Different Types of Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Different Types of Writing - Essay Example Each of the above types of writing had unique requirements. This enhanced the interactivity of the course since I carried out researches and brainstormed ideas with the view to constructive effective pieces. My strength is on research. I enjoy reading and I love science-based subjects. A read numerous books and articles on the internet and can, therefore, compile descriptive articles. I love justifying actions through provable scientific and psychological theories. With such abilities, I often wrote better argumentative and expository essays than I did the narratives. As explained earlier, my greatest weaknesses include visualizing actions and creating fictional plots. My imagination remains limited to the scientific theorems and observable realities. Such validated my inability to write effective narratives since the type of essay required effective use of descriptive words coupled with an equally avid imagination in creating conflicts. My best work was the argumentative essay. This type of essay requires one to carry out researches and adopt a position in an argument. After this, a writer must provide adequate support for his reasoning by giving rational thought and appropriate examples where necessary. The fact that such writings are neither right nor wrong makes the experience even more interesting. The quality of the papers relies on the author’s ability to explain his thoughts effectively thus convincing the audience on a particular viewpoint. My worst work was on a narrative.

Tourism Management Essay Example for Free

Tourism Management Essay An importance-performance analysis of hotel selection factors in the Hong Kong hotel industry: a comparison of business and leisure travellers Raymond K.S. Chu, Tat Choi*  Department of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Peoples Republic of China Received 16 December 1998; accepted 3 February 1999 Abstract Using an Importance}Performance Analysis (IPA), this paper examined business and leisure travellers perceived importance and performance of six hotel selection factors in the Hong Kong hotel industry. The six hotel selection factors identied were: Service Quality, Business Facilities, Value, Room and Front Desk, Food and Recreation, and Security. Both business and leisure travellers held the same perceptions towards all the six hotel selection factors. The IPA grids illustrated that the Value factor fell into the Concentrate Here quadrant; Service Quality, Room and Front Desk and Security in the Keep Up the Good Work quadrant; and Business Facilities and Food and Recreation in the Low Priority quadrant. Room and Front Desk and Security were found to be the determining factors for business and leisure travellers, respectively, in their hotel choice selection. Implications for Hong Kong hoteliers and researchers were discussed. 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Importance}Performance Analysis; Hotel selection factors; Business and leisure travellers 1. Introduction 1.1. The Hong Kong hotel and tourism industry Hong Kong has long been Asias most popular tourist destination. The total visitor arrivals for 1996 reached a record of 11.7 million, representing a remarkable 14.7 per cent growth over 1995, with HK$84.5 billion (US$10.8 billion) #owing into the Special Administrative Regions economy in foreign exchange earnings. The 14.7 per cent growth rate in 1996 out-performed the world average of 4.5 per cent, as well as the average growth rates for East Asia/Pacic and South Asia, with 7.9 per cent and 4.0 per cent respectively (WTO, 1997). In addition, approximately 8 per cent of Hong Kongs Gross  Domestic Product (GDP) is attributable to tourism (HKTA, 1998). However, since the beginning of 1997, Hong Kongs inbound tourism industry has experienced  an unprecedented decline. As illustrated in Table 1, the Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) revealed that the numbers of visitors declined from 11.7 million in 1996 to 10.4 million in 1997, representing a 12 per cent fall (HKTA, 1998). The fall in visitor arrivals has been aggravated by the regional currency turmoil, which has made Hong Kong an expensive destination to travel in comparison with other Southeast Asian regions (Poole, 1997). The depreciation of the Thai baht, the Indonesian rupiah, the Malaysian ringgit, and the Philippine peso has inevitably attracted international travellers who prefer to seek bargain visits to these cheaper destinations. Hong Kong is now considered less vacation-friendly than previously as high in#ation has driven up prices. In 1989, 60 per cent of travellers rated shopping in Hong Kong as above average in value for money, but in 1993 the number fell below 45 per cent (HKTA, 1998). In the early 1990s, Hong Kong su!ered from a relatively high in#ation rate of about 10 per cent per annum as a result of an increase in labour and land costs. This paper attempts to identify both the importance and performance of hotel selection factors in the Hong Kong hotel industry using the Importance}Performance Analysis (IPA) model. More specically, the paper intends to compare perceptions of business and leisure travellers, in terms of importance and performance of hotel selection factors. By identifying the needs, desires and expectations of di!erent segments, hoteliers will be in a better position to develop tailor-made marketing strategies to cater for their target customers and to achieve competitive advantages. Source: Adapted from A Statistical Review of Tourism, Hong Kong Tourist Association (1998). 2. Literature review cent per annum in recent years (Hueng, 1997). The rising cost of accommodation in Hong Kong and the dwindling number of shopping bargains are continuously a!ecting the Hong Kong tourism industry (Brevetti, 1995). Such price in#ation threatens Hong Kongs reputation as a Shopping Paradise. Looking at the visitor prole, in particular at a comparison of business and leisure travellers, there appears to have not much signicant change between the two groups. The leisure segment has constituted almost 60 per cent of total visitor arrivals to Hong Kong over the past ten years, while the business segment contributed up to 30 per cent of total visitor arrivals over the same period (see Table 1). Regarding the hotel industry in Hong Kong, room rates have long been considered as the prime factor that adds to the cost of a trip, contributing to tourism downturn (Beck, 1997; Schloss, 1997). Schloss (1997) reported that Hong Kong hotels are more expensive to stay in than in Tok yo hotels, even when they o!er discounts. Beck (1997) mentioned that Hong Kong hotels are too expensive and that the  high cost is the single factor that continues to a!ect tourism in Hong Kong seriously. Research studies have shown that satisfaction with hotel properties, including services, facilities and price, appears to be one of the major factors leading to the success and repeat patronage of the destination (Shih, 1986; Stevens, 1992). To be successful in business, one must understand how customers perceive the product or service attributes, their importance and performance when compared with other competitors. The importance of being competitive and o!ering competitive advantage has been recognised for some years. In the hotel environment, where competition dominates, hoteliers must study the strengths and weaknesses of the product or service they provide and accurately dene their importance and performance. To maintain Hong Kongs present status as one of the worlds most attractive tourist destinations, hoteliers 2.1. Importance}Performance Analysis Importance}Performance Analysis (IPA) conceptually underlies the multi-attribute models that date back to the late 1970s. Martilla and James (1977) applied the IPA technique to analyse the performance of the automobile industry. Hawes, Kiser and Rao (1982) and Hawes and Rao (1985) used the IPA concept in retirement communities and health care applications. Sethna (1982) found the IPA technique to be a valid and powerful technique for identifying service quality areas that require remedial strategic actions. The underlying assumption of the IPA technique is that customers level of satisfaction with the attributes is mainly derived from their expectations and judgment of the products or services performance. IPA has become a popular managerial tool that has been broadly used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of brands, products, services and retail establishments in various industries in recent years (Chapman, 1993; Cheron, McTavish Perrien, 1989). Hemmasi, Strong and Taylor (1994) measured the service quality of hospital services using IPA as an alternative to the traditional SERVQUAL instrument devised by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1988). While Evans and Chon (1989) used the IPA to formulate and evaluate tourism policy, Keyt, Yavas and Riecken (1994) and Hsu, Byun and Yang (1997) adopted the IPA technique in restaurant positioning. Lewis (1985) used the IPA as a competitive analysis technique to identify tourists perceptions of the hotel industry. Lewis and Chambers (1989) reported the e!ective use of IPA by the Sheraton Hotel in monitoring customer satisfaction. Almanza, Ja!e  and Lin (1994) used the IPA matrix to determine means for improving customer satisfaction. Martin (1995) examined service providers perceptions of customers expectations of quality service in the hotel industry using the IPA technique. In an increasingly competitive environment, a determination of the strengths and weaknesses of a  have high levels of performance in relation to these activities. In the Low Priority quadrant, attributes have low importance and low performance. Although performance levels may be low in this cell, managers should not be overly concerned since the attributes in this cell are not perceived to be very important. Limited resources should be expended on this low priority cell. Lastly, the Possible Overkill q uadrant contains attributes of low importance, but of relatively high performance. Respondents are satised with the performance of the organisations, but managers should consider present e!orts on the attributes of this cell as being overutilised (Evans and Chon, 1989; Hemmasi, Strong Taylor, 1994; Keyt et al., 1994; Martilla James, 1977; Martin, 1995). Fig. 1. Importance}Performance Analysis grid. Quadrant I Attributes are perceived to be very important to respondents, but performance levels are fairly low. This sends a direct message that improvement e!orts should concentrate here. Quadrant II Attributes are perceived to be very important to respondents, and at the same time, the organisation seems to have high levels of performance on these activities. The message here is To Keep up the Good Work. Quadrant III Attributes are with low importance and low performance. Although performance levels may be low in this cell, managers should not be overly concerned since the attribute in this cell is not perceived to be very important. Limited resources should be expended on this low priority cell. Quadrant IV This cell contains attributes of low importance, but relatively high performance. Respondents are satised with the performance of the organisations, but managers should consider present e!orts on the attributes of this cell as being overutilised. 2.2. Perceived importance and performance of attributes Attribute importance is generally regarded as a persons general assessment of the signicance of an attribute for a product. Many studies have attempted to analyse customer satisfaction in terms of both expectations that relate to certain important attributes and judgments of the attribute performance (Myers Alpers, 1968; Swan Coombs, 1976). However, there appears to have been diverse conclusions made about how one should relate attribute importance and performance. The concept of importance is viewed by customers the same as satisfaction (Barsky, 1992; Rosenberg, 1956). When a customer perceives an attribute as important, the customer will believe that the attribute will play a signicant role in in#uencing his or her product choice (MacKenzie, 1986). More recently, the term importance has been used to refer to the perceived importance of an attribute and its e!ect on product or service quality (Carman, 1990). Lilien, Kotler and Moorthy (1993) dened the term important attributes as those considered important by consumers, and that the various brands or products are perceived to di!er. Hemmasi et al. (1994), however, stated that performance lies in customer perceptions of performance of the attribute. Thus, the more favourable the perception of performance, the greater the likelihood of the choice from among similar alternatives. Therefore, it is strategically important for hoteliers to understand and to identify the product (or service) attributes perceived by customers as important, and to examine how customers perceive these product (or service) attributes. It is also very likely that a customers favourable post-purchase experience may lead him or her to repurchase if the customer is satised with the hotel performance. 2.3. Hotel attributes in hotel choice selection Those attributes directly in#uencing choice are determinant attributes: they may arouse consumers purchase intentions and di!erentiate from competitors o!erings  products or services importance and performance seems an undeniable constituent of success. The interpretation of the IPA is graphically presented on a grid divided into four quadrants. Fig. 1 illustrates the IPA  grid. The -axis reports the customers perceived importance of selected attributes, and the X-axis shows the products (or services) performance in relation to these attributes. The four identiable quadrants are: Concentrate Here, Keep Up the Good Work, Low Priority and Possible Overkill. In the Concentrate Here quadrant, attributes are perceived to be very important to respondents, but performance levels are seen as fairly low. This sends a direct message that improvement e!orts should concentrate here. In the Keep Up the Good Work quadrant, attributes are perceived to be very important to respondents, and at the same time, the organisation seems to  (Alpert, 1971). The services and facilities o!ered by a hotel, or hotel attributes, are those features of products or services that lead consumers to choose one product over others (Lewis, 1983). Wuest, Tas and Emenheiser (1996) dened perceptions of hotel attributes as the degree to which travellers nd various services and facilities important to customers satisfaction. Atkinson (1988) found that cleanliness of the accommodation, followed by safety and security, accommodation value for money, courtesy and helpfulness of sta! were identied as top attributes for travellers in hotel choice selection. Wilensky and Buttle (1988) mentioned that personal service, physical attractiveness, opportunities for relaxation, standard of services, appealing image, and value for money were signicantly evaluated by travellers. Rivers, Toh and Alaoui (1991) examined the hotel selection decisions of members and non-members of frequent guest programs. Their results showed that convenience of location and overall service received the highest ratings. Ananth, DeMicco, Moreo and Howey (1992) surveyed 510 travellers, asking them to rate the importance of 57 hotel attributes in hotel choice decision. The results showed that price and quality was rated as the most important attribute across all age categories, followed by attributes related to security and convenience of location. LeBlanc and Nguyen (1996), in particular, examined the ve hotel factors that may signal a hotels image to travellers. These ve factors were: physical environment,  corporate identity, service personnel, quality of services and accessibility. They suggested that marketing e!orts should be directed to highlight the environmental cues in order to attract new customers. An extensive review of the literature for the hospitality industry suggests that attributes such as cleanliness, location, room rate, security, service quality, and the reputation of the hotel have been considered by most tourists in hotel choice decision (Ananth, DeMicco, Moreo Howey, 1992; Atkinson, 1988; Barsky Labagh, 1992; Cadotte Turgeon, 1988; Knutson, 1988; LeBlanc Nguyen, 1996; Lewis, 1984,1985; Marshall, 1993; McCleary, Weaver Hutchinson, 1993; Rivers, Toh Alaoui, 1991; Wilensky Buttle, 1988). 2.4. Hotel attributes as perceived by business and leisure travellers Many studies have looked into a comparison between business and leisure travellers in their hotel selection criteria. These studies indicated that the important attributes a!ecting business travellers hotel choices were cleanliness and location (Lewis Chambers, 1989; McCleary et al., 1993; Taninecz, 1990), whereas security, personal interactions, and room rates were considered as important by their leisure counterparts (Clow, Garretson Kurtz, 1994; Lewis, 1985; Marshall, 1993; Parasuraman et al., 1988). Taninecz (1990) found that cleanliness,  comfort of mattresses and pillows, and quality of towels received the highest ratings from business travellers. Lewis and Chambers (1989) and McCleary et al. (1993) also found that location was the most important factor in#uencing hotel selection by all business travellers. However, they argued that a hotels catering facilities were not important in hotel selection, as th ere are often many alternative dining choices nearby. Leisure travellers seem to be more concerned with room rates and value in their initial hotel selection (Lewis, 1985). Parasuraman et al. (1988) found that the quality of personal interactions with employees was a critical component of the service quality evaluation. Employees service quality has been cited as important to leisure travellers when selecting overnight accommodation (Parasuraman et al., 1988). Knutson (1988) mentioned that leisure travellers were mainly concerned with a hotels safety and security. This concern might stem from the idea that leisure trips often involve families, and these travellers have a high sensitivity to what may occur around them when their families  are involved. Marshall (1993) and Clow et al. (1994) revealed that security was cited as one of the most important criteria in selecting a hotel. Tourists want to be safe and secure in their accommodation, and are willing to pay for this. The safety and security system may di!erentiate one property from its competition, hence becoming a competitive strategy that helps a hotel to gain tourists condence and trust. Ananth et al. (1992) found that leisure travellers were likely to express concern with regard to a hotels reputation and name familiarity. Other studies have suggested that some hotel attributes are seen as important by both business and leisure travellers. Knutson (1988) examined the di!erences between business and leisure travellers in an attempt to determine the attributes that initially attract these two types of travellers to a hotel, and that bring them back. Her ndings suggested that the following factors were considered by both business and leisure travellers when selecting a hotel for the rst time or for repeat patronage: (1) clean, comfortable, well-maintained rooms, (2) convenient location, (3) prompt and courteous service, (4) safe and secure environment, and (5) friendly and courteous employees. Lewis (1984,1985) tested 66 hotel attributes to determine the basis of hotel selection by 1314 business and leisure travellers in six hotels. The ndings showed that location and price were the determinant attributes for hotel selection for both business and leisure travellers. Cadotte and Turgeon (1988) examined data from members of the AH MA (American Hotel Motel Association) on the relative frequency of 26 categories of compliments. Survey results found that the ve most frequent compliments were: (1) helpful attitude of employees, (2) cleanliness of establishment, (3) neatness of establishment, (4) quality of service, and (5) employee knowledge of service.

Barriers to Healthcare for Diabetic Ethnic Minorities

Barriers to Healthcare for Diabetic Ethnic Minorities Comparing Barriers to Healthcare in Diabetic Ethnic Minorities in Urban Versus Rural Settings Noreen Choudhary   Issue/Problem There has been abundant research done in the study of ethnic minorities and their access to healthcare. Attention has been paid to common barriers such as language, knowledge and communication, which are all culturally influenced. Most of this research has focused on general access to healthcare and not specific diseases. There is very little reserach on comparing barriers that exist depending on location. The issue I would be exploring in my study is determining the differences in potential barriers that exist in access to healthcare among ethnic minority diabetic individuals in urban versus rural settings. The potential barriers in access should differ depending on the location since the type and amount of resources present varies in both settings. This study hopes to contribute to the literature by focusing on diabetes and determining the differences in barriers that exist for ethnic minorities in the urban versus rural settings. Background The regions with the greatest incidence of diabetes are Africa and Asia, where the rates are expected to rise two or three times (Oldroyd, Banerjee, Heald Cruickshank, 2005). The three countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes are USA, China and India (Oldroyd et al., 2005). The largest increases are expected in Brazil, Indonesia, Bangladesh , Pakistan and Japan (Oldroyd et al., 2005). Type 2 diabetes is most common among ethnic minority groups residing in developed countries (Oldroyd et al., 2005). Diabetes is a chronic illness that requires continuing medical attention as well as self-management education (American Diabetes Association, 2002). Renfrew et al. (2013) reported on barriers to care present in a Cambodian population near Boston. The study highlighted the importance of a culturally sensitive healthcare system for Cambodians (Renfrew et al., 2013). The researchers found the following barriers in access to healthcare: patients’ views of chronic disease, diabetes management, communication, psycho-social factors, diabetes etiology and explanatory models and fears of interacting with the healthcare system (Renfrew et al., 2013). The researchers were advocating for a culturally sensitive approach to healthcare for this population because most of the barriers identified were culturally influenced. Some of these culturally influenced barriers were patients’ mistrust in the western model of health, replacement by alternative medicine, belief that western medicine is an ‘instant’ cure, and desire to please the practitioners (Renfrew et al., 2013). Researchers found these barriers among other whic h were influenced by cultural beliefs of the patients (Renfrew et al., 2013). Smith, Garie, and Schmitz (2014) illustrated self-reported use of diabetes healthcare services in a Quebec community-based sample. The study found that people with major depression were more likely to be high users or non-users of diabetes healthcare services (Smith, Garie, Schmitz, 2014). People with major depression reported more problems with accessing diabetes healthcare services (Smith, Garie, Schmitz, 2014). People with major depression perceived more problems with the healthcare they received (Smith, Garie, Schmitz, 2014). The results also showed that people with major depression perceived problems with the length of time they had to wait to see a doctor, that there is a lack of specialist care in their area and are more likely to report having problems getting to the doctor due to transportation and health problems (Smith, Garie, Schmitz, 2014). The low service users represent a particularly vulnerable group who may need to be targeted by interventions in order to encoura ge them to visit a doctor (Smith, Garie, Schmitz, 2014). The finding in this study was important because it showed that perceived problems with accessing healthcare services could impact utilization of healthcare. Wagner et al. (2013) reports on the effects of trauma on the risk for disease development and access to healthcare. Mental health problems among Southeast Asian refugees are well known but the long term affects of mass violence as re-settled refugees age are less well described (Wagner et al., 2013). This study investigated any potential relationship that may exist between trauma symptoms, self-reported health outcomes, and barriers to healthcare among Cambodian and Vietnamese persons in Connecticut (Wagner et al., 2013). Healthcare access and occurrence were measured regarding patient-provider understanding, cost and access, and interpretive services (Wagner et al., 2013). Individuals with greater levels of trauma symptoms were associated with greater lack of understanding, cost and access problems, and the need for an interpreter (Wagner et al., 2013). Although these Southeast Asian immigrants arrived to United States as refugees more than 20 years ago, there continues to be high l evels of trauma symptoms among this population which are associated with increased risk for disease and decreased access to healthcare services (Wagner et al., 2013). This article was interesting because it didn’t mention the usual barriers we talk about when it comes to access to healthcare (such as language). The last article I found was titled, ‘Diabetes care quality is a question of location’ by The Press Association. The article talks about the standard of diabetes healthcare in England depending on a postcode lottery (The Press Association, 2013). The quality of care patients receive depends whether it’s provided by a GP or a hospital, it depends on the location (The Press Association, 2013). The report found big regional differences in patients’ access to quality, integrated care (The Press Association, 2013). Some areas were four times more likely to get annual checks needed to manage their conditions (The Press Association, 2013). This article is similar to my research project however instead of rural and urban settings, it focused on location in terms of where healthcare was sought, a clinic, hospital, or GP (The Press Association, 2013). Purpose/Aim of your Project The aim of my research proposal is to identify any potential barriers that may exist in access to healthcare among ethnic minority diabetics in rural versus urban settings. My original research proposal was investigating potential barriers in access to healthcare among ethnic minority diabetics without the location factor. When I started looking up literature, I found there was already enough information in this area and my research wouldn’t add anything distinctive to this field. I started reading more articles and doing a literature review, I didn’t find any studies comparing potential barriers in urban and rural settings. After reviewing the comments I received from the professor after the first assignment, I was actively looking for gaps in research when reading articles. Therefore, I decided to alter my original question after I found this gap. If there are differences in the types of barriers present in these two distinct settings, then hopefully my research would bring this to the forefront of healthcare providers and policymakers and would result in equitable care in urban and rural settings. Rationale/justification Canada is known for its multiculturalism with Ontario being the most ethnically diverse province [3]. Almost 13.4% of Canadians identified themselves as being a visible minority in the 2001 census [3]. Since diabetes is most prevalent in ethnic minorities and Canada is one of the most ethnically diverse countries, it’s understandable why there is an abundance of research in this field. There is a currently a gap in research that my research would potentially fulfill. While reading articles present in my field of interest, I couldn’t find any that compared barriers in access to healthcare present in urban versus rural settings. This sort of information is necessary for policymakers to reduce or even eliminate these barriers to achieve high quality of care for diabetic individuals in the future. If the results conclude that the barriers present in the urban settings differ from the ones present in the rural setting, then there is work to be done. We must ensure health equity when it comes to access to healthcare and eliminate any geographical factors that come into play. We must ensure healthy places for all individuals but especially diabetics who require a lot of social and medical support. Also, the need for culturally appropriate health care to accommodate the unique needs of ethnic minorities. The other research gap I found was studies didn’t talk about information loss during translations, either during patient and practitioner interactions or researcher and patient interactions. I think it’s an important factor to consider in studies consisting of subjects who speak another language. For instance, in one study the researchers found that patients didn’t understand the concept of chronic disease and I believe that this was due to information loss during translation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide healthcare professionals with information on the different barriers that exist among urban and rural settings in order to achieve health equity. Researchable research question The research question for my study is: What are potential barriers in access to health care among ethnic minorities with diabetes in the urban versus the rural settings? Intellectual guideposts Ontology is the theory of being or what reality fundamentally is, in social sciences it is closely linked with ethical implications (David Sutton, 2011). The basic premise of phenomenological ontology is that for humans reality is not something separate from its appearance (David Sutton, 2011). The way we think about ourselves is fundamental to what we are (David Sutton, 2011). For me, I think that health is a fundamental aspect of being human, it’s a basic right and an underlying factor in our existence. All individuals should have access to healthcare and this access should be equitable, regardless of one’s location. The particular ‘epistemological’ (theory of knowledge) stance (positivist, critical theoretical or interpretivist) will be grounded in assumptions about the basic character of being human (David Sutton, 2011). My research project is rooted in the interpretivist paradigm because I believe that access to healthcare is an important aspect of being human. Health is an important part of being human and to achieve this health, we need a culturally sensitive and acceptable healthcare system for ethnic minorities. Axiology is about the values each individual has and its influence on their research [print]. There are no value-free sociologies, values are foundational for knowledge-producing systems [print]. The topic of this study began with a personal experience I have with diabetes but eventually filtered out to form a researchable question that could add value to the field. Coming from a background in biology, we are taught that there is something wrong with the body and it needs to be fixed, that health is solely a biological factor. This was purely based in a positivist paradigm which is aligned with quantitative research. I believe that healthcare access regardless of ethnicity, location, age, sex, or gender is crucial for all humans. Coming from a country with a poor healthcare system also influences my view in terms of healthcare access. I believe that health has a strong social component which cannot be measured quantitatively and thus I adopted an interpretivist and qualitative approa ch for my study. The best way to undergo my study would be by utilizing a qualitative approach, more specifically, open-ended interviews. I want to gain insight into the barriers that are present for each individual from these ethnically diverse backgrounds. I want to understand their perspective and beliefs, and how these influence their use of the healthcare system. After I understand these barriers, I will compare the difference in the types of barriers that are present among those living in the urban and rural settings. Since I am using open ended interviews, I believe the best rhetorical choice would be passive. I believe the participants in the study should have the freedom to talk in depth about the issue at hand. I don’t want to influence their answers in any way but at the same time they should have the opportunity to freely express themselves. Especially in my study which includes ethnic minorities, there may be language barriers present so this freedom to answer freely would be a pl us for the participants. Interpretive/theoretical frame My research project will be embedded in the interpretive paradigm. More specifically, I will be adopting the constructionism theory. â€Å"Constructionists focus on how people create meaningful social reality for themselves through their interactions and thereby create a sense of order through shared beliefs (David Sutton, 2011).† Constructionists adopt qualitative approaches such as interviews and unstructured observation (David Sutton, 2011). I believe that culture is important in defining health, it influences our behaviour in terms of how we access and utilize our healthcare system. For example, Renfrew et al. (2013) talked about how people’s perceptions on chronic illness affected their use of the healthcare system. One’s culture, beliefs, views and attitudes affects their behaviour in terms of healthcare use. This is relevant to my research project because I want to understand the barriers that exist for ethnic minorities with diabetes but with the added element of comparing these barriers in two settings: urban and rural. References: American Diabetes Association. (2002). Standards of medical care for patients with diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care, 25, 533-549. David, M., Sutton, C. (2011). Social research: An introduction. London : Sage Publications. Oldroyd, J., Banerjee, M., Heald, A., Cruickshank, K. (2005). Diabetes and ethnic minorities. Postgrad Medical Journal, 81, 486-490. Renfrew, M. R., Taing, E., Cohen, M. J., Betancourt, J. R., Pasinski, R., Green, A. R. (2013). Barriers to care for Cambodian patients with diabetes: Results from a qualitative study. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Undeserved, 24(1), 633-655. Smith, Garie, Schmitz (2014). Self-reported use of diabetes healthcare services in a Quebec community-based sample: impact of depression status. Public Health, 128, 63-69. The Press Association. (2013, December 10). Diabetes care quality is question of location. Nursing Times. Retrieved from http://www.nursingtimes.net/home/clinical-zones/diabetes/diabetes-care-quality-is-question-of-location/5066307.article Wagner et al. (2012). Trauma, healthcare access, and health outcomes among Southeast Asian refugees in Connecticut. Journal Immigrant Minority Health, 15, 1065–1072. Peer Feedback Form Is it clear what issue or problem the author will investigate through this study? Explain. Yes, the author is studying healthcare access by immigrants from two different backgrounds: those from developed countries and those from underdeveloped countries. It is evident in the assignment what the researcher will be trying to determine and why they have chosen to do so. There is a gap in understanding barriers in access to healthcare that exist between immigrants from developing countries and those from developed countries. Is the approach chosen, qualitative or quantitative a suitable choice, and will it bring insight into the research question? Explain. The approach is qualitative and this is a suitable choice. Since the researcher wants to understand why people over or under use the healthcare system and wants their opinion/views, it’s best to use a qualitative approach. By using interviews, for example, they can gain insight into the factors that influence people to use or not use the healthcare system in their country. Has the author explained connections to the literature, including what gaps exist in our knowledge about the topic? Explain. Yes, the author has clearly explained why they want to do this research and what gap it will fill. They have mentioned that previous research has been done on immigrants and access to healthcare, however, none have focused on the differences in this access based on country of origin (developed/developing). Are the aims of this project clear and well written? Explain. Yes, the aims are quite clear. The author wants to understand the factors that prevent immigrants from using the healthcare system based on their country of origin, the Western or Eastern countries. They want to compare these factors and understand if any differences exist. Is the research question clearly stated? Is it researchable? Does it fit well within approach the author has selected? Explain. The question is clearly stated and is researchable. It will fit with the qualitative approach that the researcher has chosen because it will allow them to understand from the immigrants’ views why they chose or didn’t choose to utilize the healthcare system. They want to understand the barriers that exist for them individually and thus, the best approach is to use qualitative methods. Has the author properly and convincingly used the intellectual guideposts for research, explaining her or his project and position relative to these? Explain. Yes, the author used the intellectual guideposts to explain her position on each one. The use of the constructionism theory in this research proposal makes sense. They want to understand the barriers that exist for each individual and this is influenced by how people create and perceive their realities, the basis of constructionism. Is it clear which paradigm and theoretical frame will be used in this study? Explain. It is quite evident that this research is based on the interpretive paradigm. As she stated in this assignment, â€Å"The largest factor guarding our interpretations of the social world is culture.† This perfectly fits with this research study because I’m sure that most of the barriers that exist in access to healthcare are influenced by culture. This is especially true for most immigrants who come from countries that are different culturally. What suggestions can you make or ideas can you bring to enhance the overall clarity of the proposal? Explain. Overall the assignment was very well done, however, I’m just wondering if you are concentrating on new or long term immigrants. I think this would potentially affect the types of barriers that are present. For example, language or knowledge would be more of a barrier for newer immigrants. Maybe you could control for this aspect, as it could be a potential confounder. Good luck! 1

Energy Crisis: Is America In Trouble :: essays research papers fc

Global energy crisis threatens, scientist says CHICAGO (April 17, 1997) -- An impending global energy crisis with potentially massive impact on American industry and jobs can be avoided if America strives for a portfolio of energy systems, a distinguished scientist said here today. In advocating an end to name-calling between energy advocates and environmentalists, Alan Schriesheim said, "We cannot set effective energy policy in an environmental vacuum, nor can we set effective environmental policy in an energy vacuum." Schriesheim, director emeritus at Argonne National Laboratory, spoke at a gathering sponsored by the Chicago Academy of Sciences at the University Club of Chicago. Energy demand will soar worldwide over the next 20 years, he said. "What do you think might happen," he asked the audience, "to the world's energy needs and environmental concerns if we added a new United States to the planet every three years for the next 20 years? This is not an academic question. The world population today is growing at exactly that rate, and it is projected to continue growing at that rate through 2020." The bulk of that population growth will come in the poorer countries, Schriesheim said, "places where talk of energy policy comes second to talk of food and shelter and survival; places where, if the only affordable fuel is growing in the rain forest, you will take that fuel today without a moment's thought of the consequences tomorrow." The Argonne scientist's talk was titled "What Every High School Graduate Should Know About Energy," and was part of the Chicago Academy of Sciences lecture series "Science Literacy for the 21st Century: What Should Every High School Graduate Know?" Schriesheim told the audience that world population growth of more than 86 million people per year is "the equivalent of adding two cities the size of Chicago to the planet each month." "So not only will all the Earth's current population demand more energy in the years ahead," he said, "those billions of new people are going to want their share too." Schriesheim chided energy executives who dismiss environmental concerns, and environmentalists who dismiss the energy production potential of fossil fuels, flowing water, and uranium in favor of so-called "renewable" energy sources such as solar energy. He said that for the next several generations renewables -- such as solar, wind, and farm-grown energy crops -- are expected to provide only 2 to 4 percent of global energy supplies.

Napoleonic Era

The French Constitution of the Year VIII was a nationwide charter that was adopted on the twenty-fourth of December, 1799.   Around that time, the French Revolution was coming to coming to an end.   It also marked the eighth year in the calendar of the French Revolution.   This constitution was well known for the innovation of the type of government branded as Consulate.   One of the premises of the constitution is to get the consensus of the general public to weigh on opinion for the masses. This constitution was responsible for fabricating the position of First Consul, a position which gave Napoleon Bonapart the authority of a tyrant (Connely, 2000). Effectivity This constitution was effective for a short time and was later amended into the Constitution of the year X, a constitution that made Napoleon Bonaprte the First Consul for the duration of his lifespan.   The constitution that succeeded was blatantly favored to Bonaparte as it did not come with a Declaration of Rights (cited in Crook, 2007). How Bonaprte amended the constitution and rose to Power The Constitution of the year VIII basically divides the French Government into three parts.   First of which is the senate; it is composed of 31 men with an age bracket of 60 and above.   The second is the Tribunate; which is comprised of 100 men.   Last the Core Legislatif; this division is formed by 300 legislators.   However, though the government has three divisions, the authentic power resides in the First Consul, much similar to the totalitarian concept of Julius Caesar’s rule, which is peace through tyranny (Connely, 2000). References Connely, O. (2000). The Frecnh Revolution and Napoleonic Era.   Texas: Harcourt. University of North Carolina Greensboro (2002). French History Timeline. Retrieved November 17, 2007 from http://www.uncg.edu/com/sources/dafein/civ/timeline.htm The Napoleon Series (1995-2002). Government and Politics.   Constitution of the year VIII.   Retrieved November 17, 2007 From http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/government/ legislation/c_constitution8.htm

Role of the Unconscious in Personality Theories

Role of the Unconscious in Personality Theories Introduction In the discussion of how the unconscious mind influences personality, one cannot negate the role of psychoanalysis.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Role of the Unconscious in Personality Theories specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Kihlstrom, Beer, and Klein, psychoanalysis refers to the â€Å"aspects of Freud’s work and research, including Freudian therapy and the research methodology that he used to develop his theories† (2002, p.68). In the formulation of the personality of theory, Freud largely depended on case studies conducted on his patients together with direct observations of the behavior of the patients. According to Freud, the human mind is organized into two chief parts: the conscious and unconscious mind. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the role of the unconscious in personality theories using two perspectives of the course. These perspectives are psychoanalytic and social cognitive approaches to the construction of personality. Before this section, an effort is made to discuss the conscious and unconscious minds in terms of how they help to construct the personality of people. Functioning of Conscious and Unconscious Mind Conscious Mind The conscious mind carries the information that people can comprehend. People can freely and precisely talk about these aspects of their mental processes in a robust and rational way. Part of the conscious mind involves human memory. However, as Matt (2011) notes, not all information that is held in the conscious memory forms part of people’s consciousness although the information is retrievable easily so that it can be introduced into their awareness (p.81).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From Freud’s theory of personality, this reminiscence is referred to as the nor mal recall, or simply the preconscious recollection. Freud used the analogy of submerged ice to describe how the human mind is divided. According to him, the conscious mind constitutes the smallest portion of an individual’s mind. Freud argued that most of the memories and feelings that help to construct the personality of an individual are hidden from the conscious mind (Matt, 2011). Hence, the many feelings and memories that are displayed in the personality of an individual constitute the province of â€Å"the unconscious mind, which he divided into superego, ego, and id† (Matt, 2011, p. 81). Unconscious Mind The unconscious mind is the second part of the human mind from the perspective of the Freud’s theory of personality. It acts as the principle storage for all thoughts, memories, and feelings together with urges that exist outside people’s conscious awareness. With regard to Kihlstrom, Beer, and Klein (2002), most of the contents of unconscious memo ry are unpleasant and/or unacceptable under normal circumstances (p.73). They include the feeling of conflicts and pain together with anxiety among other things. In his analysis of Sigmund Freud’s theory of personality, Matt (2011) argues, â€Å"unconsciousness continues to influence our behaviors and experiences, even though we are unaware of these underlying influences† (p.43). Consequently, the unconscious mind is part of the human mind that people have no direct control over in any way.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Role of the Unconscious in Personality Theories specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Unlike the conscious mind, the unconscious mind is a store of instinctual wishes, needs, and actions relating to ghosts and the dead. It is also a store for desires, shocking and upsetting memories, unpleasant emotions, and social ideas, which are not removable from the mind. The process of action of the unconscious mind is described by the term psychological repression. Recollections and opinions from the earlier periods can be removed from the instantaneous consciousness. These memories give rise to emotions together with thoughts that people have in their conscious memories. Since the personality of an individual is permanent and that these memories are removable, it is arguable that they do not influence the personality of an individual. A person does not obtain ideas directly in the unconscious mind for ordinary examination (Fleeson, 2004). However, emotions and ideas from the unconscious mind can become conscious by use of methods such as analyzing dreams, verbal slips, hypnosis, and free association of people with same interests. These methods are carefully examined and done during psychoanalysis. Psychotherapy is a process, which aims at inhibiting emotions and ideas into a mindful state for relieving the tolerant person of suffering from recurring untrue thoughts. According to Freud, the unconscious part of the mind is referred to as the id.It is composed of people’s basic needs and wishes. The id behaves in accordance with a principle known as pleasure principle that prevents pain. Freud also defines ego as a component of the unconscious mind.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More He says that ego constitutes the conscious whole character and natural aspects that intervene between the unconscious portion of the mind and reality (Matt, 2011, p.48). Comparing and Contrasting the Roles of the Unconscious in Personality Theories Types of Personality Theories Several theories can be used to explain personalities of individuals. They include behavioral theories, trait theories, social cognitive theories, psychoanalytic theories, and humanistic theories. In these theories, the term personality is used to refer to â€Å"dynamic and organized sets of characteristics possessed by a person that uniquely influence his or her cognitions, emotions, motivations, and behaviors in various situations† (Fleeson, 2004, p.84). Arguably, the various classifications of theories for personality are based on this definition. For instance, emotions and motivation give rise to the psychoanalytic theories of personality while the behavioral aspects in the definition of the term p ersonality give rise to the behavioral theories for personality. Behavioral hypotheses hold that people’s qualities emanate from their relations with the surroundings. In advancing their argumentations, behaviorists study the various measurable and observable behaviors of people to explain the nature of personality portrayed by individuals (Matt, 2011). Behavioral theorists such as John Watson reject various theories that suggest that personality of individuals is a function of feelings and the thoughts that form part of the conscious and unconscious mind. Trait theory argues that the personality of individuals comprises various broad traits. In the context of discussions of this theory, traits refer to characteristics, which are stable within an individual, which guide the course of actions of such persons. One of such theories is the five-factor theory (Matt, 2011).The origin of personality characteristics is a major concern to biological personality theorists. This group o f theorists argues that personality originates from the genetic characteristics of an individual. In fact, according to Kihlstrom, Beer, and Klein (2002), â€Å"researches on heritability suggest a link between genetics and personality traits†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p.73). Examination of these links drives research in biological personality. Apart from the two main paradigms of personality theory considered in this paper, another important group of theories that attempt to explain personality comprises the humanistic theory. This theory pays incredible attention to the significance of the free will of people together with the individual experience in fostering the development of personality. Central to the discussion of the humanistic theories is the concept of self-actualization. This concept emphasizes that personal growth is an important aspect that influences or motivates the behavior of people (Matt, 2011). Behavior is an important aspect that affects the personality of an individual f rom the perspective of social cognitive and psychoanalytic personality and theoretical paradigms. Abraham Maslow is one of the well-known advocates of humanist personality theory. Since the purpose of this paper is limited to the discussion of roles of the unconscious mind in personality theories from only two perspectives, the remaining part of the paper considers psychoanalytic and social cognitive perspectives only. Roles of Unconscious Mind in the Social Cognitive Theory of Personality From the perspective of psychoanalytic and social cognitive theories of personality, consciousness forms the phenomenal substance, which helps to guide the mental functioning in the life of a human being. It forms the foundation in which contextualization of events, construction of courses of action, and even planning of various actions are made (Bandura, 1995). Arguably, after the environmental learning experience, a mental effort is not required to perform various tasks. Rather, the unconscious mind functions as the constant reminder of the appropriate course of action whenever one encounters a situation requiring actions that have been executed before in response to a given environmental stimuli. The manner in which one responds to certain stimuli through a given set of behavioral actions that are peculiar to a particular individual constitutes the personality of such an individual (Bandura, 1995). From the perspective of social cognitive theories, the responses to certain environmental stimuli in automated ways are attributable to the information stored in the unconscious mind of an individual. The main challenges of social cognitive theorists are to develop an explanation of how these cognitions are developed. Addressing the above challenges constitutes the main points of departure on the role of unconscious from the perspective of social cognitive and psychoanalytic theorists. For instance, while the psychoanalytic perspective holds that some characteristics of an indi vidual that constitute the personality of him or her are owed to the functioning of the unconscious mind, the social cognitive paradigm argues that â€Å"consciousness cannot be reduced to an epiphenomenon of the output of a mental process realized mechanically at unconscious lower levels† (Bandura, 1999, p.7). From the basis of this assertion, social cognitive theory emphasizes that it is important for a distinction to be drawn between functional properties of the brain of a person and the physical processes for thoughts that are deployed by the given individual. While a psychoanalytic subscriber would incline to the position that the human unconscious mind is responsible for reactions involving negative experiences, the social cognitive theoretical paradigm maintains that people’s unconscious mind is essentially generative, proactive, and creative, apart from being self-reflective or reactive (Bandura, 1999, p.3). This argument implies that practices leading to cogni tions that are held within the unconscious mind are not only developing behaviors but also determinative manipulations. The unconscious mind is viewed from the perspective of social cognitive as the storage of information that must be activated to help in reacting towards the determination of the required course of action. Additionally, socials cognitive theorists emphasize that, in the expression of the personality of individuals, people must actuate certain brain processes so that selected intentions can be realized. These intentions define the personality of a given individual. Hence, for the expression of the characteristics of a person that make him or her unique from other people, certain schemas within the unconscious mind must be excited. Such schemas are made up of socially cognized and/or generated experiences. The central argument here is that the memories stored in the unconscious mind are acquired from the environment. The social cognitive theory on personality holds th at people display certain behaviors due to four main key factors: rewards, cues, drives, and responses (Bandura, 1999). In case an individual is motivated for learning a given behavior, he or she uses the observation technique to learn the behavior. This behavior defines the personality of the individual once its schemas are developed in the unconscious memory. Once a person observes behavior, it is solidified through learning. Therefore, the individual does not have to put any effort mentally to recall it and/or display it in a phenotypic manner. In this perspective, the personality of an individual is a function of the learned behaviors from the environment. Roles of Unconscious Mind in the Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality As argued before, social cognitive theory emphasizes that the personality of an individual is constructed by the social experiences through learning of behaviors from the environment. Once these behaviors are fully learnt, the unconscious memory serves the p urpose of automatically retrieving the memories that call into action the appropriate behaviors once stimuli, which demands reaction by a certain behavior, is experienced (Bandura, 1995). This purpose of the unconscious mind is opposed to the purpose of the unconscious mind in the formation of the personality of an individual from the perspective of psychoanalysis as stipulated and discussed by Sigmund Freud. Freud believed that one of the amicable mechanisms of uncovering the personality of his patients was through the free association with them. According to Matt (2011), patients were requested to describe what appeared in their minds whenever a discussion of certain topics was initiated. Additionally, Freud also conducted scrutiny of dreams of people in the attempt to establish a link between the unconscious mind and the personality of his patients. Via an intensive analysis of the preconscious mind together with the unconscious mind of patients, Freudian school of thought implie s that the personality of an individual is possible to evaluate. Consequently, a psychotherapeutic treatment of mental ailments can be conducted. Based on this psychoanalytic approach to personality, it means people have no control over their personality. Rather, it is controlled by the unconscious mind, which under the normal functioning of a person, is difficult to unveil. This argument perhaps explains why the Freudian approach to the determination of personality of an individual over dwells on the analysis of dreams as opposed to social cognitive perspective. While dreaming, an individual is not under control of his or her thinking process (Fleeson, 2004). However, in the dreams, an individual reminiscences situations, which are encountered in real life by attempting to respond to them depending on the acquired experience on some of the effective means of tackling such situations. This argument underlines the significance of considering socio-cognitive theoretical perspective in the determination of the roles of the unconscious mind against the psychoanalytic perspective. This case is significant since it is arguable that the dreams discussed by Freud as proactive means of determining the role of the unconscious mind in the construction of personality have the possibilities of being based on the information acquired through social interactions between the dreamer and other people within the environment. Social cognitive theory of personality provides an account of the personality of people based on the cognitions acquired by their interaction processes. Psychoanalysis approach argues, â€Å"The unconscious is the storehouse of instinctual desires, needs, psychic actions, and a repository for socially unacceptable ideas, wishes or desires, and traumatic memories† (Kihlstrom, Beer Klein, 2002, p.74). The unconscious mind is also the storage of painful emotions. Social cognitive theorists criticize this assertion by arguing that the psychoanalytic app roach to personality emphasizes the negative experiences of an individual in influencing his or her personality. The issue that remains is to know the roles of the unconscious mind in influencing positive personality traits that are expressed by people. Seeking a response to this query gives rise to other theoretical paradigms of explaining how the personality of an individual is constructed such as the behavioral theories and humanistic theoretical paradigms. Conclusion People’s actions and behaviors are attributable to several factors. Such factors include cultural beliefs and processes of social interactions. From the psychological perspective, people’s behaviors are also influenced by the conscious and unconscious mind. Psychoanalytic theorists advance this school of thought by contending that people have inner forces, which act outside their cognitions. Such forces influence the manner in which people behave. As discussed in the paper, this school of thought is at tributed to Sigmund Freud, who is regarded as the origin of psychotherapy. The arguments raised by Sigmund Freud were criticized, with people considering them strange. Hence, they attracted much debates about their applicability in real life situations. They also give rise to alternative paradigms of theorizing the personality of people. However, Freud’s work continues to influence a number of disciplines that are concerned with the studies of human behaviors such as sociology, anthropology, and psychology among others. Reference List Bandura, A. (1995). Social Foundations of Thought and Action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Bandura, A. (1999). A social cognitive theory of personality. New York: Guilford Publications. Fleeson, W. (2004). Moving personality beyond the person-situation debate: The challenge and the opportunity of within-person variability. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 13(2), 83–87. Kihlstrom, J., Beer, S., Klein, B. (2002). Self a nd identity as memory. New York: Guilford Press. Matt, F. (2011). The Foundation of Unconscious: Schelling, Freud and the Birth of the Modern Psyche. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.