Apple Corporation Marketing Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Apple Corporation Marketing Strategies - Essay Example The paper tells that Apple was rated as the most admired company in the United States.As such, the market is appreciating the performance of the company, especially when focusing on the production of consumer electronics. Late in 2013, the company’s brand was considered the most valuable brand, after trouncing the Coca-Cola brand. From this information, it is evident that Apple has been making an immense improvement in the market, in concern to its performance, production and market prevalence. In the initial strategies of introduction of the company, it was dealing with computers. The most prevalent computer produced by the company is the Mac computer. While producing the Mac line of computers, the company was known as Apple computer Inc. even though the company was making immense progress in the line of computers, the company felt the need to intensify its business model. This is by introduction of better products, depending on the market demand. Since the company is indebte d to serving its customers, it made an approach of initiating a new line of products to fit the market needs. It shifted to production of consumer electronics, which were gaining prevalence in the market in the wake of 2007. Similarly, the company had to change its name, to reflect on the products and services that are offered to the market. This prompted the introduction of the name Apple Inc. The corporation has various market strategies that are optimising its performance in the market. Apparently, the company has been recording a steady improvement in its performance, especially after introduction of the consumer electronics. For example, the corporation has retail stores in over 14 countries in the world. As such, they have over 408 retail stores in the whole world. This is an initiative to ensure the market niche of the corporation is widespread in the world. With an increased market niche, the company is likely to make a better performance. As a fact, consumers in the market are attracted to products due to proximity to the stores.

Textiles and the Environment Green Essay Example for Free

Textiles and the Environment Green Essay Sustainable building design attempts to make it healthier, less wasteful, and with fewer impacts on the natural environment through building design, materials, and building operations. Sustainable design tries to maximize overall efficiency and energy efficiency as well. Nowadays, however, the meaning of â€Å"green/sustainable design† encompasses not only buildings but all industries. The idea of â€Å"green† or â€Å"sustainable† entered the mainstream and has attracted public attention. There are many reasons why that concept is entering the mainstream and catch the attention of people: global warming, rising energy cost, the growing awareness and liability costs associated with â€Å"contamination of nature†, declining oil reserves, and concerns about limited supply. Green/sustainable design is measured according to environmental, financial and social factors. As focusing on industrial development, humans have destroyed much of the nature. It is essential to accept that humans are dependent on the natural environment for their survival and wellbeing. According to Edwin Datschefski, consultant in environmental management and sustainable product design, green design have to meet the following requisites to achieve sustainability in terms of environmental aspects: all materials for manufacturing products have to be reusable, energy comes from renewable sources such as solar, wind and water power, no hazardous substances are emitted to the environment during manufacture and use, and the efficiency of product is improved by requiring 90% less materials, energy and water than the counterparts providing equivalent utility did in1990. Social sustainability is the ultimate goal of green design is creating and maintaining quality of life for people while financial and environmental factors are means to the end. Social sustainability concerns protecting the mental and physical health of members of the public, encouraging community, treating people fairy, and providing essential services. People in good condition easily can afford to develop and maintain a healthy society. Financial factor is important for two reasons: the majority of businesses will not pursue sustainability without profits and plenty promises quality of life. Unlike misconception, the goal of financial benefits can agree with the goals of environmental and social advantages. Well designed products maximize profitability and generate long term revenue by minimizing consumption of resources, using infinite energy, and meeting increasing eco-conscious consumers’ needs. The green labels give advantages to the ethical customers and sustainable product industries both. Green labels have been tagged in order to communicate information to consumers. The labels ensure that the certified products by authority do not cause the environmental damages during manufacture and use: shoppers can tell at a glance that the product is safe for the nature and themselves as well due to the green labels. The logos encourage the customers to purchase the labeled products even though the products are more expensive than equivalents. Many people are sceptical of unjustified claims of companies, but green labels are the best way for the companies to prove that these claims are justified. It is very effective marketing strategy among any promotion or advertising plans. On the contrary, overusing labels could make shoppers confused. There are a number of organizations issuing green labels over the world. Green labels can be found everywhere having various designs usually in green or blue to be known intuitively by consumers. However, they cannot be sure that the label is issued by a reliable organization, the certification is achieved properly, and the manufacturers keep working to the requirement. 2) What is an eco-friendly textile? Why support Eco Friendly textile? Many of the clothes we wear today are made from synthetic materials

Theories of Third World Development

Theories of Third World Development Post-development calls for development of theories based on the culture and struggles of the people from the Third World countries. Discuss whether or not theories derived from the culture of Third World countries could be free from the problems affecting the universal theories of development and if so how? To begin the discussion on whether or not theories derived from the culture of Third World countries as propagated by post-development could be free from the problems affecting the universal theories of development, it is imperative to understand the concepts of ‘development’ and ‘post-development’. The following table provides a basic overview in the form of comparison, between the two concepts: Development has increasingly become an unsettled concept. From the initial decades of the development era providing a clear agreement on the need for some sort of development, despite an array of positions, we have come to a decade where the status of development has become difficult to ascertain. What makes development knotty is the tension between the universe of those who study the Third World and the universe of those who inhabit this world. Development is touted to be a pervasive cultural discourse with intense consequences for the production of social reality in the so-called Third World. This has been largely due to the problems that are associated with universal theories of development: Authoritarian and specification of goal and processes: Development, by virtue of a universal scale on which it can be measured, leading to the identification of â€Å"developed† and â€Å"less developed† (or â€Å"underdeveloped† or â€Å"developing†) units, specifies the existence of a particular goal (development itself) and dictates the processes needed to achieve that goal, i.e. economic growth, industrialisation, and modernisation through the transfer of capital, technology, and knowledge from the North/West. The fact that these theories are based on one particular conception, which is then assumed to be universal (while ignoring/subordinating other conceptions) they make development authoritarian as they prescribe interventions in people’s lives that these people themselves may disapprove of. Ethnocentrism: Universal development theories entail emulating Western History and are synonymous with Westernization. These theories give a ready-made development recipe from the west and at their heart is the idea that economic growth can be stimulated in any country, by following a US/European model. This recipe was driven by behaviorist, positivist and empiricist approaches in the mould of â€Å"scientific model† that prevailed in western universities and Research Centres and assumes that Western societies as ideal models and are complete in contrast to other societies of the Third World countries, the â€Å"less developed† ones. These theories have been accused for viewing Third world countries as inferior versions of the European countries, because the standards of a good society are assumed to be both universal and identical with particular (European) standards. It is also believed that colonial tutelage gave way to diffusion of development (development aid/proje cts, etc.), but retained the purpose by providing Europe’s past formula for development as the only workable one. In other words, development is like a phoenix rising from the ashes of imperialism. Decontextualisation and Generalization: Another problem with universalization is that it groups all Third World countries into one category and ignores differences among them in an attempt to overgeneralize. Indians, Kenyans, Mexicans, etc. are not seen as being diverse and non-comparable, but as somehow lacking in terms of what has been achieved by the advanced countries. It assumes that all Third World countries have the same problems linked to a lack of capital, knowledge, technology, productivity, institutions, etc. which can be solved with technocratic solutions, unconcerned with politics, relations of power and conflicts of interest, solutions that are rational and that no one can object to. It also neglects the differences between the supposed beneficiaries such as farmers and landless labourers, rural and urban poor, men and women, wage labourers and company owners, ruling elites and marginalised groups, etc. Universal development theories also do not take into account that t he underdevelopment in the Third World is a result of Western Capitalist Explanation. Thus, when their starting points and journeys aren’t the same, how can the future discourse of the Third World ape the past of the First World? The ‘a priori’ approach of development for the developing and underdeveloped make it infeasible as the decision of the route is based on circumstances that are no longer there. For formulating bankable processes of upliftment, it is important that these nations be viewed as very different constructions of societal, economic, political, and cultural structures. Their progress into democratization or economic success will not come from mirroring the histories of the First World but must instead be unique to the needs, cultures, traditions, and prior establishments of each individual country. Exogenous Nature: The theories were developed by a body of so called experts who merely drew from their own personal thinking in their task of changing the Third World countries, making it external. Can a theory or method be forced upon people without first engaging in a conversation with the subject? If so, is the â€Å"product† created from this exercise of value? Can years of lived experience be erased through a series of strategic planning sessions, or campaigns not rooted in any significant way to the reality of the subject being trained or required to participate in the activity? These are the question that the paradigm of post-development answers in the negative. Theories derived from the culture of Third World countries could be free from the problems affecting the universal theories of development because of the following features of post development and thus of these theories: Non-authoritarian with flexible goals and processes: The primary concern of post-development is to look for alternatives to development through an interest in culture and local knowledge by promotion of localized, pluralistic grassroots movements and its strength is in its anti-authoritarian sensibility. It also believes that there are numerous ways of living a good life and every society is free to invent its own and involves responses given by a group of people to particular problems or direct instances of power. Thus, post development is neither imposing a goal nor a process and distances itself from technocratically pre-defined standards and universal models. Therefore, the theories emanating from the Third World within the ambit of post development respect alterity and anonymity in the construction of subjectivities, with each society asserting its right to define its own path. These theories allow the subjects to use their own tools, and to go alone to not only develop answers, but also its own questions. Cultural Relativism: Since these theories are based on the struggles and cultures of the people of the third world countries, local culture, artistic aspects and communal aspirations are often important concerns. These theories are generally deeply interested in the history of their communities and the place they occupy in regional or national contexts. Post-development takes into account people’s self-definitions as a crucial part in its inquiry and tends to create a new awareness of cultural difference, which contributes to the breakdown of ethnocentrism and universal values. Therefore, these theories entail discourses on difference, particularly cultural difference. Contextualisation: Post-development is related to the visibility of the grassroots and entails local contexts. It situates itself within the context of local struggles and the linkages of local people in the world systems, lending it relevance and usability to people of the Third World in their daily lives and struggles. It encompasses a plurality of collective actors and revolutions at the micro level, with their own spheres of autonomy. The theories emerging from the Third World with applicability to the Third World presuppose an adequate understanding of the different social, political and economic structures of these countries and their respective histories. Endogenous Nature: Post-development heavily relies on the knowledge of the Third World countries and this knowledge occupies an important role in the creation of theories for them and the decision making processes. It involves intellectuals from the Third World, alongside grassroots activists. Post-development counters the problems of universalization of development theories by instating faith in theories based on the culture and struggles of the people from the Third World countries, taking into account their needs, wants, desires, histories, structures, etc. An example of a theory arising from indigenous knowledge is presented in Jane C. Horan’s (2002) study of indigenous economic development. In this, female textile producers in the Kingdom of Tonga received money as part of a ‘Women in Development’ aid-funded credit scheme. Though it was anticipated that the loans would be used to produce textiles for the local tourist economy, the women produced indigenous koloa textiles for the Tongan ceremonial economy which, according to Horan, enabled a â€Å"greater range of ideological, spiritual and material gains including cash† (2002, p.206). Though â€Å"the default rate on the loans was low, and the women were engaged in a Tongan notion of development known as fakalakalaka, the funders and the critics of the schemes were either unable to or would not recognise development taking place† (Horan, 2002, p.210). The study acknowledges what people are doing vis-à  -vis what development doctrines expect them to d o. Other instances are indigenous movements originating from the south of Mexico, the south of Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia, picking up also in Peru because of anti-mining protests. These are social movements in which the indigenous component is stark, but there is also a black, Afro-Latin American component in several countries, and also a peasant one represented by those connected to Via Campesina, a federation of peasant movements who are opposing free trade and the privatisation of seeds. What one needs to understand is that since development and post-development are at the extreme ends of the spectrum, therefore the problems of universalization as seen in development are not seen in the paradigm of post-development due to its highly localized nature. However, post-development (thus by extension the theories propagated by it) has its own set of problems, even though it forces us to confront the failures of the development agenda. Critiques of post-development believe that it overstates its case and neglects all the possibilities of positive development interventions, such as techniques of modern medicine raising health and life expectancy of people, by taking an extremely homogenized view of development. Further, it romanticizes local communities and at times, legitimizes oppressive traditions, and becomes just as paternalistic as the chastised development paradigm. It ignores the local forms of oppression and violence and is accused for being indifferent to the viola tion of human rights. While the movement towards cultural sensibilities that accompanies post development is a welcome shift, the plea for people‘sculture, indigenous culture, local knowledge and culture, can lead if not to ethno-chauvinism, to reification of both culture and locality or people. Furthermore, by propagating thinking local and acting local, it tends to avoid global structures of inequality. Though, the second wave of post-development counters a few of the aforementioned shortcomings by suggesting alternatives like the conception of communal solidarity, direct democracy, social movements, indigenous knowledge, etc. and state that the it is not the aim of post-development to offer a normative, new solution, the loopholes aren’t still completely plugged and will not be till the time a viable alternative to development is proposed by this school of thought. In the absence of a feasible solution put for by it, post-development remains merely deconstructive of an existing paradigm. In today’s world, what is needed is a middle way, something between development and post-development that can incorporate the positives of universalization as well as localization. Till the time such an approach is developed, the choice pertains to choosing the lesser evil of the two. References: Horan, J.C. (2002) Indigenous wealth and development: micro-credit schemes in Tonga, Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 43(2), 205-221.

American Censorship of Japanese Animation Essay -- Television Media TV

American Censorship of Japanese Animation Abrstract: This essay will explore why Americans feel the need to censor Japanese Animation, how the Japanese culture differs from American culture, and how to solve the growing debate of the censorship of Japanese media.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Japan, that strange and exotic land in the east, has a complex and interesting history that has shaped and molded its culture into a very unique society today.   Of course their customs have influenced their entertainment, especially television and movies.   In a day and age where information is free to all through the internet and reliable postal systems these television shows, movies, toys, and comics have made their way all over the world.   The reception of Japanese media has had mixed reactions, both good and bad.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   America, being an amalgamation of societies and cultures, has naturally had a mixed reaction to Japanese media.   The younger generation, namely those in their twenties or younger, have embraced the bright and flashy style of Japanese animation.   The most popular shows are the ones with the most action, but shows that concentrate on character development and storyline are also popular, especially among the female population.   The older generation does not have such open minds unfortunately.   They do not seem to understand the appeal of the big eyed characters yelling nonsense at each other or the fact that all animation is not just silly kid’s stuff.   Not only that, but Japanese animation has been tagged as overly violent and obscene.   It has been accused of causing violence and disturbing young children by fundamentalist organizations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   American television networks and video distributors also feel the need to c... ...they were truly meant to be, and parents do not have to worry about inappropriate content for their children.   With a little bit of effort the rising sun can be purified and enjoyed by all.   Works Cited Barker, Olivia.   â€Å"The Asianization of America.†Ã‚   USA Today.   March 2001: 1A-2A.     Ã‚   Infotrac.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bryant, Anthony J. and Arsenault, Mark.   Sengoku.   Gold Rush Games 1997-1999. Clements, Jonathon and McCarthy, Helen.   The Anime Encyclopedia.   Stone Bridge    Press 2001. Lazar, Jim.   â€Å"Anime Expo Report 2000.† www.animeprime.com Retrieved December 13, 2004. Lazar, Jim.   â€Å"Sailor Moon Editing Report.† www.animeprime.com Retrieved December    18, 2004. MacKinnon, Mark C. The Sailor Moon Role-Playing Game and Resource Book.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Guardians of   Order 1998. Mallory, Michael.   â€Å"Kid’s Anime Hits Critical Mass.† Los Angeles Times.   Oct. 2004: 18.  Ã‚   Infotrac.

Fast food restaurant Essay

All such food is categorized as fast food which can be prepared and served quickly. Restaurants and kiosks provide fast food with precooked or preheated ingredients and usually served at a packaged form (Pollan, 2009). In the beginning, American hamburger and fries was considered as the traditional fast food but now the field has been widely diversified and food like pizzas, fish and chips, burgers from McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken etc. are all considered fast food. Fast food market has shown an enormous and steady growth. In 2006 alone the market has reached to $102. 4 billion with an annual growth rate of 4. 8% (Adams, 2007). Fast food chains like McDonalds operate in more than 126 countries in six continents having more than 31,000 restaurants globally (Arndt, 2007). Burger King, another worldwide fast food chain, has operations in more than 65 countries of the world; KFC restaurants located over 25 countries, Subways is present in 90 countries with total 39,129 restaurants and so and so forth (Buthrie, Lin & Frazao, 2002). However, according to most of researches, fast food is not at all fit for health and can cause serious problems. According to Marion Nestle, Chair of New York University’s Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, â€Å"the increased calories in American diets come from eating more food in general, but especially more of foods high in fat (meat, dairy, fried foods, grain dishes with added fat), sugar (soft drinks, juice drinks, desserts), and salt (snack foods)† (Nestle, 2002; p. 10). This report discusses some positive as well as negative points of taking fast food. Reasons for popularity Before delving into the positive and negative aspects of fast food, it seems appropriate if we discuss the reasons of fast food popularity. The question is what compels the Americans to eat such poorly balanced food? The answer of the question is not simple and involves many factors. First of all, every culture has its own values, philosophies, and the way to react to the things occurring in their lives. These reactions depend upon the culture they belong too. In present family structure and busy life it has been observed that the increasing communication deficit between parents and children has created a gulf between parents and children. This changed life style, especially in low-income and single-parent families, has compelled the children to take unhealthy and junk food more often than required (Ritzer, 2000). Advertising also played a major role in increasing the fast food popularity in America. According to National Cancer Institute, â€Å"Commercial advertisers have learned that a consistent and prominent presence in the marketplace is key to achieving and holding market share† (National Cancer Institute, 2000). Statistics revealed that in 2004 the total expenditure of different food items including fast food restaurants was approximately $11. 26 billion. Fast food advertisers target ethnic minorities directly through their own media outlets and programs. Food items which are advertised for ethnic minorities are usually unbalanced and unhealthy as compared to the food advertised for general audience (Reyes, 2005). Research conducted in 2005 depicted that more than 52 percent of food items advertisement published in Hispanic fashion and social magazines were advertised unhealthy and unbalanced food as compared to 29 percent such advertisements published in general magazines (Duerksen et.al. , 2005). Fast food items advertising usually target children in order to create and establish brand loyalty at an early age (Wiecha et al. , 2006). Among the six brands which have enjoyed very strong recognition in children, four are related to food, i. e. Cheerios, McDonald’s, Pop-Tarts, and Coke (Comiteau, 2003). These companies relied on the fact that the children would emotionally connected to these companies even in their adulthood (Comiteau, 2003). Nevertheless, recent research shows that consumers prefer to buy fast food from supermarkets. Because they have the perception that supermarkets provide healthier food options ( Advertising and marketing very significantly influence the buying behavior of people and the notion cannot be rejected in totality that frequent use of this unhealthy food is a major cause of increasing obesity. According to a study, television advertisements and television viewing is directly associated with popularity of junk food (Bowman et al. , 2004). Advantages of using fast food The basic and most obvious advantage of fast food is its cost and speed. Fast food is very easy and quick to prepare and serve. As discussed above, the number of single parent household is continuously increasing in United States. Such single parents not only have to work to earn a respectable living but also have to prepare food for the family. For such persons fast food is an easy and cost effective solution. Fast food not only prepared at home easily but can also be ordered from fast food restaurants which usually have special offers and deals available to make it cheaper or more cost effective. Fast food comprises and enjoys the biggest chunk of food industry. It has, in United States alone, sale of $120 billion with the help of more than 200,000 restaurants. Fast food industry has been very successful in term of operation expansion by utilizing international franchising. The administration of different fast food companies have learned by the passage of time how to make the most of the sales potential of a fast food franchise by practically adopting an idea by giving it a functional methodology. This is one main cause why fast food franchises have been a symbol of success among the contemporary food businesses. Fast food industry gives minimal wages and financial benefits to their workers (McDonald’s Australia); nevertheless, it provides jobs to approximately 3. 5 million people.

V-Guard Industries

What started in 1977 with two employees and a burning passion is now a force to reckon with in the Indian electric and electronic goods panorama. Our untiring commitment for performance, cutting edge technology, innovative design and dependable service standards have lead to unrivalled product quality and a trusted brand image. At V-Guard the principles that motivated our success remain unchanged: The passion of our early years and our quest for excellence.Through stringent quality measures, reliable products, talented people and a responsible approach to business and global citizenship we continue to steadily capture the hearts of the people. In 1977, Kochouseph Chittilappilly began a small manufacturing unit for voltage stabilizers with a vision and a capital of Rs 1,00,000 borrowed from his father. He soon established V-Guard Industries as a household name. V-Guard became the synonym for voltage stabilizers across South India.The company soon extended their range of products to in clude Pumps & Motors, Electric Water Heaters, Solar Water Heaters, Cables, UPS’s, and Ceiling Fans. V-Guard continues to remain at the helm through rigorous research and development. R&D labs at Cochin and Coimbatore explore and reinvent existing products and design. R&D for electronic products and electric geysers are carried out in Cochin while electro-mechanical products, electrical wires and solar water heaters are the strong V-Guard continues to remain at the helm through rigorous research and development.R&D labs at Cochin and Coimbatore explore and reinvent existing products and design. R&D for electronic products and electric geysers are carried out in Cochin while electro-mechanical products, electrical wires and solar water heaters are the strong point of the Coimbatore R&D lab. State of the art production centres ensure consistency and quality throughout the product range. Workforce being the core asset of any organisation, V-Guard has an employee strength of more than 1750 and over 5500 indirect employees through its SHG initiatives.With over 200 distributors and service centres and more than 10,000 retailers serving the needs of over 50 million customers, V-Guard stands as a market leader. News | Investor Relations | CSR | Careers | Contact Us | Privacy policy | Terms of use | Disclaimer | Site Map  © 2011 Voltage Stabilizers, Electrical Wires, Water Heaters, Water Pumps, Voltage Stabilizers| V-Guard Industries Ltd. All Rights Reserved Web Design powered by DREEME point of the Coimbatore R&D lab. State of the art production centres ensure consistency and quality throughout the product range.Workforce being the core asset of any organisation, V-Guard has an employee strength of more than 1750 and over 5500 indirect employees through its SHG initiatives. With over 200 distributors and service centres and more than 10,000 retailers serving the needs of over 50 million customers, V-Guard stands as a market leader. News | Investor Relations | CSR | Careers | Contact Us | Privacy policy | Terms of use | Disclaimer | Site Map  © 2011 Voltage Stabilizers, Electrical Wires, Water Heaters, Water Pumps, Voltage Stabilizers| V-Guard Industries Ltd.All Rights Reserved Web Design powered by DREEME About us CSR * Directors * V-Guard Story * Quality Control We believe in the amalgamation of corporate management, sustainable development and global responsibility in working toward a better society and thereby a better world. We are committed to greening our environment, supporting the less fortunate and nurturing the downtrodden. Extending a hand in support of education Kerala industrialist donates kidney to save a life ROTARY-BINANI ZINC CSR AWARDV Guard Industries was awarded the ROTARY-BINANI ZINC CSR AWARD (Private Sector) by the Rotary Club of Cochin Metropolis, in association with NIPM Kerala Chapter and ICAI, Ernakulam Branch for Best Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative by a company in the State of Kerala. Our Joint M anaging Director Dr. George Sleeba receiving the award. The Thomas Chittilapilly Trust The Thomas Chittilapilly Trust was founded by Kochouseph Chittilapilly, in memory of his late father, C. O. Thomas. It is an extension of the philanthropic and responsible values espoused at V-Guard.It is dedicated to extending its reach to areas of health, education and care. The trust provides health insurance cover for 1314 families from financially backward classes, 922 families at Tholur Panchayat, Kerala and 105 families in Ramanagaram Taluk in Bangalore, Karnataka. It also conducts free health camps at villages and backward areas where the reach of proper health care is absent. It sponsors the education of 1587 school children from economically backward sections in Thrissur and Ernakulam Districts in Kerala and Ramanagaram Taluk, Bangalore.The trust has also made substantial contributions to NGO’s working for various social welfare causes like Udhavumkarangal and the SOS village. It has also donated generously to many national level causes and relief funds like the Prime Minister's Relief Fund, Kargil war victims, relief for the earthquake victims of Latur and Gujarat, victims of the Orissa cyclone and the Tsunami Relief Fund of the Prime Minister as well as the Chief Minister. Shantimandiram An old age home for women, providing shelter and care for those who are unable to care of themselves in Parappur Village, Trissur, Kerala.It is managed by the Sisters of CMC Nirmala Province in whose able hands the inmates receive love and care irrespective of caste and community. The facility accommodates 60 inmates at a time and is recognised by the Board of Control for Orphanages and other Charitable Homes, Kerala. True to its name, all facilities are provided free of cost and it is a haven of peace and tranquility where the inmates spend the evening of their lives in dignity and comfort. Shanthimandiram celebrated its first anniversary on 29th May 2010 along with the I nmates. The function started with the blessings of Fr. Franko Kavalakkatt, Vicar, Parappur Forona Church.Various cultural programmes have been performed by the inmates of Shanthimandiram. The function got enriched with the Folk dance by Managing Trustee and family. The sisters of Shanthimandiram also involved with the cultural programmes. Social Welfare Fund- an employee CSR activity Social welfare consciousness being embedded in V-Guard work culture has motivated the employees to join hands in reaching out in charity. The Social Welfare Fund was created out of the goodwill of the employees who collate funds and donate towards cost of medicines for the poor in the cancer ward at the Ernakulam General Hospital.Stabilizer SHG activity Since its inception V-Guard has been providing a mutually beneficial income generating option to women. Women who have grouped themselves to form SHG’s (Self Help Groups) are distributed assembly kits for voltage stabilizers. An efficient distribu tion and collection system networks the women with the company and has been a resounding success for decades. It provides a stable income for their households and in turn emancipation from poverty. News | Investor Relations | CSR | Careers | Contact Us | Privacy policy | Terms of use | Disclaimer | Site Map 2011 Voltage Stabilizers, Electrical Wires, Water Heaters, Water Pumps, Voltage Stabilizers| V-Guard Industries Ltd. All Rights Reserved Web Design powered by DREEME About us The V-Guard Management * V-Guard Story * Quality Control * CSR He is a post graduate in Science, majoring in Physics from Calicut University. He started his career as a supervisor in an electronics company, where he worked for three years. In the year 1977, he started a SSI Unit engaged in the manufacturing and selling of Electronic Voltage stabilizers. He is one of the founder Promoters and has motivated the Company to succeed in its business.He has been the Managing Director of the Company since its incept ion and has taken Company to its current levels of stature and recognition with his experience and vision. In April, 2012 he passed the baton on to his son Mr. Mithun Chittilapilly as the Managing Director, assuming the post of Executive Vice Chairman of the company and on November 1, 2012, when Shri. P. G. R. Prasad stepped down, he took over as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. He is the recipient of numerous awards, which were bestowed on him for his exemplary performance in business.Among them are Business Man of the Millennium 2000 from Rashtra Deepika, Tourism Man of the year from â€Å"Destination Kerala and Samman Pathra Award for top income tax payer from Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Finance. As the Managing Director, Mr. Kochouseph has been the main driving force behind the company's sustained growth. more >> Shri. Cherian N. Punnoose, a Fellow member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, joined V-Guard as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. Fo rmerly Director of Finance at Kochi Refineries Ltd. (KRL), he was also on the Board of Pertonet CCK Ltd.He has 40 years of experience in the field of Finance, Audit and Administration. Served KRL for 25 years in various capacities prior to becoming a member of the Board of Directors. Prior to joining KRL he also served Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and International Airports Authority of India. He has undergone short term training in Advanced Financial Management Techniques in Strathclyde Business School of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK He is a postgraduate in commerce, Certified Financial Planner and a Research Scholar with School of Management Studies of Cochin University of Science and Technology.He joined the company as an Independent Director on 16th August 2007. He is a member of Executive Committee of National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. , National Securities Depository Ltd. , BNP Paribas Personal Investors, Paris and Cochin Chamber of Commerce and also a Man aging Committee member of ASSOCHAM and KMA. He is also a member of Confederation of Indian Industry, Kerala State Council and Capital Market Committee of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Charter member of Tie, Kerala.He has also been awarded the Business Man of Kerala by Business Deepika, Excellence Award from Kerala Management Association and Dhanam Business Man of the Year, 2006. Presently, he is the Managing Director of Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services Ltd Mr. Nair was appointed as the Non Executive Independent Director of the Company on 27th May 2009. Mr. A K Nair holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with Masters in Business Administration and has over 45 years of Industry experience specially in the filed of Engineering, Finance and General Administration.Mr. A K Nair has served Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation and Nitta Gelatin India limited as Managing Director and is presently on the Director Board of many othe r companies. He is a post graduate in Finance from University of Melbourne, Australia. Mr. Mithun K Chittilappilly after completing his graduation in Commerce joined V-Guard to be trained in the various departments of the company, ranging from Finance to Marketing.In January 2005, he took a break from work for a year and a half to pursue his post graduation in Finance from University of Melbourne, Australia. After graduating in May 2006, he joined the Company as Executive Director and in 2012 was appointed as the Managing Director of the Company. Dr. Sleeba has been inducted as an Additional Director of the Company with effect from 27th May, 2010. He has also been appointed as the Joint Managing Director of the Company with effect from 1st June, 2010. Dr.George Sleeba is a Graduate in Mechanical Engineering with First Class Honours from Kerala University and M Tech in Industrial Engineering from IIT, Madras, Dr. Sleeba has a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from All India Managem ent Association (AIMA) and Doctorate in Social Sciences from the Cochin University of Science & technology (CUSAT). He has undergone a three month Senior Management programme as a Colombo Plan Scholar in UK organised by the British Council and holds a certificate in Training & Development from the Institute of Training & Development, UK.Dr. George Sleeba was the Former Chairman and Managing Director of FACT Ltd, a multidivisional corporation with more than Rs. 2300 Crores turnover and 4000 employees – the biggest Central PSU in the State of Kerala. He has proven managerial competence and academic excellence. He has more than 38 years of outstanding contribution to the industry in various functional areas of management, of which 30 years had been in FACT in senior management positions such as General Manager, Executive Director, Technical Director and as Chairman & Managing Director.He had been the Managing Director of two State Govt Undertakings – Travancore Cements Lt d and Travancore Sugars & Chemicals Ltd. He has also served as a Consultant to the Govt of Kerala for revival of sick units in the Public Sector. He is a member of the Industrial Relations Board of the Govt of Kerala. He is recognized as a turnaround specialist, credited with transforming the ailing FACT into a growth oriented, diversified, profit making company.In recognition of his contribution to the industry, he has been awarded the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for professional excellence in public sector, Padmasree Paul Pothen Award for professional excellence, Merit Award from FACT for outstanding performance, Jaycees Award for Processional Achievement, Rotary International Award for outstanding professional from industry, Life Time Achievement Award from NIPM from Palakkad Group, Outstanding Achievement Award for revival of FACT from Kerala Darshana Vedi an NGO.Management Discussions 1. ECONOMIC SCENARIO AND INDUSTRY OVERVIEWAfter the global economic recession, many of the world economies are growing in a slowpace even today; however, the Indian economy had showed faster recovery from the secondhalf of 2009-10 and has achieved robust and steady economic growth during the fiscal2010-11. With impressive growth in major sectors like agriculture, manufacturing,services, automobiles and realty, the country’s GDP rate has grown by 8. 5% during thefiscal 2010-11.Indian consumer industry also witnessed good growth during the year under review. Increasing urbanisation coupled with high disposable income of individuals and a surge inadvertising has been instrumental in bringing about a sea change in the consumer behaviorpattern and has resulted in increased consumer spend towards branded products both inrural and urban markets of India. 2. OVERALL PERFORMANCEV-Guard continues to enjoy a leading position in the electrical and electronic consumermarket in the country.With a large variety of products, strong brand equity and widelyspread distribution ch annel, the Company enjoys a unique position to cater to the consumerneeds of various segments. The Company achieved net sales of Rs. 726. 34 crores during theyear under review, charting a growth of 59. 96%, over the net sales of Rs. 454. 09 croresfor the previous year. Following the robust growth achieved in sales, the Company recordeda Net Profit of Rs. 39. 70 crores, without considering exceptional profit of Rs. 3. 63crores during the year under review, which is 55. 84 % more compared to the previous year.The contribution from Non-South Indian markets in the turnover is more than Rs. 160. 00crores in the fiscal 2010-11. The products that accounted more to achieve the sales werewires, stabilizers and pumps. BUSINESS REVIEW3. 1 VOLTAGE STABILIZERSThe Company’s flagship product Voltage Stabilizers has achieved a turnover of Rs. 166. 82 crores during the year under review, which is 23% of the total net sales. Pursuantto the surge in the consumer durable industry there was a sig nificant increase in the saleof white goods like refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines etc. which hasresulted in an increase in the sale of stabilizers for air conditioners, refrigerator etc.During the year under review, the product has grown by 44. 73% in value, when compared withthe sale of previous year. New models of stabilizers meant for air conditioners were introduced considering thelocal requirements of non-south Indian markets with reduced cost. New models were alsointroduced for tread mill, washing machine and micro wave oven. The Company’s persistent efforts o maintain the quality of the product, bringingout improvements on an on-going basis by introducing new models that meets the localmarket demands, focused R & D efforts and strong channel network across the country,have all contributed to maintain its dominant position in the sector. The main threat faced in the product line is the seasonal nature of many of the whitegoods and the aggressive campaig n by the manufacturers of the white goods stating that theappliance contains in-built stabilizers. Besides these, the increasing inflation rate,competition from the unbranded segment, improved power distribution etc.May hamper thefuture growth of the product. During the year under review, the Company came out with an ad campaign to overcome theimpact of the claim of the manufacturers of the white goods that their appliance containsin-built stabilizers which has helped to create awareness on the retailers and customershow the stabilizers protects the appliance during the power cut and also from the voltagefluctuation when the power comes back. Through this awareness creation ad, it was able tocreate a positive impact on the mindset of the consumers on the need for a stabilizer.Your Company is expecting the consumer industry to grow in a good pace in the currentfiscal and this will create an increased demand for appliances like LCD TV, refrigerators,air conditioners and consequently a n impressive growth in the stabilizers suitable forthese appliances. Focus is being given to expand the marketing network to rural marketsand other untapped markets as well as to increase the sale in the new segments ofstabilizers for LCD TVs, tread mill, washing machine etc. 3. 2 WIRING CABLESYour Company is one of the leading manufacturers of wires in the branded segment in thecountry.Total sales achieved in the wire segment for the year under review was Rs. 206. 05crores and it accounted for 28. 40% of the total net sales of the Company. Growth during the year under review was driven by the increased demand from sectorslike building and construction, automobile, aviation, energy, engineering andtelecommunications. Construction industry has revived considerably, after the economicslowdown and as a result, there is an overall improvement in the demand for wires. Thegrowth in the sales in terms of quantity and value was 35% and 68% respectively, whencompared with the sales of previo us fiscal.Capacity utilisation of the factories werealso considerably improved during the year under review. Increase in the volume andefficient purchase of raw-materials resulted in better sales growth and profitability. The major strength of this product segment is good network for distribution, increasedbrand image in south and non-south Indian markets and better quality of products. However,brand awareness is to be further increased in the non-south Indian market and efforts areto be made to procure more orders from Govt. departments, various public and privatesector organizations etc.Moreover, high volatility in the price of the majorraw-materials is one of the major reasons for low margin. Risk associated with theincrease in copper price can be mitigated by efficiently planning the procurement ofcopper and also keeping the inventory of wires at low levels. As major growth sectors in the country is expected to come out with impressive growthduring the fiscal 2011-12, the way ah ead for the product seems to be good and focus willbe given to tap the potential in the rural parts of the country and also increase themarket share of the non-south Indian market.As the construction industry is expected togrow further, efforts shall be made to procure more project / institutional orders. 3. 3 PUMPS AND MOTORSDuring the year under review, the Company was able to achieve moderate growth in thepump segment consisting of single and three phase pumps. Impressive sales was achieved inthe first half of the fiscal, however due to the extended monsoon, growth was sluggishduring the second half. Total sale achieved was Rs. 121. 00 crores, showing a growth of 42%over the sales achieved during the financial year 2009-10.The product line was able tocontribute 16. 65% of the total net sales of the Company. New models were introduced as per the geographical requirements and efforts were madeto increase the brand visibility especially in the non-south Indian markets and also inthe rural and semi urban areas. With the support of more below the line activities,increased penetration was achieved in respect of three phase pumps in tier II & tierIII cities. More number of Dealers were appointed in unrepresented areas of non-SouthIndian markets with a view to expand our marketing network.The Company was also able tointroduce 5 star rated models suited for different segments of customers. Sale of the product may get affected due to climatic conditions and also there is stiffcompetition from the players both in the organized and unorganised sectors. Non-availability of skilled man power from the industry may also hamper the growth of theproduct. Your Company is planning to give more concentration in new market segments withproducts like agricultural pumps, motors & industrial pumps and also three phase pumpsin a big way. 3. ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS ( GEYSERS)Electrical products segment has shown a good growth in the country during the yearunder review contributing to an impressive growth in the product line. Seasonal factorslike good monsoon rains, early winters in the northern parts of the country have alsofavoured the growth of the product. During the year under review, the total sale achievedwas Rs. 60. 00 crores which is 62% over the previous year’s sale of Rs. 37. 00 crores. Sale of Gas water heaters introduced in the previous year was extremely good.Dealer network for the product was considerably increased both in the urban as well asrural markets. During the year under review, more number of economy models was introducedbesides 5 star rated models that ensures reduction in the usage of energy. Your Companywas able to introduce vitreous enamel tank to increase the life of the tanks and thischange has been well accepted in the market. The product has got good market potential in non-south India due to the climaticcondition and the same can be capitalized by increasing the brand awareness and also theconfidence level of the Dealers.In case, the sale price of solar water heaters gets reduced considerably in future dueto alternate technology in manufacture or by grant of high subsidy by the Government,there is a likelihood of certain segment of customers shifting to solar water heatersthereby affecting the sale of electric water heaters to some extent. Moreover, powershortage prevalent in many parts of the country and increasing cost of power may alsoaffect the future growth potential of electric water heaters.Your Company is planning tointroduce new models and more star rated models to reduce energy consumption and forreduction in operational costs as a strategy to maintain the growth momentum. 3. 5 SOLAR WATER HEATERS:With a view to conserve electrical energy by curtailing power consumption in house holdappliances and industrial equipment, the Government is encouraging the use of alternate orrenewable energy in place of electrical energy in a massive way. Further, to encourage theuse of solar thermal devices for heating water, the Government has introduced subsidy tothe end consumer.Many nationalized banks are also providing loans at cheaper interestrates for purchase of solar water heaters. Many of the state governments in the countryhave mandated the use of solar water heaters in commercial segments facilitating increasedsale of higher capacity industrial and commercial models. These steps are expected toaccelerate the growth of the solar water heater industry in the coming years. To take advantage of the emerging scenario, your Company has introduced solar waterheaters with improved and innovative designs for varying applications with a view toexpand its market share in domestic and commercial segments.During the year under review,the marketing network for sales of solar water heaters was reorganized with introductionof direct sales to customers in major cities, to facilitate getting more project orders. Your Company is also enjoying superior technology in the manufacture of solar water heaters that give longer life of inner steel tanks, thus providing an edge over thecompetitors in the segment. All these efforts have resulted in increasing the turnover of solar water heaters toRs. 22. 00 crores during the year under review registering a growth of 34% over theprevious year’s turnover of Rs. 6. 40 crores. Considering the future growth potential, your Company is on the threshold of setting upa major manufacturing facility for solar water heater with improved technology atPerundurai, near Erode, Tamil Nadu, in the land taken on lease from SIPCOT and the newmanufacturing unit is expected to be commissioned by the third quarter of the fiscal2011-12. This improved technology is intended to mitigate the present problem of corrosionof inner tank of solar water heaters in hard water areas. An investment of Rs. 8. 00 croresis envisaged for the project.Your Company has also initiated the process for obtainingCRISIL rating for Solar Water Heater – Division, that will help the consumers toavail the subsidy announced by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)while making purchases of solar water heaters. However, possibility of further increase inlending rates may have a negative impact on the purchase of solar water heaters utilizingthe loans from commercial banks. 3. 6 FANSGrowth in the electrical products segment in the country has supported the fan industryalso to achieve an impressive growth in the year under review.In 2010-11, your Companyachieved a net sale of Rs. 53. 00 crores, which shows 107% growth over the net sale of Rs. 25. 60 crores, recorded in the previous year. Good range of products in the ceiling fansand new models of table, pedestal and wall mounting fans through imports and decorativemodels in ceiling fans have enabled the Company to achieve higher sales and improve theprofitability in the product line. The Company was also able to improve the sale in thenon-south Indian market by appointing more number of channe l partners and alsoconcentrating in the rural markets of various parts of the country.As the booming construction industry is expected to give a fillip to the electricalsegment industry, Your Company is confident of increasing its market share in the comingyears in the product line. It is also planned to appoint more number of dealers in theunrepresented areas to expand our marketing network. Your Company is also carrying outcontinuous R & D activities in its pilot production unit located at Kala Amb, toreduce the cost of production, improve the quality and reliability and to introduce lessenergy consuming models.More thrust is also given to capture more projects orders both from the Public andPrivate sector organizations. It is also proposed to introduce industrial exhaust fans tomeet the requirement of industry in the coming years. Sale of the product is highly dependent on the seasonality and also the growth in therealty sector. If the climatic conditions are not favourable, the sale may get affected. Moreover, competition from the unorganized sector is also a threat. To overcome thecompetition from the unorganized sector, your Company is involved in increasing its brandawareness by doing Below The Line activities.With continuous R&D and withintroduction of more models of energy efficient fans, your Company is confident ofincreasing its market share and profitability in the coming year. 3. 7 POWER & CONTROL CABLESYour Company embarked into manufacture and marketing of LT Cables in 2009 by setting upa manufacturing facility at Coimbatore. LT Power and Control cables are mainly used inpower generation and distribution plants and also in electrical systems within thepremises. As the power sector and construction industry are growing at a faster rate, goodgrowth potential is expected for the product. The Company achieved a net sales of Rs. 2. 00 crores, during the year under review and registered a growth of 165% over theprevious year. Order book consists of cl ients from major organizations from public andprivate sectors. Good brand image, consistency in quality of products and network withstrong dealers are the main growth drivers in the product line.The Company plans to grow further in the coming fiscal and increase its capacityutilization by getting more orders from Govt. and private institutions. 3. 8 UNINTERRUPTED POWER SUPPLY (UPS) SYSTEMSDuring the year under review, India’s personal computer (PC) market registered agrowth f 30% which is the highest since the year 2007. Nearly 25,00,000 PCs were shippedto Indian consumers, raising the overall sales by 26 per cent in the period. The demandfor UPS in India is expected to be robust, especially from rural and semi-urban areas,where the rapid development in the IT infrastructure and elongated power cuts and loadshedding is more, compared to what urban areas experience. During the year under review,the product line UPS has made an incremental growth in sales both in terms of value andvolume.Your Company was able to achieve net sales of Rs. 7. 00 crores, therebyregistering a growth of 56% over the previous year’s sale of Rs. 17. 36 crores. The factors that drive sustainable growth in this segment are the quality andreliability of products, competitive prices, availability of the product through a widedistribution network and prompt after sales service support. Your Company is adoptingstrategies for penetrating the B and C class cities to ensure growth in this product line. Growth is also expected from hospitality industry as well as educational institutions,where the usage of UPS is more.However, UPS is as an ancillary product of desktop computers and the demand of UPSdepends directly on the demand of desktop computers. The sales growth of Laptops isindirectly affecting the sales of UPS in the Tier I and Tier II Cities. Your Company istaking steps to increase the range of models in the category of Line Interactive UPS andonline UPS for wide range of ap plications as a strategy for increasing sales. 3. 9 DIGITAL HOME UPSDigital Home UPS industry is poised to grow aggressively in the coming years.The acutepower shortage and load shedding stipulated by various State Governments and frequent longhour power failures have contributed to the growth of the product line in a big way. During the year under review, net sale achieved was Rs. 22. 00 crores, registering a growthof 150% over the previous year’s sale of Rs. 8. 77 crores. In the year under review,the product reach was increased by making it available throughout the country byappointing number of Direct Marketing Associates and strengthening the marketing network.Your Company has also introduced battery for the Digital UPS during the fiscal 2010-11. Considering the huge market potential, the Company is confident of increasing the salesmany fold in the coming years. 4. OPPORTUNITIES & THREATSYour Company is engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of various products whichf orms part of the segments like electronic and electrical, consumer durable, agriculture,construction and power. Sales growth of the each product vertical is having a direct nexuswith development of the core sectors of the economy.As the Indian economy is on a fastgrowing pace, all the key sectors are also showing excellent growth. The Indian consumerdurable industry witnessed a tremendous growth during the year under review. Changinglifestyle, higher disposable income coupled with greater affordability, boom in the realestate and housing industry and a surge in advertising has been instrumental in bringingabout a sea change in the consumer behavior pattern. Rural markets and small towns haveshown promising demand for durables and prosperity in rural India has been one of themajor driving forces for rural growth.Though the economy is growing in a fast manner, the high inflation prevalent in thecountry may affect the growth of the sectors like construction, consumer durables,agricultu re etc. It may also affect the purchasing power of the people and slow down themovement of white goods. Besides, consumers are more aware of energy efficient appliancesas they are proactively asking for star-rated refrigerators, air conditioners, waterheaters, pumps etc. If the Company fails to introduce energy saving models, it will befacing difficult situation to market the products.Moreover, in the highly inflationaryregime, price of the raw-materials may increase considerably leading to increased cost ofproduction. Attempts to pass on the price escalation to the consumer, may lead to, peopleopting for unbranded products, considering the price variation. 5. FUTURE OUTLOOKThe Indian economy is expected to maintain the growth momentum in the coming years. With the existing product range and by introducing new models which suits with the localrequirements of various markets and by providing good after sales service, your Directorsare confident of achieving desired growth levels and improve the profitability further.Possibility of adding one or two products coming in the home appliance segment is alsounder consideration. Thrust will be given to strengthen the existing manufacturingfacilities by making additional investment wherever required. Efforts will be taken toimprove the brand awareness in the new markets and more penetration will be made in thesemi-urban and rural areas. 6. RISKS AND RISK MITIGATIONThe Company has an Enterprise Wide Risk Management System in place and has laid downprocedures for risk assessment and its mitigation.A two level committee monitors therisks and its mitigation measures on a regular basis. The lower level consists of 4Product Risk groups each headed by a VP and comprising of concerned product heads andrepresentatives from other functions like Finance, Systems, Customer Service, HumanResource, Legal etc. The apex body, known as Risk Management Team is headed by theExecutive Director and comprise of Sr. Vice Presidents, Vice Pres idents, Chief RiskOfficer, Assistant Risk Officer and heads of various Product Risk Groups as members.The Product Risk Groups holds periodical meetings and review the risks and mitigationmeasures in the respective product groups and submit their reports along with the minutesof the meetings to the Risk Management Team, which review and consolidate the Risk reportand submit quarterly reports before the Audit Committee for its review and recommendationto the Board. The Company is also maintaining Risk Registers for each product and the sameare updated on regular basis.

Information Systems in Healthcare Essay Example

Information Systems in Healthcare Essay Example Information Systems in Healthcare Essay Information Systems in Healthcare Essay This system is used to help all the professionals In the building whether It be the hospital, clinic, or outside of the hospital for example the visiting nurses and hospice. You will read about the Healthcare facility, ho exactly uses the information stored in the Epic system, whom that can access the medical health information, about the system, and read about a women who shared her opinions and also, her own personal experience with the Epicure EMMER System. Healthcare Facility The facility is the Aurora Health Care Hospital in Kenosha, Wisconsin its a not-for- profit organization which was formatted in 1984 and now has branched off into 15 hospitals, 185 clinics in 80 communities throughout Wisconsin and northern Illinois with over 30,000 employees. The Aurora hospital In Kenosha serves a city population of approximately 168,000. While there are two other hospitals in the city of Kenosha the Aurora Hospital has the only S. A. N. E. Program and sees about 100 patients a year. This S. A. N. E. Program works on an outpatient basis with a room that is within the emergency room area. The room Is made up with pale green painted walls a nice love seat and pictures on the wall and then an exam table on the other side in the corner. The idea is to try to make the patients as comfortable as possible. Most of the Aurora hospital is working toward Magnet status and to meet all COACH standards. Aurora Health Care-Kenosha has their Stroke Accreditation, Who uses this medical information? The portion of the Epic system that is access for the S. A. N. E. Program is very sensitive information and is therefore made so that only a very few can access this information. Medical records can be retrieved if the patients request it in writing and if its subpoenaed by the court or an attorney for a trial. Any S. A. N. E. May pull up the record to add something to her own charting or to review a chart that she has to testify in court on or for peer review by another S. A. N. E. Nurse. Admitting can only pull up the part of the EPIC chart that allows them to admit the patient and discharge hem in the system they are unable to see anything else to do with these types of patients. There is also a page in the EPIC record for billing that the billing people may pull up but like admitting they cannot open any other part of these EPIC records. The system is made with safe guards so only S. A. N. E. Nurses can open these records regularly. How is information access? All but a few consents are on the electronic EPIC system at Aurora for the S. A. N. E. Aerogram. Meanwhile the few paper consents that are still on paper are signed by the patient and then sent to medical records where they are scanned into the EPIC yester, so they can be seen along with all other records when needed. The electronic system of EPIC is on the desktop stations, handheld tablets, laptops, and on workstations on wheels (WOW). EPIC EPIC is a privately employee owned and held health care so ftware company founded in 1979 by Judith R. Faulkner. Originally, headquartered was in Madison, Wisconsin and then EPIC moved to nearby Verona, Wisconsin in 2005. EPICs market focus is the large health care organizations. EPIC offers an integrated suite of health care software databases. Their applications support functions are related to patient are, including registration and scheduling, clinical systems for doctors, nurses, emergency personnel, and other care providers in addition, systems for lab technicians, pharmacists, and radiologist and then billing systems for insurers. The Epicure EMMER is known for being fast and physician friendly, integrated access and revenue systems to simplify administration throughout the healthcare system. The one patient, one record approach improves care in the hospital, physician group and for the patient through access to their records via My Chart linking them to the same chart used by their doctor (Epic System Corporation, 2013). S. A. N. E. Exams until September of 2012 were all done on paper charts that took a great deal of time and work as they were about 16 to 18 pages long. In September 2012, Auro ras S. A. N. E. Program went live on EPIC with electronic charting and documentation for both records and anatomical drawings. Over half of the S. A. N. E. Nurses had never used electronic charting before and they all picked it up very fast with only a six hour class on how to use the system. The EPIC system is used to connect with the pharmacy to order medication so that they can pull them out and give them to the patients. They also connect to the lab so that they can order labs and x-rays as needed, and can connect with the admitting and billing departments so that all medical records are complete and patients are billed correctly for their support personnel with little problem to report (Order, 2013). EPIC has improved and made the exams run much smoother stated Donna Lee Order URN BBS SANE-A SANE-P program coordinator for Aurora Health Care- Kenosha. Donna felt that it had cut their exam times by an hour and a halloo two hours due to the fact that they didnt have to write out all of their paperwork. It has also been a great help to the law enforcement and the District Attorney to not have to try to read and figure out what th e nurses written on their reports due to different hand writing skills. With EPIC print outs on the computer it is easy to read and helps the process of going to court and making it so much easier. While Donna says there is still some problems with doing the anatomical drawings on the EPIC program they are learning the inns and outs and getting better every day at it. The company worked with the S. A. N. E. Program and their paper charts to set up the electronic program and anatomical drawings. They are planning on making a few changes this September 2013, for which they have found issues with but wanted to work with it for a year to find out all the little bugs first but states for the most part everyone is very pleased with the EPIC system (Order, 2013). Conclusion Aurora Healthcare went online with EPIC in September 2012. EPIC appears to be a user friendly system used by the physicians, nurse, and ancillary staff who all seem to be very pleased with the EPIC system after simply working out a few bugs that they had come across. The strengths of the program are the patients health information an be accessed by any healthcare provider at any site that is within the system. Plus, patients in Aurora can access their own information by going to my chart online giving the patient more access to their own healthcare information. The weaknesses they are finding is that every provider whether they are on a laptop, tablets, desktop stations or the moving work station (WOW) is that they are spending more of their time looking at screens instead of looking at the patient and making eye contact and giving them all of their attention. However, due to this issue of not being able to give attends their personal face time, some of the care providers have hired medical assistants who now follow them and do all of their dictations and typing so that they can continue to give their patients their full and up most attention and their personal face time the patients deserve.

Fraction Worksheets and Ratio Homework

Fraction Worksheets and Ratio Homework Teaching fractions can often seem like a daunting task. You may hear many the groan or sigh when you open a book to the section on fractions. This does not have to be the case. In fact,  most students will not dread a topic once they feel confident working with the concept.   The concept of a â€Å"fraction† is abstract. Visualizing apart versus a whole is a developmental skill not fully grasped by some students until middle or high school. There are a few ways to get your  class embracing fractions, and there are a number of worksheets you can print out to nail the concept home for your students. Make Fractions Relatable Children, in fact, students of all ages prefer a hands-on demonstration or an interactive experience to pencil-and-paper math equations. You can get felt circles to make pie graphs, you can play with fraction dice, or even use a set of dominoes to help explain the concept of fractions. If you can, order in an actual pizza. Or, if you happen to celebrate a class birthday,  well perhaps  make it a fraction birthday cake. When you engage the senses, you have a higher engagement of the audience. Also, the lesson has a great chance of permanence, too. You can print fraction circles so your students can illustrate fractions as they learn. Have them touch the felt circles, let them watch you create a felt circle pie representing a fraction, ask your class to color in the corresponding fraction circle. Then, ask your class to write the fraction out. Have Fun with Math As we all know, not every student learns the same way. Some children are better at visual processing than auditory processing. Other prefer tactile learning with hand-held manipulatives. Others may prefer games. Games make what could be a dry and boring topic more fun and interesting. They provide that visual component that might  make all the difference.   There are plenty of online teaching tools with challenges for your students to use.  Let them practice digitally. Online resources can help solidify concepts. Fraction Word Problems A problem is, by definition, a situation that causes perplexity. A primary tenet of teaching through problem-solving is that students confronted with real-life problems are forced into a state of needing to connect what they know with the problem at hand. Learning through problem-solving develops understanding. A students mental capacity grows more complex with time. Solving problems can force them to think deeply and to connect, extend, and elaborate on their prior knowledge.   You can use addition and subtraction word problems with your students to help them understand the concept further. Addition and subtraction fraction worksheet 1   and  solutions for worksheet 1  Addition and subtraction fraction worksheet 2  and   solutions for worksheet 2Addition and subtraction fraction worksheet 3 and  solutions for worksheet 3 Common Pitfall Sometimes you can spend too much time teaching fraction concepts, like simplify, find the common denominators, use the four operations, that we often forget the value of word problems. Encourage students to apply their knowledge of fraction concepts through problem-solving and word problems.

Nutrition & ethics in criminal justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Nutrition & ethics in criminal justice - Essay Example What this means is that the areas have toxic and radioactive wastes which were left looming in after wars. When the soldiers are exposed to this kind of toxic wastes, then it is obvious that the health system of the soldiers is affected by them and this causes them to have little endurance. The toxins, when inhaled, are circulated throughout the body by blood and since the blood will be deprived of some oxygen, it is obvious that the toxins will cause the body to lose energy which it gets from the oxygenated blood (Jeremy 67). In addition to the toxic waste residues, the sand particles are also a possible cause for the weakness and fatigue among the soldiers. This is because once they inhale the sand particles, there is a likelihood that they will have respiratory problems, such as congestion. The congestion of the respiratory system causes them to stress their lungs since the body will still need the same amount of oxygen filled blood that it normally gets when breathing. Utilitarianism is a forward-looking or consequentialist theory that focuses on the outcomes or results of actions. The idea of utilitarianism stems from the claim that humans’ greatest and most natural achievement is the maximization of happiness. However, this theory does not go without fault. I has some loose ends that accommodate for its criticism. The outcomes of the utilitarian framework have to be good so that they can outweigh the negative which is punishment. For the purpose of justifying punishment, the utilitarians focus on three outcomes which are deterrence, incapacitation, and correction. Deterrence refers to the refrain from doing things simply because the consequences of doing that thing are quite unpleasant. According

Research-based paper on the Problem Solving Process (PSP) for a Term

Research-based on the Problem Solving Process (PSP) for a selected organization - Term Paper Example workers’ strikes and go slows, a high rate of workers’ turnover, lateness and absenteeism among workers, as well as, general theft and misbehavior of workers while at the premises of the organization (Avery, Auvine, Streibel, & Weiss, 1981). This research wants to focus on the best steps that the management can take in resolving a problem within the organization as fast as possible. The longer a problem runs within a company, the more risky and the less profitable the organization becomes due to increases inefficiencies, low productivity, as well as, low morale of workers, which might be the main cause of their underperformance. The research will evaluate the five main steps involved in the problem solving process, as well as, analyze its significance in the management and resolution of conflicts within an organization. This paper will enable an organization to define a certain criteria or standard of conflict resolution within the organization, and as such, empower the leadership of the company to take the forefront in effectively directing others in the research and resolution of issues. An organization in the modern world economy cannot go without a problem or a conflict that may threaten its performance or image in the market. As such, it is imperative for the organization to have an appropriate plan that will enable it maneuver through such a crisis without suffering any significant overhead complications. For example, the Airtel Corporation, a global telecommunications company with its base in India, once had workers strife. This became a global phenomenon whereby nearly 80% of the company’s dedicated workers at the home country went on an industrial action. The workers’ industrial action was to demand for a pay rise, as well as, demand for other benefits and allowances. Furthermore, these employees were not patient enough to let the organization resolve the issues and as such meet their grievances as some of them quit the organization for other

Sleeping-Deprivation for College Students Research Paper

Sleeping-Deprivation for College Students - Research Paper Example As per the same study, almost 20 percent of the college students admitted to remaining awake at night, at least once a week (Medical News Today 1). It was also reported that more than 60 percent of the college students do tend to have disturbed awake-sleep cycles, and some of the college students resort to alcohol and substance abuse to combat the fatigue and stress caused by sleep deprivation (Medical News Today 1). Though the average sleep requirement for the young adults stands to be eight hours, it is merely thirty percent of the college students that manage to muster 8 hours of quality sleep at night (Medical News Today 1). When it comes to weeknights, 20 percent of the college students remain awake all night, at least once a month, while almost 35 percent of the college students tend to remain awake till 3:00am in the morning (Medical News Today 1). Surprisingly, it was observed in some studies that Asian and African American students tend to suffer less from poor sleep habits as compared to the Latino and White college students (Medical News Today 1). Considering their young age, many a times, college students tend to underestimate the relevance and importance of sleep in their academic and personal life. Students have been noted to compromise sleep during high stress periods without understanding that by doing so they tend to sabotage their physical and mental health. So, considering the available data, there is no denying the fact that the college students tend to be the most sleep deprived pool in the regular population. Importance of Proper Sleep in a College Student’s Life Sleep deprivation not only impacts a college student’s ability to remain awake in the class, but also has a direct impact on a college student’s academic performance. Sufficient and adequate sleep is vital for a college student who intends to remain alert and awake (American Academy of Sleep Medicine 1).

Q 1 . Discuss the purpose of packages Why are they necessary, and how Assignment

Q 1 . Discuss the purpose of packages Why are they necessary, and how has the need for them changed Q 2. what are some of the factors that have led to changes in packaging - Assignment Example However, the only method through which customers as well as manufacturers differentiate between these products is through packaging of these goods. Packaging has experienced various changes in its design over the years. This need for change in design has been caused due to various factors. For instance during the period of 1980s as well as the 1990s, the main concern of the designers of packaging material was to add value to the good being packaged and thus they worked on the aesthetics of packaging design in order to generate higher number of sales (Moor 25). Later the need for packaging changed with the designer’s concern for the environment safety and protection. Due to this need, designers started focusing on creating packaging material that not only kept the goods being packaged safe, they even started giving consideration the safety of the environment. For example the use of reusable and recyclable packaging material was caused due to the need for environmental protectio n. 2. Several factors have contributed heavily to the change in packaging design; one of the main factors that motivate these changes includes the alterations in the attitudes of the customers. For example customers have now become aware of packaging waste and its negative impact on the environment and thus their demand for environment friendly packaging has increased and this has motivated package designers to create packaging material that can easily be recycled. Another reason due to which the need for changes in packaging design may have occurred is due to the changes in the conditions of the market (Soroka 14). For example market conditions may become worse and the manufacturers plan to provide a discount to the customers of that particular market, in order to state the discount on the package of the content and to attract customers through discounted pricing, designers may have to redesign their packaging. Governments and policy makers may even

Summery3-318 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Summery3-318 - Essay Example Therefore, a vertical line represents the GDP in the graph. Note that a change in employment or output implies a direct positive impact on the GDP and thus there will be a horizontal shift in the vertical line representing GDP in such cases. However, like the level of interest rate, changes in the price level also has no direct impact on the GDP and thus, the GDP line would remain stationary if there was a change in the price level. Figure 1: Graphical representation of GDP The next step is to add the APE into this set up. Assuming a simple linear form under typical assumptions, we can have the following expression:  Note that a, b and c are all positive fractions. ‘a’ represents the autonomous part of planned expenditure, while b represents the marginal propensity to expend out of income and c represents the marginal expenses induced by interest rate changes. Figure 2: Adding in the APE – the horizontal intercept of the APE line is a+b(GDP0) as i=0 along the ho rizontal axis by definition. To graph this relationship into the set up introduced previously, first note that the interest rate has an inverse relationship with APE implying that the graph will slope upwards to the left, i.e., the APE wil fall (rise) following an increase (decrease) in the interest rate. ... expression clearly implies that the IS relationship can be plotted as a straight line which has a horizontal intercept equal to  which lies to the right of a+b(GDP0) and rises upwards to the left with a flatter incline compared to the APE line (since the coefficient on I is c for the APE line while it is c/(1-b) for the IS line. This is shown in the diagram below (figure 3) Figure 3: Adding in the IS line Observe that due to the particular specifications of each of these lines, there will always be an intersection or a common point were the lines cross. Suppose that if there is a change in GDP, the GDP line will move horizontally to the right in case of an increase or to the left in case of a decrease and the APE line will also shift in the same direction but by a smaller magnitude. The shift will be b times the shift in the GDP line. The IS line will remain unchanged. Alternatively if there is a change in the APE line, then the GDP line will remain stationary but the IS line will shift upwards or downwards in accordance to the direction of the change in the APE line. However, the crucial point to note here is that due to these coordinated movements, that these lines will intersect is necessarily ensured. Since by definition the IS line is the locus of combinations of the interest rate and the GDP such that APE=GDP, we can trace the IS line by allowing the GDP to change, letting the APE curve shift in accordance and connecting the new intersection points. The final point to note in this context is that if the GDP shifts first, then the APE will also shift in response and the IS line shall remain stationary. However, if the APE line shifts by itself (say due to a change in a), then the GDP line remains stationary, while the IS line shifts. ASF which is defined as the

Resource Directory Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Resource Directory - Coursework Example Sonya Stanton is the university student academic advisor who provides students with academic advices. He can be contacted through sstanton@argosy.edu. Solutions within this regard are found in 214.459.2203. Karen Wilkerson is the Student Finance Associate Director of Student Finance, and he provides advices regarding disbursement of loans among other financial issues. He can be contacted via kwilkerson@argosy.edu. Solutions within this regard are found in 214.459.2215 (Class Template, 01). The university administration also helps students in changing their personal information or contact. These changes also engulf changes in marital status. Brigit Mattix is the Director of Student Services who helps in ironing students’ personal information issues, and he can be contacted through bmattix@argosy.edu. Solutions within this regard are found in 214.459.2244 (Class Template, 01). Dallas University is an academic institution; thus, students may sometimes need to access library personnel or some academic materials. Jennifer Hostutler is the Learner Support Specialist, and she handles Library and Academic Resource Center; therefore, students with literacy information needs can contact her through jhostutler@argosy.edu. Solutions in the information literacy are found in 214.459.2215. Finally, most of the information in the university is in technology form; thus, students with problems of accessing online information including class site and email should contact the Tech nology support team through campus_support@argosy.edu. Technology problems’ solutions are found in 1.866.848.0776 (Class Template,

Q 1 . Discuss the purpose of packages Why are they necessary, and how Assignment

Q 1 . Discuss the purpose of packages Why are they necessary, and how has the need for them changed Q 2. what are some of the factors that have led to changes in packaging - Assignment Example However, the only method through which customers as well as manufacturers differentiate between these products is through packaging of these goods. Packaging has experienced various changes in its design over the years. This need for change in design has been caused due to various factors. For instance during the period of 1980s as well as the 1990s, the main concern of the designers of packaging material was to add value to the good being packaged and thus they worked on the aesthetics of packaging design in order to generate higher number of sales (Moor 25). Later the need for packaging changed with the designer’s concern for the environment safety and protection. Due to this need, designers started focusing on creating packaging material that not only kept the goods being packaged safe, they even started giving consideration the safety of the environment. For example the use of reusable and recyclable packaging material was caused due to the need for environmental protectio n. 2. Several factors have contributed heavily to the change in packaging design; one of the main factors that motivate these changes includes the alterations in the attitudes of the customers. For example customers have now become aware of packaging waste and its negative impact on the environment and thus their demand for environment friendly packaging has increased and this has motivated package designers to create packaging material that can easily be recycled. Another reason due to which the need for changes in packaging design may have occurred is due to the changes in the conditions of the market (Soroka 14). For example market conditions may become worse and the manufacturers plan to provide a discount to the customers of that particular market, in order to state the discount on the package of the content and to attract customers through discounted pricing, designers may have to redesign their packaging. Governments and policy makers may even

Resource Directory Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Resource Directory - Coursework Example Sonya Stanton is the university student academic advisor who provides students with academic advices. He can be contacted through sstanton@argosy.edu. Solutions within this regard are found in 214.459.2203. Karen Wilkerson is the Student Finance Associate Director of Student Finance, and he provides advices regarding disbursement of loans among other financial issues. He can be contacted via kwilkerson@argosy.edu. Solutions within this regard are found in 214.459.2215 (Class Template, 01). The university administration also helps students in changing their personal information or contact. These changes also engulf changes in marital status. Brigit Mattix is the Director of Student Services who helps in ironing students’ personal information issues, and he can be contacted through bmattix@argosy.edu. Solutions within this regard are found in 214.459.2244 (Class Template, 01). Dallas University is an academic institution; thus, students may sometimes need to access library personnel or some academic materials. Jennifer Hostutler is the Learner Support Specialist, and she handles Library and Academic Resource Center; therefore, students with literacy information needs can contact her through jhostutler@argosy.edu. Solutions in the information literacy are found in 214.459.2215. Finally, most of the information in the university is in technology form; thus, students with problems of accessing online information including class site and email should contact the Tech nology support team through campus_support@argosy.edu. Technology problems’ solutions are found in 1.866.848.0776 (Class Template,

People are Born Homosexual Essay Example for Free

People are Born Homosexual Essay Homosexuality is not just a contemporary ideology or behaviour of people. It has been present even during the ancient Grecian times, and the early African and Native American tribes. In some Native American tribes, a man dressed as a woman was treated with great respect because they were considered to be spiritually gifted (Bidstrup, 2001). In some African tribes, masturbation and other homosexual behaviours between young boys were even tolerated (Bidstrup, 2001). They saw these actions as innocent and nothing but child-play. In the ancient Greek and Roman civilization, same sex relationships were accepted. It was not unusual to see men kissing other men in public. This tolerance was somehow changed upon the intrusion of the English. They introduced the idea that same sex relationships and behaviours were immoral. Thus, some of these people repressed these behaviours until it became taboo even today. Homosexuality is different from sexual orientation. It is a specific type of the sexual orientation of an individual. Sexual orientation is the degree to which an individual is attracted to persons of the other sex and/or to the persons of the same sex (Smith, et al, 2003). Homosexuality, on the other hand, is the attraction of an individual to the same sex and heterosexuality is the attraction to the opposite sex. The origin of homosexuality has been debated for a long time now. There were psychologists and scientists who support the idea that sexual orientation is innate. On the other hand, some say that environmental factors play a great deal of importance in determining an individual’s sexual orientation and not innate ones. But which one is true? Let me first discuss the history of homosexuality in order to have a better understanding on it. Why is it sacred and ordinary in the past? Do these histories prove the existence of innate and environmental factors in influencing an individual’s sexual orientation? Homosexuality in Prehistoric Africa According to some early text during the Inquisition period, African tribes accepted homosexuality in their culture. Even one of these tribes, the Hausa people, had terms to describe homosexuals: ‘Yan dauda which describes a transvestite and ‘dan dauda which can be translated as homosexual ‘wife’ (Bidstrup, 2001). In this tribe, they engaged in male prostitution. These male prostitutes did not have ‘pimps’ but they engaged in prostitution if an opportunity arises. There were other tribes in Africa where boys engaging in homosexual activities were considered to be innocent. They considered themselves virgins at marriage despite having experience in homosexual activities. There were also tribes where they expect men to engage in sexual activities with other men like the Bantu-speaking people of Africa. Homosexuality among Native Americans There were a significant number of men wearing women clothes in Native American tribes. These men were called Two-Spirits because they embody the two sexes the male and the female. They were respected because Native Americans believed that these men were special gifts by the God. They believed that these men have insights regarding spiritual matters. They were considered to be prophets who were able to understand the realm of both man and woman (Bidstrup, 2001). Homosexuality in Ancient Greece and Rome It was known that the Roman Empire did not tolerate homosexuality in the society. But this belief is wrong. Like the ancient Greeks, Romans also accepted men having relationships with men. It was believed that the Roman Empire declined when the tolerance on homosexuality increased. On the contrary, when it was ruled by the Senate, it was discovered that Romans had a high tolerance on homosexuality (Bidstrup, 2001). In Ancient Greece, they believed that masculinity and feminity was not two separate essences. They believed that the sex of an individual was actually the combination of both masculinity and feminity. Therefore, homosexuality was not an issue for Greeks. They do not find men kissing other men in public an unusual scene. They accept men getting married with another man and having sexual intercourse with them. Thus, we can find a large number of literature and art regarding homosexuality in these civilizations. This brief history on the presence of homosexuality among individuals proves that homosexuality is not just a mere trend brought by contemporary ideals. It has been part of our society since the dawn of man. Also, these histories show that homosexuality may be in-born and may also be influenced due to environmental factors. Despite the primitive nature of prehistoric Africans, some men were able to find themselves attracted to other men. It is possible that innate factors played in this instinctive behaviour of being attracted to the same sex. Another illustration is apparent influence of environmental factors. The Greeks’ wide acceptance of man-to-man relationships and their beliefs on gender and sexuality influenced men’s sexual orientation. Innate Factors in Sexual Orientation Psychologists say that childhood gender nonconformity is a phenomenon that shows the innateness of sexual orientation. Childhood gender nonconformity is when an individual enjoys activities typical of the other sex and most of their friends are the other sex. It was also found that adults who experienced gender nonconformity report that they had not been masculine (for men) or feminine (for women) when they were children (Smith, et al, 2003). Another evidence is the presence of a gene present in homosexuals. It was observed that gay brothers often tend to share the same X-chromosome Xq28 (Deem, 2009). This finding suggests that this gene may affect male’s sexual orientation. Environmental Factors on Sexual Orientation One evidence of environmental factors acting as determinants of sexual orientation is the nurture aspect in child development. It is said that parents play a role in the gender identity and sexual orientation development of a child. But this theory is not strongly supported by scientific studies. Another evidence is the exotic-becomes-erotic theory of Daryll Bem of Cornell University. In this theory, he believes that sexual orientation is socially determined. Thus, environment plays a role in sexual orientation development. But we should also take into account that EBE theory addresses the innateness of sexual orientation. EBE theory suggests that genes and hormones cause differences in a child’s temperament. The difference would determine if the child will be engrossed in activities typical to his/her own sex or to the other sex. When the child spends more time with the opposite sex, they feel similar with the opposite sex and become alienated with the same sex. This exotic feeling then becomes an erotic feeling when the child grows. Although the evidence for environmental factors is weak, Bem’s EBE theory supports the existence of both factors. Homosexuality isn’t just inborn in an individual, environmental factors also play a role. It is the interplay of these two factors that differences in sexual orientation are possible. References Beem, R. (2009). Genetics and homosexuality: Are people born gay? The biological basis for sexual orientation. Godandscience. org. Retrieved March 30, 2009, from http://www. godandscience. org/evolution/genetics_of_homosexuality. html Beem’s essay focused on the innateness of sexual orientation. It discussed related brain and twin studies and other scientific studies that support the innateness of sexual orientation. Bidstrup, S. (2001). Saint Aelred the queer: The surprising history of homosexuality and homophobia. Bidstrup. com. Retrieved at March 30, 2009, from http://www. bidstrup.com/phobiahistory. htm Bidstrup discussed the history of homosexuality and homophobia in this essay. He talked about the ancient tribes and civilizations that tolerated homosexuality and why it has become oppressed in these groups. Smith, E. E. ; Nolen-Hoeksema, S. ; Fredrickson, B. and Loftus, G. R. (2003). Atkinson Hilgard’s Introduction to Psychology. (14th ed. ). Australia: Thomson Wadsworth. Smith’s textbook covers general psychology lectures like emotions, learning, and motivation. It provides specific and up-to-date examples and applications of terms, theories, and definitions.