Green criminology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Green criminology - Essay Example In addition to causing severe environmental damage, it also affects the basic right of human beings to a healthy environment (Ajunwa, 2007). Illegal dumping of toxic wastes, which are generated in developed countries such as Europe and America, in to third world countries such as Africa, South-east Asia, India and China has become a routine in the recent past. This is mainly due to the huge quantities of toxic wastes such as electronic and petrochemical wastes, asbestos and wastes from refineries and shipping industries that are being generated. Such illegal dumping has had an enormous impact on the health of people living in the developing nations especially in countries such as Africa. Reports suggest that there is an increase in the number of deaths and diseases caused by such illegal dumping of toxic wastes. Following increased dumping of waste products in the developing world, the Basel convention laid down regulations to control the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes wh ich prevented the export of toxic wastes from the developed nation to the developing world. However, subsequent inspection of ports in the European nations reveled that nearly 47% of wastes that was destined for illegal export a recent incident being the dumping of about 550 tones of toxic wastes in the Abidjan port by the firm Trafigura Beheer BV. This situation calls for stricter policies which are required in order to prevent the use of developing nations as a dumping ground (Godoy, 2010). Hazardous wastes include solids, liquids or gases that may cause harm to both humans and the environment. Increased production of such wastes by certain multinational companies initiated the export of such wastes to countries such as Africa. This led to serious environmental damage by affecting the water and air quality that killed many children and adults. Estimates show that nearly 300 million tones of

Chapter 13 discussion questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chapter 13 discussion questions - Essay Example Cases can be used to develop managerial leadership skills such as analytical decision making skills and increased understanding of situations that managers are commonly faced with. This method is good for demonstrating the fact that different people can react to the same situation in a variety of ways and helps trainees understand that there are multiple ways to approach a problem. Large-Scale Simulations allow trainees to analyze a situation and make decisions, however, unlike previous methods; this procedure allows them to experience the consequences of their actions. These simulations combine features of other training methods such as human relations cases, role-playing, in-basket exercise, and group problem solving exercises. They emphasize interpersonal skills, cognitive skills and decision making. The knowledge gained from this exercise can vary from increased individual self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses when working with strangers to reflecting the overall culture and relationships within a company when working with family or coworkers. Overall this method can be very useful in enhancing leadership skills. 2. Effectiveness of training depends on several key factors: clear learning objectives, clear and meaningful content, appropriate sequencing of content, appropriate mix of training methods, opportunity for active practice, relevant and timely feedback, high trainee self-confidence, and appropriate follow-up activities. Clear learning objectives – trainer should not only identify clear learning objectives, but also explain why training will help people improve their leadership effectiveness. Clear and meaningful content – trainer should focus on important things and include lots of examples to â€Å"facilitate comprehension and memorization of material.† Appropriate sequencing of content – should be organized in a way that will help the learning process, process from simple to more complex ideas and there should be a ppropriate intervals for rest between sessions to prevent trainees being overworked. Appropriate mix of training – Methods of training should be customized to compensate for differences in level of skill and knowledge, and should also take into account class size and time available to train Opportunity for active practice – there should be ample opportunity for trainees to practice new skills in order to aid in the remembrance of important points. Relevant and timely feedback – Feedback should be available from several different resources and should be â€Å"accurate, timely and constructive.† Enhancement of trainee self-confidence – trainers should be supportive of all trainees and encourage success and self-confidence. Praise, encouragement, and patience are necessary qualities for the trainer. Appropriate follow-up activities – A couple of options for this portion of training include holding a follow-up session after the training program has been completed or have trainees turn in projects that require them to utilize their recently learned skills. 3. Learning from experience is generally affected by amount of challenge, variety of tasks, and quality of feedback.

Globalization and its Effects Essay Example for Free

Globalization and its Effects Essay Research revelations in (Lardy, 2002, pp. 87-103) hold it that those countries which embraced globalization experienced an average of 5% growth, while those that shunned the concept experienced varied degrees of decline. Regardless of its positive impacts, Globalization if mishandled in one way or another can spell doom to a nation; this is due to the powerful economic vulnerable position that it puts a country on. As the economy grows, and international boarders linked, so does the non-traditional threats of terrorism, heightened rate of the spread of infectious diseases (SARS and HIV/AIDS) and other cross-boarder security issues. Globalization is an irreversible move and every nation has just to content with its effects, there is no short cut out of it; the best way to approach it therefore is to counter its effects and use them to the advantage of a national economy. Upon realizing this fact, the Chinese government went down into reconfiguring their economy to counter any negative outcome of globalization, for instance, it has affected reforms in the domestic banking and created diplomacy in defining international trade to at least protect Chinese interests (Susumu, 1999, p. ). Since globalization rolls the whole world into a single tiny village, the Chinese political big wigs have seen it necessary to consider the diverse effects that have in the past been not prioritized at all like; unregulated capital flows, cybercrime, epidemics, weapon proliferation and international terrorism. Top seed Chinese thinkers even believe that through the international institutions, globalization can be used to democratize t he United States and reduce their unilateralist political power. And if this concept is exploited well, China will grow into a rich and powerful nation, stable enough to shape the New World Order (Susumu, 1999, pp. 5-11). The Chinese economy stands to gain a lot in the current global direction that the nation is set on. With the current financial crisis, it does call for active international coordination to stay afloat and reduce incidences of worker lay offs. It will have mutual benefits for those who dare to fully participate in its drive. By getting to know the measures that other countries have put in place to counter biting effects, China has found a compromise point and forge a way forward through the current economic hard times. If the nation fine tunes its capital market and effects banking reforms, then it will help the world emerge out of the current economic crisis and even those of the future (http://www. unu. edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu11ee/uu11ee0p. htm). Globalization has helped China to gain a significant economic growth through breaking cultural bondage and establishing policies that lead to liberalization in this modern world. With the positivity that the nation has had on globalization, their current economic ranking rose to 7th from 32nd in the world, thanks to the integration with the world economy. The growth is attributed to increased corporate governance and human resource optimization. The positive effects of globalization as given in (Lardy, 2002, pp. 160-219) to the Chinese economy therefore include; strengthening interdependence in all nations, opening opportunities to bring into maximum use foreign capital and technology, promoting free trade that increase export trade. Lardy also gives highlights of the negative impacts presented by globalization, which he says are the following, but not limited to; difficulties in maintaining economic sovereignty especially for the developing nations and widening the rifts between the well industrialized economies and the marginalized ones. Globalization brings into play varied practices hence leading to cultural mix up; this is worse in a society which values originality like the Chinese. Besides these, it also results to an intensified competition for limited resources and higher scale of interdependence. To this effect, each and every person must acquire a way of coping up with the new development and adapt the new practices in the competitive environment. Traditional practices are most likely to be dropped in favor of new rules as individuals cooperate and coordinate with one another. To the Chinese government, they are currently down on what can be referred to as â€Å"system maintenance†. The nation has sought to have a stable relationship with its allies and foes a like as it feels that is the only way to rise above all the odds in the international system. To this effect, it has improved the level of democracy, which has in turn boosted its relationship with former foes like Germany, Russia, E. U and France (Susumu, 1999, pp. 11-15). Such a move will help China to actively participate in multinational institutions and transnational economic structures which will put it in a good position to counter future financial challenges with ease. For whichever government in place, it must strive to establish significant policies that can speed up development in all sectors of the economy. Even though globalization can cause a lot of hardships to the poor, it also opens opportunities to this group of individuals who dare to take advantage and turn the ills to their benefit. Poor people in this context refer to the recipients of public services, simple workers and those who frequently use common property resources to survive. With increased competition, the poor may find it hard to match high quality market standards hence falling out f business as production cost shoots or as the market price fluctuates. Social protection is therefore mandatory to be effected by every state that intends to go the global way, and China is not left out (Bardhan, 2004, pp. 271-278). Globalization affects poverty directly and indirectly, the government in place should get down on programs for instance investing on public facilities like health, education, training and other economic and social infrastructure that will cushion the public from the negative effects of globalization. These steps will go along way in reducing discrimination and market fragmentation in the society. Whilst the quality of life of many people will change for the better, some individuals will definitely lose it out. Globalization will present opportunities for everyone to grab and those who sleep on the idea and strive to maintain the status quo will be on the losing end. Resources drawn from every corner of the world will be made available; the same applies to technological advancement which makes things to be done much faster and easier. But one negative outcome of this is that the introduction of too much mechanization from the outside world will drive people out of employment as companies strive to achieve efficiency and reduce the production cost. But despite the negative effects, if properly affected, globalization stands a chance in ensuring that the nationals have a quality life worth living (Bardhan, 2004, p. 284). The advent of globalization presented so much challenge to the CCP (China Communist Party). People were getting more and more enlightened, especially with issues concerning their civil rights. Revolutions and a little bit isolated cases of political disability were therefore unavoidable and characterized the period. Labor standards became a thorny issue, as workers pushed to have their conditions be the same as those in the U. S. when labor barriers were eliminated production operations shifted directions to the U. S. The strain was not only felt in the labor market, the same was witnessed in the education, political, social and professional sectors which responded to accommodate the changes. All these under the CCP had to be addressed as they developed a force which needed political direction (Ding Lu, 2003, pp. 23-37). But all these moves were out of a good cause as it has helped the country to stay afloat above surging challenges. The future of the move seems to be no different as the party will have to employ the same tactics of changing with the changes. And more complex will be the future non traditional issues on security like; having to deal with separatists, drug traffickers, smugglers, cross-boarder criminal acts, ecological and environmental issues. Conclusion Globalization has been reported to be the force behind the robust economic growth in China as industrialization also took a centre stage in the country. But it is the imbalance in the international systems and national economies that are causing negative effects of the force. The financial crisis is not attributed to globalization and neither will it be the last straw to hit globalization, the government of China and all other world leaders should come up with mechanisms to coordinate the world market to strengthen their resistance to crises. Globalization tries to act like blanket of neutrality over the international capital flow and power relations. The successes that the nation is enjoying now area as a result of ancient liberalization and the move should never be dropped, for it is the only way to keep China and the rest of the world abreast as they ward off economic pitfalls. The programs which are meant to reduce the pathetic situation of the disadvantaged in the society should not only be meant to accelerate economic growth, but also help these individuals.

booking agreement :: essays research papers

BOOKING AGREEMENT This agreement ("Agreement") is mutually agreed upon by _________________ also known as_________________ ("Talent") and _________________, representative of _________________ ("Promoter") on the _________________ (date of Agreement). 1. SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY TALENT a) Provide at least a 60 minute DJing appearance at a dance party ("Event") located in the _________________ (city and state/country) geographic area on _________________ ("Date") between the hours of _________________ (start time) and _________________ (end time) ("Time"). 2. SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE PROMOTER a) Promoter agrees to provide all entertainment at the Event other than Talent. b) Promoter agrees to provide a venue for the Event, all necessary permits and licenses to lawfully conduct the Event, including obtaining and paying all work visas for Talent as necessary, and all equipment for the operation of the Event and the performance by Talent. c) Promoter agrees to contact the following travel agent to make any and all necessary arrangements for prompt payment of airline costs incurred in Talent's transportation to and from Event: _____________________ (travel agent) ______________(phone number) for travel reservations from _________________ to _________________ and back, to arrive on _________________ (arrival date), no later than three (3) hours prior to Event, and to depart on _________________ (departure date) on_________________ (airline). d) Promoter agrees to provide Talent hotel accommodations with a checkout time no earlier than three (3) hours before the airline departure time, consisting of ___ room(s) with 24 hour room service for a period of ____ night(s). e) Promoter agrees to provide transportation, car service, or shuttle for Talent to and from airports and Event location. If Talent handles any transportation costs, Promoter agrees to promptly reimburse Talent for the reasonable costs of such transportation. f) Promoter agrees to provide a sober, (i.e. not intoxicated or inebriated by alcohol, narcotics and/or otherwise), responsible, trusted person ("Driver"), in their employ to escort Talent to and from hotel, airport, venue, etc. as well as to assist her in the event of problems checking in hotel, getting in venue, boarding flight, etc. g) Driver is required to remain "on call" by way of cellular communication and/or pager throughout the duration of Talent's stay, be in possession of a valid driver's license, hold current auto insurance on vehicle driven in amounts customary and reasonable and be in possession of detailed directions both to, from and including hotel, airport and Event location. 3. COMPENSATION OF TALENT a) Promoter shall pay Talent the sum of $____.__ in US dollars ("Fee") for the rendering of service(s) hereunder.

Assess The Individual In A Health And Social Care Setting Essay

As a part of my role I go out and assess potential residents that are looking to be admitted to the Home where I work. The usual process is that someone telephones or visits, whether it be a Social Worker, a family member, a Health Care Professional from Hospital or the perspective resident themselves. We have an assessment form for this stage we call a Resident Enquiry form, basic details are asked of the potential resident and contact details are noted as well as medical conditions, and a brief overall picture of the person. Once a visit has been arranged or if they happen to come unannounced which is recommended, I give them some information after they have had a look around the Home and asked any questions they may have. The information includes our Home brochure, our statement of purpose, our CSSIW report and Local Authority report and a newsletter. It is extremely important to work in partnership with other agencies involved with the potential resident to be able to provide the right care needed and the right social environment and know their personal choices etc. It should enable a smooth cross over into the Care setting, with all their needs being met and staff are able to get an overview of the resident’s needs as well as their personality, hobbies, character etc. Looking at this unit I have discovered several styles of assessment, the questioning model, which is something I often do when assessing a resident, as I personally feel it can be impersonal sat filling in a form in front of them, as if they have to pass a certain test to be allowed to come to the Home. I prefer to ask, listen, process the information, and then go and fill out the form after I have finished chatting to the resident. This method is however led by me as the service provider; I have to decide if our Home is able to meet their needs as I ask some of the questions that we have on our assessment form that we use. Read more:  Essay About Assess Individual in Health Care I don’t particularly like the procedure model as it appears that the potential resident has to tick all the right boxes to get a place in our care Home. If unsuitable for whatever reason they may feel rejection,  insignificant, upset and worried. The exchange model sounds the best as it puts the person being assessed as the expert and I would like to put an assessment across this way, and ask things like how do you think we as a Home can help you? Etc. The resident should be the most important person in all decisions being made prior to coming into our care Home. They are the ones that are going to be affected, emotionally, physically, mentally, a disruption to their usual daily life, a huge significant change, giving up their own homes, with so many memories and treasures. Our standard resident assessment form – prior to admission, is set out much like our enquiry form but in much more depth, the form is designed as a rough guide of questions to ask prior to assessment to ensure that the Home has the right facilities, environment to meet their needs. Not all of the form is filled in with the potential resident, some questions are asked of the Nursing Staff, family or social worker. I think that when assessing a resident it is important to gain their trust, get to know them and chat about other things not only what is on the form. I like to talk about the Home where I work; describing it, the staff, the Home owner, the dog, the food then let them ask me questions if they wish which they usually do. I try and be as positive as I can about them coming into care, describing activities that take place, the fun we have at Christmas and birthdays, the productions the staff perform for the residents etc. The elderly often think of care homes as the end, defeated, giving up, sadness, etc, I like to help them see things differently if I can, that together we can help them continue to be happy, continue their way of lives as best as we can, that they will never be alone or afraid, that someone is always around if they need them, that they will make new friends etc. When assessing I believe I use a mix of the questioning and the exchange model. Recently I was asked to show a couple around our Home, which I did of course. After looking around the Home I sat and chatted with them answering various questions and taking details off them as they were extremely keen for their relative to come to us as soon as possible. The potential resident was in  hospital and initially the advice give to the family who has no Social services interaction thus far, was to go down that route, get a social worker involved to assess, to offer support with choice of a home, the financial procedures etc. The family were happy with this route as there was no immediate hurry for her to be admitted, she was currently in hospital recovering after a water infection and some dizziness. Two days later the family contacted the Home asking if someone could come and assess their Mum as soon as possible, because after telling their Mum they had visited us and how the Home was, she was very eager to come to us straight away and the Social services had told the family that it may be several weeks for them to come and see and start the process going. The family were afraid the bed we had available might go, that the only involvement they needed from Social services would be to set up a care assessment and a contract of agreed care needed as the financial help would not be required as she would be privately funding herself. I chatted with my Manager who agreed that it was in this lady’s best interest to go and assess her as she wanted to leave hospital and come to us, so after contacting the ward in the hospital to let them know we would be coming to assess Mrs G, we both went to assess her in hospital the next day, which the family were thrilled about. I took the lead in her assessment and asked the nurses on the reception area if I could pleas come and assess Mrs. G and where I was from and my position, they then told us where to go to find her. Mrs G was absolutely lovely; she was really pleased to meet us and asked immediately when can I come to you. We chatted for a while, she said that we could ask her anything and sh e would tell us whatever we needed to know. We talked about where we both lived, about our children, about old Aberdare, how things have changed. She told me she was not going home to her house as she was afraid of being alone and wanted company. We had a few giggles as we shared some funny stories about our families, then I asked her a few questions about her basic needs and abilities. I didn’t write anything down whilst I was chatting with her as I felt it would be rude, I asked her what we could do for her, what she likes to do, what interests she has etc. She was really open about everything and was so pleased to know she could get out of hospital and come to us. She asked me what happens next, when she could come. I said I was going to have a chat with the nurses first, then the home owner then make arrangements for  an admission date if she was happy with that, she of course was. I went to find a nurse that had been looking after Mrs G, I asked how she was as a patient in the hospital, and she said she was a lovely lady, no problem whatsoever, independent though sometimes forgetful, does everything herself, sleeps well, but is at risk of falling. The nursing staff had given Mrs G a zimmer whilst in hospital, and the impression I was give was that they weren’t very keen on their patients moving around in case they fall. I thanked the nurse for her assistance and told her I would be in touch once an admission date had been arranged. I telephoned the Home Owner to ask when it would be convenient for Mrs G to be admitted, if there were any jobs he needed to do in the empty bedroom, he said that she could come whenever she was ready. Mrs G and her family were of course thrilled with this news and an admission date was arranged and the ward staff informed. Two days later Mrs G was admitted to the Home and is still very happy and settled with us. Her early assessment enabled her to come to us within a few days, she was unhappy in hospital in a bay on her own, she knew she couldn’t manage at home and didn’t want to anymore and wanted to get a bed with us, as she was familiar with our Home, she had actually visited some friends of hers that lived in the Home for a while, several years previously. After her admission is when the real paperwork assessments and care plans, risk assessments take place, the personal history forms, care profiles, likes dislikes etc all have to be completed. This was all done with Mrs G present and asking her opinion on what was put in place for her. You will see by her care plans that I recommended she be weighed regularly as she was really small, 5 stone on admission and not a great eater, I later recommended if things deteriorated she be referred to a dietician, which she has since being admitted. Her daughter and she agreed she no longer needed a zimmer frame; she now walks without one and is perfectly safe and able to do so. She does forget to wash and dress, she does like to stay in her room some days, she might forget to wear underwear, she likes to walk up and down the stairs unaided and go back and fore to her room and the garden whenever she likes, which is all ok, it is all accounted for in her care plans and  risk assessments and she is happy and settled and her family are happy too.

Meaning of Free-Enterprise System Essay

Free-enterprise is defined as the freedom of individuals or groups of individuals to engage in business ventures with the minimum intervention of the state (or its political apparatus, the government) (Smith 1776/1904). There are three parts in this definition. First, free-enterprise is defined as freedom of individuals; in classical economic theory, freedom to engage in economic activities is an extension of individual freedom. Added to that, this freedom to participate in economic activities is corollary to making personal choices, which unrestricted, constitute individual freedom (like other freedoms). The second part of this definition is the statement that individuals can engage in business ventures. This can be achieved so long as the individual has the capital to establish his business. In economic theory, capital is defined as the assets, in the form of money, technology, physical infrastructure, human skills, etc. that can have a possible rate of returns. Individuals can use this capital to accumulate wealth, that is, to create more capital and profit. Nevertheless, in a free-enterprise, capital however is dictated by the laws of supply and demand. Capital will only have a fruitful rate of return if it is utilized to producing goods demanded by the consumers. Capital utilized for producing products not demanded by the public will either have a lower rate of returns or push the business into exiting from the market. Lastly, the requisite for free-enterprise is what economists call â€Å"minimum intervention of the state. † In simple terms, in order for the laws of supply and demand to take effect, the government must not intervene in the economic activities of the country. The laws of supply and demand cannot work in a system wherein economic activities are either restricted or controlled by the state or government. Whenever the government restricts business activities, the natural mechanism of adjusting production and demand becomes blurred (policies), and thus may create an artificial shortage in the market. Added to that, Adam Smith (1776/1904) argued that if markets are left on its own, it will naturally supply the public its demand. The capitalists or businessmen, eyeing public demand as an opportunity for acquiring profit, utilize their capital for producing products that the public demands. The self-interests of both the businessmen and the consumers will naturally lead to prosperity. Smith (1776) noted however that the government’s roles in the free-market system are limited to the following: 1) military protection of the state, 2) creation of an amiable economic climate, and 3) construction of public works. However, in real life, it is impossible for government not to intervene in the market. Environmental disasters may create a shortage in the market, raising prices to multiple folds. The government then can institute some price mechanisms in order to protect the consuming public from unregulated and irresponsible business activities. Good and Bad Kinds of Markets in a Free-Enterprise System Because free-enterprise is defined as the freedom of individuals or group of individuals to engage in economic activities with the minimum intervention of the government or state, it is noteworthy that a loose classification of such had been made by different economists. These economists either favor a virtually unrestricted form of free-enterprise or a combination of command and free-market system. The first set of economists argued that free-enterprise system necessitates the establishment of an economy under perfect competition. These classical economists argued that if government will let the market do its natural function, relative adjustment in prices for certain products will cause a relative change in demand, and also a corresponding change in supply. In the supply side, because every firm in a perfectly competitive market has an equal share of market, a change in the price of one firm will cause a change in the price of other firms. In the end, the consuming public will benefit from this relationship because prices are well adjusted by market mechanisms. On the wage side, whenever a change in the production inputs occurs, a corresponding change in the wage side also occurs. Firms will adjust their wage schedules and a level of equilibrium is achieved which would benefit the general public. On the production side, classical economists argued that in a perfectly competitive market changes in prices of goods will have a corresponding change in the wage level; the price level described as flexible and the wage rate inflexible. Whenever a change in prices of goods occurs, all will follow, and thus the market will be in a state of equilibrium. In this condition, the supply and demand for goods are situated in one price (for a particular good). When equilibrium is reached in the market, both the aggregate demand and aggregate supply in the market becomes relatively equal. This will prevent the creation of an artificial shortage in the market. These conditions of free-enterprise however work in an ideal situation. In reality, the government can intervene in the market in at least three ways: 1) control the activities of monopolies and cartels, 2) set price controls for certain basic goods, and 3) control the supply of money. These functions may be classified as effective or necessary. It can be necessary because these activities and conditions will naturally affect the general welfare of the public. Effective because government interventions may take the form of a general welfare policy far removed from the rumblings of the political arena. Monopolies and cartels are perverted forms of the free-enterprise system. Monopolies usually control the larger portion of the market supply of a particular good. The implication is that these monopolies can dictate the price in the market at the expense of the general public. It is expected that the deadweight loss in this condition will be much larger than economies with imperfect market competition (economies differentiating products), precisely because the welfare surplus is converted into a certain rate of profit by the monopolies. They can do this by controlling the supply of goods in the market. Since they control most of the supply of a particular good, prices will be adjusted based on the profit schedule of the firm. Cartels function the same way as monopolies but differ in two ways. Monopolies usually involve one firm who controls most of the supply of a particular good in the market. Cartels are composed of firms producing the same product and have relatively equal share of the market pie of a particular good. These firms may corrode to control the price of a good in the market to achieve the expected level of profit, and of course to avoid competition. Welfare surplus in this case will still be large due to the corresponding fall of expected returns to the consumers. What I have outlined are the good and bad kinds of markets in a free-enterprise system. The perfectly competitive market is the ideal free-enterprise system. For theoretical purposes, the perfectly competitive market is itself the free-enterprise system since it well transcribes the characteristics of a laissez-faire system. However, because this is only an ideal type, perverted forms are well imbibed in the free-market system, that is, they are assumed to be part and parcel of this economic system. In a sense, the definition of free-enterprise that I presented is the definition that captures the postulates of classical economics. Classical economics classified good and bad forms of the so-called free-enterprise system, although it is wrong to argue that there is such thing as â€Å"bad free-enterprise† because theoretically it is an ideal type that strives for the good of the general public. This approach to the definition of a free-enterprise system is classical in nature and does not take into account some of the contemporary economic arrangements that are shaping the economies of many nations, poor and rich nations alike. Capitalism, Neo-Classical Economics, and Free-Enterprise In his book, Carson (2001) argued that the so-called free-enterprise system that classical economists are boasting is in fact transformed into the so-called capitalist system. The capitalist system provides the businessmen when the capacity of limiting the wages of the laborer. The state now, protects corporations (which are embodiments of the capitalist ordeals) through limited liability, laws on protection of assets, high interest rates, and of course low taxes. It seems that the free-enterprise system which was meant to be at the service of the general public is now an apparatus of the capitalists to expand their share of the market. Capitalism is not free-enterprise. Free-enterprise system is the contradiction of the capitalist system in its economic goals and assumptions. Keynes (1936) noted that in the era of modern economics, prices of goods in the market are inflexible in the short-run. Short-run adjustments of production schedules and wages will not be smooth since the overall inventory of the firm depends on the expected rate of demand of the public, the actual expenditure, and the price itself. The implication of this is the fact that free-enterprise can only be achieved partially in the long-run. In the short run, distortions in the market will create monopolies and cartels,; in the long-run these will be eliminated, thus the achievement of the so-called â€Å"free-enterprise† system.

Medical Crisis Intervention Essay Example

Medical Crisis Intervention Essay Example Medical Crisis Intervention Paper Medical Crisis Intervention Paper The person’s ability to cope with anxiety or stress associated with life-threatening illness is considered a significant component in the healing process. This is one of the issues that medical experts is looking into in order to help the patient acquire the ability to alter his or her health control belief. This control belief influences the behavior of an individual in the process of treatment. Williams and Koocher puts it, â€Å"Loss of control is a common and often overwhelming source of psychological stress among patients and family members confronting chronic or life-threatening illness† (p.  325). In effect, they noted, â€Å"Control beliefs can direct the individual’s response to an illness as well as the healthcare system† (Williams Koocher, p. 326). Control beliefs as well as the coping mechanisms vary among patients. This discrepancy causes differences in behavioral responses of the patients towards self and the illness. At this point, it is assumed that physicians understand exactly the need to establish an appropriate control belief among the patients because as McDaniel, et. al noted â€Å"†¦ the individual or family can develop ways to limit the intrusiveness of the illness. Putting the illness in its place allows for establishing boundaries and regaining a sense of control† (cited in Williams Koocher, p. 329). Thus, the patients’ responses to life-threatening illness are influenced by governing factors in which among them are age, gender, situation, health history, previous experiences and many others. Likewise, these responses affect the way the patient perceives the treatment process as well as its outcome. To this effect, medical interventions through psychotherapy are seen to affect the control loss of a patient suffering from life-threatening illness. Responses to loss of control and in chronic and life-threatening illness Williams and Koocher presented in their articles four responses to control loss in which a patient may experience depending on the occurrence and stages of the disease. According to them, each category has both negative and positive implications. The four responses are known as passivity or no overt response, vicarious control, action-oriented responses, and cognitive adaptations (p. 328). Passive-oriented response appears during the early sign of the disease in which the patient experiences depression and the tendency for him is simply to remain passive until he learns to control his responses. As indicated, â€Å"Laying low and keeping one’s eyes open in an unresponsive situation may be an adaptive way of coping with control loss at such times† (qtd. Peterson, Maier, Seligman, 1993 in Williams Koocher, p. 329). Action-Oriented Response is another response that occurs when a patient is feeling threatened because of the existence of the disease. In this case, he would seek medical advises, read a lot of information about the nature of the disease and the ways to cope with it. It is action oriented because he assumes the responsibility to deal with the disease. Vicarious control comes when the patient is losing control and turning over the control to someone he sees as powerful and influential such as the physician or surgeon, or any health giver. Cognitive adaptation is a response in which a person after realizing that the ‘powerful other’ cannot do something to control the disease, he adapts the so-called â€Å"internal mental processes. † This is a response that allows the mind to take control of self when everything is out of control. It is also manifested in the presence of denial or defensive attitude because the patient still try to find meaning for his existence amidst the threat of death. Compare and contrast the components of action-oriented responses, cognitive adaptations, vicarious control, and passive-oriented responses. Passive-oriented response is the opposite of action-oriented response because the former manifests a feeling of helplessness and depression while the latter signifies that the patient is actively initiating actions to help him find cure for his disease. Patients having passive-oriented response does not believe that there is still cure for their illness thus, they refuse to seek doctors’ advises and that staying unresponsive as a way of coping with emotion. In contrary, patients having action-oriented response look for ways to cure the disease. On the other hand, Passive-Oriented Response is similar to Action-Oriented Response in a sense that they do not seek outside help in dealing with the disease. Action-Oriented Response is similar with Vicarious Control because both responses acknowledge that an illness needs treatment. However, they are also different in some ways because the latter recognizes ‘the powerful other’ to initiate the treatment process unlike the former in which the response is associated with the individual’s reliance on himself in providing treatment to his illness. Patient having vicarious control complies with medical advises because he has no control over his condition. Vicarious control is a contrast of cognitive adaptation in terms of reliance to medical experts. Cognitive adaptation recognizes one’s responsibility in the absence of control loss. The person knows that life-threatening illness is out of control and therefore he shifts his focus from the illness to his own attitude, which for him is something that he has control of. The manifestation of denial and defensive mechanism is the person’s strategy to create hope for himself under the cognitive adaptation. Patient then does not dwell on negative attitude. Vicarious control on the other hand, believes that other people could do something for him and entrust himself to these people for medical advises. Cognitive adaptation also recognizes medical advises and carefully follow the instruction and medication in order to cope with control loss similar to the responses of vicarious control. The adaptation is known as defensive because the patient instead of dwelling on negative thought, he recognizes that he has to take charge of his own illness (Williams Koocher, p. 329). Cognitive adaptation is almost similar to passive-oriented response in a sense that the patient gain inner strength in dealing with the illness. The only difference is that, the passive-oriented response dwells solely on negative connotation rather than the constructive ones. Both acknowledges that acceptance of death is necessary to avoid fear. Cognitive adaptation has some similarity with action-oriented disease because both responses realize that personal knowledge or familiarity of the disease is necessary, which is why, patients having these responses seek a lot of information about it and continue to follow the guidelines given by medical experts. Address the pros and cons of each All the responses are good basis for analyzing the kind of counseling a person needs in a certain circumstance. However, it is required that health giver understand the pros and cons of each of the responses to effectively address the anxiety or psychological stress that a patient experiences. Passive-Oriented Response The passivity of the patient upon knowing about her illness provides him the opportunity to accept his condition and the realization that the illness is still curable. The passive attitude is a response to the shocking effect of the illness; however, by allowing the mind to intervene a little later may help the person by entertaining positive thoughts. The feeling of helplessness is simply an initial reaction, which may also be replaced by optimistic viewpoint coming from people surrounding him. As Williams and Koocher noted, this attitude may be an â€Å"adaptive way of coping with control loss† (p. 329). On the other hand, this response is basically negative because of the feeling of hopelessness and depression that govern a person. If remain uncorrected, the patient’s condition will worsen because the right treatment for the disease is withheld. Active-Oriented Response This type of response has positive implication considering the fact that the patient instead of mourning over his condition would take initial actions to find cure for his illness. The attitude therefore is characterized by a strong control response and the person out of this drive will explore every possibility to address his condition. At this time, he is not yet ready to seek a physician’s advice, but he is receptive to suggestions that will be gathered through his own initiative and effort. Though amenable in nature, yet the person’s response is associated only with the outcome. Williams and Koocher referring to action-oriented responses stated that it is â€Å"†¦ maladaptive if the environment is unresponsive† (p. 329). The receptivity of the person is limited to his expected outcome in his environment; for instance, the availability of information in the internet. The unresponsiveness may only increase his â€Å"feelings of control loss† (ibid). Vicarious Control The attitude of a person having vicarious control connotes positive action because at the loss of his control he turns to an expert or professional to take charge of his situation. The transfer is actually a delegation of responsibility to someone who is more knowledgeable and more expert in the field. The patient is more open to medical advices and carefully follows each instruction that results to positive outcome. Its only disadvantage is the negative adjustment that a patient may experience at the result of poor prognosis. The patient will keep believing the ‘powerful others’ because he has already lost his control. Negative adjustment may include inconveniences brought by series of laboratory tests or in the event that more than one physician will examine the patient. Cognitive Adaptations At the loss of control and perhaps when the circumstance is inevitable, the only resort a person would have is to control his own responses by allowing his cognition to dictate his mind or simply called â€Å"inner control† (p. 329). It is highly constructive because when a person learns to control his own self, the possibility is that he will no longer be affected by internal or external factors. He can easily divert his mind from negative to positive and the acceptance of reality is highly probable with less resistance. The patient may learn to appreciate life better by accepting good vibrations or thoughts. They may even show cooperation at the process of treatment because of their positive outlook; however, they may become either adaptive or maladaptive as it gets worse. Similar to other responses, cognitive adaptations have disadvantages. Since it is associated with denial or defensive mechanism, patients normally resort to illusions that the reality does not exist at all. The denial and defensive mechanism may be effective at the onset but not when the condition becomes severe and uncontrollable. Williams and Kooper stated, â€Å"Denial can be maladaptive when it interferes with proven medical treatment†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (ibid). The worse is when a person out of his denial syndrome may delay or intentionally refuse to seek medical help. Furthermore, the person’s ability to use his cognition in controlling his responses depends on age, gender, and emotional maturity. How can these issues be addressed in counseling This information is very important for medical practitioners because the science recognizes that the patient’s psychological condition affects greatly in the treatment process. The loss of control particularly is one of the worst conditions that a person undergoing a treatment may experience. In fact, medical counseling is also given as an intervention to help the patient restore the fervor to live. A psychologist or a psychotherapist on the basis of responses can develop a strategy through which he can address the problem of control loss. Stage by stage of an illness, the patient may need different approaches because the manifestation of loss of control though not permanent yet consistent at given circumstances such as when a person needs confinement or surgery, or any event when he feels he is not in control of his situation. Understanding of the nature of responses helps the doctors and counselors to determine the type of counseling needed. Furthermore, since the goal of psychotherapist is to influence individual health control beliefs and behavior towards the course of disease treatment process, the key players can make use of the responses in assessing those control beliefs contrary to health control beliefs because the two may differ at a given disease or situation according to Lefcourt (qtd. William Koocher, p. 330). Understanding of the patients’ responses to control loss as influenced by his cultural beliefs and medical history can help the hospital institutions to design a â€Å"medical setting that is responsive to issues of control loss† (p. 332) of individual patients with different needs. The environment along with strategic approaches of medical personnel will be appropriate to the needs of the patients as manifested in their responses. Several models have been presented to assist the hospitals in the administration of interventions aimed at increasing the perceived control of the patients having life-threatening illness. In particular, the MCC model (p. 333) provides a structure that will guide the medical providers in dealing with patients in a step-by-step process. Conclusion Loss of control is one issue in medical practice that requires intervention. The intervention is viewed as psychological because this involves the changing behavior of the patients caused by anxiety or stress because in case of life-threatening illness, he may feel that he is no longer in control of his situation. This scenario is crucial in the management of treatment program because the patient may not show cooperation and willingness to survive that greatly affect the treatment process. Using the responses of the patients, medical practitioners and psychotherapist may develop right approaches to help these patients restore their self-efficacy and control. Due to these factors, many hospital institutions today develop right environment for patients experiencing control loss. Reference Williams, J. Koocher, G. (Fall 1998) Addressing Loss of Control in Chronic Illness: Theory and Practice. Psychotherapy 35 (3) 325 – 335.