Article Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Article Summary - Essay Example Combining these two entities would in fact enable easier analysis of cross-channels due to internal data sharing. Integration of email and Facebook increases the likelihood of reaching the target audience. This integration can be either through creation of email opt-tabs in the Facebook account or by adding a Facebook â€Å"like† request in email messages. A social login that operates through a single click into the individuals website that contain information from social networks such as Facebook can also be used to facilitate the conversion of email opt-in tabs. Such social logins could provide necessary information such as email address or other contact modes. A study has also concluded that this is now the most preferred method as compared to filling tiring registration forms. Such integration of services can also be used to test cross-channel data such as time of the day or day of the week. Metrics used in email operations such as open rate and clickthrough can be applied to posting schedules on Facebook and similarly the interactive windows of Facebook should be incorporated into sending windows of emails. Winning email subject lines and Facebook ads can also be exchanged. Additionally, images having a high clickthrough rate in emails and those which have increased interactive rates on Facebook can be interchanged. In conclusion, the article also stresses that a single editorial calendar could be used by marketers in order to promote action calls in both the channels. By and large the article lays emphasis on breaking the silos of an organization as it only serves to hinder its progress in the current global environment. Kirkpatrick, D. (2013). MarketingSherpa Email Summit 2013: Social Media is email with fresh paint. MarketingSherpa Blog. Retrieved 23 March, 2013, from

Building and Sustaining Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Building and Sustaining Strategy - Essay Example Establishing good customer relations has helped learn the importance of feedback in the business (Langdoc, 1998). The feedback reception helps an entrepreneur to plan and make necessary changes in the product and services approaches. Innovation is a very important part of building and sustaining strategy. As an entrepreneur I have also learnt the basic skills of nurturing an innovation protecting it and making the best out of it. For any business to be successful there must be a good communication network. Lack of feedback was major issue at the organization (Coyle, 2003). The management never responded to the points of concerns raised by employees. Effective feedback usually helps in dealing with the emerging challenges. The management is the policy translator to the employees and therefore continuous feedback should be available. I have also been able to learn the importance of good communication with other employees. The proper communication network helps in solving problems that we may encounter while conducting business. Good communication is also important with the customers (Business Forecasting, 2011). Management is a continuous process of synchronizing an organization with its market throughout while tackling the competitors and regularly collecting feedback within the organization itself (Buchanan, 2000). It examines external and internal factors affecting a particular organization together with the skills, information and strategies put in place to effectively manage the change and consequent improvements. I have a feeling that management is an effective tool for decreasing motivational and environmental constraints while improving organizational structure. I learnt that lack of organized information (lack of an integrated framework) in an organization is a potential drawback. Organizations have departments, which at most times cause distortion of information hence influencing the decisions made by the executives. Information in an organization can b e organized in a process-based manner (Pitak, 2000). The process-based manner ensures that the organization is viewed horizontally regardless of the departmental boundaries. In addition, intangible (making of decisions, leadership, and innovation) and tangible should be Organization communication is the movement of knowledge and information amongst people in the organization in order for efficiency and effectiveness to be attained. Both the management and staff should share the goals of the organization. In the past, application aspects (writing and speaking) were the major concerns of communication but it later changed to character-based aspects. Since that time, organizational communication has developed and undergone various modifications. When changes or challenges occur in an organization, ways and means are identified to counter the changes effectively spread equally within the organization fraternity. For any entrepreneur the ability to maximize and optimize profits is an ess ential part while building and sustaining strategy. Application There is need for development of an overall plan on the integration of the various departments and staff. The management should insist on teamwork and establish an environment within the company that practices respect and diversity. The management should make a decision on the points of responsibility interdependence by assessment of the joined responsibilities. After

Comparing Religious Rituals: Hinduism and Christianity

Comparing Religious Rituals: Hinduism and Christianity INTRODUCTION The comparative analysis presented in this term paper is really focused on two religions namely Hinduism and Christianity, because they play a major role in defining todays world spirituality and thinking. Hinduism is the worlds oldest religion while Christianity is the worlds largest religion so comparison between those two religions is really critical in serving our purpose in a perfect manner. In each religion, there are several rituals that a person has to conduct during his lifetime. Here we are going to discuss the three main rituals and a method of worship for both the religions. The three most important rituals, that we are discussing, are initiation ceremony, marriage ceremony and the death ceremony. In Hinduism there are quite a few initiation ceremonies however Upanyana the ritual that gives permission to any Hindu to study the Vedas and Upanishads provides the most important transition in his or her life. Similarly the marriage ceremony and death cremation ritual are very important in any religions, especially in Hinduism since it believes in souls and reincarnation. Initiation Ritual in Hinduism In Hinduism, the rituals can be summarized to sixteen stages and each of them is dedicated to God by a ritual called Samskara. The Samskaras starts with birth ceremony and ends with the death ceremony cremation. The most important Samskara in a Hindu religious life is the sacred thread known as Upanyana ceremony. This ceremony takes place between the ages of eight and twelve years. The importance of this ceremony lies in the belief that when a boy is initiated with the sacred thread, it means he is ready to accept the religious teachings. Upanyana goes back to 3000 BCE before the birth of Lord Krishna. It was only performed for the young boys of the three casts known as Brahmins, Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas. These three classes are said to be twice born because the sacred thread ceremony is basically a spiritual second birth, but the Shudras or servant class are not permitted this ceremony. The boys head is shaved prior to the initiation in order to symbolize the second birth. In Upanyana, the young boy is given the sacred thread and hence obtains the religious right to study Vedas and Upanishads. In this ritual, worship of Lord Ganesh is performed and then the holy waters of the pot. With the holy water the sanctification of the place and the assembly is done. The priest declares the purpose of the ritual and asks the permission of the assembly to conduct the ceremony. Then the ceremony of wearing the sacred thread is performed by tying the holy wrist band. The grains are sprout in pots by the ladies symbolizing the environmental care. The young boy receives the last meal from her mother before entering the school with relatives and friends. He needs to get his head shaved in order to enter into the austere life detaching himself from his previous life. Then the bathing ceremony is conducted with holy water. The holy fire is prepared and the boy is dressed in the attire of Brahmchari. Initiation then starts with 11 mantras of 11 different deities for protection again all kinds of troubles in studies. The boy gives 11 sacrifices in the fire. Then after the initiation to Gayatr i Mantra prayers are offered to Sun-god. Then the holy ashes are smeared at specific spots in the body chanting mantras. The boy assures the Guru to perform Brahmacharya duties regularly with devotion. He then goes around for alms starting with the mother and also receives blessings from the gathering and honoring guru. Ladies wave the vermillion and sacred grain containing water. In this ritual three different materials are used for the thread. It is believed that these three threads stand for different classes: a special grass for the Brahmin, a bow string for the Kshatriya and wool and hemp for the Vaishya. These three threads are also supposed to remind the Hindu that he must control mind, speech and body and also they stand for the three major Hindu deities Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The knot used to tie these three strands together is called Bhrama granthi. The ceremony finally ends with a ritual bath after which he is entitled as Snatak. This ritual bath symbolizes the boys new role in life. Initiation Ritual in Christianity In Christianity, churches insists that each person following the religion understands the meaning of the all the beliefs and follows them with complete agreement. Christians are supposed to make their own commitment. So Christians have the initiation rite called Confirmation it is the act that confirms and strengthens the beliefs and commitments which were initially made by the parents on their childs behalf. Confirmation is generally conducted before adult baptism and hence can be considered as an initiation rite. Initiation generally starts around the age of six or seven. For a Roman Catholic, the child is prepared for First Confession and First Communion during that time and then confirms his or her beliefs between the ages of 11 and 14. While in the Anglican Church, confirmation is conducted between the ages of 11 and 16 and only after this ceremony he or she receives Holy Communion. Often the ceremony of confirmation includes the First Communion. In any way, in both the churches the Bishop, on behalf of the church, asks the person to affirm his or her faith in the teachings of the Church. Then after naming, the Bishop confirming his or her affirmations welcomes them into the full fellowship of the Church. He does this by laying his hands on them indicating two significances. Firstly it bestows the power of the Holy Spirit upon the person to empower him or her to be and to live as a Christian. Secondly, it links the person to the very roots of Christianity through the bishop who was also empowered by the previous bishops and hence creating a link which goes back to the earliest Christians. After this ceremony their families usually held a party to celebrate the person to become one of them. Family members and family friends bring gifts. Gifts might include a bank account in his/her name or some fixed deposit and also stuff like briefcase, an expensive pen. Marriage in Hinduism The most important ceremony after the initiation ceremony is the wedding ceremony. There are different variations in these ceremonies and rituals. A prospective match is looked for the children from their own community or caste. In this process of looking for a match, the parents take a help of a holy priest who compares the jathakam or janampatri of the bride and groom. Janampatri is basically a booklet in which the characters and future of a person are written down depending upon the positions of the nine planets when the person was born. However modern day couples usually approve each other before their arranged marriage is approved by their parents. In fact the approval of the elders is slowly becoming a formality and the marriages among different communities and castes are becoming common. Engagement This is an important pre-wedding ceremony. In this ceremony the two families agrees with the wedding and also decides the date of the wedding. The couples exchange the engagement rings. Barni Bandwana This is held fifteen days prior to the marriage at grooms place. The pundit (priest) performs a puja of Lord Ganesh so that the wedding ceremony can happen without any kind of mishaps. During a Puja, a Mauli (thread) is tied to the hands of parents and the groom to save them from evil eyes. Mayara This ceremony is common to both the bride and groom. The maternal uncle of the bride or groom is supposed to bring gifts to her sister and the bride or groom. In fact in some parts, the maternal uncle is supposed to give gifts to all the close relatives of the bride or groom. Sangeet Sandhya This is an evening of musical entertainment which takes place about two to three days prior to a wedding either in a Banquet hall or at home. It is arranged by the brides family for bride and groom. Similarly they have Tilak Lagwana and Mehendi Lagwana before the wedding ceremony in which the brides family draws a Tilak on the forehead of the groom while the bride has her hands and feet being applied with Henna. During Marriage festivities Hindus have several rituals during the marriage but the most important ones are as follows. Aarti The grooms party is received at the entrance of the wedding venue with a diya placed on a platter and the brides mother takes the Aarti of the groom with it. It symbolizes that they try to purify the soul of groom before the marriage since marriage is the bonding of two souls and not just the bonding of two people and two families. Kanya Daan In this ritual, the brides father gives away the daughter by the libation of the sacred water symbolizing that he is giving away the bride to the groom. The groom recites the Vedic Hymns to Kama the god of Love for pure love and blessings (with his shoes off) and in the meanwhile the brides sisters steal the grooms shoes and ask for money in return. Saptapadi The Saptapadi literally means seven steps but it is referred to as the seven rotations taken by the bride and groom around the holy fire which is considered as the most important component of Vedic Hindu weddings. The holy fire is seen as the witness when the couple makes vows to each other. Also bride and groom are tied by a knot denoting a lifelong bond between them. Each circuit of the consecrated fire is led by either the bride or the groom, varying by community and region. Usually, the bride leads the groom in the first circuit. The bride leads the first four circuits while the groom leads the last three of total seven circuits. With each circuit, the couple makes a vow to promise to make full effort to give a happy relationship and household for each other. The seven vows taken are as follows. To provide for food always (Hindu). To give you excellent health and energy (Hindu). To ordained in Vedas, during your life time (Hindu). To give you happiness in life (Hindu). To make your cows and good animals grow in strength and in numbers (Hindu). To make all the seasons be beneficial to you (Hindu). To make the homams (sacrifices to be done in Holy Fire) to be performed by you in your life as ordained in Vedas, successful and free from hindrances (Hindu). Marriage in Christianity In Christianity, the union between man and woman is predestined by God. Since Christianity believes in souls it can also be seen as a bond between two souls. As per Jesuss message that wedding is a relationship, a union so real and intimate that the two become one flesh. So in a Christian marriage, husband and wife are treated as one. The weddings are conducted in church with all friends and family members. There are different views on holding marriages and have diverse ways of conducting it. Pre Wedding Rituals Before wedding, an engagement ceremony is kept. After this, there is a hen party known as the Bridal shower in which all the females gather at the brides place and rejoice by singing and dancing. The gifts are showered on the bride and then the bride offers them a pink cake with a hidden thimble. The woman who gets the thimble is supposed to get married next. Similarly the groom celebrates the Bachelors party with his male friends. This is considered a wild party bash, wherein he celebrates his last night as a bachelor. Raising a toast is a must here. At some places, just like the Hindu wedding, the bride and the groom are applied turmeric and sandalwood paste. It is known as Haldaat ceremony. However, in Goa it is known as Ross, wherein the couple is applied coconut paste in place of turmeric. After all these rituals, finally the wedding day arrives. Wedding Rituals On a wedding day, a car is sent from the groom to pick up the bride and the groom waits for it outside the church. Then they enter the church together, after the Best man of the groom welcomes her with a bouquet of flowers. Then the couple walks down the corridor with arm in arm. The priest who is been awaiting them bless them with the best wishes. The priest then reads psalms from the Holy Bible and then the sermon known as Homily on the holiness of the wedding. After that, he asks question to the groom and the bride referring to their consent for the marriage. After they take each other as their lawfully wedded wife and husband, priest declares them as Husband and Wife. The couple then makes vows to stay with each other through thick and thin and promise to give all the happiness they can. The couple then exchanges rings which are blessed by the priest first, to instill love and faith between the two. The family, friends and the gathered people blesses the couple. Finally the weddi ng concludes after the marriage registration and the couple walking down the aisle, arm in arm. The church then sends off a copy of the signed paper to the Registrar of Marriages. Post Wedding Rituals Generally a Reception follows the wedding which is basically a celebration party. It is considered a grand affair, thats when the couple is welcomed by the guest. After that, the couple cuts the wedding cake and the Toastmaster offers a toast in the honor of the newly-wed couple. Then the party goes on and people celebrate it with dance and dinner party. Nowadays people keep a live band present for the people to swing on. Death and Cremation in Hinduism Death is considered the last Samskara in Hinduism. When a Hindu person dies, his or her dead body is bathed and wrapped in clean, mostly white khadi cloth. The white color also signifies the purity of the soul after it left the body. Similarly at the ceremony of cremation, all mourners are supposed to wear only white clothes since white is considered to be the color of the mourning. A priest conducting the ceremony purifies the body and pyre by sprinkling holy water and in the meanwhile keeps singing or chanting religious hymns or songs. The ritual of the body to be set alight is only done by the eldest male child of the deceased, or the closest male relative. Hindus in India are cremated upon open grounds upon wooden pyres, but because of scarcity of wood more and more people have started using the cremation chambers. The ashes of the persons remains are gathered and placed in a pot. This gathered ashes must be immersed in one of the holy rivers. However, if one is not able to immer se it into the holy river, any river or body of water that meets the ocean can work. Generally the holy water from Ganga is poured in the mouth of the deceased or mixed with the ashes following cremation. The cremation ceremony should be performed within three and a half days of the death and the ashes of the deceased must be immersed within three days (Death and Afterlife in Hinduism). If it is not done within that time frame, additional rituals are needed to be carried out. However the practice of cremation is not universal among all the Hindus. People of various regions and castes may also bury their dead as well. However, most of the Hindus prefer cremation in comparison to burial, even if burial is the common practice of the family. Beliefs This is based on the belief that a Jiva is made up of five elements of prakriti (nature) which need to be returned to their source upon its death. Of them fire, earth, water and air belong to the body and come from this world, whereas the fifth element the ether (fine matter) belongs to the domain of the subtle body and comes from the higher worlds. By cremating the body, the elements are rightfully returned to their respective spheres, while the subtle body along with soul returns to the worlds beyond for the continuation of its afterlife (Death and Afterlife in Hinduism). Hindu funeral rites actually have two purposes. They are conducted in order to make sure a souls happy migration to the other world and also save its family members from the after effects of pollution consequent upon the death of a kin. According to Hindu beliefs, when a person dies, irrespective of whether he is far or near, his family members are polluted by the very process of his death and remain so for some time till the soul completes its journey to the other world and till they are purified through rituals(Death and Afterlife in Hinduism). Funeral Rites in Christianity Conveyance to the Church Unlike in Hinduism, the burial of the dead body is preferred in Christianity. In the funeral rites the first stage is the conveyance of the body to the church. At a particular time, the clergy men are assembled in church and a signal is given by the tolling of the bell. The parish priest goes to the house of the deceased with the rest of the company; one cleric carries the cross and another holy water. The coffin is sprayed with holy water before it can be taken out of the house. The priest with his assistants speaks the psalm De Profundis with the antiphon Si iniquitates. The procession then leaves for the church with the cleric carrying cross goes first, followed by the members of the clergy carrying lighted candles. The priest walks immediately before the coffin and the friends and family of the deceased while others walk behind the coffin. When the procession reaches the church the antiphon Exsultabunt is chanted, and as the body is borne to its place the responsory Subvenite is recited. According to the present rubric if the corpse is of a priest the head is supposed to be facing toward the altar while if the corpse is of a layman then the feet are to be turned towards the altar. Ceremony in the church The second stage involves series of prayers, funeral Mass and absolution. The prayers offered are the Office of the dead. Candles are distributed in the congregation during the Mass. The candles are highly associated with the Christian funeral. These are to be lit during the Gospel, and during the absolution. This is due to a symbolical reference to baptism whereby Christians are considered the Children of Light Absolution The absolution is a series of prayers for pardon that are spoken over the body of a deceased Catholic right before the burial. The absolution of the dead does not forgive sins instead it asks God for the persons soul does not have to suffer from the punishment due to the sins which were forgiven during the persons life. The Libera me, Domine is sung while the priests incenses the coffin and sprays the holy water on it. Then the priest says the prayer and then In Paradisum is sung when the body is carried from the church to the gravesite. Ceremony by the graveside The corpse is taken to the grave after the absolution. Then the priest blesses the burial plot. A newly dug grave is considered blessed while land never used for cemetery needs to be blessed by sprinkling holy water. The priest then speaks the antiphon I am the Resurrection and the Life, after which the coffin is lowered into the grave. Then the Lords Prayer is said silently, and the coffin is again sprinkled with holy water. Finally, after one or two brief responses, the following ancient prayer is said: Grant this mercy, O Lord, we beseech Thee, to Thy servant departed, that he may not receive in punishment the requital of his deeds who in desire did keep Thy will, and as the true faith here united him to the company of the faithful, so may Thy mercy unite him above to the choirs of angels. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (Catholic). Then the priest speaks the final appeal to the God May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace (Catholic). Thats how the graveside ceremony and the burial ceremony are conducted. In Summary, death rituals from both the religions make an effort to comfort the souls and try to relieve the souls from the pain. However in Hinduism, the deceased is not forgotten in any occasions and also the generations coming on make sacrifices to comfort their ancestors soul. Nonetheless, both the religions believe in soul leaving the body during death and reincarnation. However Christianity does not openly admit the belief in reincarnation, in fact it states it in a different way by saying that eventually all the souls will find their way back to their corresponding bodies and will relieve themselves from the pain. Conclusion The comparison between the two religions showed us how being similar in many respects their rituals differ from each other in a high manner. We found that there are pointing similarities between the motives behind performing the rituals. As in Christianity, only with Confirmation one becomes a Christian similarly in Hinduism one has to undergo the ritual of Upanyana in order to be able to study Vedas which makes him/her a real Hindu. Also in Hinduism we saw that Upanyana was only performed for males and during cremation also only males were allowed to enter the cremation site because females are thought as emotionally weak to be able to see their loved ones getting burned. However in Christianity males and females are given equal opportunity to perform the rituals. Even though having the same ideas behind conducting these rituals the style of performing these rituals is totally different.

Gender Equity in College Sports Essay -- essays papers

Gender Equity in College Sports â€Å"Gender Equality In College Sports?† An on going issue facing education today is the growing controversial topic of gender equality in sports participation and it’s so call quota for achieving equality. The most notable action that has taken place as women continue to strive towards equality in the athletic realm is what is known as, Title IX. The basic ideas underlying Title IX are that â€Å"if an institution sponsors an athletics program, it must provide equal athletic opportunities for members of both sexes.† (Yoshida p.3) Simply put, Title IX attempts to achieve â€Å"equality† of funding for male and female athletes. The problem with this idea of complete â€Å"equality† is that no one agrees as to what is considered equal. It is an ambiguous term, interpreted differently by many people. The enactment of this Title has significantly changed the playing field for athletic departments through out the nation by altering their funding systems to comply with its rules. As a result, women have benefited greatly. There have been additions of female sports as well as an increase of the number of scholarships awarded to female athletes, and also a lot more funding to provide more â€Å"equitable† facilities for them. According to the NCAA Gender Equity Studies , â€Å"from 1992 to 1997 NCAA institutions have increased the number of female athletes by 5,800. But tragically during that time these colleges also eliminated 20,900 male athletes.† (Kocher p.1) This dramatic landslide has occurred because athletic departments are under pressure to rapidly increase the proportion of female athletes by whatever means necessary. As the path toward complete â€Å"equality† gradually brightens for women in college athletics, a dark path is now becoming evident. Mal e athletes, in a sense, are now being discriminated against because of Title IX. This issue of Title IX affects our education system today because its rules are controversial as to what is really â€Å"equal.† For instance, if one particular sport at a university is extremely successful and is capable of supporting many other sports within the system, then, is it fair that that successful sports team should be penalized by limiting their funds? Should they have to support a team who has been added to the university to abide by Title IX rules, but are not making a profit? In the end, the ... ...nd education. As for the University of Hawaii, I feel that we are making positive strides in the right direction in adding female sports to the athletic program. The latest addition to be added to the program is a women’s track team. Although Title IX has made it possible in opening opportunities for women, I think that law makers need to look into having the University of Hawaii exempt, to some degree, as far as being compliant with Title IX. If equality is what law makers are striving for than, because of UH’s geographical position, it’s not fair that the athletic program alone would have to generate twice as much money compared to the mainland schools, just to stay afloat. Not even to be competitive! How close are we really to achieving â€Å"equality† or is there even such a word like that in college sports? Bibliography: 1.) Kocher, Leo; â€Å"1992-1997-An Era Of Title IX’s Unintended Consequences in College Athletics,† Online @: (www.intermathwrestle.com/titleix/congress4.htm) 2.) Yoshida, Hugh; â€Å"If You Let Us Play...† A Plan for Achieving Gender Equity in University of Hawaii Intercollegiate Athletics 1996-2002. March 15, 1996

Patient-Physician Relationship Essay

The functional perspective is a perspective theory based on the following hypotheses. First, a society is made up of several institution which works together to promote the integration, balance, stability and consensus building within the said society, thus, the society’s main aim is to maintain social order. The society, as a system is made up of different parts each of which has a dysfunction, latent and manifest functions. Health is a very important aspect of the human life. From a functional perspective it is quite clear that the subject of health is integrated into every aspect of life from work to leisure. The manifest function of the institution of health care is the provision of health services to the people. The institution has other latent functions, for instance, the creation of employment to lecturers, doctors, surgeons and nurses. A common dysfunction in the health care institution is the failure to provide its services even though it is in a position to bring about the misunderstandings between the practitioners and the patients. There are thus several proposals that have been brought forward to deal with the situation which brings about the dysfunctional aspect of the health care sector. It is clear that, the health care sector has been a constituent part of the society from time immemorial. This sector has also been integrating with other aspects of life for instance, education from which the qualified physicians are made. The health care sector is also responsible for the stability of the society by ensuring that other aspects of the society are attended to by providing the health of the work force. The heath care sector of the society brings about consensus in the society by integrating other constituent areas of the society in it’s decision making and ensuring the decisions made are for the goodness of the society at large. Traditionally, physicians were seen as properly having total control over their patients; now the pendulum is swinging the other way and patients are demanding substantially more power in the relationship. In the past, the relationship between the patient and the physician was strained as the physician was viewed as the superior of the two. This made the physicians arrogant as the patients became more frustrated. The importance of health care and the dependence of other sectors on it has brought about the need for reforms in the sector thus, bringing about the dysfunction aspect of the health sector. According to the function perspective, any constituent part of a society should have a mechanism for trouble shooting as the occurrence of inconsistencies is inevitable. This is the dysfunction characteristic of the functional perspective. Great changes in politics, social lifestyles and technology have greatly affected the communication between the physician and the patients. The complexity of the heath care system, and it’s need for a lot of decision making, cost of health care coupled with the hard economic terms have all driven people to seek information on alternative sources of health care. The current advocacy for informed consent, patient’s rights and access to medical records is viewed as a need by the customer to defend themselves from the predatory nature of heath care providers. Patients are keen on getting information regarding signs and symptoms of diseases, medical tests, drugs and alternative treatment options. The information obtained has been the main source of the revolution as the patients are more informed about the available options and their patients rights. This further goes on to prove that the society is an integrated setting because changes in areas like social lifestyle and technology have brought about the need for change in health care. This further pushes forward the agenda of viewing the society from a functional perspective. There are several issues that affect a patient- physician relationship. The issues that affect the relationship between a physician and a doctor includes: First, there is need for trust between the doctor and the patient, as this is very important to the diagnostic and therapeutic process. It is of critical importance for the communication between the patient and the physician if they can develop a feeling of mutual trust between them. This in turn perfects the diagnostic process and eventually eases the healing process. This clearly shows the need to integrate every aspect of the society’s daily life to smoothen the daily flow of the society. In the past, patients relied on the physician to do all the work, thus, there was heavy reliance on the practitioner’s professional authority. This trend, which did not in any way consider the patient’s preferences, has been around for quite a long time. In the later stages of the twentieth century, this trend seemed to change as the patient was brought into play. This changes have continued and currently the patient almost have as much say on the mode of his treatment as the physician. Physician-patient communication is mainly in two aspects: the Technical and the Samaritan aspects. The technical aspect is concerned with coming up with a proper diagnosis and prescribing a proper remedy, whereas, the humanitarian aspect is mainly concerned with supportive care. Patients are increasingly looking for information on supportive care. Traditionally, the patient was viewed as unable to cope with the medical information and his knowledge of medical issues was viewed as a threat to the profession. Presently, it is mandatory to consult the patient and seek her consent for any decision on a treatment plan, thus, the patient should be well informed in order to make rational choices and implement them correctly. This is a clear demonstration of the consensus building aspect as demonstrated by the view of the society from a functional perspective. To ensure that the patient benefits from the health care sector, there is need to ensure the provision of adequate information on various health issues, and the physician should ensure a patient is well briefed on his condition, what caused it and the recuperation period. Libraries should provide information that support the improvement of physician-patient relationship. The range of information available to consumers needs to be widened. A mechanism should be put in place to disseminate findings related to clinical practice. The creation of a decision making software for use by the consumers will also go a long way in enlightening and helping the patients to make informed decisions. Bodies that deals with the provision of information to the professional societies should have their mandate extended to enable them provide information that will help the consumers on their services in decision making. The above demonstrates some ways in which the various aspects of the system works together in a harmonious manner in order to create a more stable society. This is an aspect of the functional perspective of the society. The other issue is based on the question is â€Å"can students be trusted? †. Medical students find it hard when placed in a position of a patient as they generally have trust issues. There is a need to find ways to ease the treatment process of such students. Moreover, some patients, especially the youth, are more comfortable in dealing with physicians of their age with whom they feel they can easily relate to. Furthermore, bringing a personal touch puts the patients at ease with physicians. The physician may relay relevant aspects of his experiences on the patient. This helps the patient to feel at ease, knowing that, the physician has been in his shoes and is therefore more qualified to deal with his situation. This also facilitates the ease of communication between the concerned parties. The other issue affecting the provision of health care services is a decision on a physician’s beliefs and feelings which affects his or her decisions and judgment on clinical issues. It is quite important to find out the patient’s beliefs and thus be informed of what other suitable avenues there are to the solution of his health problems. Furthermore, some patients are quite demanding and may unnecessarily take up clinical time. In dealing with such patients, a physician is advised to kindly state to them the situation and give them a few alternatives or means to reach to a compromise. These mechanisms, used to smoothen the provision of health services and promote the patient -doctor relationship, are characterized by a balancing process in which the physician is forced to abandon his beliefs for the good of the patients and thus of the society as a whole. Creation of balance is a key characteristic in parties involved in a society from a functional perspective. The other issues that needs to be addressed in the bid to improve the patient-physician relationship are factors that hinder the communication between a physician and his patient. Communication between a doctor and a patient can be hindered by either parties for instance, patients may omit some details of their medical history which they consider embarrassing or private. On the other side, the physician may not be keen on the patient’s narration or accounts especially if he is judgmental. To facilitate the ease of communication between the two, there is a need for the physicist to make the patient aware that he has his full attention, ensure they are both comfortable, and ask explicitly on the key areas of concern. Moreover, it is believed that a third of the patients disagree with the doctor’s analysis and recommendation, this pose a great risk to the patient’s health (Armstrong, 1991). To reduce such cases, there is need for the patient and the physician to both participate in the decision making process. A patient has the right to refuse some forms of medical interventions prescribed to him by the physician based on his beliefs and personal preferences. There is need to determine a set point after which the decision to override a patient’s preferences should be reached. It is agreed that the influence of the patient’s preferences to the physician’s course of action should be limited. This creates an avenue to help patients who for one reason or the another, are unwilling to help themselves by consenting to the physician’s prescribed course of action. At times, the practitioners may even be forced to go to court in order to force the patients to accept treatment. The other key issue is confidentiality, information on a person’s health status is very secretive and personal and should be kept as secure and confidential as possible. The knowledge that his medical information is confidential, helps the patient develop a feeling of trust in the physician which leads to improved provision of health services. Confidentiality may cause a problem in cases where the practitioner is legally obliged to give an account on a patient’s health record. These issues addressed above, clearly demonstrate how various building blocks of the society interact in order to come up with a stable, balanced and integrated society in which balance, stability and consensus building are the main mechanisms used in dealing with any anomalies that may befall the constituent parties. This is the key principle in the functional perspective view of a society. The issues addressed above are currently being addressed by several countries. Some countries started addressing these issues in the seventies leading to the marking the start of a revolution, as other countries emulated their example. These reforms have led to patients wanting to know more about matters affecting their health. Currently, there is a need for doctors to be on the forefront in empowering their patients by advising them on suitable sources of information (Burnum, 1985). The nineties witnessed the commercialization of medical services bringing the need to better customer relations. This in medical terms refers to better patient-physician relationship. The commercialization has empowered patients as they are now treated with much respect and their needs are adhered to promptly (Eysenbach & Diepgen, 1998). This trend is expected to continue for a few couple of years as the world becomes more and more commercialized. The downside of the above improved relations are considerable. First, it is quite true that the improved patient-physician relationship is closely associated with commercialization of medical services. In a commercialized setting, the patients preferences will be put before his actual medical needs. This will eventually lead to the erosion of medical ethics, as the commercial code will come in play (Robinson & Gustafson,1988). Secondly, access to basic medical care will be above the reach of the average person as the health providing institution will only aim at larger profit margins rather than provision of affordable services. Lastly, the increased power given to the patient will eventually lead to low morale in medical workers as the patients will be so bossy, this will lead to poor service delivery (Lazare, 1987). The improvement of patient-physician relationship has associated pros and cons. There is thus an urgent need for medical governing bodies and governments to come up with legislations that will ensure that the medical code of conduct and ethics are adhered to and medical services are within the reach of the poor and thus regulating medical services while at the same time, ensuring the said improvements thrive.

NSA: National Security or National Stalkers? Essay

In 2010, it became legal for the National Security Agency (NSA) to access private email logs, social media accounts and other internet databases (Risen & Poitras, â€Å"N.S.A. Gathers Data on Social Connections of U.S. Citizens). Risen and Poitras (2013) explain that the intention of this change was to help protect the United States (U.S.) from future terrorist attacks and was for the general purpose of national safety. It is unclear how many terrorist attacks all of this new intelligence has actually prevented, however, it is very clear that the NSA’s actions are violating the privacy of not only American citizens, but everyone who lives on American soil. With the internet as a resource, this means that they can not only listen in to conversations, but access virtually any data that is entered via the internet. This includes credit card numbers, GPS coordinates, flight destinations, contact information for family members, personal pictures and much more. The NSA not only vio lates the constitutional rights of American citizens, it puts everyone in the country at great personal risk for crimes such as fraud and discrimination. One of the greatest issues with the access the NSA has is that it violates the constitutional privacy laws. The fourth amendment to the Bill of Rights, protects the American people â€Å"†¦against unreasonable searches†¦ but upon probable cause†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"The Bill of Rights: A Transcription†). Risen and Poitras (2013) reveal that the NSA is not even required to check that the individuals they gather information about are foreigners or have anything to do with foreign relations. This extensive access to all personal data including bank accounts, GPS coordinates and insurance information is the definition of an unreasonable search without probable cause. Everyone’s information is collected and stored before there is any reason for the government to search for it. This is in direct violation of the people’s constitutional rights. Of further concern is the deceit with which the NSA continues to address its capabilities. â€Å"Jon Stewart Slams Obama’s Domestic Spying Program† explains that although President Obama claimed that emails and phone calls of the general public were not being tracked, it later became evident that this was not the case. It turns out that the internet has become just one more tool for the government to use to spy on its resi dents. Yet the lies divulged by the NSA demonstrate that not only are  Americans being spied on, they have no way of truly knowing which of their personal information is at risk. As a result, it becomes even more difficult to protect oneself from privacy breaches and indicates the NSA, itself, is not an entity that can be trusted. After all, if they are lying about what they are collecting, there is no way of guaranteeing that they are not also lying about other aspects of their operation, including the way in which the personal information is used. Those close to NSA staff members are particularly vulnerable to internet privacy violations. In â€Å"Jon Stewart Slams Obama’s Domestic Spying Program† a news clip shows that NSA workers have been known to use their capabilities to spy on their loved ones. Clearly the private internet information collected by the NSA can and is misused on a regular basis. According to â€Å"The NSA’s New Spy Facilities Are 7 Times Bigger than the Pentagon† the agency has thousands of employees who are apparently able to use their resources to spy on anyone they are personally interested in. This could lead to the destruction of personal relationships and very dangerous behavior such as stalking or even murder. Another large group of vulnerable individuals are those who bank online. Anyone who uses the internet to make purchases or even view their banking information becomes at an increased risk of fraud. Not only does the NSA have access to all of their information, the mere existence of it means that it can be hacked into or even leaked. Persons of all socioeconomic backgrounds are now vulnerable to theft of their hard earned money as a result of the NSA’s alleged attempt to prevent terrorism. Furthermore, the bank information can be used in such a way that it not only deplete funds, but permanently destroys credit backgrounds and entire identities. According to Risen and Poitras (2013) all foreigners are at a greater risk for being monitored online. This includes both groups that are legally and illegally present in the U.S. and even those who have obtained citizenship. Although the purpose of spying on foreign residents more heavily appears to address the need to prevent terrorism, many (if not most) of these individuals have done nothing to warrant a search of their virtual belongings. It is as if the NSA presumes that everyone could be guilty unless they are proven innoce nt, which is the exact opposite of the way in which the U.S. judicial court operates. In fact, such tactics are a blatant form of discrimination. Mental health patients are also at particular risk. Although their  information is supposed to be confidential and kept strictly between a patient and doctor, the NSA is able to view these communications when they occur online. Such access essentially vetoes the doctor-patient confidentiality agreement. A potential result is the decrease in trust within these delicate relationships and, furthermore, a decline in treatment success. Kaiser patients, for example, are able to email their doctors to access their services more quickly and conveniently. Since these emails can be viewed by the NSA, patients may resist using this valuable resource. Some patients may refrain from revealing information altogether, even via a face-to-face appointment, since medical records are now often published within internet systems for the purpose of more efficient care. Finally, innocent children are put at risk by the NSA’s monitoring of private internet information. Whether parents want to share photographs of their pride and joy with family or tweens are exploring their social relationships, the NSA is watching. For any parent is uncomfortable to think that a stranger, whether or not they work for the government, can view pictures or information about a child with the click of a button. This group may also be the least protected online because they may not know that their information can secretly be seen. Although parents can try to safeguard their youngsters from the general public via computer restrictions and monitoring, they cannot protect them from the capabilities of the NSA. In conclusion, the NSA may be causing more harm than good with their legalized privacy breaches. Everyone is at risk, whether they are aware of it or not. It appears that the potential harm to society is not being weighed properly against the desired gain. There is not denying that it is in the best interest of all American residents that terrorism be prevented, however, the current tactics being used seem inefficient and costly to our society. Innocent people are being persecuted while criminals find ways around this flawed system of spies. If the public is aware that they are being monitored, terrorists are aware as well. It would be in the best interest of the NSA to find alternate, and more sophisticated ways to identify potential hazards instead of surveying the entire U.S. population via the internet. In fact, it is likely that the dangerous persons we seek will be the first to remove relevant communications from the internet, given the circumstances. By creating paranoia and destroying the U.S. quality of  life, we may be creating exactly what terrorist parties are working to achieve. Works Cited â€Å"The Bill of Rights: A Transcription.† National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 31 Aug. 2014. . â€Å"The Constitution.† The Constitution. Web. 01 Sept. 2014. . â€Å"Jon Stewart Slams Obama’s Domestic Spying Program.† YouTube. YouTube. Web. 01 Sept. 2014. . â€Å"The NSA’s New Spy Facilities Are 7 Times Bigger Than the Pentagon.† Defense One. Web. 02 Sept. 2014. . Risen, James, and Laura Poitras. â€Å"N.S.A. Gathers Data on Social Connections of U.S. Citizens.† The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Sept. 2013. Web. 02 Sept. 2014. .

How to Speak to a Customer Service Representative

How to Speak to a Customer Service Representative At some point, most of us make a telephone call to a companys customer service department. Whether its to place an order or a complaint, dispute a charge, or ask a question, its important to know how to communicate with customer service representatives. In this intermediate-level role-play dialogue, you will get a better understanding of how to interact with a customer service representative. Customer service calls usually follow a standard procedure. The representative will often ask for information such as your address and phone number. After practicing this role-play, you should be able to conduct these types of phone calls with what youve learned. Grab a partner and start practicing. Customer Service Representative: Hello, Big City Electricity, how may I help you today? Mr. Peters: Im calling concerning my electricity bill. Customer Service Representative: May I have your account number? Mr. Peters: Certainly, its 4392107. Customer Service Representative: Thank you, is this Mr. Peters? Mr. Peters: Yes, this is Mr. Peters. Customer Service Representative: Thank you, what can I help you with? Mr. Peters:Â  I think Ive been overcharged for the past month. Customer Service Representative: Im sorry to hear that. Why do you think we charged you too much? Mr. Peters: The bill is 300% higher than last month. Customer Service Representative: Im sorry to hear that. Let me ask you a few questions and then Ill see what I can do. Mr. Peters: OK, Thank you for your help. Customer Service Representative: Of course, thank you for calling this to our attention. Now, how much do you usually pay for your electricity? Mr. Peters: I usually pay about $50 a month.​ Customer Service Representative: Thank you. And how much did we charge on this bill?​ Mr. Peters: $150. I cant understand why.​ Customer Service Representative: Yes, Mr. Peters. Was your usage different in any way?​ Mr. Peters: No, it was an average month.​ Customer Service Representative: Im sorry. There certainly seems to be a mistake.​ Mr. Peters: Well, Im happy you agree with me.​ Customer Service Representative: Ill contact a service representative to come out and check your meter. Whats your address, Mr. Peters?​ Mr. Peters: 223 Flanders St., Tacoma, Washington 94998​ Customer Service Representative: Whats your phone number?​ Mr. Peters: 408-533-0875​ Customer Service Representative: Im terribly sorry about the misunderstanding. Well do our best to change this as quickly as possible. Mr. Peters: Thank you for your help in clearing this up. Customer Service Representative: Of course. Is there anything else that I can help you with today? Mr. Peters: No, thank you. That would be all. Customer Service Representative: Okay. Thanks for calling, Mr. Peters, and I hope you have a good day. Mr. Peters: You too! Goodbye.