Humana Health Incorporation

Introduction Humana Incorporation has managed to position itself optimally within the US healthcare insurance industry. The firm’s success hinges on the acknowledgement and implementation of best management practices. One of the issues that the firm has emphasized over the years relates to marketing.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Humana Health Incorporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In its operation, the firm faces significant challenges arising from the dynamic nature of the healthcare industry. This paper evaluates a number of issues associated with Humana Incorporation operation such as its business level strategy, marketing strategy, and financial position and strategy, production and purchasing strategy, among others. Business level strategy Development of competitive strategy is very important in a firm’s effort to succeed in its operation (Harvard Business Review, 2011). Hoskisson (2 008) asserts that business-level strategies are concerned with how a firm intends to develop a high competitive advantage relative to its competitors. When formulating business-level strategies, the firms’ management teams should take into account their core competencies, resources, and capabilities. Additionally, a firm should take into account the goods and services it deals with and its target customers coupled with how it distributes when formulating business-level strategies (Hill Jones, 2007). In its domestic market, Humana Incorporation faces intense competition from two main health insurance companies, viz. Aetna and Cigna. The lucrative nature of the US health care industry has motivated Aetna to incorporate diversity as its business level strategy in order to achieve continued growth.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The firm recognizes the importance of integr ating diversity in all its operational spheres (Aetna, 2010). On the other hand, Cigna has adopted differentiation as its business level strategy in an effort to achieve its objective of becoming the industry leader. The firm focuses on specialty and individual products and introduction of new healthcare products (Manders, 2008). Marketing strategy In its marketing practices, Humana Incorporation has integrated the concept of market targeting. The firm has identified different market segments, which have enabled it to formulate different healthcare policies. Some of the firm’s target customers include the government and employers. Additionally, the firm has also targeted institutional customers such as Medicaid and Medicare companies. The firm also appreciates the fact that customers are conscious to price. Therefore, the firm has incorporated price discounts in its premium pricing strategy and thus its competitiveness within the healthcare industry has increased. In an effor t to create sufficient market awareness, Humana Incorporation has integrated different marketing methods such as telemarketing. The firm also conducts direct marketing in an effort to promote its sales using its large sales force. Financial position and strategy The firm has managed to nurture a healthy financial position given its asset records. On June 30, 2012, the firm’s assets with regard to cash equivalents, investment in securities and cash amounted to $13.53 billion.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Humana Health Incorporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This represents an increment with a margin of $285 million or a 2% increase from its previous level of $13.25 billion on 31 March 2012. By the end of its 2nd quarter in 2012, the firm’s total assets amount $ 20.9 million while its total liabilities amounted to $12.4 million. This shows that the firm has a sufficient working capital (Hum ana Inc., 2012, p.18). Given its increase in earnings during the 2nd quarter of 2012, the firm has managed to lower its debt-to-capitalization ratio with 30 basis points. The firm has also managed to improve its cash flows during 2012. During its 2nd quarter of 2012, the firm’s operational effectiveness resulted in an increment in its cash flows, which amounted to $706 billion compared to $161 billion during the 2nd quarter of 2011. The firm has also managed to increase its stockholder’s equity from $ 8.063 during 2011 to $ 8.455 in 2012 (Humana Inc., 2012). The firm’s financial strategy is to increase its financial strength The organization’s production and purchasing strategies In an effort to satisfy its customers, Humana Incorporation has incorporated effective production and purchasing strategies. The firm has a procurement department that is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that it offers high-quality services to its customers. The firm p urchases its products from different suppliers (Christensen, Allworth, Dillion, 2012). Over the years, Humana Incorporation has managed to develop a strong client-vendor relationship. The firm’s success is greatly dependent on the quality of the products purchased.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In its purchasing strategy, the firm categorizes its products into four groups, which include facilities, services, supplies, and equipments. The equipments relate to security systems, telecommunications, furniture and telecommunication. Facilities relate to leasing, management, janitorial services, architects, and building maintenance. On the other hand, services include advertising and media, legal, printing, translation, marketing and relocation while supplies relate to medical and pharmaceuticals and general office (Humana Inc., 2012). Humana Health Incorporation The firm’s management team appreciates the fact that its success is greatly dependent on its ability to serve its customers. As a result, Humana Incorporation has integrated a comprehensive recruitment strategy. The strategy entails sourcing for employees both internally and externally. The objective is to enable the firm have a strong human resource base. Humana Incorporation also appreciates the fact that its e ffectiveness in providing healthcare insurance policies is dependent on the prevailing public healthcare policy. Through its human resource department, the firm is concerned with ensuring that the government offers effective healthcare plans. In line with its corporate responsibility, the firm has devised a number of strategies that clearly define its commitment towards serving its members, associates, the society, and the world at large (Humana Inc., 2012) Humana Incorporation SWOT Analysis Strengths One source of the firm’s strengths revolves on its resources, core competences, and capabilities. Over the years, Humana Incorporation has managed to develop a strong financial base. This aspect has contributed to the firm’s success with regard to dealing with financial challenges associated with health care insurance. For example, at times the forecasted insurance cost is less than the actual insured medical cost; consequently, the firm has to seek other sources of fina nce in order to cater for the deficit. Based on its rich financial resources, Humana Incorporation has managed to deal with such challenges. During its 2nd quarter of 2012, the firm’s accumulated revenue amounted to $9.70 billion, which was a 4% increment from its 2011 revenue of $ 9.28 billion (Humana Inc., 2012). To meet its customers’ healthcare needs, the firm has developed a broad product portfolio. Consequently, the firm has managed to nurture a high level of customer satisfaction. In an effort to be competitive, Humana Incorporation appreciates the importance of market communication. Koekemoer (2004) asserts that marketing communication is critical in influencing the target market. The firm has adopted emerging Information Communication Technologies (ICT) to attain efficiency and effectiveness in market communication. An example of such technologies entails development of a web portal known as the Physicians’ Online, which enables customers to obtain pres criptions online. Humana Incorporation has managed to attain a higher competitive advantage compared to its competitors due to its commitment with regard to new product innovation. The firm’s innovativeness has also led to its success in controlling prices. The firm achieves this goal by developing effective cost analysis models. The firm’s capabilities are associated with its ability to avoid risk by developing effective underwriting criteria. The criterion enables the firm to assess whether to cover a particular health risk or not. With regard to core competencies, the firm can identify possible acquisition targets. Ultimately, the firm can undertake different acquisitions. Weaknesses Humana Incorporation has not been successful with regard to geographical reach. This aspect has limited the firm’s ability to increase its membership levels, which arises from the fact that only a few customers can access the firm’s services. Despite implementing emergin g technologies, the firm’s competitiveness with regard to technology is limited by the fact that most of its competitors have also implemented similar technologies. One of the firm’s major customers is the military. However, the firm is not very effective with regard to bidding. Therefore, there is a high probability of the firm losing contracts from the government during the bidding process. Opportunities Currently, Humana Incorporation operates in only 18 states (Parnell, 2009). By formulating and implementing an effective globalization model, Humana Incorporation can expand geographically. The firm will attract a large number of customers due to its attractive and diverse health plans. Its success in attracting new customers is enhanced by the fact that it has a strong sales force in addition to its ability in implementing innovative marketing plan. The ultimate effect will be an increment in the firm’s sales revenue hence its profitability. Over the past d ecade, the US government has increasingly become concerned with the healthcare of its senior citizens and more senior citizens are being incorporated in the government’s healthcare plans. Humana Incorporation can take advantage of this market opportunity by designing healthcare plans that will appeal such potential customer groups. To capture this customer group, Humana Incorporation should formulate an effective marketing scheme. Currently, the US healthcare industry is characterized by a high rate of consolidation (Hammaker Tomlinson, 2011). This aspect presents a unique market opportunity to Humana Incorporation. Considering its success in acquiring small healthcare firms, Humana Incorporation will expand into new territories. Additionally, acquisition will improve the firm’s ability to serve its increasing membership levels. The firm’s innovativeness also presents an opportunity to the firm for it can attract new customer categories by developing new health care products. Threats One of the risks relates to the occurrence of economic recession, which may adversely affect its income level for a recession would negatively affect the consumer’s purchasing power and hence their ability to purchase insurance covers. The high rate of technological innovation in an effort to offer customer high quality healthcare services poses a threat for the firm for such innovations will lead to an increase in the cost of medical care. The firm’s success is also threatened by the fact that its competitors are increasingly considering entering its geographical territory. Incorporation of such strategies by competitors will lead to a decline in the firm’s profitability to increased rivalry. The competitors are imitating Humana’s business model to penetrate its geographical market successfully. This move will likely culminate in price wars unless the firm undertakes continuous innovation. Humana Incorporation has previously exp erienced lawsuits by clients. Some of these lawsuits have not been resolved yet. As a result, the unresolved lawsuits may have adverse effects on the firm’s sales revenue and profitability (Pozgar, 2008). Emergence of new diseases and medical conditions such as H1N1 poses a threat to the firm in offering healthcare insurance for such conditions may lead to occurrence of medical crises (Scutchfield Keck, 2003). Strategic alternatives Humana Incorporation should continue focusing on its current business model. The firm should incorporate the concept of backward vertical integration to increase its membership. The firm should utilize its core competencies with regard to acquisition. The firm should study the environment in order to identify potential customer categories to increase its membership level. Pros and cons of strategic alternatives By focusing on the current business model, the firm will nurture a strong relationship with its current customer categories. However, this move will limit the firm’s ability to grow its membership level. Growing its membership level will contribute towards the firm increasing its profitability. However, this aspect will result to growth in the degree of complexity in the firm’s effort to deal with numerous policies, for example in the event of health crisis. Similarly, backward vertical integration will lead to increased complexity in managing the various medical policies designed to cater for the diverse customer needs (Swayne, Duncan Ginter, 2008). Utilizing its core competencies will facilitate the development of new business lines. Conclusion From the analysis conducted, it is evident that Humana Incorporation’s success hinges on effective implementation of various functional, marketing, and business strategies. Therefore, the company has managed to grow a strong financial base. However, it is paramount for the firm to consider the abovementioned strategic alternatives to succeed in the f uture. Reference List Aetna: Demonstrating social responsibility and integrity. (2010). Web. Christensen, C., Allworth, J., Dillion, K. (2012). How will you measure your  Life. London, UK : Harper Collins Publishers. Hammaker, D., Tomlinson, S. (2011). Health care management and the law:  Principles and applications. Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning. Harvard Business Review. (2011). HBR’s 10 must reads on strategy. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press. Hill, C., Jones, G. (2007). Strategic management theory: An integrated  Approach. New York, NY: Cengage. Hoskisson, R. (2008). Competing for advantage. Mason, OH: Thomson. Humana Inc: Humana reports second quarter 2012 financial results. (2012). Web. Koekemoer, L. (2004). Marketing communications. Lansdowne, SA: Juta Academic. Manders, M. (2008). Healthcare: Strategy and growth. Web. Parnell, J. (2009). Strategic management: Theory and practice. Mason, OH: Cengage. Pozgar, G. (2008). Legal aspects of health care administration. Mason, OH: Jones Barlett Learning. Scutchfield, F., Keck, W. (2003). Principles of public health. Cliffton Park, NY: Thomson. Swayne, L., Duncan, J., Ginter, P. (2008). Strategic management of health  Care organization. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. This essay on Humana Health Incorporation was written and submitted by user Kaliyah S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Kantian Ethics

Kantian Ethics If philosophy should serve as an instrument of guidance for implementing our own morality, than Kant presents the driving factor as rationality behind such moral distinctions. In The Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morality, Kant states that there is no need to perceive whether moral law should be truly regarded above everything else, for it is only the goodwill that has the absolute moral worth that needs not to be validated. Kant further argues that since this truth is omnipresent in humanity, then it is humanity’s innate duty to adhere to it, no matter how strong inclination may tempt us. Kant concludes that since it is the moral law to which all beings are bound, the foundations of moral law depends exclusively on a priori knowledge, and not upon empirical or anthropological grounds. With Kant’s basis for argument concentrated on how actions are determined by a binding moral law, the distinction between what may be regarded as an action of moral worth should be made to understand how a deviation from the innate rationality of morality may occur. An action, according to Kant, only displays moral worth if this action is taken out of respect for the moral law and the necessity to follow the maxim, with no influence from any inclinations. For example, a shopkeeper can make many different choices of action to depending on what motives he relies on to determine whether to sell a child candy for a fair price. He can choose either to sell fairly or not to sell fairly, but it is whether his inclinations have influenced these motives for acting which determines whether his action has moral value according to Kantian theory. The shopkeeper may ignore to follow the moral law altogether andz+. charge the children for more than the rightful choice, guided by an irrational decision to follow his desire to make more money. According to Kant, if the shopkeeper chooses this action he is immoral, his action is of n... Free Essays on Kantian Ethics Free Essays on Kantian Ethics Kantian Ethics If philosophy should serve as an instrument of guidance for implementing our own morality, than Kant presents the driving factor as rationality behind such moral distinctions. In The Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morality, Kant states that there is no need to perceive whether moral law should be truly regarded above everything else, for it is only the goodwill that has the absolute moral worth that needs not to be validated. Kant further argues that since this truth is omnipresent in humanity, then it is humanity’s innate duty to adhere to it, no matter how strong inclination may tempt us. Kant concludes that since it is the moral law to which all beings are bound, the foundations of moral law depends exclusively on a priori knowledge, and not upon empirical or anthropological grounds. With Kant’s basis for argument concentrated on how actions are determined by a binding moral law, the distinction between what may be regarded as an action of moral worth should be made to understand how a deviation from the innate rationality of morality may occur. An action, according to Kant, only displays moral worth if this action is taken out of respect for the moral law and the necessity to follow the maxim, with no influence from any inclinations. For example, a shopkeeper can make many different choices of action to depending on what motives he relies on to determine whether to sell a child candy for a fair price. He can choose either to sell fairly or not to sell fairly, but it is whether his inclinations have influenced these motives for acting which determines whether his action has moral value according to Kantian theory. The shopkeeper may ignore to follow the moral law altogether andz+. charge the children for more than the rightful choice, guided by an irrational decision to follow his desire to make more money. According to Kant, if the shopkeeper chooses this action he is immoral, his action is of n...

IT Project Implementation Failures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IT Project Implementation Failures - Essay Example The major indicators of the failure in the project implementation are: a. One of the major reasons that affected the failure of the project could be that the project ran out of budget to be controlled. An initial project plan was designed with the budgeted requirements needed for the implementation of the project. But in course of time while the project was in progress it was observed that there was huge drainage in fund and this caused a major impediment to the progress of the project. One reason for the failure of the CPOE system was that the project overran the budgeted requirement. (Wager, Lee & Glaser, 2009) b. Another most important factor, which literally led to the failure of the project, could be the time overruns. When the initial outlay of the project is designed a time period is also determined which is recognized as the deadline for the implementation of the project. But in case of the CPOE project it was observed that lack of proper system planning and designing led to creeping up of a large number of issues during the progress of the project. This led to severe delay in the implementation plan of the project. The project, which was divided in several modules, started to get delayed when problems started creeping up in implementing each module.

The Effect of Direct Effect on Directives Essay

The Effect of Direct Effect on Directives - Essay Example The new regulations of European Union Law now state that the European regulations that have been framed in accordance with the provisions of the new European treaties have a direct effect upon all citizens of the European Union and on the laws that are made by the member states of the Union. This principle was first laid out by the European Court of Justice in the case of Van Gend en Loos v Nederlanse Administratie der Belastingen1. In this case, the Treaty of Rome was at issue and the ECJ ruled that individuals could take action against a State for breaching EU rules, since the new treaty grants rights and imposes obligations on individuals. According to the ruling laid out in this case, European Community regulations were also valid when tried in the national courts, because the regulations were similar to the national laws in that they had a similar effect upon an individual’s rights and responsibilities. Therefore in effect, the Court has ruled that a new legal order has b een created. The Direct Effect creates individual rights which the domestic courts must protect without needing to resort to the States concerned, since EU law took precedence. This is known as the â€Å"vertical direct effect† of Treaty articles. A â€Å"horizontal direct effect† was laid out in the case of Defrenne vs Sabena2, wherein provisions of EU law were directly applicable in a domestic court, in proceedings by an individual against a Company. This has affected the application of internal laws within each of the European member States. By virtue of the Direct Effect, member States are now obligated to comply with Community Law as it has been framed according to European laws within the framework of their own internal laws.

The Effect of Attack ads on political campaigns Research Paper

The Effect of Attack ads on political campaigns - Research Paper Example Attack ads focus on ‘the faults of the opponent’ (Frith & Mueller 2010, p.59). Advocacy ads refer to the capabilities of a candidate, without referring to the opponent (Frith & Mueller 2010, p.59). As for the contrast ads, these are a combination of the above, referring both to qualities of a candidate and ‘to the faults of his opponent’ (Frith & Mueller 2010, p.59). Two popular political ads are the following ones: a) the ad entitled as ‘Daisy Girl’ was used in the presidential elections of 1964 (Roberts & Hammond 2012, p.5). The above ad, which aimed on causing fear to voters in regard to the potential effects of their voting preferences, showed ‘a small girl plucking the petals off of a daisy’ (Roberts & Hammond 2012, p.5). The next scene showed a nuclear explosion (Roberts & Hammond 2012, p.5). Voters were asked to avoid voting the nominee of Republican Party who could possibly ‘lead the country to a nuclear war’ (R oberts & Hammond 2012, p.5); b) another popular attack ad is entitled as ‘the 3am phone call’ (Roberts & Hammond 2012, p.5) and was used by Hilary Clinton in the presidential elections of 2008. The particular ad, which can be characterized as a policy comparison ad, aimed to highlight the lack of experience of Barack Obama, compared to Hilary Clinton, in facing emergent issues. The ad entitled as ‘Daisy Girl’, as presented above, has faced strong criticism. Many political analysts did not accept the fact that one of the candidates of the presidential elections was portrayed as a strong supporter of piece, referring to Johnson, while the other was characterized, referring to Goldwater even if he was not named, as a supporter of war... Moreover, Frith & Mueller (2010) notes that political advertisements can be classified into three categories: ‘attack, advocacy and contrast’ (Frith & Mueller 2010, p.59). Attack ads focus on ‘the faults of the opponent’ (Frith & Mueller 2010, p.59). Advocacy ads refer to the capabilities of a candidate, without referring to the opponent (Frith & Mueller 2010, p.59). As for the contrast ads, these are a combination of the above, referring both to qualities of a candidate and ‘to the faults of his opponent’ (Frith & Mueller 2010, p.59). Two popular political ads are the following ones: a) the ad entitled as ‘Daisy Girl’ was used in the presidential elections of 1964 (Roberts & Hammond 2012, p.5). The above ad, which aimed on causing fear to voters in regard to the potential effects of their voting preferences, showed ‘a small girl plucking the petals off of a daisy’ (Roberts & Hammond 2012, p.5). The next scene showed a nuclear explosion (Roberts & Hammond 2012, p.5). Voters were asked to avoid voting the nominee of Republican Party who could possibly ‘lead the country to a nuclear war’ (Roberts & Hammond 2012, p.5); b) another popular attack ad is entitled as ‘the 3am phone call’ (Roberts & Hammond 2012, p.5) and was used by Hilary Clinton in the presidential elections of 2008. The particular ad, which can be characterized as a policy comparison ad, aimed to highlight the lack of experience of Barack Obama, compared to Hilary Clinton, in facing emergent issues.The ad entitled as ‘Daisy Girl’, as presented above, has faced strong criticism. Many political analysts did not accept the fact that one of the candidates of the presidential elections was portrayed as a strong supporter of piece, referring to Johnson, while the other was characterized, referring to Goldwater even if he was not named, as a supporter of war (Sparks 2012, p.223). Such perspective could n ot be accepted since the candidate who promoted this attack ad.

The Language And Gender Sociology Essay

The Language And Gender Sociology Essay Language, gender and society are three complex and closely interwoven terms that I will attempt to explore in this chapter. The question of whether language reflects or shapes the social life and consequently gender relationships and expectations is a central one which I will also attempt to tackle. In other words, is it language which transmits gender thoughts, beliefs and actions? Or, conversely, does language determine men and womens relationships and behavior? Is it possible to define language as a naÃÆ' ¯ve mirror translating the social and cultural reality? Or it is the norms, traditions and values that introduce a basis for the creation of any language? Does society define women and mens language, choices and action? Or it is simply the interaction between language and society which gives birth to gender stereotypes and sexist language? The answer to these questions will help us understand how men and womens space, speech, perspectives and choices are both determined and reflected by language. There are so many questions that I would like to answer and examine in this chapter, but will not be able to answer them all. Instead, I will try to highlight some important notions related to the subject. For example how do the socio-cultural factors interact with language in order to determine men and womens relationships in society? Why and how is gender deemed to be an important and powerful component in social interaction? How does its influence go beyond peoples thoughts, attitudes and beliefs? How can society explain the learning and maintenance of gender? How is gender negotiated in language and across cultures? How does the social construction of society shape women and mens personalities in terms of social roles, expectations, language choice, traditional beliefs and so on? The aim of my work will basically be to explore the importance of both language and society in determining and reinforcing female and male differences in speech (form and content), beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. The emphasis will be on how gender is negotiated and represented in language and society, and how the linguistic form may reflect and shape the social and cultural conditions under which women and men live. Language, a product of society, is considered to play a significant role in human interaction; the human being, language and society are an interwoven texture. (Bennouiss, 2001:20). Accordingly, society is conceived to be the mold which shapes people through determining not only their behavior, but also their identity. Society controls individuals through gendered practices, which are defined as a social process created and renegotiated in interpersonal relationships and encouraged and maintained through social interaction (Weatherall, 2002: 85). Therefore, gender is considered to be social because it connotes all the complex attributes ascribed by culture (s) to human females and males (Lott Maluso, 1993: 99). One may conclude from the two quotes that gender is used by society as a basis or a support to the socialization of both females and males, and is also maintained by social and cultural forces. Gender issues and stereotypes seem to be universal. They are heavily rooted in history and through the social and cultural life, which has a strong influence in defining the individuals identity, behavior, role and occupation. All societies consist of men and women who use language in the interaction of everyday life, and develop ideas and thoughts about how women and men should think and act in relation to social norms. Therefore, it is believed that gender is socially constructed and is reinforced by cultural forces; however, gender contents may differ across cultures. Beall (1993: 131-132) argues that across cultures, ones biological sex does not necessarily imply that one will engage in certain activities or that people will believe that one possesses certain attributes. She goes on to say that some cultures perceive more than one gender, and cultures vary in their beliefs about the nature of males and females (1993: 134). This means that cultures are rich and curiously different from each other. Womens beliefs and actions in Morocco are different from womens thoughts and behavior in England, even if sometimes it seems that British women are not so different from the Moroccan unveiled women in physical appearance. However, there are many variations concerning their ways of thinking and acting. In the Muslim society, boys are given more independence and freedom, and are expected to achieve or occupy different roles and positions. The difference between the two sexes in terms of appearance, behavior, role, and occupation is very much strengthened and encouraged by the traditions, the customs and the habits of the Moroccan society, whereas in the British context, norms and traditions are transgressed, and modern ideologies present men and women as equals in all life spheres. Besides, the authority or dominance of one gender over another is not practiced openly anymore. In other words, the strength and activity differences between the male and female stereotypes are greater in socioeconomically less developed countries than in more developed countries. It also tends to be greater in countries where literacy is low and the percentage of women attending the university is low (Best Williams, 1993: 227) although in many cases, the education people receive in school and universities does not mean that they are not influenced by gender stereotypes. In short, there is a lot to be said about the universality of gender prejudice. Class, education, religion and geography all play a part in determining subtle differences and peculiarities, some of which this work aims at revealing. First, some claims: 1) Men interrupt women more than vice versa. 2) Women are more communicative than men. 3) Men do not give verbal recognition of the contributions in the conversation made by women. 4) Men curse more than women. 5) Women gossip more than men. 6) Women talk more with one another than men do. 7) Men speak more comfortably in public than women. Gender and sex Sex: a biological condition, i.e. defined as a set of physical characteristics Gender: a social construct (within the fields of cultural and gender studies, and the social sciences) Today a return to separate single-sex schools may hasten the revival of separate gender roles Wendy Kaminer, in The Atlantic Monthly (1998) General usage of the term gender began in the late 1960s and 1970s, increasingly appearing in the professional literature of the social sciences. The term helps in distinguishing those aspects of life that were more easily attributed or understood to be of social rather than biological origin (see e.g., Unger Crawford, 1992). Linguistic origins of Gender According to Aristotle, the Greek philosopher Protagoras used the terms masculine, feminine, and neuter to classify nouns, introducing the concept of grammatical gender. Many languages specify Gender (and gender agreement) (1) Greek o andras i gyneka to pedhi the.masc. man the.fem. woman the.ntr. child (2) German der man die Frau das Kind the.masc. man the.fem. woman the.ntr. child (3) French l(e) homme la femme the.masc. man the.fem. woman  Ã¢â‚¬   Indoeuropean had gender distinction; Swahili has 16 gender distinctions. And many others dont! (e.g. English, Astronesian languages) But gender appears on pronouns: (1) He left. (2) She left. (3) It left. (what types of things does it refer to?) Gender correlates with other perceptual (and possibly grammatical) categories like humanness, agentivity, and animacy.

William Shakespeare Biography :: essays research papers

William Shakespeare was born to John Shakespeare and mother Mary Arden approximately in late April 1564 in Stratford -upon-Avon. His father was a prominent and prosperous alderman and later became a leather merchant. In William’s family there was at least 8 children, including him being the 3rd and eldest son. There is no solid proof as to which school Shakespeare attended, but there is an assumption it was at Stratford. The school was competitive and had a good reputation, which would explain Shakespeare’s proficiency in Greek and Latin. William did not go to college, which prompts some people to say that Shakespeare did not write his own work. (Hieatt.2) In November 1582 he married Anne Hathaway, who was 8 years older. Shortly after, their daughter Susan was born in May 26,1583. The couple later had twins, Hamnet and Judith, who were born on February 2, 1585. Hamnet, later died at the age of eleven and William then disappeared from the records for about seven years, until 1588 when he arrived in London to establish himself as an actor and playwrighter. A few years later he joined up with one of the most successful acting troupes in London: The Lord Chamberlain’s Men. He then went on to build his own theater across from the old one. Shakespeare entertained the king and the people for another 10 years until June 19,1613 when a cannon fired from the roof of the theater and burned it to the ground. He then invested in the rebuilding of the new theater. After this successful event he then retired from the stage in 1597, but continued to write until his death in 1616 on the day of his 52nd birthday. On average Shakespeare would write about 3 plays a year for his company along. He was A playwright, an actor, and part owner. Shakespeare was also a principle writer of a famous company of actors know as the King’s Men. In his time Shakespeare wrote 13 comedies, 13 historical plays, 6 tragedies, 4 tragicomedies, as well 154 sonnets. He is most noted for his achievements in highly original tragedies. Shakespeare was quite wealthy in his day, considering he left 300 pounds (120,000) to his daughter when he past away. (Fraser.22) Western Civilization still does embrace the works of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare is the only playwrighter from his ere whose plays are still being performed today. His influences are still seen today with adaptations of his plays such as: â€Å"Romeo and Juliet†, â€Å"Hamet† and â€Å"Titus†.

Pro and Cons Team Work

Pro: A small number of people working as a team can accomplish more than the same people working individually. Effective teamwork involves maximizing the strengths of a team Con: Conflict, Because individuals often have different ideas about how tasks should be accomplished Con: Passing the Buck * When someone is working alone, he is aware that if he doesn't do something it isn't going to get done. There is no possibility of passing the buck or waiting for someone else to take care of things. In a team, individuals who are lazy or unmotivated may not pull their share of the weight, preferring to wait for someone else to pick up their slack.This is a drawback of the team structure and highlights the fact that the success of a team is largely dependent on the character and motivation of its individual members. Xaxx, J. (2011, April 30). ehow money. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/info_8330003_pros-cons-teamwork. html Pro: work done is a shorter time Con: some individuals have no e xtra time. Other Pojects or responsibilities Six Sigma Training Assistant. (2010, April 22). Six sigma online aveta business institute . Retrieved from http://www. sixsigmaonline. org/six-sigma-training-certification-information/pros-and-cons-of-business-teamwork. htmlPro: team members can express their concerns and contribute thoughts so that the team has a diversity of ideas Working actively in a team really helps us advance our future careers and personal lives working in teams can be more fun than working individually Cons: Unequal Participation With some teams, there can be a tendency for members to sit back and let others do most of the work. This can cause resentment in the workplace, especially if you as a business owner recognize only the efforts of the team and not those of its leaders. Conflict may occur as a result, which can have a detrimental effect on workplace morale.Not Team Players Some workers may not function well as part of a team, preferring to work on their ow n. If your work environment requires working as a team to accomplish a task, you'll need to be sure you're screening out the "loners" during the hiring process. While these individuals may be excellent workers in the right environment, they'll likely have difficulty fitting into your work culture, resulting in dissatisfaction. Limiting Creativity Teamwork may also limit creative thinking.Employees may be so focused on working for the overall good of the team and fitting in to the team concept that they put their own ideas on the back burner. This lack of innovative thinking may keep your company from moving forward, resulting in stagnation. Longer Process According to the Entrepreneur. com, a team can sometimes take longer to produce a desired result. Teams typically need to go through a variety of processes, such as member selection, organization and socialization on the way to completing the task at hand. Teams can also result in added expense, as they can tie up resources like money, manpower and equipment.Inherent Conflict Whenever a group of people is assembled to achieve a goal, at least some conflict is likely to occur. Contrasting personal styles can clash and some members may have difficulty accepting ideas that differ from their own. Peer pressure can also result in a team member going against her better judgment to escape the wrath of other members or to facilitate the completion of a project. Joseph, C. (2011). smallbusiness. chron. com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness. chron. com/disadvantages-teamwork-workplace-1937. html Pros : 1. Work Faster 2. Efficient 3. More Idea . More input 5. Better understanding 6. Sometimes one of your member become your life partner 7. Skill of communciation 8. better explosure 9. Accuracy at work Cons. 1. One member down, everybody down. 2. Different in interest 3. Too many opinion to consider and everybody promote their own 4. Create political environment 5. One membe r not satisfy, the rest suffer 6. team emotional very much depending on each other 7. Motivation is there but depending on the leader Pros and cons of teamwork? (2006). Retrieved from http://answers. yahoo. com/question/index? qid=20061001223256AAYHG0M

6 signs you have what it takes to be a recruiter -TheJobNetwork

6 signs you have what it takes to be a recruiter -TheJobNetwork One of the keys to running a successful business is staffing it with a team of superhero employees. That vital process often begins with a recruiter. Finding and securing the best-of-the-best is a recruiter’s job, one that requires some specific skills and personality traits. If you’re considering a career in corporate recruiting, you should first consult the following list of 6 signs to see if you have what it takes.1. You love peopleAn amazing job opportunity might sell itself, but a big part of recruiting still involves winning over potential employees so they’ll take the positions recruiters need to fill. That means a corporate recruiter must love people and be an expert at dealing with them. An outgoing nature is absolutely essential for the successful recruiter. The ability to turn down candidates who don’t make the cut with tact and compassion is a trickier, but equally essential, characteristic.2. You’re a self-starterWorkers who constantly require management to prod them into action need not apply. A recruiter must be completely proactive and constantly on the lookout for the very best people for particular jobs. If you have that constant yen to get working, you have a trait that all recruiters must possess.3. You’re a great communicatorAnyone who works with people must be a great communicator, and recruiters interact with people constantly. If you have a tendency to serve up word salad, recruiting isn’t for you. But if you are able to speak and write clearly, properly, and confidently, you are more likely to convince the best job candidates to come aboard. Not only must a recruiter be a great communicator, but they must also love to communicate. So if you’re the type who is always talking on the phone or texting, you might be cut out for recruiting.4. You solve problemsA recruiter’s life is not just locating great people and fitting them with great jobs. There are a lot of snags that can p op up during the workday, and it is the recruiter’s duty to meet any and all problems head-on, solve them quickly, and get on with the business at hand.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});A champion recruiter never gets thrown by a candidate who fails to show up for an interview or a position that seems nearly impossible to fill with the right person. They greet such situations as challenges and always works to find the right solution.5. You are positiveUnexpected problems can toss a crimp into a recruiter’s workday, but the best ones always handle those challenges with a smile. The ability to meet all problems cheerfully is vital for the recruiter because those problems will often involve dealing with people- and the last thing a recruiter wants to do is alienate potential employees or employers with a bad attitude.6. You’re competitiveOne unique facet of a recruiter’s life is that there is a lot of competition out there. Other recruiters may be vying for the very same candidates as you, so you must thrive on competition and be completely determined to be the one who nabs that brass ring. Recruiters don’t just need the best candidates for particular positions; they too must be the best in order to be successful at their own jobs.If all of these characteristics seem to describe you, then you may very well be an ideal candidate for a career in corporate recruiting.

Free Essays on Homosexual Parenting

Controversial issues effect the society because they lead people to choose a side, causing conflicts. Homosexual parenting is one of the main uprising controversies in today’s’ society. Homosexual parenting is viewed morally wrong by society, but in many cases, homosexual parents provide more love, happiness, and securities for the children than do the heterosexual parents-Homosexual parents give the healthy, economically stable, and safe environment that children need. One reason why homosexual parenting is not accepted, is because of the belief that the child will become a homosexual. Although practically all psychiatrists have concluded that children cannot be â€Å"turned† gay, people still believe this can happen (Cloud â€Å"Can a Scout Be Gay?†). Recent studies have shown that there are a higher percentage of children in homosexual families that are gay or lesbian (Camille). Others conclude that this is false and there are no differences in homosexual parenting and heterosexual parenting. If there are more lesbians or gays in homosexual families and one has a problem with that, that purely means that that individual is a homophobic. Fifty eight percent of our population disapproves of same-sex relationships (â€Å"The Other Side†). It is vital for a child to live in a stable environment in order to be healthy, both mentally and physically. As of now, over fifty percent of heterosexual marriages are ending in divorce. Homosexuals are not allowed to marry each other even though they love and honor each other. â€Å"Marriage is for people in love; homosexuals love; ergo marriage is for them† (Stengel 2). The love that they have could be united to make a â€Å"legal† family for a child to live in. Divorce, in some cases, will make a child feel insecure or could lead them to believe that all love ends in divorce. There are many single parent families in today’s society. One argument of homose... Free Essays on Homosexual Parenting Free Essays on Homosexual Parenting Controversial issues effect the society because they lead people to choose a side, causing conflicts. Homosexual parenting is one of the main uprising controversies in today’s’ society. Homosexual parenting is viewed morally wrong by society, but in many cases, homosexual parents provide more love, happiness, and securities for the children than do the heterosexual parents-Homosexual parents give the healthy, economically stable, and safe environment that children need. One reason why homosexual parenting is not accepted, is because of the belief that the child will become a homosexual. Although practically all psychiatrists have concluded that children cannot be â€Å"turned† gay, people still believe this can happen (Cloud â€Å"Can a Scout Be Gay?†). Recent studies have shown that there are a higher percentage of children in homosexual families that are gay or lesbian (Camille). Others conclude that this is false and there are no differences in homosexual parenting and heterosexual parenting. If there are more lesbians or gays in homosexual families and one has a problem with that, that purely means that that individual is a homophobic. Fifty eight percent of our population disapproves of same-sex relationships (â€Å"The Other Side†). It is vital for a child to live in a stable environment in order to be healthy, both mentally and physically. As of now, over fifty percent of heterosexual marriages are ending in divorce. Homosexuals are not allowed to marry each other even though they love and honor each other. â€Å"Marriage is for people in love; homosexuals love; ergo marriage is for them† (Stengel 2). The love that they have could be united to make a â€Å"legal† family for a child to live in. Divorce, in some cases, will make a child feel insecure or could lead them to believe that all love ends in divorce. There are many single parent families in today’s society. One argument of homose...

Reflective Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Reflective Paper - Essay Example Based on this assumption, health is considered as a managed system and the role of nursing is to support the adaptation of their patients to that environment. The adoptive modes under this theoretical model comprise of physiologic, self concept, role function and interdependence. (Benner). This approach is considered as holistic in nature as it attempts to be unifying and purposeful and as such since health is considered as a positive response towards environment. Therefore, the role of the nurse is to promote such an adaptation. As described above that I live in a very small town and most of the patients are poor with lesser access to better health opportunities. Therefore, as a nurse, I always remain focused on facilitating them to cope with their environment. As a part of this process, my experiences are really related to facilitating my patients to understand and learn as to how to deal with four different adoptive modes. As a part of this reflection. However, I feel that real life experiences do not fully match or augment this theory because there are some other factors which restrict the ability of my patients to successfully interact with the environment. Poverty and social isolation have made people ignorant of essential elements required for maintaining a healthy interaction with their environment. As a part of my duty, I also consider that though my patients need nursing care, and they are the focus of my nursing care. However, I fail to clearly establish as to really when that nursing care is indicated. At the individual level and being a part of a society which lacks adequate economic resources, my ability to manipulate different stimuli in order to promote adoptive responses is limited. I still remember one of my patients who could not cope with her mental disorder situation only because of the lack of resources either social or

Cold War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cold War - Essay Example Soviet Union tried to empower communism all over the world while United States and its alliance supported many countries of the world to weaken the communism. After the end of World War II, the Soviet unions decided to spread communism all over the world. The United States determined to stop the spread of Soviet power and communism. For this purpose it provided much financial support to its alliance. The alliances were democracies that were not in favor of communists too. Though they were not able to stop the spread of communism in Eastern Europe, the U.S and Britain were determined to preserve Western Europe from the reach of communists. In the World War II Soviet Union has gained much popularity in the West Europe due to the resistance against the Nazi forces. So there was a chance of election of communist parties in France and Italy. Harry Trumann was the first US president started to fight the cold War. Britain was the first country that investigated for the nuclear weapons' development. In 1945, Britain was an activist world power. It possessed the second largest national navy, and its Empire-Commonwealth was genuinely global. The Dominions stretched from Canada to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa; it had colonial possessions from the north to the south of the African continent, to the east of Suez, in south and south-east Asia, as well as many scattered, and often strategic, island outposts. India was proclaimed as the 'jewel in the crown' of the Empire. A major problem for the historians analyzing the impact of military expenditure on the usual working of the economy of a country just after the war is the fact ignored by the liberal economic theory. This theoretical shortfall reflects the fact that the mobilization for industrial warfare can only be achieved through suspending the normal economic operation. While accepting necessity to plan the wartime economy, most British economists considered that after the hostilities and War activities, the resources will be allocated to the market as usual. This is what the liberal economists oppose. As a part of conversion, the British policy makers faced crucial situation about scaling down the Britain's efforts with its diminished economy and military power in the post war world. Alec Ciancross accepts that the Britain's Defence efforts may have been extraordinarily large and says that the real problem for Britain was the role it was asked to play was beyond its strength. But the other historians criticize the leadership of Britain who did not face the fact that Britain would not be able to meet the global military commitments. The question arises here is this that did the excessive military costs were responsible for low investment leading to weak economy of Britain Usually it seems to be answered that the short term expenses of the war would not affect the long term economy policies. Defence economists analyze short term and even small changes in the economy and