Elements of a Contract Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Elements of a Contract - Research Paper Example These include: an offer, acceptance, contractual capacity, consideration, formalities, illegality/legality, intention, terms of a contract, vitiating elements, misrepresentation, discharge of a contract and remedies for the breach of a contract. Elements of a Contract To enter into a contract, one party makes an unequivocal manifestation of his/her intentions to contract with another. An offer refers to the intent to contract. The part making an offer is called the offeror while the party to which the offer is made is called an offeree. An offer can be in a written form, verbal or merely implied through the parties conduct. Therefore an offer is an expression, a promise or an act committed by an individual from whom the law is able to construe his intentions to contract with another part as long the other part agrees to perform their duties in the contract. In this case, the Fabulous Hotels made the offer. The offeree accepted to the terms and conditions of the offeror and signed the contract which made the contract legally binding. Acceptance of an offer is the external demonstration of assent by the offeree (DiMatteo, 1998). When an offer is agreed upon the contract comes into existence. This occurs when the two parties consent and agree to perform their duties as defined by the contract. However, for an agreement to constitute a contract, it must be supported by a legal consideration. This refers to the rights, benefits, interest or profit, loss or forbearance, or a responsibility that one of the parties suffers or the other party undertakes. It also refers to anything that has value attached to it according to the law, moving from the plaintiff. Individuals getting into a contract must have the capacity to contract. Capacity to contract refers to the legal right a person has to enter into a legally binding agreement. There are varying contractual capacities that are allowed by the law depending on the age, the mental state and the influence of drugs on the person. The head chef and the fabulous hotels managers had the contractual capacity since they were adults. According to DiMatteo, (1998), for every contract to be valid the purpose for which it is meant to accomplish must be valid. An agreement to do something unlawful does not constitute a contract. The contract was also legal since the business involved is a legal business. Therefore the contract was binding. Enforcement Fabulous hotel and the head chef entered into a contract of restraint in trade. For the contract to be enforceable, the employee must have accepted the restraint. The restraint must also have been for the beneficial purposes of the restraining party and the whole public. The restraint is also enforceable if it is reasonable to both the hotel and the head chef. Therefore, the contract is enforceable because the offer was made by the offeror (fabulous hotel) and was accepted b the offeree (head chef). The contract was also signed by the two parties. The contract wa s also entered for the legal purpose. Therefore, any breach of the contract by the head chef would result to a legal consideration. The employee would be required to pay for any damages caused to the hotel. This is because the contract was signed by the two parties with an intention. The contract also involved various terms and the breach of these terms by either part would result to repudiation of the contract or form the basis for the hotel to sue the chef. However, the chef should have entered into the contract

The Importance of Education Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Education Essay Can you believe that in some countries education is not free? And in â€Å"Pakistan†, the Taliban doesn’t let girls go to school because they think, that â€Å"God is a tiny, little conservative being who would send girls to hell†. Just because of going to school. In my opinion, the importance of education is undeniable for every single person. It goes without saying that education has a positive effect on human life. All people need to study, only with the advent of education can people gain knowledge open up their mind a little more. Apparently, people may become more useful and civilized if better educated. For example, in areas where residents are not able to receive an appropriate education, life cannot be as thriving and prosperous as locations where there is a high standard for education. In fact, education plays such a rudimentary role on our society that we cannot even imagine a life without it. It is a determined element for the civilization of human society. Not only does It helps us develop healthy surroundings but it also generates an advance community. As a matter of fact, everything we create today is based on the knowledge that we obtain throughout our life by way of education. That is to say, by working and living among foreigners some of the barriers between countries can be broken down, helping to create a more educated peaceful world. As to say diplomatic reaction would be of benefit to all. Malala said â€Å" We call upon the governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child all over the world†. I do agree with Malala, every child should have the opportunity to go to school and get some education that will help them have a better future, education is very important. Consequently, education is viewed as a vital key to success in life and knowledge has become every individual aim or concern, each one of us is born in a different medium and different social and cultural norms. However, most of us approve of educations positive effects on society. Therefore, ‘ Why do we need education?  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ is the issues to tackle, to get a better grip of this complex theme we have to distinguish three different types of education, there is the formal education, like school, the life time education, learning through difficult situations and the education by our parents. To lead a successful county we have to keep it on a standard level of education to be able to import the cultural heritage to the younger generation. There is again a division to be made between the inherited educated or knowledge and the education tough at school, education develops a meaningful outlook on life. As a result, education is most important in life like our basic needs food, clothes and shelter. With the beginning we learn how to interact with others how to make friends because of education. Furthermore, Malala said â€Å"Peace is necessary for education. In many parts of the world especially Pakistan and Afghanistan; terrorism, wars and conflicts stop children to go to their schools. We are tired of these wars. Woman and children are suffering in many parts of the world in many ways. In India, innocent and poor children are victims of child labor. Many schools have been destroyed in Nigeria. People in Afghanistan have been affected by the hurdles of extremism of decades. Young girls have to do domestic child labor and are forced to get married at early age. Poverty, ignorance, racism and deprivation of basic rights are the main problems faced by both man and woman. To conclude, we can say that education is a fundamental human right and essential for the exercise of all other human rights. It promotes individual freedom and empowerment and yields important development benefits. Education is the solution. Education first.

Conformity and Rebellion in Antigone Essay -- conflict, change, mistake

Would you rather not have conflicts in your life? Antigone is a play, based upon conflicts between the characters. Antigone is the sister of Polynices, who is dead. Polynices is considered a traitor to Creon and he doesn’t bury those who are against him. As conflicts occur, Antigone, Creon, and the Chorus argue on whether to have Polynices buried or not. Conflicts are a necessary part of life because of the changes that we run in to. It is appropriate to rebel and create conflict when we believe in doing the right thing to do, but someone is taking the necessary tool away from us so we can’t accomplish those goals. Also, it is appropriate to conform when violence gets out of hand. The changes that happen make us, the readers better individuals and once we have the conflicts solved, we won’t repeat the same mistakes and then conformity is possible. It is appropriate to rebel and create conflict when you believe in doing the right thing, but somebody takes away from you the necessary tool from doing so. The main conflict in the play between Antigone and Creon is the best example for this argument. Antigone believes that everybody deserves a proper burial. In her opinion, even if somebody is a traitor or dislikes Creon’s views, he or she deserves a proper burial. In this case, Creon decides that Polynices doesn’t deserve a proper burial because Polynices is a traitor to him. Antigone now wants to bury Polynices and doesn’t care about Creon’s edict. However, Ismene warns Antigone,† But think of the dange! Think what Creon will do!† (469). Ismene is telling Antigone that she is scared of burying Polynices behind Creon’s back, because if they get caught they will be punished greatly. Ismene and everybody else in Thebes are scared of Cr... ...d how we can be better individuals from the original conflict. Choragos Is telling us if we want to be happy, we have to be intelligent. In Antigone, it is appropriate to conform when violence gets out of hand. This happens when all of Creon’s love ones die because of how his stubbornness and pride. However, it is appropriate to rebel when we believe in doing the right thing to do, but someone is taking the necessary tool away from us so we can’t accomplish those goals. This happens in the play when Antigone wants to bury Polynices, but Creon is too powerful and causes fear upon all of the people of Thebes. We can learn from this play that conflict is necessary in our lives, because without it we can’t learn. Works Cited Sophocles. Antigone. Abcarian, Klotz, and Cohen, eds. Literature: The Human Experience. 11th ed. Boston: Bedford. 2013. Print.

Shakespeares As You Like It - The Romantic Love of Silvius and Phebe :: Shakespeare As You Like It Essays

As You Like It:   The Romantic Love of Silvius and Phebe    There are several types of love depicted in Shakespeare's As You Like It.   One variety of love portrayed in this comedy is romantic love, the romantic literary ideal which became popular in the Middle Ages. According to the courtly love tradition a lover worships his lady and serves her, suffers all sorts of indignities for her sake, and thinks only of her. He must be loyal to her for life, no matter how badly she treats him, or how much he suffers for unrequited love. A true lover never ceases to adore his lady, and when he speaks of her he only uses poetic language and style. These conventions of courtly love are clearly exemplified in As You Like It in the romantic attachment of Silvius and Phebe. When Rosalind, Celia and Touchstone arrive in the forest of Arden they meet Silvius and Corin, an old shepherd, who are engaged in a conversation about love. Corin is advising his friend on how to treat the woman he loves. However, Silvius doubts the old shepherd's authority in such matters, for although Corin admits having been drawn into acts of madness for the sake of love during his youth, he cannot recall any of them. Silvius clearly manifests that if Corin has forgotten even the most insignificant detail of the actions love made him run into, then he has never been truly in love. Even more, Silvius also explains that a true lover never ceases to adore his lady in speech, even if this moves his listener to discomfort, and further explains that sincere love may drive a lover to interrupt a conversation out of passion. To prove this last point, Silvius suddenly interrupts his speech passionately crying the name of Phebe, his beloved, several times. Silvius reflects the behavior of the courtly lover, who is capable of the most foolish actions for the sake of his beloved, and who suffers the pangs of unrequited love and the abrupt separation from his lady. His only concern is love and, although he is uneducated, his language is lofty, poetic, and artificial when he speaks in praise of Phebe. Indeed, both Phebe and Silvius speak in elaborate verse in order to comply with the courtly love conventions. In their courtship, Silvius praises her virtues and begs for the slightest sign of affection, and Phebe scorns and rejects him all along.

New Idea for an Old Brand Essay

As a way to freshen up the traditional brand and to gain more exposure, the granddaughter of the Margaux family wanted to begin mass marketing a new wine brand. The idea would be to use different grapes in order to be more accessible to the younger generation. The target price range would be â‚ ¬20-â‚ ¬25 per bottle (Dessain, 2011). There are a large number of young wine drinkers who cannot afford the high prices of the current Gran Vin brand and are therefore not being attracted to the Chateau de Margaux vineyards. If these consumers were introduced to an affordable brand of wine from the Margaux estate, then they may be more likely to recognize and trust the brand. That way, when they are looking for a more expensive wine, they will first go to their label of Grand Vin from the Chateau de Margaux collection. General Concerns: Some of the issues with this suggestion are: maintaining the exclusivity of the original brand, ensuring that consumers still feel motivated to pay the higher price point, and they will also now need a distributor, marketing team, and an ability to focus on more than one brand of wine. In this particular case, the Margaux business has a close-tie who is very familiar with the distributorship and marketing of wine, and therefore this is a solution to one of the issues; however there are several of the other issues that remain very pertinent concerns, as we will discuss later on.

Movie The Graduate

Movie The Graduate Introduction It is necessary for filmmakers to use the best tools and ideas in order to make their works spectacular. A good work of art such as a film should have a proper theme, clear message, and at the same time entertain the audience. The film â€Å"The Graduate† by Mike Nichols narrates the story of a young man who has just completed college.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Movie The Graduate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the age of 20, the protagonist realizes that everything is complex and hard than he had thought earlier. This essay therefore explains how the film â€Å"The Graduate† utilizes the best aspects of art and design to present useful insights that can help young individuals have a better life. The film achieves this using the best editing, â€Å"mise-en-scene†, photography, shots, and storyline. Analysis of the Film â€Å"The Graduate† Summary of the Movie Mike Ni chols is the director of the film â€Å"The Graduate†. The 1967 film is based on a novel written by Charles Webb in 1963. The name of the novel is also â€Å"The Graduate†. The actor in the film is Benjamin Braddock, a recent graduate who lacks a clear understanding of life. As a graduate without any aim in life, Braddock decides to befriend an older woman by the name Mrs. Robinson. It is also notable from the film that Mrs. Robinson is married and has a daughter be the name Elaine. Benjamin Braddock eventually falls in love with Elaine, Robinson’s daughter. From an historical perspective, it is agreeable that the film plays a significant role towards boosting the position of folk-rock in the American society. Produced in the 1960s, the film explores most of the issues that affected the society during the time. Historians and researchers have argued that the film presents a major cultural and historical value to the American people. It adds a sense of beauty to American art and film culture. The use of various technical aspects of film production has made it a spectacular piece of art. For instance, the producers used the best mise-en-scene, close-shots, long shots, sound track, and editing to present quality scenes to the audience. This has made it easier to deliver the targeted message to the audience. Lawrence Turman and Joseph Levine produced the film in 1967. The producers managed to present various themes that can educate different members in the society. The first theme in the film is the idea of â€Å"coming of age†. In the film, Benjamin and Elaine are two youngsters who are unable to make the best decisions in order to address the issues affecting them. This explains why Benjamin encounters various challenges and obstacles because he is â€Å"indecisive† and incapable of coming up with the best solutions.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The theme of â€Å"rebellion† is also evident in this film by Mike Nichols. The film presents a â€Å"radical mood† whereby Benjamin rebels against many things and ideas in the society. For instance, he appears to ridicule the existing social norms. This occurs when he befriends Mrs. Robinson after finishing school. He also rebels against the social ideas in the society. As well, the movie demonstrates a strong sense of opposition. This is the case because Benjamin rebels against the ideas of the older generation, social conventions, and the upper class in the society. The theme of â€Å"infidelity† is also evident in the film. This occurs when Mrs. Robinson decides to befriend Benjamin while knowing she was already married to Mr. Robinson. Benjamin goes further to date Elaine without considering the issues and consequences that might arise from the decision. Although the audience is aware of Benjamin’s thoughts and idea s, it becomes evident that he continues to befriend Elaine in an attempt to achieve his dreams. Benjamin also realizes how the relationship might be horrible. This explains why such kind of indulgence by Benjamin is the most scandalous event in ‘The Graduate†. Personal Views The film by Mike Nichols is definitely one of the best works of art ever produced. The film presents a wide range of ideas and concepts that can help individuals live a better life. There are certain factors that make the movie admirable. To begin with, the producers have used the best strategies in order to make the film appealing to the audience. The film embraces the idea of cast combination in order to make it entertaining. The timing of the film is â€Å"perfect† because it explores the issues that affected the American society in the 1960s. This explains why the film captures the â€Å"true spirit† of its era. The other reason why this film is admirable is that it relates closely with its time of production. This explains why many people would consider the film as culturally and aesthetically momentous. As well, the film goes further to present some critical themes and lessons that can help the viewers address most of their problems.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Movie The Graduate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The film explains how young individuals can address most of their issues arising from indecisiveness. The film is also a classical work of art. It is admirable because it employs all aspects of film production such as â€Å"editing, mise-en-scene, and close-shots†. I would also say that most of the parts in the film are attractive. For example, the film begins with Benjamin who has graduated from college. His parents and friends are interested in Benjamin’s plans for either a career or joining school for further studies. The unfolding story reveals most of the chall enges facing many people at this age. The director has made the best decisions to make the film successful and entertaining to the targeted audience. The film conforms to the â€Å"Classical Hollywood Narrative† style for film production. Movies that use the style tell a story in a â€Å"chronological order†. The style follows a â€Å"cause-and-effect† approach. By so doing, the producers have used a principle known as â€Å"continuity editing†. The approach requires that the editing and sounds are â€Å"invisible† to the audience. That being the case, the producers gave the â€Å"desired attention† to the storyline and not to specific elements such as photography, editing, and sounds. The approach helps the producers and the editor present the best film to the targeted viewers. Conclusion The movie â€Å"The Graduate† is definitely one of the best works of art produced in the 20th century. The film narrates a story that is culturally and historically significance. The producers have used the best tools and approaches in order to come up with a classic piece of art. The film educates people to make appropriate choices in life as they work hard to pursue their dreams. It is agreeable that the film by Mike Nichols presents new ideas, themes, and lessons that can be applied in our lives. Personally, I have found the film meaningful because it combines different aspects of design and production. It also encourages people to make the best decisions and eventually overcome the challenges affecting them.

General Immigration essays

General Immigration essays Starting from the early 1800's to the mid 1900's, the immigrants came to America for variety of reasons; they faced many hardship and hostility against them from the nativist. When the immigration began (from the early 1800's), come's the majority of immigrants: the Northern and western Europeans, also with small groups of Asians. These mass immigrations were considered the old immigration, while the new immigrations began when the sources of the immigration shifted vastly (1880-1900). The increased immigrants came from the Eastern and southern European countries, while also the Asian population increased slightly (mostly the Chinese). Once the immigrants arrived on U.S. soil, they had to pass many examinations, tests, and interrogation. These inspections alarmed many immigrants, and many were treated somewhat inaccurately and strangely. For example, while foreign men were asked to strip down for physical inspection, the foreign women were being bared naked in public, causing a larms to their fellow people. This caused many discomfort to the immigrants, wanting only a fresh new start for whatever their reasons are, once contacting with the inspections the obstacles only increased. Many of the immigrants left their country because of the problems they faced from their homeland. From Ireland, the immigrants came because of the potato farms faced the epidemic of the deadly potato blight disease. This was their major souce of living cost. As for the Russian Jews, they faced prosecution from the government. The Chinese came to the U.S. to make more money for their families. There, they left their countries to come to the Rich, Free America. Many foreigners heard rumors about the country America; it had gold everywhere (their streets and buildings were made of gold), also heard of the facts of America (freedom of speeches, religion, etc), therefore being a desirable place to settle and live. Sadly, their hardships were with the...

Biography of Barack Obama, 44th U.S. President

Biography of Barack Obama, 44th U.S. President Barack Obama (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States, the first African-American to do so. Prior to that, he was a civil rights lawyer, constitutional law professor, and U.S. senator from Illinois. As president, Obama oversaw the passage of several notable pieces of legislation, including the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Fast Facts: Barack Obama Known For: Obama was the 44th president of the United States.Born: August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, HawaiiParents: Barack Obama Sr. and Ann DunhamEducation: Occidental College, Columbia University (B.A.), Harvard University (J.D.)Awards and Honors: Nobel Peace PrizeSpouse: Michelle Robinson Obama (m. 1992)Children: Malia, Sasha Early Life Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a white mother and a black father. His mother Ann Dunham was an anthropologist, and his father Barack Obama Sr. was an economist. They met while studying at the University of Hawaii. The couple divorced in 1964 and Obama Sr. returned to his native Kenya to work for the government. He rarely saw his son after this separation. In 1967, Barack Obama moved with his mother to Jakarta, where he lived for four years. At the age of 10, he returned to Hawaii to be raised by his maternal grandparents while his mother completed fieldwork in Indonesia. After finishing high school, Obama went on to study at Occidental College, where he gave his first public speech- a call for the school to divest from South Africa in protest of the countrys system of apartheid. In 1981, Obama transferred to Columbia University, where he graduated with a degree in political science and English literature. In 1988, Obama began studying at Harvard Law School. He became the first black president of the Harvard Law Review and spent his summers working at law firms in Chicago. He graduated magna cum laude in 1991. Marriage Obama married Michelle LaVaughn Robinson- a lawyer from Chicago he met while he was working in the city- on October 3, 1992. Together they have two children, Malia and Sasha. In her 2018 memoir Becoming, Michelle Obama described their marriage as a full-on merger, a reconfiguring of two lives into one, with the well-being of a family taking precedence over any one agenda or goal.† Barack supported Michelle when she chose to leave private law for public service, and she supported him when he decided to enter politics. Career Before Politics Upon graduating from Columbia University, Barack Obama worked at Business International Corporation and then at the New York Public Interest Research Group, a non-partisan political organization. He then moved to Chicago and became director of the Developing Communities Project. After law school, Obama wrote his memoir, Dreams from My Father, which was widely acclaimed by critics and other writers, including Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison. Obama worked as a community organizer and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School for 12 years. He also worked as a lawyer during this same period. In 1996, Obama made his foray into political life as a member of the Illinois State Senate. He supported bipartisan efforts to improve healthcare and increase tax credits for childcare. Obama was reelected to the State Senate in 1998 and again in 2002. U.S. Senate In 2004, Obama launched a campaign for U.S. Senate. He positioned himself as a progressive and an opponent of the Iraq War. Obama won a decisive victory in November with 70% of the vote and was sworn in as a U.S. senator in January 2005. As a senator, Obama served on five committees and chaired the European Affairs subcommittee. He sponsored legislation to expand Pell grants, provide support for victims of Hurricane Katrina, improve the safety of consumer products, and reduce homelessness among veterans. By now, Obama was a national figure and a rising star in the Democratic Party, having delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. In 2006, Obama released his second book, The Audacity of Hope, which became a New York Times bestseller. 2008 Election Obama began his run for U.S. president in February 2007. He was nominated after a very close primary race against key opponent Hillary Clinton, the wife of former president Bill Clinton. Obama chose Delaware Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate. The two campaigned on a platform of hope and change; Obama made ending the Iraq War and passing healthcare reform his primary issues. His campaign was notable for its digital strategy and fundraising efforts. With support from small donors and activists across the nation, the campaign raised a record $750 million. Obamas main opponent in the presidential race was Republican Sen. John McCain. In the end, Obama won 365 electoral votes and 52.9% of the popular vote. First Term Within the first 100 days of his presidency, Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a piece of legislation designed to address the worst effects of the Great Recession. The Recovery Act was a stimulus package that injected about $800 billion into the economy through tax incentives for individuals and businesses, infrastructure investment, aid for low-income workers, and scientific research. Leading economists broadly agreed that this stimulus spending helped reduce unemployment and avert further economic challenges. Obamas signature achievement- the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare)- was passed on March 23, 2010. The legislation was designed to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable health insurance by subsidizing those who meet certain income requirements. At the time of its passage, the bill was quite controversial. In fact, it was even taken before the Supreme Court, which ruled in 2012 that it was not unconstitutional. By the end of 2010, Obama had also added two new judges to the Supreme Court- Sonia Sotomayor, who was confirmed on August 6, 2009, and Elena Kagan, who was confirmed on August 5, 2010. Both are members of the courts liberal wing. On May 1, 2011, Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, was killed during a Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan. This was a major victory for Obama, winning him praise across party lines. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda, Obama said in a public address to the nation. Today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people. 2012 Reelection Obama launched his campaign for reelection in 2011. His main challenger  was Republican Mitt Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts. To make use of growing social networks like Facebook and Twitter, the Obama campaign hired a team of tech workers to build digital campaign tools. The election centered on domestic issues, including healthcare and Social Security, and in many ways was a referendum on the Obama administrations response to the Great Recession. In November 2012, Obama defeated Romney with 332 electoral votes and 51.1% of the popular vote. Obama called the victory a vote for action, not politics as usual, and promised to work on bipartisan proposals to improve the American economy. Second Term During his second term as president, Obama focused on new challenges facing the country. In 2013, he organized a group to begin negotiations with Iran. An agreement was reached in 2015 in which the United States would lift sanctions and steps would be taken to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012, Obama signed a series of executive orders designed to reduce gun violence. He also voiced support for more comprehensive background checks and a ban on assault weapons. In a press conference at the White House, Obama said, If there is even one thing we can do to reduce this violence, if there is even one life that can be saved, then weve got an obligation to try. In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex marriage was protected by the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This was a major milestone in the fight for LGBTQ rights. Obama called the ruling a victory for America. In July 2013, Obama announced that the United States had negotiated plans to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba. The following year, he became the first American president to visit the country since Calvin Coolidge did so in 1928. The shift in U.S.-Cuba relations- dubbed the Cuban thaw- was met with approval by many political leaders around the world. Legacy Obama is the first African-American to not only be nominated by a major political party but also to win the presidency of the United States. He ran as an agent of change. His true impact and the significance of his presidency will not be determined for many years to come. Sources Obama, Barack.  Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. Canongate, 2016.Obama, Michelle. Becoming. Crown Publishing Group, 2018.Remnick, David.  The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama. Vintage Books, 2011.

LIEN A LAND INC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LIEN A LAND INC - Essay Example tenure, he has done a remarkable job that has seen the company acquire a large client base and grow from a medium to a big company now, growing its asset base to eight times since its inception. Though Hoang joined this company with only a diploma in sales and marketing, he has afforded to study a higher diploma and a degree in this field. This has significantly improved his sales knowledge. However, for the last six months, Hoang does not seem to be enthusiastic about his duties and his performance is noted to be deteriorating. Hoang has of late been discovered to have a lot of complains about the nature of his work, an issue that seems to affect the other junior staff in the marketing department. Consequently, the department is noted to have declined in its performance, notably for the past six months, having little growth in customer base achieved during the period. His manager, Mr. Nguyen, is deeply concerned about Hoang performance. He has confronted him severally over this issue. After this confrontation by the manager, Mr. Nguyen, Hoang feels offended and threatens to quit his job. He goes on to write a letter of resignation, citing the manager’s confrontation, as well as lack of promotion as the reasons. The manager is in turn aggrieved by Huang’s claims because he had increased his salary to match that of the marketing manager. The manager decided to let Hoang quit his job, but on a second thought consider his important role in the organization. This conflict reaches a stalemate and calls for the indulgence of the company owners to resolve the dispute. In an attempt to know why this is happening, the management set to give Hoang an audience, so he can raise his grievances. When he presented his case, the management understood that Hoang was demotivated, since he expected the management to promote him to the rank of sales and marketing manager of the new branch they had established in a different city. Contrary to his expectation, the management had

Quality management of clothing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Quality management of clothing - Essay Example Across the world in all industries there is a heightened awareness that quality management goes hand in hand with the realization that quality has a cultural dimension and to attain quality, a culture change is a primary requirement (Dale et al 1997). Though measures like Total Quality Management (TQM) are vigorously undertaken by textile manufactures, half way through the implementation level the programs often run out of steam. Dean and Evans (1994) feel that this problem can be remedied by the development of appropriate culture of quality with in the entire edifice of the organization. Attempts at improving quality in the textile sector have not yielded desired results in the past. Academic research in this area has shown that the failure is largely due to the attempt at improving quality targeting only on the operational level of the industry. Present day research shows that quality management to be effective in real time practice has to be integrated in the organization’s strategy. Beckford (1998) complains that the traditional remedial attempts were aimed at the operational level. . He pointed out that operational constrains eventually lead to compromise in quality. A three fold strategy (derived from Joseph Juran) will influence the organization across the board is put forward by him (Beckford 1998.P.107) Though quality is cardinal in clothing industry for achieving success, it is not any more possible to bask in the glory of the image of the country as a nation, which manufactured products of historic brand equity. Though country of origin image is still valued in the case of heavy equipments, in the textile sector it has become old wives tales. Instead of talking about countries of origin, customers have started taking about countries of origin of brands (Pay and Predergast 2000). Many factors have contributed in the shift of scenario. In the past only products moved from one country to another. Recently capital as well as entire factories

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Marketing - Essay Example 63-65, 1996). Yet, the fundamental question remains and revolves around the reason of why shall the company use the services of consultants for the same and why the internal talent be utilized for the same. There are many reasons in this regard. Firstly, strategy building is a difficult and painful exercise since it requires making hard and avoidable choices. In fact, strategy builders have to get out of their comfort zones and take decisions to undertake discussions, which they would have not even imagined under normal circumstances. It has been an observation (Porter, pp. 69-74, 1996) that at times, it becomes extremely difficult for the company to make those choices considering the human and emotional constraints. This also explains why many Chinese and Japanese companies avoid having clear and well-defined strategies since the process of the same would require them to go against their culture of collectivism, uncertainty avoidance and achieving consensus for every decision (OMahoney, pp. 64-6 9, 2010). Quite understandably, when managers are making the strategies, there is a high probability that the emotional element would get into the process to make it more biased. Many companies successfully develop good strategies but fail to execute them; however, it would be a complete disaster if the company designs a biased and mediocre strategy and then executes it with all possible energies (Curnow & Reuvid, pp. 79-84, 2003). Furthermore, over the years, the field of strategic management has developed to great limits. New complexities, inventions, and use of latest tools, ever-changing industry scenario, new elements and dynamics and others have made it even more complex for any nonprofessional or even an average middle manager to involve himself in the process of strategic management and promise great results. Management consultants bring with themselves vast experience in their fields of helping companies making turnarounds and taking otherwise

W8 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

W8 - Assignment Example The author further asserts that such profits disappear after the competitors copy the innovations. The system swallows up ideas and changes them into a well-digested fodder for everyday productivity. He therefore, calls the introducers of these changes entrepreneurs, the business trailblazers or risk takers. He also noted that competition always forced down the prices leading to the ultimate disappearance of profits. He describes entrepreneurs as talented specialists who differ from politicians or military leaders as the society treats them as social pariahs or upstarts. They, therefore, reside outside the limelight, fond of dynasties and are not motivated by riches or titles. As the economy grows to complexity, senior managers are faced with uncertainties. Frank Knight pointed out that risk and uncertainties are different. His thesis stated that entrepreneurs are better at peering into the improbability that does not mean that they are efficient since it can neither be observed nor quantified. His argument rested in uncertainty, not efficiency. Knight argues from an abstract concept of uncertainty. His theory could be improved by minimizing contracting and supervisory cost to create efficacy. Schumpeter’s driving force is his accolade to the talented few. Another intriguing possibility is that he imbued with elitist notions that have created this paradigm as a means of self-glorification. He sees himself as the swami of elitism. He begs the question of economics by reducing it to one quibble: Do economists merely compartmentalize the facts about life the way we know it, or they serve as visionaries? Is economic function analytical or predictive? He opted to lay out a vision for the future generations rather than being mundane with money matters. He produced a passionate interest in the captains of industries. Schumpeter’s argues that

I don't have one Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

I don't have one - Essay Example Diageo financial reports for the year ended 30 June 2012 reveals the strength of the business. In summary, the business increased net sales by 6%, 9% in net operating profit, and 4% points of positive price/mix. Emerging markets played a big role in improving Diageo business, which amounted to about 40%. These emerging markets increased sales by 15% and operating profits by 23%. In addition, the business has free cash flow available for investment amounting to Euros one point six billion. Earnings per share went up by 13 % increasing final divided by 8%. The most important tool to an investor interested in stocks of Diageo is the income statement. From this statement earning per share in the year 2010 was at 72 pence and rose to 83.6 pence in the year 2011. Profits went up too by 292 million Euros. Operating profit went up by 133 euros. The margins are also at 29.4, which is higher than the previous year.This is a good indicator that of how company’s stocks are fairing in the market. The balance sheet of Diageo will help an investor see the extent of expansion of the company and diversification of its markets. A balance sheet gives the information on the value of the assets of the company and their growth over the last few years. From Diageo’s balance sheet, an investor can see there is a big growth in assets of the company from emerging markets. In addition, the balance sheet of Diageo reveals that 2% volume growth is driven by growth in strategic brands, emerging markets, premium plus products, innovation, and acquis itions. The stocks of Diageo earn good dividends and present great growth over the last few years. Thus, I would advice an investor to take up the shares. Stocks of international companies are a bit tricky to analyse. One reason is that hey are affected by issues like dramatic change in market value, politics, reliance on foreign legal remedies, and poor

W8 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

W8 - Assignment Example The author further asserts that such profits disappear after the competitors copy the innovations. The system swallows up ideas and changes them into a well-digested fodder for everyday productivity. He therefore, calls the introducers of these changes entrepreneurs, the business trailblazers or risk takers. He also noted that competition always forced down the prices leading to the ultimate disappearance of profits. He describes entrepreneurs as talented specialists who differ from politicians or military leaders as the society treats them as social pariahs or upstarts. They, therefore, reside outside the limelight, fond of dynasties and are not motivated by riches or titles. As the economy grows to complexity, senior managers are faced with uncertainties. Frank Knight pointed out that risk and uncertainties are different. His thesis stated that entrepreneurs are better at peering into the improbability that does not mean that they are efficient since it can neither be observed nor quantified. His argument rested in uncertainty, not efficiency. Knight argues from an abstract concept of uncertainty. His theory could be improved by minimizing contracting and supervisory cost to create efficacy. Schumpeter’s driving force is his accolade to the talented few. Another intriguing possibility is that he imbued with elitist notions that have created this paradigm as a means of self-glorification. He sees himself as the swami of elitism. He begs the question of economics by reducing it to one quibble: Do economists merely compartmentalize the facts about life the way we know it, or they serve as visionaries? Is economic function analytical or predictive? He opted to lay out a vision for the future generations rather than being mundane with money matters. He produced a passionate interest in the captains of industries. Schumpeter’s argues that

Markus Wolf in Stasi Regime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Markus Wolf in Stasi Regime - Essay Example A positive contrast between the two states may be that the NS was an actual German creation that was further deep-seated, but the Communist state of dictatorship was actually an external imposition which gradually turned softer. An intellectual revolution took place after the serene insurgency in 1989, as swiftly the DDR's furtive papers were controlled by Bundesrepublik Deutschland. BRD had adequate inducement to publicize the secrets of a previous opponent. Through the meticulousness and purposeful promptness of Germans a great number of documents were provided to scholars who hardly had an expectation to smack it so heavily. The new Russian government was not much likely to reveal its history like the Germans; however, a number of its massive records had been searched out in connection with its previous settlement. Chronicles at the back of the Iron Curtain, due to which one may previously have to seek for the grains of corn in the middle of the heap of chaff, have only the natural limitations of memories. Investigating the outlawed Secret Police records in authoritarianism has a brilliant association to it. While all is required to be reserved undisclosed, these police should have kept the secrets. When the public was to know nothing, the Secret Police were supposed to know everything. (Peterson, 2001) As stated by Koehler (1999) Stasi is a... As stated by Koehler (1999) Stasi is actually the title of the ministry of State security of East Germany its actual name in German language is "Ministerium fur Staatssicherheit", which is abbreviated as "Stasi" and pronounced as "Tazi". Stasi took fame as the secret police service of East Germany. It had its command center in East Berlin in a huge multiplex building and has a number of minor amenities all over the East Berlin. It has been well known as a successful and exploitive secret police service. Stasi used to have slogan which was translated as "Defense and Weapon of the Party" which reveals its association with Socialists and corresponding to the Communists also. It came into being in 1950 with Zaisser Wilhelm as the first security state minister of Germany. In 1957 Markus Wolf was selected as the person in command for HVA in the department of foreign intelligence. He gradually attained eminent accomplishments by utilizing his secret agents for revealing the secrets of not only in business and political groups but government as well. (Childs & Popplewell, 1996) Markus Johannes Wolf Wolf, Markus, head of East Germany's international intelligence service and developer of one of the Cold War's most effective espionage operations. Markus Johannes Wolf was born on Jan. 19, 1923, in Hechingen, Southern Wurttemberg, the son of a Marxist playwright of Jewish origin, Friedrich Wolf. When the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, the Wolf family went into exile to Switzerland and France and finally immigrated to the Soviet Union in 1934. In 1940 Wolf entered the Moscow Institute for Aircraft Building, aspiring to become an aeronautics engineer. Sincerely believing that communism could save his country, which was blinded by Nazi ideology, Wolf

Ultra Mobile PC’s Essay Example for Free

Ultra Mobile PC’s Essay Standard application This study asserts that UMPC’s can use any software integrated within the device and more especially when it comes to Windows XP and Vista. For example, businessmen can use Windows word, excel and power point application effectively without any problems. On the other hand, those users who are not able to use the available QWERTY keyboard can use the avainble USB port to connect to an external keyboard. UMPCs also have a touch sensitive screen, which can allow the use to fingers to prompt for information or even use pen calibration. In this manner, the user is able to keep a fast track of events may at class, in a business meeting or in cases of medics previewing patients and making quick notes on the touch screen. With the integration of various technologies which can integrate with windows XP and Vista software like Tablet Enhancements for Outlook (TEO) UMPC’s are able to maximize the use of captured data (Eisten technologies, 2004). The use of TEO allows, users to even edit their information with ease for increased efficiency. According to Eistein technologies the integration of TEO allows the users of UMPC’s to have; †¢ Convenient and more accurate handwriting recognition, which allows minimal mistakes if any. On the other hand one is able to convert their text when they want to according to their convenience. †¢ In using TEO, applications like PDA are easily recognized and applicable in UMPC’s. †¢ The use of TEO allows preview text to prompt the user of any unrecognized texts so that they can be corrected on time. †¢ TEO allows one to improve correction interfaces without much challenges compared to earlier versions. (Eisten technologies, 2004) With the use of TEO technology, the use of UMPC’s becomes more interesting and organized in all categories. For example, TEO can be applied in note taking and ensuring organized forms of data storage and accessibility (Eisten technologies, 2004). Interfacing to the Internet UMPC’s have higher compatibility of Internet interfacing. For example, users can apply the use of the available USB’s to connect to the Internet effectively. UMPC’s are modified for use with various forms of broadband technologies, which can allow people from different to interact through the Internet. On the other hand, businessmen can make connections through the Internet and save time and energy wasted in covering long distances by their clients. In many instances what matters with Internet interface in UMPC’s is the type of Internet subscriber used, and the effectiveness in service delivery. Studies show that one important feature in UMP’s comprise of their ability to have strong bases for browsing the internet (K. -W. Chin, et al, 2002). Conclusions and future predictions The following are some of the future predictions of this study; †¢ More studies should be carried to ensure more enhancements are made to UMPC’s †¢ Companies dealing with the UMPC technologies should come together and work in harmony for better results in modifying the existing forms of UMPC’s †¢ The target markets for UMPC’s should be the main drivers of modifications made in the UMPC devices so that companies can be able to make consumer quality goods in order to gain a competitive edge †¢ UMPC’s stand to be the next solution for commercial use and hence the need to ensure that they are treated with the seriousness that they deserve in the corporate and commercial world. Conclusion This study found out that UMPCs market and usability has greatly increased over the decades. UMPCs are currently viewed as the noble solutions to most challenges faced in commercial business for instance companies and hospital use. The effectiveness in information storage makes it easier even for hospitals to be able to store patient’s information and walk around with it, referring to it when the need arises. The medical sector which was most affected in terms of mobility of medical information stands to benefit greatly from the current use of the UMPC’s technologies. This study recommends that, mobile companies to come up with more significant milestones in the UMPC’s world should carry out more studies. Reference list Appear Networks. (2008). Appear Announces Support for Intel UMPC Devices. Retrieved on 27th December 2008 from www. appearnetworks. com/Appear-Announces-Support-for-Intel. html C. Barrett et al. (2002). â€Å"Characterizing the Interaction Between Routing and MAC Protocols in Ad-hoc Networks,† Proc. MobiHoc 2002 , pp. 92-103 C. Elliott B. Heile (2000) â€Å"Self-Organizing, Self-Healing Wireless Networks,† Proc. 2000 IEEE Intl Conf. on Personal Wireless Comm. , pp. 355-362. Eisten technologies. (2004). Tablet Enhancements for Outlook 2. 0. Retrieved on 27th December 2008 from http://www. tabletpcpost. com/modules. php? op=modloadname=Downloadsfile=indexreq=viewdownloaddetailslid=9ttitle=Tablet_Enhancements_for_Outlook_2.  0 J. Broch et al. (1998) â€Å"A Performance Comparison of Multi-Hop Wireless Ad Hoc Network Routing Protocols,† Proc. Mobicom 98. D. Cavin et al. (2002) â€Å"On the accuracy of MANET simulators,† Proc. ACM Workshop on Princ. Mobile Computing (POMC02), Oct. 2002, pp. 38-43. online K. -W. Chin, et al. (2002). â€Å"Implementation Experience with MANET Routing Protocols,† ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communications Review, Nov. 2002, pp. 49-59. Available online. M. S. Corson et al. (1999) â€Å"Internet-Based Mobile Ad Hoc Networking,† IEEE Internet Computing, pp. 63-70.

Snow White And The Huntsman Film Studies Essay

Snow White And The Huntsman Film Studies Essay In the epic action-adventure starts out with (Kristen Stewart) who plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen, her name, snow white. While the film offers an appropriately exciting take on the fairy tale that inspired it, Snow White and the Huntsman is slow at the beginning of the movie with a confused script that jumps around a bit. Thirty minutes into the film it starts to pick up with its first action war scene against the Dark Army, an assaulting force of glass fighters. The film offers wonderful digital effects during this scheme with the soldiers shattering when struck by swords. Ravenna (the evil queen) seizes control of the entire kingdom, locks snow white up and years pass. More drama begins to unfold as age starts to affect the Queen. In order to sustain and preserve her beauty, the Queen must draw out the essence of youth from young women. The Queen also consults with a digitally animated Magic Mirror, that very interesting to watch. As the story begins to pick up, the Mirrors informes the Queen that Snow White is predestined to destroy her unless she devours the young girls heart. At this point the huntsman is introduced; his name is Eric, a widower who has lived in the Dark Forest, is taken to Queen. She orders him to lead her brother, Finn to search for Snow White. In exchange, she assures him that she can revive his deceased wife, Sarah. The next few action scenes have high intensity with a lot of digital affects within the scary forest full of nightmares to an enormous, drooling, angry goblin thats out to eat anyone that enters his valley. The visual effects continue as they travel through the fairy sanctuary where the fairies and animals alike dwell in harmony. The guides for Snow white and the huntsman are hefty, stocky dwarves who were snow whites loyal friends. The actors who played these dwarfs caught me off guard while watching the film. It seems the movie producer passed over little people for the roles of the seven dwarfs.   Full-sized British actors such as  Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins and Ray Winstone played the roles and were shrunk using digital manipulation and had their faces digitally transmuted onto small the bodies. This took away from the realization of the seven dwarfs if you recognize any of the actors playing the seven dwarfs. I would like to have seen more of the seven dwarfs and I feel they w ere slightly under used. The location of the movie took place in the beautiful United Kingdom. Some of the beach scenes were filmed near the village of Marloes which gives the movie a darker feel. The classic Snow White fairytale was set in Germany and the movie showed these German features throughout the movie. The shape of the castle, the design of the village cottages, and the dark forest which represented Germanys Black Forest brought the classic story to life. The music that was created for the movie was outstanding. It really lifted the film and stood out over the chaos of the battle scenes. The background voice that was used created tension in all the right places, and moved me to the point that I wanted to cry during the dwarfs duet.  The costumes made for the Queen were spectacular. The dresses represented power and elegance with a touch of armor for battle as the story unfolded. I would have no problem seeing it again even though I know the ending. All in all this movie was money well spent. I would whole heartedly recommend this film. It has really given the kiss of life to the fairy tale classic, breathing new air into a new way of storytelling. The acting was well done except for Kristen Stewart playing snow-white. I would have no problem seeing watching this movie again or buying it on DVD.

Against Condoms in School Debate Paper -- social issues

Against Condoms in School Debate Paper USING CONDOMS IN SCHOOL – CLEARLY NOT A GOOD PLAN In a large amount of schools across America, this has become a disturbing trend. Schools are handing out condoms to kids. This is wrong on so many fronts that I cannot even begin to name them. The fact that people argue this fact astounds me. I cannot believe this action was even considered. I will name a few points that I believe are the most prominent and powerful arguments for my case. Firstly, the free condoms DO encourage kids to have sex. Now, I am not so naà ¯ve as to assume that teenagers wont have sex or will wait until they are married. However, I hope that others are not so naà ¯ve as to think that free condoms wont encourage it. Some kids are afraid to buy them. That’s a very nerve-wra...

Family and Masculinity in Jane Eyre :: Families Literature Papers

Family and Masculinity in Jane Eyre Jane does not experience a typical family life throughout the novel. Her various living arrangements led her through different households, yet none were a representation of the norm of family life in the nineteenth century. Through research of families in the nineteenth century, it is clear that Jane’s life does not follow with the stereotypical family made up of a patriarchal father and nurturing mother, both whose primary focus was in raising their children. Jane’s life was void of this true family experience so common during the nineteenth century. Yet, Jane is surrounded by men, who in giving an accurate portrayal of fathers and masculinity in the nineteenth century, fulfill on one hand the father role that had never been present in her life, and on the other hand the husband portrait that Jane seeks out throughout the novel. The reader first learns of Jane when she is an inhabitant of Gateshead. At Gateshead, Jane was excluded from the rest of the family. She was merely an outsider looking in on a nuclear family, excluding the father, who had died. We know that Jane’s Uncle Reed, the father and dominant figure of Gateshead, when alive, was a kind man. He was the guardian for Jane and when dying made his wife promise to always care for Jane. After his death, his wife resented the little girl and did not want to care for her. Knowing what we know of family life in the nineteenth century, we know that Jane’s life would have been much different if her uncle Reed had not died. Being the master of the home one can assume that he would have made sure that everyone in the household would have treated Jane well and with love and respect. A father’s authority was unquestioned. Once Mr. Reed had died, the masculine dominance was somewhat given to his son who did not care for Jane and made her l ife miserable by all of his cruelty and abuse. Although he did not rule the home, due to his young age, his authority as seen by Jane was unquestioned. Jane next lived at Lowood. This institution was anything but a true family unit. However, Jane sought out people to care for and who would care for her in return. Helen Burns and Miss Temple became very close to Jane. In ways like the mother of the typical family served as a moral guide and a nurturer, so too did Helen Burns, and to a certain extent Miss Temple.

Private Security after 9/11 Essay

The Transportation Security Administration   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Two months after the 9/11 attacks, the Congress ratified the Aviation and Transportation Security Act or what is known as the ATSA, creating what is known as the Transportation Security Administration (The Heritage†¦ 2006). According to the assumptions to the federalization of airport security, all passengers are uniformly suspicious and should have similar analysis, and the principal aim of the airport security is to observe and confiscate hazardous objects such as knives, bombs and guns, resulting to the creation of TSA which cause an extensive cost without making Americans perceptively safer (The Heritage†¦, 2006). Transportation Security Administration or the TSA which is a part of the Aviation and transportation Security Act ratified by the US Congress and signed by George W. Bush on November 19, 2001 is a United States government agency that was formed immediately after the tragedies at the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001 (TSA 2007). The TSA was originally structured in the U.S. Department of Transportation but on March 01, 2003 was reassigned to the US Department of Homeland Security with the responsibility for the safety of the country’s system of transportations. With the regional, local, and state partners, the Transportation Security Agency with approximately 50,000 employees, watches over and administer the security and safety of railroads, buses, ports, transit systems, highways, and 450 United States Airports (TSA 2007). Among the airports includes the Sioux Falls Regional Airport and the San Francisco International Airport, which uses private security under contract with the Transportation and Security Administration in inspecting passengers and bag gages. The TSA is responsible in the safety and protection of all types of transportation such as rail, pipelines & highways, and aviation in which the huge majority of its employees can be found. Before the creation of TSA the security screening is managed by the private companies who had contracts with either, a terminal, an airline or an airport operator. Private security agencies have been authorized by the Transportation and Security Administration in providing security but these agencies are under the permission or approval of the TSA. TSA was assigned in the development of policies in ensuring the security and safety of any forms of transportation especially the US air traffic. The Transportation and Security Administration supervise the Federal Air Marshall Service until it was shifted to the US Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in December 1, 2003, and in the US Government’s fiscal year in 2006, the Federal Air Marshall Program was shifted back again to the TSA. The TSA is accountable for operation in screening passengers’ items and luggage in all US Commercial airports, and combating baggage theft in many airports. TSA has also receives many criticisms concerning airport operations and this includes, complaints mistreatment of invasion privacy, engaging I security theater, theft of airline passenger possessions, sales of items collected from passengers, skipping security checks, failure on the use of common sense and judgment, and failure to screen and detect fake bombs brought by an undercover TSA agent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Intense implementation deadlines required by the US Congress, limited terminal space, high investment on baggage screening equipments, and limited number of screeners, combined to generate huge inefficiencies and because of this $2.5 billion dollars have been spent just for the baggage screening equipments as of September 2004 in spite of high error rate and low performance of the expensive explosive detection system or EDS. Transportation Security Today   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before September 11, 2001, transportation safety within the United States was restricted in purpose and in degree. Total federal spending for all transportation security was less than $200 million a year, with most of that devoted to passenger aviation. Subway surveillance cameras and transit police sought detect or stop criminal activity, and customs agents at ports look for smugglers. The only division that had received essential resources and security policy awareness from the US Federal Government, the importance was tremendously shifted overseas (William Johnstone, 2006, p. 1). Many have explained the success of the 9/11 attacks as mainly the result of imperfect intelligence, but the available evidence indicates the primary negligence was that of the aviation security system. The whole history of the system, as well as the testimony received by the 9/11 Commission indicates that its defenses could only respond effectively with the kind of actionable and specific intelligence that all agree is always in short supply (William Johnstone, 2006, p. 2). The federal government responded to the 9/11 with a flurry of Congressional and Executive Branch initiatives, including: the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001 (ATSA), which created the Transportation Security Administration to be responsible for the security of all modes of transportation and established the deadlines for the implementation of the a number of specific aviation security measures, the Marine Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) which set the security guidelines for ports and ships, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) which established new department of homeland Security (DHS) by combining twenty two separate federal agencies, including TSA, the Coast Guard, the Customs Ser vice, and the Federal Management Agency (FEMA) The 2002 legislation creating the 9/11 Commission which was to examine and report upon the facts and causes relating to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and investigate and report to the President and Congress on its findings, conclusions and recommendations for corrective measures that can be taken to prevent acts of terrorism, a series of Homeland Security Presidential directives (HSPDS), including the December 2003 HSPD-& which called for DHAS to produce a comprehensive integrated National Plan for Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources Protection, and lastly, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention act of 2004 which turned many of the 9/11 commission’s recommendation including those relating to transportation security into statutory mandates (William Johnstone, 2006). The increased federal policy attention was accompanied by a substantial rise in federal funding for the Transportation Security, which rose from less than $150 million in Fiscal years (FY) 2001 to more than $7.7 billion in FY2005, but four years after 9/11, after a several, a series of federal laws, reorganization, and executive directives, after more than $25 billion in few federal security investments, major questions remain about the effectiveness of all the elements of the new system. Aviation Security With the layers of aviation security the intelligence security sector of the TSA is more pertinent to decision and leadership of its agency doing procedure than its forerunner in the FAA, but even if it is two times as large as its forerunner, it stays considerably understaffed and its agents are now distributed much fewer with duties for the modes of transportation not just in aviation (William Johnstone, 2006). Development has been recounted in perimeter security of airports through a lowering in the access points of airports, an rise in vehicles entering airports and in, surveillance of individuals and some enhancements in background checks of airport employee, though, small has varied in the divided responsibilities of the old systems for â€Å"access control†, with US Federal Government, and to a lesser degree the airlines all having a function (p. 6).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   General aviation security has not been substantially has not been substantially upgraded, with neighbor pilots, passengers, baggage, nor cargo subjected to security screening, and threat and vulnerability has assessment have yet to be undertaken for most general aviation airports. A December 2004 Congressional report, criticized TSA for failing to understand the risk from small private planes, provide useful threat information to general aviation airports, and enforce security compliance by charter airlines and flight schools (p. 6). Similar weaknesses persist to continue in air cargo security, and reportedly only 5% of all cargo is presently screened, and the GAO has stated that carrying cargo aircraft persist to be highly susceptible to sabotage of terrorist. TSA has stated sets of regulation for security of air cargo but usual for rule making, the procedure is progressing very slowly, and even if concluded, the new rules would give fewer features on how freight industry, which is anticipated to execute the security program, is to perform this groundless mandates (p. 6).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Four years of going through have educated us that the United States government can’t do the work better compared to the private sector and this should not come as unexpected because absolutely every nation that has utilized government screeners has reached similar conclusion (The Heritage†¦, 2006). When nations first attempt to prevent airline hijacking in the 1970’s, most countries originally used government staffs to enhance security at airports through justice agency or government transportation, and in the start of the 1980’s the European airports starts developing a â€Å"performance contracting model† with which the government impose and establish high performance standard with which airports did by employing security companies. Belgium was the 1st to do this mode in 1982, in 1983 this was emulated by the Netherlands, in 1987 by the United Kingdom, and a new wave of conversions to the â€Å"public private partnership model in 1990’s, in 1992 with Germany, 1993 in France, 1994 in Austria and Denmark, 1998 in Ireland and Poland, and 1999 in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland (The Heritage†¦, 2006). The GAO examined the security inspection methods of Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom reporting the excellent performance of airports in Europe using the performance contracting model. The GAO state the four parts of the important differences between European and US screening practices at the time, and these are, better overall security system design, higher training and qualifications prerequisite for screeners, better pay and benefits resulting in much lower turnover rates, and screening task given with the national government or the airport and not with airlines (The Heritage†¦, 2006). Reactive System   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the 1990 the Presidential Commission on Aviation and terrorism, which itself had been established only after the Pan AM 103 disaster, reported to the nation that the FAA was a reactive agency preoccupied with responses to events to the exclusion of adequate contingency planning in anticipation of future threats (William Johnstone, 2006). The main features of the pre 9/11 security system can be summarized as anti-hijacking measures (including checkpoint screening, profiling, and air marshals, the anti-sabotage measures including X-ray screening and positive passenger bag match at high risk airports, and additional measure such as explosive detection equipment, canine teams, and CAPPS (William Johnstone, 2006). Unpromising Future The hope for any important improvement in baggage and passenger security are depressing because instead of tasking each airport with securing its operations under the National Regulatory Supervision† as is ordinary in most other countries, Congress tackle the 9/11 failure of security by instructing in the Transportation Security Administration not only the regulatory responsibility but also the â€Å"service provision duties of the airport screening (The Heritage†¦, 2006). The TSA served as both an operator and passenger screener while the perimeter patrols, access control and law enforcement duties were to be done by the airports themselves under the FSD administration, creating a serious conflict of interest. The Need for Legislation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Primarily, the fault cannot be attributed alone with the TSA, but with the Congress which directed how the US government must tackle the problem, the Congress selected in concentrating on how the US government could make the pre 9/11 security check better rather than directing the vital issue of searching for the most effective and efficient method to stop terrorist off the plane. The Congress formed the problem and solving it will make Congress’ law to reshape the US government on the duties of stopping terrorist more willingly than focusing on the passengers’ luggage. The congress can begin by shifting the TSA into a much more different Aviation security Agency, and the Congress should push the US Government to get out of the screening business and transfer screening to airports, obliging only that they authorize contracts, set performance standards, and observe compliance (The Heritage†¦, 2006). The new ASA should enforce and set standards focusing on, certification of security companies with which an agency of the US Government evaluates the backgrounds of its directors and officers and financial stability of each firms, licensing of individual workers, initially as skilled security officers and then as specialized aviation agents, standards for benefits and salary to guarantee that people of highly skilled employees are hired and that they are motivated to stay with the company, and lastly, training of operating personnel and managers (The Heritage†¦, 2006). A New Model for Aviation Security The DHS should focus its attention to the development of the 21st century cargo system and international passenger security system that doesn’t waste resources by considering every package and person as an equal risk that needs screening and checks. A new â€Å"model system should distribute resources of security in comparison with the risk or danger, counting on what is called as â€Å"focused security† that place the most resources alongside with the highest risks. An enhanced â€Å"risk based approach† to recognize dangerous persons would make separation of passengers within the checkpoints of terminals into at least three distinct groups according to the quality and quantity of information known about each, such low risk passengers with which great deal is known, ordinary passengers or persons who are mostly infrequent flyers and leisure travelers, and high risk passengers or people whom nothing is known or having negative information about them. Also, different actions for bag and passenger screening should be done with each group to have an efficient system resources and passenger time allotment on methods that give little to the security of airport. The â€Å"risk based approach† would give noteworthy cost savings to both operating cost and capital while aiming funds of the airport security toward the passengers who are expected to pose threats to property and people, and those savings could be utilized to develop security in other areas and lower the passenger, airline, airport, and taxpayer’s cost (The Heritage†¦, 2006). The â€Å"risk based model would also lower the cost and size of   â€Å"checked baggage screening†, and the bags of RT members could be screened through X ray machines, lowering the EDS machines’ demand. Conclusion The US Congress can assist to tackle the country’s airport security requirement more effectively by insisting the 3 essential changes such as, reconstructing the TSA’s mission from giving airport security to being a policymaker of the aviation security, devolving screening responsibility to the airport level under the authorization of a director of the federal security, and lastly, requiring that the DHS labor to construct a new cargo and passenger security system that utilize a â€Å"risk based model† for the security of airports (The Heritage†¦, 2006). References Burns, V., Peterson, D. (2005).   Terrorism: A Documentary and Reference Guide.   New York: Greenwood Press. TSA – Transportation Security Administration. (2007). What Is TSA?. Retrieved December 23 2007, from http://www.tsa.gov/who_we_are/what_is_tsa.shtm The Heritage Foundation. (2006). Time to Rethink Airport Security. Retrieved December 23 2007, from http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/bg1955.cfm Williams C. (2004).   Aircrew Security.   New York: Ashgate Publishing Ltd. William Johnstone, R. (2006).   9/11 and the Future of Transportation Security.   New York: Greenwood Press.            

Research Methodology, Design and Process: Dementia Care

Abstract The ability to critically analyse literature is an important skill for evidence-based practice. This literature review aimed to critically analysed literature on dementia care. A search of literature was conducted on academic databases such as Pubmed and CINAHL. Three studies were finally retrieved for this literature review. Each of these studies was critiqued using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool for qualitative studies and the critiquing framework of Long et al. (2002). Findings of this literature review could be used to inform current and future community nursing practice. Specifically, this review revealed that music therapy could improve the mood of individuals with dementia and show evidence in improving memory function. While findings could not be applicable to a wider population, nurses could utilise findings and tailor these to the individual needs of their patients. Introduction Evidence-based practice (EBP) is heavily promoted in the NHS since this helps nurses and other healthcare practitioners apply findings of recently published literature to one’s current and future practice. The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC, 2008) code of conduct also emphasises that healthcare decisions should be evidence-based and supported by published literature and current guidelines. Developing the ability to critically analyse literature is essential when developing evidence-based care (Greenhalgh, 2010; Aveyard, 2014). There is a wealth of information from published literature and current guidelines. Determining the relevance and quality of these findings will help inform nurses whether findings are credible and valid before they are applied to current practice. As part of community nursing, I am interested in improving my current practice in order to deliver quality care to my patients. The recent policy on community care from the Department of Health (2013a) emphasises the importance of allowing patients with chronic conditions and their carers to self-manage their conditions, achieve self-efficacy and lessen admissions in hospital settings. This policy, â€Å"Care in Local Communities-District Nurse Vision and Model’ (Department of Health, 2013a) emphasises the role of nurses in supporting patients and their carers to improve their health outcomes. While it is acknowledged that patients with chronic illnesses may never recover from their condition, nurses have the responsibility to help patients or their carers manage signs and symptoms of the chronic illness. As a nurse in community setting, I have cared for patients with dementia. I saw how this condition impacts the patient’s quality of life and even increase the risk of depression amongst their carers (Talbot and Verrinder, 2009). I always had an interest in caring for patients with dementia. However, I noticed that most pharmacologic treatments have little effect in delaying the progression of cognitive impairments amongst these patients (Miller, 2009). These treatments are also costly and place a considerable burden on the family members and the NHS (Department of Health, 2013b). Hence, I thought that familiarising myself with non-pharmacologic interventions and their effects on cognition or memory of the patient would be important in my role as a community nurse. A number of non-pharmacologic interventions to preserve memory or delay cognitive decline have been developed in the last two decades. Studies (Spector et al., 2010; Hansen et al., 2006; Vink et al., 2004; Teri et al., 2003) show that these interventions range from motor stimulation, exercise programmes, sensory stimulation and cognitive training. Amongst these interventions, music therapy has been suggested to be least harmful and relatively effective. Some investigators (Fornazzari et al., 2006; Cuddy and Duffin, 2005) have shown that even in patients with severe dementia, music memory seemed to be preserved. However, some studies (Menard and Belleville, 2009; Baird and Samsom, 2009) suggest otherwise and explain that some patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) suffer from impaired music memory. One study (Baird and Samson, 2009) however, explained that procedural memory, specifically for musical stimuli are not affected in persons with dementia. With the acknowledgement tha t most pharmacologic interventions have limited ability to treat the symptoms associated with dementia, it is essential to consider how non-pharmacologic interventions, such as music therapy, alleviate symptoms of this condition. In order to enhance my current and future nursing practice and to increase my understanding on the relevance of music therapy to dementia care, I have decided to research this topic further. Literature Search A search of literature from academic databases such as the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Pubmed was done to retrieve relevant studies. CINAHL indexes more than 5,000 nursing and allied health sciences journals and contains almost 4 million citations. The depth of research articles indexed in this database makes it a database of choice for research on the effects of music therapy on patients suffering from dementia. Meanwhile, Pubmed was also used to search for academic literature. This database also contains millions of citations and indexes nursing and allied health journals. A quick search for ‘music therapy AND dementia’ was done in Pubmed since this database focuses on nursing and allied health journals. This search yielded 20 articles, most of which were available as full text journals. The same keywords were entered in the CINAHL database. The search yielded 14 articles, with almost all articles available as full text articles. A review of the abstracts of all articles was done to select only primary research studies conducted in the last five years. Polit et al. (2013) state that retrieving journal articles in the last five years will ensure that the most recent evidence is used to inform current and future nursing practice. Literature older than five years old may be outdated. However, this also increases the risk of excluding landmark studies (Aveyard, 2014). For the present review, the selection of studies was only restricted to the last five years to ensure that more recent evidence on music therapy were evaluated and critiqued. The re was also no restriction on the place where the studies were conducted since dementia affects people of different ethnicities. Learning from the experiences of other nurses or healthcare practitioners on the use of music therapy for dementia patients would also help improve nursing practice in the UK. The following articles were chosen for critique and evaluation: Simmons-Stern et al. (2012) ‘Music-based memory enhancement in Alzheimer’s disease: promise and limitations’ Sakamoto et al. (2013) ‘Comparing the effects of different individualized music interventions for elderly individuals with severe dementia’, Dermot et al. (2014) ‘The importance of music for people with dementia: the perspectives of people with dementia, family carers, staff and music therapists’ As previously stated, I am interested in how music therapy could help me assist my patients delay the progression of dementia and help them and their carers self-manage the signs and symptoms of dementia. Hence, all articles are relevant my work as a community nurse. To critique these studies, the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP, 2013) tool for critiquing qualitative studies was utilised. For the quantitative studies, Long et al. (2002) critiquing framework for quantitative studies was used. Both critiquing frameworks are easy to use and help researchers investigate the quality and rigour of research articles. Study 1: Simmons-Stern et al. (2012 A review of the title of the study shows that it reflected the main aim and objectives of the study. The title was concise and provided information to the readers that the study aimed to present the limitations of music-based memory enhancement as well as its possible application to nursing practice. Polit et al. (2013) emphasise the importance of creating a concise and clear title in order not to mislead readers and to inform stakeholders if the article is worth reading. A review was also done on the author’s background and shows that all had extensive background on dementia research and healthcare. This was essential since credibility of the authors’ background could increase the reliability of the findings of the study (Long et al., 2002). However, Hek and Moule (2011) emphasise that the authors’ background is not the sole criterion in assessing the credibility of the findings of the study. The abstract of the study failed to mention the type of study design used. While the abstract summarises the aims and main findings of the study, it did not follow the usual structure of an abstract in a journal article where the methodology or methods used are explicitly stated. Ellis (2010) reiterates that an abstract should provide a brief summary of the study’s background, aims and objectives, methodology, results and conclusion. Although it was difficult to determine why the researchers of this study failed to present the methodology in the abstract, readers of the study could have benefited from an abstract that states the methodology of the study. Reading of the body of the article would show that the quantitative study design was used. The study aimed to investigate the effects of music on the memory of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, one of the diseases grouped under dementia. Simmons-Stern et al. (2012) made excellent use of literature and related findings from previous studies with the current study. Apart from the excellent use of literature, there was also a very good review of the previous studies and a gap in literature was clearly presented. Hence, the literature review of the study was well written and provided the readers with good background on why there is a need to carry out the present study. Polit et al. (2013) emphasise that a well-written review of literature should be able to provide context to the study’s aims and objectives and argue why there is a need to address the gaps in literature. Importantly, Simmons-Stern et al. (2012) avoided the use of jargon when writing the paper. Burns and Grove (2013) explain that the use of jargon should be avoided since this excludes readers of the article that have no nursing or medical background. A good paper is one that is written for a general audience and not only for a scientific community (Burns and Grove, 2013). A total of 12 participants who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and 17 healthy controls g ave their informed consents to participate in the study. Brown (2009) states the importance of obtaining the informed consent of participants before commencing the study. This would not only protect the rights of the participants but also ensure that the nurse researchers are observing the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC, 2008) code of conduct in protecting the patients or participants from harm. Part of obtaining an informed consent is the presentation of the study’s aims and objectives, possible side effects or benefits when participating in the study (Brown, 2009). An informed consent will also ensure that debriefing is provided to the participants to avoid any harm and psychological distress to the participants (Oermann, 2010). Apart from getting the informed consent, it was also crucial that an ethics committee has evaluated and approved the study protocol. An evaluation of the study reveals that this was observed and an ethics committee approved the study. On reflection, the study has a very small sample size (n=12 experimental group; n=17 control group). This would have taken a randomised controlled study design since a control group was used to compare the effects of music therapy on the patients with a healthy control. However, the investigators specifically state that this study was comparative. An inclusion and exclusion criteria were used when recruiting the patients, suggesting that participants were not randomly selected. Since the study was quantitative and employed the experimental study design, random sampling of the participants who have been more applicable (Crookes and Davies, 2004). It should be noted that it would also be difficult to randomise participants since this study was only conduc ted in one healthcare setting and it was crucial that participants have developed AD. While randomisation of participants was not observed, it is noteworthy that the investigators stated how many of the participants were excluded from the study and the reasons of their exclusion. This was essential since failure to explain why participants who gave their informed consents to participate in the study but were later excluded in the actual experiment would make the data collection process unclear (Moule and Goodman, 2009). Despite the small sample size, the demographic characteristics of the two groups were not significantly different when t-test was done. There were no significant differences in prior musical training, formal or informal, years of education and age between the participants of the two groups. This allowed the investigators to determine if there were differences after the study, this might have been due to the intervention employed. After informed consents were taken, the authors of the study declared that they paid the participants for the hours spent during the study. Compensating the participants for the time is considered as ethical since considerable time has been taken away from the subjects for their participation in the study (Hek and Moule, 2011). The interventions were clearly stated. This increased the rigour of the study since a clearly stated research method would help other investigators replicate the methods in future studies and verify whether similar findings are obtain ed (Hek and Moule, 2011). Simmons-Stern et al. (2012) also specifically outlined the lyrics used and where these were obtained and how music memory of the participants was tested. Results section of the study clearly presented the main findings of the study. Appropriate statistical tests were also utilised to test the hypotheses of the research. Polit et al. (2013) emphasise that statistical tests should be appropriate to the study’s aims and objectives and should rule out any biases in interpretation of the findings. Despite having a small sample size, the researchers were able to establish that music in patients with AD enhances memory in terms of familiarisation of sung lyrics but not in spoken stimuli. This suggests that in patients with AD, they can enhance their memory when familiarising with the lyrics or listening to music but not when they hear spoken language. There were also no significant differences in the healthy control and experimental groups in terms of memory after hearing the lyrics of a song compared to hearing the lyrics as a spoken stimuli. Since this study has a small sample size, the applicability of the findings to a larger and more heterogeneous population would be difficult (Burns and Grove, 2013). Although a control was used, it should be noted that participants in the experimental group are in the early stages of AD. This could have affected the findings of the study since it is unclear if patients with severe dementia would also yield similar reactions and results. At present, the findings are applicable to the sample population of the study and importantly, only on individuals in the early stages of dementia. While there were several limitations of the study, findings are noteworthy since these show that music therapy is promising as a non-pharmacologic intervention for enhancing memory in individuals with early stage dementia. The conclusion of the study was clearly presented and summarises the key points presented in the study. Although the discussion states future areas of study, there were no clear recommendations in the conclusion. Specific recommendations could have been made at the end to help future researchers identify areas of investigation. There were also no implications for future nursing and other healthcare practitioners’ practices. Despite the lack of clear recommendations, readers can still read through the study and identify areas that need further investigation. For example, there is a need to replicate the study in a larger and randomly selected sample population to strengthen the validity and reliability of the findings. There is also a need to compare findings with patients suffering from moderate to severe dementia to determine if music still has similar effects on the memory of those in advanced stages of the illness. There are a number of implications of the study in nursing practice. Nurses can use music to help enhance memory or prevent deterioration of memory amongst individuals with early stages of the disease. It is essential to consider the acceptability of music therapy in those suffering from dementia. As a whole, the study was of high quality and effort was made to reduce bias within the study. Although the investigators failed to blind assessors to the study, findings were presented objectively. It is also difficult to blind assessors because of the very small sample size (Burns and Grove, 2013). All investigators were familiar with the background of the participants and blinding them to the intervention was difficult since these investigators were also responsible in implementing the interventions. Finally, there were no conflicts of interest (Polit et al., 2013), ensuring the readers that bias in presentation of findings was avoided. Study 2: Sakamoto et al. (2013) An evaluation of the study’s title reveals that it was concise and clearly reflects the study’s aims and objectives. This was essential (Long et al., 2002) since this would present to the readers the main aim of the study. The type of study design chosen to answer the study’s aims was also appropriate. A quantitative study design would help investigators answer the research aims and objectives through experimentation, surveys or a randomised controlled trial (RCT) (Brown, 2009). In Sakamoto et al. (2013), the randomised controlled study design was used. Compared to other quantitative study designs, a RCT reduces risk of selection bias and bias in interpretation of findings (Moule and Goodman, 2009). Selection bias occurs when participants are not randomly selected and do no have equal chances of being assigned to a control or experimental groups (Crookes and Davies, 2004). This is avoided in RCT since all participants are randomly assigned to an experimental or c ontrol group. On the other hand, bias in interpretation of findings is lessened especially if investigators and assessors are blinded to the interventions and standard treatment (Oermann, 2010). A critical analysis of the study shows all participants in the study were randomly assigned to the treatment and standard care groups. However, a major limitation of this study was its relatively small sample size (n=39). It would be difficult to transfer findings to a larger and more heterogeneous group due to the representativeness of the sample population (Ellis, 2010). While it is difficult to transfer findings to other settings due to the relatively small sample size, community nurses may consider the applicability of the findings to their own practice. It is noteworthy that it would be difficult to recruit participants in the advanced stages of dementia since their ability to give their informed consent is severely limited (Department of Health, 2009). Further, their participation requires that their carers or immediate family members are aware of the study’s aims and objectives and should be able to assist the participants during the the study. While an ethics board app roved the study and informed consents were taken from the respondents or their representatives (Burns and Grove, 2013), involving individuals who suffer from severe cognitive impairment would be difficult. This also carries some ethical issues since their ability to understand the procedures of the study is compromised (Hek and Moule, 2011). Although the Mental Health Act in the UK acknowledges that carers can act in behalf of the individual with mental health condition, ethics regarding their participation in research studies remains debatable (Department of Health, 2009). Despite the possible ethical issues surrounding the study, investigators of this study used other means of evaluation to assess the participants’ responses to the interventions. For example, they used the Faces Scale (Sakamoto et al., 2013) to determine the emotions of the participants. A review of the study’s aims and objective shows that these were clearly presented in the beginning of the study. The introduction and review of literature also made excellent use of previous studies. It is also important to note the gaps in practice in recent studies were highlighted in the literature review section (Ellis, 2010). A good literature also argues why there is a need for the new study and how this could be applied to current healthcare practices (Ross, 2012). Methodology and methods used were also appropriate for the research question. Since the study aimed to determine the effectiveness of music therapy, it is appropriate that a RCT is used to compare music therapy with st andard care. Comparing music therapy with standard care is ethical (Ross, 2012) since all patients in the study received interventions. It would be unethical to withdraw treatment or assign participants to a control group that would receive no intervention (Crookes and Daives, 2004). The evaluation tools used to measure the responses of the patients were appropriate and have been previously validated and standardised. This was necessary to convey to the readers that validated measurement tools were used in the study (Moule and Goodman, 2009). A clear description of the research methods was presented. This would allow future researchers to replicate the present study (Oermann, 2010) and determine if similar findings could be observed. This also increases rigour of the study (Burns and Grove, 2013) since it is essential for other researchers to also test the hypothesis of the study and ensure that results are consistent across different healthcare settings. Results of the study were well presented and appropriate statistical tests were used. The discussion section of the study presented the strengths and limitations of the study. Polit et al. (2013) emphasise that presenting the limitations of a study will help inform other researchers on areas that need further improvement and presents areas for further research. Since weaknesses of the study were presented, readers and other healthcare practitioners can determine the extent in which the findings can be applied to current and future nursing practice (Burns and Grove, 2013) . The conclusion of the study succinctly captures the main points raised in the research study. This helped the researchers identify the main highlights of the study (Ellis, 2010). However, recommendations for other researchers and areas of improvement of the study were not cited. While the discussion section presented these limitations and areas for future studies, brief recommendations at the end of the study could have added rigour to the research study. Importantly, there were no conflicts of interest. This assured the readers that bias in reporting of data was reduced (Ellis, 2010). Findings of this study have important implications in nursing practice. All participants received either the passive or interactive music intervention while the control group received no music intervention. There was careful choice of music in the interactive group. For example, healthcare workers assigned to the interactive group helped investigators choose music for the patient participants. Music played during the intervention all had special meaning to the participants. All interventions were given individually for 30 minutes per session at once a week for 10 weeks. Those in the interactive group were allowed to clap, sing or interact with the music. Meanwhile, those in the passive group only listened to the music. The music chosen for the passive group also had special meaning to the participants. Those in the control group sat in silence for 30 minutes during the once a week session. Interestingly, findings show that music associated with special memories led to significant cha nges in the parasympathetic nervous system of the participants. Investigators note that music significantly increased relaxation of the individuals immediately after intervention when compared to baseline data. However, these were not noted in the control group. Significant changes were also seen on the emotional states of the participants in the interactive and passive music intervention groups. Music appeared to elicit pleasant emotional states. However, when passive and interactive groups were compared, the latter was significantly more relaxed following the music intervention. It should be noted that patients with severe dementia are more sensitive to environmental stimuli and may experience stress when placed in a new environment (Morris and Morris, 2010). Further, patients with cognitive impairments may express feelings of stress and fear through disruptive behaviour (Morris and Morris, 2010). The difficulty in verbalising their emotional needs could aggravate their responses to their surroundings (Department of Health, 2009). Hence, the st udy of Sakamoto et al. (2013) may have important implications in nursing care for patients in community settings. Nurses can encourage family members to play music that have special meaning to their loved ones suffering from dementia to illicit positive emotional states. The calming effect of music could be an advantage for patients cared in home or care settings since this would not only prevent stress but also allow patients to enjoy quality of life. Study 3: Dermot et al. (2014) A review of the study’s title shows that it also reflects the main aims and objectives of the study. Readers could easily understand that the study explored the experiences of individuals with dementia, their carers, staff and music therapists when music interventions are employed. The CASP (2013) tool for qualitative studies contains three screening questions that should be used to determine if a study is worth reviewing. The study of Dermot et al. (2014) suggests that music can help maintain the person’s interconnectedness and their quality of life. Findings have important implications in nursing practice since music intervention (Miller, 2009) is not costly and could yield positive results for patients suffering from early to advanced stages of dementia. Further review of the study shows that aims and objectives of the research were clearly stated. The main aim of the study was to explore the meaning of music in the lives of individuals suffering from dementia. Inves tigators of this study state that there is limited knowledge on why or how individuals find music beneficial to their wellbeing. Understanding the role of music according to the perceptions of the patients and their carers will help inform nursing practice on the relevance of music in the lives of people with dementia. A qualitative research methodology was appropriate for the study’s aims since the research aims to interpret the subjective experiences of individuals with dementia. Parahoo (2006) emphasises that a qualitative study allows researchers to explore the experiences and perceptions of individuals in more detail and depth. Since open-ended questions are used, investigators can use probing questions (Burns and Grove, 2013) to help participants articulate their experiences. One of the strengths of this study was the inclusion of participants’ family members, care home staff and music therapists. Individuals suffering from dementia were recruited from care homes and those living in the community. This allowed Dermot et al. (2014) to compare the perceptions of people with dementia living in care homes or in the community and determine if settings of the individuals impact their experiences with music therapy. Recruitment strategy employed was also appropriate for the research ai ms. There was also a clear explanation on the methods of data collection. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were done. In the former, this would allow researchers to investigate perceptions of participants in more detail (Parahoo, 2006). However, this requires more time to complete especially if there are many participants in a study. A focus group discussion, on the other hand, requires little resources and could be completed in one setting (Polit et al., 2013). However, if a dominant member would be included in a focus group discussion, interactions would be limited (Burns and Grove, 2013). This could be avoided with a facilitator who knows how to redirect the discussion to all members of the focus group. A stregnth of the study of Dermot et al. (2014) is the presentation of a rationalisation on why they used a combination of focus groups and in-depth interviews. It should also be noted that participants with dementia might display cognitive impairments, depending on the stage of their illness. Hence, requiring these patients to explain their experiences in more depth might be challenging. However, the investigators tried to mitigate this challenge by including carers of the patients as part of the study participants. Inclusion of carers could provide researchers with more detailed information on how music impacts the wellbeing and quality of life of the patients since these carers are more acquainted with the individuals suffering from dementia (Miranda-Castillo et al., 2010). It is also noteworthy that music therapy was individualised to the patients in the study. Thi s suggests that comparison of music therapy received by the patients was not done. Instead, investigators focused on the impact of music therapy on the patients’ wellbeing. In addition, the study did not take into account the differences in music interventions and whether this shaped the individual’s reaction to music therapy. Despite the differences in music intervention, it was common for the music therapists to use songs that were well-known to the patients. They also supported active music therapy with exploratory improvisation. Dermot et al. (2014), however, failed to explain what is exploratory improvisation or how this was done during music therapy. There was also an explanation on the content of the guides used for the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. This was essential to demonstrate the coverage of the interview guides and whether each guide reflects the aims and objectives of the study (Moule and Goodman, 2009). However, the relationship between the researchers and the participants was not thoroughly discussed. If the participants knew the investigators, this might lead to potential bias especially if the researchers hold positions of power (Oermann, 2010). Despite this limitation, Dermot et al. (2014) emphasise that only one facilitator guided the focus group discussions. There were changes in the methods used during data collection. For instance, where a focus group discussion was initially decided, this was then changed to individual interviews in the second group of patients and healthcare workers. Dermot et al. (2014) explain that the severity of dementia of the patients was considered in the choice of d ata collection. In-depth interviews were used when patients had severe dementia. There were also sufficient details on how participants were recruited and whether ethical standards were observed. Polit et al. (2013) state that ethics in research is crucial to ensure that the rights of the participants were observed and they were not subjected to undue stress or negative experiences during data collection. Confidentiality was also observed in the study and all participants remained anonymous. Approval was also sought from an ethics board in the community settings. Data analysis of qualitative data could be extensive and time consuming (Parahoo, 2006). Informing readers how data was analysed would help increase the rigour of a qualitative study. Dermot et al. (2014) provided an in-depth description of how data was analysed. Thematic analysis was also used to present the main findings of the study. There was also a clear description on how categories and themes emerged. For instance, the long-table approach was used during analysis of data. Verbatim transcripts wer e used to support the main themes. This ensures validity and credibility of the main themes generated in the study (Polit et al., 2013). Contradictory data were also taken into account. The researchers also critically examined their own roles in the research process and the potential bias that might arise during analysis of research data. While respondent was not done, validity and credibility of the data were observed through constant comparison of categories and themes. More than one researcher was involved in the analysis of data. Professors and doctoral students of the Doctoral Programme in Music Therapy were also consulted during thematic analysis and were involved in identifying categories. Importantly, findings were discussed with reference to the original research question. A discussion was also made on the relevance of the study to dementia care. Findings of this study suggest that music is a medium that is readily accessible to patients with dementia. Many of the patients, their carers and healthcare staff admitted that music promotes mental stimulation and is an emotionally meaningful experience. Almost all participants also remarked that song lyrics with personal meanings helped patients remember their personal history. It is also perceived to reinforce personal and cultural identity. Music is also perceiv ed to promote connectedness and building and sustaining of relationships. In addition, music has immediate effects on the mood of the patients. Most of the staff members who participated in the focus group discussions remarked that agitation of the patients decreased as a result of music therapy. It is also shown to promote a relaxing environment in the care homes. On the other hand, listening to music in the lounge area could be challenging since care home residents might have different music preferences. Hence, it would be a challenge for healthcare workers to address all the music preferences of the patients. Since the study was qualitative, transferability of the findings to a larger and more heterogeneous population is impossible (Polit et al., 2013). However, other healthcare practitioners could use findings to help build a peaceful environment for patients suffering from dementia. A further review of the study also shows that the conclusion summarises the main points raised in the study and provides recommendations for other researchers to consider in similar studies in the future. Implications of Findings in Nursing Practice Findings of this literature review could be used to improve nursing practice when caring for patients with dementia. All three studies (Simmons-Stern et al., 2012; Sakamoto et al., 2013; Dermot et al., 2014) included in this literature review demonstrate the impact of music therapy on patients with dementia. Music therapy could improve health outcomes and quality of life of the patients from early to advanced stages of the disease. In the latter, patients who have difficulty communicating their needs, react positively to music therapy. Many of the patients with severe dementia show less agitation when exposed to music that was once relevant to them before they suffered from dementia. This suggests that music therapy could even not only promote positive mood of the patients but might even reconnect them to ‘who they are’ (Dermot et al., 2014). This holds important implications in nursing practice in community settings. Music therapy could be introduced to families caring for a loved one with dementia and could be used to calm the patient, reconnect with their family members and create an environment that is less stressful for the individual with dementia. The type of music therapy, however, will be dependent on the preferences of the individual (Sakamoto et al., 2013). This is consistent with patient-centred care (Department of Health, 2009) where patient preferences are considered when creating a care plan or introducing healthcare interventions. It is suggested that interactive music therapy (Simmons-Stern et al., 2012; Sakamoto et al., 2013) might be more effective than passive music therapy in improving memory and mood of the patients with dementia. As a community nurse, I need to be aware of the different non-pharmacologic interventions for people with dementia. I can use findings of this review when caring for patients suffering from dementia. Music therapy is relatively easy to carry out and entails very little cost. Importantly, it has positive short and long-term impacts on patient’s mood, memory and quality of life. Hence, considering this type of intervention could also help ease the burden of carers who provide care to these patients on a daily basis. I could use information from this literature when conducting patient education. I can inform my patients and their family members of the benefits of music therapy and the sustainability of this type of therapy over time. I can also encourage family members to consider music therapy to help alleviate the mood of the patients and provide a calm environment. Conclusion This literature review has shown the feasibility and promise of music therapy in promoting wellbeing, improving memory and quality of life of patients with dementia. As a community nurse, music therapy could be employed with the help of a music therapist in community settings. Families and carers could be taught on how to use this type of therapy to improve the mood of the patient or to calm the individual when agitated. This type of therapy holds some promise in long-term care for people with dementia. As shown in the review, individuals with severe dementia still have the ability to respond positively to music therapy. However, consideration should still be made on the applicability of the findings of the three studies to a larger and more heterogeneous population. All studies recruited a relatively small sample size that might not be representative of the experiences of a wider group of people with dementia. Although this limits applicability, findings can be tailored to the needs of individual patients. Considerations should also be made on the preferences of the patients and their family members on whether music therapy is acceptable to them. Since there is a need to practice patient-centred care, nurses have to determine if patients or their family members are willing to employ music therapy. It should ne noted that this literature review is only limited to reviewing three studies. Literature on the acceptability of music therapy was not evaluated. Despite this gap in the present literature review, the positive responses generated after music therapy should help patients and their family members consider music therapy. References Aveyard, H. (2014) Doing a literature review in health & social care: A practical guide. 2nd ed. Berkshire: Open University Press. Baird, A. & Samson, S. (2009) Memory for music in Alzheimer’s disease: unforgettableNeuropsychology Review. 19(1), p. 85–101. Brown, S. (2009) Evidence-based nursing: the research-practice connection. Sudbury Mass: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Burns, N. & Grove, S. 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