Organisational Behaviour Essay Example for Free

Organisational Behaviour Essay The concept of the balanced scorecard (BSC) was first introduced by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton (1992) in their now widely cited Harvard Business Review article, â€Å"The Balanced Scorecard—Measures that Drive Performance.† The widespread adoption and use of the BSC is well documented. For example, Kaplan and Norton (2001) reported that by 2001 about 50% of the Fortune 1000 companies in North America and 40% to 45% of companies in Europe were using the BSC. The basic premise of the BSC is that financial results alone cannot capture value-creating activities (Kaplan Norton, 2001). In other words, financial measures are lagging indicators and, as such, are not effective in identifying the drivers or activities that affect financial results. Kaplan and Norton (1992) suggested that organizations, while using financial measures, should develop a comprehensive set of additional measures to use as leading indicators, or predictors, of financial performance. They suggested that measures should be developed that address four perspectives: 1. The financial perspective. Measures in this perspective should answer the question, â€Å"How should we appear to our shareholders?† 2. The customer perspective. These measures should answer the question, ABSTRACT. Although the application of the balanced scorecard (BSC) in the business sector is well documented, very little research has been reported regarding the adaptation or application of the BSC in the education sector. In this article, the authors (a) describe how the Baldrige Education Criteria for Performance Excellence has adapted the concept of the BSC to education and (b) discuss significant differences as well as similarities between the BSC for business and the BSC for education. The authors also present examples of the BSCs of three Baldrige Education Award recipients. financial performance (Kaplan Norton, 1996). Thus, the BSC enables managers to monitor and adjust the implementation of their strategies and to make fundamental changes in them. The Baldrige National Quality Program: An Overview The Baldrige National Quality Program is the vehicle of implementation of The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Improvement Act of 1987–Public Law 100–107. This law was enacted on the basis of a set of â€Å"Findings,† one of which was that [T]he leadership of the United States in product and process quality has been challenged strongly (and sometimes successfully) by foreign competition, and our Nation’s productivity growth has improved less than our competitors’ over the last two decades. (Baldrige National Quality Program, 2003a, p. 61) â€Å"How should we appear to our customers?† 3. Internal business processes perspective. Measures in this perspective should answer the question, â€Å"What processes must we excel at?† 4. Learning and growth perspective. These measures should answer the question, â€Å"How can we sustain our ability to change and improve?† A critical factor for an effective BSC is the alignment of all the measures in the four perspectives with the company’s vision and strategic objectives. The BSC allows managers to track short-term financial results while simultaneously monitoring their progress in building the capabilities and acquiring the intangible assets that generate growth for future The primary objective of the Baldrige Program is to help American businesses improve their competitiveness in the global market. Businesses can improve their competitiveness by identifying role-model organizations, recognizing them, and disseminating their best practices throughout the United States. The Baldrige Program is widely recognized as a very significant factor in strengthening U.S. competitiveness in the global market. In its 1995 report Building on Baldrige: American Quality for the 21st Century, the Council on Competitiveness made the following statements: â€Å"The Baldrige National Quality Award and its state and local offshoots have been key to the effort to strengthen U.S. competitiveness† and â€Å"The Baldrige Award Program, having galvanized U.S. quality efforts, is now positioned to become the vehicle to stimulate and coordinate efforts to expand quality as a national priority† (Council, p. v). The Council (p. 22) also stated that it â€Å"is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of chief executives from business, higher education and organized labor who have joined together to pursue a single overriding goal: to improve the ability of American companies and workers to compete more effectively in world markets, while building a rising standard of living at home.† In 1995, The Council was chaired by Paul Allaire, CEO, Xerox, with Thomas E. Everhart, President, California Institute of Technology, and Jack Sheinkman, President, Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, AFL-CIO, CLC, as vice-chairmen. Recipients of the Baldrige Award are obligated to present their â€Å"best practices† at one national and two regional conferences. In addition to these obligatory presentations, there is a great demand for additional presentations. Through 1998, past Baldrige Award recipients made approximately 30,000 presentations. The centerpiece of the Baldrige Program is the Criteria for Performance Excellence. These criteria define a stateof-the-art management model that integrates the following seven areas into a comprehensive system: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis, and knowledge management; human resource focus; process management; and business results. In Figure 1, we show the framework of the criteria in a systems perspective. The criteria maintain currency through annual revisions and improvements that incorporate emerging issues and best practices (Baldrige National Quality Program, 2003a). The criteria place heavy emphasis on the development of a comprehensive measurement system that is aligned with the company’s strategic objectives. The measurement system yields results in the following areas (Baldrige National Quality Program, 2003a): 1. Customer-focused results 2. Product and service results 3. Financial and market results 4. Human resource results 5. Organizational effectiveness results, including key internal operations performance measures 6. Governance and social responsibility results Clearly, this set of results is consistent with the basic concept of the BSC. The financial and market results are the only lagging indicator and cover the BSC’s financial perspective. The customerfocused results obviously cover the BSC’s customer perspective. The product and service results together with the organizational effectiveness results cover the BSC’s internal business perspective. The human resource results cover the BSC’s learning and growth perspective. The governance and social responsibility results were added in 2003 and represent a new perspective in view of the recent, well known collapses that giant corporations experienced owing to unethical practices. The Baldrige Education Criteria for Performance Excellence In 1995, the Baldrige National Quality Program began the process of converting the business criteria for use in the education sector. This process culminated in the development of the Education Criteria for Performance Excellence and with Congressional approval of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Education in 1999. In Figure 2, we show the framework of the education criteria in a systems perspective. Clearly, this framework is very similar to that of the business criteria shown in Figure 1. In 2001, three educational institutions became the first recipients of the Baldrige Award. The BSC in the Education Criteria for Performance Excellence Although the concept of the BSC has been widely adopted and used in the business sector, the education sector apparently has not embraced the BSC concept widely, as indicated by the dearth of published research on this topic. A thorough review of the literature yielded few significant publications. For example, Cullen, Joyce, Hassall, and Broadbent (2003) proposed that a balanced scorecard be used in educational institutions for reinforcement of the importance of managing rather than just monitoring performance. Sutherland (2000) reported that the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California adopted the balanced scorecard approach to assess its academic program and planning process. Also, Chang and Chow (1999) reported that responses in a survey of 69 accounting department heads were generally supportive of the balanced scorecard’s applicability and benefits to accounting programs. The importance of measurement permeates the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. The focus on measurement in the criteria first appears in the set of â€Å"Core Values and Concepts.† These factors comprise the philosophical foundations of performance excellence and are as follows (Baldrige National Quality Program, 2003b): 1. Visionary leadership 2. Learning-centered education 3. Organizational and personal learning In the â€Å"focus on the future† core value, the criteria state that â€Å"a major longer-term investment associated with your organization’s improvement is the investment in creating and sustaining a mission-oriented assessment system focused on learning† (Baldrige National Quality Program, 2003b, p. 3). The criteria recommend that organizations use both (a) formative assessment to measure learning early in the learning process to allow for timely intervention, if needed, and (b) summative assessment to measure progress against key relevant external standards and norms regarding the knowledge and skills that students have (Baldrige National Quality Program, 2003b). In the â€Å"management by fact† core value, the criteria make the following statement: â€Å"A major consideration in per-formance improvement and change management involves the selection and use of performance measures and indicators. The measures or indicators you select should best repres ent the factors that lead to improved student, operational, and financial performance. A comprehensive set of measures or indicators tied to student, stakeholder, and/or organizational performance requirements represents a clear basis for aligning all processes with your organization’s goals† (Baldrige National Quality Program, 2003b, p. 4). The congruence of the portion in italics with the basic premise and the perspectives of the BSC is clear. In the â€Å"focus on results and creating value† core value, the criteria state that â€Å"the use of a balanced composite of leading and lagging performance measures offers an effective means to communicate short and longer term priorities, monitor actual performance, and provide a clear basis for improving results† (Baldrige National Quality Program, 2003b, p. 4). The criteria make the following statement in the â€Å"systems perspective† core value: â€Å"Alignment means using key linkages among requirements given in the Baldrige Categories to ensure consistency of plans, processes, measur es, and actions† (Baldrige National Quality Program, 2003b, p. 5). The 11 core values and concepts are embodied in the following seven categories: 1. Leadership 2. Strategic planning 3. Student, stakeholder, and market focus 4. Measurement, analysis, and knowledge management 5. Faculty and staff focus 6. Process management 7. Organizational performance results In Figure 2, we show the framework connecting and integrating these seven categories into a comprehensive system. In describing Figure 2, the criteria state, in part, that â€Å"Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management (Category 4) are critical to the effective management of your organization and to a fact-based system for improving performance.

The rainbow with the pot of gold :: essays research papers

We live in a world where ‘education’ and the accumulation of skills have assumed fanatical proportions. We tch tch at heavy school bags, but continue putting noses to the grindstone. Always in the hope of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Except, that in the first decade of the 2000’s the way to that pot is no luminescent rainbow. And the sad part is, it needn’t be so. The proof of the pudding -- the training experience of companies including U.S.A.-based AT & T’s National Product Training Centre and Audi, IBM and Seimens in Germany; Pentagon’s Institute of Defense Analysis; and teacher Charles Gritton’s efforts in a Des Moines ghetto school that became a case study of success. Putting the ‘no pain, no gain’ credo of learning to shame is the concept of accelerated learning, perhaps more famous as ‘superlearning’ following breakthroughs made by Sheila Ostrander, Lynn Schroeder and Nancy Ostrander since the 1970’s. However, the ball was actually set rolling about a decade before they started. It was behind the Iron Curtain in the 1960’s that Dr. Georgi Lozanov, a Bulgarian psychiatrist, first applied suggestion and relaxation techniques to classroom learning and termed these methods ‘Suggestopedia’. These pioneering techniques engendered and gave impetus to what we now know as Suggestive – Accelerative Approaches to Learning. Accelerated learning believes that the human brain can work at least two to five times faster (‘superlearning’) and retain more and for longer periods (‘supermemory’ or ‘hypermnesia’) if it is put into the ‘right state’ of â€Å"relaxed alertness† (therefore non-stress, therefore pleasure) for learning. In a nutshell, it works by addressing our unconscious as well as our conscious mind, exploiting the power of our own imagination since it has been found that a trained imagination helps learn better – thereby aiding in accessing what are termed as the â€Å"success patterns† in our bodies, minds and emotions. Significantly, ‘superlearning’ shows us how to relax our body and calm our mind at will. It is sometimes described as â€Å"global learning† since it involves our entire inner world, including parts repressed in older styles of education, and goes to the extent of our most ancient memory of life, exactly according to nature’s blueprint for us. Moreover, it is global in the sense that the techniques can be adapted and used in virtually any culture to learn virtually anything, age and background no bar. It

When i grow up

Like many toddlers, I was fascinated by building blocks. They held me spellbound for hours on end and pushed me to make some imaginative, if not structurally unsafe buildings. I thus grew up with a great passion for architecture, and was very certain I would one day be an architect. But as I drifted into Secondary school, my interests changed. History, among all subjects captivated me the most. I grew very much interested in the past, and as I went from â€Å"Ancient Egypt† to â€Å"Communist Russia† I ound myself captivated by the running of the world.Current affairs became my interest and I deviated from the cartoons in the newspapers to ground-breaking articles on the front page. As years passed, however, Diplomacy as a career seemed more interesting and engaging to me†mostly due to the many sensational events that took place (the Iraq War, the Chernobyl disaster, and the like). Gone were the dreams of building a sky- scraper or discovering a lost civilization; I had a burning passion to be something ther than the usual doctor lawyer or businessman†being a diplomat would fit the bill perfectly.A career as a diplomat would be ideal for me because it involves so many great opportunities: travelling around the world; learning how other countries function; getting a chance to interact with people of different cultures. Most of all, it means I can do what I love, that is, immerse myself in the current affairs of the world, and get paid for it. Most people see a diplomat as person who simply enjoys life abroad on taxpayer's money. I completely disagree with this view.Diplomats are often involved in handling issues could mean war or peace. It is this kind of challenge that makes feel even more inclined towards thus career. I also would like to be a diplomat because it would give me the opportunity to meet world leaders who I have grown up reading books about Would you like a career that is different, active, fresh and can fulfill some of y our real reams? Being a diplomat is more than an ideal career for me, it's a Job that will help to help others.More than that, it is a chance to make the world a safer place. Imagine peace in the Middle East, an America with more humility and peace treaties that do what they set out to do†all this can be achieved through the diplomat's skill of perception, knowledge of the past and the ability to listen. Look out for my name in the future†I do hope you will come to know and respect it. when i grow up By abdulgolden When I Grow Up When I grow up I would like to be a nice and caring Pediatrician (Physician). A pediatrician is a child's physician. I chose this wonderful job because I love children and I want to help them. The one thing I like most about kids is their creativity. They generally have a really open mind and are able to come up with some very interesting solutions to things that older people, would never come up with.I loved being a small kid, I had a lot of attention from my family, did not have to stress out about anything, and most importantly I did not have to go to school. To be honest, I am still a little scared about going to the doctor. When I went once to get the flu shot I was really scared, but before I knew it, it was over. The doctor made me feel so good about myself, she made me feel strong. Then, I looked up at my dad and said this â€Å"daddy, I want to be a nice and caring pediatrician like her†.Duties/Obligation(s)A pediatrician has a lot of duties /obligations even if they are general pediatrician. He/she supervises their support staff to see that the office runs professionally and efficiently. They also need to make sure they provide care for infants, children, teenagers, and young adults. They diagnose and treat infections, injuries, genetic defects, malignancies, organic diseases, and dysfunctions.Large part of a pediatrician's job involves treating illnesses. These can be everything from everyday illnesses such as colds and strep throat, to milestone childhood diseases such as measles, mumps and chicken pox. A pediatrician examines the patient first, next orders tests if needed, and then analyzes test results, last diagnoses the illness and decides on a treatment plan.Education/Special Skills RequiredTo become a Pediatrician you first need to pass the General Education Development. Classes like biology, physics, and chemistry will prepare you for the type of coursework you will be studying in medical school. Then you graduate from a four year univ ersity (collage). Next you take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The MCAT is a standardized multiple-choice test that is required for admission to medical school. Finally finish medical school. Most medical school programs are four years long. Once you have graduated from medical school, you will need to complete a three year pediatric training program at a hospital before you can start your own practice.Last you need to get board certified, which means you can be a pediatrician now. But there are some important qualities you must have. Like communication skills, Pediatricians need to be excellent communicators. They must be able to communicate effectively with their patients and other Healthcare support staff. They also need patience. Pediatricians may work for long periods with patients who need special attention. Children and patients with a fear of medical treatment (like me) may require more patience.But most importantly problem solving skills, they need to evaluate p atient’s symptoms and administer the appropriate treatments. They often need to do this quickly in order to save a patient’s life. Before you go into all these you need to have demanding education and training requirements.Salary ExpectationsAnother thing of why I want to be a pediatrician is because of how much salary I get. Though the average salary of a pediatrician is around $142,585 per year, that is only a range .Now 10% of pediatricians get $41.78 every hour they work, but on the other hand 25% of pediatricians get $59.18 every hour they work. What I am really happy about is that 50% of pediatricians get $74.34 every hour they work. In the future 4.2% of pediatricians will get $80.59 hourly, which means when I grow up I have chance of getting that much money.Depending on the country and place you live will change or maybe stay the same of your salary. Like if I live in Baton Rouge, LA I would earn $118.81 hourly. But if I live in San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, C A I would get $76.40. Since I am hoping to be the manger I will have to spend some of my salary on stickers toys and stuff  like that to make my patients happy and make sure they come back to me whenever they get sick or ill. Also I would need to give salary to my employments. This means, I need to work a lot of hours and be a great doctor/ manager.

Surname Herrera Meaning and Origin

Derived from the Spanish herrerà ­a, meaning place where ironwork is made, the Herrera surname means worker in iron, a blacksmith. According to the Instituto Genealà ³gico e Histà ³rico Latino-Americano, this Castellan surname originated in the Villa of Pedraza, in the province of Segovia, in Castile and Leon, Spain. Herrera is the 33rd most common Hispanic surname. Surname origin: ï » ¿Spanish Herrera may also be seen spelled as Herrero or Herera. Famous People With the Surname Herrera Odubel Herrera - Venezuelan professional baseball player/Caroline Herrera - Venezuelan fashion designer; married to Reinaldo Herrera.Paloma Herrera - Famous Argentine ballerina. Genealogy Resources for the Surname Herrera Genealogy.com is a popular genealogy forum for the Herrera surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Herrera query. Find records, queries, and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Herrera surname and its variations at FamilySearch.org. RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Herrera surname. CousinConnect.com allows you to read or post genealogy queries for the surname Herrera, and sign up for free notification when new Herrera queries are added. DistantCousin.com gives you access to free databases and genealogy links for the last name Herrera. References Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Avotaynu, 2005. Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Thoeries Of Evolution Essay example - 1815 Words

Thoeries of Evolution nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Evolution is the process by which living organisms originated on earth and have changed their forms to adapt to the changing environment. The earliest known fossil organisms are the single-celled forms resembling modern bacteria; they date from about 3.4 billion years ago. Evolution has resulted in successive radiations of new types of organisms, many of which have become extinct, but some of which have developed into the present fauna and flora of the world (Wilson 17). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Evolution has been studied for nearly two centuries. One of the earliest evolutionists was Jean Baptiste de Lamarck, who argued that the patterns of resemblance found in various creatures†¦show more content†¦Evolution proceeds by the natural selection of well-adapted individuals over a span of many generations, according to Darwins theory(Microsoft 96). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The parts of Darwins theory that were the hardest to test scientifically were the interferences about the heritability of traits because heredity was not understood at that time. The basic rules of inheritance became known to science during the turn of the century, when the earlier genetic works of Gregor Mendel came to light. Mendel had discovered that characteristics are transmitted across generations in discrete units, known as genes that are inherited in a statistically predictable fashion. The discovery was then made that inheritable changes in genes could occur spontaneously and randomly without regard to the environment. Since mutations were seen to be the only source of genetic novelty, many geneticists believed that evolution was driven onward by the random accumulationof favorable mutation changes. Natural selection was reduced to a minor role by mutationist such as Vries. Morgan, and Bates. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;While mutation was replacing Darwinism, the leading evolutionary theory, the science of population genetics was being founded by Sewall Wright, J.B.S. Haldine, and several other geneticists, all working independantly. They developedShow MoreRelatedIntroduction to Zoology Essay650 Words   |  3 Pages Chapter 1 Review Questions 1).Why is life difficult to define? Life is difficult to define due to the fixed properties varying from earliest living forms than those from today. This represents extensive and ongoing change refered to as Evolution. So we must base our definition on common history of life on earth. 2). What are the basic chemical differences that distinguish living and nonliving systems? The basic chemical differences from distinguished living and non living systems are: Read MoreHistory of Nationalism1041 Words   |  4 Pagesof the development of the idea of nationalism. He relates it by claiming that negligence of the old languages and scripts was due to rise in literacy, compounded by the movement to end the concept of ruling by monarchy and divine right, and the evolution and progression of the printing press, thereby laying the foundations for nationalism. However, several historians and scholars have criticized Andersons theory by arguing that the idea of nationalism existed within cultures quite earlier thanRead MoreGlobalization Has Improved The World1490 Words   |  6 Pagesthird of fourth. Chapter 3-The McGregor s Theory X and Theory Y potion of the chapter was very interesting to me. In this theory, Theory X and Theory Y represent the divergent assumptions that managers can hold about organizational functioning. A Thoery X manager assumes that a strong and forceful hand is essential for harnessing the efforts of basically unmotivated workers. On the contrary, Theory Y managers assume that workers are highly motivated to satisfy achievement and self-actualization needsRead MoreThe Expansion Of Urban Development Essay1466 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Transportation infrastructure has always shaped the evolution and economic position of cities. First, our major cities largely grew around seaports. Next, urban development took place along rivers that formed the backbone of the industrial revolutions in the United States. Railroads opened up landlocked interiors of nations, fostering a third wave of city growth outward from their main terminals. Then, the expansion of suburban roadway systems created a fourth wave of urban development. WeRead MoreTaylorism and Human Relations school of thought2175 Words   |  9 Pageseven managers do assign or move towards new management approach, they still use some of the traditional management approach as a guideline or backbone in new management approach. Taylorism and Human Relations gave a great contribution to management thoery and although some industries have moved away from it, this two apporach still applied today. Taylorism remain effective particular for routine, low-skilled and low-involvement working environments and Human Relations School of thought attract knowledgeRead MoreThe Survival Styles of Companies While in a Crisis Phase4932 Words   |  20 Pagescertain that the efforts made via this study have been a beneficial move in the right path. References Agarwal, R. (1998). Small Firm Survival and Technological Activity. Small Business Economics 11: 215 224. Agarwal, R. and M. Gort, 1996, The Evolution of Markets and Entry, Exit and Survival of Firms, Review of Economics and Statistics 78, 489 498. Agarwal, R., 1996, Technological Activity and Survival of Firms, Economics Letters 52(1), 101 108. Agarwal, R., 1997a, Survival of Firms overRead MorePath-Goal Leadership Theory Literature Review9054 Words   |  37 Pagesneed some type of clarification on the behaviors necessary of them to perform effectively. It further states: there is a unique relationship in the leader initiating structure and the expectancies of subordinate employees (Evans 1970). 3.2 Evolution of Path Goal Theory (1957 – 1971) During the 1950s and 1960s and prior to the introduction of the theory, leadership researchers primarily focused on identifying the behaviors of effective leaders and was dominated by concerns and research on

The Ford Pinto Ethical Dilemma - 1442 Words

The Ford Pinto Ethical Dilemma Written by Learning Team B; C. Riley, F. Foster, K. Jankoski, M. Riner, amp; R. Price Organizational Ethics and Social Responsibility 16 Aug 2010 Paul A. Kramer The Ford Pinto Ethical Dilemma In this presentation, a very important case that transpired from 1971 to 1978 with the Ford Motor Company, under the leadership of Mr. Lee Iacocca, CEO will be explored. During that time the CEO of Ford wanted to manufacture a vehicle to keep up with the competition that was going on with other manufactures. The Ford Company experienced many tragic issues with this vehicle having to pay millions of dollars in lawsuits. This was due to their negligence in not following the proper inspection procedures. It†¦show more content†¦The engineers had a moral obligation to blow the whistle on Ford. They let Ford continue to produce the Pinto. It appears that the external pressures on possibly losing their job or having a negative impact at work were strong enough for them to take an immoral stance on the safety of the vehicle. The final external pressure that affected this decision was the lobbying of congress. Ford acted as the external influence in this side of the case. Ford sent their lobbyist to stop the bad publicity and the future damages that Ford would have to pay. The lobbyists were to convince Congress that Ford was not at fault when they knew that they had made a dangerous car. Ford again acted unethically by sending the lobbyists. A lot of things have change over the years, but has the value of human life. This is the one item about this case that is the most troublesome. As Lisa Newton (2007) explains â€Å"[i]t was a cost-benefit analysis that placed a dollar value on a human life, estimated the probability of fatal accident, estimated the amount of money needed to settle a lawsuit for loss of life, estimated the amount of money needed to do the refitting so that there would not be that loss of life-and concluded that it was more economical to let the people die and settle the suits afterward† (pg. 292). There is no justification for this act even though it was thirty years ago. A company no matter the yearShow MoreRelatedThe Ethical Dilemma in the Ford Pinto Case Essay1610 Words   |  7 PagesThe Ethical Dilemma in the Ford Pinto Case On August 10, 1978 three young girls died in a 1973 Ford Pinto after being stuck from the rear by a driver in a van. The Ford Pinto was completely engulfed in flames and the accident resulted in the death of the three young girls. Today, the debate continues regarding whether or not The Ford Motor Company was responsible for this case and many other cases involving the Pinto bursting into flames resulting in disfigurement or death. Ford hasRead MorePinto Fires Case Essay721 Words   |  3 PagesPINTO FIRES CASE The assumption that ‘it’s easy to be ethical’ assumes that individuals automatically know that they are facing an ethical dilemma and that they should simply choose to do the right thing. But decision makers may not always recognize that they are facing a moral issue. Rarely do decisions come with waving red flags. Dennis Gioia was recall coordinator at Ford Motor Company in the early 1970s when the company decided not to recall the Pinto despite dangerous fires that wereRead MoreWith The Rise Of Globalization And The Complex Dynamics1624 Words   |  7 PagesWith the rise of globalization and the complex dynamics of the global business environments, organizations are tackling and forced to deal with large ethical issues on a daily basis. The ramifications for an organization that does not handle an ethical scenario efficiently and effectively could put the entire company and organization at dire risk. Organizations put their company brand and identity on the line with their everyday decisions and how they choose to operate themselves and their businessRead MoreCase Analysis : Ford Pinto Incident1223 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Ford Pinto incident in the 1970’s. First, I will validate why the stakeholder theory is the best theory to use when making business decisions, and why the liability should fall on the people regulating the market interactions, not the producer of the products. Second, I will come from a different angle a nd analyze the objections that some people may have about the Stakeholder theory. Last, I will analyze the ethics and consequences of taking a different course of action as the CEO of Ford. ByRead MoreFord And The Government Of The Pinto Case1747 Words   |  7 Pages Was Ford to blame in the Pinto case? Christeen Olsen Business Ethics Social Issues 1122 Anoka Ramsey Community College April 26, 2015 Abstract This paper explores several published articles and an overview of the court cases, that bring up the question of ethics and the responsibilities of Ford and the government in the Pinto gas-tank issues of the 1970’s. This paper is intended to ask questions of ethics regarding manufacturers responsibilities when there might be a potentialRead MoreFord Motor Company Case Study1124 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction Ford Motor Company is the fifth biggest automobile manufacturing companies in the world and they offer a wide range of products and services for consumers. Ford Motor Company offers automobile products that are cars, crossovers, SUV’s, trucks, vans, and Lincolns. Ford Motor Company has recently celebrated their 100th anniversary of the moving assembly line invented under Henry Ford. Ford Motor Company has built on its legacy of innovation by expanding advanced manufacturing and groundRead MoreThe Grand Jury : Case Against Ford After A Tragic Accident Essay2201 Words   |  9 PagesEvents that Led to the Grand Jury Indictment of Ford The Grand Jury initiated a case against Ford after a tragic accident occurred on 10th August 1978 along U.S. Highway 33 near Goshen, involving a 1973 Ford Pinto car that was struck from the rear by a van. On board of the 1973 Ford Pinto there were two sisters (Judy and Lynn Ulrich) and their cousin Donna Ulrich who succumbed to burnt injuries after Pinto’s gas tank ruptured and got into flames in the process. The Trial from the Perspective ofRead MoreCost Benefit Analysis : The Ford Pinto Case1666 Words   |  7 PagesCHEN 4090 Senior Seminar The Ford Pinto Case Naif Alotaibi Mohammed Alkhoraimi April 18, 2016 Cost Benefit Analysis The Cost benefit analysis is a financial model where companies or government establishments implement on their decision making. The model simply evaluates costs and benefits of a certain decision which enables the organization to choose the â€Å"right† option. (O’Farrell, R.,n.d.) The beauty of the CBA model lies in its simplicity, the chosen optionRead More Engineering Ethics Essay1653 Words   |  7 Pagesmany events that back up the argument posed in this essay, in which engineers have taken decisions into their own hands, where the profession’s code of ethics would have prevented them doing so. An example of this is the engineers that designed the Ford Pinto 1997. This car was found to have a flaw during testing, in which the fuel tank would rupture in a crash above 25mph [3] and at the same time the front doors would usually jam shut. Although in every test run above 25mph the fuel tank ruptured theRead MoreGm Engineering Case Study1640 Words   |  7 P agesalarming concern is that ethics is a combination of preferences, plus ethical standards can vary from business-to-business, which can cause dilemmas. On the other hand, from a broader perspective, business activities such as programs, policies, and best practice ethics helps determine if the actions and practices are at standards and are maintained. In fact, ethics helps ensures that the day-to-day business operations are ethical, hence legal and avoids criminal actions. In return, guidelines can target

Understanding Mental Health Illness Free Essays

string(58) " adaptations during the stage of puberty \(Bruer, 1999\)\." Introduction Mental health is a vital part of the well being of a person. The following definition of health by the World Health Organization (WHO) stresses mental health as an integral aspect of health- â€Å"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity† (WHO, 2013). There is a wide array of mental disorders ranging from the less severe forms, such as eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and depression to more serious conditions, such as, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, panic disorder etc (NAMI, 2013). We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding Mental Health Illness or any similar topic only for you Order Now Mental illnesses, as are physical illnesses, are affected by a number of factors including genetic, socioeconomic and environmental factors. Mental illnesses have a high prevalence rate across the world and in most cases they are left undiagnosed and consequently untreated. A 2004 world mental health survey conducted by the WHO pointed out higher prevalence rates across Western countries while Asian countries had lower rates. Statistics from the survey also attested to the important fact that roughly 35 % to 50% and 76% to 85% of people were undiagnosed in the developed and developing countries of the world respectively, indicating the need for more awareness, evaluation and appropriate intervention for mental illnesses across the world (WHO, 2004). The focus of this essay will be on schizophrenia as one of the important mental disorders. Particularly, the paper will discuss the various aspects of schizophrenia and relate it to a case study of a 19 year old Mr John who experienced a sudden onset of psychotic symptoms. Such a case study based approach will allow for a better understanding of the sociological dimensions of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that is characterized by impairment in thought process leading to the patient having altered perception of reality and emotional response. In fact schizophrenia is now being understood as a collection of different mental disorders. Full blown psychosis is usually regarded as the late stage symptom of the disorder (Phillips et.al, 2005). The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM IV) defines schizophrenia as a â€Å"mental disorder involving a range of cognitive and emotional dysfunctions that include perception, inferential thinking, language and communication, behavioural monitoring, affect, fluency and productivity of thought and speech, hedonic capacity, volition and drive, and attention† (APA, 2000). The DSMIV also specifies that the diagnosis of schizophrenia cannot be attributed to any single symptom but that a group of symptoms that impair functionality are usually involved. As per the US national statisti cs roughly 1 % of the population has schizophrenia and that the incidence rate is relatively standard across different countries and races. Among people with a genetic disposition, or a family member with a history of the disorder, there is a 10% incidence rate (NIH, 2013). The WHO statistics project the incidence rate at 3 per 10,000 people and a higher prevalence rate of 7 per 10,000 people in any population. The higher prevalence rate compared to the incidence rate is due to the chronicity of the disorder (WHO, 2013). Symptoms of Schizophrenia The symptoms of schizophrenia are generally classified into three types namely- positive symptoms, negative symptoms and cognitive symptoms (NIH, 2013). Positive symptoms refer to those that are observed among schizophrenia patients but are not present among the general population. For instance, symptoms such as auditory and visual hallucinations, disorganized thinking, delusions and catatonia or movement disorder are categorized as positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Hallucinations are the auditory or visual perceptions of the schizophrenia patient that are not felt by a healthy person (NIH, 2013). The case study refers to a 19 year old teenager Mr. John who is experiencing auditory hallucinations where spirits are telling him to keep distance from others and that there is a future awaiting him. This is a clear example of the kind of auditory hallucination or the altered perceptions experienced by a schizophrenia patient. However, in the case study there is also the mention of Mr. John smoking cannabis recently. Though cannabis is generally accepted as safe for medicinal use, there is still considerable debate surrounding its potential psychiatric effects. An early British study, which was an extensive review of cannabis users, reported that the drug is potentially dangerous among people with pre-existing mental disorders. The study concluded that cannabis use triggers and aggravates psychotic episodes among schizophrenia patients (Johns, 2001). Other studies, such as Arendt et.al (2005) and Daniel et.al (2010), also conclude that cannabis use causes adverse psychotic effects a mong schizophrenia patients. From the case study, it can be inferred that cannabis usage could have possibly triggered the hallucinatory symptoms in John. Other symptoms, such as avolition (lack of motivation), reduced social interaction, dull personality or what is called as ‘flat effect’ are the typical negative symptoms (NIH, 2013). In other words, negative symptoms are those social qualities and the drive that is usually found among normal people but are lacking among schizophrenia patients. With reference to the case study, Mr. John is also exhibiting some of these negative symptoms. John’s tendency to lock himself up in his bedroom and his refusal to come out to eat and interact with his mother and sister and his generally reduced social drive are suggestive symptoms of schizophrenia. Lastly, the cognitive symptoms refer to the various cognitive abilities that affect the day to day functioning of the patient including ‘poor memory’, ‘lack of focus’ and ‘poor executive functioning’ (NIH, 2013). Schizophrenia -Age of Onset and Aetiology The onset of schizophrenia is predominantly during the late adolescent and early adult years. Though early onset schizophrenia among children as well as late stage schizophrenia has been known it is only during the late teen and early adult years that the symptoms of schizophrenia begin to show up predominantly (NIH, 2013). This is baffling as researchers were thus far prescribed to the notion that human brain development assumes maturation at a very early stage in life. However, recent studies of the human brain have shown that the brain continues to grow and undergo structural adaptations during the stage of puberty (Bruer, 1999). You read "Understanding Mental Health Illness" in category "Essay examples" In fact, studies have pointed out significant levels of grey matter changes during the late adolescent and early adult years (Blakemore et.al, 2010). There is also significant transition in terms of the structural composition and the synaptic connections of the brain cells that control the emotions, motivations and behavioural maturation occurring during the early adulthood period (NIH, 2011). In other words, puberty related brain changes are thought to have a direct impact on the onset of schizophrenia symptoms during early adulthood. Several studies have hypothesized that faulty neuronal development with a tendency towards reduced neuronal density during puberty related brain changes, might actually be responsible for the onset of schizophrenia during early adulthood (Bruer, 1999). For instance, one of the early studies to emphasize defective neuronal pruning, and consequent loss of synaptic connections, was Feinberg (1983). More recent studies have also hypothesized excessive synaptic pruning as the potential cause of schizophrenia. Faludi and Mirnics (2011) confirmed this hypothesis by conducting neuroimaging studies of va rious brain regions of schizophrenia patients. Their study revealed that schizophrenia patients indeed had reduced synaptic connections in the different brain regions that were studied compared to health human subjects. More recently, research has also pointed to the role of microglia in synaptic pruning and therefore its potential role in schizophrenia (Paolicelli et.al., 2011). Several other hypotheses have also been pursued in studies including exposure to adverse factors, maternal stress and malnutrition and adult immunocompetence, early exposure to infectious neurotropic agents and vulnerability to immune disorders that are subsequently aroused due to thymus involution during puberty and early adulthood (Kinney et.al, 2009). Environmental Causes Although several environmental factors including maternal uterine environment, obstetric complications, substance abuse for example, are attributed in schizophrenia, one of the important environmental factors is that of parental separation. The early exposure to stress induced by parental separation either due to parental divorce or loss of parent due to death has been associated with a heightened risk for the onset of schizophrenia symptoms among young adults. Janice et.al (2012) was one study that specifically focused on the effects of a variety of environmental factors on schizophrenia among subjects with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia. The study found that maternal mental illness was the most significant childhood adversity (44.6%) while disruption in the family setting was identified as the next significant childhood adversity (40.0%). Cannabis smoking was also identified as an important risk factor at 24.5%. Overall the study reported significant association between these cumulative risk factors and the onset of schizophrenia. Galletly et.al (2011) also contributed with the findings that childhood exposure to familial adversities and cannabis smoking carry a high risk for psychosis.In our case study it is important to notice that Mr. John has experienced some of these childhood adversities that carry a high risk factor for schizophrenia. John’s parents separated 12 years ago when John was just a young 7 year old boy. The disruption in the family setting and consequently the rearing environment must have caused significant stress for John. Compounding this stress is the fact that John has witnessed violent attacks on his mother by his father and even now continues to witness heated arguments between his mother and his elder sister. It transpires that the cumulative effect of these multiple environmental stressors might have triggered the onset of schizophrenia symptoms in John who has just completed puberty, which is a vulnerable stage as discussed in the previous sections. Treatment for Schizophrenia Pharmaceutical treatment Effective diagnosis constitutes the first step in the treatment of schizophrenia. Though pharmaceutical therapy is available in the treatment of schizophrenia, currently they do not promise a cure for the disorder but help a lot in alleviating the psychotic symptoms.Antipsychotic drugs are the main pharmaceutical intervention used in the treatment of schizophrenia. Thorazine, Haldol and Prolixin are some of the earlier antipsychotic medicines used in treating schizophrenia. However, these drugs had adverse effects including tremors, and cognitive dulling for instances (University of Maryland, 2013). Over the last two decades another class of antipsychotics with limited side effects such as Risperdol, Zyprexa are used particularly in the treatment of the acute phase of schizophrenia when the symptoms flare up (Harvard Medical School 2006).More recently however, a new class of antipsychotics namely injectable long acting antipsychotics are available. These drugs are particularly effe ctive among schizophrenia patients who are not medically compliant (Manchanda et.al, 2013). The key to effective management of schizophrenia is to adhere to the treatment plan. It must be noted, however, that though antipsychotic medications are effective against psychotic symptoms they are not useful in the treatment of the so called negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Other forms of therapies, such as psychotherapy should be utilized. One of the important psychotherapies is cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). Cognitive-Behavioural therapy Early intervention using both pharmaceutical as well as behavioural therapies provides the optimum treatment plan for schizophrenia patients. Since providing optimal intervention at the earliest is considered the best for achieving better outcome, it is necessary to include concomitant behavioural therapies. Several studies have proven the efficacy of CBT in the management of the symptoms of schizophrenia (University of Maryland, 2013). Coupled with family therapy, CBT is found to be very effective in the management of schizophrenia. The underlying idea in cognitive therapy is to change the thoughts and then the behaviour of the patient. CBT focuses on normalizing the psychotic experience of the patient (Turkington et.al, 2006). CBT provides an action plan for the patient so the next time symptoms appear they are better able to manage them (Turkington et.al, 2006). In the context of the present case study CBT offers an excellent therapy as it is known that CBT is more effective in early stages of psychosis. One significant advantage of CBT is that it has no known side effects (Addington Lecomte, 2012). Diagnosis and management of schizophrenia is very important since suicide presents as a prominent risk for schizophrenia patients. Palmer et.al (2005) pointed out close to 5% risk for suicide among schizophrenia patients. Erlangsen (2012) was a recent study that reported a heightened risk for suicide among elderly schizophrenia patients. CBT is a very effective therapeutic tool in aiding self monitoring of thoughts and in developing coping strategies among schizophrenia patients. As such, John must be provided with CBT. Schizophrenia Support Services Despite the significant improvements in our understanding of the cause of mental illnesses there is very little improvement in terms of the quality of services offered to schizophrenia patients and their families (Schizophrenia Commission, 2012). In the UK, the recent report by the schizophrenia commission confirms this dismal picture. The report highlighted that there is only â€Å"a broken and demoralized system that does not deliver the quality of treatment needed for recovery† (Kelland, 2012). There have been funding cuts for early intervention services despite the fact that research evidence point to the effectiveness of these programs in preventing relapse of psychotic episodes and in improving the overall outcome for the patient. Another highlight of the report is the poor plight of the psychiatric wards and the lack of treatment plan. It is reported that only 1 in 10 patients are provided with CBT and other forms of beneficial psychological interventions while in t he majority of cases drugs are the only treatment. â€Å"Some wards are so anti-therapeutic that when people relapse and are in need of a period of care and respite, they are unwilling to be admitted voluntarily; so compulsion rates rise.†(Kelland, 2012)There is also a distinct lack of employment support services with only 8% of schizophrenia patients still working. There is also widespread stigma associated with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses which causes additional burden on the caregivers. There is also increasing coercion in the UK with patients being forced into secure care. As Robin Murray, a psychiatric professor with the British institute of psychiatry puts it, â€Å"If you develop psychosis and your mind is disturbed †¦ and you think people are against you, you’d want to be admitted for a period of care and respite and calm and some gentle pharmacological and psychological treatments. But in fact that doesn’t happen. Here, you get admi tted to a mad house. And some of these places are very anti-therapeutic – not only for patients but also for staff. No sensible person would want to be admitted to one of these places.† (Kelland, 2012). However many private charities and voluntary groups have emerged across Britain that offer useful service to the patient and the carer. For instance, ‘Carers trust’ is a charity group operating across the UK that provides useful respite services for schizophrenia carers and thereby reduces their burden and carer burnout. Similarly the government led ‘meals on wheels’ scheme would be very useful for carers of patients who live alone to ensure that their loved ones are served with hot meals every day. The government also provides the ‘Independent living fund’ (ILF) that could be utilized to pay for personal assistants to help the schizophrenia patients in managing their day to day tasks (NHS, 2012). Conclusion Schizophrenia is a chronic debilitating mental disorder that impairs social functioning and the autonomy of the patient. As yet, the aetiology remains rather obscure with a myriad of contributing symptoms making diagnosis a lot complicated. Since schizophrenia is a heterogeneous disorder carrying an array of symptoms, an interdisciplinary approach including research based on both biological and behavioural models is necessary to gain valuable insights into its aetiology. Early adulthood is a particularly vulnerable phase with the onset of symptoms. In view of the symptoms and the risk factors that were discussed in the paper it is clear that Mr John, the 19 year old young adult, is clearly experiencing the various symptoms of schizophrenia. Early parental separation, witnessing family violence, smoking cannabis are all high risk factors. These environmental factors are the triggers for the onset of schizophrenia symptoms. It is clear that in majority of the cases, such as John’s, there is an undue delay in the diagnosis as there is hesitance in approaching a psychiatrist due to the stigma associated with mental illnesses. Interventions during this early phase of the disorder are critical and offer the best opportunity for delivering optimal care. In John’s case, immediate consultation with the psychiatrist followed by adherence to medication along with psychological therapies like CBT should ensure control of the psychotic symptoms. This would enable John to continue his life with minimal hindrance. The main point is the emphasis that though schizophrenia and some other forms of mental illnesses do not have a cure as of yet, they could be effectively managed with drugs and other behavioural therapies that would drastically improve the quality of life for the patient. Another important and largely ignored fact is that deinstitutionalisation of mental health care also implies a growing burden on the family members as caregivers. Caregiver burden should also be the focus of mental health policies. Respite services must be improved. There is also a need to increase awareness to destigmatise schizophrenia and other mental disorders. Stigma effectively prevents the utilisation of support services. Much work needs to be done. References Addington J, Lecomte T., 2012. Cognitive behavioural therapy for schizophrenia, F1000 Med Rep 4:6. APA., 2000. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 4th Edition, Paperback. Arendt M, Rosenberg R, Foldager L, Perto G, 2005. 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Prevalence, Severity and Unmet need for treatment of mental disorders in the World Health Organization World mental Health Surveys, JAMA, 291(21):2581-2590 How to cite Understanding Mental Health Illness, Essay examples