Psychology and Theology Essay

1. My personal experience involves a combination of secular and religious study in the area of counseling.   This experience and education has led to a conclusion that although there are a number of opposing factors in the beliefs and theories used in both, the two are neither completely oppositional to each other nor mutually exclusive.   In many ways the views and methods of both can be combined to make a very effective counseling technique and a well rounded counselor (McMinn, 1996). Secular counseling has numerous theories on how people learn and that the ways they learn affect the methods needed to modify negative behaviors.   These techniques can work to some degree, such as offering a dollar for getting an A on a paper.   Children then become more motivated to get A’s.   These techniques often fail to create long term results however, as people often get tired and the excitement of the reward fades.   They then go back to old ways.   When the eternal rewards of spiritual counseling are added, however, the motivation for long term behavior change becomes much more long term. The two methods of counseling differ most greatly in life’s focus.   Secular counseling teaches that a strong sense of self will solve all problems, where as religious counseling teaches to focus everything around God and the problems will diminish (Kajer, 2006).   These can however be combined with the focus on God, while still encouraging the person to forgive himself and be comfortable with himself as the person God created.   This keeps the focus where it belongs while helping the person recognize himself as a creation from God. I have learned to find a combination of these views by realizing why secular counseling often fails, and realizing that although a person needs to be humble he still needs to respect what is God’s creation and take care of it. 2. All human beings have sinned, but not all of psychology is sinful or thinking  about humans as sinful.   Psychology is about the study of human behavior and because much of human behavior especially that requiring counseling is sinful, there is a degree of sin involved.   This does not make psychology sinful.   There are many psychologists and secular counselors with spiritual views and backgrounds.   Most of them are bound by legalities and job guidelines to keep the spiritual aspect of counseling out of the job, but not only because they are sinful humans or because they are thinking about sinful humans. Many of the theorists in psychology have developed theories that contradict many Biblical teachings, the most notable one being self actualization.   In this theory, the person’s main goal is to reach the perfect self at which time he has reached the ultimate existence. This additionally is based on the theory that human beings are inherently good and not evil and can naturally distinguish between right and wrong (Management, 2005). Obviously this kind of thinking is sinful as spiritual people are supposed to strive to be closer to God and to live according to his will in order to reach the ultimate existence. If a counselor can balance the basic idea of psychology (the study of human behavior) and the theological values, there is no reason psychology should be considered a sinful study or practice.   It does focus on the behavior of humans and how to change deviant behavior to make it more positive.   It is based on discovering how people learn and then taking that knowledge to help modify behavior.   It only becomes a sinful practice when those studying or teaching it contradict God’s teachings. 3. My goal as a counselor should be to help minimize the pain and negative  effects of suffering and to help prevent as many future problems as possible.   In order for a counselor to continue to function and perform the job successfully, it is important to remember and understand that there is no way to prevent every cause of pain and heal all suffering.   There is no way to completely take away the pain a child feels after losing a parent or prevent an accident from happening.   It would not be realistic for any counselor to think it is possible or even ideal to keep all pain from happening. People are allowed to suffer disappointments, set backs and losses in order for them to learn from them (Gress, 2007).   If   everything worked out exactly as people wanted them to and there were never any disappointments the world would be filled with a bunch of spoiled adults, who were unable to appreciate anything. Counselors who go into the profession with the belief they can solve every problem and make everyone’s pain completely go away are setting themselves up for failure and disappointment, because they are expecting to accomplish the impossible.   Those who set the realistic goals of providing comfort, minimizing grieving, speeding emotional healing, and modifying behavior when needed are the counselors most likely to stay in the field long term.   The ones who hope to solve everyone’s problems have a tendency to take the problems upon themselves and â€Å"burn out† relatively soon.   Counselors need to focus on the most significant problem for each person and work on one thing at a time. 4. The subject of a healthy sense of self is one major difference between  psychology and theology.   Both views involve people who are happy, and focused on a goal, but the views differ greatly in the center of the focus. Many psychological theories focus on making people feel good about themselves and then everything else in the world will fall into place.   In this case a healthy sense of self is essentially a â€Å"puffed up self†, or a person who thinks of himself as the most important person in the world and can do no wrong.   This involves making the person become the center of his Universe. The Biblical view of a healthy sense of self places God in the proper place as the center of man’s universe and when the focus is on God, everything else falls into place.   This requires the person to learn humility and to give God his proper credit for the role he plays in a person’s life.   The view here is that when a person is focused on living life for God, he will be happy and comforted in the knowledge that he is putting forth his best effort for God. A person with a true healthy sense of self would be a person who values himself as a creation of God and a worker for him.   This is a person who knows his place in the world, yet places the focus of the world on God.   As the person strives to be more like God, he appreciates what God has provided him and uses the talents God has given him.   This person is happy and well adjusted to the world around him.   He knows his talents and his mission and uses them to grow closer to God. This description of a healthy sense of self tends to lean more towards the Biblical view, but does place value on the person and God’s creation and teaches the person to have respect for himself.   This is consistent with God’s teaching that the body is his temple and that people need to care for their bodies and respect them. 5. Scripture can provide answers to essentially any problem that is faced by  people.   Verses that say â€Å"through God all things are possible† or â€Å"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me† (NIV) provide people with the knowledge that they do not have to face problems alone and that there is hope.  Ã‚   When a counselor is allowed to use scripture and the hope it provides, the counselor has a great deal more comforting hope to provide the person who is suffering. The instruction and guidance provided by scripture can provide the counselor with a great deal of information and guidance to help the counselee though most of life’s situations.   It additionally provides more appropriate alternatives to deviant behavior and provides people with ways to resist the temptation of falling back into old unhealthy habits.   In more extreme cases the Bible can show examples of what has happened to people who could not change behavior or are unable to turn problems over to God. In addition to providing the counselor with the most powerful tool available, it can provide a source of comfort and hope for the counselor as well.   When a counselor begins to feel overwhelmed or helpless, the same verses that provide comfort to the counselees facing crisis can provide renewed strength and hope for the counselor. Scripture provides the hope, answers, and promises to help people overcome the greatest obstacles, but they need to follow the directions and examples the Bible provides. 6. Most secular counseling jobs do not allow counselors to use scripture or express their personal religious beliefs to counselees.   The purpose of this is to avoid pressuring people into complying with beliefs that go against their religious beliefs.   In the United States people do have the right of religious freedom.   The rights of others have to be respected by the counselor.   Using prayer in these settings could cause the counselor to lose his job, or the counselee could lose respect for the professionalism of the counselor. Religious counselors have more freedom in this area due to the fact that they are counseling in a spiritual based setting.   When people seek the help of these counselors, they know they are going to a person who uses the Bible as a reference and a basis for the counseling.   Payer is more accepted and sometimes expected in these counseling settings and can be very helpful with counselees who need the hope and guidance of God (Goliath, 2007). A counselor with a new counselee should ask the person if they would like to pray,   this provides the counselee the option of being prayed for if they would like it.   For those who do not feel comfortable with prayer or would not take the prayer seriously additionally have the option of passing on it. The counselor can pray for those who choose against prayer when the session is over.   During the private times of prayer the counselor can ask for guidance to help the person not only overcome the crisis, but to grow more comfortable with prayer and asking God for his help.   Everyone needs prayer, but if a person prefers private prayer or has different beliefs than the counselor, it can either cause the counselee to not return or can cause a setback in the counseling process.   Counselees need to feel comfortable during counseling sessions in order for progress to be made. 6. Sin is often the source of the problems for which people seek counseling.   In  order for the situation to be resolved and the person to get past it, the sin has to at some point be confronted.   The problem is how a counselor should go about confronting the sin.   If the sin is confronted before the counselee is willing to admit that sin is the cause of the problem, there is a chance he will leave and the problem will not get resolved.   If the counselor however spends too much time making the counselee comfortable and avoiding the issue, the sin will not be likely to be confronted and the situation still stands the chance of not getting resolved. In the very first session, the counselor needs to get a back ground of why the counselee has either sought or been referred for counseling.   One of the best ways to do this is to ask him.   Along with this is a good time to ask if there was any sin involved that needs to be forgiven.   If he is able to state the sin and talk about it then the sin should be confronted and resolved very early in the counseling.   Then healing can begin quickly. If the person denies sin as playing a part in the situation, then the instigating situation needs to be discussed in greater detail and possible reasons behind that including sin pointed out.   Once the person is able to understand there is sin in his life, then is the best time to talk about ways to have the sins forgiven both by God and anyone who was sinned against. The best way to confront sin is to ask questions and to provide guidance as  needed.   Direct confrontation often leads people to be offended and shut down, but  questions can lead them to discover the problem on their own.   Although it is never easy to confront someone on sin, a counselor or church leader must do it in order to help those in need overcome the sin (Adams, 1980)

The meal experience Essay

Introduction The assignment I will be doing will be about a recent meal experience I had in an establishment. I recently went for a meal in a local brasserie situated in my town I will be discussing the intangible and tangible factors that influenced my meal experience. Reason for choice The reason I chose to carry out my assignment on this particular meal experience is because it is the most recent meal I have been out for in a long time and I heard from a number of sources that the restaurant was a great place to eat and it had got great reviews on trip advisor so I decided to give it a try. Also it is the only restaurant I have actually been out for a meal in during the last two years. Booking I planned to go for meal one Tuesday night with my other half, so I rang the restaurant to book a table for two. A young woman answered the phone pleasantly and asked if she could help me. I then asked her if I could book a table for two at 7:30pm. She then responded politely saying â€Å"you can of course. The table will be ready for you at 7:30, is there anything else I can help you with?† I responded to her question saying â€Å"no that is perfect thank you very much.† I found the woman on the phone very polite and she made me feel very relaxed and comfortable on the phone. So I can say the booking was a success The restaurant is a casual dining restaurant so we didn’t have to wear anything specific or even book a table but I did anyway just to be safe. Arrival The restaurant is situated on Portlaoise Main Street, at the top of an off licence. A negative to the arrival is that there is no parking at the restaurant. We had to park the car at a completely different place to where the restaurant is. My other half was wearing heels and we had to walk a good half a mile from the car park. However, we didn’t mind the walk too much but it is a bit much to have to walk that distance. When we reached the restaurant we had to climb a lot of stairs on the way up to the restaurant which is the only way up. The establishment is not suitable for disabled  people in terms of entering and exiting. We reached the reception finally. It was there we had our first look at the place. My first impression that it was small but had a good feng shui. The restaurant wasn’t full but there were a few people there just the way I like it. The girl greeted us and welcomed us. We thanked her and told her we had a reservation for 7:30 and we gave her our names. She then showed us to our table. I sat down and tested the table and chairs to see if it was wobbly but it wasn’t which was great because I cannot stand for a wobbly table when having a meal. The woman who was a waitress as well asked us if we wanted anything to drink. I asked for water, which was brought to me quite fast which I was satisfied with. The Menus were already on the table because it is a casual dining restaurant. The waitress after bringing the water left us for a few minutes while we decided what to eat. First Course My partner and I looked through the menu which was quite concise and had a good variety as it ranged from comfort food like burgers, steaks and chips to classic Italian dishes like pasta caribonara and lasagne and even Asian dishes like stir-fry and spring rolls. We were quite pleased with the selection and type of food that was available which left us spoiled for choice. The menu was A la carte so we could order as we went. Eventually my partner and I decided on our dishes. She got the filo prawns and I got the mixed salad. The waitress came back and we gave her the order. 5 minutes later she came out with both dishes. The speed of the service was great because I was quite hungry. Once the dishes arrived presented accordingly, nothing special, on their plates I tasted my salad and found no faults with it. they served it with their house dressing which I enjoyed. My other half enjoyed her prawns. I tasted one and after tasting it I could tell that it was something out of a box that was frozen so I didn’t enjoy the filo prawn so I left half of it. During the first course the waitress came to ensure that everything was ok and asked if we wanted anything else, so the service was good. The Main Meal. We finished our first course which was a success. So we moved on to our main course of the evening. After the waitress cleared our plates she gave us roughly 5 minutes between the meals before she brought out the main course.  I found that amount of time to be too little because my salad hadn’t yet gone down. My partner only had two prawns so she was quite happy with the time taken. We had ordered the â€Å"ultimate relish burger,† which was an enormous burger made of two 8oz patties, an onion ring on each patty, bacon and melted cheese and then stacked on top of each other and presented on a black slate. Presentation was great. I thought that it would be a big burger so my partner and I decided to share. When the burger came out it was way bigger than my expectations. in the end two of us couldn’t even finished it The burger however tasted great and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Sweet We were so stuffed from the first two meals that we called it a night and asked for the bill. We could not stomach anymore food. Close of meal. We come at last to the end of our â€Å"experience†, and what an experience it has been. Everything so far has exceeded what I was expecting- the room, the staff, the food, we enjoyed it very much. From the tangible elements like Food and drink, Variety of menu available, Level of service, Value for money, Interior design, Atmosphere and mood, Expectation and identification and the staff. The waitress came to clear our plates and we asked for the bill. We paid it, thanked the staff and went on our way. The only faults I can identify with the night was the speed at which the food came out. It was a bit too fast Also the walk from the car was a bit far so that is a negative and can be a big problem in the future. Reflection in memory A meal, like a good story, should have a good beginning, a middle and end, and it did for me and my partner. We enjoyed the experience. Just being able to even talk as loud as we want, wear anything at all and the atmosphere that everyone eating and working there created was great. It was my first time in a brasserie and it won’t be my last

Opp Papers

Want to play on a truly global field? Here’s your chance to up your game to a new level. Job Title: Reports To: Job Band: Function: Location: Cabin Crew Purser Three (3) Operations Lagos Purpose Statement: To ensure passenger safety and comfort on board the aircraft and to provide the same with the highest degree of service and customer care in line with the company’s brand, service and people values. Primarily working in the Business and Economy section of the aircraft.Key Accountabilities: a) To ensure on board safety, overall welfare and comfort of passengers on board each flight. b) To offer exceptional service to customers that will encourage continued patronage of the Airline’s services. c) To ensure that where possible, service is recovered whenever there is a breakdown or service failure. d) To maintain currency of cabin crew licence and competency on all aircraft types included in the licence. e) Remain current on company’s instructions via Genera l Notices, SEP and AVMED manuals. ) To attend a pre-flight briefing and to answer a safety related question from the Purser in accordance with the Standard operating procedures described in the Air Nigeria Cabin Attendant Manual. Knowledge, Skills and Experience: Some of the required qualifications, skills & experience for the role are as follows HND or good University degree Completed NYSC Confident Swimmer Good spoken English Language Able to do basic Maths (currency conversion etc) Should possess qualities of diplomacyAble to do basic Maths (currency conversion etc) A good understanding of the French language and least one year customer would be an asset. Working Relationships: ? Internal: SEP/AVMED Instructors, Flight Deck crew, Crew Line Managers, Flight Service Managers, Pursers, Crew Control, Customer Services Agents, Catering unit and Engineering unit. External: Passengers, Catering Companies, Hotels ? Interested applicants who meet the above criteria should apply Method of Application: by writing a covering letter as to why you believe you should be a part of a winning team.Please attach a full length colour photograph of yourself and an updated curriculum vitae with copies of relevant certificates and submit at the Front Desk any of the following locations- Air Nigeria Office, 3rd Floor MMIA, Lagos or 9th Floor, Etiebets place, 21 Mobolaji bank Anthony way, Ikeja Other important information: NIL Take down date: November 23, 2010 Best regards, For: Air Nigeria Human Resources Department

Whren vs. United States. June 10, 1993 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Whren vs. United States. June 10, 1993 - Essay Example As the police officers in an unmarked car made their first pass, they noticed that the Whren and Brown were in a dark colored Pathfinder truck with temporary license plates, and the driver, Brown kept looked downward to the lap of Whren in the passenger seat. The police officers then made a U-turn towards the Pathfinder, when all of a sudden the Pathfinder suddenly turned right without signaling, and sped off at what the officers describe an "unreasonable speed." Thus the police officers continued pursuit, and in a short while caught up with Whren and Brown at a stop light. The officers identified themselves and as the approached the driver side window, saw that the Whren had in his hands two large plastic bags of crack cocaine. They were subsequently arrested and charged with federal drug charges. At the pretrial suppression hearing, Whren and Brown filed a motion to suppress the evidence on the ground of an illegal search and seizure surrounding the circumstances of the case. They alleged that the police officers used the traffic violation as a pretext for stopping the truck due to the lack of any reasonable suspicion or probable cause to stop them on suspicion of drug dealing. Court Decisions: The District Trial Court denied the motion and conducted trial, resulting in the conviction of Whren and Brown. On appeal to the Court of Appeals their conviction was affirmed. Thus, Whren and Brown brought this case to the Supreme Court on certiorari. Issue: Whether or not the police officers conducted an unlawful search and seizure in this case. Whether or not the police officers violated the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution proscribing unlawful searches and seizures. Ruling: No on both issues. In a unanimous decision the Supreme Court held that as long as police officers have reasonable cause to believe that there had occurred a traffic violation, they may stop any vehicle. In the case at bar, the police officers had reasonable cause to stop Whren and Brown on the basis of a traffic violation because they had made a turn without signaling and sped away from a stop sign at an unreasonable speed. Hence, an actual traffic violation was committed by Whren and Brown, and the resulting search and seizure of the Pathfinder was reasonable, regardless of what other personal motivations the officers might have had for stopping the vehicle. Also, the Supreme Court discarded the allegations of Whren and Brown that they had suffered from anxiety, confusion, and haste which they experienced from the stop and search procedure outweighed the government's interest in traffic safety. Indeed, while the Fourth Amendment requires a balancing test between the benefits derived from a search-and-seizure and the harm it may cause to the person, this test only applies to unusually harmful searches and seizures. In the case at bar there was nothing unusually harmful about this traffic stop. Personal Opinion: With reference to the case at bar, I am in total concurrence with the manner in which the legal and procedural issues were resolved by the Supreme Court. The Constitutional right against unreasonable searches and seizures embodied in the Fourth Amendment has to be taken in accordance with the underlying circumstances in the case. The evil sought to be prohibited is that of abuse on the part of the arresting officer, in making any search or seizure of a individual's person, house, papers and effects. Indeed, a number of Constitutional doctrines have already held that the applicable case law. Delaware vs. Prouse, United States vs. Martinez Fuerte and United States vs. Brignoni Ponce were all mentioned

Knowledge initatives in business august 06 resit Essay

Knowledge initatives in business august 06 resit - Essay Example â€Å"Over the past 15 years there has been a growing interest in international strategic alliances and how organizations learn from their partners and develop new competencies through their collaborative efforts.† (Simonin, 2004) Hewlett-Packard and Ernst & Young are two such companies at the leading edge of their industries, partly because their company culture values and promotes the development and application of knowledge within the company. We will look at and compare these two companies and see how their strategy works to promote a network of useful knowledge being creatively applied, and how this has affected the companies. Hewlett-Packard and Ernst & Young are in two different industries, computer hardware and peripherals and business and financial consulting respectively, but they each leverage e-commerce solutions to promote and carry on business. They both employ very comprehensive websites, which are accessible and useful to the public to cultivate new business, serve current customers and spread knowledge about the company. These websites offer education, customer support and an infrastructure which facilitates both business to customer (B2C) and business to business (B2B) sales. Let us first look at each company and how it operated, its corporate culture and the methods employed for knowledge management. Then we can compare these to see what they have in common and how they differ, with perhaps and understanding of the reason for similarities and differences and how they work for each company. Ernst & Young is anything but young. The current company is a result of several mergers since the inception of the UK company Harding and Pullein in 1849. When American Frederick Whinney and his sons became partners in 1859, the company was renamed Whinney, Smith & Whinney to reflect the change. In 1903, Alwin and Theodore Ernst established Ernst in Cleveland, while Arthur Young and Company was formed in Chicago in 1906. So all original

SMEs Entry into China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SMEs Entry into China - Essay Example This proposal is designed to test the hypothesis that an SME intending to internationalize towards China is expected to acquire certain definite advantages, namely ownership, location, and internationalization.  Dunning’s paradigm holds the chief proposition that any international firm is required to own certain kind of advantage over local firms prior to its engagement in international production (Dunning, 1988). These advantages are namely ownership, locational and internationalization (Dunning, 1988). Accordingly, the theory has been referred to as the OLI-paradigm: Ownership advantages, Location-specific Variables and Internationalization-incentive advantages (Grillet, 2003b).  Ownership Advantages – â€Å"The ownership advantages are unique to a foreign firm over its local competitors† (Chowdury, 2006). It arises out of its superior technology, management systems, privilege access to finance or raw materials, greater market power, etc. The theory of the ownership advantages reveals that those firms which possess competitive advantages over foreign firms in their domestic markets to sell certain goods or services can move towards internationalization (Grillet, 2003b).  Locational Advantages – According to the model, a firm can proceed in foreign production on perceiving its ability to merge mobile intermediate goods from the home country with immobile factor endowments, or other intermediate goods in another country (Grillet, 2003b). Factors supporting one or another country are the location-specific variables, for example, the host country being conducive to local products such as local demand, cheap or well-trained labor, natural resources etc (Grillet, 2003b).  Internationalization Advantages – The transfer of a firm’s ownership advantages across borders within its organizational structures is referred to as internationalization (Grillet, 2003b).

Truth Telling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Truth Telling - Essay Example There are a number of disciplines that do not encourage lying. Such a discipline as medicine and its related subsets require truthful interaction between doctors and patients in order to achieve the effectiveness of both the diagnosis and treatment. Honesty is a relative concept in the health care ethics. For a long time, medical practitioners had assumed that patients told the truth about their conditions but as studies later proved, the effectiveness of a diagnosis relies on the amount of information that both parties in the process give each other thereby prompting the encouragement of truth from both the doctor and the patient. Just as doctors require as much accurate information from their patients in order to make factual diagnosis, patients also need to know their conditions thereby prompting the doctors to tell their patients the truth. Additionally, some professions within the practice of medicine rely entirely on dialogues between patients and doctors. Such therapeutic prac tices as psychoanalysis thus rely on the truthful interaction between the two in order to develop effective treatment plans. Truth telling in the practice also includes the process of reporting errors. During the practice, doctors are likely just as any other human to make errors. The factuality with which they report such help develops an effective address mechanism thereby preventing or minimizing harm. Most patients sue the organizations in such cases, a truthful account of the error to both the management and the concerned party aids faster mitigation of the errors thereby giving them an opportunity to develop an understanding. Besides the professional obligations in the practice of medicine, a number of reasons validate truth telling some of which include the fact that lying is an inherent wrong. Lying is a social vise that everyone detests. People may therefore lie depending on the relativity of the scenarios but they all consider lying as a social evil, which they therefore d iscourage. Parents strive to develop honesty personalities in their children. Such develop cohesive families in which the members do not hurt one another. Collective responsibility to uphold honesty in people results in the development of an ideal society in which people do not withhold the truth from others. Honesty is relative and infers diverse meanings all of which begin from truth telling1. This way, the society thus becomes one with minimal evil. Patients on the other hand entrust their lives on the professionalism in their doctors. They thus do not expect the doctors to lie to them. Owing to this, patients tell their doctors truths about their conditions and expect their doctors to do the same from the doctors. Acting indifferently by lying in such an essential communication process breaks the trust of either party, thereby impairing the effectiveness of the process. Additionally, lying creates a barrier between patients and their doctors. The diagnosis relies on the factuali ty of the communication process between the two. By each party lying to the other thus hampers the effectiveness of the diagnosis thereby impairing the treatment. Doctors for example are always in charge of the conversation. They therefore need to create an enabling environment for their patients to offer as much information with them about their condition as possible. They can only achieve this by appearing honest with

Principles of Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Principles of Marketing - Essay Example More than 50% of Indian consumers use ordinary toilet soaps to clean their hair and usage of shampoo among majority of the populace is still restricted to social occasions as weddings and parties. While per capita consumption of shampoos is only 13ml in India it is 160ml and 330ml in Indonesia and Thailand respectively. The bigger players in Indian shampoo market are HLL, P&G, CavinKare, Dabur and Ayur (equitymaster.com 2007). Segmentation Companies divide markets into groups of consumers or segments with distinct needs and wants and identify which market segments it can serve effectively. To develop the best marketing plans managers need to understand what makes each segment unique and different. Marketing theory categories preferences into three different sub-categories (Anderson 2008): Homogenous preferences: When all consumers have roughly the same preferences and the market does not exhibit any natural segments. Diffused preferences: When consumers vary greatly in their preferen ces and if there are different brands in the market they are likely to position themselves throughout the available space and show real differences to match differences in consumer preferences. In shampoo market marketers almost always face a situation of diffused preferences as each category has specific requirements and expectation from the products they use. Clustered preferences: When natural market segments emerge from groups of consumers with shared preferences. Shampoo market is segmented primarily according to usage benefits. Some shampoos claim to serve the cosmetic benefits of providing strong, healthy and shining hair. Others claim to remove dandruff completely while the third category claims to deliver all the benefits related to herbal ingredients. The anti-dandruff segment is the fastest growing among the three segments with an annual growth rate of approximately 12% per annum (equitymaster.com 2007). There is also another small segment that is steadily gaining ground. This segment offers specialized shampoos as those that can be safely used in colored hair without removing the color. But this segment has not grown enough in size to warrant a separate analysis. Marketers also segment the market according to following criteria (Czepiel 1992): Geographic Segmentation: It divides the market into different geographical units such as nations, states, regions, cities or neighborhoods. In shampoo market, however, such variations do not matter that much as targeted consumers in every region or nation would have same, or nearly same, perceptions about beautiful hair. Demographic Segmentation: It divides the market into groups on the basis of age, family size, family life cycle, gender, income, occupation, education, religion, nationality and social class. Marketers of shampoo concentrate on ladies, irrespective of their age, and their income while marketing their products. Though in some situations religion, especially Islam might also have to be taken in to account. Marketers can now reach women very easily through television. Psychographic Segmentation: Buyers are divided into different groups on the basis of psychological/personality traits, lifestyles or values. People within the same demographic group can exhibit very different psychographic traits. Marketers of sh

Q&A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Q&A - Essay Example It is an efficient and usually an extremely effective way to test for certain antibodies. The indirect ELISA approach is typically applied in medical testing because it looks for antibodies present in a given sample. Samples are taken from an individual and then these are tested for the presence of antibodies. This helps to determine if the individual’s body is already producing antibodies against certain antigens. After the sample is taken, antigens are introduced. If antibodies are present, they will form a bond that is invisible to the naked eye. An immunuoglobulin is added to the sample in order to verify if a bond was formed or not. The bond between the antibody, antigen and immunuoglobulin will remain on the plate after rinsing. The immunuoglobulin added must be of the same species. Finally, a colour indicator is added so that the bond between the antibody and antigen are identified properly. The accuracy of an ELISA test does rely on certain factors. If these factors ar e in any way compromised or overlooked, the ELISA test results may be unreliable. These factors may also contribute to a false positive or a false negative. The design of an ELISA test may sometimes affect its outcome, and an ELISA test is either direct or indirect. When using the single antibody approach, the laboratory must used a specific, enzyme-labelled reagent. The assay sensitivity affects both the direct and indirect ELISA tests because it measures the amount of accurate positives that are found. There are four types of sensitivities possible in an ELISA test: true positives, false positives, true negatives and false negatives. Whether or not a patient receives a false positive or a false negative is dependent upon how accurately the ELISA test was conducted, and whether a variable important to the outcome were compromised in some way. A false positive indicates that a person who does not in fact carry the antibodies against a specific type of antigen is tested as positive f or those antibodies. Similarly, a false negative indicates that a person who does in fact carry those antibodies against a specific type of antigen, tests negative for them. This may or may not occur with an HIV-1 test if the standard protocol for the ELISA test is correctly or incorrectly followed. Unquestionably, it is of the utmost importance to follow standard ELISA test protocol. ELISA test errors may occur when the reagents used are mishandled or if their integrity is comprised in some way. The reagents for specific antigen tests are usually specific- they may not be interchangeable between different species. Additionally, certain antibodies require certain reagents in order to be effectively read; substitutions cannot be made. Temperature, preparation, preservation, and shelf-life of the reagent affects how its performance. Commercial availability limits the use of some reagents, and therefore the potential for testing for specific antigens. The handling of samples and the re agents used are extremely important to the outcome of the test. Checking expiration dates and properly storing reagents according to their individual requirements is imperative. Reagents must also be checked for signs of disintegration prior to their usage in an assay; examples include precipitation and discoloration. The substrates should always be colourless. The plates where the experiment is conducted must be properly handled. The plates must be large enough to

Preliminary Organizational Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Preliminary Organizational Analysis - Assignment Example The reason for selecting TransAD’s case study is that I am working as a Communication Manager at TransAD since 2007, and I have a keen eye on the issues prevailing in the operational systems of the company. Introduction to the Organization TransAD came into existence in 2006 with the vision of setting benchmarks in taxi regulatory industry of Abu Dhabi according to global standards. TansAD was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. TransAD believes on establishing corporate loyalty amongst its customers by providing them comfortable taxi services at their door step. At the same time, the objective of the company is to regulate the taxi traffic in Emriates of Abu Dhabi. Previously, the taxi services provided in Abu Dhabi were owned by private owners as well as taxi service providers. Now, these companies have merged into one and named as TransAD (The Center of Regulations by Hire Cars). The primary aim of establishing TransAD was to bring uniformity in the taxi operations, policies and regulations (TransAD, 2013). At the moment, the company is facing many issues from strategic and operational point of view. Majority of these problems are caused due to improper planning and execution of the essential projects or processes of organizational development. The senior management of the company thinks that these problems are there because the team co-ordinators are not effectively leading and managing their team. The reduced performance of TransAD’s leaders is also reflected in other aspects of the organization such as hiring of the work force, financial controlling, project management and handling etc. Then there are problems in performance evaluation, which is also the resultant of reduced reporting and monitoring by the TransAD’s team co-ordinators. Synopsis of the Problem Being in the travelling services business, TransAD faces a number of challenges such as recklessness of its taxi drivers or the high employee turnover . Especially challenges in hiring a loyal and consistent work force has remained a significant concern for TransAD. This is because the drivers handle the cash which they receive from the customers against the taxi fares. In this regard, there are a number of incidents reported. For example, a driver left the taxi at the stand and kept the cash for the whole day that he received as taxi fare. The high turnover or employees leaving without prior notice is the resultant of lower level of employee motivation due to organizational issues, boredom at the job and unattractive bonus/incentive packages offered to employees. But from the analysis of TransAD’s operations, it is revealed that the organization has undergone a number of significant strategic issues in its operating capacity. Such as, offering loyalty card benefits to customers or offering customers with inter-city travelling through its taxi services. This particular project has been delayed or not executed efficiently. I nadequate planning and execution of the projects is the biggest reason why organizations fail to achieve its desired aims and objectives. Other reasons being weak management of changed environment and policies, working in the absence of a work plan, poor use of mediums of communication and lack of management quality (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin, 2010). At

Utilitarianism and Happiness Essay Example for Free

Utilitarianism and Happiness Essay This theory advocates that the actions worth is determined by maximizing utility (pleasure or happiness). it looks at the consequence of an action as to whether the outcome is good to the majority of people affected by it. According to Bentham, utilitarianism is the greatest happiness or greatest felicity principle. There are many types of this theory which include act vs. rule, two level, motive, negative and average vs. total. (Clifford G. , John C.2009). In act utilitarianism, when people have to make choices, they should consider the consequences of each choice and then choose that which will generate much pleasure. The rule utilitarianism looks at the rules of actions which are potential and looks at what would happen if a certain rule is followed and decides on following it if the outcomes are pleasurable. In the two-level utilitarianism, one uses intuition and they maximize the happiness. Motive utilitarianism deals with how people in reality function psychologically. In negative utilitarianism, one acts such that the least evil is promoted. Total utilitarianism allows the measurement of people’s utility depending on the total utility of those members while average utilitarianism allows measurement of utility of people by the basis of average utility of those people. (David L, 1965) Utilitarianism gives a very good conception of morality. This theory aims at achieving success and happiness and those who go to war want success and this is calculable in the theory. Utility can be looked at as increasing or decreasing in the world but it is not as easy as to be measured. For example, one can not measure happiness or pleasure of somebody. In war, what is most focused on is the security of the people and the freedom from any form of pain. If happiness is taken as a rule and not an act, we can then give ourselves the basis of measuring utility as per the theory. Peace and security of the people should be measured in the process of war and determined whether the outcome of any action is indeed fruitful. If these two lacks, there will be lack of respect for human right and the economic status will decrease. Utility measurement should not be restricted to a nation or a group but to all mankind. It this theory all actions are assessed depending on the outcome they give at the end. A utilitarian acts in such a way that everything he does is towards achieving an outcome which is good for it to be termed moral. Some wars however do not give good results and this is why a pacifist will not advocate for such. These include self-defense and those wars that are toward protecting genocides. The consequentiality prohibitions given against war are contingent for most parts. Utilitarianism view of pacifism is grounded in some rule-utilitarianism. A utilitarian pacifist argues that a rule against war or other sorts of violence will tend to promote the greatest happiness for majority of the people involved. Also this prohibition against violence can give greatest happiness and this takes into account the sentient beings happiness other than humans. From history, war produces more harm than what people view as good. There is one problem however for consequentalists as to whether war could cause more suffering that solving the problem. Utilitarian defenders then say that some of these wars increased pain and suffering. If people will go against wars then, happiness will be the ultimate result. In this theory, killing is justified if it will eventually give happiness in the end. An individual can act the way he wants but should be careful not to harm others. (William H. ,1999) Man should develop and exercise his capabilities so as to exist because man is a progressive being. Censorship and paternalism should be rejected so as to achieve knowledge and develop one in their capabilities. This theory agrees with the antiwar pacifist in that the actions of the war sometimes do not favor the outcome of happiness and pleasure as it advocate. Therefore there should be a drive against wars because instead of people solving that problem which had led them into war, they create pain in the same process. (Jeremy B. , 1979) However, if by going to war will bring pleasure to the majority involved, then wars should gear themselves towards this goal. This theory of utilitarianism is so convincing on its stand on antiwar pacifist because it argues its stand convincingly leaving those in it satisfied and feeling so moral in the sense that it presents as we have discussed. It clearly puts is stand on what it advocates for and this should not be assumed when it comes to wars. This is the ultimate goal of happiness and pleasure to the people according to Mill. (Mark P. , 1991) REFERENCES. :- Clifford G. , John C. Ethical Communication: Five Moral Stances in Human Dialogue. Columbia, MO. : University of Missouri Press, 2009. David L, Forms and Limits of Utilitarianism, 1965. Jeremy B. , An introduction to the principles of morals and legislation, 1789. Mark P. , Moral Philosophy of John Stuart Mill,Longwood Academic 1991. Wakefield, New Hampshire. ISBN 0-89341-681-9. William H. Contemporary Ethics: taking account of utilitarianism. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Inc. , 1999.

Big Time Toy Maker Essay Example for Free

Big Time Toy Maker Essay Chou and BTT had a contract at the point they agreed to all the terms. By including the obligations of the parties and the terms of the agreement, the manager showed objective intent. A written contract was not necessary since this was a contract primarily dealing with services to distribute the game, not a production contract or a sales contract. Had it involved a goods contract to buy or sell, which under the Statutes of Frauds would not be a contract until all the terms were laid out in writing; that occurred when the manager from BTT emailed the terms which would have included his electronic signature and thus would have sealed the contract between the two. Also, if the contract is under common law, then the mailbox rule would say it went into effect when it was sent, not received. What facts may weigh in favor of or against Chou in terms of the parties’ objective intent? There are a few facts that weigh in favor of Chou. First, three days prior to the end of the 90 day exclusive negotiation rights agreement, they reached an oral agreement and then shortly thereafter, a business email from a BTT management representative was sent to Chou with the specifics of the agreement. The email stated â€Å"that all of the terms had been agreed upon. † BTT also subsequently requested Chou to send them a draft distribution contract spelling out the specifics of the agreement that the email from the BBT manager sent to Chou. Finally, distribution of Strat would have exceeded the 500. 00 limit (Amended UCC  § 2-201(1)) of the Statute of Frauds. The fact that may weigh against Chou is that the contract never had an actual signature on it. Does the fact that the parties were communicating by e-mail have any impact on your analysis in questions 1 and 2? Yes, communication via email in today’s business world is considered a normal mode of business communication. The UETA, the Uniform Electronic Transaction Act states that electronic correspondence is a valid form of communications while conducting business, and that electronic signatures and documentation satisfy the need for written records or signatures. When the terms and specifics of the agreement were laid out via email and both parties agreed upon the agreement through email, it then became a written agreement, and therefore enforceable. What role does the statute of frauds play in this contract? None, since it is a services contract for distribution rights. The Statute of Frauds only comes into play if it is a goods contract. If it is deemed by the court to be a goods contract then the written requirement, the all terms included requirement and the signed by the sender all have been met by the email with its electronic signature of the manager representing BTT. Could BTT avoid this contract under the doctrine of mistake? Explain. Would either party have any other defense that would allow the contract to be avoided? No, since a mistake is required to involve a â€Å"basic† assumption involving the terms on which the contract was made. BTT would not try to argue that they were mistaken on the price, time frame and obligations of both parties since their manager had sent an email stating that both parties where in agreement in all those areas. Generally, in the absence of disagreement on one or several of the essential terms, the courts will not allow a unilateral Mistake to be considered and expects mutual mistake. Chou might try to avoid the contract if he had a better offer he could just let the matter be dropped since BTT wanted out of the contract Assuming, arguendo, that this e-mail does constitute an agreement, what consideration supports this agreement? Chou would benefit by having his product distributed for sale throughout the network of retail and wholesale outlets that BTT as a board game company had at their disposal. BTT would benefit by charging their cut for distributing the game to these outlets. At the end of the scenario, BTT states that it is not interested in distributing Chou’s new strategy game, Strat. Assuming BTT and Chou have a contract, and BTT has breached the contract by not distributing the game, discuss what remedies might or might not apply. Compensatory damages – Chou could recover actual out of pocket which may include the original $25,000 due to BBT not acting in good faith but would also include loss of estimated potential profits. b. Specific Performance – Since this is a services contract the court may order BTT because of their total breach to fulfill their obligation to distribute the game OR substitute performance under the doctrine of accord and satisfaction where they might agree to product the game instead of distribute it OR they could agree to a discharge through novation where BTT finds an acceptable 3rd party who agrees to distribute the game. . Delegation – BTT could substitute another company to distribute the game but as delegator BTT would still be liable if their delegate failed to perform. d. Injunctive Relief – The court could issue and injunction forbidding BTT from distributing a similar game, producing a similar game or financially benefiting from a similar game to pr otect Chou from suffering due to their intimate knowledge and trade secrets relating to the disclosures during initial negotiations.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis And Pathogenesis Biology Essay

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis And Pathogenesis Biology Essay Leishmaniasis is a tropical, protozoan disease caused exclusively by intracellular parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania. Leishmaniasis is a worldwide problem and due to the various species of Leishmania, can manifest in humans as 3 main clinical forms: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis, or Visceral Leishmaniasis. Consequently, the severity of the infection and symptoms differ from self healing infections that produce significant scars to the fatal infections. Pathogenesis Leishmaniasis is transmitted by the bite of female insect vector sand flies of the species Phlebotomus in the Old World and Luzomyia in the New World (Figure 1). The life cycle for all Leishmania species is relatively simple and similar (Figure 2). When the sand fly takes a blood meal, it inoculates the source with the 2-3 mm long parasite. At this stage, the Leishmania parasite is known as a promastigote as it contains a singular flagellum. Promastigotes are injected into the host skin, after which they attach themselves to the hosts macrophages, and are induced by phagocytosis. These white blood cells are present at the inoculation site because of the hosts natural immune response to the sand fly bite. Once inside the macrophages, the promastigotes transform into their non-flagellate form, known as amastigotes. From here the amastigotes reproduce by binary fission and continue to proliferate within the white blood cells until the cell bursts. The parasites are then free to infect and invade other reticulo-endothelial cells, which share the same fate and are destroyed due to the reproduction of amastigotes within. The amastigotes and infected macrophages enter the blood circulation. The life cycle of Leishmania is continued when a female sand fly feeds on the infected hosts blood and the amastigotes are taken up by the sand flies. Amastigotes transform into promastigotes, which proliferate by binary fission in the midgut of the sand fly over a period of 4-25 days (WHO, 2010). Hereafter, the promastigotes migrate to the fly proboscis or mouthparts, where the parasite can infect a new host during feeding (Murray et al, 2009) and thus the Leishmania lifecycle is continued. Mammals are more often reservoirs for infection. As well as humans; dogs, rodents, wolves and foxes are examples of common reservoirs (Neuber, 2008) and thus, can suffer from leishmaniasis diseases too. Figure 2: The life cycle of Leishmania. Adapted from Chappuis et al (2007). Figure 1: A Sand fly vector of Leishmania parasites. Extracted from Neuber (2008). Epidemiology Leishmaniasis is endemic in 88 countries, 72 of which are developing countries. An estimated 12 million people are infected with leishmaniasis and 70,000 people die each year (Reithinger et al, 2007). There are currently about 350 million people worldwide that are at risk and threatened by leishmaniasis because they live within 40Â ° north and south of the equator (Jones et al., 2005; Neuber, 2008) and according to the World Health Organisation (2010), there are an estimated 1-2 million new cases each year. There are approximately 20 species of Leishmania which are pathogenic for humans (Chappuis et al., 2007). These species vary in their geographical location and have an effect on the leishmaniasis which manifests (Table 1). Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the most common form of leishmaniasis and is endemic in over 70 countries worldwide (Figure 3). It is found throughout Africa and the Middle East in Afghanistan, Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Kabul, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria; however, more particularly in South America, in Brazil and Peru (Reithinger et al, 2007; Murray et al, 2009). Over 90% mucocutaneous leishmaniasis often occurs in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru and the majority (over 90%) of visceral leishmaniasis cases, the most dangerous form, is localised to 6 countries; Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Nepal and Sudan. There are an estimated 500,000 new cases of visceral leishmaniasis each year (WHO, 2010; Chappuis et al., 2007). Figure 3: Geographical distribution of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Extracted from Reithinger et al (2007). Main Clinical Presentation Leishmania Parasite Main Geographical Distribution Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. tropica* Africa, Asia, Middle East, Mediterranean area Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. major* Middle East, Africa Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. aethiopia* Ethiopia, Kenya Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. amazonesis ^ South America (Brazil, Venezuela) Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L .columbiensis ^ Northern South America (Columbia, Panama) Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. garnhami ^ South America (Venezuela) Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. peruviana ^ Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, Columbia Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. venezuelensis ^ Northern South America (Venezuela) Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis L. braziliensis ^ Central and South America Visceral Leishmaniasis L. donovani* Africa, Asia Visceral Leishmaniasis L. infantum (L. chagasi) Europe, north Africa, Central and South America, Mediterranean area Table 1: Overview of clinical presentation and geographical distribution of species of Leishmaniasis that cause human disease. L. = Leishmania. * Leishmania species of the Old World. ^ Leishmania species of the New world. Data adapted from Reithinger et al (2007), Neuber (2008) and Murray et al (2009). Clinical Presentation Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a localised reaction at the inoculation site, which tends to be uncovered areas such as the face, hands and lower legs. Between 2 weeks and 2 months after the sand flys bite, a red papule forms. The area begins to swell and become irritated and after 3-4 weeks, flat ulcers form which eventually harden and form crusted margins. The volcano-like lesions that form can heal without treatment; however, sufferers are commonly left with significant, disfiguring scars. Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, also known as espundia, is most often caused by Leishmania viannia braziliensis and has a similar incubation time as cutaneous leishmaniasis. However, this form causes more devastating disfigurement to disease sufferers as the parasites metastasise towards to the mucosal membranes and destroy them and nearby unrelated tissue structures also (Murray et al, 2009). This form is more commonly seen after a primary infection of cutaneous leishmaniasis, where the lesions have eventually healed. Untreated lesions can transform into mucocutaneous forms and year later the oral and nasal mucosas become infected. Inflammation of the nose, mouth, oropharynx and trachea cause sever mutilation and facial disfigurement. Death can sometimes arise as mucosal lesions do not self-heal and prolonged infection compromises both immune and respiratory systems. Visceral Leishmaniasis Visceral leishmaniasis, also known as, kala-azar, dumdum fever or black fever, is the most severe form of leishmaniasis, and if left untreated, those infected will die. It is the most dangerous because parasites leave the skin and colonise the entire reticulo-endothelial system (Neuber, 2008) and spread to internal organs. Incubation period may be from several weeks to a year and can present as a rapidly fatal disease or as an asymptomatic, self-limiting infection (Murray et al, 2009). As the parasites proliferate and destroy the hosts cells, sufferers present with a marked enlargement of the liver, spleen lymph nodes as well as fatigue, weight loss, fever chills, severe anaemia and kidney damage. Death is caused by haemorrhage, complications relating to anaemia or a weakened immune system which cannot deal with bacterial co-infections (Chappuis et al, 2007). As is the case with all forms of leishmaniasis, the chances of the sufferer developing a secondary infection, such as a bacterial infection, are very high and doing so, can complicate the disease further and may lead to death. To add: one photo for each CL, ML and VL. Canine Leishmaniasis Leishmania infantum not only cause severe disease in humans, but in dogs also. Millions of dogs in Europe, Asia, North Africa, and South America are affected by the parasite. There are some clinical manifestations of the disease in dogs which re similar to that of humans including cutaneous alterations, enlargement of lymph nodes, liver and spleen, weight loss and glomerulopathy. As well as this, ocular lesions, epistaxis (nose bleeds), onycogryphosis (abnormal curving of claws) and lameness (disability in walking) are classic symptoms found in infected dogs (Maia and Campino, 2008). As with visceral leishmaniasis, canine leishmaniasis may also present as an asymptomatic infection, thus delaying necessary treatment. Diagnosis Due to the clinical presentations of the disease, a diagnosis can be made; however, for a definitive diagnosis the Leishmania parasite must be detected to confirm the diagnosis. Parasitological techniques are routinely used and involve demonstrating promastigotes in a direct examination of tissue aspirates, or detecting amastigotes in biopsy specimens, which are then, examined using a microscope. Serological techniques to diagnose leishmaniasis are based upon indirectly identifying specific host humoural and cell-mediated responses after inoculation of the parasite. Diagnostic methods include direct agglutination test (DAT), the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblotting and antigen detection. Molecular techniques involve detecting leishmanial DNA or RNA have been beneficial in not only diagnosis, but species identification also. The molecular techniques include using various versions of polymerase chain reactions (PCR) to amplify species specific parasite sequences, DNA probes, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and isoenzyme electrophoresis. Treatment All forms of leishmaniasis should be treated due to their mortality and morbidity consequences. Drugs are available to treat the disease and choice for all forms is the pentavalent antimonial compound sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam). Cutaneous leishmaniasis is also treated with injections of other antimonial compounds, such as fluconazole and litefosine, directly into the infected lesions (* Figure). Miltefosine has also proven to be an effective treatment for visceral leishmaniasis (Murray et al, 2009). However, as with all drug treatments, the development of drug resistance is a huge issue and over use of this drug in previous years could lead to Leishmania species becoming resistant. As well as this, there are considerable side effects associated with most drugs (Neuber, 2008). A safe and effective vaccine against the various species is urgently required particularly in endemic areas; however, there is currently no vaccine available although work to develop one is still ongoing. (To add: * Figure of such treatment) Social and Economical Implications Leishmaniasis is found in developing countries or the poorer regions of a country and thus commonly affects the poorest of the poor. Having such a disease can cause many problems in the lives of those infected and their families as they become poorer due to the direct and high costs of diagnosis and treatment of the disease, and the indirect costs such as loss of income (Chappuis et al, 2007). Another impact of the disease is the social and psychological stigma associated with leishmaniasis, because of the disfigurement and significant scarring caused. Thus, even after the disease has been treated or self-healed, patients must deal with a constant reminder of what they had to endure. Cheap, rapid and accurate diagnostic methods are needed to allow all those infected, especially the poor, to get the medical attention they need, and to also allow treatment to start as soon as possible thus ensuring symptoms may not be as detrimental. Project Aims The aim of this project is to compare the different methods for diagnosis of leishmaniasis in humans and dogs. These methods will be critically analysed in order to test the following hypothesis: A Leishmania infection can be detected unequivocally. In doing so, the necessary requirements for a correct diagnosis for those who live in endemic areas and for those whom leishmaniasis is a threat, will also be discussed.

Another Masterpiece: Final Fantasy Goes Online :: Video Games Entertainment Essays

Another Masterpiece: Final Fantasy Goes Online Everyone who knows games, and even some who don’t, knows the title Final Fantasy. They may also know that it has been claimed the best RPG (Role Playing Game) series of all time. Most people also know that the company, Squaresoft, is the maker of this great series. Final Fantasy was nothing short of a miracle for Squaresoft when the first game came out. Squaresoft was about to go bankrupt when they decided to make one last game, a final game, which they decided to name Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy was either going to be their last game or it was going to save them. It did more than save them. It made them famous and rich. There have been more than 10 different Final Fantasy games released. Recently, Squaresoft joined with another gaming company called Enix. They have combined their names and are now called SquareEnix . They recently made the 11th installation of Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI. I recently picked up Final Fantasy XI to see if I would like it. Final Fantasy XI has taken a different turn than all the other Final Fantasy games of the series. Final Fantasy XI is a MMORPG, which means, massive multiplayer online role-playing game. In English terms, it is a game that can only be played on the Internet and where you interact with thousands of other people around the world. Of course there is a monthly fee that has to be paid which is a minimum of 13 dollars. Here is a review to help you decide if Final Fantasy XI is worth the money you have to pay to play it. First, I want to start of talking about the graphics. Compared to all the other MMORPG that are on the market, Final Fantasy XI beats them all. The graphics are amazing. The name of the Final Fantasy XI world is Vana’diel. It is divided into several regions, which contains different zones. Each zone has a lot of estate to wander around on. Every area is very detailed and the character designs are simply wonderful. Every weapon and piece of armor has its own design. The environment around you is glamorous. When creating your character, you get to choose your race, hairstyle, type of face, and even how big you want your character to be.

Street Racing Essay -- Research Racing Safety Cars Essays

Street Racing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To race or not to race, what will keep you safe? Racing can be safe but not always if you race illegally. There are a lot of safety items that some racers don’t even use, I mean they keep you safer but they don’t spot the buck for the equipment. They spend so much money on their cars to make them faster, yet most of them don’t spend money towards safety. I know what you’re thinking, THIS IS LUDACRIS but it is the truth and you will learn more by reading below.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Safety is a very important thing when you are in an object that weighs over a ton and could do over 100mph or more. A lot of racers do not spend enough money on safety, yet a surprising majority of racers do. Racers can have different combinations of these safety items; racing seats, racing harness, fire extinguisher or in some cases a roll cage (to prevent being crushed in a roll or flip). A racing harness goes hand in hand with a racing seat to keep you held to the very durable (usually aluminum) yet comfortable (padded) seat, also the fire extinguisher in case of a fire. A roll cage is in the more serious racers car to prevent the car from crushing you or being crushed in a flip or roll.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many different types illegal racing, there is drag racing, stoop light races, and point to point races. Drag race is simply when cars line up and race a short distance usually between  ¼ mile and one mile. A stoplight race is something you could see on the road any time. This is when t...

My New Political Ideology Essay -- Political Science Personal Narrativ

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A population’s views on political issues may change as different circumstances occur each day. The environment around us has a powerful influence on the decisions that we produce and the views that we as American citizens choose to hold. After a semester in political science class my views and my political ideology have altered. Today I will explain how political science class has influenced my political ideology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When this class initially began I was sure, without a doubt I was a conservative. As the semester progressed I discovered the reasons I was considered conservative. The town a person grows up in, financial status, social class, age, gender and the race of the individual have a strong influence on a individuals ideology. I knew I was conservative because I was raised with certain morals that still exist in my family today. Anaheim hills the town I grew up in, was and still is one of the most conservative cities in Orange County. A moderately white community full of affluent business owners, and my father was one of those affluent business owners. My father a very strong conservative taught me politics at an early age. As I grew older and made friends out of Anaheim hills, I found that most of the friends that I made had liberal views. All the issues I felt very strongly about were absolute opposite of my new friends. Being a teenager and very confused about the mat ter I talked to my family about these issues and they felt the same way I did. At that point in my life I realized that my house was not just higher up on the hill for no reason, my political views were completely different from the people that lived just below me. Evidence once again that social class and education had an influence on a person’s views.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In my last paper I stated my feelings about the tax issues all Americans face day to day. I felt that Americans are paying too much tax’s with very little benefits to our country. People on social programs such as social security and Medicare benefit from the tax payer’s dollars. I still do not agree with social programs providing cash to those people. Growing up, I was taught that I had to work for what I wanted. People on those programs are being taught at a very early age that they don’t have to work for what they want. A great solution to social programs is very simple. Food, shelter and work programs can ensure t... ...at don’t care about the poor people at all. Another lie made up by our very liberal news papers and television shows. Contributing to the miss-education of our country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The issues that I have discussed today, and my responses to them fall into the category of a moderate conservative. I agree in the way the government is being run but it can use a few changes. I am a strong supporter of capitalism; therefore I do not care to provide money for social programs, which will benefit the freeloaders of our society. The next step is education. We must provide the best education to improve the future of our country; therefore the American people should not rely on the media to make their political decisions. If anyone agrees with the responses to these issues they may fall into the category of a moderate conservative. A moderate conservative would be ok with there being a limited government, not everyone is capable of political leadership. With all the information that I have provided, I feel that I am a moderate conservative. I agree with conservative side more than anything else but I still feel that there are some things that need to b e modified for the success of our country.

Three Disciplines

The Three Disciplines all appeal to me in some ways, but if I had to choose between anthropology, psychology, and sociology, I would have to choose psychology. The reasoning behind it will be explained in detail but it can be broken down to three main reasons; being the first discipline with verified results and facts rather than unproven theories, having more post-high school opportunities considering that I wish to pursue a career in business, and being the most in-depth discipline. Psychology has more quantitative information, more interesting career opportunities and more systemized in comparison to anthropology and sociology.My character is very self-assured and I am not convinced easily, so with all my stubbornness, I cannot be persuaded by theory, I need proof. In 1879, Wilhelm Wundt opened the first experimental laboratory in psychology at the University of Leipzig, Germany (WGBH Educational Foundation, 2001). Obviously one would know that the beginning of psychology did not start exactly when the laboratory in Germany was opened, but the first sign of actual documentation and recording of results in a scientific environment was created.Laboratories were places where psychologists like Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Ivan Pavlov, B. F. Skinner and more would be taken seriously when they would introduce their ideas of psychoanalytic theory, the conscious and unconscious mind, analytical psychology, collective conscious, unconditioned and conditioned response and stimulus, classical conditioning, and operant conditioning (Collinshaw & Kritzer & Warecki, 2011, p. 59, 61, 64, 65). In the 1870s, zoos became unattended â€Å"laboratories†, especially with the so-called â€Å"ethnological exhibitions† or â€Å"Negro villages†. † (Wikipedia, 2011). The earliest anthropological laboratories were the use of zoos, which is very hard to take seriously, even though it makes sense. Anthropology is the scientific study of the origin, the behaviour , and the physical, social, and cultural development of humans, so studying animals first would be an adequate place to start, since animals are much less complex. Sociology is a relatively new academic discipline. It emerged in the early 19th century in response to the challenges of modernity. † (edu. learnsoc. org, 2011). Sociology itself is behind in comparison to psychology and anthropology so it is expected that it would not have as many legitimate records or working environments as psychology. In the future, I wish to pursue a career involving mainly business courses, just because that is what I like. I enjoy economics, which is basically applying the thought of people to numbers and prices, to get an outcome.I researched the economics program and psychology program at the University of Toronto, and they in fact have no relation together, but within my undergraduate years I am able to take psychology courses along with economics courses. In my perception, I feel like I c an use certain psychology courses to understand the mind better and take advantage of that from a business point of view, and generate profit. Courses like Cross-cultural psychology, and Special Topics in Human Communication can help me delve into the human mind.Cross-culture psychology is the examination of culture-blind and culture-bound aspects of traditional psychology that includes issues of diversity, cultural influences on basic psychological processes, and the impact of culture on social and developmental processes (University of Toronto, 2012). By studying cultural influences, I could maybe create a product that is appealing to today’s Canadian culture. Special Topics in Human Communication is the examination of selected topics in psychological approaches to human communication (University of Toronto, 2012).Communicating better or more efficiently could increase sales of some sort where I would have to encourage and convince people to purchase something. There defini tely are courses in anthropology that can be tied into an economics program that would actually help me in my future career, like Social Theory Through Everyday Life, which explains theories of culture and society, with examples from ordinary life and fantasy and their popular expressions (University Of Toronto, 2012), but the issue is that I have no interest in the study of society as a whole, I would rather study an individual.Sociology courses once again pertain to groups of people rather than the individuals in them, with courses like Women and Work, and Race Class Gender, which are pretty self explanatory (University of Toronto, 2012). As a person of specificity and depth, I wish to study individuals rather than crowds. As I already mentioned, I am a person of depth, and psychology is deep because it is broken up into so many sub-fields or â€Å"Schools of Thought† as our course book labels them. Anthropology only has four sub-fields, and sociology is broken up into seve ral issues to study rather than sub-fields.Psychology consists of biological, clinical, cognitive, comparative, developmental, education and school, evolutionary, industrial, personality, social, and positive (Wikipedia, 2012). In our course so far we have not even covered half of those sub-fields. Anthropology consists of cultural anthropology, archeology, linguistic anthropology, and physical anthropology (Wikipedia, 2012). Our course has covered three out of those four sub-fields already. Traditional focuses of sociology have included social stratification, social class, culture, social mobility, religion, secularization, law, and deviance.Our course has covered some of those issues. Psychology leads with the most sub-fields that probably needed a lot of work to organize and separate, which is why psychology appeals to me the most. In conclusion, psychology is a much more interesting and diverse discipline since it deals with the individual mind rather than society itself. In my future career psychology courses could be very affective if I deal with people face to face. This essay has proven to me and to the reader what opportunities psychology has for me in the future. References * edu. learnsoc. org. History of Sociology. Retrieved from http://edu. earnsoc. org/Chapters/1%20introduction/3%20history%20of%20sociology. htm * University of Toronto. Arts & Science 2011-2012 Fall/Winter Session Timetable for: Sociology [SOC courses]. Looking for the official U of T Faculty of Arts and Science home page?. Retrieved from http://www. artsandscience. utoronto. ca/ofr/timetable/winter/soc. html * University of Toronto. Course Descriptions — Anthropology. (n. d. ). Welcome to the Department of Anthropology — Anthropology. Retrieved from http://anthropology. utoronto. ca/undergraduate/courses * WGBH Educational Foundation. The History of Psychology.Retrieved from http://www. learner. org/discoveringpsychology/history/history_nonflash. html * Wikipedia. A nthropology – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Anthropology * Wikipedia. History of anthropology – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/History_of_anthropology * Wikipedia. Psychology – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Psychology * Wikipedia. Sociology – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Sociology * * * * * *

Minireview of A Study Essay

Synaptic transmission in vertebrate neuromuscular junctions forms the basis of this study. The communication between neurons in the nervous system occurs largely due to neurotransmitter release at the synapses. Messages on the various significant nervous system functions are coordinated through the synaptic junctions and the release of neurotransmitters. Ryanodine receptors are found in the somata of the Purkinje cells, basket cells and pre-synaptic terminals of specific synapses and terminals of basket cells. Calcium in the extracellular fluid triggers the neurotransmitter release. Now it is understood that pre-synaptic stores could participate in this same function. Ryanodine-sensitive stores of calcium also play a role. The quantum is the amount of spontaneous signals occurring in the absence of pre-synaptic action potentials and is equivalent to the release of one neurotransmitter vesicle (Katz, 1969). The action potentials are called miniature currents. For central synapses in the brain, large miniature currents are believed to arise from the release of many neurotransmitter or presynaptic vesicles and in the range of several quanta (Bekkers, 1994). Yoshida’s study (1994) revealed that these multivesicular miniature events could actually be tetrodotoxin-resistant action potentials in the pre-synaptic terminals. Other researchers have tried to explain the phenomenon from another angle, using the presence of intracellular calcium stores in the pre-synaptic terminals. Nakanishi et al localized inositol triphosphate receptors in the neural tissue of the developing and adult mouse brain (1991). These were immunolocalised in the pre-synaptic terminals of the deep cerebellar nuclei and the retina of the eyes. Narita’s studies (1998, 2000) revealed the action of ryanodine-sensitive calcium stores at the frog neuromuscular junctions. It was discovered that agents which influence the ryanodine-sensitive Calcium stores also increased the intracellular Calcium in the pre-synaptic cells and regulated acetyl choline release during high frequency stimulation. Mothet et al (1998) studied the action potentials at the pre-synaptic terminals of the buccal ganglia in Aplysia. They indicated that ryanodine inhibited while the pre-synaptic injection of Cyclic ADP Ribose augmented the action potential evoked release of acetyl choline at synapses. Studies also showed that caffeine with or without ryanodine modifies Calcium stores at the pre-synaptic terminals in autonomic ganglia (Peng, 1996; Smith et al, 1996) and in photoreceptors (Krizaj, 1999). Studies on hippocampal pyramidal cells have shown that Caffeine or thapsigargin influences the frequency of miniature IPSCs. Making an assumption, from prior studies described above, that spontaneous Calcium release from pre-synaptic Calcium stores may provide the synchronisation mechanism that causes multivesicular miniature IPSCs and the fact that such a hypothesis has not been tested systematically previously, the authors have taken up this topic for their study on cerebellar interneuron Purkinje cells. This Study   Methods Experiments were conducted on the sagittal cerebellar slices of decapitated rats aged 10-14 days of age. During the experimental recordings, the slices were perfused in saline containing prescribed concentrations of NaCl, KCl, Na H2PO4, NaHCO3, CaCl2, MgCl2 and glucose with 95:5 mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Experiments were done at room temperature. For tight-seal whole-cell recordings, pipettes filled with a solution of appropriate concentrations of CsCl, MgCl2, HEPESCs, BAPTA-Cs (Molecular Probes, Eugene, Oregon), CaCl2, Na-GTP and Na-ATP and of pH 7.3 were used. Capacitance cancellation and series resistance compensation had been done. Kynurenic acid had been added to the extracellular solution to block the inotropic gluatamate receptors. TTX was present in the solution for all recordings. The calcium free solutions were prepared by leaving out Calcium and adding EGTA Na. Membrane potential was maintained at -60mV and the current was filtered at 1.5-2 kHz. Sampling was done continuously with brief interruptions. Detection and analysis were done using the IGOR-Pro programming environment. In experiments needing a Calcium channel blocker, cytochrome was added to the external solution. The toxin was prepared while the ryanodine was purchased. Testing the Calcium The Calcium in the basket cells were tested using the Two-photon laser scanning Fluorescence microscopy. For studying the action potential-evoked calcium increases, bicuculline was added to the external solution and the calcium sensitive probe Oregon Green was put into the pipettes. Scans were done and pulses were applied at the end of each 8th scan. This was repeated every minute in external solution which contained saline in order to get a baseline. The external solution was then changed to the solution containing ryanodine and recording proceeded for another 15 minutes. Another set of recordings were done with external solution not having calcium but having EGTA Na. The internal solution also had EGTA and Cs instead of K as the main cation. The responses in Spontaneous Calcium transients also were recorded using molecular probes in the external solution. A pseudo line scan was also done. For immunocytochemistry, a rabbit polyclonal anti-serum was raised to the 16 amino-acids found in all mammals. A C terminal cysteine enabled conjugation to haemocyanin. The conjugated peptide was used to immunize rabbits. Then the ELISA confirmed the specificity. The sarcoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum microsomes derived from the skeletal muscle, cardiac tissue, whole brain and cerebellum were used for immunoblot analysis. Effects of external Calcium concentration. Large amplitude miniature IPSCs in cerebellar Purkinje cells were found sensitive to extracellular Calcium. With calcium free solution, the mIPSC frequency fell suddenly to half the control level. Continued exposure to the low level of external calcium caused the frequency of mIPSC to continue declining but at a slower rate. On washing after this, the frequency recovered and reached its initial level. The amplitude of the mIPSCs on the other hand showed a steady decline all through and no recovery on washing. With high levels of Calcium, the frequency of the mIPSCs increased rapidly and significantly. The change in amplitude varied from no response to a minimal increase. The inference was that Calcium strongly influenced mIPSCs in the Purkinje cells though frequency and amplitude were differently affected. The rapid change in frequency was interpreted as the reaction of intracellular Calcium to external Calcium changes. The slow change in amplitude was considered due to the extracellular influence on the pre-synaptic stores. The prolonged extracellular calcium removal could have caused selective elimination of large amplitude miniature IPSCs. Repeating with a calcium-free solution, many large amplitude miniature IPSCs were seen again. Then there was a sudden drop and then the amplitudes reduced to become concurrent with the control and the IPSCs were also less. The reduction seen when external Calcium was removed was not due to post-synaptic modifications. On returning to the calcium-rich solution, a slight recovery of both amplitude and frequency occurred. Paired Student’s t-tests indicate significant changes in mean amplitude and frequency between mIPSCs recorded during a 3-min control period and after 15–18 min in Calcium-free external solution. 6 sham experiments were also conducted by keeping the slices in Calcium containing external solution all throughout and these showed no obvious change. The time course of decay of the IPSCs was slower in calcium-free external solution when compared to depolarization-induced calcium transients. Effects of elevated intracellular Calcium Elevated intracellular Calcium in the Purkinje cells caused a speedy frequency reduction and a slow increase in amplitude. This sudden fall could not be explained by the intracellular calcium as BAPTA buffered the Calcium in the cells and could not have caused the IPSCs. Effect of the axons in large amplitude miniature IPSCs The immediate slow changes in the amplitude of IPSCs on withdrawal of external calcium for 3 minutes could not be attributed to the delayed removal of external calcium from pre-synaptic release sites. The effect was also not due to local Calcium influx caused by the TTX insensitive axonal depolarization. For the latter test, external Cd,   a non-selective channel blocker, was used. It reduced the action potential-evoked pre-synaptic Calcium transients seen in the axons and pre-synaptic terminals of cerebellar interneurons. The slow changes in amplitude were therefore not connected to rundown or altered post-synaptic receptors or delayed extracellular calcium removal. The only remaining explanation was that multivesicular release under the pre-synaptic calcium stores could have caused the changes in amplitude. The lack of recovery after external Calcium restoration could be due to the slow store refilling of intracellular Calcium when action potentials and subsequent calcium influx are blocked. Rise Time Kinetics The multi-vesicular release also could not completely explain the slow changes in amplitude. Rise time of IPSCs as a function of amplitude was studied after extended external calcium removal. In 6 of the 8 cells tested, the rise time was heterogenous in nature where two subpopulations were concerned. Slower decay kinetics was also noted. A faster rise time was seen in the proximal dendrites and soma. Faster IPSCs were more sensitive to external calcium removal than slow ones and these IPSCs arose at somatic synapses. The origin being multivesicular, synchronisation time must have been in the range of submillisecond. Some IPSCs had slower rise time and decays and were less sensitive to external calcium removal. These IPSCs could be arising from dendrites and could be having synchronisation of 1-4ms. Ryanodine receptors The two photon laser illumination was used to focus on the ryanodine receptors stained with a high-affinity Calcium-sensitive dye, Oregon Green BAPTA-1. Transient rises of Calcium in the stained ryanodine receptors in response to short trains of action potentials were measured. The fluorescence rises were noted. Ryanodine-sensitive Calcium stores are associated with the large amplitude mIPSCs. In the experiment Ryanodine in large concentrations of 100 ÃŽ ¼M blocked the receptors. The response recorded showed that Ryanodine reduced the mean amplitude and frequency of mIPSCs simultaneously. The responses to muscimol were not affected by ryanodine and the researchers assumed that ryanodine had no post synaptic effect. Axonal spots with calcium stores were identified in pre-synaptic terminals by recording responses to short action potentials. The intracellular Calcium fluctuations in response to differing concentrations of external calcium to which small concentrations of ryanodine were added was checked. Repeated scanning in the presence of TTX was done. Spontaneous calcium transients were noted before and after addition of ryanodine. Bright spots of fluorescence were noted at the pre-synaptic terminals. This signified the presence and increase of Calcium at the pre-synaptic terminals. Experiments were then done with small concentrations of Ryanodine 10 ÃŽ ¼M. Large amplitude mIPSCs were recorded. High frequency bursts and amplitudes of the responses were greatly increased. The bursts could reflect the response at multivesicular and monovesicular sites. The histogram comparing the amplitudes in the control and after ryanodine was added showed a significant difference. The spontaneous Calcium transients occur at basket cell axons and their frequency was increased by small concentrations of ryanodine.

Human Resource Planning Essay

The process that connects an organization’s strategic plan with its human resource needs is called human resource planning. The process ensures that staffing needs are addressed to achieve the organization’s objectives. Human resource planning is important because it helps an organization maintain a competitive edge and retain employees. Human resource planning determines the supply and demand of employees, according to the needs and wants of the business and its customers. The internal and external environment has an impact on the consideration of human resource planning. For instance, internal impacts are promotions, transfers, or firings, and external impacts can be changes in technology, the economy, or the industry. The competence and qualification of current and future employees and their career paths are more factors to consider when developing a human resource plan. These impacts can affect the staffing and human resource planning processes depending on the need s for a company to remain successful. Human resource planning is important and ongoing because of both internal and external environmental changes. Planning and Strategic Development and Implementation Human resource planning is identifying present and future needs of an organization to reach its goals (Obeidat, 2012). Human resource planning also involves predicting the demand and supply for employees, considering the business needs, and strategies for development and employment to meet requirements (Obeidat, 2012). The results will provide an analysis of human resource supply and future demand, which will identify gaps and most likely include staffing. Therefore, having knowledge of the goals and expectations of the company, can identify methods to reach these goals and track its progress. Planning in this manner allows a company to link resources with business performance. The results will identify the required number of qualified and competent candidates and this will help the business meet its goals and objectives. For instance, human resource planning and staffing connect by addressing the company’s direction, skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to follow a certain path. It also assesses the current competencies within the company and the gap between the direction and requirements to succeed. Description of the Staffing Process The eight elements of the staffing process are human resource planning, recruiting, selection, orientation, training and development, performance appraisal, compensation, and employment decisions (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Human resource planning involves assessing current employees, forecasting future demands, and constructing plans to add or transfer employees (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Recruiting involves looking for qualified people within or outside the company for vacant positions (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Selection is interviewing and testing candidates and hiring the best applicant(s). Orientation is when new employees learn about the fellowship. Training and development is when new employees learn their jobs and expand their skills. The performance appraisal is the origination of the touchstones for judging the workplace of employees (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Compensation is generating pay and benefits for each position. Employment decisions include promotions, demotions, transfers, layoffs, and firings (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Elements and Activities The proper planning, recruiting, and selecting of staff is an ongoing process. The hiring process is just the beginning of staffing. The human resource department must retain employees through training and development, performance appraisal, compensation, and employment decisions. The first step in human resource planning is the staffing process. The human resource planning process starts with a job analysis. A job analysis describes the skills, knowledge, and abilities required to perform each position. The job description will include what, how, and why employees perform his or her duties. It specifies minimum acceptable qualifications a candidate must possess to do the job effectively. A human resource inventory comes after the completion of the job analysis. The human resource inventory will categorize the needs and wants of the position. Afterwards, a human resource forecast is created to anticipate future demands for each position based on the plans, goals and objectives of the organization. Last, the forecast and inventory are compared to decide whether staffing needs will come from internal or external candidates. Read more:  Essay on Human Resource Planning Activities and Planning, Development, & Implementation The primary influence in the use of a company’s resources is the mission and vision of the organization. The mission and vision of the business provide the reason for the use of the resource. An effective and efficient business, strategic and business plans specify how its resources are managed and utilized. The most important resources a business must effectively use are: technology to create a product or deliver the service, the finances to pay for the requirements, and the skills and talents used by human beings to complete the job (Soberg, 2011). The business specifies the technology it needs to achieve the mission of the organization. The required technology will depend on the amount of product or service the company wishes to provide. The strategic plans and vision will be a factor in this decision to ensure it aligns with the goals of the company (Sober, 2011). The best fit for the organization and its mission will come down to the industry and what is currently utilize d. The financial aspect of the equation will specify how to produce money, control money, and foresee the revenue and expenses. The budget for a smooth, successful business operation will rely on the need for achievement in regards to the goals and objectives. The decision must include the cost of the entire operations including maintenance. For instance, the expenses cover purchasing, maintaining and adapting technology and compensating employees. The human benefactor is the knowledge, skills, and abilities utilized to generate and carry the product and service. People are an organization’s largest resource because products and services could not be managed, created, or delivered without the knowledge, skills, and abilities of human beings (Soberg, 2011). For example, without any assistance from human beings, technology and money cannot be utilized. The effective use of human resources assist companies in attracting the right employees, expand the knowledge, skills, and abilitie s of these employees, and keep the employees within the organization. Conclusion Human resource planning is the prediction of future business and environmental needs of a given organization. Human resource planning estimates the number of people available to work for future purposes. It strives to identify proper staffing required to perform organizational activities. Human resource planning is an ongoing process which starts with  objectives, move toward an analysis of resources and ends at evaluation of the human resource plan. Human resource planning compares the present and future status of the organization. The results identify what changes are necessary to meet goals. Human resource planning is vital so companies can meet their objectives and gain a competitive edge over its competition. The proper prediction of employment needs is important. An organization must foresee staffing issues beforehand, just as they predict potential threats in the industry that can impact on overall business success. Employee performance is a direct link to the success of the company. Therefore, a company that is not able to achieve goals is the result of workplace failure. Nevertheless, human resource planning is important to ensure the organization does not hire the wrong people or neglect to predict changes in staffing needs. The only way an organization can ensure employees have the skills, knowledge, and abilities the business needs to succeed is by planning for human resource needs. A human resource plan goes hand in hand with the companies plan to determine the resources it needs to achieve the goals. References Obeidat, B.Y. (2012, October). The Relationship between Human Resource Information System (HRIS) Functions and Human Resource Management (HRM) Functionalities. Journal of Management Research, 4(4), . doi:10.5296/jmr.v4i4.2262 Plunkett, W. R., Allen, G. S., & Attner, R.F (2013). Management: Meeting and exceeding customer expectations (10th ed.). Mason, OH : South-Western Cengage Learning. Soberg, A. (2011). The Link Between Strategic Planning and Human Resource Planning. Retrieved from http://www.hrvoice.org/the-link-between-strategic-planning-and-human-resource-planning/