great. He however is unaware of her diagnosis. April mentioned she has other friends but no other details were provided. April seemed to take a liking to this worke r, and expressed being happy that this worker was older than she had expected. She seemed to have an easy time talking as long as she was guiding the conversation but closed up upon being asked questions she did not feel like answering.Resources/Obstacles: April acknowledged that she does not like to ask for help, she stated that she was able to go see a therapist at school. Though the sessions were quickly terminated they lead to her finding this practice and setting up an appointment. Although, she finds them inefficient, April identified the school’s health center and her oncologist as a present resource available to her. April mentioned her family but it is unclear if she sees them as a resource. She stated her brother suffers from autism and takes a lot of her mother’s time, and father is often busy.April also mentioned she has a good relationship with ex-boyfriend but acknowledged that she does not confide in him or her other friends. This suggests that April is used to fending for herself and her independence is an important resource to her. April’s need to control a situation presents as a obstacle for her, as she seems to close people off when they get too close to asking information she is not ready to share. This may have been the case with her previous therapist who she stopped seeing, claiming she was â€Å"incompetent†. April did not mention any other support systems.It is unclear if she has other individuals she can rely on and appears to have issues with relatedness. Professional Opinion April appears to be in denial about her diagnosis of stage three non-Hodgkin lymphoma and what it entails. April appears to be taking the diagnosis as a big inconvenience rather than recognizing the seriousness if holds. April has not began treatment, although her oncologist has recommended that she begin immediately. She appears to be an intelligent, independent, young woman; it is possible her apprehensions on sharing her diagnosis with family are related to her not wanting to lose her independence.April appears to be more concerned with what her family’s reactions to diagnosis will be and the stress it may cause them, rather than what the diagnosis means for her health. It is this workers opinion that April is used to taking care of herself and is fearful that her parents will not be there to support to her if she puts herself out there. April’s having chosen to look into alternative medical treatment, even with her oncologist’s advice to begin immediate treatment, shows her need to be in control of her life.It is this worker’s opinion that April is fearful of giving up the one thing she has depended on her entire life; her independence and ability to care for her. During the interview, April mentioned other relationships; her ex-boyfriend, his new girlfriend, and friends. While these people maybe able to provide support to her in the future, April is currently not ready to share her diagnosis or ask them for help. Plan An intervention plan was not created as April left without formulating a plan or scheduling a second session.However, it is this worker’s opinion that the following steps need to be taken; April needs to recognize that there is no shame in asking for help or relying on others in her time of need, April should talk to her oncologist about her considering alternative medicine and see how she thinks she should proceed, and April needs to tell her parents about her diagnosis. As she left without scheduling an appointment and this worker is unaware if she will call to schedule one, it is unclear of what will transpire. However, this plan will be further discussed with April if she does make a second appointment.

Ambiguous Words essays

Ambiguous Words essays Essay Question: Southerners maintained that secession was the ultimate expression of democracy, while Lincoln claimed it was rejection of democracy. How did they explain and justify their principles. On December 20, 1860, the Confederacy was born when South Carolina seceded from the federal Union. The Union and the Confederacy severely clashed in their views on the Constitution; the South felt that individual states should have the right to nullify laws, while Abraham Lincoln believed the federal government should appoint representatives for individual states. The South and Abraham Lincoln contrasted sharply on the idea of secession because the Constitution was ambiguous regarding Immediately following the election of Lincoln, the southern secessionists wanted to separate from the Union. Southerners feared that the Republican victory in 1860 would interfere in their domestic concernsparticularly their right to property and slaves as guaranteed by the fifth amendment of the Bill of Rights (Jones 24). As a result, the state of South Carolina held a convention and voted to secede from the Union. Following South Carolinas lead, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas also seceded. Their growing minority status had left them vulnerable to northern oppression; their right to withdraw from the governing pact remained a fundamental precept of the Declaration of Independence (24). Representatives from each state convened on February 1860, to create the Confederate States of America. Although this document was roughly based on the Constitution, it assigned limits on the governments power to impose tariffs and restrictions on slavery. The southerners felt that they needed to create a new constitution because the preamble to the Constitution . . . does not propose to make the old Union more perfect, but to for...

Analysis of the training criteria used to send staff for trainning Research Paper

Analysis of the training criteria used to send staff for trainning - Research Paper Example As commonly witnessed, in the process of training, the skills as well as knowledge possessed by an employee(s) are indented to be developed with the intention to attain organizational goals more comfortably (Drummond 4-8). Based on these aspects, it has been noted that training of the staff members will be quite crucial in General Organization for Youth and sport (GOYS), which is a renowned non-profit organization of Bahrain. The organization is known for providing requisite support to the youth of the country and facilitates them with major technologies as well as trainers required to pursue a career in sports. The organization is also involved in promoting and discovering talented youth and encouraging them to participate in sports representing the country in the global arena General Organization for Youth and Sports, â€Å"General Conditions†). PART 1: IDENTIFICATION AND JUSTIFICATION OF A STRATEGIC INVESTIGATIVE PROJECT 1.1. Topic of the investigation In the modern day bus iness context, staff members should necessarily possess all the latest skills that are required for the continuous development of the organizational operations to accomplish the determined objectives. However, owing to the persistence of gaps in the skills required and the skills possessed, staff members need to be provided with adequate training so as to mitigate such gaps and attain organizational objectives at large. In relation to this, the topic of the study for this research paper will investigate about the strategies through which GOYS of Bahrain has developed as its training criteria to provide its staff members with training facilities and mitigate gaps existing in their skills. Being a non-profit organization,

The marketing strategies of Heinz Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The marketing strategies of Heinz - Assignment Example This report is designed to have an insight about an organization that is about to conduct some market research into consumer buying habits for the products and services that this company has for sale. Moreover, this research will address the obstacles in the way of the operations of Heinz and their competitors in order to clarify the current and future market standing of the company. Henry John Heinz, the founder of this company said that he learned from his parents’ idea of business which was, â€Å"Deal with the seller so justly that he will want to sell to you again.† He believed in fair play in the business and this quality of him had made him a successful businessman. He founded Heinz almost 150 years ago. Heinz was formed in Sharpsburg (a suburb of Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania, in 1869 by entrepreneur Henry John Heinz. To this day the company has become a global business dealer in the consumer food industry. Heinz is a $10.7 billion global company. The products of He inz enjoy #1 or #2 market share in more than 50 countries. Every year the company sells 650 million bottles of its iconic Ketchup. Heinz's top 15 power brands are counted as more than two-thirds of its annual sales. There are about 35000 people that are employed by Heinz in almost 50 countries around the globe. Heinz is a liable corporate citizen dedicated to safe practices, environmental stewardship and giving back to the society. The basic task required in this report is to find the appropriate research procedure and outlines its merits and de-merits. Further it is required to analyze the research by proper sampling procedure for accumulating substantial and real results. 4 External or in-house research