Information or Advice and Guidance Essay Example for Free

Information or Advice and Guidance Essay I work as Locality Co-ordinator for NALS, based at The Gatehouse in Hexham. My role is varied and no two days are the same, however predominantly I manage the building on a daily basis, dealing with the public, clients, tutors and any other persons who access the building. I ensure safe working practices/classrooms in accordance with Northumberland County Council policies as well as working closely with the Locality Manager to ensure the smooth running of centre/courses. I also deal with any issues as and when they should arise. I contribute to the development of the service and monitor client  attendance. I provide information, advice and guidance to clients enquiring about courses/finance as well as advising enrolled clients about choices for progression routes Where I am not able to help a client directly I can refer or signpost them for specialist help. I have provided information and advice to a support worker enquiring on the behalf of a client who is supported in the community, the client volunteers in a local charity shop but struggles with reading. I referred the client to the NALS brochure which she had with her at the time. I drew her attention to the free Functional Skills English class which takes place on a Tuesday with tutor Ged, which covers both reading and writing. I explained that an assessment would have to be carried out to ascertain the clients level. I arranged for a time and date on which the client could be assessed with a view to her potentially beginning the course. I have provided information and advice to a local employer regarding construction courses. I referred to the NALS website and read out brief descriptions of the courses on offer. I sent an e-mail to the client signposting him to Mike Smith who is the course leader. I also provided PDF documents of course descriptions. The clients who access The Gatehouse vary from 16-85 years old. The younger clients are those who did not gain any qualifications at school and whom work towards their Functional Skills (in ICT, Maths and English) parallel to the their chosen course e.g. Working with Children and Young People. Some clients study Access to Higher Education to gain entry into Further/Higher Education. Mature students enrol on a variety of courses whether this be a leisure course or certificated course in languages or ICT. Courses are advertised in brochures which are published three times throughout the year (Autumn, January and Summer.) Leaflets, posters are also displayed in the local job centre e.g. certificated courses such as ICT to help gain employment. NALS has a dedicated website describing courses as well as an electronic version of the brochure. Adverts are also placed in the local press (Hexham Courant.) I also post out information to clients, discuss courses over the telephone and e-mail. Some clients come to the centre and face a particular barrier such as disability. When supporting clients who have a hearing impairment I can either send information electronically or use an induction loop system if the client is in the centre. For visually impaired clients I produce information resources in large text and for ESOL clients information is provided in another language e.g. NALS brochure. I also use different colours of paper for dyslexia. I currently have a client who has impaired vision, for whom I produce all information materials in a large font onto A3 paper. Another client who has dyslexia has benefited from resources which I copy onto yellow paper. To meet the needs of clients who have limited mobility I organise the timetable so that their course is on the ground floor rather than on the first floor. I currently support a client on a language course whose health has deteriorated recently due to arthritis/operations. The class took place on the first floor and she was finding the stairs difficult (we do not have a lift). When this was brought to my attention, I met her needs by moving the class to the ground floor for ease of access. Prior to courses starting enrolment forms are completed by either myself or by clients and once clients commence their courses these forms are sent to Head Office and centrally stored. Enrolment forms that remain on-site are held in locked filing cabinets. Any data which is held electronically e.g. spreadsheet of students on current courses containing any personal details such as date of birth/contact details is password protected. This is all carried out in line with Data Protection Act 1988. Northumberland County Council holds a clean desk policy therefore any client information is locked away at the end of each day In the reception area of my centre a variety of leaflets are on display in racks covering topics such as course information and safeguarding. These can be accessed by clients at any time. In the line with the Equality Act 2010 I can contact Head Office to obtain leaflets in other languages. In my centre I have set up a spreadsheet which holds information on current students such as:- Name Postcode Contact Details Date of Birth Course Start/End date Payment method This is password protected and kept up to date and easily accessible. Head Office centrally hold all enrolment forms once clients have commenced a course, however the electronic system EBS is not always up to date (the front end of the database which we have access to) and sometimes it is difficult to retrieve information on current clients. If clients have a change of circumstance, I use online forms to notify Head Office of this e.g. should they move address, contact details, or withdraw from a course. Copies of any changes are also kept on file in office/within course registers. Online forms, once submitted now automate an acknowledgement that they have been received via e-mail. Copies of this e-mail are kept in folders within my e-mail i.e. Withdrawal confirmation as well as a paper copy of the submitted form. I monitor all information leaflets in the centre ensuring that they are up to date and re-order when necessary.

Tata Motors Jaguar Land Rover Turnaround

Tata Motors Jaguar Land Rover Turnaround Introduction Change as we call it is quite inevitable and it is very necessary in todays fast changing environment and competition. Organizational change management is focused at when big changes need to take place. There are numerous change management models that can be used by companies today in order to successfully implement the change and meet its objectives. The Kurt Lewin Model is an old model still used today. Change management aims at bringing better results than those currently experienced. In change management one understands that there are better ways of performing a particular task in an effective and efficient manner while meeting all the customers expectations and standards of performance. So we can use the ADKAR model here to manage change. Change management theory has 5 principles based upon it like: At first we see that people display and show different reactions to change as each individual is different and unique in their own way. Secondly people strive to meet their basic needs regardless of their stature, occupation or living standards. Thirdly for each of the change to take place the person has to loose something initially to help make the implementation of the change successful. All the people put in varied amounts of efforts for the change as per their perception so the change activity needs to be realistic in nature. Change brings with it fear and a feeling of mistrust so change management can only take place if these people face their fears. These five principles need to be implemented properly by the company to actually make the change process feasible and successful. Change management requires acceptability from all the concerned stakeholders as it cannot succeed by acceptance of one but by only a collective effort of many. (Change Management 100 Success Secrets) A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be Wayne Gretzky, Canadian ice hockey player Change Management (2008) Literature Review Analysis Kurt Lewin Change Management Model In 1947 Kurt Lewin proposed a three stage theory of Change which is very relevant till date and most newer models are quite based on this model. The three stages are: Unfreeze This is the most critical stage as it involves preparing oneself before a change is implemented. It involves understanding that a change needs to take place and the employees need to get out of the comfort zone. A deadline needs to there to which some reward/punishment is linked to motivate the people to go for the change and accept it. So unfreezing one-self and seeing the inherent advantages outweighing the disadvantages lead to a successful change. This refers to another Kurt Lewins theory called the Force Field Analysis. So as per the Force Field Analysis if the pros outweigh the cons then change can take place smoothly as it acts as a pushing factor but if not then there is resistance which can be detrimental to the objective and purpose of the change. We can actually take a practical example to illustrate the above diagram in a better position in the case of Tata motors in the Analysis section. Change So the next stage is the transition stage where the change actually happens. Here we see people have inhibitions as they are unsure of the results or consequences from the change process are taking place within the organization. Certain factors like training, guides and mentors can be used to make the learning process easier and faster as it helps the people to adapt and understand the objective and rationale for the change activity. Through self involvement and proper communication one can encourage the change to take place in an easier fashion. Freeze This stage is also called the refreezing stage as it involves if there is stability after the change has actually occurred. People now tend to adapt and accept the change and it becomes a part of their daily routine. Change is a continuous process and soon after the implementation of the change the next change process starts off at any point and can finish at any point of time. (Kurt Lewin Change Management Model (1947)) ADKAR: Model for Change A very innovative and powerful change model was developed by Mr. Jeff Hiatt who was the CEO of Prosci Change Management and it was first published in 2003. This model tells us that organizational change can succeed when each of the individual members of the organization transition through the change management process. There are five steps in this model: Awareness of the need for change This involves understanding why a particular change is necessary is the primary aspect of a successful change. We here find out the rationale and need behind the change. So the logic behind the change can be instilled in the employee. Desire to support and participate in the change Here the employee has to take a self decision to be an active participant in the change. Only when the person is confident and convinced that the change is essential then only will he participate in the change activity. Proper incentives need to be formulated in order to motivate the person not to deter from the path of change. Knowledge on how to change This is the third stage of the model in which knowledge about the change can be imparted through training, mentorship and other educational methods. 2 types of knowledge is to be focused at: knowledge on how to change (things to be done during the transition or the time during which the change is being implemented) and knowledge on how to perform after the change activity is established. Ability to implement required skills and behaviors In this part of the building block Ability is referred to the difference between theory and practice. Once knowledge on how to change is in place then this is the theory being referred to and then comes the practical aspect which is the actual performance of the individual. This is a time consuming process and can be successfully implemented through having a mentor and a feedback process. Reinforcement to sustain the change In the final stage of the model there is an essential component in which efforts made by the individual to sustain the change are pressed upon. Here it is ensured that changes made stay in place and that the employee does not slip back to his old ways which can be ensured through positive response, benefits, acknowledgement, measuring of the performance and actions taken to improve the results. ADKAR Model of Change (2003) Kotters 8 steps for Leading Change Dr. John Kotter developed the 8 steps to change which can help organizations to avoid failure and be proactive to change. They are: Acting with Urgency It refers to identification of the problem and crisis areas in regards to the company, market and the competitive forces. Developing the Guiding Coalition Form a team of employees who would be responsible to handle the change efforts in a collective manner. Developing a Change Vision This step involves creating a vision and formulating the strategies to achieve the vision. Communicating the Vision buy-in There needs to be clear communication between the employees and the vision and the means to achieve it both need to be known by all the employees while keeping the team as the source of example. Empowering broad based action Use varied risky ideas, non-traditional means and other techniques not in the book to remove all the obstacles to the change. Generating short term wins Visible improvements need to be planned and all the incumbents should be duly rewarded for their efforts. Do not let up To change all the systems, structures and policies new employees maybe needed to be recruited, old ones removed and other promoted to meet the vision by also putting in new projects, ideas, work patterns, etc. Make change stick Use the leaders in the organization to show its employees the benefits of the change activity in both qualitative and quantitative terms so that people do not digress from the change activity. Kotters 8 steps of change (2005) Beckhard Harris Change Formulae In 1987 Beckhard and Harris developed the Change equation which helps the organization to identify all the possibilities to change. The change equation propounded is: D x V x F > R = Dissatisfaction x Vision x First steps > Resistance to Change All the three components must be present in congruence in order to overcome resistance to change. Dissatisfaction with the current happenings, Vision of what is to come in the near future, and the way/direction/First steps to reach or achieve this vision should all be there to repel the resistance to the change activity. Beckhard and Harriss Change Equation (1987) CASE STUDY Tata Motors Jaguar Cars Limited and Land Rover, based in the UK, are one of the key global auto majors companies that are engaged in manufacturing luxury sports saloons and sports cars that cater to the premium end of the market. On June 22, 2008; Tata Motors, Indias largest automobile company, acquired the Jaguar Land Rover businesses from Ford Motor Company for a net consideration of US $2.3 billion. (Press Release: 2nd June, 2008) But just immediately after the acquisition; the global financial sector collapsed and squeezed out global liquidity. The resultant shortage of funds, along with the drastic rise in the prices of commodities and fuel, has a negative impact on the global automotive sector. All the automobile companies, hard hit by the crisis, posted major operating losses. Out of the three major U.S. car makers, General Motors and Chrysler, filed for bankruptcy. Jaguar Land Rover was hit hard in the second half of the year ended 31st March 2009. In the U.S, Europe and Japan, sales of new cars have declined by 16% in the second half of the year. Stimulus packages designed to rekindle demand were only partially successful. The volumes at JLR over the 10 months post acquisition reduced by 32% as compared to the comparable period in the previous year resulting in a Loss before tax of GB  £ 281 million. Europe was in doldrums. This was a major concern for the Tatas since it is a big market for Jaguar Land Rover. By the end of January 2009, Tata Motors had US$ 2 billion outstanding as regards the bridge loan. Moreover, JLR required additional investments, that too quickly, in order to sustain its operations that were burning cash at that juncture. Terming the acquisition as irrationally exuberant , critics started questioning the rationale for the companys move To compound the companys woes, the commercial launch of Tata Motors small car Nano required much more time than anticipated. The Nano was always more than just a car. It was Tata group supremo Ratan Tatas dream project to bring an affordable transportation solution within reach of the masses. The promise of a small car priced at Rs. 1 lakh had fired the imagination of an entire nation and the global automotive industry (Forbes) Faced with the altered dynamics of the new business environment, the company adapted its productive model as well as profit strategy to respond to the need of the hour. Prompt action was taken to reduce inventory, improve working capital, reduce investments and payroll costs including more than 2000 job losses. Transition initiatives were undertaken in marketing, customer financing support, IT and related infrastructure. The company appointed KPMG International and also Roland Berger Strategy Consultants to suggest appropriate action plans to reduce costs at the two brands. Around 2,200 employees were sacked of JLR since it took over the management of JLR. The move was in sharp contrast to the well entrenched business practices followed by the Tata Group where no employees are retrenched. The company to secure flexible arrangements with the workforce in the UK. Tata Motors had Rs 191 crore in employee separation costs at JLR during the year ended 31st March 2009 The company finished with the guarantee arrangements which enable them to access a  £340 million loan duly approved through the European Investment Bank. The utilization of these resources will focus towards developing technologies for JLR. The Company prepaid part of the said facility out of proceeds of a Rights Issue and certain divestments and the balance outstanding as on March 31, 2009 was US$ 2.02 billion. For repayment of the said amount, the Company in May 2009 raised resources through further divestments and issued Secured Non-Convertible Credit Enhanced Rupee Debentures in four tranches, having tenors upto 7 years, aggregating Rs.4,200 crores on a private placement basis. The balance facility of US$ 1 billion was rolled over and guaranteed by the Company, by extending the final maturity upto December 2010. New launches were planned. Range Rover Evoque is to be launched in summer of 2011. With a view to capitalize on the growing demand for luxury cars in China, the company gave a major thrust to strategy for China and also explored possible assembly in India Ravi Kant the non-executive, vice-chairman was quoted as saying: A lot of restructuring has happened at JLR but these are early days. We will continue with the cost reduction measures. (Press Meet, November 2010) Tata Motors Group CEO and Managing Director Carl-Peter Forster said, We are focussing on reducing costs and selective hiring for JLR. (Hindu) While sales of JLR, along with that of the Indian commercial vehicle segment significantly reduced in 2008-09 during the global meltdown, resulting in a consolidated loss for the company, all these segments registered an impressive recovery in 2009-10, an event that vindicated the sound fundamentals of the Companys longer-term strategies. The revival of Jaguar Land Rover was significant in April 2010 with the sales per unit of the two UK companies growing at 61 percent in comparison to the previous year. (Automotive News Europe) Source: Tata Motors Press Meet The efforts bore fruit when Tata Motors Limited posted a gain which was more than 100 times in profit for the second-quarter ended 30th September 2010. This was attributable to global economic recovery, growing Chinese and US demand. (India Watch) Jaguar Land Rover reported a profit after tax of  £238 mn for the quarter ending Sept 2010. In a time span of eighteen months after the takeover, Tata Motors was able to turnaround the JLR story, adopting a cost reducing and sales booming strategy. (MSN News) While JLR turnaround has been achieved, the declining sales of the Nano, the worlds cheapest car, continue to a major challenge for Tata Motors. For Nano, again, flexible to change, the company has initiated a pan-India campaign in order to promote and market the car. The strategy is to reach out to that class of buyers who were the original target base of the company. Senior executives at Tata Motors are closely following pro-active measures to reach out to customers. These include ensuring better coordination between banks and customers, facilitating tie-ups with regional finance institutions and opening newer channels to reach out to the end-consumer, among several others. However these efforts are yet to bear fruition. (Rediff) ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION We can see how the Force Field Analysis can be used in the analysis of the Tata Mators case: From the above example we can clearly see that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages thus change can me possibly be implemented. Successful implementation of change is achieved by either making the driving forces strong or by making the preventive forces weak. After all these theories we can also look into some of the facts stated in regards to change management by research scholars in their papers. As per the findings of the paper Nobody in charge: Distributed Change agency in Healthcare we can clearly see that the authors that in complex organizations where a formal structure and environment is not present a more of a distributed change agency can be established where small teams and groups are formed. These teams have a wider scope of roles with distributed responsibility among all the stakeholders which was possible due to the change goals. Here nobody was watching over the other thus change was a lot voluntary. This is a good approach for such organizations to tackle with change. This concept could have been used by Tata Motors also to help in involving all the levels of management to get the due turnaround strategy in a faster and better manner. Nobody in charge: Distributed change agency in healthcare (2009) Another paper on change management in a dynamic business process tells us that we can make the execution of any business process flexible and adaptable to any situation through the change management technique. Run time change management softwares are used to make all the business processes in a company flexible and dynamic thus helping cope up with the demand for changes even after the new process has been implemented. Change Management in Dynamic Business Process (2010) Prof. Robert E. Ledez in his paper has shown change in a totally different picture. According to him employees perceive change with a very negative connotation and often relate it to downsizing, paycuts, layoffs and relocation. So the employees need to alter their mindset and enable change to take place as in this competitive and ever changing world change needs to take place in all forms like new technology, new ideas, innovations, structural changes and others. Change Management: Getting A Tuned Up Organization Kaizen means continuous improvement of productivity and quality which depends on the participation level of the entire workforce. This is a low-cost approach to productivity and quality improvement. Kaizen relates to the manufacturing sector but also can be applied to the service sector, public and non-profit organizations. Kaizen is one of most critical components of Japanese industrial support in developing countries. Introducing Kaizen (2009) In the review article of Asian Journal of Management Research it has explained change management as one that incorporates the tools of the company which can be utilized to help individuals to make winning personal evolutions resulting in the adoption and realization of change. This concept of change is known to Indian culture, since change management concepts were applied for ministers in the Indian government and civil service way back during the 1980s. Change should be implemented smoothly while adapting all concerned stakeholders through planning, idea generation, sharing of information, preparation, evaluation, and reinforcing. There has to be the human resource as the backbone of this change. Implanting Change (2010) In the research paper Getting Organizational Change Right in Public Services: the Case of European Higher Education has thrown light towards the need or requirement of organizational change and the way to manage this change. Change for the sake of change can be detrimental to the organization so we can use the Bys model developed in 2007 called the conscious V/s unconscious change management theory which brings in successful organizational change. The rationale for the model is that most employees will realize that change initiatives are put forward and drilled into by personal interests, self preservation, indecision, lack of knowledge and incompetence rather than by requirement, knowledge, choice, competence, awareness and what is in the best interest of the sector and its stakeholders. Journal of Change Mangement (2008) Conclusion Actually in Kaizen (kai means change) and (zen mean for good) which is very relevant for all organizations today. The participative attitude of all the employees in any hierarchy can be used to find out different varied suggestions with regards to change in all the areas of the business. Change Management is a very evoking area and its necessity increases as the current economic and global climate demands constant evolution and change if companies want to prosper and grow. The technological innovation, products and rising global competition will only enable the change that will be needed in order to compete. One cannot manage the past but can sure take charge of the future. In a book on managing change we see that organizations of today need to identify the skill set required controlling, plan and managing the change activity. The employees need to determine the objectives, scope, and the direction of change and then formulate a structured implementation plan to cope with all the changes in the competitive environment. Managing Change (1991) In this book we see that today externally we find ourselves in an unpredictable economy with turbulent markets, self eclipsing technology and dramatic demographic trends which makes change imperative. It says that there needs to be a process of change in which there are Inputs are seen then strategy formulated, Transformation process and then Output is derived for the change activity. Through a proper strategic intent can change be formulated. Managing change (2004) Strategic Intent (1989) This book talks a lot about change and time period for change. It tells that organizations should focus on certain things for success like: Dont Delay the change activity as time and tide wait for no man. Change Today and not Tomorrow as there may be no tomorrow if the problem escalates. Do not let Bureaucracy hinder change. Change is for the good and is possible through proper communication. Change is simple but needs to be adapted well for results. By Reinventing and Repositioning the organization one can deal with all the oppositions to change. If we monitor the market and the environment we can anticipate and forecast change easily. Harvard Business School (2007)

Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels - Yahoos and Houyhnhnms :: Gullivers Travels Essays

What do the Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms stand for? What moral was Swift drawing from them? The answer to the second question depends on the solution of the first. One solution could be that the Yahoos represent man as he actually is, self-seeking, sensual and depraved, while the Houyhnhnms symbolize what man ought to be, unselfish, rational, cultured. In the fourth voyage, Swift presents a case study for opposing states of nature, with the Yahoos representing the argument that man is governed by his passions, seeking his own advantage, pursuing pleasures and avoiding pain, and the Houyhnhnms representing the argument that man is governed by reason. If this is the case, then Swift’s misanthropy was such that he saw men as the foul and disgusting Yahoos, and made it plain that reform of the species was out of the question. A major fault with this theory is that it leaves no place for Gulliver. When attention is drawn to the figure of Gulliver himself, as distinct from his creator, Swift, he is taken to be the moral of the story. If you can't be a Houyhnhnm you don't need to be a Yahoo; just try to be like Gulliver. The trouble with this idea is that when taking a closer look at Gulliver, he isn't worth emulating. The final picture of him talking with the horses in the stable for four hours a day, unable to stand the company o f his own family, makes him look foolish.  Ã‚   Another theory is that Gulliver made a mistake in regarding the Houyhnhnms as models to be emulated: so far from being admirable creatures they are as repulsive as the Yahoos. The Yahoos might be ruled by their passions, but these have no human passions at all. On this view, Swift was not advocating, but attacking reason. The voyage does seem to have a slight religious moral also. One of the oldest debates in Christianity concerns the nature of man since the fall of Adam. He was so corrupted by that event that left to his own devices he was beyond redemption. His passions naturally inclined him toward vice, and his reason, so far from bringing him out of his vicious ways, led him even further into error. Only Divine Revelation could bring men back to the straight and narrow path of virtue. Although man is naturally inclined toward evil, nevertheless his own unaided reason could bring him to knowledge of moral truth.

Stem Cell Research is Illegal, Immoral and Unnecessary Essay -- Argume

Stem Cell Research is Illegal, Immoral and Unnecessary    President Bush's limited federal funding of research relying on the destruction of human embryos violates federal statutory law. Christians have grieved for many years over the assault on unborn human life set loose upon our nation by the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision. Even that decision, however, did not affect all areas of law where lawmakers seek to protect developing human life. Because they are not covered by the Court's theory of reproductive privacy, human embryos outside the womb may be fully protected by law - and at least nine states have acted to protect these embryos from lethal experiments. In some states, destructive experimentation on human embryos is a felony. Most Christians have grave concerns on this critically important issue of embryonic stem cell research. In our view, conducting research that relies on deliberate destruction of human embryos for their stem cells is illegal, immoral and unnecessary. It is illegal because it violates an appropriations rider (the Dickey amendment) passed every year since 1995 by Congress. That provision forbids funding "research in which" human embryos (whether initially created for research purposes or not) are harmed or destroyed outside the womb.(1) National Institutes of Health guidelines approved by the Clinton Administration nonetheless give researchers detailed instructions on how to obtain human embryos for destructive cell harvesting, if they wish to qualify for federal grants in "human pluripotent stem cell research."(2) Clearly, obtaining and destroying embryos is an integral part of this project, even if the specific act of destroying embryos does not directly receive federal funds. By i... ...uman Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)-X1 Disease," 288 Science 669-72 (28 April 2000). 16. K. Foss, "Paraplegic regains movement after cell procedure," The Globe and Mail (Toronto), June 15, 2001 at A1. 17. E. Ryan et al., "Glycemic Outcome Post Islet Transplantation," Abstract #33-LB, Annual Meeting of the American Diabetes Association, June 24, 2001. See: http://38.204.37.95/am01/AnnualMeeting/Abstracts/NumberResults.asp?idAbs=33-LB. 18. M. McCullough, "Islet transplants offer hope that diabetes can be cured," Philadelphia Inquirer, June 22, 2001 at A1. 19. D. Woodbury et al., "Adult Rat and Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Differentiate Into Neurons," 61 J. of Neuroscience Research 364-70 (2000) at 364 (emphasis added). 20. D. Prockop, "Stem Cell Research Has Only Just Begun" (Letter), 293 Science 211-2 (13 July 2001)(citations omitted).

Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and the Tragic Hero Essay -- Great Gats

Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and the Tragic Hero      Ã‚  Ã‚   Aristotle invented a list of criteria in an attempt to determine the exact definition of a tragic hero.   The list states the following - the tragic hero must cause his own down fall; the tragic hero's fate is undeserved; the tragic hero's punishment exceeds his crime; the tragic hero must be a great and noble person according to the standards of the current society.   In Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby can be defined as a tragic hero who possesses all of the aforementioned traits.  Ã‚   Jay Gatsby's main desire in life is to become a member of high society, respected more than anyone else.   Gatsby has taken steps to ensure that this desire becomes a reality.   He has accumulated wealth, power, and influence, all in an attempt to create the sparkling image of a successful man.   Although Gatsby's friend Nick is "inclined to reserve all judgements" (1), Gatsby is a strong, unselfish idealist.   Gatsby is a romantic dreamer who wishes to fulfill his ideal by gaining wealth in hopes of impressing and eventually winning the heart of the mat... ...his vision, until his death. Daisy indirectly causes Gatsby's death, making her more than ever, unworthy of Gatsby's affections. Ironically, Gatsby lived for Daisy and up to his death, believed and had faith in her and his vision.    Works Cited Dillon, Andrew. "The Great Gatsby: The Vitality of Illusion." The Arizona Quarterly 44 Spr. 1988: 49-61. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1992. Irwin, John T. "Compensating Visions: The Great Gatsby." Southwest Review 77 Autumn 1992: 536-545.

Psychology and the Bipolar Disorder Essay

Abstract Bipolar Disorder is a serious psychiatric condition that manifests usually in the late teens and affects about one in fifty people. Afflicted individuals experience heightened and extreme states of mania or elation to severe depression, with one in six sufferers inclined to commit suicide. Researchers have discovered biological and genetic links to this illness. Environmental factors such as stressful situations and even diet have been revealed to trigger its onset to those who are biologically inclined to have it, or aggravate its symptoms to those who are already diagnosed with BPD. Bipolar Disorder is a psychiatric condition previously known as manic depression. It is a mental illness that influences how a person acts, feels and thinks. Generally, people with bipolar disorder experience a cycle of mood swings that range from elation to depression. The degrees of these mood swings likewise vary from mild to extreme. The experience of extreme elation is also known as mania. Studies have shown an estimated one percent of the population develop bipolar disorder. Symptoms usually manifest itself in early adulthood. For many people with bipolar disorder, this condition usually lasts throughout their lives. The effects of bipolar disorder also extend to social and occupational aspects. Sufferers may withdraw from family and friends, and sometimes find themselves unable to work. There is a tendency for bipolar disorder to occur in sporadic episodes. Between episodes, the individual may experience no symptoms and function normally. About a third of them however may continue to experience mood difficulties or problems socially or with work between bipolar occurrences. People who have bipolar disorder often are not fully conscious of their condition. Those who fail to receive treatment may experience an average of four episodes in ten years. A minority of people with bipolar disorder (15%) may have many episodes in a year. Bipolar disorder is brought about by both biological (brain chemistry) and genetic (history of the disorder in the family) factors, as well as lifestyle (stressors and diet) and environmental (mania in spring, depression in winter) factors. In other words, both â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture† influence the occurrence of bipolar disorder in people. This paper will examine the inter-relationship between the various â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture† factors, in giving rise to the onset of bipolar disorder in people (The Australian Psychological Society, 2008). It is estimated that more than two million Americans have it. Men and women are equally affected. Onset of the condition is usually during late teens. It is also estimated that an additional one million children and pre-teens are suffering from the early stages of bipolar disorder. Detection and diagnosis are at most times delayed. Often people suffer for a decade before condition is diagnosed (Time Magazine – Young and Bipolar, 2002). In the United Kingdom, about half a million people are estimated to have bipolar disorder (University of Edinburgh, 2007). Bipolar disorder is a major psychiatric illness. According to a study in Australia, bipolar disorder affects around one in fifty people, and one in every six people with bipolar disorder will commit suicide (University of New South Wales, 2006). Biological Causes of Bipolar Disorder In the Seventh International Conference on Bipolar Disorder in June 2007, two studies have linked the brain as containing vital clues or markers for the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Dr. Husseini Manji, chief of the laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology at the National Institute of Mental Health suggested that bipolar disorder occurs as a result of abnormalities in neuronal plasticity cascades. This is the complex machinery inside new cells which regulates various processes in the human body. Disruptions in these pathways were discovered to lead to many of the primary symptoms of bipolar disorder. Dr. Mary Phillips, Director of Functional Neuroimaging in Emotional Disorders at the Western Psychiatric Institute and the Clinic of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, has discovered patterns of abnormalities in the neural systems that bring about emotional processing and cognitive control uniquely attributed to the bipolar brain (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2007). In Time Magazine’s interview with Dr. Wayne Drevets of the National Institute of Mental Health, five parts of the human brain were described to have abnormal activities in the bipolar brain. The Ventral Striatum is that which helps the brain process rewards. In the bipolar brain, this Ventral Striatum is over-active, with about 30% less gray matter in this region. The resulting behavior is a loss in judgment for certain behaviors such as overspending or being indiscriminate. The Prefrontal Cortex, or parts of it, regulates emotion. It is also vital in processing motivation and rewards. In the bipolar brain, braches that supposedly connect neurons are lost, leading to a 20-40% reduction of gray matter. The Amygdala is one of the brain’s emotional centers. It helps in the identification of facial expressions and tones of voice. When a person is emotionally stimulated, neural transmissions increase. When a person is repeatedly exposed to the same stimulating images or experiences, habituation or reduced response occurs. In the bipolar brain, habituation the repeated stimuli occurs slowly, thus the brain remains reactive even beyond the usual response period. The Hippocampus is one of the brain’s centers of memory. The subiculum, a layer of the hippocampus, helps recognize circumstances that represent reward or danger. In the bipolar brain, the branches that connect neurons are lost. Thus leading to a constant state of anxiety since the person can no longer identify situations that are safe. The nucleus in the brain stem contains the serotonin cell bodies. These create and disperse the neurotransmitter to various sections of the brain. In a bipolar brain, there is 40% less serotonin receptor in the nucleus. The resulting atrophy of neurons usually lead to depression (Kluger & Song, 2002). People with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia have been discovered to have overactive protein kinase C (PKC) enzymes. This enzyme impairs higher brain functions, according to a study of Yale University in 2004. This study tested the effects of increased PKC activity in the prefrontal cortex of animals that performed working memory tasks. The regulation of thoughts, behaviors and feelings all takes places in the prefrontal cortex region of the brain. Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia renders the prefrontal cortex dysfunctional. Direct or indirect activation of PKC in animals dramatically impaired functions of the prefrontal cortex. PKC triggers the cognitive symptoms as a response to stress. When the chemical norepinephrine, the stress-sensitive messenger, binds to cell membrane receptors in the prefrontal cortex, the PKC is activated through a cascade of events. The PKC enzyme thus travels out to the cell membrance, opens the ion channels which heighten the cell’s excitability, and strokes the protein machinery which propels neurotransmitters into the synapse. Inhibition of PKC on the other hand, protected the prefrontal cortical function. For cognitive tasks that did not rely on the prefrontal cortex, no changes in performance were observed (NIH/NIHM, 2004; Yale University, 2004). This particular research results contributes to the mounting evidence of that excessive activity of the PKC may cause distractibility, impulsivity, disturbed thinking and impaired judgment seen in people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (Yale University, 2004). In Australia in 2006 scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the University of New South Wales discovered the first risk gene specifically associated with bipolar disorder. People with this particular form of gene are twice as likely to develop the disease. Studies with families, unrelated patients and therapeutic drug mouse models led to the discovery of this gene called FAT – a gene related to the connection of brain cells. The research’s initial findings pointed that the popular lithium treatment for bipolar disorder exerts a therapeutic effect by altering FAT gene expression and also alters the expression of genes encoding FAT’s protein partners. This particular research on the FAT gene continues to discover further how it functions, to be able to develop better diagnostic tests and treatment (University of New South Wales, 2006). Genetic factors of Bipolar Disorder It is unlikely that scientists will expect genes to tell the whole story about major psychiatric diseases. However, the persistent frequency of mental illness in one percent of the international human population, across ethnic and cultural differences, and its tendency to manifest itself in families point to a strong genetic link (Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 2003). Scientists have reason to believe in that bipolar disorder can be passed on to next generations of families genetically. In â€Å"gene penetrance,† families susceptible to certain illnesses develop it differently throughout generations. It is more common-place that later generations suffer worse than previous generations due to a genetic mechanism known as â€Å"trinucleotide repeat expansion.† Each time genes are inherited, defective sequences of these genes grow longer. This results in descendants coming down with the illness. Trinucleotide repeat expansion has been associated with Huntington’s disease, and evidence is currently mounting to this genetic condition increases the risk of having bipolar disorder as well. The National Institute of Mental Health has worked with eight research centers around the United States to study genomes of 500 families with a history of bipolar disorder to examine what genetic quirks are shared. Ten out of forty-six human chromosomes were discovered to show irregularities that may be linked with bipolar disorder. Chromosome 22 is the most interesting of which. This same chromosome has also been associated with schizophrenia, and velo-cardio-facial syndrome. All these disorders are related by patients’ experience of delusions (Kluger & Song, 2002). Environmental triggers of Bipolar Disorder Environmental factors in itself are not believed to singularly cause bipolar disorder in people. Dr. Michael Gitlin, Head of the Mood Disorders Clinic at the University of California in Los Angeles says that most doctors and scientists do not think environmental stress causes bipolar disorder. But these factors can trigger the condition in people who are already vulnerable (Kluger & Song, 2002). Like many latent emotional disorders such as alcoholism, anxiety conditions, depression, bipolar disorder can also be triggered by major life events such as death, divorce, losing one’s job, or rights of passage such as moving out to start college, marriage, birth of a child. These and other situations that cause stress and anxiety are believed to trigger bipolar disorder (Kluger & Song, 2002). The Yale University study has also revealed thatt mild stress can activate PKC, and thus contribute to the worsening of symptoms in patients already with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The link between outside stress as stimulating the PKC can thus be used to explain deterioration of higher brain function, and why bipolar disorder and schizophrenia patients are most susceptible to dysfunctions that are stress-induced (Yale University, 2004). Dietary factors and ingested substances as triggers to Bipolar Disorder What a person eats and drinks are also believed to trigger bipolar disorder. Caffeine triggers mania for those with bipolar disorder. Teens are thus advised to stay away from coffee and tea. Children already diagnosed with bipolar disorder must avoid caffeinated foods such as chocolate and sodas. Teens and adolescents must avoid alcohol and drugs. The risks for addiction to these substances by bipolars is substantially higher, and treatment for bipolar disorder will be much more difficult since the patient’s mind is already clouded by these recreational chemicals (Kluger & Song, 2002). Lead poisoning was discovered to have links with distractibility and impulsivity that are evident in children with bipolar disorder. Even low levels of lead can activate the PKC enzyme, thus impairing the individual’s self regulation of his/her behavior. (Yale University, 2004). Lizzie Simon has bipolar disorder. She has written a book about her condition entitled â€Å"Detour,† which even inspired an MTV Special entitled â€Å"True Life: I’m Bipolar.† Time Magazine featured excerpts of her book, describing the first significant onset of bipolar disorder symptoms when she was seventeen years old, and her particular circumstances during this time. She was in Paris on her senior year abroad. She was having a wonderful time, and remembered thinking that she had never been this happy for this long in her entire life. She then received a letter of early admission to Columbia University. Early the next morning, after such a perfect day prior, she felt insane. She experienced an uncomfortable light fuzz building up in her head. She described the feeling as if her jeans were too tight and her shoes were too big, but in her head. She remembered her place ride home for Christmas, and getting intoxicated with a guy in the last row. At that point for Lizzie, things started to fade. Between Christmas and New Year, she felt drifting and drowning. Her walls swooned. She documented in her journals thoughts of suicide attempts, experiences of being broken- hearted, sadness and other dark experiences. After receiving an initial treatment of Paxil, an anti-depressant, Lizzie returned to Paris and brought her pills with her. In Paris, Lizzie was in a manic state. She remembers sitting in a cafà © on a sunny day, then standing up and announcing loudly that she was going to walk until she got laid. Lizzie experienced many more psychotic episodes from manic to depressive during this period – sitting in her bedroom and thinking that there were microphones everyone, expecting killers to enter her room, feeling that the Mona Lisa was smiling at her, thinking she was a cat infested with bugs. She even bit her hand until she broke her own skin. At one time, she was about to jump off a terrace, only to be disrupted by the ringing of her phone. She remembered the caller being a woman who sounded like her mother. But she then thought then it was the CIA. She sought treatment at the American Hospital in Paris. She was advised to stop taking Paxil, and was diagnosed to have bipolar disorder. She flew home and later on, started taking Lithium (Simon, 2002). It is interesting to note that Lizzie Simon’s grandfather had bipolar disorder. Since her family kept it a secret, Lizzy had no idea of this particular aspect of her family history until after she was diagnosed, and after the symptoms developed into more severe forms. He was diagnosed the year she was born. Lizzie was diagnosed the year her grandfather died (Simon, 2002). This is not an issue of nature versus nurture. What the evidence points out is more of a â€Å"nurture enhancing nature† inter-relationship. Although numerous studies have shown that there are people who are predisposed biologically and genetically to bipolar disorder, external factors such as events, stress and even diet can not only trigger bipolar disorder. These factors can also worsen the symptoms of already diagnosed bipolar patients. Lizzie Simon’s story is just one of thousands of incidents of people inheriting the genes that lay the foundation of bipolar disorder, the prominent symptoms of which are triggered by emotional and stressful external events and circumstances. In the same manner, people with bipolar disorder, or those who are most inclined to develop this condition (having parents or grandparents with bipolar disorder) can prevent its occurrences, or at least lessen the severity of its symptoms, depending on how they personally manage stressful situations in their lives. The principle of external and environmental factors as triggering the onset, or worsening the symptoms of bipolar disorder is already widely accepted internationally. But studies to better understand the details of these inter-relationships of â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture,† particularly to develop better diagnostic tests and treatments are on-going. References Australian Psychological Society (2008) What is Bipolar Disorder? Retrieved January 1, 2008 from http://www.psychology.org.au/community/bipolar/ Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions (2003, April 1). Families With Severe Form Of Bipolar Disorder Help Scientists Narrow The Search For Disease Genes. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Families%20With%20Severe%20Form%20Of%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20Help%20Scientists%20Narrow%20The%20Search%20For%20Disease%20Genes.htm Kluger, J. & Song, S. (2002) Young and Bipolar. Time Magazine. Retrieved January 1, 2008 from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101020819-336003,00.html NIH/National Institute Of Mental Health (2004, November 3). Stress Impairs Thinking Via Mania-Linked Enzyme. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Stress%20Impairs%20Thinking%20Via%20Mania-Linked%20Enzyme.htm Simon, L. (2002). Everything was perfect†¦and then I went insane. Time Magazine. Retrieved January 1, 2008 from http://www.time.com/time/cov ers/1101020819/detour.html University of Edinburgh (2007, July 21). Manic Depression Linked With Brain Tissue Loss. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Manic%20Depression%20Linked%20With%20Brain%20Tissue%20Loss.htm University of New South Wales (2006, January 13). FAT Chance Of Becoming Manic-depressive. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/FAT%20Chance%20Of%20Becoming%20Manic-depressive.htm University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2007, June 9). Brain Holds Clues To Bipolar Disorder. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Brain%20Holds%20Clues%20To%20Bipolar%20Disorder.htm Yale University (2004, November 5). Enzyme Linked To Mania And Schizophrenia Impairs Higher Brain Func tions. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Enzyme%20Linked%20To%20Mania%20And%20Schizophrenia%20Impairs%20Higher%20Brain%20Functions.htm

Distracted by Today’s Technology Essay

We are part of a country that is focused on making life easier and faster. Technology is something that is constantly on the rise, we are always looking for that new gadget better than the last that is meant to facilitate the everyday life. As a result, many people are starting to lose the ability to show emotions or even carry on a face-to-face conversation, therefore making it difficult for those individuals to develop appropriate social skills. Unfortunately, we fail to see the damage that is being caused by the amount of time being spent on texting, playing with video games, or spending countless hours on social networks as an alternative to making new acquaintances or spending quality time with their loved ones. Let’s start with text messages, known as one of the most popular method of communication these days. It is an unavoidable fact that the text message has become a necessary part of our lives. Like with new couples, who are unable to attain an appropriate sense of what their new partner is actually like. These couples often prefer the convenience of texting as a way of getting to know each other, as opposed to talking on the phone or going on dates. What they fail to realize is that, by trying to maintain a relationship mostly through texting and with barely any physical interaction they are truly inhibiting their ability to assess reactions, expressions or feelings shown by the other person. Sadly, these couples usually choose to end their relationship before knowing if it truly had a chance to flourish into a something meaningful. Although talking on a cellular phone while behind the wheel of a car has been proven to be dangerous, it has now taken a back seat to those drivers who surf the internet and text while on the road. According to a study done by The American Automobile Association, forty-six percent of teens who were interviewed admitted to being distracted behind the wheel because of texting. Many parents will instruct their children not to text while behind the wheel, when in all reality they are not following what they preach by continuing to put us all at risk. Overall, it is a real source of concern that these individuals are consciously adding to the increasing number of accidents on our roads today. Then we have video games, which have been around for decades. In recent years, the popularity of video games has sky rocketed amongst our youth. Our children are learning how to hijack a car from a pregnant mother with her two kids, shoot a gangster with an automatic weapon, and even drag race down the streets of a quiet neighborhood, all from the comfort of their couch. The days of going outside to play with friends and bike riding have been replaced by sitting in front of a television set and playing with your Nintendo, Xbox, or PlayStation, just to name a few. Homework and chores are often overlooked, but worse are the many parents that are using these gaming devices as babysitters as an alternative to spending quality time with their kids. Many parents remain satisfied by simply knowing that their children are safely in the house, dismissing the possibility their children are becoming couch potatoes with no social skills. Sadly, many of these children are not receiving any other exercise than what is given during their P.E. class in school. These are the children that will likely end up as obese, anti-social members of our society. Lastly, we are now surrounded by social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and Twitter that are dedicated to connecting friends and family that live all around the world with the intentions of increasing communication between them. Friends can post pictures, write about what they are doing at the moment, and surf other friends profiles. While we cannot deny the benefits that these sites may provide, we should also not fail to realize the many dangers that can be linked to these social networks. Computer viruses are one of the most common disadvantages seen with social networks, one wrong click and you could send all you personal information to some crook across the country. But more damaging are the ill effects that our children are likely to encounter. Cyber bullying is much more intense and malicious than what some of us may have experienced in our high school hallways. Teasing, harassing, and name calling are now posted on the internet for everyone to see. In 2006, a teenage girl committed suicide for the constant bullying she received from her classmates and even one of their parents, her mother never suspected any of it. More importantly, many children and teenagers are now sharing too much information with strangers that they meet online, believing they are someone of their same age and with their same interests. Unknowingly, they are making themselves easy targets for predators of all kinds. This could possibly be avoided if parents were to limit the time spent online and diligently monitor their internet usage. I understand that some people may disagree with my views on the damaging effects that could be associated with allowing too much technology into all aspects of our lives. At the end of the day, what are the benefits we are receiving from allowing technology to play such a large role in our lives? Are we coming together at the end of the day? The days of â€Å"family dinner time† are slowly becoming memories of the past. Fewer are the families that sit around a table to share a meal, socialize, and relate stories about their day. We are missing out on opportunities to bond with our children and watch them grow. As well as new couples that would benefit from more phone conversations and dates, perhaps giving themselves a better chance at a more meaningful and stable relationship, possibly reducing the current divorce rates. It is a fact that we live in a world that technology has become a must in our lives. We are now dependent on cellular phones, and computers, while our children are consumed by their games. I also agree that all of the advancements made by technology are simply indented to somehow improve the way we function on a daily basis. But there should be a limit to how much technology we allow in our lives. Maybe we should make an effort to dedicate time to our families by turning off the cellular phone and put aside the computer a few nights a week. The benefits we will receive for maintaining a loving and nurturing relationship with our loved ones will continue to be evident for years to come.