Reading Level of Grade Three Pupils at Luis Mirasol Memorial School Essay

The current issue being faced today by most educators is that during enrolment, some pupils who are promoted in Grade Three are still considered as non-readers. According to Arnold Peralta (2006), enabling the child to read in Grade 1 and 2, the primary grade is very necessary. It is in this stage that the habit of reading should be developed. If a child will not be able to read, understand what he reads and developed the habit of reading, he/she can hardly make it in the higher grades. According to Businessdictionary. com, reading grade level means number assigned to the level of complexity of a reading material, it equates to a given level of schooling, For example, a reading grade level of seven means the reading material is intended for a seventh grade student. In the field of education, this concept is very important in determining pupils’ progress in reading. According to Juan Miguel Luz (2007), Grade Three (10 years old) is a critical year in terms of formal schooling. Before School Year 2012-2023 preschooling is neither compulsory nor part of the package of free public education guaranteed by the Constitution, Grade Three marks the third full year of basic education for children who attend public elementary school and the year when the facility to read, write, and do the four operations of arithmetic with competence is expected. (Less than 20 percent of those who go to public elementary school actually attend a full year of preschool education). Dropping out before this grade level thus becomes a major contributor to the lack of functional literacy, which in turn has a negative impact on adults and their eventual work productivity. This is assuming, of course, that by the end of Grade 3 (or the third year of formal full-time schooling), the children’s competence in the three ‘Rs are being honed fully. But seeing it, that may not be happening in far too many schools. Furthermore, since they learned the basic skills in reading during their previous grades, they are expected to be a good reader when they reach Grade Three. However, there are many pupils who are still considered as non-readers. Stothard & Hulme (1996) described reading as the interaction of two distinct processes, decoding and comprehension. For skilled readers decoding is a highly automated task. Skilled readers can focus their attention on comprehension of the novel material. Low ability readers typically have difficulties studying and learning from expository textual material (Helwig, Almond, Rozek-Tedesco, Tindal, & Heath, 1999). Readers with robust verbal ability skills are more likely to analyze new information and draw inferences than their peers with low verbal ability. DepEd intensifies reading literacy in schools by enforcing the policy called â€Å"Every Child A Reader† (the Education Post Vol. 21, No. 1). Undersecretary Bacani said the new policy aims to make every Filipino child a successful reader at the end of Grade 3. The undersecretary is expecting that no pupil will be promoted to higher grades unless he or she manifests mastery of the basic literacy skills in a particular grade (Arnold Peralta,2006). The researchers presupposed factors to consider in eradicating or minimizing non- readers in every school. Among this are children who have spent less time in reading, their father and mother educational attainment, type of pre-school attended whether in public or private, and monthly family income. This is caused by the influence of the modern world, and parents’ inability to monitor the child’s progress because they are preoccupied with their chosen job. Some children choose to hang around malls, play computer or video games, or watch cartoons and consider reading as part of school activities that need to be forgotten during their spare time. (Arnold Peralta,2006) On the other hand, this is maybe caused by parent’s low educational attainment, and the absence of any reading and educational materials in their homes. According to Arnold Peralta (2006), the parents’ role is very important in helping increase their children’s habits. They must be involved in any activity to improve their children’s reading ability. That is why, in relation to this, the researchers aim to conduct a study that shall determine if such factors have indeed some kind of influence with the Reading Level of Grade Three pupils of Luis Mirasol Memorial School. Statement of the Problem This study will be conducted to determine the Reading Level of Grade Three Pupils at Luis Mirasol Memorial School. Specifically, this study aims to: 1. Describe the respondent’s socio-economic characteristics in terms of educational attainment of the father , educational attainment of the mother, and the monthly family income,type of pre-school attended, and number of hours spent in reading; 2. Determine the reading level of the respondents; 3. Determine if there is a relationship between the respondents’ socio-economic characteristics such as: educational attainment of a father, educational attainment of mother, monthly family income, and type of pre-school attended and number of hours spent in reading of the respondents. Research Hypotheses 1. There is no significant relationship between the respondents’ socio-economic characteristics such as: educational attainment of a father, educational attainment of mother, monthly family income, and type of pre-school attended, time spent in reading and the reading level. Theoretical Framework This study is based on various theories on reading level: According to the theory of reading as defined by (Henry,1986) that it must deal with wide range of issues and account for a wide range of behaviors and capabilities. Reading occurs when a child has developed sufficient decoding skills. Decoding is the ability to decipher printed words into meaningful spoken language. More specifically, decoding refers to the skill at which one is able to recognize sound, individual phonemes in a printed or written word and then length and those phonemes to form the sound of the word by (Adams 1990)NRP,2000;National Researcher Council,1998) Philip Gough and Wesley Hoover (1990) describe a theory called simple review of reading, a theory that supported that decoding is necessary for reading level success. This view asserts that weaknesses in reading decoding will result in weak reading. According to (Moats 1999, p5). Reading is the fundamental skill upon which all formal education depends. Research now shows that a child who does [not] learn the basics early is unlikely to learn them at all. Any child who does learn [not] to learn to read-early and will not easily master other skills  and knowledge and unlikely to ever flourish in schools or in life. According to (Kantawala, 1980) states that, the higher the socioeconomic status the better the reading attitude, according to him students of small size family had a more favourable reading attitude than those of large families. Due to the lack of independent reading student may not have developed the positive attitude towards reading. Conceptual Framework Reading level is one of the problems of teachers and parents with regards to their pupils and children. As parents become worried on the reading level of their sons and daughters many of them are unaware of the factors which may significantly affect such occurrence. These pupils on the other hand, who have delayed reading level, frequently, consider reading a task for them to study. In this study, Monthly family income, Preschool last attended, Time spent in reading serves as the Independent Variables while Reading level serve as the Dependent Variable. In terms of Monthly Family Income the researcher believe that those respondents with a higher monthly family income are expected to have a high reading level. In terms of Pre-school last attended, researchers believe that those pupils who obtain schooling in private pre-school than in public are expected to a have high reading level. In terms of Time spent in reading, the researchers believe that those who spent much time in reading are expected to have high reading level. Independent variable 1. Socio-economic characteristics * Educational attainment the father * Educational attainment the mother * Monthly family income 2. Type of school where pre-school education was obtained * Public * Private 3. Time spent in reading Dependent variable Reading Level Figure 1. A Schematic diagram showing the relationship between the Independent and Dependent Variables. Definition of Terms To establish a frame of understanding for both the researchers and readers to facilitate correct interpretation of the results of the study, the following term were defined: Educational Attainment of Father – this pertains to the highest level of instruction, obtained in an institution of learning by the father. It is classified as elementary, high school or college. Educational Attainment of Mother – this pertains to the highest level of instruction, obtained in an institution of learning by the mother. It is classified as elementary, high school or college. Monthly Family Income. This refers to the total gross income of the pupils family per month and is further classified into High (Php 5000 and above), Average (Php2500 and above), Low (1500 and below). Pre-school last attended. Type of school where pre-school education was obtained whether it is in Day Care Center or Pre-Elementary Public School. Time Spent in Reading. This refers to average time not less than 80 to 100 minutes of independent or shared reading per week by the pupils. Reading Level- reading will be measured by using the IRI assessment and the respondents will be ranked through Frustration level, Instructional Level, Independent Level. Scope and Limitation of the Study This study aims to determine the factors related to the Reading Level of Grade 3 pupils at Luis Mirasol Memorial School during the School Year 2012-2013. This study will be conducted at Luis Mirasol Memorial School for convenience of both the researchers and the respondents. The Grade 3 pupils were selected as respondents of this study. The information needed in this study will be gathered using a self-administered questionnaire structured by the researchers. Furthermore, the interview and questionnaire will use to test the reliability of the research instrument. This study would be more reliable if it covers a larger scope and if more respondents will be involved. But this will also mean more effort, time and money that the researchers despondently lack. Significance of the study. The results of this investigation are expected to be highly beneficial to the following: Central Philippine University—College of Education. As an educational institution that hones every individual to become successful professionals in the future, the problem would be beneficial to the College of Education for the outreach center in the field study, to plan out certain programs, and strategies for the Luis Mirasol Memorial School as a partnership of Central Philippine University. Luis Mirasol Memorial School. If this study proves to be beneficial as a means of basis and standards, teachers will be able to find new ways and strategies on how to improve the reading level of their pupils. Parents. As the legal guardians of the children, the results of this investigation would serve as a stimuli towards their awareness on the factors that affect the reading level of their children. Furthermore, this study would initiate them to be more involved to follow up their children at home with partnership to the teacher and open line communication for the development of their children. Elementary Pupils. Whenever proven that the mentioned factors have something to do with the Reading Level of the pupils, the pupils themselves can learn and even do something to counteract negative impact caused by such factors as to their reading skills. Researchers. The outcome and conclusions drawn from this study will be beneficial to other researchers as a guideline for future studies. Chapter II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Educational Attainment of both Parents and Reading Level Research on parenting also has shown that parent education is related to a warm, social climate in the home. Klebanov et al. (1994) found that both mothers’ education and family income were important predictors of the physical environment and learning experiences in the home but that mothers’ education alone was predictive of parental warmth. Likewise, Smith et al. (1997) found that the association of family income and parents’ education with children’s academic achievement was mediated by the home environment. The mediation effect was stronger for maternal education than for family income. Thus, these authors posited that education might be linked to specific achievement behaviors in the home (e. g. , reading, playing). Preschool Attended and Reading Level Preschool helps children to use their minds by knowing where the child means also knowing how his mind deals with the activities of the curriculum and other experiences in the early years. Mental operation most relevant for early education can be grouped into 3 major areas: perception, memory and problem solving. According to Maria Montessori, early education has an indispensable role in the whole personality of the child. The stage of human development from 0-6 years is the stage of the most absorbent mind and the critical period of a child. This stage is the most sensitive period in the life of the child that needed a wholesome, healthful and rich background. If a child fails in reading during the primary grades, his chances for success in any other academic area are greatly reduced. It is therefore essential that a pre-school program for children do all it can to ensure that the children will succeed in reading when they enter school. (http://onlineacademics. org/ReadingDiagnosis. html) Preschool improves children’s problem solving abilities for elementary school. Educational advocates recognize early childhood education, during the preschool years, as among the most enduring and beneficial services a community can provide for its children. Some parents choose to delay formal education until kindergarten, instead instructing their children in reading readiness tasks and offering enrichment classes at home. Children who aren’t offered these opportunities, whether at home or in a formal school setting, perform below their kindergarten classmates in reading and social readiness. (W. Steven Barnett; January 2006). According to a study by Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, children who attended preschool scored at a higher reading level than children who did not attend preschool. Even if they couldn’t read, exposure to reading, books and listening to stories resulted in higher levels of letter and number recognition. When introduced to numbers and letters during kindergarten, children who attended preschool already had conceptual and visual familiarity, making it easier for them to make sense of written words. This advantage in reading comprehension and ability continued through age 15. Time Spent in Reading and Reading Level. (U. S. Department of Education, 1986) have recently reiterated the assertion that time spent reading at school and at home is an important facet of a reading program. Despite the perceived importance of time spent reading, a number of studies have found that intermediate grade students spend relatively little time reading at school or at home. It has been well documented that, in general, the amount of time that students are engaged in academic tasks during the reading period at school is positively correlated with gains in reading achievement (Brophy & Good,1986; Fisher et al. , 1980; Stallings & Kaskowitz, 1974). At the same time, however, many activities besides silent reading occur during the reading period (Anderson et al. , 1985). Consequently, studies on general student engagement during the reading period do not provide direct evidence of a meaningful relationship between time spent on silent reading and reading achievement. A few studies have supported the assertion that time engaged in silent reading is an important determinant of elementary students’ reading achievement. Greaney (1980) found a positive relationship between the amount of time spent reading at home and the reading achievement of elementary-age children. In effect, the assertion that time engaged in silent reading at school and at home is important for children’s reading growth has little empirical support; the literature contains surprisingly few studies that have actually found significant relations between time engaged in silent reading and gains in reading achievement for intermediate grade students. In fact, Wilkinson et al. (1988) and Anderson et al. (1988) have recently bemoaned the paucity of evidence. Thus, in the present study we focus on the relationship between reading and achievement gains. We attempt to provide data directly relevant to the policy question of whether or not elementary teachers and administrators should advocate students devoting more time to silent reading at school and at home. Synthesis of Review of Related Literature The Related Literature presented above revealed that there are certain existing factors related to the Reading Level of the pupils in an educational institution. It was mentioned by Klebanov et al. (1994) that education of parents and family income were important predictors of the physical environment and learning experiences in the home. Likewise, Smith et al. (1997) found that the association of family income and parents’ education with children’s academic achievement was mediated by the home environment. The pre-school program for children do all it can to ensure that the children will succeed in reading when they enter school (Maria Montessori). This serve as a foundation to their basic learning during their elementary grades. The time spent on reading has been beneficial to children who read during their free time. It has been well documented that, in general, the amount of time that students are engaged in academic tasks during the  reading period at school is positively correlated with gains in reading achievement (Brophy & Good,1986; Fisher et al. , 1980; Stallings & Kaskowitz, 1974). Chapter III METHODOLOGY This chapter presents a description of the Research Design, locale of Study, Sampling Population, Research Instrument, Data Gathering Procedure and Data Analysis. Research Design The non –experimental Design, Specifically the One shot survey was used in this study since it is the most appropriate approach in collecting the prescribed data. This design is suitable for the collection of descriptive information about the population or subjects of the study. Moreover, the design requires data to be collected once and it also utilized when the objective is describe a situation or condition of a study population as it exist. Locale of the Study The data and information needed in this study was obtained at Luis Mirasol Memorial School, for the convenience of both the respondents and the researchers. The locale is also appropriate, as it can accommodate all the respondents of the study. Respondents of the Study. All of the Grade III pupils from Luis Mirasol Memorial School will be taken as respondents of this study. Census of the total population from the mention institution will be formally obtained with proper permission from the School’s Principal with the total 70 respondents. Data Gathering Instrument The information needed in this study will be gathered using self-administered questionnaire and to be structured by the researchers. It consists of four parts: The first part of the instrument will asks about the Educational Attainment of both Parents, the second part pertains to the  Family Income of the respondents, the third part will asks about the Type of Pre-school the respondent attended, and the fourth part is the number of hours that the respondents spent in reading. Data Processing and Analysis The data in this study will be subjected to computer processed statistics using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) Program. A coding manual was prepared for easy facilitation of the data. In order to achieve the goals of the study, Descriptive Statistics which included the mean and Inferential Statistics which included the frequency count and percentage of the results was used. CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION The following are the results of our study conducted during the summer of 2012. We interviewed 53 students and the results show that when the respondents are grouped according to educational attainment of the father, the results are: Table 1. Distribution of Respondents According To Educational Attainment of the Father EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT OF THE FATHER| | Frequency (F)| Percent %| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| | Elementary| 4| 7. 5| 7. 5| 7. 5| | High School| 15| 28. 3| 28. 3| 35. 8| | College Level| 6| 11. 3| 11. 3| 47. 2| | College Graduate| 28| 52. 8| 52. 8| 100. 0| | Total| 53| 100.0| 100. 0| | In table 1, out of the 53 respondents, majority of their fathers are college graduate, 28 in total which comprise 52. 8% of the total population, followed by fathers who are high school graduates 15 in total, which comprise 28% of the total population. College level fathers and Elementary graduate are the bottom two, 6 and 4 in total respectively and comprise 11. 3% and 7. 5% of the total population. The data shows that the degree of educational attainment of mother does not affect the reading level of the pupils. Table 2. Distribution of Respondents According To Educational Attainment of the Mother  EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT OF THE MOTHER| | Frequency (F)| Percent %| Valid Percent %| Cumulative Percent %| | Elementary| 6| 11. 3| 11. 3| 11. 3| | High school| 15| 28. 3| 28. 3| 39. 6| | College level| 11| 20. 8| 20. 8| 60. 4| | College graduate| 21| 39. 6| 39. 6| 100. 0| | Total| 53| 100. 0| 100. 0| | In table 2, the data shows that out of the 53 respondents, majority of their mothers are college graduate, 21 in total which comprise 39. 6% of the total population, followed by mothers who are high school graduates 15 in total, which comprise 28. 3% of the total population. College level mothers and Elementary graduate are the bottom two, 11 and 6 in total respectively and comprise 20. 8% and 11. 3% of the total population. The data shows that the degree of educational attainment of mother does not affect the reading level of the pupils. According to____________________________________________? Table 3. Distribution of Respondents According to Monthly Income MONTHLY INCOME| | Frequency (F)| Percent %| Valid Percent %| Cumulative Percent %| | 5000 and above| 23| 43. 4| 43. 4| 43. 4| | 1501-4999| 20| 37. 7| 37. 7| 81. 1| | 1500 and below| 10| 18. 9| 18. 9| 100. 0| | Total| 53| 100. 0| 100. 0| | Out of the 53 respondents, majority of them have monthly net income above 5000, 23 in total which comprise 43. 4% of the total population, followed by those who have monthly income ranging from 1501 to 4999, 20 in total, which comprise 37. 7% of the total population, and lastly those who have monthly net income higher than 15000 comprised 18. 9% of the population, or 10 respondents. This data shows that According to Table 4. Distribution of Respondents According Type of Preschool Attended PRESCHOOL ATTENDED| | Frequency (F)| Percent %| Valid Percent %| Cumulative Percent %| | Public| 51| 96. 2| 96. 2| 96. 2| | Private| 2| 3. 8| 3. 8| 100. 0| | Total| 53| 100. 0| 100. 0| | Out of the 53 respondents, majority of them have finished their preschool in public schools, which comprise 51 respondents or 96. 2% of the entire population. The remaining 2 or 3. 8% went to private schools. This data shows that? __________________________ According to_______________________? Table 5. Distribution of Respondents According Time Spent in Reading TIME SPENT IN READING| | Frequency (F)| Percent %| Valid Percent %| Cumulative Percent %| | one hour a day| 26| 49. 1| 49. 1| 49. 1| | two hours a day| 5| 9. 4| 9. 4| 58. 5| | three hours a day| 2| 3. 8| 3. 8| 62. 3| | one hour in a week| 5| 9. 4| 9. 4| 71. 7| | three hours in a week| 2| 3. 8| 3. 8| 75. 5| | Less than one hour a week| 13| 24. 5| 24. 5| 100. 0| | Total| 53| 100. 0| 100. 0| | Out of the 53 respondents, majority of them spent one hour a day in reading, 26 in all or 49. 1%, followed by those who read less than an hour a week, 13 in all or 24. 5%. Those who read two hours a day and one hour a week are both tied which comprise 9. 4% of the population or 5 respondents in all. Same is in those who read three hours a day and three hours a week, both 2  respondents’ responds positively comprising 3. 8% of the population. This data shows that? __________________According to_______________? When grouped according to the raw scores in Filipino reading comprehension test we get the following results: SCORES IN FILIPINO| | Valid| 53| | Missing| 0| Mean| 78. 58| Median| 80. 00| Mode| 80| Std. Deviation| 4. 050| Minimum| 59| Maximum| 83| The range of the scores in Filipino exam is from 59 to 83, 59 being the lowest and 83 the highest, with a mean score of 78. 58, mode and median at 80 and with a standard deviation of 4. 050. (Complete table is shown in Appendix A Table 1) When grouped according to the raw scores in English reading comprehension test we get the following results: SCORES IN ENGLISH| | Valid| 53| | Missing| 0| Mean| 42. 21| Median| 44. 00| Mode| 43| Std. Deviation| 5. 749| Minimum| 17| Maximum| 49| The range of the scores in English exam is from 17 to 49, 17 being the lowest and 49 the highest, with a mean score of 42. 21, mode at 43 and median at 44 and with a standard deviation of 5. 749. (Complete table is shown in Appendix A Table 2) To test for correlation for father’s educational attainment in correlation to the respondents core in Filipino we get, the Spearman’s Rho to be . 093 with the significance of 0. 508. In terms for correlation between the mother’s educational attainments in correlation to the respondents score in Filipino we get the Spearman’s Rho to be -0. 21, with the significance of . 440. In terms of parents net monthly income in correlation to the respondents score in Filipino we get Spearman’s Rho of -. 013 with significance of . 464. In terms preschool attended in correlation to the respondents score in Filipino we get the Spearman’s Rho to be . 066, with the significance of . 321. In terms of time spent in reading in correlation to the respondents score in Filipino we get the Spearman’s Rho to be -0. 131, with the significance of . 176. To test for correlation for father’s educational attainment in correlation to the respondents score in English we get, the Spearman’s Rho to be . 086 with the significance of 0. 269. In terms of mother’s educational attainment in correlation to the respondents core in English we get, the Spearman’s Rho to be . 030 with the significance of 0. 415. In terms of monthly income in correlation to the respondents core in English we get, the Spearman’s Rho to be .015 with the significance of 0. 456. In terms of preschool attended in correlation to the respondent’s core in English we get, the Spearman’s Rho to be . 088 with the significance of 0. 265. In terms of time spent in reading in correlation to the respondent’s core in English we get, the Spearman’s Rho to be -. 114 with the significance of 0. 209. (complete table of correlation see Appendix A table 3. ) CHAPTER V CONCLUSION Based on the findings of the study the following conclusion was drawn: 1. Parent’s educational attainment, both mother and the father have no significant relationship with the scores both in English and Filipino. This means that the level educational attainment of the parents does not affects the scores in reading evaluation of the pupil. 2. Parent’s net monthly income has no significant relationship with the scores both in English and Filipino. This means that the net monthly income of the parents does not affect the scores in reading evaluation of the pupil. 3. The pre-school attended by the pupil has no significant relationship with the scores both in English and Filipino. This means that the preschool attended by the pupil does not affect the scores in reading evaluation of the pupil. 4. The pre-school attended by the pupil has no significant relationship with the scores both in English and Filipino. This means that the preschool attended by the pupil does not affect the scores in reading evaluation of the pupil. 5. The time spent by the pupil reading has no significant relationship with the scores both in English and Filipino. This means that the time spent by the pupil reading does not affect the scores in reading evaluation of the pupil. RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the foregoing findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are generalized: 1. Central Philippine University must take action and do more research as of what is the cause of the low reading level among Luis Mirasol Memorial School’s Grade III pupils. 2. Since there are no significant relationship between parent’s educational attainment, net monthly income and the reading level of a pupil, the parent’s must get involve in other ways in the pupil’s academe aside from the given two. 3. Researchers are recommended to find other factors that have probable relationship to reading level aside the factors given in this research. REFERENCES http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/reading-grade-level-RGL. html , Date retrieved: April 28, 2012 http:// indigo. ie/-sdblang/personal/papers. htm, Date retrieved: May 8, 2012 http://www. buzzle. com/articles/private-achools-vspublic-schools. html, Effects of Low Family Income on Children I eHow. com http:www. Ehow. com. /list _6195251-effects-low-family income children. html #ixzzluWkeyqBZ, Date retrieved: May 9, 2012 http://onlineacamemics. org/ReadingDiagnostisis. html, Date retrieved: May 11, 2012 The Philippine Journal of Education, Arnold Peralta (2006), Volume No. LXXXV, p. 243. Christian perspectives in education, Vol. 2, No. 2 Spring 2009.

Advancing the Nursing Profession

â€Å"When you're a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours†.   This is a famous saying from an unknown source that has touched my inner soul as I perform my nursing duties to my patients.For many years, the advancement in the field of science, medicine, technology and research has lessened hospital stay, reduced medical cost and improved the lives of people.   Professionals in various fields of medicine continue to explore the human body in their attempt to prevent sickness and diseases, discover cures, reduce the number of death and injuries and alleviate pains.The remarkable discoveries have given rise to better medicines, sophisticated medical apparatus and equipments that contributed to a large extent towards early detection and non-invasive surgical procedures.   So much of these discoveries are made and the advancement in medicine will never cease.In the field of nursing, I have witnessed the role of technology and medicine t owards the improvement of quality of life of many patients.   Some patients may thank the wonders of miracle drugs and others are thankful for the new lease of life that technology has given them.Yet, there are still countless of patients who need a human touch and listening professionals to reduce their anxieties and to regularly visit them in their sickbed.   Such is a vital role of a nurse that I intend to explore as I work towards the advancement of my profession.As a student nurse, I was given the opportunity to be assigned in all the units in the hospital.   I directly work under the supervision of a clinical instructor and professional nurses in various units.   In many instances, I also had the chance to assist physicians and surgeons as they perform medical treatments and surgical procedures to their patients.   Every learning opportunity is an important experience for me.  As I approach my final year in my studies, I cannot help but think of the field that I wa nt to specialize in and how I intend to advance my nursing profession.   My trainings have allowed me to work under a lot of pressure in the emergency department where every second counts to save the lives and alleviate the sufferings of those who are in distress.I have been part of the team that has witnessed the birth of a new creation in the delivery room.   From orthopedic, aesthetic, cardiology to neurology related surgeries, I have assisted doctors and nurses in the pre-operative and post-operative procedures.It was challenging to be assigned in the nursery and pediatric department to monitor the health conditions of the infants and children who were prone to many illnesses due to their low resistance.   I have felt the joy of seeing a patient wake up after days of being in a coma in the intensive units.I have also witnessed miracles and many sufferings from patients in the oncology unit.   There are intrinsic rewards and challenges that nurses like me has experienced in our day-to-day practice.As one of the forefronts in promoting the quality of life from birth to the end of life of every person, nurses can do so much in touching the lives of people and in giving hope to those who refused to believe that there may still be a faint of light at the end of the tunnel.   This is the task that I have decided to explore in the advancement of my nursing profession.In my trainings and experience in the hospital, I have had a mixture of good and painful experiences.   Although these are expected in any medical related profession, I still feel that nurses make a difference in the lives of others.   We can affect our patients positively and make them hold on even to the blink of hope that can change their lives.I felt a strong calling to work on a nursing profession that specialized in the field of oncology when I was assigned in the oncology unit.     Ã‚  Although there are researches, good drugs and advanced therapy for the detection, intervent ion, and treatment of cancer, nothing could replace the support, human touch and care that nurses could extend to patients who are in need of an assurance that we would be with them and their families as they endure their treatments and pains.Nothing could equal the anxiety and stress of going through chemo or cobalt therapy knowing that the treatment could provide a long term positive effect, a short-term remission or unfavorable result although these days treatments tend to prolong and enhance lives.   Research has provided us with more hope and more people who are afflicted with cancer tend to resume normal lives after regular treatments.Although my professional nursing practice may begin after I secure my credentials, I always believe that I have already began to practice my calling on the first day of my clinical experience.   Nursing is the career that I have chosen not only because of my desire to help the sick and make them feel better but I have felt so much fulfillment as I touch their lives in many ways that I have been touched.Working either in the oncology unit or in the hospice care is a field that I am most drawn to.   I intend to learn as much as I can from my work and from the experience that I will gain from caring my patients.   My concept in advancing nursing comes not from doing research to cure diseases but from the golden rule, â€Å"do unto others as you would have them do unto you†.I lived by the Bible verse found in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, that reminds me to â€Å"Encourage those who are weak and afraid†.   I believe that this is a good reminder for all the nurses.   It is not enough that we extend physical care to our patients.We also need to spiritually and emotionally lift them up to help them cope with their illnesses and to have a positive outlook in life.   Let us not lose sight of what our profession is all about.   Just like those days when Florence Nightingale rendered her dedicated services, we sh ould always offer a lending hand instead of waiting for our patients to ask for them.

A POSITIVELY EMPOWERED WOMAN MUST

A POSITIVELY EMPOWERED WOMAN MUST Know Herself An empowered woman knows who she is. Many women today feel as though they have lost themselves. Knowing yourself goes way beyond what you do or who you are. Knowing yourself means understanding your own strengths and weaknesses. The empowered woman knows the answers to, because the empowered woman understands who she is as a person. Keep Learning Never ever stop learning. Freeing and expanding your mind is one of the most imperative step toward empowering yourself, so educate yourself in any way you can. Even if you don’t have a formal education there are still plenty of ways to increase your knowledge on your own. A smart woman is an empowered woman. No one dare mess with thee Know What YOU Want Regardless of what the goals are, the empowered woman knows what she wants out of life. This enables her to act in ways that will move her closer to these goals. Be Independent Being comfortable with who you are, and knowing that you are strong enough to face any situation on your own, is an empowering feeling. It doesn’t matter whether you have a partner or not. Enjoying YOU time energizes your spirit in countless ways. While you’re out there living it up you’ll be building confidence and increasing your chances of knowing yourself better. Make Connections An empowered woman makes deep connections, both personal and professional. This means that she knows people, but it goes deeper than that. The empowered woman has a network of people that she has relationships with and can count on. The connections that an empowered woman makes are with people whom she can help and who can in turn help her to become a better person. Give Back When you help others, you help yourself. Give back to the community in any way you can and you will be rewarded in more ways than one. Giving back does not have to be a grand gesture. It’s as simple as saying good morning and holding the door for someone. Open your heart to others and they will open theirs to you. What a positively empowering act. Right! Dream Big Don’t be afraid to go after your dreams. No dream is too big or unobtainable. An empowered woman knows that she can accomplish anything she sets out to do, it is simply a matter of perseverance, believing in yourself, and following your heart. Listen to your heart. It was put there to empower you. Empower Others An empowered woman empowers others. An empowered woman can encourage other women to strive for what they want. She doesn’t pull people down but instead helps them to discover their full potential. This enables her to contribute positively to the lives of other women that she knows.

Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Democracy - Essay Example The United States legal system is the foundation of democracy and freedom because it draws boundaries on which rights and freedoms the administration can violate or interfere with. In the United States legal system, human rights are increasingly essential for a harmonious and prosperous society. In the US, because every citizen owns property, the United States laws and the public recognize the principle of property rights. Similarly, the US government ensures that the political rights idea trickles right down to the minority group or citizen. An ethical and religious rights conception appears to be diminishing; therefore, it is crucial to link the rights idea to the public interest. United States legal system has managed to practice this by giving the public political rights since the start, but in some other nations, it may be hard to give the society political rights because they may utilize the rights in an unethical way because they have been deprived of such rights for a long time. The US legal system assures citizens a role in lawmaking to ensure an extensive moral strength of the law. Similarly, in the United States, the public have a personal choice, interest and freedom in obeying the state laws, including the laws they oppose because they realize that, in some occasions, they will give the majority opinion and will condition the minority to adhere to the law. Whereas the powerful may always be the minority, their discomfort is not fatal as their power makes law violation increasingly risky.

Evaluating And Meeting Security Needs Research Paper

Evaluating And Meeting Security Needs - Research Paper Example This has numerous benefits, but also, great risks and vulnerabilities to the data. The most significant threat is that, if the data is tampered with or changed, it is all compromised at once. This paper will analyze the information security needs of the Light Walkers Company Ltd, and propose ways for meeting those needs within a network information systems architecture framework. The Light Walkers Company Ltd runs on an enterprise system structure where all the data and information system functions are centralized. The employment and integration of this system brings about great advantages to the organization. The limitations, though few, can be analyzed (Dhilon, 2006). One of the major concerns is the protection of data from intruders. Because of the centralization if its functions, Light Walkers Ltd is at a great risk of intrusion and illegal access to its files. If it is hacked, the hacker/intruder would have access to all their information. If it is infected by a virus, all their business files, due to their centrality, will also be damaged (Arison & Torkzadet, 2008). Unauthorized access from within the organization is also another security risk. Unauthorized personnel may access the system and alter data. This can happen accidentally or with intended malice, so as to gain from the data alteration. For these reasons, access to files in an information system running on enterprise architecture needs to be regularly and strictly monitored. In such a system, alteration or deletion of data may have disastrous effects. Another form of risk that the data faces is the risk of loss. As a result of the centralization of its functions, most information regarding the operation of Light Walkers Ltd is kept close together. If loss or damage was to occur to the storage and operating station, all the data would be lost at once. These are some of the security needs faced by this organization. Many of these problems are faced by organizations or companies running information systems on this platform (Arison & Torkzadet, 2008). One of the major problems that face centralization of data is the possibility of intrusion. To prevent this breach, the information should be kept in a secure place where access is heavily restricted. If the information is being transferred over a network, the information must be encrypted to prevent tampering with the information as it crosses the network. There are several ways in which intruders can access, change, tamper or modify the data (Dhilon, 2006). The problem of unauthorized access is also rampant in enterprise integrated systems. This can be handled by placing privileges on the personnel that have access to the data. This helps monitor who has had access to the systems and the changes that they have made. Also, because of the risk of tracking, administrators are advised to regularly change their credentials to achieve a high level of security (Dhilon, 2006). The use of ‘once off’ passwords should also be employed to levels where critical data is stored. This reduces risk of unauthorized access. Viruses and malicious computer programs are designed to damage a system. These programs usually attack vulnerable systems, and the damage they cause can be monumental because of the unexpected behavior of these programs. Light Walkers Ltd should have fully activated and

Short Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Short Story - Essay Example One would feel that they had forgotten the terror revolving on their heads. But the truth was that they had learnt to live in terror. The bus-stop was as usual crowded with waiting passengers. Second last in the queue was a boy who kept opening and shutting the lens of his camera while standing at the bus stop. The big, black camera hanging from his neck was the only thing he was carrying. A lose black t-shirt and a pair of worn out baggy jeans pants were hanging over his thin body frame. Natural goatee marked his chin and his face was colourless, ghostly white. He would be barely out of teens but his demeanour gave his face the maturity of forties. He turned the camera around, slapped it a couple of times and tried to adjust the lens again. The boy managed to squeeze his way to the middle of the jam-packed bus with the man virtually on his shoulder. Though it was a pleasant morning in the Poonch district of Kashmir, the insides of the bus were boiling due to the crowd. Wailing infants and shouting women were adding to the heat. Conductor of the bus rushed towards the new entrants and started handing out tickets. ‘No-no, I don’t regret it, he died bravely like a warrior, though he was a common man. He was just about your age and used to carry the same type off camera around his neck. I am really proud that he died on duty, serving the nation....Do you know, he revealed the exact hideout of the enemy to the Indian army unit posted there just before he died? The Government of India has bestowed Gallantry Award on my son... posthumously. It’s just that I miss him too much and cannot stop myself when I see somebody like him....,’ the man’s voice trailed off as he wiped the corners of his eyes with his hands. ‘Hey chap...Oh boy...,’ Habibulah called after the boy but the boy kept walking at a fast pace. The bus had started off again. The man looked at the departing bus and then ran behind the boy.

Social Science in Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social Science in Australia - Essay Example Sexuality has had diverse perceptions over decades. These include people, who are distinctively either male or female, and the heterosexuals- men and women in possession of both the male and the female sex-organs. In efforts to exploit sexual desires, divisions such as the homosexuals come up, composed of two different groups, the lesbians- women practicing sexual acts with fellow women and the gay-basically men who find sexual acts with their counterpart males compatible; and yet others practicing masturbation which is seeking to fulfill ones own sexual desire or pleasure. People have different understanding and beliefs in regard to sexuality and what is best for them sexually. Lesbians view the pleasure from fellow women as most fulfilling and the gay see it vice versa. A majority though think that its all abnormal saying that woman was made for man and likewise. In fact it has been approved with time after thorough investigations and research on homosexuals that is lesbians and ga ys. The debate over homosexual "marriage" for instance, often becomes focused on whether homosexuality is a learned behavior or a genetic trait. Many homosexual activists insist that "science" has shown that homosexuality is inborn, cannot be changed, and that therefore they should have the right to marry each other. (CWA, 2008).Because no single study can be regarded as definitive; more research on people who have overcome homosexuality needs to be done. But a considerable body of certain literature about change from homosexuality to heterosexuality has been compiled, and the sheer number of exceptions to the "born gay" theory should be a warning to researchers and media to proceed with caution before declaring that science has proved that homosexuality is genetic. Other recent developments suggest that homosexuality is not genetically determined but made. Another instance is given by Simone de Beauvoir who says "One is not born, but becomes a woman. No biological, psychological, or economic fate determines the figure that the human female presents in society: it is civilization as a whole that produces this creature, intermediate between, male and eunuch, which is described as feminine". This belief also applies to the case of men (WCA, 1981). To support the above motion, there are a number of factors to look into which include: political, socialization, work/family (gender equality), early environment, cultural background, economical, and religion. Other factors contributing to this are attitudes, discipline, effort and style. Firstly, talking about politics which has imposed oppression on especially women, a lesbian society pragmatically reveals that the division from men of which women has been the object is a political one and shows that women have been ideologically rebuilt into a "natural group." In the case of women, ideology goes far since their bodies as well as their minds are the product of this manipulation. They have been compelled in their bodies and in their minds to correspond, feature by feature, with the idea of nature that has been established for them. Distorted to such an extent that their deformed body is what they call "natural," what is supposed to exist as such before oppression Distorted to such an extent in the end, oppression seems to be a consequence of this, "nature" within them. Experience by both men and a woman in such a field finally

Ethical Issues Econet Needs to Consider in Its Operational Activities Coursework

Ethical Issues Econet Needs to Consider in Its Operational Activities - Coursework Example This paper illustrates that one of the ethical issues Econet needs to consider in its operational activities is the working conditions of the employees. It involves the safety of the employees being guaranteed in their working environment by providing the necessary equipment and special attires for some unique jobs. Working conditions also should embrace the compensation of the employees for the period they have worked. Another business ethics to be considered is discrimination. Discrimination may involve harassment of the female employees based on their gender or the act of diminishing the new employees that join the organization. Sensitivity training should be conducted to limit the chances of discrimination among the employees. Additionally, the ethical issue of corporate governance should be considered. It is a system by which a company is directed and controlled. It is evident that corporate governance is predestined to maximize shareholders value and protect the interest of oth er stakeholders. Statistics have proven that improved corporate governance enhances value to the company’s operational performance. The company can rationalize management and monitor risks that a firm may face globally. Also, the company guarantee the truthfulness of the financial reports and obtains a long-term reputation among key stakeholders. Another ethical issue to be considered by Econet is the legal and regulatory compliance. The managers should ensure that environmental laws, fiscal and monetary reporting principles and all applicable civil rights are complied with to ensure the smooth running of the firm. The researcher is also going to evaluate the influence stakeholders exert on Econet. Some of the stakeholders in the company are the customers, shareholders, employees, suppliers, and government. Employees are the internal stakeholders who are involved in the day-to-day activities of the company. Employees’ productivity influences the performance of the comp any in the market space. As for customers, they are the external stakeholders. It is evident that customers influence the profit margins and turnover through buying products and services. Suppliers are external stakeholders who influence Econet operations by supplying various products. When suppliers avail, the product in time Econet can fulfill their customers’ needs.

Recruitment and retention for qualified staff Essay

Recruitment and retention for qualified staff - Essay Example Moreover, the power of switch over or turnover of the employees might get reduced thereby amplifying the process of retention. Hence, it might be stated that, effective management and control of the human resource is directly responsible for their retention and improvement. This might prove effective in enhancing the level of functioning and competitive leverage of the organization among other new entrants. Literature review According to Sass (2012), human resource acts as the main pillar of an organization. Without which, an organization may not function effectively for longer period of time. As a result, the dominance and effectiveness of the organization might get fader slowly and gradually in all aspects as compared to other rivals operating in the similar segment. Therefore, in order to retain such essential resources, human resource management is extremely essential. Human resource management is the process used in recruiting and presenting training programs to the employees wi thin an organization. Due to which, an employee might become more valuable and worthy for the organization in this age. However, to increase the effectiveness of the employees, they need to be offered with accurate type of job orientation and scheduling programs that might enhance the skills and talents of the employee as well as the total productivity of the organization. As a result, the level of dedication and performance of employees towards job responsibilities of them might get enhanced. It is extremely essential for an employee to enhance his wage rate as well as retention power among other fresh and talented individual of this recent age (White & Drucker, 2013, p. 345-378). Other than this, management of the organization also might try to recruit the exact person for the exact job, so as to enhance the level of efficiency and devotion of the employee. Side by side, it might also help in enhancement of the total productivity and profit margin of the organization in the market among others. Hence it might be depicted clearly that experienced and talented employees are the most valuable assets of an organization, without which it may not prosper in the market (Price, 2011, p. 345-489). According to Price (2011), human resource management comprises of recruitment, development and retention of the experienced and talented employees so as to accomplish the strategic goals and objectives. However, it might be possible only if the employees are presented with varied types of benefits and incentives as per their level of performances. This strategy might prove effective for the employees in enhancing its level of motivation and loyalty towards responsibilities and tasks. Due to which, the level of performance of the employees might get enhanced thereby improving its dominance among other junior employees of the organization. It might also prove helpful for the employee in creating a substantial position (just as a leader) in the organization among others. As a result, these employees (leaders) might help in resolving varied types of disputes thereby implementing uniformity and consistency within the organization. Thus, the level of retention of the experienced employees might get increased thereby reducing the level of attrition (Barrett & Mayson, 2008, p. 346-456). Therefore, retention or recruitment of the experienced employees might help in enhancing the level of productivity and total sale of the

Frankenstein and Prometheus Essay Example for Free

Frankenstein and Prometheus Essay Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein can be compared to the myth Prometheus by J.M Hunt in several ways. Frankenstein and Prometheus both created life in their own way and faced consequences that they had not expected to encounter although they differed in that Frankenstein abandoned his creation and abhorred him whereas Prometheus wanted to help and care for his creation. Both Frankenstein and Prometheus developed creations easily but did not realize the consequences behind it. In the novel Frankenstein Victor always wanted to understand the cause of life and death and he set his mind into finding the answer. â€Å"I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet (Shelley 58). Victor was excited to understand that what he has created was the answer to his problems. Prometheus also felt the same way when he was creating his creation. Prometheus had the task to create man. â€Å"Prometheus had the task to create man. â€Å"Prometheus shaped man out of mud, and Athena breathed life into his clay figure (Legend of Prometheus). Prometheus’ task in creating life was easy, as for Frankenstein it was much harder as he spent months creating it. With the goal of creating life they both faced consequences because of their actions. Frankenstein and Prometheus ended up with severe consequences when they had created life. When Victor left Geneva for Ingolstadt an incident had occurred. Once day he received a letter from his father. â€Å"William is dead! That sweet child, whose smiled delighted and warmed my heart, who was so gentle, yet so gay! Victor, he is murdered! (Shelley 73). When Victor had read the letter he was shocked. Upon returning to Geneva he realized the monster had murdered his brother. Prometheus also faced consequences when he created man. When Zeus discovered that Prometheus lied to him he took fire away from man. Prometheus then lit a torch from the su and brought ti back again to man. Zeus was enraged and punished Prometheus. â€Å"Take [Prometheus] to the Caucasus Mountains and chain him to a rock with unbreakable adamant chains. Here he was tormented day and night by a giant eagle learing at his liver (Legend of Prometheus). The pain wouldn’t end for Prometheus because his liver would grow back again. Frankenstein and Prometheus faced consequences that ended in Frankenstein losing his loved one Prometheus being physically tortured day and night. Despite their punishment, Frankenstein exhibited actions that led him to become a bad creator, and Prometheus showing qualities of being a good creator. Frankenstein fathered his monster with his own hands. He labored for years in order to successfully breathe life into his creature. Then later once it was alive he abhorred him. When the monster was alive Frankenstein said â€Å"Oh! no mortal could support the horror of that countenance†¦ [Frankenstein] passed the night wretchedly†¦ Mingled with this horror [Frankenstein] felt the bitterness o f disappointment† (Shelley 59). This shows that all he wants to do with he creation is run away from it and to never see it again. Although Prometheus showed different qualities towards his monster. Prometheus fought to protect the human being he had given life to. â€Å"Prometheus lit a torch from the sun and brought I back again to man† (Legend of Prometheus). All he had tried to do was help his creation. Frankenstein and Prometheus differed because Frankenstein tried to hurt and abandon his creation but Prometheus did the opposite to his creation. Frankensten can be compared to the myth of Promethheus in many ways. When both are read the reader can infer many clear similarities between the two. Both Prometheus and Frankenstein faced consequences but treated their creations in different ways.

Managing Organisational Change And Affect An Organisation Business Essay

Managing Organisational Change And Affect An Organisation Business Essay Introduction: Todays business environment produces change in the workplace more suddenly and frequently than ever before. Mergers, acquisitions, new technology, restructuring and downsizing are all factors that contribute to a growing climate of uncertainty. Jobs, health, even marriages can be placed at risk, jeopardizing productivity and profitability. Specially in last five years many businesses has seen unpredictable changes, which have lead them to many possible worst or good outcome, like sell-out, closing down the business or cutting down the staff, low productivity etc. For some businesses changes have been positive and growth and success has been achieved. In this task one we will look at three organizations namely Santander, Pound land and Car phone warehouse. Objectives: Main objective of the task 1 is to study the changes those have been taken place in above named three companies. Secondary study the current position of these organizations in the current market and thirdly outline the positive and negative outcomes of changes. From: Marketing Consultant To: Board of Directors Date:- Subject: Changes in Last years and Outcome of those Changes 1. Santander Nature of Business Current position: The Santander Group is the fourth largest bank in the world by profits and eighth by stock market capitalization. Santander is one of the worlds biggest retail and commercial bank, based in Spain, with operations in more than 40 countries. Founded in 1857, Santander had EUR 1,168 billion in managed funds at the end of 2008. Santander is the largest financial group in Spain and Latin America, with leading positions in the UK and Portugal and broad presence in Europe through its Santander Consumer Finance arm. In year 2008 Santander registered EUR 8,876 million in net attributable profit, an increase of 9% from previous year excluding capital gain. Its vision is to consolidate itself as a large international financial group, which provides an increasingly high return to its shareholders and meets the financial needs of its customers. In order to achieve this, it combines strong presence in local markets with corporate policies and global capacities . To achieve its vision Santander has gone through many changes mainly mergers and acquisition. http://www.santander.com/csgs/Satellite?pagename=SANCorporativo/GSDistribuidora/SC_Index Changes in five years: Over the five years Santander has done many mergers and acquisitions in UK. In UK before 2004 Santander group has very less presence. So in 2004 they acquired deal with Abbey. In September 2008, Santander acquired Bradford and Bingleys saving and branch network and in October 2008 they acquired Alliance and Leicester. Both acquisitions were part of their growth strategy in UK and their goal to become the best commercial bank in the UK. By doing so now Santander has more than 1000 branches all over the country for its customers and more and effective banking products to get advantage over its customers. http://www.aboutsantander.co.uk/csgs/Satellite?pagename=AboutAbbey/GSDistribuidora/PAAI_home Positive Outcome: When an organization undergo any changes there are quite possibility of positive and negative outcome. There are so many positive out-comes for Santander in UK, which are mentioned below:  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Strong banking presence in UK  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  More than 1000 branches and 4500 cash machines  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  25 million customer base  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Benefits for customer improved products and it has created customer friendly environment in UK banking environment  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  It has become third largest deposit taker and second largest mortgage lender in the UK. Negative Outcome: Still now there are not many negative out-come for Santander in UK market but we can say economic condition is still improving and Santander has to go long way in UK market cause they are facing stiff competition from the banks like Barclays, Lloyds TSB, HSBC etc. As a group Santander has become very complex in size. Pound land: Nature of Business and Current position: Pound land was established in April 1990, with funds provided by the multi-million pound sale of an international wholesaling business. Pound lands retailing concepts is extremely simple: a range of more than 3000 items, each offered for sale at only  £1 each representing amazing value for money. They opened first store in Octagon Centre, Burton-upon-Trent in December 1990, followed by new stores in High street, Meadow hall and other quality trading locations. Since then Pound land has 233 stores in UK with 3500 employees. Pound land operates in a Retail Sector, where it provides tough competition to its competitors. Pound land provides all the home related products from chocolate, biscuits, major drinks like coke, Pepsi. They also provide Stationery, toys and other kitchen and bathroom related equipments. Pound lands biggest sale advantage is their price consistency across all products. While other retailers must decide upon the price of e ach individual product and have this clearly displayed to their customers, pound land may simply move stock onto its shelves from their warehouses, so customers know how much a product cost. Change took place and Outcome: In last five years major change has taken place in pound land, internally and externally. When VAT was introduced, in November 2008 to 15%, Pound lands prices remained fixed at  £1m, it is because they kept the price point of  £1 for 18 years and during that time they have cut down on duty and suppliers cost. They said they will pass the saving on customers. Other external change was its competitors. There are not much competition for Pound land apart from small shops and 99p store ltd. http://www.poundland.co.uk/corporate-information/ Car-phone Warehouse: Nature of the Business and current position: The Car Phone warehouse Group was founded in 1989 by Charles Dun stone as a UK mobile phone retailer, in the following eight years, the business grew organically and opened its first branches elsewhere in Western Europe in 1996, the business supplemented this organic growth with a series of acquisition both in the UK and Western Europe and now has a portfolio of 2453 stores across nine European countries of which 2231 are owned and 222 are franchised. Car phone Warehouse provides large number of mobile pay as you go and pay monthly phones, it also provides laptop and broadband and other accessories. Over the years it has developed many contracts with mobile phone providers such as Virgin Mobile, T Mobile, 3 Mobile, O2, Vodafone, Orange etc. Car phone Warehouse believes in Wireless world and By March 2010 40 to 50 wireless stores are planned, including mix of new stores. Car phone Warehouse has enjoyed its success in last 10 years because o f their sales strategy and customer service. Changes and Outcome: In last 5 years CPW has gone through many changes one of them is Virgin Mobile France, In April 2006, Virgin Mobile France was launched as a joint venture between the Car phone Warehouse Group and Virgin Group. On 14 December 2009, Virgin Mobile France completed the acquisition of Tele 2, consolidating its position as Frances largest MVNO and fourth largest mobile operator in France, with 1.7 million customers. Other changes were because of economic condition, where in last three years market growth is slow, customers has become very choosy about the product and money minded. Still the outcome is positive for the CPW, it is one of the highest mobile sellers in Europe, It has wide range of customers all across Europe, the profit margins has been gone up since 2007. The Brand itself has become very popular. http://www.cpwplc.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=123964p=irol-home Conclusion: In last five years above companies have gone through many management or organizational changes. Organizations like Santander and Car phone Warehouse has seen many positives and negative outcomes, and small organization like Pound land has also seen market changes in current economic climate but overall its beneficial for the all the companies. Task 2:- Bureaucratic Organizations Introduction: Crozier (1964, p 187) suggests that A bureaucratic organization is an organization that can not correct its behaviors by learning from its errors. Normally Bureaucratic organizations are those government agencies, where work needs be done from department to departments. But today bureaucratic organizations are really big organizations where they are very complex in size, their hierarchy is really complicated, have unhappy employees etc. In this Task 2, two bureaucratic organizations IKEA and Virgin Group will be studied; over last many years what changes have been taken place and how these big companies have handled those changes? Objectives: In task 2, Current positioning and How bureaucratic organizations like IKEA and Virgin Group performs, their strengths and weaknesses, changes which has been taken place, how the changes has been taken place and whether they were beneficial or not will be studied. From: Marketing Consultant To: Board of Directors Date:- Subject: Bureaucratic Organizations IKEA and Virgin Group 1) IKEA (Efficiency through which IKEA run) Over the last sixty years IKEA offers wide range of furniture to its customers. IKEA is a bureaucratic organization with offices and store in more than 25 countries. The IKEA story began in 1943 in the small village of Agunnaryd in Sweden, when founder Ingvar Kamprad was Just 17. Since then, the IKEA group has grown into a major retail experience with 123,000 co-workers in 25 countries generating annual sales of more than 21.5 billion euros. To maintain the big brand name it has also got the big work force different areas of businesses. It has 13800 people working in purchasing, distribution and wholesale range while 15000 and 94200 workers working in Swedwood and retail area respectively. It has also got very systematic distribution chain. It has 28 distribution centers and 11 customer distribution centers in 16 countries. Impact on environment and reaction to change: Over the six decades IKEA has gone though many organizational changes like business expansion in many new markets like USA, China, and Whole Europe etc. It has also developed many different products to sustained market growth and customer satisfaction. It operates in wide range of products comprises from Living room furniture to textiles. It has also got various other sections like bedroom, kitchen and childrens IKEA, which actually gives them the edge over their competitors. It has also started to operate in franchise system. Firstly to understand the working efficiency of big organizations it is must to understand the mission statement of that organization. A mission statement may be a phrase, sentence, or document which attempts to sum up a companys corporate goals (long-term), in a way in which it may create a common purpose for all the stakeholders for the business. To date, IKEAs vision statement is: to create a better everyday life for the many people. Whilst its business idea, as stated by the IKEA group website is to offer a wide range of well-designed, functional, home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford them. For the employees and managers of IKEA, the mission statement aims to motivate and inspire the staff as one, in order to achieve other financial goals and aims. Strength and Weaknesses IKEAs strength is given below:  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  A strong global brand  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  A clear vision  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Strong concept  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Democratic design (the equal balance of function, quality, design and price) IKEAs weaknesses are given below:  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The size and scale of its business  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The demand for low-cost products  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The need to keep the public and IKEA stakeholders well informed about its environmental activities.  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Cultural change The first weakness for a bureaucratic organization is the size and scale of its business. IKEA is a large organization, so it is difficult to maintain and keep track of its global activities and it will make difficult to handle its operations. As IKEA is offering low cost, good quality furniture to its customers it is really difficult to maintain low cost against quality. http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/about_ikea/facts_and_figures/about_ikea_group/index.html 2) Virgin Group (Efficiency through which it operates): Virgin is a leading branded venture capital organization and is one of the worlds most recognized and respected brands. Conceived in 1970 by Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Group has gone on to grow very successful businesses in sectors ranging from mobile telephone to transportation, travel, financial services, media, music and fitness. As a group Virgin has created more than 300 branded companies worldwide, employing approximately 50,000 people, in 30 countries. It has its revenues in 2009 exceeded  £11.5 billion. Virgin believes in making a difference. Virgin stands for value for money, quality, innovation, fun and a sense of competitive challenge. Impact on their environment: Virgin has always considered themselves to be a responsible business, and whilst taking environmental and social pressures of world. Virgins mission statement which can be seen in their growth is Looked for new, innovative ways to do business by offering consumers another way, a better way, and by being willing to fight their corner. In starting years whenever Virgin has started its new business, it had gone through really tough time but effective strategic management it has grown from one Office Company to group. One of the single most influence behind the company success is its founder Sir Richard Branson, his strategic decisions, long vision, forward thinking and risk taking ability had enable virgin to achieve the height of success they are enjoying now. How they react to changes: Virgin has very straight forward working pattern, their hierarchy is really simple, and they operate their businesses around their customer needs. When Virgin opened Virgin Atlantic they had very stiff competition from British Airways and other American airline companies. It had also seen very stiff competition in music industry. The strategy virgin has adopted over the year is known as strategy of unrelated diversification entering in to the new market. In Virgin Control was distributed in to the different divisions to gain effective organization. Virgin Strength and Weaknesses a. Price: Price is the main factor in Virgins success as a group, Virgin has always try to provide quality and good customer service at lower price or if they charge high for any product they keep their promises for their products b. Brand: As mentioned above Sir Richard Brandson is the big brand by himself and he had put lots of efforts to develop Virgin brand from jumping from the roof of American building to balloon flight across the Atlantic. c. Customer Service: As Virgin is operating in many industry and different products, customer service is the main strength of Virgin, as they tends to give all products under one roof service options to its customer. d. Democratic Design: As mentioned earlier Virgin has very simple operating structure, so it helps in quick decision making. And its avoid miscommunication. Weaknesses: Every big organization has one big weakness; it is their size so it is very difficult to maintain the balance between different departments. Secondly so many products, which virgin offers are bound to create misunderstanding among its customers. Thirdly the cultural change is the another weakness in the case of Virgin as its operates businesses in so many countries and it has 50000 employees over many countries, Virgin has to manage right culture mix approach, if they fail to do so, it will lead them to big problem in future. http://www.virgin.com/about-us/ Conclusion: Bureaucratic organizations are really complicated and there were many changes in IKEA and Virgin Group, but they have good hierarchy and management in place to handle those changes. They have enjoyed good current positioning in the market. Specially, because of current economic meltdown Virgin Airlines did go through tough time but as it got support from other virgin group companies, Virgin Airlines survive in the market. So these are the strengths and weaknesses of IKEA and Virgin Group companies. Task 3: Introduction: It is not the strongest of the species that survives, or the most intelligent that survives, it is the most adaptable to change Charles Darwn (1809-1882). Major organizational change should be avoided at all cost; it sucks up time, energy and emotion, distracts your main purpose, disrupts operations, annoys your people, undermines morale and rarely delivers the promised benefits. And if organization can adopt the change very quickly and efficiently they can surely taste the growth in near future. In Task 3, comparison between two organizations one from task 1 and one from task two will be given. Objectives: Objectives of task three: Understanding of Fordism concept Learn New and Better Methods of Managements Comparison between two organizations. From: Marketing Consultant To: Board of Directors Date:- Subject: Fordism concept and new management techniques with comparison Fordism Concept and Importance: Frodism, named after Henry Ford, refers to various social theories about production and related socio-economic phenomena. Berman (1982, p21) suggest that The essential meaning is that the worker must be paid higher wages in order to afford the products that the industrialist himself produces, causing an economy that runs full circle. Fordism was specifically modern modes of organizing labour which immediately suggest that this is all it was. Fordism concept, that is valuable for any organization because of its meaningful characteristics. Higher productivity is the main philosophy of manufacturing by doing standardizing the output, using conveyor assembly lines and breaking work into small de-skilled tasks. Taylorism seeks machine and worker efficiency, while fordism seeks to combine them as one unit. Now there is comparison between two organizations each one from task 1 and task 2. Organizational Development: According to Cummings and Worley Organizational development are both a professional field of social action and an area of scientific inquiry. The OD Covers wide spectrum of activities with seemingly endless variations upon them. Organization development refers to a long range effort to improve an organizations problem solving capabilities and its ability to cope with changes in its external environment with the help of external or internal behavioral scientist consultants, of change agents, as they are sometimes called. Globalization, cultural change, system change and employee play an important role in organizational development. Apart from internal stakeholders and systems, external stakeholders like customers, shareholders and suppliers also play an important role in OD. Below we will discuss the comparison between two organizations and its development. Comparison between IKEA and Santander: As we have seen in the case of IKEA, it is a big organization with many offices and stores across the world. They need to go through changes very frequently compare to Santander which is banking sector company. During the change process people, structure, size, leadership, strategies etc. are most important factors which need to be taken care of by organization. While doing change organizations must consult their employee and let them know in advance the future changes those are going to be happening in the organization. So they are ready to accept the changes. While any organizations main assets are its products and people. Stakeholders also play an important role in management change or organizational change. Now a days people have become more net savvy and they do most of the shopping on line or even they can book their holidays online. So internet has become fastest way of medium to serve the clients in fastest way. While every organization is investing millions of dollars or pounds in creating e shop for their customers they are also investing lots of money to train their employee and to help them to improve their skills and techniques to use improved system. There are so many factors which play important part in organizational development and change: direction, purposeful leadership, alignment of purpose and value and porters five forces. Operations are in the bank are very wide, from customer services to back office operations and to do the work efficiently, most of the banks used electronic equipment and system to cope with the future demands. For an example as we have seen Santander is a one of the big bank in Europe and to manage their operations they are spending lots of money in banking system and website development. When a customer wants to open bank account they physically need not to go in to the bank, they can just click few buttons on their computer and they will be able to open bank account, they can transfer funds between their accounts, even they can pay their bills online as well. So this way Santander is enjoying luxury of reaching the people indirectly through its website. While other banking system they use for their employees is internal system where they can store each and every data of every customer transaction. To use the system they need to train their employee how to use the system etc. Multi national companies needs to also look after cultural changes in their respective offices. As a bank it has merged with many other financial institutions in other countries. So merger is also one the better organizational management methods. While as a bureaucratic organization IKEA is more sensitive towards the changes, they need to face many changes all the time cause every time they need to develop new products, develop new markets etc. Cultural change is the major issue in the bureaucratic organization compare to domestic organization or small organization. Because they are producing furniture and when they do so they need look after its customers needs and believes while making so. Organizational changes are also depends on competition of the particular industry. As in the furniture industry, there tends to be major changes every year and competition is likely to be very high and to survive in the industry employee management, efficient leadership, System changes, Cultural changes etc. are really important. Conclusion: At the end of the day all organization runs its business to give excellent customer service to its customer and end motto is to earn profit and stabilization in current economic climate. As we have seen in above comparison, customer service is the main factor all organizations work for and they are ready to go through all the changes to achieve its goal. System change, culture change, people change are the main changes which are occur very often. Task 4: Introduction: In task 4 we will see various change models available for organization and comparison between conventional sales and internet sales. There are total six change management models available for its businesses. And businesses can use it to adopt the changes. Objectives: In task 4 main objectives will be: Study various change models, Comparison between conventional sales and internet sales, presentation. From: Marketing Consultant To: Board of Directors Date:- Subject: Change management Models Change management Models: MODEL 1: 4-D, Desire, Dream, Discovery, Deliver MODEL 2: Lewiss theory of change, now a day there is hardly any organization which has not affected with change yet, as he argued that there are 3 different stages of change which can change the whole structure of any organization. Unfreeze: Change: Refreeze: MODEL 3: John Katters Change Model, establish a sense Create Develop a of urgency coalition clear vision Empower Share the people to vision clear obstacles Anchor the Consolidate and 8. Secure short- change keep moving term wins MODEL 5: Better future for all Analyze Understand needs, processes structures and foresee resistance Cyclical Process Framework (CFAN) Change at Team Change at Individual Levels System Level Nurture Establish a framework that sustains Monitor the change Communicate Make the change Goals visible to all Exploring and creating meaning Coach and Mentor Help individuals to master change Review Design new structures, processes Facilities etc. MODEL 6: Mckinleys 7-S Model: that includes Shared value, Strategy, Structure, Systems, Style, Staff, Skills Internet sale and Conventional Sale: In current market conventional sale has been taken over by internet sale. Most of the organizations have started their online sale activities through their websites. Internet has offered an exceptional platform for marketers to promote their products and services. The multiple benefits have made internet sale more productive tool as compare to traditional sale and sales methods. Because of the change in sale environment lots of organizations have gone through many changes, changes like system, employee behavior, hierarchy etc. Many well established organizations are spending millions of pounds for their internet activities. Compare to traditional sale and sales techniques, online or internet sale has many benefits. It has proven to be an effective platform from which almost every company is benefiting and it is supporting them to strengthen their relationship with their globally dispersed consumers. Benefits and Challenges: Internet sale has so many advantages: it is quick, easy, and cheaper and its even beneficial for smaller organizations. Though there are many benefits still there are some challenges with internet sale, Challenges like:  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Very fast advancement means people have to really spend a lot of time researching and keeping up to date with the latest trends and methods.  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Sometimes the data can be misleading. While Conventional Sale costly technique compare to internet sale, Conventional marketing is not quick. There are many stages through which sales have been made. Its a customer facing role where employees are elected to do sales activities. Plus transportation is the main disadvantage in conventional sales. Because in conventional sale goods need to be transported from ware house to different stores while in online sales goods can be directly reached to its customers. Pound-land and IKEA: IKEA has gone through many changes in recent time, mainly in their sales activities. They have many different stores across the world, still they do online sales. They provide all the product information online which allows their customers to check the product online and if customers want to buy it they can buy it online as well. It allows IKEA to save the time, cost and transportation expenses. While Pound-land still doing conventional sales, their products are very cheap and wide range of products still they havent started any major online activities. They have developed their websites but they are not in to online marketing and sales process. When implementing changes now a days internet plays an important role, it also creates job opportunities. Conclusion: In a conclusion it is clear that in every organization there is need of a change and it is very beneficial for any organization to have a change in the company or organization as it is above mentioned that there are more models of change , but again its depends on the situation that how we can get this change being in mind the current position of the company, as there are lots of change going in IKEA and best change model for them is the Mckinleys 7-s Model cause it covers most of the stock holders and customer values. For Pound land as it has not started its online activities, 4 D model is suitable for them as they have to dream and desire about reaching more customers through various ways. Task 5 Change Management: Change management entails thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation, and above all consultation with, and involvement of, the people affected by the changes. The only person who likes Change is a wet baby! A wet baby is aware of the imperfections of its current situation and will cry and scream until a Change is brought about. This analogy is a simple one, but it does contain a core of truth. If your Target audience is dissatisfied with their Status Quo, they will be willing to Change to something-else.  Resistance isnt an indication that something is wrong with what you are trying to change. It is an indication that something is happening. It is a good sign. Another aspect is culture. Culture changes will e a bigger project than the original change. There are three options: change the change, change the culture or prepare to fail. What is their Vision of the Future? Where would they like to be in 1 year, 5 years? Can they define what they would like their future Status Quo to look like? The better they can define it, the more detail they can describe, the more tangible it becomes. What can they do to achieve it? How can they become involved in their vision? What can they do to move towards it? Surprisingly enough, they have answers to these questions. And those answers can become a plan of action if we let them. What commitment will they invest? Change is never easy What will they contribute to get to the future theyve described? If the answer to the question Whats in it for me? is satisfactory to them theyll be willing to contribute more than we expect. What do they need from you? Staff needs management support. This is what is meant by the phrase Top down Support and it is crucial to successful Change. IF top management does NOT believe in the Change, then it becomes very difficult to achieve not impossible, just needlessly difficult. Before going to the troops with a Change, make sure the political battles in the upper ranks have been resolved. When will their Transition Plan be ready? Set a date for the completion of the Change. Nothing happens without a deadline. Deadlines, especially deadlines offered voluntarily, with eyes open, become a commitment.   What will NOT Change? Very important People need to know what parts of the old Status Quo will remain. Even if it is only small things which will remain constant, dont underestimate their value. At pound land system implementation is easy compare to bureaucratic organization like IKEA. Cause in bureaucratic organization, employees have less trust in the organization. Trust plays an important role in change management. Secondly strong top management involvement required while doing changes or going through changes. Motivation factor plays an important role in processes; every one needs to be motivated while implementing changes. Task 6: When going through different processes of change management it is must to involve all stakeholders because they are the back bone of organization. When implementing new system in to any organization it is really important to involve all stakeholders of the organizations. Stake holders include various people an

Literary Comparison Of A Clock Essay -- essays research papers

A Literary Comparison Of A Clockwork Orange and The Crucible   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The existence of evil in the world is a universal question that is often contemplated. Anthony Burgess and Arthur Miller in their novels A Clockwork Orange and The Crucible address this question of evil. One of these stories is set in the future, and the other in the past confirming the belief that the human struggle between good and evil is timeless and applies to every person in society. Throughout history numerous examples of leaders have attempted to control the nature of people within their society through systems of punishment and reward. This system had failed continuously to control the entire population because people still retain their ability to choose. It is said that once a person loses his free will, he ceases to be a person. This is the struggle confronting the protagonists in both A Clockwork Orange and The Crucible. The fifteen-year old rebel Alex and the respected farmer John Proctor refuse to conform to the rules of their oppressive societies, a nd as a result are denied the freedom to choose between good and evil, therefore becoming less than human.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Alex and John Proctor live in highly oppressive societies from which they feel alienated, and therefore decide to rebel against. The futuristic setting of A Clockwork Orange is one of a constructive, depersonalized society where the government has far too much control over people’s lives. They are forced to live in strictly regimented communities, and their daily life is dreary. “Alex’s England is a socialized nightmare.'; (De Vitis, 106) It is because of this meaningless life that Alex chooses to rebel against his society, committing so many brutal acts of violence that he soon becomes desensitized to the horror he is creating. When questioned by his correctional officer as to why he acts this way, Alex replies “…badness is of the self, the one, the you or me. They of the government and the judges and the schools cannot allow badness because they cannot allow they self… what I do, I do because I like to do it. (Burgess, 34 ) Alex fully Bisson 2 realizes that the controlled society he lives is one that tries to eliminate all individuality. This causes him to act out in violence against authority as a means o... ... since it is the only way he will be allowed to remain true to himself. Proctor realizes that life without free will is a subhuman existence and not worth living. Both Alex and john, unable to choose between right and wrong for themselves, cease to have a normal existence, and both choose death over a life without choice. This is the only way they have of affirming their humanity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Anthony Burgess and Arthur Miller believe that it is more important to remain true to oneself then to always choose good over evil. They show a person must maintain their free will in order to function properly as a human being. They prove this in their works A Clockwork Orange and The Crucible by showing the negative things which befall the protagonists when their right to choose is taken from them. Basically, a free will is essential to every human being, and to take it away is to dehumanize an individual. The two novels function as notable warnings to those that would sacrifice their individuality to please authorities. In addition, they remind the reader that what makes a person is their ability to choose, and so it is necessary that people be allowed that choice.

Suggestion of Narrator in Edgar Allan Poes The Masque of the Red Death :: essays research papers

Edgar Allan Poe?s ?The Masque of the Red Death? provides many allusions as to who, if anyone, narrates the tale. The narrator witnesses all the events within the sealed abbey and lives to tell the tale. However, it is certain that everyone in the abbey dies at the end, after exposure to the Red Death. This seems to clearly indicate that it is not possible for any guest to be the narrator, unless someone can supernaturally foresee the future. This also rules out the possibility of the narrator being Prince Prospero, despite the emphasis in the story placed on wealth and beauty, indicating a more pragmatic perspective from whoever is narrating. There is also the possibility that the tale is written by a dying guest who makes an astonishingly accurate assumption of the end result of events. This leaves one to ponder whether there is, in fact, no intended narrator, or rather, an abstract narrator, such as the Red Death itself. Can one consider that Poe was merely careless and that the inclusion of three first-person pronouns1 is meaningless, indicating there is no narrator? This would, however, be quite an aberration of Poe?s tendency to pay such close attention to the usage of language in his works. Relating to recurring concepts in Poe?s writing, his dreadful fear of death could be the reason why the narrator may be the Red Death itself. The strongest evidence is that the narrator is aware of all the events within the story, while at the same time reporting it, and is able to tell what happens at the very end-the point at which everyone within the abbey is dead. Also apparent is the language used to describe the guests? reaction to the masked figure, which is somewhat indicative of a personal opinion. The narrator never blatantly appears in a scene, but is always there and knows of all happenings. Even then, the narrator is only ever revealed as the one who tells of events2. He highlights and describes events as if he were an outside party, when, in actuality, he is within. Could the narrator be omniscient, perhaps the super ego of Poe himself?

The Seven Deadly Sins: Seen, Heard, and Felt Essay -- Seven Deadly Sin

The Seven Deadly Sins: Seen, Heard, and Felt  Ã‚      The play of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe concentrates very highly on ideas of evil. Marlowe uses many aspects of evil to show the downfall of the somewhat odd man, Faustus. Devices including irony, foreshadowing, and symbolism are used very effectively in the play to convey feelings of sympathy and remorse for Faustus. Actually seeing a production of this play would further assist in an understanding of exactly what Faustus was faced with in his moments of severe weakness. By actually seeing a rendition of what Faustus was faced with, members of the audience can question themselves about what they would have done if they were Faustus. Act 2, Scene 2, lines 115-117 is a very good place to help an audience feel what Faustus was feeling and seeing. Script Doctor Faustus appears as a tall lanky man, with dark brown hair, which lies close to his head, and curls up at the ends. His moustache is trimmed close to his upper lip. Faustus plays with the moustache frequently during this scene. He wears a plain black suit, a white dress shirt with a plain black necktie and polished shoes. He is adorned only with one piece of jewelry, a wristwatch. Faustus needs to be a man who looks simple enough to fall prey to the Devils' plans. He can not look too strong or stupid either, because a man of either of those qualities would not fall into the Devil's trap. He must look like an everyday sort of man in order for the audience to be able to relate to him, and to place themselves in his experience, and learn from the experience. Belzebub and Lucifer are tall, dark, lavish looking men. They have very strong shoulders and use them to make their appearances very solid and unwav... ... Sins. Explanation This version of the scene is set in the nineteen-eighties. This is done so a modern audience should be able to relate the sins more directly to themselves. If this was not done, then some members of the audience might not be able to relate at all to the play's messages. Many of the costumes used could not be relevant to members of other societies either. People living in Europe would not necessarily understand the significance of a man dressed in sloppy jeans and a t-shirt as a normal everyday sight in many American homes. Hopefully some of the images used in this version of the play will serve as a wake-up call to those people who may be falling towards "the Devil" and can avoid the bitter end that Doctor Faustus reached.    Works Cited Marlowe, Christopher. "Doctor Faustus." New York: Penguin Group, 1969.            

Health Effects from Cell Phone Tower Radiation Essay

The safety of cell phone towers is the subject of extensive scientific debate. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that the electromagnetic radiation they emit, even at low levels, is dangerous to human health. The cell phone industry is expanding quickly, with over 100,000 cell phone towers now up across the U. S. , which is expected to increase ten-fold over the next five years. The industry has set what they say are â€Å"safe levels† of radiation exposure, but there are a growing number of doctors, physicists, and health officials who strongly disagree, and foresee a public health crisis. Many towers have been built recently in Siskiyou Colorado, with dozens more planned, as telecommunications companies rush to corner markets in this fast-growing industry. These towers emit radio frequencies (RF), a form of electromagnetic radiation (EMR), for a distance of up to 2-1/2 miles. They are essentially the same frequency radiation as microwaves in a microwave oven. Studies have shown that even at low levels of this radiation, there is evidence of damage to cell tissue and DNA, and it has been linked to brain tumors, cancer, suppressed immune function, depression, miscarriage, Alzheimer’s disease, and numerous other serious illnesses. [1] Children are at the greatest risk, due to their thinner skulls, and rapid rate of growth. Also at greater risk are the elderly, the frail, and pregnant women. Doctors from the United Kingdom have issued warnings urging children under 16 not to use cell phones, to reduce their exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation. Over 100 physicians and scientists at Harvard and Boston University Schools of Public Health have called cellular towers a radiation hazard. And, 33 delegate physicians from 7 countries have declared cell phone towers a â€Å"public health emergency†. The U. S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is in charge of setting the standards of exposure for the public, and claims that, based on scientific studies, the current levels are safe. But it is not a public health agency, and has been criticized as being â€Å"an arm of the industry†. Many who work for the FCC are either past, present or future employees of the very industries they are supposed to regulate. With an explosively emergent $40 billion dollar a year industry at stake, critics have stated â€Å"you can bet that their studies are going to show whatever they want them to show†. â€Å"Our federal government also once told us that asbestos, cigarettes, thalidomide, and the blood supply were â€Å"safe†, but which were later found to be harmful. â€Å"You can bet that their studies are going to show whatever they want them to show. – Cathy Bergman-Veniza, at Vermont Law School Environmental Law Center Conference, 1996 The current U. S. standard for radiation exposure from cell phone towers is 580-1,000 microwatts per sq. cm. (mW/cm2), among the least protective in the world. More progressive European countries have set standards 100 to 1,000 times lower than the U. S. Compare Australia at 200 microwatts, Russia, Italy, and Toronto, Can ada at 10, China at 6, and Switzerland, at 4. In Salzburg, Austria the level is . 1 microwatts (pulsed), 10,000 times less than the U. S.  New Zealand has proposed yet more stringent levels, at . 02 microwatts, 50,000 times more protective than the U. S. Standard. [3, 4] Contrary to what the communications industry tells us, there is vast scientific, epidemiological and medical evidence that confirms that exposure to the RF and microwave radiation emitted from cell towers, even at low levels, can have profound adverse effects on biological systems. [5, 6, 7, 8]. There is vast scientific and medical evidence that exposure to cell tower radiation, even at low levels, can have profound adverse effects on biological systems. Scientists and advocacy groups say that the current FCC â€Å"safe† standards are based on 1985 research, and fail to consider more recent research that found brain cancer, memory impairment, DNA breakdown, and neurological problems with RF at much lower levels. The earlier studies considered only the â€Å"thermal†, or heating effects of the radiation – in other words, the level at which the radiation would heat tissue, or â€Å"cook† a person, in the same exact manner that a microwave oven works. The FCC levels may ensure our tissues are not â€Å"cooked†, but they fail to address long-term chronic exposure at low levels, or what is called â€Å"non-thermal† effects. Doctors say that RF radiation is wreaking havoc with normal biological cell functions. â€Å"RF alters tissue physiology†says Dr. George Carlo, an epidemiologist who found genetic damage in a $28 million research program, paid for by the industry. He now fights to have safety levels lowered. [9] In 1998 the Vienna Resolution, signed by 16 of the world’s leading ioelectromagnetic researchers, provided a consensus statement that there is scientific agreement that biological effects from low intensity RF exposure are established. It says existing scientific knowledge is inadequate to set reliable exposure standards. No safe exposure level can be established at this time. The world’s leading electromagnetic researchers say existing scientific knowledge is inadequate to set reliable exposure standards. – The Vienna Resolution, 1998 The Salzburg Resolution, adopted in 2000 at the International Conference on Cell Tower Siting, would prohibit any cell site from emanating more than . mW/cm2 – 10,000 times more strict than the current U. S. standard. This limit takes into account the growing evidence for non-thermal RF bioeffects. [10] Cell phone towers expose the public to involuntary, chronic, cumulative Radio Frequency Radiation. Low levels of RFR have been shown to be associated with changes in cell proliferation and DNA damage. Some scientific studies show adverse health effects reported in the . 01 to 100 mW/cm2 range at levels hundreds, indeed, thousands, of times lower than the U. S. standards. These harmful low levels of radiation can reach as far as a mile away from the cell tower location. Reported health problems include headache, sleep disorders, memory impairment, nosebleeds, an increase in seizures, blood brain barrier leakage problems, increased heart rates, lower sperm counts, and impaired nervous systems. [ 11 ] Long term and cumulative exposure to cell tower radiation has no precedent in history. There are no conclusive studies on the safety of such exposures, and the growing body of scientific evidencereports such bioeffects and adverse health effects are possible, if not probable. Dr. Neil Cherry, Ph. D. biophysicist from New Zealand, reports that â€Å"There is no safe level of EMR radiation. †He said the standards are based on thermal effects, but important non-thermal effects also take place, such as cell death and DNA breakdown. Dr. Cherry wrote a 120-page review of 188 scientific studies. â€Å"The electromagnetic radiation causes cells to change in a way that makes them cancer forming. † It can increase the risk of cancer two to five times, he said. â€Å"To claim there is no adverse effect from phone towers flies in the face of a large body of evidence. â€Å"To claim there is no adverse effect from phone towers flies in the face of a large body of evidence. † – Dr. Neil Cherry, biophysicist Public health officials caution that we err on the side of conservatism, given the massive public health risk that is possible. Other federal health agencies disagree that safe levels of exposure have been identified, much less built into the FCC standard. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not agree with the FCC standards, and analysts have recommended that EMR be classified as a â€Å"probable human carcinogen†. 12] Deputy Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, Elizabeth Jacobsen, has stated that the safety of RF â€Å"has not been established nor has the necessary research been conducted to test it†, and cites risk of brain cancer, tumors and DNA breakdown. The California Public Utility Commission has urged the cell phone industry to not locate towers near schools or hospitals. And the World Health Organization reports â€Å"many epidemiological studies have addressed possible links between exposure to RF fields and excess risk of cancer. These studies do not provide enough information to allow a proper evaluation of human cancer risk from RF exposure because the results of these studies are inconsistent. † â€Å"The safety of RF has not been established, nor has the necessary research been conducted to test it. † – Elizabeth Jacobsen, Deputy Director, US Department of Health â€Å"Our bodies are exquisitely sensitive to subtle electromagnetic harmonics, and we depend upon tiny electrical impulses to conduct complex life processes,† says Dr. Robert Becker, author of The Body Electric, and Cross Currents, The Perils of Electropollution. He says â€Å"at the present the greatest polluting element in the earth’s environment is the proliferation of (these) electromagnetic fields. † Radiation once considered safe, he says, is now correlated with increases in birth defects, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, learning disabilities, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and cancer. The incidence of brain cancer is up 25% since 1973, and this year 185,000 Americans will be diagnosed with brain cancer. Brain tumors are the second leading cause of cancer death for children and young adults. Yet, the United States has a de facto policy of â€Å"post sales surveillance† with respect to RF radiation. Only after years of exposure, will there be studies to characterize the health consequences. Some adverse health effects show up immediately, but it can often take 3 to 10 years for the longer term effects of RF illness to appear, such as cancer. Many researchers, public health officials and citizens believe that consumers shouldn’t be forced to act as guinea pigs in a bioeffects experiment for the next 20 years. In short, â€Å"we are the experiment†, for health effects. Dr. Gerard Hyland, physicist, says existing safety guidelines for cell phone towers are completely inadequate, since they focus only on the thermal effects of exposure. [15] Hyland, twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine, says existing safety guidelines â€Å"afford no protection† against the non- thermal influences. â€Å"Quite justifiably, the public remains skeptical of attempts by governments and industry to reassure them that all is well, particularly given the unethical way in which they often operate symbiotically so as to promote their own vested interests. † â€Å"Existing safety guidelines for cell phone towers are completely inadequate. – Dr. Gerard Hyland, Physicist – two-time nominee, Nobel Prize in Medicine The industry lobbied Congress with $39 million in 1996 to ensure passage of a law which essentially gives them the right to place these towers in our neighborhoods, and makes it next to impossible to oppose them based on health reasons. It is no coincidence that EPA funding was also cut in 1996 for electromagnetic radiation health studies. Citizens and communities across the country are angered, and are protesting this imposition of involuntary, 24-hour-a-day microwave exposure, without proven safety levels. As one citizen stated, â€Å"There’s no place left to escape. † The industry lobbied Congress with $39 million in 1996 to pass a law that took away citizen’s rights to oppose cell towers based on health reasons. Also, once a cell tower is erected, it has proved very difficult to verify the radiation is within legal limits. There are no safety measures in place to ensure that the towers are not emitting higher radiation levels than legally allowed. One frustrated resident finally spent $7,000 purchasing his own equipment to test a cell phone tower near his home, and found it emitting radiation at levels 250% ver the legal limit. [16] Property values have also been known to drop once a cell tower is erected, due to the perceived risk of negative health effects. Cellular phone frequencies have also seriously disrupted local emergency and law enforcement radio communications. Massachusetts lawyer Mark Berthiaume, opposing placement of a cell phone tower, said â€Å"Municipalities.. .. are being bullied every day by providers of wireless telephone service who use their financial clout and the federal (law) to intimidate the communities into allowing them to place large towers in inappropriate locations. [17] Some Questions and Answers But don’t we need and depend on cell phones? Of course. No one is saying not to have cell phones and towers, but to make them safer. If Austria can have levels 10,000 times more protective, then so can we. It is just more expensive to the companies. Also, we don’t have to let these cell towers go anywhere and everywhere the industry wants them. We can require that they erect the minimum number required to provide adequate coverage, and be put in the safest places possible. Why don’t we just oppose the construction of cell towers in our county? In a strategic move, the cell phone industry has tried to make it illegal for citizens to oppose the towers based on health concerns. In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, state and local rights were seriously limited with regard to opposing towers based on health concerns. The constitutionality of this Act has been challenged in the Supreme Court, and a long legal battle is sure to follow. But it will take years, while the public continues to be exposed to chronic, cumulative radiation with each new cell tower. So what CAN we do? The Telecommunications Act prevents citizens from opposing the towers based on concerns about RF emissions, but we can oppose them on numerous other valid grounds. There are still rights we and our local elected officials maintain, that allow us local control of the number, size and placement of cell towers, while still providing for adequate cell phone coverage. Numerous communities have called for moratoriums on tower construction, allowing them needed time to study the issue, and enact strict ordinances that require the industry to respect community desires, such as building the minimum towers necessary, in appropriate locations. During these moratoriums, communities are preparing non-industry biased studies of cell phone tower need, and creating cell tower Master Plans, to help protect the rights and health of citizens, while complying with the law. [18, 19, 20] Siting of cellular towers is an important function of our elected officials. Protection of citizens’ health and property rights should be foremost in the responsibilities of local government. We urge our elected officials to protect the health and welfare of the citizens who live here, rather than big-money interests with profit as their bottom line.