The Dangers of Dengue Fever and How to Keep You

A very good morning to the principal, teachers and fellow friends. I am Samuel Lim, the president of the English Club and it is my honor to be able to stand before everyone to give a speech on ‘The Dangers of Dengue Fever and How to Keep You Compound Dengue Free’. Dengue is the most common viral illness around the world caused by a small mosquito. Regrettably, it can lead to serious medical problems like dengue. To make the picture clearer, dengue fever is not caused by every mosquito. In fact, it is caused by the Aedes aegypti mosquito which carries a deadly virus. An infected person might have a high chance of developing high fever, rashes, feel nausea and experience muscle and joint pains. It is no joking matter when a person becomes infected as the symptoms may last between six to seven days. To make things worse, it may become fatal and cost you your life. Very often, an infected person is admitted into the hospital for immediate medical treatment. As the saying goes, ‘Prevention Is Better than Cure’, dengue can be prevented in your neighbourhood just by following a few simple precautions. On the very top of the list, make sure that the flower pots in your garden or compound do not contain stagnant water. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water in just a matter of three weeks. The next thing to pay attention to is to clear clogged drains and rain gutters in your homes. Remember to turn empty pots and pails upside down so that they do not collect rainwater for these tiny vectors to breed. Another important step is to check your compound to make sure that there is no stagnant water. Last but not least, trim tall plants frequently and ensure that dead leaves and branches are cleared. These can also become potential breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes. In a nutshell, dengue is a dangerous disease which can rob you of your life but can be easily prevented by following a few simple steps. I hope that the information I have shared with everyone today can reduce.

Childcare †Orientation Package Essay

INTRODUCTION One of the goals of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services is to help support social and economic development in Ontario by investing in and supporting an affordable, accessible and accountable child care system which helps benefit children, their parents and caregivers, and the broader community. The early learning and child care system in Ontario should: †¢ be accessible, affordable and inclusive †¢ care for children in a safe, nurturing environment †¢ foster early childhood development †¢ help support early learning and readiness for school †¢ be flexible and provide choice †¢ support children and their families †¢ provide appropriate standards of child care †¢ provide supports for parents in financial need, who are employed, in training, or involved in other employment activities †¢ support economic growth, and †¢ work in partnership with others involved in Ontario’s. early learning and child care system. This Orientation Package has been designed to provide individuals who are interested in obtaining a licence to operate either a day nursery (also known as child care centres) or a private-home day care agency in the Province of Ontario, with practical information and advice. The following information is included in this package: †¢ the process for obtaining a licence †¢ a summary of the licensing requirements to operate a day nursery or a private-home day care agency under the Day Nurseries Act †¢ a glossary of terms (Appendix 1) †¢ information to assist you in considering your decision to apply for a licence to operate either a day nursery or a private-home day care agency (Appendix 2) †¢ a list of the Regional Offices of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (Appendix 3), and †¢ a list of the Child Care Service System Managers responsible for planning and managing the delivery of child care services throughout Ontario (Appendix 4). 4 CHILD CARE IN ONTARIO The child care system in Ontario consists of a range of services for families and their children, including licensed day nurseries and private-home day care which provide supports to children and their families. The Day Nurseries Act requires any premise that receives more than five children under the age of 10 years, not of common parentage (children who have different parents), for temporary care and guidance, to be licensed as a day nursery. A person may provide informal child care to five children or less under the age of 10 years who are not of common parentage (children who have different parents), in addition to his/her own children, without a licence. This number may not be exceeded, regardless of the number of adults present or on site. When a person provides in-home child care at more than one location or co-ordinates the provision of care at more than one site, a licence to operate a private-home day care agency is required. It is an offence to establish, operate or maintain a day nursery or private-home day care agency without a licence. On conviction, the fine is up to $2,000 for each day the offence continues, or imprisonment for a term of not more than one year, or both. Ministry staff have the responsibility to follow-up on all complaints about child care being provided without a licence. CHILD CARE LICENSING IN ONTARIO The Ministry of Children and Youth Services is responsible for the Day Nurseries Act and issues licences to operators of child care programs. There are two types of licensed child care programs: day nurseries and private-home day care agencies. In the Day Nurseries Act and in this package, child care centres are referred to as day nurseries. Day nurseries may include nursery schools, full day care, extended day care, and before and after school programs. Private-home day care agencies arrange or offer home day care at more than one home. Care is provided to five children or less, under 10 years of age in a private residence other than the home of the parent/guardian of the child. Homes are monitored by the agency. Role of the Operator Operators have responsibility for the operation and management of each day nursery or private-home day care agency, including the program, financial and personnel administration of the program. Operators of licensed day nurseries and private-home day care agencies are required to achieve and maintain compliance with the standards set out in Ontario Regulation 262 under the Day Nurseries Act at all times. The Day Nurseries Act and Ontario Regulation 262 are available through: Publication Services 777 Bay Street, Market Level, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C8 416-585-7485 or 1-800-668-9938 The Day Nurseries Act is available on the ministry’s website at: http://www. elaws. gov. on. ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90d02_e. htm. Ontario Regulation 262 under the Day Nurseries Act is available online at: http://www. elaws. gov. on. ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900262_e. htm#37. (1). The Director under the Day Nurseries Act Child care licences are issued by a â€Å"Director† who is an employee of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, appointed by the Minister for the purpose of the Day Nurseries Act. The Director reviews all documents required for licensing, approves and signs the licence. The Director has the authority to refuse to issue a new licence if: †¢ the applicant or any of the officers, directors or employees of the applicant are not competent to operate a day nursery or privatehome day care agency in a responsible manner in accordance with the Day Nurseries Act 6 †¢ the past conduct of the applicant affords reasonable grounds for the belief that a day nursery or private-home day care agency will not be operated in accordance with the Day Nurseries Act, or the building in which the applicant proposes to operate the day nursery or provide private-home day care does not comply with the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act. †¢ In addition, if there are grounds, the Director may refuse to renew or revoke an existing licence. The Director may also issue a direction and temporarily suspend a licence if there is an immediate threat to the health, safety or well-being of the children. An applicant or licensee is entitled to a hearing before the Licence Appeal Tribunal. Role of Program Advisors Program Advisors, Ministry of Children and Youth Services staff designated under Section 16 of the Day Nurseries Act, are responsible for inspecting day nurseries and private-home day care agencies to enforce licensing requirements. In some regional offices, this position is referred to as Licensing Specialist. Program Advisors are responsible for assessing whether the operator has met the licensing requirements before an initial licence is issued. Unannounced inspections are conducted by Program Advisors for licence renewals on an annual basis or more frequently for a shorter term licences. In addition, Program Advisors conduct unannounced inspections in response to complaints related to licensed child care programs and to monitor operators who have difficulty maintaining compliance with licensing standards. The Ministry of Children and Youth Services also responds to complaints from the public pertaining to persons who are alleged to be operating without a licence (i. e. caring for more than five children under 10 years of age, not of common parentage, without a licence). The Application Process An individual or corporation can apply for a licence to operate a day nursery or a private-home day care agency. (Licences cannot be issued to partnerships. ) Types of operators include: †¢ an individual †¢ corporations (non-profit and for-profit) †¢ municipalities †¢ community colleges †¢ churches, or †¢ Bands and Councils of the Band. The prospective operator contacts the local Regional Office (see Appendix 3) to request an application package and confirm the information required before proceeding with the next steps in the licensing process. Prior to requesting an initial site inspection for a day nursery (a visit to determine if the space is appropriate), the operator submits the completed application form to the Regional Office, as well as: †¢ †¢ †¢ written verification from the zoning authority confirming the location is approved for use as a child care centre detailed floor plans, and detailed site plans of the proposed location. These plans must include room measurements, window measurements (actual glass area), location of fixed cabinets (counters and storage areas) and fenced outdoor playground space dimensions (if required). Please note that effective July 1, 2005, as part of regulatory changes to the Ontario Building Code, all building or renovation plans for a day nursery must be reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services prior to a municipality issuing a building permit. It is the operator’s responsibility to determine whether the location will meet zoning, building, fire and health requirements. Written verification must be submitted to the regional office confirming that these requirements have been met prior to a licence being issued. The fee for a new licence is $15; the renewal fee is $10. If a licence renewal is submitted to the ministry after the licence expiry date, the late fee is $25. 8 Planning and Design Guidelines for Child Care Centres This guide provides information about the planning, design and renovation of licensed child care centres. It is intended to be used by persons involved in the site selection, design, and operation of a child care centre in the province of Ontario. This guide is available through the local MCYS Regional office and on the ministry’s website at http://www. children. gov. on. ca/mcys/english/resources/publications/be ststart-planning. asp. (Alternately, from the ministry’s home page at. http://www. children. gov. on.ca, you can follow the links to Best Start, then Best Start resources, then Planning and Design Guidelines for Child Care Centres. ) Obtaining a Licence To obtain a licence, applicants must demonstrate compliance with the requirements set out in Regulation 262 of the Day Nurseries Act in a number of areas including: confirmation of compliance with municipal zoning, building, fire and health requirements; the suitability of the building; availability of equipment and furnishings; conformity with space requirements and playground standards; maintenance of staff/child ratios for various age groups; staff qualifications; nutrition; appropriate behaviour management; programming and insurance. Private-home day care agencies must demonstrate compliance with the requirements set out in Regulation 262 of the Day Nurseries Act in a number of areas including: staffing and training; policies and procedures; records of inspections of providers’ homes; availability of equipment and furnishings; appropriate behaviour management and insurance. The Program Advisor makes a recommendation to the Director under the Day Nurseries Act about the issuance of a licence based on their assessment of compliance with the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act and ministry policy. The Director decides whether to issue a licence and the type and term of licence to be issued. The Director may add terms and conditions to the licence. The operator is required to comply with the terms and conditions of the licence as well as the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act and ministry policy. Operators must apply for a licence renewal prior to the expiry date of the current licence. Licences may be issued for a period of up to one year if all licensing requirements are met. Health Canada – Product Safety Program Health Canada helps protect the Canadian public by researching, assessing and collaborating in the management of the health risks and safety hazards associated with the many consumer products, including children’s equipment, toys and furnishings, that Canadians use everyday. Through their Product Safety Program, Health Canada communicates information about juvenile product hazards and recalls to protect children from avoidable risks. Advisories and warnings, juvenile product recall notices, food recalls and allergy alerts are posted on the Health Canada website. The Consumer Product Recalls webpage can be accessed at http://209. 217. 71. 106/PR/list-liste-e. jsp. Health Canada offers an electronic newsletter so that the public can receive updates when consumer advisories and warnings, juvenile product recalls, and consultation documents regarding consumer product safety are posted on the Health Canada Web site. As a prospective operator, you are encouraged to register on line for this service at: http://www. hc-sc. gc. ca/cps-spc/advisories-avis/_subscribeabonnement/index_e. html. Duration of Initial Licensing Process It may take up to 6 to 12 months to open a new day nursery or private-home day care agency depending on a number of factors, including the extent of the renovations, the incorporation of a corporation, the purchasing of equipment, the hiring of a supervisor or home visitors, the recruitment of staff, the development of policies and obtaining all required approvals. Types of Licences †¢ Regular licence – may be issued for up to 1 year if the operator was in compliance with licensing requirements when last inspected. 10 †¢ Regular short-term licence – issued at the discretion of the Director – routinely issued to new licensees (generally for a period of up to six months) or when more frequent licensing visits are appropriate to support ongoing compliance. Regular licence with terms and conditions – terms and conditions are requirements prescribed by a Director and are additional to the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act. They may reflect circumstances specific to the operation, such as half day or 10 month service. They may also be in place to minimize the recurrence of a non-compliance, such as incomplete staff medical records. Provisional licence – When Day Nurseries Act requirements have not been met and the operator requires time to meet requirements, a provisional licence (generally for a period up to three months) may be issued. This licence gives the operator a period of time to meet licensing requirements. Copies of a letter indicating that a provisional licence has been issued and a summary of the non-compliances are sent to the centre for distribution to parents. The summary of non-compliances will also appear on the Child Care Licensing Website. †¢ †¢ Child Care Licensing Website MCYS has launched the Child Care Licensing Website to provide parents with information about licensed child care in Ontario. The site is accessible at http://www. ontario. ca/ONT/portal51/licensedchildcare. A search tool allows parents to search for child care by city, postal code, type of program, age group, program name, operator name and language of service delivery. The site also provides the status of the licence and the terms and conditions of the licence for any licensed program parents might be considering or about which they might be concerned. Once a licence is issued, the information appearing on the licence of the program will be available on the website. Child Care Service System Managers The child care system is managed at the municipal level by fortyseven Consolidated Municipal Service Managers (CMSMs) /District 11 Social Services Administration Boards (DSSABs). Each service system manager has responsibility for planning and managing a broad range of child care services, including fee subsidy, wage subsidy, family resource centres and special needs resourcing. Prospective operators should contact their local child care service system manager (see Appendix 4) to discuss the need for child care in the area being considered and for information about funding and fee subsidy. 12 DAY NURSERIES ACT SUMMARY OF LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR DAY NURSERIES Day nurseries are centre-based programs and can include nursery schools, full day child care, extended day and before and after school programs. Organization and Management The operator of the day nursery is responsible for maintaining compliance with the Day Nurseries Act and ministry policy. This includes responsibility for the operation and management of the program and financial and personnel administration. A qualified supervisor who directs the program and oversees the staff is required for each child care centre. This person must have a diploma in Early Childhood Education, or other academic qualifications which are considered equivalent, and have at least two years experience in Early Childhood Education. The supervisor must also be approved by the Director under the Day Nurseries Act. Staff Qualifications †¢ The supervisor must have a diploma in Early Childhood Education or equivalent qualifications, with two years experience and must be approved by the Director under the Day Nurseries Act. †¢ One staff with a diploma in Early Childhood Education or equivalent qualifications must be hired for each group of children. Health Assessments and Immunization †¢ Staff immunization/health assessment, as required by the local medical officer of health, must be completed before commencing employment. 13. Number and Group Size Number of Staff required for a Day Nursery Other than a Day Nursery for Children with Disabilities Ratio of Employees to Children 3 to 10 1 to 5 Maximum Number of Children in a Group 10 15 Group Age of Children in Group Infant Toddler Under 18 months of age 18 months of age and over up to and including 30 months of age more than 30 months of age up to and including 5 years of age 44 months of age or over and up to and including 67 months of age as of August 31 of the year 56 months of age or over and up to and including 67 months of age as of August 31 of the year 68 months of age or over as of August 31 of the year and up to and including 12 years of age Preschool 1 to 8 16 Junior Kindergarten 1 to 10 20 Senior Kindergarten 1 to 12 24 School age. 1 to 15 30 †¢ All children must be supervised by an adult at all times. †¢ Ratios are not permitted to be reduced at any time for children under 18 months of age. †¢ Ratios are not to be reduced on the playground. 14 †¢ Where there are six or more children over 18 months of age or four or more children under 18 months of age in attendance, there must be at least two adults on the premises. †¢ Staff/child ratios may be reduced to 2/3 of the required ratios during the periods of arrival and departure of children and during the rest period, with the following exceptions: †¢ †¢ when children are under 18 months of age on the playground with any age group. †¢ In a full day program operating six or more hours in a day, for the purposes of staffing, the period of arrival is not to exceed two hours after the opening and the period of departure is not to exceed two hours before the closing of the day nursery. †¢ In half day nursery school programs and school age programs, the period of arrival is not to exceed 30 minutes after the opening and the period of departure is not to exceed 30 minutes before the closing of the day nursery. Criminal Reference Checks Individuals and directors of a corporation applying for new licences will be required to submit a criminal reference check to their local Ministry of Children and Youth Services Regional Office as part of the licence application. In preparation for the initial licensing visit, the operator of the day nursery is required to develop a criminal reference check policy for all full and part time staff working with the children, as well as for volunteers. Additional information about the Ministry of Children and Youth Services criminal reference check policy is available from Regional Offices. Building and Accommodation Each day nursery must: †¢ comply with the requirements of applicable local authorities i. e. zoning and building department, medical officer of health and fire department †¢ comply with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, O. Reg. 170/03, where applicable. These provisions only apply to designated facilities with drinking water systems where 15 the water is not provided through service connections with a municipal residential water system. The requirements of this regulation are available from the Ministry of the Environment’s website at http://www. ene. gov. on. ca/envision/gp/5361e. pdf †¢ comply with the requirements for lead flushing and water sample testing (where applicable) under the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, O. Reg. 243/07. The requirements of this regulation are available from the Ministry of the Environment’s website at http://www. ontario. ca/ONT/portal51/drinkingwater/General? docId= 177450&lang=en †¢ comply with the requirements of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. †¢ have designated spaces for washing, toileting and separate storage areas for toys, play materials and equipment †¢ have designated space for eating and resting, preparation of food if prepared on premises or a food service area if food is catered (prepared off premises by a food catering company and delivered to the centre), a fenced playground (see page 15), storage for beds, a staff rest area and an office area if the program operates for six or more hours †¢ have play space of at least 2. 8 square metres (30 square feet) Of unobstructed floor space for each child, based on the licensed capacity †¢ have separate play activity rooms for each age grouping. A separate sleep area for infants is also required †¢ have rooms on or below the second floor where the rooms are for children under six years of age †¢ have a clear window glass area equivalent to 10% of the available floor area for each play activity room for a program that operates for six or more hours in a day. 16 Equipment and Furnishings Each day nursery must have: †¢ an adequate number of toys, equipment and furnishings for the licensed capacity. The toys, equipment and furnishings must be age appropriate and include sufficient numbers for rotation as well as for gross-motor activity in the playground area †¢ infant and toddler diapering areas that are adjacent to a sink †¢ cribs or cradles that meet the requirements of the Hazardous Products Act, for infants, and cots for older children †¢ equipment and furnishings which are maintained in a safe and clean condition and kept in a good state of repair †¢ a telephone or an alternative means of obtaining emergency assistance that is approved by the Director. †¢ Where children are transported in a day nursery vehicle, child seating and restraint systems are used that meet the requirements of the Highway Traffic Act, O. Reg. 613. Policies and Procedures Every operator must develop the following policies and procedures: †¢ Fire evacuation procedures †¢ Sanitary practices †¢ Serious occurrence policy, including child abuse reporting procedures †¢ Criminal reference check policy †¢ Medication policy †¢ Behaviour management policy, including monitoring procedures and contravention policies 17. †¢ Program statement/parent handbook †¢ Playground safety policy †¢ Anaphylactic policy, including an individual plan for each child with a severe allergy and the emergency procedures to be followed. Playground Requirements †¢ Programs operating six or more hours in a day require outdoor play space equivalent to 5. 6 square metres (60 square feet) per child, based on licensed capacity. †¢ The playground must be: †¢ sub-divided if licensed capacity is over 64 children †¢ at ground level and adjacent to the premise †¢ designed so that staff can maintain constant supervision. †¢ If used by children under 44 months of age as of August 31 of the year, the playground must be fenced to a minimum height of 1. 2m (4 feet) and furnished with one or more gates that can be securely closed at all times. †¢ If used by children 44 months of age and up to an including 67 month of age as of August 31 of the year (children eligible to attend junior and senior kindergarten), the playground is fenced to a minimum height of 1. 2 metres and the fence is furnished with one or more gates that are securely closed at all times, unless otherwise approved by the Director. †¢ Fixed playground structures (i. e. climbing equipment, slides) are not required by the Day Nurseries Act; however, if the operator intends to install fixed play structures, the structures and safety surfacing must meet current Canadian Standards Association standards. †¢ The current Canadian Standards Association’s (CSA) Standard applies to new and newly renovated playground equipment, and 18 safety surfacing. The CSA Standards also set out the requirements for routine maintenance and inspections. †¢ Playground plans indicating the type and location of fixed structures as well as the type and area of safety surfacing must be approved by the ministry before installation. †¢ Once play structures and surfacing are installed, compliance with the CSA standards must be verified in writing by an independent certified playground inspector before the structures can be used by the children. Inspections †¢ Copies of fire and health inspections are to be sent to the Ministry of Children and Youth Services program advisor and kept on file at the day nursery. Insurance Requirements †¢ The operator must have comprehensive general liability coverage and personal injury coverage for all staff and volunteers. †¢ All vehicles owned by the operator and used for transportation of staff and children must have motor vehicle insurance. Fire Safety and Emergency Information †¢ A fire safety plan must be approved by the local fire department. †¢ A written evacuation procedure, approved by the fire department, must be posted in each room. †¢ Staff are to be instructed on their responsibilities in the event of fire. †¢ Monthly fire drills must be conducted and written records of drills maintained. †¢ Tests of the fire alarm system and fire protection equipment (as required under the Ontario Fire Code) must be conducted and written records of test results maintained. †¢ There must be a designated place of emergency shelter. †¢ An up-to-date list of emergency telephone numbers including the fire department, hospital, ambulance service, poison control centre, police department and a taxi service must be posted where they can be easily accessed. †¢ Medical and emergency contact information for each child must be accessible. Health and Medical Supervision †¢ A daily written log that includes health and safety incidents is required. †¢ Any instructions or recommendations made by the fire department, public health department or other regulatory bodies must be implemented and recorded. †¢ Sanitary practices and procedures must be approved by Ministry. †¢ Children must be immunized according to the requirements of the local medical officer of health, unless a fully authorized exemption is on file. †¢ Before each child begins to play with others, a daily observation of the child’s health is required. †¢ An ill child must be separated from others and arrangements made for the child to be taken home or for immediate medical attention, if required. †¢ Serious occurrence procedures must be in place and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services notified of any occurrence. A serious occurrence includes such things as the death of a child, a serious injury, alleged abuse/mistreatment of a child, a missing child, a disaster on the premises (e. g. fire) or a serious complaint. 20 †¢ A written anaphylactic policy is in place that includes: †¢ A strategy to reduce the risk of exposure to anaphylactic causative agents †¢ A communication plan for the provision of information on lifethreatening allergies, including anaphylactic allergies †¢ An individual plan for each child with an anaphylactic allergy that includes emergency procedures in respect of the child †¢ Staff, students and volunteers have received training on procedures to be followed if a child has an anaphylactic reaction. †¢ A first aid kit and manual must be readily available. †¢ A written procedure approved by a qualified medical practitioner regarding the giving and recording of medication is required. The procedure should include the storage of medication (e. g. medication must be stored in a locked container). †¢ If a child has or may have a reportable disease or is or may be infected with a communicable disease, this is reported to the medical officer of health as soon as possible. †¢ Cats and dogs on the premises must be inoculated against rabies. Nutrition †¢ Infants are to be fed according to written parental instructions. †¢ Food and drink from home must be labelled with the child’s name. †¢ All food and drink must be stored to maintain maximum nutritive value. †¢ Meals and snacks must meet the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act. Canada’s Food Guide provides useful information about nutrition. 21 †¢ Meals are to be provided where a day nursery operates for 6 or more hours each day or where the daily program operates less than 6 hours each day and operates over the meal time. This generally refers to the provision of lunch as the mid-day meal. In day nurseries that offer care over extended hours, this may mean that breakfast and/or dinner are also provided. †¢ With the approval of a ministry Director, children 44 months of age or over as of August 31 of the year may bring bag lunches. Written policies and procedures with guidelines for bag lunches should be both posted and provided to parents. †¢ Menus must be posted with substitutions noted. †¢ Children’s food allergies must be posted in the kitchen and in all rooms where food is served. †¢ Special dietary arrangements for individual children are to be carried out according to written instructions of parents. Behaviour Management †¢ Corporal punishment is not allowed under any circumstances. †¢ The following are not permitted: †¢ deliberate harsh or degrading measures that would humiliate or undermine a child’s self respect †¢ deprivation of food, shelter, clothing or bedding †¢ confining a child in a locked room †¢ exits locked for the purpose of confinement. †¢ Written behaviour management policies and procedures which guide centre staff in managing children’s behaviour are to be reviewed annually by the operator. The operator is required to review the policies and procedures with employees and volunteers or students before they begin working, and annually thereafter. These policies must set out permitted and prohibited behaviour 22 management practices and measures to deal with any contraventions of the policy. †¢ There must be: †¢ a signed, written record of all reviews, and †¢ a written procedure for monitoring behaviour management practices of employees, students and volunteers, and a record kept of this monitoring. Enrolment Records †¢ Up to date enrolment records for all children in attendance must be on site at all times and be available to the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. These records include, in part, an application, immunization records, emergency information, names of persons to whom the child may be released, parental instructions regarding rest, diet or exercise. †¢ Daily attendance records that indicate a child’s arrival, departure and absence from the program are required. †¢ The medical officer of health or designate such as the public health nurse is permitted to inspect children’s records to ensure that all required immunizations are up to date. Program In order to ensure that the program offered is age and developmentally appropriate for the age of the children being served, the following is required: †¢ a written program philosophy statement which is reviewed annually by the operator and with parents prior to enrolling their child †¢ a program statement which includes: Services, age range, times when the services are offered, holidays, fees, admission and discharge policies, program philosophy, program development, personal and health care, nutrition, parental involvement and 23  behaviour management, specialized services and activities off the premises †¢ varied, flexible and age appropriate programs that include quiet and active play, individual and group activities which are designed to promote gross and fine motor skills, language and cognitive skills, and social and emotional development, and †¢ a daily program plan posted and available to parents with any variations to the program recorded in the daily log. In addition: †¢ Any infants not able to walk are to be separated from other children during active indoor and outdoor play periods †¢ Children under 30 months of age are to be separated from older children during active indoor and outdoor play periods †¢ Children who attend for six or more hours in a day and are over 30 months of age shall have at least two hours of outdoor play, weather permitting †¢ Children who attend for.

Analyzing The General Public s Use Of The Internet Essay -- Addiction,

Voluntary questionnaires such as the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) that uses a 14 question Likert scale that accesses substances and pathological addiction symptoms geared toward internet compulsion. The Wolfling, Muller and Beutel’s assessment for Internet and Computer Game Addiction Scale (AICA-S) was initial used in clinical settings that become a self-reporting questionnaire. This study measures Internet usage by the age, applications visited, and frequency. (Kuss, Shorter, Rooij, Griffiths, Schoenmakers, 2013 ). Other research methods of testing have been done by patients seeking help with other pathological compulsive disorders. One such study that was used was the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale – 11 (BIS-11) was developed to measure personality and behaviors in impulsivity. Other tests such as the Go-Stop impulsivity paradigm is used to help with the classification of Internet addiction and the severity. This is a type of study that will use go and stop pro mpts and evaluations of people’s reaction to the prompts. The Young’s Internet Addiction test is another test that uses a ... ... middle of paper ... ...isorders with the ability to hide their true identity. The people who also do find that these attractions on the internet are also putting the family’s at risk. The compulsive gambler is putting his family at risk by financial drawbacks, as the person with an Internet porn addiction is isolating his real emotions away from his loved ones. Both of these addictions are treatable through clinical counseling, family counseling, individual counseling and group therapies. Conclusions of the a study that was conducted by Gunuc (2015) concluded that when people are withdrawing themselves from normal family functions and spending a large amounts of time on-line doing various things such as gaming, gambling, and social networking. There should be some form monitoring and evaluation of behavioral patterns that could prevent them from developing future addictions (Gunuc, 2015 )

Influences of economics and marketing on relationships in the global Essay - 1

Influences of economics and marketing on relationships in the global food supply chain - Essay Example The economic policies of the government have opened the economy to foreign direct investment with favorable regulatory structures being laid down for the investors. The government also aimed at integrating the agricultural sector in the global food supply chain with an initiative to support domestic markets. At the same time it encourages the productivity in a buyer driven market. The economic policies developed by the governments provide opportunities for the business houses and supermarkets to increase the supply of food by taking the benefits of the incentives offered by the favorable economic policies. Appropriate marketing strategies were also adopted in order to fight the obstacles of the pressure groups and the roadblocks due to negative publicity. The transition of global food supply chain has occurred as an effect of the increased demand and the economic policies of the government and the marketing strategies of the business houses in order to tap the emerging demand (Lindgr een,  Hingley and  Vanhamme, 2009, p.38). These factors have led to the change of food habits and change in lifestyle of the consumers. Thus the relationships of the global food supply chain have been influenced by the economic role and marketing role of the government and the business houses respectively. Critical review of key literature The relationship of the food supply chain has become an important area of discussion. The underlying forces of economics and marketing have been playing a key role in influencing the relationships between the government, business houses and the consumers or the people. The agricultural sector is the core of food production in any country. The farmers harvest their land to cultivate the crops that are sold in the market. This cultivation of the crops and the marketing distribution channels supply the food required by the consumers. The process of demand and supply of food is now spread all over the world with the rapid functioning of retail sup ermarket chains that cater to customers all over the globe (Clapp, 2013, p.59). In the age of liberalization, the food supply chain has become a global phenomenon and it is not confined to the domestic market. The change in economic policies and economic reforms adopted by the economies towards an open market economy has allowed foreign direct investments in the global food supply chain industry. Thus the agricultural sector and the domestic markets have been exposed to foreign competition which has raised the benchmark of food quality. The consumers or the people have transformed the standards and quality of food demand at par with the standard of exports. Several factors like the rise in population, change in diet and food habits, increase in market competition, rise of prices in the local markets and improvement in food quality have raised the aggregate demand of global food supply chain. The human population is estimated to grow by 35% from 6.85 billion in 2010 to 9.15 billion i n 2050. The spiraling rate of increase in human population and the increase in average income level of the middle class and lower middle class society have led to the increase in global demand of food. In order to contain inflation as a result of the increased global demand of

Management and Organisational Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Management and Organisational Culture - Essay Example the mode of regulation and , 4. the mode of socialization. In the United States and Britain, flexibility typically embodies one of the two primary definitions, as the principal emphasis is on the internal structure of labour. The French regulationist school tends to put emphasis on the role of the state and its legal manipulation of economy, accessibility, labour flows, and labour structures (McDowell 1992; 402-3). Question 1 addresses flexibility as it pertains to a business article about outsourcing to India; Question 2 analyses the same concept with regards to a specific business. 'Flexibility' as described in Gentlemen's article about cyber-coolies (itself a name that is representative of the new boundaries of international business) is a politically-correct term that can and is applied to both legitimate and culturally-exploitative business practices in India and beyond. The mere fact that industries such as Citibank, as well as hundreds of telemarketing and call centre businesses, can base their customer service centres in places like India, the fact that this is both culturally feasible due to intensive training programs, and fiscally lucrative, due to international economics and exchange rates, is extremely indicative of this 'flexibility'. However, this same term can be used to cover a raft of ills; damaging practices and habits can and have been instituted in a number of countries around the world in the name of this same 'flexibility'. Pietrykowski expands on this definition, writing that the notion of flexibility refers to technology, markets, skills as they pertain to jobs, and the degree to which markets replace the firm in the allocation of resources to production (quoting Schoenberger 1987, 1988; Gertler 1988, 1989, 1992; Harvey 1989; Hirst and Zeitlin 1991). Pietrykowski notes that, when considered as a group, these factors essentially compose a system of capitalist production that stands in clear contrast to its predecessor, Fordism. While there certainly exist differences between flexible accumulation and mass production strategies of accumulation, "this distinction tends to ignore their similarities and, in so doing, fails to provide a detailed account of the historical transition from Fordist to flexi- centralized mass production (Pietrykowski 1995; 383)." Gentlemen's article reveals certain trends that have taken strong hold worldwide. The first, and most pertinent, is the concept of outsourcing: in lay-speech, the practice of sending unskilled, semi-skilled, and even skilled jobs overseas in order to pay workers less for their performances. This trend has been both lauded and criticized, and justifiably so. Marketers and businesses claim that outsourcing provides stable income in countries where such opportunities are largely unavailable, perhaps ignoring the cost to the workers at home. In some cases, Indian workers who are employed at offshore companies experience much better working conditions and benefits than do their nationally-employed counterparts. Outsourcing, however, carries a host of problems. It has the potential to destabilize industries in the business' home country by taking so many jobs away, in the name of financial gain for a few.

Employment relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Employment relation - Essay Example Accordingly he found that in US, employment relations is seen as the means through which the workers get rights and benefits which are related to their work and in turn linked to labour laws and social security. The state plays a very important role in employment relations. They either directly or indirectly influence the employment relations in a nation. Directly in a manner by passing different legislation and regulations designed specifically for the benefits of employment relations and indirectly by providing an environment where there are boundaries which are to be observed and taken into consideration when shaping out the relations between employers and employees. The main objectives of the state in employment relations as achieved through the various roles the state act as. These roles are as a legislator, as a peacemaker, as an employer, as an economic manager and last but not the least its ideological role. Over time the importance of these roles varies in employment relations. The main objectives of the state in employment relations are complex at times. As the state is responsible for maintaining stability, to administer the income policies, in time of low employment and acquisition for skills the state needs to be more careful. The state is responsible for maintaining the parity of bargaining power between the employers and the employees/trade unions. The State has the right to make and enforce rules and legislations. One of the most important responsibilities of state is to provide a legal framework and formulate the boundaries and make sure all the labour management relations are conducted within the framework. The State has the right to set the policy guidelines and promotes specific actions and take initiatives that are linked to employees, trade unions or the employers by empowering them, giving them power of social

Lessening Secondhand Smoke on Children Research Paper - 3

Lessening Secondhand Smoke on Children - Research Paper Example entable deaths around the world and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke has some adverse effects on the people adoption of strategies to reduce this form of some would include the following interventions. Creating smoking bans and restrictions within certain places. This would involve the implementation of policies and regulations which are aimed at limiting or controlling the use of tobacco within designated areas. These approaches are strongly effective based on the scientific evidence regarding exposure to ETS. This also has some effects on reducing the amount of smoke within the environment since some people become deterred from smoking. Conducting community education among the parents and teachers about the relevance of reducing smoking. This will be undertaken in seeking to create awareness on the various individuals, including children, regarding the positive outcomes of reduced smoking. The education intervention with motivate individuals to modify their smoking behaviours in the effort to reduce the ETS. Tobacco use initiation is described as the behaviours by individuals, who were non-smokers to begin smoking. Different intervention can be undertaken to reduce their initiation and they include the following. Increasing the price of tobacco products – this is a legislative measure which seeks to increase the prices so that people become deterred from using these products. Although there are various factors which affect the possibility of people smoking, the cost factors plays a fundamental role to this effect since people must consider their costs. Mass media campaigns – these can be combined within other interventions, like education to the general public. These campaigns are focused at providing information to the general public regarding the importance of living a tobacco free lifestyle. Formative research must be undertaken in order to determine the message which will be delivered in these campaigns and determine the target population for

Application of a Borrowed Nursing theory to a Nursing Issue Essay

Application of a Borrowed Nursing theory to a Nursing Issue - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that nursing theories have profound effects on nursing practice. They offer a structure to support and express nursing practice and assist in offering solutions to practice problems. An example of a middle-range theory that has been applied to nursing leadership is Jean Watson’s theory of human caring. This essay discusses that this theory offers an ethical structure for nursing management, organizational effectiveness, and quality management. According to Watson, the theory of human caring offers a structure that nurse leaders can employ to reinstate the nurses’ value-oriented mission of care that permits the leaders to care for nurses and promote wellness. As a result, Watson’s theory of human caring can be used to solve staffing issues in the organization. In reference to Douglas, staffing of nurses is an imperative aspect of patient care delivery. The author has rightly presented that nurse leaders can adopt the the ory of human caring to solve staffing issues in myriad ways. One way can be through impacting nursing staff through supporting them to take part in self-care activities and practice kindness and love for self and others. This paper illustrates that the nurse leaders can use the theory to develop and adopt policies that guarantee healthy work settings, restricting work hours and offering time for the nurses to relax and rejuvenate.

Imperialism in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Imperialism in Africa - Essay Example According to the leaders, their main aim was to provide for their ever-growing population. This was through looking for raw materials for their local industries which were running short of raw materials due to a high demand by the local people. European leaders planned to dominate and ease their population pressure through transferring their excess population to African countries (Hobson). This was not right because they never considered the existence of natives. This was the reason this decision failed as natives started agitating for their independence. As a result, all the population that was previously sent to the African countries returned back to Britain. In addition, although Europe developed for some decades that it occupied Africa, the growth was short-lived. This was because during 1950-1960s European countries were spending much of their effort and resources, trying to curb numerous rebellions that the local people were putting up. This was an indication that the plan that was drafted ignored the interest of the local people. The plan never considered any resistance that could be put up by the local society. Instead, they underrated the natives and ignored their effort as they considered them inferior and illiterate to fight for their territories. In the article, â€Å"African View of European Expansion,† the author portrays the views that African people had towards European expansion in their territories. Some chiefs collaborated with European countries for some small benefits that they received from the whites. As a result, Africans lost their fertile lands to the whites – an aspect that forced them to work as servants on whites’ farms where they were underpaid. European countries’ imperialism aimed at supporting their economy through looking for markets for their own goods (Lugards). Companies, therefore, required ready markets for their goods as the

Terrorism Since Early 90’s Essay Example for Free

Terrorism Since Early 90’s Essay United States of America has constantly remained as one f the greatest nations in the whole world. As if it is the Promised Land, USA was gifted with resources and maintained its high economic status. This country has all access to basic education, enough food, health and welfare, while the remaining majority is desperately trying to reach those resources. Through the years, people would do anything in an attempt to stay and make a living in the perceived promise land. So the majority is divided into two categories: Some of them start to think of flying to developed countries, where they can meet their basic needs; others begin to believe that the reason of all their problems is rich peoples wealth, healthy ones health and educated ones awareness; so they try to destroy all those people and all those resources. Unfortunately, the well off living of the citizens of the United States have encouraged millions of illegal immigrants, overstaying and undocumented that such situation encouraged and became an ideal ground for terrorism. Robert W. McChesney, S. J. , (2001) the director of the Jesuit Refugee Service Immigration Detention Program in Los Angeles has sited several terrorist attacks since the early 1990’s. On Jan. 25, 1993, a lone gunman ambushed motorists waiting at a red light outside the main entrance to the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, Va. Two C. I. A. employees were killed, and three other people were wounded as they sat innocently in their cars. The following month a 28-year-old Pakistani immigrant by the name of Mir Aimal Kansi was charged with capital murder, subsequently found guilty and sentenced to death. As it turned out, he had come to the United States in March of 1991 on a business visa and eventually was issued a work permit. He perpetrated the terrible crime while awaiting disposition of his application for political asylum. One month after the C. I. A. murders, an explosion rocked the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six people, wounding more than a thousand and sowing widespread fear. The following year, four Muslim fundamentalists were convicted of the crime. Each was sentenced to 240 years in prison. One had applied for political asylum, while another perpetrator had overstayed a student visa. Still later in 1993, an old cargo steamer ran aground on a sandbar in the surf off New York City. The Golden Venture dumped her human cargo of 286 undocumented Chinese into the water. They swam the last few hundred yards to shore, then were arrested and detained. The Golden Venture quickly became the national news obsession of the day. Every television station in the country played and replayed scenes of what some tabloids described as a â€Å"sea invasion of illegals. † An already nervous public mainstream was now confronted with stark images of drenched Chinese nationals huddling under blankets on a windy New York beach, staring in confusion at the television cameras. After three major incidents within six months, unscrupulous elements of the press found increasing profit in sensationalizing a story of immigrant hordes and terrorists breaching permeable borders to attack the fabric of American society. The immigration and criminal terrorist story lines blurred and became conflated. Popular discourse was virulent and fearful, and politicians took notice. The solution seemed all too obvious: close the borders to â€Å"illegal† and imprison or deport those already here. Perhaps the most infamous event of this period occurred on April 19, 1995, when a Ryder truck parked outside the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City exploded. The potent mix of fertilizer and fuel oil blew half the nine-story building into oblivion, killing 168 innocent people, including 19 children, and injuring another 500. According to initial press reports, â€Å"Middle-Easterners† were reportedly seen in the vicinity of the crime and were initially regarded as possible suspects. Two days after the blast, however, a Caucasian U. S. military veteran, Timothy McVeigh, was picked up and subsequently convicted of the heinous capital crime. Legislative reaction to the sluggish economy and high-profile crimes and incidents had begun at the state level. In November of 1994 California passed Proposition 187, which placed onerous restrictions on legal and illegal immigrants. The courts subsequently overturned the initiative, but its popular political resonance remained potent.

Use of Gender in Advertising

Use of Gender in Advertising Gender and Media Advertising. Introduction: The final dissertation will research, analyze and summarize the findings pertaining to the use of gender in advertising and the possible effects on the target market and society. The media advertising covered to include both print and electronic media and will, at minimum, encompass examples from magazines, television and Internet advertising, as they are the most pervasive within western society. A brief history of advertising and common techniques used in advertising, such as branding, to be included as background information. Methodology.   Content analysis to be done on selected major advertising campaigns in the three specified media of magazines, television and Internet. Additional quantitative analysis tools will be used, where required. Body   The research question to be addressed is: Identify and analyze the use of gender in media advertising, and its probable effects on society and summarize the findings. Provide background information on the historical and ethical use of advertising, including marketing techniques and refer to key proponents of the subject. For the purpose of the dissertation the following definitions will be applied throughout Gender  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender): â€Å"the characteristics, whether biological or socially influenced, by which people define male and female.† (Myers, 2002)Advertising (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising) Generally speaking, advertising is the promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas, usually by an identified sponsor. To achieve the required results, information and advertisements will be gathered from multiple sources; including magazines with different target audiences, television advertising and related articles, as well as Internet sites that promote specific products. Internet sites to include both product sites which are selected by the consumer and pop up advertising which is unsolicited. The content analysis of the data will take into consideration the techniques used, how appropriate the gender usage is related to the nature of the product being marketed and the target audience. The results to be summarized, categorized and reported based on the different media being evaluated as they use differing marketing techniques. This could result in gender content in advertising being less appropriate in certain mediums, based on the target audience and whether the target had the choice to select the specific advertisement. Printed media provides standard content for all consumers who view or purchase the magazine Television advertising is timed, niche type marketing to gain the attention of the most likely target market e.g. car related products advertised during NASCAR racing   Internet advertising is often one-on-one marketing based on the specific consumers past usage of Internet sites and information gathered by marketers on consumers from their web sites. e.g. Amazon analyze purchases made and then advertise selected products based on this history data to that individual consumer Certain products advertise using all of the above channels and are likely to prove to be good examples for inclusion in the dissertation. They will provide a total view of a product’s advertising strategy, as well as have a broad effect on society. Such products advertising could include additional channels, such as billboards and cinema advertising and this should be noted and included, where applicable. Where possible, marketing research carried out by the products marketing company will be included to validate the target markets and identify their marketing strategies.    The analysis must include the use of both men and women in advertising and the results need to identify and specify the differences and similarities in the use of both in the specific advertisements.   For this to provide a balanced comparison, the products for both sexes should be comparable, e.g. apparel. In addition to specifically looking at the effects of gender in advertising, any product that displays misleading facts, either by inclusion or omission of relevant facts, in any aspect, is to be investigated and included in the results. I believe that the dissertation will show that there are many examples of gender being included inappropriately by the media. If the introduction of a specific gender in an advertisement has no bearing on the product or the usage thereof, and is included only to engage the interest of the potential consumer, the inclusion is likely to be unnecessary and probably inappropriate. Such misuse could result in a number of negative effects on the consumer, for example Raises false expectations of the effect of the product being marketed Creates stereotypes in the minds of the general public which are erroneous Literature review As part of the analysis, identify and read up articles from key authors on the subject matter and include their findings relating to gender issues in advertising and any other appropriate sources outputs in the dissertation. Assumptions The dissertation is limited to advertising for an adult market and will not include marketing specifically aimed at children or teens. The study will only include media in English that is primarily used in the western world If specific print magazines, periodicals, companies or advertising campaigns are to be included in the study, this will be stated by the client The dissertation relates to advertising directed at the general public and therefore excludes business-to-business marketing and advertising strategies. Possible Limitations The topic will be limited to media advertising in English speaking, western society only, although I believe the use of gender in advertising could have a far greater negative impact in the Middle and Far East. The culture of consumers differs across Europe and the Americas and certain cultural groups will view advertisements differently. If the advertising has been customized by country or region to accommodate differing cultures, this could fragment some of the results. Conclusion: The choice of suitable products and the media advertising utilized is vital to the quality of the final dissertation. Tables and graphs to be included to illustrate the findings, where applicable. The dissertation will summarize the findings of the analysis carried out and document both the negative and positive aspects of gender usage as studied in media advertising. Any unethical practices identified which result in misleading the target market to be included, regardless of whether they specifically relate to the inclusion of gender bias.

Karl Marx: History as Explicable Human Activity Essay -- Philosophy Hi

History as Explicable Human Activity as Seen by Karl Marx Using phrases such as" innocent and childlike fantasies," Karl Marx unambiguously attacks the Hegelian philosophy preponderant during his time, citing in its concept of history an irrevocable divorce with reality. For Marx, history is exactly what it seems to be: a succession of human events in which ideas such as the division of labor, production, and revolution replace their immaterial Hegelian counterparts, if even such counterparts exist. In fact, Marx accuses the token historian of ignoring the fundamental aspects of actual human activity while instead concentrating upon non-actualized ideas at best and imaginary metaphysical concepts at worst. "History is nothing but the succession of separate generations, each of which exploits the materials, capital, and productive forces handed down to it by all preceding generations." Marx resists any abstraction from this idea, believing that his materialistic ideas alone stand supported by empirical evidence which seems impossible to the Hegelian. His history then begin... Karl Marx: History as Explicable Human Activity Essay -- Philosophy Hi History as Explicable Human Activity as Seen by Karl Marx Using phrases such as" innocent and childlike fantasies," Karl Marx unambiguously attacks the Hegelian philosophy preponderant during his time, citing in its concept of history an irrevocable divorce with reality. For Marx, history is exactly what it seems to be: a succession of human events in which ideas such as the division of labor, production, and revolution replace their immaterial Hegelian counterparts, if even such counterparts exist. In fact, Marx accuses the token historian of ignoring the fundamental aspects of actual human activity while instead concentrating upon non-actualized ideas at best and imaginary metaphysical concepts at worst. "History is nothing but the succession of separate generations, each of which exploits the materials, capital, and productive forces handed down to it by all preceding generations." Marx resists any abstraction from this idea, believing that his materialistic ideas alone stand supported by empirical evidence which seems impossible to the Hegelian. His history then begin...

Supernatural Aspects of the Characters and Settings in Macbeth Essays

Supernatural Aspects of the Characters and Settings in Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  The supernatural has always intrigued mankind. People gather around to hear ghost stories and see enchanted medallions. Shakespeare realized people's fascination with the supernatural and used it in many of his tragedies. Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare's tragedies about a man, Macbeth, who wishes to become king of Scotland after being told, by three witches, that his destiny is to rule Scotland. Macbeth's ambition overtakes him so much that he goes on a killing spree. Macbeth ends up killing the king, Duncan; his friend, Banquo; and rival, Macduff; in his pursuit of procuring the crown and keeping it. In the end, richesousness does triumph over evil, but not without interactions between the characters and the supernatural. Most of the characters are somehow connected to the supernatural, either by choice or by fate. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses an underlying motif of the supernatural to control the characters and add a new dimension to the play.    The motif of light versus dark is the most prominent theme throughout Macbeth. The opening scene is dark and desolate with "Thunder and lightning" and "An open place" in the stage directions. The thunder and lightning conveys a sense of darkness with an approaching storm. The "open place" shows that the witches prefer to meet in a place free from society where no one can eaves drop on them. The light of day before Macbeth's final battle is the major factor that predicts its outcome (Watson 144). Siward states, "The day almost itself professes yours, / And little is to do" (V. vii. 27-28). Because the battle is fought on a fair day, Macduff's powers are strengthened by the light, and Macbeth's pow... ...tson, Robert. "Thriftless Ambition: Foolish Wishes, and the Tragedy of Macbeth." Modern Critical Interpretations: Macbeth. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York. Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 133-168.    Supernatural Aspects of the Characters and Settings in Macbeth Thesis: In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses an underlying motif of the supernatural to control the characters and add a new dimension to the play. I. Light vs. Dark A. Scenes 1. Opening 2. Closing B. Lady Macbeth 1. Starts as dark 2. Ends as light II. Sleeplessness A. Sleeplessness is sign of doom 1. Macbeth 2. The sailor B. Witches control sleep 1. The sailor 2. Lady Macbeth III. Heaven vs. Hell A. Inverness is hell 1. Devil 2. Duncan's murder B. Duncan and Macduff are related to heaven 1. God's servant 2. No faults      

Child Abuse and Neglect Essay -- Violence Against Children

There are many things in our society today that unfortunately go overlooked. One such thing that is overlooked is the number of children who are being abused. Unfortunately these children are going through life not knowing whether or not their parents will loose their temper and perhaps kill them. There are many types of child abuse, such as physical, sexual, and emotional. Physical abuse is physical injury as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting, burning, or otherwise harming a child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caretaker intended to hurt the child. Sexual abuse includes activities by a parent or caretaker such as fondling a child's genitals, penetration, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure, and exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials. Emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that impairs a child's emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may in clude constant criticism, threats, or rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance. Emotional abuse is often difficult to prove and, therefore, Child Protection Services may not be able to intervene without evidence of harm to the child. Emotional abuse is almost always present when other forms are identified. Child abuse is a growing problem that has many causes and effects, but there are ways that we as a society can decrease the occurrence of this horrible event. Child abus...

Psychosocial Impact of Television on Children Essay

Television was once considered a luxury item, however, today is just a commodity. Even low income households have one television set, not only for entertainment but to keep in touch with the happenings around the world. Television, like any other technological advancement, bought with it negatives and positives to the society. It was once only used as a medium of news and light entertainment, mostly by the elders of a household. Now though it has expanded its purpose and is now commonly used for various purposes by all age groups. As mentioned in earlier conclusions, television itself is not a harmful device; previous studies have shown that its own effects are neither positive nor negative. However, it is the programmes that are aired that effect the society; especially on the physical and psychological well-being of the younger generations. Research papers, different forms of studies and articles have found the effects of television both, harmful and useful, on the development of a child. Even the primary research done through qualitative method of interviewing proved that television has no connection between the style and attention of parents. Instead the parents remained intact with the activities of their children regardless of their television watching habits. This discussion highlights various positives and negatives of television usage by the children. Krosnick, Anand and Hartl (2003) have identified three psychosocial â€Å"predictors† of viewing television. The first one they say is the â€Å"need satisfaction,† which occurs due to lack in the ability to socially interacting with peers, over intelligence, and to avoid parental punishment. â€Å"Parental influence† was nominated as the second one where absence of parental guidance and rules lead to increase in watching television. The last one was â€Å"resource availability† where it was found that it has no link with the overall income of the household. Gupta, Saini, Acharya and Miglani (1994) have identified almost all positives and negatives within two paragraphs of their research paper. They define the most positive effects of television watching as an aid to the development of â€Å"cognitive† ability, a source of â€Å"information†, â€Å"knowledge† and â€Å"skill† development. They mention that it also generates the desire of â€Å"learning† and ‘imparts general awareness. † It can also have a positive effect on the â€Å"attitudes and behavior† of the child while advancing â€Å"conceptual and concrete thinking. † They then highlight the negatives as the excuse to let go of â€Å"reading, playing, exercising, and studying†; thus giving rise to a â€Å"passive† behavior. When children continue watching television their â€Å"social interaction† may decline and their eating habits can also be harmed. A pre-TV introduction (age 3-4) and post-TV introduction (age 7-8) study was conducted by Gunter, Charlton, Coles and Panting (2000). Their study results show that the effects (positives and negatives) are usually according to the gender of the child. A more â€Å"antisocial behavior† was witnessed in the boys after the introduction of the TV; whereas the girls’ social behavior was unaffected. Both of the genders however did not display any â€Å"inter-gender difference. † The researchers saw that â€Å"cartoon viewing† was highly linked to â€Å"pre-TV antisocial behavior† and â€Å"post-TV neuroticism levels. † This did not change even when the viewing of â€Å"violent acts† was â€Å"controlled†; thus proving that the presence of any â€Å"nonviolent ingredient† had an effect on the â€Å"unruly children. † Watching cartoons was also related to decrease in the level of anxiety among children. The minds, values, thinking styles, and even social behavior are continuously developing at early age. Due to this it can be greatly affected by the elements present in the life of the child. They are â€Å"vulnerable† to the information â€Å"conveyed through television†, and it may cause a long-term effect. As their views and perceptions are not developed yet they cannot distinguish between the reality and the made-up stuff (Team headed by Baron, 2001). The paper also mentions that almost â€Å"two-third† of the programmes that are aired contain violent acts of some sort, out of which most â€Å"shows† are for children. It would have been a learning experience if the bad guys are punished severely, but at times they are set free without punishment and â€Å"violence† is shown as part of a â€Å"glamorized† world. According to APA (2004) by viewing violent behavior repeatedly children can become immune towards the â€Å"pain and suffering of others,† at the same time they can also become â€Å"fearful of the world around them. † This proves that it is not necessary that the depiction of the violent acts can cause harm in more than one ways. Children can also become stressed, depressed, or pessimistic due to the negativity being imposed. They might start judging people and world as a bad place which has nothing to offer but pain and misery to the innocent people. Hussain (2007) says that the â€Å"exposure to violence† and the glory of bad guy makes children start to portray aggressive and violent behavior assuming that it is socially accepted and â€Å"normal. † Viewing of television has also been known to cause â€Å"Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD),† which is described as â€Å"inattentiveness, lack of impulse control, and hyperactivity. † ADHD has been known to cause problems in learning and educational field. Television watching can also have a negative impact on the health of a child (Team headed by Baron, 2001). It can lead to a belief that looking like actors and models is beauty; thus taking away the innocence of a child. This has really negative effects on females who start developing â€Å"body concept and self-image† and start â€Å"dieting† at a very early age. Another social disadvantage is the division that this body image will cause amongst the children. At a very early age they will start distinguishing their peers as fat, skinny, chubby, beautiful and ugly and this trait will strengthen as they grow older. Another problem related to health and social issues is that of sexuality as mentioned by CPS (2003). Children hear the word sex on television for the first time rather than from their health care provider or parents. It has taken the role of the sex educator. Movies, shows, and even kids cartoon characters are shown as involved in sexual acts. Children are led to believe that it is â€Å"normal and risk-free,† and â€Å"everybody does it. † This has lead to increasing number of sexually active individuals than ever. Strasburger (1995) has selected the sexuality related data in a table which shows the influence of television on the sexual acts at early age.

Interventions to Meet the Needs of Consumers

Interventions to Meet the Needs of Consumers with Mental Health and Add Issues. BY songster CHAMBER Provide interventions to meet the needs of consumers with mental health and ADD issues. Introduction Case study of Susan a female patient age 40 years old. Name change due to confidentially and I had been given consent to obtain and access her personal medical file for the purpose of my study. In her ass, Susan is beginning to experiencing bouts of unhappiness. She turned to alcohol. The trauma early in Suntan's life, coupled with the subsequent health problems had placed Susan at risk or developing a serious psychiatric disorder as an adult.Despite getting help for depression, her drinking gradually increased. Following the death of her mother in 2003, Suntan's addiction escalated to the point that she could not start the day without a drink. It was in great emotional pain, and her drinking increased. At this point, she was never sober. Recently she had turned herself to cannabis smok ers. Susan had identifying her first problem. She wanted to get well and be normal allowing her greater freedom from the horrible side-effects of alcohol. She was placed on an antidepressant medication to assist her in functioning better. Her family is very supportive.She had a secure and stable family. Susan is fully aware of her mental state. She scored full in Mini mental state examination. Her speech is normal and calm. Therapeutic relationship Susan and I had a nurse-patient relationship that's based on mutual trust and respect. I had been providing care in a manner that enables Susan to be an equal partner in achieving wellness. I had always make sure Susan has privacy when provide care and be sure that her basic needs are met, including relieving pain or there sources of discomfort. I too had actively listened to her to make sure I understand her concerns by restating what she has verbalized.I had maintained professional boundaries like respecting differences in her cultures. We as nurses help Susan achieve harmony in mind, body, and spirit when engaging in a therapeutic relationship based on effective communication that incorporates caring behaviors. It's a win-win situation in which the nurse and Susan can experience growth by sharing the moment with each other. Assessment We did assessment for Susan as the first part of the nursing process, and thus form he basis of the care plan. The essential requirement of accurate assessment is to view Suntan's holistically and thus identify her real needs.Through the use of a scoring formula identification of evidence to support decision making and practice. The assessment tool will assist nurses to both articulate and quantify the nursing contributions to care. Suntan's chart provides information about his health status. It includes details about the current medical condition, treatment plan, related past medical history and other important data required to create a care plan. Vital Signs, jugular monitoring of a patient's heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and evaluate a Suntan's overall condition.Abnormalities can indicate a variety of problems ranging from anxiety to heart failure. Suntan's interview is the one of the most important assessment tools the patient herself. An initial detailed interview to get a full picture of Suntan's physical and mental status. Patient Safety Plan There was a Patient Safety Plan for Susan. The purpose of the safety plan is to encourage Susan to identify calming strategies that may be of assistance to them while she is in hospital. This plan helps to list those things that can be assistance and encourage helping prevent a crisis developing that might place the patient and others at risk.The plan helps to list Suntan's activities and strategies that find helpful in keeping calm. For example Susan likes listening to slow and sentimental music and doing artwork to calm her nerves. She does not like noise and being bullied these will act as triggers and she will get angry. Risk Factors Alcohol abuse also can have serious repercussions on a person's life, leading to financial and legal troubles, impaired thinking and Judgment, as well as marital tress. If we're struggling with money or grappling with a failed relationship, we're more likely to feel depressed.A person's home and social environment also can play a big role in determining whether they will develop both depression and a drinking problem. Children who have been abused or who were raised in poverty appear to be more likely to develop both conditions. Researchers have been searching for a common gene or genes that might lie behind both conditions. They have pinpointed at least one a variant of the gene CHARM that is involved in several important brain functions, including memory and attention. Variations in this gene might put people at risk for alcohol dependence and depression. Surveillance, R.A Primer of Drug Action, Macmillan, 2005. J. Goldberg, 2012. Minimize social isolation We had suggested that Suntan's family members and friends can also benefit from the hospital support group that they learn more about the disorder and become more constructively involved in recovery of Susan. Possible alternatives to traditional treatment. Here is some traditional treatment that Susan attends in her day activities in the day Centre in the hospital itself for relaxing. A number of essential oils are believed to be specially beneficial in the treatment of depression as they help to balance and relax the nervous system.Aromatherapy can be helpful in alleviating mental disorders including depression. Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to produce different emotional and physiological reactions. Some essential oils affect the nervous system, can help relieve tensions and anxieties, and even reduce blood pressure. Massage therapy is believed to be helpful for people with depression. Massage produces chemical changes in the brain that result . In a feeling of relaxation, calm and well- being. It also reduces levels of stress hormones – such as adrenalin, cortical and morphogenesis – which in some people can trigger depression.Yoga breathing exercises are beneficial for depression. Yoga is an ancient Indian exercise philosophy that provides a gentle form of exercise and stress management. It consists of postures or ‘asana' that are held for a short period of time and are often synchronized with the breathing. It is very helpful for reducing stress and anxiety which are often precursors to depression. We have given leaflets on acupuncture for traditional medicine China, Japan and other eastern countries. Acupuncture is based on the principle that stimulation of specific areas on the skin affects the functioning of certain organs of the body.Fine needles are inserted into specific points called acupuncture points Just below the surface of the skin. It is believed that acupuncture can help to relieve depression, along with anxiety, nervous tension and stress. Other self-help measures include: Meditation, relaxation, diet, alcohol and drug avoidance and exercise. Withdrawal symptoms The common symptoms of alcohol intoxication include slurred speech, euphoria, impaired balance, loss of muscle coordination, lushes face, dehydration, vomiting, reddened eyes, and erratic behavior.Which Susan does not have but she does not sleep well, not thinking clearly, irritability and loss of appetite. These symptoms are related to withdrawal from another drug as well Management of dependent drug intoxication and withdrawal Encourage and monitor diet and fluid. Reduce all environmental stimuli like providing single room with dim lights 4 hourly vital signs Administer medication prescribed by MO Consider assessment of breath or blood alcohol level where there is a concern of polycrystalline use. Report mental state and concerns, discuss with MO Referral to psychiatry.Treatment her treatment includes Disappear, Thia mine, and multivitamin and foliate supplements. Mobility: Performs falls risk assessment on falls risk management tool (FROM) On going assessment and management Assessment of the patient's risk and protective factors status at the current time. Provision of feedback on the patient's risk level. Review of progress since the last towards achieving current goals. Identification of upcoming high-risk situations. Development and practice of coping responses Addressing any problems the patient may currently experience and Setting new oils for the time until the next.For Susan the goal is to disrupt the cycle and reduce the risk of relapse. Treatment can include continuing care. We use intensive inpatient care based on 12-step principles. Followed by continuing care involving self-help groups, 12-step group counseling, and some individual therapies. Alternative approaches to enhance treatment retention in both initial and continuing care. The 12-step programs that provide a spiritual and b ehavioral guide to self improvement and offer social support for people seeking to achieve abstinence Each of these groups offers several hypes of meetings like speaker meetings.With invited speakers such as discussion meetings in which all participants contribute to the discussion of a given topic or â€Å"12- step meetings† that discuss one of the 12 steps and participants are encouraged to attend all types of meetings. Cognitive-behavioral therapy begins with an analysis to identify beliefs, attitudes, and situations that contribute to the patient's ADD use. Based on this analysis, coping responses that the patient can use are developed and practiced in high-risk situations to avoid relapse (Carroll 1998; Month et al. 1999). Monitoring of her sleep pattern.Monitoring of her fluid and diet intake. Being The aim is addressing Suntan's social care needs including possible triggers or substance misuse. To give her education in improving awareness of risks taking behavior and e xplaining how to find support. To give her treatment of mental health problems, drug treatment, psychosocial therapy and complementary therapies.

MRF Madras Rubber Factory Essay

Solutions and Services Implementation Highlights Time-frame: 9 months, strict adherence to time-schedules Top Management’s support Highly dedicated team Comprehensive change management SAP ERP success story MRF Limited MRF Limited is engaged in the manufacturing, distribution and sale of an extensive ange of superior quality tyres for various kinds of vehicles. The company’s operations relate to manufacture of rubber products, such as tyres, of applications. MRF has six production facilities in India and around 80 sales offices. From its humble origins in 1946, the company has come a long way to become the market leader in the tyre manufacturing industry. MRF exports its products to over 75 countries worldwide. Today, global tyre manufacturers have to plan and adapt to changes in customer demand, fluctuations in raw material prices and availability, while keeping pace with timelines for shipments; in the face of increasing ompetition in the global marketplace. The Need for SAP Before becoming an SAP customer, MRF was running several outmoded legacy systems that could no longer keep up with the company’s expanding operations, and, as a result, the company was plagued with inefficiency. Problems of slow availability of information, tedious manual entry and data transfer, lack of system flexibility, excess manpower utilization and costs started to have a negative impact on the business. Consequently, the company was spending a lot of time in consolidating the information, getting the data together, and on time. It did not take long for MRF to know that it had to replace its nonintegrated, independent systems if it wanted to gain strategic insight and higher productivity to manage rapid business growth. The company wanted a flexible solution to allow IT to keep pace with changes while offering a low total cost of ownership. MRF decided to reengineer its entire IT landscape by implementing SAP ERP and SAP CRM solutions, based on the SAP NetWeaver platform. A Core Team called the Power Users team was formed to determine the requirements of the company and the selection of a suitable ERP olution. MRF brought in IBM Global to facilitate the process and the Core Team was sensitized to the process of reengineering. The company did a detailed evaluation based on various criteria such as experience in the manufacturing sector and product-offerings; Oracle and SAP were short listed. MRF participated in a SAP summit which helped the company to take the final decision. â€Å"SAP came out on top in terms of product superiority, post-sales support, and record customer satisfaction. We were confident that SAP will support our plans for continued growth,† says Prince Azariah, Chief Information Officer, MRF Limited. SAP offered a clear solution for MRFs manufacturing operations which include process as well as discrete production. â€Å"We have moved onto a mature product with SAP. We have made a very good decision in selecting SAP,† adds Sathya Gautham, Manager IT Services. Implementation MRF chose Siemens Information Systems as the implementation partner after a thorough selection process. The project went live on December 1, 2007. There were around 60 members from MRF and 35-40 members from Siemens involved in the implementation process. The core team nd the partner’s team worked in full collaboration, while ensuring that the implementation was carried out according to time schedules. â€Å"One of the complications was that our systems were in silos. Change management has been a big challenge,† says Gautham. There were many instances when MRF looked to SAP India and SAP Labs for assistance and support during the implementation. SAP ERP has been implemented at the company’s Head Office in Chennai, 6 factories in Sales Offices. MRF went in for all core modules including Financials and Controlling (FICO), Sales ; Distribution (SD), Materials Management (MM), Production Planning PP), Quality Management (QM), Plant Maintenance (PM), Human Resources (HR), and SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence (SAP NetWeaver 81). Today, there are around 700 users who have accepted the implementation in a positive manner. Benefits With SAP ERP, the company has one harmonized, standardized and integrated solution. The solution has enabled MRF to transform its business operation management from time consuming and inflexible to real-time and adaptable. The users can now count on easy access to accurate, complete, and up-to-the minute information, thanks to entralized, integrated data. This has led to quicker decision making and improved business transactions for MRF. SAP is the best thing that has happened to MRF,† Sathya Gautham, Manager IT Services The implementation of SAP has brought in a major shift in the work-culture in the company. â€Å"The core team was clearly aware that they are responsible for creating their future. Earlier, we were a top-driven company. Now, we have close to 60 personnel at the middle management level who have been empowered to take business decisions, and who are advising top management on what needs to be done o set up processes in the company. There is so much of enthusiasm among the core team members and the end-users. Also, we used to be a very silo-ed company. With SAP, the Heads of different Departments look to these people for resolution of problems.

AT&T Case Study Essay

1. Introduction In this report we will identify business risk that AT&T experienced due to their divestiture in 1982. We will conduct our analysis based on financial concepts, and finally recommend necessary actions that should have been conducted when the company formulated its financial policy in 1983. 2. AT&T Background AT&T was founded in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell. Prior to the divestiture AT&T had been a force to be reckoned with for over a century within the telephone service industry. Before the divestiture the company served over 80% of the US telecommunications users. The sale of these services took place at their 22 local subsidiaries. AT&T was the largest enterprise in the world with total assets of $137.8 billion and revenue of $58.1 billion. Given the size of the company they had hired a total of 1,060,378 workers. With a total number of 3,055,495 shareholders, where 95.3% held less than 600 shares each. Ever since 1885 AT&T had continued to pay its dividend to the shareholders, they never lowered the payment. The divestiture that AT&T experienced was a result of an agreement of the Justice Department’s antitrust suit against the company in 1982, which required a major rearrangement of AT&T’s capital structure. The agreement lead to several changes in the structure of the company, and one major change that had a significant impact on the company was how they managed their distribution channels. Prior to the divestiture they sold their services through their 22 local telephone subsidiaries, the company would now be spun off into seven independent regional corporations; NYNEX, (N.Y. Telephone and New England Telephone), Bell Atlantic (N.J. Bell, Bell of Pennsylvania, Diamond State Telephone and four Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Companies), Bell South (South Central Bell and Southern Bell), Ameritech (Indiana Bell, Michigan Bell, Illinois Bell, Wisconsin Bell and Ohio Bell), U.S. West (Mountain Bell, Pacific Northwest Bell and Northwestern Bell), Southwestern Bell (Southwestern Bell) and Pacific Telesis (Pacific Telephone, Nevada Bell). 3. Historical Financial Policy AT&T’s overall financial policy, including target debt ratio and interest coverage, was designed to maintain an AAA bond rating, which allowed them to reduce borrowing cost and in addition make sure that funds were available in periods of severe financial dislocation. The dividend policy was relatively conservative for a utility with a target payout ratio of 60% and an actual payout of 58-67%. Their low payout ratio was determined by AT&T’s large capital requirements and the desire to provide some protection for maintaining the stability of dividends. Stockholders reinvested approximately one third of the dividends. Due to the increased competition and the volatile regulatory climate, AT&T returned to a more conservative financial policy. Between late 1970 and 1980 the managers were reluctant to issue more equity through sales of stocks because the company’s market value was below its book value per share. However, the financial history shows that AT&T allowed in vestors to purchase new stocks using their current dividends at 95% of current market price. 4. Principal Problem AT&T’s principal problem was not the need to raise funds to finance investments, but whether the debt and equity ratios were appropriate for the â€Å"new† AT&T. This needs to correspond with the company’s financial and strategic goals, and be adapted to the market and uncertainties that the company is facing. AT&T’s strategic goal has been to please the potential stockholders categorized as widows and orphans. Widows and orphans are used to describe stocks with a relatively high degree of safety and a stable dividend income. Due to changes in the market and uncertainties that the company was facing, their strategic goals needed to be changed. The change  was however not reflected in their balance sheet. We will further discuss what led to this situation, and give a recommendation on the changes that should have been made prior to the divestiture in 1984. 5. Pre Divestiture Business Risk As a consequence of the governments intervention, the AT&T lawsuit settlement, as well as the shift in the telecommunication industry, it was clear that AT&Ts local telecommunication business was slowly moving away from a monopoly franchise environment. It was moving towards a more competitive environment characterized with more consumer choice and greater competition. Companies such as IBM saw the divestiture of AT&T as an opportunity to provide new telecommunication equipment and services, which would allow them to gain a higher market share. AT&T’s stock had up till then been regarded as a stable utility-type stock because of its steady growth and consistent dividend yield. However, AT&T should have kept in mind that they would not have as much market control in the future as they did prior the divestiture, much due to the intensifying competition and regulatory environment changes. Firstly, the antitrust lawsuit followed by a sudden divestiture could cause uncertainties to wards the company’s future and might change the shareholders perception of AT&T in an unfortunate way. Second, the seven new corporations would be highly independent, and therefore a major rearrangement of the capital structure would be vital. It is likely that every corporation would differ in terms of e.g. management style and financial performance. These changes could mean that AT&Ts reputation of being a safe and profitable investment could shift to become more volatile and riskier for its shareholders. Finally, AT&T had relied for a long time on their old and out-dated patents, which included old machinery, equipment and plants in order to create profit. As more and more competitors emerged with new technologies and services, AT&T needed to keep up with all changes in the market. As a result of the divestiture the R&D was reduced at Bell Laboratories and the development-part was eventually intergraded into the Western Electric division. After these changes many concerns arose relating to the future profitability of Western Electric (WE). Firstly, they were concerned that WE might not be able to attain marketing and product development skills that were vital in operating in the  newly competitive markets. The main reason for this is that the workforce was used to working in a captive market, where competitors were almost non-existent. Secondly, WE’s manufacturing labor force had become unionized at the same time, as their plants were old. This meant that WE would have to invest in R&D to make sure that their competitors did not exceed them. Their unionized workforce would lead to a considerable increase in salary and WE would have to follow the regulations that were set by the labor union. As a consequence these factors would most likely affect both the firm’s market share and eventually the stock price in a negative way. 6. Analysis and Recommendation 6.1 The New Capital Structure Spin-offs often provide a unique setting to assess various capital structures, because one observes the initial capital structure of a mature firm. In a spin-off, a subsidiary is fully divested from a parent and becomes a stand-alone entity. Before this happens, the subsidiary is not able to issue new equity, and is dependent on the parent to finance its capital investments. When the divestiture has occurred, the firm’s assets are divided between the subsidiaries followed by a new capital structure of the independent firms. The total outstanding debt would be assumed divided between the seven regional operating companies, hence the sharply reduced total debt that is projected in the 1984 balance sheet. There is also reason to believe that AT&T chose to reduce $725 million of their total outstanding debt in 1982, which lead to the reduction in the debt ratio the same year. When looking at the projected balance sheet one can see that the total debt would be stable at the sum of $9.3 billion from 1983 to 1988, which equals a decrease of $37.8 billon from 1982. However, due to tax deduction the cost of issuing new debt is lower than using equity. This would mean that AT&T should issue new debt in order to create a balance when financing the investment in R&D, and rather use more of the company’s equity to set up an account with emergency funds that will function as a safety net given the unpredictable times ahead. 6.2 The New Distribution Policy When establishing a distribution policy, one size does not fit all. Some  firms produce a lot of cash but have limited investment opportunities. This applies for firms in profitable and mature industries where few opportunities for growth exist. Such firms typically distribute a large percentage of their cash to shareholders, thereby attracting investment clienteles that prefer high dividends. AT&T was in such an industry, but after the removal of the monopoly, the market became more volatile. During periods of market volatility, there are investment opportunities if you know where to look. In such markets the firms generally distribute little or no cash but enjoy rising earnings and stock prices, and thereby attracting investors who prefer capital gains. AT&T should have adapted to the changes in the market, which required more financial flexibility and a stronger balance sheet. A ‘strong’ balance sheet should consist of liabilities that are considerably outweighed by assets. If a company is having problems, the balance sheet (together with the cash flow statement) will tell you whether it can stand the strain. 6.2.1 Dividend Pay-out As mentioned above, AT&T has had a steady increase in dividends payout until the announcement of the divestiture in 1982. The company decided to reevaluate the amount of dividends and keep it steady at $5.40 per share. AT&T had been a market leader in this industry for a long time, yet their equipment and patents were old, as they had not invested in R&D development. In order for AT&T to have a stronger balance sheet and become more financial flexible in the face of the divestiture, AT&T should have cut their dividend payout much earlier. The company might have been afraid to cut the dividend since this often gives a signaling effect that the firm does not expect high earnings in the future. However, given that AT&T was forced into this divestiture, changes had to be made. An alternative measure could therefore have been to make a change in the dividend policy. This could be seen as a risky move, yet if communicated in an appropriate and thoughtful way the shareholders might understa nd that this was necessary for the company’s future growth. Another supporting factor is that approximately one third of the dividends payout were reinvested by AT&Ts stockholders, which shows that the current dividend payout was not very essential to some of the shareholders. 6.2.2 Repurchase of Stock The firm should also have repurchased stock some years after the dividend cut, to bolster the share price. Repurchase have a tax advantage over dividends as a way to distribute income to stockholders. Repurchase provides cash to stockholders who want cash while allowing those who do not need current cash. Moreover, repurchase announcements are viewed as positive signals by investors because the repurchase is often motivated by management’s belief that the firms shares are undervalued. Finally, repurchases is a effective way to produce large-scale changes in capital structures. 6.3 New Investment Plan The company should at the same time start looking for new possibilities and investments in order to overcome these volatile times. An alternative could have been to invest in R&D e.g. by acquiring a small company with the knowledge and expertise that were required in order to compete and be sustainable in the industry. By doing so they would expand their workforce with people who had more knowledge about the newer technology and therefore been better equipped when facing the challenges ahead. Not only would this allow AT&T to gain more human capital, but they would also gain newer equipment. It is also said that more good investments will most likely lead to a lower dividend payout, which supports our recommendation of changing the dividend policy. 6.4 Maintaining a Top-Level Credit Rating AT&T’s overall financial policy, including target debt ratio and interest coverage, was designed to maintain an AAA bond rating, which allowed them to reduce borrowing cost and in addition make sure that funds were available in periods of severe financial dislocation. As mentioned earlier AT&T worked hard to maintain the AAA rating, both through debt ratio and interest coverage. Although it should be noted that AT&T’s debt ratio of 43% was close to fall under the AA ratings. This would have resulted in an increase in average interest cost of 0.7% equal an expenditure of $335.3 million in borrowing cost. Based on this one can conclude that this was a wise decision given the circumstances, and the company should therefore keep their focus on this in the future. A top-level credit ranking will not only give AT&T better conditions when issuing new debt, but also allow them to emerge as a more attractive investment to current and potential new shareholders. Conclusion Due to the antitrust lawsuit and the shift in the telecommunication industry, AT&T needed to adjust their financial and organizational strategy in order to adapt to the changing environment. The main purpose of this report has been to identify the risk involved with the divestiture, and find ways to face the challenges ahead. The report recommends a new capital structure policy, where AT&T should issue new debt for further investments rather than using equity. For the distribution policy, dividends should be cut and thereafter consider repurchasing stocks. Furthermore, the company should invest in a R&D through an acquisition of a small high-technology firm that will enable them to gain knowledge and be more innovative. Finally, AT&T should seek to maintain a top-level credit rating to reduce borrowing costs, to assure better conditions when issuing debt and last but not least to be a preferred firm for investors.