The Chosen Health Care Essay -- Health, Breast Cancer

The chosen health care need that this assignment will focus on is Breast Cancer as each year more than a quarter of a million people are diagnosed with Cancer in the United Kingdom, Macmillan (2007). Breast Cancer was chosen as the health care need as people’s awareness of Breast cancer need to be raised. Also through out this assignment the sociological and psychological aspect of breast cancer will be looked at and also the global national and local initiatives will be looked at as well for anyone receiving or caring for someone with breast cancer. Breast cancer develops when a single cell begins to multiply rapidly and forms a tumour; some cells make break away and travel to other parts of the body starting a new tumour cancer research (2004). Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women, Rosto (2009). Even though breast cancer in women is common, there are also 341 men in the United Kingdom diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, cancer research (2011). In the West Midlands there were 4,222 case of breast cancer in 2009. The number of cancer cases and crude incidence rates continue to increase annually as the population of the West Midlands ages, west midlands intelligence unit (2011). Breast cancer affects mainly 50-64 year olds in the west midlands. However breast cancer still remains the most common form of cancer in females in the West Midlands, it has a strong negative association with deprivation usually found in the more affluent sections of the population, west midlands intelligence unit (2010). In 2009 the five year survival rates were over 80% for breast cancer patients WMIU (2010). The number of deaths to cancer in the west midlands has remained steady over the decade with 13,430 deaths in 20... ...f the absolute benefits and harms of mammography screening for breast cancer remains a subject of discussion. The estimates from individual randomized trials and service screening programmes suggest that between 300 and 500 women need to be screened every 2–3 years for 10 years to prevent one death from breast cancer.1,2 Harms of screening include the anxiety and inconvenience associated with screening and with suspicious screening findings, which do not result in a diagnosis of cancer, and over diagnosis, the last of which has attracted considerable interest recently.3–6 Over diagnosis is defined as the diagnosis of a cancer as a result of screening that would not have been diagnosed in the woman’s lifetime had screening not taken place. Estimates of over diagnosis range from less than 10% of tumours diagnosed in a screening programme to around 50%. Duffy (2010)

Gladiator Essay -- essays papers

Gladiator Directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator is an epic tale of honor, love, loyalty and power. If you could only see two movies a year make Gladiator one of them. It is full of action, adventure, drama, deceit and love. Russell Crowe plays the Roman General, Maximus, who heads the Roman Army in their conquers of Europe and Africa under the emperor Marcus Aurelius. Maximus has served Rome for â€Å" two years, 264 days and this morning,† and is anxiously awaiting his release by the emperor so that he may go home and be with his dearly missed wife and son. But Maximus is more than a general to Aurelius, he is the son he should of had and the needed successor to the emperor. Aurelius has known that his true son, the devious, cold, and twisted Commodus, played by Joaqui...

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce Essay -- English L

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' by Ambrose Bierce is a 19th Century mystery story that is set at the time of the American Civil War (1861-1865) when the Slave owning Confederate States in the South engaged in conflict with the Federal Government of the USA. The story focuses on a character called Peyton Farquhar, whom is about to be summarily hung for trespassing on the Owl Creek Bridge; his fate is to be hung from that same bridge. The story ends with a curious twist in the plot. The main part of the story is set in Farquhar's mind, though whilst reading the reader is unsure (despite careful, hidden hints placed by Bierce) of this fact. Only at the end when it is clearly stated that Farquhar is hanging lifelessly with a broken neck from the bridge that the reader will become conclusively aware of this. It is divided into three parts, which I will analyse, in detail, separately. Part I ====== 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' 'begins powerfully by introducing a man, whom is not named until later on in the tale. This obviously adds to the mystery. It describes with detail of him in somewhat a predicament ~ " hands behind his back", " wrists bounds with a cord", "rope closely encircled his neck". Words of such like are of a lexical set of entrapment and give the impression that the man in question is in danger and is unable to break free. Next, the reader learns that "executioners" (also are soldiers from federal army) are present that show the man has committed a crime, so is a condemned man. It raises questions as to why he is there, and forces the reader to continue reading. Bierce sustains more mystery by not revealing his crime until furt... ...y~ " Ah, how beautiful she is! He springs forward with extended arms". Bierce lures the reader into thoughts of joy by remarking how beautiful the wife is. Suddenly, Bierce stops his complex illusions and proves that proves the prior Part III was not reality, set in the min of Farquhar~ "his body swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek Bridge. Conclusion ========== Bierce has a unique style to pull the reader into the story. To name a few techniques, his complex illusions keep the audience in suspense, his detailed descriptions allow the reader to picture all aspects of the story and the dividing of the story into three separate parts help them to stay focused. These all work together to provide a compelling, inspiring and powerful story. 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' is a great example how the mind can be deceptive.

What Is Bibliotheraphy

What is Bibliotherapy? * Bibliotherapy – the use of literature to help people cope with emotional problems, mental illness, or changes in their lives or to produce affective change and promote personality growth and development. * The underlying premise of bibliotherapy is that clients identify with literary characters similar to themselves, an association that helps the clients release emotions, gain new directions in life, and explore new ways of interacting * E. g. Teenage readers may feel relief that they are not the only ones facing a specific problem. They learn vicariously how to solve their problems by reflecting on how the characters in the book solve theirs Some approaches in Bibliotherapy * Traditional bibliotherapy * Tended to be more ‘reactive' * Focused on getting individuals to react positively or negatively to the reading material. * Therapeutic process * More interactive one: the reader becomes part of the unfolding intellectual and emotional process of the story, and in struggling to understand what is being communicated at the deepest levels, the reader responds by making a positive alternation or modification in behavior or attitude. Interactive bibliotherapy * Help them reflect on what they read, such as group discussion and dialogue journal writing. * In clinical bibliotherapy and bibliocounseling * Skilled practitioners use therapeutic methods to help individuals experiencing serious emotional problems. * Developmental bibliotherapy * Classroom teachers are more likely to use this method * Involves helping students in their normal health and development * Advantage – teachers can identify the concerns of their students and address the issues before problems arise. Students can also be guided through predictable stages of adolescence Basic stages in Bibliotherapy Generally, activities in bibliotherapy are designed to: * provide information * provide insight * stimulate discussion about problems * communicate new values and attitudes * create awareness that other people have similar problems * provide realistic solutions to problems Four basic stages: identification, selection, presentation, and follow-up. * First two stages – the clients' needs must be identified, and appropriate books selected to match their particular problems. The books must then be presented carefully and strategically so that the clients are able to see similarities between themselves and the book characters. * Once the clients can identify with the main character, they enter the follow-up stage during which they share what they have gained. * They express catharsis verbally in discussion or writing, or nonverbal means such as art, role-playing, creative problem solving, or self-selected options for students to pursue individually * Once catharsis has occurred, the clients can be guided to gain insight into the problem. Catharsis – the process releasing strong emotions through particular activities or experience ) Benefits and limitations of Bibliotherapy * BENEFITS * Provides the opportunity for the participants to recognize and understand themselves, their characteristics, and the complexity of human thought and behavior. * Promote social development as well as the love of literature in general, and reading in particular. * Reduces feelings of isolation that may be felt by people with problems. * LIMITATIONS * Availability of materials on certain topics Lack of client readiness and willingness to read. * Clients may also project their own motives onto characters and thus reinforce their own perceptions and solutions – participants may be defensive * Facilitators may have limited knowledge of human development and developmental problems, and inadequate knowledge about appropriate literature. * Clients may be unwilling to discuss areas that are uncomfortable * Facilitators may insist on making a point at the client's expense. http://www. cyc-net. org/cyc-online/cycol-0105-biblio. htm l Selection of booksWhen choosing stories for bibliotherapy there are specific criteria : * The child’s emotional and chronological age should be taken into account * The librarian should know the material * It should be related to the child’s circumstances and feelings * Illustrations should be clear and colourful. * Characters should model healthy adaptation patterns * There should be a character suitable for identification. * The hero in the story should also be portrayed realistically, for instance s/he must have feelings such as uncertainty, fear and anger.S/he must portray unacceptable behaviour such as being naughty, while people still accept him/her. * There should be other characters in the story that are more or less the same as those in the client’s situation * The librarian should know the client’s reading ability * In using bibliotherapy with small groups of children, the same principles of book selection * Any books selected will be suited f or all group members. BIBLIOTHERAPY!! THREE STAGES of BIBLIOTHERAPY 1. IDENTIFICATION.The child identifies with a character, a story line, SOMETHING in the book that   catches their attention. This identification (discovery) can be by the child, or staged by the therapist or   teacher. 2. CATHARSIS. The child is able to release emotions when he/she becomes emotionally involved in   the story. The classroom or office provides a safe place for the child to release (in a classroom, make   sure to guard the child's privacy and confidentiality). The child can release any of several ways, such   as discussion, art work, music . . 3. INSIGHT. With the therapist's help, the child can come to possible solutions to their problem. Or   sometimes, there is no solution, but coping strategies can be suggested and goals made. The   book's suggested solution or coping strategies can be used, if appropriate. | BIBLIOTHERAPY  can be done in group settings or with individuals alone. Bo oks that address problems common to childhood can be read   to groups, even when there aren't any apparent problems. Sometimes a group reading can open discussion and reveal issues.While  BIBLIOTHERAPY  is a good way for children to release pent-up emotions, it should not be considered a cure. Deep psychological   problems can't be resolved or even handled in a classroom setting — these need to be addressed in more intense therapy. | HOW TO USE BIBLIOTHERAPY!!!! (yahoo) 1. Identify your children's needs through observation, parent conferences, classwork, official records, etc. 2. Match the problems with the appropriate books. Make sure that the book is appropriate for the child's reading   level and maturity. 3.Decide on the settings and time for the therapy, and how you will introduce it to the student. 4. Design follow-up activities after the reading. 5. Motivate the child with introductory activities. 6. Engage in the reading, viewing, or listening phase. Ask lea ding questions. 7. Take a break for reflection. 8. Introduce follow-up activities: ~retelling of the story ~in-depth discussion of the book ~art activities ~creative writing ~dramatic activities 9. Discussion and possible solution finding. | http://www. catherineshafer. com/biblio. html Developmental Interactive Bibliotherapy Bibliotherapy is generally defined as the use of literature to promote mental health * Bibliotherapy has been found effective for a number of domains, such as attitude change, self-concept development, fear reduction, problem-solving ability, prosocial behavior, values development, and interpersonal relationship. * Bibliotherapy can offer a wealth of resources not only for problem-centered interventions but also for classroom guidance. Children’s Social-Emotional Development * The concept of emotional intelligence has been widespread in recent educational literature. Emotional intelligence involves the ability to perceive accurately, appraise, and expres s emotion; the ability to access and/or generate feelings when they facilitate thought; the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and the ability to regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth. †(p. 10) * Even in the reading lessons that involve only engaging stories, children can learn about how the characters feel and how the characters perform in response to such feelings. * Children learn these social-emotional skills through various medium, such as, literature, art programs, music, and so on. Lang (1998) suggested that a curriculum of social-emotional development should generally cover a wide range of issues. It should involve a concern for the personal and social development. The Transactional Model of Stress * People also differ in their coping patterns. * Emotion-focused coping – avoidance, minimization, distancing, selective attention, and positive comparisons, are likely to occur when there is nothing that can be done to mod ify harmful, or threatening conditions. * Problem-focused coping – amenable to change. * No single strategy that is considered inherently better than any other. Transactional model suggests that to result in emotions and to cope appropriately with the realities of the situation we are facing, we need to appraise correctly. * the concepts of â€Å"appraisal† and â€Å"coping† to the elementary school students is through children’s literature – pertaining to stressful plots and various forms of coping processes and strategies were selected and analyzed Educational Importance of this Study * School counselors to use literature as a method for nurturing children’s social and emotional development. Facilitate discussions with good quality in interactive bibliotherapy, professional skills including active listening, clarification of content, and reflection of feeling are crucial. * Select quality literature-counselors need to expand their collecti ons in various stories pertaining critical issues to children’s social-emotional development at each stage. * Useful to collaborate with other practitioners, such as media specialists, classroom teachers, librarians, and parents. In addition, further knowledge for selecting children’s literature is especially needed. What Is Bibliotheraphy What is Bibliotherapy? * Bibliotherapy – the use of literature to help people cope with emotional problems, mental illness, or changes in their lives or to produce affective change and promote personality growth and development. * The underlying premise of bibliotherapy is that clients identify with literary characters similar to themselves, an association that helps the clients release emotions, gain new directions in life, and explore new ways of interacting * E. g. Teenage readers may feel relief that they are not the only ones facing a specific problem. They learn vicariously how to solve their problems by reflecting on how the characters in the book solve theirs Some approaches in Bibliotherapy * Traditional bibliotherapy * Tended to be more ‘reactive' * Focused on getting individuals to react positively or negatively to the reading material. * Therapeutic process * More interactive one: the reader becomes part of the unfolding intellectual and emotional process of the story, and in struggling to understand what is being communicated at the deepest levels, the reader responds by making a positive alternation or modification in behavior or attitude. Interactive bibliotherapy * Help them reflect on what they read, such as group discussion and dialogue journal writing. * In clinical bibliotherapy and bibliocounseling * Skilled practitioners use therapeutic methods to help individuals experiencing serious emotional problems. * Developmental bibliotherapy * Classroom teachers are more likely to use this method * Involves helping students in their normal health and development * Advantage – teachers can identify the concerns of their students and address the issues before problems arise. Students can also be guided through predictable stages of adolescence Basic stages in Bibliotherapy Generally, activities in bibliotherapy are designed to: * provide information * provide insight * stimulate discussion about problems * communicate new values and attitudes * create awareness that other people have similar problems * provide realistic solutions to problems Four basic stages: identification, selection, presentation, and follow-up. * First two stages – the clients' needs must be identified, and appropriate books selected to match their particular problems. The books must then be presented carefully and strategically so that the clients are able to see similarities between themselves and the book characters. * Once the clients can identify with the main character, they enter the follow-up stage during which they share what they have gained. * They express catharsis verbally in discussion or writing, or nonverbal means such as art, role-playing, creative problem solving, or self-selected options for students to pursue individually * Once catharsis has occurred, the clients can be guided to gain insight into the problem. Catharsis – the process releasing strong emotions through particular activities or experience ) Benefits and limitations of Bibliotherapy * BENEFITS * Provides the opportunity for the participants to recognize and understand themselves, their characteristics, and the complexity of human thought and behavior. * Promote social development as well as the love of literature in general, and reading in particular. * Reduces feelings of isolation that may be felt by people with problems. * LIMITATIONS * Availability of materials on certain topics Lack of client readiness and willingness to read. * Clients may also project their own motives onto characters and thus reinforce their own perceptions and solutions – participants may be defensive * Facilitators may have limited knowledge of human development and developmental problems, and inadequate knowledge about appropriate literature. * Clients may be unwilling to discuss areas that are uncomfortable * Facilitators may insist on making a point at the client's expense. http://www. cyc-net. org/cyc-online/cycol-0105-biblio. htm l Selection of booksWhen choosing stories for bibliotherapy there are specific criteria : * The child’s emotional and chronological age should be taken into account * The librarian should know the material * It should be related to the child’s circumstances and feelings * Illustrations should be clear and colourful. * Characters should model healthy adaptation patterns * There should be a character suitable for identification. * The hero in the story should also be portrayed realistically, for instance s/he must have feelings such as uncertainty, fear and anger.S/he must portray unacceptable behaviour such as being naughty, while people still accept him/her. * There should be other characters in the story that are more or less the same as those in the client’s situation * The librarian should know the client’s reading ability * In using bibliotherapy with small groups of children, the same principles of book selection * Any books selected will be suited f or all group members. BIBLIOTHERAPY!! THREE STAGES of BIBLIOTHERAPY 1. IDENTIFICATION.The child identifies with a character, a story line, SOMETHING in the book that   catches their attention. This identification (discovery) can be by the child, or staged by the therapist or   teacher. 2. CATHARSIS. The child is able to release emotions when he/she becomes emotionally involved in   the story. The classroom or office provides a safe place for the child to release (in a classroom, make   sure to guard the child's privacy and confidentiality). The child can release any of several ways, such   as discussion, art work, music . . 3. INSIGHT. With the therapist's help, the child can come to possible solutions to their problem. Or   sometimes, there is no solution, but coping strategies can be suggested and goals made. The   book's suggested solution or coping strategies can be used, if appropriate. | BIBLIOTHERAPY  can be done in group settings or with individuals alone. Bo oks that address problems common to childhood can be read   to groups, even when there aren't any apparent problems. Sometimes a group reading can open discussion and reveal issues.While  BIBLIOTHERAPY  is a good way for children to release pent-up emotions, it should not be considered a cure. Deep psychological   problems can't be resolved or even handled in a classroom setting — these need to be addressed in more intense therapy. | HOW TO USE BIBLIOTHERAPY!!!! (yahoo) 1. Identify your children's needs through observation, parent conferences, classwork, official records, etc. 2. Match the problems with the appropriate books. Make sure that the book is appropriate for the child's reading   level and maturity. 3.Decide on the settings and time for the therapy, and how you will introduce it to the student. 4. Design follow-up activities after the reading. 5. Motivate the child with introductory activities. 6. Engage in the reading, viewing, or listening phase. Ask lea ding questions. 7. Take a break for reflection. 8. Introduce follow-up activities: ~retelling of the story ~in-depth discussion of the book ~art activities ~creative writing ~dramatic activities 9. Discussion and possible solution finding. | http://www. catherineshafer. com/biblio. html Developmental Interactive Bibliotherapy Bibliotherapy is generally defined as the use of literature to promote mental health * Bibliotherapy has been found effective for a number of domains, such as attitude change, self-concept development, fear reduction, problem-solving ability, prosocial behavior, values development, and interpersonal relationship. * Bibliotherapy can offer a wealth of resources not only for problem-centered interventions but also for classroom guidance. Children’s Social-Emotional Development * The concept of emotional intelligence has been widespread in recent educational literature. Emotional intelligence involves the ability to perceive accurately, appraise, and expres s emotion; the ability to access and/or generate feelings when they facilitate thought; the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and the ability to regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth. †(p. 10) * Even in the reading lessons that involve only engaging stories, children can learn about how the characters feel and how the characters perform in response to such feelings. * Children learn these social-emotional skills through various medium, such as, literature, art programs, music, and so on. Lang (1998) suggested that a curriculum of social-emotional development should generally cover a wide range of issues. It should involve a concern for the personal and social development. The Transactional Model of Stress * People also differ in their coping patterns. * Emotion-focused coping – avoidance, minimization, distancing, selective attention, and positive comparisons, are likely to occur when there is nothing that can be done to mod ify harmful, or threatening conditions. * Problem-focused coping – amenable to change. * No single strategy that is considered inherently better than any other. Transactional model suggests that to result in emotions and to cope appropriately with the realities of the situation we are facing, we need to appraise correctly. * the concepts of â€Å"appraisal† and â€Å"coping† to the elementary school students is through children’s literature – pertaining to stressful plots and various forms of coping processes and strategies were selected and analyzed Educational Importance of this Study * School counselors to use literature as a method for nurturing children’s social and emotional development. Facilitate discussions with good quality in interactive bibliotherapy, professional skills including active listening, clarification of content, and reflection of feeling are crucial. * Select quality literature-counselors need to expand their collecti ons in various stories pertaining critical issues to children’s social-emotional development at each stage. * Useful to collaborate with other practitioners, such as media specialists, classroom teachers, librarians, and parents. In addition, further knowledge for selecting children’s literature is especially needed.

Hello Kitty Singapore Essay

A person has many needs at any given time. Abraham Maslow sought to explain why people are driven by particular needs at particular times. According to him, human needs are arranged in a hierarchy (refer to Figure 1), from the most pressing to the least pressing. In order of importance, they are physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs. The most basic level of needs must be satisfied first before desiring higher level needs. Therefore, having a Mctoy fulfils the forth level needs, called as ‘Esteem Needs’. Self-esteem is the desire for status, self-respect and prestige. Owning the series of Hello Kitty dolls has gained a sense of fulfilment to the individual because it is not that easy to get the limited edition toys at any time. Besides that, the ‘Kiasu’ attitude which is very popular among Singaporeans to have something which everyone else is having, regardless of whether it is of any use. The fear of losing out drives the feeling to fulfil their esteem needs, where they are happy knowing they too have one like others. In order to fulfil the esteem need, people are often engaged in either profession or hobby to gain recognition. For those who loves collecting dolls, use this hobby as a platform to gain recognition from others so that they will be praised. Thus, they feel that by owning the series of hello kitty dolls can make them gained recognition. How has McDonald’s created value to its consumers by offering Hello Kittty dolls in their Extra Value Meals? Marketing experts, Don Peppers and Martha Rogers say that ‘The only value a company will ever create is the value that comes from customers.’ Customer value is the relationship between the consumers perception of benefits they believe they will derive from a purchased compared to the price that will be paid. The total benefit package includes functional attributes of the product and related service attributes. Creating value not only transforms sales effectiveness, it also provides insulation from price pressure. There are many sales strategies, tactics and techniques for creating value for customers. McDonald’s has identified the benefits that consumers would gain from the promotion by creating a series of value to its customer through the promotion. The total value created to its consumers by McDonald’s comprises of four sources namely product, services, personnel and image. Firstly, the product (Hello kitty Dolls) were given as a premium to its loyal consumers at its cost price when consumer purchases the Extra Value Meal, rather than charging any extra amount for it. McDonalds has created value to its consumers by offering this product premium. In terms of service, McDonald’s has created value to its consumers an alternative way of getting the exclusive dolls, where these dolls can only be purchased through McDonald’s outlets during the limited period of time. This series of limited-edition toys will not be available as and when consumers want them. Thirdly, the satisfaction gained by consumers by owning these dolls. As the dolls were limited edition and were sold at cheaper price, McDonald’s has created the satisfaction feeling among its consumers when they own them. And finally image value is created to McDonald’s consumers where the consumers have the option to choose designs of their preferences during the one-month promotion. The image of ‘Kitty’ representing different cultures wedding costumes creates value to those owning them. Thus, McDonald’s has added up values from all the four sources mentioned above to successfully create values to its consumers through its ‘Hello Kitty’ Promotion. Recommendations and Conclusion Here are several alternatives that McDonald’s should have considered before carrying out the promotion to avoid such havoc from happening: 1) Study the consumer behaviour of Singaporeans 2) Periods of the promotion 3) Increase the number of toys offered for promotion In conclusion, the havoc caused from the ‘Hello Kitty’ Promotion in Singapore has not tarnished McDonald’s image in any aspect. This was proven when McDonald’s introduced another six sets of designs featured royal costumes around the world a year after, and the sales seem not to be declining. There was no repeat of the previous year’s frenzy as McDonald’s was prepared. Several precautions were taken such as limiting the number of dolls each customer can buy to four, and had more dolls in stock for panic buying. Besides that, to monitor and control the crowds, McDonald’s has hired security personnel and mobile squad officers to visit McDonald’s outlets.

Comparison between Japanese and Canadian Central Bank Policies Essay

The present paper is an investigation of the central bank policies in the countries of Japan and Canada. The paper takes into examination Bank of Japan and Bank of Canada and explores the grounds on which similarities and differences, if any, can be noted. This study is a comparison between the central banks’ policies of both the countries. The structure of the paper overviews the banking system of both the countries then furthers with individual analysis only to bring a major comparison at the second last section. The paper discusses findings in the conclusion section and makes recommendations for future policy making and development. 2- Overview This section overviews the past, present of the two banks in the concerned countries. This is in the attempt of creating a base of the later sections that would be dealing with specific policy issues of the two banks. 2.1- Japanese Banking System Today Japanese banking system finds its foundational roots in the aftermaths of World War II and is still continuing to grow support for the financial and industrial organizations of the country. Ever since World War II, Japanese banking system has gone through a number of changes and adaptations in corporate behavior as well as in the shaping of economic and regulatory policies. The period that can be said to be the golden time for the development of the Japanese banking system is regarded to be from the early 1950s to the early 1970s. This was the time when Japanese firms were growing rapidly and needed financial backing and monetary assessment to hold solid on the corporate grounds. However, from the 1970s, some changes were experienced by this banking system and that solid position was shaken. Of the major reasons, international paradigm change in financial transactions, corporate behavior with regard to investment of funds both internal and external, (firms started issuing securities rather than borrowing from banks) and other such reasons can be said to be the causes for the shaking of such a strong banking system as was in Japan once especial up to the early 1970s. Up to the present day, in the Japanese financial system, bank loans still possess the dominant place as the external financing source for the corporate sector which is non-financial – until 1986 the borrowings done from private institutions were recorded to be more than seventy percent. Other such common services as issuance of bonds, client monitoring, cost monitoring for different services, and so forth are also found to be in practice in the Japanese banking system. As such, there is much more that is needed to be examined in this country’s banking system that makes it notable on the international horizon (Aoki, Patrick, & Sheard, pp. 1-15, 1994). 2.2 – Canadian Banking System The central banking system of Canada is also with its typical issues and challenges and up to the present time, these challenges have been multiplying for a number of factors. For example, nowhere in history general public was so much conscious about the evil unemployment and is now showing a hyper attitude which simply put the government and its financial institutions up front to the criticism. As such, the challenges are to make such financial policies as can help confront these challenges and move over them. Although the central bank of Canada did go through a long period of adjustments, say the depression period of the 1930s and later, Neufeld (1958) notes that â€Å"The constitutional adjustments experienced by the Bank of Canada were not as great as those of some older central banks† (p. 4). There are noteworthy reasons for this observation. For instance, beginning in the market, the bank was sponsored by the government leading to a stable position. However, political interventions and the bank’s responsibilities to cater for the needs or demands of the political party government continued to exist. The bank went through war crisis, financial instability, and social pressures like unemployment, all along its birth becoming an adult from an immature youth. At present the Bank is in a more favorable position to serve for the purposes of the government and perform its multifarious purposes with regard to financial activities along with the challenges. Some of the challenges that the bank faced during its stability periods were â€Å"serious foreign exchange outflows and phenomenal capital inflows† (212). The three areas, back in the stability phase, i.e., bond market, stock exchanges, and foreign exchange markets, have been tactfully established by the bank to create a positive picture of the overall economic situation of the country. Presently, the Bank holds a primary position in the decision making process of these three areas. Today, as a successful bank, the expert opinion about this bank is that it has dealt in the time of difficulty more with technique which was versatile than conservatism (213). The banking system of Canada is in a constant process of up gradation for better output; one such instance is the use of geographic information systems (GIS) technology â€Å"for a wide range of applications† (Macdonald, 2001, p. 419). Therefore, it is important to have a deep examination of the policies and practices of this bank so that the insider’s view can help others form such a system in any other country. 3-Policies of the Bank of Japan There are a number of policy issues that need to be revisited but for the limited space of the paper, only a few major are discussed. First of all, policies of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) have been central to critics’ attention due to a number of reasons but the most important is that it is one of the three G-3 central banks that have been reviewed in the past decades. The special features of BOJ are numerous. The most apparent, however, is its stance on deflation. Although BOJ was forced to take â€Å"a highly leveraged position† in local financial environment, it has taken no risk to fight the challenge. Moreover, it might have been possible for the bank to give in to a number of challenges that were created by deflation, however, the bank continued to survive with a number of different policies and measures (Cargill, 2005, p. 311). BOJ’s approach to monetary policy is pragmatic. The overall focus of this monetary policy is to maintain stability in price and encourage economic development. To meet these ends, the Bank monitors such areas as exchange rates, the aggregates of money, the indices of consumer and wholesale rates, growth of the GDP, production taking place in the industry, on-going interest rate in the market, prices of assets, and a number of other factors. It is also notable that in the functions of the Bank, international policy association and coordination can also play a role in the Bank’s domestic policy making. It is important to note that throughout its existence the BOJ has never come to stand as hardcore monetarist. Instead of this, the Bank has been treating the policy making of money more like a form of art. There are a number of methods by which the Bank lets its policies become public. The implementation of policies also takes a number of forms, for instance, â€Å"discoun t window† guides other financial institutions through loans etc. (Miller, 1996, pp. 1-47). By the late 1980s, BOJ held its position as positive in the eyes of the critics due to a number of policy making issues since WWII. Up to then the bank had gone through a number of remarkably shaky times coping up with such challenges as industrialization and establishment of it. By that time major characteristics of BOJ were its commitment to price stability and positive outcomes that came out of its policies. The most important point is that since its establishment, its legal position did not go through a change. Then it was the only bank rated as the most dependent of all the central banks in the world. Hence the notable feature is its keeping price stability instead of being a dependent bank. It also contradicted the widely acclaimed view that the more independent a central bank, the more price stability would be extended (Cargill, 2005, p. 311).   May 1989 is the period called the low point policy period of BOJ which continued through the year 2004. Here the bank increased the rate of discount in a number of steps that included historically low rate of 2.5 percent to 6.0 in the first stage of 1991. It was sternly a reaction against the asset inflation of the 1980s. However, the sharp recession and diminishing asset rate backed the bank to move for ease of policy in 1991 and the call and discount rates came down to 0.05 percent by the early 1995. Until it obtained the first â€Å"0 rate of interest† policy in 1999, the bank went on lowering call rate discount. It was drawn to a close in 2000. It came back to zero rate policy again in 2000 and moved on to a statistical easing down of policy in 2001 because declining economy alerted the authorities; moreover, it needed to adopt a different framework of operation for short-term rates on interest which had to be fundamentally zero (Cargill, 2005, p. 311). Although internationally, it is the reputation of the Bank of Japan that it has been moving too gradually in terms of the formation of monetary policy, fiscal policies, and resolving the issues present to it, there are important areas where this criticism becomes void. For example, Japan is often compared with the USA without considering the fact that former faced a great many more problems than the latter. Additionally, there are such instances as Japan’s tighter economic policy in 1996 that has much to discard this criticism (Browne, 2001, p. 3). 4- Policies of the Bank of Canada The Bank of Canada (BOC) is often criticized for influencing the level of price, jobs, and the development of its country’s economy. However, in the recent years the Bank has acquired a reputation that it is very concerned with keeping the inflation rate low so that it can make other ends meet for broader goals of economy. The Bank has also been charged with its acute concerns to inflation rate only and looking over such challenges as unemployment and economic growth. However, there are proponents of the Bank’s policies who come forward to defend the policies of the bank as they are presently in practice stating that if the focus of the Bank shift to the vice versa perspective, there would be no growth in economy and inflation rate will increase causing devaluation of the dollar. Vanderhart (2003) conducted an in-depth analysis of BOC’s response to inflation rate and other such concerns as unemployment, growth of economy, and other factors. The author found that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that the Bank of Canada’s response to economic data available on inflation is direct, â€Å"inflationary precursors as raw materials and intermediate goods prices are only significant when other important factors are omitted† (p. 357). But the author does not make it a remark that the Bank does not follow the procedures to pursue anti-inflationary policy. What the BOC has successfully achieved with regard to keeping control over inflation is that it responds to those factors which are other than â€Å"the releases of price level data†. Moreover, the recent policies also prompt to the suggestion that the Bank is taking measure to fight the challenge of unemployment. Two factors also came up to the author’s analysis that determined the actions and responses of the BOC. These are exchange rates and federal fund rate. The bottom line that the author draws is the there is little doubt about the health of the Canadian economy and the BOC is actively involved in the process of keeping this health stable. However, if some out-of-Canada issues are present, there may be some criticism on the Bank for example, its interconnection with the U.S. monetary policy because there are voices that might want a Canada which is independent of U.S. related economic policies (Vanderhart, 2003). If we review comparative analysis of Canadian economic growth with other countries (say Australia), there is sufficient evidence to mark the above observation that the Canadian economy has grown stronger than before and that such challenges as labor utilization has been carefully handled in the favor of the country. Harchaoui, et al. tell us that the growth of Canada’s real average income has large credit to a magnificent improvement in the way labor has been utilized, i.e. â€Å"the combination of high average hours worked and a high rate of employment in the total population†. In addition to this, capital deepening effect has also played an important role in the present stability of the Canadian financial outlook (Harchaoui, et al., 2005, p. 36). 5- Bank of Japan and Bank of Canada Comparing the policies of the central banks of Japan and Canada each gives us more insight. There are a few studies that have been done on the comparative analysis. In one such study, Tomljanovich (2007) informs that the central banks of these two countries (including banks of other countries, as well) are on a constant pursuit of having open dialogue with the general public and this is in the efforts of increasing efficiency and reducing volatility in financial markets. In the case of Canada, which comes in the category of a majority of interest rate maturities, it is found that there is greater predictability in terms of market functions because there is a high flow of information to Canada and this flow coincides with sub-periods simultaneously to lower interest volatility rate. However, Japan (as well as Germany in this study) appears to be the only country in which there is no such evidence of lower interest volatility. Moreover the study shows that the central Bank of Japan and the central Bank of Canada both moved to greater transparency measures in the 1990s which shows that both these banks want to progress on the modern lines (p. 791). As for the policies of Canadian central bank, it is evident that there is inclination of these policies to those of the U.S. There is no doubt that Bank of Canada has greater interests in keeping these ties with the financial environment of the U.S. monetary and fiscal policies. However, Bank of Japan has stood on a very different turf that is of independence with dependence and of unique regulatory framework of all policies handled ever since World War II. There is no doubt that government like Canada and Quebec recognize China and Japan for their strategic partnership in the region of Asia. For this the credit goes to Japanese ever-growing economic curve which in turn holds credit for the policies that the central banking system of Japan for a long time formulated, ran, and implemented successfully (Inomata, 2002, p. 259). 6- Conclusion Examination of the policies of central Bank of Japan and the central Bank of Canada in detail reveal that both countries have to face challenges that emerge from their specific environment. There are similarities and differences in the approaches of the Banks of both the countries. One acute similarity is that both countries have moved to greater transparency and are considered successful banks on the international horizon. Another is that Banks of both these countries are focusing more on interest rate and inflation level stability. For this purpose, however, the approaches of the two banks are different; both are putting efforts to fight the challenge of unemployment. As for the differences, Japanese bank is legally dependent, whereas, Canadian bank is independent; yet there is this sharp observation that Bank of Canada looks at the U.S. financial environment for policy making, whereas, Japanese Bank looks at its own typical challenges that need to be tackled on the international f ront. Another important thing which comes out from this study of the two banking systems in two different countries is that both function in their own environment and that it is not possible to find acute similarities in both the systems because of different financial and social outlook of the countries. This is important to look into more details in these central banks and banks of other countries as well so that a sound analysis about policy making and other measure against present and upcoming challenges can be met.

Outsourcing – Pros and cons

Outsourcing is utilized to reduce cost, Increase quality, fulfill staffing resources, reduce fixed costs, and Increase profit margins. Any of the aforementioned reasons or combinations offers organizations variable costs (Noreen, Brewer, & Garrison, 2011). Outsourcing has become necessary for many organizations, The economy has changed drastically over the past few years Influencing more organizations to analyze the financial advantages or disadvantages of producing products and services in- house or outsourcing. Numerous components and variances contribute to the cost of doing business.The cost structure is the primary components of organizations. Some cost structures are fixed, variable, or mixed indicating a combination of fixed and variable. Variable cost is cost associated with activity, if activity increases variable cost increases. Variable cost warrant organizations to modify their business model. Some changes decrease expenses and increase return on investment (ROI). Profits are materialized when investments and expenses are maximized to Increase consistent residual Income. Residual Income â€Å"encourage managers to make Investment profitable for the entire company' (Noreen, Brewer, ; Garrison, 0111.The Investment of equipment, faculties, and labor Is related to fixed cost. Labor can be classified as fixed or variable, depending on the country in which the labor occurred. In other words, the flexibility of the management dictates the decision on whether labor is fixed or variable. Mixed cost components would be the monthly rent of a facility, labor, the overtime of production and services, and the increase in productivity (Noreen, Brewer, ; Garrison, 2011). The assignment and paper revolves around outsourcing of production or services.The article regarding outsourcing opens the mind to real life situation. Ford outsourced a portion of their productivity requirement to Visited because of Eviction's expertise. Eviction's client base was limited and may cause shareholders concern If his or her primary revenue was lost. Ford's agreement with Visited equates to 80% of Eviction's revenue stream (Higher, 2003). Organizations cannot depend on excellent revenue to continue generating the same amount of ROI or long-term client base. Materials, labor, fixed costs, and technological advancements, and taxes increase over time.The cost of tit geographic changes caused by wars, acts of God, the unemployment rate, and various other elements beyond control. The need to outsource Ford's business and capture new revenue became apparent. Therefore, Visited contracted with International Business Machines Corporation (MM) to relieve liability of potential revenue loss. IBM has changed directions and narrowed their scope of business. IBM started out manufacturing and selling hardware, mainframes, computers, typewriters, printers, and peripherals. Technology and economics have shaped the direction of most industries.IBM helped technology evolve and tr ansform changes within industries. Additionally, automation found in many organizations was started with IBM technology created more enhancements leading to rapidly deployed product or service offerings. The numerous changes forced industries and organizations to squeeze every area possible to shrink the cost structure. Profits keep the doors open and shareholders investing more money. Diversification is one way to generate revenue and profits. During the diversification process labor and material change organizations mixed cost.The variable cost elements are scrutinized and fluctuate until an organization solidifies direction. Sometimes diversifying includes outsourcing pieces of the business model. The outsourcing pieces vary, depending on the product or service the organization provides. The major focus in diversification relies on labor, materials, and sourcing (Noreen, Brewer, & Garrison, 2011). Labor for all industries have a wide range of wages based on Job descriptions and n umerous other elements. The same Job at another organization or location in the same industry may provide different wages.Labor is an expense requiring considerable analysis. Materials are another area similar to labor expense requiring exploratory analysis. Material and labor are key components to cost structure of organizations. Materials maintain fluctuating costs with location or source influencing the cost delivery timeshare, and expense of delivery. Each country, region, or states adds to the cost structure. Some countries have tax advantages and some have disadvantages depending on location (Eunuchs, Wallace, Wilson, Smith, 2004). Sourcing is an essential part of management duties and location of facilities.The task of developing and maintaining budgets contribute to the performance of an organization. Management's ability to carry out his or her Job duties in the best interest of the organization reflects on budgeting and management skills (Noreen, Brewer, ; Garrison, 2011). When outsourcing is under consideration an organizations core competencies determine the strength of their business model. Some companies have different opinions of a company's strengths. An exercise used in mapping out strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SOOT) is useful to identify areas warranting attention.A representative from all management levels and business units should meet to form a consensus on all four fundamentals of SOOT (Mullions & Walker, 2010). SOOT will add validity to areas vulnerable, missing talent, merit outside engagement, and will benefit from cost adjustments. However, in this case generalities will establish objectives and mind shaping ideas. The strength of an organization is the people, which enhance the core competencies needed to succeed. The employee's skills are prepared to handle the workload.The gaps in delivering a product or service compose the preliminary area a third party vendor s the lack of skilled labor and gaps in deliverabl es to supply the product or service at a cost-effective rate. The labor and materials provided by a third party will increase profits without compromising quality. Opportunities will enhance an organization. The enhancements will deliver new revenue streams. The opportunities may open numerous situations resulting in potential profits. The opposite appears in threats. Threats Jeopardize the organization. Competition is the leading agent in extracting revenue.The operating expenses exceeding ROI, labor, and material can push expenses out of control. However, taking control of expenses by contracting out portions of the business to third parties will off-set expenses stopping the threats and potentially saving the organization from closure or bankruptcy. The decision to in-house or contract to a third party a portion of an organizations product or service depends on the financial outcome. The bottom line for any organization should influence management's decision. The areas of an orga nization requiring employees with skills and expertise demand higher wages.Higher waged Jobs absorb a large portion of the operating expenses. Operating expenses are a huge allocation of the financial structure and cash flow. Operating expenses influences an organizations ability to invest and profits. Therefore, organizations must contain expenses and explorer all options to reduce fixed costs. Labor and material are another part of the operating budget. Every aspect of the operating budget demands scrutiny, evaluation, and comparing in-house to outsourced. In most cases in-house expenses are higher because wages, benefits, and fixed costs are extremely high in comparison to third-party.Wages, benefits, fixed costs, and time enrich an organization adding alee to the mix helps to Justify outsourcing. Value-added components manifest positive results increasing revenue and production. Outsourcing to a third party should add value. A relationship with a third party must create an exten sion of his or her existing organization. The contract between both parties should set the terms, conditions, and expectations to ensure clarity. Additionally, outsourcing benefits the contract organization as well as the consumer. When products or services are outsourced a reduction of cost benefits all parties.Many people do not look at the big picture. Jobs are lost in the country outsourcing but in return the country receives a cost savings to consumer purchases (Gorge & Hanley, 2004). Many companies outsource customer service, information technology help desk functions, and manufacturing, or assembly of parts. Labor and materials in low income, less restrictive labor laws, tax credits, and lower liabilities make outsourcing extremely cost-effective. The reduction in labor, materials, and fixed cost entice management to outsource (Gorge & Hanley, 2004).Outsourcing in many peoples opinion is taking jobs away from one-country and moving them to another. In the United States volume s of research have been conducted with a range of 300,000 to a projected 1. 4 million will be lost to outsourcing. However, the research cannot identify the exact amount of Jobs lost to outsourcing or natural progression and technology advancements (Gorge & Hanley, 2004). A United Kingdom study reveals more than 68% of organizations outsource a portion of products or services offshore. The same study indicates more than 50% of information technological work outsourced was below par.Additionally, more than 10% of work outsourced hampered production rage businesses. Small businesses will not profit or meet standard criteria for outsourcing Jobs (Gorge & Hanley, 2004). Some of the concerns people have in the United States is India and China will continue to take away more Jobs. The Jobs in information technology currently outsourced primarily require a college education. India and China have an average of six percent attending college between the ages of 18 and 24. Nonetheless, less th an one percent of the six percent speak English.Other things to consider -outsourced IT hardware reduced cost on the average of 10 to 30% 70% of Jobs in the United States cannot be outsourced -outsourcing has added Jobs in the import of products -outsourcing has increased the number of live contact with organizations instead of digitized prompting and automated responses -the United States economy has a projected growth rate of 13% that will increase the products and services currently offered -even though IT support is outsourced installation and repair will require local technicians and management of infrastructures -outsourcing businesses produced more than $50 billion in revenue for 2004 (Gorge & Hanley, 2004)Outsourcing is an effective way to lower cost and deliver higher quality service at a more affordable cost. Outsourcing provides an increase in operating efficiency, higher return on assets, and increase in profits. Outsourcing can provide new revenue streams with fewer ris k and lower collateral investment (Eunuchs, Wallace, Wilson, Smith, 2004). The make or buy analysis is a fast way to determine whether to in-house or outsource. Make or buy decision method can use full costing, incremental analysis, or variable costing. Full and variable costing process occurs when income statements are prepared. Income statements are not quickly prepared. The main goal is to decide if making or purchasing a product or service is cost- effective.Another aspect of making or purchasing is outsourcing does not incremental revenue. However, it does allow incremental costs, reduction in fixed costs, and potential savings. The potential savings will materialize in direct labor, material costs, and variable overhead costs (Noreen, Brewer, & Garrison, 2011). The savings from fixed and direct material cost would be seen in reduction of employee salaries, smaller facilities, and smaller facilities should equate to lower utilities. Material cost reduction will be observed by m aking smaller purchases. The reduction of expenses will carry-on to various other organizational expenses (Noreen, Brewer, & Garrison, 2011).Astray supported more than one-third of the Fortune 500 companies before the financial scandal in 2008. Astray is a company headquartered in India with more than 50,000 employees in 66 countries. The company enjoyed nine percent growth rate until the scandal. Satyr's financial scandal devastated the family-owned business. Mr.. Raja managed the company and overstated financial. The inflated financial assets, revenue, and ROI amassed fraud o the level of Enron. Astray is among the largest outsourcing organizations based in India. Outsourcing in the information technology sector generated more than $63 billion in revenue for India. Customer service is the second largest revenue stream in India in the area of outsourced labor (Timings, 2009).India maintains the largest percentage of outsourcing services in the world. The average salary is $10,250, the average income $8,000, and the average unemployment rate is 10%. However, various industries relies on India and China to squeeze out every penny of profit (Timings, 2009). Variable costs peak creating an environment of inconsistent expenses and profits. Consistent revenue enables price hedging for materials and dependable profits. Shareholders and board members manage investment portfolios with higher probability. Revenue steers long and short-term goals with accuracy. The Astray scenario adds to the degree of accuracy in accounting practices.Astray provided outsourcing services creating added value to clients. Visited and IBM added value to Ford and outsourcing services. Astray, Visited, MM, and Ford contracted portions of products, services, or outsourcing skills to improve profits and apply quality expertise. Revenue projections strengthen analytical analysis shaping future stock predictions improving profits. The pros and cons of outsourcing take time and careful considerat ion before the answer is realized on the company's financial statement. The pros and cons have been highlighted and opinions formed. Those opinions have objectivity and a sense of clarity to establish the strategy or mind shaping events.