Healthcare & Education

What are some of the barriers and limitations to the transition from one level of care to another? Successful transition of patients from one care level to another is normal and of great importance. Patients who receive good aftercare after inpatient treatment come out much stronger and with low rates of readmission. However in many cases this is not the case hence posing the patients to health risk.Some of the barriers and limits to these transitions include financial constrains, low levels of knowledge and lack of adequate advice to the patients by the health professionals.Ignorance on the side of the people or the professionals also plays a big role. Education and creation of awareness to the general public on the importance of this transition is paramount in that it reduces the risks involved at the various levels (Holloway, 2008). Lack of a clear policy on ways to improve care such as transition care support and voluntary sharing of information on the issue is big obstacle to su ccessful care transition. For elderly, care transitions can usually lead to medication related complications and significantly reduced life span or quality.These calls for devoted efforts by the relevant parties to develop and put in place the necessary tools and initiatives to ensure improved transition. It should be noted that the impact of human error in medicine is unclear since the risk in the health care are based on the disease itself, the desired medicine and the way of medication (Holloway, 2008). This means that transition with medication to be administered without clear guideline may create a bigger problem. The transition problems call for well structured aftercare sessions to refer patients to.Since the human health is always at risk, it is important to ensure that patients actively engage in any prescribed treatment. This include making sure they are entered into the right level of treatment and equipped with the necessary information useful during treatment to ensure motivation and hence avoid relapse. Successful transition to care is the first step towards good health and should always be emphasized. Reference Holloway, D. , (2008). Transitions from one Level of Care to Another. Retrieved on 30th July 2009 from, http://cnx. org/content/m12716/latest/

Logitech Case Essay

1.In a world without trade, what would happen to the costs that American consumers would have to pay for Logitech’s Products? World trade refers to buying and selling across national borders. It would be difficult to predict or estimate the prices of the product of one company like Logitech in one market like America. 2.Explain how trade lowers the costs of making computer peripherals such as mice and keyboards. 1. Components are procured from any part of the world where they can be produced and manufactured at the best cost. (Motorola plant in Malaysia makes the mouse’s chip; Agilent Technologies supplies optical sensors). 2. The intellectual capital going into any product is created at the place where the right talent is available. (Ergonomics design is done in Ireland, software programming is done in Switzerland and Fremont). 3. The actual assembling/manufacturing is done at the place where is can be done most cost effectively. (Assembling is done in Taiwan and China). 4. The products reach the customers the most efficient way by taking the service s of the most efficient logistics company. (Marketing and operations from Fremont). 3.Use the theory of comparative advantage to explain the way in which Logitech has configured its global operation. Why does the company manufacture in China and Taiwan, undertake basic R&D in California and Switzerland, design products in Ireland, and coordinate marketing and operations from California? Comparative advantage, as proposed by Ricardo, says that it is beneficial for nations to involve in trade even when there is absolute advantage for them to produce all the goods. So nations will invest a major portion of their resources to produce what they can produce with advantage. This theory is being applied to the case in the following way 4.Who creates more value for Logitech – the 650 people it employs in California and Switzerland, or the  4,000 employees at its Chinese factory? What are the implications of this observation for the argument that free trade is beneficial? Logitech make $8 for every mouse being sold. Let us assume that $3 of this is spent on R&D and software programming. Free trade is beneficial because, it is the free trade which is allowing Logitech to take advantage of the low cost manpower available in China. If free trade w ere not available, Logitech would be forced to manufacture it’s mice in U.S. at a much higher cost. 5.Why do you think the company decided to shift its corporate headquarters from Switzerland to Fremont? It helps Logitech to stay close to its customers. It can respond to the demands of the customers more promptly. Fremont is also the place where a lot of technological innovations are happening. Logitech being in the high-tech industry, continuous innovation is a key success factor for its business. Fremont is also an important in terms of managerial talent. All these reasons make it convenient for Logitech to move to Fremont. 6. To what extent can Porter’s diamond help explain the choice of Taiwan as a major manufacturing site for Logitech? Porter’s diamond considers four important attributes which will create an environment that helps the domestic industries. The four attributes can be applied to Taiwan becoming a manufacturing hub for electronics goods as shown below:Taiwan has well qualified people for manufacturing electronic goods. It has good infrastructure and transport facility. There is demand throughout the world for electronic products produced in Taiwan. All major global companies source their electronic components from Taiwan. Taiwan has a well-developed supply base for parts and rapidly expanding local computer industry. There is tough competition and rivalry among local companies which help in better efficiency. The government has created Science-based industrial parks through which they encourage companies to invest in Taiwan. Land is given at very subsidized rates in these parks. 7. Why do you think China is now a favored location for so much high-technology manufacturing activity? How will China’s increasing involvement in global trade help that country? How will it help the world’s developed economies? What potential problem are associated with moving to China? All the factors in Porter’s diamond are at play in China very efficiently. It has huge human resources, land, water and other natural resources. It has good infrastructure for transportation, ports and communication. It has created special zones for promoting exports, thus ensuring a good demand for the goods they manufacture. The rivalry among the domestic firms is also very strong. Government supports export oriented firms through funds. The cost of labor is very low. Technical human skills are available. These factors make China a favored location for high-technology manufacturing. China’s increase in global trade will ensure that investment flows into China for manufacturing. Its balance of payment position will become very strong. It can use the trade as a lever for political mileage. As more investment happens it w ill help China to reap the advantages of economics of scale. It can provide better living conditions for its citizens. It will also generate funds for planned investments. The world’s developed economics will be able to take advantage of the low cost manufacturing available in China. The global companies can improve the efficiency of their supply chain by manufacturing in China. The following are the potential problems associated with moving work to China: The political changes, when they happen, can lead to disruption of work. Decision making at the government level is opaque, which can cause problems if unfavorable decisions are taken. When there is trouble in the political relationship between the home country and China. The companies may lose an opportunity to develop an alternate to China as a manufacturing hub.

SWO Service Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

SWO Service - Case Study Example However, in recent years it is facing various problems related to maintaining sustainability of its business. It has acquired a substantial sales order for the upcoming six months but it needs to decide upon whether to expand its business further or not. This study discusses about the detailed company and industry analysis to have conclusive evidence to decide upon the sustainability of the business in future. First of all the key issues related to the company performance have been identified. Then the industry analysis has been performed which discusses about the internal and external business factors which have an impact on the company. Then the consumer analysis has been done which includes segmentation strategies and the product mix associated with each segments. Then the trade analysis, competitive analysis and external analysis of the company has also been done. An alternative analysis has been performed which discusses about the targeting of the particular segment consisting o f the mid-sized distributors and the relevant positioning and promotional strategies to be employed by the company. Lastly, a recommendation has been provided regarding the best strategy needed to be applied by the company to regain its competitive advantage in the market and have a sustainable growth and development in future. Table of Contents Problems and Analysis 5 Issues 5 Constraints 5 Objectives 5 Industry Analysis 5 Internal Factors 6 External Factors 6 Key Success Factors 7 Consumer Analysis 7 Trade Analysis 8 Competitive Analysis 9 External Analysis 9 Political Factors 10 Economical Factors 10 Technological Factors 10 Corporate Capabilities 11 Alternative Analysis 11 Recommendation 12 Works Cited 13 Problems and Analysis Issues SWO Service is experiencing different kinds of issues which are having a significant impact on the performance and growth of the company. The company has failed to generate revenues at a steady rate since its inception. The penetration pricing strat egy followed by the company initially helped it to increase its market share but now it is facing problems to successfully position its products and is losing sales on various grounds. Constraints The constraint that can be identified as regards to SWO Service is the financial constraint. It does not have adequate fund sources available to them to expand its business on a large scale. Objectives The personal objectives include more profit required by the owners of the company. It is in accordance with the company objective which is to decide upon expansion of its business to increase the profitability of the company. Industry Analysis In order to facilitate the formulation of a successful strategy and help in its decision making process regarding the sustainability of the business processes followed by SWO Service it requires to have a comprehensive analysis of the industry in which it is operating its business activities. Industry analysis actually involves identification of the ec onomic factors that helps a company to boost its performance and profitability in the operating industry (Palepu, and Healy 2-16). Industry analysis of SWO Service includes identification and analysis of its internal and external business environment which is explained below: Internal Factors Strengths George, one of the owners of SWO Service is one of its strength. George is experienced in the field of software industry and has the acumen of all different technical aspects of the software industry. Moreover SWO Service develops quality software which is acknowledged by the customers. Weaknesses The organizational structure of SWO Service is one of its major weaknesses. The various business activit

The ten faces of innovation IDEO's Strategies for defeating the Essay

The ten faces of innovation IDEO's Strategies for defeating the Devil's Advocate and Driving Creativity Throughout Your Organization Thomas Kelley, Jonathan - Essay Example Kelley does so by describing the way in which an innovation team can be built and function, providing numerous examples of application of these concepts. The introduction sets the scene by singling out the "devil's advocate approach" as the worst enemy of innovation, before defining three groups of roles, or "personas" which typically constitute a successful innovation-oriented activity. In a manner reminiscent of other team role models defined in organizational behavior, Kelley names the groups "learning", "organizing" and "building" personas. It is the learning group, which is the focus of the first three chapters. First the Anthropologist's role is discussed, where the key to beginning successful innovation is un-blinkered perception of how people behave. The theme continues with the Experimenter, whose accelerated failure allows for faster progress towards the goal, before closing with the Cross-Pollinator, adept at applying concepts from one area to a completely different one. Following this is the organizing group, again with one role per chapter. The Hurdler is the problem-solver, the Collaborator brings people together for a result and the Director sets the pace, the direction and the goals. The chapter on the last group, "building", open wi... The Caregiver is tasked with making it easier for the customer to transition to a new innovative context and the Storyteller, the final persona, enhances the motivation and the bonding of the team to produce real and useful innovation. The book closes with a final chapter with some general pointers on succeeding in innovation. The strength of the book lies in the very attainable possibility of replicating the innovation system that it describes. Kelley expresses the concepts and methods in terms that are related to everyday business life and does not make any excessive demand on the reader's intellect. The "cookbook" approach also allows readers to review their own organizations and to pinpoint any particular areas of weakness or malfunction. In a sense, the strength of the book is also its weakness: managing 10 different role models in a fast-moving business environment is a complex task and requires considerable energy. A section on a minimalist approach with ease of application would have been welcome, all the more so in that chapters on some roles (Director for example) appear to have been "padded" with more generic material. In addition, the transversal or underlying nature of certain personas notably in the organizing group could be further developed to enhance practical application. However Kelley makes a valid contribution to business in general with a workable innovation system underpinned by his own real experience. In the field of organizational behavior in particular, Kelley contributes at a micro-organizational level, mostly by charting the development of individual contributor roles, but also to some extent

Is a college education worth it Pro thesis paper - 1

Is a college education worth it Pro paper - Thesis Example ses required for gaining sufficient educational background, benefits of college education beat financial difficulties that should be overcome in order to profit. College education allows making life more comfortable, successful and prosperous which is explained by directly proportional correlation of taken time/ trouble and further well-being. As a proof, comparing people who start working at once after school graduation and those ones who spend additional four years for gaining qualifications Baum, Ma and Payea investigated the following: â€Å"As workers age, earnings rise more rapidly for those with higher levels of education. For example, the gap between the earnings of full-time workers whose highest degree is bachelor’s degree and those of high school graduates grows from 54% ($15,200) for 25 - to 29-year-olds to 86% ($32,000) for 45- to 49-year-olds†(5). Entering a college, students obtain skills and abilities required to that area which is chosen for their future professions what makes them more appealing to the employers and what makes them more competitive in comparison with those who missed college education. Besides the qualification itself, students are learning to make researches, to work on improvement of those basics that they are proposed, to challenge common believes, to introduce their knowledge to real life. Even though someone may contradict that there is also such a thing like self-education that does not suppose being officially a student in some college, unfortunately, statistics can prove that self study carries to success only in exceptional cases. Making a decision on the necessity of entering the college it is not enough to be ruled by self-interest because willing to live in a better society, it is everyone’s obligation to make a contribution to that. According to the research of Baum and Payea, â€Å"in addition to increasing material standards of living, reduced poverty improves the overall well-being of the population. †¦ In

The effects of alcohol drinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The effects of alcohol drinking - Essay Example This paper will elaborate on the noxious effects of drinking on physical health, mental and psychological well-being and education that later lead to adverse consequences to society as a whole. Effects of Drinking It should be pointed out that alcohol drinking among youths has increased tremendously in last 15 – 20 years primarily due to peer influence, excessive drinking of family members, portrayal of exaggerated images of fortitude / bravery of actors in movies, continuous persuasive and reminder advertising of alcohol beverages. Kremer and Levy (2008) have highlighted that frequent / occasional alcohol drinking is common among students who share similar rooms with other alcohol drinkers. Nevertheless, the academic performance of such drinkers is significantly lower in comparison to non-drinkers. Usually, students end up with poor grades and low CGPAs as an outcome of their drinking habit (addiction to alcohol). Drinkers are found addicted to life-threatening drugs and narc otics. The second most dangerous effect of alcohol drinking on youths is behavioral misconduct and aggravation of thinking and understanding abilities (Snyder et al, 2006). ... As a result, unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases take place, which negatively affects health of male and female students. For instance, the situation becomes grave when male students get indulged in sexual harassment, ‘dating violence’ and physical abuse to their female counterparts, which then lead to disciplinary violations and lack of harmony within premises of educational institutions (Miller et al, 2006). Other serious behavioral issues with youth drinkers include carelessness / recklessness / wildness in driving and aggressive moves towards other students; the outcomes of which are nothing but grisly accidents (life-long disabilities and financial losses) and unnecessary (baseless and avoidable) combats between / among rival individuals / groups. The worst outcomes of frequent alcohol drinking (especially the case with addicts) include lack of emotional stability / control and obvious personality weaknesses, which then leads to ‘suicides an d homicides’ as highlighted by Duncan et al (2005). For instance, emotionally unstable (and drunk) youths when become hopeless at a certain point in their life then they commit suicides, thereby considering any unfavorable outcomes and events as an end of the world. Similarly, when drunk youths are unable to satisfy themselves through aggression and physically torture towards their rivals, they select homicide as an appropriate option and assassinate their enemies. Conclusion I would now like to end up this analysis by summarizing the facts that alcohol drinking is not only detrimental for a drinker’s mental and physical health but also may lead to conflicts among people, suicides and murders. Society, as a whole, is affected because emotionally

Impact of Evaluations on Principal's Instructional Leadership Capacity Assignment

Impact of Evaluations on Principal's Instructional Leadership Capacity - Assignment Example Nevertheless, we review what we have gathered for their validity and reliability and identify from the research the direction for future research. Validity refers to the ability of a particular research instrument to measure what it purports to measure (Cohen et al., 2005, p. 105). Cohen et al. (2005, p. 105) clarified, however, that there are several types of validity. According to Cohen et al. (2005, p. 105), some of the concepts of validity relevant for research are as follows: content validity, criterion-related validity; construct validity; internal validity; external validity; concurrent validity; face validity; jury validity; predictive validity; systematic validity; catalytic validity; descriptive validity; interpretative validity; theoretical validity; and evaluative validity. Many of the concepts of validity mentioned are discussed in Cohen et al. (2005, p. 105-117). Meanwhile reliability refers to consistency and replicabilty over time (Cohen et al., 2005, p. 117). Accordi ng to Cohen et al. (2005, p. 117), reliability is also concerned with precision and accuracy. They emphasized that â€Å"for research to be reliable it must demonstrate that if it were to be carried out on a similar group of respondents in a similar context, similar results would happen (Cohen et al., 2005, p. 117). Some of the other concepts related with reliability are stability, equivalence, and internal consistency (Cohen et al., 2005, p. 117-120). According to Cohen et al. (2005, p.120-133), validity and reliability should be simultaneously considered in education research. My review of research done on evaluation systems for principals indicate that further research on evaluation systems for principals should be along these lines: 1. Identifying the elements of the principal evaluation systems adopted by schools making great progress in instruction work and the role played by principal evaluation. 2. Identifying whether there is a correlation between academic performance of s chools and the evaluation systems they have adopted for principals. 3. The role played by VAL-Ed or the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education or VAL-ED in improving school performance, if any. The VAL-Ed supposedly met the high standards for content validity and reliability among the principal evaluation systems investigated by the New Leaders for New Schools in 2010. 4. The constraints encountered by schools in implementing a good evaluation system for principals. II. Sun and Youngs (2009) Sun and Youngs (2009, p. 2) described their work to have used hierarchical multivariate linear models â€Å"to investigation the relationships between principal evaluation purpose, focus and assessed leadership activities in 13 school district in Michigan†. Sun and Youngs (2009, p. 2) argued that their study found that â€Å"principals were more likely to engage in learning-centered leadership behaviors when the purposes of evaluation included principal professional development , school restructuring and accountability†. However, Sun and Youngs (2009, p. 2) also clarified that when the focus of evaluation was related to instructional leadership in the school setting, the thrust of the school principal activities have been in curriculum design, teacher professional development and evaluation, and monitoring student learning. In